England won the first one-dayer after a calamitous misreading of the rain regulations by the West Indies coach.
Australian John Dyson waved his batsmen in when they were offered the light with 27 needed from 22 balls.
But Stuart Broad’s vital wicket had made all the difference, and England’s total of 270-7 gave them a one-run win under Duckworth-Lewis rules.
West Indies finished on 244-7, with the excellent Broad taking 3-41 as England scraped their first win of the winter.
Paul Collingwood (69) and Owais Shah (62) did the bulk of the scoring for England after they had won an important toss on a slow wicket in Guyana.
England’s bowlers generally did a fine job in defending the total, although a single Steve Harmison over which Shivnarine Chanderpaul smashed for 26 at a crucial late stage nearly undid so much of the good work.
As it happened, West Indies were ahead of the "par" score under the Duckworth-Lewis system when the 47th over began – and the umpires hovered over their light meters.
But after Broad had sent down a wide and two legitimate deliveries – the second of which trapped Denesh Ramdin lbw – the batsmen were offered the light, and Dyson beckoned his batsmen into the pavilion.
A confusing interlude ensued before a winner was declared – as Dyson approached the match officials with his set of rules. But he appeared to have forgotten to take into account the wicket of Ramdin which turned a West Indies win into an English one.
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