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2019 Cricket World Cup semi-final, India v New Zealand
It looks like we might have an overnight half-time in this World Cup semi-final, which gives us an excellent opportunity to ponder and not quite come to terms with the way Kane Williamson went about his batting.
Williamson’s been doing this a lot in the World Cup. We mentioned it the other day.
He is either…
(a) Weighing up difficult pitches beautifully and displaying extraordinary mental strength to bat at an archaic tempo when everyone else feels like he really needs to crack on with things a bit
Or…
(b) Batting too slowly
We have no idea which. Guess we’ll find out tomorrow. (Or possibly later. There’s probably still a chance of that with ‘modern drainage systems’ and that.)
At this rate, Indian fans are going to come out of this World Cup thinking Manchester is particularly rainy
Well our parched lawn’s glad of this downpour. Maybe that will offset the frustration for some of them.
Is your parched lawn a bowl first or bat first surface? What’s the par score?
Also speaking of pitches, has everybody seen this?
https://twitter.com/dutchiepdb/status/1147761706803900417?s=21
It’s two-paced because the two halves have different soil depths.
I have always believed that the best pitches are those that have a steep gradient.
I don’t see why there needs to be a 20-over chase today if there’s a reserve day available tomorrow. One of the many daft things about this world cup.
A reverse Betteridge!
A rare beast indeed, daneel… although not as rare as the previously-believed-extinct two-day international! (Nomenclature: are we going for 2DI or TDI? Both have inherent inadequacies.)
Is an ODI a zero day international? I thought the common complaint was they’re too long?
Who’s up for calling t’Hundred S16.4 cricket? Let’s get the ball rolling on this one. Although I expect they have considered underarm bowling to expedite the smiting of Sponsored Sixes?
How about that there Somerset, then?
Brilliant stuff. It’s their season to be sure. Absolutely nailed on for second.
I’ve never been surer of anything in my life.
Cricket!
Spaking slightly hindered.
You bottleless get, Kohli. You dickhead.
Seriously.
Time for Dhoni to dig in and protect his average.
He’s digging into the pavilion.
Spaking is resumed.
I knew that NZ / Somerset accumulator was a good bet.
It’s happening. The Ben Stokes final. The Andrew Caddick final. The Roger Twose final.
Dhoni even failed to witness the finish. Very poor.
Australia – New Zealand final, then
Twitter comment of the day:
‘One small request from India fans – don’t ever host the World Cup in England again’
I reckon the next WC will have IPL style qualifiers? Haha!
I’m reckoning it’ll be restricted to four teams: India, India A, India B, and Pakistan.
And Australia will still win it, somehow.