LONDON: England felt Ben Stokes' absence as West Indies posted 356-5 batting first in the fourth one-day international on Wednesday, powered by 176 from opener Evin Lewis before he had to leave on a stretcher.
Missing Stokes because of the allrounder's arrest over a late-night incident after the last ODI, an unbalanced England bowling attack couldn't reign in Lewis and captain Jason Holder (77 off 62 balls) despite making a strong start.
Chris Woakes took 3-71 and West Indies was 33-3 after 6.1 overs with those early strikes by the England seamers. But a 117-run stand between Lewis and Jason Mohammed (46) and a partnership of 168 off just 108 balls between Lewis and Holder took West Indies to its strong total at the Oval.
That score of 33-3 became 318-4.
Without Stokes, England had just five out-and-out bowlers and no room for error. Joe Root was tried out as a sixth bowler, and he went for 10 off his one over. All six England bowlers' economy rates were more than six an over.
Lewis, who was brilliant with his 17 fours and seven sixes, made the fourth-highest score by a West Indian in a one-day game. He was closing in on becoming the first man to make 200 in an ODI in England when he was undone — not by a bowler, but by himself. He mishit a delivery from Jake Ball into his own ankle and, grimacing in pain, slumped to his knees. He was taken off on a stretcher, retired hurt, with just over three overs to go.
Holder hit four fours and four sixes in all and West Indies continued to score briskly after Lewis left. New man Rovman Powell made an impact with little time to find his range, hitting 28 off 15 balls with two fours and two sixes.
Stokes, England's vice-captain in tests, missed Wednesday's game after his arrest in the early hours of Monday morning for allegedly causing actual bodily harm in the late-night incident in Bristol. Stokes was released without charge but is still under police investigation. Opener Alex Hales, who was with Stokes on the night out, also missed the match at the Oval after returning to Bristol to help police with their investigation.