England’s hopes of a 5-0 sequence sweep over West Indies had been ended because the hosts each galloped and stuttered to a five-wicket victory in a high-scoring fourth T20 worldwide in St Lucia.
Shai Hope (54 off 24) and Evin Lewis (68 off 30) slammed 136 from 55 balls for the primary wicket, serving to the hosts attain a goal of 219 with six balls to spare, after Jacob Bethell’s 22-ball half-century had propelled England to what regarded an imposing 218-5.
The West Indies openers nailed their century stand in Liam Livingstone’s 30-run eighth over, with Lewis smoking the spinner for 3 sixes and a 4 and the bowler additionally conceding six wides.
England discovered themselves again within the recreation after three wickets fell in as many balls in Rehan Ahmed’s tenth over – Hope’s run out sandwiched by Lewis caught on the duvet boundary and Nicholas Pooran (0) bowled for a duck by the younger leg-spinner (3-43).
West Indies regrouped, with skipper Rovman Powell hitting an important 38, however wobbled as soon as he was pinned lbw by T20I debutant John Turner within the seventeenth over with 23 runs required, and Sherfane Rutherford (29no off 17) was lucky to not gap out down the bottom because the ball dropped between 4 converging England fielders.
Nevertheless, the hosts did go on to chalk up their first victory due to back-to-back sixes for Rutherford off Dan Mousley, guaranteeing that each recreation up to now has been received by the aspect batting second.
A fear for England now can be Livingstone’s health after the 31-year-old jarred his knee taking a surprising catch working again from mid-on to dismiss Shimron Hetmyer (7) and left the sphere.
Bethell dazzles for England in dropping trigger
Earlier, Bethell (62no off 32) clinched his second half-century of the sequence with the third of three consecutive sixes off Roston Chase within the seventeenth over.
Phil Salt (55 off 35), Jos Buttler (38 off 23) and Will Jacks (25 off 12) starred early on because the vacationers handed 100 inside 9 overs, whereas Sam Curran contributed 24 off 13 earlier than being run out on the dying.
The sequence concludes on the similar venue on Sunday (8pm UK) earlier than England’s focus switches to Check cricket, with a three-match sequence in New Zealand starting in Christchurch on November 28.
Bethell can be a part of the Check squad after being picked as batting cowl, regardless of a first-class batting common within the mid-20s for Warwickshire and with out a century to his identify.
However he confirmed in St Lucia on Saturday simply how a lot expertise he has, reaching his fifty with a most over long-off having smoked Chase’s earlier two balls into the stands over the leg-side.
Bethell’s pyrotechnics – he managed 5 sixes and 4 fours in complete – got here after Salt and Jacks had slammed 54 from 31 balls up prime and Salt and Buttler added 48 from 26 deliveries.
England overwhelmed as hopes of sweep ended
Powell promptly inserted England after profitable the coin flip, having seen the vacationers win the primary three video games of the sequence chasing, however could have been regretting that call as his assault bowled poorly on a cracking batting deck.
Jacks had spoken earlier than the sport about eager to make match-winning contributions, after scores of 17, 38 and 32 throughout the primary three matches, however he as soon as once more did not push on, bounced out by Alzarri Joseph (1-33) after putting one 4 and two sixes.
England’s Phil Salt hit a fifty, having struck 100 within the opening match of the sequence, in Barbados
Buttler then took England into three figures with a towering six off spinner Akeal Hosein (0-40), earlier than Salt gloved Chase down the leg-side an over later for an anticlimactic finish to a dashing innings.
Buttler fell wanting a half-century that regarded inevitable when he cracked thee boundaries in 4 balls however Bethell’s brilliance greater than made up for that, whereas Curran dazzled briefly – together with with a slapped six over long-on – after Livingstone (4) was the one man to overlook out, hauling Gudakesh Motie (2-40) into the deep.
England fast Saqib Mahmood (0-24 from 4 overs) was then unable so as to add to his eight powerplay wickets on this sequence, though he did bowl a maiden within the second over of the chase.
England’s Saqib Mahmood didn’t take a wicket however conceded solely 24 runs throughout his 4 overs
That got here instantly earlier than Hope flogged Turner – in for the rested Jofra Archer – both to or over the ropes 4 balls in a row in a 25-run third over, kickstarting the chase in earnest.
West Indies sprinted to 69-0 by the top of the powerplay, in stark distinction to the earlier three matches after they misplaced 11 wickets mixed throughout the primary six overs, together with 5 within the third T20.
West Indies vs England schedule
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