OP
OP
Pro Tour Punditry
Guru
At least we have Monday to look forward to. If we get beaten by that lot we'd be as well giving up 
Cricket World Cup 2015 *spoilers*
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nickyboy
Norven Mankey
- Location
- You want hills? We got hills
Well I settled down to watch the game last night for a couple of hours at least. 14-4 so I went to bed.
NZ are far from dark horses in this tournament and nobody will fancy playing them. Conditions were favourable in Dunedin to their bowling line up but it was a very impressive performance by their opening strike pair. The run chase was a bit naïve. That was not a "run a ball" surface but they tried to bat like it was and lost wickets too quickly. Of course they needed to get their run rate moving but they almost got caught out. I believe Scotland put down a few chances too.
Nickyboys World Cup prediction: Tedious group stage finally concludes with all the top 8 sides (except Bangladesh who I can't believe are seeded above NZ) going through.....except one. Ireland squeeze past them on net run rate. Can't make my mind up if it will be WI or Pakistan who will go out. England make it to the quarters but not without a scare against Afghanistan. Ireland and England crash out in the quarters. SA v NZ final
NZ are far from dark horses in this tournament and nobody will fancy playing them. Conditions were favourable in Dunedin to their bowling line up but it was a very impressive performance by their opening strike pair. The run chase was a bit naïve. That was not a "run a ball" surface but they tried to bat like it was and lost wickets too quickly. Of course they needed to get their run rate moving but they almost got caught out. I believe Scotland put down a few chances too.
Nickyboys World Cup prediction: Tedious group stage finally concludes with all the top 8 sides (except Bangladesh who I can't believe are seeded above NZ) going through.....except one. Ireland squeeze past them on net run rate. Can't make my mind up if it will be WI or Pakistan who will go out. England make it to the quarters but not without a scare against Afghanistan. Ireland and England crash out in the quarters. SA v NZ final
OP
OP
Pro Tour Punditry
Guru
England v NZ up next - England win the toss and opt to bat first; I might stay up to see how many wickets fall in the first few overs
OP
OP
Pro Tour Punditry
Guru
Anthems time and it sounds as if God is gonna have his work cut out - saving the Queen and defending New Zealand at the same time...
Aperitif
Meme bar
- Location
- ...I don't have much idea - really.
Looks all black for England at the moment....57 - 2, while in Australia, Queensland, it's at least 50 shades of grey...Ooops!. 57 - 3 before I have finished writing!
threebikesmcginty
Corn Fed Hick...
- Location
- ...on the slake
Bugger...
OP
OP
Pro Tour Punditry
Guru
Well, I am encouraged that Scotland have a chance to not only beat England but beat them by some considerable margin.
OP
OP
Pro Tour Punditry
Guru
Just thinking about that performance by England, I could have scored no runs and been spanked for 50 from 18 balls; if only I was a Saffer I'd be a shoe in for an England call-up
nickyboy
Norven Mankey
- Location
- You want hills? We got hills
Well I'm glad I didn't stay up half the night to watch that.
Forget the bowling performance, England were mentally shot by then. It's all about the batting problems. Decent-ish start but with Morgan at 4 so far out of form and playing two "innings builders" in Taylor and Root putting pressure on the likes of Buttler further down the order. Selection and order needs a shake up, otherwise they'll go into subsequent games thinking it could all happen again.
My predictions upthread still stand. NZ v SA final. England limp into the quarters and then go out. Ireland make it too (Scotland don't)...but it is WI or Pakistan who go out?
Forget the bowling performance, England were mentally shot by then. It's all about the batting problems. Decent-ish start but with Morgan at 4 so far out of form and playing two "innings builders" in Taylor and Root putting pressure on the likes of Buttler further down the order. Selection and order needs a shake up, otherwise they'll go into subsequent games thinking it could all happen again.
My predictions upthread still stand. NZ v SA final. England limp into the quarters and then go out. Ireland make it too (Scotland don't)...but it is WI or Pakistan who go out?
Aperitif
Meme bar
- Location
- ...I don't have much idea - really.
I think the England set up needs another layer of middle management. (to blame). Meanwhile, well done New Zealand - fast becoming an entertaining force in world cricket it seems. Remember the ancient days when only West Indies superstars used to swat the ball willy-nilly from the get go...before £ and basketball began to carve their game up?
nickyboy
Norven Mankey
- Location
- You want hills? We got hills
And would it be fair to say they have the best captain in world cricket at the moment? I really rate McCullum and his thinking makes a big difference to the team's performance.
Made me laugh watching Liverpool last night when their captain (Henderson) couldn't even get Balotelli to follow orders re who was supposed to take a penalty.
U
User482
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I get the impression that humiliation by a "lesser" team is the only way anything will change.
