blonde poker forum

I've backed Australia outright, they still have a decent one day team and they whipped us and we were supposed to be a serious contender this year.

I've back SA for most 6's, fancy they have a deep run and they have so many six hitters they have to be the pick of the group behind India.

Anything else for anybody?

cant see past india or south africa myself

Not betting, but based on the available odds I'd go for SA at 11/2

south africa's bowling attack is usually shit hot, may struggle on the sub continant, and they dont really have a class spinner which will be vital

May as well bet on England then  ;whistle;

Really looking forward to this. The old World Cup programmes on Sky Sports have been great stuff.

Not had a bet yet, but i think it's between Sri Lanka and India.

This

my real cricket loving friends reckon its really open this year, genuinely 6 teams could win, so india offer no value.

CRICKET FRIEND *DOES THUMBS UP AND SMILE*

I thought Sri Lanka would be the value, but the bookies seem wise to it. They have priced as I would India>Sri Lanka> SA> Aus> Rest.

Not a fan of the format, too many meaningless matches that go on for forever then a straight KO which will be the nut games, sigh.

Prefer 4 groups of 3 then another group stage of 2 of 4, then semis then final. Something like that obv means reducing the comp to 12 teams, but there are only 9 competitive teams rly.

Ten years ago the cricket World Cup was great, really something to look forward to.

But 20:20 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>> 50 over game and this tournament really doesn't have the lustre it used it imo.

I thought it would be sweet until I realised how long it went on for.

Goes on for far too long, but lots of trading opportunities.

Have backed NZ at 24 with a view to trading later on.
Also going to look at backing Bangladesh if they get beat by India tomorrow, again with a view to trading.  I think they will surprise a few teams.

Very open tournament though and difficult to pick a winner at this stage.

Dont fancy England at all though.

Sri Lanka for me would appeal, local conditions lots of batting, good slow bowlers but 4/1 too short

Can't fancy England out there, India too short

Pakistan on their day, at 15/2 outright, but unbackable given their day depends on many non cricketing factors!

WI at 20/1 for a sporting run please

I like the look of the 9/1 on Michael Yardy to be top England bowler.

Basically only 6 teams can win the world cup imo, so i've bet the outsider of the 6 Pakistan E/W at 9/1, to big of a price not to back with the talent they have in there team and in conditions they are used to.

My greatest ever fail - telling anyone who would listen that Sri Lanka were massively overpriced at 66/1 to win the 1996 CWC, then not backing them myself.

If England can avoid Sri Lanka in the quarter final, i think we have a decent chance of reaching the semi's. Having said that, our WC campaigns are usually pretty disastrous, and we are definitely in the toughest group.

Two area's are going to be crucial in this tournament. Firstly it's crucial to get off to a flyer, run scoring is going to be easiest early on against the seamers, it's worth sacrificing 2 or 3 wickets to get up to 100 after 15 overs. I like the move to open with Pieterson, and Strauss has been positive in the last 12 months in one day cricket. The problem i can see though is Trott. His form in the one dayers in Australia has changed England's plans imo, i'm fairly sure he wouldn't have been in the first choice team pre Aus, but now he has to play and he has to bat at 3. I think he will score runs but i don't think he will get them quickly enough. Also i'm not sure he's all that good against spin. Secondly, it's going to be important that we play the spinners well in the middle overs, something we have constantly been poor at. Morgan is a massive loss here.

Slow start for Sehwag.

Immense batting line up, as we know

Bangladesh having a decent crack at chasing this massive score down.........

Hahaha, bok.......

bit wierd england leaving yardy out i think....

109  for 2...please let it happen again :)

surely the person who stole paul collingwood's razor wins the competition for practical joke of the year?

Dropping Yardy is odd

Play him all winter in the one dayers, then get to the WC where conditions need pace off the ball and craftiness and thanks but no thanks

looks as though theres 2 places in the team between bopara, bresnan and yardy. i think if bopara is happy to bowl a few overs (little medium pacers could be effective in subcontinant) then i would choose bopara and yardy and leave bresnan out. Cant really see what he has to offer on these pitches, if anderson cant make it swing then Bres has no chance.

131-2 Come on Doeschie!

Bresnan is an ideal one day player. his game is great for the format and his stats prove he has done very well. I would defo play him. His batting average is 3 below Bopara's case closed.

hes handy with the bat too, bowling nicely today. just think he may be  the pace to get smacked around a bit of these surfaces by a good batting line up.

Shambles.

Surely England are a lay at 1/4 ??

Should still win, but certainly no 4's on shots batting under lights.

Yep, maximum lay for me.

292 for 6....we're doing pretty well. Shame Doeschie is gone, he's superb.

When did England last get 300 in a ODI ? I know it's against a weak non test playing cricket side but after what sounded like an absolutely shambolic performance by us, 1/4 seems a ridic price.

They did it twice against the Aussies in Jan/Feb. Depends if the batting can be quite as crap as the bowling was.

From BBC coverage:

From Anon: "That level of performance, against a team of journeymen with a few talented individuals, is shameful. There will be harsh words exchanged in the Netherlands changing room."

Decided to fade it, congrats :)

lolz

Just got up and was like wtf, 292!

It is like the bad old days, embarassing ourselves on the world stage again.

Getting updates form yahoo you need 112 from 100....please hold :)

You rooting for England then, as we have been faves to win this at every point of today.

Well you've been favs up until the point where you conceded a massive 292 with me TBH. After that I had it as pretty tight TBH, especially with England's ability to massively collapse.

You are only 14 to 1 on betfair, pretty close imo.

I cant believe that England haven't started to play some big shots and make this easy

Also, why Collingwood at 5 ??? Makes no sense on current form

Dont care if we win, this batting is pathetic, 3 -4 blows over the top during the powerplay and the game wouldve been over. Bowling is v v ordinry

Disagree. You play the game infront of you. Whether it takes us longer or not there is no need to risk the big shots. Well ahead of where Netherlands were and have bigger hitters to come if needed. Shouldn't have let them get as many as they did but to say we've only chased 293 or higher 3 times before if we do it then it doesn't really matter how.

Lack of ability to clear the ropes is worrying- other teams are capable of 20+run overs, we just dont seem to have anyone to do it.  We should be able to chase 350 id say against this bowling on a decent track like it is with a fast outfield

Hard to describe how poor this attack is in international terms, fair play if we get there and you have a point, but we just need a bad few balls, a fluke wicket and we can lose which should never happen after the first 20 overs

RTD is usually the "6th" bowler for Essex, the fact he was 9-4 to be top bowler sums their attack up. Tom Cooper wouldnt get a bowl in any Essex league game let alone a World Cup game

13 AND 12...We can do this

weee, we did it!

Easy.

Bring on India, they must be quaking.

Sigh, ah well..most fun I've had following cricket in ages.

Good game today, and an excellent win for Pakistan, especially against a home team who are 2nd favourites.

great toss to win this, India will set us 325+


next!

"England's team have 21 ODI centuries between them, Tendulkar's just completed his 47th"

fantastic to watch, what a genius

Oppo 524-8 off 88 overs v England in WC so far


correction 528-8 off 88.1 overs

correction 528-9 lol

most pointless review ever, it's hit him about an inch in front of the stumps. awesome over from bresnan

Fine effort from fatty :) pity it will all be in vein.

Bizarre that England can be so dominant in the ashes and win the 20:20 WC, but are just crap at 50 overs cricket.

I guess we'll have to settle for spanking the Australians, it's the only bit of cricket of any interest to anyone!

any decent streams where the sound doesn't keep dropping?

Sigh, fking luckbox..............

 
COME ON ENGLAND!

even if we don't make it, net run rate is important, got to get as close as possible

could be us versus Bangla for the 4th spot

Interesting, didn't even know that 2.5 m rule existed.............

Wish we'd take the batting powerplay now!

Hmmm we have a chance here!

Currently 1.4 on BF

Shhhhh, no bokking please  :)

Quite enjoying this, CMON ENGLAND!

India were 1.08 earlier was gonna lay it massive sigh.............

 ;frustrated;

How to grab defeat from the jaws of victory

Sigh, its the hope that kills you

that said the yorker to get Strauss and the bowling from Zaheer afterwards was sensational

We desperately need a big hitter at 5-6-7. Colly ain't that

What a Match!

wow, just wow

Wow, can't say I'm disappointed with the result after all that. Brilliant game!

ZOMG what a finish.

Amazing game.

Great finish.shahzad's six was awesome

interesting last ball in both innings. first india run short and have a run taken off their total, then they set the field to give up the single and the tie

Probably the right thing to do though - chances of saving a single when the non-striker's just going flat out to the keeper's end whatever are pretty remote.

Didn't really see what happened, but wondered if they made any effort to get back for two - unlikely obviously but there must be a chance. If Shazad knows he's safe for one he should just turn and go back, Swann's potentially in the way of a throw to the keeper and anything can happen.

Good game, but pretty much irrelevant I imagine. Pre-game hype of 'it doesn't get bigger than this' talking it up more than a little... I hate the World Cup, weeks of a pointless group stage and then whoever wins three in a row wins it. Bit embarrassing that they can't come up with something more worthwhile.

Looking awful in the field again, sigh. Might well lose this, marv.

England would be a far better team if they had a hitter like O'Brien in it. He must be eligible for us in something, surely?!

blinding hitting, spuerb stuff. We have nurdlers and nudgers coming in numbers 5-8.

Taken the 1.16- looks too big

ha taken 1.26 too

Dont even mind losing- at least the journeymen might be dropped!

Might as well have some 1.5s too.... get the averaging ammo out.

Hussain think Ireland are favs with 7 to go, I would like to get Evs on that..

Yorkers please. ffs.

I liked when we had Collingwood and Yardy on at both ends, i would have paid to put my pads on and get out there!

OK on @ 2.1 - can't turn that down, one wicket puhhhhleeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeze

wow just turned sky on and ireland are on fire!

On at 11/4. Commentators are definitely a punters friend here.

Sick game, been good world cup to watch Englands games!

Hows Anderson bowling LENGTH when its last ball of over?

No total is safe on these wickets unless you can bowl like Malinga, pace and yorkers

We've got nothing out of the ordinary to get them out

epic scences

Really silly 2nd run, he was running on empty as well

that   - great stumping thou - didnt even look

Amazing chase. Dropped catches obv cost the game

Plus we should have got 345+

Yardy and supine bowling cost the game more than the catches

We can't take timely wickets on the pitches over there.

Well dropping O Brien was without doubt a game ending moment

£5m matched on BF at 1.01 and 1.02 when Ire hit 111-5!

TBF 1.01 was excellent value

Ireland hit 400s and even that was probably too short

yes that's fair

On a wider basis we lack game changers in the batting and bowling, no?

Yes without a doubt

Love him or hate him, Bopara has more talent and ability to change a match than Yardy. His 1 day bowling stats aint even bad, Strauss just dont bowl him so he dont get picked

Surely the England players are at least a little tired ? How long have they been on their travels for now, yeah I know that they aren't the only team but considering football managers complain about 2 games a week, surely playing this much cricket takes it toll ?

Without a doubt

Flying back from Australia to England, then flying to India 3 or 4 days later was clearly insane.

Not just tiredness though, the bowling tactics are just all wrong, steaming in and banging it on a length with a touch of width most times too is just begging to be hit.

Obvious really. Also, not obvious what Yardy brings as a bowler..or bat for that matter

I guess they know they made a mistake with arrangements and that's why the Ashes are being moved.

I don't agree with this mate. He has been an integral part of the one day set up over the past 18 months.

tbf england have been shit at 50 over cricket for years now

The thing is, England should still find it pretty difficult to get knocked out - beating the Windies and Bangladesh will get us through even if we lose to SA.

Yardy avgs 20 with bat and over 50 with the ball. He has a first class bowling average of 77, he is a batsmen that isnt good enough to be in top 6 so they use him as a second spinner.

He shouldnt be anywhere near the squad let alone the first XI

at county level he averages 40 with the ball and 24 with the bat in One days. Disastrous really

                                              Bopara       Yardy
Batting
International One day                  29             20
County One day                         38              24

Bowling
International One day           10 @  33         20 @  52
County One day                  124 @ 26      108 @  40

Go figure why Yardy is seen as a bowler

Bopara has scored 8.7% of his oneday runs in 6s, that compares to 1.8% Yardy, 2.9% Prior, 2.5% Bresnan- pretty obvious was 6,7,8 arent producing power.

LOL at Ryanair

'Fly to the home of cricket for £9.98'  :D  Meaning Ireland obv

Doesn't miss a trick that guy.

lol....excellent!

Fk off review system  >:(

Justice GTFO!

This is gonna be a tight finish for anyone not watching!

anyone finding the 50 over format boring should just stick to watching england games

Another great game

What a horrendous pitch, but makes for a good one

no. 11's shitting his pants

lol, what a game!

Incredible!!!!

It's a funny old game

GTFIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII

Wiiii

Wow, what an amazing game.

Wiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiii

Not celebrating just relieved.

Brilliant end

Just woke up and seen the result!

Hahahaha, it is pretty entertaining being an England cricket fan.

Was great, can't help still feeling very negatively about Yardy - maybe he's OK for 20 20 but he doesn't add anything to this 50 over team.

What do you reckon after that game Martin ? Also, the stats Dubi posted are pretty damning - just don't think he's up to it.

He was very poor today. I can't see we have many alternatives though.

As for the stats, it's difficult for a No.7/8 to have much of a batting average in one day cricket. Comparing him to Bopara is wrong, they aren't competing for the same spot in the team. His economy rate in one dayers is only 4.8, which is impressive for a slow bowler.

This Ireland v India game has got potential to get interesting...........

LOL forget that.....

Pieterson out of tournament. Flying home for hernia op.

Hope Morgan is fit enough to replace him!

Whoa fk we need him  :'(

I heard he has been netting with Middlesex, so hopefully that will be the case.

NZ just gone mad, 95 runs off the last 5 overs!

85 off the last 3.2 overs, lol

Lulz - the Pakistan team all look like their cat's just been run over.

Taylor and Oram's partnership - 85 off 3.2 overs!!!

Last 5 overs of the innings - 100/2 and only 1 of those was a power play over!!

Broad out as well. I would be seriously tempted to go for Rashid as his replacement.

Just watching the NZ game on highlights... looks like the Pakistani boys have been spread trading again...  ;whistle;

I was just thinking the same watching the BBC highlights now... Inevitable these days when you watch Pakistan, particularly in a dead game with a massive audience like this. It's probably actually pretty easy to do these days without it looking too dodgy, as the margin for error is so small. Run up and a normal respectable length at someone like Taylor and you know it's going out of the park without you really doing anything wrong. Though they seem to have chucked in a load of full-bungers for good measure. (And Akmal's clanger earlier, wtf was that...) They basically didn't bowl a good ball in the last six overs.

Took 1.8 about England. If Tamin gets off to a flyer then i will go in again, fully expect Bangladesh to bowled out.

i was cursing not taking the 13/8 on bangladesh when we were for 7. The ball is doing a bit but the pitch is fairly flat apparently.

I think it'll be close.

Looked low and slow to me- unless they get off to a flyer, they could capitulate- might have small bet under 100 and 125

England just having a shocker allround, what a mess. Looks like we are going to have beat West Indies in our final group game to progress to the quarter finals.

Gone in again at 15-8

wicket, here we go.... glgl

Should have emptied the clip on this one, really fancied massive collapse and market was so pro Bangladesh that i should have just kept clicking

I'm going to get a laminated picture of Dubai to hang on my office wall.

Different class.

What a catch!

+1

outstanding.

Top stuff Dubai. Wish I had followed you.

I did put them up at 1-5 v Ireland in fairness

I was on before the start actually, but I only got 1.3 I think so I wished I waited........

1.27 looks big now

Anderson been nobbled by pakistan?

oops

jimmy anderson is going to owe you a wedge dubai

 >:(

Still should have had more on- was right and made mistake not clicking- result irrelevant

Swann and Anderson are both complete wankers.

Ego far bigger than their talent levels suggest.

:O

Anderson one of the worlds premier bowlers???? Can't even bowl at the stumps against tail enders of a bad side when protecting 30 runs. Criminal for you dubai, you should definitely ask him for a refund.

lol

National Hero's to complete wankers in 2 months?

Result is unimportant.

Won alot of Sklansky bucks.

Was gonna say that too, but I think Keith has probably done a chunk and is a touch mad  :'(

Swann in particular reminds me of Ian Poulter.

Yes, they are good players, but horrible personality.

Only sportsmen like Warne, Tiger or Johnson can justify egos as big as Swann has got.

Thinks he's bigger than the game.

I haven't seen it much from Anderson but Swann does seem really stroppy, a lot.

i think swann is a great lad

the team is just redic burnt out, i hope we dont qualify for the next round, give us a bit of time to get sorted out before the summer starts.

Big flaw here, winning the World Cup would be this group of players greatest achievement. What exactly are they getting sorted out for? If they win the world cup they can have the summer off.

me personaly i couldnt care less about 1 day cricket

Winning the Ashes in Aus and in the manner they did is a greater achievement than winning this would be, imo.

Its not even close.

I love cricket but can't say I'm desperate to win this. The Ashes on the other hand..........

i get more pumped about a test series against Sri Lanka than i do about the world cup

It was a great achievement but the Aussies were on the way down, if the 2005 Ashes heroes had gone there and won that would be the greatest achievement. They got badly beaten. England are a great cricket team now but winning the Cricket World Cup would be better than beating the worst Aussie side for 25 years.

lol, too long in the pub this afternoon hence bad spelling and punctuation, still think I'm right though, Australia were poor.

Pfffffft, no

Test cricket and especially the ashes is more important than some 1 day tournament that's played just so the ICC fill there pockets with cash, majority of the england team have been away from home for nearly 5 months now playing cricket non-stop, no wonder the performances have been so sub standard.  few weeks ago everyone on here was loving england, 2 bad performances when they are obviously knackered from all the cricket they have played, and everyone jumps on there backs, to many results orientated followers.

BTW I'd rather see Swann looking stroppy when things aren't going how he wants then have a smile on his face when he's not doing well or the team aren't, what's that about.

I think he's a pretty good personality tbh, cricket players not often are.

the varience is bigger in odi's

Any test cricket>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>One Day World Cup
ODI's throw up a good game every so often but are often dull. T20's for entertainment, tests for proper cricket.

Agree that they must be burnt out. Shame after winning T20 world cup and Ashes that this tournament didn't come when we were fresh but the Summer is more important. Maybe something to think about in future that we should have changed the ODI team more from the Test team.

This.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/england/9422762.stm

Ireland currently having a good crack at those nice South Africans.

Doing my head in.
Watching cricket from India
Listening to a Colombian singer
Singing Football World Cup song
About Africa
But supposed to be just for South Africa

ffs now La Bamba.............. good night

Another close finish in an England game, coming up.

I reckon they should let us through anyway, for the entertainment we provide.

How close was that one? sigh

sickening. we could go out of the wc because trott's shirt was a bit too baggy

gutted, but my 1st instinct was he deffo touched the rope.

think most people's would've been but there didn't seem to be any clear shot

does anyone know the actual rule? I assume the benefit has to go to the batsman if there's a doubt, would seem harsh to give them out when not 100%

Does seem like they need to consider rules for this sort of thing, as margins are so fine now that they're using cameras on everything. Agree that benefit of doubt on whether it's a wicket or not should generally go to the batsman - but there's also doubt about whether it's a six or not isn't there...? And that can't be proved either. Maybe it should be a dot ball or something.

Wtf is that - "That's worked perfectly", "Correct decision" says David Lloyd - as he gets given not out in accordance with the on field decision.

But the replay showed it was out...! So how's it worked perfectly and is the correct decision..?

Also, didn't he give him not out because he thought he'd nicked it - suspect he did. In which case the fact that it's "only clipping" the top of middle shouldn't matter.

So want this competition to end but is v exciting watching England.

Wiiiii.

All aboard the England rollercoaster.

yeah, huge problem with the review system that one. he's clearly out, everyone can see it but not out is the correct decision

we should at least get given another review

and gtfi swanny. what a delivery. game on

Yesss great catch.

Yeah brilliant - you wouldn't choose to have Tremlett there then would you...

The replay was inconclusive although most people would say he hit the rope. When you touch the rope it's a boundary and always has been. Benefit of doubt always goes to the batsmen.

 There was a great catch a year or 2 back where the fielder caught it realised he would go over the rope so threw it up returned to the field and caught it which is fine.

Sandy

Windies only need 19 from their point of view, a tie and England can still through if Bangladesh lose to South Africa.

wooooooooooooooo

Get in!!!!!!!!

We are so good to watch, yet so mediocre.

watching england is amazing. wiiiiiiii

yeah I know the rules (Laws) but there isn't actually anything in them that says the batsman gets the benefit of the doubt. My point was that the batsman gets the benefit of the doubt on wicket decisions because it's right that you have to prove the wicket. But by the same token and in the same spirit you should have to prove the six, otherwise the fielder in that case should be the one who is innocent till proven guilty, and it should be the fielding side in that case should get the benefit of the doubt.

There's a margin of error with the predictive thingy and so you can't be sure it's hitting when it's just clipping, thus no howler.

It is a howler though if he only originally gave it not out because he thought he'd nicked it, which is what I was wondering. If he gave it not out on height then the "only clipping" thing is fair enough I guess. But if he didn't even consider the height because he thought he'd hit it, then "only clipping" should be enough to give it out on review once you've proved that he didn't in fact hit it.

agree with that. plus forget the margin of error on the technology, there were enough tv angles all of which showed it clearly hitting, no need to use technology to make a decision on height when it's that clear

Yeah, it's very generous to the umpires with the margin of error as it is here.

Treadwell's an interesting chap isn't he. Must be inspirational in the dressing room.

You don't want to many big ego's in the dressing room i would have thought!

Good god i done it in and woke up fancying England- anyone who was betting on betfair would have seen have pro England the market was and i assume would have done it in

Lol WTF again  ;D

It's a bit like Ian Bell against India (I think), everyone thought he was out but the rules said no because he'd been hit so far from the stumps. In that case it was hitting the middle of middle...

Jade Dernbach called up to replace Shahzad. Interesting choice.

Very interesting. Never actually seen him play but he seems to be doing ok at Surrey.

Although including Dernbach means we may as well call the England 1st XI the South Africa B team.

Never even heard of him. :-X

one more wicket this morning and we're officially through. I'm gonna count my chickens and say wiiiiiiiiiiii

It looks like we play Sri Lanka next Saturday.  gg

Seen Dernbach quite a lot, a steady fast medium, took a lot of wickets on flat pitches on the recent A tour to the West Indies. A great trier too

got to feel a bit sorry for Woakes who went to Aus and can bat too

All academical though, Sri Lanka in Colombo is a tough ask against Murali and Mendis with Malinga at the death


To me SL and Pak look the dangerous sides here. SL are well balanced and Pak, if their heads are right, have a lot of wicket taking bowlers

no worries. if this world cup's taught us anything it's that we don't want to be drawn against minnows

Looks like Pakistan are setting up the ultimate grim on the bookmakers now as we speak v the Aussies  :)

Q-Fs: 1: WI v Pak; 2: Ind v Aus; 3: SA v NZ; 4: SL v Eng.


S-Fs: Winner QF3 v Winner QF4. Winner QF1 v Winner QF2.


We are backing who at what price and why?

QF1. Pakistan. The most difficult of the QF's to call imo, been v impressed with Pakistan's bowling attack though, that just gives them the edge.

QF2. India. Have been disappointed with India, they have been let down by their middle order batting, and poor fielding, they wont get away with it against Australia. Having said that, i think they will have far too much for what is a pretty poor Australian outfit, one dimensional bowling attack which might have blown away the minnows but Sachin, Sehwag, Ghambir is totally different. Too many of their batsmen out of form too.

QF3. South Africa. Comfortably.

QF4. Sri Lanka. I think we are capable of beating anyone, with Pieterson and Broad we would have had more of a chance, but they are very difficult to beat in their own backyard. We really need to get off to a flyer with bat, it's going to be very difficult in the middle overs against their spinners.

South Africa look the most likely winners to me at this stage. Now they have a balanced bowling attack they could finally lose the chokers tag.

Pretty much agree with all that Martin except we will beat SL obv

I want us to to do it the hard way, beat SL at home and then ship v India in the Final. Obv down to the last ball in each game  ;D

Yardy suffering from depression and returning home

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/england/9434379.stm

He's depressed?

At least by playing in the team he doesn't have to watch them - that's depressing.

good to see a full house there watching even though Bangladesh are not playing.

NZ putting the squeeze on SA at the mo 121-5 needing another 101, game on!

Bet on NZ when they were 4, but laid half of it off because I am a life nit.

Curse my nittiness.

quite an impressive job there from SA. pretty tricky to lose that after the way they bowled. the blackcaps could win this tournament by default if they keep playing teams who've bet against themselves

Morgan only dropped the three times then


can we get to 250, give us a chance on a slow low pitch?

both teams currently 5/6

out now, england have a great chance here

england certainly dug themselves out of a hole. good effort but think its 15 runs too short. tbh win this and it means a final gtd

yeah - couple of early wickets to get tehm off to a slow start would be nice here

Slight advantage to SL, but anything can happen. Gonna be exciting anyway  :)

heads have gone down - we will get towzed at this rate

we dont want this - embarrasing in the field

6/4 on Sri Lanka is huge Valooo. Indians seriously don't give a toss about the final, beating Pakistan was enough for them.

Definately.  Sri Lankans have looked the better outfit throughout the tournament - Indians still under huge pressure.
Should be about evens i reckon.

8/5 too with SB

the exact words of my shop keeper last night - they def dont expect to win. They need to get thru SL top 4 quickly to stand any chance

I got a feeling sachin is gonna pull off one of the best innings in world cup history. But abso agree SL have been best all round team of the tourney. As long as it is close and a good game WTF do English guys have to look forward to in any sport

Sri Lanka have a lot of injuries

I want to back them, but can't do it.

India for me are worthy favourites

Tough to see India winning it after that

Coin flip still imo........

Should be a tight game. Much will depend on whether Murali is on one leg or not

Fantastic stuff from Jayawardene

True. My world cup ends everytime we smash Pakistan. Everything else is irrelevant.

LOL silence.

I was undecided about who I wanted to win, think I do want SL to do it now.