England restrict WI to 225 on slow pitch

Innings break West Indies 225 (Mohammed 50, Plunkett 3-32) v England
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Jason Mohammed cuts during his hard-earned half-century © AFP

A desperately slow pitch and a disciplined bowling performance from England restricted West Indies to just 225 in the first innings of the second ODI in Antigua.

West Indies, bowled out with 13 deliveries of their allocation unused, mustered only 15 fours in their entire innings as they struggled to time the ball on the same begrudging and perhaps slightly two-paced surface used for the first ODI. Five batsmen fell to mishits that ballooned catches to the infield.

While the total looked some way under par, England may not find the chase as straightforward as it might first appear. This is a surface that does little to encourage batsmen, bowlers or spectators, so they may need to temper their natural attacking instincts if they are to progress.

West Indies never found a way to conquer the surface. While Evin Lewis showed a flash of his talent, taking successive boundaries off the first over of the innings (a long hop cut for four, followed by a thumping cover drive), Steven Finn removed both him and West Indies’ other aggressive top-order batsman, Kieran Powell, in his opening spell to ensure a cautious start. Lewis was caught off the leading edge as he tried to turn one across the line, while Powell top-edged an attempted pull.

That took Finn to 100 ODI wickets. The tenth England player to reach the landmark, he also became the third quickest (in terms of matches played) after Darren Gough and Stuart Broad, who both reached the milestone in the 62nd match. This was Finn’s 67th.

It could have been even worse for West Indies. England put down a couple of chances of varying difficulty with Eoin Morgan, at mid-on, probably doing well to lay his hand on a ball scooped to his left when Kraigg Brathwaite had scored 3 and Ben Stokes spurning a much easier chance at midwicket when the same batsman had scored 41. It looked, for a moment, as if Stokes may have damaged the second finger on his right hand but, having left the field for treatment, he was soon able to return.

As it was, Kraigg Brathwaite and Jason Mohammed were able to add 72 for the fourth wicket. And while the pace of progress never had England overly concerned – Finn, Chris Woakes and Liam Plunkett all delivered maidens – it was a stand that provided some sort of platform for West Indies. Mohammed hit Adil Rashid and Stokes for sixes over midwicket, while Kraigg Braithwaite also slogged Rashid, whose first spell was untidy, against the spin for a leg-side boundary.

But, having batted patiently into the 30th over, Kraigg Braithwaite was stumped after skipping down the wicket and being beaten through the gate by Moeen Ali. Mohammed, having just brought up his 50 with a heave to midwicket off Stokes, was caught at mid-on as he tried to clip Plunkett through the leg side before Jonathan Carter, who shone briefly with 39 off 36, was deceived by another slower ball and lofted a catch to mid-off.

Rashid took both catches and he claimed a third – and the best of them – when Jason Holder attempted to heave the ball into the ocean but could only loft it just back past the bowler, while Carlos Brathwaite was caught on the midwicket boundary after Jason Roy, realising he may fall over the rope as he tried to complete the catch, calmly threw the ball underarm to Sam Billings running round to offer his support. Ashley Nurse was bowled through the gate and Shannon Gabriel, called through for a leg bye, was beaten by an excellent pick up and throw from Jos Buttler.

It looks like a far from adequate total but on an even less adequate surface, a series-clinching victory might prove hard work.

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Source: ESPN Crickinfo