SL know they desperately need wickets, so they bring on Malinga.
Appeal. Not out. Review. Out! Root is out! 57 (89).
A faint edge down legside.
England 4/127 (30.3).
Malinga 3/32. cricinfo tells us that was his 50th WC wicket.
Odds: England 84%, SL 16%.
ODI World Cup.
At the start of the 33rd over, cricinfo forecasts England 85%.
But Malinga does it again! Buttler LBW. Buttler reviews. No luck, and England are out of reviews now. Malinga has 3 overs left after this one.
England 5/144 (32.3). If SL can get Stokes out, they'll feel they are a huge chance.
At the end of the over, cricinfo forecasts England 76%.
Odds: England 76%, SL 24%.
But Malinga does it again! Buttler LBW. Buttler reviews. No luck, and England are out of reviews now. Malinga has 3 overs left after this one.
England 5/144 (32.3). If SL can get Stokes out, they'll feel they are a huge chance.
At the end of the over, cricinfo forecasts England 76%.
Odds: England 76%, SL 24%.
Now Woakes goes, caught behind, off de Silva!
England 7/176 (40.1).
Stokes is the key. He's 52*.
cricinfo's forecast drops from 75% to 44% for England.
Odds: England 55%, SL 45%.
.........................................
Rashid goes in the same over, caught behind!
England 8/178 (40.5). Archer in.
cricinfo's forecast drops to 23% for England.
SL are favourites: 68%-32%.
England 7/176 (40.1).
Stokes is the key. He's 52*.
cricinfo's forecast drops from 75% to 44% for England.
Odds: England 55%, SL 45%.
.........................................
Rashid goes in the same over, caught behind!
England 8/178 (40.5). Archer in.
cricinfo's forecast drops to 23% for England.
SL are favourites: 68%-32%.
Stokes hits Udana for 6. He's taking the task on. 89m.
And the next ball goes for 6 too!
He refuses the run on the third ball.
He takes two from the fourth ball.
A single from the fifth.
cricinfo forecasts England 31%.
Wood just needs to defend one ball. He does.
And the next ball goes for 6 too!
He refuses the run on the third ball.
He takes two from the fourth ball.
A single from the fifth.
cricinfo forecasts England 31%.
Wood just needs to defend one ball. He does.
Last edited by K on Sat Jun 22, 2019 3:14 am, edited 1 time in total.
Pradeep bowls the next over.
Stokes hits consecutive 4s.
He takes a single from the 5th ball.
But Wood can't survive the last ball! Out caught behind for a duck.
England all out 212 (47). SL win by 20 runs.
.......................................................................
England really do look like flat-track bullies now.
The problem for other nations is that surely the SF & F pitches will be doctored to be as flat as possible.
Stokes hits consecutive 4s.
He takes a single from the 5th ball.
But Wood can't survive the last ball! Out caught behind for a duck.
England all out 212 (47). SL win by 20 runs.
.......................................................................
England really do look like flat-track bullies now.
The problem for other nations is that surely the SF & F pitches will be doctored to be as flat as possible.
That was funny. Here’s another fun fact - England have three remaining games against Australia, New Zealand and India. England has not beaten any of those teams in a World Cup since 1992. That’s the year of the famous “Persistent Pies” videotape. More specifically, their formline against those three teams in World Cups read LLLLLLLLLL.
That’s a little ungenerous, K. Everyone’s average is “inflated” by their not outs - that’s how an average is calculated. A fairer way of looking at it would be to say that his average is “inflated” by his 2 centuries and 2 fifties in 6 innings. Or by him having scored the most runs, at this stage, in the tournament.K wrote:Warner's average is inflated by the not out.
Because that has been their whole strategy for the last three years. Look at the pitches they've produced. (e.g. the 480 pitch.) Look at the players they have picked. Why would they not do it? It's not as if England are guaranteed to win if they produce the flattest pitches possible. It's just that they are almost guaranteed (this is exaggerating) to lose if they produce bowlers' pitches, despite the unseemly spectacle of being able to play Archer, while the once-proud WIndies are in disarray.
England are flat-track bullies, right down the order. Has Roy played a single Test? No, I think. They don't have any Test-standard batsmen other than Root. Roy, Hales, Bairstow, Morgan, Buttler are all batsmen below Test standard. Oz & India at least have a few each who are in their Test teams and belong there.
Oz especially have huge problems down the order. Once Maxwell is gone, there is no one to do what Buttler does, or what Stokes sometimes does. Smith needs to be up the order. If he's got his old form, then he's just being wasted lower down to fit in the dismal Khawaja. Stoinis is a big hitter but isn't really effective coming in when 40+ overs are gone. It's not that India don't have big hitting late, though MSD is a bit too old to produce it any more. But India have arguable the best bowling attack of any team, led by Bumrah. Guys like Wood and Woakes, but even more obviously Rashid and Moeen, don't match up. When the pitch is lifeless, it takes the bowling out of the equation. Oz of course need the pitch to give the bowlers something. When it doesn't, Oz have no clue what to do. The games so far have shown that.
England are flat-track bullies, right down the order. Has Roy played a single Test? No, I think. They don't have any Test-standard batsmen other than Root. Roy, Hales, Bairstow, Morgan, Buttler are all batsmen below Test standard. Oz & India at least have a few each who are in their Test teams and belong there.
Oz especially have huge problems down the order. Once Maxwell is gone, there is no one to do what Buttler does, or what Stokes sometimes does. Smith needs to be up the order. If he's got his old form, then he's just being wasted lower down to fit in the dismal Khawaja. Stoinis is a big hitter but isn't really effective coming in when 40+ overs are gone. It's not that India don't have big hitting late, though MSD is a bit too old to produce it any more. But India have arguable the best bowling attack of any team, led by Bumrah. Guys like Wood and Woakes, but even more obviously Rashid and Moeen, don't match up. When the pitch is lifeless, it takes the bowling out of the equation. Oz of course need the pitch to give the bowlers something. When it doesn't, Oz have no clue what to do. The games so far have shown that.