Shai Hope Guides West Indies Past England In 1st ODI

Shai Hope's 16th hundred and the rampaging support of all-rounder Romario Shepherd lifted the West Indies to a record-breaking four-wicket victory in a high-scoring opening duel of the three-match One-Day International series at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium in Antigua on Sunday. Set a daunting target of 326 by the visitors, the home captain anchored the effort through an unsteady period and then exploded with an array of mighty strokes, finishing the match with three sixes off Sam Curran in the penultimate over to seal the result with an unbeaten 109.

This effort surpassed the previous best of 276 by the West Indies against Sri Lanka in 2021 as the highest successful run-chase in an ODI by any team at the venue.

Hope's innings spanned 83 deliveries and was embellished by seven sixes and four fours, earning him the "Man of the Match" award.

Yet it was the role of Shepherd, who blazed 48 off 28 balls in a sixth-wicket partnership of 89 which got the West Indies back into the match when it appeared to have slipped away from them at 213 for five in the 39th over despite 66 at the top of the order from Alick Athanaze and an opening stand of 104 with Brandon King.

"Stats and record will come along by the way but my aim is to win matches and I'm happy to have played a part in that today," was Hope's immediate assessment of his effort, preferring to offer fulsome praise of Shepherd. "He was amazing. He is someone you can always rely on and he continues to show his worth at this level."

Earlier, Harry Brook held the England innings together through the middle overs but it was blistering assaults at the top and tail of the 50 overs which lifted them to a competitive 325 all out.

Openers Phil Salt and Will Jacks blazed 77 at