Thread: World Cup 2007

i suppose you could call this a pre-emptive strike!

Australia have quick plans for World Cup
Cricinfo staff
January 8, 2007


Matthew Hayden, who is back in green and gold, is hoping to get a World Cup spot © Getty Images

Australia are set to take five fast bowlers to the World Cup in the West Indies as they plan to use four speedsters in most games. The tactic worked in India when the side won its first Champions Trophy and Andrew Hilditch, the chairman of selectors, is keen to try it again as Glenn McGrath's career winds down.
"At the ICC tournament we ended up playing four fast bowlers in most games and we really like the format and Ricky Ponting was comfortable with it," Hilditch said in The Australian. "It depends on conditions, but if you assume there is a chance of picking four fast bowlers then we will take five to help us with flexibility and injuries."
Hilditch said the team for the tri-series involving England and New Zealand was not in an "experimental stage" and was close to the 'final preparation stage". He said McGrath was definitely in the plans for the Caribbean.
"I don't suppose I would say anyone is an automatic World Cup selection but the reality is we are really happy with the way Glenn is going," Hilditch said. "We have picked him in the one-day series with a view to him going to the World Cup." Australia have chosen McGrath, Brett Lee, Mitchell Johnson, Nathan Bracken and Stuart Clark in the one-day squad for the tri-series starting on Friday.
Another player using the one-day contest as a platform for the World Cup defence is Matthew Hayden, who has benefited from Shane Watson's long-term hamstring injury. However, Hilditch is still confident Watson can bat anywhere in the top seven.
"I'm obviously hopeful Matthew Hayden absolutely nails the opportunity at the top of the order over this series and cements his spot," Hilditch said. "We'll still look then at having Shane in the top seven. He can bat anywhere in the top seven, there's no doubt about it.
"It just happened to be, particularly with Damien Martyn still there, that the opportunity was more at the top of the order than in the middle order. That's changed a bit so it does give us the flexibility for Matthew to take a stance and grab that opening spot."
© Cricinfo

^sounds like a good team ..... australia has good 1 day batting all the way to # 11. Stuart Clark and Brett Lee could open the batting for the poms

smart man KW - you beat me to it!

Can't wait.

Well the news last night had the aussies treating the ODI internationals as their world cup warm up....

I'm hoping with Vaughan back in that it might actually be some real competition.

well if last nights 20Twenty game was any indication - we are on good form! (did anyone notice that the aussies surpassed the last 2 totals the POMS managed in their innings for test cricket????? )

can you post the scores Willie.
my connection at work is crap and I can't be arsed to open bbc.

Originally Posted by ChiangMai noon

can you post the scores Willie.
my connection at work is crap and I can't be arsed to open bbc.

aussies - 5/221

ennerland - fell short by about 77 runs. and lost 8 wickets i think.

(dont wuite remember as I was getting well drunk by that stage - the Mad Dogs bar has a good buy 2 get 1 free promotion)

absurd quotes that sum up the slaughter that was last nights game.........

"You've got guys there hitting not just ten yards over the boundary, but forty yards," said England captain Michael Vaughan. "That's powerful hitting. I don't know if they've got different bats to what we're using, but it's powerful."

Channel Nine asked a miked-up Gilchrist to commentate on a portion of the match from behind the stumps. "England in real trouble here," Gilchrist noted. "As they have been all summer."

I love the smell of defeated poms in the mornin'

Tait's pace destroys England

Greg Buckle in Kingstown, St Vincent
March 10, 2007 12:00am

SHAUN Tait unleashed a frightening pace assault on England's batsmen today (AEDT), taking four wickets to clinch a new-ball role for Australia's opening World Cup match.

In a final Cup warm-up match, Australia's quicks steamrolled England for 197 in 48.3 overs at the Arnos Vale ground as Tait (4-33 from 8.3 overs) and Stuart Clark (3-16 from 6) gave spectacular auditions for Australia's opening Group A game with Scotland at St Kitts on Wednesday.

In a game that had been billed as a tense affair, openers Shane Watson and Adam Gilchrist set up what should have been an easy win for Australia with a partnership of 140.

But Australia lost Ricky Ponting (7), Brad Hodge (14) and Mike Hussey (0) cheaply before reaching a winning total of 5-200 in 40.5 overs to win with 9.1 overs to spare.

"Today after we took our second wicket, things went really well for us," said Ponting.

"We adapted to the conditions really well. We made the right bowling changes, guys used their changes of pace really well and clawed things back through the middle.

"Then our batting at the top, I thought Gilchrist and Watson today were outstanding. They set up the game for us. We can take a lot from this game."

It was Gilchrist's first game for nearly a month, having skipped the Chappell-Hadlee series in New Zealand after averaging only 22 in the tri-series with England and the Black Caps.

Gilchrist, who also missed Tuesday's warm-up game with Zimbabwe, blasted 72 from 82 balls, falling in the 25th over, one over after Watson was out to spinner Monty Panesar.

Watson, who made 81 against Zimbabwe, strengthened his hold on an opening role with 55. Regular opener Matthew Hayden is still recovering from a broken toe, although he is set to return later this month.

Tait's pace had England's batsmen in immediate trouble, with opener Ed Joyce falling lbw to a swinging yorker in the second over.

England coach Duncan Fletcher had spoken before the match of the importance of extending its winning streak to four against Australia, despite today's clash being only a warm-up game.

Captain Michael Vaughan (62) combined with Ian Bell (56) for a 116-run stand for the second wicket but, when they were deceived by spinner Brad Hogg (2-28) in consecutive overs, England's middle-order collapsed.

After being 1-122 at the halfway mark, Vaughan's men lost 9-75.

Reintroduced to the attack with the dangerous Kevin Pietersen new to the crease, Tait had the aggressive right hander caught at cover from his first ball of his new spell, after an inside edge went onto his pad.

Clark and Nathan Bracken (1-39) struck in the 39th and 40th overs as Andrew Flintoff (13) and Paul Collingwood (18) were out trying to play pull shots on a slow-paced wicket.

New South Wales paceman Clark took the points in a bowl-off against Queensland left armer Mitchell Johnson (0-20 from two overs).

Clark picked up the wickets of Paul Nixon (6) and tailender Liam Plunkett (0), both in the 45th over.

Tait also grabbed the last two wickets, scattering the stumps of Sajid Mahmood and Jon Lewis.

Oh that World Cup! Thought this was a thread on the real one, the Rugby World Cup

I only need to green 3 more posters on the teachers forum before I can red you again Willie.

Originally Posted by ChiangMai noon

I only need to green 3 more posters on the teachers forum before I can red you again Willie.

bastard! - dont they have a 24 hour limit! perhaps I should start a red all welsh gits thread!

and here's me giving you the scores and choice quotes and all ! ya should be sending greens my way !

Originally Posted by kingwillyhggtb

bastard! - dont they have a 24 hour limit! perhaps I should start a red all welsh gits thread!

not if you are one of their very secret moderators.

Oi yer welsh bastard - get off my thread with these OT remarks ! - you'll pollute it!

Canadian Cricket Woes ahead of World Cup

Frustrations for Canada ahead of World Cup
Eddie Norfolk
January 16, 2007
Just before leaving for Canada's trip to Kenya, national coach Andy Pick passed on some of his thoughts. Overall he was upbeat and looking forward to a busy tour. "As time ticks down to the World Cup, we have to look at and identify roles for the personnel in this team; to see who fills each role best. The importance of the World Cricket League with a Twenty20 Championship place in to be won (and the $250,000 from the ICC that goes with it) means we must go out and try to win. We can't use this event to experiment with players."
Some of the Associate coaches control player selections, but this is not the case in Canada. Pick admitted: "It is frustrating that we cannot name our World Cup squad now (before the WCL trip). Time might be spent on a player or players in Kenya who are not named for the World Cup. It's very frustrating, but the bottom line is it is very prestigious to qualify for the Twenty20."
Looking beyond the Kenya squad, he said: "there are a couple of the overseas batters not available for Kenya who are likely to be in the World Cup squad." I am sure he was thinking in terms of opener Geoff Barnett (contracted to Central Districts) and Ian Billcliff (personal reasons - his wife is expecting a baby)."
"We can look at the encouraging performances in South Africa and look to players to step up again and look for continuing improvement through to the World Cup."
12 of the 13 named for South Africa are in the 15-man squad for the Tri-Nations and WCL series in Kenya. Given limited facilities for other players to prepare adequately, especially those outside the Greater Toronto area, it seems imperative for the core squad to do at least as well in Kenya as in South Africa.
That still leaves some additional steps to climb when it comes to the likes of New Zealand and even England. But the core players have been working hard and, in my opinion, deserve their chance at the World Cup. Even so, there may be some disappointments for some of the current squad when it comes to the World Cup.
© Cricinfo

some ppl cannot keep their mouths shut hey?

Mashud fined for comments to media
Cricinfo staff
January 16, 2007


Khaled Mashud: under fire from the BCB © Getty Images

Bangladesh's under-fire wicketkeeper, Khaled Mashud, has been fined 50 percent of an ODI match fee, and two of his team-mates, Mohammad Ashraful and Aftab Ahmed, have also been sanctioned by the Bangladesh Cricket Board, after their comments to a national newspaper were taken to be a breach of contract.
Mashud, who was dropped in favour of Mushfiqur Rahim for Bangladesh's last four one-day matches, last week told the Daily Star in Dhaka that he still believed he should be an "automatic choice" for the World Cup. "The national team is not a development squad," he added, "where you try a player to groom for the future.
At the same disciplinary hearing, Ashraful was fined 15 percent of an ODI match fee and Aftab given a verbal and written warning, after suggesting that Bangladesh's opening batsman, Shahriar Nafees, had been given an easy ride in international cricket, against the lesser lights of Zimbabwe, against whom he has scored all three of his international centuries.
© Cricinfo

Schedule

March 2007
Tue 13 1st Match, Group D - West Indies v Pakistan
Sabina Park, Kingston, Jamaica
Wed 14 2nd Match, Group A - Australia v Scotland
Warner Park, Basseterre, St Kitts
Wed 14 3rd Match, Group C - Canada v Kenya
Beausejour Stadium, Gros Islet, St Lucia
Thu 15 4th Match, Group B - Bermuda v Sri Lanka
Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain, Trinidad
Thu 15 5th Match, Group D - Ireland v Zimbabwe
Sabina Park, Kingston, Jamaica
Fri 16 6th Match, Group A - Netherlands v South Africa
Warner Park, Basseterre, St Kitts
Fri 16 7th Match, Group C - England v New Zealand
Beausejour Stadium, Gros Islet, St Lucia
Sat 17 8th Match, Group B - Bangladesh v India
Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain, Trinidad
Sat 17 9th Match, Group D - Ireland v Pakistan
Sabina Park, Kingston, Jamaica
Sun 18 10th Match, Group A - Australia v Netherlands
Warner Park, Basseterre, St Kitts
Sun 18 11th Match, Group C - Canada v England
Beausejour Stadium, Gros Islet, St Lucia
Mon 19 12th Match, Group B - Bermuda v India
Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain, Trinidad
Mon 19 13th Match, Group D - West Indies v Zimbabwe
Sabina Park, Kingston, Jamaica
Tue 20 14th Match, Group A - Scotland v South Africa
Warner Park, Basseterre, St Kitts
Tue 20 15th Match, Group C - Kenya v New Zealand
Beausejour Stadium, Gros Islet, St Lucia
Wed 21 16th Match, Group B - Bangladesh v Sri Lanka
Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain, Trinidad
Wed 21 17th Match, Group D - Pakistan v Zimbabwe
Sabina Park, Kingston, Jamaica
Thu 22 18th Match, Group A - Netherlands v Scotland
Warner Park, Basseterre, St Kitts
Thu 22 19th Match, Group C - Canada v New Zealand
Beausejour Stadium, Gros Islet, St Lucia
Fri 23 20th Match, Group B - India v Sri Lanka
Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain, Trinidad
Fri 23 21st Match, Group D - Ireland v West Indies
Sabina Park, Kingston, Jamaica
Sat 24 22nd Match, Group A - Australia v South Africa
Warner Park, Basseterre, St Kitts
Sat 24 23rd Match, Group C - England v Kenya
Beausejour Stadium, Gros Islet, St Lucia
Sun 25 24th Match, Group B - Bangladesh v Bermuda
Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain, Trinidad

Christ, we've got Scotland and the Netherlands in our group, time to start practicing left handed batting.

Big Matty Hayden and Gilly will enjoy that !!

scotland and the netherlands.........wow.

i think the aussies should have the six and your out rule applied to them.
lets see, that'd be 60 runs after 10 or 15 balls.

enough for our bowlers to bowl at

wonder what odds on the netherlands to win. might be worth a few baht.
i could then retire.

on the other hand,after a quick glance, the only opposition in the early stages seems to be the south africans.
the boys will have to work hard in the nets to maintain some form and spirit to be ready for the business matches.

Originally Posted by bradthai

i think the aussies should have the six and your out rule applied to them.
lets see, that'd be 60 runs after 10 or 15 balls.

funny you should mention that ... look what I just found

BREAKING NEWS - New ICC rulings


Following the crushing defeat of England, the International Cricket Council has imposed a new set of rules for future Ashes series to make the contest more even.

1) As a result, England has been granted an automatic wickie, freeing up wicket keeper Chris Read/Geraint Jones/Paul Nixon/Allan Knott to defend the boundary. Under the rule, Australian batsmen will be deemed out "caught behind" if the ball nicks their bat and lands in the immediate area behind the wicket. The rule is a compromise from the original English proposal which had pushed for automatic slips as well. The ICC refused that request on the grounds that "someone has to go and get the ball when an Australian misses it."

2) In addition, Australia is under strict "tip and run" restrictions which require they take a run off every ball they hit. Ricky Ponting was happy to accept this, as it meant no change to his current game plan. As a compromise, it was agreed that the Australians will also have to shout out the word "wickets" when completing a run to make run out decisions by umpires easier.

3) Following his outstanding performance in Perth/Sydney/Melboure/Hobart/Manchester, Australian wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist has "six and out" restrictions imposed on him. As well, following complaints from English fielders, Gilchrist will have to get the ball if it leaves the playing arena and stadium.

4) Instead of using a bat, Matt Hayden, Ricky Ponting, Michael Hussey & Michael Clarke will now be obliged to use their arms with a jumper wrapped around it.

5) As most English fielders couldn't catch a cold new rules include "one hand, one bounce" while they are fielding, and the provision of "last man carries" when they are batting.

6) The English tried to extend the "can't get out first ball" provision to "can't get out first ten overs", but the ICC proclaimed that the extra runs gained would hardly be worth the effort. Australian captain Ricky Ponting has vigorously opposed the "last man carries" rule and has launched an appeal. Ponting says Australia will only agree to the rule if there are electric wickets at the end, allowing Aussie fielders to throw to the stumps at either end.

7) English pace bowlers Saj Mahmood/James Anderson will also be allowed to wrap the ball's seam with electrical tape when he's bowling in the second innings to try to be more threatening and actually swing the ball.

8) The spokesperson added there will be "no LB" for English batsmen unless "it is really, really obvious."

9) Brett Lee has conceded that its "fair enough" that he has to bowl underarm (but not molly grubbers) to the English tail end.

10) If England decides that Steven Harmison is to be given an over, the umpire will deem the Australian batsmen as dismissed if Harmison lands the ball anywhere on the pitch. Captain Ricky Ponting has no problems with this change, as the probability of such a dismissal occurring is infintessinately small.

hard to work out the selectors sometimes....

Clark looks for answers on ODI axing
Cricinfo staff
February 11, 2007


Stuart Clark: "I've had a good summer" © Getty Images

Stuart Clark will ask for clarification on why he was dumped from Australia's one-day team in the lead-up to the announcement of the World Cup squad. Clark, who responded in the best possible way, finishing with 8 for 58 in New South Wales' Pura Cup game on Saturday, said he had received only limited feedback from Andrew Hilditch, the chairman of selectors.
"I've spoken to Andrew Hilditch very briefly, but I've had no particular reason [for being axed]," Clark told the Sunday Telegraph. "I know Shane Watson is back and that you can't have everyone in the squad, but it's one of the things I want to talk to Andrew about. I need to ring him at some stage. I would like to get some feedback."
Clark's six CB Series games this season yielded ten wickets at 28.90. His economy rate of 5.45 might have been slightly higher than the selectors would like but Clark still considered himself in good limited-overs form.
"I've had a good summer," he said. "I've done well in the Test arena and personally I think I've done OK in the one-day arena. If I was given a chance in the West Indies, I think I'd do a tremendous job."
Clark has won support from Geoff Lawson, who described him as "terrific under pressure". "If there was a World Cup semi-final at stake, I'd much rather have him bowling than a couple of other guys," Lawson said. "[Shaun] Tait down the track could be anything, but right now it's too risky. He's played two games and hardly set the world on fire. That's not enough to take him to the World Cup."

No Gilcrist...

But to my mind Clark is a much better option than Tait..... same as McGrath is always better than Brett Lee, the Yanks found out in Iraq that Shock and Awe tactics dont count for much if there isn't something substantial behind it all....

Cameron White may miss out

Robert Craddock
February 13, 2007 12:00am
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BRAD Haddin's chances of becoming Australia's World Cup bolter have soared, with Adam Gilchrist to take compassionate paternity leave during the tournament.
The move could cost Victorian all-rounder Cameron White his spot on the Caribbean tour. Gilchrist has been permitted to miss the team's flight to the West Indies in a fortnight to be with wife Mel at the birth of the couple's third child, paving the way for Haddin to be chosen as the reserve keeper.
Depending on the date of the birth, Gilchrist could miss warm-up matches against Zimbabwe on March 6 and England on March 9.
The selectors would be playing with fire by asking part-time gloveman Mike Hussey to stand in and take the express pace of Brett Lee and perhaps Shaun Tait.
The risk of injury to their batting star would not be worth the gamble.
The bonus of picking New South Welshman Haddin would be that he can double as a reserve batsman and the No. 2 keeper in the 15-man squad to be named today.
Haddin has been the leading run-scorer in the domestic one-day competition this summer with 406 runs at 67 and with a strike rate of better than a run a ball.
He has repeatedly proved himself a cool head in pressure situations and one of the best ball strikers in the land.
White has been chosen throughout the summer and will head to New Zealand for the Chappell-Hadlee series this week.
Though respected for his power hitting in the middle order -- and seen as a player of the future -- White's leg-spin has not blossomed as hoped.
Australian coach John Buchanan effectively called for Haddin's inclusion yesterday when he said he had recommended to the selectors a second gloveman be chosen.
"It is such an important tournament, my leaning is to take a second specialist keeper," Buchanan said.
"He needs top seven batting potential. That is my personal leaning and I have expressed that to the selectors."
Despite losing the one-day series finals 2-0 to England, Australia will keep faith with all 11 players in a 15-man squad expected to contain few surprises.
The closest call is between Tait and Stuart Clark for the final pace place. Tait is, perhaps, just ahead entering this morning's final selection meeting.
In the dressingrooms after Sunday's game, several English batsmen told their Australian rivals how relieved they were not to have to face Tait and it was a mistake not to play him.
Symonds is set to be named in the expectation he can take some part in the major rounds of the tournament and Glenn McGrath will be granted the farewell tour he craves.
If White tours, Australia would have to leave its last-choice paceman behind.
The only way it would do this is if it was completely satisfied that Shane Watson's fast-medium pace was worthy of front-line status in the pace battery.

Fok off were going to win the world cup