#335

How are we going to manage to fuck this up

  • 50 off the last 3 overs
  • rain
  • massive batting collapse

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#338

*Mitchell

#341

Lovely bowling by Adil, but still only the second best effort by a leg-spinning Rashid today.

1 Like
#342

great strike rate tbf

1 Like
#343

Hales’ dismissal is how England batsmen get out in my nightmares.

#344

sake

#348
2 Likes
#349

nice to see shane warne’s tip for man of the match going for 8 an over

2 Likes
#352

They don’t have overs in football!!!111!!!one!!!eleven!!

1 Like
#355

To start with Hales in the semi final

  • Roy
  • Root
  • Morgan
  • Bairstow
  • Moeen
  • Other

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#356

They’ve gone this far with Roy, I would be surprised if they changed now, especially after appearing to have backed him pre-tournament to start the tournament. I think (and certainly hope) that he middles one early in the semi-final and then goes on a bit of a blitz.

#357

I dunno, he looks shot. The LBW today was awful and if he stays in the team he might spend longer out of it when he does get dropped. He should obviously still a big part of England’s plans going forward but we’ve got the best 12th man in world cricket in incredible form and I’d have much more faith in Bairstow atm, especially if we face Mohammed Amir first up in the semis

1 Like
#358

Toby Barrington-Other.

1 Like
#360

yeah, if he gets dropped now he can sort himself out and come back for the next batch of ODIs. If he fails in the semi or final and we lose a close one he’ll catch all of the flak and it could really affect him

#362

These are pretty fair assessments tbf by yourself & @anon26275971 . I don’t ever like seeing a player getting dropped when in a run like this and probably end up hoping that next time he steps up to the crease, he’ll cream a half-volley through the covers and all of a sudden everything will be fixed.

It is clear that his head’s gone in a technical sense and he’s thinking too much ahead of each ball about what shot he’s going to play rather than playing on instinct. That pre-meditated scoop shot against Bangladesh was horrific.

Perhaps the mental side should be what the decision is based on. If he’s really feeling as though he’s a burden on the team then by all means, pull him out. Equally, if he’s showing a determination to battle on and justify his position then I do think there’s a case for backing him for the semi-final and (hopefully) final ahead of the T-20 domestic competition and hope that it comes good.

#365

Best English all-rounder since you’ve been watching Cricket (ODIs / all formats - you choose)

  • Ben Stokes
  • Andrew Flintoff
  • Ian Botham
  • Ravi Bopara
  • Vince Wells

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#367

Flintoff has had more important spells, but Stokes’ impact in a short time… Perth, Cape Town, his six for in the ashes, ton in the ipl. And others

#368

Flintoff would probably have got into the team for all 3 formats as either a pure batsman or pure bowler, Stokes’ bowling isn’t quite at that level

1 Like
#369

I think Stokes is a better batsman than Flintoff ever was, but agree about the bowling. Yet, the potential is there.

For me, Flintoff really came of age during the 2005 Ashes as a consistent bat and bowl. He was 27 then, Stokes is 26 now. I think the potential is there for him to have a greater impact in all forms of the game than Fred (so long as he’s not given the captaincy for an ill-ridden tour in Australia).

2 Likes
#372

yeah, bit worried about the amount of niggles stokes seems to get. Doesn’t have quite as obviously knee-destroying a bowling action as Flintoff but the amount of cricket he plays (and, by all accounts, the amount he trains) could be worrying.

Reckon we’d be best off limiting his overs and having him as an occasional bowling option, and make sure we get the most out of him as a destructive middle order batsman