Salt shines, WI lose Super 8 opener

Jos Buttler backed his bowlers to contain the West Indies batters after he won the toss. And they did so well, that England were able to deliver a crucial eight-wicket victory in their first match in the Super Eight stage of the ICC T20 World Cup last night in St Lucia.

The Windies fans at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium had much to jump around about on Monday when their team outplayed Afghanistan in the final match of the group stage.

But last night they were left subdued by an England side that was more clinical than the Men in Maroon.

Needing 181 to win, England got to their target with 15 balls to spare. They were led there by opener Phil Salt’s calculated Man-of-the-Match 47-ball 87, made largely in tandem with an energetic Jonny Bairstow (48 off 26 balls). They shared an unbroken third wicket partnership of 97 off a mere 44 balls to put the game away and announce that the defending champions will be a dangerous side in the business end of this tournament.

Salt was only seven when he was put down by Nicholas Pooran, the WI wicketkeeper failing to clutch a bottom edge as the batter tried to pull Akeal Hosein in the third over of the run chase.

Pooran would also put down Moeen Ali off Roston Chase (3-0-19-1) and miss a run out attempt. But there were no such slip-ups from the England fielders as they limited Pooran and company to 180 for four on a true pitch.

Salt made full use of his let-off and Romario Shepherd, back in the side following his paternity leave, paid the price in the 16th over, being smashed for 30 by the England man, every ball going either to the ropes or well over it.

The loss will be a blow to the Windies’ hopes of finishing in the top two in the group, with the unbeaten South Africans still to come. But skipper Rovman Powell will know that last night it was a case of Jos Buttler’s men earning the victory.

Against Afghanistan, the West Indies batters were allowed to dictate the tempo. But they were unable to do so against an England attack in  which spinners Adil Rashid  (4-0-21-1) and Moeen Ali (2-0-15-1) took the momentum-slowing  wickets of Johnson Charles (38, 34 balls) and Andre Russell (one) in the 12th and 17th  overs.

Slow bowling also did for skipper Powell who fell to a top-edged catch to Mark Wood at short third man off the last ball of Liam Livingstone’s solitary over, the 15th of the innings.

Rashid and Ali  laid the platform for pacer Joshua Archer (4-0-34-1) to deliver the crucial blow of dismissing  Pooran (36, 32 balls) with the last delivery of the 16th over.

A full, fast ball wide of off-stump to the left-hander resulted in a snick to wicketkeeper Butler.

There were still heavy hitters to come, but the loss of Powell, Pooran and Russell in successive overs denied the Windies the momentum they sought.

And despite Sherfane Rutherford again playing a useful innings of 28 not out off 15 balls, only 43 came off the last five overs.

Butler’s bowlers had done fine work to limit the WI batting juggernaut despite the solid platform laid early by Charles and Brandon King (40 off 26 balls) before King (23, 13 balls) was forced to retire hurt with what was reported to be a  side strain; and then Charles and Pooran (43 off 23).

King’s injury would be a worry for the Windies, with must-win matches against the USA tomorrow and South Africa on Sunday to come.

But whatever his status, Powell’s men will have to find a way to bounce back immediately if they are not to make a premature exit from this World Cup.

Summarised scores:

West Indies 180-4, 20 overs (Johnson Charles 38, Nicholas Pooran 36, Rovman Powell 36)

vs England 181-2, 17.3 overs (Phil Salt 87 n.o., Jonny Bairstow 48 n.o.)

—England won by eight wickets.

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