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

[weldone]

Might as well cut it down to 8 sides as West Indies and whichever associate qualify tomorrow will probably get trashed.

Both may end up destroying Sri Lanka.

Also think West Indian flashy hitters and Afghan spinners may spring a few surprises (although I'm not backing them to reach semis).

 

[Bahnz]

Might as well cut it down to 8 sides as West Indies and whichever associate qualify tomorrow will probably get trashed.

Twelve teams was a fair enough compromise, the elitists would not have to endure the utter horror of one sided 50 overs matches that often while it would still allow the better associate sides play in the pinnacle of the cricketing schedule.

Its quite easy to manage the schedule with twelve sides if they really set there mind to it.

ten teams is a glorified champions Trophy.

The problem with 12 teams, is it's just too many for a league format - you're talking another 21 games, which probably means banging at least another week onto an already extended pool phase even if you try and play multiple games on every day. But 2 pools of 6 just doesn't provide enough India games for the ICC's liking (unless you use the Super 6 format, and even then there are no guarantees India will qualify).

it's a shame because I don't think you'd get too many people arguing that 12 isn't smack-bang in the goldilocks zone.

Trying not to think too hard about the all time **** dwl score adjustment. 220 you could maybe argue if you were being generous (though I tend to think that given the way UAE came apart the second they tried to accelerate, that something around 200-210 would've been fair). But 230 and the consequent result heart-breaking.

 

[cnerd123]

The fact that financial reasons ('not enough India games' , 'what if India gets kicked out early', 'no one will watch the minnows play' ) are the driving factor behind the 10 Team WC is disgusting.

Does cricket exist to make money or market money to exist? If we're willing to compromise the integrity of the World Cup just to earn more dollars then what's the ****ing point? May as well turn the Ashes into a tri series an add India into it. Think of all the money to be made.

Is ridiculous.

Afghanistan and West Indies are so lucky to be making it through. Meanwhile Hong Kong and PNG lose millions on funding, the corrupt ZCB go unchecked and unregulated, and with no WC spot don't be surprised if half this side leaves the country again, which means this is now probably the death of cricket in Zimbabwe till new leadership emerges, and my god what do all these superb Scottish players have to play for now for the next 4 years? They may as well all return to county cricket to make a career for themselves again. Same for guys like ten Doeschate and Ben Cooper. And I won't be surprised if Anshuman leaves us as well once his Somerset thing comes through.

A fantastic tournament that doesnt get promoted, broadcast, and ultimately hurts several of the nation's that take place. Yay ICC.

 

[Niall]

Afghanistan and West Indies are so lucky to be making it through. .

Still have a winner takes all game v Ireland tomorrow. They should win, but not exactly a foregone conclusion.

If it gets washed out, I think Ireland progress, but don't quote me on that.

 

[Prince EWS]

Still have a winner takes all game v Ireland tomorrow. They should win, but not exactly a foregone conclusion.

If it gets washed out, I think Ireland progress, but don't quote me on that.

Yeah they'd go through over Zimbabwe just marginally on NRR.

 

[Daemon]

Nope if it's washed out zimbabwe get through

Edit: ok idk, that's what cricinfo said yesterday

 

[Prince EWS]

Zimbabwe will progress if it's a tie though.

 

[Prince EWS]

Nope if it's washed out zimbabwe get through

Nah Ireland will. Their NRR is better, and it won't change if it's a washout. It will change if it's a tie though.

 

[weldone]

Still have a winner takes all game v Ireland tomorrow. They should win, but not exactly a foregone conclusion.

I actually think Ireland are favorites tomorrow. They have better batting and better pace bowling. Afghanistan is too dependent on Rashid and Mujeeb imo.

 

[Daemon]

Wonder how good they'd be with a fit Hassan in his peak. Still I suppose batting is their biggest weakness.

 

[Prince EWS]

I worry a bit for Afghanistan's batting sometimes. Individually I like all their batsmen (bar Stanikzai, who almost seems to be picked as a specialist captain in ODIs), but Rahmat aside they're all pretty similar in being a bit aggressive and a bit loose to bat in the top order and play a long innings. Shenwari kind of typifies this in that I like him as a batting allrounder coming in around 6, but he bats 4 and doesn't bowl because the rest of the guys behind him fit this category even more. I'd like to see them try out a couple of the guys who plunder runs domestically (and there are some insane domestic stats for a few of their uncapped guys) or Bahir Shah from the Under 19 World Cup side (who I believe fits into that first category too), just to try and give the upper middle order a bit more stability for the likes of Shenwari, Nabi, Najibullah etc to polish off at the end.

I also think they're probably picking one bowler too many a lot of the time, although it doesn't seem as bad when Naib opens the batting even though it's the same personnel.

 

[WindieWeathers]

Might as well cut it down to 8 sides as West Indies and whichever associate qualify tomorrow will probably get trashed.

Twelve teams was a fair enough compromise, the elitists would not have to endure the utter horror of one sided 50 overs matches that often while it would still allow the better associate sides play in the pinnacle of the cricketing schedule.

Its quite easy to manage the schedule with twelve sides if they really set there mind to it.

ten teams is a glorified champions Trophy.

Not if we put our best team out on the park.

 

[morgieb]

Might as well cut it down to 8 sides as West Indies and whichever associate qualify tomorrow will probably get trashed.

Twelve teams was a fair enough compromise, the elitists would not have to endure the utter horror of one sided 50 overs matches that often while it would still allow the better associate sides play in the pinnacle of the cricketing schedule.

Its quite easy to manage the schedule with twelve sides if they really set there mind to it.

ten teams is a glorified champions Trophy.

Honestly you could do a decent 20 team tournament if you wanted. Rugby manages fine and the talent gaps there are similar to cricket. 4 groups of 5, top two to quarter-finals and there you go.

The reason why the 16 team tournament failed is because of the silly Super 8's. With a quarter-finals or even the Super 8's split into two it would've been great.

 

[Niall]

Honestly you could do a decent 20 team tournament if you wanted. Rugby manages fine and the talent gaps there are similar to cricket. 4 groups of 5, top two to quarter-finals and there you go.

The reason why the 16 team tournament failed is because of the silly Super 8's. With a quarter-finals or even the Super 8's split into two it would've been great.

Yeah the "minnows" did not ruin the last Rugby World Cup whatsoever. Japan beating South Africa was an iconic moment and a monumental FU to the tedious bores who were moaning about how predictable it was shaping up to be.

Also and I could be wrong here, pretty much all games sold out and even the match ups with the smaller sides had a really great atmosphere and were fun to watch.

There has to be a better solution than a ten team world cup which will ensure we get the associates get some spotlight and the established nations still get plenty of games.

 

[Niall]

Not if we put our best team out on the park.

Big ask though.

 

[cnerd123]

Even if the established nations don't get enough games or get kicked out early and we end up having UAE vs Hong Kong in a quarterfinal somewhere with no one watching - so what?

Cricket doesn't exist to make money. Not only that, you have 3 years and 10 months between World Cups to spin all the dollars you want from Bilateral/Tri Series, Ashes, Champions Trophy, IPL, etc, etc. Can't a 2 month window exists in 4 year cycle where earning money is not the concern? Where instead the whole world gets together and plays a proper World Cup? A proper celebration of the sport we all love that includes everyone from eveywhere and gives them all a shot at glory?

Is that too much to ask?

 

[CricAddict]

Nah Ireland will. Their NRR is better, and it won't change if it's a washout. It will change if it's a tie though.

Cricinfo said yesterday that this tournament gives precedence to head to head wins over NRR and on that basis, if this game is washed out, Zimbabwe will go through.

 

[Prince EWS]

Cricinfo said yesterday that this tournament gives precedence to head to head wins over NRR and on that basis, if this game is washed out, Zimbabwe will go through.

Cricinfo were wrong if so. Did Firdose write that article or something?

b) Super Six Stage

In the event of teams finishing on equal points at the end of the Super Six stage, the ordering of teams will be decided in the following order of priority:


 The team with the most wins in all of the matches throughout the competition against the other Super Six stage qualifiers will be placed in the higher position.

 If there are teams with equal points and equal wins in the Super Six stage then in such case the team with the higher net run rate in all matches played against the other Super Six stage qualifiers will be placed in the higher position (refer to 16.10.5 below for the calculation of net run rate).

 If two or more teams are still equal, they will be ordered according to the head to head match(es) played between them (points then net run rate in those matches).

Head to head matches between equal teams is the last tie-breaker, after NRR.

 

[mr_mister]

Pulling for Ireland here

 

[Days of Grace]

The ICC were burned badly when India and Pakistan both crashed out after only 3(?) games in 2007. There’s no way they would let that happen again.

I’m all for pool play, as long as a so-called “minnow” has to earn two wins over the top 8 nations to get through to the second round.

How about two pools of six, best three go to the super 6 second round?