2.45pm Right, that's your lot. Thanks for your comments. Let's hope the weather clears up before Wednesday's attempt at a rematch. Until then, good bye!
2.39pm Match Abandoned!
"Need a valid answer should i go to sleep or continue hoping". There's your answer, Clinton. It's been a soggy non-event, but there's nothing left to see here.
Ram@Tams: "Always wondered what happens when the commentators finish their shift early. In some places you're expected to do non-core tasks like cleaning and house keeping eg in hotel jobs. What do you guys do - check to make sure all old records are in order !?! Update player profiles !?!" Personally I run for the hills! But yes, there are some player profiles to catch up with... I'll have a rummage while I wait for George to file his soggy copy.
Andrew Evans: "I flew down from Massachusetts for the two matches in Barbados. I even had the privilege of falling down several stairs in the Three W's stand. My born-and-bred American wife even engaged YJB in conversation on the background, although as a fan of the Red Rose I cringed a little when she asked him if he plays for Lancashire! Wrong wicket-keeper. Me and my sunburn are rather sad about Grenada though, sigh..."
Jmani: "What a waste of time! I would have rather worked out and lost 17 pounds. Cricket is the reason for my obesity" You'll be a fan of The Hundred then. A very trimmed-down version ...
2.31pm Yes, it is still raining. It is bucketing. It is futile. End this farce now!
2.28pm Clinton: "Is It still raining" Is it still raining? I hadn't noticed.
2.16pm "Expecting announcement at 2.42. 25 or so mins from now," says George. "Pretty hopeless situation."
jovi: "this rain has certainly made it an unproductive workday. waiting for play to start has been more distracting than if i were actually sitting in the office watching the game. come on rain give us a break please!!"
2.03pm So, we now have less than an hour in which to get this party started ... I think George might have drowned. He's been eerily quiet ... Ah, here he is. "Nearly time to call it off now," he says. Aw... but we're having so much fun.
James: "Nicholas: I agree about Brathwaite: been living off the World T20 final too long. But i'd probably play DJ Bravo or Pollard at 6. Adds another bowling option, plus vast experience."
Alex: "Reply to Nicholas : I think Holder has shown his worth as a batsmen , he can play aggressively or defensively both. I would play holder at no. 7 . I wouldn't risk playing pooran in wc19. He is inexperienced and his domestic records are not fabulous. I agree on brathwaite's axing though, it seems his 4 sixes against stokes was a one off."
1.57pm Nicholas : "Well nothing better to do to past the time but my West Indies XI for the world cup is 1)Gayle 2)Lewis 3)Hope 4)Bravo 5)Hetmyer 6)Pooran 7)Russell 8)Narine 9)Holder 10)Roach 11)Cottrell. I dont really believe in Holder ability to bat at number six and he is not a slogger like narine or russell that is needed at the death overs. Also Brathwaite does not deserve to be anywhere near this West Indies ODI squad or the T20I, he has been below mediocre with the bat and ball for far too long."
Richard Hirst: "Ah, a philosopher! We now understand your Zen approach to cricket." Well, quite. It was three years incredibly well wasted. Fortunately England's cricket team of the late 1990s gave me plenty cause for being philosophical...
Lukas Stoop : "Usually it is "Work interrupted due to cricket" but today it was "Work interrupted due to waiting for the rain to stop delaying the cricket"."
1.46pm Any puddles in your open-air press-box yet, George? "Slippy at front. I'm at back. Music so loud it could be a weapon. Not a day for the scrap book."
Nikhil: "How do you get in on the discussion. I'm a youngster going to school and I think I can offer a lot of opinion on world cricket. However the difference between me and you guys is I'm at school having to write essays due to the lack of cricket today. What a shame!! " Welcome aboard, the essays can wait for another day.
Nigel: "Miller, you gotta watch Waterworld. I heard that it's a masterpiece. If you haven't seen enough water for the day that is..." True story, at university, I wrote an entire philosophy essay based on Waterworld after accidentally watching it instead of revising for my exam. I didn't fail ...
1.33pm "Still raining," says George. Still here? You're a persistent lot aren't you?
Richard Hirst: "Not so much persistent, it's just that our other hobby is watching paint dry." Watching grass dry is far more rewarding, believe me.
Mark: "As some of this rain has been heavy, will the ground be fit for a quick start anyway, even if it stops? You might have to ask Sir George the Patient about that" Well, I would, but I don't want to overburden him.
Haresh Balkaran: "Well on the bright side, we don't have to watch 10 overs of boring version of gayle and would most likely see t20 version of gayle from the get go... that is if the rain doesn't let go and pour down."
Irfan: "Poor Alex Hales, waits a long time to get a chance to play an ODI game and thanks to the rain will probably have to wait a bit longer."
1.22pm Jmani: "Miller since you have a lot of spare time today, can you write your review you on the Netflix Series's you recently watched. Would help me later in the day. I am watching Bates Motel now. Pretty decent one. What's yours?" I am deep into Das Boot, since you ask. I can't get enough of watching water-based japes.
1.15pm Dave Simmons: "Well this is upsetting. I have been looking forward to this most of the day. I rather enjoy listening to one innings at work and then getting home to watch the second and the result. Now I'l have to talk to the wife..."
Ravin: "Reading your comments is like watching a soap opera, its one hell of a roller coaster... " It's like the Crossroads motel round here
Kalyanaraman: "This doubt has been in my mind for a very long time (as long as Cricinfo's existence) ....... who reads all the comments? who decides what to publish? and who responds? I don't seriously believe that the commentators (Andrew, Alex et al.,) do all the three, unless they happen to be Supermen 1, 2, and 3 ,,,in which case I would like to look at their attire to convince myself ..........!!" Nope, it is entirely up to me. I am judge, jury and executioner
Vinod Rajpal: "Hey Andrew; why its getting difficult for mine comment to get posted in rain delay match & easy when there is a full match ? " Because I like to keep you all guessing
1.11pm So, we are due 30 overs a side contest, starting at 1.25pm. But no. It is raining! So, scratch that. "For the first time, I'm not especially optimistic we'll see any cricket here today," says George. Now, now, don't be downcast
Stephen Kissoon: "There's sun in England? Whhaaaat?" I know. Surely fake news
Hussain Raza: "I am so looking forward to seeing Hope and Hetmyer in action, the two superstars who will define windies cricket for years to come and who in process will also lead to the revival of windies cricket. "
Mikhail : "I'm tired of reading these paragraphs! I'm ready to see some numbers!" I'm tired of writing them, if it's any consolation!
1.09pm Jez: "I'm looking out of my window, and all I see is glorious sunshine and record temperatures. 20 degrees in February. Why aren't they playing here in England?" Well, quite! They were playing in London's Victoria Park on Sunday. I was most jealous.
1.06pm Now the umpires are taking a look, says George. Well. It is ALL happening.
Kalyanaraman: "12.46 pm - "that the latest possible start time would be 3pm, for a 20-over affair.....", Alex, if that were so, would that be an ODI or will it be reclassified as T20I?" Nope, it would be played under ODI rules.
1pm Covers coming off! George doesn't think the rain has stopped ... and he'd presumably know, seeing as his laptop is getting soggy. But they are having a look anyway. Well, well.
Bilal Ahmed: "Stop talking about People getting wet, some of us are getting the wrong idea and that's annoying to think." Err ... okay? But people are getting wet. That is actual FACT!
12.57pm Richard Hirst: "But is it a Fake News FACT?" No, but this is ... as flagged just now by Dean. April Fools have never been funny (except that time I made my brothers' coffee out of boot polish ... that was lolsworthy) but they've become especially pernicious and tedious in the internet age!
Nakul Pande: "Don't get Mark Wood wet, and don't feed him after midnight." Or he'll rip the heart out of your innings
12.52pm Hussain Raza: "Can't believe that we are living in the 21st century and yet cricket matches are being ruined by the rain. No wonder why crickets popularity has declined over the years. Why do we have to be so helpless in front of rain and why can't we find a solution to this problem? " Cos it's wet innit. And leather, soil and wood don't react well to being wet...
Richard Hirst: "Why, whatever does Mark Wood do when he gets wet?" His ankles swell up
Oli Jones: "@Jmani: Having spent some wee early hours with Mr Miller, I can confirm that even when it's quiet (ie he's let me at the controls of commentary and isn't tearing his hair out), he's still working (albeit regularly requiring cups of tea as well)." This, from the boy Jones, is FACT
12.40pm So, according to Sky, the next update will come at 1.30pm local time, which doesn't sound desperately encouraging. We sit tight!
Jmani: "So Miller, how are you enjoying the day? No work. Updates at your peril. Not posting enough comments? May be you ate two meals by now? Sitting on a lazy boy recliner at your work place and hoping it rains all day, huh? And on top getting paid for all this. Dream stuff" .... well, you know. I would write more, but this cake won't eat itself
12.35pm Well, there is still something of a crowd sitting tight. But no play remotely imminent. The covers are firmly in place.
"On the bright side... it had been very dry here. They needed this," says George, ever magnanimous as he sits dripping in his open-air press box.
12.22pm "No change," says George Dobell. "Drizzle". Humbug
12.18pm Dan de Verteuil: "In reply to Mary....the venues for the England tour were chosen to be those most attractive to English tourists and thus earn the most cash.....and to be honest, the countries that got the English rely a lot on tourism.....Guyana, Trinidad and Jamaica will not get a look in........if we are lucky, we might get India later this year as as tourism is less of a factor......which is a shame, as a Trini but it was pretty obvious in 2007 that this would be the legacy of the WC" ... Indeed. Grenada is a lovely place, but it's not exactly the Windies heartlands
12.08pm No news is ... no news. Blah.
Damian: "Lets take a second to commend Afghanistan's efforts in the T20 series against the Irish, especially the 278/3 (Imagine if it were a ODI, with 30 overs to go?), as well as Hazratullah Zazai's 162*? Be honest, who 10 years ago thought that Cricket lovers worldwide would be talking about Afghanistan as the world record holders for the highest T20 score EVER? (No disrespect, just praise from a South African Cricket Lover) THOUGHTS???" Their rise is one of the greatest stories in the history of sport, let alone cricket.
ALASTAIR: "MY ADVICE TO TIRED GROUNDSMEN-HAVE YOU TRIED TURNING THE COVERS ON AND OFF AGAIN?AND THATS WHAT THEY ARE DOING. YES I AM IN THE IT DEPARTMENT" No need to shout. That's my job!
11.58am Jordon: "This boredom has just led me to watch Australia get shot out for 47 in Cape Town again. Its been a while, and usually when I do you post the comment so I thought I would once again highlight how bad Haddins shot is in that innings. What a corker" That innings was one of the great missed opportunities ... Australia were 21 for 9! Immortality was in their grasp ... but Siddle and Lyon ruined it.
Jack: "I wonder what the highest score/best figures are for washed out games? Imagine there are a few forgotten gems due to 'no results' usually being swiftly forgotten" Well, it wasn't washed out, but Alec Stewart reckoned his 9 not out at Sabina Park in 1998 was one of his finest hours.
11.46am Well, we are now one minute past the original revised start time for what would have been a 42-over contest.... so, we'll be sitting tight for a while yet. "More hard rain," says George, who adds that the latest possible start time would be 3pm, for a 20-over affair.
Richard : "I'm assuming that the only reason for the selection of Hales to replace Stokes is that they value him as a potential 7th bowler... " Yes ... that'd be it!
William C: "Re. Duncan W - it does indeed count. Zafar Ansari is credited with having played 1 ODI despite that game against Ireland being completely washed out" To be fair, they did manage 18 overs. But yes, poor old Zaf was a Thanks For Coming
11.38am Devendra: "The more this match shortens, the more it favour the Windies Team!" There's probably some truth in that. Fewer singles for England to mitigate Windies' six-hitting!
Adam: "I wonder if international teams deal with rain delays the same way my club side do... changing room cricket, card games and someone doing a trip to the closest shop to get some snacks in!" I'd be disappointed if they didn't!
Mary: "It's a lovely sunny day at Sabina Park. Shame Jamaica isn't getting any matches in these series. " Indeed. Nor Trinidad and Guyana. Aside from Barbados, the old regional powerhouses haven't had much of a look-in in this itinerary. It's all rather geared to boutiquey venues
11.31am Hello everyone. It's RAINING! The attempts to get this match started have been as futile as my attempts to communicate with ESPN's IT helpdesk.
Duncan W: "Something I've always wondered.....if the game is called off without a ball being bowled, the fact that they've had the toss - does this mean the match is included in player records? So, if you were making your debut, it would count despite not a ball being bowled?" Yep, I believe that is how these things are decided.
S. Halder: "There's been a phenomenon recently - Abhijato and his Crystal Ball. He has gained prominence for predicting the Sri Lankan Test victory, the BBL collapse, Hetmeyer's century, and the events of several PSL matches! He is found around the site often. Have you guys heard about him in your part of Cricinfo Town? " Yes, I saw some out-of-context mention of him during the last ODI. It all makes sense now!
11.25am: We have a restart time! 11.45am (so long as there's no more rain). Right, I've dripped on enough for now. Here's Miller
11.10am: Seems as if we did, briefly, have a rescheduled start time of 11.20am. But it's started raining again... So don't get excited
"Did Stokes twist his ankle doing a rain dance?" Possibly, Bob O'Hara. What he definitely wasn't doing was playing football. So don't even suggest it. I don't even know why you brought it up...
"At what time do we start losing overs, or have we already hit that point?" We have, Joel H. Reckon we'll have lost at least an hour, by the time they get out
10.55am: Still coming down in St George's, it seems. Elsewhere in the world, England women lost the second ODI against India in Mumbai, missing out on valuable points in the ICC Women's Championship.
Here's Bob_Wilko: "Hales is a good addition in the fact he is flexible. If England lose an early opener, can draft him in up top, or wait until after Root and Morgan tick the score along then waltz out to tee off again at the end of an innings."
"Didn't staging a test match stop the drought in Cape Town a year or two back?" Yep, that's right, James. Washed out day three against India last year
10.40am: "AND THEN IT STARTED TO RAIN AGAIN." I'm not sure if that is a Bob Dylan reference, or George just losing the will...
"The criticism on Gayle's running and fielding might be justified. But how do you justify dropping someone who has scored 185 runs in 2 matches?" says Lukas Stoop, reasonably enough. "And who would replace in him in the opening slot? Not to mention, that he is a cricketing icon and the fans will not be too pleased if he is dropped after his recent performances"
"Hales at 5 is an odd placement, and removing Stokes makes the England bowling attack look a lot weaker. Wonder how much Root will bowl." Hales has to take what he can get at the moment, Saoirse. But it's true Eoin Morgan's hand always looks stronger with a genuine sixth bowler
10.35am: "May have stopped raining," hums George, putting aside his harmonica for a moment. "Pretty wet out there, but seems covers may be removed shortly." While we await further updates, some news from the county circuit: Middlesex have signed some fella called Abraham de Villiers for this year's Vitality Blast.
"This is incredible. Grenada experienced the driest January ever recorded. February was on that path also. We get cricket and all of a sudden it rains. Is cricket the cure to drought in Grenada?" It's the time-honoured solution, Morland. Just sticking a set of stumps in the ground can be enough to trigger a shower in England
"Is it a guitar or a harmonica? Why can't he decide?" George is a man of many talents, Mahesh. Got a set of maracas in the other hand, too
10.25am: George is strumming his guitar: "Hard rain, as Bob Dylan might say. Looking a bit rubbish." It seems to have set in, which is a shame. Reduced overs a certainty now.
Sam: "19C and blue skies in the south of England at the moment - move the match there?" Couple of scratch teams on Wimbledon common? Let's do this
10.20am: Hold up, everyone - it's raining again and the covers are back on. Could be one of those days. Here's the write-up on Stokes' ankle boo-boo.
"Is it that you chose to post Isaac's comment only to increase comment counts in your inbox?" I actually skimmed over the subtle trolling of Kohli, Nikhilesh. But well, everyone likes a bit of spice in their masala, don't they?
"Living close by," says Jock feh, "the sun is creeping in we should have a little drizzle here and there but I believe the weather will hold up." Huzzah!
And Prajith isn't letting go: "The main problem with Gayle is not about his batting but his running between the wickets, he is increasing pressure on other batters by refusing easy singles or settling for single when two is on. Also if he fields first, can he last for 50 overs and open batting?"
10.10am: England win the toss and bowl, Eoin Morgan keen to chase again. "There are showers forecast," he says. "This gives us the best chance of assessing the conditions." Morgan confirms Hales' inclusion for Stokes - who is officially "rested for precautionary reasons" - and Woakes coming back in for Tom Curran. West Indies are unchanged from the second ODI. Jason Holder admits he would have bowled, too, but backs his players to make the best of batting first once again. "It's been a pretty good wicket, might get better as the day goes on, but we have the opportunity to put runs on the board."
West Indies: 1 Chris Gayle, 2 John Campbell, 3 Shai Hope (wk), 4 Darren Bravo, 5 Shimron Hetmyer, 6 Jason Holder (capt), 7 Carlos Brathwaite, 8 Ashley Nurse, 9 Devendra Bishoo, 10 Sheldon Cottrell, 11 Oshane Thomas
England: England: (probable) 1 Jason Roy, 2 Jonny Bairstow, 3 Joe Root, 4 Eoin Morgan (capt), 5 Alex Hales, 6 Jos Buttler (wk), 7 Moeen Ali, 8 Chris Woakes 9 Liam Plunkett, 10 Adil Rashid, 11 Mark Wood
10.09am: We have a start time, courtesy of George: 10.35am, still 50 overs a side. George is also reporting that Stokes is out, having rolled his ankle. Toss is imminent.
10am: There's speculation about who is and who isn't warming up for England... Joe Root and Ben Stokes the likely candidates, according to cigarette smoking man.
"I'm a Pakistan fan as some of you will know so have no dog in this fight, but I'd say have some respect for one of the only batsmen in history who can tear a team to pieces no matter who the bowlers on any given day," chirps Isaac Marshall. "Even Kohli can't do that, it's just a few batsmen with an inconsistent style who can do it, and Gayle is the only one of those guys, de Villiers being another, who opens the batting."
9.50am: The rain has stopped! "Cheers as covers removed," reports George. Now to see if we can get the toss in and start before 10.30am local time, which it seems is our cut-off for getting 50 overs in.
"'It's just like England's Alastair Cook dilemma'. Sort of. Though I don't recall Alastair hitting 12 6's in an innings (or probably career)." He hit a stately 10 in his 92-game career, James. I didn't say it was exactly the same...
9.40am: It sounds like we need to get started in the next half an hour or so before we start losing overs. But still no news on when the toss is likely to be, as yet.
Here's James: "Chris Gayle scores a 135 and then a 50, and people still complaining that he should be dropped, I am a neutral here from SA and I still believe Gayle is the right guy to keep for the World Cup. He has a big march temperament." It's just like England's Alastair Cook dilemma from four years ago. Sort of
9.30am: Sounds like it is still drizzling, so we are continuing to twiddle our thumbs. Here's surya, with some Real Talk: "Regarding Gayle debate, the problem Windies have is that they have tried quite a few options with none of them looking impressive at the top. A declining Gayle still seems a good option. All they can do is to ask him to bat a certain way. With Hope and Hetmyer in form now, they can afford to ask him to play a T20 style innings. Not a simple decision. If Windies lose, his batting will be the first to get criticised no matter how dreadfully they fielded or badly they bowled."
Seems Kevin isn't convinced, though: "If I were England, I'd go full psychological warfare and be publicly stating how we fear the Gayleforce and saying how he is our biggest threat. This way people will be asking to keep Gayle even though his lack of running and fielding is helping England."
"There is a blizzard here in Toronto but i'm feeling all warm and toasty, convinced that Windies will take it 2-1," coos Lekhraj Nimraj, presumably from under a maroon blanket
9.15am: We have "gentle rain and sunshine" in St George's, according to George (who's not a saint, but still a very nice man). So we're halfway there. Some whispers coming from the ground suggest Alex Hales might be playing for England... but we don't know who for, as yet.
Meanwhile, here's ABJ: "Hello everybody, I hear this talk and debate everyday that England are the favorites for World Cup 2019 but I don't think so with this bowling attack England can, you cannot chase down 350+ against all attacks in World Cricket. Thoughts?" They probably can't, no - although they'll give it a good crack. But they have wicket-takers - Woakes, Rashid, Plunkett - even if they tend to leak run, so they may get away with it. Plus there's Jofra Archer, of course
"Am I the only one who thinks Gayle should be dropped?" demands Jez, spoiling for a fight. "Not just for the slow starts. The whole team has to bat around him and change their play, as they can't run their normal singles. They stand and slog instead, and it become a bit hit and miss. Both Campbell and Hope were clearly frustrated last time out. As for the fielding..."
Here's Donnel: "West Indies need to find a good, wicket-taking spinner. Neither Bishoo nor Nurse fit that description at the moment." If only Sunil Narine could trust his action through 10 overs...
9am: We have no toss, at least not just yet. The covers are on, but the rainfall doesn't seem to be too heavy. There's a bank of mizzly cloud sitting above the ground, so we probably need that to shift. Sit tight, folks.
"Really feel that the Windies side would look more complete with Russell coming in for Carlos," declares Ahaan. "Lewis straight back in when fit, though Campbell's been decent. Interested to see the bowling line-up when Paul, Gabriel and Roach would be available. Your thoughts on that?" I think Russell would strengthen most teams, as a whirlwind bat who can also bowl 90mph. With those three quicks available, too, West Indies might just take on 'dark horse' status for the World Cup, if they can continue the progress shown against England
8.50am: "Covers still on, though England warming up as normal," reports George. The toss is due in 10 mins, but we may well have a delay. When things do get underway, England are expected to bring back Chris Woakes, their leading ODI seamer, who is managing a knee problem - but he insists it isn't career-threatening. This match is also set to be Darren Bravo's 100th one-day international; he has been talking about the Chris Gayle effect for West Indies.
"Alan, I like to learn if DLS is foreseen before the toss, would toss winning team prefer to bat or bowl? Educate the rationale please." Well, let me see what I can do, Rashid. DLS does tend to favour chasing team - so yes, with the weather in mind, bowling first is probably sensible
"Looking for Chris Gayle's 10,000 Runs in this Match. 9912 runs 88 more needed, Go Gayle Go... " Indeed, Mohsin Raza. That would put him in pretty special company
8.40am: Ah, maybe we spoke too soon. "Covers coming back on," says George. "More rain." Ho hum... Here's something to keep you occupied: Free hits, body position and Chris Woakes' nice feet. Yes, finally, an entire Cricket Sadist Hour dedicated to cricket's foot fetish no-balls in cricket, feat. Jarrod Kimber and Andy Zaltzman.
And here's Finland's No1 cricket fan, Akseli: "Hello! So far this journey has taken us far at the Caribbean! Test series came and went with big expectations turned down from an English point of view. Now ODI series is alive after a very successful bowling innings from WI. What's on store today at Grenada? I'm hoping for an all-hammering show after a weak batting display. Chris Gayle show must go on and we'll see firepower, I'm sure."
8.30am: Hello and welcome aboard. The ODI series between West Indies and England is nicely poised at 1-1, with the teams having shipped over to Grenada for matches three and four. After West Indies' revival in Barbados, led by standout performances from Shimron Hetmyer and Sheldon Cottrell, it's game on - as Valkerie Baynes writes in her preview. The home side have also received some good news (as forecast on these pages), with Andre Russell's return for the final two ODIs. And here is George Dobell to set the scene from St George's. "Morning from Grenada. Fair bit of rain around today. Forecast suggests it may be an issue on and off throughout the day, so DLS a real possibility. Covers coming off now, though, so not hopeless by any means. England just arriving now - you can tell my the sirens and horns - and decent chance of starting on time."
