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ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 |OT| The World comes Down Under
- Thread starter Antiwhippy
- Start date
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i never unerstood this. What's stopping these nations from holding a test match so they can be considered a "Test Playing Nation"?
Zvonimir Boban
Banned
Why doesn't ICC sanction it?
The pub up the road is doing $4 pints for the first ten overs.
So yeah pretty hyped.
Hank Scorpio
Member
Hope Ireland do well. Still remember Kevin O'Brien's quickest century in World Cup history in 2011. Was awesome watching that.
chicko1983
Member
Because they are barely up to the standard of first class cricket.
Its like saying, why isn't any tennis tournament around the world worth ATP points?
ICC is right not to give test status to any five day game.
I don't think people realise the difficulty of first class cricket, let alone test cricket.
Ireland is the only associate team going about trying to get test status. They aim to get there in about 2020 through setting up a domestic first class competition and building a player pool big enough. I think it will be more like 2030.
LiquidSolid
Member
Test status has always been an elite thing, so adding more teams will lower the standard. It's a fair point, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe are already pretty easy beats and the others would be even easier.
Honestly though, I don't think the ICC have any real interest in growing the sport. They're making an absolute shitload of money as is, so gaining popularity in a new market will probably threaten their hold of it. A few years ago, the IOC said they'd welcome an ICC application for the inclusion of T20 cricket into the Olympics and yet what happened? Nothing.
Plus, none of those teams will even be in the 2019 Cricket World Cup, they're shrinking it from 14 to 10 teams. Why? Because Ireland and Bangladesh sent Pakistan and India home early in the 2007 CWC.
Stereogatari
Banned
I don't think that's why. The reaction to those knockouts was to make sure to never have 4 team group format again.
My guess is they wanted to make the tournament 1 wholesome round robin so all the big teams play each other at least once.
Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
A little off-topic, but I just want to post about how right this article is.
http://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2015/feb/13/channel-nine-destroying-cricket-legacy
Though I actually think warnie is a pretty good commentator when he's actually talking about the cricket. When he's not though he's the worst. The last series where he talked about dirty rotten pizza and nerds vs julios/coolios/whatever-the-fuck-he-was-talking-about was the worst.
http://www.theguardian.com/sport/blog/2015/feb/13/channel-nine-destroying-cricket-legacy
Though I actually think warnie is a pretty good commentator when he's actually talking about the cricket. When he's not though he's the worst. The last series where he talked about dirty rotten pizza and nerds vs julios/coolios/whatever-the-fuck-he-was-talking-about was the worst.
Maninthemirror
Banned
What's the best way to watch this ?!
Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
Where are you from?
Zvonimir Boban
Banned
When you see Warne doing a masterclass on Sky you can see that he's got so much knowledge and analysis to offer viewers but it just doesn't come through when he's doing TV commentary. The general level of sports commentary and punditry is so fucking frustrating and cricket is following that trend.
It's like they all want to be idiotic versions of TMS but they just don't have the charm and wit to pull off that kind of banter and they forget that at the end of the day it's all about what's happening out in the middle.
Maninthemirror
Banned
USA.
Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
ESPN has a package for $100 apparently.
You can also try buying the starsports pass for $5 and get an indian VPN, but I can't guarantee that it'll work.
Then there are the non-official methods...
Beat me to it, so fucking on point. Pure ether.
chicko1983
Member
Correct.
The format is too long and too many one-sided games as it currently is.
They want to shorten the Cup and only showcase the premium matches.
The Associates, Zimbabwe and Bangladesh don't bring much to the table at all, money wise.
Lamel
Banned
Seriously. He will have to carry the batting lineup.
I grew up listening to the Channel 9 commentary team but living abroad for last 5 years I've often resorted to following game via Cricinfo and other means.
Only recently have I been able to watch sustained coverage and was totally aghast at what I was listening to. That article is so incredibly on point about the commentary being reduced to the lowest common denominator trying to appeal to the broadest audience possible.
For shame!
Yeah cracking article. The amount of inside jokes, buffoon jargon and tangential (at best) commentary this last summer was the fucking worst - and I gave feedback to that effect a few times. Thank christ for Maxwell and co on ABC. And it is a shame, because all of the guys are capable of much better: they could - and should - be honing their craft to strive being better. But instead they've gone down the 'Footy Show' (which is no surprise) slope of lowest denominator verbal diarrhoea.
Here's (some) of my gear!
Keeping gear (with the brilliant white Aero gloves being among my favourite sporting gear. Once you've kept in white, silicon covered gloves you'll never look back. It's like being Spiderman!), pads (the very excellent all-foam--Robocop CA10000 Plus'. I dearly wanted the Aero P1 pads, but they're devilishly expensive and hard to come by, so I opted for these. They're great!), batting gloves, inners and other miscellany missing from pic.
My two weapons. The Kahuna is from Ponting-era Kookaburra, now relegated to indoor cricket duties. Still the best bat I have ever used, with a non-scalloped back, large edges and hilariously large middle. I wish I could find bats like that today, instead of the ridiculous large edges but scalloped backs shapes we have now. Having said that, my GN E41 (in long blade and long handle) is a wonderful bat, but I don't love it nearly as much as the Kahuna. I was going to grab a GN Scoop this year, but couldn't find one in long handle/long blade with the amount of grains I wanted.
Antiwhippy
the holder of the trombone
BTW, anyone who want to rewatch the weirdass cricket robot from the opening ceremony can do so here.
http://www.theguardian.com/sport/vi...tend-cricket-world-cup-opening-ceremony-video
I was laughing so hard at that bit.
http://www.theguardian.com/sport/vi...tend-cricket-world-cup-opening-ceremony-video
I was laughing so hard at that bit.
Phat Michael
Banned
Want more info on those pads man. I've seen em around. What's the difference between those and normal pads?
Anyone here used/own a mongoose before?
Yep, I've used a Mongoose, but only in the nets. For info, I'm 6'4" and live on the front foot whether I'm opening the batting or coming in at 7. I hook from the front foot and bat a foot outside the crease.
The Mongoose was great, and I think it would make for a wonderful indoor cricket bat, but on the open-air, uncovered turf wickets we play grade cricket on, I just wouldn't risk it. Unless I took the Dean Jones approach to batting and got busy walking at the bowler all the time! Then again, it was only a 20 minute session on artificial training wicket so I may not have seen the best or worst of one. Reminded me of swinging my golf driver (Nike Covert VRS) with the headcover still on it.
The pads I bought from here, for $70 delivered bucks in 2013, heaps less than I could find the Aero's for.
Here's another shop with a clear pic of them. They are moulded foam, which means little to no flex and the straps unfortunately do not have any elastic in them either (I really wish the top strap had just a tiny bit of elastic in them - a mod I will investigate in the off season). But they are so damn light it isn't funny - I can measure and weigh them if you want all the details (there is a real dearth of cricket gear reviews on the web. Even some of the Indian and Pakistan forums are hopeless). The protection they provide is absolutely adequate, though I don't miss many on my legs anyway!
Phat Michael
Banned
Awesome man! You and I sound like polar opposites! I'm a back foot player and very strong outside the off stump but I'm pretty useless off my legs! Like a shitty Steve Waugh!
I'm more into cover drives, square cuts and all kinds of back foot shots.Awesome man! You and I sound like polar opposites! I'm a back foot player and very strong outside the off stump but I'm pretty useless off my legs! Like a shitty Steve Waugh!
Cover drive = shot of the gods. Front foot or back foot: a boundary through the covers is to die for!
This is so true. When Clarkey was commentating this summer and started talking about the strategies and the mindset of the players I thought it was really interesting...and then I realized the commentary should be like this ALL THE TIME.
chicko1983
Member
Yep the Kahuna range up until they went "BIG EDGE" were the best bats by a mile.
IF anyone knows where I can get a Kahuna with the reinforced, carbon fiber back sticker (the one circa 2004 that got banned), Im willing to buy it if in good condition.
chicko1983
Member
Awesome man! You and I sound like polar opposites! I'm a back foot player and very strong outside the off stump but I'm pretty useless off my legs! Like a shitty Steve Waugh!
Im an opening bat but as I am short (5'7"), my square of the wicket shots get me a heap of runs early on when opening bowlers try to bounce me.
Then if they pitch it up, my favourite shot is the lofted drive which is pretty safe when the field is up as an opening batsman.
My second favourite shot is the flick off the pads which is very good for my grade of cricket (comes from the backyard cricket games where the boundary was on my legs).
So I generally start the innings with a pull or cut. Then the bowler pitches it up outside off and I loft it over the mid off. Then the pitch it up and, straighter and on the stumps and I flick it off for two through mid wicket.
I have brought a few bowlers to be swearing at my by the second over of theirs. I love opening the innings!
Hopefully the game gets called off tomorrow, 41 deg C currently forecasted. Then I can watch the World Cup!
Phat Michael
Banned
Fuck man i hate facing the new ball! I used to open because I had a decent defense from confined back yard cricket. But yeah, gotta get that Damn shine off the ball quickly!
It's good being a back foot player at the start of the innings as you can use the pace of the ball for runs behind the stumps.
It's good being a back foot player at the start of the innings as you can use the pace of the ball for runs behind the stumps.
oipic
Member
Thanks for posting this, Antiwhippy - this was a cracking essay that nails so many points, and makes them very well. Great writer, this Geoff Lemon chap.
Particularly spot-on in regard to the commentary team giving every impression that they believe they're the entertainment, not the glorious game of cricket itself that has given them this opportunity in the first place.
I'm staggered it has descended so quickly into the lads' club that it is, particularly given that, as individuals, they can each seem to analyse and speak knowledgeably about the game for the most part (well, perhaps Brayshaw aside)... but together, their 'chemistry' is toxic.
Anyway, hoping this rather wild Melbourne weather clears so there's plenty of cricket to soak in at the 'G tomorrow - taking my better half along for what I consider to be a most romantic Valentine's Day outing.
War Peaceman
You're a big guy.
Completely agree. The English commentary both of Sky and TMS is outstanding.
All these posts about cricket gear really make we want to go join a team again...
Phat Michael
Banned
Do it! I get so excited after work strapping on the armour and going all out. When I was s kid I couldn't afford any decent stuff. Now I have a kit of the finest since I work full time
Stereogatari
Banned
Speaking of Sky...it's a disgrace that the Cricket World Cup isn't a protected piece of broadcasting that is required to be shown on free TV...
I've only ever known the World Cup to be on Sky (2003 was my first one). Did it used to be shown on free TV in the past?
Poetic.Injustice
Member
Blame the ECB. Cricket is quickly becoming irrelevant in the mainstream British consciousness by not being shown on free to air TV.
Compare that to every other cricketing nation in the world where cricket is aired for free on terrestrial networks.
Stereogatari
Banned
Well said.
It's ironic for me. When I was a kid and we had Sky, Channel 4 showed the test cricket for free. Then when my Dad cut the subscription was roughly around the time Channel 4 stopped showing it. My rotten luck
.I suppose I'll have to make do with streams and watching the odd one or two round friends/family.
I'm going to buy some £10 Sky Sports Now TV Week Passes for the big football matches coming up, so I can get more value out of those with the cricket as well...
Maninthemirror
Banned
it asks for an indian mobile number.
War Peaceman
You're a big guy.
Do it! I get so excited after work strapping on the armour and going all out. When I was s kid I couldn't afford any decent stuff. Now I have a kit of the finest since I work full time
I'll need to buy all new gear pretty much, but I'm very very tempted. There's a few months before the weather becomes even close to appropriate.
It is a disgrace, but I also do think that Sky do an excellent job with their coverage.
SniperHunter
Banned
yea they were really memorable last time around
This is my first time watching Cricket, ever. My girlfriend is Indian so she's super excited and I said I'd watch. Not sure what to expect, or how much I'll like it (only follow fussball).
I did some research and found this, not sure how I'm going to watch it yet -_- http://www.reddit.com/r/Cricket/wiki/livestreams
I did some research and found this, not sure how I'm going to watch it yet -_- http://www.reddit.com/r/Cricket/wiki/livestreams
I've been trying to learn cricket so I bit the bullet and bought the ESPN package with all the streams. What are some good websites to follow coverage of the WC and the sport in general? I already read ESPN and the Guardian, so anything in addition to those would be appreciated.
SniperHunter
Banned
first match starts in 5 hours? wow
My Sri Lankan homies versus New Zealand! Whoop whoop.
SniperHunter
Banned
New Zealand will win, they have been playing really well lately
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