CARDIFF, England – Joe Root hit a masterful, unbeaten century to anchor England to an exciting three-wicket victory over the West Indies, which helped them to claim their One Day International series with a game to spare on Sunday.
Root rescued the home side with a magnificent knock of 166 not out, his 18th ODI century, to propel them to 312 for seven off 48.5 overs, past the West Indies’ competitive total of 308.
His performance overshadowed that of Keacy Carty, who scored 103 – his third century in four matches – to put the West Indies in a good position to post a total in excess of 350.
Carty along with opener Brandon King put on 141 runs for the second wicket following the early dismissal of Jewel Andrew for a duck after the West Indies were sent in to bat.
Both batsmen were given lifelines early in their innings, with Ben Dockett dropping Carty at slip when he was one and King after he had scored just 11.
They took advantage of their luck, with Carty racing to his half century off 59 balls by pulling Adil Rashid to backward square for four.
King then ended a poor run of form by reaching his half century off 56 balls with a single off Rashid after driving him through cover.
The pair had motored along to 147 for one at almost six runs an over, until King drove Rashid straight into the hands of Brydon Carse stationed at long off to be out for 59.
Captain Shai Hope joined Carty at the crease and the two maintained the momentum by taking the score pass the 200-mark.
Carty, fresh off two hundreds in the preceding tour of Ireland, brought up his fourth ODI century off 102 balls when he guided Jacob Bethell past backward point for a boundary.
But almost immediately after, Carty walked straight past a Will Jacks delivery and was stumped for 103 off 105 balls, inclusive of 13 fours.
At that point, West Indies were still well positioned at 205 for three in the 36th over.
However, Carty’s dismissal saw the visitors lose five wickets for 63 runs to see them slump to 268 for seven.
It took a fighting 78 off 66 balls by Hope to help get the West Indies over 300, before he was the last wicket to fall with 14 balls still remaining in the innings.
Rashid led the way for England with 4-63 while pacer Saqib Mahmood took 3-37.
England got off to terrible start, losing openers Jamie Smith and Duckett for ducks to slip to 2-2.
Root and captain Harry Brook joined forces, but the former was lucky not to be run out with the score on seven, but Roston Chase’s effort from gully went just wide.
The West Indies were unfortunate not to have claimed the wickets of both batsmen in successive deliveries with the score on 41.
Forde was certain his inswinger had trapped Root lbw when he was seven, but the umpire ruled not out with the review showing that the ball would have clipped the bail, leading to the call standing.
And with the next delivery bowled by Jaydon Seales, wicketkeeper Hope put down Brook diving to his right.
They would prove costly, as the pair added a further 46 valuable runs, before Alzarri Joseph grabbed Brook’s wicket for 47.
And when Joseph bowled Jos Buttler for a duck and Roston Chase had Bethell lbw for 17, the West Indies were in the ascendancy at 133 for five.
But Root found a worthy partner in Jacks, and the two shared a 143-run partnership to revive England’s run chase.
Root brought up his century by thumping Gudakesh Motie for a six and then a four to start the 36th over and followed it up by hitting Chase for three boundaries in the 38th over.
By the time Joseph dismissed Jacks for 49 to leave the score 276 for six, the damage had already been done, with England requiring 33 runs from 36 balls.
Root then duly brought up his 150 before fittingly ending the match by driving Seales to the boundary.
In all he faced 139 balls and struck 21 fours and two sixes.
Joseph was the pick of the West Indies bowlers with 4-31 from his 10 overs.
Summarise Scores
WEST INDIES 308 in 47.4 overs (Keacy Carty 103, Shai Hope 78, Brandon King 59, Justin Greaves 22, Gudakesh Motie 18, Alzarri Joseph 10; Adil Rashid 4-63, Saqib Mahmood 3-37).
ENGLAND 312-7 in 48.5 overs (Joe Root 166 not out, Will Jacks 49, Harry Brook 47, Jacob Bethell 17, Adil Rashid 10 not out; Alzarri Joseph 4-31).
