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2011 Cricket World Cup

Sadly t'was not to be. The Kiwis were well outclassed by the Lankan spinners.

Australia's 34-match unbeaten streak in WC matches looks over. 7/147 against Pakistan batting first. Ah well, given the format of this cup, this is the game you'd want to lose.

As usual, the less said about our middle order, the better :scream:
 
An interesting fact I read today - if Australia lose to Pakistan then England will be the only team who haven't lost to the other qualified teams.
 
And you were the only team to be knocked over by two minnows as well :p

So, ladies and gentlemen, finally the Cup begins :

QUARTER-FINALS
Wed 23 Mar: Pakistan v West Indies at Dhaka, Bangladesh (match C)
Thu 24 Mar: India v Australia at Ahmedabad, India (match E)
Fri 25 Mar: New Zealand v South Africa at Dhaka, Bangladesh (match F)
Sat 26 Mar: Sri Lanka v England at Colombo, Sri Lanka (match D)

SEMI-FINALS
Tue 29 Mar: Winner D v Winner F at Colombo, Sri Lanka
Wed 30 Mar: Winner C v Winner E at Mohali, India

FINAL
Sat 02 Apr: at Mumbai, India.

On form, you'd have to say it's SL v RSA and Pakistan v India for the semi's.

But, all you have to do from here to lift the cup is win three games, so who knows?
 
In all honesty, I reckon we're frelled. Only the fact a billion plus Indians will be expecting their team to win (and win comprehensively into the bargain) - or an utterly extraordinary form turnaround - could save us. I suppose anything is possible, but eh.

The Pakistan / Windies game could be either a real contest, or a complete flogging issued by either side. I don't mind which of them wins. I'd love to see the Kiwis beat SA (for all sorts of reasons), and while it's unlikely it's not exactly mission impossible, given SA's record in pressure games. And I don't think I could ever support England against anyone, so go Sri Lanka. :D
 
The SMH reckons Ponting is playing his last game as captain if we lose.

I still say he's got one last, brilliant knock in him. For god's sake I hope it's on Thursday.

Certainly I'd like to see Hilditch go before Ponting.

Once again the selectors have painted us into a corner here. The dead rubber Pakistan game would have been the perfect time to have a look at Hastings to see where he's at. Now we'll probably have to play him in a must-win game against India without a competitive run in two months.

Smith has to sit this one out. His time will come, but he's been utterly ineffective with the ball, and hasn't really batted all tournament. Hastings gives us a bit of a plan B if Tait continues to misfire.

As for White or Dussey, toss the coin. :confused:
 
I very rarely find myself in anything even remotely approaching agreement with the head of the player's association, but I have to agree that the timing of this "leak" from some supposed CA official - anonymous, naturally :rolleyes: - is pretty damned poor. And I'll also go along with the idea that if Ponting goes but Hilditch stays, the last remaining tatters of CA's credibility will go as well. The selection "policies" (if that's the word) in recent years have been mindless. Ponting's not the greatest captain but he hasn't been given a lot to work with by Hilditch and co. The absurd squad selected for the World Cup is merely the latest example of their collective brainlessness. Greg Chappell can stay but the rest of them have to go.

David Hussey would at least give us a spin option, however limited. White has done nothing with the bat and refuses to bowl (not that he could ever really be classed as a bowler anyway), so he'd be the one to go IMO. Any changes still wouldn't give us much of a chance against India, though; it all reeks of rearranging the Titanic's deckchairs at this late stage.
 
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I agree...what a low act from this Cricket Australia employee.

Not only is the organisation completely dysfunctional, it has rats in the ranks.

Usually these issues come from the top. Perhaps that's where the upcoming review should be looking.

Anyway, Ponting is denying he's stepping down, and dismissing rumours flying around that he is set to end his career in England.

I've never been Ponting's biggest fan, but right about now I've never wanted him more to score a huge ton and stick it right up the coward who leaked this story on the eve of a sudden death World Cup game.

The quarters are off to a dreadful start, the Windies losing 3/15 early on against Pakistan.

As usual, poor old Shiv Chanderpaul is the only bat showing any application and fighting to make them look respectable.

Pakistan look to have the first semi final spot.
 
Dussey is in for Smith, and Australia (and Ponting) are looking good at 1/86 off 18 overs at drinks.

Don't want to jinx us, but things are looking good so far. It was a must win toss - bat first and put the vaunted Indian batting under pressure.

The only bad news is that Sehwag was ruled fit, and is playing.

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Another captain's knock from Clarke.

3/143, and Ponting has just reached 50. Game is evenly poised.
 
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Zaheer has killed us tonight.

What a bowler.

Gut feeling tells me we are falling short. We need someone to go ballistic and take 50 off the last five overs.

C'mon Dussey.

100 to Ponting...absolutely inevitable...stick that right where it fits Cricket Australia.

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261 for India to win. I'd still like 10-20 more.

We should defend this, but Sehwag *has* to be knocked over early.

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Tendulkar is out caught behind off Tait for 53 after a third umpire referral cleared Tait of a return crease no-ball by about 2cm's.

2/97 in the 19th. It's anyone's game. Krejza needs to deliver here.

Haven't felt this tense watching an ODI in years...

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We're in trouble. Spinners aren't doing the job here. 3/158...we need a wicket badly.

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Bedlam out there! Yuvraj runs out the well set Gambhir after a botched runout that should have been out the very ball before. Pressure! Who is gonna hold their nerve here?

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Arrgh! Lee taken for fourteen off an over. India only need 54 off 10 overs...wicket desperately needed this over...but all Tait can do is bowl four wides...f&&%^...this match has disappeared in the space of an over...in deep trouble now.

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I'm not at all surprised we lost, all things considered. Three World Cups in a row isn't a trivial achievement and while four would have been pleasant it was never really on the cards. Too many players are in poor form, the balance of the selected squad was incredibly poor, and we don't have a spinner worthy of the name - a considerable disadvantage anywhere, never mind the subcontinent. Oh, well. The sun came up this morning and will continue to do so; while this is disappointing, it's hardly a big deal.

I'm stoked for Ponting, though. The anonymous cretins at CA, know-all arsewipes like Ian Chappell and a host of other halfwits can stick that hundred where the sun doesn't shine. Ponting has earned the right and thoroughly deserves to leave the sport on his own terms, not when it suits other people. I really hope he gets that opportunity.
 
I hope the stubborn little bugger digs in and refuses to budge.

I really don't see how handing over to Michael Clarke is going to bring the crowds flocking through the gates as Cricket Australia seems to think. Yes, I understand they're desperate to get the Western Sydney market sewn up before the AFL moves in, yes he's a great Westie kid made good story, yes he may have some brand recognition with the kids because of his after hours exploits, but the mums and dads who pay for the tickets will stay away in droves. Not one person I speak to who knows their cricket thinks he has anything to offer as a leader, especially in the state we find ourselves now.

Stop bloody whiteanting Ponting and pray his body holds up till Ferguson, Paine and Watson develop as a leadership group.

We sorely need him to go on another 18 months or so. Even though he was the villain last night, Brett Lee needs to hang around a bit longer to lead the attack too.

Smith is worth persevering with, but only if he bowls ten overs each game. Maybe he will have to sit out a season to get some more overs under his belt.

Watson will make the next cup, but as for the rest, well, nobody should be safe.

If that lot goes to tour Bangladesh relatively unchanged, I reckon I might have a break from watching international cricket involving Australia till this current administration and selection panel disappears from the scene.

Anyway, to tonight's game, and South Africa's well rounded bowling attack have rstricted the Kiwis to a modest 221.

I'll be cheering the Kiwi's on all night, but I still haven't seen anything to change my mind that the Saffers will take this cup.
 
I dunno. Tactically, Clarke seems to have the nous but he also seems to have at least as many detractors as Ponting. White would be a token appointment, Watson and Haddin disqualified themselves with their dumb remarks in the wake of the Ashes abomination (IMO, anyway), and there's no one else in the current set-up worth naming.

Any potential new leader has to get into the team, stay in it and develop from there; how likely is that with the current selection panel? Greg Chappell might have the intellect to make it happen but the other bozos haven't got a clue. And as long as CA thinks it's more important for leading players to turn out in their idiotic (and chaotic) hit 'n' giggle competition than in four-day cricket, nothing is going to change.

Bangladesh is a good opportunity for a new start. I won't be surprised if it's yet another wasted opportunity.


What a brilliant win for New Zealand. They've been a pretty ordinary side these past few years but it seems as though they pressured South Africa into yet another of their abject and embarrassing collapses. They probably don't have the firepower to win the whole thing but this is a great result. :bolian:
 
An utterly astonishing result :eek:

Or, knowing South Africa, maybe not :lol:

They looked the best side by miles - certainly the most well rounded in terms of skills, but the format of this cup does not allow one bad performance, so its an early exit for the boys in green yet again. Talk about squandering a golden opportunity.

I'll be cheering on the Kiwi's all the way from here.

Hard to see England's batting coping with Sri Lanka on their turf tonight, but, as we saw again last night, it's a funny old game.
 
Yeah, I'm 100% behind our mates across the ditch now, too. I'd love to see them take it out.

I'm also in Sri Lanka's corner, but given some of the results so far it would hardly surprise if they blew it against the Poms.


(We seem to be the only people interested in this thing any more. :lol:)
 
I kinder lost interest in this WC. Been reading through the thread the last few days (and checking scores elsewhere). I'm also putting my support behind our Kiwi friends.

On the future of cricket here. It's disappointing what is planned to happen with the Sheffield Shield, by cutting some games, for more silly Twenty20 games. Ponting should continue for at least until the end of next summer as captain. There is no one else as a possible replacement right at the moment, besides Clarke.
 
I stayed up until 4am watching that Australia game. Aside from the staggering run-out (or series of attempted run-outs), it was a pretty forlorn cause, but it was a significant moment - the end of an era.

Well done to NZ; I hope they manage to go all the way.
 
England are getting hit all around the park by the Sri Lankan openers.

Defending only 229, they need some Swann magic, and soon.
 
I'm not surprised the Poms went out, either, but I hadn't anticipated anything quite that comprehensive. Still, they've had a very long season and they won the only thing that really mattered (damn them).

India / Pakistan will be...something else, and while I'm hoping for the Kiwis to go all the way one must be realistic. Sri Lanka are probably the best balanced side left, and Murali only has to drag himself through (potentially) 20 more overs. Still, there have been plenty of weird results already; what's two more?

As much as I'd like to see an NZ win, an India / Sri Lanka final - with Tendulkar and Murali both chasing pretty much the only thing they have left to achieve - could be a classic.

Meanwhile, Ponting's talking a good game (as usual) now he's back, and his detractors are still mouthing off. Good for them, I suppose. :rolleyes:
 
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