NORTH SOUND, Antigua, CMC – Enigmatic West Indies produced an underwhelming efficiency to go below by six wickets to England within the second One-Day Worldwide right here Wednesday, leaving Saturday’s finale in Barbados because the all-important sequence decider.
4 days after chasing down 326 to drag off a shock win within the Vivian Richards Cricket Stadium opener, West Indies may solely muster 202 all out within the fortieth over after being requested to bat first within the day/evening contest on the similar venue.
Captain Shai Hope adopted up his unbeaten hundred with a prime rating of 68 at a run-a-ball, whereas left-hander Sherfane Rutherford stroked a accountable 63 off 80 deliveries to submit his maiden ODI fifty in his second sport.
Left-arm seamer Sam Curran, who leaked 98 runs within the opener, returned with three for 33 to wreck the highest order in an incisive new-ball spell and earn Man-of-the-Match honors. On the similar time, off-spinner Liam Livingstone (3-39) additionally chipped in with three wickets, West Indies plunging to 23 for 4 within the seventh over earlier than recovering.
In reply, England survived a minor stumble to chase down their goal within the thirty third over comfortably, captain Jos Buttler returning to type with an unbeaten 58 off 45 deliveries and starring in an unbroken 90-run, fifth-wicket partnership with Harry Brook, who made 43 not out off 49 balls.
Nevertheless, opener Will Jacks laid the muse for the profitable run chase, the 25-year-old right-hander lashing 73 off 72 deliveries.
Left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie (2-34) struck twice in successive overs to inject Hope into the West Indies victory bid earlier than that fizzled out.
“As all of us can see, we didn’t begin in addition to we should always’ve with the bat. We put ourselves below some stress there,” Hope mentioned afterward.
“However I have to additionally take the constructive from the sport: Sherfane performed a very good innings there to get us out of a gap however once more, we additionally didn’t end in addition to we may’ve.
“We didn’t play the conditions sensible sufficient, which prompted that downfall within the again finish.”
He added: “We have now to win the sport [at Kensington Oval] to win the sequence, and every thing we have to do, whether or not it’s from extra planning [or] extra preparation, we’ve acquired to be prepared for the subsequent sport coming.”
Alick Athanaze (4) perished to a catch on the wicket courtesy of DRS after seamer Gus Atkinson (2-28) introduced one again to cramp the left-hander for room within the fourth over. Keacy Carty (0) and Brandon King (17) each fell to catches at first slip by Zak Crawley as Curran struck in successive overs.
When Curran additionally gained an lbw verdict in opposition to Shimron Hetmyer through DRS on the finish of the seventh over earlier than the left-hander had scored, West Indies have been in strife.
The reliable Hope mixed with Rutherford in a 129-run, fifth-wicket stand repaired the injury and set the tone for a potential cost on the again finish.
Whereas Hope counted a half-dozen fours and a six, Rutherford punched seven fours and a six in a managed knock, guiding the hosts to 119 for 4 on the midway stage.
As soon as Rutherford drove Livingstone into Phil Salt’s lap at cowl within the thirtieth over, nevertheless, West Indies crumbled, the final six wickets happening for simply 50 runs.
Hope was seventh out within the thirty fourth over, bowled enjoying again to Livingstone following a misjudgment of size.
In reply, Jacks gave England the best begin, blasting a half-dozen fours and 4 sixes as he placed on exactly 50 off 35 balls with Salt (21) for the primary wicket, 25 for the second with Crawley (3), and an extra 31 for the fourth with Brook.
Motie ultimately acquired Crawley to pull on a sluggish sweep within the eleventh over after which induced left-hander Ben Duckett into gloving a sweep to wicketkeeper Hope within the thirteenth.
And when Rutherford trapped Jack lbw within the twentieth over along with his unpractised medium tempo, England stumbled at 116 for 4, however Buttler and Brook shortly ended any hope of a come-from-behind win for the hosts.
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