England's experiment with Amy Jones at the top of the order paid dividends as she and opening partner Tammy Beaumont scored centuries in a 108-run victory over West Indies in the first ODI in Derby.
It was Jones' maiden international century after 12 years and more than 200 games across formats for England, helping to set a lofty victory target of 346 after captain Nat Sciver-Brunt, who chimed in with a 35-ball fifty, won the toss.
Linsey Smith, the left-arm spinner on ODI debut following a career resurgence in 2024 after nearly five years on the outer, claimed a five-wicket haul to bowl West Indies out for 237 with 10 balls to spare despite a 91-run opening partnership between Hayley Matthews and Qiana Joseph.
Jones and Beaumont both scored at better than a run a ball and shared a 222-run stand for the first wicket as England reached 345 for 6.
Jones had opened the batting 22 times previously in ODIs, but not since the 2019 Women's Ashes - and 18 times in T20Is, most recently during the World Cup in Australia five years ago.
But perhaps in a sign of what was to come, she had opened with Beaumont in all seven of her innings for The Blaze in this year's domestic one-day cup competition and scored 80, 52 and 41 in her last three outings there.
Jones's innings was chanceless until, on 92, she drove the ball hard back at bowler Jahzara Claxton who couldn't hold on despite getting both hands to it. Karishma Ramharack missed a similarly well-struck return catch off Jones in the next over.
Jones displayed excellent placement and timing, highlighted by a beautiful cover drive off Zaida James for four followed by two more boundaries off the same bowler, threaded expertly between backward and cover point and plundered over mid-on. She brought up her half-century in 59 balls with a single into the leg side off Matthews.
England racked up 400 to begin Harry Brook's reign as captain with a comprehensive 238-run defeat of West Indies in the first one-day international at Edgbaston.
Brook, Ben Duckett and Joe Root all posted half-centuries, but the most impressive contribution came from Jacob Bethell, who struck 82 from 53 balls.
England's 400-8 after being asked to bat was the sixth time they have reached 400 in an ODI, their highest total in three years and best against a Test-playing nation since they won the World Cup in 2019.
West Indies were ordinary with the ball and would have conceded plenty more had they not taken three superb catches.
The chase was a non-event, the second half of the game little more than a procession after Saqib Mahmood ran through the West Indies top order for 3-32.
The highlight was Brydon Carse's spectacular catch at deep square leg to hold West Indies captain Shai Hope off Mahmood. The tourists were hustled out for 162 in 26.2 overs.
The lack of spectacle will matter little to England, who were desperate for any sort of victory after a wretched 18 months in white-ball cricket.
This ended a seven-match losing streak in ODIs and the series can be sealed with victory in Cardiff on Sunday.
BIRMINGHAM, England- Keacy Carty stormed into the history books of West Indies Cricket by becoming the joint, sixth highest scorer in history, with a breathtaking 170 against Ireland in the third and final one day international at Clontarf in Dublin.
Carty marvelled the crowd with his sparkling stroke play consisting of 15 sumptuous fours and 8 crisp sixes which reassured his admirers of his emerging power, to go along with his classy touch and finesse at the crease. This innings ensured the West Indies carved out a 197-run win via the Duckworth Lewis Method.
This knock followed a defiant and reassuring 102 in the previous contest, after the West Indies found themselves wobbling on 46 for 2, before posting an imposing 352 for 8 in the second game of the series, which was unfortunately abandoned to due to rain.
Cricket West Indies (CWI) and the West Indies Players’ Association (WIPA) are pleased to announce the staging of the 8th CWI/WIPA Awards Gala, set for Sunday, 22nd June 2025, at the historic Wyndham Grand Barbados Sam Lord’s Castle.
The event, which will be televised across the region, will celebrate the greatest achievements of West Indies players and honor the 50th anniversary of the West Indies’ iconic 1975 ICC Men’s World Cup victory.
Dr. Kishore Shallow, President of CWI, stated:
“The CWI/WIPA Awards Gala is a significant event that highlights the accomplishments of our players, who continue to inspire fans throughout our region and beyond. This celebration reflects our shared commitment to elevate the game and recognises the contributions of our cricketers. It is vital that we create platforms to honor their dedication and hard work, while also paying tribute to the rich legacy of our cricketing heroes from the past.”
Keacy Carty's career-best 170 and supporting acts from Shai Hope and Justin Greaves helped West Indies hammer Ireland by 197 runs via the DLS method in the third ODI to draw the three-match series 1-1.
Carty hit his second hundred in as many games while Hope and Greaves scored half-centuries to power West Indies to their second-highest ODI total before a fiery opening spell from Jayden Seales all but sealed the win for West Indies in the first eight overs of Ireland's chase, which was shortened to 46 overs due to rain delays, with the target reset to 363.
Barry McCarthy was once again the star with the new ball for Ireland as he removed both openers by the fifth over. But Carty and Hope, for the second match in a row, stood firm for West Indies. Carty began with a flurry of confident cover drives and flicks, in contrast to his nervous start a couple of days ago.
Once the first ten overs were done, Carty was happy to slip into a support role, with Hope the aggressor in their 137-run partnership for the third wicket. Hope and Carty brought up half-centuries in consecutive overs, picking regular boundaries off debutant seamer Jordan Neill, before rain stopped play.
Neill, meanwhile, injured his shoulder while trying to make a diving stop at the boundary a couple of overs before the rain break, cutting his debut short.
