England’s miserable white-ball winter ended on an appropriately low note after they lost their T20 series decider against the West Indies at the Brian Lara Stadium in Tarouba.
Two days on from compiling their highest T20 total of 267 for three, England subsided to 132 all out in 19.3 overs on the same pitch, with only the in-form Phil Salt able to get to grips with a tricky pitch.
He followed up his back-to-back hundreds by top-scoring with 38 off 22 balls but was bowled by a peach from Gudakesh Motie, who took three for 24 and was the architect of the Windies four-wicket victory.
Motie shared five of England’s top-six wickets with fellow slow left-armer Akeal Hosein to leave the hosts with a paltry chase although Reece Topley took two for 17 and Adil Rashid two for 21 in reply.
It was far from a cakewalk but Johnson Charles (27) and Sherfane Rutherford (30) cameos were followed by Shai Hope taking on the baton with an efficient run-a-ball 43 not out, sealing a 3-2 series win in style with a six.
England battled back from 2-0 down to force a winner-takes-all showdown, so there are some positives they can take ahead of their return to the Caribbean and United States for the 2024 T20 World Cup.
But they have followed up a World Cup group-stage exit with ODI and T20 series defeats to the Windies, who put in a much more disciplined performance with the ball after being flayed to all parts last time.
Jos Buttler lapped a delivery that was too full to short fine-leg while Hosein had his revenge after being dispatched for six by Will Jacks, who was castled next ball with a quicker one that skidded on.
Motie did the same with Salt, who was still hungry for runs and looked a cut above with five off-side fours and a brutal six high over long-off off the slow left-armer. But the following ball drifted to leg then spun sharply and uprooted middle stump, beating Salt’s prod and leaving him incredulous.
Harry Brook’s attempted lap sweep off Motie took a top edge, leaving Liam Livingstone and Moeen Ali to rebuild in a stodgy 40-run stand in 38 deliveries. The pair both cleared the rope but could not quite click.
Moeen holed out for 21 and Livingstone offering a tame return catch on 28 to give Motie his third was the start of an England collapse which saw them lose their last five wickets in 19 balls for 11 runs.
Adding just 62 in the last 11.3 overs left England struggling but Topley drew a false shot out of Brandon King, while Nicholas Pooran was unable to ride the bounce of Chris Woakes and chopped on.
Charles had marked his introduction into the series with a couple of meaty sixes but he miscued a Rashid full toss to leave the Windies on 62 for three at halfway and the game in the balance.
Rutherford clobbered Rashid over long-off and whipped Sam Curran for another six before slapping to extra cover but Hope was anchoring the pursuit, eschewing risk but whittling down the target.
Curran delivered a superb penultimate over, conceding just two and getting Andre Russell to hole out to leave 10 needed off the last six balls, with Woakes entrusted at the death.
Jason Holder saw a cruel inside edge squirt through the in-field as he collected three before Hope delivered the coup de grace by carving a fuller and wider ball over the deep point boundary to get the Windies over the line with four deliveries to spare.
Louis and Athanaze lead West Indies recovery to close balanced opening day at 250-5
Mikyle Louis and Alick Athanaze came heartbreakingly close to maiden Test centuries but fell in the nineties as the West Indies closed the opening day of the first Test against Bangladesh at 250-5 at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium. Their 140-run partnership for the fourth wicket proved pivotal, turning the momentum firmly in favor of the hosts after early struggles.
Louis, playing with patience and determination, was dismissed for 97 after spending 27 balls in the nineties. He charged at Bangladesh’s stand-in captain and spinner Mehidy Hasan Miraz but was caught at slip by Shahadat Hossain. Athanaze, who had been steadily accelerating, fell three overs later for 90, edging Taijul Islam behind. It marked the second time in Athanaze’s brief Test career that he had been dismissed in the nineties.
The pair’s stand was the backbone of the West Indies innings, revitalizing the side after early setbacks. Captain Kraigg Brathwaite fell for 4, trapped lbw by Taskin Ahmed, and Keacy Carty departed soon after for a duck, caught at mid-on trying to flick Taskin. At 12-2, the West Indies were under pressure until Louis and Kavem Hodge steadied the ship.
Hodge, who made 25, was run out after a brilliant throw from Taijul Islam at long leg. His dismissal brought Athanaze to the crease, and together with Louis, he set about rebuilding and eventually dominating the Bangladesh bowling attack.
Louis reached his half-century with a straight drive off Taskin, showcasing his ability to punish loose deliveries amidst a largely cautious approach. Athanaze took a more aggressive route, particularly in the final session, finding the boundary with sweeps, reverse sweeps, and cuts as he raised the scoring rate.
Louis’s innings included nine boundaries and a six, while Athanaze struck 12 fours and a six. Their contrasting styles complemented each other, as they added 140 runs at a brisk pace, frustrating Bangladesh’s bowlers, who had earlier kept the scoring rate in check.
After their departures, Justin Greaves and Joshua Da Silva stabilized the innings against the second new ball. Greaves ended the day unbeaten, with Da Silva scoring freely in the closing overs before bad light and a drizzle brought an early end to proceedings after 84 overs.
Bangladesh’s bowlers struggled to capitalize on the early breakthroughs. Taskin Ahmed was the pick of the attack with figures of 2-46, while Mehidy Hasan Miraz (1-45) and Taijul Islam (1-56) provided moments of control but lacked consistency. The fielding unit also let opportunities slip, including a dropped catch off Louis when he was in the nineties.
The West Indies will resume on day two with five wickets in hand and an opportunity to push toward a commanding first-innings total. Bangladesh will look to capitalize on the breakthroughs late on day one and restrict the hosts in the morning session.
For the West Indies, the day belonged to Louis and Athanaze, whose near-centuries not only steadied the innings but also put the team in a strong position as they aim to set the tone in the series.
Starc hails 'fantastic bowler' Bumrah after day one in Perth
Australia seamer Mitchell Starc heaped praise on Jasprit Bumrah's performance on day one of their Test against India in Perth.
India struggled with the bat and finished their first innings on 150, with Rishabh Pant (37) and Nitish Kumar Reddy (41) helping them to improve on a poor start.
However, the tourists wrestled back control, leaving Australia on 67-7 at the close of play, thanks to Bumrah's inspired display.
On Friday, 17 wickets fell, the most on the opening day of a Test in Australia since 1952.
He finished on 4-17, leaving Australia 19-3 inside the seventh over as he took Usman Khawaja, Nathan McSweeney and Steve Smith in quick succession.
Starc will start at the crease alongside Alex Carey on day two, and he was impressed by Bumrah's efficiency with the ball.
"So, there's no surprise that he's [Bumrah] been a fantastic bowler across the formats for a long time," Starc said.
"And again, his skills were on show [on Friday] as to how, how good he is. So, yeah, I'm sure there's something in that release point.
"That's significant to his action. It's something a lot of people can't do, so I'm not, I'm certainly not going to go and try it. I'll probably snap."
Archer back in IPL auction despite being left off the shortlist
Jofra Archer will be in the IPL auction after all, having been left off the shortlist initially.
The fast bowler was an entry on the longlist but did not appear among the names after it had been whittled down to 574 last week.
There had been no word from Archer as to why he had pulled out of the auction and re-entered, although the prospect of playing in the IPL in future could have been key.
According to new rules in the competition, a player will be ineligible to play in the IPL for two years if they do not enter the auction.
Archer has struggled with injury since 2020 and has carefully worked his way back from an elbow problem he suffered last year. Having been part of England's white-ball set-up since May, he has a desire to get back into Test cricket.
The 29-year-old has not played the longest form of the game in nearly four years and, if picked for the IPL, could find it harder to get back into it.
With the early rounds of the County Championship season clashing with the IPL, it could harm Archer's ability to prove his fitness and reduce his chances of playing in a home Test in 2025. Additionally, he could also find it difficult to force his way in for the Ashes in Australia next winter.
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