England begin Brook era by hammering West Indies

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6 days ago

First one-day international, Edgbaston
England 400-8 (50 overs): Bethell 82 (53), Duckett 60 (48), Brook 58 (45), Root 57 (65); Seales 4-84
West Indies 162 (26.2 overs): Overton 3-22, Mahmood 3-32
England won by 238 runs, lead three-match series 1-0
Scorecard
England racked up 400 to begin Harry Brook's reign as captain with a comprehensive 238-run defeat of West Indies in the first one-day international at Edgbaston.
Brook, Ben Duckett and Joe Root all posted half-centuries, but the most impressive contribution came from Jacob Bethell, who struck 82 from 53 balls.
England's 400-8 after being asked to bat was the sixth time they have reached 400 in an ODI, their highest total in three years and best against a Test-playing nation since they won the World Cup in 2019.
West Indies were ordinary with the ball and would have conceded plenty more had they not taken three superb catches.
The chase was a non-event, the second half of the game little more than a procession after Saqib Mahmood ran through the West Indies top order for 3-32.
The highlight was Brydon Carse's spectacular catch at deep square leg to hold West Indies captain Shai Hope off Mahmood. The tourists were hustled out for 162 in 26.2 overs.
The lack of spectacle will matter little to England, who were desperate for any sort of victory after a wretched 18 months in white-ball cricket.
This ended a seven-match losing streak in ODIs and the series can be sealed with victory in Cardiff on Sunday.
West Indies in England 2025
England have form for a white-ball rebirth in Birmingham. It was on this ground 10 years ago they responded to a dismal World Cup by making 400 for the first time against New Zealand, beginning the journey to glory in 2019.
It is much too early to suggest this England team are on the path to becoming world-beaters and this West Indies team are nowhere near the New Zealanders of 2015, yet it is still hugely encouraging for Brook's tenure to begin with this kind of performance.
In lovely conditions for run-scoring, England found the batting tempo that has eluded them in recent one-dayers. It was a team effort, the first time in all ODIs each of the top seven have reached 35 and the highest total without an individual century.
West Indies were ragged. Their bowlers sprayed it and some of the field settings were baffling. At one stage an overthrow gave away five leg byes and even the numbers on the back of the tourists' iconic maroon shirts and jumpers were a random mix of yellow and blue. Four byes from the final ball of the innings took England to 400.
England backed up their batting with disciplined bowling and excellent catching. Mahmood set the tone and the hosts were able to deal with an injury to Jamie Overton, who left the field with a dislocated finger, then returned to claim 3-22.
England eventually ended with their second-largest ODI victory in terms of runs, just behind a 242-run shellacking of Australia at Trent Bridge in 2018.
Bar someone going on to reach three figures and beyond, Brook could not have asked much more of his rejigged top seven.
Jamie Smith, dropped on one, was aggressive for 37 in his first innings as a one-day opener. Duckett, arguably the world's premier all-format opener, made 60. Root was typically unfussy for his 57.
Brook set the example for England's move through the gears. The captain had 13 from 19 balls, then flicked the switch with two sixes and ended with 58 off 45. Jos Buttler, freed of the captaincy, hinted at his old self with 37 off 32.
It was Bethell who stole the show. Despite not playing in the Test against Zimbabwe last week, the 21-year-old was still in the headlines. In his first international on his home ground, the boy born in Barbados climbed into the West Indies attack with Caribbean flair.
Bethell had only 11 from 19 balls when he was hit on the helmet by Alzarri Joseph. It jolted him into fast-handed pull shots and dreamy off-drives. Four of his sixes were swatted over the leg side, the other slapped over mid-off.
With Will Jacks clubbing 39, including 22 off one Matthew Forde over, England's seventh-wicket pair added 98 from 44 balls. Bethell fell short of his first senior century. But when it comes, plenty more will follow.
Mahmood may have more than his two Test caps had he not been struck by serious back injuries in 2022 and 2023. He has rebuilt his career largely in white-ball cricket and, in his first home one-day international for four years, showed he can be a spearhead for the new-look England.
Pace bowling has been a problem area for England and they are missing a number of options through injuries. With Overton as the third seamer, they are arguably a bowler light in this side.
It mattered little with so many runs on the board and Mahmood tearing into the Windies' batting.
Justin Greaves had already overturned being given caught behind off Mahmood when he popped the same bowler to mid-off. Carse, fit again after foot problems, had Brandon King caught behind with near-unplayable away nip.
After Overton's injury, Mahmood switched ends to induce a miscue from Keacy Carty before Carse's moment of magic. Hope hooked Mahmood, Carse misjudged, back-pedalled and stuck up a hand to produce a copy of Ben Stokes's famous grab at The Oval during the 2019 World Cup.
Brook added to the smart catches, diving to his left to hold Jewel Andrew off Bethell. The captain pouched five in total, equalling a 32-year old record held by South Africa great Jonty Rhodes for the most by a fielder in a single ODI.
Player of the match, England batter Jacob Bethell: "It's pretty special to play at Edgbaston for the first time for England and to top it off with a win and put in a good performance is special.
"I back myself that, when I'm in, I can hit a lot of balls to the boundary. Dot balls are not good for a batter's mind. I try to hit strong shots and get singles early on."
England captain Harry Brook: "That was a pretty phenomenal performance from the boys. Nice to get the series under way in good fashion.
"I'm not concerned [about no-one converting their runs into centuries]. We got 400 runs! That is something we can look at and we've been speaking about. Four of us got 50+ scores. If one of us kicks on, that's a complete performance."
West Indies captain Shai Hope: "We didn't make the early inroads we were after. If you don't you will always find yourself playing catch up.
"We pulled the game back quite nicely. We let it slip at the end. We have some work and assessing to do."
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