*Official* Pool A Discussion

[aussie_beater]

wrongly posted the message in this thread..... moving it to the right thread("Three teams you will support in this WC")....sorry about that.

 

[marc71178]

I think it's worth remembering that the first splitting between sides level on points is the match between those teams - if it's 3 tied, it's the mini-league between those 3.

That makes the minnows roles not quite as crucial IMO.

 

[warrioryohannan]

I think people are seriously under-rating Zim's chances of getting through, as the other half decent teams are inconsistent (especially India and Pakistan but also England). I don't think its inconceivable that both India and Pakistan don't get out of first gear and Zimbabwe take that 3rd spot with England second and Aus first. I like Zimbabwe a lot, and i think their players have had to put up with an almighty amount of crap (ie if other teams refuse to play, then they have their passports taken off them). I wish them well and think they have a good chance of making super sixes but maybe asking too much to get through to semis.

Actually chances are that both Australia and England might boycott their matches against Zimb. If they do that then there is a possibility that Australia might not even top the pool and England would make an early exit from the game.

I reckon India might top the pool with Australia as the runner up and Pakistanon third slot.

 

[Gilly18]

If Aus and Eng boycott the Zimbabwe games then Zim will go through for sure because they will beat Holland and Namibia. Also i think apart from australia, all of these teams are out of form. England were smashed in the Ashes and VB series (although made the final because SL were crap), India were abysmal against NZ, Pak got thrashed against SA in the same conditions as they will face in the World Cup and Zim got beat by Pakistan easily. Holland and Namibia need more competitive matches.

After saying all this, who knows who will make the Super Six. Australia will, but then ???

To give England credit they did perform better towards the end of the Aussie series and in my mind as long as england play in Zim then they and whoever decides to play decent cricket out of Pak, Ind and Zim will get through.

But as i said who knows what those teams could produce.

 

[Bazza]

If Aus and Eng boycott the Zimbabwe games then Zim will go through for sure because they will beat Holland and Namibia

Not necessarily true - just thinking this through - eg Zim have those 4 wins, Australia win all other games bar Eng that's 4 wins, Eng could win all other games bar Pak that's 4 and then Pak could win all games bar Ind which is 4 and India could win 4 games, which puts 5 teams equal and I think if you put their results against each other it would be equal because everyone has won 2 lost 2 against the other 4 sides involved in the tiebreaker. Then it comes down to NRR or whatever. A long shot but could happen!

That's confusing, put it this way:

ZIM - Aus, Eng, Nam, Hol
AUS - Ind, Pak, Nam, Hol
ENG - Aus, Ind, Nam, Hol
PAK - Zim, Eng, Nam, Hol
IND - Pak, Zim, Nam, Hol

 

[Eclipse]

It's possible but unlikley.

 

[marc71178]

Be fantastic if that happened though!

 

[Top_Cat]

Hmmmmmmmmmm................Saleem Elahi is looking a little too good for comfort. Surely Pakistan canṫ win but geez, heś looking good.

 

[Top_Cat]

And just as I say that, heś gone. Sorry Saleem.

 

[Gotchya]

And just as I say that, heś gone. Sorry Saleem.

aargghh !!! you jinxy winxy !

 

[Anil]

So, ultimately Akhtar didn't exactly destroy Australia, did he? The Aussies don't look like they are missing Warne too much.

 

[Gotchya]

So, ultimately Akhtar didn't exactly destroy Australia, did he? The Aussies don't look like they are missing Warne too much.

Akram never gave him the chance to, he got Ponting out though. Symonds blazed away in the middle of the innings. Akhter couldn't have been brought on at that stage

 

[luckyeddie]

The appalling over rate must have had a big influence at the time. As it was, Pakistan were docked an over. If it hadn't been for the fact that the lesser bowlers raced through their spells in the middle of the Australian innings, they could have been 3 or 4 overs shy.

I'm not convinced with the consistency of this over rate rubbish, though, since the Aussies got through theirs even slower. If the last wicket hadn't fallen when it did (2 minutes before the cutoff time), Australia would have been docked 20% of their match fee.

 

[marc71178]

That is to me a big wrong.

The over rule should be the same for both, and the team penalised by a run penalty if they fall short.

It's good to see they're taking a stand against the problem so far, but it still needs to hitthe team fielding second.

 

[Rik]

And just as I say that, heś gone. Sorry Saleem.

It's because you thinking he was good put too much pressure on Pakistan's answer to AA and he realised he was really not good enough to be in much longer and got himself out.

Anyway congrats on 1000 posts...15 posts too late...oh well 8D

 

[anzac]

congrads to Australia & in particular to Ponting, Symonds & Harvey.

OZ were probably as vulnerable mentally as they were going to be re the Warne controversy, but now they will have some confidence re Symonds & Harvey in their middle & lower order. I doubt that Pakistan will get another opportunity as this to have beaten them in this Cup.

Waqar looks to have had a brain fade re his tactics re bowlers & over rates, which allowed the OZ middle order to dig themselves out of trouble.

 

[masterblaster]

Well done Australia!
Well done Symonds! I knew he was exceptionally talented from the time he entered this Australian team in 1999, and today he has not let me or any other of his other supporters down.
He is a proven match winner in all departments, well done Andy!

India vs Holland today, should be interesting how India play. They can be all pumped up and totally thrash them, or they can be complacent, make a meal out of it, but still win.

I cant see India losing to Holland, hope India bat first and Entertain the masses.

 

[Eclipse]

My prediction:

India top order will be complacent and Holland will get 3 quick wickets then India will explode and make 350.

Holland will bat and one of there players will make a 70+ score including massacering Agit Agarkar and holland will be all out for 177 in the 39th over.

 

[marc71178]

Sachin opening - that's a bit of a turn-up.

But no AA, when will they see his greatness?!

 

[Tim]

Well that prediction was semi-correct.
India did lose quick wickets, but there's been no real middle order fight back.

I see India are playing Khan, Srinath, Kumble & Singh. Now thats a fairly good lineup to me, but Kumble & Srinath have been known to go for runs every now & then so if somebody sticks around for the Netherlands then India will be desperately looking for the 5th bowling option.