Cricket 2013

[Troy]

New rules have been proposed for ODIs. They are getting rid of the bowling powerplay and will only have the initial ten over powerplay and then one 5 over powerplay that the batting side can use before the 40th over. I like this change because the bowling powerplay was always used immediately after the first ten and was never used tactically. They also want to allow two bouncers per over instead of one, good move because it will allow some more aggression from bowlers and it the batsmen are good enough they can still score good runs with the pull and hook shots. The final change suggested is allowing only four fielders outside the ring rather than five. I like that they are trying to even the balance between bat and ball, for too long the batsmen were getting a free ride and now the ICC are trying to adjust that.

 

[Troy]

Australia are finally playing cricket again, this time an ODI against Ireland. Only just started but Lee picked up two wickets in the first over and Ireland are now 17/2 from four overs. Plenty of rain around though so it will probably end up being a reduced game.

Sri Lanka are also playing against Pakistan in a test match and Kumar Sangakarra was just left stranded on 199 not out. To make it worse the scoreboard said that he had made it to 200 the over before and he celebrated but then they realised he was one short. Sri Lanka still made 472 but it would be frustrating to get stranded on that number.

 

[AZUCAR!]

So England > Australia once again. We beat them in the Ashes last year and this time around, we're 2-0 up in the best of 5 One Day Internationals. If we complete the whitewash, we go to #1 in the One Day rankings. And we'll then be #1 in Test Cricket, #1 in T20 & #1 in One Day Internationals.

 

[Troy]

Australia get to face Pakistan in UAE in a ODI series starting soon. They will need to improve a lot if they want to win this series after a poor effort against a very strong English team. It was great watching history the other night with Australia playing Afghanistan for the first time in an ODI. It is amazing how far they have come in such a short time with so little funding. They are a great bunch of cricketers and I think that they will perform quite well in the coming years.

 

[AZUCAR!]

Not only are South Africa the #1 Test side in the World, they're now the #1 One Day team after they defeated England by 80 runs in the 2nd ODI earlier. England drop to 3rd behind India.

 

[Troy]

England got back first after beating South Africa in the second ODI. It is all very close at the top and things will continue to change each series.

I am enjoying watching some of the New Zealand vs. India second test. New Zealand scored 365 and India looked like they would cruise past that when they were 5/301 but Tim Southee came along and finished off the tail to bowl them out for 353. Southee took 7/64 which is a fantastic return for a fast bowler in India. In reply New Zealand are 47/2 with a lead of 59 runs.

 

[Troy]

The Twenty20 World Cup starts tonight. 12 teams are competing in this tournament; Afghanistan, Australia, Bangladesh, England, India, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies, Zimbabwe.

I hope that Ireland and Afghanistan will be able to win a match each, they have both improved so much in such a short period of time and I can't wait to see where they are in ten years.

First match is on now, Sri Lanka vs. Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka are 38/0 from 5 overs which is a nice steady start.

 

[Andrew]

Will be watching the Australia/Ireland game. We'll flog them, hopefully haha.

 

[Andrew]

Source: Cricket20

t20 World Cup hosts Sri Lanka navigated a potential troublesome opponent with ease after they cruised to a 82 run victory over Zimbabwe in the opening match of the tournament at the Mahinda Rajapaksa International Cricket Stadium in Hambantota.

Ajantha Mendis (6-8) lead the way with an incredible spell of record breaking bowling which saw him pick up six wickets, a t20 World Cup record, to leave Zimbabwe is disarray as they tried to chase down Sri Lanka’s total of 182-4.

Jeevan Mendis (3-24) also picked up three wickets as Sri Lanka restricted Zimbabwe to a total of 100 after Kumar Sangakkara and Jeevan Mendis ensured Sri Lanka suffered no first day nerves with the top help the hosts record a total of 182-4.

The pair shared a 4th wicket stand of 94 after the loss of Mahela Jayawardene who was run out in the 12th over to leave the home side 82-3 before Sri Lanka took control of the match to leave Zimbabwe with a tough run chase.

Sangakkara led the way with a 26 ball 43 which was four balls quicker then Mendis who aslo scored 43 runs before Thisara Perera (6) enjoyed a two ball cameo which included a six of the penultimate ball of the innings.

Having been put into bat by Zimbabwe skipper Brendan Taylor, the hosts got off to a good start thanks to an opening stand of 54 between Dilshan Munaweera (17) and Tillakaratne Dilshan (39).

Mendis is going to win the leading wicket-taker in this World Cup, what a freak!
​

 

[Troy]

It was a great bowling performance, the Zimbabwe players had no idea how to play him. Was a good return for Mendis as he had been out of the side for a bit of time before this tournament. 6/8 from 4 overs is an incredible result.

Australia vs. Ireland has started and Ireland scored 123 batting first. Things didn't start well for them with Watson taking a wicket first ball but some handy scores from the middle order got them an okay total. Australia should get this relatively easily especially since we bat all the way down to 11 with Starc.

 

[Troy]

Watson is definitely the key for Australia after he was the highest wicket taker and top scorer in the first match. Easy win in the end for Australia against Ireland and so far there haven't been any upsets. England smashed Afghanistan thanks to Luke Wright getting 99*. New Zealand thrashed Zimbabwe thanks to 123 from Brendan McCullum in what was a brutal display of batting.

South Africa just beat Sri Lanka in a shortened seven over a side match. I am not keen on matches like that at all, 10 overs per side should be the absolute minimum required for a match. Australia are playing West Indies in a game that has just started.

 

[Troy]

We are now into the Super 8 stage of the World T20 tournament.

Group 1
West Indies
Sri Lanka
England
New Zealand

Group 2
India
Australia
Pakistan
South Africa

No real surprises with who made it to the final eight, the top eight ranked teams made it through. It is going to be much tougher to predict the four teams that will make it to the KO stage. I am going to go with West Indies, Sri Lanka, Australia and Pakistan although I am not that confident.

 

[Undertaker]

England were just shocking last night. Ever since this whole Kevin Pietersen debacle started the team hasn't been the same since. I think it goes to show how much England players relied on him and didn't realise that all ten of them still had a part to play in the team. I really hope we get over this slump, win our final two games and go on to the semi-final and eventually retain the cup. The only entertaining thing last night was watching Chris Gayle!

 

[Troy]

England picked up a good win tonight over New Zealand with Steve Finn and Luke Wright leading the way. Wright has hit a purple patch of form in recent months and can't put a foot wrong.

Australia smashed India last night. It was so good to watch, Cummins and Watson were great with the ball and then Watson and Warner continued their great form to lead Australia to a 9 wicket victory with five overs remaining. Watson is easily Australia's top run scorer and top wicket taker and has picked up three man of the match awards from three matches, can't have a better start than that.

 

[Troy]

4 matches 4 Man of the Match awards for Shane Watson this tournament, took 2/29 from 4 overs and then followed that up with 70 runs. He is now the leading wicket taker and run scorer for all teams this tournament. Incredible touch, he can't do anything wrong at the moment. Australia brought Doherty back and he played his best game taking 3/20 from 4 overs. South Africa had a very slow start but finished with 52 runs from the last five overs to make it to 146. Australia managed to pass that with eights wickets in hand and 14 balls remaining thanks to Watson and Hussey.

India vs. Pakistan is up next.