Righto, that is me done. I’ll be back tomorrow to bring you Australia v India and there’s the small matter of a straight shootout for a semi-final spot between South Africa and host nation West Indies in a few hours time. This T20 World Cup is entering the business end. Thanks for your company and comments, goodnight.
Jos Buttler is a happy man.
He says England were aware of the calculations and wanted to give themselves every chance of topping the group. He has the (bashful) smile of a man who knows that things couldn’t have gone any better over the last couple of hours and pays tribute to the bowling depth at his disposal, particularly Livingstone and Rashid today.
A word on Chris Jordan?
A World Cup hat-trick is a great effort.”
Crikey – wind down the hyperbole eh Jos!
England into the semi-finals, having lost 2 of their 7 games (and having 1 washed out when in the balance).
— Will Macpherson (@willis_macp) June 23, 2024
South Africa might not make the semis, having won all 6 of their games so far (including beating England).
A format that is at once very forgiving and very unforgiving.
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Well played USA – they got some treatment today but have been a joy to watch over the last few weeks. Their victory over Pakistan will live long in the memory.
USA captain Aaron Jones:
It is a hard game to get to grips with! We’ve not had a good last two games… but we’ve really enjoyed this tournament. I think our shot selection wasn’t the best (with the bat) We knew he (Chris Jordan) was the danger-man but we still gave him some wickets.”
This is our first World Cup. I don’t think people would have thought we’d be playing here against the big boys. Hopefully this will open the eyes of the American public.”
Despite Buttler’s blitzkrieg – Adil Rashid is named player of the match.
No complaints here, he was phenomenal with the ball, as he has been all tournament. He said:
All the bowlers bowled extremely well, to restrict them to 115 was very pleasing. It’s always nice to keep it tight and get an early wicket which brings the new batter in. The googly has been coming out nicely too.”
On hat-trick taker Chris Jordan:
CJ’ is a match-winner. He’s been doing it for a number of years now, especially at the back end. Jos is a world-class player and has been for many a year too, hopefully we can carry this on now in the semi-finals.”
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It was nailed on from the start…right?
England are the first defending champions to reach a men's T20 World Cup semi-final in a decade
— Matt Roller (@mroller98) June 23, 2024
2014: West Indies (SFs)
2016: Sri Lanka (S10s)
2021: West Indies (S12s)
2022: Australia (S12s)
ENGLAND WIN BY TEN WICKETS!
With 62 balls remaining. That’s one way to restore some confidence into this world cup defence. England book their place in the semi-final.
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9th over: England 110-0 (Salt 23, Buttler 78) Absolutely Brutal and jaw dropping batting from Jos Buttler. Poor Harmeet Singh is bludgeoned, every delivery seemed destined to go the distance. 32 runs off the over (a wide and a Phil Salt single). Buttler using those liquid wrists to launch each delivery into the stands. Amazing hitting.
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JOS BUTTLER HAS JUST HIT FIVE SIXES IN AN OVER!
FIVE SIXES in an over for Jos Buttler! 😱👏 pic.twitter.com/yoacq4aVy3
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) June 23, 2024
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8th over: England 78-0 (Salt 22, Buttler 48) The marvellously monikered Shadley van Schalkwyk comes on for a whirl. Starts well, a yorker is dug out just in time by Salt. Too full with the next ball though, shadly, (shorry) and Salt drives away easily for four. A nervy over sees a no-ball given for a waist high full toss as England pocket eight runs off it in total.
7th over: England 70-0 (Salt 16, Buttler 47) Ali Khan is entrusted with another over. He bustles in with intent but is worked around with relative ease as England take ten runs off it without finding the fence.
6th over: England 60-0 (Salt 1o, Buttler 44) Kenjige continues. Two singles off the first two brings up England’s fifty partnership for no loss. Buttler is fortunate to find four with a lofted drive, the fielder really should have cut it off but ended up sprawled and embarrassed. Shot! Reverse-sweep from Buttler flies away into the gap for another boundary. England might be trying to get these runs inside twelve overs to give themselves the best chance of topping the group and the chance to swerve India in the semis.
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5th over: England 48-0 (Salt 9, Buttler 33) The right arm pace of Ali Khan is given a whirl. He starts with an absolute shocker, spearing a huge wide down the leg side that give the keeper no chance at all. Buttler has the bit between his molars now – he drives down the ground dismissively for four more before nudging a single to let Phil Salt have a crack. Salt flicks for two and then sends a purring drive careering through the covers for four. Sumptuous.
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4th over: England 32-0 (Salt 3, Buttler 28) America opt for the slow left-arm spin of Nosthush Kenjige. Buttler uses his feet to get to the pitch and work away through the leg side for four before dabbing a single to keep strike. This is already his second highest score of the tournament.
3rd over: England 25-0 (Salt 2, Buttler 22) Buttler advances to Netravalkar but does not time it well at all, the bat twisting in his hands as the ball ploops over the in-field.
That’s more like it! A full and wide ball is crunched through the covers for four. SIX! Buttler times this one, launching a length ball for six onto the solar panels behind the bowler’s arm. Yikes! Buttler looks like he is beaten by the slower ball as his bottom hands comes off the bat playing another lofted drive but the ball still somehow sails away over the rope for SIX. Nineteen runs plundered off the over. What were you worried about?
Jos Buttler with a 104m six that landed on the roof!😲☄️ pic.twitter.com/xgusKORGVM
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) June 23, 2024
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2nd over: England 6-0 (Salt 2, Buttler 3) Spin from the other end as Harmeet Singh is tossed the ball. England can’t find the fence thus far, dealing entirely in singles as they start watchfully. That’s the over. Oh, and THEY ARE STILL BEHIND THE RATE.
1st over: England 2-0 (Salt 1, Buttler 1) The left-arm pace of Netravalkar will start things off for the USA. Salt pokes down the ground to get England started with a single. Three dots follow as the seamer lands the ball on a nagging length. Buttler tucks into the leg side for a single of his own and they are the only runs off the over. I don’t want to scaremonger but ENGLAND ARE BEHIND THE RUN RATE.
Here come the players, Buttler and Salt striding out with purpose. Buckle up, this could be fun!
Some of these calculations might be false:
By my reckoning (pinch of mathematical salt please) England need to get 116 in 17.4 overs to qualify outright for the semis and not have to keep and eye on the SA v WI result. If they go tonto and get there in less than twelve overs they might well have a chance to win the group (likely avoiding India in semi-finals)
Phew. A beaming Chris Jordan is collared by the broadcasters as he makes his way from the field.
“It’s very nice to do it at a special place like this” he says. “I’ve had the chance twice before and messed up the third ball.”
Not this time – he took out middle stump like a cold-hearted marksman.
Chris Jordan was here pic.twitter.com/enRevts2xu
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) June 23, 2024
Chris Jordan becomes the first English player to take a hat-trick at a T20 World Cup 💥
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) June 23, 2024
Some way to finish off the USA innings...#EnglandCricket | #ENGvUSA pic.twitter.com/zcC8Qd8JDP
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USA all out for 115!
England need 116 runs to win. What a finish to the innings – America lost FIVE wickets in SIX balls.
CHRIS JORDAN HAT TRICK BALL!!! #t20worldcup pic.twitter.com/jcHYAvtD0D
— Innocent Bystander (@InnoBystander) June 23, 2024
CHRIS JORDAN TAKES A HAT-TRICK!
Bowled him! What a moment! Chris Jordan at the Kensington Oval, a ground that means so much to him on the island of his birth. Sends the middle stump flying to take the hat-trick and make it four wickets in five balls! The crowd go wild and England mob Jordan. Great scenes.
WICKET! Nosthush Kenjige lbw b Jordan 0 (USA 115-9)
Plum Pudding! Jordan gets Kenjige LBW first ball and is on a hat-trick! He’s already taken three wickets in four balls this over… this’ll be a proper hat-trick – none of that Pat Cummins split over two overs nonsense*…
*Joke. Sort of.
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WICKET! Ali Khan b Jordan 0 (USA 115-8)
Timber! Jordan cleans up Ali Khan for a second ball duck. Lovely ball, tailing in and ripping off stump out of the ground.
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WICKET! Anderson c Brook b Jordan 29 (USA 115-7)
Carbon copy wicket, albeit Jordan is the bowler this time. America in danger of being skittled.
WICKET! Singh c Jordan b Curran 21 (USA 115-6)
Curran has the last laugh. Singh tries to repeat the shot a third time but can only find ol’’ velcro hand himself, Chris Jordan, at long-off.
Remarkable how quickly things can change in this format though – Harmeet Singh climbs into Sam Curran and deposits him for a four and then a straight six down the ground. One ball of the over left to go…
17th over: USA 101-5 (Anderson 28, Singh 8) All of a sudden England look like a serious outfit once more. All their plans coming off, looking cool and calm, getting the job done. Chris Jordan is right on the money – mixing yorkers and slower balls. Just three singles off the over.
16th over: USA 97-5 (Anderson 26, Singh 6) Harmeet Singh stands tall and slaps a length ball from Archer through cover for a lesser spotted four. That must’ve felt really good. Jofra responds with two excellent blockhole botherers. Two singles prised out of the over by USA. England coasting at the moment, four overs to go.
Here comes Jofra for another burst. Tough going for the USA out in Barbados at the moment.
15th over: USA 91-5 (Anderson 24, Singh 1) Rashid finishes with 2-13 off his four overs. He’s worth his weight in gold, two wickets and ZERO boundaries conceded. Masterful wrist spin.
🔝🔝🔝 pic.twitter.com/iC3D0AEPVA
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) June 23, 2024
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14th over: USA 88-5 (Anderson 24, Singh 0) Harmeet Singh is the new batter and Buttler is going for the kill, summoning Rashid back immediately.
WICKET! Milind Kumar c Buttler b Livingstone 4 (USA 88-5)
Any USA joy is short lived – a top edge from Kumar is swallowed by Buttler.
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Corey Anderson swipes a SIX! That’s more like it – USA haven’t found the fence in nearly six overs. A reverse-sweep that is nailed and catches the breeze ends the drought.
12th over: USA 79-4 (Anderson 15, M Kumar 4) Buttler decides to keep an ace up his sleeve and replaces Rashid with Chris Jordan. Six runs worked off the over but it isn’t enough for USA, they need someone to step up and take a few risks here, to try and supplant the pressure back on to England.
11th over: USA 73-4 (Anderson 8, M Kumar 1) Rashid has one over left, will Buttler bowl him out or keep one back? I’d be tempted with the former. Milind Kumar is the new batter and he drives a single off his first ball. USA in a spin induced pickle.
SEEEEEED! 🔥
— England Cricket (@englandcricket) June 23, 2024
That's 3️⃣0️⃣ T20 World Cup wickets for our Rash 🤝
🇺🇸 6️⃣7️⃣-4️⃣#EnglandCricket | #ENGvUSA pic.twitter.com/qNdqizo3Je
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WICKET! Nitish Kumar b Rashid 30 (USA 67-4)
Rashid continues after drinks… BOWLED HIM! A perfectly pitched googly is too good for Nitish Kumar. The ball spitting back into the stumps and raising the bails like a pair of quizzical eyebrows.
“Hi James”
Hello to you Colum Fordham.
"Been very impressed by this USA team thus far. Their ability and courage against strong teams like Pakistan has been praiseworthy. But the learning curve against the top flight is tough. And talking of flight, Adil Rashid is giving a masterclass. All the variations and the googly has flumoxed the very promising Aaron Jones. Hope England prevail… but by no means is this match over. Cannot underestimate this doughty American team. Wish I was in Barbados but will have to make do with Naples.”
10th over: USA 65-3 (Kumar 29, Anderson 6) USA can’t find the boundary against England’s spinners. Buttler has some control and comfort at the minute as Livingstone is worked for singles. Ten overs gone and time for a slurp of something refreshing. Where’s John Starbuck with his trolley?
9th over: USA 59-3 (Kumar 25, Anderson 3) Corey Anderson replaces his departing captain and sweeps fine to get off the mark first ball. One wicket and four runs off the over. Rashid doing his thing.
WICKET! Aaron Jones b Rashid 10 (USA 56-3)
Jones tries to slog sweep Rashid into the stands but fails to read the googly, the ball fizzing inside his stroke and thunking into middle stump. Rashid allows himself the faintest lip twitch of a smile. What a bowler he is.
Adil Rashid at his best ☝️ pic.twitter.com/MUQEH3ZL7U
— Sky Sports Cricket (@SkyCricket) June 23, 2024
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8th over: USA 55-2 (Kumar 25, A Jones 10) Liam Livingstone is going to lend initial support to Rashid through these tricksy middle overs. The Cumbrian marra can tweak it both ways of course. Close! Livingstone beats the edge with a ball that turns shortly. Closer! Livingstone takes the edge of Jones’ bat on the forward prod but the ball runs fine through the vacant slip region and away for four. Buttler paws at his chin with a keeping glove. Five off the over.
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7th over: USA 50-2 (Kumar 24, A Jones 6) Rashid adds to his fine body of work in this tournament. He causes all sorts of conundrums in the over. USA do well to nudge two singles.
6th over: USA 48-2 (Kumar 23, A Jones 5) The USA captain comes to the crease and he picks off a boundary second ball, gliding the ball down through the vacant point region. Here comes England’s quiet genius – Adil Rashid.
WICKET! Taylor c Ali b Curran 12 (USA 43-2)
Gone! Moeen Ali takes a fine diving catch, taking the ball in both hands at backward point as Taylor tries to cut away too close to his body. Curran does get the breakthrough!
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Curran bustles into the crease in his goomba-ish fashion. His first ball is scythed away through third for four…
5th over: USA 39-1 (Taylor 8, Kumar 23) Topley into his third over and he’s put under real pressure by Nitesh Kumar! A full length ball is razed over mid-off for four runs and then followed up by a fantastic strike for SIX straight back down the ground! Kumar looks in good touch, Topley gets out of the over for the cost of 13 runs. England turn to Sam Curran for the next over. Can he break this burgeoning partnership?
4th over: USA 26-1 (Taylor 7, Kumar 11) Kumar clips off his toes for a couple. Archer responds with three dots. A rapid bouncer is then kissed rather than slammed into the wicket and rises nastily, Kumar flashes at it and the top edge soars over the boundary directly behind Jos Buttler for SIX. Decent punch back this from the Americans.
3rd over: USA 18-1 (Taylor 7, Kumar 3) Topley resumes, a nice looking drive from Kumar sees him off the mark with a couple through cover. Kumar then forces away for a quick single that is well stopped in the ring. Shot! Taylor flicks away wristily for four runs. Seven off the over.
2nd over: USA 11-1 (Taylor 3, Kumar 0) Jofra Archer reels off a fine over. Sauntering in and then sending the ball down with an unfathomable ferocity. The batters can’t get a blade on it and that nearly brings about another wicket – Taylor wanted to sneak a quick single but was rightly sent back by Kumar. Liam Livingstone had a shy at the stumps and if he’s hit then Taylor was gone gone gone. The batter had given up and was reduced to being a bystander to the throw.
“Jim, mention of rum earlier prompted me to stock up for this session with one new to me: Duppy. I can recommend it for getting into the mood. Does the OBO have a favourite beverage?”
Anything wet and cold, John. Cheers.
1st over: USA 9-1 (Taylor 1, Kumar 0) A frenetic start in Barbados. Nitish Kumar is in at first drop.
WICKET! Gous c Salt b Topley 8 (USA 9-1)
A streaky start for both opening batters as they get off the mark to slightly spurious edges. Topley beats Gous with a ripper that pitches and moves off the straight. The wicket looks a tadge tacky and there is a bit of movement in the air with the new ball. SIX! Gous flicks a leg stump half volley away over square leg with panache. Next ball is in the same spot and Gous repeats the shot…BUT doesn’t get it fine enough and instead finds the safe hands of Phil Salt! England strike in the first over. Gous is cooked!
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Right then, Reece Topley has the ball in his hub cap sized hands. Aaron Taylor and Andries Gous will open up for America. The latter started slowly against South Africa but showed his ability to go through the gears and really gave the Proteas a fright a few days ago with his 80*. A rapid 29 off 16 against West Indies in the last match also showed he can get off to a flier too. PLAY!
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The players are out on the field and the anthems are blasting. The Star Spangled Banner is particularly sonorous. USA 1-0 up in the anthem stakes. Though I can’t think of any anthem that is worse than England’s?
A reminder – England need to win and not let this game go right down to the wire. If they win and the margin of victory is less than ten runs or so or if the game goes down to the final over - then they’ll be in strife.
I've done the maths, and England need to win and keep their net run rate above 0.556 to be mathematically through. If West Indies don't beat SA, England would be through on points. And if WI do win, that's the highest South Africa's NRR can reach in defeat
— Ben Gardner (@Ben_Wisden) June 23, 2024
Oh, and we should all probably have a long, hard stare at this:
Awful scenes. A reminder that the women's world cup is brought to you by the @ICC and Aramco - the world's largest corporate greenhouse gas emitter. https://t.co/PqdXwUSoJF
— tanya aldred (@tjaldred) June 23, 2024
I must’ve watched this at least 43 times and I’m still not done:
This really was a beauty https://t.co/kbPfgpSzLJ
— Lawrence Booth (@BoothCricket) June 23, 2024
Teams:
USA: Steven Taylor, Andries Gous (wk), Nitish Kumar, Aaron Jones (c), 5 Corey Anderson, Milind Kumar, Harmeet Singh, Nosthush Kenjinge, Shadley van Schalkwyk, Ali Khan, Saurabh Netravalkar
England:Phil Salt, Jos Buttler (c & wk), Jonny Bairstow, Moeen Ali, Harry Brook, Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, Chris Jordan, Jofra Archer, Adil Rashid, Reece Topley
Plenty of USA flags being sold outside the gates at Kensington Oval this morning ahead of USA v England. pic.twitter.com/0b1oLLNplg
— Peter Della Penna (@PeterDellaPenna) June 23, 2024
England win the toss and choose to bowl first!
Joss Buttler calls the coin correctly and decides to ‘chase’ in the modern parlance. Buttler confirms that Chris Jordan comes in for Mark Wood.
Aaron Jones admits to Mike Atherton that he would have bowled first but he doesn’t seem too fussed, big smile on his face and the Kensington Oval reflected in his wraparound shades. The USA captain went to school with Jofra Archer and they find themselves playing against each other today on the biggest stage. A nice little story and bit of sub-text to keep an eye on.
Jones confirms USA are unchanged.
Chris Jordan has been spotted marking our his run up. So he’s either engaging in some Mitch Marsh esque chicanery or looks to come into the side. I suspect Mark Wood could be the man to step aside, toss incoming so watch this space…
England won all three of their matches in Barbados when they lifted the #T20WorldCup in 2010, but they've lost their last three completed T20Is in Bridgetown 👀 pic.twitter.com/8JbmjrsgnC
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) June 23, 2024
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It is bright and sunny in Barbados at the moment with the forecast set fair. That’s one less thing for England to worry about. They do have their destiny completely in their own hands – win and win well and there won’t be any problems in securing a semi-final spot.
Another sigh of relief from Messrs Mott and Buttler also came in the shape of a shock Afghanistan win over the Aussies. All of a sudden it is Mitch Marsh’s side who are sweating on safe passage – they’ll likely now have to take down the mighty Indians in order to progress to the semis.
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Preamble
Brass tacks time. Over to England’s Harry Brook:
“We’ve played in Barbados quite a lot the last six months or so. So we know the conditions, the wind and the pitch as well. Hopefully we can go out there and give them a good battering.”
Them being the USA, the tournament’s co-hosts and cockle-warming surprise package. Once again, today’s match will be a case of keeping one eye on the sky and one on the Net Run Rate column for England’s players in this T20 world cup.
The Americans have already proven themselves as a threat in this format (just ask Pakistan, just ask India’s much vaunted top order or South Africa’s bowlers) and Jos Buttler’s men have hardly hit their straps so far.
This is the first meeting between the two nations in a full international format, Stuart Law’s side are cooked when it comes to a semi-final berth barring some kind of miracle that my tiny mind can’t even begin to compute. Nevertheless, the USA will be hoping to make a statement and give the ‘Limeys’ a good squeeze.
There’s always the chance of an upset in the T20 format, time will tell if ‘Arry’s tempestuous words come back to bite like a baltic breeze on a bare backside.
Our rum soaked and sun kissed man on the ground – Ali Martin – has prepared the perfect preamble to today’s match:
The match begins at 3.30pm BST, I’ll be back shortly before with news of the teams and toss.
