Jason Roy back to his old form and other talking points as England complete 4-0 series win over the West Indies

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  • Jason Roy fell four-runs short of his fourth ODI hundred.

    England cruised to a nine-wicket victory against the West Indies in the fifth and final one-day international in Southampton on Friday to seal a 4-0 series win.

    The tourists, seeking to end a long sequence of defeats against England, posted 288 for six despite becoming bogged down after a thrilling Chris Gayle cameo, with Shai Hope (72) the top-scorer.

    England’s Jason Roy (96) and Jonny Bairstow put on 156 for the first-wicket in reply, with Bairstow ending up unbeaten on 141.

    After another dominant display by Morgan’s men, we look at the key talking points from the Aegas Bowl in Southampton.

    Whirlwind ‘Gayle-storm’ gives West Indies the perfect start

    The Jamaican has got off to a flying start in almost every match of the series so far but has failed to register a big score. On Friday, he did not exactly set the world alight in the initial stages of his innings.

    The left-handed batsman was uncharacteristically watchful under overcast conditions as he did not pick a single run off the first 14 deliveries he faced.

    It was England seamer Jake Ball who would then face the brunt of Gayle’s assault as he was carted for three massive sixes off the last three deliveries of his third over.

    Ball returned for his fourth and faced almost a similar result off his first three deliveries as the West Indies opener collected two sixes and a boundary.

    In the end, debutant Tom Curran outfoxed the Caribbean batsman with a brilliant back of the hand slower delivery to pick up his first ODI wicket.

    Gayle was early into his shot as he tried to clear the ropes again as Liam Plunkett completed a stunning full-length diving catch while running back from mid-off.

    England’s spin-twins put the brakes on West Indies’ innings

    After Gayle and Kyle Hope started effectively, their dismissals brought Shai Hope and Marlon Samuels to the crease.

    The pair had to be increasingly cautious as England spinners Moeen Ali and Abdul Rashid dried up the runs for the visitors.

    The two spinners bowled with excellent control as Samuels and Hope put up a 50-run partnership in 16 overs. The pressure was building on the two batsmen and it finally told in the 32nd over when Samuels charged down the track to an Ali delivery.

    The England off-spinner threw down a straighter one evading the outside edge of the batsman, leaving wicket-keeper Jos Buttler with all the time in the world to remove to bails.

    Rashid got into the wickets himself when he had West Indies’ stand-in skipper Mohammed miscuing a slog to Joe Root at long-off as West Indies lost their way in the middle-overs.

    Rashid would finish with figures of 1-42 off his 10 overs while Ali would return with 1-36 off his complete quota to take the edge off the visitors’ batting.

    Samuels is stumped by Buttler off the bowling of Moeen Ali.

    Samuels is stumped by Buttler off the bowling of Moeen Ali.

    Jason Roy is back to his usual self

    The 27-year-old opening batsman has been out of sorts with the bat lately. He had registered only 68 runs in his previous nine innings at the top for England coming into this series.

    That awful run saw Roy replaced by Jonny Bairstow in the first three matches and it was only Alex Hales suspension that earned him a recall into the playing eleven for the fourth ODI.

    Roy made the most of his second-life as he recorded a 66-ball 84 in England’s win at the Oval. He continued in the same vein on Friday as he opened the innings with Bairstow. The South Africa born batsman looked in supreme touch from the start as he timed the ball to perfection in customary style.

    The right-handed batsman hit 11 boundaries and a massive six as he put together a 150-run plus opening stand along with his partners to all but seal the game for the hosts.

    Roy was well on course for his fourth international hundred but unfortunately fell just four-runs short of the mark after missing a straight delivery from medium-pacer Miguel Cummins to be trapped plumb on the pads.

    Bairstow may milk the headlines for his second century of the series but Roy’s return to form will bode well for England in the long-run.

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