Rain puts paid to West Indies momentum

GROS ISLET, St Lucia (AP):

ENGLAND SEALED a 3-1 win yesterday in their Twenty20 International series against the West Indies when the fifth and final match was abandoned after five overs because of rain.

West Indies reached 44-0 at the end of the fifth over after losing the toss when torrential rain began to fall. Evin Lewis was 29 not out and Shai Hope on 14.

With no hope of the rain abating and the outfield already soaked, the umpires made the decision to call off play about 6:15 p.m. with no result.

England won the first three matches of the series by eight, seven, and three wickets, respectively.

West Indies won the fourth match on Saturday by five wickets in a record run chase at the same venue, with their flagging top order coming good for the first time in the series.

Hope had scored 54 from 24 balls and Lewis made 68 from 31, with seven sixes and four fours, in a partnership that lasted only 9.1 overs.

The home team previously won the One-Day International series 2-1. All seven completed matches were won by the team that won the toss and batted second.