Jos Buttler top-scored for England again as they chased down an imposing target and beat West Indies by four wickets in the second T20 on Sunday to take a 2-0 lead and seal the three-match series, continuing their excellent form under new captain Harry Brook.
Former captain Buttler’s 47 from 36 balls at Bristol’s County Ground came on the back of his 96 in the first T20 in Durham and set the platform for England to hunt down West Indies’ total of 196-6 with nine balls to spare.
It was a second straight series victory for England under the captaincy of Brook after they secured a 3-0 series sweep in the one-dayers. Jacob Bethell hit a thrilling 26 from 10 balls, which included three sixes, as England spread the runs throughout the team with Ben Duckett (30), Brook (34) and Tom Banton (30) providing solid backup. “We had a lot of fun out there,” said Brook. “They had a very good finish. We stuck to our plans through the middle really well. They didn’t get away.
“We had a discussion before going out to bat that it was only a matter of a couple of big overs. We chased the score beautifully. It was a very good performance.”
England, who won the toss and chose to bowl, got off to the perfect start with Luke Wood, who was the hosts’ standout bowler with 2-25 in his first appearance since September 2023, striking Evin Lewis on the pads with the day’s first delivery, but the tourists quickly steadied the ship. Shai Hope took the fight to England with 49 off 38 balls, while Johnson Charles started patiently before he also fell just short of his half century, with 47 from 39 deliveries. The West Indies innings threatened to stall at that point but a rollicking finish peppered with sixes from Rovman Powell, Romario Shepherd and Jason Holder saw them power to a healthy total, even considering the County Ground’s short boundaries. “I thought we were a few runs short, with the dimensions and the pitch being a decent one,” said West Indies captain Shai Hope.
“I don’t think we capitalised on the middle overs with the spin, but whatever we have on the board we have to defend it We have to try and bounce back, win the game and finish the tour strong, setting the tone as a team.” England lost Jamie Smith for four in the second over as he tried to hit one down the ground but was caught by Holder.
That brought Buttler to the crease and he wasted little time in taking the attack to the tourists, with England ending the powerplay on 58-1. The hosts’ progress was interrupted as they were reduced to 72-2 when Duckett fell after a brisk 30 from 18 balls trying to smash Shepherd for six only to draw a superb diving catch from Powell who plucked the ball out of the air on the run.
Buttler was handed a reprieve in the 10th over when Charles fumbled and dropped what should have been an easy take in the deep but the England batsman did not last much longer. He was out for trying to sweep Akeal Hosein and his dismissal offered redemption for Charles, who this time held on to the catch. Brook was then caught at long-off as Powell pulled off another good catch off the bowling of Roston Chase, before England stepped up a gear.
Four sixes in six balls turned momentum in their favour with Banton hitting Gudakesh Motie over the rope before Bethell dished out a double punishment to Alzarri Joseph. Yet after another ball sailed for six in the same over, Joseph got his revenge, taking the wicket of Bethell, who was out when he was caught behind by Chase attempting a reverse lob.
That left England on 169 for five after 16 overs and by the time Will Jacks (7) was caught by Chase off Joseph England needed just nine runs from 16 balls. They moved comfortably within striking distance before Brydon Carse hit the winning runs, swinging at a delivery from Holder that looped back over the wicketkeeper for four. With the final match of the series to come in Southampton on Tuesday, England can wrap a second straight clean sweep. “It’s nice to win any series, especially off the back of the ODIs keeping the momentum going,” said player-of-the-match Wood. “Hopefully we can make it 3-0 in a few days’ time.”