The Gurgler’s Cricket World Cup Occasional Review

We finally get a chance to catch our breath, unlike Pakistan who would probably struggle to catch breath, as the World Cup completes another action packed week.

We must admit at The Gurgler that the thought of 50 over cricket earlier in the year and previous season leads to channel changing yawns. Maybe it’s the different nations playing, maybe it’s the minnows, maybe even the Foxtel, but this World Cup has actually captured the imagination. Another reason is that we can talk about the cricket on the field, and not Michael Clarke injury updates, who David Warner or Shane Warne has offended this month, or how bad the channel 9 commentary is.

Our favourite moment was the attempted cartwheel from the Afghan bowler in their gallant attempt to upset Sri Lanka, just in front of England pantsing by New Zealand.

First of all it’s time to catch up on the tables and then the results. Further on from that is our best bets.

CURRENT STANDINGS

ENGLAND 8/303 (50) def SCOTLAND 184 (42.2)

STAR MAN – MOEEN ALI 126 (107) + 2/47
To be fair Moeen Ali with his man sized proper non wanker kale eating beard doesn’t have to do much to earn our plaudits, but his century and useful bowling is a worthy achievement itself.

So England have won a game, and against powerhouse Scotland no less. The performance was a large improvement on Friday’s half a game against NZ, and a 300+ score appears to be the minimum to win a game against the top tier teams this World Cup which England achieved in this game.

Scotland meanwhile were well beaten but not disgraced again, another shot in the arm for the minnows who have better than expected and certainly worthy inclusions for future World Cups if the greedy ICC can grant these teams a go. Not sure how they expect to improve otherwise.

INDIA 7/307 (50) def SAF 177 (40.2)

STAR MAN – SHIKHAR DHAWAN 137 (145)
A big century from Dhawan set up a win for the home side against South Africa.

In front of a crowd of 86,786 at the MCG (2,500 more than Australia v England) the Indians put another major player in their pool to the sword, turning around the form of a said who looked bored shitless in the recent ODI series with Australia & England.

The atmosphere wasn’t quite as good as the Pakistan game, but the result certainly was, and one is left in no doubt who the ultimate cricket fans are in world cricket if they can fill a stadium for a non Australian fixture.

A cynic could argue that South Africa have had the loss they needed early, and have also got the inevitable choke out of their system too. Probably not if they make the semis.

SRI LANKA 6/236 (48.2) def AFGHANISTAN 232

STAR MAN – HAMID HASSAN
Produced the highlight of the match with his wonderful cartwheel after getting the vital wicket of Sangakarra.

WATCH IT HERE

So close for another upset, this one would be hard to argue as a bigger upset than Ireland over the Windies.

The Afghans set a smallish target of 233 for Sri Lanka, and they took nearly all of their 50 overs and 6 wickets to get there. Some typical heroics from Jayawardene with a 100 and some lusty tail end batting saved Sri Lanka from an embarrassment which looked possible when at 4/51 chasing the 233 runs.

Afghanistan, in what has become a trend in the World Cup, held their own and almost produced a notable result for the minnows, to continue to highlight the folly of removing such teams.

AUSTRALIA v BANGLADESH – Abandoned.

No game, which means more Michael Clarke injury blah blah blah, Shane Warne blah blah blah.

WEST INDIES 6/310 (50) def PAKISTAN 160 (39)

STAR MAN – ANDRE RUSSELL 3/33 and 42 (13)
3 wickets and some quality lower order slogging earns him plenty of kudos and out star man pick.

The battle of the two most unpredictable and untrustworthy teams in World cricket clashed with the Windies moving forward in their pool to try and erase the Irish game stink from earlier in the week.

Another 300 + target was always going to be hard work, but at a one day record 4/1 Pakistan were no hope, and the immediate questions were raised over which sides the Pakistan players had bet on.

You could always stay with the run chase in case Shahid Afridi does something exciting, but those times are too few these days.

NZ 2/125 (12.2) def ENGLAND 123 (33.2)

STAR MAN – BRENDON MCCALLUM
Yet another star man for the NZ star, but his dismantling of England’s total showed the best way to chase a small target. Doing it for the fans who could bugger off to the pub before they turned the night lights on.

It’s hard to imagine that in a World Cup with 4 minnows and other fringe nations (of which West Indies are fast becoming) that England produced the worst result and effort thus far.

To be bowled out for 123 and then watch Brendon McCallum batting like he had an early dinner planned, England could have been worse, but not much more. The form of NZ is ominous heading into their big clash with Australia coming up.

Kudos for McCallum again, teams crawling to small totals stinks, and blasting the runs as quick as possible is really doing it for the fans.

The No Result between Australia and Bangladesh means England can’t afford to lose any more games. Another early exit awaits otherwise who can get the same early exit as their World Cup football team.

ZIMBABWE 6/286 (48) def UAE 7/285 (50)

STAR MAN – ANWAR 67 (50)
With UAE getting close, we thought we give our Star Man to a less likely repeat offender for this game. His runs were good, and had to be to beat a fellow player with the best name of the World Cup Kristna Karate.

The smokiest of minnows gave the smokiest of Test Playing Nations a good run. UAE played well and came quite close to knocking of Zimbabwe in another example of good minnows blah blah blah already said it a few times.

Zimbabwe showed enough to prove their warm up win over Sri Lanka was no fluke.

BANGLADESH 267 (50) def AFGHANISTAN 162 (42.5)

STAR MAN – MORTAZA 3/20
This one will do nicely, there were similar level perfromances, but this is the only one we write down.

The Afghans did well to recover from 3/3 a better start than their illustrious border sharers Pakistan. Not quite good enough to beat Bangladesh this time, but it appears that gap could close in the future.

WORLD CUP MULTI $1 for $3.04

TUESDAY – WEST INDIES to beat Zimbabwe
WEDNESDAY – IRELAND to beat UAE
THURSDAY – SRI LANKA to beat BANGLADESH
SATURDAY – AUSTRALIA to beat NZ

THIS WEK’S FIXTURES
TUESDAY – WEST INDIES v ZIMBABWE
WEDNESDAY – IRELAND to beat UAE
THURSDAY – SRI LANKA to beat BANGLADESH
THURSDAY – SCOTLAND v AFGHANISTAN
FRIDAY – WEST INDIES v SOUTH AFRICA
SATURDAY – AUSTRALIA to beat NZ
SATURDAY – INDIA v UAE
SUNDAY – ENGLAND v SRI LANKA
SUNDAY – PAKISTAN v ZIMBABWE