BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Debutant seamer Matthew Forde sparkled in a Man-of-the-Match effort. On the identical time, lion-hearted Romario Shepherd as soon as once more proved his mettle as West Indies tasted their first One-Day Worldwide sequence success over England on Caribbean soil in 25 years with a nervy four-wicket win right here late Saturday.
Chasing a revised goal of 188 from 34 overs below lights within the rain-affected third ODI at Kensington Oval, West Indies regarded in peril of defeat once they plunged to 135 for six within the twenty sixth over, regardless of Keacy Carty’s 50 off 58 balls and Alick Athanaze’s 45 off 51 deliveries.
Nevertheless, the right-handed Shepherd flexed his muscle in an unbeaten 41 not out off 28 balls in a vital 56-run, unbroken seventh wicket stand with Forde (13 not off) as the house aspect sneaked residence with 14 balls to spare below Duckworth-Lewis-Stern.
The competition was nonetheless within the steadiness with 33 required off the final 24 balls, however Shepherd blasted successive sixes from the primary deliveries off the thirty first over from pacer Gus Atkinson (2-58), which leaked 24 runs, to place the sport firmly in West Indies’ favor.
“There’s a lot historical past in cricket it’s exhausting to maintain up typically, however any time we win, particularly on residence turf, [is pleasing],” mentioned West Indies captain Shai Hope.
“We have to defend our residence turf, so it’s nice to see the man placing up these performances, and hopefully, it will cheer the West Indian followers.”
The hometown lad Forde had earlier produced a surprising effort with three for 29 to assist restrict England to 206 for 9 in a recreation initially decreased to 43 overs per aspect after which additional decreased to 40 overs following one other break for rain.
Ben Duckett top-scored with 71 from 73 deliveries whereas Liam Livingstone chipped in with 45 from 56 balls, however England misplaced wickets in clusters and by no means actually discovered their stride after being despatched in.
Quick bowler, Alzarri Joseph supported Forde with three for 61 whereas pacer Shepherd chimed in with two for 50, left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie serving to to dry up the runs in a stingy eight-over spell which yielded solely 23 runs.
It was the 21-year-old Forde who blew away England’s prime order in a devastating new-ball spell, taking the primary three wickets to fall because the guests slumped to 49 for 5 within the tenth over after being despatched in following a delayed begin.
He had the harmful Phil Salt (4) taken at mid-off by Joseph with the sixth ball of the night, received Zak Crawley (0) to glove one, which bounced awkwardly to Athanaze at second slip in his subsequent over earlier than getting one to straighten and take Will Jacks’ (17) edge, wicketkeeper Hope finishing an easy catch.
Extra tragedy adopted for England within the tenth over. First, Harry Brook was run out by Joseph’s direct hit on the non-striker’s finish for one, the six-foot, five-inch Antiguan pivoting on the follow-through and throwing down the stumps with the batsman in need of his floor within the hunt for a fast single.
And two balls later, Joseph rushed Jos Buttler into an ill-advised pull, the England captain holing out to Motie at effective leg off the primary ball he confronted.
Duckett and Livingstone then got here collectively to tug their aspect off the ropes in an 88-run, sixth-wicket partnership, laying the muse for a aggressive whole.
The left-handed Duckett struck a half-dozen fours and a six whereas Livingstone, a right-hander, clobbered a brace of fours and sixes as England surged within the center overs.
Shepherd broke the stand with the primary supply of a brand new spell, getting Duckett to pick Brandon King at mid-wicket within the twenty sixth over, and he struck once more in his subsequent over when Livingstone holed out to Sherfane Rutherford at mid-on.
Following a break for rain at 161 for seven after 33 overs, Joseph rapidly knocked over Rehan Ahmed (15) and Sam Curran (12) on the resumption to depart England floundering on 171 for 9 within the thirty sixth over.
Nevertheless, the final pair of Atkinson (20 not out) and Matthew Potts (15 not off) placed on 35 in a daring stand to get their aspect previous the 200-run mark.
In reply, West Indies suffered an early setback when King (1) drove loosely at Atkinson and supplied cowl with a easy catch, with two runs on the board within the second over.
Athanaze led the West Indies rebuild with a usually breezy knock, the 25-year-old hanging seven fours in a 76-run second-wicket partnership with Carty, who counted 5 fours and a six.
Dominican Athanze was eyeing his second fifty of the sequence when he perished lbw to a full-length supply from Atkinson, his dismissal triggering a slide that noticed West Indies lose 5 wickets for 57 runs.
Hope (15) placed on 21 for the third wicket with Carty earlier than pulling leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed to mid-wicket within the seventeenth, Shimron Hetmyer (12) slashed off-spinner Jacks (3-22) to level within the twenty second earlier than Rutherford (3) holed out within the deep, additionally off Jacks within the twenty fourth.
A lot rested on Carty’s shoulder, however the right-hander departed two balls after chalking up his second ODI fifty, clipping a return catch to Jacks, leaving West Indies in a deep gap with 53 runs nonetheless required off 50 balls for victory.
However Shepherd arrived to belt three fours and three sixes whereas Forde performed the supporting function, the pair irritating England within the important levels of the encounter to earn West Indies their first sequence win over England in 16 years.
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