England’s new-look ODI workforce proceed current abjectness with sequence defeat within the West Indies
The dismissal should have crystallised England’s need to bat with unusual care in the Powerplay. Instead, it was the prelude to a ruinous collapse to 24 for four in the Powerplay.
Lacking the capacity to relieve the pressure with risk-free accumulation, England succumbed to impetuosity; Jacob Bethell, playing his maiden international in his native Barbados, cut his third ball to point, while Livingstone’s drive echoed that of Jacks.
At least Jordan Cox could be afforded little blame for gloving a brutish 92mph lifter from Joseph. He is facing the eternal question asked of all new international batsmen: how do they play the short ball?
In Antigua, Cox had fallen to another bouncer from a different Joseph, Shamar. For all the hope that he would prepare for his Test debut in New Zealand with some fruitful time in the Caribbean, Cox will return home on Thursday with just 22 runs in the series.
While the rest of the top order floundered, Phil Salt batted with atypical care, recognising a situation that called for adapting his normal cavalier style: his 74 took 108 balls, the sort of innings that England ODI openers played a decade ago.
Just as Salt attempted to accelerate, at the start of the last 10 overs, he was the victim of an astounding catch: King leapt backwards onto the midwicket rope and flicked the ball back to Joseph.
The celebrations did not betray the fast bowler’s earlier discontent. Joseph had gestured angrily with his captain before dismissing Cox, then left the field briefly before returning to bowl his full allocation of overs.
England’s fortune was that Shepherd’s calf injury left him with 3½ overs unbowled. These were instead delivered by Sherfane Rutherford’s seamers, which leaked 57 runs.
At his old home ground, Jofra Archer relished the gentle pace; he raised his top score in the format from eight to 38, thrashed from just 17 balls.
Together with Dan Mousley’s calm maiden international half-century, which showed his dexterity sweeping, and some clean straight blows from Jamie Overton, it completed England’s recovery to 263 for eight.
Source: telegraph.co.uk
