2015 Cricket World Cup

There are probably not many people who will post on this, but we were discussing it on interview thread.

So early days

G1 - New Zealand, Australia, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, England, Scotland & Afghanistan

G2 - South Africa, West Indies, India, Pakistan, Zimbabwe, UAE & Ireland


We have already seen a massive shock, with Ireland continuing there run of beating test nations after Pakistan in 2007 & England in 2011. They beat West Indies the other day.

New Zealand have played 2 matches and didnt impress in the game v Scotland. They appeared to not take in that seriously.

Anyway chat away. :p

My Predictions for the Group stage. Top 4 go through

G1:

1. Australia
2. New Zealand
3. Sri Lanka
4. England
5. Afghanistan
6. Bangladesh
7. Scotland

Bold prediction for Group 2.
G2
1. South Africa
2. India
3. Pakistan
4. Ireland
5. West Indies
6. Zimbabwe
7. UAE

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Originally Posted by steveaki13

My Predictions for the Group stage. Top 4 go through

G1:

1. Australia
2. New Zealand
3. Sri Lanka
4. England
5. Afghanistan
6. Bangladesh
7. Scotland

Bold prediction for Group 2.
G2
1. South Africa
2. India
3. Pakistan
4. Ireland
5. West Indies
6. Zimbabwe
7. UAE

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Group 1
1. NZ
2. AUS
3. Sri Lanka
4. England
5. Banga
6. Afghanistan
7. Scotland

reasoning - NZ play Aus in NZ, in our conditions we are simply better than the Aussies. Earlier in the year Aus went to UAE to play Pakistan and were flogged. Immediately after NZ did the same trip, drew the test series and won the one dayers. i.e AUS can struggle away from home. Sri Lanka have more quality than England, even though many of Sri Lanka's players are nearing retirement plus I can see England coming unstuck against either Banga or Afghanistan (they tend to lose a game like this in every World Cup).

Group 2
1. South Africa
2. India
3. Pakistan
4. West Indies
5. Ireland
6. Zim
7. UAE

reasoning - South Africa are simply better than the rest. I would have picked Pakistan over India, until the Indians beat Pakistan a few days ago. India never travel well. Even though Ireland beat Windies, I can see the Windies knocking over Pakistan and/or India, whereas Ireland have had their cup final already. (I hope I am wrong because the Irish were awesome and the West Indies probably don't deserve to get through)
Zimbabwe are capable of causing an upset or two, while the UAE are out of their depth.

1/4 finals
NZ vs Windies (or Ireland) - NZ comfortable winners
AUS vs India - AUS easily
Sri Lanka vs Pakistan - close call as both are capable of greatness but Sri Lanka scraping through
South Africa vs England - sorry England you dont have a prayer in this one.

SEMI FINALS
NZ vs Sri Lanka - NZ. These teams have played 7 times in the past month and NZ are 5-2 in front.
AUS vs South Africa - hard call. In Aus, the Aussies are awesomely good (but Warner will have been kicked out of the cup by then and Johnson will be injured as will Clark) so South Africa will shade this one.

FINAL NZ vs South Africa. In Aus on bouncy pitches the Proteas will be odds on to win. Great team great players, man for man they are slightly better. But if McCallum, Wiliamson and one other batsman and Boult, Southee and the bowlers are on song it could go either way.


My history of predicting results is rubbish - so expect the final to be UAE vs Scotland :)

Great stuff Anfield

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Originally Posted by steveaki13

Great stuff Anfield

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I aim to please :)

I don't like crickets. I don't like most insects.

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Originally Posted by steveaki13

stuff Anfield

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as Billy's Missus once said :andrea:

Horrific from England.

That was truly woeful and fully deserved. We are playing terribly and deserve to be trashed. Well done New Zealand who are really on a role now.

Would not be 100% sure we will beat Scotland with how low form and confidence is.

Might actually go to see the Windies play in Canberra on Tuesday as plenty of tickets available.

In local cricket I've played. Where there can be discrepancies in ability due to availability of players in various grades. The closest I can remember to 49 off 2 overs, was an inexperienced spinner in a 3 over spell that went for 51.

Just picked up my tickets for SA/Ind and SL/Bang.

India demolish South Africa, can honestly say I didn't see this one coming. Saturday - NZ vs Aus, - can't wait, but with S.A. losing, the winner of the NZ/Aus game will probably meet them in the semi-final.

England v Scotland. Could be the end of my sanity if we lose this one.

Which I believe we could.

You were wrong.

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Originally Posted by journeyman racer

You were wrong.

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I'm always wrong :)

Chris Gayle has finally arrived, what an incredible innings 215 off 147 balls - amazing!

Chris Gayle was astonishing last night. Amazing hitting

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Originally Posted by steveaki13

Chris Gayle was astonishing last night. Amazing hitting

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Gayle struck the ball cleanly and efficiently, so fair dos to him.

But this was
...at Manuka Oval.

The grounds that the teams are playing on have had the ropes come in massively, so as to make all the grounds comparable.
Manuka Oval is 55m to the boundary at one point. Eden Park is 61m to the boundary at one point.
Compare that with the usual boundaries for the SCG at 74m or the MCG which is 85m wide.

Admittedly bat technology has improved out of sight over the last ten years but even so, scores at the 2015 World Cup are being distorted because they're playing on postage stamps of grounds.
In churches' cricket I've played on larger grounds than the World Cup is currently playing on.

1 character

2 characters

Off to SL/Bangers now.

SOuth Africa v Windies later today, South Africa need to win if they have a hope of finishing top of their group.

But more importantly NZ v Aus tomorrow, the whole country is up for this, hopefully it lives up to the hype. Unfortunaely David 'The Fe$%^king Idiot' Warner has already started mouthing off. He is like a chimp at a tea party - can't stop babbling nonsense and throwing his toys around. (plus he does kinds resemble the missing link). Here's hoping the game is remembered for the right reasons and not because of this particularly unpleasant moron.

I'm loving NZ destroyation of Australia atm. anfield5 still won't give a like though.

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Originally Posted by journeyman racer

I'm loving NZ destroyation of Australia atm. anfield5 still won't give a like though.

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:D

You posted half way through the game my friend. (gave a like anyway)

What an incredible game of 20/twenty cricket. This just proves teams don't need to score 350 runs to provide a spectacle. Simply breathtaking.

http://www.stuff.co.nz/content/dam/i...5184608590.jpg

For those who think cricket is a safe, gentle sport. This is what a cricket ball moving at 150 km'h does when it hits your unprotected arm.

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Originally Posted by anfield5

You posted half way through the game my friend. (gave a like anyway)

What an incredible game of 20/twenty cricket. This just proves teams don't need to score 350 runs to provide a spectacle. Simply breathtaking.

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Would you give a like because I was happy Wellington Phoenix beat Melbourne Victory yesterday? I thought Ernie Merrick was harshly treated by the Melbourne press and public. So I actually hope he jags an A-league title before Victory does. Even before Melb City.

Regarding the game. I think NZ biggest problem was psychological. They played to the score and not to a run rate. They should've won 4 down. But because they "only" needed 152, they just didn't follow through with McCullum's innings. Taylor, Elliot, Milne and Southee were particularly pathetic. Had they needed 200 to win. I reckon they would've chased it down, but suffered at similar tension filled collapse. Just 50 runs later.

Time passes quickly and the world moves on. After seeing Sangakkara score a ton on Thursday, he then backs up with another against England on Sunday. Whereas I'm still recovering from seeing Sanga and Dilshan'a efforts. That's now two games in a row where Jayawardene is next to bat at 4, but doesn't face a ball! He must make sure he's sharp during training.

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Originally Posted by journeyman racer

Regarding the game. I think NZ biggest problem was psychological. They played to the score and not to a run rate. They should've won 4 down. But because they "only" needed 152, they just didn't follow through with McCullum's innings. Taylor, Elliot, Milne and Southee were particularly pathetic. Had they needed 200 to win. I reckon they would've chased it down, but suffered at similar tension filled collapse. Just 50 runs later.

Time passes quickly and the world moves on. After seeing Sangakkara score a ton on Thursday, he then backs up with another against England on Sunday. Whereas I'm still recovering from seeing Sanga and Dilshan'a efforts. That's now two games in a row where Jayawardene is next to bat at 4, but doesn't face a ball! He must make sure he's sharp during training.

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You are quite correct re NZ. The same reasoning can be used to expalin why it was so difficult against Scotland i.e. chasing a small score, and getting there... just. NZ are absolutely a bat first team. With no chase to worry about, they can easily score 350, then roll any opposition for 100 and not too many.

Re the Pheonix - great result. Can't understand the Melbourne press and public had a go at Ernie, the Victory cut him lose, he didn't leave them, so the fact that he is now getting the Phoenix to play the best football in the A-league is Melbourne's own fault. :)

I'll quit while I'm ahead with the likes.

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Originally Posted by anfield5

http://www.stuff.co.nz/content/dam/i...5184608590.jpg

For those who think cricket is a safe, gentle sport. This is what a cricket ball moving at 150 km'h does when it hits your unprotected arm.

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Tbh, it just looks like a rippling muscle.

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Originally Posted by anfield5

Re the Pheonix - great result. Can't understand the Melbourne press and public had a go at Ernie, the Victory cut him lose, he didn't leave them, so the fact that he is now getting the Phoenix to play the best football in the A-league is Melbourne's own fault. :)

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The sense of entitlement by the Australian football community here is extraordinarily large. Melbourne being a big city, reflects this attitude. Ernie also didn't fit the "Messiah" criteria, that people here, deep down, really want.

Just when the possibility of threatening Sharma's record score was there for the taking, Warner gets knocked off and doesn't even break Australia's record one day score. Loser!

Warner is all class. Did you see the start of the after match press conference? What an absolute tosser!

I hope this loss from England leads to an overhaul, which then leads to a stronger team.

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Originally Posted by journeyman racer

I hope this loss from England leads to an overhaul, which then leads to a stronger team.

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KP and his media brigade read Piers Morgan will be on full steam now.

It's funny seeing England lose in Football and Cricket.

I am proudly English by birth, but I have to say I punched the air when Anderson again showed us his batting prowess. Well done Banga!

Probable 1/4 finals
A1/B4. New Zealand v West Indies (or Ireland)
A2/B3. Australia vs Pakistan (or South Africa)
A3/B2. Sri Lanka vs South Africa (or Pakistan)
A4/B1. Bangladesh vs India

I think Ireland should go ahead of Windies. Either way , India qualifying for the quarters at the top of the group is overachieving considering how much they sucked at the Australian Tour

Yes its the ultimate peak at the right time from India.

Blimey they were losing to England in the warm ups.

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Originally Posted by harsha

, India qualifying for the quarters at the top of the group is overachieving considering how much they sucked at the Australian Tour

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It seems there was a lot of sand in that bag.

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Originally Posted by journeyman racer

It seems there was a lot of sand in that bag.

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Not really. 15 months ago they came to NZ and got absolutely demolished. They have a history of touring badly and failing off the sub continent, then hitting form at the world cup. It seems to be an attitude thing with them. It will be interesting if they make the semi against Australia (or South Africa). If it is Aus in Aus I can see India falling short.

Even more impressive than India's turn around is that of Sri Lanka.

Sangakkara has been amazing, and as he is heading for retirement too.

Is that 4 consecutive hundreds?