World T20

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The ICC have run some poor events in yesteryear but this is already taking the biscuit


No tickets on sale still, reports Delhi are pulling out as a host and Pakistan might not even be allowed to play. Oh and Australia have already announced their squad

But everything is "progressing smoothly" according to the latest ICC press release...

Problem with Jordan is he is good at the death but that's of no use if he's gone for 30 odd in his first couple (see the final t20 against SA). I also think willey is a far superior bat in this format too (although they seem reluctant to put him up the order)

Willey has far more experience in t20's also, having played in the Big Bash. His performances in the final stages of the t20 blast should also be noted, his temperament is clearly there and quite frankly I think he's earnt it

Surprised Buttler didn't win it for Mumbai in the end there, so Jordan deserves some credit for getting rid of him, Toppley bowled some good overs at the death too. Maybe the answer re the Jordan/Willey question is to pick neither: Toppley, Plunkett and three spinners anyone?

I'd gamble on Plunkett and Topley on the basis if they get it right they are more likely to take wickets, which I think is our best chance of checking the run rate

Willey probably shades Jordan for me but not a convincing option with the ball, seems to be a bits and pieces player to me, in fact they both do. I'd say Stokes is better than both with the ball but I'd want insurance from an extra seamer so one of them probably has to play. Could have done with Finn out there really

VTR wrote:I'd gamble on Plunkett and Topley on the basis ...

... that neither is Jordan - that's what I thought you were going to say!

Top 6 is nailed on (Roy, Hales, Root, Morgan, Stokes, Buttler) that leaves five "bowler" spots, even though Stokes will bowl close to his full compliment. Ali, Rashid and Topley are also probably nailed on. That leaves two spots available. I suspect we will indeed see Jordan and Willey. If Plunkett plays it will probably be as a wicket taking option in the middle overs while I struggle to see England selecting Dawson alongside two other slow bowlers.

guildfordbat wrote:

VTR wrote:I'd gamble on Plunkett and Topley on the basis ...

... that neither is Jordan - that's what I thought you were going to say!

Ha! You know what, I almost put Jordan as my other option on the basis he might deliver a decent death over or two bowling behind Plunkett/Topley/Stokes

To be honest though, any combination of seam options looks very weak and not much like the attack that will challenge for the title

Imran Tahir has taken a pasting from SA batters whilst bowling for Mumbai.

Bumrah, illegal action?

India collapsing chasing 127 for NZ

India 45-7

well, I don't think anyone expected that! India crumbled against some excellent bowling. I did feel that 126 wasn't a terrible score on this pitch, but felt India had more than enough firepower to get home. Well done NZ

If the pitches continue to be like this, England have to pick all three spinners...

Mad for Chelsea wrote:well, I don't think anyone expected that! India crumbled against some excellent bowling. I did feel that 126 wasn't a terrible score on this pitch, but felt India had more than enough firepower to get home. Well done NZ

If the pitches continue to be like this, England have to pick all three spinners...

... and as usual they'll twig that too late???

That was excellent from NZ.

Spot on with team selection even though it was heavily questioned before the start.

Game plan to score heavy went off the rails early but they didn't panic. After 2 overs it looked for all the world they were on a suicide mission.

Thought a lot of India's bowling and fielding was excellent. Turned out to be nowhere near good enough. I genuinely thought right up until he lost his wicket that Kohli would still bring it home.

Excellent first match to add to what I think was a very enjoyable qualifying round - apart from the rain.

It genuinely is anyone's.

NZ catch a complacent India wrong footed

Reports are England are going to pick Jordan and Willey leaving out plunkett

KP_fan wrote:NZ catch a complacent India wrong footed

Went to bed after the NZ innings. I thought 127 runs would be a cakewalk for India. Well done Kiwis!

Play Dawson instead of Jordan... 3 spinners is the way to go

jimbohammers wrote:Play Dawson instead of Jordan... 3 spinners is the way to go

Depends on the wicket surely. Certainly looking at the early games/qualifiers some had pace and bounce but otherwise pretty true.

Knowing England, our idea of 3 spinners will be Rashid, Root and Hales

Looks like we're going to have to wait a bit longer for the next upset. Little chance now of one in the current game. Pakistan bossing it against Bangladesh as they reach 90/1 off 10 overs.

Guildford, Bangladesh still in this one for me...

What a ball from Amir.

jimbohammers wrote:Guildford, Bangladesh still in this one for me...

A game of opinions, Jimbo, but mine is very different [and that was before Amir's beauty as flagged by LD].

Guildford, sure is. Massive odds against, Bangladesh, but if these 2, Iqbal and Rahman can stay in a while they still have a chance. Outfield is so quick.

A very tough chase for Bangladesh but they certainly have the experience and confidence to perform well having been on the world scene for a while now. Along with Afghanistan, another emerging team which shows no fear, I think either or both of them will cause at least one upset in the group matches.

India's loss last night is the worst possible outcome for Australia, I feel. They will be hard pressed to beat any of India, NZ and Pakistan.
I'm still not convinced they have the batting patience and technique to perform well on these slower pitches. Not enough spin options either.

NZ showed that they have a little more subtlety in their approach - whereas Australia always seem to play hard/go hard with an inability to drop down a gear or two when needed.

I hope I'm wrong but I believe India and NZ will progress from our group.

Jimbo - an old and very poor skipper of mine used to regularly give the instruction, ''Go for the runs but don't get out''. He failed to appreciate the two are often mutually exclusive.

I feel that's been Bangladesh's major problem in this game from early on when Pakistan reached and then bettered a rate of 9 per over. A solid start to their innings was not going to be good enough for Bangladesh - that increased the chances of their wickets falling and has heaped the pressure on their later batsmen.

Now 87/4 off 13 - much too much to do now.

To their credit Bangladesh didn't fold as badly as I thought would be the case but they still took a walloping. Harder games to come for Pakistan but a satisfying start.

Meanwhile, VTR's cunning plan to keep Jordan out of today's team continues as he sticks another pin in the voodoo doll ....

guildfordbat wrote:Meanwhile, VTR's cunning plan to keep Jordan out of today's team continues as he sticks another pin in the voodoo doll ....

Really unfair and inaccurate comment - there's no room left to stick any more pins in!

VTR wrote:

guildfordbat wrote:Meanwhile, VTR's cunning plan to keep Jordan out of today's team continues as he sticks another pin in the voodoo doll ....

Really unfair and inaccurate comment - there's no room left to stick any more pins in!

I wonder how many more chances Roy will get?

96/2 off 12. Decentish but important to really build on it now. So often we seem to fall away when in this sort of position.

From a Windies viewpoint, I would be tempted to give Gayle an over now (assume he's ok to bowl).

guildfordbat wrote:96/2 off 12. Decentish but important to really build on it now. So often we seem to fall away when in this sort of position.

And from there we end up with 182/6 off our 20. Not bad but probably no better than a par score - Knight confirms the boundaries are on the short side and the outfield is fast. Certainly feel we would have been hoping for a little more around the half-way mark. Some excellent fielding near the rope apart from a goof by Holder at the end.

To win this, we're going to need to take quite a few wickets to keep the run rate in check.

so England end on 182-6. Feels like a good-ish total, albeit on a what looks like a good pitch, and bowling isn't their strong suit. Good contributions from Root, Buttler and Morgan, and useful boundaries at the death by Stokes and Ali (the latter a fortuitous one perhaps).

WI have firepower at the top, but a fairly length tail IMO, for me it's nicely in the balance. England will need to start well with the ball, hope to pick up some early wickets.

Last four overs went for 54, but I do wonder if Morgan and Buttler could have hit the accelerator a bit earlier. To all intents and purposes England finished only 5 down, and considering they bat down to 10... A double-edged sword of course, as guildford's superb anecdote of his former captain shows

Not watching it, but anytime you're scoring 180+ you should defend it

anyone else think it's a bit of a disgrace that Johnson Charles is opening the batting for an international side, and has done so for a while. Just a slogger, and not a particularly good one at that... Willey eventually gets his line right, and out he goes, good start for England.

I'd rather have 182 than chase it. Stating the bleeding obious but Gayle is the key wicket.

Olly wrote:Not watching it, but anytime you're scoring 180+ you should defend it

2/1 off the first 2 legitimate deliveries from Willey as he gets Johnson. Olly - just before that wicket, Sky's latest gizmo The Predictor narrowly made West Indies the favourites to win. Doesn't mean that's what is going to happen of course but perhaps suggests it's not clear cut.

Mad for Chelsea wrote:anyone else think it's a bit of a disgrace that Johnson Charles is opening the batting for an international side, and has done so for a while. Just a slogger, and not a particularly good one at that... Willey eventually gets his line right, and out he goes, good start for England.

MfC - I do think he's a poor player but don't know enough these days as to what options the Windies have.

PS Glad you liked the anecdote.

The spinners will be the key for England here. If Moeen and Rashid can control the middle overs to any extent, that RRR is going to climb rapidly

Gayle just ruined Moeen

Get Rashid on - it's do or die

seamers bowling a wide an over on average, just not good enough... not been able to get Gayle out of his comfort zone, just bowled in his slot all day.

I mean, don't get me wrong, it's been brilliant from Gayle, but England have made it all too easy for him IMO, just allowed him to clear his front leg and swing through all day.

Rashid only two overs - Eoin Morgan #headsgone

Its great batting but England are about to concede 183 with 3 overs left. Put simply, this is the most atrocious bowling t20 unit in world cricket. Jordan, Willey, Topley at the very least need time out of the side, they aren't very good at the moment.
Englands tournament is already finished, they have zero chance in any of the other matches bar afghanistan

Olly wrote:Rashid only two overs - Eoin Morgan #headsgone

to be fair, he took a bit of a pummelling in his second, and with all the dew about not sure leg-spin is the easiest thing to bowl. I agree he'd have been worth a gamble though..

This bowing unit would struggle to defend 220 to be frank.

Mad for Chelsea wrote:

Olly wrote:Rashid only two overs - Eoin Morgan #headsgone

to be fair, he took a bit of a pummelling in his second, and with all the dew about not sure leg-spin is the easiest thing to bowl. I agree he'd have been worth a gamble though..

He's our best wicket taking option - arguably best bowler. He took some stick but you gotta give him a chance.

Eoin Morgan really isn't a very good captain - this is becoming more and more evident over the course of the winter