Gros-Islet (Saint Lucia) (AFP) – West Indies, led by explosive half-centuries from openers Shai Hope and Evin Lewis, chased down a target of 219 to beat England with an over to spare, winning by five wickets in their T20 international on Saturday. The game was a dead rubber with England having already won the opening three matches of the five-game series, but the crowd at the Darren Sammy Cricket Ground was treated to some high-scoring entertainment as West Indies enjoyed their second-highest successful run chase in T20Is.
England openers Phil Salt and Will Jacks put on 54 runs for the first wicket before Alzarri Joseph got Jacks caught behind off the final ball of the fifth over. But Salt continued to take full advantage of a good batting track, guiding England to 102 before he was removed by Roston Chase in the tenth over for 55, having hit four sixes and five fours. Skipper Jos Buttler contributed 38 off 23 balls, but it was an unbeaten 62 from Jacob Bethell and a useful 24 from 13 balls from Sam Curran that took England to a strong score.
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West Indies’ top order had struggled in this series, but this time Hope and Lewis attacked England from the outset, swiftly reducing the run-rate. Hope brought up his 50 off 23 balls, slamming a short ball from Rehan Ahmed through midwicket to reach his half-century. Lewis, who had played a supporting role, went on the offensive, hitting Liam Livingstone for three sixes in the eighth over, and he too reached his half-century (26 balls) when he pulled Curran through square leg for four.
Rehan Ahmed finally got the breakthrough when Lewis mistimed a cover drive to Dan Mousley, the West Indies opener departing for 68, including seven sixes, with England in a commanding position at 136-1. With the next ball, Hope departed, run out by Livingstone, and England picked up a third wicket in as many balls when Nicholas Pooran was bowled by Ahmed after finding the inside edge. Suddenly, West Indies were 136-3 and with a new pair at the crease, England sensed the chance to turn the game around.
But skipper Rovman Powell showed no nerves as he hit 38 from 23 balls with three sixes before he was trapped lbw by John Turner. Sharafane Rutherford saw the home side to a morale-boosting victory with his unbeaten 29, ending the contest by smashing Mousley for two sixes.
“Guys were more committed today,” said Powell. “It has been a series where you win the toss, win the game, but the guys played well — 3-2 is better than 4-1, still a lot to play for,” he said, looking ahead to Sunday’s final game.
Despite the loss, Buttler said he had few complaints about the performance. “I thought it was an excellent wicket. We got off to a great start with Jacks and Salty. Thought we needed at least 220. They played exceptionally well, put us under pressure. I thought we played well, put up a good score, and they played well to chase it down,” he said.
© 2024 AFP
