Shai Hope Stars As West Indies Beat England By 4 Wickets In 1st ODI

Shai Hope’s 16th hundred and the rampaging support of all-rounder Romario Shepherd lifted the West Indies to a record-breaking four-wicket victory in a high-scoring opening duel of the three-match One-Day International series at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua

Earlier, Harry Brook held the England innings together through the middle overs but it was blistering assaults at the top and tail of the 50 overs which lifted them to a competitive 325 all out.

Openers Phil Salt and Will Jacks blazed 77 at almost 10 runs per over after Jos Buttler opted to take first strike.

Hope’s bowlers then took advantage of a two-paced surface to pull the scoring rate down significantly before Sam Curran and Brydon Carse regained the frenetic early tempo in an eighth-wicket stand of 66 as 86 runs were taken off the final nine overs the innings.

Brook’s 71 came off 72 balls with seven fours and two sixes as the West Indies bowlers mixed up the pace of their deliveries to earn reward. Spinner Gudakesh Motie and pacers Shepherd and Oshane Thomas claimed two wickets each.

“I thought it was a fantastic effort by us with the bat,” said Buttler in reflecting on the match. “It needed a special innings to chase it down and West Indies got that from Hope with support from Shepherd.”

In the aftermath of a disastrous World Cup defence in India, England now fnd themselves in a must-win situation going into the second match at the same venue on Wednesday.