41st Match - England v New Zealand

[Burgey]

How is Williamson allow to "bowl" again? He basically does an Ajmal impersonation every ball.

 

[Greenlite]

Partly agree. If we'd had these losses interspersed throughout the tournament rather than all towards the end leading into the semi-finals, expectations would never have risen as high. Making the semi finals is an ok achievement for a 4th or 5th best side. Some selection gripes are legitimate though they're only around the edges of the side which is largely settled. Spare wicketkeeper and spare seamer were controversial but wouldn't have affected results much. My only real question there is whether Nicholls, had he played from the start, would've had a better output than Munro. But otherwise selection is only a small part of the picture.

However there are still legitimate gripes.

We all knew the side had some weaknesses, but those haven't necessarily been the spots where we've lost out. Yes one opener has lived down to expectations, but we also thought:
- fourth bowler could be bad, but Henry's been pretty good;
- part-time fifth bowlers were weak, but they've been good;
- lower-middle order batting of Neesham/CDG/Santner were weak, but they've performed a few times (admittedly not against Australia or England);
- even Ferguson was a slight concern as he sometimes flies for a lot of boundaries, but he's been great.

However the top order batting bar Williamson has, on the big stage, been awful. Three senior players - Guptill, Taylor and Latham - haven't performed and that's the core of our problem, at the surface anyway.

Then there is the manner of these latest losses, with batsmen looking like their heads are scrambled, making poor decisions and batting fearfully. It's useless to speculate and that'd risk going into talkback radio territory, but whatever words we use to describe it ('mental skills', 'swagger', confidence, understanding of roles, ability to handle pressure), there's something off, and that's unfortunate to see at this stage of the competition.

That's the thing that disappointed me, Henry, Fergey, all rounders doing well, even Kane who was invisible except 1-2 round robin games in 2015 is standing up big time this tournament, yet all the other batsmen are still waiting for that "one shot and everything click" moment after 9 rounds. Catching has being terrible mostly and has cost games (coach Ronchi??), and Latham as keeper definitely drops 1/game though I'm not sure if those edges and caught behind chances were too hard for anyone or if a pro keeper would have snatched them...

I like how Stead stuck with double all rounders when everyone's calling for Sodhi, and it worked well mostly, and he took a punt with CDG coming on early against AUS, didn't work but I like the intent for innovation, they just need to be inventive and smart about it.

Always had a feeling that for ENG it's a must win mentally where for our players it's "don't lose by too much and we'll be fine" and it kinda showed with the intensity and lack of focus during the game, I hope the adrenaline kicks in and the fight for survival mode comes in next week and they play like tigers, we've been winning at least one knock out-ish game for the last 20 years except 2003 so fingers crossed...and AUS has like a travel day and that's it limited time to prepare, unless they just not bother with SA and focus on NZ, until they lose and end up playing ENG =P

 

[The Hutt Rec]

As Trump would say...pathetic.

Why do we look to all these stupid reasons for why a side isn't performing? Because, this person in particular, is not equipped to properly analyse what's happening on-field? Am I to presume that Australia have no wives there, India the same? Or if their wives are there, they are at the hotel like good little girls looking after the children, cooking the meals and not intruding into their man's important job? Presumably they weren't here for the first games we were winning, then inconveniently turned up at the Pakistan game and we went downhill?

Interesting that the writer says he couldn't be less interested in the off-field happenings. I couldn't be either and I have no idea what those wives are up to.

We are losing because a) we are a less skilled side than those we are playing and b) we have a sense of that and we're not taking the game to them

Haha it has been a bit cringe watching the carry on during the game on the tv footage, but you’d have to think it would be a huge help to the players morally and mentally having them there.

As for Laura’s interviews ... I don’t think any interviewers would just ask a player “You’re failing repeatedly - why’s that?! You suck lol!”

 

[Burgey]

Nah, TOTAB got it right with this in 1989 and following - no partners staying at the same hotels or interacting with the players until the series/ WC is won.

 

[Greenlite]

C'mon guys, Ferguson's wife/partner is the highlight of the tournament, she's the tournament MVP with her dance moves and air guitar performances

 

[Greenlite]

Haha it has been a bit cringe watching the carry on during the game on the tv footage, but you’d have to think it would be a huge help to the players morally and mentally having them there.

As for Laura’s interviews ... I don’t think any interviewers would just ask a player “You’re failing repeatedly - why’s that?! You suck lol!”

I'd be playiing 500% harder if my wife and little daughter are watching on the sideline, maybe Guppy's trying too hard....=P

 

[SteveNZ]

Haha it has been a bit cringe watching the carry on during the game on the tv footage, but you’d have to think it would be a huge help to the players morally and mentally having them there.

As for Laura’s interviews ... I don’t think any interviewers would just ask a player “You’re failing repeatedly - why’s that?! You suck lol!”

The wives and girlfriends were very much involved in 2015 too. Utter rubbish.

I remember Ian Healy trying to say that Australia got bowled out for 60 in the Ashes in what, 2015 because of the negative influence of the wives and girlfriends. So really what we learn is if you're an imbecile, you just go ahead and blame off-field stuff because it saves you having to have an informed opinion of the actual on-field events.

 

[Fuller Pilch]

As Trump would say...pathetic.

Why do we look to all these stupid reasons for why a side isn't performing? Because, this person in particular, is not equipped to properly analyse what's happening on-field? Am I to presume that Australia have no wives there, India the same? Or if their wives are there, they are at the hotel like good little girls looking after the children, cooking the meals and not intruding into their man's important job? Presumably they weren't here for the first games we were winning, then inconveniently turned up at the Pakistan game and we went downhill?

Interesting that the writer says he couldn't be less interested in the off-field happenings. I couldn't be either and I have no idea what those wives are up to.

We are losing because a) we are a less skilled side than those we are playing and b) we have a sense of that and we're not taking the game to them

I agree. It seemed like an over the top, albeit entertaining, rant

 

[The Hutt Rec]

I agree. It seemed like an over the top, albeit entertaining, rant

Epic rant, I hope the author doesn’t get booted out the hotel when he dishes out his planned drunken abuse to Tom Latham haha.

 

[Bahnz]

It's cactus kate. Her previous blog post was a rant about how climate change isn't a problem because it's been happening since the ice-age, and how even if anthropogenic climate change is a thing, the best way to deal with it is through population control. So yeah, you probably shouldn't look for a well-reasoned and rational analysis from her.

 

[Prince EWS]

How is Williamson allow to "bowl" again? He basically does an Ajmal impersonation every ball.

He changed his action and got cleared. He's very slowly and very sneakily reverted more and more back to his original action though to the point we're at now.

 

[Burgey]

It’s ****ing hideous. As ugly and undesirable as a ***** post

 

[jcas0167]

One off game in the semi - stack the batting and have a crack:

Guptill
Latham (wk)
Williamson (c)
Taylor
Nicholls
Neesham
Colin M
Colin DG
Santner
Ferguson
Boult

CDG to open the bowling with Boult. Get as many overs as possible out of Munro and Williamson. Hope Neesham continues to bowl well.

Haha, I actually hope they do this. Would give the top order a bit more confidence perhaps to go for it.

 

[Spark]

It's cactus kate. Her previous blog post was a rant about how climate change isn't a problem because it's been happening since the ice-age, and how even if anthropogenic climate change is a thing, the best way to deal with it is through population control. So yeah, you probably shouldn't look for a well-reasoned and rational analysis from her.

wait you mean i shouldn't look for sober discussion from a blog named "Asian Invasion"?

 

[Moss]

One off game in the semi - stack the batting and have a crack:

Guptill
Latham (wk)
Williamson (c)
Taylor
Nicholls
Neesham
Colin M
Colin DG
Santner
Ferguson
Boult

CDG to open the bowling with Boult. Get as many overs as possible out of Munro and Williamson. Hope Neesham continues to bowl well.

This is a good idea but it's just not in the nature of this side to experiment like this in a semifinal scenario (to think KW actually played 3 spinners in his first "official" game as captain in the T20 WC 2016, and left out Southee and Boult for that whole tournament!).

 

[Howsie]

If Tom Latham is a raging drunk it at least explains his shocking World Cup with both the bat and gloves.

 

[Greenlite]

Looks like we are in the semis now

BC boys should get a drink to get some swagger and confidence back, lol

 

[The Hutt Rec]

If Tom Latham is a raging drunk it at least explains his shocking World Cup with both the bat and gloves.

If he ever pulls a hipflask out mid-game at least we can now say we were warned.

 

[marc71178]

England fans in Thailand are so weak...yet again the bar empties as soon as England start losing...with fans like this, I never thought I'd be wishing for Barmy Army but here I am

If your banter is anything like your posting they’ve probably left the bar to get away from you.

 

[marc71178]

Get him, Howe! He made a joke!

Difference being it was a one off joke that was self deprecating rather than you posting the same unfunny drivel in thread after thread.