T20 World Cup: England ease past WI
Opener Phil Salt and Jonny Bairstow powered England to an eight-wicket victory over the West Indies in their T20 World Cup Group 2 Super Eight clash at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground in St Lucia last night.
Scores: West Indies 180 for four off 20 overs (Johnson Charles 38, Nicholas Pooran 36, Rovman Powell 36, Sherfane Rutherford 28 not out, Brandon King 23 retired hurt).
England 181 for two off 17.3 overs (Phil Salt 87 not out, Jonny Bairstow 48 not out, Jos Buttler 25).
Salt slammed seven fours and five sixes in his unbeaten 87 and featured in a 97-run stand with Bairstow who hit five fours and two sixes in his unbeaten 48.
Salt and captain Jos Buttler laid a strong foundation, cracking seven boundaries in the Powerplay. England pushed to 58 for no loss, marginally ahead of the Windies efforts at the six-over mark.
Roston Chase stepped up to finally remove one of England’s openers, trapping Buttler (25 off 22) in the eighth over.
At the midpoint of the innings, England were 83 for one. Mooen Ali then went for 13 leaving Salt and Bairstow to dominate the West Indies bowlers.
Earlier West Indies, after being sent into bat, made a good start as Brandon King and Johnson Charles had the Windies flying at 40 without loss early in the fifth over, before they were hit with a cruel blow. Attempting to drive a Sam Curran ball down the ground, King picked up what appeared to be a groin injury and had to retire hurt.
The in-form Nicholas Pooran joined Charles at the crease and they pushed the score to 54 at the six-over mark.
Pooran hit Mark Wood for a long leg side six to start the eighth over, but England managed to tighten the screws through to drinks as that was the final boundary before the mid-innings break.
The West Indies reached 82 without loss in the first 10 overs and Charles broke the mini boundary drought straight after drinks, clearing the long on rope off a fulllength Adil Rahid delivery. But next over, Charles (38 off 34) had to go as he was caught by Harry Brook off the bowling of Moeen Ali.
Captain Rovman Powell arrived and dished out some revenge to end the 12th over, crunching a maximum over Ali’s head.
Powell and Pooran hit the gas pedal in an eventful phase of play, before Liam Livingstone picked up the crucial wicket of Powell (36 off 17) to end over 15.
The English found some fight in the final five overs. Jofra Archer clipped the edge of Pooran’s bat and removed him for 36 off 32 balls.