England crush West Indies by 8 wickets in first Super 8s match

INTERNATIONAL Cricket Council (ICC) men's Twenty/20 World Cup co-hosts West Indies got a rude awakening in their first Super Eight match on June 19, when they fell to an eight-wicket loss to defending champions England at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground in St Lucia.

Riding an eight-game winning streak in the T20 format, the Daren Sammy-coached Windies team made 180 for four after being sent in by the English. After getting to 82 without loss at the ten-over stage, the home team's final score was under par on a good batting track, with captain Rovman Powell saying he felt his team was 15-20 runs shy of their desired target.

Playing before his home crowd, Johnson Charles top-scored for the Windies with 38 off 34 balls, with the usually aggressive Nicholas Pooran scoring a more conservative 36 off 32 balls as he seemingly tried to take his innings deep. Charles and Pooran put on a 54-run partnership after opening batsman Brandon King (23 off 13 balls) retired hurt with a side strain in the fifth over.

Powell played a rampant cameo of 36 off 17 balls – taking Liam Livingstone for 20 runs with a savage onslaught in the 15th over before the latter had the last laugh by getting the wicket of the West Indies skipper with the final ball of his solitary over.

Sherfane Rutherford made a breezy 28 off 15 balls as the West Indies scored 43 runs off their last five overs.

The English batsmen took a measured approach to start their innings, but they were still keen to punish anything loose from the West Indies bowlers. Man of the Match Phil Salt (87 not out off 47 balls) and captain Jos Buttler (25 off 22 balls) got to 58 without loss in the power play, before the latter was trapped lbw by Roston Chase in the eighth over as the reigning champs lost their first wicket at 67.

Allrounder Moeen Ali (13) was dismissed soon after by Andre Russell (one for 21) as the English slipped to 84 for two in the 11th over.

However, that would be the last moment of joy for the hosts, as Salt and new batsman Jonny Bairstow took the life out of the West Indies with an unbeaten 97-run stand for the third wicket as the English raced to 181 for two in the 18th over – clinching victory with 15 balls to spare.

With England on 141 for two after 15 overs, Salt emphatically cleared the path for his team's win when he smashed Romario Shepherd (none for 41) for 30 runs in the 16th over – striking three massive sixes in the process.

With the win, England jumped to the top of Group 2, with the Windies occupying the cellar spot in the four-team table.

Powell's charges will get the chance to bounce back when they face the US in their second Super Eight match at the Kensington Oval, Barbados on June 21.

Summarised Scores: WEST INDIES – 180/4 (Johnson Charles 38, Rovman Powell 36, Nicholas Pooran 36; Moeen Ali 1/15, Liam Livingstone 1/20) vs ENGLAND – 181/2 from 17.3 overs (Phil Salt 87 not out, Jonny Bairstow 48 not out, Jos Buttler 25; Roston Chase 1/19, Andre Russell 1/21).

England won by 8 wickets.