I would like to take some credit after my comment questioning the favourites tag re: bowling attack after (I think) game 2 That aged incredibly poorly !
It's interesting (but probably a total coincidence) that the only two sides who never got to use their DTP are the two sides in the final. Woakes has been injured throughout for them.
Brilliant bowling all round by the Brave, a fantastic victory. Talking of excellent bowling, there wasn’t a single no-ball by either side.
So the two sides who win the eliminator won the trophy. But also, the two sides with the best bowling attacks in the competition won the trophy (both of whom were using those attacks to defend a score.) I wonder which of the two is relevant. Probably both.
Oh, and those who say Joe Root needs to step down as Test captain need look no further for a replacement than James Vince I’d say.
Just look at Whiteley. Since the opening game, he's barely faced a ball until last night. Either because he's quickly got out or not been needed. But our match last night just allowed him a nice 15 mins or so at the crease. Maybe that helped him tonight.
He has a medal. Smeed, Gregory and De Lange don't. That's all that'll matter to him when they're back in the dressing room together in a few days!
If they want to tweak the format next time, I’d go for top four going through, with semi finals on the Thursday and Friday.
I feel sorry for Dawson missing these celebrations. But fair play to little Archie Lenham. He looks both lost and amazed all at once out there.
Nah I like it as it is. This way there's very little group games with nothing to play for. With only 3 knockout places you've got to be on it from the start. Or you could go down the route of the Brave who were pretty much perfect from game 3 onwards.
