USA v Ireland: T20 Cricket World Cup – live | T20 World Cup 2024

Lightning Warning for Lauderhill!

Adam Roberts was not wrong. Apparently everyone has run off the field due to a lightning warning, so the game will be officially abandoned at any moment.

Five-over play is due to start by 2:16pm local/7:16pm BSTso there might be time for another check!

Some people are in the field – two to be exact, Judges Rod Tucker and Sharfudullah. USA may be about to make cricket history.

“I’m shocked the play could even be considered,” says Adam Roberts. “The state’s governor has declared a state of emergency for Broward counties … and the mayors of Miami-Dade, Miami and Fort Lauderdale have also declared states of emergency. Because of the rain.”

“Honestly, I’m not sure Chuck really cares that much about sports. No doubt, though, he loves America. Thank God we don’t get that kind of crap here.”

Friendly, cheerful patriotism gets our thumbs up, surely? (I might delete this post if Chuck started bashing Ireland fans for no reason.)

“I feel like Chuck is playing rugby,” says James Newman. “Lord knows he has the mentality of a rascal.”

I’m a little concerned about how much damage it can do to the all-inclusive bar before the judges overturn this.

Another ground check at 1:15pm local/6:15pm BST

The referees decided to check again after about 35 minutes. I suspect deep down they know it’s pointless, but the match is too important to throw it away and head for the pub.

The judges step onto the field, trying to gauge how wet it is and whether there is any real chance of play. Their body language does not bode well for Pakistan and Ireland.

“Refreshing?” sniffs Damien Clarke. “There will be so many heart attacks that the waiting list for membership will increase by three years.”

Three years? Let’s not get carried away now.

This guy would brighten up the Long Room at Lord’s

This is a great initiative. Spread the word!

“The pitch might have been a bit shaky (although I prefer to call it ‘fun’),” says Richard Peale, “but if they had stayed in Nassau County, we would have enjoyed days and days of beautiful sunny weather with fluffy clouds to watch the cricket. How long will it take to knock this stand down?’

Can you do it by 14:16 local/19:16 BST?

The cut-off point for a five-over game is 14:16 local/19:16 BST.

Something to pass the time

Forty years ago today, England began their five-Test series against the all-conquering West Indies. Can they pull off a stunning victory? No.

It’s not over yet! There will be a new look at 12.30pm local/5.30pm BST.

“This USA team is the equivalent of cricket of Cameroon at Italia 90 and Croatia in 1998,” wrote Krishnamoorthy V. “Beating Pakistan and almost beating India (who blew five penalty runs, changed the momentum) is no mean task. Then I want to progress and beat India in the semi-finals.”

If they are the equivalent of Cameroon, they will beat England in the Super 8s and somehow lose in the Super Over.

Word on the street is that abandonment is inevitable; the pitch is too wet after the heavy rain of the last few days. Anyone else getting happy flashbacks?

“From the US perspective, I think I’d either like to play the whole game or none of it,” Beau Dure wrote. “A shortened game would increase the likelihood of a fluke result like Ireland beating the USA, and I can’t believe I just wrote that sentence about a sport other than basketball, volleyball or water polo.”

Welcome to cricket, the game that makes you feel guilty even when you win. (I’m not sure Ireland winning will be a fluke, mind you. They beat eventual winners England in the end T20 World Cupand that was no accident.)

No news is good or bad news, it depends which team you support.

The other big advantage of reaching Super 8s is that it guarantees qualification for the next one T20 World Cup in a few weeks in 2026

“Hello from DC,” Kyle Hill writes. “Because it’s often more interesting than doing a mid-day job in the US, I’ve been reading the Guardian’s OBO coverage of this obscure, strange foreign Ashes dispassionately since 2005. But now that I actually have some investment in the results, I’ll need to know: Well is it cowardly to pray for rain?’

Is it even scarier to say it depends?

Alternative live action (including a hole-in-one!)

As long as nothing happens I’m going to take a short break for do a thousand squats. Come back in a moment.

It meanswhile in group B…

The outfield is still very wetso there will be another check in at 11.30 am local/4.30 pm Bulgarian standard time. If I had to bet the farm, I’d say the game will be changed due to more rain, but I’m thousands of miles away, so I’m not sure what the meaning of that sentence is.

“I took a day off, I put on my USA soccer jersey (the closest I have since it’s basically impossible to figure out which websites sell legit USA cricket jerseys), and now… rain,” laments Zach from Texas. “Get ready for a bit of a nerve wracking 10 goal shootout.”

This American team is one of the best in this tournament. Don’t tell me the bigots turned their noses up at this?

If the US qualifies, it will be historicbut I’m not sure it will very shock. In the end, it all came down to one result, their victory over Pakistan, which was unlikely but not unpredictable. As their pre-tournament results showed, they are now a good team.

Even a semi-final spot isn’t completely out of the realms. If the USA qualify, their Super 8 group will include the West Indies, South Africa and either Scotland or England. I wouldn’t put the farm on him, but you could imagine a scenario where they win two of those games.

The judges will inspect at 10.30 local time, 15.30 Bulgarian standard time. If it stays dry – crap, crap if – I’m sure we’ll get a game of some description, even if it’s 10-over thrash.

The big picture

Permutation Department

• If Ireland win, it gets complicated. The USA would have four points after playing all their games, while Ireland, Pakistan and Canada would each have two points with one game to play: Ireland vs. Pakistan and India vs. Canada. In this scenario, either the net score or the weather will decide who qualifies along with India.

Throwing slowed down

And now it’s time for the weather forecast brought to you by one of the greatest bowlers in the history of cricket

Preamble