Struggling Jos Buttler vows to turn England form around after another failure

Skipper out for just three as tourists lose opening ODI against West Indies

England's captain Jos Buttler and teammates walk off the field after losing against West Indies by four wickets. AP

England captain Jos Buttler insists he won't "hide away" as his run of low scores continued in the opening game of their Caribbean tour.

Buttler made just three from 13 balls as England were beaten by four wickets by the West Indies in the first ODI on Sunday. It was his fifth single-figure score in eight ODIs, while he has now gone 13 innings in the format without a 50 – a run that includes some abject World Cup performances.

Number 11 Gus Atkinson was the only other England batter who did not reach double figures in the first of three ODIs, where the tourists set a target of 326 in what was their first match since their World Cup group stage exit.

The hosts successfully chased that down with four wickets and seven balls remaining to leave Buttler wondering when his luck will change.

“I feel good, I just keep managing to get out,” he said. “It’s disappointing, frustrating and gone on for a lot longer than I would have liked but there’s only myself who can score my own runs.

“I’m not going to score any if I hide away and don’t get out there. You keep working hard, you keep putting the effort in and trust that it will turn around.”

Buttler's personal struggles have coincided with a grim run of results for the 2019 world champions, who have now lost seven of their last 10 ODIs.

Despite defeat in Antigua, there were some positives for an England team going though a transitional period.

Openers Will Jacks and Phil Salt, neither of whom were selected for the World Cup, put on 77 in the first 8.2 overs. Harry Brook top-scored with 71 off 72 balls, while Sam Curran and Brydon Carse put on 66 in 38 balls to lift England to 325 all out – the highest total in ODIs at this stadium, a record that lasted a few hours.

Rehan Ahmed was the pick of the tourist's bowlers with two for 40 but Curran recorded the most expensive figures by an England bowler in an ODI as he went for 98 in 9.5 overs.

“There’s some young guys in that team who have not played loads and loads of one-day cricket, they’ll learn a lot from this,” added Buttler.

“A lot of stuff we did really, really well; not well enough to win the game in the end but guys will be better for the experience, learn plenty from that and come back for the next one [on Wednesday]."