West Indies vs England live: Score and updates from the 5th T20 in Trinidad
Rewritten: Image courtesy of Randy Brooks --- Credit: The author Rewritten: Written by me
England's hopes for a pre-Christmas Caribbean rejuvenation were dashed as Chris Woakes was hit for a boundary by Shai Hope over the extra cover. This marked the end of their chances for a comeback series victory by 2023.
Despite facing challenging batting conditions that were the opposite of what they encountered 48 hours prior, Hope's final strike was fitting. It aligned with the strategic approach that led to West Indies' victory. The series was marked by an incredible 119 sixes, with West Indies managing 63 while England had 56. This advantage remained even in the gritty, low-scoring final game that decided the series. West Indies hit seven sixes compared to England's five, giving them a crucial 12-run lead in the pursuit of 133.
Despite the differences in the playing fields throughout the five games, there was one consistent trend: the team that hit the most sixes emerged victorious. This emphasizes the importance of players who can hit sixes on the smaller Caribbean grounds, regardless of the pitch conditions. England must keep this in mind when they head back to the West Indies in June for the T20 World Cup.
Although England recently won two matches in a row, their latest defeat by four wickets was more typical of their overall performance this year. At the beginning of the year, England were world champions in both limited-overs formats, but they have since suffered 20 losses in all white-ball internationals, despite winning 15 games.
Despite the exciting performances of young white-ball players, Phil Salt in particular, in this tour, England's chances of winning in Tarouba relied heavily on Adil Rashid's skills. Ranked number one among T20 bowlers at age 35, Rashid ended the series with a superb record, claiming 2-21 through controlled and varied pace. He even managed to deceive Sherfane Rutherford with a googly and flummoxed Johnson Charles with a seemingly faulty ball that turned out to be a wide full toss.
After Rashid's impressive spell, he made a spectacular diving catch at the position of short third man. This put England in a position to make a surprising comeback. Sam Curran only allowed two runs during the crucial second-to-last over and managed to get Andre Russell caught at long on. This left only Chris Woakes to defend nine runs from the last over of the tour. However, despite England's efforts, Hope secured the T20 victory with an unbeaten and tranquil score of 43. Hope had already proven himself with his expertise and increased strength, which had led his team to win the one-day international series earlier.
In the face of a challenging target of only 133 runs to defend, the England team demonstrated determination and expertise. Jos Buttler led by example on the field, taking an unconventional approach by patrolling the outfield instead of his usual position behind the stumps, allowing Salt to keep the gloves. This tactic lightened Buttler's workload by a third, but also presented a new task for the team captain.
During a frenzied ending at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy, England received two cautionary messages for delaying the start of a new over. If they made the same mistake again, they would have been the first global team to face a five-run punishment for their slow procedure.
Trinidad & Tobago is known for being a hub of spin bowling in T20 cricket, with two of the best slow bowlers in the format - Sunil Narine and Samuel Badree - hailing from the country. The pitch, which saw a high-scoring match on Tuesday with an average of 13 runs per over, has now changed and made it difficult for batsmen to hit the ball straight due to the slow bounce and significant turn it now offers.
Gudakesh Motie received some help from his teammates as he made a fantastic delivery to Salt. The ball floated towards the batsman and twisted unexpectedly, causing Salt to miss and fail to hit the ball. Motie was so happy with his accomplishment that he turned around in excitement, proving that he was the better player. Salt had previously scored 100 points in two previous games, but this time he only achieved 38 points, which was still the highest any player had scored in three matches.
Despite his impressive performance, none of his fellow team members indicated that he had such a high level of skill. Motie and Akeal Hosein, who were only used on the Northern End of the field, made it difficult for England's right-handed batters to hit the ball towards the leg side due to the strong winds. The two players worked together for a total of eight overs and achieved a combined score of 5-44.
The final moments of the cricket match were crucial. England had 120 runs with four overs left and were aiming for a target of 160. Liam Livingstone had played calmly with 28 runs and appeared ready to make a move. However, Motie fooled him with a pitch delivery and only one wicket was lost in the over amidst several runs. After this, very poor timing by the English players led to a string of unsuccessful shots. Andre Russell's powerful underarm ball hit Chris Woakes's off stump hard, and England added only 12 more runs to their total in the remaining four overs. When Sam Curran's ball landed in the deep, England was out with three deliveries still unused.
The outcome ensured that England's total score was probably 25 runs less than what was expected. Consequently, West Indies maintained their winning streak over England, even after not qualifying for the ODI World Cup. West Indies have succeeded in defeating England four times in the Caribbean region since the beginning of 2022. This includes once each in Tests and ODIs, and twice in T20 matches.
West Indies Win By Four Wickets Over England: Live Updates
Matthew Mott: Finally Finished!
We learned some important things today on a surface that was quite challenging. If we had managed to score an additional 30 or 40 runs, the game might have turned out vastly different. I was extremely pleased with how hard we tried the whole time. We have encountered a variety of conditions on this tour, and we have learned a great deal from them.
During our recent games, we attempted to match West Indies with their strong playing style and confront them head-on, which proved to be successful. However, today's playing conditions are significantly different, and it's crucial for us to communicate with one another and evaluate what constitutes a respectable score.
After the game, we will have a constructive discussion. At times, it's necessary to play unattractively and discover new techniques. We cannot criticize the boys' bowling skills. Though we fell behind by 30 to 40 runs, the team deserves immense praise for pushing the game until the end.
"Rovman Powell: The Ultimate Conclusion."
During the game, we faced a challenging situation where we kept losing wickets at an important stage. However, we were aware that the pitch was not suitable for hitting shots and that's when we relied on Shai Hope to turn the game in our favor. We knew that if he could make 40 runs off 35 deliveries while playing patiently in the middle order, we would emerge victorious. Our team showed great resilience and determination, with other players stepping up when it mattered the most. As a team leader, I am fortunate to have a wonderful group of individuals who respect my decisions and follow my lead.
The circumstances were not the same. We failed to adjust fast, but in my opinion, safeguarding 160 would have been a commendable accomplishment.
A fantastic attempt while bowling.
Phil's series was fantastic and we gained a lot of valuable knowledge about ourselves that we should apply.
Phil Salt: The Series MVP
It's frustrating to end up on the losing side. We gave it our all, but Shai performed exceptionally well. I believe this will be a valuable experience for us in the next few months.
In this region, there are many additional elements included in the act of throwing.
You have more time at your disposal than you might realize [based on his tour experience].
"Gudakesh Motie Named Man Of The Match"
He achieved a record of three wickets for only 24 runs and demonstrated excellent bowling skills on a pitch that was admittedly advantageous for him.
West Indies Triumph 3-2 Series Win
England faced a tough situation after their seemingly low score, but unfortunately they didn't have enough players left for bowling towards the end. The 19th round played by Curran was great, and Rashid and Topley also performed remarkably well most of the time. However, Hope is an exceptional player and managed to lead his team to victory.
West Indies Scores 133/6 With Hope Contributing 43 And Holder Taking 4 Wickets
Hope takes a knee and hits a powerful shot towards extra cover, successfully sending Woakes's good length ball over the boundary for six points!
The West Indies emerged victorious in a close match, defeating their opponents with four wickets and only four balls remaining.
WI Struggling At 127/6 With Hope On 37 And Holder Taking 4 Wickets
Rehan sprints quickly from his position at short fine leg to prevent the ball from reaching the boundary, but the batsmen still manage to score three runs.
West Indies Score 124/6 With Hope Scoring 37 And Holder Taking 1 Wicket
England has been cautioned for the second time as Buttler takes his time in organizing his field. Curran delivers the first ball with a yorker which Hope struggles to hit and ends up hitting to a fielder in the cover area who stops the single. On the following ball, Hope manages to hit it further and past the dive of the fielder at cover for a single.
Russell skillfully avoids the bouncer and the ball does not make contact with his bat. This is the second consecutive ball that did not produce a run. Russell prepares himself to hit the next ball but unfortunately, the ball ends up hitting his bat at the wrong spot, causing it to fall on the ground near his feet. Sadly, only one run is added to the scoreboard after four balls. Curran realizes that the dew is affecting the game and asks for a towel to wipe off the moisture.
Attempting to throw a yorker, he was unsuccessful but it still resulted in success, and Livingstone remained calm under pressure. Only one run was given up, and a wicket was taken in the first five balls.
Holder hits the final ball towards the position of the fielder called mid-off. Rashid throws the ball, and Curran should have caught it to get Holder out. Curran, however, attempted to hit the ball with his hand, causing it to go past the stumps.
We require nine runs from six deliveries.
Russell c Livingstone, bowled by Curran for 3 runs. He hit the low full toss to the wide long on area. There are still seven balls remaining in the game. The current score is 123 for 6 wickets down, known as FOW.
WI 122/5: Over 18
In the cricket match, Rehan successfully delivers a short ball while Russell attempts to hit it with great force towards Tobago. However, Russell loses his balance and instead of hitting a boundary, he only manages to score a single. Hope and Russell take turns scoring singles before Hope hits a shot behind point that results in a four. Rehan ends his turn by bowling a leg-break which Hope hits towards the middle for a single. In the end, Rehan Ahmed's score was 4 runs for no wickets in 36 balls.
We require 11 more runs out of 12, and Curran is going to bowl in the 19th over.
WI Struggles At 114/5 With Hope And Russell Contributing
England has been cautioned for violating the interval clock between overs. Powell's arms are shimmering with perspiration. He can take a break now and wipe himself off as he just hit a catch to Rashid, who grasped it with a low, left-handed catch.
Russell prepares himself to hit the ball and manages to get a single off Topley. However, the ball gets stuck in the pitch, making it a bit difficult. Then, Hope attempts to hit the ball but misses as it moves away from him, since he is a right-handed player.
With only 18 balls left, we require 19 runs. However, England's top two bowlers have finished their spell. Topley was quite impressive, securing two wickets for only 17 runs in his four overs.
In the cricket match, Powell hit the ball towards off, but it was caught by Rashid and bowled by Topley. Powell was positioned behind his batting line and the ball was cut from the top portion of his bat, flying to the third man. As a result, his team faced a loss at a score of 113 for 5 wickets.
WI 112/4: Hope And Powell Steady The Innings
Hope scored one hundred runs by playing a risky shot that curved sharply to the right, hitting the edge of his bat and going between the wicket-keeper and third man for four points. After that, Hope hit a light shot to the fielder covering that brought him one run. Powell, wearing his cap, hit the ball powerfully with his bat and it flew high over the long on area, resulting in six points. Rehan, who had been doing well throughout the series, struggled when he failed to place his deliveries correctly, making it simple for the opposing team to score against him.
We require 21 runs from 24 deliveries. It's now Topley's turn to attempt to secure a pair of dismissals with his final over.
WI 99/4 As Hope And Powell Make Contributions
Once again, Rashid makes a contribution by removing Rutherford from the game. Powell hits a ball to midwicket and secures a single, while Hope stands firmly on his back foot to move two balls through midwicket before hitting another to the covers for a single.
Rashid finished his performance by securing two wickets for 21 runs.
I require 34 runs out of the remaining 30 deliveries.
Curran caught Rutherford out with a stunning left-handed catch that he made by moving towards his left at the extra-cover position. Rashid had delivered a tricky googly, and Rutherford fell for it. As a result, the team lost its fourth wicket, and the score was 95.
WI Scorecard: Hope And Rutherford Lead With 19 And 30 Runs
Curran began the game with two deliveries that were nearing a full length, making it easy for Hope to hit a single. Rutherford made a smart play by hitting the ball towards wide mid-on for a single, but he was able to run for two due to his excellent positioning and swift running. After this, Rutherford took a moment to rest before hitting the next ball for a six by successfully hooking the bouncer.
When the left-handed batter dabbed the ball, Ahmed missed fielding it at short third man. This mistake allowed the batter to take a single, and the ball ended up going towards Rehan. Later, when Hope played a leg glance and took a single, he was able to keep the strike for the next over.
Buttler decides to make a final attempt by substituting Rashid for the last over.
WI 83/3: Hope And Rutherford Score 17 And 21 Respectively
Buttler looks over to Rehan, the player who managed to get Hope out twice during their tour. Hope hits the ball towards the fielder at cover and manages to take a single. Rutherford also hits the ball softly, causing it to slow down, and takes another single. They are playing it safe and steadily accumulating points. Hope carefully hits the ball around the infield, resulting in three dot balls before hitting a strong drive towards the fielder at point, earning him another single.
Sam Curran is entering the field needing 50 runs to win in 42 deliveries.
WI 80/3 With Hope And Rutherford On 15 And 20, Respectively
Salt and Rwshid cheered loudly when Rutherford was defeated by the slider. It appeared as though there was some kind of sound, but the umpire disagreed and correctly identified that the bat had hit the ground. Rutherford managed to gain two runs from the balls that struck his pads and then he swung with great force and directed a leg break over the far boundary for six. Rashid responded with two consecutive dot balls, tricking Rutherford with a googly and teasing him into a weak hit that fell short of cover point. Rashid is using a tactic of bowling with slower, fuller balls to try and secure the wickets required by the English team.
I require 53 runs with 48 balls remaining.
"West Indies At 71/3 With Hope And Rutherford Scoring 14 And 12"
Moeen is remaining in the game because there is a batsman who uses their left hand at the batting crease. Meanwhile, Hope, who bats with his right hand, manages to get two points by hitting two off-breaks off his protective pads. Rutherford hit the ball with some difficulty to perform a pull shot and earns a single point. Following that, Rutherford also hits a cut shot over the cover for two points.
Rutherford put an end to the dry spell by hitting a shot over extra-cover that landed 6 feet inside the boundary rope. Woakes tried to prevent it from being a four by running around and getting a hand on it, but all his efforts were in vain as the ball still touched the cushion.
WI 62/3 In 10 Overs
Following the assessment of Rutherford's performance, the left-handed cricket player skillfully plays a move known as a leg-break from his ankle resulting in a successful two-point score to the fine leg area. He then drives the ball to the long-on location for a single point. Rashid, another player, proceeds to attempt a different technique called the googly after three leg-breaks. Hope, a member of the opposite team, manages to hit the ball down to a distant section known as long off for a single point. As a result of three consecutive balls failing to score, a break is taken for refreshing drinks. The West Indies team requires a total of 71 points to secure a win with only 60 balls remaining.
Smart choice. The ball was thrown in the right direction, but it ended up hitting the player's leg rather than the stump. However, the ball was turning and moving towards the leg stump.
Did Rutherford receive a leg before wicket decision from Rashid? Is the game heading for a close call?
Hope And Rutherford Score 11 And 2 As WI Reaches 58/3
Moeen came in for Rehan and as an off-spinner, he performed very well by limiting the opposition to just four singles. He skillfully used a low trajectory along with a determined approach, preventing them from scoring any more runs.
West Indies Score 54/3 With 8 Overs Left
Rashid is like a spin uncle to Rehan rather than being his spin twin. He starts bowling from the opposite end to Hosein and Motie. Rashid bowls full and effectively, only giving away three singles and successfully getting Charles out.
In the cricket match between Charles and Rashid, the latter did his usual and managed to take a wicket in his very first over, despite it being the worst ball. Rashid had intended to throw a googly, but ended up pushing the ball too far up, resulting in an ankle-high full toss. Charles struck the ball on the drive, but Buttler made an excellent catch, diving from short cover and managing to make a stinging catch. This all occurred when FOW (fall of wicket) was at 54/3.
WI Dominates: Score At 51/2 With Charles And Hope Leading
Rehan starts with bowling as the first leg-spinner, but West Indies manages to handle his diverse techniques efficiently. They gain two singles from the first four balls. Charles discerns the googly and skillfully hits it through midwicket for two runs. He then takes on the flighted leg-break, smashing it over the bowler's head for a stunning six!
WI 39/2 As Charles Scores 16 And Hope Scores 5
The Powerplay ends with Woakes using two different types of bumpers to outsmart Charles - one slow and one quick, both aimed outside off. Charles anticipates the slower ball that is pitched up, but he struggles to break through the offside ring. Moeen makes a great effort by diving to his left to stop a cut shot at cover, hitting it on the half volley. This leads to a single run being scored, which is the second of the over after Hope's successful hit to the cover boundary patrolman.
Windies Struggle At 37/2 Against Sri Lanka
Topley is up for his third consecutive over during the Powerplay as England aims to get some wickets before bringing in the spin duo. Similar to Russell, Topley is causing discomfort to the batsmen, resulting in a two for Hope when he tucked it off his hip and a single was nudged towards square leg.
WI Starts Slowly: 34/2
Woakes did a great job with his over, sticking to his line. According to Samuel Badree, Pooran's cautious approach led to his downfall. Badree believes that Pooran would usually play an aggressive shot to a ball that bounces unexpectedly high, but this time he played defensively instead.
Woakes bowls 10 delivery at a consistent length straight to the batsman. Pooran tried to hit the ball with an angled bat technique but unfortunately, he ends up hitting it on his own stumps due to the extra bounce from the ball. As a result, the team's scorecard shows a 'fall of wicket' notification as 33/2.
WI 30/1 After 3 Overs
After King was caught out, Pooran entered the game and hit his second ball over square leg for six. The bouncer was not a worrying tactic to use on this particular field. Topley threw one away from Pooran, who is a left-handed batter, and appealed for a catch to the wicketkeeper, but the umpire ruled it was not out. The umpire suggested that Pooran hit the ground with his bat, but not the ball. England did not challenge this decision, but they should have because Pooran did hit the ground with his bat before hitting the ball. This was a missed opportunity for England to win.
The cricket match saw a poor shot by King as he mistimed the ball from Topley. The pitch conditions were also criticized as being unfavorable. Topley's ball was aimed fuller and King attempted to hit it towards cow corner, but he missed and only managed a high shot. Buttler, positioned at midwicket, caught it easily with Salt wearing the gloves. This resulted in King being the first player to be out, with a score of 21/1.
WI's King And Charles Score 20 Runs Without Losing A Wicket
Woakes decided to challenge Charles by using a shorter ball, but personally, I think it wasn't the best decision as the batter hit the ball really hard and far over the square leg, ultimately landing 20 rows back into the stairwell. It was an impressive hit.
Topley couldn't quite make the diving catch on his right side at the position of short third man when Charles hit the ball up, which resulted in the ball shooting away and adding four points to the score.
"King Charles 2 Defeated: WI Wins 7-0"
Topley begins with a superb throw that curves towards King's leg but was going to miss the wicket. Topley energetically asks for an appeal, but Buttler chooses not to challenge the decision when the umpire dismisses the appeal.
The King managed to hit the ball through midwicket and score a single. Topley made the ball curve inward and hit Charles' thighpad, which earned West Indies four leg-byes. Charles struck the ball over cover and got two runs. Although only three runs were made from the bat, the total score was seven, which is what matters.
From the other side, Woakes has been chosen to start with the brand new ball.
On only two occasions, England has managed to successfully protect a lower total of less than 132 runs. These events occurred back in 2012 when they defeated Pakistan by a narrow margin of five runs, despite setting a modest target of 129 for six. Another similar feat was achieved when England faced off against South Africa in a shortened 11-over match, where they scored 118 for five and still emerged victorious.
Based on historical evidence and the performance of West Indies, it seems like England's defeat is inevitable and will happen five days earlier than expected.
West Indies exhibited an exceptional bowling performance on a pitch that England dislikes, as it negates their explosive top-order batsmen. They were unable to hit pulls or drives with finesse. Even on a pitch that has two different faces, England's spinners will have to match the likes of Hosein and Motie, however, they seem to be falling short.
During the Curran and Rutherford match, there was a moment where Rutherford attempted to hit a ball that was pitched too close to him. He tried to hit it over the cover area with a flat bat, but unfortunately, he lost his grip on the bat. This caused the ball to hit the beveled part of the bat and fly up into the air, eventually landing in the hands of a fielder at mid-off who was running backwards and towards the right. This led to Rutherford's team being all out with a score of 132.
Rashid got out by just one yard away from the non-striker's position as he attempted to return for two runs after Curran hit the ball off the toe to a fielder at long on. The score at this point was 132 for 9 wickets lost.
England Struggles As They Score 129/8 With Curran And Rashid Contributing
Russell manages to take two wickets in two balls, however, Rashid manages to stay in the game by hitting the ball two yards away from the bowler for one run. Curran makes a mistake by hitting the ball with the edge of his bat, resulting in a difficult catch for Hosein at deep backward point. Although Hosein manages to get there, he has to dive forward to make the catch, and unfortunately drops the ball. Despite this, the batsmen are still able to score two runs.
Limiting Curran to just one run from the last ball enables him to stroll towards the boundary line in the last over with a score of two for 25.
In simplified English: Rehan Ahmed got out without scoring any runs in the cricket match against Russell. Russell caught the ball that Ahmed hit, which was fast and at a height of his thighs. Despite feeling a lot of pain in his fingers, Russell managed to hold onto the ball and make the catch. He received congratulations from his fellow team members for his good catch. This resulted in the team's score being 125/8.
Woakes makes Russell his victim with a perfectly delivered ball from his angle, knocking the off stump right out of place. Sadly, England's chances have gone down the drain with this wicket falling. Their current score is 125/7.
Eng 125/6 As Curran And Woakes Score
Thomas returns to bowl his final over and Curran attempts a back-foot slap, but is unable to beat cover. He manages to take a single on the following ball, despite it not being timed well. Woakes moves away from the crease to play a shot towards cover, but has to change his plan and ends up steering the ball down to third man. Curran once again struggles to get past cover and only manages to get a scuffed single with a horizontal bat. Woakes also struggles with a delivery fired into his body and is unable to hit it to the boundary, settling for a single after jabbing at it. Overall, it was an excellent over from Thomas.
"Eng Dominates With 121/6 "
Motie just delivered an excellent over. According to Tim, the pitch is quite dissimilar, but England still has a shot at winning because of their leg-spinners and Reece Topley. However, they must score at least 30 more runs to feel confident enough to win the close match.
Livingstone strikes the ball with such force that it sticks in the ground before he plays it back and it pops back up towards the center of the pitch. This is accurately described as "plinked". As a result, their team's score is now 121/6.
ENG Piling Up With 120/5 At Over 16
David Gower thinks that England need to end on a high note. Livingstone works to meet his responsibility by hitting a six with a pick-up shot after walking across the wicket. He then hits a cut shot to the player on the cover field for a single. Curran swings and misses at a slow bouncer, but later manages to hit a similar delivery with the top part of his bat to score a single.
Livingstone Scores 21 For ENG In Match Against Curran's Team
Hosein's performance concluded with him obtaining two points for a total of 12 points. Throughout the entire innings, Moeen successfully executed only one shot with proper timing.
During the match, Moeen was caught out by Powell off Hosein's ball after scoring 23 runs. The catch was made in an interesting way, with Russell initially catching it at long six inches inside the rope and then throwing it back to Powell before crossing the boundary. Although the toss back to Powell lacked speed, he managed to dive forward and catch it. This resulted in Moeen being out and the team's score at 110/5.
Englands Score Is 109/4 With Livingstone And Moeen Scoring 20 And 23 Respectively
Moeen prepares to face Russell and unintentionally hits the ball through the gap left by the fielders at first slip for a four, while trying to aim it towards deep backward square. Russell pays attention to Moeen's movements and observes his feet retreat towards the leg side, therefore he throws the ball towards the fifth stump line, which is out of the reach of the left-handed batsman. Moeen attempts to hit the slow bouncer but misses, and later fails to hit another pull shot at shoulder-height, resulting in a single. Ryan Sidebottom seems to have some explaining to do.
Russell changes his bowling position, moving to the side of the wicket, and delivers a ball directly aimed at the lower portion of the off-stump. Livingstone tries to hit it, but he ends up only being able to hit it to the mid-off area for just one run.
"Livingstone And Moeen Score 18 Each In ENG 102/4"
Wow! Moeen is showing off his skills. He's not spinning around like crazy, but instead swinging the ball in a graceful manner. He hits Motie's pitch from an off-stump position and sends it flying over long-on for a six. Another run is added to the score, bringing England's total to 100. Moeen finishes with a bang, hitting a two-pointer with a pull shot off his front foot to wrap up England's best over in the game.
"Livingstone And Moeen Contribute To England's 90/4"
Powell signals for Thomas to bowl again. Livingstone hits a shot that goes high over the cover fielder resulting in just one run. Moeen strikes a pull towards midwicket, but the ball doesn't go far resulting in another single.
Thomas made a mistake by pitching the ball too high and as a result, Livingstone hit it over midwicket for a six. A person in the crowd who was wearing a black T-shirt tried to catch the ball but he was too slow and it hit his chest hard. He felt proud and didn't rub his chest, although the impact might have caused him a sternum fracture.
Livingstone made a single by rolling his wrists on a pull, but Moeen swung too hard and hit it short of deep midwicket again. Maybe he needs to calm down and focus on his timing.
"Eng At 80/4 As Livingstone And Moeen Score 8 And 6 Respectively"
As Hosein makes his comeback, he begins his attack with two consecutive dot balls against Livingstone by steering the ball away from the right-handed batsman. Livingstone then shifts his weight backwards to flick the ball down towards the long on for a single run. Moeen also delivers a pull shot, and when Livingstone tries to hit it hard towards the cow corner, he fails to get beneath it, causing the ball to drag through midwicket for a single.
The cricket match in Trinidad has a very old-school vibe and the ball is turning a lot. The West Indies team is probably feeling positive about the match so far, but it seems like a very different experience compared to the game they played just two days ago.
"Eng's Score: 77/4 With Livingstone And Moeen"
The experts have noticed that the current fast bowlers have been focusing on maintaining their pace and aiming at the batsman's body. Holder is back on the field and Moeen manages to hit a drive over mid-off for two runs, followed by a powerful pull shot for one run. Unfortunately, Livingstone closes his bat face too soon and ends up hitting a leading edge, resulting in a single down to long on.
Let's take a break for some refreshments now that Moeen has unsuccessfully tried to hit the ball and ended up in the hands of the fielder at mid-off with a poorly struck drive. He hasn't managed to hit the ball accurately so far.
"Eng Leads With 73/4 Against Livingstone And Moeen"
England struggled against the exceptional spin bowling of the two left-armers, managing only three singles from the last four balls. Moeen was sent in before Curran, despite him being the 10th batsman. The outcome of the match rests on whether Garrity or one of these two players can deliver a match-winning performance.
During the cricket match, Brook attempted to strike the ball around the corner, but unfortunately, the ball slipped off his thumb and Pooran had to jump and catch it. As a result, the team's score decreased to 70/4.
Eng 70/3: Livingstone & Brook At Over 8
The West Indies cricket team have identified a potential weakness in Brook's ability to handle short-pitched deliveries. To exploit this, they're using Russell to bowl quick, short balls at him. But Brook manages to evade the trap and directs the ball towards his hip for a single. The following ball hits Livingstone's glove, but he's able to quickly recover and pick up a single. Russell tries to catch Brook off guard with a yorker, but instead, he bowls a ball that's too full, known as a "bunger", which Brook hits past him for a boundary. Brook demonstrates his skill by using his wrist to hit a bouncer to the fourth stump for another single. In the final ball of the over, England are able to pick up two runs on the onside.
Livingstone & Brook Contribute To ENG 61/3 Score In OVER 7
Powell asks Gudakesh Motie to make a leg-before when his ball hits Livingstone's toe while he's crouching to sweep. However, the ball was going down and they run three leg-byes instead. Salt shows no respect to the spinner and hits a high off drive for six but unfortunately gets out the next ball.
Brook makes his first score with a gentle swipe from his bat.
Today, the West Indies have displayed an exceptional level of control with their bowling, surpassing any previous performance in the series. They have really tightened their grip and are performing at their best.
Salt by Motie 38 - Six runs scored and then out again. A left-arm bowler sent in a stunning delivery that drifted inward, dipped, grabbed the surface and moved rapidly past the batsman's bat, turning nearly 4 degrees to beat the edge. This was a crucial wicket that was very well delivered. The next batsman comes in with team's score at 60/3.
ENG 50/2: Salt 31, Livingstone 1
Thomas was tasked with bowling the final over of the Powerplay stage in the match. However, he didn't start off too well as he missed the desired line with his first attempt and then failed to achieve the desired length with his second try. This resulted in Salt taking advantage of the loose ball and hitting a four through point while on his back foot. Salt then went on to hit another four by effortlessly striking the low full toss that was bowled by Thomas.
Thomas impressively defended himself by only allowing the opposing team to score three singles. He was able to control the location and trajectory of his throws and prevented Livingstone and Salt from having any space to swing freely.
Scoring eight runs in one over is a decent start, but it's not particularly impressive when compared to the spectacular performances on Sunday and Tuesday.
ENG's Score: 39/2 Against Salt, With Livingstone At 0
Following a few single runs and a few unsuccessful attempts to hit the ball by Hosein, Jacks finally hits a six but ends up being caught out. Despite the ball flying over Russell's attempt to catch it at long on, Hosein managed to trick him with a faster ball on the very next pitch. Hosein then celebrates his success in a manner reminiscent of Imran Tahir, displaying his excitement with great enthusiasm.
Liam Livingstone faces another intriguing test as he takes on his new position at number four. He will enter the game during the Powerplay and have 15 overs to score.
During the eighth over of the match, Jacks was previously hit for six runs by Hosein. In the next delivery, Hosein throws a deceptive ball which confuses Jacks as he attempts to cut the ball. Unfortunately, the ball manages to slide past Jacks and strike the top of the middle and leg of the wickets. Hosein executed the delivery very well, earning a wicket for his team. At this point, the team score was 39/2.
"Salt Dominates With A Score Of 20 In ENG 32/1 Cricket Match"
The West Indies team chose to use short and intense periods of play to prevent England from gaining momentum. Jason Holder made a strong hit, but the ball was too close to his opponent, Buttler, who was unable to hit it over the fielder. Jacks started his game with a careful push, while Salt attempted a powerful hit towards the fielder in the cow corner but failed. Instead, the ball spun towards wide open space, allowing Salt to score two points. Salt then managed to hit the ball behind the point, securing a four-point score. Hosein made a brave effort to prevent the ball from reaching the boundary, but unfortunately, he accidentally knocked it towards the rope.
In the recent cricket match, West Indies managed to secure a valuable Powerplay wicket, which was only the second one they had achieved in the entire series. Buttler attempted to hit the ball with full force, but unfortunately, it landed straight into the hands of the fielder positioned at short fine leg. This unfortunate outcome resulted in a current score of 24/1.
"England Dominates With 24/0 Against Over 3"
Hosein takes the place of Russell and has been beginning the bowling in the previous matches. The batsmen trade one run each before Salt powerfully drives the ball through the cover for a boundary. Unfortunately, Rutherford injures his finger while attempting to stop it with a dive, but after receiving care, he remains in the game.
Salt hit a very precise shot towards the fielder stationed between the bowler and long on. He managed to avoid getting run out as the fielder's throw was off target. In the next delivery, Buttler hit a shot towards the fielder positioned between the bowler and long off. He was able to get a single and maintain his position as the striker for the next delivery.
ENG 16/0 In 2nd Over
The strategy is to pitch the ball quickly and directly towards the wicket, ensuring it lands at a suitable distance. However, Thomas failed to achieve this and overpitched, resulting in Salt delivering an exceptional cover drive that garnered four runs. Although the shot was executed brilliantly, the delivery given by Thomas was unsatisfactory. Salt then managed to switch the strike by altering his bat's angle and hitting the ball with a straight bat. He did this while positioned on the back foot, directing the ball wide of the short third man.
Buttler received a ball that was delivered at a moderate-length behind him, which he struck with force towards the area in front of square, earning himself four points. He then extended his reach to cut the ball towards the sweeper at point, resulting in a single. Powell managed to stop a powerful cover drive from Salt and deflected it towards the mid-off position, preventing three runs from being scored.
During the toss, Powell emphasized the need to limit Salt's sixes. Salt has managed to score 21 sixes in the series, which is believed to be a significant factor in England's recent victories, more so than fours or singles. Therefore, the bowlers are focusing on their length and line in today's match, attempting to restrict Salt's movement and options. Despite some errors, the team is putting in their utmost effort to achieve this goal.
"England Thrashes Opponent 5-0 With 4 From Buttler"
The cricket match has begun and Andre Russell is the one starting with the new ball. He pitches a delivery that Salt manages to hit through the midwicket area, scoring a single point. Even though Russell is not known for opening the bowling, he has faced some tough opponents towards the end of the game. On this occasion, Buttler steps forward towards Russell's side, so he delivers a quick pitch that causes Buttler to swing his bat. However, he manages to hit the ball between the long leg and keeper for four points.
Buttler faced a few balls that did not score any runs and then got caught by one that was supposed to go down the leg. Buttler moved his shoulder a bit, but it did not mean he was going to do a powerful stroke like he did before, which was his "tell". He hit the ball nicely but could not pass the fielder at cover.
Oshane Thomas takes up the responsibility of using the new ball.
The West Indies team plans to use the speed of Oshane Thomas to put Phil Salt off his game. This is a big change for them and will influence how they play overall. Thomas was able to hit 97mph in the Caribbean Premier League, but that was quite a while ago. He's still very fast though! It's funny, thinking about Thomas' speed made me remember that I haven't seen Antoine de Caunes in a long time.
"So Far, Tour Has A Consequence"
It's really confusing why he hasn't earned millions in IPL. It's disappointing for his spin academy based in Bradford, led by Amar, Adil's brother, which is doing amazing work.
Plan's Falling Into Place
Our suspicions were confirmed - Phil Salt will continue as the wicket-keeper while Jos Buttler focuses solely on his batting skills. This suggests that this strategy may be implemented during the T20 World Cup defence. It makes sense as it allows Buttler to relinquish one of his three main responsibilities - keeping, captaining, and opening.
England Team Remains Unchanged; West Indies Makes Two Changes
The West Indies team for the upcoming cricket game consists of players such as Brandon King, Johnson Charles, Shai Hope, Nic Pooran as the wicketkeeper, and Rovman Powell as the captain. Other players on the team include Sherfane Rutherford, Andre Russell, Jason Holder, Akeal Hosein, Oshane Thomas, and Gudakesh Motie.
The cricket team of England will be led by Jos Buttler, with Phil Salt serving as their wicketkeeper. Other players on the team include Will Jacks, Liam Livingstone, Harry Brook, Moeen Ali, Sam Curran, Chris Woakes, Rehan Ahmed, Adil Rashid, and Reece Topley.
Leslie Reifer and Nigel Duguid were the umpires while Gregory Brathwaite was in charge of the TV.
West Indies Win Toss
The decision was made to allow England to begin their batting turn.
Rovman Powell stated that they have collaborated and brainstormed new strategies within the past 24 hours. Their goal is to reduce Phil Salt's number of boundaries to the best of their ability.
According to Jos Buttler's statement, it seems that they would have also considered chasing during the match.
Can Salt Play A Dual Role?
Hello from Trinidad, where everything is ready for the final game at the Brian Lara Cricket Academy. Phil Salt has been practicing his wicket keeping skills extensively this afternoon, increasing the likelihood of him being chosen to keep wicket for England.
Good evening and welcome to the final game of the series. England's newly found opening batsman Phil Salt played a vital role in the previous two games, scoring back-to-back centuries. He became the only player in his team to achieve this feat in this format. In Grenada, Salt carried his bat, which helped Harry Brook to take the team to victory. In the next match, playing in Trinidad, Salt's power-hitting helped England register their highest total in a T20 international, the second-highest by any team that plays test cricket. However, Salt's wicketkeeping skills were below par, as he missed a few deliveries that spun sharply and also missed a stumping chance. Nevertheless, it was a while since Salt had put on the gloves, and England looked sharper with Jos Buttler's presence in the field. This also made the game faster.
In the series, England's batsmen dominated West Indies spinners for the first time and easily defeated debutant Matthew Forde. They impressed with their clear approach and skills, showing a lot of promise. Although England took all 10 wickets, West Indies' batters had a high strike rate and are expected to come back strong. Reece Topley and Adil Rashid stood out as the best bowlers, while the others managed to take out six batters despite being expensive. It's unlikely that anyone will have an economy rate of less than 10 on this pitch, so we can expect another game with a lot of runs.
It's understandable that England wants to end their tough autumn and winter of limited-overs cricket with a win, which they can use as proof of a successful World Cup defense. They might take a risk in giving John Turner and Ben Duckett a chance to play, even though they need to see how they handle the pressure. However, England has suffered from looking too far ahead this year, so they'll most likely stick to the same team.
