Dear Fellow Indians and all, Being an Indian and resident of India, I love India returning as WC2007 champions but the recent one-day series against SA in SA was a testimony of terrible performance by the team India. If you have closely watched the statistics of each match played, there was no close contention at all in any of the matches barring the 20-20 match which we had won, of course, without some of the key players of SA. There was no improvement in the performance in order of the matches played till the final one. Let us not take the test-series into account at all, bcos that is a different ball-game altogether. I am referring to the similar playing conditions that we will have to confront during the WC. I have little hopes if India could even make it to the semi-finals. There is no doubt at all, that AUS would bounce back with thumping force to sweep the matches it plays despite its recent defeats against its old rival in the just concluded series. Having said that we cannot however write off NZ or SA or WI at all from the fiery contention to be crowned champions. We need to watch out for SA this time..!! Nevertheless, Best luck India -Prashanth
Many teams are performing well now a days. It might make an interesting WC. It wont be a one horse race like 2003 WC. But dont expect anything from India. They might at best beat Bangladesh and Bermuda. They will need a lot of luck and help from other teams (I mean other teams need to perform badly) to reach semi finals. They won two back to back series alright but in flat pitches in home conditions. We all saw what a sound hiding they received in West Indies and South Africa last year. India would be lucky not to be embarassed be suffering largest margin of defeat or anything like that. But the contest between SA, Aus, NZ, WI, SL would be interesting and if Pakistan continue their usual "cornered tigers" behavior then that adds more competition. I anticipate and SA vs West Indies final and the best team on that day would take the cup.
RE:World cup 2007
by KAUSTAV DASGUPTA on Feb 24, 2007 06:33 PM
India will just have to defeat England,New Zealand,and 2(or 1 if they r lucky and most of the other teams except any 3 do badly) more teams in the Super 8 series(given the fact that Ind and WI are the only teams to have played recently in the Caribbean,that might be easy),to reach the Semis,and then they`ll just have to win 2 matches,and we have the World Cup!!
Australia loose recent matches because of the BOWLING and not BATTING. Even with Pointing, Gillchirst and others in the team they wont be making 340 runs or more. That means that the Kiwis and south africa and Engand are no longer intimidated by australian bowling. I mean Australia batting is still the same. Their bowling attack is Very good. Bret Lee and Glen Mcgrath still bowl the same way like they use to. Shaun tait regularly clocks 154 kmph regularly. Mitchell Johnson and Bracken are still much better than than say Ifan, Rana Naved or Lewis or any of the Bowlers produced by other countries. But the only difference is other countries batsman are giving the bowlers back instead of letting them get intimidated. About Subcontinent countries(except Srilanka)the less said the better. A bowler like Mitchell johnson who get regularly thrash by kiwis get a haul of 5 wickets against India even as Chanderpaul and gayle belted the oz bowlers. A crap bowler ike Andre nel tormented India and Pakistan batsman during the recent African tour. Even West indies and Srilanka does not get intimidated by Oz and african bowlers. Nothing to be said about India and Pakistan fielding and bowling below par not even average. Sri lankan batsman thrash Kiwis in Kiwiland. Indian and Pakistaan batsman are just FLAT TRACK heros palying in HOME CONDITIONS. So Australia despite their loses are in a much better position to win the CUP than India or Pakistan. I would say that the semi finals possibilities among 8 countries will be (Australia/Srilanka/England/ WEst Indies ) any two and South Africa and New Zealand. India and Pakistan out in the second round. Wouldnt be surprised if bangladesh beats India.
RE:World cup probable semi finalist
by Ashwin Vishwesh on Feb 21, 2007 07:17 PM
Cuz NZ is as good as AUstralia, NZ is the second best team in the world, capable of beating south africa india or pak. they have some of the best players who can raise to the occasion
RE:FOOD FOR THOUGHT
by anil babaldi on Feb 21, 2007 11:35 AM
Good question but you need to consider when did Australia visit India, pakistan, SL for a ODI series in last five years? Only SL I guess that too a 3 match series. And Aus plays SA,NZ and Eng more than anyone. So.....
RE:FOOD FOR THOUGHT
by pritpal singh on Feb 21, 2007 04:06 PM
in the last five yrs or so nz won only 2 out 24 odi aus winning 22, now suddenly they win three times on a row thus more than doubling their record. THEREFORE I DONT AUS LOSING TO NZ "MOSTLY". I GUESS JOKE OF THE DAY
wat u see in every records...its SA always on top..whether in icc ranking ...or the table above for d highest run chase record...i love south africa...
Australia is involved in greatest match fixing scandal ever I guess...Simply they keep on losing all the matches so that the bookies and the australian team can share the profits of the bettings..Now u ppl dont get surprised if Australia wins the world cup without any struggle because now the bettings will be low on the OZ and again it will be profit for the australian team....
RE:RE:Match Fixing by Australia
by krissh on Feb 21, 2007 02:52 PM
Can u thind if Ponting would be there what would have happened???????????????????????????????
Autralia is told to loose the match so that betting value of Autralia will be low and then bookies will bet more on Autralia. finally the world cup will go to Autralia and these bookies will get big chunk. So lesson is book more on Australia and Australia is going to win world cup
RE:Australia is losing purposely
by Kaushik Basu on Feb 21, 2007 01:54 AM
Good to know you have some inside information. Please publish this to ICC so that all Australian players would get banned... Why do you underestamate other teams? NZ has a decent rec against Aus.
RE:Australia is losing purposely
by agransh anand on Feb 20, 2007 10:45 PM
dude try to see the brighter side of things...don't have such a negative mindset...if neww zealand has won its because they have worked hard for it..for australia losing 5 games in a row is a very big cause of worry...
RE:Australia is losing purposely
by jayesh on Feb 21, 2007 10:41 AM
just nonsense.they not meed to do that if they r best.They really loose every thing in this series.Lost 1st with 10wkts(they never lost by this margin)and again 2nd and 3rd with second highest record chase.Really kiwis make tham flat
RE:Australia is losing purposely
by JATIN KESAR on Feb 20, 2007 09:06 PM
hey u dont know anything about cricket now australia is finished and this time west indies will gonna win this world cup
RE:RE:Australia is losing purposely
by Bihaad on Feb 20, 2007 09:11 PM
for u all...
australia was without"Ricky ponting, Brett lee, symonds, clarke, and the one who was missed the most the wicketkeeper "Adam Gilchirst".. the way haddin kept was really give up. 5 wides 4 times in a match.. out of which 3 could have been saved iff gilchrist were there...
RE:RE:RE:Australia is losing purposely
by Hiren Bhavsar on Feb 21, 2007 08:56 AM
i dont know who uses how much brain writing abt these things....would gilchrist, ponting, clark, symonds have bowled and won the match for australia? its not the batting that has a problem, its bowling is deteriorating because they kept playing all old guys and never gave young players chance against best teams...Now with Mcgrath already mentally retired and Warne fully retired,, all they have is a brett lee who is a decent one-day bowler.....even he cant win games on his own,, in short, its a victory of NZ's discovery of the weakness in AUS.
RE:RE:RE:Australia is losing purposely
by Kaushik Basu on Feb 20, 2007 11:20 PM
First of all how did they loose to England in that case???? Also remeber Lee is doubtful so is Symonds. Gilchrist would join them later. So don't be so sure.
It is good for Australia that these defeats came before the world cup. They will be back in full strength for world cup and win world cup and complete the hatrick
RE:AUS will win World Cup
by Amit Sharma on Feb 20, 2007 08:26 PM
When you are migrating to Australia?? I bet they will not win world cup this time atleast.
RE:AUS will win World Cup
by Pradeep Kumar on Feb 20, 2007 09:44 PM
hey Bhaskar Mellacheruvu shame on u to be Indian.....get the hell out of India........never, ever post messages like this............common man u should be proud to be Indian....n'courage our Indian team & do something good as long as u r in India.ok. bye have a great day....
Australia is involved in greatest match fixing scandal ever I guess...Simply they keep on losing all the matches so that the bookies and the australian team can share the profits of the bettings..Now u ppl dont get surprised if Australia wins the world cup without any struggle because now the bettings will be low on the OZ and again it will be profit for the australian team....
