2022 T20 World Cup thread

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

First topic message reminder :

Marsh put down, Aus right on the edge

Might have been the turning point of this one

[eirebilly_01]

How effective an out of form Rashid has been is a worry for when Hasaranga bowls…

Yeah, ye would think that the Sri Lankan spinners wont just contain but take wickets.

Loosing Malan there is a big blow.

[JDizzle]

Nasser is generally spot on with most things, but I don’t agree Malan is an excellent player of spin - especially in T20s. Moeen to 3, certainly it Buttler and Hales get through or near the end of the PP.

[eirebilly_01]

Finally Rashid gets a wicket. The pressure told.

[alfie]

Rashid has a wicket at last ! He's bowled really well today...and that is a big wicket. Nissanka played a wonderful hand

Malan injury is a worry,

[KP_fan]

Malan Tweaks hi Groin
Must say Eng players appear to be the most fragile

150 min from here and will be par......160 will be tilting in Lanka's favor....Nissanka does what he should not have attempted...at least not yet

[KP_fan]

Rashid's spell a barometer to what pitch is worth for a crafty spinner

[alfie]

If they don't get 160 Sri Lanka will be disappointed. But Rashid is done now so there might be balls to hit...

[alfie]

Excellent from Curran ! Still three to go - and Wood is having another go.

[eirebilly_01]

This is where Wood is most affective.

And he gets a wicket.

[alfie]

Good effort from Wood after getting hammered early..that over has made up for it .1/5

[eirebilly_01]

Curran really is turning into England's most valuable player. What a fantastic last f months he has had.

[JDizzle]

Really good death stuff from SCurran. He’s been banging the pitch with cutters and back of a length and today he went full and wide with yorkers - great range of skills.

[Mind the windows Tino.]

Curran really is turning into England's most valuable player. What a fantastic last f months he has had.

Yep, completely agree. A fine example of sticking with a player because of what they can do, and their potential, rather than what they can't do.

There are just a few occasions in life when professional cricket people know a little more about the game than the pitchfork wielding British sporting public. Who would have thought it.

[eirebilly_01]

What a run out by Wood there

[alfie]

Really good death stuff from SCurran. He’s been banging the pitch with cutters and back of a length and today he went full and wide with yorkers - great range of skills.

Has a good cricket brain. We've seen this before ...but this WC is really highlighting his skill set.

Great work from England to peg this back. Under 150 now , with that run out...

[eirebilly_01]

I was hoping England would keep Sri Lanka under 150 and that is some final overs performance by them.

Just hope for a good Power Play now.

[alfie]

141. Way short of what you'd have expected forty minutes ago !

Pitch suits their spinners ; but still England should fancy this as long as they don't do anything stupid.

[Duty281]

Good fightback from England. The PowerPlay was atrocious - 54 runs - but just 87 runs from the 14 overs after that. Nissanka struck an atypical innings, both in terms of himself and in terms of the pitch.

England strong favourites here, but no guarantees.

[JDizzle]

Really, really good from England. Don’t fall in to the trap of thinking it is just 141 though. Need to get ahead of the rate early so Hasaranga can be milked as he is the big threat.

[KP_fan]

The commentators fancy an easy Eng win.
I don't think it will be easy at all...pitch is very dfficult
Lanka look like quite a lot short when you comparer their standings at various phases such as 5 and 10 and 14 over

BUT
overall I think they left about 4 to 9 runs on the table

End favorite but it should be a very tight game in my reckoning

[eirebilly_01]

I also do not see this as being an easy chase for England. Pressure, weight of expectation and a Sri Lankan side that are excellent defenders of totals will make this tight.

[Duty281]

Going to be a stroll.

[KP_fan]

survived a dropped ct behind?

[alfie]

Going to be a stroll.

Sort of wish you hadn't said that , Duty. Your recent "bold" predictions have not had a huge success rate ...

I reckon it is nearer fifty/fifty. Chase is quite manageable ; but a couple of wickets at awkward moments could make it tricky. Good opening important with Malan presumably OOA ...

[KP_fan]

Is the bowler too deceptively mysterious or the keeper crap

[alfie]

You wouldn't say Buttler looks too comfortable ...but he and Hales are ticking it over quite well after that first over.

Guess the key will be when Hasaranga gets into the action.

[eirebilly_01]

Great to see Hasaranga on early, Sri Lanka feeling the pressure.

[alfie]

Scratchy start but Buttler starting to flow now...didn't let Hasaranga settle.

Fifty in five is just what the doctor ordered... And Hales seems to be running into some form...

[GSC]

Hales and Buttler fancy an early night. SL heads might drop with nothing to play for

[KP_fan]

The umpires decision may have been a right one but makes a mockery of the rules DRS
where if there is a spike on snicko as ball passes the bat...it should be deemed OUT

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

How quick do we need to chase it to finish top?

[KP_fan]

Hales has shown pressure less batting and only a miraculous collapse can help Lanka now
Eng should knock it off in ones and twos sensibly now

[alfie]

That was an interesting review. I did think he hit the ground ; but with the spike coming when it did I feared he might be given out. A tricky call when that happens...which is why the edge tech is useful to combine with the sound - although it can waste a lot of time !

74/0 after seven...England looking to prove Duty correct

[GSC]

The umpires decision may have been a right one but makes a mockery of the rules DRS
where if there is a spike on snicko as ball passes the bat...it should be deemed OUT

[KP_fan]

Butler didn't need to do that....just knock off 5 singles an over...was the need of the hour

[GSC]

Bit unnecessary from Buttler but the platform is well set to knock this off

[eirebilly_01]

I still fully disagree with Stokes coming in so high.

[alfie]

Oh great catch ! Hasaranga strikes...Buttler will probably be annoyed he rather threw that away. Was neither a controlled shot nor really a big hit.

Stokes in. Malan may not be batting at all. Want to make sure they don't lose their way now.

[alfie]

Unsurprisingly Dhananjaya is into the act now... Sri Lanka will certainly be pinning their hopes on spin.

They need wickets.

[KP_fan]

Can't understand the need for such wild "Hoiks" as Hales does when yyou need barely 5 RPO

[eirebilly_01]

Surely Moeen now?

[alfie]

Well that is a bit silly. Hales tried to hit that for eight rather than six - went nowhere and he's gone for a very good 47...gives Sri Lanka a sniff of hope though with another one for Hasaranga.

[alfie]

Surely Moeen now?

Two left handers ? I'd send Livingstone in . But they've gone for Brook... Fair enough.

[eirebilly_01]

Surely Moeen now?

Two left handers ? I'd send Livingstone in . But they've gone for Brook... Fair enough.

I still would have had Moeen, he is a very good player of spin.

[alfie]

Really agree with KP_fan (!!!) no need for "clever" stuff now...just play sensibly and make sure of this at 5.5 per over.

Hope they don't throw any more wickets away with wild shots.

[alfie]

Surely Moeen now?

Two left handers ? I'd send Livingstone in . But they've gone for Brook... Fair enough.

I still would have had Moeen, he is a very good player of spin.

He is. But he is a good "finisher" too...if they need a few at the death I'll be glad to see him in.

Three out now : Brook not having a good WC. England need to be careful now.

[eirebilly_01]

Getting interesting again. Sri Lanka fighting back. Not over yet...

[GSC]

Sri Lanka hanging around. But Hales and Buttler have taken the run rate pressure out of the chase. Stokes might be in for composure

[KP_fan]

The commentators fancy an easy Eng win.
I don't think it will be easy at all...pitch is very dfficult
Lanka look like quite a lot short when you comparer their standings at various phases such as 5 and 10 and 14 over

BUT
overall I think they left about 4 to 9 runs on the table

End favorite but it should be a very tight game in my reckoning

Lanka should bowl all spin from now on, for as long as they have spin overs
Eng need a run a ball ....will win but I suspect it will get tighter first

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Easy fellas, they’re in no danger here

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