THRASHED by South Africa. It was a defeat redolent of all that's limp and useless about this England one-day side.Their batting was deliberate, ponderous and misguided at first, before the middle order capitulated under the hypnotic spell weaved by Andrew Hall - ANDREW HALL!
Just as England's openers had sent a message to the South African bowlers (please put us out of our misery) so South Africa's openers sent a message to England's bowlers (you've already lost).
Has there been one single moment of joy for an England supporter during this World Cup? The tournament's been miserable anyway, but England have redefined that word with incompetence so relentless and inexorable it was like dying slowly from the most minor disease imaginable.
As the World Cup approached, England's spearhead retired and virtually everyone agreed that England would be a better side for it. At the same time, England's captain returned and almost as many people thought they'd be a worse side for that.
The only time England have looked like winning games in the last six months was when their best player was injured. Everything's backwards about this team. We're glad it's dead now.
What a shambles. But Andrew Hall is a better bowler than you suggest, and, has been quietly very impressive throughout this tournament,
ReplyDeleteFoetid. Now there's one of my FAVOURITE words. Up there with 'wench' and 'grok'.
ReplyDeleteI reckon Tresco's "issues" damaged the team more than any other single factor...but there's just so much more than that.
I wouldn't have minded if they at least went down fighting. To be bowled out for 150 is one thing...to spend almost 50 whole overs limping to 150 is quite another. And as for starting off slowly all being part of The Plan...
RUBBISH. Just RUBBISH.
mahinda,
ReplyDeletewhat do you know the word grok to mean? I know someone uses it for a very specific type of mindfuck.
oh, yeah, I'm dissapointed too. Though to be honest, my attention span is a little short and I kind of forgot about the whole cup.
'Grok' comes from a sci-fi novel -- Stranger in a Strange Land by Heinlein, and has even made it into the OED. More details here.
ReplyDeleteIt's a verb, meaning to fully understand something.
I have to admit that I've never actually used the word.