Cricket

[Sunbeam]

So the Aussies get thrashed again. They seem to be getting themselves into the sort of mess England did before the Ashes what with picking up injuries and strange selections.

Who's your money on the win the Cricket World Cup now?

I still gotta say Australia.
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Props to saintsfan for the sig.

[chrisbcowboys]

dont be suprised if the sri lankans do well.
ive been saying that for ages
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[Sunbeam]

• Australia – final chance of glory for a dynasty rapidly drawing to a close. They rely heavily on Ponting and have lots of questions. How fit are many of their players and can their bowlers dig them out of trouble? Strong in the field.

• South Africa – Solid all the way down and have a nice balance. Arguably the best ODI bowling attack and are high on confidence. Also strong in the field.

• India – will like the wickets as they are sub-continent like. Exceptional batting line-up that will score heavily as long as the track is not fast and bouncy. Decent bowling line-up but poor in the field.

• Sri Lanka – they have the best bowler in cricket and Murali can win any game on any wicket. Vaas and Malinga provide him with quality support. Can be brilliant with the bat but blow hot and cold. Showed in New Zealand how you never know what to expect from them. Not a good fielding team.

• Pakistan – now they’ve got their main bowlers you can’t count them out. The bowling has good balance and can rip out a batting line-up. Excellent ODI middle order with Youseef ranking with Ponting for sheer ability and great potential back-up in Younis Khan and Inzy but struggle for openers. Afridi will score very fast whilst he’s in. Rubbish fielding and running between the wickets could hurt them and they are like the Dutch football team for temperament.

• England – garbage in ODI for many years but have suddenly found form. They still need to work out their best team and need to know if Vaughan can play. In KP they have the joint best ODI batsman in the world with Ponting but he and Flintoff are the only two big-hitters in the team. The quick bowling is raw and Monty is still inexperienced in ODI’s. The fielding is ok which pretty much sums England up. They’ll need momentum and then who knows?

• NZ – will also need to keep the momentum going. Can chase down big totals, especially if Oram is fit. They are normally good at ground-fielding but their catching can be terrible. Their bowling is weak but in Shane Bond they have a man with a licence to kill any batting line-up.

• West Indies – as hosts they’ve got to have a chance. But most of the grounds and wickets will be as new to them as any team. They have raw batting and bowling talent but it’s hard to see them being able to keep it going for such a long tournament. They remind me of Pakistan in that they are so unpredictable in all aspects of the game. But they don’t have Pakistan’s experience or talent.

• The rest – only Bangladesh have any hope of qualifying for the super 8 and that is very slim. I expect one of the big 8 to lose a game though v a minnow. Bangladesh v India or SL being the most likely.
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Props to saintsfan for the sig.

[Guest]

i would like the windys win (not likely) They are all layed back when playing and they just have fun..

[Sunbeam]

[Guest]

i go for any team that plays the aussies, i dont like the aussie team they are all arrogant

[azazaz7]

I usually don't watch much cricket but I might make an exception this year due to Ireland qualifying for the World Cup. Not that we'll go very far but it's a good achievement for such a small sport (over here) to make it to the top competition in the game.
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[Sunbeam]

[Sunbeam]

Forget Pakistan.

Shoaib and Asif are out. That's their bowling screwed!
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Props to saintsfan for the sig.

[khodder]

Its down to 4 teams In my books.

Australia, They are jsut a great cricket side

South Africa, #1 in the world have the bowlers and the Batsman to win games where they defend 200 or chase 340.

New Zealand, they are on a role beat the Aussie 3-0 in the last series, albeit a weakened team. Chased down 300 in consecutive game agaisnt a mirror world cup bowling lineup. Have Power hitters from start to finish, in Vincent Taylor,Oram,Styris,McCullum,McMillian.

Bowling, they have Bond who is a machine, and Vettori the Best ODI spinner in the world. Ortam can trundle through 7 or 8 in the middle for 4.5 an over and we have an improving young attack wtih Tuffey Gillespie and Franklin. Styris and McMillian can bowl as well.

West Indies, Home feild,Brain Lara and Chris Gayle, they can win if these two dominate.

ON the outer.

Sri Lanka, don't have a bowling attack outside or Murili,Vaas and Malinga thats 20 overs where they will go at 8+. If Early Wickets are taken they have no batting Depth.

India, can do it with a little bit of luck, if the Little masters fire(sehwag and Tendulkar), they can win but im not so sure they will, also have a very weak bowling lineup, however it will be interesting to see harbajian bowling in the Power Plays.
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Patrick Peterson - 92 targets, 40 catches allowed, 602 yards, 6 TD's, 7 INT's

The Big Brain am winning again, I am the Greetest.

[91jmay]

I thought England were going to post a sub 200 score against Bermuda today. what about that 20 stone policeman though. he is only abit lighter than Warne.
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[Sunbeam]

[Crusader]

Every country is represented in the England line up...

Seriously over-rating the Saffers in this forum. Who hav ethey beaten (and where) to "earn" the #1 spot?

Aussies won't win, but anyone who says they're arrogant, has only ever barracked for losing teams.

I thought the Kiwis would win, but without Oram, they might not have the depth in either half of the game.... Craig McMillan is the fat version of Ricky Ponting.

Sri Lanka will be the danger side, but they're in a bugger of a group. Sangakara will be the one to watch.

Someone WILL make 500 in the tournament... Probably while chasing 499 against the Aussies
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From now on, we'll be spelling everything with letters.

Julius Peppers doesn't sleep. He waits.

[91jmay]

[Sunbeam]

Great win for the WIndies yesterday. Good for the tournament.

I can see Australia or someone getting 400 in one of these matches.
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Props to saintsfan for the sig.