Cricket World Cup

[waiopehu oldboy]

Only positive from last night was we won even with BMac & Williamson both failing. Guptill finally looks to be back in some kind of form & slow as he was at least Taylor got some runs.

On the other side of the coin, McCleanaghan looked like a bloke who hasn't bowled in 6-odd weeks (God help us if we suddenly need NMac or Mills in a KO shitfight with say Sethricka) & some of the bowling options looked a bit off e.g. Elliott bowling inside the last 5 overs.

Hopefully this is just the wake up call rather than a preview another promising but failed CWC campaign.............

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

India 97/4 chasing 288, rate required almost 8 & currently getting along at not quite 4. Aussie 88/2 chasing down Scotland's less than mammoth 130.

 

[Lindommer]

I know it's only Scotland, but, it's bloody heartening to see both Cummins and Starc bowling well going into the finals.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Raining in Hobart so they're taking an early tea brek, Aus 92/3 & going along at well above the required rate, if they get back on not even Messers Duckworth & Lewis will stop them claiming 2nd place in Pool A.

Strange goings-on at Eden Park, India 191/4 but only going at 5 an over so now need 96 off 63 to win it.

India home thanks to Raina (110*) & MSD (85*).

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

2 x QF confirmed, India v Bangladesh & South Africa v Sri Lanka.

Australia will get winner of Pakistan v Ireland, NZ either the loser of that or West Indies depending on how much they beat UAE by. WI have opted to bowl first in that but are without Gayle. Thought they'd have batted first to get their net rate (-0.511) up: they're comfortably ahead of Ireland (-1.014) but some way behind Pakistan (-0.194).

 

[Lindommer]

Mark Waugh's decision to countermand his chairman's dropping of F U Watson isn't looking so smart now. OK, Watson scored 67 runs from 40 balls against Sri Lanka, BUT, his bowling was palpably shit, 7 overs yielding 1/71. Let's look at his contribution against the lowly Sweaties yesterday: 3 overs, 1/18 followed by 24 runs from 36 balls. AGAINST SCOTLAND! Complete and utter crap. We need him for his bowling in this team configuration, not his batting. The major point here is Watson always seems to put in a performance just good enough to keep his spot in the side, as his batting against SL did. And then the inconsistency kicks in, as it did yesterday.

Swampy, me old mucker, PLEASE put this poor unfortunate bastard, and us, out of our respective miseries and drop Shane once and for all. BEFORE his next injury.....

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

UAE 160/7 after 41, hopefully they can bat out their 50 & make WI chase 200+

EDIT: bugger, 167/8 so Nasir Aziz (60n.o.) will need to go ballistic for them to make 200.

EDIT: 170/9 & Nasir gone, WI will likely be chasing >180.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

UAE 175 all out. Holder 4/27 & bowled himself for all 10 straight.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

espncricinfo.com reckon WI need to win in 36.2 overs or less to take the result of Pakistan v Ireland and/ or net run rates out've the equation. Currently they're 152/4 off 25.2 so need the remaining 25 runs in 11 overs or less, should walk it in from here.........

Ireland batting first v Pakistan, 35/1 after 8.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

WI home by 6 wickets in 30.3 so will defo qualify along with winner of Ireland v Pakistan.

Ireland 86/3 in the 17th.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Ireland 237, May be enough if they can pick up a coupla early wickets, Pak batting looks a little thin & fragile (now watch Akmal, Misbah or Afridi whack 120 @ strike rate of 150+).

 

[Pfitzy]

Bookies have given them the all clear now they're a chance. Odds are long enough to turn a tidy profit

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

How very Pakistan-like: previous 5 opening partnerships TOTAL 52, this one racks up 120 (but not @ strike rate of 150+ ). Ireland need a miracle.

^^^^^^^ @Pfitzy, that's cynical, even for you

 

[Lindommer]

Pakis need 118 off 166 balls with 10 wickets in hand. Ireland suffer their second international loss in two days. Bugger.

 

[Pfitzy]

^^^^^^^ @Pfitzy, that's cynical, even for you

If the shit fits...

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

Pakistan home & hosed so QF match ups now confirmed:

South Africa v Sri Lanka at SCG, March 18
India v Bangladesh at MCG, March 19
Australia v Pakistan at Adelaide Oval, March 20
New Zealand v West Indies at Wellington Regional Stadium, March 21

Just 6 to get & Sarfraz needs 4 of them to get his ton, hopefully Akmal's more of a team player these days than when he first came on the scene..............

Akmal blocks out, 5 needed & Sarfraz on 97.

Gets his 100 & scores level. Not sure why Sarfraz didn't finish it off but Akmal does so Pakistan win by 7 wickets. Shame to see Ireland go out but they should be proud of what they achieved.

 

[Pfitzy]

Yeah with a bit more regular game time the Irish could really be something. They need their pro system in place and some top coaching to get their fast bowling stocks up.

 

[No4918]

I would prefer Hazlewood in the side over Cummins. Cummins is more prone to bad days and can be less trouble for the batsmen to get after. Despite his wickets against Scotland they still got him away all too easily. I don't think you want Johnson and Cummins in the same side at the moment.

 

[Braveheart81]

I would prefer Hazlewood in the side over Cummins. Cummins is more prone to bad days and can be less trouble for the batsmen to get after. Despite his wickets against Scotland they still got him away all too easily. I don't think you want Johnson and Cummins in the same side at the moment.

I'm 100% with you there.

Cummins consistently goes for too many runs and I think we have enough firepower in Starc and Johnson.

Hazlewood is a different sort of bowler and has the potential to be the best in conditions that aren't entirely conducive to the way the other two bowl (like a slightly slower deck).

I think he gives us better overall balance.

 

[RugbyReg]

My CWC Team of the Tournament is as follows:

1 - McCullum (NZL)
2 - Dhawan (IND)
3 - Ahmed (PAK)
4 - Sangakkara (SLA)
5 - ABdV (SAF)
6 - Maxwell (AUS)
7 - Rahim (BAN)
8 - Starc (AUS)
9 - Vetorri (NZL)
10 - Boult (NZL)
11 - Shami (IND)

with Kumar my player of the series.