Phil Salt battled his way to a maiden T20 century for England to drag Jos Buttler’s men to improbable victory and gain a foothold in the series.
The opener’s stunning contribution, posting a 115 opening partnership with his captain and going on to finish unbeaten on 109, saw England over the line as they chased down a target of 223.
Harry Brook was there in the middle with him at the end, hitting all 22 off five balls from Andre Russell as England pulled off victory. But it was Salt’s efforts in stifling heat that brought England home.
Salt has posted a one day century before but has not reached three figures before in T20. And he could not have done it on a more crucial stage given England were staring down the barrel at a 3-0 series loss when they needed 95 from the final six overs.
Victory has resurrected a tour that had appeared to be gathering gloom by the day. With two to play in Trinidad and with this momentum shift behind them, it is a series that is very much still alive.
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Buttler’s side had been unrecognisable from the side who won the T20 World Cup in Australia until Saturday night. And they were heading for a second series defeat in three since lifting the trophy having gone down 3-0 to Bangladesh and then drawn 2-2 with New Zealand in the English summer.
But in their intent and aggression there were glimpses of the spirit that will be needed to get their World Cup plans tracking back in the right direction. And while the bowling department – Adil Rashid excepted – have struggled to contain the awesome West Indies firepower, the batting looks strong and in Salt and Buttler they surely have found their World Cup openers.
There is almost certainly no shame in losing to this West Indies side, who added to their haul of 14 sixes in Barbados and 13 in the second T20 here in Grenada with 16 here. Nicholas Pooran came to the party for the first time this series with a 45-ball 82 including six huge maximums as West Indies recovered from 8-2 to post 222-6.
Phil Salt blasted a stunning unbeaten centuryEngland won the toss and chose to bowl, getting off to a flier in the first over with Moeen Ali dismissing Brandon King and Reece Topley following up with Kyle Mayers’s wicket in the second.
It was a start which left West Indies listing at 8-2 but, as they have shown all through this white ball tour, such is their firepower that there is no situation that can’t be rescued with big hits.
Shai Hope and Pooran calmly set about repairing the damage, sending Gus Atkinson’s first over for 18 and racing to 50 in 35 balls Yet England’s response, built on a superb platform delivered by Buttler and Salt, was emphatic.
Salt and Livingstone added 70 runs in a valiant attempt to keep the scoring rate which had been just over 12 when Buttler was out from stretching towards 20.
Brook’s arrival, plonking his first ball for six and then hitting 22 in five balls off Russell before catching an ecstatic leaping Salt, finishing with 31 from seven made good on their efforts.
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