Hope says West Indies ‘few runs short’ in second T20 defeat to England
BRISTOL, United Kingdom (AFP) — England completed a series win over the West Indies with a game to spare after chasing down a target of 197 in the second T20 International in Bristol on Sunday.
Former Captain Jos Buttler led the way with 47 and current skipper Harry Brook made 34 as England reached 112-2 inside 13 overs.
The duo were dismissed in consecutive overs, with England still needing 85 more runs to win, but that was the cue for two of the newer team members to lay down a marker.
Jacob Bethell’s 26 off 10 balls, including three sixes, and Tom Banton’s 30 not out rounded off a four-wicket win with nine balls remaining.
Victory means Brook has won all five games since succeeding Buttler as permanent white-ball captain and now has the chance to match the preceding 3-0 One-Day International series whitewash of the West Indies in Tuesday’s T20 finale in Southampton.
“We chased the score beautifully,” Brook told Sky Sports.
“It gives us great confidence having Jacob Bethell, Tom Banton and Will Jacks at five, six and seven. The top order can go all out blazing.”
West Indies were struggling at 121-4 off 16 overs before adding 75 runs in the final four overs of their innings.
“I thought we were a few runs short,” said West Indies captain Shai Hope who top-scored with 49 in his side’s 196-6.
“We have to try and bounce back, win the [final] game, and finish the tour strong.”
The recalled Luke Wood gave England the ideal start when his swinging yorker had Evin Lewis lbw with the first ball of the match, but Hope and Johnson Charles (47) repaired some of the early damage in a stand of 90.
Rovman Powell added late impetus with 34 off 15 balls, and former Captain Jason Holder struck 29 off nine.
Adil Rashid bowled the penultimate over as England again only selected two seamers, but the veteran leg-spinner conceded 31 runs and finished with figures of 1-59 — his most expensive T20 return.
But Brook, having praised Wood for “setting the tone”, said: “The middle period with the spinners, the game didn’t get away from us.
“To have the couple of overs there let us get away with the big over at the end.”
