All-round Moeen stars as England level Windies T20 series

SPORTS 30.01.2022

Stand-in skipper Moeen Ali starred with bat and ball as England beat the West Indies by 34 runs to set up a series decider on Sunday.

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Moeen, leading England in place of the injured Eoin Morgan, struck seven sixes, including four in a row off Jason Holder, during a 63 made from just 28 balls as England posted a total of 193 for six on Saturday

The off-spinner then took two wickets for 28 runs in four overs during the West Indies' 159 for five as England levelled the five-match series at 2-2 ahead of the teams' return to the Kensington Oval.

England's bowling in the latter stages of matches earlier in this series had proved expensive.

But with the West Indies needing 61 off the final four overs, Chris Jordan -- recalled after England's defeat on Wednesday -- and Reece Topley held their nerve.

Earlier, England opener Jason Roy, dropped on three, made 52 off 42 balls.

England reached 80 for one off nine overs before West Indies captain Kieron Pollard stopped the runs in a spell of one for 23 in four overs.

But Moeen revived the innings, as England added 59 in the last three overs after James Vince had made 34.

Moeen took England past three figures when he swept Akeal Hosein for four.

England managed just 54 runs in the 48 balls between the start of the 10th over and end of the 17th, but Moeen fired England past 150 with four successive sixes off Holder.

The West Indies raced to 56 without loss in six overs, Kyle Mayers marking his first match of the series with some blazing hitting.

But leg-spinner Adil Rashid slowed the run-rate before Moeen had Mayers (40) and Brandon King (26) caught in the deep.

Rashid then removed Rovman Powell, fresh from a hundred on Wednesday, for just five.

West Indies were now 78 for three but some big-hitting from Nicholas Pooran and Holder kept the hosts in the game.

But Barbados-born Jordan, whose recent late-innings bowling has been much criticised, conceded just seven runs in the 17th over before taking the catch on the boundary that saw Holder dismissed.

Brief scores

England 193-6, 20 overs (Moeen Ali 63, Jason Roy 52; Jason Holder 3-44)

West Indies 159-5 (Kyle Mayers 40, Jason Holder 36; Moeen Ali 2-28)

Result: England won by 34 runs

Series: Five-match series level at 2-2

A.Wyss--NZN