[fuser]

England should be ashamed, they let Pandya took 5 wickets.

[Heisenberg]

England's top order should be ashamed of the whole series, to be honest. They only won the first two games because India somehow found a way to be worse.

[fuser]

Even though Batsmen are performing poorly, at least the tests are close matches, so quite interesting. I still can't say who will win this one but anyhow Why the hell Alaistair Cook is still in the team, does he do "things" for his team management.

[Heisenberg]

Cook has been crap for years at this point. He must have an Andrew Strauss Russian pee tape or something.

That said, the entire top four should be dropped. Whoever managed to convince themselves that Keaton Jennings is a test cricketer needs to get their eyes checked.

[fuser]

England is actually the most favorite team to win this world cup, can you imagine this, fucking England is most likely to win this world cup destroying the age old tradition of cricket by never winning anything worthwhile in Cricket.

I am too old now and don't recognize this world anymore.

[fuser]

World cup 2019 begins..
If England is ever going to win one, this team is their best chance.

[Heisenberg]

Of course, I checked the BBC Sport website this morning to see how they were getting on, and the first words I saw were "England collapse".

England having a batting collapse is about as close to a sure thing as you can get in all of sport.

[fuser]

Oh come now, England's batting depth is insane at this moment, they crushed South Africa by 104 runs, 5-10 years ago this would had been impossible. England is literally the most favourite team for winning the cup, You lot are taking English "pessimistic" stereotype too far now.

[Heisenberg]

Oh come now, England's batting depth is insane at this moment, they crushed South Africa by 104 runs, 5-10 years ago this would had been impossible. England is literally the most favourite team for winning the cup, You lot are taking English "pessimistic" stereotype too far now.

Maybe so. But come one. The "England batting collapse" is a time-honoured tradition and it is my duty as an Englishman to laugh in despair every time it happens.

How do you rate India's chances this time around?

[Prosthetic Conscience]

Of course, I checked the BBC Sport website this morning to see how they were getting on, and the first words I saw were "England collapse".

England having a batting collapse is about as close to a sure thing as you can get in all of sport.

Really? OK, 1-1 is bad, but it takes more than one wicket to be a 'collapse'. And 2 guys getting out just after they've both reached their 50s isn't a 'collapse' either.

[Heisenberg]

Really? OK, 1-1 is bad, but it takes more than one wicket to be a 'collapse'. And 2 guys getting out just after they've both reached their 50s isn't a 'collapse' either.

I didn't actually watch the game, so I only really had the BBC site to go on. Looking at the scorecard, I agree with you. Reports of England's collapse were greatly exaggerated.

But God, let me have a good whinge, will you? It's a fundamental part of being British!

[fuser]

I will rate England as highest, then in the second tier will come Australia, India and New Zealand, the rest of them, I don't think they have much chance of winning this time.

[ness31]

Sandpaper at the ready boys.

[BigSteve]

Cricket's a silly game.

Not as silly as curling (aka: ice bowling), but still silly...

[Prosthetic Conscience]

So we've had enough games now to see how teams are playing. Australia, New Zealand and India are all looking good - no or just one loss. England is underperforming - losses to Pakistan and Sri Lanka, and only in 4th place thanks to Sri Lanka getting half points from 2 rained-off matches they probably would have won.

So England are 2 points ahead of Sri Lanka, but England's final 3 matches are against the top 3, while Sri Lanka face India, South Africa and the West Indies. Form says Sri Lanka should win the latter 2. That would mean England need to win against one of the top 3, and keep their net run rate good (better than Sri Lanka at the moment). By all their current forms, England could easily lose all 3.

Which means the odds still apparently on offer from William Hill and BoyleSports of 12/1 for Sri Lanka to reach the semi-finals are absurd - see https://www.oddschecker.com/cricket/wor ... semi-final (for comparison, the BetFair exchange has them at 20/21). If anyone bets, this is something to take advantage of. I reckon England are going to balls this up.

[fuser]

@Heisenberg

So we've had enough games now to see how teams are playing. Australia, New Zealand and India are all looking good - no or just one loss. England is underperforming - losses to Pakistan and Sri Lanka, and only in 4th place thanks to Sri Lanka getting half points from 2 rained-off matches they probably would have won.

So England are 2 points ahead of Sri Lanka, but England's final 3 matches are against the top 3, while Sri Lanka face India, South Africa and the West Indies. Form says Sri Lanka should win the latter 2. That would mean England need to win against one of the top 3, and keep their net run rate good (better than Sri Lanka at the moment). By all their current forms, England could easily lose all 3.

Which means the odds still apparently on offer from William Hill and BoyleSports of 12/1 for Sri Lanka to reach the semi-finals are absurd - see https://www.oddschecker.com/cricket/wor ... semi-final (for comparison, the BetFair exchange has them at 20/21). If anyone bets, this is something to take advantage of. I reckon England are going to balls this up.

Well England came into the world cup as the most favorite team and they are getting fucked spectacularly. They still have chance, but given the current form and next two matches against India and New Zealand, things are not looking very good.

Also Morgan choosing to bowl first was just stupid.

[Heisenberg]

@Heisenberg

I told you England were shit! The second they were given the "favourites" tag, limping out in the group stage became more or less inevitable.

I'm rooting for India to win the whole thing. Kohli will score a double century in the final against Australia and Steven Smith will cry again, if there is a just and loving God.

[fuser]

Well at least the world is united in not letting Australia win...... again.

[Godstud]

I heard that New Zealanders were no longer allowed to bring their wives to matches.

They kept jumping the fence and eating the grass.

[fuser]

How dare you!!!

Bow before our lord and saviour, Lord Kanos.