The burden has gone for Jos Buttler. Playing his first Twenty20 international since stepping down from the white-ball captaincy he struck a 59-ball 96 to set up England’s 21-run win against West Indies.
If there was any glumness for the 34-year-old, it was in missing out on what would have been his first T20 international century at home. Nonetheless, Buttler top scored in a total of 188 before Liam Dawson got to work.
The left-arm spinner has been the darling of the county game in recent seasons but this was his return to the England show after nearly three years away. His story has long been that of the drinks carrier, an unused member of the 2019 World Cup winning squad, there to play in case of emergency. Here he was part of the main cast, opening the bowling in West Indies’ reply, and celebrated his best international figures, four wickets for 20 runs, his control crucial.
A new life begins for Dawson at this level, perhaps leading to a partnership with Adil Rashid at next year’s T20 World Cup in India and Sri Lanka. England entered this contest with just two seamers, a nod to that upcoming assignment.
“We don’t want to look too far ahead but I think we’ve got to trial some things like this,” said Harry Brook, England’s captain. “Not completely set on this structure of the team but it’s worth a go and thankfully it worked today.”
Traffic had disrupted West Indies before the third one-day international at the Oval; this time it was British immigration policy. The recent introduction of a visa requirement for visitors from Trinidad and Tobago led to the absence of Akeal Hosein, the left-arm spinner still waiting to complete the process. Cricket West Indies “remains optimistic” that the matter will be sorted in the coming days, but this quickfire three-match series concludes on Tuesday.
Hosein, noted for his guile with the new ball, was missed as England unleashed early havoc on the opposition quicks, Jamie Smith and Buttler brutal in their 79-run second-wicket stand. The former, taking advantage of regular T20 opener Phil Salt’s paternity leave, feasted over long-on to compile a 20-ball 38. Buttler was a treat when going straight down the ground but also showcased the scoop when taking 22 off four Alzarri Joseph deliveries.
Gudakesh Motie’s slow stuff inevitably brought quiet, his four overs wicketless but conceding just 21, while Roston Chase snuck one through Brook’s defences. West Indies’ seamers recovered well as England fell to 116 for four and the surviving Buttler slowed down; after reaching 50 off 25 balls, his next 19 deliveries produced 16.
But three figures remained on as he fetched a wide Jason Holder delivery and found the square leg rope. Then he reverse-swatted a fuller Romario Shepherd ball to go to 86. In the next over, an edge past the keeper yielded another four. One more along the carpet would have done it but Joseph found his pads.
Dawson was called upon immediately in the West Indies reply, and success came quickly, an economical opening over followed by a wicket when he switched ends, a flighted delivery luring Johnson Charles forward and inviting the stumping from Buttler.
Matt Potts, making his T20 international debut in the same week he was dropped from the Test squad for the India series, endured a mixed opening over, dismissing Shai Hope cheaply but taking nine deliveries to complete it, a no-ball – hit for six by Chase – called because of three fielders behind square on the leg side.
A powerplay total of 44 for two gave England the advantage though the game threatened to turn as Evin Lewis took a liking to Potts and then Jacob Bethell in his first over. The latter struggled with his line and conceded 24 runs before Lewis got a little too excited with the final ball, finding Brydon Carse’s hands by the longer leg-side boundary.
Dawson then capitalised on the required rate, Sherfane Rutherford and Chase offering Duckett grabs in the deep, Rovman Powell a victim of the clever dart. Rashid’s commanding 16th over meant the contest was effectively over before the death.
