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Oh, shut up Mark Butcher!
https://www.foxsports.com.au/cricke...s/news-story/0ddc6fa6a30a1535b67d2b7d3f08bbfd
I knew this typical pommy whinging was going to happen. The sub-250 runs per side matches have been a breath of fresh air this tournament and by far the best quality matches in the tournament, producing a far more even contest and giving the bowlers something to work with: most notably India vs Afghanistan, Sri Lanka vs England, New Zealand vs South Africa and last night's semi-final. Contest between bat and ball has been brought back (although not quite to the level it was during the '90s), and batsmen in pressure situations have been forced to grind out and build an innings rather than wacking 4s and 6s galore.
And just because we aren't seeing 300+ runs per side matches all the time that batsmen such as Jonny Bairstow have been spoilt with since the last World Cup, now the pitches have suddenly become 'shit'. LOL!
England were hoping flat pitches were going to be continued to be dished up, allowing their power hitting batting lineup of Roy/Bairstow/Stokes/Butler/Morgan to just score 300-350+ with consummate ease. They have no other game plan than that and the minute there's been a slight bit of juice in the pitch or swing in the air, the so-called 'top-quality batsmen in the world' have be found wanting. Glad the ICC have taken the stranglehold away from the ECB and produced sporting surfaces. This was long overdue and hopefully a continuation of this will force batsmen to develop proper techniques and deal with varying conditions.
Forgetting India for a brief second, it is a valid point to some extent , you finish 1st then come semi finals you are basically on the same level as 3 other sides
Bring back india and Kholi into the discussion, They, as were all the nations were fully aware of the format of the tournament. The idea is to be peaking and playing your best at the back end, not soley striving to be at your best all the time throughout, which it seems was Indias motto.
I bet India were jubilantly happy when Australia lost to SA. Wonder if they wanted the format changed then?
Their downfall is they thought they had already reached the Final , right up to the start of their innings against the kiwis. The top order learnt nothing from Taylor and Williamsons innings.