Road to the 2019 CWC

[theegyptian]

I'd go Australia, India and then England as the most likeliest winners right now.

Australia probably have the best allround side when everyone is fit and know how to win, although spin bowling (for and against) might be a liability with the tournament wickets possibly getting more worn as tournament continues.
India have most bases covered these days- Strong top order, decent fast bowlers, good spinners. Good success in ODIs in England . Maybe biggest question mark is over Dhoni and the middle order.
England home conditions and batting in their favour but lack bowling, and I worry they'll plateau in the next two years - Some of them don't seem the most driven of players and probably won't be too bothered as long as they are making $$$ in IPL and elsewhere.

 

[oblongballs]

The whole idea about the all plays all is it replicates the format of 1992 that was universally regarded as the best of any World Cup.

That tournament had 9 less matches than the current format and 1 less team. Plus, 92 is regarded as the best tournament because of the drama, the excitement, the players on show and Akram. No one goes "oh yeah, I remember that tournament, I have fond memories of the format".

 

[weldone]

oh yeah, I remember that tournament, I have fond memories of the format

 

[Black_Warrior]

I was too young for that tournament and I still ****ing remember that tournament. I have extremely fond memories of the format. Better than any other World Cup. Ever.

 

[oblongballs]

I was just thinking about the quality of players that could potentially end up playing in 2019. Would it be the best, most evenly matched collection of bowlers v batsmen (in hopefully testing conditions) since 1999?

Hasan, Starc, Hazlewood, Amir, Shadab, Plunkett, Rashid, Boult, Wagner and co vs Kohli, Smith, Root, Kane, Warner, Hales, Morgan, Sharma (potentially), Pandya and co

Now I know 03 on paper had some serious quality but a lot of those guys were approaching the ends of lengthy careers. These guys are all about to or are hitting their peak.

 

[mr_mister]

it is an awesome format. Makes the group stage actually meaningful. I'm all for adding more teams but I definitely like the everyone plays everyone format better than groups of 4 or 6, where it's always extremely obvious before a ball is bowled which teams will qualify and which wont

 

[oblongballs]

it is an awesome format. Makes the group stage actually meaningful. I'm all for adding more teams but I definitely like the everyone plays everyone format better than groups of 4 or 6, where it's always extremely obvious before a ball is bowled which teams will qualify and which wont

Wasn't true for the CT was it?

Also, having a round robin does not change the fact that there is a gulf in class between the top 4 or 5 teams and the bottom. Groups or not, we all know Aus, Eng, Pak, Ind and possibly SA will be the teams at or near the top. In the end, a round robin simply increases the number of dud matches.

I'd rather watch a shorter tournament with more meaningful matches.

 

[mr_mister]

Wasn't true for the CT was it?

Also, having a round robin does not change the fact that there is a gulf in class between the top 4 or 5 teams and the bottom. Groups or not, we all know Aus, Eng, Pak, Ind and possibly SA will be the teams at or near the top. In the end, a round robin simply increases the number of dud matches.

I'd rather watch a shorter tournament with more meaningful matches.

every now and then bangladesh or ireland has a few upsets and takes one of the clearly established top 8 teams spot in the quarter finals then proceed to get thumped in that KO game

those 8 teams i'm talking about (aus, eng, india, sa, pak, nz, wi, sl) could all possibly make the top 4 in this everyone plays everyone format. it wouldnt be a huge shock if any combination of those teams made the top 4. yes even WI vs SL in a final is a more realistic chance of happening than zim or bangladesh making the semis in 2019

 

[Black_Warrior]

I was just thinking about the quality of players that could potentially end up playing in 2019. Would it be the best, most evenly matched collection of bowlers v batsmen (in hopefully testing conditions) since 1999?

Hasan, Starc, Hazlewood, Amir, Shadab, Plunkett, Rashid, Boult, Wagner and co vs Kohli, Smith, Root, Kane, Warner, Hales, Morgan, Sharma (potentially), Pandya and co

Now I know 03 on paper had some serious quality but a lot of those guys were approaching the ends of lengthy careers. These guys are all about to or are hitting their peak.

Why Sharma potentially? Easily the best ODI opener in the world at the moment

 

[morgieb]

I was just thinking about the quality of players that could potentially end up playing in 2019. Would it be the best, most evenly matched collection of bowlers v batsmen (in hopefully testing conditions) since 1999?

Hasan, Starc, Hazlewood, Amir, Shadab, Plunkett, Rashid, Boult, Wagner and co vs Kohli, Smith, Root, Kane, Warner, Hales, Morgan, Sharma (potentially), Pandya and co

Now I know 03 on paper had some serious quality but a lot of those guys were approaching the ends of lengthy careers. These guys are all about to or are hitting their peak.

Has he ever played Odis?

 

[Firebreaker]

I hope Afghanistan don't qualify for WC because they will be rolled by teams like Australia,England,India etc and one Rashid Khan can't make a difference.They just lost a series to Ireland as well

 

[veganbob]

Loving the format for this tournament. Although i still want 14 teams minimum. Should have been two groups of 7 then semis.

Atleast we dont have quaterfinals which is good. Having qf in a cwc is really stupid imo, pretty much makes group stage pointless.

 

[Tom Flint]

Wasn't true for the CT was it?

Also, having a round robin does not change the fact that there is a gulf in class between the top 4 or 5 teams and the bottom. Groups or not, we all know Aus, Eng, Pak, Ind and possibly SA will be the teams at or near the top. In the end, a round robin simply increases the number of dud matches.

I'd rather watch a shorter tournament with more meaningful matches.

Sri lanka and especially new zealand always surprise in world cup. New zealand look to be focusing only on white ball cricket these days so should be the best prepared

 

[S.Kennedy]

Sri lanka and especially new zealand always surprise in world cup. New zealand look to be focusing only on white ball cricket these days so should be the best prepared

As are England I fear!!

 

[Tom Flint]

Especially with bayliss in charge lol. Watches more big bash and ipl than county championship. I'd bet everyone here knows more about english cricketers than he does.

 

[Firebreaker]

NZ are the most overrated team.They lost to Bangladesh even after restricting them to 33/4 shows how bad they really are.

 

[smash84]

Loving the format for this tournament. Although i still want 14 teams minimum. Should have been two groups of 7 then semis.

Atleast we dont have quaterfinals which is good. Having qf in a cwc is really stupid imo, pretty much makes group stage pointless.

This

 

[Firebreaker]

The match which I will look most forward to will be SL vs WI to find out which is the worst team in WC

 

[sphynx]

Aus still the favourites for mine.

Starc, in English conditions, with a white ball. That could get very very ugly for a lot of sides. This tournament may cement him as a goat ODI bowler.


I think Cummins getting a couple of years of solid cricket is a major factor as well, both are great lower order batsmen as well. Hazlewood is ranked 5th in the world as well, easily the best ODI attack.

Especially if Lynn transforms over to ODI cricket, Smith, Lynn, Maxwell, (he will be back), M.Marsh is potentially easily the best ODI middle order in the world in my opinion, then there's still Warner and co up the top.

Warner, Paine, Smith, Lynn, Maxwell, M.Marsh, Stoinis, Agar, Cummins, Starc, Hazlewood. Thats a ****ing brutal batting lineup.

 

[cnerd123]

The match which I will look most forward to will be SL vs WI to find out which is the worst team in WC

NZ are the most overrated team.They lost to Bangladesh even after restricting them to 33/4 shows how bad they really are.

I hope Afghanistan don't qualify for WC because they will be rolled by teams like Australia,England,India etc and one Rashid Khan can't make a difference.They just lost a series to Ireland as well

why is all your posting so negative.