ICC World Cup 2019 Preview: England won't get a better chance to win the World Cup

[The Viper]

Knock-out cricket starts now for England, says Root

Joe Root believes cool heads will prevail as England prepare for a pair of crunch clashes in their World Cup campaign.

England were beaten by Australia at Lord’s by 64 runs

Next up for England are India at Edgbaston and New Zealand at The Riverside

Joe Root believes cool heads will prevail as England prepare for a pair of crunch clashes in their World Cup campaign.

Defeats by Sri Lanka and Australia over the past week have thrown a spanner into England’s semi-final ambitions but their chances of reaching the knockouts are still in their own hands.

A win over India at Edgbaston on Sunday, followed by beating New Zealand in Durham next Wednesday would guarantee a top-four spot, while one victory could also be enough if other results go their way.

And Root claims that keeping your head, even if all around you are losing theirs, is pivotal for England to fulfil their ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019 ambitions.

“We believe we’re still more than capable of qualifying for the semi-finals and when that happens, it doesn’t really matter how you got there because that’s when the tournament really starts to kick in,” he explained.

“We’ll see these two games as quarter-finals if you like, which in a way when it comes round to the knockout stage should serve you well.

“You’re going to have to win big games at some stage in the tournament if you’re going to go on and win it, so it may be that ours have come just a little bit sooner than we anticipated.

“I personally think we’ve got to be very calm about how we approach the next couple of games.

“The games themselves might get quite emotional, especially the atmosphere at Edgbaston against India.

“So it’s about being very clear and precise about the threat the opposition pose and when we’re at our best, what that looks like individually and collectively.

“If we embrace the challenge in front of us and play anywhere near our potential, we’re more than capable of getting the job done.”

England lost a tightly-contested T20 series 2-1 to India last year, before beating them by the same scoreline in the ODIs that followed.

By the end of the one-day series, Root and the English batsmen had a good handle on how to deal with India’s star spinners Kuldeep Yadav and Yuzvendra Chahal.

Nullifying their dual threat will be vital to England prevailing in Birmingham on Sunday, although Root has warned against honing in on one threat at the expense of other potential dangers.

“You have got to call upon those experiences of playing them [Yadav and Chahal],” added Root. “Before those series we’d not faced them a lot, whereas now we’ve got that in the bank.

“It’s important that we’re aware of what threat those two pose but also collectively as an attack what India are going to bring to the table.

“If you look at some other games and how sides have approached playing India – they’ve been concerned about the two spinners but then it has been the other guys that have caused problems or built pressure. It’s about not being too pigeon-holed but also being aware of the threat they bring.”

 

[giri26]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">It’s my birthday today & the only present I want this year is for England to at least qualify for the bloody semis, so I don’t look like a real ***...! &#55357;&#56834;&#55357;&#56911;&#55356;&#57339;&#55357;&#56881;&#55356;&#57286;<br><br>#39</p>— Kevin Pietersen&#55358;&#56719; (@KP24) <a href="https://twitter.com/KP24/status/1144141994647859201?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 27, 2019</a></blockquote> <script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[MenInG]

Eoin Morgan insists England are back on track in their quest for a first ever World Cup trophy following a resounding 31-run win against India.

Back-to-back defeats to Sri Lanka and Australia threatened to derail the hosts but they produced something near their best when it mattered most against the side that has just replaced them atop the ODI rankings.

Victory against New Zealand in Durham on Wednesday will secure a semi-final place for England and Morgan is as happy with the performance as he is the result.

“We had lost the last two games, and obviously, you have to turn things around but you don't know how you're going to play,” he said.

“Having played the way we did today is very encouraging for us. The closer we can get to playing our A-game, the more of a chance we have of going the whole way.

“If we're scraping our way along, not playing the type of cricket we played in the last four years, I wouldn't be as confident.”

Bairstow (111) became the fifth English player to score a century at this tournament, while a late cameo from Ben Stokes – who hit 79 from 54 balls – maintained the momentum.

India battled gamely, with Rohit Sharma (102) and Virat Kohli (66) steadily leading the chase, but the tight bowling from Chris Woakes (2/58) and Liam Plunkett (3/55) restricted India’s batsmen and they finished on 306/5.

The two-time champions struggled to keep up with the run-rate on a slow surface, while Bairstow and Roy dominated for England, scoring 97 runs from the first ten overs of spin to underline their importance to the cause.

“That period from 10 to 20 overs was probably the difference between the game,” Morgan added.

“I think we scored about 90-something runs in 10 or 11 overs. And it was quite evident to see, when the seam was run, the ball was not coming onto the bat. There was only a little bit of pace and we got a little bit of purchase from cutters, slower balls.

“So Jonny and Jason can make a wicket seem flat at different stages, and they did through that period.

“So it was a great period for us and obviously got us off to an unbelievable start. So we felt we were ahead of the game at that time.”

 

[jnaveen1980]

A game = playing on road with ultra mini boundaries on one side lol They most probably will face India in the semi final. Hope ICC doesn't offer another such track.

 

[Zhasan]

Hope Eng knocks India out in the Semis, I will savor that more so than Pakistan 1992 WC win, especially after the total disgrace of today's game...

 

[MP2011]

A game = playing on road with ultra mini boundaries on one side lol They most probably will face India in the semi final. Hope ICC doesn't offer another such track.

Or probably Kohli wins an important toss for a change.

 

[MenInG]

Morgan looking to secure semi-final spot against the side who influenced England’s rebuild

New Zealand provided the framework from which Eoin Morgan has re-built England's one-day team over the last four years.

And now the England skipper must mastermind a victory over those self-same Black Caps to secure their semi-final spot at the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup 2019.

In Durham on Wednesday, the tournament hosts still have their fate in their own hands after that impressive win over India last time out.

Beat the Black Caps and a top-four spot is England’s while it is the same equation for the Kiwis – although net run rate could still save Kane Williamson’s side if they lose.

Williamson has taken over as Kiwi captain from Brendon McCullum since the last World Cup, when the Kiwis mauled England in the group stages and left Morgan to pick up the pieces and rebuild this England ODI side.

“That was as close to rock bottom as I’ve been,” admitted Morgan, reflecting on that eight-wicket defeat four years ago that was secured by the Kiwis with 37 overs to spare.

“Certainly as a captain and as a player: being beaten off the park like that is humiliating.

“The influence, throughout the whole World Cup on all the other teams around the world, was quite extreme.

“New Zealand proved a point that you can actually be really good humans and grow the game and play cricket in your own way and win, at the same time.

“Which is incredibly eye-opening for a lot of countries around the world. I thought that rubbed off on everybody at the world cup.”

Morgan has a full squad to select from for this crunch clash at the Riverside – where they have not lost an ODI since 2014.

That means the concerns over both Jason Roy and Jofra Archer have eased, as confidence has returned to the England fold following that Edgbaston win over India.

Back-to-back losses to Sri Lanka and Australia put a serious dent in their top-four ambitions, but Morgan is delighted with the fight his side have shown since.

“I think two defeats in a row (sharpens a team),” he added.

“It was clear after the Australia game that there was a huge amount of disappointment in the changing room.

“The fact that we’ve been able to turn that around, identify where we are at and identify what we need to do in order to progress to the semis made things clearer about how we want to continue to play, which hasn’t changed. It’s important and it’s been effective.”
England climbed to the top of the world in ODI cricket with a reputation for chasing down any total with the bat.

But after three defeats in this tournament, all of which came when batting second, Morgan admits to having a re-think.

“I think just accepting that the wickets haven’t been as good as they have been in the last four years has changed that,” he added.

“The game yesterday (SL v WI in Durham), the wicket looked good for 100 overs. That might change again tomorrow.

“Every wicket that we’ve played on so far I suppose has been tougher to bat on in the second innings regardless of who’s won or not. Even the games I’ve watched on tv, it’s been tougher in the second innings.”

 

[MenInG]

2 July - Chester-le-Street - England Captain Eoin Morgan pre-match press conference

Q. Are we looking like potentially an unchanged team as a result of that terrific win?
EOIN MORGAN: I haven't seen the wicket yet, so our selection decision and the balance of the side will be down to the wicket and what we think is the most effective against the New Zealand batting line-up.

Q. How is Jason Roy after his ailment?
EOIN MORGAN: He's good, he's good. He's going to be fit for tomorrow.

Q. That is a great boost for you because he's been in terrific form, hasn't he?
EOIN MORGAN: He has, yeah, fantastic form. Him and Jonny at the top of the order in the Indian game did really set the tone for our innings on a wicket that we didn't feel was that good to bat on, so they took us up past a par score which is great.

Jonny scoring runs is a huge bonus, you know, and when he's in good form he's extremely hard to bowl at at the top of the order.

Q. While you have got the confidence back from that terrific win, New Zealand obviously have lost the two, lost the momentum, does that give you the guys the boost going into this?
EOIN MORGAN: We haven't necessarily looked at it like that. I think the most satisfying thing from the last game from our side is that we went out and played our brand of cricket. We were allowed to do that at the beginning, the way the two guys played. It felt more like the way that we play and the fact that we won doing that is extremely encouraging.

Q. Over the last few years, you have made a great virtue of chasing and chasing down big totals. Has the way the tournament has progressed and the way the other day against India panned out, do you see the virtue of batting first now and getting the runs on the board?
EOIN MORGAN: I think just accepting that the wickets haven't been as good as they have been in the last four years has changed that.

The game yesterday, the wicket looked good for 100 overs, so it might change again tomorrow. But I think every wicket that we have played on so far has been tougher to bat on in the second innings regardless if we had won or not. Even the games I have watched on TV, it's been tougher second innings.

Q. Picking up, mentioning Jason there. What about Jofra. He's been managing a little bit of a niggle. How do you feel he is pulling up in terms of fitness?
EOIN MORGAN: He's pulled up really well and should be fit to play, yes.

Q. The fact that with the India game and now this game, it's effectually almost become knockout cricket, although it's still the group game for England. Has that in some way helped sharpen England the fact they know there is no room for error now?
EOIN MORGAN: Two defeats does that (smiling). I think it's -- it was clear that after the Australia game, there was a huge amount of disappointment in the changing room and the fact that we have been able to turn that around, identify where we are at and identify what we need to do in order to progress to the semis, made things clear about how we want to continue to play, which haven't changed, is important and it's been effective.

Q. I read some commentary in The Times that criticised Kane Williamson for being too cautious, too timid and having a sedate style. Would you agree with that? How would you describe his leadership style?
EOIN MORGAN: I would disagree with that. Kane is an extremely good leader. I have played with him at Hyderabad. In the changing room, he wasn't a captain at the time I was there, but he is an impressive leader. The way he goes about his business is extremely admirable. He is a quality, quality cricketer who is extremely humble and open to learning all the time and offers his time to anybody as well.

Q. Now that you head to the crucial phase and everybody is saying 'it is coming home'. How are you keeping your boys, what are you telling them? The pressure I am sure is immense.
EOIN MORGAN: It's a matter of staying in the moment, identifying what we can do in order to contribute to the next game, which is tomorrow. So today is getting enough to put yourself in good form for tomorrow, or good head space to try and effectively win a game of cricket.

Q. You guys have your explosive pair at the top of the order in Jason and Jonny. The Black Caps have one in Martin Guptill. He is slightly out of form at the moment. Do you see him as a massive threat and the fact that he is out of form, is it a matter of time before he kind of explodes into form?
EOIN MORGAN: It's difficult to tell. We don't identify one particular player in any side. They are a very strong line-up, probably built around Kane at 3 and Ross at 4, obviously two huge players for them. But very destructive players either side of that.

Q. Two parts. Firstly, is it to fair to say the New Zealand game in the last World Cup was probably rock bottom?
EOIN MORGAN: Yeah.

Q. And can you reflect on that a bit and talk about the influence of that New Zealand side on creating this England side?
EOIN MORGAN: Yeah. Yeah, it was as close to rock bottom as I've been, certainly as a captain, as a player, being beaten off the park like that is humiliating. The influence, I think the influence throughout that whole World Cup on all the other teams around the world was quite extreme.

New Zealand proved a point that you can be really good humans and grow the game and play cricket in your own way and win at the same time, which is incredibly eye-opening for a lot of countries around the world.

I thought that rubbed off on everybody in the World Cup, yeah.

Q. Sorry to move away from cricket slightly, but there is already an England team in a semifinal. Any message for the girls tonight?
EOIN MORGAN: Good luck. It's been great to watch. I know a lot of the guys have followed it. It looks extremely hot out there (smiling). But the very best of luck.

 

[The_Odd_One]

England is not winning the world cup.

This is their road to championship:

Group match vs India > won
Group match vs NZ > TBP
Semi-Final vs India > TBP
Final vs Australia > TBP

Does anyone seriously expect England to beat India twice, and New Zealand, and Australia once each in 4 consecutive matches?

England has none but itself to blame for this situation. Not only they can't lose knockout games, they can't even lose their remaining group matches. Even for an ATG team, it is very hard to not have a single bad day.

 

[MenInG]

Fast bowler Mark Wood claimed England’s crucial 119-run over New Zealand on his home ground in Durham as one of the proudest days of his career.

Wood took 3/34 as England booked a place in the semi-finals of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup semi-finals for the first time since 1992.

The 29-year-old Durham paceman hails from the north-eastern village of Ashington around 50km north of the Riverside.

And Wood admitted: “It was a pretty special day. Apart from maybe my debut, that was the proudest game I’ve had.

“Singing the national anthem with my whole family in the crowd was pretty special. The ground looked great and the result was even better.”

Wood also had a hand – or a finger tip to be precise – in the dismissal of New Zealand captain and key man, Kane Williamson.

As Ross Taylor straight-drove a delivery back towards the bowler, Wood got the smallest deflection on to the stumps at the non-striker’s end with Williamson out of his ground.

The Black Caps skipper was the third man out for 61 in the 16th over, leaving New Zealand a mountain to climb to overhaul England’s 305/8.

Wood joked: “He doesn’t know how unlucky he is because I’ve got the smallest hands for a bloke you’ve ever seen! The umpire wasn’t sure if I’d tipped it but I knew it had flicked the end of my finger.

“He’s one of the best players I’ve ever bowled at so I was pretty pleased we didn’t have to bowl at him any more.

“It’s nothing to do with my bowling – I just got lucky. It’s not as though I deliberately palmed the ball back on to the stumps. I was just trying to stop it. But in big games you need moments like that.”

Wood has suffered a number of serious injuries through his career but has played England’s last eight matches in the tournament after missing the opener against South Africa.

He said: “I might get a nose bleed because I’ve played that many games in a row! I’m pretty happy with my form and the way my body has held up.

“I’ve kept my spot through my form and normally I would have been rested but I have felt pretty good so there’s been no need to change.

“If the tactics need to change and I don’t play then that’s fine but Morgs [Eoin Morgan] has given me a lot of confidence and backed me all the way.”

He added: “It feels pretty special to be in a World Cup semi-final and I’m really pleased that we’re playing at Edgbaston because it has a great atmosphere and it’s a ground we’ve done well at.”

Wood – who will make his 50thODI appearance if selected in the semi-final - praised the team’s comeback from back-to-back defeats to beat India and New Zealand, saying: “It’s taken a lot of courage from the team to maintain our values even when we’ve had our backs up against the wall.

“Now we’re going on to another huge game but one we’ll be pretty confident about. Maybe at the end of the World Cup if everything goes to plan we might look back at the Sri Lanka and Australia games and say they built the character of the team.”

 

[MenInG]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-lang="en"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Question: Is this the best England ODI side you have been a part of?<br><br>Eoin Morgan: Yes by a stretch, by a long, long way<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CWC19?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CWC19</a> <a href="https://t.co/WomlUuu7Pl">pic.twitter.com/WomlUuu7Pl</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) <a href="https://twitter.com/Saj_PakPassion/status/1146673119974871040?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 4, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Robert]

England is not winning the world cup.

This is their road to championship:

Group match vs India > won
Group match vs NZ > TBP
Semi-Final vs India > TBP
Final vs Australia > TBP

Does anyone seriously expect England to beat India twice, and New Zealand, and Australia once each in 4 consecutive matches?

If they play like they did in the last two games, yes I do. The semifinal is at their fortress.....

 

[LongtimeLurk3r]

Depends on the pitch they get. If it is flat and they win the toss and bat first they are favs by a country mile. Otherwise, no. I would like to see England bat second on the slower pitches.

 

[shaaik]

England have had to dig very deep just to get to the semi-finals – but Jos Buttler knows the real World Cup starts now.

After a mid-tournament defeats to Sri Lanka and Australia, England came out swinging to make the final four.

And back-to-back wins over India and New Zealand – the latter coming on Wednesday in Durham – put them into the last four.

The host nation and No.1 ODI side in the world for much of the last two years will head to Edgbaston next week for their semi-final against either Australia or India.

And Buttler knows that the time is now, after becoming the first England men’s team to make the semi-finals since 1992.

“It feels great. We’re excited, and have a bit of relief as well,” he said.

“It’s obviously been two tough games to finish to qualify, and we showed great character to come through with two very good performances.

“We are just very excited to be in a semi-final. From the start I think it was the minimum requirement, the first stage we had to get to.

“We have given ourselves a great chance and are excited to play in the semi-final of a home World Cup. It’s a great feeling and we’re really excited for that challenge.”

Buttler’s form with the bat has slowed somewhat since his century against Pakistan at Trent Bridge four weeks ago

But at Chester-le-Street he influenced the game in other ways, taking a stunning catch down the leg side to dismiss Martin Guptill and also showing some quick thinking and hands to run out Ross Taylor from Adil Rashid’s throw.

And the 28-year-old vice-captain is hoping he can come good again on the biggest stage of all.

He added: “We stood up and played our brand of cricket under that pressure.

“That breeds a lot of confidence for the group, that our way is the best way and gives us a lot of chance of performing. That’s what we have resorted to in the two must-win games and shows that we must continue that.

“I’ve been a bit disappointed not to have contributed as much as I’d like, I haven’t quite executed or made the right decision and have found ways of getting out. Luckily I still have another chance for another innings or two in the World Cup.

“For the country, it’s very exciting that we are in a semi-final and we have had some fantastic support all the way through the tournament. We are very excited for the atmosphere for a semi-final in a home World Cup.”

 

[MenInG]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">Highest ever average for an opening partnership in ODIs (minimum 1000 runs):<br><br>Jason Roy/Jonny Bairstow - 67.70<br><br>Highest ever average runs per over for an opening partnerhsip in ODIs (minimum 1000 runs):<br><br>Jason Roy/Jonny Bairstow - 7.11<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CWC19?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CWC19</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Cricket?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Cricket</a></p>— Saj Sadiq (@Saj_PakPassion) <a href="https://twitter.com/Saj_PakPassion/status/1146775764873940993?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 4, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[The Viper]

Bayliss believes England’s players will have a point to prove in World Cup semi-final

Since Trevor Bayliss took over as England head coach in 2015, a global tournament trophy has evaded his side.

England have reached the semi-final of the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup for the first time since 1992

England beat India and New Zealand to guarantee their place in the semi-finals

Since Trevor Bayliss took over as England head coach in 2015, a global tournament trophy has evaded his side.

They are the No.1 ODI side in the world, have dominated the white-ball game the world over and also claimed some impressive Test series wins both home and away.

But in the white-hot heat of knockout competitions, Bayliss' England have been found wanting, so far.

They lost the ICC Champions Trophy semi-final to Pakistan two years ago in Cardiff and the World T20 final to the West Indies in Calcutta in 2016.

But the biggest stage of all is the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup, and England are in the semi-finals now for the first time in 27 years.

And Bayliss is confident that Eoin Morgan and his troops are ready to put those narrow reversals behind them on home soil at Edgbaston.

“You will have to ask the players but they probably think they have a point to prove,” admitted Bayliss after his side’s 119-run win over New Zealand in Durham.

“They are professional sportsmen. They want to win every single match they play especially these semi-final and final matches. That is where it is at.

“I think they will give themselves the best chance. All I can ask is we play good cricket because we know if we play good cricket the opposition will have to play extremely well to beat us.

“You have to be playing your best cricket at the end of the tournament. We have probably played our best cricket in the last two games."

After defeats to Sri Lanka, Pakistan and Australia, England’s semi-final ambitions looked like they might be going up in smoke.

But the tournament hosts turned the tide with back-to-back wins over India and New Zealand – and it was a back to basics approach that made the difference according to Bayliss.

He added: “I wasn’t as concerned after Australia loss. We were outplayed in that one. What concerned me was the one before that. We completely went away from how we had been playing the game for the previous four years.

“Despite what a lot of people thought, I thought we were very tentative in the first half of our run chase.

“Not once have we ever gone out to make four or 500 as I keep hearing. We just want to play good mentally positive cricket to put pressure on the opposition with strong cricket shots.

“We had a chat before the India game and everyone spoke, including the younger players in the group. They were very honest about how they were feeling and what they thought they had to do to crack it.

“We have two guys at the top of the order who do that pretty well which leads to good partnerships and big scores.”

But while England’s return to form has come at just the right time, the head coach knows they will need to find another gear in the knockout stages if they are to win England’s first-ever World Cup crown.

He added: “It is going to be another step up again in class. India are obviously a very good team and having beat them in our last match they are going to want to prove a point in the next match, if it is India.

“We have to be able to produce what we have done in the last two games in the semi-final.

The fact they have been more or less quarter finals should serve us well.

“Yes. I think it is a good sign for the boys. It is something we have been able to do for a few years is bounce back after a loss.

“In this World Cup when there is this extra pressure to be able to do it in those circumstances is a good sign.”

 

[MenInG]

England's journey from 2015 World Cup disaster to the 2019 semi-finals has been masterminded by Eoin Morgan.

The England captain is responsible for everything - from shaping the team's ethos and style of play to minute details out on the field of play.

Here, Morgan tells the Test Match Special podcast about the decisions he has to make in the heat of battle, and why he can't let his emotions surface like his India counterpart Virat Kohli.

How much of your captaincy is instinctive?

Eoin Morgan, left, has captained England 109 times in one-day cricket
You have to be adaptable. I don't think you can go into a game with any fixed plan.

When you look at your bowling line-up, naturally you will have bowlers you go to in certain situations - so, during the game, it's a matter of identifying the most important situations and giving the responsibility to the player you think will respond the best.

Some captains can go in blindly, particularly in club cricket.

I watch a lot of club cricket - my friends play at a local club - and the game is always on the line there, particularly in a run chase.

Chasing 150, a team can be 100-0 and then be bowled out for 127.

As a captain, you sit on the sidelines and it's evident the best place to bat is up front.

It used to be looked down upon as the toughest time to get through when the ball moves around and jags off the seam, but now the wickets are so good and the best place to bat is in the top three or four.

You don't necessarily have to go hell for leather with your best bowler bowling seven or eight overs with the brand new ball up front, when potentially he might get whacked everywhere and more pace on the ball might suit the top of the order.

Being adventurous and open to something different is something I'd encourage captains to do.

How far ahead do you plan?

There is a lot of planning that goes into any particular game - analysis, field settings etc - but primarily you want to stick to 'plan A' for as long as you can. That's traditionally the top of off stump, using your bouncer, maybe a variation of a slower ball in there - but as simple as that for as long as you can.

If you do it well enough, it's good enough for most batsmen around the world.

How do you keep on top of who has bowled how many overs?

Compartmentalising things helps, so if both opening bowlers have bowled five overs, you earmark them for another part of the game when they come off bowling.

That might change but it gives you a mental picture.

In the back of your head, you want to register how they have bowled and what has come out of their first spell.

They might have only bowled a couple of overs and then have to come back a little bit later. Therefore, when you take a wicket, get them back into the game to make them feel like the first spell hasn't really happened and the second spell can be a lot better.

I tend to use the scoreboard a huge amount. I do it when I'm batting as well, just to see where the game is going, where it could potentially go, the most important part of the game, trying to identify it and then getting our best bowlers in line for that.

I speak to our wicketkeeper, Jos Buttler, too.

He's our vice-captain and an unbelievable leader, but I think one of his best attributes is that he reads the game incredibly well and gives me unbelievable advice.

He's not disheartened if I don't take it and that's awesome - but the majority of the time we are both on the same page.

Has there been a game when you have got your maths wrong?

I can't remember it happening in an international game but I have definitely done it in county games, particularly in Twenty20 because the scoreboard isn't always up.

Often it's an advertisement for the next game, or a replay of the previous ball, or panning to somebody in the crowd who is downing a beer.

It's not the easiest to keep an eye on and I have definitely stumbled in county cricket before.

Does any advice come onto the field from coaches?

There is an open line of communication between the dressing room and me out on the field when we're fielding, and that's important because one of the things you sometimes get as a captain, particularly early in your captaincy career, is tunnel vision.

Different ideas might open your eyes to something else.

How much notice do you give a bowler before they have to bowl?

About an over - unless there is a drastic change or you feel there is a really important over coming up.

If the batsman hits the last three balls of the current over for six and there is a momentum swing, you might feel the need to get one of your better bowlers on straight away, or one of the bowlers more suited to getting that guy out.

How do you keep calm in pressure situations?

I have practised it for years. Me trying to be like Virat is the worst case scenario.

If you see me effing and blinding, throwing my cap on the ground and kicking it, we are in a really bad place as a side.

I tend to stay quite level. I make better decisions when I am level and I also take in good information when I am level, so it's important for me to stay in that head space.

How much do you talk to a bowler before the last over?

When a guy gets hit for two fours in a row you'll see a captain marching over to the bowler's mark and start a conversation. I don't do that.

I try to go to the bowler as often as I can anyway so there is an open line of communication and it's not disappointment every time a captain comes up and talks about what he is trying to do.

Guys make mistakes all the time and sometimes they don't want to talk about it.

I think it's important to talk about it so you can actually get past it and think about the next ball, but as regards the last over of a game, I think it's important to talk about how the over is going to unfold.

You've already had 49 overs - or in T20, 19 overs - so you have a good indication of what works on that particular pitch.

You'll know the guy you are playing inside out and what's effective for him, so you devise a plan and stick to it.

Do you like to influence the game with your captaincy?

No. The quieter the game the better for me.

As a captain, you don't want to be at the forefront of anything that goes on. The collective team performance is the ultimate goal as a captain.

https://www.bbc.com/sport/cricket/48862101

 

[Saj]

England are now chasing history at this World Cup but, on home soil, Adil Rashid knows it is vital that they do not get carried away with the occasion.

England have never before won the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup and are now in the semi-finals for the first time in 27 years.

Next week they will take on Australia or India at Edgbaston with a place in an historic World Cup final on the line.

But Rashid – who played all nine group games for England and took eight wickets – insists his side will be taking it all in their stride.

“It's the same feeling,” he said. “Yes, we know it's a semi-final of a World Cup but we will definitely take it as another game.

“We'll go out there, try our best, have a positive mindset, play a positive brand of cricket with bat and ball and see what happens. We won't be taking any pressure on, we'll go out there, enjoy our cricket and hopefully everything else will look after itself.”

Rashid has been troubled this summer by a shoulder injury that limited his involvement in the warm-ups to the tournament.

But his importance to this side is emphasised by the fact that Trevor Bayliss has yet to rotate him out of the first XI.

And the legspinner insists he is firing on all cylinders for the end of the tournament.

“I had the niggle a month ago. Just before the World Cup I had an injection and had a shoulder problem. It's all good for now. I'm 100 per cent,” he added.

“I'm trying to (bowl all variations), sometimes it can be a bit difficult. That's not an excuse for not bowling it much. At times it can be a bit difficult but that's one of my strengths, my variations. For me it's just getting back to bowling my variations.

“There's been some games where I felt as though I've been a bit unlucky, there's been a few dropped catches and missed stumpings and whatever. If you take all that in things could be completely different, you could easily be on 15 or 16 wickets.

“It is what it is, dropped catches and missed chances are part and parcel of cricket. But we're winning, we've got through to the semis so we're in a good place.”

Rashid might not have claimed as many wickets as he would have liked so far.

But he has found other ways to help the team, including a fine run-out of Ross Taylor in Durham on Wednesday.

Fielding has improved across the board for England in their rise to the top of the world rankings, and Rashid as one of the less natural athletes in the field epitomises that development.

He added: "It was nice to get that one-handed pick-up and throw over the stumps. It was obviously a nice feeling, a big wicket as well, Ross Taylor was going along nicely. We work hard on our fielding, all of us work hard on all aspects so credit to them.

“As a team we're always looking to improve. if we're good we're looking to be better. That goes for everybody, for myself as well, I'm always looking to improve.

“You might have the days where you might not feel as good or whatever but if you're putting the hard work in the field practice then things will go well.”

 

[MenInG]

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">A lot of love for England's ace cricketers at <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Wimbledon?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Wimbledon</a> &#55356;&#57278; &#55356;&#57295;<br><br>The perfect way for some of the <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/CWC19?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#CWC19</a> squad to switch off ahead of a semi-final!<a href="https://twitter.com/Wimbledon?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Wimbledon</a> <a href="https://t.co/nBrX0ULivi">pic.twitter.com/nBrX0ULivi</a></p>— ICC (@ICC) <a href="https://twitter.com/ICC/status/1147514398292004865?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">July 6, 2019</a></blockquote>
<script async src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script>

 

[Saj]

Eoin Morgan asked his England team to embrace the occasion of a World Cup semi-final and they did just that on their way to an eight-wicket victory over Australia at Edgbaston.

From the brink of elimination after defeat to the same Australians at Lord’s, England have now won three in a row to reach the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup final and a clash with New Zealand back at the Home of Cricket on Sunday.

And Morgan has urged his team to show the same enjoyment as they did in this emphatic victory over the defending champions.

He said: “I think we did (embrace it), absolutely. Everybody out there on the field and even in the changing room loved every ball that was bowled. There was no lack of commitment, application and we had a bit of a day out which, it's cool when it happens like that, particularly when the bowlers bowl like that, it is awesome.

“I think as a team we have learnt to enjoy ourselves, particularly days like this, even if they don't go well. If you had offered us the position to play in a final the day after we were knocked out of the 2015 World Cup, I would have laughed at you.

“I think Sunday's not a day to shy away from, it's a day to look forward to, much like this. We have created the opportunity to play in a World Cup final. It will be a matter of the same again trying to produce everything that we can performance-wise but enjoy the day.”

It has been a remarkable journey for Morgan and his side, knocked out before the quarter-finals four years ago, to No.1 in the world and in a first ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup final in 27 years.

They could not have hoped for a better start, Chris Woakes and Jofra Archer combining to remove Australia’s in-form openers as Aaron Finch’s side were reduced to 14/3 and were eventually bowled out for 223.

Morgan reckoned that it was one of, if not England’s most complete performance over the four years since the last World Cup, especially with the ball.

He added: “I think particularly the bowling unit. When you perform like that, you continue to take wickets, along with a little bit of luck, but we were quite persistent in the lengths that we bowled.

“We stuck to our plans, our plans managed to work, even when (Steve) Smith and (Alex) Carey started to dominate and grow in the partnership they did, we found something, an opportunity.

“We didn't drop a catch on Adil (Rashid), which is great, that allowed him to build momentum and confidence and he bowled brilliantly.”

On their way to the semi-finals, England saw off New Zealand by 119 runs in Durham, but Morgan believes the Black Caps have been the best team in the tournament so far and will pose a huge challenge in the final.

He added: “I think New Zealand throughout the whole tournament has been probably the hardest side to beat and the best side in the group stages.

“I think their performance in the semi-final was probably their best. They will be a difficult side to beat on Sunday, so we are looking forward to it.”

 

[Saj]

eating Australia at any time presses the collective pleasure centre of the English but to do so at cricket in a World Cup semi-final brings national rapture.

For the game to be essentially over before England even lost a wicket, following Australia’s dismissal for 223, was down to the ongoing excellence of opening batsmen Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow.

Re-united three games ago, after injury had disrupted their partnership, they posted their fourth century opening stand of the tournament and their third in a row.

That is incredible batting which for Roy and Bairstow, or should that be Bairstow and Roy, places them in the pantheon of great England openers like Hobbs and Sutcliffe, Hutton and Washbrook and Cook and Strauss.

Their dynamism, power and consistency at the top of England’s one-day batting order have been the main reason England now find New Zealand standing between them and their first World Cup title when the final is played at Lord’s this Sunday.

Ironically, the opening pair that has outscored them in this tournament were Australia’s Aaron Finch and David Warner, their semi-final opponents.

But England’s opening bowlers, exploiting some early seam movement, ensured they were far from a match for Roy and Bairstow on the day, after Finch fell for a first ball duck and Warner a slightly lengthier nine.

Coaches will tell you that opening pairs ideally come as right and left-hand combinations to mess with the bowlers lines.

Roy and Bairstow are both right-handers but they mess with bowlers’ lengths instead - Roy being savage on anything wide of off-stump and Bairstow brutal with balls near leg-stump.

Their collective power, though, means they also scramble bowlers minds which enables them to exude a fear factor among opponents more commonly attributed to aggressive fast bowlers than batsmen.

There was certainly a tentativeness about the opening salvo by Australia’s bowlers, which failed to find the same seam movement as England’s had earlier in the day.

Mitchell Starc, the leading bowler in this World Cup by some distance with 27 victims, was given some harsh treatment.

Although not exclusively the doing of Roy and Bairstow, the 70 runs he conceded from nine overs were his second worst figures of the tournament.

The pair played some superb shots, Bairstow square driving his first ball from Jason Behrendorf for four, Roy flicking Starc off his toes for a six that sailed over long leg’s head. Both strokes were typical of their executors; Bairstow’s strong bottom hand providing crunching heft while Roy’s hands, so fast in the way that he breaks his wrists, that he'd just as easily be at home hitting top-spin passes at Wimbledon.

There was more. Roy’s demolition of Steve Smith, as Finch, Australia’s captain, gambled that his predecessor’s wrist-spin might conjure a wicket, was simply brutal. Three sixes in three successive balls meant the experiment was short-lived.

To have achieved so much greatness you’d assume Roy and Bairstow were close off the field as well as on it, but that is not the case.

One of the assumptions people tend to make about players in team sports is that they must all like each other otherwise the team project falls apart. Not true.

Respect is the most important thing and Bairstow and Roy clearly have that for each others talent, their deeds not being done through gritted teeth. But as for close mates, that is clearly for others.

Interestingly, their dismissals may have reflected this, at least partially. Bairstow was lbw to Starc to one whose only doubt was whether or not it pitched outside leg-stump after umpire Kumar Dharmasena gave him out.

Normally, someone in that situation would ask his partner where they thought a review was worth taking but while Bairstow glanced briefly in Roy’s direction, he did not wait for his answer before calling for Hawkeye to adjudicate, which it did to his detriment.

That seemingly impetuous act meant England had used their single review so when Roy was given out by Dharmasena 14 balls later, for 85, there was no review left to reprieve him.

On Sunday, he and Bairstow get another chance to put a bowling attack to put to the sword, that of New Zealand, once more. Do that and England will have their best chance yet of winning a World Cup.

 

[Saj]

Chris Woakes said it best. Semi-finals are supposed to be nervy.

England’s eight-wicket win over Australia was anything but.

With the exception of a cover drive for four by David Warner from Woakes’ first ball of the match, England controlled this game, with the Warwickshire quick taking 3/20 on his way to Player of the Match honours on his home ground at Edgbaston.

It was as comprehensive as they come, seeing off the defending champions and an Australia side that has never previously lost an ICC Men’s Cricket semi-final.

Woakes, along with Jofra Archer, set the tone, reducing Australia to 14/3, and while Steve Smith’s 85 gave Australia something to bowl at, their 223 all out proved to be well short of what was required against a host nation who appear to have hit top form at the perfect moment ahead of Sunday’s final against New Zealand at Lord’s.

Woakes said: “The semi-finals are usually nervy aren’t they and tend to be tight. To win the way we did and by the margin and in that fashion was special from the whole team.

“We’ve built momentum nicely and we know that’s how we can play. To do that in such a big game in a semi-final against Australia adds a little bit to it as well. It’s incredible.

“A few games ago when we were under the pressure to qualify, we probably didn’t even think this was possible. So to do what we’ve done and to put in this performance, myself as well, we’re delighted.

“The first ball I’d like to have had back but other than that I felt I hit my straps and bowled the right lengths on that wicket apart from the first ball.

“We’ve got a great opportunity. We turn up on Sunday, it’s a new day against a completely new team who are full of confidence after beating a great India side so we know we have to be on the money, but we have that opportunity which is a great thing.”

Chasing 224 for victory, England batted in the only way they know how, aggressively.

Jason Roy hammered 85, including a fourth successive century stand to open the innings with Jonny Bairstow, before Joe Root and Eoin Morgan saw the team home.

And Woakes was quick to pay tribute to his captain and particularly the way the left-hander has built the team in his image on the pitch, while remaining a calm presence in the changing room.

He explained: “Morgs is cool as ice with everything he does. Regardless of the situation, he’s great to have as a captain because he keeps everything simple and doesn’t change his emotions too much. In the heat of the battle it’s what you need as a bowler sometimes to keep your mind clear and execute your plans.

“He has led from the front in the way the batsmen play in this team. They take the attack to the bowlers, they never sit off and the guys have shown that over the last three or four years. He’s led that, he’s decided from that moment that this is how the team should play, we have got the players who can execute those skills and that is how we play our best cricket, when we don’t back off.”

 

[sweep_shot]

It will probably not be surprising if England wins both this WC and next year's T20 WC. They are amazing with the white ball currently.

 

[Hasan123]

Even through Australia and India made me doubt myself , I did predict that England would get over the line this year. I expect them to beat New Zealand.

 

[Saj]

The England Men’s team made history today by winning the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup in dramatic fashion at Lord’s Cricket Ground, the home of cricket.

After a nail-biting finish, Captain Eoin Morgan and the team lifted the trophy for the first time ever in a truly joyous moment after beating New Zealand in the Final.

On this momentous day for the country, ecstatic fans of all ages celebrated the victory from Lord’s and the fan zone in Trafalgar Square, as well as in homes, cricket clubs and communities across the country.

In a stand-out year for cricket, the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup has connected with one million kids. The achievement is a result of the plan to use the World Cup to engage with young people up and down country – a key aim of the England and Wales Cricket Board’s (ECB) strategy to grow the game.

The tournament has helped bring cricket to thousands of schools across the country, engaging over 700,000 kids and 12,000 teachers through cricket. ECB’s multi-million-pound investment into clubs through the World Cup Small Grants Scheme has also helped over 3,000 clubs open their doors and celebrate with their communities.

The World Cup has attracted new and diverse audiences, with over four million people from 157 countries applying for tickets. In total over 800,000 tickets were sold and over 210,000 people bought a ticket to attend a match for the first time. Over 12,000 kids received tickets to experience the magic of the tournament first-hand through the ICC Cricket World Cup’s Schools Programme. 150,000 tickets were sold to girls and women and 320,000 to fans from south Asian communities.

Building on this success, ECB has a plan to grow the game in this country – Inspiring Generations. Across the next five years, over £770 million will be invested into all aspects of the sport, from women’s cricket and the domestic game, through to improving accessibility and diversity at a grassroots level.

Commenting on the victory, ECB Managing Director of Men’s Cricket, Ashley Giles said:

“I couldn’t be prouder of the team’s achievements in what was one of the greatest cricket matches of all time. What an amazing feeling for the boys who have worked so unbelievably hard to get to this point. It’s important that we enjoy the moment and be proud as the team look to inspire yet again during the Specsavers Ashes.

“Massive congratulations to Eoin, Trevor, the team and everyone involved in making this dream a reality. This day will go down in history and no doubt inspire a generation of boys and girls to fall in love with this exceptional sport.”

Also commenting, Tom Harrison, ECB Chief Executive Officer said:

“It’s an absolutely monumental day for cricket in this country. Eoin, Trevor and the whole team truly deserve this victory. I’m proud to be able to say that our men’s and women’s teams are now both World Cup champions – that’s a historic achievement.

“Hosting the ICC Men’s Cricket World Cup has provided the prefect springboard to launch our plan to grow cricket, Inspiring Generations. This will see us invest more money than ever before in the game – over £770 million. We will double participation in primary schools and transform the women’s and girls’ game – creating a clear pathway from All Stars Cricket to our elite teams. We will also capitalise on the huge level of interest we’ve seen across the World Cup from South Asian fans via our South Asian Action Plan.”