Random Thoughts: England v Pakistan 2nd T20

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England’s Batting

Tammy Beaumont was no doubt disappointed to get out in the way that she did today, with replays suggesting that the lbw decision against her was a poor one; but it was probably actually a blessing in disguise for England – she’s hit a ton of runs this series already and it was good for some of the other batsmen to get some time at the crease, without any artificial adjustments to the batting order.

Fran Wilson

Having not played in an England shirt for five years, the pressure was massively on for Fran Wilson coming in when she did – she could easily have buckled under it. Credit to her, then, that she kept her head and, having taken a bit of time to get going, really anchored England’s innings with her 43*. With tough competition at the moment, I think she’s earned her spot for the next match and beyond.

Pakistan’s Fielding

Pakistan generally looked a much tighter fielding unit today (the throwing-the-ball-over-my-head boundary aside). Debutant Aiman Anwer seemed to point the way with her brilliant catch at long off to dismiss Lauren Winfield, off a shot that on any other match of this tour would have been six for sure. Consequently England found it a lot tougher to score boundaries – only 13 fours and 1 six today, despite the short distance to the rope – and at one point it did actually seem like Pakistan might have a shot at reaching the required total.

Pakistan’s Batting

It was wonderful to see the way Pakistan came out and attacked right from the get-go today. I’d much rather see them bowled out having died trying; and that was certainly the approach this afternoon. It was also a positive move to see Asmavia Iqbal – who has looked their best batsman on this tour – promoted up the order to 5. Of course they still need to avoid playing recklessly across the line to straight balls, but still, there was actually a frisson of competitiveness out there today. It just goes to show how important matches against top opposition are for sides like Pakistan, to ensure they keep improving. More please!

Danni Wyatt

If there’s anyone cursed with bad luck, it’s surely Danni Wyatt. She’s barely had the chance to face a ball this summer; and in the last game she was run out at the non-striker’s end on 0, having been sent back by Heather Knight. Today she was out caught and bowled to a ball of Bismah Maroof’s that was hit so firm and fully that it really deserved to be 4; only a stonking catch saved it from being so. Having said that, one element of her game that isn’t anything to do with luck – her fielding – was yet again excellent. I wouldn’t ever want to be the one running to the end that Wyatt is throwing at.

13 thoughts on “Random Thoughts: England v Pakistan 2nd T20”

  1. “Having not played in an England shirt for five years, the pressure was massively on for Fran Wilson” – also not least because she was on a T20 ‘King’ hat-trick having been dismissed 1st ball in her previous two T20 innings for England.

    Beaumont missed a chance (about the only change she has missed this summer) to become only the 2nd England player to score five successive 50s across ODI and T20 combined (in successive matches played by a player). No surprise that the only player to have done this is Edwards (55,102,84*,58,81) who managed it in just one format, indeed in just one series against South Africa in the ODI series in 2004.
    Beaumont does of course join the select few, well only 2, to have notched up 4 successive 50+ scores in ODI and T20 combined. These are Brittin (101,88*,69,73 – all ODIs in 84/85) and Edwards, who has pretty well cornered this record (i) the case above which of course contains 2 sequences of 4 successive 50+ scores (ii) the sequence of 54, 106* (NZ in ODI), 83, 62 (Pakistan in ODI) in 2013 and (iii) the sequence of 57, 108* (against India in ODI) 62*, 75* (against South Africa in T20) in 2014.

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      • The numbers about increased participation relate largely to girls’ cricket, whereas senior women’s club cricket is probably less healthy than a few years ago. I have heard that girls who start playing cricket are seven times more likely than boys to give up the game by adulthood. I’ve every reason to believe it’s true – can anyone substantiate this or something similar via a reliable source thanks?

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      • If you ignore women’s club cricket (as the ECB do) then the game is thriving (apparently).
        The leagues covering this area certainly have less teams than say three years ago. In one of them, although we are halfway through the season, no team has played more than one game due to concessions.
        Women’s club cricket is dying (I may have mentioned this before)
        (and no Baz you aren’t)

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    • At least she doesn’t commentate any more, very annoying to hear her spin during this, and should never have done it anyway due to the conflict of interest caused by being a senior ECB person

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      • Everyone assumed that Lottie would inherit the ECB Women’s Director role from CC, now I’m not so sure. A lot of the problems have occurred on her watch.

        I would like to see Ebony RB step up while Lottie plays on.

        At least the England concerns have been allayed with MR.

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  3. After some amazing top order batting this series, it was a bit more like business as usual today, but the job still had do be done. Pakistan were bound to offer a tidier performance with the ball at some stage. England needed to follow suit, and thankfully Pakistan were too obsessed with playing sweeps or slog-sweeps across the line to get too close to their target.

    Everyone keeps saying it was a brilliant pitch, but it did look slow to me. If you look at what happened in the men’s game as well, only 1 player (Buttler) from four innings really made it look easy to consistently get the ball away. There were a lot of failed sweep attempts today, and boundaries were more at a premium. I think our score was only about 10 short and most teams, WI and Aus included would have struggled to get there with many balls left.

    Winfield played well again and Wilson’s innings was just what we could expect from her – smart, solid and effective, if unspectacular. Considering T20 is not supposed to be “her format”, and if you add in her running between wickets and very good fielding, Wilson’s an invaluable addition – which some of us have been saying for a while. Also very impressed with Jones today, some great catches were taken by her and others, and Gunn and Ecclestone continue to perform well. Brunt though let her frustrations get to her a bit too much today I think and was too expensive as a result..

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  4. Good to see England playing with more confidence and Pakistan too, in some ways it is a shame they didn’t pull off a win, it would make tomorrow more exciting.
    Here’s hoping for a good game at fortress Chelmsford.

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  5. The whole game is getting good at spin…that’s fine if it is backed up by the reality.

    Know for a fact not all these ‘clubs’ exist…http://www.ecb.co.uk/development/get-into-cricket/participation/playing-womens-and-girls-cricket,3037,BP.html

    Ebony RB is spin personified. Great at what she does…presenting etc…but the Surrey Director of Cricket role that was presented as f/t is seemingly about one day a week..more spin.

    People like Charlotte Burton at Sussex are the ones who really do the job.

    Let’s give Clare a break…Recreational cricket was apparently never in her remit…only the England team. And she’s been running ICC…has created opportunities that didn’t exist…not to say everything is right, no one is perfect but still working in a very male dominated environment where men’s cricket still get the majority of resources.

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    • We are all aware the CC and Lottie have taken the game along way and credit where deserved but that’s where it stops. If Lottie had run her course then so has CC. I would like ECB to consider change at the top (ERB was just a suggestion).

      CC is the one who exceeds her remit (at the drop of a hat), even though we now have Matt Dwyer with Womens and Girls cricket under his recreational remit.

      The County and Club game needs closer to fill the potential resource gaps when WSL gets into full flight next season.

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      • CC and Lottie have been the public faces. There are many people who have got women’s cricket to this stage having worked hard when no one else cared…many of whom are now being replaced.

        CC is the Director of England Women’s Cricket she a speaking about participation as she linked Chance to Shine to Women’s cricket way before Mr. Dwyer arrived. ECB is about to appoint a National Growth Manager – Women and Girls so things are likely to change and will be embedded throughout the new structure.

        There is clearly a huge task ahead and lots of catching up to be done but in the right direction. All of which is only possible because of the profile largely created by CC.

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  6. The girls have done well and it should build confidence…but let’s not get carried away…they should have won against Pakistan…WI will be another challenge all together!! Let’s keep backing them!

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