Cricket

[zing]

Going to be a very competitive WC, I think.

England, India, Australia(with Smith + Warner), Pakistan, West Indies, NZ are not separated by a whole lot. On average, some teams are better than others, but you can easily see anyone beating anyone in that sub group.

Bangladesh, SA are good teams as well. Afghanistan seem like they have an upset in them.

 

[KM]

Can't believe you grouped SA with Bangladesh there @zing

 

[zing]

Can't believe you grouped SA with Bangladesh there @zing

Yea - might have been a bit harsh on them but it's not entirely undeserving. I think QDK is fabulous, but him apart, they haven't got a single contender for best-in-generation players and you need those to win WCs. Rabada is similar to Steyn in that he doesn't bowl bad balls, but his lengths just don't transfer that well to limited overs cricket.

Rest are all hit and miss with ODI cricket. They're trying this all rounder Mulder in the last match I saw - he seemed like one of those 'all rounders' you'd wheel out from Ranji trophy about 5 years ago.

 

[FlawlessThaw]

Is this England's last series before the WC?

They play a 5 ODI series with Pakistan before the World Cup at home. Probably the right kind of series given Pakistan’s attack.

 

[KM]

That Rayudu thing is going very well then.

 

[MDFC Manager]

Think it's obvious now that without Kohli, our batting lineup is fecking ordinary.

In a long tournament, I don't think we're good to back.

 

[Di Maria's angel]

Think it's obvious now that without Kohli, our batting lineup is fecking ordinary.

In a long tournament, I don't think we're good to back.

Lets also not play our promising youngsters. The team who gave Rohit Sharma about 3000 ODIs before he finally returned the faith can't show the same for any other player...

We're a shambles.

 

[Di Maria's angel]

Number 40 for the king.

 

[MDFC Manager]

Lets also not play our promising youngsters. The team who gave Rohit Sharma about 3000 ODIs before he finally returned the faith can't show the same for any other player...

We're a shambles.

We truly. Rohit Sharma is a disgrace, but wtf is Dhawan still doing in the team

Number 40 for the king.

All hail

 

[ChrisNelson]

How the actual feck do you score 40 ODI centuries in 224 matches at an average of 60?!?! The numbers are stupid. And he's only 30 years old. Can't bowl though .

 

[zing]

We truly. Rohit Sharma is a disgrace, but wtf is Dhawan still doing in the team

You are seriously criticizing Rohit and Dhawan?..

 

[Di Maria's angel]

We truly. Rohit Sharma is a disgrace, but wtf is Dhawan still doing in the team


All hail

Nah, Rohit isn't a disgrace. Not anymore. He and Dhawan, alongside Kohli, have carried the ODI team for a few years now.

 

[MDFC Manager]

You are seriously criticizing Rohit and Dhawan?..

Yes. At least Rohit will cart away the cannon fodder, but Dhawan is woeful.

 

[Cloud7]

Cummins is really becoming one hell of a player. He’s impressed me for quite a while now, both with the bat and the ball, and he’s still quite young as well. Australia have a gem on their hands with him.

 

[KM]

Aussies shouldn't have lost this one.

Kohli plus our bowling carrying this team again.

 

[ha_rooney]

That's brilliant from Jordan!

 

[paulscholes18]

Why is Root in this T20 side he’s been poor for the side for the last two years, his from has been off since making the 100 in the 1st ODI

 

[freeurmind]

Yea - might have been a bit harsh on them but it's not entirely undeserving. I think QDK is fabulous, but him apart, they haven't got a single contender for best-in-generation players and you need those to win WCs. Rabada is similar to Steyn in that he doesn't bowl bad balls, but his lengths just don't transfer that well to limited overs cricket.

Rest are all hit and miss with ODI cricket. They're trying this all rounder Mulder in the last match I saw - he seemed like one of those 'all rounders' you'd wheel out from Ranji trophy about 5 years ago.

Nothing wrong with any of that. In my lifetime easily the worst I've felt going into a world cup.

 

[paulscholes18]

13 extras in the 1st 6 overs from the Windies

 

[madRedDevil07]

Yes. At least Rohit will cart away the cannon fodder, but Dhawan is woeful.

Dhawan is very good in big multinational tournaments. It's not just one of instance and he has been very successful in last 3 such tournaments. You need players who can perform well in big games and he is one of them. Calling him awful is an overstatement and he is just going through a rough patch in last 6 months.

 

[Gandalf Greyhame]

Indians look hungover from the party at Dhoni's last night. The fielding has been abysmal, even Jadeja cannot hold on to the ball. Barring Bumrah, the rest of the attack has been ordinary.

The Australian openers have turned up for this game with a lot of resolve. Add a quick sloping outfield on a flat pitch, and they've stolen the show. We'll probably be chasing around 350, and lose to rash shot-selection. No doubt Dhawan and Rohit will throw their wickets away trying to play flamboyant shots again.

Why one would field on this pitch is beyond me, especially when half the side hasn't woken up.

 

[KM]

Indians look hungover from the party at Dhoni's last night. The fielding has been abysmal, even Jadeja cannot hold on to the ball. Barring Bumrah, the rest of the attack has been ordinary.

The Australian openers have turned up for this game with a lot of resolve. Add a quick sloping outfield on a flat pitch, and they've stolen the show. We'll probably be chasing around 350, and lose to rash shot-selection. No doubt Dhawan and Rohit will throw their wickets away trying to play flamboyant shots again.

Why one would field on this pitch is beyond me, especially when half the side hasn't woken up.

Because they expect dew and we are better chasers.

 

[Di Maria's angel]

No 100 for Finch. Unluckeeee.

 

[Gandalf Greyhame]

Because they expect dew and we are better chasers.

If it's a batting pitch, I think one should go out and bat first. Dew should be a secondary factor, IMO.

 

[MDFC Manager]

Because they expect dew and we are better chasers.

Shouldn't that be a bigger incentive to do the opposite, in preparation for the world cup?

 

[KM]

Don't care if Rayudu makes run today but he's one of the most pointless players I've ever seen in an Indian jersey.

 

[Gandalf Greyhame]

Indian fielders looking better since drinks, the hydration must have cleared their head of the hangover.

This is the Jadeja I know - a live wire in the field. That Maxwell run out was brilliant.

 

[Dudu]

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

Go home ball tracking, You're drunk.

 

[Gandalf Greyhame]

Dhawan doing pretty well for Australia - he dropped their centurion, misfielded at least 10 other runs away, wasted deliveries and promptly got out after scoring a single run. Apparently, his last 17 ODI innings read: 15 4 29 35 38 6 0 32 23 75* 66 28 13 6 0 21 1

That's not an opener I'd like to take to a World Cup.

 

[MDFC Manager]

Rohit and Dhawan shitting the bed again.

 

[ha_rooney]

Tweet

— Twitter API (@user) date

Go home ball tracking, You're drunk.

wtf

 

[KM]

Ambati Rayudu dismissed again quickly. As I said there is no logical reasoning to take him to WC.

 

[Gandalf Greyhame]

Rohit and Dhawan shitting the bed again.

But, but ... second and third highest run getters after Kohli. Or something.

Rohit at least I understand. On his day, he scores tons for fun. But you can have only one Sehwag in the openers. The other one needs to be consistent.

 

[KM]

But, but ... second and third highest run getters after Kohli. Or something.

Rohit at least I understand. On his day, he scores tons for fun. But you can have only one Sehwag in the openers. The other one needs to be consistent.

Dhawan has been in poor form but are you really advocating dropping him for the WC?

 

[Gandalf Greyhame]

Ambati Rayudu dismissed again quickly. As I said there is no logical reasoning to take him to WC.

I'd take Pant over him any day. Pant has at least shown he can bat in England. Ambati Rayudu should stick to the IPL.

 

[MDFC Manager]

But, but ... second and third highest run getters after Kohli. Or something.

Rohit at least I understand. On his day, he scores tons for fun. But you can have only one Sehwag in the openers. The other one needs to be consistent.

Exactly. Dhawan is well past his best.

Like I said earlier, at least Rohit is reliable against cannon fodder bowling. Dhawan shouldn't be going to the world cup.

 

[KM]

I'd take Pant over him any day. Pant has at least shown he can bat in England. Ambati Rayudu should stick to the IPL.

Pant
Iyer

Two names who'd be much better than Rayudu.

 

[MDFC Manager]

Dhawan has been in poor form but are you really advocating dropping him for the WC?

Yes, why not? Is he anything more than a passenger these days, especially when his fielding is deteriorating too.

 

[Gandalf Greyhame]

Dhawan has been in poor form but are you really advocating dropping him for the WC?

I guess I'm just pissed at how poor the batting has been bar Kohli. Some of them are top quality batsmen but are woefully out of form and making terrible decisions on the pitch.

Also, no, I can't think of a better alternative than Dhawan, shit as he is right now. We have no choice but to take him to England where he'll dutifully stick his bat out for edges from the first over itself and get Kohli in by the third over.

 

[MDFC Manager]

Pant
Iyer

Two names who'd be much better than Rayudu.

I'd even take Rahane or Manish Pandey.