3rd T20, Barbados
England 157-6 (20 overs): Dunkley 44, Knight 43, Allen 1-12
West Indies 140-8 (20 overs): Williams 38, Mathews 35, Dean 4-19
England won by 17 runs.
England beat West Indies by 17 runs to win the T20 series in Barbados.
Sophia Dunkley’s 44 and Heather Knight’s 43 helped England reach 157-6 while batting first.
The West Indies batsmen performed better after a poor series, but Charlie Deane took 4-19 to restrict them to 140-8 in their 20 overs.
The result gives England an unassailable 3-0 lead with two matches remaining.
England’s first innings total was the highest in the series so far, and was always going to be a big ask for the West Indies, whose highest T20 chase ever is 151.
But the hosts got off to a flying start in their chase, reaching 55-1 after an early powerplay, the first of Dean’s double-wicket haul, including Hayley Matthews’ prize wicket of 35 runs, turning the tide of the game.
Rashada Williams attacked England with 38 off 29 balls but was bowled lbw by Sophie Ecclestone in the final over to end West Indies’ hopes of an upset.
England have won every match on the tour so far, including a 3-0 whitewash in the one-day internationals. The series will continue on Sunday at the same venue at 22:00 GMT.
Dunkley and Knight ensured England’s win
Despite batting with a new opening partner in Lauren Winfield-Hill, Danny White was rested, Dunkley was fearless and once again instrumental in setting up England’s first innings total.
So far in the series, the opener has scored 25 off 21 balls, 43 off one ball and his innings in the third T20 came at a strike rate of 141.
Half-centuries may be eluding him but Dunkley has established himself as a reliable T20 opener for England at the perfect time, with the World Cup just two months away.
Smashing three consecutive boundaries from the second over of the innings set the tone for Dunkley’s knock, and he did brilliantly to end his stay at the crease with a direct hit run-out from Shayman Campbell.
When Dunkley departed with 102 already on the board after 13 overs, it gave Knight the freedom to play with equal aggression and freedom.
The skipper opened her innings with a reverse sweep of four runs and continued the intent, favoring the leg side as she hit five fours and a six before being dismissed at deep square leg in the final over.
There was likely to be a shake-up in the middle order when Dunkley and Amy Jones fell in the 14th over, with Jones taking Shenata Grimond straight to mid-on, but Knight’s positivity ensured the West Indies had more of a chance to dominate. Couldn’t take advantage of it.
Dean shines amid West Indies’ improvement.
Despite the defeat, it was West Indies’ best batting performance of the tour so far.
Mathews has had a disappointing series with the bat, showing glimpses of his class but his team struggling to get to the big scores they need.
His 35 off 31 balls included six fours, including a towering cover drive that could have been a Shot of the Year contender, but Dean’s dismissal in the eighth over squandered a promising position. gave
But while the middle order came under pressure early in the series, Williams and 19-year-old debutant Trishion Holder held firm.
Williams, 25, scored the hosts’ only half-century of the series in the second ODI and was the standout player of the tour with her aggressiveness, while Holder scored 21 runs a ball. The first
But he was stopped by another youngster with a very bright future in Dean, who has now taken seven ODI wickets in two matches during the T20 series.
The off-spinner deceived the batsmen with his pace and accuracy and formed an interesting bowling partnership with Ecclestone, taking 2-28.
With Lauren Bell and Kathryn Brunt at ease, England were relying on their spinners, and they were certainly up to the challenge.
