What a brilliant game of cricket. I absolutely loved that. Both teams had it in the bag. Both teams made a mess of it. Both teams dropped sitters in the deep and both teams held on to some of the best catches seen in the tournament.

South Africa remain unbeaten and have one foot in the semi-finals. England can still get there if they beat USA and the West Indies beat South Africa. Net run rate will be a factor of course. And after today’s show, let’s not right anything off.

With that I’ll sign off and thank you all for sticking with me. Thank you to everyone who wrote in. I’m sorry I couldn’t get to them all. If only the game was more pedestrian, but who wants that?

Look out for Ali Martin’s report that should be landing any minute.

Totsiens and hamba kahle.

Now Aiden Markram:

Once again, we’ve had a few of those in this comp. Especially today. You got to the last three overs and it looked like the odds would be heavily against you. But for the bowlers to hang in there and execute against really good players, that shows a lot of skill but that comes from somewhere deeper. That shows a lot of heart and spirit.

The message was [that the pitch was slow]. I thought it was decent to bat in the powerplay. Quinny showed that. But it defintiely got slower. I wanted another 20 runs if I was being greedy. So we knew we had to squeeze in the field. We’re getting closer to that perfect game of cricket. We’re not quite there yet but we’re getting closer.

It was always going to be a challenge. But you just need one or two to have a good day. We have trust that each guy on their day can put in a performance.

[What was going on with those full tosses?] It’s always a tricky one. You want to see the bowler’s best skills. That might be a yorker, you want to give them the freedom to bowl his best ball. It was nerve wracking. The plan was good, execution was the issue. Which happens. YOu have to give Brooky and Liam credit as well.

[And that match winning catch? One of your best?] I’ll take it! I’m grateful that it stuck. Your mind races as a captain and you can drift a bit. I think it made a big difference.

Here’s Jos Buttler:

I’d say [it was lost] in the powerplay. De Kock took it on and we couldn’t match them. We were 20 runs behind. We were happy chasing 160 but they bowled well in the powerplay.

It was still a good wicket. We were happy chasing 160. I thought Brook and Livingstone had a fantastic partnership to take us close and looking like favourites.

[On Livingstone] sometimes you don’t face loads of balls. he’s made peace with that. Once he got over that he’s been hitting the ball sweatly in the nets.

We’re still very much in the competition. We played well but couldn’t quite get over the line.

That’s right. If they batter the USA they could sneak through.

I started this blog asking if there we’d been served too much cricket.

What a fool I was!

Here’s Thomas Walker again:

Another reason this World Cup should be considered a success - so many thrilling matches with close finishes and outstanding individual and team performances, especially from the Associate nations. I’ll always love Test cricket above all else but any cricket is good cricket! Keep it coming!

Amen.

Quinton de Kock has been named player of the match. Here’s what he has to say:

We’ve played a couple of games here in certain leagues, and it doesn’t play as nice in the day as it does at night. Night games and day games can be two different surfaces on the same wicket.

My plan was to bat as long as I can and make as many runs as I can [simple, eh?]

I don’t carry confidence [from previous knocks]. I just go game by game. That is what I focus on.

I thought we bowled really well, especially in the powerplay. Otherwise we were pretty solid. To defend [163] on a decent wicket was pretty good.

Where was that won? De Kock’s knock for sure – that 65 from the top of the innings was pivotal – but Maharaj’s 2-25, accounting for Bairstow and Buttler, also deserves a mention. Then of course there was Markram’s catch to remove Brook.

What a game of cricket! I lost track of the number of times I declared one side a winner before changing my mind and handing victory to the other.

Two outstanding innings from de Kock and Brook, with handy cameos from Miller and Livingstone, cut through shoddy looking scorecards.

It was a game defined by stunning grabs, most notably Markram’s diving, backwards-running catch to dismiss Brook and swing the pendulum for the final time in the final over.

South Africa win by seven runs.

A single to mid-off!

8 needed off the last ball. As long as Nortje bowls a legal delivery SA will win.

Dot ball! A low full toss and Curran biffs it towards deep midwicket. But he declines the single.

9 off 2. This has to go for Curran. A dot ball will win it for South Africa.

Four! Nortje misses his line, slips it down leg and Curran swishes a four past short fine leg.

9 off 3.

Nortje goes full to Archer who swipes a single to the leg side.

13 needed off 4. Curran on strike.

19th over: England 150-5 (Brook 52, Curran 5) Good running brings Brook on strike for the final over. That was a great set from Jansen who bowled into the sticky surface and conceded just seven runs. That leaves 14 needed off the final over.

Oh! The breeze saves Brook. Again, into the surface and Brook tries to hoik a cut for six. Doesn’t catch it. It almost reaches Stubbs on the sweep. 16 off 7.

Jansen into the surface, Curran is content to bunt it off the back foot to deep square for a single.

17 off 8.

Brook makes room to scoop a boundary over fine leg, but can’t get hold of it. Instead it thuds into his pads. Still, they scamper a single.

18 off 9.

Brook gets to 50 by nudging Jansen for a couple wide of long on. That’s off 34.

19 needed off 10.

12 balls left. 21 runs needed. I’m going ball by ball.

Jansen to Brook. Into the surface. Dot ball.

18th over: England 143-5 (Brook, 48, Curran 2) Rabada gets a wicket from a full toss but recognises he was lucky to do so. So he smartly brings his length back and as a result only concedes four singles. That should be the strategy. At least, it should have been the strategy. I fear South Africa have blown this.

Apologies. It was Livingstone who just went out, not Brook.

17th over: England 139-4 (Brook 47, Livingstone 33) 4-4-6-2. That’s the sequence from four consecutive full tosses from the usually accurate Baartman. Livingstone has belted his team back on top and now it’s England’s match to lose. Brook also spanks a full toss – the fifth of the over – off the final ball for four. That’s 52 runs from the last three overs. South Africa are making a mess of this. 25 needed off 18.

16th over: England 118-4 (Brook 43, Livingstone 16) That’s back to back successful overs from England. This Nortje set costs 13 runs – above the asking rate – and suddenly momentum is swinging towards the bat. It helps when you start the over with consecutive boundaries, which is what Brook did by first charging and bunting the fast bowler down the ground and then powering a drive through the covers.

15th over: England 105-4 (Brook 33, Livingston 14) That’s more like it from England. 18 off that Rabada over that started with a crunching pull for six off Livingstone’s bat. Then Brook scythed a cut for four and dinked a paddle to the boundary. Pace on the ball is what these batters want. Run rate is still north of 11 but this brings the teams closer.

Is Mahraj Eriksen in this analogy?

14th over: 87-4 (Brook 22, Livingston 7) Jansen back into the attack and he’s looking to cramp Brook. One ball with width is spanked for four behind square on the off side, but elswewhere there are just two singles and three dots. Brook tries to manufacture something with an attempted paddle but can’t make contact.

13th over: England 81-4 (Brook 17, Livingstone 6) Maharaj closes out with 2-25 from his four overs, bowling nine dot balls in the process. This over was worth nine runs thanks to a firm sweep for four behind square from Brook. A reverse sweep attempt catches the top edge of Brook’s bat, but it falls safely behind the wicket. The required run rate is up to 12.

John Starbuck has spotted a typo concerning Maharaj, but I’m tempted to leave it as is:

Dan,

Congratulations on coining the word of this contest: maginificient, a combination of magnificent and magic. You’d go far to better that one.

12th over: England 72-4 (Brook 8, Livingstone 6) A boundary – the first since the 5th over – as Livingstone mows a short ball to fine leg, splitting the boundary fielders. Nortje is hammering a good to full length otherwise which restricts the English batters to five singles. One was scampered, as they say, and only a dive from Livingstone prevented him running himself out.

There’s a direct hit at the non-striker’s end. Livingstone has set off for a quick single. He’s put the dive in. They review, but he’s safe.

11th over: England 63-4 (Brook 5, Livingston 0) Excellent from Baartman who is so hard to get away. I can’t quite figure out why. No great speed. No great variation. Just a tricky area consistently found. One leg-bye, two singles and the wicket of the dangerous Ali. Outstanding. Can England dig themselves out of this?

They say you shouldn’t make any judgements until both teams have batted.

10th over: England 60-3 (Ali 9, Brook 3) Markram brings himself on and it’s a tidy start. Zippier and flatter than Maharaj but just as effective. Four singles is all that over is worth. Brook not quite set yet and Ali is only going at a run a ball. That require rate is now over 10. 104 needed from 60 balls. There’s batting to come, but it’s a longish tale with Archer at 8.

Phila is right. I don’t think enough people recognise Maharaj’s value.

9th over: England 56-3 (Ali 7, Brook 1) Maharaj is putting his team in the driver’s seat. The bowl finger spin with flight requires bravery against these England batters but he’s tossing it up and inviting the big shots. Buttler went after it but couldn’t find the middle of his blade. Four singles and a two off the over means it’s just six from the over in a chase that now requires close to 10.

8th over: England 50-2 (Buttler 16, Ali 3) Oooh, almost a wicket as Ali spoons Nortje over the infield from an odd looking stroke. He’s standing deep in his crease and fetches this away from his wickets. Lucky there. Nortje doesn’t have much variation so he’s looking to bowl full and fast. So far so good. There’s just seven off that over. The required run-rate is starting to creep towards 10 an over.

Everytime Beau Dure has added to an email thread titled ‘Looking ahead for US’ the pendulum swings.

This is their latest offering:

Watching England’s batters this afternoon, I wonder if the USA’s bowlers are contemplating whether to let their fielders take some lawn chairs and get a well-earned rest while England are at bat against them.

7th over: England 43-2 (Buttler 12, Ali 0) South Africa are in this. Maharaj coughs up just two singles and bags the wicket of Bairstow. His change in flight, pace and area is a thing to behold. That wicket was procured by luring Bairstow wide and inviting him to generate pace on the cut shot. An underrated master finger spinner at work.

It’s the oldest cliche in the game, Colum Fordham, but it’s there for a reason.

Hi Daniel,

Tuned in a bit late and missed what must have been a stunner by Buttler but caught up with the quite extraordinary catches in Archer’s final over by Harry Brook and Sam Curran and now another pearler from Riza Hendriks. The athleticism on both sides is something to behold.
And catches, so they say, win matches. Will Salt’s early dismissal put the brakes on England’s pursuit? Think not but due caution is needed. Maybe inappropriate advice for the slapdash nature of T20.
Great OBO.

Cheers

6th over: England 41-1 (Buttler 11, Bairstow 15) Baartman, back in the side, bowls like he never left. He is South Africa’s block-hole-finding master and offers nothing for the England batters. Just five off that over including a leg-bye, both batters struggled for timing. Bairstow gets one over the infield but only just and it trickles away for two. That’s England’s lowest powerplay of the year. Dare I say we might have a game on here.

5th over: England 36-1 (Buttler 11, Bairstow 11) This is brave from Markram who introduces Maharaj early. Buttler lifts him for four from a swift reverse sweep, but otherwise it’s tidy from the finger spinner, who isn’t afraid to give it a little air. That’s the first time he’s been used in the powerplay this World Cup.

4th over: England 28-1 (Buttler 10, Bairstow 4) England should be two down. Rabada should have his second wicket and Bairstow should be throwing his gloves in the dressing room because Klassen put down a sitter. A lifter to deep third required Klaasen to come off the rope and slide into the catch, but having got both hands to the ball it shouldn’t have spilled out. Otherwise that was a drem over from Rabada who is so good to watch. Just two singles from it.

KLAASEN DROPS A SITTER! My word, that is a howler from a man who doubles up as a keeper. That’s Bairstow and that’s a huge moment down in the deep.

3rd over: England 26-1 (Buttler 3, Bairstow 9) Another good over for England. 10 from it. There’s a no-ball from Jansen’s size 14s which doesn’t help as well as a four from Bairstow’s blade, edging an ugly looking shot from a full toss down to the fine leg boundary.

To be fair to Dean Kinsella, he sent this before the wicket of Salt:

Hey Dan. Nah, I’m not buying it from Miller either. It was less the pitch getting slower and more that England’s bowlers were sending down more slower balls as was required. England defo in the driving seat.

I’d love to see Buttler cap his excellent performances with the gloves and the captaincy with one of his supercharged innings with the bat.

I was a little disappointed by the Sky commentators bigging up of Archer’s bowling and Buttler’s catch which dismissed de Koch and hardly commented on what was a tremendous innings from de Koch. Not many can give Archer that kind of treatment

2nd over: England 16-1 (Buttler 2, Bairstow 1) It’s say it’s all square in the chase. Salt biffed Rabada down the ground for four and the Saffa seamer gifted two wides. But a sensational grab from Hendricks at cover – only 20 metres away – to a firmly struck drive has wiped off a key member of Buttler’s team.

Damian Claker provides a dose of realism, and some classic English caution:

I don’t want to be too grim, but let’s not get too confident. We do have the odd form in this kind of thing.

I think your boys will be alright.

1st over: England 8-0 (Salt 7, Buttler 1) The innings kicks off with a truly spectacular catch at leg gully by Rabada, but it was off Salt’s thigh pad. No doubt that the third ball met his bat as he clobbered a six from a thunderous pull shot that screamed off his blade. A single apiece means that England’s run chase requiring eight an over is off to the ideal start.

Right then. Let’s find out if this is remotely close to a competitive score.

The lanky lefty Marco Jansen has the ball. Phil Salt is taking guard. The plan will be to bring the ball back into the right handed batter.

Would that mean South Africa’s middle order is the equivalent of Southgate’s left wing?

David Miller reckons this is a good score.

“It got slower and slower,” he says of a pitch that he still thinks is a “very nice wicket”.

I’m not buying it. England firm favourites.

19th over: South Africa 155-4 (Miller 43, Stubbs 9) Miller has found his touch. A slot ball from Curran is creamed over the extra cover boundary which followed consecutive twos. Stubbs, though, is batting with a wet fish. 14 off the over is a handy return however and South Africa will now be looking at 165 at least.

18th over: South Africa 141-4 (Miller 31, Stubbs 8) Miller spanks Archer for a delicious six, leaning forward and flicking it away over the long leg boundary. That’s a bvit of quality shining through the gloom. Stubbs can’t match his partner and almost gets knocked in the head as he premeditates a reverse scoop to a ball that continues to follow him. Only eight from the over. So, despite the six, that’s still a win for England who will be chasing a gettable target no matter what happens from here.

Darryl Accone from South Africa (can you spot the political joke?) doesn’t rate Wood. Harsh or fair:

Hey Daniel!

Greetings from GNUland.

Surely the time has come to acknowledge that Mark Woods’s ability occasionally to bowl half a dozen overs in the high 80mph bracket is outweighed by his lack of fitness, proven tendency to break down, and being wildly over-rated as a strike weapon. He’s simply never out of the woods.

Ciao

17th over: 133-4 (Miller 24, Stubbs 7) Topley returns and picks up right where he left off. Apart from a wide, he’s on the money, conceding a miserly four singles. Banging the decks and mixing up his pace, that’s a lesson on how to cramp aggressive batters.

Beau Dure has been going through it.

They sent this before the flurry of wickets:

“Watching England’s bowlers this morning, I wonder if the USA’s batters are contemplating whether to go all-out for 75 in the power play when they face England or be more conservative and settle for the sure 60.”

And then this after the pendulum began to swing:

“Update: Watching England’s bowlers now, I think the USA will need to get every run they can in the power play and then hang on for dear life.”

16th over: South Africa 128-4 (Miller 22, Stubbs 5) Finally an over that goes South Africa’s way. 13 off that Wood set. Two fours for Miller, one clattered through midwicket and the other swivelled off a neat pull behind sqaure. Then Stubbs gets a boundary with a fine tickle off his hips.

Buttler has been magnificent. Inglis Michael wants to show some love:

Michael from NY - what amazing wicketkeeping from Butler! I had thought, after that penalty for time, that maybe he should ask Salt to keep, but that catch and runout was magnificent. Go England!

Can I also add that I’ve not had so many messages from people in America. I can’t say for sure if they themselves are American. Wherever they’re from originally, this is a wonderful turn.

15th over: South Africa 115-4 (Miller 13, Stubbs 1) Adil Rashid signs off with 1-20 from his four overs. Superb. It was his introduction that turned this game. A stiff reverse sweep from Miller finds a much-needed boundary but otherwise it’s all Rashid who bags a deserving wicket. After going at 10 an over in the powerplay, South Africa have gone at less than six.

Adam Roberts writes in:

Good Morning Daniel, Good Morning Everyone,

Sadly ‘watching’ from my desk again.

In response to 2 things:

1) the ‘music’ - I had to mute the tv last night when trying to watch Aus v Bangladesh

2) umpire’s review - Michael Gough had a decision overturned! Such a seismic shock should surely have caused headlines and been subject to more comment from Guardian writers?

14th over: South Africa 107-3 (Miller 7, Markram 0) Another strong over from England. South Africa were on target for 200+. Now they’ll do well to get 160. Wood, fired up from his drop, is steaming in with intent. Two wides in that over but one ends in the run-out of Klaasen. He closes the set by finding the edge of Miller’s wafting bat but there’s enough pace on it to get to the boundary despite Topley’s firm hand, diving from short third.

Credit to England but South Africa have been pretty poor after a wonderful start.

13th over: South Africa 98-2 (Klaasen 8, Miller 1) Klaasen survives an over that he started with a smoked four down the ground. From there it was Curran in control who was an inch away from a wicket, only to have the umpire’s review deny him. Otherwise it was another tidy set from an Englishman, conceding two singles from the final five balls. South Africa are behind and needing a dramatic shift.

UMPIRE’S CALL! Klaasen survives on the line of impact. He’s a lucky boy. That was clattering the stumps but he moved across just enough. England are all over South Africa.

There’s a review for lbw. Klaasen shuffled across his stumps to try and flick Curran away to the leg side. I reckon this is out.

12th over: South Africa 92-2 (Klaasen 3, Miller 0) England have fought their way back and are now on top. That’s another inexpensive over – worth just three runs – and nabbed the big fish of de Kock. Pace off is the plan it seems as the only two fast balls were dug in short. The rest were slower balls and cutters. Miller is the new man. That’s an explosive partnership at the crease but they have to get a move on to reach a defendable target.

David Newbould is speaks for all of us:

Why do they insist on blasting out sh*** music continuously throughout the cricket?

I have no idea. But I wish they’d stop.

John Ryan is back:

Feels like that last 2-3 overs has ruined any hope of getting even close to 200; de Kock slowed down and Hendricks did naff all, all on Klaasen...

Have South Africa settled on 160? Where has the intent gone?

Credit to Rashid and Ali. They’ve bowled superbly and the South Africans have struggled against the slower ball. But plenty to go. 200 could still be the target.

11th over: South Africa 89-1 (De Kock 64, Rashid 2) That’s 26 runs from the last five overs. This one’s the best of the lot from Rashid who concedes just two singles. There’s a slip in place for the right-handed Klaasen who can’t quite read the variations from the back of the hand. Lovely top-spinner and wrong ‘un. A genius spinner at work.

10th over: South Africa 87-1 (De Kock 64, Klaasen 1) Ali bags the breakthrough and Hendricks is back in the shed. Both teams will be happy with that outcome. (BTW, I’m a fan of Hendricks, just that this was a tough watch). The new man is Klaasen, which is an interesting choice and one made to target the spinners. No one is better at whacking slower bowlers into orbit than the ginger Saffa. He’s off the mark with a single to the sweeper on the off-side. Will that prompt a bowling change and see Wood join the party?

9th over: South Africa 80-0 (Hendricks 18, De Kock 59) Despite the annoyance of having a wicket struck off his tally, that’s another brilliant over from Rashid. Hendricks can barely get it off the square and has now faced 23 balls. He has to get going.

Just for those who missed the Wood ‘drop’. De Kock spanked a sweep straight to him at fine leg, but the fast bowler didn’t get his fingers underneath the ball. So, on review, de Kock was called back.

Good thing they can bat.

NOT OUT! It was a straight forward catch. Wood was so casual and he had to reach for it in front of him. The ball clearly touched the ground despite Buttler’s protestations. Let off for de Kock.

Tell you what, I think Wood has grassed this…

De Kock has spanked a leg side ball to Wood down at fine leg. But has he held on cleanly? They’re reviewing…

8th over: South Africa 75-0 (Hendricks 14, De Kock 58) Ali back into the attack and it’s a good set. Six off the over. Spin leading the way for England. I complimented Hendricks earlier but he has to kick on. He’s faced 19 balls. He either has to get smacking [the ball] or get packing [his bags].

“With this start, and this pitch, and their potential… I reckon SA should be going for somewhere around 215-220, what do you think?”

I reckon that'll be the aim, John Ryan. They’ll know that England have the firepower to reach any total. Hendricks perhaps has to get a move on to make sure the big hitters have enough time to get going.

7th over: South Africa 69-0 (Hendricks 13, De Kock 53) Time now for the best T20 bowler in the world. Adil Rashid is the man South Africans will fear the most and they show him respect by only taking six off the over. De Kock brings up the joint-fastest fifty of the tournament – off 22 deliveries – with a single down the ground. Hendricks playing a brilliant support role.

6th over: South Africa 63-0 (Hendricks 11, De Kock 49) De Kock is putting on a show. Curran, with a fresh MBE and a bustling run-up, is bowling back of the hand slower balls and off-cutters but one drag down is clobbered by the left hander into the stands. De Kock almost gets another four from a cut but Livingstone though he has to pirouette on the boundary to keep the ball in play and the runs down to three. 12 off the over and that’s South Africa’s best powerplay of the World Cup.

Bowling change. After coughing up 21 runs in his one over, Archer has been yanked out of the attack for Curran.

5th over: South Africa 51-0 (Hendricks 11, De Kock 39) Topley concedes his first boundary to another de Kock classic – a late cut that splits a gap with a lovely touch. Excluding a leg-side wide to Hendricks, Topley is tidy elsewhere, banging the deck and unfurling a cutter as well. The South Africans are happy to collect five singles around the ground.

4th over: South Africa 41-0 (Hendricks 9, de Kock 32) Facing Jofra Archer sounds like a nightmare but it’s a dream match-up for Quinton de Kock. After being beaten for face off a good length, he goes 6-6-4 with some delicious batting. His first maximum was a trademark – a swivel of the hips and a pick up over fine leg. Then he comes down the crease and pops another six over midwicket. Archer adjusts his length, digs it in and de Kock lifts a four over short third. After a single to a cutter, Hendricks gets in on the act and crunches a pull in front of square for four. 21 off that over. South Africa are on the rampage.

Time for Jof v de Kock. This should be good.

Thomas Walker has chipped in on our debate around too much cricket from the Big Apple:

Dan - writing in from my desk in midtown Manhattan, appreciate the OBO coverage! My two cents - I completely understand the debate around over-saturation of T20 cricket but I think this particular World Cup has been a real winner for the ICC. There’s been serious interest in New York around the tournament - sports bars are actually showing the games (never thought I’d see the day when I’d see cricket on telly in this city) and Americans seem to enjoy the big hitting and faster nature of the format. Compared to baseball (and it’s basically only baseball on right now), cricket is a fantastic contrast - batters actually hit the ball and the games are fast and furious.

We definitely don’t need a T20 World Cup every year but bringing the tournament to the US and Caribbean has been awesome. As an Aussie I’ve been thrilled to show the game to my local friends and attend some matches in Barbados (which is an incredible place to watch the sport - the passion is unbelievable). I understand the point of view of someone sitting in the UK or Australia that this is ‘meaningless’ and ‘too much cricket’, but for passionate fans like me and my mates it’s been an awesome experience to have the cup in this part of the world.

3rd over: South Africa 19-0 (Hendricks 14, De Kock 6) Another good set from Topley who is proving difficult to get away. Neat fielding down on the deep third boundary prevents de Kock collecting a boundary. Otherwise tight lines restricted the Saffas to singles.

2nd over: South Africa: 14-0 (Hendricks 3, De Kock 11) It’s Ali to De Kock and this round goes to the South African. He ends the over with a mowed four past mid-on and then closes it out with a thumping six over long-off. Swift use of the feet on both occasions. A couple of singles means that over is worth 12. South Africa are up and running.

In case anyone was wondering why Archer didn’t start:

1st over: South Africa 2-0 (Hendricks 2, De Kock 0) Topley lands his first ball on a good length straight at the stumps and he holds that line. When there is width Hendricks’ wafty cover drive hits the fielder. He’s off the mark with a steer worth two that finds a gap past point. Good start from Topley.

The anthems are done. The Proteas openers are making their way to the middle. England’s players are zipping about after a team huddle. Who is going to get the new ball? Moeen Ali has a good record against Quinton de Kock.

Nope, it’s Reece Topley to Reeza Hendricks, who could do with a big score today.

“Just wanted to wish all in OBO Land a Happy Solstice. Let’s hope it’s favourable for England.”

Thats from John Starbuck.

Salutations to all those who observe.

I’m being firmly put in my place regarding my gripe about too much cricket. Which is great! It’d be a shame if the passion dimmed.

Here’s Brendan Large weighing in:

I would like to add my name to the list of people that were chuffed that you got that mail from Alistair Connor!

As a resident of Norway I am used to struggling to find ways to watch cricket live on TV, and I was completely unaware of the ICC having the games live online. This is fabulous news!

To your other point regarding ‘too much cricket’. I have been impressed by the competitive nature of the competition so far (less so in the super eights til now). There have been many matches that were a lot closer and more interesting than I would’ve expected. I think there is a lot to be said for those low scoring pitches.

Lads, you’re making me change my mind. Thanks for that!

Tristan Stubbs is chatting with Shaun Pollock and they’ve mentioned the stiff breeze.

That won’t be the first time I mention it. Hitting with the wind will aide sixes. Hitting into it will see the ball hold up and batters hole out.

Just another juicy variable that could turn the contest.

Genuinely chuffed to receive this mail from Alistair Connor.

He’s loving the glut of cricket. I hope there are more Alistairs out there:

Cricket overload ? No way.

I’ve watched more live cricket (on TV !) in the last couple of weeks than in the rest of my life, due to the fact that the ICC is putting it all live on the web. Never been able to face the cost AND technical difficulty of watching before (not living in a cricketing country)

Wife and I turned down an invitation to go to Trinidad to watch NZ/WI (with the friends with whom we watched the same match at Old Trafford in 2019) because in all conscience the air miles seemed rather excessive…

But even with my team eliminated (by Afghanistan ! No shame, but careless !) I’m still following keenly.

Cheers

So South Africa have jettisoned their attacking spinner, Tabraiz Shamsi, in favour of their accurate seamer Ottniel Baartman.

The Proteas went with two spinners against the USA – Keshav Maharaj retains his place – and though the left-arm wrist spinner Shamsi bagged wickets, he did get a clobbering.

It looks like a great deck. It’s a fresh pitch and Mike Atherton has just said that this ground yield a full run per over more than any other in the tournament.

Not sure what would be a par score. 200 feels like the target but maybe 180 would be enough.

Good toss to win. Chasing makes the most sense.

What Ramps said:

Is there such a thing as too much T20 cricket?

Yes. A thousand times yes. I know it. You know it. But for some reason, the people running the sport know it too.

To say all of that during a T20 WC match between two top sides might seem overly negative, but if they build a tournament and no one comes, then we need to ask difficult questions at difficult moments.

How are you feeling about this World Cup? Has it captured your imagination? Are you fizzing with T20 fever?

Ali Martin has highlighted two key players for England with against South Africa

One is Jofra Archer, who has not quite reached his apex just yet, but has looked devastating in spells.

The other is Phil Salt who is England’s top run scoerer after his unbeaten 87 against the West Indies underlined his potential.

Apart from their importance, Salt and Archer have something else in common. Want to know what it is? Get stuck into this:

Back to cricket matters, the other top dogs in the competition are looking pretty slick.

Australia hammered Bangladesh and India gave Afghanistan the business.

No question that England have to navigate the harder of the two Super 8 groups, but having walloped the Windies, a win here would all but put them into the last four.

Before we get into the frivolity, it’s important we highlight some awful news.

David Lawrence, the first British-born black player to feature for England, has been diagnosed with motor neurone disease.

Nothing else to say except it’s a horrible situation and everyone in the cricket world wishes David and his family strength and positivity through it all.