World Cup 2019

I've also read plenty about a lack of free-to-air TV exposure for this World Cup. That is clearly an issue. If I didn't like cricket I don't think I'd know the World Cup was on. Look at the impact FTA TV has had on women's football this month.

However, what I have not heard is a criticism of the schedule. I've just worked out that in the 2015 World Cup 24 of the 28 matches were day / night fixtures. In this World Cup, the only D/N fixtures have been on a Saturday. Both semi finals are on a week day and start at 10.30am. They will be finished by 6.30pm BST at the latest. If I am lucky I may be able to watch the last 30 minutes.

The earlier starts and lack of D/N fixtures can only be because the timings suit Indian TV audiences. It's currently 18.40 in Mumbai. Most matches will be finished by 11pm their time. I would guess earlier starts are good for the commercial side of the World Cup (lots of the major sponsors are Indian) but not so good for the health of the game in the UK.

I don’t really like it when cricket becomes formulaic but it seems that overall if you win the toss, you bat, get through the first ten overs at 4/5 an over set 290/300+ and bowl well. Do that and you’ll win. Today, England were at 200-2 in the 31st over and were then abysmal for 20 overs yet still won. Thanks to Roy and Bairstow. We got away with it v NZ, we’d probably get away with it against Aus because they don’t bat very deep. Against India it might not be enough with their first three batsmen but 300 is always a score difficult to get, you have to bat well.

Tuesday - India v New Zealand at Old Trafford.

Thursday - England v Australia at Edgbaston.

Looking forward to both games and hopefully a India v England final at Lords on sunday.

England slaughter Australia by 8 wickets and with 18 overs left, what a day Finch out 1st ball.

Everyone can watch the final on sunday on channel 4 and more 4, can't wait.

We were exceptional yesterday. One of the best days I have had as an English cricket supporter in the 25 years I have been following the team. Right up there with the first day of the boxing day Ashes test in 2011 and some of the memorable days of the '05 Ashes series. There is definitely a bit of momentum behind the tournament now as well. People were watching the game at work on their lunch break and I would imagine there will be a decent TV audience on Sunday.

The way we bossed the clutch moments was extraordinary. The opening spell by our bowlers obviously set the tone, and a combination of Rashid and Archer pegged Australia back when they looked set to recover and post 250. I thought they might target Starc early on. He is a great bowler but he is much more effective at the death. Roy went after Lyon when they brought him into the attack and then destroyed Smith when he was brought on to try and buy a wicket. Bairstow using the review and then Roy being furious when he was given out demonstrated England's determination to not just win, but to annihilate Australia. Root came out and continued to attack and then I liked the way that Morgan and Root just dropped down a gear after we lost both openers. Amazing how a crowd that would most probably have had a very Indian feel to it had Australia topped the group ended up with a very typical Edgbaston feel to it. Credit to the tournament organizers for that one.

As for Sunday, if England play to their potential they will have too much for New Zealand no matter what. Simple as that really. Of course this is sport and England have been known to have a spectacular off day but I just feel that it's their time. England have so many big game players. Neither Stokes or Buttler were needed last time out, in fact, England could have got to the final without Buttler, who is the ultimate big game player. I can't wait!

WOW what a match that was, a magic last ball scramble by England to force a super over, then a last ball scramble by NZ to lose out on boundaries scored.

*************WELL DONE ENGLAND AT LAST CRICKET WORLD CUP CHAMPIONS*******************BEN STOKES MOTM.

without showing any disrespect to NZ, they are very dependent on Kane Williamson and get him out, which no one has been able to do it will be interesting who steps up. He is fast becoming the player of the tournament and that’s saying something with the innings of lots of players.[wareham gas 24 6 ] Also was a guest at a relatives [not ours]house in Cheddar during the tournament for a bbq

Read more: gasheads.org/thread/8241/world-cup-2019?page=2#ixzz5tjK6zRTr

Obviously the drama yesterday was incredible. I don't think you will ever see a more dramatic game of cricket than that. To win the game like that was exhilarating.

I thought we were goners a number of times. When Morgan and Root got out having chewed up a number of balls I thought the rate would become a problem.

Buttler did well to keep us in touch but he got out just when he looked like he might be able to take the game away from New Zealand.

I said to my friend, this is done after stokes played out those two dot balls at the start of the last over. The overthrows were a once in a lifetime stroke of good fortune. I'm not a big believer in fate but I mean, that's as close to something being written in the stars as you can get.

The game continued to ebb and flow throughout the super over. It looked both won and lost didn't it. Kudos to Roy and Buttler for instigating the run out under enormous pressure.

Great that the game was on free to air TV but without more regular exposure I find it hard to believe that this can sustain cricket long term. Probably means the hundred has a better chance of succeeding though. Maybe that will provide the longer term sustenance to keep recent converts on board.

I know the game was a classic and I am probably going against the grain here but I thought the pitch was very disappointing. Yes you want a balance between bat and ball but do we really want to go back to playing on pitches where bowlers like de Grandhomme are almost impossible to play? You could squint and almost see Ian Austin waddling in to bowl (a reference for crickets new fans there!) The best thing about playing cricket on good pitches is that it has promoted bowlers that can bowl wrist spin or with raw pace or have fabulous knuckle balls. Benny Howell would have been unplayable on that yesterday. I am all for developing the ball so it swings a bit more but that kind of nibbling, nagging line and length bowler just doesn't do it for me.

To end on a positive this side are the embodiment of multiculturalism and if you'll forgive me for becoming a touch politicised that's probably no bad thing given the current climate. Morgan's comment when asked whether he had the luck of the Irish with them referenced the diversity of the team. Pretty representative of the population with a spectrum of backgrounds and cultures across the team. Moreover, I think they've turned their public persona around. It's not necessarily their job to be good role models but I think they've developed into them.

Not much to add to what you’ve both said. But...
1. England were the best team over the length of the competition in my view. We had the strongest batting if you measure it going down the orader. India might say their 1, 2, 3 were stronger but I’d argue that. But once you’ve got to India’s middle order England were far stronger. The Indian opening bowlers were good esp at the death but so was Archer and Starc and Boult and Mohammed Amir. England did have a tricky patch when they were poor but to face the best three teams in their last four matches and having to win all four of the matches and doing so tells me they were a strong side mentally to go with their undoubted cricketing skills. NZ agave us all a lesson of how to lose a match with such class and decorum. Yes they were the better side on Sunday and they had some very bad luck and the Gods smiled on England. But in those very key moments England kept their nerves and perhaps NZ didn’t.
.... the penultimate ball of Archers over when they took a single Archer had the ball in his hand and refused to shy at the wicket for a possible run out. He didn’t leaving NZ two runs to win. For a young player, fairly inexperienced it was calm decision.
.... next ball and Roy, who had earlier in the over misfielded, kept his nerve to throw in to Buttler to run out NZ.
.... Trent Boult had caught the ball just before it went over and he had a fielder near, he had the split second opportunity to throw it in the air, but he didn’t.
.... last ball of their innings NZ let a ball go without waving his bat at it, it was a free hit but he refused.
.... on the overthrows, NZ didn’t need to throw the wickets down. All he needed was to keep them to 2. In the circumstances they were unlucky but they really didn’t need to do it.
.... on the two England runouts Stokes and the players out were on the ball, they realised it was a free run in a sense and the run out wouldn’t matter, as it didn’t.
On lots of close decisions England made the right call but I don’t think NZ did and in a close, super over match those close calls were vital.

2. Kane Williamson was wonderful as a captain. He managed a good but not outstanding team ina very good way and used the strengths he had and come the end when they had lost he congratulated England and didn’t bemoan his luck. Like you jack I don’t see cricketers as role models but he and the NZ team showed the perfect way to react when losing a cricket match. They deserve credit for that.

3. Finally because it was an ICC competition the pitches were under the control of the ICC and groundsmen may have different instructions if the ECB were in control in a two or three team series competition. We all expecting several 400+ scores and we didn’t get that we got tracks that worked against England and India imo and it brought the other teams into it more than flat tracks would have done. Having those tracks made it a better, closer competition and didnt let the best teams blast their way to 400.

First 50 over World Cup won by England and it was great to see. Now, I’m just hoping cricket will see another first in the middle of September! 🤞🏽