West Indies silence England batsmen to seal T20 series 3-2

WEST Indies kept the high-flying England batting lineup quiet, including the destructive Phil Salt, as the regional team sealed the five-match T20 series 3-2 with a four-wicket win in the fifth and final match at Brian Lara Cricket Academy, Tarouba on Thursday.

In the third T20, England chased down more than 220 to win the contest in Grenada.

England’s batting was even more destructive in the fourth T20 on Tuesday, posting an imposing 267/3 which helped the visiting team level the series 2-2. The score on Tuesday was the fifth-highest score in the history of T20 wicket.

The common denominator in the third and fourth matches was Salt, as the right-hander smashed centuries (109 not out and 119) in both games.

The opening partnership between Salt and England captain Jos Buttler was worth 117 in the fourth T20 and West Indies were eager for early wickets on Thursday.

The Windies bowlers did not disappoint.

In the fourth over, Buttler tried to flick the ball over his shoulder to fine leg, but he could only pick out Oshane Thomas at short fine leg as Jason Holder got the wicket. Buttler could only muster 11 off 11 balls.

England did not hit their first six until the fifth over when Will Jacks just cleared the long on fence off Akeal Hosein.

Hosein got the last laugh though as he bowled Jacks for seven as England were reduced to 39/2 after five overs.

At the end of the powerplay, England progressed to 50/2 with Salt threatening to take the match away from West Indies again as he already had 31.

It was not meant to be on this occasion as left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie got the dangerous Salt, bowled for 38 off 22 balls. Motie, who celebrated vociferously when getting the wicket, got bounce and spin off the surface.

West Indies were now on top with England 61/3 after seven overs.

Motie got his second scalp removing Harry Brook for seven. Attempting a paddle sweep, Brook could only find the top edge and was caught by wicket-keeper Nicholas Pooran.

At the halfway stage of the England innings, West Indies would have been the happier team with the score 77/4 after ten overs.

Moeen Ali and Liam Livingstone led a recovery getting England past 100.

West Indies stayed in front of the contest as athletic teamwork shown by Andre Russell and captain Rovman Powell got rid of Ali for 23 off 21 deliveries.

Russell took the catch running to his right fielding at long on, but his momentum took him over the boundary. Before stepping over the boundary, he threw the ball to long off fielder Powell who completed a diving catch.

Hosein ended his spell with economical figures of 2/20 in four overs as England were now in need of a partnership sinking to 111/5 with only five overs remaining.

In his final over, Motie grabbed another wicket as he held on to a simple caught and bowled chance as Livingstone was sent packing for 28 off 29 balls. Motie ended with figures of 3/24 in four overs.

Wickets continued to tumble and when Russell bowled Chris Woakes for two with a yorker it was 125/7 in the 19th over.

The next ball England were eight wickets down as Russell took a difficult caught and bowled catch that was struck firmly by Rehan Ahmed.

Russell joined Motie and Hosein with impressive bowling figures, ending with 2/25 in four overs.

Two more wickets fell in the final over as West Indies limited England to 132 all out in 19.3 overs.

England took more than four overs to hit their first six, but West Indies only needed eight balls as Johnson Charles struck pacer Chris Woakes over the backward square leg fence.

West Indies raced to 20 without loss after two overs, but Brandon King was dismissed for three in the third over as he skied a Reece Topley delivery to Buttler fielding at mid-on.

England could have gotten Pooran almost immediately but chose not to review a not out decision for caught behind. Replays showed Pooran edged the ball.

It did not cost England much as in the next over, Pooran played on for ten to give Woakes the scalp.

The runs stopped flowing after the fall of Pooran as West Indies got to 39/2 after six overs with Charles and Shai Hope at the crease.

Charles struck a straight six off leg spinner Ahmed to break the shackles and get West Indies to 50 in the seventh over.

Charles was next to go, falling for 27 to an innocuous delivery from leg spinner Adil Rashid as he struck a full toss to Buttler in the covers.

England now had their tales up with West Indies 54/3 after eight overs.

Sherfane Rutherford got the crowd on their feet again with an aerial shot down to the cover fence as West Indies moved to 71/3 after 11 overs.

At 80/3 after 12 overs, West Indies were now eyeing a series win with England desperate for another wicket.

Hope played the supporting innings, while Rutherford continued to express himself pulling a short ball from Sam Curran over the fine leg boundary.

As soon as the match started to slip away from England, Rutherford was well-caught by Curran for 30 off 24 balls in the covers to give Rashid the scalp and leave West Indies 95/4 in the 15th over.

Powell fell for eight and Russell was caught on the long on boundary for three to give England a glimmer of hope as West Indies still needed ten off seven balls.

The ever-dependable Hope struck a six to end on 43 not out off 43 balls (two fours, one six) as West Indies closed on 133/6 in 19.2 overs.

Topley snatched 2/17 in four overs to end as England’s best bowler.

Summarised Scores:

ENGLAND 132 (19.3 overs) (Phil Salt 38, Liam Livingstone 28; Gudakesh Motie 3/24, Akeal Hosein 2/20, Andre Russell 2/25) vs WEST INDIES 133/6 (Shai Hope 43 not out, Sherfane Rutherford 30; Reece Topley 2/17, Adil Rashid 2/21). West Indies won by four wickets.