The Cream Rises to the Top

I endorse what RAS has said. Some very good articles on the World Cup have been published on Chowk. Because of these articles, I got myself a book on cricket world cup and am able to comment on some aspects of the games with reference to history.

Mofeez, I agree with you that no body would have appreciated NZ reaching super 6. The ideal super 6 would have been Australia, India, Sri Lanka, South Africa, West Indies and England (although this last team also mixed politics with sports).

Reply #4 by JohnGalt

``Tennis analogy is not right here. In tennis there is no such thing as pacing your innings.``

There is and it is called momentum. It is hard for some players to start again after a break. However, the main point is below.

``On the other hand, in cricket many teams prefer to keep wickets in hands in initial overs and slog in the last 15 overs or so ( India typically improve its run rate at the end of the 30th over by 1 - 1.5 runs per over). If your system is implemented then such a team batting first will be unfairly disadvantaged as they wouldn`t get a chance to pace their innings.
However, the team batting second will know its exact quota of overs before starting the innings and so they will not have any such problems. ``

You did not get my point. I am saying that let us say before the game starts, the start is delayed. Then you say that the two teams will get 35 over each. Once you start the quote should not change. If India bats first and it rains again and they have to come off, the over DO NOT get reduced. It is still a 35 over game and so once the decision is made befre the start, that is the quota. Then the first batting side is not at a disadvantage. And then the second batting side also plays 35 overs evenif there is more rain in their batting. Go on to the next day if needed and so on.

Some really nice articles on the Cricket world cup have now appeared

on CHOWK. The cup itself on the other hand has not been that exciting.

Maybe the final........?


Ras

Mofeez

Tennis analogy is not right here. In tennis there is no such thing as pacing your innings. On the other hand, in cricket many teams prefer to keep wickets in hands in initial overs and slog in the last 15 overs or so ( India typically improve its run rate at the end of the 30th over by 1 - 1.5 runs per over). If your system is implemented then such a team batting first will be unfairly disadvantaged as they wouldn`t get a chance to pace their innings.
However, the team batting second will know its exact quota of overs before starting the innings and so they will not have any such problems.

Reply to #2 by alireza

``You realize that the continuation of a rain-affected game that you`re suggesting (without Duckworth Lewis) would present a huge disadvantage to the side batting first were the 50 overs reduced. ``

You misunderstood me. What I am saying is that the side batting second should always play the SAME number of overs that the first one played. No overs reduction. Keep playing till the game is done. If that means coming back the next day so be it. Sampras and others have played three day matches but the match was always completed. That is the way it should be in cricket.

Reply to #1 by desparado

``Very nice article, Ireally liked it a lot.``

Thanks

Mofeez,
You realize that the continuation of a rain-affected game that you`re suggesting (without Duckworth Lewis) would present a huge disadvantage to the side batting first were the 50 overs reduced.
Rain is a factor that can affect any team at any time, to their advantage or disadvantage. If you remember, rain helped both Pakistan and England in the 92 World Cup (and ironically both played the final). Which is why I don`t have that much of a problem with the rain rule.
What I DO think needs to go is the ``carrying points forward to the Super Sixes`` rule. It`s completely absurd. Even if Kenya had not won a single game in the Super Sixes, they would have still made it to the Semis, which makes the Super Sixes round meaningless.
Nevertheless, hopefully the two semi-finals would be interesting games. The Kenya-India game is interesting due to the fact that the pressure would be on the Indians to perform, since Kenya has nothing to lose.

Very nice article, Ireally liked it a lot. The super six games were certainly not of the quality that we expect from a world cup game. Most of the matches have been one sided and almost during half way we can predict result of the game.
Australia/Srilanka game should be intresting one, but we might end up get another boring game(I hope thsi doesn`t happen). And as for the second semifinal, India has a very good chance of winning but as u stated funny thing happen in cricket, so we can jsut wait and watch.
All my best wishes to the indian team cause this is there best chance to lift the cup, and they r playing there best cricket.