England complete clean sweep in five-over game

VIEW SCORECARD

Thus far the series had escaped any interruptions of bad weather, despite being played later in the year than international cricket in England had ever been scheduled before. But despite a long delay before the start of the game, the sides were able to return a result in just the second instance of a T20I being reduced to a five-over match.

England had batted first in each of the previous four fixtures, but captain Heather Knight opted to bowl first upon winning the toss due to the wet conditions.

Deandra Dottin took only three balls before depositing the first six of the match – her 100th in T20Is – as she collected a length ball from Freya Davies and sent it over mid-wicket. Opening partner Hayley Matthews could not match Dottin's success though, and she gave Mady Villiers a catch at mid-off, becoming Davies' first international wicket in England.

Katherine Brunt kept things tight before surprising Dottin with a short ball, which the opener could only top edge to short third man, and Sophie Ecclestone also struck in her first over, bowling Chedean Nation for a duck.

However, Stafanie Taylor hit consecutive boundaries from Brunt's next over, and Natasha McLean sent Ecclestone over the ropes off the last ball of the innings to lift West Indies to 41/3 from their five overs.

That momentum carried through to their bowling, as Shamilia Connell claimed the wickets of Heather Knight and Amy Jones in the opening over of England's reply. Tammy Beaumont found the boundary a couple of times off Shakera Selman's first over, but was then caught in the covers to leave England at 18/3 after two overs.

Wickets fell off consecutive deliveries in the next over, with a mix-up seeing Nat Sciver run out, before Taylor took a stunning diving catch at cover to send Brunt packing and give Connell her third wicket.

With 15 required from the last two overs, Sarah Glenn and Sophia Dunkley managed to scamper through for eight runs in the penultimate over without losing any further wickets. That stability lasted just two balls into the final over, as Glenn was run out attempting an optimistic second.

Fran Wilson succumbed to the same fate, with England once again attempting a second run which was not available. But just as things were boiling up to a tight finish, consecutive no-balls from Selman allowed England to get over the line with three wickets and three balls to spare.