Evin Lewis and Gudakesh Motie starred as West Indies registered an eight-wicket win over England in the rain-hit first ODI at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in North Sound, Antigua on Friday (November 1).
After Motie claimed a four-wicket haul to bundle out England for 209, Lewis smashed an explosive half century to help West Indies reach the revised target of 156 in 25.5 overs and go 1-0 up in the three-match series.
Lewis and Brandon King gave West Indies an explosive start, adding 81 before rain arrived at the end of the 15th, reducing the target to just 76 from 20 overs when play restarted after an hour of play was lost in Antigua.
The opening duo soon raced past a 100-run stand as Lewis also reached his explosive half-century in 46 balls, with a four and five sixes. Livingstone broke the partnership, removing King for 30 in 56 balls, with three fours. WI was 118/1 in 19.1 overs.
Lewis also fell short of a hundred, scoring 94 in just 69 balls, with five fours and eight sixes before falling to Adil Rashid. WI was 144/2 in 22.3 overs. Keacy Carty (19*) and skipper Shai Hope (6*) helped the Windies reach the target in 25.5 overs.
Earlier, West Indies won the toss and put England to field first. The Three Lions had a decent start with openers Phil Salt (18) and Will Jacks (19) scoring some boundaries and putting up a 39-run opening stand.
Jayden Seales (2/22) ended the stand, removing the two openers in quick succession, bringing England to 46/2. A 40-run partnership followed between Jordan Cox (17) and Jacob Bethell (27 in 33 balls, with three fours).
Pacer Matthew Forde took two more in quick succession, reducing England to 93/4. England touched the 100-run mark in 22.5 overs. Skipper Liam Livingstone (48 in 49 balls) and Sam Curran (37 in 56 balls) put up a 72-run stand for the fifth wicket, trying to get England out of troubled waters.
However, a game-turning spell from Motie not only removed both all-rounders quickly, but also helped in wiping out the lower middle-order/tailend and bundled out England for 209 in 45.1 overs.
Motie (4/41 in 10 overs) was the pick of the bowlers for WI. Seales and Forde also took two wickets. Alzarri Joseph also got two wickets. Motie secured the ‘Player of the Match’ award.
Livingstone-led England will look to bounce back and level the series when they face West Indies in the second ODI at the same venue on Saturday (November 2) before the series concludes on Wednesday (November 6).
