England v West Indies: rain forces abandonment of second ODI – as it happened

Only 2.2 overs were possible at Trent Bridge before heavy rain forced a frustrating washout

4.20pm BST

The umpires have accepted the inevitable and called the game off. I’m sure you’ll agree that this has been a triumph for all concerned. Thanks for your company, bye!

4.19pm BST

And Haseeb Hameed has suffered another broken finger, which presumably ends his hopes of being in the Ashes squad. That’s a blessing, I think, even if his poppadom fingers are a concern.

Related: India v Australia: second one-day international – live!

4.16pm BST

The left-arm wrist-spinner Kuldeep Yadav has taken a hat-trick for India against Australia at Kolkata!

Related: India v Australia: second one-day international – live!

4.04pm BST

No need is bad news: it looks increasingly unlikely that there will be any play before the cut-off time just before 6pm.

3.42pm BST

The next match is in Bristol on Sunday. The forecast is much better - there is a 1 per cent chance of precipitation, it says here.

3.39pm BST

Rain update It’s still raining.

3.31pm BST

“Unlike you, I want to see a boring Ashes squad,” says Chris Anderson. “Pick the same XI from the last test plus few broken-finger-on-the-morning-of-the-game replacements. Hopefully this would send the message that the management are confident in the players selected. Then you put all your wildcards and young talent in the Lions squad, giving them experience of aussie conditions before some of them are inevitability drafted into the Test team when we are 2-0 down after two Tests.”

Ha. That reminds me of something I wanted to do to raise money in memory of our dear friend Dan Lucas: £10 each, everyone predicts the England XI for the fifth Ashes Test, the winners (if there are any) split half the cash and the other half goes to JDRF. Any interest? Let me know if so and I’ll try to arrange it.

3.26pm BST

“I don’t think the squad will have any surprises,” says Kevin Wilson. “Australia’s not the place to introduce anyone green or else they might return with a case of the Kerrigans. I reckon Hales will go because he covers two spots, Dawson probably will go because he’s a steady bloke and they like Wood even though I can’t see him having a long term Test career. Finn might be tacked onto the squad as an extra bowler or if TRJ gets injured. The Lions squad should be interesting though.”

As Mike Atherton said the other day, I don’t understand the argument about Hales covering two bases. He said he doesn’t want to open in first-class cricket any more, and we know he struggles in that position against high-class Test bowling. I could understand it back in the day, when you needed a squad to cover lots of bases, but the Lions will be nearby so they’ll have back-up openers there. I would probably pick a third opener in the squad, with a view to batting him at No3. I don’t think that will happen though.

3.22pm BST

I have a theory about Ballance (wait! Come back!) that his ugly style counts against him, just as the beauty of Stokes and Moeen’s batting makes it feel like they score more runs than is actually the case. For example, I think most people would tell you Ballance had a shocker v South Africa earlier this summer, yet his scores were not disastrous: 20, 34, 27, 4. Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t pick him for this tour, but I can’t remember the last time there was such a strong aesthetic prejudice against an England batsman.

3.18pm BST

“Stokes, Woakes AND Foakes, he jokes?” croaks Andrew Benton. “Must be a hoax, folks.”

3.17pm BST

“What am I missing that Ballance gets repeat opportunity after repeat opportunity?” sniffs Jeff Smith. “Maybe having the captain be selector is a bad practice. Yes they basically run the team but every bad Test side ever assembled was basically picked by the captain, right?”

What about the good ones? I wouldn’t pick Ballance, certainly not in Australia, but the argument in his favour says he has a better Test and first-class average than all the other contenders, and clearly has the necessary temperament to succeed in Australia. But I’d agree with those who think the Aussie quicks will have a field day with that technique, certainly if he bats at No3.

3.14pm BST

“I read the Mark Nicholas piece covering much the same ground as everywhere else,” says Tony Harlow. “He does have the benefit of seeing the Aussies a lot at home and being inside their brains so those bits (must be able to play properly, must be aggressive …) are worth thinking about. I am quite persuaded by the idea of Patel being ready as a batsman. Sort of pick that would confuse the Aussies and might work. And the idea of a non-Adonis Test player is amusing too. But reality says the idea is fanciful and he should have been tried during the summer if it was an option.

“The Vince idea is also fanciful and to my mind a bit of home town picking by Hampshire favouring Nicholas. Loose outside off stump at Brisbane? Not such a good idea. But the omission seems the most obvious flaw .. what has Sam Robson done wrong. Why is he on the outer? He has clearly improved since his chance (in which he did as well as anyone else), he has had as good a summer as anyone else, he has a grounding on Australian wickets and he has the motivation to play well against old friends/ team mates. And he’s right handed. And to make it even better Stoneman was a number 3 for a long period so comfortable there but scores quicker than Compton. So for me: Cook, Robson, Stoneman, Root, Hales or Patel or Malan, Stokes, Bairstow, Moeen, Woakes, Broad, Anderson.

3.02pm BST

I do hope England pick a wildcard in their Ashes party, in the name of nostalgia if nothing else, but I suspect this will be the squad: Root (c), Stokes (vc), Cook, Stoneman, Ballance, Malan, Hales, Bairstow, Foakes, Ali, Dawson, Woakes, Wood, Broad, Anderson, Roland-Jones.

Any thoughts? About anything?

2.39pm BST

“Greetings from soggy Trent Bridge, Rob. Having a look at the rain radar out in the press box and (courtesy of a colleague who has paid for the predictive element) the algorithm suggests the wet stuff could stop falling circa 4.30pm. The question then would be whether the outfield can dry in time for a 5.56pm start time that would allow a 20-over match. West Indies may be keen to start the birthday celebrations with Chris Gayle early ... although the Universe Boss is spending a chunk of his 38th having a scan on that twanged hamstring. Here’s hoping it’s not tour-ending...”

2.34pm BST

On the subject of Cricinfo, this piece from Mark Nicholas on who might be in England’s Ashes squad is so accomplished, knowledgeable and thought-provoking as to be almost thrilling.

2.24pm BST

According to Cricinfo legend Andrew McGlashan, the cut-off time for a 20-over match is 5.56pm. I think the rain wil have stopped by then, but I’m not sure the ground wil be playable.

2.06pm BST

Australia are in the malodorous stuff in Kolkata

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Read all about it here.

Related: India v Australia: second one-day international – live!

2.05pm BST

“What are the views on playing international cricket in England until the end of September?” wonders Neil Taylor. “I stopped buying tickets for matches in September as I’m a delicate flower. Can’t imagine the Windies are loving this much.”

There’s no alternative, is there? In a better world we would do unto the schedule as Freddy Krueger did unto the residents of Elm Street. But that’s not going to happen in a cuture where more is less and even more is barely sufficient.

1.52pm BST

The forecast improves around 5pm,

just in time for me to do one and lump Nick Miller with the remaining 97.4 overs of the match
so we should get a reduced game, maybe 20 or 25 overs per side.

1.48pm BST

Case closed, Columbo

“Nice idea,” says Ian Black, carefully lining up the inevitable ‘but’, “but the playing regulation that allows free hits also allows for the circumstances where the no-ball is as a result of a fielding restriction breach. From the ICC ODI playing regulations:

24.2 Free Hit

In addition to the above, the delivery following a no ball called (all modes of no ball) shall be a free hit for whichever batsman is facing it. If the delivery for the free hit is not a legitimate delivery (any kind of no ball or a wide ball) then the next delivery will become a free hit for whichever batsman is facing it.

1.45pm BST

There is live cricket in Kolkata, where Australia are chasing 253 to beat India. You can follow that with Adam Collins.

Related: India v Australia: second one-day international – live!

1.33pm BST

The covers are still on. It’s going to be a while before we see any play.

1.30pm BST

Richard O’Hagan is the Umpire “Every umpire knows that sometimes you have to apply Law 43 - use your common sense. I would allow the fielding side to move the fielder closest to the striker’s end umpire in front of square.”

You can legally move the field if they rotate strike, can’t you? Though in theory the batting side could just swing for boundaries and not run.

1.17pm BST

You are the Umpire “A conundrum to ponder during the rain break,” writes our old friend Mike Selvey. “It came up over a few beers in Lahore last week (yes, the Pearl Continental does have a bar). In white-ball cricket, a no ball is called because 3 fielders behind square on the legside, which means a free hit. But the field cannot be changed for the free hit. And so the game goes on forever. Or does it?”

1.13pm BST

Play will not restart at 1.15pm, because it’s raining again. Great stuff.

1.02pm BST

The covers are coming off, a bit earlier than expected, and play wil restart at 1.15pm.

12.52pm BST

It’s raining in India as well. But if you just need one more hit of live cricket, Will Macpherson has some methadone for you.

Related: County cricket: Middlesex v Lancashire, Surrey v Somerset and more – live!

12.47pm BST

It’s the Ashes! Rain may have stopped play but it won’t cure Ashes fever, and it certainly won’t impinge upon gratuitous plugs. If anything, it’ll facilitate them. To wit: I’ve updated this history of the Ashes to include the 2015 series, and you can read it free if you have Kindle Unlimited! No, I haven’t got a clue what Kindle Unlimited is either!

12.43pm BST

2.2 overs: England 21-0 (Bairstow 9, Hales 10) After 14 balls, rain stops play. Nice one. It’s fairly heavy and it could be a while before the players return. We should get a reduced game, however, as the forecast is much better this evening.

12.40pm BST

Mind the Windows, Tino

Wish I had bowl at this one Hales bk then let's see u pulling at 90+ not 84mph lol would of enjoyed cracking that Nut hahah

I faced you in 2010 mate in your peak. You literally couldn't land it on the cut strip #90mphDross https://t.co/98QbdiygTp

12.40pm BST

2nd over: England 20-0 (Bairstow 8, Hales 10) Hales, who looks in devastating form at the moment, blasts consecutive off-side boundaries off Jerome Taylor. He’s not quite in the same class but the way he is bullying bowlers brings to mind the best of Matthew Hayden.

“Anderson was commentating during the first ODI,” says Kevin Wilson. “Is it a shoot-out for the one fast-bowling commentary spot when they both retire? For what it’s worth, someone really ought to suggest Anderson goes into coaching as he’s got so much expertise to share it would be wasted in the commentary box. Broad’s more extroverted and would be more of a natural fit with the Sky boys.”

12.35pm BST

1st over: England 10-0 (Bairstow 7, Hales 1) England’s last ODI here was the festival of record-breaking against Pakistan, when Alex Hales made 171 in a score of 444 for three. After the first over of today’s match, bowled by Jason Holder, their projected score is 500. Holder started with two leg-side wides, followed a by a leg-side non-wide that Bairstow clipped for four. Bairstow was lucky to survive the penultimate delivery when he and Hales took a ludicrous single to Kyle Hope at point. A direct hit at either end would have brought a wicket; Hope went for the striker’s end and missed.

12.15pm BST

Stuart Broad is part of the Sky team today. We already know his cricket brain is Mensa-level; early impressions are that he is very good at articulating his insights.

12.06pm BST

England are unchanged, West Indies are changed: Devendra Bishoo and Chris Gayle are replaced by Kyle Hope and Miguel Cummins. Gayle, 38 years cold today, has a hamstring injury.

England Bairstow, Hales, Root, Morgan (c), Stokes, Buttler (wk), Moeen, Willey, Woakes, Rashid, Plunkett.

12.02pm BST

That’s a straightforward decision given the weather forecast, even though the pitch looks a belter. Eoin Morgan says England would have done bowled as well.

11.59am BST

The weather forecast has improved in the last few hours, so there’s every chance we’ll start on time. The toss is imminent. Meantime, Australia have scrapped their way back into the game against India in Kolkata.

Related: India v Australia: second one-day international – live!

10.36am BST

England are a damn fine one-day team. Since the last World Cup they have the best win percentage (66) and run rate (6.23 per over) of any team in the world, and they’ve won 14 of their last 17 matches at home. They would be healthy favourites for the 2019 World Cup, to be staged in England, were it not for that confusing bloody defeat to Pakistan in the semi-final of the Champions Trophy.

We should try to ignore that match. The final at Lord’s four days later confirmed that it dosen’t matter whether you’re the hosts, the holders or the best team in the world. When the force is with Pakistan, it’s no longer your film. It’s not easy for England to forget that defeat, however. It’s there all the time,sat in the corner, smugly telling us that next time, there’ll be no next time.

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