Rain expects to delay match

Rain is expected to delay the start of West Indies second game against England in the International Cricket Council (ICC) World 20/20 at the Guyana National Stadium.



The game was scheduled to start at 12.30 p.m. but the first match between Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe at the same venue was affected by rain.



Sri Lanka were declared winner of the game by 14 runs under the Duckworth/Lewis Method.



Zimbabwe, set a revised target were 29 for one after five overs when rain stopped play for the second time.



Mahela Jayawardene hammered 100 off 64 balls to lead Sri Lanka to 173 for seven off their allotted 20 overs.



Meanwhile, captain Chris Gayle is expected to return to the West Indies side for their game against England.



However, tall left-arm spinner Sulieman Benn could miss the game because of injury again.



Gayle missed the West Indies opening game against Ireland on Friday. West Indies bowled out Ireland for 68 to win the game by 70 runs.



A win over Paul Collingwood’s England side would see the West Indies into the Super Eights, leaving England needing to beat Ireland tomorrow to progress.



England should be at full strength, although batsman Kevin Pietersen is on stand-by to fly home immediately if his pregnant wife goes into labour.



Gayle expects England to turn up with ‘blood in their eyes’ as the Englishmen are on a revenge mission.



Gayle’s side knocked England out of the tournament, which was staged in England less than a year ago and the tourists have a chance to do their hosts some damage in the Group ‘D’ game.



Collingwood feels the team is stronger than when they were knocked out of the last World 20/20 by the Windies on home soil - and is confident about their game plan for the slow Caribbean pitches.



However, Gayle warns that the Windies will be ready for the challenge against a team they have beaten three times in four meetings in 20/20 cricket.