World Cup

[Sillypoint]

I've got the feeling this is a bit of a shambles. The format is strange and the schedule looks crazy. England are travelling up and down everywhere! Is it the same for all the sides? I noticed our test series with them is in some strange locations too

The pitch v Australia was the definition of home advantage. ICC toothless?

[Sillypoint]

Plus this outfield for tomorrow looks like London Fields

[James While]

Go back tomorrow night for the Paris matches

France to beat SA.
NZ to beat Ireland.
Fij to beat Eng
Wales to beat Arg

[Andrew]

Plus this outfield for tomorrow looks like London Fields


Go back tomorrow night for the Paris matches

France to beat SA.
NZ to beat Ireland.
Fij to beat Eng
Wales to beat Arg

Wrong World Cup! Sounds like a great trip, enjoy! Agree with 2 of those predictions, however England will beat Fiji and Ireland will beat NZ. It’s a very close call between Ireland and France for who will be the eventual winners.

[Andrew]

Well I certainly called that one wrong!

[John (Fingers) Fingleton]

As per Mr Chips [#4], it can be difficult to work out to which World Cup this thread refers .. one of the prices of the absurdity of having 2 running at the same time, both in major sports. I just hope that the normal 4 year rule will not be applied to both of them so that they continue to clash in perpetuity.

[Andrew]

As per Mr Chips [#4], it can be difficult to work out to which World Cup this thread refers .. one of the prices of the absurdity of having 2 running at the same time, both in major sports. I just hope that the normal 4 year rule will not be applied to both of them so that they continue to clash in perpetuity.

Yes, Chips does agree that it is confusing but I think the other thread is titled ‘Cricket World Cup’ rather than this one which is ‘World Cup’. Perhaps it might be best to change the title of this thread to ‘Rugby World Cup’ to avoid any further confusion. I suspect that the 4 year rule will continue to apply so there may well be clashes in the future although, very sadly, I do wonder how much longer the 50-over format may continue as the very fabric of our once great game continues to erode rapidly!

[Paul W]

But I'm pretty sure the person who started this thread intended it to be a thread about the cricket world cup.

Don't forget, us non MCC members have no idea what you get up to on your part of the forum, so we'd have no idea if you have a world cup cricket thread. And this is, after all, in the 'other cricket' section rather than the 'other sport' section.

[Andrew]

But I'm pretty sure the person who started this thread intended it to be a thread about the cricket world cup.

Don't forget, us non MCC members have no idea what you get up to on your part of the forum, so we'd have no idea if you have a world cup cricket thread. And this is, after all, in the 'other cricket' section rather than the 'other sport' section.

Yes, I think this thread was definitely intended to be about the cricket World Cup. Yes, there is another thread about the rugby World Cup in our section and I think there may have also been a cricket WC one on there which mostly contained messages before the tournament stared, and has gone quiet since then. Obviously we do have our own section, but it is good when we can all discuss things in the shared part of it, particularly cricket.

[Andrew]

Are we at serious risk of losing to Afghanistan here? Brook and Livingstone really need to get a good partnership going here or we may be in for one almighty shock.

[Paul W]

And we got exactly what we deserved.

When did any of our players last play a domestic 50 over match?

They're too busy playing in the blundred.

Former Middlesex player Mujeeb ur-Rehman man of the match with 28 and 3 wickets for 51 runs.

[Max Sawyer]

All credit to Afghanistan.

[Pindarus]

Stunning performance by the Afghans given the circumstances in which they perform.
We were very poor
Some of our players need to be put out to grass.

[David Dodd]

Go back tomorrow night for the Paris matches

France to beat SA.
NZ to beat Ireland.
Fij to beat Eng
Wales to beat Arg

James 1 out of 4 is pretty average forecasting. How do you do with horseracing?

[Andrew]

James 1 out of 4 is pretty average forecasting. How do you do with horseracing?

It’s probably not as bad as my comment above in post #4 “It’s a very close call between Ireland and France to who will be the eventual winners”. Oh dear, although who can believe that both those sides failed to make the semi finals!

[Sillypoint]

Sorry for the confusion. Wasn't a well titled thread. Unaware of rugby chat as thought this was board for non Middx cricket. Both world cups heating up. Fears unfounded about schedule? Not sure but great to see Holland win today.

England are a very poor. Undercooked and picked a lot of old blokes who can't field. So much talent in the country so it's very disappointing we've been conservative. It feels like Middx a bit tbh. They've got a formula and will stubborn it out. A bit cliquey...

Crazy thing is the best player wasn't even picked originally. The fact we see Woakes opening when his record is terrible overseas is quite depressing on how progressive we could've been

[VipinKhanna]

England take Archer as standby player to India for the WC and as Topley needs a replacement, they say Archer not quite ready!

Why take him then?

[Sillypoint]

Totally strange! They said on TV that he's been over there bowling left arm spin in the nets. Bizarre

I don't really understand why there are two different coaches for red and white ball. Baz should easily do both and be consistent in what they are trying to do. Mott isn't the one. Bowling first based in stats when it's blatently not the way in an oven was crazy

[David Neil-Smith]

I've got the feeling this is a bit of a shambles. The format is strange and the schedule looks crazy. England are travelling up and down everywhere! Is it the same for all the sides? I noticed our test series with them is in some strange locations too

The pitch v Australia was the definition of home advantage. ICC toothless?

Very disappointing that England was not in the semi finals and did so disastrously. Is this not partly the legacy of downgrading our 50 0ver domestic competition over the last few years. If we want to compete effectively in this international competition we need to upgrade and bring back the Final to Lord's. Too many of our players seemed to play the world cup like a 20/20 / Hundred competition. If I recall correctly England in one match made 170 in 21 0vers. A competitive T20 score .One problem! England were all out and still had 28 or so overs to go!

[Paul Natali]

For Members who may not have seen it, I thought that the excellent Steven Finn's piece on the Cricket World Cup on the BBC website earlier this week is well worth a read (below and at https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/cricket/67366337).

(Is there a route available for Members to propose new members for MCC's World Cricket Committee? Steven Finn's thoughtfulness would be a fantastic contribution.)


>>>>>>>>>>>>


Cricket World Cup: The changes needed to revitalise the tournament - Steven Finn column
Last updated on 2 hours ago2 hours ago.
From the section Cricket
Steven Finn column header

This World Cup has shown glimpses of what could have been.

Not from an England perspective but, in a world game that is dominated (financially) by the big three of England, Australia and India, we have had hints of romantic stories that would have been amazing to witness.

The format of this tournament, with 10 teams, has meant that those amazing feats have been nullified and from at least halfway through the 45-game group phase, we have known who three of the semi-finalists would be.

That is not right.

Afghanistan have played so well to win four games in the group stage, against England, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and the Netherlands.

There is absolutely no way they should not be playing a knockout game after those results.

There is also not enough peril for teams losing games.

A World Cup is meant to come with pressure. That is what truly tests teams and sorts out who is the best.

Fourteen teams in the 2027 edition will be a welcome change.

Some of the most iconic moments in World Cup history that I can remember have come from the perceived 'smaller teams' - Ireland beating England in 2011, Dwayne Leverock's catch in 2007 for Bermuda against India, Ireland knocking Pakistan out in the same tournament and Kenya beating West Indies in 1996.

Kenya all-rounder Steve Tikolo was one of my favourite players as a result of him playing in World Cups.

If I'd have been able to find a replica Kenya shirt I'd have almost certainly begged my parents to get me one.

Instead, I opted for an Australia one in 1999 with McGrath on the back but we won't dwell on that.

So, how do we make the next World Cup more interesting and to stop it meandering towards an inevitable conclusion?

Firstly, I think the format should be changed to 40 overs-a-side with eight overs of powerplay and one ball used for the entire innings.

This will narrow the margin between teams and provide us with more close games.

I have been here in India for six weeks and I have not covered one tight game in this entire World Cup.

I was not at Australia's dramatic win over New Zealand, South Africa's one-wicket victory against Pakistan or Glenn Maxwell's epic rescue act for Australia against Afghanistan.

Those were exciting contests but we need more.

An eight-over powerplay provides ample opportunity for batters to make the most of the fielding restrictions and after that I would revert to five fielders outside of the 30-yard circle for the remainder of the innings, rather than the period of four we now have.

As a former bowler, I find nothing more dull than watching a ball that is not moving off the straight disappearing miles over the ropes multiple times an over.

We currently use two balls, one from each end, in 50-over cricket but returning to one for the entirety of an innings would at least throw the bowlers a bone by allowing the balls to be old enough to reverse swing.

Some of the most fascinating passages of play in history have come when the ball is reversing.

Who can forget Wasim Akram getting Allan Lamb and Chris Lewis out with magical reverse swing bowling in the 1992 final?

In the right conditions, bowlers should be able to take advantage of that.

However, as we've changed the format to 40 overs a side, the ball will remain hard on most surfaces and batters should still be able to whack it - negating one of the main reasons the two balls were introduced.

I would also be stricter in imposing the fielding penalties of an extra man inside the circle if teams are too slow in bowling their overs.

This is not me trying to help out the bowlers; it feels necessary to provide a more entertaining spectacle.

Looking at the tournament more widely, I would also introduce a bonus-points system for the group stage.

Too often we have seen games meandering towards an inevitable conclusion with teams batting the overs to help their net run-rate and who can blame them?

A system that rewards attacking cricket should be implemented.

My way to do this would be to introduce a boundary count - and, no, that's not just because England won a World Cup based on one.

In my plan, a bonus point would be awarded if a team scored 35 boundaries in their 40 overs.

It would leave teams with a dilemma if they find themselves in a position where the game is slipping away - play attacking cricket and earn yourself a point that could become important when trying to qualify for the knockout stage, or dig in and hope for a win.

I would also give out a bonus point for teams who take six wickets by the 30th over.

This would encourage teams to continue to attack regardless of the game situation and encourage captains to err on the side of risk when setting fields, and bringing strike bowlers back before this cut-off time.

As for the format, with 14 teams the logical denomination is two groups of seven.

I would then progress to quarter-finals, semi-finals and a final with the top four from each group going through.

This would almost certainly mean that a team performing as Afghanistan have in this tournament would be playing knockout cricket and leave teams losing games dicing with danger with not as much chance of a reprieve.

Instantly it would be more interesting.

This may be slightly radical, but, I feel this is necessary if we are to help keep the format relevant by the time 2027 comes around.

[John Fitzgerald]

A very thoughtful and pertinent piece from Steven who should undoubtedly be on the World Cricket Committee. At least he has provided a rationale for 40 overs rather than telling the membership

that We don't want 50 over cricket as our splendidly overblown President told the press on Day1.

[Sillypoint]

Well done Aussies. Deserved it and provided one of only a handful of stellar moments. A pretty poor tournament with a terrible format!

Luckily the ICC have taken it all on board.... Oh wait. the 50-over World Cup will revert to 14 teams in 2027,. There will be two group stages and an increase in the number of matches from 48 to 54, but still only three knockout matches, from the last four onwards

[adelaide]

A team pretty much as ageing as ours wins.

I noted that almost all of the players on both sides are regular Test performers, not white ball specialists. That is a contrast with England but then it also was when Moggy's Marvels won the previous edition so perhaps it is not telling us much.

On the other hand Cummins's rotation of the bowlers when Kohli and Rahul were (rather complacently, I thought) consolidating had a lot more in common with T20 tactics than with the way most teams attack the 50 over game.

[Sillypoint]

He did chop and change a lot. Read things perfectly. Aussies are old but fit. Half our side couldn't field. Was picked on reputation! Bairstow getting in because Stokes nobbled him in the golf course messing about is typical England under key. Lads club

[Max Sawyer]

Always happy to see a team giving the impression of entitlement lose - cricket the great leveller!

[James Mitchell]

Indeed. I felt a bit dirty wanting the Aussie's to win, but all credit to them. I hate to admit it, but they are some team!

[Sillypoint]

Indeed. I felt a bit dirty wanting the Aussie's to win, but all credit to them. I hate to admit it, but they are some team!

I felt the same. Messaged so many people asking if they were same. Everyone wanted Aussies but felt shocking. It was a weird feeling!