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England choose Joe Root for final India Test

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EXCLUSIVE: England turn to Root as replacement for Patel in final India Test

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UPDATED:

00:42 GMT, 13 December 2012

England are set to spring a surprise for the final Test in India by handing a Test debut to 21-year-old Joe Root.

Root is in line to replace Samit Patel at No 6, ahead of fellow Yorkshireman Jonny Bairstow, in Nagpur later today.

Chosen one: Joe Root is set to be named in the England side

Chosen one: Joe Root is set to be named in the England side

Root lost out to Nick Compton in the first Test and was overlooked in favour of Bairstow for the second Test when Ian Bell flew home for the birth of his child.

But his 166 in a warm-up match for the England Performance Programme impressed and it now seems he will be given his chance.

Missing out: Nick Compton was also in the frame to play

Missing out: Nick Compton was also in the frame to play

England need a win or draw to clinch a series victory in India for the first time since 1984-5.

Edge of the Box: For those of us watching at home

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Bumble & Co up early to keep cricket fans entertained

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UPDATED:

14:02 GMT, 18 November 2012

'For those of us watching at home'. That’s a phrase I’ve used here many times before in this column. However, I never expected it to encompass the Sky Sports commentary team who are dragging themselves out of bed in the middle of the night and making their way not to the ground, but to Sky HQ in Middlesex for live coverage of the England v India test series.

Because the, shall we say, enigmatic BCCI tail is wagging the ICB dog, Sky has been priced out of broadcasting from the games while the Indian board’s veto of the review system has also ensured the absence of the affiliated technology.

The fact that there also happens to be a Compton playing in the game simply adds to the sense that we’re watching cricket from the olden days. Because not only is the third umpire (do they even have one) deprived of Hawkeye and Hot Spot – so are we, the viewer.

Entertaining us from Isleworth: David Lloyd and the rest of the Sky team are broadcasting from the London HQ

Entertaining us from Isleworth: David Lloyd and the rest of the Sky team are broadcasting from the London HQ

There is Snicko, but on Sunday morning, when Samit Patel was out first ball, it took a full over for it to be used on screen by the domestic broadcaster who were providing the pictures to Sky, and prove that the poor fella had got another stinker of a decision.

Which all adds up to the commentary team having to make do and mend, or as David Gower put it at the end of Day Four ‘no toys to play with’.

Meanwhile, back in the wee small hours of Day One, the whole thing seemed to be affecting Sir Ian Botham the most.

Early morning wake up call: Bumble and Beefy discuss the first Test back in England

Early morning wake up call: Bumble and Beefy discuss the first Test back in England

‘Nice day here’ said Beefy as a graphic about the weather over in Ahmedabad popped up on the TV screen he was watching in Isleworth. A little later, he became positively existentialist when he pondered to Nick Knight ‘ah, but where’s here’ as they prepared to talk through lunch on Day One. At 6 o’clock in the morning.

Back at Day Four, though, and Sir Ian was much happier on more familiar ground. As Matt Prior survived a plumb LBW appeal, DRS was of course not referred to on the field, but was certainly mentioned from the booth. ‘And it always will be while I’m on commentary’ bridled Beefy. ‘Can’t understand why. Statistics proves it works’.

Not quite the same as India: David Gower, Nasser Hussain and Nick Knight discuss the Test match from the Sky studio in Isleworth

Not quite the same as India: David Gower, Nasser Hussain and Nick Knight discuss the Test match from the Sky studio in Isleworth

Perhaps the biggest worry, though, is that the whole affair would send Sportmail’s own columnist Bumble barmy. The great raconteur and homespun philosopher David Lloyd sees the whole world as fair game when he’s on the microphone (lip ones, too, they’re using, to at least try and capture the right kind of sound).

But would a pleasant cab ride along the Great West Road have the same resonance as a white knuckle ride around Mumbai

Well, we may not have many mad cap travel reports, but the rather anomalous graphics that occasionally pop up are but grist t’mill for Bumble. Of particular excitement to him has been the ‘Ask Suny’ pop up which has had him joyously confusing the great Indian batsman Mr Gavaskar with former popular music artist Mr Bono.

Top team: Gower, Hussain and Sir Ian Botham are all part of the Sky commentary team

Top team: Gower, Hussain and Sir Ian Botham are all part of the Sky commentary team

And come Sunday morning, Bumble was ready for it when it next appeared on screen. Brandishing a page of A4 to the camera that occasional cuts to the studio where the team are watching the game, the Sonny, not Sunny facts were flowing.

We then caught a glimpse of Sunny, not Sonny, in the commentary position, causing Bumble to show us an old photo of Sonny, not Sunny, while observing sagely ‘shows you how he’s changed’.

That glimpse of the commentary box was a reminder that there is in fact commentary from the ground, on the red button.

Not only do they have Gavaskar there, but also the likes of Sourav Ganguly, Ravi Shastri, and some English interest in Paul Collingwood (‘probably talking about Sunderland’, reckoned Nasser Hussain when we again got a glimpse inside the commentary box). All of them most entertaining and knowledgable.

Making it authentic: Sportsmail columnist Nasser Hussain and his fellow Sky commentators are using the lip mics to make the coverage appear as genuine as possible

Making it authentic: Sportsmail columnist Nasser Hussain and his fellow Sky commentators are using the lip mics to make the coverage appear as genuine as possible

Nevertheless, we have been spoilt in the past when English and Indian commentary teams mix and match. It brings a completely different dimension to the badinage and is most certainly sorely missed in the situation.

The one ray of hope here is having Michael Atherton on the spot, although again, not from inside the ground. He has been scampering from the press box to report back live to David Gower. This he started doing from what appeared to be the back of a car park (from which at tea on Day Two, he was having a great time ‘listening to Nas and Nick bickering’ about tactics at home in Isleworth). Thankfully, we saw at the end of play on Sunday that Athers has now got a nice bit of green behind him from which to give us the inside dope.

Earlier in the day, though, Bumble’s musical influence was still in the air when Mark Butcher emailed in (‘up at 8.24 on a Sunday morning’, exclaimed Nas. ‘Well done Butch. Not when he was playing he wasn’t) to let the boys know that Zoot Money and Alan Price would be playing at the Bulls Head in Barnes on December 13th.

The good news of which for the Sky Sports cricket commentary team is, that’s just down the road from them.

Samit Patel scores hundred in Mumbai warm-up

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Patel stakes strong claim for No 6 spot with century in Mumbai warm-up

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UPDATED:

08:23 GMT, 1 November 2012

Samit Patel cemented his claims to a Test return by completing his maiden England century against India A at the Brabourne Stadium on Thursday morning.

As this first tour match moved towards a near inevitable draw by lunch on the final day, England's priorities were exclusively to ensure best preparation for the four-match Test series ahead.

They have two more opportunities to do so, here in Mumbai in another three-day fixture and then in Ahmedabad against Haryana before the first Test starts there on November 15.

Fine knock: Patel scored a century on day three of the warm-up match in Mumbai

Fine knock: Patel scored a century on day three of the warm-up match in Mumbai

SCORECARD

Click here for a full scorecard from Mumbai

Patel (104) for one will move forward with confidence and hopes high, as will Yuvraj Singh – who took his wicket tally to four, after snaring his old adversary Kevin Pietersen on Wednesday, as England reached 396 for eight in reply to 369 all out.

Yuvraj, continuing his comeback to the world game after his recovery from lung cancer, added the wickets of Matt Prior (51) and then Patel himself on the way to figures of four wickets for 74 runs.

Staking a claim: Patel is now the favourite for the No 6 spot in the Test side

Staking a claim: Patel is now the favourite for the No 6 spot in the Test side

Staking a claim: Patel is now the favourite for the No 6 spot in the Test side

Cameo: Prior was at his swashbuckling best

Cameo: Prior was at his swashbuckling best

Much was made of the home selectors' decision to pick no specialist spinner for this match, thus depriving England of the opportunity to attune themselves to the challenge which will await them courtesy of R Ashwin and Pragyan Ojha in the Tests.

But part-timers Yuvraj and Suresh Raina – both better-known as batsmen – nonetheless shared England wickets in an innings underpinned by a stand of 169 between captain Alastair Cook (119) and Patel.

That fifth-wicket partnership finally ended on Thursday morning when the captain succumbed at last, caught behind pushing forward at Ashok Dinda.

Cook batted for almost six-and-a-half hours, faced 269 balls and hit 14 fours.

There were the same number of boundaries in Patel's century, from 161 deliveries, a career milestone acknowledged by an understated raise of the bat in the direction of his team-mates.

Patel was by then joined by a typically fluent Prior, who produced a series of trademark cuts on his way to a run-a-ball half-century before edging an attempted drive at Yuvraj to Raina at slip.

Patel fell in the same over, nowhere near the pitch but going through with an attempted drive nonetheless and simply chipping a catch to cover.

Tim Bresnan and Graeme Swann therefore had a handy chance for some batting practice, until the latter was yorked by R Vinay Kumar.

Kevin Pietersen scores 23 on England return as old foe Yuvraj Singh takes his wicket

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KP's humble pie: Old foe Yuvraj ruins Pietersen's return to England side

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UPDATED:

22:37 GMT, 31 October 2012

Kevin Pietersen has been warned he will face more of his old nemesis Yuvraj Singh in the Test series against India after the part-time left-arm spinner he once called a pie-chucker spoiled his comeback.

On the day Alastair Cook marked his first game as England’s new captain with a typically careful century against India A, Pietersen was caught and bowled by Yuvraj for 23 in his first knock for England since August 6 and the infamous Headingley Test against South Africa.

Cook’s men closed the second day on 286 for four, with Samit Patel crafting an attractive unbeaten 82 to lay claim to the No 6 spot following a third-ball duck for opener Nick Compton in his first senior game for England.
Return: Pietersen produced a swashbuckling 23 before being caught and bowled by Yuvraj Singh

Return: Pietersen produced a swashbuckling 23 before being caught and bowled by Yuvraj Singh

Return: Pietersen produced a swashbuckling 23 before being caught and bowled by Yuvraj Singh

Return: Pietersen produced a swashbuckling 23 before being caught and bowled by Yuvraj Singh

PIETERSEN vs THE PIE-CHUCKER

March 28, 2006, 1st ODI — Yuvraj dismisses Pietersen for the first time as the England batsman is caught by Gautam Gambhir for 46.

March 31, 2006, 2nd ODI — Pietersen is caught for 71 off Yuvraj.

April 15, 2006, 7th ODI — He is caught again, this time for 64.

November 17, 2008, 2nd ODI — Yuvraj takes out his off stump, sending the England man packing for 33.

December 13, 2008, 1st Test, Day 3 — Pietersen is trapped lbw for one.

Wednesday, tour game — On his England return, KP drives a ball straight back at the bowler to go for 23.

But, for sheer drama, nothing matched
the moment Pietersen shimmied down the track and chipped a return catch
to Yuvraj to end an eventful 24-ball stay.

After getting off the mark with a
quick single to mid-on off his first ball, Pietersen lofted his sixth —
from Suresh Raina’s off-spin — over the ropes down the ground. He carted
the next delivery through the covers, was dropped at short leg on 16
off Raina, then pulled seamer Vinay Kumar for four.

But Yuvraj was lying in wait. With
his third ball of a new spell — his second to Pietersen — he struck. It
was the sixth time he had embarrassed England’s alpha male following
four dismissals in one-day internationals and one in a Test at Chennai
four years ago.

India A captain Raina promised it
would not be the last time Yuvraj would be given the chance to add to
Pietersen’s litany of woes against slow left-armers.

‘Last time England came here, he
bowled really well to KP and the plan worked again,’ said Raina with a
smile. ‘I was always going to try him. I know he’s had success against
him early on.’

Asked whether India’s Test captain MS
Dhoni would repeat the ploy in the four-match series, starting in
Ahmedabad on November 15, Raina said: ‘Definitely. He was so happy to
get him out but KP came after the game to the dressing room and they
both had a laugh.

Slow start: Compton went for a third-ball duck

Slow start: Compton went for a third-ball duck

SCORECARD

Click here for the full scorecard from Mumbai

‘He needs to score runs against
India. He did well against South Africa but this is going to be
different. We have a good spin attack, plus Zaheer Khan and Umesh
Yadav.’

Pietersen’s cameo overshadowed an
otherwise good day for England, including Cook’s six-hour unbeaten 112 —
a monument to self-denial that bodes well for the rest of the tour.

Top knock: Cook

Top knock: Cook

Top knock: Cook celebrates reaching his ton

Just as reassuring for England was
the batting of Patel, who must now be favourite to bat at No 6 in
Ahmedabad. Dropped on 29, he added an unbroken 153 with Cook after
England were wobbling at 133 for four.

Patel said: ‘One of the things we
work hard on is to grind down the bowling, and we wanted to keep India
in the dirt. It was fantastic to have Kevin back. He gave us a bit of
oomph to get us going.’

Ton-derful: Cook was in fine form with the bat as he passed 100

Ton-derful: Cook was in fine form with the bat as he passed 100

Ton-derful: Cook was in fine form with the bat as he passed 100

Top knock: Cook

Compton’s first-over duck at the
ground where his grand-father Denis made 249 not out for Holkar in the
Ranji Trophy final in 1945 was something of a disappointment, but
Jonathan Trott helped Cook steady things with 56.

Steven Finn faces a race against time to prove his fitness for the first Test after straining his right thigh on Tuesday.

singly, it came only three balls after India A captain Raina had brought Yuvraj on to bowl.

Rebuilding: Cook and Patel put on a fine fifth-wicket partnership to dig England out of a hole

Rebuilding: Cook and Patel put on a fine fifth-wicket partnership to dig England out of a hole

Rebuilding: Cook and Patel put on a fine fifth-wicket partnership to dig England out of a hole

Rebuilding: Cook and Patel put on a fine fifth-wicket partnership to dig England out of a hole

World Twenty20 2012: England out after defeat to Sri Lanka

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Reigning champions England crash out of World Twenty20 after defeat to Sri Lanka

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UPDATED:

17:49 GMT, 1 October 2012

England came up short in defence of their ICC World Twenty20 title following the 19-run defeat to hosts Sri Lanka, and must head home before the semi-finals.

Stuart Broad's team spluttered to 18 for three, against Lasith Malinga – and despite a maiden Twenty20 international half-century from Samit Patel, could not sustain a telling recovery in pursuit of 169 for six at Pallekele.

Sri Lanka hit seven sixes in all, and it was clear England faced no easy task to win their last Super Eight match – as they had to if they were to qualify on net run rate ahead of West Indies.

Game over: Sri Lanka celebrate their comprehensive victory over T20 holders England

Game over: Sri Lanka celebrate their comprehensive victory over T20 holders England

Sri Lanka v England

Click here for full scorecard

In the event, their attempt was
undermined from the outset as Malinga took three wickets in his first
over on his way to a career-best five for 31 in this format.

That was not quite the knockout blow,
England twice briefly threatening to put themselves back in contention.
But in the end – even with a late hand from Graeme Swann to help narrow
the margin – Patel (67) was left with too much to do on his own.

No Sri Lanka batsman had been able to
single-handedly dominate, after being put in under lights, Broad (three
for 32) faring best of the England bowlers.

But each kept hitting big shots – and
once Malinga got to work, it all proved far too much for the 2010
champions who had rarely convinced in a stuttering group campaign.

Steven Finn and Jade Dernbach used the
new ball well for them, until the latter dropped short in his second
over – and was hooked, by Mahela Jayawardene, and upper-cut, by
Tillekeratne Dilshan, for sixes.

Dernbach had already had Dilshan
dropped head-high at slip by Swann. But it was not a costly miss,
because Finn soon had the opener lbw bang in front.

Flummoxed: England were once again undone by spin as they surrendered their crown in Pallekele

Flummoxed: England were once again undone by spin as they surrendered their crown in Pallekele

Flummoxed: England were once again undone by spin as they surrendered their crown in Pallekele

Jayawardene played and missed at some
early drives but then batted serenely, as he almost always does, to help
his team to 74 for one at the halfway mark.

The 11th over, however, brought an advantageous trade-off for England – eight runs off Swann, and two wickets.

Swann had Jayawardene well-held by
Eoin Morgan, diving in at deep midwicket, and then Kumar Sangakkara
controversially caught-behind next ball.

Sangakkara appeared perplexed to be
given out by Steve Davis, and replays did not obviously demonstrate any
contact with the bat – but Jonny Bairstow, keeping wicket in place of
the dropped Craig Kieswetter, did not mind about that.

Sri Lanka had to start again, with two men in on nought.

But Jeevan Mendis immediately swept
and then slog-swept Swann for boundaries, and at the other end Angelo
Mathews climbed into two off-drives for boundaries off Broad.

After the fourth-wicket pair shared a
half-century stand in five overs, Broad returned to become the second
England bowler to put himself on a hat-trick.

Broad appeal: The England captain took three wickets as Sri Lanka posted a total of 169

Broad appeal: The England captain took three wickets as Sri Lanka posted a total of 169

Broad appeal: The England captain took three wickets as Sri Lanka posted a total of 169

He had Mendis mis-pulling to midwicket, and then Mathews edging on to his stumps as he tried the same shot.

Once more, two new batsmen were in on
nought. But again, they flourished – Thisara Perera especially with some
muscular hitting to give the hosts the edge at the interval.

That narrow advantage was soon much broader when Malinga, held back until the third over, made an instant and terminal impact.

Luke Wright cut him hard but straight
to point, where Dilshan took the catch; Bairstow, promoted to number
three, lasted only two balls before falling for a change of pace and
getting underneath one to mid-off, and Alex Hales was perhaps a little
unfortunate to be given out lbw.

Patel breathed some life into
England's reply nonetheless, energising a 55-run stand with Morgan as he
took particular toll of Ajantha Mendis with a string of off-side
boundaries.

Man of the moment: Malinga was the star with the ball as England came up well short of the hosts' total

Man of the moment: Malinga was the star with the ball as England came up well short of the hosts' total

Man of the moment: Malinga was the star with the ball as England came up well short of the hosts' total

But Morgan was to fall lbw, trying to
reverse-sweep Akila Dananjaya, and then Ravi Bopara – recalled here as
the extra batsman in place of Kieswetter – confirmed he is still out of
form when no match for Jeevan Mendis' leg-spin variations.

Patel carried on regardless to and beyond an impressive 37-ball 50, containing seven fours and a six.

But no significant support was
forthcoming until Swann helped him plunder 51 from just 28 balls to keep
England in with the slimmest of chances until almost the end.

Malinga returned, however, to bowl Patel off-stump as he made room in the penultimate over.

An inexperienced England line-up
therefore exited, with hints of their potential if nothing more
tangible, from a tournament which perhaps came too soon for several
talented but still developing cricketers.

World Twenty20: England v Sri Lanka live

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LIVE: England v Sri Lanka – follow World Twenty20 action from Pallekele as it unfolds

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UPDATED:

15:13 GMT, 1 October 2012

Stay up to date with all the action from England's third and decisive match in the Super Eights stage of the World Twenty20 as they take on hosts Sri Lanka in Pallekele.

Victory for England will almost certainly put them in the semi-finals because of their superior net run rate over the West Indies and New Zealand. Even a narrow defeat may be enough, should New Zealand beat the West Indies in the day's earlier match.

We'll deliver over-by-over coverage as the action
unfolds, with build-up starting at 2.30pm. Send me your thoughts on the action to adam.shergold1@dailymail.co.uk

England v Sri Lanka: Essentials

England: AD Hales, LJ Wright, JM Bairstow (wkt), EJG Morgan, JC Buttler, RS Bopara, SR Patel, SCJ Broad (captain), GP Swann, ST Finn, JW Dernbach

Sri Lanka: M Jayawardene, T Dilshan, K Sangakkara (captain, wkt), A Mathews, J Mendis, L Thirimanne, T Perera, N Kulasekera, A Dananjaya, L Malinga, A Mendis

Umpires: S Taufel (Aus) and S Davis (Aus)

Third umpire: A Rauf (Pak)

Match referee: J Srinath (Ind)

Click here to read the full scorecard

Sri Lanka (11 overs) 82-3 Mathews 0, Mendis 8

WICKETS! England get their men. Two wickets in two balls and this game has swung right round!

Jayawardene had started like an express train, hitting 42 off 38 balls, but Swann fools him into a loose shot which is caught by Eoin Morgan.

Next ball, unreadable spin and Sangakkara is in a muddle. A faint edge and Bairstow is alert to take the catch.

Mendis the second new man to come in and sweeps Swann for four to dampen the enthusiasm a little. Follows that up with snick to backward square leg for four.

What a crazy over: W,W,0,4,4,0 but England well and truly alive in the game now.

Sri Lanka (10 overs) 74-1 Jayawardene 42, Sangakkara 13

Samit Patel adds another spin option and is promptly struck for a couple of crafty fours to keep up the Sri Lankan momentum.

The boundaries always seem to be in the same areas – on the off side toward backward point and over short fine leg.

Sri Lanka (9 overs) 64-1 Jayawardene 33, Sangakkara 12

Much tighter from Swann, and a suspicion of an edge on the third ball though Bairstow can't grasp the ball.

But the good work is undone as Sangakkara reverse sweeps for four on the penultimate ball. Broad blocks it out with two fielders on that leaky off side.

Sri Lanka (8 overs) 57-1 Jayawardene 28, Sangakkara 10

Bopara is given the ball – he's been busy in the field so far and now properly enters the fray.

Sangakkara places a lovely shot for a couple of runs, prompting Bairstow to don his helmet and come up to the stumps.

Bopara with an assured start, just three from the over and a ball that beats the edge of Jayawardene's bat to finish the over.

Sri Lanka (7 overs) 53-1 Jayawardene 27, Sangakkara 7

Swann comes on to try and find that elusive patch of rough, but it's an expensive start with a brace and then a four sweep by Jayawardene.

Recovers strongly with a dot, then three singles to slow the pace a little.

Sri Lanka (6 overs) 44-1 Jayawardene 19, Sangakkara 6

Broad into the attack and Jayawardene wants to get a move on. The ball swinging and evading the bat twice, before the England captain plants a shorter ball into his midriff.

Jayawardene crumples and next ball knocks one just over the diving Bopara at short extra cover.

Good start by Broad, just three off the over.

Jade Dernbach of England

Steven Finn of England

Agony and ecstasy: Jade Dernbach (left) sees an appeal turned down, but there's joy for Steven Finn as he traps Dilshan leg before wicket

Sri Lanka (5 overs) 41-1 Jayawardene 16, Sangakkara 6

Finn returns for a third over and Bopara saves a certain four as Jayawardene smashes the second ball.

WICKET! Dilshan has another swing – he can't resist – and this time Finn's ball hits his back leg on the thigh. Easy decision for Simon Taufel as it's hitting middle and leg, and England have their breakthrough at 35-1. 16 off 12 for Dilshan.

Kumar Sangakkara comes in and is immediately off the mark before nudging a four past Bairstow, who lets the ball squirm through his legs.

Sri Lanka (4 overs) 34-0 Jayawardene 15, Dilshan 16

Dernbach, tattoo sleeves on display as he thunders in, is flicked for a 74-metre six by Jayawardene second ball.

And Dilshan comes to the party too, hitting a six in the opposite direction which evades Luke Wright's despairing dive at third man.

Taufel calls a wide as Dernbach tries to con Dilshan into a scoop with the fourth delivery.

16 from the over, Sri Lanka revving up now.

Not hanging around: Dilshan attempts a shot in the early stages of the Sri Lankan innings

Not hanging around: Dilshan attempts a shot in the early stages of the Sri Lankan innings

Sri Lanka (3 overs) 18-0 Jayawardene 7, Dilshan 9

Finn tries a shorter delivery and Jayawardene reads it. Over the shoulder for four runs.

But Finn recovers with a couple of balls which fizz through past Jayawardene, who wafts the bat.

Six from the over but a penny for Swann's thoughts right now after that chance.

Sri Lanka 12-0 (2 overs) Jayawardene 2, Dilshan 8

Dernbach forces Dilshan into a top edge with the second ball of the over, the ball falling well short of square leg however.

DROPPED! Massive chance on the fourth ball of the over. Dilshan's top edge and a dolly for Swann, who somehow drops it over his head. Big opportunity missed there.

Strong lbw appeal on the final ball – full length, but sliding down the leg stump and Taufel is unmoved.

Sri Lanka 8-0 (1 over)

Disciplined start by Finn – who has not been struck for six in 102 balls in this tournament – until the final ball when Dilshan plays a sweetly timed four under the dive of Ravi Bopara.

3.22pm Stuart Broad, the captain, setting out the last of the instructions in the huddle and we're about to get underway in front of a full house in Pallekele.

First out to bat for Sri Lanka will be Mahela Jayawardene and Tillakaratne Dilshan.

Steve Finn will hope to make the early inroads for England.

3.21pm Lots of the England lads belting out God Save the Queen with pride. Sri Lanka has a lovely, melodic anthem which has been going now for the best part of three minutes…

3.18pm Here we go then! The two sides are on the field and in line for the national anthems.

3.14pm England find themselves in this do-or-die situation after a win and a draw in the Super Eight stage.

On Thursday, they were hit all over the place by the West Indies, who recorded 179-5 from their 20 overs. After losing Kieswetter and Wright in consecutive balls in the first over, England rallied thanks to Hales's 68 but ultimately fell 15 runs short.

They rediscovered their form on Saturday, restricting New Zealand to 148, before knocking off the runs for the loss of four wickets. Wright was choice batsmen, hitting 76 off 59 balls, including a series of towering sixes.

3.09pm The atmosphere is building under the floodlights in Pallekele. Lots of England flags dotted around the ground but they will, of course, be vastly outnumbered by the colourful and very noisy home fans. Less than ten minutes hopefully now until the teams emerge.

3.01pm For Sri Lanka, Jayawardene is taking the evening off captaincy duties, with Sangakkara deputising. The usual skipper is still playing though.

2.55pm In this afternoon's team news, England have brought in Samit Patel, Ravi Bopara and Jade Dernbach.

Craig Kieswetter, Danny Briggs and Tim Bresnan will sit this one out.

ENGLAND WIN THE TOSS AND WILL BOWL FIRST

2.51pm Another match to wrap up from today is the Women's Twenty20 group match between England and Australia in Galle.

And it's good news for England, who set up a semi-final date with New Zealand after a seven-wicket victory.

Sarah Taylor struck 65 not out from 53 balls, sharing an unbroken 63-run stand with Danielle Wyatt (33no from 17) as England posted 146 for three in response to Australia's 144 for five.

2.47pm The England match was due to start at 3pm UK time but we'll now see a delay of 15-20 minutes as the games are being played back-to-back at the Pallekele International Cricket Stadium and we have the presentations to do first.

2.44pm Now that's entertainment. Things are black and white now – England need to win to advance, otherwise the West Indies will join Sri Lanka in the semi-finals.

WEST INDIES BEAT NEW ZEALAND IN THE SUPER OVER

The Windies stay alive in the competition and their fate now rests on the outcome of England against Sri Lanka. New Zealand are eliminated.

2.39pm Half-way through the Super Over and the Windies have 11 runs. They need seven to win from three deliveries.

2.36pm Thwack! Perfect start for the West Indies – Southee bowls a no ball, Gayle smacks him for six.

2.34pm From an English perspective, this Super Over is beneficial because the net run-rates of New Zealand and the West Indies will not change. It gives England a little more margin for error.

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In the meantime, you can read Paul Newman's preview of England's final Super Eight fixture.

2.32pm The late finish to this first match will mean a slight delay to the start of England's game – but you can't fault this entertainment!

Talking of which, Chris Gayle has just strode to the crease to reply for the West Indies…

2.30pm Good afternoon and welcome to our live over-by-over coverage of England's decisive World Twenty20 Super Eight match with Sri Lanka in Pallekele.

You join us at a crucial point in the day's other match between the West Indies and New Zealand, which has gone to a Super Over.

New Zealand have just posted 17, so the Windies require 18 to win from their six balls.

ICC World Twenty20 2012: England beat Afghanistan

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Wright on cue! England beat Afghanistan in Twenty20 demolition in Sri Lanka

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UPDATED:

16:59 GMT, 21 September 2012

Luke Wright was in scintillating form as England cruised past Afghanistan at the ICC World Twenty20 tournament in Sri Lanka.

The batsman hit an impressive 99 not out as the hopes of an upset for the Afghans went up in smoke with England hitting a total of 196.

England's bowlers showed little mercy either. Graeme Swann and Samit Patel led the charge as the wickets rapidly fell, leaving Afghanistan on a paltry total of 80, equalling their worst ever total in a T20 international.

More to follow.

Star man: Luke Wright (left) was one short of a century, as he hit 99 runs against Afghanistan

Star man: Luke Wright (left) was one short of a century, as he hit 99 runs against Afghanistan

Textbook: Wright put on an incredible display as the Afghans had no answer for the Englishman

Textbook: Wright put on an incredible display as the Afghans had no answer for the Englishman

No mercy: Steven Finn celebrates after taking the wicket of Mohammad Shahzad

No mercy: Steven Finn celebrates after taking the wicket of Mohammad Shahzad

Gotcha! Stuart Broad runs out Karim Sadiq

Gotcha! Stuart Broad runs out Karim Sadiq

Easy does it: The England team celebrate their demolition of Afghanistan

Easy does it: The England team celebrate their demolition of Afghanistan

Kevin Pietersen not in England one-day squads

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Pietersen exile continues as fallen star is left out of one-day and World T20 squads

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UPDATED:

08:54 GMT, 21 August 2012

Kevin Pietersen has, as expected, been left out of England's squads for the upcoming one-day international series against South Africa and next month's World Twenty20 competition in Sri Lanka.

Pietersen performed a U-turn earlier this month in declaring himself available for all three formats of the game after he had retired from 50-over and 20-over cricket at the start of the summer.

But the ongoing friction between Pietersen, the ECB and his England team-mates following the 'textgate' saga has ultimately lost him his place in the side.

Axed: Pietersen is not included in either of England's squad

Axed: Pietersen is not included in either of England's squads

More to follow…

NatWest ODI Series squad:

Alastair Cook (Essex) (captain)
James Anderson (Lancashire)
Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire)
Ian Bell (Warwickshire)
Ravi Bopara (Essex)
Tim Bresnan (Yorkshire)
Jade Dernbach (Surrey)
Steven Finn (Middlesex)
Craig Kieswetter (Somerset)
Eoin Morgan (Middlesex)
Samit Patel (Nottinghamshire)
Graeme Swann (Nottinghamshire)
Jonathan Trott (Warwickshire)
Chris Woakes (Warwickshire)

NatWest T20 Squad:

Stuart Broad (Notts) (captain)
Jonny Bairstow (Yorkshire)
Ravi Bopara (Essex)
Tim Bresnan (Yorkshire)
Danny Briggs (Hampshire)
Jos Buttler (Somerset)
Jade Dernbach (Surrey)
Steven Finn (Middlesex)
Alex Hales (Nottinghamshire)
Craig Kieswetter (Somerset)
Michael Lumb (Nottinghamshire)
Eoin Morgan (Middlesex)
Samit Patel (Nottinghamshire)
Graeme Swann (Nottinghamshire)
Luke Wright (Sussex)

Stuart Broad confident England can cope without Kevin Pietersen

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Twenty20 skipper Broad confident England can cope without retiring KP

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UPDATED:

12:58 GMT, 23 June 2012

Captain Stuart Broad believes England can cover the loss of the recently-retired Kevin Pietersen with their World Twenty20 defence looming large on the horizon.

England will begin life after Pietersen, man of the series when they won the Twenty20 title two years ago, in a one-off match against West Indies at Trent Bridge on Sunday.

With just four games to go before Broad's side fly out to Sri Lanka to defend their world crown in September, there is little time to plug the gap of one of the world's most feared batsmen.

Looking to the future: Broad will lead England in Sri Lanka

Looking to the future: Broad will lead England in Sri Lanka

To do so England will rely on a group of inexperienced batsmen with Alex Hales, Jonny Bairstow, Jos Buttler and Samit Patel having no more than eight Twenty20 international appearances.

Broad, who with 34 appearances is England's most capped Twenty20 player, is confident in his young charges can fill the breach though.

'Kevin is a world-class Twenty20 player so of course it is disappointing that he is not with us, but it's a great opportunity for someone else to put their hand up and stake a claim for that spot,' said Broad, who will celebrate turning 26 on Sunday by captaining his country in front of his home crowd.

'We've got an exciting group of players in that changing room and everyone is really excited about getting on that field and doing the job.

'We have quite a short period of time and a short number of games until that World Cup so you want to make as much use of that as possible when we do get the opportunity.'

End of an era: Pietersen has called time on his ODI career

End of an era: Pietersen has called time on his ODI career

Broad admitted he would look to the likes of Eoin Morgan to lead his young batting unit, despite the left-hander's lack of cricket this summer.

After falling out of favour in the Test side, and limited opportunities in the one-day series due to the form of openers Alastair Cook and Ian Bell, Morgan has become a forgotten man in the England side.

But Broad believes he can remind all of his undoubted class and take a lead role on Sunday.

'Very much so. We've seen some amazing performances from Eoin in Twenty20 cricket and one-dayers for a long time,' he said.

'He's now probably our most experienced batsman in that set-up.

Key man: England are expecting big things from Eoin Morgan

Key man: England are expecting big things from Eoin Morgan

'Obviously we'll be looking to him to make big contributions and share his experiences with the guys in the squad.

'He's a key cog for us now in this England team and I'm looking forward to seeing what he can do tomorrow.

'He's always played a more prominent role, he's up there as one of the best Twenty20 batsmen in the world.

'I think the role he has done for us over the past two years has been fantastic with his variety against the spin and his death hitting. He'll be looking to continue that on.'