That’s it from us today. Cameron Ponsonby’s report from Antigua should land any moment. Thanks for your company, we’ll be back on Wednesday to bring you the series decider from Barbados. Goodnight!
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Shai Hope doesn’t pull any punches in his post match interview describing his own hundred as “irrelevant” adding “if it doesn’t contribute to wins, it does not matter.’
Personally I thought it was a decent score, especially with the conditions, the outfield was heavy, the surface was up and down, but it was not enough.
We need to be more disciplined, in the first game we showed that when he hit our straps things happen. We thought we had clear plans but we did not execute them well today.
Liam Livingstone is the Player of the Match sponsored by ‘Well, duh’:
The Tv coverage helpfully cuts out just as he starts to speak but I managed to get down that he felt he was back to his best at the end of summer, he feels like his game is maturing and it is a proud day for him and his loved ones. He heaps praise on his side and Sam Curran in particular “Sammy played beautifully.”
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What a few weeks Liam Livingstone has had. Dropped for the Australia series. Recalled. Made Captain. Maiden ODI Century.
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ENGLAND WIN BY 5 wickets (with 15 balls remaining)
Liam Livingstone seals the win with a drive to mid off. A broad grin bursts across his face as he sees his side home and finishes unbeaten on 124* off 84 balls. Sublime innings.
The series is level at 1-1 with a decider in Barbados coming up on Wednesday.
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47th over: England 327-5 (Livingstone 123, Mousley 3) Dan Mousley opens the face to glide a single and get Livingstone on strike to Shamar Joseph. SIX! Low full toss and Livingstone stoops low and hockey flicks for SIX over fine leg. AND AGAIN! Another full toss is dispatched into the stands over midwicket! Lookout! Joseph goes full and Livingstone bunts the ball back at him with ferocity, the bowler ducks and the ball skims for four like a pebble across an ice rink. All over bar the shouting now, England need two more runs to level the series – what a knock it has been from Livingstone, incredible acceleration.
46th over: England 303-5 (Livingstone 101, Mousley 2) Dan Mousley comes to the crease to join his captain and tickles a single off his pads to get off the mark. England need 26 from 24. West Indies need wickets.
WICKET! Curran c Hetmyer b Forde 52 (England 300-5)
Curran slugs the next ball and finds the man on the deep point fence. Too little too late for West Indies?
100 for Liam Livingstone!
A drive down the ground sees Livingstone reach three figures. Warmly applauded by the England balcony, no great celebration from the England captain, he’s still got a job to do. England need 33 more runs from 28 balls – he’d dearly love to be there at the end.
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45th over: England 298-4 (Livingstone 99, Curran 51) Liam Livingstone thrashes Jayden Seales for 26 runs off the over! Seales goes wide and England’s captain picks him time and again, throwing his bat and seeing the ball disappear over the rope for back to back SIXES! A four through midwicket sees Livingstone to the cusp of his maiden ODI century!
44th over: England 272-4 (Livingstone 75, Curran 51) Shamar Joseph returns, West Indies desperately need to break this partnership. England would love it Kevin Keegan style if Livingstone and Curran saw them over the line. Sam Curran goes to a well made half century with a clip down to long on. Joseph can’t get the breakthrough but he has been impressive in his first ODI appearance, he has 1-48 with one over left up his sleeve. England need 57 from 36.
43rd over: England 267-4 (Livingstone 73, Curran 49) Motie drops short and is slugged onto the grass banks for SIX by Livingstone. The next ball is length but Livingstone is onto his knees in a flash and smearing away flat for SIX more! Motie has 0-55 from his eight overs, this is already his most expensive ODI spell. England need 63 from 42 and Livingstone is ticking.
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42nd over: England 250-4 (Livingstone 60, Curran 46) No boundaries off Roston Chase’s final over but seven runs keeps England ticking, 79 needed from 48.
41st over: England 243-4 (Livingstone 58, Curran 41) Four singles off Motie and then Livinsgtone flicks the switch. He drives past long on for four to go to fifty and then smears a slog sweep over midwicket for SIX! Has the skipper timed this to perfection? 14 off the over and experience at the crease – England need 86 from 54 balls to keep the series alive.
40th over: England 229-4 (Livingstone 46, Curran 39) Chase it is and it is just three singles. England need 100 from the last ten overs. You do the math(s). Something’s gotta give and soon.
39th over: England 226-4 (Livingstone 44, Curran 38) Shamar Joseph mixes his line, length and speed up nicely to get out of his over for the cost of just five runs. England need a big over - a twenty plusser - to get them back in touch. Who are they going to target? Chase has been hard to get away so far, he has two overs left and will likely bowl through.
38th over: England 221-4 (Livingstone 42, Curran 36) Tight lines. (Visions, dreams of passion) Just three singles eked off Roston Chase’s latest frugal over. England need 108 from 72 balls and will need to open up the shoulders soon.
37th over: England 218-4 (Livingstone 41, Curran 34) Five off the returning Shamar Joseph. Livingstone has used up 47 balls for his 41, this must be his slowest innings for England?
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36th over: England 213-4 (Livingstone 38, Curran 32) Eight runs off the over as Livingstone and Curran up the ante. Gah!
35th over: England 205-4 (Livingstone 36, Curran 29) There we go! Sam Curran breaks the maroon shackles with a four through midwicket, the first boundary in 34 balls. London bus boundaries – Curran drives the next to the fence too. 124 needed from 90 balls.
You’re still thinking about the Ants in the risotto rice aren’t you? It’s an OBOvershare.
Erm – X marks the spot?
34th over: England 193-4 (Livingstone 30, Curran 18) Curran and Livingstone can’t find the boundary, it’s been more than five overs since the sponge was last breached. Five more singles off Chase – 136 needed from 96 balls.
RISOTTO UPDATE – There were ANTS in the Arborio. Ants. Actual creepy crawlies in the box of rice. Nevermind England’s run rate – this is a culinary disaster. ANTS!
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33rd over: England 188-4 (Livingstone 30, Curran 18) DEATH BY THREE SINGLES AN OVER.
32nd over: England 185-4 (Livingstone 28, Curran 17) Just three singles off the over and the rate climbs above eight an over. England are labouring.
31st over: England 182-4 (Livingstone 26, Curran 16) The game is simmering. <INSERT RISOTTO GAG>
30th over: England 178-4 (Livingstone 24, Curran 14) Just three singles off Chase. England need 151 off the last twenty…
29th over: England 175-4 (Livingstone 23, Curran 12) Hello Gruesome! Sam Curran clobbers his second ball from Motie over the leg side for SIX. It was a no ball too – freebie incoming… four more! Curran off to a flier.
Incredible scenes at Casa Wallace as my beloved offers up cheese on toast for dinner before immediately bursting up from the sofa and declaring a haddock risotto is in the offing. What a rollercoaster. I can already hear the ladle in action.
WICKET! Bethell c Seales b Chase 55 (England 160-4)
Uh oh. Just as I gave him the biggun… Bethell holes out to Roston Chase. The bat twisted in his hands as he attempted another swipe down the ground, Jayden Seales taking a solid catch. Right approach (England need runs and quick) but poor execution. Bethell’s eye-catching knock comes to an end.
28th over: England 160-4 (Livingstone 21) Sam Curran is the new man…
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27th over: England 158-3 (Bethell 54, Livingstone 20) Things calm down with just a couple of singles collected off Motie.
26th over: England 156-3 (Bethell 53, Livingstone 19) Some scintillating strokeplay sees Jacob Bethell hit three boundaries in the over and reach a maiden ODI half century in style! A SIX over midwicket from deep in his crease sees Bethell to fifty. He’s got something this kid. Remember another young batter arriving on the scene in ODI cricket with a skunky doo, a swagger and a penchant for hitting sixes? Answers on a text message postcard…
25th over: England 140-3 (Bethell 37, Livingstone 19) Bethell and Livingstone tick along with a single each as we reach the halfway stage. Plenty of discussion on the wireless about the nature of Salt’s dismissal.
24th over: England 138-3 (Bethell 36, Livingstone 178) Bethell leans back and slams Shamar Jospeh over midwicket for SIX. Hold the pose young man. England need 191 runs from 26 overs to keep this series alive.
Brian Withington, as ever, is a fount of knowledge:
“Hi James, Your earlier mention of a potentially abstract OBO without the benefit of TV pictures reminded me of the description of ‘synthetic’ Ashes radio commentaries by ABC from the 30s. These involved the broadcaster in Australia receiving regular telegrams from England that were then lovingly embellished by the team ‘as live’ complete with pencil taps for batting strokes and gramophone sound effects for crowd noise etc.
I’m not sure whether ABC owned up to its audience about the nature of the coverage, or what the implications were for any Antipodean spread betting markets at the time…”
23rd over: England 127-3 (Bethell 27, Livingstone 17) It’s not pretty but it is SIX! Livingstone smears Forde over square leg with one hand off the bat.
Some wibbling rivalry afoot? “Hi James, please ask Kevin Wilson - over 19 - if he’s “that one” and if so, where’s me feckin’ bike?” emails Gareth WILSON. I’m on tenterhooks and Gareth, crucially, is seemingly not on two wheels…
Penny for yer farthings, Kevin Wilson?
22nd over: England 117-3 (Bethell 25, Livingstone 9) Lucky Lad! Livingstone aims a huge hoick to Shamar and gets a meaty edge that flies between Shai Hope and slip and away for four!
21st over: England 108-3 (Bethell 24, Livingstone 1) Captain Livingstone comes to the crease with his side needing 222 more runs. Make that 221 as he gets of the mark with a firm drive. I don’t think he plans to get them in singles BECAUSE THE MATHS DOESN’T WORK FOR ONE THING.
WICKET! Salt c Motie b Forde 59 (England 107-3)
Matthew Forde comes back and strikes with his first ball! Disaster for England as they lose their set man. Salt tries to launch the first ball of the over but gets nowhere near the pitch, sending a skier miles up and eventually down into the hands of Motie. Good innings but England needed him to make it count and get a big one.
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20th over: England 107-2 (Salt 59, Bethell 24) Roston Chase and his stuttering, *judderman off spin are summoned. Bethell dances down again and pierces the field for another sumptuous four!
*Remember this? Chilling.
19th over: England 102-2 (Salt 58, Bethell 20) Shot! The hundred up for England as Bethell uses his feet to get to the pitch, driving Motie handsomely through the covers for four. He can bat this lad, just ask Rob Key and Brendon McCullum.
Not that Kevin Wilson is convinced…
“Clearly Cox and Bethell are way out of their depth at this level but taking that to one side, Livingstone with his experience should be batting at three, ahead of the two novices, surely?”
18th over: England 94-2 (Salt 56, Bethell 14) Leg byes a bonus for England as Rutherford slides onto the his and the ball runs away fine past Hope for four. Salt drives down the ground for a single and Bethell works off the back foot in style.
17th over: England 86-2 (Salt 55, Bethell 12) Motie twirls away after drinks. Bethell drives for a couple but can’t rotate strike for the rest of the over as the spinner stitches together five dots in a row.
16th over: England 84-2 (Salt 55, Bethell 10) Sherane Rutherford replaces Shamar Joseph and it all goes a bit medium pace out in Antigua. Bethell stands up tall and cuts into the off side for a couple. Time for a well deserved slurp of electrolytes Yorkshire Gold. Drinks.
15th over: England 78-2 (Salt 54, Bethell 5) Five singles worked off Motie with no alarms, no surprises and NO handshakes of carbon monoxide.
14th over: England 73-2 (Salt 51, Bethell 3) Salt slaps a short ball from Shamar through midwicket to go to fifty – his first of the calendar year in ODIs. He’s looked in fine fettle so far today and will need to kick on to a big score if England are to have a chance.
13th over: England 68-2 (Salt 46, Bethell 3) Time for some spin. On comes Gudakesh Motie fresh off his match winning 4-41 in the first ODI. Bethell runs him away fine past point for three runs to open his account.
“You suggested that Sir Alastair might have been wearing waterproof waders. Are there non-waterproof waders?”
Milletts are lucky to have you, Andrew Cosgrove.
12th over: England 63-2 (Salt 43, Bethell 0) The bleach bonced Jacob Bethell arrives in the middle. He jabs down on a Shamar Joseph yorker and is given an examination by the bowler that he does well to survive. Top over from Shamar, removing Cox and working over the new man Bethell.
WICKET! Cox c Hope b Joseph 4 (England 63-2)
Hmmm Jordan Cox’s vigil comes to a sorry end as he flaps at a Shamar Joseph short ball and gifts a dolly to Hope behind the stumps. A curious innings, Cox is a swaggeringly confident character but that batting display was the complete opposite.
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11th over: England 62-1 (Salt 43, Cox 4) A few wags suggesting that Jordan Cox is auditioning for the Test side which doesn’t really work as a joke because the Test side go at it like the clappers and Cox currently has 4 off 18 balls. But y’know, fine to join in.
10th over: England 58-1 (Salt 42, Cox 2) Tidy over from Shamar Joseph to finish the poweplay. Just a Salt single and a Jordan Cox leg bye off it.
9th over: England 56-1 (Salt 41, Cox 2) Salt doesn’t time a full ball from Seales but still manages to lift back over the bowler for four.
“If Sir Alistair was channelling Sunak’s look, how long were his trousers?” asks Damian Clarke. His trews were hidden behind a gleaming TNT branded plinth but I reckon the lantern jawed one is sporting your classic combo of navy chinos and pundit shoes, you know the ones – black with white soles as thick as two slices of Warburtons. That or his waterproof waders, fresh from the farm.
8th over: England 50-1 (Salt 36, Cox 1) On comes Shamar Joseph. Salt greets him with a bosh down the ground for four! That’s England’s fifty up, largely down to Salt. Cox has been subdued since his arrival, patting back dot balls before eventually spluttering a single to get off the mark.
7th over: England 44-1 (Salt 31, Cox 0) Don’t bowl there to Mr Sodium Chloride! Forde drops short and wide and salt duly clobbers it past point to the fence. That’s elemental my dear Matthew.
6th over: England 38-1 (Salt 26, Cox 0) Salt drops and runs a quick single. Seales keeps Jordan Cox honest, five dots complete the over.
5th over: England 37-1 (Salt 25, Cox 0) Salt is joined by Jordan Cox who defends his first ball to see out the over. Jacks had just started to settle into his innings with a clip for three and a blistering drive for four but he gifted his wicket away to Forde the very next ball. Elsewhere, Topsy and Tim are discussing the merits or otherwise of Friedrich Nietzsche. I can’t quite hear from the next room but am pretty sure that’s what’s happening. And they’ve lost the next door neighbour’s dog?
“To live is to suffer, to survive is to find some meaning in the suffering” Topsy is not taking the hound’s disappearance at all well.
WICKET! Jacks c Lewis b Forde 12 (England 37-1)
Jacks jumps across his stumps and flicks in the air straight to the man on the square leg fence. He pounds his pads in frustration as he walks off. Softer than room temp Mr Whippy that one.
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Oh, I’ve twiddled the nobs to make the OBO mailbag go to my email and not Tanya’s, do get in touch if you are tuning in…
4th over: England 25-0 (Salt 20, Jacks 5) Jacks clips for two through midwicket and Salt continues to hit through the line nicely, threading another drive through the cover region for four. Decent start this from the England openers, they are up with the rate.
My toddler has commandeered the television with some pre bath-time Topsy and Tim viewing so I’m forced into the bedroom to watch on my phone for a while. Trust me, it’s just easier like this.
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3rd over: England 19-0 (Salt 14, Jacks 5) We’re back with images from the ground. Phew. Things could have got quite abstract if I was left to do 40 odd overs off a scorecard. Just a couple of singles off Forde as Jacks and Salt try and fail to penetrate the ring.
2nd over: England 17-0 (Salt 13, Jacks 4) The tv coverage is down but I can tell you that Salt hit a boundary and Jacks is underway too with 9 runs pocketed off Jayden Seales’ first over.
1st over: England 8-0 (Salt 8, Jacks 0) Sprightly start by Phil Salt who picks up four with a crunching drive through the covers off Forde and makes it 8 runs off the first over with a couple of scampered twos in the same region. The tv coverage has just gone haywire so the next over or two might be a bit vague. What do you mean…
Like I say, England are up against it…
The players are on their way out to the middle. Salt and Jacks take guard and shimmy their shoulders. Matthew Forde is going to start with the new ball fresh off smearing those mighty sixes at the end of West Indies’ innings.
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Srralastair Cook is sporting a Rishi Sunak style funnel knit sweater on my tv as he heaps praise on Shai Hope. He’s right about one thing and it ain’t sartorial.
Thanks Tanya and hello all. That feels very much like a match-winning total from West Indies, England started quite well with some thrifty stuff from John Turner at the start but Adil Rashid was uncharacteristically expensive and England’s NINE bowlers failed to keep Hope, Carty and Rutherford under control.
England’s rookie line-up will attempt to haul down the sizeable total in a few minutes, they’ll have to go some.
England will need 329 to win
A corking century from Shai Hope with hearty support from Carty and Rutherford, and destructive cameos from Hetmyer and Forde. It’s going to be a tricky quest for this inexperienced England line-up but Jim is the man to take you through it. Thanks for all your messages – have a lovely evening.
50th over: West Indies 328-6 ( Chase 20, Forde 23) Saqib with the final over. One off the first two balls, then Forde switches the on button. Lofts Saqib straight, up to lick the clouds, and down over the rope for SIX. The next is flayed against the wind for SIX more. A third SIX follows with a swivel and a club. Saqib signs off with a wide yorker, but that’s a hell of a total to chase.
49th over: West Indies 309-6 ( Chase 19, Forde 2) After a series of singles, Chase is able to get hold of a wider delivery and thrash it to the point boundary.
48th over: West Indies 300-6 ( Chase 13, Forde 2) Saqib’s seventh over is a miserly one, and West Indies creep past 300, with two overs left. What can these not-set batters conjure form the final 12 balls?
WICKET! Hope c Livingstone b Archer 117 (West Indies 297-6)
47th over: West Indies 297-6 ( Chase 11) On. The. Button. (until a wide full toss sixth ball). Pace off as the commentators have been imploring. Hope flies for the rope but this time Livingstone is waiting at long off and holds on as he slips to the ground. Hope limps off to congratulations from the England fielders.
46th over: West Indies 293-5 ( Hope 116, Chase 10) Saqib steams in. Chase drives squarely and with gumption and the ball flies for four. Hope throws bat, hoover and unwanted box of brandy glasses, the result is a ball top-edged behind for four more. Windies fast approaching 300 with four overs still left.
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45th over: West Indies 284-5 ( Hope 112, Chase 5) Hope looks like he has cramp, or a pulled muscle in his thigh. Decides the aerial route is the most lucrative and promptly thrashes Rashid for a stinging four and a swarthy six.
100 for Shai Hope!
44th over: West Indies 271-5 ( Hope 101, Chase 2) With a shimmied drive, Hope reaches three figures to a touch of the gloves from Chase and enthusiastic applause from this teammates. Cracking innings. He now has 17 ODI hundreds, behind only Gayle, Haynes and Lara. Excellent over from the returning Mahmood.
43rd over: West Indies 267-4 ( Hope 99, Chase 1) Hetmeyer swings one more glorious six, before falling victim to the trusty Rashid googly.
WICKET! Hetmeyer c Archer b Rashid 24 (West Indies 265-5)
Dances merrily down to the googly, gets an outside edge which flies into the hands of Archer at point. England breathe a huge sigh of relief.
42nd over: West Indies 257-4 ( Hope 97, Hetmyer 17) Hetmyer, batting without a helmet against Livingstone, huge necklace with a cricket bat hanging from it. Is dropped by Will Jacks at long on, who turns a hot potato into an upside down plate of mash. Makes the most of his life by thrashing Livingstone for two elephantine sixes, interspersed only by two wides. Eighteen from the over.
41st over: West Indies 239-4 ( Hope 95, Hetmyer 3) Adil Rashid comes on and immediately pulls back the scoring rate. the umpire checks for a stumping, but no cigar.
“I love cricket, Tanya. But I am finding it hard to get overly excited about this series.” (I don’t think you’re alone Guy Hornsby). “It’s great to see these two teams play, and I’ll always have time for the West Indies. And my, Sherfane Rutherford certainly isn’t bothered what I think. In a 5-an-over game for everyone else, he’s broken this open. If we need to chase more than 300, that’s going to be a huge task. We seem a front line bowler short here.”
40th over: West Indies 235-4 ( Hope 93, Hetmyer 1) Rutherford winds himself up for a booming four but bottom edges past the keeper and just beats Archer to the rope. Deliberately irritates Livingstone by once more walking away as he is about to bowl. Booms him for six, but Livi gets the final laugh. Awesome innings though – 54 off 36.
WICKET! Rutherford c Mousley b Livingstone 54 (West Indies 234-4)
Leans back, aims to clear extra-cover once more but this time doesn’t get the power and Mousley dives into a smart catch.
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39th over: West Indies 223-3 ( Hope 92, Rutherford 44) Curran has been handed the filler overs. Rutherford muscles him with enviable power for four amongst a handful of singles.
38th over: West Indies 215-3 ( Hope 90, Rutherford 38) Singles milked, then a sweetly-time four through the covers from Hope to take him into the nineties. A tough test for Mousley.
Good afternoon Tom Hopkins. “I think it’s notable that one player they haven’t moved on from (and I’m guessing are dreading the day they won’t have the choice) is Adil Rashid. I’m not sure he ever quite got the recognition he deserved, outside of Morgan (in a different way) he was for my money the most irreplaceable part of all that success.
”He doesn’t have the team around him that he once did, but let’s still enjoy him while we can.”
Agree – he is quietly irreplaceable. England are desperately hoping that young Jafer Chohan, who came to Yorkshire via SACA, and has learnt under the watchful eye of Rashid, will grow to fill his shoes.
37th over: West Indies 206-3 ( Hope 85, Rutherford 34) Hope jiggles Curran past point where an adept bit of fielding saves four. A bit of this, a bit of that, but still six from the over.
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36th over: West Indies 200-3 ( Hope 81, Rutherford 33) This feels like the calm before the storm. Livingstone brings on Mousley. A big shout for caught behind as Rutherford has a swing. England review for caught behind but not a quiver on the line to be seen. Rutherford finishes the over by opening up and grill-panning four – with pepper sauce.
35th over: West Indies 190-3 ( Hope 79, Rutherford 25) Sam Curran is thrown the ball for the first time, and scuttles in with his round shouldered approach. Four from the over.
"Age, experience and all the other excuses taken into account this is simply the worst ODI side we have had since 2016. Anyway good to speak to you in the winter months for a change.” Good to speak to you too Peter Rutherford! Shorn of the Test players, this group do seem a little lacking in match-day wisdom (hardly surprising when they don’t play any 50-over cricket).
34th over: West Indies 188-3 ( Hope 79, Rutherford 24) Turner is whistled back into the attack. Starts with a wide. A shorter ball is swung with a whip and swivel over a deep fine leg for six by Rutherford, who then pings four through deep midwicket. He and Hope share a hearty chuckle and they all take drinks.
33rd over: West Indies 174-3 ( Hope 74, Rutherford 16)Wow! Rutherford leans back and flays six against the wind. He and Livingstone have a petty battle over Rutherford not being ready for the delivery. The run rate creeps up to 5.27.
32nd over: West Indies 165-3 ( Hope 73, Rutherford 8) Archer puts the brake on, West Indies squeeze just three from his over. And we tick on.
31st over: West Indies 162-3 ( Hope 72, Rutherford 6) Rutherford replaces Carty and immediately has to tie his shoe laces. He pancakes his second ball up and over for four. Rashid looks quizzical. The cameras pan in on steaming barbeques of meat.
WICKET! Carty b Rashid 71 (West Indies 155-3)
A flick of the wrist, a googly, and an inside edge onto the pad and into the stumps.
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30th over: West Indies 154-2 ( Carty 71, Hope 70) Carty goes for broke, swinging at a short ball from Archer. He’s fallen for the trap but gets height on the ball – Turner gets his hands to the ball but over the boundary falling backwards, and can’t push it back over the rope. Carty repeats the shot next delivery, the ball flies into Turner’s hands again, but he can’t hold on as he falls and rolls to the ground. Archer is furious and immediately serves up a wide.
29th over: West Indies 143-2 ( Carty 62, Hope 69) Adil Rashid back too, as Livingstone brings back the heavy mob in an attempt to make a breakthrough. Four singles from the over.
28th over: West Indies 139-2 ( Carty 60, Hope 67) Jofra Archer is back, now with sleeves on both arms. Immediately he turns off the tap, Carty nods out of the way of a bouncer. Ah, I speak to0 soon, as Carty playfully shimmies him over deep third.
“We maybe need to give this England side a break for much of what has happened recently due to the young age and inexperience of the side,” taps Brendan Large, “but the level of fielding, and particularly dropped catches, has been truly awful recently.”
Fifty for Keacy Carty!
27th over: West Indies 133-2 ( Carty 55, Hope 66) Carty brings up his fifty by dropping to his knees, rolling the wrists and oiling the ball to the rope. Made at a pretty good lick too: 62 balls, the partnership now worth 121.
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26th over: West Indies 124-2 ( Carty 47, Hope 65) Liam Livingstone pulls mid-off up; Shai Hope lofts Jacks over the top for four. At just over the half-way mark, West Indies have a reassuringly solid base.
25th over: West Indies 117-2 ( Carty 45, Hope 60) Ooof, I think that was a dropped catch by Salt behind the stumps, he certainly flies forward with the desperate air of a flailing man. Yes, the replay shows Hope pressing and the ball flies off the edge into Salt’s gloves, but he can’t hold on. Bethell falls to the ground dramatically, head in hands.
24th over: West Indies 114-2 ( Carty 43, Hope 59) A double change, as Will Jacks replaces Rashid. Nine from the over, topped off when Hope drives the last ball with style for four.
Fifty for Shai Hope!
23rd over: West Indies 105-2 ( Carty 40, Hope 53) A youthful experiment with the peroxide bottle marks Jacob Bethell out in the field – and Livingstone beckons him to the bowling crease. Hope reaches fifty by lofting a pretty filthy pie way over midwicket for SIX – a sensible innings off just 66 balls.
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21st over: West Indies 97-2 ( Carty 39, Hope 46) Enough! Hope flaps at Livingstone’s first ball, Carty cuts his second which bissects the fielders and races to the rope – the first boundary for a while. Emboldened, Carty ploughs again – nine from the over.
21st over: West Indies 88-2 ( Carty 30, Hope 43) Mark Butcher reckons that Carty is struggling to pick Rashid, who with pushed up sleeve and impish beard reels in. A dab behind by Carty brings a single, but there are only another couple of singles to add to the pot.
20th over: West Indies 84-2 ( Carty 30, Hope 43) Three singles wrung from Liam Livingstone’s hankerchief. Just 13 runs from the last five overs.
19th over: West Indies 80-2 ( Carty 29, Hope 41) England’s spinners racing through their overs here, economically too. West Indies need to keep an eye on this.
18th over: West Indies 80-2 ( Carty 27, Hope 41) Marcus Trescothick watches with folded arms and a towel around his neck as Carty can only pick a single from Livingstone’s over.
An email! Hello Andrew Benton.
“I joined the multi-nation crowd at the excellent Cricket Sixes today here in Hong Kong, where in one match England let Oman score the highest of the tournament so far (160), dropping at least two catches in the process, and then proceeded to be on the receiving end of some excellent catching from their opponents that left them without a hope. Hopefully the one day side will be better prepared. And Oman were vibrant in orange outfits, too, they really stood out. With 12 nations playing, the crowd was a real mixture, not just the home side and their single opponents, and there was a really cool and friendly atmosphere.
“Are the sixes competitions elsewhere, do you know? Hong Kong’s used to be big business in the 90’s as I recall, but they stopped holding them a few years before covid and this is the first time in 7 years.”
All I know of is the Dermot-Reeve era 1990s competition – but OBO viewers around the world may know more.
17th over: West Indies 79-2 ( Carty 27, Hope 41) Rashid rattles through another, West Indies pick up three and they take DRINKS!
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16th over: West Indies 76-2 ( Carty 24, Hope 40) Liam Livingstone brings himself on, sunglasses of course, and opens with a loopy legspinner, immediately dries his hands on the pitch. Mark Butcher says the ball is coming onto the bat better as the moisture rises from the pitch.
15th over: West Indies 72-2 ( Carty 23, Hope 37) A delicious on-drive from Hope as Saqib strays, celebrated with cow bells and flag waving as it crosses the rope. A handful of singles.
13th over: West Indies 64-2 ( Carty 21, Hope 31) …so a repressed Hope sticks a big maroon pad down the pitch and lofts Rashid for six . The fifty partnership comes up off 62 balls. A testing googly squeezes through Carty’s gate.
13th over: West Indies 54-2 ( Carty 19, Hope 23) England’s shirt rises quite high around the neck, good for sunburn I suppose. Excellent from Saqib, who sends down nothing for the West Indies to go at….
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12th over: West Indies 52-2 ( Carty 18, Hope 2) Time for Adil Rashid, who whistles through his first over of twirly stuff.
11th over: West Indies 48-2 ( Carty 17, Hope 19) Saqib, closely cropped of beard and head, strays a tad full and Hope drives him exquisitely for four down the ground. Saqib pulls things back with four consecutive dots.
10th over: West Indies 41-2 ( Carty 16, Hope 13) Turner goes short, Hope goes high, with the wind and a snuff of arrogance, and the ball sails over cover for the first six of the match. End of the first power play.
9th over: West Indies 33-2 ( Carty 15, Hope 6) Jofra gets a rest, to be replace by Saqib Mahmood – who recently signed a new three-year white-ball contract with Lancashire (though still with the hope of playing red ball should his body allow). The cameras pan to an inviting turquoise Caribbean Sea. Four stolen from the over.
8th over: West Indies 29-2 ( Carty 14, Hope 3) Carty has had enough of this cat and mouse and swings at Turner – missing wildly. Two balls later he drives recklessly to where three fielders are bunched like milk bottles, crouching square on the offside. Bethell leaps but can only palm the ball upwards (and save two runs in the process). Carty goes again later in the over, this time angling the ball down through the hovering trio, and picks up four.
7th over: West Indies 23-2 ( Carty 8, Hope 3) A cheeky breeze ruffles the flags and the T-shirts of the crowd, the sky full of fluffy mottled clouds – think a reception-class collage. “A good battle between Jofra and Shai Hope” says the commentator “Jofra is disciplined, as is Hope, knowing that this might be Jofra’s last over.” And a maiden it is.
6th over: West Indies 23-2 ( Carty 8, Hope 3) Turner tidy and quick. Quite an intimidating figure actually as he runs in. Most of the crowd lightly filling the stadium seem to be Brits.
5th over: West Indies 19-2 ( Carty 5, Hope 3) A third over on the trot for Archer, accelerating into the high 80s (mph) and varying his length. Five dots.
4th over: West Indies 17-2 ( Carty 5, Hope 1) A morale-boosting boundary from Turner’s last ball, but a testing over from the young giant. West Indies defiantly not doing as Alastair Cook instructed and getting through England’s initial burst.
WICKET! Lewis c Salt b Turner 4 (West Indies 12-2)
Turner goes around the wicket and Lewis swivels with six-hitting anticipation, but can only tipple the ball through to Salt
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3rd over: West Indies 12-1 (Lewis 4, Carty 1) Archer tries to tempt Lewis with a bouncer, but he shows admirable restraint, and finishes the over with a fuller length ball that Lewis plays straight back down the pitch for a single.
2nd over: West Indies 7-1 (Lewis 0, Carty 0) King drives his second ball through the off side for four with some style, but two balls later is walking back to the dressing room. Turner raises his long arm in bouncing delight.
WICKET! King c Cox b Turner 7 (West Indies 7-1)
A first international wicket for young Turner as King drives rakishly away from the body and Jordan Cox pounces at backward point.
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1st over: West Indies 1-0 (King 1, Lewis 0) Jofra Archer has the new ball, little white beads threaded through the bottom of his braids, a sleeve on his right arm, red soles on his boots. One of his trouser legs looks as if its has been chewed off at the bottom by a hungry dog. Just a single from the over.
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The players are out, as is the sun, away we go.
Apologies, I’ve just realised the email address on the page was wrong. Should now work – ping things this way if you have something on your mind: tanya.aldred.freelance@theguardian.com
A steaming plate of cheese on toast enters the room alongside my son, sadly none for me. Cook thinks we could see 15 overs of “heavy seam” from England to start.
Pitch watch: Carlos Brathwaite gets intimate with the batting surface – “What is a good length? Six to eight metres from the popping crease. What Jaydon Seales did really well is get from being defensive at eight metres to being attacking a six metres.”
Jason Holder and Alastair Cook both agree that West Indies need to get through this initial burst from England.
A twelfth ODI loss in 18 matches? “Not where England is at”
West Indies XI
One change for West Indies too, Shamar Joseph makes his debut, Alzarri Joseph takes a rest.
West Indies XI: Brandon King, Evin Lewis, Keacy Carty, Shai Hope (capt and wk), Sherfane Rutherford, Shimron Hetmyer, Roston Chase, Shamar Joseph, Gudakesh Motie, Matthew Forde, Jayden Seales
England XI
One change – Saqib Mahmood comes in for Jamie Overton.
England XI: Phil Salt (wk), Will Jacks, Jordan Cox, Jacob Bethhell, Liam Livingstone (capt), Sam Curran, Dan Mousley, Adil Rashid, Jofra Archer, Saqib Mahmood, John Turner
Alastair Cook says that this England size looks much better balanced.
England won the toss and will field
Liam Livingstone calls correctly!
Preamble
Hello and welcome to match two of this white-ball series, sliced into the schedules like a piece of processed cheese. An eight wicket defeat wasn’t how England would have chosen to start their three ODI and five T20 Caribbean adventure but on they plug, at least Jordan Clark, Dan Mousley, Jamie Overton and John Turner now have an ODI under their belts.
West Indies outgunned England in almost every area after Shai Hope won the toss, with the returning Evin Lewis a hurricane force success with the bat, and West Indies knocking off a revised target with 55 ball remaining.
Today we return to the Sir Vivian Richards stadium, North Sound, Antigua – with an early 9.30am start Antiguan time (1.30pm GMT).