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Torrential rain forces England’s final T20 in West Indies to be abandoned

tim wigmore
·9-min read
Groundstaff in St Lucia bring on the covers as rain stops play
There was only one winner in St Lucia – the weather - Getty Images/Gareth Copley

Torrential rain led to the abandonment of the final clash of England’s T20 series in the Caribbean, leaving the final score at 3-1.

After earlier rain, play was able to start on time, with Jos Buttler winning the toss and – like every captain to win the toss on this tour – deciding to bowl. West Indies’s opening pair Evin Lewis and Shai Hope raced to 44-0, with Lewis showing his power to crunch several lofted pulls between midwicket and long on.

But after rain arrived five overs into the innings, there never looked any prospect of any further play. The Daren Sammy National Cricket Stadium is not renowned as a particularly fast drying ground, by Caribbean standards. In any case, the storm did not abate.

While England will be very satisfied with the 3-1 series scoreline, and the development of Saqib Mahmood and Jacob Bethell in particular, players from both sides have acknowledged the huge impact of the toss on the series.

“It’s one of the first times I’ve seen in the Caribbean that once you win the toss, you go on to win the game,” West Indies captain Rovman Powell said after victory in the fourth T20 in St Lucia on Saturday. “It’s very difficult if that is the case, you know. It’s too skewed in winning the toss, winning the game.”

The 4pm start times used in this series – ensuring games start at 8pm for UK viewers – have exacerbated the advantage for teams winning the toss. Sides batting second have been able to benefit from opposition bowlers being hampered by the dew, which renders it harder to grip the ball. The Caribbean Premier League stages matches either during the day, before the dew can have any effect, or at 7pm local time – ensuring that any dew impacts both sides in the field, negating the advantage of winning the toss.

Earlier, England confirmed that white-ball coaches Carl Hopkinson and Richard Dawson will both leave their roles imminently, as part of a shake-up in the backroom staff as Brendon McCullum assumes control of the side. It is expected that – as he has done in the Test side – McCullum will declutter the coaching team, with fewer voices and players encouraged to take more responsibility for their own performances.

10:24 PM GMT

That’s that

Match called off. England win the series 3-1.

10:01 PM GMT

Imminent?

Horrendous here. Will be all called off imminently.

10:00 PM GMT

Umpires to update shortly

TV pictures: Rain absolutely tippiong down

Jason Roy: “If I was in the dressing room I’d be showered up already.”

Alastair Cook: “Yep, bags packed, ready to go.”

09:28 PM GMT

Snappy rain-wear

09:24 PM GMT

Still

tipping it down in not-so-sunny St Lucia.

09:24 PM GMT

Cut-off time

Not to argue against the esteemed Mr T Wigmore but they just said on TNT Sports that the latest cut-off time for a five over game will be 2348 UK or 1948 local. In any event, not for a good while yet.

09:01 PM GMT

‘Cut off’

It’s getting even heavier. This looks very bleak as far as prospects of play go. In theory we could start a 5 over England run chase at 7:56pm local time. I suspect this will be called off far before.

It is currently 5.01pm in St Lucia

08:51 PM GMT

‘Ominous’

This is starting to look ominous. It’s raining incredibly heavily and this ground takes longer to dry out than other venues in the Caribbean, because of the quality of the outfield. Already feels like a big ask to see cricket later - though we could theoretically have a 5 over-a-side game, with West Indies already having batted for five overs.

08:29 PM GMT

‘Hosing’

Absolutely hosing it down now. Poor groundstaff are getting soaked in their waterproofs. More covers are still being applied to the ground.

08:26 PM GMT

OVER 5: WI 44/0 (Lewis 29* Hope 14*)

Plenty to report in that over! Three boundaries in the Turner over. Hope four to midwicket, Lewis with a four also to midwicket, and then Lewis again with a legside hack. Now he tries to repeat the dose and is hit on the helmet. The physio comes on but they can alll go off and get Lewis looked at (he seems fine by the way) becuase it has begun to rain.

08:19 PM GMT

OVER 4: WI 28/0 (Lewis 18* Hope 9*)

Jamie Overton comes on. Five off the over. Should have been more but for some v poor running by the home pair. Lewis heaves to midwicket, S Curran does well on the fence to stop it and relay flick it to Bethell but that should have allowed plenty of time to run two rather than the one they have to settle for.

Here’s Tim

Good sign for England: Jamie Overton on in the fourth over after not being fit to bowl yesterday. His workload is being carefully managed; England see him as a crucial member of their squad in both white-ball formats.

08:17 PM GMT

OVER 3: WI 23/0 (Lewis 13* Hope 9*)

Lewis pins Archer for six over long on! But Jof can only laugh a couple of balls later when Lewis again goes for the pull, big yahoo, top edge over the keeper for four.

Evin Lewis at his best: a brutal pull over long on for six off Jofra Archer. This is the same pitch as was used yesterday. West Indies, you suspect, will have designs on 210, given the disadvantage of batting first.

08:11 PM GMT

OVER 2: WI 12/0 (Lewis 6* Hope 5*)

John Turner to bowl. Six runs off this second over, too, four of them a very attractive stroke from Shai Hope, aerial over the covers.

08:03 PM GMT

OVER 1: WI 6/0 (Lewis 5* Hope 0*)

Evin Lewis loves a pull, and his shot selection is poor second ball as he tries said shot at a ball well wide of off. Never likely to come off, he gets a top edge, which flies over slip. Leg bye fifth ball bring Shai Hope onto strike.

08:00 PM GMT

Jofra Archer

has the ball in hand. Always a pleasure to watch him in an England shirt. Evin Lewis on strike.

07:55 PM GMT

‘Win toss, win game?’

There was earlier heavy rain in St Lucia but things are looking better now. We’re expecting a better crowd - most locals tend to have Sundays off. Will the win toss win game trend be broken?

07:35 PM GMT

Rovman Powell

“Same approach as yesterday. If you are going to bat first you have to bat good. Five long games, we have a lot of guys coming up with niggles. Important for fans, people at home watching and we want to put smiles on faces.”

One change for Windies: McCoy is out, and Shepherd is in.

07:34 PM GMT

Jos Buttler wins toss and bowls

Jofra and Adil come in. Mousley and Mahmood the guys who make way.

“Fantastic game yesterday. I thought we did a good job with the ball. We fought our way back in we will try to do well with the ball today.”

07:33 PM GMT

Toss is incoming

Sir Richie Richardson presides. Jos wins.

07:32 PM GMT

Sir AN Cook

is on TNT. “Well if we have half the fun we did last night, it was fantastic game.”

As is Jason Roy: “Incredible to watch.”

07:24 PM GMT

There has been some rain in St Lucia today

so we have to keep our fingers crossed on that score.

07:20 PM GMT

Good evening and welcome

to our live blog of the fifth and final T20 international between England and West Indies in St Lucia, with England leading the series 3-1 and thus unassailable. The toss has been crucial so far this series, indeed too much so, and we will get to that soon.

Little bit of England news to keep us going until the match begins at 20:00 UK time.

Carl Hopkinson and Richard Dawson are to stand down from their posts as England white-ball assistants ahead of Brendon McCullum’s impending arrival as limited-overs head coach.

Hopkinson was recruited to the set-up in 2018 as lead fielding coach and was in tow for England’s 50-over World Cup triumph on home soil the following year plus the T20 equivalent in Australia in 2022.

Dawson, a former off-spinner who played seven Tests for England, came on board ahead of the T20 success two years ago, having coached the Young Lions to the Under-19s World Cup final earlier that year.

But England have announced the pair will leave their roles once the tour of the Caribbean finishes on Sunday, clearing the decks for McCullum, who is set assume control of the T20 and ODI sides in January in addition to his duties as Test head coach.

Rob Key, managing director of England men’s cricket, said: “Hoppo and Daws are two outstanding coaches who have played important roles in the success of our white-ball teams.

“In addition to their coaching expertise with our senior teams they have also developed young players through the age groups to help set up the next era of our white-ball teams. England Cricket is in a better place because of them and I wish them well in the next chapter of their careers.”

England have largely divided their coaching staff between Test and limited-overs cricket under Key.

However, Test assistant Marcus Trescothick has been white-ball caretaker for a home series against Australia and the ongoing white-ball trip in the West Indies, keeping the seat warm for McCullum.

“It has been a career highlight not only to be part of the England coaching set-up for the past seven years but also to be involved in two historic World Cup victories, which is something I’ll always cherish,” Hopkinson said.

Dawson added: “I have enjoyed every minute in the England environment and working with some of the best white-ball players in the world as well as great people in the coaching team and backroom staff from the U19s to senior team.

“Being head coach of the England Under-19 team that reached the World Cup final was a career highlight while it has been a pleasure working with some of the top spinners in the world while also developing the strength and depth of spin bowling talent from across the country.

“I look forward to seeing the white-ball team continue to progress and hopefully win more trophies.”