Holder finishes off England as WI win T20 series

BRIDGETOWN: Local hero Jason Holder took four wickets in successive balls during a dramatic last over as the West Indies beat England by 17 runs in the fifth and deciding Twenty20 international at the Kensington Oval on Sunday for a 3-2 series win.

Akeal Hosein had already slowed England’s progress with a format-best four for 30. James Vince, who holed out for an innings top-score of 55, was among those who fell to the left-arm spinner.

England, however, were still in the game, needing 20 runs to reach a target of 180 when all-rounder Holder began to bowl the final over of the match at his Barbados home ground. Despite starting the over with a no-ball, the towering paceman removed Chris Jordan and Sam Billings with his second and third legitimate deliveries via the aid of catches at deep midwicket by substitute fielder Hayden Walsh Jr.

Holder then had Adil Rashid taken at deep square leg before ending the match when he bowled Saqib Mahmood, with both batsmen out for golden ducks. Sri Lanka’s Lasith Malinga, Afghanistan’s Rashid Khan and Ireland’s Curtis Campher are the only other men to take four wickets in four balls during a T20 international.

Holder finished with a career-best return of five for 27 in 2.5 overs, having already removed England stand-in captain Moeen Ali. “I pride myself on (not bowling) no-balls, pleased with how I came back, bowled a dot ball next up and then they had to come hard so I got the four wickets,” said Holder. The former West Indies captain was named both player of the match and series after taking 15 wickets across the five games — all at the Kensington Oval.

West Indies won the toss

West Indies Innings

King c Jordan b Livingstone 34

Mayers c Salt b Rashid 31

Shepherd c Mahmood b Livingstone 6

Pooran† b Rashid 21

Pollard (c) not out 41

Powell not out 35

Extras: (lb 3, nb 1, w 7) 11

Total: (20 Ov, RR: 8.95) 179/4

Did not bat: Jason Holder, Fabian Allen, Odean Smith, Akeal Hosein, Sheldon Cottrell

Fall: 1-59, 6.4 ov 2-67, 7.5 ov 3-89, 10.4 ov 4-105, 14.4 ov

Bowling: Reece Topley 4-0-43-0 Saqib Mahmood 2-0-27-0 Moeen Ali 3-0-20-0 Chris Jordan 4-0-52-0 Adil Rashid 4-0-17-2 Liam Livingstone 3-0-17-2

England Innings (Target: 180 runs)

Roy c †Pooran b Hosein 8

Banton c Holder b Smith 16

Vince c Allen b Hosein 55

Moeen (c) c Mayers b Holder 14

Liam c Smith b Hosein 6

Sam† c sub (HR Walsh) b Holder 41

Salt st †Pooran b Hosein 3

Jordan c sub (HR Walsh) b Holder 7

Rashid c Smith b Holder 0

Mahmood b Holder 0

Topley not out 0

Extras: (lb 4, nb 2, w 6) 12

Total: (19.5 Ov, RR: 8.16) 162

Fall: 1-8, 0.5 ov 2-40, 3.4 ov 3-86, 10.1 ov 4-95, 11.2 ov 5-112, 13.3 ov 6-119, 7-162, 19.2 ov 8-162, 19.3 ov 9-162, 19.4 ov 10-162, 19.5 ov

Bowling: Akeal Hosein 4-0-30-4 Jason Holder 2.5-0-27-5 Sheldon Cottrell 3-0-21-0 Odean Smith 4-0-41-1 Kieron Pollard 2-0-15-0 Romario Shepherd 1-0-7-0 Fabian Allen 3-0-17-0

Result: West Indies won by 17 runs

Man of the match: Jason Holder (WI)

Man of the seires: Jason Holder (WI)

Umpires: Gregory Brathwaite, Nigel Duguid