BASSETERRE, St Kitts, CMC – Captain Chadwick Walton struck his second List A hundred three in three outings but it was not enough to prevent the UWI Vice Chancellor’s XI from crashing to a 117-run defeat to England here yesterday.
The 31-year-old, who gathered a career-best 117 against Trinidad and Tobago Red Force just ten days ago during the Regional Super50, improved on that effort with a stroke-filled 121 off 109 deliveries as the Vice Chancellor’s XI were bowled out for 262 in the 40th over.
Youth World Cup hero, Shimron Hetmyer, stroked 40 and Cassius Burton, 25, but Walton lacked real support and the innings collapsed late on.
Sent in at Warner Park, the tourists had earlier piled up an imposing 379 for eight off their 50 overs, courtesy of half-centuries from captain Eoin Morgan, Jason Roy, Joe Root and Ben Stokes.
Morgan struck 95 off 84 deliveries with six fours and six sixes, opener Roy blasted a stunning 79 off 43 balls with 12 fours and three sixes while Root’s 71 came from 76 balls and included five fours and two sixes.
Stokes weighed with 61 off 53 balls with a four and five sixes.
Fast bowler Jermaine Levy was the best bowler with four for 100 while left-arm spinner Khary Pierre claimed two for 53.
Roy put on 42 off 34 balls with Sam Billings (14) for the first wicket before adding a further 72 off 50 balls for the second wicket with Root.
Morgan and Root then combined to plunder 127 for the third wicket and once Root departed in the 31st over, Morgan and Stokes put on 57 for the fourth wicket.
Left-hander Morgan was eyeing triple figures when he missed a swing at one from Pierre which kept low and was lbw in the 42nd over at 297 for four.
Stokes and Liam Dawson, who made 30, ensured England got beyond 350 by posting a frenetic 68 off 31 balls for the sixth wicket.
In reply, the Vice Chancellor’s XI were carried by Walton who struck 12 fours and seven sixes in an entertaining knock.
He lost opening partner Amir Jangoo and then Anthony Alleyne – both without scoring – in the space of three balls in the second over from seamer Steven Finn (2-22), as the hosts stuttered to 10 for two.
However, Walton anchored two successive half-century stands to put his side back on course, adding 70 for the third wicket with Hetmyer and 81 with Burton for the fourth.
The right-handed Walton reached his half-century off 44 balls with a boundary through mid-wicket off leg-spinner Adil Rashid and needed another 56 deliveries to complete a run-a-ball hundred, clipping left-arm spinner Dawson to mid-wicket for a single to reach his landmark in the 33rd over.
He was eventually eighth out at 216 in the 36th over, lbw to Root off a faster delivery.
After slumping to 230 for nine, Keon Harding (18) and Levy (15) ensure the tail wagged by adding a breezy 32 off 22 for the last wicket.
