West Indies [Images] took advantage of some wayward England [Images] bowling on Thursday to win the first of two Twenty20 internationals scheduled on consecutive days at The Oval.
Devon Smith (61 from 34 balls) and Shivnarine Chanderpaul [Images] (41 from 26) shared a second-wicket partnership of 84 and Marlon Samuels struck an exuberant 51 from 26 to take West Indies to a daunting 208 for eight.
England's new limited overs captain Paul Collingwood [Images] threatened to take his team to an unlikely victory after they had been reduced to 101 for six from 12.2 overs.
Collingwood smashed 80 from 41 balls but the asking rate was too high and England eventually fell 16 runs short of their target with three wickets in hand.
The win was a welcome relief for the tourists, who lost the four-Test series 3-0, and a boost for their limited overs captain Chris Gayle.
Gayle has refused to apologise to the West Indies Cricket Board after criticising it for the late arrival of three players for the one-day series.
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