Group E - England, India, South Africa, West Indies

[Scaly piscine]

Originally Posted by Uppercut

They played aggressive shots in T20 cricket? What fools!

Steyn's ball to Bopara was a beast, starting wide and luring the batsman into the cut before cutting back in with a little bit less pace. The one that got Wright was awesome too- good full length, inviting the batsman to drive before seaming away late and taking the edge. Swinging from ball one is his job description too tbf, every team needs someone to do that in the powerplays and hope it comes off. The Shah-hate must make it impossible to explain why Kallis's 90mph leg-cutter on off-stump was a good ball, so i won't bother doing that.

Everyone points to something in cricket when their team loses. Shouldn't have picked this guy, should have used different tactics, should have had a fielder here or been more aggressive/less aggressive. Sometimes you should just accept that you were playing a team on a completely differently level to you.

You pick the right balls to try and hit boundaries off. You don't just indiscriminately waft at everything unless your name is Shahid Afridi. England didn't do that as well as executing shots badly. Wright just swung at everything, producing dots and eventually getting out.

[Uppercut]

Originally Posted by BoyBrumby

Agree & disagree, really. Obviously if you're (say) a Scotland fan you have be realistic about your expectations and accept that defeats will on occasion be inevitable, but the old cliche about learning more in defeat than in victory comes to mind. One looks for hints of class or for who can or cannot perform under the gun.

I think it's fair enough to criticise a bloke who hasn't performed as one might've hoped; Rashid's "close eyes and swing wildly from the hips" batting technique might require adjustment if he's to prosper at international level and Collingwood's captaincy reminds one why it was a relief he gave it away in the first place.

Also wouldn't accept SA are on a totally different level to us; they're better, yes, but we should make more of a fist of things than we did.

I don't mean SA are on a totally different level to you in general, but yesterday they most certainly were. England quite simply aren't capable of matching that performance in the field. Noone is, in fact.

It's not like there's nothing to take from a loss but "we're not as good as them" of course, but all we got on CW was "Inglen r joke lolz at inglen."

[Steulen]

Originally Posted by Uppercut

I don't mean SA are on a totally different level to you in general, but yesterday they most certainly were. England quite simply aren't capable of matching that performance in the field. Noone is, in fact.

It's not like there's nothing to take from a loss but "we're not as good as them" of course, but all we got on CW was "Inglen r joke lolz at inglen."

DWTBBA. I thought NZ were more than a match for SA in the field in their group match. Will accept that both teams are exceptional in that respect.

[longtom]

Originally Posted by Steulen

DWTBBA. I thought NZ were more than a match for SA in the field in their group match. Will accept that both teams are exceptional in that respect.

Agree on that one. I was really impressed by their fielding. Fielding and running between wickets is something you can work on how low your resources and the amount of talent availble might be in other aspects of the game. This is, why I can't understand nobody has worked with Shah on that before - or so it appears. I remember Harris - he was really hopeless when I first saw him. He's still no Jonty - but certainly acceptable now, taking his frame into account. He got there through hard work and dedication - and a lot of help from the coaching staff.

NZ are a good outfit on a day - they just need to string a couple of really good performances together....

[Uppercut]

Originally Posted by Steulen

DWTBBA. I thought NZ were more than a match for SA in the field in their group match. Will accept that both teams are exceptional in that respect.

Certainly, New Zealand are a fantastic fielding side. But i mean the whole picture; New Zealand's quicks aren't in the same league as Parnell and Steyn.

[Uppercut]

Fantastic line on South Africa's performance yesterday on cricinfo:

Jonty Rhodes seemed to have come back from retirement and to be fielding in about eight positions

[R_D]

This is good... India batting first.

[R_D]

What a fantastic short delivery by Taylor... Gauti had no idea.

[Shri]

Sharma gone. IND 12-1 atm. Raina hopefully to come in at 3.

[R_D]

Yeah.. good to see Raina come in.

[Shri]

Raina is in. 2 overs 14-1 India.

[Dissector]

Gambhir looked pretty clueless against short-pitched balls in that first over. This is why I am skeptical of his test batting despite his recent success. I have a feeling he will flop when it matters against quality pace bowling in Australia and South Africa.

[R_D]

Score is 14/1 in 2 overs.... how the hell is WI team on top ?
Akram what the hell ?

[Shri]

Originally Posted by Dissector

Gambhir looked pretty clueless against short-pitched balls in that first over. This is why I am skeptical of his test batting despite his recent success. I have a feeling he will flop when it matters against quality pace bowling in Australia and South Africa.

Guess its just a case of stiff muscles at the start of the innings.

[Shri]

Raina goes for 5. Dire start.