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Ben Duckett Sparks England's Record-Breaking Victory in T20 Series Whitewash:
Ben Duckett bludgeoned a remarkable 84 to propel England to a winning total of 248/3, the highest T20 total at home, with the previous record of 234/6 recorded against South Africa in 2022. England finished off a comprehensive T20I series against the West Indies with a resounding 37-run victory at Southampton, completing a clean sweep with a 3-0 scoreline. The West Indies provided some resistance with Rovman Powell scoring 79*, but could only manage 211/8 in response to England's considerable hitting.
England's Batting Blitz:
From the very start, Duckett and debut opener Jamie Smith laid waste to the West Indies bowlers, scoring a rapid 120 runs in just 10.2 overs. Duckett's 46-ball performance, which featured crazy reverse sweeps and a couple of well-placed cuts, saw him awarded Player of the Match. Smith chipped in with a sensational 60 off 26 balls, including three sixes in a row off Gudakesh Motie, representing the aggressive style of play adopted from coach Brendon McCullum. After Smith's dismissal, Harry Brook (35*) and Jacob Bethell (36*), pushed on with their heavy-hitting, adding an additional impressive 76 runs in the last five overs. England's all-out score of 83/0 at the end of the powerplay is now their second-highest powerplay score (in 6 overs) which quite clearly shows their intent.
West Indies' Long Shot:
The visitors showed signs of challenge when batting at second and chasing 249. With Powell (79 not out off 45 balls) and captain Shai Hope (45 off 26 balls) providing a glimmer of hope, however, wickets continued to fall at regular intervals and Luke Wood (3-31) bowled well and restricted their momentum. Wood controlled the ball, and was expertly supported by spinners Adil Rashid and Liam Dawson who applied pressure to the middle order. With the absence of talented batter Nicholas Pooran (recently retired from British international cricket), the Caribbean team struggled to have a decent batting approach, as their bowlers leaked runs at 12.4 an over. One striking example of this was Romario Shepherd who bowled two overs and conceded 38 runs.
The match saw many records fall, and the 459 run aggregate was England's highest T20I score, Duckett's fifty from 20 balls was tied for the fourth-fastest by an Englishman, and captain Harry Brook extended his ideal start as white-ball captain to six wins in six matches. Brook commented, "The depth in our batting allows the top order a bit of freedom," and commented on the team's courageous spirit to go out and play. McCullum praised Brook. He spoke on the calmness of Brook's leadership and that simplicity and strong relationships were the two areas he wanted to emphasize to the group.
Ben Duckett's blistering 84 and England's record 248/3 lead to a 3-0 series whitewash over the West Indies, reiterating the T20 revival of England cricket. Rovman Powell's brave 79* could not save his side from a 37-run defeat, as Luke Wood returned magnificent figures of 3-31 to effectively run the chase. As captain this series, Harry Brook has continued his perfect start, whilst the West Indies will need to regroup quickly after two ODI & two T20I white-washes in a row before the T20 World Cup. England's attacking plan under McCullum suggests serious intent.
