The Cricket Thread 2016

[PaulWinch again]

The two closest finishes and most exciting games so far have been between Associate sides, you know, the sides that they want to all but banish from the next World Cup.

Which is absolutely ridiculous. If you reduce it to 10 teams it's essentially another Champions trophy. The World Cup should increase in the number of teams who qualify not reduce.

[Chris Jameson]

This is well worth a watch, a film made about the Afghanistan cricket team.

Out of the Ashes.

[olaftab]

We must keep emerging cricketing countries at WC. Being there is huge encouragement to the game in their homelands. I loved the celebration by the Afghan batsman after he hit the winning runs. The whole team's delight at winning a match at this stage was fantastic. The so called big 8 honestly don't care too much if they win or lose a one dayer due to number of matches they play to generate cash.

[PaulWinch again]

We must keep emerging cricketing countries at WC. Being there is huge encouragement to the game in their homelands. I loved the celebration by the Afghan batsman after he hit the winning runs. The whole team's delight at winning a match at this stage was fantastic. The so called big 8 honestly don't care too much if they win or lose a one dayer due to number of matches they play to generate cash.

Agree completely and it's also very short sighted. They need to be buidling the game and spreading it across the globe not reducing it to an elite club.

[Dr Butler]

We must keep emerging cricketing countries at WC. Being there is huge encouragement to the game in their homelands. I loved the celebration by the Afghan batsman after he hit the winning runs. The whole team's delight at winning a match at this stage was fantastic. The so called big 8 honestly don't care too much if they win or lose a one dayer due to number of matches they play to generate cash.

spot on...olaftab

UTV
the Doc

[paul_e]

I agree expand it out with another 4-6 teams and make the groups a little smaller so you don't have 4 top sides in a group which sees 4 qualifiers.  I'd also add a plate competition for the teams that do go out at the group to play off as a 'best of the rest' award to give the likes of Ireland, Scotland, etc something better to measure themselves against on a big stage.

[PaulWinch again]

I agree expand it out with another 4-6 teams and make the groups a little smaller so you don't have 4 top sides in a group which sees 4 qualifiers.  I'd also add a plate competition for the teams that do go out at the group to play off as a 'best of the rest' award to give the likes of Ireland, Scotland, etc something better to measure themselves against on a big stage.

Yep I agree with that. They should also play two games in one day. A reward for the plate winner could be qualifying for champions trophy or something like that.

[Whiney MacWhineface]

SA 408-5 against Windies.

AB DeVilliers 162, including 30 off the last over.

[PaulWinch again]

That De Villiers innings was crazy.

[ACVilla]

It's a bit tiresome all of these batting records being broken. A fair contest between bat bad ball is much better to watch.

[Villan For Life]

It's a bit tiresome all of these batting records being broken. A fair contest between bat bad ball is much better to watch.

It is but then again how could you stop a player like De Villiers when he is in this kind of form? Which bowler could contain him?

[PaulWinch again]

It's a bit tiresome all of these batting records being broken. A fair contest between bat bad ball is much better to watch.

It's why the game's between the associate nations have been the best.

[paul_e]

It's a bit tiresome all of these batting records being broken. A fair contest between bat bad ball is much better to watch.

It is but then again how could you stop a player like De Villiers when he is in this kind of form? Which bowler could contain him?

By having pitches that aren't like playing on concrete.  it's all a bit too predictable which makes for huge scores like we're seeing.

[Villan For Life]

It's a bit tiresome all of these batting records being broken. A fair contest between bat bad ball is much better to watch.

It is but then again how could you stop a player like De Villiers when he is in this kind of form? Which bowler could contain him?

By having pitches that aren't like playing on concrete.  it's all a bit too predictable which makes for huge scores like we're seeing.

In the main they're typically Aussie pitches (apart from the ones in New Zealand obviously). They're playing a world cup towards the end of a dry Aussie summer whereas when it's played over here it's played in June and typically English pitches are produced.

[PaulWinch again]

Bloody hell I'm watching the highlights and it's crazy to think that SA were 150-2 in the 30th.