The 2011 ICC World Cup

[Barrel of Fun]

Struggling to raise any enthusiasm for this tournament. The last one was abysmal and yet again it is dragged out over the period of what seems like a lifetime. I suspect some of the English players are getting a bit homesick by now.

We won our warm up.

BBC Sport - Cricket - Cricket World Cup: Broad stars but England struggle

Prior hit 70 odd, Yardy scored 6 and Wright (living on borrowed time?) bagged a duck.

 

[Seagull over NZ]

Me too, there was so much criticism of the last one about the length of the tournament yet nothing has been done. In fact, the tournament has been designed specifically so that teams like India can't be eliminated early, which would have disastrous effects on the marketing of the tournament. I won't get excited about this until the quarter finals, by which time England could be the possible team to slip up. There is always one team that slips up, and it could well be us. Assuming that is not against Holland in our first game, it could well be against Bangladesh. Hope I'm wrong. Not convinced that KP is the answer at the top of the order, why are they so dead against Bell opening with Strauss??

 

[Tricky Dicky]

I agree, it's difficult, so far, to get worked up about this one. Can't see us getting very far either. The ashes win satisfied my cricketing appetite for now.

 

[Shropshire Seagull]

Been too long since we last won [a tournament] at this format.
T20 world champions can and should be surpassed.
However, the banana skin awaits ....

 

[mcshane in the 79th]

I might watch the final if England somehow make it that far. Not sure I'll bother with the rest. As above, just can't get excited about it. Definite cricket overkill after the Ashes and the mammoth one day series

 

[crodonilson]

We're going to stink the place out, no doubt about it.

Why is it we always manage to go to this tournaments in such horirific form and without any sort of settled side?? Every World Cup since 1993 we've been gash going into it and gash in it.

England aside I think it should be a fantastic tournament, India will be great hosts, the most passionate fans in all of cricket and I think this years vintage could be an absolute classic.

 

[Seagull over NZ]

Why is it we always manage to go to this tournaments in such horirific form

Simple, the World cup always comes after an Ashes tour. They are looking to change this as i think the Ashes sequence is getting shuffled around over the next 4-6 years.

 

[footychick]

I'm quite looking forward to it.

 

[TheBlueAndWhiteStrips]

To have them 28-5 then they manage to get 228 all out.That's poor even for a friendly. I think winning this is a massive task. I would have liked Bell to open with Strauss. India and Australia both look very good.

Still England aside this could be a great World Cup.

 

[Uncle Buck]

We're going to stink the place out, no doubt about it.

Why is it we always manage to go to this tournaments in such horirific form and without any sort of settled side?? Every World Cup since 1993 we've been gash going into it and gash in it.

England aside I think it should be a fantastic tournament, India will be great hosts, the most passionate fans in all of cricket and I think this years vintage could be an absolute classic.

Well the blessing is that most of our bowling attack has had a break and not taken part in the stupid 6 match ODI series in Australia.

We do go into the tournament with the best spinner in the world and at some point Pietersen has to hit some form. Also Trott will be key on these slower pitches.

 

[Leekbrookgull]

Have to say even as a fan of cricket this is way to much,the players must be knackered endless travelling and living out of a suitcase for months. The Ashes is the 'Big one' and always will be,after that it is all downhill.

 

[countrygull]

Well don't worry if you're not worked up about it: there's plenty of time for that: it goes on until APRIL!!!

 

[hans kraay fan club]

Test cricket >>>>>>Ironing>>>>>>>Sticking pins in my eyes>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>One Day Cricket

 

[Marc]

tell ya what, our odds are bound to be crap going into the finals, might sneak a few pounds worth on it for giggles like!

I dont mind one dayers, it was hard to get into the aussie series off the back of the ashes so did'nt watch any of it, might try and watch a few games now though.....already getting PEPPED up for the PROPER Cricket to start in April!

 

[Gritt23]

Well I am looking forward to it. Looks like a wide open tournament to me, and that always makes it interesting.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

BBC Sport - Cricket - Cricket World Cup: Grand ceremony launches tournament

It has started. An £18.6m opening ceremony in poverty stricken Bangladesh.

 

[Barrel of Fun]

Pak 103/4 (24.1 ov, Ahmed Shehzad 18*, Younis Khan 41*, MH Yardy 0/16) | Live Scorecard | ESPN Cricinfo

England 273ao
Pietersen 66
Collingwood 65

Pakistan 102/4 (24.0 overs)
Broad 3/12

 

[sten_super]

Now 128/5.

The Aus series is not much of an indicator of performance, due to the wildly different conditions and all of the injuries. While it's a pity that Morgan is going to miss out the balance of the side looks better now, assuming Bopara plays in his place, as he can offer a few overs of decent medium pace and is a decent finisher. It's still not clear whether they are going to play two spinners.

Strauss, Pietersen, Trott, Bell, Collingwood, Bopara, Prior, Bresnan, Broad, Swann, Anderson for me. Yardy is unlucky to miss out but I'm not convinced that he'll bowl 10 overs without getting smacked around a bit and he's been unable to produce any form with the bat. Shahzad is decent injury cover for the quicks, while Tredwell and Wright were extremely lucky to make the plane (and are, IMHO, wasted picks).

 

[Flavor Flav]

i think we've probably got one of the best bowling units in the tournament. However losing Eoin Morgan for Ravi Bopara has already made me lose my interest in it, not to mention all of our batsmen are horribly out of form.

 

[bluestt]

so funny how we turn into a nation of cricket lovers for two months when the Ashes are on and then the sport fades away again into obscurity. something about the format of the cwc just doesn't do it for me and does nothing to capture the imagination of the average sports fan who doesn't always watch cricket.