World cup cricket

[halftimeresults]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/9410478.stm

[outsider]

Fully deserved, a great knock by Kevin O'Brien

[Sharpy]

England once again a joke in the field. 2 sitters dropped in the first 10 overs. Prior with keepers on ffs!

[Suffolk Shrimp]

Its ridiculous, I've been saying it for years that you always need to play your best keeper regardless of batting ability. James Foster has consistently been England's best keeper and is forever overlooked. He would make useful not outstanding runs but would save England countless runs in the field and take most of the chances coming his way.

[Ntini]

I don't think it's the keeper we need to worry about. What worries me most is the fact that we have bowlers who aren't properly fit and who look like they don't want to be there. Then when they start bowling half-trackers and full tosses, it makes it too easy for the opposition to get into a game. Very poor, and very disappointing.

But fair play to the Irish, they deserved it. What a run-chase, and what a knock by O'Brien!

[shrimper]

The Ashes was clearly this year's priority and it shows.

I suppose it's a bit like sending an England football team - its players already having done most of a league season (then a couple of tours abroad) - to the World Cup, winning it (as if!).... then asking them to go straight to another contenent and play in a five-a-side world cup and do well in that.

I know other nations have played tests etc but there's not much to compare with the Ashes in terms of intensity.

I backed Pakistan at the outset and I see no reason to change.

[Ntini]

I backed Pakistan at the outset and I see no reason to change.

If I had to put my money on anyone, it would be Sri Lanka. Fit and firing, they can beat anyone.

[Mike W.]

Glad we won the Ashes - that was what EALLY counts - much less interest in the one day game - you need to see a properly planned and played game over a decntly long period, like 4 or 5 days - one day cricket is Kiddies' Cricket for people with limited attention spans.

Mike W.

[Mike W.]

Glad we won the Ashes - that was what REALLY counts - much less interest in the one day game - you need to see a properly planned and played game over a decntly long period, like 4 or 5 days - one day cricket is Kiddies' Cricket for people with limited attention spans.

Mike W.

[Sammy h]

I don't know cricket that much and watch it occasionally.

I know the ashes is a big thing, pride against the aussies etc etc, but surely winning the WORLD cup is better than winning one team?


**PREPARING TO BE SHOT DOWN**

[Keith]

I don't know cricket that much...

...and I almost fell asleep reading this far through the thread...

[RedRedWine1]

Can't really blame the bowling; flat, slow wickets in humid conditions. This World Cup will be a run fest, which I actually don't find that entertaining. Give me a test match any day.....more time to get pissed.

Not a single test matches in the sporting powerhouse that is the North of England this summer. An absolute disgrace. Yet Cardiff gets a match, sheep shagging so and so's!

[Sammy h]

I don't know cricket that much...

...and I almost fell asleep reading this far through the thread...

You made it all the way down to my post

[marky]

Can't really blame the bowling; flat, slow wickets in humid conditions. This World Cup will be a run fest, which I actually don't find that entertaining. Give me a test match any day.....more time to get pissed.

Run fests are pretty common on the sub continent. India have an astonishingly good batting line up but that's hardly surprising given they play on uber-batsman friendly pitches all the time! The best one day matches are usually those in which bowling sides at least have something semi-decent to bowl on. Still, England should still have beaten Ireland comfortably given the position they were in after 25 overs.

[Freez]

Surely nobody was surprised by the Irish defeat, have you seen the Magners advert?