Champions trophy 2017 discussion thread

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

First topic message reminder :

So it all kicks off today with England's game against Bangladesh at the oval

My prediction is victory for Australia overall....

Should be a really entertaining tournament!

[guildfordbat]

Good win for England.  I didn't see much of the NZ innings - retired after Ball and Wood's first ten overs secure in expectation of a win...I can see why people were a bit concerned when Williamson and Taylor were going ; but these two matches have shown that NZ have a tail that starts at five so one wicket was always going to cruel their chances. (OK that is a bit harsh perhaps but I really do not much rate the rest of their order - their top four are excellent but they've been let down twice in a row now)
I remain surprised many felt England's 310 was under par.  Always thought this pitch had more for the bowlers than a lot of the placid ODI pitches we've seen lately : certainly Plunkett seems to have found it !

Hope England don't switch off for the "dead" game with Australia. Winning is a nice habit to maintain...

Hi Alfie - guilty as implied if not charged!

In an attempt at mitigation, my main reasons - besides natural pessimism - revolved around:
1. I underestimated the weakness of the New Zealand middle order and lower. It is somewhat unfair to pick on one player after only two games but, from what I've seen so far, Broom at number 5 seems more like a dead weight than giving the Kiwis the welly they need for the later overs. The majority of teams in this tournament would have been expected to win from where they were at their 30 over mark - more than half way there and with 8 wickets still in the bank.
2. I hadn't expected Ball to be so on the money at the start. Although New Zealand at first recovered well (as per my 30 over comment above), getting Ronchi for a duck was still extremely helpful. If he had got off to a flyer as he did against Australia (60 odd off 40 odd), it would have set a different tone and might have allowed someone like Broom to play a slow scoring, supporting role that he seems best suited for.
3. Connected with both the above points and even taking the pitch into account, I expected New Zealand to make better use of the fairly small (cf the Oval) outfield. Despite throwing away 5 and a half overs, New Zealand still struck 18 fours to our 19. Where they failed miserably was in clearing the ropes - just once to our ten times. Credit here in particular to Rashid who might have been expected to go for plenty. As well as Ronchi, I was ready for Anderson going big which also didn't happen.

As Olly posted last night, England did bowl well (and generally fielded well too; do look out the stumping by Buttler, brilliant work - never expected to say that two years ago!). However, New Zealand batted (very) poorly from the decent base they had built at 30 overs. There's a case for saying they lost the game as well us winning it. I don't know if this is natural pessimism coming to the surface again but I feel the same about our two recent wins against South Africa - they could have won that series 3-0 rather than our having a 2-1 success. That's why I'm still keeping the Champions Trophy celebration champagne on ice.

Totally agree with you about beating Australia. Winning is not always a habit that can easily be switched on once it goes off.

[Gooseberry]

If it rains in the Bang vs NZ game, and England beat Australia... Does that tie Bang, NZ, Aus all on the same points? Who would go through in that case - NRR I presume?

 
OR

whoever wins the BD-NZ game will have 3 points....
and Aus -Eng game rains-out...Aus have 3 points too.

In this case, the winner of NZ vs Bangladesh would go through as it would be 1 win vs 0 wins for Australia? And Wins > NRR.

is there a clause in this tournament where one with higher number of wins gets a precedence over NRR when teams are on equal points '

Yes.

Points
Wins
NRR
Head to Head
Seeding

No dead rubbers in the group, only England know their fate. All 3 other teams have a kicking and a NR on their record. Aus have the toughest game to come and cant go through on a tie/NR if theres a result in the other game...so although they have more points in the bag they arent in a better position and almost certainly have to win. New Zelaand and Bangladesh face a must win tie and have to hope Aus dont spring a surpise victory against a complacent / rotated England side.

[Gooseberry]

England have a habit of losing the "dead rubber" at the end of series, so I'm not too hopeful for the Australia game. Hopefully they don't switch off because it's easier to keep winning then switch off and switch back on!

You say that but they managed to switch on OK again after the screw up of the 3rd SA game.

I too hope they stay focused and dont over tinker with the side though. And beating Aus is always good. I suspect they may well rotate at least one seamer, and theres a question over whether they retain Rashid or put Willey in which may condition dependant.
Then of course theres Roy. Do you drop him now, or look at this as a dead rubber and that you can afford him to have another bad day but get a bonus if he does refind his confidence? If they do stick with him will they give Bairstow a game elsewhere just to take someone out of the line for a bit, not sure who though. And if Roys out who opens...Root?

[Mad for Chelsea]

Morning all.

I think it's been two pretty polished performances from England so far. I take guildford's point about how poor NZ's middle and lower orders were, but I think some credit should be given to England's bowlers for how accurate they were, and Morgan's captaincy which did a great job of squeezing the new batsmen. I though in particular with the short straight boundaries Rashid did a great job, he's one NZ would have been targeting with the pitch doing a bit for the seamers. England were overall excellent in the field, their energy levels terrific throughout, and yes, I did enjoy Buttler's stumping, top piece of work . It was also nice that England posted 310 despite not quite getting it right with the bat.

However, it's also a fair point to question NZ's batting (Williamson aside). Broom in particular seems a waste of space, and with Ronchi moved up to open their batting feels even more top heavy. I think I read that Anderson hasn't passed 40 in ODIs since 2015. I do think England will have planned for this to a degree, hence I never really felt NZ were ahead of the game yesterday. Even when Williamson and Taylor were going well, you felt 7.5/8 runs per over would be a tough ask.

Interestingly, I spoke to Mike (Selig) the other day, after the opening match. He reckons England have the best all round batting with no real weakness (Roy's form aside, come back to that in a minute), India a close second. He reckons SA are top heavy, NZ obviously so, while Aus - Warner and Smith aside - have a (relative) lack of genuine quality. He does think Woakes will be a big loss though, but actually fancies England for the tournament.

I'm waiting for the India-SA game to make a more informed decision on those two sides (SL and Pakistan are a way behind IMO), but certainly England have been the most impressive team in their group. Obviously room for improvement still, but overall quite good signs.

[Pete C (Kiwireddevil)]

Morning all.

I think it's been two pretty polished performances from England so far. I take guildford's point about how poor NZ's middle and lower orders were, but I think some credit should be given to England's bowlers for how accurate they were, and Morgan's captaincy which did a great job of squeezing the new batsmen. I though in particular with the short straight boundaries Rashid did a great job, he's one NZ would have been targeting with the pitch doing a bit for the seamers. England were overall excellent in the field, their energy levels terrific throughout, and yes, I did enjoy Buttler's stumping, top piece of work . It was also nice that England posted 310 despite not quite getting it right with the bat.

However, it's also a fair point to question NZ's batting (Williamson aside). Broom in particular seems a waste of space, and with Ronchi moved up to open their batting feels even more top heavy. I think I read that Anderson hasn't passed 40 in ODIs since 2015. I do think England will have planned for this to a degree, hence I never really felt NZ were ahead of the game yesterday. Even when Williamson and Taylor were going well, you felt 7.5/8 runs per over would be a tough ask.

Interestingly, I spoke to Mike (Selig) the other day, after the opening match. He reckons England have the best all round batting with no real weakness (Roy's form aside, come back to that in a minute), India a close second. He reckons SA are top heavy, NZ obviously so, while Aus - Warner and Smith aside - have a (relative) lack of genuine quality. He does think Woakes will be a big loss though, but actually fancies England for the tournament.

I'm waiting for the India-SA game to make a more informed decision on those two sides (SL and Pakistan are a way behind IMO), but certainly England have been the most impressive team in their group. Obviously room for improvement still, but overall quite good signs.

Agree with you on NZ's batting down the order - I foreshadowed it here yesterday and it's been like that since the World Cup - Grant Elliot was a much better option in limited overs than either Broom or Neesham. Santner's been bowling well with the white ball, but he's still not as effective with the bat as Vettori (despite probably having more natural talent for it)

In Anderson's defense injuries have meant he's played 13 ODIs since 2015. That said he definitely needs to contribute more. Ronchi's also had a lean couple of years down the order too - but perhaps a shift to Latham at the top & dropping Broom could help. At the cost of some top order fireworks mind.

[Gooseberry]

Since Mcccullums retirement NZ are short a proper batsman and some firepower in the top 5. Ronchi can give one but not the other, and theres a place sitter whoevers in at 5. They are reliant on their only real proper bats a 2-4 to get the buldk of the runs, but they arent going to do that especially rapidly by the standards of the last couple of years, they are 5.5 an over rather than 6 an over players. Whilst they do have some batting from the bowlers those players arent real all rounders like a Stokes or Moeen. And with a couple of genuine tail enders to boot they just arent up their with the likes of India and England (even the current side with and out fo form Roy and Ball in for Woakes) for batting.
Decent side but in no way great. Aus too have players that seem to be making up the numbers a bit.

Theres very much 3 sides that look like real contenders for the title still, and only one is in this group.

[Pete C (Kiwireddevil)]

Since Mcccullums retirement NZ are short a proper batsman and some firepower in the top 5. Ronchi can give one but not the other, and theres a place sitter whoevers in at 5. They are reliant on their only real proper bats a 2-4 to get the buldk of the runs, but they arent going to do that especially rapidly by the standards of the last couple of years, they are 5.5 an over rather than 6 an over players. Whilst they do have some batting from the bowlers those players arent real all rounders like a Stokes or Moeen. And with a couple of genuine tail enders to boot they just arent up their with the likes of India and England (even the current side with and out fo form Roy and Ball in for Woakes) for batting.
Decent side but in no way great. Aus too have players that seem to be making up the numbers a bit.

Theres very much 3 sides that look like real contenders for the title still, and only one is in this group.

Williamson & Guptill are both capable - KW is only a smidgen shy of Root as an ODI batsman (and is a better test bat), while Guptill is a 6+ an over player by the time he gets to a ton. Otherwise, Taylor is a shadow of the ODI batsman he was & we missed a trick not blooding a couple of young lads back home last year.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Morning all.

I think it's been two pretty polished performances from England so far. I take guildford's point about how poor NZ's middle and lower orders were, but I think some credit should be given to England's bowlers for how accurate they were, and Morgan's captaincy which did a great job of squeezing the new batsmen. I though in particular with the short straight boundaries Rashid did a great job, he's one NZ would have been targeting with the pitch doing a bit for the seamers. England were overall excellent in the field, their energy levels terrific throughout, and yes, I did enjoy Buttler's stumping, top piece of work . It was also nice that England posted 310 despite not quite getting it right with the bat.

However, it's also a fair point to question NZ's batting (Williamson aside). Broom in particular seems a waste of space, and with Ronchi moved up to open their batting feels even more top heavy. I think I read that Anderson hasn't passed 40 in ODIs since 2015. I do think England will have planned for this to a degree, hence I never really felt NZ were ahead of the game yesterday. Even when Williamson and Taylor were going well, you felt 7.5/8 runs per over would be a tough ask.

Interestingly, I spoke to Mike (Selig) the other day, after the opening match. He reckons England have the best all round batting with no real weakness (Roy's form aside, come back to that in a minute), India a close second. He reckons SA are top heavy, NZ obviously so, while Aus - Warner and Smith aside - have a (relative) lack of genuine quality. He does think Woakes will be a big loss though, but actually fancies England for the tournament.

I'm waiting for the India-SA game to make a more informed decision on those two sides (SL and Pakistan are a way behind IMO), but certainly England have been the most impressive team in their group. Obviously room for improvement still, but overall quite good signs.

Agree with you on NZ's batting down the order - I foreshadowed it here yesterday and it's been like that since the World Cup - Grant Elliot was a much better option in limited overs than either Broom or Neesham. Santner's been bowling well with the white ball, but he's still not as effective with the bat as Vettori (despite probably having more natural talent for it)

In Anderson's defense injuries have meant he's played 13 ODIs since 2015. That said he definitely needs to contribute more. Ronchi's also had a lean couple of years down the order too - but perhaps a shift to Latham at the top & dropping Broom could help. At the cost of some top order fireworks mind.

I'd say bringing in Latham for Broom and putting Ronchi down the order would be a sensible move. Yes it lacks some fireworks up top, but in theory it will mean your lower order hitters in Anderson/Neesham won't be required to do anything but come in and smash it for 30 odd balls. Also Latham is just a much better bat than broom

[alfie]

Following on to points discussed above : I'd agree England's bowling deserves a lot of credit .  The opening spell from Ball in particular pleased me as he's been under a bit of pressure leaking runs in recent matches ( though I have felt he's been a bit better than the raw figures might imply) : yesterday he was only a Morgan misfield away from opening with three maidens...not too common in limited overs ! Plus the handy wicket...
I didn't stay up for the later overs but clearly Rashid impressed everyone ; and Plunkett once again did his job - wickets late in the innings : he's having an excellent ODI season.  And obviously England didn't panic when Williamson and Taylor were edging closer to parity with the run rate...credit to Morgan ?

The batting as everyone says was short of its best ; but I can't help but feel that is rather a product of our increased expectations. The fact that very good players like Root as well as the Kiwi stars were unable to turn good starts into really big scores suggests batting just wasn't that easy.  Stokes looked the most fluent until he overreached and got out but the innings was rather fizzling out ...which brings me to Buttler.
The best thing to come from this game for England , I think.  Despite that sixty against SA I think we'd all agree Jos hasn't been at his best for a while now... and in fact he started off rather scratchily again here.  But as the innings went on he came back to the innovative and powerful player that has served this team so well...if this innings has brought back his magic it can only be great news for England...

For NZ it is not the end if England can do the job on Australia...but despite some optimism above I am not going to write the Australians off ! They have to win : I hope England don't relax too much because they don't ...

[guildfordbat]

Restrained start by South Africa today - 30/0 off 7 but I wouldn't read much into that although outfield slowish due to the recent rain. Plenty of time and all wickets left.

Meanwhile, forecast on Friday and Saturday is for a few showers but not really too bad at all. Seems there'll be positive results in the last 2 games in England's group.

[Pete C (Kiwireddevil)]

62/3 after 15, with Amla, de Kock & ABDV back in the shed. Boilover on?

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

ABDV has had 7 ducks in ODI. 6 have come at ICC events (4 at the world cup, 2 in the champions trophy). Keeping up that Saffer tradition of choking when the pressures on

[Pal Joey]

Astute observation, Olly. He doesn't look switched on at all here.
Maybe he's saving it up for India?

[Pete C (Kiwireddevil)]

105/4 off 26 ...

Shaping up as an old-school 250 score

[Pal Joey]

105/4 off 26 ...

Shaping up as an old-school 250 score

Yeah, maybe even less now with Duminy gone.
Wow.. what a ball from Hassan to dismiss Parnell!

[Pete C (Kiwireddevil)]

105/4 off 26 ...

Shaping up as an old-school 250 score

Yeah, maybe even less now with Duminy gone.

Parnell golden duck. Hasan Ali on a hat trick

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

105/4 off 26 ...

Shaping up as an old-school 250 score

Yeah, maybe even less now with Duminy gone.

Parnell golden duck. Hasan Ali on a hat trick

That delivery shouldn't be allowed to be shown before the watershed. My word what a delivery

[Pete C (Kiwireddevil)]

105/4 off 26 ...

Shaping up as an old-school 250 score

Yeah, maybe even less now with Duminy gone.

Parnell golden duck. Hasan Ali on a hat trick

That delivery shouldn't be allowed to be shown before the watershed. My word what a delivery

Close on perfection all right

[Pete C (Kiwireddevil)]

75 no from Miller drags SA through to 219/8. We'll see once both sides have batted ...

[alfie]

Ha... "Surprise" result - eventually somewhat rain assisted but there you are.

I did suggest just the other day that no results can be taken for granted in these short forms of the game - and Pakistan apparently remain as mercurial as ever.
Now given anything can still happen in the remaining group games it is too early to say SA are on the way home ; but they are going to have to lift for the India match if they want to keep advancement in their own hands...

[KP_fan]

Pakistan's strength is bowling and they stood up with a stellar display....

and although their weak-link batting was looking in enough control to knock off the remaining  100 odd runs....

the task was made easier for them by rain...as weaker batting line-ups thrive better in shorter games

This group is also wide open now

[Gooseberry]

Yep it leaves both groups wide open, and as it stands all teams can still qualify.
Small competitive groups, meaningful games between the best sides ...its everything a world cup isnt. Inculsivity has its place of course , as do the fairy tails (like Ireland beating Pakistan with absolutely no inteference from bookmakers *cough*) but this format is far better as a comeptition IMO.

Rain may have ended the game prematurely yesterday but Pakistan were in a very strong position. It does highlight again though that the later starting games are more vulnerable to the sort of patchy weather we are seeing currently. Three hours of good weather was lost on the day by a lunchtime start, more than enough to have completed the remaining overs. Full use of days is far easier to implement than reserve days or complex systems of weather adjustments or staggered innings.

Possibility of a bit of rain again today but not so much that it should stop a full game. India should book a place in the semis and make Sri Lanka the first team out but its not a given.

[KP_fan]

India's seam bowling is one of the best in the tournament ......and  the best 4 pronged pace attack they've ever had in my view in an international series

Each of the 4 seamers hits 140+ with Bumrah and Yadav exceeding 145 at times....
Batting was only half used in that game vs Pak.....with top 3 build-the-inning type batters .....
and a middle order than can explode for 75 runs in last 5 overs...and depth upto number 9 with the bat

BUT we have all see enough cricket to know..... nothing can be taken for granted...Lanka stands a chance of winning too

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

It'd be the most Pakistan thing to beat south Africa before losing to the weak Sri Lanka

But that India-SA game looks to be tasty as heck - especially if somehow Sri Lanka win today

[KP_fan]

Yep it leaves both groups wide open, and as it stands all teams can still qualify.
Small competitive groups, meaningful games between the best sides ...its everything a world cup isnt. Inculsivity has its place of course , as do the fairy tails (like Ireland beating Pakistan with absolutely no inteference from bookmakers *cough*) but this format is far better as a comeptition IMO.

True CT as well as the last T20 world cup formats made them very competitive and exciting...few dead games

Meanwhile the 50 over world  cup format was so flawed that all top 8 sides were almost guaranteed of place in QF...and thereafter it became a knock out lottery...

so the games between top 8 sides at the group level lacked context

And therein lies the contradiction between "inclusivity"  vs "competitive context"

In my view inclusivity can be addressed through more bilateral and triangular tournaments involving minnows
the two main world cups and CT should focus on competitive context

[Gooseberry]

India's seam bowling is one of the best in the tournament ......and  the best 4 pronged pace attack they've ever had in my view in an international series

Each of the 4 seamers hits 140+ with Bumrah and Yadav exceeding 145 at times....
Batting was only half used in that game vs Pak.....with top 3 build-the-inning type batters .....
and a middle order than can explode for 75 runs in last 5 overs...and depth upto number 9 with the bat

BUT we have all see enough cricket to know..... nothing can be taken for granted...Lanka stands a chance of winning too

Theres a lot of strong seam bowling units mind.
Aus, England, SA, Pakistan and NZ would also class themsleves in that bracket. Arguably he best balls of the tournament came form Pakistan yesterday.
For India though as you note this is highly unusual, in previous competitions this owuld have been thir glaring weakness in contrast to legendary batsmen and good spinners. Now they seem to have a complete team.

Another point on seam bowlers. Given this is hosted in England theres a real lack of the traditional county middle pace specialist picks. No real dibbly dobbler bowlers in any side. Previous England ODI siudes have tended to be stacked with these guys, even on away pitches. Whilst theres few players with real genuine express pace the seamers in all these teams are generaly fast medium and capable of clocking over 140kph when they choose. England have selected close to the fastest stable of seamers they could, the one in the squad whos seen as more a skiddy/swingy home specialist is left out. Theres definately a change in philosophy here which maybe has come from T20 and an increased importance on strike bowling rather than just containing.

Its also good to see spinners getting in on the act too. Despite soft wet English (and Welsh) pitches and damp balls theres still been turn and wickets coming.

Score on the whole have been about where they should be showing a balance between bat and ball. A couple of low scores but not games where both sides have been blown away for peanuts, and no side has psoted a true monster score yet. It looks like they've got the pitches about right to enable fast and slow bowlers without making it impossible to bat on. So credit to grounstaff and organisers there.

[KO-KING]

Bunch of checkers in this tournament

Imad Wasim, Hafeez chuck majority of their spells

The other seamer the one with the long sleeves, Hassan Ali I think, I saw him chuck number of times vs India

Watched tamim vs Australia on Iplayer and head chucks few times too, moeen should do it... Only fair, bunch of cheats

Imad and Hafeez have baseball release pretty much

[Pete C (Kiwireddevil)]

Bunch of checkers in this tournament

Imad Wasim, Hafeez chuck majority of their spells

The other seamer the one with the long sleeves, Hassan Ali I think, I saw him chuck  number of times vs India

Watched tamim vs Australia on Iplayer and head chucks few times too, moeen should do it... Only fair, bunch of cheats

Imad and Hafeez have baseball release pretty much

Kane Williamson's hardly bowled since being made to change his action - and in fairness it was pretty bad

[KP_fan]

India when batting first.....aim to go on the trajectory of ~46 in 10 over
~100 in 20 overs
about ~165-170 in 30 overs
and double the 30 over score in 50 overs

[KP_fan]

Theres a lot of strong seam bowling units mind.
Aus, England, SA, Pakistan and NZ would also class themsleves in that bracket. Arguably he best balls of the tournament came form Pakistan yesterday.
For India though as you note this is highly unusual, in previous competitions this owuld have been thir glaring weakness in contrast to legendary batsmen and good spinners. Now they seem to have a complete team.

You're right
as an Indian supporter to see a team with 4 proper good paced seamers......I get a bit excited, as this is a relatively new phenomenon.
there are a few sides as you named who also have an excellent pace attack

[jimbohammers]

Sharma goes and now Kohli gone for a duck!

[Mad for Chelsea]

India were very much on course for a huge score, but Sharma and Kohli have just fallen in successive overs (the latter for a duck), which gives SL a big lift. Still a very strong position for India, but might need a short period of rebuilding over the next few overs, another wicket or two falling could make things very interesting...

[KP_fan]

today was the day to send Dhoni ahead of Yuvraj.....but doesn't make material difference.
Yeah..India need these two to bat until the 35th over atleast

[KP_fan]

Rohit cut loose before he fell....upping his strike rate from 65% to 100% by the time he got out

Dhawan also has cut loose and from 60% his strike rate is upto 92% now

[VTR]

Quite sad to see the Samit Patel version of Malinga wobbling in and unleashing those yorkers at 75mph. SL easily the weakest team in the tournament, so hard to read much into this today

[KP_fan]

India when batting first.....aim to go on the trajectory of ~46 in 10 over
~100 in 20 overs
about ~165-170 in 30 overs
and double the 30 over score in 50 overs

so far India on this trajectory
and since wicket in hand are still 8 the last milestone of that trajectory i.e doubling of the 30 over score is quite achievable

[KP_fan]

and Yuvraj eating up 18 balls without firing...will hurt India
target drops by 20 to 30 runs now for India.....will do well to just cross 300

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Quite sad to see the Samit Patel version of Malinga wobbling in and unleashing those yorkers at 75mph. SL easily the weakest team in the tournament, so hard to read much into this today

It's sad really. Their best batsman is on comms

[VTR]

Good point. They look like a very weak outfit these days. India will surely defend 300 even if that is a bit disappointing after the good start

[KP_fan]

good to see Dhawan a lot of  runs at the top...he is in only because Rahul is injured...
he has an amazing record in CT

[Mad for Chelsea]

SL's death bowling is awful. Not seen them hit a single yorker yet, just a series of "hit-me" full tosses. No real variation either (other than Malinga, who's doing a decent job). Back of a length has worked well for most teams so far, but haven't seen any of that. And Malinga gets Dhawan with a wide slower ball which is dragged to long-on. Fine knock from the opener, took time to get going, but accelerated nicely throughout.

[KP_fan]

the shot that Pandya got out to......was expecting to  get a SIX for it.....as in IPL it would have cleared ...with the same sense of entitlement with which Morgan expects 300 run pitches

[KP_fan]

The super-booming explosion at the end did not come.....and yet 103 runs for India in the last 10 overs...and by the standards they have set for themselves....about 10 to 20 runs short ..that's the difference between Pandya and Yuv not firing

BUT a good total in the end...

an excellent Cameo by Jadhav at 200% SR at the end....Indian middle order is in good hands between  Yuv, Dhoni, Jadhav and Pandya

though Dhoni and Pandya getting out to what would have been IPL sixes

[jimbohammers]

Against a good team that score would be under par. Very short boundary on one side

[KP_fan]

Against a good team that score would be under par. Very short boundary on one side

I can see only England overhauling that type of score 5 out 10 times against this Indian team.

Others like SA and Aus would have a hit rate of 2 to 3 times..
and NZ 1 out 10 times

[Mad for Chelsea]

It felt like India didn't quite get their innings right, but 320 still a good effort. SL's death bowling was pretty horrific, they weren't just missing their yorkers, they were missing them by huge margins, and felt India left a few runs out there. Their bowling attack is good though, and don't think much of SL's batting TBH, so I think India will romp home. Dickwella getting going could make things interesting for a while I guess...

[Gooseberry]

Against a good team that score would be under par. Very short boundary on one side

I can see only England overhauling that type of score 5 out 10 times against this Indian team.

Others like SA and Aus would have a hit rate of 2 to 3 times..
and NZ 1 out 10 times

SA (the world number 1) have only passed that figure once in England (they still lost)

[Pal Joey]

Dickwella needs to be more erect at the crease and play with a straight bat. Otherwise India will make him look silly.

[Gooseberry]

Dickwella needs to be more erect at the crease and play with a straight bat. Otherwise India will make him look silly.

No much chance of a semi now

[VTR]

Excellent work. A shame he's unlikely to bat against Willey in this tournament

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