ODI World Cup 2019

[Blue]

SMH calling an Aus vs NZ semi as 'almost certain', but we've got to get past South Africa first.

I'm wary. The Saffers are well below their best but still have players that are capable of taking the game from us. And I think this might be the first time we've played them since the spiteful series 14 or so months ago, so there might be some feeling there.
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Interesting how the Australian media and fans remember the series as "spiteful" while the rest of the world remember it as the the disgraceful cheating tour. It was no more "spiteful" than any other previous Aus / Au series. No amount of spite makes up for what was a disgraceful act which not adequately punished.

Anyway Australia should walk this. SA is a mess. Faf DP must be the worst captain SA has had since being readmitted. He seems to be more interested in a stoush that being a leader.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Blue, do you honestly think that Smith, Warner and Bancroft weren't adequately punished? No other player has ever been punished anywhere near enough for the same offence in the games history.

EDIT: I should have said: anywhere near as much for the same offence in the games history.

 

[Lindommer]

Blue's got a point, these three and others should've had the book thrown at them. And that includes Faf for his lolly and zip rubbing efforts; that was twice. ANY ball tampering's effectively cheating.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Yeah fair enough, but the punishment was completely out of proportion with what the games own governing body deems adequate. That should be the real debate I guess.

 

[cyclopath]

Yeah fair enough, but the punishment was completely out of proportion with what the games own governing body deems adequate. That should be the real debate I guess.

The rank hypocrisy of other nations on this issue was breath-taking. And continues to be.

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

SL 264/7 India 265/3

SA 325/6 Straya 315

SF are therefore India v NZ & Straya v Ringinland

 

[waiopehu oldboy]

This is disturbing:

Teams who entered the knockout stage having lost their previous game:

1975
Australia – Won semifinal, lost in final

1979
Pakistan – Lost in semifinal
New Zealand – Lost in semifinal

1987
Pakistan – Lost in semifinal

1992
New Zealand – Lost in semifinal
England – Won semifinal, lost in final

1996
Australia – Won quarter-final and semifinal, lost in final
England – Lost in quarter-final
New Zealand – Lost in quarter-final

1999
South Africa – Lost in semifinal

2003
Kenya – Lost in semifinal

2007
New Zealand – Lost in semifinal

2011
West Indies – Lost in quarter-final
Australia – Lost in quarter-final
New Zealand – Won quarter-final, lost in semifinal

2015
Bangladesh – Lost in quarter-final

https://www.nzherald.co.nz/sport/news/article.cfm?c_id=4&objectid=12247332

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

The boys wobbling a bit entering the final with a loss to the Saffers and some injury concerns. I'd be moving Smith up to 3 and strongly considering drafting Wade into the squad.

 

[Up the Guts]

We’ve not played at Edgbaston yet and so far it’s been an absolute road that England have enjoyed. This tournament has been very much bat first, win the game so far so fingers crossed we win the toss. Carey was sensational last night, you’d almost look at promoting him but then again it’s a bit of luxury having someone so good batting at 7. Disappointed with Maxwell and Stoinis this WC, hopefully they fire in the finals.

On another note, come on Black Caps. A lot of Indian supporters are treating NZ lightly. I’m fairly sure India’s top 3 have scored some ridiculous proportion of their total runs (85%+), if El Boulto and Fergurson can get early wickets it could be good night nurse.

 

[Blue]

The rank hypocrisy of other nations on this issue was breath-taking. And continues to be.

Explain to me how any player who is caught cheating should not be banned for life? No matter who they are and where they are from. They should be gone. Any form of cheating in any sport that could change the result of an outcome should be dealt with in the harshest possible. way. Professional sport people earn loads of cash. They should be held to an extremely high standard as they are idolised and put on a pedestal. That should demand the highest level of integrity. But it doesn't. It's winning at all cost.

Cricket is a joke. Two blokes scored hundreds yesterday. They should not have been there in the first place.

 

[Blue]

Blue, do you honestly think that Smith, Warner and Bancroft weren't adequately punished? No other player has ever been punished anywhere near enough for the same offence in the games history.

EDIT: I should have said: anywhere near as much for the same offence in the games history.

Do you think the punishment they were handed serves as a true deterrent? I argue it doesn't.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

I'm not a lawyer, but I believe that the legal system has the concept of proportionality, where the punishment fits the crime. Ball tampering is a moderately serious offence in the eyes of the game and has led to suspensions, but do we think a life ban should be the punishment? In comparison to match fixing, which really undermines the integrity of the game? A life ban is truly the nuclear option and should be used with the utmost discretion. You are talking about preventing someone from pursuing their profession, so the crime had better be so serious that it rocks the sport to its foundations. I would say that match fixing and systematic state/association funded doping would fit into that category, but not ball tampering. I very much doubt the ICC would ever go down that path.

I personally thought that Smith, Warner and Bancroft should have got the rest of 2018 off, that's it. FdP should have actually received a suspension for being convicted TWICE of the same offence.

I don't buy the role model thing either, to me that's a red herring. If we're going to hold the players to the highest standard and one that the rest of us would never adhere to, we better start banning them for over appealing too.

 

[cyclopath]

Explain to me how any player who is caught cheating should not be banned for life? No matter who they are and where they are from. They should be gone. Any form of cheating in any sport that could change the result of an outcome should be dealt with in the harshest possible. way. Professional sport people earn loads of cash. They should be held to an extremely high standard as they are idolised and put on a pedestal. That should demand the highest level of integrity. But it doesn't. It's winning at all cost.

Cricket is a joke. Two blokes scored hundreds yesterday. They should not have been there in the first place.

Hence the rank hypocrisy. Plenty of others have been found guilty of ball tampering and been flayed with a wet lettuce leaf. Or are there degrees of ball tampering? It seems the world is happy for Warner, Smith and Bancroft to be slammed but go strangely mute on the subject of their own players who transgressed.

 

[Hound]

Hard games for the semi's AUS V NZ - India Vs England. Both games could go either way. I think Aus will top NZ but the other game is up for grabs. Both India and Poms is red hot form.

 

[Braveheart81]

Hard games for the semi's AUS V NZ - India Vs England. Both games could go either way. I think Aus will top NZ but the other game is up for grabs. Both India and Poms is red hot form.

You must have tuned out on Saturday night.

India play NZ in the first semi final tomorrow night and we play England on Thursday.

Losing to South Africa was potentially very costly for Australia. It's certainly pushed us into a harder semi final.

 

[barbarian]

Coupled with a few injuries, that loss had a real 'wheels falling off' feel to it. Meanwhile England are clearly finding form at the right time.

I reckon you'll be able to predict the result fairly accurately after 10 overs of the Semi-final. So much depends on both opening pairs, and both sets of quicks.
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[zer0]

Coupled with a few injuries, that loss had a real 'wheels falling off' feel to it. Meanwhile England are clearly finding form at the right time.

If that counts as the wheels falling off, then the Blackcaps campaign is pretty much at this stage:

That's Steady the Ship Williamson on the bike carrying the entire setup. Not pictured is Ross Taylor just off screen with a water cannon ready to blow the whole thing over with an immaculately timed confused run between the wickets.

 

[Up the Guts]

If that counts as the wheels falling off, then the Blackcaps campaign is pretty much at this stage:

That's Steady the Ship Williamson on the bike carrying the entire setup. Not pictured is Ross Taylor just off screen with a water cannon ready to blow the whole thing over with an immaculately timed confused run between the wickets.

As I said before though, playing India you’re potentially two early wickets away from winning the match. I remember an ODI earlier this year (at Hagley Oval, I think?) where your boys knocked India off for under 100.

 

[Up the Guts]

In other news, Khawaja ruled out of the rest of the tournament. It’s not like Wade or Handscomb aren’t good enough to replace him but tough being thrown straight into a WC semi.

 

[The_Brown_Hornet]

Thunderstorms forecast for Birmingham on Thursday. What are the chances that England get rained out of their own semi final?