Two wickets in two balls. Archer and Rashid can both bat a bit, but can they get 29 in two overs?
I am going to say no.
No, I think Woakes could have still done it, but Pak have bowled well at the end here and been difficult to get away all along.
Archer goes trying to get the big hit in, but he needed to to stand any chance.
No. All over bar the shouting now. Well played Pakistan, through slightly gritted teeth. Opens up the tournament nicely.
[SIMON & GARFUNKEL]Hello Darkness, my old friend[/SIMON & GARFUNKEL]
Not really or at least not yet - this format allows for the odd blip - but it does go to show that England can’t just assume it’s theirs to win. They were sloppy in the field and Pakistan have made them pay, just as a decent international team should.
It would have been useful to win this game - England’s next 4 are Bangladesh, WI, Afghanistan and Sri Lanka and winning here would have allowed them to drop one of those before facing Australia, New Zealand and India at the back end of the group, giving themselves a bit of leeway. Never mind. Get it right next time.
Ok, I hid until the final ball.
Great to win.
Ok, yeah, England ain’t winning this*. Their bowling sucks. If anyone can give up 350 to a Pakistani batting lineup, that shows how lousy it is. Australia and India will murder them.
The batting wasn’t all that great either, Root got lucky with a drop. The wickets fell when the batsmen were being attacked. Pakistan tactics in the middle overs, to let the singles and twos was misconceived, they should have piled up pressure. Better planned teams won’t make that mistake.
I mean Australia.
Speaking of planning, England clearly took Pakistan too lightly. They had no business fielding first. Also I had no idea why they went for a tactic of bowling bouncers. It’s axiomic, don’t rely on a batting collapse for a strategy in future games. They bounced them, and the batsmen simply avoided them. Which was bad, since early on the conditions supported swing, and the allowed two out of form and shaky openers put up 80 plus, and conditions got better.
Pakistan, I ain’t saying anything. I still think we need to play with 5 bowlers not 4. Bring in Shaheen Afridi.
*Pakistan ain’t either, so no problem.
I didn’t watch the match. Was following the score on cricinfo between meetings. I sneaked our for the last 30-45 minutes. First time I’ve ever done that for a sporting event.
I don’t think Pakistan are going to win this either, but who knows. This tournament could be won by a team with three losses.
Playing with 4 bowlers is going to cost us.
It was Pakistan, who the hell knows which team turns up for them? Barmy and brilliant in equal measure. For England that game probably represents the worst case for our one-day team. Misfiring in the field and with the ball but still able to post the only two centuries thus far and come within 14 runs of a record World Cup run chase. They’ll be frustrated of course but if 330+ is a dud performance then no real cause for alarm.
Well we’ll finally get to see India play their first game, against a demoralised South Africa. I’ll be hoping for an upset, however unlikely.
Very unlikely at this point. India looking (well, sounding - listening to TMS while working from home) rather good at the moment. Old chestnuts about wickets and both sides batting notwithstanding, this is India’s to lose from here, SA 182/7 with only 7 overs left. Doubt they will get to the last couple of overs.
New Zealand stumbling now as they chase Bangladeshs modest total.
My three year old thought it would be a good idea to get out his doctor’s kit during the last three overs, so I had my heart rate and blood pressure monitored to the end.
checks score
Huh, what were you worried about?
rechecks score,
Oh, 8 down huh? Fair enough!
I’m sure all Saffer cricket supporters appreciate their teams consideration of the national heart condition.
Rather than building unsustainable expectations only to pop their balloon in the last game, in 2019 they are getting the same result with a much more gentle deflation.
Humane, even.
Seems so. I made an investment on NZ, at over 3 times the odds, and wasn’t worried at any point. Was an easy cover.
Everything is possible.
Australia making hard work of batting first against the west Indies, 70-odd for 5, but they still have Steve Smith.
At 206-7 the Aussies are 2 wickets worse than their Plan B but 270 is still feasible.
If the Windies keep bowling wides at the current rate they might get 300.
Not convinced 270 is enough.
Blimey! This was not expected when they were 38-4. Sloppy Windies bowling and absolutely shit-or-bust batting from Australia is going to get them near to 300.
Cracking game, as was the NZ - Bangladesh match last night.