14th Match - England v Scotland

[Zinzan]

Beefy Botham a tad harsh on England here. I get his point about them needing to be more ruthless etc, but fair crack of the whip, they've come into a must-win game under pressure & they've just lost their 1st wicket after 30 overs going at a touch under 6 an over.

Could be much worse.

 

[wellAlbidarned]

that wicket could cost Scotland

 

[Jarquis]

Surprised the fielder didn't drop it but then they knew that England are stupidly rigid with their plans and even with Bell stinking up the joint they probably fancy their chances at a hideously out of touch Ballance on 0*(0) who can only really fail.

 

[Spark]

now for christ's sake ballance, move your ****ing feet

 

[Pothas]

Beefy Botham a tad harsh on England here. I get his point about them needing to be more ruthless etc, but fair crack of the whip, they've come into a must-win game under pressure & they've just lost their 1st wicket after 30 overs going at a touch under 6 an over.

Could be much worse.

Yeah it is way over the top. I mean Bell deserved to get **** for that innings but it has been turned into an 'England' thing when it has actually just been a Bell thing so far. If Ballance does the same then they can complain.

 

[MW1304]

This commentary is one reason no one likes English cricket. "Should be looking at 400"; "Ali should get 200"; "This bowling is dreadful". No respect for the opposition. You'd think after a couple of hammerings there'd be some humility, but no.

Yeah it's really terrible, so much condescension.

 

[Neil Pickup]

This commentary is one reason no one likes English cricket. "Should be looking at 400"; "Ali should get 200"; "This bowling is dreadful". No respect for the opposition. You'd think after a couple of hammerings there'd be some humility, but no.

The problem has been the sheer lack of intent and intensity shown by Bell throughout... possibly worth it for this gem from @ECB_Cricket...

 

[Zinzan]

now for christ's sake ballance, move your ****ing feet

Yeah his balance looks all out of sorts atm

Sorry couldn't resist that chap gag

 

[flibbertyjibber]

This is dire.

Ali been good but Bell not and then why send Ballance in?

 

[Dick Rockett]

except all those things are absolutely true

Obviously I disagree. There's nothing dreadful about the Scottish bowling, and why should 400 be a target other than in the masturbatory fantasies of a couple of talking heads?

 

[Jarquis]

I'm gonna be so pissed if the batting order doesn't change at all. I don't care how good Root is at hitting funky areas or what have you. Buttler is our most destructive batsman by far and if he gets left with 4 overs to do something in I'll burst a blood vessel

 

[Zinzan]

Yeah it is way over the top. I mean Bell deserved to get **** for that innings but it has been turned into an 'England' thing when it has actually just been a Bell thing so far. If Ballance does the same then they can complain.

Just imagine if they went hard at the start trying to be ruthless & lost 2-3 early wickets....

 

[flibbertyjibber]

I'm gonna be so pissed if the batting order doesn't change at all. I don't care how good Root is at hitting funky areas or what have you. Buttler is our most destructive batsman by far and if he gets left with 4 overs to do something in I'll burst a blood vessel

Should have been padded up as soon as the opening stand went past 150.

 

[Cabinet96]

Just imagine if they went hard at the start trying to be ruthless & lost 2-3 early wickets....

Yeah, well Bell got out trying to hit a big shot on Friday and they still said the same thing. Kept talking about how he left a few balls in the first over when Southee was swinging it outside off.

I mean, Bell's innings was ****, but England have been humiliated in their first two games and are in a really strong position to win their first game of the tournament, and I'm yet to see anyone happy about it yet.

 

[Antihippy]

I'll be surprised if ballance isn't out 70% of the time to LBW by the end of his career.

 

[Dick Rockett]

Just imagine if they went hard at the start trying to be ruthless & lost 2-3 early wickets....

Exactly what I was thinking. Your previous post too.

 

[theegyptian]

Beefy Botham a tad harsh on England here. I get his point about them needing to be more ruthless etc, but fair crack of the whip, they've come into a must-win game under pressure & they've just lost their 1st wicket after 30 overs going at a touch under 6 an over.

Could be much worse.

Sure it could be worse but it's about constantly assessing and reassessing the situation. Once they get to 80-0 they need to push on. It's a complete lack of game reading by bell.

 

[Jarquis]

Yeah, well Bell got out trying to hit a big shot on Friday and they still said the same thing. Kept talking about how he left a few balls in the first over when Southee was swinging it outside off.

I mean, Bell's innings was ****, but England have been humiliated in their first two games and are in a really strong position to win their first game of the tournament, and I'm yet to see anyone happy about it yet.

Obviously we're happy we're likely going to win but I don't think that was ever really in doubt regardless of how badly the first two matches went.
Everyone's been happy enough with how Ali has played but Bell's innings was properly, properly turgid and I'm actually more worried about him after it than I was before it.

 

[Pratters]

Bell at the top of the order suits me. The combination of Moeen and Bell, an attacking and a less attacking player is a good one in alien bouncy conditions with two new balls. Bell lasting for 80+ balls is also a huge positive despite it being a painful watch. The bowlers from Scotland are really poor, but you can get into good knick only by being there in the middle.

 

[Jimbo the giant]

Sure it could be worse but it's about constantly assessing and reassessing the situation. Once they get to 80-0 they need to push on. It's a complete lack of game reading by bell.

Even when they were 0-150 he was still stinking the joint out