T20

Right then, the day began on a damp note and ended the same way. Earlier in the day, after a nearly 3-hour delay, we did manage to squeeze in an 11-over affair between South Africa Champions and West Indies Champions and it was well worth the wait, with the game going all the way to a Bowl Out, where AB de Villiers and his men held their nerve to come out on top. The weekend only gets better from here, with a mouth-watering clash lined up on Sunday, 20th July, as arch-rivals India and Pakistan lock horns right here at Edgbaston. The first ball is set to be bowled at 9 pm IST (3.30 pm GMT), but we will be with you well before that for the build-up. Until then, take care and goodbye!

Earlier, after opting to bowl first, Australia dominated the early exchanges by picking up four English wickets inside the Powerplay. Ravi Bopara and Eoin Morgan then steadied the innings with a partnership that, while not brisk, kept the scoreboard moving. The duo had taken England to a respectable position before Morgan fell, bringing Samit Patel to the crease. Given how tough it was to go big from ball one and with Bopara also struggling to consistently find the middle of the bat, England never looked like setting a daunting target and will be content to come away with a point. Australia Champions, on the other hand, would have backed themselves to chase down any total, especially with Chris Lynn and D’Arcy Short in their ranks, both of whom have been actively involved in competitive cricket.

Well, the umpires have pulled the plug. The match has officially been CALLED OFF. A heavy downpour earlier in the evening left the outfield soggy, and despite the tireless efforts of the ground staff, conditions never improved enough for play to resume. The umpires, after multiple inspections, rightly prioritised player safety in making the final call. A disappointing end, but a sensible one. Both teams take away a point each from this clash.

UPDATE - 2.04 am IST (8.34 pm GMT, the previous day) - The umpires are done with the inspection and are making their way out to the dressing rooms. We should hear soon about the outcome of the inspection.

UPDATE - 1.50 am IST (8.20 pm GMT, the previous day) - There is going to be another inspection in about 10 minutes' time. A little while ago, Stuart Meaker was seen out in the middle with a ball in hand, trying to assess the dampness in the outfield. He bounced the ball into the turf, but it barely rose, indicating just how soft and wet the surface still is. With the Super Sopper no longer in action, it’s hard to see what exactly is going to improve in the next few minutes.

UPDATE - 1.40 am IST (8.10 pm GMT, the previous day) - The umpires are back out on the field to re-inspect the area of concern that the Super Sopper was working on. The match officials are in conversation with the chief of the ground staff, and there seems to be a sense of disagreement between the two parties. This is turning out to be quite a long discussion. Meanwhile, Ian Bell and Stuart Meaker have made their way out to get a sense of what’s happening, as the Super Sopper is back in action once again. The two umpires are now walking towards the dressing rooms to relay their observations.

UPDATE - 1.29 am IST (7.59 pm GMT, the previous day) - Here come the two on-field umpires for the inspection. They take a stroll around the park to assess the conditions, and one of the areas on the edge of the square appears to be quite wet. When the shoe is pressed against the turf, water visibly oozes out. The umpires do not look overly pleased, and there is an animated conversation between one of them and someone who appears to be the chief of the ground staff. The Super Sopper has been called in to address the areas of concern.

UPDATE - 1.04 am IST (7.34 pm GMT, the previous day) - An official word has come through that there will be an inspection at 1.25 am IST (7.55 pm GMT, the previous day).

UPDATE - 12.57 am IST (7.27 pm GMT, the previous day) - Well, it is taking longer than one would have imagined. All the covers are off, the stumps have been erected, and the Super Soppers are still buzzing away, but there is still no sign of the match officials for the inspection. It has been about an hour and 10 minutes since play was halted, and we could well be heading straight into the chase, with England's innings done for.

UPDATE - 12.35 am IST (7.05 pm GMT, the previous day) - Promising signs! Both square sheets have already been peeled away, and it did not take long for the ground staff to remove the water from them. The Super Sopper is out in action, and now the hover cover is being taken away as well.

UPDATE - 12.26 am IST (6.56 pm GMT, the previous day) - A pleasant sight as the rain seems to have relented. The ground staff are out in the middle and have started working on one side of the wicket, where what appears from a distance to be a strip of hessian lies adjacent to the square sheets. There is a lot of work ahead for the ground staff, looking at the ground conditions.

UPDATE - 12.20 am IST (6.50 pm GMT, the previous day) - Well, it has been close to 30 minutes since the rain began and we can already see puddles forming in the outfield, which tells you just how intense the downpour has been. Although the skies have brightened to some extent, the rain continues to fall.

UPDATE - 12 am IST (6.30 pm GMT, the previous day) - To make things worse, the rain has picked up its intensity, and it is absolutely hammering down now in Birmingham. Surely not a passing shower, and we well maybe in for a longer delay here. Stay tuned for further updates.

UPDATE - 11.53 pm IST (6.23 pm GMT) - Pfft. That dark band of cloud was threatening to pour down anytime and it has started to pelt down now. However, Alan Wilkins on air mentions that it might be a passing squall of rain. The umpires have called for the covers and request the players to go off the field. The hover cover is brought in and is placed over the pitch. The ground staff now bring in the covers to protect the squares.

Game stopped due to : Rain Stoppage

Tossed up, full and outside off, Ravi Bopara gets low and sweeps it to deep mid-wicket for one.

Fuller this time and it is another slower one, on off, Ravi Bopara whips it wide of long on for just a single.

Leg-cutter from Dan, on a length, outside off, Samit Patel extends his hands and crunches it to deep cover for one more.

Takes pace off and this is fuller, on off, Ravi Bopara taps it to long off and gets to the other end.