ENG vs WI: Nat Sciver-Brunt Stars As England Crush West Indies To Seal Series Win

England clinched the T20I series with a dominant nine-wicket victory over West Indies in the second T20I at Hove. After electing to field first, England’s bowlers delivered a disciplined performance that restricted the visitors to just 81 for 9 in their 20 overs. 

Em Arlott starred with the ball, earning the Player of the Match award for her impressive spell of 3 for 14 in four overs, which broke the backbone of the West Indies batting order.

England won the toss at the County Ground in Hove and opted to field first—a decision that paid immediate dividends as the West Indies batting lineup crumbled under relentless pressure. 

Opening the innings, Qiana Joseph faced just three balls before falling in the very first over, attempting an aggressive shot but offering a return catch to Lauren Bell. The early blow set the tone for what turned out to be a stuttering and fragmented innings.

Hayley Matthews Sent Back To The Pavilion

Hayley Matthews, the West Indies captain, looked to anchor the top order but found no fluency. She managed only six runs off eight deliveries before becoming Em Arlott’s first victim, beaten by a delivery that had just enough movement to rattle her stumps. 

With Matthews gone at 17, the pressure intensified. Zaida James, who had joined her captain at the crease, was the next to fall in the very same over, edging a catch to Dunkley off Arlott. Her slow innings of 6 off 11 only added to the team’s mounting troubles.

Wickets Continue To Tumble

The situation worsened when veteran Stafanie Taylor, one of the most experienced batters in the squad, was dismissed for a duck. Arlott, brimming with confidence, lured Taylor into a mistimed shot that ended safely in Charlie Dean’s hands. 

At 29 for 4 inside the powerplay, the West Indies innings was in deep trouble, and rebuilding looked a distant dream.

Shemaine Campbelle and Shabika Gajnabi then offered the only period of stability in the innings. Campbelle, watchful and patient, tried to absorb the pressure, crafting a cautious 26 off 36 deliveries. 

Gajnabi played a slightly more fluent knock, scoring 22 off 29 balls, including a couple of boundaries. Together, the pair managed to stitch a 34-run stand for the fifth wicket, which briefly steadied the ship.

However, just as West Indies looked to recover, the breakthrough came again. Charlie Dean returned to the attack and broke the partnership, having Campbelle caught by Arlott. The very next delivery saw a massive setback as Mandy Mangru was bowled first ball, unable to fend off Dean’s accuracy. 

At 63 for 6, West Indies had lost both set batters in the space of two deliveries, with no lower-order depth to fall back on.

The tail collapsed in predictable fashion. Aaliyah Alleyne was caught behind off Bell for a golden duck, Afy Fletcher chipped one to Nat Sciver-Brunt to give Bell her third, and Cherry-Ann Fraser and Karishma Ramharack could only offer token resistance. 

Fraser remained unbeaten on 4 off 16 balls, while Ramharack managed 5 off 10. The West Indies eventually hobbled to 81 for 9 in their allotted 20 overs—a total that never looked competitive.

England’s Supreme Bowling Effort

Extras accounted for six of those runs, but with a lack of partnerships and intent, the batting effort lacked cohesion. England’s bowlers kept the pressure on throughout. Arlott’s 3 for 14 set the tone, Bell’s 3 for 28 provided key breakthroughs, and Dean’s 2 for 12 offered control and sharpness in the middle overs. Wong, too, was miserly with her figures of 1 for 10 from four overs.

The West Indies innings was a stop-start affair marked by frequent wickets, lack of momentum, and minimal resistance—a performance that ultimately left them well short of a par total on a surface that didn’t show many demons.

England’s chase under the lights at Hove was a clinical display of dominance, showcasing the gulf in quality and confidence between the two sides. Chasing a meagre target of 82, the hosts were expected to wrap things up swiftly, and they did just that, in style.

Tricky Start For England

However, the chase began with a jolt. Off the very first ball of the innings, Zaida James provided a spark for the visitors, bowling Danni Wyatt-Hodge with a straight delivery that nipped through and disturbed the stumps. The wicket was a moment of joy for the West Indies and briefly raised hopes of a fightback.

But those hopes were quickly extinguished as Nat Sciver-Brunt and Sophia Dunkley took command. With a blend of composure and aggression, the pair stitched together an unbroken 82-run partnership, ensuring that there would be no further hiccups. 

Nat Sciver-Brunt and Sophia Dunkley Seal The Deal

Dunkley played an excellent second fiddle and executed the supporting role to perfection, rotating the strike, finding the gaps, and allowing her partner to dictate the pace of the innings. She finished unbeaten on 24 off 25 balls, with three boundaries and a calm presence that anchored the innings from one end.

At the other end, skipper Sciver-Brunt was at her imperious best. From the moment she arrived at the crease, she set the tone with aggressive intent, striking cleanly and often. She punished anything full or short, threading the ball through cover and midwicket with power and timing. 

Her innings was a masterclass in controlled aggression—55 not out off just 30 balls, studded with 10 boundaries. Her half-century came in just 27 deliveries, underscoring her dominance and the ease with which England were dismantling the West Indies attack.

Sciver-Brunt’s ability to find the fence almost every third ball meant the required run rate was rendered irrelevant. The West Indian bowlers, already demoralized by their poor showing with the bat, found no answers to the onslaught. Their lines wavered, their lengths became predictable, and the fielding grew increasingly ragged as boundaries flowed on both sides of the wicket.

England reached the target in just 9.2 overs, with a mammoth 64 balls to spare, completing the chase without breaking a sweat. It was a ruthless finish to a lopsided contest, with Sciver-Brunt’s commanding half-century encapsulating England’s authority.

This dominant batting performance not only sealed the match but also gave England an unassailable 2-0 lead in the three-match T20I series. With one game remaining, they’ll now look to complete a whitewash, while West Indies will be searching for answers and a way to restore some pride after being thoroughly outplayed in all departments.

Brief Scores: England vs West Indies – 2nd T20I

West Indies: 82 all out in 19.5 overs (Shemaine Campbelle 26, Shabika Gajnabi 22; Lauren Bell 3/10, Emily Arlott 2/10) lost to England: 84/1 in 9.2 overs (Nat Sciver-Brunt 55*, Sophia Dunkley 24*; Zaida James 1/15) by 9 wickets.

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