Sunday, March 29, 2009

Live text - West Indies v England

FOURTH ONE-DAY INTERNATIONAL, Barbados:
West Indies 3-0 v England

LATEST ACTION (ALL TIMES BST)

606: DEBATE

e-mail tms@bbc.co.uk (with 'For Tom Fordyce' in the subject), text 81111 (with "CRICKET" as the first word) or use 606 . (Not all contributions can be used)

By Tom Fordyce

3rd over: WI 3-0
Anderson slides one past Simmons' outside edge but then angles down leg and is pushed through midwicket for a casual two. Lovely riposte from Jimmy, getting pace and lift outside off-stick to leave Simmons pushing blindly at warm Caribbean air.

2nd over: WI 1-0
Stuart Broad from the other end, his blond curtains bouncing as he leaps into his delivery stride. Simmons dead-bats off the back peg and is then clonked high on the front pad as he looks to flick legwards. Broad's face is smeared in more face-paint than Adam Ant's, and Simmons stands to deliver a dab down to third man for the first run of the day.

1st over: WI 0-0
Jimmy Anderson charges in to Skipper Gayle, and those are two super deliveries - right-arm over away-nibblers that sizzle past the outside edge. And another - Anderson has his hands on his head. Two slips in, and Gayle prods a back-foot defensive shot into the covers to conclude our first set of six - maiden, and early encouragement for the thirsty touristas in the stands.

1429: ...and here come the Windies opening pair of Simmons and the god-like Gayle. Decent crowd in, and although there are still strips of empty seats we're told it's a sell-out.

1425: England players are out loosening up. Seems a bit harsh, some of the Riot Act - I for one have enjoyed the occasional tumult without it causing too many problems for King and country, although the next-door neighbours weren't too happy about it. Riotous assemblies? One or two, one or two - but which clean-limbed young man with fresh blood pumping through his veins hasn't?

From Andrew Stone, TMS inbox: "Re 1410 - the Riot Act doesn't have a happy ending (unless you're a country squire and glad to bash a few revolting plebs)."

1417: Pitch looks hard and fast. Should suit Harmison, although why I've allowed a sliver of optimism to infiltrate this sentence I don't really know.

From Kate Sim, TMS inbox, re the Riot Act: "Our Sovereign Lord the King chargeth and commandeth all persons, being assembled, immediately to disperse themselves, and peaceably to depart to their habitations, or to their lawful business, upon the pains contained in the act made in the first year of King George, for preventing tumults and riotous assemblies. God Save the King!"

Good work Kate. If that doesn't teach the England team to play the short ball more effectively, nothing will.

1410: We're told that England stand-in coach Andy Flower has "read the Riot Act" to his team. Can't imagine it's the most gripping piece of writing, the riot act. Anyone else read it? All extracts welcome.

1404: ...and the toss: Andrew Strauss calls correctly and decides to insert the Windies. Reckons there's some moisture in the track early doors. "We've always reacted well to defeats in the past," says the skipper, "and we hope to do so again today."

1403: Team news from the Kensington Oval - Steve Harmison has been given the nod in place of Gareth Batty. Grey overhead at the mo, but heading for a prompt start.

1400: Afternoon all - welcome to British Summer Time. What do you mean, it's only 1300? What's that at the back - 1500 ? You've had a nightmare...

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