Ramdin pleased with century but laments loss

North Sound (Antigua), March 7 (IANS/CMC) Wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin is ruing West Indies' series loss to England, despite his record maiden hundred in the third and final One-Day International here.

The 28-year-old Ramdin scored a superb 128 - the first hundred by a West Indies gloveman in one-day cricket - but watched as the regional side fell short by 25 runs, to concede the series 2-1 Wednesday, reports CMC.

"It was a good knock. I was just watching the amount of balls and the amount of runs we needed. I wasn't focussed on my score," said Ramdin.

"I didn't know I reached the hundred so quickly but it was one of my top innings so far. I'm happy for it [and I] thank God [but] I'm a little disappointed I didn't get my team over the line."

The right-handed Ramdin stroked 12 fours and five sixes in an innings that consumed only 109 deliveries. He reached three figures in style, moving into the 90s with a six off left-arm spinner Stephen Parry before clearing the ropes again in the same over, to complete a memorable century off just 99 balls.

He added 51 for the sixth wicket with captain Dwayne Bravo (27) and a further 71 for the seventh wicket with Darren Sammy (24), after West Indies slipped to 80 for five in the 20th over.

Ramdin said with the Windies struggling, his main aim was consolidation.

"I just went out there and batted some balls. We were under pressure, losing four wickets quite quickly. Marlon (Samuels) and I we just tried to bat down some overs, just rotating the strike and picking up the bad balls and putting them away," he recounted.

"I told myself I would try to bat until the 45th over and with partnerships we could get close (to the target). But it was unfortunate we didn't get that 100-run, 80-odd partnership that we really needed to get over the line."

England's victory was set up by Joe Root's maiden one-day hundred, 107, and Jos Buttler's 99, as the visitors recovered from 37 for two in the seventh over to post 303 for six off 50 overs, after they were sent in.

Ramdin rejected the suggestion that West Indies had made the wrong decision in fielding first.

"It was a nice pitch. Joe Root and Jos Buttler batted well. They had that big partnership that gave them that momentum," he explained.

"What cost us (was that) in the middle overs and at the top of the order we didn't have partnerships. We lost early wickets. Chasing 300 was going to be tough and we needed that big partnership at the top of the order and we didn't get that.

"Captain and I tried in the middle there, then myself and Sammy and then coming down to the end it was all up to me."

--IANS/CMC

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