NORTH SOUND, Antigua (CMC) – West Indies captain Shai Hope said his side will be pushing hard to win the second One-Day International (ODI) against England on Wednesday in Antigua and not let the hard work they have put in to prepare for the series go to waste.

The Caribbean side lead the three-match series 1-0 after they completed their highest successful run chase of 326 to clinch a four-wicket win in the first ODI this past Sunday at the Vivian Richards Cricket Ground, where the second match will also be played.

“We had some very good preparation done leading into the series, and it is now about topping up after we have put ourselves in a solid position to win the series,” he told reporters on the eve of the match. “It will be great to go up 2-0, and obviously win the series.”

An insider video of Hope congratulating his side in the dressing room after the win revealed him reminding them they had not achieved the ultimate objective because the series was not yet won and West Indies teams of recent past had won series openers and then failed to follow up.

A cause for concern for West Indies will be the bowling, with their five main bowlers conceding a minimum of 60 apiece in their 10-over allotment.

England showed glimpses of their destructive batting line-up in the last match, but they were unable to back it up with their bowling, which cost them the opening match.

Having had a few days to work on their shortcomings, a better performance will be expected from the visitors, and they will be gunning to level the series.

A major positive was the performance of teenaged leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed, after he put the brakes on the Windies batting when the pacers appeared to get little help from the pitch that clearly favoured the batting side.

Squads:

WEST INDIES (from): Shai Hope (captain), Alzarri Joseph (vice-captain), Alick Athanaze, Yannic Cariah, Keacy Carty, Roston Chase, Matthew Forde, Shimron Hetmyer, Brandon King, Gudakesh Motie, Kjorn Ottley, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, Oshane Thomas.

ENGLAND (from): Jos Buttler (captain), Rehan Ahmed, Gus Atkinson, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Zak Crawley, Sam Curran, Ben Duckett, Tom Hartley, Will Jacks, Liam Livingstone, Ollie Pope, Phil Salt, Matthew Potts, John Turner.