West Indies thrash woeful England in St Lucia to draw ODI series as visitors are beaten with 227 balls to spare

• West Indies vs England, fifth ODI: scoreboard

There is an old joke that first the English invent a sport, and then they watch the rest of the world perfect it. But there is one title that England stubbornly refuse to yield: as masters of the batting collapse. And so, on a sumptuous day in St Lucia in a run-laden series, England were inserted to bat first on a pitch with alluringly short boundaries – and were promptly bundled out for 113.

Just like in the astonishing fourth game, when England topped 400, their innings was carnage. This was carnage of a very different nature, as England played a series of tame shots to well-directed short balls, on a markedly quicker pitch than they had confronted earlier in the series. By the time Oshane Thomas, the West Indies’ compelling young quick, demolished Tom Curran’s stumps with a wonderfully-directed yorker to terminate their innings, England had been batting for just 28.1 overs. Only twice in their ODI history – a total of 725 games – had they been bowled out quicker.

It all meant that, after their absurd 418-6 in the fourth ODI, England suffered a ludicrous 305-run negative swing from one ODI innings to the next. Even on the occasional days when they are hapless, England’s ODI team still retain their penchant for record breaking. Chris Gayle’s thundering blows – he reached his fourth 50-plus score of a phenomenal comeback series and smote 77 from 27 balls, including nine sixes – meant the West Indies only needed 12.1 overs to tie the ODI series at 2-2. The match only lasted two balls longer than a Twenty20.

“We found it extremely difficult to score without taking quite a big risk. We didn’t adapt, which makes things really difficult,” captain Eoin Morgan admitted. “It was a terrible batting performance.”

After days taking questions about whether ODI cricket had rendered them emasculated, the West Indies bowlers produced a performance brimming with skill and smart thinking. The side prepared for their Test series victory with a nine-hour strategy meeting, involving the coaches, analysts and captain, and have extended a similar rigour to their ODI preparation, with a drawn series a just reward. They deduced that the pitch offered greater bounce than in the previous games, and England were vulnerable to it.

In the third over of the day, Sheldon Cottrell’s inswing obtained an inside edge from a booming drive by Jonny Bairstow. But it was in the following over when the template for the day was really set, as Joe Root upper-cut his second ball to third man – indeterminately looking neither to play the ball down nor clear third man and hit a six.

England, it seemed, were going to succumb to the short ball, and did so quickly, abetted by astute field placing. An immaculate line from Carlos Brathwaite left Alex Hales no room to cut; Eoin Morgan was caught at fine leg, Thomas identifying how Morgan can be susceptible to bouncers aimed at his body; Brathwaite suckered Ben Stokes into a pull when his line, from round the wicket, meant that he had no room to free his arms.

By now England were 88 for five: a nasty collapse, to be sure, but one that still allowed them the possibility of wriggling into respectability.

Instead, the denouement was even more spectacular than they could have feared. The last five wickets fell for two runs in 21 balls that passed like a whirlwind.

Thomas was bowling like one, too, inducing Moeen Ali to flash behind, Chris Woakes to spoon a brutally directed short ball to midwicket for none and then Jos Buttler to top edge an attempted flick to fine leg.

This was Thomas’ maiden international five-for in a West Indies career that only began last October. If he makes good on the promise that has already secured a lucrative IPL contract with the Rajasthan Royals – he has only just turned 22 – it could turbocharge the revival of the West Indies side.

The upshot was that England subsided to their lowest ODI total against the West Indies. The previous worst, 114, was set in Barbados in 1986 by a team that comprised Michael Holding, Malcolm Marshall, Patrick Patterson and Joel Garner, which spoke to how the West Indies overwhelmed England here. It has been five years and 14 bilateral series since the West Indies last won an ODI series, yet they appear reinvigorated as the World Cup looms into focus.

The great concern was that England showed no propensity to adapt to a wicket that was bouncier than the placid tracks earlier this series, though need not have been treacherous.

“We continued to play a game where potentially playing on the same pitch in Grenada was a good shot or a low-risk shot whereas today it was high risk,” Morgan said. “If we don’t learn from this it’s a wasted experience.

“When we come up in conditions for the first time it has gone wrong. When we’ve come back in conditions that are similar to where we’ve made mistakes we’ve actually played really well.” Therein lies the great concern for the World Cup. If England are confronted with an unfamiliar pitch for the first time in a crunch game – as they were on a slow pitch at Cardiff during the Champions Trophy semi-finals in 2017 – then there will be no second chances.

6:47PM

There's a World Cup coming up...

Wow, what an odd game - and what a difference a few days makes. England chased 360 with their eyes closed last week and made 418 on Wednesday. This, though, has not been so good ahead of the World Cup. The West Indies, on the other hand, nearly didn't qualify for this summer's tournament. Now that they're there, you wouldn't bet against them doing some serious damage. Andre Russell didn't even get on the park here and it would be just like Chris Gayle to sign off in style. It is no mean feat to stop this England side from winning a series. They are some outfit under Eoin Morgan and, really, the off-days like this shouldn't take away from what a fabulous team he has built. Defeats like this, however, do just keep the nagging doubt lingering, that when push comes to shove, they remain susceptible to something like this. There are still three T20s between these teams before England leave the Caribbean to continue preparations for the most important summer in the country's recent cricketing history.

6:37PM

West Indies win by seven wickets with 227 balls remaining.

Tom Curran comes on, bowls one ball, gets driven down the ground and we're done here. Not what you want for your match fee, really.

An absolute battering for England. Fabulous from the West Indies, who have been superb. Oshane Thomas, Carlos Brathwaite and Jason Holder wonderful with the ball and Chris Gayle doing what only Chris Gayle does with the bat.

A fantastic ODI series, with 2-2 a fair result.

6:33PM

OVER 12: 111/3 (Bravo 7* Hetmyer 7*)

This is the over, at least in Shimron's eyes. He gives himself enough room to deposit Wood over cover, before finding a single down to third man. Darren Bravo, may we recall the Test series, does like batting. He blocks a couple as he settles in for a long net until Wood fires in a wide to take us within a hit of bringing this all to an end. In truth, it finished as a contest about two hours ago.

6:28PM

OVER 11: 103/3 (Bravo 5* Hetmyer 2*)

Understandably, England look like they'd rather be anywhere but the Darren Sammy National Cricket Stadium. Well, I have good news for them. The West Indies need 11 more runs. Meanwhile, it has been calculated that Gayle's 39 sixes put him 16 clear of Rohit Sharma as the most ever hit in a bilateral ODI series.

6:23PM

A changing game...

6:22PM

OVER 10: 97/3 (Bravo 1* Hetmyer 1*)

Disappointingly, Shimron has elected to don helmet rather than floppy hat today, the presence of which has been a real highlight of this tour. England continue to plod away, hoping that a collapse of English proportions might be forthcoming. The run rate is below ten, which is a positive, I guess.

6:19PM

OVER 9: 95/3 (Bravo 0* Hetmyer 0*)

In comes Shimron Hetmyer, who hit his first ball for six on Wednesday and was caught on the boundary as he tried to repeat the dose with his second ball. Much more circumspect on this occasion, which is curious, given everything.

6:17PM

WICKET! Hope b Woakes 13

Ever since that glorious check-drive for six, Shai Hope has become obsessed with repeating the dose. This time, he misses. Woakes hits. It's a birthday scalp on a fairly chastening afternoon for the rose-cheeked all-rounder.

6:15PM

Universe Boss

 All hail the Universe Boss. He will retire from ODI cricket after the World Cup. The game will be poorer for his absence. Chris Woakes, you sense, has the day marked in his calendar.

6:13PM

WICKET! Gayle b Wood 77

Of course, the faster one bowls the ball, the faster it leaves the bat. And, indeed, the further it goes. Gayle upper-cuts for consecutive sixes to start the over, before settling for a boundary with his next delivery. When Wood follows him to find the perfect yorker, Gayle unfurls a classic Natmeg for four more. Less than content with replicating Nat Sciver's trademark, he belts another one onto the banks. The cameras flash to Mark Wood, who is wearing the same expression as Chris Woakes. Harrowing befuddlement. It is the 103rd six of the series. Mental.

Ah. A wicket. And so ends Chris Gayle's series. He has been staggeringly exceptional. I can't recall having seen cleaner ball-striking than this over a five-match series. Wood eventually sends him on his way with a slower ball. It matters not. This has been Universe Boss' series.

6:07PM

OVER 7: 67/1 (Gayle 51* Hope 11*)

135 (129), 50 (63), 162 (97) - it has been quite the series for the shy and retiring C.H. Gayle. Nevertheless, Shai Hope has just bettered anything his illustrious partner has done today. It is a glorious stroke - on the up, high elbow, straight back over Woakes' head for six sumptuous runs. The shot of the match by some distance. A world-class stroke.

6:01PM

OVER 6: 60/1 (Gayle 50* Hope 5*)

Chris Gayle had gone eight minutes without a maximum, so he pummels Mark Wood into the road to end the drought. Naturally. There are echoes of England's 2015 World Cup defeat to New Zealand here. That day, England made 123 and New Zealand chased them in 12 overs. Brendon McCullum made 77 in 25 balls.

Gayle then plays out a dot, before opting to hit another mammoth six over the leg-side. A single brings his 50. It has taken him 19 balls, with all but two of his runs coming in boundaries. He has hit six sixes.

5:56PM

OVER 5: 45/1 (Gayle 37* Hope 3*)

With Gayle stood at the non-striker's end, it is safe for Woakes to continue. He immediately raps Hope on the pads, with umpire Duguid giving him out. However, an immediate review shows that Duguid has done bad, failing his name. Given the bounce we've seen all day, it was always flying over the top. Not the finest piece of officiating, though not quite as bad as Tom Curran's during the second ODI.

5:51PM

OVER 4: 43/1 (Gayle 37* Hope 1*)

Chris Gayle certainly finds Mark Wood's rockets less agreeable than Chris Woakes' more gentle offerings. Universe Boss takes one on the shoulder as if to prove the point.

5:48PM

"Alexa, define 'comprehensive'."

5:47PM

WICKET! Campbell b Wood 1

Houston, we have a wicket. Comebacks have to start somewhere, but England have surely opted to start theirs beyond the point of no return. John Campbell plays round a straight one from Wood, meaning that after three Tests and five ODIs, Campbell remains an utter mystery. His talent is obvious - he lap-swept Wood for six on Wednesday. He is, though, yet to really make a significant score.

5:44PM

OVER 3: 40/0 (Gayle 37* Campbell 1*)

Chris Gayle has evening plans. Woakes' birthday goes from worse to even worse to even worse still. The first ball of the over flies over mid-wicket for six, and then Gayle hits the second one over cover for another maximum. A swat for four comes next, before the fun appears to have come to a sad end...

Woakes has Gayle caught by Adil Rashid at deep square leg, but the dismissal is reversed as it is deemed the third bouncer of the over. It is, for my money, a rubbish decision. Gayle compounds things by whacking the free hit beyond the premises. Give Chris Woakes a shovel. He'd like to dig himself a way out of this.

Chris Gayle has faced 12 deliveries for his 37 runs. I give this game 15 more minutes.

5:36PM

OVER 2: 17/0 (Gayle 15* Campbell 1*)

Mark Wood is quick, but the man is not a wizard. He bowls five dots and then attempts a bouncer, which flies well over Campbell's head. Every West Indian bouncer took a wicket. England's first is called a wide.

5:31PM

Over 1: 16/0 (Gayle 15* Campbell 1*)

A good game is, indeed, a fast game. And such was the brevity employed by England with the bat, we are straight back on the field here. Dev Bishoo didn't even get a bowl.

Chris Woakes will have had better birthdays. Shortly after acquiring himself a duck to commemorate the special day, he is heaved for consecutive boundaries by Christopher Henry Gayle. The first flies over the slip cordon and the second is muscled through mid-wicket. He follows up with a six. Crikey.

Make some dinner plans. We'll be done in half an hour. Blink and you could miss all this.

5:27PM

West Indies need 114 runs to win

As Nick Hoult cryptically points out below, much was made of the Grenada pitch, with some suggesting that ODI cricket was too far weighted in favour of the batsmen. Today, it has been anything but. That said, it has been no minefield, let's make that clear. The West Indies found an ideal length early on, while England failed to ever really adjust accordingly. 

I can hardly remember a batsman ducking, swaying, looking to ramp the ball over the keeper. Each dismissal has been a carbon-copy of its predecessor.

It is, unsurprisingly, England's lowest ever score in an ODI in the West Indies.

5:22PM

Well, well, well...

5:21PM

Captain fantastic

 How good has this man been?

5:20PM

WICKET! Curran b Thomas 0

That, ladies and gentlemen, is that. Over before it began, really. Oshane Thomas, give yourself a pat on the back. 5.1-0-21-5. Full, straight, quick. Hostility personified. Curran backed away and it's hard to blame him. Stumps everywhere. The West Indies need 114 runs to win.

5:17PM

OVER 28: 113/9 (Curran 0* Wood 0*)

Wow. Extraordinary from the West Indies. If there is a criticism of this England team, it is that they are partial to the occasional brain-fart. Every so often, in among the 481, the 444, the 418, the 399, England do chuck in a day like today. Perhaps, it is just to keep us on our toes, to remind us of what it used to be like on a fairly regular basis. This has been chastening.

5:16PM

WICKET! Rashid ct Hope b Holder 0

That's a rip-snorter. Play that, Adil. Another one falls to a short one, but there's no shame in this. Right up into Rashid's throat. He fends and gloves through to Hope. That is superb stuff. In many ways, a delivery wasted on a number nine. 

5:11PM

WICKET! Buttler ct Cottrell b Thomas 23

And another - and it's the big one. Buttler becomes the seventh England batsman to fall to the short ball. This is superb stuff from Thomas, however. An excellent change from Holder to get the youngster back into the attack. This is hostile stuff. England are crumbling. A third catch for Cottrell.

5:08PM

WICKET! Woakes ct Brathwaite b Thomas 0

Rubbish from Woakes who, presumably, hadn't watched the previous six dismissals. Short ball, half-hearted pull shot, straight up in the air. Not Christopher's finest moment, that.

He does, however, earn himself a dubious place in the record books - the first Englishman in ODI history to make a duck on his birthday. 

5:05PM

Over 26: 111/6 (Buttler 21* Woakes 0*)

We've been delayed again. Will someone close that door? Thank you. We have cricket again. It's Jos against the world here. He has, of course, done it before. Old Trafford was the scene, perhaps, of his greatest England knock. His 110* was his slowest ever ton for his country, but came in a winning chase of 208/9. In many ways, it was probably more skillful than Wednesday's slug-fest. England need a repeat.

5:00PM

OVER 25: 111/6 (Buttler 21* Woakes 0*)

In comes the birthday boy, Chris Woakes. He's going to face pace from both ends here, with Holder bringing himself back into the attack to replace Nurse.

4:58PM

WICKET! Moeen ct Hope b Thomas 12

Brathwaite is going to be given a break here. 8-1-17-2. Well bowled, sir. If I had a cap on, I would doff it. He is replaced by Oshane Thomas. It does the trick. A bit feeble, that. Moeen waves a prod-come-waft at a short one outside off-stump. He gets what his short deserved.

England just about defended 418 on Wednesday. They're going to have far fewer here.

4:55PM

OVER 24: 108/5 (Buttler 19* Moeen 11*)

Moeen gets down on one knee to Nurse - not to propose, but to hoik him for a boundary. That's all for that over. Very good from the spinner. Still yet to see Bishoo, which seems odd - if only because he was selected for this game ahead of Andre Russell, who would surely have added more to the overall package...

4:52PM

OVER 23: 104/5 (Buttler 19* Moeen 7*)

Moeen nearly adds himself to an esteemed list of England batsmen falling to ill-advised cuts and pulls. He top-edges short of fine leg, with Brathwaite howling his derision for all to hear.

4:51PM

The main man

 Brathwaite comes out on top against Stokes once again - this time, with the ball...

4:49PM

OVER 22: 101/5 (Buttler 19* Moeen 4*)

Ironic cheers greet England's hundred, though it has still come in fairly decent time, all things considered. Seven runs come courtesy of another sedate set from Ashley's off-breaks. All rather unthreatening. Such is the strife coming from the other end, don't be at all surprised to see England gift him one as the pressure of run-scoring increases...

4:45PM

OVER 21: 94/5 (Buttler 14* Moeen 3*)

If Carlos Brathwaite built his reputation on that World T20 triumph, then this is his bread and butter. He trundles his way through his seventh over, making the most of some prodigious bounce. Moeen looks less than comfortable.

The cameras briefly flash to two men having a plastic sword fight in a jacuzzi. Why not.

4:40PM

OVER 20: 93/5 (Buttler 13* Moeen 3*)

A leisurely over. England happy to milk, Nurse happy to be milked. For England to climb to something competitive here, one senses that this may well be the pattern for a while.

4:38PM

OVER 19: 89/5 (Buttler 11* Moeen 2*)

Speaking of cross-bat shots, Moeen Ali loves one. The most compulsive of hookers. He has one ball to see off here...

He survives, but only just. A tentative glove loops inches over short-leg. Brathwaite is anything but quick, but there is some serious bounce in this pitch.

4:35PM

WICKET! Stokes ct Hope b Brathwaite 15

And another. Stokes refuses to heed my warning, getting a bit of bat to an attempted hook. England five down within 19 overs. Less than ideal, you might argue. Brathwaite on fire.

4:32PM

OVER 18: 87/4 (Buttler 10* Stokes 15*)

Ashley Nurse shouldn't really worry England all that much, but then Roston Chase took 8/60 in the Test series. Interestingly - or perhaps not, Nurse's 43 in that last game was the second highest ODI score in history by anyone named Ashley. Enough of a challenge to tempt Ashley Giles out of retirement? Unlikely.

England milk Nurse for a moment, before Buttler just whacks him through mid-off for four, making a mockery of the slow outfield. Nine off the over. With the pitch doing all sorts for the seamers, the 20 overs of Nurse and Devendra Bishoo might be the difference between a competitive total and something less so.

4:27PM

OVER 17: 78/4 (Buttler 4* Stokes 12*)

Brathwaite superb once more. The ball is still doing all sorts off the surface here. Two from the over and time for a little bit of spin.

4:25PM

Universe Jos

 How England could do with a bit more of this today...

4:23PM

OVER 16: 76/4 (Buttler 3* Stokes 11*)

Hard not to feel sorry for Liam Plunkett who, after being wheeled out to bowl on some absolute belters, has hurt something in his foot on the day that this crazy series rolls into a ground where the pitch is doing something to assist him.

As I say that, however, Ben Stokes absolutely marmalises a pair of short balls - one through cover and one through mid-wicket. The second one is glorious - the noise off the bat something to behold.

4:20PM

OVER 15: 67/4 (Buttler 3* Stokes 2*)

Big Carlos has this ball on a string. It is nipping all over the place for him. On this occasion, he gets one to jag past Buttler's outside edge. There is a brief howl of an appeal, before the replays confirm that the England man's bat was scarcely on the same island. A thick outside edge then brings Jos a couple. What a super cricket pitch this is.

4:15PM

OVER 14: 65/4 (Buttler 1* Stokes 2*)

Put the cross-bat shots away, lads. They're not working. Root, then Hales and now Morgan.

In comes our lord and saviour, Jos Buttler. Universe Jos is off the mark immediately.

4:11PM

WICKET! Morgan ct Cottrell b Thomas 18

There hadn't been a boundary for 20 balls, such has been the quality of the West Indian bowling. However, that changes when Thomas serves up a wide half-volley. But next ball, the plan has worked. Good bouncer from Oshane and Morgan top-edges straight up in the air. England are in a spot of bother. FOW 63/4

4:08PM

OVER 13: 59/3 (Morgan 14* Stokes 2*)

This deck is made for these West Indian seamers. Carlos Brathwaite is using it beautifully. He's running up, hitting the pitch hard and getting the ball to nibble this way and that. A really good maiden from the big man. 

4:05PM

OVER 12: 59/3 (Morgan 14* Stokes 2*)

Here is Oshane Thomas - the only Oshane in the history of ODI cricket, my research tells me. Just one from the over. Good, aggressive stuff from the young man. 

4:02PM

Another one bites the dust

 A missed chance for Alex Hales, you might say. He seemed to have adjusted to this pitch better than his teammates, only to become the second to fall while attempting to cut.

3:59PM

OVER 11: 58/3 (Morgan 14* Stokes 1*)

It strikes me that England preferred Grenada to what they're experiencing here. Ben Stokes and Eoin Morgan briefly try to run each other out, while Stokes now wants a new bat, bringing about yet another brief delay. Joe Denly carries on the new willow, offering a useful reminder of his presence on this tour.

3:55PM

WICKET! Hales ct Hope b Brathwaite 23

Alex Hales looks to recreate Joe Root's dismissal, succeeding somewhat. He can't quite find third man's hands, choosing instead to edge through to the gloves of Shai Hope. The extra bounce is causing problems. Ben Stokes replaces him.

3:53PM

OVER 10: 55/2 (Morgan 14* Hales 21*)

Four more of the prettiest runs to Morgan, who is in rare nick. He follows this with something rather less convincing, inside edging for two more. Six off the over. England have rebuilt nicely since losing those two early ones.

3:51PM

Oh Jonny

3:49PM

OVER 9: 49/2 (Morgan 8* Hales 21*)

Given the utter carnage to ensue elsewhere, Carlos Brathwaite went rather well in Grenada. His ten overs went for just 69 - on the day, quite an effort.

Here, he starts well enough. It's hard not to be slightly underwhelmed by his pace, such is his frame and power. He could have had Hales with his third ball here, but Shimron Hetmyer can't quite get a hand to one that flies past him at backward point.

3:45PM

OVER 8: 45/2 Morgan 8* Hales 17*)

Eoin Morgan is living up to those numbers below. Holder throws it wide again. Once again, white leather is met by Irishman. To put it mildly, the outfield is not the quickest. It pulls up just short and England take two.

3:43PM

OVER 7: 42/2 (Morgan 6* Hales 16*)

Nine runs off the seventh over. Alex Hales is going nicely. With Jason Roy very much the man in possession until his hamstring niggle, it is a chance that Hales could do with taking.

3:37PM

Eoin Morgan: a man in form

3:36PM

OVER 6: 33/2 (Morgan 6* Hales 7*)

Two slips and a gully for captain Holder, who did not enjoy his Wednesday, but looks far more like his old self today. He nearly has Morgan gobbled up in that gully position, but his opposite number just evades the fielder. Hales follows up by punching the giant Barbados man down the ground for a boundary. Very pleasant. Yet more pleasantries, this time from Morgan. He caresses Holder through cover for four. Lovely stuff.

3:32PM

OVER 5: 22/2 (Morgan 1* Hales 2*)

Ladies and gentlemen, we have a free hit. Sheldon Cottrell has slipped in his action, hurling it at second slip, with the ball flying past Alex Hales at about chest height. The free hit is missed. Much ado about nothing. An obligatory warning for Cottrell, which always seems a tad harsh. Batting looks just a little bit more challenging today.

3:27PM

OVER 4: 20/2 (Morgan 1* Hales 2*)

Root is unlikely to be overly amused by what he has just done. The West Indies, though, will be cock-a-hoop. Whisper it quietly, but Mark Wood might fancy a bit of this pitch. Holder is extracting some serious bounce, as Hales and skipper Morgan attempt to calm things down slightly...

3:23PM

WICKET! Root ct Cottrell b Holder 1

Ah. Root was the new man. Two balls later, he's joining his Yorkshire teammate back on the balcony. He's upper-cut a wide one straight down Cottrell's throat at third man. A different game today...

3:21PM

OVER 3: 18/1 (Root 1* Hales 1*)

Yet again, Jonny Bairstow is bowled by a seamer. Yes, there's more than a hint of fortune about it - it was certainly there to be thwacked through cover. But, it looks mightily ugly nonetheless. Joe Root is the new man.

3:19PM

WICKET! Bairstow b Cottrell 11 

Ooh lovely - a spot of pace. Bairstow is hurried by a short one from Cottrell and top-edges for a boundary. Next ball, he's gone though. Much fuller from the left-armer and Jonny Bairstow drives expansively, inside-edging back onto his furniture. His stumps go flying. Cue the Cottrell salute. FOW 16/1

3:16PM

OVER 2: 12/0 (Bairstow 7* Hales 1*)

All a tad sluggish thus far. Someone in high-viz is sat, oblivious, behind the bowler's arm, with Alex Hales - well within earshot of the stump-mic - giving everyone a piece of his mind. Move, man. Jason Holder, meanwhile, has not located his radar - well, at least not until the fifth ball. He finds more movement in one delivery to beat Hales than any bowler found a couple of days ago.

3:12PM

Christopher Henry Gayle

 How much of an impact will this man have later on today? He was scarily good on Wednesday and has 347 runs thus far in the series. Ominous...

3:11PM

OVER 1: 6/0 (Bairstow 5* Hales 0*) 

We are underway. Sheldon Cottrell - he of the celebratory salute - takes the new ball, immediately finding a bit of shape into Jonny Bairstow. He's too straight initially, with the Yorkshireman helping himself to an early boundary. Delays aplenty though, with the sawdust already out to sort out the popping crease. It doesn't feel like a 418 pitch...

2:56PM

The teams

West Indies: Chris Gayle, John Campbell, Shai Hope (wk), Darren Bravo, Shimron Hetmyer, Jason Holder (c), Carlos Brathwaite, Ashley Nurse, Devendra Bishoo, Sheldon Cottrell, Oshane Thomas

England: Jonny Bairstow, Alex Hales, Joe Root, Eoin Morgan (c), Ben Stokes, Jos Buttler (wk), Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Tom Curran, Adil Rashid, Mark Wood

2:51PM

The captains...

Eoin Morgan says he would also have bowled. England do love a chase, though scores of 481, 444 and 418 have - obviously - all come while batting first. England's all-time highest ODI run-scorer is also chatting about the wind in St Lucia. He reckons it could wreak a spot of havoc here...

"The wind is a huge factor here - it's like having an extra fielder on one side but then you need an extra fielder on the other side. We'll have to be smart here today.

"Both side have played really good cricket in this series - last time it made for a crazy game of cricket. The series is still on the line so we're really looking forward to today."

The West Indies, of course, can no longer win the series. One down with one to play, it's a real shame that the third encounter had to be ruined by rain. For Jason Holder's men, today still represents a huge chance. Few had the Windies down to come through both the Test and ODI series unscathed. A drawn series against this all-conquering England one-day side would be quite the pre-World Cup fillip.

"It is a fresh wicket," he said at the toss. "There is a bit of grass cover. There is moisture so we will try to make use of the early conditions.

"It is tough when the ball is flying around. As a bowler you have to back yourself and commit to your skills. Our downfall in the last game was we didn't commit."

2:41PM

West Indies win the toss and will bowl

Good afternoon everyone. Just three days after these two sides shared 807 runs, we're back for more - this time in St Lucia, at the wonderfully named Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium.

With both teams presumably still recovering from a game that really did offer just about everything a one-day international could throw at you, England are going to have to set a target once again, with Eoin Morgan calling incorrectly at the toss. There is a spot of grass on the surface for this one; the bowlers must be both thrilled and relieved.

The West Indies are unchanged, while Liam Plunkett has a foot problem, so Tom Curran comes in.

1:57PM

Good afternoon

Welcome to our live coverage of the fifth and final ODI between the West Indies and England.

Nick Friend will be along shortly to talk you through the match, in the meantime here's some Adil Rashid-related news to enjoy:

Adil Rashid lived up to his nickname of 'the Hoover' when he cleaned up for England in Grenada and is hoping for another bumper haul if the West Indies continue swinging for the stands.

The leg-spinner brought a dramatic end to Wednesday's classic one-day international between the sides, taking the home side's last four wickets in the space of five balls to secure victory in an 807-run thriller.

Rashid started the 48th over with painful figures of one for 83 and finished it with a match-deciding five for 85. That trademark ability to pick up everything at the end of an innings was first acknowledged a long time ago at Yorkshire, but the old nickname still holds up.

"A long time ago, about seven or eight years ago, someone started calling me the Hoover," he said ahead of Saturday's series finale in St Lucia.

"I think it was because number seven or eight came in and I bowled a few tricks and got a few wickets quickly.

"To get four in an over and finish the game like that was a nice feeling for me. At one stage it was probably looking 50-50 but we knew it was only one or two wickets away and then Eoin Morgan threw me the ball and said 'do your thing. Whatever you do, do it'."

Despite Rashid's moment in the sun, the past couple of weeks have been hard on bowlers from both sides. Flat pitches, short boundaries and inviting Caribbean crosswinds have been conducive to power-hitting, with a remarkable 93 sixes in three completed games.

Rashid has conceded 13 of them, but the sight of the ball sailing through the air makes him think catches are coming rather than fretting over his economy rate.

"There may be days when you get smashed but it's about having the confidence and belief that it only takes one miscue for you to get them out," he said.

"My mindset is definitely that, to try to create chances and get wickets. If there is a risk of going for six, six, six and then a wicket, then that's the job I have to do.

"The West Indies are big hitters, they can hit the ball out of the ground, but it only takes one ball to trigger something and start a collapse. You look at people like Chris Gayle, Shimron Hetmyer, Darren Bravo...then you go down the order and it's Jason Holder or Carlos Brathwaite.

"They keep coming and coming but as a bowling unit, we have to have that belief that: yes, they'll keep coming but that means chances. You've got to embrace it, have fun with it and accept it. Enjoy the challenge."

Having finished with two wickets from successive deliveries, Rashid has the chance to finish off a 'moral' hat-trick when he next comes on, even though the history books would not recognise it as such.

"That would be nice, I'd love to come out and get a wicket first ball, but we'll see," he said.

The record for most sixes in an ODI innings has been broken twice in this series, with the Windies reeling off 23 maximums in Barbados only for England to hit 24 in Grenada.

Home captain Jason Holder is now gunning to get the honour back.

"Let's hope so, we want it to come back to the Caribbean and hopefully we can hit 25 or 26," he said.

"That's just the way the games have gone so far. People love to see the ball flying around. For me, as a bowler, it's pretty difficult when you're looking back over your head at the ball disappearing into the stands. But I do bat as well and I enjoy a bit of that myself."