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When you write an OBO, you often forget the game right away – it's an intense process, you're in the present moment for three and a half hours, then the time is up. It's like passing an exam in your favorite subject. But Monday's thriller between England and Pakistan stayed with me for 36 hours. One question persists: how did the world's greatest players, playing at home on their favorite field against an out-of-shape team, manage to lose?
As in any good thriller, there are several suspects.
1 England The fall of poor old Jason Roy threatens to become as famous as the capture of Ben Stokes, but it was expensive (Hafeez added 70 extra points, from memory, 51 balls). And the ground of England was of bad quality. "It cost us 15 or 20 points," said Eoin Morgan, one of the delinquents. They lost by 14.
2 extras England conceded 20 points, Pakistan only eight. Bung in some rollovers and, again, you have the difference between the two sides.
3 fast bowlers England was faster, but Pakistan's, more incisive. Jofra Archer (who played really well) was found with a 0-79 record, and Chris Woakes only took a wicket to the death. The first scalp of an English couturier came in 33rd place. Mark Wood was excellent (2-53), but Ben Stokes did not come to this party (0-43) and Liam Plunkett missed us a lot. Mohammad Amir and Wahab Riaz took five wickets between them and struck at crucial moments.
4 spoons Adil Rashid is the main ticket taker for day cricket in England, partly because Morgan trusts him so much. Not Monday: Rashid's first five overs have risen to 43, and his five others have never come. Shadab Khan, on the other hand, opened the bowling alley, pulled out Jason Roy and came back to fool Joe Root with his faster ball.
5 cent When Joe Root reached three numbers, he was the first to do it in this World Cup. But there is a losing century (for example, ask Pakistan, who made a few in May). Root, superb as he was in many ways, was struggling to carry his hitting rate over a balloon, and he ended up with 107 out of 104. Overall demand was seven years, so when it had increased to six, its partners had to go to eight hours. The great Jos Buttler was successful, with 103 out of 76 – and Root, his roommates last winter in Sydney, are at the height of perfection. Chris Woakes succeeded, briefly. But no one else was able to do it, and Morgan and Stokes ate 36 balls between them at just 22 points. Compare and contrast with Sarfaraz Ahmed (55 out of 44 balls) and the last five Pakistan drummers (46 out of 30).
Conclusion: it's a fun old game. And complicated. We will now move on to Adam Collins. After lunch.
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