It took something special to overshadow a spectacular display from the ‘Universe Boss’ here on Wednesday but England managed it in remarkable fashion by chasing down a record target to win the first one-day international with ease.
Chris Gayle is not one to sell himself short but he lived up to every hyperbolic word he uttered before this series by smashing 12 sixes, four of them flying clean out of this famous Kensington Oval ground, in his 135 as West Indies ran riot against England’s World Cup aspirants.
But they were made to pay for a slow start while Gayle cranked up his creaking 39-year-old body as Jason Roy atoned for dropping him before he had barely got going with an even quicker century of his own.
Jason Roy struck a great century as England beat West Indies in the first one day international
Roy blasted his way to 123 to give England the perfect start in their chase of 360
Roy celebrates his century after a magnificent display in Barbados in the first ODI
It was redemption for Roy after he earlier dropped Chris Gayle, who scored a century
The result was an entertaining, thoroughly modern run-fest on a road of a Kensington Oval pitch with England making up for a shoddy display in the field by proving they have the firepower to reach just about any 50-over target.
In all West Indies smashed 23 sixes off a shell-shocked and sloppy attack, a one-day international record, in their 360 for eight, with seven balls lost somewhere in Bridgetown, to record their highest one-day score against England and their best in the Caribbean.
But, remarkably, it was not nearly enough as Roy reached three figures off 35 fewer balls than Gayle and then Joe Root led England home and became the fastest Englishman to reach 5,000 one-day runs with the third and perhaps best century of the game.
Eoin Morgan said ‘We’re delighted. I’d like to think we’re improving constantly as we go along, which is a good place to be in for the World Cup.
‘The way we went about the chase – it felt like a 330 chase rather than a 360. You can’t look past the opening partnership. For Jason Roy to play such a commanding role at the top of the order set us up beautifully. He was amazing.’
What a start to the last 50-over series before England must declare their World Cup hand. Firstly there was the unique figure of Gayle who, when speaking here on Sunday, had regaled his audience with a Muhammad Ali style rhetoric in which he called himself ‘The Greatest’ and offered to save the ECB’s beleaguered Hundred competition next year single-handedly.
He did not initially look anything like great on his return to West Indies 50-over side after missing tours of India and Bangladesh before Christmas, starting off with a strike-rate more akin to Geoff Boycott than the self-styled Universe Boss.
And it should have been all over when Gayle had made just nine from his first 36 balls but Roy dropped what should have been a routine catch for a side who aspire to the highest levels of fielding off Liam Plunkett’s third ball.
Earlier Gayle had been typically bombastic as he smashed 135 for the Windies
Gayle slammed West Indies to what looked like an imposing total – but it was overhauled
It still took time for Gayle to warm up as he had made only 21 after facing 50 balls and went to his 50 off 76. But then he went into overdrive, his first six taking him past Shahid Afridi with a record 477 international maximums, as ball after ball disappeared over the Oval’s stands.
When Gayle nudged a single off Chris Woakes to reach a run a ball hundred, sinking to his knees in celebration and seemingly only just being able to get up again, he had faced an astonishing 55 dot balls but had still provided another master-class of six hitting.
England had little answer in the field. This could well be their first choice World Cup side, unless there is a late intervention from a certain Jofra Archer, but however strong England’s batting is, there remain concerns about their attack. If this carries on then the Barbadian-born Archer will have the reputation of Marshall, Holding and Garner combined by the end of this series.
Mark Wood was again quick, particularly in his first spell when he touched 91 miles per hour, but later went for 22 off one over with Gayle hitting him for successive sixes, while Plunkett disappeared for nine an over from his six overs.
Joe Root also posted a century as England drew first blood with a six wicket victory
Moeen Ali was smashed for four sixes in one over, twice by Gayle and twice by Darren Bravo, who hit four sixes of his own, before Ben Stokes and Adil Rashid, mysteriously held back until the 34thover, picked up three last wickets apiece to at least stop West Indies reaching 400. Even that might not have been enough.
And Stokes will have enjoyed snaring Carlos Brathwaite, the man who hit him for four successive sixes to snatch the 2016 World Twenty20 title out of England’s hands, for just three while West Indies were setting England a record-breaking run-chase.
But how costly those dot balls, 64 of them in all in Gayle’s innings, were to prove. Roy had to ride his luck, being dropped no fewer than four times, but here was another display of the power than could catapult him into the Ashes this summer as well as launch England’s World Cup challenge.
And when he finally was caught at short third man West Indies attack was rendered just as ineffectual as England’s, with Root also taking advantage of careless fielding, Ashley Nurse in particular having a shocker, to guide England home.
Root, who was dismissed for 102 with just one run needed, added 116 with captain Morgan as England reached the fourth highest successful run chase in one-day international history with eight balls to spare. If they can only sort out the bowling they really will be dangerous.
