Not sure that we'll be all out for about 220 . A rusty Johnson could go for a fair few.
This exposed the gap between Australia and England
* lacking match fitness, Johnson "only" took 3/27; removing the backbone of our batting : Ali, Taylor, Morgan
* Australia was 60/4 but Maxwell, Marsh and Faulkner were all queueing up to score enough runs to win the match.
When we win a match, we stumble to victory from a cameo performance from a player. Today Australia had four players!
With the World Cup enlarged with 8 qualifying to the knockout stage, atleast England get wins against Scotland, Afghanistan and Bangladesh before we get eliminated in the quarter finals.
This exposed the gap between Australia and England
* lacking match fitness, Johnson "only" took 3/27; removing the backbone of our batting : Ali, Taylor, Morgan
* Australia was 60/4 but Maxwell, Marsh and Faulkner were all queueing up to score enough runs to win the match.
When we win a match, we stumble to victory from a cameo performance from a player. Today Australia had four players!
With the World Cup enlarged with 8 qualifying to the knockout stage, atleast England get wins against Scotland, Afghanistan and Bangladesh before we get eliminated in the quarter finals.
Dont bet on winning against Afghanistan. They have a decent side.
I wish they could find some way of shortening the tournament, and there are so many one sided looking games. I can't even see England losing to Scotland, though Afghanistan could make the odd shock result.
Moeen Ali could be England's winner, he really has improved to a remarkable extent in just a year
I agree, its way too long. Although you can see the ICC wanting to get more of the associate member countries involved.
One way they could have shortened it, was to have two main teams playing the same day as a match between the a major and minor country i.e. from pool A, you could have Eng v Aus on the same day as SL v Scotland.
As for the tri-series final, Johnson did look very good indeed. If he plays well, Aus are in with a good shout of winning the tournament. Pity they wont have Clarke (although he is on the squad), with him in the team they would look a lot more solid.
Anyone want to predict the semis? I will go for Aus, NZ, SA and India. This of course assumes they will not play each other in the quarters.
Since I dont think Pakistan wont win, I hope the PCB dont feel the need to make wholesale changes after the WC. We just arent good enough at the moment to win the WC. I think with some senior players retiring after the WC, that will be all the change we will need.
Anyone want to predict the semis? I will go for Aus, NZ, SA and India. This of course assumes they will not play each other in the quarters.
Aus for sure.
NZ & especially SA are the great underachievers in these kind of tournaments.
We always expect SA to do well though... maybe this time they will?
Windies(?) and Sri Lanka shouldn't be overlooked either.
If India play anything like they did in the Tri series, then they haven't got a hope.
As for England, we *may* do ok in the first round with the current team, but if we're keeping with the current squad, then to get any further than the quarters, we'd probably need to replace Woakes with Tredwell, and (if he isn't going to bowl) then maybe replace Ravi with one of Ballance or Hales?
Anyone want to predict the semis? I will go for Aus, NZ, SA and India. This of course assumes they will not play each other in the quarters.
Since I dont think Pakistan wont win, I hope the PCB dont feel the need to make wholesale changes after the WC. We just arent good enough at the moment to win the WC. I think with some senior players retiring after the WC, that will be all the change we will need.
Aus for sure.
NZ & especially SA are the great underachievers in these kind of tournaments.
We always expect SA to do well though... maybe this time they will?
Windies(?) and Sri Lanka shouldn't be overlooked either.
If India play anything like they did in the Tri series, then they haven't got a hope.
Hi guys, you may want to have a go at the prediction comp in the games section:)
Ben Stokes has hit 15 x 6 in the Lions 4th ODI in South Africa. He struck an unbeaten 151 from 86 balls
It's a shame he was overlooked for the squad as that kind of hitting would be a benefit to the team for sure
Quote
Stokes,controversially omitted from England's World Cup squad, responded in emphatic style as he lashed 15 sixes in an extraordinary innings against South Africa A in the fourth ODI in Pretoria. He then took three wickets to help finish off an 89-run win, which wrapped up the series for the Lions with one match to play.
Nine sixes came from the last 14 legal deliveries Stokes faced as he destroyed a South Africa A attack which included four bowlers who have been capped at international level. The fast-bowling pair of Mthokozisi Shezi and Marchant de Lange, who both have a sprinkling of ODI caps, bore the brunt of his late hitting.
no doubt stokes should be in the squad at least, if not the side in front of bopara, he is a much better bowler than bopara and has far more potential as a batsman
Woakes and Bopara is now looking extremely bizarre.
Finn is in like he would have been a year ago if they stopped meddling,so with 3 main bowlers Stokes does not get exposed, that is assuming Broad, Finn and Broad get a tidy sum of wickets. Have they, top dog selector I mean, got time to backtrack on foolishness?
Just watching the New Zealand/Pakistan in Napier and they have had an issue with the setting sun ( as we used to have at Old Trafford)
The umpires didn't stop the game but the batsmen were unhappy as they couldn't see properly
I think there's some World Cup games at this venue and this could cause a problem if the umpires don't treat the batting side more sympathetically
Junaid Khan is out of the Pakistan squad. This is a big blow to the team. His is a quality bowler, who is also very fast. Having watched the 1st OD against NZ, I do rate NZs chances more and more. They may well be a dark horse of the tournament.
England going well in their warm up game.
West Indies all out for 122 in 30 overs with Chris Woakes taking 5/19 including first ballers for Gayle and Bravo
Comments
Time to switch over to the tennis.
They need to come up with a plan before the Ashes this summer
He certainly does like to stay positive.
On that note we should make the semis so we could yet luck out.
Looks like the crisis hasn't gone away yet....
* Australia was 60/4 but Maxwell, Marsh and Faulkner were all queueing up to score enough runs to win the match.
When we win a match, we stumble to victory from a cameo performance from a player. Today Australia had four players!
With the World Cup enlarged with 8 qualifying to the knockout stage, atleast England get wins against Scotland, Afghanistan and Bangladesh before we get eliminated in the quarter finals.
Dont bet on winning against Afghanistan. They have a decent side.
I agree, its way too long. Although you can see the ICC wanting to get more of the associate member countries involved.
One way they could have shortened it, was to have two main teams playing the same day as a match between the a major and minor country i.e. from pool A, you could have Eng v Aus on the same day as SL v Scotland.
As for the tri-series final, Johnson did look very good indeed. If he plays well, Aus are in with a good shout of winning the tournament. Pity they wont have Clarke (although he is on the squad), with him in the team they would look a lot more solid.
Anyone want to predict the semis? I will go for Aus, NZ, SA and India. This of course assumes they will not play each other in the quarters.
Since I dont think Pakistan wont win, I hope the PCB dont feel the need to make wholesale changes after the WC. We just arent good enough at the moment to win the WC. I think with some senior players retiring after the WC, that will be all the change we will need.
Aus for sure.
NZ & especially SA are the great underachievers in these kind of tournaments.
We always expect SA to do well though... maybe this time they will?
Windies(?) and Sri Lanka shouldn't be overlooked either.
If India play anything like they did in the Tri series, then they haven't got a hope.
As for England, we *may* do ok in the first round with the current team, but if we're keeping with the current squad, then to get any further than the quarters, we'd probably need to replace Woakes with Tredwell, and (if he isn't going to bowl) then maybe replace Ravi with one of Ballance or Hales?
Hi guys, you may want to have a go at the prediction comp in the games section:)
http://forums.digitalspy.co.uk/showthread.php?t=2047874
It's a shame he was overlooked for the squad as that kind of hitting would be a benefit to the team for sure
Quote
Stokes,controversially omitted from England's World Cup squad, responded in emphatic style as he lashed 15 sixes in an extraordinary innings against South Africa A in the fourth ODI in Pretoria. He then took three wickets to help finish off an 89-run win, which wrapped up the series for the Lions with one match to play.
Nine sixes came from the last 14 legal deliveries Stokes faced as he destroyed a South Africa A attack which included four bowlers who have been capped at international level. The fast-bowling pair of Mthokozisi Shezi and Marchant de Lange, who both have a sprinkling of ODI caps, bore the brunt of his late hitting.
http://www.espncricinfo.com/england/content/story/826055.html
Finn is in like he would have been a year ago if they stopped meddling,so with 3 main bowlers Stokes does not get exposed, that is assuming Broad, Finn and Broad get a tidy sum of wickets. Have they, top dog selector I mean, got time to backtrack on foolishness?
The umpires didn't stop the game but the batsmen were unhappy as they couldn't see properly
I think there's some World Cup games at this venue and this could cause a problem if the umpires don't treat the batting side more sympathetically
I'd rather they hadn't bothered.
I guess KP is a bums on seats TMS recruit.
Wonder if KP and Aggers will be in the same comms box
West Indies all out for 122 in 30 overs with Chris Woakes taking 5/19 including first ballers for Gayle and Bravo