VIKRAM Solanki top-scored with 38 as England Lions posted 174-6 off 24 overs in their rain-affected one-day match with the West Indies at New Road.

However, the Worcestershire captain - who was also skippering his national side - could not serve up a victory as the tourists reached their target with five balls to spare, courtesy of Denesh Ramdin's excellent 73 and a Runako Morton half-century.

The duo, who came together with the score on 23-1, took the game away from the hosts with a quickfire 130-run partnership.

Solanki won the toss and elected to bat first in a match reduced to 24 overs per side due to heavy rain early in the day. England's opening pairing of Solanki and Will Jefferson put on 75 for the first wicket in a big-hitting stand before the Nottinghamshire batsman was first to go for 36.

The 6ft 10ins opener holed out to Morton to become the first of three victims in five overs for Marlon Samuels (3-15), who also clean bowled the Worcestershire batsman soon afterwards.

Alex Gidman weighed in with 34 before being stumped by Ramdin off skipper Chris Gayle, while Owais Shah contributed 34.

The West Indies, who included five unfamiliar faces in their line-up due to several regular players being unavailable, lost Gayle cheaply, pouched at slip by Shah off Jimmy Anderson. However Ramdin and Morton came together and batted aggressively to effectively seal the win.

Despite Ramdin and Samuels falling in quick succession - the latter without scoring courtesy of a direct-hit run-out from Kabir Ali - Morton (72no) saw his side home, hitting the winning runs with a huge six off Michael Yardy.