Cricket-Match-Special ... A forum for discussion

budgetmeansbudget wrote:

Arthur Crabtree wrote:If England's long batting order is going to count for anything, maybe it's on days like today. Otherwise, what's the point?

Are there any frontline bowlers out there who can't bat who would get in the side in any case?

Not sure this 8 to 11 is the strongest England could field, but yes this is one of those occasions when batting strength in depth comes in handy. They might not make it, but it doesn't mean it's the wrong approach.

Woakes has a history of doing well in these situations. So far, the bowlers haven't really done enough. Maybe Rashid will. They only have to give JB2 the strike.

Woakes is an all rounder who would definitely strengthen the bowling and batting.

In this series Wood, Willey, Ball or Curran haven't really done the business so for me it's Stokes and Woakes for Curran and Ball, probably strengthening the batting and bowling.

Stokes is capable of being better than a fifth or sixth bowler, just needs to up his consistency. Maybe injury and lack of cricket will prevent that from happening.

Jos Buttler. Like a dilscooping Michael Bevan of our times. Ton up and five to win as he squeezes out 150 with the lower order.

A bit tense this.

Kane Richo has had a better series than most of the Aussie bowlers.

England do the series whitewash.
Australia do the toss whitewash.

Peaking too early as far as the world cup goes next year?

Don't think so. England beat an average side well. It'll be a bigger test v India. I expect the England batting to fire later in the summer, but the bowling will come under pressure and doesn't look like a WC winning attack, even with Woakes strengthening it. England have bowled a lot of loose stuff, much of it they got away with, and they don't have a great go-to bowler, like a Warne, Steyn, Starc or Waqar.

But for today, you can't do better than win all your games and of the various XIs, only Joe Root didn't have a good series.

Some of the other batsmen could learn from Buttler's ability to play to the situation.

goodness... I wasn't expecting England to win from 134-8

JB2

kudos

Match winning innings from JB2, but it will of course bring down his career SR.

I read he has the best ever SR of anyone averaging 40+ (presumably minimum games apply). I find that hard to believe.

Yes it's true. Very surprising. SR of 117. Way, way ahead of second (say minimum 50 games), ABDV. Though JB1 is two games away from 50 games.

http://stats.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine ... pe=batting

Only two batters ever have a SR of over a run a ball.

Just watched on record.

I think JB2's innings might be up there with Mark Boucher's 147 and Kevin O'Brien's 113 as one of the best ODI innings I've ever seen.

It'll always be IVA Richards' 189 at Old Trafford in 1984, for me.

Arthur Crabtree wrote:
Only two batters ever have a SR of over a run a ball.

With an average of 40+... and over more than 50 games. Just to be clear.

Jos

It's games like that that give some confidence that England can win the world cup. Sydney earlier in the year, the Oval and now this. They can win tight games.

Buttler's batting seems to have moved to another level this year. He was always destructive, but he's added a level of situational awareness. The temptation will be to wrap him in cotton wool now - he's going to be pivotal to our world cup chances.

The bowling does remain a bit of a concern, unfortunately.

It might not be the strongest Aussie side, but that's only the second 5-0 whitewash in England's favour in their ODI history - it just doesn't happen that often (and the other time was against Zimbabwe).