Neil Whitaker reports
ENGLAND’ s one-day team got off to a winning start under new captain Harry Brook as they beat the West Indies by 238 runs with over 23 overs to spare at Edgbaston.
Brook hit 58 as well as taking five catches a record for an England captain not keeping wicket and equalling a record catches by an out-fielder not keeping wicket with South African Jonty Rhodes. In fact the only thing he did wrong was losing the toss.
In the field defending 400, Brook was soon in action helping to dismiss opener Justin Greaves. Greaves meekly drilled Saqib Mahmood to Brook at mid-off who comfortably took the catch. Keacy Carty tried to pull a ball that was to full to and the ball went to Brook at mid-off. Earlier Carty had forced England pace bowler Jamie Overton to leave the field after he had blasted Overton’s second ball straight back at the paceman. Instinctively Overton stuck out his hand to take a catch but could’nt hold on to it and had to leave the field with a dislocated little finger. Overton later returned to the field and took three West Indies wickets.
Jewel Andrew thought he had hit a four when he drove Jacob Bethel through extra cover but he didn’t think that the England skipper would produce another produce another outstanding catch. This time Brook dove to his left for another catch. Earlier Andrew slog/swept Bethel for a six.
The Yorkshire duet of Brook and Adil Rashid combined to dismiss Amir Jangoo who pulled Rashid to Brook at mid-wicket who took a low catch.
Tailender Gudakesh Motie top edged a cut off Overton and found Brook at short cover. Earlier the slow left arm spinner flat batted Rashid for a straight six.
West Indies captain Shai Hope top scored with 25 and with Carty they added 36 in six over for the third wicket and looked they would take the West Indies past 100 before they lost another wicket. But Hope fell victim to another wonderful catch when he pulled Saqib Mahmood. This time it was Brydon Carse who took the catch, he came in from the square leg boundary stuck out his right hand and again the ball stuck.
England thought Brandon King had feathered Carse to stumper Jos Buttler and after an age umpire Kumar Dharmasena gave King out. But King reviewed it straight asway and the replay showed there was a gap between the bat and the ball. But it wasn’t a costly reprieve when Carse angled one in at him and at the second it seemed away from him and Buttler took the catch.
Roston Chase pulled Overton to Will Jacks on the square leg boundary. Overton got his third wicket when Matthew Ford late cut him to Saqib Mahmood on the third man boundary.
West Indies last wicket pair of Alzarri Joseph and Jayden Seales had fun adding 38 in six overs before Adil Rashid celebrated his 150 ODI celebrated in style by bowling Joseph thought the gate with a googly.
West Indies coach Darren Sammy said: “Today’s effort was not good enough, we were outplayed by a team that’s seeking a new identity. We know that we have played a better brand of cricket over the past 18 months. England came out with a simple plan and stuck to it. Today our bowlers were not disciplined enough. We were chasing the game from the start letting England score 90 in the first 10 overs.”
Brook said: “To get 400 on the board after being put in and then bowl them out for 160 is an exceptional start, hopefully we can top that at some point. The boys at the top played beautifully and set the tempo. We are trying to forget the past and only focus on what ahead of us. We’ve done pretty well today and we can take that confidence going forward.”
England opener Jamie Smith was put down on one by Greaves at second slip off Seales. Despite this he and Ben Duckett raced to 50 in the sixth over. On 37 Smith top edged a pull off Joseph and should have been taken at mid-on but as Seales he walked forward he slipped and couldn’t meet the ball. Smith pulled the next ball firmly to King at mid-wicket and the ball stuck.
Ducket ramped Joseph to the fine leg boundary and in the next over Joe Root swept Chase to the square leg boundary. After their first power play England scored 90 for the loss of Smith, England's fastest start to a ODI match against West Indies. He got a leading edge to Greaves and the ball flew to Chase at a point who stuck out his right and the ball stuck.
Root reached his 42nd ODI 50 from 60 balls with the minimum of fuss. Brook lofted Greaves over the long-on boundary for a six and then Brook scooped him for a six over fine leg. After those two sixes and Root’s 50 the pair accelerated and their 50 partnership came from 44 balls. Then in a flash Root edged Seales and was on his way back to the hutch.
Brook hooked Forde for a six. His sixth ODI 50 from 41 balls. He cut Forde straight to Carty who had come in from the point boundary. Buttler went down the pitch to Greaves and launched him for a six over long off and flat batted the next ball fir a one bounce four over the long-off boundary.
Then the Edgbaston crowd were treated to a special inning from one of their own but once again Bethel fell short off a century this time by 18 but he was still England’s top scorer. He flayed Forde to the extra cover boundary and flat batted the next ball for a six over the long-on boundary.
It’s the third time he has passed 50 in ODI’s. He went down the pitch to Seales and calmy placed him over the long-on boundary for another six. Bethel was the last man out in England’s 50th over when he glanced a slower ball bouncer from Seales to Hope who dove forward to take the catch.