ICC Cricket World Cup - Part 4

First topic message reminder :

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:

alfie wrote:Good to see Morgan handling the short ball.  Has seen Behrend - orff...now taking to Lyon.

Keep the foot down lads I fancy an "early" night

Alfie I'm afraid this is the worst thing I have seen posted all World Cup.

I do my best

Woakes strikes !

Nichols reviews but that's out...

No ? Missing on height ...Dharmasena already one wrong

Gooseberry wrote:Sir Chris Woakes

So close!

Great review from NZ there, always looked a little high but it was much closer than I thought it was.

Looked good in real time, but I guess that's the deception of the Lord's wicket.

Anyway, it should show to England's bowlers that you have to pitch the thing up.

Duty281 wrote:Great call from Erasmus. Great call not to review.

Exactly. I was sure it was out in real time. Suggestion on cricinfo that Erasmus is so good, Morgan and the England players are happy to trust his decisions ... unlike the other one as just shown!

Guptill is just going to hit form this final isn't he...

Jeez NZ are riding their luck bit. That mightve been deliberate but full of risk

Guptill looking ominous...

Its very clear NZ came with a plan....that from Guptil default expectation is a single digit score

So why not let him " go for it" chance his arm.....and if he keeps it going for 10 to 15 overs....he will give the sort of momentum at the start that NZ are not used to.

And so far so good...there is a hush in crowds and a tone of concern in English commentators also having sensed the same.

The DRS going in favor of Eng shows which way luck is flowing so far.

That said eng seamers are both bowling very well and there is something off the pitch....good contest...and 270 will give NZ something to fight with

Is this New Zealand's best opening partnership this CWC?

This is a good start by the Kiwis, but England are bowling too short, particularly Archer.

And there we go - Woakes pitches one on a fuller length and gets dividends (again!).

If they win this review i quit

Guptill really did throw away that review. Really selfish. Never throw away your review when you've got Dharmasena umpiring!

Bloody heck Kumar just got one right!

Well that one's out !

Woakes with a vital strike...just as NZ threatened to survive the opening attack. He's got better as the tournament progressed , has Sir Chris...

England get Guptill

You could say its a wasted review but given Dharmasena's incompetence, there was a chance he got that wrong.

Williamson in now, later than normal.

KP_fan wrote:

The DRS going in favor of Eng shows which way luck is flowing so far.

One overturned, one upheld...how is that in anyones favour? If anything its in NZs, if the DRS hasnt been "lucky" for them theyd be down two wickets.

I really struggle to understand how anyone can come up with such nonsesne to justify their bias.

Really ugly shot from Guptill. No foot movement, head out of position. A real out-of-form shot.

This is the World Cup, right here. England v Williamson.

Pegged the scoring rate right back. Looking a lot better but we could do with another wicket in the next couple of overs. Nichols looks a mess

Gooseberry wrote:

KP_fan wrote:

The DRS going in favor of Eng shows which way luck is flowing so far.

One overturned, one upheld...how is that in anyones favour? If anything its in NZs, if the DRS hasnt been "lucky" for them theyd be down two wickets.

I really struggle to understand how anyone can come up with such nonsesne to justify their bias.

I think KP_fan just typed the wrong team in then , to be honest , goose. He likes to stir ; but he isn't crazy

Gooseberry wrote:

KP_fan wrote:

The DRS going in favor of Eng shows which way luck is flowing so far.

One overturned, one upheld...how is that in anyones favour? If anything its in NZs, if the DRS hasnt been "lucky" for them theyd be down two wickets.

I really struggle to understand how anyone can come up with such

nonsesne to justify their bias.

You are using hindsight and I am not...Simple.
The problem is that you don't see such argument a problem
On the game ...Williamson was right it's a 50.50 toss
NZ putting runs on board and Eng getting something out of the pitch.
Woakes bowling beautifully....He is a very good cricketer

Archer still mostly too short. He's not learned how to bowl at Lord's yet.

They say par score on this track is 310-320? I think 270-280 for New Zealand would prove a tricky chase.

Not a single ball bowled from Archer so far today hitting the stumps.

Very tepid start now Guptill's not there swinging for the fence.

eirebilly wrote:They say par score on this track is 310-320? I think 270-280 for New Zealand would prove a tricky chase.

Would be astonished if NZ scored 300+. They need a minimum of 275 to be competitive, however.

Duty281 wrote:

eirebilly wrote:They say par score on this track is 310-320? I think 270-280 for New Zealand would prove a tricky chase.

Would be astonished if NZ scored 300+. They need a minimum of 275 to be competitive, however.

Well I hope that New Zealand get that Duty as herself has put a drinking ban on me until England's innings starts so I want to enjoy a few drinks

I make NZ slight favourites. Only one wicket down, ball(s) getting softer, they could easily get 250+ and scoreboard pressure isnt good for England. 5/2 in play with Skybet is generous.

This track probably suits Joe Root more than any other batsman today. The speed in the outfield will help his placement shots.

NZ would love 270 plus. Long way to go for that yet...and a lot depends on the skipper.

Pretty even so far I think. No racing start but only one down. How England's middle over bowlers go no will be important- as it generally is.

Woakes bowling his seventh ? Worth the try - he looks dangerous ; and they aren't scoring off him.

England bowling very well to their plans, but perhaps not as attacking as I would like. They're depriving Williamson of scoring opportunities magnificently.

Crunch moment coming up. The phoney war will soon end and we'll start seeing runs...or wickets. Could be a big day for Rashid - a lot to do.

Even when looking uncomfortable, Williams looks so in control. Quality player.

Archer and Plunkett haven't used the pitch as well as woakes did.
Plunkett wasn't the best first change...stokes would have been better.
actually plunkett, wood, archer all conditioned their lengths and variations for less responsive pitches.

Williamson putting a price on this wicket and content with seeing off.
But given his track record he will convert this atleast to a big 50.

Wood must bowl more wides than any other bowler...

I would love to see how many he has bowled this CWC compared to the other bowlers.

KP_fan wrote:Archer and Plunkett haven't used the pitch as well as woakes did.
Plunkett wasn't the best first change...stokes would have been better.
actually plunkett, wood, archer all conditioned their lengths and variations for less responsive pitches.

Williamson putting a price on this wicket and content with seeing off.
But given his track record he will convert this atleast to a big 50.

Yes Stokes was the first change I'd expected. In fact I'd have had Archer off an over earlier...as you say , Plunkett hasn't got it quite right either yet. Woakes has been head and shoulders better than the rest so far.

England need these change bowlers to exert a bit of pressure in the middle overs : Williamson will be content to score at a moderate rate for now but wickets at the other end would make his task a lot harder...

Not sure about Rashid bowling this early...

I was just about to say it might be time for Rashid. They're not looking to take any risks and we're not asking any questions. Let's change it up and see if we can get one if these two out.

England lacking energy and life out in the field. Need to be more aggressive with the ball, because these two Kiwi batsmen are playing classic shots; they're not looking like getting out in a  tame fashion. And they're targeting Rashid.

A shame Wood is so erratic with his line because he's finding appreciable movement.

robbo277 wrote:I was just about to say it might be time for Rashid. They're not looking to take any risks and we're not asking any questions. Let's change it up and see if we can get one if these two out.

Agreed. Am a bit disappointed by the pace bowlers ,apart from Woakes , today. That said , it is starting to look like a decent batting track so the fact that the run rate is only 4.5 at present is a plus for England.

Think they might attack Rashid...which could cut both ways.

Bairstow is a brilliant boundary fielder these days. With the big hitters in every side now it's a very important part of the game and Bairstow is one of the best in the world at it. Even more impressive given he's a wicket-keeper.

England boundary fielders working very hard in this over. Bairstow and Rashid have saved 3 so far. Hopefully it gives the bowlers a lift.

Have to score NZ in front after 20. A lot depends on the acceleration phase but they're on course for 300 plus...which history says will be a winning score here.
England rather need a wicket .

As frustrating as this is, all credit to Williamson and Nicholls. They are batting very controlled and clever.

This corporate nonsense over the tannoy at the end of every over is bloody annoying.

England's need starting to become desperate. Nicholls has more than doubled his entire WC tally of runs (from 3 innings) in this innings alone.

king_carlos wrote:Bairstow is a brilliant boundary fielder these days. With the big hitters in every side now it's a very important part of the game and Bairstow is one of the best in the world at it. Even more impressive given he's a wicket-keeper.

He is. I have been a bit bemused when they've brought up that "runs saved in the field" graphic that he wasn't listed in the top ten...can't believe that is accurate and wonder how they score it ? Because he seems to save boundaries - and third runs - all the time.

Maybe England havent shipped as many scoring opportunities as other sides? Theyve steam rolled a few teams. Fielding stats would have to be as a percentage of what's gone near them to have any really meaning

There's the World Cup! Plunkers snares the big'un!

Got him, Williamson gone

Well done Dharmasena again with a correct call...

Plunkett

That's the Big One ! Despite Dharmasena

Gooseberry wrote:Maybe England  havent shipped as many scoring opportunities as other sides? Theyve steam rolled a few teams. Fielding stats would have to be as a percentage of what's gone near them to have any really meaning

Must be , I guess. Complicated enough no one could really argue

Whatever , I'd say Bairstow and Stokes are as good a pair of outfielders as you'd find anywhere...

No idea how Dharmasena missed that. Big edge. Not even close.

Thank heaven for the technology. Thank heaven England didn't review earlier in the piece.