Key events
A Rainy Night Afternoon in Soho Barbados
Covers on and the toss has been delayed. More as we get it. The weather is due to improve so there is every chance we’ll get a truncated game at some point.
As we wait for further news from Barbados – and I think I saw some blue sky on the TNT sports coverage – England’s women have duffed up India at the Wankhede Stadium to go 2-0 up and out of reach in their T20I series.
Our man on the ground is Simon Burnton and he whangs over an email from Barbados with slighly iffy news:
“Afternoon! The bad news from Barbados is that the covers are on, and it’s raining (lightly). The clouds are thick and dark, you can barely see the hills behind Bridgetown, and though the weather forecast is fine it is also demonstrably wrong.”
Gah. Thoughts and prayers to Simon’s suntan.
Preamble
James Wallace
Hello and welcome to the OBO of the third and deciding ODI between West Indies and England. The series is tied at one apiece after the first two matches in Antigua – Shai Hope pulling off a spectacular heist for his side in the first match only for Jos Buttler’s men to hit back on Wednesday with a convincing six wicket win.
All eyes on the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown today then to see if Buttler and co can get their white ball train back on the tracks after a disastrous World Cup and ahead of five T20 matches agains the men in maroon this side of Christmas. For Shai Hope and West Indies – today gives them an opportunity to notch their first win against a Full Member nation in a bilateral series since they defeated Sri Lanka in March 2021.
Play gets under way in Barbados in just over 30 minutes’ time, 1.30pm local time.
I’ll be back before then to bring news of the teams and the toss, please do drop me some Christmas post into the OBO mail sack with your thoughts, theories, musings and mirth. Once more unto the breach!
