Rain forces final match of England’s white-ball tour of the Caribbean to be abandoned

England’s white-ball tour of the Caribbean came to an end when heavy downpours in St Lucia led to a retirement in the final T20 after just five overs.

West Indies had reached 44 without defeat, with Evin Lewis muscling a couple of sixes off his 29 not out off 20 balls and Shai Hope unbeaten on 14 off 10, when the showers began at 4:25 p.m. local time.

While the square and bowler’s runs were protected from the deluge with sheets, much of the outfield remained uncovered and several puddles formed to dash any hope of a resumption of play.

The ground staff had long disappeared from the field of play when, with rain still falling, the teams shook hands at 6.10pm to end the draw as England won the series 3-1.

Jos Buttler opted to field first, which made England the favorites as the previous seven matches on this tour – three ODIs and four T20s – were won by the captain calling the toss correctly .

Lewis and Hope made 136 in nine overs on Saturday to support a consolation victory for the Windies on Saturday and the first matches started brightly as England brought back senior bowlers Jofra Archer and Adil Rashid.

Lewis, for the second match in a row, took off with a slash to Jamie Overton at slip before connecting more cleanly with a heavy whip to deep midwicket from Archer and John Turner.

Ground staff bring blankets onto the pitch as England players leave Ground staff bring blankets onto the pitch as England players leave

England were denied the chance to end their Caribbean tour on a high (Ricardo Mazalan/AP)

Turner conceded 16 off five deliveries before ending the match by hitting Lewis on the helmet, which proved to be the final act as rain had the last laugh at the Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium.

This was England’s final limited-overs match under keeper Marcus Trescothick, with Test head coach Brendon McCullum set to take charge of England in all three formats from January.

England had earlier announced that white-ball assistants Carl Hopkinson and Richard Dawson would leave their posts. It is unclear whether they will be replaced in the coaching structure under McCullum.

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