Cricket World Cup

[The Red Baron]

Anyone else been following this? While there are a lot of mis-matches  (e.g. Australia v Afghanistan yesterday) there have been some good games notably involving the Associate teams.

What is really noticeable is how bat has dominated ball and 300-odd is no longer a winning score. Also England appear to be light years behind the top sides in the world. I have a feeling they will lose to Bangladesh and will not make the quarters. Even if I'm wrong, a thrashing awaits at the hands of India or South Africa.

We need a total rethink about how we play limited overs cricket.

[GazLaz]

Our approach of being 200/4 after 40 overs I'd 20 years out of date. The majority of the wickets out there have been like a road so runs have flowed. You wouldn't want to be a bowler would you.

[Filo]

Our bowling is non inventive and erratic, our batting lacks any conviction, how Ballance gets in in front of Hales is a mystery, we need confident powerful batting down to at least number 6, not the timid stuff we keep serving up. We need to focus more on the T20 games in this country to develop the power batting game

[The Red Baron]

Re. England's bowling. I think it was a mistake to go back to Anderson and Broad. Neither has played much one-day cricket in recent times and it is showing in this World Cup. At the same time a young player like Chris Jordan can't get a look in. And I agree about Hales. Once they discarded Cook he should have been our No.1. The decision would then be whether Ali or Bell partners him.

[Filo]

Re. England's bowling. I think it was a mistake to go back to Anderson and Broad. Neither has played much one-day cricket in recent times and it is showing in this World Cup. At the same time a young player like Chris Jordan can't get a look in. And I agree about Hales. Once they discarded Cook he should have been our No.1. The decision would then be whether Ali or Bell partners him.

Ali, to open with Hales and Bell in at number 3 for me, Root at 4, Morgan 5, Taylor 6, Bopara 7, Butler 8, Broad 9, Jordan 10 and Finn 11, a strong batting line up, and a bowling attack thats at least on a par with what we have

[GazLaz]

The thing with the bowlers is that the younger lads were woeful in the warm up games and made their selection impossible.

[Filo]

The thing with the bowlers is that the younger lads were woeful in the warm up games and made their selection impossible.

Anderson and Broad have been woeful in Tournement play, so whichever bowlers we pick it's not going to work, so load the batting line up, up

[The Red Baron]

Re. England's bowling. I think it was a mistake to go back to Anderson and Broad. Neither has played much one-day cricket in recent times and it is showing in this World Cup. At the same time a young player like Chris Jordan can't get a look in. And I agree about Hales. Once they discarded Cook he should have been our No.1. The decision would then be whether Ali or Bell partners him.

Ali, to open with Hales and Bell in at number 3 for me, Root at 4, Morgan 5, Taylor 6, Bopara 7, Butler 8, Broad 9, Jordan 10 and Finn 11, a strong batting line up, and a bowling attack thats at least on a par with what we have

Too many batters there for me, Filo. One should go to make room for Tredwell. Buttler is too low at 8. He should be used as a floater, able to go in 4 or 5 if we have a good start and drop down if we lose early wickets. You'd ideally want Morgan and Buttler batting in the power play and the last 10.

[GazLaz]

If everyone was in form I'd pick a team something like this.

Hales
Carberry
KP
Stokes
Root
Ali
Butler
Jordan
Broard
Finn
Treadwell

[ch-ch rover]

I watched the Scotland game in Christchurch Broad was terrible bowled far to short.Finn was excellent,a real handful batting tactics totally out of date should have scored 360 that day

[The Red Baron]

Finn has been appallingly handled by the England management. He needs to be encouraged to use his pace and height. Broad also seems to be a victim of theory - encouraged to hold the ball across the seam and bang it in short. He is a much better bowler when he pitches it up and uses some swing.

[GazLaz]

Don't get me started on the england management!

[coventryrover]

cant yorkshire play instead?

[BobG]

Ballance and Joe Root each earned over a million quid last year too....

BobG

[NickDRFC]

I don't think the issue is the players, it's the management. Both selectors and coaching. Players are picked on name not merit, then when the side is put together the tactics are too prescribed. There is no flexibility. Bowler A will bowl X overs, then change to B for Y overs etc. The batting order is set in stone, when as someone pointed out someone like Buttler should come in anywhere from 3-7 depending on circumstances. They're obsessed with building a base, which puts a lot of pressure on anyone coming in at 7/8 as they are expected to just swing big and hit the ground running.

But the biggest issue in my eyes is the stubbornness of the management. We have been building for years for this cup and despite protests from fans and pundits, Cook remained as captain. Right up until the eve of the World Cup. The sacking put the team in disarray. Then suddenly in the first game, ballance gets shoehorned in and Taylor, who has been great, gets dropped down the order to accommodate him. Madness.

I moved to sydney last month and I'm contracting for the finance side of the WC. Surprisingly enough Im copping a lot of stock from staff and customers alike! My first day was the NZ game as well! I really hope we beat Bangladesh as I have tickets to the Afghanistan game - can't think of anything more depressing right now than going there as a dead rubber.

[glosterred]

To be honest cannot be arsed with it, if it's on I will watch it, but don't miss it when it's not

It has yet to catch my imagination

[The Red Baron]

I only caught the finishes of today's games but both were very exciting. The Ireland v Zimbabwe game was particularly good.

[Filo]

Here comes the England batting collapse against Bangladesh, I think Morgan needs relieving of the captaincy, you just can't play a man so out of form and confidence like Morgan is at the moment

[Filo]

Shocking England, just shocking! Throwing wickets away like confetti, although I think Jordan was desparatley unlucky, there was doubt in that run out decision, and the batsman should get the benefit

[The Red Baron]

Buttler gave us a chance but as usual went in too low. Simply not good enough.

[Filo]

I think to bottom line is our bowling attack is piss poor, putting too much pressure on average batters

[glosterred]

Poor management, poor captain and poor selection, England need a good clear out and build for the next World Cup. Moores, Morgan and some of the old guard need to be got rid of.

[GM-MarkB]

At 8.55am on the Chris Evans Breakfast Show, Geoffrey Boycott proudly announced "England are gooing along nicely at 75-1, it'll tek a miracle for Bangladesh to win".....

 

[BobG]

I heard Aggers say something like 140 odd for 2 at about 9.45 too.

But then, with a change in captain at the very, very last minute: a coach who can't decide, or doesn't know, what his best side is,mouths all over the place that can't keep themselves shut and so set themselves up for a fall every single time,  and a set of tactics that my local league team could better, what do we expect?

Considering where we were 3 or 4 years ago, to get to these depths so quickly takes some seriously committed management.

BobG

[GazLaz]

The approach to batting is all wrong. Bell and Root dug the hole for the rest to fall in to. Morgan has been shit for 2 years and Hales looks frightened of giving his wicket away rather than playing his natural game.

[roversontheup]

I am almost relieved we are out of it.  Just not good enough.  At least I can now sit back and really enjoy the 'run fest' competition!

Some of the matches have been tremendous. I was in my car when Ireland were playing Zimbabwe. Nearly had to pull in at the end it was so exciting!

[RobTheRover]

Spot on roversontheup.

I'm sad to say that England have been probably the least watchable side I've seen in the competition.