SALT AND BATTERY

Phil: It's been stop-start so far but now's the time to pull the trigger

- MIKE WALTERS

PHIL SALT decided it was time to "pull the trigger" - and now England can come out all guns blazing against South Africa today.

With a 30-run blitz from a single Romario Shepherd over, Salt demolished co-hosts West Indies in St Lucia at the Twenty20 World Cup.

And another Super 8 win against South Africa at the same venue, or against the United States in Barbados on Sunday, will leave Jos Buttler's men on the brink of the semi-finals less than a week after they diced with elimination at the group stage.

Opener Salt's (right) unbeaten 87 from 47 balls catapulted the holders to an eight-wicket win with 2.3 overs to spare and his takedown of Shepherd, as England chased 181 to win, was the moment their campaign went nuclear.