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Phil Salt scored a century to propel England to an emphatic eight-wicket victory over the West Indies in the opening T20I at Kensington Oval. (Photo via CMC)
BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – Opener Phil Salt unleashed a brutal attack against the West Indies on his way to a sensational century that helped England romp to a commanding, historic eight-wicket win in the opening T20I here on Saturday.
Player-of-the-Match Salt bludgeoned an unbeaten 103 from just 54 balls, inclusive of nine fours and six sixes, and Barbadian Jacob Bethell scored his first T20I half-century, as England pulled off the highest-ever run chase to stun a packed Kensington Oval.
After being sent in to bat, the West Indies recovered from 69 for five to post an impressive 182 for nine off their 20 overs.
However, Salt and Bethell made light work of their target, cruising to 183 for two off 16.5 overs, to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five series.
It was a masterful display of power hitting by Salt, who scored 72 of his runs in boundaries alone.
He set the tone in the fourth over bowled by pacer Shamar Joseph by smashing him for a six and four consecutive boundaries, to move to 40 from 17 balls and the score to 52 without loss.
Salt then brought up his half century off 25 deliveries by launching spinner Gudakesh Motie for two huge sixes in the sixth over.
Motie did get some success, bowling Will Jacks with the last ball of that over to leave England 73 for one.
England captain Jos Buttler, in his first match back in four months, could consider himself unlucky to be dismissed for a first ball duck after Motie held on to a stunning catch at third man off the bowling of Romario Shepherd three runs later.
His departure brought Bethell to the crease, and together with Salt, they dismantled the Windies’ bowlers during an unbroken 107-run partnership.
With friends and family cheering him on, Bethell blasted Shepherd for two fours in the 10th over, before Salt lifted Andre Russell for a six and then a four in the 12th over.
Salt moved into the 90s with another massive six off Shepherd, and Bethell eventually brought up his maiden T20I 50 off 33 balls when he collected a single off the bowling of Joseph.
With the focus now on Salt, the 28-year-old brought up his third T20I century off 53 balls when he clubbed Shepherd down the ground for another boundary as England strolled to 174 for two at the start of the 17th over.
Bethell then hit Shepherd for another six before ending the contest by scampering two runs off the penultimate ball of the over.
He finished unbeaten on 58 from 36 balls with five fours and two sixes.
Earlier, the West Indies did well to get up to their eventual total after pacer Saqib Mahmood snared the first three wickets to put them under pressure.
Mahmood, who had not taken a single wicket in the preceding ODI series, dismissed Brandon King for three, and Evin Lewis and Shimron Hetmyer in consecutive deliveries, as the Windies fell to 18 for three inside the fourth over.
Skipper Rovman Powell scored 18 before being undone by the spin of Adil Rashid once again and when Sherfane Rutherford was stunningly caught at first slip by Buttler, West Indies were in danger of being routed at 69 for five.
But Nicholas Pooran (38), Andre Russell (30), along with Romario Shepherd who made 35 not out and Gudakesh Motie, who cracked 33 from 14 balls, all played cameos to help the West Indies post a defendable total.
Mahmood ended with 4-34, while Rashid took 3-32.
The second T20I is on Sunday at the same venue.
