I don’t like to see one-sided ODI series, especially those bolted on needlessly at the end of test series, so I’m quite pleased that Pakistan avoided a whitewash at Cardiff yesterday. It proves that Pakistan can be competitive in 50 over cricket, and that England aren’t quite invincible yet.
Although this series has seemed quite low key from afar (I’ve been in the Channel Islands for much of the last week) some decent cricket has been played. England’s mammoth 444 obviously stands out but Sarfraz’s 90 off 73 balls yesterday was a fine innings and a good way to round things off. It set up another record: Pakistan’s highest ever run chase outside Asia.
Overcoming England’s 302 was a good effort by a side that looked completely down and out a few days ago. One could argue that England let Pakistan off the hook by (a) resting their two most experienced spinners, and then (b) collapsing from 219-4 to 302-9 at the death, but Pakistan still needed to bat very well to win. Shoaib Malik and Mohammad Rizwand did a fine job alongside the eye-catching Sarfraz.
I suspect the most interesting aspect of England’s day was the disappointing way Liam Dawson played. After impressing in the T20 at the Rose Bowl against Sri Lanka a couple of months ago, some were hoping he’d be an upgrade on Moeen Ali. I’m sad to say that it didn’t look that way yesterday. He never really got going with the bat and struggled with the ball. Pakistan always seem to target inexperienced spinners. I guess that’s life.
The other negative from England’s point of view was Chris Jordan. He’s still a little too inconsistent for my liking – which is why he tends to split opinion. Is he the new Chris Lewis? If he shaves his head before his next ODI and then misses the game with sunstoke, I guess we’ll have our answer.
Overall however, it would be wrong to focus on the negatives when England have done so well in the series. The were plenty more positives yesterday – Stokes, Wood, Willey and Roy immediately spring to mind – and the team continues to make good progress in this form of the game.
After mixed performances in the test series, the limited overs lads have secured the Super Series quite comfortably in the end. I’m sure half the cricket loving population are thrilled. The other half probably don’t know what the Super Series is. The whole thing has been the dampest of squibs.
I’ll be back in the coming days with a look at the bigger issues facing cricket at the moment. There have been a few developments at the ICC that we should talk about, including the BCCI’s opposition to the introduction of two divisions in test cricket. One senses this could be quite significant.
James Morgan
I didn’t watch the match – but I have taken stock of England’s ODI record. Since 9/6/15 which was the first ODI against NZ, England have played more ODIs (29) than any other team. England have the highest RPO of any team (6.33 to NZ in second at 6.05). However England are not the most successful team, that is still Australia (whose 4-1 ODI win in SL passed largely unnoticed). Australia have a W/L ratio of 2.125 to England’s 1.7 (Bangladesh actually have a better record than both but have played only 9 matches) and have a series’ record of 4-1 to England’s 3-2. England have played two-thirds of their matches at home in this period. The ICC website isn’t entirely clear but it looks like England are now second in the ODI rankings but Australia are 10 points ahead in first whereas England are only two points ahead of the teams in third and fourth. It seems fair to conclude that Australia are still the best ODI side in the world with not much to choose between England, NZ, India and SA behind them.
I’m looking forward to seeing our side in India. It will be the true measure. We normally get thrashed so a narrow defeat would be huge progress.
It’ll be a good test of where the team stand – but let’s not overstate things.
England narrowly lost the last ODI series in India 3-2 so a narrow defeat wouldn’t be “huge progress”. India also lost their last home ODI series – SA beat them 3-2, scoring 438 in the last game when the series was tied 2-2. Last time Australia were there (when they lost the Test 4-0) they only lost the ODIs 3-2. India aren’t unbeatable in home ODIs.
Funny how your mind just plants things deeply.
It just always felt like we got hammered in India.
Seems Ian Bell was the star man for us looking at the scorecards
Ian who? ;-)
England did lose the two series prior to the last one 5-0 so that’s where the idea came from.
I hadn’t realised England have never won a home ODI series 5-0 until it came up recently.
Our ODI form was ok for a while in hindsight. Remember Cook & KP bossing a series in the UAE.
Problem being we only had one plan, which worked on occasions.
I’m actually a bit worried we only have one plan now, which won’t always work
“the disappointing way Liam Dawson played…”
Curiously, the Times seemed to be bigging him up this morning with talk of ‘character’ etc.
Has he been adjudged a face that fits… ?
Good old Vic Marks seems immune from that disease, at least:
“Any notion he could be part of the Test squad for the winter constitutes wishful thinking on the grandest scale…”
Who wrote that about Dawson in The Times, if you don’t mind me asking?
Sorry, I can’t remember, and don’t have the paper now – it was in the middle of the match report.
Bayliss is clearly still considering him, though:
https://www.theguardian.com/sport/2016/sep/05/england-trevor-bayliss-odi-cricket-bangladesh
“He will certainly be in discussions, I would have thought. He’s a guy who’s got something about him. He bats, bowls and is a pretty good fielder as well. But it’s his game sense; he almost knows what’s going to happen before it happens; he’s one of those types of players.”
First post in a while, it’s been to catch up with the recent games on here.
On the whole I’d say our ODI cricket is in rude health we suddenly appear to have 14/15 top class limited overs players and from where we were 18 months ago seems all the more extraordinary. Whether they’re 1st/2nd/3rd or whatever I don’t really care, it’s just to see them competing and putting on a show.
Moreover, if a couple of these batsmen could learn to construct a test innings our test team would also be pretty formidable too, it’d be nice to have an imposing batting lineup again before Anderson/Broad wane.
Here here! Agreed.
Cricinfo is reporting that the two division plan has been dropped despite a majority of both boards and players being in favour of it.
Yep. Sickening news Simon. I’ve just written a new article about it. Probably a little more polemical than my usual stuff! I’m not impressed.
Yes that was the Great Comeback for Pakistan in the Last ODI Match and they also chase 300+ Run outside in Asia that was Great Achievement for Pakistan in Cricket. Sarfraz Razzmatazz Contribute With Wining Run for His Team