England fought hard but their first ODI series since the World Cup debacle ended in defeat after the West Indies scored a thrilling decider in Barbados.
Chasing a target of 188 in 34 overs set by Duckworth-Lewis-Stern after several rain interruptions, the Windies collapsed from 99 for two to 135 for six after Will Jacks’ improbable three-wicket haul.
But after Jacks and Rehan Ahmed were bowled out and the Windies needed to score 33 in the last four overs, Romario Shepherd greeted the quick-returning Gus Atkinson with back-to-back sixes to turn the tide.
Atkinson missed 24 from the start and Shepherd led the Windies to a four-wicket win with 14 balls to spare, making a scrappy 41 off 28 balls alongside debutant Matthew Forde (no 13).
While Forde had earlier taken three for 29, England were reduced to 49 for five and skipper Jos Buttler was out for a golden duck after an ill-judged hook to Alzarri Joseph took the top edge and ballooned towards the good-legged fielder .
Ben Duckett’s classy performance of 71 from 73 balls pulled England out of a hole as he scored 88 with Liam Livingstone (45) forming the backbone of 206 for nine in 40 overs, with the lower order adding some grit.
A 2-1 defeat in their first assignment was not the start Buttler and head coach Matthew Mott would have wanted in this post-World Cup reset, but a top-order collapse left them with a mountain to climb after being asked to bat first. The game got a delayed start following a two-hour rain delay.
England’s openers had formed four successive partnerships of 50 or more, but they broke away in the first over as Phil Salt’s loose chip was almost carried to Joseph.
Forde had a better day as Zak Crawley prepared to leave, but the ball drifted a little wide and hit his glove, causing the ball to slide.
The rookie’s only misstep was a misfield on the boundary after a sharp pull from Duckett, giving the left-hander the first of three consecutive fours, but Forde atoned for his next delivery, bowled a nagging length and found some shape to receive the ball. Jacks edge.
Things got worse for England in the 10th round; Joseph’s direct hit found a diving Harry Brook, while Buttler’s first delivery left them five down.
England have endured some epic meltdowns in the Caribbean over the years and were briefly in danger of being added to the infamous list, but Duckett and Livingstone stabilized the tourists.
Duckett was particularly impressive, being powerful with his preferred strokes and lifting off the back foot, but eschewing his customary sweeping movements at the spinners until he got used to an unpredictable pace.
After passing 50, the left-hander and then Livingstone upped the ante, both hitting sixes to Joseph but both perished as they came too soon for the balls to stop on the field. While Duckett took the lead at short mid-wicket, Shepherd mistimed the next over off Livingstone mid-on.
After a 45-minute rain delay that saw England’s innings reduced from 43 to 40 overs, final wicket duo Atkinson and Matthew Potts took them to over 200 with an unbroken stand of 35 from 29 balls.
Another downpour caused further spills from play and meant a revised goal; England made a breakthrough after eight deliveries when Brandon King punched Atkinson to Jacks in the ring.
While Sam Curran found a generous move and Potts was a regular substitute for the ill Brydon Carse, there was no further progress when Buttler returned to Ahmed in the ninth over. The leg-spinner was met with a brief glance from Alick Athanaze and was then tipped over by Carty for another four.
Ahmed clipped Athanaze’s stump without dislodging the bails and deceived England into a review for those left behind, before Atkinson returned to fix the left-handed opener five short of his 50.
After Shai Hope curled a deft strike past Ahmed to mid-wicket, Buttler opted to spin at either end on an increasingly eroding pitch that offered spectacular returns.
The Jacks capitalized with Shimron Hetmyer lunging to mark while Sherfane Rutherford hid. Carty, who dropped two easy catches when the Windies took the field, made a crucial 50 but gave the Jacks a chance at a comeback.
Two balls later, Jacks edged Shepherd but the ball whistled away for four and the Windies’ big hitter threw his hands to Ahmed to relieve some of the house pressure.
Buttler chose to turn to Atkinson after Ahmed and Jacks bowed but the paceman fired two full shots, the first of which went over the rope after Livingstone’s failed strike.
There was no coming back from this for England and Shepherd sealed victory with a tough four-man sweep of Livingstone’s next over.