The curse lives on. Seven games into England’s white-ball tour of the Caribbean, every match has still been won by the team batting second. The streak fleetingly threatened to be broken as England amassed 218-5, but Shai Hope and Evin Lewis eviscerated their attack to set-up a five-wicket win.
The victory merely limits West Indies’ deficit in the series to 3-1, ahead of the final clash on Sunday. Yet, so emphatic was the hitting from Hope and Lewis that their blows put England’s win in a new perspective. Rovman Powell had broken into a wide grin at the toss, after finally being on the right side of a call this series. Even if England’s batsmen thrived – just as they did, with half-centuries from Phil Salt and Jacob Bethell – Powell had no doubt that his team would mount a successful chase.
The clinical brutality of Hope and Lewis, who added 136 in just 9.1 overs, was such that even losing three wickets in three balls only had the feel of a minor encumbrance. Rehan Ahmed, retained with Adil Rashid rested, snared Lewis with a googly; two balls later, Nicholas Pooran played on against the leg-spinner’s favourite delivery. In between, Pooran drove his first ball to mid off, started running and then sent Hope back, who was run out for 54.
England’s team hat-trick was followed by a mid-innings stumble, with Ahmed’s 3-43 a marked improvement on his showing on Wednesday. But Sherfane Rutherford’s cameo, concluding with consecutive sixes over the on side from Dan Mousley, sealed victory with an over to spare. The denouement was in keeping with the wider spectacle: the two teams hit a combined 32 sixes, 16 each. Such blows enlivened an evening that, despite a fine match, had an unmistakeable low-key feel, with many locals put off by West Indies’ earlier defeats in the series.
Perhaps one moment crystallised West Indies’ early swagger.
When Hope powered an Ahmed long hop through deep midwicket at the end of the seventh over, he raced to his half-century in 23 balls. Such a rate of scoring would be remarkable for any batsman; it was particularly absurd because Hope is notionally the line-up’s designated driver, his classical technique an antidote to his team-mates’ pyrotechnics.
Incongruously, West Indies’ chase had actually begun prosaically. Hope respectfully played out a maiden from Saqib Mahmood’s opening over, leaving the hosts 5-0 after two overs. The openers recognised that new-ball swing, particularly from Mahmood, was the lone realistic threat to a successful chase.
With both Jofra Archer and Rashid rested, and Jamie Overton unfit to bowl, England’s attack was exposed. John Turner had been presented his T20 international cap by Archer, who has been a significant source of support in his journey. But Turner’s second over was unable to match Archer’s usual offerings either for pace or accuracy; a series of length balls were picked off, the over went for 25 runs.
In understandable response, Jos Buttler rattled through bowling options. Yet each produced largely the same result. Sam Curran’s opening over went for 12; Mousley closed out the powerplay by conceding 13, as both openers launched huge sixes; and Ahmed’s first offering went for 14. Most egregiously, Liam Livingstone began his spell by conceding five wides down the leg side. His early discomfort was the cue for a ruthless Lewis assault: he smeared three sixes over deep midwicket, including a thunderous 105-metre blow, and the over yielded 30 runs.
Yet, for all the openers’ brilliance, West Indies were abetted by the same essential advantage that had favoured England in the first three games: the toss. The 4pm start times used in this series – ensuring games start at 8pm for UK viewers – means that the side who chase benefit from the dew, which renders it harder to grip the ball. To avoid this inequity, the Caribbean Premier League stages matches either during the day, before the dew can have any effect, or at 7pm local time – ensuring that any dew impacts both sides in the field, negating the advantage of winning the toss. Cricket West Indies have ignored this lesson.
And so the organisation of this series has been a microcosm of much modern sport: fundamental sporting integrity has been sacrificed at the alter of broadcasters’ wishes.
11:51 PM GMT
Jos Buttler’s reaction
It was an excellent wicket and I thought we needed at least 220. West Indies played exceptionally well and put us under pressure. I tried a few different fields to see if it might drag their attention away or create something.
Jamie Overton is good, we just have to manage his workload and unfortunately he couldn’t bowl today.
Wristspinners are like gold dust in T20 cricket, especially as wicket-takers, and I thought Rehan was very brave today with the way he bowled. He got us back into the game. He’s a young guy, full of confidence.
11:38 PM GMT
West Indies win by five wickets with six balls to spare
OVER 19: WI 221/5 (Rutherford 29 Chase 9) Mousley doesn’t nail his yorkers – a wet ball doesn’t help – and Rutherford smashes him for successive sixes to settle a pulsating game. There were 32 sixes, 16 apiece, and the game was ultimately decided by an astonishing burst of hitting by Evin Lewis and Shai Hope. They added 136 in 9.1 overs, including 131 in 7 at one stage, and that left England with too much to do.
11:31 PM GMT
OVER 18: WI 204/5 (Rutherford 16 Chase 5)
Buttler turns to Sam Curran rather than Mousley, a gamble that deserves to be rewarded when Rutherford slogs the second ball miles in the air towards mid-on. Somehow it bisects four fielders and lands safely.
Some sensible milking from the rest of the over bring the target down to 15 from 12 balls.
11:26 PM GMT
OVER 17: WI 198/5 (Rutherford 14 Chase 1)
A good last over from Turner, with three runs and that wicket. West Indies need 21 from 18 balls. It should be a formality, although you never know if Dan Mousley can nail his yorkers as he did in the Hundred.
11:23 PM GMT
Wicket!
Powell LBW b Turner 38 John Turner gets his first T20I wicket, and it’s a high-quality scalp too. Rovman Powell whips all around a straight one and is plumb LBW to end a fine innings of 38 from 22 balls. It’s almost certainly too little too late for England but it’s still a big moment in the career of this talented young bowler. FOW: 196/5
11:19 PM GMT
OVER 16: WI 195/4 (Powell 38 Rutherford 12)
Saqib Mahmood, the only England bowler who hasn’t been pummelled to all parts, is carefully milked for four from his final over. He ends with 4-1-24-0, and yes there really was a maiden in this innings.
11:15 PM GMT
OVER 15: WI 191/4 (Powell 36 Rutherford 10)
A boundaryless over from Dan Mousley. Sadly for England, West Indies are at the stage where that isn’t really a problem; they need 28 from 30 balls.
11:12 PM GMT
OVER 14: WI 185/4 (Powell 33 Rutherford 7)
Rutherford is fine to continue. Powell mullers Rehan over wide long-on for one last six. He is such a brilliant and reliable middle-order batter. Rehan ends a topsy-turvy spell with figures of 4-0-43-3. West Indies are cruising now.
11:07 PM GMT
13.4 overs: WI 178/4 (Powell 27 Rutherford 6)
Livingstone is going off the field. He’s able to walk off and seems cheerful enough, which suggests it’s nothing too serious.
The new batsman Sherfane Rutherford also accepts the invitation to go downtown, just getting enough on the ball to hit Rehan for six. He’s done himself a mischief in the process so now he needs some treatment.
11:05 PM GMT
Wicket!
Hetmyer c Livingstone b Rehan 7 Liam Livingstone has injured himself while taking a quite stunning catch. Buttler kept mid-on up to tempt Hetmyer, who couldn’t resist going down the ground. Livingstone sprinted back from mid-on, took a brilliant diving catch and had the presence of mind to turn his wrist so that the ball wouldn’t touch the ground. He winced immediately and is receiving treatment. That really was a helluva catch. FOW: 172/4
11:02 PM GMT
OVER 13: WI 172/3 (Powell 27 Hetmyer 7)
Any West Indies nerves are being assuaged by their captain Rovman Powell, who moves to 27 from 14 with a lovely six over mid-off from Saqib Mahmood.
Twelve gentlemen have bowled in this game. Only two, Alzarri Joseph and Saqib, have gone at less than ten an over.
10:55 PM GMT
OVER 12: WI 161/3 (Powell 20 Hetmyer 5)
Powell has struggled at times against Adil Rashid but he bullied Rehan on Thursday night and he’s doing again her. A mighty six down the ground is followed by a lap sweep for four, bringing the required rate down to just above seven. Apparently England didn’t go hard enough while scoring 218 in 20 overs.
10:51 PM GMT
OVER 11: WI 147/3 (Powell 7 Hetmyer 4)
John Turner returns, which must mean Jamie Overton isn’t allowed to bowl tonight as part of his rehabilitation plan. He’s exactly what England need here.
Powell drives a very classy boundary past extra cover, and the usual singles makes it nine from the over. West Indies need 72 from 54 balls.
10:47 PM GMT
OVER 10: WI 138/3 (Powell 1 Hetmyer 1)
That spectacular stop from Buttler meant Lewis, rather than Hope, was on strike at the start of Rehan’s over. Three balls later, England had taken three wickets.
West Indies are still on top, needing 81 from the last 10 overs, but England have given themselves an outside chance of a crazy victory.
10:43 PM GMT
Wicket!
Pooran b Rehan 0 A team hat-trick! Pooran drags a googly from Rehan back onto the stumps and goes for a two-ball duck. This game. This game is utterly bonkers. England concede 131 runs in 7 overs and then take three wickets in three balls. FOW: 136/3
10:42 PM GMT
Wicket!
Hope run out 54 Two wickets in two balls! Surely not? Pooran whipped his first ball to mid-on, at which point Hope set off for a single. He was sent back and was barely in the frame when Rehan collected Livingstone’s superb throw and broke the stumps. To say these wickets have come against the run of play would be quite the understatement. OW: 136/2
10:39 PM GMT
Wicket!
Lewis c Mousley b Rehan 68 Maybe it will be a turning point. Rehan Ahmed has struck with the first ball of the following over, a googly that Lewis sliced high over the covers. Dan Mousley charged in from the boundary to take a terrific low catch. Lewis goes for a savage 31-ball 68, including 43 from the last 11. FOW: 136/1
10:37 PM GMT
OVER 9: WI 136/0 (Lewis 68 Hope 54)
This is Stick Cricket, almost a boundary a ball. Lewis hits Curran for four to reach a 26-ball fifty, the second 25 runs having come off six bloody deliveries. It’s utter carnage.
Four more.
Six more
Six more, from a leading edge over third man. A leading edge over third man!
The over almost ends with an astonishing catch from Buttler at long off, though he did at least save five runs. Lewis clubbed Curran straight back over his head and Buttler flew through the air to get a hand to the ball and stop it going for six. Could that be the turning point in this game? No, don’t be so daft, but it was still a helluva bit of fielding.
10:30 PM GMT
OVER 8: WI 113/0 (Lewis 47 Hope 53)
Never mind a wicket, England could use a dot ball right now. Liam Livingstone, bowler No6, has just been monstered for 30 in his first over! It started badly, with the opening delivery going for five wides, and deteriorated apace. Lewis smashed two massive sixes over long-on, the second out of the ground, then pulled a third over the leaping Bethell at cow corner. My word.
10:25 PM GMT
OVER 7: WI 83/0 (Lewis 23 Hope 53)
Rehan Ahmed becomes England’s fifth bowler of the innings. It feels like, one way or another, his spell could be decisive. Hope jumps all over him, driving six down the ground and pulling viciously for four to bring up a quite brilliant fifty from 23 balls. Almost every stroke has been orthodox and classy.
10:21 PM GMT
OVER 6: WI 69/0 (Lewis 21 Hope 41)
Now Buttler gambles by bringing on Ally Pally’s finest, Dan Mousley, in the Powerplay. Hope sprays his first ball for a magnificent six over extra cover, then Lewis clubs another over long-on. Inbetween Lewis survived a Spandex-tight stumping referral after losing his bearings and lifting his back leg. Salt was convinced he had his man but the evidence was inconclusive.
West Indies have smashed 69 in the Powerplay, including – yikes – 64 from the last four overs.
10:15 PM GMT
Watch: Turner smashed for 25 in one over
10:14 PM GMT
OVER 5: WI 56/0 (Lewis 15 Hope 34)
Jos Buttler turns to Sam Curran, hoping that, with West Indies on the charge, Curran’s death-bowling expertise can be brought to bear in the Powerplay. Nope! Hope square drives another high-class boundary to move into the thirties and there are 12 from the over in total.
At this stage England were 54/1 so there isn’t much in it.
10:08 PM GMT
OVER 4: WI 44/0 (Lewis 11 Hope 27)
Mahmood screams for LBW when Lewis is hit on the thigh by a sharp nipbacker. Too high. That maiden from Mahmood seems a while ago now because the runs are flowing: four leg-byes, then successive boundaries to third man and midwicket from Hope. He has hit 27 from his last eight deliveries, and the only ball he didn’t score off in that time went for those four leg-byes.
10:00 PM GMT
OVER 3: WI 30/0 (Lewis 11 Hope 18)
Let the carnage begin: John Turner’s second over has disappeared for 25. Evin Lewis set the tone by picking the first ball up over backward square leg for six. Hope cracked an imperious boundary through extra cover, inside-edged another past leg stump, clubbed six over wide mid-on and slammed four more between mid-off and extra cover. That was bruising to watch, so goodness knows how Turner feels.
09:56 PM GMT
OVER 2: WI 5/0 (Lewis 4 Hope 0)
Saqib Mahmood already has nine wickets in this series, including a world-record eight in the Powerplay. He’s a bit unlucky not to reach double figures in his first over, an outstanding maiden that includes three play and misses from Shai Hope. This has been an almost perfect start for England.
09:51 PM GMT
OVER 1: WI 5/0 (Lewis 4 Hope 0)
A terrific start from John Turner. A legside wide is followed by five dot balls to Lewis and then a very streaky edge over the head of Overton at slip. The ball runs away for four but it was a moral victory for Turner.
09:46 PM GMT
Right, here we go
John Turner is going to open the bowling in the absence of Jofra Archer. The consensus in the TNT Sports studio is that, on such a brilliant batting pitch, the match is about 50/50.
09:36 PM GMT
West Indies need 219 to win
OVER 20: ENG 218/5 (Bethell 62) That was a brutal performance from England, with only Liam Livingstone missing out in an innings that included 16 sixes – a Napier, if you like. Jacob Bethell hit five of them in a sparkling unbeaten 62 from 32 balls. Whatever ‘it’ is, Bethell has got it.
09:35 PM GMT
Wicket!
Curran run out 24 McCoy takes the final over, which means Akeal Hosein – usually a banker – won’t bowl his allocation. Curran picks the slower bouncer and swats it over long on for England’s 16th six, then sacrifices himself in pursuit of a second run off the final delivery. FOW: 218/5
09:30 PM GMT
OVER 19: ENG 206/4 (Bethell 59 Curran 16)
Sam Curran comes to the party with a six down the ground off Joseph, his first and England’s 15th. They’ve only scored more in three T20 innings, two in the Caribbean a year ago and the other against South Africa at Bristol in 2022.
Joseph, easily the pick of the West Indies bowlers tonight, does well to concede only six from the last five balls. He deserved better than figures of 4-0-33-1.
09:26 PM GMT
OVER 18: ENG 194/4 (Bethell 59 Curran 6)
Obed McCoy bowls a really good third over… until Jacob Bethell belabours his final delivery over midwicket for another big six, 93 metres this time. The ball makes such a beautiful sound off Bethell’s bat.
09:20 PM GMT
OVER 17: ENG 183/4 (Bethell 51 Curran 4)
Bethell races to a stunning fifty with three consecutive sixes off Chase! The first two were pulled over midwicket, the third blasted straight down the ground. What a marvellous innings: 22 balls, four fours, four sixes. I don’t want to get carried away but the certainty and variety of Bethell’s batting in this series brings to mind Joe Root’s early white-ball innings. He just looks a cut above.
09:16 PM GMT
OVER 16: ENG 164/4 (Bethell 32 Curran 4)
Class from Bethell, who opens the face to steer Joseph between keeper and gully for four. Curran plays a not dissimilar shot to end the over but this time McCoy keeps him to two runs. Nine from the over in all.
09:12 PM GMT
OVER 15: ENG 155/4 (Bethell 27 Curran 0)
Sam Curran is the new batsman; Motie finishes with 4-0-40-2.
09:11 PM GMT
Wicket!
Livingstone c Hetmyer b Motie 4 Bethell drives Motie straight for four, then slog-sweeps a huge six to bring up England’s 150. This kid can seriously play. Motie’s final over ends frustratingly for England when Livingstone clouts a full toss straight down the throat of cow corner. Sometimes a full toss is a spinner’s best friend. FOW: 155/4
09:07 PM GMT
OVER 14: ENG 142/3 (Bethell 16 Livingstone 2)
Bethell hits Chase for two classy boundaries, a steer past backward point and a premeditated ramp over the shoulder. England continue to tick along at around 10 an over; from this position they’ll be disappointed if they don’t get at least 200.
09:03 PM GMT
OVER 13: ENG 131/3 (Bethell 6 Livingstone 1)
Liam Livingstone is the new batter.
09:01 PM GMT
Wicket!
Buttler c Chase b Motie 38 When the fun stops, stop. Buttler drives another mighty six off Motie but then hits a reverse sweep straight to Chase at short third man. That ends a sizzling cameo of 38 from 23 balls, another sign that Buttler is starting to reconnect with his inner genius. FOW: 129/3
08:58 PM GMT
OVER 12: ENG 123/2 (Buttler 32 Bethell 5)
After 16 balls without a boundary, a drought in the context of this innings, Buttler pulls Chase savagely for six and ramps the next ball for four. For the first time in a while, he looks like he’s really having fun out there.
08:54 PM GMT
OVER 11: ENG 110/2 (Buttler 20 Bethell 4)
Motie is safe to return to the attack now that Salt has gone. It’s a pretty good over, four singles and a wide. Given that he had figures of 0.2-0-12-0 at one stage, 2-0-19-0 doesn’t look too bad.
08:51 PM GMT
OVER 10: ENG 105/2 (Buttler 18 Bethell 2)
Salt was clearly furious to be caught behind by Roston Chase’s part-time off spin, just when he had designs on a fourth T20 century away to West Indies within a year. Still, he has continued his stellar record against West Indies – he averages 64 against them in 13 games – and given England a platform to potentially get 220. Will England finally buck the trend of toss losers going on to lose the game?
08:47 PM GMT
Wicket!
Salt c Pooran b Chase 55 Shock, horror: Phil Salt fails to convert a fifty into a hundred against West Indies. The new bowler Roston Chase sent down a reasonably filthy half-tracker down the leg side; Salt’s eyes lit up but the ball took a slight touch off the glove and was well caught by Pooran. The end of a pulsating innings: 55 from 35 balls with five fours and four sixes. FOW: 105/2
08:44 PM GMT
OVER 9: ENG 101/1 (Salt 55 Buttler 16)
Salt chips Hosein this far short of McCoy, who charged in from long-off and swooped first. For a second it looked he had taken a blinder but he immediately signalled that it hit the turf. And for some reason, despite that gesture, the third umpire checks whether it was a clean catch. Spoiler alert…
Buttler gets his first boundary with a back-foot punch over extra cover, a gorgeous shot that he follows with a swipe down the ground for six to bring up the hundred in the ninth over. England are taking Hosein to the cleaners; his three overs have cost 40.
08:39 PM GMT
OVER 8: ENG 88/1 (Salt 54 Buttler 4)
Salt races to a spectacular, punishing half-century with successive boundaries off the new bowler Rovman Powell. The first 25 runs took 22 balls, the next 28 just 10. In this mood he is as near as dammit unstoppable.
08:37 PM GMT
OVER 7: ENG 77/1 (Salt 45 Buttler 2)
Now Salt gives Gudakesh Motie a bit of pongo, hitting his first two deliveries of the innings for six. The first was crashed over midwicket for a 90-metre six, the second scorched over wide mid-off.
His T20 record against West Indies is astonishing: he averages 70 with a strike rate of 182. Of those who have batted at least 10 times against a particular opponent, only Najibullah Zadran (v UAE) and Virat Kohli (v Pakistan) have a higher average.
08:31 PM GMT
OVER 6: ENG 63/1 (Salt 32 Buttler 1)
Phil Salt is winning the battle with Hosein so far tonight. He swipes six more over mid-off, a terrific stroke from a ball that wasn’t particularly overpitched, and England take nine from the final over of the Powerplay. For a team that lost the toss, they’ve made a very good start.
08:27 PM GMT
OVER 5: ENG 54/1 (Salt 24 Buttler 0)
That was excellent bowling from Joseph, who followed Jacks outside leg stump with a sharp short ball. He didn’t celebrate – he rarely does – but his team needed that.
08:26 PM GMT
Wicket!
Jacks c Pooran b A Joseph 25 My word. Jacks hangs back so that he can launch Alzarri’s first ball back over his head for six. The England fifty comes up inside 4.2 overs, and this feels like a great chance for Jacks to get his first fifty in T20 internationals.
Er, maybe not. Jacks ends the over by gloving an attempted pull up in the air to end an eyecatching but frustrating cameo of 25 from 12 balls. Aside from the overpitched delivery that Jacks smoked for six, Joseph has bowled a really good length so far. FOW: 54/1
08:20 PM GMT
OVER 4: ENG 43/0 (Salt 23 Jacks 16)
Jacks makes room to blast McCoy over cover for a handsome one-bounce four. Another big shot plugs at cow corner, which means three rather than four runs to Jacks, but it’s another good over for England.
08:19 PM GMT
Disappointing crowd in St Lucia
Hard to recall many lower-key England internationals than this – though the ODI series in Australia in 2022, which began days after the T20 World Cup triumph, come close. Unfortunately, the series already being decided has severely dented local interest.
08:16 PM GMT
OVER 3: ENG 33/0 (Salt 21 Jacks 8)
The left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein again comes on for the third over. He’s the only man to dismiss Salt in this series but he starts poorly, bowling consecutive short balls that Salt launches for four (over extra cover) and six (pulled over midwicket).
Hosein has a big LBW appeal turned down when Jacks missed a slog sweep. That looked very close but Rovman Powell decides not to review, citing height. Replays show it would indeed have bounced over the stumps.
Jacks drives a sweet straight six to complete a brilliant over for England against a bowler who has caused them a lot of problems. In the first three games Hosein conceded 20, 24 and 22 from his four overs; tonight his first over has disappeared for 18.
08:10 PM GMT
OVER 2: ENG 15/0 (Salt 10 Jacks 1)
Alzarri Joseph shares the new ball, a slight surprise given Akeal Hosein’s record against Phil Salt. Mind you Hosein didn’t come on until the third over on Thursday.
Joseph starts superbly, bowling very straight to cramp the two right-handers for room. Just three runs from the over – and two of those were because of a misfield from Hetmyer in the covers. Maybe he did it deliberately to make Alzarri angry so that he’ll bowl a violent snorter in his next over.
08:04 PM GMT
OVER 1: ENG 12/0 (Salt 8 Jacks 0)
Salt clips his second ball between midwicket and mid-on for the first boundary. England get four bonus runs in very strange circumstances when Salt is hit on the pad outside leg stump. The ball rolls towards Rutherford, whose needless throw clears the keeper Pooran. You don’t often see four leg-byes from overthrows. Salt completes a good first over for England by dumping a one-bounce four back over McCoy’s head.
08:00 PM GMT
Time for the action
The muscular left-arm quick Obed McCoy, brought into the side today, will open up to Phil Salt.
07:40 PM GMT
Team news
England make one change from Thursday night’s victory. Jofra Archer is rested but he’s had one job to do today: present the debutant John Turner with his T20 cap.
West Indies bring in Sherfane Rutherford and Obed McCoy for Romario Shepherd and Terrance Hinds.
West Indies Hope, Lewis, Pooran (wk), Chase, Hetmyer, Powell (c), Rutherford, Hosein, Motie, A Joseph, McCoy.
England Salt (wk), Jacks, Buttler (c), Livingstone, Bethell, Curran, Mousley, Overton, Rehan, Mahmood, Turner.
07:35 PM GMT
West Indies win the toss and bowl
Their captain Rovman Powell bursts out laughing after finally winning the toss for the first time in the series.
07:28 PM GMT
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07:26 PM GMT
Pitch report
It’s the same surface that was used for Thursday’s game. That’s fairly common in T20 cricket – unlike Test matches – but it should make life slightly trickier for the team that wins the toss and bats second.
07:05 PM GMT
Good evening
Hello and welcome to live, over-by-over coverage of the fourth T20 international in St Lucia. England’s greatest white-ball side was laid to rest in the Caribbean in June. Five months later, back in the West Indies, a new team is starting to emerge.
England have already won their T20 series against West Indies with two games to spare and could wrap up a 5-0 victory in the next 30 hours. More importantly, a number of players have staked a claim to be part of England’s plans for the World Cups in 2026 and 2027.
Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, Saqib Mahmood, John Turner (in the ODI series), Jacob Bethell, Dan Mousley, Jamie Overton, Phil Salt and somebody I’ve inevitably forgotten have all had good tours, while a refreshed Jos Buttler has captained with aggression and a twinkle in his eye.
While we shouldn’t get carried away – the team winning the toss has been victorious in every game – nor should we ignore the encouraging progress England have made. Overton looks a particularly good find, somebody who has the ability to fill not one but two roles that have been a recurring problem for England: death-hitter and middle-overs enforcer.
That set of skills has led to tentative comparisons with West Indies giant Andre Russell. “It’s a good compliment to have because he’s probably one of the greatest T20 cricketers in the world,” said Overton. “If I can do anything that’s near his ability, then I’m over the moon.”
Overton would probably have been part of England’s World Cup squad but for another stress fracture of the back. He used the lengthy rehabilitation as an opportunity to get in shape. “As soon as I got the diagnosis, I was like: ‘I need to lose some weight’,” he said. “I’ve lost 10 kilos since. I still need to lose a little bit more. We’re getting there, but there’s still a lot of work to do.”
The same is true of England’s white-ball side. But, like Overton, they are moving in the right direction.
Tonight’s match begins at 8pm BST.
📍 Darren Sammy Cricket Ground
We’ve arrived at the stadium ahead of the fourth T20I between 🌴 and 🏴
Predictions? 👀#WIvENG pic.twitter.com/DWOYpvALIr
— England’s Barmy Army 🏴🎺 (@TheBarmyArmy) November 16, 2024
