Despite England's best efforts, their World Cup campaign got off to wet start in Guyana. Against the host team (who were facing their first senior competition of the tournament), England found themselves with a very handy total at the innings break, but a lengthy rain delay and an onslaught by Chris Gayle meant England's game against Ireland would become a make-or-break encounter. As for the West Indians, two victories in two games saw them comfortably through to the next stage of the tournament.
Gayle won the toss and, convinced that rain would become a factor in the game, chose to field first. England opened with Michael Lumb and Craig Kieswetter, both South African-born and both making their international debuts for England. After a solid start, Lumb departed first, bowled by Gayle for 28. Kieswetter and the other South African-born England player, Kevin Pietersen, combined for 30 runs before Kieswetter was adjudged LBW to Nikita Miller (26). Paul Collingwood was dismissed for 6 following an ill-advised attempt at a Dilscoop. After smashing a magnificent six over square leg, Pietersen attempted the same shot the next delivery, but was caught for 24, leaving England in a spot of bother at 88/4. Irish-born Eoin Morgan and Luke Wright consolidated, and then accelerated putting on 95 in 9 overs. Morgan made a brilliant and innovative 55 from 33 before falling to a good catch, and Wright biffed 45 off 27 (four sixes to his one four), as England recovered very well to post 191/5 at the end of their 20 overs.
Needing 9.6 an over, Chris Gayle got the West Indian innings off to a murderous start, butchering 15 runs from Ryan Sidebottom's first over. Halfway through the third over, the rains came down, and the word from the match referee was that the revised target would be 60 from 10 overs - and thanks to Gayle, the Windies had already scored half of that. England were duly horrified that their hard work in the first innings had been undone by the Duckworth-Lewis system, but made a game of it: Grame Swann removed Gayle and Kieron Pollard in the same over, Pollard falling to an exceptional stumping by Craig Kieswetter. Michael Yardy bowled a tight over to take the game to the "final over", the West Indies needing 8 from 6. It was looking good for England until Stuart Broad gave Andre Fletcher a short ball down the leg side. Fletcher sent it for four and cantered a single off the next ball to give the West Indians victory by 8 wickets.
Having manhandled Ireland in their first game, the host team easily qualified for the Super Eights. England, however, were left to rue a lost toss, rain rules and the bat of Chris Gayle. They would have greatly fancied their chances, setting the West Indies 192 from 120 to win. Coming back after the rain interruption, the equation was reduced to a basic 33 off 22. The loss to the West Indies meant that England's next game (against Ireland) became a must-win for them. Disappointed as though they no doubt will be, they could take positives from the showing of Craig Kieswetter and Michael Lumb as openers, Kevin Pietersen's brief cameo and the audacious strokeplay of Eoin Morgan, who left Ireland to play for England, only to find himself facing his old teammates in a do-or-die World Cup encounter.