ENGLAND OPENER Phil Salt helped his country rebound from their 1-2 One-Day International series defeat with a commanding victory in the opening game of the five-match T20I series, as they romped to an eight-wicket triumph at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados last night. Their in-form opener Salt fashioned a century - 103 off 54 balls with nine fours and four sixes. He batted right through the run chase which lasted only 16.
5 of the allotted 20 overs. This was after his skipper Jos Buttler had won the toss and inserted the West Indies. Salt ensured that the “Three Lions” made light work of chasing the West Indies effort of 182 for nine, achieved via extensive power-hitting from the Darren Sammy-coached side.
That the West Indies were able to establish that target was a feat in itself, But Salt then went from wire to wire in an evenly paced knock, though not an innings short of brutal boundary-hitting and clinical shot-making. The brutality of his batting was symbolised by a swat off Shamar Joseph that was struck so fiercely, that it parried off a diving Shimron Hetmyer at long-on and still crashed into the ropes. It brought up his century in 53 balls.
At the other end, Jacob Bethell—who grew up in Barbados and whose knock was witnessed by his local family—accompanied him to the triumph, supporting with a maiden T20I half-century (58) and firing the winning runs, a huge midwicket six off Joseph. But Salt was the stoic batter that never allowed the WI to earn h.
