England used nine bowlers in an ODI innings for only the second time in their history but Shai Hope’s century underpinned a hefty West Indies total as they look to wrap up a series win.
Only Jordan Cox and wicketkeeper Phil Salt did not turn their arm over as Liam Livingstone repeatedly shuffled his pack, often to little effect as the Windies ran up an ODI ground record 328 for six after losing the toss.
Hope gave a masterclass in how to anchor a 50-over innings with 117 in 127 balls, first putting on a restorative 143-stand with Keacy Carty (71 off 77) after John Turner had snared both Windies openers then 79 with Sherfane Rutherford, who contributed a supercharged 54 off 36 in Antigua.
England put down four chances varying in difficulty and must chase down a 300-plus total for the first time since July 2021 to avoid a second series defeat in a week, having lost 2-1 in Tests in Pakistan.
Only at the 1987 World Cup against Sri Lanka in Peshawar have England used nine bowlers in an innings but that seemed unlikely at the outset as Turner snared both Windies openers inside 19 balls.
King skewed low to backward point, where Cox took an outstanding catch diving to his left, while Evin Lewis followed up his match-winning 94 by being strangled down leg, with Turner getting some of the luck that evaded him in England’s series-opening defeat on Thursday.
Carty offered half a chance on eight after England stationed three fielders at point, with one of them in Jacob Bethell tipping over while Hope, on 17, chipped agonisingly short of midwicket off Saqib Mahmood, in for Jamie Overton in England’s only change.
Hope lofted Turner and Adil Rashid for sixes while pummelling a Bethell drag down over midwicket after bringing up his first ODI fifty in nine innings – dating back to England’s last tour in December.
He and Carty were otherwise content to rebuild from a lowly platform of 15 for two.
Hope offered just one chance on 60 after being surprised by Bethell’s extra bounce and edging a cut shot but Salt could not cling on behind the stumps.
Carty hooked Archer for six and was then dropped by Turner on 68 going for a similar shot. It did not prove too costly as Rashid’s googly bowled Carty, who did not seem able to read the leg-spinner, through the gate.
Rutherford, though, wasted little time in upping the ante in a brutish cameo, depositing Turner and Livingstone for leg-side sixes, with Hope happy to play second fiddle.
He brought up a 35-ball half-century with a six off Livingstone before perishing to his next delivery as England’s captain gained a measure of revenge.
Shimron Hetmyer was then put down on three in the deep by Will Jacks and peeled off three sixes as he made 24 off just 11 balls before miscuing Rashid into the in-field.
Hope went to 100 off 118 balls before picking out long-on off Jofra Archer but the Windies finished on top as Matthew Forde (23 off 11) thrashed three successive sixes in the last over, taking the total number of maximums to 14.
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