Group E (Super 8) - Pakistan, South Africa, New Zealand, England

[Briony]

Kiwis might challenge England with KP missing. If they win and SA loses they will be off to the semis.

 

[Athlai]

England don't look that great a team tbh, KP was just magnificent last night. Didn't post but watched his innings before falling asleep and it was beautiful. If he last 20 balls against us then we won't be making it to the semis.

 

[Lostman]

England don't look that great a team tbh, KP was just magnificent last night. Didn't post but watched his innings before falling asleep and it was beautiful. If he last 20 balls against us then we won't be making it to the semis.

KP wont play against NZ. So great chance for NZ.

 

[Hurricane]

well done nz. I came here to read about the result as I went to bed after our inning. We struggled against the spin of Pakistan from what I saw. I was especially disappointed with the dismissal of Styris. It was the 15th over - why try to play a delicate little late cut instead of being aggressive. We still had Hopkins N McCullum and Mills to come if he got out going for it.

I think fortune favours the brave and that shot selection was too timid. I know he was thinking I just hit a couple of boundaries now I will take a single. But I think he made the wrong shot selection.

Anyways we won! Good team selection decisions. The different bowlers paid off. Must have been a thrilling game to watch live.

Good to see that NZ had a better NRR than SA.

 

[Prad100w]

I have a feeling, England has a good chance to go the distance this time around. For a change, they have got some really aggressive players in the top order. Bowling is decent enough. And most batsmen has been in form as well. But whether they a choke or not in the big games is the question.

Australia looks the best team to go the distance. Srilanka are good. But their batting is bound to fail in some of the matches. Mahela can't score in every match. Newzealand batting looks good on paper, but hasn't delivered. South Africa is good side. Hopefully they will promote Duminy to the top order. Kallis will make the runs but whether that helps South Africa remains to be seen. Graeme Smith and Gibbs are a joke. Pakistan, India and West Indies, i am afraid might need to pack things up pretty soon.

 

[Briony]

well done nz. I came here to read about the result as I went to bed after our inning. We struggled against the spin of Pakistan from what I saw. I was especially disappointed with the dismissal of Styris. It was the 15th over - why try to play a delicate little late cut instead of being aggressive. We still had Hopkins N McCullum and Mills to come if he got out going for it.

I think fortune favours the brave and that shot selection was too timid. I know he was thinking I just hit a couple of boundaries now I will take a single. But I think he made the wrong shot selection.

Anyways we won! Good team selection decisions. The different bowlers paid off. Must have been a thrilling game to watch live.
.
Good to see that NZ had a better NRR than SA

Hardly surprising when SA has the two biggest slowcoaches at this format opening.

 

[Days of Grace]

Pakistan actually has the next best NRR after England. So all they need to do is beat South Africa and have NZ lose to England, and they're in.

 

[tooextracool]

England have a good team. All the haters and the supporters who are eternal pessimists who cant support them for fear of jinxing them need to just accept this. Pietersen or no pietersen.

 

[GGG]

Nicol or Redmond in for Guptill next match?

Guptill is atrocious against spin, can't turn the strike over, gets bogged down and has to hit out...which so far hasn't worked either.

For Hopkins and if McCullum doesn't want to keep then Nicol or Redmond for him.

 

[Days of Grace]

Still think Oram has something to offer if he was bought in for Hopkins. Remember his sixes vs. Sri Lanka were crucial. Give Guptill another chance, but if spin is on when the first wicket falls, bring in Taylor ahead of him.

Ryder
B. McCullum (wk)
Guptill/Taylor
Taylor/Guptill
Styris
Vettori
Oram
N. McCullum
Mills
Butler
Bond

 

[BoyBrumby]

England have a good team. All the haters and the supporters who are eternal pessimists who cant support them for fear of jinxing them need to just accept this. Pietersen or no pietersen.

Think we're just a little short of "good", tbh. Would accept "quite good". Our seam attack still looks like an accident waiting to be spanked back over its head for six to me tho. Now I do fall into the "eternal pessimist" category, but even yesterday when Broad's first delivery was deposited into the stand I thought "Here we effing go", but we held up suprisingly well.

Yardy & Bresnan have both bowled about as well as they can, IMHO. Fat lads ftw.

 

[social]

Think we're just a little short of "good", tbh. Would accept "quite good". Our seam attack still looks like an accident waiting to be spanked back over its head for six to me tho. Now I do fall into the "eternal pessimist" category, but even yesterday when Broad's first delivery was deposited into the stand I thought "Here we effing go", but we held up suprisingly well.

Yardy & Bresnan have both bowled about as well as they can, IMHO. Fat lads ftw.

Eng are in with a good shout, especially if the wickets are a bit on the slow side IMO

 

[BoyBrumby]

Eng are in with a good shout, especially if the wickets are a bit on the slow side IMO

Bookies actually agree with you; we're 2nd favs to your blokes. From oddschecker:

Oz 9/4
Eng 10/3
SL 6/1
SA 7/1
Ind 8/1
NZ 12/1
WI 20/1
Pak 33/1

NZ the value bet for my money tho.

 

[Polo23]

That's fantastic odds for NZ...maybe should take a punt.

 

[social]

And pretty terrible odds for Oz - tbh, I wouldnt be surprised to see them beaten by an in-form SL tonight and desperate WI in the final group matches as both are likely to be played on far slower decks than the first Super 8 game (not to mention that they still have to win the semi and final if they get that far)

 

[grecian]

England don't look that great a team tbh, KP was just magnificent last night. Didn't post but watched his innings before falling asleep and it was beautiful. If he last 20 balls against us then we won't be making it to the semis.

*sigh*, I often wonder why I don't warm to KP, but I think it's posts like this that does it. He's been gash for ages in most forms of the game. Yet he plays two decent knocks and it's "England would be rubbish without KP".

We bowled out South Africa for 129. Kp didn't really play a part in that. He is one of our better players, but when Morgan or Colly performs you never get "England would be rubbish without..." comments, they're all part of the team.

Sorry to go off on you Athlai, as your comment wasn't too bad, just generally annoyed about the KP love-in at the expense of other players

 

[Athlai]

*sigh*, I often wonder why I don't warm to KP, but I think it's posts like this that does it. He's been gash for ages in most forms of the game recently. yet he plays two decent knocks and it's "England would be rubbish without KP".

We bowled out South Africa for 129. Kp didn't really play a part in that. He is one of our better players, but when Morgan or Colly performs you never get "England would be rubbish without..." comments, they're all part of the team.

Sorry to go off on you Athlai, as your comment wasn't too bad, just generally annoyed about the KP love-in at the expense of other players

129 wasn't too far off par, obviously a good bowling effort but without Pietersen England wouldn't have set a total too much more than that. Still not convinced that England have a great limited overs side but when Pietersen fires the team comes together.

 

[Briony]

Yes KP was the difference. Just shows you how bad talent identification is in the republic.

 

[popepouri]

Give credit to KP but the bowling in the initial overs aside from Botha was poor. Still think Langeveldt, Morkel and Steyn are excellent T20 bowlers and think they'll get it right in the next game.

 

[Scaly piscine]

Bookies actually agree with you; we're 2nd favs to your blokes. From oddschecker:

Oz 9/4
Eng 10/3
SL 6/1
SA 7/1
Ind 8/1
NZ 12/1
WI 20/1
Pak 33/1

NZ the value bet for my money tho.

Ha. No. Just no.

Pakistan/WI are value. West Indies have enough of a genius factor to win a tournament somewhere, plus they're at home. Pakistan only need to win and have another result go their way and they're through. And we know how dangerous they are. NZ are a bit more likely to qualify than Pakistan, but there's not much in it - certainly not a 33/1 versus 12/1 factor. And Pakistan are a far bigger threat in the knock-outs.