England securing a decisive six-wicket victory
In a masterful display, England showcased their skills in the second ODI against West Indies, securing a decisive six-wicket triumph at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound, Antigua on Wednesday (December 6). Key standout performances from Sam Curran with the ball and Jos Buttler with the bat underscored England’s stellar efforts.
The visitors efficiently dismissed West Indies for 202 in 39.4 overs, and with a swift chase, reached the target in just 32.5 overs. This compelling win not only secured the series tie but also sets the stage for a thrilling decider in Barbados.
Jacks and Salt formed a solid opening partnership.
In a promising start to England’s chase, Will Jacks and Philip Salt formed a solid opening partnership, reaching a half-century within the first six overs. Alzarri Joseph faced some struggles in his initial spell, conceding 38 runs in his first three overs, including a six by Jacks. The partnership, however, was interrupted in the sixth over when Romario Shepherd bowled Salt with a delivery that kept slightly low. Despite the setback, Jacks continued to play aggressively, consistently hitting fours and sixes. He reached a fifty off 43 balls, although this achievement was amidst the dismissals of Zak Crawley and Ben Duckett, both falling victim to the spin of Gudakesh Motie.
With England at 85/3, the team found itself in a challenging situation. However, Will Jacks and Harry Brook remained committed to England’s aggressive style of batting, steering the innings below the 100-run mark. Jacks, after a commendable 72-ball innings, was eventually dismissed leg-before by Sherfane Rutherford, departing with a score of 73, featuring 6 fours and 4 sixes.
Jos Buttler fifty after 13 ODI appearances.
At 117/4, Jos Buttler entered the fray, facing the crease without a fifty in his last 13 ODI appearances. The pitch, offering occasional low bounce and grip for spinners, posed a threat to the visiting side. Despite the precarious conditions, Buttler and Brook opted for a six-hitting strategy, propelling England towards the target with confidence.
Jos Buttler reached his fifty in style, hitting a six and achieving the milestone in just 43 balls. This accomplishment came after he became the fifth England player to surpass 5000 ODI runs. Buttler concluded the match unbeaten with a score of 58 off 45, comprising 4 fours and 3 sixes. On the other end, Harry Brook sealed the victory by hitting the winning four, concluding with an undefeated 43 off 49.
Sam curran got 3 wickets.
In the earlier stages of the match, West Indies, after being asked to bat first, faced a significant top-order collapse, finding themselves at a precarious 23/4 in just 7 overs. Gus Atkinson initiated the damage by dismissing Alick Athanaze, while Curran took charge by dismissing Brandon King, Keacy Carty, and Shimron Hetmyer, leaving West Indies in dire straits. This marked a redemption for Curran, who had endured a challenging previous game, conceding 98 runs.
Hope and Rutherford 129-run fifth wicket stand.
The in-form Shai Hope led West Indies’ fightback as he put on a 129-run fifth wicket stand with Rutherford, with both batters scoring 60s. But Liam Livingstone caused another collapse, accounting for Rutherford, Yannic Cariah and Hope in quick succession to reduce the hosts to 163/7. Shepherd and Joseph tried to help their side finish with something competitive but all West Indies could manage was to get past 200 as their innings came to an end with 10.2 overs still remaining. Atkinson added another wicket to his tally and Rehan Ahmed picked up a couple to round off a dominating performance with the ball by England.
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