WI v ENG 2nd ODI, Preview: Visitors eye series as hosts seek redemption

Team England started off their preparations for the Champions Trophy in a good manner. They were recently beaten in the limited overs fixtures on the India tour. Hence, they needed to get their balance right and had the three-match ODI series against West Indies as an ideal preparatory ground for the same. They started off on a high note with skipper Eoin Morgan leading them from the front. A well compiled century from Morgan was ideally assisted by the fifties from Sam Billings and Ben Stokes.

In the bowling department, the West Indies seamers looked lackluster but the English seamers were right on the money in the first match of the series. Four-fers for Chris Woakes and Liam Plunkett ensured the visitors eked out a 45 run win to take lead in the series. The series might not be a great significance but the teams are wary of their individual goals. England aims consistency before they host the ICC mega event.

West Indies, on the other side, are hoping to register wins and up their rankings in the ICC ODI rankings. Poor rankings would mean no direct qualification for the ICC World Cup 2019 for them. The stage is now set for the second ODI as the action stays at the same venue of North Ground, Antigua. Pitch is expected to remain the same and it will all come down to how the individual teams adapt to the surface after having had a taste of it already.

Team News:

West Indies

The hosts look in all sorts of mess up. This is not the first time they have been cramped against a quality opposition. They have had a poor run in the ODI fixtures and the inexperience of the players are well exposed. In the previous game, their seamers failed to impress. Shannon Gabriel and Jason Holder both bowled wayward lines that did not help their cause.

Spinner Devendra Bishoo could not trouble the English batters either. The main concern for the team remains the batting, though. The top three failed in the first ODI. Evin Lewis and Kraigg Brathwaite failed to convert their 20s to big ones. Kieran Powell had a disappointing outing with the bat too.

Hard hitting Rovman Powell has a very good chance of making it to the playing eleven in place of Kieran. The hosts had a positive lining from the defeat in the previous game in the form of gutsy middle order batting. Knocks from Jonathan Carter and Jason Mohammed kept them in the hunt till the fag end of the innings.

England

The England team looks balanced coming into the second match of the series. Their ideal reserve players (Sam Billings) are making most of the opportunities that they are getting. The middle order looks in ominous touch with Eoin Morgan and Joe Root being in fine form. Root missed out on scoring in the first ODI and would be keen to leave an imprint on the second game.

Ben Stokes has proved to be a very valuable asset with his finishing abilities with the bat. Moeen Ali at number 7 adds depth to the batting. The bowling came good too with all bowlers bowling to the plans. All in all, the visitors look balanced and it is very unlikely that they will tinker with their playing eleven.

However, they will aim for a more complete performance. As former English skipper Nasser Hussain rightly mentioned after the game, the English win was not convincing enough. Had there been any other opposition with the same target, they could have chased it with ease.

Toss: West Indies won the toss and opted to bat

England (Playing XI): Jason Roy, Sam Billings, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan(c), Jos Buttler(w), Ben Stokes, Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Adil Rashid, Liam Plunkett, Steven Finn

West Indies (Playing XI): Kraigg Brathwaite, Evin Lewis, Kieran Powell, Shai Hope(w), Jason Mohammed, Jonathan Carter, Jason Holder(c), Carlos Brathwaite, Ashley Nurse, Devendra Bishoo, Shannon Gabriel

StAttack:

1. West Indies have won only one of their last 11 ODI matches against England.

2. In the 89 Head-to-Head clashes, English side has won 43 times while West Indies have won 42 times and 4 have gone down with no results.

3. The English team has had the best run rate among all the teams since the ICC World Cup 2015.

4. Adil Rashid remains to be England’s leading wicket-taker in ODIs since the 2015 World Cup.