The Cricket World Cup.

Just got underway and truly is the most open I can remember for years mainly thanks to the Aussies having there bums smacked in the latter part of the domestic international season.

Actually it didnt come as a major surprise to me as the team basically sucks with far to many very average players in there................Once the bubble was burst they were always going to struggle.

If they can fool the world and rebuild that aura with a big win over South Africa then maybe they will go on with it but I somehow doubt it.

India must be a big chance and also Pakistan.

England may also be an outside chance and the Windies with home advantage but there is only so much Lara can do.

Australia will lift their game. They will be stung, even by defeat in relatively unimportant games, even with top players rested. And you guys always start off slowly at World Cups. I expect you to be there or thereabouts, come the finals.

I'm surprised at the other teams you mention. India do not travel well, though they have a decent team. Pakistan were a rabble in South Africa, an absolute joke. They will have to improve a lot.

Home advantage gives the Windies some hope, but really I can't see them winning it. England are a possible outside bet.

But you don't mention any of the teams I rate:

South Africa: fresh from huge wins over Pakistan. Quality through the team. But might struggle away from home.
New Zealand: hey, why not? 3-0 series win over Australia. Shane Bond. Two decent spinners. Some good strong hitting batsmen. Our real problem is the lack of good pace bowling to support Bond, but the West Indies pitches are low and slow - ideal for our dribbly medium pacers (but not so good for pace merchants like Australia's Lee or Clark).

But the real outside bet: Sri Lanka. A great batting lineup, full of clean powerful hitters. The world's best spinner (now Warne's gone). A fine all-rounder in Vaas. The secret weapon that is Malinga (if you haven't seen him, you will be surprised - he is very, very hard to play - bowls 150kmh with a round arm action so the ball is delivered from over the stumps and swings viciously, almost impossible for the batsmen to see it). And, crucially, some great slow bowlers who will be suited for the conditions, notably Jayasuriya.

I really think it could be Sri Lanka's year. I think an Aussie-SL final is on the cards.

Lara could go out with one of the best bangs ever if he rallies the windies. They wont the champions trophy a couple of years ago they can beat anyone on their day.

Yep... Australia have really put themselves into a situation that could have been avoided. The grounds are quite small in the West Indies, and the pitches are pretty much all going to take spin well... and the best we have in spin is Brad Hogg, who although is quite handy at times, also isn't really World Class in my opinion... we have been relying on our fantastic pace attack recently, which hasn't been all that fantastic. We have McGrath, Clark and Lee who are right at the top of their game at the moment (although Lee is injured ) and Bracken to mostly the same extent, I rate him, but he sometimes just loses it a bit, and really isn't a fantastic death bowler.

Tait is very hit or miss. When he is on, he is fantastic. When he is off, we're talking 3 wides an over with a bad ball or two thrown in as well.

Our batting is fine. You can't really go past Gilchrist, Hayden, Ponting, Clarke, Hussey, Symonds. That is a fantastic line up. Would have been good to have seen Cameron White get a bat though...

Anyway, I think we will bounce back and be competitive this world cup

Now to talk about the oppositions

South Africa are in good form after destroying Pakistan recently, and they could go well. I hesitate to call them chokers, but there could still be that lingering doubt in their minds.

NZ are looking like they could be the (not so) dark horse of the competition again. They are in great form, have great hitting potential and a good all around bowling line up. If the Aussies can't win, I'd like to see the Kiwi's do it.

India... well... yeah... they don't travel well, have been in relatively average form, but you just can't write them off. They could do anything this world cup.

Pakistan are kind of in the same boat as India... although I think it would take a lot for them to be there at the pointy end.

England... eh.

Sri Lanka could do something special, as could the Windies... although as has been said above, there is only so much that Brian Lara, and I'll add in Chris Gayle can do.

Other than that, it will be interesting to see if any of the minnows can upset any of the stronger nations.

I'd like to see the Bangers do something special

CB

OK so this is the draw for the first round.

Who is your money on in each of the games????????? Mine are indicated with a ***




Tue 13 Mar

West Indies
vs
Pakistan ***


Wed 14 Mar
Australia ***
vs
Scotland

Kenya ***
vs
Canada


Thu 15 Mar

Sri Lanka ***
vs
Bermuda

Zimbabwe ***
vs
Ireland


Fri 16 Mar

South Africa ***
vs
The Netherlands

England ***
vs
New Zealand


Sat 17 Mar

India ***
vs
Bangladesh

Pakistan ***
vs
Ireland


Sun 18 Mar

Australia ***
vs
The Netherlands

England ***
vs
Canada


Mon 19 Mar

India ***
vs
Bermuda

West Indies ***
vs
Zimbabwe


Tue 20 Mar

South Africa ***
vs
Scotland

New Zealand ***
vs
Kenya


Wed 21 Mar

Sri Lanka ***
vs
Bangladesh

Zimbabwe
vs
Pakistan ***


Thu 22 Mar

Scotland ***
vs
The Netherlands

New Zealand ***
vs
Canada


Fri 23 Mar

India ***
vs
Sri Lanka

West Indies ***
vs
Ireland


Sat 24 Mar

Australia ***
vs
South Africa

England ***
vs
Kenya


Sun 25 Mar

Bermuda
vs
Bangladesh ***




Simon.......I dunno, I just dont get a good feeling about South Africa plus they will lose to Australia and those points carry through to the next round.



Hey do you recon anyone from, Canada or Scotland even knows they have a team in this comp??????? PMSL.

^
Yeah, SA I'm not sure about but I think they'll do OK.

Of your picks: Sri Lanka will beat India. I hope NZ will beat England, but I think England have a slight edge. West Indies might top Pakistan.

i hope south africa win.

it would be about faaarkin time.

whatever happens i'm looking forwards to seeing Justin Kemp bat again :D

dr seuss said:

whatever happens i'm looking forwards to seeing Justin Kemp bat again :D

Click to expand...

Has he kemp u waiting has he?.........lol.

Come on selections people

Awesome, no more sports articles in CE+P! :D

Go the dutch! :D (I'm a dual citizen )


I'm really pissed off that none of the world cup is being shown on free to air TV

Watched the first 10 overs of Pakistan's innings against the Windies. Windies bowlers looking surprisingly good - bowling very straight and a good length. Pitches are definitely slow - bowlers are averaging 140kmh+, but are being hit in front of the wicket.

Windies look good for the win first up unless Inzy can turn it around.

So Windies with a win... interesting.

Yeah screwed me up in the first game..........damn the Pakis looked terrible.

Go Kenya! Of course Aus will probably pull themselves together, that usually happens. :D

Well Ponting scores ANOTHER ton. Even if its against Scotland, it still counts!!

Good start to the tournament

CB

woot

hussey's looking a little sluggish lately, oh well even god has bad days...

it was against scotland, but 203 runs against anyone is still a towelling of the highest order

Jesus I was in bermuda during hte last cricket world cup or in one of them and they won a game and I was in OUTWARD BOUND and the muders I was with went CRAZY... holy crap itsthe most boring game ever... come on gimme some rugby.

My tip is New Zealand. I think they have a very balanced side. Pretty solid in all departments, with some big hitters and nifty all-rounders. Plus they're less likely to shoot themselves in the foot / self-destruct in pressure situations (which is more than you could say about India, Pakistan, England, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies, etc). I expect England, South Africa and West Indies will do well, but might not have it in them when it comes to the crunch.

Australia's bowling attack just doesn't look strong enough to me, although batting-wise they clearly have the goods. I guess you can never rule them out... I say they'll go close, but not all the way this time.

(Wordy) said:

My tip is New Zealand. I think they have a very balanced side. Pretty solid in all departments, with some big hitters and nifty all-rounders. Plus they're less likely to shoot themselves in the foot / self-destruct in pressure situations (which is more than you could say about India, Pakistan, England, South Africa, Sri Lanka, West Indies, etc). I expect England, South Africa and West Indies will do well, but might not have it in them when it comes to the crunch.

Click to expand...

I'm a Kiwi and definitely think we have a chance. But saying they are less likely to shoot themselves in the foot??? What the fuck???? We are the KINGS of stuff ups!

Hey. We just lost to Bangladesh don't you know..... Thats two years of giving Australians shit for when they lost to them, right down the gurgler.