Best WC in a long time?

[Jono]

3) Too many minnow games (seriously, did we really need to see Canada get thrashed by four different top 8 countries?).

Except Canada didn't get 'thrashed' by four top 8 countries.

 

[Jono]

Group B has been quite good, but apart from NZ vs Pakistan there really wasn't any good games in group A.

Sri Lanka vs. Pakistan.

 

[Bun]

Sri Lanka vs. Pakistan.

Aus vs Pak was also looking good... till the last 10 overs, it could've been anyone's game..

Also Aus vs SL was also turning out to be interesting when rain intervened.

 

[Jono]

Actually thought this one was a pretty good advertisment for the minnows. There are a number of players that made a name for themselves this tournament (Baidwan, Balaji Rao, Kevin O'brien, William Porterfield, George Dockrell, Pieter Seelaar, RTD to name a few). If anything, this world cup has shown that the gap between the minnows and the top of the pile has narrowed considerably. Granted there were still disappointments and the top 8 did scrape through but I have no problem with a group stage involving several minnows.

awta

 

[Spark]

Minnows have been great. Overall the whole tournament has been swell for mine, plenty of memorable events, unexpected results and tense matches, despite the occasional thrashing. Yes, that's more to do with the teams than the organisation of the WC itself, but who cares? This'll only happen once every four years, enjoy it while it lasts.

 

[stephen]

I am enjoying it, but it will be sad not to see an Aus vs SA game at some stage.

 

[vcs]

Minnows have been great. Overall the whole tournament has been swell for mine, plenty of memorable events, unexpected results and tense matches, despite the occasional thrashing. Yes, that's more to do with the teams than the organisation of the WC itself, but who cares? This'll only happen once every four years, enjoy it while it lasts.

AWTA. Also the batting powerplay rule deserves a lot of credit for producing some exciting games IMO, it has turned matches by working in favour of (Ireland) and against the batting side (England, India).

 

[BoyBrumby]

It's been the most exciting tournament since 99 for me. It's probably succeeded in spite of its format rather than because of it though. 6 group games each feels like maybe a couple too many but the ICC's hands were rather forced after the 2007 tournament.

I'm not putting on a tinfoil hat and hiding under my table with the other conspiracy theorists, but it's an undeniable fact that India and, to a lesser extent, Pakistan being eliminated before the Super 8 stage cost millions in advertising revenue. The ICC rather cooked the books to avoid this eventuality this time around and England, advancing despite two losses to minnows, have been the unwitting beneficiaries.

Anyway, don't mean to carp, has been thoroughly enjoyable so far and hopefully the KO stages will continue in this vein.

 

[smash84]

Group B has been quite good, but apart from NZ vs Pakistan there really wasn't any good games in group A.

Pak vs SL? Pak vs Aus? Even SL vs Aus was looking good. Pak vs NZ wasn't such a great game. Pakistan lost the plot from the 45th over of NZ's innings.

Aus vs Pak was also looking good... till the last 10 overs, it could've been anyone's game..

Also Aus vs SL was also turning out to be interesting when rain intervened.

 

[Daemon]

This is the first WC I have watched properly and with keen interest. Been awesome, loved all the minnow games including thrashing, got to see all the quality players in their sides. It's good to know that with effort, we might have a new "Bangladesh" in Ireland. On the other hand Kenya and Zimbabwe have really deproved over the years, not the players faults maybe but I think it's time to move on from them and focus on Netherlands and Ireland.

Love the fact that theres a game to watch everyday, and doing work is made so much less exhausting, albeit distracting, when you can follow a game at the same time. This tournament comes every four years, If we can spend a 20 days on a freaking 7 match ODI bilateral series, a month and a half ain't so bad.

From now on, it's just three wins to a World Cup, so pumped I can hardly wait. Can't pick a clear favourite, SA and India lost/tied against England who lost to two minnows. SL and Aus lost to Pakistan, who lost to New Zealand, who lost to the former two. WI have been impressive but lack batting depth. Got to thank England for all the nail biters too

Can't wait, this is going to be so ****ing awesome.

 

[thierry henry]

I've absolutely loved it. It's beyond me why the CWC constantly gets so much stick.

We include the minnows and everyone complains about the one-sided matches, despite the fact that (a)the minnows have close contests with each other, and (b) Ireland and Bangladesh beat England, Canada almost beat Pakistan, the Netherlands put up a big score against England, etc. The competitiveness of the minnows is actually quite amazing, yet seems to be totally under-appreciated.

On the other hand, if we excluded the minnows we would be completely defeating the purpose of having a World Cup, and people would still complain.

It's beyond me why the CWC gets such a bagging when the Rugby World Cup features far more minnows, far more low quality play, far more ridiculous thrashings, and has nowhere near the same likelihood of a minnow tipping over a top side. It also features clearly fewer teams capable of winning the competition (e.g. there are so-called "competitive sides" in the RWC who have NEVER beaten the All Blacks in 100 years ffs!). And yet everyone acts like the whole thing is wonderful and the minnow v minnow games pack out stadiums.

We really need to work on positive thinking and promoting ourselves as a sport. Rugby union is a good comparison as they are a sport of a similar size which is distinctly less internationally competitive, and yet their World Cup is seen as this big event, for no apparent reason other than they've kept on saying it is.

**** Rugby Onion btw

 

[Jono]

I agree with you. But the Cricket World Cup cops a bashing because a one-sided game often finishes in 8 hours. So people complain.

 

[Himannv]

I've absolutely loved it. It's beyond me why the CWC constantly gets so much stick.

We include the minnows and everyone complains about the one-sided matches, despite the fact that (a)the minnows have close contests with each other, and (b) Ireland and Bangladesh beat England, Canada almost beat Pakistan, the Netherlands put up a big score against England, etc. The competitiveness of the minnows is actually quite amazing, yet seems to be totally under-appreciated.

On the other hand, if we excluded the minnows we would be completely defeating the purpose of having a World Cup, and people would still complain.

It's beyond me why the CWC gets such a bagging when the Rugby World Cup features far more minnows, far more low quality play, far more ridiculous thrashings, and has nowhere near the same likelihood of a minnow tipping over a top side. It also features clearly fewer teams capable of winning the competition (e.g. there are so-called "competitive sides" in the RWC who have NEVER beaten the All Blacks in 100 years ffs!). And yet everyone acts like the whole thing is wonderful and the minnow v minnow games pack out stadiums.

We really need to work on positive thinking and promoting ourselves as a sport. Rugby union is a good comparison as they are a sport of a similar size which is distinctly less internationally competitive, and yet their World Cup is seen as this big event, for no apparent reason other than they've kept on saying it is.

**** Rugby Onion btw

People dont have issues with Rugby simply because its a better sport.

 

[Furball]

I think the format's worked, by and large. It's given the associates plenty of exposure, and while with the notable exception of Ireland, they've been thoroughly outclassed, they've all had their wee moments here and there.

The last couple of rounds of games have been really good IMO.

 

[thierry henry]

I agree with you. But the Cricket World Cup cops a bashing because a one-sided game often finishes in 8 hours. So people complain.

I think really that is the underlying issue, but if that's your complaint, it's not a complaint so much about the World Cup as it is about the sport of cricket generally. Therefore it's invalid.

 

[thierry henry]

People dont have issues with Rugby simply because its a better sport.

GTFO of the forum

 

[vcs]

I think Group B has been the saviour of this tournament so far. If it had panned out similar to the way Group A did, we'd be saying this tournament was a damp squib as well..

 

[Furball]

I think Group B has been the saviour of this tournament so far. If it had panned out similar to the way Group A did, we'd be saying this tournament was a damp squib as well..

You can't tell me a 19 year old Canadian belting the Australian pace attack around for a few overs, Canada holding Pakistan for 184, Taylor's assault on Pakistan, all of Pakistan's matches against fellow Test teams, the Sri Lanka-Australia match before the rain or Murali spinning knots around New Zealand on one leg hasn't been good watching.

 

[Jono]

awta so much.

Group A hasn't been as bad as people (and Ponting apparently) think it was.

SL vs. Pakistan was absolute quality.

 

[thierry henry]

Again, I just don't get why cricket fans so, so despise watching games which aren't particularly close. It's a phenomenon not present in any other sport to this sort of extent. Personally I just like watching cricket. If it's too long for you then follow another sport ****s.