Key events
Right, I think that’s it from me. Time for bed in wet and windy England. Huge congratulations to West Indies: to Forde and Carty, to Athanaze and Shepherd, to winning captain inspiration Shai Hope. England lick their wounds and move on, the five-match T20 series starts on Tuesday, with a few new faces flying in, and – at last- a break from the 50-over grind. Thanks for your emails, good night!
Jos Buttler, holding it together but the eyes are sad“We know we made a few mistakes with the bat. I thought it was a really good effort from the guys [with the ball], I thought the spinners were outstanding, we could have done with a few more runs on the board. The start of a long journey for these guys, we can build something for the future. I’m really looking forward to the T20s, a change of format.”
Player of the series and winning captain: Shai Hope. “I’m setting a decent example in the team but great to see the guys chipping in as well. There’s so much history in cricket, it’s hard to keep up [re the first win for 25 years] but we need to defend out home turf and hopefully we give some cheers to the West Indian fans.”
Player of the match: Matthew Forde
“There is a lot of work going on behind the scenes – coming in today is like a dream come true. Always special for me, I’m 21 and I’m living my dream, I thank all the boys for making it possible. Coming here in front of my home crowd, my mum’s here, my dad’s there, it was very heartwarming. The wicket was a bit tacky, it was just line and length and I got some wickets, so just thankful. Batting with Sheppy, it was just about turning over the strike and getting it back to him.”
Liam Livingstone getting the finger pointed at him in the studio – seems a bit harsh, I thought that was a relatively tricky catch. Probably need to see it again. We wait for the presentation, and England’s white-ball reset will have to wait for the T20 series – which starts in Barbados in a couple of days.
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Series defeat for England…284 days until their next ODI, Australia at Trent Bridge in mid-September.#WIvENG
— Yas Rana (@Yas_Wisden) December 10, 2023
Joy for West Indies! Forde gives Shepherd an enormous hug before running off to hug his family in the crowd. Buttler marches off, helmet under one arm, disappointment under the other. Handshakes all round.
West Indies beat England by four wickets (DLS)!
31.4 overs: West Indies 191-6 (Shepherd 41, Forde 13) The last time West Indies won an ODI series against England in the Caribbean was 1998. They don’t have long to wait now – and that’s it! The win coming with more than two overs to spare, the final runs from five wides and a slog sweep for four.
31st over: West Indies 179-6 (Shepherd 35, Forde 12) Shepherd pingoes a high full toss from Atkinson’s first ball over midwicket, Livingstone catches it over the rope but is unable to do any modern magic instead landing flat on his tummy – feet one side of the rope, arms and ball the other. Next ball is another full toss, dispatched with equal elan in a similar place. A single brings Forde to the strike, and he urges a wide one round the corner for four more. The next is ushered to midwicket for three, and the over finishes with a whopping straight drive back past the bowler’s miserable boots. Twenty four from the over, Jos Buttler looks stern, West Indies need 9 from 18 balls.
30th over: West Indies 155-6 (Shepherd 18, Forde 5) Jacks, long sleeves, shakes his wrists before bowling as if adjusting his heavy jewellery. West Indies can only pick up three, though Forde drops to his knee in an attempt to lump him out of the ground. West Indies need 33 off 24.
29th over: West Indies 152-6 (Shepherd 16, Forde 4) Ahmed’s last over. He reels in. Shepherd bashes him high –too high? No, it is long enough to go over the head of the leaping Crawley, who gets a hand to it as he flies backwards over the boundary. West Indies need 36 off 30.
28th over: West Indies 144-6 (Shepherd 9, Forde 3) Jacks buoyed by the scent of wickets, bounces in. A leg bye, a single, and then a beauty which beats Shepherd to finish the over. Six overs left.
27th over: West Indies 142-6 (Shepherd 9, Forde 2) Buttler picks his time to bring Ahmed back, and West Indies can only pick up two.
26th over: West Indies 140-6 (Shepherd 8, Forde 1) Jacks the dream-spoiler! Collects Carty two balls after he reaches fifty – super knock, but probably not enough.
WICKET! Carty c and b Jacks 50 (West Indies 135-6)
Three for Jacks, who picks up Carty low off his own bowling with a rakeish shake of his floppy fringe.
25th over: West Indies 132-5 (Carty 48, Shepherd 3) Phoar, what a slap! Livingstone fired over extra cover for six by Carty. Ten from the over.
24th over: West Indies 122-5 (Carty 41, Shepherd 0 ) Buttler thinks Jacks has a second in the over with a vociferous appeal for a caught behind off Shepherd. Umpire ignores him – and he has no reviews left. Replay confirms that there was no touch of bat.
WICKET! Rutherford c Crawley b Jacks 3 (West Indies 122-5)
Rutherford thinks he’s got a handle on Jacks, but he’s been done by the flight and Crawley collects a couple of feet from the rope.
23rd over: West Indies 119-4 (Carty 40, Rutherford 1) England’s spinners racing through their overs here, West Indies need to make sure they’re on top of this. Five from Livvy’s over.
22nd over: West Indies 116-4 (Carty 38, Rutherford 0 ) A wicket maiden for Jacks! Looks as if Carty might have to bring this home. West Indies now need 72 from 72 balls.
WICKET! Hetmeyer c Salt b Jacks 12 (West Indies 116-4)
A shiny cut, but to point where Salt is waiting.
21st over: West Indies 116-3 (Carty 38, Hetmyer 12) West Indies run rate heading towards a run a ball, as they can’t can’t get Livingstone away.
20th over: West Indies 112-3 (Carty 35, Hetmyer 11) A joyful pull over for six off Jack’s last ball by Heymeyer. All blacksmith, whose long day is done.
19th over: West Indies 106-3 (Carty 35, Hetmyer 5) Livingstone sends down a pie, and Carty nearly falls for it, but in the end his hoik falls between two fielders. England lose their last review after Livingstone convinces Buttler to review an lbw shout against Hetmeyer – alas, the replay reveals some bat.
18th over: West Indies 103-3 (Carty 34, Hetmyer 3) Buttler looks as if he’s plumped for Livingstone, but there’s a late switch and Jacks gets the nod. Just singles – with West Indies now needing 85 off 96 balls.
17th over: West Indies 100-3 (Carty 33, Hetmyer 1) Trying to work out who the vocal one is on the field for England – “come on boys, he can’t read you Reh”. But Hope can see an over -pitched ball when it arrives and thumps Ahmed for six. Last laugh for the bowler though, who gets Hope in the teens for the first time in the series. Enter the helmet-less Heymyer.
WICKET! Hope c Potts b Ahmed 15 (West Indies 99-3)
Hope steps back to usher Ahmed legside, but Potts is waiting at midwicket and collects inches from the ground.
16th over: West Indies 91-2 (Carty 32, Hope 8) Atkinson’s radar a bit wild for the first two – wide – deliveries, then Hope rises onto his toes, into the air, and kisses Atkinson square for four. The next does him like a kipper. A drive is half-stopped in the circle by Duckett, cutting off the four but still bringing two.
15th over: West Indies 80-2(Carty 30, Hope 1)
14th over: West Indies 78-2 (Carty 29, Hope 1) Athanaze picks up a single with an unconvincing edge, before losing his partner to a smashing ball from Atkinson.
WICKET! Athanaze lbw Atkinson 45 (West Indies 78 -2)
Yorker thuds into the back pad. Looks out, given out on the field…West Indies review, because why spoil the party, but off Athanaze must go.
13th over: West Indies 76-1 (Athanaze 44, Carty 28) A huge appeal for an Athanaze caught behind off Ahmed’s googly. Not out says the umpire, but Buttler is convinced – however the replay shows the noise comes from the ball brushing the stumps, not the pad. England lose a review. Just one from an excellent over.
12th over: West Indies 75-1 (Athanaze 41, Carty 23) Atkinson flies in, neat, almost pigeontoed. Carty, light-footed, sends him fizzing just behind square for four. A wide adds to England’s woes, but Atkinson fights back with a couple of dots to finish the over.
11th over: West Indies 67-1 (Athanaze 41, Carty 23) Ahmed again, Athanaze watches, watches, and at the last moment cuts sweetly for four. Ahmed tosses the ball from hand to hand and returns to the fray. West Indies chugging along nicely at the moment, serenaded by trumpets.
10th over: West Indies 62-1 (Athanaze 36, Carty 23) Carty eyes up a short one from Potts, and swivels, sending the ball flying through backward square for four.
9th over: West Indies 57-1 (Athanaze 35, Carty 19) Time for spin, and Rehan Ahmed, who looks altogether leaner and less soft around the edges than he once did. A boundary each for the batters – a cut for Athanaze and a biff straight past the bowler for Carty – whose touch seems to be returning.
