Phil Salt continued his stunning T20 form against the West Indies with a swashbuckling 103 not out off 54 balls as England drew first blood in the five-match series in Barbados.
Salt followed up back-to-back hundreds in Trinidad last December and a match-winning 87 not out against the Windies at the T20 World Cup in St Lucia in June to anchor England’s successful pursuit of 183.
On the island where he spent six years of his childhood, Salt lashed nine fours and six sixes and put on an unbroken 107 in 61 balls with Bajan-born-and-bred Jacob Bethell to seal an eight-wicket win.
But Jos Buttler made a golden duck on his comeback after four months out while England are fretting on an injury to the luckless Reece Topley, who jarred his right knee when he fell in his delivery stride before a rain break, which led to copious amounts of sand being spread on one area of the outfield.
Saqib Mahmood claimed four for 34, including a trio of wickets that left the Windies on 18 for three but the hosts refused to take a backward step and several cameos lifted them to 182 for nine, boosted by them taking 64 in the last 5.2 overs despite being eight down as England could not finish them off.
But while Nicholas Pooran, Andre Russell, Romario Shepherd and Gudakesh Motie all reached 30, none of them could play a decisive hand akin to Salt and Bethell, who finished unbeaten on 58 off 36 balls.
Salt showed off his range with a battling 74 off 108 balls at the same ground earlier this week as England lost the ODI series decider but the opener was at his belligerent best early on here.
He muscled Akeal Hosein for a straight six then whipped Shamar Joseph away for the same result, before taking four successive fours off the seamer, as Salt dominated a 73-run stand with Will Jacks, who missed a sweep off Motie and was castled.
Buttler, batting at three for just the second time in 115 T20 internationals, then top-edged his first ball off Romario Shepherd to Motie, who took a phenomenal leaping catch in the deep.
England briefly took their foot off the accelerator but Bethell took England past three figures with a couple of classy fours off Romario Shepherd before Salt upped the ante with sixes off Russell and Shepherd, who saw Sherfane Rutherford put down the batter on the boundary when he was on 86.
It was the only chance he offered, though, with Salt bringing up his third T20 century off just 53 balls with his ninth four before handing over to Bethell to get England home with 19 balls to spare.
Mahmood had earlier caused carnage in the Windies top order after England, who handed a T20 debut to Dan Mousley and rested Jofra Archer, won the toss as Buttler returned from a a nagging calf injury.
Brandon King stepped to leg but miscued to short cover off Mahmood, who had two in two when Evin Lewis thumped off his pads into the deep and Shimron Hetmyer nicked off, deceived by a hint of away movement.
While other sides might have consolidated, Nicholas Pooran and Rovman Powell put on 41 in 17 balls in the first and not the only indicator the Windies would continue to keep swinging.
Topley’s awkward tumble before a half-hour rain delay left England a bowler light although they kept chipping away at the opposition batters, with the ever-reliable Rashid claiming three wickets.
But any notion the Windies had been subdued at 117 for eight was banished when Motie smoked his first two balls for six, spoiling Rashid’s figures slightly, before carving Curran for successive fours.
Mahmood took the pace off to frustrate then snare Motie in a terrific penultimate over yielding four but Romario Shepherd belted the Windies’ 12th and 13th sixes to finish the innings with a flourish.
