(Cricket News) So much for a white-ball comeback, three weeks after their botched World Cup campaign ended, England lost the first One-Day International (ODI) against the West Indies in Antigua, losing by four wickets to a brilliant innings of 109 not out from Shai Hope.
They were 213 for 5 in the 39th over, seemingly having wasted an unbeaten opening stand of 104 between Alick Athanaze and Brandon King; Shepherd, who overturned a lbw decision with just three runs to his name, breathed life into the chase.
Thanks to Shepherd’s 48 from just 28 deliveries, they reached their target of 326 with seven balls to spare, coming at a time when the hosts looked to be circling the drain.
As Hope’s replacement for Shepherd in their 89-run stand (from just 51 balls), he had found his six-hitting touch, and by the time he went lbw to Gus Atkinson, the score was a more manageable 24 from 17. The second six him to his 16th ODI century from 82 deliveries, and he promptly cleared the boundary for the seventh and final time to send the crowd into raptures.
In the aftermath, Sam Curran suffered from those last blows and cruel treatment in the closing stages of the innings, ending up with 0 for 98 from 9.5 overs, the lowest figures for an Englishman in an ODI. Earlier, his 38 had propelled England to 325 all out, with Harry Brook’s 71 the highlight of an innings full of missed opportunities.
When England reached their highest-ever score at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium at the midpoint, it appeared that they would easily win. However, the hosts went on to take the record with a run-in hand.
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