Cricket World Cup - England V Bangla Desh

[sunny-dave]

Spoilers follow ...

[New Judge]

They've really developed a different game, squad. It's similar to saying that five-a-side football is the same as the full-sized version.

I understand all the reasons behind the development of the limited overs game. But to have the "World Cup" of a game which should be played over a number of days decided by matches which last less than a day is a bit of sacrilegious.

[Sqad]

LOL.....OK! NJ.....life goes on...;-)

[New Judge]

Sure does, sqad. Except for the England cricket team, that is! :-)

[kawakiri]

If the ECB haven't learned from this I have. Don'ti clude England players in fantasy teams.

[ichkeria]

I can't agree NJ, Look for example at the way someone like AB de Villiers strikes the ball. Yes there is sheer power but also great skill . And great skill from the bowlers too. The game has moved on from the days when Groff Boycott opened the batting - and bowled - in a World Cup final but Engand seem not to have moved with it. In my opinion it's a much better game than it ever was. Perhaps Englsnd are guilty of concentrating too much on The Ashes. It must be galling to see Australia once more a force in ODI as well as 5-0 Ashes holders.

[ichkeria]

Re the Zimbabwe Ireland game looks like they ARE furious but somehow my sympathy has evaporated
http://www.irishtimes.com/sport/other-sports/cricket-ireland-condemns-zimbabwe-herald-article-on-john-mooney-1.2133424

[sunny-dave]

Well spotted ichkeria.

I suppose John Mooney can take heart that, if he was going to be insulted, then it would be a badge of honour to be insulted by a tame (and corrupt) puppet of the bigoted monster that is Robert Mugabe.

[ichkeria]

Pretty much sunny-dave. They should take their ire out on the officials. The replay shows Mooney touching the boundary but somehow they missed it. But John himself would never have known he'd done it

[sunny-dave]

Yep - he just minutely nudged a bit of foam with a size 14 bowling boot in the heat of play - he would not and could not have known.

I agree that the officials were wrong - it was obvious on my set at home, and you'd hope their facilities were at least as good.

On a related topic, the run out decision on Chris Jordan seemed pretty flaky to me - possibly 'out' from one angle, probably 'in' from the other - what happened to giving the batsman the benefit of the doubt?

[ PS - not seeking to excuse England's dire performance - Jordan shouldn't have needed to bat at all if they had done the job even half-properly ]

[ichkeria]

Was that the one where the bat seemed to be in mid air? Yes I was surprised by that too. Didn't seem clear at all
Meanwhile Hercule Poirot is being exhumed to address the mystery of why England bat Buttler so far down the order ...