England v West Indies, fourth ODI: England win by five wickets to go 3-0 up in the series with one match to play

Cricket

Wed September 27, 2017 · 7y ago

England's big-hitting duo Moeen Ali and Jos Buttler pulled off a series-clinching D/L victory by six runs over West Indies in the fourth ODI at The Oval.

Fourth ODI: Match Stats (the Oval)

England win by 6 runs (D/L Method) and lead the series 3-0 with one match to play

West Indies innings: 356-5 (50/50 overs. Lewis 176 ret hurt, Holder 77; Woakes 3-71)

England innings: 258-5 (35.1 overs. Roy 84, Moeen Ali 48 no, Buttler 43 no; Joseph 5-56)

Match report

England's big-hitting duo Moeen Ali and Jos Buttler pulled off a series-clinching Duckworth-Lewis-Stern victory by six runs over West Indies at The Oval.

Moeen and Buttler joined forces in apparent adversity on 181 for five as England's vexed 24 hours off the pitch appeared destined to continue on it.

England were chasing 356 for five after Evin Lewis' 176 and then Alzarri Joseph's maiden five-wicket haul left them well short on DLS.

The sixth-wicket pair had other ideas, though, hauling their team ahead with 11 fours, and two Moeen sixes in his unbeaten 48.

Their stand of 77 in eight overs proved the difference by the time forecast rain terminally halted proceedings on 258 in the 36th.

Jason Roy (84) had taken his unexpected opportunity on his home ground to give England a chance of pushing for their eventual 3-0 lead, with one match remaining in this Royal London Series.

Fifth ODI: Sky Bet odds

England are now 2/9 favourites to win the fifth and final ODI on Friday, with West Indies priced at 100/30 to claim a consolation victory.

Joe Root is 9/4 favourite to score England's most runs while Jonny Bairstow, Jason Roy and Alex Hales can all be backed at 5/1. Eoin Morgan is 5/1, Jos Buttler 6/1, Sam Billings 7/1 and Moeen Ali 8/1.

Chris Gayle heads the West Indies betting at 5/2 ahead of Shai Hope (3/1), Kyle Hope (7/2), Marlon Samules (4/1) and Sunil Ambris (5/1).

Click here for more Sky Bet odds

But Joseph interrupted with five for 56, and England seemed in big trouble under lights in the absence of premier all-rounder Ben Stokes and regular opener Alex Hales.

Both were unavailable after Stokes was arrested on suspicion of causing actual bodily harm and Hales drove to Bristol to provide evidence of the disorder in which his team-mate was embroiled in the early hours of Monday morning.

Roy was first to go after an opening stand of 126, and four overs later Jonny Bairstow followed in near identical fashion caught-behind.

Joe Root bottom-edged a pull to the wicketkeeper and then Eoin Morgan and Sam Billings fell to outstanding catches - by sub fielder Kyle Hope at fine-leg and then Chris Gayle at a wide slip.

It left England's Bristol six-hitter Moeen and the equally dangerous Buttler badly up against it, but they rose to the occasion.

Lewis, retired hurt after hitting 17 fours and seven sixes, was the Windies' driving force after England chose to bowl on a cloudy afternoon.

He shared stands of 117 for the fourth wicket with Jason Mohammed and then 168 with Jason Holder (77), until he was injured after jamming a ball on to his right ankle.