Phil Salt and Harry Brook six-hitting masterclass blast England to stunning T20 victory
The tourists won a thriller with a ball to spare
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Your support makes all the difference.Phil Salt’s maiden T20 century and Harry Brook’s nerveless batting at the death helped England reel in a mammoth 223 as they breathed fresh life into their series against West Indies.
The hosts put on a six-hitting masterclass as they cleared the rope 16 times and collected 79 runs in the last four overs, but they were upstaged as Salt underpinned England’s successful chase in Grenada.
On a hot and humid day, Salt belted half of England’s 18 sixes – a ground record in this format – as he recorded 109 not out off 56 deliveries before Brook secured a seven-wicket win with a ball to spare.
Salt’s efforts left England needing 21 off the final over but Brook followed up a four with three sixes in four balls off Andre Russell as the tourists narrowed the deficit to 2-1 in the five-match series.
Jos Buttler made 51 in a 115-run opening stand with Salt, who became just the fifth male from his country to record a T20 international hundred, while Liam Livingstone contributed a breezy 30 as England equalled their second highest chase in this format.
The Windies were on course to snatch the series at the earliest opportunity after racking up 222 for six thanks to Nicholas Pooran’s 82 off 45 balls and belligerent cameos from Rovman Powell (39) and Sherfane Rutherford (29).
Adil Rashid took two for 32 while Reece Topley claimed a wicket on his comeback from a broken finger which ended his World Cup early.
England had been undone by spin on Thursday as Gudakesh Motie and Akeal Hosein allowed just a combined 33 runs in eight overs but Buttler and Salt refused to let either slow left-armer to settle initially.
Buttler lit the touchpaper with successive straight sixes off Hosein and Salt, who survived an lbw review off Holder in the second over on six, did likewise off Motie as England took 73 in the powerplay, with no bowler able to keep a lid on things.
Salt moved to a 26-ball half-century before launching Holder over the rope to bring up England’s 100 just before halfway, while Buttler brought up 50 off 33 deliveries with a reverse ramp for four.
But the England captain departed next ball after Alzarri Joseph completed a great relay catch, having been thrown the ball by Hosein, while Will Jacks nicked off to Motie.
England’s deceleration left them chasing 83 off 30 balls and in need of a remarkable finish the Windies had conjured. Livingstone sparkled briefly with three sixes but England were mainly reliant on Salt bringing the target down.
He lifted Joseph’s full toss for six and did likewise to a couple of pace-off deliveries to reach a 51-ball ton, while Brook thumped his first ball over the boundary to leave 31 off the last 12 balls.
Joseph bowled a tidy penultimate over but with Salt appearing to be feeling the effects of the heat, Brook took Russell’s wayward final few balls in his stride to finish unbeaten on 31 off just seven balls as England emulated the class of 2020 who chased down 223 against South Africa in Centurion.
Earlier, Moeen Ali castled Brandon King after finding sharp turn while Topley squared up Kyle Mayers and took the edge as both Windies openers were out within the first nine balls, but Pooran and Shai Hope rebuilt.
Both batters claimed sixes off Gus Atkinson but Topley was able to keep a lid on things as he conceded just 14 in his three powerplay overs before Hope holed out for 26.
Pooran deferred to Powell in their 58-run union, with the Windies captain offering a glimmer of a chance to Atkinson, who could only tip the ball back into play and prevent a six. Powell would not be denied as he took Atkinson and Livingstone to task, thumping a 105-metre maximum at one point.
Sam Curran, who felt the wrath of Powell two days earlier, gained some revenge as a top-edge from one dug into the pitch looped to Buttler but the Windies kept on coming, with Pooran and Rutherford stepping on the gas in a 63-run stand in 29 balls.
There were five leg-side sixes from Pooran but also an audacious mow over cover as Tymal Mills went for 25 in the 17th.