Rob Smyth's Blog, page 128
July 14, 2019
New Zealand v England: Cricket World Cup final 2019 – live!
9.02am BST
Morning everyone. So, today’s the big day. It’s the men’s singles final at Wimbledon. It’s the British Grand Prix at Silverstone. It’s even, as I discovered driving home last night, the Dog Show in Rockingham. But then all those things happen every year. In St John’s Wood, London, just round the corner from the Beatles’ zebra crossing, something is happening that hasn’t happened for 27 years. ENGLAND ARE IN THE CRICKET WORLD CUP FINAL.
It was in 1992, in Melbourne, that England last appeared in this fixture. They bowled well enough against Imran Khan’s Pakistan, and had the game under control, until Wasim Akram destroyed them with two balls of the greatest reverse swing you will ever goggle at in disbelief. To find England in a World Cup final in England, you have to wind the videotape of life back even further, to 1979. Yes, it’s 40 years since these hosts last made it to their own party. To remember that day, you have to be middle-aged now; to have reported it, you have to be a pensioner.
12.50am BST
Pre-preamble
Tim will be here shortly. In the meantime, here’s Barney Ronay’s match preview.
Related: New Zealand fitting final foes after England’s thrilling transformation | Barney Ronay
Continue reading...
July 11, 2019
Australia v England: Cricket World Cup 2019 semi-final – live!
9.22am BST
Breakfast reading
Related: England are back to their best, says Eoin Morgan before Australia semi-final
Related: Australia absorb mishaps knowing World Cup demons are England’s | Geoff Lemon
Related: England have the chance to make history but Australia stand in the way
9.22am BST
The weather It’s beautiful at Edgbaston this morning, although the Met Office are forecasting thunderstorms for early evening. That means DLS could be a factor in this match. There is a reserve day scheduled, but I think the match will finish today as long as 20 overs have been bowled in the second innings. There’s a strong whiff of potential farce and controversy there. But the playing conditions have a level of clarity usually reserved for mudheaps, so I might be wrong.
7.58am BST
Hello again. Glad you’ve logged on – you’ve obviously heard there’s a cricket match today. It’s Australia v England, for the right to play New Zealand in the World Cup final on Sunday. This game is almost too big to function. It’s England most important since September 2005, Australia’s since March 2015. For both countries, defeat is so unthinkable that it hurts trying not to think about it.
There’s a rare old Royal Rumble of feeling and emotions this morning/evening: hope, fear, nervousness, anticipation, fear, curiosity, fear, fear, greed, nostalgia, pride - and I suppose, if I’m being brutally honest, there’s also a soupçon of fear. But most of all, as Eoin Morgan said yesterday, there is excitement about what might be achieved. In one hemisphere or another, a lot of grandchildren are going to hear about the events of 11 July 2019.
Continue reading...July 9, 2019
India v New Zealand: Cricket World Cup 2019 semi-final – live!
9.34am BST
Links. Lots of links
Related: World Cup semis, Ashes annihilation and Corbyn pads up – The Spin podcast
Related: India have ‘two games’ to focus on, says confident Virat Kohli before semi-final
Related: Kane Williamson the quiet leader plots downfall of Virat Kohli’s India
Related: The prize in sight: how the Cricket World Cup semi-finalists compare | Tanya Aldred
Related: World Cup Kohli’s charm offensive begs question who stole the real Virat? | Emma John
9.34am BST
It’s been a bat-first tournament - 16 of the last 20 games have been won that way - but New Zealand must be tempted to bowl first if they win the toss. It’s overcast, which should help Trent Boult; and though it would be a risky tactic, their best chance of winning the game is probably to put India in and take early wickets. That’s the only consideration, right?
9.32am BST
The weather forecast isn’t the best: cloudy turning to light rain at lunchtime. There is a reserve day for both semi-finals, although it is a last resort. We could still have, for example, a 20-over match today. This explains it in a little more detail, although it doesn’t completely satisfy me that there is no potential for farce.
8.48am BST
Good morning. The Cricket World Cup is the tournament that always leaves the audience wanting less. The group stages are a tough mudder for supporters – a draining test of endurance, nerve, commitment, caffeine levels and ability to understand how net run-rate works. They must be quite hard to play in as well.
The group stages were good to middling, saved by Sri Lanka’s win over England. But now, after 40 days and 41 matches, we’ve reached the really good bit: the knockout stages. India play New Zealand in the first semi-final at Old Trafford today. Then, on Thursday at Edgbaston, Australia and England will compare testosterone levels. The draw for the final will take place on Friday, with the two teams meeting at Lord’s on Sunday.
Continue reading...July 7, 2019
Brazil 3-1 Peru: Copa América 2019 final – as it happened
Gabriel Jesus scored one, made one and was sent off as 10-man Brazil won the Copa América for the first time in 12 years in a dramatic match at the Maracanã
11.11pm BST
Related: Brazil end Copa América drought with victory over Peru in final
11.04pm BST
For those with a certain lust for life, there are a gazillion worse places to be than Rio de Janeiro tonight. There ain’t no party like a seleção party, and all of Brazil has plenty to celebrate. Congratulations to them, commiserations to Peru, and thanks for your company and emails. Bye!
11.02pm BST
The Brazil players are jumping round like idiots. Most of us have no idea how good they are feeling right now. Alisson and Firmino embrace - they are champions of Europe with their club, champions of South America with their country.
10.58pm BST
Full time: Brazil 3-1 Peru Peep peep! Brazil are champions of South America for the first time since 2007! It was a deserved victory - not just tonight but throughout the tournament. They may not be a great side, certainly not by Brazilian standards, but they are comfortably the best in South America right now.
10.52pm BST
It was a fine penalty, driven hard and low to his left. It was right in the corner. Brazil deserve to win, despite that slightly surreal period either side of Gabriel Jesus’s red card.
10.51pm BST
Richarlison wins the Copa America for Brazil!!!
10.51pm BST
The penalty stands! The referee has twice told his VAR colleagues where to go tonight.
10.50pm BST
Dear lord. You can argue the penalty decision both ways, but there’s no way it was a clear and obvious error by the referee.
10.49pm BST
Everton played a one-two with Richarlison, charged into the area and was bumped over by Zambrano. It was a needless challenge because Gallese was going to get to the ball first.
10.48pm BST
87 min Peru have barely crossed the halfway line in the last five minutes. It’s a very strange end to the game - and now Brazil have a penalty for a barge on Everton!
10.47pm BST
86 min “Eder on for Brazil,” notes Simon McMahon. “It’s 1982 all over again! 4-1 ...”
10.47pm BST
86 min Another Peru change - Polo on, Carrillo off.
10.46pm BST
85 min Brazil are killing the game with ease, and Peru are getting increasingly frustrated.
10.46pm BST
84 min “Madrid has a big Peruvian community, especially in working class areas of the city, so you see quite a lot of Peru shirts at Estadio de Vallecas (or spelt Vallekas if you’re cool),” says Christian. “I’ve just come home from a Peruvian restaurant where they had the game on. Big party atmosphere, packed with people cheering. I’m so old and boring that despite my intentions to join in with it all, I felt tired and left 10 minutes before kick off. I’m at home drinking beer on the sofa as usual now.”
10.45pm BST
83 min Peru, despite having the extra man, are struggling to put Brazil under sustained pressure. Advincula is booked for a body check on Everton.
10.43pm BST
82 min Advincula tried to hold off Everton, who went down holding his face. There was contact but it wasn’t intentional, and play continues. Peru make another change, with Gonzales replacing Tapia.
10.42pm BST
81 min Peru move the ball smartly from right to left. Flores drifts over a dangerous cross that is headed away, and now the Brazil players are trying to get someone sent off, Advincula I think.
10.41pm BST
79 min Peru make their first change, with Raul Ruidiaz replacing Yotun.
10.39pm BST
78 min “Not sure he deserved the second yellow but he could be in a LOT of trouble for his gesture suggesting the referee is on the take (unless, of course, I was the only one who noticed it),” says David Marriott. “Niggly game though, isn’t it?”
Ah yes, I noticed that gesture but didn’t register it. His noggin had completely gone at that point.
10.38pm BST
77 min Eder Militao replaces Coutinho. Since being reduced to 10 men, Brazil have punted jogo bonito straight over the stands.
10.37pm BST
75 min Richarlison replaces Roberto Firmino. Gabriel Jesus’s second yellow card was for jumping into Zambrano, who had flattened him moments earlier. It looked a bit harsh to me. A camera shows Jesus sitting on a step inside the stadium, crying his eyes out.
10.36pm BST
74 min What an effort from Flores! A defensive clearance came to him 25 yards from goal, and after controlling the ball he swished a beautiful half-volley just wide of goal. I’m not sure Alisson would have got there.
10.35pm BST
73 min A half chance for Peru! Trauco’s stinging shot from a tight angle is shovelled round the post by Alisson. Out of nothing, Peru have an incredible chance to achieve immortality.
10.32pm BST
71 min I’m not even sure what that was for. Jesus was fuming, and took an age to leave the field.
10.32pm BST
70 min Oh my goodness. Gabriel Jesus has been given a second yellow card, and Brazil are down to 10 men!
10.29pm BST
68 min Zambrano is booked for flattening Gabriel Jesus.
10.28pm BST
67 min Carrillo’s cross is put behind for a corner. This is Peru’s best spell of the whole game.
10.27pm BST
66 min An excellent inswinging free-kick from Yotun is superbly headed away by Thiago Silva. That was a fine, commanding bit of defending.
10.26pm BST
65 min Alisson puts Brazil under a bit of pressure with a poor pass towards Alex Sandro that Carrillo ushers out of play for a throw-in. Peru need to stay in the game for as long as possible in the hope that Brazil will get the jitters.
10.24pm BST
62 min A stylish, penetrative run from Cueva, who beats two players on the edge of the area before stabbing a pass towards Guerrero. It’s hoofed away by Thiago Silva (I think).
10.22pm BST
61 min “I may be ill,” says Niall Mullen, “but I definitely prefer the 1986 West Germany kit.”
I’m a big fan of an off-kilter logo, but it’s not enough to elevate it above 1990, for mine.
10.20pm BST
60 min “Given the feistiness and energy of this Brazil unit, do you think Neymar would actually improve it?” says JP. “I feel that there is definitely a calculation to be made, balancing ability against temperament and team-mindedness.”
Surely, in modern football, the question is: will Tite improve Neymar’s side?
10.20pm BST
59 min Coutinho’s stinging shot from inside the D is blocked. He looks desperate to score.
10.18pm BST
57 min It feels like a third Brazilian goal is in the post. Everton plays the ball back to Alex Sandro, whose fast, first-time cross is headed wide at the near post by the stooping Firmino.
10.18pm BST
56 min “I’ve always loved Peru, and their kit,” says Phil Grey. “As a kid I’d wear a white T shirt and borrow my mother’s red belt and wear it diagonally over one shoulder and pretend to be Cubillas. Do you know if he’s there tonight, at the Maracana?”
I’ve no idea, but I hope so. And I hope you’re wearing a red belt over one shoulder in tribute.
10.16pm BST
54 min: A double chance for Brazil! First Coutinho went a glorious solo run, only to shoot from the edge of the area when he should have played in Gabriel Jesus. His shot was blocked and the ball rebounded to Jesus, who eased it forward to give Firmino what looked a simple chance. Instead he dragged a tame shot well wide of the far post.
10.15pm BST
54 min “Hello Rob,” says Avitaj Mitra. “I don’t see VAR surviving for more than a couple of years, unless changes are made to the handball law. (Not blaming VAR, just that the current law is utter nonsense, and almost everything looks like a penalty in slow motion.) Views?”
My view is that VAR in its current form is an egregious shambles, and will stay that way until everyone learns the meaning of the phrase “clear and obvious”. I’m not against it in principle – it works in other sports – but it needed to be trialled for at least another decade before it was ready. I think it’s here to stay, though; nobody will have the courage to put it back in its box, where it belongs. But that’s just my opinion.
10.14pm BST
53 min Thiago Silva is booked for a hack at Cueva.
10.13pm BST
51 min A lovely effort from Coutinho, whose rising drive across goal flashes this far past the top corner.
10.11pm BST
49 min Tapia takes a yellow card for the team, dragging Coutinho down to stop a Brazil counter-attack.
10.09pm BST
48 min Some early pressure from Brazil. A corner is taken short to Alex Sandro, whose cross is headed away. Dani Alves picks up the loose ball and tries to score from 40 yards. No.
10.07pm BST
47 min “Speaking once again as a Liverpool dan, it’s great to be able to enjoy Gabriel Jesus’ skill (and any Alison brinkmanship) without consternation,” says JP. “Helluva player.”
10.06pm BST
46 min Peep peep! Brazil begin the second half.
10.02pm BST
Half-time reading
Related: Manchester United go for potential but can Solskjær nurture it? | Paul Doyle
9.53pm BST
Half-time chit chat
“Except Scotland aren’t Brazil, are they?” says Simon McMahon.
9.52pm BST
Peep peep! Brazil deserve to lead at half-time, but their second goal was a cruel blow to Peru so soon after their equaliser. Paolo Guerrero is almost in tears as he walks off the field.
9.50pm BST
The goal stemmed from the defensive industry of Firmino, who nicked the ball off a Peruvian player near the halfway line. His tackle diverted the ball to Arthur, who skedaddled into space and played a short through pass to Gabriel Jesus just inside the area. Zambrano slipped, which gave Jesus just enough time to drag a disguised low shot across Gallese and into the far corner. Lovely finish.
9.48pm BST
Brazil are back in front!
9.47pm BST
45+1 min “Peru equalised just on half-time,” says Simon McMahon. “It’s 1978 all over again. Let’s all watch Grease together!!”
9.45pm BST
45 min That goal wasn’t against the run of play; it was affront to the run of play. Peru, quite rightly, will not give a solitary fig about that. They are level in the Copa America final!
9.44pm BST
Guerrero scores! He passes the ball calmly to his right, sending Alisson the wrong way.
9.44pm BST
And rightly so. The VAR check was absurd and unnecessary.
9.43pm BST
Well, this is ludicrous.
9.42pm BST
It was given for handball against Thiago Silva, who fell as he tried to tackle Cueva. The ball hit his hand, and under the revised law that’s a penalty.
9.41pm BST
41 min Well that has changed things.
9.40pm BST
39 min A better move from Peru ends when Guerrero goes over in the Brazil area. There were no appeals for a penalty from the Peru players.
9.38pm BST
36 min: Good chance for Firmino! After another classy passing move, Alex Sandro curled a booming cross beyond the far post, where Firmino got above Trauco and thumped a header over the bar. Trauco just about did enough to ensure Firmino could not get over the top of the ball.
9.36pm BST
36 min “I don’t want to sound inflammatory, but Niall Mullen is an ill man if he genuinely doesn’t see the beauty in West Germany’s 1990 kit,” inflames Matt Dony. “I don’t have fond memories of that team, but that kit still looks wonderful. Admittedly, it’s no ‘Crown Paints’, but pretty darn spiffing nonetheless.”
9.36pm BST
35 min Everton goes on a thrilling run down the left, beating Avincula twice before Zambrano comes across to clear.
9.34pm BST
34 min Peru are a game bunch, but so far Brazil have had a bit too much nous. They have kept the Peru attack at arm’s length throughout the match.
9.33pm BST
33 min “Update from Naxos,” says JP. “A kid at the restaurant has drawn the ire of the bartender by overriding the TV with his phone and casting YouTube kids onto the big screen. The interesting thing is that Dejan Lovren appears to have a sideline as a singing Mexican in a sombrero on kids TV. Explains a lot...”
Wait till you see the Alberto Moreno channel.
9.31pm BST
30 min Gabriel Jesus is booked for a foul on Yotun.
9.30pm BST
30 min “How Liverpool dans achieve that grade?” asks Niall Mullen. “They judo don’t they though.”
9.30pm BST
29 min Brazil break through Gabriel Jesus, who is fouled just past the halfway line by Tapia. He knew what he was doing, but did it with sufficient clumsiness to avoid a yellow card.
9.28pm BST
27 min The Peru coach Ricardo Gareca is very animated on the touchline, waving his hands all over the place like David Brent. Peru win a corner, their first I think. Yotun’s outswinger from the left is headed over from six yards by the under-pressure Zambrano (I think). It wasn’t much of a chance.
9.26pm BST
25 min “Evening Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “Got to agree about the Peru kit being a timeless classic. But as for not capturing the public imagination, they certainly grabbed the attention of lots of Scotland fans in 1978.”
Related: World Cup stunning moments: Scotland's 1978 rollercoaster | Scott Murray
9.25pm BST
24 min That was almost a second. After a long, patient move, Firmino cut the ball back from the left to Coutinho, whose stabbed shot with the outside of his right foot drifted a few yards wide. Gallese had it covered.
9.25pm BST
23 min It’s been all Brazil since the goal.
9.21pm BST
20 min Now Brazil are pressing high up the pitch, and Peru have struggled to get out in the last few minutes.
9.19pm BST
18 min Brazil have not conceded in the entire tournament, so it’s fair to say Peru are up against it.
9.17pm BST
It was a really nice goal. Dani Alves drove a long pass down the right to Gabriel Jesus, who turned Trauco inside out and drove a cross towards the far post. It picked out the unmarked Everton, who arrived late and slammed a volley into the net from eight yards.
9.16pm BST
And Brazil have got the opening goal!
9.15pm BST
14 min Brazil have started to settle, with Arthur and Casemiro seeing more of the ball in midfield. The first goal already feels vital, such is the edginess around the ground.
9.13pm BST
12 min Alex Sandro is sent flying by Yotun, who is chastised by the referee.
9.12pm BST
11 min “These two teams,” begins Scott Bassett, “are going to kick the bejesus out of each other, aren’t they?”
Well, it’s an option.
9.11pm BST
10 min Peru have been the better team in the first 10 minutes, playing with more aggression and purpose. It makes sense to start fast and try to undermine Brazil before they settle into the game.
9.10pm BST
9 min “As a Liverpool dan,” says JP, “it’s great to see two current player and one ex-player in the Brazil XI as well as Everton to round things out.”
A Liverpool dan? How do you achieve that rank, then?
9.07pm BST
6 min Peru are starting to settle into the game and are pressing Brazil high up the pitch. A clearance goes straight to Yotun, who chests it down and hits a looping shot from distance that goes well wide.
9.06pm BST
6 min “I hope Peru can make it a game but I doubt it,” says Mary Waltz. “Brazil at home with a huge edge in quality will be too much.”
I agree, although I said the same before the 1950 World Cup decider against Uruguay.
9.05pm BST
5 min It’s been a bitty, slightly nervous start from both sides.
9.03pm BST
2 min Coutinho is penalised for handball 35 yards from goal. Cueva steeps up, to huge jeers, and curls a few yards wide. Alisson had it covered.
9.02pm BST
2 min “Peru have always had the most underrated jersey in world football,” says Niall Mullen. “Maybe because they have never captured the public’s imagination like Denmark 86. Most overrated, since you didn’t, West Germany 1990.”
I agree about Peru’s shirt, which is a timeless classic. That said, I wonder if it falls foul of the Irwin/Parlour rule, which says you can’t be underrated if everyone says you’re underrated. Brazil’s current kit is also lovely.
9.01pm BST
1 min Peep peep! Peru get the match under way. They are wearing white with the familiar red sash. Brazil are in yellow and green.
8.58pm BST
“Sitting alone in a restaurant in Naxos,” says JP. “The bartender is 99.99% confident that the game is rigged in the hosts’ favour. Is that indeed so?”
Yes: Brazil have a population of 212 million to Peru’s 33m.
8.56pm BST
The Peru players are belting out the national anthem. Some of them look close to tears. Brazil’s players are a little less emotional, with the inevitable, wonderful exception of Dani Alves.
8.53pm BST
This is Brazil’s first game at the Maracana since Fred routed Brazil in the final of the 2013 Confederations Cup.
Related: Brazil have just made the World Cup more interesting | Paul Doyle
8.34pm BST
8.14pm BST
Alternative live action
Related: Algeria v Guinea: Africa Cup of Nations, round of 16 – live!
8.08pm BST
Brazil (4-3-3) Alisson; Alves, Marquinhos, Thiago Silva, Sandro; Arthur, Casemiro, Coutinho; Jesus, Firmino, Everton.
Substitutes: Miranda, Filipe Luis, David Neves, Willian, Eder Militao, Allan, Cassio Ramos, Fernandinho, Lucas Paqueta, Richarlison, Fagner, Ederson.
Peru (4-2-3-1) Gallese; Advincula, Zambrano, Abram, Trauco; Tapia, Yotun; Carrillo, Cueva, Flores; Guerrero.
Substitutes: Corzo, Santamaria, Araujo, Ballon, Ruidiaz, Caceda, Polo, Pretell, Alvarez, Callens, Gonzales.
4.19pm BST
Hello. Brazil may have made a gruesome, historic mess of hosting the World Cup, but the Copa America has provided a much happier story. This is the fifth time they have hosted it; on the first four occasions, in 1919, 1922, 1949 and 1989, they won the tournament.
Approximately 100.00 per cent of the Brazilian population will expect them make it five out of five by beating Peru at the Maracana today. It’s hard to envisage any other result. Brazil under Tite have been extremely hard to beat – even if, as is their post-Sarrià wont, they have generally been more efficient than erotic since he took over.
Related: Ricardo Gareca bids to join rare group by leading Peru to Copa América title | Jonathan Wilson
Continue reading...Australia beat England by 194 runs after Women's Ashes third ODI collapse – as it happened
The brilliant Ellyse Perry took seven for 22, the best ODI figures by an Australian, as England were humiliated at Canterbury
5.15pm BST
That’s it for today’s blog. I’ll leave you with Raf Nicholson’s report from Canterbury, where Australia moved closer to retaining the Ashes after humiliating England by 194 runs. Thanks for your company; bye.
Related: Ellyse Perry takes seven wickets as Australia thrash England in Ashes ODI
5.14pm BST
The Player of the Match is the exceedingly modest Ellyse Perry
“I guess it was my day today, which is really nice, but it’s equally pleasing to win all three ODIs and finish this bit of the series as well as we did. I think the slope here works really well for us and it was nice to be able to attack the stumps. Megan Schutt was absolutely brilliant at the other end.”
5.10pm BST
Here’s the Australian captain Meg Lanning
“I’m very pleased with that performance. Ellyse Perry really showed the way and it’s nice to get the job done. She and Megan Schutt are great – they take wickets up front and can keep it economical as well. They’ve got great variety.
5.06pm BST
The England captain Heather Knight speaks
“Not good enough. It’s very tough to take. I thought Australia bowled very well and came at us hard, and we didn’t have an answer to that. We can’t feel sorry for ourselves; we need to prepare for that Test match and try to restart the series. We need to have some honest conversations and work out what’s gone wrong. At the moment, I’m not too sure. Credit to Australia – they were too good for us.
5.00pm BST
If Australia draw or win the Test at Taunton, starting on 18 July, they will retain the Ashes with three T20s to spare.
4.58pm BST
If you’re into association football, it’s half-time in the World Cup final: USA 0-0 Netherlands.
Related: USA v Netherlands: Women's World Cup final – live!
4.56pm BST
Australia take a 6-0 Ashes lead
That was a brutal shellacking. Ellyse Perry took a shortcut through the England top order during a majestic new-ball spell, and returned later in the innings to finish with seven for 22. Absurd as it sounds, England did quite well to reach 75, having been 21 for six and 45 for eight.
4.54pm BST
WICKET! England 75 all out (Marsh LBW b Jonassen 21) It’s all over. Marsh misses a sweep and is plumb LBW to Jonassen. England have been dismissed for their lowest score in an ODI against Australia.
4.50pm BST
32nd over: England 74-9 (Marsh 21, Cross 8) Cross survives a biggish LBW appeal from Kimmince, who has started with consecutive maidens. That looked very close.
4.48pm BST
31st over: England 74-9 (Marsh 21, Cross 8) Cross brings up England’s first fifty partnership of the day. Fifty balls, that is. It’s not often that the tenth-wicket stand is the longest of the innings. It should have ended at 53 balls, but Jonassen dropped a tricky return chance offered by Cross.
4.45pm BST
30th over: England 73-9 (Marsh 21, Cross 7) Delissa Kimmince, who won the 2nd ODI at Leicester with her maiden five-for, comes into the attack. Marsh survives an appeal for caught behind after missing a cut, and it’s a maiden.
4.43pm BST
29th over: England 73-9 (Marsh 21, Cross 7) Cross pings Schutt through midwicket for four - the first boundary of her burgeoning international career, in fact. She looks a better player than her modest record, and her position in the batting order, would suggest.
4.40pm BST
28th over: England 69-9 (Marsh 21, Cross 3) Jess Jonassen replaces Ashleigh Gardner and almost skids an arm ball straight through Marsh to finish the match. Marsh just managed to get some bat on it at the last minute.
4.37pm BST
27th over: England 67-9 (Marsh 19, Cross 3) Cross shovels Schutt behind square for a single. England need 13 more to avoid their lowest ODI score against Australia.
4.34pm BST
26th over: England 64-9 (Marsh 17, Cross 2) Cross survives an LBW appeal after missing a heave across the line at Gardner. I think it pitched outside leg stump.
4.32pm BST
25th over: England 64-9 (Marsh 17, Cross 2) On another day, Megan Schutt’s figures would be outstanding. They are tarnished slightly when the determined Marsh steers her for four, but she’ll still be very happy with 7-1-14-2.
“Funny thing about the English dismissals is that they didn’t get out to unplayable deliveries and neither were they especially rash shots,” says Avitaj Mitra. “I don’t know.. they look to be really innocuous ways to get out. The pitch clearly has no real demons, so any theories to explain the absurd scoreline?”
4.29pm BST
24th over: England 59-9 (Marsh 13, Cross 1) Two from Gardner’s fourth over. England need 211 fro- oh what’s the point.
4.26pm BST
23rd over: England 57-9 (Marsh 12, Cross 0) The new batter is Kate Cross, whose ODI average (4.67) is higher than her highest score (4). She plays out the remainder of the over to deny Perry an eighth wicket. She has to settle for the best figures by an Australian in an ODI: 10-4-22-7. And they still don’t flatter her!
4.22pm BST
There’s one of them! Perry gets her seventh wicket, with Ecclestone driving straight to mid-off. This is verging on the surreal: England are 57 for nine.
4.21pm BST
22nd over: England 57-8 (Marsh 12, Ecclestone 0) Marsh slog-sweeps Gardner for four to become the third batter, after Wilson and Shrubsole, to reach double figures.
“Hi Rob,” says Pete Salmon. “Just noticed there has never been an 8-for in women’s ODIs...”
4.18pm BST
21st over: England 53-8 (Marsh 8, Ecclestone 0) Ecclestone sensibly plays out a maiden from Perry, who has one over remaining.
“The team appears to have gone backwards ever since going fully pro,” says Tim. “What are the coaches doing for their money?”
4.13pm BST
20th over: England 53-8 (Marsh 8, Ecclestone 0) Marsh slog-sweeps Gardner for four, aided by a misfield from Schutt that elicits one of the biggest cheers of the day. An expert back cut brings Marsh four more later in the over - and takes England past their lowest-ever ODI score.
“An early end to the OBO lies ahead, Mr Smyth!” says Abhijato Sensarma. “What’s your plans for the rest of the day?”
4.12pm BST
19th over: England 45-8 (Marsh 0, Ecclestone 0) That wicket gives Perry career-best figures of six for 22. It’s been a masterclass in new-ball bowling.
4.10pm BST
A sadistic bowling change from Meg Lanning, who brings back Ellyse Perry to finish England off. And on the sixth ball, Perry takes her sixth wicket, with Shrubsole bowled by a big nipbacker. It hit the pad first, and Perry was in the process of appealing for LBW when she realised it had deflected onto the stumps.
4.06pm BST
18th over: England 41-7 (Shrubsole 7, Marsh 0) The offspinner Ashleigh Gardner comes into the attack. Her first ball is edged just wide of slip for a single by Shrubsole. That’s your lot.
“The indisputable pleasure I’m absorbing from today’s game will be something to remember fondly on Thursday in that, er, other cricket thing between our two countries,” says Sarah Bacon. “Call me old and cynical, but I can’t help but imagine that Thursday’s game will be clinical, ruthless and brutal. Hope you beat India in the final, England!”
4.03pm BST
17th over: England 40-7 (Shrubsole 6, Marsh 0) It’s worth a reminder that England’s lowest ODI score is 50. Their lowest against Australia is 79, a match which doubles up as their record defeat against the Aussies.
4.02pm BST
Oh dear. Fran Wilson is bowled round her legs when she misses an attempted sweep off Schutt. Wilson played well for her 17, but that was an ugly dismissal.
3.57pm BST
16th over: England 39-6 (Wilson 16, Shrubsole 6) A maiden from Jonassen to Wilson. She keeps trying to slide an arm ball through Wilson’s defence, thus far without success.
3.54pm BST
15th over: England 39-6 (Wilson 16, Shrubsole 6) Ultra-Edge shows that Shrubsole did get a thin bottom-edge through to Healy. There’s no DRS in this series, however, so the umpire’s decision is final.
Meanwhile, Megan Schutt replaces Ellyse Perry (7-2-18-5) and has Shrubsole dropped by Healy. It was a front-foot no-ball, so it wouldn’t have counted anyway; it was also a very difficult chance standing up to the stumps.
3.50pm BST
14th over: England 38-6 (Wilson 16, Shrubsole 6) Shrubsole rocks back to bash Jonassen through the covers for her first boundary. She almost falls trying to repeat the stroke, with the ball skidding under the bat. Healy went up for caught-behind but Martin Saggers wasn’t interested. There was a noise as it went past the bat, though we haven’t seen the Ultra-Edge verdict yet.
3.47pm BST
13th over: England 33-6 (Wilson 16, Shrubsole 1) Shrubsole edges Perry along the floor for a single to get off the mark. England’s first target is 51; their lowest ODI score is 50, against India in 2005-06. Wilson, who has played nicely, moves England four runs closer with a confident slap through the covers.
3.43pm BST
12th over: England 27-6 (Wilson 12, Shrubsole 0) Unless one of the T20s are tied or rained off, England will have to win all four remaining games - one Test and three T20s - to regain the Ashes.
3.40pm BST
11th over: England 26-6 (Wilson 12, Shrubsole 0) Perry’s best ODI figures are five for 19, against India at Mumbai in 2012. At the moment she has five for 12 - and she almost cements these as a new career-best when Wilson chips on the bounce to mid-on.
“Afternoon Rob,” says Simon McMahon. “You’re going to have to compile an OBO highlights (lowlights?) reel to fill the next couple of hours at this rate...”
3.36pm BST
10th over: England 26-6 (Wilson 12, Shrubsole 0) Jess Jonassen replaces Megan Schutt. Wilson, who has fallen to Jonassen twice already in this series, pulls the first ball for four.
3.35pm BST
9th over: England 21-6 (Wilson 7, Shrubsole 0) England have not batted well, with Beaumont, Sciver and Wyatt all out playing across the line. Only Sarah Taylor was blameless. But it’s been an extraordinary performance from Perry: 5-1-12-5. She took a six-for in an Ashes Test on this ground four years agoa as well.
3.33pm BST
Ellyse Perry is destroying England! Wyatt is the latest to go, pushing desperately around a full delivery that homes in on her front pad. Perry has five wickets ... already.
3.29pm BST
Ellyse Perry gets her fourth wicket! Knight is drawn towards a wider, scrambled-seam delivery that shaves the edge and is pouched with glee by the wicketkeeper Healy. It was an injudicious stroke, but the seam isn’t the only thing Perry scrambles. Even by her standards, this is stunning stuff.
3.27pm BST
8th over: England 18-4 (Knight 5, Wilson 6) The first boundary of the innings comes from the 51st ball, with Fran Wilson pulling Schutt carefully over square leg. Good shot.
3.25pm BST
7th over: England 14-4 (Knight 5, Wilson 2)
3.23pm BST
6th over: England 10-4 (Knight 4, Wilson 0) Replays confirm it was a very good decision by the umpire Martin Saggers. Sciver was a long way back and it would have hit the top of leg stump. There’s no way back from here for England - in this match or, you suspect, in the Ashes.
3.18pm BST
England are in disarray. Sciver is the third batter to be dismissed for nought, trapped on the back foot by a big inswinger from Megan Schutt. It might have been swinging past leg stump but on balance I think that’s a good decision.
3.16pm BST
5th over: England 9-3 (Knight 3, Sciver 0) Heather Knight defends the hat-trick ball from Perry. England cannot even think about attacking at the moment, even though the required rate is approaching six an over. Knight takes a single off the last ball of the over, with a couple of wides pushing England to the dizzy heights of nine for three.
3.12pm BST
4th over: England 6-3 (Knight 2, Sciver 0)
3.10pm BST
3rd over: England 5-3 (Knight 1, Sciver 0) Ellyse Perry’s figures are 2-1-4-3. And they don’t even flatter her!
3.09pm BST
Sarah Taylor goes for a golden duck! This is stunning stuff from Ellyse Perry. That was a brilliant delivery, almost unplayable for a new batter. It was angled in from wide on the crease and then curved way just enough to take a thin edge on its way through to Alyssa Healy.
3.07pm BST
This is a quite majestic opening spell from Ellyse Perry. She has taken the big wicket of Tammy Beaumont, trapped plumb LBW as she played around a straight one. She could have fallen earlier in the over, too, when a leading edge looped just over backward point.
3.02pm BST
2nd over: England 1-1 (Beaumont 1, Knight 0) Megan Schutt shares the new ball. Australia have packed the off side for Tammy Beaumont, who made that glorious hundred at Leicester in the second ODI. She gets the first run of the innings and Knight blocks the rest of the over. This is a brilliant start for Australia.
2.59pm BST
1st over: England 0-1 (Beaumont 0, Knight 0) At the moment, Jones is Perry’s bunny. She has fallen to her in all three ODIs, with a head-to-head average of 1.33. The new batter is Heather Knight, who has moved herself above Sarah Taylor, and she survives a huge should for caught behind first ball. It was a stunning delivery that shapes away and then seams back to beat Knight on the inside. Australia were certain it was out, but it was an eerily good bit of umpiring from Young Bumble, Graham Lloyd. The ball missed the inside edge and flicked the flap of the pad.
2.55pm BST
A perfect start for Australia! Amy Jones, who has had a desperate series, chips an outswinger high in the air towards mid-on, where the substitute Nicola Carey takes a comfortable catch.
2.33pm BST
Thanks Geoff, hello everyone. At the moment, Australia look a bit too good - for England, for everyone. As Geoff explains below, 269 is an intimidating total; for England to win, someone will have probably to play an innings that is close to career-defining.
2.21pm BST
That’s a big score. Lee Henderson emailed me (a few overs ago, granted) saying “It’s looking like a competitive total from the Australians but probably not as high of a score as they’d of wished for. How is the wicket playing? Any worries in it for the the English batters do you think? Perry has been able to get wickets on some benign surfaces before this.”
But in women’s 50-over cricket we don’t see a lot of big run chases. The batting revolution is ongoing. It’s not so much about bowlers doing anything unplayable out of the surface, it’s about being disciplined with where they bowl. Then it’s on the batters to keep up with the rate without making a mistake. Usually those mistakes will come.
2.15pm BST
50th over: Australia 269-7 (Jonassen 24, Kimmince 18) No boundaries from the final over, but 11 runs nonetheless. They swing at everything, finding the outfielders on each occasion. But Jonassen is able to run two to backward square, then Shrusbsole bowls a wide where they run an extra as well, and finally from the last ball Kimmince is dropped in the deep. Really goes after it, hits hard and very high to deep midwicket, and Beaumont can’t handle the elevation and lets the ball drop through her hands, by which time they return for two more runs.
2.11pm BST
49th over: Australia 259-7 (Jonassen 19, Kimmince 15) Time to go, says Kimmince. After three singles she swats Ecclestone over cover, lofted, and there’s another mistimed dive out there on the rope. I’m marking a bit harshly on occasions, but England might be chasing 30 fewer runs if they had their outfield game honed. Against the best side you have to close the gap where you can. Kimmince thwacks straight down the ground next and runs well to return for two. Then walks cross and tries to scoop, nearly gets bowled, but gets glove on it past Taylor for four more. A flurry to end Ecclestone’s allotment, which returns 1-50 from 10.
2.05pm BST
48th over: Australia 246-7 (Jonassen 17, Kimmince 4) Singles continue. Kimmince aims a huge shot at Shrubsole and is nearly bowled, but managed to edge it into her pad. Then Jonassen nearly runs herself out at the non-striker’s end being too keen to back up. Five from the over, good from Shrubsole.
2.01pm BST
47th over: Australia 241-7 (Jonassen 14, Kimmince 2) It’s down to Jonassen to be the pace-setter now, and she whips a couple of runs through midwicket, saved on the rope, before shovelling a drive over long-on for four. Eight from the Cross over with a couple of singles.
1.58pm BST
46th over: Australia 233-7 (Jonassen 7, Kimmince 1) Second ball of the over Marsh thinks she has Jonassen caught at mid-off, but Shrubsole signals that she’s not sure if the ball carried, and the replays are as usual inconclusive. So JJ survives, but three balls later Gardner is bowled, and she’s a more prized wicket. Delissa Kimmince will have to bat, after narrowly escaping that duty in the previous match.
1.56pm BST
Straight through! Gardner goes for a big wipe across the line and doesn’t hit it. Cricket’s pretty simple sometimes.
1.51pm BST
45th over: Australia 231-6 (Gardner 29, Jonassen 7) Cross returns for Shrubsole, who still has two overs in the bank. The Australians are both swinging hard at Cross but can’t land one. Three singles from her over, from increasingly high-octane shots.
1.46pm BST
44th over: Australia 228-6 (Gardner 28, Jonassen 5) Ecclestone bowls and Jonassen is dropped! Sweep shot, hard hit, and Marsh at short fine has to lunge across to her left but gets hands to it. Can’t hold on. They’re through for a single, one of five for the over.
1.45pm BST
43rd over: Australia 223-6 (Gardner 26, Jonassen 2) Then Australia swing it the other way! Shrubsole starts her over and Gardner leans back towards leg and whacks this uppishly into the cover gap for four. Powerful shot. But not as powerful as her next, as she again leans away to make room but this time hauls her pull shot over wide long-on for six. First of the innings, and that’s what Gardner can do. The purest striker of the ball in this team. That wasn’t entirely there for the shot but she just muscled it, dragged it from a line on her ribs away in the air. Those are the only scoring shots from the over, but Shrubsole throws in a wide as well.
1.41pm BST
42nd over: Australia 212-6 (Gardner 16, Jonassen 2) Another quite one, two runs from Ecclestone. England edging back into this.
1.37pm BST
41st over: Australia 210-6 (Gardner 15, Jonassen 1) The Shrub to continue, branching out into her seventh over. Gardner makes good contact to steer a run behind point. Jonassen works her first through square. Two from the over. Good news for England.
1.34pm BST
40th over: Australia 2o8-6 (Gardner 14, Jonassen 0) Jess Jonassen in next, who conversely has been in great touch. An important 19 and then 31 not out in finishing off Australia’s two run chases at Leicester. She’s happy to block away the last three balls of Ecclestone’s seventh over.
1.32pm BST
Good bowling! Haynes never looked set, and hasn’t really looked it all series. Trying to force the pace she advances at Ecclestone, but gets more dip than expected. The attempted loft turns into a toe-end drag low back to the bowler, who takes it easily.
1.28pm BST
39th over: Australia 2o5-5 (Haynes 12, Gardner 11) Shrubsole back. I thought they might have tried this earlier to search for another wicket. She nearly gets one via Gardner’s nick, but beats the edge. Just two singles from the over.
1.25pm BST
38th over: Australia 2o3-5 (Haynes 11, Gardner 10) “Come on ladies, let’s go, six down!” I love English chat from this team. Their accents, they all sounds so polite. Where I’m from it’s a sign of friendship if you hit someone with a plate. Gardner can’t get loose. Marsh has become a quagmire. But from the last ball Gardner pulls free, thumping a short ball through square leg to raise the 200. Still a dozen overs to go, so a tall total is still on the cards.
1.22pm BST
37th over: Australia 197-5 (Haynes 10, Gardner 5) Ash Gardner can hit a long way, but she’s bit ropey starting against Cross. Three dots, finding the field. An outside edge that rolls for four. A pad to midwicket and she’s called through for a dashed leg bye. Just gets there. Keeps strike.
1.21pm BST
36th over: Australia 191-5 (Haynes 9, Gardner 1) A good opportunity to get through a quiet over, and Marsh does so for three singles.
1.17pm BST
35th over: Australia 188-5 (Haynes 7, Gardner 0) That’s huge for Cross. She’s battled to get back into this team for a couple of years and hasn’t blown the lights out since she got back. She did provide the bowling ammunition for Fran Wilson to take one of the best catches anyone has ever seen at point the other week against the West Indies, but she’ll feel happier with this wicket that she earned all on her own. HawkEye says it might have clipped the outside of leg. To be honest I’d rather umpires who are bit more willing to give decisions than ones who turn everything down.
1.15pm BST
Kate Cross breaks through! She’s had a tough day but angles a ball in towards Mooney from around the wicket, beats the shot across the ball and strikes pad. Mooney was a long way forward and that hit her leg side, but Martin Sagers has been very quick on the draw in this series and gives it. Mooney does not appear to agree as she departs.
1.12pm BST
34th over: Australia 187-4 (Haynes 6, Mooney 19) Very civilised cricket, as the bats gather four singles from Marsh.
1.08pm BST
33rd over: Australia 183-4 (Haynes 4, Mooney 17) Thanks Lee. My only hope is that the C++ assignment gets a better grade than a C++.
Kate Cross returns after drinks, having been spanked for 31 from her first five overs when Healy took a shine to her and a shine off the ball by bounding it into the fence. More of the same I’m afraid, as she follows two wides down leg with a ball wide enough outside off for Mooney to carve four behind point. A single off the hip to deep square. Two lefties at the crease, with Haynes taking strike. Short in stature but times the ball well. Defends the last ball watchfully.
1.04pm BST
While we have a drinks break, let’s have a dessert break with Lee Henderson.
“Morning evening Geoff. Tis Sunday night in Australia and in a room in this household we have the BBC on and Romans doing dastardly things to Caledonians and in another room an assignment on CC++ is being finalised (hopefully). Blissfully aware of this in a peripheral way as I sit in another room, and jam roly poly and warm(-ish) custard and cream are piled high in what would pass as a serving bowl if a less greedy soul had served it up. Overriding the whole thing is the 42”(mirrored) monitor serving up the OBO of the Women’s Ashes with a feed of the radio broadcast from the Beeb to compliment. In answer to your question: does it/can it get any better than this? No. It can’t.
1.01pm BST
32nd over: Australia 176-4 (Haynes 4, Mooney 12) Nap time is over. Beth Mooney is awake. She’s Australia’s T20 opener so she likes to get moving. Laura Marsh is back for Knight, so Mooney advances and pops the ball over mid-on with minimum fuss. Then cuts behind point and half-beats the field, enough for two more runs. Drinks.
12.59pm BST
31st over: Australia 170-4 (Haynes 4, Mooney 6) Quiet time continues, with four runs and a leg bye from Sciver’s over. No more wickets.
Speaking of technical improvements, here’s an observation. This is the third Women’s Ashes match I’ve attended this series, two at Leicester and this one at Canterbury. At none of those three matches has there been a working television set in the press box. Meaning there’s no way to watch a replay of any incident in the match that we’re reporting on, which makes the reporting part pretty tough. “It’s broken,” has been the response at two separate international grounds hosting three international matches. It’s a minor thing overall, sure, but it’s very indicative. There is no way on earth that the situation would be allowed to stand in a men’s match.
12.54pm BST
30th over: Australia 165-4 (Haynes 3, Mooney 2) Just the single from Knight’s over, as England try to turn at least a few screws. A good save from the last ball in the infield is important.
“Love the coverage,” says an email that I didn’t write. Thank you, John Box. “Can I propose that the scorecard should be available as a tab on the website feed as it is with men’s Tests and ODIs?”
12.51pm BST
29th over: Australia 164-4 (Haynes 3, Mooney 2) A new partnership then, with Haynes and Beth Mooney. Three singles to them to start, and Sciver has the idiosyncratic bowling figures of 7 overs, 3 for 47.
12.49pm BST
Hello! Nat Sciver is dragging her side back into it! Similar to Perry’s last dismissal, this is a very wide and short ball. The Australian plays a cut shot and only nicks it, for Sarah Taylor to take an excellent catch standing up to the stumps for the seamer.
12.47pm BST
28th over: Australia 160-3 (Perry 7, Haynes 1) Rachael Haynes, the left-hander, comes in and gets off the mark against Knight in quick time by belting a single. Knight then bowls three wides down the leg side, luckily bowling slowly enough that the ball can be saved before the rope.
12.44pm BST
27th over: Australia 155-3 (Perry 6) Lanning out last ball of the Sciver over, after Perry had faced the first five balls. Doesn’t look like the delivery did anything off the pitch, it was just mistimed.
12.42pm BST
Breakthrough! Sciver finding a way against the grain again. Back of a length, Lanning tries to turn it to the leg side but mistimes it. Gets a leading edge that pops up to point for a simple catch. Huge wicket the way she was batting.
12.41pm BST
26th over: Australia 151-2 (Lanning 69, Perry 3) Heather Knight will have a bowl. Off-breaks, just like Marsh who she’s replacing. Knight hasn’t bowled yet in the series, but with seamer Katherine Brunt out for keeper-bat Sarah Taylor today, Sciver becomes the fifth bowler and Knight the sixth. It doesn’t work out so well, as Lanning squeezes a couple to third man, then trades singles, before Perry drives behind square and beats Wyatt on the rope for four. Another over worth 10 runs.
England have been very poor in the outfield today. Half a dozen boundaries conceded that should have been singles. They’re not playing like a team that knows how to dive. They get close to the ball and then sort of fall over in its general direction and hope that works.
12.35pm BST
25th over: Australia 141-2 (Lanning 60, Perry 2) Things will settle down a bit with Perry at the crease, I think. Healy’s specialty the last couple of years has been breezing along at a run a ball even when no one else can get close. She attacks judiciously and is good enough to get away with it more often than not, and in doing so she rattles fielding sides and creates more opportunities for herself, whether with bad bowling or opening space in the field. Three singles from the Sciver over.
12.31pm BST
24th over: Australia 138-2 (Lanning 58, Perry 1) Not quite sure about the strategy of bowling an off-spinner without much turn around the wicket against a right-hander. Marsh leaves one outside leg stumps and Lanning sweeps it comfortably for four backward of square.
12.28pm BST
23rd over: Australia 131-2 (Lanning 52, Perry 0) Ten runs and a wicket from the over. You get rid of Healy, and Perry walks out. Would you like to know how many century stands she has with Meg Lanning? No? I’ll keep it to myself.
12.26pm BST
Somehow, Sciver finds a way to stem the bleeding. She’s clobbered for four behind square by Healy, then bowls five wides down the leg side. But when she dishes up a rank half-tracker for Healy to put anywhere she likes, the shot finds Wyatt in the deep at midwicket, who takes a good catch. England collapse on the floor heaving sighs of relief.
12.24pm BST
22nd over: Australia 121-1 (Healy 64, Lanning 51) Imposing when two players out there rack up fifty at a run a ball each. Lanning taps Marsh into the covers and darts the quick run. Healy returns the favour, then again. Healy mows to deep midwicket on the bounce but this time Jones can get around to field. A hundred partnership.
12.19pm BST
21st over: Australia 117-1 (Healy 62, Lanning 49) Ecclestone is the one they’re being careful against. Just the three singles, and she’s bowled six overs for 27.
12.16pm BST
20th over: Australia 114-1 (Healy 61, Lanning 47) Tee-off time is back. Lanning skips to Marsh again and drives over cover. It wasn’t completely clean, there was that kind of clunky tinny sound off the bat that suggests it was the outside half of the bat, but the field is up. A few singles follow, then Healy gets a short one and absolutely crushes it through square leg along the ground. Flat and bouncing into the boards.
12.12pm BST
19th over: Australia 102-1 (Healy 55, Lanning 41) Ecclestone bowling tight on the stumps to Healy in this over, trying not to give any room. Just a single from the fifth ball. There’s nearly a late Lanning edge for runs again but this time it’s saved.
For anyone following the men’s Ashes as well, here’s an update on Jimmy Anderson’s recent injury issue.
Related: Jimmy Anderson a serious doubt for start of England’s Ashes campaign
12.09pm BST
18th over: Australia 101-1 (Healy 54, Lanning 41) Spin from both ends now, with Laura Marsh’s off-breaks to partner Ecclestone’s left-arm orthos. Thing start well for her with three singles and a couple of dots, but Lanning closes the over by slashing a wide flighted ball off the top edge of her angled bat and fine of short third for four. The ton is up.
12.07pm BST
17th over: Australia 94-1 (Healy 52, Lanning 36) Sophie Ecclestone does the tough job of keeping Healy quiet for an over, as the Australians ease back into things after the break. Two singles. Such a good early run rate that there’s no need to rush.
12.01pm BST
16th over: Australia 92-1 (Healy 51, Lanning 35) Shot for shot now! Lanning is suddenly starting to look herself again. Width from Sciver so Lanning drives it square to perfection, the full Lara flourish of the bat through the line of the ball and then the follow-through. As so often happens Sciver goes a bit shorter and straighter, so Lanning pounds the pull shot behind square and once again beats a despairing dive. They’ve been able to find the fence relentlessly this morning. The last four overs have gone for 9, 10, 11 and 9. That’s drinks.
11.58am BST
15th over: Australia 83-1 (Healy 51, Lanning 26) This is looking ominous, after England asked Australia to bat. Lanning punches Ecclestone through point for four, then skips down to drive a single to deep cover. Jones coming around finally gets one that gives her a better chance of saving it, and does so. But with one ball to come Ecclestone drags down badly, and Healy punishes it with a pull shot that splits the leg-side sweepers square of the wicket. That’s her fifty.
11.55am BST
14th over: Australia 73-1 (Healy 46, Lanning 21) “She’s super straight, super straight, yeah, she’s super straight.” Healy drives yet another dead straight boundary, this time from Sciver. Music by Regurgitator, Brisbane’s finest.
11.49am BST
13th over: Australia 62-1 (Healy 41, Lanning 16) Now it’s Lanning’s turn. She has the left-arm spinner bowling around the wicket with a deep cover point but the rest of the off-side field up. So Lanning skips down to a flighted ball and lofts it over cover for four! Easy done. Next ball is fuller, a smaller shuffle and this time it goes along the carpet the same way for the same result. Jones makes a hash of it again, leaning back and going legs first as she slides, guaranteeing she won’t reach the ball, rather than diving hands first to save it. I suppose wicketkeepers don’t do a lot of boundary riding. Bit unreasonable to ask her to do the gig, then?
11.46am BST
12th over: Australia 53-1 (Healy 41, Lanning 7) Oh, stop it. Nat Sciver comes on for Cross but she doesn’t get treated any more kindly. First ball she bowls, Healy plays a gorgeous on-drive through midwicket, which gives you a sense of how well it was timed. Beat the sweeper along the ground into the fence. Healy, as she often has in the last couple of years, is batting on a different pitch.
11.43am BST
11th over: Australia 47-1 (Healy 36, Lanning 6) Sophie Ecclestone on with left-arm spin as the fielding restrictions are relaxed. Lanning dobs to cover and rushes a single. Healy carves another. Two from the over.
11.39am BST
10th over: Australia 45-1 (Healy 35, Lanning 5) Cross pitches up to Healy and is drive straight for four! Lovely shot, high elbow, right by the stumps and splitting the mid-off and mid-on fielders down to the sightscreen. Cross tries again, a foot shorter, same result, more of a whip-drive from Healy bringing her hands through the ball rather than her elbow, but dead straight again for four! Done yet? Not quite. Anticipating a shorter length in response, Healy goes back on her stumps and whips, lofted, across the line to deep midwicket. Jones is out there, but her one-handed parry at the bouncing ball doesn’t slap it back into play, but over the line for four. Get her back into slip, stat. Healy finishes off with a steer behind point for two more. Big over, she’s 35 from 31 now.
11.35am BST
9th over: Australia 31-1 (Healy 21, Lanning 5) Another shout from Shrubsole from a ball angling down leg, but the right-handed Lanning gets more lenience from the umpire. A couple of balls later she has another chance at the whip off the pads and this time nails it for four.
11.33am BST
8th over: Australia 27-1 (Healy 21, Lanning 1) Healy loves going square on the off side, and she does so again against Cross for four with a drive. Cross gets some serious swing against Lanning and takes her edge, but it reaches slip on the bounce. Amy Jones is standing there, not wicketkeeping today with Taylor back. Lanning plays a classic Lanning shot next, opening the face and striking with a nice clean sound off the bat down through backward point, where she has scored so, so many of her international runs.
11.29am BST
7th over: Australia 21-1 (Healy 16, Lanning 0) A wicket maiden for Shrubsole as Lanning arrives and carefully negotiates a couple of swinging deliveries. No big scores for Lanning for a while, and averaging 30 since she came back from her long layoff with a shoulder injury. Has the chance today to bat long.
The HawkEye replay, which is not available to the umpires because there is still absurdly almost never DRS in women’s cricket, says that Bolton’s delivery was missing leg stump. Not by much, so I wouldn’t class the call as a shocker, but it looked marginally not out live.
11.24am BST
First one for England! Bolton doesn’t like that. She’s struck on the pad and is wandering away to square leg casually, then hears the cheer from England and whips her head around to stare at the umpire in disbelief. That was going down leg, wasn’t it? On first glance. Bolton is walking off, but the replay tends to confirm that suspicion. Maybe it could have grazed leg stump? But there was a fair bit of angle from around the wicket, to the left-hander, and I don’t think it was straightening or swinging in.
11.22am BST
6th over: Australia 21-0 (Healy 16, Bolton 4) Healy is playing more shots than Bolton but not getting many more runs for them. A couple of cuts, one mistimed, one saved by Wilson. A couple of runs skewed through cover, and eventually a single when Healy gets the cut shot angled back through short third rather than square to the field. Bolton takes off for a leg bye to close the over.
11.20am BST
5th over: Australia 17-0 (Healy 13, Bolton 4) Thanks Mike! What a gent, holding the controls while I made the long trip from Manchester, where I was reporting on Australia-South Africa in the World Cup last night, to Canterbury this morning. Just the five and a half hours with the M1 closed, if you’re wondering. Bliss. Glad to be here at the end of it, as Nicole Bolton drives Shrubsole for four through mid-on, then plays out the rest of the over quite carefully, blocking on off stump as Shrubbers comes around the wicket and tries to angle the ball in.
11.15am BST
4th over: Australia 13-0 (Healy 13, Bolton 0) Healy finds the boundary again with a chip over mid-wicket for four runs. A big shout comes at the end of the over as she gets a bit tucked up but the ball’s going down leg again. And with that, I’ll leave you in the capable hands of Geoff Lemon, who has got himself into the hot seat in Canterbury and will be here to guide you through the remainder of the Australia innings. Toodle pip.
11.11am BST
3rd over: Australia 9-0 (Healy 9, Bolton 0) Shrubsole is getting some decent movement in the air; Nicole Bolton watches the ball well but can’t get it away for any runs. An excellent over, the first maiden of the game.
11.08am BST
2nd over: Australia 9-0 (Healy 9, Bolton 0) Kate Cross opens from the other end. Healy is tempted by the first delivery, outside off, but doesn’t connect. But she does before too long as she finds the boundary with nothing more than a little flick off the legs that races away. Sciver gets to it, but can’t save the four runs.
11.03am BST
1st over: Australia 5-0 (Healy 5, Bolton 0) Shrubsole opens the bowling and it takes just one sighter for Healy before she opens up and flashes a wide one away to the boundary to get Australia up and running. A ball later Shrubsle produces some huge swing to rap Healy on the pads, but it’s going down leg and despite the big shout, there’s nothing doing. Healy races through for a single and that’s the first over done.
10.59am BST
England players run onto the pitch, and we’re nearly ready to go.
10.54am BST
“Its a shame,” writes Tim from Bramhall, “that this series is so low profile, not helped by scheduling alongside the CWC. But I can’t help feeling that the location of these matches does not help, staged in mainly Southern or East Midlands small county grounds. Why does the ECB not take these matches to the cities, and why does the North not get a look in?”
Geoff Lemon touched on these very issues in the immediate aftermath of the first ODI in Leicester.
Related: Strange start to Women’s Ashes series buried by World Cup | Geoff Lemon
10.50am BST
This will be the first of two meetings between these two great cricketing nations in the space of five days – they will clash again on Thursday in the men’s World Cup, after Australia failed to beat South Africa in their final round-robin game at Old Trafford 24 hours ago and as a result were leapfrogged by India into first place. Tanya Aldred’s match report from Old Trafford is pretty tremendous:
South Africa left the World Cup with a defiant raspberry, defeating Australia by 10 runs in another Old Trafford last-over thriller to set up a semi-final between England and Australia on Thursday. Tension had mounted after the result zipped across from Headingley, which meant Australia had to beat South Africa to finish top of the table – fail, and India would tuck into the freshly prepared New Zealand fattened calf, tender and soft, and send the reigning champions instead to Birmingham.
Related: Australia’s defeat by South Africa sets up England semi-final at World Cup
Related: David Warner's renewed duel with Kagiso Rabada does not disappoint | Geoff Lemon
10.45am BST
Confirmation of the lineups. England: Jones, Beaumont, Taylor (wicketkeeper), Sciver, Knight (captain), Wilson, Wyatt, Shrubsole, Cross, Marsh, Ecclestone. Australia: Bolton, Healy (wicketkeeper), Lanning (captain), Perry, Haynes, Mooney, Gardner, Kimmince, Wareham, Jonassen, Schutt.
10.41am BST
Team news. England are forced into making one change: Katherine Brunt is indeed out with that ankle knock, so Sarah Taylor comes in.
Australia are unchanged. Captain Lanning says she “wasn’t too bothered” about losing the toss. “It’s a good batting wicket and it won’t change too much throughout the day.” Ominously she says there’s still room for Australian improvement. “It’s a massive game,” she adds.
10.38am BST
Meg Lanning calls heads... it’s tails and England captain Heather Knight says the hosts will put Australia into bat.
10.32am BST
Weather update. Geoff will be able to give you a more accurate view from his position on the ground at Canterbury later on, but a quick internet search tells me it’s currently 17C and cloudy with a light breeze and a small chance of rain between 11am and 1pm local. And this appears to confirm the cloud cover:
Youngies v Oldies for warm-ups... #Ashes pic.twitter.com/vEHKYyxxK8
10.25am BST
Still, there have been words of caution after the opening game from Australia bowler and Guardian guest columnist, Megan Schutt:
Remember, they made it to the World T20 final last year missing two of their best players. They are scrappers, which is what makes these amazing games. It’s why I love this series more than any other: there’s no hiding. Winning against them is so satisfying because you have to earn it.
Related: Don’t buy into the idea that Australia are raging hot Women's Ashes favourites | Megan Schutt
10.19am BST
Injuries. Not helping the host nation’s cause has been the couple of concerns casting a shadow over today’s game; Sarah Taylor missed the second ODI after picking up an ankle knock while Katherine Brunt also injured her ankle – while celebrating the key dismissal of Lanning during that game. Both will undergo late fitness tests before play starts today.
10.09am BST
How close are Australia to wrapping up the series? Another win in Kent today and Meg Lanning’s side will move onto six points, having picked up two for each preceding win. With just eight needed to retain the title, they’re close – a win (four points) or even a draw (two) in the Test at Taunton would be enough, or failing that, just one win from the three T20s (two each) would seal the deal. In short, England badly need to win today if they are going to retain any realistic hopes alive of winning the series.
9.54am BST
So, from back-to-back 50-over games in Leicester to a final one in this format at the historic St Lawrence Ground in Canterbury, before the travelling roadshow heads to a one-off Test later this month, followed by three final Twenty20s. Competitive interest in the series may well be gone by the time it comes to the last part of this multi-format series though, with Australia already well positioned to retain the Ashes having won the opening two fixtures of this points-based series. More on the ins and outs of that in a moment, but for now, there’s just time for a bit of housekeeping – send an email (mike.hytner@theguardian.com) or tweet (@mike_hytner) if you’d like to get anything off your chest before Geoff Lemon steps in for the start of play in around an hour’s time.
July 5, 2019
Two games from history: England’s action plan for World Cup glory | Rob Smyth
One of the bigger cheers of the 2005 Ashes came when Michael Vaughan won the toss before the final Test at the Oval. If there are any England fans at Edgbaston for Thursday’s semi-final, there will surely be a similar cheer should Eoin Morgan do the same. As in 2005, batting first has suddenly assumed critical importance. A combination of tired pitches and debilitating pressure mean the team batting first have won 26 of the 39 completed games at this tournament – including 15 of the last 18. That’s the kind of data nobody can ignore.
Continue reading...Pakistan v Bangladesh: Cricket World Cup 2019 – live!
9.20am BST
Good morning. On 21 December 1983, an association football match took place in Seville. Spain hosted Malta, needing to win by 11 goals to qualify for the European Championship ahead of the Netherlands. They won 12-1. And although there have been allegations ever since of the game being fixed or Malta’s players being drugged, the match remains clean.
The strangest things can happen in sport. Pakistan need something even more unlikely if they are to qualify for the World Cup semi-finals. They must beat an excellent Bangladesh side by a world-record margin of at least 316 runs (the actual margin of victory depends on how many they score) if they are to drag their net run-rate above New Zealand’s. They may be the Ethan Hunts of world cricket, but this surely is impossible.
Continue reading...July 4, 2019
Afghanistan v West Indies: Cricket World Cup 2019 – live!
9.26am BST
Morning and welcome to live coverage of Afghanistan v West Indies form Headingley. Let’s be honest, even Barry Hearn would struggle to sell this one. It’s tenth vs ninth, a Dodo-dead rubber. And yet, this could turn out to be one of the most memorable games of the tournament.
Afghanistan are chasing their first World Cup win against a fellow Test-playing nation. When that happens, be it today or in 2023, it will be a landmark in their development - one to sit alongside historic victories like Sri Lanka v India in 1979, Zimbabwe v Australia in 1983 and Bangladesh v Pakistan in 1999.
Continue reading...July 1, 2019
Sri Lanka v West Indies: Cricket World Cup 2019 – live!
8.45am BST
Morning. After a long wait, and enough broken promises to fill at least two episodes of EastEnders, we finally have the first dead rubber of the tournament. Put the Valium away, let your fingernails grow unmolested; today’s entertainment is pulse-stabilisingly unimportant.
West Indies have been out of the competition for ages, at least in their own minds, while Sri Lanka were finished off by a combination of England’s win over India and the tournament regulations. Although they can still reach 10 points, the same as England, they would have fewer wins and that comes before net run rate as a tiebreaker. (I’m not sure that is remotely fair, by the way.)
Continue reading...June 30, 2019
England v India: Cricket World Cup 2019 – live!
8.47am BST
Boy, that escalated quickly. Nine days ago, England were cruising into the World Cup semi-finals. Now, one and a half games later, they are fighting for their lives. They’ve been blindsided by Pakistan, who are now the favourites to take the last semi-final spot. The good thing for England is that they will definitely qualify if they win their last two games. The bad news is that the first of those is away to the best team in the world.
If England were meeting India in a semi-final or a final, the main pre-match emotion would be excitement. Today it is fear – not of failure, which is bad enough, but of a traumatic humiliation. That is a unique psychological burden, and as an England fan it’s hard not to fear the worst.
Continue reading...Rob Smyth's Blog
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