***Official*** ICC World Cup Qualifiers 2018

[Prince EWS]

Scotland aren't really in it as much as the other two. I think it's more than likely that they'll lose their last two matches to Ireland and the Windies. Even if they beat Ireland, they'll still be vulnerable to being knocked out by NRR. Agreed that it would be very tough for Ireland and Afghanistan. I can see Afghanistan winning both their last two matches and still being pipped by the Windies and Zim. They'll need the UAE to pull of an upset against Zim and I don't think that'll happen.

Yeah Zimbabwe winning that match last night pretty much put Ireland and Afghanistan out of it.

I like Super Sixes a lot more than quarter finals, but I think I would've still liked to see semi-finals in this tournament, or at least a 2 v 3 playoff. Top two straight to the final is a bit anti-climatic for me, especially given the significance of making the final here.

 

[veganbob]

Yeah Zimbabwe winning that match last night pretty much put Ireland and Afghanistan out of it.

I like Super Sixes a lot more than quarter finals, but I think I would've still liked to see semi-finals in this tournament, or at least a 2 v 3 playoff. Top two straight to the final is a bit anti-climatic for me, especially given the significance of making the final here.

Agreed. In terms of excitement, semis or 2 vs 3 playoff would have been ideal.
In terms of fairness though, Afhanistan have already lost 3 matches so its only fair they have to rely on other results.

A 200 something /20 over chase win over uae is what they need to keep nrr method alive.

 

[robbypark]

Pity for HK Chapman has gone over to NZ. Still think it's ridiculous that there was no waiting period like there would be if HK was a top tier nation. Same thing happened with Ireland players picked for England...

Won't be long before Chapman is cut from the squad so he'll be back to HK in no time.

 

[andruid]

There always seems to be issues with the ICC funding certain boards who just somehow fritter the funds away. Zimbabwe, USA, Nepal. I'm sure there are more. At some point you would like the ICC to be more diligent with the cash, or reward off-field administrative competence over on-field results.

One of the reasons everyone and their Uncle Bob is resigning from Cricket Kenya. No published account for the past three years.

 

[TimCutler]

Hopefully it will be Windies and Zim. The last thing the already terribly structured 2019 World Cup needs is for an associate like Scotland to stink up the joint for 9 (9!) torturous league matches.

To have major teams miss miss out on a ‘world’ event should stir up more airtime in the mainstream cricket media about the 1992+1 team world cup. If Scotland have played better than those sides why shouldn’t they’d make it - look at wha they’ve done with (at most) 1/8 of the funding of lowest established full members...

 

[Prince EWS]

To have major teams miss miss out on a ‘world’ event should stir up more airtime in the mainstream cricket media about the 1992+1 team world cup. If Scotland have played better than those sides why shouldn’t they’d make it - look at wha they’ve done with (at most) 1/8 of the funding of lowest established full members...

I don't think Scotland are actually any worse than Zimbabwe anyway. Perhaps having less experience against better sides would create a couple more blowouts, but from what I've seen of their young bowlers they're a pretty serious team at the moment.

But yes even aside from that, if you think the way the ICC have organised this World Cup is poor then the West Indies missing out to expose it is the best thing that could happen (unless you're a WI fan of course).

 

[srbhkshk]

I actually have a bit of suspicion that if WI miss out it will cause a furore and ICC will end up modifying the WC somewhat to accommodate them. So I really want that to happen.

 

[GRAB]

But Scotland, like Ireland, have benefited from a lot of their players playing County cricket, so England are doing a lot of their development for them! It's a double-edged sword of course, because if another Gavin Hamilton comes along, England will poach quicker than you can say Jack Robinson. Of course, how many of the Scots squad are born in England again?

 

[SeamUp]

The thing is , the Windies team here should have enough about them to go through but you keep looking at the team and thinking it is not impossible for them to trip up. I think Zimbabwe's recent record against the Windies is pretty good too.

Scotland deserve everything they get.

Their top 4 has been the most consistent and runs shared with Coetzer, Cross, MacLeod, Berrington. Plus they have a couple of 100s that the other teams can learn from !

Bowling attack is young like PEWS says

Brad Wheal (22) and only played u19 week for Natal a few seasons ago now. Got a gig at Hampshire academy straight out of school and looks to be doing well for himself. But like the batting - wickets seem to be shared with Sharif, both Sole's, Watt and Leask too.

 

[Tec15]

I actually have a bit of suspicion that if WI miss out it will cause a furore and ICC will end up modifying the WC somewhat to accommodate them. So I really want that to happen.

Don't hold your breath on that. WI just don't matter enough for the Big three and the ICC.

 

[weldone]

Hong Kong collapsing after a quick start

 

[Beamer]

The thing is , the Windies team here should have enough about them to go through but you keep looking at the team and thinking it is not impossible for them to trip up. I think Zimbabwe's recent record against the Windies is pretty good too.

We are a very poor ODI side, it's as simple as that. If we don't win this, we don't deserve to be at the World Cup.

Quite frankly, even being as poor as we are, we should be winning this with the talent we do have. If we don't make it the chairman of selectors should resign straight away. We've had the likes of Kesrick Williams, Nikita Miller and Ashley Nurse playing ahead of Keemo Paul (until recently), Rakheem Cornwall and Devendra Bishop, all of whom have excellent list a stats.

We can hit boundaries at the beginning and end of an innings as well as anyone else. The problem is the middle over strike rotation is absolutely diabolical and the likes of Marlon Samuels and Shai Hope just aren't learning. If Toby Radford can't fix this soon he should by let go as it's literally our biggest problem and he's had 2 years to solve it.

We've got some good players still and some excellent young players we just need to a) select them and b) stop playing such brain-dead middle over cricket as if it's still the 1990s.

 

[TimCutler]

Here is my 6th #CWCQ power rankings encompassing the first of three Super Sixes rounds and summarising the final 4's performances. Nepal gets ODI status.. Can Scotland fly the Associate flag all the way to the WC? Or will we see Zimbabwe & the Windies go through: http://bit.ly/2FFJSRU

 

[SeamUp]

That should have been Wheal's second wicket. Knocking middle half way up but Paul Wilson was having a kip

 

[Quaggas]

That should have been Wheal's second wicket. Knocking middle half way up but Paul Wilson was having a kip

Loving it.

 

[mr_mister]

Go Ireland! Love watching Niall bat

 

[mr_mister]

Surprised Balbirnie only averages 24 in this format he looks decent.

 

[weldone]

Coetzer is key here.

 

[shifty_eyes]

Ireland might have sealed Zimbabwe's place in World Cup.

 

[Tom Flint]

Crowds have been brilliant IMO. Shows how popular cricket is out there, can't imagine that many people turning out to watch Ireland scotland in any other countries