Jos Buttler is savouring the sensation of leading England to victory over again after shaking off the ring rust with a blistering 83 off 45 balls against the West Indies in Barbados.
England’s white-ball captain blazed six sixes – muscling one onto the roof of the Three Ws stand – and eight fours to underpin an eight-wicket win as his side went 2-0 up within the five-match T20 series.
Buttler took just three singles off his first 10 balls in his second innings since a four-month lay-off with a hard calf injury, getting off the mark with a bottom edge that narrowly missed leg stump.
Having made a golden duck 24 hours earlier within the series opener, Buttler never looked back after taking 4 fours and a six off his next half-dozen balls as England overhauled a chase of 159 in 14.5 overs.
‘Great to be back’
“While you’ve not played for some time, I believe it’s good for me,” Buttler said. “To be honest, just a few years ago, I broke my finger and didn’t play for a bit, so it’s really refreshing (to be back).
“I haven’t played for 4 months, I wasn’t expecting to come back out and middle it from ball one. I definitely felt a bit scratchy early on but I managed to get through that bit.
“As soon as I got one out the center, I felt loads more comfortable. I actually enjoyed it. It was a extremely good performance from the team and great to be back scoring runs in an England win.
“(The Kensington Oval) is clearly an amazing place to play cricket, there was a great crowd, plenty of English travelling support. It was very special.”
Buttler has elected to present up the wicketkeeping gloves and drop all the way down to number three despite having probably the greatest records in world cricket as a T20 opener, averaging 47.19 with a 153.1 strike rate.
But Buttler was on the crease for the second delivery of England’s reply after the Windies had made 158 for eight when Phil Salt, England’s match-winning centurion on Saturday, got a primary baller of his own.
Buttler placed on 129 in 72 balls with Will Jacks, who contributed 38 off 29 deliveries, before the pair fell in the identical over. But Liam Livingstone’s 23 off 11 balls got England over the road.
Batting Order Demotion
“I’ve played everywhere in the order, it’s just something latest for me and likewise to present Will Jacks the chance to open,” Buttler explained of his self-imposed demotion down the batting order.
“He’s done fantastically well in franchise cricket, it gives Salt and Jacks the possibility to essentially attack and know I’m behind them. It’s only T20 cricket where I open, so it doesn’t feel too different in any respect.”
Saqib Mahmood, Liam Livingstone and Dan Mousley had earlier taken two wickets apiece after England won one more essential toss, with assistance for seamers and spinners alike when the Windies batted before conditions improved and the dew got here down when the tourists got their reply underway.
Jofra Archer’s figures of 4-0-31-1 don’t reflect how much of a handful he was when the ball was zipping around, together with his only reward the wicket of Evin Lewis with a savage bouncer that brushed the glove through to Phil Salt.
Having played all three ODIs recently, Archer was rested from Saturday’s T20 opener but was restored to England’s XI following a knee injury to Reece Topley that is just not as serious as first feared.
“We at all times expect a lot from Jofra due to what he’s able to,” Buttler added.
“But he’s not played cricket for a very long time, so to now have put together a little bit of a body of labor, I’m sure he’s just feeling increasingly confident every game. He bowled beautifully here.”
England travels to St Lucia on Monday knowing just yet another victory in three matches on the island will seal the primary T20 series triumph away from home in two years.
