Tense Finale From Hero Holder Guides Windies to T20I Series Success
Jason Holder’s breathtaking haul of four wickets in as many deliveries ended the final T20I with aplomb, as the West Indies were crowned series champions in buzzing Barbados yesterday (January 30).
The former Test skipper, who was already the top wicket-taker in the series before his remarkable feat, guided the hosts Windies to a 17-run victory to send the Kensington Oval into ruptures of delight.
Holder’s feat of dismissing Chris Jordan, Sam Billings, Adil Rashid and Saqib Mahmood in swift succession was more remarkable taking into account that he had been smashed for four successive sixes just 24 hours before.
Captain Kieron Pollard won the toss and elected to bat, with a plethora of players refusing to be subdued by spinners like they were the previous day. Although the Windies briefly lost their way they finished with a creditable 179-4.
It was roles reversed as England came unstuck with left-arm spinner Akeal Hosein grabbing four wickets, but then Holder bowled arguably one of the most memorable overs that will long be etched on the memory of cricket fans.
Despite the slow and well-worn wicket, the West Indies made a solid start with Kyle Mayers (31) the first victim. His drive towards the boundary off Rashid was brilliantly intercepted by the athleticism of Jason Roy, who directed the ball towards Phil Salt to catch the opener.
Romario Shepherd moved up the order, but his visit to the middle was short-lived. Having hit Liam Livingstone, he then sliced the ball to Mahmood at backward point.
The hosts appeared to be in trouble, stifled from scoring runs by the spinners and Jamaican Brandon King (34) became the third wicket after being caught by Barbados-born Jordan at long on off Livingstone.
Leg-spinner Rashid snatched a second wicket, clean bowling Nicholas Pooran (21), as England grinded through the line-up to leave the West Indies in trouble at 105-4 in the 15th over.
Unperturbed, the West Indies bounced back in style with Bajan Pollard (41no from 35 balls) and Jamaican Rovman Powell (35no from 17) in the runs with aggressive shots to drum up 66 runs from the final four overs.
In response Jason Roy twice belted Hosein to the boundary, only to then be caught behind by a looping catch from the fully-stretched wicketkeeper Pooran.
But Pooran scuppered his chance to catch Tom Banton off Odean Smith. Yet the opener was sent packing in the same over, his pull shot finding the hands of Holder at mid on.
Holder also dropped a catch, after moving into slip position for left-hander Moeen Ali. He fluffed his lines on Ali’s first ball, which was top edged but beat him for speed.
Yet Holder soon made amends to send Ali back to the pavilion, caught at mid over by Mayers as England reached 86-3 off 10.1 overs.
Hosein then grabbed a wicket in each of his three overs – Livingstone, Vince (55) and Salt – to register career-best figures of 4-30 and leave England stuttering at 119-6.
There was a terrific fightback from the tourists, who needed 48 runs to win from their final three overs. Up stepped the inexperienced Jamaican Smith, who conceded 20 runs off his over to leave the result in the balance.
Going into the final over with both teams having reached 160 off 19 overs, the pressure was on Holder. His first delivery was a no ball, which also resulted in a cheeky single. The following two deliveries frustrated England, but no one inside the jam-packed Kensington Oval could have anticipated what would happen next.
Holder captured the wicket of Jordan, skying his effort into the hands of substitute Hayden Walsh, which meant England needed three successive sixes to take the five-match series.
Dangerman Billings, not adverse to smashing sixes, then sent the ball to virtually the same place for Walsh to claim a second catch and decide the series. This wicket rocked the jubilant spectators inside the stadium yet there was further excitement to come.
Holder claimed his hat-trick with Rashid caught by Smith attempting an ambitious shot, and then Mahmood was clean bowled in the final delivery of the spectacular over. However, Holder was initially oblivious to his achievement, which will see his name proudly etched in the history annals.
Pollard enthused: “This is Jason Holder’s ground, his town, but it was total team effort from us. The guys worked hard throughout the series.”
It was never going to be a one-man show from the West Indies, who had a different top-scorer in each of their five T20I matches. And with 43 wickets compared to England’s 23 tells the story of how the WI bowlers constantly attacked.
What is amazing is that the West Indies were at a low just a fortnight ago after suffering a shock T20I series home defeat to Ireland, but have turned things around to inflict a damaging series reversal on world no.1-ranked England.
Pollard explained: “After coming from Jamaica our heads were down, but we had conversations in the dressing room about how we want to play cricket and the guys bounced back pretty well.
“Every single one in that dressing room rallied together throughout everything. Every time we won a game there was something negative against us but we came out together and we really, really rallied. So well done to every single one inside of there [dressing room] and every one of the supporters who supported us.”
WI v England 2022
22 January| 1st T20I (Kensington Oval, Barbados)
WI 104-1 (17.1 overs) beat England 103 all out (19.4 overs) by 9 wickets
23 January | 2nd T20I (Kensington Oval, Barbados)
England 171-8 (20 overs) beat WI 170-8 (20 overs) by 2 wickets
26 January | 3rd T20I (Kensington Oval, Barbados)
WI 224-5 (20 overs) beat England 204-9 (20 overs) by 20 runs
29 January | 4th T20I WI v England (Kensington Oval, Barbados)
England 193-6 (20 overs) beat WI 159-5 (20 overs) by 34 runs
30 January | 5th T20I WI v England (Kensington Oval, Barbados)
WI 179-4 (20 overs) beat England 162 all out (20 overs) by 17 runs
1-4 March | Warm-up friendly (Coolidge Cricket Ground, Antigua)
8-12 March | 1st Test WI v England (Sir Vivian Richards Cricket Ground, Antigua)
16-20 March | 2nd Test WI v England (Kensington Oval, Barbados)
24-28 March | 3rd Test WI v England (National Cricket Stadium, Grenada)
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