Whirlwind Powell century lifts Windies to series lead
All-rounder grateful to come through tough seven months
Published:Thursday | January 27, 2022 | 12:11 AMPaul-Andre Walker/Sports Editor
“It means a lot. For the last six or seven months I had it tough, and it was good to get an opportunity tonight, and I’ll take it,” said West Indies all rounder Rovman Powell after his 51-ball century helped the West Indies to a 20-run victory over England in the third T20 of their five-match series in Bridgetown, Barbados, yesterday.
The win gave the West Indies a 2-1 series lead over the visitors headed into the fourth T20 on Saturday.
Powell’s whirlwind knock, along with Nicholas Pooran’s 70, helped the West Indies put together a mammoth 225 from their 20 overs before Romario Shepherd’s 3-59, and Kieron Pollard’s 2-31, helped restrict England to 204-9 from their innings.
The West Indies did not start well yet again as Brandon King (10), and Shai Hope (4), fell early.
King was the first to go, getting bowled in the second over by George Garton before an inside edge on to the pad off the bowling of Liam Livingstone accounted for Hope.
NO-NONSENSE MOOD
The West Indies were 48-2, but Pooran was looking in good touch, and Powell was in a no-nonsense mood.
Pooran would slam his half-century off 43 deliveries, smashing five sixes and four fours before he picked out Livingstone on the straight boundary off the bowling of Adil Rashid.
Powell would suffer the same fate off the bowling of Reece Topley after he had already gone over the ropes on 10 occasions and through them four other times.
By the time Powell went on the last delivery of the 19th over, the West Indies were 210 for four and probably out of sight.
“When I walked out I was confident. I had been hitting the ball well for the last five months, and so that confidence just came through,” said Powell.
England did make a valliant attempt at the total, with wicketkeeper Tom Bonton scoring 73 from just 39 deliveries, striking six sixes and three fours.
Phil Salt’s five sixes and three fours in 24 deliveries yielded 57 runs and helped the visitors over the 200-run mark, an impressive response, but ultimately, too few.