ST. JOHN’S – Joe Root’s maiden one-day century and Jos Buttler’s brilliant 99 set up England’s 25-run victory over West Indies in the third and final one-day international yesterday, clinching the tourists a 2-1 come-from-behind series win.
Chasing 304 in the series-deciding match, West Indies slumped to 43 for four after eight overs but wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin’s 128 off 109 balls nearly saw the hosts pull off an impressive recovery, which ended just short.
Ramdin was the last batsman to depart, bowled by paceman Tim Bresnan (3-45), as West Indies were dismissed for 278 in 47.4 overs.
England’s formidable 303 for six was built around Root’s 107 off 122 deliveries and Buttler’s frenetic 84-ball knock, which ended in the final over and left him agonisingly short of his maiden century in this format.
Root arrived in the middle with England in early trouble on 37-2 and went on to share a match-turning fifth-wicket stand of 175 with Buttler, who slammed seven fours and four sixes.
Moeen Ali also contributed 55 at the top of the order while the hosts’ skipper Dwayne Bravo took 3-60.
It was England’s first series win in any format in seven months, bringing some respite after a disappointing tour of Australia.
West Indies’ chase began in fairly shambolic fashion, as Kieran Powell missed a sweep and was bowled, and Dwayne Smith picked out deep square-leg against Stuart Broad’s first ball.
Broad bowled a lively five-over spell, which included a heated four-ball period against Lendl Simmons, who Broad was convinced had edged behind and was flabbergasted when the TV umpire, quite understandably, upheld the not-out decision.
“Come on, lads, guilty shot coming,” shouted Jos Buttler from behind the stumps and three balls later Simmons dragged a pull into his stumps, much to Broad’s delight, although it could easily have been classed a ‘poor shot’ as much as a ‘guilty shot’.
The West Indies’ run chase stuttered to 80-5 inside 20 overs but Ramdin forged successive half-century stands with Dwayne Bravo and Darren Sammy to revive home hopes.
Bravo contributed 27 off 32 balls before he feathered to Buttler off Ravi Bopara’s medium pace. Ramdin and Sammy put on 71 off 64 balls, only for Sammy (24) to be caught in the deep off Bresnan.
Ramdin, with 12 fours and five sixes, blasted his way to a maiden ODI century – and the first by a West Indian wicketkeeper in one-dayers – with a succession of powerful strokes.
He arrived at three figures off 99 balls with a big six off Stephen Parry.
But the tail could not offer enough support. Miller found it difficult to get the ball away and Narine, after one towering six, was caught backing up too far. However, when Ramdin crunched the first three balls of the 48th over for six, four, and four it was not beyond the realms he could finish the game himself. Then Bresnan remembered one of cricket’s long-standing limited-overs deliveries, yorking Ramdin to get rid of the century-maker.
It was an untidy finish for England, but after the six months they have had, they will take a series win however it comes. (AP)
