Read Barney Ronay's report from the Oval
MATCH ABANDONED
That’s it. With heavy rain continuing, the officials have pulled the pin. Bitterly disappointing result for Australia, who were but four overs away from reaching the minimum required for a formal game to be complete. They move to their fixture against England on Saturday with two points - from two washouts.
Bangladesh are also saved from automatic elimination, much to the delight of the handful of fans they have left. Their final group game is on Friday against New Zealand in Cardiff.
And there really isn’t much more to be said. On behalf of Geoff Lemon and myself, thanks for your company. Till next time.
Rediscovered this email gem from earlier, via Peter Salmon. “Doing some copy-editing at home and had to look up the word ‘trepid’, meaning the opposite of intrepid, i.e. timorous. Bizarrely the example the dictionary gives is as follows: The muscles of the spiritual athlete pant for such exertion; and without it, they would dwindle into trepid imbecility. – W C Armstrong. Was wondering if you could work that into your commentary?”
If only we had the chance, Monsieur Salmon.
The Oval looks like this. Imran Khan's garden aside, not bright. #CT17 pic.twitter.com/P5DN6mEwYb
— Geoff Lemon Sport (@GeoffLemonSport) June 5, 2017
Terribly sorry to say. I fear our window has come and gone. And there was a window, make no mistake. It was decent out there for some time. But it has that set-in feel about it now. Nothing formal, and there remains ample time to hit the magic 20 over mark. But I don’t want to give you any of that false hope. I think we’re stuffed. What a mess.
“Have the senior cricket gods gone on holiday and left an intern in charge?” wonders Thomas Jenkins on the email. “Three washouts is surely the most South African way to exit a tourno. It doesn’t feel right that it might be happening to Oz instead. Funny, but not right.”
Rain. Again. SAAAAAAAAAAKE!!!!
I know. There’s still ample time. But this isn’t heavy. One of the most ridiculous parts of our precious game, that it has to stop raining entirely for play to resume. Yet once they are on, it can be pouring and continue if the umpires deem it fit.
RESTART! 8:30pm!
What a triumph! 43 overs for the Australian innings. Unclear what they’ll need to make, but that’s not overly important with Australia well ahead in the game. So, 15 minutes from now. CRICKET.
Pitch inspection.
Wallet inspection. It’s imminent. It may have happened already. It’s all hard to tell, but here’s what I know: the covers, broadly are off. The thing on wheels, that’s still there.The umpires are in their snazzy ICC tracksuit jackets having a chat. Umbrellas are down. Water has been pushed off the ground. If it is the case that we need to get going by 9:45pm (so we’re told) for any chance to get to 20 overs, then we’re in decent enough nick. Giddy up.
More, hopefully, in a couple of minutes.
Have Arcade Fire’s first new song for four years while we find out.
Oh, okay. A new title winner emerged the last year or so for best rain song. And this live routine is a rain of fire. (The non-musical-covers are tentatively getting some work, but it’ll likely still be an hour before we might get back.)
Tryna rain, tryna rain on the thunder
Tell the storm I’m new
I’mma walk, I’mma march on the regular
Painting white flags blue
Lord forgive me, I’ve been running
Running blind in truth
I’mma rain, I’mma rain on this bitter love
Tell the sweet I’m new
Still nothing doing, covers firmly on and the radar isn’t promising. If we did get back on, Australia would be given a reduced target and presumably romp there pretty easily.
If this is rained off, Australia and England go level on two points, Bangladesh and New Zealand on 1. The winner of England-NZ tomorrow would then be clear the the top of the group. The winner of Bangladesh-NZ would go to 3 points, and could go through to the semis if Australia lose or have a no-result against England. So the short version: Australia has to beat England, New Zealand has to beat England or Bangladesh, Bangladesh has to beat New Zealand, and England has to beat Australia. Any of them could still be knocked out or go through.
We’ll update you if there’s any news on play.
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Given the confluence of myself, Adam Collins, and rain, it seems apt to post this moment from a very wet Test match in Sydney one southern summer. I’ll leave it to you lot to award the points.
We're off for rain
Australia’s chances of progressing to the semi-finals could be made much harder, with only 16 overs faced in their chase. They must face 20 to be declared winners on Duckworth-Lewis-Stern. Which means we have to get back on early enough to get those four overs in. Will the rain clear? I am not in possession of that knowledge.
16th over: Australia 83-1 (Warner 40, Smith 22)
This is definitely a go-slow from Bangladesh. Mortaza is taking minutes between each delivery. Smith, in tactical response, defends five balls in an attempt to minimise the time between deliveries. But to no avail. The umpires call the players off with four overs left before a DLS calculation can be made.
15th over: Australia 82-1 (Warner 39, Smith 22)
Brilliant ball from Rubel Hossain. Fast, good length, and it cuts back in to Warner. Beats the outside edge by a micron, and the off stump by half of one. The next into the body and Warner is doubled up, fending it away. Then a sharp short one at the ribs! This is some over. A few spots of rain falling now. The Bangladesh fans are very pointedly putting their umbrellas up. Rubel goes for another ball at the ribs, and this time Warner is able to fend a single run.
14th over: Australia 80-1 (Warner 38, Smith 21)
Seven overs until rain can no longer save Bangladesh. Shakib-al-Hasan hasn’t bowled yet. It’s been all seamers. Unheard of for Bangladesh. And apparently it’s raining in Battersea. Can they drag these seven overs into about half an hour of spare time, and bring on the moisture? Mashrafe Mortaza has kept himself on at the Pavilion End. He’s certainly taking some time between deliveries. There’s a Smith single, then Warner bunts a couple of runs away to bring up his 4000th ODI run, and he’s the fastest Aussie to do so in terms of innings played. The umpires seem to be trying to hurry up Bangladesh a touch at the end of the over, as various councils of negotiation converge.
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13th over: Australia 75-1 (Warner 35, Smith 19)
Ahoy, me briny brethren. Me salty sisters. Me barnacled uncles and auntnemones. The purpose of the bowling change was to swing Rubel around to the Pavilion End. It doesn’t work though, as Warner flicks a couple of runs through fine leg, chops another two over the man at backward point on the bounce, then pulls a single, before Smith pulls a double, and gets anotehr run through the covers. How easy was that. Eight runs an over and nary a risk to be seen.
12th over: Australia 66-1 (Warner 30, Smith 16)
Mashrafe brings himself back. Yeah, right? Rubel looked the goods, the skipper didn’t. But there we have it. Well, he beats Warner outside the off-stump, which isn’t for nothing. Six singles here. Shakib has to be a major part of the solution here if Bangladesh are any chance at all. I’m back to the TMS call for a bit. So I’ll leave you with my poet friend, Geoffrey Lemon.
11th over: Australia 61-1 (Warner 28, Smith 12)
Mehedi into the attack, speaking of bowlers who have broken England’s heart. Sorry about that. 19 years old with mad skillz, Admirably throwing it up to Warner. Couple of dots after four fairly relaxed singles.
Don’t rain. Actually, want to see a couple of idiots singing about rain? I’ll let Geoff find it, as I’m off in a tic.
10th over: Australia 57-1 (Warner 26, Smith 10).
You may remember Rubel Hossain as the man who bundled England out of the World Cup in 2015. He’s trying to do the same to Australia this evening, albeit with a shedload less runs at his disposal than he did that evening. Still, only three from this one and already in the book. Neither of the Australian leadership axis are in a hurry here. Reinforcing my earlier view that they have some pretty good weather advice in the sheds there. Otherwise, surely they would be giving it the big ones.
9th over: Australia 54-1 (Warner 24, Smith 9)
Oh Sniffer, do that one where you go inside out through cover point three minutes after walking out to bat, will you? Goodness me. Not many Australians here but they love that. Mustafizur might have fallen victim of being given one too many in this spell, offering a full toss to Smith next up after the half-volley. Reckon we’ll be seeing Shakib from the Pavilion End next up.
News to hand: Wahab is out of the Champs Trophy with a “deltoid ligament complex.” So, he’s got an issue with his rig, in other words?
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8th over: Australia 48-1 (Warner 24, Smith 3)
Sniffer Smith does as he does: first ball, shuffles across, clips through square for three of the best. You understand why everyone reckons he’s the quintessential lbw candidate. But he’s not, because he’s a freak.
WICKET! Finch lbw Rubel 19 (Australia 45-1)
Oh yes, that’s out! Finch didn’t bother worrying about DRS there. Missed it, skidded through, back pad. That’ll do it. Bangladesh need a lot to go right, but that at least gets them heading in the right direction.
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7th over: Australia 40-0 (Warner 23, Finch 15)
The young gun Mustafizur back in the act for a fourth over. He’s good enough to beat Finch when running the fingers down the seam. Plenty to like about his approach, mixing up cutters with conventional swing that squared up Warner in the previous over. But on the whole, it’s pretty relaxed from the Australian. Suggests that they are confident at least 20 overs will be bowled. Otherwise, they’d be giving this the big ones in the power play. I wonder whether they have some formal meteorological advice going on in the rooms? These are the things I think about. My brain: a circus. Three from it, by the way.
Chelsea Dagger getting a run from he Cricket Ground DJ. Returning to my earlier topic, if they let me DJ at The Oval for the T20s later this season as I’m campaigning t do. I pledge not to play this. Or Seven Nation Army. I will play, say, Mystery Jets. And Robyn. That’ll get ’em up. What else? Your turn.
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6th over: Australia 37-0 (Warner 21, Finch 14)
More convincing pull from Warner this time, as Mortaza gives him the line and he swivels on his heels to put it away. Australia doing it with relative ease, grabbing singles and finding gaps. I’m afraid it doesn’t look like a miracle comeback for the men in green at this stage. Barely a shot in anger, yet a run rate above six an over and not a wicket lost. Time for our changeover - Geoff Lemon out, Adam Collins with you next.
5th over: Australia 28-0 (Warner 15, Finch 12)
Less comfortable against Mustafizur. They scamper a very quick single, then Warner tries a big pull shot, gets mostly bottom edge on it and it goes past his stumps for four runs. Fortunate for him.
4th over: Australia 21-0 (Warner 9, Finch 11)
Another boundary, Mortaza offering Finch the line and he’s able to glance the ball away fine. Then another couple of runs in the same area. They’re ticking over without needing to go wild at the moment.
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3rd over: Australia 13-0 (Warner 8, Finch 4)
Four! Finch gets away, as Mustafizur offers width and the stocky Australian opener clunks the cut shot with every gram of mass at this disposal. The Earth’s gravity working for him. That followed a leg bye for Warner, and that’s it off the over. They’re not going wild, as I expected they would.
Some last entries for Bangladesh Bassline Day.
Rajendra Chitnis says, “When I read that, I immediately heard in my head: Stone Roses - She Bangs The Drums. Public Image Ltd - Public image. Violent Femmes - Blister in The Sun. All songs to soundtrack the video highlights of a high-tempo run chase.”
@GeoffLemonSport basslines: The Chain by Fleetwood Mac, i.e. the Formula 1 song. Nothing beats that!
— Alan Synnott (@alansynnott) June 5, 2017
@GeoffLemonSport ABC - by The Jackson 5 or No One Knows by Queens of the Stone Age
— Matt Hall (@MattHallWork) June 5, 2017
2nd over: Australia 8-0 (Warner 8, Finch 0)
Mashrafe Mortaza, the only remaining player from Bangladesh’s famous and solitary win over Australia, in an ODI in Cardiff back in 2005. He’s 33 years of age, the skipper, and still passionately playing on. Bowls at Warner’s ankle and is pushed for a single. Beats Finch on the outside edge with one that swings and moves off the pitch. Lovely seam movement. Just the single from Mortaza’s first over.
1st over: Australia 7-0 (Warner 7, Finch 0)
Mustafizur Rahman, the 21-year-old, Mister Fizzer to his friends. Such excitement about him as a player. 43 wickets in 19 games. And his first ball is an aspirin, soluble, it fizzes past Warner’s outside edge as the batsman gropes and the crowd lets out a primeval oooooooohhhh, a low groan of anticipation and delight. He cramps up the body second ball, and the third. Warner can’t get room. Something is gonna break. Cloudburst is imminent. Some blokes in the crowd are still singing Seven Nation Army. The bassline of The Oval is throbbing. Warner nearly falls over, the ball spearing into his legs. That’s a dangerous spot to bowl to him though, if he’s not surprised by the pace. And the second ball there, that proves to be the case: Warner leans on it and gets two runs through midwicket, the ball just kept in with the sprawling dive in the deep. Another dive from the last ball, as there’s a hint of width and Warner times it well, that push behind point. It should have been four but the outfield is wet and holding the ball up. Great start, even without obvious fireworks.
Alright, we’re back! Covers off, teams on. Australia needs 183, and would want to do it in the shortest time possible to avoid the risk of being rained off. If they don’t get to face 20 overs, there can be no Duckworth-Lewis-Stern calculation to declare them winners. So, a slight chance for Bangladesh if they can take advantage of the attacking mode to snaffle some wickets.
One of my entries in All Time Great Basslines: probably not one that will resonate with our British audience, but this is Australian rock band Grinspoon, who were discovered in the country town of Lismore in the late 90s. The song is Ready One. The had a brilliant couple of records, one called Easy and one called Guide To Better Living. As a bonus, this video is from the 2000 Big Day Out - I was still in high school, and this was one of the first concerts I went to. It involved jumping several fences and being beaten up by one raged-out security guard. Still saw the show.
I know this is rather anathema to the original concept of the OBO, that being a few jolly chaps on their sofas chatting about sport long before ‘banter’ even had a hashtag. But one of the advantages of doing it at the ground is that I can walk a few rows down and ascertain that it is, in fact, raining. Very lightly, but that’s enough. Indeed, even as I type the covers are coming out. Now the boring game of intrigue begins. The ground DJ, showing a level of restraint hitherto unknown to his species, does not play a precipitation-themed song. he plays Love Will Tear Us Apart.
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Right, Geoff Lemon back with you for this bit. And during the break, while the kiddies have been running around comparing their heights to Mushfiqur Rahim, I’ve had a most intriguing email. From a mysterious correspondent known only as Paul.
“Have Bangladesh been playing a canny game? Batting slowly and using as many of their overs as possible, then bowling as slowly as they’re allowed. So long as there’s no result today, this will leave Bangladesh with a route to the semis, if they can beat NZ and hope England win both remaining games. An outside chance but I’m sure they’d settle for still being in it going into the third match. And if it does happen, I imagine the Australians will be generous in their praise: ;Alright mate, fair play to you and well done’, kind of thing.”
Insert a GIF of my eyes slowly widening with realisation. Tamim is a genius. Paul has a Bangladesh informer trapped in his basement.
AUSTRALIA NEED 183 TO WIN.
At different periods, the Bangladesh innings threatened to be something. Mostly when Tamim had a big over or two, but there were moments.
The speed of his innings of 95 was dictated by events. As soon as he found a likely, established partner, he had a dip. Then, when the wicket invariably came, he put it away.
Australia were all over this, churning through overs from seven bowlers, Smith quick to chop and change as he went.
Then, with the incision deep enough for the lower order to be exposed, Starc what he does best, claiming four wickets in nine balls to polish off the innings 33 balls prematurely.
Halewood’s 1-for-40 won’t generate any highlight reels, but he played the perfect hand across three spells.
Meanwhile, spinners Head and Zampa - used in reverse order from what was expected with Head racing through eight overs - were seldom hit off the square. When he got a chance at the 36 over mark, the leggie claimed two wickets in three overs to again prove his worth.
The elephant in the room? It’s not nice outside. Worse than cloudy, short of rainy. Australia have held up their end of the bargain with the ball. Now they need a slice of luck to get enough time with the bat. For now, a bite to eat. We’ll be back in a bit.
BANGLADESH ALL OUT 182! Mehedi b Starc 14
Inevitable! Starc picks up his fourth in nine balls, taking the middle stump when the teenager missed a full one. Brilliant from Starc, finishing with 4-for-29. I’ll gather my thoughts and recap the innings that was in a tic.
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44th over: Bangladesh 181-9 (Mehedi 14, Mustafizur 1)
Cummins replaces Zampa. Not rocket surgery that they are trying to do here - hit those wooden things. All gets a bit silly when Mehedi charges the quick while backing away to try and manufacture something, anything. To the yorker, he gets the bat down just in time after again making room. Have to admire the young fella’s pluck. Back to back maidens as he misses the last two balls, both shorter. That means Starc vs Mustafizur awaits. Put the kettle on, this won’t take long.
43rd over: Bangladesh 181-9 (Mehedi 14, Mustafizur 1)
Oh! The hat-trick ball is, predictably, a yorker. It beats Mustafizur too, the left-hander nowhere near it. But it has just missed off-stump. The no. 11 gets bat on the final one, but they decline the single. Survival is all they have left here. Starc proving in that three-wicket maiden why he is the best in the business. Simple as that.
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WICKET! Rubel b Starc 0 (Bangladesh 181-9)
Starc is on a hat-trick! That wasn’t the yorker but it was too quick. Too good. Rubel has no chance, really. Tried his best to make contact. Three wickets in four balls and he’ll line up for four in give moments from now at the number 11. Don’t get many better chances than this for three-in-three, either.
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WICKET! Mortaza b Starc 0 (Bangladesh 181-8)
Yorker, yorker! The captain Mashrafe loses his middle one with a beauty from Starc. It’s two in three balls for the talisman and now they’re every chance of finishing this off in a hurry. Superb.
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WICKET! Tamim c Hazlewood b Starc 95. (Bangladesh 181-7)
Oh no! First ball of Starc’s new over prompts a swing, trying to get to three figures in one srtike, but a top edge is all he gets. Nicely taken by Hazlewood the deep. The wonderful hand is over five runs short of back to back tons. But let’s be happy it happened, not sad that it is over.
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42nd over: Bangladesh 181-6 (Tamim 95, Mehedi 14)
Ignore my whingeing, Zampa was just being spun around to replace Josh Hazlewood. Fair play, skip. He keeps on ripping it. No gaps to be found until Mehedi busts out the lap. Risky but effective. Four from the other as Tamim gets inside one lofted drive of a ton.
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41st over: Bangladesh 177-6 (Tamim 94, Mehedi 11)
Welcome to happy hour. Or at least, that’s how it was at the last global tourney in 2015 when it wasn’t unusual to see 120 or more clobbered in the final ten. Since then, one more man is allowed outside the circle through this period, halting the hyperinflation to an extent. Bangladesh will be happy just getting to the line with 250 in the bag, you’d imagine. Mehedi can go a bit though, won the player of the series award at the Under 19 world cup last year as much for his work with the bat as the ball.
Right. To the over. Starc is back on. How stiff is Adam Zampa? Two wickets in three overs and hooked. After taking 36 overs before he was given a trundle to begin with. Don’t get me wrong, bringing Starc on to blast through the lower order is sound enough logic. I just really like what Zampa is doing. With the ball, with his Barnet, with his life.
Starc’ s objective is clear, attacking the stumps. He doesn’t quite get it right. But only six from the over, without a boundary. Advantage Australia at this stage of the show.
40th over: Bangladesh 171-6 (Tamim 91, Mehedi 9)
It is, I can report, gloomy and rainy. Umbrellas out. But thankfully, Umps Gaffney and Llong are keeping on keeping on. Hazlewood is too, beginning the final of his complement for the day. He’s your classic 1/40 off ten guy, isn’t he? That’s what he finishes with here, after a nondescript six is taken from his last set. A couple of short ones, a couple short of a length, a couple full. He knows the score. Tamil, meanwhile, is into the 90s. He raced from the 70s to the 80s with considerably more force. But the job has changed now - he simply must be there at the end.
39th over: Bangladesh 165-6 (Tamim 87, Mehedi 7)
Tell you who hasn’t given up is the Bangladeshi crowd. Mehedi goes back in his crease to pull Zampa’s short ball out through backward square for four, and the green masses in the stands go wild. It’s still very crowded, even though umbrellas are popping up like strange fungus. I’m off to meet a caterpillar on a toadstool, and Adam Collins will pour your next cup of tea.
38th over: Bangladesh 159-6 (Tamim 86, Mehedi 2)
Maxwell is banished indeed. Hazlewood to return, and look to kill this game off. Given the chance of rain, Australia would love to be chasing 170 and have the chance to batter after it in the shorterst possible time. Or with a dozen overs left, Tamim could help them add another 100 runs. Tough ask though, Bangladesh up against it. Mehedi Hasan out there, more of a bowler but capable with the bat. He gets off the mark with a single, and Tamim is able to pull a couple and produce a one-legged swat off his pads through square for one. Mehedi glances another single. But quiet accumulation won’t do it for Bangladesh, as the first spots of rain come down.
Back on the all-time basslines, Andrew Benton suggests “Why not You Can Call Me Al? De doo doo do, dee doo doo do, dee doo doo do, de diddly doo do do etc.”
Andrew, to be fair, that is how I would write down the tune of any song I’ve ever heard.
Jeffrey Earp wants “[Talking] Heads again, but this time their version of Take Me To the River with Brian Eno. I also nominate this track for your upcoming list of great songs that start out with (acoustic) drums ... like starting a great innings with a cracking boundary.”
And Steve Ditchburn writes from Hungary: “Have to tell you that The Chain by Fleetwood Mac was also released in 1977, a very good year indeed.”
If it was so good, my friends, why did The Smashing Pumpkins take one of the best songs in history and title it 1979?
WICKET! Mahmudullah b Zampa 8
37th over: Bangladesh 153-6 (Tamim 82)
Zampa gets two in two. Last ball of the over, after an lbw appeal that was also pretty close. He bowls wide, Mahmudullah tries to cut. My theory is that batsmen really struggle to read Zampa’s length. So often when they try to go cross-bat, they mess it up. In this case, length and maybe it didn’t turn as much as expected. Either way, a bottom edge on the cut, and back into the stumps. It really is all on Tamim today.
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36th over: Bangladesh 150-5 (Tamim 80, Mahmudullah 7)
Do my eyes deceive me? Glenn James Maxwell is coming on to bowl. He’s been in bowling Siberia of late with Steve Smith, but Smith has decided spin is the way to under glum skies on a damp day. Turns the first off-break, takes the outside edge of Tamim’s bat but there’s no slip. They tick a couple of singles. But then, bang. Down the pitch comes Mahmudullah. Didn’t get to the pitch, closed the face of the bat as he mis-hit it, but gave it enough muscle to drag it just over the rope down at long on for six. Nine from the over. A Napoleon-brief return for the bowler?
35th over: Bangladesh 141-5 (Tamim 78, Mahmudullah 0)
So Sabbir is gone. But as England learned to their cost at the 2015 World Cup, Mahmudullah’s goan knock you out. Or in this case, block you out, as he does to Zampa’s over. A wicket maiden for the South Australian leg-spinner. Some start.
WICKET! Sabbir Rahman c Smith b Zampa 8
At last, as Ella Fitzgerald sang. At last, my man has come along. In this case, my man is Adam Zampa. He has the Alice band in place. He has the tops bleached and the sides shaved. And he has a wicket second ball. It’s not a bamboozler. It’s wide and hittable, full. There for the drive. Sabbir gives it a go, but strikes it straight into the chest of Sniffer Smith at short cover.
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34th over: Bangladesh 141-4 (Tamim 78, Rahman 8)
Sabbir Rahman knocks a single. Tamim charges Hazlewood, tries to pull and misses. Then tries again without the charge and gets another lucky top edge that drops between mid-on and midwicket. He’s had some fortune, between moments of tremendous skill and long periods of discipline.
It’s drinks. Time for a bassline review.
“Hi Geoff,” says a cheerful Pete Salmon. “Best three seconds of bass (obscure category but vital) has to be the six notes that Paul Simonon plays after ‘The Shareef Don’t Like It’ in the Clash’s Rock the Casbah. Top them, anything in the history of rock and roll!”
Not sure that I can, Pete.
Enda Kenny is going for These Boots, I’m assuming the Nancy Sinatra version. Jonathan Salisbury suggests Maneater, by Hall and Oates. Greg shoots for Under Pressure, “speaking of Queen,” and saluting “the dear departed David Bowie.” Amen.
33rd over: Bangladesh 136-4 (Tamim 76, Rahman 5)
Only my old primary school teachers call me Geoffrey. But I’m back, and so is Pat Cummins. Tamim comes across, makes room by moving to the off, and plays a kind of flip-pull down through long leg for four. Lovely, lovely touch. It’s all on Tamim here, basically. He has to boost his own scoring rate, then do everything for Bangladesh to get a decent score. Unless we get rained off. The atmosphere here feels like it could be imminent. But I said that before. Tamim is 76 off 94 by the end of the over.
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32nd over: Bangladesh 130-4 (Tamim 71, Rahman 4)
Josh Hazlewood given a second go. I wouldn’t say Head was hit out of the attack as such, but after getting through eight overs it’s the right time to get the frontliners back on. In keeping with the overall theme of the day, he’s straight back into his familiar shoe-box. Three singles, three dots. Honest Josh Hazlewood, the man who attacks are built around.
With that, I’m back over to the ones and twos on BBC TMS. I’ll leave you with Geoffrey and catch you again in 30.
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31st over: Bangladesh 127-4 (Tamim 70, Rahman 3)
Cummins bowled a bit of dross when he started his day, but is bang on at the moment. He’s on the ribs, then he’s on the hip, then he’s in the block-hole. Three singles are their lot.
Geoff had us talking about recognisable bass lines earlier on, and John Starbuck has one or three for consideration. “Recognisable bass sounds from older rockers: Night of Fear (The Move), 19th Nervous Breakdown (The Rolling Stones), Pinball Wizard (The Who), Walk on the Wild Side (Lou Reed), anything by Black Sabbath.”
My turn. This song never went anywhere but I wish it did. Indeed, the last time I heard it was in a car with Geoff when we were racing around England following the Ashes in 2015. Indulgent, but I don’t mind.
Reader Synnott, a fine club off-breaker himself for the mighty Hampstead CC, adds to his previous missive: “Don’t get me wrong, I would have killed to get those decisions when I was playing, but this game didn’t need it.”
30th over: Bangladesh 124-4 (Tamim 68, Rahman 2)
15 from it, but a wicket for Head. “A disappointingly brilliant decision” to give Shakib out according to reader Alan Synnott. That feels about right. For 140 years or more a spinner wouldn’t be getting anyone out after dancing down. But we’ve seen central umpires happier to give those, armed with DRS. Bold from Umpire Llong. Bold as well from Rahman who begins his stay with a lap sweep for a couple to end the over.
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WICKET! Shakib lbw Head 29 (Bangladesh 122-4)
TV ump Ian Gould confirms the verdict, Shakib is gone! Umpires call on contact, and he had used his feet so there was some question as to whether it would slide down, but coming around the wicket Head has that crashing into middle stump. Great fightback after Tamim struck him rather gloriously over long off with consecutive balls to start the set. Eventful!
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WICKET! Shakib given out LBW to head after Tamin smacks two huge sixes to start the Head over! REVIEW! Stand by.
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29th over: Bangladesh 109-3 (Tamim 55, Shakib 29)
Fair debate going on with TMS about whether the ICC should be nimble enough to change the playing conditions when rain is imminent. The consensus here is that we’re going to cop a storm after tea. If, say, they agreed beforehand to play 25 overs each rather than 50 for one team ahead of a washout? You can see where I am going with this. Thoughts? It’s Adam at the moment, by the way. Adam.Collins.Freelance@theguardian.com- hit me up.
On the field, Cummins is back. He’s equally as effective as Head, conceding just three singles to begin the new spell.
28th over: Bangladesh 106-3 (Tamim 53, Shakib 28)
So, no Zampa as yet. Head into his seventh. Nothing wrong with that equation, as the latter is very much doing the job. But you can imagine Zampa craving a chance for a jam roll while the going is relatively good. He’s absolutely bang on to these left-handers, around the wicket and generating enough bounce when he throws it up and ideal direction when darting it in. Four from it, all singles. Hard to recall a bad ball he has bowled.
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27th over: Bangladesh 102-3 (Tamim 51, Shakib 26)
Positive signs for Bangladesh, Starc missing his yorker, Shakhib doesn’t miss out on the full toss, carving behind point. That’ll do. 100 up later in the over when the all-rounder grabs another two in that direction. Good batting in the back half of the over, taking a single to his feet. That’s more like it in the middle overs. Starc responds predictably: a bouncer.
26th over: Bangladesh 95-3 (Tamim 51, Shakib 19)
Pressure! Travis Head racing through an over littered with dots, the last ball prompting a quick single that probably wasn’t there, Wade nearly executing a direct hit when back with him. He’s quickly evolving into Smith’s go-to for shutting down any surge in momentum for the batting team. Dots littered this over other than the half-run out chance. 14 runs from his six. Superb from the young man.
25th over: Bangladesh 93-3 (Tamim 51, Shakib 18)
Starc again, and the batsmen still can’t lift the rate. Three singles. What is their game here? Take 100 from Zampa? Is Zampa going to bowl at all? I have all questions and no answers, so I’ll hand this post over to guest bass curator Guy Hornsby.
“Afternoon Geoff. Seven Nation Army is everywhere these days, but it’s a whippersnapper compared to this behemoth.”
“Donna Summer may have sung it, but Giorgio Moroder made it. It’s been ripped off so many times, he must wish he got properly paid for every rehash, but then, he’s German, so he’s probably got a spreadsheet. If you have 11 minutes to spare, head for this version.”
“As for the cricket, I think it goes without saying that as an Englishman I’m rooting for Bangla. Partly because Aussies got out of jail against New Zealand, and partly because, well, Australia.”
Thanks Guy. It’s Geoff again, and now I’ll hand over another time to Adam Collins. Confused yet?
Half century!
24th over: Bangladesh 90-3 (Tamim 50, Shakib 15)
Tamim’s fifty comes up from his 69th ball, but just the two singles from Head’s over.
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23rd over: Bangladesh 88-3 (Tamim 49, Shakib 14)
Henriques may be the cheese, but Tamim has found the prunes. Suddenly, things come with a rush. The batsman, most notably, down the wicket and cleanly launching a huge cover drive for six. Then charging again, pulling this time, over midwicket for four. Henriques pulls the length back, so Tamim goes back this time and pulls four more through fine leg! A couple of singles in the middle and it makes 16 from the over, something Bangladesh desperately needed. The run rate goes from about 3.3 to 3.8 in six balls.
22nd over: Bangladesh 72-3 (Tamim 34, Shakib 13)
Starc returns, Sniffer Smith turning his nostrils to the air and scenting a wicket. What a start as well. Tamim flays at a wide one and misses. Batters the next into his pads. Gets a good pice of the third ball, but Smith leaps across at cover and saves the potential boundary. So good for bowlers when their field backs them up. No, I’m not looking at you, Pakistan. Tamim finally gets away from the bowling with a glide to third man, and Shakib is dropped!
By the best fieldsman in the Australian team, no less, Glenn Maxwell. That wasn’t a good ball, it was short and wide, and Shakib crushed it. Gave it everything he had. Timed the cut well but in the air. Almost straight at Maxwell but very very hard. Maxwell looked like he wasn’t in good position there, I think. Wasn’t quite in his crouch, standing up a bit tall. It went low towards his hip, and he got his hand down but hurt himself as the ball struck the heel of his hand and bounced away. He’s wringing his hand and looking rueful, as Cummins picks up the spill and throws at the stumps, nearly giving away an overthrow.
21st over: Bangladesh 69-3 (Tamim 33, Shakib 11)
Henriques acting as the cheese in the digestive system of this Bangladesh innings, clogging things up. A drive to Maxwell in the covers, but he swoops and nearly catches Tamim napping at the non-striker’s end. Throw misses. They finally get a couple of singles, then Tamim plays cleverly, noting Henriques’ straight line and moves across towards his off stump. Creates the line to pull the ball hard for a couple of runs.
“I’d have Fleetwood Mac’s The Chain or Stone Roses I Am the Resurrection for top basslines,” says Gareth Fitzgerald, while Chris Moore betrays his vintage by asking “Can I give a shout for “Peaches” by the Stranglers – 1977, a good year.”
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20th over: Bangladesh 65-3 (Tamim 30, Shakib 10)
Adam and James Taylor on TMS are discussing the fastest ever bowlers, in terms of time taken to deliver an over. Taylor is tipping Ray Price, from Zimbabwe, but Head is giving it a go. Again just a couple of singles as the Bangladesh batsmen blink and miss it.
19th over: Bangladesh 62-3 (Tamim 29, Shakib 8)
Henriques doing well. Shakib misses a pull, then drives twice to the off-side but can’t beat the field. Does so on his third attempt, driving hard and stylishly to deep point, but there’s a nice save in the deep. Cuts a single.
18th over: Bangladesh 59-3 (Tamim 29, Shakib 5)
Just a couple of singles from Head’s next over of spin. Tim Stafford is pondering the rhythm section as well. “I’d say Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean could rival the White Stripes for recognisability and The Clash’s Guns of Brixton for genuine goodness (not least the sample for Beats International’s Dub be Good to Me).”
Tourmalet, in the meantime, has suggested Psycho Killer by Talking Heads. Another fine choice. Can someone make me a playlist of all these by the end of the day? Best and/or most recognisble basslines, if you’re playing along at home.
17th over: Bangladesh 57-3 (Tamim 28, Shakib 4)
Four. Shakib off the mark second ball. Another left-hander, he gets some angle to work with and utterly laces the back-cut through gully. We’re getting replays showing that Mushfiq got an edge on that shot. The leg-before shout. There was an inside edge. It comes up on Hot Spot and Snicko. But he didn’t use his team’s review. Puts paid to that idea that batsmen always know when they’ve hit it.
Back to basslines, the knowledgeable and forward-looking Dylan Pugh writes, “Fun fact, it’s a guitar, not a bass. I’m sure you’ll have a few of these responses.
Also, genuinely reckon, if the rain stays off, Bangladesh can do it today.”
Wonder if his predicting skill are as good on the second matter as the first?
WICKET! Mushfiqur Rahim lbw Henriques 9
No sooner am I back than the death knell sounds. Henriques is bowling in his characteristic fashion, medium pace stump to stump, and Mushfiq misses one. Struck in front. Huge loss for Bangladesh, he’s one of their trumps. It will all be down to Tamim and Shakib-al-Hasan from here.
Updated
16th over: Bangladesh 53-2 (Tamim 28, Rahim 9).
Head has a real knack of this. Rahim is trying to work and flick and sweep but just can’t make sufficient contact to beat the ring. It takes Head to misfire down leg for runs to come, via a little lap for two. He retains the strike with a push to point. Have a drink, fellas. I’m back to the BBC radio call in a tic. Why not splash out and listen in while following Geoff here? Sync the TV for the trifecta? Think Big.
Updated
15th over: Bangladesh 50-2 (Tamim 28, Rahim 6)
Moises Henriques into the attack as well. So it’s pretty clear that Sniffer Smith is going to get through their fifth bowler while the going is slow. Sound if trying to keep it tight. But, rain right? Ten wickets sooner rather than later? Tough balance to strike. Be I don’t second guess. Moises was pretty good, conceding just the 25 in five completed overs on Thursday. Three singles is all the Bangladesh pair get from his first today. Risk-free, but not much else.
14th over: Bangladesh 47-2 (Tamim 27, Rahim 4)
Travis Head is on, which means some 75 second overs! He’s a master at the craft, the South Australian twirler. Well, not so much a twirler as a dart thrower. But a very accurate one, in essence keeping Glenn Maxwell from the bowling crease in this Australian side. For reference, Maxwell was the primary Australian spinner in their triumphant 2015 World Cup campaign.
So, as predicted, he’s through it quick. Two singles through the onside to get the set going, then four dots cramping them up thereafter. Excellent middle-overs trundling, Travvy.
13th over: Bangladesh 45-2 (Tamim 26, Rahim 3)
Nothing wrong with that from Cummins. Four dots. Yeah, a wide too. But only two runs conceded. Tamim has occupied 44 balls for his 26 so far. Might need to find another gear if they are to push up to that 330 mark Mashrafe was talking about before the game.
Speaking of, what a legend. He was talking to us at the pre-game media conference about being the only member of the Bangaldesh side still running around from their 2005 triumph at Cardiff.
We know what happened from the Australian perspective, of course. Pretty much every player in that side released a book. Not so much about the heroes of that fateful day. Mashrafe picked up Adam Gilchrist with the second ball of the affair, leg before. By the end of the night, he was being driven around town in a limousine they hired for the occasion. Bloody beautiful areas.
Where were you the day Australia got done in Cardiff? Sure, not quite Neil Armstrong on the Moon. But I reckon cricket fans will remember. Tell me.
12th over: Bangladesh 43-2 (Tamim 25, Rahim 3)
Josh Halewood continues from the Vauxhall End. He’s been spot on so far today, unlucky not to already have talisman Tamim in the shed as well after a loose pull shot, coming immediately after he found Soumya’s edge. Oh, and another top edge that could have gone anywhere this time around too. “Too much height, not enough length” Ali Mitchell’s assessment on the radio. Rahim safe. It came after the pair exchanged more controlled singles to third man. Tamim retains the strike with a single to midwicket.
Music between overs a feature of white ball cricket around the world. Not least The Oval, where they take it very seriously. In turn, I’m pitching hard at the moment to get myself on the ones and twos for one of their Blast T20 fixtures later in the season. And you know what, I reckon I’m half a chance as well. Recommendations on what you would do if you were the Cricket Ground DJ? I’m not married and haven’t got kids, so I’m relaxed in saying it would be the best moment of my life to date if it does come off. Your move, Surrey CCC.
11th over: Bangladesh 39-2 (Tamim 23, Rahim 1)
Gee, it isn’t a flattering replay for Imrul. Nothing shot, that. Catching practice at best. Cummins is the sort of bowler who gets wickets in a flurry, and now he’s got an incision expect to see him stick around at the bowling crease for a bit. Rahim is the new man, off to mark steering to third man. The Aussie quick misfires with a wide to Tamin, before returning to his preferred line to end a successful over.
WICKET! Imrul c Finch b Cummins 6. (Bangladesh 37-2)
Cummins strikes! Imrul playing away from his body, a thick edge, just carrying to Aaron Finch at point. With Australia bowling first and rain coming later, they will know how vital it is that they take ten quicks as quickly as possible.
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10th over: Bangladesh 37-1 (Tamim 23, Imrul 1)
Hazlewood doing what he does. Pinning down Tamim. Nearly has him again, via another top-edged pull, but there’s not much bat on it and Wade can’t get around to take the lob. The batsmen squirt a couple of singles, but that’s all they can get.
The OBO baton changes hands, Adam back with you momentarily.
9th over: Bangladesh 35-1 (Tamim 22, Imrul 5)
Imrul has kept the strike, and is riding the bounce from Cummins into the gully. Gets a shorter one down leg that he’s able to kick away for a leg bye. Tamim hasn’t had a heap of strike of late, but doesn’t look bothered, immediately tapping a run to midwicket to get back down the leisure end of the pitch. Kayes dodges a good bouncer, and sees out the over.
Bass Chat Ep. 3
@GeoffLemonSport She Bangs The Drums was my most memorable bassline as a kid. Reassuringly easy to learn as an 18 year old too.
— Brian Clifford (@Cliffo1981) June 5, 2017
8th over: Bangladesh 33-1 (Tamim 21, Imrul 5)
Hazlewood wil continue from the Vauxhall end for a longer spell. Tamim gets off strike first ball, then Imrul aims a massive wallop across the line that gets dragged away through square for two. He’s beaten next ball, outside off, then square drives a single. More convincing, the last stroke, but you wouldn’t yet apply that adjective to his innings.
Thanks for this update. For all your anthem needs, trust the Guardian OBO.
@GeoffLemonSport Bangla Desh anthem was composed in 1906 by the poet Rabindranath Tagore, and adopted in 1972 as their national anthem.
— UMA NAIR (@umane) June 5, 2017
7th over: Bangladesh 29-1 (Tamim 20, Imrul 2)
Just the three overs from Mitchell Starc to begin with, and Patrick Cummins is the next express option to be tried. He immediately looks less threatening, landing on the leg stump with his first four balls, and seeing each of them worked away for one or two runs. Finally gets the line a bit more on middle for the last two balls, defended by Imrul.
6th over: Bangladesh 24-1 (Tamim 16, Imrul 1)
Imrul Kayes the next to the middle, and drives his second ball past mid-off for a single. Tamim is less convincing to close the over, a big pull-slog against Hazlewood that goes high in the air but luckily for him swirls with the breeze over mid-on instead of to him. Tamim gets a run.
WICKET! Soumya Sarkar c Wade b Hazlewood 3
That’s what Hazlewood does. Back of a length, bit of movement, angle across the left-hander, and he pops a regulation edge wide of Matthew Wade, who tumbles across to his left to take it.
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5th over: Bangladesh 22-0 (Tamim 15, Soumya 3)
Pitched up by Starc, on-drive by Tamim for four. He is in some touch. Timed that rather than whacking it, teased Cummins on the chase but rolled it into the boundary cushions in the end. Then Tamim leaves one, defends one to point. Not getting carried away. Plays out most of the over, but the last ball drops short. Not today, says Tamim. Flash. Cut. Four.
An excellent contender on Most Famous Basslines, if you’re playing along at home.
@GeoffLemonSport Another one bites the dust? Also it's played on a detuned a string on a guitar I believe!
— YummyBear (@Beardo7) June 5, 2017
4th over: Bangladesh 14-0 (Tamim 7, Soumya 3)
What a shot! Soumya, a left-hander like Tamim, drives a single into the covers. His senior partner then charges Hazlewood, gets the bat almost horizontal like a baseballer, and line-drives the length ball back down the ground. It was hard, not sweetly timed – you could almost feel the vibrations from the bat out in the grandstand – but just bashed with every bit of power in the batsman’s body. Four, and the crowd... you do the rest.
3rd over: Bangladesh 6-0 (Tamim 1, Soumya 0)
Oohs and aahs, a little chipped drive from Tamim that lands short of Warner at mid-off. Loves that spot now. It used to be the pronvince of fielding no-hopers like Stuart MacGill, or maybe Michael Clarke when his back was crocked, but Warner has pushed the case for a dynamic mover in the position. Finch is at first slip, Smith second, Maxwell backward point. Henriques (inexplicably still in the team) at cover point. Cummins at mid-on, Zampa square leg and Hazlewood fine leg if you want me to complete the set. Some more excitement as Tamim gloves a short ball back toward the slips but it lands well short. It’s a maiden from Starc, but Bangladesh won’t mind too much if they can just see him off.
2nd over: Bangladesh 6-0 (Tamim 1, Soumya 0)
Tamim then to face Hazlewood’s first ball as well. He has been in untouchable form, the Bangladesh batsman. How dearly he would love to back up his ton against England scored here the other day. A raucious appeal first ball as he’s struck high, then another one hits pad near the ankle and rolls out square for another heartily welcomed leg bye. Sounya gets a gig now, defending carefully on the off stump. There’s no further score.
1st over: Bangladesh 5-0 (Tamim 1, Soumya 0)
Tamim Iqbal to face the first ball, and... Mitchell Starc does not bowl a yorker. What fresh hell is this? Guaranteed, first ball of every ODI, he nails a full swinging ball at the batsman. This time he goes length, outside off. Next one is down leg, takes the pad, and four leg byes! I’m using the exclamation there because I have never heard a bigger roar for leg byes in my life. I’m sat outside at The Oval with a large group of Bangers fans to my left, and they are hyped. The roar is almost as big for an edged single to third man. Not so much when Soumya Sarkar flashes and misses a fast Starc delivery. We might see a few more fireworks in short order.
If you’re wondering why Adam and I are switching back and forth, it’s because he’s doing this between stints on Test Match Special. So flick on the wireless if you want to follow him in verbal form as well as written. You can yell at him more easily via the blog, though.
Updated
Bangladesh’s anthem is long and mellifluous. Quite a pleasant thing. Australia’s version - well, I’ve made my thoughts clear on it before. But this is quite a grand rendition, and probably if I didn’t understand the words I might have a slightly higher opinion of it.
Having dealt with those, we switch to everyone’s anthem - Seven Nation Army by the White Stripes.
Pop quiz: is that the most recognised / recognisable / amazing bassline of all time? I will be taking suggestions via geoff.lemon@theguardian.com, or over at toot town via @GeoffLemonSport. Bass in the place, London.
And the first baton change takes place before a ball has been delivered. Geoff here, taking over with a lovely cool breeze blowing across the Oval. But it whispers a promise of rain as well. I can feel it in me waters.
Here come the teams, to a flurry of sparks, like God’s angriest angle-grinders were taking apart a pile of wrecked cars. The ground is not full, but it’s full of Bangladesh supporters. Vivid green very liberally covers large parts of the stands.
Why must Honest John Hastings get the chop? Australia’s best against New Zealand, for me, even if Hazlewood did hoover up the tail.
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Bangladesh win the toss and bat!
A huge roar goes up around The Oval! Nice moment. It may be a neutral venue, but make no mistake about where the support is inside the People’s Ground today..
One change for Bangladesh, teenager sensation Mehedi to tweak, in favour of Mosaddek Hossain.
And as expected, Adam Zampa is into the Australian XI as well, with John Hastings overlooked.
So the teams, as named:
Australia
Finch, Warner, Smith (c), Henriques, Head, Maxwell, Wade (wk), Cummins, Starc, Zampa, Halewood.
Bangladesh
Tamim, Soumya, Kayes, Shakib, Mushfiqur (wk), Sabbir, Mehedi, Mahmudullah, Mashrafe (c), Mustafizur, Rubel.
Welcome to Australia v Bangladesh!
The Oval is our scene for match five of the 2017 Champions Trophy. The good news: it’s not raining. The bad: it is going to. That much seems certain from the forecast. But let’s not fixate on that quite yet.
Adam Collins with here playing tag-team with my dear old friend Geoff Lemon on the OBO through the course of the afternoon and evening.
On the field, the equation is simple to the extent that if a team loses today, they’re out of the comp. You may be able to punch in a scenario where that isn’t the case with each game being rained off and the like, but let’s call it for what it probably will be: cut throat.
Australia’s leadership freely admitted to “getting out of jail” in Birmingham on Friday after slumping to 53-for-3 in pursuit of 235. It was a shaky old start to their chase against New Zealand, and a ropey effort with the ball as well. Steve Smith laced into his quicks, dubbing it one of the worst performances since he took over the side. The World Champs need to lift.
We’ll know shortly at the toss, but the talk from the skipper yesterday was that Adam Zampa could come in for one of the seamer. The plucky leggie took more wickets (30) than any other Aussie in ODIs last year, and this Oval track was used on Saturday. So that’s not a bad shout. Look out for Chris Lynn too, who was the first to bat in the nets yesterday, for what that’s worth.
As for Bangladesh, they clocked a tidy 305-for-6 in their competition opener against England on Thursday. Tamim Iqbal slayed a ton, one of the form players in the world at the moment. But it wasn’t enough, the hosts doing it with a leg in the air to win by eight wickets.
Their skipper Mashrafe says they need to find another 30 runs to compete today. He’s right. And he knows what it takes to compete against Australia, the only active member of either side to play in the fateful 2005 Cardiff fixture where they knocked them off for the only time in their history. Geoff and I will talk plenty about that eventful little chapter of Australian cricket history as we progress this afternoon.
Righto. The captains are making their way out to the middle so I’ll leave it there for now. Back in a tic with the teams.
Adam will be here soon enough. Until then, read Andy Bull’s piece from Edgbaston yesterday:
