Cricket-Match-Special ... A forum for discussion

No thread on this yet?

A few thoughts:

Stupid super-8s round robin everyone plays everyone format. Again. Sigh. 28 games to determine the top 4 out of 8 teams seems overkill.

Australia living up to the favourites tag - 2 from 2 so far, including a win v England that was more comfortable than the scoreline suggested.

WI in a narrow and exciting win over NZ.

Now England are chasing what appears to be a sub-par 226 by West Indies, in what already feels like an important match in the context of the tournament.

Looks like England are going to lose. It's going to be tough to make the semis from here.

They only have themselves to blame. 5 dropped catches, 21 wides (as against Australia), and trying to force the pace too hard when they didn't need to with the bat. It was similar in the Ashes. This team lacks the ability to adapt and close games out.

9th wicket partnership add 41 and counting, going to be a tight finish.

29 off 36 needed, 2 wickets left.

West Indies win by 7 runs

For the second time in as many games, England lose by less than the number of wides they bowled

England are nowhere near the level they were 4 years ago or whenever the last WC was played. Probably shouldn't be surprised, they were very uncompetitive in the last 2 ashes series, but perhaps the feeling was that Australia were becoming increasingly dominant rather than that England were in decline. Yet decline it seems to be

India gave the West Indies a real hammering today.

Australia looking predictably unstoppable.

Cliche time, but a must win for England today.

England look set to lose again, and their own fault again, spilling four chances.

If England crash out early, sloppy fielding will be to blame.

And another tight loss, 3 wickets, 4 balls. England could be 3 wins from 3 with just a bit more discipline and skill in the field. Instead the defending champions are going home early. What a colossal let down

are they out now?

disappointing campaign, but for me at least, pretty unsurprising

perhaps they've forgotten what to do with the other 200 balls?

Durhamfootman wrote:are they out now?

disappointing campaign, but for me at least, pretty unsurprising

Not technically, but they need to win their remaining 4 and hope other results fall in their favour.

A little surprising to me. They have some good players, but are not currently combining well to make a good team.

Surely even England can't stuff this one up.

they don't

perhaps because they didn't need many of the other 200 balls?

England NZ looking critical for both sides. If Australia beat India, and England win their last three games including v New Zealand, England will be in contention. India and South Africa still have to play each other too, which helps.

Not that it matters. Going to take something pretty special to stop Australia's march to the title.