Champions Trophy

[An Tarbh]

The Champions Trophy gets under way today as the hosts take on Sri Lanka in the opening match. The tournament looks set to be the last one though having been postponed from last year when it was supposed to take place in Pakistan.

With the ongoing pay dispute in the West Indies they'll be sending a second string outfit and given how easily they were beaten by Bangladesh in their recent series look set to be the whipping boys in Group A.

Australia may have dispatched England 6-1 in their most recent one day series but their last series in South Africa was a different story and the quality of both India and Pakistan could well see them struggle to make the semi-finals.

South Africa and Sri Lanka should also have too much for both England and New Zealand although I'd expect the latter to put up more of a fight than England.

Group A

Australia
India
Pakistan
West Indies

23/9/09 Pakistan v West Indies, Wanderers
26/9/09 Australia v West Indies, Wanderers
26/9/09 India v Pakistan, Centurion
28/9/09 Australia v India, Centurion
30/9/09 Australia v Pakistan, Centurion
30/9/09 India v West Indies, Wanderers

Group B

New Zealand
Sri Lanka
England
South Africa

22/9/09 South Africa v Sri Lanka, Centurion
24/9/09 South Africa v New Zealand, Centurion
25/9/09 England v Sri Lanka, Wanderers
27/9/09 New Zealand v Sri Lanka, Wanderers
27/9/09 South Africa v England, Centurion
29/9/09 England v New Zealand, Wanderers

Semi-Finals
2/10/2009

Winner A v Runner-up B, Centurion

3/10/2009

Winner B v Runner-up A, Wanderers

Final
5/10/09

Winner SF1 v Winner SF2, Centurion

 

[Steve-o]

Gawd. Sri Lanka totally out classed a very rusty Protea team tonight. They thoroughly deserve their victory. Mendis is an ace!

 

[An Tarbh]

he is in fairness, was funny when they were saying on commentary, get the single and get down the other end, only in turn to be facing Murali!

 

[An Tarbh]

yet again the ICC refuse to show any backbone by not throwing the West Indies out of this tournament. Bangladesh proved that they're more up to the task than this current Windies side, they should have been told by the ICC to get their house in order before they can play in internationally sanctioned tournaments.

 

[An Tarbh]

Biggest upset of the tournament so far with England beating Sri Lanka at Johannesburg, in fairness they had ideal conditions and pretty much everything that could go in their favour did. Not sure if we'd have seen the same result at Centurion.

Interesting call from Strauss though in calling back Mathews after he'd collided with Onions and was run out, thought he was a tad generous myself but there you go.

 

[munross]

Proteas living up to their reputation of being "chokers".Bowling was poor and apart from Smith the batting too.Also feel that Andrew Strauss is a **** for not letting Smith have a runner,WTF was that all about?!?!

But yeah good performance by the English to beat SA in SA after the hiding that they got against the Aussies in the ODI series after the Ashes.
Might be in for a England - Australia final...

 

[An Tarbh]

Strauss was dead right not to let Smith have a runner, he had cramp, rules are there in black and white no runner aloud if you've got cramp.

Excellent performance from England, Morgan, Collingwood and Shah batting brilliantly and backed up superbly by the bowling of Anderson, Broad may have picked up the wickets but still has major flaws to deal with.

New Zealand picking up an excellent win today against Sri Lanka, only saw the start of their innings where Ryder was going great guns but didn't see much after that, last I saw they were 190-5 so did extremely well to get the win from that position and it sets up a great match on Tuesday when they take on England, would still expect a Black Cap victory as England are still an inconsistent side.

 

[Jethro]

Strangely

"South Africa are out, NZ need to beat England to qualify for the semi finals, if England win Sri Lanka will go through with them on net run rate".

Now if the BCs can put in another decent batting performance ....

 

[Radman]

They'd be on very long odds to achieve that but here's hoping. With no Ryder, McCullum will have to step up and carry the top order as well and I'm not sure he can.

Plus they are playing on that horrible jigsaw puzzle wicket Australia and West Indies played on which makes things worse.

 

[Flux]

The Blackcaps are just as inconsistent as England. Should be an interesting match. It depends who shows up, although you can't rule out both of them deciding to play their best. It still worries me that the Blackcaps can go from 114 or so for no wicket to 190-5.

 

[St Helens RLFC]

New Zealand should be thrown out after the disgraceful attempt to run Collingwood out.

 

[An Tarbh]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (St Helens RLFC @ Sep 29 2009, 03:12 PM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

New Zealand should be thrown out after the disgraceful attempt to run Collingwood out.[/b]

slight overreaction cause in that case you could have made the same case for England at the Twenty20 world cup.

 

[St Helens RLFC]

Not an overreaction at all. It's plain and simple cheating.

 

[Jethro]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (St Helens RLFC @ Sep 30 2009, 04:30 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

Not an overreaction at all. It's plain and simple cheating.[/b]

Yet strangely after the third umpire gave the player out, the NZ Captain called him back .. yes cheating indeed.

NZ win after both teams decided to make a mockery of our pool. So NZ and England advance to the semis and probably no further. Sorry no confidence in the BCs.

 

[St Helens RLFC]

Did Vettori throw the stumps down?The very fact they tried to get him out in that way is disgusting. I have lost all respect for the Black Caps after that.

 

[An Tarbh]

I'd have more respect for the fact that they called him back, especially as it was Collingwood involved. So Vetorri comes out the bigger man for me in this scenario. Strauss certainly paid him tribute as well and I doubt he would have done so had he been as adamant that it was blatant cheating, besides it would have been double standards given all the ways England bend the rules to their advantage.

 

[An Tarbh]

so the semi final lineup is complete after Australia topped their group thanks to a 2 wicket win over Pakistan, looked to be cruising at one stage to a relatively easy target only for the wickets to start tumbling, having the power play for the last 5 overs certainly helped the Aussies to find some crucial boundaries.

So Friday then we have the novel pairing of Australia and England while New Zealand take on Pakistan the following day. You'd expect both Australia and Pakistan to get through to the final without too much difficulty.

 

[Jethro]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (An Tarbh @ Oct 1 2009, 06:11 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

so the semi final lineup is complete after Australia topped their group thanks to a 2 wicket win over Pakistan, looked to be cruising at one stage to a relatively easy target only for the wickets to start tumbling, having the power play for the last 5 overs certainly helped the Aussies to find some crucial boundaries.

So Friday then we have the novel pairing of Australia and England while New Zealand take on Pakistan the following day. You'd expect both Australia and Pakistan to get through to the final without too much difficulty.[/b]

Pakistan is a really problem team for the Kiwis :wall: Guess we'll be making up the numbers in the semis. The final would be worth a look I reckon.

 

[St Helens RLFC]

With the way the pitches have been in this tournament it could really go either way. Writing England or New Zealand off would be foolish, if not understandable.

 

[Jethro]

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (St Helens RLFC @ Oct 2 2009, 01:21 AM) <{POST_SNAPBACK}></div>

With the way the pitches have been in this tournament it could really go either way. Writing England or New Zealand off would be foolish, if not understandable.[/b]

Quite honestly I would rather play the Aussies, at least I would have some confidence, the last time the BCs actually got a result against Pakistan? England have just come off a, how to put this kindly, total demolition series by the Aussies and now face them in the semis. Sure upsets happen, can you honestly see it happening though? I think the kiwi soccer, football for the Euros, team has a better chance of qualifying for the World Cup *


* Bahrain home and away btw for a place in the Republic .... Hungry ref for the first leg thank you FIFA :bravo: