NORTH STAND, Antigua (CMC):

England survived a threatening century from Denish Ramdin to beat West Indies by 25 runs and clinch the series two-one at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium yesterday.

Ramdin single-handedly inspired a fantastic lower-order comeback after a typical top-order batting collapse, with a career best 128 that almost denied England of series glory.

The Trinidadian wicketkeeper was running out of partners but kept the match alive with his superb knock in which he plundered the bowling before he was bowled; leaving the hosts 278 all out after England had posted a sizeable 303 for six.

maiden century

Joe Root struck his first ODI hundred to anchor the England innings, while Josh Buttler fell a run short of his maiden century, after West Indies won the toss and asked the Englishmen to bat first.

Root endured the pain from an early blow on his thumb to score 107, highlighted by a 175, run partnership with Buttler, while Moeen Ali contributed 55 as England secured their first limited-overs series triumph since February 2013.

Bravo topped the bowling with three for 60, while there was a wicket each for Ravi Rampaul, Sunil Narine and Nikita Miller.

A fashionable collapse of the West Indies top order threw the run chase into disarray as the Caribbean side was, at one point, reeling at 43 for four.