2011 ICC Cricket World Cup

[Troy]

England were involved in another thrilling match last night. They started off strongly and looked like they would set a massive total then there was a collapse and then the tail wagged a bit to get them to 243. Then Gayle and Sammy got WI off to a flier before England hit back to have WI 6-150. Andre Russell then came into the game scoring 49 but then another collapse happened and England won by 18 runs.

This means that England are a good chance to make it to the second round of this World Cup. Group A's qualifiers are settled, Australia, New Zealand, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, the only change will be in the order. Group B five teams can make it, India, South Africa, West Indies, England and Bangladesh. The most likely scenario is Bangladesh missing out since I can't see them beating South Africa.

 

[Troy]

The Quarter Finals are set.

Pakistan vs. West Indies
India vs. Australia
New Zealand vs. South Africa
Sri Lanka vs. England

This has been a very even tournament and there is no clear standout as every team has had a bad loss. Going to be a very interesting finish to this tournament.

 

[ants]

I hate to say it but I think we are in a whole lot of strife. Playing India in the first knockout stage sucks big time, that one of us out of the tournament.

I predict Pakistan to beat West Indies and Australia to defeat India (heart rules head), which will pit Aussies v Pakis in the Semi.

I predict South Africa to smoke New Zealand, and Sri Lanka to beat the Poms, putting them put of their misery, and thus South Africa v Sri Lanka in the Semi!

If all those happen, I want Australia to win the tournament but I can handle South Africa or Sri Lanka, as long as those cheating Pakis don't.

 

[Troy]

It hasn't worked out too well as I expected this to at least be a semi-final match. Very tough match for us first up but India haven't been that impressive either this tournament so it really is a match between two under performing teams. I would like the think that we will win but I think that for it to happen we need to change the team. Steve Smith has done nothing this tournament and I don't know why David Hussey isn't playing in his place. Krezja will be lucky to get a game as well and Hastings may get a chance to bowl his medium pacers against an attack that should dominate our spin bowlers. Cameron White should be replaced by Callum Ferguson who has a great ODI record and White is badly out of form, he hasn't even looked like getting a good score. My team would be Watson, Haddin, Ponting, Clarke, M Hussey, Ferguson, D Hussey, Johnson, Lee, Hastings, Tait.

Pakistan vs West Indies is close since West Indies will get back Gayle and Roach for this match and if West Indies click they can do damage. Roach will be a handful for Pakistan who struggled against Lee's pace and accuracy. Pakistan should win but you never know with them.

Sri Lanka vs England should be a straight forward win for Sri Lanka.

South Africa vs New Zealand should be a win for South Africa but they lost to England so I have no idea what will happen.

I just wish there was so long between games. I want to watch this now.

 

[Troy]

:mmph:

Australia lost last night to India. Ponting lead from the front scoring a century but there wasn't enough support, only Haddin and D Hussey batted well. Cameron White failed for the seventh time in seven matches this series and I don't know why he wasn't replaced by Ferguson for this match. Krezja failed to get a wicket again and Hastings should have been given a game instead. All our fast bowlers were poor though, so many wides and just poor deliveries were bowled by them at crucial times. Anyway we need some new selectors since the wrong team keeps being picked.

The night before Pakistan thrashed West Indies by ten wickets and will play India. I will be cheering on Pakistan.

Tonight New Zealand play South Africa. South Africa bowled well to restrict NZ to just 221 and in reply are 50/1 from 10 overs and are doing it easy.

Tomorrow night Sri Lanka play England.

 

[Troy]

New Zealand have turned it around the last five overs. South Africa have gone from 108/2 to now being 121/5 after 28 overs with two new batsmen at the crease. Very close match!

 

[Troy]

New Zealand did it easily in the end winning by 49 runs. Another choke by South Africa and another semi-final for New Zealand who have snuck under the radar a lot recently. New Zealand play the winner of Sri Lanka vs England which is being played now.

England scored 229/6 from their 50 overs with Trott and Morgan both scoring fifties. Sri Lanka should be able to chase that down but as we saw last night anything can happen when the pressure is on.

 

[Troy]

Sri Lanka reached the score without even losing a wicket. Both openers scored centuries.

29th March New Zealand vs Sri Lanka
30th March India vs. Pakistan

I am hoping that New Zealand and Pakistan make the final. Would be good seeing those two teams make it and I would be happy if either of those teams won.

 

[ants]

Just a quick rant on Ponting. As well as he batted, he captained like an absolute spastic I thought. Bringing Tait and Krezja back on after theyd leaked runs all game when the scoring rate had gotten back up over 6 an over was an absolute joke. I think Krezja and his international career are over, if he couldnt take a wicket all tournament on the spinner friendly pitches. Taits retired from ODIs because hes soft as butter, and has no heart which is probably good for us because we dont want players like that no matter how damaging they can be. Id prefer to have blokes out there who want to play for the thrill of winning for their country.

A decision on Pontings career or captaincy is expected at 1pm, Ill update as soon as i no

 

[ants]

UPDATE: Ponting has stood down as captain of Australia, and then the captain will be announced either later tonight or tomorrow when the squad for the tour of Bangladesh will be announced. Ponting still wants to play though, hes not retiring

 

[Troy]

It is a good move by Ponting to step down as captain but remain as a player. It gives Clarke some time to grow in the role whilst having that backup still there. It will most likely help Ponting's batting as well since he doesn't have to feel the pressure of carrying an entire team on his shoulders.

The bigger issue is the selectors. They constantly make poor choices, like Krezja and White continuing to be selected at the World Cup when they had no form and when we had better players sitting in the shed, like not dropping North ten tests before they did, picking Michael Beer, Smith and Doherty as test match spinners. All the selectors need to go, put Greg Chappell at the head of it and then name one selector from each state who can watch over progress and work with the teams to do things like getting players to play in different positions (like getting Shaun Marsh to open for WA in first class matches) and getting them to play spinners. Hopefully the review will actually come up with good ideas.

New Zeland and Sri Lanka are playing their SF match right now. New Zealand are batting first and are 153/3 from 37 overs. Very even game at the moment and if NZ can finish with close to 250 they will be a great chance to defend it.

 

[Troy]

The final is set and it is India vs Sri Lanka to be played tomorrow. Of the two teams Sri Lanka has looked the stronger team since India have struggled in a lot of games and have been lucky to escape with the win. India have a fantastic top order but a weak middle order and regularly collapse. Their bowling has struggled at times and if Khan doesn't fire then they will suffer. Sri Lanka are similar in that they have a fantastic top four but the middle order is weak and hasn't been tested this World Cup. They rely on their spinners to dominate and their fast bowlers can struggle against top opposition. I honestly think that Sri Lanka will win since they match up well against India.

 

[ants]

Well at the halfway point of this game, Mahela Jayawardene has led Sri Lanka to 274 on the back of a brilliant innings of 103 not out off 88 balls. At one point it looked like they would struggle to make 250, but Jayawardene stuck at it and with the help of Perera in the batting power play 22 off 9 balls, theyve really put up a big target, especially in a final. Could today be the day that Tendulkar gets his 100th one day 100? In a world cup final with the side resting on his shoulders, I think yes.

 

[Troy]

Unfortunately India won. Jayawardene played a magnificent innings but unfortunately Sri Lanka just went too slow at the start of the innings and that cost them at the end. Malinga got quite wickets to get rid of Sehwag and Tendulkar cheaply but then Dhoni finally stood up with the bat and played a captains innings of 91 not out, Ghambir scored 97 as well. Sri Lanka made so many changes to their team and I couldn't understand the decision to drop Mendis for Randiv. Their bowling line-up just wasn't strong enough and they lacked the firepower to take wickets when needed.