***Official*** First Semi-Final: Australia vs. England

[grecian]

Hmm, just as I was starting to get a tad optimistic

Still, Swann has shown his worth against OZ and Broad is well over-due in this form....

 

[Prince EWS]

Hmm, just as I was starting to get a tad optimistic

Still, Swann has shown his worth against OZ and Broad is well over-due in this form....

Broad's not playing; he's injured. That's why Bresnan is.

 

[grecian]

Broad's not playing; he's injured. That's why Bresnan is.

Yeah, good point

 

[Woodster]

Still not getting this delayed batting powerplay, why don't we just wait till Onions and Anderson are in, then take it!!!

 

[Scaly piscine]

Nope. Swann not using his brain so far. Just get in before you trying to cover drive 6s against Johnson.

 

[wpdavid]

Good partnership but probably in vain, esp with Wright going when he did. Shocking stuff from the top 6, and the selection of Davies doesn't look any better now than it did at the time, even if the alternative was Bopara.

Can someone please explain to Swann that the idea is to bat for the rest of the innings?

tbf the lardarse has done way better than I ever thought possible.

 

[GIMH]

Good partnership but probably in vain, esp with Wright going when he did. Shocking stuff from the top 6, and the selection of Davies doesn't look any better now than it did at the time, even if the alternative was Bopara.

Can someone please explain to Swann that the idea is to bat for the rest of the innings?

tbf the lardarse has done way better than I ever thought possible.

Davies selection was long overdue IMO, just that they should have stuck him at the top

Gutted Wright never got his 50 but what a partnership, we can still post a competitive total from here, in fact I'[d say what we have posted so far gives us a sniff, so game on

 

[Uppercut]

Good partnership but probably in vain, esp with Wright going when he did. Shocking stuff from the top 6, and the selection of Davies doesn't look any better now than it did at the time, even if the alternative was Bopara.

Bopara keeps wicket?

 

[PhoenixFire]

Bresnan on for a 100 here if he carries on like that. Would be unimaginably gun.

If he does, I wonder what odds you would have got if y ou placed a bet at the time of the last England player getting an ODI 100 that Bresnan would be next?

 

[wpdavid]

Davies selection was long overdue IMO, just that they should have stuck him at the top

Gutted Wright never got his 50 but what a partnership, we can still post a competitive total from here, in fact I'[d say what we have posted so far gives us a sniff, so game on

Agreed that davies should have played a while go. But not thrown in out of position having not played in more than a little while.

And yes, fine partnership by Wright & Bresnan. Rare example of 2 English batters actually battling us out of a hole. We still need pretty much everything to go for us now. Bat out the overs and rip out their top order wit the new ball for starters.

Those edged fours will help

 

[wpdavid]

Bopara keeps wicket?

My understanding is that Morgan had done perfectly well behind the stumps in the last two games. Well enough not to throw Davies in from virtually no-where imho.

 

[marc71178]

Agreed that davies should have played a while go. But not thrown in out of position having not played in more than a little while.

Well, not since Sunday anyway!

 

[Scaly piscine]

My understanding is that Morgan had done perfectly well behind the stumps in the last two games. Well enough not to throw Davies in from virtually no-where imho.

Davies' batting > Bopara's batting

Davies' keeping > Morgan's keeping

Seems fairly simple to me.

 

[grecian]

Swann seems to be batting a bit more sensibly now, another 40 runs and it could be competitive.

Has been top-notch innings from not-so-tiny Tim. Have to say I can barely believe it

 

[wpdavid]

Well, not since Sunday anyway!

OK

 

[Scaly piscine]

****ing stupid. Again.

Last ****ing batsmen and you give them a run out.

 

[PhoenixFire]

Swann you moron. Why not just leave Bresnan on strike???

 

[Uppercut]

My understanding is that Morgan had done perfectly well behind the stumps in the last two games. Well enough not to throw Davies in from virtually no-where imho.

Morgan?! Wow. This keeping-doesn't-matter idea is getting some serious momentum.

Missed a fairly easy stumping off Smith in the South Africa game, ftr.

 

[wpdavid]

Yup we really needed a runout off the 1st ball of the Powerplay with only Anderson & Onions to come. Smart stuff Swanny.

 

[Flyonthewall]

Agreed that davies should have played a while go. But not thrown in out of position having not played in more than a little while.

And yes, fine partnership by Wright & Bresnan. Rare example of 2 English batters actually battling us out of a hole. We still need pretty much everything to go for us now. Bat out the overs and rip out their top order wit the new ball for starters.

Those edged fours will help

Yes, I agree with that, although to be fair Davies' last game was only Sunday. However, there really isn't much point in playing him at No.6, given that not only a natural one-day opener and an excellent exploiter of the fielding restriction, Strauss has been an effective one-day No.3/4 in the past, esp. in the West Indies in 2004. To ask him to bat at six with the prospect of having to rebuild the innings probably wasn't the brightest thing to do.

Still, this is a bizarre and totally unexpected comeback from England, so more power to Wright and Bresnan for their superb innings. And still a batting powerplay to come!

(Yeah-a stupid run-out just at that point-looks like another powerplay wasted-shame). At least we have a chance of winning now.