Rob Smyth's Blog, page 27

England wrap up 10-wicket rout of West Indies: third cricket Test, day three – as it happened

Mark Wood splattered the lower order before Ben Stokes bashed England’s fastest Test fifty to complete a 3-0 series win

16th over: West Indies 40-2 (Louis 20, Athanaze 6) Mark Wood thunders in. “A fast bowler in heart and mind” Mike Atherton channels the late, great John Arlott in his appraisal of the Durham fast bowler on the tv commentary. Wood is clocking 90mph plus already, which boggles the mind really. Ouch! A snorting delivery from Wood rises sharply and crashes into Athanaze’s shoulder. That’ll be a peach sized bruise in no time.

15th over: West Indies 39-2 (Louis 19, Athanaze 6) Bashir shuffles to the crease with quick feet and a high arm. Athanaze rocks back to pierce the covers with a push and he takes a single. Mikyle Louis on strike. He’s had a decent series without yet making a stellar contribution. Bashir finds some turn but it drifts down the leg side and beats Jamie Smith behind the stumps, the first boundary of the day comes in byes.

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England v West Indies: third cricket Test, day two – as it happened

A blistering 95 from Jamie Smith and two late wickets put England in charge despite a dreadful start to the second day

Pope chops on! England lose another one early and are in some strife.

10th over: England 43-3 (Pope 6, Root 7) Seales is full and at the stumps, pinning Root on the pad in front of all three. That looks close?! Seales implores but the umpire is not having it and neither are his teammates. What do you know – the DRS shows three reds and Root would have been on his way with a review. Next ball he pounces on a half volley and drives down the ground for four.

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England v West Indies: third cricket Test, day one – as it happened

A topsy-turvy day at Edgbaston ended with England struggling on 38 for 3, still 244 runs behind West Indies

2nd over: West Indies 4-0 (Brathwaite 4, Louis 0) Close to calamity for West Indies. Louis wanted a single after diverting the ball down the leg side with his thigh; Brathwaite wasn’t having it. Louis was forced to turn back, and would’ve been walking back to the changing room if Jamie Smith’s throw had taken down the stumps. Louis survives. Three runs off Gus Atkinson’s opening over.

1st over: West Indies 1-0 (Brathwaite 1, Louis 0) Chris Woakes takes the new ball at his home ground, ready to examine Kraigg Brathwaite’s forward defence. The West Indies captain nabs a quick single off the opening ball, dropping it into the offside as Woakes goes a touch too short. An outswinger beats Mikyle Louis’s bat, and one jag backs in moments later, not far away from off stump. There’s some very decent swing on offer here; Woakes is in the game.

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England beat West Indies by 241 runs to win second Test on day four – as it happened

Shoaib Bashir’s five-for, the first by a spinner at Trent Bridge since 2006, helped England to a series-clinching victory

56th over: England 272-3 (Root 45, Brook 87) Cowabunga! Brook plays a contender for shot of the day before 11:30! A drive down the ground on the up off Jayden Seales. The ball whistling back past the bowler and thudding into the advertising hoardings. Brook is thirteen runs away from a maiden century on home soil.

55th over: England 265-3 (Root 42, Brook 83) Root opens the face to glide a boundary down past point and both batters pinch a single to add a couple more onto the lead.

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England v West Indies: second cricket Test, day three – as it happened

Harry Brook’s unbeaten 71 helped England to 248 for three, a lead of 207 after a spectacular last-wicket stand took West Indies to 457

86th over: West Indies 355-5 (Holder 27, Da Silva 32) Atkinson opens up the Stuart Broad end and begins with a maiden. The highlight from that over was a great take from Smith behind the stumps with the gloves on. he’s had a terrific start to his Test career. He’s yet to concede a bye.

Gary Naylor is at Trent Bridge, sitting in the front row of the media centre (which is a great place to watch cricket) and is in a reflective mood:

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England v West Indies: second cricket Test, day two – as it happened

Mark Wood’s pace reached 97mph and Kavem Hodge thumped a superb maiden Test century as West Indies maded 351-5 at Trent Bridge

1st over: West Indies 4-0 (Brathwaite 4, Louis 0) Woakes opens with a loosener down the leg side but finds his radar soon after. He’s got four slips but he’s angling the ball back into the right hander from a good length. One is over pitched and Braithwaite leans forward and drives through a gap between cover and point for four.

Right then, the players are making their way to the middle/ It’s Woakes with the new ball. Braithwaite is taking guard. Can the Windies get anywhere near England’s 416?

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Sweden 0-0 England: Euro 2025 qualifying – as it happened

The Lionesses qualified automatically for Euro 2025 after a squeaky goalless draw in Gothenburg

4 min England have started with Mead on the left and Hemp on the right; should’ve told you that earlier.

4 min “Isn’t Sarina the PERFECT choice for the vacancy now created by Gareth departing?” asks Krishnamoorthy V. “Or do we still care about gender issues?”

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Spain 2-1 England: Euro 2024 final – as it happened

Nico Williams and Mikel Oyarzabal were the Basque heroes for Spain against England in Berlin

“In an effort to calm my nerves I was thinking about England v Spain in 1982,” says Martin Widdicks. “It really is the forgotten England elimination story. We’re all too well aware of Bonetti in ‘70, Maradona in ‘86, Pearce in ‘90 etc but know next to nothing about the ‘82 Spain game. I shall happily watch some scratchy highlights shortly but anyone else have more insight about that game?”

It was before my time but I know the basic story – England’s two best players, Kevin Keegan and Trevor Brooking, had been out through injury all tournament and were only fit enough for the bench. I think they came on after about an hour, and poor Keegan – playing his only World Cup game – missed a terrific headed chance to get the first of the two goals they needed.

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England beat West Indies in first Test by innings and 114 runs as Anderson signs off – as it happened

Jimmy Anderson took his 704th and final wicket and Gus Atkinson picked up a debut 12-for on an emotional day at Lord’s

Remember when may be the lowest form of conversation, Mr Soprano, but it doesn’t have make good clickbait. Go on, you know you want to. Clickity click click click.

There’s more than one way to fit a farewell

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Uruguay 0-1 Colombia: Copa América 2024 semi-final – as it happened

A reminder of the teams, who will be joining us shortly.

Uruguay (possible 3-3-3-1) Rochet; Caceres, Gimenez,

M Olivera; Valverde, Ugarte, De la Cruz; Pellistri, Bentancur, M Araujo; Nunez.
Substitutes: Mele, Israel, Olaza, Varela, Vina, R Araujo, Marichal, De Arrascaeta, Rodriguez, Martinez, Suarez, Canobbio, Ocampo, C Olivera.

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