Semi Finals and Finals

[sideshowtim]

Originally Posted by honestbharani

dunno abt this, surely the prizes could have waited till the tourney was over??


I still fear the worst for India in the finals. It is not like us to play with such intensity for so many games in a row. The token flat performance has to come in and I really really do fear that it will happen in the finals.

I agree. Why award the team before they've actually won anything?

You're awarding mediocrity that way.

[honestbharani]

Originally Posted by sideshowtim

I agree. Why award the team before they've actually won anything?

You're awarding mediocrity that way.

THAT is the problem with administration in India and Pak. We award people before hand. These awards can surely come after the tournament, regardless of which team wins the final?


It is not us CW fans who are going overboard, but I guess some boards are going overboard with rewards and stuff.

[SJS]

Originally Posted by honestbharani

dunno abt this, surely the prizes could have waited till the tourney was over??

I think they want to make a statement. Something like. "Great job. This is the spirit we want. Its not the end of the world if you lose in the finals. You have done us proud by reaching there. Just keep playing like this and hope for the best. If you still lose, we are okay with that"

If that was the intent it had to be done before the finals. I think thats not bad.

Modi (the most powerful man in BCCI after Powar) being present in South Africa must have helped take the decision so quickly.

Originally Posted by honestbharani

I still fear the worst for India in the finals. It is not like us to play with such intensity for so many games in a row. The token flat performance has to come in and I really really do fear that it will happen in the finals.

Thats the pessimist who lives in all of us, more in Indians because our teams have failed at the final hurdle in the past. I am sure everyone of us feels the same to some extent even those who will scream India is the greatest.

Lets just keep our fingers crossed and be happy in the knowledge that if ever India is going to win another world cup they will have to reach the final first and here they are.

Surely the chances of winning now are better now than before the semi final

So take of your shoes and cross your toes first and then your fingers and wait. Dont forget to pour yourself a tankard of bear first

[pasag]

Sigh, anyways.

As has been said, was a really good match that had everything and I don't feel Australia should be too disappointed there, we played well but India played better and those are the best sporting matches. Sreesanth was excellent as was Yuvraj for the Indians and you'd think they were both the deciding factors that got India across the line as well as lifting the rest of the side.

Nothing much to worry about for Australia, if anything the limited overs bowling that has been much criticised since 434 has been splendid all tournament with Clark really showing he can cut it in this format. Hope he carries this in to the ODIs in India. Johnson also has been very impressive and hopefully he'll go from strength to strength. Getting to a semi final after the start we had was still a top achievement and full credit to Australia for making such strong and professional comebacks. Just wasn't enough in the end. Should make for great battles ahead in the ODI series as well.

The final should be a cracker though, can't wait. Both would be great stories if either won, Pakistan overcoming their perennial troubles especially with Akhtar pre-tournament and the ODI WC not that long ago and India with no coach, no warm ups and all their stars sitting out. Will be happy either way tbh.

[JASON]

Congratulations India

on a deserved win....now other Teams can look at India and Pakistan and learn that the Aussies can be beaten provided the players go with positive frame of mind and give their best without getting carried away by preconceived hype ..... And also their(Australia's) old stalwarts are no longer there...so they are beatable....provided Teams and players play positively....


The Final should be Brilliant....The best Teams in 20/20 have reached the Finals and I am so pleased....

[PakPowered]

Originally Posted by silentstriker

Can't believe they got $1million USD and a Porche for a player for winning a T20 semi-final. Dravid better have gotten a personal jet for winning in England, that's all I have to say.

He is lucky that he is a crickter, had he been a hockey player he would have only got a motorcycle

[SJS]

Originally Posted by PakPowered

He is lucky that he is a crickter, had he been a hockey player he would have only got a motorcycle

Because thats all the IHF can afford

[pup11]

Originally Posted by SJS

Oh you missed a greatgame. I realise it appears even greater to an Indian like me. But really the cricketwas of high order from both sides. They kept going at each other from the first round to the last with fabulous energy with no one backing down for even a little bit.

Even someone like me who isn't the greatest fan of this format was absolutely transfixed by contest.

For Australia, I think the fall from the high standards, he himself set not so long back, oh Hussey must count as one of the major disappointments. He seems to be a faint shadow of the man who took the game by storm.

For the sake of cricket fans around the world, irrespective of affiliations, I hope he gets back to his best. The game needs talents like his.

You are being really harsh with Huss mate, what makes you think he is out of form he just didn't had a good hit in the WC and in T20 WC he did his bit whenever he got a chance (though i don't think his batting style was suited for this format), even yesterday he was doing ok but he pulled a hammy which is always distracting, it was Haddin who just gift-wrapped the game and gave it away to the Indians he came in with Aussies needing 29 of 17, but he kept on swinging wildly rather than giving strike to Huss and in the end 22 were required of 6 balls (all because of Haddin's braindead batting) and that was always going to be too much, even for Mr.Cricket!

[PakPowered]

Originally Posted by honestbharani

THAT is the problem with administration in India and Pak. We award people before hand. These awards can surely come after the tournament, regardless of which team wins the final?


It is not us CW fans who are going overboard, but I guess some boards are going overboard with rewards and stuff.

The problem is that they over-react, and the recation is often premature.I remember people attacking the homes of Indian cricketers during the early part of 2003 WC when India lost some early match, yet they same Indian team went on to play the WC final!!!

[PakPowered]

Talking about final , i think both teams are very good, the team that will lift the trophy will be the one that is mentally stronger.

India have reached the final after beating two of the top teams of the world, therefore they should starts as the fav's for the final.

[pup11]

Originally Posted by JASON

Congratulations India

on a deserved win....now other Teams can look at India and Pakistan and learn that the Aussies can be beaten provided the players go with positive frame of mind and give their best without getting carried away by preconceived hype ..... And also their(Australia's) old stalwarts are no longer there...so they are beatable....provided Teams and players play positively....


The Final should be Brilliant....The best Teams in 20/20 have reached the Finals and I am so pleased....

I don't know why everyone keeps on dragging the fact that Australia would be a weaker team without their stalwarts, now they would surely be missed but its not as if Australia would turn into a poor side overnight.
If one looks at Australia's last 3 world cup campaigns one would realise why they have been such a good side over the years, from 99 to 07 they have kept on losing stalwarts in between but players who have come into their places have stepped up big time and after every 4 years Australia has won the world cup even more convincingly as compared to the last one.
I think Australia has nothing to be ashamed of, everyone saw that they weren't in any sort of rhythm through this series but still they managed to make it to the semi-finals, and even when they were not at their best it took their oppositions "A" game to beat them.

[SJS]

Anyone offering odds on the finals ??

[Arjun]

It is not us CW fans who are going overboard, but I guess some boards are going overboard with rewards and stuff.

Does anyone remember what preceded (and followed) the 2003 World Cup final? Sahara's Amby Valley (also the team's kit sponsors) gifted them (in an advertisement) a stay in some resort, if they won, and even though they didn't, they still won it, and the ad had to be changed. Some corporate giants also go overboard here.

[Arjun]

it was Haddin who just gift-wrapped the game and gave it away to the Indians he came in with Aussies needing 29 of 17, but he kept on swinging wildly rather than giving strike to Huss and in the end 22 were required of 6 balls (all because of Haddin's braindead batting) and that was always going to be too much, even for Mr.Cricket!

The original Dinesh Karthik? Looking at that innings closely, the similarities were too obvious.

[pup11]

When was the last time India won the final of a tournament?