Summary

  • Salt hits stunning 109* off 56 balls as England chase 223 to win by seven wickets

  • Brook smashes 31 off seven balls to seal remarkable victory

  • Buttler reaches fifty off 33 but caught next ball

  • West Indies clatter 222-6 as Pooran smashes 82 off 45

  • Windies now lead five-match series 2-1

  • Fourth T20 in Trinidad on Tuesday

  1. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 19:49 Greenwich Mean Time 16 December 2023

    #bbccricket, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (standard network charges apply)

    At the start of the innings I thought England would score 138. I still think that, but maybe after 10 overs without loss.

    Steve K

  2. Eng 81-0published at 7 overs

    Buttler finds more joy in the leg side, sending Alzarri Joseph's first ball away to the fence.

    The Antiguan follows that with a front foot no-ball, but Buttler can only take a pulled single from the free hit.

  3. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 19:47 Greenwich Mean Time 16 December 2023

    #bbccricket, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (standard network charges apply)

    I’d like to see WI play a few other sides to know if they have a chance. We don’t have a functioning bowling attack anymore in any white-ball format and, if 4 out of 7 of our bowlers are still playing for England after this tour, we are likely to be humiliated in the T20 WC next year following the 50-over embarrassment.

    Jon

  4. 6 runs

    Eng 73-0published at 6 overs

    And another six to close the over!

    Salt again, and the same area, just clearing the boundary sponge.

    Two balls earlier Buttler had picked up four with another reverse sweep. 18 runs off the over, and that's the end of the powerplay.

  5. 6 runs

    Eng 61-0published at 5.1 overs

    The West Indies introduce Gudakesh Motie - England really struggled against him on Thursday, when he took 1-9 from four overs.

    Maybe their fortunes will be better today? Phil Salt certainly starts well - slapping his first ball for six over long-on.

  6. Eng 55-0published at 5 overs

    Two more fours from Akeal Hosein's third over, as England's openers continue to rattle along.

    Salt makes room to crack the ball through mid-on, before Buttler brings up England's fifty with a trademark reverse sweep to reach the boundary.

    We haven't seen many boundaries behind square in these two matches Grenada, but it's Buttler's hunting ground when he's in form.

  7. How's stat?!published at 19:38 Greenwich Mean Time 16 December 2023

    England have successfully chased just two scores in excess of 200 in T20 internationals - both against South Africa in 2016 and 2020.

    The target of 223 would be their third-highest.

  8. Eng 44-0published at 4 overs

    Andre Russell enters the attack and Jason Holder blocks Salt's shot at mid-off with his boot to save a run.

    Phil Salt then plays a lovely drive through the covers for four.

  9. Postpublished at 19:36 Greenwich Mean Time 16 December 2023

    England are above the West Indies rate at this stage - but it's very much early days.

    They were 77-0 in the first match in Barbados and were bowled out for 171.

    A worm graph showing England are ahead at three overs of their chase compared to West Indies' inningsImage source, CricViz
  10. Eng 35-0published at 3 overs

    Four for Buttler from Hosein, hammering the ball cross-batted in a gap near mid-on.

    England's batters then hustle a couple of twos and a pair of singles to take 10 from the over.

  11. 6 runs

    Eng 25-0published at 2 overs

    Crashed over mid-wicket!

    Phil Salt gets his six tally ticking over, Holder's ball sat up nicely.

  12. Not outpublished at 1.4 overs

    Nope.

    The ball struck Salt on the lower flank on the way through. There's no bat involved, and ball tracking has it umpire's call on the top of leg stump.

    The West Indies will be disappointed, but at least they retain their review.

  13. Umpire reviewpublished at 1.4 overs

    Oh, it's all going on here.

    So West Indies are reviewing an lbw shout as Phil Salt swept Jason Holder.

    There was then a chance of a run-out - Jos Buttler had almost made it all the way down the wicket and would have been colossally out, but there was no-one to take the throw at the bowler's end, and it flew past the stumps.

    From the previous delivery, Salt had struck Holder's second for a one-bounce four through the off side.

  14. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 19:23 Greenwich Mean Time 16 December 2023

    #bbccricket, via WhatsApp on 03301231826 or text 81111 (standard network charges apply)

    Too often in this series we've had a hugely expensive over which has taken the game away from us. 30 odd in the last match, 25 in this match. Whilst our batters keep failing, these overs cost us the game.

    Phil

  15. 6 runs

    Eng 13-0published at 1 overs

    Jos Buttler isn't hanging around!

    Phil Salt takes the single to bring England's captain on strike and he strikes consecutive sixes down the ground to close Hosein's over.

    The first is a lovely stand and admire shot straight to the sight screen, while the second is more of a chip that just clears the ropes at long-off.

    The West Indies hit 16 in their innings - we're an eighth of the way there.

  16. Postpublished at 19:21 Greenwich Mean Time 16 December 2023

    Steven Finn
    Former England bowler on TNT Sports

    I think England need to keep it as simple as possible. If they look too far into the distance it'll look impossible. They need to build partnerships, pace your innings.

  17. Postpublished at 19:20 Greenwich Mean Time 16 December 2023

    Carlos Brathwaite
    Ex-West Indies all-rounder on TNT Sports

    I was happy at 190 - declare! There were a few more big hits left. I was really pleased with how the innings was structured, there was a real batting plan. Nicholas Pooran is world class, he measured his innings - good partnerships with Hope and Powell, playing second fiddle, ensuring one player in the top four went on, then he just let loose. There's not many people more beautiful to watch than Nicholas Pooran in full flow.

  18. Postpublished at 19:20 Greenwich Mean Time 16 December 2023

    West Indies spinner Akeal Hosein speaking to TNT Sports: "It's been fantastic, the support, the togetherness, the comradery, the excitement, it's been brilliant so far for us. You always come out to win, and winning definitely helps.

    "In the powerplay being a spinner it's always difficult, with only two guys out you really have to be on point. You have to execute, and when you're at the top of your mark it's just about clarity. You will get hit, so for me it's just about clearing my head and trying to execute for whichever batter is on strike.

    "I think it's always best to have your plan at the start. With that being said, batters sometimes do funny things to try and throw you off, but I think sometimes you have to stick to your plan and it's up to him to execute, and if he doesn't you're in the game. After you get hit for six there's two questions you've got to ask yourself: did he play a good shot, or did I miss execute.

    "Today is a very crucial day and we know England have a very strong team, it's not a team that you can take likely. So for us it's like a final today, we'll play our best effort and try to wrap up the series."

  19. Postpublished at 19:20 Greenwich Mean Time 16 December 2023

    Thanks, Timothy!

    223, eh? No big thing.

    Akeal Hosein is opening the bowling for the West Indies - here's what he had to say before the match...

  20. Postpublished at 19:19 Greenwich Mean Time 16 December 2023

    Somewhat pessimistically, I fear this could be another shellacking for England. It's the default overseas winter tour position, right?

    Anyway, time for me to hand over to Mike Peter. He will hopefully be a little bit more glass half full as he takes you through England's chase.