| 0.0 : Grab your seats on the couch, make sure the popcorn is ready. You surely canât bear to miss a single ball of game number 14 of the T20 World Cup. This game sees a repeat fixture of the 2016 T20 World Cup final, as West Indies lock horns against England to kick-off their campaign. Both teams were involved in a couple of warm-up games, but what happened there, is in the past. This is the time when it matters the most. Also, this Group 1 has become a vicious group with the addition of Bangladesh |
| England had a good outing in the warm-up games. They lost the first game against India, their batters shone, while the bowlers could not have a similar impact. The bowlers though, came back stronger in the second game against New Zealand where they bowled out the Kiwis for 150 while defending the chase. This win might have come at the right time, to change the atmosphere in the camp coming into the mega event. England have a good depth to their side but will be missing the services of Ben Stoke |
| West Indies, although had a forgetful outing in the warm-up games, they are the side who are the masters of this short format cricket. They are coming into this game on the back of two consecutive defeats and would hope they start fresh to get the winning momentum on the side. Also, they have gotten the better of England every single time they have competed in the T20 World Cup, with a record of 5 in 5. This stat can ease a lot of pressure, but will they be able to replicate the advantage on the |
| ... MATCH DAY ... |
| TOSS â Kieron Pollard and Eoin Morgan, both the skippers stride out to the middle for the coin toss. The coin goes up and lands in favour of England. They have opted to BOWL first. |
| England (Playing XI) -  Jos Buttler (WK), Jason Roy , Dawid Malan, Eoin Morgan (C), Jonny Bairstow, Liam Livingstone, Moeen Ali, Chris Woakes, Chris Jordan, Adil Rashid, Tymal Mills. |
| West Indies (Playing XI) - Evin Lewis, Lendl Simmons, Chris Gayle, Shimron Hetmyer, Nicholas Pooran (WK), Kieron Pollard (C), Andre Russell, Dwayne Bravo, Akeal Hosein, Obed McCoy, Ravi Rampaul. |
| The skipper of England, Eoin Morgan says they will have a bowl first and the boundary on one side is really short. Informs that Tymal Mills is playing and Billings, Curran, Willey and Wood miss out today. Adds that Liam Livingstone and Moeen Ali give them balance which allows them to play with three pacers as well. |
| Kieron Pollard, the West Indies captain, says that the toss is always 50-50 and they would have bowled first too, but they will bat well first. Says that Russell and Gayle are playing and some guys are playing their first game in the World Cup too. On Russell, Pollard says that they do not depend on him to bowl his quota of 4 overs and they have a good team and they will be looking to play good cricket. Says that Gayle has done a lot for West Indian cricket and he has done justice to himself and |
| PITCH REPORT - Ian Bishop is near the pitch. He says, this pitch had offered the most to the seamers than any other surface here but it has something for the spinners too. There's not much of a green cover on it and the pitch might be a bit tacky. The pace bowlers will look to bowl a lot of cutters and other variations. |
| Both teams make their way out for the National Anthems. First, it will be West Indies' anthem and that will be followed by the English anthem. |
| Let's get going, then! The England players are spreading out on the field. Lendl Simmons and Evin Lewis are making their way out now, as they open the innings for West Indies. It will be some spin to get things underway as Moeen Ali has the ball in hand. Before we begin, the players take a knee to show their support to the 'Black Lives Matter' movement. Here we go... |
| 0.1 : Moeen Ali to Lendl Simmons, Ali starts with a nicely flighted ball, around off. Simmons pats it back to the bowler. |
| 0.2 : Moeen Ali to Lendl Simmons, Tossed up, outside off and this is pushed towards mid off. |
| 0.3 : Moeen Ali to Lendl Simmons, Slightly flatter and around off, Lendl Simmons goes back and nudges it through the mid-wicket region. Simmons and West Indies are underway with that single. |
| 0.4 : Moeen Ali to Evin Lewis, Loopy ball, around off. Lewis defends it on the off side. |
| 0.5 : Moeen Ali to Evin Lewis, Short but doesn't give any width. Lewis rocks back and looks to force it through covers but can't. |
| 0.6 : Moeen Ali to Evin Lewis, SIX! Here we go! Tossed up, in the slot. Evin Lewis gets under it and strikes it cleanly back over the bowler's head for a biggie. That's the West Indian way of getting off the mark. 7 off the first over. |
| 0.4 : Chris Woakes to bowl from the other end. |
| 1.1 : Chris Woakes to Lendl Simmons, Back of a length, on middle and leg. Simmons turns it off his hips towards deep square leg and picks up a run. |
| 1.2 : Chris Woakes to Evin Lewis, A length ball, on off and angling across. Lewis gets right behind the line of the ball to block it out. |
| 1.3 : Chris Woakes to Evin Lewis, OUT! CAUGHT! Early fireworks for England as Chris Woakes delivers in his first over. On a length, around middle and the ball holds up in the surface a bit. Evin Lewis looks to force the big shot and looks to go downtown. Lewis is through his swing a bit early and skies the ball behind the mid off region. Moeen Ali runs back from mid off and takes a very well-judged catch. |
| 1.2 : The Universe Boss, Chris Gayle makes his way out now. |
| 1.4 : Chris Woakes to Lendl Simmons, Good-length ball, around middle and leg. Simmons works it off the back foot on the leg side for one. |
| 1.5 : Chris Woakes to Chris Gayle, Length again, around off and angling across the left-hander. Gayle opens the face of the bat and guides it towards backward point. |
| 1.6 : Chris Woakes to Chris Gayle, A dot to end an excellent over from Chris Woakes. Woakes hits the length hard and bowls it around off. Chris Gayle leaves it through to the keeper. |
| 2.1 : Moeen Ali to Lendl Simmons, A floater, around off stump. Simmons puts out a stride to defend it out. |
| 0.0 : Shimron Hetmyer is the new batter in! |
| 2.2 : Moeen Ali to Lendl Simmons, OUT! CAUGHT! This is reckless batting and Lendl Simmons will be very disappointed with that shot. Slightly flatter, on the off stump and Simmons decides to break the shackles. Simmons gets a bit low and looks to slog this away. Simmons gets a decent connection on it but there's no elevation. In the end, he picks out the man at the cow corner fence perfectly. Liam Livingstone over there doesn't have to move an inch and completes a simple catch. |
| 2.3 : Moeen Ali to Shimron Hetmyer, Flighted ball, on middle. Hetmyer keeps it out. |
| 2.4 : Moeen Ali to Shimron Hetmyer, Flighted again and on middle as well, Hetmyer looks to push at it but gets it off the inner half of the bat towards short mid-wicket. |
| 2.5 : Moeen Ali to Shimron Hetmyer, On off and kept out by Shimron Hetmyer. |
| 2.6 : Moeen Ali to Shimron Hetmyer, A wicket-maiden from Moeen Ali now and the pressure is building up on West Indies. This is sliding down the leg side and Hetmyer looks to flick but misses. No wide given as the ball might have just flicked the pad on the way. |
| 3.1 : Chris Woakes to Chris Gayle, FOUR! Classy shot from Chris Gayle to get off the mark. Length, on off and Gayle just stands tall and cover drives it beautifully through the off side field. He picks up a boundary as well. |
| 3.2 : Chris Woakes to Chris Gayle, FOUR! Back-to-back boundaries for the big man. A touch short and wide, Gayle rocks back and thrashes it through the backward point region and picks up another boundary. |
| 3.3 : Chris Woakes to Chris Gayle, Uppish but safe! Back of a length, around off. Gayle looks to drive on the up but mistimes it and the ball falls just short of the cover-point fielder. |
| 3.4 : Chris Woakes to Chris Gayle, Good-length ball, outside off. Gayle punches it towards cover. |
| 3.5 : Chris Woakes to Chris Gayle, Length again, outside off. Gayle nudges it on the off side and picks up an easy single. |
| 3.6 : Chris Woakes to Shimron Hetmyer, Uppish but into the gap! Slightly fuller in length, around off. Hetmyer drives it aerially but through the cover-point region. The ball goes to the sweeper in the deep as the batters take the single. |
| 4.1 : Moeen Ali to Shimron Hetmyer, FOUR! Shimron Hetmyer tries to be aggressive and gets the reward. Ali tries to angle it in on the pads, Hetmyer skips down the track and manages to clear mid on. The ball races away into the wide long on fence. |
| 4.2 : Moeen Ali to Shimron Hetmyer, FOUR! And now on the other side! This is good batting from Shimron Hetmyer. Flighted ball, around off. Hetmyer comes down the track again and hits it inside-out, with the spin. The ball goes well over extra cover and races away into the fence yet again. |
| 4.3 : Moeen Ali to Shimron Hetmyer, Fullish ball, on off and caressed towards cover. |
| 4.2 : In walks the experienced, Dwayne Bravo. |
| 4.4 : Moeen Ali to Shimron Hetmyer, OUT! CAUGHT! Moeen Ali has the last laugh as West Indies lose their third wicket inside the Powerplay. This is flatter and is angled into the body. Shimron Hetmyer rocks back and looks to pull it over mid on. Hetmyer doesn't get a good connection on it and the ball goes flat towards mid on. The skipper, Eoin Morgan takes a comfortable catch and Ali has his second. |
| 4.5 : Moeen Ali to Dwayne Bravo, Slowed up, outside off. Bravo manages to keep it out. |
| 4.6 : Moeen Ali to Dwayne Bravo, Quicker and flatter, around off. Dwayne Bravo defends it out. |
| 4.5 : Change. Tymal Mills is into the attack now! |
| 5.1 : Tymal Mills to Chris Gayle, Mills hurls in a length ball, around off. Gayle stays on the back foot and defends it to cover. |
| 5.2 : Tymal Mills to Chris Gayle, Two dots in a row. This time, a swing and miss from Gayle. Back of a length, in the corridor of uncertainty. Gayle looks to heave it away but misses. |
| 5.3 : Tymal Mills to Chris Gayle, Make it three now! Good variation by Mills. This one was ultra slow. Fuller and on the pads. The ball takes time to reach the batter. Gayle defends it to the leg side. |
| 5.4 : Tymal Mills to Chris Gayle, Four dots on the trot! Excellent bowling by Mills. Good-length ball, outside off, nipping away. Gayle hangs back and swings hard but misses. |
| 5.5 : Tymal Mills to Chris Gayle, FOUR! Up and over! Gayle releases the pressure. Short ball, around off. Gayle hangs back and cuts it over covers for a boundary. |
| 5.6 : Tymal Mills to Chris Gayle, OUT! CAUGHT! West Indies are in a spot of bother now. They lose their fourth wicket and the Universe Boss, Chris Gayle has to depart. Tymal Mills has the last laugh here. A length ball, around middle and off. Gayle was on the attack after getting the boundary on the previous delivery, but he does not pick it up well. He whips across the line, hoping to find the boundary but the ball loops high in the air off the bottom end, towards mid-wicket. Dawid Malan the |
| 5.5 : Nicholas Pooran arrives now. |
| 6.1 : Moeen Ali to Nicholas Pooran, An appeal for lbw but turned down. Loopy ball, around leg. Pooran prods and looks to defend it out. He misses and gets rapped on the pads. The umpire says no for the appeal. |
| 6.2 : Moeen Ali to Nicholas Pooran, Full and on off. Pooran prods and defends it onto the pitch. |
| 6.3 : Moeen Ali to Nicholas Pooran, Tossed up, around off. Pooran plays it back to the bowler. |
| 6.4 : Moeen Ali to Nicholas Pooran, Flatter and around off. Pooran goes back and pulls it through mid-wicket for a single. |
| 6.5 : Moeen Ali to Dwayne Bravo, Floated, full and on off. Bravo comes inside the line and tucks it to mid-wicket for another run. |
| 6.6 : Moeen Ali to Nicholas Pooran, Flighted, full and on middle. Pooran blocks it out watchfully. The current pair of West Indies have to take care of the repair work. They have to grow into the innings and their side to safer shores. |
| 6.5 : Chris Jordan to have a go now! |
| 7.1 : Chris Jordan to Dwayne Bravo, FOUR! Well played! Bravo gets going now. Back of a length, outside off. Bravo hangs back and upper cuts it over backward point. The ball races away to the boundary. West Indies need more of this. |
| 0.0 : The captain, Kieron Pollard strides out. |
| 7.2 : Chris Jordan to Dwayne Bravo, OUT! CAUGHT! Again, the same pattern just like Gayle. Four and Out! With this half of the West Indies squad has been sent back. A full-length ball, around off. Bravo stays inside the crease and slashes it towards point. The ball stays a pinch above the ground and goes straight to Jonny Bairstow. He takes a brilliant low catch to add on to the misery of the defending champions. |
| 7.3 : Chris Jordan to Kieron Pollard, A slower, length ball, on off. Pollard pushes it to the man at mid off. |
| 7.4 : Chris Jordan to Kieron Pollard, Two dots after the wicket. Great bowling by Jordan. Full-length ball, on off. Pollard is glued to his crease, as he defends it out. |
| 7.5 : Chris Jordan to Kieron Pollard, Short ball, on off. Pollard hangs back and looks to pull it away. All he manages is to get is an inside edge onto the pads. |
| 7.6 : Chris Jordan to Kieron Pollard, Pollard opens his account with a single. Full and on middle. Pollard clips it towards mid-wicket and takes off for a single. Excellent over by Jordan, 5 runs and a wicket off it. |
| 7.4 : Change. Tymal Mills comes back on. 1/4 in his only over so far. |
| 8.1 : Tymal Mills to Kieron Pollard, WIDE! Good-length ball, outside off, angling across the right-hander. Pollard leaves it alone. Wide called by the umpire. |
| Tymal Mills to Kieron Pollard, Full and on the pads. Pollard tucks it to deep square leg for a single. |
| 8.2 : Tymal Mills to Nicholas Pooran, WIDE! Slower full-length ball, going down leg. Pooran looks to flick it away but misses. Wide called. |
| Tymal Mills to Nicholas Pooran, Good length and on off. Pooran blocks it back to the bowler. |
| 8.3 : Tymal Mills to Nicholas Pooran, Play and a miss! On a length, outside off, nips away a bit. Pooran looks to go for the booming drive but misses. |
| 8.4 : Tymal Mills to Nicholas Pooran, A bouncer outside off. Pooran looks to chase it but keeps his blade near his body in the end. Mills is really good with his variations. |
| 8.5 : Tymal Mills to Nicholas Pooran, WIDE! Mills misses his line again. He serves it full and down leg. Pooran looks to sweep it away but misses. Wide called. |
| 'Dre Russ time! Andre Russell trudges out for the Windies. |
| Tymal Mills to Nicholas Pooran, OUT! CAUGHT BEHIND! Tymal Mills picks up his second wicket and this time Pooran goes back for just one. England are cruising through at the moment. Mills fires in a full-length ball, outside off. The dots put the pressure on Pooran to go hunting for a boundary. Pooran swings his blade hard at it. Looking for a crisp drive but all he gets is an outside edge. Jos Buttler does the rest behind the stumps. West Indies slip further. |
| 8.6 : Tymal Mills to Andre Russell, Fuller, outside off, Andre Russell looks to heave this over the leg side but misses. |
| 9.1 : Chris Jordan to Kieron Pollard, Back of a length, on the pads. Pollard glances it off his hips behind square on the leg side and picks up a couple. |
| 9.2 : Chris Jordan to Kieron Pollard, A length ball, on off and jagging back in. Pollard gets squared up and gets hit on the thigh pads. |
| 9.3 : Chris Jordan to Kieron Pollard, A stifled appeal but there was an inside edge on it. Length ball, on off and angled in. Pollard looks to free his arms a bit and swipe across but gets an inside edge onto the pads. |
| 9.4 : Chris Jordan to Kieron Pollard, Length ball, on middle and cramping Pollard for room again. Pollard gets caught on the crease and gets hit high on the pads again. |
| 9.5 : Chris Jordan to Kieron Pollard, Short of a length, on off and defended towrdas cover. |
| 9.6 : Chris Jordan to Kieron Pollard, Short again, outside off and the West Indian skipper decides to let that one go. West Indies are 44/6 at the halfway stage. |
| 9.3 : Drinks! England are cruising at the moment as they have snared 6 wickets inside the first 10. They still have Kieron Pollard and Andre Russell to take care off and they will be hoping to send them back quickly. Windies will be hoping that this duo takes them to safer shores. |
| 10.1 : Adil Rashid to Andre Russell, OUT! Cleaned up! Adil Rashid gets rid of 'Dre Russ off his very first ball! Tossed up, on a length and around off. Andre Russell decides to spend some time at the crease and looks to get behind the line of the ball. Russell doesn't pick the slider as the ball skids on sharply. The ball goes through the gap between bat and pad and crashes into middle stump. Russell departs for a duck. West Indies in dire straits at the moment. |
| 0.0 : Akeal Hosein is in! |
| 10.2 : Adil Rashid to Akeal Hosein, Floated up, on off and pushed gently towards cover. |
| 10.3 : Adil Rashid to Akeal Hosein, Slower through the air and a bit fuller, on middle. Hosein manages to keep it out. |
| 10.4 : Adil Rashid to Akeal Hosein, Flatter one, on off and skidding on. Hosein slices it towards backward point. |
| 10.5 : Adil Rashid to Akeal Hosein, Flighted ball, on leg and spinning into the left-hander. Hosein nudges it towards square leg. |
| 10.6 : Adil Rashid to Akeal Hosein, On off and eased down to long off for a run. |
| 11.1 : Tymal Mills to Akeal Hosein, Back of a length, around middle. Hosein dabs it down towards short mid-wicket and sets off for a quick single. He looks for the second but Pollard sends him back and rightly so. |
| 11.2 : Tymal Mills to Kieron Pollard, Drop and run. A length ball, outside off, Pollard gently taps it towards cover-point and picks up a single. |
| 11.3 : Tymal Mills to Akeal Hosein, Back of a length, on off. Hosein punches it off the back foot through cover-point and rotates the strike. |
| 11.4 : Tymal Mills to Kieron Pollard, Fullish ball, on leg stump. Pollard clips it off his pads to deep square leg for one. |
| 11.5 : Tymal Mills to Akeal Hosein, Nice change of pace from Tymal Mills. Mills bowls it on a length, just outside off. Akeal Hosein looks to guide it through point but gets a bottom edge down to the keeper. |
| 11.6 : Tymal Mills to Akeal Hosein, Mills goes seam up now and hurls across a length ball, on off. This one jags back in sharply and raps Akeal Hosein on the pads as he looks to turn it on the leg side. Mills appeals but the umpire turns it down, might have been an inside edge on that one. |
| Out walks Obed McCoy. |
| 12.1 : Adil Rashid to Kieron Pollard, OUT! CAUGHT! This is probably the last nail in the coffin for West Indies as the skipper, Kieron Pollard departs. Pollard tries to toy with the bowler as he shuffles a bit inside the crease but Adil Rashid is having none of it. Rashid tosses it up full and on middle. Pollard decides to take it on but gets it off the toe end of the bat. The ball goes aerially towards long on, where Jonny Bairstow takes the simplest of catches. |
| 0.0 : Ravi Rampaul is the last man in for the Windies! |
| 12.2 : Adil Rashid to Obed McCoy, OUT! TAKEN! Well, West Indies are doing an excellent job of finding the fielders as the 9th wicket goes down. Adil Rashid tosses it up again, on middle. Obed McCoy plays it recklessly in the air and pays the price but he is a tailender and that's how tailenders play. McCoy doesn't quite get underneath the ball and ends up launching it straight to Jason Roy at long on. Roy doesn't make any mistake and Rashid is on a hat-trick. |
| 12.3 : Adil Rashid to Ravi Rampaul, Almost! Quicker one, on off and sliding across the left-hander. Rampaul goes back and across but the ball beats him on the outside edge. Rashid misses out on his Hat-Trick. |
| 12.4 : Adil Rashid to Ravi Rampaul, This is pushed a bit wider and Ravi Rampaul leaves it alone. |
| 12.5 : Adil Rashid to Ravi Rampaul, Fullish ball, sliding down the leg side. Rampaul works it through square leg and picks up a run. With that, the Fifty comes up for West Indies. |
| 12.6 : Adil Rashid to Akeal Hosein, That one had a bit of bite on it. Shortish ball, around off and the ball just pops up after landing. Akeal Hosein manages to fend it away. |
| 13.1 : Tymal Mills to Ravi Rampaul, Back of a length, on middle. Ravi Rampaul punches it off the back foot through covers for a single. |
| 13.2 : Tymal Mills to Akeal Hosein, Good-looking shot from Akeal Hosein. Good-length ball, outside off and cut away through cover-point. Jonny Bairstow runs to his left from deep backward point and keeps it to two. |
| 13.3 : Tymal Mills to Akeal Hosein, Play and a miss! Good-length ball, outside off and Hosein misses the cut short this time. |
| 13.4 : Tymal Mills to Akeal Hosein, Mills bowls a slower ball, full and on leg stump. Hosein digs it out to long on and picks up a run. |
| 13.5 : Tymal Mills to Ravi Rampaul, Peach! On a length, around off and angled in. The ball just holds it's line after pitching and agonisingly beats the outside edge of Ravi Rampaul's bat. |
| 13.6 : Tymal Mills to Ravi Rampaul, On top of off and bunted down towards cover-point for a quick single. |
| 14.1 : Adil Rashid to Ravi Rampaul, Loopy ball, outside off. The ball stays low and moves away. Rampaul leaves it alone. |
| 14.2 : Adil Rashid to Ravi Rampaul, OUT! TIMBER! Adil Rashid picks up his fourth wicket. This was a beautiful delivery from Rashid. Floated, full and on off. Rampaul looks to sweep it away but misses. The ball sneaks under the blade, spins in and hits the top of the stumps. WEST INDIES ARE BOWLED OUT AT 55. Yes, you read that right. |
| What a sublime bowling display this has been by the Brits! Morgan won the toss and they decided to bowl first and his bowlers have warranted this decision of his as they have bowled out the Windies for just 55. The fall of wickets was like a domino effect and it was started by Moeen Ali and then, the rest of the bowlers chipped in really well and it has been a combined bowling display by the English Lions, but, it was Adil Rashid, who ended with figures of 2.2-0-2-4 and spun a web around the Win |
| The less we speak regarding the batting by the Windies, the better. They just never got going and kept losing wickets regularly. When wickets kept falling, they needed a partnership to take them to safer shores but they could not stitch any stand of substance. Only Chris Gayle crossed the double-digit mark in terms of runs, whereas, the rest of the players could not even do that. A dismal show and the Windies have started off very poorly. |
| Tymal Mills is in up for a chat. He says, itâs been a long time since he played and he is happy that he could provide the team with the two wickets. Mentions, it is really annoying to move around with a back support, but he did perform in the domestic circuit and he glad he is back in time for the mega event. Adds that the boys were aggressive, and should intent in the field. On asked about Rashid he says, when a bowler is picking up wickets you canât keep him away from the ball. Praises th |
| Right. Just 56 is what England need to win and this should be a straightforward chase and victory for them, barring any surprises. The Windies will have to bowl out of their skin if they want to spring a surprise and make life difficult for the English batters. Let's see if the English batters chase this down nice and quick. Stay tuned for the run chase. |
| ... THE RUN CHASE ... |
| We are back for the chase! |
Google +
Facebook
Twitter
Whatsapp