Group C - New Zealand, England, Kenya, Canada

[KiWiNiNjA]

Is it just me or are NZ timing the ball way better than England?

Seems like all the two-pacedness of the pitch has gone to me.

100% agree there scaly!!

The groundsman is an expat kiwi. He especially prepared the pitch knowing that NZ would be batting last. His methods are so precise that he was able to make it two-paced only for the english innings.

 

[Natman20]

England were in a slightly better situation than us at this stage being 130/3

 

[Swervy]

Eh? Ireland-Zimbabwe went down to the last ball!

They needed 24 runs with 5 wickets in hand with 7 overs left. You would think that there was no real pressure, when Taylor was freakily out, all of a sudden things went mad, because of the pressure of the situation

 

[KiWiNiNjA]

Target was a bit harder, though.

Yes but NZ were coasting along run-rate wise and then half-way through just hit a brick wall

 

[Fiery]

Each to their own, but there's not many pointers to an English win at the moment. The required rate's negligible, and they don't look like getting out. Plus Vaughan's not using our 2 best quicks, despite the obvious need being for wickets at this stage.
Why do you reckon it's evenly poised?

Maybe starting to sway towards NZ now but I said that about 25 runs ago

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Scaly's not toally wrong IMO, batting IS easier now than it was in the first session, though it also got easier as the England innings went on. Not a huge surprise given that there was some rain around early in the day etc. Styris has played a gem of knock though, and much like Pietersen he's made batting look fairly straightforward while others struggled.

 

[Richard]

England were in a slightly better situation than us at this stage being 130/3

But we didn't know what we needed... and we had to confront Bond.

 

[Goughy]

Of course! Everything is conspiring against England!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Couldn't possibly be that the New Zealand bowlers are better than the England ones, could it? No, no, that would be completely impossible!

Jeez, no need to jump down his throat.

He has a point that isnt exclusive to the fact that the NZ bowlers are better.

The 2-paced nature of the pitch has changed and it has got easier to bat on. Before the toss both teams would have bowled given the nature of the track early and in the 1st innings.

A pretty fair assessment from Scaly.

 

[Scaly piscine]

100% agree there scaly!!

The groundsman is an expat kiwi. He especially prepared the pitch knowing that NZ would be batting last. His methods are so precise that he was able to make it two-paced only for the english innings.

Err given England either mistimed the ball horribly or got out most of the time they tried to hit the ball square and NZ have gotten most of their runs square (look at the wagon-wheel) it suggests something has happened to the pitch.

 

[Richard]

They needed 24 runs with 5 wickets in hand with 7 overs left. You would think that there was no real pressure, when Taylor was freakily out, all of a sudden things went mad, because of the pressure of the situation

24 off 5 is no way straightforward for a lower-order.

 

[Richard]

Jeez, no need to jump down his throat.

He has a point that isnt exclusive to the fact that the NZ bowlers are better.

The 2-paced nature of the pitch has changed and it has got easier to bat on. Before the toss both teams would have bowled given the nature of the track early and in the 1st innings.

A pretty fair assessment from Scaly.

If he wasn't so blatantly prejudiced I'd not "jump down his throat".

 

[Richard]

Scaly's not toally wrong IMO, batting IS easier now than it was in the first session, though it also got easier as the England innings went on. Not a huge surprise given that there was some rain around early in the day etc. Styris has played a gem of knock though, and much like Pietersen he's made batting look fairly straightforward while others struggled.

One reason batting's got easier - the England bowlers have, mostly, bowled a heap of crap; the NZ bowlers didn't.

 

[KiWiNiNjA]

Err given England either mistimed the ball horribly or got out most of the time they tried to hit the ball square and NZ have gotten most of their runs square (look at the wagon-wheel) it suggests something has happened to the pitch.

Yeah, but it also got easy as the overs went on in the English innings as well.

It was still two-paced when Styris was still in the early goings.

Yes it is slightly easier. But that is to be expected for the second innings

 

[Goughy]

If he wasn't so blatantly prejudiced I'd not "jump down his throat".

So because you dont like him you will post an antagonistic reply to everything he posts whether it is right or wrong and in this case pretty accurate?

Kinda childish and in terms of the recent past you have been far more aggressive towards him that he has to you.

 

[Bahnz]

Err given England either mistimed the ball horribly or got out most of the time they tried to hit the ball square and NZ have gotten most of their runs square (look at the wagon-wheel) it suggests something has happened to the pitch.

I have an alternative theory. You're never gonna believe, me on this, and I know its a bit wild and crazy, but stick with me. England's batsmen batted badly.

Seriously, the pitch probably is easier to bat on, but England should have scored at least 240 given where they were at the 35 over mark, so they can't really blame their current situation on the conditions.

 

[Fiery]

So because you dont like him you will post an antagonistic reply to everything he posts whether it is right or wrong and in this case pretty accurate?

Kinda childish and in terms of the recent past you have been far more aggressive towards him that he has to you.

Have to agree Goughy. It's getting a bit OTT Richard. I didn't think there was anything wrong with what Scaly said actually. I didn't agree with it but it was just an opinion he had I guess

 

[Richard]

So because you dont like him you will post an antagonistic reply to everything he posts whether it is right or wrong and in this case pretty accurate?

Kinda childish and in terms of the recent past you have been far more aggressive towards him that he has to you.

You'll forgive me - you joined this forum well over a year after he did, and the irrational dislike came entirely, completely, 100% from his side.

I simply returned it.

What I posted there wasn't childish at all, it was just a reply to a patently prejudiced post - it's utterly ludicrous to claim that things are conspiring against England in this game, they've just been 2nd-best. EXD tends to find such things impossible to take, so comes-out with ridiculous conspiracy-theories.

 

[KiWiNiNjA]

You'll forgive me - you joined this forum well over a year after he did, and the irrational dislike came entirely, completely, 100% from his side.

I simply returned it.

What I posted there wasn't childish at all, it was just a reply to a patently prejudiced post - it's utterly ludicrous to claim that things are conspiring against England in this game, they've just been 2nd-best. EXD tends to find such things impossible to take, so comes-out with ridiculous conspiracy-theories.

I have to agree with Richard here. Scaly's post did come out as a conspiracy-theory.

EDIT: Hence my sarcastic response

 

[Scaly piscine]

Scaly's not toally wrong IMO, batting IS easier now than it was in the first session, though it also got easier as the England innings went on. Not a huge surprise given that there was some rain around early in the day etc. Styris has played a gem of knock though, and much like Pietersen he's made batting look fairly straightforward while others struggled.

KP had to manufacture the runs tho, like chips over the infield (which got him out eventually) and a lot of exaggerated front foot pushes to long-on and long-off. Styris has pretty much played normally and runs have come freely.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

One reason batting's got easier - the England bowlers have, mostly, bowled a heap of crap; the NZ bowlers didn't.

Yes, but not the only reason.

edit: Following from earlier trends, the odds right now are hilarious.

NZ are paying $1.02 to win, England $12.00. NZ are comfortably favourites, but that's pretty extreme.