Champions Trophy 2017

[StephenZA]

But their spectators are attractive.

The ones that bother to attend...

 

[vcs]

That's a shame. SA's my personal favourite cricket venue for a few years now.

 

[Kirkut]

Yeah, lame that it's in England again. No West Indies is a good thing.

Nah, I wanted to witness another monster innings from AB, one of the reasons why I still follow one-dayers.

 

[TheJediBrah]

I don't know about the no WI decision. Can't help but feel that if they actually had a full strength side they would be genuine challengers.

 

[_Ed_]

Why do India and Pakistan end up in the same group so often? I smell an ICC conspiracy to profit off the ratings.

That is actually true: ICC admits rigging tournament draws to pit India against Pakistan | Stuff.co.nz

 

[Cabinet96]

Honestly think that's disgraceful.

 

[TheJediBrah]

I don't see what the issue is tbh. It's not like it's putting either side at a real disadvantage and if it adds interest and hype surely that's a good thing?

 

[G.I.Joe]

That is actually true: ICC admits rigging tournament draws to pit India against Pakistan | Stuff.co.nz

Disgraceful.

 

[OverratedSanity]

I don't see the big deal.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Pretty much all the teams besides SL and Australia are somewhere near the best they've been in the last few years, and even then a Starc led Australia is pretty strong. Should be good.

wow you must really rate Australia's potential if you think the comfortably no. 1 team in the world isn't even "somewhere near their best"

I would hate to see how good they'd be at their best

 

[91Jmay]

I don't know about the no WI decision. Can't help but feel that if they actually had a full strength side they would be genuine challengers.

Wasn't a decision. They were to **** and didn't qualify. End of story.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Wasn't a decision. They were to **** and didn't qualify. End of story.

The decision I'm referring to was the limiting the tournament to 8 teams, if that wasn't clear.

 

[vcs]

The decision I'm referring to was the limiting the tournament to 8 teams, if that wasn't clear.

Hasn't it always been that way.. I think they used to play some qualifying games prior to the tournament in previous editions. Vaguely remember Bangladesh and Sri Lanka being involved in qualifying matches in 2006. At some point, they must have changed the criteria to rankings.

 

[91Jmay]

Yeah, it has been 8 teams since 2006.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Hasn't it always been that way.. I think they used to play some qualifying games prior to the tournament in previous editions. Vaguely remember Bangladesh and Sri Lanka being involved in qualifying matches in 2006. At some point, they must have changed the criteria to rankings.

exactly correct

Yeah, it has been 8 teams since 2006.

The "final" tournament has been 8 teams since 2006. This is the first time that there hasn't been a qualifying stage, and hence no opportunity for a team ranked <8 to play any part whatsoever.

 

[Jono]

That is actually true: ICC admits rigging tournament draws to pit India against Pakistan | Stuff.co.nz

haha wtf.

Love how the ICC just don't even pretend to be a good organisation. Just publicly admit they are corrupt and just horrendous.

 

[91Jmay]

Team ranked 9 had plenty of opportunity to play a part. Just had to have a better ODI record than Bangladesh or Pakistan, which is really not difficult.

 

[TheJediBrah]

Honestly think that's disgraceful.

Disgraceful.

haha wtf.

Love how the ICC just don't even pretend to be a good organisation. Just publicly admit they are corrupt and just horrendous.

ok someone seriously has to explain to me what the big deal is

Team ranked 9 had plenty of opportunity to play a part. Just had to have a better ODI record than Bangladesh or Pakistan, which is really not difficult.

I don't get what point you're trying to make

 

[Daemon]

wow you must really rate Australia's potential if you think the comfortably no. 1 team in the world isn't even "somewhere near their best"

I would hate to see how good they'd be at their best

Nah, it's not about potential. What I meant when I said "somewhere near the best they've been in the last few years" was that the current Australian team isn't as strong as it was a few seasons ago imo.

Was a bit of a lazy assessment on my part, only Watson and Clarke aren't around now while Haze and Hastings are doing alright. Not that much different really in terms of personnel.

 

[weldone]

That is actually true: ICC admits rigging tournament draws to pit India against Pakistan | Stuff.co.nz

Uh, that sounds filthy