[Cricket] The ICC Champions Trophy

[Si Gull]

So first Semi Final today. Leaving aside the rights and wrongs of letting India play all their games in Dubai, the pitch is horribly slow and I've not seen a good match on it. Suspect today will be no different. Australia 4 for 1. Connolly put out of his misery having played and missed so many times, I was getting embarrassed for him.

Apparently, a record number of 'played and missed' in a sub-10 ball innings since records began, in 2006. The search for new stats gets ever more obscure!

 

[Steve in Japan]

Apparently, a record number of played and missed in a sub-10 ball innings 'since records began', in 2006. The search for new stats gets ever more obscure!

I think he was on debut, looked awful. I'd blame the pitch (partly!). Travis Head just gone, 54 for 2.

 

[Willow]

Difficult to support any Australian team but given how the whole tournament has been laid out in India's favour, in this match i feel i must. The only solace if India win is they must play the final in Pakistan. Hopefully losing to New Zealand.

 

[Steve in Japan]

Difficult to support any Australian team but given how the whole tournament has been laid out in India's favour, in this match i feel i must. The only solace if India win is they must play the final in Pakistan. Hopefully losing to New Zealand.

I read that if India make the final, then the final will be in Dubai. Shocking really.

 

[Steve in Japan]

Almost inevitably after Travis Head's departure, Smith and Labuchagne grind to a halt. They have to up the run rate - they just seem very slow when batting together.

 

[Willow]

I read that if India make the final, then the final will be in Dubai. Shocking really.

Really? That must have changed at some point. I'm sure initially the final was going to be in Pakistan, regardless.

 

[LamieRobertson]

Really? That must have changed at some point. I'm sure initially the final was going to be in Pakistan, regardless.

I’d read that I think it was Australia and SA not knowing whether they should be in Pakistan or Dubai as it depended if they were playing India or not……India having the advantage of playing on the same ground the entire tournament…..staying in the same hotel etc

 

[Steve in Japan]

110 for 3. Labuchagne lbw.

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Australia set India a target of 265

Big stroke of luck for Smith during that innings... https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/videos/cn8r1rxp0pno

Scored another 50 runs after this reprieve.

 

[Steve in Japan]

And India win with 11 balls to spare. Always felt like Aus needed more runs on the board, if Maxwell had batted longer than 5 balls they may well have got them.

 

[amexer]

sorry if mentioned before but why were India thrown out when refusing to play in Pakistan

 

[keaton]

sorry if mentioned before but why were India thrown out when refusing to play in Pakistan

Agreement was reached there can play all their games in Dubai, and Pakistan can do the same for the next two tournaments which are in India.

If football authorities acted like the ICC and the BCCI!

 

[Steve in Japan]

Monster score coming up for NZ but Ravindra just out.....212-2 after 33.3 overs.

 

[Badger]

This is the semi-final to decide who we're all supporting in the final

 

[Steve in Japan]

This is the semi-final to decide who we're all supporting in the final

I think I'd prefer SA - NZ were comfortably beaten when they.played India in the Group stage. But on that shitty Dubai pitch, I think we know India will probably be too strong for either team.

 

[Redinpeace]

I knew Van der Dussen could play a bit but hats off 638 no

 

[Mellotron]

#AnyoneButIndia

 

[Eeyore]

India's excursion in the Champions Trophy-

Hotel to ground

New Zealand's excursion in the Champions Trophy-

Karachi-Rawalpindi-Dubai-Lahore-Dubai

 

[hans kraay fan club]

India's excursion in the Champions Trophy-

Hotel to ground

New Zealand's excursion in the Champions Trophy-

Karachi-Rawalpindi-Dubai-Lahore-Dubai

Captain Rohit Sharma has rejected suggestions that India playing all of their matches in Dubai gives them an advantage in the Champions Trophy.

While India won all three of their group games to reach the semi-finals, Rohit does not think his team have benefited from playing each game at the same venue.
"The three matches we played, the nature of the surface was the same. But in all three games, the pitch has behaved differently," he said.
"This is not our home, this is Dubai. So, we don't play so many matches here. This is new for us too."

 

[Steve in Japan]

Sure sure sure!