Champions trophy 2017 discussion thread

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

First topic message reminder :

So it all kicks off today with England's game against Bangladesh at the oval

My prediction is victory for Australia overall....

Should be a really entertaining tournament!

[KP_fan]

Need wickets

[GSC]

Reasonable start for both teams

[KP_fan]

India got Amla...but they have plenty of batting and have been accelerating well between 11 and 20 overs

if India can restrict SA to below 300 they would have done well

[KP_fan]

QDK goes.....they haven't been able to break the shackles yet...inspite of accelerations.

Moment of the match as aBDV will come out now.....
If India get him within 40 runs......India will be chasing a manageable total

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Mandrekar on comms saying 300 will be a big total - has he not watched any ODI games in the past year, let alone at this ground in this tournament?

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

South Africa and ABDV choking in a knockout game at an ICC event? Colour me shocked

[KP_fan]

and  India wins the moment...packs off ABDV for 16....a 12 ball cameo

[KP_fan]

Mandrekar on comms saying 300 will be a big total - has he not watched any ODI games in the past year, let alone at this ground in this tournament?

Manjrekar sweats in his pants...many a times talking as if he himsefl has to go and get the runs.

Pitch is slow ...but maybe that's the class of Ashwin and Jadeja against a tentative SA....we find out only when 2nd tema bats

another R.O both batsman at the same end....classic choke signs

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

South Africa intent on self destructing here

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

What on earth is Du Plessis doing out there?

[KP_fan]

and it's a sorry sign for the Morale of the side when both batsmen are fighting to outdo each other to get back to the crease at the same end......

the other potential game changer Miller is the one declared R.O

[KP_fan]

Faf goes.....after the two R.Os the mode of his dismissal....SA undoubtedly showing all the signs of panic and nerves...associated with the big games where elimination is at stake.....
( also called choking)

[KP_fan]

167-6...Morris goes.....can't blame him too much, ..he is a bowler....Faf, Miller and ABDV.....crumbled under pressure are to be blamed squarely

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Chris Morris has to be one of the more overrated cricketers in world cricket

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

South Africa somehow need to muster 250 and just hope Rabada and Tahir both bowl incredibly

[KP_fan]

ok 7th down....Indis needs to stay focussed ...else the lower order can still get away with 40 runs more than they should

220 is what India needs to wind them up for

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Just when the day can't go worse for SA...Philander gets injured playing for Sussex...

[KP_fan]

and the end ....another chaotic run-out.....sums up the approach of SA inning

Ashwin's impact far more than his 1-43 off 9 overs would read 

Bumrah and Bhuvi spot on...Indian fielding top class although Pandya drooped a return catch of ABDV getting into a tangle

[KP_fan]

Indian openers have to bat cautiously.....get a  65 odd in 15 overs for no wickets and nip in bud any prospects of a top order collapse

[KP_fan]

And looking back at scorebaord
70 odd for no loss
Means all 10 fell for 120

150-3...means last 7 for 40 odd

[KP_fan]

Rohit threw away his wicket and India now under a spot of pressure

[jimbohammers]

Very disappointed by South Africa in this tournament, thought they had a good chance but they've been poor

[alfie]

SA really haven't turned up for this competition , have they ? Reckon they have looked pretty lack lustre in the field generally ; and the batting has made a mockery of their apparently strong lineup.
Very disappointing ...as is this match , after a couple of cracking contests.

India back in town after the hiccup against Sri Lanka. Wonder if Bangladesh will give them a better game...

[jimbohammers]

Just had a look at the score and Tahir has only bowled 2 overs?! Wtf?
With such a small total to defend he should have been on in the 11th over, surely?

[KP_fan]

BD was in my list to watch out for for a s.f slot.....extremely improved side.......with a much improved ODI win percentage over their last 30 games 

and have won tests vs Eng at home and vs NZ in NZ this season

my wish-script

BD win today
Eng beat Aus
Ind beats SA
Lanka beats Pak

India beats BD in semis
Lanka beats Eng in semis

India beats Lanka, wins the cup and avenges the defeat 

So far the first two wishes have gone to script....

Red Hot Eng blast Aus out .....

--And wish no. 3 also goes per the script

I have no doubt India will not just win but win easily vs BD....we have a psychological hold over them one one hand...and on the other the Banglas get self satisfied after a big win......so India is lucky to have an easy S.f....we'll go through to finals

--The s.f line will be like an Asia cup with Eng as a special invite

Per my wish script...Lanka is who I would prefer to go to semis ....because on one hand they are more likely to macth Eng with the bat should Eng set a 300ish total....
and on the other Pak are less likely to win 3 in a row....
while Eng with 3 wins already in a row are due for a failure now...but need the strongest possible challenger to take them out of India's path.

and then the India -Lanka finals .....Lanka would have done as much as they can with 3 wins in a row by then 


--On todays game 


AB D Villiers is a Frivolous captain....as I said on this board when I saw his test match captaincy also....
gives the impression he does not seriously / meticulously plan hard working scenarios / strategies,

Naturally gifted players to whom cricket comes easy are many times found wanting in planning hard working startegies and covering all worst case scenarios....

Sehwag, tendulkar I have seen to be similar 

They need to put Faf as an all format captain.......and let ABDV focus on his batting for the remainder of his carreer

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Disgraceful performance that from South Africa

[sirfredperry]

Amazing to see a S. Africa side producing batting - and particularly running - that would disgrace a village-green Sunday side. I know. I play for a Sunday side. 
   Just how bad is Philander's injury? He would be a loss to the Test team.

[Pete C (Kiwireddevil)]

Amazing to see a S. Africa side producing batting - and particularly running - that would disgrace a village-green Sunday side. I know. I play for a Sunday side. 
   Just how bad is Philander's injury? He would be a loss to the Test team.

My village team were comparing ourselves to SA yesterday

Granted none of us were run out

[KP_fan]

Pak's Hassan Ali is a real deal.....good action, speed and late conventional seam movement...will cause problems to every batsman

Faheem a bustling, clumsy actioned seamer who is deceptively quicker than his action would suggest...he is a good lower order batsman also seemingly.

Ball is seaming around a bit...and after a good stand...Lanka losing 2 quickly putting Pak nose ahead at 15 overs...

Their spinner Imad Wasim is a shocking flat non spinner of the ball

[alfie]

Could still get a pretty handy total here : Dickwella still going and Matthews - rather taking his time settling in !
Don't think they'll need 300 today ; which is just as well as they're unlikely to get near it

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

https://www.606v2.com/t65880-england-squad-for-t20-s-against-south-africa

In other, more important news, the beginning of the Curran/Overton brother takeover of English cricket begins later this month. Oh and hop aboard the #Cranetrain whilst you're at it

[alfie]

https://www.606v2.com/t65880-england-squad-for-t20-s-against-south-africa

In other, more important news, the beginning of the Curran/Overton brother takeover of English cricket begins later this month. Oh and hop aboard the #Cranetrain whilst you're at it

I hope these fellows are all paying you fair agent fees , Olly ...

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

https://www.606v2.com/t65880-england-squad-for-t20-s-against-south-africa

In other, more important news, the beginning of the Curran/Overton brother takeover of English cricket begins later this month. Oh and hop aboard the #Cranetrain whilst you're at it

I hope these fellows are all paying you fair agent fees , Olly ...

Only Amir Virdi and Zafar Ansari pay me any sort of monetary compensation

[alfie]

I might have been a bit hasty suggesting Sri Lanka won't reach 300 today !

Matthews going into overdrive...

[Pete C (Kiwireddevil)]

Matthews gone straight after drinks and de Silva fails too. 162/5 in the 33rd. SL need another rebuild

[alfie]

Seems I may have jinxed Sri Lanka there ...apologies.

Even 200 looking tricky now . Can they defend ? It is Pakistan , after all...

[Pete C (Kiwireddevil)]

Seems I may have jinxed Sri Lanka there ...apologies.

Even 200 looking tricky now .  Can they defend ?  It is Pakistan , after all...

200 up with 7 overs left Alfie, your jinxing is working both ways.

[KP_fan]

30 runs short Lanka of a par for the....the pitch / conditions that are assisting seamers a bit.....
pak's quality 4 seamers were a handful 
Imad wasim is shocking for a first spinner...they should have Yasir Shah.

Lanka would still consider this a fighting total....with 4 seamers of their own.

[robbo277]

So as an England fan, who are we most worried about meeting, and is worried the right word?

I'd say I'd rather have Sri Lanka if I'm honest. Our batting is probably stronger than Sri Lanka's, which in turn is probably better than Pakistan's, but I think Pakistan's bowling line-up could cause us more problems than the Sri Lankans. I'd still have us as favourites at home, but if either team could negate our strong batting line-up, then we'd be no more than evens to bowl them out cheaply.

It looks more like it will be Pakistan at the moment, but we'll have to see how they cope with the pressure. Early wickets will make it interesting.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

I'd rather Pakistan than Sri Lanka personally robbo - Pakistan have the better bowling yes,but their batting is weaker and as bowling is our weaker suit I'd rather not face the team who could chase down a big total as Sri Lanka did against India

[KP_fan]

ball is still seaming around and 2 catches dropped  by Lanka...actually one dropped and one fell short

[robbo277]

I'd rather Pakistan than Sri Lanka personally robbo - Pakistan have the better bowling yes,but their batting is weaker and as bowling is our weaker suit I'd rather not face the team who could chase down a big total as Sri Lanka did against India

I'd back us in a slog-off over any team in the world though!

I'm just worried that a quality bowling line-up that hit it straps, backed by the pressure of a knock-out game when we're at home and touted as favourites would end up being the perfect storm, culminating in us getting 43 all out!

[Pete C (Kiwireddevil)]

3 quick wickets for SL leave Pakistan 104/3 in the 18th, but they're still well ahead of the game

[KP_fan]

3 quick wickets for SL leave Pakistan 104/3 in the 18th, but they're still well ahead of the game

 a bit ahead I would say....
The pitch is assisting seamers...Lanka have 4 off them and Pak's lower order is fragile....if they get two more wicktes within even 60 runs of the victory...they can run through the last 5 for nothing

[Pete C (Kiwireddevil)]

3 quick wickets for SL leave Pakistan 104/3 in the 18th, but they're still well ahead of the game

 a bit ahead I would say....
The pitch is assisting seamers...Lanka have 4 off them and Pak's lower order is fragile....if they get two more wicktes within even 60 runs of the victory...they can run through the last 5 for nothing

Azhar Ali gone. Game on.

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Pakistan gotta Pakistan

[KP_fan]

a lot of the Pakistani batsmen have fallen because of the ball bouncing juts a bit more off the length than it would on a real flat-patta pitch....
and it's been deviating juts a bit off the seam......

and their attempts to stand and  hit through the line have been defeated.....

The Eng semifinal will be played at this same venue I understand

[KP_fan]

in  88 runs they  lost last 7 wickets

[KP_fan]

5 over throws, 4 byes, two dropped sitters, misfields.....Lankan standard has dropped swinging momentum Pak's way

But its still 50-50

[sirfredperry]

Amazing to see a S. Africa side producing batting - and particularly running - that would disgrace a village-green Sunday side. I know. I play for a Sunday side. 
   Just how bad is Philander's injury? He would be a loss to the Test team.

My village team were comparing ourselves to SA yesterday

Granted none of us were run out

What about that dropped SL catch at mid-on today. Doubt whether many village green cricketers would have missed that. Incidentally, the SA fielding yesterday was pretty poor as well.

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