OT: Cricket World Cup
As a distraction from the NCAA basketball and hockey tournaments that won't be featuring Michigan teams, I wanted to start a thread on the ongoing Cricket World Cup. I don't think that I have previously seen a cricket thread on this board and wanted to gauge if there were any other cricket fans amongst the mgofaithful.
The 2015 CWC is down to 4 teams. New Zealand play South Africa tonight and India face Australia Wednesday night. I am rooting for New Zealand to win the World Cup but would be ok with any team other than Australia winning it. Who are you rooting for?
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Mostly the 7-0 part. I didn't expect beyond the quarter's. The initial impression was a 2 or a 3 in group stage and running into NZ or Aus in the quarter's. Now I am hoping that the experience of playing big games will again see them through.
Doesn't matter now, game on. Should be a great one.
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And it was. There is something about SA and World Cup in Aus-NZ and rain and semi-final. Weird. It reminded me of a similar match back in 1986. India-Pakistan in Sharjah. Pakistan wins by hitting a full toss for a six on the last ball of the match. India got spooked by that and it took a long time before they could recover.
in terms of facing seamers, SA has relatively strong bowlers than the competition combined
ESPN also had a $39 package for the last five games. Not sure if that's still available.
This Indian team is much more clinical than the previous versions. They also seem more battle tested than the other three. India it is :)
I had a great time following the ICC World Cup during a bachelor party in Jamaica during the 2003 event in South Africa. The Jamaicans of course were going crazy about the Windies. What was fun was going to bed at o'dark hundred and getting up and the match was still on.
I've been a fan of the English squad after I was exposed to the game on a study abroad trip about ten years ago. The Ashes was going on and England pulled off their first victory in a while. But after several years of good form, and a bunch of roster turnover, they've been woeful lately. They were crushed in the most recent Ashes, and embarrassed in this World Cup.
So I guess I'm going for New Zealand or South Africa because they are historically less successful than Australia and India. And Australia is like OSU to English cricketers. Should be a fun end to the tournament, though.
March 24th, 2015 at 12:32 AM ^
to everyone everywhere, at least in the rest of the world.
And they were nasty cricketers, once.
So there.
So I have a natural Indian bias. That being said, I really think that if the pace trio of Mohit Sharma/Shami/Umesh Yadav can hold up and bowl tightly, I think they have a shot against Aus. The lack of quality spin after Ashwin scares me though (no, Jadeja doesn't count) as well as the Australian pace attack.
March 23rd, 2015 at 10:35 PM ^
South Africa have won the toss and elected to bat. They are in a bit of trouble--39 for 2 through the first 10 overs, both of SA's openers are out. They need a big innings from du Plessis, I think.
March 23rd, 2015 at 10:30 PM ^
March 23rd, 2015 at 11:21 PM ^
SA 129 for 3 through 30 overs. Du Plessis and de Villiers batting now, and I would say that the South Africans have a slight edge, not really a big one. Not yet, at least. If NZ struggles to get another wicket, that will be big trouble for them.
EDIT: back-to-back overs with 11 runs each for SA. 151 for 3 through 32 overs. Now we can start talking "big edge" if NZ doesn't get something done here.
March 23rd, 2015 at 11:37 PM ^
March 23rd, 2015 at 10:22 PM ^
My parents were both born in India so I'm rooting for them - but like you said, anybody but the Aussies
March 23rd, 2015 at 11:04 PM ^
You can really see the footprint of the British Empire when you look at the countries that play Cricket.
Had the US stayed a British colony through the 1800's, we'd be playing it here too.
March 24th, 2015 at 12:35 AM ^
Queen is on our money and all that. But very very little cricket.
Our Ntl team made 3 WC's in a row (03-07-11) but there was very little coverage, and now the team is down in the dregs.
Very poorly promoted here. And facing impossible odds against hockey, basketball, soccer, baseball, football.
Expats do play cricket in the States, especially in TX, CA and FL. There are usual in-fightings and intrigues in the governing body.
A right cracker in Auckland. They've shed the ghosts of 92 at Eden Park, the Black Caps.
Brilliant.
March 25th, 2015 at 10:42 AM ^
I'm an Indian Cricket fan. I really wish NZ wins out though.