ENGLAND completed a clean sweep of victories over West Indies to successfully wrap up the first part of their hectic summer before turning their attention to bigger challenges.

With the ICC World Twenty20 tournament and a home Ashes series to come, the early Test and one-day series against West Indies was never at the top of England’s priorities.

But they managed to gain as much out of these early matches as possible, claiming a whitewash in the two- Test series before wrapping up their one-day series triumph in emphatic fashion yesterday with a 58-run victory in the final one-day international at Edgbaston.

Demoralised and disjointed just a few months ago following the shock double exit of coach Peter Moores and captain Kevin Pietersen, England have regrouped impressively to deliver their most dominant display of the summer so far.

Put into bat on a slow Edgbaston wicket, England produced a superb batting display to record their third highest total in a 50-over international of 328 for seven, their highest ever against West Indies.

It was a target way beyond the capabilities of a West Indies side who have shown little appetite for the battle ever since they arrived on English soil five weeks ago, and they subsided to 270 all out in reply.

England’s total, their highest since scoring 340 for six in the tied match against New Zealand in Napier last year, relied on a solid opening partnership and a superb 149-run third-wicket stand between Matt Prior and Owais Shah.

Making his final England appearance until the start of the Ashes in Cardiff on July 8 after being overlooked for the World Twenty20, Prior seemed determined to make a point to England’s selectors.

Adapting quickly to the number three role, Prior hit a superb 87 off 86 balls to record his highest one-day international score.

His efforts alongside Shah, who dominated their 126-ball stand, allowed England to pass 300 for the first time in 22 one-day internationals.

Ravi Bopara gave England a flying start after they were put into bat, contributing 49 off 54 balls before he was out playing on.

That set the stage for Prior and Shah to launch into a dispirited attack. They struggled to find any fluency early on with only two boundaries in a half-century partnership off 51 balls, but opened up as their stand progressed.

Such was their dominance they added 55 in the five overs of the batting powerplay, during which time West Indies captain Chris Gayle was forced to use four different bowlers.

Shah’s impressive 75 off 65 balls was ended six deliveries after the end of the powerplay when he was caught in the deep to spark a mini-collapse of four wickets in a 30- ball spell.

Prior followed two overs later, bowled by Jerome Taylor as he attempted to accelerate, and it took an enterprising 23 off 14 from Paul Collingwood on his 33rd birthday to push England beyond the 300.

Facing a major target, West Indies’ hopes depended on captain Gayle but his innings was brought to an abrupt halt after two early boundaries when he attempted to pull a full-length delivery from Stuart Broad which looped to mid-on.

Ramnaresh Sarwan followed in the next over when he was brilliantly caught one-handed by Strauss at cover off James Anderson.

Without two of their most experienced batsmen, the responsibility of guiding West Indies into a position where they could chase the huge target once again fell to Shivnarine Chanderpaul.

While Chanderpaul carefully attempted to build partnerships, his team-mates were contriving to get themselves out at the other end with Runako Mortano capping another desperate display by being run out after leisurely attempting to regain his ground having being turned back going for a second run.