World Cup 2015

First topic message reminder :

Warm Up game between Ind and Aus ongoing...
it's an official ODI...though after so much cricket why do these sides need a "warm-up"

India's bowling in melt-down and the two most dangerous guys in Aus side Warner and Maxwell get 100s

Looks like Ind will be chasing 375

Exactly ko-king - cricket the only sport more worried with contracting than expanding

I think it's allways a bluff to try and make these teams do something themselves to bring something to the game rather than the ICC trying to create a closed shop.

The wc in 2019 will again have more than 10 teams. It's all smoke and mirrors.

At the end of the day the ICC should only be interested in what is better for the fans and the sport itself. Now in the last World Cup or two Ireland's performances have created excitement much more than say - a non-descript Bangladesh V Zimbabwe match and has brought more headlines and attention to cricket as well. Now to try to keep it limited to merely teams it seems too late - the genie is out of the bottle as these 'minnows' have proven they deserve to dine at the top table whereas some that are guaranteed to dine at the top table (the ten test playing nations) have been more disappointing than Ireland. Sorry but to banish associate teams from the World Cup achieves what? Promote mediocrity from Bangladesh and one or two others whilst stifling the growth of budding nations. That is not what cricket needs or wants.

Do most of the Irish and scottish players play in the English county system?

The UAE's players are all immigrant workers. Holland allways nicks players with ancestory.

If that is the case which i believe it is- we are not getting anywhere with world cricket. Nothing will change- The ICC wants other countries to develop there own grass roots- professional systems.

Yes I understand what you are saying mystiroakey but remember these are fledgling cricketing countries which will hopefully develop a domestic league of their own given time. Remember these are countries without a rich history of cricket playing so these things will take time.

But the ICCs stance is like they are dangling the word cup as a carrot.

If you want in.. Do this..

They were giving detailed outlines of what to do. They haven't fullfilled them.. I rarely back up the ICC but I have to agree with them on this. But anyway they allways backdown which may not be the best for world cricket. Well especially not the format most of us love the most which is test.

If the ICC just cave in and say anyone can play in the 50 over and t20 wc's . There will not be one single new test nation to come bar maybe ireland. Who I hope convert to it whatever the outcome. But we could also lose other test nations as a result.

And the long game is that if only eng and Oz want to play test cricket. What's the point.

Yes but are leagues not being formed by just a simple lack of high enough standard teams to make a league such is the small minority that play cricket on those countries? I mean it is akin to expecting England to form a viable baseball league or something when there just isn't a mass enough interest in it.

England are not asking to play in the World Series.

I shall probably jinx them, but Afghanistan are making a decent start: 73/2 after 17 overs.

Steady platform.

No I realise that but my point is that these associate countries (in my opinion) just don't have enough teams playing cricket to form a league system.

CaledonianCraig wrote:No I realise that but my point is that these associate countries (in my opinion) just don't have enough teams playing cricket to form a league system.

They don't get enough support is the problem. Like I've said, cricket seems to be the only sport intent on contracting rather than expanding, not good

Craig.

Let's say the ICC allowed ireland , Holland, Afghan, scotland, UAE etc into the mix with odi series(witha split of the finance) so they would be on the typical rotar and calender and would allways get in to world cups etc..

Do you think Bangladesh, Zimbabwe and West Indies would care about having test status anymore? And then how long would it take for india, SL and Pakistan to think why are we bothering with test cricket..

I could see it happening. I could see it ending test cricket.

Olly wrote:

CaledonianCraig wrote:No I realise that but my point is that these associate countries (in my opinion) just don't have enough teams playing cricket to form a league system.

They don't get enough support is the problem. Like I've said, cricket seems to be the only sport intent on contracting rather than expanding, not good

The ICC is trying to protect test cricket.. That's all. It's trying to expand that. But it could prove impossible..

Yes I certainly see that and I would hate to see the death of test cricket. For me test cricket is the greatest form of cricket, the ultimate test of skill and concentration and tactics.

mystiroakey wrote:

Olly wrote:

CaledonianCraig wrote:No I realise that but my point is that these associate countries (in my opinion) just don't have enough teams playing cricket to form a league system.

They don't get enough support is the problem. Like I've said, cricket seems to be the only sport intent on contracting rather than expanding, not good

The ICC is trying to protect test cricket.. That's all. It's trying to expand that. But it could prove impossible..

Can't say I disagree with you often mysti, but on this I do my friend!

Let's just hope we best Scotland tomorrow night

You can get 7/1 on Scotland!

Sevens! Has to be worth a tenner with the way England are, presently.

Afghanistan 106/2. Rollicking.

I am hoping one team can blast the other one out so I don't have to postpone a job Monday..

Almost worth a punt that duty, especially if we end up batting first, can see Scotland's bowlers causing us issues.

Afghan's going nicely here, if they can get to 30/35 overs with about 150-170 on the board they're in real business

It was 9/1 two days ago.

People are putting money on it..

It would have been 50/1 pre wc

Perhaps the ICC should look to protect test cricket then by welcoming the associate countries into test cricket but not ODI or Twenty-20. That may help matters on both fronts.

Olly wrote: ...

Afghan's going nicely here, if they can get to 30/35 overs with about 150-170 on the board they're in real business

Difficulty Afghanistan have had in this game is that from early on they've nearly always seemed as if they've lost one wicket too many which has stopped them accelerating. Too many soft dismissals. The sixth wicket has just fallen in the 39th with them now on 178. Decent effort but they may well struggle to reach 250 from here ...

Afghanistan all out for 232 with 2 balls to spare. A respectable showing but they'll have to bowl and field incredibly well for that to hurt Sri Lanka. As mentioned above, too many soft dismissals and too often at crucial times which prevented any real acceleration to the run rate which, I think, was always under 5.

Afghanistan about fifty runs light.

Mind you, Sri Lanka are 2/2!

'allowed ireland , Holland, Afghan, scotland, UAE etc into the mix with odi series(witha split of the finance) so they would be on the typical rotar and calender and would allways get in to world cups etc..

Do you think Bangladesh, Zimbabwe and West Indies would care about having test status anymore? And then how long would it take for india, SL and Pakistan to think why are we bothering with test cricket..'

Thats ridiculous, no one is asking give everyone test status, just Ireland and Maybe Afghans if they keep improving, why would they think Why are we bothering with this...Test Cricket is part of Cricket Culture, BD are always complaining that they dont have enough Test Cricket and by the time they get to play they have no practice or form in Test Matches, And I agree with them - BD should get more Test Matches, and Ireland should get Test Matches, it will only help them Improve. If it was the case oh 'these lessser teams get to play what the point' then why do they keep playing ODI's when it seems T20's generate more money..

So to answer would these Test keep caring for tests, ofcourse they will and in the case of BD and Zim they might even care more, cause the lack of Test Match cricket they get is a disgrace and then you have people complain that they are not improving, well if you have no Experience in it - hard to improve, Just look at BD ODI's, minus a bad 2014, they have improved leaps and bounds over the last few years - Why? Because they have been given a chance to play against top Teams, Hell they destroyed a Full NZ in 2 4 match series - Whitewashed, if they were not given that chance, they would not have improved, via the same Logic - you need consistent chances and experience to improve, Hence BD and Zim should play More test matches and Ireland should get a chance to Play Test Matches, Who does it harm, Give them a series against Zim or BD, I don't think Ireland will mind travelling for a Test Match.

Anyway Afghans Doing well here 3 - 29 (18 FOW Sanga)

Sharma run out... AB direct hit.

This should be a great match. India 9/1 after 3 overs.

The game in Dunedin wonderfully poised.

Sri Lanka 94/4, halfway through. Afghanistan really need a wicket, preferably the one of Jayawardene, if they want to elicit the greatest upset in cricket history.

Yep, an Afghani win would be without exception the biggest upset in the history of the world cup.

37/1 after 11 the Indians. would have like to have one more wicket, but this is alright so far. From here 270-280 seems fair enough. The value of Imran Tahir will be seen here, we need wickets in the middle overs, or things are going to get nasty.

MCG like Eden Gardens today.

Vernon has a hammy issue. Not good. We need. to find six overs somewhere. His hammy is as dodgy as Clarke's if we're honest.

Yes, big problem with Vernon.
Difficult chance put down from Hashim.

Really difficult chance, would have expected himself to catch it I'm sure, but it was a toughie. 280ish still seems reasonable dreaming.

Afghanistan overpowered by the overwhelming class of Jayawardene - a century for him.

Vital, class innings.

Should be allowed to review no balls!

Would take a brave captain to review a no ball mind you.

South African fielding not on top of their game after that freak of nature had Rohit Sharma run-out early in the innings. India won't mind that at all.
Hundred up for India, in the 23rd over.

Things hotting up again at the SL Afg game!.

His foot looked behind then slid forward... harsh no ball.

India getting on a roll here. Massive support from the crowd.

Parnell is a Jekyll and Hyde type player. Lethal on his day... today is not that day.

Conditions a bit dull with the heat. Not much life in the pitch. Suits the batsmen.
Your hope is that SA can bat even better and chase down whatever total is set.

I hope this experiment with Parnell is now at an end, but then surely the selectors should have learnt by now?

Need Tahir back in

Think Tsotsobe can count himself a little unlucky not to have at the very least made the plane. Took wickets for fun in the domestic tourney.

Mclaren as well, although Mclaren really did do an absolute butchers job of his chances during the Aus tour

Is it fair to suggest this pitch is a dream to bat on, I haven't seen the ball do anything yet.

Can't remember a cricket match where Warne didn't advertise Melbourne... even in a discussion About Joburg... or Dirty rotten Pizzas.

He's good, I'll give him that.

That's a stunning catch!!! Kohli absolutely middled that!

Okay it doesn't look quite as impressive on replay

Just when the Indians were taking control, Kohli has hit a nothing delivery from Tahir straight to du Plessis.
India 136-2 in the 28th. Ajinkya Rahane in at 4.

Good over. Needed that. If we can go bang bang, we're back in it.

Much like Kohli in the game before, Dhawan has slowed down considerably with his ton approaching. Many years ago, that would have been understandable. But in what looks to be a high scoring game, this might cost India a bit.