by David Harris
England cruised to a 37-run victory in a high scoring match against the West Indies, in the third and final T20I at the Rose Bowl in Southampton on Tuesday.
England scored 248 runs for three wickets after losing the toss and being put sent in to bat, openers Ben Duckett (80) and Jamie Smith (60) raced to 120 runs off 53 balls; they pummeled the West Indies bowlers for 83 runs the first six overs with Duckett reaching his third T20I fifty off 20 balls, the fourth fastest in the format by an Englishman.
Smith faced 26 balls and struck four fours and five sixes before he was caught by Shimron Hetmyer at deep square-leg off left-arm spinner Gudakesh Motie. While Duckett hit 10 fours and two sixes off 46 balls.
After the dismissal of Smith and Duckett, the onslaught on the West Indies bowlers was continued by Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook and Jos Buttler.
Bethell and Brooks unbeaten on 36 and 35 respectively, and Buttler contributed 22; Bethell smashed Motie for three consecutive sixes in the 17th over to take England past the 200-run mark in the 17th over.
Chasing 249 runs to win the match, and avoid a whitewash in the series, the West Indies scored 211 for eight wickets. Former captain Rovman Powell provided respectability with 79 not out, and the current Shai Hope got 45, while Hetmyer and Jason Holder contributed 26 and 25 respectively. Fast bowler Luke Wood took three wickets for 31 runs, and leg-spinner Adil Rashid picked up three wickets for 30 runs.
The West Indies depart England without a victory across six white-ball matches; they travel to Ireland for a three-match T20I series beginning on Thursday.
