HOLLAND

It does matter, it's our national team in a world cup tournament, and long term I feel T20 is stronger than the 50 overs a side format.

It's ludicrous to lambast Broad though; poor management and selection is to blame - too many inexperienced players given key roles.

If Rob Key wasn't going to open the batting I don't see the point in picking him at all for this. Not at 6 - he's a good but fairly orthodox batsman who doesn't bowl and is a mediocre fielder, but he can anchor an innings from th start and increase the tempo.

Also Adil Rashid - terrific Test prospect in the long term, but not a big hitting batsman and has a poor T20 record as a bowler at county level. It seems he got picked yesterday on the strength of one impressive warm up game against West Indies. Dimitri Mascarenhas was the obvious alternative to Flintoff - an experienced all rounder who can hit big shots and keep it tight with the ball. Lord's is a small field, much smaller than The Oval for instance; 163 was an ordinary target to set against any opposistion on that ground, especially after putting on 100+ for the first wicket in eleven overs. Our middle order failed abysmally to capitalise on the opening partnership.

Eoin Morgan was just an embarrassment yesterday, but sometimes that's going to happen to a player thrown in at the deep end at international level. He may turn out to be good enough, but why experiment in a world cup?

to be fair to morgan he probably wouldnt have played if pietersen had been fit. Shah on the other hand has had enough chances and should now be nowhere near an international team.
and well done to anderson - an excellent spell of bowling amidst all the critisism

T20 is about who can hit hardest, as entertaining as it can be its not cricket and I couldn't care less if we dont make the super 8s. The ashes is the only thing that matters this summer.

correct, and it aint great for egos.

some very fine test bowlers have had some hideous figures - Lee 27 off an over yesterday?

As a batsmen more and more they just have to come in and go for it? see that Ponting lad got a duck yesterday, he's rubbish, australia need to get rid.

holland for champs

I think you might be right about the long term impact of T20 however, personally, I still can't get that worked up about it - though I would prefer it if we didn't embarrass ourselves like we did on Friday.

I just take T20 as entertainment, I'm not sure how that will ever change.

aussie's vs denmark final

Well, whatever happens now, at least we've outlasted Scotland.

England should win this, that required run rate is climbing, and the more it does, the more Pakistan will have to start clobbering it, and that'll bring wickets.

63/3 at 10 overs, 123 required from 60 balls, i.e more than 2 a ball, thats a big ask even with Afridi in the lineup.

Adil Rashid is Bowling superbly 2 Overs For 10, Also it's nice to see all you know nothings who were slagging of Stuart Broad over one game he is currently 2 Overs For 13 and 2 Wickets...

I'm sure the organisers were delighted that Pakistan were England's opponents tonight

That's Englands best side out there tonight, and you couldn't help but think if losing to Holland prompted those changes.

Rob Key is NOT a T20 player, Mascherenas should have played on Friday as he's a floater, he can pop into the innings at any point, which every side needs.

Pakistan look terrible, if we get a fairly comfortable win we've qualified by my reckoning, imagine the NRR's being:

England +0.6
Netherlands +0.05
Pakistan -0.6

Then both teams below us cannot qualify, in my understandings.

Indeed, because only 1 of them could improve their NRR.

The bigger the Pakistan defeat, the more they'll have to beat the Dutch by to qualify themselves.

Good stuff! I know its an old cliche, but that defeat really could have given us a kick up the backside we deserve, we are notoriously slow starters in test series, ODI series, and major tournaments!

More the reason to keep them as far away as possible, help the Dutch get in



Does it work like:

For examples sake, say Pakistan end up at 140 at the end of their overs, a rate of 7/over and England with their 185 which is 9.25/over

Is that +2.25 NRR for England?

I would usually agree, but the experience of the last 50 over world cup showed that watching minnows who qualified with 1 shock win getting beaten over and over again in the Super Eight phase got very boring very quickly.

pleased for broad - he's bowled really well and deserved the wickets. a good comeback after the dutch game

south africa looking the team to beat so far for me

Amazing the way Pakistan just played out the game without trying to increase their NRR.

I fancy the Windies.

With their game in turmoil (e.g more kids playing American games like basketball) I think Gayle and his team will really give the game a boost over there.

WI v SA final.

Cannot see past SA

SA or India are the obvious choice, wi as a dark horse.

They are my pick too. Good to see England produce today after Friday's shambles.

whats new

We shouldn't be relying on a last over to beat Holland though FFS. Our batsmen were awful, Broad is still very young and inexperienced, it's ridiculous to put the blame on him. As has been said, the captain should've have spoken to him to calm his nerves. There's plenty of experienced players in there that could've helped him.



Exactly.

I'm glad Broad managed to get back to his best versus Pakistan and show his true class. Some great bowling at times.