Former captain Heather Knight battled through hamstring discomfort to help England beat the West Indies by 17 runs and complete a T20I series whitewash win at the Ambassador Cruise Line Ground in Chelmsford.

Knight (66 not out) top-scored for England, helping them post 144-5, but is now a doubt for the upcoming one-day international series against the West Indies, which starts on Friday, May 30, live on Sky Sports Cricket.

The hosts made a slow start after being inserted, with Danni Wyatt-Hodge falling for her second consecutive golden duck, but Nat Sciver-Brunt (37) and Amy Jones (22) added impetus in the middle order, as West Indies captain Hayley Matthews (3-32) finished with a three-for.

Pace bowler Lauren Bell (2-11) struck with her very first ball to dismiss Qiana Joseph (0) for a golden duck, and Matthews’ (71) 17th T20I fifty was unable to see her side over the line as they finished on 127-8.

England showed room for improvement in their fielding after they dropped Realeanna Grimmond (15) three times in the same number of balls, but they took five quick wickets after a brief rain delay, with Linsey Smith (2-25) striking twice in two balls.

Knight 66no helps England to competitive total

England’s openers Sophia Dunkley (3) and Wyatt-Hodge (0) were both dismissed in the powerplay, with the former gloving behind, leaving the hosts 21-2 in the fifth over.

West Indies, who opted for a younger, inexperienced side with five players under the age of 21, managed to keep things tight with England reaching 59-2 at the halfway stage, but Knight and Sciver-Brunt rebuilt with a 48-run stand before the captain holed out to cow corner off Matthews.

Jones (22) and Knight batted well for the fourth wicket, sharing a 42-run stand, as the former skipper brought up England’s 100 with a boundary – one of her seven.

A slower ball from Matthews saw Jones bowled, leaving England 111-4, while Knight brought up her eighth T20I half-century despite evidently struggling to run between the wickets.

West Indies’ debutant Jahzara Claxton finished with figures of 1-15 after she claimed the scalp of Alice Capsey (4) who was caught at deep extra cover by Grimmond.

Knight valiantly battled on for England, hitting two boundaries in the final over to help the hosts towards a competitive total.

Matthews shines but West Indies fall again

Bell struck first as West Indies replied, bowling Joseph (0) for a golden duck to immediately put the opposition on the back foot.

Em Arlott (2-26) continued to impress head coach Charlotte Edwards after her three-for in the second T20I, as she had Zaida James (7) caught at short fine leg.

Grimmond was granted three lives after being dropped by Sciver-Brunt at midwicket, Charlie Dean (2-31) in her follow-through, and Jones spilling a tough chance behind the wicket.

However, after the West Indies No 4 skied the Dean for a fourth time, Wyatt-Hodge settled safely underneath it at deep midwicket, leaving the visitors 63-3.

Matthews continued to show why she is the No 1 all-rounder in the world, hitting 10 boundaries and one six before rain stopped play.

The delay worked out in England’s favour as Smith removed Shabika Gajnabi (14) and Claxton (0) in consecutive deliveries.

Matthews then skied Bell’s slower ball to long-on before Sciver-Brunt took a stunning grab at mid-off to see off Jannillea Glasgow (1).

Dean struck with the penultimate ball of the match to bowl Afy Fletcher (6) but England had already won the match and the series by then.

Sciver-Brunt: We had set the standard in the first two matches

England captain Nat Sciver-Brunt:

“We played some brilliant cricket over that series. We didn’t have our best game today but we had set the standard pretty high.

“They made it very difficult for us. Heather batting through like that was the perfect innings to get us up to that total. She has got a tight hamstring and she will be assessed in the next few days.

“We want to be fielding perfectly every time and in the first two games we fielded brilliantly.

“To put in a perfect performance every time can be difficult. We want to be better than that but at the end of the day we got over the line.”

Matthews: It was nice to see us compete

Player of the series, player of the match and West Indies captain, Hayley Matthews:

“Obviously it is really good to go out there and score some runs and some wickets as well. It was a much closer game today so it was nice to be out there and compete.

“I have been fortunate to play a lot of T20 cricket around the world and get lots of experience. I am super proud that (some young players) were able to get an opportunity today.

“I think we definitely fielded a lot better and executed our plans a lot nicer too. We just unfortunately were not able to chase it in the end.”

England Women’s summer fixtures

All times UK and Ireland; all games live on Sky Sports

T20 international series vs West Indies (May)

• First T20I, Canterbury: England win by eight wickets
• Second T20I, Hove: England win by nine wickets
• Third T20I, Chelmsford: England win by 17 runs

One-day international series vs West Indies (May-June)

• First ODI: Friday May 30 (1pm) – Derby
• Second ODI: Wednesday June 4 (1pm) – Leicester
• Third ODI: Saturday June 7 (11am) – Taunton

T20 international series vs India (June-July)

• First T20I: Saturday June 28 (2.30pm) – Trent Bridge
• Second T20I: Tuesday July 1 (6.30pm) – Bristol
• Third T20I: Friday July 4 (6.35pm) – The Kia Oval
• Fourth T20I: Wednesday July 9 (6.30pm) – Emirates Old Trafford
• Fifth T20I: Saturday July 12 (6.35pm) – Edgbaston

One-day international series vs India (July)

• First ODI: Wednesday July 16 (1pm) – Southampton
• Second ODI: Saturday July 19 (11am) – Lord’s
• Third ODI: Tuesday July 22 (1pm) – Chester-le-Street

Watch England’s first one-day international against West Indies live on Sky Sports Cricket and Sky Sports Main Event from 1pm on Friday May 30 (1.30pm first ball). Stream cricket with NOW