What the tournament needs...

[Fuller Pilch]

I think what the tournament needs is for Australia to beat the Windies and NZ to beat Pakistan. That way the West Indies - Ireland and Pakistan - Bangladesh games will be knock outs (rather than dead rubbers) and there might be some interest in pool play.

Comments?

[AaronK]

it has been a boring tournment so far.. I don't know what the hell they were thinking puttling so many minnows vs giant matches..

The only thing i have enjoyed seeing indian batting struggling against afghan fast bowlers.. shapoor zadran is pretty impressive.. reminded me of young shoaib akhtar..

[straw man]

Pool play has indeed been pretty dull. Can say now without incurring wrath of karma upon NZ that the minnows have not contributed a great deal to the tournament so far.

Agree those results you suggested would add a little more spice.

[Daemon]

I've quite enjoyed the matches I've seen so far.

[BoyBrumby]

Yesterday's games were lit up by McCullum's and Wright's wonderful knocks, but as contests they were both non-events. The Whigs actually had to rally to only lose by 116 runs, which is still more than England successfully defended against Pakistan in the warm-up.

Another problem with Zimbabwe and Afghanistan both playing the first two games in their groups is that SL/SA & India/England are both of curiousity value only now, especially with the seedings for the Super 8s decided regardless of finishing positions.

Agree with the OP, Australian and New Zealand wins would create some more interest.

[social]

Crowds

[smalishah84]

proceed to the super 8s without playing any minnow matches

[straw man]

I do like having 2-4 out of Bangladesh, Ireland, Zimbabwe plus 1 in world tournaments. They just haven't been particularly good so far this WC, so the group stage becomes like a pre-tournament just to get rid of them.

[Debris]

I don't mind the minnows being in. It can show how good some players are when you see them against lesser opposition.

And to be fair, the minnows usually cause an upset or two to shake up tournaments.

[stumpski]

It's both a convenience and a curse that there happen to be eight teams who play cricket to a substantially higher standard than the rest. It means that the last eight/quarter-final stage in any multi-team tournament is virtually pre-confirmed. I do wish that one or two of the so-called minnows could raise their game and somehow start to compete with the big eight on level terms, but who was the last team to break through the glass ceiling - Sri Lanka? They've been serious contenders since that '96 World Cup win.

What the tournament really needs, of course, apart from a close match or two, is for it to stop raining.

[BoyBrumby]

Minnows can't win in a way tho. When they're poo the first round's a forgone conclusion; when they actually beat their betters (a la Ireland & Bangladesh in 2007) they're blamed for breaking the tournament.

[uvelocity]

how did they work out the seedings anyway. seems wierd how it has for instance eng and ind in one group and wi and aus in another

[Daemon]

Pre determined so it would be easier for spectators to plan out schedules in terms of buying tickets and booking hotels according to harsha bhogle on twitter.

[wellAlbidarned]

If you want to have a true world cup then you have to tolerate the fact that good teams are generally going to beat teams that aren't as good as them. Don't get what all this fuss is tbh.

[uvelocity]

Originally Posted by Daemon

Pre determined so it would be easier for spectators to plan out schedules in terms of buying tickets and booking hotels according to harsha bhogle on twitter.

yeah thats well and good, but how far in advance, aus and wi have been lowly ranked since forever, why are they together? would make more sense 1,5,9 / 2,6,10 / 3,7,11 & 4,8,12 imo

well 3 in a pool is pretty silly too I think. but that's a different story.