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I am happy my team didn't reach the finals.

haroon510

International 12th Man
i think it is unfair to say that SL played worse than pakistan and india in the past couple of world cup finals. SL fought pretty well but the weather districted them. the only mistake that they did was giving frenando another chance. mahroof could have been there simply instead of frenando.
when sangakara and jaysuria was playing SL were fighting pretty well but couldn't just keep that momentum going on.
 

pasag

RTDAS
Although getting to the final is obviously better then getting out in the first round, as a fan it's not so close cut that you'd take a (grand)final loss everytime. They hurt alot and you never, ever forget them. I'd rather come 3rd or 4th, maybe. Those you forget and move on, but a final or a Grand Final you don't. You think about what would have been, how close you got before failing, especailly if you don't win for years to come or this is the last opporunity with this group of players. The players might feel the same way as well.

But re: the discussion here, I don't think Australia humilated Sri Lanka at all. Besides Gilchrist, none of the Australian batsmen were amazing and the Sri Lankan reply was excellent before the break. I was really worried there for a time and it's the first time I've been for the whole tournament (bar Smith and AB firing in the Super 8s). Not humiliated by any means.
 

viktor

State Vice-Captain
I know it sounds silly, but the way Australia have humiliated the opposition in last 3 WC finals, I dont think I want my team to be there and get humiliated again.

That said I have nothing but respect for SriLankan performance through out the tournament, it is not their fault they met a far superior team.
Finals??? We are lucky we didn't get into the super6s, Ireland would have caned us!!
Now, thaat would have been embarrassing.
 

Langeveldt

Soutie
I rather have my team humiliated by Australia than Bangladesh.
Agreed... I said that our loss to Bangladesh hurt more than losing to a great side like Australia, and got some very funny feedback..

No harm in getting beaten by this Aussie side, but our performance against Bangladesh was disgusting..
 

Sanz

Hall of Fame Member
i think it is unfair to say that SL played worse than pakistan and india in the past couple of world cup finals. SL fought pretty well but the weather districted them. the only mistake that they did was giving frenando another chance. mahroof could have been there simply instead of frenando.
when sangakara and jaysuria was playing SL were fighting pretty well but couldn't just keep that momentum going on.
I am not saying that SL played worse than Pakistan, but just that didn't play much better, may be marginally better. Due to the shortened match it appeared that they competed better but realistically they never had a chance.

Had it been a 50 overs match, I have no doubt in my mind that Australia would have scored more than 350.
 

Sanz

Hall of Fame Member
Although getting to the final is obviously better then getting out in the first round, as a fan it's not so close cut that you'd take a (grand)final loss everytime. They hurt alot and you never, ever forget them. I'd rather come 3rd or 4th, maybe. Those you forget and move on, but a final or a Grand Final you don't. You think about what would have been, how close you got before failing, especailly if you don't win for years to come or this is the last opporunity with this group of players. The players might feel the same way as well.
Close to what I was thinking. That's the reason losing teams often go downwards. Pakistan 1999, India 2003 are good examples.
 

Beleg

International Regular
oh bull****.

Sri Lanka were not humilated in the final. I can't understand - maybe you folks saw a different final from the one I did, but until the rain started Sri Lanka were well and truly in the game - about half way through.

Australia always had the upper-hand but it was no where near as cut and dried as '99 or '03.
 

Hoppy1987

U19 Debutant
Close to what I was thinking. That's the reason losing teams often go downwards. Pakistan 1999, India 2003 are good examples.
do you not think the fact that all the players in both sides were aging and no-one stepped up to replace them? Pakistan - Akram and Younis et al, India, Ganguly, Dravid, Tendulker all way past their prime.
 

Sanz

Hall of Fame Member
do you not think the fact that all the players in both sides were aging and no-one stepped up to replace them? Pakistan - Akram and Younis et al, India, Ganguly, Dravid, Tendulker all way past their prime.
And obviously Mcgrath, Gilchrist, Ponting, Hayden didn't age at all, they were stuck at the same age since 1999. Let's face it, they were among the oldest players in their team and they performed better than most young players in their team.
 

vic_orthdox

Global Moderator
Although getting to the final is obviously better then getting out in the first round, as a fan it's not so close cut that you'd take a (grand)final loss everytime. They hurt alot and you never, ever forget them. I'd rather come 3rd or 4th, maybe. Those you forget and move on, but a final or a Grand Final you don't. You think about what would have been, how close you got before failing, especailly if you don't win for years to come or this is the last opporunity with this group of players. The players might feel the same way as well.

But re: the discussion here, I don't think Australia humilated Sri Lanka at all. Besides Gilchrist, none of the Australian batsmen were amazing and the Sri Lankan reply was excellent before the break. I was really worried there for a time and it's the first time I've been for the whole tournament (bar Smith and AB firing in the Super 8s). Not humiliated by any means.
As a Geelong fan, I understand what you're saying.
 

Jono

Virat Kohli (c)
Totally different matter, because in AFL you get a crack every year. In Cricket, its once every 4 years, with often some players only ever playing one or two World Cups. Simply seeing your favourite team on (at least in theory) the biggest stage in cricket is fulfilling for me. Clearly if India had won it in 2003 I would have been extremely happy, but the fact that they were being criticised from all corners after their loss to Aus in the early stages, fought back and demolished all other teams bar Australia throughout the tournament is something I still look back on with fondness, obviously specifically as an Indian fan.

Different to say seeing Geelong lose all the 89, 92, 94 and 95 GFs in the space of 5-6 years. At least IMO.
 

Sanz

Hall of Fame Member
Jono, not disagreeing with any of that(except that we didn't really demolish any team, we beat them sure)

Anyways, would you have felt same fondness, if we had made to the finals this time and meet the same result ?
 

Jono

Virat Kohli (c)
You don't think we demolished SL (183 run win), NZ (7 wicket win) and to an extent England (conditions favouring India in that match, but still an 82 run win)? Even Pakistan was a 6 wicket win chasing 274.

That's half the reason people actually thought India had a chance, the bowling and batting was clicking together. If India had scraped their way to the finals, similarly to how SL did to get to the semis in 2003, then people would have expected the belting Australia gave. Whilst Australia were red hot favourites, people still believed there was a chance for India to upset them because India had looked better than every single other non-Australian team.

Anyway, if India had made the 2007 WC final and played like SL had done, I would have probably been even more disappointed than 2003, but still proud. If they made the final in different circumstances, then maybe I wouldn't be as proud.

The thing about SL is they were gone 18 months ago. People thought they were gone, and I was one of them. They had been demolished by India 6-1, no one knew if Jayasuriya was staying or leaving, it looked as if no youngsters at all were coming through, and on top of that the coach and captaincy was in the air. 12 months later they're a formidable unit taking on NZ in NZ which not many sub-continent teams can do, and then having a fairly successful WC campaign. That's what makes their story great for mine.

Its not simply a matter of "SL made the final, let's be proud", because if I was a Pakistani supporter I would have been probably more pissed than proud following the 99 WC final, because Pakistan were that good a team that they could have beaten Australia had they not put in such an **** performance. India of 2003 and SL of 2007 on the other hand, at least IMO, are great stories of revival. Teams peaking, but just not being good enough to beat the Australian juggernaut.
 
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vic_orthdox

Global Moderator
Jono, not disagreeing with any of that(except that we didn't really demolish any team, we beat them sure)

Anyways, would you have felt same fondness, if we had made to the finals this time and meet the same result ?
It's a good point. It's the consecutive/consistent defeats that tear at the heart.
 

Sanz

Hall of Fame Member
Good Post Jono, I admit it was a silly post and wrong way of thinking about your team's performance..but I didn't know If I wanted my team to be demolished again like last time. That would have been what 10th Final in a row against Australia ?
 

Fusion

Global Moderator
Its not simply a matter of "SL made the final, let's be proud", because if I was a Pakistani supporter I would have been probably more pissed than proud following the 99 WC final, because Pakistan were that good a team that they could have beaten Australia had they not put in such an **** performance.
:cry: So many bad memories from that game!
 

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