Rashid, Buttler take England to victory despite Gayle fireworks

ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada: Adil Rashid snared four wickets in five balls as England resisted a determined West Indies effort to claim a 29-run victory in a high-scoring fourth One-day International at the National Stadium in Grenada on Wednesday.

Responding to the tourists’ mammoth total of 418 for six, the home side were set on course by a rampaging 162 off 97 balls by veteran opener Chris Gayle. They remained in the hunt until the 48th over when leg-spinner Rashid broke an 88-run seventh-wicket partnership between Carlos Brathwaite and Ashley Nurse.

He then scythed through the tail — taking the last three wickets in the next four balls — to finish with figures of five for 85 off his allotted ten overs. After England were put into bat, Jos Buttler led the way with a rampaging innings of 150 off just 77 balls with 12 sixes and 13 fours while his captain, Eoin Morgan, made 103 off 88 deliveries with six sixes and eight fours.

Gayle’s effort in response included 14 sixes and 11 fours.Supported by 61 from Darren Bravo in a 176-run third-wicket partnership, Gayle looked in the mood to take the home side to a sensational victory until he was bowled heaving at Ben Stokes in the 35th over.

Gayle rethinking retirement

Ag AFP

ST. GEORGE’S, Grenada: Chris Gayle says he is reconsidering his decision to retire after this year´s World Cup after the West Indies´ opener´s record-breaking feats in the ongoing ODI against England.

“I´ve been playing a lot of T20 cricket, so it´s always going to be a difficult coming back into 50-over cricket. But eventually the body gets accustomed to the 50-over format,” he told icc-cricket.com.

“Hopefully, the body can change in the next couple of months and we can see what happens. What´s the matter with the body? I´m nearly 40. But could I un-retire? We´ll see. We´ll take it slowly.”

West Indies won toss

England

J Bairstow b Thomas 56

A Hales c Hetmyer b Nurse 82

J Root c Hope b Thomas 5

*E Morgan c Holder b Cottrell 103

†J Buttler b Brathwaite 150

B Stokes c Hetmyer b Brathwaite 11

M Ali not out 0

Extras (b1, lb1, nb2, w7) 11

Total (6 wickets, 50 overs) 418

Did not bat: C Woakes, A Rashid, L Plunkett, M Wood

Fall: 1-100, 2-120, 3-165, 4-369, 5-417, 6-418

Bowling: Cottrell 9-0-64-1, Holder 7-0-88-0, Nurse 10-0-68-1, Bishoo 4-0-43-0, Brathwaite 10-0-69-2, Thomas 10-0-84-2

West Indies

C Gayle b Stokes 162

J Campbell c Root b Wood 15

†S Hope c Buttler b Wood 5

D Bravo c Stokes b Wood 61

S Hetmyer c Hales b Wood 6

*J Holder st Buttler b Rashid 29

C Brathwaite c Morgan b Rashid 50

A Nurse c Plunkett b Rashid 43

D Bishoo c Stokes b Rashid 0

S Cottrell not out 0

O Thomas st Buttler b Rashid 0

Extras (lb5, w12, nb1) 18

Total (all out, 48 overs) 389

Fall: 1-24, 2-44, 3-220, 4-226, 5-295, 6-301, 7-389, 8-389, 9-389, 10-389

Bowling: Woakes 10-0-91-0, Wood 10-0-60-4, Plunkett 8-0-40-0, Stokes 8-0-77-1, Rashid 10-0-85-5, Ali 2-0-31-0

Result: England won by 29 runs

Man of the Match: Joss Buttler (England)

Umpires: Gregory Brathwaite (West Indies), Bruce Oxenford (Australia). Match Referee: Andy Pycroft (Zimbabwe)