Archer shines as England bowl out Windies for 212

England’s Jofra Archers celebrates after taking a wicket. Photo: Reuters

SOUTHAMPTON: Jofra Archer took three wickets as England bowled tightly to dismiss West Indies for a below par 212 in their Cricket World Cup match on Friday.

Nicholas Pooran top-scored for the Windies with 63 but after struggling to 55-3, they never broke free from the shackles of a disciplined England attack and were bowled out in the 45th over.

England’s day was marred by injuries to captain Eoin Morgan and opener Jason Roy which forced them off the field. Morgan suffered a back spasm while Roy sustained a hamstring problem and will be unable to bat until later in the innings.

After England won the toss, Chris Woakes dismissed Evin Lewis for two before Mark Wood dropped destructive West Indies opener Chris Gayle.

The error did not prove too costly, however, as Gayle fell to Liam Plunkett for 36 and Shai Hope was trapped lbw by Wood for 11 to put West Indies in early trouble.

Pooran and Shimron Hetmyer shared a fluent fourth-wicket partnership of 89 but Hetmyer was caught and bowled by Joe Root for 39 and the part-time spinner soon dismissed Windies captain Jason Holder in identical fashion.

Pooran was caught by wicketkeeper Jos Buttler off Archer and the West Indies-born pace bowler also sent back Carlos Brathwaite and Sheldon Cottrell before Wood bowled Shannon Gabriel to end the innings.

Oshane Thomas was nought not out at the end, his fifth one-day international innings in a row at the start of his career without scoring a run making him the holder of an unwanted record.

England, tournament favourites, won two of their three opening matches. West Indies won one and had one no result in their first three games.

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