ICC Cricket World Cup

[Helga]

[quote]Ashes wrote:
My love for the game took a bit of a battering (like Steve Harmisons bowling) when I flew half way round the world to watch the most gutless performance by any English national team in history during the Ashes whitewash. However Im willing to forgive the lads somewhat if they put in a good performance in the world cup.
[/quote]

I can understand how you feel considering how upset I was at travelling all the way from Canberra to Sydney (3.5 hour drive) to watch the first day of the Sydney Test. The most boring day of cricket that I have ever seen. I cant imagine how it must have felt to travel all the way from the UK to see their performance.

Luckily I was sitting right above the Barmy Army which made the day a little more bearable.

[bg100]

[quote]nik19 wrote:
I think England is really missing Simon Jones, The Ashes team truly was the best English side I have seen in my life.

[/quote]

The best English side??

If you are talking about the '95 England squad then I would be inclined to agree with you.

If you are talking about the team that was just out here and got belted 5-0 you have got to be joking…

I think the Aussies can win it again. A few of the middle order batsmen have been struggling, but guys like Mike Hussey don’t stay in a slump for too long. A lot will depend on whether Andrew Symonds can make it back from injury and hit the ground running form-wise. So far his recovery is looking promising.

The Chappell-Hadlee series team didn’t have Ponting, Symonds or Gilchrist. They also lost Brett Lee suddenly which must have thrown things into disarray. That’s four very big contributors missing right there and although Lee is out the other three will make a huge difference.

The key is restricting the opposing team and/or bowling them out, we are scoring plenty of runs but the fast bowlers need to be much more economical. Stuart Clark needs to step up to his “Glenn McGrath-clone” image and bowl a consistent line and length, just as he did in the Ashes series.

McGrath should fire up for his last tournament in the Aussie team.

One of the young guns such Mitchell or Tait is likely to finally grab their chance and fulfill their promise.

The big test will of course be against SA. If we falter there I will become a bit concerned.

Cheers,

Ben

[nik19]

[quote]bg100 wrote:
nik19 wrote:
I think England is really missing Simon Jones, The Ashes team truly was the best English side I have seen in my life.

The best English side??

If you are talking about the '95 England squad then I would be inclined to agree with you.

If you are talking about the team that was just out here and got belted 5-0 you have got to be joking…

I think the Aussies can win it again. A few of the middle order batsmen have been struggling, but guys like Mike Hussey don’t stay in a slump for too long. A lot will depend on whether Andrew Symonds can make it back from injury and hit the ground running form-wise. So far his recovery is looking promising.

The Chappell-Hadlee series team didn’t have Ponting, Symonds or Gilchrist. They also lost Brett Lee suddenly which must have thrown things into disarray. That’s four very big contributors missing right there and although Lee is out the other three will make a huge difference.

The key is restricting the opposing team and/or bowling them out, we are scoring plenty of runs but the fast bowlers need to be much more economical. Stuart Clark needs to step up to his “Glenn McGrath-clone” image and bowl a consistent line and length, just as he did in the Ashes series.

McGrath should fire up for his last tournament in the Aussie team.

One of the young guns such Mitchell or Tait is likely to finally grab their chance and fulfill their promise.

The big test will of course be against SA. If we falter there I will become a bit concerned.

Cheers,

Ben[/quote]

Alrite mate, yea I was talking about the Ashes team that won back the Ashes for England 2005, sorry should have been clearer.

I agree with pretty much everything you have said above pal, good analysis.

Like I said, you can never rule out Australia and I appreciate the fact that they didnt have 4 of their main players… It is definitely why they lost.
This was the team that played today and defeated Zimbabwe

SR Watson
BJ Haddin
RT Ponting
MJ Clarke
BJ Hodge
MEK Hussey
GB Hogg
MG Johnson
NW Bracken
SR Clark,
SW Tait,
GD McGrath

They still look great, but just not as formidable as what we are used to seeing.

SA were almost defeated by Ireland yesterday, NZ were defeated by Bangladesh today… so you never know in one day cricket mate… just depends who performs the best on that day.

My favs are still going to be India, Aus or SA.

[bg100]

[quote]nik19 wrote:

so you never know in one day cricket mate… just depends who performs the best on that day.

[/quote]

Like Day 5 of the Adelaide Test?

LOL, sorry mate, had to rib you about that one, England will take a long time to live down their standard of play on that day!

[Flat]

I’ve been dreaming about the world cup recently.

I’m so excited!!!

[nik19]

[quote]bg100 wrote:
nik19 wrote:

so you never know in one day cricket mate… just depends who performs the best on that day.

Like Day 5 of the Adelaide Test?

LOL, sorry mate, had to rib you about that one, England will take a long time to live down their standard of play on that day![/quote]

hahahah wanker… mate there’s nothing wrong in losing to the best side in the world, however I could bring up the match where you were defeated by Bangladesh…

[nik19]

Just a review of the warm up games…

Today were warm ups between the major teams and they didnt dissapoint.

INDIA v WEST INDIES

India absolutely CRUSHED West Indies and are definitely look deadly, I have no doubt that they would reach atleast the finals.

The bowled out West Indies for a mere 85 runs!. Patel being the pick of the bowlers with 4 wickets
India replied with a quick fire 86/1.

PAKISTAN v SOUTH AFRICA

Pakistan looked very strong today as they easily defeated the favourites - South Africa.

They bowled SA out for 199 with significant contributions from only Prince(35) and Bosman(53) with Sami bieng the pick of the bowlers taking 2 for 13 in 5 overs.

Pakistan replied with 200/3 with Younis Khan (79) and Mohd Hafeez (49)

SA are actually having a tough time so far, they had a near upset with Ireland and now comprehensively defeated by Pakistan, even though Pakistan is without two of its star bowlers… SA better pick their game up once the world cup actually begins… otherwise I seriously doubt them beating strong teams like India or Australia.

NEW ZEALAND v SRI LANKA

New Zealand picked themselves up from the shock defeat v Bangladesh and posted a mammoth 285/8 against a good Sri Lankan bowling attack.
Vincent(70) and Captain Fleming(65) gave a brilliant start sharing an opening partnership of 131.
Sri Lanka in reply were bowled out for 267 (a very good reply) with Tharanga scoring a ton 106.

Sri Lanka are actually looking very strong at the moment, stronger than SA, despite this loss… so far the Sub continental teams are looking the strongest.

ENGLAND v AUSTRALIA

England as usual squandered an impressive start and were bowled out for 197 after bieng 122/1!!!. Skipper Vaughan (62) gave a solid start to the team along with Bell (56), Shaun tait was the pick of the Aussie bowlers taking 4 for 33 in 8 overs.
Australia replied very well with the master blaster Gilchrist (72) and Watson (55) getting them off to a flyer and scored 200/5

Australia looked a bit better today after looking very weak against Zimbabwe.

[nzexpat]

Nik 19
Thanks for the updates. Your comments on the warm-up matches are precise and enjoyable reading. Keep it up!
The site you put me on to is a little more than I can afford at the moment (nearly $200 US). However, as luck would have it, another site I belong to, will be capping most of the games.
Cheers.

[datta]

WI don’t surprise any of their fans. They pick the wrong people, and don’t pick the right people. They have no decent spinners, and only one batsman who plays solidly 90% of the time (chanderpaul).

WI bowlers seem to think that once they bowl fast enough, line and length are unimportant, no matter how many times they lose.
Most bowlers bowl one good ball, and then five bad ones.

They need to follow Mcgrath, Akram, Pollock. Even without much pace, line and length are deadly.

[nik19]

[quote]nzexpat wrote:
Nik 19
Thanks for the updates. Your comments on the warm-up matches are precise and enjoyable reading. Keep it up!
The site you put me on to is a little more than I can afford at the moment (nearly $200 US). However, as luck would have it, another site I belong to, will be capping most of the games.
Cheers.[/quote]

Hey cheers mate, I really appreciate it. I have some pics now too… im sure you would like those

Willow.tv is generally very cheap… one day series are around $20 only, I guess they must have hiked the prices for the world cup, having said that… there are like a million matches!, I think you can choose to watch the matches that you want aswell, that might work out cheaper.

I will ask my mates for other links and there will be a few freeview ones that will pop up next week… I will pm them to you as soon as I find out, one way or another… you are going to watch the world cup!!

Thanx for your support…!

[nik19]

Younis Khan acknowledges the cheers after his half-century in the warm-up match against South Africa

[nik19]

South African skipper Graeme Smith is cleaned bowled by Umar Gul

[nik19]

Herschelle Gibbs is dismissed by Mohammad Sami

[nik19]

Upul Tharanga takes the well-deserved applause for his hundred

[nik19]

New Zealand bowler Daryl Tuffey dives in an unsuccessful attempt of run out during their warm-up match against Sri Lanka

[nik19]

Stephen Fleming led from the front as New Zealand made 285

[nik19]

Peter Fulton belts a boundary during his 59

[nik19]

Michael Vaughan stands tall and drives

[nik19]

Michael Vaughan crunches a cover drive against Australia

[nik19]

Adam Gilchrist’s quickfire fifty was too much for England