20th over: West Indies 180-4 (Shepherd 5, Rutherford 28) Archer from the pavilion end with the final over of the innings. Rutherford pans his second ball for six over point, but that’s the only boundary! 12 from the over and the commentators think England will be the fractionally happier side. Please excuse me for five minutes now while I try and sort the television.
19th over: West Indies 168-4 (Shepherd 5, Rutherford 19) Curran for the penultimate over, a scurrying, miserly affair
“Tanya,” hello Gregor Salsa.
“May I be the 94th to remark on your pre-match comment about the England anthem being God Save the Queen…
“…and that just before King and Charles open the batting.
“Also isn’t it a bit odd that this match is being played in a cricket ground named after the coach of one of the competing teams?
“With a stand named after one of the competing players?
“I think that if in 1966 West Germany were facing England in the World Cup at the Alf Ramsey Stadium in front of a stand named after Bobby Charlton they would think that their chances were slim.”
I did get a couple of emails about God Save the Queen as you mention it but I’m embarrassed to say the penny has only just dropped…
18th over: West Indies 162-4 (Shepherd 4, Rutherford 14) Wood back and Rutherford butchers his first two balls for six and four. A couple of wides and four off the last ball adds up to an expensive 19 from the over. Two to go.
17th over: West Indies 143-4 (Shepherd 0, Rutherford 1) Just two from the excellent Rashid’s over. West Indies tripping in the final run in here.
“Done by his own ego,” says Steven Finn. Russell can’t quite heave the googly over the rope.
16th over: West Indies 141-3 (Russell 0) After a fearsome over from Archer, Pooran edges behind. Apologies all, I can’t seem to fix the telly and just have a remarkably young looking Lionel Ritchie on my screen. Will wake someone up with better technical skills at the end of the innings. If you’re watching, please send me your insights! thank you to bbc radio in the meantime.
14th over: West Indies 137-2 (Pooran 32) A top-edge from another huge hit is Powell’s downfall but 20 from the over.
14th over: West Indies 117-1 (Pooran 32, Powell 16)Livi-time! Powell dances down the pitch – the earth shakes – and fries Livingstone for six, six more follows and then the dog turns round, sits on the remote and changes the channel to American idol. There’s been a wicket I think too – er hold on…
14th over: West Indies 117-1 (Pooran 32, Powell 16) Powell swivels for a cross-court forehand up and away for six . Pooran sweeps a full-toss for four. Curran, who is wearing a hair cut like a Davy Crockett hat with shaved sides, looks unperturbed. Pooran deeply unhappy to have failed to cash in off the last ball.
13th over: West Indies 106-1 (Pooran 28, Powell 9) Neat and tidy from Rashid, just four from the over including a burnt lbw review from England against Pooran. Crowd are getting itchy -time for West Indies to put their foot down.
“Thank you for the OBO Tanya! I’m watching the match on the telly in my little flat in downtown Manhattan; love seeing the Windies back on form and doing it for their amazing fans. I was lucky enough to visit Barbados to watch the Aussies last week – the Caribbean is such a unique and incredible place to watch cricket. They’ve got some great momentum, let’s hope for an old school Australia v Windies humdinger final! Also, in case readers were interested, sports bars in New York are showing live cricket and locals are definitely following the tournament – so glad the ICC brought it to this part of the world.”
Thank you Thomas Walker, that is fascinating to hear! Rather wishing I was in a downtown NYC bar (though not in my dressing gown).
12th over: West Indies 103-1 (Pooran 26, Powell 7) Cracking catch by Brook that, taken neatly right on the boundary. Moeen sprints to field off his own bowling with the energy of an athletic teenager and nearly enacts a run out. Powell, becapped, isn’t dilly-dallying, drops to one knee and clubs Moeen’s last ball for six.
An impatient Charles toe ends a wide one from Moeen high and into the lights and Brook collects calmly at long on.
11th over: West Indies 94-0 (Pooran 25, Charles 38) Charles signals his intent post drinks by dispatching Rashid for six over long on, but West Indies are content to take just singles (and a two) from the rest of the over.
10th over: West Indies 82-0 (Pooran 22, Charles 30) Double spin now with Moeen. The spinners immediately dry up the boundaries. And they take DRINKS at half way through the innings.
David emails from Canada “At what point do the Aussies send the message to Agent Mott that his job is done and he can return to base. The inability of England to take a wicket against even non established nations, the team selections, the tactics. It is almost too obviously a sabotage job surely!!!”
Ha! Leaving aside double agents, I’m unsure on what criteria will be used to judge Mott. A first round exit and you suspect he might have been toast, he’ll be safe if he makes the final – but anything in between?
9th over: West Indies 75-0 (Pooran 18, Charles 27) The first sight of spin from Adil Rashid, a neat figure with a thick beard with a characterful twist. On the money immediately, nearly does Charles with a beauty that rips past the outside edge. Charles gives it a nod of acknowledgement.
8th over: West Indies 72-0 (Pooran 17, Charles 25) To the whistles of horns and the rattles of drums and blasts of pop hits, Pooran picks up and fires Mark Wood up and into the stands like a man slamming a perfectly fried egg onto a plate. Singles, a wide, and dots forthwith.
7th over: West Indies 63-0 (Pooran 10, Charles 24) West Indies milk Topley for singles, until Pooran pounces on a short one and rocks it up and away over midwicket for four.
James, if you’re still reading, so much love to you from the OBO community. From Brian Withington. “Just wanted to echo your love and best wishes to James Walsh and family, and especially his Dad. Nothing is too much for a cricket blog – as the great CLR James said, ‘What do they know of cricket who only cricket know?’”
6th over: West Indies 54-0 (Pooran 4, Charles 22) Archer coming in for more tonk in the last over of the power play, with Charles reading a slower ball correctly and picking up a couple of fours
Hello Meghan Purvis! “Re: Joe’s attempts to learn cricket, it can be done! As an American in London with the zeal of the converted, I spent a large portion of my recent visit to the States trying to cement my 5-year-old niece’s affection for the game. (The Bluey episode gave me a big leg up.) She calls every hit a square cut because it’s the only one she knows, but she also responds to every lunch, break, or particularly long pause with a worried “is it bad light??”, so we’ll make a county fan of her yet. [where can we sign her up?]
“(And on a serious note, an intro book or two and a Willow TV subscription, you’ll be grand.)“
5th over: West Indies 44-0 (Pooran 4, Charles 13) Another change of bowler as Buttler whistles for Sam Curran. King top edges the first ball for four, but drops to the ground trying to fry the pants off the second – possibly a groin strain – and he limps off the pitch looking gutted. Pooran watches his first three balls with an uneasy eye but flames the fourth through point for four.
4th over: West Indies 36-0 (King 19, Charles 13) Archer on and treated with no reverence at all, biffed for back to back fours by King, despite an enthusiastic slide and dive from Phil Salt in the deep.
3rd over: West Indies 25-0 (King 9, Charles 12) Topley’s first ball is a wide again and Buttler runs up from behind the stumps to whisper sweet nothings. King struggles to make decent contact for a couple of balls, calls for a new bat, then, with a giant pick up and smash, pings Topley leg side, 100 metres for six. A new ball needed too with the first now sitting somewhere outside the stadium in the car park. Charles then tickles an inside edge for four.
”Wishing James Walsh and his dad all the strength in the world,” writes Stephen Holliday. “Clearly on such terms the result tonight doesn’t matter but I hope that it can provide some welcome distractions.” Beautifully put.
2nd over: West Indies 13-0 (King 2, Charles 8) A clean shaven Wood starts with what Nasser calls “the perfect outswinger. England contemplate a review – would have been umpire’s call for lbw. A wide next ball. The commentators think England might be holding back Jofra for Nicholas Pooran. A first boundary to Charles with a clever nudge through point.
As a Hoosier growing up in the Midwest, I had no concept of cricket. One of my coworkers from Sri Lanka and I discussed the comparisons and differences between cricket and baseball during a minor league baseball game we watched together. I don’t think he got baseball; I definitely didn’t get cricket. During this T20 coverage, I think I’m starting to understand. Too bad there is no tv coverage here in the states. And it appears that TalkSport is also leaving it behind. So it is you, or nothing. No pressure.”
Joe Pearson, at 1.40am I can barely promise coherent English…
1st over: West Indies 5-0 (King 1, Charles 2) It turns out they are out in the middle early and everyone twiddles their thumbs for a minute or two. Topley with the first over, all tattoos and telephone pole legs. He powers in and sends down two wides in the first four balls but is tricksy to hit and West Indies manage only three off the bat.
Hello there John Tagg in NYC, “where the thermometer hit 97F today and it felt like 106.” Ooof.
“Let’s hope Butler is as good at calling his bowling changes. WI are not likely to be any more forgiving than the Aussies.”
Completely! Ali reminds me that Mark Wood is back at the scene of arguably his fastest spell in international cricket, “It was from the media centre end, with a tailwind not dissimilar to the one blowing tonight.”
England training at the Daren Sammy Cricket Ground in St Lucia today, where five years ago Mark Wood quite literally walked away with the oversized cheque for man of the match (a holiday voucher, in fact) pic.twitter.com/dFck5ep2SP
An inky black night as the anthems ring out. A strong wind ripples the England shirts for God Save the Queen before a rousing version of Rally Round the West Indies.
“Greetings from St Lucia where it’s a soupy night and a wonderful atmosphere is already building in the ground. There’s a terrific steel band panning out hits from David Rudder and Nadia Batson outside the stadium, and then pulsing party soca – Shazam fodder territory for the names – being blared out inside. Windies happily stuck a big one on the board against Afghanistan here on Monday, so slightly surprised by Jos Buttler’s call. England are tinkering have a long tail tonight, Windies revert to their strongest side from the first round. The crowd is building and everything feels ripe for a belter and who knows, maybe the first centurion of the tournament.”
A very moving email from old friend of the OBO and the county blog James Walsh.
“The worst night here – big up as always to our incredible NHS – but I suspect my dad might not make the dawn after a sudden and very cruel illness. And so we make vigil.
“He’s never been much of a cricket watcher, though he’s happy coming to The Oval with his pal Chris to drink beer and take the piss out of the John Major bust.
No need to publish if a bit much for a cricket blog, but just wanted to thank you for being out there providing solace and distraction at the most difficult of times.”
James, sending all the love in the world to you and your dad. May England see you both safely through the night.”
Ian Bishop towers over everyone at the Daren Sammy stadium, where the wind is whistling in and Mark Wood powers in over his shoulder. . “They’ve rolled it well, very hard, not too much long grass. You get some extra bounce compared to other Caribbean pitches around the place. But it is true bounce, batters can pull cut or drive.”
West Indies: Brandon King, Johnson Charles, Nicholas Pooran (wk), Roston Chase, Rovman Powell (capt), Andre Russell, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, Akeal Hosein, Alzarri Joseph, Gudakesh Motie
A couple of changes for West Indies, as Roston Chase and Romario Shepherd return.
England: Phil Salt, Jos Buttler (capt & wk), Jonny Bairstow, Harry Brook, Moeen Ali, Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, Jofra Archer, Mark Wood, Adil Rashid, Reece Topley.
Liam Livingstone has recovered from his stomach upset. One change with Mark Wood replacing Chris Jordan.
Buttler calls correctly on what looks like a steamy St Lucia night
“This is the part of the tournament you want to be at,” says Buttler, “it is going to be a great atmosphere, a game to be enjoyed.” Rovman Powell says he’d have bowled too but “it looks a very good pitch.”
“Looking forward to this tonight,” taps a buoyant Stephen Holiday. “I’m in Toronto so the timing is great. Kids will be in bed. Got a few beers in the fridge and I feel fairly calm about things. Kind of expect New England to turn up rather than Morgan England so anything positive will be a lovely bonus. I think that as long as the weather doesn’t get involved, it’ll all be ok.
“As an aside, I reserve the right to be absolutely livid when a great England start is undone within two overs.
Ah, cricket…”
We’re with you Stephen! Good morning everyone. Here’s Nasser Hussain and the toss.
Hello night owl fumbling around in BST, hello St Lucian sun worshipper, hello everyone in between. Welcome to the second game of the Super Eights – still not a knockout – between the reigning champions, Butler’s Boys, and the hosts, and fellow two-time winners, West Indies.
A quick reminder of what’s what in the Super Eights – India, Australia, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh (Group One) and West Indies, South Africa, England, and the USA (Group Two ) are the qualifiers.
Teams play the other three teams in their group once, with the top two sides in each group qualifying for the semi-finals. South Africa pipped the USA in the first match in Antigua on Wednesday, and here we are now at the second.
England’s journey to St Lucia has been angst-riven, threatened by rain, Australia and then rain again. West Indies on the other hand are rocking – four wins from four, against PNG, New Zealand, Uganda, and Afghanistan and the feeling that this campaign might be relighting a fire in the resident population. Ali Martin wrote a great piece on this, and Akeal Hosein, here:
Play starts at 1.30am BST, the toss at 1am. See you then!
