LET THE CRICKET BEGIN

[2020hindsight]

http://www.abc.net.au/sport/content/200703/s1872128.htm
poor old scots must be shell shocked after that - 203 run win.

Ponting fires Australia to crushing win. Ricky Ponting hammered his 23rd one-day century and Glenn McGrath took three wickets to give Australia a thumping 203-run World Cup win over Scotland in St Kitts this morning.

The Australian skipper notched a 93-ball, 113 to propel the defending champions to 6 for 334 before their pace attack proved too hot for the minnows, who were bowled out for 131 in 40.1 overs.

It was the second-biggest win in the tournament's history. "It was a good game and a good hit-out today. We beat England last week, we've been playing some good cricket in recent weeks," man-of-the-match Ponting said.

Scotland skipper Craig Wright said he was proud of his team. "We competed well for the first 45 overs of their innings, but the last five of theirs and the first 10 of ours killed us," said Wright after Australia had plundered 50 runs off the last 22 balls. "But we stuck at it. It wasn't easy on a small ground against a top-class outfit."

Ponting, who shrugged off a 35-minute rain delay, was eventually out in the 46th over. He reached his century in 85 balls hitting nine fours and five sixes - his fourth in the World Cup.

The Scots then lost half of their side within the first 16 overs, with McGrath taking three of the wickets. The lanky 37-year-old paceman had Fraser Watts in his second over, then accounted for Ryan Watson in his third and Gavin Hamilton in his fourth to leave the Scots reeling at 5 for 42 by the 16th over. Colin Smith (51) and Dougie Brown (19) shared 47 for the sixth wicket to give the Scots' total some respectability.

Australia recorded the biggest World Cup victory when they defeated Namibia by 256 runs at Potchefstroom in 2003.

McGrath, who started the tournament 10 wickets short of equalling Pakistan's Wasim Akram's all-time World Cup record of 55 victims, finished with 3 for 14 off his six overs.

Full advantage. Earlier, Ponting, dropped on 23 by wicket-keeper Smith off paceman Brown, took full advantage of the lapse and added 54 runs for the third wicket with Michael Clarke (15) and another 63 for the fourth with Brad Hodge (29). Ponting never lost his rhythm as he broke Indian Sourav Ganguly's previous World Cup record of 23 sixes and became the sixth man to reach 1,000 World Cup runs in his fourth World Cup.

Opener Matthew Hayden hit a solid 60, while Brad Hogg hit a fiery unbeaten 15-ball 40 with three sixes and as many fours to deliver the final blow after Craig Wright had won the toss and put Australia into bat on a brownish pitch. Hayden set the foundation for the total by putting on 91 for the first wicket with Adam Gilchrist, who made 46. Hayden hit six boundaries and a six before he fell leg-before to off-spinner Majid Haq, who was the pick of the Scottish bowlers with 2 for 49. Gilchrist hit seven boundaries before he was trapped leg-before by Brown who bowled well before conceding 24 runs in his final over to Hogg.

 

[websman]

So, how about them Cowboys?

 

[2020hindsight]

ABC:- http://www.abc.net.au/news/newsitems/200703/s1878340.htm
PS Whatever he died from, I gotta hunch that there won't be a long queue wanting to take on his old job

Woolmer's wife doesn't suspect foul play
The wife of the late Pakistan cricket coach Bob Woolmer says she does not suspect foul play in his death in a Jamaican hotel on Sunday. Woolmer died after being found unconscious in his hotel room the morning after his side's World Cup defeat by Ireland.

Jamaican police are now treating the death as suspicious. They say the post mortem results are inconclusive and after meeting with pathologists, have found sufficient information to continue with a full investigation.

Gill Woolmer has told an Indian television news station she did not see any conspiracy in her husband's death. She confirmed he was a diabetic but not using medication and ruled out the likelihood that a fatal mixture of prescription drugs and alcohol led to his death.

"The diabetes that Bob has is a type 2 diabetes which you do not take drugs for, so he had no prescription drugs for that reason," she said. "The other report in connection with over drinking and being overdosed on drugs is absolute rubbish." Ms Woolmer says her husband emailed her the morning after the loss to Ireland and mentioned he was really depressed and wondered how the defeat could have happened.

 

[2020hindsight]

http://www.sportingbet.com.au/uipub/sport.aspx?l1id=11&l2id=576558
aus 1.62
sth africa 2.30
"futures market":-

mm Hussey at 23's ? (will he play all matches?)

 

[2020hindsight]

http://www.abc.net.au/sport/content/200703/s1879495.htm oops turns out to be strangulation - still , Jamaica is in the top 10 for most murders (prorata presumably) reason?

 

[2020hindsight]

http://www.abc.net.au/sport/content/200703/s1879878.htm

Please save Pakistan cricket, pleads Rashid Latif. Former captain Rashid Latif has demanded cricket chiefs come forward and save Pakistan from near-collapse after the World Cup debacle.

Latif was speaking before Jamaican police confirmed that they believed Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer had been strangled to death in his Kingston hotel room. "Where are cricket administrators who enjoy all sorts of perks?" asked Latif, referring to Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief Naseem Ashraf, who resigned after the upset defeat against Ireland.

Pakistan's players were interrogated by Jamaican police on Thursday, something Latif described as the "worst ever" situation a cricketer could experience. "No one is trying to let the players get away with all this. Officials have enjoyed perks but they are now hiding and no one has tried to console the team. They have left the players in the worst-ever trauma of their lives," said Latif. "The former chairman is not picking up his phone and another top official is in England which shows their lack of responsibility and respect for Pakistan cricket."

Latif said someone must come forward and take the blame for the Caribbean shambles. "Millions of cricket fans want to know what went wrong and why our players left to suffer miles away from home. The team needs support but no one is there to lend it and I think this is the worst possible scenario. "I tried to talk to one or two players but they were speechless. They are in a shock and don't know when they will come back home and what fate lies for them in store in the near future."

http://www.abc.net.au/sport/content/200703/s1880240.htm

...The BBC cricket commentator Jonathan Agnew says everybody in the West Indies for the World Cup is horrified at the news.

"There's no doubt that the goalposts have now moved as far as the way people will view this tournament and everyone taking part in it," Agnew said. "The players, administrators, commentators, broadcasters, writers. "This is now a completely different tournament than it was two days ago."

 

[2020hindsight]

tomorrows match between the two top seeds yes ?

 

[noirua]

tomorrows match between the two top seeds yes ?

Yes, but, does anyone care anymore, for this tournament anyway?

 

[2020hindsight]

Yes, but, does anyone care anymore, for this tournament anyway?

two top teams in the world!? - early Sunday morning here.

 

[2020hindsight]

after 18 overs:-

Current Innings
Batting - Australia - 1/128 (18.0)
Hayden, ML: 85 off 57
Ponting, RT: 1 off 9
Current run rate: 7.11

Bowling - South Africa
Pollock, SM: 0/42 (5.0)
Ntini, M: 0/35 (5.0)
Langeveldt, CK: 1/26 (4.0)
Hall, AJ: 0/25 (4.0)

based on those numbers, (Hayden s/r 1.5, Ponting 0.1) Ponting will be lucky to keep his place in the team

 

[2020hindsight]

Hayden - fastest ton in world cup , 100 off 66, out couple ofballs later for 101. *both teams go through into next phase", so - we might meet em again

PS at one stage they were 1 /203 :

Proteas in command in run chase South Africa were 1 for 203 after 29 overs, chasing 378 to beat Australia in their World Cup Group A match in Basseterre, St Kitts and Nevis this morning.
Jacques Kallis was on 16 and Herschelle Gibbs 8, with AB de Villiers (92) and Graeme Smith (retired hurt on 72) back in the pavilion. Earlier, Matthew Hayden smashed the fastest World Cup century to spark Australia's surge to a record total.

latest:-

http://www.abc.net.au/sport/content/200703/s1880792.htm Aussies fight back to crush Proteas. Matthew Hayden scored the fastest World Cup century and then the bowlers handled the pressure as Australia humbled South Africa by 83 runs in their World Cup Group A match in Basseterre, St Kitts and Nevis this morning. Hayden's 101 off 66 balls was the cornerstone of Australia's 6 for 377 off 50 overs, and then spinner Brad Hogg took 3 for 61 as the Proteas were bowled out for 294 in 48 overs. They had been cruising at 1 for 203 after just 29 overs, but Hogg and quicks Shaun Tait (2 for 61) and Nathan Bracken (2 for 40) swung the match back Australia's way.

Australia topped Group A with three wins from as many games and importantly, take the two-point lead the achieved over South Africa into the Super Eights. Earlier, Hayden reached his century off 66 balls, one delivery fewer than previous record holder John Davison's effort for Canada against West Indies in 2003.
Australia's 6 for 377 surpassed their previous record of 2 for 359 against India in in the 2003 final.
Hayden faced 68 balls in all and hit 14 fours and four sixes. .

PPS Andrew 'Freddy' Flintoff got pissed and couldn't play for England - lol. (there were apparently 3 or 4 occasions during Ashes tour when he was reprimanded ). ("you can take the boy out of Lancashire, but you can't take Lancashire out of the boy" ) .

 

[noirua]

Pakistan Captain, Inzamum-ul-Haq and Assistant Coach, Mushtaq Ahmed are being questioned for the second time by police investigating the murder of Bob Woolmer, according to reports.

Jamaican police have already taken DNA samples.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/6492279.stm

 

[2020hindsight]

http://www.abc.net.au/sport/content/200703/s1886370.htm
Banglasdesh ready to whip us again lol.
"Sri Lanka and Bangladesh have progressed to the Super Eights and not India and Pakistan." - bookies will be pleased
Bangladesh started comp at 251, Pakistan 9.0, India 8.5 , Aus 3.20.

Australia wary of threat from Bangladesh. Australia captain Ricky Ponting could be forgiven for a hint of exasperation after being reminded of his team's shock loss to Bangladesh in Cardiff two years ago. On the eve of the champions' World Cup Super Eights match against the ninth-ranked one-day international nation, Ponting said the result had long since been consigned to the record books.

"We've worked it out. A lot's been said about it already," Ponting told a news conference. "It's long gone and forgotten about as far as we are concerned. We just didn't play at our best that day." Bangladesh's extraordinary five-wicket victory on the back of a century in 101 balls by Mohammad Ashraful was one of a series of reverses for Australia in 2005, culminating in the loss of the Ashes for the first time since they reclaimed the urn in 1989.

"The cricket you've seen us play the last few weeks would indicate that tomorrow, the way we are going at the moment, that we should be able to play cricket good enough to win this game," Ponting said. "That's all we've been focused on the last couple of days."

Bangladesh gained full Test status after beating Pakistan in the 1999 World Cup.

They defeated India in the first round and it is an indication of the evolving game in Asia that it is Sri Lanka and Bangladesh who have progressed to the Super Eights and not India and Pakistan.

"They've probably used the minnow tag very well in their favour. I think they are actually a bit better than that," Ponting said. "They have improved a lot, there's no doubt about that.

"They've got some young players who are very capable on their day and we have prepared for them as we would a South Africa, a West Indies or a New Zealand game."

Bangladesh captain Habibul Bashar pointed out his team had beaten New Zealand in the warm-up matches and then India in the tournament proper. etc

 

[Bomba]

Aussies smashed Bangladesh. I stayed up as long as i could to watch the action, but unofrtunately the rain persisted.

Watched the highlights on fox. Now have to wait a week before aussies play again.

 

[2020hindsight]

lol, Bangladesh smashes Sth Africa
Aussies back on top of the ladder
http://www.abc.net.au/sport/content/200704/s1892223.htm

We've made history, says Bangladesh skipper. Bangladesh captain Habibul Bashar hailed his country's stunning 67-run victory over world number one South Africa this morning as the team's greatest ever triumph.

"It's an historic win," said Bashar after his Tigers bowled out the Proteas for 184 in reply to 8 for 251 in their World Cup Super Eights match at Providence. "We can now think of moving forward in the tournament. We lifted ourselves in this game and once we put a good total on the board we knew we could fight."

South Africa are hanging on to the fourth and last semi-final qualifying place and captain Graeme Smith admitted that his highly-rated team, who squeezed out a one-wicket win over Sri Lanka last week, had been disappointing. "It was a poor day for us but credit to Bangladesh who played very well," Smith said. "We had them under pressure at times but we released that pressure. We never got our disciplines right and we didn't get our basics right.

"If you don't get those basics right you won't win games. We gave them an opportunity and they took it with both hands. "It's hard to take positives from any facet of the game today."

Smith's woes continued when South Africa were fined for their slow over rate. Match referee Chris Broad ruled that South Africa were one over short of their target at the scheduled finish of the Bangladesh innings. Players were fined 5 per cent of match fees for every over not bowled in time and Smith's punishment was doubled to 10 per cent as captain

A "resurrected" Aussie team plays poms tomorrow (Easter Monday) - with a view to getting even for the last trouncings

Apparently, if we beat the poms, then they go home and Sth Africa stays in - otherwise, (the unthinkable that we lose) Sth Africa goes home

 

[x2rider]

:sheep: But the guys just getting on with job without the hype are the kiwi's .

Still looking for an aussie kiwi final .
With the kiwis taking it out

Kiwi, kiwi,kiwi

Cheers martin :sheep:

PS : You don't get to see much cricket when your holidaying in Russia

 

[2020hindsight]

S : You don't get to see much cricket when your holidaying in Russia

yep , tell anyone you bowled a maiden over in the gulley, you'll be up on a sexual charge of some sort

 

[x2rider]

It's a bit to cold to be bowling anyone over in the gulley at the moment. But lots to keep you warm on the cold winter nights

Cheers martin

 

[Royce]

Iv'e got divided loyalties ....would love the Aussies, or the wifes team Sri lanka get up and win.

Would be happy with iether team.

Royce

 

[2020hindsight]

I've got divided loyalties ....would love the Aussies, or the wifes team Sri lanka get up and win. Would be happy with iether team.

you and the bookies as well Royce - at least as far as the Kiwis are concerned
or should I say - you and X2rider can fight it out - we'll be waiting at the finals

PS what is it about this tiny island countries - something to do with a fish diet maybe ?