England escape, WI giant hits out

Allrounder Chris Woakes has helped an under-strength England side narrowly avoid what would have been an embarrassing loss to a West Indies President's XI in a practice match ahead of their upcoming one-day international series.

Woakes hit an unbeaten 47 batting at number seven to help the tourists chase down a target of 234, which had looked unlikely when they had slumped to 8-212 with around five overs remaining.

The tourists had been cruising at 1-128, thanks mostly to opener Jonny Bairstow (86 from 97 balls), but a collapse of 6-49 gave rise to hopes of a shock win to the locals.

But Woakes calmly sealed the win with the bat, hitting four fours and a six, having also taken 2-37 with the ball.

The hosts had earlier been bowled out for 233 at Warner Park in St Kitts, an innings built on half-centuries to captain Jahmar Hamilton (73 from 90 balls) and giant allrounder Rahkeem Cornwall, who launched three sixes in his innings of 59.

The 24-year-old Antiguan, a former teammate of Ricky Ponting in the Caribbean Premier League who weighs in at 140kg and stands at 200cm tall, also took 1-39 from 10 overs with the ball as five of England's eight wickets fell to spin.

The tourists fielded an experimental side ahead of their three-match ODI series against the Windies, starting on Saturday, with Bairstow opening the innings alongside Sam Billings in the absence of regular openers Jason Roy and Alex Hales due to injury. Skipper Eoin Morgan (number six) and star allrounder Ben Stokes (number eight) were also shifted down the batting order.

There was bad news for England with quick Jake Ball limping from the field with a knee injury, putting his participation for the rest of the tour in doubt.

Already without Mark Wood, David Willey and Reece Topley due to injury, England will be desperate to not lose another pace bowler for their first contest against the Windies since their memorable decider of the ICC World T20 in India last year.

Hales, meanwhile, should play a role after all in the series after earning a late call-up only a month after he had been omitted because of a right hand fracture.

The 28-year-old Nottinghamshire batsman – who has 11 Tests and 40 ODIs under his belt – suffered the injury during January's tour of India.

However, having been left out when the original squad was announced on January 27, he has been summoned after a scan confirmed he has sufficiently recovered to tour, with the proviso for playing time being that he undergo rehab when he gets to the West Indies to ensure he is fully fit.

Hales, who last year made England's highest individual ODI score, 171 against Pakistan at his Trent Bridge home ground, will re-join his international team-mates three days before the first match in Antigua.

"Alex Hales arrives tomorrow evening local time," the ECB confirmed. "He will continue his rehab with us until the medical and coaching teams deem he is fit enough to join the squad officially."

England are due to play a three-match ODI series against the West Indians; two games in Antigua and one in Barbados.

West Indies ODI squad: Jason Holder (c), Devendra Bishoo, Carlos Brathwaite, Kraigg Brathwaite, Jonathan Carter, Miguel Cummins, Shane Dowrich, Shannon Gabriel, Shai Hope, Alzarri Joseph, Evin Lewis, Jason Mohammed, Ashley Nurse, Kieran Powell, Rovman Powell

England ODI squad: Eoin Morgan (c), Jos Buttler, Jason Roy, Sam Billings, Joe Root, Ben Stokes, Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali, Liam Dawson, Adil Rashid, Chris Woakes, Liam Plunkett, Steven Finn, Jake Ball