SECOND ONE-DAY INTERNATIONAL, Guyana:
West Indies 264-8 (50 overs) beat England 243 (48.2 overs) by 21 runs

606: DEBATE Discuss the action on 606

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By Pranav Soneji

2146: By gum, it was tougher than root canal surgery at times out there, but thanks to your banter, I've made it through, although I'm slightly concerned about my counterpart at Cricinfo, who may require the services of the Samaritans. Over and out people, enjoy what's left of your weekend and Tom Fordyce will be your guide in Barbados on Friday. Adios.

2141: John Dyson will be mighty relieved to see his team win that match by conventional means, a deserved win though. England will draw confidence from Strauss' ton, although a bit more tactical awareness on utilising the batting powerplay will be needed before the third one-dayer in Bridgetown on Friday.

WEST INDIES BEAT ENGLAND BY 21 RUNS

48.2 overs - England 243 all out Wicket Anderson bowled Pollard 8

Nice start from Kieron Pollard, who spears down a delivery right at Harmison's toes. But Pollard wraps the match up when a slower delivery keeps low and castles Anderson' stumps as he attempts a mooey over midwicket. A brave effort from England, but it's fair to say the West Indies deserved to level the series.

48 overs - England 241-9
Dwayne Bravo sends down a shocker of a full-toss, which is speared down leg side and not gathered cleanly by Ramdin as the England duo run through for an extra run. Top shot from James Anderson, who backs to leg stump and slices the ball through point for four, the greasy outfield contributing to a quite sensational slide from Darren Sammy, who fails to drag the ball back before the boundary. So 24 needed from 12 balls. Ooooh, exciting. And we have one over of a batting powerplay to go.

46.2 overs - England 229-9 Wicket Strauss bowled Sammy 105

Pollard resumes his interrupted over and immediately sends down a dot ball, following that up with a yorker which removes Strauss' leg stump. Strauss attempts to sweep, but the ball was too good to send down behind square. Good innings though, 105 from 129 deliveries. The match really should have been finished when Sammy sends a throw to the bowler's end with Harmison struggling to make his ground, only for Nikita Miller to fumble his catch at the stumps. WI 232-9

"Frederick Lloyd Bowley (1873-1943) played for Worcestershire and was predominately a right-hand batsman."
Cen on Text 81111

2123: Right, the covers are off and the stumps are back in the ground at the Guyana National Stadium and Strauss and Harmison are poised to rejoin the party. To recap, England need 36 runs to win from 22 balls. And we still have 16 balls left of the batting powerplay.

"Re fitting names; my CDT teacher was called Mr Glue, and my Chemistry tutor went by the name of Dr Spillet. Great stuff."
Nick in Stockholm

"I remember Peter Bowler (see 45 overs), the opening bat for Derbyshire in the 1990s."
Neil, Scarborough and lots of others

46.2 overs - England 229-8

Strauss brings up his third one-day hundred - his first since June 2005 with a double through the covers, which he follows up with a boundary through the same region. But the rain is teeming down now as the players run off the ground, could this be the last action of the match? We still have another 39 minutes before the 6pm local time cut-off, so if the rain abates, we still have a game on.

46 overs - England 223-8
Harmison collects two with a very orthodox drive down the ground off Dwayne Bravo, who has a very useful appeal for leg before turned down with the next delivery by umpire Dar. And on come the stadium lights, transmitting a greenish hue on the fast-fading Providence light. Strauss chips a single to fine leg as Harmison attempts a leg-side mooey over cow corner, but fails to hit the ball. Strauss tries to play the Mohammad Ashraful shot, skipping to off to loft over fine leg, only for the ball to clunk into the back of his bat for a very ugly single. Oh dear, the groundstaff are poised with the covers.

45 overs - England 217-8
So he didn't forget - umpire Clyde Duncan signals the batting powerplay and we could be in for a grandstand finale. But curiously, neither batsman is attempting the big shots as Darren Sammy concedes six from his final over. Top spell from the St Lucian, who boasts figures of 1-36.

"In the dying moments of this match, I'm mildly disturbed that no one has made anything of 'Batty' being primarily a bowler. Does anyone know of a batter called 'Bowley' or something similar?"
Alex C Meissner, Milton Keynes, UK

44 overs - England 211-8
Miller serves up a juicy full toss for Strauss, who paddles the ball around to fine leg, where Kieron Pollard slips and allows the ball to trickle over the boundary. Strauss moves into the 90s as Harmison plays a couple of smart paddle sweeps to ensure the scoreboard is ticking over like a Rolex factory. 54 to win from 36 balls, intriguing.

43 overs - England 202-8
Strauss moves to 87 with a horrible smear over cover for two off Darern Sammy, TMS commentator Simon Hughes thinks Strauss might have forgotten to take the powerplay. Harmy chips a sand wedge to long on, but the ball drops well short of Shiv Chanderpaul, whose moving like Usain Bolt after his cramping antics earlier in the match.

42 overs - England 194-8
Umpire Dar calls for the third umpire as Steve Harmison scampers through for a single off Nikita Miller and the replay shows a huge size 13 shoe (probably) striding well into his ground. England have still to use their batting powerplay. Anyone else perplexed?

40.3 overs - England 185-8 Wicket Batty run out 5

Touche Gareth Batty, who scythes a cut off Chris Gayle for four, only to run himself out two balls later. Awful running. He nudges a shot towards mid-on, ambles down the pitch but fails to notice Nikita Miller lurking and the left-arm spinner hits the sticks with Batty at least five metres short. Out comes Steve Harmison for some lusty blows. Probably. Andrew Strauss is in serious danger of carrying his bat in a one-dayer. WI -188-8

40 overs - England 180-7
Strauss nails a reverse sweep right off the business end of the bat off Miller, but the ball goes straight to deep square leg for a single. Good over from the left-arm spinner, who keeps Gareth Batty pinned inside his crease.

39 overs - England 177-7
Lovely forcing stroke off the back foot from Strauss, who spanks the ball through cover for four off Pollard. Strauss, accompanied by Gareth Batty, doubles up but we're in serious mowing stage now. I can't see Straussy flashing blade like Porthos though.

38 overs - England 168-7 Wicket Broad ct and bowled Miller 3

Five of Nikita Miller's deliveries are nudged about the park for singles before Stuart Broad lollops a simple catch straight back at the left-arm spinner. Broad plays an air mow as he trudges off the pitch. Not a great day at the office for the Notts man.

"Crikey! The 33rd over was a doozie! 1206 runs coming from it! How did mange to completely miss-convey the excitement it must have generated? Isn't that some kind of record? Doesn't that mean England have won? How many extras were in it...? So many questions... I've gone all giddy..."
Colin, Sharjah, UAE

37 overs - England 163-6
Hold on to your keyboards - Andrew Strauss hits a boundary, which takes him to 61. To be fair it's a rank delivery from Pollard, but it needed dispatching. Strauss has ridden his luck in the past few overs, surviving a close lbw decision attempting to reverse sweep off Miller.

36 overs - England 156-6 Wicket Macarenhas run out 29

Strauss skips down the track and thumps a Miller full toss to Chris Gayle at midwicket, who makes a fantastic stop. But Strauss is already down at the non-striker's end while Mascarenhas is rooted to the spot. Gayle tosses the ball to Ramdin, who whips off the bails as Mascarenhas sacrifices his wicket for his captain, although that might not be the best decision considering how useful the Hampshire all-rounder is in the latter stages of a one-dayer. In comes Stuart Broad.

35 overs - England 151-5
My fingers got so bored I typed an extra 3 into the 33rd over. Whoops. Sorry, although that probably tickled you more than the cricket on offer. The Windies are handed a newer ball, which finds its way into the buckethands of Kieron Pollard as England fathom four more runs. An earlier over from Nikita Miller went for three, apologies, I completely missed it.

"I've just seen Ray Stubbs in a pub in Barnes. That's not relevant to anything, but more interesting than the cricket."
Simon, SW London

"Tristian da Cunha? Pah, call that exotic. I went to Oswaldtwistle earlier on today."
Paul in Lancs

"Sat on a boring train to London, reading about Anon on a boring train to Leeds and yet the cricket still manages to be more mind-numbing."
Rich, on his way to London via Text 81111

33 overs - England 144-5
Mascarenhas breaks the single borefest with a double, my heart skipped a beat. Pollard spills a catch as Mascarenhas drills a drive straight back at the bowler, but the Trinidadian cannot cling on to a tough, low one-handed chance. Pollard's middle name is Adrian. Wonder if he pronounces that Adrayan, a bit like Sly Stallone did in Rocky.

"Can anyone get a message through to KP and tell him to ring the missus, she's a little bit upset.......It's on in the background, honest."
Darius, Scarborough

32 overs - England 138-5

Strauss has just brought up his half century in the 32nd over bowled by Miller. You really wouldn't know inside the ground though, judging by the response of the somnambulant Providence crowd. Strauss attempts to dance down the track, but is rapped on the pads, but Miller's lbw is stifled.

31 overs - England 134-5
Pollard continues, as do the mind-numbingly dull singles. Smart keeping from Denesh Ramdin, who makes some very good stops behind the stumps, a stark contrast to his opposite number.

30 overs - England 128-5
Wonder if Nikita Miller was named after former Russian premier Khrushchev? Fidel, Nikita, very much a left-wing theme going on with this Windies side. All we need is a Leon or Vladimir. Decent second over, conceding just three runs.

"Any chat about arachnid-influenced music surely needs to include the seminal hip hop meets drum and bass track; Pendulum - Tarantula, featuring Tenor Fly, DJ Fresh, and MC Spyda."
Lloyd

You're talking my talk Lloyd, top track. After this match I'll be reaching in my pocket for a "Painkiller".

29 overs - England 125-5
On comes Kieron (Kai-ron) Pollard for his first burst. Dimi Mas' eyes light up as he spies a short delivery outside off stump, but forgets to make contact with the ball. Had he hit that, the ball would have probably ended up somewhere in neighbouring Surinam.

28 overs - England 121-5
Left-arm spinner Nikita Miller comes on for a long overdue joust. Quite a mechanical action, not as aesthetically pleasing as Monty P's or Danny Vettori's and he concedes five runs from his first over presenting little danger to the sixth-wicket pair.

27 overs - England 116-5
Four runs from Sammy's over, I wish I could tell you more, but I might lose the will to live, a bit like teh Cricinfo man/woman.

"I hope you meant 'bisects' and not 'dissects' around the 6 over mark, or there would be claret and organs all over the shop! Or at least around the general slip cordon area. The only ball-like object that I am aware of that could possibly perform a dissection is Ludwig the bionic and slightly disturbing diamond from kids television back in the late 70's/early '80s. Or was it one of those deliberate errors for comic effect like when my Mum says 'caramel' instead of camel even though all her children are now middle-aged, or when my mate Lee says 'memento' instead of momentum when he's trying to get an old banger up a steep hill."
Vic in a very unglamorous mining camp in Mauritania

Mauritania? Impressive. Anyone reading in Gabon? Or Tristian da Cunha? Or Ruislip?

26 overs - England 112-5
Mascarenhas flicks two runs off his toes off returning Fidel Edwards. Depressingly for England, they are 45 runs off the Duckworth/Lewis target at this stage. Please, no bad light, my peabrain can't take algorithms right now, although we can use the floodlights should the sun retreat prematurely.

"I'm on probably the most boring train from Leicester to Leeds, yet it sounds far more interesting than what's happening in Guyana."
Anon on a boring train from Leicester to Leeds via Text 81111

"That man in Neath is just bitter about the rugby (see further down somewhere)"
Richard on Vancouver Island, Canada

25 overs - England 107-5
Darren Sammy has a more than useful appeal for leg before turned down by umpire Clyde Duncan - and the replays suggest Strauss is very lucky to survive that, especially as the ball struck him on his back pad. Still, a single sees the England captain move to 37 from 51 deliveries.

24 overs - England 104-5
Mascarenhas lots a slower Dwayne Bravo delivery over midwicket for a much-needed boundary, the first in 79 balls. Anchor time for Senor Strauss methinks.

"On the subject of Spider songs, post-rockers Mogwai have two songs called Black Spider on their soundtrack to Zidane: A 21st Century Portrait, a film focusing entirely on Zidane's play during a football match against Villareal. Possibly a more interesting venture than current play."
Tony, rocking back and forth in Glasgow University Library doing his dissertation

22.5 overs - England 97-5 Wicket Prior ct Ramdin b Sammy 2

The irony...Denesh Ramdin has just taken a sensational catch standing up to the stumps off Darren Sammy. The ball keeps low and brushes the bottom of Prior's bat and the Trinidadian wicketkeeper pouches the ball milimetres from the ground, absolutely sensational - "that's how you do it Prior" says the man to my left. In comes Dimi Mascarenhas.

22 overs - England 97-4
A nice clip off the pads from Prior is well saved by Kieron Pollard, but his shy at the stumps is well wide as the England wicketkeeper steals an easy single. Dwayne Bravo concedes six from his sixth over.

"Re the spider debate, how about we bring it right up to date and on an urban note with the following album track from one of the Dirrty South's finest - 'Spida Man' by Nelly, from the album "Sweat", 2003."
Marcus, Weybridge, Surrey (that hotbed of hip-hop that we are)

"In response to Bored Brian's challenge (see 18 overs) - I can come close - Dolores O'Riordan, former lead singer with the Cranberries (so therefore a type of juice if not a squash) has a a track called Black Widow on her last solo album!"
Steve in Northampton

21 overs - England 91-4
More tight lines from Darren Sammy, which sounds like a concept funk album with lots of slap bass. The rain is threatening to come down as England add three runs.

20 overs - England 88-4 Wicket Collingwood bowled Bravo 1

Collingwood is cleaned up by a clever delivery which seams off the pitch to rattle off stump, although the gap between Collingwood's front pad and bat was so huge, you could drive a Chelsea Tractor through it. Good old England, the collapse never fails to surprise. Out comes Matt Prior.

19.3 overs - England 86-3 Wicket Shah lbw b Bravo 22

Shah somehow manages to keep out a good Bravo delivery, but the next ball sees him rapped on the pads pinned on his crease and up goes the finger of umpire Aleem Dar. Hawk-eye concurs with the Pakistani official as the ball thumps into leg stump. In comes Paul Collingwood.

"I can beat over 17. I was on one of those little horses in a kids playground once. You know the ones, you go back and forth on them and go really fast. Anyway, I was really getting some speed up so I thought it would be cool to jump off backwards and do the usain bolt pose. I did this , only for t he horse to keep going and come back to hit me where it really hurts. It really hurt." Ben, Swindon via Text 81111

19 overs - England 86-2
A slower ball from Sammy is fired back towards his head, but the St Lucian cannot cling on to the return catch above his head - and he's one of the better fielders in the Windies side.

18 overs - England 83-2
All sorts of clothing is being thrown at a young lad on the boundary, who is getting his baseball cap signed by local favourite Shivnarine Chanderpaul, back on the pitch after treatment on his hamstring. That's possibly more interesting than what's going on the pitch, where Strauss and Shah add four runs in singles off Dwayne Bravo.

"On the basis that a song title with the name of a type of spider trumps a song title with the word spider in it - what about Tarantula by the Smashing Pumpkins? Any other song titles with types of spider in the title sung by bands with a type of squash in their name?"
Bored Brian

"In 1972 there was David Bowie's 'The Rise and Fall of Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars,' whilst I'm sure you'll all remember in the early 80s the rock band 'Spyder,' who produced such classics as 'Here We Go Rock an' Roll,' and, erm... but I do remember getting into some dive in Carlisle when I was 16, having a ball, drinking too much, and being sick in an alley after the gig... if any of that helps."
Colin, Sharjah, UAE

It all helps Colin, it all helps right now...

17 overs - England 79-2
Regarding spider songs (see 11 overs), "how about 'Ziggy Stardust and the Spiders from Mars' by David Bowie suggests Phil T, while I Lee goes for some old-skool indie with "eight-legged groove machine" by The Wonder Stuff. Meanwhile, England team manager Phil Neale got a door in the face somewhere in the confines of the England dressing room, ouch. But is there anything more painful than treading barefoot on a three-pin plug? Sammy continues and the Middx duo fashion four singles from the over. Dour.

16 overs - England 75-2
Bravo follows up Sammy's over with another good set of six, with just two runs coming off the bat.

"Is it just me, or do most of the comments published tend to come from glamorous or overseas locations? I'm in Neath, South Wales, not very glamorous but I pay the licence fee, not the Canadians, so publish my comments more often Pranav."
Dan Jay

15 overs - England 73-2
Top over from Darren Sammy, who sends down a maiden at the right time. The huge Providence crowd are subdued too. As Edmund Blackadder once said: "I've been to autopsies with more atmosphere." And that's the end of powerplay two.

14 overs - England 73-2
The man (or woman) on Cricinfo is slowly losing the will to live, I know how he/she feels. It's about as exciting as a House of Commons select committee meeting right now as Darren Sammy concedes three runs - all singles - from his six deliveries. More spider songs, more, MORE!

"What about 'I Am The Spider' by Alice Cooper (see 11 overs)?"
Will

"Carly Simon did 'Itsy bitsy spider'. Was a half-decent tune.
Pam, urging England on to another victory via Text 81111

13 overs - England 70-2
Chris Gayle makes a double bowling change with the consistent Darren Sammy called up to the ramp. But Shah and Strauss are batting with with confidence, exchanging singles without too much bother and look as comfortable as a man who has just jumped in a swimming pool filled entirely with cushions.

"In Calgary, CANADA, we have a big dump of snow. I do not have access to either live tv cricket or live radio commentary. Strauss and Shah remind me the old couple cleaning the snow next door, very slowly and do not seem to be in a hurry because this is the last snow blizzard of the year."
WeLoveMontyon 606
Discuss the action on 606

12 overs - England 66-2
Dwayne Bravo is summoned for his first bowl of the afternoon, although the all-rounder first delivery is signalled a wide. Shah is lucky to be standing at the crease when a Bravo delivery keeps very low and almost kisses the outside of off stump, a delivery which TMS commentator Tony Cozier says is called a "Zandolee" in Bravo's native Trinidad.

"With the exception of the somewhat anacoluthic opening clause, the parenthetic remark that begins with a dash and ends with a comma, and the missing hyphen in 'top-drawer', Don's grammar (see 1756) was top-drawer."
Simon, Edinburgh

11 overs - England 61-2
Umpire Clyde Duncan signals the second powerplay, hardly a Pete Townshend, stadium-style windmill in The Who's salad days. I now have the lyrics of "Boris the Spider" ringing through my head - any other great songs about spiders? Wunderbar from Strauss, who leans into a front-foot drive to hit Baker through the covers for four.

"Oh dear. Here we go again. I am now reliving the GREAT victory by our women's team in the World Cup in my head...aaaaaah! Much better."
C Jagoe, in sunny Pickering, Canada

10 overs - England 55-2
Strauss cranks up his scoring rate by 500% with two successive boundaries, both through third man. The first was a more controlled shot, steering Edwards with an open face, while the second was a somewhat ugly aerial swot, Virender Sehwag it ain't, but that's four boundaries in five deliveries and the end of the first powerplay.

"Could KP have been in a hurry to get back to the pavilion in order to watch his wife in the final of Dancing on Ice (about to start in about 15 minutes)!?"
Ian Parker

9 overs - England 45-2
Horrible smear from Strauss, who attempts to swot Lionel Baker through midwicket but completely misses the ball, which could have given the off stump a little kiss as it thumped into Ramdin's gloves. The Middlesex man adds his fifth run with a single before his county colleague Shah adds a boundary with a thick edge down to third man before lashing a rank long-hop outside off stump through extra cover for four.

7.2 overs - England 36-2 Wicket Pietersen bowled Edwards 12

More streaky runs for Pietersen off Edwards, this time bottom-edging a delivery outside off stump down past Denesh Ramdin for four. He does exactly the same with the next delivery, but is not as fortunate this time as the ball canons into his stumps, sparking Edwards' favourite flash-my-hand-in-front-of-my-face celebration. England in trouble here as Owais Shah ambles out, Fidel Edwards sporting a smile of a hunter set for a huge bounty. 8 overs 36-2

7 overs - England 32-1
KP shuffles across his stumps and works a straight ball from Baker down to fine leg for a single, the solitary run from the over.

6 overs - England 31-1
Edwards v Pietersen, don't put the kettle on just yet. Kaypee whips two through midwicket, but Fidel beats the ex-England captain with pace attempting to pull a quick, short delivery, which canons off his waist and dissects wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin and first slip Chris Gayle for four leg byes. Apparently Fidel cranks up the mphs whenever KP is at the crease.

"Just as I was thinking that the Bopara-Strauss 'bad cop, good cop' act was working...I still think that it is potentially a winning combination. A solid player and a real stroke-player opening together."
Cricketing_stargazer on 606
Discuss the action on 606

4.3 overs - England 18-1 Wicket Bopara bowled Baker 14

Oh Ravi, and you were looking so good... The Essex dasher doesn't get his foot to the pitch of a Baker ball outside off stump and drags an under-edge onto his stumps. He looks like a man who has just sat through an entire series of 'Allo 'Allo without a toilet break. Kevin Pietersen immediately gets off the mark with a dodgy outside edge through the vacant gully area and past Fidel Edwards at third man for four. 5 overs - 22-1

4 overs - England 17-0
Classy stroke from Bopara, who brings up his third boundary with a wristy flick from the crease which sizzles across the turf at backward point off Fidel Edwards, who contributes a wide to England's cause.

"Recovering at work from my rather brutal stag party last night, I thought it was the alcohol leftovers that made me see 264/8. Wish I had Colly's resilience. But who knows, we might even go 2-0 up! Go England."
Jesse, Netherlands

"Re 1756, in Australia we call it a pill."
Ben enjoying the big yellow thing (also re 1756) in Madrid

3 overs - England 12-0
Crunching drive through cover off the back foot from Bopara, although the delivery did arrive with a "spank me" bow tied around it. Bops nicks a single off the final ball of the over.

2 over - England 7-0
Fidel Edwards charges in at Andrew Strauss, his low arm action as slingy as ever, although umpire Dar, who has been proactive in this match, has a look at his follow through. Fantastic save Devon Smith, on a substitute for the crocked Shivnarine Chanderpaul, makes a superb sliding stop to deny Bopara a second boundary at fine leg.

1 over - England 5-0
You lucky, lucky, lucky... Andrew Strauss sees a thick outside edge go past the outstretched left hand of Darren Sammy at second slip off Lionel "Fabulous" Baker for a single. A complete contrast to a sumptuous drive from Bopara, which races away for a boundary towards long on. You could hang that shot in the Louvre.

1756: All you sunshine fans, the big yellow thing, once seen being used as a basketball in a Kia-ora advert in the 1980s ("It's too orangey for crows, it's just for me and my dog"), is out again in Guyana. Andrew Strauss and Ravi Bopara will commence England's response. Lionel Baker, Montserrat's first ever West Indies Test player, is given the new...what do you call a brand-new white ball? Snooker ball?

"Not strictly relevant to the day's play, however - with the exception of a missed full stop in over 45, and in light of Dirs' efforts in the last match, your grammar so far has been top drawer."
Don, Houston TX

To quote the great Ralph Wiggum of Simpsons fame: "Me fail English? Thats unpossible."

"Re: Comment at 46.2 overs...can I please apologise for the embarrassing comments of my father - I assume he is pitching for more attendees at his next course?!"
Iain Rawson

1732: Time to nibble something with the texture of corrugated cardboard with the taste of wet sand in the canteen, see you shortly.

WEST INDIES 264-8

50 overs - West Indies 264-8
Dimitri Mascarenhas to bowl the final over, but of more concern for the Windies is the hobbling Chanderpaul, who is having serious issues with his left hamstring. The poor lad can hardly move. He fashions three runs before umpire Dar refers a run-out appeal when the bowler believes he has touched a straight drive which rattles into the stumps. And if that was bad enough, the rain starts pelting down. Umpire Dar says not out, orders Mascarenhas to hurry up and get the over done with so the covers can go back on again. Fidel Edwards wafts at the final ball of the over and that's the end of the Windies innings, bit of a rum few final overs, but fantastic innings from Chanderpaul, 112 from 134 deliveries featuring 10 boundaries.

48.4 overs - West Indies 256-8 Wicket Miller bowled Collingwood 0

Nikita Miller contrives to miss a straight delivery attempting to run the ball down to third man. Fidel Edwards avoids becoming Collingwood's hat-trick, flicking the all-rounder for a single. Top over for England, the Windies innings is teetering on its hinges. Time for Shiv to give it large in the final over. WI 258-8

48.3 overs - West Indies 256-7 Wicket Sammy lbw Collingwood 11

Colly ensures his first two deliveries are kept to singles and his third - an off-break - raps Sammy in front as he attempts to smash the ball to Brazil as umpire Duncan points to the heavens. Replays suggest the ball would have clipped leg stump.

48 overs - West Indies 253-6
Sammy thumps a Mascarenhas slower ball - a leg-break - right back at the bowler, who wisely moves his right hand away from the ball, hit with more power than a bodybuilder, which fizzes down towards the sightscreen for four. Brutal shot. Dwayne Bravo is back out on the pitch as a runner for Shiv C, fireworks time.

47 overs - West Indies 245-6
Darren Sammy flicks a couple through midwicket before Chanderpaul unleashes his third reverse-sweep (he didn't change his grip, I got it wrong when I described his two previous shots as switch-hits) through point for boundary number 11.

The covers are off and the players are out again.

RAIN STOPS PLAY

46.2 overs - West Indies 238-6

We're back out in the middle as new man Darren Sammy faces one delivery, only for the elephant-grey, cumilonimbus clouds to squeeze out a tropical downpour as umpires Dar and Duncan summon the covers. But fear not, the Guyana National Stadium has some serious drainage in place, so once the rain abates, we should be back in business fairly swiftly.

"Ref 39th over. The umpire called no-ball not because the delivery was above head-height but because all full tosses (other than slow ones) above waist height of the striker (standing upright at the crease) must be called as no-balls. Sounds like you might need to attend an umpire's course!!!"
Chris Rawson

46.1 over - West Indies 238-6 Wicket Ramdin ct Harmison b Collingwood 1

Fresh from his boundary heroics, Colly contributes to Ramdin's downfall when the wicketkeeper attempts to paddle the ball over fine leg's head, only to scoop the ball into the buckethands of Steve Harmison inside the 30m circle. Oh dear, on comes the covers and the predicted showers have materialised.

45.2 over - West Indies 237-5 Wicket Bravo ct Collingwood b Mascarenhas

19
Take a bow Paul Collingwood - the Durham maestro takes a quite brilliant catch as Dwayne Bravo goes aerial over midwicket. Running backwards, Colly catches the ball but his momentum takes him just inches from the boundary, but somehow he manages not to place any part of his person over the rope. Brilliant. WI 238-5

45th over - West Indies 237-4

Bravo turns a Colly delivery off his pads for a single and the Golden Arrowheads are raised aloft in expectation of Shivnarine Chanderpaul's 10th one-day hundred - and he duly records his first ton on home soil with a casual flick off his toes. That man

44th over - West Indies 232-4
Bravo lofts a spanking off drive over extra cover for six as the locals go all Spinal Tap and turn the volume to 11. A colleague suggests the West Indies should be dressed in black and become nocturnal since they are sponsored by Vampire.

43rd over - West Indies 222-4
Chanderpaul moves on to 94 as Andrew Strauss concedes an extra run when his shy at the stumps misses with no-one in blue backing up bowler Paul Collingwood. The left-hander brings up his 8000th one-day international run when he guides a full-toss to long-on, becoming the third West Indian to reach the mark after Desmond Haynes and Brian Charles Lara.

42nd over - West Indies 215-4
Good over from Dimi Mascarenhas, who leaks just two runs, although he is fortunate a rank long-hop on leg stump is hammered straight at Stuart Broad on the 45 behind the stumps.

41st over - West Indies 213-4
If it ain't broke, then don't fix it - Chanderpaul continues his nudging and nurdling to move into the 90s, while Bravo collects leg-side runs with a front-foot leg glance off Paul Collingwood. Colin Croft on TMS says the number 63 bus would have been packed with folk from Unity Village - home of Shiv Chanderpaul - expecting another three-figure score from their national icon, who moves to his second-highest one-day score against England.

"Sitting in the hotel bar in St Lucia and some fool has switched the only TV here to the Liverpool match. Where's the locals to support me when needed?"
Daniel, St Lucia

39.4 overs - West Indies 206-4 Pollard ct Pietersen b Mascarenhas 9

More brilliance from Chanderpaul, who paddles a reverse sweep for his eighth boundary of his innings, moving to 87. But Kieron Pollard holes out a slower ball out of the back of the hand from Mascarenhas to the long-on boundary, where Kevin Pietersen takes a safe catch three metres from the rope. In comes Dwayne Bravo. WI 207-4

39th over- West Indies 200-3
Andrew Strauss has stationed himself on the leg-side boundary, wonder if Mike Brierley would ever have chosen to field there. The huge Pollard - a man whose shoulders are about the width of Belgium - batters a pull down to Strauss for two. Anderson sends down a full-toss aimed at Chanderpaul's chest and the left-hander paddles the ball around to fine leg, where Steve Harmison takes a brilliant catch over his head right on the rope, only to see umpire Clyde Duncan signal a no-ball because the ball was above shoulder height. Harmison looks as if someone has torn up his winning lottery ticket right in front of his face, his catch was not too dissimilar to John Emburey's brilliant one-handed catch on the boundary in Australia in the 1980s, only with two hands. But it matters not a jot as the Windies bring up the 200.

38th over- West Indies 190-3
Chanderpaul opens his body up and lofts a Stuart Broad slower delivery just - I really just mean just - over the head of the diving, outstretched right hand of Paul Collingwood, who lands slightly awkwardly when he hits the Providence turf. Broad's match goes from not very good to awful as he contests a wide called by umpire Dar, who doesn't like some of the jib he is getting in return from the Notts seamer. What a shot! Chanderpaul plays a KP-style switch-hit through point/square leg for four, his rubber wrists piercing the gap between third man and point. Broad then follows this up with three successive wides, he's seriously close to losing it right now, but he manages to keep hold of his composure with two dot balls. Eventful over as Sir Viv Richards says Broad needs to get his act together on TMS. Can't argue with the great man. Among all that, Chanderpaul moves to 80.

"Just seen the headline: 'Keeper Foster to get England call'. OK it's the footballer Ben Foster. but I can live in hope."
over_there on 606
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37th over- West Indies 177-3
Does Chanderpaul have bones in his wrists? He flicks a ball on middle from James Anderson off his toes past fine leg, inside the 30m circle for his fifth boundary. he goes aerial in the same region two balls later, shuffling outside off stump and helping the ball over fine leg's head. A miss-field from Bopara allows Shiv to come back for two.

36th over- West Indies 165-3
Stuart Broad, who has had a spell in the dressing room for something or other, is welcomed back into the attack with a savage aerial drive over mid-on for a one-bounce four. Hmmm, length balls on middle and leg bowling around the wicket in a batting powerplay is about as advisable as investing your life savings with Bernard Madoff. Lovely flick off his toes sees Chanders collect three more, which gives Kieron (pronounced Kai-ron) Pollard one delivery to suss out Broady.

"Do the England set up just purely refuse to put James Foster behind the stumps because the rest of the English population thinks it would work?"
Ally, USA

35th over- West Indies 157-3 WICKET - Sarwan c Collingwood b Anderson 74

As Simon Hughes on TMS wonders about something that keeps many of us awake at night - namely why on earth James Foster cannot get into an England squad - West Indies take the batting powerplay. Anderson has the ball, and after some tortuous time wasted with changing the field, he does brilliantly - conceding just one run off the first three balls before having Sarwan caught at mid-off, chipping the simplest of catches. The ball hits high on the bat, which explains why the ball looped harmlessly to the best catching hands in Durham. Kieron Pollard is the new man at the crease.

34th over- West Indies 156-2
Ravi Bopara becomes England's seventh bowler and his first ball nutmegs Matt Prior, standing up to the sticks, down to the boundary for four. The man next to me is apoplectic with rage, which has suddenly heated up a notch after another boundary, this time off Chanderpaul's front pad, evades Prior's gloves.

33rd over- West Indies 148-2
Perfect slower-ball yorker from Colly as Sarwan jams his willow down by his toes, accompanied by a puff of Providence dust. Nevertheless, five more runs to the total.

32nd over- West Indies 143-2

Chanderpaul brings up his 54th one-day fifty with a erudite nudge off Harmison. He'll be playing that with his walking stick in 50 years time (probably). Another productive over, eight runs, as the West Indies physio is summoned to work some magic on Chanderpaul. For all you flag fans, the Guyana one is called The Golden Arrowhead. I like it. Isn't there a biscuit called Arrowhead? Or is it Arrowroot?

31st over- West Indies 135-2
It's the entertain-shy middle overs period right now, singles galore as Paul Collingwood concedes a run from each of his six deliveries. Come on boys, use that batting powerplay and wake the Major up in Row K asleep under the copy of the Guyana Times (other potentially fictitious newspapers available).

30th over- West Indies 129-2
Mitchell Johnson has just brought up his maiden Test and first-class ton with a mammoth six over midwicket off Dale Steyn. Even when they're losing those Aussies still manage to entertain. Steve Harmison returns and manages to stem the flow of runs as the pair add three more runs to the total.

29th over- West Indies 129-2
Boo - McGain survived the hat-trick ball. Wonder if we'll see him on our shores this summer. Judging by his first-innings effort in Cape Town, probably not. On South American shores, the Chanders and Ronnie are pushing singles around like flashing buttons on a fruit machines, with only the penultimate delivery of the over a dot ball.

28th over- West Indies 124-2
Uppish cut from Sarwan, but fortunately for him he evades the nimble Paul Collingwood at point for a single. And Chanderpaul brings up the 100 partnership, opening the face of his bat and running the ball down to third man. Their century stand coming off 135 balls. These two are more adhesive than Superglue. Drama at Newlands - Paul Harris is on a hat-trick having removed Andrew MacDonald and Peter Siddle. Bryce McGain is the new man at the ramp.

"Another day at work pressing the refresh button, thank you BBC!"
Steve at work

27th over- West Indies 121-2
Umpire Aleem Dar isn't happy about something England are doing and has a tete-a-tete with Andrew Strauss, who flashes his pearlers to suggest nothing untoward in the discussion. His smile will widen a tad further as Paul Collingwood throws the shackles on the Windies duo - for an over at least - with just a solitary single conceded. I'm a big fan of umpire Dar - I can imagine his attire would be similar to an extra in Saturday Night Fever.

"Is the Co-operative Republic of Guyana the only cricket playing nation in the world sponsored by a UK domestic bank? Sensible choice, mind, given the reputation Stanford International Bank now enjoys in Antigua."
Paul in Lancs

26th over- West Indies 120-2
Sarwan skips down the track and launches Batty straight back over his head for four, the ball just bouncing inside the field of play before rolling over the ropes before a precise cut is dispatched behind point for his second successive four. The boy is sniffing three figures here - the pair have put on 96 since the fall of the second wicket.

25th over- West Indies 110-2
Paul Collingwood, with number five draped on his back, becomes England's sixth bowler. While not profligate, he cannot prevent the duo from adding five to the Windies total. A beautifully weighted nudge to leg from Chanderpaul for two the highlight from that over.

24th over- West Indies 105-2
More singles than an Uxbridge nightspot right now and Sarwan brings up his 32nd one-day half century with nudge to leg off Gareth Batty, who is extracting turn, but it's hardly threatening. Run-scoring looks as easy as apple picking right now. Matt (below), wholeheartedly agree about Sarah Taylor's exemplary keeping, that leg-side stumping off Laura Marsh was my moment of the match.

"Can we please get Sarah Taylor in the men's side? I was watching the women win the World Cup last night and she was flawless behind the stumps, whereas Prior is seriously struggling.
Matt Thornton, Guernsey

23rd over- West Indies 100-2
Dreamy driving from Ronnie, who lofts Mascarenhas over long off for his second maximum of the match, a shot which takes him to 45. There's little assistance from the pitch, which is the colour of melted milk chocolate - not a tinge of green in sight. And a checked straight drive brings up the Windies 100 as the crisp Guyana flags drift in the breeze.

22nd over- West Indies 91-2
Wallop - Ronnie Sarwan dances down the track and lofts Gareth Batty over long on for an artistic six. Little effort in the shot, more a flick than a full-bloodied drive. Quality shot - and the locals are loving the antics of their local boys.

21st over- West Indies 83-2
Dimi's hands are on his heads as he sees Matt Prior, standing up the stumps, drop a difficult chance when Chanderpaul under-edges an attempted pull. The ball flicks the webbing of Prior's green gloves but he had no chance of clinging on to that. Tough times for the Sussex stumper.

20th over- West Indies 80-2
Batty drops short again and Sarwan's eyes light up like the National Grid as he cuts the ball through cover point for four. Four more singles and the Windies are up at the four-an-over mark.

19th over- West Indies 72-2
If you look up the word consolidation on Wikipedia, you might get a picture of the Guyanese duo. It's hardly headline-grabbing, but it's mighty effective as they add four runs - all in singles from Mascarenhas' second over.

"You cart Adil Rashid around the Caribbean for two months and then don't play him in a serious match. OK, his form when he has played has been poor, but... surely you have to try him sometime?"
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18th over- West Indies 68-2
Sarwan, sporting some Craig Davidesque facial hair, lays into a horror of a short delivery from Batty, but is denied a boundary courtesy of SuperJim, who flings himself, full-length, to prevent the boundary. World-class fielding - and Gareth Batty looks mighty relieved. Bo selectah.

"I've heard there were many women that could play the front foot drive better than you. Wasn't it your bowling that we should be afraid of?! Glad to see that I'm not the only person at work on a Sunday."
Jamie Older via the TMS inbox

17th over- West Indies 64-2
Double change for England with Dimitri Mascarenhas replacing Harmison. Not sure whether that's tactical or enforced because of Harmison's knee tweak. The Windies duo are somewhat subdued, collecting singles like a cub scout collecting firewood at camp. Decent start for the Hampshire all-rounder.

16th over- West Indies 61-2
On comes Gareth "Not David" Batty for his first twirl of the morning. A good start too, the pitch will suit the slower bowlers as there's little pace and bounce. Just look - sorry, read - the ease of Chanderpaul pulling Harmison off his back foot in the previous over.

"Is the wicket looking better for batting or bowling at the minute?"
Nick in Newcastle via Text 81111

15th over- West Indies 58-2
Harmison is struggling with a knee niggle (which sounds like something from Monty Python's Holy Grail) and called for the physio in the previous over. Mind you, he always looks laboured these days, so you can never tell whether he is suffering with an injury or not. Chanderpaul tucks into a short delivery and dispatches it behind square for his third boundary, a typically languid paddle with little effort. Apologies for getting my teams in a muddle earlier, tis sorted now. And all you 606ers, we're in business now:
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"Gavin in Sydney (see 12th over), I can tell you first-hand how great it is to have a cricketing girlfriend! As she plays county cricket for Bucks, I can spend summer days meant for cricket bowling at her in the nets: keeping the missus happy and playing cricket at the same time! Plus there are no arguments when I want to play both days of the weekends as she just wants to come and watch! Happy days."
Jake, Egham in the TMS inbox

14th over- West Indies 53-2
Stuart Broad is recalled for a second joust, bet he's glad Chris Gayle is back in the hutch. Nice lines from the Notts seamer, who concedes just two runs in his fifth over.

14th over- West Indies 51-2
Chanderpaul nicks a fine edge past Matt Prior for a streaky boundary off the impressive Harmison, which also brings up the Windies 50.

13th over- West Indies 45-2
Nurdles of the highest order as the Guyanese duo collect three singles from Anderson's over.

12th over- West Indies 42-2
A decent over from Harmison, who concedes a solitary single when Sarwan whips him through midwicket. Encouraging second over. Gavin (below), I always said I would marry the first woman I met who could play a front-foot drive better than me and who could recite the entire lyrics of Jane's Addiction's Three Days.

"I was at the game in Sydney today. Great atmosphere, fab ground, lovely weather and a great performance. I hope the Aussies get the football world cup as it seems we can win them out here in any sport!! Oh and a great debate on the bleachers about how great it would be to have a cricketer girlfriend... 'I thought after dinner we could go for a few throwdowns in the yard' and no arguing over the telly either."
Gavin Hudson, Sydney via the TMS inbox

10th over- West Indies 41-2
Chanderpaul swivels on his back foot and eases a lovely pull through square leg for four off the tres lively James Anderson. Sarwan steals the strike for the next over with a cheeky cut down to third man.

9th over- West Indies 35-2
England make their first change with Harmison replacing Broad, whose first four cost 26. Hello all, Pranav here, thanks to the legendary Paul Grunill for filling in while I endured quite possibly the worst tube journey of my life - and that's up against some serious competition. Not only was I 45 minutes late for work, with a bladder at the point of bursting, I was sat next to a woman whose laugh was the same volume as a NASA space shuttle launch. And she laughed at everything. Round two of the Chanderpaul v Harmy battle goes the Ashington man's way, conceding just three, unlike the 26 in Friday's debacle.

8th over - 32-2 It's a tidy over from Anderson and it looks like but Chanderpaul adds three to the total by picking the gaps in the field.

"The wicket on Friday looked a bit sluggish. This looks like a totally different surface, the ball is bouncing is bouncing at a regulation height"
Sir Vivian Richards on TMS

7th over - 29-2 So it's down to the two local heroes, Sarwan and Chanderpaul to rebuild the innings and Sarwan signals his intent by spanking a half volley from Broad through the covers for four. Sarwan goes for another next ball but Bopara prevents the boundary with a sprawling save in the circle.

"As well as a celebration of Flintoff style proportions - the best way to recognise the achievements of the England Women's XI is to increase their funding and support so they can dominate the sport for years to come - just like our cyclists."
Mark (unable to find the cricket on Abu Dhabi TV) in the TMS inbox

6th over - WICKET - Gayle b Anderson 20 (WI 24-2)

What do I know? Absolutely nothing. Anderson's first ball is nothing special but Gayle jabs absent-mindedly at it and only succeeds in chopping it into his stumps. Big boost for England.

5th over - 24-1 Broad strays onto leg-stump again and Gayle whips him down to fine leg for another four. Looks like the Jamaican is in the mood for something special.

4th over - WICKET - Simmons c Prior b Anderson 0 (WI 15-1)

That's the first breakthrough for England as Simmons opens the face to a ball from Anderson and only succeeds in giving keeper Matt Prior catching practice. Sarwan is the new man in the middle and Anderson greets him with a bouncer which flies harmlessly over his lid.

"Can we please have the ground name correctly displayed- it is The Guyana National Stadium in Providence not the Providence Stadium - Enjoy the day."
Peter(Probably being pedantic) in the TMS inbox

3rd over - 15-0 Broad overpitches and Gayle lashes the ball through mid-on for the first boundary of the day. The second isn't long in coming as Gayle flicks the next delivery through mid-wicket. Broad meets the challenge with a beauty which beats the outside edge, but then sends down a wide one which Gayle carves through backward point for the third four of the over.

2nd over - 3-0 Anderson beats Gayle with one that keeps low, but the Windies skipper pushes the next for a single. The umpires aren't happy with the ball, so Anderson is given a new one and squares up Simmons with the final delivery.

"Could anyone explain the continued selection of Batty. Why not give Rashid a go?"
Nick, Oxford in the TMS inbox

As a Yorkshireman, Nick, I'm right with you on that one.

1st over - 1-0 Stuart Broad has the ball in his hands, so we're ready to go. It looks like a pretty slow pitch and Chris Gayle's dab to third man for the opening run isn't one for the purists. A wide is the only addition in the rest of over.

1315 Just before we get into things in the Caribbean, this seems like an appropriate moment to mention England's women, who won the World Cup in Australia in the wee small hours.

What a fantastic effort by Charlotte Edwards and her team. I wonder what kind of celebration the ECB has in store for them when they get home? What do you reckon would be the best way of marking their achievement?

1310 Driving in to TVC, I heard the Five Live weatherman mention there was a chance of a shower in Guyana - but let's hope he's got that one wrong.

Match referee Javagal Srinath has ordered that the floodlights can be used in today's game, so the light is unlikely to be a factor in the finish this time. I bet John D is relieved about that!

Just to confirm, here are the teams:

West Indies: Gayle (C), Sarwan, Simmons, Chanderpaul, Bravo, Pollard, Sammy, Ramdin (W), Miller, Edwards, Baker

England: Strauss (C), Bopara, Pietersen, Shah, Collingwood, Prior (W), Mascarenhas, Broad, Batty, Harmison, Anderson

1305 Afternoon all....Pranav's not here yet, so you'll have to put up with me, Paul Grunill, for a bit. The first thing to tell you is that West Indies skipper Chris Gayle has won the toss at the Providence Stadium and will bat first.

The home side have brought in seam bowler Lionel Baker in place of Daren Powell, while England go with the same XI which was handed victory at the same ground on Friday thanks to Windies coach John Dyson's Duckworth-Lewis blooper.

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