.... though to be fair, that is pretty poetic. One ball, one drive to long-off, and one utterly crushing victory! All over in 40.2 overs... the biggest defeat in terms of balls remaining in England's history, and the series is shared 2-2!
West Indies vs England, 5th ODI at Gros Islet, ENG in WI, Mar 02 2019 - Match Result
West Indies won by 7 wickets (with 227 balls remaining)
3.04pm So, that is the end of that. What absolute scenes! The trophy is shared, but the honours once again belong to West Indies after a truly staggering demolition job.
Thanks for all your comments, and don't forget to join us again on Tuesday for the 1st T20 in St Lucia ...
Nitin: "This might be the first time that a batsman scored 70% of team runs. his team won and still did not got MoM"... as mentioned earlier, so similar to this battering in the World Cup, when Brendon McCullum also missed out on the honours, and rightly so. Not often the bowlers get the credit they deserve!
And finally, here's Jason Holder: "I'm really proud of the guys, it's been tough for the bowlers but they've won us two games so credit to them. We showed good intent, led by Chris, who was outstanding for us throughout the series. Chris is going to be Chris, we talked about attacking the powerplay, go out with positive intent, and go after the bowling. We were clear with our plans today, hit England hard with the ball. We are heading in the right direction, it's just a matter of being consistent. In preparation, mindset and mentality."
The player of the series.... it's the Universe Boss! "Man of the series, aged 39, come on youngsters, what's happening! Our bowlers were fantastic, changing a small total, you're sometimes wary, so I thought let's try something new. At one stage I thought, is this going to be my last innings in the Caribbean for the West Indies, so I thought I'd go out on a high. We'll get a bit of respect going into the World Cup."
The player of the match, quite rightly is Oshane Thomas for his 5 for 21. "The wicket was seaming around, and I needed to make good use of it, with good lengths and stay consistent. I've learned a lot as a young fast bowler."
Time for some presentations Here's Morgan: "We struggled throughout with the bat, to adapt to extra bounce, it's not something we come up against often. We struggled massively, it was a one-horse race and we didn't deserve to win the game. It's difficult to curb what's been our natural reaction. We need to find a way to occupy the crease, score runs. You have to be in a good enough headspace to adapt, but I hope we can learn from our mistakes, and look forward not back."
2.51pm Rohit: "Will England still be going into the world cup as the number one team?" Good question ... I suspect it may depend on their series against Australia ... England are vulnerable for sure!
2.49pm Gayle may not be a stats-person, but we've crunched his numbers for him. 424 runs from 316 balls! If the third match hadn't been washed out, he'd have be on course for 500 ..
Here's Gayle "I'd love to have bowed out in Jamaica, we'll wait and see ..." I think the context is that he's not quite unretiring, but my goodness, he's tempted! "This has to be my best ODI tournament, but I'm not a stats person. But to be able to do this at home, it's outstanding."
"I played in a couple of T20 series and I wasn't getting the runs though I was putting in the work, and I said, whoever gets the willow it's going to feel it, and thankfully it was England."
"The captain said he can't understand how I can announce my retirement when I'm striking it so well."
2.39pm OB Jato: "If this was Gayle's last show at home, it was a stunning one. Thanks for the memories. Long live cricket, and cheers!" Always leave them wanting more ... what a way to bow out. And with a World Cup to come!
2.35pm Well, that was extraordinary. The whole series was extraordinary. The whole tour has been extraordinary! England suffer yet another of their habitual meltdowns on a deck when their usual pedal-to-the-metal approach could not come off, before Chris Gayle showed how to wallop it on a lively deck, with another uncompromising display of boshing!
Abhijato: "Jeepers! Well, what can one say? I shall be going off Cricinfo because my annual exams will start. But what an unexpected thrashing from the Windies tonight. Cheers to the glorious future, Oshane, and to the glorious past, Chris!"
Andrew: "Reminds me of the black Knight saying "alright, we'll call it a draw..." to King Arthur after all his limbs have been hacked off! "
Rhys: "Moeen Ali did not take a single wicket in the entire series and did absolutely nothing with the bat either. If you would like to join the drop Moeen club, give me a call..."
It'll be alright on the night ... [gulp]
Curran into the attack, to ruin the poetry of the scorecard
Well, it is three minutes past the designated lunch break, but in a shocking outbreak of common sense, they are staying out there!
slower ball, attempted yorker, a languid drive into the covers, and a fine tumbling stop just inside the rope
Harsha: "Did Morgan forgot he has 3 more bowlers. Hopeless captaincy" Yes. Most literally so!
tucked off the toes, can't get this one away
angled past the pads, another one notched off the target
well bowled, if utterly futilely. Round the wicket, tight line, defended on the back foot
tighter line from round the wicket, defended solidly to cover
Khan: "The most ridiculous moment of the match may yet to come with Umpires taking players off for lunch with WI 3 runs to win" Oh please make it so ... it's the perfect farcical finish
a mow across the line, a top-edge to third man
smoked on the up over the covers! Well, that might reignite the after-burners. Hetmyer retreating to leg to have a wipe, and some!
Wood to continue? Really? Seems a mistep from Morgan
full and straight, defended back down the pitch
Raghav sends me the most sixes in a series link.Top boshing!
banged in short, too short
over-pitched this time, and thumped uppishly through long-on. Not remotely timed, but there's no-one to haul it back as it rolls into the rope
rolls the fingers, nibbles past the edge. Well bowled
39 sixes in four ODIs for Gayle, almost twice the former record of 23 from Rohit Sharma. Gosh
good wheels, banged in short and zipping through to the keeper
back of a length, punched back to the bowler, who stoops to gather on the half-volley
slower ball, picked and blocked
So, that is the end of the Powerplay. Think Windies shaded that one ...
Ruwantha: "97 runs with 6 singles and 10 sixes" Scenes
sharp bouncer, Bravo ducks. That is probably the end of Wood's work today. Of all the players to flog in a lost cause, he ain't the one...
very full, tight to off stump, zips through at good pace to the keeper
banged in short, defended down into the crease
Here's that Jayasuriya nonsense, by the way. Those were the days
dabbed into the off side for another single
a dirty swipe into the leg side to get off the mark. Yes, Hetty, he's in the mood ...
1W | ||||
1W | ||||
1W |
1W | 1W |
1W | ||||
1W | ||||
Darren Sammy National Cricket Stadium, Gros Islet, St Lucia | |
Toss | West Indies, elected to field first |
Series | |
Season | 2018/19 |
Player Of The Match | |
Player Of The Series | |
Series result | 5-match series drawn 2-2 |
Match number | ODI no. 4103 |
Hours of play (local time) | 11.00 start, First Session 11.00-14.30, Interval 14.30-15-15, Second Session 15.15-18.45 |
Match days | 02 March 2019 - daynight (50-over match) |
Umpires | |
TV Umpire | |
Reserve Umpire | |
Match Referee |