Jonathan Trott, Afghanistan's Head Coach, looks somewhat unimpressed at his side's batting performance against Bangladesh. On a good deck, they've managed to go from 83-1 off 15 overs and looking at 280 plus to 156 all out off 37.2 overs.
Just had a drinks break. Smith is set. First ball from Jadeja, quicker than pre drinks, pitches outside leg and takes top of off. Smith tucks bat under arm and trudges off and will, no doubt, spend the next two hours studying what he might have done differently. Not a lot is the answer.
India have by SO far the best bowling attack at the tournament, that's what makes them favourites much more than their batting
Overall yes but, to be fair, one or two team's seam bowling department is deeper including that of Pakistan. India's spinners, though, all have the ability to build pressure and produce wicket taking balls. That makes the type of pitch and nature of the balance of the side so important and I'm really not sure that we have the squad to get that right - Rashid doesn't seem to be the threat he once was, Ali is OK as a third spinner but Livingstone is neither threatening or accurate enough. Little wonder Liam Dawson is contemplating honouring his SA20 contract rather than going on the India tour.
Yeah, Liam Dawson feels like he should be an automatic all-formats pick in the subcontinent at least if not anywhere right now
Of course, had Stokes been able to bowl then things might have been different as we wouldn't then have picked six other seamers. But I suppose the question is whether we really needed six anyway? India only have five seamers in their squad and have picked just three in this game, one of which, Hardik Pandya, is really there to do the all rounders role. I suppose the acid test will be how many games someone like Willey will play as against how many Dawson might have played.
Comments
286 all out off 49 overs
Ned 28-0 5 overs
214-2 off 30.4
244-2 off 34.4