The Official Cricket Thread

[Manny]

12 hours ago, lifetime fan said:

As test captain he should have never been picked, he should have had the surgery as soon as the ashes was over and spent time recuperating.
 

He knows his eating disorder is affecting his injury/health/recovery and he just wanted a bit of glory instead of getting fit. 

Can't disagree with that at all. Stokes should never have been picked, Mott / Buttler / Key should have finished the phone call with a "appreciate the offer Ben but you're not ready for a World Cup." And beyond that, I reckon it sent out a really negative message to fringe players that a guy who retired suddenly changes his mind a few weeks before a major tournament - without having put the hard yards in for the (few) ODI games that have been played so with no 50 over form behind him whatsoever - and the management just drop everything and clear the decks to give him a slot. He can't bowl so his role in the side is ultimately to be the guy who can adjust the tempo, play the 50 over game if need be but play a Test game if everything's going to shit. But that's Root's job, isn't it?

 

One of the major themes of this England failure has been a sense that it was a tournament too far for the old guard - well the jobs for the boys attitude towards the stalwarts has amplified that enormously. I like Stokes a lot and I think his Test captaincy has been superb - but the only players who should've been available for selection should have been lads who've done it during ODI matches. That rules Stokes out 100%, but also quite a few others.

 

All not helped by the ECB's attitude towards the 50 over game, mind, the useless cunts.

[sir roger]

Unbelievable stuff from Glenn Maxwell at the moment. 165 off 110 and can't even walk because of cramp.

[Mudface]

5 minutes ago, sir roger said:

Unbelievable stuff from Glenn Maxwell at the moment. 165 off 110 and can't even walk because of cramp.

 

176 run stand so far, Cummins has 11. Shame for Afghanistan, thought they had it at 91-7

[sir roger]

That Afghani lad who dropped a dolly off Maxwell will never forgive himself.

 

Never seen anything like that 

[VERBAL DIARRHEA]

We needed this from the likes of Buttler, Stokes and Livingstone(don’t laugh) none of them produced anything in this tournament and what happens from here means nothing.

[Jairzinho]

Incredible stuff from Maxwell but mindblowingly shit bowling and captaincy from Afghanistan.

[Carra_is_legend]

1 hour ago, Jairzinho said:

Incredible stuff from Maxwell but mindblowingly shit bowling and captaincy from Afghanistan.

Agreed. 

 

Never understand why they were not bowling well outside off stump or bouncers at someone who couldn't even move. They kept bowling in the arc for him to keep swinging his bat. Incredible innings but could and should have been avoided with better bowling. Immature but understandable from Afg. Gutted for them them.

[Jairzinho]

3 minutes ago, Carra_is_legend said:

Agreed. 

 

Never understand why they were not bowling well outside off stump or bouncers at someone who couldn't even move. They kept bowling in the arc for him to keep swinging his bat. Incredible innings but could and should have been avoided with better bowling. Immature but understandable from Afg. Gutted for them them.

 

They'd shown such intelligence and maturity in the tournament up until that innings. As you say, the two deliveries were hiding the ball outside his off stump and bumping him, and they served up a platter of slot balls. 

[A_S]

Incredible innings. But that drop might end up more famous than Gibbs in 1999. 

[Carra_is_legend]

3 hours ago, Jairzinho said:

 

They'd shown such intelligence and maturity in the tournament up until that innings. As you say, the two deliveries were hiding the ball outside his off stump and bumping him, and they served up a platter of slot balls. 

Agree. Afghanistan have been outstanding in this WC, they are such a young team too with plenty of scope for improvement. It would have been superb for them to come to the semis.

 

I am a little surprised that they were not instructed by the coaching team to bowl full wide balls or slow bouncers. They were targeting the stumps with almost every ball and just caught Maxwell on his incredible day who was seeing the ball like a football.

 

Not taking anything away from Maxwell though, what a courageous knock under pressure and immense pain.

 

A fantastic game.

[Jairzinho]

Doesn't bode well for the tournament though that the main challengers to India are a side that were 90-7 against Afghanistan, and another who they skittled for 83.

[sir roger]

Peak England. Strolling towards a decent total and our brave test captain cant make a run because of his knee, sends a guy on 87 back and gets him run out. Should still win though.

[Doc Pheezin]

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) are under fire after claims emerged they have switched out the pitch for their side’s semifinal against New Zealand - without the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) permission.

ICC event pitches come under the supervision of the governing body’s consultant, Essex-born Andy Atkinson, who is credited as having a “greater knowledge of cricket pitches around the world than anybody else on the planet.”

Atkinson comes to an agreement with the home cricket board as to which of the numbered pitches on the square are to be used in each game.

In a shocking revelation, Australian media are reporting that the agreement has been ignored on the eve of the tournament’s climax. The pitch scheduled to be used in the first semifinal in Mumbai has already been used twice, with the narrative it could assist India’s strong spin bowling lineup as they seek a fourth World Cup final appearance at their home tournament.

Wankehde Stadium plays host to the first semifinal and the pitch that was agreed to be used No 7 - a fresh and unused wicket so far this World Cup.

However, a WhatsApp message has been circulated to a group of more than 50 BBCI and ICC officials that confirms the first semifinal will be played on pitch No 6 - a pitch that has already staged two matches this tournament.

It is understood that Atkinson was informed of an unspecified issue with pitch No 7 - but that he did not share the sentiment.

Concerns have arisen that the pitch to be used for the final in Ahmedabad may also be changed.

Aktinson is understood to have flown to Ahmedabad last week, prompted by frustration over a lack of answers around preparation for the final.

It has further been revealed while that the opening match of the World Cup between the Black Caps and England was played on the agreed surface, none of the next three matches followed the schedule - with Atkinson claiming an email that changes had been made “without proper notice or forewarning”.

The matter is complicated further still by the fact Atkinson was told by a senior ICC official that the round-robin match between India and Pakistan took place on the agreed pitch No 7, when it actually took place on No 5.

Atkinson also recommended a pitch for the final that has only been used once but has since learned that another pitch, that has had two matches played on it, will be used for the final - once again bringing spin bowling to the fore.

Australian media are reporting that when asked who had authorised the changes, the BCCI referred to the Gujarat Cricket Association, who in turn claimed they were acting under instructions from the BCCI with requests made directly from the Indian team management.

Atkinson’s email warns: “As a result of these actions, one must speculate if this will be the first ever ICC CWC [cricket World Cup] final to have a pitch which has been specifically chosen and prepared to their stipulation at the request of the team management and/or the hierarchy of the home nation board.

“Or will it be selected or prepared without favouritism for either of the sides competing in the match in the usual manner, and unquestionably because it is the usual pitch for the occasion?” he said further.

BCCI’s spokesperson said “The ICC independent pitch consultant works with the host and venues on their proposed pitch allocations and this process is ongoing throughout an event of this length and nature.”

[Jairzinho]

Having lost the toss, I'm not sure the pitch will actually make any difference. Were it a road India would stick 380 on the board and NZ wouldn't chase it anyway.

 

They've got Santner and Sodhi, with some part time stuff from Phillips. Pick them all.

[Jairzinho]

Just imagine if India lost today...

 

Their entire fucking country has treated the world cup as a procession, and to be the fair the team has been good enough to do so as well. However, if they bottle this Modi is going to top himself.

[Jairzinho]

Ha, what the fuck is Beckham doing there?

[s(k)aturation]

380+ coming up.

 

[sir roger]

Good job they dropped in a shit wicket, might have made 500.

[Bloke]

9 hours ago, Doc Pheezin said:

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) are under fire after claims emerged they have switched out the pitch for their side’s semifinal against New Zealand - without the International Cricket Council’s (ICC) permission.

ICC event pitches come under the supervision of the governing body’s consultant, Essex-born Andy Atkinson, who is credited as having a “greater knowledge of cricket pitches around the world than anybody else on the planet.”

Atkinson comes to an agreement with the home cricket board as to which of the numbered pitches on the square are to be used in each game.

In a shocking revelation, Australian media are reporting that the agreement has been ignored on the eve of the tournament’s climax. The pitch scheduled to be used in the first semifinal in Mumbai has already been used twice, with the narrative it could assist India’s strong spin bowling lineup as they seek a fourth World Cup final appearance at their home tournament.

Wankehde Stadium plays host to the first semifinal and the pitch that was agreed to be used No 7 - a fresh and unused wicket so far this World Cup.

However, a WhatsApp message has been circulated to a group of more than 50 BBCI and ICC officials that confirms the first semifinal will be played on pitch No 6 - a pitch that has already staged two matches this tournament.

It is understood that Atkinson was informed of an unspecified issue with pitch No 7 - but that he did not share the sentiment.

Concerns have arisen that the pitch to be used for the final in Ahmedabad may also be changed.

Aktinson is understood to have flown to Ahmedabad last week, prompted by frustration over a lack of answers around preparation for the final.

It has further been revealed while that the opening match of the World Cup between the Black Caps and England was played on the agreed surface, none of the next three matches followed the schedule - with Atkinson claiming an email that changes had been made “without proper notice or forewarning”.

The matter is complicated further still by the fact Atkinson was told by a senior ICC official that the round-robin match between India and Pakistan took place on the agreed pitch No 7, when it actually took place on No 5.

Atkinson also recommended a pitch for the final that has only been used once but has since learned that another pitch, that has had two matches played on it, will be used for the final - once again bringing spin bowling to the fore.

Australian media are reporting that when asked who had authorised the changes, the BCCI referred to the Gujarat Cricket Association, who in turn claimed they were acting under instructions from the BCCI with requests made directly from the Indian team management.

Atkinson’s email warns: “As a result of these actions, one must speculate if this will be the first ever ICC CWC [cricket World Cup] final to have a pitch which has been specifically chosen and prepared to their stipulation at the request of the team management and/or the hierarchy of the home nation board.

“Or will it be selected or prepared without favouritism for either of the sides competing in the match in the usual manner, and unquestionably because it is the usual pitch for the occasion?” he said further.

BCCI’s spokesperson said “The ICC independent pitch consultant works with the host and venues on their proposed pitch allocations and this process is ongoing throughout an event of this length and nature.”

 

How dare you present these facts. 

[Carra_is_legend]

Yeah the pitch was changed so much to assist the spinners that in the whole match 1 wicket fell to a spinner with more than 700 runs scored in less than 100 overs. Awesome. 

 

Quote

"Changes to planned pitch rotations are common towards the end of an event of this length, and has already happened a couple of times," said an ICC spokesperson.

"This change was made on the recommendation of the venue curator in conjunction with our host.

"The ICC independent pitch consultant was apprised of the change and has no reason to believe the pitch won't play well."

 

[Jairzinho]

26 minutes ago, Carra_is_legend said:

Yeah the pitch was changed so much to assist the spinners that in the whole match 1 wicket fell to a spinner with more than 700 runs scored in less than 100 overs. Awesome. 

 

 

 

I think it's fair to say New Zealand only lost because CHEATING.

[Jairzinho]

Win the toss, bat first, 9-2 after eight overs.

 

Very unlike South Africa to shit their pants in the latter stages of a tournament.

[Carra_is_legend]

3 hours ago, Jairzinho said:

Win the toss, bat first, 9-2 after eight overs.

 

Very unlike South Africa to shit their pants in the latter stages of a tournament.

 

They should have bowled in fact, the stupid idiots. They are so scared of chasing they just chose to bat without thinking about the condition and the pitch. 

[Jairzinho]

11 minutes ago, Carra_is_legend said:

 

They should have bowled in fact, the stupid idiots. They are so scared of chasing they just chose to bat without thinking about the condition and the pitch. 

 

Yes, I suppose the Dutch result fucked with their heads. 

 

But their big totals are obviously conditions dependent, which they appear to have ignored. No reason why Jansen and Rabada couldn't have taken lots of early wickets in the first innings here.

 

Mind you, like I alluded to earlier, they're just shithouses really. They would have always found a way to lose today. 

[Josef Svejk]