Greed threatens to make long-winded World Cup a tedious tournament

[Blaze 18]

Greed threatens to make long-winded World Cup a tedious tournament - Telegraph

Thoughts ?

 

[smash84]

Yeah I read this......I do believe the author has a point.....most of the league games really do lack any excitement because the groups are so big and more than half of them will go through

 

[G.I.Joe]

I like that we have quarterfinals, so I can't make an unbiased comment on this. I do think World Cups could be scheduled better with 2 concurrent matches every day in the league phase, which the terms of TV rights sale by the ICC don't seem to allow for. The '96 WC was the first one I followed with any seriousness, and part of the festive charm was the concept of being able to switch over to watching another match if one wasn't interesting enough.

 

[Furball]

The group stages have the potential for tedium, but at least the rest of the tournament follows a knockout format, rather than the mind numbing boredom of the "Super Eights".

Plus, I like the fact that the associates who have qualified get 6 games. Makes the competition far more worthwhile for them, and gets their players a bit of exposure.

 

[BoyBrumby]

The group stages have the potential for tedium, but at least the rest of the tournament follows a knockout format, rather than the mind numbing boredom of the "Super Eights".

Plus, I like the fact that the associates who have qualified get 6 games. Makes the competition far more worthwhile for them, and gets their players a bit of exposure.

True enough, but given the group stages amount to 42 games and the KOs only 7, I really don't like those filler/meaningful games odds one bit.

 

[Cruxdude]

I like that we have quarterfinals, so I can't make an unbiased comment on this. I do think World Cups could be scheduled better with 2 concurrent matches every day in the league phase, which the terms of TV rights sale by the ICC don't seem to allow for. The '96 WC was the first one I followed with any seriousness, and part of the festive charm was the concept of being able to switch over to watching another match if one wasn't interesting enough.

Agree with the part about WC1996. It was great fun to watch 2 games at a time. Any time you are bored check on the other match.

About the league stages being long, I do not care as I think that gives slow starters like India a chance to play themselves in. Wouldn't want a cold start meaning the end of the world cup.

 

[Athlai]

It seems like it's just a big warm up for the quarter finals tbh. Hopefully Zimbabwe and Bangladesh step up and make the race to the quarters an interesting one.

 

[BoyBrumby]

It seems like it's just a big warm up for the quarter finals tbh. Hopefully Zimbabwe and Bangladesh step up and make the race to the quarters an interesting one.

Yeah, I'd love a nation from outside of the "big 8" to qualify for the quarters but just can't see it. Even if (say) Bangladesh knock over (say) England and the two other minnows there's a sporting chance that they could still go out on RR if England beat one of the other proper test nations and the minnows.

Hope it'll be a better tournament than 2007 but if it is I think it'll be in spite of the format rather than because of it.

 

[howardj]

I love cricket, holding it close as I do to my bossom.

However, having been through the schedule, I will only be watching 14 of the 42 pool games.

It's meant to be cricket's showpiece, but only one-third of the games are worth a look.

 

[marc71178]

It seems like it's just a big warm up for the quarter finals tbh. Hopefully Zimbabwe and Bangladesh step up and make the race to the quarters an interesting one.

I would put good money on Bangladesh making it, especially as they're playing in conditions they're used to.

Zimbabwe are too e to do much though IMO.

 

[Bun]

How many more matches are played in this world cup as compared to previous ones?

 

[smash84]

I love cricket, holding it close as I do to my bossom.

However, having been through the schedule, I will only be watching 14 of the 42 pool games.

It's meant to be cricket's showpiece, but only one-third of the games are worth a look.

This

 

[Bun]

I love cricket, holding it close as I do to my bossom.

However, having been through the schedule, I will only be watching 14 of the 42 pool games.

It's meant to be cricket's showpiece, but only one-third of the games are worth a look.

What are those 14 matches?

 

[centurymaker]

What are those 14 matches?

test nations playing against each other

 

[Cevno]

The Super six would have been better for my liking,but then the groups would have to be shortened and there would be more room for one bad game and your out.

 

[Chehtha]

Had the ICC dropped the idea of the champions trophy we could have had shorter world cups. I believe the organizers had no other choice but to go for this format as any more trimming in the form of knockout matches in the grp stages would have made it identical to the champions trophy.

 

[Contra]

I honestly liked the 2003 world cup format the most.

2 Groups with 7 teams each and 3 from each group advance (which means at least 2 of the top 8 teams [assuming no minnow upsets] get eliminated). Then come the super sixes where the top 4 of the 6 teams make it to the semis. Things like NRR come extremely important in this situation which adds to the tournament. And finally a semi final and a final. This quarter final business is pretty meh if you ask me. Almost like a lottery to an extent.

 

[Cevno]

Awta.

 

[centurymaker]

IMO this is what the format should've been this time around-

2 groups of 7 teams each
1st placed team in each group qualifies for the semi-final straight away.
2 play-offs to decide the other 2 semi-finalists - Team who finishes 2nd in each group faces the 3rd placed team from the other group.

This format ensures that there is everything to play for throughout the group stage.
The weaker nations will strive hard to finish 3rd in order to earn themselves a play-off match and the top nations will strive to finish 1st so that they can qualify straight to the semis.

Thoughts?

 

[smash84]

I honestly liked the 2003 world cup format the most.

2 Groups with 7 teams each and 3 from each group advance (which means at least 2 of the top 8 teams [assuming no minnow upsets] get eliminated). Then come the super sixes where the top 4 of the 6 teams make it to the semis. Things like NRR come extremely important in this situation which adds to the tournament. And finally a semi final and a final. This quarter final business is pretty meh if you ask me. Almost like a lottery to an extent.

this was originally the format of 99 wc which was carried over in 2003 as well.....i agree....it was the best