The most important event of 2015!!

[Gob]

Dire isn't it? I weep

[Gob]

England suffered a humiliating eight-wicket thrashing by New Zealand as Tim Southee became only the fourth man to take seven wickets in a World Cup match.

Southee's 7-33 saw England blown away for 123, the last seven wickets falling for 19 runs. Brendon McCullum then smashed an 18-ball half-century, the fastest in World Cup history, to propel New Zealand to their target in just 12.2 overs. That equalled the shortest ODI chase against England, in a match that lasted just 45.4 overs in total.

Only when McCullum was bowled by Chris Woakes for a 25-ball 77 did England avoid the ignominy of being beaten before the scheduled tea interval. A third win in as many games has all but secured New Zealand's place in the quarter-finals, while two defeats from two means England can perhaps afford only one more from their remaining four matches if they are to qualify.

Eoin Morgan's team attracted criticism from the likes of Geoffrey Boycott and Graham Gooch following their opening loss to Australia, but this most-sided of hammerings was far more abject. Defeats against both co-hosts were probably expected before start of the tournament, but it is the manner in which England surrendered in Wellington that suggests their World Cup is already in disarray. On a blameless surface, they were taken apart by Southee, who was as brilliant as England were woeful, pitching the ball up at good pace and finding late swing.

[Lord Jim]

Will a Kiwi victory bring a swifter end to this thread?

If so:



Go New Zealand!

[Gob]

My photos from Bangladesh vs Afghanistan here.

[rubato]

The ideal of male attractiveness certainly varies a great deal more more than you'd think:

My photos from Bangladesh vs Afghanistan here.



... "

It's remarkable to note that features like that actually breed true.



yrs,
rubato

[Gob]

Christchurch The West Indies remain one of cricket's great enigmas.

Just five days after being embarrassed by Ireland in their Cricket World Cup opener, and after a week where they looked far from a happy side, the Calypso Kings got their groove back.

The West Indies thumped Pakistan by 150 runs at Christchurch's Hagley Oval to pick up some much-needed confidence and momentum and to heap more pressure on a troubled Pakistan.

The West Indies were OK through their innings but Pakistan's fielding — which a team of schoolboys would have been embarrassed by — helped them reach 4-195 after 40 overs, before lusty hitting helped them to 6-310.

Any chance Pakistan had was washed away in a phenomenal eight-over period.

With Andre Russell doing his best Brendon McCullum impersonation and scoring an unbeaten 42 off 13 balls, the West Indies put on 79 in the last five overs of their innings.

They then ripped apart the Pakistan top order. After 19 balls of the chase, Pakistan were 4-1. .

Jerome Taylor took the first three wickets — including two in Pakistan's first over — and had 3-9 from his first five over spell.

Pakistan lost their fifth wicket at 25 before a mini-fightback.

Sohaib Maqsood (50) and Umar Akmal (59) added 80 for the sixth wicket before the West Indies put Pakistan out of their misery.

Taylor finished with 3-15 off seven while Russell completed a fine double, taking 3-33.

As low as the West Indies were on Monday after losing by four wickets to Ireland, they were cock-a-hoop on Saturday.

A.B. de Villiers had spoken of the big moments that would decide this much-anticipated group game, and the biggest of them duly brought South Africa and its captain down.

Buoyed by a fine Shikhar Dhawan century that underpinned India's stake in the ground of 7/307, M.S. Dhoni's team was ushered to the brink of victory by a piece of fielding brilliance from fast bowler Mohit Sharma that sliced the air out of a pursuit that ultimately fell a whopping 130 runs short.

It was the first time South Africa had lost to India at a World Cup, a happening not nearly as concerning as how meekly de Villiers' team performed with both ball and bat.

Mohit had already accounted for Hashim Amla with tactical short bowling, but his flat, fierce throw from the deep sent an MCG heaving with Indian supporters into a level of delirium that not even Dhawan's 16 fours and two sixes or the sight of Sachin Tendulkar watching from the stands could inspire.

Ravindra Jadeja had switched ends and frustrated de Villiers with four dot balls with the score on 2/108 in the 23rd over. Seeking relief, he pushed for two but encountered a Mohit throw that left Dhoni with nothing to do but glove the ball and remove the bails, catching de Villiers centimetres short of his ground.

I never thought I'd say this, but "Big match for England today, against......Scotland." If Scotland get a respectable result, let alone win, then England are in all sorts of shit.

As for me? I'm off to see Windies vs Zimbabwe tomorrow.

[Lord Jim]

I thought that was a picture of Mickey Rooney...

As for me? I'm off to see Windies vs Zimbabwe tomorrow.

Is it true that if the Zimbabwean team loses, Mugabe will feature them at a state dinner?

[MajGenl.Meade]

The West Indies remain one of cricket's great enigmas

Racism!

[Gob]

England 8 for 303 after their allocated overs. Not great.

[Gob]

They won, but not convincingly.

Moeen Ali's century led England to a 119-run victory over Scotland and a first victory of the World Cup.


Moeen made 128 and shared 172 for the first wicket with the stuttering Ian Bell, who contributed 54. But, when they were parted, England could only manage 131 runs in the final 20 overs of their 303-8. Still, it was too many for Scotland, who never threatened an upset and were bowled out for 184, with Steven Finn taking 3-26. Following heavy defeats against co-hosts Australia and New Zealand, the success in Christchurch provides England with a much-needed morale boost. However, little can be learned as to whether England are in better shape for the sterner tests to come - starting with Sri Lanka in Wellington on Sunday - given the nature of the opposition.

[MajGenl.Meade]

Is Spearchucker Malingerer playing on Sunday?

[Gob]

I hope so! He's good value, saw him play against India a couple of years ago.

[MajGenl.Meade]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/p029ldwk

[MajGenl.Meade]

Sorry I missed this!

West Indies opener Chris Gayle became the first batsman to score a double century in a World Cup innings when he reached the landmark against Zimbabwe in a Pool B clash in Canberra on Tuesday.

Gayle, who might have been given out lbw before he had scored, brought up his first double century in 226 one-day internationals off just 138 balls including nine fours and 16 sixes.

The 35-year-old Jamaica left-hander's innings surpassed the previous World Cup best of 188 not out by South Africa's Gary Kirsten against the United Arab Emirates at Rawalpindi in 1996.

It was also only the fifth double century in all ODI cricket and the first by a non-Indian, with Rohit Sharma (two), Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag the only other batsmen to achieve the feat.

Gayle and Marlon Samuels, who scored a century himself, also set a new partnership record for any ODI wicket, surpassing the 331 shared by India's Rahul Dravid and Tendulkar against New Zealand at Hyderabad (Deccan) in 1999.

[Gob]

I wuz there!! Massive knock by Gayle, amazing to watch!!

[Lord Jim]

I wuz there!! Massive knock by Gayle

That's great...

How did Brenda and Shirley do?

[MajGenl.Meade]

He said 'knock'. Not 'knockers', you Phylis Stein!

[Gob]

Gary Wilson hit 80 to help Ireland to a nervy two-wicket World Cup win over the United Arab Emirates in Brisbane.


Shaiman Anwar scored a maiden ODI century as the UAE part-timers hit 147 from their last 15 overs to post 278-9. They then pegged Ireland back to 97-4, but Kevin O'Brien (50) and Wilson put on 72 from 36 balls for the sixth wicket to help rebuild the innings. Ireland, who have two wins from their opening two Pool B games, next face South Africa in Canberra on 3 March. O'Brien and Wilson were both dismissed as William Porterfield's side closed in on the target, but Brisbane-born Alex Cusack and off-spinner George Dockrell kept their nerve to lead Ireland to victory with just four balls to spare.

O'Brien and Wilson's six-over partnership seemed to turn the match decisively in Ireland's favour, but when O'Brien, Wilson and John Mooney all fell in the final seven overs, the UAE sensed a first win over Ireland since 2001. Dockrell and Cusack came together with 12 runs still needed from 15 balls, and after a series of wild swings and unconvincing hacks, the pair finally wrapped up victory in the final over.

The Micks against the Meades, I will be there wearing my Irish hat!!

[MajGenl.Meade]

Have mercy. Can't you pull it down a lot lower?

(I couldn't).....



It was very poor indoor lighting...

[Lord Jim]

Is it over yet?