6th Match - New Zealand v Scotland

[Howsie]

I saw Anderson hit 143+ ks

Where are all dem Anderson bowling haters at? Wasn't Neesham head and shoulders more likely to be a better bowler a little more than six months ago?

BTW can everybody just relax, New Zealand would've chased 300 had we needed too. Have we ever seen Williamson play a shot like he did to get out before? Just boosting that NRR was all that was.

 

[Prince EWS]

This is my pet theory - it works for the West Indies or used to anyway before their decline. As well as the Celtic nations I would join several other countries together. It sounds fanciful and the logistics would have to be worked on but it the expansion to bangers and zimbos as individual nations hasn't worked so we should explore other options to grow the game globally.

I would expand test cricket to 12 teams as follows

Top eight teams
Ireland/Scotland
Bangladesh/Afghanistan
Zimbos/Kenya (if Kenya have anyone decent left)
Usa/Canada (most players would come from Canada and this would be the weakest team but we need to grow cricket in North america)

In general I've always thought that 8-10 teams work well for the way Test cricket is scheduled and that we might need to think outside the box in terms of spreading it to other areas, so I don't mind your idea. Not sure if Bangladesh and Afghanistan would really work but the rest have some potential.

I've thought for a little while now that India should just absorb Nepal into the Ranji system and, much like the England (and Wales) Cricket Board, become the Board of Control for Cricket in India (and Nepal). The countries have very close relations to the point of an open border with free movement, and while cricket is really popular in Nepal they're probably unlikely to ever be a genuine force. That'd give their players a proper pathway and access to good infrastructure and funding.

There was a team in the first World Cup called East Africa encompassing Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania and Zambia; this could possibly be expanded to include Zimbabwe and Namibia. Alternatively, Namibia already play in the second tier of South Africa's domestic structure so they could be absorbed by them instead.

The biggest drawback to ideas like this is that I really think it'd take away from the World Cup. Providing pathways for cricketers in other nations to Test cricket is good, but the World Cup thrives to a large extent on more puristic national identity and having more teams competing. That said, the ICC are moving towards a ten team World Cup anyway for some bizarre reason so they'd probably like your idea even more than you do.

 

[Chubb]

What about Netherlands & Denmark joining with Scotland and Ireland to make a Western Europe-type team?

The EU team has been suggested before. Nice idea but the ICC would never go with it.

Hong Kong should join with Singapore, Malaysia and PNG to make a South-East Asia team.

 

[Athlai]

This is what happens when I'm not around folks.

 

[Flem274*]

Irish batting and Scottish bowling would be a decent side.

Yup, though Dockrell and Machan should make it.

This is my pet theory - it works for the West Indies or used to anyway before their decline. As well as the Celtic nations I would join several other countries together. It sounds fanciful and the logistics would have to be worked on but it the expansion to bangers and zimbos as individual nations hasn't worked so we should explore other options to grow the game globally.

I would expand test cricket to 12 teams as follows

Top eight teams
Ireland/Scotland
Bangladesh/Afghanistan
Zimbos/Kenya (if Kenya have anyone decent left)
Usa/Canada (most players would come from Canada and this would be the weakest team but we need to grow cricket in North america)

This is a good idea but I think the reason Ireland are so good is because they're Ireland, not Celtic.

Also Zimbabwe are not a failure, and their issues aren't ones the ICC can control anyway since the country in general went down the toilet. If anything Zimbabwe are a massive success that was thwarted by Mugabe. Despite being tiny they've produced an ATG batsman in their short history and even when they hit the floor they took a test off Pakistan despite their best and brightest usually ditching to other countries for a better life.

Bangladesh are infuriating.

 

[Flem274*]

Anyway Scotland made that difficult. I left before the game was done but I thought they bowled very well, even if NZ didn't treat them with respect. Even if NZ had played the ball and not the team Scotland could have made a good game of it with that bowling performance if they had a proper total on the board.

 

[Bahnz]

Yeah, and if NZ reach the semis they'll play in Auckland.

Unless New Zealand and Australia end up playing each other in the semi, in which case the host country will be determined by which team finished higher in pool play. Assuming for a second that we win our quarter, we'll play our semi in Australia if Australia finish 1st and we finish 3rd (or if Australia finish 2nd and we finish 4th). That's why beating England on Friday is bloody important.

 

[Zinzan]

Where are all dem Anderson bowling haters at?

Do you mean those of us who commented about him bowling poorly when he was bowling poorly? And more recently commenting about how it's been much better in the last 2-3 games...

Is calling it how one sees it really that strange a philosophy to you?

 

[Mike5181]

This is what happens when I'm not around folks.

If you have a cheese pizza I'll love you forever.

 

[Athlai]

If you have a cheese pizza I'll love you forever.

Cheese, Pepperoni, Meatlovers

 

[anil1405]

Yup, though Dockrell and Machan should make it.

This is a good idea but I think the reason Ireland are so good is because they're Ireland, not Celtic.

Also Zimbabwe are not a failure, and their issues aren't ones the ICC can control anyway since the country in general went down the toilet. If anything Zimbabwe are a massive success that was thwarted by Mugabe. Despite being tiny they've produced an ATG batsman in their short history and even when they hit the floor they took a test off Pakistan despite their best and brightest usually ditching to other countries for a better life.

Bangladesh are infuriating.

Alastair Campbell is at the helm of putting Zimbabwe back on track in the long run. That's a positive to look forward to.

 

[Hurricane]

Thanks for the detailed thoughts PEWS

 

[Prince EWS]

Thanks for the detailed thoughts PEWS

In theory I'd like to structure Test cricket differently to ODI cricket. So have Nepalise players play for the BCCI in Test cricket but have their own ODI side. I think it'd be unworkable in practice though.

 

[Daemon]

The EU team has been suggested before. Nice idea but the ICC would never go with it.

Hong Kong should join with Singapore, Malaysia and PNG to make a South-East Asia team.

get ****ed, we're not teaming up with malaysia

 

[Athlai]

This thread needs more posts abusing bleed blue. Yet again a minnow showing you can't take them lightly.

 

[Prince EWS]

This thread needs more posts abusing bleed blue. Yet again a minnow showing you can't take them lightly.

Nah this forum needs much fewer people taking him seriously in general. Hook, line and sinker every time.

 

[anil1405]

A freak and very unfortunate last 30-45 minutes for the game. More often than not a minnow like Scotland would lose by 10 wickets in such a game.
Scotland only need to lose by a huge margin in their next game for the order to be restored.
Machan is no AB and Wardlaw is no Steyn. This bowling performance from Scotland will be insignificant coz Scotland will be thumped by all other teams in coming days. #Bleed_Blue

 

[Athlai]

Nah this forum needs much fewer people taking him seriously in general. Hook, line and sinker every time.

If you think he's trolling then... Uh... Be a mod?

 

[Jimbo the giant]

This thread needs more posts abusing bleed blue. Yet again a minnow showing you can't take them lightly.

? We beat them with 25 overs remaining. Awesome showing Scotland. I mean even if you never ever looked close to winning.

 

[Bahnz]

Yeah, this was a towelling. New Zealand made a hash of their final charge, which can happen from time to time, but there was absolutely never any chance of anything over than an NZ win.