Article by David Harris
England took a 2-0 lead over the West Indies with an emphatic seven wicket victory at Kensington Oval on Sunday night.
Chasing 159 runs for victory captain Jos Buttler smashed a 45-ball 83 which included eight fours and six sixes to guide England to victory in 14.5 overs; Will Jacks contributed 38, and Liam Livingstone made an unbeaten 23 runs.
England had an early setback in the chase when opener Phil Salt who made a century in the first match was dismissed by left –arm spinner Akeal Hosein for a golden duck; but Buttler and Jacks shared a massive second partnership of 129 runs that placed the visitors on the road to victory.
Buttler and Jacks were dismissed by medium pacer Romario Shepherd in the 13th over with the score on 130 by then England needed 29 runs to win the match, and Livingstone blasted three fours and a six to take the Englishmen over the line in the 15th over. Shepherd took two wickets for 42 runs from 3. 5 expensive overs.
Earlier, the West Indies scored 158 for eight wickets after England won the toss and decided to field. Even though England bowlers were wayward with their lines they picked up the early wickets of Brandon King, Evin Lewis and Roston Chase to leave the West Indies wobbling at 35 for three wickets in the fourth over.
Captain Rovman Powell made 43 and Shepherd got 22 but their score 158 was insufficient to prevent the West Indies suffering a second consecutive defeat by England in two days.
Pacer Saqib Mahmood took two wickets 20 runs, Liam Livingstone captured two wickets for 16 runs with a mixture of off-breaks and leg-breaks, and off-spinner Dan Mousley picked two wickets for 29 runs.
