Cricket world cup discussion thread

[AirWolf]

I am done supporting SA cricket. We are a complete joke of a team no matter who we put in. We are destined to be morons in the crocheting world. God, we might as well field the sh*ttest team we can think of because they will perform exactly the same if not better than our current team. Within the space of 4 overs, we went from 106/1 to 119/5. What a joke. Even Zimbabwe will beat us


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Are you planning on emigrating to Zim then?

 

[IceDreama]

Are you planning on emigrating to Zim then?

How did you come to that conclusion?? They should put you in the cricket team because clearly you have the same amount of brain power as our national team i.e. none (in case deciphering that was too higher grade for you)


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[AirWolf]

How did you come to that conclusion?? They should put you in the cricket team because clearly you have the same amount of brain power as our national team i.e. none (in case deciphering that was too higher grade for you)


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lol, clearly you're Einstein if you have to resort to personal insults.

 

[IceDreama]

There was nothing personal since I was merely stating a fact. You draw a conclusion which made no logical sense and I, for one, never claimed to be Einstein. Again with your illogical conclusions.


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[AirWolf]

There was nothing personal since I was merely stating a fact. You draw a conclusion which made no logical sense and I, for one, never claimed to be Einstein. Again with your illogical conclusions.


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As you wish.

 

[Rosaudio]

*deleted

How do you feel now?

 

[AirWolf]

How do you feel now?

lol

 

[Ronjay]

I think the biggest problem our boys are going to have in the WC is our slow bowlers. (some fanboys are going to crucify me for saying this but....) To me, they are nowhere near the quality of the Subcontinent slow guys. And while our boys are really cr@p at batting against spin bowling, it's bread and butter for the Indians, Pakistanis and Sri Lankans. So the spin is going to count against us when we bat and when we bowl. While the Subcontinent teams use their spinners as attacking bowlers (take wickets or we will bowl a spinner that can), the Proteas generally use them as defensive bowlers (curb runs and if a wicket comes, cool). I mean look at Botha, some consider him the premier spinner in the side, yet when ever he bowls there is never an attacking field for him. What's worse is that even with the defensive field placement, at times, the Indians have hit him quite far. Whereas our boys have been kept quiet by the Indians, even on pitches that are not conducive to spin. I fear with all the selection turmoil, the Proteas dislike for slow pitches, their ineptitude towards good spin (either batting against it or bowling it) and of course one can't forget the propensity to self destruct anyway, our guys are not going to enjoy this WC.

I do hope I'm wrong though.

 

[Creag]

*deleted

The terminology "look before you leap" comes to mind

Anyhow, it looks like another supporter converting to supporting Zim cricket is born. Nothing wrong though, as they are a good team and show promising signs. Also, no more unnecessary stress or outbursts

 

[[Quattro]]

92 World Cup on ESPNC if anyone wants to watch

 

[Creag]

92 World Cup on ESPNC if anyone wants to watch

Wasn't that the one that went from 22 from 7 to 22 from 1 following a rain delay for us to win?

 

[Wall]

Wasn't that the one that went from 22 from 7 to 22 from 1 following a rain delay for us to win?

that's the one. properly cocked up.

 

[Wall]

So the teams are announced, heartbreak and elation have been experienced, the World Cup trophy is on a tour of its commercial home, contests stare down at us from billboards, hard fought one-dayers have the air of warm-up games around them... Now all we need is for our stadiums to be ready.

They will, eventually, in a mad scramble to the finish line and amid much back-slapping and pride at working till the last minute. Maybe somebody somewhere will realise that this need to work till the last minute is a strong indicator of inefficiency, and that it is a pretty unnecessary ability to possess. Meanwhile Kolkata has asked for another deadline; they must like those, since they collect so many.

In spite of all that, I expect this to be a World Cup full of fervour and exuberance. There is a national team to support before everyone drifts away into a melee of uncertain identities and emotions. The IPL too has its place, but for the moment the World Cup stands alone in our consciousness, and that is how it should be. After all it only comes once in four years and it has been 15 years since a team other than Australia claimed it.

Now it returns to a subcontinent that doesn't quite hold the mysteries it did even as late as 1996. Teams have toured here very often. Players from some have even come to sing songs and to cut ribbons. They know the conditions, the people and the diets better than ever before. Economic prospects and outstanding hotels have meant that there are no longer complaints of heat and dust, Delhi belly and the perpetual sightings of fakirs and cows. Corruption is a bigger issue, but since the teams will not be particularly interested in bagging a telecom licence or staging sporting events, and since they are more aware than ever before of the perils of bowling intentional no-balls, it should pass them by.

Teams, meanwhile, are shedding their traditional DNA and trusting bowlers who toss the ball up rather than pound it down. South Africa, who hitherto had no more than a nodding acquaintance with spin bowling, courtesy Paul Adams and Pat Symcox, have picked three spinners in Johan Botha, Robin Peterson and Imran Tahir, and doubtless will expect Jean-Paul Duminy to bowl too. England have Graeme Swann, Michael Yardy and James Tredwell, while New Zealand are turning up with Daniel Vettori, Nathan McCullum and Luke Woodcock. Why, even West Indies are armed with Sulieman Benn, Nikita Miller and an angry Chris Gayle, who between them run in half of what Michael Holding once did. And we in India are debating whether we have picked one too many.

So is this going to be the World Cup of the slow bowler? I would pause a while before endorsing that. With our love for batting, and drama, I expect pitches to be as flat as ever. Boundaries have rarely been too distant, and in any case with modern bats even mi****s clear the ropes. Much would depend, too, on how quickly winter retreats, especially in the north, where people have been huddling in corners and staying indoors. A friend of mine recently in from Chicago discovered that his bravado quickly gave way to sweaters. If the nights have a bit of a nip to them and dew becomes a factor, spinners may not have much to do bowling second.

That is why I expect this to be a batting World Cup. I won't be surprised if average scores are higher than ever before, though that is not necessarily good cricket. The IPL has expanded the vision of how many can be got in the last few overs, and so teams will want to keep wickets in hand for the end assault. It means wicket-taking bowlers, especially early on, will be as valuable as ever. Remember, too, that with the ball changed after 34 overs, reverse swing is not as big a factor as it used to be.

Watch out too for Bangladesh, who have turned in some impressive results in home conditions. Opponents will take them lightly at their own peril, for they will discover a left-arm spinner bowling at all times in the innings.

Sri Lanka might be a bit of a mystery, with a couple of new grounds, and West Indies are doing well to play three games there in the hope, doubtlessly, that they have seen the last of the rain.

Bookended by West Indies in the seventies and by Australia in the decade just gone by, the World Cup has produced unlikely winners. And it is an interesting thought that, in the eyes of many, if Australia win it for the fourth time in a row, they too will be considered unlikely winners.

source:

http://www.espncricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/497557.html

 

[[Quattro]]

Wasn't that the one that went from 22 from 7 to 22 from 1 following a rain delay for us to win?

It was actually all the World Cups from 92 onwards.
Pretty cool. I forgot Kenya made the semis here...

Also more current. There were riots at the 96 World Cup in India... when India lost.

 

[Wall]

In a major embarrassment to the BCCI, the ICC has ruled out Eden Gardens as the host of the game between India and England on February 27. The ICC's inspection team, which included some of the leading experts in the field of stadium and ground preparation, felt that Eden Gardens would not be ready in time. No alternate venue for the match has yet been named. The ****hede Stadium in Mumbai and the three World Cup stadiums in Sri Lanka were all given the go-ahead by the ICC.

"Regrettably, Eden Gardens has not made sufficient progress to justify the level of confidence required to confirm that the venue would be ready in good time," Haroon Lorgat, the ICC chief executive, said. "This was no easy decision to take and while it is most unfortunate, it is absolutely necessary." The Cricket Association of Bengal is having an emergency meeting to discuss the development.

Kolkata was to host three other matches in the World Cup, but the status of those games is still unclear. "At this stage no decision has been taken on those matches," an ICC spokesperson said. The India-England clash was the only chance for fans in Kolkata to see the home side.

BCCI president Shashank Manohar said that there was no need for the BCCI to call any emergency meeting, but pointed out that he would consult his "office bearers" to finalise the venue for the match. It is learnt that Bangalore is tipped to be a favourite. "99 % it will be Bangalore," an ICC source said.

The news of switching the match from Kolkata comes just two days after the tournament director, Ratnakar Shetty, waved away worries over readiness of World Cup venues. Media personnel had been barred from a recent inspection of Eden Gardens.

The venue, one of the largest cricket stadiums in the world, has hosted some of the highest-profile matches of the previous two World Cups held in the subcontinent including the final in 1987 and the semi-final in 1996. No international matches have been held in Kolkata since the Test between India and South Africa in February as the stadium was being renovated.

"All venues had ample time in which to prepare for World Cup matches," Lorgat said. "We had been understanding and had provided extensions to the deadline dates but unfortunately we are now at a point where we must carefully manage our risks.

"The Central Organising Committee had provided venues with a deadline of 30 November 2010 to complete all construction work and then to be match-ready by 31 December 2010. An extension was granted by the ICC for five venues, which were again inspected over the past week. Sadly, Eden Gardens in Kolkata was unable to meet the final deadline date of 25 January 2011."

The ICC is still deciding on the new venue for the India-England match. "We will work with the new venue, the tour operators and the ticket distributors to manage the logistical challenges that will surely arise," Shetty said.

source: cricinfo

 

[sand_man]

I see Albie Morkel scored 50 not out off 25 balls in last nights Pro20 match at Sahara Park Newlands...

 

[wise_guy]

I seem Albie Morkel scored 50 not out off 25 balls in last nights Pro20 match at Sahara Park Newlands...

I somehow get the feeling Albie will eventually find his way to the sub-continent,especially if he keeps on producing the goods.

 

[MickeyD]

I seem Albie Morkel scored 50 not out off 25 balls in last nights Pro20 match at Sahara Park Newlands...

And then promptly injured himself, needed a runner and did not field.

I would have preferred him to Wayne Parnell....

 

[wise_guy]

South Africa's preliminary squad,before the final 15 were chosen makes for interesting analysis:
Graeme Smith, Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers, Alviro Peterson, Loots Bosman, Jacques Rudolph, Morne van Wyk, Jonathan Vandiar, JP Duminy, David Miller, Colin Ingram, Albie Morkel, Robin Peterson, Mark Boucher, Thami Tsolekile, Faf du Plessis, Dean Elgar, Heino Kuhn, Morne Morkel, Dale Steyn, Wayne Parnell, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Johan Botha, Ryan McLaren, Charl Langeveldt, Rusty Theron, Ethy Mbhalati, Roelef van der Merwe, Johan van der Wath.

On a side note, Jacques Rudolph last played a test for SA in 2006,and yet he's only 29,which makes him eligible for selection if he contues to play the way does.

 

[Wall]

come on proteas!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!