England cruise towards win

England's new look line-up were progressing towards a comfortable warm-up victory in their only 50 overs outing before the start of the one-day series against West Indies.

Fielding a line-up without several senior players - including resting captain Andrew Strauss and Kevin Pietersen - the tourists set a formidable total of 299 for eight after a quickfire 84 from Hampshire all-rounder Dimitri Mascarenhas.

But chasing that big target at Guaracara Park, the West Indies' Players' Association slumped to 78 for six after 15 overs to put the tourists on course for a morale-lifting triumph before the Twenty20 International at the Queen's Park Oval.

Playing with the oil refinery burning brightly in the background, England recovered from the loss of opener Steven Davies in the fifth over with stand-in captain Ian Bell and Ravi Bopara forging a 77-run stand to lay the platform for a major total.

Bopara, picking up the opening role he was given in India before Christmas, hit an aggressive 56 after being dropped at mid-wicket on 19 including five fours and a six.

He was stumped coming down the wicket attempting to hit over the top. Bell continued England's momentum with a determined 55 but his demise sparked the loss of three wickets for 32 runs.

That middle order collapse brought Mascarenhas to the crease and after playing cautiously during a 67-run stand with Adil Rashid, he became more aggressive during the latter stages of the innings despite two interruptions for rain.

Mascarenhas hit nine fours and two sixes in his 84 off 55 balls to earn England the momentum after the break, which was built upon with Amjad Khan and Jimmy Anderson claiming a wicket apiece in the first three overs.

They both claimed two wickets in their opening spells while Steve Harmison bowled the dangerous Lendl Simmons to keep England on course for a comfortable triumph.