Spinner Garey Mathurin enjoyed a memorable debut as he inspired the West Indies to a surprise 25-run win over England in the second Twenty20 international at The Oval on Sunday.
The 28-year-old left-armer from St Lucia took three for nine in his four overs as England crumbled in pursuit of the West Indies’ total of 113 for 5 and were bowled out for 88, their lowest total in a Twenty20 international. On a turning pitch, Mathurin opened the attack and bowled Craig Kieswetter, Ravi Bopara and Jonny Bairstow in quick succession to give the tourists a stranglehold on the game.
“The English had not seen me before and I thought I could get the job done,” Mathurin said. “Everybody was together. We came out there with a point to prove.”
Photo: AFP
Ben Stokes hit some big shots in making 31, but was trapped in front by leg-spinner Devendra Bishoo and in a much-improved West Indies fielding performance, Samit Patel was run out by a direct hit from Bishoo.
Joss Buttler and Scott Borthwick were both run out and with them went England’s last hopes of a successful run chase. When Jade Dernbach was last man out he was the fourth run-out victim of the innings.
This was England’s first defeat in any form of the game since July 3, when they lost the third one-day international against Sri Lanka at Lord’s.
The win was also sweet revenge for the West Indies, who were crushed by 10 wickets in Friday’s first game as the two-match series ended 1-1.
Samit Patel took two for 22 as the West Indies were kept to 113, a total that did look big enough until their spinners came into action.
After their defeat on Friday the tourists were hoping to post a bigger total, but their depleted batting line-up was kept in check by England’s slower bowlers, who were shrewdly rotated by Swann.
The West Indies, who were put in by England, struggled to get the bowling away and Marlon Samuels was the only batsman to make more than 30, hitting 35 not out. The tourists struggled to get the English bowling away and by the end of the 14th over they had just 62 on the board and at one point went 43 balls without hitting a boundary. Chris Barnwell tried to accelerate, but when he attempted to hit Patel over the top he fell to a stunning catch by Alex Hales.
Patel opened the bowling and had Miles Bascombe plumb leg before, while Johnson Charles and Dwayne Smith got themselves in, but failed to go on and convert their starts into significant scores.
Smith was caught in front by Dernbach and Charles was bowled by a googly from young leg spinner Borthwick. Borthwick then pulled off a smart catch in the deep off Ravi Bopara to get rid of skipper Darren Sammy as he was trying to increase the run rate.
Samuels and Andre Russell managed a few big blows in the last two overs, which were to prove significant in the end with Friday’s bowling hero Bopara going for 36 in his four overs.
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