BRIDGETOWN: England overcame a late-order rally by Romario Shepherd and Akeal Hosein to beat the West Indies by just one run in the second Twenty20 International here on Sunday.
The West Indies appeared down and out when they needed 61 runs from the final three overs to reach a target of 172, with only two wickets standing. But from 111 for eight, Shepherd and Akeal Hosein, who both made 44 not out in an unbroken stand of 72, almost denied England the win that levelled the five-match series at 1-1.
Chris Jordan and Saqib Mahmood were repeatedly hit for boundaries, although the recalled Reece Topley conceded just eight runs in the 19th over. West Indies, who had slumped to 65 for seven, needed 30 to win off the last over, bowled by Mahmood.
The paceman started the over with a wide and was lucky not to be called again with his next delivery. England captain Eoin Morgan was pleased by the way a team, without several T20 regulars, clung on for victory.
West Indies won the toss
England Innings
Roy c Pollard b Shepherd 45
Banton c & b Allen 25
Vince b Allen 4
Ali c Cottrell b Pollard 31
Billings† c Cottrell b Hosein 5
Morgan(c) c King b Holder 13
Jordan c Holder b Cottrell 27
Dawson c Allen b Holder 4
Rashid not out 2
Saqib not out 7
Extras: (w 8) 8
Total: (20 Ov, RR: 8.55) 171/8
Did not bat: Reece Topley
Fall: 1-36, 5.2 ov 2-40, 5.6 ov 3-101, 12.2 ov 4-114, 13.5 ov 5-116, 14.3 ov 6-147, 17.4 ov 7-162, 18.4 ov 8-164, 19.2 ov
Bowling: Sheldon Cottrell 3-0-23-1 Jason Holder 4-0-25-2 Akeal Hosein 3-0-15-1 Fabian Allen 4-0-50-2 Kieron Pollard 4-0-32-1 Romario Shepherd 2-0-26-1
West Indies (Target: 172 runs)
King lbw b Topley 0
Hope† run out (Topley) 2
Pooran c Vince b Ali 24
Bravo lbw b Rashid 23
Pollard (c) lbw b Rashid 1
Holder c & b Ali 1
Shepherd not out 44
Smith c Vince b Ali 7
Allen c Banton b Jordan 12
Hosein not out 44
Extras: (b 4, lb 3, w 5) 12
Total: (20 Ov, RR: 8.50) 170/8
Did not bat: Sheldon Cottrell
Fall: 1-3, 0.2 ov 2-6, 2.3 ov 3-47, 7.3 ov 4-50, 8.3 ov 5-55, 10.1 ov 6-57, 11.1 ov 7-65, 11.5 ov 8-98, 15.1 ov
Bowling: Reece Topley 4-0-18-1 Saqib Mahmood 4-0-45-0 Chris Jordan 3-0-39-1 Adil Rashid 4-1-24-2 Moeen Ali 4-0-24-3 Liam Dawson 1-0-13-0
Result: England won by 1 run
Man of the match: Moeen Ali (ENG)
Umpires: Joel Wilson, Nigel Duguid