The Cricket thread

[TheGreatRambo]

Missed what Watson did, must have a look at it later. Decent series alright, West Indies didn't roll over like they have in recent years. Aussie batting is ok but bowling lineup is poor compared to recent times, they have something to find before Ashes this time next year.

South Africa - England game swings one way then the other, great stuff

[Aerlik]

Missed today's play as mini-me and I headed to the indoor rock-climbing centre to stay out of the heat.  Feck she was a warm one today.

We then lay in the air-con watching today's play.  Great stuff by the last two Windies players although I was mightily impressed by the substitute Aussie fielder with the Greek name.  Not unlike a certain Jim Stynes from this board according to my son!!!

Watson is a posing twat I think.  He's more concerned about getting his hair product endorsement and I seriously think he's very jealous of Clarke.  I didn't see what he did but there is a real boorish arrogance creeping into their game and then they wonder why young aussies are getting juiced up on  beer and speed at the weekend and beating/killing each other.  Seems their idols are a fine example.  Rant over.  Feck it would be funny if the Windies win.  Off to the WACA for us then after mass tomorrow.  ya man!

[Denn Forever]

Missed today's play as mini-me and I headed to the indoor rock-climbing centre to stay out of the heat.  Feck she was a warm one today.

We then lay in the air-con watching today's play.  Great stuff by the last two Windies players although I was mightily impressed by the substitute Aussie fielder with the Greek name.  Not unlike a certain Jim Stynes from this board according to my son!!!

Watson is a posing t**t I think.  He's more concerned about getting his hair product endorsement and I seriously think he's very jealous of Clarke.  I didn't see what he did but there is a real boorish arrogance creeping into their game and then they wonder why young aussies are getting juiced up on  beer and speed at the weekend and beating/killing each other.  Seems their idols are a fine example.  Rant over.  Feck it would be funny if the Windies win.  Off to the WACA for us then after mass tomorrow.  ya man!

Is freezing here at home.

[sheelinside]

watson bowled gayle out and then just basicallly ran up and screamed in his face and bounced up and down in front of him for about 5 seconds as gayle was turning to walk. gayle just paused to look at him and showed a lot restraint not to go for him.
chatting to a few aussies, they are of the opinion a lot of the latest squad are living off the assiocated glory of being an aussie cricketer without achieving the results. but in fairness there's not a lot of players out there who could replace mcgrath, warne et al. think lee is nearly done also.

its nicely set up for today aerlik, but could be a short day. enjoy it

[Aerlik]

Well mini-me and I made it to the WACA for our first ever international first-class cricket game...all 26 minutes of it...along with about 400 others.  Feck it was boiling there today.

We were abeam the wicket and I have to say the feckin speed of the bowlers is something else.  I didn't see the replay of the final wicket but aussies at work reckoned he was not out.

Anyway, Watson's behaviour has been condemned by colleagues and former greats alike.  Hopefully he'll pull his head in.

[Declan]

Nice touch for Morgan this

Eoin Morgan seals Bangalore IPL deal


Eoin Morgan was the only England player to be bought at the auction for the 2010 Indian Premier League.

The 23-year-old batsman will join the Royal Challengers Bangalore after being sold for a fee of £134,000.

Only 11 out of the 66 overseas players attracted successful bids, with England's Graeme Swann and all 11 Pakistan players left unsold.

West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard and New Zealand paceman Shane Bond were the costliest players at the auction.

While Morgan was the only English player to be sold at the auction, there are plenty of his compatriots already contracted to IPL teams.

Kevin Pietersen will be with Morgan in Bangalore, Paul Collingwood plays for the Delhi Daredevils, Dimitri Mascarenhas is with the Rajasthan Royals, Ravi Bopara plays for Kings XI Punjab, Graham Napier plays for Mumbai while Owais Shah was traded to the Kolkata Knight Riders.

Andrew Flintoff is with the Chennai Super Kings but will miss the second year of his contract because of injury.

Mumbai, Chennai, Bangalore and Kolkata all matched the £458,000 maximum offer for the 22-year-old Pollard.
   

The four teams were then given an extra five minutes to decide how much extra they wanted to commit and had to indicate their final price in a sealed envelope - with Mumbai Indians coming out on top.

Bond also made the maximum fee, with Kolkata Knight Riders winning the bidding.

The silent bid amount exceeding the base price is not disclosed. The excess money - more than each team's limit of £458,000 spending - goes to IPL and not the player.

Bond has returned to mainstream cricket after two years with the unauthorised Indian Cricket League.

"From what we understood, he isn't going to be playing Test matches any more," said Knight Riders co-owner Jay Mehta.

"He has a few injuries, but from what we have heard from his coach, he is in pretty good shape right now.

"We wanted a fast bowler and we wanted someone with experience and he provides us with that experience."

West Indies fast bowler Kemar Roach was signed by Deccan for £439,000 while South Africa left-armer Wayne Parnell went to Delhi for £372,000.
West Indies all-rounder Kieron Pollard
Pollard will play for the Mumbai Indians in the IPL

England spinner Swann was one of three players to have attracted the highest base price of £153,000 for the auction.

But, together with fellow Englishmen Tim Bresnan, Robert Key, Anthony McGrath, Monty Panesar, Mark Ramprakash and Jonathan Trott, he was not sold.

It was a major surprise that none of the Pakistan players were snapped up, but fears over visa problems may be to blame.

The likes of Shahid Afridi, Umar Gul and Abdul Razzaq were part of the Pakistan team that won the ICC World Twenty20 last June.

Australian wicketkeeper Brad Haddin and seam bowler Doug Bollinger also went unsold.

IPL III starts on 12 March and ends on 25 April. England play two Tests in Bangladesh from 12-24 March.

Only four non-Indians are permitted to feature in each playing XI, with eight in each squad.

Australian Adam Gilchrist steered Deccan Chargers to victory over Royal Challengers Bangalore by six runs in last year's IPL final in Johannesburg, staged in South Africa because of security concerns.

But this year's tournament returns to India, where it was won in its inaugural year by the unfancied Rajasthan Royals.

All the players bought from the auction in Mumbai will be given a one-year contract valid until 31 December which will also cover a Champions League Twenty20 tournament later this year.

Full list of IPL auctions:

Kieron Pollard [West Indies] - Mumbai Indians (£458,000 tie-break)
Shane Bond [New Zealand] - Kolkata Knight Riders (£458,000 tie-break)
Kemar Roach [West Indies] - Deccan Chargers (£439,000)
Wayne Parnell [South Africa] - Delhi Daredevils (£372,000)
Mohammad Kaif [India] - Kings XI Punjab (£153,000)
Eoin Morgan [England] - Royal Challengers Bangalore (£134,000)
Damien Martyn [Australia] - Rajasthan Royals (£61,000)
Justin Kemp [South Africa] - Chennai Super Kings (£61,000)
Adam Voges [Australia] - Rajasthan Royals (£30,000)
Thissara Perera [Sri Lanka] - Chennai Super Kings (£30,000)
Yusuf Abdulla [South Africa] - Kings XI Punjab (£30,000)

[Denn Forever]

Nice one for Morgan.

And he is an Irishman playing for England and whence he is an English player.

I'd say hes glad he didn't make the test squad as I don't think the English setup would appreciate him going seeing as how Flintoff and Piertersen came back crocked from the IPL.

[Denn Forever]

Live streaming of the IPL on Google vis You Tube.  And it will be free!!

Under its deal, Google is expected to offer IPL matches on YouTube with revenue stemming from advertising and sponsorship deals, people familiar with the matter said.

http://www.ft.com/cms/s/0/ddcebe1e-0522-11df-a85e-00144feabdc0.html

[stephenite]

Afghanistan's seemingly inexorable rise in the cricket world took another step in the right direction in Dubai on Tuesday as they defeated favourites and joint-defending champions Ireland in their opening world Twenty20 qualifiers.

The Afghans - who came within one place of reaching the 2011 World Cup finals - beat the Irish in a thrilling Group A contest by 13 runs.

They were not alone in upsetting the odds as wildcard entrants the United States defeated Scotland by six wickets also in Group A while Kenya were stunned by hosts United Arab Emirates, who had only been invited as they are the hosts, losing by 15 runs in Group B.

The Netherlands - joint holders with Ireland from the 2008 tournament - defeated Canada by six wickets in the other Group B clash in a series that will see two teams progress to the finals in the West Indies which runs from April 30 to May 6 with Pakistan as defending champions.

After Tuesday's results, all the four beaten sides find themselves in must-win situations while they are also aware of the fact that even if they win their matches on Wednesday, Thursday will be judgement day for them when Ireland goes head to head with Scotland in the late afternoon match in Dubai and Kenya takes on the Netherlands in the early afternoon match in Abu Dhabi.

Afghanistan made Ireland pay a heavy price for its sloppy fielding and uncharacteristic batting.

Ireland dropped no less than half a dozen catches in the field, then slipped from 52-1 to 78-5 in its 140-run chase and finally failed to finish off the game when it required 16 runs off the last 11 balls with three wickets standing.

For Afghanistan, it was its third recent victory over Ireland after it had earlier beaten undoubtedly the best Associate side in the 50-over format ICC World Cup Qualifier 2009 in South Africa by 22 runs, then it won a four-day first-class ICC Intercontinental Cup match by seven wickets in Dambulla last month before winning in the shortest version of the game on Tuesday.

Afghanistan's hero was Mohammad Nabi, who first struck three fours and two sixes in a rapid 25-ball 43 not out that lifted his side to 8-139, and then picked up 2-25 to help Afghanistan dismiss Ireland for 126 with four balls to spare.

Afghanistan coach Kabir Khan was delighted with his side's performance.

"It is very heartening to beat a top side like Ireland on a consistent basis. This reflects that we are learning and learning fast," said the 35-year-old former Pakistani test and one day fast bowler.

"It is certainly a jump start for my side as Ireland is the best side in the tournament. The victory has given us a tremendous boost and confidence.

William Porterfield, whose dismissal by off-spinner Karim Sadiq was crucial as he had made 35 off 23 balls, was disappointed with the loss.

"It is disappointing if you can't chase seven runs an over and are bowled out in 20 overs," he said.

"There is no doubt that we didn't play well but let's not forget that Afghanistan also played well.

"The equation for us is pretty simple and straight now. We need to win the remaining two matches to progress to the Super Four stage and get our ambitions back on track."

© 2010 AFP

[Denn Forever]

Afganistan gets to 20 20 world cup by getting to final in Dubai.  Ireland in the semi against Holland so hopefully we'll get through'

Afghanistan qualify for ICC World Twenty20 tournament 
ICC World Twenty20 qualifier, Dubai:
Afghanistan 101-6 (19.3 overs) beat UAE 100 (20 overs) by four wickets
Match scorecard

Afghanistan were in the fifth division of world cricket two years ago

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------


Afghanistan earned the right to take on the leading cricket nations at the ICC World Twenty20 by reaching the final of the qualifying event in Dubai.

They beat the United Arab Emirates by four wickets and will face Ireland or the Netherlands later on Saturday.

But both finalists are guaranteed a place in the main tournament, which starts in April in the West Indies.

The UAE managed 100-9 in their 20 overs and Afghanistan won with three balls to spare, Noor Ali making an unbeaten 38.

More follows

[Doogie Browser]

Take a boo Sachin son!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/cricket/8534309.stm

[Denn Forever]

Eoin Morgan plays a blinder to win the game with a 6 afnd a 4 in the last over.  Sad loss for Irish Cricket.

Eoin Morgan hits a magnificent unbeaten 110 as England beat Bangladesh by two wickets to take a winning 2-0 lead in the one-day international series.

[Gabriel_Hurl]

Fair play to Morgan - that's a good knock

[cookstownblue]

Anyone do an aul bet on the cricket- i followed it a bit when i lived in south america, seems west indies only have two real batsmen, gayle and chanderpaul imo.  I usually back them both to be WI's top run scorer- Chanderpaul came up last night at 4.5 on betfair

[Geoff Tipps]

Anyone do an aul bet on the cricket- i followed it a bit when i lived in south america, seems west indies only have two real batsmen, gayle and chanderpaul imo.  I usually back them both to be WI's top run scorer- Chanderpaul came up last night at 4.5 on betfair

Sarwan is handy too but better suited to test cricket than limited over games.