Australia Vs West Indies - Live Update! - Page 12

12.1 Watson to Lara, no run, short, on off, and that's jabbed down off the back foot into the covers

12.2 Watson to Lara, no run, short and that's tickled into midwicket off the back foot, the batsman leaving his crease, but getting back quickly as he realises there's no run on

12.3 Watson to Lara, 1 run, they look for a quick single off an inside edge and there's a direct hit but Umpire Rauf's into his position quickly and saw that the batsman was well in. The Aussies half-heartedly appealed, there, but Lara was so safely home he was up the stairs tucked up in his pyjamas

12.4 Watson to Sarwan, no run, jabbed down off the back foot

12.5 Watson to Sarwan, 1 run, played out to point

12.6 Watson to Lara, 1 run, worked out to a very wide fine leg

End of over 13 (3 runs) - West Indies 25/3 (298 runs required from 37 overs, RR: 1.92, RRR: 8.05)

BC Lara 4* (14b) SR Watson 1-0-3-0
RR Sarwan 5* (21b) GD McGrath 3-1-5-2

13.1 McGrath to Lara, no run, dances down, stops, and stuns the ball on the front foot, playing defensively down into the track

13.2 McGrath to Lara, no run, pushes that one across the lefthanded Lara, a touch of room and it rises; the batsman defends it down, this time off the back foot

Australia are keeping up the pressure well here

13.3 McGrath to Lara, no run, across him again, a little bit straighter, and Lara is forced to defend yet again

13.4 McGrath to Lara, no run, very straight, and that's defended right down

McGrath giving nothing away here

13.5 McGrath to Lara, 3 runs, ...until now, dragging that a touch short and that's wristed from outside off stump in front of midwicket, Watson gives chase and hunts it down inside the boundary

13.6 McGrath to Sarwan, 3 runs, way too much width, trying to adjust to the righthander, but there's a good double act from Watson and Symonds on the cover boundary and that's relayed back

The momentum is still with Australia, inevitably enough, but those runs have stirred the crowd

End of over 14 (6 runs) - West Indies 31/3 (292 runs required from 36 overs, RR: 2.21, RRR: 8.11)

RR Sarwan 8* (22b) GD McGrath 4-1-11-2
BC Lara 7* (19b) SR Watson 1-0-3-0

14.1 Watson to Sarwan, no run, short, and Sarwan latches on to it, sending it only as far as point. I can't relay what Sarwan said, this being before the watershed, but let's just say his language was a touch industrial, frustrated at missing out

14.2 Watson to Sarwan, 2 runs, pushed in front of midwicket

14.3 Watson to Sarwan, no run, on off, up there, and Sarwan does well to even manoeuvre that into the leg-side, wristy wrists agogo, but yet again he can't pick the gap. I think the stump mic was turned off that time, just in case

14.4 Watson to Sarwan, no run, on a good length, driven into the covers

14.5 Watson to Sarwan, 1 run, strays on leg and that's driven in front of midwicket

14.6 Watson to Lara, 1 run, strayed down off and that's played out to the man on the fine-leg boundary
And that's drinks for everybody. Sri Lanka are also three down, with 69 on the board. Sangakkara and Silva are in.

The third Powerplay has been taken here.

End of over 15 (4 runs) - West Indies 35/3 (288 runs required from 35 overs, RR: 2.33, RRR: 8.22)

BC Lara 8* (20b) SR Watson 2-0-7-0
RR Sarwan 11* (27b) GD McGrath 4-1-11-2

15.1 McGrath to Lara, FOUR, too much width - don't bowl there to him! - and that's cracked through cover on the up, top shot

15.2 McGrath to Lara, no run, much better, straight and fuller, Lara squeezing that into the on side

15.3 McGrath to Lara, no run, again, up there, even fuller, and Lara can only defend, in an orthodox manner

15.4 McGrath to Lara, no run, Lara makes obvious his intent to leave that one, whirling his bat round his head as he does so

15.5 McGrath to Lara, no run, another leave, slightly less theatrical, but he decided early again - the ball once more pinging outside off and floating a touch away from him

15.6 McGrath to Lara, no run, down that off channel again, the batsman completing a third leave in a row

No worries (sport) about the weather. Andrew says things are "Fine and fluffy and dandy." At least, I assume he's talking about the weather, could equally be just enjoying (the hard) life in the Caribbean

End of over 16 (4 runs) - West Indies 39/3 (284 runs required from 34 overs, RR: 2.43, RRR: 8.35)

BC Lara 12* (26b 1x4) GD McGrath 5-1-15-2
RR Sarwan 11* (27b) SR Watson 2-0-7-0

16.1 Watson to Sarwan, 2 runs, crashed away behind point for two easy runs

16.2 Watson to Sarwan, 1 run, a fumble at midwicket - will they? Won't they? They will, and it's easy in the end

16.3 Watson to Lara, no run, stays over the wicket and that's just full enough to prevent Lara swinging out at that one

Andrew Wordsworth-Miller continues: "There are light fluffy clouds and a cool palm-tree rippling breeze, with the sun glinting off the azure tones of the Caribbean sea."

16.4 Watson to Lara, no run, driven out to the covers this time where it's picked up easily enough

16.5 Watson to Lara, no run, quicker one, outside off, an attempted yorker but he got his line wrong, too wide and Lara's not interested

16.6 Watson to Lara, no run, carved into the covers, but straight to the man. There's a menacing inner ring of fielders waiting to snap something up and the pressure's still building

"Damien Fleming just said that he was reading a piece on Cricinfo in which McGrath said Lara was the best batsman he bowled to. Where is that?" asks Chuck. Here it is.

Tait's back into the attack

End of over 17 (3 runs) - West Indies 42/3 (281 runs required from 33 overs, RR: 2.47, RRR: 8.51)

BC Lara 12* (30b 1x4) SR Watson 3-0-10-0
RR Sarwan 14* (29b) GD McGrath 5-1-15-2

17.1 Tait to Sarwan, no run, flings that one in at a good length, and straight, and that's defended down

17.2 Tait to Sarwan, no run, a touch of width, and Sarwan cuts that down on the rise, straight to point

17.3 Tait to Sarwan, no run, short and Sarwan fails to get it away, jabbing it into the covers. He's giving himself a strict talking to, as the frustration grows

17.4 Tait to Sarwan, no run, pushed right up there and defended on the front foot

17.5 Tait to Sarwan, no run, short, attempted bouncer and that's well ducked under

17.6 Tait to Sarwan, 1 run, on leg and swished to square where Mr Cricket pretends to throw it back into the keeper. He loves his cricket

End of over 18 (1 run) - West Indies 43/3 (280 runs required from 32 overs, RR: 2.38, RRR: 8.75)

RR Sarwan 15* (35b) SW Tait 4-0-12-1
BC Lara 12* (30b 1x4) SR Watson 3-0-10-0

18.1 Watson to Sarwan, no run, dropped. Now that would have been a really good take - still, it was a definite chance from a short ball taken by Sarwan from off to just in front of mid-on and Hussey dives, but shells

A few weeks ago Damien Fleming joked Superman wears Mike Hussey pyjamas. Think it's a new choice of nightwear for the big blue-and-red super hero this month

18.2 Watson to Sarwan, 1 run, tries to work it to mid-on again

18.3 Watson to Lara, no run, tucked into the midwicket region

18.4 Watson to Lara, FOUR, slower legcutter and Lara leans into that, strong and with consummate timing, and he smashes it through cover

18.5 Watson to Lara, 1 run, hammered straight to Symonds at cover, there was a misfield as it bobbled just in front of him, and that allows the single

18.6 Watson to Sarwan, no run, straight, with a touch of room, and Sarwan stands tall to ease that one in front of midwicket, but doesn't get much power on it

End of over 19 (6 runs) - West Indies 49/3 (274 runs required from 31 overs, RR: 2.57, RRR: 8.83)

RR Sarwan 16* (38b) SR Watson 4-0-16-0
BC Lara 17* (33b 2x4) SW Tait 4-0-12-1

19.1 Tait to Lara, 1 wide, grunts with the effort - "Ehh" - but still bangs that dully down leg, the batsman gamely swivelling round to have a go, yet is too late on the shot

19.1 Tait to Lara, no run, more grunting, but it's straighter and that's defended down this time

19.2 Tait to Lara, no run, more grunting, like being at Wimbledon on a bad day, and that's pushed right up there, the ball driven back to mid-on

19.3 Tait to Lara, FOUR, short and pulled strong, and brilliantly, in front of midwicket. Not much wrong with that delivery from Tait, just short of a length, but Lara helps himself, and dismissively - disdainfully, even - swats that one away

19.4 Tait to Lara, no run, clever thinking from Tait, Lara dancing down and Tait answering his charge by cramping him up

19.5 Tait to Lara, no run, defended into the covers this time

19.6 Tait to Lara, no run, just outside off and that's check-drived straight to the man at cover

So that ends the Powerplays, not much power in West Indies' play, although the odd glimpses. It's difficult as they're still trying to build, but they will have to step up the tempo here, now. Speaking of which, it's Willo who's on full throttle

End of over 20 (5 runs) - West Indies 54/3 (269 runs required from 30 overs, RR: 2.70, RRR: 8.96)

BC Lara 21* (39b 3x4) SW Tait 5-0-17-1
RR Sarwan 16* (38b) SR Watson 4-0-16-0

Thanks Jen. Will here. Hello.

20.1 Watson to Sarwan, no run, whipped off his legs and, oh that's a marvellous piece of fielding from possibly Ponting at short midwicket, throwing down the stumps - and Bracken does well to save an overthrown four

20.2 Watson to Sarwan, no run, cracked into the covers, but straight to the man

20.3 Watson to Sarwan, 1 run, full and straight, worked to mid-on for a single

The required rate has now crept over 9 runs per over.

20.4 Watson to Lara, no run, mighty, mighty close there. On a length, too full to be pulling - but Lara is desperate now, and goes for an almighty heave-ho over midwicket, missing it completely

"missing it completely" is rather misleading...you can't really "quite" miss something. Anyway here's Watson again

20.5 Watson to Lara, no run, banged into the pitch and it's left alone this time

20.6 Watson to Lara, FOUR, what a remarkable shot that is from Lara. Slayed through cover - almost falling backwards as he does so, the bat swirling with an extravagant follow-through and it scudded across the turf for four

Brilliance, frankly

End of over 21 (5 runs) - West Indies 59/3 (264 runs required from 29 overs, RR: 2.80, RRR: 9.10)

BC Lara 25* (42b 4x4) SR Watson 5-0-21-0
RR Sarwan 17* (41b) SW Tait 5-0-17-1

21.1 Tait to Sarwan, 1 run, in the air, but it flies over point and lands short of deep extra cover

21.2 Tait to Lara, 1 wide, that'll be a wide, no worries there. Flung down the leg side with an audible grunt by Tait

21.2 Tait to Lara, 1 run, on leg stump, and worked calmly to mid-on

21.3 Tait to Sarwan, 1 run, really crisply hit off the back foot. Sarwan plays that stroke very competently, just punching it really, never trying to hit it too hard

Just a single, mind. But what a single it was

21.4 Tait to Lara, 1 wide, miles wide of the off stump, although not quite a Harmiwide. Tait looks as confused as anyone

21.4 Tait to Lara, FOUR, short, very short, on leg stump. Lara pulls, gets a thin edge around the corner and it races down for four. Fine batting

21.5 Tait to Lara, FOUR, bosh! Lara at his best there, flaying this on the up behind square for another four

And there's the fifty partnership

21.6 Tait to Lara, FOUR, oooh, the tide is turning here. Lara's flicked the switch. A fine ball on off stump, Lara tries to work it to leg - gets a thick outside edge which first slip would've poached with ease...but Australia are slipless

And Ponting shakes his head, massages his forehead and looks like a beaten man. It's the effect Lara has on captains.

End of over 22 (17 runs) - West Indies 76/3 (247 runs required from 28 overs, RR: 3.45, RRR: 8.82)

BC Lara 38* (46b 7x4) SW Tait 6-0-34-1
RR Sarwan 19* (43b) SR Watson 5-0-21-0