Only listening not watching but a bit of a clarification on the 2 short deliveries in an over seems to be in order. Sounds like there were plenty of deliveries which were not counted as short that could have been on another day.
I was only dipping in and out but not too many were getting up around the shoulders and there was quite a lot around the ribs. It became more the threat of a decent short ball and an inability to deal with it early on that got ****stan in a pickle.
****stan started this badly in the Champions Trophy - and won it!!
Exactly, it is a long old tournament where a lot can happen!
I hope they do improve- I’ve just had an invite to AUS v. PAK on Wednesday week!
Big test for SA now - effectively out if they lose this one. Considering Bangladesh are a strong bowling line up, and their spinners will like the bounce at the oval.
Crazy from du Plessis there! I think if Bangladesh get one of these out before they’re set they should win inside 50. If not it could be a good finish for the neutral.
RM.
Why would SA be ‘effectively out’ if they lose this match? They’ve got another 5 games to play.
It’s an interesting format and leaves the possibility of an unpredictable table for semi qualification.
5 or 7? Isn’t it round-robin of 10 teams, everyone gets 9 games in the group with the top 4 going through?
RM.
9 games, not 7, my bad.
I’ve also just answered my own question, or rather Dan Norcross has:
You can lose four of your nine games and still have a chance of the semi-finals if lots of teams are beating each other.
But you really don't want to be losing any more than three.
I say “effectively out” as they now need to win every game of the next 7, including lots of top teams.
Lose 4 you are out imho. Lose 3 and you will need a good NRR. That needs big wins against the lower ranked teams. One of whom just beat them.
and they got done by 100-odd against us which won't help the NRR either
clarification on the 2 short deliveries in an over seems to be in order
It's height, not 'short' surely. Anything over head is a wide and you're allowed 2 between shoulder and head, is my understanding.
That sort of WI bowling will be punished by some - Finch, Buttler etc.
Morning all.
Will ****stan fancy putting England in first if they win the toss? Plenty of runs last time out here!
We really enjoyed the Bangladesh win in the tj household!
England win toss and put them in.
Sounding like it’ll be quite a runfest today. England burn their review.
****stan off to a flyer!
A much needed wicket.
Indeed. Credit to Wood for slowing the rate down and creating the pressure, great keeping too.
RM.
Pace of the game seems to be slowing. Can't see a really big target being set.
^^^ It won't be a huge total but I am sure they will get well past 300 - but that should be beatable assuming we don't go and get ourselves an early wicket or two and nerves set in.
BANG-like 330?
Oh, Flashy - why did you have to say that??
Sorry, everyone!
Hmmm, the first 5 overs are going to be crucial.
Hmmm, the first 5 overs are going to be crucial.
I think it might be a bit tense...
I feel a bit nervy for some reason! Hope our usual bish-bang-bosh plan works!
RM.
Eek... What a waste of a review
I think Roy hit the ground, and when Root said “did you hit it” he said I’m not sure.
Oh dear, oh dear! I warned you all ^^^^^^ about ****stan!!
This is nothing like the bowling attack we slated in the ODI series.
Reality check for the top one-day side in the world...
Absolutely. ****stan are always dangerous - with runs on the board their attack is a real handful.
Roy looked out of sorts in the field all day, then tried too hard to make up for it with the bat.
Hmmm
disappointing to lose but long term I don't think it harms us much..... sure it shows that we are beatable but it also shows that we can chase down big totals which in turn means that sides have to post big totals against us. Kind of scoreboard pressure even before we have runs on the board, if opponents know they need >300 scores to be competitive.
And should knock any ideas of being pre-tournament complacent favourites on the head.
Afghanistan are giving it a fair nudge against Sri Lanka!
Fair old collapse by SRL from 144/1 to 201 ao. Afghan whizz!
Whereas SA look like they’ve got a holiday booked over S/f weekend!!
Australia 36-3
🤣
Now 38-4
Outstanding
Half decent rebuilding by the Aussies, should be a good seeing how WI go chasing this down.
RM.
Thankfully the weather cleared for Cardiff today.
Anything under 350 from here a disappointment.
Loved Roy’s ton celebrations!
RM.
