st johns, antigua (ap)

Andre Fletcher blasted an unbeaten 90 off 66 balls to lead the Stanford Superstars to a 58-run romp over Middlesex in the Stanford Twenty20 Super Series last night.

The Superstars - a West Indies all-star side - reached a tournament-best 173-4, then bowled the English Twenty20 champions for 115 in 17.3 overs.

Fletcher's fireworks

Fletcher's fireworks finally brought alive a series hampered by a slow and low pitch at Stanford Cricket Ground, and in time for the finale against England tomorrow for US$20 million, the richest prize in cricket.

Fletcher, who made his West Indies one-day debut against Australia this year, struck seven sixes and three fours after fellow opener and captain Chris Gayle was out second ball to paceman Tim Murtagh.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who like Gayle missed the Superstars' series-opening win against Trinidad and Tobago last weekend, was out for six in the fifth over and Ramnaresh Sarwan gone for 15 in the 11th.

Unbeaten 47-run partnership

But Fletcher built the innings with Sylvester Joseph (29) in a 60-run stand for the fourth wicket, and with Kieron Pollard who finished on 27 not out off 10 balls in an unbeaten 47-run partnership. Pollard hit three successive sixes in the last over off Tyron Henderson.

Middlesex, tasked with scoring more than eight runs per over, were reduced to 37-4 in the sixth over before top scorer Eoin Morgan, with 22, and Dawid Malan, 14, combined for an inning-best 36 for the fifth wicket.

The challenge slumped again after that, as Superstars spinners Dave Mohammed (2-10) and Lennox Cush (2-27) and seamers Daren Powell (2-15) and Darren Sammy (2-14) took wickets regularly.