*Official Match #13 - England v Afghanistan 15th October.

[King Kane]

That early strike from Rod Tucker has made this interesting.

 

[Shri]

Clear conspiracy

you guys will probably still win this in 40 overs relax

 

[BazBall21]

I've heard Tucker has form for not liking England. Aussie...

 

[grecian]

They just don't want us to win again obvs.

 

[BazBall21]

We need Root to perform today desperately.

 

[Aidan11]

I picked the wrong day to stop having meltdowns.

 

[Shri]

this is why i picked fazal in fantasy wc draft

@CricAddict

 

[GIMH]

Every time Malan gets a four @thierry henry kills a kitten

 

[GIMH]

I guess I’m behind again based on the above posts

 

[GIMH]

Pheeeeew

 

[Shri]

 

[slowfinger]

love it when you hit the back pad halfway up and it's going over the stumps

 

[Owzat]

Lads will have to play sensibly to win this.

if they err on the side of caution they may play into the Afghan's hands

Afghans get key wickets early enough then England might struggle a bit, England may feel Woakes, Curran, Rashid, Wood and Topley is a decent 7-11 but I suspect squad selection for England may cost them dear given their options not playing this game, and who knows when in the case of Stokes, are Ali, Willy and Atkinson

got away with it a bit in 2019, but that was in England not India, and with the experience in the upper ranks of Morgan and importantly Roy, and also had Archer who took 20 wickets at 23.05 and Plunkett who took 11 at a smidge just under 25. Some will point to Wood (18) and Woakes (16) doing well, but that's half the attack not there and this is in India not there

Stokes for all the noise about him not bowling only took 7 wickets.

FWIW re Curran, his last SEVEN ODI series including this he's only once averaged under 36 with the ball, that in Bangladesh, and 36.25 in South Africa aside the rest are 40+ . That stretches back to South Africa series in 2022, his batting up to that point averaging 28.20 but at a relatively pedestrian pace, the average has gone down but the SR up

 

[Owzat]

one key wicket down, unless Brook and Livingstone turn up this time puts onus on Malan, Root, and Buttler

can see England losing this if they can't decide whether to stick or twist, play their normal attacking game or edge on the side of caution and end up getting in a bit of a pickle if losing regular wickets. maybe they'll play Root anchor and Malan have a dash, except if the latter gets out and they are 100/3 or even 4 that'll be a long way to go with not a lot of true depth

it's just that kind of total doesn't quite look enough, but its 'enoughness' is really based on how the bowlers maintain some control - or don't a la England vs New Zealand

 

[CricAddict]

this is why i picked fazal in fantasy wc draft

@CricAddict

Nice pick. Especially with another Afghan game happening soon.

 

[centurymaker]

England not looking very convincing..

Edit- OUT!

 

[GIMH]

Well that is suboptimal

 

[BazBall21]

Afghanistan are ahead now. England's two best players of spin gone. I'm not sure about Brook on this wicket against this attack.

 

[Shri]

roooooooooooooooot

 

[Aidan11]

WTF?

Two down and struggling in the powerplay. We are in danger of losing to minnows in two different sports at the same time.