A look at the situation in England’s Super Eights group at the T20 World Cup and a photo gallery.
This post looks at the situation in England’s Super Eights group at the T20 World Cup. The other group is in action today, with the current match being between Bangladesh and India.
THE SITUATION SO FAR
This group kicked off with South Africa beating the United States of America. England then won a hugely impressive victory over West Indies, a match dominated by Phil Salt who made a respectable West Indian score look very ordinary by scoring 87 off 47 balls to lead England’s victory charge. Yesterday afternoon and early evening UK time saw England face South Africa, and although England had opportunities at various stages South Africa held their nerve at the death to record a narrow win. In the small hours of this morning UK time the two co-hosts did battle, and the West Indies romped to a colossal victory, needing barely more than half their 20 overs to chase down the USA’s total.
THE REMAINING MATCHES
England have the USA left to play and South Africa have to play the West Indies. If England beat the USA then the South Africa-West Indies match effectively becomes a KO – if West Indies win that will push SA’s net RR below England’s, and if SA win they will top the group, and England with two wins out of three will be second as of right. If England somehow lose to the USA then they will need South Africa to beat the West Indies, which would give SA three wins out of three, and the other three teams each one win and two defeats, and it would come down to net run rate. Wins for both USA and the West Indies in this round of matches would mean that SA and West Indies each have two wins out of three and England and the USA are eliminated.
A look at the action so far from Lauderhill, Florida, where after two abandonments in as many days we finally have a game running according to schedule. Also a huge photo gallery.
Both on Friday and yesterday there were supposed to matches at Lauderhill, Florida. Both were abandoned without a ball bowled, rain on Friday and poor drainage yesterday leaving the ground unplayable. Today we finally have a game and it looks like it will be played without interruption.
AN UNEXPECTED FINALE
When the schedulers arranged Ireland v Pakistan they would have been envisaging it being to decide which of this teams qualified for the Super Eights alongside India. India have indeed won the group, but remarkably the other two full member nations in this group are battling not for qualification but to avoid last place in the group, each having suffered losses to lower ranked opposition – Pakistan losing to the USA (see here) and Ireland being beaten by Canada. There are three possible outcomes: an Ireland win sees them fourth and Pakistan fifth (net run rate is not a factor here, since third place Canada had definite results against both teams, and they beat Ireland so would finish above Ireland if they had equal points). A washout or a win for Pakistan would see them third, the washout on a split-tie with Canada who they beat, a win for Pakistan would mean undisputed third place.
THE MATCH SO FAR
Pakistan won the toss and decided to bowl first. The match started explosively with Shaheen Shah Afridi taking two wickets in the opening over (and being sufficiently close to a third that Pakistan burned a review attempting to get the not out decision overturned). Mohammad Amir made thar three wickets in the first two overs, and the fourth was not long delayed either. Pakistan kept these two bowlers going for the whole Power Play, and Ireland were 28-5 when it ended. That soon became 32-6. Finally Ireland had a partnership, Delany and Adair taking the score into the 70s. Imad Wasim got both them quickly , and when McCarthy’s wild shot against the same bowler resulted in his stumps being rattled it was 80-9. Ireland’s last pair, Josh Little and Ben White showed a degree of fight sadly missing from most of their supposed betters with the bat, and the 20 overs ended with the score 109-9, Little 22 not out. The Pakistan innings is just underway, with the score 6-0 after two overs, a straight driven four by Mohammad Rizwan the only highlight to date.
A look back at the non-events in Florida yesterday and a thankfully eventful Vitality Blast game between Surrey and Gloucestershire. Also a large photo gallery.
In this post I look back at events of yesterday (as well the Florida situation I will be mentioning a domestic T20 that most definitely did see some action).
INSPECTION AFTER INSPECTION
Lauderhill, Florida was hit by rain in the run up to the USA v Ireland match that was due to take place yesterday. By the time the match should have started the rain had stopped, but the outfield was thoroughly soaked, and the question was whether a match would take place at all. The players had to be on the field by 2:16PM local time (7:16PM UK time) for there to be time for a five overs per side match to take place. The situation around this match was that USA needed either a win or a wash out to secure qualification for the next stage of the competition and in the process eliminate both Ireland and Pakistan. A series of inspections, first at half hourly intervals and then with a gap of an hour took place with the outfield simply not dry enough for play to happed. Finally an inspection was called for 6:15PM UK time, which was going to be ‘do or die’. The umpires were in prolonged discussion as to whether they could get the match on after all when more rain came, and that ended any possibility of proceedings starting. Thus the USA are in the Super Eights, Ireland and Pakistan are out, and in qualifying for the Super Eights the USA have also ensured that they will be at the next T20 world cup as of right, which also means their region will have an extra slot, which is big news for Bermuda. Do either Ireland or Pakistan have any cause for grievance? Not for my money – USA beat Pakistan, having already beaten Canada, and acquitted themselves honourably against India, and there was to put mildly no certainty that Ireland would have won the match had it taken place – they had already lost to Canada, and had contributed very little to the tournament. Today India and Canada are supposed to be playing at the same venue, and although things are looking more hopeful than yesterday there has as yet been no sign of play. At 6PM UK time an important match gets underway – England v Namibia at North Sound, where the sun is shining, with England needing to win and then needing Australia to beat Scotland (that one starts at 1:30AM tomorrow UK time). Official confirmation that today’s game at Lauderhill has gone down the plughole without a ball bowled.
HONOURS EVEN IN LONDON
At 6:30PM yesterday Vitality Blast match between Surrey and Gloucestershire got underway. This match did go over the full course. Gloucestershire started superbly, then lost wickets, then got away again in the closing stages. They scored 170-6 from their 20 overs, a respectable but by no means invincible total.
Surrey also started well with the bat. At various stages each side looked favourites. The final over started with Surrey needing seven to win, which made them favourites. David Payne, Gloucestershire’s best bowler, had the ball for that crucial over. He bowled a very fine over, and although Surrey levelled the scores off the penultimate ball, the final delivery was excellent, and Jordan Clark could only hit straight back at Payne, resulting in a run out. Surrey ended on 170-9, and since unlike some T20 competitions the Vitality Blast allows ties in group matches the points were shared.
PHOTOGRAPHS
My usual sign off…
I received an item of post with some old stamps used, and decided that a couple were worth keeping including this one.A well chosen birthday card, which I have decided to preserve.An egret in Bawsey drain – photographed today.Larvae (three images)Another larva of something else, which I managed to get closer to than the others.
A look at developments in the T20 World Cup, including the eliminations of Sri Lanka and new Zealand, a revival in England’s fortunes and the situation currently unfolding in Florida. Also a large photo gallery.
This post looks at recent developments in the men’s T20 World Cup. I am typing it while waiting on developments in Florida (of which more later).
SRI LANKA AND NEW ZEALAND ELIMINATED
Sri Lanka became the first full member nation to be eliminated from the tournament, after a washed out match left them too far adrift to qualify. New Zealand’s elimination was confirmed in the small hours of this morning UK time when Afghanistan beat Papua New Guinea comfortably, a result which left Afghanistan and the West Indies both with three wins out of three, making the match between Afghanistan and West Indies a contest for who wins the group outright, with both sides certain of qualification.
ENGLAND THROW THEMSELVES A LIFELINE
Last night England played Oman in a match which they not only had to win, they had to win it by a very big margin due to net run rate being a factor. Had England been permitted to invent a result for this game to suit themselves they would not have dared to come up with what actually happened – they bowled Oman out for 48, Rashid taking 4-11 and Mark Wood and Jofra Archer each snaring three victims, and then blasted their way to the target in a preposterous 3.1 overs. This means that net run rate is effectively no longer a factor – if England beat Namibia and Australia beat Scotland then England will qualify for the super eights,
AN ODD QUADRANGULAR IN FLORIDA
I call this one a quadrangular because there are four factors, three present at the Lauderhill ground (unlike the pop-up stadium at Nassau County, New York this is an authentic cricket ground) and one watching nervously on the outcome. The Lauderhill ground is situated close enough to Fort Lauderdale railway station for the railway to be useful for visiting journalists. The three participants who are present are respectively The USA cricket team, the Ireland cricket team and some decidedly grim local weather. The fourth participant in the drama, watching from afar, and desperately hoping that the weather will allow some cricket as a washout would mean elimination for them are the Pakistan cricket team. It hosed down in Florida earlier today, though Lauderhill was less badly hit than some parts of the state. At the moment it is dry, and the sun has even been spotted, but the ground is not yet dry enough for play to proceed, although there is an inspection due in 22 minutes time if the weather hold. Ireland need a match to happen, as like Pakistan they hanging on by their fingernails, while a washout would guarantee the USA qualification, so they will be the least bothered of the three teams waiting on developments.
A look at developments in the ongoing men’s T20 world cup and a large photo gallery.
Things have moved on at the men’s T20 world cup since the USA’s great victory over Pakistan. There have been several more upsets since then, and more than one of the big name teams is in danger of falling at the first hurdle. In this post I look at some of the more significant developments.
IRELAND v CANADA
The day after the USA downed Pakistan in a match that went to a super over full member nation Ireland took on associate member nation Canada. Canada not only won the match, they did so without the need for a super over, and indeed without any result other than a win for Canada ever looking very likely.
ENGLAND IN JEOPARDY
England started their world cup with a match against neighbours Scotland. This match was ruined by rain, but England cannot claim to have been robbed of the points since in the ten overs that were possible Scotland amassed 90-0, and this in a tournament in which big scores have been very much the exception rather than the rule. In England’s second match of the tournament they faced Australia, and at no stage of that match did any result other than a comfortable Australian victory look likely. That result duly eventuated. Scotland, having had a potential big day out ruined by rain now faced Oman, and although Oman fared respectably with the bat, scoring 150 in their 20 overs, Scotland left no doubt as to their intentions in the run chase. George Munsey gave them a flying start with 41 off 21 balls, Brandon McMullen continued the good work with 61 not out in 31 balls and Matthew Cross weighed win 15 not out off 8 balls to see Scotland to an eight wicket victory with 6.5 overs to spare, which gave them a massive net run rate boost. England cannot now do more than equal Scotland’s points tally, which since the two countries would in that event have identical win/ loss records would mean that it comes down to net run rate. My own opinion based on what England have done in the tournament so far is that they do not deserve to qualify for the next stage of the competition. If cricketing justice is done and England do indeed fall at the first hurdle that should see the end of Matthew Mott as white ball coach and of Jos Buttler as white ball captain.
PAKISTAN IN TROUBLE
In many ways it would have been typical of Pakistan to come off the back of a loss to the USA and beat India a few days later, and when India could do no better than 119 from their 20 overs it looked on. However Pakistan messed up the run chase appallingly, and India won by 12 runs, meaning that Pakistan are looking at an early exit.
NEW ZEALAND THRASHED
I cannot say much about this match as I missed it due to the fact that it happened between 1:30AM and 4:30AM my time. However, Afghanistan won it comfortably, and New Zealand at least for the present must be a trifle worried.
SOUTH AFRICA TOP ORDER WOES
South Africa are not in danger of failing to qualify, but they have not been entirely convincing either – they took 17 overs to chase 77 in their first match, almost the full 20 to chase 103 in their second – at one stage of that pursuit they were 12-4 before David Miller rescued them. They are currently in action against Bangladesh, batting first this time, and they are 23-4 in the fifth over, having just lost the fourth wicket as I was typing this – a third successive top order collapse.
My view on USA’s amazing victory over Pakistan in the T20 World Cup. Also a large photo gallery.
Yesterday the Men’s T20 World Cup being co-hosted by the United States of America and the West indies got a massive story, which could just end up being very important indeed in cricket history. This post looks back at an extraordinary match.
THE USA v PAKISTAN
The USA were taking part in a world cup tournament for the first time, while Pakistan have played every world cup, and are former winners, and they would certainly have come to this tournament with hopes of adding to their list of successes. The USA had won the opening match of the tournament, against neighbours Canada, in a reprise of the first ever international cricket match, played in 1844, but this time they were facing opponents of much greater stature. I missed the start of the match because yesterday was a work day for me. I joined the coverage with Pakistan endeavouring to recover from a poor start. They did so to the extent of reaching 159 -7 from their 20 overs. Nothush Kenjige had figures of 3-30 for the USA, Saurabh Netravalkar a remarkable 2-18 from his four overs. He will reappear later in this story. Babar Azam top scored for Pakistan with 44, but took 43 balls to score them – an ODI type innings in a T20I, not for the first time in his career. Shadab Khan had 40 off 25 balls, a better innings in this type of match. Still Pakistan’s bowling is their greatest strength, and 159 should have been enough for them defend. However the USA came out fighting, and were never out of the running. Pakistan had their best period with the ball from overs 12-19 of the USA innings. USA needed 16 when the final over began and got 15 of them, levelling the scores and causing the match to go to a super over. The USA batted first for this, and sensibly sent Aaron Jones, their most explosive batter, in, accompanied by the left handed Harmeet Singh. Pakistan chose Mohammad Amir to bowl the over – which turned out to be a very poor choice – he was all over the place, bowling nine deliveries in total to get through the over, and all three of the wides yielded extra runs. Helped by this the USA tallied 18 from the over, a stiff ask for Pakistan. Pakistan correctly sent Ifitkhar Ahmed and Fakhar Zaman in to bat for them, while Saurabh Netravalkar who had been so economical earlier was trusted with the ball for the USA. Pakistan were 5-0 after two balls, but then Iftikhar was caught off the third, and suddenly the target was 14 off the last three balls. The first two of those balls yielded seven, including a wide, and Pakistan needed six off the final ball to force a second super over. This was too big an ask, and the greatest upset in men’s international cricket had happened. Monank Patel, scorer of a 35 ball 50 for the USA, was named Player of the Match. This win for the USA over one of the top sides in the world should give the game there a massive boost. With two wins out of two they are now well placed to qualify, while Pakistan are in serious jeopardy. A full scorecard of the match is available here.
A look back at round one of the T20 World Cup currently happening in Oman and the United Arab Emirates.
Yesterday the Super 12 stage of the T20 World Cup in Dubai got underway, with Australia beating South Africa and England obliterating the West Indies. In this post I look back at the events of the first round matches, which provided four of the teams contesting the Super 12s. Before that, I have a small piece of business to attend to: Phoebe has once again opened up her blog for people to share details of their own blogs.
EARLY EXCHANGES
I covered the opening day in this post. The day after those events the second group got underway. Ireland beat the Netherlands, with Curtis Campher taking four wickets in four balls, only the third bowler ever to do so in an international match (Lasith Malinga has done so twice, in an ODI and a T20I, and Rashid Khan of Afghanistan did it against Ireland in a T20I). Max O’Dowd scored a fighting 50 for the Netherlands but had zero support from the rest of the order. Campher followed up his bowling by being there to see Ireland over the winning line. In the other match Sri Lanka beat Namibia.
The second set of fixtures in the other group saw Oman fight hard but ultimately lose to Bangladesh, while Scotland beat Papua New Guinea.
Sri Lanka beat Ireland, and Namibia got the better of the Netherlands, confirming the latter’s elimination with a round to go. O’Dowd once again batted well, but once again had no support.
With Bangladesh beating PNG the game between Scotland and Oman became effectively a straight fight for one qualification spot. Oman managed only 122 from their 20 overs, with Josh Davey bowling especially well. Scotland were in control throughout the chase, and Richie Berrington finished the match with a six. Scotland thus won the group with three wins out of three, Bangladesh were second and Oman third. The co-hosts have a couple of good batters and a number of good bowlers but they are a poor fielding side, and it was this that cost them qualification.
The final set of group games saw Ireland v Namibia and Netherlands v Sri Lanka. O’Dowd failed with the bat for the Netherlands, and the rest of the order went down like a house of cards. Leg spinning all rounder Wanindu Hasaranga de Silva (4-9) and right arm fast bowler Lahiru Kumara (4-7) were especially impressive with the ball, and off spinner Maheesh Theekshana also got among the wickets. Netherlands mustered a beggarly 44, the lowest total ever recorded in a T20 World cup. Ireland v Namibia was a magnificent match, going right down to the wire. In the end the vast experience of David Wiese told, as he steered Namibia over the winning line, and test playing Ireland found themselves eliminated at the first stage. Sri Lanka had dominated the group, winning all three matches and never really looking in trouble at any stage, Namibia deserve massive credit for getting the better of Ireland to join them in the Super 12s. The Netherlands’ awful showing was a sad way for Ryan ten Doeschate’s wonderful career to end.
A ‘MINNOWS’ XI
Many of the lesser nations involved at this stage had moments to cherish, and with the exception of one player from Ireland who can be considered their ‘given man’ (an expression dating from the days of professional touring XIs in the mid 19th century, when local teams sometimes had professionals to stiffen their ranks) the team I have selected is made up exclusively of players from non-test nations.
I decided to select an opening pair who provenly work well together, and the Oman pair of Jatinder Singh and Aqib Ilyas demonstrated in their 10 wicket win over PNG that they certainly can bat well together. The Netherlands had a horrible time, but Max O’Dowd scored 50s in their first two matches, which is enough to give him the number three slot. At number four is leg spinning all rounder Charles Amini of PNG (it was a choice between him and Assad Vala for the PNG representative, and I have gone for Amini). Number five and my choice as captain is Zeeshan Maqsood of Oman, who led his team to three wins out of three. Scottish wicket keeper Matthew Cross gets the nod at number six. A second Scot in a row, with Chris Greaves in at no7 (his Player of the Match winning performance against test playing Bangladesh is worth the pick on its own). At number eight is the given man, Mr ‘four in four’ aka Curtis Campher of Ireland. At number nine is a third Scot, seam bowler Josh Davey. At number ten, and not just because he possesses THE name of the tournament, is Pikky Ya France, Namibia’s off spinner. Rounding out the order, at his customary position of no11 is our fourth Scot, pace bowler Brad Wheal. For ease of reference:
This side features eight players who could make major contributions with the bat, a superb new ball pair in Davey and Wheal, every kind of spin bar left arm wrist spin – Greaves and Amini both bowl leg spin and could certainly bowl a four over allocation between them, Maqsood is a left arm orthodox spinner and Ya France an off spinner. Finally, there is the bowling wildcard that is Curtis Campher. Additionally Aqib Ilyas is a Liam Livingstone type, able to bowl both off and leg spin.
PHOTOGRAPHS
Some work related pictures for my usual sign off. These items will be going under the hammer on November 24th, and you can view a full catalogue and sign up to bid here or here.
A look back at day one of the T20 World Cup – Oman v Papua New Guinea and Scotland v Bangladesh. Also some of my recent photographs.
As coverage of the first match on day two of the World T20 Cup gets underway (Ireland are in action against the Netherlands) I look back at the events of the opening day.
OMAN V PAPUA NEW GUINEA
The tournament is being co-hosted by Oman and the United Arab Emirates, and yesterday’s action came from the Al Amerat Cricket Ground in Muscat. The first game saw the co-hosts in action against world cup debutants Papua New Guinea. PNG had not played an international fixture in 670 days and sadly it showed.
Oman put PNG into bat and after 1.3 overs the score was 0-2, with both openers gone. PNG skipper Assad Vala (56) and Charles Amini (37) shared the only substantial partnership of the innings. Once Amini was third out at 81 the rot quickly set in and PNG finished with a score of 129 which did not look like being adequate. Left arm spinner and Omani captain Zeeshan Maqsood took 4-20, a superb performance.
Aqib Ilyas and Jatinder Singh opened the batting for Oman and they were the only batters required by the co-hosts, knocking the runs off with 6.2 overs to spare. Singh with 73 not out was especially impressive and finished proceedings with a six, while Ilyas also had an unbeaten half century to his credit.
For PNG as well as Vala and Amini with the bat Kiplin Doriga impressed behind the stumps.
SCOTLAND V BANGLADESH
The second match saw Scotland in action against Bangladesh, who had recently won a T20 series against no lesser opponents than Australia. When Scotland slumped to 53-6 the match seemed to be going emphatically according to the form book. However a lower order revival spearheaded by Chris Greaves got Scotland to 140, a total large enough not to be an absolute formality to chase down. Scotland’s three county seamers, Davey (Somerset), Sharif (Derbyshire) and Wheal (Hampshire) all bowled well, and Bangladesh lost two early wickets before Shakib al Hasan and Mushfiqur Rahim steadied the ship. However, this pair, especially al Hasan, dropped increasingly behind the rate, and when al Hasan holed out off the irrepressible Greaves for a 28 ball 20 Scotland became favourites, an impression that was reinforced a few moments later when Rahim also fell. Bangladesh had one big over, but for most of their innings they were dropping ever further behind the rate, which climbed past 12 per over with four overs remaining. Scotland’s left arm spinner, Mark Watt (as far as I am aware unrelated to James Watt of steam engine fame) bowled an exemplary 18th over, finishing his spell with 4-0-19-1. The 19th over was also a good one and Bangladesh went into the 20th needing 24 to win. The last over was Bangladesh’s second best of the innings, but they finished up beaten by six runs, and in truth this was a more comfortable victory than that narrow margin suggests – Bangladesh scored less than the required rate in 19 of their 20 overs, including that crazy last over. Greaves, with a crucial 45 and 2-19 from three overs of leg spin was quite rightly named Player of the Match. Bangladesh are in serious jeopardy of failing to qualify for the super 12s, while at the moment Scotland’s third group match, against Oman, has all the appearances of being the game that will decide who wins the group.
An upset early on in a big tournament is always good news, and this one had the additional bonus of featuring an epic recovery act. When Shakib al Hasan was dismissed I posted on twitter that I reckoned that made Scotland favourites and got a disdainful response from a Bangladesh fan who was still in denial about how badly his team were playing. However, my reasons for making the call I did were sound, and I was proven right. The series that Bangladesh won against Australia was played in Bangladesh and was very low scoring, taking place on wickets that were obviously prepared to emasculate the batters, making scoring very difficult indeed. Here, on a good cricket pitch, giving everyone the opportunity to shine Bangladesh were exposed.
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