England clinched a series win with one game to spare as they chased down 197 in the second T20 international in Bristol to make it five wins in five over West Indies.
The visitors had given themselves a good chance of claiming a first victory of their white-ball tour when smashing 75 off the final four overs of their innings – including 31 from Adil Rashid’s 19th – to post 196-6 after being inserted by Harry Brook at the toss.
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Watch West Indies smash five sixes in one over against England
Jos Buttler (47 off 36) and Brook (34 off 20) fell in back-to-back overs to have England 126-4 in the 14th over of their reply, only for Jacob Bethell (26 off 10) and Tom Banton (30no off 11) to belt the ball to all parts and see the home side over the line with nine deliveries to spare.
After winning the ODI series 3-0, England now be eyeing another series sweep in the third and final T20I in Southampton on Tuesday – live on Sky Sports Cricket from 6pm (first ball, 6.30pm).
After Liam Dawson’s star turn upon his reintroduction to the England fold in Friday night’s first T20I, Luke Wood (2-25) too made the most of his first appearance in almost two years, striking with the very first ball in Bristol.
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Luke Wood claims instant success for England with a wicket with the first ball
The left-arm seamer, having replaced Matthew Potts in the side, dismissed Evin Lewis for a duck with a devastating swinging yorker that trapped the opener lbw.
Shai Hope (49 off 38) and Johnson Charles (47 off 39) would quickly and impressively build a 90-run partnership after that early blow to lay the foundations for West Indies to launch, only for a couple of quick wickets to again rock the touring side.
Three fell for the addition of only 27 runs in the space of 4.4 overs, Hope stumped by a beauty from Rashid, Sherfane Rutherford (6) fell cheaply and Wood struck for a second time to see off Charles.
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Adil Rashid lures Shai Hope out of his crease and Jos Buttler takes the bails off to earn England a key wicket
But just when it looked like England were set to limit West Indies to a below-par total, Rovman Powell tonked a rapid 34 off 15 balls before Jason Holder (29no off 9) and Romario Shepherd (19 off 11) teed off to devastating effect when facing Rashid in the penultimate over.
Chasing 197, England lost Jamie Smith (4) in only the second over, but much like the West Indies innings, Buttler and Ben Duckett (30 off 18) countered with a strong second-wicket stand to see the hosts 58-1 after the six-over powerplay.
The partnership was ended in rather spectacular fashion in the eighth, however, with Powell taking a terrific diving catch at midwicket to dismiss Duckett.
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Rovman Powell takes a fantastic catch to help see Ben Duckett fall early in England’s T20I run chase against West Indies
Charles had a look at a much simpler effort to see off Buttler for 43 but put it down, though thankfully for him he would pouch the former England captain second time round soon after, for the cost of only four further runs.
Brook, who had hammered two boundaries and a six off Shepherd’s 12th over costing 20, was then following Buttler back to the pavilion in the 14th as England suddenly looked in trouble.
Not so. Banton slog-swept his very first ball for six, as he and Bethell cleared the ropes on four further occasions – plus one boundary – over the next two overs to put England firmly in the ascendency.
Although Bethell would depart late on, Banton saw the side home to a series-clinching victory.
Brook cherishes England strength in depth
England captain Harry Brook, speaking to Sky Sports:
“Amazing. A great start from the boys in the T20s. We had a lot of fun out there and chased the score beautifully.
“I’ve said plenty of times, we have a lot of [batting] depth.
“It gives us great confidence knowing we’ve got Will Jacks, Tom Banton, Jacob Bethell batting five, six and seven. The top order can go out there all guns blazing.”
“With small boundaries here, we felt West Indies were under par by about 30 runs.”
Wood: First-ball wicket ‘settled nerves’
Player of the match, England bowler Luke Wood:
“I’ve not been in the team for a year and a half, two years, so it’s nice to come back in and make an impact.
“There are always a bit of nerves coming back in, so it [the first-ball wicket of Evin Lewis] settles you down, gives you good confidence.
“It’s nice to win any series, especially off the back of the ODIs keeping the momentum going. Hopefully we can make it 3-0 in a few days’ time.”
England vs West Indies white-ball fixtures
All times UK and Ireland; all games live on Sky Sports
One-day international series (May-June)
- First ODI, Edgbaston: England won by 238 runs
- Second ODI, Cardiff: England won by three wickets
- Third ODI, The Oval: England won by seven wickets
T20 international series (June)
- First T20I, Chester-le-Street: England won by 21 runs
- Second T20I, Bristol: England won by four wickets
- Third T20I: Tuesday June 10 (6.30pm) – Southampton
Watch the third T20 international between England and West Indies, live on Sky Sports Cricket from 6pm on Tuesday (first ball, 6.30pm). Stream cricket with NOW
