Group A - Australia, Bangladesh, England, New Zealand

[Moss]

England and Australia for mine, though I don't expect them to have it that easy. Good opportunity for BD to show they can hold their own in a tough group, they remind me quite a bit of mid-90's NZ.

NZ look alright on paper but have regressed as an ODI side since 2015. Bowling's good enough on its day (Santner for Vettori circa 2013-15 is a decent replacement) but the 5th/6th is a major problem. Likewise, with the batting, get past Ross Taylor and it's a soft underbelly. Was much the same in 2015 but there was Elliott to stabilize things, and Anderson seemed a better player then.

 

[Black_Warrior]

George Dobell on how English pitches have become markedly more batsman-friendly | Cricket | ESPN Cricinfo

 

[The Hutt Rec]

England and Australia for mine, though I don't expect them to have it that easy. Good opportunity for BD to show they can hold their own in a tough group, they remind me quite a bit of mid-90's NZ.

NZ look alright on paper but have regressed as an ODI side since 2015. Bowling's good enough on its day (Santner for Vettori circa 2013-15 is a decent replacement) but the 5th/6th is a major problem. Likewise, with the batting, get past Ross Taylor and it's a soft underbelly. Was much the same in 2015 but there was Elliott to stabilize things, and Anderson seemed a better player then.

Yes, and also Latham or Ronchi opening for 2015-McCullum is a bad swap as well.

I don't really see NZ knocking off Australia or England to make it through ... but it is a world event and they often surprise, so I'm not giving up on them just yet.

 

[Moss]

Yes, and also Latham or Ronchi opening for 2015-McCullum is a bad swap as well.

I don't really see NZ knocking off Australia or England to make it through ... but it is a world event and they often surprise, so I'm not giving up on them just yet.

Still feel there's an effective ODI player in Latham yet if he's committed to ironing out his weaknesses. Guptill has compensated for the exit of McCullum to an extent, but is having to shoulder ridiculous levels of responsibility a la 90's Tendulkar.

Surely the prospect of Ronchi vs Starc and Hazlewood with the new ball is enough to dispel any ideas of him opening.

 

[Moss]

George Dobell on how English pitches have become markedly more batsman-friendly | Cricket | ESPN Cricinfo

Probably a good thing from the POV of the shorter forms and their acceptance in England. Though the 1999 World Cup had the most bowler-friendly conditions I can recall in a big tournament, and was pretty memorable as a result.

 

[The Hutt Rec]

Yes, and also Latham or Ronchi opening for 2015-McCullum is a bad swap as well.

I don't really see NZ knocking off Australia or England to make it through ... but it is a world event and they often surprise, so I'm not giving up on them just yet.

Ok, after last night I'm now officially giving up on them.

 

[Burgey]

Think NZ's new ball attack can do some damage if there's some swing around.

 

[Daemon]

Think NZ's new ball attack can do some damage if there's some swing around.

Very nice insight keep it coming

 

[cnerd123]

I wonder if Burgey thinks the batsmen can score some runs if the pitches are flat?

 

[SL Bada]

This is the tougher group since NZ can challenge ENG and AUS. SA and IND should easily go through in the other one.

 

[SteveNZ]

Incredible, the trajectory of both NZ and England's ODI sides since the World Cup. Very true that sometimes the biggest lessons can be learned through defeat. England's ODI side looks absolutely awesome, near the perfect mix. Ours has holes all over it.

Biggest trouble is, on these belting English decks our death bowling has the potential to go for unforeseen levels of travel.

 

[burr]

Is Coulter-Nile (sp?) in the Aus squad and if not why not? Always thought he was pretty decent in the lo stuff.

 

[Burgey]

He's probably broken

 

[Zinzan]

Been busy, so only just caught up with the NZ/Ind warm-up scorecard, & can't say I'm surprised. NZ are extremely susceptible to getting rolled with the bat given they rely on just 3 world class batsmen, followed by several hit & miss all-rounders.

 

[straw man]

Incredible, the trajectory of both NZ and England's ODI sides since the World Cup. Very true that sometimes the biggest lessons can be learned through defeat. England's ODI side looks absolutely awesome, near the perfect mix. Ours has holes all over it.

Biggest trouble is, on these belting English decks our death bowling has the potential to go for unforeseen levels of travel.

There's always a chance they could surprise us, I mean right now the bowlers are going for unforeseen levels of travel in the warmup against SL and it's not even the death overs yet . Yet more questions on the best mix of bowlers and all-rounders.

 

[SteveNZ]

There's always a chance they could surprise us, I mean right now the bowlers are going for unforeseen levels of travel in the warmup against SL and it's not even the death overs yet . Yet more questions on the best mix of bowlers and all-rounders.

To be far, looks like it must be flat as absolute **** given we've chased it down with ease and our best two batsmen retired. And from Perera's dismissal on 42 overs, we conceded less than 7s so that's not bad at all.

Interesting that Mitch, who Hesson said was our best death bowler, didn't bowl after the 34th.

 

[Daemon]

Is Taylor due another surgery?

 

[straw man]

To be far, looks like it must be flat as absolute **** given we've chased it down with ease and our best two batsmen retired. And from Perera's dismissal on 42 overs, we conceded less than 7s so that's not bad at all.

Interesting that Mitch, who Hesson said was our best death bowler, didn't bowl after the 34th.

Yes it must have been very flat, and the top order scored runs which is a strength at the moment.

Surely they must know who the best XI is by now, and yet there is still a lot of fiddling around with the middle and lower order makeup of the side, and the keeper/opener, and who bowls how many overs and at what times during the innings. It's a little confusing.

So pitches for this tournament will be a mix of the recent 350 vs 350 type roads with a few swining seamers as well? Would make for interesting contrast.

 

[straw man]

Heh, well that explains the number of sixes.

 

[Starfighter]

Love how the 30-metre circle is almost touching the boundary.