Four teams for the semi-finals!

[Rik]

And the previous WC winner are going great guns, aren't they? Also the WC winning Lankan team of '96 is ditto similar to the present one! :rolleyes:

It is not the same team but it contains many players still, and quality ones at that like Kalu, Jayasuria, Vaas, Murali, Aravinda and Attapattu. They are by no means a poor side, yet England seem to have a hold over them. Also Sangakkara is not a ODI batsman despite a superbly arogent innings against England in the Natwest Series last year.

 

[Ringua]

It is not the same team but it contains many players still, and quality ones at that like Kalu, Jayasuria, Vaas, Murali, Aravinda and Attapattu. They are by no means a poor side, yet England seem to have a hold over them. Also Sangakkara is not a ODI batsman despite a superbly arogent innings against England in the Natwest Series last year.

Murali haven't played a match in this tour yet!! Attapatu didn't played in the '96 WC (or wasn't required to play in most of the matches then). Aravinda was at his peak of his career in '96, right now he's no where near the top.Also Kaalu isn't as sucessful as he used to be once.

The main thing is that Jaysuria and Lankan coach have themselves openly admitted that their team is going through a very bad period.Right now SL team is totally out of sorts, they were humiliated by the SA team and are getting the same treatment in Australia.SL may or may not be a good side but the fact is that right now they are playing totally crap cricket.

 

[anzac]

Latest Odds from Bet365.com


Australia 13/8
South Africa 5/2
India 13/2
Pakistan 7/1
Sri Lanka 12/1
England 14/1
New Zealand 14/1


surely these odds can't be current after India's current ODI form?????


:O

Hey what the shortest number of overs required to win an ODI????? Must be for a match between 2 test playing nations (except for Bang), and not be rain affected etc......

Another question - does 25 overs mean the same as a 2 1/2 day Test?????

 

[Neil Pickup]

Shortest ODI ever was Sri Lanka's humiliation of Zimbabwe in the winter of 2001-02.

Zimbabwe 38 all out (Carlisle 16, Vaas 8-19) in 87 minutes off 15.4 overs
Vaas had all 8 to fall at 37-8 until Murali bowled four balls and took 2-1
Sri Lanka 40-1 in 21 minutes off 4.2 overs

It was all over inside 108 minutes and twenty overs.

http://uk.cricinfo.com//link_to_dat...SCORECARDS/SL_ZIM_LGABANS_ODI1_08DEC2001.html

 

[Anil]

On current form I would rank the teams thus:

Australia
South Africa
New Zealand
England
West Indies
India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka(I can't separate this bunch, they've all been pathetic recently)
Zimbabwe

 

[Neil Pickup]

I'm going to be bold here and say three to go through from one group.

South Africa
New Zealand
West Indies
Australia

 

[Anil]

I'm going to be bold here and say three to go through from one group.

South Africa
New Zealand
West Indies
Australia

If the West Indian bowling fires in SA, they have a chance of going through to the final four. As far as the other three are concerned, you really don't have to be bold to name them, they are the top three favourites right now.

 

[Neil Pickup]

It was the combination of three from the one group that was bold

I'd be shocked if SA and Aus didn't make it and surprised if NZ didn't on current form.

 

[marc71178]

Vaas had all 8 to fall at 37-8 until Murali bowled four balls and took 2-1

I'm shocked Jayasuriya didn't bring himself on to pick up the last 2!

 

[marc71178]

It was the combination of three from the one group that was bold

I'd be shocked if SA and Aus didn't make it and surprised if NZ didn't on current form.

3 from one group going through will be very difficult with the super sixes in place (unless they all win one and lose one against each other)

 

[Choora]

On current form I would rank the teams thus:

Australia
South Africa
New Zealand
England
West Indies
India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka(I can't separate this bunch, they've all been pathetic recently)
Zimbabwe

I think SL and Eng will be the casualties from their respective group and won't make it 2 the Super Six.

Australia and SA are certainly going 2 make it to the semis.The other 2 can be NZ and one from Ind/Pak/WI.

WI have a good batting line up but their bowling is a bit weak.Pak is unpredictable , as for India, i still maintain that they have a very good chance in the WC if they can get their act right.Lately they have been pathetic and if they do continue in this manner ( unlikely)then it can be a disaster for India and Ganguly will have 2 be sacked as a captain!

 

[anzac]

I'm not so sure that NZ could be confident of getting past the Super Sixes!!!!

Their first WC match is against SL - sure SL are getting caned in OZ & NZ have sewn up the series V India, but none of the Kiwi batsmen for the WC have shown any consistant form so far!!!!!

You can't win a WC if you can't post a reasonable total for your bowlers to defend!!!!

This WC could be very interesting with only 2 teams with any current form - SA & OZ, and the rest of the competition all struggling in mediocraty. A sure breeding ground for some strange results - who knows maybe Pakistan with their hot & cold form could sneak it?????

 

[marc71178]

If form through the cup is going to count, England should go through.

After our first 3 games, Zimbabwe, Holland and Namibia, we should, in all honesty, be flying!

 

[vandemataram]

If form through the cup is going to count, England should go through.

After our first 3 games, Zimbabwe, Holland and Namibia, we should, in all honesty, be flying!

I agree with you on the flying part, after those easy games England will face some tuff matches and in all honesty will be soon flying back to good old England

 

[Rik]

I agree with you on the flying part, after those easy games England will face some tuff matches and in all honesty will be soon flying back to good old England

It's tough not tuff and I really expect they won't.

 

[Ringua]

I agree with you on the flying part, after those easy games England will face some tuff matches and in all honesty will be soon flying back to good old England

LOL! That was a good one!

 

[marc71178]

Good comeback, but you all know what I meant - once form gets going they can be hard to beat.

 

[anzac]

can I take a bow for my prophetic comments about the SL danger???????

 

[Rik]

can I take a bow for my prophetic comments about the SL danger???????

Your not that good yet

 

[Anil]

can I take a bow for my prophetic comments about the SL danger???????

Let them prove that this victory was not a flash in the pan first. If they enter the final at the expense of England, that would be the ideal time for taking that bow.