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Cricket World Cup 2015

I do actually feel sorry for Moores and Morgan.
I don't feel particularly sorry for either of them, tbh. I've been underwhelmed by Morgan for some time, and Moores is a joke. Can't comment on why we lost until 'we've analysed the data'. That, right there, is everything that is wrong.

Here's the data:

Bangladesh 274, England 260.

p5 l4, victories against a test team 0.
 
The reaction of Moores, Morgan and particularly Downton has been bizarre. Complete denial. Downton still claiming Moores is the best coach of his generation. Insane. Their backroom staff is apparently the biggest of any team in the Cup too. Basics. Go back to basics. Put the fucking laptops away.
 
George Dobell on the mark as usual on cricinfo. What would England have done with someone like Malinga, or for that matter someone like Warner? Identify talent and encourage it to express itself, ffs. It's really quite upsetting for me to see what they've done to the likes of Steve Finn.
 
I don't follow county cricket here, but are there any other young options out there to replace the current lot?

I have to admit I can't wait to see Broad in particular losing his 500k a year central contract.
 
Fast bowlers, the likes of Overton and Mills, who have the raw talent. Fuck knows what will happen to them when England get their mitts on them, though.
 
James Vince of Hampshire as well, an explosive batter. They do exist. In fact, I don't think the problem is lack of talent. The problem is England, the set-up, the coaches, the selectors, the chairman of the board, the attitude.
 
The retreat back to private schools and old established networks (players and management/organisation) hasn't helped either. Though there is still lots of talent out there despite this.
 
It would be nice if Moores were honest and resigned.

'We tried it my way, and it didn't work. We got it wrong. I got it wrong. I didn't understand the nature of modern odi cricket, and I should be replaced by someone who does.'

tbh it's the only honorable response. We all know it's true already.

Oh, and replace the investment banker Paul Downton with someone who's actually been involved in cricket over the past 20 years.

And shoot Giles Clarke.
 
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meanwhile, in auckland....
 
I've dragged my arse out of bed to watch Ireland.. This could be a belter of a match with both teams going through with a win
 
KP's on the way back. He'll be about 36 by the time he's considered. Not sure this is a wise move.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cr...ure-England-Test-return-and-Ashes-chance.html
I'll be interested to see how this one plays out. Surrey have almost reached the salary cap by getting Sangakkara for the whole season, so they aren't going to be able to pay him much. Presumably if he's that bothered then he'll play anyway to prove a point, though I thought he was supposed to be proving something by playing in the T20 last summer but that seemed to consist of mooching about on the boundary practicing his golf swing, not attempting to field anything that wasn't hit right at him, and scoring not much with the bat.

Good luck to him, but I hope his presence doesn't cast a shadow over the rest of the team. Maybe he'll score tons and get one last tilt at the Aussies as his swan song. Interesting to see how quickly he jacks it in at Surrey/nicks off to the CPL if he doesn't get the Ashes call up...
 
So... finally we're into the knockouts.

Can't see anything other than India, Australia and NZ victories. Most interesting match coming tonight. SA ought to win, but SL know how to play these matches. And amazingly SA have never won a knockout match at a WC. Be quite funny if that run continued tonight.
 
I can't believe this fucking thing has been going for a month and they're only just beginning the actual tournament with the major nations. Surely they could compress it a little more. It's longer than the football WC by a margin.

Wish I could watch tonight's match but sadly some fuckwit decided to employ me this week.
 
At least the 4 best (ok, maybe SL) teams made it to the quarters - each of them with as much a chance as the other to win or choke (tho perhaps India are the least favourite on paper)
 
India are looking very good. They're my tip. NZ should see to the Windies tonight but I think that's as far as they'll get.
 
Expect NZ to beat WI. And yes, that should set up a great pair of semifinals. I stick by my original prediction of an all host nations final, but it's a brave person who puts money against India. And I will be cheering India on.

I can see NZ beating SA, definitely.
 
The final's at the MCG i think. If the aussies make it, its theirs. NZ have a terrible record there.

I'd like to see a kiwi-oz final though. for some weird reason those two teams rarely play each other these days, i guess in the interests of TV revenue with the sub-continent teams bringing in far more for cricket australia.
 
NZ semi, if they beat WI, is in New Zealand. I'm backing them to make it. Aus-India is at the SCG, which ought to favour India more than most Aus grounds.

Final, yes, of course, is the MCG. I agree that if Aus make it there, it will favour them.
 
Didn't watch this morning, but reports say there was a fiery spell by Wahab Riaz. One thing I have very much enjoyed about this WC has been the rewards garnered by fast and hostile bowling. Great to see. :cool:
 
extraordinary innings. proper old fashioned strokeplay taken to a new level. what an odd player guptill is. he somehow has the second and eighth highest scores in history while flying totally under the radar.
 
Didn't watch this morning, but reports say there was a fiery spell by Wahab Riaz. One thing I have very much enjoyed about this WC has been the rewards garnered by fast and hostile bowling. Great to see. :cool:
Yes, the highlights showed some of it but a friend had said he bowled a whole over of short balls at Watson... Eventually forcing the error only to be dropped on the boundary. Looked a real battle between bat and ball, and a match turning moment with the drop
 
extraordinary innings. proper old fashioned strokeplay taken to a new level. what an odd player guptill is. he somehow has the second and eighth highest scores in history while flying totally under the radar.
And looking tentative, defensive and nervous in tests. Maybe this will revive histest career too. Just play like that!
 
He was lucky mind you. Marlon Samuels - god he must be mortified, dropping him on 4. But yes, it was one of the finest innings I've ever seen. He played classical shots throughout, with incredible power. Straight drives, beautiful square cuts. He knocked it clean out of the park at one point, it's not a small stadium either.

Meanwhile - look at this astonishing feat (according to the guardian) :D

Alistair Cook began his Ashes year by top-scoring with 35 for MCC in their Twenty20 defeat against Sussex, the champions and the three-times Emirates Airline Trophy winners, in Dubai.

England’s Test captain played fluently at the top of the order, with six fours and a six from just 26 balls, before he was caught at long-on by Luke Wells off the left-arm seamer Chris Liddle.

http://www.theguardian.com/sport/2015/mar/20/alastair-cook-top-scores-mcc-sussex-dubai-t20
 
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