Key events
4th over: England 38-0 (Salt 30, Buttler 6) Target 197 Shepherd, who took five including a hatty against Scotland, into the attack, and Salt misses his first swipe, then allows a wide to fly past.
3rd over: England 37-0 (Salt 30, Buttler 6) Target 197 Buttler, unlike Salt, tends to ease on to the gas, rather than stomping the pedal immediately, so he looks at a couple of balls, then reverses over third for a one-bounce four. He might leave the next delivery, as it’s going down, but instead follows it, turning away a single, followed by another that restores him to strike; Hosein responds by cramping him on the crease, and that’s a much better over for West Indies, six from it.
2nd over: England 31-0 (Salt 29, Buttler 1) Target 197 We said England like this pitch but, like cricket, might they love it? Salt’s eye is infinitely preferable to salt in the eye, and he leathers Holder’s short loosener over midwicket for six; cuts through point for four; edges wide of slip for four more. Check to you, Mr Bowler. A dot follows, but another short one is punished over midwicket, then Salt stands … and goodness me does he deliver, assaulting a cover-drive along the carpet and to the fence. Just the eight pints for me last night 24 off the over, and England are away.
1st over: England 7-0 (Salt 5, Buttler 1) Target 197 Context: both sides can wear a defeat, but lose here and a slip-up against Nepal, Scotland or Italy might be a problem. Anyhow, Salt has a look at Hosein – out of the hand and through the air – before lashing over mid-off for four; take that, boychik. Two singles and ley-bye follow, meaning a start both sides can tolerate.
Hosein has the ball, and off we go.
Our teams are out; this should be a lot of fun.
Righto, I’m going to grab a drink, then we’ll get on with the Roston.
Rashid says England would’ve taken this at the start, which tells us how good a pitch they think it is. They do, though, have plenty of batting, while West Indies aren’t known for their bowling. Someone will have to get after it in a serious manner, but the target isn’t so big they don’t have scope to take their time over going mad.
West Indies close on 196-6, setting England 197 to win
20th over: West Indies 197-6 (Rutherford 76, Shepherd 1) Shepherd goes hard, at deep backward point, Salt dives forward, catches … but the ball bounced just short of him. Which brings Rutherford back on to strike, he swings hard – or hardest – and that’s his seventh six of a majestically violent knock. This’ll take some chasing.
WICKET! Holder c Banton b Overton 33 (West Indies 189-6)
Holder goes over the top again but this time doesn’t get enough of it, picking out Banton at long-on.
20th over: West Indies 189-5 (Rutherford 70, Holder 33) Yup, it’s Overton – for all the difference it makes. A single, then Holder dematerialises six back over the bowler’s head; a wide ball that isn’t a wide is a decent riposte.
19th over: West Indies 182-5 (Rutherford 69, Holder 27) It’s been another chastening innings for Archer and, after one to Rutherford, a low full toss is power-guided by Holder to deep point, Bethell unable to save the boundary despite an energetic dive. Another single follows, then Rutherford opens shoulders, hoisting high over midwicket, where Bethell dives over the rope and into the hoardings, head first; he leaves the field. The final two balls are taken for two and one respectively, meaning Archer returns 1-48, a spell that started badly, finished badly, and was poor in between, finally over. So will it be Curran or Overton to finish off? I’d go the latter, who’s been better today.
18th over: West Indies 167-5 (Rutherford 59, Holder 22) Brook has no choice but to restore Rashid to the attack and, after Rutherford takes one, he beats Holder twice. So, next ball, the batter flogs to midwicket and they run one, then Rutherford wallops towards Venus; Rashid calls for the catch but it’s a steepling, swirling brute and he spills it, shies, hits, and they take a buzzer. A single follows, and that’s five off the over, completing yet another fine spell of 2-16. But can his mates back him up?
17th over: West Indies 162-5 (Rutherford 55, Holder 21) Curran, who was so solid at the death against Nepal, returns to the attack and, after a dot, Holder strokes him for six down the ground, hold(er)ing the pose to rub in how taxing that wasn’t. So the bowler goes short and this time, Holder goes at it, baseball style, it’s in the air and is he going to be caught? No, it’s a second six in two deliveries, and I know a moment ago I said Curran was so solid; now I’m concerned he’s going for 21. He responds well, though, two singles coming from balls four and five, but have a look! Holder adjusts feet, presses forward, and violently carts a third six of the over flat to long-on! Incredible hitting, 20 from the over, and this is on a rolling boil now.
16th over: West Indies 142-5 (Rutherford 54, Holder 2) Yup, now Overton returns, and he bangs in, pace on, Rutherford pulls, top-edges … and earns four behind the wicket, in the process raising his fifty. So it’s a slower one next and this time it’s picked and launched, astonished over square leg for six. Ten from the first two deliveries meaning pressure for the bowler, as a reclining Ian Bishop, posing like he’s being painted, tells us there’s no dew situation. Meantime, Overton responds well, his final four balls yielding just two singles.
15th over: West Indies 130-5 (Rutherford 43, Holder 1) if Rashid could bowl every over, England would rinse this. He welcomes Holder to the crease with a beauty that turns past the edge, then two singles mean Rutherford retains strike as West Indies swing for home.
WICKET! Powell c Overton b Rashid 14 (West Indies 128-5)
A dead slow leg-spinner and Powell waits, then hurls everything at a ball that’s got no pace on it and is now crowding him, Overton waiting underneath it at long-off to pouch.
15th over: West Indies 128-4 (Rutherford 42, Powell 14) England needed that break and after it, Rashid returns, his first ball guided to third for one.
14th over: West Indies 127-4 (Rutherford 41, Powell 14) Dawson tries a wide one, so Rutherford cuts nicely for four then, after a wide and dot, waits for one and gently swings six back overt the bowler’s head. Big pressure for England now, the partnership 46 off 25, and does Brook get Overton and Rashid on now, then deal with the last two overs nearer the time? Dawson does well to get out of this one with just a wide and a single ceded, but it’s still 13 in total, and that is drinks.
13th over: West Indies 114-4 (Rutherford 30, Powell 14) Archer returns and Rutherford takes one, then Powell flows expertly over extra for four. A single follows, then one’s carved over third man and, on the fence, Rashid is there. He flings himself sideways and holds a majestic grab in mid-air, the catch of his life, but, knowing he’s landing over the fence, he tosses the all away … and it hits the boundary cushion, which means six runs, which means another expensive Archer over. Gosh, and when a single brings Powell back on to strike, a ball on to the pAds is easily glanced to the fence for four. Seventeen off the over, and England’s gun bowler has a problem.
“It’s reading like England are playing like they’re already having a fight in a bar somewhere, post-match,” says Jeremy Boyce. “Lots of swagger and threatening looks, swinging some wild haymakers and luckily making three of them count. Meanwhile Windies are picking their punches, and given that they’ve got mates waiting to join them it could end badly for the English barflies. Especially as I can’t see the Windies bowlers going at it like they’re three sheets to the wind already.”
12th over: West Indies 97-4 (Rutherford 22, Powell 2) Brook takes the latter option, bringing back Jacks, and Rutherford isn’t having him, a single to Powell offering him strike. He has a look, playing away a dot, then makes room to mass-murder a six over long on; a drag-down follows, so this time he plants feet like a boxer sitting down on his punches, flaying over midwicket for six more. Gosh, and the next delivery is well wide … but Rutherford doesn’t let it go, taking the wide, instead stretching to guide to the fielder at point. He’s not impressed with his behaviour, and when the final delivery of the over yields a leg-bye, the sense is that, despite the 14 that come from it, Jacks has got away with one.
11th over: West Indies 83-4 (Rutherford 10, Powell 4) Or, indeed, like I read Tolstoy, considering I haven’t yet; apologies to the brick. Back in the middle, Dawson continues, four singles off his second over, and does Brook keep Rashid going to try and kick West Indies when they’re down, or sneak in a less good bowler while they consolidate and rebuild?
10th over: West Indies 79-4 (Rutherford 8, Powell 2) After a dodgy first game, this is fantastic stuff from Rashid – the wicket was his 400th in T20 cricket – and after a dot, Powell is beaten by a ripper, a leg-break spitting past his edge. A two follows, the new man off the mark, but he’s reading these deliveries like a brick reads Tolstoy.
But it’s still out, hitting the top of leg.
Chase reviews!
WICKET! Chase lbw b Rashid 33 (West Indies 77-3)
Oh this is art. Rashid tries the googly, it’s a beauty, and it fizzes past the bat and cracks the back pad. That is so dead it’s decomposing.
10th over: West Indies 77-3 (Chase 33, Rutherford 8) A single to Chase, then Rashid looks to slant across Rutherford – so much so, it’s a wide – and a further single follows.
9th over: West Indies 74-3 (Chase 32, Rutherford 7) Dawson into the attack and, after a look at his first ball, Rutherford ushers his second to deep point and they run two. A single follows, then Chase goes down on one knee to help the ball over his and Burtler’s shoulder, a lovely deft caress that scuttles away for four. A single then restores Rutherford to the striker’s end, and he waits for one, soft hands paddling to deep backward point for two.
8th over: West Indies 64-3 (Chase 27, Rutherford 2) Chase larrups around the corner, the ball lands just short of midwicket, they run and Jacks shies, hitting … but he’s well in. A single follows but, offered one on the pads, Chase knows he can’t miss out, moving feet to pull four to deep backward square; Overton comes back well, with a dot.
7th over: West Indies 58-3 (Chase 21, Rutherford 1) As the contest is rousting, not rousting is what the contest entails. Anyroad up, Rashid is into the attack, and he might hold the key: four inexpensive overs, and West Indies will have go wild at the other end. The first two balls yield singles but the second of them spins big, Chase edging it as though stapled to the pitch, before a googly is too good for Rutherford and a dot completes an impressive over, three from iut.
6th over: West Indies 55-3 (Chase 20, Rutherford 0) Phew, this is the stuff, people. Rutherford tries a run-down first ball, Brook dives to stop, very good work, and that’s a wicket maiden. There’s always the chance that England take too many wickets for this to be close, but for now, this is a rousting contest.
WICKET! Hetmyer c Curran b Overton 23 (West Indies 55-3)
Slower one from Overton, which stops a little in the pitch, Hetmyer is through the shot too early, sends the ball into orbit, and when he sees Curran underneath it, he knows he’s toast. I can’t think of anyone less likely to drop one he shouldn’t.
6th over: West Indies 55-2 (Hetmyer 23, Chase 20) In a bid to stem the flow, Brook introduces Overton, and Chase checks a drive which drops just short of Archer at mid-on, but a decent pick-up means there’s a run out opportunity … and he misses the stumps. Still, this is better stuff from England, a leg-bye then a dot then a leg-bye for two slowing down the scoring.
5th over: West Indies 52-2 (Hetmyer 23, Chase 20) Jacks, hair dyed blonde presumably in tribute to Sick Boy, into the attack, coming around to the right-handed Chase, who has a look at his loosener, then makes room to slice over extra, before hauling a sweep for four, before lofting a drive over mid-off. Pressure for Jacks, and he’ll be relieved the next delivery only yields one .. er, but the final one of the over is punkt in the slot and Hetmyer doesn’t miss out, annihilating a slog-sweep over deep square for six making it 19 in total.
abcde 8 12 Photograph: Polygram Filmed Entertainment/Sportsphoto/Allstar
4th over: West Indies 33-2 (Hetmyer 17, Chase 7) Hetmyer stretches well out of the crease to flick a slower ball high into the air … scary hours as it drops … just short of the fielder. Then, served a sorter delivery, he gets absolutely all of it, the glorious knuck resounding and reverberating throughout the cosmos as he hammers a pull that starts flat and rises, over the fence at midwicket. Gosh, then given a ball on the pads, he turns it around the corner for four, and two singles complete a 14-run over. West Indies are into this now.
3rd over: West Indies 19-2 (Hetmyer 4, Chase 6) Cuttable ball from Archer, so Hetmyer waits, then clobbers through cover for four; a leg-bye follows. Chase then plays and misses, before Chase bends knees and presents the full face, flowing a gorgeous drive through cover fo fo mo. The over concludes with two more dots, so that’s nine off it, and this looks a really good track, offering a bit of help to everyone. This could be a really fun contest.
2nd over: West Indies 10-2 (Hetmyer 0, Chase 2) Chase drives to point for two, then edges a ball which doesn’t carry. An inswinger follows, contacting the pad, and Curran appeals but that was going down, impact probably outside the line. Two dots follow, and England will like this start, though it came about via error, not pressure.
WICKET! King c Salt b Curran 1 (West Indies 8-2)
Another iffy delivery, outside off, so King unloads the suitcase, flaying high to deep backwards point, where Salt dives forward to hold a pretty routine catch. Trouble for West Indies.
2nd over: West Indies 8-1 (King 1, Hetmyer 0) Liam Dawson was going to bowl this over, but with the left-handed Hetmyer at the wicket, Sam Curran will have a go instead.
1st over: West Indies 8-1 (King 1, Hetmyer 0) Hetmyer played nicely against Scotland, but he’s served a beauty first up, the final ball of Archer’s over – delivered from around – squaring him up and nipping past hisoutside edge as he presses forward.
WICKET! Hope c Banton b Archer 0 (West Indies 8-1)
Another poor delivery, short and wide, that Hope thwacks directly to cover. He’ll be feeling exceedingly poorly getting out to that.
1st over: West Indies 8-0 (King 1, Hope 0) Archer – and Adil Rashid, England’s other banker – took some unexpected tap against Nepal. Both will need to do better today, but we begin with a leg-side wide; a dot follows, then King reaches to carve a wide one to deep square for a single. Then another dot, then a leaping ball dragged way outside off and, at slip, Overton can only impart a finger; it rushes to the fence for five wides. Gosh, another wide comes next, and this is more of the same form Archer so far – but he’ll be encouraged by a pitch that’s offering pace and bounce.
Alreet, out come Brandon King and Shai Hope, Jofra Archer has the ball, and we’re ready to go.
Our teams match out through a sponsor’s guard of honour, fireworks going, wannabe epic music playing; if you weren’t excited before, you’re definitely not excited now. Anthem time.
Email! “As exciting as the SA Afghanistan slobberknocker was,” begins Darrien Bold, “given it was a mere group game why couldn’t it have ended as a draw with none of those great mates going away empty-handed?”
I guess another aspect of T20’s character is that it offers a definitive outcome, which is, dare I say it, an Americanisation? US sport and perhaps society doesn’t brook draws or ambiguity. Rather, it reveres drama and dichotomy: winners and losers, red and blue, money and money.
Sky have just shown an interview with Sam Curran, who was on final-over duty against Nepal. He says that nailing line is much more important than nailing length, and knew that if it went badly, as sometimes it can – he didn’t hide that from himself – it’d be a massive story. He’s got serious ticker, him, and, as we’ve seen throughout his career, the skill of timing.
Teams
West Indies: King, Hope (c, wk), Hetmyer, Powell, Rutherford, Chase, Holder, Shepherd, Hosein, Motie, Jopseph.
England: Salt, Buttler (wk), Bethell, Banton, Brook (c), Curran, Jacks, Dawson, Overton, Archer, Rashid.
England, of course, sneaked by Nepal on Sunday; West Indies whacked Scotland on Saturday.
If there’s heavy dew, batting first is a big advantage because it makes the ball hard to grip. Both sides have serious batting firepower, but unreliable attacks, so we can expect runs.
England win the toss and will field
Did no one tell Hope that tails never fails? England are fielding as having looked at the stats, they think that’s the play at the Wankhede; Jamie Overton is in for Luke Wood.
West Indies would’ve batted too, and also make one chance, Matthew Frode out and Roston Chase in, a tactical move replacing a paceman with a spinner.
It’s time for the toss. There’s confusion of whether Brook or Hope toss, it’s Brook, and Hope calls heads.
In Colombo, Australia, 182-6, are giving Ireland, 115-9 off 16.4, a doing. Oh, and as I type, they taken the final wicket to secure a 67-run victory.
Here’s a report on that SA v Afghanistan slobberknocker.
England v West Indies is one of the classic T20 matchups, principally because of the 2016 edition of this competition.
Understandably, that final assault ruined Ben Stokes’ career; he was never the same after that.
I wrote the below first thing this morning, but the point was emphasised by what happened in the Afghanistan v South Africa match, one of the most ludicrously brilliant you could wish to see. If you don’t know how it went, catch yourself up here, immediately; promise promise.
I can’t think of a forfeit for myself, but anyone who doesn’t deem the above worth their time, come up with something and I’ll do it, that’s how confident I am.
Preamble
The principal reason T20 has been so successful is more lifestyle than sporting: before it, cricket took a long time, now it doesn’t and, as attention-spans shorten while the cost of living increases and relative wages decrease, it suits more of the people more of the time.
But there’s solid middle-based rationale too: T20 can be settled by one individual having a day out, or a few swinging hard and hitting well for the not very much time it takes to turn a contest. As India, England and Australia grow ever richer and ever more remote, this aspect is of increasing significance.
These formulae – OK, I’m flattering my logic by calling them that – almost caught England out against Nepal, and operate with greater weight against West Indies. Of course, the loser of this contest will still expect to qualify for the Super 8 by beating everyone else but, as per the above, in this format of the game anyone can beat anyone, so you never quite know.
Play: 1.30pm
