T20 World Cup: Live Matches Discussion

First topic message reminder :

Please feel free to discuss every ball of the 2012 T20 World Cup here.

Who do you think will win?

As expected with windies. If they don't bat big with gayle and co they are a poor poor side. Says it all about engs bowling shambles the other day really.

I am sure now England will not beat sl and are out.

England fined for slow over rate. Suggest Finn pays the fine as he wastes time with his dead balls ( ) when he keeps knocking off the bails....

well played England....their bolwing was superior...and the moment their batting overcame the spinning troubles.....and 3 batsmen shared the load.....they went throuhg

What a knock from Luke Wright, twice in four games now

Gregers wrote:What a knock from Luke Wright, twice in four games now

Yes - I admit he's done very much better than I expected. Could it be something to do with him concentrating on batting?

I think thats probably got something to do with it Corp, but as I said in the build up he's improved so much in the past few years (From going to the Big Bash and the IPL) plus being in awesome form all summer with the bat.

Mind you it probably also helps that he knows what his role is for England now rather than being juggled up and down the order

Group 1 is now very interesting.

England could either win and get knocked out or lose and go through!

Ideally we want whoever wins out of NZ and WI to win narrowly - a big win could leave us with a hefty task. Beating SL will be hard enough without having to win big.

I think we have to stick with Kieswetter. He's been in good form all summer (for Somerset mostly) and has actually top scored for us twice recently. I can't see Lumb being any better.

Our top order would appear to be an obvious weakness (on paper probably the worst top three of the top 8 teams), but when you look at the stats they aren't that bad - Wright is the second top run-scorer and Hales the seventh best.

I was surprised by the changes today - Briggs against NZ (as bad v spin as us generally) and on a dusty pitch was fair, but I was a bit surprised to see Dernbach ditched. Both Bresnan and Briggs did well but I still now worry about Bresnan as our number 7 and death bowler as a result. We didn't quite get it spot on at the death today and we might need to against SL, even more so if NRR comes into play. I know Dernbach's been poor but I think he's more likely to bowl that stunning death over than Bresnan/ Broad are.

Finn kicking the stumps over should be a no ball for me. That way the onus is on the bowler to stop. In Tests a dead ball isn't a huge problem, but in T20 something happens most balls - today I think we had two boundaries and a wide when he kicked the stumps over.

Interesting indeed. Assuming no rain the first thing is to beat Sri Lanka - getting through with a 1/3 record may be possible but would be somewhat unworthy -entrance through the cat-flap ?
The one thing not wanted then is a big win by West Indies as that would really put the pressure on. Always possible if Gayle etc get going , although they have some ground to make up after their thumping by Sri Lanka. At least we will know the situation when the game starts...

Selection issues : agree with Shelsey they must stick with Kieswetter and hope he comes good- as I recall he had some early luck two years ago , perhaps he's due some again now.
As for the bowling I would much sooner Bresnan than Dernbach. He may well be no better at the "death" over , but I think you can get too hung up on the whole notion of "death" bowling : if you can , say , reduce a team to 103/6 after 18 , who cares if the last two overs go for 35 ? (Obviously it all depends on circumstances, pitch conditions etc ; but what I mean is it is more important to control the game over the course of the whole 20 overs than fuss too much about what happens in the last few balls of frenetic swinging , where luck can play as big a part as skill anyway) I feel Bresnan is overall better , calmer , and more experienced. Plus he can bat , although many teams seem to be preserving wickets in hand so much in this tournament that later order batting strength hasn't mattered in a lot of games (Patel hasn't batted yet!)
Briggs did OK , but I think it remains a toss up between him and Patel.
Hope Finn is on song again on Monday , and Broad should perhaps be mindful not to overdo the party tricks - sometimes good plain fast and straight can be a better bet than "clever" slow bouncy things which can be very effective but if they go awry can offer easy pickings. I understand you don't want to be predictable , and at this level the selection of deliveries resembles a game of rock, paper, scissors ; but I feel he sometimes gets a bit carried away with variation instead of backing himself to be good enough to contain or dismiss an opponent with his more natural bowling skills. Malinga and Steyn for instance seem to do quite well with more orthodox methods (if you can call anything about Malinga orthodox!)

Bresnan at worst will at lesast be economical. Unless Dernbach is really fireing he shouldnt be playing

One thing in England's favour is that our game is on second on Monday. That means we'll know exactly what to do to get through to the Semis when we take to the field. Hopefully NZ will pull off a tiny tiny victory.

So the Australia SA game's just getting underway. No Albie Morkel for South Africa and Wayne Parnell is in. I would I am not impressed with call. Parnell has been ordinary with the ball in recent times and he's just not good enough to bat 7. Morkel's batting is better, and he can do a job with a couple of overs, as they have Kallis and if needed Duminy, I don't see the point of a 5th bowler, and not a very good one at that.
Doherty in For Australia.
Australia won the toss and are fielding.

Doherty strikes in the first over, Richard Levi gone. South Africa will have to look at his place. I would certainly say they are missing Graeme Smith. He hasn't retired from the format has he? Who else could be a realistic option from the available squad? Kallis to open with Amla and Albie Morkel to come back?

Doherty strikes again. Kallis gone.

Horrer start for SA, Kallis gone without doing much. Its Doherty again with the wicket.

Great start for the Aussies.

SA struggling vs left arm spin? Sounds like they need KP.

Watson into the attack and he strikes right away, the big wicket of Hashim Amla!. SA really slipping, will the captain take the challenge head on?

AB has come out at 5. Can't really understand as to why is it that he's holding himself back?
He could even promote himself to open along with Amla with Albie Morkel for Levi.

57-3 after 9. Work to do for SA if they have to stay alive in this match.

alfie wrote: I understand you don't want to be predictable , and at this level the selection of deliveries resembles a game of rock, paper, scissors.

Good way of putting it. And I think batsmen have mostly worked out which one Dernbach will produce!

With Duminy gone, Parnell at 7 is looking even more illogical. Perhaps they should promote Botha who in my view is a better bat.
Not picking David Miller or Colin Ingram in that squad without Smith was investing too much responsibility on Amla, Kallis and de Villiers, and it really is proving too much.

Spin is again having an impact.......even Aussie spinners are doing great.

as an Indian supporter......I would hope Aus wins all the games.....will create a level field between the remaining teams.

I also hope Warner and Watson go berserk and thrash SA by a mile nullfying the NRR deficiti that India conceded in the last game

Its Petersen at 7 as South Africa have lost their captain just when they needed him to give the innings some life. Watson really has a goldan arm.

S.A. getting back into this. Game on

SA get 10 to 15 runs too many for my liking.....a score similar to what Ind got against Aus and NZ scored vs. Eng........

let's see if Petersen and Botha and the express pacers of SA can do what Indian spinners could not against Aus

Not a good enough score.

I don't understand Kirsten's thinking with our T20 selections.

Who is Behardeen, I have not seen anything of him in the domestic cricket either, what happened to Miller, and the other youngsters that play in the ODI's?

Parnell is poor, Levi is kack, the batting order also doesn't make sense either.

With a fine hand from Petersen, South Africa have something to bowl at. They have some fine bowlers, and Australia is a top heavy side by the look of things, but I think Australia go into the chase of 146 as strong favorites.

I am gonna back S.A. here.

^ anydayI am also a SA backer over Aus....but today it serves India's interests......if Aus thrashes SA

Oz on the ropes already. Can't see where a boundary is gonna come from

Good start from SA with the ball. 15-1 after 4 overs. But they need wickets, more wickets to win this.

Don't really like to back Australia at any given point. But they winning big and doing the same to the Pakistanies won't hurt India that much. So just looking for a good game of cricket here regardless of the eventual outcome.

Ok Watson is doing ok now.. Class player

Australia very much back in charge. A few more overs of Watson, SA would be done and dusted.

Watson has very nearly done enough already to be the player of the tournament. Only Chris Gayle with a couple of 50s and a few wickets is giving him any bit of serious challenge.

SA 57-3 after 9, Aus 65-1 at the same stage. SA lost Duminy soon after, Aus have a very well set Watson and Mr cricket himself out in the middle.

Parnell into the attack, he has to prove himself worthy, and his captain and coach too, their judgement.

Giving away 8 of 3 balls is not the best way to begin that!.

so the NRR of SA takes a beating.....-0.61
India have not only to win but a lot of catching up to do.....standing at -2.5

somebody needs to have a bumper world cup .....for teams that go on to win...watson is having for Aus.......Morgan and Luke wright for england.

Ind and SAare struggling because they haven't had super performers so far

india has NEVER LOST to Pakistan in any form of world cup games....

Pretty comprehensive win for Australia

Watson having the tournament of his life , but apart from that a number of bowlers are chipping in with handy contributions - Doherty the rather unlikely hero today. Semis are nailed on now and you have to wonder if they will go all the way. Which makes a mockery of the T20 rankings , not that I ever thought they meant much.

The only major doubt I have about Australia is how they will handle it if they ever lose both openers cheaply (or one of them plus Hussey). By the very way they have progressed through so far , the rest of the order remains untested.

At the moment , I think those who bet on Australia at the start of the event are probably feeling quite comfortable.

Dhoni's adventurism with 5 bowlers, 2 spinners, 3 spinners....lasted EXACTLY one game.......he is back to his safe, conservative tested attritional bowling territory

India to chase down whatever total Pakistan set.

Then SA beat India and Pakistan beat Australia to see Australia and Pakistan in to the semi finals.

bet365.....gives equal starting odds to Ind and Pak of 1.9 each.
Zaheer not getting his line rright.......11 in first 3 deliveries.

he has done this a few times......blown India out in first two overs in BIG games

looked like sehwag had plucked out a blinder at slips.....but he pointed out he had put it dowon.
Zaheer getting swing..but not controlling it

with ball swining as much....India needs a fine leg

and Pathan swings...no inside edges and Nazir walking across the stumps caught plumb.

Don't take the new ball away from Pathan when in this form...give him all 4 overs at a stretch if need be

Pak send old warrior Afridi...who has memories of having demolished India umpteen times......does he have the talent still is the question

He is swinging wildly......India needs to bowl short in his body

Fast start out of the blocks for Pakistan. I believe a Pakistan win here would put them and Australia through to the Semis and put the Saffers and Indians out.