Group B Discussion

So what are the WI chances of qualifying for the quater finals considering their defeat yesterday?

Thanks for explaining all that Sam

got to love the sam_ahmed kiss of death!

South Africa really hammered Bang! Now that they are out of the WC I guess the quarter finalists are confirmed now. It was very disappointing that they did not even put up a good fight against SA though. Good game scheduled for tomorrow. India should win it though. Windies really are no good and they have a terrible captain. He is probably the worst captain that the WI has ever had!

another prospective 300 marred by the crumbling and tumbling of wickets in a flurry during the late overs which is becoming a habit of team India now.

Originally posted by spin wizard Haha, take it easy on Sammy Daisy.  As far as performance goes, certainly one of the worse but the team has been much more focused under Sammy than I have seen for the last 4 years or so.  The last time the Windies showed fight was in 2006 when they defeated India 4-1 at home in ODI's, went to Kuala Lumpur and did alright and then reach the CT finals.  Gayle was in blazing form that year.  The senior guys aren't pulling their weight yet the team is hanging on, that's the most pleasing thing.   I expect Gayle to hammer that India attack all over Chennai tomorrow!  Would be good to see how Roach performs against that deadly top order that India has.

Well neither Gayle or Roach played so I guess you were disappointed. Sammy has made a lot of blunders as a captain. I wonder what goes through his mind when he makes certain decisions (like shuffling around the batting order and making bad choices about field settings). It's true that the windies doesn't have any great player who are consistent and outstanding but a lot of responsibility is placed on the captain and so far I think that Sammy has failed as captain. It would be interestin to see who the new windies captain will be though. Surely those selectors will have to choose someone else very soon.

Another disappointing performance by WI and again it's the batting that let them down. The bowlers did well to restrict India this morning and WI got a good start but after Smith got out everything just went downhill from there. Maybe this defeat is a blessing in disguise though because personally, I feel that WI has a much better chance against Pak than they do against Aus.

Originally posted by jaysjay first real bowling effort from team India that would procure their fans some assurance. India looks much better of a bowling unit with Ashwin in the playing eleven,thats something which would also take some pressure off the Indian batting line up that feel pressurised to make a score of 350 evertime they reach 40 over mark and in the process end up falling 30 runs short of a score that looked easily in their grasp at one time,by losing wickets playing ambitious shots.

Couldn't  agree anymore. The Indian camp will be very much pleased and relieved to see their bowlers finally coming through. Yes it was against a WI sans Gayle, but still they would take a lot of confidence from this performnce. Ashwin has most definitely been a positive addition to the squad. His ability to bowl during the powerplays has helped Dhoni go in with just two seamers. Zaheer has been fantastic throughout the tournament and been the captain's 'goto' man. Has this magical knack of scalping a wicket or two and changing the game at the most crucial juncture of the game. But most pleasing is the fat that Bhajji has finally started to get some rhythm and that can spell danger. 
Probably I'm jumping the gun over here but as jaysjay had mentioned this last performance could more importantly be the assurance the batting line-up just needed. Hopefully will be the morale booster the team needed to go to that next level.

Originally posted by Hammond So Eng are in- it was touch and go but they've shown that they never give up- a bit like Australia about 10-15 years ago when they were on the brink of greatness. Eng play Sri Lanka now in the QF that will be a cracker of a game. Hopefully ENG will remember that they are a class unit and actually play to their potential for a change- and remember that Swann is a better bowler now than Murali so if they play a spinners wicket then Swann & Treadwell could clean up! Go England!

The difference being SL are much better players of spin than WI or the Eng.  Nonetheless should be acracker of a contest. This won too close to call though SL will be going in as favourites esp playing at home.

So Bangladesh are out - there can't be any complaints either , they were dire in two matches.   No comments here from the Windies fans about the final match - I said if it'd been England I'd have been praying for them to lose !  Think about it , win and play Sri Lanka in their own back yard or lose and play Pakistan on neutral territory - it's a no brainer isn't it ? 
            All the games look tight , but I expect SA and India to win with the others pretty tough to call. England will have to be right on their game to beat the Lankans in Columbo - I just hope the toss doesn't settle it.  Pakistan must start favourites against the Windies , but I won't be betting on the outcome !

               So finally we reach the sharp end of the tournament - Are Australia in decline ? Can Swann trouble the likes of Jayawardene and Sangakkara ? Will Gayle marmalise Gul at the top of the innings?  Will SA choke ?    We'll know by Saturday night !


Edited by Sledger - 22 March 2011 at 6:08am

Oh , I didn't realise they'd finish second mate!  I'd prefer Australia before Pakistan , so maybe they were trying!

May well be a dustbowl mate. India might play three spinners and that may or may not work. I clearly do not see any favorites in the tough battle that it is going to be. Something tells me it is Watson's time to score a ton.

Aussies need to strengthen their batting and should draft in either David Hussey or Ferguson in place of Smith - because when Ponting did not have faith in him to bowl against Pakistan - India is a class apart. Smith is a waste if he is not bowling.

Originally posted by zuhair_abbasi Sledge, Had west Indies won, they would have been playing against Australia on the neutral venue and not Sri Lanka in their back yard. West Indies would have finished second, had they won - to play Aussies who finished third in their group.

Yeah so maybe it's a good thing that they lost because they stand a better chance against Pak than Aus

Chanders has to play. His experience will count in such a crucial game. It will be a 50-50 thing - no clear favorites.