Well keeping in mind the quarter finals of the world cup, this just seems to be a mismatch with Pakistan not only having an upper hand against the Caribbean but also the West Indies might never ever be able to regroup once the quarter finals against Pakistan be over in the next 8 hours to come. Also the other side would be Sri Lanka who are scheduled to face England on Saturday. No doubt that both these teams would enter with minimum or no effort into the semi-finals of the world cup. But, is this right on the part of the ICC is a million dollar question.
There is no particular team like the Aussies in the past two world cups to have a birthright on the world cup. And neither have Bangladesh and Zimbabwe been underdogs as they have been expected. But, if things are given a close look at, it looks that group A is gifted with weaker teams compared to group B. Group A has two teams from the sub-continent namely Sri Lanka and Pakistan who always have an upper hand being the hosts and enjoying home like conditions. I all blame it on Australia to have deceived the ICC who came out with such grouping of teams.
In group B, only India is a team worth having anyone's bet into. Though South Africa have emerged on the top of the table, it was India who gifted them with a victory by losing 9 wickets for 28 runs with all odds predicting a 350+ total at the end of the Indian innings. Added to that, there were mismatches in England's games against Ireland and Bangladesh which reduced England's chances that in turn favored South Africa to end as the top team. Had England won against Ireland and Bangladesh, they would have been on the top and not the Proteas.
Teams like Zimbabwe, Kenya, Canada and Holland never made their presence felt. However, Ireland and Bangladesh did. Both Ireland and Bangladesh were far superior compared to Kenya, Canada and Zimbabwe in group A. One has to take a deeper look to Explore reality. West Indies on the other hand proved a 2nd chance for teams like England and India. In group A, All four teams played to their potential with minnows aside. Pakistan beat Australia which in turn beat New Zealand. If I was in place of Lorgat, I'd have put Australia in group B and South Africa in group B and Bangladesh in group A while Zimbabwe would have been in group B.
Showing posts with label Holland. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Holland. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
Saturday, March 19, 2011
Ireland makes history
Well not many of them would have noticed with me as well despite my experiences with the cricketing world since my blog took off last year. Yesterday, Ireland beat Netherlands after chasing down a mammoth total of 306 set by Netherlands which was a rather tough task for Ireland to accomplish considering its standards in international cricket. A win against Holland is a celebration indeed for Ireland and if their win against England is considered, this goes dull in front of what they have achieved. But, nevertheless, the win over Holland was enough to see the Irish in the record books.
No need to worry for, the Irish have made it to the record books for the right reasons when yesterday they not only recorded the 2nd 300+ successful run chase but are also the only team in the history of a world cup to have done so. Teams like England and Sri Lanka have managed it once against West Indies and Zimbabwe respectively. In fact, no team has ever managed to get past 300 runs batting 2nd let alone winning. But, Ireland have done it in a single edition first by chasing down 326 against England earlier in the tournament and yesterday against Holland when they overtook 306.
Sri Lanka as a matter of fact were the first team to have successfully chased own a 300+ total when they overtook 312 runs set by Zimbabwe in the 1992 world cup. This record stood for as long as 19 years with 5 world cups played in between. Then, England surpassed 301 runs set by West Indies in the super eights stage of the 2007 world cup which was England's only win worth mentioning in that world cup. But, that also meant that England became the 2nd team to have successfully chased down 300+ total. Now, Ireland have made news for two glorious records.
One for being the team to have recorded the highest successful run chase in world cups when they surpassed the 326 run target set by England at Bangalore and the other record for being the only team to have successfully chased down a 300+ target twice. Likewise only 3 teams have managed to go past 300 batting second in world cups. As time moves, there might be more teams entering into this record. But, still Ireland will be the team to have accomplished the feat for the 1st time. And for the record to be achieved by a non-test playing team is a greater reward.
No need to worry for, the Irish have made it to the record books for the right reasons when yesterday they not only recorded the 2nd 300+ successful run chase but are also the only team in the history of a world cup to have done so. Teams like England and Sri Lanka have managed it once against West Indies and Zimbabwe respectively. In fact, no team has ever managed to get past 300 runs batting 2nd let alone winning. But, Ireland have done it in a single edition first by chasing down 326 against England earlier in the tournament and yesterday against Holland when they overtook 306.
Sri Lanka as a matter of fact were the first team to have successfully chased own a 300+ total when they overtook 312 runs set by Zimbabwe in the 1992 world cup. This record stood for as long as 19 years with 5 world cups played in between. Then, England surpassed 301 runs set by West Indies in the super eights stage of the 2007 world cup which was England's only win worth mentioning in that world cup. But, that also meant that England became the 2nd team to have successfully chased down 300+ total. Now, Ireland have made news for two glorious records.
One for being the team to have recorded the highest successful run chase in world cups when they surpassed the 326 run target set by England at Bangalore and the other record for being the only team to have successfully chased down a 300+ target twice. Likewise only 3 teams have managed to go past 300 batting second in world cups. As time moves, there might be more teams entering into this record. But, still Ireland will be the team to have accomplished the feat for the 1st time. And for the record to be achieved by a non-test playing team is a greater reward.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
Holland a nightmare for England?
The Netherlands have always known to be a nightmare for England since the two teams first met in the league stages of the world cup in 1996 held in the sub continent. That was the match where England won the match by just 49 runs as against the expectation of more than a 100 run margin. In that particular match, England scored just 279 runs which was way behind keeping in mind the opposition they were facing and what was expected out of them. Though the total of 279 was a decent in those days, as mentioned above the opposition also matters a lot.
Netherlands winded up with 230 on the board losing just 6 wickets en route to the same when demands asked England to get all ten wickets from the Netherlands' side. At the end, as the saying goes "all is well that ends well", England got away with Graeme Hick being awarded the man of the match award unlike what happened yesterday against the same opposition when the man of the match was awarded to RN ten Doeschate for his contribution with both the bat as well as with the ball. That match saw two batsmen from Holland score half centuries.
Their next meeting was in the 2003 world cup which England did win but once again it was the margin that mattered and England once again lacked that when they lost 4 wickets en route to their successful run chase of 144. That can be considered a decent run but something that can never be forgiven would be their next meeting in the world T20 2009 played in England where England enjoyed being the hosts. England became the first test playing nation to have lost to a non test playing nation in a T20 world cup. Of course, if Bangladesh is considered as a test playing nation, they have lost to Ireland.
That was the 1st match of the tournament and what a start it was for the big event! Now, coming to yesterday's match, England had almost lost its way before they realized what to do and undid what India failed four years back in the game against Bangladesh. It would have been another disappointment had Holland won that match for, that would make England's chances of entering the quarter finals considering they lose to India and South Africa. One has to indeed appreciate the efforts of RN ten Doeschate who shone with the bat first scoring a hundred and topping the bowling charts by scalping 2 wickets.
Let us meet tomorrow and yes, if you want to Copy Ipod Music wait for the world cup to get over so that you don't do what England has seen doing yesterday.
Netherlands winded up with 230 on the board losing just 6 wickets en route to the same when demands asked England to get all ten wickets from the Netherlands' side. At the end, as the saying goes "all is well that ends well", England got away with Graeme Hick being awarded the man of the match award unlike what happened yesterday against the same opposition when the man of the match was awarded to RN ten Doeschate for his contribution with both the bat as well as with the ball. That match saw two batsmen from Holland score half centuries.
Their next meeting was in the 2003 world cup which England did win but once again it was the margin that mattered and England once again lacked that when they lost 4 wickets en route to their successful run chase of 144. That can be considered a decent run but something that can never be forgiven would be their next meeting in the world T20 2009 played in England where England enjoyed being the hosts. England became the first test playing nation to have lost to a non test playing nation in a T20 world cup. Of course, if Bangladesh is considered as a test playing nation, they have lost to Ireland.
That was the 1st match of the tournament and what a start it was for the big event! Now, coming to yesterday's match, England had almost lost its way before they realized what to do and undid what India failed four years back in the game against Bangladesh. It would have been another disappointment had Holland won that match for, that would make England's chances of entering the quarter finals considering they lose to India and South Africa. One has to indeed appreciate the efforts of RN ten Doeschate who shone with the bat first scoring a hundred and topping the bowling charts by scalping 2 wickets.
Let us meet tomorrow and yes, if you want to Copy Ipod Music wait for the world cup to get over so that you don't do what England has seen doing yesterday.
Saturday, May 22, 2010
Cricket in USA but not by USA
Well news says it that there'd be a two match T20 series involving New Zealand and Sri Lanka at neither Sri Lanka nor in the Kiwi land. Instead the matches will be held in USA keeping in mind the large Asian population in that country. And, with this being the reason, the assertion says something everything different when we hear that the ICC wants to globalize the game of cricket especially the T20 format of the game which is fast evolving. By this, obviously the question whether the ICC really wants to globalize the other two formats of the game or not arises.
There are tests and one day matches which are hungry for takers at the global level and just because there has been a lot of money into the shortest version of the game and the fan following that drives the T20 game, the ICC has everything in store for this format of the game. The iCC looks like it has no concern for that version of the game of cricket where a batsman's real temperament is tested. Neither does the ICC wants to bring forward the one day internationals which has seen bringing in people to the stands despite the 8 hour long day it consumes.
And all these is needless to be said. Coming to the schedule of the two T20 matches as above, it would no doubt be interesting to watch not because the game would approach a step towards globalisation as said by the ICC but for the reason that the teams can get a sense of a new pitch unlike the way it has been happening in the 8-10 countries during the rest of the year. One can see the pitches and the conditions in the American sub continent which is totally different from say Australia or England. This would be the 3rd nation from the American continent after the Caribbean.
So far, if not for the West Indies & Canada, no other nation from the American continent has been able to make it to the international cricket compared to 5 from Asian continent and the European continent which has seen teams like Holland, Scotland, Bermuda and Ireland along with England. Though these nations don't play test cricket, they are regularly found wearing the team uniform more often than not these days. Similarly there have been teams like Namibia, Zimbabwe and Kenya from the African continent in addition of the presence of the Proteas. Whether the teams that host cricket benefit or not, there can be spectators who can go to stadiums and watch their favorite game which is not the case otherwise.
There are tests and one day matches which are hungry for takers at the global level and just because there has been a lot of money into the shortest version of the game and the fan following that drives the T20 game, the ICC has everything in store for this format of the game. The iCC looks like it has no concern for that version of the game of cricket where a batsman's real temperament is tested. Neither does the ICC wants to bring forward the one day internationals which has seen bringing in people to the stands despite the 8 hour long day it consumes.
And all these is needless to be said. Coming to the schedule of the two T20 matches as above, it would no doubt be interesting to watch not because the game would approach a step towards globalisation as said by the ICC but for the reason that the teams can get a sense of a new pitch unlike the way it has been happening in the 8-10 countries during the rest of the year. One can see the pitches and the conditions in the American sub continent which is totally different from say Australia or England. This would be the 3rd nation from the American continent after the Caribbean.
So far, if not for the West Indies & Canada, no other nation from the American continent has been able to make it to the international cricket compared to 5 from Asian continent and the European continent which has seen teams like Holland, Scotland, Bermuda and Ireland along with England. Though these nations don't play test cricket, they are regularly found wearing the team uniform more often than not these days. Similarly there have been teams like Namibia, Zimbabwe and Kenya from the African continent in addition of the presence of the Proteas. Whether the teams that host cricket benefit or not, there can be spectators who can go to stadiums and watch their favorite game which is not the case otherwise.
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