I apologise for the lack of posts recently.. I’m sure you’ve all missed my ranting and raving about this and that. I haven’t been in cricket watching countries recently but have somehow managed, in a small rural village in Nepal, to find a family with star sports, make friends with them and watch the ICC T20 World Cup final!! It was magical.

What a game! It had everything! I was completely backing an India v England final and was heart broken when India were knocked out, but this match did not disappoint. I should have expected that though! When is a game involving the West Indies and the likes of Chris Gayle dull? Or in this case, Marlon Samuels and Carlos Brathwaite! 

Both teams were coming into the final strong and I was still unsure about who I was backing to win! My head was saying Enland but my heart kept saying West Indies! It stayed that way until the last second, it was that good a game!

England got off to a poor start, they lost 3 wickets for only 23 runs. Jason Roy who had done so well against New Zealand was removed in the first over, he was shortly followed by Alex Hales and England’s captain, Eoin Morgan. It was once again England’s wonder boy Joe Root who saved the day. Along with Jos buttler, he helped England build back up until the West Indies struck again! Another two wickets fell in two balls and you could see the frustration on Root’s face, before he too was removed a ball later. England were 111-7 from 14 overs. 150 barely looked like a possibility. It was only some well needed power hits from David Willey and some tail end runs that saw England reach a defendable total of 155.

West Indies were in a good position. They had taken wickets at crucial times and already had a win against England under their belt. They also had a lot of pressure on them! Both the West Indies ladies and the under 19s had won their titles. It was only the men left to complete the trio!

Unfortunately it started as badly for the West Indies. Joe Root was brought on for the second over and he picked off the openers with Ben Stokes taking down both catches – the cricketing world now have to watch out for Root the bowler aswell as the batsman! It didn’t end there either, David Willey must have felt left out as the next over he got in on the action. He took out Lendl Simmons who had been instrumental against India in the semi final. The innings was mimicking England’s to the T as Marlon Samuels and Dwayne Bravo got the West Indies up to 86. Then just as England had, three wickets fell in quick succession to bring in Carlos Brathwaite.

Samuels was still at the crease but with the lack of help at the other end, a win was looking much less likely. With six balls to go, they needed 19 runs. It was the bowler Brathwaite on strike, as they had taken a single on the last ball in the previous over, and in true West Indian fashion he smashed off four consecutive sixes to seal the deal off Ben Stokes. 

It was both incredible and painful to watch at the same time. The West Indians finished it off the only way they know how, in true style. It was almost like watching the end of a Disney film where at the very last second the hero saves the day. West Indian supporter or not, you couldn’t have asked for a more entertaining final.