Hello Prem, We probably need to ask why the game needs to spread beyond the 10-odd countries that play it today. The baseball World Series (how can they call it that!) thrives despite its confinement to just a handful of club sides in the United States. If at all more countries need to be included, why not have a separate league for the minnows?
Teams like kenya , USA , Hong Kong etc ought to be given more opportunities to play with the big boys of international cricket.Especially in case of kenya who stunned everyone by reching the semi final of World Cup '03.There can be no other way to develop the game other than to afford playing opportunities to the minnows against the big boys.
Hey Prem! Do you know I did not subscribe for this ICC cup? from 2000 I have been watching cricket via Dish network.Cricket matches were kind of affordable, but today it has reached a point that I cannot afford cricket on Dishnetwork, Dishnetwork and Kelly broadcasting system are the sole copyright holders for cricket telecast in USA. They want a greedy $250 for both Holland cup and ICC trophy. Seriously on all give and take,the real matches starts only after the minnows being eliminated. How can Dish network expect me to pay so much and watch games that are mere academic interests of ICC? I doubt if I will watch few games in the line up for free. Agreed, I am cricket fanatic but not a fool. Do you know the entire NFL season on Direct TV is much less than ICC Cup?Ridiculous, with such high telecasting cost, ICC wants to spread this game around the world, a mere dream that will never come true. Only way to attract more people to watch cricket is easy access.Dish network expect me to pay and watch Bangladesh v any country?Frankly I have other worth while alternatives: Lawn mowing,SQL backup,Notes programming, Learn multiplication tables above 12 or hear Sanjay majeraker gloat.
Apologies for sending this to you, because this is not really your domain, I believe, but I could not find any way of contacting the Rediff statisticians. I hope you will read this through and take the necessary steps.
The Rediff Cricket Cracker quiz is a real shame! 4 out of the 5 "correct" answers to the Sep 15 quiz are wrong. Here goes:
1. Where was the first one-day international between Australia and South Africa played? rediff: Melbourne CORRECT: Sydney on 26/02/92
2. Which South Africa bowler claimed a five-wicket haul in the tied semi-final of the 1999 World Cup? rediff: Allan Donald CORRECT: Shaun Pollock (9.2-1-36-5); Donald got 4
3. Which Australian batsman has scored the maximum number of half-centuries against South Africa in ODIs? rediff: Ricky Ponting CORRECT: S Waugh (12 50s); Ponting has only 5 AGAINST SA!
4. Which South African bowler has the best bowling figures of 4-42 in his maiden ODI? rediff: B McMillan McMillan never took 4-42 in his career! CORRECT: D.B. Rundle
One cannot now help but doubt of all your cricket statistics --- wonder what goes into the "Rediff rankings"!
Then the countries like Kenya should (I think they wont) whine over that (the location where such tournaments will be organized). Of course, it would be nice to be fair with that, but as the starting it wont be bad. AND then such tournaments can be given the status of Mini-World Cup not this Championship Trophy. Of course, ICC has such qualifiers and depending on the results of that USA is today playing this championship tournament. But what about teams like Kenya. Countries like Canada, UAE, Scotland, Holland, and others, where are they? We never hear of them unless it is this tournament like WC or Championship. In short, if Speed and Co. can come up with all the crazy rules (remember the one where the game starts with the toss), why they cannot think this much, just for the good of the game? Thanks, Jignesh.
P.S. Also, media is the other end to receive the blame. How often have rediff.com or any other media have mentioned about or had an article or commentary about the qualifiers of ICC?
P.S. To rediff.com ::: Please do something about this. It is big trouble to post three message for one. Thanks.
RE:Both Ponting and Tikolo are right - 3
by Jignesh Shah on Sep 17, 2004 06:03 PM
Oh, I meant the countries like Kenya should not whine over the location of such promotional tournament. I forgot "not" after should.
RE:Both Ponting and Tikolo are right - 3
by R.Rajesh on Sep 25, 2004 10:50 AM
Hmm.... I checked ur stats and they were right. In fact Brian McMillans figures were far from flattering in his debut ODI. McMillan's Stats in his maiden ODI(v/s India) are : Bowling O M R W McMillan 6 0 30 0
For a die hard cricket buff like me who followed rediff every day, I don't know what to believe. There are people who claim that statistics never lie. Wonder what they make of this? Thanx for setting the record straight!
In the tournament I am speaking of these minnows will compete against each other and then let the winner be the team in the triangular series. The advantage to this would be that these teams will have a constant exposure to the international cricket and when they play these higher level teams they deserve the exposure that Tikolo is asking for and then, Pointing wont whine because it really makes sense. In fact, I will go ahead and say that the runner-up or even more positions (depending on the number of participants in that should-be-organized tournament) should be granted the third side status in the triangular tournament. To make these minnows more competitive and give them more exposure the A teams from various countries including Australia should be ask to schedule the matches with these minnows. In fact, a tournament between As and minnows will give the As members exposure to the international level because probably many of these A players will be tomorrow playing for the nation. Now, regarding the financial aspect! If ICC worries more about it, then let it organize such promotional tournaments in locations where it can have more financial gains.
Hi Prem! Nice point! But, I really think Ponting has a point. Consider this! What he has to loose in playing against these minnows? Means, he and his team will be creating record in records. And what are the odds about upset that Ponting might be worried. Also, in this case, both Pointing and Tikolo are right not only in blaming for such one-sided matches (the one-sided-ness of these matches is due to no-matches) but also in blaming ICC for that. I really think Ponting has a point. Consider this! What he has to loose in playing against these minnows? Means, he and his team will be creating record in records. And what are the odds about upset that Ponting might be worried. It is no surprise to me that such a huge organization (of course with the brilliance of likes of Mr. Speed) cannot find a better way. Even someone like me (who no longer watch the games and rely on the commentaries and scoreboard and articles) can suggest a very simple solution to this which of course can be made complex considering the minds ICC is made up of. Make these minnows qualify for being the third side in various triangular series. ICC should spend some of its money and organize a tournament.
Prem wrote: -- Mohan, the question then becomes, by what right does a private club assume all rights to a game played and watched by millions the world over? --
They don't own all rights to the game of cricket itself, do they? They have rights only for the matches which *they* and their affiliates organize. If my local club team or office team plays a cricket match, ICC has no rights over that. Any channel is free to telecast that match and you are more than welcome to come and watch the match, with or without a coke can.
See, that's the point. We, the customers, ourselves flock to the matches organized by ICC/BCCI etc and then crib that those guys are a monopoly. They are not. We are free to stop watching the stuff dished out by them any time we want. You just need to change the channel using your remote, and bcci/icc won't even exist for all you care.
As for bcci's tax-exempt status, I don't think that's true any longer. iirc, last year government removed that tax exemption. But if it still exists, we need to protest against *that*, rather than cribbing about the policies of some private clubs.
RE:ICC, private club etc
by srik on Sep 17, 2004 08:11 PM
In my opinion, ICCs approach in this matter is rather unprofessional. Their new clause clearly invites trouble. Let us take NFL or NBA or a cinema theater here in the US as examples. They prevent this ambush marketing by not permitting any out side food. Hey! Rule is very simple; if you want to munch something while being entertained inside the arena you need to buy food at a premium price from the outlets run by the sponsors themselves - simply no outside food allowed, it you carry food, it will be dumped. No mercy to anyone. This rule does not apply to water. The issue of not allowing outside food is clearly treated as a policy matter. Law clearly protects this if it is announced as a company policy well ahead of time. ICC known for its slipshod or careless behavior should have brain stormed this issue properly with professionals who are capable or have previous experience in planning such policies and events. I do not know if ICC has such policies, at the same time I would not be surprised it they have clause that is buried deep inside the policy pages known only to ICC office bearers.
Well I like Prem as much as we like Pakistani terrorists. But for this issue I will agree with Prem. It is just the begining of Corporate Dictatorship. It has to be stopped. We all shall raise voice agains it or we all will be treated as aik Kala hindustaani was treated in english raj.
