England vs SA - first ODI

no one's put up a thread for this yet, so I thought I might as well. SA have won the toss and are unsurprisingly bowling first (always an advantage with day matches in England). England's team pretty much as expected Cook (capt), Bell, Trott, Bopara, Morgan, Kieswetter (wk), Bresnan, Woakes, Swann, Anderson, Finn (suspect Woakes will bat ahead of Bresnan though). SA leave out Albie Morkel and include Edgar. Intriguinly their bowling attack has three left-armers in it: Smith, Amla, Elgar, De Villiers (capt & wk), Duminy, Du Plessis, McLaren, Parnell, Petersen, Morkel, Tsotsobe.

Oh and it's raining apparently

update - erm, still raining, and the forecast is poor too. Whose idea was it to schedule a game in Cardiff anyway?

Still raining. We have to start by 15:32 to get a 20-over game in and looking at the forecast that is unlikely.

covers coming off, play due to start at 12:45

38 overs per side if thee's no further rain.

But there is further rain and the start is delayed again.

1.15 is the next start time apparently.

Now 1:45 is the new start time.

and covers back on again, really don't think we'll get any play today unfortunately

latest anouncement (and about last chance saloon) is a 3pm start...

Looks likely to be a T20 game or very close.

Can we swap Bressy for JB

skyeman wrote:Can we swap Bressy for JB

Not Trott?!

VTR wrote:

skyeman wrote:Can we swap Bressy for JB

Not Trott?!

Good point

unfortunately no changes allowed after the toss, so Trott stays (but wouldn't be surprised if he moved down the order). I wonder if Kieswetter will move up to opening again.

Scratch that, it's raining again

It seems we may actually get some play ...24 overs each which will be something for the paying customers so must be applauded , but it seems a bit peculiar that what is now effectively another t20 will still be classified as a 50 over ODI

Anyway scratch all that as it is raining again...

hovercover off again

We still won't get a game in, the forecast from 17:00 onwards is atrocious.

well we're going to start a game at least

Cook and Bell to open, wonder if we'll see Kieswetter at 3?

OK, the battle for the No.1 spot in ODI cricket begins with England currently 1/6 of a point ahead of the Saffers in the rankings.

So a good score on this wicket will be 170+ I'm guessing.

nope, we have one wide from Morkel and we're off again, cricket sometimes doesn't help itself TBH, doesn't seem to be raining hard...

hovercover coming back off again, and we'll have a restart. What a waste of time that was!!!

I must say, the Channel 5 highlights of this game will be mesmerising tonight.

If they're going to play in Wales perhaps they should use that place with a roof

so a 4:10 restart and down to 23 overs a side. Can't help but feel that was all a bit unnecessary.

Cook plays out the first over without much intent. I'm guessing they still use a new ball from each end?

Brilliant from Cook has anyone told him the overs have been reduced?

Bell starts with two blocks.

Are they bloody stupid?

COME ON ENGLAND.

this is clearly the only form of cricket that matters

2 runs after 2 overs. Really hope Trott isn't going to come in at 3...

Are England trying to bat out for the draw? Deliberate miss from the SA fielder. They aren't going to want to get Cook out are they.

It's why Cook is not in T20 team. Thank goodness.

Cook hits a four

Hallelujah. 5 more of those this over and they're nearly back where they should be.

Cor, that's decent Bell End.

Bell striking it beautifully, two sixes in this over

Better now, but 4 from the 1st 3 overs in a powerplay was silly.

the rain starts to fall quite heavily, and we're off again. Bell starting to mind the middle there, pity. Don't think we'll be able to get a full match in now

It's days like this that remind me why I always say no now when my wife asks me if we're going to Lords "this year". £200 to sit in the rain would make Mother Theresa murderous.

Few nice shots there after a sluggish start ...I have no problem with Bell having a look at a few if he can do that when he gets going.

Watery grave I think now though...

I think we can count that as an England win.

Agreed JD

Games off

Those poor people, they'd have been looking forward to that for weeks. Bloody sh!tty weather.

Hopefully the weather will be better for Finals Day tomorrow, Cardiff do really need some luck. Everytime they get a big cricket event it seems to be tarnished by rain, Ashes 09 excepted.

cardiff needs to move abit east and south if it wants better eather

Might be a bit of an effort to move an entire city Myst

well couldnt we just dump it on top of milton keynes loike- we wouldnt miss much

I'm going to talk about the game....

I think that not scoring heavily in the first 3 overs would have been planned. In near darkness and on a helpful surface they'd have recognised that 160 would have been a good score in 23 overs and hence decided that they can afford to let the openers play out a few deliveries. 6-2 with 20 overs to go would have made life awkward.

I know they showed Trott padded up, but I'd be surprised if he was going to come in at 3 after the 4th or 5th over. From that point they'd probably have shuffled Bopara, Morgan and Kieswetter up. We might not even have seen Trott until number 9, with Bresnan, Broad and Swann all more accomplished late order hitters.

Wooo few more of these and England will cling on to the number one spot!