# A Cricket World Cup **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [February 3, 2003, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cricket-world-cup/152577 "2003-02-03T20:23:45Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 8:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cricket-world-cup/152577/41 "2003-02-07T20:17:13Z")
Speaking of betting, I should have added this to my list of predictions: Match where all bets are off: March 4, Zimbabwe v Pakistan If it’s a “dead match” for Pakistan, you could almost guarantee a Zim victory. (See: Bangladesh v Pakistan, 1999 World Cup.) ---
**Author:** ![BigNik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/73ab20/32.png) [@BigNik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigNik)\ **Post date:** [February 7, 2003, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cricket-world-cup/152577/42 "2003-02-07T23:13:52Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Duke \* > \*\*Speaking of betting, I should have added this to my list of predictions: > > Match where all bets are off: March 4, Zimbabwe v Pakistan > > If it’s a “dead match” for Pakistan, you could almost guarantee a Zim victory. (See: Bangladesh v Pakistan, 1999 World Cup.) \*\* The line “all bets are off” may not be as accurate as you said. This match was generally accepted at the time - and I haven’t heard much about it since - as having been thrown by the Pakistani players in return for money. The Sydney daily newspapers at the time claimed to have evidence of the amount of money that was paid - and gave the figures, although I can’t remember what they were - and who provided the cash. ---
**Author:** ![kiwiboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/35a633/32.png) [@kiwiboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiwiboy)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2003, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cricket-world-cup/152577/43 "2003-02-08T20:34:29Z")
Yet another reason not to bet on the games I guess… Oh, and congrats to the Aussie dopers, your Women’s team won the quad series against NZ, England and India. An omen perhaps? Not long to wait now… ---
**Author:** ![everton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@everton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/everton)\ **Post date:** [February 8, 2003, 11:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cricket-world-cup/152577/44 "2003-02-08T23:17:38Z")
Not as important as the betting odds perhaps, but the England players have received more death threats and are set to announce tomorrow their intention to pull out of the Zimbabwe match: [England to opt for boycott](http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport3/cwc2003/hi/newsid_2730000/newsid_2736100/2736141.stm) > [@](#): > > [captain Nasser Hussain] said the threats came from a group called “The Sons and Daughters of Zimbabwe”. > > Despite the players being advised by the England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) of the financial implications of the withdrawal, the team are reported to feel they have no option but to pull out. ---
**Author:** ![II\_Gyan\_II](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/bbe5ce/32.png) [@II\_Gyan\_II](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/II_Gyan_II)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2003, 6:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cricket-world-cup/152577/45 "2003-02-09T06:54:38Z")
Given that the World Cup is about to start in less than 6 hours, I’m starting a new thread… Check for schedules, predictions, comments, “If I were Captain” talk there… ---
**Author:** ![BigNik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/73ab20/32.png) [@BigNik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigNik)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2003, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cricket-world-cup/152577/46 "2003-02-09T13:10:23Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Gyan9 \* > **Given that the World Cup is about to start in less than 6 hours, I’m starting a new thread…** Purely out of interest, why? And why call it an “official” World Cup thread to denegrate this one? 7 overs in, the home team is doing very well against the West Indies, but I think it could have been a very different game if the umpires had called the half-dozen wides off the first three overs and made the Boks change their bowling line (and, resultantly, their heavily stacked field). Not to mention the fact that the catch given off Hinds wasn’t actually touched… Any chance that the umpires have already had an important effect on the cup? ---
**Author:** ![hawthorne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@hawthorne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawthorne)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2003, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cricket-world-cup/152577/47 "2003-02-09T14:41:56Z")
Observations so far: 1. Rhodes has still got it. The man is worth his place even if he didn’t bat. 2. Lara (currently 50\*) looks hungry. This is very bad news for other teams, and very good news for cricket lovers. Before his mystery illness it sounded like he was back. He looks a touch rusty, but very, very ominous. He’s as good to watch as Gilchrist and Laxman (why isn’t he there?). 3. Shivnarine Chanderpaul seems to have adopted some of Lara’s technique. He’s mainly a gatherer (I think of him as a modern Larry Gomes) but he’s got the exaggerated foot-movement across and the enormous backswing of The Prince. Seems to be working OK though. 4. I said earlier that the pace and wear of the pitches is going to be crucial in this cup. From what I’ve seen the “Turbanator” (Harbajan Singh) would be a handful on this pitch. If this is representative, we could see a relatively low-scoring cup, and India could be right back in the picture despite their recent travails in NZ. 5. Donald may be a spent force. ---
**Author:** ![London\_Calling](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@London\_Calling](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/London_Calling)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2003, 3:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cricket-world-cup/152577/48 "2003-02-09T15:21:24Z")
Given the heavy financial consequences of not playing in Zim, I do find myself wondering about the clauses of the relevant contracts. For example if there was a ‘catch all’ clause about being able to cancel in “exceptional circumstances” / ‘matters beyond all reasonable control’ / etc. then these ‘death threats’ might have huge financial significance. Legally speaking. I’m not belittling the threat but _theoretically_ ‘death threats’ take a couple of minutes in a phone box to make … and could be several million quid saved … Call me old fashioned but wouldn’t it be naive, in the era of professional sports, to _not_ have ‘get out’ clauses when playing part of a World Cup in a dictatorship … ? Anyone know ? ---
**Author:** ![istara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e79b87/32.png) [@istara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/istara)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2003, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cricket-world-cup/152577/49 "2003-02-09T16:18:03Z")
Woah. England have just postponed their “boycott Harare?” decision **again**. Will they ever make up their minds? ---
**Author:** ![hawthorne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@hawthorne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawthorne)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2003, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cricket-world-cup/152577/50 "2003-02-09T16:24:03Z")
No, I don’t. But I see where you’re coming from L\_C. Who do you think had the better of the drafting, the ICC’s lawyers or Murdoch’s? * * * The WI’s innings has just finished. An intriguing start to the Cup, eh? If I were Gayle or Hinds I’d feel my place was in question. Lara is back in town. Hooper looked superb. Sarwan looked like he should bat at 4. With 5 overs to go is there a better man than Powell? SA - as they so often do - looked suspect under pressure. I doubt they can win. ---
**Author:** ![kiwiboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/35a633/32.png) [@kiwiboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiwiboy)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2003, 7:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cricket-world-cup/152577/51 "2003-02-09T19:45:32Z")
**Hawthorne** > [@](#): > > Laxman (why isn’t he there?). Who knows? There was a great [article](http://www.cricinfo.com/link_to_database/ARCHIVE/CRICKET_NEWS/2003/FEB/132620_WC2003_04FEB2003.html) about this on cricinfo last week. It’s just one of those Indian seleciton mysterys. You’ve got to love articles about cricket that start like this: > [@](#): > > On November 10, 1985, Rhona Petrosyan, widow of chess legend Tigran Petrosyan, told Garry Kasparov: “Garry, I am sorry for you.” Kasparov was stunned; just the previous day, he had won the world title to become the youngest-ever chess champion in history at the age of 22. A dazed, uncomprehending Kasparov shot back: “And what is there to feel sorry about?” The truly wise Petrosyan replied: “I am sorry for you, Garry, because the best day of your life is already over.” Windies are looking good to win with ten overs to go… ---
**Author:** ![antechinus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/fbc32d/32.png) [@antechinus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/antechinus)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2003, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cricket-world-cup/152577/52 "2003-02-09T23:01:18Z")
I would love to see the **West Indies** do well. And after beating South Africa, thanks to the deady Brian Lara, they are off to a good start. ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [February 9, 2003, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cricket-world-cup/152577/53 "2003-02-09T23:11:19Z")
I’d like to see the Windies do well too. Just call me a product of the 80s. Aaah, those were the cricketin’ days. 🙂 For our American readers, the West Indies (often simply called _The Windies_ in cricket), were a formidable force twenty-odd years ago. These days, the Australian side is the world-beater. Back in the 80s, the greatest joy for the Aussie players was to be able to beat the almost unstoppable Caribbean machine. Those guys were bloody _good_! Unfortunately for the game of cricket, but fortunately for United States sports fans I guess, their geographical proximity to the USA has meant many talented young W.Indies sportsmen have been attracted to the bigger money offered by US basketball and the like. ---
**Author:** ![grimpixie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@grimpixie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grimpixie)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 8:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cricket-world-cup/152577/54 "2003-02-10T08:41:18Z")
Just typical!!! After months of anticipation, I miss the opening game of the World Cup - and, from what I read, a classic (even though we lost :(). Time now to rue the lost over that (probably) cost us the match - with a little more time, Lance Klusner would have been able to pick the balls to hit, and not needed to have forced things so much… I agree that Alan Donald may well be a spent force - I hope the selctors do not continue to pick him out of a misplaced sense of compassion/sympathy/nostalgia, but make the best choice for the team. There is an old adage - “Pick you batsmen on experience, and your bowlers on form” - which rings true… Grim ---
**Author:** ![hawthorne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/c89c15/32.png) [@hawthorne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hawthorne)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cricket-world-cup/152577/55 "2003-02-10T13:40:21Z")
Zimbabwe posted a mammoth 2/340 against minnows Namibia. Now it’s raining. Sri Lanka batted well against NZ, with Jayasuria scoring another big, quick ton. On the politics front, (Zimbabwe’s) [Andy Flower and Henry Olonga](http://www-usa.cricket.org/link_to_database/ARCHIVE/CRICKET_NEWS/2003/FEB/136834_REUTERS_10FEB2003.html) have got stuck into their government prior to their game. ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cricket-world-cup/152577/56 "2003-02-10T13:56:32Z")
NZ lost three for 15 chasing SL. Wisden’s Live Audio coverage of the match is down ☹ Thus far, neither of the two “serious” matches have gone the way I thought they would. This World Cup is going to be a lot more interesting than I thought. ---
**Author:** ![Skip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ebca7d/32.png) [@Skip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skip)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cricket-world-cup/152577/57 "2003-02-10T15:14:42Z")
Damn that Brian Lara!!! The man is class and shows just why he is considered one of the worlds best! But congrats must go to Powell and his partner who really smacked the ball around later in the innings. SA was let down by it’s early order batsmen (again!) with only Kirsten scoring a decent total. And once again it came down to Lance Klusener (who won almost every game for us in the '99 WC) to save the day. Himself, Boucher and Boje put on a valiant showing but unfortunately the Windies took some vital wickets. We will have revenge!!! ---
**Author:** ![everton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ecb155/32.png) [@everton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/everton)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cricket-world-cup/152577/58 "2003-02-10T18:44:35Z")
Sri Lanka (272-7) beat New Zealand (225 ao, 45.3 ov). Still no decision over Zim v Eng, [South Africa are threatening to boycott their summer tour of England](http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport3/cwc2003/hi/newsid_2740000/newsid_2744100/2744151.stm). ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 7:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cricket-world-cup/152577/59 "2003-02-10T19:00:19Z")
According to [Wisden.com](http://Wisden.com), the ICC was all ready to announce that the Eng v Zim match should go ahead (meaning that England would forfeit points and money)… …but now they’re postponing the decision until tomorrow. Their meeting with the ECB today was acrimonious but solved nothing. Hussein says the Eng team is in a state of disarray, not surprisingly. Developments to follow, I’m sure. ---
**Author:** ![kiwiboy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/35a633/32.png) [@kiwiboy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kiwiboy)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2003, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cricket-world-cup/152577/60 "2003-02-10T19:01:19Z")
New Zealand’s hopes of making the super six just took a major blow. Sri Lanka comprehensively outplayed us. Will be interesting to see how Australia look tonight. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cricket-world-cup/152577.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-cricket-world-cup/152577.md?page=4)