Cricket

[Falcon1200]

Afghanistan have won, well done to them. England now have a meaningless (to them anyway) game against South Africa remaining. Then it's goodbye and an early flight home.....

 

[Haywain]

Then it's goodbye

To Jos Buttler?

 

[DelW]

By my count, England matches in 2025:
Men: played 10 won 1 lost 9
Women: played 7 won 0 lost 7

 

[75A]

So that'll be the usual OBE's all round then?

 

[Falcon1200]

To Jos Buttler?

Has to be after the results, surely? Although maybe just as Captain, not necessarily player, if he can rediscover his form.

 

[DelW]

Pakistan vs Bangladesh today was another washout. Both teams had lost both their previous matches, but their one point each today now leaves England as the only team in the competition with a points tally of zero.

Though England do have a habit of winning meaningless dead-rubber games, so 2 points is still a possibility.

 

[75A]

Oz v Afghanistan was a washout today which means the Baggy Greens are in the Semi Finals.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Oz v Afghanistan was a washout today which means the Baggy Greens are in the Semi Finals.

I listened to the later stages of the Afghanistan innings and they did post quite a good innings total of 273 in their 50 overs. There seemed a lot of disbelief that the final ball of the innings was correct in the "out" decision reached.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 28 Feb 2025 ==

So that'll be the usual OBE's all round then?

Let us see exactly what happens in reality, if anything.

 

[75A]

I was being facetious about the OBE's.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Though England do have a habit of winning meaningless dead-rubber games, so 2 points is still a possibility.

England batted first against South Africa and lost both Salt and Smith in the first few overs. Matters did not improve to any great extent afterwards with the culmination being all out for 179 in 38.2 overs.

Mulder ...... 7.2 - 0 - 25 - 3
Jansen ......... 7 - 0 - 39 - 3

 

[Falcon1200]

It looked like a 'when does the plane leave for home' performance. Abject.

 

[75A]

England batted first against South Africa and lost both Salt and Smith in the first few overs. Matters did not improve to any great extent afterwards with the culmination being all out for 179 in 38.2 overs.

Mulder ...... 7.2 - 0 - 25 - 3
Jansen ......... 7 - 0 - 39 - 3

Englands 'most succesful' bowler was Archer......9 - 0 - 55 - 2

Says it all

 

[DelW]

Englands 'most succesful' bowler was Archer........9 - 0 - 55 - 2

Says it all

He was also second highest scorer, with 25 - behind only Joe Root's 37.

 

[75A]

He was also second highest scorer, with 25 - behind only Joe Root's 37.

Again it says it all doesn't it?.
Now waiting to see the result of tomorrows game to see who has to play India in their 'home' stadium.
How can you say the tournaments in Pakistan when India wont go there and play all their games in Dubai.
As big a farce as England.

 

[Falcon1200]

How can you say the tournaments in Pakistan when India wont go there and play all their games in Dubai.

India should have been told they were either playing in Pakistan or not at all. Not that that was ever going to happen.

 

[Haywain]

India should have been told they were either playing in Pakistan or not at all.

And they wouldn't have played.

 

[75A]

India beat New Zealand by 44 runs and now play OZ in the semi final on their 'home' pitch in Dubai on Tuesday
On Wednesday New Zealand play South Afrika in Lahore in the other semi.

 

[SuspectUsual]

And they wouldn't have played.

And that would be their choice. But it never happens because too much power sits with the BCCI

 

[Haywain]

And that would be their choice. But it never happens because too much power sits with the BCCI

And with that power comes a great deal of money.

 

[Falcon1200]

And that would be their choice. But it never happens because too much power sits with the BCCI

Yes indeed. But it has led, surely, to India having an unfair advantage in playing all their games in the same place. And should they win their semi-final, the final of Pakistan's tournament will, presumably, not be in Pakistan!

 

[75A]

Looking like India will make the Final. They bowled Oz out for 264 with 3 balls to spare, Smithy top scored with 73 but was bowled by a Full Toss, how embarrassing.
India have started well and OZ have already dropped 2 catches in 3 overs, not looking good for them.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Mar 2025 ==

The 'drops' continued and India won by 4 wickets with 11 balls to spare.
The other Semi Final between New Zealand and South Afrika is tomorrow in Lahore.

 

[Falcon1200]

So the Final of Pakistan's tournament will indeed not be in Pakistan. Should India win it (and I hope they do not) the achievement will be devalued by this.

 

[75A]

The Black Caps are in Sundays final after a very comfortable 50 run victory.
They batted first and scored 362-6 with Ravindra 108 and Williamson 102 their top scorers.
They then restricted South Afrika to 312-9, with David Miller being 100 not out.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

India did win the final, but it was quite a close encounter.

 

[75A]

Next up is the big one , Oz v South Afrika @ Lords in June to be crowned the ICC Test Champions, played at a neutral venue!

 

[DarloRich]

An easy win for Australia!

Australia v England 150th anniversary Test at MCG will be day-night match

The 150th anniversary fixture between England and Australia to celebrate the first Test match will be a day-night contest at the MCG.

www.bbc.co.uk

The 150th anniversary fixture between England and Australia to celebrate the first men's Test match will be a day-night contest at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.

Cricket Australia has said the one-off fixture will take place at the MCG, which has a capacity of approximately 100,000, from 11-15 March 2027.

The MCG played host to the first Test between the sides in March 1877, with Australia winning by 45 runs, before England won the second match at the same venue to tie the series 1-1.

 

[JD2168]

India did win the final, but it was quite a close encounter.

Quite the advantage India had playing all matches on the same pitch in Dubai whilst the other teams were travelling between destinations & playing in different conditions. It does put a question mark on the title.

 

[75A]

A very big one.

 

[JD2168]

After the series defeat against Australia, England’s women coach Joe Lewis has been sacked & Captain Heather Knight is to be replaced

 

[75A]

Interesting to see that Jofra Archer excelled again. In todays India Premier League game he recorded the worst ever bowling figures for the event of 4 overs 0 Maidens 76 runs 0 wickets.
Hope he's in the Ashes in December