England vs West Indies: Jacob Bethell’s Blazing Knock Lifts England to 400 in High-Scoring Clash Against West Indies

In a thrilling display of power-hitting and depth in batting, England posted a mammoth 400 for 8 in the high-profile England vs West Indies ODI at Edgbaston, showcasing their dominance and intent from the very first over. Jacob Bethell emerged as the star of the innings with a blistering 82, providing the knockout punch that has left West Indies needing a record-breaking chase to stay alive in the contest.

Born in Barbados but making headlines in Birmingham, Bethell’s composed yet aggressive approach underlined the sheer depth of England’s limited-overs arsenal. Having just returned from the IPL and missing the recent Test against Zimbabwe, Bethell sent a clear message to selectors and opponents alike: he is ready for global, multi-format cricket.

Despite none of England’s batters crossing the hundred mark, the innings was peppered with contributions that pushed the scoreboard to towering heights. Ben Duckett (60), Joe Root (57), and Harry Brook (58) all notched impressive half-centuries, each laying a strong foundation before falling short of converting into a triple-digit score. Interestingly, this marked the first instance in ODI history where seven batters scored over 30 without anyone reaching a century.

The start was aggressive, as debutant opener Jamie Smith, promoted to face the new ball for the first time in List A cricket, struck a fluent 37. His attacking strokes gave England a flying start, though he perished just as the innings was building momentum. Ben Duckett followed with a quickfire 50 off just 34 balls, crafting a strong platform for the middle order.

Captain Harry Brook, leading the ODI side for the first time, impressed with a composed knock that featured audacious sixes against medium pacer Justin Greaves. Meanwhile, Joe Root added yet another 50-plus score to his illustrious record, showing control and experience before edging one off Jayden Seales.

Seales was the pick of the bowlers for West Indies, finishing with 4 for 84 from nine overs. However, his spell was expensive, especially during the death overs where England capitalized heavily. Will Jacks partnered with Bethell to hammer the West Indies bowlers, adding 98 crucial runs for the sixth wicket in just 47 balls. Jacks, returning to the ODI side after a long break, smacked 39 off 24 balls, showcasing his readiness to handle the finisher’s role at No. 7.

The turning point came during overs 43 to 47, where Bethell and Jacks launched a brutal assault, collecting 86 runs in just five overs. Bethell hit a six in each of those overs, completely dismantling the bowling unit. Jacks took charge in the 47th over, smashing a six and four boundaries off Matthew Forde to pile on the pressure.

Despite a late fightback by West Indies in the field, with Roston Chase pulling off two stunning catches and Greaves executing a smart bouncer to dismiss Jacks, England still ended with a commanding total. Bethell fell in the final over after slicing one to the keeper, capping off a dynamic knock that defined the match.

A late twist came when a well-aimed yorker from Seales ricocheted through Carse’s legs for a four, summing up the day for West Indies in the field.

Now facing a mammoth target of 401, the West Indies require a record-breaking effort to secure victory in this England vs West Indies encounter. Their bowlers, who appeared to be in control during the initial overs, lost the plot in the final stretch, allowing England to post their second-highest score at Edgbaston.

As the sun sets over Birmingham, the pressure is squarely on the Caribbean side. They must now chase a total that has never been achieved before in ODIs, making England firm favorites unless an extraordinary performance unfolds.

England Innings – 1st ODI vs West Indies at Edgbaston

Batter	Dismissal	Runs	Balls	4s	6s	SR
Jamie Smith	c Brandon King b Alzarri Joseph	37	24	7	0	154.17
Ben Duckett	c Roston Chase b Justin Greaves	60	48	6	1	125.00
Joe Root	c Shai Hope b Jayden Seales	57	65	5	0	87.69
Harry Brook (c)	c Keacy Carty b Jayden Seales	58	45	5	3	128.89
Jos Buttler (wk)	c Matthew Forde b Jayden Seales	37	32	3	1	115.62
Jacob Bethell	c Shai Hope b Jayden Seales	82	53	8	5	154.72
Will Jacks	c Shai Hope b Justin Greaves	39	24	5	1	162.50
Jamie Overton	c Roston Chase b Alzarri Joseph	1	3	0	0	33.33
Brydon Carse	Not Out	3	7	0	0	42.86
Adil Rashid	Not Out	2	2	0	0	100.00
Extras	(b 4, lb 7, w 10, nb 3)	24
Total	400/8 in 50 overs
Yet to Bat	Saqib Mahmood

Fall of Wickets

• 64/1 (Jamie Smith, 6.6 ov)
• 137/2 (Ben Duckett, 19.1 ov)
• 188/3 (Joe Root, 26.6 ov)
• 221/4 (Harry Brook, 30.6 ov)
• 287/5 (Jos Buttler, 40.2 ov)
• 385/6 (Will Jacks, 47.3 ov)
• 391/7 (Jamie Overton, 48.2 ov)
• 393/8 (Jacob Bethell, 49.1 ov)

West Indies Bowling

Bowler	Overs	Maidens	Runs	Wkts	NB	WD	Eco
Matthew Forde	8	0	88	0	1	4	11.00
Jayden Seales	9	0	84	4	1	1	9.30
Alzarri Joseph	10	0	69	2	0	2	6.90
Roston Chase	6	0	41	0	0	0	6.80
Gudakesh Motie	7	0	39	0	0	0	5.60
Justin Greaves	10	0	68	2	0	4	6.80

Powerplay Summary

Overs	Runs Scored
0.1 – 10	90