Shah shines in England win

Owais Shah enabled England to square the NatWest Twenty20 Series against the West Indies with a 31-ball half century in a five-wicket win at the Brit Oval.

It helped Paul Collingwood to experience his first victory as England one-day captain following the Windies 15 run triumph at the same venue 24 hours earlier.

England were struggling at 104 for five in pursuit of a 170 target and required 55 runs from the final five overs, but Shah produced a flurry of boundaries in the 16th over from Marlon Samuels and the 17th from Dwayne Smith which yielded a total of 32 runs to put them on course for victory.

Shah's 50 contained seven boundaries and wrestled control away from the tourists and he was given good support in an unbroken sixth-wicket stand of 69 from 36 deliveries with Dimitri Mascarenhas, who finished on 18. England needed just six from the final over from Chris Gayle and won with three balls to spare.

Darren Powell had bowled at great pace for the tourists and made the first breakthrough when he knocked back the middle stump of Alistair Cook for nine.

Matthew Prior needed treatment after being hit on the hand by Powell and after making 22 he was bowled by Ravi Rampaul.

Rampaul struck again when Jonathan Trott (two) was caught off his glove down the leg side to leave England perched uneasily on 43 for three.

Powell worked up pace of around 90 miles per hour and was involved in a tense and gripping battle with Kevin Pietersen, but it was Darren Sammy who removed the Hampshire batsman after he had made 19, taking a fine return catch.

Much now depended on Collingwood and a six over long-on off Marlon Samuels brought up the 100 in the 14th over, but Samuels had instant revenge with his next delivery as Collingwood was brilliantly stumped for 27 .

England needed 56 from the last five overs but Shah manoeuvred the ball around well and collected 16 from an over by Samuels with the help of three fours.

Gayle and Samuels had produced some powerful hitting for the tourists but they received little support and fell well short of their 208 for eight total in the first meeting 24 hours earlier.