Moeen shines again Wade signs deal with Cavs to reunite with Lebron
England take 3-0 series lead against West Indies
LONDON: England beat West Indies by six runs on the DLS scoring method to take an unassailable 3-0 series lead after rain curtailed what promised to be a thrilling finish to the fourth oneday international at The Oval.
When the weather intervened in the 36th over, England had just scrambled ahead of schedule after a thrilling counter-attack from Moeen Ali (48 not out) and Jos Butt-ler (43 not out) took them to 258 for five in reply to West Indies’ 356 for five.
England’s sixth-wicket pair put on 77, timing their acceleration perfectly with the prospect of rain in the air.
The result was particularly cruel on the tourists’ Evin Lewis who hit seven sixes in a brilliant innings of 176 not out from 130 balls.
Lewis’ knock came to a bizarre end when he smashed a full Jake Ball delivery against his ankle off an inside edge in the 46th over and dropped to the ground in agony.
Lewis, who was diagnosed with a hairline fracture, was wheeled away on a stretcher to a standing ovation for an innings that surpassed the previous international record for a retired hurt of 165 set by Australian Charles Bannerman against England in 1877.
Jason Holder hit 77 and Jason Mohammed 46 as the visitors posted their highest score of the series.
England, without Ben Stokes and Alex Hales who were involved in a nightclub incident on Monday, got off to a fast start as they aimed for their highest successful ODI run chase.
Opener Jason Roy hit his first ODI half-century for 11 innings before edging Alzarri Joseph to the keeper for 84.
England temporarily fell behind the rate until Moeen, who hit a century in the last game, and Buttler took charge.
Joseph finished with figures of 5-56 from 8.1 overs after conceding 25 without taking a wicket from his first three.
At the age of 20, he is the youngest West Indian to take five wickets in an ODI.
Lewis will be out for around three weeks and will miss today’s final game of the series in Southampton. — Reuters TORONTO: Dwyane Wade has reunited with friend and former teammate LeBron James by signing a contract with the Cleveland Cavaliers, the NBA team said.
Wade, who won two of his three NBA championships with James while the two were teammates with the Miami Heat from 2010-2014, joins a Cleveland team that has reached the last three Finals and won it all in 2016.
“There’s no better place to be right now to continue to play and compete at the highest level,” Wade, who was the NBA Finals’ Most Valuable Player when he won his first title in 2006, said in a statement.
“Cleveland believe in my talents and what I can bring to a championship contender both as a player and leader.
“I look forward to reuniting and playing alongside my brother LeBron. We’ve already won two championships together and I hope we win a third.”
Wade, who agreed to a contract buyout with the Chicago Bulls on Sunday, will be relied on heavily in Cleveland with recently-acquired point guard Isaiah Thomas likely out until January as he continues to heal from a hip injury.
A 12-time All-Star, Wade has averaged 23.3 points, 4.8 rebounds and 5.7 assists per game during the regular season and ranks 11th on the all-time postseason scoring list. — Reuters