World Cup 2019

furriner wrote:But I'll take the win.

But Afghanistan are the moral victors.

A couple of unexpectedly close games.
Carlos nearly dragging the Windies over the line, only about 12 inches more, and he would've cleared the Boundary. Some great bowling by Neesham at the death for the Snoozies.

A bowler's WC. Forget your 400 plus totals, these type of games were the only reason for the format. Apols to batsman, bogans and and other such dickheads everywhere.

It brings back the issue of the turgid middle overs... still, it does seem the lower scoring games produce the tight finishes. I think there’s just a psychological barrier to chasing down scores much above 300, which may fade away in time.

Remarkable effort from Brathwaite who was literally inches from glory there. A few others on his team should be questioning their decisions though. They really didn’t deserve to go through, based on team effort, though had they pulled off that result it would have gone further towards compressing the pack.

Geez, a couple of close games of close games last night.

Ganjas only needed 6 runs off the last but lost their last wicket instead.

And the Ghanis at 8-213 with an over to go where still a chance as well.

Big match for Eng v Aus on Tuesday with them sitting only 2 points in front of the resurgent Lankans with both having 4 to play.

furriner wrote:Afghanistan deserve to win this.

furriner wrote:But I'll take the win.

Indian claims Moral Defeat

PeterCS wrote:

furriner wrote:But I'll take the win.

But Afghanistan are the moral victors.

embee wrote:

furriner wrote:Afghanistan deserve to win this.

furriner wrote:But I'll take the win.

Indian claims Moral Defeat

No we're winning the Moral World Cup. First prize - state of high dudgeon

India squeaked one there but they found a way to win. (West Indies also deserve a lot of credit i feel). England don't tend to do that in the tournaments that count. Being ultra-critical i don't think our bowlers are as good as some think either.
My watching sports are cricket and football and my playing sports tennis and golf. I play off a fairly decent 9 handicap and play tennis to a fairly good level. But i tend to fail in the events which count. I enter plenty in the north London/Herts areas but to date have just a single runner-up trophy. Is there something in the major events that some people lap up, i don't know.  But we have a fella at the tennis club who i often beat in practice and he certainly takes no prisoners when you play him but he has 8 trophies in the spare room and seems to rise to the occasions.
The 4 sides i had down at the start should be the final 4 but could Sri Lanka edge out England?

beamer wrote:

skully wrote:Welcome Ronnie.

I suspect he’s Adolf Whitburn reincarnated, but we’ll give him the benefit of the doubt for now...

SL making the last four would be remarkable, at the start of the tournament they looked headed for the wooden spoon. Their batting line-up still looks really poor, I can’t see them posting 300 against anyone. But if they get the right sort of pitches where they can restrict teams then anything’s possible.

I think that was the worst Dilscoop I’ve ever seen from Fakhar just then... just as his team had started so well and it seemed all-but-eliminated SA were going through the motions somewhat.

Full name Mohammad Imran Tahir

Born March 27, 1979, Lahore, Punjab

Current age 40 years 88 days

Major teams South Africa, Chennai Super Kings, Delhi Daredevils, Derbyshire, Dolphins, Durham, Durham 2nd XI, Easterns, Guyana Amazon Warriors, Hampshire, Hampshire 2nd XI, Lahore City, Lahore Lions, Lahore Ravi, Lahore Whites, Lions, Middlesex, Middlesex 2nd XI, Multan Sultans, Nottinghamshire, Pakistan A, Pakistan International Airlines, Pakistan Under-19s, Redco Pakistan Ltd, Rising Pune Supergiants, Sialkot, South Africa A, Staffordshire, Sui Gas Corporation of Pakistan, Sussex 2nd XI, Titans, Warriors, Warwickshire, Warwickshire 2nd XI, Water and Power Development Authority, World-XI, Yorkshire

Talk about more clubs than Tiger Woods! There’s almost a team for every year of his age there. I know it’s becoming more common in this franchise circus era, but can any player match that?

Anyway, diving return catch and Usain Bolt-like sprint in celebration. Not bad for a fellow quadragenarian

Wackie crabs let the spinners pull back their momentum.

Then again, as beams alludes, Tahir is pretty damn special for an old bloke.

Quality 89 from Ed Haris Sohail to get the Wackies beyond 300.

Should present a reasonable challenge to the SAffers.

The target seems a long way off.

Even further off with Faf gone and just a bunch of hit-and-miss all-rounders to come.

I just don't understand how SA can manage to look so shit in WCs despite seeming to have a very good side otherwise.

furriner wrote:I just don't understand how SA can manage to look so shit in WCs despite seeming to have a very good side otherwise.

Well, normally they look good then fold when it comes to the crunch.

This side has looked poor from day one, their key players haven’t really fired but there’s a lot of nonentities and has-beens in there. A few that probably won’t be seen in international colours again after this. I expect there will be a substantial changing of the guard, and perhaps a new young captain to take them forward in all formats.

Obviously they could have gone back to AB to paper over the cracks, but doubt it would have changed everything, and it’s understandable they didn’t given how he messed them about by picking and choosing tours and formats in the latter part of his career.

There's a decent chance they'll come home from this tournament with exactly 1 win, that against Afghanistan. This really is very unexpected.

They were a bit shit in 2003 but at least they beat New Zealand.

Ah well they have two more digs, against Australia and Sri Lanka, in order to salvage some pride. They no longer have a mathematical chance of qualifying for the semis.

If Pakistan win out (Afg, Ban & NZ), then England need two wins to save their last four place.

Obviously Bangladesh and Sri Lanka are still in the mix as well, but Pakistan look the most dangerous if they click.

Can see the Stannies making it. Think the cbnlg factor will kick in for Oz and England will sneak in.

The implosion of the Saffies has been the story thus far. Time for Amla and Faff to move on. On the plus side NZ and the Lankans have been solid.

At this stage the Bannies would be a cert if Pujara was playing.

furriner wrote:I just don't understand how SA can manage to look so shit in WCs despite seeming to have a very good side otherwise.

Indeed.

horace wrote:Can see the Stannies making it. Think the cbnlg factor will kick in for Oz and England will sneak in.

The implosion of the Saffies has been the story thus far. Time for Amla and Faff to move on. On the plus side NZ and the Lankans have been solid.

What, Sri Lanka who have been absolutely thrashed twice, had two washouts, scraped past Afghanistan, then were handed victory by an England batting implosion? Yeah, they’ve been really solid. Name’s on the cup

Pakistan are the one of the outsiders who I think could win it if they sneak through. Or perhaps more likely, make the final then get rolled for 150 in 30 overs.

horace wrote:Can see the Stannies making it. Think the cbnlg factor will kick in for Oz and England will sneak in.

The implosion of the Saffies has been the story thus far. Time for Amla and Faff to move on. On the plus side NZ and the Lankans have been solid.

At this stage the Bannies would be a cert if Pujara was playing.

Pujara or Shikhar Dharwan?