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

A good weekend of matches, with Ind/Aus and Eng/NZ.

Things would have to go very nicely for England for them to make the finals - not just win every game, but other results need to go their way. NZ also need to win every game, I think, to make it to the finals. Regardless, it should be a good match-up.

India gave a surprisingly good account of themselves in their tour of Australia last year. I think that they would have some confidence of beating Aus tomorrow.

Even if they don't, India have a pretty good net run rate, so look a pretty good chance of qualifying.


And yes, from their efforts so far, and their standing in the tournament, anything less than a championship win for Australia will be a disappointment.

Cracking game yesterday as West Indies somehow defend 140 - Bangladesh lost their last wicket at 136 with 4 balls to go

Australia India heading for a tense finish.

8 needed off the last over. Australia have been ahead of the D/L target the whole way, surely they can't falter now?

Nope. Beth Mooney steers Aus home, cool as you like. Perfectly timed chase, and Australia become the first team to qualify for the semis (no surprise).

If England beat NZ tomorrow, then it could be NRR between India and England for the fourth semi spot (assuming both teams win their last two games as well). Bangladesh are also still in it if they can beat England and India.

South Africa and West Indies look well set for the other two spots.

Yet again Nat Sciver throws it away when England were well positioned in the chase, and England proceed to collapse.

Gotta ask why they are playing through the rain though. England were miles ahead on D/L, it started raining, the ball misbehaves, and now England are losing wickets. Doesn't seem quite fair.

9 off 5 overs. Rate not a problem, just got to get a few singles. But England have made a habit of losing very close games this tournament...

well, this is an exciting finish, isn't it?

England panicking now. Stupid run out. 5 needed, 1 wicket, 3 overs.

They needed 17 off 6 with 5 wickets in hand. This team really is hopeless at closing things out.

at least they won't lose the game now

oh, I thought in the round robin matches they would accept a draw as a result.

Nasser is talking super over

That was too close.

England stay alive, and up to 5th. Win both their last games, and they might squeak through.

I think New Zealand are not technically out, but they'll need an extraordinary combination of results to progress.

Whatever the (variable) standard of some of these games , one can't deny there have been a lot of exciting finishes !

Again today - though really England ought to have cruised home from the position they were in at 173/4 against a Kiwi team whose best bowler was injured and off...just got over the line , in atrocious conditions at the end : Shrubsole hasn't had a great cup yet but she showed her experience to get them home after that extraordinary attempted choke...

Australia look unstoppable (although yesterday was close !) but when you get to the knock out games anything can happen on a day. South Africa are the big improvers it seems : will their form hold up at the business end , I wonder ?
Apart from them it is West Indies India and England in a dust up for two spots.

England really seem jittery all the time and really haven't played up to their usual standard. Perhaps this narrow escape will settle them down a bit. If they can win well against the two bottom teams now I think they will qualify ; but I fear their batting is a little too flakey to give them much chance of retaining their title. Might be some rebuilding after this event as one or two seem to be nearing their sell by date...

Bit of a boil over in prospect here with West Indies collapsing against Pakistan in a weather shortened (20 overs) game...

63/7 after losing three wickets in about as many balls last two overs. Nida Dar has the extraordinary figures of 4/10 from her four overs...might well have got a hat trick to cap it off if she hadn't run out of balls at the end

Three overs left for West Indies to lift this to a defendable total.

Pakistan need 90. Won't be easy : but must be a chance for them to get a win at last ?

Expect West Indies to fight for this - a loss to Pakistan could derail their tournament after some good earlier results.

Don't altogether like these fifty over games that turn into twenty overs in World Cups as it seems to distort the format ; but better than DWL or shared points I guess.

West Indies may just have blown their chances of finishing in the top four.