2022 T20 World Cup thread

[Good Golly I'm Olly]

Marsh put down, Aus right on the edge

Might have been the turning point of this one

[Pal Joey]

Marsh put down, Aus right on the edge

Might have been the turning point of this one

He's gone now.

[eirebilly_01]

This is a great fightback by Afghanistan in fairness. They were really under the pump (still are a bit) but held their nerve.
Stoinis looking to go now.

[alfie]

Marsh played really well...but his departure leaves a bit for Stoinis and Maxwell to do...and Wade , of course : but not a lot after that.

[alfie]

A lot going in the air but not quite finding a fielder...the run rate is good ; but you'd think one of these is going to hand sooner or later...

112/4 , seven to go. 180 plus , no ? Could be more if they get it all right ; but a few overs from the main bowlers to come.

Australia doing a bit better than KP_fan predicted

[GSC]

5 to go. Maxwell looks like he fancies getting this to 200

[alfie]

Stoinis stepping up again for Australia...oops. Gone now ...but that partnership with Maxwell has them on for a big score...

Death overs crucial now.

[GSC]

146 with 3 overs to go. Maxwell's got to go big now

[eirebilly_01]

The Aussies do just know when to turn up don't they...

[alfie]

Maxwell has picked a good time to run into some form... They need him to finish strong now...

[GSC]

Afghanistan have really turned the screw since Stoinis holed out, Maxwell can't get on strike

[alfie]

Really has been just the Marsh and Maxwell show today . Now with Cummins falling Australia will be hoping Richardson can do a job with the bat...

Fine death bowling from Naveen

Maxwell will want a big last over.

[alfie]

Well that innings rather fizzled out. Will be far too much for Afghanistan anyway so Australia will stay "alive".

The question that will worry England might be whether the Afghans go too nuts chasing and get totally skittled...

Well batted Maxwell

[GSC]

Phenomenal finish at the death from Afghanistan, Australia gonna need a big bowling performance to drag it back

[KP_fan]

In trying to go for a huge NRR boosting win...Aus fizzle to what's about a par score

You would back them to defend it unless one or two guys from Afg plays the inning of their life.

This means a simple win for Eng would do it vs Lanka
And should the low probability event of Aus losing occur, then the Lankan window remains open if they beat Eng.
For Aus to remain in the reckoning even if Eng win, they need to restrict Afg to 90 odd

[eirebilly_01]

That was absolutely brilliant death bowling from Afghanistan.

By my understanding, Afghanistan only need to get to 120 - 130 to leave England the task of just winning tomorrow?

[GSC]

I think by my very amateur maths, Australia need to bundle Afghanistan out for around 100 to go above England's NRR (though England's would rise if they won)

[Pal Joey]

I still blame Warner for starting the rot. Then Smith soon followed him back to the pavilion where he has spent a lot of his time lately. Only Marsh, Stoinis and Maxwell saved them from a totally embarrassing score. 168 is quite flattering. The Afghans really should have taken most of those dropped catches and Australia would have been lucky to reach 140 or so.

[KP_fan]

I still blame Warner for starting the rot. Then Smith soon followed him back to the pavilion where he has spent a lot of his time lately. Only Marsh, Stoinis and Maxwell saved them from a totally embarrassing score. 168 is quite flattering. The Afghans really should have taken most of those dropped catches and Australia would have been lucky to reach 140 or so.

The blame if any would be on the Aussies for losing the opener to NZ with that magnitude
and more precisely for conceding 200+ which is way above par
& from that point they have been always trying to catch up
That they did not play Green & Smith & continue to persist with a what I think is a past expiry date Wade has hurt them thru sub optimal team selections
That they lost a point to Eng due to rain didn't help either

[eirebilly_01]

I missed the Warner wicket but have since seen it. Awful to say the least. He was going well and just needed to stay controlled.

Green and Smith will probably get lambasted but in fairness, it was their first run out so were bound to be not match fit. They should have got a run earlier for me.

Australia will feel they are about 40 shy of what they could have achieved.

[GSC]

Australia's situation might give Afghanistan an opening, realistically, they have to bowl them out cheaply

[eirebilly_01]

I would say that the total is far in excess of Afghanistan's range but if they could get 130 then England may feel a bit more at ease.

Ghani put out of his misery.

[Pal Joey]

I still blame Warner for starting the rot. Then Smith soon followed him back to the pavilion where he has spent a lot of his time lately. Only Marsh, Stoinis and Maxwell saved them from a totally embarrassing score. 168 is quite flattering. The Afghans really should have taken most of those dropped catches and Australia would have been lucky to reach 140 or so.

The blame if any would be on the Aussies for losing the opener to NZ with that magnitude
and more precisely for conceding 200+ which is way above par
& from that point they have been always trying to catch up
That they did not play Green & Smith & continue to persist with a what I think is a past expiry date Wade has hurt them thru sub optimal team selections
That they lost a point to Eng due to rain didn't help either

Warner also played a big part in that massive first loss with his 5 runs.

Agree the selections have been out too. It's a bit late now but I would have liked to have seen Green somewhere in the team in earlier matches where he could have offered a bit with the bat and ball and he is a gun fielder too. Smith appears to be well below his best in terms of confidence. You just have to look at his body language. His selection would almost be a luxury - only used if everyone else is firing away and scoring the runs. But if that is happening, then why would you need him?

As for Wade; I'm not his biggest fan either. Would have preferred Carey... who I believe shows more energy, is decent with gloves and can score under pressure. But too late for that too! Wade was selected on last year's form in the play-off and final.

You need more cylinders (batting, bowling and fielding) firing in unison in these comps and even if the batting has barely scraped to par scores (except for the NZ match) our pace bowling was also bashed around in that match and I don't think they have recovered from that yet.

Hence the inclusion of Richardson for this must win match. Basically Australia is clutching at straws and on the performances so far (overall) they don't really deserve to progress... even if there's another major upset tomorrow night.

[eirebilly_01]

If the Aussies do fail to progress, I would say that today was the last time we see about 50% of them playing for Australia.

[GSC]

Needs a clatter of wickets sharpish or a Sri Lanka jersey is about to become popular

[Pal Joey]

ha... Green was not such a gun in the field with that one!

Yes Billy... a few of them are a bit long in the tooth now. We need to clear some of them out.

[eirebilly_01]

As I said earlier, i do believe this is the best available team for Australia from the squad they have, i really rate Richardson and believe him to be better than Starc right now.
Its a real shame that this team was not tried earlier in the tournament. If they had been, the panic today in their scoring may not have led to such a fizzle out.

Agree with ye PJ, regarding Carey over Wade.

[Pal Joey]

Just noticed:

Is it A1 v B2 at SCG for 1st semi final and A2 v B1 for the 2nd semi at Adelaide Oval?

Did ICC leave these matches "to be advised" on purpose depending on who makes it?

So it looks most likely
NZ v SA at SCG and England v India at AO

Or could they swap these matches around?

[eirebilly_01]

Every team will want to play at the SCG for me

[alfie]

72/2 off ten. Very decent from Afghanistan . Another 97 ? Don't think so : but things are not looking great for the hosts at the moment. Presumably going to need Sri Lanka to upset England tomorrow , even with a win here.

Or more rain

[GSC]

Looks like they'll hit the score to make NRR irrelevant, though they're decently placed to have a go at knocking the runs off

[GSC]

Probably safe to say whatever remote chance NZ had of being overhauled is gone

[Pal Joey]

Every team will want to play at the SCG for me

Yes, I think both England and India would love to play at the SCG. Large expat populations... would be a thrilling atmosphere.
Then again... it would be the same for the Kiwis and Saffas. Just less vocal compared to England v India.

Adelaide is also a suitable venue. It would favour India perhaps? Nice short square boundaries too.

[eirebilly_01]

Every team will want to play at the SCG for me

Yes, I think both England and India would love to play at the SCG. Large expat populations... would be a thrilling atmosphere.
Then again... it would be the same for the Kiwis and Saffas. Just less vocal compared to England v India.

Adelaide is also a suitable venue. It would favour India perhaps? Nice short square boundaries too.

I love the SCG. I know that the MCG is the big ground in Australia but the SCG is the best in my opinion

[Pal Joey]

72/2 off ten. Very decent from Afghanistan . Another 97 ? Don't think so : but things are not looking great for the hosts at the moment. Presumably going to need Sri Lanka to upset England tomorrow , even with a win here.

Or more rain

Duty said there wouldn't be any more rain (except for the final... but you have spare day, yes?) and it looks fine here tomorrow.

Sunny all day apparently. You'll be fine.

[alfie]

ha... Green was not such a gun in the field with that one!

Yes Billy... a few of them are a bit long in the tooth now. We need to clear some of them out.

Well I presume Finch is done. Wade , With younger keepers around. Warner might be keen to go again unless he decides to focus on the franchise stuff.

Probably shouldn't write obituaries yet ...England still need to beat Sri Lanka or they might yet rise from the ashes - even if they don't really deserve to.

Gulbadin is motoring. Afghanistan could even win this !

[GSC]

If they can keep wickets in hand they're in this. Australia went nowhere at the end of their innings

[alfie]

Think the Richardson experiment is looking pretty dodgy at the moment...

These bats have nothing to lose so will just keep going for it. A wicket or two will change things of course. And that excellent over from Cummins has brought it back a bit.

Not a lot in at present.

[Duty281]

Ireland were foolish. What on earth were they doing bowling first, in a bat-first competition?!

Haven't really followed this game, but looks like Afghanistan are running Australia close, and they've still got Nabi and Rashid Khan to bat.

[eirebilly_01]

Did not even consider the fact that Afghanistan may even win this

[alfie]

Maxwell ! He's having a night to remember...

That is a big wicket.

[Pal Joey]

Every team will want to play at the SCG for me

Yes, I think both England and India would love to play at the SCG. Large expat populations... would be a thrilling atmosphere.
Then again... it would be the same for the Kiwis and Saffas. Just less vocal compared to England v India.

Adelaide is also a suitable venue. It would favour India perhaps? Nice short square boundaries too.

I love the SCG. I know that the MCG is the big ground in Australia but the SCG is the best in my opinion

I like them all. The SCG has a nice compact feel but for a big final the MCG is the place to be. I'm glad they're ripping down the Gabba for the Olympics but I think the new stadium will be roughly the same size. I'll be glad to see the end of those maroon and yellow seats! I love Adelaide Oval too and the new Perth stadium is also superb.

Even Hobart is an attractive small venue but there's talk of a new one (for AFL and cricket) on hallowed ground set aside for a cultural centre only a short walk from the city... on the other side of the River Derwent from Bellerive Oval. It's very controversial politically and culturally though.

Spoiler:

[GSC]

Might be a bit of a hammer blow for Afghanistan that

[alfie]

Did not even consider the fact that Afghanistan may even win this

Not likely now...two wickets in two balls and two new batsmen...make that three wickets !

A bit late for Australia for the desired NRR boost . But they aren't going to lose now.

[eirebilly_01]

Did not even consider the fact that Afghanistan may even win this

Not likely now...two wickets in two balls and two new batsmen...make that three wickets !

A bit late for Australia for the desired NRR boost . But they aren't going to lose now.

Afghanistan imploding after i post that. Trebell would be proud...

[Duty281]

Sorry Afghanistan, I've switched on and you've lost three wickets in four balls.

This will end Sri Lanka's hopes.

[GSC]

Looks like Australia will close it out then. But will need Sri Lanka, who have nothing to play for beyond pride, to beat England

[Pal Joey]

ha... Green was not such a gun in the field with that one!

Yes Billy... a few of them are a bit long in the tooth now. We need to clear some of them out.

Well I presume Finch is done. Wade , With younger keepers around. Warner might be keen to go again unless he decides to focus on the franchise stuff.

Probably shouldn't write obituaries yet ...England still need to beat Sri Lanka or they might yet rise from the ashes - even if they don't really deserve to.

Gulbadin is motoring. Afghanistan could even win this !

Nice one.

Maybe hold your match report just for now, alfie.
Nearly 12 runs needed per over... possible but unlikely as another one wicket falls.

[eirebilly_01]

Afghanistan still need 10 more runs to make England just require the win don't they?

[GSC]

I'm fairly sure it's 106 or so, but at this point England will probably overhaul it by winning anyway

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