The Cricket Thread

20/20 World Cup, bitches.

Been pretty dull so far, one sided games where the test teams give the associate nations a good spanking.

I'm hoping that the New Zealand Bangladesh game will buck that trend and Afghanistan could cause an upset tonight against England if they field better than a village team this time.

Saying that, three balls in and it looks pretty clear that the ball is going to dominate this game.

The first 'big' match is tomorrow though with SA v SL. Won't really get that interesting until the Super 8s though. Unless there's a repeat of Netherlands/Ireland-esque giant killing.

Afghanistan didn't look that bad vs India. If they'd held the 4-5 easy catches that they dropped, they could have easily taken India all the way.

Indeed, Ireland were very disappointing against Australia I thought. Serious chance of an upset and they just did not bat anywhere near as well as they can.

This game should be the first tight affair, and New Zealand have started well with the bat. Brendon McCullum is a gun, and James Franklin is probably one of my favourite cricketers at the moment, from a left arm seamer to a destructive 20/20 opener in about 2 years is incredible.

He was shite for us in the IPL though.

101 off 51 balls for McCullum.

Second fastest T20i century, first player to score two T20i Centuries and celebrates with a six.

What a player.

Finishes on 123 off 58, out on the last ball, highest ever T20i score. And that's after I thought that this pitch looked bowler friendly.

Afghanistan's fielding has got worse, not that I thought that was possible.

Luke Wright joins Alex Hales in the 99 club in T20s, stranded not out after running a 2 of the last ball. /o\

England really can't get over the line when it comes to T20 Fair play to Luke Wright though, take a bow. Didn't know he had it in him.

Jonny Bairtstow what a catch!

We have some mightily retarded cricketers.

England = Afghanistan in disguise?

I'm sorry, England have been absolutely battered by an Indian side without the 2 best bowlers/token batsman and a fucked up batting lineup. Bit ridiculous.

I don't think India really played that well.

England were just awful. Dernbach's over at the end was pathetic from a specialist death bowler, and the batting was mindless.

Even Chris Gayle nudges singles in the first overs whilst he has a look, why Kieswetter and Hales decided it was block or boundary I don't know and that set the tone for the rest of the innings.

Presumably because there may have been an idea that the England batsman don't handle spin that well, so make the best use of the seamers. That backfiring with Pathan taking two scalps and then the inevitable capitulation to spin.

I'd take Harbhajan in the next 11 somehow, but you can't really drop Ashwin and Rohit has extended his stay too, so Dhoni has a good problem.

Tanvir has just made the worst drop I have ever seen.

Luke Wright is fb.

Craig Keiswetter is not.

India v Pakistan. Sunday afternoon. So excited!

Australia V South Africa has just started.
South Africa batting first and 1/29 already. Graeme Smith out LBW, they have been targeting his pads all morning and finally worked.

Sehwag is a freak, carving England up already 71 in the first session.

Watching India v England highlights and cannot believe Trott has tried to claim a catch off Kholi in the slips. He juggles it then it falls between his arms onto the grass and he scoops it back up with his arms, then acts as if he doesn't know he caught it or not. Unbelievable.

I just can't believe we've played only 1 fucking spinner after being taken to town in UAE for not playing enough spinners and struggling to keep control at the start.

Not counting Patel, because he doesn't count.

Yeah I was surprised to see no Monty in the side. Swann bowled fucking awesome but Bresnan got taken apart and Patel gave away too many loose balls.

It's just ridiculous.

Patel's a good addition in the sub-continent, he can bowl a bit and he plays spin as well as any batsman we have but he's going to be systematically taken apart by Indian batsmen who grew up on spin bowling. Monty/Swann with some useful overs from Patel here and there are going to be the only combination capable of putting scoreboard pressure on in this series.

I also don't like that Broad has been given the Vice Captaincy, his seniority is only going to hurt the team when it becomes the case that Finn (who already should be opening with Anderson instead of Broad) will be left out of the team in favour of Broad because Broad is Vice Captain. We should be going with a bowling attack of Anderson/Finn/Swann/Monty in the sub-continent with contributions from Patel with the ball.

Agree, Bresnan should not be there going on the first day (like I said they absolutely tore him to shreds) and you have to say over the course of 4 tests in India I don't see him improving the bowling one bit. Broad should have been tighter he would bowl one on the pads and get hit for four then over compensate and bowl to wide and get punished again. I also remember seeing him bowl a few tight overs then the last ball would be short and wide and punished. Against Sehwag you cannot do that.

England really need to look at the fielding too was veryyyyy ordinary.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/sport/cricket/picturegalleries/9680093/India-v-England-first-Test-in-the-only-pictures-available.html?frame=2401749

Day 1 of the Adelaide test and it happened again. 3/55 before Clarke comes to the crease he is now 44 and Warner 101. Cowan got an absolute gem from Kallis to be out LBW and then Kallis followed it up bowling Ponting. Started on middle and leg and swung away just enough to make Ponting fall over himself and the ball hits off stump.

Forgot to mention Kallis went off injured and that's really when we started going after them. Also in 29 minutes since lunch we have hit 71 runs.

Clarke saving Australia, again!!

Along with Warner and Hussey.

Yeah I would more say it was Warner who got the ball rolling and Clarke just continued his amazing form.

Loving this at the moment. Pattinson goes out belts 42 to get us to 550. He then bowls some absolute rippers to Smith walks down the pitch to him and says "Fucking all over you" haha great stuff.