By Rob Barnett
Jos Buttler became England’s third half-centurion today as he and Joe Root shared a burgeoning century partnership to set England up for a defendable score.
Buttler followed Root and Moeen Ali to a fifty, the latter’s first in international cricket.
West Indies earlier twice struck in quick succession. Their captain Dwayne Bravo had Michael Lumb and Ben Stokes caught from consecutive balls before spinners Nikita Miller and Sunil Narine struck, Miller ousting Moeen caught and bowled for 55 and Narine castling Eoin Morgan.
Morgan, who missed the first two games owing to a knee injury, was recalled in place of Luke Wright. The hosts also made a sole alteration with fit-again Marlon Samuels back for Kirk Edwards.
Match Scorecard/ Live ball-by-ball commentary
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England Innings
5.04pm - CENTURY! Root (112b 7x4 0x6) -
Record 5th wicket partnership at the Sir Viv Richards stadium for @josbuttler& @joeroot05#WIvENG
— BBC TMS (@bbctms) March 5, 2014
4.47pm - HUNDRED PARTNERSHIP! - Later in Sammy’s over Root and Buttler register a crucial alliance. In the next set of six Root goes to 80, his highest ODI score, and then cracks Lendl Simmons for back-to-back fours.
4.46pm - FIFTY! Buttler (56b 6x4 0x6) - The wicketkeeper-batsman hits Sammy down the ground for two to become England’s third half-centurion today.
4.44pm - The batting powerplay yields a handy 36 runs as Root twice more finds the rope and Buttler scoops Rampaul over the keeper almost for six.
4.31pm - CHANCE! - An over after Buttler takes Bravo for four either side of the wicket, he opens the face to Rampaul and Ramdin cannot hold a hard, right-handed opportunity with the batsman on 37.
4.25pm - The batting powerplay is forced with England 173 for four and a fifty partnership shared by Root and Buttler.
4.12pm - REVIEW! - Buttler cuts at Samuels and West Indies successfully appeal for caught behind. However, the wicketkeeper-batsman questions the decision and, after many replays, is reprieved on 22.
4.02pm - FIFTY! Root (68b 3x4 0x6) - Root sweeps Samuels to the rope to bring up an impressive half-century shortly before the tourists reach 30 overs on 150 for four.
3.54pm - Root and Jos Buttler consolidate after the double strike, Buttler picking up a four in consecutive Miller overs.
Australia win by 245 runs with 27 balls of the final day left #SAvAUS
— BBC TMS (@bbctms) March 5, 2014
3.40pm - WICKET! Morgan b Narine 1; Eng 116/4 - Morgan is beaten on the back foot and loses his off bail at the start of a wicket-maiden. West Indies have struck twice in quick succession for a second time.
3.35pm - WICKET! Moeen c & b Miller 55; Eng 115/3 - Mooen drives at Miller, who takes a return catch above his head. That ends a fine first England fifty from Moeen, plus a 78-run alliance, and brings Eoin Morgan to the crease.
Moeen Ali looks a talented and composed player. Test cricketer this summer?
— John Etheridge (@JohnSunCricket) March 5, 2014
3.28pm - FIFTY! Moeen (51b 3x4 1x6) - With England’s hundred up in the 20th over, Marlon Samuels’ first, Moeen slog-sweeps the spinner for six to register his maiden international half-century.
3.24pm - CHANCE! - Denesh Ramdin misses a sharp opportunity to stump Moeen for 43, failing to take Miller’s leg-side wide.
3.20pm - REVIEW! - West Indies review Narine’s lbw shout against Root on 23. The ball hit the right-hander in line but it was going over the stumps.
NEWS | Geoff Miller OBE to become Derbyshire Club President: http://t.co/0dvJBHXxAVpic.twitter.com/qurIYPThnP
— Derbyshire CCC (@DerbyshireCCC) March 5, 2014
3.13pm - Nikita Miller replaces Sammy, making for an all-spin attack. Moeen and Root are going along nicely and the latter cuts for four to raise a fifty partnership.
2.59pm - Bravo makes a double bowling change, with Darren Sammy and Dwayne Smith coming on. Root opens the face to guide the latter to the third-man rope. Narine soon takes over from Smith.
2.51pm - In bright sun Rampaul completes his over, leaving England 54 for two from the powerplay. No overs have been lost.
2.40pm - The action is officially due to restart at 2.50pm.
2.28pm - The rain has stopped and hopefully play will resume in around 20 minutes.
2.18pm - RAIN STOPS PLAY! Eng 52/2; Moeen 23, Root 7 - A downpour sweeps in midway through the 10th over, sending players and spectators scurrying for cover.
2.07pm - Moeen punishes Rampaul’s poor line by guiding him to the fine-leg boundary. The seamer then gets one to rear off a length at Root, who is struck on the glove and needs on-field treatment.
2pm - WICKET! Stokes c Rampaul b Bravo 0 ; Eng 37/2 - Ben Stokes, another left-hander, attempts to pull his first ball and top-edges to Rampaul at short fine-leg. Joe Root defends the hat-trick ball.
1.58pm - WICKET! Lumb c Narine b Bravo 20; Eng 37/1 - The left-hander cuts uppishly to backward point where Sunil Narine holds a sharp catch.
1.51pm - In windy-but-sunny conditions Moeen elegantly drives Bravo off the back foot for a boundary, taking England to 34 for none from five overs.
1.41pm - Moeen, playing in just his third senior international game, punches Bravo for his second three today, this one straight of mid-on. Lumb then effortlessly flicks Rampaul over the midwicket rope and cover-drives him for four.
1.30pm - Moeen Ali and in-form Michael Lumb are in the middle and the action is under way. Each scores a single in Dwayne Bravo’s opening over. Lumb drives the last ball of Ravi Rampaul's first set of six through point for four.
Pre-Play News
1.15pm - The series decider is just 15 minutes away. Why not pass the time by reading our interview with James Anderson, who spoke ahead of Lancashire’s pre-season tour that he will partake in?
1.02pm - WEST INDIES WIN THE TOSS AND BOWL! - Stuart Broad confirms Morgan’s return, with Luke Wright dropping out and Ben Stokes promoted to number three, is England’s only change. The hosts also make a sole alteration with fit-again Marlon Samuels back in place of Kirk Edwards.
Eng: Moeen Ali, Lumb, Stokes, Root, Morgan, Buttler, Bopara, Bresnan, Broad, Tredwell, Parry #WIvEng
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) March 5, 2014
Same pitch for 3rd ODI as for the first two here in Antigua. We're off and spinning on TMS cricket from 1.15 UK. pic.twitter.com/kukFo2JNSA
— Simon Mann (@Cricket_Mann) March 5, 2014
12.50pm - As you’ll see from the below Twitter pic, Eoin Morgan is set to return after missing the first two ODIs with a knee problem.
12.45pm - Like for the previous two games, the toss will be in 15 minutes and the action will start at 1.30pm. While waiting, why not read and watch Ravi Bopara’s preview of the series decider?
Here's @Eoin16 lining up #WIvEngpic.twitter.com/M8FYESWfoW
— England Cricket (@ECB_cricket) March 5, 2014
12.35pm - Hello and welcome to ecb.co.uk’s live blog coverage of the deciding one-day international between West Indies and England at Antigua’s Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.