Super Eight

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Would love to see Bangladesh win more than one game in the Super 8's. Their best bet for a couple of wins would probably be against Ireland and possibly one of WI/England/NZ, depending who plays worse on the day.

Hopefully the Windes can maintain their unbeaten record against Bangladesh.

 

[Salamuddin]

Because South Africa whilst being nearly unbeatable at home (India are not) actually do win some games away from home. They progressed to the Champions Trophy Semi Final but where was Sri Lanka and India?

And where was RSA in the 2005-06 VB Series ? Never mind the mind the fact they weren't all that impressive the the CT...they got abosulutely owned by the Windies in the semi and lost pretty badly to NZL as well.
Hardly the stuff of the supposedly Wolrd no 1 team.....

It's a bit of a myth that RSA are actually a top side away from home....they've won less tests against top 8 oppositions than India this decade and yet most people reckon they are a far more superior team away....

They beat India and Pakistan at home and all of a sudden everyone reckons they're a world beater side......yet when it comes to the crunch, they invariably will flop

Mark my words the Saffies will not win this world cup....they're a lot of bluster and very little real substance

 

[honestbharani]

yeah, I agree with the sentiments expressed by most in this thread.

NZ and Aus have pretty much gunned their semi spots, IMHO.

RSA should go through, at least on paper. So SL and Windies will have to fight for the remaining spot.


Is it just me or do the kiwis look like championship material to others too?

 

[Pup Clarke]

Is it just me or do the kiwis look like championship material to others too?

It's just you.

 

[honestbharani]

It's just you.

man, the trans-tasman rivalry is deeper than I thought.

 

[pup11]

I think losing Vincent is a big blow for the Kiwi's IMO, Black Caps have always been a dark horse in almost every big tournament they take part in but when it comes to big games they are found wanting.

 

[Fiery]

I think losing Vincent is a big blow for the Kiwi's IMO, Black Caps have always been a dark horse in almost every big tournament they take part in but when it comes to big games they are found wanting.

With one notable exception

 

[Prince EWS]

Personally I don't think the loss of Vincent is very significant, unless Taylor doesn't recover properly, in which case it could be disasterous. NZ had Fulton in reserve previously, and on these pitches I really don't think there's a significant technical difference between opening and batting in the middle order - although the mental adjustment of tactics will be something that Fulton will have to do. They won't lose much if anything with Fulton opening in the WC - but they could lose a lot if Taylor doesn't recover or another batsman goes down, because Marshall just isn't up to it in ODIs IMO - particularly on slow wickets like this.

 

[Laurrz]

Lara, McGrath talk each other up

"He was definitely the toughest fast bowler," Lara said.

"He just didn't give you opportunities to score.

"He is just so consistent.

"There are other fast bowlers I have played against, like (Pakistan fast bowler) Wasim Akram, who can swing the ball both ways.

"But series after series, Glenn came at me with the same plan. He has been an outstanding competitor.

"I am not going to put myself down for him because I have scored pretty well against Australia. Players like myself and Sachin (Tendulkar) want to be dominant, but he is one of the bowlers you don't want to face.

"There are places on the pitch where batsmen want the ball to land - he never bowls there."

-----------------------

"I would have to rate him the best I bowled to," McGrath said.

"Technically, Tendulkar was more correct but Lara was genuinely more dangerous. He has all the shots and could be very destructive. I always loved the challenge of bowling to him."

McGrath revealed in the intense early days of their rivalry he deliberately kept his distance from Lara to heighten his mystique in the way West Indies great Curtly Ambrose used to do with the Australia players.

"I didn't want to have too much to do with him because I did not want him to know me too well," McGrath said.

"I wanted to keep that a bit of a mystery.

"I wanted to try and get an edge over him.

"Over the past three or four years, we have got along better than we ever have before."

an intense 12 year rivalry comes to an end (unless we meet Windies in semis or final)

*applauds

more here
http://www.foxsports.com.au/story/0,8659,21452602-5012554,00.html

 

[Francis]

I was interested that Lara made special mention that he was the best fast bowler he ever faced as opposed to being simply the best bowler. I thought McGrath broke pretty even with Lara and should be his pick for the best bowler he ever faced.

What annoys me is Lara has also said that Shane Warne was the best bowler he ever faced... this was around 2005 when Warne was taking the most wickets in a calaendar year. In 2001 he said Murali gave him one of his toughest times, despite making a double century or two off him.

My point is, I think a lot of the time when Lara has said this or that about a bowler, he's just said it to be polite and courteous. But he was given the perfect chance to say the same thing again, that McGrath was the best bowler he ever faced, and instead he specifies that he was the best fast bowler.

Maybe he was telling the truth when he said Warne was the best bowler ever and the toughest he's ever faced. But what doesn't make sense about that is Warne hasn't dismissed him as much as McGrath - it's been McGrath who's had the best record against him.

I just wish he'd say once and for all who was his toughest opponent and cut the courtesy. But the fact that he was given a chance to say McGrath was the best he faced, and rather said he was the best fast bowler... really makes you think.

 

[pup11]

Francis, mate Warney didn't get Lara's wicket more time then Pidge due to these reasons :

a) Lara has always been a great player of spin.

b) Pidge use to get Lara's wicket a lot of times even before Warney use to come into bowl.


Anyways today's game might be the last time we could see the battle between 2 greats McGrath and Lara so i am really excited about today's game.

 

[Laurrz]

yea, im excited too.. couple of hours to go .. on ch 9 yay

its weird tho, 12 years of tussling between these two are about to come to an end.. :'(

 

[Prince EWS]

I was interested that Lara made special mention that he was the best fast bowler he ever faced as opposed to being simply the best bowler. I thought McGrath broke pretty even with Lara and should be his pick for the best bowler he ever faced.

What annoys me is Lara has also said that Shane Warne was the best bowler he ever faced... this was around 2005 when Warne was taking the most wickets in a calaendar year. In 2001 he said Murali gave him one of his toughest times, despite making a double century or two off him.

My point is, I think a lot of the time when Lara has said this or that about a bowler, he's just said it to be polite and courteous. But he was given the perfect chance to say the same thing again, that McGrath was the best bowler he ever faced, and instead he specifies that he was the best fast bowler.

Maybe he was telling the truth when he said Warne was the best bowler ever and the toughest he's ever faced. But what doesn't make sense about that is Warne hasn't dismissed him as much as McGrath - it's been McGrath who's had the best record against him.

I just wish he'd say once and for all who was his toughest opponent and cut the courtesy. But the fact that he was given a chance to say McGrath was the best he faced, and rather said he was the best fast bowler... really makes you think.

Cricketers say lots of things in interviews which are either just taken out of context or throwaway lines to begin with. ITBT, Lara actually doesn't rate Shane Warne that highly by any stretch of the imagination. You didn't hear that from me though.

 

[Perm]

Just because McGrath has taken his wicket more than Warne does not mean that Lara felt McGrath was better. For example, Lara may have played a loose shot at a poor ball by McGrath on a few occasions and got himself out that way, whereas with Warne he had to muster all his skills to play every single ball, but lost his wicket to another bowler.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

I was interested that Lara made special mention that he was the best fast bowler he ever faced as opposed to being simply the best bowler. I thought McGrath broke pretty even with Lara and should be his pick for the best bowler he ever faced.

What annoys me is Lara has also said that Shane Warne was the best bowler he ever faced... this was around 2005 when Warne was taking the most wickets in a calaendar year. In 2001 he said Murali gave him one of his toughest times, despite making a double century or two off him.

My point is, I think a lot of the time when Lara has said this or that about a bowler, he's just said it to be polite and courteous. But he was given the perfect chance to say the same thing again, that McGrath was the best bowler he ever faced, and instead he specifies that he was the best fast bowler.

Maybe he was telling the truth when he said Warne was the best bowler ever and the toughest he's ever faced. But what doesn't make sense about that is Warne hasn't dismissed him as much as McGrath - it's been McGrath who's had the best record against him.

I just wish he'd say once and for all who was his toughest opponent and cut the courtesy. But the fact that he was given a chance to say McGrath was the best he faced, and rather said he was the best fast bowler... really makes you think.

Why does him scoring runs against them make them any less difficult? And who are you to say who Lara's toughest opponent is or was? He's the man who's been out in the middle facing them. I'd think he'd know a hell of a lot better.

 

[pup11]

Bad news in Antigua overcast conditions there, hope it clears out quickly.

 

[pup11]

West Indies v/s Australia

Toss has been won by West Indies and they have elected to field.

 

[FaaipDeOiad]

The early starts make bowling first an attactive option in this WC, but I'm still more comfortable setting a target than chasing one, generally speaking. Depends on the conditions though, of course.

 

[pup11]

West Indies v/s Australia

Australian team- unchanged from last game.


West Indies team- Collymore comes in for Bradshaw.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

I'm still more comfortable setting a target than chasing one, generally speaking.

Really? I'd back Australia to chase any total 9 times out of 10. For defending a total it'd be more like 7/10.