England’s Twenty20 tour of Barbados acquired off to a false begin after they have been bundled out for 103 earlier than the West Indies reached a meagre goal with 9 wickets and 17 balls to spare.
After being requested to bat first on a difficult pitch with inconsistent bounce, England lurched to 10 for 3 then 49 for seven as their Ashes batting woes transferred to the Caribbean on the outset of this five-match sequence.
Decrease-order batters Chris Jordan and Adil Rashid spared England’s blushes as they prevented a brand new record-low T20 whole however the duo’s efforts barely papered over the cracks, with the Windies hardly ever troubled of their pursuit.
Jordan top-scored for England with 28 from 23 balls and was one in every of solely 4 batters to make double figures in a much-changed line-up for the vacationers, with out the likes of Jos Buttler and Ben Stokes after their Ashes exertions.
Sam Billings was one in every of solely 5 survivors from the aspect that misplaced to New Zealand within the T20 World Cup semi-final in November, jetting out to Bridgetown from Hobart the place he had made his Take a look at debut simply days earlier.
England’s bowlers have been environment friendly if non-threatening – with Brandon King’s unbeaten 52 from 49 deliveries breaking the again of the chase – however they got valuable little to work with after a dreadful begin for his or her batters.
Contemporary from a 36-ball ton in England’s solely warm-up, Jason Roy set pulses racing when he heaved over midwicket however then missed a wild swipe and was confronted with Sheldon Cottrell’s customary salute after a full toss uprooted center stump.
Jason Holder exploited the bounce on provide from his 6ft 7in body, inducing the surface fringe of Tom Banton with a juggling Nicholas Pooran holding on at slip whereas Moeen Ali loosely drove the subsequent ball low to backward level.
Two successive maidens adopted earlier than James Vince threatened to steer the counter-attack with 14 runs in 5 balls, together with a top-edge for six, as Cottrell erred in his lengths. However the left-armer had the final snort when England’s quantity three tamely slapped an extended hop straight to cowl.
England dealt solely in boundaries within the first 5 overs, typically struggling simply to put bat on ball on a pitch exhibiting indicators of variable bounce, however Billings bustled on his arrival. His enthusiasm acquired the higher of him, although, as he danced down the observe and walked straight previous one which beat his bat earlier than being stumped.
At 29 for 5, England have been in a quagmire and their state of affairs worsened when Liam Dawson making his first worldwide look since October 2018, was despatched again after setting off for a single whereas Eoin Morgan, who was making an attempt to carry the innings collectively, mistimed a slower ball to cowl for a subdued 17 off 29 balls.
With not even 50 on the board and 7 wickets down England have been at risk of setting extra unwelcome benchmarks following their Ashes ignominy, and their lowest whole of 80 in opposition to India on the 2012 World Twenty20 was nonetheless a great distance off, however Jordan and Rashid saved the vacationers afloat with a 36-run stand.
There have been three lusty sixes from Jordan earlier than he holed out whereas Rashid’s deft strokes took England past three figures. They didn’t make it a lot additional, although, with Holder as soon as once more taking two wickets in two balls – Rashid the final to go for 22 – to complete with format-best figures of 4 for seven as England have been all out in 19.4 overs.
The Windies are with out the menacing presence of Chris Gayle on the high of the order, one in every of a number of casualties following a T20 World Cup marketing campaign the place they received simply one in every of 5 matches, however he was hardly missed as King and Shai Hope settled instantly.
In distinction to England’s early boom-or-bust strategy, the Windies pair have been largely content material to rotate strike, with the one shot in anger in a 52-run opening partnership coming when King swept Rashid over midwicket. Rashid ensured England wouldn’t undergo a primary 10-wicket T20 defeat when he lured Hope out of his crease.
Hope was crushed by some lavish flip and stumped for 20 however whereas England’s bowlers toiled away, with Dawson notably miserly in conceding 12 runs in 4 overs, they lacked a innovative below floodlights with even a Covid-reduced crowd sensing there could be no collapse from the hosts.
There was no use for any risk-taking from King, who reached a affected person 47-ball fifty shortly earlier than hitting the profitable run, whereas Pooran additionally adopted a wise strategy to complete with 27 not out from 29 balls.
England could have little time to lick their wounds, with the subsequent match going down on Sunday.
Kaynak: briturkish.com