England thrash West Indies by 238 runs in opening ODI clash

BIRMINGHAM, England :England thrashed West Indies by 238 runs in Harry Brook's first match in charge as full-time captain to snap a seven-match ODI losing streak and move 1-0 up in the three-match series at a sunny Edgbaston on Thursday.

Put in to bat, England piled up 400-8 as Jacob Bethell smashed a destructive 82 in 53 balls and Ben Duckett, Joe Root and Brook all helped themselves to half centuries against a ragged West Indies attack.

It was the highest score England had amassed at home against West Indies in the 50-over format and it proved far too much for the visitors who capitulated in feeble fashion.

Saqib Mahmood and Jamie Overton both took three wickets with Brook taking five catches as the West Indies reply crumbled to 162 all out with only Keacy Carty and captain Shai Hope scoring more than 20 before an entertaining but meaningless late cameo of 29 by number 11 Jayden Seales.

It was the perfect start to Brook's reign as white ball captain as England recorded their second-largest win in terms of runs, second only to the 242-run thrashing of Australia in 2018.

The 21-year-old Bethell, who shared a seventh-wicket stand of 98 from 44 balls with Will Jacks and also took a wicket, was named man of the match at his home ground.

"It's pretty special to play for the first time here for England and to top it off with a win like that," he said.

"I enjoy batting in the middle order. Today was a pretty easy situation to come into. When I'm in, I can hit a lot of balls to the boundary."

He struck eight boundaries and thumped five sixes against before falling short of a first senior century when edging a wide delivery by Seales behind to West Indies skipper Shai Hope.

Seales was the pick of the West Indies bowlers with Bethell