It had threatened to happen in every series, but in the eighth and final match of England’s white-ball tour of the Caribbean, the weather had the last word.
The fifth T20 of the series was abandoned after five overs, with West Indies 44 for none.
It’s still the rainy season in Saint Lucia, and it’s a real miracle that this is the first match to succumb to the weather.
Related: West Indies vs England: Fifth international men’s T20 cricket match – match abandoned
For the past three weeks the rain had fallen either just before or after the England match, but this time the skies opened shortly after the match started and there was no no chance of returning to the field. The result meant England secured a 3-1 T20 victory in a series which resulted in the winner of the toss winning every match before this one.
The 4 p.m. start times led to a double disadvantage for the team batting first, as the wicket was at its trickiest in the afternoon sun. The dew that settled in the evening made the pitch suitable for batting and the ball slippery for bowling.
Nonetheless, it was a good result for England and captain Jos Buttler, as they secured their first away T20 series victory in over two years and ensured a positive start to cricket’s latest new era with a white ball. In particular, fast bowler Saqib Mahmood impressed with nine wickets in four matches.
“Really happy,” Buttler said. “I think everyone brought a lot to the team behind the scenes and getting the results on the pitch as well was really good to see.
“A lot of different players stood up at different points in the series, which is absolutely what you need in T20 cricket. Saqib Mahmood returning to the England jersey and player of the series is an incredible effort.
Meanwhile, Brendon McCullum has paved the way for England’s backroom staff to start covering all formats following the announcement of the departures of white-ball coaches Richard Dawson and Carl Hopkinson.
Hopkinson has been with the team since 2019, while Dawson joined shortly before the 2022 T20 World Cup.
“They made absolutely enormous contributions,” Buttler said of both men. “I know I speak for all the players, to say how grateful we are for all the hard work they have put in.”
McCullum, whose Test team traveled to New Zealand at the weekend, is expected to begin his senior role as England’s all-format head coach during the white-ball tour of India in January.
Former England batter Marcus Trescothick served as interim head coach of the men’s white ball during the West Indies tour.