Alarm bells are ringing for England as they find themselves in a continuous struggle to win ODI games. In the rain-curtailed third ODI against West Indies, England suffered a four wicket defeat at the hands of the home side. At this point, it wouldn’t be wrong to say that West Indies are the far superior side in terms of both bowling and batting.
Jos Buttler scored a respectable 58 runs in an already won second ODI, but England were in a precarious position in the third ODI, he failed to deliver, bagging a golden duck. As the most senior player and leader of the group, he cannot afford to play such careless, reckless shots and gift his wicket to the opposition.
Rain reduced the third ODI to 43 overs, and there was something for the bowlers on the pitch, particularly for the pace bowlers. West Indies wisely decided to bowl first, meaning England had to bat in overcast conditions. Phil Salt was dismissed in the first over, attempting a risky shot instead of reading the pitch and playing sensibly.
Debutant for West Indies, Mathew Forde, put on an incredible show, dismissing three of England’s top-order batsmen. The situation worsened in the 9th over when a horrible mix-up resulted in Harry Brook’s run-out.
Two balls later, Buttler played an unnecessary shot and fell victim to Alzarri Joseph, who also picked up three wickets. From 49/5, a good partnership began to develop between Ben Duckett and Liam Livingstone.
Duckett looked more comfortable and convincing, and as England was seemingly making a comeback, a sharp bowling change from West Indies captain Shai Hope brought Romario Shepherd into the attack. Shepherd instantly dismissed Duckett.
Then, one over later, Liam Livingstone, playing with impatience and a reckless attitude, played another unnecessary shot, putting England further behind at 142/7. From there, no recovery was possible, and the lower order, who had performed well in the first ODI, failed to deliver.
It was not their job to carry the team; it was the responsibility of the top order and senior players, who all played with recklessness and a lack of thought.
Particularly disappointing was Livingstone, who had the responsibility to stay on the crease for as long as possible. However, he continued to play risky shots, which was exactly what West Indies wanted. Still, a small contribution from the bowlers allowed England to pass 206 in 40 overs, a total that was never going to be enough against a powerful West Indies batting order.
A 76-run partnership between Keacy Carty and Alick Athanaze put West Indies so far ahead in the game that even though they lost a few wickets in the middle-overs, it didn’t really bother them.
Especially having a finisher like Romario Shepherd is West Indies’ strength. Like the first ODI, he again smashed 41 off 28 balls to secure his side a crucial win in the third ODI, as West Indies triumphed in the series 2-1.
For England, things cannot go on like this. They are playing unreliable cricket, with no responsibility, no thought process, and only an urge to be aggressive, which is not a winning formula in ODI cricket.
As their downfall continues, there is plenty to ponder for the management and coaches. They need sensible players who can anticipate the challenges, and unfortunately, the current team seems to lack players with such qualities.
