Posted by “We know that we’re being hunted,” says Australia’s Beth Mooney. Yeah, in much the same way that Moby Dick was being hunted. The harpoon that can kill this white whale is yet to be forged.
After the 2023 T20 World Cup, the seas of cricket are again littered with the splintered remains of whaleboats.
“We’ve seen in this tournament there are teams around the world getting better and better as the years go on,” said Mooney. This was shortly after she’s made 74 not out off 53 balls to set South Africa about as big a target as they’ve ever successfully chased. Also – small point – but South Africa have never actually won a T20I against Australia.
“You guys are very annoying,” was South Africa captain Sune Luus’ take afterwards, which was a joke, but also kinda true.
“Just don’t turn up – it’s too hard, don’t bother,” advised Mooney, which was also a joke, amd also kinda true.
“We don’t get tired of it,” she added about winning world cups. This wasn’t a joke.
I’ve got tired of it if that helps.
It would have been a better final if the Saffers had won the toss and batted first.
It would have been a better final if England had been in it rather than the Saffers.
England probably would have been in the final had they won the toss and batted first in their semi final.
India might just have beaten the Aussies in their semi final had they won the toss and batted first.
The men’s and women’s tournament organisers need to find ways to avoid the big end of tournament matches being played on tired, used pitches that tend to favour the side batting first. It happens too often.
Test cricket. Flipping heck.
I carn’t spake. I might never again be able to spake.
I guess this new approach was always going to find innovative ways to lose the odd game but it’s slightly more interesting than it was just a year ago…
Neil Wagner is all I can spake.
Apparently it doesn’t really matter whether you win or lose anymore. I sort of wish they were a bit more disappointed.
Extremely exciting test cricket. Such a shame it was in the middle of the night UK time, when only diehards like me we’re still awake. Even Daisy slept through most of the second session, waking up when Jimmy hit THAT four.
I didn’t understand the frenetic nature of England’s approach in the first hour, given the match situation at that time. Overexcitement more than overconfidence, I hope. They can work on the former more easily – and they need to, ahead of the Ashes.
After the first hour, it was pure test match theatre from both sides – using the limited resources they had to the best of their abilities.
I suppose I’d better do some work this morning. I fancy working this morning as much as Jimmy looked like he fancied a bat a few hours ago. Channel that inner grump, Ged Ladd; channel it.
I was awake. Now I can’t spake.
If Bazball does anything, surely one of the things it does is give you plenty of time. So why enforce the follow-on, which is nothing more than a time-saving exercise?
That’s my only complaint.
Shows confidence. The aim is not perhaps to give yourself the best mathematical chance of winning but to lay down the gauntlet to the opposition and try and dominate them. If they’ve the capacity to fight back from that position, so be it.