Truekiwijoker
School Boy/Girl Cricketer
I read with some dismay that the upcoming ICC world cup tournament will be competed amongst 16 teams (!).
Call me negative, but I strongly feel that this is simply too many teams and does NOT do the sport of cricket a service. Already amongst the teams with 'test' status there is a great disparity in quality and ability, with Bangladesh and Zimbabwe struggling to perform with any credible competetiveness amongst the others even in the more 'even' one day games. Of those teams who have qualified without 'test' status, only Kenya and possbly Canada can be expected to be anything for fans too look foward too. In previous tournaments The Netherlands and Scotland were predictably performers of a quality poor enough to be regarded as uncompetetive. Will Ireland and Bermuda be any different? this poster stronly doubts it.
I do not believe that for the most part the presence of these non-test teams and the two above mentioned test teams will add anything much to the competition or will add much in terms of revenue or long term growth of the sport.
And in any case, does an eight-hour long game like ODI cricket really need so many teams in one tournament? not in my opinion. Twelve teams perhaps is a stretch for me, sixteen is overkill.
Any thoughts?
Call me negative, but I strongly feel that this is simply too many teams and does NOT do the sport of cricket a service. Already amongst the teams with 'test' status there is a great disparity in quality and ability, with Bangladesh and Zimbabwe struggling to perform with any credible competetiveness amongst the others even in the more 'even' one day games. Of those teams who have qualified without 'test' status, only Kenya and possbly Canada can be expected to be anything for fans too look foward too. In previous tournaments The Netherlands and Scotland were predictably performers of a quality poor enough to be regarded as uncompetetive. Will Ireland and Bermuda be any different? this poster stronly doubts it.
I do not believe that for the most part the presence of these non-test teams and the two above mentioned test teams will add anything much to the competition or will add much in terms of revenue or long term growth of the sport.
And in any case, does an eight-hour long game like ODI cricket really need so many teams in one tournament? not in my opinion. Twelve teams perhaps is a stretch for me, sixteen is overkill.
Any thoughts?