Super Eight

[JASON]

On another note Australia, South Africa and England are among the Teams that get to play at Kensington Oval Bridgetown, Barbados, while other teams do not . Since this is where the Final is to be played , I think that gives these teams an unfair advantage, IMO.

 

[Johnners]

Dominating performance, shame the Irish couldn't get 150 odd on the board though.

 

[alternative]

Good win by aussie.

 

[social]

On another note Australia, South Africa and England are among the Teams that get to play at Kensington Oval Bridgetown, Barbados, while other teams do not . Since this is where the Final is to be played , I think that gives these teams an unfair advantage, IMO.

Or you could say that New Zealand potentially has an unfair advantage because theyre the only team left in contention to have played at St Lucia (semi-final venue)

Or because OZ doesnt play the potentially 2 strongest challengers (SL and NZ) until the last 2 games of the Super 8s, it has wrapped a semi spot up by playing only the weakest teams

Or because SL plays the majority of its' matches in Grenada and Guyana on slow, low pitches it has been favoured more by the conditions than anyone else

 

[marc71178]

Paul Allott is just an idiot to really criticise the associate nations like that, why does he blame Ireland the Aussies have made every team they have faced through the WC look like associate nations so why be so hyper-critical about Ireland's performance today.

Methinks you're going slightly OTT there.

 

[LA ICE-E]

very disappointed by Ireland's performance today, but at the same time; australia thrashes top 8 teams like that so that tells something.

 

[LA ICE-E]

Can't believe we lost to this team.

I bet you guys would lose to australia too, so not much difference.

Paul Allott just said on Sky, "I think the ICC have to look at the group stage again to ensure that the biggest teams get through."

Yes, that's what he said.

Pretty stupid since, you can't make sure the top 8 goes through no matter what.

Personally, I'd rather the competition was held between Australia, South Africa, England, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, West Indies, India and Pakistan.

Than champions trophy is perfect for you.

Why not just have 2 pools of 8? They could be selected using ICC rankings,..even numbers in one pool, odd numbers in the other. Each pool could then play a round robin, top 2 teams from each pool go through the semi-finals.

for one there would be way more point less games.

I like the idea off 10 teams each playing each other once (2 games a day), semi and final (best of 3 would be nice). With the minnows fighting it out for the 2 extra places in a pre world cup series.

So you don't make the top 8 test nations go through qualifiers but the last two? not fair either all test teams are in or all have to qualify. Again if you're interested in the top 8 only then -champions trophy.

Paul Allott is just an idiot to really criticise the associate nations like that, why does he blame Ireland the Aussies have made every team they have faced through the WC look like associate nations so why be so hyper-critical about Ireland's performance today.



Why didn't Mr.Allott come up with such comments when Ireland made 218 against England without getting bowled out or when England limped through to a victory against Bangladesh.

What's up with all these talks now...yeah ireland played bad but i didn't see any team play very well against Australia. They like thrashed every team the played so far. You could never make sure the top 8 goes through. never. that's not sports, unless you want to make it like all fixed games. No matter what the format you can't make sure they go through. Ireland wasn't competitive this game, yes true but WI wasn't competitive the whole super 8 and just look at who they faced- australia who are like in a different level than all the other teams. Like it's said when a top 8 loses to a minnow, this one bad performance shouldn't say all about ireland...they still deserve to be here!

 

[JASON]

Or because SL plays the majority of its' matches in Grenada and Guyana on slow, low pitches it has been favoured more by the conditions than anyone else

And not on flat tracks with short boundaries as in Antigua and St.Kitts ....?

 

[Athlai]

To be honest I thought the Irish played alright. Australia were performing brilliantly, if they were just cruising along, then yes I could understand why such an uproar would be created. But this is some of the best cricket Australia have played so far. (Aside from Tait, one of Ireland's premier run scorers).

If Niall O'Brien didn't get out so unluckily, then I'm sure Ireland would have passed the 100 mark.

Englands lower order probably couldn't do as well as the last wicket stand of the Irish.

I was very impressed.

 

[Perm]

Good performance by Australia, although disappointed to see Gilchrist get out. Would've liked to see him finish off the game.

 

[social]

And not on flat tracks with short boundaries as in Antigua and St.Kitts ....?

Point is that everyone has excuses but at the end of a tournament of this length, they're largely irrelevant

 

[pasag]

Good win by Australia. Tait needs to keep the extras down but other than that, a thoroughly professional display. Good stuff letting Hussey and Symonds get some batting time as well. Might be a decision that wins us the World Cup if we need one of them to rebuild an innings. You never know.

For NZ we should take an extra bowler ie Johnson or Clark because of their extra batting depth and for Sri Lanka we should take an extra batsman because of their gun bowling line up. Although Watson says he'll be back for NZ. Fingers crossed for that.

 

[Matt79]

Felt bad for the Irish - they'd done a good job of performing at least credibly, without ever threatening to win really, through the Super 8s, given their squad. But their number was up last night and they were simply several classes out of their depth, and they looked it. Aussies got through without any injuries etc, and boosted their run-rate, so it was all they could hope to achieve.

They'll go into their next two big games seriously underdone in terms of recent game time however.

 

[nightprowler10]

I bet you guys would lose to australia too, so not much difference.

True. We've only beaten them once in 15 odd matches and we were a better ODI team then. Still, we've almost always given the Aussies a fair fight.

 

[Perm]

Looking forward to the big game tonight, will be staying up to watch all of it now I can post on CW during the game. Will be hoping for our top order to get some runs as well as Franklin and Gillespie bowling well. Can see Graeme Smith taking us apart though if Bond doesn't get him early.

 

[pup11]

I think Tait is being criticised a bit too much, ok he has bowled way too many wides through this WC and he has been erratic with his line and length but then comeon everyone knows that Tait has bowled like that through his life and has been successful bowling like that.



We had Clark bowling very economicaly yesterday but then how menacing did he look yesterday while bowling his 8 overs??

 

[pup11]

I am expecting New Zealand to win today because i don't think South African bowling attack has got the penetration to do well on a slow track like the one at Grenada.



I think New Zealand should play Patel instead of Gillespie today (because of the nature of the track).

 

[GGG]

I would play a extra spinner vs SAF on anything but a green top, expecially since our fast bowlers are pretty average, excluding Bond.

 

[pup11]

New Zealand have won the toss and have elected to field first.

 

[GGG]

Has Fleming won the toss every game thus far?