Test Match Special - CWC Day 22: New-look Warner guides Australia towards semi-finals

Episode Date: June 20, 2019

The new-look, less cavalier David Warner hits the highest individual score of the World Cup so far, his 166 the key to Australia's 48-run win over Bangladesh.Jim Maxwell thinks the new approach is at least partly injury enforced, Graeme Swann says he's trying to be a nicer guy to win people over within the game. Either way, is he a better batsman now? And what might that mean for the Ashes?We check in with Moeen Ali ahead of his 100th ODI appearance for England as they prepare for Sri Lanka. He chats the new addition to his family, Eoin Morgan's sublime innings, and the change in the team's identity since he first came into the side.

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Island have won. And bats are being thrown in the air. The Arden team are running on to hug the two batsmen out in the middle. The captain has scored the winning run for Sri Lanka who have won the World Cup for the first time in their history. Australia have won the 1987 World Cup final in Calcutta. Welcome to Trent Bridge, where we've seen another Australian victory. Their fifth from six matches, this time over Bangladesh, whose semi-final hopes have taken a hefty hit. Another century for David Warner, the highest individual score of the tournament so far, in fact. And we'll chat to Moinelli as you'd look ahead to England against Sri Lanka. From BBC Radio 5 Live, this is the TMS podcast at the Cricket World Cup.

So a comfortable win for Australia, then. Graham Swan here. Jim Maxwell's going to join me in a second. I mean, I think you've got to say standout innings, David Warner, who's in a pretty decent run of form at the moment, 166 and 147 balls. But again, it was just I don't know, we're still searching for the word, I think, to describe how he's batting

these days. I mean, is it subdued? Is it careful? Is it responsible? Is it mature? I mean, or is it essential through an elbow injury? I mean, it's all these things that people are sort of talking about with Warner, aren't I? Yeah, my overriding feeling is as much as same as when I see Ben Stokes about at the minute, is they're trying to sort of go under the radar a little bit.

They've experienced life when a brashness in their character has put them out on a pedestal and they've been ripped to pieces for it. He almost seems to be trying to win over Friends within the game. I think that's his major problem, is that he realized how I'm deeply unpopularly was within players of the game with his antics. When he spoke about, you know,

I don't care what people say to me and everything. He really did. and his vial sort of things that he'd been saying came out. I think he's trying to put that behind him and be Mr. Nice guy when he bats. But he does look a much better batsman for it. He doesn't look as loose outside the off stump. It looks like you need to bowl him a really good delivery

to get him out or he has to make a howling mistake. Other than that, he's very compact. He's looking in very good touch. And actually, the slowness of his batting and the slowness of his buildup doesn't matter if you go on today like he did to get 160 off 140. It was a great knock in the end.

Yes. It's when he doesn't go on. to get that huge score that, you know, his 100 comes in 120 balls rather than, you know, the 80 that all the other batsmen are offering. What's interesting is, it was the 56 against India from 84 balls that people started initially

something. It's a little bit different. Yes. From Davy Warner, isn't it? But, I mean, he caught up the 107 that he's scored in Pakistan, 111 balls. So he mentioned here, 160 from 147. So he does kick on. Yeah, he does kick on.

But either way, he does look in good touch. It all goes well for him in Australia for the outshes, but it'll be different once it's swinging don't worry red ball will see to him good old jim he'll get him jim david david warner discussed i mean is he um do you think he is batting in a different way or is it just the the way that he's playing at at the moment is it a deliberate thing i think it's it's partially deliberate and partially forced by what's happened with his elbow and uh what's happened to him uh he's a somewhat chastened individual who's um coming out of

out of a pretty grim period where he was on the nose collectively around the country to the point where a lot of people said he should never play for Australia again and a lot of people had that feeling because they just felt he brought bad odour to the game. Because we're detached. I mean is there the thought that actually if he was seen one angry moment for David Warner one confrontation one bit of that brashness that bristling that Are people in Australia not going to like that or are they going to say, oh, good old David's bat? They're fairly forgiving of their heroes, some of them, not all of them.

A lot of people are still sick in the pit of their stomach because of what occurred. They thought the whole incident just dragged the game down and brought, disrepared to the game that wasn't needed. As you and I know from observing Australia over the last few years, it was something in the wind. Yes. And I can remember that incident in Durbin in the stairwell where it really blew up

and David Warner had a shot at Quentin de Kock who had a shot at him about his wife and so on. And it got very ugly, but it needed much stronger leadership both from Darren Lehman, who was the coach, and Steve Smith, who was the naive and immature captain of the side. And they didn't come to terms without, and the lack of vigilance saw that unfortunate situation in the test match with the Sam Playbler.

So I think he's, I mean, there is an argument saying he's treading carefully. I mean, he's wary here. I think he's treading very carefully. I think he's feeling very chastened by the whole experience. He took on a new manager while he was away from the game who basically said to him, as I believe, don't do any women's weekly Channel 9 expose days. Just let your batting,

do the talking and shut up. And I think that's pretty much what he's done. It was an excellent inning. It's 166 and there'll be people wary, I think as far as the ashes are concerned. If Warner goes into that in outstanding form, that'll set him up very nicely.

It wasn't Smith Day today. He was Elbe W for 1. But let's join Harsha Bogley. The match presentation. Delighted to have David Warner. We talked about this before as well, but you're now number 16. in one day hundreds on par with Adam Gilchris, so you can have a nice little drink with him. Yeah, obviously it's great achievement, but I think, you know, for us it's about getting

these two points and moving on to the next game of Lords. Now, you and Aaron Finch go at about, at five, five and a half and over in an era when everyone thought you're going to go much quicker. Is it the T20 effect that we know we can get as many as we want at the back end? Yeah, I think, you know, you always keep wickets in hand, especially in one day cricket. You know, that's the way that we play. And, you know, it's not like We'd go out there on purpose and not try and golf's a good start, but you have to respect the new ball. And if you get off to a fly, you sort of got to, you know, gain, go ahead with that momentum. But look, to give the credit to the bowlers, they've bowed well to us in patches.

And then obviously when we get past that ten, it's about knocking him around and trying to target like six to eight and over. Is this the style going ahead, do you think, for the rest of the World Cup? Yeah, look, you know, you're always open to whatever presents itself out there. you've got to adapt, you know, to the conditions and, as I said, it's about momentum. So if you get off to a flyer, it's about assessing, one, how many wickets you're lost, and then two, you know, how you want to play it through the middle overs. But so far, things are working well. The strange kind of surface we thought is a bit slower, and yet we got 700 plus runs today.

Yeah, you know, as we spoke about during the innings break, it was a tad slow. But look, you know, credits of the way that Bangladesh fought there, you know, Mustafaik played a fantastic innings. and it was a grind for the bowlers it was very difficult to get wickets but you know we got across the line we got the two points well done and congratulations on yet another player of the match award david

I get the feeling there'll be a few more coming thanks harsha I'll do my best pleasure there we are David war a man of the match just to be fair to him and Aaron Finch I mean they put on 121 and they've only separated it in the 21st over so I mean they're rattling it on about six and over and they're doing it consistently

yes you wonder when the days come kind of come with number three is coming out and it's first or second over. It hasn't happened so far. So that's going to be an interesting situation to see how well the rest of the batting goes when they're needed and what kind of batting order it will be because I think we've made the point a couple of times that if your best batsman isn't batting at number three should be opening in one day cricket, should he not?

Well, it's interesting. I mean, Quarja, you've got 89 today, seven to do balls, ten, fours. Again, there was quite a late charge there, and you're looking down the rest of that battle, Steve Smith, Glenn Maxwell, Marcus, Storn, as Alex Carey, Nathan Coulton-Dar, they showed the other day, you know, is Quarge running it around for ones and two

is really what Australia won? I still think, I mean, it worked incredibly well today on the best one-day wicket in the world. This actual strip that they played on today is the 480 wicket England got. You saw at the back end of the Australian inning that it is nigh on impossible to stop good players, good tail, death hitters, from hitting boundaries here.

I still think everything went perfectly for them to get up to 380 today. I think where they got to, the one of the time I've seen them live this summer was down at Hampshire at Roseball, the warm-up game. And I thought that was a warm-up game, so they weren't really going full out. But their batting has been the same. Yes. And they ended up getting 280 there. I don't think it's the same dynamic game that they could be playing

with some of their players on board. by sending Coadra in at 3. I could watch him bat all day, but I'd like that in a test match rather than a one-day game. Yeah. Thanks, Jim. I think Australia, to a large extent, in this World Cup, are going to rely on good, steady batting

with hopefully some explosion, as we saw from Maxwell, maybe for a bit longer or Stoines. But what they're banking on is that their bowling attack can deliver. And I'm not sure that we've seen the best balanced attack yet. We know Cummins and Stark are fine bowlers. Nathan Lyon, I'm bewildered that he's not there. It's like, you know, shielding Shane Warren from the England Ashes team before the 93 Ashes.

What are they doing? But, you know, everyone's seen Nathan Lyon. So I still think that's where they'll back themselves, particularly if they're defending a score, and the quality of the attack and the strength of their out cricket and their fielding, will be enough most of the time to defend a score but we'll see what happens

when that game against England has played that's a titillating prospect at this stage. Tuesday at Lords Swanee, how's interesting by what you were saying when we were talking about Moeen and Adir Rashid earlier in that actually the wrist spinner he actually needs someone tight and control at the other end so to actually let him come into his own

and Zampa really hasn't well I'm Maxwell in both three overs for 25 of his off-spin so there's no question of working of two people working together. No, that's why I say Australia's game seems a bit one dimension old-fashioned because of that

because they haven't bought into the two-spinner through. They don't buy into Nathan Lion playing. He's a way better bowler than Zampper is standing alone but put the two of them together and Zampa's performance will, his output will double

straight away, I promise you. It's the amount of dot balls and pressure that Lyme will build because he's an old wily off-spinner and that's what we do. That's our game. It brings wickets for the leg-spinner because the batsman take more

undue wrist against Or play line by himself. I mean, if you have got the seam attack. It doesn't seem like they're playing as risky. When you've got a weakling like Kautenar, and I think he is a weak link with the ball. But you could put Nathan Line in, who will get you 1 for 40, 1 for 45 every game.

But Zampo will then get 2 for 50, 3 for 50 rather than number 70. All of a sudden you've got a far better balance attack and a far better output that then backs up Mitchell's start. Then when coming to the start bowl, they've often got new men at the crease and they'll blow them away. Yeah. So I think Australia missing a trick a little bit.

It's interesting. Well, it sounds like missing two tricks and we think that maybe they can actually move the batting order up one, get more strength in the shot playing up there and possibly look at the bowling as well. So, Jim, do you agree with all that from an Aussie perspective? Yes, well, as well as Kowager played today, and you can make your judgment on how well he batted. But he did get 89 and he looked pretty good. but is he the right person to be batting in that position when in this World Cup and, you know, you've got a good start from Finch and Warner you need to capitalise on it

and Smith's the obvious person to be batting in that spot and then after that, well, you review it according to how you're going, but Maxwell gets in for 10 or 12 overs. He's a floater, isn't him? You can get him up. Yeah, he's a bit wasted today.

As a bowler, I would not want Maxwell wandered in after 18, 19 overs. If I'm looking up there, I'm worried then. That's right. I don't mind coming in after 38, 39. Do you think, I would chat about this earlier, I mean, I think England of really prioritising winning the World Cup over the ashes.

I'm not going to my excuses in early, as in case that's what you're thinking, but I just think they are, whereas I think you would argue that Australia have got doing it the way around, wouldn't you? I think in the back of their mind is winning the ashes. I won't say it was a priority,

but it's as if, well, five World Cups played in two other finals. It's something we've done, and we know we can do it again. We're not going to be arrogant about it. We're still working on our one-day team, as we've seen so far in this series. We still don't know, really. I don't think even the management of the team know exactly what is

the best balanced 11 to do as well as they can in this tournament. But I think in the back of their mind, when you look at the fact that Hazelwood, one of the best death bowlers in one-day cricket, was not selected for this because they said, he's a bit short of preparation he's been injured we'll keep him for the ashes I think that tells you that

perhaps the ashes is more of a priority and the balance of things they've got the A team playing here they haven't picked their Ashes squad that in itself is going to be interesting Will Finch emerge from this series as a test player again who else will be in the side

so with Jai Richardson also likely to come back and he's a fine young's prospect. Australia's got some players on the fringe of this squad who could make a big difference when we get to the Ashes series. But I don't think it's at the forefront of Australia's mind in the same way that it is for England. And I can understand that because England's never won it before. Yeah, I think it's interesting to compare and contrast England with say Mark Wood, who is almost constantly having fitness test, it seems. And there's people like me saying, oh, save him for the Ashes, you know, it doesn't matter. But actually, I think the fact that.

that they're prioritising this with wood probably illustrates where England are with that. Let's get some Bangladesh reaction, shall we? Rishana Lam from the Asian network and the Deucra podcast is here. Is that it a hallover? It's hard to say. I think when you're a Bangladesh follower, you always maintain a level of hope right till the end. We have that today in the game, even though the run rate was creeping up. We were like, oh, maybe this is still possible.

And so I think Bangladesh will hold on to that hope right until the last game is played against Pakistan in the group stages. It's going to be very difficult. Games are going to have to go in our favour, but where the things have happened in cricket. Yeah, but you know, you look at the island of table and so on and look at what they've done.

Do you think, when we look back at this World Cup, it might be the last time we start, or people talk about Bangladesh as being anything other than actually a pucker up there with everybody else one-day team? Oh, absolutely. I think, you know, even if we finish first, in this table the fact that there are another sort of five teams beneath

that's a decent way West Indies, South Africa Pakistan yeah I've said from the start it was never about the semi-finals or final it was about rewriting Bangladesh's cricketing reputation and I genuinely believe the team have already done that with the game's remaining and if off the back of this boards look at Bangladesh and go

well they're a team who can fill stadiums they're a team who are going to play competitively on tours then for Bangladesh that's a big more positive thing than a final standing in this World Cup Well, anyone who organises cricket will have noticed the crowd here today. I mean, I've been lucky enough to witness

in Chittagong and in Ducco and places like that. But when you get that spirit here in a small ground too like Trent Bridge, I mean, the noise here, the enthusiasm, the energy, I mean, they're right up there. Well, I think they're above some of the Asian teams in terms of just vocal support.

Absolutely. You know, if you can guarantee a cricket stadium full on a weekday for an international match, that's a good thing for cricket And that's exactly what, you know, every board across the world wants. And if Bangladesh can provide a helping hand in doing that, then that's a real positive thing that Bangladesh can do. Excellent. Thank much indeed, Ruchan. Now, still to come, we're going to look ahead to England against Sri Lanka

with Michael Vaughn and Graham Swan. We'll hear from Mowin Ali. Test match specials on air from 9.30 ahead of that match. And there'll be highlights via the BBC Sport website and the app. From BBC Radio 5 Live. This is the TMS podcast at the Cricket World Cup. Now, Jim, we've all been playing this game, as you know. We've been pulling out of the TMS hat.

It's not quite a hat, really. But anyway, we've all got our own little players in the sweepstake. The prize hasn't been made clear, by the way. I don't know if there's actually going to be one. But I've got on Ozzy, I've got Aaron Finch. I'm doing all right. I'm quite happy at the moment. I'm doing okay.

Did you do the draw? No. There's four left. There's a couple of very good ones in here. I'm going to give you those. They are. They're folded up bits of paper. You can choose whichever one you want.

And Phil, you've got to do it as well, I think, haven't you? Because you haven't done it either. Well, Jim's taken that one. Open it up and do the big reveal, please. Jim, Phil, there's yours. He's going for that. He's off the biggest bit of paper, actually. So, Jim, who have you got?

Headmeyer. Oh. It's a raffee. You might be unlucky. You might be, well, you never know. There might be a miracle. He's got a best hairdo, or one of the best hairdoes in the World Cup. Phil.

I've got the man who might be lifting the World Cup trophy at Lorde in a few weeks. Owen Morgan. You've got Owen Morgan? Not bad. Not bad. All right. Well, that's well done.

You get a bit of Irish luck, I think. Okay, for while we digest that, any stats grab your attention today? Well, the one that really grabs my attention is we've had a World Cup record here today. Highest aggregate ever in a World Cup match. Is that right? It was, yes. 714 runs.

I suppose we're going to happen anywhere. It happened at Trent Bridge, isn't it? That's right, yep. Both teams going towards record scores. It was Australia's second highest total in the World Cup. They made 418 against Afghanistan in the last World Cup. And it was Bangladesh's highest second innings again. They made it earlier in the tournament against South Africa.

So high scores there. David Warner, the first player to score 150 twice in World Cup cricket. So that's another record for him. He's actually done it six times in. all ODIs, only Rowitz Sharma ahead of him who's done it seven times. Let me bring you up to date with where we stand on the highest run scorers and wicket takers in this competition because we're all interested now. Fourth place at the minute, we've got Joe Root on 367.

Aaron Finch. Yeah, he's still there. Yeah, 396. David Warner on 409. And with that innings in the second in there, 41, Shaquib goes back to the top on 425. It is pretty tight, isn't it? Tight at the top.

Okay. Alice Cook's got Joe Root, annoyingly. As you thought he would. So Shaquib still remains unclaimed. Who's left to go into this sweepstake? It could be that the winner actually hasn't been drawn by anybody because we haven't got enough people who invented it. We've had to sort that out.

And as far as wicket goes, two more wickets today for Mitchell Stark. He goes to 15 in this tournament. He's now got 37 wickets in 14 games. He's already 10th in the all-time list. In this competition, he leads Mohammed Amir, who's got 13. England's Joff Archer with 12, and just behind him, Pat Cummings, Australia and Lockhe Ferguson of New Zealand on 11. Excellent. Thank you very much indeed, Phil. Don't go away. We've got a stack of listeners here. We've been calling out, Jim, for people who are listening to the podcast from remote parts of the world. In they come, so we'll read these out between us. Just to warn you, there are some always, some horrible, horrible pronunciations in this. And I seem to get most of them. But anyway, I'll do the first one. We'll pass them around. Addy or Eighty or Eighty.

I've been enjoying the podcast, traveling around South Korea, including during a memorable hike on Jeju Island. I heard that unsurprisingly, North Korea isn't ticked off your list yet. No, it's not. I listened to the podcast while on a tour to the Korean demilitarized zone. Does that count? The DMZ is a four-kilometer wide strip of land separating North and South Korea. Well, the key may be in that word separating possibly.

But anyway, from here we could see a North Korean village along the border. Our guard insisted the village only exists. insisted the village only existed for propaganda purposes. The doors are apparently painted on and no one actually lives there. But I think to actually see a glimpse of North Korea, Eddie, that possibly gets you into there. So come on then, Jim. We've got one from Al-McKinnon. I'm now listening from Dermey in Albania, where it's a sultry 30 to 33 degrees during the day and almost as hot after dark.

The air conditioning broke overnight and after a squelping fitful sleep, by awoke, bleary-eyed to put my feet in a huge puddle of water emanating from the defunct aircon unit. Yes, it'll be a few hot nights. Indeed, that's an Albania, that'll do. Right, you stop that one, Phil. Mark Ovin's is in Bangladesh? I heard you haven't had a list of from Bangladesh. I visited for work for 24 hours this week.

Travelling there and back was longer than the visit and got through several TMS podcasts on the journey. was able to get up to speed with the Tigers win over West Indies which helped me out numerous times for all the people who wanted to chat about their prospects for the semis. That's excellent. So to go all the way to Bangladesh for 24 hours is a good effort. Jake Lum, he says Muli, or something like that,

from Solwesi in north-western Zambia. I hope I've said these right. It's the only English and Australian contingents who seem to be following this for the Africans on site of suddenly lost interest, by the way, but only the English and Australians are actually following here. Most of the talk of the office about the upcoming African Cup of Nations, even with the Chipolopolo Polo failing to qualify this year.

Jacob probably made an absolute hallix of that, but there we go. Jim, you're going to go for that one. That one. Nathan Leach has listened to every podcast from the start of the World Cup. Now on a honeymoon in Cape Verde, my beautiful new wife enjoys a nap on the glorious white beach while I catch up on the greatest game in the world with an ice-cold beer. The motto is Cape Bird is no stress

So let's hope for a stress-free World Cup This time, it really is coming home You concentrate on what you should be concentrating on Yes, I think you probably should both sides Charles Quarry, Phil Charles Quarry says, hi TMS I'm off on a road trip and a VW camper from Italy Through Slovenia and down the Croatian coast

Rest assured TMS will be keeping us going on the long drives Are there any countries you need in the Balkans, we could always detour in aid of TMS. Okay, well, you can go. We haven't got Serbia or Moldova, yet Arjun has been in touch from Puna in India. He says, I heard a few days back. There are only few listeners from the subcontinent. Well, I'm an avid listener.

I have been for many years. I don't watch TV. I'm a farmer, so I drive a lot, and I'm listening to Various podcasts all the time. Thanks so much for being there. I look forward to the rest of the World Cup and the Ashes series. And Andy Graham, love listening to TMS podcast in St Kitts and Nevis. After a hard day's work, keep up.

be good work. Excellent. Thanks to Jim and to Phil. For the final section of this podcast, we're going to talk about England. Hi, this is Josh Butler. Thanks for listening to the TMS podcast at the Cricket World Cup. I don't really listen to it because I enjoy the Peter Crouch one more. And Taylorlanders is all right. But if it's any good, you can also email the team on TMS at bbc.c.c.com.uk. Put podcast in the title and explain the rules of cricket to them. Laws of cricket. So Michael Vaughan and Graham Swan are with me to look ahead to England's match against Sri Lanka on Friday at Heddingley. First, though, let's hear from Mowin Ali.

If picked, he'll be making his 100th ODI appearance. And ahead of the game, he's been catching up with Eleanor Oldroyd. Moeen Allie, on a sunny day in Yorkshire, welcome to the Test Match special podcast. First of all, I've got to ask you about events over the Pennines at Old Trafford the other day. Verdict on your captain's innings. He was amazing innings.

We all know he can do that, but for somebody with a bad back, I think it was a fantastic knock. and, you know, he always leads from the front and he certainly did that day. Did you think there's no chance I'm going to get out here at one stage? Yeah, I didn't expect it back, to be honest with you.

But it was nice to go out there, obviously, and have a little cameo like I did, but no, it was a great day. This, if you selected a player here in this game against Sri Lanka, it'll be your 100th ODI. How do you reflect on how the world has changed for this England team? It has.

I mean, when I look back, I think of the fun that I've had over the 100 games and just being around the guys and it's just all of a sudden 100 games have come and without even almost like a blink of an eye, you know, and it's been an amazing journey and hopefully we can finish it off with the World Cup. Could you have imagined the team of, you know, when you started out, scoring the kind of number of sixes, hitting the ball with the freedom that you do now? Not as well as we have. I always felt like we had the players, definitely, and the mindset needed changing, and that was a big thing that Morgie and Trev brought in, and Farby as well, actually. And so, yeah, I mean,

them three guys really changed the mindset with this team, and we've just improved on it and almost got the confidence to keep doing it. What does it feel like when you're hitting sixes all over the place and you can see people in the crowd scrambling to try and catch your sixes? It is amazing. It's like once we, as a team, once we get going, I'm sure everybody thinks it's almost unstoppable, you know, when Josh, Morgs, Jason Roy, we've got so many players. I mean, almost everybody in the top seven, top eight even. So once they keep going, it's almost unstoppable. And that's the great thing about the team. How did it feel for you to get out there and score some runs? I mean, you know, you only had nine balls and which to score them, but you got 31, so that's decent.

Yeah, I mean, you always get confidence no matter how many balls you face out there and it was nice for me after not playing the two previous games to come in and do that and just to get a bit of confidence more than anything. As you mentioned, you missed the previous two games. Quite a lot of discussion around that time about your great friend, Adul Rashid,

and a few doubts about his bowling as well. Just talk to us about what a difference it makes to him to have you there and vice versa. Yeah, I think so. I think it does help him. But I actually think his balled really well. I think he's had some catches dropped, which are never ideal, obviously,

and important catches. And I think early in his spell, and once he gets a wicket early on, he seems to always get two, three, four wickets. So I feel like he's been a little bit unfortunate. But, no, he's quite confident still, and I'm sure he's going to play a big part coming in the next couple of weeks.

So what kind of things are you saying to each other on the field out there? Just the pace on what we were trying to bowl, and I'll give him a suggestion. about what he needs to try and bowl and whether he takes it on or not it's up to him, but most of the time he does and I give him a lot of confidence and I remind him how goodies

and that's something that I think he really enjoys. Yeah, does he need that? Is he somebody who thrives on confidence? I think everybody needs it at times but I think when he feels, when I say it to him, I think he feels it a bit more because I don't always say it to him

but most of the time I'll tell him that he's a world class spinner. So do other people in the team tell him that and he doesn't believe it in the same way? No, I think because we and him are so close and he genuinely feels like I can... I think because the way I speak to him and the way I know him, that I can do that with him

and he really takes it all in and stuff. But we have that sort of relationship that whatever, he trusts me no matter what and I trust him no matter what. And I think that's a great thing, Chav. It sounds like almost a family relationship that you've got with him, but how about the real family?

How are you all coping with the new addition? It's good. It's obviously amazing. You know, it's great to have an addition in the family. She's sleeping? She's sleeping, yeah, but I've not seen them for a few days, but I've had a decent sleep. But my wife's obviously doing all the hard work at the moment and did all the hard work.

So, no, it's amazing. I mean, it's great to have that. And it just gives me that extra bit more happiness in my life, obviously, with everything that's going on as well. I mean, it's going to make it a memorable tournament, you know, in any sense to have a child born during the tournament. Going home, getting out of the bubble, coming back again, what was that like for you?

That was great. I mean, it's obviously quite hectic. I mean, it's a little bit. You know how hard it is for women and it's always very difficult. And, you know, you've got to be there for their support. And, you know, you sort of put cricket in the World Cup as much as you can on the backseat with things like that. And you try and make sure hopefully, you know, the family is good, the baby is good.

It is an amazing miracle and, you know, you realise how important family is to you. I guess it's a little bit hair-raising at the end there. Yeah, of course. I mean, it's very emotional still, you know, no matter what, you know, boy or a girl. It's an amazing feeling and you actually realise when you're there how life is an amazing thing. And just a final thought. I mean, this is hopefully going to be an amazing and memorable summer for all sorts of reasons. For you, do you think this is an opportunity that can't be missed?

I mean, the expectations are so high. How are you all dealing with that as a squad? We're dealing with it really well at the moment, so I think obviously we'll get harder as the tournament goes on and if we qualify for semifinals, but you're right, we can't miss this opportunity as a team. We know we've been great for, we're not even been good, we've been great, I feel, for the last four years,

and we won a trophy to, you know, you know, Toppy Roloff. So we know that as a team and we're working extremely hard for that. So we'll give everything, I'm sure, and we're looking forward to it. Fantastic. Congratulations as well on the new edition, that's great.

Thank you very much. I appreciate it. Well, that was Mowin speaking to Eleanor Oldroyd. Michael Vaughn and Graham Swan are here. Mowing, they're chatting way ahead of what would be his 100 one-day international. You both got him in your side? Yeah, absolutely. I like the balance of four seamers,

Ben Stokes of your fourth. I like the combination of Woodham Joffre Archer, Chris Wokes has been high-class all around with his batting his fielding and he's both some really nice spells. So I would think that that's the combination that they will go forward with. You know, the two games where they didn't have that combination, they weren't with five seams. The weather had been so bad. And the pitching Cardiff was, you know, quite a moorish piece. A similar thing in Southampton, you know, leading into the tournament, that's what they've gone with.

You know, that combination of Rashid and Mowing Alley in the middle with the spin twins. And now they've got this pace combination of Joffar Archer and. and Mark Wood, you know, it's almost the ideal attack. It really is one that as a captain, you go to bed at night and know you've got absolutely every box covered. Yeah. And the option, I suppose, Graham, is well, of either bowling, Mowing or Rashid, after 10 overs, what they tend to do.

But if there's been a lively start, you might start, you might put mowing on them rather than Rishie. My one problem with how they're using the two now. They did this the other day. They bowled them. They never bought them in TANO. They're independent. And the two of them, I both say that, I mean, I disagree.

mowing something he said there and he's sticking up for his mate which is brilliant but he's saying i think adele's bowed well in the games that i didn't play he didn't he looked a bit exposed because he didn't have mowing tying people down really making people take over the top um risks against adele that's what they've done for two years trust me if you've got someone just bowling dot after dot after dot

from one end which is your finger spinner generally has to do your leggy cashes in at the other end but when the leggy has to try and bowl dots and cash in at the same time it's a very very i've only no shame warn who could ever do that. So I'd like to see them work in tandem more because when they have for the last two years, they've been brilliant.

And I think either of them on their own get exposed a little bit. They're both world class still, but they're half as, um, when the output is halved. The one thing I'd say about Adirashid is that I've noticed in this tournament he has been putting the ball there.

And when he's at his best, he spins the ball there. You know, he fizzes them down the other end. All right, it bowls the odd bad ball, but he kind of gets through his action and you can see these game revolutions on the ball. Whereas I've noticed, is that he's almost just been kind of putting the ball. And when you're taking a gamble against a legspin,

if you're trying to hit a leg spinner, you know, the gamble is that in the back you're making, which one is it? Is it the googly? Is it the legs? I'm still going to try and strike it. And there's not a lot on it. It doesn't matter because you just strike it through the line of the ball. Now, if he's putting loads of revs on the ball

and you just get it slightly wrong when you're trying to strike it, it'll just come off the outside edge and you'll get an opportunity. So the one piece of advice I said of Adel, just spin it, just give it a rip. I think essentially we are actually talking about England's selection still. I mean, it seems to be such a settled balance. Archer coming in, of course, at the last minute, but the balance and the way the team was structured was so set.

Well, here we are halfway here. Well, the strange thing for me, what's upset the balance is by getting a better team, by getting Archer in, who's undoubtedly the best, a better sort of addition to the side because of his sheer pace. Penetration, yeah. It's actually made, and people think about what we've been doing before.

We're almost sport for choice now, which is a very healthy position. But that's why I think they've gone away from the spinners. That's why I thought when they didn't play Mowing. I mean, I was livid for Moe because I think he's a very good cricketer. And I see, I know how it is for spinners. And Vaughan is absolutely spot on. Adil doesn't bowl with confidence when he's not got Mowing out there. Even when he's not got him to talk to.

Mowing said, like tongue and cheek there, I'll tell him what to bowl, and sometimes he listens, sometimes he doesn't. Trust me, I've seen him. He listens to every word Mowin says. He looks over to him. He gets a little signal in front of bowling. and bowls it is you know they need each other or a deal needs moeen and i think england are a lot stronger and when they're play my one thing throwing it out there if you had to play another

scene well my maverick choice would be don't play james vince at the top of the order and get moan to bat up there because he's grown up being a top order batsman and if like the output that vince gives you isn't astronomical anyway i'd back moan to be the same that's interesting thought for if they do have to if they do have to you don't necessarily have to do a like for like because you have got mowing to back higher up if necessary so I mean we're not at that situation yet but there is some flexibility there I think

isn't they? Yeah I mean I wouldn't go that way because you know you can sometimes have too many bowling options six is plenty in Joe Rootsie's you know if Joe's your third spinning option and I think he's underused you know he's just got that knack of getting wickets Joe he's just absolutely he's lucky

isn't he? That's a alarm ball over the day that one of the same wasn't he said it was a knuckle boy said he released it off the knuckle whatever it was He knows, it's a l'armour. Yeah, well, he shouldn't be getting you out. Jason, and Hall have just relaxed. Oh, it's Joe Root. I've just done it for six.

I'll just work that on the on side. But that's what he's got. He's got that knack. He's just got that canny knack of coming on to bowl and getting a wicket. You need those in your team. Do you think England are still number one favourites? What do you see? We've all seen all the teams now, more than once.

Still number one favourite for you? There's, yes, just. India closely by them. Yesterday's game at Edgebast, when you think England play in, India at Edgebaston a week on Sunday, and there's a semi-final at Edgebaston. You know, it was a slow surface, slow balls, spins, certainly going to play its part. I wouldn't want to play Indira in the semi-final there.

Old Trafford, you know. Play anyone there? Yeah, and England can strike it there. Well, the Edgebaston is two versus three. Yes, and that's why you'd think it's probably, you would hope not in England, India. Yeah. But you never, never know if Australia keep winning, they could finish top. Yeah.

New Zealand. Keep winning, they could finish top. And it might be that England have to play India in that. semi-final. It might be edge-baston. I would want to avoid edge-baston if I was even in a semi-final. You've still got them as number one? I do, yeah. I just think because the most impressive thing for me the other day, after that loss to Pakistan, I was worried that they go into their shells a bit and say, right, we'll be cautious, but they didn't. They came out fighting in the end. The 150-odd that Owen Morgan's called the other day is the most selfless knock.

And as a captain, the message that gave to his team, I don't care how many I get, I don't care if I get out, I'm on 94, I don't care, I'm still going to try and hit sixes. It's almost like if I'm going to do it, if I'm going to be ultra-aggressive, you have to follow. And Morgie, being Morgie, he's got so much respect. The whole team, even subconsciously, will go, yeah, right, that's how we'll play. And I think if England are ultra-aggressive against a team like India or Australia, that's the best chance of beating them. So for that reason, yeah, they're still mind and more.

Yeah, well, no more in the last three. I can't think how Sri Lanka can give them a scare at head in the England. Well, I was going to ask you that. I mean, they've only won one. They've beaten Bangladesh, but they've lost to Sri Lanka. I mean, lost to New Zealand, they've lost to Australia, haven't they? So they beat Afghanistan. Should have been in Australia as well, they're chasing.

It was a really dead set, and then they've bottled it. Yeah, I can't, I mean, the last three games are what we're going to know more about the time. I think the semi-final slots are pretty much going to be sorted today. Australia will win this one. I can't see how Bangladesh chased this big score here. And then the top four will be jockeying to see who they play in the semifinals. In the last three games, England play the Aussies, India and New Zealand. We'll get a field.

You know, England have beaten the teams already that you would expect them to win. It's a good end for the tournament that for England, isn't it? Five big matches to win it. So if you are England then, Michael, and I mean, England are going to play, as coincidentally, I suppose, but they are going to play,

there are the three semi-final contenders, likely ones. Is that a good thing? I mean, you've got to go and you beat them and you just go with the strongest team when you beat them into that confidence in with you, rather showing your hand to other teams, but keep winning matches.

England have got it in them they haven't had a close game yet they haven't had to be in the situation that Australia found himself New Zealand on two occasions where they've got over the line winning tight games England haven't had those games they might not need those games you know they've got it in them within their group

with all the English that they could power the way through to the semis they could power through the semis and they could win a final but you know they might have to win an arsonipper yesterday that's what Doug Patrick at Yorkshire said oh when we're going to win one of them Yesterday was one of those. England might have to.

You know, and you have to train your brain and your mentality over training and teams are, look, when we get into that situation, how are we going to deal with that? Because so far, they haven't, well, I guess the Pakistan game, but that really didn't get to being really, really close. This team, more than any I ever played in,

and any I've seen before, I don't think it would phase them anywhere near as much, that sort of thinking, oh, do we need to beat these three teams? I think they'll probably look at that and go, oh, great, we'll beat them, and then they won't want to players again. But what we don't know, and you're quite right, is how the England team will play

when, if you lose, you're out. No, but this is why Owen's is so good the other day. It said, well, this is how we play. We go ultra-aggressive. If then, so be it. Yeah, but that's how we're going to go. You're right, I guess.

Will that happen in a semi-final? It better add. Well, that's been all the questions of the England side for four years. We know they've got everything that you'd require in terms of skill, power, difference in terms of the bowling. When you're chasing something down,

it really matters. Will they be able to do it? Exactly the same. I'm pretty sure they will. Great. Thanks to you both, Graham and Michael. We're on air from 9.30 Friday morning for England against Sri Lanka. It's an England doubleheader. In fact, the women are playing their second T20 International against the West Indies at Northampton.

That's a 7pm start, and we will have ball-by-ball commentary of that as well. The TMS podcast at the Cricket World Cup. Download and subscribe via the BBC Sounds app for a new episode every day. Thank you.