2.58 a ball... but Dhoni the finishing brain in there... anything could happen in the next four overs!
AG
I wasn't impressed with Dhoni. Although 42 off 31 looks good he took too long to get going. It was almost like they had half an eye on net run rate. In any event, they have started well against Bangladesh, with 180-1 at six an over! That should end at 350+. Then again, that isn't the end of it. Bangladesh may not bat as deep as other sides but their top five hit hard and often.
In other new, Nicholas Pooran and Fabian Allen so nearly took the West Indies to a surprise win over Sri Lanka, with some beautiful batting - Allen looks a real gem, and with Hope and Hetmyer the West Indies might have the batting to back their dangerous quick bowlers. They do need to add better fielding, and I'm sure Jason Holder will have them working on that this afternoon!
I think England let New Zealand off the hook there. at 194-1 with 18 overs to go they must have expected 330, but NZ did the needful, and took wickets. England had better do the same, because players like Santner and Southee are handy batsmen.
!!! Woakes takes a wicket in the first over !!! That's a good start!
That’s more like it! There was some good fortune but looking at things again, the pitch was lower and slower when New Zealand batted, despite England’s quicker bowlers, none of whom conceded more than six per over.
If anyone wants to read a scathing criticism of the end of a batsman's innings, that by Sir Curtly Ambrose of Evin Lewis is as cutting as it gets. See the BBC website. He might not be putting people in physical danger anymore, but he's still capable of hurting them.
After a horrible start (14-3 and a batsman hit in the face, albeit wearing a helmet) I think Australia would have bitten your hand off to make 223. It's usually competitive between England and Australia and this is going to be really tough.
After a horrible start (14-3 and a batsman hit in the face, albeit wearing a helmet) I think Australia would have bitten your hand off to make 223. It's usually competitive between England and Australia and this is going to be really tough.
England's innings was notable for three things: scoring nearly seven an over off Australia plus the worst review of an umpire's decision and the worst decision by an umpire in a cricket World Cup. Jason Roy really should have told Johnny Bairstow that he had no hope, then Roy got two demerit points for his show of dissent when he was (wrongly) given out. I doubt that umpire will get too many big games in the future.
Yes indeed. I felt sorry for the England wicketkeeper who let through those 4 byes! I felt that NZ should have won on the basis that they only lost 8 wickets.
Yes indeed. I felt sorry for the England wicketkeeper who let through those 4 byes! I felt that NZ should have won on the basis that they only lost 8 wickets.
That was used to decide ties for many years, but the PTB agreed that sides batting second conceded more wickets in a chase, so that wasn’t fair either.
There are dozens of ways to decide ties, such as previous head-to-head, disciplinary record, run rate and none is perfect but the team’s slogging ability ought not to be the one.
Over the last 4 years, England have been the best team in the world but in this game NZ were sooo unlucky:
The 6 where Boult caught it and stepped on the boundary. The 4 over-throws....
Hard lines, Kiwis, hardliners...
Just as well the cricket, tennis and Grand Prix were all on the same day, don't think the human psyche could stand the excitement of all three in a row.
Just as well the cricket, tennis and Grand Prix were all on the same day, don't think the human psyche could stand the excitement of all three in a row.
You aren't kidding. (a) I am just beginning to follow cricket; (b) I didn't have a dog in this =fight and didn't care who won; and (c) I didn't have any video of the contest and was relying entirely on the text updates on the BBC site, and I was still mesmerized, silent willing the BBC site to update more frequently!! Seriously, if somebody would put out a DVD set of the match, I would buy it in a heartbeat.
I'm another American who pays only casual attention to cricket. This afternoon my fellow checker got a pair of customers who had been watching the match. I gathered that it had been exciting and that England had won. The American of the pair was talking about the game going into overtime (huh?) but I told the Indian one that I knew England had been chasing 242. (Thanks to sneaking a peek at the BBC.)
He lit up and was about to tell me All About It, at which point my co-worker asked me to take the next customer because he needed a rest room break. So I had to wait until I got off to read any details.
(I turned to the next customer, who said something about body fat percentage. I thought "what? that has nothing to do with cricket!" before I realized he was continuing a mobile conversation. Still a weird transition!)
Well, now we've got the pyjama cricket out of the way, it's time to prepare for the real contest: The Ashes.
In all seriousness, it was a fantastic crescendo yesterday with the two best teams playing out a bit of the most dramatic piece of theatre. I absolutely agree that New Zealand were unlucky. Any number of incidents could be pointed to which would have made the difference of a single run. Had the result gone the other way, England would have been equally unlucky. Both teams played in the spirit of the game; it was great to see the mutual respect of the captains who conducted themselves impeccably throughout.
I remember - years ago - explaining Test Cricket to a group of Americans. They were absolutely incredulous that (a) a game could go on for five days; (b) that the players took breaks for lunch and tea; and (c) that they had a day off in the middle (as they did in those days). I agree that Test Cricket is "the real thing" but - let's be honest - a long hot afternoon with batsmen playing defensively and scoring less than 1 run per over isn't always the most exciting thing to watch. IMHO 50-over matches such as yesterday's seem to strike a good balance between "tactical play" and "hit-and-run" T20 cricket.
Now we know that God is indeed an Englisman. Though He waited till the last ball of the last over and then the last ball of the Super Over to "intervene"
Now we know that God is indeed an Englisman. Though He waited till the last ball of the last over and then the last ball of the Super Over to "intervene"
Nah.... Her hand was at work before that - the Boult catch for 6, the 4 over-throws... all were critical!
I’m looking forward to the Ashes tests now and very pleased to see that England have, in Jofra Archer, a bowler who actually threatens the batsman. Moreover, the other bowlers, notably Woakes, are bowling a yard faster too while retaining their accuracy.
Felt sorry for NZ, as in some ways they were better. Still, winning isn't about that. What an amazing sequence, the Boult 6, the 4 overthrows, the Archer wide, and Stokes on his knees.
After England's triumph normal service has been resumed. Jimmy Anderson has a calf injury and Mark Wood and Jofra Archer both have side strains. Olly Stone, who would be making his debut, is the only quick bowler in the squad and he is injury prone. Plunkett and Stokes aren't in the squad so the admirable Woakes is probably the fastest bowler we have.
Well, the scenes at Lord's are hardly encouraging.
As per usual, after playing in the one-day format for too long, we've forgotten how to play Test Match cricket.
All out for 85. That's one of those lines that makes me double-check for a typo...
It happens more than one might imagine. When the conditions are right and a team is motivated and on top form it can and does happen. Today was just right: the ball moved through the air (sticky humid day plus red ball) and off the pitch. Ireland didn't try too hard with the ball but their catching was first-rate.
This is where we need someone like Geoff Boycott (not that I like the man) who can simply STAY IN even if he scores slowly. Mind you, England seem to have started OK this morning (?famous last words).
Comments
AG
I wasn't impressed with Dhoni. Although 42 off 31 looks good he took too long to get going. It was almost like they had half an eye on net run rate. In any event, they have started well against Bangladesh, with 180-1 at six an over! That should end at 350+. Then again, that isn't the end of it. Bangladesh may not bat as deep as other sides but their top five hit hard and often.
In other new, Nicholas Pooran and Fabian Allen so nearly took the West Indies to a surprise win over Sri Lanka, with some beautiful batting - Allen looks a real gem, and with Hope and Hetmyer the West Indies might have the batting to back their dangerous quick bowlers. They do need to add better fielding, and I'm sure Jason Holder will have them working on that this afternoon!
!!! Woakes takes a wicket in the first over !!! That's a good start!
50/2 in the 13th.
I was expecting England to get at least 330. We will see...
Just saying...
Or not.
Well played England!
New name on the trophy, at last!
Just the World Cup Final apparently...
Our commentators have to be impartial, I don’t think the rest of the BBC is under the same obligation.
That was used to decide ties for many years, but the PTB agreed that sides batting second conceded more wickets in a chase, so that wasn’t fair either.
There are dozens of ways to decide ties, such as previous head-to-head, disciplinary record, run rate and none is perfect but the team’s slogging ability ought not to be the one.
Over the last 4 years, England have been the best team in the world but in this game NZ were sooo unlucky:
The 6 where Boult caught it and stepped on the boundary. The 4 over-throws....
Hard lines, Kiwis, hardliners...
As Warne said NZ were the better team today.
AFZ
He lit up and was about to tell me All About It, at which point my co-worker asked me to take the next customer because he needed a rest room break. So I had to wait until I got off to read any details.
(I turned to the next customer, who said something about body fat percentage. I thought "what? that has nothing to do with cricket!" before I realized he was continuing a mobile conversation. Still a weird transition!)
In all seriousness, it was a fantastic crescendo yesterday with the two best teams playing out a bit of the most dramatic piece of theatre. I absolutely agree that New Zealand were unlucky. Any number of incidents could be pointed to which would have made the difference of a single run. Had the result gone the other way, England would have been equally unlucky. Both teams played in the spirit of the game; it was great to see the mutual respect of the captains who conducted themselves impeccably throughout.
Nah.... Her hand was at work before that - the Boult catch for 6, the 4 over-throws... all were critical!
Not for the first time the English can't understand the Irish.
As per usual, after playing in the one-day format for too long, we've forgotten how to play Test Match cricket.
It happens more than one might imagine. When the conditions are right and a team is motivated and on top form it can and does happen. Today was just right: the ball moved through the air (sticky humid day plus red ball) and off the pitch. Ireland didn't try too hard with the ball but their catching was first-rate.
Let's see how their batting goes.
An excellent performance so far by Ireland.