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Key events
The covers are coming off and there unconfirmed reports of imminent cricket.
Rain stops play
Maybe England will dodge defeat after all. The rain has returned in Antigua and, though there is plenty of time to spare, West Indies need to bat 20 overs for DLS to come into play.
15th over: West Indies 81-0 (King 23, Lewis 51) England are facing a hammering here but they’ve bowled pretty well and had no luck. King edges Rashid past slip at catchable height, then survives an LBW review after failing to pick the googly. He was saved by the ball hitting him just outside the line of off stump.
14th over: West Indies 77-0 (King 20, Lewis 50) A terrific yorker from Curran is dug out well by Lewis, who was almost knocked off his feet. He works the next delivery off middle stump to fine leg for his first four, then takes a quick single to reach a punishing 46-ball fifty. It’s been a cracking innings.
13th over: West Indies 71-0 (King 19, Lewis 45) The required rate is below four, which means West Indies can sit on the dangerous Rashid.
Or they could hit him for a one-handed six, as Lewis has just done. He didn’t get hold of it properly but it had just enough to clear the rope at cow corner. That’s Lewis’s fifth boundary, all of them sixes.
12th over: West Indies 61-0 (King 18, Lewis 37) Sam Curran replaces John Turner, starts with three dot balls to Lewis and then sees his fourth smashed over midwicket for a huge six. Lewis has is dealing exclusively in sixes and singles right now.
11th over: West Indies 54-0 (King 18, Lewis 30) Adil Rashid usually comes on straight after the Powerplay and today is no exception. King’s charmed innings continues when a leading edge somehow loops over the head of extra cover. While he continues to ride his luck, Lewis looks in control and calmly drives singles off the three deliveries he faces.
10th over: West Indies 49-0 (King 16, Lewis 27) After bowling a couple of wides to Lewis, Turner beats King outside off stump yet again. Just one run off the bat in that over. Turner has bowled much better than figures of 5-0-26-0 would suggest.
9th over: West Indies 46-0 (King 16, Lewis 26) England need to take wickets so Archer is given a fifth over. File under ‘one too many’: Lewis drives handsomely over mid-on for his third six before King rifles an even better drive between extra cover and mid-off for four. Thirteen from the over; this game is probably done.
8th over: West Indies 33-0 (King 12, Lewis 17) Lewis hasn’t middled many tonight, but when he does he’s deadly. An outswinger from Turner, starting on leg stump, is picked up spectacularly over midwicket for six. That’s a ridiculous shot.
Lewis has form for administering this kind of punishment: he smashed 176 not out, with seven sixes, against England at the Oval in 2017.
Turner recovers pretty well and ends the over by beating King for the umpteenth time.
7th over: West Indies 24-0 (King 11, Lewis 11) The left-handed Lewis is beaten by a stunning delivery from Archer that swings past the outside edge and just misses off stump. England have bowled beautifully so far, Archer in particular, and it’s a travesty they haven’t taken at least one wicket. Another maiden from Archer, whose figures are 4-2-8-0.
“As usual, I’m flummoxed by ODI field settings,” says Gary Naylor. “Captains seem to post the same fields regardless of the target set. England need 10 wickets to win this match and the first few overs is the likeliest time, so three slips, catching midwicket and a short leg? No. Just the bog standard one slip, two out and the rest in the ring. Ben Stokes does more with a field in five overs than an ODI captain does in 50.”
6th over: West Indies 24-0 (King 11, Lewis 11) Turner beats King with four successive deliveries, the second of which was a snorter that burst from a length. Early days but you can see why England are so interested in him. The bounce he gets is particularly exciting.
5th over: West Indies 22-0 (King 10, Lewis 10) Archer’s having no luck against King, who has inside-edged as many deliveries as he has middle. The frustration continues when King puts a rare bad ball away for four before Lewis is beaten by a wide yorker.
4th over: West Indies 17-0 (King 6, Lewis 10) Turner’s run-up reminds me a little of Glenn McGrath, though his action is more chest-on. A previously excellent second over is ruined when Lewis swivel-pulls the last delivery round the corner for six.
England need wickets plural.
3rd over: West Indies 9-0 (King 6, Lewis 2) King gets a thick inside-edge to another textbook inswinger from Archer, who is bowling stump to stump, just full of a good length. A maiden.
“I love your optimism that this will still be a 50-over game rather than the Windies beating our T20 team in less than 20 overs in what should be an ODI…” writes Tom Van der Gucht. “Then again, Turner will be an unknown quantity an me could catch them cold and Archer and Rashid are still Archer and Rashid.”
I’m just dealing in facts; you can’t get cancelled for facts. I do think West Indies will win but I’m not sure they’ll romp to victory unless the ball starts to skid on under the lights.
2nd over: West Indies 9-0 (King 6, Lewis 2) The mysterious John Turner, finally making his England debut almost a year after he was first included in a white-ball squad, will share the new ball. He starts with a terrific lifter that hits a slightly startled King on the arm.
That sets the tone for a superb first over in which King edges at catchable height for four and also inside-edges a single on the leg side.
1st over: West Indies 4-0 (King 1, Lewis 2) Archer’s second ball is a beautiful inswinger that Brandon King inside-edges past leg stump for a single. That was very similar to the ball with which he dismissed Aaron Finch for a golden duck in the 2019 semi-final.
England need early wickets and will be encouraged by the swing that Archer is getting. Later in the over he tries a short ball that is cuffed for a couple by Evin Lewis. The outfield is painfully slow.
We’re back and Jofra Archer is about to bowl.
Play to restart at 11pm GMT!
And it’s still a 50-over game.
“I hope John Turner is a spinner,” writes Toby.
I’m afraid he’s not, and there’s bad news about Eddie Paynter as well.
The covers are back on. Tremendous.
“USA are currently 242 for 8 after 43 overs, chasing 318 to beat Scotland in the Cricket World Cup League 2 series in Grand Prairie,” writes Simon McMahon. “Brandon ‘Baz’ McMullen made 151 for Scotland, his third ODI hundred and the fifth highest score for Scotland in ODIs.”
It became pretty obvious during the T20 World Cup, particularly in the Australia game, that he is a seriously good player.
It sounds like the weather has improved in Antigua. No restart time as yet though.
“Murder On The Doorstep, eh?” sniffs Damian Clarke. “Tempting. But an early night sounds a better option. Can I have your permission to finish my jigsaw, my bottle of wine, and the futility of my day?”
Ah gowan. Murder on the Doorstep is actually pretty interesting; there’s a good BBC podcast series on it as well. Very strange story.
Weather update: it’s still raining
It doesn’t look as heavy as it was half an hour ago, although the view from Whitstable isn’t the best so I might be wrong. What we can say with certainty is that there will be no play for the forseeable; even if it stops raining, the clean-up operation will take a while.
“If it’s anything like the downpour that we woke up to on Saba this morning, and which was apparently heading towards Antigua, play is well and truly over,” writes Chris. “But, oh boy, do we need the rain in these parts. Better had it been yesterday or tomorrow, though.”
The rain should help the ball skid on when West Indies bat, which will make it even tougher for England to defend 209. You may wish to consider alternative entertainment; if you’re in the UK, Murder on the Doorstep is on Channel 5 at 10pm.
It’s hooning down
In case you missed it, England announced their new central contracts list earlier today. There were no big surprises. But read this piece anyway.
It’s raining. Tremendous. Hopefully it’s just a passing shower.
Thanks Tim, hello everyone. England’s total feels below-par, even on such a sluggish pitch, and you’d expect West Indies to get the job done. On the plus side – because there’s always a plus side – we’re finally going to see John Turner bowl for England. He averages less than 20 with the ball in all three forms, and if that statistic doesn’t get you excited I’m afraid you’re dead inside.
England kept half-getting going, then being pegged back. All their top six got to 15, and not one of them reached 50. Jacob Bethell and Jordan Cox offered a glimpse of star quality but only managed a pair of cameos. Liam Livingstone and Sam Curran showed their grit and nous by adding 68. But the innings belonged to West Indies – to Shai Hope for his astute captaincy, to Jayden Seales for his Curtly Ambrose impression, and above all to Gudakesh Motie for grabbing a four-for, including both the scalps that really mattered.
That’s my cue to go and see what’s in the fridge. Thanks for your company and correspondence, which made up in quality what it perhaps lacked in volume. Do stick around to see what West Indies can make of this target, and what Rob Smyth makes of them.
WICKET! Rashid c Forde b Joseph 15 (England 209 all out)
Rash flicks to midwicket, and that’s it! Turner is left high and dry on 2.
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