Warm-up Match: Surrey v West Indies Rick Eyre - 12 May 1999 CricInfo report

Powell power at the oval

Thank you Carl Hooper. Without your sudden retirement from the game we would not be adding Ricardo Powell to the list of Players To Watch In The World Cup. Powell, a late addition to the West Indian squad, blasted the fastest fifty of the warmup series - from 21 deliveries - in his side's 88 run victory over Surrey at The Oval yesterday.

With rain interruptions shortening the match to 40 overs a side, the West Indies scored 224 for 6. Ridley Jacobs scored 80 from 93 balls after a slow start, with Chanderpaul making 46. Keith Arthurton showed a return to his 1996 form, caught behind first ball off the bowling of Alex Tudor. Powell smashed four fours and three sixes in his 22-ball knock of 53. Tudor, who would be a wise investment for England's 2003 World Cup campaign, took 3/15 from eight overs.

The timing of the rain delay was such that Surrey's target was increased to 258, a 33-run handicap. In the end they could only manage 169 runs for the loss of eight wickets. Reon King took 3/35 while the top scorers for Surrey were Mark Butcher (46) and Darren Bicknell (41*).

While the West Indies ended their warmup program on an upbeat note, the continued absence of Brian Lara and Courtney Walsh from the field is a matter of concern. Both have been carrying injuries, while Lara has had another brush with The Management, having been refused permission to travel to Barcelona on May 26 to watch his friend Dwight Yorke play for Manchester United against Bayern Munich in the European Champions Cup final. The West Indies play Scotland at Leicester the following day.