2023 ICC Cricket World Cup (50 over version)

All starts on Thursday.

Opening match is a rerun of the 2019 final.

England v New Zealand in Ahmedabad.

In the opening match England scored 289-9 in their 50 overs.

An absolute shellacking at the hands of New Zealand for England! Chastening would be another word to use! I personally do not think that J Buttler is up to the task of leading this team. His demeanor, (no you don't have to be a 'toys out of the pram...but!!.....) is such that he wouldn't instill much confidence in me that he is sure of what he is doing, either motivationally, or tactically!!

Maybe worse than that, England didn't look like they were all that interested in knuckling down to the process of bringing - even an air - of professional intent to their game today (bar some fielding exceptions), but instead were merely going through the motions. In the batting, they helped the Kiwis as much - if not more - than NZ worked for and took their wickets. Unfortunately, on the back of the defeat, then came the inevitable 'wow is us' about travel arrangements etc. if England have been stuck with the worst Itinerary, where was the management in seeking to ensure at the time of the draw, that this was manageable?? G Southgate's (whose plight would concern everyone much more apparently) team would be present at the draw of their WC, and hammer out such details??

Question?? - to what extent (and many of us put this forward at the time) was the decision to turn the 50 over domestic competition in England into a second tier competition, and England's players absence from it therefore, at play here??

*sidebar* Given the news over the last 24 hours, how long will this tournament in England exist??

Maybe one last question?? Does anybody in England actually give a ......?? The same people that created such an unedifying stir during the summer, including the media, apparently don't.

^^Not sure how you manage a shite schedule. You can't beat the clock and work around travelling. Shouldn't be an excuse, and I don't believe they are using it as one, beat fair and square. But tell me that a schedule which has the Kiwis playing at 3 venues back-to-back, so no travel, sleeping in the same hotel bed, compare to England who travel around for all 9 matches, 8 different cities. They play at today's venue Ahmedabad twice, but the schedule doesn't accommodate a back-to-back opportunity. New Zealand have been handed a massive advantage, which after today's events, they clearly don't need. Have the tournament organizers deliberately tried to ensure England don't win this again and give the unlucky runners up in 2019 some payback.

Before a ball was bowled, I thought England would have a tough task to make the semis. It looks wide open to me, but the host nation should have the edge.
England have a few cracks that have started to appear in their bowling, 4 years older, but not at their peak. Archer is a massive loss, Atkinson could prove to be a good replacement, but this World Cup has maybe come a little early for him.

I'd be happy if the Kiwis go all the way, I like an underdog, but they shouldn't even be classed as one after making the last 2 finals.

(05-10-2023 19:01 )Boomerangutangangbang Wrote:  I'd be happy if the Kiwis go all the way they shouldn't even be classed as one after making the last 2 finals.

Like Ireland (I know the recent downturn changes the narrative a bit) New Zealand have always punched at a level which many would consider above their weight. At some point though, they need to turn bridesmaid performances in these major tournaments, into the major player on the big occasion., but I do agree that the time for labelling them as 'underdogs, has long gone. In all fairness, the teams they have turned out down the years have had - if not household names (to cricket followers, they have been on the radar however) - then players with pedigree that have been better (world class in a number of them in fact) than many believed. I will name just two legends, but there are more - Sir Richard Hadlee and Stephen Fleming.
I still say that, in football, G Southgate would have some sway if the schedule put his squad at a (disadvantage??) like the one some feel England are facing. I do think though, that there is an element of 'lets get our excuses in first'

England's bowling attack looked brittle. Is this really the best that we can put out.

^^ If you consider that Willey missed out to Archer in 2019, but has got in this time. To be fair his record is outstanding, but, a bit limited as a new ball bowler, not sure how much swing we will see.
As I've mentioned, Atkinson is a pace option, Wood can't back up 2 matches with his fitness. Topley looked to be finding form after another injury.

Everyone knows that Conway is a run machine across all 3 formats, especially against England, but Rachin Ravindra stole the show. He played a cameo in a losing cause in the recent ODI series, but yesterday was even better, batting in Williamson's No.3 spot he will be hard to leave out when Kane returns. The talk is already about moving up to open in place of Young. He is a Superstar in the making.

Today again, at the point i left it anyway, The Netherlands were again 'so near yet so far' After a quality display in the field (no commentators, it was not all down to Pakistan mistakes etc) they were travelling well in the reply, but - as is often the case with them and the other associates - somehow they kept opening the door to Pakistan with expansive (two in particular down to the same place at fine leg) shots that they didn't need to play given that they were sitting in pole position (depends on how you read the scoreboard info) to just go deep! it speaks to a continued lack of experience - top level match practice - which simply for them - and the rest - has to be put right with a wholistic schedule for all nations going forward after this tournament. Stop talking and start acting once - and - for - all

Afghanistan collapsed from 47-0 to 156 all out, opener Gurbaz top sored with 47, Shakib and Mehidy taking 3 wickets each. Bangladesh polished off a 6-wicket win, Mehidy (57) and Najmul (59 no) added 97 in a 3rd wicket partnership.