Cricket World Cup 2019!!!!!

[hfc rd]

Finally my place of origin - India kickstart their WC campaign very soon!

Come on India, let’s win our 3rd World Cup!! 🇮🇳 🏆🏆🏆

Jeete ga bhai jeete ga... Apna/hamara India jeete ga!!!

[LALthehibeeGAL]

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Anyone got ticket(s) to go to any of the matches?
I’m off to Chester-le-Street (obviously nearest venue to Edinburgh) on 1st July for the Sri Lanka v West Indies game.
Most of the round robin games will be done and top 4 may well be shaping up, even decided by then but looking forward to it nevertheless.

seen as the ODI saturday game at the grange between Scotland and Sri Lanka was rained off we are hoping to take in this game - looking at getting tickets through viagogo - is this okay do you think! Got them via there for the Scotland v Italy game in Rome in 2017 and it was ok.

Cheers
Lal

[Mibbes Aye]

Another game that ebbed and flowed, momentum shifting throughout. A much-needed win for SRL but a sense of an opportunity missed for Afghanistan. I hope they get at least one victory but today was probably their best chance.

[Mibbes Aye]

Big double-header for Wednesday.

India make their debut as a team this tournament, a clear favourite, with probably the best pace attack in the world and some stellar batsmen, plus some guy called Kohli who seems to have scraped into the side.

South Africa almost certainly wouldn’t have expected to be facing a third defeat on the bounce and if they were to lose it doesn’t make it impossible for them to reach the semis but it certainly gets the mouths watering amongst NZ, Windies and even Pakistan now, let alone the Bangladeshis.

Hard for me to see past India, though SAF have the advantage of having played a couple of games. Losing Steyn and Ngidi has been a hammer-blow though.

In the other match we have what feels like a perfectly-timed game between Bangladesh and New Zealand at The Oval. Both teams on a high and both maybe scenting the possibility of top four. They met on NZ soil earlier this year and it was fairly comfortable for the Kiwis.

I’m expecting the same again, NZ to win though not as comfortably as in their last outing.

Realised I never got round to posting a prediction for Afghanistan v Sri Lanka. I was backing Afghanistan for a narrow victory, so got that one wrong, though the game swung a few times.

[hibee62]

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Another game that ebbed and flowed, momentum shifting throughout. A much-needed win for SRL but a sense of an opportunity missed for Afghanistan. I hope they get at least one victory but today was probably their best chance.

A missed opportunity for them and a bit of a disappointment for associate cricket too. We really could do with Afghanistan making an impact to bolster the case for an expanded World Cup.

[JeMeSouviens]

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Finally my place of origin - India kickstart their WC campaign very soon!

Come on India, let’s win our 3rd World Cup!! 🇮🇳 🏆🏆🏆

Jeete ga bhai jeete ga... Apna/hamara India jeete ga!!!

They're looking good - restricted SA to 227/9. All going wrong for the South Africans.

[hfc rd]

Rohit Sharma - natural talent

Good job done India 🇮🇳 👍🏾

6 wicket win with 2.5 overs left


Chak De India, Chak De Mera India! 🇮🇳😊

[hfc rd]

Bangladesh vs New Zealand game has me right on the edge of my seat.

Terrific game!

[hfc rd]

Bangladesh very unlucky towards the end. New Zealand almost threw that game away. Proper squeaky bum time!

[marinello59]

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Bangladesh very unlucky towards the end. New Zealand almost threw that game away. Proper squeaky bum time!

Great game .

[Mibbes Aye]

Just as an aside, I’ve been mixing my coverage. BBC Radio has been pretty decent as usual, no complaints as is the norm.

I think Sky Sports have done really well, with the full live coverage, the hour long highlights package and then the bite size package.

I try to watch or listen to as much as possible live but I can’t manage every game and the two highlight formats have both worked really well.

Might try to dig out ABC for when Australia play next, as their commentary is usually very good. Likewise there are a couple of English-speaking Indian channels on TV and radio that I think I’ve posted about previously that are very well-informed.

[Mibbes Aye]

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Great game .

It was a very good game between two sides who were confident and going for it. There’s been some great cricket so far in this tournament.

SAF v India didn’t disappoint either though wasn’t as good a match as Bangladesh - NZ.

Thursday brings Australia against the Windies, I think at Trent Bridge.

Despite my fondness for the Windies, not least of all their retro fiercesome pacemen, I’m minded to lean towards Australia. Nottingham should be a pitch that suits runscorers and while Windies have the likes of Gayle and Hope, the Aussies have Smith, Warner and Finch.

Critically both teams have attacks that can take wickets so for me it comes down to who can set the target high enough or who can chase it down. The Aussies just edge it for me at the moment.

[JeMeSouviens]

Windies blowing the Aussies away.

Apart from the eternally resolute Steve Smith that is. 166/6 after 34 overs.

[lord bunberry]

What a catch from Cottrell. Australia 249/7.

[JeMeSouviens]

Target 289

Gayle out already 31/2 :-(

[JeMeSouviens]

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Just as an aside, I’ve been mixing my coverage. BBC Radio has been pretty decent as usual, no complaints as is the norm.

I think Sky Sports have done really well, with the full live coverage, the hour long highlights package and then the bite size package.

I try to watch or listen to as much as possible live but I can’t manage every game and the two highlight formats have both worked really well.

Might try to dig out ABC for when Australia play next, as their commentary is usually very good. Likewise there are a couple of English-speaking Indian channels on TV and radio that I think I’ve posted about previously that are very well-informed.

TMS is great and they've got an excellent cast of commentators, pundits etc on board for this.

[lord bunberry]

Hope goes for 68. This could go down to the wire. 190/5.

[lord bunberry]

Mikey Holding isn’t happy with the umpires today

[lord bunberry]

Russel goes for 15. There was no need for him to be trying to hit every ball to the boundary, the Windies were in control, game on now 216/6.

[lord bunberry]

The Windies have blown this. Ill discipline with the bat has been costly, they’ll be absolutely kicking themselves.

[lord bunberry]

Fine performance from Starc though.

[Mibbes Aye]

Cracking game at Trent Bridge, just one of so many in this World Cup. What a tournament!

Australia looked so low at one point, Smith steadied the ship and was aided and abetted by Coulter-Nile who is seriously under-rated as a batsman. Probably worth noting that the rest of the Aussie lower order maybe didn’t perform but the likes of Paddy Cummins are more than capable of putting a healthy level of runs on the board. The Aussies arguably have a longer tail than anyone else.

Windies slipped. Shai Hope did well but the side probably needed a big and explosive innings from Gayle. We know he has it in him but as smart as he is, he faced intelligent bowlers and fielding today. He will get his runs in this tournament but I thought Australia played him well.

It would be churlish not to mention the Cottrell catch. I see it is being contrasted to Stokes’ catch but for me it is more like Glenn Maxwell’s take a few years back. Outstanding fielding, nevertheless.

[Mibbes Aye]

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Fine performance from Starc though.

I really, really like Mitchell Starc aand he had a fine day today. Will be at two of the Ashes Tests and hoping he is fit and fine, as he is sublime when he is on song.

[lord bunberry]

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Cracking game at Trent Bridge, just one of so many in this World Cup. What a tournament!

Australia looked so low at one point, Smith steadied the ship and was aided and abetted by Coulter-Nile who is seriously under-rated as a batsman. Probably worth noting that the rest of the Aussie lower order maybe didn’t perform but the likes of Paddy Cummins are more than capable of putting a healthy level of runs on the board. The Aussies arguably have a longer tail than anyone else.

Windies slipped. Shai Hope did well but the side probably needed a big and explosive innings from Gayle. We know he has it in him but as smart as he is, he faced intelligent bowlers and fielding today. He will get his runs in this tournament but I thought Australia played him well.

It would be churlish not to mention the Cottrell catch. I see it is being contrasted to Stokes’ catch but for me it is more like Glenn Maxwell’s take a few years back. Outstanding fielding, nevertheless.

Fine summary, but do you not feel that the Windies threw that away today through ill discipline? Russell was sharing the strike with the captain at a time when the game was in their hands. He was swiping at every ball when he didn’t need to be. I realise that Russell is at his best when he’s playing his shots,, but surely the captain steps in there and tells him to calm down. They could’ve pushed the ball around and taken singles while Starc was bowling and still won the game.
I was quite impressed by the young Aussie spinner Zampa, he went for a few runs, but he will learn from that.

[Mibbes Aye]

Friday brings us Pakistan against Sri Lanka in Bristol.

This looks like a cracking game, not one I picked to pre-book for attending, but I wish I did now and an important game now.

Pakistan need a win here if they are pushing for the top four, now that SAF have dropped the ball.

SRL are a weak team but they can push themselves up in games like this.

My sense is Pakistan are a far better team, albeit unpredictable.

Really looking forward to this game.

[hfc rd]

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Friday brings us Pakistan against Sri Lanka in Bristol.

This looks like a cracking game, not one I picked to pre-book for attending, but I wish I did now and an important game now.

Pakistan need a win here if they are pushing for the top four, now that SAF have dropped the ball.

SRL are a weak team but they can push themselves up in games like this.

My sense is Pakistan are a far better team, albeit unpredictable.

Really looking forward to this game.

Oh well, guess it wasn’t to be.

Looked a good game on paper too

[Mibbes Aye]

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Oh well, guess it wasn’t to be.

Looked a good game on paper too

Yes, it’s a shame but on the plus side, the point apiece for the wash-out pulled them both up into the top four, at least for a little while.

Saturday brings another two interesting fixtures.

England play Bangladesh at Cardiff. Both teams have won one, lost one, and will be desperate for a win to help build momentum. The dynamic England opening pair are maybe, just maybe slightly susceptible to spin and Bangladesh will open their bowling with at least one and possible two spinners.

Meanwhile in Taunton, we have an Afghanistan team who factually are bottom of the table but morally nowhere near there. Unluckily for them they face New Zealand who have been pretty steely so far.

I fancy England to get back to winning ways, though Bangladesh should ask them some questions. And I fancy New Zealand to be just too strong for Afghanistan I’m afraid.

Weatherwise, it seems to be chucking it down in Cardiff overnight but expected to be dry tomorrow. Taunton has a risk of showers throughout the day. Obviously we don’t want rain to rule out play but in Taunton the risk of episodic showers could mean a disrupted game and the potential for reduced overs which can really change the dynamic of a match. Still fancy NZ to manage that best though.

[lord bunberry]

Afghanistan v New Zealand is on sky sports mix which is available for free if anyone is interested.

[Mibbes Aye]

Well, Saturday went to script. Bangladesh showed up to an extent with their bowling and their use of spin but ultimately had no answer to a very strong, very quick-scoring England batting line-up. Six of the eight batsmen had a srtrike rate of over 100 and of the other two one was in the mid-seventies and one in the eighties IIRC. That’s very good form.

And in the second half, England produced some stinging pace - with Archer and Wood, they have two bowlers as fast as anyone though it is rather disconcerting how Mark Wood often can’t keep his feet and falls over after his delivery . Also from an England point of view, they will have been pleased to see Stokes pick up a few wickets. He has been having a pretty decent tournament so far, with bat, ball and in the field.

I didn’t really catch much of Afghanistan against New Zealand but as expected, NZ won comfortably. NZ have made a great start, albeit against the three teams expected to be weakest in the tournament. Winning breeds confidence though and perhaps the Kiwis maybe just got the plum draw in this tournament. We shall see.......

Sunday brings us a real beaut at The Oval with India playing Australia. This really is a clash of the titans, so much history between these two sides at ODI let alone in cricket generally.

Australia are on a great run of form and also have a massively better head-to-head record. India bring probably the best bowling unit in the world, some very strong batsmen and a couple of all-rounder potential superstars. And Kohli hasn’t really shown much yet, so one will be expecting something!

I think the toss is crucial in this one. I think India want to be bowling first, in part to let their bowlers have the maximum advantage as I think the pitch will become more batting-friendly as the day goes on. Also, I think I heard or read some crazy stat that Australia have never lost while chasing a total at the CWC since 1999. Many different players during that time, but knowing Australian cricket psychology and culture, it suggests a willingness to adopt the necessary level of attack and aggression to see things over the line and it has worked every time they needed it to ( don’t know how many games this refers to, may check tomorrow but no promises!).

When it’s all said and done, I’m actually going for an India victory here, which I was initially surprised at. But they have the strength in the attack, some outstanding talent at bat, and the likes of Pandya who may well move up the order for this game, maybe.

For Australia, Starc is a potent threat who has had a lot of joy against some of the key Indian players in the past. I’m worried that the likes of Zampa might find themselves getting knocked around the ground though. We shall see.

Anyway, India for me, fully expect at this stage to see both teams in the final four regardless of this match result.

[hfc rd]

Come on India!!! 🇮🇳

This is our year, World Cup title number 3 coming home!

Jeete ga bhai jeete ga... apna hamara India jeete ga!!!