Sam Curran bounces back from disappointment to help England beat West Indies by six wickets and set up decider in Barbados

Sam Curran came roaring back from the worst performance of his international career to decimate West Indies’ top order and push England to a series win at the Sir Vivian Richards Stadium.

Three days after recording 9.5-0-98-0, England’s most expensive in 53 years of one-day internationals, Surrey all-rounder Curran produced a new-ball spell of three to one of eight deliveries to silence the steel drums and bring down the hosts down to 23 for four, a position from which they never recovered.

Kisi Carty and Brandon King both hit Zak Crawley at slip, while a ball that curved around the bat of Shimron Hetmyer as he stumbled forward was the subject of a successful LBW review by rejuvenated England captain Jos Buttler.

And although Buttler’s opponent Shai Hope combined with Sherfane Rutherford for a reply stand of 129 in 23 overs, it proved to be only a brief reprieve as England produced the ruthless series that was missing in Sunday’s opening defeat.

Hope and Rutherford were bowled by successive overs from Liam Livingstone and the tourists simply swept through West Indies’ bottom order, ending the innings with more than 10 overs unused.

Sam Curran bounced back to lead England to a series win over the West Indies.

England player Gus Atkinson celebrates after taking the wicket of Wet Indies’ Alik Atanaze.

Will Jacks came out of the blocks in pursuit of 203 and helped England to victory.

Rehan Ahmed made a couple of errors to repeat his analysis in the first match – two for 40, and Gus Atkinson ended the innings with wickets, catching Alzarri Joseph with a short ball, bowling Alick Atanaze as early as the fourth over after Buttler suggested his bowlers use the fresh pitch first.

Victory was also secured by a canter after Will Jacks burst out of the blocks in pursuit of 203.

As in the first match of three here, Jacks shared a half-century partnership with Phil Salt and remained unperturbed by the loss of his opening partner, making a 43-ball 50 soon after fast bowler Oshan Thomas bowled his third shot. six.

The 25-year-old dominated the scoreline, making 73 by the time he came out fourth on a scoreboard of 117, pinned to the shin by part-time pacer Sherfane Rutherford.

It pushed the previously sidelined Buttler to the breaking point and the England captain struggled through Yanick Karia’s early test to rediscover the fluency missing since the 2023 home summer, causing the requirement to drop below 50 with the first of successive sixes in a row. leg-spinner and his first 50 in 14 deliveries with a third off the rope off Oshane Thomas in what turned out to be the penultimate over of the competition.

An England win by six wickets will lead to a decider in Barbados on Saturday.

Sherfane Rutherford celebrates with Shimron Hetmyer after taking Jax’s wicket

Harry Brooke hits a six during England’s win over the West Indies in Antigua.

Rehan Ahmed (left) and Ben Duckett (right) celebrate the sacking of Romario Shepherd