ENG WON
T20
ENG beat WI by 4 wickets
Man of the Match - Jonny Bairstow
WI
160-8
20.0/20 Ovrs
 
161-6
18.5/20 Ovrs
ENG
England in West Indies, 3 T20I Series, 2019 |1st T20I |3/6/2019
Darren Sammy National Cricket Stadium, St Lucia
Commentary
  • That is it from this game. Easy peasy for England, which actually comes as a surprise. It is they who have the weaker squad but have come out trumps effortlessly. On the other hand, the first thing the Windies will address in their team meeting is their fielding. Maybe it was lights, maybe it was the wind but the catching was ordinary. The final two matches of the tour will be played at St. Kitts with the second T20I scheduled on Friday, March 8, 2019 at 1600 local (2000 GMT). 2-0 or 1-1? Join us to find out. ADIOS! TAKE CARE!
  • Victorious England skipper, Eoin Morgan, says that this is the sort of win that his team has been aiming for, right from the first game of the tour. Praises Adil Rashid for tieing down the Windies in the middle overs. Has another praise for Chris Jordan and is impressed with his calmness in the Powerplay. Is very clear about not giving Jordan the 20th over as he felt that Nicholas Pooran would find it difficult to pick the slower balls of Tom Curran.
  • JONNY BAIRSTOW HAS BEEN NAMED THE MAN OF THE MATCH. Says that it was great fun to play with freedom and get some runs at the top of the order. Adds that the absence of some of the players helped him a touch with no one there to challenge his spot. On his keeping in this game, Bairstow says that it felt refreshing after the gloves were taken away from him in the Tests and ODIs.
  • Windies captain, Jason Holder, says that the Windies were scrappy in the field. Feels that the wicket was two-paced and batting was difficult but the bowling let them down. Admits that the wind was another factor in this game which went against his team but backs his side to bounce back in the next match. Is happy for Nicholas Pooran for his innings in this game.
  • Earlier, a Nicholas Pooran special took the hosts to 160/8 - a competitive score at the halfway mark. Given that they lost their top three in the Powerplay, it was a decent effort. Adil Rashid and Chris Jordan tied them down and Tom Curran reaped the fruits of their efforts, finishing with a 4-fer. Please do stay tuned for the presentation...
  • 160 could have been defended but was not defended. The bowling was carted but the Windies did come back nicely in the middle. Sheldon Cottrell continued his good form and took 3 wickets while Nurse and Holder kept it tight in the middle overs. But 4 dropped catches - 2 of Bairstow, 1 of Hales and 1 of Billings were what hurt the home side.
  • Good outing for Jonny Bairstow who got his highest T20I score and second international fifty in the span of three innings, slowly getting back to his form. He ensured that the Windies did not have a chance at all, though he offered two chances - both grassed. Joe Denly blossomed in his presence and helped himself to his highest score in this format as well.
  • The first over of the run chase set the tone. Hales went after Cottrell going for 4 and a 6 on the first 2 balls and even though the bowler got his revenge soon, that 17-run opening over set the base. England kept going hard at the bowling, as is their norm and with 62/2 in the Powerplay, needing another 99, victory seemed assured.
  • A little bit of drama towards the end but a comfortable victory for England nevertheless. They were largely untroubled in the chase of 161 and have taken the first step ahead in this 3-match T20I series. But who knows - with a bit of better fielding, the Windies might have won.
  • 18.5
    1
    S Cottrell to Tom Curran, That is the match! Short ball outside off, Curran pulls it over the mid-wicket region. The ball races to the fence but they complete the run before that. England win by 4 wickets with 7 balls to spare.
  • 18.4
    1
    S Cottrell to D Willey, Nudges this through mid-wicket to get to the other end. Scores are level.
  • 18.3
    0
    S Cottrell to D Willey, FOUR BYES! This has taken the wind out of this game. Short ball down the leg side. Willey looks to hook but misses. Hope behind jumps but the ball touches his glove and goes to the fine leg boundary. Just two more needed now.
  • 18.2
    1
    S Cottrell to Tom Curran, Outside off, punched through cover off the back foot for a single. England are just a hit away.
  • Tom Curran walks in at number 8, replacing Billings.
  • 18.1
    W
    S Cottrell to Sam Billings, OUT! Bowled 'em! Could there be a surprise for us? Sheldon back into the attack and gets a wicket off his first bowl. Rolls his finger to this one and serves it on middle. Billings is early in his slog and cannot get bat to it. The furniture behind is disturbed and out comes the military celebration.
  • END OF OVER 18 | 3 Runs & 2 Wkt | ENG 154/5
  • Sheldon Cottrell to bowl his final over. England need 7.
  • 17.6
    0
    J Holder to D Willey, Played to the point region by Willey. No run taken.
  • 17.5
    1
    J Holder to Sam Billings, DROPPED! Oh dear, that would have been interesting. Short ball again on off, Billings pulls but the ball goes towards deep backward square leg. Thomas runs but goes with just his left hand for the catch and fails to hold on. They change ends. England would have had two new batsmen to complete the task.
  • David Willey walks in at number 7, replacing Denly.
  • 17.4
    W
    J Holder to Joe Denly, OUT! A wicket against the run of play. Short ball on the leg side, Denly looking for a maximum on the on side doesn't get hold of it. The ball goes in hands of Pooran at deep square leg who takes it easily. Is this come too late?
  • 17.3
    0
    J Holder to Joe Denly, Down the leg side, Denly tries to pull but cannot get bat to it.
  • 17.2
    1
    J Holder to Sam Billings, Bounce! Outside off, Billings is caught by surprise and gets hit high on the bat. The ball goes to the off side where they take a single.
  • 17.1
    1
    J Holder to Joe Denly, Full toss on the pads, worked away through mid-wicket for one.
  • END OF OVER 17 | 10 Runs & 0 Wkt | ENG 151/4