LIVE TEXT COMMENTARY (all times BST)To get involved, e-mail [email protected] (with ‘For Mark Mitchener’ in the subject), useor text us your views on 81111 (UK) or +44 7786200666 (worldwide) with “CRICKET” as the first word. (Not all comments can be used. Messages will be charged at your standard operator rate)
Former West Indies fast bowler Colin Croft on TMS: “Sri Lanka want Jayawardene to bat through the innings, so the others can bat around him. West Indies-Ireland later will be a big game, as whoever loses may get knocked out, given that England are also in that group”
13th over - SL 80-2The tall Oram returns to the attack but is summarily lifted for another six into the stands at long-on by Jayawardene, who’s closing on his half century. Three singles allow the former skipper to reach his third T20 international fifty from 33 balls.
12th over - SL 71-2Jayawardene guides Vettori for a two and a single, Chandimal adds a couple more before another hoist into the Guyanese sky lands safely between long-off and extra cover. They run two. A controversial moment at the end of the over - the Kiwi pair try to sneak a quick single but umpire Steve Davis has already called “over” and sends them back to their original positions. If you’re more of a fan ofthe other Steve Davis,you can also follow the World Snooker Championship elsewhere on the BBC.
11th over - SL 64-2Styris to resume, after a single from Chandimal, Jayawardene tries an unorthodox shot over his left shoulder - not really a Dilscoop, more of an “Ashraful”, or a “frying pan” if you prefer. Two leg byes are the result. Jayawardene moves to 39 with a single, then Chandimal shows no sign of debutant’s nerves with a huge six into the stand at long-on! (Or, to please Dave below, “a TMS Maximum”).
From Dave, TMS inbox: “After weeks of watching the IPL, complete with awful commentary, I have nearly forgotten what a ‘six’ is. Could you please refer to any balls that are hit over the boundary as a ‘TMS Maximum’ so I know what you are talking about?”
10th over - SL 54-2Jayawardene and Chandimal look to push the singles against Vettori - and manage one off every ball. We’re at the halfway point. And breaking news from the England camp: Kevin Pietersen will leave on the next flight the moment wife Jess goes into labour with their first child - even if it means walking off the pitch in the middle of an ICC World Twenty20 match.
9th over - SL 48-2New batsman is Dinesh Chandimal, who’s making his international debut. He’s a 20-year-old right-hander with a strike rate of 137.87 in domestic T20 cricket, and he’s off the mark with a three past mid-off. Jayawardene nicks the strike with a single.
Tony Cozier on TMS: “It’s a simple method from Styris - bowling wicket to wicket on a slowish pitch and asking batsmen to take a risk”
8.2 overs - WICKET - Sangakkara b Styris 4 - SL 44-2New batsman is dibbly-dobbly medium pacer Scott Styris, who has an instant impact when Sanga heaves across the line and is bowled!
From Josh (Hampshire fan currently crying into his dinner), Bristol, TMS inbox: “Mark, apparently LIAT stands for Luggage In Another Terminal. It’s good to see Jayawardene opening, and New Zealand look twice the team with Ryder playing”
Never mind “Another Terminal”, it was Another Territory for some of our group last year…
8th over - SL 43-1Kiwi captain Daniel Vettori introduces his own miserly left-arm spin into the attack, he’s usually a man to put the brakes on the scoring rate in limited-overs cricket. Sri Lanka manage just three singles from Cap’n Dan’s over.
7th over - SL 40-1Sanga cover-drives a single to Oram on the cover boundary. Sri Lanka now have a left-hand/right-hand combo at the crease, and the right-handed Jayawardene tickles a single to Bond at third man. Sanga adds a leg bye, then Jayawardene is denied by a great sprawling stop by “Big Jesse” Ryder at point. He’s had a few injury problems of late, though I try to shy away from using the word “fit” in a description of the burly Kiwi batsman. A singleton takes Jaya to 32.
6th over - SL 36-1Captain Kumar Sangakkara is the new batsman, prodding a quick single to mid-off. And the field restrictions are lifted - only four fielders need be in the circle from now on.
5.4 overs - WICKET - Dilshan b Oram 3 - SL 35-1Jaywardene has the crowd on their feet again with another fluent cover drive for four off new bowler Jacob Oram, who will probably consider it a triumph if he manages to get through the tournament without breaking down with injury. A single brings Dilshan on strike - and his tortured stay at the crease is ended as he chops a slower ball onto his stumps, having taken 19 balls to score three. Will the real Tillakaratne Dilshan please… return to the pavilion.
From Paul in Muswell Hill, via text: “Is the BBC providing live text for all the games? If so that is fantastic!”
We are indeed. Glad to be of service.
5th over - SL 30-0First change of bowling as youthful right-arm seamer Tim Southee replaces McCullum. England fans might recall him knocking seven bells out of their attack in an entertaining tail-end batting cameo as England won the third Test in Napier in 2008. He’s on the money against Dilshan, only yielding a single. Jayawardene’s confident off-drive is straight to Cap’n Dan Vettori at mid-off, a slower ball is smeared to mid-on and shaven-headed keeper Gareth Hopkins calls for his helmet to stand up to the stumps for the final delivery. Dilshan is stuck in the mud, he has taken 17 balls to score three. Will the real Tillakaratne Dilshan (candidate for player of the tournament in this competition last year) please stand up?
4th over - SL 28-0Jayawardene pops a four over the head of backward point, a single takes his score to 20 from 10 balls. Dilshan, by his standards, is relatively becalmed, rotating the strike with a leg bye before Jayawardene blasts a four towards the podium dancers at cow corner. He’s really “in the zone” so far.
From Dhan, Cambridge, via text: “Come on everybody! Do the Dilscoop!”
3rd over - SL 18-0McCullum has an interesting skip to the crease, Dilshan adds a single and then another classy caress through the covers brings Jayawardene four. He’s a lovely batsman to watch if you’re a cricket purist. A single to third man completes the over and the TMS crew are already encouraged that the ICC fun police who were on duty at the World Cup in 2007 have gone away, and allowed a real Caribbean atmosphere in the ground.
2nd over - SL 12-0A change of pace as Shane Bond, the quickest New Zealand bowler of his generation, charges in and is hoisted over his head for a couple by Jayawardene. Bond, like team-mate Jacob Oram (and England’s Andrew Flintoff), now concentrates on limited-overs cricket after deciding to spare his battered body from the rigours of Test cricket. Jayawardene delicately lifts a single over extra cover like a golfer on approach to the green, Dilshan’s off the mark with a single of his own and then Jayawardene clubs the first six of the tournament over mid-wicket, to rouse the pitchside dancers into action for the first time. (That’s a six - not an “insert name of sponsor maximum”).
From VoiceOfCricket on 606: “Tough to call the winner. But SL has the edge with the three Ms. Ryder is the one to watch out for”
1st over - SL 2-0McCullum bowls round the wicket to Jayawardene, traditionally a great player of spin who forces the first ball for a single off his legs. Dilshan has a light blue headband tied in a knot, with the ends trailing out of the back of his helmet - McCullum sends down a wide behind the batsman’s legs but there’s no sign of a Dilscoop so far as he fails to pierce the infield.
1759: With a nod to the tactic they introduced at the 1992 World Cup, New Zealand will open the bowling with an off-spinner - Nathan McCullum. Sri Lanka’s opening pair are Mahela Jayawardene and Tillakaratne Dilshan. Let’s Bring It!
1757: A West Indian flavour to the national anthems - plenty of steel drums in there. Meanwhile, Aggers is joined in the TMS box by former New Zealand seamer Simon Doull, who hints that he’s had a few problems with the Caribbean airline Liat. Having visited the Windies myself last spring and flown with them, I can’t say I’m surprised at all.
1753: Flags being brought out onto the ground in Guyana (while some stirring music, which sounds like a cross between John Williams and Vangelis, is played). Remember, we want you to get involved throughout the tournament - so if you’re just getting home from work for the weekend then put your feet up, set the video for"Ashes to Ashes"](BBC One - Ashes to Ashes)and let us know your views on the tournament. “Bring It!”, you might say. You can email us at [email protected] (with “For Mark Mitchener” in the subject line), text 81111 (from the UK) or +44 7786200666 (anywhere in the world), or join the debate on606.](http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/606/A67420947)
TMS reporter Alison Mitchell on Twitter:](http://twitter.com/AlisonMitchell)“St Lucia is possibly the greenest, most lush place I’ve ever been to! At the ground, sorting out the technicals for India-Afghanistan on Saturday”
1750: Tony Cozier on TMS has noticed the covers being brought on… let’s hope it’s only a quick precaution! The tournament slogan may be “Bring It!” but we don’t want it applied to the covers…
1745: The Test Match Special team are up and running - asproducer Adam Mountford wrote on his blogthe other day, you’ll have plenty to listen to throughout the tournament. As well as today’s opening games, TMS will have full commentary on all of England and Ireland’s group games, then every game from the Super Eight stage onwards. Meanwhile,Alison Mitchellis over on the lush green island of St Lucia to report on tomorrow’s historic game between Afghanistan and India. And we’ll have text commentary on every game here on the BBC Sport website.
1741: Here are the full teams:
New Zealand: Brendon McCullum, Jesse Ryder, Martin Guptill, Ross Taylor, Scott Styris, Gareth Hopkins (wk), Jacob Oram, Daniel Vettori (capt), Nathan McCullum, Shane Bond, Tim Southee.
Sri Lanka: Tillakaratne Dilshan, Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara (capt & wk), Sanath Jayasuriya, Chamara Kapugedera, Angelo Mathews, Dinesh Chandimal, Lasith Malinga, Muttiah Muralitharan, Ajantha Mendia, Chanaka Welegedara.
BBC cricket correspondent Jonathan Agnew on Twitter:](http://twitter.com/aggerscricket)“Rumours of an opening ceremony. Guaranteed chaos in my experience”
1733: Toss news - Sri Lanka have won the toss and will bat first. Captain Kumar Sangakkara reveals that his predecessor Mahela Jayawardene will open the innings. Kiwi skipper Daniel Vettori admits he’d also have batted - the Black Caps have a fully-fit squad and have left out experienced seamer Kyle Mills.
1730: Afternoon, everyone. It’s three years and two days sinceAustralia beat Sri Lanka in a crazy finish to a Caribbean World Cupwhich had veered from tragedy to farce at times. Once again, the West Indies hosts a showpiece International Cricket Council tournament - with a few lessons hopefully learned from last time.
But the world of cricket has turned on its head since then, with Twenty20 very much in vogue - so 313 days afterPakistan won the last ICC World Twenty20 at Lord’s…welcome to another ICC World Twenty20, 2010-style.
The ICC’s slogan for this tournament is “Bring It!” - and we’ve got a live text double-header in store for you each day, with two games from Guyana first up. Sri Lanka and New Zealand get the ball rolling at 1800 BST, before Ireland hope to cause an upset against their West Indian hosts at 2200 BST.
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