Champions Trophy, Feb 19 - March 9

[bigfluffylemon]

Get the axe.

Buttler's position is untenable now. And how much longer are we going to keep carrying Wood for that one game in 20 when he actually does something.

You can tell the lack of 50 over experience and general match nous, with Root the obvious exception. India or Australia would have closed that out.

[sussexpob]

Confidence will be low right now. They need some runs and wickets before India come over

Beating on Zimbabwe might help

[bigfluffylemon]

How the heck do you let a team rack up 220-2 in the second 25? Abject.

[Durhamfootman]

Buttler is considering his future as captain

There should be nothing for him to consider.........like Heather Knight, it shouldn't be up to him

[bigfluffylemon]

Should have boycotted the game. Then at least we could have gone out on a point of principle, rather than capitulating both politically and on the pitch.

[alfie]

Understandable everyone is unhappy about that one...

Actually two ways you can look at it . 1/ A great game ; Afghanistan played brilliantly , England got very close despite seeming dead in the water several times , effectively losing one bowler early in the Afghan innings , and their only dominant batsman being seriously handicapped by cramp at the time he might have got them over the line.
2/ A win that was just about in the bag thrown away by foolish shots , after previous such daft errors had already imperilled what should have been a very achievable chase ... all after the bowling and fielding totally fell apart and gifted the opposition at least fifty runs more then they should have had.

Either way the truth is they just weren't good enough : something hardly unexpected given the lead up form they've displayed.

But I guess the main complaint is not this one match but the way the white ball squad has descended from the heights of 6 years ago , and seemingly persists in making the same mistakes over and over. And what if anything can be done about it.

Posters have basically identified the problems , I think.

Leadership altogether missing whenever the standard game plan is challenged.
Skills in the particular format no longer developed due to the crazy schedule.
Selection issues players picked on the basis of Test or t20 form - which doesn't necessarily translate.
Mentality very obviously so fragile (due to far too many previous failures) that pressure quickly causes total collapse of belief.

They are all linked , of course. And no easy or instant solutions are evident. The first will presumably be addressed with a new captain (though I am not at all sure who it should or will be !) appointed to try and "re-set" the dressing room. McCullum is new enough in the coach role that he doesn't have to be associated with the decline and fall (though I am not sure it was a great idea to have him take on the white ball job in addition to his Test hat : what has generally worked in the one role doesn't seem to been doing so in the other)

Hard to see what can be done about the second point. The blessed 100 , along with the overcrowded fixture list , has pretty well made certain no prospective players will get much exposure to the 50 over format outside of major competitions. Other teams seem to be coping better : how much is down to England just playing too many Tests ? All about priorities and no easy answer...

The selection needs a lot more thought. Have been a few too many "punts" in all formats lately. It isn't an exact science ; but perhaps it can be done better. Low bar , and all.

And as for morale , that is only going to improve with success. The Test team turned it around fast in 2022 with a new leader and a new approach so not impossible.

I will hold off on the wrist slashing as long as the Test team keeps making progress (after a few recent hiccups) because that remains overwhelmingly my personal preference. But I do hope they can use this limited overs nadir as a springboard to start a gradual revival in the white ball arena ...

[Arthur Crabtree]

Delayed start in Rawalpindi again.

[sussexpob]

Hard to see what can be done about the second point. The blessed 100 , along with the overcrowded fixture list , has pretty well made certain no prospective players will get much exposure to the 50 over format outside of major competitions. Other teams seem to be coping better : how much is down to England just playing too many Tests ? All about priorities and no easy answer...

It's going to get worse. With the ECB selling off the T20 franchises to private investors, there is no doubt going to be a lot of pressure from those spending lots of money to have a return on their investments. Already seeing press talk about extending the 100 to more teams, more matches, etc. By 2030, I reckon the 50 over cup will be disbanded completely to give more 100 games, and the county championship will also be cut down.

[Arthur Crabtree]

If it's successful.

[mikesiva]

Match abandoned.

More rain.

[sussexpob]

If it's successful.

The ECB have staked so much into this, it will be successful or it will bring everything down with it in failure.

[andy]

Afghanistan Vs Australia today...this could be one hell of a game and with Aussie attack weakened I can see Afghanistan winning this and sailing through

[Durhamfootman]

I can't, I think Australia have the kind of mentality that will see a team like Afghanistan put to the sword even with a second string attack

[andy]

Afghanistan win the toss and choose to bat on a used pitch....step 1 for Afghanistan...tick

[sussexpob]

Afghanistan Vs Australia today...this could be one hell of a game and with Aussie attack weakened I can see Afghanistan winning this and sailing through

Even with an Aussie under-19 attack, they probably wont get the standard of middle overs play England trotted out.

Can't see it myself, but would like to see Afghanistan spring another shock