ENGLAND CRUSH WI BY EIGHT WICKETS
England thrashed the West Indies by eight wickets in their ICC Cricket World Cup match as Joe Root’s century and lethal spells from pace bowlers Jofra Archer and Mark Wood inspired the hosts at Southampton yesterday.
Root smashed 100 not out from
94 balls as England easily reached 213 for two after Archer’s three for 30 and Mark Wood’s three for 18 helped dismiss the West Indies for 212 runs.
Earlier, Nicholas Pooran top-scored for the Windies with 63 but after struggling to 55 for three, they never broke free from the shackles of a disciplined England attack and were bowled out in the 45th over.
England’s day was marred by injuries to Captain Eoin Morgan and opener Jason Roy which forced them off the field.
Morgan suffered a back spasm while Roy sustained a hamstring problem.
After England won the toss, Chris Woakes dismissed Evin Lewis for two before Mark Wood dropped destructive West Indies opener Chris Gayle.
The error did not prove too costly, however, as Gayle fell to Liam Plunkett for 36 and Shai Hope was trapped lbw by Wood for 11 to put the West Indies in early trouble.
Pooran and Shimron Hetmyer shared a fluent fourth-wicket partnership of 89 but Hetmyer was caught and bowled by Joe Root for 39 and the part-time spinner soon dismissed Windies Captain Jason Holder in identical fashion.
Pooran was caught by wicket-keeper Jos Buttler off Archer and the West Indies-born pace bowler also sent back Carlos Brathwaite and Sheldon Cottrell before Wood bowled Shannon Gabriel to end the innings.
Oshane Thomas was nought not out at the end, his fifth one-day international innings in a row at the start of his career without scoring a run making him the holder of an unwanted record.
(AGENCIES)
Root smashed 100 not out from 94 balls as England easily reached 213 for two after Archer’s three for 30 and Mark Wood’s three for 18 helped dismiss the West Indies for 212 runs