Buttler and returning Dawson lead England to win

Chester-le-Street became Chester’s first T20 international.

England 188-6 (20 overs): Buttler 96 (59), Smith 38 (20), Shepherd 2-33

West Indies 167-9 (20 overs): Lewis 39 (23), Dawson 4-20

By 21 runs, England won.

In their first T20 international against West Indies, England defeated them by 21 runs in Chester-le-Street with four wickets and Jos Buttler’s superb 96.

Left-arm spinner Dawson, 35, skillfully turned and deceived his way 4-20 as England defended 189 in his first international appearance since November 2022.

With the game still in play, he returned to claim another three through the middle as the Windies fell from 91-2 in the 10th over to 115-6 with England’s first wicket in the powerplay.

They continued to struggle and eventually came up with a score of 167-9 after pressing on for 48 from the final 12 balls.

In his 59 balls, Buttler hit six fours and four sixes, which was close to his creative and destructive best.

In his first T20 opener, he combined with Jamie Smith, who had 38 balls in his first inning, and with Jacob Bethell, who combined for a 188-6 record despite a slow start.

After Buttler resigned following his disappointing exit from the Champions Trophy in February, Victory extends England’s winning run.

Although Brook’s 3-0 ODI series victory served as the ideal white-ball captain, it is much more important to reclaim England’s form in the T20 format with a World Cup set for the first time in the.

Although Brook has suggested that Buttler could re-energize the team, his best performance on the field will be just as crucial as anything the Yorkshireman can do.

After taking 12 of his first 11 balls, Buttler, who claims he was exhausted by the Champions Trophy captaincy, played an outrageous reverse scoop to Andre Russell’s seam.

In the sixth over, he launched Alzarri Joseph twice over midwicket and quickly scored 78 in the powerplay, despite Ben Duckett being caught for one off a top edge in the second over, despite Ben Duckett being caught for one off a top edge.

After that, Buttler lost both his rhythm and the strike.

West Indies’ spinners dragged the score, with left-armer Gudakesh Motie only conceding 21 in his four overs. Smith hit midwicket, Brook was hit by Roston Chase for six, and Russell pinched Tom Banton for four.

With the final two centuries of Joseph’s second T20 century in hand, Buttler was unable to break into the lead with Jacob Bethell’s run-a-ball 23.

Although Buttler has played for England’s white-ball teams for a generation, Dawson only made his 21st appearance despite making his debut nine years ago.

He has consistently been overlooked for various other options in English domestic cricket in recent years despite being the standout spinner there.

In his second of the West Indies chase, he bowled the opening over before striking in a flighted delivery that tempted Johnson Charles to advance and left him stumped.

Shai Hope was hit by Matthew Potts at mid-on for three in his T20 debut, but a stand of 58 between Evin Lewis and Roston Chase kept the visitors in the game.

The momentum was taken when they hit 24 from the 10th over bowled by Bethell, but Lewis was snagged off the final ball at midwicket.

Left-hander Sherfane Rutherford was caught at long-on for two as Dawson took the next step from Bethell’s end. England surged on as he threw one more wide in the same over to force Chase to hit long-off for 24.

Dawson finished his third over with 3-11, but two fours at the start of his fourth diminished those numbers.