***Official***Match #20- England vs S Africa - October 21st - Wankhede (D/N)

[BazBall21]

If England lose this, they’ll likely have to win out. Hard path.

If they don’t make the semis, it would be a massive underperformance. On talent and recent performances, they are absolutely a top two or three side.

I think our batting has the potential to be top two-three. Other teams have more balance as England's bowling is bottom half territory.

 

[Aidan11]

Stokes expected to play.

 

[Aidan11]

England win the toss and will bowl.

 

[flibbertyjibber]

Glad Woakes is dropped and Curran. They have sucked.

 

[BazBall21]

It would have been pure insanity to stick with either at this point. They were hopeless.

 

[GIMH]

Team close to what I’d have picked except Livingstone out. Not sure four seamers is the way to go V SA but I guess we will see

 

[BazBall21]

I would have picked Livingstone, and I'm not sure I would have bowled first. We're a batsman short and surely you back a bowler-heavy lineup to defend a total.

 

[Adorable Asshole]

Glad Woakes is dropped and Curran. They have sucked.

Sorry you got dropped @Red_Ink_Squid

 

[Aidan11]

Looks like a long tail. We'll need some big runs from our top order.

 

[DriveClub]

I think this bowler heavy balance is needed for England to put more responsibility on the batsmen to get the runs instead of leaving it to the next batter. The batsmen need a change of mindset

 

[Prince EWS]

Team close to what I’d have picked except Livingstone out. Not sure four seamers is the way to go V SA but I guess we will see

Yeah I would have had Livingstone in for Willey or Atkinson.

Uncharacteristically long tail from England with Moeen injured and Woakes/Curran dropped. Rashid is at 8 and he's good enough to bat there but he often ends up at 10/11 in this team.

 

[Prince EWS]

I would have picked Livingstone, and I'm not sure I would have bowled first. We're a batsman short and surely you back a bowler-heavy lineup to defend a total.

Yeah chasing with a short batting lineup in a high pressure game can often backfire.

Can rely on Willey, Rashid and Wood to bosh a few boundaries at the end to set a score, but non-specialists having to work towards a target is a different matter, and it can neuter the #intent of the top order too.

 

[BazBall21]

I was confident leading into this game. Just think with Stokes returning against his favourite opponent, SA's leaky bowling+rocked by the Netherlands defeat and England's underperforming bowlers taken out meant there were calls of optimism. Feel more apprehensive now because of the toss decision and lack of batting depth.

 

[mackembhoy]

After last games terrible chase. Seems mental to chase with a weaker batting line up.

We batted till 8 and now bat till 6.

 

[King Kane]

Should be a good contest, I'm leaning towards England winning it after winning the toss and dropping a few of their below par performers

Stokes back is obviously a big boost for England's middle order batting, I am assuming he won't be bowling much though, if he bowls at all.

 

[BazBall21]

Should be a good contest, I'm leaning towards England winning it after winning the toss and dropping a few of their below par performers

Stokes back is obviously a big boost for England's middle order batting, I am assuming he won't be bowling much though, if he bowls at all.

Nah he's nearly a batsman specialist these days.

 

[mackembhoy]

Nah he's nearly a batsman specialist these days.

Yep otherwise we'd have Livingstone at 7 instead.

Stokes fitness and inability to bowl has definitely weakened us in all formats.

 

[Starfighter]

Looks like a long tail. We'll need some big runs from our top order.

Both teams are really bowler heavy.

 

[Pothas]

After last games terrible chase. Seems mental to chase with a weaker batting line up.

We batted till 8 and now bat till 6.

You would really want Livingstone at 7 but is Willey really worse with the bat than Woakes and Curran?

When you factor in Stokes I don't think the batting is any worse overall.

 

[BazBall21]

Has the bat hit the ground?