West Indies vs England
West Indies vs England. Pic Credits: X
Cricket WI vs ENG

WI vs ENG : West Indies Pip England To A Scrappy Series Win

December 22, 2023
Anup Konnur
Spread the love

The final game of England’s tour ended much like the first: with Shai Hope clinching victory for West Indies with a match-winning six. His unbeaten, run-a-ball 43 was the highest score of a tense low-scorer in Taruouba incidentally the same ground where runs plundered just a day ago , and his clean strike over cover off Chris Woakes sealed the series decider for West Indies with four balls remaining.

This series win in the context of the World T20I happening in 2024 in the West Indies and The United States of America augurs well for the Darren Sammy led management side who has some serious goals going into the World cup in their own backyard. The Rovman Powell led West Indian outfit who was thrashed out in the first round itself in Australia during 2022 World Cup, has started making serious noise after beating SA in SA (2-1),IND in WI(3-2) and now ENG in their own backyard (3-2)

On the other hand England with the brand they play white ball cricket only has to ponder during Christmas that what went wrong in the series that had plundered defeats for them; both in ODIS and T20IS . A series where 119 sixes were hit in combination England left the shores with lot of thinking to be done when they arrive as defending champions for World Cup 2024.

England bowled out on low total

This finale was played on the same strip at Trinidad’s Brian Lara Cricket Academy as the one used in England’s 75-run win 48 hours previously, but the games could hardly have been more different: after 459 runs in 35.3 overs on Tuesday evening, Thursday’s game saw just 265 in 38.5, culminating in a scrap for the finish line.

England was restricted to a low score considering good spin bowling from Gudakesh Motie and Akeal Hossein. A total of 132 was rather too easy for West Indies who themselves made a target hard by sloppy batting only for Shai Hope to bat out a sincere inning. England ‘s late collapse after being sent in – they lost their last six wickets for just 22 runs – proved decisive. They will fly home empty-handed on Friday, after losing both the ODI and T20I legs of this tour.

Phil Salt dazzles again

Phil Salt hit centuries in both the third and fourth games of this series, and looked in pristine touch in the Powerplay. Oshane Thomas, who replaced Matthew Forde for West Indies, saw his first ball of the night crunched through the covers, then conceded back-to-back boundaries in his second over: the first through point, the second straight back down the ground.

Jos Buttler fell early, scooping Jason Holder  to short fine leg for 11 in the fourth over, while Will Jacks’ innings summed up his series: a glimmer of promise, crunching Akeal Hossein over long-on for a straight six, then brought back down to earth when cramped for room by an arm ball which scuttled into his stumps.
By the time Salt launched Gudakesh Motie over long-off for six to take England to 60 for 2 after three balls of the seventh over, he had broken Mohammad Rizwan’s record for the most runs in a Men’s bilateral T20I series (331 runs in 5 innings at astonishing strike rate of 185.95). But he fell to the next one he faced, which angled in then spun past his outside edge – a sign of what was to come through the middle overs.

Spin bothers England

Buttler would wonder the time it took England to realize that this was not the belter of two nights previously, which allowed Motie and Hossein to thrive. Harry Brook fell to his sixth ball, gloving Motie behind as he shaped to scoop; only once more, when Moeen Ali dragged one over midwicket, did he concede a boundary.
Moeen fell for 23 to an excellent relay catch between Andre Russell and Powell at long-on and long-off, having added 40 in 6.2 overs for the fifth wicket. Liam Livingstone hit two towering leg-side sixes – one off Thomas, the other off Holder – but chipped a catch back to Motie to give him his third wicket.
England’s lower order offered little resistance: Russell cleaned Chris Woakes up with an inch-perfect yorker, then reacted quickly to take a fine catch off his own bowling when Rehan hit a full toss back at him. Adil Rashid ran himself out while getting Curran back on strike, but Curran could only pick out long-on. From 67 for 3, England were bowled out for just 132.

Shai Hope steers West Indies’ ship to shores

Johnson Charles, replacing Kyle Mayers at the top of the order, made an early dent in the target, swinging Woakes over square leg for six before steering him away through point. But England’s bowlers picked up the early wickets they craved: Brandon King swung Reece Topley straight to mid-on, and Nicholas Pooran chopped Woakes onto his own stumps.
England tried to replicate West Indies’ spin squeeze, and Rashid – celebrating his ascent to the top of the ICC’s rankings in this format – struck in his first over. The breakthrough came thanks to the worst ball he bowled, a loopy full toss outside off stump that Charles slapped straight to short cover.
Sherfane Rutherford provided a vital cameo of 30 off 21 balls, slugging Rashid down the ground for six and pulling Curran over long leg, as Hope steadied the ship from the other end. They added 41 off 38 balls for the fourth wicket before Rutherford crunched Rashid’s googly to Curran at short extra cover, breaking the game back open.
As the game went deep, the chase became frantic. Powell dumped Rehan down the ground for six to take the required rate below six but then steered Topley to short third, and Russell swung like a rusty gate before heaving Curran’s full toss down long-on’s throat as West Indies managed one run off the first five balls of the 19th over.
Holder was nearly run out off the final ball of the over, but Curran’s close-range attempt to deflect Rashid’s throw onto the stumps went wide. When Holder’s inside-edge off Woakes’ first ball of the 20th left six required off five balls, Hope decided to finish it with a single blow: he crashed Woakes over the off side, prompting celebrations that would continue long into the night.

Captains reaction post series and 5th T20I match

Jos Buttler the England captain stated that :

“Conditions were different, didn’t adapt quickly enough. 160 would have been good. A really good effort with the ball. Salt’s had a fantastic series, back to back hundreds, found out lots about ourselves, take the learnings and try to improve. The breeze plays a big part here, big premium on six-hitting, had a great time coming here to the Caribbean,”

In response Rovman Powell stated that :

“Special thanks to the people of Trinidad and Tobago. Spent some time yesterday having meetings, still a good bowling team. Losing wickets at a key time but Shai Hope was the key man, grafting in the middle order,”

“Served our batting group well. Credit to the groundsmen across the Caribbean. Credit to them, hats off, they did fantastic. We found players standing up and in good teams that happens. I have a good bunch of guys around me, they respect me and trust my judgment. I try to lead and the guys follow,”

The Player of the Match was Gudakesh Motie for his 3 for 24 in England’s innings.

The Player of the Series was Phil Salt for his 331 runs at 185 strike-rate.

England will now go home empty handed and ponder on the game plans they need to execute next time when they visit the Caribbean Islands for their Title defence in 2024 World Cup. West Indies on the other hand will only grow stronger from strength to strength and will hope to win their 3rd T20I World Cup title in their own backyard.

Also Read: WI vs ENG: “I Am Just Happy Wearing This Crest On My Chest”- Andre Russell After His International Return


Spread the love

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *