The Cricket Thread

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Not learning our lessons. If you put aside the WI win, it's a case of:

(a) Bat first, win. Bat second, lose.
(b) Bat with Plunkett/Curran/Willey in the tail, win. Bat without Plunkett/Curran/Willey in the tail, lose.

Batting second might have worked for us (big time) over the past four years; whatever you get, we will chase. But that's not how it works in a WC, and the pressure that comes with it. Unless you have swing bowlers who you think can take real advantage of favourable conditions, you have to bat first. And we don't have such bowlers, because much to me distain, we didn't pick any!!

Time is up for Moeen I'm afraid. The introduction of Archer and Wood into the team (who have done excellent - nothing against either) has created a tail for us which we've simply not had for the past four years. Thus it becomes essential that we have a no.7 who can produce the goods. Australia and NZ have both been dug out of holes by their no.7s, but not Moeen for us.
 
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England captain Eoin Morgan: "I thought for a lot of today we were outplayed. I thought we bowled well up front and were a little unlucky. They played and missed a lot. The wicket got a little better but it was still challenging. Losing early wickets was not ideal and we were not able contribute to a substantial partnership to win the game which is why we were outplayed.

"The wicket was soft when we first started. Winning the toss and batting would have been a horrific decision. Right throughout the first 25 overs they dominated and our bowlers pegged them back and did really well it when it looked like they would score 340 or 350.

"Given the circumstances it is not hugely disappointing. Our fate is in our own hands."

This makes me angry .

Love or loathe the Aussies ( I am firmly in the latter camp ) . If they had lost today they would be Fuming / Gutted :steam:
 
England captain Eoin Morgan: "I thought for a lot of today we were outplayed. I thought we bowled well up front and were a little unlucky. They played and missed a lot. The wicket got a little better but it was still challenging. Losing early wickets was not ideal and we were not able contribute to a substantial partnership to win the game which is why we were outplayed.

"The wicket was soft when we first started. Winning the toss and batting would have been a horrific decision. Right throughout the first 25 overs they dominated and our bowlers pegged them back and did really well it when it looked like they would score 340 or 350.

"Given the circumstances it is not hugely disappointing. Our fate is in our own hands."

This makes me angry .

Love or loathe the Aussies ( I am firmly in the latter camp ) . If they had lost today they would be Fuming / Gutted :steam:
Losing 4 for 50 odd isn't hugely disappointing?

On another planet.
 
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Fortunately NRR can only be a factor in our qualification hopes in the event of more rain (or some tied matches). If there's a result in every game, NRR can't come into it by my reckoning. So having ours slashed by roughly a third today is unlikely to make a difference.

I'm not nervous yet, but I will be if Pakistan beat NZ tomorrow.
 
Oz, India and NZ have better batsmen who can anchor the innings or take it up a notch than England - Smith, Warner, Kohli and Williamson. England do not have a batter in that class.