Cricket World Cup thread

ringo747

ringo747

ringo747

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Now that the ashes tour is over i think its time to start new thread for the Cricket World Cup. (don't think this is a duplicate thread!)

We can start with the England team selection. Was very surprised to see Mal Loye left out! I also didn't really expect John Lewis to be there. Will he be selected ahead of Plunkett I wonder? What do you think England's chances are of pulling it off?
 
I think they have used up all their good performances in the last 2 weeks ! No chance to be honest..........
 
you could have a point but then again 2 weeks ago we didn't know there was such a thing as a good performance by England! Id like to see Strauss get back into form and now that Colly and Bell are in good nick too I think they have a good chance. No doubt the aussies will be working hard to get back to form though.
 
Without looking at the WC squad is it safe to guess that the last squad that won their last 3 games has been changed for unknown reasons?
 
Rosbif said:
Bopara over Loye is a joke IMO.
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it really is. Bopara got 1 match in the whole tour and scored 4 runs or something. Loye has some great cameo performances. Just when you think you might be off to the World Cup you get a kick in the teeth like that. Its nice to see Nixon keeping his place. I think that it was his inclusion in the team that helped build up the England morale with his chirping behind the stumps.
 
Not entirely mcdermos. We all knew Pietersen and Vaughan would be coming back in. But Bopara over Loye is a mystery IMO.
 
It's unfortunate for Loye, would rather have seen Strauss make way tbh. Glad they've stuck with Vaughan, we need his captaincy even though Fred has been better these previous four matches. I'm hopeful we can do well, we won't win it but semi-finals looks possible now :)
 
Bopara brings more dimensions to the team... apparently. Ok so he can also bowl a bit, but I'd rather take Loye's aggression with the bat and his experience of this tour.

Loye certainly deserves to go to the WC.
 
I can see a good reason for bringing Bopara in after the WC, but dropping Loye for the cup is stupidity to me.

The rest of the squad was quite predictable.
 
Huddy said:
Bopara brings more dimensions to the team... apparently. Ok so he can also bowl a bit, but I'd rather take Loye's aggression with the bat and his experience of this tour.
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Agree totally. For additional options they already have Collingwood and Dalrymple and maybe even Pietersen to bowl some overs if required. Cant see Bopara getting any starts unless someone gets injured but considering how well Loye settled into the team under pressure should have merited a WC place.
 
i would have preered to see strauss dropped and loye in. graveny said loye would be easily worked out, but he offers england something completely different at top of the order. Also small pitches will play a huge part in the game, you need a big hitter like loye as he can easily clear the boundry
 
harris1986 said:
england won't get past the quarters to be honest, the final 4 teams will be South Africa, Australia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka
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I'd put the W. Indies in over Sri Lanka.
 
harris1986 said:
england won't get past the quarters to be honest, the final 4 teams will be South Africa, Australia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka
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It depends which Pakistan team turns up on the day. 109 all out IIRC in their last match and SA then made the runs in less than 15 overs without loss. Sri Lanka are also very inconsistent.
 
harris1986 said:
england won't get past the quarters to be honest, the final 4 teams will be South Africa, Australia, Pakistan and Sri Lanka
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Pakistan need a lot of work if they are to get to the final 4. Their spineless dislpay in the last two games in South Africa is not the right way to start a world cup campaign. Luckily the grounds in the Caribean are small, so they dont have to jog slowly after the ball too long.

Top four for me is Australia, South Africa,India and Sri Lanka.
 
by going on current form that would mean that australia wouldn't get to the final as they are coming off the back of a 2-0 series defeat to England, which lets be fair is extremely embarrasing for them! why england have taken bopara and lewis over loye and Broad is beyond me!
 
Not many surprises in the squad, would have preferred it a little different. The ball isn't known to swing much in the West Indies yet we've gone with three bowlers that like swing in Plunkett, Lewis and Anderson. I'd have had another hit the deck bowler like Broad in for Lewis.

Bopara is cover for the all rounders Collingwood, Dalrymple and to Flintoff so maybe fair enough. If either of them three get injured we need a replacement that can bowl a bit.

Pitches might be slow over there and if its anything like the ICC trophy where it was said the pitches were similar it got harder to score as the ball got softer making power plays very important. Would have liked Loye in there instead of Strauss. I wouldn't have him in my starting 11 and his number 4 position he dropped to will be Pietersens. Loye would bring another option to the squad. Gatting mentioned Vaughan was trying to be more aggressive opening the innings which I agreed with, positive footwork against the quick bowlers. only problem is that it didn't work and his form has never been good ODI's.

Hopeful team:

Vaughan
Joyce
Bell
Pietersen
Collingwood
Flintoff
Dalrymple
Nixon
2 from - Plunkett / Anderson / Mahmood
Panesar
 
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