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...

Olly wrote:England's fielding has been absolute sh1te all winter

Unfortunately they have a few in this outfit who aren't much good in the field. Can't pick a team just for their third discipline skills - or you'd end up with a collection of Jordans
...but going forward i think they have to take it into consideration a lot more.

This game is over , by the way. Nothing to stop SA short of 220 ; and England aren't getting that. Frankly they look shot - have done since the first four overs.
At least they'll have to just come out swinging from the off so it might produce some entertainment.

Is this the worst England seam bowling attack of all time in any format? Not knee-jerking it really is awful

Topley back for the nineteenth.

6 6

Oh dear. He will be worrying it might just be his last in an England shirt.

Reece Topley is crap

Jordan now with the last. Six Yorkers needed...

This should be the last time we see Chris Jordan and Reece topley in an England shirt

229 it is.

Suppose it could have been worse after the power play

I am now questioning the sense of sitting up in the small hours in Melbourne to watch limited over cricket...but at least tomorrow is Saturday.

Alfie you're mental - it's got 133 all out after 17.5 overs written all over it

Well that was embarassing. Yes good batting, but utterly clueless bowling from England. Let's feed them a steady diet of wide half-volleys in the PP, that'll work. Pulled it back a bit in the middle with the spinners and Willey doing a decent job, but last few overs were dreadful again. Fielding woeful too, two dropped catches, both should have been taken comfortably, and a couple of awful misfields.

Will take something special from the batting to get close...

Olly wrote:This should be the last time we see Chris Jordan and Reece topley in an England shirt

I do think Willey is the one I'd be looking to go forward with...those two are simply not consistent enough for mine ; so I would be looking for alternatives. Though England rarely dump bowlers as suddenly as that...took a lot to get rid of Dernbach

The home ODIs this summer present an opportunity to try some new talent so I suspect we will see a new face or two.

For all the considerable failings of England's bowling and fielding, thought it was very good batting by de Kock to set South Africa up so well. As well as power and placement, he displayed fine awareness of where the fielders were and weren't.

On Alfie's point about potential England players who can actually field, I would give a shout to Ansari. Fine fielder both close in and on the rope. Unfortunately, he's still crocked from when his thumb was splattered last summer.

Olly wrote:Alfie you're mental - it's got 133 all out after 17.5 overs written all over it

Well yes. ... But it didn't start until 1am so I napped earlier in the day. Damage is done now I'm wired on coffee

My attempts at mixing subtle hexes with serious comment in that innings came to nothing ( where is Trebell when we need him?) so I might as well go into full Duty mode and hope for a Buttler and Stokes miracle...

I think England will just make it - 230/7.

What's that? It's not a fifty over game? Well that shucks.

All out for 81.

guildfordbat wrote:For all the considerable failings of England's bowling and fielding, thought it was very good batting by de Kock to set South Africa up so well. As well as power and placement, he displayed fine awareness of where the fielders were and weren't.

On Alfie's point about potential England players who can actually field, I would give a shout to Ansari. Fine fielder both close in and on the rope. Unfortunately, he's still crocked from when his thumb was splattered last summer.

Yes we should not forget to praise the excellent SA batting. It was outstanding - even if some of it resembled School Bully versus first formers...

Ansari taking a long time to mend ?

Time for a Roy special? If ever we need Stewart's talk of him batting 16 overs winning us the game it's today

Roy starts with a four ...two of them in fact.

Ahead of the rate

Mad for Chelsea wrote:Time for a Roy special? If ever we need Stewart's talk of him batting 16 overs winning us the game it's today

12 overs is the Stewart line but, yes, you're right there. Roy and wides get us to 21 off the first over - I'll stick with that!

That Roy straight drive was pure sex

21 from the over...

RRR now down to just 11 per over from here

WHAT IS GOING ON

Wonder if there is any rain about ...and what the Duckworth Lewis is after five...

'cos they surely can't keep going like this ? And they don't ...Hales lbw.
48/1

Ben Stokes in at 3? 56 off three overs?

England, my darling, this is not like you. Please stop it.

Whatever happens from now, pleased at least that Roy is showing some of the ability I've been boring the Surrey boys here about for years! His highest t20 international score in this knock.

guildfordbat wrote:Whatever happens from now, pleased at least that Roy is showing some of the ability I've been boring the Surrey boys here about for years! His highest t20 international score in this knock.

Was quite an innings. Unfortunately one too many funky shots sees him out...seven overs too early

At least his onslaught has brought the chase back to the realms of the possible. With a deep batting lineup and several powerful bats to come , England can see a path to success now.

Still going to be very difficult...with Tahir looming as the big obstacle.

Class stuff from Roy.

Root in ahead of buttler? Madness

Alfie - I fear wickets more likely from here than 10 an over being scored off the next 14 overs but let's see ....

Well yes ...three wickets fallen already and you're probably right , guildford : more will likely fall.

But if England can keep it ticking over for the next few overs and Buttler gets off to a good start ...you never know.

We need boundaries off a ''making up the numbers'' bowler like Duminy rather than singles.

And now he gets Morgan!

Morgan out.

Bit disappointed in his effort today...needed to be more pro-active against the spinners , I reckon. Too much fiddling about when a couple of big hits might have set SA back on their heels. As it is the spinners have dragged England right back.

Leaving a lot of work for Buttler

Need a Jos Buttler special here....

Why is Jos Buttler coming in at 6 when we're chasing 230?

Like seriously

Olly wrote:Why is Jos Buttler coming in at 6 when we're chasing 230?

Like seriously

Well in fact ; if Buttler plays one of his "specials" , they have ample time to do it from this position. So I can't be too critical of what they've done.
They have actually got ahead of SA at this stage...and Buttler is the best "finisher".

It may not work ; but hard to fault the tactics.

At last we get on top of Duminy. Good over that for England. I would have ''banked'' Duminy after his first couple of overs and settled for his return from those then.

alfie wrote:

Olly wrote:Why is Jos Buttler coming in at 6 when we're chasing 230?

Like seriously

Well in fact ;  if Buttler plays one of his "specials" , they have ample time to do it from this position.  So I can't be too critical of what they've done.
They have actually got ahead of SA at this stage...and Buttler is the best "finisher".

It may not work ; but hard to fault the tactics.

Hmm I'd have wanted to give him as many balls as possible

guildfordbat wrote:At last we get on top of Duminy. Good over that for England. I would have ''banked'' Duminy after his first couple of overs and settled for his return from those then.

I know Duminy is only a part timer : but all the evidence today is that the quicker bowlers are the ones to target...

Not surprised SA used him for perhaps one too many - it gives them just a little flexibility. Which they might need with Steyn going round the park .

These two scoring at 12 per over and it's under ten per now...

South African commentators doing their best to jinx it - boy I'll be glad when I don't have to listen to these buffoons anymore

Required run rate sticking at around 10 atm. That's OK providing England don't lose wickets for several more overs.

SA conceded 18 in wides so far. That could make a big difference.

What an incredible game this can be at times. SA desperate for a wicket. Wide number 19

Only just above nine per over now...

A lot can go wrong in five overs though. Tahir into his last - important over.

This Tahir over is crucial

Oh no

Buttler stumped. The game swings again.

Damn !

Buttler gone...Tahir the Destroyer of English Hope.

Not that it's dead , exactly : but if they'd stayed in that over , England would have been strong favourites.

All to do now...

If they don't bring willey in ahead of Rashid Jordan etc I'm gonna cry

Buttler was actually out caught as well - good keeping by De Kock

Whatever happens, fair play to England, they've given this a real go

Shouldn't the ball that dismissed Buttler also have been signalled a wide?

Big over that for SA. A wicket and only 5 off the over. RRR climbs to over 10. Crucial that Root stays calm and sees England home.

See that catch by the security guard - sign him up!