# Cricket World Cup 2011 **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [February 21, 2011, 2:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-world-cup-2011/572076 "2011-02-21T02:06:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 14
**Author:** ![Stanislaus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stanislaus/32/3391_2.png) [@Stanislaus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stanislaus)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-world-cup-2011/572076/262 "2011-03-25T14:55:33Z")
> [@Novelty\_Bobble](#): > > probably me as I am now confidently predicting a NZ victory. > > Cue - rearguard action from the plucky RSA tail enders. Actually I was thinking of Cicero for posting this > [@Cicero](#): > > RSA may be in some trouble here. After this pair, the batting is pretty lower end of all rounder. (Lower end in batting skill). just before RSA go ahead and lose that very pair of batsmen. It was uncanny. ---
**Author:** ![grimpixie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@grimpixie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grimpixie)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 2:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-world-cup-2011/572076/263 "2011-03-25T14:57:09Z")
1. Yes, I have seen it happen that a batting pair will turn down a second run to get someone on strike. 2. No 3. I doubt it, although I have seen fielders not bother to run in to collect a stroke so that there is an easy single to be taken… Why yes, I’m avoiding watching the game just at the moment 🙂 :mad: :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-world-cup-2011/572076/264 "2011-03-25T14:58:51Z")
> [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#): > > Suppose a team is chasing a large run total and have a high RRR to win. Also, unfortunately, they’ve lost most of their best batters and only have one good batter left. The remainder of the lineup is all bowlers who are marginal or terrible with the bat. The good batter is swinging for the fences unleashing 4’s and 6’s in a desperate attempt to score runs. On the 6th ball of the over, he hits a ball that can easily be 2 runs. In practice, would the batters stop running after getting just 1 run? I would think that this makes sense, since he’ll then be batting again starting the next over. If they scored the 2 runs, the poor batter would be batting when the next over starts. Usually it happens, yes. This is called “stealing the strike.” > [@](#): > > Question 2: Same example, but the 6th ball of the over is hit for a 4 or 6. Does the batting team have the option of just taking 1 run, in order to have the next over start with the good batter. Nope, even if the batsmen cross. > [@](#): > > Question 3: If the answer to Question 2 is “no”, then does the fielding team ever intentionally allow the 6th ball of the over to roll past a boundary in order to avoid having the good batter leadoff the next over? Never seen it happen, although I’m sure in very exceptional situations (say if the last batsman is at the other end and the good batsman hits a ball to the boundary) it might have happened before. ---
**Author:** ![Stanislaus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/stanislaus/32/3391_2.png) [@Stanislaus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stanislaus)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-world-cup-2011/572076/265 "2011-03-25T15:02:15Z")
> [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#): > > I know that this thread is for discussing the Cricket WC, so I hope you all don’t mind my questions. But I figure visitors in this thread are most likely to be able to answer them. > > Here’s a strategy question: > > Suppose a team is chasing a large run total and have a high RRR to win. Also, unfortunately, they’ve lost most of their best batters and only have one good batter left. The remainder of the lineup is all bowlers who are marginal or terrible with the bat. The good batter is swinging for the fences unleashing 4’s and 6’s in a desperate attempt to score runs. On the 6th ball of the over, he hits a ball that can easily be 2 runs. In practice, would the batters stop running after getting just 1 run? I would think that this makes sense, since he’ll then be batting again starting the next over. If they scored the 2 runs, the poor batter would be batting when the next over starts. > > Question 2: Same example, but the 6th ball of the over is hit for a 4 or 6. Does the batting team have the option of just taking 1 run, in order to have the next over start with the good batter. > > Question 3: If the answer to Question 2 is “no”, then does the fielding team ever intentionally allow the 6th ball of the over to roll past a boundary in order to avoid having the good batter leadoff the next over? Q1: If they’re thinking straight, yes. Q2: No - a boundary is a boundary. Q3: If they’re thinking straight, yes. The situation you describe is a recognised tactical problem. The senior batsman has the job of “farming the strike” - making sure that he faces the majority of the balls bowled. In essence, this consists of not hitting, or turning down, singles for the first 4 balls of an over, without letting too many dot balls (i.e. non-scoring deliveries) mount up. Taking a single on the fifth or ideally sixth ball of an over is phase 2. If the lesser batsman finds himself in there is an incentive to either get a single early in the over, or failing that block out a whole over. (Or try to blast boundaries, which will be riskier). Similarly the fielding side will respond to this: offering easy singles to the recognised batsman while keeping men back on the boundary, just to get him off strike. Then they close in for the last couple of balls to stop the single. Conversely, they’re usually quite happy to let a bowler try to smack boundaries, because 9 times out of 10 he won’t do it more than twice but they will move the men in the field up to stop singles. ---
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 3:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-world-cup-2011/572076/266 "2011-03-25T15:15:38Z")
An hour ago, there was no way on Og’s green earth that SA could lose the match. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 3:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-world-cup-2011/572076/267 "2011-03-25T15:20:31Z")
If SA lose, they deserve the tag of Chokers. It should be placed on the team kit. If they win from here, well then they are champion material. ---
**Author:** ![Cumbrian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce7236/32.png) [@Cumbrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cumbrian)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 3:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-world-cup-2011/572076/268 "2011-03-25T15:22:15Z")
> [@Cumbrian](#): > > if RSA bin it from here, they will have choked like dogs. South Africa is choking like dogs. ---
**Author:** ![grimpixie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecb155/32.png) [@grimpixie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grimpixie)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-world-cup-2011/572076/269 "2011-03-25T15:23:37Z")
> [@AK84](#): > > If SA lose, they deserve the tag of Chokers. It should be placed on the team kit. If they win from here, well then they are champion material. F\*ck you, and I agree completely… ☹ ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-world-cup-2011/572076/270 "2011-03-25T15:24:24Z")
Come on Daniel Vettori lead these guys home. I suggested years ago that we bribe him to become an Aussie and surprisingly everyone agreed. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 3:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-world-cup-2011/572076/271 "2011-03-25T15:25:00Z")
New Zealand are now favourites for this game. And I am starting to think Sri Lanka or Pakistan in the final. I just can’t warm to India. ---
**Author:** ![Cumbrian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce7236/32.png) [@Cumbrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cumbrian)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 3:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-world-cup-2011/572076/272 "2011-03-25T15:33:22Z")
I’ve still got Sri Lanka to win this whole thing. They’re the most balanced side left in the competition. I think their bats would have the measure of the Indian bowling attack and their bowlers would have the measure of the Pakistan batting attack. ETA: 8 down now. ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-world-cup-2011/572076/273 "2011-03-25T15:34:06Z")
I should have put a $20 down on Sri Lanka when I was in Vegas last month…yes, I actually found a casino that was taking bets on the CWC. I can just about foresee the winner of India-Pakistan being totally spent. And I can see Murali taking the last wicket with his last ball in international cricket. ---
**Author:** ![don\_t\_ask](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e68b1a/32.png) [@don\_t\_ask](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/don_t_ask)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-world-cup-2011/572076/274 "2011-03-25T15:37:24Z")
> [@Duke](#): > > And I can see Murali taking the last wicket with his last ball in international cricket. Yeah that is why sport is better than real life - stuff like that actually happens. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-world-cup-2011/572076/275 "2011-03-25T15:43:20Z")
Goodbye $50. I will stick to horses from now on. Never back anything that can talk back to you. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 4:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-world-cup-2011/572076/276 "2011-03-25T16:00:36Z")
Wow, that is a battering at this stage of the competition. Considering RSA pedigree coming into this, that might be more severe than the walloping the Windies got. We knew they were suspect. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-world-cup-2011/572076/277 "2011-03-25T16:03:08Z")
Well done to the Kiwis. A good honest team. Semi Finals for the 6th time. RSA; well what can I say that has not been said on so many nights over the last 20 years. ---
**Author:** ![Cumbrian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce7236/32.png) [@Cumbrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cumbrian)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-world-cup-2011/572076/278 "2011-03-25T16:05:30Z")
Losing by 49 runs from a position of 108-2 is a shocking result for South Africa. Good luck to NZ - apparently Vettori set some excellent fields and they bowled to a tight plan. There are, of course, two teams in every match - and NZ jumped all over SA when they got the chance. But still 108-2 with 26 overs to play and only 222 to get? Horrible, horrible result. ---
**Author:** ![Novelty\_Bobble](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/a3d4f5/32.png) [@Novelty\_Bobble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Novelty_Bobble)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-world-cup-2011/572076/279 "2011-03-25T16:10:09Z")
My original prediction was that slow and steady would win the day, it did! Just not the team I thought would deliver it though. Full marks to NZ though. They were a bit shy of par but there was no panic, they applied consistent pressure and let SA make their own mistakes. The TMS feed reckons that a lot of those wickets were given away rather than being forced out. I shall have to catch the highlights later, then…roll on England! come on the glory boys, come on Straussy, Come on Trotty! come on…whoever is still left. ---
**Author:** ![MilTan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/71e660/32.png) [@MilTan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MilTan)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 4:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-world-cup-2011/572076/280 "2011-03-25T16:54:39Z")
> [@Cumbrian](#): > > I’ve still got Sri Lanka to win this whole thing. They’re the most balanced side left in the competition. I think their bats would have the measure of the Indian bowling attack and their bowlers would have the measure of the Pakistan batting attack. Right, but aren’t the problems that Sri Lanka will have more trouble with the Indian batting and the Pakistani bowling? Or am I misunderstanding? ---
**Author:** ![Cumbrian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ce7236/32.png) [@Cumbrian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cumbrian)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2011, 5:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-world-cup-2011/572076/281 "2011-03-25T17:18:15Z")
> [@MilTan](#): > > Right, but aren’t the problems that Sri Lanka will have more trouble with the Indian batting and the Pakistani bowling? Or am I misunderstanding? I don’t think Sri Lanka will struggle too badly with India’s batting, even with its depth, given the quality of their bowling attack. Mendis currently has the best econ rate of all the regular bowlers in the tournament (at least as far as I can tell from my limited messing with Statsguru). Malinga is more expensive but is averaging 18 for the tournament, so is taking wickets. Murali is Murali. The Sri Lankan bit part bowlers are having good tournaments. As a result, I think that Sri Lanka should be able to set a high total that these bowlers can defend - or chase whatever these bowlers give them, as given their quality, it is likely to be gettable. Similarly, I don’t think Pakistan have the bowling to knock over the Sri Lankan batsmen cheaply - looking at the stats, SL have a number of batsmen who have performed better than Pakistan’s over the course of the tournament. So then it becomes a question of whether the SL bowling can prevent a breakout performance from the Pakistani batsmen, as, notwithstanding Afridi’s tournament with ball in hand, I see their bats being able to get the required runs. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-world-cup-2011/572076.md?page=13) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/cricket-world-cup-2011/572076.md?page=15)