England’s latest white-ball reboot under new captain Harry Brook started in stunning fashion as they thrashed the West Indies by 238 runs at Edgbaston.
A decade on from posting a 400-plus total in ODIs for the first time in Birmingham to kick-start Eoin Morgan’s revival of the limited-overs sides, England piled up 400 for eight in this Metro Bank ODI series opener despite no one reaching three figures.
Brook was one of four batters to pass fifty – all of the top-seven made at least 37 – as he recorded 58 off 45 balls but Jacob Bethell stole some of his thunder by top-scoring with 82 off 53 deliveries.
Ollie Pope and Zak Crawley may have quietened their critics with centuries against Zimbabwe last week but calls for Bethell to return to the Test side against India this summer are only likely to grow.
This was a classy innings which included five sixes and eight fours but was also paced perfectly before the Windies were skittled for 162 in 26.2 overs as England snapped a seven-match losing run in style.
Saqib Mahmood and Jamie Overton claimed three wickets apiece as a record win was in the offing when the Windies lurched to 102 for eight, but the tail wagged and England settled for their second biggest ODI victory – bettered only by the 242-run margin by which they beat Australia in 2018.
Memorable Day
Brook, who inherited an ODI side in disarray following a dreadful Champions Trophy that led to Jos Buttler‘s resignation as skipper in March, claimed a record-equalling five catches to complete a memorable day.
It started by losing the toss but England’s new-look opening pair pierced the in-field at will, with Jamie Smith showing off his range in his 37 after being dropped on one and Ben Duckett was customarily strong on the cut and pull in his 60 before both perished to outstanding catches inside the ring.
Joe Root made a typically unobtrusive 57 then nicked off, while Brook took 13 singles from his first 19 balls before thrashing five fours and three sixes, including a couple of stylish whips over fine-leg.
However, his uppish cut was taken well by a tumbling Keacy Carty and Buttler was also caught in the deep for 37 in his first innings back in the rank-and-file, leaving England vulnerable to a collapse with none of the top-five kicking on after getting in.
Having missed the Champions Trophy because of injury and last week’s Test win over Zimbabwe owing to his Indian Premier League commitments, Bethell was not so charitable in his first England innings in three months.
Jacob Bethell
He warmed to his task gradually before upping the ante with a mighty slog sweep for six off the underused Gudakesh Motie – the only boundary the wily slow left-armer conceded in seven tidy overs.
Bethell cut loose with four sixes off the quicks in the final powerplay in an explosive 98-run stand in 44 balls alongside Will Jacks, who contributed a rapid 39, including 22 in an over off the expensive Matthew Forde.
Needing 18 from the final over for a first international century, Bethell instead got a feather to Seales’ wider off-cutter but England got to 400 – their sixth in ODIs – with four byes off the last ball.
Any hopes the Windies had of recording their highest ODI chase appeared to rest on captain Shai Hope anchoring the innings but his pull off Mahmood’s bouncer led to a stunning catch from Brydon Carse over his head, reminiscent of Ben Stokes’ unforgettable leaping grab in England’s 2019 World Cup opener.
Hope’s departure for 25 gave the bustling Mahmood his third wicket, having had Justin Greaves and Carty caught at mid-off by Brook, who dived to take a sharp chance off 18-year-old Jewel Andrew.
Brook took a couple more before Motie and Seales hit out down the order as the Windies avoided their heaviest defeat. England, though, sealed a commanding victory when Adil Rashid castled Alzarri Joseph.
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