Openers Amy Jones and Tammy Beaumont hit their second successive centuries as England hammered West Indies by 143 runs in the second one-day international in Leicester.
Jones, whose hundred in Derby on Friday was her first in international cricket, made a sublime 129 from 98 balls having been dropped on 43, while Beaumont struck 106 in England’s imposing 366-6.
The pair added 202 in 29.2 overs, following their stand of 222 in the opener, before Emma Lamb’s 55 and Sophia Dunkley’s 31 from 19 balls capped another utterly dominant batting performance.
In a contest made even more one-sided by the absence of Windies skipper Hayley Matthews because of a shoulder injury, the tourists trudged to 223 all out in 45.4 overs in reply.
Opener Realeanna Grimmond made a spirited 53 from 72 balls with two sixes on her ODI debut, and Jannillea Glasgow added an entertaining 44 from 24, but the eventual result was a foregone conclusion, such is the gulf between the sides.
Alice Capsey finished with 3-41, while Linsey Smith and Lauren Filer also took two wickets each, but England’s bowling attack lacked threat in the middle overs as they struggled to create breakthroughs from West Indies’ lack of attacking intent.
The win also secures a comprehensive ODI series win for England under the new leadership of Nat Sciver-Brunt and Charlotte Edwards, with the third and final match taking place at Taunton on Saturday after the hosts also swept the T20s 3-0.
Edwards’ decision to reinstate Jones at the top of the order initially raised a few eyebrows, but it has proved to be a masterstroke.
She whacked two fours in the opening over off Zaida James and did not look back. The roles were reversed from their previous partnership, with Jones hitting the accelerator throughout while Beaumont eased through the gears with a little more caution.
There were signs of nerves when Jones reached the 90s at Derby, with dropped chances on 91 and 92, but here she oozed confidence from the minute she walked to the middle.
The century came from just 76 balls – England’s joint-third fastest in women’s ODIs – with Beaumont’s fifty coming from 64, before she kicked on to reach three figures from 106 balls with a six sent sailing over long-on.
It was the first time an opening pair has hit back-to-back hundreds in the history of the format – men’s and women’s – and the hosts relentlessly punished West Indies’ inexperienced bowling attack which struggled to build any consistency or dot ball pressure throughout.
The bowling skewed both sides of the wicket in the first 10 overs which allowed their flying start, and Jones’ chance should have been taken by Grimmond at cover.
Both openers were eventually dismissed by spinner Karishma Ramharack but they had set a platform which ensured England had their record total of 378 in their sights, until Grimmond provided the tourists’ highlight in the field with a spectacular one-handed catch to dismiss Lamb as England were accelerating into the final five overs.
Despite the confidence that will come from posting scores of 346 and 366 in consecutive games, there will certainly be tougher tests to come for England’s new opening pair and for number three Lamb, who made a 41-ball fifty.
The first of those comes with India’s arrival later this month, which will provide a much clearer indication of the team’s batting approach under Edwards and how they deal with pressure.
The situation felt ominous for West Indies from the moment Matthews’ omission was announced at the toss, exemplified by the sight of her circling the boundary at Leicester, bundled in a coat and bobble hat with her arm in a sling, chatting to the fielders in what was likely an attempt to provide much-needed encouragement or advice.
While their bowling effort did little to ease the concern, the hopes for their batting effort were virtually non-existent with her explosive opening partner Qiana Joseph also absent and the experienced duo of Deandra Dottin and Chinelle Henry missing the tour altogether.
Grimmond stepped up admirably as a rare bright spark, in particular playing the short ball brilliantly as she whacked Lauren Bell for two mighty sixes over the leg side, while Glasgow struck nine fours in her cameo – but there was little else for England to genuinely judge their bowling on.
England did not bowl badly, but considering their superiority in all aspects, they should have bowled West Indies out despite them barely playing a shot in anger from around the halfway mark.
Filer bowled with lively pace, clocking up to 77mph, and could be forgiven for being a little wayward after returning from injury. When she was on target, she unsettled the batters and ripped through the defences of Jahzara Claxton for 18 and Afy Fletcher for eight in the space of one over which put England on the brink of victory.
Smith’s consistency and Capsey’s useful part-time off-spin have given plenty for Edwards to consider once Sophie Ecclestone returns to fitness, but again, with the greater challenge of India looming, England will have to think more creatively during the middle overs where breaking partnerships becomes trickier.
