Champions Trophy - England and Wales 2013

First topic message reminder :

We have had a few prediction/ speculation type threads but this will be the discussion thread for matches in the Champions Trophy which starts this morning.

The first game is India v South Africa at the Swalec Stadium, Cardiff.

At the end of the powerplay, India are 66-0.

66/0 after 10 overs. #motoring

Narine joining in on the long hops front. WI need something to happen for them but unless they start stringing a few decent deliveries together it won't...

Skipper Bravo brings himself on now.

Roach drops an easy-ish catch off Dhawan, good bouncer from Bravo, but Roach makes a mess of it, absolutely rubbish from the WI so far...

West Indies need to take all the chances that come their way if they have to make a game of this, but Roach has let his side down by not holding on to an offering from Dhawan.

hilariously poor bowling from the WI. I thought SA were bad in the previous game but this is far, far worse, just a diet of wide long hops. To be fair to India, they've been very good at putting the bad balls away, and there's fifty for Sharma

That's 50 for Rohit Sharma, his 2nd consecutive one, 3rd in 4 games as opener in 2nd coming.
Its Rohit, he has quite an inconsistent past record and repeated history of letting the team and supporters down, so its not yet time to think he has cracked it at last, but good signs nevertheless.

India 98 without loss after 15.

We have a review here. Looks like an inside edge, the keeper wasn't sure, but the bowler and the captain Bravo were, and Rohit Sharma has to go, gone for 52, and India 101-1.

Virat Kohli joins his Delhi teammate Shikhar Dhawan, and gets off the mark with a lovely shot first ball.

a bit unfortunate for Sharma really who'd played nicely, but Narine continuing to test the middle of the pitch here, this is one of the worst collective bowling performances I've seen for a long time...

Ravi Rampaul back on for a fresh spell. He really has to better his efforts from what it was in his first.

Kohli looking to be positive, and Dhawan has his 50.

The West Indians are having a bit of chat with Kohli, but he is on the attack here.

Kohli getting a bit worked up, and gone as he plays all around one from Narine. Glimmer of hope for WI?

Kohli playing across the line and missing a straight one and Narine hits. India 127-2.

memo to other teams, do not feed Dhawan with a diet of wide long-hops or leg stump half-volleys...

V good display by india this.

It would have been good to see India vs a full-strength South Africa team. I suspect South Africa would have won that one convincingly.

This WI team is quite weak. Surprising the number of teams that have under-performed for various reasons.

I am not so sure Teassoc. India deserve the credit tbh..

teassoc wrote:It would have been good to see India vs a full-strength South Africa team. I suspect South Africa would have won that one convincingly.

This WI team is quite weak. Surprising the number of teams that have under-performed for various reasons.

South Africa's ODI team hasn't been that stable of late. Kallis hasn't been regularly available, Smith's ODI form hasn't been great either. Steyn was missed but that was about it. But then, India have gone with a new opening combination, even Karthik in the middle order is on a comeback bid. So credit where it is due.

Seems like the damn bloody rain is set up on ruining a proper finish. Shikhar Dhawan's on 92, he does deserve that ton.

Play about to restart, no overs lost as of now.

Time out in the middle helping Karthik, he looked rather nervy to start with, but as he spend some time in the mieeld, he has managed to play with a lot more fluency.

That is the hundred for Dhawan. Excellent knock.

Karthik gets his 50 as well, and India win by 8 wickets. They are through to the next round. Pakistan are out. Effectively a knockout, the game between South Africa and West Indies.

msp83 wrote:

teassoc wrote:It would have been good to see India vs a full-strength South Africa team. I suspect South Africa would have won that one convincingly.

This WI team is quite weak. Surprising the number of teams that have under-performed for various reasons.

South Africa's ODI team hasn't been that stable of late. Kallis hasn't been regularly available, Smith's ODI form hasn't been great either. Steyn was missed but that was about it. But then, India have gone with a new opening combination, even Karthik in the middle order is on a comeback bid. So credit where it is due.

Morkel was injured part through that game. A full-strength SA team with healthy Morkel, Steyn and Kallis would have been a much better match-up, and is arguably the best one day team at the moment. As it was SA still scored over 300 versus the full India line-up. Not sure any other team has been quite so badly hit by withdrawals?

Jadeja the Man of the match!. Richly deserved.

teassoc wrote:

msp83 wrote:

teassoc wrote:It would have been good to see India vs a full-strength South Africa team. I suspect South Africa would have won that one convincingly.

This WI team is quite weak. Surprising the number of teams that have under-performed for various reasons.

South Africa's ODI team hasn't been that stable of late. Kallis hasn't been regularly available, Smith's ODI form hasn't been great either. Steyn was missed but that was about it. But then, India have gone with a new opening combination, even Karthik in the middle order is on a comeback bid. So credit where it is due.

Morkel was injured part through that game. A full-strength SA team with healthy Morkel, Steyn and Kallis would have been a much better match-up, and is arguably the best one day team at the moment. As it was SA still scored over 300 versus the full India line-up. Not sure any other team has been quite so badly hit by withdrawals?

Morkel bowled 7 overs in the last game didn't he? The South African test side is a class apart from the rest, but I don't think the same can be said about their ODI outfit. Even Steyn isn't usually at his best in ODIs. Kallis has been playing less and less ODIs these days, and in the recently concluded IPL, he did struggle with the bat. They lost an ODI series to NZ at home recently didn't they? And even at the hight of their test series win in England last year, they didn't look the same in the ODI series that followed. An on form Yuvraj singh would be among the most impactful ODI cricketers in the world. But as a matter of fact he didn't do enough to pick himself. No point in talking about what would have been had it been for X, Y or Z.

Another good win for India, who are marking themselves as one of the favourites definitely on form. Their batting seems a notch above the others so far; it will be interesting if they can continue this when they face the better seam-bowling attacks (starting with pakistan) but so far so good.

Have to say though I wasn't that impressed by their win against South Africa, or at least their batting - South Africa's bowling was desperately poor in that match.

Australia v NZ tomorrow. Michael Clarke continues to be unavailable, and there is a chance that NZ may rest Daniel Vettori.

I think either England or India to win the whole thing, New Zealand with a outside chance.

Hope Australia will come out with a more balanced side tomorrow. Them going in without a spinner didn't make sense in the previous game. Mitchell marsh bats far too high at 6, as of now, he's more of a number 8, and his bowling is not much of international quality either at this stage of his career. Maxwell for Marsh will be a sensible choice, although there is a bit of a Shahid Afridi touch to his batting at this point, wonderful to watch if it comes off, but not really consistent. But the lad can turn a cricket ball certainly, and he's worth a go for sure.

Aus v NZ.

Very much a 50/50 match up.

But Australia probally have a fierce competitive edge over there smaller neighbour in this game..

I am still going tp pick NZ to just pip it.

No Michael Clarke though, so tipping New Zealand in a tight contest.

David Warner is being investigated by Cricket Australia over an incident and won't play today.

Just the news the Kiwis wanted to hear

Reports that Warner may have been involved in a fight... if so that might well be the end of his tour...

Shelsey93 wrote:Reports that Warner may have been involved in a fight... if so that might well be the end of his tour...

Rumour has it he punched Joe Root while out on the turps in Birmingham early hors of Sunday morning

He punched Joe Root..

WTF!

Deport him

Is Warner OK? Is he ill or something? Joey Barton syndrome methinks; malicious tweeting and now physical assault.

Warner allegedly punched Root. I'm not quite sure whether I should laugh at this one or be scandalised... I mean, you expect this sort of behaviour from footballers, but that's just not cricket. Not the first time he's been in trouble recently either...

Given Warner's form so far in England , Australia might find this a good reason to send him home and draft in George Bailey to the Ashes squad ? Heaven knows there are enough openers in the team already , having another middle order player might be useful.

Warner is threatening to derail his promising career quite early : first he takes on the press (never a good idea ) in rather intemperate language ; and now it sounds as if he has added issues with alcohol and alleged other misconduct (saying no more until official word )

Well In a way it would be nice for him to play in the Ashes.. It may add some spice.. Hopefully root will bowl him out a few times

ECB statement:

"The England and Wales Cricket Board confirms that David Warner initiated an unprovoked physical attack on a member of the England team in a Birmingham bar following England's 48 run victory over Australia. Warner has admitted behaving inappropriately and has since apologised to the player involved who has accepted the apology. Following a full investigation the England team management has concluded that the England player was in no way responsible for nor retaliated to the attack."

Australia are batting first today.

If its true, I can't see how he tours for the Ashes

Australia are indeed without Warner, meaning a call up for Glenn Maxwell. The X man also gets a game, replacing Mitchell Starc.
Watson is already back in the hut, McLenaghan with the early wicket, good start for Ronchi as well against his former country with that early catch. Hughes in at 3.
Daniel Vettori by the way is available and playing for New Zealand.

Now Philip Hughes is run out, direct hit from Martin Guptill, NZ's best fielder.

10/2. Australia on verge of imminent collapse, and falling apart at the seams.

Matthew Wade is opening today in place of Warner. He and the skipper Bailey have a job to do here, Australia in early trouble.