The Pakistan top four is very good, but the rest of the side collapsed like a pack of cards and it became a very one-sided game thereafter.
They are a proud and volatile country and any failure in a major competition usually has fall out. There is sufficient opposition to Arthur's dual role over there for things to become awkward if things don't go to plan. One to keep an eye on, for sure.
I have to say that I have been unimpressed by what I have seen of the tournament, certainly by the home supporters. Crowds have been underwhelming and for me at least it was very disappointing to see parochialism and bias so prevalent among the home support.
I appreciate the history between the two countries, but there was no acknowledgement of beautiful stroke play, no warm applause to recognise a very good cricketer. Simply silence and I find that very difficult. My Dad brought me up to appreciate and understand that there are always two sides in a game. You may support one of them, but it shouldn't stop you from appreciating and acknowledging a job well done by the other side.
Dave asked the other day who blog followers were tipping for the World Cup. I'm quite happy to admit I'm working on an 'anyone but India' basis, at least in my hope for the eventual winner. I don't like what they are doing to the world game, I certainly don't appreciate the boorish attitude at times of Virat Kohli and I don't like the extreme partisan nature of the crowd. It isn't nice to witness and I am paying only passing interest to things as it stands.
England? Well, you reap as you sow and when we have downgraded our domestic 50-over competition to a sideshow, while the country's best players play in a format that no one else wants, then you get what you are entitled to. Absolutely nothing, so far. It would not bother me unduly if that state of affairs continued..
It is nice to see South Africa do well and I always appreciate the professionalism and general good sportsmanship of the New Zealand side. But you just know that when it comes down to the business part of the competition, the pitches that are prepared will negate the threat posed by the South African pace attack and will likely turn square. I know they have Shamsi and Maharaj, but I think New Zealand might have the better chance on such pitches with Sodhi, Ravindra and the excellent Santner.
So to answer the question, my heart is happy to go with either of those two, but my head, sadly, suggests that India will come out on top, as seems pre-ordained.
That's all from me for now. There isn't much to say about Derbyshire, as most of the recruitment has been done early and successfully.
I will be back later in the week, or at the weekend.
Agree with your comments about the England team, Butler when playing for England is nothing more than a flat track bully who rarely scores when under pressure, the team hasn't moved on from when they won the tournament four years ago several of the senior players including Joss Butler should end their 50 over careers after this tournament is over
ReplyDeleteFully agree with the comments relating to the deprioritising of the 50 over format in preference to 16.4 overs of pyjama clad players sponsored by corn snacks .. In addition a lot of the team just don’t play much cricket … Wood Topley Woakes Rashid have played very little since late June … I’d love New Zealand to win the trophy particularly for the way they handled themselves in the previous final … a well led team and they have more spin options to turn to than other rivals to India
ReplyDeleteIt could only happen in England that we want another country to win a trophy over ourselves. Incredible!
ReplyDeletePaul
Only in England could we set up a form of the game against an established one when no one else is remotely interested. They deserve all they get and will neither have support nor sympathy from me
DeleteMaybe so Peakfan but the actual England cricket team have no say on what the administration ( ECB) decide in the same way the FA make decisions I don’t agree with but I will always support my countries actual teams and players when playing against other countries and let’s be honest South Africa have hardly covered themselves in glory administratively and politically in the past.
DeletePaul
No issues with that, Paul. I like and respect many of the England players, but they have been sold down the river by not being given any recent 50 over experience. You can't just assume the game plan for 20 over cricket will translate 'because they are good players'. So if not doing well here, as a consequence, sees a review of domestic one day cricket, that sits fine with me.
DeleteThey will blame 4 day cricket, probably...
For clarification ,of course I want England to win but for the reasons stated I don’t think they will ,therefore I’d like to see NZ be successful …
DeleteI was intrigued by the comment that MA's dual role has brought opposition in Pakistan--which I hadn't seen before, although it doesn't entirely surprise me. Where did you hear it, PF?
ReplyDeleteMA will know all too well that a poor showing in the WC will be risky--it's what did for him as coach last time round, after all. I get the feeling though that the high-ups in the PCB like both him and Bradburn--which, combined with the newness of the regime, will probably make their jobs safe, at least for the moment.
A Google search 'opposition to Mickey Arthur Pakistan' brings up some of it. A number of high profile. Former players wanted a Pakistan national in charge. Social media regularly has plenty of commentators feeling the role requires full-time dedication. At some point, at one end or the other, something has to give...
DeleteHard to imagine a greater contrast for MA: one moment at a CC ground with a handful of spectators, possibly being consulted occasionally by the captain about a declaration, and the next being one of only a very few Pakistan officials or journalists granted a visa to attend the Ahmedabad stadium with 120,000 Indian supporters!
ReplyDeleteWhile we're briefly acknowledging the International game. A word on Alistair Cook retiring the past week. Always appreciated that after a long and very successful career he went back to Essex for a fair few years with some success as well! Nice to see an England captain appreciating the County game.
ReplyDeleteKieran(Long time reader, first time poster)
100% Kieran. It's like the long time first eleven club player who drops down the 11s to add experience to those on the way up.
DeleteI am sure his teammates have appreciated his input, while supporters will have enjoyed their final viewings of a player who is very much a county legend
Seems like the Indian public have no interest in this world cup unless their heroes are in action. Crowds are pitiful for every other game, so sad to see.
ReplyDeleteAnd just what has happened to the once great West Indian side who can't even qualify now , instead their place has been taken by the Netherlands, deary me.
What must the likes of Haynes, Lara, Holding, Marshall to name four legends think of their current plight?
I'm not sure that Marshall is in much of a position to think anything about it, sadly! Haynes, however, is in one of the very best positions to do something about it, at least with the relatively meagre resources that the system is providing him with...
DeleteI watched the highlights of England v Afghanistan and I thought the Afghans were brilliant while we seemed to do just about everything wrong. Their spinners in particular were very impressive. Do you happen to know Steve if any have been snapped up by any County? Just a thought but any of the three would be a fantastic addition to the Ddrbyshire ranks.
ReplyDeleteThe 'problem' is that they can all make good money touring the world playing T20. Nabi is 38 and has had several county T20 stints, Rashid has been a regular at Sussex. Mujeeb has played for more franchises than I have had hot dinners, yet is still only 22!
DeleteAside from a short stint in T20, I doubt we could make it sufficiently financially attractive for them to spend several months in this country.
And I know Haider found the physical and mental demands of county cricket hard going, with very little downtime when the season gets into full swing
Nice to see Logan van Beek starring at the World Cup!
ReplyDeleteAnd New Zealand have just handed out a lesson to Afghanistan. They look the team to beat at present
ReplyDeleteI fully agree with your comments around the India team PF. They are a really impressive outfit with seemingly all bases covered but due to the excruciating media "love in" that surrounds their every move they are increasingly becoming my least favourite team, Australia included! As for Kohli's antics on the field the least said the better. Hopefully the pressure they will feel from their own fans will be their undoing when the knockouts start. Its happened before!
ReplyDeleteChesterfield Blue. The Netherlands are very much a better side than the West Indies at the moment - and more fun to watch!
ReplyDeleteThe rot in the WI started in the late 80's when Islanders heads were turned by the arrival of satellite TV showing the lure of big money of playing Basketball in the US. To young minds cricket is boring and hard work in comparison, so interest has waned. There may be some hope with 20/20 (never thought I would write that), but the 4 day game which produces the cricketers you mention, is pretty much finished - hence a poor test team.
PS
The Dutch win featured heavily in De Telegraaf, a genuine first.
England v South Africa, the England team looks completely disinterested probably more interested in when the next T20 franchise is taking place
ReplyDeleteA woeful performance today.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if anyone can work out why we were champions 4 years ago and now clueless?
I'm sure the ECB will be along soon to explain it, as I am that my beloved Blades will put Manchester United away later.
RIP Sir Bobby. Gutted I never saw him play. A true sporting legend.
Andy
By the skin of their teeth is how they were champions in 2019! If they'd lost any of their last four games, all four of which were against the other semi-finalists, they wouldn't have won. And of course, they did have an outrageous moment of luck at a crucial point in the final without which they could well have lost the final.
DeleteAs to the contrast--and there is some contrast, given that they weren't absolutely hammered at any point in 2019. Part of it is the inherent risk you take when you play a bunch of aging players who are all aging together, that the team just spontaneusly combusts at some point (but of course it doesn't have to happen: England aren't significantly older than India, NZ or SA''s squads). Partly it's just bad luck: although Woakes is a terrible test bowler overseas, he's generally been good in many countries in white-ball so his problems weren't really foreseeable--and I'm not sure that Curran's were either, although statistics show that he's been rather sporadically effective in ODI's since his stress fracture. Some of it is bad selection (Ali's bits-and-pieces-ness as a ODI player shouldn't have been masked either by his usefulness as vice-captain nor by the fact that he's better in T20), some of is structural (England international players not having a domestic 50-over competition, although I think that's considerably overstated as a problem: how many of Australia's or India's players play regularly in their domestic competitions, for example?) and some is bad planning (why didn't Wood play more against NZ given that he seems undercooked? Why has the only travelling reserve been a player who's not actually fit to take part in the competition at all?)
And a lot of it is that they've been good players playing poorly: the only players who been anywhere near consistently good have been Rashid and maybe Malan (plus Topley who only had two games where he was properly fit and in the team).
But a couple of more wide-reaching questions might be useful too. One, is Buttler all he's cracked up to be as captain? Two, after the ICC competitions in 2013, 2016, 2017 and 2021, do England bottle their moments on the big stage too often and rely too much on being great in bilateral series with little to no meaning?--which is mainly an attitudinal and psychological issue. (Obviously they've also done it spectacularly right on three occasions in the last fifteen years too, so this is not an easy question!)
Unbelievable decision today to put SA in after winning the toss. Everyone with half a brain would understand that chasing leather for 50 overs in those conditions was a ridiculous call. Utter embarrassment.
ReplyDeleteA letter in The Times when we lost to Afghanistan hit the nail on the head. This pointed out that England's players don't play any meaningful 50 over cricket because the competion here takes place when The Hundred is being played. So our players never get experience of 50 over cricket. The solution? Get rid of The Hundred!
ReplyDeleteWell I will now say forget any chance of England making the semi finals in this World Cup. They have produced two of the most abysmal displays you will ever see these last two matches. Afghanistan was an embarrassment, the South African game a complete humiliation.
ReplyDeleteAh yes Chapel Guy, the 16.4 over a side comp that has prour lads oven to be so popular, the rest of the cricketing world have been clamouring to buy into!
ReplyDeleteI understand the need to keep cricket sexy, and appeal to new (young) audiences. However, the ECB forfeited that right in '05 when they took their money from Sky. How did anyone think an England team would compete in this tournament, without playing the format? I'd back our Derbyshire lads to give them a game at the moment - at least most of them play the format.