A bubbling morale-boost of a performance there for England – disciplined bowling followed by excellently-paced batting, with Salt proving both mainstay and, in over 16, ping-ball wizard. West Indies get a bloody nose and will need wins to go through – with USA and South Africa awaiting both teams. Thank you for the messages, wishing you all a peaceful day/night, wherever you are.
That’s it from me now, Ali’s report from the ground is here now:
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Captain talk
Rovman Powell: “I think we left 15-20 runs out there as a batting group but we could give a better display as a bowling group too. Yea we’re normally very good in the last final overs but credit to the England team, it is just for us to revealuate. Credit to phil, he seems to like playing against West Indies. Our destiny is in our own hands for us to continue to play good cricket.”
Jos Buttler: “I thought it was a really good performance from us, we executed really well with the bat and ball. I thought we bowled really well to restrict such a powerful batting line up, and I thought we were very smart with the bat, Jonny came in with great intent and Salt tucked in behind him for a bit and then … went big. [Something positive I didn’t catch about Archer]…Adil Rashid, we keep saying he’s our most important players, so much variation in taking wickets and restricting runs. I thought today was a really mature senior player innings by Bairstow.”
Player of the match: Phil Salt
No surprises here. “Not looking too far ahead at the minute,” says Salt, “just looking at a good team win. it was a bit tougher in the middle against the spin. I’ve got to back myself to cash in agains the seamers.
“There are a lot of different factors that can affect it [batting], the biggest challenge is hitting boundaries after not facing for a while. Jonny was crucial, when he came in and took the pressure off me, I couldn’t be happier with that as a team mate.”
Updated
England beat West Indies by eight wickets with 15 balls to spare!
17.3 over: England 181-2 (Salt 88, Bairstow 48) Beautifully done! Bairstow hits the winning run, pulling Joseph to midwicket, and that is what England fans have been waiting to see! “Breaking News!” writes Brian Withington.
”England quite useful at T20 it would appear.”
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17th over: England 177-2 (Salt 84, Bairstow 47) Motie back, but it is too late. Salt slams a wide one for four more.
Fifty for Phil Salt!
16th over: England 171-2 (Salt 79, Bairstow 46) Salt reaches fifty off 38 balls with four over cover, then six over the sightscreen, four upper cut, six more pinged straight into the black skies, another dirty six pulled behind square and a four more over cover to finish. Poor Shepherd bites his lip. Thirty from the over. England getting there at a canter.
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15th over: England 141-2 (Salt 49, Bairstow 46) A murky dawn has broken here in Manchester, as Bairstow swivel-sweeps Hosein for four, then sweeps again, with the wind, a top-edge that flies over the fielder and into the crowd. Four more as an inside edge flies behind the keeper. A wide and suddenly the equation has come down to 40 from 30 balls.
14th over: England 125-2 (Salt 48, Bairstow 32) Bairstow goes big – slamming Joseph’s first two balls for six and four. But Joseph holds his nerve and the next four balls only leak four.
Jacks, Archer and Jordan seem very relaxed, looking on from the boundary. 56 needed from 36 balls.
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13th over: England 111-2 (Salt 47, Bairstow 19) Salt getting increasingly irritated by Pooran talking behind the stumps at inopportune times, pulls away as Motie approaches. The umpire intervenes gently. Is riling him a good idea? Riling Bairstow? We shall see. Jonny top edges four just out of reach of the chasing fielder.
“I still can’t get my head around the nonchalance with which sides approach targets like these,” writes Kim Thonger. “ The nearest thing to T20 in my youth was the John Player Sunday League, 40 overs a side, in which a target of 180 would be viewed as gettable but not soft. Run rates exceeding six an over started to induce panic in the batting side. Indeed Brian Langford, captain of Somerset, bowled 8 overs of spin for no runs at all in 1969”
They said earlier on commentary that Salt genuinely believes that all bowlers are rubbish and he should be able to hit a boundary every ball.
12th over: England 102-2 (Salt 46, Bairstow 11) The cameras pan to the crowd, energetically tense amongst the vuvuzelas. A missed run-out, possibly, when the fielder throws to the wrong end for a quick single. A one-handed biff from Bairstow straight down the ground for four. Eleven from Chase’s over.
11th over: England 91-2 (Salt 44, Bairstow 4) Russell, the top of his mohican bleached blond, powers in. Moeen can’t beat the wind with his flick, which brings in the bristling Bairstow. He and Salt tip and run through the over.
Hello David Hadrill: “Here in Cambodia, I’m relishing the excitement your OBO commentary is generating even when dog sits on your telly changer! Middle of the night for you, but morning in the office for me - very welcome timing with most England Euros football games and England T20 matches after bedtime here.”
Glad to be of service! Dog blissfully unaware.
WICKET! Moeen c Charles b Russell 13 (England 84-2)
Moeen delicately flicks a short ball into the wind and the hands of Charles on the boundary.
Updated
10th over: England 83-1 (Salt 42, Moeen 13) Chase keeps it tight again, a wide apart. Moeen has to dive full length and into the dirt coming back for a second. That’s half way and DRINKS. At ten overs, West Indies were almost exactly level at 83-0, with King retired hurt.
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9th over: England 78-1 (Salt 41, Moeen 8) Moeen deals with Motie by ushering him away for a couple of fours, with a sweep through square leg and a dinky reverse.
Updated
8th over: England 67-1 (Salt 40, Moeen 0) Super over from Chase at just the right time.
The thud of a missive on the mat, in the box. Hello! “Michael from Upstate NY - that hotbed of cricket! England off to a nice start. Calculated and measured. Looking good - let’s hope they can keep this up.”
WICKET! Buttler lbw Chase 25 (England 67-1)
Buttler reviews immediately but the third umpire doesn’t save him, the ball striking in line, low on the pad: an awkward looking shot with a doomed result.
Updated
7th over: England 64-0 (Salt 38, Buttler 24) In the dugout, Moeen sits cradling his bat and Jonny side-eyes someone, somewhere. Motie rattles through his over, a beauty nearly does for Buttler, but his foot is behind the crease as Pooran whips off the bails.
An injury update on Brandon King – he’s suffered a side strain and will not return to the field of play today.
6th over: England 58-0 (Salt 35, Buttler 21) Alzarri Joseph for the final over of the power play. Salt punctuates the over with four panned over midwicket from the first, and six whipped up and around from the last.
Updated
5th over: England 44-0 (Salt 22, Buttler 20) The full crowd temporarily quieted as England tuck into these early overs. Salt cuts Hosein for four, without looking entirely at ease. Hosein unhappy with the whole business.
4th over: England 36-0 (Salt 15, Buttler 19) England starting to fly , Salt sashays down to Russell and fires six into the roof. Thirteen from the over.
“Hi again, Tanya from Upstate NY where the a/c is rattling but the outside temperature has cooled to 79 F [26 centigrade].Perfect evening for following OBO in bed, especially since England can do this if they take it steady and calmly and don’t get distracted by pink haired interlopers in the outfield.” Hello again John Tagg, they’re certainly looking on track at the moment.
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3rd over: England 23-0 (Salt 8, Buttler 13) Enjoying the gloriously dramatic Hosein who variously falls to his knees, clutches his head and squeezes his eyes as Salt is dropped behind the stumps from the toe of the bat, gets a leading edge for four, and Hosein’s fielders are slow to move.
2nd over: England 17-0 (Salt 3, Buttler 12) The first boundary as Buttler turns Romario Shepherd wristily to deep fine leg. A second four from the final ball of the over, throw in a wide and that’s a good early over for England.
“Hope you’re enjoying your well earned cuppa Tanya,” Thank you Dean Kinsella! “Nothing so stressful as equipment failure when you’re gigging (speaking as a pub musician).”
Anyhow, what I want to ask is,
“Where will we be when Adil hangs up his magic wand?” I just love watching him bowl!
Isn’t he just the best ! And I really admire how he has been able to stay under the radar while being a complete genius.
1st over: England 5-0 (Salt 3, Buttler 2) Left-arm spinner Hosein, slim as a reed, strolls in. Buttler and Salt content to tap and run. The pink haired Shimron Hetmyer is the sub fielder on for the injured Brandon King.
Updated
Phil Salt gets a couple of throw-downs, the West Indies huddle, as we prepare for the second innings.
Television now sorted, apologies to all. And while the rum is flowing in the Daren Sammy stadium, time for a quick cup of tea in Manchester. And a thank you from James Walsh, “Yes, I’m still reading and watching. Very moved by all the well wishes. Shout out to Dr Lucy (Brit Sri Lankan) and our fab South Korean nurse (haven’t been following too closely but I don’t think Korea qualified for this one)“
England will need 181 to win!
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.
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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.
WICKET! Russell c Salt b Rashid 1 (West Indies 143-4)
“Done by his own ego,” says Steven Finn. Russell can’t quite heave the googly over the rope.
Updated
WICKET! Pooran c Buttler b Archer 36 (West Indies 141-3)
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.
WICKET! Powell c Wood b Livingstone 36 (West Indies 137-2)
15th over: West Indies 137-2 (Pooran 32) A top-edge from another huge hit is Powell’s downfall but 20 from the over.
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Key event
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…
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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.
WICKET! Charles c Brook b Moeen 38 (West Indies 94-1)
An impatient Charles toe ends a wide one from Moeen high and into the lights and Brook collects calmly at long on.
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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?
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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.)“
Brandon King retires hurt 23 (West Indies 40-0)
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.
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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.
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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
— Ali Martin (@Cricket_Ali) June 17, 2024
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.
Our man on the ground
“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.”
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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.”
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West Indies XI
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 XI
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.
England win the toss and will bowl!
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.”
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“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.
Preamble
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!
