Moeen Ali slams 53-ball century

Bristol: Moeen Ali’s blazing century powered England to an imposing total of 369/9 in the third one-day international against West Indies at Bristol on Sunday.

The Worcestershire all-rounder sprinted to his hundred off 53 balls, with nearly half of his runs coming via eight sixes, before he fell for 102. His century also included seven fours, with the left-hander needing a mere 12 balls for his second fifty.

England’s total was their largest in a one-day international against West Indies, surpassing their 328/7 at Birmingham’s Edgbaston ground in 2009, and their fifth-largest in this format overall.

Ali’s hundred was also the second quickest by an England batsman at this level after Jos Buttler’s 46-ball ODI century against Pakistan in Dubai in 2015. England lost three wickets for 11 runs to be 217/6 in the 35th over. But a partnership of 117 in 76 balls between Ali and Chris Woakes (34) turned the tide.

Joe Root (84) and Ben Stokes (73) had laid the platform for a large total with a fourth-wicket stand of 132 in 20 overs before England, 1-0 up in this five-match series following Thursday’s no-result in Nottingham, briefly lost their way. But, with Ali leading the charge, England scored 123 runs in their last 10 overs after being sent into bat by West Indies captain Jason Holder.

West Indies bowled well early on but the bowlers’ figures took a battering, with Miguel Cummins taking three wickets but conceding 82 runs in nine overs. Holder took two for 81 in 10. Ali’s assault really got going as England scored a remarkable 50 runs in two overs.     

Scores: England 369/9 in 50 overs (Root 84, Stokes 73, Ali 102, Cummins 3/82) vs West Indies.