England Skipper Harry Brook Hails Match-Winning Batting Line-Up After Whitewash Over West Indies

By Leonard Ratnayake  — Reporting from England

England captain Harry Brook has hailed his side’s batting cordon as a “match-winning combination” after their commanding 3-0 ODI series sweep over West Indies, with emphatic victories in Birmingham, Cardiff, and at the Kennington Oval.

At Edgbaston in the first ODI, England piled on 400 runs without a single batter reaching a century — a testament to the depth and consistency of their top seven. Jammie Smith, Ben Duckett, Joe Root, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler, Jacob Bethel, and Will Jacks all chipped in, showcasing their collective strength. Bethel stood out with a fluent 82 in the middle order.

In response, West Indies crumbled to 168 all out. England’s bowling attack was clinical — Saquib Mohamed (3/32) and Jammie Overton (3/22) used yorkers and reverse swing to devastating effect. Adil Rashid, though slightly expensive, still contributed with 2/50.

The second ODI in Cardiff saw a spirited comeback by the West Indies. Kacy Carty smashed a brilliant 103, Shai Hope added a polished 78, and Brandon King contributed 59 as the visitors posted 308 — a far cry from their first-game debacle.

However, England treated the 309-run chase as a par score. Joe Root anchored the innings with a masterful unbeaten 166 at No. 4, ensuring England crossed the finish line with 1.1 overs to spare. Brook continued his good form with 47, while Jacks added a valuable 49. England’s batting depth once again came to the fore.

Saquib Mohamed again proved too much for the Windies, delivering another top spell of reverse swing to claim 3/37. Experts have begun to draw comparisons between him and his idol, Waqar Younis, due to his ability to swing the ball both ways at pace. Adil Rashid also chipped in with 4/63, exploiting the visitors’ continued struggles against leg spin.

Alzarri Joseph, hammered in the first ODI, bounced back with an impressive 4/31 in Cardiff — a rare highlight for the Caribbean outfit.

At the Kennington Oval, West Indies once again faltered despite a rescue act by Sherfane Rutherford (70) and a spirited 41 from Alzarri Joseph, reaching just 251/9 after slumping to 157/7. England’s bowlers shared the spoils — Rashid (3/40), Saquib Mohamed (2/48), and the returning Matthew Potts (2/51) all impressing. Brydon Carse, entrusted with the new ball, picked up 2/57.

A traffic jam delayed the West Indies’ arrival by two hours, and rain further disrupted proceedings, forcing the match into a DLS scenario. England was set a revised target of 246 in 40 overs, with the powerplay reduced to 8 overs and bowlers limited to 8 overs each.

England, undeterred, came out blazing — racing to 100/1 in just 8 overs. Jammie Smith smashed his maiden ODI half-century off just 25 balls, and the hosts cruised to victory with 10.3 overs to spare, losing only three wickets.

A Dominant England, A Reflective West Indies

The whitewash puts England in a commanding position ahead of the upcoming World Cup. Their batting unit looks balanced, fearless, and adaptable. The emergence of Saquib Mohamed as a genuine pace prospect adds further strength to an already potent side.

For West Indies, however, serious questions remain. Their inability to handle leg spin and swinging yorkers continues to haunt them. Unless addressed swiftly, they may find themselves in a qualification dogfight alongside Bangladesh for a place at the World Cup.