England beat the West Indies by 16 points in another dominating performance to take a 2-0 lead in the Twenty20 series in Barbados.
Chasing 142, the hosts reached 125-8 as spinner Charlie Dean took 3-22.
None of the West Indies batters went past 18 in another dismal batting performance.
It is England’s fifth straight win on the tour after a 3-0 sweep in the one-day internationals, with three T20s remaining.
The victory demonstrated England’s improved strength from depth as they rested all-round star Nat Sciver, wicketkeeper Amy Jones and world number one bowler Sophie Ecclestone.
Batting first, England flyhalf Sophia Dunkley had the best score with 43 as West Indies improved their performance from the field, captain Hayley Matthews taking 3-15 from her four overs.
On slow ground, Dunkley added a valuable partnership of 40 from four overs with Maia Bouchier, who scored 24 from 15 as England went 141-6.
In response, West Indies were again let down by their batter as they slipped 50-5 in the first 10 overs and at no point did England’s bowlers seem under pressure – another disappointing performance. after an eight-wicket thrashing in the first T20.
The series continues at the same location on Saturday at 22:00 GMT.
England’s depth passes its test
England suffered a 3-0 blanking by India in the ODI series at the end of the summer after finishing a disappointing fourth at the Commonwealth Games, and in the absence of Heather Knight, Sciver and Katherine Brunt for these matches, it was clear that they needed to overcome their reliance on senior players.
Brunt was impressive in Barbados, taking 1-18, but Knight only made it 18 and with Sciver rested, England had to turn to their less experienced players.
Dunkley continues to nail his place at the top of the order, hitting maturely to run a ball when the boundaries didn’t sink, while Bouchier also showed aggressive intent when appearing in the middle order.
And in Dean, England added a valuable asset to their bowling attack in terms of wicket-taking and consistency, meaning England didn’t miss Ecclestone.
But the true assessment of England’s depth will come up against stronger opposition at the T20 World Cup in February, with the likes of India and Australia vying for the trophy.
For the West Indies, however, it is not comparable. They have clearly struggled throughout the series but have no choice but to play the same players – although the inclusion of Under-19 player Djenaba Joseph and some late knocks from 22-year-old Shabika Gajnabi , have shown signs of positivity for the future.
The spinners lead the way
Dean is quietly having a good 2022. The 21-year-old’s performances may not always grab the headlines, but with 29 wickets in 17 ODIs and three West Indies wickets in just her second T20, she gave to Knight a good selection headache before the World Cup.
Sarah Glenn, Ecclestone and Dean have all been consistent in an England shirt all year, and each bring something different: Glenn a leg spinner, Dean bowling off-spin and Ecclestone a big left arm.
But with England often wary of Ecclestone’s workload, they will prove to be an increasingly valuable trio for Knight and head coach Jon Lewis.
Dean’s spell tore through the West Indies lineup, including Matthews’ price wicket for a single, effectively mixing up his pace and frustrating batters with tenacious consistency.
Seamstress Lauren Bell also continued her excellent streak, playing with the new ball and also using its death variations, taking 2-21 from three overs.
West Indies spinner Matthews also impressed with three wickets in England’s innings, suggesting the spinners will have an important role to play in the remaining three games at the Kensington Oval.
