Twenty20 World Cup

[AndrewM]

Scheduled for September 2007.

I can't think of anything more...rubbish.

It suits New Zealand to a tee however; with only two tests in the next 17 months, we will eventually forget how to bat for more than 50 overs and employ one-day tactics all the time. Rather than the 'Black Caps', the team will become 'One Day Caps', and so forth.

Its obvious: Martin Sneddon wants us to win the first ever Twenty20 World Cup. The ICC World Cup is simply an annoyance. The real money is in Twenty20 - fast bowlers, fast batsmen and a fast crowd. Everything is just fast. Even the commentators.

(Future bulletin)
"In sport, the first round of the Twenty20 World Cup was staged today. Ireland beat Australia, Zimbabwe smashed India and New Zealand drew with the USA... The ICC has announced plans to stage a Ten10 World Cup, thinking the intiative would further develop one-day cricket. Furthermore, the ICC has officially cancelled all test match scheduling for the next 10 years. New Zealand was apparently indifferent, mainly because they didn't have any tests scheduled anyway."

Cynicism over.

[Matt79]

After initial dissent, the super-power-play-rules were well received:

"moving the boundaries in to within 25 yards of the pitch, replacing the old fashioned leather balls with attractive pink tennis balls (which don't swing and ruin an otherwise good day's slog-i-mean-batting, and barring fieldsmen have certainly contributed to some fast scoring, which definitely keeps the crowd interested. Replacing the old fashion country based teams with multinational themed squads has also been a positive move in terms of increasing the sponsorship dollar and therefore helping grass roots cricket" said Starbucks Coffee captain Ricky Ponting.

[Jono]

I heard 10,000 people are going to be flocking Federation Square here in Melbourne to watch Australia play.

[Top_Cat]

My God, naysayers abound! Just about the same stuff was propagated about the death of Test cricket when ODI's came into being. Show a little optimism, guys; I'd watch a 20/20 WC!

[Samuel_Vimes]

If it kills off ODIs then I'm all for it. (course, it won't, since we've got the BCCI loving their 8-hour days with ad breaks...)

[Scaly piscine]

Originally Posted by Samuel_Vimes

If it kills off ODIs then I'm all for it. (course, it won't, since we've got the BCCI loving their 8-hour days with ad breaks...)

Yep, and those thrilling 7 ODI series that are usually over after 4-5 games - still they don't have a final as such so that's good for India.

[Natman20]

I'd rather watch a Test match series than a Twenty20 world cup. I think it appeals a lot to new people interested in cricket and I geuss it has been a success so far but I think it needs a bit more testing done beofre they could announce the World Cup. It better not replace any form of cricket as that would be tragic. ODIs and Tests should be placed first IMO

[marc71178]

Originally Posted by Scaly piscine

Yep, and those thrilling 7 ODI series that are usually over after 4-5 games - still they don't have a final as such so that's good for India.

As an English fan, I don't see how you can make mocking comments about the Indian ODI side.

[Goughy]

Originally Posted by Samuel_Vimes

If it kills off ODIs then I'm all for it. (course, it won't, since we've got the BCCI loving their 8-hour days with ad breaks...)

I could not agree more. Ive often been called a traditionalist but I really enjoy 20/20 cricket. On the other hand I would not walk to the end of my street to watch a ODI. 20/20 and Test cricket are 2 extremes with each having their nuances. ODIs are (IMO) worthless.

Heres to 20/20 killing the ODI.

[archie mac]

If they must have 20/20 fine, but don't call it cricket, it is a ******* child and should not be able to use its fathers name

I have a picture in the latest Aust. Wisden of a player letting the ball go and it hitting his stumps so he could run byes! (he had a free hit). Now that can not be cricket

[Autobahn]

Originally Posted by archie mac

If they must have 20/20 fine, but don't call it cricket, it is a ******* child and should not be able to use its fathers name

I have a picture in the latest Aust. Wisden of a player letting the ball go and it hitting his stumps so he could run byes! (he had a free hit). Now that can not be cricket

So you're saying that people exploiting the rules to their full extent isn't cricket?

[Craig]

Wait do the day we have Baseball-style double header's for Twenty20.

A certain Rich Hingston would probably become Kevin Pieterson's number one fan before watching that.

[archie mac]

Originally Posted by Autobahn

So you're saying that people exploiting the rules to their full extent isn't cricket?

I am saying a bowler bowling the ball at the stumps and the batsman letting the ball go deliberatly and being bowled deliberatly is not cricket. Well not the game I have been watching for 35 years

[Autobahn]

Originally Posted by archie mac

I am saying a bowler bowling the ball at the stumps and the batsman letting the ball go deliberatly and being bowled deliberatly is not cricket. Well not the game I have been watching for 35 years

So what is it then?

[Scaly piscine]

Originally Posted by marc71178

As an English fan, I don't see how you can make mocking comments about the Indian ODI side.

Winning one of those long 5/7 game series is like having the best practice lap time in a Grand Prix - doesn't really tell you anything because there are so many other factors thrown in. With an ODI final they at least mean something because both teams are up for it - if you hardly ever win these then you're not going to do well in a World Cup either when teams are even more up for it and there's yet more pressure.