XPost: uk.sport.cricket

We were discussing this topic last couple of days, of making the wrong
decision after winning the toss and here we are, Butler making the WRONG decision of choosing to FIELD.

I am surprised WHY England DIDN'T THINK of the afternoon HEAT before hand.

I think it's CURTAINS for England in this WC2023 unless other stronger
teams fuck it up for themselves in the remaining games.

Chances of England making the semis are EXTREMELY REMOTE.

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Jos Buttler concedes decision to bowl first in Mumbai was 'potentially'
a mistake

"It leaves us with no room for error, we have to probably win every game
from here on in"

https://www.espncricinfo.com/story/icc-cricket-world-cup-2023-jos-buttler-concedes-bowl-first-mumbai-potentially-mistake-1404678


Jos Buttler admitted that England had "potentially" made a mistake when choosing to bowl first on the way to a 229-run thrashing by South Africa
at the Wankhede, before conceding his team will likely need to "win
every game from here on in" to keep their World Cup defence alive.

Asked to bat first in Mumbai, South Africa piled up 399 for 7 during
their 50 overs despite losing a wicket to the second ball of the
innings, with Heinrich Klaasen's 61-ball hundred building on top-order half-centuries from Reeza Hendricks and Rassie van der Dussen. Marco
Jansen also struck 75 off 42 balls as he and Klaasen added 151 in 12.4
overs for the sixth wicket.

By that stage, England's players were visibly wilting in the heat. The
bowlers made regular trips off the field, with Adil Rashid suffering
from an upset stomach and David Willey felled by cramp during one over.
In addition, Reece Topley suffered a suspected broken finger when
fielding the ball in his follow through, and had to leave for treatment
with one ball of his fourth over unbowled.

When asked at the post-match presentations whether bowling first was a
mistake, Buttler said: "Yeah, potentially. You always look back and
reflect on the decisions you make. Obviously incredibly tough conditions
here in the heat, we saw that with the boys in the field. Everyone put
in a great shift. I still believe if it was 340-350 and we got off to a
good start it would have been a great chase. But yeah, potentially
should have batted first with the heat."

Aiden Markram, standing in as captain for South Africa due to Temba
Bavuma suffering from illness, said they had been "slightly" surprised
by Buttler's call. "We know England do like chasing," he said. "We were
going to bat first. Happy that it worked out the way it did, we felt comfortable doing that and I think it helped us a lot that our big
quicks weren't in the sun cooking."

It leaves us with no room for error, we have to probably win every game
from here on in," Buttler said. "That's the situation we find ourselves in."

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