[Archived] Cricket World Cup 2011

[Iceman]

I don't see a thread for this, but the cricket world cup has started.

Its been a weired start to the tournament, with a good opening game between India and Bangladesh. Sehwag and Kholi hitting hundreds, while a brave response from Bangladesh kept some respectibility.

Today, Kenya were beaten by 10 wickets. Bowled out for only 69, New Zealand easily knocked the runs off.

So, a mixed start to the tournament, but to be honest, because of broadcast times of certain games, it could turn into poor world cup.

There will be many games, that I will miss, because I will be at work.

Despite their poor form, do not dismiss Australias chances. India on home soil will be up there, and I suppose South Africa and England will be amongst the challengers.

Favourites for me, in no particular order

Australia

South Africa

England

India

Outside bets

Pakistan

Sri Lanka

[neekoy]

Favourites:

India, Sri Lanka

Dark Horses:

South Africa

The rest are no where near good enough let alone playing on "win the toss bat first" pitches. In fact, if India don't walk over everyone in this tournament then it should be seen as a failure.

[Al]

Can't get up enthusiasm for one day cricket any more. There was a time when the same players as the test team played. Now it's bits and pieces players, ###### one day specialists and has beens like Lee, who can only bowl ten overs a week play, whilst class players like Cook sit at home and watch on television. Give me test cricket any time. The game has been ruined by defensive bowlers and slog and hope batting.

20/20 is particularly an abomination.

[Iceman]

Agree Al, I too am a test cricket follower. Imo, test cricket is the only form of the game, that I take seriously. I like 50 over cricket, but it has lost its spark to the rubbish that is 20/20

[Mattyblue]

For the good of the game and international cricket, one of the formats has to go. Test cricket is king, 20/20 is too much of a cash cow to go anywhere, so 50 overs, your time is up!

[neekoy]

They just need to change the format of 50 over cricket, our domestic season has two 25 over innings which makes it more interesting as you don't get the bat first take your bowling powerplay straight away mentality.

[Iceman]

England vs Netherlands today, bit of a nothing game really. The Dutch did upset England, in a 20/20 match though. However, I can't see nothing, but a comfortable victory for the English.

[cn174]

England vs Netherlands today, bit of a nothing game really. The Dutch did upset England, in a 20/20 match though. However, I can't see nothing, but a comfortable victory for the English.

...or maybe not. I've only been following on BBC website, but it doesn't look too clever!

[Iceman]

oops, i think i spoke to early.

Good performance by the Dutch, and England will still have to bat well to win this game. i do expect them to get there though

[neekoy]

Just.....I said in the CBA series in Australia, the dominance of the Aussies was not a good measuring stick because England are quite crap.

Meanwhile Afridi turns in a cracker overnight.

[Tris]

England are quite crap.

[neekoy]

Just goes to show how low Australian cricket standards have sunk....

[jim mk2]

Three out of the past four Ashes series too.

Getting lower all the time.

[neekoy]

Finally you are right about something.

[Iceman]

Australia are pretty poor at the moment, when you consider they got beat by a poor England/South Africa team in the Ashes

[BiggusLaddus]

I've always been much more a fan of test cricket than one day anyway, but for me the introduction of 20/20 has killed off the 50 over game. It just seems to be a pointless halfway house between the boring slog-fest of 20/20 and the longer game.

I do think that the introduction of one day internationals has improved test cricket by raising the run rates and teams having a much more attacking mindset, but I don't think that will save it long term and I don't see any benefits coming overfrom 20/20 to test cricket.

[jim mk2]

One-day cricket has not improved Test cricket in my opinion, quite the reverse in fact. Test cricket used to be about a battle of wits, concentration and skill over 5 days but rarely lasts the full course these days owing to batsmen seeing the need to dominate bowlers and score at a high run rate leading to them often giving their wickets away when well set. Cook gave a perfect demonstration of the old art of Test batting in the recent Ashes series but he is a rarity now whereas 30 - 40 years ago Test teams used to 4 or 5 batsmen like him. Pietersen is a perfect example of how not to bat in Test cricket and would not have been tolerated in the old days. One-day cricket has however improved fielding standards immeasurably - imagine Graveney or Cowdrey throwing themselves around the boundary !

[Iceman]

Jim, at least Pietersen is not as bad as Afridi. Talk about reckless batting, when you are the captain,

The world cup at the moment is terrible. One of, if not the worse I've seen. Countries like the Dutch, and Canada, while its good exposure for them, just don't belong there.

It would be better, if the ICC could introduce them in a mini world cup for lesser nation. At the end, the 2 finalist will qualify for the main World Cup.

[Kelbo]

One-day cricket has not improved Test cricket in my opinion, quite the reverse in fact. Test cricket used to be about a battle of wits, concentration and skill over 5 days but rarely lasts the full course these days owing to batsmen seeing the need to dominate bowlers and score at a high run rate leading to them often giving their wickets away when well set. Cook gave a perfect demonstration of the old art of Test batting in the recent Ashes series but he is a rarity now whereas 30 - 40 years ago Test teams used to 4 or 5 batsmen like him. Pietersen is a perfect example of how not to bat in Test cricket and would not have been tolerated in the old days. One-day cricket has however improved fielding standards immeasurably - imagine Graveney or Cowdrey throwing themselves around the boundary !

And it wont improve test cricket, cricket for me is about scoring runs and bowling sides out, as Jim says, a battle of wits, as a captain of a 20 OR 50 over team, a bowler with 0 - 20 off his allocated overs is more important to the team than a bowler with say 4 - 40 - that cant be right, yes, feilding has improved but there were great fielders before limited overs cricket, Colin Bland of SA, Clive Lloyd, Derek Randall etc to name a few, recently Jonty Rhodes in test cricket. In the old days of test cricket, the object was to occupy the crease, runs will come when you do that, nowadays, with so much emphsis on limitede overs, the concentration levels have to be so much more intense, you would play one shot at a ball in limited overs and a totally different shot in a 5 day game. Its spoiled Test Cricket, though the entertainment aspect is, for the non purist, better, just one problem with limited overs cricket though, I have played in matches and neither players nor the spectators knew the result in rain affected games!! That cant be right.

[bellamy11]

The world cup at the moment is terrible. One of, if not the worse I've seen. Countries like the Dutch, and Canada, while its good exposure for them, just don't belong there.

Pretty harsh on the Dutch, given their performance against England the other day.

[Iceman]

Its good for the Dutch Bellamy, but I'm still of the opinion, that they should play in lesser tournaments. In fact, it would be good if they played in say the County league, without getting points etc.

[Kamy100]

India heading for a huge score, probably 350 plus. Bowling has been very poor but Tendulkar has played a majestic innings.

[Iceman]

Its not as bad, as compared to when he scored a double hundred against South Africa. England have been shocking, both bowling and fielding have been poor.

[jim mk2]

Its not as bad, as compared to when he scored a double hundred against South Africa. England have been shocking, both bowling and fielding have been poor.

Pretty good effort by England's batsmen. Gave India a fright !

[thenodrog]

Pretty good effort by England's batsmen. Gave India a fright !

Indeed and but for some very fortunate Indian batsmen in the opening session and the one off fluke dismissal of Peterson England would have won with relative ease. Great cricket match all the same.