Current International One Day Cricket

And another thriller... Kocky threatened to make short work of it, then England were in control, then the Yarps got it down to 3 off 2 as per England the other day... then we had a wicket, a knife-edge review, a debutant needing 3 off the last ball, another catch and then a nervous wait to see if the fielder was outside the circle!

So it’s down to the decider, my money’s on an Oasis being needed to settle it...

Is that like Springsteen's "Hard to be a Saint in the City"?

"I had skin like leather, and the diamond-hard look of a cobra
I was born blue and weathered - but I burst just like a ... super-over"

TONKEROONEY!

Who would be a bowler?

Crikey!!

SAf go at 11 an over and get beaten in a canter.

Well done England.

Yeah, an absolute road, but chasing 222 takes some doing. With that top seven, though, there’s every chance. Morgan showing his remarkable six-hitting ability to close it out after the Yarp attack had seemingly dragged it back a bit.

Geebers. What a slog-fest!

This has been a tightly fought series.

Brutal. And on a small ground, favouring even mis-hit 6s.

A lot of skill and nerve along with the brutality, in fact. It's not "my" form of the game (is it anyone's on here? - thought not), but for once it was exciting stuff, and not merely 3x JAMITT, because of the extreme closeness of all three matches.

However, hard to know how much exactly either team set-up can learn from this mini-series - as is true with almost any T20 thrashes - to increase its chances for the forthcoming World T20 Bash.

But for England, there will be some confidence that, given reasonable form, they have a number of competent biffers, and that an effort to win matches does not rest on one or two sets of shoulders alone. That appears less the case with the bowling - but then, conditions for bowlers in these three micro-matches were almost as adverse as they could be. Who'd be a bowler, as Basil observed above. The question Wood in particular was no doubt asking himself by the end. ...

That said, Jordan proved his veteran value. And Curran (T), after making me (probably not just me) wondering what the hell he was doing there in the team, came back well and looked a good contender. They'd have liked that extra (scrubbed-out) game for Parky I suppose, as a back-up if needs be. As it is, they would only risk him I suppose if Rashid or Mo limped off and had to be replaced.

The big mystery for me remains: Why are they putting Buttler up top, and bringing in the - at best wily - Denly (or Malan) down at 5 or 6? Buttler got a score at last, but it was hit-and-giggle stuff, all edges and hang on to your hats. Because he's a finisher, not a starter. A natural 5 or 6, or even 7 if things go tits-up at the top. Whereas Banton, who's established a name as a sound hitter, seems a better bet than Denly, and a more natural 1, 2 or 3 than either Buttler or Denly (or even Malan).

Just odd. My bet is that if they persist with this experiment, Buttler will be out cheaply most times, and not only waste his considerable "last 4-5 overs" potential, but set up pressure for the rest of the innings.

But what would I know?

For South Africa, not as dire as was initially feared, provided people keep their nerve (players, selectors and coaches). I was surprised to see the return of Steyn, albeit in the micro format, but although there was a bit of rust there, he looks - if he stays fit! - well worth a place in the side. Even when not so fast, he's seasoned, and has the skill & nous.

And by the third game, SAf had found something close to a blend - if they keep their peckers up, and don't get too far into the mumbo-jumbo of team mantras. (Bad sign that Pretorius dropped two, incl one sitter, towards the end.)

In De Kock, Bavuma and Miller, they have three potential matchwinners with the bat, and Klaasen and Thunder Dozen maybe too. (Are they going to try to do a Betty Boothroyd with the DeVil one more time?) Spin area might be a worry. esp in Australia - oh for a Harmer - but maybe they'll just play another quick (or shrewd, variation-rich medium pacer? - come back Phil, all is forgiven?) in place of, say, Fortuin.

The triple series might be a useful watermark for South African cricket generally. Not only T20. De Kock looks very useful and competent as a skipper, if they go with him. In Tests though, as I mentioned, I don't know how he can drive the team on for very long in a triple high-intensity role. As also previously mentioned, if they could find another decent keeper who can bat a bit, maybe that's the best way they could go? "Quinny" alternating at slip and to the side of the bowler would take a slight (slip) & major (mid-on/off) amount of pressure off him, and avoid the constant-crucible worker-bee duties that would probably soon burn him out, like they did AB.

But what would I know of the way ahead for either team?

We’re almost spoilt for options with the batting. Seems a waste for Buttler to bat low down in this format, particularly when we have Stokes and Moeen to do the finisher job... but Roy and Bairstow are so good up top in the 50-over game it seems a shame to split that up.

The identity of Batsman 7 could determine the balance. As in the longer white ball format, no point bringing someone like Banton who’s an opener by trade in to bat 6 or 7. You can’t just switch to being a lower order hitter like that. Malan’s done well in this format, even if he doesn’t like running risky byes... Denly didn’t offer much to further his cause, and of course I suspect a certain Mr Root hasn’t given up on this format completely?

First of 3 T20s SAf v Aus is on this Saturday (22/2) in front a sell-out Jo'burg crowd.

I expect a pretty hostile reception from the Yarp punters.

Aussie girls get belted by the Bannie girls in the T20 World Cup opener.

Why? Were their ... pants falling down?

Friendly act, anyhow.

JGK wrote:Aussie girls get belted by the Bannie girls in the T20 World Cup opener.  

Bad decision to bowl first.

skully wrote:First of 3 T20s SAf v Aus is on this Saturday (22/2) in front a sell-out Jo'burg crowd.

I expect a pretty hostile reception from the Yarp punters.

Pretty weak one from the Yarp batsmen, anyway...

skully wrote:First of 3 T20s SAf v Aus is on this Saturday (22/2) in front a sell-out Jo'burg crowd.

I expect a pretty hostile reception from the Yarp punters.

Five wickets including a hat trick to Agar. SA bating at an all time low. Warner fails overseas again. Some things never change.

Well, SA racked up 222 against us (though failed to defend it).

Agar now has a second claim to fame...

JGK wrote:Aussie girls get belted by the Bannie girls in the T20 World Cup opener.  

They sure can't read a wrong'un.

Well done to the Indian girls.

Big Dog wrote:

skully wrote:First of 3 T20s SAf v Aus is on this Saturday (22/2) in front a sell-out Jo'burg crowd.

I expect a pretty hostile reception from the Yarp punters.

Five wickets including a hat trick to Agar. SA bating at an all time low. Warner fails overseas again. Some things never change.

Decent win created by reasonable batting effort backed up by a great bowling stint.

skully wrote:

Big Dog wrote:

skully wrote:First of 3 T20s SAf v Aus is on this Saturday (22/2) in front a sell-out Jo'burg crowd.

I expect a pretty hostile reception from the Yarp punters.

Five wickets including a hat trick to Agar. SA bating at an all time low. Warner fails overseas again. Some things never change.

Decent win created by reasonable batting effort backed up by a great bowling stint.

"forgot to watch"

Is this a new low for the Yarps? Agar took 5 wickets - tell me I'm dreamin. Oz had Marsh Minor and won - new realities. Faff grinds out a top score - alternative universe. Warner fails - reality goes old well schooled.

Puddle AND Agar - no less!!

Agar's hattrick was quite classy. 3 well tossed up and turning balls. No darts involved.

I didn't forget - it was just on late (wee hours).

skully wrote:Puddle AND Agar - no less!!

Agar's hattrick was quite classy. 3 well tossed up and turning balls. No darts involved.

I didn't forget - it was just on late (wee hours).

Onya Skullywags.

Seems to be a crisis in Yarp 'good schools'. Their cricket teams are diabolical and Taipan has flounced.

So our effort against them of a one-run defeat, a two-run win and having to chase down 222 to take the decider was pretty crap then...

Swindon Town v Stoke City

beamer wrote:So our effort against them of a one-run defeat, a two-run win and having to chase down 222 to take the decider was pretty crap then...

good win by the village team

Might be talking out of my arse, but I don't think 80 SR centuries are that useful in ODIs these days. And that's what Shai Hope specialises at.