Twenty-one months ago, England’s 10-wicket defeat in the spice island, which took the Test side’s run to one victory in 17 games, deepened the team’s malaise. It also proved the catalyst for the remarkable changes that have followed.
The mood around the white-ball set-up is far from as grim as for the Test side in March last year – and, given the array of new faces, it could be said that this rebuild has already begun. But as England once again failed to match West Indies’ power in Grenada, falling to a ten-run defeat, it meant that Jos Buttler’s side have now claimed just four victories in 14 games across both limited-overs formats since the start of October. Unless this run improves on Saturday, England face a fourth consecutive series loss to West Indies – this would be the second in T20, to go with one apiece in Tests and one-day internationals – in the Caribbean since the start of 2022.
England defeats in the Caribbean have traditionally been authored by pace. Here, their failure to chase 177 was rooted in West Indies’s left-arm spin pair, Akeal Hosein and the returning Gudakesh Motie, who shared 3-33 from their eight overs. Bowling with loop and varying his pace appreciably – sometimes by as much as seven miles per hour from ball-to-ball – Motie yielded just nine from his spell.
The spin pair contributed to England promoting left-hander Sam Curran to number four, the highest that he has ever batted for his country. For all his recent travails with the ball – which extended as he was thrashed for 38 in two overs here – Curran remains a dynamic cricketer. His elevation, which broke up England’s array of right-handers, replicated the role that he has performed in the Indian Premier League to good effect. A 32-ball half-century – which included three thundering blows in Curran’s favoured arc between midwicket and long off, all off pace – suggested that it was a worthy experiment. In England’s training sessions this tour, Curran has been among the side’s three biggest hitters.
Yet Curran’s belligerence could not prevent England from being outhit once again. On Thursday, they lost the sixes count 14-6; in Grenada, it was 13-8 – still a deficit of 30 runs.
“We are trying hard, we are close and today we are a couple of good hits away from a win,” said head coach Matthew Mott. “We played good cricket again for 90 per cent of the match. We had them under control up to the 15th over mark and unfortunately, as West Indies can do, they hurt us in those couple of overs.
“We’ve got the artillery there. They have just executed a bit better than us in the last two games.”
A midweek afternoon game – the National Cricket Stadium in St George’s does not have floodlights – was never going to produce a crowd to match sold-out Kensington Oval 48 hours before, with fewer locals and travelling supporters alike. But, with a notably more local feel to the music at the ground – that is to say, a playlist that extended beyond Sweet Caroline on loop – the crowd filled up as Grenadians, many waving national flags, popped to St George’s after work. As sunset approached, they could cheer more signs of a West Indies revival under new head coach Darren Sammy.
They particularly delighted in Powell’s evisceration of Sam Curran in the 16th over – he flat-batted a ball over long off, hit like a tennis shot, and then cleared long on, long off again and then hit straight behind the bowled. In the middle of the sequence, Curran bowled a wide too. Even though Powell failed to time the final delivery, which fell into the hands of Harry Brook at long on, the over still conceded 30. Curran’s 4.1 overs this series have now yielded 61 runs.
The decimation of Curran helped to transform West Indies’ innings. After stumbling to 72-4 off 12 overs, West Indies looted 104 from the last eight. Brandon King was a constant throughout, treating Ahmed with disdain – using his feet aggressively and slog-sweeping – to thrash 35 from the leg spinner’s final two overs. Rashid had no such concerns, snaring Nicholas Pooran and Shimron Hetmyer – the first with a classical leg break, the second with what looked like a faster top spinner – within his first eight balls and claiming 2-11 from four masterful overs.
Curran’s plight highlighted Tymal Mills’ resilience at the death. Where Curran is prone to relying on yorkers – a death-or-glory tactic, with the margins infinitesimal on the small grounds in the Caribbean – Mills generally prefers to bowl back-of-a-length, while varying his pace, a strategy with a larger margin-of-error. He ended West Indies’ innings with consecutive slower balls that flummoxed Andre Russell and then Jason Holder.
Yet, while he only made 14, Russell still played the day’s most astounding shot. The ball before Mills’ revenge, Russell fell off balance to a wide delivery. About to fall over, Russell still had enough power to launch the ball over cover for six.
While West Indies’ Jamaican contingent thrived – King hit 82 not out, Powell 50 and Russell crunched 14 – it was also a notable day for another compatriot. Jacqueline Williams became the first ever female umpire to stand in any England men’s international.
West Indies vs England: As it happened…
09:08 PM GMT
West Indies again too powerful for England
That was another disappointing defeat for England – close enough but with no hard-luck story to tell. It’s the first time in this white-ball tour that the team batting second has lost, which will add to Jos Buttler’s frustration. A target of 177 was gettable on a small ground, but they barely middled a thing against the left-arm spinners Akeal Hosein and Gudakesh Motie, who finished with combined figures of 8-0-33-3.
Once again, West Indies’ six-hitting power was decisive: they hit 13 to England’s eight. It’s genuinely hard to know, because of the tightish manner of their defeats on this tour, whether England are quite close or miles away. The next three games should tell us.
08:56 PM GMT
OVER 20: ENG 166/7 (Moeen 22, Rehan 10)
Moeen fresh-airs another attempted six and leans on his bat in disappointment. He takes a single off the next ball, knowing the match is over, and not even a jaunty six over third man off Rehan can lift England’s mood.
West Indies win by 10 runs and lead 2-0 in the series
Moeen turning down that single and not trusting Rehan sums up England’s white ball malaise. Needs a new broom
— Nick Hoult (@NHoultCricket) December 14, 2023
08:53 PM GMT
19.2 OVERS: ENG 155/7 (Moeen 21, Rehan 0)
Moeen gives England hope of an uber-Brathwaite by driving Russell’s first ball for six. Just four more needed. He turns down a single off the second ball, which means England need 22 from 4 balls.
08:51 PM GMT
OVER 19: ENG 149/7 (Moeen 15, Rehan 0)
Moeen turns down a single so that he can take strike for the final ball. Five sixes will do the job.
08:50 PM GMT
Wicket!
Woakes c Hetmyer b Holder 2 An outstanding over from Jason Holder – just three runs from five balls so far – is rewarded when a desperate Woakes holes out to cow corner. England need snookers, aka 28 from 7 balls. FOW: 149/7
08:44 PM GMT
OVER 18: ENG 146/6 (Moeen 13, Woakes 1)
Moeen Ali, who was happily playing second fiddle to Sam Curran, takes over boundary-hitting duties in style. He lashes consecutive deliveries from Joseph for four and then six before taking a single off the penultimate delivery to keep the strike. England are still in this game, just about: they need 31 from 12 balls.
08:40 PM GMT
Wicket!
Curran c Hosein b Joseph 50 Curran flat-bats Joseph towards deep point, where Hosein takes a comfortable catch. That could be the match. FOW: 134/6
08:39 PM GMT
OVER 17: ENG 134/5 (Curran 50, Moeen 2)
Andre Russell took 3/19 from four overs on his return to the side in Barbados. Less than 48 hours later, England are taking him to the cleaners.
Curran again takes 10 from the first two balls, this time with a drive over long-on for six and a premeditated tickle off the pads. A single takes Curran to his maiden T20 international fifty from 31 balls. And despite a strong end to the over, Russell has figures of 3-0-49-0.
08:34 PM GMT
OVER 16: ENG 121/5 (Curran 38, Moeen 1)
Curran takes 10 off Joseph’s first two balls with a brusque pull and a thump over long-off. But Joseph responds brilliantly, conceding only one off the last four deliveries while also beating the bat three times.
England need 56 from 24 balls, aka the Mike Hussey challenge.
08:27 PM GMT
OVER 15: ENG 110/5 (Curran 27, Moeen 1)
Akeal Hosein finishes an excellent spell with figures of 4-0-24-2. Between them the two left-arm spinners have taken 3/33 from eight overs. England need 67 from 30 balls; slim is looking for the passport.
08:25 PM GMT
Wicket!
Brook c Joseph b Hosein 5 Harry Brook took a few balls to get in, and then he got out, driving the left-arm spinner Hosein straight to Alzarri Joseph at deep cover. England are staring down a familiar barrel. FOW: 108/5
08:21 PM GMT
OVER 14: ENG 105/4 (Curran 25, Brook 3)
Four singles and a wide from Holder’s second over. Brook is taking a few deliveries to get used to the pitch, which takes nerve when the required rate is 12 an over. It’s the right approach, though – nobody has been able to tee off from ball one tonight. England need 72 from 36 balls.
08:17 PM GMT
OVER 13: ENG 99/4 (Curran 22, Brook 1)
Gudakesh Motie, playing only his second T20 international, finishes with extraordinary figures of 4-0-9-1. Blimey.
08:15 PM GMT
Wicket!
Livingstone c Powell b Motie 17 Gudakesh Motie’s extraordinary spell continues with the vital wicket of Liam Livingstone. He ran down the wicket and belted the ball back over Motie’s head, but he didn’t middle it and Powell backpedalled to take another really good catch. England needed more from Livingstone than a nine-ball cameo. FOW: 97/4
08:13 PM GMT
OVER 12: ENG 97/3 (Curran 21, Livingstone 17)
Liam Livingstone reminds everyone of his devastating potential by mullering Andre Russell for 14 from three balls: a pull and a back cut for four followed by a ferocious pull into the crowd at square leg.
Curran completes a fantastic over for England by picking a slower ball and detonating it over midwicket for six more. Russell’s two overs have gone for 36 and England are right back in the game.
08:08 PM GMT
OVER 11: ENG 75/3 (Curran 14, Livingstone 2)
Motie continues to confound England with some subtle variations, conceding three runs from his third over. His figures are barely believable: 3-0-7-0.
08:07 PM GMT
OVER 10: ENG 72/3 (Curran 12, Livingstone 1)
Curran crashes Joseph for four. It’s a no-ball too because Joseph kicked the stumps, but an excellent yorker keeps Curran to a single off the free hit. It’s getting away from England.
07:59 PM GMT
Wicket!
Jacks c Holder b Joseph 24 England are in big trouble now. Will Jacks mistimes a pull down the throat of long on, where Holder takes a nonchalant catch. FOW: 65/3
07:56 PM GMT
OVER 9: ENG 60/2 (Jacks 24, Curran 2)
England can’t lay a glove on Motie. Almost every shot they have played off him has been mistimed, and as a result he has remarkable figures of 2-0-4-0.
07:51 PM GMT
OVER 8: ENG 58/2 (Jacks 23, Curran 1)
Sam Curran has been promoted to No4, and why not. England certainly need a bit of impetus: the required rate is almost 10 an over.
Interesting move by England: Sam Curran at number 4, breaking up the run of right-handers.
He’s done well there in the IPL
— Tim Wigmore (@timwig) December 14, 2023
07:51 PM GMT
Wicket!
Salt c Powell b Joseph 25 For the second time in three days, Phil Salt is caught at deep midwicket. He pulled the new bowler Alzarri Joseph towards Rovman Powell, who ran in from the boundary and swooped to take an excellent catch.
Salt wasn’t fluent and made a relatively ponderous 25 from 23 balls. England are struggling. FOW: 55/2
07:47 PM GMT
OVER 7: ENG 53/1 (Salt 25, Jacks 21)
One left-arm spinner replaces another, with Gudakesh Motie coming on for Hosein. A chip from Jacks teases the man at point before landing safely; that’s one of a number of mistimed attacking strokes in an over that costs just two. Excellent stuff from Motie.
07:44 PM GMT
OVER 6: ENG 51/1 (Salt 24, Jacks 20)
Andre Russell, whose three wickets were decisive in the first game, comes into the attack. Jacks pulls him for four, just wide of the diving fielder at cow corner, then blazes a disdainful boundary over extra cover.
Salt completes a terrific over for England by deliberately slicing the final delivery to the third man boundary.
07:39 PM GMT
OVER 5: ENG 37/1 (Salt 19, Jacks 11)
Hosein is given a third over, no surprise after his success in the first two. Jacks makes room outside leg stump to scorch a drive between extra cover and mid off for four; he tries again next ball but Hosein sees him coming, or rather going, and darts the ball between bat and pad. England need 140 runs from 90 balls.
07:36 PM GMT
OVER 4: ENG 30/1 (Salt 17, Jacks 6)
After a frankly shocking eight balls without hitting a boundary, Salt sweeps Holder off middle stump and wide of short fine leg.
A sweet-sounding pull from Salt flies away for the first six of the England innings, and then Jacks survives a risky single to mid-off. He would have been out with a direct hit.
07:32 PM GMT
OVER 3: ENG 15/1 (Salt 5, Jacks 5)
Will Jacks waves his ball confidently through extra cover for four.
07:29 PM GMT
Wicket!
Buttler c Mayers b Hosein 5 England have lost Jos Buttler cheaply. He came down the track to Hosein, got nowhere near the pitch and checked a drive straight to Mayers at extra cover. That’s a pretty tame dismissal, though the may have stopped in the pitch. FOW: 9/1
07:26 PM GMT
OVER 2: WI 8/0 (Salt 3, Buttler 5)
Jason Holder opens up at the other end. The pattern of the West Indies innings, and particularly Powell’s assault, suggests this isn’t the easiest pitch on which to attack from ball one. Salt misses two big shots and then Buttler is hit on the thigh by a nipbacker. Three singles from the over.
07:21 PM GMT
OVER 1: ENG 5/0 (Salt 1, Buttler 4)
The left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein takes the new ball. Both England openers get a leading edge off their first delivery, with Salt’s almost looping back to the bowler.
Buttler threads a cover drive for four and then misses a sweep. That’s a promising start from Hosein.
07:20 PM GMT
First-innings summary…
Excellent knocks from Brandon King and Rovman Powell have left England needing 177 to win the second T20 against the West Indies in Grenada.
The tourists made an excellent start and had the West Indies in serious trouble at 54/4, but a 70-run stand between King and Powell rescued the hosts.
Adil Rashid was the pick of England’s bowlers, with two wickets for just 11 runs from his four overs but Sam Curran struggled again, going for 38 off just 12 balls.
07:08 PM GMT
OVER 20: WI 176/6 (King 82)
Wicket! Holder c Livingstone b Mills 0
Holder holes out to cow corner off the last ball of the innings, which means England need 177 to win. It’s a small ground so they’ll fancy their chances.
Now, that six from Russell. Mills saw or sensed him backing away and bowled a loopy, very wide slower ball outside off stump. Russell could have ignored it, knowing it would be called wide. Instead he lunged towards it like a falling statue, whirled it over long-off and then fell in a heap. Look, I can’t do it justice, I’ll post a video as soon as possible.
07:05 PM GMT
Wicket!
Russell b Mills 14 The ball after hitting the most amazing six over long off, more of which in a moment, Russell is cleaned up by a beautiful slower delivery from Mills. There’s one ball remaining in the innings. FOW: 176/6
07:01 PM GMT
OVER 19: WI 165/5 (King 77, Russell 8)
Chris Woakes, ever the selfless team man, returns at the death having bowled his first three overs during the Powerplay.
Russell slugs a huge six over midwicket, the 12th of the innings, but there are only three singles from the other five deliveries. Woakes has bowled far better than figures of 4-0-34-1 might suggest.
06:56 PM GMT
OVER 18: WI 156/5 (King 75, Russell 1)
Tymal Mills has bowled very well today. You can’t defy gravity forever, not against this team on this ground, but he has hoodwinked the batsmen on a number of occasions. He does it again in that over, conceding three singles and a leg-bye. He might also have had a wicket when King mistimed a slog that dropped not far short of long-on.
06:52 PM GMT
OVER 17: WI 152/5 (King 73, Russell 0)
The captain is gone, long live the King. He continues this coruscating burst of death hitting by hammering 18 from Rehan’s final over. Three fours were followed by a premeditated slog-sweep for six, and it might have been worse but for a dot ball to finish. Rehan’s figures aren’t pretty: 4-0-47-1. It’s all part of his education.
06:49 PM GMT
OVER 16: WI 134/5 (King 55, Russell 0)
England’s reward for dismissing Rovman Powell, who hit 41 off his last 12 balls, is the arrival of Andre Russell.
” – !”
A closer look at Rovman Powell’s innings and Sam Curran’s 1-38 off two overs… 😬#WIvENG | @kvlmason | @finnysteve pic.twitter.com/EamvYYjzem
— Cricket on TNT Sports (@cricketontnt) December 14, 2023
06:48 PM GMT
Wicket! And 30 runs in the over!
Powell c Brook b Curran 50 Rovman Powell is wonderfully caught by Harry Brook while going for his fifth six of the over! There were 30 runs in all, with Powell screeching to a 27-ball half-century.
Curran could have taken a wicket first ball, when Powell inside-edged just past leg stump for four, but then it all went wrong, big-time. Powell tennis-slammed six over long-off, then picked a slower ball and launched it into the crowd at midwicket.
An off-side wide was followed by another six, splatted over long-off, and then another straight back over Curran’s head. A slower bouncer was called wide, perhaps harshly, which meant an extra ball. Powell chipped it towards long-on, where Brook ran round the boundary to take a fantastic diving catch. Blimey. FOW: 134/5
06:40 PM GMT
OVER 15: WI 104/4 (King 55, Powell 22)
Jos Buttler turns to Adil Rashid to restore order and perhaps break this partnership. He beats both King and Powell, who decide they might as well just see him off and take low-risk singles. Rashid ends a majestic spell with figures of 4-0-11-2. He is bowling beautifully at the moment.
06:31 PM GMT
OVER 14: WI 101/4 (King 53, Powell 20)
Mills beats King with a quicker one and Powell with a slower one. Powell is getting frustrated, and very, very soon he is either going to hit a huge six or slog one straight up in the air.
It’s the former. After slicing a wide ball for four, Powell beasts a massive six back over Mills’ head. This is a decent comeback from West Indies on what looks a slightly awkward pitch.
06:27 PM GMT
OVER 13: WI 89/4 (King 53, Powell 9)
Rehan comes on for Rashid, whose last over is being kept back. King is keeping West Indies afloat, and goes on the attack to reach an excellent half-century.
He clubs the first ball over Woakes at long-off for six, gets four more thanks to a rare Woakes misfield, then slog-sweeps six more to reach his fifty from 33 balls.
06:23 PM GMT
OVER 12: WI 72/4 (King 36, Powell 9)
Tymal Mills replaces Rehan Ahmed. He starts excellently, mixing his pace, line and length to bowl four consecutive dot balls.
Then he changes the angle, going round the wicket, and is thwacked to the cover boundary by Powell. A superb over ends with Mills zipping one past the outside edge.
06:19 PM GMT
OVER 11: WI 68/4 (King 36, Powell 5)
Even with a deep batting line-up, West Indies look reluctant to go after Adil Rashid, so there are just four singles and a wide from his third over.
Since Rashid and Rehan came on, West Indies have scored 20/3 in five overs.
06:14 PM GMT
OVER 10: WI 63/4 (King 34, Powell 3)
King pumps Rehan back over his head for four. The next ball skids on to take the inside edge and miss the leg stump by this much.
Rehan already has an abundant box of tricks, and that quicker ball is one of his best.
06:11 PM GMT
OVER 9: WI 55/4 (King 28, Powell 1)
That’s just brilliant from Adil Rashid, whose figures are 2-0-3-2.
Leg spin from both ends working a dream for England: three wickets for Rashid and Ahmed in their opening 14 balls – and all are left-handers, showing that even a team packed with lefties shouldn’t stop England from pairing the two together.
06:09 PM GMT
Wicket!
Hetmyer c Moeen b Rashid 2 This is sheer delightful spin bowling. The dangerous Shimron Hetmyer edges a quicker, fuller delivery to slip, where Moeen takes a very sharp catch. England’s legspinners have taken three wickets for six runs in 12 balls. England’s legspinners! Plural! FOW: 54/4
06:06 PM GMT
OVER 8: WI 54/3 (King 28, Hetmyer 2)
Adil Rashid didn’t become an England regular until he was 27. Rehan Ahmed is 19. The mind boggles at how good he could become.
06:04 PM GMT
Wicket!
Hope b Rehan 1 Rehan Ahmed has seen Adil Rashid’s third-ball wicket and raised it! Shai Hope pushed down the wrong line at a good delivery that skidded on to brush the inside edge and hit the off stump. FOW: 51/3
06:02 PM GMT
OVER 7: WI 50/2 (King 26, Hope 1)
A brilliant start from Rashid, just two runs and a wicket.
06:00 PM GMT
Wicket!
Pooran c Woakes b Rashid 5 Adil Rashid is so good. He has picked up the important wicket of Nicholas Pooran with his third delivery of the game. After a couple of dot balls, Pooran launched into an impatient slog-sweep that went miles into the air. Eventually it dropped into the welcoming hands of Chris Woakes at long on. FOW: 48/2
05:57 PM GMT
OVER 6: WI 48/1 (King 25, Pooran 5)
Nicholas Pooran edges/steers his first ball wide of slip for four, then drops a single into the off side. West Indies are dealing almost exclusively in boundaries, which have accounted for 38 of the last 41 runs.
05:55 PM GMT
Wicket!
Mayers c Curran b Woakes 17 Mayers picks Woakes up over midwicket for a sweetly timed six – but he dies by the sword later in the over. He tried to blast Woakes back over his head, mistimed the stroke and was very well caught by Sam Curran running back from mid-off. FOW: 43/1
05:49 PM GMT
OVER 5: WI 37/0 (King 25, Mayers 11)
Sam Curran, on for Moeen Ali, goes straight round the wicket to the right-handed King. His cricket brain never sleeps, does it.
It’s an intriguing contest, with four dot balls (including one comically slow wide short ball) and two fours: a beautiful drive over mid-off and a smear down the ground on the run.
05:47 PM GMT
OVER 4: WI 29/0 (King 17, Mayers 11)
We’re back. The last ball of Woakes’ second over is flicked for a single by King.
Good afternoon from Grenada, where your intrepid correspondent has successfully sourced a chair and connected to the Wi-fi too. Nowhere near as good a crowd as in Barbados yet but hoping that the ground will fill-up later. Interesting that Liam Livingstone has been carded at number four, with England seemingly trying to give him more responsibility. Fine start from Mayers and King so far.
05:46 PM GMT
3.5 OVERS: WI 28/0 (King 16, Mayers 11)
Footmarks stop play
The openers are into their work now. Mayers bashes Woakes’ first two balls for four, one through the covers and one dragged past midwicket.
Woakes does well to concede only one off the next three deliveries before a problem with the footmarks leads to a break in play.
05:40 PM GMT
OVER 3: WI 19/0 (King 16, Mayers 2)
Moeen continues. After two more dot balls, King decides he’s had enough and dumps a slog sweep over midwicket for six.
There’s a bit of turn for Moeen – nothing extravagant, but it’s making life awkward for the batsmen. King still manages to clatter another six over long-on, though he didn’t middle it. This is West Indies in excelsis: dot balls and sixes.
05:36 PM GMT
OVER 2: WI 7/0 (King 4, Mayers 2)
Chris Woakes, who came on first change on Tuesday, returns to a familiar new-ball role. His first ball slides down the leg side, so Jacqueline Williams’ first job is to signal a wide.
Woakes soon finds a tight line, beating both batsmen with excellent deliveries. Mayers has a made a tentative start, 2 from 7 deliveries. But we know he can make up for lost balls, often by walloping sixes out of the ground.
05:32 PM GMT
OVER 1: WI 3/0 (King 3, Mayers 1)
Moeen has a good record against the left-handed Kyle Mayers, who looks too match-up conscious for his own good as he prods at his first few deliveries. Just three singles from the over. Any boundaryless over is a good one.
05:29 PM GMT
The players are on the field
And Moeen Ali is about to bowl the first over.
05:27 PM GMT
Female umpire Williams makes history
Never mind the 22 players, this is a big night for Jacqueline Williams – she is about to become the first female West Indian to umpire a T20 international between two full member nations.
05:13 PM GMT
Rashid: Morgan transformed our understanding of legspin
England will again play two legspinners today, three if you include Liam Livingstone. Adil Rashid has no doubt whose captaincy changed English attitudes to wristspin.
It’s definitely got a lot better since Morgs took over. He changed English cricket with his mentality and how he went about myself and how he really put it in my head about how to bowl and the [attacking] mindset we’re looking for.
Read more…
05:10 PM GMT
Team news: Moeen returns for England
Both teams make one change from the first match in Barbados, each bringing in an extra spinner.
Gudakesh Motie replaces the injured Romario Shepherd in the West Indies side; England bring in Moeen Ali for Ben Duckett.
West Indies King, Mayers, Hope, Pooran (wk), Hetmyer, Powell (c), Motie, Russell, Holder, Hosein, Joseph.
England Buttler (c/wk), Salt, Jacks, Livingstone, Brook, Moeen, Curran, Woakes, Ahmed, Rashid, Mills.
05:04 PM GMT
England win the toss and field
“It looks a good wicket,” says Jos Buttler, although I’m not entirely sure his lips moved. “We fancy a chase today.”
Rovman Powell says West Indies would also have fielded first.
” .”
England win the toss and Jos Buttler chooses to bowl first 🏏#WIvENG pic.twitter.com/oda8N6l8Xr
— Cricket on TNT Sports (@cricketontnt) December 14, 2023
04:48 PM GMT
Preview: England’s reset button is jammed
Hello and welcome to Telegraph Sport’s live, over-by-over coverage of the second T20 international between West Indies and England in Grenada. It’s not a must-win game for England, as this is a five-match series, but it’s a really-could-do-with-winning game – for the series, for their morale, and to lubricate a reset button that is currently jammed.
England have lost a lot of white-ball matches in recent months, and on this tour they have struggled to get over the line in tight games. There were times during the first match in Barbados that England looked in control: when they were 112/2 after 10 overs, then when West Indies were 123/6 chasing 172. But this West Indies team, like their great T20 side of the 2010s, bat deeper and hit longer than their opponents. Rovman Powell and Andre Russell, an offensively good No8, ended the match in a flurry of fours and sixes.
One of the big plusses for England was the performance of the teenage legspinner Rehan Ahmed, who held his nerve after going for three sixes in his first over. Rehan and Adil Rashid, playing his 100th T20 international, took five of the six wickets to fall. “I definitely look at him as a younger brother,” Rashid said. “He’s 19. He’s got his own journey. We’re always talking; just keep it simple, enjoy yourself and let nature take its course. The more he plays and the more experience he gets, things will get better for him.
“We’re completely different bowlers. He bowls it a bit quicker I try and get a bit more flight, have a few few more variations. But it’s always nice to see that in tandem – two leggies bowling. Myself and Reh, we’re gonna keep coming out, try to do our thing, try to do the best we can and leave the rest to selectors and the team.”
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