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Now I don’t think we will actually lose, but we are trying hard!!!
Giving the crowd a good day out, obviously.
Someone on TMS said yesterday.
'The fielders have been spectators and the spectators have been fielders'
Brilliant
I won’t get tired of watching this (aware karma might kick me in the nuts)
https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/av/cricket/48708379
Bangladesh giving a bloody good showing. I would love it, love it if Bangladesh beat Australia (but they won't)
Sri Lanka batting first.
Interesting start...
Ooof!
Either this pitch is MUCH harder to bat on than anybody suspects or SL are right in the shit
They are saying it is a great batting pitch so let's see...
Hmmm.....
Urgh...
RM.
Do I, don't I?
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Edit: Don't!
England’s fielding well below recent standards this World Cup. At least 5 runs given away by fumbles today. Abuttlervmissed stumping too.
That run out sounds a right royal screw up.
Good start 😳
Jeez 😣
wheels are coming of here!
England doing an England.
Oh dear...
Can we blame more ball tampering from the Aussies?
Or are England just a bit shit under pressure?
I can’t remember all the stat details, but our opening pairs have been atrocious so far this World Cup
Abysmal
It was a great ball that took stokes out, the rest....meh!
Overconfident idiots, they don’t deserve to qualify for the semi’s. The last two performances have been dismal.
There, said it.
It was a pretty meek defeat.
It feels like England are very much a confidence team: when they're going well, they can beat the best in the world, or even BE the best in the world.
But lose one or two, and suddenly they can't work out how to play. As for opening with James Vince, in what world is he an appropriate choice? It's enough to make you think the selectors have taken a bet against England winning the WC...
Only positive from today was Jason Roy running freely from the boundary to bring on drinks or something. Hopefully he’ll be back and Vince can get back to warming the bench.
RM.
Bolleaux
The last 2 games we’ve missed somebody with gumption like Curran at 7/8.
Ali is shot.
Morgan’s interview was a bit shocking “We Bowlled well. No, we didn’t bowl too short.”
Oh, and my favourite “We dont look to swing the ball, we look to nip it off the surface” WTAF??
Sounds like the “proper” ****stan has turned up today at Edgbaston.
“We Bowlled well. No, we didn’t bowl too short.”
Oh, and my favourite “We dont look to swing the ball, we look to nip it off the surface” WTAF??
It's consistently frustrating that England's response to adversity (every. single. time.) is for the bowlers to bowl short, and for the batsmen to come in and try to lash it about a bit. Test match, T20, ODIs - it's just their default go-to.
It makes it seem that there's something seriously lacking in the coaching through the English county system - a bit like England's approach to football was to punt it out from the back ("clear the lines!") and wait for the opposition to come back at them.
Silent stalker, enjoying the coverage off the Sounds App.
Pak v NZ on ATM
Great match to listen to on TMS with a result that puts ****stan as very likely semi finalists at England’s expense. Which, perversely, I’m quite pleased about.
****stan are now 1 pt behind us, but with Afg & Ban as their last 2 games. We will need at least 3 Pts to progress. Rain dance for Saturday?
No rain dance, arrogance and one dimensional methodology.... hubris.
England are starting to look like flat track bullies. Ironically Stokes said after the game that they shouldn't change the way they play but he is one player who does seem capable of playing to the situation and defending the ball when needed. If they can win the next two games they might just deserve to go on and win it but they need to get smart quick.
If you offered me a tie v India and a chance to beat NZ to make the SF, I’d bite your hand off right now.
England are too formulaic with their bowling. Look at how many teams have opened with a spinner, mixed their options to suit conditions/batsmen.
We open with Woakes/Archer every time - and now Morgan stated after the last match we aren’t even trying to swing the ball !!! Wood will come on 1st change, then. Ali in about the 12th over. Stokes will bowl in the middle overs, and Rashid will bowl 10 between 22 & 42.
I think Baylis is a waste of space too. He admits to not watching any other matches, and doesn’t really coach.
Morning evereeebodeeee.
An important toss to win, one feels. Roy seems to have started with intent.
Will those slow few overs when Root came in come back to haunt us?
When England were getting a bit of heat in the media this week, I heard the phrase “Flat Track Bullies” thrown around quite a bit. What do they mean by that? (For a non-stickballist)
on a wicket that favours batting (so typically hard, fast and true) - a so called 'flat track' (track is colloquialism for the wicket that they play on - as opposed to the wickets that bowlers aim at) then England typically score well because you can trust on the bounce of the ball and just hit through the the line of it. So flat track bullies.
As soon as there's a bit in the wicket for bowlers - so maybe some spin, or a bit of moisture that allows the ball to deviate by swinging or seaming, and you need to bat more carefully, we have seemed at times unable to vary our approach.
Ah ok, I see. Cheers jon 👍
oh dear roots dropped it!
wicket maiden, well bowled mr woakes
And Kohli's gone! Phew! Wipes sweat from brow. India's required run rate is 9 per over.
I’m not a nail biter, but I’m about to start
Phew!
Never in doubt!!*
RM.
* - not entirely true.
Well that was a little squeaky bum time for a while, wasn't it?
It is a bloody good job England batted first and got a decent score up on the tins. Scoreboard pressure has been their biggest issue this tournament.
As a long term England cricket fan, it’s the hope that kills you....
Batting first.
Massive target required, chaps. NZ have been looking very strong.
Actually not sure that’s the case. They’ve been “winning” but not great. Lost 2 recently plus a n/r vs India.
Either way, they're lacking bite thus far today!
Hopefully the good weather has flattened out he pitches nicely - suits us well.
Urgh.
Why review that?
I really like Bairstow Blue GN bat - special edition charity colour scheme I believe. Looks very smart.
Pffft. It's no Magnum, is it?
This has an annoyingly familiar feel...
Gonna be a tight one methinks.
Feels about twenty short.
Maybe.
Boom!
Must. Not. Get. Too. Excited
We're still talking about the cricket, right?
Oooohhh
Kerraikee oh reiki! What a way to get out!
run rate upto 7 an over
Horror show for the Kiwis so far.
Rashid!!!
Two run outs?
Crikey chief!
Dare I say it, but Ne...
No, I can't say it.
Nope, still not getting excited
Whoop! Erm I mean *ripples*
another down.... run rate upto 8 🙂
can't see Moeen playing again in the Tournament
stop with the chicken counting mr vaughan
Can we believe we've got this yet?
I think I believe.
Can we believe we’ve got this yet?
I more wicket and I'll feel more comfortable, Latham can bat a bit.