England captain Jos Buttler looking to nullify West Indies' T20 batting firepower

FIRST DOWN: England's captain Jos Buttler sinks to his kneels as West Indies' all-rounder Andre Russell scores runs during the first T20 cricket match at Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados. Picture: AP/Ricardo Mazalan

JOS BUTTLER was left to lament England’s batting – once again – but admitted they must find a way to restrict the West Indies, whose six-hitting prowess saw them claim a four-wicket win in the T20 opener in Barbados.

England raced to 77-0 at the end of the powerplay, then 112-2 at halfway, but collapsed to 171 all out in 19.3 overs, losing their last five wickets for six runs in 15 balls.

Yorkshire’s Adil Rashid marked his 100th T20 appearance – he was presented with his cap by Andrew Flintoff – with 2-25 and became the first English male bowler to collect 100 wickets in the format.

But the Windies batters lived up to their reputation as big hitters, bludgeoning 14 sixes in total, possibly aided by a half-hour rain delay that made bowling conditions trickier.

TON UP: England's Adil Rashid (C) celebrates with team-mates after getting the wicket of West Indies' Shimron Hetmyer at the Kensington Oval in Barbados in Tuesday's opening T20 international - giving him his 100th wicket in the format. Picture: Ashley Allen/Getty Images

Buttler accepted figuring out how to stop them so readily being able to clear the rope must be a priority for England’s bowlers in the remaining four matches.

“From the position we were in at halfway, to only end up with 170 is an area we could have improved in,” said Buttler. “The wicket definitely got harder and the West Indies adapted.

“They hit a lot of sixes as a team, that’s something that is a trademark of their side and we’ve got to find ways to limit that. Obviously the swing in the game with sixes is so big.

“You’ve got to find ways to get it out the arc, try and find ways to take wickets as well, be aggressive and be committed.

GOT HIM: England's Liam Livingstone is bowled by West Indies' Andre Russell during the first T20 cricket match at Kensington Oval in Barbados Picture: AP/Ricardo Mazalan

"It’s a great test for us and we’ll find out lots over the next few games. But certainly we need to find a way to score 20-25 more runs in that phase which I think would have been a really good score on that wicket.”

Andre Russell starred on his comeback for the hosts, taking a format-best 3-19 in what was his first international since the 2021 T20 World Cup.

The Windies looked to be in strife after slipping to 123-6 in their reply but Russell (29 not out off 14 balls) and captain Rovman Powell (31no off 15) put on an unbroken 49 in 21 deliveries to get them home.

Rashid’s fellow leg-spinner Rehan Ahmed took 3-39 to provide another positive for England, but Buttler and his team must regroup quickly for Thursday’s second T20 in Grenada.

They were on for a 200-plus total following a 77-run opening stand in the powerplay, led by Phil Salt’s freewheeling 40 off 20 balls and Buttler was in his Lancashire team-mate’s slipstream before bringing up England’s 50 with a six off Russell.

It was inevitably Russell who made the breakthrough immediately after the powerplay as Salt tried to muscle over deep midwicket only to be caught by a juggling Shimron Hetmyer.

Joseph’s bold decision to take pace off was rewarded as Jacks sent another booming swing straight up in the air and departed for 17 while Buttler, who had never really hit his stride at a venue where he made a golden duck on Saturday, holed out for 39 off 31 deliveries.

At 117-3, England were in the driving seat but wickets tumbled from then on as Yorkshire’s Harry Brook tickled behind off Jason Holder while Duckett got into a tangle attempting a scoop off a much wider delivery from Romario Shepherd than anticipated.

Liam Livingstone briefly sparkled as he thrashed Holder for successive sixes in the 17th over but then chopped on to his stumps for 27, too early on an off-cutter from Russell, who then snared Ahmed.

Joseph accounted for Rashid and Tymal Mills as England failed to bat out their overs and they were on the back foot in reply after leaking 30 in the first two overs.

Brandon King started the rout with 16 off Sam Curran but added just six more before being dismissed after an outstretched catch from Duckett, who dropped a similar chance to reprieve Kyle Mayers.

Mayers had already put Will Jacks and Tymal Mills on to the Greenidge and Haynes Stand roof and cleared the ropes twice in Ahmed’s opening gambit before perishing for 35, falling metres short of a fifth six from Rashid’s first delivery.

Having amassed 78 in seven overs, the hosts found post-powerplay scoring as difficult as England, adding just 39 more in the next seven, which included Ahmed taking a return catch off Nicholas Pooran and Hetmyer picking out Duckett in the deep to give Rashid his landmark wicket.

After a brief rain delay, Shai Hope belted his third six but perished immediately afterwards for 36 when he targeted Ahmed again while the teenager had two in two when Shepherd – England’s nemesis in the 2-1 ODI loss – edged to slip.

The Windies needed 43 off the last 26 balls but Powell turned the tide with two monster hits off Livingstone while Russell got a top-edge all the way in the next over off Mills.

England’s last roll of the dice was Rashid but he was smeared high over the leg-side boundary by Russell, who sealed a 1-0 lead for the Windies by hitting Curran for four.