CRICKET BLOGS

Im an allblack fan and watched england knocked out of the FIFA world cup after all the hype and millions of dollars spent on this team and maybe though we werent the only chokers in sport. Your candidates are

1. The England football team that hasnt won the world cup since 1966. The last final they have been in was in 1966. They have so much hype and expectation for them to win despite the talent yet they have failed to reach a final since 1966

2. Allblacks not winning a world cup since the first one in 1987 (or some dont count that) despite being the most dominant team during world cups. (1999, 2003, 2007 chokes in crucial games)

3. South African cricket team-they have consistent have had the best or one of the best teams in one day cricket for years but have never reached a final. They choked bad against australia in the 99 world cup semi final against australia and still havent won a 20/20 world cup final. They have still yet to win any global cricket tournament despite thier talent.

So whose your pick?

IMO:
Australia:
1.Simon Katich
2.Shane Watson
3.Ricky Ponting
4.Michael Clarke
5.Michael Hussey
6.Marcus North
7.Brad Haddin
8.Mitchell Johnson
9.Nathan Hauritz
10.Ben Hilfenhaus
11.Doug Bollinger
12th-Ryan Harris
England:
1.Andrew Strauss
2.Alastair Cook
3.Jonathon Trott
4.Kevin Pietersen
5.Paul Collingwod
6.Ian Bell
7.Matt Mrior
8.Graeme Swann
9.Stuart Broad
10.James Anderson
11.Steven Finn
12th-Tim Bresnan

The Aus. vs. Pak was fixed. Proof of it is that in the last over where 18 runs were needed for Australia victory, Afridi decided to use a spinner. Also he made little or no runs. He threw away his wicket by intentionally placing the ball very high. That is unusual for a batsman who has been playing cricket for 14 years and is known well to score fast. Saeed Ajmal in the last over bowled so slow, that it was guaranteed a six. His speed was not even 100 km/hr in one of the deliveries hit for six. Also salman butt played slow intentionally. He scored 32 runs in 30 balls, when most opening batsmen in 20/20 can easily score 40 runs in 30 balls. 3 years back in world cup 2007 Pak lost to Ireland too.

Congratulations Sri Lanka, Cricinfo neatly summarizes:
"Kumar Sangakkara set up the chase and Angelo Mathews took them to the final lap before Chamara Kapugedera sealed the finish in style by hitting a six off the last ball. It was that close and dramatic. The captain and the two inexperienced men he had backed heavily in the past had come through when it mattered at the big stage. "

However, Aussies seem to have figured out the winning formula pretty early.

The bowlers have been the key!

1. England ..can they challenge the Aussies?

2. Pakistan, seems impossible with the batting!

3. From Sri Lanka, can Jaywardane, Matthews, Sangakarra & Member of parliament do it?
EDIT: Good point MBTM, we should all watch IPL instead!
I disagree, Australia & England have played some fantastic and consistent cricket this T20, they cant be called second tier!

Australia absolutely dominated India in every facet of the match and recorded a huge victory. however I have not seen one question or answer from an Australian saying that the Aussies will win the world 20/20 cup. Many people have claimed that Australians are arrogant but if the other team won would the comments about being favourites to win it be coming thick and fast?

M.S Dhoni or Saurav Ganguly?

Why?
I can’t understand why do we still honor Ganguly as the best Indian captain ever.

Dhoni has won you the T20 cup, he has won you the historic Tri series in Australia and has won India many other historic series wins both at home and abroad.

-Must be atleast 1 player from Australia, South Africa, India, New Zealand, West Indies, England, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistani in the team
-The team cannot have more than 2 players from the same team
-Has to have atleast 2 frontline spinners
-3 batting, bowling or genuine allrounders
-2 specialist openers
-atleast 2 fast bowlers

This is my team for example;
1.Brendon McCullum(NZ)(wicketkeeper)
2.Chris Gayle(WI)
3.Gautam Gambhir(IND)
4.Kevin Pietersen(ENG)
5.Cameron White(AUS)(allrounder)(spinner)
6.Shahid Afridi(PAK)(allrounder)(spinner)
7.Albie Morkel(SA)(allrounder) (fast bowler)
8.Dale Steyn(SA)(fast bowler)
9.Umar Gul(PAK)(fast bowler)
10.Ajantha Mandis(SL)(spinner)
11.Abdur Razzak(BANGL)(spinner)

The way the second test ended against India, does anyone feel South Africa is better than Australia? Don’t you still feel South Africa still not to do a lot more to reach the invincibility level that Australia have/had achieved.
Any comments regarding India’s comeback performance?
This is a serious question. So, anybody out to vent out his grudges against a particular team is requested not to answer.
Also, I’d like to congratulate Hashim Amla for his heroics throughout the series.
And congratulations to MS Dhoni for keeping his unbeaten series record as a captain intact. Unfortunately, India lost the first test under his captaincy, viz. the previous one.

bangladesh mostly stand at no. 9 in ODI ranking.
and bangladesh have their team debut in 1986, and after 12 years they have their 1st victory in 1998.
and they have their first series win in 2004/5 against zimbabwae.

if we hae at other sub-continent teams.
india have debut in 1974, and after 9 years,have won world cup. and today it is one of best team of world.
srilanka have debut in 1975, and after 21 years they also have won world cup in 96.
and pakistan also have debut in 1972, and after 20 years in 92 they also have won world cup.
and are good teams standing at 4, 6 ODI ranking.
but bangladesh in 24 years of cricket, they are still not able to have win any big event, but they don’t have too many victories, in their career. they have finished last year as most succesful year of career, with 14 win out of 19 games.
but these been mostly of underdogs, they have won against scotland, netherland, and West indies A team.
they have only few victories against good teams, as they have win against Australia, and 2007 world cup they beat india in group match, and keep india out of World cup, and in super eight they also beat SA.
and they lost west indies in first icc T20 world cup.

in their 24 year of cricket they don’t have won any big icc event, but they not have won any series against good team.
and from their current performence, still not looking to win against any good team.
so will they be able to win any big icc event . and name any big event for their country.?

If Australia wins T20WC2009 ?

Bingalee : Quote 1 : I don’t think the traditionalists are just going to cave into Micky Mouse cricket & I hope your predictions don’t come true. 20/20 may be popular with people who have a short attention span, but true cricket lovers will never accept it as the be all & end all of the game.
Quote 2 :I don’t like the T20s because they don’t last long enough.

Truth and Honor is a scumbag : T20 world cups, to an extent, are meaningless.

Bill. P. : Quote 1.Yes, twenty20 cricket is totally over rated. It is interesting in short bursts but that is it.
Quote 2 .taking hattrick is better than hitting Six Sixes
If anyone hits six sixes then,the bolwer may be a $h*t or its a t20 match,which either means the same
Kokee,your answer has nothing to do with Cricket