The International Cricket Thread

[PaulWinch again]

No not all doom and gloom, but they shouldn’t rock up and field like that. Hopefully it’s a kick up the arse and a realisation they’ve got to hit their peak levels.

[Villan For Life]

I think we were very complacent today, sloppy in the field and some bang average bowling. Hopefully this will give us the kick up the arse that we need.

[olaftab]

Obviously there are problems to look at, but when Pakistan have to put on their best performance in ages to beat you and you still have two centurions in the innings then your problems aren't necessarily fundamental. Obviously, must improve massively in the field, but it's not all doom and gloom.

I would disagree. England have been only winning matches by putting out their number 1 batting game. The 4-0 against Pakistan in the warm up series whilst looked good should have been a warning that having to win games by scoring over 300 is going to not work one day. The defeat against Australia was also worrying. The match today could have been the semi final or the final itself. England MUST improve bowling and fielding to restrict teams to circa 280 or below if they are to win WC. I do not agree with those who say that par score these days is 330/340.  Anything above 300 is risky if you are chasing.

[Monty]

Obviously there are problems to look at, but when Pakistan have to put on their best performance in ages to beat you and you still have two centurions in the innings then your problems aren't necessarily fundamental. Obviously, must improve massively in the field, but it's not all doom and gloom.

I would disagree. England have been only winning matches by putting out their number 1 batting game. The 4-0 against Pakistan in the warm up series whilst looked good should have been a warning that having to win games by scoring over 300 is going to not work one day. The defeat against Australia was also worrying. The match today could have been the semi final or the final itself. England MUST improve bowling and fielding to restrict teams to circa 280 or below if they are to win WC. I do not agree with those who say that par score these days is 330/340.  Anything above 300 is risky if you are chasing.

All sides have to have their balance, and unless you're the 90s Aussies you're never going to be extraordinary with the bat and in the field. Yes, England need to improve in the field and they're not as strong there as they are at batting, but if your batting is that good then they simply don't always need to be.

[UK Redsox]

Sri Lanka have lost 7 wickets for 36 runs in a collapse reminiscent of England's bad old days

[UK Redsox]

Raining in the 'Diff, so SL might be saved

[ADVILLAFAN]

Pretty tight game in the cricket. Come on the Afghan Hounds!

[cdbearsfan]

Sri Lanka have spoiled it. Would have been a different story if the umpires had banned the chucker Malinga like they should in every game he plays.

[cdbearsfan]

Afghanistan have Leedsed this.

[UK Redsox]

Afghanistan have Leedsed this.

They're rubbish at chasing

[UK Redsox]

Strange scheduling that this is India's first game but SA's third.

Good to have Prakash Wakankar on commentary

[UK Redsox]

Prakash thinks that India's first game was held back until today's public holiday back home

[UK Redsox]

Pretty good effort by SA at the end to post any kind of a target

[ADVILLAFAN]

New Zealand looking on top against the Bangles

[PaulWinch again]

That’s a massive bollock dropped by Bangladesh, huge missed run out.