Group D - Pakistan, West Indies, Zimbabwe, Ireland

[godofcricket]

Dont loose hope guys....big matches to come for pakistan, ireland.....and then the tougher one, zimbabwe. Still hope for the super 8's.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

Caught the first 20 and last 20 overs of this morning's game. Not sure how I'll budget time to catch full matches this WC, though. 12-9am is pretty brutal.

Might go to bed when I get home from uni this afternoon and get up at midnight...

 

[Fiery]

Dont loose hope guys....big matches to come for pakistan, ireland.....and then the tougher one, zimbabwe. Still hope for the super 8's.

I think Ireland might be tougher than Zim actually

 

[godofcricket]

I think Ireland might be tougher than Zim actually

hmm yeah probably....but these 3 teams evenly matched at this point.

 

[Neil Pickup]

Having just had a bit of a stats geek overload (blame George), I've dug through Cricinfo for the last time the West Indies filled a full complement of ODI overs without resorting to spinners.

February 1993: Pakistan bowled out for 150 in 41.3 overs

However, I wasn't convinced that implied no spin would be used whatsoever: so...

February 1984: Holding, Garner, Marshall, Davis and Baptiste win the World Series Cup

 

[armchairumpire]

Caught the first 20 and last 20 overs of this morning's game. Not sure how I'll budget time to catch full matches this WC, though. 12-9am is pretty brutal.

Might go to bed when I get home from uni this afternoon and get up at midnight...

The best I can hope for is getting up at 5am and watching the second innings of most of the matches. Pretty difficult in our timezone.

 

[Fiery]

hmm yeah probably....but these 3 teams evenly matched at this point.

Yep, it's definitely the weakest Group but I wouldn't surprise if Pakistan turn things around like they usually do

 

[TT Boy]

Good to see the wicket at Sabina Park offered some bounce but more importantly it was a fantastic one day wicket. Little bit upfront for the bowlers but it was no minefield and thankfully it did not become as slow as old assholes as the game progressed.

 

[social]

The best I can hope for is getting up at 5am and watching the second innings of most of the matches. Pretty difficult in our timezone.

Yeah, I'm with you on that one - 12 till 9 trashes you for a few days afterwards

Anyway, from what I saw, WI were good but Pakistan pretty much confirmed for me that theyre not amongst the top fancies.

Yousuf and Inzy gave them a chance but both played poor shots and Inzy stuffed around for a long time as well

Good to see Rao do well - I like his action and think he has a future

 

[WI fan]

After the debacle of 85 all out to India last week it was great to see the guys bounce back. I dont think that they should be taken for granted at all. Great effort.

 

[TT Boy]

Yep, it's definitely the weakest Group but I wouldn't surprise if Pakistan turn things around like they usually do

Probably but dropping Rana Naved (for Yasir Arafat), Kaneria (Azhar Mahmood) and Hafeez (when Afirdi returns) might help. Questions need to be asked over Hafeez, he may have bowled well today but having an average of fewer than 20 with strike rate of less than 60 after 40 odd games is not acceptable. Make Afridi open with that other fly by night, Imran Nazir. Can not do any worse and if by luck they get away then it is goodnight Charlie for the opposition.

 

[godofcricket]

Yep, it's definitely the weakest Group but I wouldn't surprise if Pakistan turn things around like they usually do

Well unfortunetly the whole pakistans batting line-up is a hit and miss, like our openers......the situation ur talking about, theres an 80% chance that it will only happen if our openers click, then as there will be no pressure on our middle-order, they will most likely click aswell.

 

[Fiery]

Yeah, I'm with you on that one - 12 till 9 trashes you for a few days afterwards

Anyway, from what I saw, WI were good but Pakistan pretty much confirmed for me that theyre not amongst the top fancies.

Yousuf and Inzy gave them a chance but both played poor shots and Inzy stuffed around for a long time as well

Good to see Rao do well - I like his action and think he has a future

I didn't watch the game but by looking at the scorecards and strike-rates it looks like Yousef and Inzamam may have been a bit too over-cautious when trying to steady the ship. They could/should have played a few more shots. Would that be fair, anyone who watched the game?

 

[godofcricket]

Probably but dropping Rana Naved (for Yasir Arafat), Kaneria (Azhar Mahmood) and Hafeez (when Afirdi returns) might help. Questions need to be asked over Hafeez, he may have bowled well today but having an average of fewer than 20 with strike rate of less than 60 after 40 odd games is not acceptable. Make Afridi open with that other fly by night, Imran Nazir. Can not do any worse and if by luck they get away then it is goodnight Charlie for the opposition.

seriously why dont people understand? why Afridi, hasnt he already been tried a million times???? Afridi for the team is a must yes, but his effectiveness is not as an opener

 

[TT Boy]

seriously why dont people understand? why Afridi, hasnt he already been tried a million times???? Afridi for the team is a must yes, but his effectiveness is not as an opener

Naturally I would agree but looking at Pakistan's squad there is not too many options. And by the way his average as an opener is better than his career average and accordingly better than his average at six or seven. So such an argument does not have much weight especially if you take away his Durban massacre, there is scant evidence to suggest his worth is really down the order.

 

[BoyBrumby]

I didn't watch the game but by looking at the scorecards and strike-rates it looks like Yousef and Inzamam may have been a bit too over-cautious when trying to steady the ship. They could/should have played a few more shots. Would that be fair, anyway who watched the game?

Not necessarily if one of them had gone on. When they came together Pakistan were in a big hole & they put on over 50. When they went in relatively quick succession (with Akmal getting a golden blob too) it made their innings look worse than they actually were.

Pakistan's real issues are at the top of the order for me.

 

[WI fan]

West Indies you beauty!!!!

 

[Fiery]

Not necessarily if one of them had gone on. When they came together Pakistan were in a big hole & they put on over 50. When they went in relatively quick succession (with Akmal getting a golden blob too) it made their innings look worse than they actually were.

Pakistan's real issues are at the top of the order for me.

ok, fair call

 

[TT Boy]

West Indies you beauty!!!!

Cool avatar.

 

[Dasa]

Caught the first 20 and last 20 overs of this morning's game. Not sure how I'll budget time to catch full matches this WC, though. 12-9am is pretty brutal.

Might go to bed when I get home from uni this afternoon and get up at midnight...

I'm going to stick to watching the 2nd innings on weekdays I think....5:30am is ok. Probably won't bother with sleep on weekends, I can catch up some other time.