The Cricket Thread

[Jimmy Floyd]

The one thing we have going for us on that side of the ball is we have an actual spinner, and also Woakesy is a cricket legend. 270 or whatever this ends up being is not enough however in the seething cauldron of silence that is the Narendra Modi Stadium.

[thommo]

First time in cricket history that numbers 1-11 have made double figures in an ODI. What a time to be alive.

[Ben]

And in such a nondescript innings too.

Woakes 9, Rashid 10, Wood 11 is a pretty decent tail, mind.

[Jimmy Floyd]

We're toast I think. Jimmy Neesham at eight. Commencez la voiture.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Feels like we're on route to being absolutely smashed by some horrendous mega partnership between Conway and someone here.

A good start to the tournament for you at least.

[Waffdon]

Absolutely smashed.

[niko_cee]

Tournament's done for me.

Would have been even more peak had I not written "on route". :face:

[igor_balis]

Tournament's done for me.

Would have been even more peak had I not written "on route". :face:

En route is a common follow up thing we put on the shared work job list thing, except everyone else puts on route. I assume they assume I'm the idiot.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Pakistan bang in trouble here against the pot smokers.

[Max Power]

They’ll lose this and then turn India over.

[niko_cee]

Looks like they've recovered sufficiently.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Holland will beat someone major in this tournament, they're so dangerous at times. Probably us, again.

[niko_cee]

Pakistan doing their best to fuck things up.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Bangladesh slotted Afcrapistan earlier and Sri Lanka getting absolutely annihilated by sith africa as I speak. Already 362/4 off 45 and they're on track to have 3 fielders called up for a slow over rate.

Need tomorrow to be a decent game or this could go the way of the rugby World Cup.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Entire Aus team is over 30 except for Cam Green and Marnus (29). Please tell me they're heading for a crash in the next few years.

[Danny]

We only had Brook and Curran under 30 the other day :uhoh:

[Jimmy Floyd]

We're always heading for a crash.

There's something about this tournament that really isn't doing it for me. Maybe it's because I'm off a 50 game mental cricket season here and need a break, I don't know.

[Danny]

We're always heading for a crash.

Fairs :D


There's something about this tournament that really isn't doing it for me. Maybe it's because I'm off a 50 game mental cricket season here and need a break, I don't know.

Start times for me. That and always takes time to remember it’s not JAMODI. Usually about the end of the group stage.

[Ben]

Again I had no idea we were playing this morning. Malan smearing the Bangladeshis to all parts.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I can get behind the tournament if we're going to break the habit of a lifetime and not lose to Bangladesh. Already marked the Sri Lanka game down as a loss though.

[niko_cee]

I was also unaware of this, but since I have become aware of it we seem to have commenced collapsing, so the Bangla Boys will probably chase these with ease.

[thommo]

I can get behind the tournament if we're going to break the habit of a lifetime and not lose to Bangladesh. Already marked the Sri Lanka game down as a loss though.
We did beat them in 2019 to be fair.

Seems strange to say this when we've hit 335+ but the pitch doesn't look that easy to bat on, ball is sticking on the surface a lot. Malan's innings was class.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Bing bong bangladesh we beat in 2019 but lost in 11 and 15. Sri Lanka we have lost to for the last 4 World Cups in a row.

And yes, this is far too many for the bangers.

[Ben]

It's a slogger's pitch. Forget extra cover drives, clear the front dog.

[niko_cee]

Pakistan look like they've got a bit of a chase on their hands in the other game. I know, another game, who knew?

[Ben]

The scheduling for this is proper wank.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Tournament could use a Sri Lanka win here, or maybe not, it's hard to judge this ludicrous format.

[niko_cee]

Is this just going to be 6 weeks of bowlers getting absolutely flogged? :yawn:

[Max Power]

Wonder when we’ll see a remotely close game. Could have done with 2 games a day as well with the format as it is.

[Jimmy Floyd]

It's so easy to find the boundary on these tiny grounds with the intent these batters now have. Needs to be on big grounds to be a proper contest.

If tomorrow's game (Aus v SA) is also shit, we're in trouble. That's normally a banker for decent entertainment.

[Max Power]

Aus are fucking shit and given this isn’t a crunch game will be piling into Saffers @ 2.25

[Max Power]

Markram so good to watch when he’s on

[Jimmy Floyd]

I can't wait to see how Australia somehow peel these off even as Smith and Labuschagne both strike at 65.

[niko_cee]

Having admittedly paid scant attention to South African cricket for many years, the development of Markram from what I thought was solid opening chugger into some sort of freewheeling boundary merchant always catches me by surprise.

[niko_cee]

Famous last words and all, sorry South Arfica, but have Australia been at the England 2003-2015 Build A Platform ODI Handbook?

[Jimmy Floyd]

Here we go. Smith and Maaaaarnus at the crease, 6.6 an over needed. Cricket at its worst.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Famous last words and all, sorry South Arfica, but have Australia been at the England 2003-2015 Build A Platform ODI Handbook?

I cite this every tournament but I think this - https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/icc-cricket-world-cup-2010-11-381449/sri-lanka-vs-england-4th-quarter-final-433603/full-scorecard - is in many ways the greatest game of cricket ever played.

[Max Power]

Oh it’s definitely been touched on in this thread many times. The Dilshan innings seems the headline, but the Dilshan bowling analysis is proper England ODI heritage

[Danny]

We took Murali for 6s but score under 5 for the innings. We were a disgrace.

[Jimmy Floyd]

As I recall, there was a theory from 2011-era analytics that said 225 batting first had historically won 57% of ODIs (or some such) and so the instructions were to post that every time to flip the odds in our favour.

[thommo]

You just know we strolled off thinking that was a decent effort on a tricky wicket. :D

[thommo]

Sri Lanka have a habit of doing this to us. Absolutely coasting chases in dominant fashion.

There was this in 2006, Jayasuriya in his pomp: https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/sri-lanka-tour-of-england-2006-211972/england-vs-sri-lanka-5th-odi-225254/full-scorecard

And we also followed up the 2011 WC effort with this in 2015: https://www.espncricinfo.com/series/icc-cricket-world-cup-2014-15-509587/england-vs-sri-lanka-22nd-match-pool-a-656441/full-scorecard

[niko_cee]

Yeah, that Jayasuria one was the daddy, remember it well as we never scored that many in an ODI and still got absolutely smashed.

[Ben]

Aussies whining that a bad umpiring decision is costing them here, forgetting the fact they were 70-5 chasing 312.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Whining about a shit decision is fair enough, but asking Bavuma to withdraw his appeal is the peak of comedic Australian-ness.

[Danny]

They had SA right where they wanted them too.

[niko_cee]

Wait, are the Australians crying about a hawkeye lbw review?

How many years have we been seeing that "things going down leg" actually quite often aren't?

Although, to go all Gary Neville worried about offside for a while on that front, I always thought the DRS on Lyon to Stokes after they'd burned all their reviews at Headingly looked mega dodgy.

Oh no, I see it's something else.

Maybe telling the umpire "it's off the bat" not the best way to clarify that you don't think you should be out caught behind? Could have been bat handle anyway.

[Ben]

Although, to go all Gary Neville worried about offside for a while on that front, I always thought the DRS on Lyon to Stokes after they'd burned all their reviews at Headingly looked mega dodgy.

It's better to convince yourself it was hitting halfway up middle because the seethe is funnier that way.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Marnus currently 27* (54) as he looks to salvage their net run rate in match 2 of 9. And people say cricket can't compete for hearts and minds.

[Ben]

Impressive bottlejob from Pakistan this.

[Max Power]

Well in the 30th over we were dangerously close to an actual game breaking out in this tournament

[Dave.]

Well in the 30th over we were dangerously close to an actual game breaking out in this tournament

Famous last words.:lol:

[niko_cee]

'were'

Anyway, this is all tracking perfectly for India to win 9 out of 9 in the groups before being unceremoniously dumped out by us in the semis having scraped 4th place with a 6/3 record, maybe even 5/4 with a heavy defeat to India thrown in for good measure.

[Dave.]

'were'

I appear to have lost the ability to read.:eyemouth:

[Jimmy Floyd]

There's a clear top 5 and bottom 4, with Australia as a nothingy pudding in the middle. No all top 5 matches until next Friday, so we could really use an upset or two in the interim.

It's amazing to think people have designed a tournament format in which each match means so little. It's very much in vogue though as the Swiss system seems to be what every major sport is moving towards.

[Max Power]

ODIs are done after this World Cup you have to think.

India will win it and have nationalistic orgy and it’s all T20 all the time whilst England/India/Australia play some test matches every summer

[igor_balis]

I'm currently in the 2041 season with Derbyshire on Cricket Captain 2020, and while the sidelining of the one day game to accommodate the pom-bear blast will probably have dire IRL consequences for the production of future ODI stars, the one day trophy is by far my favourite part of the season. All the good players are off helping the EBC "reach younger urban audiences" in between sets by Rudimental and rainbow frog biscuits, and the rest of us get to have chaotic shit-offs with our aging backups and random regen wicketkeepers with sub-10 2nd xi batting averages. It's mint. Jimmy Floyd can confirm, but I get the impression that it's not that far off the actual real life post-THEHUNDRED one day cup?

[Jimmy Floyd]

Yeah, the one day cup is in effect a 2nd XI trophy, albeit less so for the smaller counties who, like Leicestershire did this year, are missing fewer players and can aim at silverware for once. Surrey both years have had so many players away with the Hundred that they've literally run out of players for certain fixtures and had to contemplate comedy selection scenarios such as getting coaches out of retirement to make up the numbers, and playing injured bowlers as specialist number 11 batsmen.

It's a pity really as I don't think there's anything wrong with the format in a sporting sense, it's just far more quick and easy money to play in fixed T20 leagues (and don't be under any illusions, they are all fixed). The best way that the sport can develop from here is for IPL to turn into an NFL style behemoth and all other countries to do their own thing to feed into it.

[Clunge]

We lost, I think, 11 first XI players to the Hundred this summer and had a similar number of first and second string players on the injury list. Miracle we won even a single game in the ODC. Made for dire watching (bar the seven or eight ciders) when I headed back home for a week in the summer (although Taunton obvs remains by far the best place in the UK to watch cricket because we can actually fill our ground on a semi regular basis and not just fill it with rah rah cunts like Surrey do).

[Jimmy Floyd]

The Sky studio for this game has Nick Knight (host) with guests Zak Crawley and Mo Bobat. I think the algorithm is taking over.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Gawd, this is like 1842 all over again.

[thommo]

That has got to be the most brain-dead runout ever. :D

[Jimmy Floyd]

Afghans are so hot-headed it's ridiculous. The same at all levels of cricket from what I have seen. Just completely incapable of remaining calm.

[thommo]

That is a pretty woeful decision, feels very unlucky for that to be upheld.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Rod Tucker has come armed to the back teeth as usual. This has disaster written all over it.

[Dave.]

We're in trouble here. Could be very interesting.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Buttler looked so uncomfortable against the in-swing. The other side of the coin from their steamhead batting is the unreal skill they have with the ball.

[thommo]

As an aside, this ground is great. Love the unique feel of it, much better than the huge bowl they built over the Motera.

[Ben]

Buttler wasn’t even close to that.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Epic stuff from Athers there. '...but it may give Livingstone some confidence against Rashid.' THUMP howwwwwwwazeeeeee *finger*

[Max Power]

Livingstone a waste of time. In the shit big time here - needs a proper coming of age knock from Brook.

[Jimmy Floyd]

We have selected absolutely horribly for this tournament (Livingstone should be a travelling reserve at best). The data nerds must be flummoxed by the lack of sample size in this format.

[Dave.]

Game over.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Short of a Mark Wood rout this will be the 13th nation I've seen England lose to at cricket. A proud moment.

[Max Power]

Breathing life into this dead format again. Truly the saviours of the world game.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Absolutely routed by Jonathan Trott and the Taliban. What a day.

[thommo]

Should have really knocked that off inside 40 overs. I don't care how good their spinners are, we should be good enough to take the attack to them.

Yes, Rod Tucker and some uneven bounce got us 2 down early but the middle order did naff all.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Chase 285 inside 40, against Mujeeb, Rashid and Nabi, at Delhi? I don't think so.

What we really needed was Root not to play back to a full straight one and guide us through to finishing range.

[thommo]

The Saffers thumped 428 here a week ago, that was not a tough target to chase and we should have been done with time to spare.

The way we're playing, there's no way we don't lose more than 1 in our remaining games, feel like that's it.

[Gray Fox]

Getting to see Johnny Bairstow badly review an LBW at the Olympics :tongue:

[Jimmy Floyd]

Where better to start than the home of cricket, Los Angeles.

[Gray Fox]

I assume they're going to in some way convert SoFi Stadium to use as a Cricket pitch. I can't believe they have even a singular wicket in the LA area right now.

[Ian]

Wikipedia has most of the Major League Cricket teams planning to build grounds. All the matches from the first season appear to have been played at Grand Prairie Stadium in Dallas, which is a converted baseball ground.

[Gray Fox]

Of course they have a team called Washington Freedom. Why would I expect any better?

[Jimmy Floyd]

Niccolo Campriani, sports director of Olympic and Paralympic Games 2028, said the committee is "thrilled to be welcoming the world's second most popular sport".

There it is. MASSIVE.

The organisers want a six team event. Australia, India, Pakistan, South Africa, Great Britain, erm, USA. Let's go.

[Gray Fox]

There's no way that USA aren't getting involved when they're hosting. How else will they liberate us all?

[Jimmy Floyd]

They are co-hosting next year's T20 World Cup, and therefore playing in it, which should be fun as US cricket team is a proper basket case. Perhaps England losing to them will be the final humiliation.

[John Arne]

Isn't there an athlete limit nowadays? Adding a team sports is really gonna impact that.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Never fear, they appear to have binned off boxing to make way for cricket and baseball. It's almost as if I was in charge.

[Waffdon]

Maybe regency bias over the past few days but I swear there’s been a batting collapse in an awful lot of these matches

[Jimmy Floyd]

In general everyone is spanking the hard new ball as per T20 and then have forgotten how to bat in the middle overs. Except India, who have picked an actual ODI team and not a T20 mashup fudge.

[Max Power]

India actually have played the format once or twice in the last 4 years which helps

[Jimmy Floyd]

We majored on it before our home World Cup as well. It's always a matter of priorities and for us it's the crisp cup, for some unknown reason.

[Ben]

It would be pretty funny if this ends up being abandoned.

Which to be fair, is not unreasonable. If play restarts, fans go back to their seats and are at risk of being clipped by the debris whistling round the stands.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Cricinfo's talking about unstable scaffolding. Good to see a proper subcontinental tournament breaking out.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Speaking of unstable, off fucks Smith leg before again. Balm for a sore heart.

[Max Power]

I’ve got my clogs on lapping these scenes up

[niko_cee]

We'd definitely be losing from here, probably getting rolled by Roloef.

[Max Power]

Long tail for the Saffers. This is 50/50

[Jimmy Floyd]

van der Merwe is an absolute lunatic and I love him.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Holland :cool:

You see, couple of upsets and the tournament suddenly gains some life.

[thommo]

That was a great game to watch/listen to yesterday. Particularly enjoyed the number 10 coming in and absolutely smoking 3 slower balls for 6.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Big, big appeal as Conway is caught in front of the sticks. Umpire Joel Wilson gives it a looong look, but says not out. Afghanistan have taken the review. Must say, this looks very close

No prizes for guessing the outcome here.

[Ben]

Not sure what Joel was seeing there.

[Jimmy Floyd]

This bloke Tanzid Hasan who is opening up for Bangladesh and currently 49* off 40 against the rock stars. Looked into him. 22 years old, debuted internationally in August and had scored 56 runs in 7 games before today. Domestically, and this is in Bangladesh remember, averages 26 in list A striking at 83, and 24 in T20 striking at 110, both basically crap for a modern day opening bat.

And there's his 41-ball half century. Greatest hunch pick of all time? Or the Zak Crawley of the Bengal Delta?

[Max Power]

Was part of the their very successful under 19 team tbf. Certainly passes the eye test a la Crawley, some lovely shots so far.

[Waffdon]

Ohhh, another great start before throwing away wicket after wicket.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Turns out spin is quite important in India, who knew. Fortunately we brought three left arm seamers and a right arm quick in reserve so we're well stocked.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The upside down lot absolutely destroying Pakistan here. Sad times.

[Max Power]

Absolutely brutal. Should be 400 minimum from here

[Jimmy Floyd]

If Davey hits a double ton I might genuinely cry. I think Joel Wilson has finally pushed him over the edge.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Aus were 259/0 and then lost 9 for 108, now Starc has bowled four wides in the first five balls. Surely not even Pakistan are mad enough to make a game of this.

[Clunge]

I think they'll do it.

[Ben]

Even with the obvious political issues, the complete lack of Pakistanis in the crowds is quite surprising. You’d think a few would risk getting lynched to see their team in a World Cup.

Then Google told me the Indian Government blamed “unforeseen delays” in the tourist visa process for Pakistani nationals. So basically if you weren’t already in India, you’re not getting in. Of course. :D

[Max Power]

Pakistani journalists were invited to send in any questions via WhatsApp so no issue really

[Max Power]

Another potential close finish drifts away…

[Jimmy Floyd]

The lack of decent number 7s is a bit of a theme in teams falling over in the middle/end. Holland have almost had the best one. Ten years ago everyone had someone who could whomp it and bowl a few offies, now it seems to be 5 front line bowlers everywhere.

[niko_cee]

This looks like it's going well.

:yawn:

Another one which snuck up on me.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I don't understand how you get this so wrong so willingly. 4 seamers in India and David Willey batting seven, Root bowls himself into the ground while Moeen Ali watches on wearing a bib. Oh and there's our one spinner getting the wicket.

Think they've just drowned in analytics.

[Max Power]

The wild pivot from all the all- rounders to none doesn’t exactly scream good planning either.

[Dave.]

375+ for South Africa here.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Pre tournament there was some theory going round about two new kookaburra balls favouring pace etc etc NO LADS. PACE OFF. THE BATSMEN HAVE TO HIT IT HARDER FOR EACH RUN WHICH INCREASES THE MARGIN OF ERROR.

Mark Wood is literally going at 11s here.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I've put myself through these last few overs as a kind of masochistic ritual. I haven't seen us go to pieces like this for 20 years. Complete physical and mental disintegration.

[Max Power]

We are literally and metaphorically COOKED.

[Dave.]

We need a miracle to get these.

[Gray Fox]

Just turn off when Johnny gets out in the 2nd over lads, it's not worth it.

[Jimmy Floyd]

With 100 overs and 20 wickets I doubt we'd do it. Hardly any of the original XI even seem to be on the pitch now.

[Max Power]

Rashid sitting on 2/60. Any danger of picking another spinner?

[Jimmy Floyd]

I think the false belief that Liam Livingstone can play cricket well is at the root of a lot of it. Will Jacks and/or Liam Dawson should have gone and why we have both Curran and Willey I have no idea.

Moeen of course there too but not picked, genius.

[thommo]

I don't know why I put myself through all that but I'm in a thoroughly foul mood now.

I think the best thing to do is blame India and their climate, absolve ourselves of all responsibility here.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Would just like to say now that I doubt Jonny Bairstow. Come on JB. Hear me.

[thommo]

Just turn off when Johnny gets out in the 2nd over lads, it's not worth it.

:D Close.

[Dave.]

Cracking start.

[Jimmy Floyd]

3/3 caught on the leg side so far, this is always the sign of an England team that just can't be bothered.

[niko_cee]

Obviously bowling first was a mad, probably computer says chase, decision, but there's something a bit off about the guy who's just smeared you to all parts not having to come out and field.

Nice, another one down.

I don't think any other nations does wheels coming off quite like England.

Fire up the Jason Roy memes.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I think the time-honoured 'dew factor' will have informed the toss decision. Looking a bit slippery out there already, South Africa in huge trouble.

[Dave.]

The decision to bowl first in this match was awful (even though I'm aftertiming slightly). In Indian conditions, you put runs on the board and let your spinners do their work. We chose to bowl first and picked one frontline spinner.:cab:

[Jimmy Floyd]

This might be the worst performance of all time by a major side. I'm not even exaggerating either. Quite obviously don't want to be at this tournament.

[Max Power]

Don’t think we’ll get these

[niko_cee]

With 100 overs and 20 wickets I doubt we'd do it. Hardly any of the original XI even seem to be on the pitch now.

:D

[Jimmy Floyd]

There's always a Bob video


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WzNN-2kiNkU

[Ben]

My cricket team are on a day out and we genuinely think we could do a better job of this run chase.

As evidenced by Gus Atkinson and Mark Wood (who bats lower than me in our league) here.

[Jimmy Floyd]

We faced Gus Atkinson a few years ago and, yeah, didn't go so well.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I like Matthew Mott but this is the biggest load of horseshit imaginable and sums up how these people now think, i.e. completely without using their own brains and experiences.

England coach Matthew Mott to Sky Sports: "I can't lie, that was a hard night for us. It was a fantastic cricket wicket, and we looked at the ground stats that told us it's a good ground to chase on.

"On reflection, the heat was more than we bargained for. We were actually in control of the powerplay early on but it just spiralled out of control after that.

"They got at least 60 or 70 over par in the end.

"Hindsight is great. But we went out there to do a job and we set about that really well to begin with. The last 10 overs spiralled, they had two set batters in and they were class.

"We got the first five wickets, done the bulk of the work with their top order, and at that point we could have been chasing around 300 which would have been very achievable.

"We looked at our match-ups with South Africa and we wanted to go pace-heavy. We thought that was our best way of taking 10 wickets.

"We will definitely reflect on those changes but I don't think that was the difference between the teams today. We were thoroughly outplayed and they engineered the conditions perfectly.

"It was as tough as you can get. We are hurting and it is hard to chat about a game like that because we were not in the race after the first 25 overs."

[Ben]

This is like the xG mongs in football.

[niko_cee]

"best way of taking 10 wickets" is the best line.

What?

"Engineered the conditions perfectly" also outstanding.

Get him in the bin.

Actually, nothing about it is coherent and it is all contradictory. Got the first five wicket and the bulk of the work done, but we were not in the race after the first 25 overs, what? 5 wickets must have been 35 overs in, no?

In the bin.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Something I've realised in the last couple of years, particularly while handling a couple of very good Aussie overseas in club cricket over here, is that Australian cricket as a whole doesn't understand spin. Like, we are terrible at both bowling and playing spin, but we get that it exists and what it is designed to do. Australians can't process on a very basic level that you would try to fiddle one past a batter subtly rather than macho-ing it past them with pace/bounce or, if you have to, with big gripping leggies a la Warne, Benaud, Grimmett et al. Even Nathan Lyon is effectively an overspinner of the ball, i.e. he puts a load of revs on it over the top and gets you with bounce rather than anything else. That's because that's what works on the hard concrete strips they have over there passing for cricket pitches. They come onto slower wickets and have tweakers zipping it at them and they don't understand what's going on.

I fear that Mr Mott has fallen victim to this syndrome. For a start the squad selection for India was insane, and then having arrived there he decides that their 'match ups' against South Africa favour pace. Presumably that means South Africa have good numbers against spin. Now, what is this I find with a cursory google?


This is a different South African team to the ones we are used to. They come here with great numbers against spin. Since the start of 2022, they average 42 against spin in the middle overs at a-run-a-ball, the best by a distance.

OK, great. So who have they played since 2022 and where?

Australia (home) won 3-2. Australia's top wicket taker was Zampa, with an admittedly expensive 8.
Holland (home) won 2-0. It was hard work for Aryan Dutt, he went around at 52 as the Dutch team's sole spinner.
West Indies (home) drew 1-1. Here Akeal Hosein did well against them with 5 at 21, but it was hard yards for (checks notes) Yannic Cariah, a leggie who averaged 96.
England (away) won 2-1, in which, and wait until you hear about these match-ups, our top wicket takers were (I'm not making this up) Rashid with 4, and Moeen Ali with 3.
India (away), a place where the ball grips and spins sideways. Who was India's leading wicket taker? Kuldeep Yadav with 6 at 17, natch.
Bangladesh (home), lost 1-2 - yes, they lost to Bangladesh - with Mehidy Hasan's offies accounting for 6 at 24.

So what they've basically done is seen that South Africa have, whilst developing into quite a successful ODI team, pongo'd certain shit spinners around in the middle overs while high class ones continue to do well against them, all of this pretty much entirely at home. We move the arena to India, where the ball actually spins, DAYS after they have been pissed on from a great height by of all people Roelof van der Merwe, and suddenly we decide that a half-fit David Willey is the match-up? I'm sorry, it's just horseshit and reeks of Mott being clueless while Buttler just saunters around thinking he knows the ground because he's played T20s there with MI (in ODIs the ground history does NOT favour chasing). It's lazy and it's pathetic.

[Dave.]

Pakistan have been hilariously bad in the field here.:lol:

[Ben]

He's out now so the collapse could well be on, but Gurbaz is a hell of a batter.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I think we're on a run of every single result for 10 days going in Australia's favour, and this looks like being no exception.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Australia in clover now as Pakistan continue to self-destruct. Not much jeopardy on the top four unless the loser of NZ v South Africa has a real stinker in their other games, or the winner of England v Sri Lanka has a miracle run.

[thommo]

Once again, a South African batsman scores a boatload of runs and is then just able to put his feet up while some mug subs in to field. Bit of a joke really.

[Jimmy Floyd]

It's consistent with all of cricket culture for 300 years, whereby batsman get their dicks sucked (sometimes literally) while bowlers have their bodies ruined for our entertainment.

[Waffdon]

All set up for the Afghans to sneak their way into top 4 with South Africa throwing the last game :cool:

[Max Power]

They’ll be kicking themselves for the early loss to Bangladesh. Win that and they are maybe in the semis by beating Sri Lanka and Holland.

[Jimmy Floyd]

I'm fairly confident that Spoons's boys would have been semi contenders if Hasaranga and Chameera were fit. As it is we will be BACK if we can beat them, for the first time in World Cups this century, tomorrow.

[Jimmy Floyd]

https://i.ibb.co/Km3btDk/Screenshot-2023-10-26-091737.png

Have no fear, we have dropped Harry Brook for Liam Livingstone. Sri Lanka of course traditionally ropey chasers against us.

[Max Power]

Proper names out of a hat stuff. Youngest player in the side is 30!

[Jimmy Floyd]

Trying to work out our route to the semis should we win this. I think we might well need to win all our remaining games, which includes Australia, India and Pakistan. The only thing that would prevent that from being the case would be NZ going down the shitter, which isn't impossible tbh as they have used up all their easy games.

More likely I think we should aim to be top European side yet again.

[niko_cee]

Top of the Western Hemisphere, or I guess South Africa might put pay to that.

[Dave.]

Of course Angelo Mathews returns and takes a wicket. He'll get the winning runs today too, no doubt.

[thommo]

And now he's facilitated a run out. I still have nightmares about that 2014 Headingley Test.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Jesus Christ ffs this guy must be about 43. Why don't they bring back Sanath and all to haunt our dreams too.

[thommo]

Fucking hell. Is this as bad as it sounds on the radio?

[Dave.]

I'm just switching on now. Had the day off work but still had to catch up on some work this morning. Beginning to wish I had more to do.:lol:

[Dave.]

What a shambles.

[Max Power]

Good lord this is shocking. Stokes miracle job our only hope.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Spoons to be twerking in front of our dugout by nightfall.

Dropping Brook for Livingstone one of the all time worst calls in history, surely.

[niko_cee]

I'm sure the data said it was a strong match up.

[niko_cee]

Good grief.

[Max Power]

“Send them all home… economy class”

[Jimmy Floyd]

If any of the fuckers try and bail out and fly home from this they shouldn't be let in at Heathrow. I want them boiling to death and sitting on toilets playing dead rubbers for the next month.

[Ian]

Mon Jimrage 3.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Our next two games after this are India and Australia, and we will enter the first of those either stone last in the table, or ninth above only Holland, who, by the way, we still have to play in matchday 8 before taking on Pakistan at the end in what could be one of cricket's saddest occasions.

[Max Power]

South Africa win today and it’s basically dead rubbers across the board for the next few weeks. What a tournament.

[Ben]

The scheduling really has been the shits.

[Jimmy Floyd]

It's the format, which is as it is because certain weirdos have nostalgia about 1992.

Tournament badly needs Pakistan to win today and then, and I hate to say this, Australia to beat NZ tomorrow. Australia will cruise to 5/6 wins from here even if they lose to NZ, so it's the Kiwis who need to tank/tenk if we want some ection.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Pakistan are just the best.

0.1
5w
Iftikhar to Bavuma, 5 wide

[Max Power]

A concussion sub coming in and spinning them to an unlikely victory even more Pakistan?

[Jimmy Floyd]

Klaasen might be the best player of spin in all cricket history. Not even exaggerating.

EDIT: fucking see ya mate. Dil dil.

[Waffdon]

Australia haven’t half flicked a switch in the scoring department.

[Max Power]

You have to feel Australia batting first and racking up one of these totals is the only way of avoiding the inevitable Indian triumph.

[niko_cee]

Can't India just overcome that by rolling out raging bunsens in the knock outs?

[Dave.]

You have to feel Australia batting first and racking up one of these totals is the only way of avoiding the inevitable Indian triumph.

South Africa could possibly do the same thing (if they don't choke as usual).

[Waffdon]

Whoever wins the rugby will win this.

[Jimmy Floyd]

India will chase 280 100% of the time, but I don't think they'd ever chase 350 unless you had a complete mare. The issue for these teams is playing Kuldeep and Jadeja.

England v India tomorrow :face:

[Dave.]

It would be typical of England to go and win tomorrow. The win from out of nowhere.

[thommo]

After 25 games of dross, we've finally had a couple of crackers.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Bangles getting fingered by Holland here as well. England heading for 10th place.

[Jimmy Floyd]

https://gcdnb.pbrd.co/images/ot8HhcCqQBw5.png?o=1

:cool:

[Yevrah]

How in the actual fuck has that happened?

[Waffdon]

Can’t win every single World Cup.

[Jimmy Floyd]

In football terms we lost 5-1 to Portugal, then beat Egypt 1-0, then lost 3-1 to Venezuela. After that we revved ourselves up for a do-or-die match against Belgium, and lost 7-0. The ludicrous format of this event still not having quite knocked us out, we took on Uruguay and lost 4-0. Next up, it's Brazil at the Maracana, followed by France, Serbia, and a final shitter-takes-all match against Northern Ireland.

[Ben]

Absolutely pathetic from the ECB since we won the thing four years ago.

Whereas they eventually stumbled upon the right thing in Tests, scheduling no ODIs in the last four years along with selecting a nothing coach and shit squads has fucked us up the arse and we deserve every bit of this.

[igor_balis]

Aus nz conclusion was fun after a lot of bollocks.

It felt like all the front line seamers just got blasted out of the park, is there something to be said for simply not fielding the likes of Trent Boult and just batting down to 11 with a mixture of spin and medium pace nonsense all rounders?

[Jimmy Floyd]

Unless you have a real variety of good spinners (which no one does, especially not Aus or NZ), you'd get killed by unfavourable match ups doing that. Quicks can go for runs against set bats but they also stand a chance of firing them out.

Holland actually have a great attack for the conditions, of all the teams here. Spinners going both ways and bustling blokes bowling cutters. If they could bat they'd be up in everyone's faces.

[hfswjyr]

Whoever wins the rugby will win this.

=(


Aus nz conclusion was fun after a lot of bollocks.

It felt like all the front line seamers just got blasted out of the park, is there something to be said for simply not fielding the likes of Trent Boult and just batting down to 11 with a mixture of spin and medium pace nonsense all rounders?
By all accounts even trusty Trent was awful until he picked up 3 wickets in his last over to make stats read a bit better.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Imagine being Virat Kohli and getting out for a duck to David Willey.

[Gray Fox]

Just turn it off lads. Save yourselves.

[Jimmy Floyd]

You need top 8 to qualify for the Champions Trophy in 2025. Just saying.

[thommo]

I wouldn't mind missing that tournament to be honest. Waste of time.

[Jimmy Floyd]

We seem to think this one is a waste of time as well. So many teams in cricket these days are just completely gutless when an away tour doesn't go their way first up. Think sportsmen are a lot less tough than they used to be.

Remember when we won the T20 World Cup last year and then players wailed and moaned about having to stay in Australia and play three 'pointless' ODIs? That sort of thinking is coming back to haunt us.

[niko_cee]

Toughness is pretty much the antithesis of modern sports thinking, as to contemplate the need for it means you are not completely backing your own skills or executing them or whatever. You are acknowledging the quality of your opponent. Adaptability appears to be discouraged in favour of very specific and set plans. Of course, it's the stats people again.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Which is fine if you're playing in a league with 162 games a season because the percentages will work in your favour eventually, but completely fucking useless for knockout or tournament play.

[Max Power]

Another masterclass in 50 over cricket from the hounds. I’m sure it’s down to their robust domestic 50 over tournament.

[Jimmy Floyd]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Up6bE90-UR8

The Metro Bank doesn't have a massive and unexplained cake tbf.

[Waffdon]

Afghanistan :cool:

Mon

[Jimmy Floyd]

Random cricinfo comment:


Jawahar Rajan: "I am not a big fan of Net Run Rate.I think teams on equal points need to play another game to decide who goes through. Also I think the idea of just one game knock out is an old and IMO outdated.We need to have the best of say 3 in the Semis and Finals"

You can almost taste the fear.

[thommo]

DJ: "@Danyal , Aditya. Cricket is different from other sports. Here the pitch , toss, due, overhead conditions etc etc have a bigger impact on the outcome. A deserving team losing the championship because the opponent got luck with any of the various factors does not seem fair. "

Zed: "over the past 5 years or so India has often performed well in tournaments and end up losing SF or Finals. Both Kohli and Rohit has repeatedly said the major tournaments should have best of three."

:D

[Jimmy Floyd]

Glenn Maxwell ruled out of the Eng v Aus game after falling off a golf cart. Trying to psyche us at our own game I see.

[thommo]

David Willey to retire from international cricket after the World Cup. He was the only one of the WC squad not to get a central contract wasn't he? Presumably not best pleased with the snub.

[Jimmy Floyd]

The fact that they were negotiating central contracts during a live World Cup campaign is absolutely insane.

[Waffdon]

Incredibly close game, this.

[thommo]

:D

Fucking hell, makes our effort look positively herculean.

[Jimmy Floyd]

All this is building towards India fucking the semi-final and I am so here for it.

[Max Power]

All this is building towards India fucking the semi-final and I am so here for it.

Brazil 1950 vibes.

[Kikó]

Santos 53-54 for me.

[Waffdon]

Another easy win for the Afghans. The charge is on. Gurbaz hasn’t even played well the last few games so he’s due a decent innings against Australia. Mon

[Jimmy Floyd]

I would love them to qualify but they would also get rat-fucked by India in the semi, and we might need two chances for goliath to be slain. Trott powering them to World Cup supremacy over England is quality stuff though.

[Jimmy Floyd]

New Zealand sauntering to 400 here has killed the rest of the tournament stone dead. What a bunch of wankers Pakistan are.

We now need to beat Aus here (no rolling in the aisles) to try and get them 4th and get India the hardest possible route to glory. And to qualify for the CT ourselves, natch.

[Waffdon]

Not after England win this afternoon and Afghanistan beat Australia in the week.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Even then they've got Bangladesh and a healthy net run rate advantage to see them through. Afghans will have to beat South Africa as well.

[Waffdon]

If India beat South Africa tomorrow, there’s not really a whole lot they’d be playing for. Can see them half arsing it especially if a win puts Afghanistan through

[Jimmy Floyd]

They don't want Afghanistan through, they'll want someone through who could beat India in the other semi.

Of course they could just balls it up because they're South Africa and that's what they do.

[Waffdon]

They can do what they want. Nothing is stopping this afghan train.

Even Rashid is on board now. In the fucking bin, Australia, mate.

[Waffdon]

Pakistan looking in pretty good nick. Zaman 106 off 60 balls so far.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Probably needs to double it after the rain break.

Can't wait to see what we're bowled out for chasing what should be a very gettable score. 135 the central estimate.

[Jimmy Floyd]

As always with Australia, these great lavish helpings of luck getting them to anywhere past 250. Must have been six or seven occasions in this innings when a shit shot in the air fell between three fielders.

[niko_cee]

Pakistan are probably cooked if the game restarts, need the DLS to get it done for them now.

Can't see Australia really being much of a chance against India, Kiwis are usually the most deadly semi-final opponent, Australia better suited to a final perhaps due to 'heritage'. AUS v SA would be a good semi.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Another update from Shashank. The ground officials believe [cut-off time] is 7pm. The event officials believe it should be 7.40pm since the first innings ended late. Whatever it is, this much is certain. We are not going to have a full chase. So the overs will drastically come down.

Indians absolutely bang on top of the admin as always.

[Waffdon]

Pakistan are probably cooked if the game restarts, need the DLS to get it done for them now.

Can't see Australia really being much of a chance against India, Kiwis are usually the most deadly semi-final opponent, Australia better suited to a final perhaps due to 'heritage'. AUS v SA would be a good semi.

Pakistan are currently ahead on it by 10 runs if it doesn’t restart unless I heard wrong

[niko_cee]

Indeed, so, harsh as it might be on NZ, just calling it now is the best case scenario.

[Ben]

Zampa nailed on five-fer here after this ridiculous cameo.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Target would be 335 off 40 or 297 off 35 by my calcs, tricky you would think, albeit Fakhar's had a rest now.

[Max Power]

180 in a 20 over match but you have two set bats and 9 wickets in hand. It’s doable.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Bairstow fuelling his critics again before presumably answering them at some point in the future.

[niko_cee]

:D

What a start.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Fakhar off on one again. Needless to say I've switched channels.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Pakistan have won, because of course they have. Tournament back on, albeit NZ received a huge NRR boost in defeat which may call it off again.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Well we might have slumped to another pathetic defeat, but by my calculations we have overtaken Bangladesh on net run rate to move up into 9th place and that is very much the real quiz.

EDIT: Nope, still behind them, but make no mistake, we are breathing down their necks.

[Waffdon]

Fucking useless bastards.

[niko_cee]

Umpire review for being bowled might be stretching the realms of plausibility somewhat.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Definite WG Grace air of 'they came to see me further an ethnonationalist agenda, not you bowl' with this Indian side.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Umps gave four byes, Kohli screamed at him that he hit it, umps changed his decision to runs. Replays confirmed it was byes. Such pathetic pandering. I've been in that position a billion times (either rightly or wrongly) and you DO NOT change your decision based on a player whining at you. Awful, awful umpiring.

[thommo]

Umpire review for being bowled might be stretching the realms of plausibility somewhat.

They've got form for this - wasn't it The Big Cheese himself who didn't walk off when Mo bowled him a few years back?

It's getting to the point now where I think I'd even support the Aussies against India if it means they don't win their home WC.

[Jimmy Floyd]

Is it even a question? I'll be taking baths in VB and wanking into cork hats all night if they topple India in the final.

[Ian]

They've got form for this - wasn't it The Big Cheese himself who didn't walk off when Mo bowled him a few years back?

It's getting to the point now where I think I'd even support the Aussies against India if it means they don't win their home WC.

Yeah he stood looking furious and there was a very awkward / hilarious 10-15 where it looked like he might need escorted off.

[thommo]

Has Angelo Mathews just been timed out?! :D

[Jimmy Floyd]

I have never seen that happen at any level of cricket. Utterly mental and inevitable that it happened thanks to an appeal by Bangladesh, the most shithouse team in history.

[thommo]

First instance of it occurring in international cricket apparently. It's only happened 6 times in the history of FC cricket!