Amy Jones and Linsey Smith star as England's opening gambit pays off in West Indies win

Independent

2 days ago

Opening pair Amy Jones and Tammy Beaumont both struck centuries as England secured a convincing 108-run victory over the West Indies in the first one-day international in Derby.
Jones returned to the top order for the first time in six years and hit her maiden ODI century – 12 years after her debut in India – while the dominant Beaumont also impressed with the 11th of her career as the duo frustrated the West Indies in the first innings.
The visitors' attack had to wait till the 36th over for their first wicket but England set their opponents 346 to win and they made a fist of things through the opening powerplay courtesy of Hayley Matthews and Qiana Joseph.
Linsey Smith claimed a five-wicket haul on her ODI debut, with fellow 50-over debutant Em Arlott getting two wickets of her own and, despite Joseph's half-century, the West Indies fell to a heavy defeat.
Jones quickly brought up her half-century while Beaumont was holding it up down the other end – she finally smashed the first six of the innings over wide long-on as she passed the 50 mark from 74 balls.
The pair were cruising and the visitors had no answer to their superiority. Beaumont began to put the pedal to the metal after her half-century, with Aaliyah Alleyne slapped for two fours and a six in the first over of her second spell as England flew to 200 with 17 overs still to go.
Perhaps Jones was feeling the pressure of being in the nervous 90s and she was let off the hook twice in two overs as the West Indies blew the chance to get her back in the shed with a pair of dropped catches from Jahzara Claxton and Karishma Ramharack.
Beaumont needed just 22 balls for her next 50 runs and raised the bat after reaching her century, and her partner was not far behind her as she drilled one through the covers to reach her ton from 108 balls.
The West Indies finally made their breakthrough as Cherry-Ann Fraser bowled Beaumont, who looked to dance down the track, and one wicket brought another as Emma Lamb lasted just three balls.
Jones' stay at the crease ended in the 39th over and Nat Sciver-Brunt brought up her 23rd ODI fifty before she was caught lbw by Fletcher as England reached 345 at the halfway stage.
The West Indies started well with the bat, with Joseph and Matthews finding the boundary regularly in the powerplay to put on an opening partnership of 91 before the latter nicked Arlott into the gloves of Jones.
Joseph brought up her second ODI half-century before she was bowled by Alice Capsey and that started a procession of wickets as the West Indies lost their last eight for 98 runs with Smith slicing through the middle order.