That's an emphatic win for the host. The bowlers restricted West Indies to a modest score: Jofra Archer and Mark Wood took three wickets each with Joe Root too chipping in with a brace of wickets. He then returned to haunt the Caribbean bowlers with the bat, striking his second century of the World Cup as England romped home by eight wickets.
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Root is on 99. He gets there with a single, does Joe Root: his second hundred this world cup ! Four from the Thomas over. England needs 9 runs to win. Holder back into the attack. Stokes takes them closer with his first hit to the fence. And guess what? It's a no-ball too. And he takes England over the line with a boundary. England wins by eight wickets.
Oshane Thomas back into the attack. Three from the over. England now just 20 shy of the target. Root moves to 95 with a brace off Gabriel. The 100-run stand comes up between Woakes and Root. Root moves to 98 with a single. Woakes holes out! But he has done his job. He falls for 40. Ben Stokes at the crease. ENG 200/2 after 32 overs.
Root moves to 87 with a boundary to sweeper cover. Superbly timed. Eight from the Gayle over. Gayle's figures so far: 5-0-22-0. England inching towards 200 - four runs from Gabriel's sixth over. The partnership is now worth 95 runs. DRINKS!
Root inching towards his second hundred of this edition. England marching towards another thumping win. Last five overs have gone for 25 runs. England needs 42 runs to win. Woakes is enjoying himself now. Moves to 37 with a boundary off Brathwaite. ENG 178/1 after 28 overs.
Gayle continues. England brings up 150 . Four from the over. Brathwaite continues. Five from the over. The hosts are cruising at the moment. West Indies have reviewed a lbw dismissal against Woakes. It's the umpire's call with the ball pitching outside off and just about clipping the stumps. Woakes survives. ENG 160/1 after 25 overs.
Chris Gayle into the attack. Excellent first over: just one run from it. Brathwaite into the attack. Root, you beauty. West Indies have looked off colour in the bowling department but take nothing away from this Root innings. 50-run partnership up between Root and Woakes. ENG 146/1 after 22 overs.
Oshane Thomas back into the attack. Woakes joins the party, carves one square of the wicket for four. Root ends the over with an audacious pull shot for four. Last two overs have gone for 23. ENG 138/1 after 20 over .
Holder continues. Root moves to 49 with a single. He gets to his fifty with a single. He's been in terrific form, England's No. 3 who has been asked to open today. Carlos Brathwaite, right-arm fast medium, comes into the attack. Makes no difference to Root, who dishes out another straight drive for four. And another one: yet another cover-drive. ENG 125/1 after 19 overs. Root's moved to 60 off 56 balls. England needs 88 runs to win.
Gabriel and Holder bowling in tandem. Root's in the zone now. His innings has been all about timing and placement - plays another cover drive off Gabriel to move closer to a half-century. Smashed. Jeez. When you pace spearhead can play shots like that, tells something about your batting depth all right. Short ball from Gabriel and Woakes has hammered that for four. ENG 112/1 after 17 overs. Gabriel's off the field now.
Holder to continue. Five runs from it. Gabriel into his fourth over. Bairstow collects a brace; England into the nineties. Pummelled ! The sound of the ball meeting bat: it was a boundary the minute it left Bairstow's willow. GONE! Finally a wicket and it's Bairstow who has to depart. Surprise, surprise. Chris Woakes at 3. He brings up the 100 with a boundary. ENG 100/1 after 15 overs.
Bairstow is unfazed by that hit in that last over: Holder strays in line and he tucks it past fine leg for four. And another one: this time through the same region. 11 from it. Gabriel continues ... Tidy stuff. Only three from the over. ENG 83/0 after 13 overs.
Holder into the attack. Just one run from the 10th over. End of first Powerplay. Dre Russ back into the attack. Starts with a wide. Cheeky from Bairstow: helps a wide delivery over third-man for four. OUCH! Nasty bouncer that from Russell, hits Bairstow on the side of the helmet; he's down so is the bowler. Seven from it. ENG 69/0 after 11 overs. England needs 144 runs.
Shannon Gabriel has been brought into the attack. Six runs from it in the end. Russell into the attack. Root greets him with a boundary, brings up the team 50. Seven runs from the over. Gabriel continues. Root continues to collect the boundaries... another pull shot. Eight from it. ENG 61/0 after 9 overs.
Root's hitting his stride. Overpitched from Cottrell and Root leans into a drive. Six runs from the over. Bairstow has been in sublime form: gives an example with a delightful straight drive off Thomas. Now Root: drives an overpitched ball through extra-cover for four. ENG 40/0 after 6 overs.
Cottrell continues. He goes full and Bairstow says 'Thank you very much' before driving him through the covers. Eight runs from the over. Root joins the fun. Stands tall and pulls Thomas to backward square leg for four. Seven from that over. ENG 24/0 after 4 overs.
Joe Root and Jonny Bairstow to begin the run chase. Sheldon Cottrell with the new ball. Cottrell starts with a leg-side wide. Bairstow off the mark with a three. Just three off it. Oshane Thomas with the new ball. Goes short and wide, Bairstow cashes in with a cracking
cut shot drive for four.
ENG 9/0 after 2 overs.
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UPDATE ON MORGAN: Eoin Morgan has a back spasm. He will be unable to bat for 28 minutes at the start of England’s innings because he was off the field for that time, pings Shayan.
Jofra Archer and Mark Wood shared six wickets between them as Windies folded for a modest 212. Nicholas Pooran's fifty was the only high point for the visiting side. England needs 213 to win.
Jofra Archer: It's just another game of cricket. But was nice to play against some of my friends. Some of the cross seam balls were getting purchase. Was a good team effort to keep them under 220. Gayle at the top of the order can take the game away. Glad we got him early. The boys want to get on the park even if they are hurting a little bit (Roy and Morgan).
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Archer continues. He picks up his third, does Archer. Brathwaite's out caught behind. Windies have lost their ninth wicket. Shannon Gabriel comes to the crease. Wicket maiden that. Excellent. Wood continues. GONE! Wood cleans up Gabriel. Windies all-out for 212.
Just one off Rashid's last over. Rashid today: 10-0-61-0. Nine overs to go. Brathwaite and Thomas in the middle. Archer into his eighth over. Just a run off the over. Wood, from the other end, has been hammered by Brathwaite for a six on the on-side. Seven from the over. WI 211/8 after 43 overs.
Rashid back into the attack. Pooran waging a lone battle here: gets a boundary to backward square-leg for four. Rashid's been slightly on the expensive side last few games... Pooran brings up the 200 with a single. Archer continues. Eoin Morgan's limping off the field. Buttler's in charge. England review for caught behind, and it's been given. Archer removes Pooran. He's on a hat-trick, is Archer. Gets Cottrell out lbw off the next ball. Two runs and two wickets. WI 202/8 after 40 overs.
Wood returns into the attack. Russell hits a boundary and perishes next ball. HUGE WICKET! Carlos Brathwaite comes to the crease. Successful over that - just five runs. Archer is back into the attack. Good over - just three from it. WI 192/6 after 38 overs.
DROPPED ! Oh Dear, Woakes has dropped Russell in the deep. Dre Russ celebrates with a maximum over long-on. Rubs further salt in the wound by wrapping up the over with a straight six. 14 from it. Root's into his fifth over. 5 wides. Nine off it. WI 184/5 after 36 overs.
Rashid continues. Two from the over. Pooran brings up the 150 with a single. Holder meanwhile launches one over long-off for six. But Root has his revenge off the very next ball! What a match Root's having with the ball: second wicket for him. Pooran brings up his maiden ODI fifty. He is joined by Dre Russ. Two runs from that Rashid over. WI 158/5 after 33 overs.
Hetmyer getting a bit restless; looking for that big shot but doesn't get it against Rashid. Good over that: only two off it. GONE! The ploy to bring Root into the attack has worked. Hetmyer is out caught and bowled . Holder comes to the crease. Four runs and a wicket from it. WI 145/4 after 30 overs.
Pooran is dealing in twos at the moment. Seven from Rashid's fourth over. Joe Root into the attack now. England need a wicket here. The partnership between the two batsmen is now 82 off as many balls. Two runs from Root's first over. WI 139/3 after 28 overs.
Rashid goes short and Pooran dispatches it for six. Follows it up with a couple of braces. Make that three. Couple of dots to end the over. Hetmyer greets Stokes with a boundary on the leg-side. SHOT! He clears his front foot and hammers a full delivery down the ground for yet another four. 12 from the over. WI 130/3 after 26 overs.
Hetmyer ends the 23rd over with a boundary down the ground. Brings up the team 100. Nine off the Rashid over. 50-run partnership comes up between the two. Three runs from the Stokes over. WI 106/3 after 24 overs.
Ben Stokes to roll his arm. Only three off the over. Pooran and Hetmyer taking their time. Spin for the first time: Adil Rashid into the attack. Tidy start - four runs from it. Hetmyer, in the meantime, goes for an all mighty heave against Stokes: doesn't connect. A boundary to end the over. Eight runs from it. WI 94/3 after 22 overs.
Hetmyer and Pooran need to get through this second rebuilding phase, unscathed. There will be the odd loose delivery but England bowlers have been on point so far. Two runs off that Mark Wood offer. Last 5 overs, West Indies have taken 22 runs without the loss of a wicket. Four runs from Plunkett's fifth. WI 79/3 after 19 overs .
Plunkett to continue. Four singles from it. And that will be DRINKS! Wood continues. Just a one run off it. Plunkett now into his fourth over. Pooran's first scoring shot is a cracking hit through backward point. Width on offer and Pooran makes the most of it. Now Hetmyer gets into the act: finishes the over with a powerful pull through mid-wicket for four. WI 73/3 after 17 overs.
Nicholas Pooran joins Hope. Hope is struck on the pads. Umpire thinks he's not out. England review. Replays show three reds and Hope's been given out lbw . West Indies in trouble. Wood gets his first wicket. Shimron Hetmyer comes to the crease. Jason Roy has tightness in his left hamstring. He's being assessed. Two runs and a wicket from the over. WI 56/3 after 14 overs.
Liam Plunkett has been introduced into the attack. Good start: only five from it. Mark Wood into the attack. Gayle picks up a single off the last ball; retains strike. Just one off the over. Plunkett continues. Edged and four: Windies go past 50 with a streaky boundary to third-man. GONE! Plunkett gets rid of Gayle. That's a big wicket. WI 54/2 after 13 overs.
Gayle is cutting loose. A flat-bat smash over the infield for four is followed by a straight six. Woakes taken to the cleaners. 12 off the over. Archer into his fifth over. Three from it. WI 41/1 after 10 overs .
DROPPED! Mark Wood has dropped Chris Gayle. Despair for Woakes. Just two runs off the over. Archer continues. Roy is leaving the field. He seems to have hurt his hamstring. Vince comes on as the sub. Boundary for Gayle and a single from that over. WI 26/1 after 8 overs.
FOUR! In the slot and Gayle smashes it down the ground for four. He goes again, this time past mid-wicket for a second consecutive four. Archer under pressure. Gayle takes a single and gets off strike. Jaffa! Squares up Hope with one that pitched on middle and off and jagged away. 11 from the over.
Shai Hope comes to the crease. Archer continues. First boundary for Gayle; streaky though as it comes off an inside edge. Four from the over. Woakes into his third over. Another maiden: Woakes' second. WI 8/1 after 5 overs.
Woakes to continue. Two singles off the first two balls. None of the two batsmen have gone for a big hit, yet. Bowled'em. Lewis has been castled by Woakes and West Indies have lost their first wicket. WI 4/1 after 3 overs.
Brilliant stuff from Woakes. Maiden over to start the proceedings. No freebies at all. Archer to share the new ball. Starts with a wide. Lewis gets off the mark; first run off the bat for the Windies. Just two off the over. WI 2/0 after 2 overs.
Chris Gayle and Evin Lewis open for the Windies, Woakes will open the attack.
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TOSS UPDATE: Eoin Morgan has won the toss and England will bowl first.
Wood available
England (Playing XI): Jason Roy, Jonny Bairstow, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan(c), Jos Buttler(w), Ben Stokes, Chris Woakes, Liam Plunkett, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood
Three changes in West Indies squad
West Indies (Playing XI): Chris Gayle, Evin Lewis, Shai Hope(w), Nicholas Pooran, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder(c), Andre Russell, Carlos Brathwaite, Sheldon Cottrell, Shannon Gabriel, Oshane Thomas
PITCH REPORT: The pitch has been under significant cover but it is still relatively hard. The grass has been cut below than other tracks. The hardness will help the West Indies seamer and someone like Jofra Archer, reckons Ian Bishop.
Meanwhile, a word on Andre Russell as well: Bishop informs the marauding all-rounder batted for nearly an hour in the indoor nets and looks likely to feature in the XI.
GOOD NEWS : Ian Bishop on air says: The sun's been trying to peep out. A few heavy clouds around the horizon but the weather looks promising for cricket! Our reporter Shayan Acharya confirms: "No rains now. Thick clouds hovering around, but hey, did I just say a ray of sun? But the locals say, the weather will improve as the day progresses."
The two-time world champion qualified for the tournament by finishing runner-up in the World Cup Qualifier tournament held in Zimbabwe last year| SWOT Analysis
Despite being in the finals thrice, England has never won the title. However, in this edition, being the host and having a formidable team makes it a strong contender| SWOT Analysis
Chris Gayle hasn't blossomed fully — as we know he can — in the World Cup far, having scored a half-century from three innings. Will he come good today? Gayle - the man England must stop
This will be the third ICC World Cup 2019 contest to be held here. Know more about the venue .
West Indies takes on host and tournament favourite England at the Hampshire Bowl on Friday and its bowling coach Collymore expressed confidence in his team's four-pronged pace attack| WI bowling coach Collymore banking on four pacers
Mark Wood, who bowled the fastest delivery of the tournament at 154kmph, complained of discomfort in his left ankle after England's game against Bangladesh last Saturday| Mark Wood to undergo fitness test ahead of West Indies fixture
England head coach Trevor Bayliss is optimistic that Jos Buttler will be fit to play in Friday’s World Cup match against the West Indies in Southampton| Buttler set to face West Indies
Chris Gayle feasted on England bowling in the Caribbean and now the West Indies man poses the big World Cup threat to Eoin Morgan's team.
England vs West Indies Preview:
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Cold, wet and windy are the words that have dominated the World Cup so far. More than the players and the results, the weather has become the talking point. Both England and the West Indies would want to shift the focus back to cricket, when they face off at the Hampshire Bowl on Friday, even with the ominous forecasts of rain.
SWOT analysis: England chases elusive World Cup title at home
So far, England has four points in three games, whereas West Indies is just one point behind —its last game against South Africa was washed out — and for both teams, the fixture at Southampton is crucial as a couple of points could prove decisive in the business end of the tournament.
Follow our ICC World Cup 2019 coverage
After a shocking defeat against Pakistan earlier in the tournament, host and favourite, England delivered an all-round show against Bangladesh to bring its campaign back on track. With Jason Roy — who hammered a 153 — in prime form, England will be bolstered by the return of Jos Buttler, who had suffered a bruise in the hip, in the ranks.
However, England sweats over the fitness of its quick Mark Wood, who reported discomfort in his knee after the side’s game against Bangladesh last Saturday. While the team management will take a call on him after a fitness test on Friday morning, spinner Moeen Ali will return to the playing eleven, given the number of left-handers in the West Indies ranks.
All eyes, however, will be on Jofra Archer — the young Barbadian quick.
Having played his junior-level cricket in the Caribbean and qualified to play for England only last month, Archer could be a game-changer when the two sides meet.
That gives England the edge, at least on paper.
With rains leading to abandonment of games, the teams clearly aren’t enjoying the English summer.
Related: WI bowling coach Collymore banking on four pacers
The Jason Holder-led side, which started the tournament with much promise, thanks to its bowlers, lacked application in the batting department, costing it the game against Australia. While fast bowlers like Sheldon Cottrell and Jason Holder have done their bit, it’s time for the batsmen to step up.
The last time the two teams met in February this year, the ODI series ended at 2-2. But the series saw Chris Gayle in fiery form as he amassed 424 runs and hammered 39 sixes.
In the World Cup so far, the seasoned campaigner has not been in its elements and could only manage 71 runs in two innings. Now, with the team needing some steel in the batting front, it is over to the ‘Universe Boss’!
Hello and welcome to Sportstar's live coverage of the World Cup 2019 match between England and West Indies at Hampshire Bowl, Southampton.
The match will be streamed live on Hotstar.
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