It's just not cricket

LGTrotter · Post by **LGTrotter** » 00:35 Mon 23 Feb 2015

Root out! 203-4! Go somebody!

Post by **DRT** » 01:08 Mon 23 Feb 2015

I seem to have had a long blink and all of a sudden England look like they are trying to turn this into a match.

Seriously rubbish. What on earth are they doing?

LGTrotter · Post by **LGTrotter** » 01:16 Mon 23 Feb 2015

Scotland just need one more wicket to slow them down again. Scotland are making a decent fist of this.

LGTrotter · Post by **LGTrotter** » 01:17 Mon 23 Feb 2015

Have they got any batsmen who can hit it a bit? I confess I have not studied the form.

Post by **DRT** » 01:22 Mon 23 Feb 2015

LGTrotter wrote:Have they got any batsmen who can hit it a bit? I confess I have not studied the form.

I have no idea. It was only a few days ago that I found out they had a team.

England will win this, but in a very nervous and unsatisfactory way. Scotland will fly home with the smell of glorious defeat in their noses. Sigh.

LGTrotter · Post by **LGTrotter** » 01:44 Mon 23 Feb 2015

England lose a few more, 300-8. Made 'em wobble, Scotland are at very long odds, but it's not over yet.

Post by **DRT** » 01:48 Mon 23 Feb 2015

England 303-8 after 50 overs. Should have been 450 if it were not for Bell's yellow spine.

Time for Scotland to come off the ropes.

Post by **Alex Bridgeman** » 06:59 Mon 23 Feb 2015

England are rated number 6 in international 50-overs cricket. Their performance yesterday makes me think that's about right. England should qualify for the semi-finals and then go straight out as soon as they play a decent team.

Post by **DRT** » 08:20 Mon 23 Feb 2015

AHB wrote:England are rated number 6 in international 50-overs cricket. Their performance yesterday makes me think that's about right. England should qualify for the semi-finals and then go straight out as soon as they play a decent team.

Do you really think that England team can reach the last four?

djewesbury · Post by **djewesbury** » 08:45 Mon 23 Feb 2015

I think England will be out in the quarter finals, if they can even win another group game.

Post by **DRT** » 10:51 Mon 23 Feb 2015

djewesbury wrote:I think England will be out in the quarter finals, if they can even win another group game.

I think that too. It is likely that they will be playing India or whoever comes second in Group B.

Post by **Alex Bridgeman** » 15:46 Tue 24 Feb 2015

DRT wrote:
AHB wrote:England are rated number 6 in international 50-overs cricket. Their performance yesterday makes me think that's about right. England should qualify for the semi-finals and then go straight out as soon as they play a decent team.
Do you really think that England team can reach the last four?

No. I meant to say the quarter finals but had consumed most of a bottle of Delaforce 1963 before posting.

Post by **DRT** » 17:59 Tue 24 Feb 2015

AHB wrote:
DRT wrote:
AHB wrote:England are rated number 6 in international 50-overs cricket. Their performance yesterday makes me think that's about right. England should qualify for the semi-finals and then go straight out as soon as they play a decent team.
Do you really think that England team can reach the last four?
No. I meant to say the quarter finals but had consumed most of a bottle of Delaforce 1963 before posting.

Thank goodness for that. We thought you had gone slightly mad.

LGTrotter · Post by **LGTrotter** » 22:32 Tue 24 Feb 2015

That Delaforce, not quite the thing to my way of thinking. If it had been the 55 he would have put the house on England to win.

Post by **DRT** » 05:33 Wed 25 Feb 2015

I dislike the tone with which the commentators and players speak of "the Associate Nations", which seems to be a legacy of Imperialist snobbery. If the intention is to create a more inclusive sport there should be no distinction made at tournaments where these teams are included other than a simple ceding system.

They will regret their smugness on the day of the revolution.

Post by **Alex Bridgeman** » 22:54 Wed 25 Feb 2015

DRT wrote:
AHB wrote:
DRT wrote:
AHB wrote:England are rated number 6 in international 50-overs cricket. Their performance yesterday makes me think that's about right. England should qualify for the semi-finals and then go straight out as soon as they play a decent team.
Do you really think that England team can reach the last four?
No. I meant to say the quarter finals but had consumed most of a bottle of Delaforce 1963 before posting.
Thank goodness for that. We thought you had gone slightly mad.

What? Because I had drunk most of a bottle of Delaforce '63? It is actually rather good.

Post by **Alex Bridgeman** » 22:56 Wed 25 Feb 2015

I fear that tonight I am listening to the Pool B wooden spoon playoff. And Scotland seem determined to have at least that trophy from the tournament.

LGTrotter · Post by **LGTrotter** » 23:01 Wed 25 Feb 2015

The UAE Ireland match was quite good. And there was a man in the crowd with a 'careful now' placard.

Post by **Alex Bridgeman** » 23:11 Wed 25 Feb 2015

AHB wrote:I fear that tonight I am listening to the Pool B wooden spoon playoff. And Scotland seem determined to have at least that trophy from the tournament.

But tonight I am consoled by the fact that I am listening to Scotland's performance whilst drinking a splendid and untainted bottle of GC77. What joy.

Post by **Alex Bridgeman** » 23:15 Wed 25 Feb 2015

LGTrotter wrote:The UAE Ireland match was quite good. And there was a man in the crowd with a 'careful now' placard.

Listening to that match as a neutral who slightly favoured Ireland, I did find myself cheering or groaning quietly on the commute into London this morning. Ireland managed to turn a dominant position into a very exciting game.

Post by **Alex Bridgeman** » 06:09 Thu 26 Feb 2015

Well that was jolly exciting. I do hope that the format of the World Cup doesn't change in the future, most of the best and closest matches so far have been between the Associate Nations. Without them this tournament would have been pretty turgid.

Post by **DRT** » 06:32 Thu 26 Feb 2015

AHB wrote:Well that was jolly exciting. I do hope that the format of the World Cup doesn't change in the future, most of the best and closest matches so far have been between the Associate Nations. Without them this tournament would have been pretty turgid.

Is "jolly exciting" the same as "familiarly gut-wrenching"?

I have been up since the early hours following a restless sleep. Shortly after I turned the TV on Scotland had the Afgans as 96-7 chasing 211. One good innings later Scotland had a very strong chance with four overs to go. They then decided to abandon the bowling technique that had got them there and gave away 17 runs from three balls. Despite then taking out the remaining real batsman leaving the last two with lots to do Scotland managed to throw them a few more wides and, missed chances of run-outs and a couple of easy boundaries to win.

Many of the Scottish players seem more interest in whether or not their baseball caps are the right shape and their designer sunglasses are looking as cool as possible rather than they are about concentrating on the game. They had victory in sight and choked.

If Scotland continue to improve in this manner over the next two to three decades they might be able to develop a Test side that is just as good as England at being rubbish.

djewesbury · Post by **djewesbury** » 09:10 Thu 26 Feb 2015

What a bad loser. Oh dear.

Post by **DRT** » 09:30 Thu 26 Feb 2015

No. You misunderstand. Scotland definitely deserved to lose and the best team won. I just find it frustrating that we seem to have found yet another sport where we can put ourselves within sight of unexpected victory and then turn into jelly. Such is our lot, it seems.

I'm off to start a curling thread. Or maybe not.

Post by **jdaw1** » 10:01 Thu 26 Feb 2015

I wanted Afghanistan to have a victory against somebody, but not against one of our home teams.

djewesbury · Post by **djewesbury** » 10:11 Thu 26 Feb 2015

jdaw1 wrote:I wanted Afghanistan to have a victory against somebody.

Indexed forever by Google.

LGTrotter · Post by **LGTrotter** » 11:12 Thu 26 Feb 2015

And Afghanistan is above England in their table. Despite the political instability and economic hardship England may still come through.

Post by **flash_uk** » 08:05 Fri 27 Feb 2015

De Villiers 162 off 66 balls. That is just insane. Makes England look like a village side.

Post by **DRT** » 08:20 Fri 27 Feb 2015

flash_uk wrote:De Villiers 162 off 66 balls. That is just insane. Makes England look like a village side.

I watched that this morning - quite stunning. Others would know better than me but it didn't look like the WI bowlers were gifting him the runs - he was just spraying boundaries all over the field.

There seem to be too many teams in the competition who are happy to finish the first innings with a decent score and batsmen to spare rather than going all out for a big score in the last few overs. More of that please.

Post by **Alex Bridgeman** » 08:07 Sat 28 Feb 2015

Another cracking match to listen to as I dozed through the night. The match fixing bookies must be having fits at the moment. The Oz-NZ game could have gone either way. What a great game that was.

Post by **DRT** » 23:35 Sat 28 Feb 2015

I turned the England v Sri Lanka game on about forty minutes ago to find England at a very comfortable 62-0 after 8 overs. They are now 106-3 after 21.3 overs. A familiar pattern is emerging.

LGTrotter · Post by **LGTrotter** » 23:44 Sat 28 Feb 2015

Thanks for the reminder. I forgot it was on.

Post by **Alex Bridgeman** » 23:50 Sat 28 Feb 2015

I know it's not cricket, but I've just finished watching a recording of the Scotland-Italy 6-Nations match. This year has had some fabulous games. I can't remember a better 6-Nations season. I hope for some games that are just as good in the RWC.

Post by **DRT** » 23:58 Sat 28 Feb 2015

AHB wrote:I've just finished watching a recording of the Scotland-Italy 6-Nations match. This year has had some fabulous games. I can't remember a better 6-Nations season.

+1 Possibly the tightest year we have had for a while with four teams capable of winning the tournament. A well deserved victory for Italy today - an immense display from their forwards and good to see that they have moved away from the "defend at all cost" style of rugby.

Post by **DRT** » 01:29 Sun 01 Mar 2015

Great innings from Root but the momentum England had half an hour ago seems to have gone. They should still set a decent total for Sri Lanka to chase.

Post by **DRT** » 08:07 Sun 01 Mar 2015

I went to bed shortly after Sri Lanka came to the crease firmly believing England had it in the bag. I appear to have fallen into a well-used trap.

Post by **DRT** » 08:19 Sun 01 Mar 2015

I have just noticed that the game between Australia and Bangladesh was abandoned without a ball being thrown. No points were awarded but both teams are showing as having completed three games, leaving Australia just one point above England in the table.

Will they try to replay that game or do the teams just have to deal with it as if it were a loss?

Post by **flash_uk** » 08:25 Sun 01 Mar 2015

While this is one day competition, I think the sad conclusion overall for the England cricket team is that the promising new talent which emerged a few years ago has developed into nothing special. The batsmen are either inconsistent (Root) or lack the skill to take on opposition bowlers (Ballance). The bowlers ...are just rubbish.

djewesbury · Post by **djewesbury** » 09:48 Sun 01 Mar 2015

England have never been a good one-day side. A lot of these players have ability in tests. And Root is only a kid. There's plenty of games in him yet. The problem today was being unable to get something out of the wicket when we bowled. 309-6 is not a rubbish score.

Post by **DRT** » 09:56 Sun 01 Mar 2015

djewesbury wrote:England have never been a good one-day side. A lot of these players have ability in tests. And Root is only a kid. There's plenty of games in him yet. The problem today was being unable to get something out of the wicket when we bowled. 309-6 is not a rubbish score.

But one wicket from forty seven (>46, <48) overs is rubbish bowling on any wicket.

djewesbury · Post by **djewesbury** » 09:58 Sun 01 Mar 2015

Two dropped catches, but yes. I think it was undemanding and that bodes worse for the summer than the state of the batting. Test batting is a totally different animal. Test bowling isn't, at least not by the same degree.

Post by **flash_uk** » 10:34 Sun 01 Mar 2015

djewesbury wrote:Two dropped catches, but yes. I think it was undemanding and that bodes worse for the summer than the state of the batting. Test batting is a totally different animal. Test bowling isn't, at least not by the same degree.

Yes totally agree on the bowling. Much more concerning. And I do think Root will continue to improve, but for this summer, I don't think Cook, Root, Bell

, Trott?, Moeen, Ballance, Morgan are going to strike fear into many opponents. One or two usually turn up and give a good show, but you never know which two, and two is not enough.

Post by **jdaw1** » 10:43 Sun 01 Mar 2015

djewesbury wrote:A lot of these players have ability in tests.

There might have been contrary comments in this thread, particularly during test matches.

LGTrotter · Post by **LGTrotter** » 11:40 Sun 01 Mar 2015

300 seemed a good score, I listened to the first few overs of the Sri Lankan innings and England sounded like they were bowling competently.

However, England drifted for a large part of their innings, they got off to a flier, Root and Buttler scored heavily at the end but it was the bit in the middle. And if England in their current form can score 300 then I am unsurprised that Sri Lanka fancied their chances of chasing them down.

I do not share Daniel's sanguine view of the batting, too much of it is inconsistent, no that is not quite right, because England can be relied on in both the test and one day arena to balls up any situation. It is the senior players that are most responsible, showing neither leadership nor responsibility. Mr Boycott made a point about stereotyped thinking and it is true, why haven't England put Buttler up front. Why do England think that english seamers will be effective outside England?

djewesbury · Post by **djewesbury** » 11:59 Sun 01 Mar 2015

Good point about Buttler, even if you are a bit partial.
I didn't say I was sanguine; I just think that the diagnosis can't be the same every time. There are different kinds of rubbish, and there are different reasons for each of them.
I agree that the Test line-up will be poor this summer, the more so for not having played a single Test since September. The NZ series could be chastening.

LGTrotter · Post by **LGTrotter** » 12:25 Sun 01 Mar 2015

I almost hope that the next match is rained off or something so England go home when they deserve to, ie now.

djewesbury wrote:Good point about Buttler, even if you are a bit partial.
I didn't say I was sanguine; I just think that the diagnosis can't be the same every time. There are different kinds of rubbish, and there are different reasons for each of them.
I agree that the Test line-up will be poor this summer, the more so for not having played a single Test since September. The NZ series could be chastening.

You are right that the bowling looks ordinary and to show I am not partial it is Buttler who dropped the catch, not Root. The keeper should have taken that catch. What to do about the bowling? I'm not sure, while I agree that Anderson doesn't look threatening in these conditions I am also unconvinced by Broad. Broad is too driven by his emotions and plays poorly when he is upset, which seems to be happening a lot. I don't think he is being managed well, both captain and coach need to take some responsibility for that. I hear that there is going to be a new head of ECB who has a reputation for making changes and upsetting people in the process. Can't start soon enough for my liking, one of the most irritating things about English cricket of late is the torpor which surrounds it. If the process of change had been started at the end of last summer, while we probably still wouldn't have won, at least a direction of travel could be seen. This lot don't look like they are going anywhere and this will infect all players, even the young and talented.

LGTrotter · Post by **LGTrotter** » 13:03 Sun 01 Mar 2015

I do wonder why they haven't played Hales instead of Ballance/Bell/Morgan. It might be worth having a punt on Tredwell but I don't rate him that much.

Post by **DRT** » 13:39 Sun 01 Mar 2015

KP! KP! KP! KP!

You couldn't make it up.

djewesbury · Post by **djewesbury** » 13:48 Sun 01 Mar 2015

Owen: Broad has long been a liability. Nobody seems to tell him to stop bowling all that foul stuff that he thinks is aggressive and threatening and which gets hit all round the park. He has forgotten all tactical and strategic notions of cricket as a long-form game, even ODIs. He's a bad player as a result. Needs time off in an academy with a demand that he learn to bowl yorkers again.

Hales? Maybe. But it's not about tinkering really, is it. If Colin Graves is serious about setting new goals for the England outfit and reshaping the whole team, management included, then good. We need a realistic target, as we had under Flower for so long: beat the Australians, beat them again, go to No. 1. These were useful goals.
Derek: If your team needs a terrorist, one whose bomb might as likely go off in the dressing room as on the pitch, go with KP. But that way lies a whole universe of pain and excuses as the whole team is pushed aside for one man's ego.

Post by **DRT** » 14:11 Sun 01 Mar 2015

djewesbury wrote:Derek: If your team needs a terrorist, one whose bomb might as likely go off in the dressing room as on the pitch, go with KP. But that way lies a whole universe of pain and excuses as the whole team is pushed aside for one man's ego.

It is not my team that is opening the door to let him in. It's yours. Best of British with that one.