ICC World Twenty20 2009.

Salmon · Tennis legend

ICC World Twenty20 2009.

Josh · Challenger level

Me and my Dad are going to SA v Scotland and the England v Pakistan. They sold the matches in pairs, so you couldn't get tickets for just one game. Hopefully SA bat first against Scotland or else that might be over pretty quickly. A shame we couldn't go to England v Netherlands, as i'm a big fan of RtD, but the match against Pakistan should be a closer contest.

I've forgotten about your allegiance in cricket, do you support India as well as England?

johnnylad · Tennis legend

Did you see Morgans reverse reverse sweep!?!!

Salmon · Tennis legend

Yep, it's hard to believe that someone can pull that off! The problem with most English batsmen in ODIs is that they're horrible at innovations - maybe Morgan will be a huge asset, who knows.

Those who haven't seen any of them yet should check this out - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tuB4lstPbIs

I believe that there are far neater examples than that one, but kids... do try that one at home (I have tried, and failed horribly).

Josh, I've become a huge fan of RtD in the last few months, too. Sadly he'll probably play for England someday, too...
I cheer for both India and England.

Loving Ireland and the Netherlands of late, too!

Scotland have sadly been quite poor in the last year, but the other one should be a good match.

Salmon · Tennis legend

Today England play a warm up match against Scotland.

indiana · Tennis legend

I voted for South Africa and see I am in the majoritry so far.

I love the optimism from a couple of folk re England !

Stranger things have happened I guess and if you get 2 or 3 batsmen that just really get in in Twenty20 you never know.

ForeverDelayed · Grand Slam Champion

Holland def. England by 4 wickets!!!

alex03maccy · Grand Slam Champion

woop, well done holland. come on the west indies!

Salmon · Tennis legend

Oh... man. This was plain torture - almost reminds me of the 2007 World Cup(s).

I mean, what sort of a coach chooses Key and Rashid over Masca and Napier? Rashid doesn't even get to play T20 for Yorkshire. I understand that Key has been on the verge of playing for England (in Tests) for quite some time now and has done a good job with the younger fellows on the Lions tours, but rewarding him like this was an absolute joke.

Unless we absolutely thrash Pakistan (assuming that Pakistan will not be troubled by Netherlands), we're actually going out of this tourney.

(On a side note, being a massive fan of Dutch cricket, a part of me feels extremely happy. Given that they've been playing the big boys since 1996, this one was long overdue. It'll be really cool if they can find a few more decent cricketers - they already have two who are just below world class.)

P.S. ECB will probably try to get RtD now.

ForeverDelayed · Grand Slam Champion

I think a win over Pakistan will be enough because as Holland only won on the final ball of the innings, their net run rate isn't that good, so a win over Pakistan combined with Pakistan beating Holland by anything other than just a couple of runs or in the final over should see us through.

That said, I don't think we deserve to if we play like that... and to think we actually had a great start for once and actually used the opening overs well.

I think Rashid may have been worth a gamble given the success that leg spinners have had in T20 in the past and he had a decent enough warm-up, but I don't get the Key over Dimi decision. If England bat well, then Key is irrelevent because you want hitters to be coming in, while the only value Key has is if we lose an early wicket.

Josh · Challenger level

Well that should make for an interersting game on Sunday then! Does anyone know if KP is likely to be back?

Salmon · Tennis legend

I guess he'll play even if he's unfit to a certain degree? Loads of players play T20 with minor injuries.

To be honest Rashid shouldn't have been selected in the 15 man squad. I believe the idea was to give him some experience of the big stage - which is sort of fine given how good a prospect he is - but to play him ahead of Masca/Napier makes no sense. Given how much hype there has been regarding Napier in the last one year, it'll be very ironic if he doesn't even get a chance to prove himself in this tournament.

You're right, FD, we should go through if we beat Pakistan by a decent margin. I just hope there'll be no rain.

-- Edited by Salmon on Saturday 6th of June 2009 07:49:59 AM

indiana · Tennis legend

Shock horror, England beat Pakistan by 48 runs and are through to the next stage.

As FD pointed out, since the Holland match was so close, they basically just about needed any win against Pakistan, and a 48 run is easily more than enough, makes their net run rate positive and no chance of finishing out of the top 2.

Evidently thoroughly outplayed Pakistan. Pietersen back and hit a quick 58, in fact all 7 batsmen who contributed had this novel idea in a Twenty20 of hitting boundaries smile

Some selection sense, Mascarenhas ( why would he ever not play in an England Twenty20 side ) and Swann back in. Rashid still played as well as Swann, which did seems very strange. Hint of not wanting to ditch him as if he was some sort of scapegoat, when simply wrong choice, how very English ! ( when it was really a selection fault that he played in the first place although he is certainly one to watch for the future, but England Twenty20 in a world cup, nah !!! )

Nothing like covering yourself with everyone in the team but Foster having previously bowled before in some form international cricket.

Anyway, good luck to Holland for their match against Pakistan.

Count Zero · Tennis legend

didn't rashid bowl fairly well? didn't he have some easy catches that just didn't fall right for the fielders?.

indiana · Tennis legend

To be honest, I didn't actually watch the match smile and his bowling figs ( even without close catches ) look quite good.

BUT, I still don't see in his history that logically he should have ever played ahead of such as Swann in a Twenty20 World Cup and neither do I see any sense in him playing as well as Swann.

The fact that he may actually have played pretty well as a bowler ( not required to bat ) doesn't change my view on this, says he stubbornly smile

-- Edited by indiana on Sunday 7th of June 2009 09:29:09 PM

-- Edited by indiana on Sunday 7th of June 2009 09:31:47 PM