**Official** New Zealand v World XI

[Loony BoB]

As far as I know, only one "Top Team vs. Rest of World" game has been made without 150,000 people dying in a global disaster provoking it. I wouldn't say that every other nation can now start demanding it. I can't see that happening any time soon, unless for some reason another 150,000 or so people die and the home nation has to have time for mourning and a tour is cancelled and a lot of money is lost due to something out of everyone's control and I should probably end this sentence.

1) ACC XI vs. ICC XI = A fundraising event for millions who are desperately in need. If it wasn't given official ODI status, it is quite possible that not nearly as many people would have gone to the event. It might not be fact, but until you name a major event that attracted huge crowds (by MCG standards I understand this was a large crowd for a cricket game) that was not given official status, I'll have no reason to believe of such things. I don't know how large an audience the Packer stuff managed, so I'm just going on what I know here.
2) NZ vs. ROW XI = A direct result of a tour being cancelled for reasons out of NZ's control. NZ tried first to get a national team and the offers were declined. NZ had no choice but to ask for an international side. I don't know if this will have ODI status but if it doesn't, it will once again just go down as a non-important match that I personally believe would attract less of an audience.

Other than that, there's just been "Top Team (likely Aussie, if not definitely) vs. ROW XI" which has been in the works for a long time, and

Rugby has this kind of stuff all the time. Barbarian matches. They never attract the following that a touring nation would attract, but they're the next best thing.

 

[Mister Wright]

No, I have a phobia of games that are laid-on against the conventional format - Test and ODI cricket is played by single-nation (or single-region - England And Wales; West Indies) teams, not "X v Rest Of" teams.
Any mhogle can lay-on a game of superstars - hell, Kerry Packer did for ages - and there's a reason why these games aren't Tests or ODIs - because they don't follow the time-honoured format. Otherwise any game anywhere between anyone could be classified Tests or ODIs.
ICC, not for the first time, are skating dangerously close the the wind what with all these games they're throwing out-of-hand into Test and ODI status.
No-one with a feel for the game's history feels anything but contempt for the giving of these games involving random teams the status of "Test" and "ODI". I've nothing against the idea of festival games such as these. But they should not be considered cricket-matches of any status, same way the Packer games weren't. No matter how many snide comments the guys who took part in them make about the standard of play.

There is a difference. The reason those games back in the Kerry Packer World series days weren't given official status was because they were rebel games not sanctioned by the governing body. The game last night was a sanctioned game and therefore was rightly given the status it deserves. Anyway who cares...it served the purpose that it was designed for.

 

[Tim]

The point here is that the NZC are not as rich as some people think. They rely on alot of sponsorship to get them by & the cancelled Sri-Lankan tour would have dealt them a serious blow.

 

[Dizzy #4]

lol


I would be funny if the ROW lost to NZ, 2nd best ODI side for now.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

lol


I would be funny if the ROW lost to NZ, 2nd best ODI side for now.

It would say very little, as the RoW side to play against NZ in this series is not the true RoW XI.

 

[marc71178]

The point here is that the NZC are not as rich as some people think. They rely on alot of sponsorship to get them by & the cancelled Sri-Lankan tour would have dealt them a serious blow.

Yes, which makes it strange to me that it's being reported that these games are also in aid of the aid program.

 

[Tim]

Yeah there seem to be conflicting reports. Im absolutely certain this series is to help fund the NZC. The NZC are also set to announce charity events over the next couple of weeks for the Tsunami Appeal.

 

[Tim]

For instance at Cricinfo they list Jonty Rhodes as a player but in the NZ Herald he's the coach/manager.

 

[_Ed_]

Hope I can get to the Hamilton game, would love to see Flower and Streak. Hopefully those two players will be well applauded by the crowds during these games.

 

[Adamc]

FICA World XIs Game 1 Shane Warne (capt), Andy Flower, Ian Harvey, Graeme Hick, Sanath Jayasuriya, Lance Klusener, Nick Knight, Muttiah Muralitharan, Jonty Rhodes, Kumar Sangakkara, Heath Streak, Chaminda Vaas.

Game 2 Shane Warne (capt), Andy Bichel, Matthew Elliott, Andy Flower, Ian Harvey, Graeme Hick, Sanath Jayasuriya, Lance Klusener, Nick Knight, Muttiah Muralitharan, Jonty Rhodes, Kumar Sangakkara, Heath Streak, Chaminda Vaas.

Game 3 Shane Warne (capt), Michael Bevan, Andy Bichel, Matthew Elliott, Andy Flower, Ian Harvey, Graeme Hick, Sanath Jayasuriya, Justin Langer, Muttiah Muralitharan, Jonty Rhodes, Kumar Sangakkara, Heath Streak, Chaminda Vaas

Not sure if these are being given ODI status; I hope not, as it is not a true ROW XI. Still, would be good to see the likes of Bevan, Hick, Flower, Streak and co. playing some competitive cricket again.

 

[mavric41]

FICA World XIs Game 1 Shane Warne (capt), Andy Flower, Ian Harvey, Graeme Hick, Sanath Jayasuriya, Lance Klusener, Nick Knight, Muttiah Muralitharan, Jonty Rhodes, Kumar Sangakkara, Heath Streak, Chaminda Vaas.

Game 2 Shane Warne (capt), Andy Bichel, Matthew Elliott, Andy Flower, Ian Harvey, Graeme Hick, Sanath Jayasuriya, Lance Klusener, Nick Knight, Muttiah Muralitharan, Jonty Rhodes, Kumar Sangakkara, Heath Streak, Chaminda Vaas.

Game 3 Shane Warne (capt), Michael Bevan, Andy Bichel, Matthew Elliott, Andy Flower, Ian Harvey, Graeme Hick, Sanath Jayasuriya, Justin Langer, Muttiah Muralitharan, Jonty Rhodes, Kumar Sangakkara, Heath Streak, Chaminda Vaas

Not sure if these are being given ODI status; I hope not, as it is not a true ROW XI. Still, would be good to see the likes of Bevan, Hick, Flower, Streak and co. playing some competitive cricket again.

They might be given List A status - equivalent to domestic one dayers.

 

[honestbharani]

I don't care about the status. The prospect of Warne and Murali together in small grounds against the likes of Cairns, Oram and Astle = YUMMY.

 

[Mister Wright]

I don't care about the status. The prospect of Warne and Murali together in small grounds against the likes of Cairns, Oram and Astle = YUMMY.

LOL. I just hope it's on Foxtel, they originally had the Sri Lankan tour of New Zealand.

 

[Tim]

You can be rest assured that the NZC will be trying to sell the rights to just about every channel which broadcasts cricket overseas.

Despite the fact that the World XI side looks a bit like a Dads Army, I still think we're in for a good series. It'll definately be a competitive series..there will be certain players coming here looking to push for places for their own Country e.g. a Langer or a Klusener.
Selectors from various countries should take these results seriously as its not like they will be playing weak opposition..NZ did after-all come out with the best winning percentage in 2004 for ODI's.

 

[Craig]

LOL. I just hope it's on Foxtel, they originally had the Sri Lankan tour of New Zealand.

I won't be watching it (I can't anyway even if I wanted to). But Ian Harvery?

 

[JASON]

Yeah there seem to be conflicting reports. Im absolutely certain this series is to help fund the NZC. The NZC are also set to announce charity events over the next couple of weeks for the Tsunami Appeal.

I think these matches are being organised to cover the losses to NZ cricket from the cancelled SiLankan tour. At the games NZ cricket will be having other means and measures to raise funds for the Tsunami victims, quite possibly involving sales of players shirts etc and other such items.

 

[JASON]

You can be rest assured that the NZC will be trying to sell the rights to just about every channel which broadcasts cricket overseas.

Despite the fact that the World XI side looks a bit like a Dads Army, I still think we're in for a good series. It'll definately be a competitive series..there will be certain players coming here looking to push for places for their own Country e.g. a Langer or a Klusener.
Selectors from various countries should take these results seriously as its not like they will be playing weak opposition..NZ did after-all come out with the best winning percentage in 2004 for ODI's.

FICA World XIs Game 1 Shane Warne (capt), Andy Flower, Ian Harvey, Graeme Hick, Sanath Jayasuriya, Lance Klusener, Nick Knight, Muttiah Muralitharan, Jonty Rhodes, Kumar Sangakkara, Heath Streak, Chaminda Vaas.

Game 2 Shane Warne (capt), Andy Bichel, Matthew Elliott, Andy Flower, Ian Harvey, Graeme Hick, Sanath Jayasuriya, Lance Klusener, Nick Knight, Muttiah Muralitharan, Jonty Rhodes, Kumar Sangakkara, Heath Streak, Chaminda Vaas.

Game 3 Shane Warne (capt), Michael Bevan, Andy Bichel, Matthew Elliott, Andy Flower, Ian Harvey, Graeme Hick, Sanath Jayasuriya, Justin Langer, Muttiah Muralitharan, Jonty Rhodes, Kumar Sangakkara, Heath Streak, Chaminda Vaas

Apart from Hick and Rhodes you can't seriously put any of the others into this category. Particularly considering the number of current international players in the Teams it would be wrong to label it Dad's Army.

My concern is whether these players will be motivated enough to play well and give the Black caps a good run for the money, instead of being pure mercenaries (out to make a dollar) !!

 

[Pratters]

Its been said on Sportcentre India that all proceeds of the htree matches would go for Tsunami victims. Definite conflicting reports arriving on what would be done with the proceeds of this match.

 

[Richard]

There is a difference. The reason those games back in the Kerry Packer World series days weren't given official status was because they were rebel games not sanctioned by the governing body. The game last night was a sanctioned game and therefore was rightly given the status it deserves. Anyway who cares...it served the purpose that it was designed for.

Both of them were games between teams with no regular, or official, status.
Hence the standard of the players is irrelevant.
That was my meaning.

 

[Loony BoB]

Snedden said that NZC hoped to break even from the series, or to run at a manageable loss. "It will be expensive to hold, but the benefits for the home cricket season and the Black Caps, as well as those who benefit from our fund-raising activities, will make the series more than worthwhile. The series is an important initiative." Snedden said funds from the matches would go to World Vision and Sri Lanka's Cricket-Aid, which is providing emergency relief for the homeless.

I think this is the confusing bit "NZ hope to break even" AND "fund-raising" - does this mean that profits will go to the charity only once NZC have accounted for their losses? Or that it'll be a split of some sort? Either way, it looks like both NZC and the charities will be taking in money (or at least trying to) from games played in NZ.