Australia denied as match with Bangladesh abandoned due to rain – as it happened

5 Jun 201716.22 EDT

MATCH ABANDONED

Adam Collins

That’s it. With heavy rain continuing, the officials have pulled the pin. Bitterly disappointing result for Australia, who were but four overs away from reaching the minimum required for a formal game to be complete. They move to their fixture against England on Saturday with two points - from two washouts.

Bangladesh are also saved from automatic elimination, much to the delight of the handful of fans they have left. Their final group game is on Friday against New Zealand in Cardiff.

And there really isn’t much more to be said. On behalf of Geoff Lemon and myself, thanks for your company. Till next time.

Rediscovered this email gem from earlier, via Peter Salmon. “Doing some copy-editing at home and had to look up the word ‘trepid’, meaning the opposite of intrepid, i.e. timorous. Bizarrely the example the dictionary gives is as follows: The muscles of the spiritual athlete pant for such exertion; and without it, they would dwindle into trepid imbecility. – W C Armstrong. Was wondering if you could work that into your commentary?”

If only we had the chance, Monsieur Salmon.

5 Jun 201715.49 EDT

Adam Collins

Terribly sorry to say. I fear our window has come and gone. And there was a window, make no mistake. It was decent out there for some time. But it has that set-in feel about it now. Nothing formal, and there remains ample time to hit the magic 20 over mark. But I don’t want to give you any of that false hope. I think we’re stuffed. What a mess.

“Have the senior cricket gods gone on holiday and left an intern in charge?” wonders Thomas Jenkins on the email. “Three washouts is surely the most South African way to exit a tourno. It doesn’t feel right that it might be happening to Oz instead. Funny, but not right.”

I know. There’s still ample time. But this isn’t heavy. One of the most ridiculous parts of our precious game, that it has to stop raining entirely for play to resume. Yet once they are on, it can be pouring and continue if the umpires deem it fit.

What a triumph! 43 overs for the Australian innings. Unclear what they’ll need to make, but that’s not overly important with Australia well ahead in the game. So, 15 minutes from now. CRICKET.

5 Jun 201715.08 EDT

Adam Collins

Pitch inspection.

Wallet inspection. It’s imminent. It may have happened already. It’s all hard to tell, but here’s what I know: the covers, broadly are off. The thing on wheels, that’s still there.The umpires are in their snazzy ICC tracksuit jackets having a chat. Umbrellas are down. Water has been pushed off the ground. If it is the case that we need to get going by 9:45pm (so we’re told) for any chance to get to 20 overs, then we’re in decent enough nick. Giddy up.

More, hopefully, in a couple of minutes.

Have Arcade Fire’s first new song for four years while we find out.

Oh, okay. A new title winner emerged the last year or so for best rain song. And this live routine is a rain of fire. (The non-musical-covers are tentatively getting some work, but it’ll likely still be an hour before we might get back.)

Tryna rain, tryna rain on the thunder
Tell the storm I’m new
I’mma walk, I’mma march on the regular
Painting white flags blue
Lord forgive me, I’ve been running
Running blind in truth
I’mma rain, I’mma rain on this bitter love
Tell the sweet I’m new

Still nothing doing, covers firmly on and the radar isn’t promising. If we did get back on, Australia would be given a reduced target and presumably romp there pretty easily.

If this is rained off, Australia and England go level on two points, Bangladesh and New Zealand on 1. The winner of England-NZ tomorrow would then be clear the the top of the group. The winner of Bangladesh-NZ would go to 3 points, and could go through to the semis if Australia lose or have a no-result against England. So the short version: Australia has to beat England, New Zealand has to beat England or Bangladesh, Bangladesh has to beat New Zealand, and England has to beat Australia. Any of them could still be knocked out or go through.

We’ll update you if there’s any news on play.

Given the confluence of myself, Adam Collins, and rain, it seems apt to post this moment from a very wet Test match in Sydney one southern summer. I’ll leave it to you lot to award the points.

Australia’s chances of progressing to the semi-finals could be made much harder, with only 16 overs faced in their chase. They must face 20 to be declared winners on Duckworth-Lewis-Stern. Which means we have to get back on early enough to get those four overs in. Will the rain clear? I am not in possession of that knowledge.

16th over: Australia 83-1 (Warner 40, Smith 22)

This is definitely a go-slow from Bangladesh. Mortaza is taking minutes between each delivery. Smith, in tactical response, defends five balls in an attempt to minimise the time between deliveries. But to no avail. The umpires call the players off with four overs left before a DLS calculation can be made.

15th over: Australia 82-1 (Warner 39, Smith 22)

Brilliant ball from Rubel Hossain. Fast, good length, and it cuts back in to Warner. Beats the outside edge by a micron, and the off stump by half of one. The next into the body and Warner is doubled up, fending it away. Then a sharp short one at the ribs! This is some over. A few spots of rain falling now. The Bangladesh fans are very pointedly putting their umbrellas up. Rubel goes for another ball at the ribs, and this time Warner is able to fend a single run.

14th over: Australia 80-1 (Warner 38, Smith 21)

Seven overs until rain can no longer save Bangladesh. Shakib-al-Hasan hasn’t bowled yet. It’s been all seamers. Unheard of for Bangladesh. And apparently it’s raining in Battersea. Can they drag these seven overs into about half an hour of spare time, and bring on the moisture? Mashrafe Mortaza has kept himself on at the Pavilion End. He’s certainly taking some time between deliveries. There’s a Smith single, then Warner bunts a couple of runs away to bring up his 4000th ODI run, and he’s the fastest Aussie to do so in terms of innings played. The umpires seem to be trying to hurry up Bangladesh a touch at the end of the over, as various councils of negotiation converge.

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5 Jun 201713.31 EDT

Geoff Lemon

13th over: Australia 75-1 (Warner 35, Smith 19)

Ahoy, me briny brethren. Me salty sisters. Me barnacled uncles and auntnemones. The purpose of the bowling change was to swing Rubel around to the Pavilion End. It doesn’t work though, as Warner flicks a couple of runs through fine leg, chops another two over the man at backward point on the bounce, then pulls a single, before Smith pulls a double, and gets anotehr run through the covers. How easy was that. Eight runs an over and nary a risk to be seen.

12th over: Australia 66-1 (Warner 30, Smith 16)

Mashrafe brings himself back. Yeah, right? Rubel looked the goods, the skipper didn’t. But there we have it. Well, he beats Warner outside the off-stump, which isn’t for nothing. Six singles here. Shakib has to be a major part of the solution here if Bangladesh are any chance at all. I’m back to the TMS call for a bit. So I’ll leave you with my poet friend, Geoffrey Lemon.

11th over: Australia 61-1 (Warner 28, Smith 12)

Mehedi into the attack, speaking of bowlers who have broken England’s heart. Sorry about that. 19 years old with mad skillz, Admirably throwing it up to Warner. Couple of dots after four fairly relaxed singles.

Don’t rain. Actually, want to see a couple of idiots singing about rain? I’ll let Geoff find it, as I’m off in a tic.

10th over: Australia 57-1 (Warner 26, Smith 10).

You may remember Rubel Hossain as the man who bundled England out of the World Cup in 2015. He’s trying to do the same to Australia this evening, albeit with a shedload less runs at his disposal than he did that evening. Still, only three from this one and already in the book. Neither of the Australian leadership axis are in a hurry here. Reinforcing my earlier view that they have some pretty good weather advice in the sheds there. Otherwise, surely they would be giving it the big ones.

9th over: Australia 54-1 (Warner 24, Smith 9)

Oh Sniffer, do that one where you go inside out through cover point three minutes after walking out to bat, will you? Goodness me. Not many Australians here but they love that. Mustafizur might have fallen victim of being given one too many in this spell, offering a full toss to Smith next up after the half-volley. Reckon we’ll be seeing Shakib from the Pavilion End next up.

News to hand: Wahab is out of the Champs Trophy with a “deltoid ligament complex.” So, he’s got an issue with his rig, in other words?

8th over: Australia 48-1 (Warner 24, Smith 3)

Sniffer Smith does as he does: first ball, shuffles across, clips through square for three of the best. You understand why everyone reckons he’s the quintessential lbw candidate. But he’s not, because he’s a freak.

Oh yes, that’s out! Finch didn’t bother worrying about DRS there. Missed it, skidded through, back pad. That’ll do it. Bangladesh need a lot to go right, but that at least gets them heading in the right direction.

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5 Jun 201713.04 EDT

Adam Collins

7th over: Australia 40-0 (Warner 23, Finch 15)

The young gun Mustafizur back in the act for a fourth over. He’s good enough to beat Finch when running the fingers down the seam. Plenty to like about his approach, mixing up cutters with conventional swing that squared up Warner in the previous over. But on the whole, it’s pretty relaxed from the Australian. Suggests that they are confident at least 20 overs will be bowled. Otherwise, they’d be giving this the big ones in the power play. I wonder whether they have some formal meteorological advice going on in the rooms? These are the things I think about. My brain: a circus. Three from it, by the way.

Chelsea Dagger getting a run from he Cricket Ground DJ. Returning to my earlier topic, if they let me DJ at The Oval for the T20s later this season as I’m campaigning t do. I pledge not to play this. Or Seven Nation Army. I will play, say, Mystery Jets. And Robyn. That’ll get ’em up. What else? Your turn.

6th over: Australia 37-0 (Warner 21, Finch 14)

More convincing pull from Warner this time, as Mortaza gives him the line and he swivels on his heels to put it away. Australia doing it with relative ease, grabbing singles and finding gaps. I’m afraid it doesn’t look like a miracle comeback for the men in green at this stage. Barely a shot in anger, yet a run rate above six an over and not a wicket lost. Time for our changeover - Geoff Lemon out, Adam Collins with you next.

5th over: Australia 28-0 (Warner 15, Finch 12)

Less comfortable against Mustafizur. They scamper a very quick single, then Warner tries a big pull shot, gets mostly bottom edge on it and it goes past his stumps for four runs. Fortunate for him.

4th over: Australia 21-0 (Warner 9, Finch 11)

Another boundary, Mortaza offering Finch the line and he’s able to glance the ball away fine. Then another couple of runs in the same area. They’re ticking over without needing to go wild at the moment.

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3rd over: Australia 13-0 (Warner 8, Finch 4)

Four! Finch gets away, as Mustafizur offers width and the stocky Australian opener clunks the cut shot with every gram of mass at this disposal. The Earth’s gravity working for him. That followed a leg bye for Warner, and that’s it off the over. They’re not going wild, as I expected they would.

Some last entries for Bangladesh Bassline Day.

Rajendra Chitnis says, “When I read that, I immediately heard in my head: Stone Roses - She Bangs The Drums. Public Image Ltd - Public image. Violent Femmes - Blister in The Sun. All songs to soundtrack the video highlights of a high-tempo run chase.”

2nd over: Australia 8-0 (Warner 8, Finch 0)

Mashrafe Mortaza, the only remaining player from Bangladesh’s famous and solitary win over Australia, in an ODI in Cardiff back in 2005. He’s 33 years of age, the skipper, and still passionately playing on. Bowls at Warner’s ankle and is pushed for a single. Beats Finch on the outside edge with one that swings and moves off the pitch. Lovely seam movement. Just the single from Mortaza’s first over.

1st over: Australia 7-0 (Warner 7, Finch 0)

Mustafizur Rahman, the 21-year-old, Mister Fizzer to his friends. Such excitement about him as a player. 43 wickets in 19 games. And his first ball is an aspirin, soluble, it fizzes past Warner’s outside edge as the batsman gropes and the crowd lets out a primeval oooooooohhhh, a low groan of anticipation and delight. He cramps up the body second ball, and the third. Warner can’t get room. Something is gonna break. Cloudburst is imminent. Some blokes in the crowd are still singing Seven Nation Army. The bassline of The Oval is throbbing. Warner nearly falls over, the ball spearing into his legs. That’s a dangerous spot to bowl to him though, if he’s not surprised by the pace. And the second ball there, that proves to be the case: Warner leans on it and gets two runs through midwicket, the ball just kept in with the sprawling dive in the deep. Another dive from the last ball, as there’s a hint of width and Warner times it well, that push behind point. It should have been four but the outfield is wet and holding the ball up. Great start, even without obvious fireworks.

Alright, we’re back! Covers off, teams on. Australia needs 183, and would want to do it in the shortest time possible to avoid the risk of being rained off. If they don’t get to face 20 overs, there can be no Duckworth-Lewis-Stern calculation to declare them winners. So, a slight chance for Bangladesh if they can take advantage of the attacking mode to snaffle some wickets.

One of my entries in All Time Great Basslines: probably not one that will resonate with our British audience, but this is Australian rock band Grinspoon, who were discovered in the country town of Lismore in the late 90s. The song is Ready One. The had a brilliant couple of records, one called Easy and one called Guide To Better Living. As a bonus, this video is from the 2000 Big Day Out - I was still in high school, and this was one of the first concerts I went to. It involved jumping several fences and being beaten up by one raged-out security guard. Still saw the show.

I know this is rather anathema to the original concept of the OBO, that being a few jolly chaps on their sofas chatting about sport long before ‘banter’ even had a hashtag. But one of the advantages of doing it at the ground is that I can walk a few rows down and ascertain that it is, in fact, raining. Very lightly, but that’s enough. Indeed, even as I type the covers are coming out. Now the boring game of intrigue begins. The ground DJ, showing a level of restraint hitherto unknown to his species, does not play a precipitation-themed song. he plays Love Will Tear Us Apart.

Right, Geoff Lemon back with you for this bit. And during the break, while the kiddies have been running around comparing their heights to Mushfiqur Rahim, I’ve had a most intriguing email. From a mysterious correspondent known only as Paul.

“Have Bangladesh been playing a canny game? Batting slowly and using as many of their overs as possible, then bowling as slowly as they’re allowed. So long as there’s no result today, this will leave Bangladesh with a route to the semis, if they can beat NZ and hope England win both remaining games. An outside chance but I’m sure they’d settle for still being in it going into the third match. And if it does happen, I imagine the Australians will be generous in their praise: ;Alright mate, fair play to you and well done’, kind of thing.”

Insert a GIF of my eyes slowly widening with realisation. Tamim is a genius. Paul has a Bangladesh informer trapped in his basement.