West Indies romped to a 2-1 series win over England as they comfortably chased down 264 for the loss of just two wickets in the third ODI decider in Barbados on Wednesday.
Brandon King (102) and Keacy Carty (128no) each notched majestic hundreds in a 209-run stand for the second wicket, the latter’s being his first for the West Indies in his 28th ODI cap.
Reece Topley (1-55) claimed nothing more than the late consolation wicket of King, bowled, to end the partnership, but Carty stuck around to see the hosts to victory with seven overs to spare.
England, who had limped out to a 24-4 start after being inserted, had appeared to carry some momentum into the run-chase as Phil Salt (74) and Dan Mousley (57) first helped rescue the innings, and Jofra Archer (38no off 17 balls) smashed three sixes in a blistering cameo at the back end.
But the writing was almost on the wall as early as two balls into the West Indies’ reply, both of them King boundaries blasted off Archer to set the tone of what was to come.
The two teams face-off again in a five-match T20 series which gets under way on Saturday from 8pm (UK and Ireland), the first two games of which are also being held at the Bridgetown Oval.
Shai Hope’s decision to bowl first in the ODI series decider was certainly vindicated as his battery of fast bowlers ripped out England’s top order in the opening 10 overs, but such a scintillating start was somewhat undermined by a row that played out between the West Indies skipper and Alzarri Joseph.
In unprecedented scenes, Alzarri (2-45) bounced out Jordan Cox (1) with a snorter of a delivery before swiftly leaving the field of play in a sulk at the end of the over, seemingly upset over the field he’d been set – his team briefly down to 10 men.
Alzarri’s absence mattered little in the grand scheme of things, with Romario Shepherd (2-33) removing Jacob Bethell (0) with his very first ball – aided by a terrific catch from Roston Chase – and then adding match-winner from the second ODI, Liam Livingstone (6), soon after to have England reeling. Will Jacks (5) had been the first domino to fall, nicking off to Matthew Forde (3-35).
Salt and Sam Curran (40) slowly rebuilt, adding 70 for the fifth wicket, before Curran perished when trying to break the shackles against the off-spin of Chase, holing out to mid-on when looking to take on the fielder.
Salt soon after brought up a 79-ball half-century, his fifth in ODI cricket and comfortably his slowest. He could have gone for 52 in the very next over but, this time, Chase shelled a tough chance low to his left at backward point.
Instead, the England opener shared in another 70-run stand, this time with Dan Mousley, the 23-year-old notching a first fifty in only his third ODI cap.
Salt finally departed in the 41st over for 74 to a sensational relay catch on the long-on boundary that showed off all of King’s athleticism before Alzarri applied the finishes touches, albeit it still failing to raise a smile out of him.
Mousley kicked on, while Jamie Overton (32 off 21) and Archer too struck some lusty blows late on, England benefitting from an injured Shepherd having to be helped from the field after a slipping badly when bowling the first ball of his seventh over.
The West Indies suddenly had to find the best part of four overs from part-timer Sherfane Rutherford and England took full advantage, racking up 57 runs off his spell, including Archer smashing his final over for 25!
But, far from carry that momentum into the West Indies run-chase, the hosts themselves wrestled back the initiative thanks to an explosive start from King and Evin Lewis (19) that saw 27 scored off the opening three overs.
That included a stonking straight six from Lewis off Archer prompted the fast bowler’s removal from the attack early, only for Jamie Overton (1-17) to replace him and bounce out the West Indies opener in his first over.
England never truly threatened to add to further to that breakthrough, other than a Livingstone lbw decision first ball against Carty, when on 13, that was quickly overturned on DRS with an inside edge detected, and a Salt drop of King on 44, also off the captain’s bowling. King would also be put down on 86, by Cox in the covers off Archer but, by that point, the game and series were long since lost.
All that was left to settle were the richly-deserved centuries for both West Indies batters, a first in ODI cricket for Carty brought up first off 97 balls, before King reached his fourth an over later, off 113 deliveries – the pair’s partnership also ticking past the 200 mark.
Topley toppled King late on but Carty, fittingly, was there at the end to hit the winning runs to wrap up a series victory.
West Indies vs England schedule (all times UK and Ireland)
- First ODI: Antigua – West Indies win by eight wickets (DLS)
- Second ODI: Antigua – England win by five wickets
- Third ODI: Barbados – West Indies win by eight wickets
- First T20: Barbados – Saturday November 9 (8pm)
- Second T20: Barbados – Sunday November 10 (8pm)
- Third T20: St Lucia – Thursday November 14 (8pm)
- Fourth T20: St Lucia – Saturday November 16 (8pm)
- Fifth T20: St Lucia – Sunday November 17 (8pm)
