Group C - New Zealand, England, Kenya, Canada

[Natman20]

I love watching the minnows because it's a chance to see lots of different players some of them talented, but in a crappy team such as John Davidson. Pool should be as follows Nz, Eng, the others
Who knows Nz are so up and down in world cups. I think we have a better squad now since 2003 or at least we have a bit more depth now.

 

[Matteh]

That'll be because it was a big shock.

Not if you choose to believe Richard

 

[BlackCap_Fan]

Not only was he a fat chicken farmer, but he also had an awesome mullet.

There's no such thing as an awesome mullet.

 

[sirjeremy11]

Not only was he a fat chicken farmer, but he also had an awesome mullet.

And he sure ate a lot of Glen McGrath's biscuits.

 

[Richard]

"Chicken Farmer Destroys England" reads so much better, doesn't it? I was nine in 1996, but I think it maybe kickstarted my love of Zimbabwean cricket, even before I knew who any of their players were, there they were destroying England, totally outclassing them.

It does a great disservice to both the Zimbabweans and the English.
As such I, frankly, detest it.

 

[Richard]

The 2 aren't even close in shock factor.

Of course they are, South Africa were massively superior to West Indies and no-one could possibly have realistically expected them to win.
Similar to England-Zimbabwe in 1992.

 

[marc71178]

The gap between England and Zimbabwe was far far greater than that between WI and SA.

 

[Richard]

No, it wasn't.
England and South Africa were both amongst the best in 1992 and 2003 respectively.
Zimbabwe and West Indies were amongst the worst in 1992 and 2003 respectively.

 

[marc71178]

You're vastly overrating the Zimbabweans and underrating the Windies.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing isn't it?

 

[Dizzy #4]

Pietersen 200 vs Canada anyone?

K Pietersen b J Davison 0 (1)

Is what everyone will see

 

[33/3from3.3]

NZ will smash both minnows and lose to ENG in a nail-biting last ball encounter
England lose to one of the minnows and learn their lesson by pelting the other one
Canada and Kenya fight for a close exciting but low scoring match
P.S. Richard and Marc these are just random predictions don't knock 'em

 

[BlackCap_Fan]

I reckon we could knock over England. It'll be close though, but there's no question about who's going through.

 

[Richard]

You're vastly overrating the Zimbabweans and underrating the Windies.

Hindsight is a wonderful thing isn't it?

No, not really.
Zimbabwe were a team who, without being phenominally strong, were much, much better than they were at the current time.
I said at the time that West Indies were incredibly fortunate to beat South Africa, and I said before the game (or at least thought it) that South Africa should win easily.

 

[Richard]

K Pietersen b J Davison 0 (1)

Is what everyone will see

Sehwag run out 0 against HK was bad enough...

 

[Richard]

NZ will smash both minnows and lose to ENG in a nail-biting last ball encounter

I reckon we could knock over England. It'll be close though, but there's no question about who's going through.

Quite why everyone seems so certain that NZ and Eng are evenly-matched I don't know... New Zealand have been categorically the better ODI side for a good while now.
Not that it really holds too much significance but New Zealand are certanly the team with the better recent World Cup record, too.

 

[marc71178]

No, not really.
Zimbabwe were a team who, without being phenominally strong, were much, much better than they were at the current time.

As I say again, hindsight is a wonderful thing.

For someone who started watching the game 8 years after that World Cup, how do you know how good (or more accurately bad) they were?

 

[BlackCap_Fan]

Quite why everyone seems so certain that NZ and Eng are evenly-matched I don't know... New Zealand have been categorically the better ODI side for a good while now.
Not that it really holds too much significance but New Zealand are certanly the team with the better recent World Cup record, too.

That was in 2004 - the English have come a fair way from that, haven't they?

 

[Richard]

As I say again, hindsight is a wonderful thing.

For someone who started watching the game 8 years after that World Cup, how do you know how good (or more accurately bad) they were?

Sorry, what? I've said time and again that I started watching the game with that World Cup.
I didn't take any great interest in Zimbabwe (or anyone else) until 8 years later, no, but I do remember the reaction.
Anyway - I didn't need to know about them then, to have looked back on the matter later - same as we don't need to have been around in the 1950s and 1960s to realise that Garfield Sobers was the greatest all-rounder the game has ever seen.

 

[Richard]

That was in 2004 - the English have come a fair way from that, haven't they?

No.
Nowhere at all.
Pietersen in, I suppose, but one man, even of that calibre, doesn't make a huge difference.
England have been going backwards in ODIs virtually non-stop since 1992.

 

[33/3from3.3]

these are just random predictions don't knock 'em

Quite why everyone seems so certain that NZ and Eng are evenly-matched I don't know...

on the topic of name changing
i vote we take the 'ich' from Richard's name and replace it with 'et'