ICC Cricket World Cup

Originally posted by Ian68
Yep, usual story. Whenever Bell gets out early, England get a pathetic total. Why are we so dependant on one player?

I agree we are overly dependent on one or two players.

But Ian Bell isn't one of them! If you'd said Pietersen or Collingwood you'd have had a point.

Originally posted by mtthw
I agree we are overly dependent on one or two players.

But Ian Bell isn't one of them! If you'd said Pietersen or Collingwood you'd have had a point.

Well I can't be bothered trawling through old scorecards, but I'm sure you'll find that most of our best totals in recent games have come when Bell has played a long innings. Attacking batsmen need a platform to work from or they're under too much pressure to be able to play naturally.

Originally posted by Ian68
Well I can't be bothered trawling through old scorecards, but I'm sure you'll find that most of our best totals in recent games have come when Bell has played a long innings. Attacking batsmen need a platform to work from or they're under too much pressure to be able to play naturally.

I had a quick look myself.

E.g. the recent CB series. England scores:

242 (Bell 15, Pietersen 82, Collingwood 43, Flintoff 47)
206 (Bell 45, Flintoff 72*)
155 (Bell 10)
120 (Bell 2)
110 (Bell 35)
260 (Bell 31, Joyce 66, Nixon 49)
292 (Bell 51, Joyce 107)
270 (Bell 12, Collingwood 106, Strauss 55)
253 (Bell 65, Collingwood 120*)
246 (Bell 26, Loye 26, Collingwood 70, Flintoff 42)

So not a big correlation between his big scores and team big scores. No more than other key batsmen.

Most runs:
Collingwood 379 at 47
Bell 292 at 29
Joyce 288 at 32
Flintoff 281 at 35

I agree about the need of a platform, but I don't think the stats support your assertion. And I don't think a team can be said to be reliant on one batsman when at least two others are more important.

Originally posted by mtthw
I had a quick look myself.

E.g. the recent CB series. England scores:

242 (Bell 15, Pietersen 82, Collingwood 43, Flintoff 47)
206 (Bell 45, Flintoff 72*)
155 (Bell 10)
120 (Bell 2)
110 (Bell 35)
260 (Bell 31, Joyce 66, Nixon 49)
292 (Bell 51, Joyce 107)
270 (Bell 12, Collingwood 106, Strauss 55)
253 (Bell 65, Collingwood 120*)
246 (Bell 26, Lo ...[text shortened]... k a team can be said to be reliant on one batsman when at least two others are more important.

Stability has to be built on partnerships in batting. Guys that play well together, call and run well between the wickets with the team in mind do well. Cricket is one of the best team building games whilst it caters for talented individuals too.

Have a look at the golden eras of any team and pick out the star and take a look who was at the other end.

Remember Boycott at his best had Denness, Brearley and Botham (with Trueman and Illingworth at 'tother end)

In NZ Opener John Wright had a super career supported by long time opening partner Bruce Edgar who was once described by a famous commentator (?) as "The best leaver of the ball in cricket." haha Bruce was awesome.

I'm not up with todays players but I reckon there's plenty of hope there for England in the great game and they are never boring or predictable.

HOLY CRAP! BOB WOOLMER IS DEAD!

Originally posted by Crowley
HOLY CRAP! BOB WOOLMER IS DEAD!

The official tributes are pouring in on http://content-uk.cricinfo.com/wc2007/content/current/story/285952.html
Found close to death in his hotel room..
The news doesn't say much but one of the Pakistanis on tour mentions had diabetic problems.
Sad loss.

I was only listening to a radio interview with him yesterday evening. Poor guy sounded shattered. He was saying the Pakistan Cricket Board hasnt approached him yet, but if they wanted him to go, he would. He was contracted till June. He had no excuses and said coaching Pakistan had "unique" problems. He would not expand on that comment.
He died doing what he loved.
Rest in peace mate.

😞

Originally posted by lordhighgus
I was only listening to a radio interview with him yesterday evening. Poor guy sounded shattered. He was saying the Pakistan Cricket Board hasnt approached him yet, but if they wanted him to go, he would. He was contracted till June. He had no excuses and said coaching Pakistan had "unique" problems. He would not expand on that comment.
He died doing what he loved.
Rest in peace mate.

😞

Our morning papers are full of the death of Bob Woolmer, showing the fans angry reaction losing the game burning effigies of Al Haq and Bob.. they are saying in his poor state of health he just couldn't stand it. The poor man was apparently high on the list to be the next England coach.

Imran Khan blamed the Captain for the poor team performance and blamed that poor performance for the death of a man who gave his everything to Pakistan Cricket.. he says the Captain was responsible for this teams poor performance and puts Woolmer's death on his hands.

I'm horrified and disgusted at the situation and hope heads roll through Pakistani Cricket and I hope some of the fans put their necks on the block and take some of the blame.

Originally posted by Tirau Dan
Our morning papers are full of the death of Bob Woolmer, showing the fans angry reaction losing the game burning effigies of Al Haq and Bob.. they are saying in his poor state of health he just couldn't stand it. The poor man was apparently high on the list to be the next England coach.

Imran Khan blamed the Captain for the poor team performance and ...[text shortened]... Cricket and I hope some of the fans put their necks on the block and take some of the blame.

It has been quite a year for Pakistani cricket.

I can't help feeling that the ICC have not helped the PCB.

Firstly the drug row. The ICC should have banned the players from any international play without any fuss.

Secondly, the PCB should have been punished for taking their players off the field at the oval. This was not the proper way to resolve the situation. No matter what you think of Daryl Hair, the ICC should have shown more courage against the Pakistan. The spirit of cricket took a knock that day.

Finally Inzi is a great test batsman, but it is common sense this chubby old fella is not the perfect leader for the fast and furious world cup. Pakistani cricket has too much politics and not enough leadership. I can appreciate Mr Woolmer had an impossible job.

I'm glad to see their chairman of selectors and committee has resigned today, lets hope the next leaders of the PCB, show some backbone and act in the spirit of Cricket.

Originally posted by invigorate
It has been quite a year for Pakistani cricket.

I can't help feeling that the ICC have not helped the PCB.

Firstly the drug row. The ICC should have banned the players from any international play without any fuss.

Secondly, the PCB should have been punished for taking their players off the field at the oval. This was not the proper way to resol ...[text shortened]... y, lets hope the next leaders of the PCB, show some backbone and act in the spirit of Cricket.

Well said that man!!

Plenty going on at the event.. It must me the most eventful yet you could almost say its a real WC.

Any way we have awakened to the news: Courtesy of NZ Herald (Newpaper online) :

New Zealand have set Kenya an imposing 332 to win their group C cricket World Cup match and delay the Black Caps progression directly to the Super Eights stage today.

The loss of Lou Vincent for his second consecutive duck to the fourth ball of the innings was the only black mark on a scorecard spearheaded by Ross Taylor's 85 -- although ominously he was hampered by a hamstring strain late in his classy 107-ball innings and will not field.

Stephen Fleming, who ran himself out for 60, and belligerent half centuries from Scott Styris (63) and Craig McMillan (71) ensured New Zealand were never at risk of being stifled on another slow wicket that offered only fleeting assistance to the pace bowlers.

Regarding Herschelle Gibbs' 6 6's, how likely was this? What would be going through the bowler's mind during his last ball? How difficult is it to stop someone from getting a six? Or do you think something dodgy was going on - Gibbs has been implicated before in match-fixing, I wonder if any bets were made on this before the tourney.....

Originally posted by invigorate
It has been quite a year for Pakistani cricket.

I can't help feeling that the ICC have not helped the PCB.

Firstly the drug row. The ICC should have banned the players from any international play without any fuss.

Secondly, the PCB should have been punished for taking their players off the field at the oval. This was not the proper way to resol ...[text shortened]... y, lets hope the next leaders of the PCB, show some backbone and act in the spirit of Cricket.

Agree with the drugs ban,

But, shut up about the Hair issue, they had every right too take they're players off and have been vindicated by Hair seeing sense (finally) and dropping his court action.
Agree also with Inzie eating too many curries 😉

Originally posted by invigorate
I fancy Sri Lanka as they have the best opening pair and the best spin bowler. They are a one day specialist team and the slow wickets might suit them.

Australia, South Africa and India will make up the semi-finalists.

Any revised picks for the final four now that India have been knocked out, Invigorate? I reckon your original picks below weren't too far off the mark, but New Zealand will make the semi-finals instead of India. We have a very favourable draw, as we're taking 2 points through to the Super 8s from our victory over England, and are one of only a couple of teams who get to play BOTH Bangladesh and Ireland. Mind you, Bangladesh did beat us in one of our warm-up games!

Well hopefully Australia are climaxing prematurely!

I fancy New Zealand to replace India in my original picks. But Sri Lanka still look like Australia's biggest challenge.

Originally posted by invigorate
Well hopefully Australia are climaxing prematurely!

I fancy New Zealand to replace India in my original picks. But Sri Lanka still look like Australia's biggest challenge.

It only seems like last week people were saying anyone could win this world cup. Looks increasingly to me like Australia are going to tonk everyone as per usual 😳