Australia Vs West Indies - Live Update! - Page 11

Chanderpaul is making a huge fuss about marking his guard, as is his wont

2.1 Bracken to Chanderpaul, no run, very wide of the off stump - I'd have called it. But then that's why I'm typing about the cricket and not officiating.

Left alone by the batsman

2.2 Bracken to Chanderpaul, 2 runs, lovely drive, waiting on the back foot before driving it calmly through cover

2.3 Bracken to Chanderpaul, no run, that's close, coming back into Chanderpaul who is rapped on the pads.

Replays suggest I'm completely wrong, it wasn't that close, and was rising over his stumps. In fact, it pitched outside off too

Neatly bowled though. The first one Bracken's cut back in

2.4 Bracken to Chanderpaul, no run, squidged out into the covers off the back foot

Clever play from Chanderpaul here, waiting and waiting for the swing off the back foot

2.5 Bracken to Chanderpaul, no run, driven with more of a flourish and an extended follow-through, but it clunks off the bat without timing to mid-off

2.6 Bracken to Chanderpaul, no run, swinging into Chanderpaul who is again rapped on the pads, beaten by the swing, but no cause for an appeal there

End of over 3 (2 runs) - West Indies 7/0 (316 runs required from 47 overs, RR: 2.33, RRR: 6.72)

S Chanderpaul 3* (10b) NW Bracken 2-0-3-0
CH Gayle 0* (8b) SW Tait 1-0-4-0

3.1 Tait to Gayle, no run, that's zipped past Gayle's throat, albeit wide of his off stump...but an encouraging sign from Tait, getting good bounce off a length

3.2 Tait to Gayle, no run, there's the line, on middle-and-off and swinging into Gayle who is really hurried into a defensive poke

3.3 Tait to Gayle, 1 run, full, swinging into him and Gayle is finally off the mark with a squirted drive past the bowler

An excellent start to the over this from Tait. Pace, swing...it's all very good

3.4 Tait to Chanderpaul, 2 runs, oh and Chanderpaul goes on the pull here - too full to be pulling, perhaps? - gets it off the toe of the bat and it spoons in the air over the bowler. Very fortunate not to find mid-on

3.5 Tait to Chanderpaul, 1 wide, quick. Quick ball, 91mph (146ish kph) outside off. Chanderpaul goes for a Caribbean slash, but misses it by miles

3.5 Tait to Chanderpaul, OUT, gone! Full, straight, swinging into Chanderpaul's pads who plays all around it

S Chanderpaul lbw b Tait 5 (12b 0x4 0x6) SR: 41.66

Two slips and a leg-gully in

Here's Sarwan, marking his guard with the bat-hammering-a-bail method. And a super method it is too, full of effectiveness

Australia are ecstatic with that wicket. Replays suggested it was missing off stump though, I must say it looked like it was plucking out middle to me...

3.6 Tait to Sarwan, 1 run, the wrong line, drifting down leg and Sarwan nudges it to leg to steal the strike

"Disappointed to see that Bracken's girly headband isn't reproduced on your 3D animation," says Ashers, who has a point. We're having a word with our (make-up) artists as we speak. Hair bands...I don't know what the world is coming to.

End of over 4 (5 runs) - West Indies 12/1 (311 runs required from 46 overs, RR: 3.00, RRR: 6.76)

RR Sarwan 1* (1b) SW Tait 2-0-9-1
CH Gayle 1* (11b) NW Bracken 2-0-3-0

Mark Nicholas is probably the game's most enthusiastic commentator. But even by his standards, he is on fire this tournament. Brilliant to hear.

4.1 Bracken to Sarwan, no run, pushed out into the off side off the back foot

4.2 Bracken to Sarwan, 1 run, ah, fine bowling from Bracken, pitching this up just a touch. It swings into Sarwan who, to his credit, plays it late off the back foot, angling it past gully

4.3 Bracken to Gayle, no run, the day's first solid forward defence from Gayle. Nicely behind it, head right over the ball

4.4 Bracken to Gayle, no run, a good length this - really nagging length: nearly driveable, but not quite. Gayle is forward in defence

4.5 Bracken to Gayle, no run, firmly blocked out on the front foot once more

This is excellent, disciplined bowling from Bracken but, so far, Gayle is up to the task

4.6 Bracken to Gayle, no run, check-driven to mid-off. No chance of a run there. Australia's fielders are positively buzzing at the moment.

Crowd update from Andrew of Millerford: "The crowd is a bit miserable to be honest. Three of the stands at midwicket are completely empty, and there's rather a lot of annoyance locally about the way this game was marketed.

The widespread assumption was that it was a sell-out, but that's only because the queues were so long that no-one hung around to find out."

End of over 5 (1 run) - West Indies 13/1 (310 runs required from 45 overs, RR: 2.60, RRR: 6.88)

CH Gayle 1* (15b) NW Bracken 3-0-4-0
RR Sarwan 2* (3b) SW Tait 2-0-9-1

5.1 Tait to Sarwan, 2 runs, on leg stump and, with strong wrist action, he whips it through midwicket

5.2 Tait to Sarwan, no run, a nasty riser from Tait. That was a heavy, fast ball really spitting up on Sarwan who fends it off his chest

5.3 Tait to Sarwan, no run, crunched to Ponting's right at mid-off but he dives, and saves

5.4 Tait to Sarwan, no run, clever, intelligent bowling, sending this wider of Sarwan to tempt him - and he is tempted, going for a huge flay outside off. And misses.

5.5 Tait to Sarwan, no run, quicker still (92mph. 148kph) but Sarwan is up on his toes, cutting to point. But straight to point

5.6 Tait to Sarwan, no run, neatly clipped off his toes, if not as well timed as he'd like, straight to midwicket

End of over 6 (2 runs) - West Indies 15/1 (308 runs required from 44 overs, RR: 2.50, RRR: 7.00)

RR Sarwan 4* (9b) SW Tait 3-0-11-1
CH Gayle 1* (15b) NW Bracken 3-0-4-0

6.1 Bracken to Gayle, no run, left alone outside off. Bracken continues with this annoyingly wide line of the off stump

It's almost an Ashley Giles-like line

6.2 Bracken to Gayle, no run, better. Cutting back into Gayle who is solidly behind it

6.3 Bracken to Gayle, no run, pushed out with a greater flourish into the covers, but still no run

6.4 Bracken to Gayle, no run, check-driven on the front foot to mid-off

Gilchrist up to the stumps

6.5 Bracken to Gayle, no run, good line, and full too, Gayle defends it off the back foot

Aww, Gilchrist is loving that. "Noice, Nathan. Noice"

6.6 Bracken to Gayle, 1 run, too straight, Gayle works it off his legs to fine leg

Glenn McGrath is being wheeled out to bowl. Here he comes...chugging in

End of over 7 (1 run) - West Indies 16/1 (307 runs required from 43 overs, RR: 2.28, RRR: 7.13)

CH Gayle 2* (21b) NW Bracken 4-0-5-0
RR Sarwan 4* (9b) SW Tait 3-0-11-1

7.1 McGrath to Gayle, no run, inevitably it's pitches on a length, cutting back into Gayle

7.2 McGrath to Gayle, OUT, and a wicket with his second ball for McGrath. Short of a length, but Gayle premeditated it, getting a top-edge off a pull and it's skied to Watson at mid-on

CH Gayle c Watson b McGrath 2 (23b 0x4 0x6) SR: 8.69

"What on earth are you drinking?" spits Bill. "Mark Nicholas has to the most arrogant and annoying commentator in world cricket. I can't bear it any longer. Let me know when his stint finishes finishes." Wrong. You're all wrong. Mark, and his massives (not to mention his missives) are a firm favourite of Cricinfo.

One of Gayle's more stodgy innings. He almost looked overawed by it all

7.3 McGrath to Samuels, no run, back and across, defending this solidly

7.4 McGrath to Samuels, no run, what a ball from McGrath. That spat up at Samuels viciously who took his eye off the ball which struck him just below the grill

Surprising bounce from McGrath

7.5 McGrath to Samuels, no run, ah, lovely flourishing drive but straight to cover

7.6 McGrath to Samuels, no run, classic McGrath line-and-length; frustratingly accurate, on off stump, and it keeps a little low on Samuels

End of over 8 (wicket maiden) - West Indies 16/2 (307 runs required from 42 overs, RR: 2.00, RRR: 7.30)

MN Samuels 0* (4b) GD McGrath 1-1-0-1
RR Sarwan 4* (9b) NW Bracken 4-0-5-0

8.1 Bracken to Sarwan, no run, on leg stump - again it keeps low - and it's prodded off the back foot

8.2 Bracken to Sarwan, no run, ooh, cuts this into Sarwan who is late on it, defending it off the back foot

8.3 Bracken to Sarwan, no run, straighter this time, of driveable length, and Sarwan cracks it to mid-off on the up

8.4 Bracken to Sarwan, no run, excellent line, on off stump - the early boomerang swing has been reduced to just a "rang" - and it's firmly blocked out by Sarwan

8.5 Bracken to Sarwan, no run, prodded off the back foot to cover

8.6 Bracken to Sarwan, no run, cracked to cover. But straight cover

End of over 9 (maiden) - West Indies 16/2 (307 runs required from 41 overs, RR: 1.77, RRR: 7.48)

RR Sarwan 4* (15b) NW Bracken 5-1-5-0
MN Samuels 0* (4b) GD McGrath 1-1-0-1

9.1 McGrath to Samuels, FOUR, shot. Cover driven with elegance, authority, through cover

And there's Gravy - the cross-dressing dancer - who looks sigificantly older nowadays with a mystical, white beard. He's wearing a top-hat and is holding a globe. As you doAnd that's the second consecutive maiden. Australia own this match at the moment.

9.2 McGrath to Samuels, no run, cuts back into him and he jabs down on it late

9.3 McGrath to Samuels, no run, driven on the up, but straight to cover

9.4 McGrath to Samuels, OUT, oh dear. That is a truly dreadful shot, skipping down the pitch, he was nowhere near to the pitch of the ball. Trying to hit McGrath back over his head, a one-handed, unbalanced top edge handed a simple skier to Symonds at cover

MN Samuels c Symonds b McGrath 4 (8b 1x4 0x6) SR: 50.00

Well, what a depressing shot that was for the West Indies. Lara to the crease with his side in a familiar state of disarray

9.5 McGrath to Sarwan, no run, left alone outside off

9.6 McGrath to Sarwan, no run, and it's firmly defended on the back foot

Pretty good stint that from me, for Australia. Three wickets. Let's see if Jenny can fight back with a counter-attacking fifty from Lara. Here she is into the commentator's chair.

Hello everyone. Hope you're well. Good job I can touch type, eh, as I can't see a thing through my hair; had to lend Nathan my Alice band. Ah well, it can only get better from hereon in, can't it? Oh.

Anyway, we may not have that hairband on 3D but there are heaps of good things for you to see on it.

Second Powerplay taken pretty predictably enough.

End of over 10 (4 runs) - West Indies 20/3 (303 runs required from 40 overs, RR: 2.00, RRR: 7.57)

RR Sarwan 4* (17b) GD McGrath 2-1-4-2
BC Lara 0* (0b) NW Bracken 5-1-5-0

10.1 Bracken to Lara, no run, that one's darted down the off side, on a good length, and the batsman takes his arms and shoulders them

10.2 Bracken to Lara, no run, jabs quickly down on to this one, straighter, in line with off, and rising, so he plays off the back foot

Over in the Sri Lanka match, meanwhile, Jayasuriya's just fallen, so they're 45for 2 from 10.1 overs against South Africa.

10.3 Bracken to Lara, no run, even straighter, bang on middle, and Lara shapes to work that one into the midwicket, quick hands as ever, but stops on the shot

And back here at Antigua, as Andrew reports: "That wicket has gone down like a lead welly in the press-box. There's a local reporter squeaking indignantly like Rosie Perez in 'White Men Can't Jump'." You can probably find a clip on YouTube if you like, of the film, that is, naturally.

10.4 Bracken to Lara, no run, great channeling from Bracken, on off this time, right up there and again Lara is made to defend

10.5 Bracken to Lara, no run, outside off and Lara can leave that one easily enough. So he does

Lara comes down the track, now, between balls and prods the turf back into place, the way kids (and some adults) do when they're pretending to be international heroes... like, well, Lara

10.6 Bracken to Lara, 1 run, off the mark at last with a tickle to midwicket

End of over 11 (1 run) - West Indies 21/3 (302 runs required from 39 overs, RR: 1.90, RRR: 7.74)

BC Lara 1* (6b) NW Bracken 6-1-6-0
RR Sarwan 4* (17b) GD McGrath 2-1-4-2

11.1 McGrath to Lara, no run, stays over the wicket to the lefthander, by the way, and Lara jabs that one down off the back foot

11.2 McGrath to Lara, no run, even a mere push of a drive to mid-off, as with this one here, is sumptuous to watch. McGrath bends his back, gets a fingertip to it, and does enough to take the pace off the ball

11.3 McGrath to Lara, no run, oozes that one into the short midwicket this time

11.4 McGrath to Lara, 1 run, short and that's played down and round behind square

"Your fair dinkum Aussie lingo is a constant source of amusement," says one of our readers, mistaking our plum English tones for Aussies. And I just automatically typed that plumb... Oh dear

11.5 McGrath to Sarwan, no run, defended down off the back foot

11.6 McGrath to Sarwan, no run, driven slowly to mid off

Now Criddo's on the case - "Jenny, I notice your use of "eh". Are you from Down Under or you just have an international typing accent?" Aw look, mate, I'm fair dinkum Anglo.

Shane Watson is into the attack now, just marking out his run-up

End of over 12 (1 run) - West Indies 22/3 (301 runs required from 38 overs, RR: 1.83, RRR: 7.92)

RR Sarwan 4* (19b) GD McGrath 3-1-5-2
BC Lara 2* (10b) NW Bracken 6-1-6-0