Well that was a rather interesting presentation. We can, and no doubt will, mull it over in due course. In the meantime Darren Sammy lifts the World Twenty20 trophy. His side are the first to do so twice. And thoroughly deserved it is too.
That’s all from me. There will be more reaction and Vic Marks’ full report to come. Thanks for reading and getting involved today and throughout the tournament. From all of us on the OBO team, bye!
Darren Sammy: “We have a pastor in the team in Andre Fletcher and he keeps on praying. We’re going to cherish this win for a long time. I said we had 15 match winners; no one gave us a chance and in every match someone stepped up and took responsibility. To see Carlos step up in his debut World Cup shows the depth we have in T20 and we hope we can continue our development in One Day and Test cricket. We have a lot of issues, we felt disrespected by our board, Mark Nicholas said we had no brains. I really want to thank these 15 men for their ability to put all adversity aside and play this kind of cricket in front of such passionate fans. I want to thank the coaching staff, Phil has been just brilliant. I’ve got to give credit to the entire team here.
“We had a very inspiring message from the president this morning. From the board we’ve heard nothing which is very disappointing. I want to thank these 15 men, the coaching team, the people in the Caribbean. Champion!”
Virat Kohli is the player of the tournament. “Unfortunately, Virat can’t be here,” says Nasser Hussain presenting the award, with no small measure of a smile.
Marlon Samuels is man of the match after his brilliant, match-winning 85 not out. “When it comes to finals I always turn up and do well for the team. I grew up watching English cricket so all respect to them but we just want to move from strength to strength for the Caribbean. If we get a good start I can step on it, if we lose wickets I can pace my innings. I didn’t have much to say to Carlos. I woke up this morning with one thing on my mind: Shane Warne has been talking, so this is for Shane Warne. I answer with my bat.”
Updated
Eoin Morgan: “Huge highs and huge lows. I was never sure. We put ourselves in a position to win the game but today wasn’t our day. We didn’t have enough runs on the board. On a really decent batting surface we should have put 180-190 on the board. For the bowlers to get us to the stage we were at going into the 20th over was brilliant. I’m so proud of everybody in the squad. This is only the start of something special, we’re building, we’re looking to the future.
“Ben Stokes is fine, it’s not his fault. We share the wins and we share the losses.”
Carlos Brathwaite, the hero at the death, says: “That was an amazing knock from Marlon. He took responsibility and played a fantastic knock. Can’t really express how much of a top knock that was. The U-19s did it, the girls did it, and now us.”
It’s been thumpingly and totally the West Indies’ tournament: they take all three trophies. It would take the most blinkered and parochial of England fans not to feel a tiny bit happy for them.
Our own Rob Smyth writes: “You were using superlatives in the preamble. Well that’s the greatest finish to a limited-overs match. You could write an entire book on that last over alone.”
Here’s your hot off-the press match report. If you’re not too emotionally drained to read it.
West Indies are the World Twenty20 champions
The players are out on the pitch doing their victory dance, as well you’d expect them to. What a thrilling conclusion to the tournament this has been. Unless you’re Ben Stokes, of course. Marlon Samuels is surely mana of the match for his brilliant 66-ball 85 but don’t forget the brilliant effort by their bowlers at the top of England’s innings. And a special mention for Carlos Brathwaite, smiting four mighty sixes in a row when his side looked dead and buried.
I’ll be back with reaction and suchlike shortly.
Updated
West Indies win by four wickets!
19.4 overs over West Indies 161-6 (Samuels 85, Brathwaite 34) Four sixes in a row! Brathwaite smacks it high over long leg for six runs to win it for the West Indies!
Updated
They’re changing the ball.
19.3 overs over West Indies 155-6 (Samuels 85, Brathwaite 28) 1 to win Three in a row! Brathwaite carves it up, high over long-off and in three balls he’s taken England’s entire 18-run lead! Scores level with three balls to go.
Updated
19.2 overs over West Indies 149-6 (Samuels 85, Brathwaite 22) 7 to win In the slot and it’s gone sailing over long-on for another six!
19.1 overs over West Indies 143-6 (Samuels 85, Brathwaite 16) 13 to win On the pads and Brathwaite lifts it high over long leg for a huge six!
Ben Stokes with the final over.
19 overs over West Indies 137-6 (Samuels 85, Brathwaite 10) 19 to win Jordan finishes the over with a dot ball! West Indies need 19 from the last over!
18.5 overs over West Indies 137-6 (Samuels 85, Brathwaite 10) 19 to win Carved over extra cover but not a clean strike and they only get one.
18.4 overs over West Indies 136-6 (Samuels 85, Brathwaite 9) 20 to win This time he goes to mid-on but only a single. Samuels has the highest score in a World T20 final, beating his own record.
18.3 overs over West Indies 135-6 (Samuels 84, Brathwaite 9) 21 to win Clumped to mid-off for one.
18.2 overs over West Indies 134-6 (Samuels 84, Brathwaite 8) 22 to win Down to the same region for just a single this time.
18.1 overs over West Indies 133-6 (Samuels 83, Brathwaite 8) 23 to win In the slot from Jordan and Samuels thumps it down to long-off for four!
Updated
18th over West Indies 129-6 (Samuels 79, Brathwaite 8) target 156 Willey is going to get his fourth over and oh how he’s earned it – three for 10 from his first three. Samuels carves him down the ground but Moeen does well in the outfield. A leg-bye then Brathwaite looks to smash over mid-off but Moeen does well again. Dropped into the off side and they dash, Willey chases the ball down and hurls it at the stumps but it’s wide as the sliding Samuels looks on from short of his ground again. Willey fires in another yorker and Samuels digs it out. Then from the last Brathwaite plays a quite brilliant shot, getting his big frame low and scooping it up, over Buttler’s head and away for four!
17th over West Indies 118-6 (Samuels 76, Brathwaite 1) target 156 Back to Chris Jordan. If he can maintain his form at the death so far in this tournament England have chance: just over 11 an over needed at hte moment. Well this won’t help, slightly too short to Samuels and he bludgeons it back over Jordan’s head for a powerful four. Samuels takes a quick single to Hales at mid-on from the last and is gone if the fielder hits the stumps with his throw. He doesn’t though.
@DanLucas86 @DanLucas86 I'm an American and just woke up. misclicked something & now i'm following #WT20Final, how utterly bewildering
— dziban (@dziban303) April 3, 2016
16th over West Indies 111-6 (Samuels 70, Brathwaite 0) target 156 David Willey returns and gets the dangerous Russell with the first ball of the over. 52 from 29 needed with five wickets left: it’s on a knife-edge and Willey has two for three from 2.1 overs. He sullies those figures slightly with a wide down the leg-side then Sammy drives him for a couple, but he will not care one jot as he sends the West Indies captain straight back into the hutch! Hales, after taking the catch, doubles down on his good work with a great sliding stop to save two off Samuels at backward point.
“He won’t be man of the match, Willey?” asks Marie Meyer.
Wicket! Sammy c Hales b Willey 2
Sammy backs away, goes inside out at a length ball and lifts it straight to Hales at deep-extra cover! Willey has three for six!
Updated
Wicket! Russell c Stokes b Willey 1
Shortish from Willey and Russell looks to have absolutely mullered it away for four. Somehow though, Ben Stokes is celebrating at deep-mid on with the ball in his hands!
Updated
15th over West Indies 104-4 (Samuels 67, Russell 1) target 156 The big-hitting Andre Russell is the new man but he watches from the non-striker’s end as Samuels thumps the first ball from the returning Plunkett wide of the long-on fielder and away for four. The West Indies are going to tee off now by the looks of things, with nearly 12 an over needed. Roy makes a brilliant stop at backward point, diving to his left and throwing as he rolled over. The throw missed the stumps and the batsman was short, but that was a great bit of athleticism. Samuels is unperturbed though: a half-volley over long-on and a length ball clubbed back over the bowler’s head for back-to-back sixes to close out the over!
14th over West Indies 86-4 (Samuels 50) target 156 Rashid is bowling through, then. Bravo gives him the charge and looks to hit down the ground but fails to connect cleanly and they only get one. Another single gives Bravo the strike back and he goes after a googly, slogging high over cow corner for the first six of the innings! As Shane Warne mentions on TV, it’s odd that after Morgan gave Rashid a slip he pretty much put the leg-break back in the locker despite finding prodigious turn. Samuels brings up his half-century with a dab into the off side. He strikes with the final ball, removing Bravo for 25 from 27.
Wicket! Bravo c Root b Rashid 25
Rashid strikes with his final ball! Bravo had been hit-and-miss with his big shots against the spinner and he finally falls on his sword. A wild swing, his hand came off the bat and send it straight up into the night sky. Joe Root was waiting when it returned.
Updated
13th over West Indies 76-3 (Samuels 48, Bravo 17) target 156 Stokes v Samuels round two. Once again the England man begins with a long-hop dirtier than a Louis CK joke, only this time Samuels misses out with the cut. And if that ball was Louis CK then the wide that follows is positively GG Allin. Stokes goes short, Bravo top-edges a big hook and Sam Billings, the 12th man running round from square-leg, misjudges the flight completely and drops it! Equally crucially, the ball skips away for four. Stokes looks to be badly dripping with sweat out there. Ah then another missed chance off the last ball! Bravo slaps to Root at mid-on, his throw is good but Stokes fails to complete the run-out with the batsman short! For good measure, Bravo bundles straight into Stokes when he does make his ground.
12th over West Indies 67-3 (Samuels 46, Bravo 11) target 156 Samuels picks a googly, backs away and heaves over mid-on, but finding the fielder on the bounce. Rashid has bowled an awful lot of those. Five singles, this time from the over. The required rate bids 10 farewell and makes its way north of 11. England were well ahead at this stage but the West Indies have done well to keep wickets in hand after that early collapse.
11th over West Indies 62-3 (Samuels 43, Bravo 9) target 156 Time for some patented Ben Stokes game-changing magic? Not first ball, which is wide, hittable and cut hard for four by Samuels. And a wide bounced down the leg side. A couple of singles, the second of which is a clipped-off-the-pads-full-toss, brings up the 50 partnership.
10th over West Indies 54-3 (Samuels 37, Bravo 8) target 156 Rashid teases and probes with his variations and nearly has Samuels with a googly that slips back and is just kept out by the inside edge. Another four singles from the over and the West Indies need 102 more from 60 balls.
9th over West Indies 50-3 (Samuels 35, Bravo 6) target 156 Plunkett fires in a fast yorker that Samuels plays a cricketing Cruyff turn behind square, between his own legs then between two converging fielders for four. After a single and a wide, Bravo drops a short one to square leg and dashes through for a single to bring up the Windies’ 50.
8th over West Indies 43-3 (Samuels 30, Bravo 5) target 156 Time for spin as Rashid comes on. He gets massive turn second ball, spinning a ripper miles past Bravo’s outside edge and pretty well forcing Morgan to bring a slip in. Nice variation in length and in pace from Rashid here, the net result of which is four singles from the over.
7th over West Indies 39-3 (Samuels 28, Bravo 3) target 156 Samuels gets his reprieve first ball of the over. In real time it looked very, very out but the replay was pretty conclusive. Plunkett is looking very, very rapid: one ball is measured at 92mph. He may not have his wicket but two runs make that a superb over for the bowler.
Samuels is not out after all
Turns out it didn’t carry and the replay shows that it clearly brushed the grass on its way through to Buttler. Sorry for the false hope, folks.
Ah hold on
They’re asking Samuels to hang about to check the catch.
Wicket! Samuels c Buttler b Plunkett 27
I’m taking credit for that jinx. Samuels rocks back and tries to cut a back-of-a-length delivery, gets a thin edge and Buttler does well to get forward and take a low catch with the ball dying on him!
6th over West Indies 37-3 (Samuels 27, Bravo 2) target 156 Four to Samuels, a fairly hittable short ball pulled effortlessly through midwicket first up. He follows that up with a far less convincing effort for the same, hurling the bat at it and top edging over Buttler to the long-stop boundary. He drives to mid-off for two then adds a third boundary, a beautiful crunching cover-drive that punctures the ring of fielders with ease. Under pressure, Jordan follows that with a wide well outside off-stump. Samuels is looking very, very composed out there.
5th over West Indies 21-3 (Samuels 12, Bravo 2) target 156 Another change as Plunkett comes on. He’s bang on the money with three balls and not far off with his fourth, where only a fumble at short fine-leg by Rashid allows the batsmen the first run of the over. A leg-bye then another single makes just three off the over. The required rate has shot up to around nine already.
Updated
4th over West Indies 18-3 (Samuels 10, Bravo 2) target 156 Rather harshly if you ask me, Joe Root is hooked in favour of Chris Jordan, who begins at a good pace up in the high-ish 80s. Back of a length and just five singles from the over. You could cut the tension with a knife.
Simon McMahon writes: “Presumably Deryk King would not have had Mike Brearley as captain for Headingley 1981 as his batting didn’t justify a place in the side?”
3rd over West Indies 13-3 (Samuels 7, Bravo 0) target 156 Willey, thoroughly overshadowed as an opening bowler so far despite conceding just one in his first over, continues and, after Samuels guides him down to third man for a single he gets rid of another danger man! And Hawkeye says it was hitting too.
Wicket! Simmons lbw b Willey 0
Willey swings it back in from off and strikes Simmons right in front. It looked a touch high to me on first viewing but up goes the finger!
Updated
2nd over West Indies 10-2 (Samuels 5, Simmons 0) target 156 Well well well. Joe Root is going to open from the other end. He’s round the wicket and strikes with his very first ball! The batsmen crossed while the ball was in the air so Root will now have a go at a man who averages about 60 at a strike rate of 170 in the IPL on this ground. Gayle thrashes at his first ball and sends it away off a thick outside edge, in the air but safely through point for f- oh my word he’s got Gayle too! Joe Root, after his fine half-century, has two in three balls! He overpitches a touch to Samuels and the batsman cooly tucks it through mid-on for four more.
Wicket! Gayle c Stokes b Root 4
ROOOOOOOTTTT! Gayle goes inside out over extra-cover, doesn’t get hold of it and JOE ROOT HAS TWO IN THE OVER!
Wicket! Charles c Stokes b Root 1
No, that’s not a typo. Root fires it from round the wicket, Charles backs away and looks to slog-sweep but sends a top-edge miles into the air and Stokes steadies himself beneath it!
Updated
1st over West Indies 1-0 (Charles 1, Gayle 0) target 156 David Willey to open to Johnson Charles. As Nasser Hussain notes on TV, Gayle avoided Willey when these teams met in their first match in Mumbai. As ever, he finds a bit of swing back into the right-hander early on and begins with five dots, the fifth of which brushed the pad and passed an inch or so over leg-stump. Just one from the over, the final ball clipped to long-leg.
@DanLucas86 I explained Chris Gayle to the American guy next to me...he says we're stuffed...
— sandy domenique (@sandydomenique) April 3, 2016
@DanLucas86 On a bus from NYC to DC. The American guy sat next to me who I just explained cricket to thinks we can do it #believe
— Peter Russell (@beetrootandpeas) April 3, 2016
Here come the players. The West Indies need 156 to win. It’s not a gimme by any means, even if they are surely favourites now.
Inbetween innings emails dept.
Ian Copestake writes: “Root has shown the way. Channel the anger at the West Indies’ disrespectful over celebrations and the bowlers can steal this back.”
Austin Baird is optimistic. “This is going to be a spectacular bowling success for England.” He adds: “Mind you, I’m deranged.” Oh.
That was pretty dismal batting from England on a decent wicket for it. The West Indies were excellent in the field but England will feel they should have another 20-25 runs I imagine.
That said...
Nobody's ever chased more than 148 to win a World T20 final. pic.twitter.com/sk8jSmzHrs
— Jonathan Liew (@jonathanliew) April 3, 2016
End of innings England 155-9
20th over England 155-9 (Rashid 4, Jordan 12) It’s Russell to bowl the final over. Rashid misses out having a heave at the first and they take a leg-bye. Jordan is beaten by a yorker that goes between bat and pad and flies past leg-stump. Jordan does scrape England past 150, timing a full-toss nicely off his pads for four. A scramble for two from the fourth ball, heaved to mid-on. Rashid hits a similar shot for one from the penultimate ball before Jordan adds two – kept down from four – with a smear through extra cover from the last.
19th over England 145-9 (Rashid 2, Jordan 5) Plunkett works the first two balls of Bravo’s final over into the gaps before perishing going for the big shot. Singles off the next three and England might yet bat out their overs!
“Is Morgan worth his place?” is the subject of Deryk King’s email.
“I’m sorry but Morgan is not worth his place in the England 20/20 team,” begins Deryk King’s email. “He doesn’t score with the bat, cannot bowl and is an average fielder. Good captaincy (if indeed he is a good captain) cannot make up for these failings. It’s like playing with 10 men.”
He is a very good fielder and you can’t overestimate his influence as captain during England’s recent revival. I’d say he’s contributed more than Hales or Moeen.
Wicket! Plunkett c Badree b Bravo 4
Plunkett has a swing and sends a thick inside edge looping up to short third man, where Badree dives and takes another brilliant catch. He’s done his shoulder though.
18th over England 138-8 (Plunkett 1, Jordan 4) Jordan takes a single to give Willey the strike and I’d say England’s ability to keep him on str– nope he’s out. The ball before the wicket he had left scorch marks straight down the ground past the bowler with a smote four. Plunkett, rather than Rashid is the new man. Willey’s runs have at least given England a chance of setting a total to bowl out and he’s made a mockery of the decision to bat him below Jordan and Moeen. Brathwaite finishes with a brilliant three for 24.
Wicket! Willey c Charles b Brathwaite 21
Willey looks to clear midwicket but it’s the longest boundary and he hasn’t middled it. Charles misjudges the flight of it but readjusts and dives forward to take an excellent low catch. Willey goes for 21 from 14.
17th over England 131-7 (Willey 17, Jordan 2) David Willey will not go quietly into the night, he will not vanish without a fight. He’s going to live on. He’s going to survive! In this over, he goes down one one knee and slogs Bravo over cow corner for six. He and Jordan exchange singles, then he nails a second big hit back over the bowler’s head for six more!
#WT20 This isn't as much fun as I was hoping for @DanLucas86 pic.twitter.com/8Axsc1xjwF
— Paul MBE (@chirpycrow) April 3, 2016
16th over England 117-7 (Willey 4, Jordan 1) Russell returns and there’s an air of taking the P as his first two balls fizz easily past Willey’s outside edge. One to the Yorkshire batsman, one to leg-byes and four to the ever-impressive Dots column.
This is literally describing the concept of cricket.
This final has been nothing short of fascinating. Admire the England approach of keeping the game moving & West Indies keep taking wickets
— Harsha Bhogle (@bhogleharsha) April 3, 2016
15th over England 115-7 (Willey 3, Jordan 1) It’s Jordan, rather than Willey, who will be the latest man to try and shepherd Joe Root along to... oh Joe. OH JOE. That was, given the circumstances, a total brain fart of a shot to play. England have lost three for none in four balls. Five off the over via a wide, a two and a couple of ones but what’s the use?
Root c Benn b Brathwaite 54
Game over. Root tries to scoop Brathwaite down to fine leg but doesn’t get enough on it and Bravo dives forward and takes a good low catch. Root directs some angry words in the direction of the celebrating West Indies as he walks off but I imagine he’s more angry with himself.
Updated
14th over England 110-6 (Root 54) Short, wide and Root cuts Bravo’s first ball of the over past point for his seventh boundary. This has, I’m sure you’ve by now worked out for yourself, been a wonderful innings from Root, on whose shoulders England’s hopes now rest. Two balls later, after a leg-bye, Stokes clips off his ankles for two to long-leg but those are the final runs he’ll score in this tournament. Moeen Ali, England’s saviour against Afghanistan along with David Willey, comes out and two balls later goes back in again for his sixth duck in 18 T20 matches.
Wicket! Moeen c Ramdin b Bravo 0
Strangled down the leg-side off the glove as he tried to turn it down to fine-leg. The West Indies are rampant.
Updated
Wicket! Stokes c Simmons b Bravo 13
Stokes gets caught in two minds, swaying away from a slow bumper but hanging his bat up in the air and guiding it gently to Simmons at backward point.
Updated
13th over England 103-4 (Root 50, Stokes 11) The lesser-spotted Darren Sammy comes on for his third over of the tournament. Root top-edges a pull and is relieved to see it fly beyond Ramdin behind the stumps; Benn chases and boots it back infield to save two. There’s no saving the next one though, a slow, short wide delivery that Root times perfectly on the cut behind point for four more. A single, whipped out into the on-side from the next ball, takes him to an excellent 33-ball half-century. And it’s a century for England next ball, Stokes nailing a pull through midwicket for four more.
Root’s fifty is the joint-fastest in World T20 finals, putting him in the esteemed company of 2014’s Kumar Sangakkara.
12th over England 89-4 (Root 43, Stokes 4) Brathwaite picks up a massive, massive wicket just as England were beginning to sizzle. Buttler goes for 36 from 22 and Stokes, the new man, gets off the mark with a push through midwicket and a quick hustle for two. Just six from the over. I should point out that this pitch is offering sweet naff all for the bowlers.
Wicket! Buttler c Bravo b Brathwaite 36
Brathwaite sends down a bumper and Buttler’s eyes light up. The triumvirate of Bs is complete when Bravo, much to the distress of the batsman, snaffles it a couple of metres in front of the rope at cow corner.
11th over England 83-3 (Root 41, Buttler 36) Buttler brings up the 50 partnership with the nerviest of sixes: he gave Benn the charge and launched it miles up in the air and will have been relieved to see the ball drop a couple of yards over the long-on rope. Much better next up though, going inside out and flat over mid-off for six more. That’s a pair of shots that has every England fan watching this through their fingers thinking “Don’t get out now, Jos.” Singles from each of the remaining four balls.
Also if you refresh the page the score for the previous over with correct.
10th over England 67-3 (Root 39, Buttler 22) Back to Russell again. Root pulls his first ball with lovely timing square of the wicket but Benn gets down well to field it and keep them to two. An exchange of singles then Russell drops short again and Root helps it nicely round the corner, past fine-leg and down to the boundary for four. 10 off the over for the second on the bounce; if these two can stay in for another five...
Feel sorry for these England batsmen. We used to be grateful for a run-a-ball partnership. Now we're like, whatevs #ENGvWI
— Emma John (@em_john) April 3, 2016
Updated
9th over England 57-3 (Root 31, Buttler 20) Benn, who went for 14 in his only over so far, returns to try and keep the spin-induced pressure on. “This is the key partnership for India,” says the Sanjay Manjrekar. Never give up, buddy. Benn gives Buttler a lovely half-volley, in the slot and Jos brings up the England 50 with an inside-out drive for six over extra-cover.
8th over England 47-3 (Root 30, Buttler 11) Phil Muincaster in Rome has decided he doesn’t want to watch this any more. Carlos Brathwaite comes into the attack and begins with a short ball, which Root pulls firmly to backward square-leg for a couple. Four more, all in singles, come from a quiet over.
Badree, by the way, sent down 14 dot balls, which is an effort beyond sterling.
Reaction:
Waitress? I ordered the captain's innings. This appears to be the wet fish. @DanLucas86
— Robert Wolf Petersen (@robwolfpetersen) April 3, 2016
@DanLucas86 This is much better, far more like the England I know well :) All that recent winning and high scoring was just confusing...
— sandy domenique (@sandydomenique) April 3, 2016
7th over England 41-3 (Root 26, Buttler 9) England might be happy with this: Badree is bowling through and they will be happy to see the back of him. They work him for three singles then Root takes advantage of a rare bad ball – a full toss that he crunches through mid-on for four. A single from the last and Badree finishes with outstanding figures of two for 16.
6th over England 33-3 (Root 20, Buttler 7) Another change of bowling: Dwayne Bravo on for a go. Root plays a lovely dab to backward point for a single, delaying the shot and playing it later than Half Life 3. Buttler gets his first runs with an easy, powerful cut past point for four from a rank, slow long-hop. He follows that up with a whip to mid-on for two and a firm pull for a single. Root finishes the over with another two through midwicket.
Austin Baird writes: “Not so much ‘Cry havoc and let slip the dogs of war’ as ‘Aah, bollocks!’. Game long way from over though.”
5th over England 23-3 (Root 17, Buttler 0) Badree again and he goes up for lbw when Morgan misses a sweep but it pitched miles outside the leftie’s leg-stump. He plays out three more dots then goes, sending his side further into the malodorous stuff. He was trying to work the ball into the on-side, closed the face and got himself out for another low score. He’s going to have to captain his ass off if England are going to win this. Wicket maiden.
Wicket! Morgan c Gayle b Badree 5
The googly does for Morgan, who pushes hard and nicks it to slip! Badree v Morgan comprises 10 balls, no runs and a big wicket!
Updated
4th over England 23-2 (Root 17, Morgan 5) Spin from both ends now as Sulieman Benn comes into the attack despite Russell’s excellent last over. Root gets his second boundary with an identical shot to his first: up on the toes and timed through extra cover. A single to long-off brings Morgan on strike and the captain gets his first runs with a boundary of his very own, hit over extra cover with lovely wrists and away to the rope. There’s no turn out there for the spinners. Another single then a full toss makes this a good over for England as Root whips it through mid-on for the third four of it.
3rd over England 9-2 (Root 8, Morgan 0) A single down the ground for Root is followed by five dots to Morgan, who is beaten on the outside by the final ball. Outstanding bowling so far from Badree who may force me to rethink my post-World Cup awards after today.
“What are the chances Chris Gayle will leave IT20 with a bowling triumph rather than as a batter?” asks John Starbuck. “He’ll be lucky to turn his arm over though at this rate of wickets falling. Damp squib, anyone?”
Updated
2nd over England 8-2 (Root 7, Morgan 0) Andre Russell from the other and and he finds a touch of movement away from Root first ball. The Yorkshireman gets a single out to deep midwicket – it should have been two but Hales slipped. Hales slips again next ball, in terms of his shot this time and it’s the end of him! Morgan comes to the crease and what a time this would be for him to finally play an innings in this tournament. Two slips in for him.
“Stuart Broad = Joffrey surely?” reckons James Blake. Presumably not that one.
Also Phil Muncaster would like to know where he can watch this in Rome.
Wicket! Hales c Badree b Russell 1
Hales picks it up off his ankles and flicks it straight into the hands of Badree at short fine-leg, who holds on to it at head height! Disastrous start for England.
Updated
1st over England 7-1 (Root 6, Hales 1) As expected, it’s trial by spin to begin with as Samuel Badree opens the bowling – good move that from Darren Sammy, I imagine, as this pair love pace on the ball. He hits Roy in the pad first ball and is very excited but it’s going down leg. The second isn’t though and that’s a pretty well perfect start for the West Indies! Roy played straight but down the wrong line as it just skidded on with the angle. Root gets his and England’s first run of the match with a push to mid-on. Hales takes a single himself, then Root punches nicely off the back foot through extra cover for four. Single off the last ball, down the ground, too.
Wicket! Roy b Badree 0
Roy goes second ball! He missed the first one and misses the second too, this time losing his leg stump!
Updated
The anthems are done and we are about to begin. How are your nerves?
More Hong Kong pubs.
re Ian: Lockhart St in Wan Chai. Full of pubs with live sports. Popular among expat. @DanLucas86
— William Cheng (@wwccheng) April 3, 2016
@DanLucas86 If Delaney's in TST HK doesn't have it try London house east TST
— Andrew Jackson (@SonoAndrewJ) April 3, 2016
“Ian should try Devils Advocate on Lockhart Rd in Wanchai. Failing that he can just head down that street as there are loads of bars and I’m sure a number will have the cricket on,” writes Ben Dickinson in Hong Kong.
“When Eoin Morgan declared that he would have bowled first anyway, did he do it in the whiny voice of a spoilt teenager?” asks Ian Copestake. Now now, Stuart Broad isn’t the captain any more.
That was cheap, wasn’t it?
The teams in full
England
JJ Roy, AD Hales, JE Root, EJG Morgan*, JC Buttler†, BA Stokes, MM Ali, CJ Jordan, DJ Willey, AU Rashid, LE Plunkett
West Indies
J Charles, CH Gayle, MN Samuels, LMP Simmons, AD Russell, D Ramdin†, DJ Bravo, DJG Sammy*, CR Brathwaite,S Badree, SJ Benn
I mentioned this stat last time the two teams met, but it’s worth revisiting just to remind you how vastly different the teams are in terms of experience.
Players in their second #WT20Final
— ESPNcricinfo (@ESPNcricinfo) April 3, 2016
England: 1 (Morgan)
West Indies: 8 (Badree, Bravo, Charles, Gayle, Ramdin, Russell, Sammy, Samuels)
Some information for Ian Gaffney in Hong Kong: “I don’t know how much help this is but in Hong Kong, near Tsimshatsui MTR station, there is an Irish bar called Delaneys that has sport on television. Whether it will have the cricket I cant say, but if no one else offers a suggestion about Hong Kong Ian might try there.”
Richard Woods is the man to thank for that one, Ian.
I’ve just seen the pitch for the first time and, uncharacteristically, there is a tiny bit of grass on there. That won’t help England batting first although in mitigation it might make Samuel Badree that wee bit less dangerous, which is something. I reckon England have to go out and smash it from the get-go as they have in their chases.
Marie Meyer points out: “17 of the 23 matches since the Super 10 phase started were won by the team that won the toss.”
Toss and team news
Darren Sammy calls heads and Morgan tosses the coin miles away. West Indies win the toss and will field first. No changes to their team from the side that beat India in the semi-final. He says his side have been inspired by the Under-19s’ success and are motivated by the women.
Eoin Morgan says he would have bowled first and that England are unchanged too.
Updated
Mike Atherton thinks both teams will want to chase. I agree – obviously, because he’s Mike Atherton – as does Freddie Flintoff who thinks the team batting first won’t be sure what a par score is. Flintoff has been surprisingly decent as a pundit. He has a pop at the win predictor gizmo too.
Personally I’m not sure the toss will be as important here as it was in Delhi and Mumbai though. The pitch is likely to be a slow turner and there won’t be as much grass on the wicket or dew in the second innings.
@DanLucas86 Regarding Game of Thrones, Stuart Broad would be a good White Walker if he was in the squad and he ever walked.
— Donald Trumpton (@donald_trumpton) April 3, 2016
Other than that...
Can you help?
Ian Gaffney asks: “In Hong Kong on holiday but the hotel does not have a sports channel showing the T20 final, have the readers got any suggestions where to watch. One caveat, not Kowloon as it will take me to long to reach, somewhere round Wan Chai.”
“G’day Dan,” begins Simon McMahon. “As Viv Savage once said, it’s quite exciting, this T20 magic. Chris Gayle, Jason Roy, Darren Sammy, Jos Buttler, Dwayne Bravo, Joe Root, the list goes on. Six hitters and death bowlers. Fire and ice. Making us OBOers the lukewarm water, or something like that. As for a prediction, well, good luck with that. Super over, anyone?”
A song of ice and fire, you say? And you’re not going to play “If they were characters in that well-known fantasy book series”? Wasted opportunity, Simon.
We’ve talked about fearlessness among this England team but we’ve sort of overlooked how much they seem to enjoy this T20 lark too. Look at the way Jos Buttler, with one run needed and an epoch to get it in the semi-final against New Zealand, gleefully and belligerently smashed the ball into the stands over cow corner to win it*. Emma John has written on that very subject, in fact.
*Yes I know Emma mentions this very thing in her piece, but to prove I’m not just stealing her ideas, this predates it.
Great moment from the cricket today was the gleeful way Buttler marmalised that last ball into the crowd with one needed
— Dan Lucas (@DanLucas86) March 30, 2016
Good cause dept.
.@DanLucas86 can you give a shout out to Urlings CC fundraising for a club house, grassroots Windies cricket talent! https://t.co/Tf2MT5CrPh
— Kat Byles (@katbyles) April 3, 2016
Yes. Yes I can.
Predictions anyone? I’m tempted to back England, especially if they chase. They’ve improved immeasurably throughout this tournament while the West Indies two really brilliant performances were their first and the semi-final. It’s tough.
Speaking of Chris Gayle, my colleague Michael Butler has just drawn my attention to his official Facebook page, which could only be the only thing more Chris Gayle than a 96-metre six over long-on.
Have I mentioned that Chris Gayle is rather good at T20 cricket? Not only that, but he’s extra motivated today. So reports your friend and mine, Ali Martin.
West Indies win the Women's World T20
They’ve just beaten Australia by eight wickets to complete an astonishing shock victory. Congratulations to them and to the opening pair of Hayley Matthews and Stephanie Taylor, whose brilliant innings carried them to their first ever trophy.
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Preamble
G’day, folks. Let’s forego the tortuous analogies and allegories and get straight to the point. Win today, England, win the World T20, and you kids have managed the greatest achievement in England’s limited overs history. Stop sniggering.
When Paul Collingwood and co lifted the trophy in 2010 they were simply the quickest team to adapt to a young and fast-changing format. They were blessed with one of the finest players of his generation – if not all time – and one of the shrewdest coaches going. This side though is young, with just one player north of 30. It’s a side that bottled it in the series preceding this tournament in South Africa, who had an unproven opening partnership and a death bowler who became a figure of fun among the social media cynics.
South Africa were seen off, with their monstrous 229 made to look like David rather than Goliath by Jason Roy and Joe Root. A rollicking innings from Angelo Mathews was neutered by Jordan and Ben Stokes. The form team in the tournament, New Zealand, were utterly demolished. Talk of their fearlessness has become exhausting but it has led them to this: the verge of World T20 in India, the spiritual home of the format. They’re the heirs to the glimmering world.
What’s more, they will have to beat the team with the greatest cricketing history of all to get there. The West Indies board might be a farce and their Test team a sorry shell, but they are packed with players who have embraced this format. They are loaded with more IPL experience than anyone but India. They have learnt to accept the dot balls, safe in the knowledge they run deep with players who can rain down boundaries. And they are not just the only side to have beaten England in this tournament but one who handed out a Chris Gayle-led marmalising.
The winners tonight will become the first side to win the World Twenty20 twice. For England it would be the perfect culmination of the start of a new era and one of their best ever achievements. For the West Indies, it’s not just the chance to send Gayle, Marlon Samuels et al out on a high but the chance to establish themselves as the first great side in this format’s young history. Twenty20 is supposed to be all about the here, the now, the explosions, the sixes, the moments and the money; it’s not supposed to have narratives. But the amazing thing about this tournament and the one certainty today is that in five hours or so, we will have one.
Play begins at 2.30pm BST, 9.30am in the West Indies and 7pm local time. Toss and team news half and a hour before that.
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