Match report
Simon Burnton’s piece from Eden Gardens has landed, so I’ll get outta here.
As he says, it was a proper scare for England though they’re through to the Super Eights, which is all that matters in the end.
Well done Italy. Hope to see more of them in future tournaments.
Next up is Harry Brook:
We haven’t played our best cricket but we’ve made it through, so can be happy about that.
We haven’t managed to string along the scores we’d like as a batting unit, but that’s T20 cricket. We have to just keep on being brave.
I thought we fielded excellentaly and bowled nicely as well. I never had any doubt with Sam and Jamie bowling at the death.
We’ve played in Sri Lanka before the tournament, so we have to go back and do what we’ve done. We have to be brave. We haven’t quite been brave enough throughout this tournament.
Now the skippers:
First up is Harry Manenti:
I think we always knew England would come hard. We knew if we could take wickets throughout we’d be in it at the back end.
[Jacks] batted excellently. We tried to do our best on a smallish field against a good line-up. 200 wasn’t that far above par. But we let them get a few too many which hurt us in the chase.
That was some impressive hitting after losing a few early. We put pressure on England. When you get a little partnership and put pressure on, anything can happen.
We’ve put some pressure on big nations. We’re one of those teams that have no right to put pressure on England. It’s impressive across the competition. It’s good for the game, but it’s just a matter of playing more games against better opposition.
We’ve got nothing to lose against the West Indies. We’ve got another opportunity against a really strong West Indies side.
Here’s what Curran made of that:
We felt we were tentative with the bat before, so figured we’d go out and be. aggressive and back ourselves. We had to regroup. It was a risk choosing to bat. We knew the conditions would get better.
We managed to get to our first goal which was getting to the next stage. But we’re an honest group. We know we can be better. We should have bowled smarter.
I wouldn’t say we’re nervous. Every time we look to push on we lose a wicket. Even when I went in today we tried to kick on. It’s a fine balance.
What’s tricky about this WC is we don’t play many day games of T20 cricket around the world. So one innings is under daylight and the other under lights. You can’t come out and blaze it. Conditions are totally different.
I was nervous today. You have to be nervous coming into these tournaments.
“We need to be better”
Strong stuff from Nick Knight, who adds,
“I wanted to see a stronger performance than that”.
A sullen Sam Curran is stood right beside him, wearing a look you might find outside a strict principal’s office.
Tonight’s player of the match is Will Jacks.
No question. The important wicket of Manenti, a sharp catch and a match-winning half century at the back end of England’s innings.
Here’s what he has to say:
We’ve been a little static at times. You never know what a good score is batting first.
Getting the half century [his first in T20 internationals] has been a long time coming.
Always aim straight and adjust from here [he’s not a big talker].
Manenti played unbelievably well and hit it better than any of us. It was key to get his wicket.
We’ve qualified, it doesn’t matter how you do that. We go to Sri Lanka with a lot to work on and will try out best.
Archer 2-35, Overton 3-18, Curran 3-22.
Jacks went for 17 an over. Rashid went for 10.75.
Last five overs for England yielded 78.
That was the game.
England win by 24 runs
Overton makes a mess of Ali Hasan’s wickets and Italy are bowled out for 178!
Archer, Overton and Curran with the ball, as well as vital lower order runs, led by Jacks’ half century, means England get over the line.
24 runs might seem like a lot, but Italy were tremendous and might feel that they let that one slip.
Still, a good win for England who march on to the next round of the competition with some wind in their sails.
WICKET! Jaspreet c Jacks b Overton 12 (Italy 178-9)
Jacks holds on to one that came down with ice! That went very, very high. But not very far. Jacks had to run in from cover and almost caught it on the pitch. He just about got his fingers around it and in fact took it with one hand in the end.
19th over: Italy 178-8 (Jaspreet 12, Kalugamage 0) Sensational from Curran. What a cricketer he is. He hit the blockhole at will and never allowed any room foer the Italians to swing their arms at width. A wicket and just five runs from the second last over means Italy now need an unlikely 25 off six balls to win this.
WICKET! Stewart c Overton b Curran 45 (Italy 178-8)
Curran has his man! Brilliant, brilliant bowling from Curran. Great field placing from Brook who had Overton finer at short third. A full ball is met with a meaty swing of Stewart’s bat but he can only manage a thick edge. Overton gets his fingers pointing up and makes a tricky grab look pretty easy.
Stewart survives a review!
Oh my word, that looked plumb. But he got the merest nick on it. Curran was convinced. I was convinced. It was plumb but for the tiny bit of wood.
Italy now need 28 off 10. It’s a dot ball.
18th over: Italy 173-7 (Stewart 44, Jaspreet 10) Unbelievable scenes! Stewart has hit Rashid for back-to-back sixes to close an over that also saw Jaspreet smoke the wrist spinner for six over square leg. 21 off that over. My goodness. They need 30 off the last two. They have given themselves a real shot. But Curran up next. Oh my goodness.
17th over: Italy 152-7 (Stewart 31, Jaspreet 2) They’re not going down without a fight. Stewart takes two sixes off this Archer over and is suddenly on 31 off 17. His first maximum was pinged over wide long-off and the second, off the last ball of the over, was top-edged over a very fine fine-leg. 51 needed off 18. Surely not.
16th over: Italy 139-7 (Stewart 19, Jaspreet 1) Excellent from Curran. He was lucky to pick up a wicket with a full toss, but his second landed exactly where he wanted it. Before the double strike a succession of wide yorkers kept the Italians in check as he coughed up just three runs.
WICKET! Meade c Buttler b Curran 0 (Italy 138-7)
Curran is on a hat-trick! On a good length, this skids on. Meade was neither forward nor back and was caught between steering it fine to deep third and easing into the covers. All he could manage was a feather and Buttler did the rest.
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WICKET! Campopiano c Banton b Curran 2 (Italy 138-6)
They’re tumbling down now! It’s an ugly full toss from Curran but it’s just on the right side of legal. Campopiano can’t time it and spoons it out in the deep where Banton runs back to take a clean catch. He’s been very good in the field and that’s his best catch of the night.
“England need to finish this confidently and convincingly for their own confidence,” writes Prakhar Gupta.
Not sure how much confidence they’ll take, but they’ll surely get a win from here.
15th over: Italy 136-5 (Stewart 18, Campopiano 1) Stewart starts the over with a six as Rashid lands one in the slot, but it’s not enough as the set batter departs. Mosca played a stunning hand with 43 off 34, but Rashid has the last laugh. Interestingly, Italy are ahead of where England were at this stage, but the long batting line-up meant they could keep their foot pressed on the gas. I can’t see Italy rescuing things from here.
WICKET! J Mosca c Banton b Rashid 43 (Italy 135-5)
That is surely that! Mosca had no choice but to chase after everything. Rashid, wise to the plan, bowled it slightly slower and a little loopier. That meant that Mosca had to be perfect as he tried to clear the straight boundary. He wasn’t, and Banton makes the catch in the deep look simple at long-on. A quality knock comes to an end.
14th over: 128-4 (J Mosca 43, Stewart 11) Overton is back and he’s cranking up the speed. The extra pace unsettles Stewart who struggles to get bat on it. A sliced boundary off the second ball aside, Overton won that battle. Frustraingly for Italy, Stewart eventually makes contact off the final ball but can only take one down to deep midwicket, meaning he’ll keep the strike. Italy need Mosca facing as many balls as possible from here.
13th over: Italy 122-4 (J Mosca 43, Stewart 6) Italy give themselves an over to settle after Manenti’s dismissal. This Dawson set goes for eight as new man Stewart hammers a cut shot through point. But with the required rate now just a shade under 12, they can’t wait too long before launching again.
That was breathtaking hitting from Manenti. His ability to simply swivel on balls and send them into orbit is extraordinary. But he couldn’t keep it going. What a shame.
WICKET! B Manenti 60 c Banton b Jacks 60 (Italy 114-4)
Manenti runs out of steam and England bag the breakthrough! He went 4-6-6-4 before Jacks dangled it a little wider, forcing him to reach for it. Rather than hitting through the covers he tried to go downtown and skied it towards Banton who ran in from long-on and safely held on.
A brilliant innings comes to an end. Is that also the end of Italy?
12th over: Italy 114-4 (J Mosca 41)
50 for Ben Manenti!
An under edge off Jacks trickles between Buttler’s legs before he heaves a six over wide long-on.
Fantastic hitting from just 22 balls. But plenty still to do.
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11th over: Italy 93-3 (J Mosca 40, B Manenti 40) Another Dawson drag down is thwacked to the fence by Mosca. This one bounces first so it’s just four more off the target. The Italians are playing well but they’re not matching the required rate. Nine runs off that over is a win for England. One, or both, of these set batters need to find a higher gear.
10th over: Italy 84-3 (J Mosca 33, B Manenti 39) Very good from Rashid. He totally bamboozles Manenti with a slow looping ball that required great accuracy and bravery. A mere five runs from that over means Italy practically need two runs a ball from here.
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9th over 79-3 (J Mosca 22, B Manenti 38) Italy are fighting back! Manenti, with the Super Mario moustache, must have nibbled on a mushroom as he seems to have grown by 10 feet! The bustling Sam Curran is clobbered for back-to-back sixes – one down the ground, another over fine leg with nothing more than a flick. 14 off that over. England still well in control but they will start to feel just the inkling of pressure the longer these two are at the crease.
8th over: Italy 66-3 (J Mosca 28, B Manenti 25) Another spinner opens his account by getting spanked for a six. Dawson into the attack and too drops his first ball short and sees it sail over the rope. Manenti didn’t get all of it, and had the fielders at long on interested, but it clears the boundary by a few metres. Dawson then adjusts, going fuller and flatter, and in the end concedes only eight runs. The required rate is now up to 11.5.
7th over: Italy 56-3 (J Mosca 27, B Manenti 17) A tidy start from Rash who was only concedes seven despite getting drilled for six by Manenti over deep midwicket. Once he brought his length forward Rashid was more threatening.
Adil Rashid has the ball and will have the benefit of a spread field post powerplay.
6th over: Italy 47-3 (J Mosca 26, B Manenti 9) Pace off in the powerplay as Jacks is brought on. It proves costly as this over goes for 13. Manenti welcomes Jacks to the party by heaving a drag down away for four. He then slices one that lands just over a leaping Archer at short third. A single brings Mosca on strike who climbs into a cut shot that screams to the rope at deep backward point.
5th over: Italy 34-3 (J Mosca 22, B Manenti 0) While Justin Moscas is there, Italy have a chance. Three boundaries off this Archer over. First a smear behind point. Then a crunching pull in front of square leg. He ends the set with a steer past point again. They’re a long way behind, but a few more of those could make things interesting.
That was a brilliant catch from Buttler. Like a goalkeeper trying to tip a shot over the bar. Excvelt he had the added responsibility of getting his gloved hands around the ball. I think it stuck in the webbing, which helps, but all credit to the veteran keeper.
WICKET! H Manenti c Buttler b Overton 12 (Italy 26-3)
Sensational from England’s keeper! That is a stunning catch behind the stumps. Manenti shaped to scoop a short ball from Overton over Buttler’s head, but the keeper saw it coming, stuck out a hand and managed to hold on as he tumbled back to the ground. Overton deserved that. After getting cracked for four past backward square leg off his first ball, he followed that up with four dot balls.
4th over: Italy 22-3 (Mosca 10, B Manenti 0)
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3rd over: Italy 18-2 (J Mosca 10, H Manenti 8) Two boundaries to end this Archer over. A lovely cover drive from Mosca is followed by a flick past short fine leg. Earlier though Archer delivered an absolute peach. Still, that’s a handy over from the Italians who need to dig themselves out of a hole.
2nd over: Italy 9-2 (J Mosca 2, H Manenti 8) Overton is also banging away at a heavy length. Some decent gas from the big fella. One is angled in to the right handed Manenti who swivels it towards fine leg where Salt almost pulls off something special, but can’t prevent the six. Then the physio is on as Manenti flicks another short ball onto his own helmet. He seems OK though and gets back to work.
WICKET! Smuts c Overton b Archer 0 (Italy 1-2)
Two in the over for Jof! Back of a length at serious pace, around a fourth stump line, Smuts has a tentative poke at it and the edge flies towards Overton at second slip where he gets both meaty hands around the ball.
1st over: Italy 1-2 (J Mosca 1, H Manenti 0)
WICKET! A Mosca c Brook b Archer 0 (Italy 1-1)
A dream start for England! 146km/h with just his second ball. He banged it in on a shortish length, rushing Mosca who still tried to heave a pull short over the infield. He was in no position to play the shot and could only sky it towards mid-on where Brook watched it all the way to safely pouch it over his shoulder.
The Mosca brothers are out there and ready to face Archer.
It sounds obvious, but this powerplay will be crucial. Archer has been bowling with serious wheels. But these batters are in good nick. Should be a cracking battle.
Strange innings.
On the one hand I feel they probably have enough. But it also feels like they’re about 20 or even 30 short.
Reader Guy Hornsby has some views:
I know Australia would be in their ‘starting slowly’ phase here of the tournament here, but I’m not sure we have much indication of England actually going through gears, Daniel. We have talent. They can get the ball over the boundary. But they don’t seem to be able to work out the right shot selection or execution. We seem stuck between all out attack and working the ball around. But if we keep hitting it up in the air, then there’s every chance we could lose this game. And what would that mean for McCullum? We’ll probably win it, unconvincingly, but it doesn’t feel like we’re going to burst into life.
Here’s Jacks:
You’ve got to give credit to the top order who relayed information. So I had a good read on the pitch.
It was a little slow but a great batting track.
I’m always available with the ball. They have a dangerous line up so we’ll have to bowl well.
We’re lucky we get to play Italy in our final group game so we can get a sense of them.
England post 202-7
The final over is an eventful one. 6 1 W wd 1 6 .
Two sixes for Jacks means he ends not-out on 53 off 22 balls. Archer walks off with him with one off one.
England kept losing wickets but also kept hitting boundaries. I almost can’t believe they’ve posted something north of 200.
It’s a great pitch but that is more than a defendable score.
The lesson from Italy’s bowlers is don’t bowl short, bowl lots of spin and try and keep the seamers operating on a fifth/sixth stump line.
50 for Jacks
What an innings this has been. He brings it up with a six over deep square leg, stooping low into a crouched position and sweeping it with outstanding timing. If England win I know who my player of the match will be.
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WICKET! Overton c Kalugamage b Stewart 15 (England 194-7)
Overton falls at the death. Reward for Stewart who hung this out wide and forced Overton to reach for it. He made good contact but wasn’t in control. The ball shot up and landed safely in the hands of Kalugamage at deep point.
19th over: England 187-6 (Jacks 40, Overton 15) A bit of a horror over from Hasan Ali. He started with a dot but was then clobbered by Overton who climbed into a pull to a short ball to send it over deep midwicket for six. Jaspreet then tried to hide the ball outside off stump but delivered three wides in four balls. Though he managed to keep Jacks relatively quiet, the penultimate over still cost 13.
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18th over: England 174-6 (Jacks 38, Overton 7) That’s a good over from England as they plunder 14 off the returning Stewart. Jacks is playing a gem of innings. He’s 38 off 16 and signs off this set with a mighty swat down the. ground that hits the advertising boards after a couple of bounces. Overton adds four to the tally with a lifter over short third. Despite the persistent fall of wickets, England are still accumulating runs. It’s a belter of a deck so still not sure what will be enough.
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17th over: England 160-6 (Jacks 31, Overton 1) Every time you think England are kicking on they lose a wicket. Kalugamage’s final over began with a six over wide long-on. Three balls later Curran repeated the trick. But it ends with a sixth batter back in the shed and responsibility on Jacks’ shoulders. Overton will offer support and he’s off the mark with a single. Kalugamage closes out with 2-41 from his four overs.
WICKET! Curran c Smuts b Kalugamage 25 (England 159-6)
Another great grab! Italy’s ground fielding has been pants but they’ve held on to everything that has come there way. They needed that. Curran had just spanked Kalugamage for two sixes in an over that also included a wide. This was dragged down and splayed wide of the left hander who climbed into a cut through extra cover. He couldn’t keep it down or find the gap and a diving Smuts did the business.
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16th over: England 144-5 (Curran 12, Jacks 30) Much better from England. They get lucky as some poor fielding at deep extra cover gifts four to Jacks who then follows that up with back-to-back sixes. Ben Manenti is livid with his teammates who have caught well, but haven’t been as clinical with the ground fielding. Still, the final ball was all his doing. A full bunger that Jacks whacks high and long. 20 off the over.
15th over: England 124-5 (Jacks 13, Curran 9) Jaspreet is slinging it into the pitch. He’s mostly hitting a tight line. He strays once and gives Jacks room to swing his arms. It takes a slice and finds the gap between short third and backward point to hit the rope. England needed that. Six scampered runs elsewhere add up to 10 for the over. More of that and England could yet finish with a score they’ll be happy with.
Jaspreet Singh – with his slingy seamers – is into the attack with England searching for a launchpad.
14th over: England 114-5 (Curran 7, Jacks 5) Time for a drinks break and pause for thought. England need to find an extra gear. Another tidy Manenti over comes and goes and costs just seven runs with no boundaries. The fielders at deep midwicket have been busy. It’s not usually an occupied position, and normally means a fielder elsewhere has to be sacrificed. But they’ve obviously done their homework. They’ve saved a lot of runs, and bagged a few wickets, down there.
13th over: England 107-5 (Curran 3, Jacks 2) England just can’t find momentum. Banton looked imperious at the top of the over when he shimmied down to launch a six. But then, like his mates before him, looked out of sorts as he gave catching practice to a boundary fielder at deep midwicket. Nifty bowling from Kalugamage who meat Curran and perhaps should could had a stumping if Meade was sharper behind the stumps. But he got his wicket a ball later thanks to Banton’s mistake. Two new batters. What’s a realistic target from here?
WICKET! Banton c B Manenti b Kalugamage 30 (England 105-5)
Another one falls in the deep! Banton, what have you done? A drag down from Kalugamage offers the chance to thwack one into orbit. Instead Banton fails to get enough wood on it and holes out to the man at cow corner. After starting the over with an enormous six down the ground you would have thought this would also clear the ropes. He wasn’t close. In fact he missed his target by about 10 metres. My word, England are stuttering here.
12th over: England 97-4 (Banton 23, Curran 3) With spin at both ends, Italy are hurtling through their overs and not letting England settle. This one from the returning Ben Manenti is worth just four runs – all in singles – as the run-rate drops to 8.08. The last five overs have gone for just 31 with the loss of two wickets.
11th over: England 93-4 (Banton 21, Curran 1) After taking 10 off the first two balls with a four and a six, Brook then chucked his wicket away. It was a horrendous looking shot. He threw everything at it and lost his shape with one hand leaving the bat as he wafted a long way away from his body on the off side. It’s all so nervy. They’re like a herd of spooked zebra! Italy are right in this thanks to some miserly bowling and tidy fielding. Credit to Smuts who was absolutely elated with that wicket.
WICKET! Brook c Meade b Smuts 14 (England 92-4)
THE SKIPPER IS GONE! He hammered the first ball of Smuts’ over for four down the ground and then crunched a six over square leg. Just when you thought England were mounting a fightback they lose their captain. It’s a shocker of a delivery. Very wide outside the off stump and rather than leave it, Brook went fishing. He did well just to reach it but could only manage a feather behind. Perhaps some credit must go to the bowler for pushing it out there, but Brook really should have let it go. He didn’t and leaves his team in a tricky spot.
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10th over: England 82-3 (Banton 21, Brook 4) Tidy set from the wrist spinner. Just one poor ball which was dragged down and duly punished by Banton who rocked back and drilled it through the covers. Otherwise it’s just two singles. Six off the over is a win for the Italians as the run-rate has continued to drop. England need a big over to get things going again.
Showbizguru wants to know if Crishan Kalugamage, the wrist-spinner who works in a pizza parlour, “is a pie-chucker”.
We’ll find out now as he’s back into the attack after a change of ends.
9th over: England 76-3 (Banton 16, Brook 3) JJ Smuts is back into the attack and he’s finding a bit of turn away from the right handers with his left arm finger spin. Darting in, getting some grip, that’s lovely bowling. England’s batters are showing him respect and make do with just four singles.
8th over: England 72-3 (Banton 14, Brook 1) The skipper has a job to do after Bethell’s brain fade. Banton gets four thanks to a misfield at short third. England won’t mind that. They need a partnership now. The Italians – apart from that misfield – have been brilliant in the field and have taken every opportunity. Good start from B Manenti.
WICKET! Bethell c Singh b B Manenti 23 (England 67-3)
Another one! England keep losing wickets! It’s a pretty poor shot from Bethell who tried to manipulate the angle to one that skidded across him from Manenti’s off-spinner. Bethell tried to hit this behind square on the leg side but felt a little too forced and all he could do was pick out the sweeper at deep backward square with a lazy looking hoik. Perhaps a bit of extra bounce off the deck, but that’s down to mediocre batting if you ask me.
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7th over: England 66-2 (Bethell 23, Banton 5) Time for some wrist spin as the beguiling Kalugamage joins the party. Both Bethell and Banton struggle with their timing but there’s a fortuitous boundary as Banton’s under edge evades the stopping keeper and trickles away for four. It’s 10 off the over as England managed to keep the strike ticking, but that looked handy from the leggie.
6th over: England 56-2 (Bethe 21, Banton 1) A great over for Italy. Just six runs and the wicket of Salt. He’s a skiddy type of bowler, delivering from a lanky action. A cutter almost beat Salt before the bumper produced the goods.
Time for a bit of correspondence:
Mark Beadle:
Morning Daniel. Can we assume that Italy are employing the Catchenaccio system in this game?
Genuinely annoyed at myself for not thinking of this joke.
Rod [no surname given] reckons he has the answer to England’s troubles:
I was looking at the Butler/Bethell/Banton/Brook section of the team sheet and I realised what England need is more consistency-
Johnny Bairstow
Rory Burns
Joss Butler
Jacob Bethell
Tom Banton
Harry Brook
Dom Bess
Sonny Baker
Nathan Barnwell
Stuart Broad
Shoaib Bashir
WICKET! Salt c A Mosca b Hasan 28 (England 54-2)
Stunner in the deep! That is a heck of a grab by the tumbling Anthony Mosca who came running in off the fine leg boundary to scoop the ball inches from the ground. A short ball from Hasan is met by Salt who seemed to be caught in two minds. He rolled his wrists on it but still seemed content to go up and over. That meant the fielder was in play but he still needed to pull off something special. After a quick check the wicket stands and England lose another.
5th over: England 50-1 (Salt 25, Bethell 20) Bethell starts the over by skipping down the track and thwacking Stewart over long-on for six. That compels a field change and brings the keeper up to the stumps. No bother. Salt nails a six of his own as he climbs into a length delivery, meeting it as its rising to send it sailing over square leg. Stewart goes fuller – which seems to be the better length on this very good deck – so Salt bunts down the ground for one. Despite the early wicket, England are ticking along nicely.
4th over: England 39-1 (Salt 18, Bethell 12) Bethell gets four more with a streaky flash down to deep third. He then plinks a clip over the infield that plugs in the deep on the leg side, adding two more. Just another single through the rest of the set before a half-hearted appeal for a caught behind as Salt slashes at a wide one.
Sky have just shown a clip of Buttler before the start of the game practicing the exact same shot that proved his undoing.
Perhaps that was premeditated?
3rd over: England 26-1 (Salt 18, Bethell 5) Success for Italy as they bag a big fish. Bethell strides to the crease and with a lovely bit of timing eases his second ball to the cover fence. But just one single elsewhere, along with the wicket and three dot balls, you have to say that’s a more than handy start for Grant Stewart.
Buttler played across the line of that one. Rather than try and hit it over mid-on or back over the bowler’s head, he tried to flick it to cow corner. As a result, he skewed it off the toe-end. An ugly shot in the end.
WICKET! Buttler c Manenti b Stewart 3 (England 21-3)
Buttler can’t believe what he’s done! Stewart’s first ball is on e fullish length around middle and leg with perhaps a little bit of shape away from the right hander. Buttler never tried to keep it down but the bat turned in his hand as he caught a leading edge that flew high towards the Italian skipper at mid-off. He never looked like dropping it. Italy are on the board!
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2nd over: England 21-0 (Salt 18, Buttler 3) There’s a drop-catch! But it’s about 20 rows back over fine leg. Ali Hasan lands his first ball halfway down the track and Salt swivels and nails the pull shot. Two balls later a lovely clip off his pads races away to the midwicket boundary for four more. Buttler gets on strike and will keep it for the next over with a scampered single to mid-on’s left.
1st over: England 9-0 (Salt 7, Buttler 2) England off to a top start thanks to Salt leaning back and spanking the first delivery for four down the ground. That was almost a tennis shot. Smuts gets lucky as his final ball is also dragged down but Salt picks out the sweeper at cow corner with a mighty heave. Four singles elsewhere.
JJ Smuts – who has never been to Italy – will open the bowling with some darting off-spin.
Phil Salt will face up first.
Alistair Connor writes in and wants to know, “what’s the record of this Italian side against ... Scotland?”
Hmmm. Well, according to a quick Google search, they’ve played each other once with Scotland winning by 73 runs.
Hard to believe the two associates have only played each other once. I’ll keep digging (but by all means, if someone out there can correct me, please let me know).
Meanwhile the anthems are done. England in red with blue trousers. Italy in a blue hue known as blu Savoia. #4B61D1. Apparently it ids a “a shade of blue between peacock blue and periwinkle”
Nasser Hussein rings the bell and we’ll get cracking shortly.
Here come the players. A sparse crowd, but that was to be expected. Eden Gardens is a mighty arena and it is a Monday morning. Still, credit to those who turned up in time for the anthems.
Teams
England: Phil Salt, Jos Buttler (wk), Jacob Bethell, Tom Banton, Harry Brook (c), Sam Curran, Will Jacks, Jamie Overton, Jofra Archer, Liam Dawson, Adil Rashid.
Italy: Justin Mosca, Anthony Mosca, JJ Smuts, Harry Manenti (c), Marcus Campopiano, Ben Manenti, Grant Stewart, Gian-Piero Meade (wk), Crishan Kalugamage, Ali Hasan.
England win toss, bat first.
All eyes on England’s top order.
Nick Knight says, “don’t overthink it. Just chuck ‘em out and leave them to it.”
Afghanistan beat UAE by five wickets.
It was pretty comfortable in the end. Afghanistan are a proper side. England, and most other top teams, can be thankful they didn’t have them in their group.
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It’s easy to patronise the smaller nations, so please take this with the utmost sincerity I intend – I just love this Italian side.
Brothers opening the batting. A wrist-spinner born in Sri Lanka who works in a pizza shop. A head coach who used to play for the side when no one cared about them. A rag tag crew punching above their weight.
If you’re not sold, take a gander at this cracking piece that I guarantee will challenge the allegiances of a few English supporters:
Harry Brook has admitted that his team has “not been at their best”.
That’s obvious. But you know what, it doesn’t matter how you start in these tournaments as long as you build momentum.
A win today would secure their passage to the Super 8s and from there, well, who knows.
If there are any early birds up and about, UAE are giving Afghanistan a proper game.
Looks like the Afghans should get over the line in a nervy chase, but they still need 28 from the final 18 balls. In the balance.
OH, Azmat has just smacked a six down the ground. 22 needed off 17. Hmmm, could be done and dusted unless there’s a wicket.
A reminder of England’s campaign so far:
Preamble
Good morning, buongiorno, how you doin’?
Welcome to the OBO of England v Italy. It seems bonkers to say, given the pedigree of both cricket nations, but we could have a proper contest on our hands.
England’s T20 World Cup campaign has failed to leave second gear. They were poor in their defeat to the West Indies and hardly convincing in their wins over Nepal and Scotland – their first triumph over European opponents in this competition.
Italy meanwhile have been a revelation. They too lost to the West Indies but obliterated Nepal by 10 wickets thanks to a pair of 60s from the Mosca brothers at the top of the order, as well as the beguiling leg spin of Crishan Kalugamage. England only crawled over the line against Nepal off the final ball of the match. If that’s anything to go by we should expect an Italian win. Right?
Well, that’s not how things go and if any one of England’s big names find form this should be a romp. But let’s not rule anything out. This could go down as a classic.
We get underway at 9:30 am in the UK, 3 pm in Kolkata.
We’ll have team news and other bits to follow.
Updated
