ICC Cricket World Cup 2011: Groups

[Athlai]

There would be an argument for it to be honest. Regardless of how poorly we've played in the last month or two we still may be right up there in ODIs at the end of the day. Just can't see us doing well in the subcontinent right now though.

 

[Jarquis]

Take a good look at the groups. There is to be said seven top teams in the world.
In order:
Australia(A)
India(B)
Sri Lanka(A)
South-Africa(B)
England(B)
Pakistan(A)
New-Zealand(A)

Group A have 4 of the seven top teams in the world and therefore the toughest.

Group B has 3 of the top 5, who are closer than the gap between 5th and 6th IMO.

 

[Ausage]

Competetive for who though?

For the upper eschelon of teams I'd say there's not that much in it really. Group B has the strongest team on paper, but at the next rung down I think both Sri Lanka and Australia will be a tougher prospect than SA, Pakistan in familiar conditions scare me more than England, and there's probably not all that much between NZ and WI.

The group B associates are stronger purely by the inclusion of Bangladesh, but I don't think any of the top 6 nations will be particularly worried about any of the them. I'd shade group B but I don't think it's as clear cut as all that.

 

[marc71178]

How come you class Bangladesh as an Associate though?

Home territory, and ranked 8 in the World.

 

[Ausage]

How come you class Bangladesh as an Associate though?

Home territory, and ranked 8 in the World.

I guess that depends on who they're playing. I doubt any of the top 6 nations will have too much trouble with them (famous last words I guess) so for the better teams the stronger group will depend on whether they find India, England and SA more scary than Aus, SL and Pakistan. Hence me saying it depends on who's perspective we're looking from.

From an Australian perspective I'm more worried about Pakistan and SL than I am about England and SA.