A magnificent seventh-wicket partnership of 102* between Joe Root (90*) and Chris Woakes (68*) saw England home to a four-wicket win in the 2nd ODI at Antigua. The victory sees them take the series with a game still to play.
England were professional in the first innings of the match. Fielding first after losing the toss, they dismissed West Indies for 225, with 13 balls of the innings to spare. Liam Plunkett followed his first ODI performance of four for 40 with three for 32, here. His wickets accounted for half-centurion Jason Mohammed and Jonathan Carter (39), whose runs looked to be guiding the hosts to a competitive score.
There were two wickets apiece for Steven Finn and Adil Rashid, while Moeen Ali and Ben Stokes, who did not bowl in the first ODI, took one each. Finn's wickets saw him become the third quickest Englishman to 100 ODI wickets.
Crucially, the bowlers were backed up in the field, most notably by Jason Roy and Sam Billings, who combined for the most nonchalant of boundary catches to remove Carlos Brathwaite.
England suffered an early blip in their pursuit of their target of 226 with the wicket of Sam Billings. But Jason Roy’s enterprising 52 put the hosts back under pressure. However, after Roy was dismissed, a middle-order collapse saw four wickets fall in the space of 31 deliveries. Ashley Nurse returned figures of three for 43 and Devendra Bishoo two for 43, as the ball began turning sharply on this used pitch.