The Overture Overs: England in West Indies, 2019

[Ray de Galles]

Is this Chris Gayle nudging and nurdling like a staid elder statesman here?

[Kevin S]

Yep, THE Chris Gayle. Enjoy it, this is his final home series apparently.

[Kevin S]

Those sixes mean he now holds the world record number of them in international cricket.

[Vicarious Thrillseeker]

Oof.

[Ray de Galles]

Yep, THE Chris Gayle. Enjoy it, this is his final home series apparently.

I went to the ODI at The Oval in 2017 thinking it was my last chance to see him play, he was out for 2 after 4 balls.

Mind you, I did see Evin Lewis score 176 before having to retire hurt. Where's he today actually?

[Vicarious Thrillseeker]

This is like a T20 game over 50 overs. England currently 127-1 off 16, chasing a monster 360

[Kevin S]

Need 22 off the last 24. Incredible batting in this match.

[Kevin S]

Roooooooot

[E10 Rifle]

I feel very uneasy about this, even though Archer apparently wants to play for England. It just smacks of rich nations poaching from poorer ones.

Anyway, explosive though yesterday's win was, the bowling didn't look up to much, and could have been worse had Gayle not played the first hour as a Boycott-and-Brearley-in-the-1979-world-cup-final tribute act. Rashid should have been on earlier

[Ray de Galles]

I feel very uneasy about this, even though Archer apparently wants to play for England. It just smacks of rich nations poaching from poorer ones.

That's because it's exactly what it is.

[diggedy derek]

That run chase was one of those mad ones where despite the enormous target it was cast iron victory with still an hour to go. Not so much a chase or indeed a canter as an amble.

I still haven't got over the New Zealand one in 2015, though, where despite it being England's highest chase to date, they did it with six overs to spare, and had at least a couple of extra gears they could have gone through if they needed.

[E10 Rifle]

That England-New Zealand ODI series in 2015 has probably been the best cricketing spectacle on these shores this decade. Doesn't get enough props

[diggedy derek]

It wasn't until I checked I realised that was the one where England broke 400.

[Kevin S]

West Indies might just see this one out you know. England seven down, need 44 off 32.

[Vicarious Thrillseeker]

31 off 6 needed

[Kevin S]

Is Rashid one of the top ODI players in the world at the moment?

[Kevin S]

Oh, he's gone.

Jinxes work very quickly these days, don't they?

[Kevin S]

Moeen goes too.

[Satchmo Distel]

Cottrell 5-46. I had never heard of him.

[Ray de Galles]

What a storming finish, stunning.

[Kevin S]

All out! Windies win!

[ursus arctos]

Only Cotrell's seventh ODI; he's played two tests

[Duncan Gardner]

Just watched the highlights, I like the contrast in bowler celebrations. Cottrell's square-bashing then salute at least nods to his time in the Jamaican Army, but no idea about Wood fellating his imaginary horse. Unless he was Richard Pryor in a previous life maybe.

[Kevin S]

Hales in for Stokes who has a slight ankle issue. England choose to bowl, but it's raining and we're already into reduced overs territory.

[E10 Rifle]

No overs territory, as it turned out. Would still like to see Hales get a bat next match though