The Roar's Cricket World Cup expert tips and predictions: Week 2

We are five games into the Cricket World Cup, and it’s hardly a surprise to see most going the way you’d expect, with some very one-sided games of cricket. There are nine games in Week 2 for things to get interesting though, and this is The Roar’s expert tipping panel.

The only differences across the board in the first week of tipping was my own tip of South Africa in the first game, and Dan Liebke’s selection of Afghanistan to beat Australia.

Both of those failed, so we are a tip behind the rest of the pack at the end of what was an abbreviated Week 1 with only five games.

Week 2 will be headlined by India playing their first two games against a struggling Sri Lanka on Wednesday, and another against Australia on Sunday, while we see every team except the West Indies and South Africa (who have already played two games) in action twice.

Looking at the weather forecast though, every game apart from New Zealand and Afghanistan is set to be impacted by rain in some way, so Duckworth-Lewis could well get a workout.

England will start off the week against Pakistan, who were rolled for just over 100 against the West Indies on Friday, before Afghanistan play Sri Lanka.

Wedensday brings us a doubleheader with the aforementioned India and South Africa fixture, while Bangladesh will also play New Zealand.

Saturday is the other doubleheader for the week as England play Bangladesh and the Black Caps play Afghanistan, while in between it’ll be Australia back in action against the West Indies and Pakistan playing Sri Lanka.

The deadline to have your tips as part of The Crowd’s figures is at 6pm (AEST) on Monday evening ahead of the first game of the week.

Ronan O’Connell

Tips: England, Afghanistan, India, New Zealand, Australia, Pakistan, England, New Zealand, Australia

Since winning the 2017 Champions Trophy in the UK, Pakistan have fallen apart. In the past nine months, they have a horrendous win-loss record of 3-16 in ODIs, including a putrid display against the West Indies in their World Cup opener. England will thrash Pakistan.

Afghanistan beat Sri Lanka the last time they faced off and I think they’ll repeat the dose today. Sri Lanka are at their lowest ebb in this format for perhaps 25 years – their batting is fragile and their bowling lacks bite. Afghanistan’s army of quality spinners will get them the win.

(Photo by ISHARA S. KODIKARA / AFP)

India’s first game should be a cracker. South Africa have a wonderful attack and India own one of the best top orders ever seen in ODI cricket. The Proteas need their quicks to make inroads with the new ball or India will pile up a big score. India are the best-balanced side in this tournament so I think they’ll edge the Proteas.

New Zealand have too many stars for Bangladesh to contain. Swing bowler Trent Boult and veteran batsman Ross Taylor are in career-best form, while Kane Williamson and Martin Guptill are top-tier ODI batsmen. The Kiwis should win comfortably.

It will be a real danger match for Australia. While the Aussies have dominated the Windies in ODIs for many years now – they have a 22-3 win-loss record against them since late 2006 – the Windies currently boast a ballistic batting lineup.

On any given day, they’re capable of making or chasing a massive total. They’re also capable of falling apart like they did in their recent warm-up match against Australia, which the Aussies won in a canter. For that reason, I’m backing Australia, who are a better-rounded and more predictable outfit.

A stab in the dark in the Pakistan-Sri Lanka match. Pakistan might be in a deep form trough but they, on paper, they are a vastly more talented team than the battling Sri Lanka. I’m tipping Pakistan, but, really, who knows what will happen here.

Bangladesh have a surprisingly good record against England, having won four of their last eight ODIs against them. That includes their famous upset in the 2015 World Cup, which was a wretched tournament for England. But England now just have too many batting guns, and an improved attack thanks to the introduction of Jofra Archer. They should roll over Bangladesh.

New Zealand have a host of fine players of spin, including Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor and Tom Latham. That is crucial as Afghanistan’s key route to victory is through their many fine spinners, so the Black Caps should win.

I can’t wait for Australia and India. The recent five-match ODI series between these sides was sensational, with Australia fighting back from 2-0 down to win the series.

Australia did a surprisingly good job in that series of countering India’s spinners. With arguably their two best players of spin – David Warner and Steve Smith – back in the team I think Australia will beat India. But I make that prediction with minimal confidence.

David Schout

Tips: England, Afghanistan, India, New Zealand, Australia, Pakistan, England, New Zealand, Australia

I hope England bat first against Pakistan, as news has filtered through that the match will be played on the same Trent Bridge pitch the hosts amassed 481 against Australia last year. For that, and many other reasons, England will be far too strong.

Afghanistan and Sri Lanka is the first real tough pick. Sri Lanka are bereft of confidence and will win few games this tournament, but I’m giving them the benefit of the doubt on this one.

South Africa and India should be a cracker. India, however, are a far more balanced side than the Proteas, and don’t rely on the exploits of 3-4 players to decide their fate. Behind England, they’re likely the second-best side and should win their opener.

The Black Caps were clinical with the ball against Sri Lanka, but likely won’t have the same green-tinged surface at The Oval as they had at Sofia Gardens. Nevertheless, Kane Williamson’s side should make it two from two in London.

The Windies are just about the most exciting lineup at the tournament. Beyond the big guns of Gayle and Russell, Pooran and Hetmyer are hugely talented youngsters. This game will be a good test for the Aussie bowlers – especially if one of those four get going – but I expect them to win.

Pakistan are a far better side than what they dished up against the Windies in their opener, and on the whole should get past Sri Lanka who – as I mentioned – won’t win many games throughout the tournament.

While Bangladesh gave England a scare in the 2017 Champions Trophy, I don’t expect them to be hugely competitive in this one. The hosts will use this as a good chance to try different combinations with the ball, and get time in the middle.

Afghanistan struggled against the extra pace of the Aussies in their opener, and will similarly find it difficult against Boult, Henry and Ferguson. If my tips are correct, the Black Caps should be three and zero at this stage.

(Photo by Christopher Lee-IDI/IDI via Getty Images)

And finally, at The Oval, should it be slightly tacky India could play Kuldeep and Chahal, which would make things difficult for the Aussies. A genuine toss of the coin this one, but I’ll go with Kohli’s boys.

Dan Liebke

Tips: Pakistan, Afghanistan, India, New Zealand, West Indies, Pakistan, England, New Zealand, Australia

I said in my first round of tips I’d be tossing a coin every time Pakistan played, and I’m going to stick to that. Unfortunately, that means I’m tipping them to beat England. I don’t understand how they can possibly accomplish this. But it’s Pakistan. I don’t need to understand it. I just have to trust the process.

It has to be Afghanistan to beat Sri Lanka, surely. Sri Lanka are yet to take a wicket in the tournament. They may never take a wicket. And while it’s possible to win an ODI without taking a wicket, it’s definitely one of the more challenging ways to go about it.

India have Virat Kohli, and South Africa do not. Therefore, India will beat South Africa.

On the flip side of Sri Lanka being yet to take a wicket, New Zealand are yet to lose a wicket in the tournament. While this is bad news for the middle order, it’s good news for their prospects of triumphing over Bangladesh.

Australia and the West Indies will be a great match. The West Indies bounced out Pakistan and will no doubt try to similarly bounce out Australia. I’m not certain they’ll succeed. But if the Afghanistan batsmen can hit Adam Zampa and Marcus Stoinis for 20+ runs in a single over, who knows how many runs Chris Gayle will hit them for? 30 runs per over? 60? 100? Tough to bounce back from that. Give me the West Indies.

(Photo by Oli SCARFF / AFP)

Bad news for Sri Lanka. My coin has again come down for Pakistan. A stirring fightback from the Pakistan side.

England will make a million runs against the Tigers. Jofra Archer will bowl very fast. Ben Stokes will probably take another stupid catch. I don’t see how Bangladesh can compete with any of this.

I see New Zealand continuing their World Cup victory march against Afghanistan. Yes, they may lose a wicket or two along the way, but I seriously doubt they’ll lose the match. Kane Williamson’s men to open the tournament with three straight wins.

I can’t remember the last time India beat Australia in an ODI. Have they ever done so? It’s difficult to imagine. So let’s assume that they won’t do so here either. At some point I have to tip Australia. It might as well be when it’ll make a billion plus people cross with me.

Daniel Jeffrey

Tips: England, Afghanistan, India, New Zealand, Australia, Pakistan, England, New Zealand, India
After a comfortable opening win against South Africa, England should have no problems accounting for Pakistan. Expect plenty of bouncers from Jofra Archer in this one.

Sri Lanka did nothing to dismiss concerns about them being the worst side in the tournament in their opener. Afghanistan have a better bowling attack and should be able to score enough, particularly if their top order is less lead-footed than they were against Australia.

India enter the World Cup as the most balanced side, even more so considering KL Rahul’s warm-up century at no.4. South Africa haven’t played their second match at the time of writing, but look a bowler short without Dale Steyn. Even with him, this would be too tough a test for the Proteas.

(AP Photo/Rajanish Kakade)

New Zealand should have little trouble against Bangladesh, while Australia will be far less susceptible to West Indian bouncer barrages than Pakistan were. Both the Antipodean countries should make it two from two.

Sri Lanka offer Pakistan the perfect chance to pick up their maiden win of the tournament, and England and New Zealand will rightfully enter their second matches of the week as hot favorites against Bangladesh and Afghanistan respectively.

The final match of this lot looks a real cracker. Australia got the better of India last time the two met, but that was with a different looking side. Without Jhye Richardson as the third quick, the Australian attack may struggle to contain India’s batting, so I’ll give the nod to Virat Kohli’s men.

Scott Pryde

Tips: England, Afghanistan, South Africa, New Zealand, Australia, Sri Lanka, England, New Zealand, Australia

I tend to think this might be a difficult week to tip, given we don’t have enormous form lines to go on at this point of the tournament.

In saying that, England are light years ahead of Pakistan, who got trounced by the West Indies in Game 1 and should pick up a big win to open up.

Sri Lanka were also abysmal against New Zealand. Their clash with Afghanistan will be more competitive, but the ‘minnows’ are going to get at least one win somewhere, and this should be a good spot to start.

The tip of South Africa to beat India probably defies all logic at this stage, but the Indians are starting their tournament, and the Proteas are going to be pretty desperate to make up for their sloppy start to the tournament. They are going to put it together at some point.

New Zealand beating Bangladesh in the second Wednesday night fixture seems like a bit of a no-brainer, as do the two Saturday night games with England back in action against the Tigers and New Zealand taking on the Afghanis. Both easy games to pick for the sides who have started strongly.

Australia and the West Indies is dangerous, but then, every top team taking on Chris Gayle and the men from the Carribean will label it a danger game. Still, the Aussies should get the job done on reliability unless Gayle can come out and whack a big century.

(Photo by Robert Cianflone/Getty Images)

Sri Lanka to beat Pakistan would be an upset, but I reckon it’ll happen. Pakistan didn’t impress me one bit against the West Indies, and don’t have the bowlers to trouble Sri Lanka like New Zealand did.

The final game of the week between Australia and India should also be intriguing. I’m going Australia on the back of Steve Smith and David Warner’s form, although, their bowling against Afghanistan is a cause for concern.

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