Smith paves way as England crush West Indies to complete 3-0 series sweep

Reuters

2 days ago

LONDON, June 3 (Reuters) - England completed a 3-0 sweep of West Indies in their one-day international series with opener Jamie Smith's rapid half century paving the way for a convincing seven-wicket victory at the Oval on Tuesday.
Set a revised target of 246 in 40 overs after West Indies posted 251-9 in a rain-shortened match, England sauntered to victory after Smith's ferocious onslaught of 64 from 28 balls.
Fellow opener Ben Duckett chipped in with 58 and Joe Root made a relaxed 44 as England made light work of the chase -- Jos Buttler joining the party with a quickfire 41 and sealing victory with a huge six in the 30th over.
A series whitewash was the perfect start for England's new white ball captain Harry Brook after England had lost their previous seven ODIs ahead of the series.
England's players arrived at a murky Oval on a fleet of hire bicycles to avoid local traffic problems that snagged the West Indies team coach and caused a 30-minute delay to the start.
But the 24-year-old Smith set off more like an express train as his withering assault on the West Indies attack whisked the game away from the chastened visitors.
He brought up his first ODI half century in the seventh over of England's reply from just 25 balls, launching spinner Gudakesh Motie over the long on boundary for six.
Another six followed before Motie ended the carnage by bowling him with the next ball, Smith departing having struck 10 boundaries and three sixes in a memorable innings that earned him the man of the match award.
"I enjoyed the freedom, having the backing of the team to go out and play that way," Smith said. "It's not always going to go well. It's a fine balance between being positive, not reckless."
Duckett was almost a slouch in comparison, reaching his half century in 34 balls before being caught by Evin Lewis off the bowling of Roston Chase.
England were romping along at more than 10 an over with their 150 coming up in the 14th over before Root and Brook kept the scoreboard ticking in more leisurely fashion with the outcome already a foregone conclusion.
Root, who made 57 in the first match in Edgbaston and a magnificent 166 not out in Cardiff, was out top-edging Alzarri Joseph to his namesake Shamar Joseph at deep fine leg.
After a brief lull, Butler then put the gloss on England's day with an entertaining 20-ball cameo.
Put in after losing the toss, West Indies stumbled to 28-3 with skipper Shai Hope out first ball but Keacy Carty and Sherfane Rutherford fought back to move them to 82-3.
Rain then forced a two-hour delay and reduced the match to a 40-over per side contest and on the resumption Adil Rashid bowled Carty, removed Justin Greaves for 12 and then Roston Chase first ball to leave West Indies reeling on 121-6.
But Rutherford made 70, including nine fours and two sixes, before being flicking a shortish Brydon Carse to mid-wicket where he was brilliantly caught by the diving Brook.
A belligerent 63 from the impressive Motie in a swashbuckling 91-run partnership with Alzarri Joseph (41) helped West Indies to a total that at least looked competitive.
But the total proved wholly inadequate as England laid down a marker for a new era under Brook.