World Cup - Australia first.... daylight second

[Galactic_Soap]

Well, one hopes but two things;

1) He bowled quick against SL recently but not terribly well. Still 'coming back', in my opinion.
2) I think he's just around the corner from another injury. The next one may well put him out permanently.

As much as I hate to say it, I agree with the above. I think Bondy is good for cricket in general, let alone NZ cricket, however he just doesn't seem all there.

I didn't see him hit "that length" against SA or SL. He seemed to be very much a two length bowler (although given the manner the Sri Lankans play anything short outside off I can't blame him). Where as in his debut series he consistently managed to land it just short of a length and thus got players like Ponting and Gilli trying to judge the length when on the front foot, thus correcting their stroke, and at 150+ its not that easy.

 

[sqwerty]

yeah, that's probably why u started this thread.

I only started this thread because from what I've seen of Australia recently they have some awesome firepower that isn't matched in the world at the moment. And these blokes are consistenly reliable as well. The allrounders are as useful as any in the world, not in test cricket but definitely in this form of the game and the specialist batsmen are better than most (get rid of Katich and bring in Jaques and it will only get stronger).

I don't care if people only say they're playing SA and Sri Lanka it's what they've shown themselves that has been impressive. Australia will have a stronger side than it's had at the last 2 world cups. I don't care how old the McGrath's and the Gilchrist's etc are they'll still be a force. There also won't be a better fielding team.

As for my interest in one day cricket - it's true, I'm not particularly interested. I've hardly seen any of the VB series, I have no idea when the World Cup is (sometime next year I know though) and I only just found out it was in the West Indies a couple of weeks ago.

 

[BoyBrumby]

I think Oz are rightly warm favourites, but personally I think Pakistan might emerge from the pack to become their nearest challengers. Razzaq & Afridi are all-rounders who would grace any ODI team & their batting looks to have an ominous depth to it.

If they can find another opener & maybe get a little more out of their second-string seamers I think they could go close.

 

[Blaze]

Bond bowled well against Sri Lanka IMO (In Wellington he turned the match around), and there is no point speculating on injuries... No one can predict what is going to happen with a players body.

 

[chaminda_00]

I think Oz are rightly warm favourites, but personally I think Pakistan might emerge from the pack to become their nearest challengers. Razzaq & Afridi are all-rounders who would grace any ODI team & their batting looks to have an ominous depth to it.

If they can find another opener & maybe get a little more out of their second-string seamers I think they could go close.

I got to agree with Pakistan look the only side that can come out of the pack and really challenge the Aussie. For their opener problem, i think if Akmal, can convert some of his Test form into ODIs, he could solve that problem. But in saying that Pakistan might get more out of him coming in after Razzaq and Afridi.

 

[Top_Cat]

and there is no point speculating on injuries... No one can predict what is going to happen with a players body.

Rubbish. If you see someone bowling and they're twisting and hyper-extending their lower-back, they're going to end up injured. If someone bowls with a haf side-on, half front-on action, they're going to get injured. The body has physical limits and if anything, Shane Bond's action actually looks worse these days than it was pre-injury.

 

[Jono]

South Africa literally batted to number 11 on Friday night. Didn't do them any good at all. Batting depth, whilst often important, is severely exaggerated when those lower order batsman can only bat a bit. Maybe once or twice they'll come in handy at the end, but you need a strong top and middle order to win you games. If NZ are going to win or do well in the WC, it'll be because of good bowling performances, or their top order batting will step up. You can't rely on you number 8 and 9 batsman to do the job just because they can bat a bit.

 

[luckyeddie]

Can anyone seriously see any side getting close to Australia in the World Cup if they play anywhere near their ability in all games?
The only side that will beat Australia is Australia.

Obviously this is coming from a one eyed Australian but frankly I'm not bothered who wins it as I have no real interest in one day cricket.

Nope.

No team can maintain a peak throughout a tournament - even last time out (WC2003) they came perilously close to being done over by England, although of course that was in the early stages and only really had significance for England.

Australia are still the ones to beat, although an hour of Afridi can do an awful lot of damage.

 

[Top_Cat]

although an hour of Afridi can do an awful lot of damage.

Shahid Afridi doesn't sleep; he waits.......... for his next bat.

 

[honestbharani]

I gotta agree that Australia still look well ahead of the rest of the pack, but Pak will be the guys who will challenge them the most, I think. A lot will depend on Inzy's form and fitness as I am yet to be convinced that the team will be as united without him. I still don't think Shoaib and Afridi particularly respect Younis Khan as a captain.

 

[Deja moo]

I gotta agree that Australia still look well ahead of the rest of the pack, but Pak will be the guys who will challenge them the most, I think. A lot will depend on Inzy's form and fitness as I am yet to be convinced that the team will be as united without him. I still don't think Shoaib and Afridi particularly respect Younis Khan as a captain.

Perhaps because he's the relative newcomer to the team ? Some players could have that problem. Anyway, Pakistan have to go with him, theres no alternative. Well, maybe Yousuf or the noob Akmal.

 

[honestbharani]

Waqar mentioned that both Afridi and Akhtar have captaincy aspirations themselves in one of the programmes on Ten Sports. Do you think either of them will make good captains?

 

[howardj]

I think the conditions - small grounds; flat wickets - will be a real leveller. I certainly don't think that Australia are anything like a certainty.

 

[Deja moo]

Waqar mentioned that both Afridi and Akhtar have captaincy aspirations themselves in one of the programmes on Ten Sports. Do you think either of them will make good captains?

Well, I'm glad you brought Akhtar up There was a comment in an issue of the Outlook magazine (just before the 2003 WC) on the possible candidates to lead Pakistan in the post Wasim-Waqar-Anwar period :

"Now, Shoaib seems perfectly capable of leading a troupe of male strippers onto a cricket field, but I'm afraid captaincy of a cricket team is not his cup of tea."

 

[honestbharani]

Well, I'm glad you brought Akhtar up There was a comment in an issue of the Outlook magazine (just before the 2003 WC) on the possible candidates to lead Pakistan in the post Wasim-Waqar-Anwar period :

"Now, Shoaib seems perfectly capable of leading a troupe of male strippers onto a cricket field, but I'm afraid captaincy of a cricket team is not his cup of tea."

rotf... But he is much more involved in the decision making process of Pakistan now, apparently. He selects the balls, the rollers (if Pak are bowling at that time), the ends from which he (and even other bowlers, it seems) can bowl from etc. I guess the responsibility is bringing the best out of him though...

 

[marc71178]

The allrounders are as useful as any in the world

Erm no, they're not.

 

[Slats4ever]

symonds in the od form is. to say otherwise is silly!!

on the other hand hopes is not.

 

[ohtani's jacket]

Perhaps Australia will create some drama for themselves so the World Cup isn't completely boring... God help us if it's anything like this present VB Series, which has become mind-numbingly boring...

 

[simmy]

Can anyone seriously see any side getting close to Australia in the World Cup if they play anywhere near their ability in all games?
The only side that will beat Australia is Australia.

Obviously this is coming from a one eyed Australian but frankly I'm not bothered who wins it as I have no real interest in one day cricket.

They didnt win the ICC Champions Trophy and the only real thing to happen since then is that they have lost the Ashes.

Anything can happen.. although yeah they are odds on favourites!

 

[simmy]

Pakistan look to have a good chance also...

Also England are effective in Windies conditions, although their batting could let them down.