Posted by Nefariousness can be a virtue, it seems. Tim Gruijters and his bad-but-by-no-means-debilitating back probably wouldn’t have hit 45 off 15 balls, vaulting the Netherlands from third place in their group into the Super 10 stage of the World T20. However, his replacement, Tom Cooper, managed it – just like that.
Needing to chase 190 in 13.5 overs against Ireland in order to finish top of their group on net run-rate, the Netherlands only went and did it. Schuberb schtuff. The moral of the story is that if you have a choice between someone who’s a bit rubbish and someone who’s pretty good, you should tell the former that he’s injured in order to get the latter into your side. Maybe even deliberately injure the first guy, if need be.
This is excellent news. It means England won’t lose embarrassingly to Ireland (again) this time.
They’ll lose to the Dutch (again) instead.
And England somehow become the second best team in the group that play in orange.
Which one are they going to hoof in the shin so that ten Doeschate can be parachutted in?
Despite myself; I am loving the ICC T20 (accidentally typed IPL first time round).
I was very keen on Nepal v Afghanistan and Honk Kong versus Afghanistan was a cracker for a while. The Dutch Irish faceoff was immense (despite Tim’s back). I suspect though its a bit like the Voice/ X factor early round thing where you get the really shit versus very good and the ensuing surprises.
Got to love the exploding wickets though?!
I really enjoyed Nepal v Afghanistan too. Watching Nepal I found myself imagining just how enthusiastic Tony Greig would be about “those plucky little Nepalese fellows” ( in a 12thman stylee voice) .
What’s going on here? We were supposed to trash Cooper, I thought. He’s only 22, you said. Deserves a second chance, you said. And now THIS. You are supposed to stick to your guns and claim Gruijters would’ve smashed 46 off 15, easy. In times like these, your readers need stability. We need to know that nothing much would change over the next forty five years. We demand you provide us that, we do.
The Bring Back Andre Van Troost campaign starts here.
Who’s with me?
Guys?
Andre van Troost was awesome.
How about Roland Lefebre?
Ah, good old Roland.
They all seemed to play for Somerset, for some reason.
Who said the qualifier groups would be decided by the first match in each group?
I want a confession here. And a grovelling recantation.
Does anyone think England would have been able to chase 190 in 13.5 overs?
Anyone?
England would have written qualification off and been focussed on building for the next series
mmmmmmwell possibly – if geoff boycott’s mum was opening the bowling. ah but no, i forgot her specialities are batting (with a stick of rhubarb) and fielding (in her pinny). so i guess the answer is a flat NO then
actually the way things have been going lately, you wouls scarcely back england to chase down 190 in 135 overs…
“The moral of the story is that if you have a choice between someone who’s a bit rubbish and someone who’s pretty good, you should tell the former that he’s injured in order to get the latter into your side. Maybe even deliberately injure the first guy, if need be”
When England loft the T20 WC, you’ll be forced to say(probably by Giles Clarke)
“The moral of the story is that if you have a choice between someone you dont like who’s pretty good, and someone you like who’s a bit rubbish, you should tell the former he is a noxious influence and boot him out. Maybe even deliberately provoke him to say noxious stuff, if need be”