A familiar failing in the subcontinent returned to haunt England. On a warm and muggy night in Mumbai they were undone by spin once more, as they so often have been in this part of the world, although this time the spinners wore the maroon of West Indies, rather than the blue of India.
West Indies’ three-pronged spin attack brought skill and variety and produced plenty of confusion. Akeal Hosein, who bowled three overs in the powerplay, took one wicket for 32 with his left-arm tweakers and arm balls, paving the way for Gudakesh Motie’s combination of left-arm finger spin and wrist spin (4-0-33-3), and Roston Chase’s more orthodox off spin (4-0-29-2). Between them in a dozen overs they took six wickets for 94 runs, as England slumped to a 30-run defeat.
Defeat places the win against Nepal earlier in the week in an even more important light. Had they lost that tense thriller, a comprehensive defeat here would have left them facing an early exit, which has been their fate so often of late in global events. As it is, with fixtures to come against Scotland and Italy, qualification is still likely, although they will be aware that they must improve their net run rate markedly in the next two games, in case Nepal beat West Indies and go on a tear.
Rutherford was the pick of West Indies’ batsmen with an unbeaten 76
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Whatever the case, England’s batting will have to click quickly if they are to challenge over the next few weeks. In the immediate aftermath of this defeat, focus is likely to fall on Tom Banton, who followed a single-figure score against Nepal (two off five balls) with another here (two off four balls). With Ben Duckett waiting in the wings, a swift decision will have to be made whether to stick with Banton or make a change now. A personal preference would see Harry Brook come in a place higher at No4.
Banton, who inked in his place with some good performances in Sri Lanka, may be the most vulnerable, but the failings were more widespread. Having taken 24 off the second over, Jason Holder’s first, Phil Salt did not make it out of the powerplay, and, as against Nepal, Jos Buttler threatened but did not go on. Sam Curran made the highest score, an unbeaten 46, but was left stranded, as England were bowled out with an over to spare, having slumped from 131 for four to 166 all out.
It was good for the integrity of the game, but not for England’s hopes, that the outfield remained dry and dew did not materialise. It meant that the turn found by Adil Rashid — who bowled superbly for figures of two for 16 in four overs — remained for the three West Indies spinners as well. You never quite know here whether the dew will come or not, which is why Brook had no option, really, but to insert West Indies on winning the toss.
Motie took the crucial wickets of Bethell, Banton and Brook
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That move paid rapid dividend, when Shai Hope and Brandon King fell cheaply, but Chase’s return to the team in place of Matthew Forde worked with bat and ball. He is used as a floater, and comes up the order if early wickets fall, but lower down in the event of a good start. After two wickets fell in the opening seven balls, he came in at No4 to stabilise the innings with Shimron Hetmyer.
West Indies’ innings was given impetus when Brook gambled with Will Jacks early on and the off spinner’s opening over was taken for 19. Hetmyer became the third batsman to fall in the powerplay, when deceived by a slower ball from Jamie Overton, after which Rashid took centre stage to show his skill, experience and nerve. After a difficult night against Nepal (Rashid did not bowl that badly, but was played superbly by the Nepalese) the 37-year-old was at his very best again.
There was no clearer indication of his brilliance, and of his enduring value to this England team, than the tenth over of the innings, his second of the night. His third ball was a perfectly pitched googly that flummoxed Chase, and produced an lbw, and his fifth was a lovely, slow, looping leg spinner that spun beyond Rovman Powell’s defensive push. Delightful bowling.
Bethell was clean bowled by Motie
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At 77 for four, almost at the halfway mark, England were in control, but Sherfane Rutherford, a 27-year-old power-packed left-hander from Guyana, changed all that. He added a half-century partnership with Powell in 28 balls; posted his own 50 in 29 balls and hit seven sixes all told in an unbeaten 76 that pushed West Indies to a total that was around par if the dew stayed away.
More and more, T20 is a six-hitting game and West Indies hit 13 in all, compared with England’s six, a key difference. Along with Rutherford, who is superb at targeting the leg-side boundary, it was Jason Holder (33 off 17 balls) who added the finishing touches to the innings: he hit three sixes off Curran in the 17th over, as 54 runs came in the final four overs.
Salt led an early barrage, scoring 30 runs in 15 minutes before his dismissal by Shepherd…
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Banton got out cheaply after England’s strong start
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That six-hitting and late surge was a reminder of a time when West Indies ruled the roost in T20. Their bowling is perceived to be more of a weakness and so it was a concern how easily they strangled England’s middle order once Salt, having offered a rapid start, heaved Romario Shepherd to mid-off. After the end of the opening powerplay, 67 for one, they added only 74 runs in ten overs, losing six wickets in the process.
In turn, Buttler picked out long-on; Banton chipped to extra cover; Jacob Bethell was undone by Motie’s variation; Brook chipped a return catch; Jacks was trapped leg-before to a quicker ball from round the wicket and Overton was brilliantly caught on the boundary by Powell, who timed his catch and hop back over the rope to perfection. Two bad run-outs of Jofra Archer and Liam Dawson added to the sense of panic as England fell well short.