Match report
Righto, that’s quite enough from me. Thanks for your company and ingredients based frivolity. We’ll be back to OBO the deciding ODI of the series on Saturday. Until then, ta for tuning in – goodnight!
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Shai Hope then reflects very briefly on the loss today but seems keen to shrug it off and focus on the decider on Saturday:
It’s simple - we win the game, we win the series.”
A much happier looking Jos Buttler on becoming just the fifth Englishman to pass 5,000 ODI runs:
Really pleasing. I’ve been playing for a while now so it’s great when you get to those milestones after playing for a long period of time. It’s been a frustrating time recently.”
Sam Curran is player of the match:
“It was a tough day the other day, but you need to keep moving forward and bounce back. We did so many things right in that first game. The messages from the coaches and captain was just that. We had to come back today and put things right, which we did.”
Fair play to SCurran, I for one laid into him a bit for his under cooked performance in the first game where he bowled like a bit of a busted flush. To come back and take 3-33 off seven overs to set up a relatively easy chase for the batters is a top effort.
Just before we get to the post match presentations, spare a thought for TNT (the channel formerly known as BT) anchor Kate Mason as she is obviously contractually obliged to plug a a new show that Alan Partridge surely pitched to Tony Hayers yonks back – basically a documentary crew following Vinnie Jones as he does up a barn in the countryside. I don’t think it’s a spoof. Mason keeps a relatively straight face.
Err, actually, I might give this a whirl.
Buttler’s 90 run partnership with an ice cool Harry Brook saw England cruise to victory.
One clear big tick for England so far this series is Harry Brook seemingly finding his rhythm in ODI cricket.
— Yas Rana (@Yas_Wisden) December 6, 2023
He's batted with real responsibility in both games – like the best players, he can score quickly without taking much risk.#WIvENG
England win by six wickets!
Brook sweeps Motie for four to notch the win for England and level the series one apiece. A much better performance in all departments from Buttler’s side and a welcome return to the runs for the captain himself who was there at the end to see his side home. The series is still alive and will be decided in Barbados on Saturday.
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32nd over: England 202-4 (Brook 39, Buttler 58) Jos Buttler goes to his first 50 in 15 ODI knocks with a sublime strike for SIX down the ground off Oshane Thomas! He’s looked back to somewhere near his best this evening and came in when England were in danger of having a wobble. Scores level! Another Buttler clip for four takes England to 202 – one more needed to level the series 1-1.
Oh, and there’s this too:
Jos Buttler becomes the fifth player to pass 5,000 runs for England in men's ODI cricket.
— Wisden (@WisdenCricket) December 6, 2023
He reaches the milestone with a career strike rate of 116.95.#WIvENG pic.twitter.com/mk8stZrWrr
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31st over: England 180-4 (Brook 34, Buttler 41) Harry Brook opens his shoulders and gets four wide of point, England in a hurry now.
“Ooh, apparently Henderson’s is both veggie friendly and gluten free. Possibly limited availability here in Berlin but I have a mate who’s going back to Leeds for Xmas. I sense an order going in. Great to see a bit of the old Jos back, 5000 in ODI’s. Nice.”
You won’t regret it Mark Beadle. I used to put a couple of bottles in some thick hiking socks and squirrell them back to London on the train from a visit home. You can now get it online – and order it by the VAT too if you so wish.
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30th over: England 180-4 (Brook 34, Buttler 41) Buttler looking more regal with every second at the crease – an effortless flick off his pads skims away through midwicket for four. 23 more needed.
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29th over: England 171-4 (Brook 30, Buttler 36) Four off the returning Romario Shepherd as England inch closer. Can’t wait for the condiment chat to begin in earnest.
28th over: England 167-4 (Brook 28, Buttler 35) Five runs off the over as Rutherford returns. But fugggeddabout that – Tom v Ducht has swept/swooped/swuppen in and guessed the guest ingredient:
“Evening, like many Chillies, there’s something still slightly tentative about England’s middle overs. A splash more piss and vinegar like the one Salt (of the Phil variety) provided wouldn’t go amiss when making a statement whilst four wickets down.
P.S. does Henderson’s Relish feature in your recipe?”
Send me your address Tom – a padded jiffy brimmed with the good stuff is all yours!
Reyt good on owt!
27th over: England 162-4 (Brook 26, Buttler 32) Buttler’s back! He absolutely crunches one out of the middle of the blade that soars miles for SIX over long on! Cariah responds by going fuller and straighter but Buttler gets those chunky wrists under it and pppppongoes it for another epic strike down the ground. Fourteen runs off the over that will do England’s sad eyed (of late) skipper the world of good – those strikes had that unnering air of confidence about them that has been sadly lacking from Buttler’s recent innings. His side need just 41 more runs to win.
Meanwhile in the OBO mailbag, Colum Fordham is doing my job for me. I’m not against it, long as I still get paid. You aren’t siphoning off a cut are you Col?
“Hi James,
It’ll be interesting to see if Joss Buttler can get through his lean patch and guide England home with Brook. The West Indian spinners (Motie and Cariah are promising) are getting prodigious turn and their quicks are firing. So could be a tighter finish than expected, despite the modest target.”
26th over: England 148-4 (Brook 25, Buttler 19) Gudakesh Motie has been quietly impressive with his flight and guile in this match – he has 2-30 off his seven overs so far and restricts England to just two off his latest.
25th over: England 146-4 (Brook 24, Buttler 18) England starting to dominate once more with Brook and Buttler looking in fine fettle. Eleven runs off the over including a Harry Brook skip down the track and bunt for SIX back over Cariah’s head.
24th over: England 135-4 (Brook 16, Buttler 15) Jos Buttler plays an audacious helicopter pull shot off Alzarri Joseph! Four runs. Cowabunga. Shades of MS Dhoni mixed with Rohit Sharma. Nine runs off the over for England – 68 more needed to level the series.
23rd over: England 121-4 (Brook 13, Buttler 9) Cariah bowls a tidy over, just five runs off it. “Ealy (Mark Ealham) has a 5-15 still in England’s top ten ODI’s and also a 5-32 against Sri Lanka.”
You’ll find no bigger fan of Ealham and his commodious derriere than me, Mark Beadle
“Marmite is too obvious, peanut butter?”
A double dose of wrong I’m afraid. My jiffy bag and ladle stare up at me forlornly….
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22nd over: England 121-4 (Brook 12, Buttler 5) Rutherford’s brief but successful spell comes to a close as Alzarri Joseph is summoned by Shai Hope, perhaps sensing this is his side’s do or die moment in this game. It’s a smart return from Joseph – just a single to Buttler out to deep midwicket.
“Hi James”
We meet again Brian Withington.
"Distractions completed and laptop charged I can now concentrate on both the cricket and secret chilli ingredients.Research suggests a number of possibilities including:
- maple syrup
- espresso/coffee powder
- puréed pumpkin
- root beer
- various sweet spices including cinnamon, nutmeg and all-spice
I wonder what Jos recommends?”
Our survey says – eeee/urgh. I’d mislayed my pureed pumpkin and root beer this evening y’see Brian.
21st over: England 120-4 (Brook 12, Buttler 4) Cariah nearly cleans up Buttler! A tentative prod to a ball that turns and the edge lands just short of the fielder at point. A more confident drive brings England’s skipper three.
WICKET! Jacks lbw b Rutherford 73 (England 116-4)
Stone dead! Will Jacks becomes Sherfane Rutherford’s first ODI scalp – the ball didn’t get up as much as the batter expected and pinned him in front of all three. West Indies still in the hunt. England need 87 more to win.
Jos Buttler is the new man, he gets off the mark with a force through midwicket. He could do with a score here.
20th over: England 117-4 (Brook 12, Buttler 1)
19th over: England 114-3 (Jacks 73, Brook 11) Yannic Cariah is into the attack with his perky leg spin. Oooosht! Nearly cleans Jacks up first ball with a rippah! Just span past the off stump by the merest layer of lacquer. Gah. Next ball is a drag down and is pan-handled into the stand by Jacks. He could have hit that anywhere tbf. Cariah gets out of the over with four dots. Jacks eyeing up a ton here to cement his place at the top of the order.
18th over: England 108-3 (Jacks 67, Brook 11) Look alive, Sherfane Rutherford is coming on for a first bowl in ODI cricket. Hmmm Mark Ealham esque bustling medium pace for my money, hardly going to give England sleepless nights. A leg side half-volley is clipped away greedily by Jacks. A noble experiment. Sort of.
If the sadness of life makes you tired
And the failures of man make you sigh
You can look to the time soon arriving
When this noble experiment winds down and calls it a day”
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17th over: England 101-3 (Jacks 61, Brook 10) The maroon shackles are broken by Harry Brook who hauls himself onto his knee and slog-sweeps Motie high and long into the Antiguan night for SIX! That’s the hundred up for England and time for a drink. Yorkshire Gold and a Mr Kipling Viennese whirl at this end. Stay Classy.
16th over: England 92-3 (Jacks 59, Brook 3) Well bowled Oshane Thomas, another tight over sees just three runs managed by Jacks and Brook.
Hi @Jimbo_Cricket.
— Gary Naylor 85 (@garynaylor85) December 6, 2023
I've just gritted my teeth as my train went through Grantham (no Keir Starmer me!) en route back from Leeds, where I saw a marvellous Oliver!
Still got the bright lights of Peterborough and Stevenage to navigate, but I don't feel like I'm missing much tbh.
Who will buy this beautiful morning OBO and put it in a box for me?
15th over: England 89-3 (Jacks 58, Brook 1) West Indies keep the squeeze on knowing full well that it is wickets that will decide the outcome of this match. Brook gets off the mark with a push off Motie. Both of these players like to find the boundary, a few more – attempt Jeremy Coney accent here – paaaarsimonious – overs and it could bring about a rash shot or two in frustration.
14th over: England 87-3 (Jacks 55, Brook 0) Oshane Thomas keeps the pressure on for West Indies, just a couple of runs to Will Jacks off it.
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WICKET! Duckett c Hope b Motie 3 (England 85-3)
Now then. Duckett falls and England are in danger of seeing their serenity turn into a spluttering. A glove off an attempted sweep sees the ball loop in the air to Shai Hope with the gloves and the simple catch is gladly accepted.
Here comes ‘Arry Brook… nearly gone first ball too as edge off a nervy forward poke just falls short of slip. Crikes. 118 still needed for England.
13th over: England 85-3 (Jacks 55, Brook 0)
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12th over: England 78-2 (Jacks 50, Duckett 1) Oshane Thomas sneaks in and out of an over with a minimum of fuss but can’t stop Will Jacks pinching a single to take him to a very smart 43 ball fifty.
Apologies I think my email was linking to some other poor soul – it is fixed now. Do get in touch at james.wallace.casual@theguardian.com
Brian Withington has found a way regardless:
“Hi James,
I’m guilty of very poor planning for this evening’s Sportsfest, as laptop, tablet and headphones were all in need of a charge and one of my cables is no longer recognised by OS since last upgrade, thank you Apple (other money-grabbing obsolescence creating behemoths are available).
Consequently I am indebted to the ever splendid OBO for keeping me abreast of ODI developments on my well charged phone whilst I negotiate a tangle of replacement cables and nurse fragile battery levels, and of course keep an eye on Amazon’s Every Goal show on TV hosted by Jeff Stelling, fortunately minus his trademark Sky Bet promotions (other money-grabbing bookmaking firms are available). It’s exhausting being me.”
Good to have you with us Brian and you’ve reminded me of that old Bob Dylan line – “I’m glad I’m not me.”
11th over: England 75-2 (Jacks 48, Duckett 0) Crawley was looking to force through the off side but was done by some nice drift from Motie, the ball dipping on him and he only managed to get a toe end on it on before it hit the timbers.
Ben Duckett is the new man, England have lost two wickets in just over ten overs but are well in charge of this game… AT THE MOMENT.
WICKET! Crawley b Motie 3 (England 75-1)
Zak Crawley chops on!
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10th over: England 74-1 (Jacks 47, Crawley 3) Oshane Thomas into the attack, he goes full and wide and is flayed away by Jacks for SIX over point. The Surrey man is now within one boundary of a rapid and aggressive fifty.
9th over: England 67-1 (Jacks 38, Crawley 2) A quieter over from the spin of Motie, just three runs eked off it.
Mark Beadle’s turn to take a punt on the guest ingredient:
“Evening James! You are truly blessed, a midweek chili and you get to OBO an England win. (And potentially an early finish too Mark #SoBlessed #UrghHateMyself) Assuming this is the traditional Mexican chili and the chocolate is already in there, maybe some vitamin packed broccoli?”
Broccoli eh Mark? You’re avin a laugh, mate. Not a floret in sight.
8th over: England 64-1 (Jacks 38, Crawley 2) Bosh! Shepherd goes short to Jacks who sways inside the line easily and spangles the ball away for a huge SIX! He’s got his eye in here which could be very dangerous for the home side.
7th over: England 57-1 (Jacks 31, Crawley 2) Gudakesh Motie replaces Joseph as Hope turns to spin early. A drag down is panned away disdainfully by Crawley and both batters nurdle a single to keep the scoreboard a tickin’.
“My guess at mystery, guest ingredient in the chilli is cocoa powder. Proper unctiousness.” Kevan Marriner is getting his Nigella on.
"Always surprises but us chilli heads - we know!”
Not averse to a bit of cocoa or dark chocolate Kevan. BUT in the words of Roy Walker “It’s good but its not the one”. Keep guessing…
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WICKET! Salt b Shepherd 21 (England 50-1)
Stumps splayed! England bring up the fifty at a rollocking rate, Salt rolling his wrists on a short ball to pick up four through leg before Shepherd has the last laugh by nipping one in and away to see the back of Salt. The batter giving a nod of approval as he departs the scene. West Indies have their first and they need a few more and quickly.
Zak Crawley is the new batter and gets off the mark with a push into the covers to keep the strike.
6th over: England 51-1 (Jacks 25, Crawley 1)
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5th over: England 44-0 (Salt 16, Jacks 25) SEVENTEEN runs off the over! Joseph bowls an absolute snorter at Will Jacks that takes the glove and soars way over the keeper for four. That was a brute, Jacks was forced to bend backwards in mid-air like that famous picture of Robin Smith facing a spitting cobra from Ian Bishop. Crikes – jacks repsonds with an absolute flay into the leg-side, premeditated and the ball flies over midwicket for SIX. A push for two by jacks is followed by a scyth through point for four more.
4th over: England 27-0 (Salt 15, Jacks 9) Just a couple off it, a Jacks clip into the leg side. Tim Burton esque spindly shadows begin to creep across the Sir Vivian Richards outfield as the great man joins Ian Bishop on commentary. His voice is so deep and rich, shades on, gum being masticated to within an inch of its life. I can practically taste the testosterone seeping out of my Sanyo.
3rd over: England 25-0 (Salt 11, Jacks 2) England’s openers ride their luck, Jacks gets an edge wide of the solitary slip fielder to pick up a spawny boundary and Salt flings his hands at a back of a length ball, gets a meaty edge and sees the ball fly away over backward point. Nothing ventured and all that.
2nd over: England 15-0 (Salt 15, Jacks 7) My new favourite cricketer – Romario Shepherd – takes the ball for the second over and nearly sneaks one onto Will Jacks’ front dog bang in front… the Surrey man just managed to jam his bat down in time. The pitch looks slightly two-paced as Salt fails to time a pull and a clip to leg.
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1st over: England 12-0 (Salt 10, Jacks 2) Alzarri Joseph starts with the new orb. Phil salt glides past point for two, slightly uppish but evades the fielder. Here we go! Salt smacks back to back fours through the off side – the first a confident drive and the second a fortunate waft but they both bring four. England take a dozen off the first over.
Thanks Tanya! You thought England were impressive in polishing off West Indies’ batting card in a few hours? I managed to get a (suspected) insomniac toddler off to the land of nod and cook and eat a chilli* in the space of 1.5 hours. How do you like them Kidney beans, eh Jos?
The players are emerging in Antigua, sun still beating down much like the moon is here in South London. England are going to make short work of this aren’t they**?
*I’ll post a portion to whoever can guess the guest ingredient. Jiffy bag and ladle at the ready.
**Ahem.
Quite the sparkling performance by England there with the ball. Fizzing inspiration from Sam Curran, testing pace from Gus Atkinson and guile and surprise from Liam Livingstone and Rehan Ahmed. A brilliant fifth wicket partnership between Shai Hope and Sherfane Rutherford brought West Indies back to the party, but then they lost five for fifty.
At the half way stage then,advantage England – but I said that last time around. Thanks very much for all your emails, John Starbuck, I’m sorry I didn’t get round to your wife’s white chocolate stollen. Jim Wallace will guide you through England’s innings. Bye!
39.4 over: West Indies 2o2 all out (Thomas 0) Atkinson nearly collects the wicket with his first ball, but a back-peddling Buttler can’t quite get his gloves round the ball. He gets his man three balls later.
Liam Livingstone is the man with the micropohone: “It was quite a nice wicket to bowl on, we got a bit of help, nice to get a few wickets to help the team and keep them to a decent total. We know Shai Hope is the big wicket and nice to get him out.
“I think Reh has come in and done really well, obviously Rash isn’t here, we [the spinners] don’t know when we’re going to bowl. I’m happy for Sam [Curran], any time that can happen, he bowled really nicely, got us on a roll in the power play.”
WICKET! Joseph c and b Atkinson 14 (West Indies 202 all out)
And that’s the lot ! Joseph swings at a short one from Atkinson, sending it skywards, and Atkinson shimmies leg side to collect.
39th over: West Indies 2oo-9 ( Joseph 12, Thomas 0) A wicket maiden as the innings dribbles to a close.
WICKET! Motie c Curran b Ahmed 6 (West Indies 200-9)
A fulsome heave limps to backward point.
38th over: West Indies 2oo-8 ( Joseph 12, Motie 6) Joseph brings the 200 up with a coltish pull to the rope, and is owed another with a cracking straight drive that is stopped by Atkinson in his follow through
“Crawley standing tall,” writes Adam Roberts, “Can he do any other?”
37th over: West Indies 195-8 ( Joseph 8, Motie 6) A richly-deserved wicket for Rehan Ahmed who has fizzed and spat dangerously all afternoon.
WICKET! Shepherd c Crawley b Ahmed 19 (West Indies 189-8)
Goes for the big one but hasn’t accounted for Crawley standing tall at long on.
36th over: West Indies 188-7 (Shepherd 19, Joseph 7) Shepherd isn’t giving up on nothing. Three boundaries in a row off Livingstone: a couples of paddles behind, and a cover drive. A snappy dive by Ahmed prevents another, before Shepherd ushers the fifth to the rope.
In other news, an interesting selection decision by the Kiwis:
Rachin Ravindra being left out from both New Zealand's Tests in Bangladesh - after his brilliant World Cup batting and with his bowling handy on spinning wickets too - seems one of the most baffling pieces of Test selection in years
— Tim Wigmore (@timwig) December 6, 2023
35th over: West Indies 172-7 (Shepherd 2, Joseph 7) Seven from the over including six shrunk to two when Crawley leaps to take a catch but, when he realises he’s going to carry it over the rope, throws it back into play in mid air.
34th over: West Indies 165-7 (Shepherd 2, Joseph 1) Three for Livingstone, and West Indies in danger of not batting out their overs here.
WICKET! Hope b Livingstone 67 (West Indies 163-7)
It’s the big one! Livingstone claps his hands and chuckles in delight after Hope plays back at a legbreak and his bails leap free.
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33rd over: West Indies 163-6 (Hope 68, Shepherd 1) Buttler brings back the fizzing Ahmed, to try and rattle through the tail. Three from it and they take drinks.
32nd over: West Indies 160-6 (Hope 66, Shepherd 0) I didn’t have Livingstone down as the middle-order destroyer.
WICKET! Cariah b Livingstone 5 (West Indies 160-6)
Cariah prods tentatively, like a someone going through the flower bed with a hoe hoping not to find a dead mouse, misses the ball completely and is bowled.
30th over: West Indies 157-5 (Hope 62, Cariah 4) Cariah off the mark with a pull for four, off an otherwise clever over from Curran.
30th over: West Indies 152-5 (Hope 62, Cariah 0) A super partnership of 129, both sensible and savage in moments, that has brought West Indies back into the game, comes to an end. Can England make the most of this splinter in the line-up, or will Hope usher Windies onward?
WICKET! Rutherford c Salt b Livingstone 63 (West Indies 152-5)
Whipped, but not high enough, and Salt, at cover, collects with both hands at waist height. Rutherford can’t believe it.
29th over: West Indies 148-4 (Hope 62, Rutherford 60) With this partnership building nicely for West Indies, Buttler goes back to his early destroyer, Sam Curran. Not the best start with a no-ball, but the free hit is a yorker that skids past leg stump. Hope whistles four through the off side.
“Loving all this undiluted Hope,”writes Robert Wilson. “During the highlights of the last game, I noticed that the bold Shai’s got a touch of Lara in his stroke-play (particularly straight where his drives seem almost cruel) and a dash of Viv in his attitude (an almost somnolent hubris). He’s got a bit to go in both senses. Lara was a ridiculous miracle of player but it’s even harder to match Richards, the only human being in history to make arrogance subtle and entirely lovable. Still a delight.”
“Where’s your dog? We need more dog content.” Dog is next to me on the sofa. I signed up to a free dog treat sample so she has a doggy protein bar to eat later. Who knew?
28th over: West Indies 139-4 (Hope 56, Rutherford 58) With fifty safely in his breast pocket, Rutherford licks his lips at Livingstone, and smacks him for two fours: one through the covers and one over long on.
Fifty for Rutherford!
27th over: West Indies 130-4 (Hope 55, Rutherford 50) David Gower is in rhapsodies about Ahmed “subtle changes of pace and flight. Incidentally – today’s spell has been 77 percent legspin, 30 percent googly. Ah, and five dots are followed by a whopping great six over midwicket.
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26th over: West Indies 124-4 (Hope 55, Rutherford 44) Time for some Liam Livingstone, who throws a full toss into the mix but gets away with it. A fumble in the field turns one into two.
Desperate times for my daughter who has left most of her clothes at university and is having to rifle through my wardrobe for inspiration before she goes out. I think I can hear the sighs through the floorboards.
25th over: West Indies 119-4 (Hope 54, Rutherford 40) Just four singles off Ahmed, who has already whistled through five overs for 17. If West Indies keep going at this rate, they’ll end up with 238.
Fifty for Shai Hope!
24th over: West Indies 115-4 (Hope 51, Rutherford 38) Another cracking innings from Hope, who brings up his fifty with a dab off the pads from Carse and off just 45 balls.
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23rd over: West Indies 110-4 (Hope 48, Rutherford 37) A absolute zinger of a last ball from Ahmed completely beats Rutherford who is aiming to dispatch him out of the ground. Ahmed pulls 70 faces of disgust.
22nd over: West Indies 105-4 (Hope 47, Rutherford 33) It looks hot out there. And so chilled. Can you remember what it feels like to slip into the shade to cool down? Rutherford, a silver cross dangling off his chain, defends the last ball of Carse’s over, and just three from it.
Hello Tom VD Gucht. “The Curran haircut simile brought to my mind a memory of Rob Smyth commenting that Steve Harmison was veering into Johnny Hates Jazz territory and laughing out loud at rhe screen of my computer. What I found less amusing was the discovery, following a Google search, that this was from a ODI in 2005 and the sad realisation that I’m possibly wasting my life with the amount of time dedicated to OBO’s and cricket in general.” But ask yourself Tom, on your deathbed, are you really going to regret the amount of time you spent reading the OBO? (maybe don’t answer that)
21st over: West Indies 102-4 (Hope 46, Rutherford 32) Excellent from Rehan Ahmed again. Bubbling intent: this is not a young man going through the motions.
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20th over: West Indies 100-4 (Hope 45, Rutherford 31) Carse for Jacks, off that exhausting looking run-up, and immediately he regains the control that Jacks had temporarily lost. The second fifty comes up off just 44 balls.
19th over: West Indies 98-4 (Hope 44, Rutherford 30) Ahmed is a great shirt fiddler: collar, then sleeve, then hem. He tosses the ball from hand to hand and in he hastens, with barely a breath between deliveries. Four from the over, Rutherford successfully reading the googly.
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18th over: West Indies 94-4 (Hope 42, Rutherford 28) Hope ushes one away on the leg side for four, and then a selection of fairly easy singles. Jacks not looking very threatening so far – though watch him now take five for 10 in his remaining spell.
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17th over: West Indies 85-4 (Hope 35, Rutherford 26) Rehan Ahmed with his busy wristy stuff, all extended back leg and zippy loop. Just two from it.
“Evening Tanya, evening everyone,” Hello Tom Hopkins!
”Just to make sure I understand the reference following John Starbuck’s helpful clarification, we’re saying Sam Curran is moving along the Wisp to Cruet spectrum? Is anyone Evil Edna in this analogy?”
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16th over: West Indies 83-4 (Hope 34, Rutherford 25) A costly over from Jacks after a short ball is splattered by Rutherford and rather helped on its way by the fielder on the rope, and the next gets just what it deserves. They pause for DRINKS, with West Indies having made a good recovery.
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15th over: West Indies 72-4 (Hope 33, Rutherford 15) Carse runs through his delivery stride with his second ball – that’s a long extra walk there and back in the sun. Then, off a ball that isn’t a gimme by any means, Hope muscles a short-armed jab for six over the rope. A no ball brings a free hit – behind the stumps, Jos Buttler’s mouth is the straightest of straight lines. Ah, the no ball is a wide. We go again – and its a single. Shai Hope joins the big boys in the fastest to 5000 runs in ODIs club: Babar Azam, Hashim Amla, Viv Richards and Virat Kohli.
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14th over: West Indies 60-4 (Hope 25, Rutherford 13) Jacks zips through another over, including a great bit of fielding to prevent the run.
13th over: West Indies 57-4 (Hope 22, Rutherford 13) Carse has a tattoo which grows like a vine from his wrist all the way up his sleeve – hoping it bursts into flower somewhere around the armpit. Hope picks up a single from a handsome pull and four down the ground after Livingstone does a good impression of a damp dishcloth at mid-on. On comms, they are wondering if Carse is deliberately varying his seam angle with each ball or if he doesn’t yet have full control.
12th over: West Indies 49-4 (Hope 16, Rutherford 11) So after ignoring Will Jacks in the last match, Buttler beckons him over for the 12th. A touch of turn, and some quick singles. So, does anyone have their tree up yet?
11th over: West Indies 45-4 (Hope 13, Rutherford 10) A closely-cropped Carse starts with a half volley, gets away with it, but is tonked for four off his second by Rutherford. Rutherford finishes the over by nearly chopping onto his stumps.
10th over: West Indies 41-4 (Hope 13, Rutherford 6) England’s trousers are definitely quite tapered in this iteration of the coloured kit. No flapping flares here. Ooof – a near miss for Rutherford: we watch as Atkinson sends a scrambled seam down the pitch, and Rutherford cuts – inadvertently? – and the ball bounces just before slip before zipping down to the boundary. Super bowling here and a fruitful power play for England.
This is a nice chat with Reece Topley:
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9th over: West Indies 36-4 (Hope 13, Rutherford 1) Rutherford, watchful, but gets his single from the last ball with a late cut.
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8th over: West Indies 35-4 (Hope 13, Rutherford 0) Time for Atkinson to get some treatment as Shai Hope tries to pull back the initiative: three gorgeous straight drives for four – though Atkinson does rough him up a bit in between.
Read all about England’s defeat of India in the Women’s T20 in Mumbai.
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7th over: West Indies 23-4 (Hope 1, Rutherford 0) From zero to hero, with a just a couple of dips in the Caribbean sea in between.
“Good evening. Don’t know if you are aware of this, or just misinterpreting children’s TV programmes, but the term is ‘Will-o-the-Wisp’, hence the character’s TV moniker. And while I’m at it, Motie doesn’t have a goatee. He might have a goatee if his beard was entirely below his chin, though. Everybody gets this one wrong and only smart-arses like me put them right.”
And a begrudging good evening to you John Starbuck! Yes in the back of mind I did know it was Will-o-the-wisp, and yes I also watched a lot of Willo the Wisp in the 80s. Half past five on a weekday?
WICKET! Hetmeyer lbw Curran 0 (West Indies 23-4)
Curran appeals full throatedly as Hetymeyer sticks his pads down the wicket. The umpire isn’t convinced, and nor is Buttler but I think he goes for the review because Curran is in one of his golden arm phases – and sure enough it is out! Curran is mobbed and this West Indies innings is heading in a southerly direction.
WICKET! King c Crawley b Curran 17 (West Indies 23-3)
Bounce, line, length, a one legged slip catch, and suddenly all is dandy in Sam Curran’s world. He punches the air and roars, exchanging nodding glances with Buttler.
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6th over: West Indies 22-2 (King 17, Hope 0) Just a leg-bye and a single off the long n lean Atkinson.
5th over: West Indies 20-2 (King 16, Hope 0) An injection of much-needed self-belief for Curran who had delivered a couple of soggy jammy doughnuts earlier in the over, one of which is thrashed for four by King, another well stopped by Brook.
WICKET! Carty c Crawley b Curran 0 (West Indies 20-2)
Glorious catch! A two-handed flying clutch by Crawley at slip which nearly knocks him over in its speed.
4th over: West Indies 15-1 (King 11, Carty 0) Atkinson does well to escape punishment from his first ball which is wide and inviting as a slice of stollen at quarter to four on a December afternoon. But the fourth is a stunner to which Athanaze has no answer.
WICKET! Athanaze c Buttler b Atkinson 4 (West Indies 15-1)
A beauty zips through Athanaze, grazing his glove and landing with Buttler on the dive. The ump says not out, but Buttler reviews, and off he must trudge.
3rd over: West Indies 13-0 (Athanaze 3, King 10) King waits for the wide one, which comes with Curran’s fourth ball, which he drives through the off side for four. A couple from a tickle down the leg side and a forward defensive to finish things off.
2nd over: West Indies 6-0 (Athanaze 4, King 2) On the money from Atkinson straight away, with a first ball that jigs away from Athanaze. And so the over continues, with just a single off it.
1st over: West Indies 5-0 (Athanaze 4, King 1) Curran, in England royal blue, stretches and standing leaps at the top of his mark. He’s not quite the willow the wisp he was at the beginning of his career, but still cuts the same small, bustling figure. His first ball drifts away from Athanaze, who lets it by. Samuel Badree is on comms with the ubiquitous Gower, and tells us that “the breeze from left to right will help Curran with his away swing to the left hander.” One boundary from the over, when King leans into a wide one and flicks it away, just beating the chasing fielder.
The sun is out, the ground is parched and Sam Curran (it is he) is marking out his run.
England Women beat India Women by 38 runs
Catch up here:
David Gower – who orchestrated the toss today - spoke to Rehan Ahmed, who bowled so well in the first ODI. He’s smiling broadly. “It came out nicely, I could bowl not as well as that and get more wickets. I only bowled five or six googlies in the last match which is unusual for me, working on the legbreak – a little bit of side spin now.”
And on brother Farhan Ahmed, who was today named in England’s U19 World Cup party“I was very proud of him, he’s doing very well.”
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Our man on the ground writes
It’s a scorcher in Antigua today, so don’t be surprised if only the shaded areas are full for the first couple of hours. Both of the main stands have big areas at the back of the lower tier where you can stand and watch, enjoying the shade and breeze. England are unchanged - I thought they might bring Turner in, but I can understand the desire to back the bowlers who were clumped around the ground on Sunday and may be better for the experience - “You win or you learn”, as Eoin Morgan always said. Besides, Turner’s perhaps dazed after being hit on the head by a ball tossed in his direction by Harry Brook in training yesterday.
West Indies XI
West Indies: (unchanged) Brandon King, Alick Athanaze, Keacy Carty, Shai Hope (c, wk), Shimron Hetmyer, Sherfane Rutherford, Romario Shepherd, Yannic Cariah, Alzarri Joseph, Gudakesh Motie, Oshane Thomas.
England XI
England: (unchanged) Phil Salt, Will Jacks, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Harry Brook, Jos Buttler (c, wk), Liam Livingstone, Sam Curran, Brydon Carse, Rehan Ahmed, Gus Atkinson.
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England win the toss and will bowl!
Jos Butter gets lucky again with the coin, and this time chooses to bowl first: “I think the wicket is going to play pretty similarly and we fancy a chase today. We played a lot of really good cricket and just couldn’t quite close it off. Take the learnings into today. Most of cricket is about execution, a big breeze in this ground … which we have to use.”
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Preamble
Hello from a dark, cold and tinsel-tarted UK. Over in Antigua, all is bright hot and ready for the next white-ball revolution. The English car stalled at the first attempt on the weekend – though it would probably be fairer to say that West Indies got out of the blocks first.
The English performance was much brighter and more bushy-tailed than the sad-eyed efforts in India. A record ODI total at the Sir Vivian Richards stadium, some sprightly fielding, it was just the final nine overs where things went awry as the West Indies tucked into Brydon Carse and Sam Curran – collecting the remaining 101 runs with seven balls to spare.
West Indies were very happy with their performance – especially Shai Hope’s 16th ODI hundred, finished off with three sixes off Sam Curran– though they won’t want Phil Salt and Will Jacks to get quite such a sparkling start.
Play starts at 5.30pm GMT, the toss follows shortly.
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