ODI World Cup 2023

[K]

Nice to see a "low"-scoring ODI.

But not if England romp home!

Dunno who to want to win... Love seeing England wooden spooners... But is it helpful if India lose?

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2/215 after 27 overs.

If the 'Benaud' equation still applies, 450 is on.

Problem is the middle order, esp. FTB Smith, just kills off any momentum. Looks like the selectors were right to worry that Marny is as slow as FTB.

A huge worry that Oz get insanely good starts and then the innings peters out... And then Oz just scrape home.

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The good news is Phillips is finished, time to resume normal programming.

How they couldn't hit him has me fkd. It'a not like he was an Indian spinner turning square, he was bowling slow medium nude nuts and killing us on length.
...

Oz's spin weakness on show again. Very soft dismissals to the part-time offie by the openers and FTB. Sheesh... We all know FTB Smith can't handle specialist spinners turning the ball away from him. But now he's lamely getting out to part-time spinners turing the ball into him... On a pitch that gives up almost 800 runs.

[Donny]

Malan and Root claimed by Bumrah. On a hatty.

[Donny]

No hatty. He has 2/11.

Poms 2/33.

[Donny]

Stokes gorrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrnnnnnn.

Bowled by the redoubtable Mohammed Shami for a blob.

3/33.

[Donny]

Bairstow (14). also claimed by Shami.

4/39.

[Donny]

What's the go with Jos Buttler ?

His poor form with the bat aside, (although that's a contributing factor) he just doesn't LOOK like a captain. For a start, he should be opening the batting. Is he not watching the likes of other openers Warner, Rohit, Head, Marsh de Kock etc. ?

Thoughts ?

[Donny]

Bumrah & Shami have 4/22 between them.

[Donny]

6/81 as Shami strikes again, claiming Moeen. He has 3/5 from 4 overs.

[Donny]

6/94 after 27 overs.

Livingstone 25*.

[Pies4shaw]

8/98. LOL.

[Donny]

England 129. Shami 4/22, Bumrah 3/32.

[Pies4shaw]

Tonight, 7.30 AEDST, Sri Lanka v Afghanistan. This is the last of the 5th round of games. The top 4 is India 6 wins, South Africa 5, Australia and NZ 4 and the next 4 teams are on 2 wins. The winner of the SL/Afghanistan game will be one win behind 3rd and 4th and a realistic shot at making a semi-final. The loser will remain 2 games adrift. There are only 3 rounds of matches to go, so teams that are two wins adrift aren't much more than a mathematical chance of getting out of the group stage.

England is last, with one win. Their tournament is now all over, bar the fielding.

[K]

... For a start, he should be opening the batting. Is he not watching the likes of other openers Warner, Rohit, Head, Marsh de Kock etc. ?

Thoughts ?

Every team has too many openers, not enough finishers. Opening has become easy, finishing harder.

Oz has three openers. Then it all falls away. Only Maxwell can finish... That's when he's not throwing his wicket away. FTB Smith cannot score quickly. Smith is a passenger, and the Oz selectors worry 'bout having too many slow scorers. So Green (another opener) misses out.

Sheesh... Openers go berserk and score 0/175 and then you just scrape home. What happens when the openers get bogged down?

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England v. India: India's best batsman and England's best two Test batsmen all scored ducks.

But again: Nice to see a low-scoring ODI!!

[Donny]

Sri Lanka v Afghanistan.


Maharashtra Cricket Association Stadium, Pune

[Donny]

Afghanistan won the toss and elected to bowl.

1/71 after 16 overs. Pathum Nissanka 41*.