BIRMINGHAM: England thrashed West Indies by 238 runs in Harry Brook’s first match in charge as full-time captain to snap a seven-match ODI losing streak and move 1-0 up in the three-match series at a sunny Edgbaston on Thursday.
Put in to bat, England piled up 400-8 as Jacob Bethell smashed a destructive 82 in 53 balls and Ben Duckett, Joe Root and Brook all helped themselves to half centuries against a ragged West Indies attack.
It was the highest score England had amassed at home against West Indies in the 50-over format and it proved far too much for the visitors who capitulated in feeble fashion.
Saqib Mahmood and Jamie Overton both took three wickets with Brook taking five catches as the West Indies reply crumbled to 162 all out with only Keacy Carty and captain Shai Hope scoring more than 20 before an entertaining but meaningless late cameo of 29 by number 11 Jayden Seales.
It was the perfect start to Brook’s reign as white ball captain as England recorded their second-largest win in terms of runs, second only to the 242-run thrashing of Australia in 2018.
The 21-year-old Bethell, who shared a seventh-wicket stand of 98 from 44 balls with Will Jacks and also took a wicket, was named man of the match at his home ground.
“It’s pretty special to play for the first time here for England and to top it off with a win like that,” he said.
“I enjoy batting in the middle order. Today was a pretty easy situation to come into. When I’m in, I can hit a lot of balls to the boundary.”
He struck eight boundaries and thumped five sixes against before falling short of a first senior century when edging a wide delivery by Seales behind to West Indies skipper Shai Hope.
Seales was the pick of the West Indies bowlers with Bethell being his fourth wicket, although he did concede 84 runs in nine overs.
England began in brisk fashion with openers Jamie Smith and Duckett setting the tone with 59 coming off the first six overs.
Smith, looking comfortable after being promoted to the top of the order, departed for 37 when he was brilliantly caught by Brandon King off the bowling of Alzarri Joseph.
Root joined Duckett and they continued to shred the West Indies attack until another magical catch, this time by Roston Chase who hung on to a ferocious Duckett (60) at backward point off of a ball by Justin Greaves.
Root made 57 and Brook 58 before Bethell grabbed the limelight with a sensational knock.
It looked a tall order for West Indies and when Greaves fell to Mahmood in the third over and King was caught behind in the fourth, the writing was on the wall.
Carty and Hope offered some resistance but Carty was out for 22 mistiming a pull off Mahmood and picking out Brook.
Hope (25) then fell to a super catch by a leaping Carse at deep square leg to give Mahmood his third wicket and leave West Indies reeling on 66-4.
Bethell showed his touch with the ball to give Brook another catch to remove Jewel Andrew and the rest was a formality as England got back to winning ways in style.
“That was a pretty phenomenal performance from the boys. Nice to get the series under way in good fashion,” Brook said.
The second match is in Cardiff on Sunday.
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