England display cheers ton-up Cook
England had to set aside the shock of Tom Maynard's death to beat the West Indies - and captain Alastair Cook was full of praise for their successful efforts.
Cook, whose fifth one-day international hundred helped to complete an eight-wicket victory over West Indies at The Oval, explained how England batting coach Graham Gooch helped focus the players' minds on Tuesday morning.
"Graham Gooch spoke very well at the beginning of the day, and all the lads responded extremely well," added Cook. "I don't think it's right to repeat what he said."
"It was incredibly sad news, and I think quite a few boys were very emotional - especially during the minute's silence this morning," he added.
England were pressed hardest while Chris Gayle (53) was at the crease, smashing five sixes and three fours in a blistering half-century. But once Graeme Swann had the left-hander lbw, Tony Hill's marginal decision upheld after a DRS procedure, four West Indies wickets fell very quickly.
Dwayne Bravo (77) and Kieron Pollard shared a 100-run fifth-wicket partnership, but the tourists' 238 for nine always seemed vulnerable on a very good batting wicket.
Cook (112) proved the point, sharing a century opening stand with Ian Bell (53) and then 81 with number three Jonathan Trott.
Bravo identified the dismissal of Gayle, in his first international match since last year's World Cup, as an obvious turning point.
He made it clear too that the West Indies were far from pleased with the outcome of Gayle's review, in which third umpire Kumar Dharmasena appeared to conclude that the simultaneous impact of the ball with both pad and bat vindicated the original decision.
"What confused us is they used the technology ... and then the decision was given," he said. "It's okay, umpires do make mistakes - that's accepted - but not when they see it after a referral and realise they've made the wrong decision and then stand by it."
