West Indies v England: Lauren Bell takes 4-33 as guests safe snug ODI sequence win

England thrashed West Indies by 142 runs to safe a dominant one-day worldwide sequence win in Antigua.

Bell and Kate Cross, who took 2-35, tore by way of a fragile West Indies batting line-up because the hosts slipped to 49-5 inside the primary 10 overs of their chase.

It was one other extraordinarily one-sided encounter, with England taking an unassailable 2-0 lead within the three-match sequence.

England’s 260 all out appeared under par on the midway stage, after they selected to bat first on a flat pitch on which they scored 307 two days in the past.

Sophia Dunkley made 55 and Amy Jones was left stranded on 70 not out as West Indies put in a much-improved show with the ball and within the subject – captain Hayley Matthews main the way in which with 3-50.

Opener Emma Lamb was run out for 25 on her return to the aspect as she changed Alice Capsey, who has returned to the UK after breaking her collarbone within the first ODI.

However the hosts’ batting crumbled as soon as once more, with Rashada Williams’ unbeaten half-century the one contribution of greater than 20.

Bell took two wickets within the first over, together with the prized wicket of Matthews, to spark a dramatic West Indies collapse, and spinners Sophie Ecclestone and Charlie Dean took two wickets apiece to finish the win.

The third and ultimate ODI takes place on the identical venue on Friday at 18:00 GMT.

Bell makes her mark

The sight of an England opening bowler inflicting havoc with extravagant inswing isn’t an unfamiliar one in recent times.

Anya Shrubsole retired in April after greater than a decade of worldwide cricket, and when a participant of such calibre steps apart, there may be at all times a lingering query of who can substitute them.

Enter Lauren Bell.

The tall 21-year-old made her worldwide debuts in all three codecs in the summertime, and was spectacular with out actually taking centre stage.

However defending what initially appeared like a below-par complete in Antigua, Bell ripped by way of the West Indies’ prime order with a brutal spell of bowling; bamboozling the batters with a deadly mixture of tempo, bounce and swing.

Matthews was caught at slip, earlier than senior batter Kycia Knight was caught behind two balls later. Shemaine Campbell was pinned lbw shortly after, and Chedean Nation edged a brief ball behind in a chaotic, breathless begin to the chase.

The ever-consistent Cross might really feel arduous carried out by after bowling an excellent spell from the opposite finish, combining with Bell to successfully finish the sport inside the primary powerplay.

Williams, 25, was the one vivid spark in a bleak West Indies efficiency, taking the assault to England as she remained not out on 54, however the gulf between the 2 sides was as soon as once more harshly uncovered as the rest of the innings felt like not more than a formality.

Jones and Dunkley step up for England

On the midway stage of the sport, it felt like an enormous missed alternative for the West Indies to struggle their approach again into the sequence.

That they had England teetering at 133-4, with each Knight and Sciver dismissed, as England’s prime order made promising begins however couldn’t speed up.

However the alternative went begging as they didn’t capitalise on such a promising place.

Dunkley stored her cool, taking part in with attacking intent regardless of the common wickets, sweeping the spinners and punishing the brief balls that the seamers supplied.

However the sport was there for the taking for the hosts when Dunkley was bowled after trying a sweep from outdoors off stump, and Danni Wyatt fell quickly after for 13 as England have been 175-6 with 17 overs nonetheless to bat.

They succeeded in slowing the tempo, as England struggled to attain fluently towards the spin of Matthews and Afy Fletcher, they usually regularly chipped away on the decrease order.

However simply as Dunkley had carried out, Jones stood of their approach and, after a tricky yr with the bat to this point, appeared near her damaging greatest with an array of reverse sweeps mixed with energy down the bottom.

Ultimately, 260 was greater than sufficient for England – however after two extraordinarily one-sided video games to begin the sequence, it’s tough to see West Indies having many higher alternatives than this to win a sport throughout this tour.

‘We’re taking part in with out concern’

England seamer Lauren Bell: “It was an important crew efficiency immediately, we’re actually pleased with the way in which we performed. Lewy [new Head Coach Jon Lewis] has talked rather a lot about taking part in with out concern and there being no restrict on what we are able to obtain, I really feel like we noticed that immediately.

“Personally, I simply caught to my plan and to get a profession greatest in a sport that sealed the ODI sequence is admittedly cool.

“We’re not notably altering our sport plan as we proceed the remainder of the tour, our minds are on every sport as they arrive and taking part in with the identical aggression and positivity we did immediately, it’s extremely liberating.”