In his first Twenty20 appearance since resigning, Jos Buttler scored a captain’s innings as he and the returned Liam Dawson led England to a 21-run victory over the West Indies in the opening match of the series at Chester-le-Street on Friday. With a scorching 96 off just 59 balls in a total of 188-6, Buttler, who helped new white-ball captain Harry Brook in securing a 3-0 sweep in the last one-day international series, solidified his reputation as one of the world’s top white-ball hitters.
After nearly three years in the international wilderness, veteran left-arm spinner Dawson returned to England duty and followed up with a T20 international best 4-20 as the West Indies lost a three-match series 1-0 and were restricted to 167-9.
Jos Buttler Shines with 96 in T20 Comeback Win Over West Indies
After starter Ben Duckett was dismissed early, Buttler grabbed center stage with a variety of reverse sweeps, ramps, and more basic straight drives until losing to pacer Alzarri Joseph, whose four overs cost an expensive 51 runs, four runs shy of a century.
After the batsman misread a slower delivery, Brook gave Dawson the new ball, and the 35-year-old replied by having Buttler stump Johnson Charles.
Before Dawson came back to dismiss Sherfane Rutherford and Roston Chase as the tourists fell to defeat, West Indies captain Shai Hope holed out to Matthew Potts.
The series concludes in Southampton on Tuesday after continuing at Bristol on Sunday.
