Associate Performances Analysis

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Typing from an iPad, so keeping this short. For now:

Ireland vs. WI: batting was the highlight. Great contributions from the top order - power from Stirling provided impetus up top to mean the chase was easy when the pressure came on. Bowling was subpar from the seamers, but reasonable from the spinners, if lacking a little penetration. Fielding was generally solid barring one debacle of a dropped catch on the square boundary. Summary - Above Par.

Afghans vs. Bangladesh: disappointing all round. Restricted Bangladesh to only 270, but much vaunted bowling attack needed to do better. Poor in the middle overs, with redemption at the end and Mirwais being miserly at the start. Strange bowling management from Nabi and again looked shabby in the field when under pressure/after the 20 over mark. Batting was poor, especially up against the new ball. Summary - Below Par

UAE vs. Zimbabwe: gave themselves a very good chance of a major upset against in form Zimbabwe. Batting stuttered, but contributions all the way down set a slightly sub par target, but many more than Zimbabwe were hoping to chafe. Fielding okay, but a few tired efforts towards the end. Bowling fared pretty well, but Najeeb (I think) might need to bowl more at the start and less at the end in an ideal work. Summary - Above Par

Scotland vs. NZ: missed the game, so can't comment in detail. Summary has to be above par though. Better performance than England have managed vs. NZ.

Guessing Scotland gave had the most "above expectation" performance thus far.

 

[Athlai]

Seemed like all the NZ wickets vs. Scotland were gifted slogs. I'd say they were a bit below par in all honesty. Ireland and UAE definitely with the best performances so far.

 

[Tec15]

England vs. NZ: Absolute crap. These minnows should be forced to go through a rigorous qualification process before they're allowed to stink up the place with such performances. Also, no more poaching expats from South Africa, Zimbabwe, Ireland, etc. They have to demonstrate that there is enough domestic interest in their team. How will the game ever grow over there if their team is filled with so many expats?

 

[brockley]

Fact is game is not growing it declining,expats make them stronger,reason for them to keep doing it.The argument is there are not enough good locals there for an 18 team comp,probably a reason for less sides.
Cricket is subscription tv over there,most the middle class and poor have to listen to BBC radio.

 

[Prince EWS]

Scotland didn't really play that well. They bowled okay (not great; I've seen them bowl better), but it was one of those games you had to watch to really get a proper sense of it. I'd probably call it a par performance or possibly even slightly below par; one good partnership with the bat and surprised NZ with the ball by being better bowlers than they were given credit for, but nothing out of the ordinary.

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

I'm sure this won't make a blind bit of difference, but here's a petition to lobby the ICC to change their mind over associate representation in the 2019 World Cup: https://www.change.org/p/internatio...ion-to-reduce-the-2019-world-cup-to-ten-teams