The County Ground bore witness to a day of milestones and memories as England surged to a 108-run victory over the West Indies in the 1st game of the ongoing ODI series, taking a 1-0 lead in the series. The match was defined by twin centuries at the top, a clinical bowling display, and the fairytale debut of Linsey Smith, whose post-match words revealed the heart behind the headlines.
The series opener saw England’s new era under head coach Charlotte Edwards continue to blossom. After a T20I whitewash, the ODI leg began with a bold move, Amy Jones was promoted to open alongside Tammy Beaumont. The result was a masterclass in batting, as the pair stitched together a mammoth 222-run opening partnership.
Jones, reflecting on her own journey, brought up her maiden ODI century, while Beaumont notched her 11th, setting a daunting platform. “We all know how good she is, and yeah, she showed her class today, so hopefully there are many more to come,” Linsey Smith said of Jones’ knock, echoing the pride of the dressing room.
England’s eventual total of 345/6 was bolstered by a quick-fire fifty from skipper Nat Sciver-Brunt and a cameo from Alice Capsey. West Indies’ bowlers, led by Hayley Matthews and Afy Fletcher, fought valiantly but were left chasing shadows for much of the innings.
Chasing 346, the visitors started brightly. Skipper Hayley Matthews and Qiana Joseph put on 91 for the first wicket, giving West Indies a glimmer of hope. But Emily Arlott, another England debutant, struck to remove Matthews and shift the momentum.
As the chase progressed, Linsey Smith entered the fray in the 23rd over, a move she understood from a tactical perspective: “No, not really (surprised to come on late). I think they had two lefties in for quite a while, and obviously Dino (Charlie Dean) started really well, which was good for her. So, yeah, it was just nice to get turnovers, to be honest.”
Smith’s introduction proved decisive. She broke the partnership, removing Zaida James, and then spun a web around the West Indies middle and lower order. Her final figures, 10-1-36-5, were a dream debut, capped by her fifth wicket on the last ball of her spell, caught by close friend Sophia Dunkley.
“I was just telling myself to try and hit the stumps, and then obviously saw it go up in the air for what felt like about five minutes. But, yeah, saw Dunks underneath it, fitting. She did my cap this morning as well, so to top it off with her was really nice.”
Smith’s post-match press conference was a window into a cricketer who never gave up on her dream, despite a long wait between T20I and ODI debuts: “It’s a dream that I didn’t want to give up on. I know for quite a while, I only played T20, and I know deep down within me that I wanted to play every format and really push my case for that.”
Her clarity and self-awareness shone through as she gave some snippets about her conversation with the head coach Charlotte Edwards: “I’m really clear with myself what I do well at the minute and what my role will be in different teams. So, yeah, don’t try and obviously change that, just try and do what I do best and carry that on to whatever team I’m playing in.”
Smith also spoke of the camaraderie in the squad and the emotional significance of sharing the day with Dunkley: “We both made our debuts back in 2018 together, so it’s been a bit of a journey for us both. She just said that she was proud of how I never gave up and how hard I’ve worked. And, yeah, to have her alongside just means a lot because she’s a good friend of mine.”
West Indies, despite fighting knocks from Joseph (62) and Alleyne (44), fell short, bowled out for 237. England’s bowlers, led by Smith and ably supported by Dean, Arlott, Bell, and Cross, ensured the target was never truly threatened. Amy Jones was named Player of the Match for her century, but the day belonged equally to Linsey Smith, a symbol of perseverance, patience, and the power of self-belief.
As England head to Leicester for the second ODI, Smith’s words linger: “Pretty proud of myself right now. But, you know, there’s another game coming up quickly and we want to win the series as well.” On a day of milestones, England’s blend of experience and fresh faces delivered a message: the future is bright, and dreams, no matter how long deferred, can still come true.
