Netherlands shock England at Lord's
Date released: 5 June 2009
The ICC World T20 gets underway with the first match as Netherlands cause a seismic upset beating hosts England at Lord's. Re-live every over of our live coverage.
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Netherlands 163-6
England 162-5
Batsmen (runs): Ryan ten Doeschate (22) & Edgar Schiferli (3)
Bowlers: Pavilion End: Stuart Broad
Nursery End: Ryan Sidebottom
Following the game with Lords.org? Email us your questions, comments & opinions: Live@Lords.org
9:07pm That's it, we're done for the night but thank you for following the match live with Lords.org.
We'll be back for every ball of every game at Lord's throughout the tournament including both the men's and women's finals. Be sure to join us for more live action - next at Lord's Pakistan v Netherlands (worried Pakistan fans?) and New Zealand v South Africa on Tuesday 9 June. Live coverage starts at 12:30pm.
9:04pm Well played Netherlands. They certainly didn't play like underdogs - they played like they always thought they were in it and they surely were.
The England team vacate the premises pretty quickly but there are Dutch players all over the pitch waving to their fans and generally having a great time. Well deserved too.
Tom De Grooth's sparkling innings of 49 was a highlight. Two wickets each for Ten Doeschate and Schiferli (who hit the winning runs) - these players will never forget today. A win against England at Lord's in the opening match of the ICC World Twenty20.
9:02pm Netherlands win by four wickets - wow. What a breathless last over that was. Extra-fielding practice for England tomorrow I think.
In the meantime, the Netherlands players are hugging one another, the Dutch fans in the crowd are going crazy! The players go on a lap of honour!
8:52pm 20th over: Final, deciding over - 7 runs needed. Stuart Broad bowling, we're going ball-by-ball:
1st ball: Run out chance! But a scrambled single. Six runs needed.
2nd ball: Another run out? The umpire calls for the TV replay... towels are thrown from the England dressing room - to dry the ball ostensibly - but symbolic? TV replay says not out! Broad knocked the stumps with his hand, not the ball. Five runs needed.
3rd ball: Another single as that one is drilled back through Broad's hands. Four needed.
4th ball: A scrambled bye this time as Foster and then Broad miss run out chances! Three runs needed!
5th ball: Another single... they need two to win, one to tie from the last ball.
6th ball: A missed run-out! And over-throw runs! DISASTER for England! Netherlands win!
Netherlands win by four wickets
8:47pm 19th over: Sidebottom is back, Nursery End this time for him - Edgar Schiferli the new batsman.
You have to admit - this Twenty20 is pretty exciting!
Another run-out chance with the batsmen in a muddle... but Rashid misses a throw from close range. Agony for England. Ten Doeschate has no time for sympathy though - cover driving that past the diving fielder for four!
8:42pm 18th over: After the first ball of the over, Netherlands are just 20 runs from what would be an astonishing victory.
A potential lifeline for England... Van Bunge throws the bat at that one but lifts the catch to Luke Wright.
Netherlands 146-6 - Van Bunge c. Wright b. Anderson - 8
8:38pm 17th over: If the rain keeps up this could be very, very close. Netherlands need 137 at the end of this over to win... by my calculations.
And 137 sails into the distance as does that shot from Van Bunge he just launches that to the rope for four!
8:32pm 16th over: Anderson back into the attack. Only 35 more runs needed... 30 balls and six wickets with which to get them. This is not looking good... for England. For the Netherlands this would be dreamland stuff.
Disaster for England! The Netherlands batsmen get themselves in a real mess - both ending up at one end... surely an easy run out but a poor throw from Collingwood has Foster scrambling and Borren is safe!
Borren's out now! A looping catch to Owais Shah... and with rain coming down could that be a match-changing, Duckworth-Lewis catch?
Netherlands 133-5 - Borren c. Shah b. Anderson - 30
8:29pm 15th over: Rashid comes back on to bowl himself now. England badly need for him to take wickets, or at least bowl some tight, frugal overs.
Not really what England needed but a great cut shot from Ten Doeschate goes for four runs through the on-side.
8:24pm 14th over: De Grooth gets bear-hugs from the Dutch squad it was a quite brilliant innings. Meanwhile, Stuart Broad returns to the attack - Ryan ten Doeschate the new batsman.
Broad angrily waves at an out of position Adil Rashid - with the Dutc needing just over a run-a-ball England nerves are looking decidely frayed.
8:18pm 13th over: There are eggs and England faces being readied. If they can't get some more Dutch wickets this could prove to be rather embarassing.
There's another six - to Peter Borren this time, hoisting Collingwood into the Grand Stand. Goodness me.
Collingwood finally gets De Groot - one run short of his fifty - bad luck. A slower ball and he ballooned it to Rob Key.
England 116-4 - De Grooth c. Key b. Collingwood - 49
8:14pm 12th over: De Grooth is three runs away from a 50 at Lord's... if he gets there the Dutch fans will raise the roof.
Ryan Sidebottom is brought back at the Pavilion End to try and ensure that doesn't happen. A single brings up the 100 from 68 balls, nine 4s and three 6s.
8:10pm 11th over: As we pass the half-way point, Netherlands are two runs ahead of where England were at the same stage. Gulp.
Captain Collingwood decides it's time for a change - he brings himself on the bowl at the Nursery End. De Grooth sizes the skipper up and then picks him brilliantly, away into the leg-side for four!
8:05pm 10th over: Four more for De Grooth who's galloping towards a half-century! A very well run two nudges the score up even further.
Fancy yourself as a headline writer? What will tomorrow’s back pages say? "England clogged by Holland" or "Wright stuff for England" how about "England dammed by the Dutch" - send us your tabloid-style ideas: Live@Lords.org
8:01pm 9th over: Got him! Rashid's done the trick! He zipped that one past Zuiderant and Foster whipped off the bails.
Netherlands 66-3 - Zuiderant - st. Foster b. Rashid 12
Borren starts with intent... first ball faced and he places Rashid through the fielders, the boundary for four runs!
De Grooth does it again - four more for his total too as Rashid can just watch in dismay as it bounces over the rope.
7:57pm 8th over: Luke Wright comes on to bowl. He batted very well for England - can he do the trick with the ball?
No boundaries from the over - but a handful of runs to keep the scoreboard ticking over.
7:52pm 7th over: It's time for spin and the precocious young talents of Adil Rashid. Perhaps he can slow the Orange-wave a little?
Then again, perhaps not - De Grooth has a few balls to size him up, then lifts Rashid for four runs too, clipping it over the short off-side fielders.
7:49pm 6th over: De Grooth gets his second four (he's only scored one run which wasn't a boundary so far) and the England bowlers look a little flustered.
A streaky inside edge from Zuiderant bounces just past his own stumps and runs for four - it seems even fortune is smiling on the Dutch at the moment.
There's six more! De Grooth absolutely clatters that one and it sails all the way for six runs!
7:45pm 5th over: The scoreboard displays the 130+ runs "Netherlands need to win" - surely... they couldn't, could they?
Well - it's a few runs fewer to get now - Sidebottom drifts too far to the leg side and it just glances off Zuiderant's pads and runs for four.
7:39pm 4th over: Stuart Broad replaces Ryan Sidebottom at the Pavilion End. Will he be hit for six by Reekers?
Fair play to Reekers he gave it a go with a big hit - but mistimed it and just lifts a catch to Owais Shah.
Netherlands 23-2 - Reekers c. Shah b. Broad - 20
De Grooth comes in to bat next for the Netherlands - and is off the mark with a very well-placed shot for four.
7:35pm 3rd over: Reekers is enjoying himself, he times that one from Anderson off his legs and guides it away for four - good shot.
Yikes - Reekers is in his element! He gets underneath that one and clubs Anderson for six this time. The Orange-clad Netherlands fans are loving this!
7:32pm 2nd over: Left-arm seamer Ryan Sidebottom takes the bowling duties at the Pavilion End.
The first six of the match and it's gone to a Dutchman - you'd have got good odds on that once England batted first. Reekers - all power slogs it into the Tavern Stand.
7:27pm 1st over: First over, some cautious singles... but then Kervezee mistimes one and it just loops up for a very grateful Stuart Broad to take the catch at mid-on.
Netherlands 2-1 - Kervezee c. Broad b. Anderson - 1
7:26pm The players are back on the field - looks like James Anderson to bowl the first over.
One of the Reliance Mobile dancers at Lord's Had to share this with you - a sight you'll not see that often: a dancer at Lord's, with the Pavilion as a backdrop and the new floodlights on. Note her dancing colleague admiring the view...
7:16pm Not a bad score, around eight an over is decent in Twenty20 cricket but if the Netherlands have a dash at this is could prove a nerve-jangling time for England's bowlers.
Personally, I'm rather pleased to have picked Schiferli and Seelaar in my Fantasy Cricket team. Cheap as chips they were and picking up catches and wickets between them. I've got Luke Wright too but I'm just bragging now...
Send us your emails - how do you think that went? Given England were 102-0 at one stage that was a bit of a collapse at the end really - five wickets for around 50 runs.
How are your fantasy cricket picks faring? Drop us a line: Live@Lords.org
7:11pm 20th over: Last over of the innings and Nannes is back to bowl it. Just singles and a wide from it.
England close on 162-5
7:06pm 19th over: A single from Collingwood brings up 150 for England from 114 balls and including fourteen 4's.
Collingwood soon adds to the air of slight collapse about this innings as he loops a catch to the grateful Schiferli.
England 153-5 - Collingwood c. Schiferli b. Seelaar - 11
It shouldn't really make much difference to the total score but England are making rather heavy weather of this.
7:02pm 18th over: Peter & Pieter didn't last long - Ryan ten Doeschate is back again, bowling from the Pavilion End.
Wright's going for those big sixes again but falling short of the boundary... but not the fielder. A smart, steepling catch from Borren.
England 144-4 - Wright c. Borren b. Ten Doeschate - 71
And here comes Robert Key - at last - he'll want to prove a point... if that's possible in two and a bit overs?
6:59pm Your emails – lots of the England players have nicknames but they’re pretty tame ones: Paul ‘Colly’ Collingwood; Kevin ‘KP’ Pietersen – hardly inventive are they? We’re sure you can come up with better.
Our best effort: Dimitri Smash-carenhas. Send us yours: Live@Lords.org
6:57pm 17th over: Hopefully Morgan will learn an (albeit harsh) lesson from that - he did rather give his wicket away. Careless.
We're back to the Peter & Pieter attack, as Seelaar returns to bowl his slow left-arm stuff from the Nursery End. Collingwood welcomes him back by hitting him for four - first ball of the over.
6:51pm 16th over: We're back to pace/seam from both ends again now, as Peter Borren returns to the Netherlands' attack.
Oh dear - Morgan's had a rush of blood to the head and trying to reverse-sweep just fishes the simplest of catches to Bas Zuiderent at a sort of short third-man position.
England 127-3 - Morgan c. Zuiderent b. Borren - 6
Captain Collingwood comes to the crease now - Rob Key still kicking his heels.
6:46pm 15th over: The Netherlands are looking to press their advantage as the England wickets fall - super-quick bowler Dirk Nannes returns to bowl.
Morgan, making his official T20 debut for England, misjudges that one and trying to shy out of the way is hit on the glove. He seems unphased though.
Wright makes room for himself again and absolutely belts Nannes through the off-side for four - he'll have enjoyed that - you could hear the crack of the bat from miles away.
6:41pm 14th over: Edgar Schiferli is back to bowl at the Pavilion End - chopping and changing from the Dutch as they look to push for more wickets.
And there is one! Owais Shah trudges back to the dug-out, after holing out to Kervezee.
England 113-2 - Shah c. Kervezee b. Schiferli - 5
Still no sign of Key who may be wondering why he's here... Eoin Morgan the next man in. He's an exciting young batsman though Morgan and familiar with Lord's given he plays for Middlesex.
6:37pm 13th over: New man in is Owais Shah by the way not Rob Key as had been expected. Interesting.
There's Wright's half-century - off 37 balls, including five 4s. He's got his helmet off and salutes the England dugout.
6:33pm 12th over: Bopara's playing catch-up chasing Wright's score and he gets under that one... and skies a catch to Seelaar.
England 102-1 - Bopara c. Seelaar b. Ten Doeschate - 46
6:28pm 11th over: Peter Borren has switched ends too now - he's bowling from the Nursery End this time.
Some hapless fielding (letting the ball through his legs) from Van Bunge doesn't help things much for the "Oranje" - nor does that four from Wright.
That brings up 100 for England and the 100 partnership of course.
6:24pm 10th over: Ryan ten Doeschate is back - bowling from the Pavilion End this time as the Netherlands seek to disrupt the England openers.
Wright picks his time, gives himself room and hoists Ten Doeschate for four - a few inches further and that would have been the first six of the day.
40-runs each in the England batsmen's own mini-battle - the race to 50.
6:21pm 9th over: The fours are back - Bopara picking his spot in the on side and finding the boundary rope for another four.
6:17pm 8th over: Another bowling change, another slow bowler, another spelling of Peter/Pieter - Peter Borren on at the Pavilion End.
Just as I was about to say the other slow bowler had slowed the boundary-rate too - Wright swings and misses and the ball runs for four byes.
6:13pm 7th over: Pieter Seelaar replaces Ten Doeschate after just one over from the Nursery End. Seelaar looked good against Ireland can he step up a level against England?
Seelaar certainly slows the flurry of boundaries - which is a good start for Netherlands.
6:10pm 6th over: Four for Sussex all-rounder Wright this time - straight back down the ground from Schiferli's bowling.
Wright timing seems just a little off. He's going for the big-hits into the Tavern and Mound Stands as he did against the West Indies in the warm-up. He's getting the height but not the distance so far.
Four more for Wright, carved away to the Grand Stand side this time which brings up England's 50 - from 39 balls.
6:04pm 5th over: Essex all-rounder Ryan ten Doeschate replaces the menacing Nannes at the Nursery End.
Ten Doeschate's called for successive wides - that won't help the Netherlands cause.
Nor will that... Wright got right underneath it and it went high, high towards mid-on. Nannes sprinted after it, looking skywards but it dropped agonisingly infront of his outstretched hands.
Bopara shows how it's done properly, carving the last ball of the over away for a smart boundary - four.
6:01pm 4th over: Bopara's at it again, scooping that one from Schiferli up off his pads and over the field for four runs.
5:56pm 3rd over: Seventeen from the first two overs for England, they'll be pleased with that. For those of you wondering - despite the rain-delayed start we're still scheduled for 20-overs each at the moment - provided it doesn't rain again.
Short-stuff from Nannes at touching 90mph has Bopara ducking, the crowd booing and the umpire signalling wide. One run to the total.
Nannes is fired up now! That one snorted in at Bopara but seamed away from him - inches from an edged catch.
5:52pm 2nd over: Edgar Schiferli will bowl from the Pavilion End.
Luke Wright's first ball of the tournament proper and he cuts it for four as well! Both England batsmen off to a confidence-boosting start.
5:47pm 1st over: First ball and Bopara lifts it over the close fielders for four! That's a great start for England.
Fourth ball of the over and Bopara does it again, almost the exact same spot - smartly bisecting two fielders.
5:46pm It looks like the zippy pace of Dirk Nannes will open the bowling, Bopara on strike first. Moisture in the air... how are your nerves England fans?
5:44pm The first tune to blare out of the sound system? The Netherlands national anthem - closely followed by the English anthem. Here we go folks - have your fingers poised over the F5 key to refresh the page - this Twenty20 action is super-fast.
5:40pm None of you inspired by our cricketers as pop-stars game?
How about Andrew Flintoff as Michael Jackson - both having had rather too much surgery? Send us your ideas: Live@Lords.org
For those of you wishing for the cricket to start, we're apparently 10 minutes away. 5:50pm is the new scheduled start.
Confirmed as the teams are lead onto the field by what I assume are "Emirates girls" from one of the tournament sponsors - at least they look like air hostesses.
The teams fan out into a line-up infront of the Pavilion.
5:37pm In the place of the multi-talented Alesha Dixon? Speeches by the ECB's David Morgan and the Duke of Kent. With all due deference to those gentlmen, no doubt thrown in at short notice, it's a bit of an anti-climax.
5:33pm The confirmed England team news is, as we expected: Wright; Bopara; Key; Shah; Collingwood; Morgan; Foster; Rashid; Broad; Sidebottom and Anderson.
For those that missed it - both Kevin Pietersen and Graeme Swann are out, resting back injuries.
5:31pm Netherlands captain Jeroen Smits wins the toss and have elected to field. The Netherlands' bowling is arguably their strongest suit so this could be interesting.
Netherlands win toss and elect to field
5:29pm Toss will take place at 5:30pm apparently, news as we have it.
Your emails A bit of fun whilst we wait... a fun email competition:
If a cricketer were a pop-star which would they be?
A prize of pride and the respect of your peers for the best one.
It was all inspired by Alesha Dixon. We likened her to Paul Collingwood - a cracking all-rounder. Alesha came to fame singing but turns a mean heel on the dance floor. ‘Colly’ reinvented himself as a top batsman who turns his hand to bowling.
Weak, I know. Sure you can come up with better. Send us your ideas: Live@Lords.org
Team news: Netherlands confirmed team: Smits; Reekers; Kervezee; Ten Doeschate; Zuiderent; Van Bunge; De Grooth; Borren; Schiferli; Nannes and Seelaar.
5:24pm Opening Ceremony officially "canned". What a shame. Alesha's a great all-rounder - a Paul Collingwood if you will - she does a bit of singing a bit of dancing it would have been a great show no doubt.
Still, she's mixing with the MCC Members in the Pavilion who appear to be greatly enjoying the glamorous songstress' company!
5:17pm Panic stations for the ICC team as the stage for the opening ceremony is rapidly disassembled. It looks like Alesha Dixon et al will have to wait for another day.
Still - you all came for the cricket right? Right?
5:13pm Urgh... the rain starts again. On go the covers again, up go the brollies again. This is the epitomy of frustration.
The toss is moved back again, indefinitely - until the umpires can inspect the pitch after this latest shower.
Stick with Lords.org - we'll keep you entertained whilst you wait!
5:08pm In the continued absence of Alesha Dixon there are stars aplenty up here in the Investec Media Centre. Nasser Hussain has just strolled past my desk and Wasim Akram is hanging over the balcony above, chatting to a colleague - two cricket legends.
Meanwhile the current stars are cutting frustrated figures - the Sky TV screens show the England players massing on the players balcony in the Pavilion, just itching to get started no doubt.
5:02pm Team news: News on Pietersen. Apparently it's not his Achillies injury which forced him to the sidelines in recent weeks but a lower back injury. He's been sent for a scan and a pain-killing injection with the hope he'll be fit to face Pakistan on Sunday.
5:00pm No sign of the elusive Ms. Dixon yet. Word is the coin toss has been moved back ten minutes to ten past five. Hopefully that's the last of the creeping delays - fingers crossed.
4:58pm Team news: Word is that Graeme Swann is out injured too with a bad back. That leaves England with Adil Rashid, James Anderson, Ryan Sidebottom and Stuart Broad as the main front-line bowlers - plus skipper and all-rounder Paul Collingwood too of course.
4:55pm Team news: Kevin Pietersen is out, injured apparently. Robert Key comes in and will bat at three - England not wanting to disturb the opening pairing of Ravi Bopara and Luke Wright who so confidently battered West Indies in the warm-up match here on Wednesday.
4:53pm Your emails - the weather's certainly not putting you off - keep sending us your emails. Kerry in Cambridge has written to Live@Lords.org to say:
"Am I the only one who almost wants some weather interference which clears up at 8:00, just so we can see how mental a game of World Cup Five5y can be?"
Masochistic indeed Kerry but I must admit to a tinge of curiousity. Five overs, 30 balls... what would be a good score? 40 runs? It's just not cricket... or is it?
4:50pm Cricket-wise I have to confess this is making me nervous. England were already in a no-win situation against a Netherlands team with nothing to lose.
If the rain means this match is made even shorter (Duckworth-Lewis-style rules apply) it could end up a bit like a football penalty shoot-out... and we know how England fare in those.
Rumours abound that Kevin Pietersen is missing for England, injured. Nothing concrete yet but if we hear any more whispers we'll let you know.
4:47pm Pitch covers on again, just as two mini-airships float up under the Investec Media Centre, each carrying a large flag one England's the other the Netherlands'.
The flag-escorters are trooping off - is that a good sign or bad? I don't know...
4:45pm Uh oh... some umbrellas going up again, including that of MCC Head of Cricket, John Stephenson who's stood out in the middle, supervising things regarding the pitch.
It looks like Ms. Dixon and all her dancers might get wet...
4:40pm There is an array of flags in front of the Pavilion - one for each of the competing nations. Each flag has a dancer stood in front of it, who look poised for action - we're moments away from the opening ceremony to start the ICC World Twenty20 - England 2009 - here at Lord's.
4:35pm There are so many iconic venues here at Lord's, the Home of Cricket. The Pavilion, the Investec Media Centre. Did you know you can hire them for your event?
You could host a dinner in the famous Long Room, or stage your product launch in the iconic Media Centre.
Find out more about hosting your event at Lord's
If that's a bit beyond your budget, why not settle for a peek behind the scenes on an Official Tour of Lord's? Prices at just £8.
4:28pm Just over an hour until the start of the match but about 20 minutes until we're expecting the opening ceremony to start.
Lords.org coming to you live from the Investec Media Centre at Lord's You cannot say the ICC haven't made their mark on Lord's, the Home of Cricket. There are: digital electronic advertising boards in front of the famous Pavilion and under the Investec Media Centre; a DJ on the balcony by the scorebox; ICC World T20 branding all over the place - they've even cut a hole in one of the doors up here in the Investec Media Centre to accomodate the cabling for all the TV companies here.
4:15pm Your emails - Mandar's back again and still, like many of you, worried about the weather.
News hot off the ICC press: the match must start by 8:10pm at the latest in which case it will become a five-over-per-side match (Five5y cricket?). Otherwise it's a "no result" and both teams get a point each.
Put your worries to one side though Mandar - the ground staff continue to remove the covers, the umbrellas are down, the rain has stopped and we're about an hour away from the start of the tournament.
4:10pm The Ground is already pretty full. There are a scant handful of tickets available on the gates but most have already been snapped up.
Quite a few Netherlands fans here too, watching their heroes warm-up on the Nursery Ground, cheering them on. I've just spotted a couple of gents wearing t-shirts which are giant India flags in the Grand Stand - the global appeal of cricket exemplified.
4:05pm It's the Lord's brolly-dance - up again, down again... but they're firmly down now and the ground staff are peeling back the covers. A tingle of excitement zips around the Ground - we're looking good for some all-action cricket.
Most importantly of all, will Alesha Dixon and the opening ceremony play on despite the wet start?
3:45pm Your emailsThe weather has certainly made you twitchy: Mandar has emailed us at Live@Lords.org to ask: "Is it wise to come to the ground, given the weather conditions? Will there be a delay in the start of the match?"
Well - that's a complicated question Mandar. There are special ICC regulations in place for this tournament. I'll try and summarise for you: they can play in drizzly rain.
The bad news is the rain is getting heavier... boo.
3:37pm Weather update The weather seems a little non-committal at the moment - there are some umbrellas up but not many. There are players warming up on the outfield and on the Nursery Ground who don't seem put off.
The covers are on but hopefully just as a precaution. It will be disappointing indeed if the opening match is rained off.
2:16pm Weather update Your emails - Andrew in London has written to ask for a weather update: " Is it worth me leaving work early to head home and watch it?"
Even if it's just to see the lovely Alesha Dixon, Andrew the answer is a definite "yes". The rain stopped long ago, the pitch should be drying out nicely after this morning's showers.
Last I heard there were a few tickets still left to be sold on the gates:
But why watch it at home when you can follow it live on Lords.org? Sitting at your desk you get brownie points from the boss too!
2:15pm Your emails - are still coming in, keep them coming!
Simon in Stevenage asks: "So do the Netherlands have any chance of winning this game? England battered the Windies on Wednesday (which I was there to see) what kind of fight can we expect from the Dutch?"
Well Simon, they've nothing to lose. Everyone expects England to thoroughly trounce a Netherlands team packed with part-timers - even a narrow defeat would be a boost for the "Oranje".
It's the classic no-win situation for England - unless they thrash the Netherlands it won't be enough.
One's to watch for the Dutch? Spinner Pieter Seelar caught the eye in their warm-up against Ireland and all-rounder Edgar Schiferli was impressive too.
2:05pm The music works... as the PA system and performers for the Official Opening Ceremony warm-up music blares around Lord's.
The rain is long gone and we're looking good for a rip-roaring start to the ICC World T20 here at The Home of Cricket.
Personally I'll be hoping for an England win but what do you think? Netherlands fans - let us hear from you. England fans - you too: what would count as "acceptable" today a win, any win? Or must it be a crushing victory to convince you?
Live@Lords.org
12:37pm Our first email of the day and thanks to Stephen for breaking our duck. He asks: "What's the weather doing there? - any chance that the fireworks will be soggy?"
I have to admit Stephen the weather's not looking it's most glorious at Lord's at the moment. Typically really - it was scorchingly hot for the two warm-up days but raining today.
Good news is, the rain has already stopped this morning and we're set for a good few hours of dry weather. That will help dry the pitch out - the revolutionary fast-draining pitch at Lord's and our tireless ground-staff will pull out all the stops.
Thanks to Adam for his email too - along much the same lines. Tsk, pessimists...
If there's any chance at all of cricket today, our award-winning ground-staff will make it so.
12:05pm You're peachy keen if you're reading this already! Like your enthusiasm! We've still several hours to go before things kick off for the ICC World Twenty20.
After all the warm-up matches, talk of favourites and underdogs, players going home and being sent home - the real thing gets started in around four hours time.
The Official Opening Ceremony should be all fun and fireworks and with any luck so will the opening game as England take on "minnows" Netherlands.
If you're looking of ways to pass the time until the fireworks start (literally) why not send us an email?
Live@Lords.org
Send us your thoughts, views, opinions, team selections, tips for the top - anything. We'll take them all!
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