Nicely done England – an easy win to start the tournament. Heather Knight looked as chilled as ever at the end, with a tasty run-rate ratio in her back pocket and a day off to play golf. The World Champs roll into action at 5pm GMT against New Zealand – worth keeping an eye on them if you can. Thanks for watching along with me – enjoy the rest of your weekend. Bye!
Hayley Matthews, “We spoke about getting 145, 150. I think today was about trying to get in early and rock out, unfortunately I couldn’t carry on. She [Taylor] didn’t exactly hit what she wanted to today but we’re backing her a hundred per cent and hopefully see her in the next couple of games. The next game [v India] is quite crucial after today, we need to get some points on the board.”
Heather Knight:“I think the way they went off put us under massive pressure. I think it wasn’t our best fielding and bowling performance but with the bat that was what we wanted to do. We want to take the game on and entertain as well. I think today was a big step to keep that mindset in a big tournament. It’s a lovely blend, the youngsters bring a real positivity and its really important to bring experience and know how to deal with things {in a World Cup]. There’s a really nice vibe.”
West Indies (135-7) v England (138-3) - Brutal from England. pic.twitter.com/3agSAUGVwv
— CRICKETher 🏏 (@crickether) February 11, 2023
Player of the match: Nat Sciver-Brunt
Nat Sciver-Brunt looks delighted with her afternoon’s work – 40 from 30 balls to guide England to an easy victory, as well as two overs in the sun. “It’s a bit of a two-paced pitch, but I was very boundary-focussed,” she says “We want to walk towards the danger. Ireland [their next opponents], are much of the same, keep that communication going. We’re having fun out here, want to keep that going.”
England win by seven wickets!
14.3 overs : England 138-3 (N Sciver-Brunt 40, Knight 32) Knight wins the match with a greased-elbowed six over long off and that’s a tasty victory for England in their first run out of the tournament. A decent effort with the bat by West Indies, but they had no answer to England’s big hitters and their fielding could do with a bit of spit and polish. England’s batters stuck to their impressive script, even if the bowlers’ radar was occasionally wonky.
14th over: England 130-3 (N Sciver-Brunt 39, Knight 26) Selman pares things back, restricting England to a succession of singles, but the target is down to single figures and its all about the net run rate.
Updated
13th over: England 125-3 (N Sciver-Brunt 37, Knight 24) Up comes the fifty partnership off 34 balls, as Sciver-Brunt picks Zaida James for consecutive four. One is a charming wristy pull.
Updated
12th over: England 116-3 (N Sciver-Brunt 29, Knight 23) Nat Sciver-Brunt takes a huge stride down the pitch and throws the bat: the ball screams along to the rope. Fletcher smiles one of those it-is-one-of-those-days smiles.
11th over: England 109-3 (N Sciver-Brunt 23, Knight 22) Knight survives a (needless) replay for a run-out, then a cover drive for four shimmies over the beaten gold outfield. Another four after a comedy bit of fielding on the midwicket boundary – imagine banana skins and a bucket of water balanced on top of the door frame. Four more swept by Nat Sciver-Brunt behind square. A win is now in spitting difference.
10th over: England 95-3 (N Sciver-Brunt 17, Knight 8) It’s all a bit less wham-bam with Nat Sciver-Brunt and Knight at the crease, and Dunkley and Capsey in the pavilion. Some clever placing of the ball into gaps and four glided through long-on. And at the half way stage, England need another 41 runs from 60 balls. DRINKS!
England facing two opponents in this innings - the West Indies and the temperature - it really is very, very hot out there.
— CRICKETher 🏏 (@crickether) February 11, 2023
9th over: England 88-3 (N Sciver-Brunt 17, Knight 8) Zaina James releases the sort of ball that might keep you awake at night: a head high full toss no ball that Nat Sciver-Brunt crashes for six. Knight reverse-sweeps to take the over tally into double figures.
Updated
8th over: England 75-3 (N Sciver-Brunt 10, Knight 3) Capsey has time to reverse-sweep Fletcher’s first ball down to the rope, easy as you like, before losing her stumps to the quick gloves of Williams. Play with fire etc.
WICKET! Capsey st Williams b Fletcher 13 (England 71-3)
Charge! Swing all the way round! Watch as bails whip away!
Updated
7th over: England 67-2 (Capsey 9, N Sciver-Brunt 9) Selman’s first over and N Sciver-Brunt lollops into the offside and ramps the ball away for four. Four more follows with a strong-armed pull.
6th over: England 58-2 (Capsey 8, N Sciver-Brunt 1) A breakthrough wicket for West Indies stalls the England train briefly, but Capsey picks up four brutally through long-on.
WICKET! Dunkley c and b Henry 34 (England 50-2)
Top dollar! Dunkley wellies the ball back at the bowler who clutches on with an outstretched right hand, almost over balances with the force of the blow but -somehow- holds on. She roars.
Updated
5th over: England 50-1 (Dunkley 34, Capsey 4) Dunkley screams Connell’s first ball back over her head for four. She leans into the next and pulls the velvet curtain along to the rope. West Indies review an lbw – smells a bit like desperation – and sure enough the review showing the ball pitching outside leg. The Windies having a shocker with the reviews today. Ooof a much better shout for lbw off Connell’s final ball – and after hasty consultation Matthews goes for the replay again. It’s a better bet, but an inside edge saves Capsey, and West Indies have lost both their reviews before they’ve had time to scratch their noses.
4th over: England 41-1 (Dunkley 25, Capsey 4) Goodbye Wyatt, hello Alice Capsey, with a metal plate and seven screws in her shoulder after breaking her collarbone a couple of months ago. She has the highest average, and highest strike rate in the England team, and duly darts down the pitch to her second ball and slams Henry for four.
WICKET! Wyatt c Nation b Henry (England 37-1)
Wyatt lofts the ball to the cover boundary where Nation accepts the invitation and holds on as she tumbles onto her behind.
Updated
3rd over: England 36-0 (Dunkley 24, Wyatt 11) Aye-up, here we go! Matthews reels in, wearing a cap. Dunkley slams her for six over long on, two more fours follow, lovely footwork: iron fist, velvet glove.
2nd over: England 19-0 (Dunkley 7, Wyatt 11) Despite three dots by Connell, Dunkley plonks three and Wyatt toe-ends four through the slips – and the England train builds up some steam.
Updated
England innings
1st over: England 9-0 (Dunkley 4, Wyatt 5) England keeping it spicy. Dunkley edges Chanelle Henry’s first ball past slip, before the pair sprint an impossible single - Dunkley saved by the waywardness of the throw . Four! as Wyatt throws the pressure cooker and frying pan at Henry’s final ball.
Updated
West Indies innings: 135-7
20th over: West Indies 135-7 (Nation 9, Connell 1) Bell comes back for the last over, after a wayward opening spell, and she’s more accurate now, and West Indies can’t get her away to the rope. Three from the last ball – which gives West Indies a decent enough total helped along very nicely by England’s 18 wides. Just going to make a quick cup of tea between innings – back very shortly.
Updated
19th over: West Indies 130-7 (Nation 5) Two wickets stall West Indies progress with just the one over to go.
WICKET! James lbw Ecclestone 2 (West Indies 130-7)
Ecclestone’s job is done, with three for 23 in her quota, as James has a fancy-dan slog but comes off worst.
Updated
WICKET! Fletcher lbw Ecclestone 4 (West Indies 128-6)
Fletcher pivots in an attempt to send the ball over the mountains, but misses and the ball crunches into her padding. She’s not out on the field but the third umpire doesn’t have to strain for too long before overturning the decision.
18th over: West Indies 125-5 (Fletcher 8, Nation 4) Eleven off Dean’s over, as Fletcher and Nation keep England on their toes, including a swinging reverse-sweep by Fletcher that wouldn’t look out of place in the boxing ring.
17th over: West Indies 114-5 (Fletcher 0, Nation 2) A chaotic over: Henry bashes four through backward point off K Shiver-Brunt, a wide, followed by Campbelle’s dismissal and an optimistic sprint to the line by Henry, whose flying bat beats the throw, but not her body. Three overs left.
WICKET! Henry run out (Knight) 14 (West Indies 113-5)
The ship is listing. An arrow of a throw from extra cover beats the springing Henry. Knight raises a casual finger in celebration.
WICKET! Campbelle c Jones b Brunt 34 (West Indies 112-4)
Sciver-Brunt almost does a double take as the umpire pauses then raises the finger after Jones catches one in front of her eyebrows from an attempted cut. The end of a nice little innings from Campbelle.
16th over: West Indies 106-3 (Campbelle 34, Henry 10) The last person you want to see towards the end of an innings is the tall figure of Sophie Ecclestone waiting to bowl. Campbelle has a speck of dust – I think – in her eye which is removed by her partner. But her vision recovers enough to welly a full-toss through long-on for four. A couple of scampered leg byes and then an lbw shout. England go upstairs – why not, they’ve still got two reviews left – but there’s a nick. Campbelle survives.
15th over: West Indies 97-3 (Campbelle 28, Henry 10) Henry pulls off the shot of the innings, lacerating Glenn to the boundary. Glenn winces.
Updated
14th over: West Indies 90-3 (Campbelle 26, Henry 5) An eventful over. Campbelle sneaks four from an outside edge which beats Bell down to the rope. A wide – England have bowled rather too many of these – brings two more. Henry is then pinned to the crease, but a sniff of an edge saves her. The cameras pull back and we see the glorious mountains in the background. Is anyone watching from the ground?
13th over: West Indies 81-3 (Campbelle 21, Henry 3) Glenn is lucky that a full toss is snatched at ineffectively by Campbelle rather than wellied for four. But the wickets have slowed the Windies run rate considerably – from over to six to under five.
12th over: West Indies 77-3 (Campbelle 19, Henry 1) Campbelle reverse sweeps Dean with a touch of desperation, no timing, no finesse, but it brings four runs.
WICKET Gajnabi run out (Capsey) 2 (West Indies 71-3)
A daft second to square leg, from where Capsey threw full and fast into Jones’ gloves.
Updated
11th over: West Indies 70-2 (Campbelle 14, Gajnabi) A huge wicket for England, Matthews had looked largely untroubled and was picking the gaps with the alacrity of a insulation specialist.
WICKET! Matthews lbw Ecclestone 42 (West Indies 69-2)
An ecstatic Ecclestone leaps and turns in the air as Matthews props forward and the ball shimmies into her front pad. She reviews straight away … optimistically as it turns out – but the replays show she is very much out. She plods slowly off the field after a super innings.
10th over: West Indies 69-1 (Matthews 42, Campbelle 14) Charlie Dean, blue cloth in her back pocket to wipe away the sweat, wheels in. A decent enough crowd lounge on the green banks, a line of tall trees providing pockets of shade. Campbell and Matthews pick six off the over easily enough. And that is DRINKS and time for me to have a bite of a ying and yang lunch of veggie pasty and olive tapenade.
9th over: West Indies 63-1 (Matthews 40, Campbelle 11) Sarah Glenn, ponytail flying in the breeze, a shorter run-up now, which, as Alex Hartley describes on the radio, gets more turn. Matthews awkwardly pokes a flatter ball away, then Campbell picks up an easier two.
8th over: West Indies 58-1 (Matthews 37, Campbelle 4) Nat Sciver-Brunt takes over from her wife. West Indies can’t make the boundary, but seven come from the over including two byes through the gloves of Jones.
“Has Issy Wong fallen off the radar or is my radar off?” asks Karrith Britland. “Such an exciting prospect in the first season of the 100 (or is it the hundred?) - I remember an interview in which she said she was aiming to bowl 80mph (or 129 clicks).
“Has she fallen into the inevitable injury - rehab cycle? “
She’s a travelling reserve for this tournament – but won’t play unless there is an injury crisis.
7th over: West Indies 51-1 (Matthews 37, Campbelle 4) Glenn strikes with her second ball – putting Taylor out of her misery – and bringing in Campbelle, who overtakes her off her third ball with a competent sweep for four.
WICKET! Taylor lbw Glenn 3 (West Indies 47-1)
Taylor reviews but isn’t so lucky second time around. She has a wild swing, is struck on the back pad, and trudges off – out of form and a review down.
Updated
6th over: West Indies 47-0 (Matthews 37, Taylor 3) Katherine Sciver-Brunt comes back for her second over and Matthews says thanks very much, taking advantage of the lightning quick outfield with three fours. The last ball of the power play rattles off an open face and scampers down to the rope. Game on!
5th over: West Indies 34-0 (Matthews 25, Taylor 2) Spin at both ends as Ecclestone, in raspberry coloured trainers and matching sunglasses, whistles through her over, but there is time for Matthews to direct her firmly past point for four, and send another through the offside ring for four more.
4th over: West Indies 24-0 (Matthews 17, Taylor 1) Knight pulls a rabbit from the hat, in the shape of Charlie Dean. Does it work? A nice over, flight and turn, Taylor steals a single and Matthews slams a short one for four.
3rd over: West Indies 18-0 (Matthews 12, Taylor 0) Bell struggling, with three wides in the first four balls, followed by two fours as Matthews lets loose, through point then, pleasingly, through the covers. A scampered single brings Taylor to the crease who duly sticks out the bat and swishes at thin air.
Updated
2nd over: West Indies 6-0 (Matthews 3, Taylor 0) Sciver-Brunt at the double, in what she has confirmed will be her final World Cup. Top characteristically untucked, she sends down six of a pretty tasty standard, and Taylor again has no answer. The sky is pure unadulterated glorious blue.
1st over: West Indies 3-0 (Matthews 1, Taylor 0) Lauren Bell starts with a wide from her characteristically busy, straight as spagetti run up. Matthews scratches a single, bringing Taylor to the crease in an IT20 for the first time since the summer of 2021. She looks on the rusty side too, playing and missing twice in a row. After another wide, Bell slides one into Taylor’s front pad as she topples over. It looks a bit legside – and it is. Review overturned.
The sun lazers through the middle of the England huddle who are looking, as Raf reports, very full of beans considering the heat. Right, here we go. On the whistle, the teams take the knee.
This is a sad statement "good performances for West Indies is what's really going to get you going in franchise cricket". I thought international selection to be the highest recognition possible. Sadly it is money (yes, professional players have to earn a living)
— Stephen (@SH_Berkhamsted) February 11, 2023
Agree totally – but unfortunately the poorer boards just can’t compete with the big franchises. A more equal sharing out of the pie would help.
The teams stand in line for the anthems. England in red with white lettering, the flags billowing to an operatic version of God Save the King. A rather more jaunty Rally Round the West Indies, as the team stand, arms on each others’ shoulders, in maroon and yellow shirts.
Decent view as the teams tug the final knot on the their trainers.
England training in Paarl ahead of their T20 WC match tomorrow. pic.twitter.com/VUv3rArGLA
— CRICKETher 🏏 (@crickether) February 10, 2023
“You have to bowl Sciver-Brunt in the power play” says Rainford-Brent. She thinks chasing will suit England, but that going out there and being expressive is West Indies best hope. And, my god, it looks hot out there.
Teams: West Indies
West Indies XI: Hayley Matthews (capt), Rashada Williams, Shermaine Campbelle, Stafanie Taylor, Shabika Gajnabi, Chinelle Henry, Chedean Nation, Zaida James, Shamilla Connell, Afy Fletcher, Shakera Selman.
Teams: England
England XI: Danni Wyatt, Sophia Dunkley, Alice Capsey, Nat Sciver-Brunt, Heather Knight (c), Amy Jones (wk), Katherine Sciver-Brunt, Sophie Ecclestone, Charlie Dean, Sarah Glenn, Lauren Bell.
Heather Knight, brim of her hat pulled low: “I was going to bat first as well, but looking at the wicket ,I don’t know how its going to play. There’s a super vibe around the girls, we can’t wait to get going – we won’t be underestimating West Indies.
West Indies win the toss and will bat
A wind blows across Hayley Matthews’ and Heather Knights’ shirts as they wait at the toss. It falls in West Indies’ favour, and Matthews plumps to bat – hoping they’ll get the better of the conditions.
Just waiting for the TV coverage to start, but Raf has spotted Heather Knight bowling in the middle, which suggests she might be planning on turning her arm over later. Do drop me a message with your thoughts on the cricket, your parkrun time or any other miscellany.
“It’s VERY hot, (40 degrees)” melts Raf somewhere in a Paarl press box, “and I just caught sight of Jon Lewis in the dugout and he looks like he’s acquired a nifty tan already. Heather Knight said yesterday that he’s been enjoying some golf while in South Africa.”
Here is yesterday’s report from Cape Town:
Our woman on the scene, Raf Nicholson, picked up on a fascinating nuggett from West Indies’ captain Hayley Matthews pre-tournament press conference:
Hayley Matthews yesterday: "We always discuss within the team that good performances for West Indies is what's really going to get you going in franchise cricket."
— Raf Nicholson (@RafNicholson) February 11, 2023
Fascinating to see WI explicitly using WPL as an incentive for their players to perform well in the #T20WorldCup
Preamble
Here we go! After yesterday’s surprise whooping of the hosts by Sri Lanka, England and West Indies circle their shoulders and flex their quads for their first match of this women’s T20 World Cup tournament, and the opening game in Group B
In Cape Town, South Africa wilted while trying to chase Sri Lanka’s fairly paltry 129, falling three runs short in front of a record home crowd for a women’s match of 8,402 , but without the talismanic Dane van Niekerk, axed for falling short in a fitness Test.
England and West Indies, meanwhile, meet in Paarl, where England’s confidence is infectious. In the recent white-ball series in the West Indies, England swooped to a 5-0 victory in the T20s, as well as taking the ODI series 3-0. Their focus under new coach Jon Lewis is attack, attack and attack some more – sound familiar? -and they rocked up 246 in a 20-over friendly against South Africa at the start of the week. This is a young side, the guard well and truly changing, with even the evergreen Katherine Sciver-Brunt probably playing in her last World Cup. And England have got their eye on the prize. after shuffling away from the last T20 World Cup when rain washed away their semi-final.
It is a mug’s game to predict a World Cup result, I really should know better, but West Indies’ recent form on and off the pitch suggests an English picnic
The Group B mix also includes India, Pakistan and Ireland, with the top two from each group meeting in the semis – nice and simple. The ones to beat – Australia – play their first game against New Zealand later this afternoon at Boland Park (Group A also includes Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and South Africa).
