Wood & Archer steal show as Windies fold up for 212

Southampton, June 14 (IANS) England's Jofra Archer and Mark Wood blew West Indies away with serious pace as they were bundled out for just 212 in 44.4 overs, in their World Cup clash on Friday. Archer (3/30) and Wood (3/18) got support from Chris Woakes (1/16) as Nicholas Pooran was the sole batsman who looked good during his 63 off 78 balls (3x4, 1x6).

Part time bowler Joe Root (2/27) also got two wickets as England made merry after winning the toss and electing to field first. Woakes was on the money from the word go, bowling a maiden over to Chris Gayle to start proceedings.

Woakes rattled Evin Lewis (2) with a brilliant yorker as England were off to a brilliant start. Woakes would have had Gayle too had Mark Wood not dropped him when he was batting on 15.

But that did not hurt the hosts as the big-hitting southpaw holed out to Jonny Bairstow at deep square-leg, failing to beat the trap set for him by Liam Plunkett (1/30) who kept banging the ball short with the field for it.

England were dealt a blow as in-form opener Jason Roy pulled a hamstring while fielding and had to leave the field early on. While he could not make it back, it meant Roy won't be able to bat until after the fall of the sixth wicket.

Windies meanwhile rode Pooran and Shimron Hetmyer's 89-run fourth wicket stand to stem the rot after Shai Hope (11) was trapped in front by Wood.

Eoin Morgan threw the ball to Joe Root in order to break the partnership, and the move worked as Root first dismissed Hetmyer (39), caught and bowled, and then got rid of skipper Jason Holder (9) in similar fashion.

Pooran, in the meantime brought up his 50 off 56 balls while Andre Russell joined him at the other end. Russell was dropped by Woakes off Adil Rashid when he was batting on 3, and in the same over the burly all-rounder smashed two sixes.

But Wood banged in another short ball and Russell fell for it, hitting it straight to Woakes at deep mid-wicket to allow him to make amends for his mistake moments ago.

From then on, it was the Archer show as he removed Pooran and Sheldon Cottrell off back-to-back deliveries in the 40th over and any plans Carlos Brathwaite had of playing a cameo was cut short as the all-rounder was dismissed for 14, caught behind by Buttler off another bouncer.

Shannon Gabriel was then clean-bowled by Wood to wrap up the show. It was also Wood's 50th wicket in 50-over cricket.

Brief Scores: West Indies: 212 all out in 44.4 overs (Nicholas Pooran 63, Mark Wood 3/18, Jofra Archer 3/30) vs England