England versus the Kiwis is the big one,

but any thoughts on SA versus the Dutch are welcome

Both are expected to be delayed by rain

England have selected Anderson, Plunkett and Joyce

Kiwis team is still TBC

No teams in the other game, although there has been a big downpour and the South Africans must be very worried as a non result could be a disaster!!

Eng-NZ match: New Zealand have won the toss and have elected to field. I guess that brings Bond to the fore: he seems to me to be the guy on whom the match hinges - if he manages to destroy England as he's destroyed pretty much everyone else he's encountered the game could be all but over within 20 overs!

NZ team has been announced but hasn't reached the scorecards yet: no place for the second spinner, an the bating is stacked high with McCullum at 8, Vettori a 9 and a guy with a 1st class century (Franklin) at 10!

England need to bat well for the first 10 overs if they want to survive Bond. The conditions will suit him and I think Vaughan would have preferred to bowl.
The nightmare for England is if they get out quickly, they won't get the opportunity to get even as there are fixed starting times for the reply (I think!?) and by the time the restart comes around, the NZ players will have no dampness to battle.
I suppose The Netherlands will take a wash out (or two, and then beat Scotland to qualify!)

Twenty overs!! well that is optimistic...That will mean that he bowls straight through does it??

You really do like knocking England don't you!!

I expect him to do well, but I doubt this will be all over as quickly as you would like to think. In fact Bond has played against England before and his record is good, but not so good that he alone can win the game

http://statserver.cricket.org/guru?s...lds=viewty pe

You can't really argue with Bond's record.... and he's the one clear matchwinning bowler involved in this game. One of the others MIGHT have a great game.... but Bond can be EXPECTED to have a great game!If Bond is mastered then the game should be pretty even... though a case of quality against quantity in the batting: taking NZ wickets shouldn't be tough.. but when the top order ends at 10.... there's not a lot of tail!

This does look like an excellent opportunity for Joyce, Vaughan and Bell to try and play as if it's a Test match: merely surviving Bond should be counted a success!!!!

What so play as if it's a Test, and end up with a score of 150-200, and lose.. Sorry Rachael, I think you have over estimated the influence of Bond, and under estimated England. You are normally wrong, and I would put money on that being the case today.

Great start from Joyce! Should have stuck to playing for Ireland! Setting the tone?

Looks a bit of a nervy start for England, and Franklin's sending down a few no balls...

Joyce wants shooting.

Not a good start. bell and vaugan need to steady the ship a bit..

No news of SA v Holland.

__________________
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Looks like they are starting an hour late.

Vaughan despatched Bond for four early on... so much for Rachael's prediction that survival will be a victory!!

Bell gone now. As usual, England putting lots of pressure on KP!!