Ravi Bopara and Peter Trego were the stand out performers as the England Lions qualified for Thursday’s A-Team Tri-Series Final with a 124-run victory over West Indies A.

The West Indians though had a terrific start in the first over of the match as Lions captain Andrew Gale departed for a golden duck and Jonathan Trott fell for 1, both caught behind off Gavin Tonge, to leave the Lions on 2-2 and when Ian Bell was dismissed for 1 the Lions were in deep trouble at 14-3 in the 4th over.  

Ravi Bopara and former Worcestershire player Steven Davies then started to rescue the innings, as Davies scored a steady 34 from 41 balls and with Darren Stevens scoring an attacking 43 off 37 balls the Lions were 148-5 in the 29th over.  But then the innings came to life as Bopara and Peter Trego played an array of fabulous shots and their sixth wicket partnership of 159 put the Lions in command as Bopara went on to score a magnificent 168 off 140 balls, with Trego scoring a scintillating 73 off 55 balls, as England Lions were dismissed for 345 in 49.1 overs, with Gavin Tonge being the leading wicket taker for the West Indies with 4-69.

In reply the West Indies lost captain Devon Smith in the 3rd over for 2 and when they lost both Fletcher and Edwards off Trego they were up against it at 57-3 after 11 overs.  Darren Bravo and Kevin Stoute fought back as they put on 95 for the fourth wicket but Ravi Bopara had other ideas as he dismissed both Bravo, who made a resolute 62 off 84 balls, and Stoute, who scored a combative 64 off 73 balls, to leave the West Indies on 188-5 in the 35th over.

The innings then quickly subsided as Bopara, with List A career best figures of 4-43, and Trego, also with List A career best figures of 5-40, cleaned up the tail and the West Indies were all out for 221 in 40 overs to seal a fine win for the Lions, who now take on India A at New Road on Tuesday.

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