West Indies v England First T20I LIVE – Phil Salt gives tourists flying start in chase of 183 – Eurosport

England 145-2 (Salt 93, Bethell 32) Over 14 (Shepherd): 2, 4, 1, 6, 1, 1

Bethell blazes a wide ball through the covers for a four.

Two balls and a fine Lewis stop later, a spinning Salt pulls one for six – tipped over by Rutherford.

England 130-2 (Salt 87, Bethell 21) Over 13 (Motie): 0, 1, 0, 4, 1, 0

A Bethell edge for four, after Morie outwitted him and he threw his bat at a wide one, brings up the 50 partnership. Six from the over.

England 124-2 (Salt 85, Bethell 19) Over 12 (Russell): 0, 1, 6, 4, 1, 2

Russell bowls too straight and is made to pay. Salt flicks one ball for six over fine leg and another for four.

From there it’s easy for England to milk a few more and escape with 14 runs from the over. Just 59 more runs required to win.

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England 110-2 (Salt 74, Bethell 16) Over 11 (Hosein): 1, 0, 1, 0, 1, 1

An uneventful over is good news for England, even if they don’t score much. Four runs from it, all singles.

England 106-2 (Salt 72, Bethell 14) Over 10 (Shepherd): 4, 1, wd, 2, 1, 4, 0

Two boundaries for Bethell – a powerful smash to long on and a delicate cut through backward point – as England add 13 more runs.

At the halfway stage, England are well ahead of the pace.

England 93-2 (Salt 69, Bethell 5) Over 9 (Motie): 0, 1, 2, 4, 1, 1

A flick of Salt’s wrists sends the ball flying to the boundary at cow corner – the standout shot of an over England score nine from. The required rate is down to 8.18.

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England 84-2 (Salt 62, Bethell 3) Over 8 (Joseph): 0, 0, 1, 1, 1, 4

Salt beautifully cuts the last ball of the over through third man for a boundary. Seven runs off what looked like being an excellent over for West Indies.

England now need 99 runs from 72 balls.

WATCH: BRILLIANT CATCH GETS RID OF BUTTLER

Sometimes they just stick.

England 77-2 (Salt 57, Bethell 1) Over 7 (Shepherd): 0, 2, 1, W, 1, 0

A good over from Shepherd, headlined by the valuable wicket of Buttler.

Two players raised in Barbados at the crease now for England – Salt and Bethell – with the former now having passed 1,000 T20I runs.

Wicket! Buttler c Motie b Shepherd 0 (1)

What a catch! Down at third man, Motie appears caught underneath a Buttler edge but sticks up a hand and makes a brilliant, one-handed grab! Buttler out for a golden duck.

WATCH: SALT SMASHES WAY TO HALF-CENTURY

Now just two runs away from 1,000 T20 runs.

England 73-1 (Salt 54, Buttler 0) Over 6 (Motie): 6, 0, 6, 1, 6, W

Salt comes down the track, looks cramped for room yet still deposits Motie over his head for six.

Seconds later he’s coming down the wicket again and hacking another six, this time ofver the leg side, to bring up a 25-ball half-century.

Jacks joins the six-hitting act and England finish a brilliant powerplay with 73 runs – but a wicket down.

Wicket! Jacks b Motie 17 (10)

Motie bowls Jacks last ball of the powerplay! Looking to sweep, Jacks plays over the ball and is bowled – finally some joy for the hosts.

England 54-0 (Salt 41, Jacks 11) Over 5 (Hosein): 1, 0, 0, 0, 0, 1

An excellent comeback over from West Indies, with Salt unable to penetrate the inner circle.

WATCH: ENGLAND’S FIRST SIX

England 52-0 (Salt 40, Jacks 10) Over 4 (Joseph): wd, 1, 6, 4, 4, 4, 4

A rough start for Joseph, who’s taken around the park by Salt and concedes 24 runs.

The third four – a lovely straight drive – is the pick of the shots, but they’re all damaging. If you give Salt room he will swing, and in the powerplay that’s a recipe for runs.

England 28-0 (Salt 18, Jacks 10) Over 3 (Hosein): 1, 0, 1, 0, 0, 6

Salt salvages the over but bludgeoning the final ball over cow corner. Frustration for Hosein, who was so close to an excellent over.

WATCH: UNORTHODOX FIELDING SAVES A RUN

England 20-0 (Salt 11, Jacks 8) Over 2 (Russell): 1lb, 2, 3, 1, 1, 6

A better over for England, culminating in Jacks smearing a good-length ball over point for six.

Before that, a mistimed Salt shot was almost caught by Rutherford, but just beyond his reach and then very nearly kicked over the boundary.

England 6-0 (Salt 5, Jacks 1) Over 1 (Hosein): 0, 1, 1, 4, 0, 0

The West Indies open with spin and hold serve. The lone boundary a four bludgeoned over the bowler’s head by Salt.

ENGLAND PREPARING TO CHASE

“I think the new ball is going to be important,” Carlos Brathwaite says from Barbados. “Obviously England need to get off to a flier.” We’re expecting that to fall on Jacks and Salt, with Buttler slated to bat at three.

Steve Finn, in the studio, reckons spin will be key.

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West Indies 182-9 (Shepherd 33, Jospeh 0) Over 20 (Mahmood): 6, 6, 0, 0, 2, 2

Curran is too straight, then too wide, and twice hit for six by Shepherd – the second ball an ugly full toss.

He fights back well, but with 55 runs off the last five overs, West Indies have posted an imposing total from what seemed like a hopeless position. Motie and Shepherd in particular deserve praise.

It will take the highest successful T20I run chase at this venue for England to win.

West Indies 166-9 (Shepherd 19, Jospeh 0) Over 19 (Mahmood): 1, 1, 1, 0, wd, 0, W

Mahmood finishes with figures of four overs, four wickets for 34 runs. Excellent returns.

Wicket! Motie c Mousley b Mahmood 33 (14)

Motie holes out on the boundary and his brilliant cameo comes to an end. He’s added valuable runs and a couple of his best shots are below.

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West Indies 162-8 (Shepherd 17, Motie 32) Over 18 (Overton): 4, 1, 4, 0, 0, 1

Motie edges for four – but you make your own luck often 0 and now has his highest T20I score.

Shepherd also gets in on the act with an excellent clip off the legs for four, as Windies take 10 from the over.

West Indies 152-8 (Shepherd 12, Motie 27) Over 17 (Curran): 0, 1, 4, 4, wd, 0, 1

This is some knock from Motie, who skewers Curran high over the covers for four and follows up with a shot along the ground, to the same region, for the same result, having given himself room.

Curran’s decent comeback stems the bleeding.

West Indies 141-8 (Shepherd 11, Motie 18) Over 16 (Livingstone): 4, 0, 0, 1, 4, wd, 2

Valuable runs being picked up by the tail, including a brilliant inside-to-out cover drive for four from Motie.

West Indies 129-8 (Shepherd 6, Motie 12) Over 15 (Rashid): 0, 0, 0, W, 6, 6

Motie smashes Rashid for back-to-back sixes his first two balls! One creamed over the leg side, one back over mid-off. What an eventful over.

That’s Rashid bowled out, three wickets for 32 runs. He’s been excellent as usual.

Wicket! Hosein lbw Rashid 2 (6)

Hosein successfully reviews after being give out LBW. The very next ball, the umpire gives him out LBW once again and this time there is no reprieve. A beautiful, drifting Rashid delivery coming back to hit middle stump.

West Indies 117-7 (Shepherd 6, Hosein 2) Over 13 (Overton): 1lb, W, 1, 4, 1, 1

Eight runs and a huge wicket from the over.

Wicket! Pooran c Buttler b Overton 38 (29)

It’s a huge wicket! Overton bowls into the pitch, Pooran splices a shot in really quite ugly fashion and Buttler takes the catch at mid-off. West Indies in a lo of bother now.

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West Indies 109-6 (Pooran 38, Shepherd 1) Over 13 (Livingstone): 2, 0, 6, W, 1, 0

The Dre Russ show thrilled, but is over now.

Livingstone’s first ball is skied by Russell, but lands between three fielders on the off side. The third is launched back over his head and out of the ground! The fourth lands in Mousley’s hands.

Livingstone is the seventh bowler used by England and third to get a wicket.

Meanwhile, the word from England is that Topley will not return to the field having jarred his knee.

Wicket! Russell c Mousley b Livingstone 30 (17)

One ball after launching Livingstone for six, Russell holes out to the off-side boundary.

West Indies 100-5 (Pooran 38, Russell 22) Over 12 (Curran): 0, 0, 2, 1, 0, 1

Curran comes into the attack and Pooran is on strike for what feels like the first time in a while.

Three runs come off the first four balls, then Curran catches Russell out with a good bouncer he ducks away from.

A yorker last ball is dug out to fine leg for a single, bring up the West Indies hundred.

West Indies 96-5 (Pooran 34, Russell 21) Over 11 (Rashid): 1lb, 1, 1, 6, 6, 0

Rashid almost gets Russell after a mistimed hoick toward mid-on, but the sub-fielding Michael Pepper misjudges the flight and can’t reach the ball.

Russell makes England pay with back-to-back towering sixes later in the over. Immense hitting through the leg side.

West Indies 81-5 (Pooran 34, Russell 8) Over 10 (Overton): 1, 1, 1, 0, 6, wd, 0

Russell smashes a short ball baseball-style over the leg side. Brutal but brilliant.

It’s the only boundary of the over though and at the halfway stage of the innings, England will certainly be the happier side.

WATCH: BUTTLER TAKES BRILLIANT CATCH

West Indies 71-5 (Pooran 32, Russell 1) Over 9 (Mousley): 1, W, 0, 0, 1, 1

Another wicket for Rashid, it’s just what he does. Russell is at the crease and West Indies need a big knock from him, you feel. Somebody needs to stick with Pooran.

Wicket! Rutherford c Buttler b Rashid 2 (6)

Rutherford cuts Rashid, getting a thick outside edge, and Buttler takes a superb, one-handed catch at slip! Brilliant from the captain.

West Indies 68-4 (Pooran 30, Rutherford 2) Over 8 (Mousley): 6, 0, 0, 0, 1, 0

Mousley – on T20I debut – comes into the attack. And first ball, Pooran hits him for six.

From there, Mousley fights back well.

West Indies 61-4 (Pooran 23, Rutherford 2) Over 7 (Rashid): 1, W, 0, 0, 2, 0

Three runs and the crucial wicket of a set batter from Rashid’s first over.

Wicket! Powell c Overton b Rashid 18

Rashid is into the attack and straight into the wickets! Powell looks to hit the leg-spinner over cow corner but Overton is waiting on the boundary and leaps to take the catch.

West Indies 58-3 (Pooran 22, Powell 18) Over 6 (Mahmood): 4, 1lb, 1, 4, 6, 1

Fantastic batting from Pooran.

Mahmood goes short with his first delivery and Pooran dismissively smahses it into the stands, over the leg side. A few balls later he delicately cuts behind square for four, bringing up the West Indies half-century, before dispatching the next ball over cow corner. 

West Indies get 19 runs off the over, their best so far, and the powerplay is over.

West Indies 39-3 (Pooran 4, Powell 17) Over 5 (Topley/Overton): 4, 0, 6, 6, 0, 0

An eventful, interrupted over. 

Powell gloriously drives the first ball after the restart back over Topley’s head for six, and with that Topley heads off too, clearly still hurt.

Overton takes over and bowl back-to-back dot balls – Topley’s long-term health will be of the most concern to England, however.

Fortunately for England, Topley has been deemed fit enough to bowl. No overs have been lost.

GAME TO RESTART AT 8PM GMT

Fingers crossed cricket will resume in 10 minutes.

To tide you over until then, why not dive into a Q&A with England legend and TNT Sports expert Alastair Cook?

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IT’S DRY AT THE KENSINGTON OVAL

The umpires and the groundstaff are having a look at the pitch and play appears to be returning soon.

Topley is down on the grass too, testing his body but still moving somewhat gingerly.

WATCH: MAHMOOD TAKES TWO WICKETS IN TWO BALLS

While we wait for play to resume – or a definitive update as to when that will be – here are some wickets to admire.

Mahmood has taken all three for England and is going at a run a ball.

The first three balls of Topley’s over go for 10 runs, before he hits the deck with an apparent injury.

Heavy-ish rain quickly follows so the players head off – and thankfully Topley is able to walk off. West Indies 33-3, and all indications are it will be a quick shower.

West Indies 23-3 (Pooran 5, Powell 1) Over 4 (Mahmood): 1lb, W, W, 0, 1, 4

No hat-trick, but a great over from Mahmood none the less and just six runs off it. 

Captain Powell faces the hat-trick ball and blocks it out confidently, before Pooran flicks the final ball off his legs for four. Mahmood will be disappointed at that final delivery, having been on the money up to that point.

And since this, Mahmood has claimed another two.

Wicket! Hetmyer c Salt b Mahmood 0 (1)

Mahmood is on a hat-trick! A brilliant first ball to Hetmyer is pushed at as it goes across the batsman and Salt gobbles up a routine catch behind the stumps!

Wicket! Lewis c Bethell b Mahmood 13 (10)

Lewis tries to hoick a full ball over square leg, but Bethell is waiting and takes a few steps in from the boundary to make a smart catch, leaning forward.

Mahmood strikes again and  England are off to a very good start.

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West Indies 17-1 (Lewis 13, Pooran 1) Over 3 (Topley): 1, 0, 0, 1, 0, 4

Another good over for England, but it could have been better. Lewis belts the last ball back past Topley for four, having looked uncomfortable against the short ball earlier, edging one over the head of the wicketkeeper.

West Indies 11-1 (Lewis 8, Pooran 0) Over 2 (Mahmood): 4, 1, 1, 1, W, 0

Lewis spears the first ball through the covers for the first boundary, but England strike back three balls later as Mahmood follows King and claims a first scalp.

Wicket! King c Overton b Mahmood 3 (5)

King leans back, trying to hit Mahmood over the infield, but does not get the height required and is caught in the covers.

West Indies 4-0 (King 2, Lewis 2) Over 1 (Topley): 0, 1, 1, 1, 0, 1

A sedate first over, but as Ian Bishop and Mark Butcher point out on the TNT Sports commentary, not taking enough singles has been an issue for the Windies. So to get four in the first over is a low-key encouraging sign.

WEST INDIES WITHOUT ATTACK LEADER

We’re just about ready to start now.

WATCH: BUTTLER DISCUSSES ENGLAND TEAM SELECTION

The England captain says it “feels great” to be back, though he’s not fully back. Buttler will be in the field today, with Salt keeping wicket. Jofra Archer doesn’t play on the island where he grew up and perhaps tellingly Buttler calls this side “the usual top seven.”

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West Indies: Brandon King, Evin Lewis, Nicholas Pooran (wk), Shimron Hetmyer, Rovman Powell (c), Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, Andre Russell, Akeal Hosein, Gudakesh Motie, Shamar Joseph.

England: Phil Salt (wk), Will Jacks, Jos Buttler (c), Liam Livingstone, 5 Jacob Bethell, Sam Curran, Dan Mousley, Sam Curran, Jamie Overton,  Adil Rashid, Saqib Mahmood, Reece Topley

ENGLAND WIN THE TOSS AND BOWL

Buttler’s first act back is to win the toss and bowl. A choice West Indies captain Rovman Powell says he would also have made.

The venue is Bridgetown, as it was for the deciding ODI, and the weather is playing ball.