Deliberately losing a match

[Engle]

Is it OK for a team to deliberately lose a match so as to position themselves against an opponent whom they feel they could more likely beat ?

After all, the objective is to win the World Cup and how you do that is entirely up to you.

Any ramifications, sanctions, objections to this theoretical thought ?

 

[blahblahblah]

all the teams that gonna proceed to knowck outs have it in them to knock the other team out

so just gonna have tow ork for the day to be theirs and not chickening out like this

 

[HeathDavisSpeed]

Was wondering this the other day. It's certainly unethical and with so much money bet on sport these days, it really isn't on - though I guess you could say that punters should take this into account.

Also, don't forget how important individual records are to cricketers. Herschelle Gibbs scoring a decent score when he'd promised Cronje he'd get out for less than 10 is a good case in point (hoping I've remembered that correctly)

 

[smash84]

I think it is fair if it is alright if it is part of team strategy in order to win the world cup and does not have other interests placed above the interest of the team and country.

 

[salman85]

I think it's OK to do that in order to progress easier in the tournament,but i don't think any team discusses doing that.You certainly don't plan to lose,because it gives out negative vibes and could potentially put you on a losing streak.

There have been instances in other sports,like Football for example,where losing a match would knockout a potentially dangerous opponent.At Euro 2008 for example,Holland had the chance to knockout both Italy and France from the compeition had it lost it's final group game.Holland was already through no matter what the their final group match's result was,but they still won that game.

Can't see a team actaully having discussions on something like this.It's risky for team morale and the whole winning mentality thing.

 

[Prince EWS]

Certainly not. It would be a disgrace. If you don't want to win, then just own up to the fact and forfeit before a ball is bowled.

 

[BoyBrumby]

Agree with PEWS, deliberately losing is anathema to sport. It was an unedifying enough spectacle to see Steve Waugh deliberately scoring slowly against the Windies in 1999 in an attempt to manipulate who advanced with Oz to the Super 6 stage.

I wouldn't have any problem with a team rotating their squad though, as in fact the Dutch football team did versus Romania in the example salman gave.

 

[Ausage]

Ethical questions aside I would want to see my team attempt to win every match, no questions asked. A losing mindset is not something I would want them to have ever experienced under any circumstances. Elite performance is not just a tap that can be turned on or off, and I think doing so would cause problems for the team down the track.

 

[vcs]

Ethical questions aside I would want to see my team attempt to win every match, no questions asked. A losing mindset is not something I would want them to have ever experienced under any circumstances. Elite performance is not just a tap that can be turned on or off, and I think doing so would cause problems for the team down the track.

This. Australia in the last 2 WCs provide ample evidence. What good did it do SL to keep some of their top bowlers under wraps for the Super 8 match in 2007, having already qualified for the semis? Australia smashed them again in the final.

 

[Noble One]

Cringe at the idea.

I would imagine the legacy of any World Cup winning team would be completely ruined by such an act.

 

[Blaze 18]

Ethical questions aside I would want to see my team attempt to win every match, no questions asked. A losing mindset is not something I would want them to have ever experienced under any circumstances. Elite performance is not just a tap that can be turned on or off, and I think doing so would cause problems for the team down the track.

Agree with this.

 

[blahblahblah]

and which team do u support ausage?

 

[GIMH]

Pretty much agree with Brumby. Give players a rest, try a different batting order or a new field setting. But try and win. Always.

 

[Ausage]

and which team do u support ausage?

Australia.

 

[Xuhaib]

Pakistan concurs with the idea but for different purposes

 

[marc71178]

Could be a double edged sword to be honest, stop the (obviously strong) momentum a team has gained from winning its games and who's to say they can pick it back up in the knock out game?

I certainly wouldn't want England to deliberately do it, we lose enough as it is.

 

[Howe_zat]

Firstly, always try and win. If one side isn't trying to win then the matxh isn't worth watching. I'd feel betrayed.

Then, in what situation would you want to lose? Let's say West Indies pull off a surprise to beat England and India. Do you want to deliberately try and play them in the quarters, just because it's what you would have preferred at the start of the tournament? No, because they're playing the better cricket and in form. You always want to avoid a side that's winning.

 

[Xuhaib]

imo in odi none of the top 8 can slack against each other because even the slightly weaker ones like Win and NZl are more then capable of winning a game and winning convincingly.

 

[morgieb]

If people got busted for delibretely bowling no-balls, what would you think about deliberately losing a match? It's wrong and vile imo.

 

[Xuhaib]

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