Official ICC 2015 CWC thread

Agent_Smith

Agent_Smith

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Neoprod said:
The group game isn't germane to how we got knocked out of the 2007 World Cup - the semi-final is. We batted first and got knocked over for 150 by playing a very unnatural game (that in my opinion was brought on by pressured thinking) - see for example McGrath bowling Kallis (have you ever seen Kallis play a shot like that in the early overs of an innings?).

I stand by my opinion that choking isn't only about being in a winning position then folding...what if your inability to execute your skill in a pressure situation puts you on the back foot from the start?
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Yeah, you're so right about that semi. Apologies, why did I think we'd bowled first? Regardless, I don't think it was pressure that lead to that shot by Kallis (as your example). It was SA trying to take on the Aussies; play them at their own aggressive game and it backfired horribly. We had the team and players to build a structured innings and allow the finishers to come in later. Except, as per their 'brave cricket' mantra that was prevalent at CWC07, they decided to try go too hard too early against McGrath (of all people!) and he destroyed our top order with a three-fer or a four-fer.

It was a doomed plan from the start and we felt it's backlash in the most humiliating way.
 
Neoprod

Neoprod

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Agent_Smith said:
Yeah, you're so right about that semi. Apologies, why did I think we'd bowled first? Regardless, I don't think it was pressure that lead to that shot by Kallis (as your example). It was SA trying to take on the Aussies; play them at their own aggressive game and it backfired horribly. We had the team and players to build a structured innings and allow the finishers to come in later. Except, as per their 'brave cricket' mantra that was prevalent at CWC07, they decided to try go too hard too early against McGrath (of all people!) and he destroyed our top order with a three-fer or a four-fer.

It was a doomed plan from the start and we felt it's backlash in the most humiliating way.
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Open to interpretation, I guess...to me letting another team psyche you out of playing your optimum game is a kind of choking.

Anyways, all this reminiscing got me thinking about what SA cricket used to be like when we got back into international cricket. I remember us putting up average to mediocre totals quite often and defending them well. Nowadays our strength has shifted quite a lot toward the batting department and our bowling is the weak link. Quite a sea change.
 
AirWolf

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I think our fielding was a notch better in the past which assisted the bowlers in defending tricky totals.
 
sand_man

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AirWolf said:
I think our fielding was a notch better in the past which assisted the bowlers in defending tricky totals.
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I reckon we got a pretty damn useful fielding unit right now.

Faf, JP and AD, lethal in the covers. Have you seen how often Miller hits the stumps? If there is a bit of a weakness I would say it's in the slip cordon.

Who our standout fielders since readmission?
Jonty, Gibbs, McMillian brilliant in the slips, Alviro, Jacque and Graeme top quality slip cordon.

And the quicks get to guard the boundary ropes.
 
MickeyD

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West Indies 313/9 (50.0 ov)
Scotland 284/5 (46.0 ov)

Scotland require another 30 runs with 5 wickets and 24 balls remaining
 
B

Bighit

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Dammit, Scotland only have 3 wickets left now. This is getting close. 12 off 10 now.
 
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Bighit

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If South Africa had done that, the choker tag would have been thrown around again. Besides that, is anyone planning to watch the opening ceremony live tonight? I see that SABC has no coverage of it so a lot of people won't have access to it.
 
Creag

Creag

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ICC World Cup Warm-up Matches, Scotland v West Indies at Sydney, Feb 12, 2015

http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc-cricket-world-cup-2015/engine/match/806137.html

West Indies 313/9 (50.0 ov)
Scotland 310/9 (50.0 ov)
West Indies won by 3 runs

I love the Windies, but a win by the Scots would have had me on my ear (at this time of the day!!!) with some of their finest brew. So close. Huge credit to them though. Two good warm up matches for the Scots and who knows what else they might achieve. Crossing fingers for them.
 
AirWolf

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McT said:
ICC World Cup Warm-up Matches, Scotland v West Indies at Sydney, Feb 12, 2015

http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc-cricket-world-cup-2015/engine/match/806137.html

West Indies 313/9 (50.0 ov)
Scotland 310/9 (50.0 ov)
West Indies won by 3 runs

I love the Windies, but a win by the Scots would have had me on my ear (at this time of the day!!!) with some of their finest brew. So close. Huge credit to them though. Two good warm up matches for the Scots and who knows what else they might achieve. Crossing fingers for them.
Click to expand...

If the Scots can go 300 against the Windies, that doesn't say much for the Windies, and our prep against them :(.
 
sand_man

sand_man

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+a trillion... Although being a glass is half full kind of guy I'm going to say the WI got broken playing in SA...
 
sand_man

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Anyway watching the opening ceremony? Just switched on. seems a bit comical.
 
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stefan9

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We had tours to Aus and NZ as well for prep + the triangular involving Aus and Zim in zim for the leadup. Preparation was fine.
 
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