Debutant seamer Matthew Forde put on a magnificent Player-of-the-Match performance while Romario Shepherd once again proved his tenacity, as West Indies took their first One-Day International series success over England at the historic Kensington Oval in Barbados.
The team recorded an exciting four-wicket win to spark merriment in the stands while chasing a revised target of 188 from 34 overs under lights in the rain-affected third CG United ODI.
West Indies looked in danger as they were on 135-6 in the 26th over, despite Keacy Carty with a stroke-filled 50 off 58 balls and Alick Athanaze with a stylish 45 off 51 balls.
However, Shepherd smacked an unbeaten 41 not out off 28 balls, in a crucial 56-run, unbroken seventh wicket stand with Forde with an unflustered knock of 13 not out as the home side sneaked home with 14 balls to spare under Duckworth-Lewis-Stern.
With 33 required off the last 24 balls, Shepherd blasted successive sixes from the first deliveries off the 31st over from pacer Gus Atkinson, which produced a whopping 24 runs, to put the game in West Indies’ favour.
Making his debut on home soil, Forde had earlier produced a stunning 3-29 to restrict England to 206-9, in a game initially reduced to 43 overs per side and then further reduced to 40 overs following another break for rain.
Ben Duckett top-scored with 71 from 73 deliveries while Liam Livingstone chipped in with 45 from 56 balls, but England lost wickets in clusters and never really made any progress after being sent in to bat.
Fast bowler Alzarri Joseph supported Forde with 3-61 while pacer Shepherd grabbed 2 for 50. Left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie chipped in with a clever spell of eight overs for just 23 runs.
The 21-year-old Forde blew away England’s top order in a devastating new-ball spell, taking the first three wickets to fall as the visitors slumped to 49-5 in the 10th over.
He had Phil Salt (4) taken at mid-off by Joseph with the sixth ball of the evening, got Zak Crawley (0) to glove one, which bounced awkwardly to Athanaze at second slip in his next over before taking Will Jacks’ (17) edge with wicketkeeper Shai Hope completing a straightforward catch.
More tragedy followed for England in the tenth over. First, Harry Brook was run out by Joseph’s direct hit at the non-striker’s end for one. Two balls later, Joseph rushed Jos Buttler into an ill-advised pull, the England captain holding out to Motie at fine leg off the first ball he faced.
