Brandon King (102) and Keacy Carty (128no) each notched majestic hundreds in a 209-run stand for the second wicket, the latter’s being his first for the West Indies in his 28th ODI cap. West Indies made light work of their run chase under the Kensington Oval floodlights, centuries from Keacy Carty and Brandon King setting up a dominant eight-wicket win that sealed a 2-1 series victory over England.
Keacy Carty’s maiden hundred, from 97 balls, made him the first cricketer from St Maarten to reach the landmark for West Indies. He was followed to three figures by Brandon King, who made the most of being dropped twice with a timely knock, his first 50-plus score in ODIs since the World Cup Qualifier in July 2023. Their double-century stand, eventually worth 209, was the highest for West Indies against England in the format.
Pitch Report and Toss
Pitch Report : The last international fixture at this venue was the T20 World Cup final between India and South Africa in June. In the 50-over format though, the most recent fixture was the series decider between England and West Indies last December. Pacers had a huge role to play in the low-scoring fixture. There could be a minor disruption due to rain but not enough to ruin play completely.
Toss : West Indies skipper Shai Hope won the toss and chose to field with 2 changes in the playing XI as Shamar Joseph and Jayden Seales being replaced by Alzarri Joseph and Romario Shepherd. England skipper Liam Livingstone who also wanted to bowl first made two changes in his playing XI as Jamie Overton and Reece Topley replaced Sajid Mahmood and John Turner
Phil Salt and Dan Mousley’s half century alongside late striking from Archer and Overton carries England to 263
England, who had limped to 24-4 start after being inserted, had appeared to carry some momentum into the run chase as Phil Salt (74) and Dan Mousley (57) first helped rescue the innings and Jofra Archer (38no off 17 balls) then smashed three sixes in a blistering cameo at the back end.
Shai Hope’s decision to bowl first in the ODI series decider was certainly vindicated as his battery of fast bowlers ripped out England’s top order in the opening 10 overs, but such a scintillating start was somewhat undermined by a row that played out between the West Indies skipper and Alzarri Joseph.
In unprecedented scenes, Alzarri (2-45) bounced out Jordan Cox (1) with a snorter of a delivery before swiftly leaving the field of play in a sulk at the end of the over, seemingly upset over the field he’d been set – his team briefly down to 10 men.
Alzarri’s absence mattered little in the grand scheme of things, with Romario Shepherd (2-33) removing Jacob Bethell (0) with his very first ball – aided by a terrific catch from Roston Chase – and then adding match-winner from the second ODI, Liam Livingstone (6), soon after to have England reeling. Will Jacks (5) had been the first domino to fall, nicking off to Matthew Forde (3-35).
Salt and Sam Curran (40) slowly rebuilt, adding 70 for the fifth wicket, before Curran perished when trying to break the shackles against the off-spin of Chase, holing out to mid-on when looking to take on the fielder.
Salt soon after brought up a 79-ball half-century, his fifth in ODI cricket and comfortably his slowest. He could have gone for 52 in the very next over but, this time, Chase shelled a tough chance low to his left at backward point.
Instead, the England opener shared in another 70-run stand, this time with Dan Mousley, the 23-year-old notching a first fifty in only his third ODI cap.
Salt finally departed in the 41st over for 74 to a sensational relay catch on the long-on boundary that showed off all of King’s athleticism before Alzarri applied the finishing touches, albeit it still failing to raise a smile out of him.
Mousley kicked on, while Jamie Overton (32 off 21) and Archer struck some lusty blows late on, England benefitting from an injured Shepherd having to be helped from the field after slipping badly when bowling the first ball of his seventh over.
The West Indies suddenly had to find the best part of four overs from part-timer Sherfane Rutherford and England took full advantage, racking up 57 runs off his spell, including Archer smashing his final over for 25.
West Indies’ early success with the ball, was however, marred by an incident onfield involving Joseph. The bowler, who started the fourth over, wasn’t happy with the field setting and had a long discussion with skipper Shai Hope. He didn’t celebrate after bagging the wicket of Jacks and instead, at the end of the over, stormed off the field angrily. West Indies were down to 10 players for a while before Joseph returned, having been pacified by head coach Daren Sammy.
The main source of discomfort for West Indies early on came via an extraordinary on-field contretemps between Alzarri Joseph and Hope, the fast bowler seemingly unhappy with the field set for England’s No. 3, Cox. Joseph could be seen repeatedly remonstrating with his captain from the top of his run-up, and he took his frustration out on the batter, Cox barely seeing a 148kph/92mph lifter that flicked the glove on its way through. Joseph didn’t celebrate and walked off at the end of the over, briefly leaving West Indies with 10 men on the field.
Keacy Carty and Brandon King’s twin centuries carries WI to 8 wkt series win over England
But, far from carry that momentum into the West Indies run-chase, the hosts themselves wrestled back the initiative thanks to an explosive start from Brandon King and Evin Lewis (19) that saw 27 scored off the opening three overs.
That included a stonking straight six from Lewis off Archer which prompted the fast bowler’s removal from the attack early, only for Overton (1-17) to replace him and bounce out the West Indies opener in his first over.
England never truly threatened to add to that breakthrough, other than a Livingstone lbw decision first ball against Keacy Carty, when on 13, that was quickly overturned on DRS with an inside edge detected.
There was also a Salt drop of King on 44, also off the captain’s bowling. Brandon King would be put down, too, on 86, by Cox in the covers off Archer but, by that point, the game and series were long since lost.
All that was left to settle were the richly-deserved centuries for both West Indies batters, a first in ODI cricket for Keacy Carty brought up first off 97 balls, before King reached his third an over later, off 113 deliveries – the pair’s partnership also ticking past the 200 mark. Topley toppled King late on but Carty, fittingly, was there at the end to hit the winning runs to wrap up a series victory.
Brandon King (102) and Keacy Carty (128no) each notched majestic hundreds in a 209-run stand for the second wicket, the latter’s being his first for the West Indies in his 28th ODI cap. Reece Topley (1-55) claimed nothing more than the late consolation wicket of King, bowled, to end the partnership, but Keacy Carty stuck around to see the hosts to victory with seven overs to spare.
Evin Lewis and Brandon King gave West Indies a strong start in the chase before Jamie Overton dismissed the former for 19, rushing him on a pull. Brandon King and Keacy Carty then put on a big partnership, with the latter using the DRS early in the innings to have a decision overturned after being given out leg-before off Liam Livingstone. Together, they helped West Indies past the 100-run mark in 19 overs and the team crossed 150 before the 27th over was completed, with the two batters crossing fifty and extending their stand past 100.
There was no respite for the England bowlers as Brandon King and Keacy Carty struck fours and sixes with regular frequency. To add to England’s problems, Brandon King was also put down by Jordan Cox off Jofra Archer when he was on 86. He went on to reach three figures but before that, Keacy Carty became the first St Maarten player to score a hundred for West Indies.
The took the partnership beyond 200 before England finally had some success as Brandon King was bowled by Reece Topley. But the dismissal came too late as Keacy Carty provided the finishing touches to West Indies’ victory.
West Indies made light work of their run chase under the Kensington Oval floodlights, centuries from Keacy Carty and Brandon King setting up a dominant eight-wicket win that sealed a 2-1 series victory over England.
Keacy Carty’s maiden hundred, from 97 balls, made him the first cricketer from St Maarten to reach the landmark for West Indies. He was followed to three figures by King, who made the most of being dropped twice with a timely knock, his first 50-plus score in ODIs since the World Cup Qualifier in July 2023. Their double-century stand, eventually worth 209, was the highest for West Indies against England in the format.
It took one ball of the reply to suggest that conditions for batting had eased, as Brandon King spanked Jofra Archer’s opening gambit through the covers. He did the same to the second delivery, with Archer’s first three overs eventually costing 24 – and although Jamie Overton claimed a first ODI wicket with his third legitimate ball, Evin Lewis bounced out for 19, West Indies were already up and running.
Brandon King finished the powerplay by bashing Reece Topley for two fours in three balls, putting West Indies ahead of the asking rate at 65 for 1 after ten. And while Carty, who picked up his first four by gliding Topley behind square in the same over, had some uncertain moments against the legspin of Adil Rashid and Liam Livingstone early on, the second-wicket pair were soon motoring towards the target.
Rashid’s first three overs had gone for just seven, but Brandon King pumped him down the ground for six to mark a shift in the mood. An edge off Livingstone evaded Salt’s gloves when Brandon King was on 44, and the West Indies opener went to a 60-ball fifty in the next over, clubbing Rashid emphatically through midwicket.
Keacy Carty had been given out lbw to Livingstone’s first ball, but reviewed in the knowledge that there was bat involved. He cut and swept consecutive boundaries in the same over, and later launched Rashid over the deep midwicket boundary as West Indies steadily brought the required rate down while negotiating England’s seven bowling options. After bringing up a 61-ball fifty, Keacy Carty again took back-to-back fours off Livingstone, before doing the same to Sam Curran.
A muscular pull for six off Topley ended up in the crowd at deep midwicket, as Keacy Carty overtook his partner, followed up by a flat-batted four down the ground. Having surpassed his previous ODI best of 88, he reached his hundred with a glide for four off Jacob Bethell’s left-arm spin – removing his helmet and raising his arms aloft as applause rolled around the ground.
The moment was repeated at the start of the following over as Brandon King, who also saw a cut off Archer burst through the hands of Jordan Cox in the covers on 86, swatted the same bowler through fine leg to raise his third century in the format. Brandon King was bowled by Topley with 13 required but the result was beyond doubt.
Presentations and Road Ahead
Shai Hope the winning skipper said : I thought we were disciplined and the main thing to be an elite team is to make sure that you do it consistently. He’s (Keacy Carty) a big plus for us, the hard work is really showing. The boys are doing a lot of work off the field and it’s a really big confidence booster for us.
(On the heated exchange between him and Alzarri) No comments! In a situation like that, you have to understand that such things can happen. It shows that we always fight when we are challenged. The importance of doing things off the field translates onto the field. Really happy with the way our batting unit performed and the bowlers also did really well.
Liam Livingstone the losing skipper said : I think we fought back really well, the boys batted really well at the end. Disappointing end to the series but there were good moments in this series for us. Lots of lessons and experiences from this series, a lot to learn as well. We were missing a lot of players in this series, a lot of new players in this series for us and they will learn a hell lot from it. It’s a big honor to lead your country.
Brandon King Player of the Match for his century said : I had a fair number of starts but wasn’t able to convert them. Fortunate I could do it today at a crucial game and I’m happy. Once you go through the initial phase, you have to believe in yourself and that it’s your time. (On Keacy Carty’s knock) He batted fluently, he came at a crucial stage and helped us get off to a good start. (On Salt’s catch in the deep) I had a bit of room and fortunately, Alzarri was there to help me.
Matthew Forde is Player of the Series for his efforts said : I was a bit surprised but it’s all about going out and doing the job for my team. The wicket was slow, we tried to adapt and assess quickly. For me, it was keeping the cutters into play and the wicket was a bit sticky.
I think it’s a brotherhood, it’s a collective team, we love each other and support each other. We all have different opinions and respect each other’s opinions. Really happy to get the series win and happy to get the player of the series.
It’s been a dominant performance from West Indies today to bag the series 2-1. WI won an important toss and put England into bat on a two-paced surface. The visitors were reeling at 24/4 but they staged a good comeback on the back of Salt’s composed knock and vital contributions from the lower order. 263 seemed to be a competitive total but the pitch had eased out by then as dew came in and the WI batters made merry.
Lewis couldn’t convert his start but the pair of Brandon King and Carty ruled the roost. Both of them mixed caution with aggression to perfection and kept the runs flowing. There were a few lapses in concentration from the duo but apart from that, they were quite flawless. Both of them struck fifties and made sure to convert them into centuries.
England created a few chances but couldn’t capitalize on them. Nothing much to write home about the English bowlers. The 209-run stand between Brandon King and Carty killed the game. Brandon King couldn’t stay till the end to see his side home but Carty stayed unbeaten and along with Shai Hope helped his side to coast to a clinical victory with 7 overs to spare.
The West Indies have bounced back in style after a bland tour of Sri Lanka. They lost both the white-ball series to the Lankans but they have shown a marked improvement in home conditions against England. Evin Lewis making a comeback to ODI cricket and looking fluent is a big plus for them.
They have a promising talent in Keacy Carty who is turning out to be a reliable top-order batter. England, on the other hand, had a pretty inexperienced side and that inexperience came to the fore in crunch moments. The good news for England is that Jos Buttler is back for the 5-match T20I series between these two sides and that augurs well for them.