Semi Final 1 - New Zealand v England (30th March)

[Kirkut]

Challenging game for England, considering the kind of spinners NZ have.

 

[Neil Young]

tell that to sri lanka

I'm sure Sri Lanka are already aware of it. Most other people are.

 

[Bahnz]

Apparently Milne is now the 6th ranked T20 bowler in the world.
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[SteveNZ]

Yeah, don't see see any need for NZ to make any changes other than perhaps Munro moving down the order. He seems to have struggled up the order so far, played some pretty ordinary innings.

And move whom? Taylor is doing a fine job as a finisher. Corey Anderson has no form to speak of (other than the warm-up v SL, when Manu also scored runs). Colin hasn't scored the runs he'd want to score in this tournament, he's still learning v slow bowling but the knock v Bangladesh was pretty meritorious, I thought. The old Colin would've swiped an early six and got out, but he worked damn hard in that innings and judged what would be a good score.

The balance is pretty good, I reckon.

I'd be playing McCullum and leaving Milne out. Both SL's spinners went at 6s at the same venue, bowling in the PP. I believe Hesson and Kane will be thinking damn hard about it as well. If you're doing what the opposition least wants you to do, then you'd pick McCullum I reckon. He's still a wicket-taking option as much as Milne has ever proven to be in T20s.

 

[RossTaylorsBox]

Apparently Milne is now the 6th ranked T20 bowler in the world.
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Should bowl him against lowly ranked scrub Joe Root.

 

[Dan]

Delhi has been comparatively quick-friendly, no?

I'm not going to advocate NZ change a winning formula, but I'd be considering Boult tbh.

 

[hendrix]

I'd keep Milne in, he's been pretty great in LO cricket for a while now.

 

[Hurricane]

I'm not going to advocate NZ change a winning formula, but I'd be considering Boult tbh.

So you are or are not advocating changing a winning formula then? Your post is well over my head. How those two clauses can fit together (not changing a winning formula and playing Boult at the same time has me bemused),

 

[hendrix]

It wouldn't be changing a winning formula if there was pace and swing available.

 

[_Ed_]

Nervous.

 

[Howe_zat]

So you are or are not advocating changing a winning formula then? Your post is well over my head. How those two clauses can fit together (not changing a winning formula and playing Boult at the same time has me bemused),

I think he means "I quite like the idea of playing Boult in theory, although I'm not confident enough in that idea to argue for it, because it would involve changing a winning team."

 

[AndyZaltzHair]

For England, Rashid and Moeen will have to come good.

Rashid EC 9.45
Moeen EC 10.08

 

[weldone]

NZ middle-order is a problem area for me
Their batting highly depends on Williamson and Guptill

 

[straw man]

This tournament has gone remarkably well, and to continue in the vein that's served so well I will again not get up in the middle of the night to watch. Will be fun if the spinners can confuse England just like the other teams. I guess I'll find out in the morning.

NZ middle-order is a problem area for me
Their batting highly depends on Williamson and Guptill

Middle/lower order has always been the biggest weakness of this team, it's just that other teams have either failed to exploit this or else have partly exploited it before batting worse again themselves.

 

[glosfan94]

For England I reckon its a decent tactic if we lose a wicket soon after Sodhi comes on then to bring in Willey, he's a very good player of the ball turning into him with his long reach for the slog sweep, NZ wouldn't be expecting it and with the batting line up we have his batting isn't needed down the order, so if he doesn't come off we don't lose anything and if he gets a quick 10 ball 20 then that could be game changing. Just throwing my idea out there.

 

[Howe_zat]

For England I reckon its a decent tactic if we lose a wicket soon after Sodhi comes on then to bring in Willey, he's a very good player of the ball turning into him with his long reach for the slog sweep, NZ wouldn't be expecting it and with the batting line up we have his batting isn't needed down the order, so if he doesn't come off we don't lose anything and if he gets a quick 10 ball 20 then that could be game changing. Just throwing my idea out there.

The only risk is that nothing eats up deliveries like swinging and missing.

 

[Howe_zat]

Not sure the toss is an event given England would much rather chase and NZ have been at their best defending totals.

 

[Edged&Taken]

England choose to chase

 

[Howe_zat]

England choose to chase

bear shits in woods etc

 

[Meridio]

While I'm happy with batting first, dew could be a factor later on. Hopefully that doesn't happen.