NCN’s innings is the equivalent of David Myers getting 3 Brownlow votes in a game.
2 Likes
Just on them: It’s interesting to hear that ABdV asked SA Cricket if he could come out of retirement and be included in the WC squad before the tournament and was refused. Odd that someone who claimed to be tired out bhe the rigours of international cricket would suddenly choose to come back like that once a big tournament came around. I doubt he’d have been a popular squad member if he was included in those circumstances so probably a good decision to tell him to ■■■■ off. You can’t pick and choose like that.
2 Likes
popular schmopular… best ODI batsman we’ve ever seen, ■■■■ walks into any squad.
It’s not like he didn’t know the WC was coming, could have waited to retire from ODI’s until after that.
1 Like
On the wicket preparation I don’t disagree that what the ICC want and what England want are basically the same. But my point is the Poms technically don’t have a say in how the wickets are prepared.
Comparing NCN’s batting to Moeen Ali is a big stretch. Ali has proven himself at both ODI level and test level as a batsmen for many years. He has 5 test hundreds and 5 ODI hundreds, while NCN has 3 first class 50s and 3 List A 50s including his first ODI 50 last night. I would
much rather Moeen as a batsmen everyday of the week. He has a lot more strings to his batting given he’s just not a hitter like NCN.
Lyon coming in isn’t a bad shout. I would for with one of the reserve seamers first. Not picking Hazelwood or Pattinson appears to be a poor decision.
If there’s one bloke in the world who grant the opportunity to change his mind, it’s him.
nope, he chose to walk away, the team has then tried to prepare for the WC without him, training, practising, bonding and working together. Meanwhile he is off around the world raking in millions playing T20 cricket with no thought for the team back home. He then doesn’t get to just walk back into the side kicking out someone who has worked hard to be there.
His actions show that is all about him and nothing to do with the RSA team as a whole. He wants the glory without having to do what everyone else has had to do to get there.
I would tell him to go screw himself too.
1 Like
I’m actually in the opposite camp and would rather play an extra batter for this tournament.
2x Quicks (Cummins, Starc)
1x Spinner (Zampa/Lyon)
1x Genuine Allrounder (NCN/Stoinis)
1x Keeper (Carey)
6x batsman (2 of which can bowl a bit of part time noodlers ie Maxwell, Finch, Warner and Smith. Not sure if Warner or Smith’s bodies are up to bowling currently.
My XI
Warner
Khawaja
Finch
Smith
SMarsh
Maxwell
Stoinis
Carey
Cummins
Starc
Zampa
1 Like
Smith has bowled a bit in the warm up games. Suspect he might be reluctant to do a lot of it but he actually looked okay with the ball.
On the wickets, I am just listening to a podcast with Adam Collins who said he understands that the groundsmen have been instructed by the ICC to produce lively wickets.
So… will he bat at 4 or 5 for “England”?
1 Like
Only been some slight changes at Trent Bridge. Most English grounds have a weird shape and it is mainly because when the grounds were first used they were often paddocks situated at intersections or corners in the middle of the towns. As populations and infrastructure grew the grounds were still bordered by roads, railway lines and housing and grandstands being built had to encroach on the playing grounds which give the grounds weird shapes.
2 Likes
lols
ain’t doing a very good job then from what I’ve seen… good to know there’s another pod up.
You need some context. We were 4/38 last night and on the same wicket Pakistan lost a match in 35 overs. So far in the World Cup there have been 25% of scores over 300 - compared 7 out of 8 completed innings in the recent England Pakistan series (with a score of 297 in the 8th innnings). Therefore its safe to assume the wickets have a bit more in them.
For reference I was listening to Adam Collins on the Grade Cricketer pod. Still have the Greatest Season that Was and the Final Word to check out today.
2 Likes
You’re confusing grounds… we were at Trent Bridge last night, the ground where Pakistan and England scored 680 runs between them. And where England chased down ~440 in the world record run chase.
And our 4/40 last night had absolutely nothing to do with the surface.
Yeah I have no idea what chopp is on about
All the leadup was about the 9700 england posted a month ago.
They were way short of that this time around
You could see that as the pitches being better for batting. Or you could not.
How was C-nile not bowled off that 1st delivery? Then he struggled for a few short balls and ended playing one of the great lower order knocks. Cricket, and especially batting, is so fickle, I couldn’t have possibly coped. I’m quite relieved that my fear of the hard ball kept me from dealing with the stress and the embarrassment from a conga line of ducks.
The Alec Stewart interview is a ripper.
1 Like
I especially liked the bit where he said he wasn’t sacked as captain, he just wasn’t re-appointed…
2 Likes
No I am not. Pakistan vs West Indies was at Trent Bridge as well. The bounce in the wicket had a lot to do with us been 4/38.