Cricket World Cup

indiana · Tennis legend

RE: Cricket World Cup

wolf · Tennis legend

Luck on our side today. Windies really should have won but we did well to pull through at the end even with some a couple of decisions went against us (that was clearly a catch from Trott, wasn't it?)

Still don't think we will make the final, but I do think if we can make the semis if SA and India win their remaining group games so we finish third and we avoid Australia and get Pakistan or New Zealand.

wolf · Tennis legend

Oh, and why do the BBC keep only showing half an hour highlights for the England matches (if it had been the only match of the day)? Is it a contractual issue or a scheduling issue?

Salmon · Tennis legend

I'd much rather have England going out in the groups than in the semis/quarters. The whole approach to one dayers is badly misguided and a rude shock may change it. Although I thought the same in 2007, but the same mistakes were repeated... Don't mind seeing them in the finals/winning the thing, though.

Just too many players there who shouldn't be playing in coloured clothing at all. James Anderson, Matt Prior and Ian Bell should never play limited overs cricket again, plus Bopara and Trott are only there due to lack of better players. Of course, me naming them will probably ensure that they'll win England the next match...

I hope Davies or Kieswetter is called up for Shahzad. As there's not a single good ODI pacer in England who isn't crocked right now (Shahzad, Broad, Napier), unless they request Sidebottom for a comeback, a batsman/batsman-keeper is the only option. Prior is the probably the worst English player with 50 ODI caps in the last two decades, which is ridiculous given how good he is in Tests, and needs to be replaced immediately. Even Morgan keeping is a better option than him!

I fully expect Alastair Cook, another joke ODI player, to get the ODI captaincy after this World Cup, with Strauss retiring from ODIs.

I'd love it if India wins it, although the bowling looks a bit weak.

Salmon · Tennis legend

But the matches have been great to watch, at least! Never had so much fun following England in a global tournament.

wolf · Tennis legend

Agree with most of that, although would say Trott is way worth his place at the moment.

Anderson has only got one way of bowling, which is OK when conditions suit him, but when it doesn't he is way, way too expensive. Bell doesn't score quick enough and doesn't score big like Trott. I wouldn't mind Prior at 6 but why you would open with him when he has a weakness against really fast bowling I'm not sure. And his selection just proved a complete lack of forward thinking coming into the WC by the selectors. Bopara and Wright being there is ridiculous considering their complete lack of contributions with bat and ball in a huge number games. Although Bopara showed today he has been an underused bowler. Yardy is absolute garbage. At best a 10 overs for 40 bowler who is never going to win you a game. Tredwell looked top class today in comparison.

I do think we need to call up a bowler though. IMO we need to play five specilaist bowlers, especially since most of our bowlers can bat fairly handily.

Salmon · Tennis legend

Yes. As much as I disapprove of Trott (the ODI player) for losing England the match against Bangladesh in Bristol last year with some of the weirdest ODI batting that I've ever seen, he has done well in the last few months and definitely should be one of the first names on the teamsheet. I would much rather have a proper middle order player who can rotate the strike, but there's no one who fits the bill right now.

Bell somehow has never received any attention even though he has almost done nothing in ODIs for ages! He has been great in Tests and that has tinted everyones' glasses, it seems. Although Bopara is quite talented, he has lost England loads of matches and a couple of good ones won't make me change my opinion on him. Wright I don't mind that much because at least he fields well, but you need better players than that if you want to be a good ODI side. So I'd say that Morgan and Strauss are the only batsmen who shouldn't have their places questioned right now

If England badly want a new bowler, they will have to go for Woakes, I think. But Woakes is playing for the Lions in West Indies right now, so I think it'll take at least a couple of days - then comes jetlag and getting used to the conditions. Don't see how he'll do better than Anderson/Tremlett on such short notice given that he hasn't played much cricket in the subcontinent. Rashid is in the West Indies, too. Other bowlers with any international experience and the slightest chance of getting picked are probably Monty, Sidebottom, Simon Jones, Sajid Mahmood (please no!) and Finn.

I'd prefer Jones over the others as he bowled brilliantly in the Caribbean T20 and was apparently quite fast, too. Sidebottom I don't mind, either - I reckon he'll be ready to come back if requested, but I don't see Flower/the selectors doing it. Plus I totally hate Blackwell and Samit Patel for not being slimmer as either would have made life so much easier. I wouldn't mind Yardy's bowling if he could bat, but he's so terrible that it's hard to believe that he averages 40ish in 4 day cricket played mostly in Division 1 - he's probably only better than Jimmy and Tremlett amongst the people who've played here.

-- Edited by Salmon on Thursday 17th of March 2011 10:26:08 PM

wolf · Tennis legend

Cricket has just died with the decision by the third umpire on the catch from Nathan McCullum.

Salmon · Tennis legend

Can't believe someone gave that not out after watching it on TV!!

England have pulled out the biggest rabbit out of the hat since Darren Pattinson by calling up Jade Dernbach to the side.

Dernbach is quite fast but when I last saw him play (around 10 months back, admittedly) he was bowling gun barrel half volleys every over. I see him being Saj Mahmood 2.0 if he plays, although I'd love to be proven wrong.

What is weird is that he is in the Caribbean just like Woakes, and is less experienced and worse than him as a batsman, so it doesn't make much sense to me!

-- Edited by Salmon on Friday 18th of March 2011 01:13:21 PM

SMC1809 · All-time great

If it was me, I'd Go with Woakes. biggrin

indiana · Tennis legend

England are apparently in discussions with the ICC re proposing a late format change to this World Cup.

The basis for this as Andrew Struass has commented is that "you can never play too much international cricket, particularly one dayers" and also they say that there are clamours of people who keep saying that "the Cricket World Cup just doesn't last long enough or have enough games"

To this end, the proposal is now instead of going into quarter finals, we move to a Super 8 competition as in the second stage in the last World Cup in the West Indies. You carry forward results against other Super 8 teams. and this may determine the winners ( England may have further proposals as that plays out )

Anyway, if Bangladesh lose to South Africa, and don't make the Super 8, one team in a very strong early position will be :

England P 3 W 2 L 0 T 1 5 PTS

Vandenburg · Futures level

Yeh i am suprised they did not think about sidebottom for a comeback, he is a very very tight bowler and obv v experianced. i do not no anything about this dernbach, but i think tremlett is not adapted to this form of the game at the mo

Salmon · Tennis legend

And the man of the series the last time England played a series in Sri Lanka was... Ryan Sidebottom!

Salmon · Tennis legend

Yardy is the latest contestant to be voted off Survivor - http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc_cricket_worldcup2011/content/story/507748.html

Hope he gets better soon, though. This is a terrible thing to happen.

Davies.... PLEASE!

indiana · Tennis legend

Congratulations to the Aussies on thrashing England in a no mark fast forgotten one day series.

Pity about the Ashes and the World Cup smile