England in West Indies: Tourists seal T20 series win with nervy victory
England edge previous West Indies to clinch T20 sequence
Image source, Getty PhotosLiam Livingstone used to be dropped three conditions nonetheless made the most of his luck to guide England to victory
Sam Drury
BBC Sport journalist
Third T20, St Lucia
West Indies 145-8 (20 overs): Powell 54 (41); Mahmood 3-17, Overton 3-20
England 149-7 (19.2 overs): Curran 41 (26), Livingstone 39 (28); Hosein 4-22
England received by three wickets; lead five-match sequence 3-0
Liam Livingstone used to be dropped three conditions before taking England to a chain-clinching three-wicket get hold of over West Indies within the third T20.
Having been space 146 to get hold of in St Lucia, Jos Buttler’s aspect slipped to 37-3 within the powerplay nonetheless Sam Curran batted fluently for his 41 from 26 balls to lead the restoration.
England had been neatly positioned when he departed nonetheless it completely used to be left to Livingstone – having been dropped twice by Nicholas Pooran on six and eight, alternatively by Shimron Hetmyer on 21 – to have a study out and attain the job.
The nice-hitting all-rounder took 16 from an Alzarri Joseph over to attach the tourists on the brink and though he holed out with four wanted, England bought over the road with four balls to spare.
Victory supplies them an unassailable 3-0 lead within the five-match sequence, with two suits left to be played.
Saqib Mahmood and Jamie Overton had earlier taken three wickets apiece as England restricted West Indies to 145-8.
Mahmood took three wickets within the powerplay as the hosts slumped to 37-5 and regardless of a half-century from captain Rovman Powell, they had been within the destroy unable to put up a winning total.
England had nervy moments within the bound nonetheless did what used to be required of them and head into Saturday’s fourth T20 – additionally in St Lucia – with the sequence victory secured.
Mahmood and Overton construct the break for England
Image source, Getty Photos
Mahmood has taken 9 wickets at an sensible of seven.88 within the sequence up to now
After a commence delayed by forty five minutes thanks to a wet outfield, England’s bowlers came out firing.
They got a serving to hand by a mixture of a combine-up between the West Indies openers and brilliance within the field from Jacob Bethell to speed out Shai Hope.
Mahmood eliminated Evin Lewis within the next over before developing Roston Skedaddle fantastically to contain him caught within the foundation plod within the fourth.
Jofra Archer bowled Pooran in between and when Mahmood had Hetmyer caught within the deep, West Indies had been reeling.
For Mahmood, who exploited friendly bowling prerequisites brilliantly, it is now a story-breaking eight wickets within the powerplay in this sequence – the most by any bowler in a bilateral T20 contest.
Powell led the restoration with a neatly-paced half-century as he and Romario Shepherd commended West Indies away from immediate hazard – both showing the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground used to be too dinky for them when they connected cleanly.
The Windies skipper reached his seventh T20 worldwide fifty from 36 balls nonetheless trusty when he and Shepherd would contain hoped to accelerated, the latter fell lbw after he used to be deceived by a fantastically disguised Overton slower ball.
Overton eliminated Gudakesh Motie within the identical over after which came motivate to contain Powell caught within the deep to commence his subsequent.
There regarded esteem being a ingredient of symmetry to the innings before a listless flurry from Joseph and Akeal Hosein ensured the hosts batted their overs to put up a legit total.
Livingstone makes Windies pay for dropped catches
Image source, Getty Photos
West Indies dropped four catches – the joint-most in a T20 in their historic previous
Whereas the pitch used to be no minefield there used to be completely adequate to shield the bowlers , so having bought England three down early, West Indies would had been assured of pressing dwelling their wait on.
The impressive Hosein eliminated Phil Salt and Buttler, England’s standout batters within the major two video games, whereas the returning Joseph had Bethell caught gradual.
Nonetheless, Will Jacks showed unravel and Curran regarded in trusty touch from the outset, elegantly stroking his first ball for four.
That pair bought England motivate heading within the correct direction nonetheless the principle moments came rapidly after Jacks fell to Motie for 32.
Livingstone came in and promptly carted Joseph into the stands for six. But two balls later, he skied a hook shot, simplest for Pooran to shell the get hold of as he ran motivate from gradual the stumps.
The subsequent over saw Pooran reward Livingstone any other likelihood when he edged gradual off Motie with the ball bouncing out of the wicketkeeper’s gloves.
Curran’s innings came to an end when he picked out Hope at deep backward present hand Terrance Hinds a distinguished T20I wicket, and had Hetmyer held on to a no longer easy low get hold of to brush off Livingstone within the next over, England can also had been in wretchedness.
As any other, Livingstone took the attack to Joseph, clubbing a six and two fours within the over, and 21 from 18 balls required used to be impulsively five from 12.
He fell making an strive to realize the sport standard nonetheless Rehan Ahmed came in and slapped the ball over quilt to realize the job for England within the final over.
England can celebrate the sequence get hold of nonetheless West Indies will know that nonetheless for some sloppy fielding, they are usually proper motivate in it.
‘I surely feel surely free in this team’ – response
Participant of the match, England bowler Saqib Mahmood: “As a bowling unit now we contain always had the mindset of seeking to rob early wickets. Every person knows their batting line-up is stacked all the manner down nonetheless we’ve no longer backed down and we’ve taken powerplay wickets in every game up to now.
“I surely feel surely free in this team now. It feels esteem my space and it feels esteem a surely mountainous likelihood to particular myself accessible.”
England captain Jos Buttler: “A right collective effort to get hold of the sequence which is de facto wonderful. I’ve been so impressed with how now we contain space the tone within the powerplays in all three video games up to now.
“We’re in a surely solid location as a team. We now contain bought surely trusty competition for locations too, in case you rob into consideration the gamers who’ve to no longer right here.”
West Indies captain Rovman Powell: “It’s miles a runt bit disappointing, we attend losing wickets within the powerplay and in clusters. We now contain got to be our pure selves.
“Every person knows we are stroke gamers and reach out aggressively nonetheless that runt ingredient of being clear used to be lacking.”