Harry Brook hit an unbeaten 35 off 22 balls, a quickfire cameo on a usual night, yet the slowest of England’s offerings in this record-breaking contest. His side piled up 248 for three, their highest total at home in this format, to set up a 37-run victory over West Indies in the third and final Twenty20 international.
Ben Duckett top-scored with 84 off 46 balls as he shared a rollicking opening stand of 120 with Jamie Smith, 135 brought up at the 10-over mark. The destruction calmed down a touch thereafter but West Indies were still invited to pull off their highest successful T20 chase. It never felt on even as Evin Lewis whipped away a first-ball six. Rovman Powell provided respectability with 79 not out off 45, but the reply demanded something gargantuan. The visitors depart without a victory across six white-ball matches.
West Indies’ pain on this tour has not been restricted to the losing streak, Monday bringing the news of Nicholas Pooran’s retirement from international cricket. Their former white-ball captain missed this tour to rest after playing in the Indian Premier League where he was typically rapid, striking at close to 200, handy prep before next year’s subcontinental T20 World Cup. But at the age of 29 he now belongs to the franchise world, sad to those who still care for the old ways.
“I was hoping that it didn’t happen, but in my mind I was already planning that we may have a T20 team without Pooran,” said Daren Sammy, the West Indies head coach. “I’m pretty sure more will follow in that direction. That’s the way T20 cricket is now, especially coming from the West Indies, the challenges we face trying to keep our players motivated to play for the crest.”
The evening began with an exhibition by a promising opening partnership. Like Zak Crawley, Smith suits Duckett; the tall right-hander lets the bat flow straight, the shorter southpaw dances around the crease and plots various routes. Duckett reached his half-century off 20 balls, ramping, reversing and greeting Alzarri Joseph with a rocket pull for six.
Smith began the T20 series as a fill-in for Phil Salt on paternity leave but is demanding all-format recognition. He crushed sixes off Romario Shepherd, including a front-foot launch over extra cover. Smith was dropped next ball, Shimron Hetmyer possibly taken aback by the power of the drive, Shepherd the victim again. The Test keeper finished with a 26-ball 60, finally lacking in strength when he found Hetmyer at deep midwicket off Gudakesh Motie. The in-form Jos Buttler provided an adventurous 10- ball 22, including a no-look ramp off Joseph for four.
Sherfane Rutherford was an unlikely saviour for West Indies, his medium pace and wide lines forcing Buttler to miscue, and Duckett slowed down before he was yorked by Akeal Hosein. But a decent over for the visitors never turned into a quiet passage; Motie was on the end of three consecutive Jacob Bethell sixes, 200 brought up in the 17th over. The start of the 18th brought further misery in the field as Rutherford hobbled off clutching his hamstring; it ended with Bethell reverse-flicking a Jason Holder yorker along the turf for four, no line or length safe, the dot ball taking on endangered status.
Brook found some discomfort with Joseph’s short ball but he eventually nailed a fine hook for six. Bethell’s final summary was 36 not out from 16, two days on from a match-turning 10-ball 26.
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The reply was quickly in England’s control. Johnson Charles took up 11 balls for nine before whipping Luke Wood to square leg with his 12th. Liam Dawson, Adil Rashid and Bethell all struck in their first overs, forcing catches in the deep, the required rate beyond 15 halfway through the West Indies innings.
Shai Hope enjoyed the extra pace of Brydon Carse, nailing consecutive reverse-scoops off the quick. But the touring captain roared in frustration in the same over, an edge popping up for a simple Buttler grab, the knock done for 45. Powell found fine rhythm by the close, taking 15 off a Carse over with some of the most powerful strokes of the evening, but the tension had long gone.
