Champions Trophy - England and Wales 2013

Jimmy ends up with 2 wickets for his troubles and Broad leads England with 3.

Its a funny game.

So even though Miller and Kleinveldt doubled the score , England need just 176.

Would have taken that at 10.30 this morning.

Anderson and Tredwell were excellent.  Broad had his moments ...Finn didn't really prove that his selection over Bresnan was as axiomatic as many people seem to think...

Wouldn't like to lose the likes of Cook and Trott too early , with a longish tail today , and a middle short of recent runs ; but England really should get these.

Hope England bat positively. Only thing that can stop us now is plodding along at no real pace, simply because we don't need to. That would invite pressure and wickets. One word England: Attack.

Should allow the likes of Morgan a bit more freedom, no constraints of scoring rate or time.

Good effort that. They let SA off a bit but equally the 9th wicket partnership were positive and conditions looked good.

England still need to get it right though.

Oh great. I thought we had the Champions Trophy, a break, then the Ashes. We've actually got some meaningless T20s to squeeze some money out of first against the Kiwis.

Anderson bowls beautifully, gets two wickets, Broad has a bit of a stinker and gets three! :DTredwell again absolutely superb, he is now England's premier one-day spinner, sorry Swanny!

Not sure how England "took their foot off the gas" - they kept their main bowlers on pretty much throughout, and Miller and Kleinvelt batted well. The pitch was flat and the ball once it stopped swinging didn't do much.

175 really shouldn't be enough.

Tredders is a bowling machine

Just need to bat sensibly , ie as it suits each batsman.

So Cook , Trott etc can bat at their normal pace ...no need to try and chase the game ...as long as they don't have a clatter of wickets England must get these comfortably.

In the same way , if Morgan gets to bat , he can play his game.

I rather hope it doesn't come down to Butler 

meden_820 wrote:Anderson bowls beautifully, gets two wickets, Broad has a bit of a stinker and gets three! :DTredwell again absolutely superb, he is now England's premier one-day spinner, sorry Swanny!

Welcome to the forum.

SA 50 runs short.......but 50 runs too many give that eng had them 80-8

I'd say they're comfortably more than 50 short

Wide to start from Morris

They're at least 100 short I would say.

100 might be pushing it, but 250 should've been minimum.

SA already turned to spin

JP Duminy and Alvaro Peterson the match winners for SA?

Robin Peterson

And I wouldn't have thought so

Only way SA will win, is if England man sausage it up

Thats the one.

Not sure what AB is up to here. give Duminy and Peterson an over than take them off

That was a good over from Morris

Interesting start...Peterson straight away.   Defending small scores brings out the gambler in some captains.

Not unreasonable...probably won't be a lot on for the pace men , and openers often don't like spinners at the start...unfamiliar.
Morris bowling OK.

Went into town for a haircut (looks fresh) and a bite to eat and come back to see SA get away with murder and they get a defendable score up! Not happy 

Cook and Bell have made a good start though!

England already behind SA's score, Bell valiantly trying to raise the rate but it looks in vain.

22/0. The good ship England, steady as she goes skipper, into calm waters.

And Cook goes

Never looked comfortable against Morris there

Cook gone. Time to panic.

I appear to have inadvertently jinxed my country. I duly apologise.

If you ever wanted Trott coming in in an ODI, this is the time.

They call him BOOM BOOM TROTTY

Off the mark with a 4

Good bowling from Morris 

Didn't do much for them in his allrounder role , so he owes his team some wickets.

De Villiers is attacking with close catchers to his spinner - as he must.  If England can get a solid base the game is over.  Couple of early wickets could put cat among pigeons though.

Trotts motoring along

Not a great series for Cookster thus far.

Ian Bell departs

Two down now...Bell nicks behind...

SA not going down easy.

Bell really can be the most frustrating player sometimes

Nerves starting to jangle. But there is a very calming feel as you watch Joe Root walk to the crease.

When do we start blaming Trott?

Looking a tight low scoring affair here.

It was clear you could never assume anything. If eng can bowl like that so can sa.

Sa edging it maybe as they have the runs.

Root getting bogged down.

Joe Root getting a little bit frustrated here...not able to pierce the cover field...stay cool , Joe , plenty of time.

If ever there is an ODI match situation made for Jonathan Trott, this has to be it. So long as he's around, England have absolutely nothing whatsoever to worry about.

I think Root is being sensible so far. It would be stupid if he started to swing the bat around. Trott and Root just need to treat this almost like a test match.

Decent stuff from McLaren.   Determined expression as he walks back...very Steyn-like.  Wouldn't de Villiers like to have the real Steyn to bowl now...

We might not be as good as we were under Flower, but we're still coasting to the final.

That will make Root feel happier ...short and hammered past point for four.

I am fine with them taking their time , Nick ...I am just reading Root's facial expressions ,and sense he wants to get on with it.  He is a busy player by nature , and doesn't really like being pinned down for long.

Good temperament though : I think he will work his way through this patch.

Four more...don't bowl short to Root 

99 runs required from 30 overs, 8 wickets remaining.

Looking at it rationally, this will be a piece of cake.

Trott has reached and exceeded his nailed-on 37, now he is a mere mortal.

Halfway now...Nasser fretting about the threat of Peterson but England help themselves to nine from his comeback over...