England blitzed the 10th-highest score in ODI history as they took a 2-1 lead in the ODI series despite a brave run-chase by the West Indies in the fourth ODI at Grenada on Wednesday.
After being sent in to bat by the West Indies, Jonny Bairstow (56 off 43 balls, 4×4, 4×6) and Alex Hales (82 off 73 balls, 8×4, 2×6) put on 100 for the first wicket for England in under 14 overs.
Eoin Morgan and Jos Buttler then shared a monumental 204-run partnership for the fourth wicket to take their side to 368-4 in the 47th over. Morgan scored 103 off 88 balls (8×4, 6×6), while Buttler lashed the West Indies bowlers for 150 runs off just 77 balls, including 13 fours and 12 sixes (S/R 194.80).
Set 419 to win off their 50 overs, the West Indies were struggling on 44-2 after 5.2 overs before Chris Gayle and Darren Bravo got the West Indies’ run-chase on track with a 176-run stand for the third wicket. Bravo contributed 61 off 59 balls (4×4, 4×6), but it was Gayle who starred with the bat, going to his 25th ODI century in style.
Gayle took the West Indies to 295 before he became the fifth wicket to fall, having scored 162 runs off just 97 balls, with 11 fours and 14 sixes (S/R 167.01).
Carlos Brathwaite and Ashley Nurse (43 off 41 balls) put on a bold seventh-wicket stand of 88 to take their side to within sight of a sensational victory. Brathwaite went to his 50 off 35 balls (his first in his 32nd ODI), but with the run rate suddenly spiking in the last few overs Adil Rashid picked up the wickets of both batsmen off consecutive balls. Rashid added a third wicket in the over off the fifth ball as he dismissed Devendra Bishoo for a two-ball duck.
Sensationally, Rashid then had Oshane Thomas stumped first ball to end the match as he picked up four wickets off the over to finish with figures of 5-85 from his 10 overs (econ 8.50).
Mark Wood (4-60, econ 6.00) and Liam Plunkett (0-40, econ 5.0) also shone with the ball for England on a bitterly tough day for the bowlers on both sides.
Photos: Gareth Copley/Getty Images
