The 2023 Cricket World Cup

by Duty281 Mon 18 Sep 2023, 1:09 pm

First topic message reminder :

After the drama-free finish to the 2019 Cricket World Cup, the 2023 Cricket World Cup will finally get under way on the 5th October, having been initially delayed by Covid and then threatened by a Pakistani boycott.

England are the defending champions, and they're also the reigning T20 World Champions. Doubleplusgood, eh? They're looking to be the first nation to win consecutive ODI World Cups since the Aussie vintage of 1999-2007. Biggest adversaries to that are likely to be India, who haven't won a major global competition since the 2013 Champions Trophy, but will no doubt be heartened by the knowledge that the last three ODI World Cups have been won by a host nation.

Five-time winners Australia can never be ruled out, while Pakistan are fueled by a burning motivation to win the World Cup in the homeland of their greatest rivals. New Zealand have made the last two finals - losing the last on boundary count, would you believe? - and will hope to make the final step this year.

South Africa will presumably think they're due to win something, as they've not won a global competition since the 1998 Champions Trophy, while the Afghans will believe they can spin anyone into submission. Bangladesh will be hoping to make a sizable impact at the ODI World Cup for the first time.

Sri Lanka breezed through qualifying and will be encouraged by making the recent Asia Cup final, even if they did get hammered in said final. The Netherlands round off the ten teams after performing minor miracles in qualification, which of course means the West Indies, the winners of the first two ODI World Cups, will be missing out on this tournament for the very first time.

The ten-team format for the World Cup remains as simple as ever. Ten teams all play each other once, and the top four teams in the group at the end of it go through to the semi-finals, where it becomes a straight knockout. 48 matches total. There will be reserve days for the three knockout matches and, if necessary, Super Overs. But you can't win games on boundary count anymore...

Fixtures:

Tournament Odds:

Squad Lists (Teams have until the 28th September to finalise their squads):

by **Good Golly I'm Olly** Thu 26 Oct 2023, 9:46 am

Barely watched a ball of this the past week - how are we not even close still to the end of this group stuff Laugh

Feels like for the sake of the tournament, it needs an England win here and a Pakistan win tomorrow. Losses for both sides and the top four is essentially decided after 5 games...

by KP_fan Thu 26 Oct 2023, 10:10 am

Duty281 wrote:And presumably the game where they conceded a world record total to SA...

.

When they conceded 428 it appeared shoddy bowling....but after SA's games vy BD & Eng ....400 became new normal and we realized it wasn't Lankan bowling

by KP_fan Thu 26 Oct 2023, 10:13 am

Eng has to read the pitch well........and plan their total accordingly
This is a pace-off pitch.......ball holding up and gripping in the pitch

In trying to get 350+ they should not fold up for 275
instead aim for 300 which would be a good score IMO

by GSC Thu 26 Oct 2023, 10:22 am

A run out was probably inevitable for England's first all over 30 lineup lol.

England just haven't really been sharp at this tournament. A good opening 10 and rather handed SL a foothold

by eirebilly_01 Thu 26 Oct 2023, 10:25 am

I am one of those people that do not believe that Stokes should be near the ODI squad, not because he is not good enough just that he has far too many injury's of late and never seems to be fully fit.

Today he will probably prove me wrong though.

Not a great start.

by Duty281 Thu 26 Oct 2023, 10:26 am

A very poor run out leaving a very average start. Not the best time to be leaving out Brook.

Bairstow needs to take the chance he was given and make a century. Just one century from England this tournament. Nowhere near good enough.

Stokes still not looking sharp, but SL burn a very speculative review against him.

by GSC Thu 26 Oct 2023, 10:27 am

I think Stokes ultimately picks himself for any England team in a high pressure scenario. Form, injuries or otherwise he just has that aura

by VTR Thu 26 Oct 2023, 10:44 am

This isn't good so far, playing like a team that have completely lost their confidence in what they do

by eirebilly_01 Thu 26 Oct 2023, 10:47 am

GSC wrote:I think Stokes ultimately picks himself for any England team in a high pressure scenario. Form, injuries or otherwise he just has that aura

He does have that aura and that certainly has an influence on the opposition but for me, it is not enough in ODI's.

He has a big job to do now Buttler is gone. England may struggle to get to 200 now.

by GSC Thu 26 Oct 2023, 10:49 am

57-1 to 77-4. England need another Stokes worldie or it's probably time to book the flights home

by Duty281 Thu 26 Oct 2023, 10:51 am

England are screwed.

Bairstow looked utterly dreadful for most of his innings, including in his running between the wickets, and it was no surprise he got out. Buttler out fishing after a positive start. Stokes still there, but loads of play and misses already.

Confidence does look shot. The entire team looks bedraggled and tired.

Need a big rebuild after the World Cup where the over 30s are cleared out. Get a young side to build tournament experience in the 2025 Champions Trophy. Play more ODI cricket. Get it back in the domestic system properly and ditch The Hundred. Unbelievable the amount of harm the Hundred has done to the game in this country, and the ECB are thinking of expanding that tournament to two divisions!

by GSC Thu 26 Oct 2023, 10:56 am

The 100 caused my asthma.

It's been an extremely underwhelming effort from England so far but I think we can probably skip the restructuring of domestic cricket this time. From what I read I don't think anyone really plays that much domestic 40-50 over stuff anymore. Just a lot of batsmen probably approaching the back end of their careers and out of form, and a bowling attack that hasn't been anywhere near as effective as it was 4 years ago in home conditions

by wisden Thu 26 Oct 2023, 10:57 am

All hopes resting on ben Stokes again....utter shambles

by eirebilly_01 Thu 26 Oct 2023, 10:59 am

100% Duty, The Hundred has had a very detrimental effect on the ODI game. Its almost as if ODI's are not important to England anymore. Franchise cricket is a great thing for getting new fans but it should not come with cost of ODI's.

Livingston out now, England may struggle to 150...

by GSC Thu 26 Oct 2023, 11:03 am

I don't think the decline of the ODI format is a purely English phenomenon to be honest

by Marky Thu 26 Oct 2023, 11:04 am

GSC wrote:I don't think the decline of the ODI format is a purely English phenomenon to be honest

Agreed, pretty much every country hosts their own T20 tournament these days, and is a far bigger money spinner too.

by wisden Thu 26 Oct 2023, 11:05 am

Huge wicket losing Livingstone, we deserve to be dumped out of the world cup horror batting show again!

by VTR Thu 26 Oct 2023, 11:05 am

Exactly, which teams coming in to this have played loads of ODIs compared to England? It's a dying format all across the world. England just haven't turned up for this tournament at all, very much feels like the sudden end of a great era. Like the French football team crashing out in the first round of the 2002 World Cup

by GSC Thu 26 Oct 2023, 11:12 am

Even this world cup. How many people are turning up to games that don't involve India.

End of an era for this England team but this format might not be far behind without intervention I think

by Duty281 Thu 26 Oct 2023, 11:18 am

No problem with T20, the issue is the English domestic game is hosting two tournaments - the Blast and the Hundred, which has squeezed the calendar. It should be one or the other but not both. That's how every other major country works.

Not having a proper List A competition seems bizarre to me. If England are going to play the format internationally, then upcoming players need to play it domestically. Some England players are making ODI debuts without ever having played the format, which is nonsensical. 50 over cricket requires a different balance in skill compared to T20 and first-class.

Mott has even admitted to 'guessing a bit' in 50 over selections, because there's a lack of domestic data. If England aren't going to try with the format domestically then they shouldn't bother internationally. I said at the time the domestic 50 over stuff was sidelined that England were heading to a crisis, but I did think it would take until 2027!

Not sure about ODI cricket in decline, it's often been said for over a decade, but the ODI World Cup is still a highly prestigious event. Most countries play more ODIs than England. It's just that England play more tests than most countries, so that's the balance. And many of England's players are on the franchise circuit, they play too much cricket, and something has to give, hence why the likes of Root have played very few ODIs since 2019.

I think on the topic of crowds, some things should be remembered:

1) The capacity of these grounds is quite large. The crowds India are drawing would pack out English grounds, but because these stadiums are bigger things look emptier. Whereas if this World Cup was hosted in England the grounds would be full, because of lower capacity.
2) Ticketing has been a fiasco.
3) The format of the World Cup itself isn't the best; the one for 2027 looks better.

ODI cricket is still alive and kicking.

by eirebilly_01 Thu 26 Oct 2023, 11:34 am

This is going from bad to worse at a rate of knots...

by GSC Thu 26 Oct 2023, 11:37 am

Agree to disagree. I just don't think there's much that says England are doing vastly different domestically or in ODIs to anyone else. To be honest they're just playing poorly. Doesn't always have to be a silver bullet when they do.

by Duty281 Thu 26 Oct 2023, 11:42 am

Just got to hope Stokes can lift it to 250, and the rest stick around. 250 is something to bowl at, but should still be a simple chase.

This is a real low point, though. Worse than Afghanistan.

Ah, now Woakes may be gone. Yes, he is. Seems a harsh call.

by eirebilly_01 Thu 26 Oct 2023, 11:42 am

In fairness, at first glance that did look like a cracking catch.

by KP_fan Thu 26 Oct 2023, 11:46 am

Almost all Eng batters have fallen to trying to force pace i.e hit on the rise and the ball holding up in the pitch

Shows their mindset...they are in a hurry...to go for their strokes...because of pre-game planning I guess
We have to keep going...we bat until Wood at 11

BUT
the pitch is a 275 par pitch and Eng are at risk of falling quite a bit short
They should have reassessed and re-calibrated after 5 overs

by Marky Thu 26 Oct 2023, 11:55 am

If ODI's are dying because of the rise of T20, it still doesn't excuse England being 89 for 5 after 20 overs Laugh

by eirebilly_01 Thu 26 Oct 2023, 12:00 pm

I am clinging on to hope here but i do feel that if England can get above 180, there may still be a chance...

by KP_fan Thu 26 Oct 2023, 12:06 pm

Eng 137-8
they have achieved half of the par ( 275) already The 2023 Cricket World Cup - Page 16 1f62e

by eirebilly_01 Thu 26 Oct 2023, 12:06 pm

Ok, even I am giving up hope now.

by Marky Thu 26 Oct 2023, 12:14 pm

Seeing as it's basically must win, I wonder if we'll see Stokes bowl today

by Duty281 Thu 26 Oct 2023, 12:14 pm

Rashid's dopeyness costing him. Just sums up an utterly dreadful innings.

Still four games after this? Christ.

by Duty281 Thu 26 Oct 2023, 12:16 pm

Agree with what Olly said earlier, also, that Pakistan have to beat SA tomorrow. If they don't the semi-finalists are virtually known with two weeks of group stage cricket left.

by KP_fan Thu 26 Oct 2023, 12:17 pm

Lankans did an Alex Carrey and that too to Eng...again
Poor Eng...

by Duty281 Thu 26 Oct 2023, 12:23 pm

Utter shambles.

Barring a 2011 v SA style comeback, it's all over. And 25 matches without a nail-biting finish.

by No name Bertie Thu 26 Oct 2023, 12:24 pm

Duty281 wrote:.... but I think England will be lifted up to 8th because of this. The momentum is becoming unstoppable. Give it another week and England will be top.

I was going to post something similar but just thumbed up your comment when I saw it. However what I was going to post had an important caveate:

"Two days ago England were bottom of the table and now they have risen two places without playing. If this continues then as long as England don't play they will be expected to top the table sometime next week"

ps: Now listening to this match live on Guerilla Cricket Radio - they swear quite a bit so you need to take care if others are nearby.

by KP_fan Thu 26 Oct 2023, 12:25 pm

Lowest all out total in Bengaluru
Lowest English total vs Lanka in a world cup
& this comes on the back of a 230 run defeat their biggest defeat even in ODIs
what's ailing Eng ?
That would be subject for a post match discussion after Lanka has put this one across which is 95% probability
5% is for never say never

by No name Bertie Thu 26 Oct 2023, 12:27 pm

KP_fan wrote:Lankans did an Alex Carrey and that too to Eng...again
Poor Eng...

Looks like Sri Lanka might put an air of respectability to their World Cup performance - reading the comments section I had noticed that you were one of the few that thought Sri Lanka might be able to do this.

by **Galted** Thu 26 Oct 2023, 12:49 pm

Duty281 wrote:Agree with what Olly said earlier, also, that Pakistan have to beat SA tomorrow. If they don't the semi-finalists are virtually known with two weeks of group stage cricket left.

Quite a good chance of that, Pakistan have won their last 6 world cup games against SA (T20 & 50 Over). SA's most recent win was inspired by Steve Elworthy and Lance Klusener.

by alfie Thu 26 Oct 2023, 12:50 pm

Bad to worse , eh ? Confess I left after Buttler got out ... Can't say I'm even too surprised ; they've looked awful from game one. At least - assuming this isn't some strange minefield of a pitch which will now swallow Sri Lanka - they'll be put out of their misery without further delay.
Only remaining question : can they hope to beat The Netherlands and avoid finishing dead last ?

by **Good Golly I'm Olly** Thu 26 Oct 2023, 12:51 pm

Beginning to accept we might not win this World Cup now...

What a shame that this is how this white ball generation look set to bow out. Of course some will stick around for a while yet, but feels like for the majority this might be the end of the road.

Have given me the most sustained success, and entertainment of any England sporting team in my lifetime since Morgan took over after the 2015 World Cup. Two white ball World Cups, couple of close runs in other white ball tournaments, numerous incredible moments in bilateral cricket and series wins too. Was really hoping they had one more run in them, but it's a step too far barring a miracle here unfortunately.

by Marky Thu 26 Oct 2023, 1:01 pm

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:Beginning to accept we might not win this World Cup now...

What a shame that this is how this white ball generation look set to bow out. Of course some will stick around for a while yet, but feels like for the majority this might be the end of the road.

Have given me the most sustained success, and entertainment of any England sporting team in my lifetime since Morgan took over after the 2015 World Cup. Two white ball World Cups, couple of close runs in other white ball tournaments, numerous incredible moments in bilateral cricket and series wins too. Was really hoping they had one more run in them, but it's a step too far barring a miracle here unfortunately.

You're gonna look really stupid when we lift the trophy next month Wink

by **Pal Joey** Thu 26 Oct 2023, 1:02 pm

Galted wrote:
Duty281 wrote:Agree with what Olly said earlier, also, that Pakistan have to beat SA tomorrow. If they don't the semi-finalists are virtually known with two weeks of group stage cricket left.

Quite a good chance of that, Pakistan have won their last 6 world cup games against SA (T20 & 50 Over). SA's most recent win was inspired by Steve Elworthy and Lance Klusener.

Don't say that! I only changed my Pakistan C to a SAF E yesterday... and now you've got me thinking again.

by alfie Thu 26 Oct 2023, 1:02 pm

Good start from Willey anyway...thought he actually bowled rather well the other day too , until the heat got him. Now if he can just take three or four more in this spell...

by alfie Thu 26 Oct 2023, 1:03 pm

Very nearly two ! But Root couldn't grab the catch...

by **Pal Joey** Thu 26 Oct 2023, 1:13 pm

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:Beginning to accept we might not win this World Cup now...

Acceptance is the first step towards recovery for the next world cup.

Don't give up hope just yet, Olly. The team in blue might still find a way. Smile

by alfie Thu 26 Oct 2023, 1:20 pm

Willey has another...

Buttler did well to take that...for a horrible moment I thought he was going to lose it in the lights . Get another one now and it might spark some nerves in the Sri Lankan dressing room ; though the new man has started full of confidence !

by alfie Thu 26 Oct 2023, 1:49 pm

Well England actually had a narrow advantage at the ten over stage

But Sri Lanka aren't going to be stupid enough to mess up this chase by taking silly risks - and they won't need to : no hurry , and plenty of easy scoring opportunities. Wood beating the bat with a couple in his first over at least...looks more himself than the other day. Bit late I'm afraid.

by eirebilly_01 Thu 26 Oct 2023, 1:50 pm

England need at least 4 wickets in the next 5 overs to even remotely stand a chance.

by No name Bertie Thu 26 Oct 2023, 2:04 pm

Good Golly I'm Olly wrote:.... What a shame that this is how this white ball generation look set to bow out. Of course some will stick around for a while yet, but feels like for the majority this might be the end of the road...

Maybe it is better to have a spectacular blowout rather than a gradual decline. At least this sends a message that something significant needs to be done rather than a tinkering.

by alfie Thu 26 Oct 2023, 2:16 pm

They don't have a hope in hades... Pitch isn't doing enough to threaten the batsmen and anyway England have the field back so they can just milk their way to the target. Needed about five wickets in that first fifteen...but realistically unless Sri Lanka self destructed that was always unlikely.

Still can't quite see how England managed to lose ten wickets in 33 overs ??? Didn't watch the last six but I had thought they would at least dial back their expectations and scratch their way to 220 : I suppose they elected to stick with the "go hard" option ? Just hasn't worked at all this trip.

There will be agonised debates over what went wrong - which will be extremely boring and reveal nothing useful. Has to be collective mental fade out as good players don't become rubbish overnight. Looks as if the NZ game knocked their confidence sideways and when Afghanistan followed up by turning them over they just lost the plot completely. Unfortunately they still have four games to play - which could be a pretty miserable experience for players and fans alike.

Sad end to the era of England white ball supremacy

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