Cricket World Cup 2023

[CrazyEnglishTriathlete]

Starting a new thread for this.

Briefly tuned into the opening match between the 2019 finalists - to see less than 5000 people rattling about in a stadium that seats 110,000.  Is that a sign of disinterest in the 50-over format, a problem with ticket pricing, or an advertisement for holding such events in countries where people actually turn up to watch (there were 13,000 at the Ageas Bowl to watch Afghanistan v Bangladesh - the two lowest rated sides  - in the last edition).

Maybe more people will turn up for the second half.

Thoughts welcome.

[Jaded]

Hopefully it will be an interesting match. In terms of attractiveness, it is two teams not from the sub-continent, and it is early in the round robin, so not critical yet.

"One innings into the World Cup, and already a sensational piece of planet-shattering history - all 11 England players make double figures, the first time any team has done so in ODIs (men's & women's)."

[Wowbagger]

Extras weren't pulling their weight.

[Jaded]

Not sure this match is going to use all its allotted overs…

[andyoxon]

9 wkts.  Oops.  Harry Brook 'still learning' apparently.

[CrazyEnglishTriathlete]

Two things I picked up from the pundits before this game.  New Zealand would struggle and Joe Root was out of form...  A colleague suggested that we should check the pundits Betfair accounts.

[Wowbagger]

England did well to keep the slower scorer on strike...

[CrazyEnglishTriathlete]

4 matches in, 4 matches decided by large margins, even when there isn't, in theory, a big gap between the sides.  (13, 8 , and 15 overs to spare and 102 runs).  One-sided games can be dull to the neutral observer and painful to the losing side, which discourages interest. 

My take on this is that there is an all-or-nothing approach imported from T20.  Teams are taking bigger risks, and when they don't come off it looks silly.  The different in a T20 is that it's shorter so the pain of a team obviously not going to make a target (such as Sri Lanka against South Africa) is shorter lived.

[Peter]

I don't think was much of all or nothing about either Australia or India.  Australia were playing against probably the world's two best spinners, who took them to the cleaners, as usual.  India then decided to give the Australian bowlers a slow day in the hot sun and also keep the odds attractive enough for the rest of the series.  I do agree, though, with your implication that all cricket is tending towards T20.  I wonder if in a couple of decades, cricket will be decided by each batsman getting one ball each.  The 100 is already going that way!  It seems a shame to spoil good fireworks and stupid music time on people trying to hit a ball like a bunch of kids!

[CrazyEnglishTriathlete]

I did have hope for some excitement when I turned on and saw India 5-3.  But I had some chores to do in the garden, so went out and did them, and later realised I didn't miss anything. 

I always like the Netherlands to do well if only because of the response of my Dutch colleagues "we have a cricket team?"  But I don't hold out much hope of NL v BZ being the first match where the result is in question with 10 overs to go.

Things may also become more exciting as the tournament progresses and the permutations about who makes the knockout phase will become clear.

[CrazyEnglishTriathlete]

Finally a close finish.  Well done Sri Lanka and Pakistan.  10 overs to go and both sides have chances to win.

[Peter]

OK, CET, now we know at least two teams read this forum!

[fimm]

...
I always like the Netherlands to do well if only because of the response of my Dutch colleagues "we have a cricket team?" 
...

A few weeks ago my sister messaged my half-Austrian husband with the information that Scotland were playing Austria at cricket in Edinburgh. He did think about turning up with his Austrian flag, just for fun, but decided he didn't have the time. Also he knows nothing about cricket so he thought he might end up cheering the wrong things!
(Subsequent investigation found that most of the Austrian team have names that suggest that their families originated in the Indian sub-continent, which makes sense.)

[Peter]

And Holland is pretty much a South African team.

[CrazyEnglishTriathlete]

...
I always like the Netherlands to do well if only because of the response of my Dutch colleagues "we have a cricket team?" 
...

A few weeks ago my sister messaged my half-Austrian husband with the information that Scotland were playing Austria at cricket in Edinburgh. He did think about turning up with his Austrian flag, just for fun, but decided he didn't have the time. Also he knows nothing about cricket so he thought he might end up cheering the wrong things!
(Subsequent investigation found that most of the Austrian team have names that suggest that their families originated in the Indian sub-continent, which makes sense.)

This is the case for many European countries playing T20I.  Some of the teams have a mix.  Italy has Grant Stewart, born in Kalgoorlie, playing country cricket for Kent, courtesy of some Italian ancestry, but there are a sprinkling of native names and it seems to me a constructive way of expanding the sport.

[Wowbagger]

It's been going on a long time.

Douglas Jardine was born in India but played his test cricket for England.

Ted Dexter was born in Italy but played his test cricket for England.

Colin Cowdrey was born in India but played his test cricket for England.

Mike Denness was born in Scotland but played test cricket for England.

Tony Lewis was born in Wales but played test cricket for England.

So Johnny Foreigner has been lending us their players for a very long time, but England don't seem to be getting any better.

PS That's not to mention Tony Grieg, Andrew Strauss, Kevin Pietersen, Allan Lamb and Ben Stokes...

[farfetched]

So Johnny Foreigner has been lending us their players for a very long time, but England don't seem to be getting any better.

While I would agree that they blow hot and cold, they are raining world champions in 50over and 20-20 ....  it would be greedy to expect them to be world beaters at 'real' cricket too 

[CrazyEnglishTriathlete]

Reflecting on India v Afghanistan, another factor is going to be Net Run Rate as it could well be a factor in getting to the knockout stage

[CrazyEnglishTriathlete]

Watching events at Lucknow with relish.  And its not Vegemite.

[CrazyEnglishTriathlete]

"The umpire says no, as de Kock leaps like a rampant salmon and clings on in both gloves"

Not sure what a rampant salmon looks like but it's wheels have come off.

[andyoxon]

Labuschagne, Aus's current top scorer in this match agst RSA, was born in South Africa. 

[spesh]

England in trouble vs Afghanistan...

[Jaded]

Indeed. Would be astonishing to chase from here

[Peter]

Labuschagne, Aus's current top scorer in this match agst RSA, was born in South Africa. 

Yes.  Almost everyone in Queensland was.

[spesh]

Indeed. Would be astonishing to chase from here

When you're last in and left with a score to attain,
And the umpire points up to dismiss your tail end,
Just walk back inside and remember again,
Leave the wide balls, you daft slogger

With apologies to the shade of Rudyard Kipling...