That’s it from us for today. Thanks for your company as England sailed pretty smoothly to an unassailable 2-0 lead in the series. We’ll be back on Saturday for the denouement – until then, good night!
A tight-lipped Campbelle praises Grimmand and Glasgow for their efforts.
NSB is understandably a little happier. “It’s great to see them [Jones and Beaumont] doing so well. It’s very difficult to follow a big partnership where you feel you should go as quickly as they are, Emma Lamb did brilliantly today to settle herself in and play so well. I thought everyone stuck to it with the ball, a lot more energetic in the field, which was very pleasing and the bowlers are doing their very best to impress.”
Will there be more changes for Taunton? “Yes, its important to let everyone get a go. Everyone is up and running due to domestic cricket.”
Updated
The player of the match is Amy Jones, for her second century in consecutive games. “It was great fun again, love to be part of a big partnership with Tammy. The freedom, trying to stay nice and still at the crease, I’ve got a lot of backing in the group, just nice to go out and express yourself. Lauren (Filer) is rapid, far quicker than most in our game – got to stay on my toes.”
A huge victory – but not as easy as England might have thought it was going to be. Some spirited innings from the West Indies youngsters – Grimmond was particularly impressive with fifty on her international debut.
WICKET! Fraser c Bell b Capsey 24 (West Indies 223 all out) - England win by 143 runs and take the series 2-0 with a game to spare
45.4 overs: West Indies 223-10 (Ramharack 10) An aerial cut to point seals the deal.
45th over: West Indies 217-9 (Ramharack 10, Fraser 23) Can Lauren Bell finish off this partnership? And the first email of the innings drifts into my inbox: “The one thing that has struck me in this game is just how much Amy Jones’ batting reminds me of Michael Vaughan. A pleasure to watch even against less than impressive bowling.”
I will watch her with that in mind next time Mike – and Ramharack lofts Bell over her head for four.
44th over: West Indies 212-9 (Ramharack 2, Fraser 13) The ultimate frustration for a fast bowler, being pinged around the ground by the tail. Three fours from the over, punctuated by a forward defence.
43rd over: West Indies 199-9 (Ramharack 2, Fraser 13) Five singles from Smith’s over, who finishes with two for 27.
42nd over: West Indies 194-9 (Ramharack 0, Fraser 10) After a wild swing at her first ball, somehow edging a boundary, Fletcher’s second is on-driven, handsomely for four more. But that’s her lot – done for pace and then some. Two wickets for Filer in the over, reward at last – her speed is such an outstanding asset for England.
WICKET! Fletcher b Filer 8 (West Indies 194-9)
Oh yes sirree, this time leg stump goes on its merry way.
Updated
WICKET! Claxton b Filer 18 (West Indies 186-8)
A rapid round the wicket bullet, cross seam, pings the top of middle stump.
Updated
41st over: West Indies 186-7 (Claxton 18, Fraser 10) Just a few singles off Smith as this game drifts towards a conclusion.
40th over: West Indies 182-7 (Claxton 16, Fraser 8 ) Filer hits the deck again – Mark Wood style – as she throws herself into her action. Ooof, she’s unlucky she fires one through, Fraser has a go, gets an edge, but Jones is surprised by the pace and can’t hold on. It turns out Jones dropped a thin edge off Claxton in Cross’s over too.
39th over: West Indies 177-7 (Claxton 16, Fraser 3 ) Claxton flays another – this time Cross at the sticky end – over mid-off for four more.
38th over: West Indies 171-7 (Claxton 11, Fraser 2 ) Filer starts with a wide. On comms, they are pondering whether it is time for West Indies to shift away from the old guard and put their trust in youngsters, especially with not having qualified for the next world cup.
Updated
37th over: West Indies 168-7 (Claxton 10, Fraser 2 ) Take that! Another handsome four by Claxton, Cross razed through the covers with a flourish.
36th over: West Indies 163-7 (Claxton 6, Fraser 2 ) Claxton has a go – and why not? A slog-sweep a full pelt, which just evades the two converging fielders.
35th over: West Indies 156-7 (Claxton 1, Fraser 1 ) In the crowd, the coats are on.
WICKET! Alleyne c Jones b Cross 0 (West Indies 154-7)
Cross’s 100th ODI wicket! Alleyne ploughs on in, and gets an under-edge through to Jones! Alleyne reviews, but ultra-edge sends her on her way. Handshakes and smiles all round when Cross’s achievement is announced. What an amazing player she’s been for England in this professional era.
Updated
35th over: West Indies 154-6 (Claxton 0, Alleyne 0) A wicket maiden for Capsey!
WICKET! Gajnabi st Jones b Casey 8 (West Indies 154-6)
Capsey throws up one with a little extra loop and Gajnabi bites, swinging, missing, and a tidy bit of glovework from Jones does the rest
WICKET! Glasgow c Beaumont b Davidson-Richards (44 West Indies 154-5)es
33rd over: West Indies 154-5 (Gajnabi 8) After two overs for 26, ADR gets another. I think it might be worth bringing Filer back to break this partnership as ADR’s first ball is shovelled in ungainly style by Glasgow to the rope. But what do I know, as Glasgow helps a wide one round the corner and straight into the hands of a happy Tammy Beaumont at deep fine leg. The end of an excellent innings.
32nd over: West Indies 147-4 (Gajnabi 7, Glasgow 39) Another expensive overs as Glasgow launches into Capsey this time – two boundaries to start the over. In the dugout, Edwards, now in a puffa, chews gum deep in conversation.
31st over: West Indies 136-4 (Gajnabi 6, Glasgow 29) Alice DR runs up the slope – but it’s a hard old slog as she gets hammered for three fours by Glasgow – a couple through gully and one pulled through midwicket with some gumption.
30th over: West Indies 123-4 (Gajnabi 6, Glasgow 16) Glasgow flames a leaping Capsey over her head and down the ground.
29th over: West Indies 118-4 (Gajnabi 6, Glasgow 11) Alice Davidson-Richards replaces Smith, medium place replaces spin. And, if only briefly, oomph replaces tiki-taka. Glasgow revs things up by by shifting her through the covers for four and then and pulling behind square for another. The run-rate is currently 11.8.
Updated
28th over: West Indies 105-4 (Gajnabi 5, Glasgow 0) Capsey, stray bits of hair flying in the wind, gets her reward for accuracy and West Indies lose their big gun.
Updated
WICKET! Taylor c Cross b Capsey 20 (West Indies 105-4)
Taylor has had enough of this prodding about and advances down the pitch to Capsey, but can only lift her to mid on where Cross is waiting.
27th over: West Indies 101-3 (Taylor 18, Gajnabi 4) Dib, dob, dab.
26th over: West Indies 98-3 (Taylor 17, Gajnabi 2) Grace Road is looking lovely and green – there’s a gorgeous nature walk by the memorial garden where one of the groundstaff, Mark, has sowed seeds from his garden and built bird and butterfly boxes.
Updated
25th over: West Indies 96-3 (Taylor 16, Gajnabi 1) The Jones Smith axis do their best to persuade NSB that they should take another look at an lbw shout against Gajnabi – and she is duly persuaded. But England lose a review as the ball was going wide. At the half way stage, West Indies still have wickets but have fallen a long way below the run rate.
24th over: West Indies 93-3 (Taylor 14, Gajnabi 1) Capsey, who looks fit and happy, ripples through another neat over.
23rd over: West Indies 90-3 (Taylor 12, Gajnabi 0) A beaming Gajnabi marches to the crease – she looks very happy to be in the middle and carefully plays out the rest of Smith’s over.
WICKET! Grimmond c Cross b Smith 53 (West Indies 90-3)
Kate Cross at long on barely moves a toe as Grimmond launches into Smith but just skews high. She looks disappointed but gets a huge hug from Gajnabi as she walks off. A smashing innings.
Updated
22nd over: West Indies 89-2 (Grimmond 53. Taylor 11) Alice Capsey and her off spin take a turn in the sun at Grace Road. A few singles and an lbw appeal against Grimmond – which Sue has no interest in.
21st over: West Indies 86-2 (Grimmond 52 Taylor 9) Lots of applause for Grimmond from the West Indies dugout, and she allows herself a little smile. A handful of singles off Smith.
Fifty for Grimmond!
20th over: West Indies 82-2 (Grimmond 50, Taylor 7) Filer again, elbows high, chim-chiminee style. Grimmond edges her straight to where third slip would have been waiting with open mouth and then reaches her fifty on debut with a single to square leg. What an cracking knock, off just 64 balls – four fours, two sixes.
Updated
19th over: West Indies 73-2 (Grimmond 42, Taylor 6) Taylor breaks the famine – picking up four with a leg-side swagger off Smith.
18th over: West Indies 69-2 (Grimmond 42, Taylor 2) A long chat between NSB and Filer about the field – going purely on body language, NSB has all the right attributes to be captain – smiley and encouraging to her young charges. The commentators like the field too – just a couple from the over. Somethings going to have to give here in a minute – Smith and Filer are typing West Indies down.
17th over: West Indies 67-2 (Grimmond 39, Taylor 1) Smith whips through an over in the time in takes me to have a long slurt of tea. Grimmond starting to play like a woman a little irritated by her lack of boundaries.
16th over: West Indies 65-2 (Grimmond 39, Taylor 1) Taylor nearly edges Filer through to Jones without scoring, but the ball falls just short.
15th over: West Indies 61-2 (Grimmond 36, Taylor 0) They take drinks after Campbelle’s wicket, and Smith finishes a maiden.
Updated
WICKET! Campbelle c Bell b Smith 6 (West Indies 61-2)
Pressure means prizes. Campbelle wafts at Smith and Bell trots over to take the catch.
14th over: West Indies 61-1 (Grimmond 36, Campbelle 6) Ignore what I was saying about Filer, she immediately beats Grimmond for bounce and pace – 75mph on the speedometre that I’ve just spotted on the screen – in fact, as she spins for a pull, she’s hit, hard, on the upper arm, and drops to the ground. The physio comes out, but after a few minutes of stretching and grimacing, she continues. But plays the rest of the over carefully out. A maiden.
I’d like to reassure everyone that Raf now has coffee, so the match report will be more chilled than it might have been. Thank you Grace Road.
Updated
13th over: West Indies 61-1 (Grimmond 36, Campbelle 6) Lindsey Smith, fresh from her five-wicket triumph at Derby, starts England’s spin offering. Some nice flight.
12th over: West Indies 59-1 (Grimmond 36, Campbelle 4) Time for some Lauren Filer, her first time back in England colours for a while after recovering from a knee injury. She throws herself into her third ball with such exuberance that she ends up on the ground. Campbelle just avoids edging onto her own stumps. A tight over, just one from it. She might be bowling within her self a little – though there’s no speed gun so I can’t tell you for sure.
11th over: West Indies 58-1 (Grimmond 36, Campbelle 2) Grimmond, a real pocket rocket, flambees a shortish ball from Bell up and over the rope. Ooof – and a drop by the captain at third as Campbelle is tempted. Bell drops her head as she walks back to her mark.
10th over: West Indies 50-1 (Grimmond 29, Campbelle 2) TV seems to be working again now – sorry about that. Grimmond, who looks totally unfazed on her debut, helps herself to a couple of fours from Cross when she flies wide and overpitches. And that’s the end of the power play.
9th over: West Indies 41-1 (Grimmond 20, Campbelle 2) A maiden from Bell as Beaumont blows her nose in the field.
8th over: West Indies 41-1 (Grimmond 20, Campbelle 2) Sorry a few technical difficulties here.
7th over: West Indies 35-0 (Grimmond 17) Bell gets the reward for her and Cross restricting the scoring.
Updated
WICKET! James c Jones b Bell 19 (West Indies 37-1)
James nibbles and Jones calmly collects.
Updated
6th over: West Indies 35-0 (Grimmond 17, James 18) I was at Grace Road last week for a men’s Championship game – the outfield was baked and super fast then, and it looks the same today. If you’re there, and have a sweet tooth, – do visit the Friends of Grace Road cake stand in the Moat. Absolutely amazing selection of home-made treats. Anyway, Cross sends down six very economical balls – finishing with a lbw shout against Grimmond - but Sue Redfern declares a very loud NOT OUT.
Updated
5th over: West Indies 33-0 (Grimmond 16, James 17) There are no flies on Grimmond – Bell drops short and Grimmond rocks onto the front foot, drop her head and hooks her for six with barely a glance – and then flays a wider one for four more.
4th over: West Indies 20-0 (Grimmond 4, James 16) Matt Mason and Charlotte Edwards sit on the balcony in maroon hoodies and dark glasses and survey the scene. No boundaries in Cross’s second over, and she beats Grimmond with her first ball that darts away.
Updated
3rd over: West Indies 17-0 (Grimmond 3, James 14) George Ezra’s Shotgun accompanies James’s second boundary, a rather stylish zizz through the covers when Bell pitches wide. Oh, and another, screaming past a diving Lauren Filer at deep third.
Updated
2nd over: West Indies 8-0 (Grimmond 2, James 6) Kate Cross, who was a tad expensive in the last match, concedes a solitary boundary as she over-pitches and James tucks in.
Do send me an email with your thoughts on the match, series or life generally. And if you sent me one already, please send another as I initially put the email address in wrong. This is me: tanya.aldred.freelance@theguardian.com
1st over: West Indies 4-0 (Grimmond 2, James 2) Lauren Bell with the new ball, debutant Realeanna Grimmond to face. She immediately picks up one and gets to the other end, heart (possibly) beating at triple pace, but calmly chewing gum, face poker straight. The commentators discuss Bell’s new action – wrist more behind the ball, body weight straighter.
The players are warming up and we’re almost good to go. I’d love to see West Indies go for this but they’re somewhat stymied without Hayley Matthews, who has a shoulder injury and is watching from the sidelines, wearing a sling.
Good news! Raf reports “Lots of blue in the sky! Rain has stopped. No more forecast.” Her mood may darken unless she locates some coffee soon though…
Thanks Rob, that was pretty awesome by England and a mixed bag from West Indies. The cameras have panned away from Grace Road for now, but I’m hoping to get a weather update from our eyes, ears and umbrella on the ground, Raf Nicholson, shortly.
That’s all from me. Tanya Aldred will be here in 20 minutes or so for the runchase, weather permitting. See you soon!
There was a whiff of groundhog innings about that England performance. In the first ODI at Derby, Tammy Beaumont and Amy Jones made hundreds in a score of 345 for 6; today they did it again in a total of 366 for 6. At one stage 400 was on but West Indies’ spinners, particularly Afy Fletcher and Karishma Ramharack, did well to slow things down.
Beaumont is currently being interviewed. She has a heavy cold, which is going through the team and says she felt “pretty horrendous out there… I’m kinda proud of how I stuck at it mentally”.
WICKET! Capsey c Gajnabi b Alleyne 16
50th over: England 366-6 (Davidson-Richards 7) Capsey walks at Alleyne and chips a high-class boundary back over the bowler’s head. That makes this the highest ODI score against West Indies, beating India’s 358 for 5 at Vadodara late last year.
Capsey, dropped off the penultimate ball of the innings, then holes out to Gajnabi to end the innings. West Indies need 367 to win and the covers are coming on.
49th over: England 357-5 (Capsey 9, Davidson-Richards 5) Alice Davidson-Richards goes deep in the crease to back cut her first ball for four. She’ll keep the strike after a single from the final ball.
It’s now raining heavily in Leicester. The umpires will try to finish the innings.
WICKET! England 352-5 (Dunkley LBW b Fletcher 32)
Dunkley’s breezy 19-ball cameo ends when she misses a reverse sweep and is hit on the toe by a dipping delivery from Fletcher. Nicely bowled, and plumb.
Nine balls remaining.
48th over: England 351-4 (Dunkley 31, Capsey 8) Just when Glasgow is starting to think about a boundaryless over, Dunkley turns a full delivery into a full toss and pummels it straight for four. She must be a nightmare to bowl to because at her best she can hit the same delivery to two or three different parts of the boundary.
Despite the boundary it’s a good over from Glasgow – eight from it, two overs to go. Oh, and it has started mizzling.
47th over: England 343-4 (Dunkley 25, Capsey 7) Dunkley pull-sweeps Claxton cleverly behind square for four, then Capsey gets his first boundary with a wallop through midwicket. Twelve from the over; the record could still be on.
46th over: England 331-4 (Dunkley 18, Capsey 2) Dunkley charges Alleyne and pummels a short ball to the left of long-off for four. That’s a fine shot. An in-form Dunkley will be such a dangerous death-hitter because of her imagination and clean-hitting.
A lofted square drive goes for four more, the 43rd of the innings. England Women have only exceeded that three times in ODIs.
45th over: England 321-4 (Dunkley 9, Capsey 1)
WICKET! England 318-4 (Lamb c Grimmond b Glasgow 55)
Dunkley gets off the mark with a boundary after a misfield in the covers from Grimmond – who then takes a marvellous one-handed catch to get rid of Emma Lamb. That’s her second terrific take is as many overs.
Lamb played a lofted stroke that looked set to clear cover, only for Grimmond to throw up a telescopic left hand and take a belter.
44th over: England 311-3 (Lamb 55, Dunkley 0) I went too soon on that England ODI record – they now need 68 off the last six overs to beat it. Not impossible, but unlikely.
Updated
WICKET! England 308-3 (Sciver-Brunt c Grimmond b Alleyne 12)
Realeanna Grimmond takes a superb running catch at cow corner to give of Nat Sciver-Brunt. The ball made a lovely sound off the bat and looked set to go for six, but Grimmond judged the catch immaculately just inside the rope.
43rd over: England 305-2 (Lamb 50, Sciver-Brunt 12) Sciver-Brunt brings up England’s 300 with her first boundary, walking a long way across to drag Claxton past short fine leg. A trademark scoop, played from miles outside off stump, goes for four more.
The over ends with a stinging hit from Sciver-Brunt that Claxton can’t hold in her follow through. She hurts herself in the process and needs treatment at the end of the over; it looks like an impact injury rather than a break or dislocation.
42nd over: England 296-2 (Lamb 50, Sciver-Brunt 4) Lamb is playing some classy strokes now. She waves Fraser to the cover boundary to move into the forties, then slaps a back cut for four more. A single brings up a very assured half-century from 41 balls.
Those few overs she took to get her eye in were worth it; after making 13 from her first 20 balls, Lamb has scored 37 from the last 21.
41st over: England 284-2 (Lamb 39, Sciver-Brunt 3) A change of pace at the start of the last 10 overs. Claxton replaces Fletcher and sees her first ball flicked for four by Lamb. After that she does well to keep England to three from the last five deliveries.
40th over: England 277-2 (Lamb 32, Sciver-Brunt 3) Ramharack finishes with figures with 10-0-57-2, a good effort in the circumstances.
WICKET! England 273-2 (Beaumont c Gajnabi b Ramharack 106)
Beaumont carts a slog-sweep towards straight deep midwicket, where Ganjabi takes a good running catch and rolls over theatrically in celebration. The West Indies congratulate Beaumont on a fine innings: 106 from 109 balls with 12 fours and the six that brought up her hundred.
Updated
39th over: England 273-1 (Beaumont 106, Lamb 31) Now Emma Lamb is vrooming through the gears. She late cuts and back cuts two boundaries in three balls off Fletcher, who then spills a stinging return catch offered by Beaumont. She did pretty well just to stop the ball as it flew towards her face.
Beaumont brings up a century with a six!
38th over: England 261-1 (Beaumont 105, Lamb 20) That’s how to race through the nineties. Beaumont goes from 91 to 101 in two deliveries from Ramharack, a pull for four and the sweetest clip over wide long-on for six. A mighty clump to the same area makes it 14 from the last three balls of the over.
As we mentioned a while ago, this is the third time Beaumont has scored back-to-back hundreds in ODIs. No other player has done it more than once in women’s cricket.
Updated
37th over: England 245-1 (Beaumont 91, Lamb 19) Lamb gets her first boundary with a premeditated paddle off Fletcher, who is back in the attack in place of James. Four singles make it a useful over for England. They’ve slowed down since the dismissal of Amy Jones but are still on course for a huge score, maybe an England ODI record.
Updated
36th over: England 237-1 (Beaumont 89, Lamb 13) A quiet over from Ramharack to Lamb, who is probably hearing the first grumbles from her inner critic. She has 13 from 20 balls.
35th over: England 234-1 (Beaumont 89, Lamb 10) It looks like Beaumont is targeting Zaida James. A precise, firm sweep round the corner brings her another boundary, then a couple of well-struck shots don’t get past the infield.
34th over: England 228-1 (Beaumont 83, Lamb 10) Lamb almost walks past a delivery from Ramharack, who puts her hands to her head when the ball deflects to safety on the leg side. The two spinners, Ramharack and Fletcher, have bowled tidily; Ramharack almost gets her second wicket when Beaumont top-edges a sweep that bounces a few yards in front of deep square leg.
33rd over: England 224-1 (Beaumont 80, Lamb 8) Make that two boundaries in 21 overs for Beaumont, who has just played a deft reverse sweep off James. She’s 20 runs away from back-to-back ODI centuries for the third time in her career, which would be a remarkable achievement. Hence us remarking upon it.
32nd over: England 213-1 (Beaumont 74, Lamb 4) Lamb can afford to take a few overs to get her eye in, knowing that she should be able to catch up if she does so. That and Beaumont’s boundarylessness – only one in the last 20 overs – means we’re watching the most sedate period of the innings.
31st over: England 209-1 (Beaumont 72, Lamb 2) A quiet over from the returning Zaida James takes us once again to drinks.
30th over: England 204-1 (Beaumont 68, Lamb 1) Emma Lamb was padded up for 35.4 overs in the first ODI; today she’s in early after 29.2.
Updated
WICKET! England 202-1 (Jones ct and b Ramharack 129)
A quiet end to a terrific innings. Jones blasts the ball straight back at Ramharack, who takes a smart catch and does not celebrate one iota. Jones hit 20 fours in a career-best 129 from 98 balls.
Updated
Beaumont and Jones make historic 200 partnership
29th over: England 201-0 (Beaumont 66, Jones 129) Two more fours to Jones off Alleyne, a classy punch down the ground and an uppish slice that just clears backward point. If she’s still batting in the 40th over she will almost certainly have beaten Charlotte Edwards’ record for England’s highest ODI score, 173 not out I think.
Talking of records, a wide brings up England’s 200 and makes this pair the first in ODI history to have consecutive 200+ partnerships.
28th over: England 188-0 (Beaumont 65, Jones 118) No sign yet of acceleration from Beaumont, who has scored only 35 from her last 56 deliveries. In the grand scheme it shouldn’t matter but she must be getting slightly frustrated.
Updated
27th over: England 184-0 (Beaumont 63, Jones 116) Jones gets her 18th four with a beautifully placed clip through midwicket off Alleyne. That placement has been one of the main features of this tremendous innings: 116 from 88 balls now.
“Hi Rob,” says Ant Pease. "“I find Amy Jones’ centuries to be very much like London buses; significantly more likely to turn up in Derby or Leicester than London.”
26th over: England 176-0 (Beaumont 61, Jones 109) Jones drives Ramharack down the ground for one four, thanks to a bad misfield on the boundary. Not sure who it was but they made precisely no eye contact with Ramharack in the aftermath.
25th over: England 169-0 (Beaumont 60, Jones 104) Aaliyah Alleyne becomes West Indies’ seventh bowler in this innings. They are facing an unwanted record here; the highest ODI score against West Indies is the 358 that India made last year.
Beaumont cuts wristily behind square for four, which prompts Simon Doull to talk about “breaking the wrists” and I really do wish commentators would stop using that phrase because HAVE YOU EVER BROKEN A BLOODY WRIST I MEAN I HAVEN’T BUT I CAN’T IMAGINE IT’S MUCH FUN AND EVERY TIME THEY SAY I FEEL A BIT SICK AND IT CERTAINLY HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH DEFT STROKEPLAY I MEAN CAN YOU IMAGINE DROPPING THAT ONE INTO CONVERSATION IN A&E ON A BUSY DAY YES DOCTOR WE HAVE A PATIENT WITH TWO BROKEN WRISTS, HE’S BATTING BEAUTIFULLY AND IS 84 NOT OUT FROM 67 CAN YOU WAIT FOR HIM TO GET HIS HUNDRED FIRST MAYBE GO AND HAVE A LOOK AT THAT BLOKE OVER THERE WITH GOUT WHO REALLY SHOULD BE IN THE MINOR INJURIES UNIT IF I’M HONEST
That’s one way of looking at it anyway.
Updated
Jones strokes superb 76-ball hundred
24th over: England 163-0 (Beaumont 55, Jones 103) Jones skips down the pitch to drive Ramharack high over the off side. It looks set to go for four, which would have brought up her hundred, only for Fraser to make another terrific stop.
No matter: Jones pings the next ball crisply through extra cover to bring up a fabulous hundred from only 76 balls. She’s hit 16 fours, all round the ground, and has played with a relaxed certainty that is pretty rare in any form of international cricket.
Jones waited 4501 days from her debut to score her first ODI hundred. The second came six days later.
Updated
Fifty from Beaumont
23rd over: England 151-0 (Beaumont 54, Jones 96) Beaumont square drives Fletcher for two to reach her half-century from 64 balls. She’ll want to go through the gears, as she did at Derby when her second fifty took only 22 balls.
A reminder that England’s highest ODI score is 378 for five against Pakistan in 2016. It’s on.
22nd over: England 148-0 (Beaumont 49, Jones 94) The offspinner Karishma Ramharack’s first ball is chipped stylishly down the ground for four by Jones, who moves into the nineties. Beaumont, one short of another fifty, is frustrated when she fails to pierec the field with a back-foot force.
Updated
21st over: England 143-0 (Beaumont 49, Jones 89) Fletcher has bowled nicely, with a tight line and some teasing flight. After another boundaryless over, she has figures of 5-0-25-0.
Updated
20th over: England 140-0 (Beaumont 48, Jones 87) No such problems from Amy Jones. She crashes three consecutive fours off Glasgow – midwicket, third, fine leg – then gets a moment of fortune when a leading edge loops over mid-off and lands safely.
Jones is rampaging towards her second ODI hundred in a week. Before that she’d played 97 ODIs with a highest score of 94.
Just to be clear, the first person to mention London buses gets it.
Updated
19th over: England 122-0 (Beaumont 45, Jones 73) That lap stroke was the result of a dry spell for Beaumont, who is struggling to rotate strike. She’s scored only nine from the last 27 deliveries, including 18 dot-balls.
REVIEW! England 120-0 (Beaumont not out 44)
Tammy Beaumont has an LBW decision overturned on review. She missed a premeditated lap at a delivery from Fletcher that dipped under the bat and skidded onto hit the pad.
Beaumont, who was a long way across, reviewed in the hope/expectation that it would have missed off stump. After a long wait for the technology to load, the ball tracking confirmed as much.
18th over: England 119-0 (Beaumont 44, Jones 71) The boundaries are starting to dry up: 17 in the first 13 overs, 1 in the last 5. That’s a natural part of the rhythm of an ODI innings, though, and England remain on course for a huge score with 32 overs to go.
17th over: England 117-0 (Beaumont 43, Jones 70) A tidy over of legspin from Afy Fletcher, who doesn’t give the England batters any room to free their arms. Five from it.
Drinks: England speed to 112 without loss
16th over: England 112-0 (Beaumont 40, Jones 65) Gajnabi saves three runs with a running save at long-on, as does Fraser with an even better diving stop on the cover boundary. The dropped catch aside, West Indies’ fielding has been good today.
Time for the drinks break, which is a good time to plug the latest edition of The Spin. Spoiler alert: it’s better than last week’s.
Updated
15th over: England 106-0 (Beaumont 38, Jones 64) Jones squirts a single to bring up the hundred partnership, her sixth for the first wicket with Jones in ODIs. Only three opening pairs have scored more, with Belinda Clark and Lisa Keightley inevitably top of the list.
Jones is already approaching a century of her own; she moves into the sixties with a deft steer to the boundary at third person. She has 64 from 49 balls, Beaumount 38 from 41.
14th over: England 99-0 (Beaumont 37, Jones 58) An accurate over from Glasgow, the best of the innings to date, includes five consecutive dot balls to Beaumont.
13th over: England 98-0 (Beaumont 37, Jones 57) Time for some legspin from Afy Fletcher. That means a change of pace, but only from the West Indies. Jones continues England’s charge by skidding back in her crease to lash a boundary – her 10th, England’s 17th – through wide mid-on.
Amy Jones races to fifty
12th over: England 91-0 (Beaumont 36, Jones 51) Jones waves a single to reach a cool, classy half-century from 41 balls. Before the weekend she hadn’t opened in an ODI since she was tormented by Ellyse Perry in 2019; the decision to move her back up has gone reasonably well so far.
She bats well with Beaumont – they are about to become England’s most prolific opening partnership in women’s ODIs – and later in the over Beaumont clips a Glasgow full toss for four more.
11th over: England 84-0 (Beaumont 31, Jones 49) After an excellent third over, Claxton starts her fourth with a high full toss that is pulled for four by Beaumont. It’s a no-ball, too, although Claxton turns the free hit into a free miss with a lovely slower ball that beats Beaumont and bounces into the stumps.
10th over: England 77-0 (Beaumont 26, Jones 48) Jannillea Glasgow, another right-arm seamer, replaces Cherry-Ann Fraser, whose figures of 4-0-32-0 are a bit harsh. She starts really well – good pace, tight line – but her last ball is slightly too full and Jones clatters it through mid-on for four more. She’s batting beautifully in her new/old role at the top of the order.
9th over: England 70-0 (Beaumont 24, Jones 43) Claxton, who is only 19, points to her high ceiling with a cracking one-two to Tammy Beaumont. Both were perfectly pitched, a fraction outside off stump. The first popped past the edge at 68mph; the second came back off the seam to take the inside edge and fly past leg stump for four.
She should have taken her first wicket later in the over when Jones slapped a short ball to cover and was dropped by Grimmond. Her hands were too tense and, though it wasn’t a sitter, she’d expect to take that catch seven or eight times out of 10.
8th over: England 65-0 (Beaumont 19, Jones 43) Jones gets her seventh boundary with a lovely on-drive when Fraser overpitches, and then another with a short-arm pull through midwicket. The second one was only fractionally short. Fraser, who has bowled reasonably well, has been punished every time she has missed her length. For all West Indies’ struggles, England are batting with cold-eyed intent.
7th over: England 54-0 (Beaumont 18, Jones 34) A full toss outside leg stump from Claxton is helped on its way for four by Jones. You have to feel for this young West Indies team. They were finding it hard enough with the inspirational Hayley Matthews in the team but without her their spirit looks broken.
As I type, Matthews, wearing a sling, is walking round the boundary edge to talk to Cherry-Ann Fraser.
6th over: England 49-0 (Beaumont 18, Jones 29) Jones slams consecutive deliveries from Fraser through the covers four and two. A carve to third man brings another boundary, England’s ninth in six overs.
It already feels like England’s highest ODI score is in sight; the record is 378 for 5 v Pakistan in 2016.
Updated
5th over: England 38-0 (Beaumont 18, Jones 18) Jahzara Claxton replaces James and starts with a leg-side wide. Beaumont threads another beautiful drive between extra cover and mid-off, then pulls a long hope for four more. West Indies are really struggling here.
4th over: England 26-0 (Beaumont 10, Jones 15) A sharp delivery from Fraser almost gets through Jones, who is able to deflect it onto the pad. When Fraser gets it right she looks a proper bowler; her problem at this stage is consistency. That’s a good second over, with just one run off the bat – and that came from a misfield.
3rd over: England 24-0 (Beaumont 10, Jones 14) Another boundary for Amy Jones, clipped crisply through midwicket off James. England are off to a flyer.
2nd over: England 17-0 (Beaumont 9, Jones 8) Cherry-Ann Fraser, West Indies’ right-arm quick, shares the new ball. A couple of half-volleys are driven for four by Beaumont, the first through the covers and the second timed beautifully past extra cover.
I don’t love saying this - and I hope I’m eating it in a few hours’ time - but West Indies already look a beaten side.
1st over: England 9-0 (Beaumont 1, Jones 8) The consensus in the commentary box is that this is an extremely good day for batting, and that England should be looking for at least 350. Amy Jones gets them off to a good start with a couple of boundaries off James. The first was a total freebie, the second clipped nicely off the pads.
Updated
The players are ready for action in Leicester. Zaida James is going to open the bowling with her left-arm spin.
It’s nine years since Mike Selvey left The Guardian. I could prattle on for hours about what a giant of a human being he is, how enthusiastic and helpful he was towards the OBO when many people looked down their nose at us, how many brilliant stories he has and why he should write a bloody book, Selve.
That’s for another day. This is a quick note to wish Selve and everyone at Olney CC – including Young Selve, a new-ball bowler of course – all the best for their 150th anniversary match this afternoon. They’re playing an MCC side that apparently includes our buddy Adam Collins.
Olney is known for the world’s oldest pancake race and the hymn Amazing Grace, which was written there by the Reverend John Newton. If you fancy an afternoon in the sun* watching cricket with good people and at least one giant of a human being, get down to the Recreation Ground.
In fact, there’s a livestream here too. If it rains in Leicester, we’ll pop over to Olney.
* It’s a little brisk
Updated
Team news: Matthews injured
West Indies’ representative at the toss was Shemaine Campbell, who standing in as captain because of a shoulder injury to Hayley Matthews. That’s a big blow – to both teams. So is the absence of Matthews’ opening partner Qiana Joseph.
Realeanna Grimmond comes into the side and will open alongside Zaida James. Stafanie Taylor and Jannillea Glasgow are also included; Mandy Mangru drops out.
England have made two changes, with Alice Davidson-Richards and Lauren Filer replacing Charlie Dean and Em Arlott. Nat Sciver-Brunt says they are keen to look at the whole squad ahead of the World Cup.
England Beaumont, Jones (wk), Lamb, Sciver-Brunt (c), Dunkley, Capsey, Davidson-Richards, Cross, Smith, Filer, Bell.
West Indies Grimmond, James, Campbelle (c/wk), Taylor, Gajnabi, Glasgow, Alleyne, Claxton, Fraser, Fletcher, Ramharack.
England win the toss and bat
“Looks a good surface,” says NSB, “and as a team we’d like to challenge ourselves to repeat a good batting performance the other day.”
It’s a blustery day in Leicester, more than a little brisk, but the forecast is dry so we should start on time.
Preamble
Another day, another England v West Indies fixture. This is their eighth game in 15 days across formats and genders – pity the fool who signed up to cover the lot, eh – and so far England have won them all.
If that run continues in Leicester today, Nat Sciver-Brunt and Charlotte Edwards clinch their second series win as England captain and coach. They won’t be getting carried away – this is a weakened West Indies side, and England usually hammer them in bilateral series anyway.
Nasser Hussain made an excellent point on the Sky Cricket podcast that, if England want to become the best in the world, they should assess their performance against the remarkable Hayley Matthews rather than the rest of the West Indies team.
Matthews has scored 44 per cent of West Indies’ runs across the two white-ball series, with innings of 100*, 6, 71 and 48. Two of her dismissals have been at the hands of Em Arlott, who has caught the eye in an impressive debut series.
So has Linsey Smith, a semi-regular in the T20 side who took a five-for on her ODI debut on Sunday. And Amy Jones, pushed back up to open in the ODI team, started with a lovely century at Derby.
It’s those fresh details, rather than the fairly predictable results, that have made it all worthwhile.
The match starts at 1pm.
