This is just embarrassing from Pakistan. This is the West Indian attack that gave up 300 to Ireland!
That was just pathetic. Near-English class batting from Pakistan. Has anyone called in the stewards to take a swab?
I’m not sure I can agree with you here. CA and the BCCI disagree on almost everything.
On the broader issue of admitting Ireland to Tests, I can’t see what the downside would be- apart from the International schedule being so packed already. If you put aside the Ashes very few Tests are real money spinners, but I would expect a Test played in Dublin would attract (initially) good crowds despite the popularity of the other sporting codes.
It is almost impossible to predict how Test teams will develop and eventually perform. In the 80’s I would never have expected the Windies to descend into the shambles it has become. My hopes for Bangladesh have never materialised, while (sadly) my fears for Zimbabwe have come true. England, Australia and RSA have generally remained strong teams= with the normal fluctuations as players retire etc- and India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka are now always difficult propositions. Today’s effort by Pakistan is one of those things that happen in ODI- although there have been stronger Pakistan teams.
I just wish one thing would disappear- betting on cricket. Gah.
1 for 4. 1 for fucking 4. 6 dropped catches. 116 given off the last 10. Against the Windies. Not SA. That’s not a “bad day”. Thats a team with fundamental structual problems. Its our worst WC defeat since that 10 wicket loss in 1992.
Give Ireland test status. Take it form Pakistan to make space. Not like we are we are doing much with it anyway.
I saw the score, and assumed they were using the Australian jargon. But no, 1 run, 4 wickets.
Ireland will be looking at that and rubbing their hands together with glee, they could end up third in the group
My word. As an Englishman I’m happy to sympathise -
- which may of course make the situation only all the more dire.
Can we please stop reviving the ghosts of 92? I can see Pakistan sneaking into the quarters in fourth place and then tripping up New Zealand on the back of a big innings from a player named ul Haq…
Afghanistan have Sri Lanka at 37for 3 defending 232.Not a bad effort.
Go the bloody Afghans! Looks like Sri Lanka will take it, but they were looking dangerous for a while.
And India 154 for 2 against SA after 30 odd overs.
That RSA and India game is shaping into a good contest.
AK84, those things happen in ODI. Actually it also happens in Test cricket but I can understand the disappointment.
In the end I feel India should have reached about 350. Maybe we’ll see how good the RSA batting is.
It’ll be a good knock to get there, apparently a record chase for the MCG for a 50 over international. I’m favouring India (They are currently 27-1 in the 8th)
ooooo! Amla gone early as well. Great player, Great beard but a rash shot there. Bubbling up nicely.
Yes. Seems de Villiers is the key.
I haven’t done the research via stats guru, but I wonder what the most is that a team has made batting first at the MCG?
And the Afghans made 232 all out, India 236 for 6. Great job for a bunch of amateurs in their first World Cup.
RSA in real trouble. Too early to see how the competition will shape but I wouldn’t be surprised if NZ end up favourites with the bookies.
As I write SA are 3/134 in the 29th over, chasing 308. They need 8.28 runs per over … if they can get that they deserve to be in the finals!
Which is to say “I wish ~90% of international cricket would disappear”. I mean, I agree with you in principle, but the three great sources of money into cricket are (in no particular order):
1/ Indian gate receipts
2/ Indian TV rights
3/ indian betting
Everything else comes a distant 4th.
I agree with one of the points but I’m not sure of the crowds at Indian grounds, for Test matches at least. How does Indian betting benefit the game? Do the illegal bookies have to pay a percentage of their take? Do even the legal bookies have to spring any money?
If India decided to no longer play cricket- would the game cease to exist? Nope. Same with every other country.
I know betting has been around since the first Test matches and Herbie Collins was alleged to have thrown a Test in England in the 1920’s for his bookie mates. (I do have doubts on that one).
So, it won’t go away despite my wishes. I like a bet on the horses, but I won’t touch betting on anything that can talk.
SA 7/157 in over 36. Need nearly 11 runs per over now … I’m calling it (so brave!), they’re going down. The Cup is between the hosts Australia and NZ now.
It doesn’t, it’s an utter blight and a pestilence. It’s the main source of match fixing pressures. But it’s part of the environment that says “what the Indians want goes” in international cricket, substantially to its detriment.