Zimbabwe v Canada.

Now there's a case for a clash strip in cricket!

India would sorely be ruing that one-short from Munaf Patel off the last ball of their innings...

India would sorely be ruing that one-short from Munaf Patel off the last ball of their innings...

Both side would have a bad case of "What If's" TU. The game may cost both teams dearly down the track-but almost THE perfect 50 over game-Had it all.

I hope that the 50 over game survives-If both teams are equal then it is a great form of cricket.

Zimbabwe v Canada.

Now there's a case for a clash strip in cricket!

Not sure if the ICC would have thought of that. The bookies would be most upset.

Not sure if the ICC would have thought of that. The bookies would be most upset.

I hope you and WJ are joking (I think you are).

Clearly there is no need for a clash strip when it is patently obvious which team is which. Given everyone wears white in Test cricket it's not hard to work out.

There's still hope for Hussey!

"It is obviously disappointing to lose Doug Bollinger from the World Cup squad through injury, however, we have decided to delay the naming of a replacement for him until later in the tournament," Andrew Hilditch, the chairman of selectors, said. "Currently all our fast bowlers are fit and we have John Hastings in the squad ready to play if an opportunity presents itself.

"We also have cover in the event of an injury to Brad Haddin [Tim Paine] or any one of the batsmen [Callum Ferguson] so there is seen to be no rush in making the decision. The national selection panel will make a decision as we approach the later stages of the tournament so we can select a replacement player who in our view will give us the best chance of success in the World Cup."

That last line is a strong hint that Hussey, who is the fourth-ranked ODI batsman in the world, will be in the frame.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc_cricket_worldcup2011/content/current/story/503569.html

There's still hope for Hussey!

http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc_cricket_worldcup2011/content/current/story/503569.html

I don't see why they don't just send him now. Let him become accustomed to the conditions and amongst the team. That said, they're probably concerned if another bowler goes down now in the short term. So it's probably just a precaution.

Malinga ripped through Kenya to achieve the second best figures for Sri Lanka bowling in World Cups. His yorkers were piping hot eventhough the Kenyan batsmen had NFI.

I don't see why they don't just send him now. Let him become accustomed to the conditions and amongst the team. That said, they're probably concerned if another bowler goes down now in the short term.

Yep. What's the deal with sending players over to put out cones at training or whatever? Any rules against it? If not, you'd be silly not to have a wicketkeeper doing so, etc.

Ireland beat England! 50 ball hundred!

They were 5-111 but managed 7-329 to knock them off.

Ireland beat England! 50 ball hundred!

They were 5-111 but managed 7-329 to knock them off.

To be sure, To be sure...Kevin O'brien you Absolute Legend!!!

What a superb day....for the Poms!

To be sure, To be sure...Kevin O'brien you Absolute Legend!!!

What a superb day....for the Poms!

Now if the Irish crickiters can do that for Jimmy, our footballers should be able to achieve the same thing.

Fantastic stuff and I'm only sorry that the Netherlands just missed out on beating them in the first game because their tournament would have been over by now i that were the case.

Hahah, well done Ireland. Netherlands got close and now a minnow has knocked them over. What a great innings by O'Brien - wish I saw it.

Hahah, well done Ireland. Netherlands got close and now a minnow has knocked them over. What a great innings by O'Brien - wish I saw it.

I watched England's innings and saw the start of Ireland's innings. They were I think 3 for 60 odd ?? when my head hit the pillow. Unbelievable. Would also love to see some of O'Brien's innings.

Is that a case to include the "minnows" in the World Cup ? I think it is for the game's sake in lifting the games profile in minnow countries such as Ireland, Netherlands, Kenya, etc. Despite ordinary performances.

Pakistan v Canada - Pakistan 4/104 after 27 overs. Canada have troubled their batsmen with swing and movement off the seam thanks to some cloud cover. Go Canada, hopefully the Ireland win rubs off on another minnow.

Sth AFrica in control over the Netherlands.

ICC may have to have another inquiry....

Pakistan 9/181. Wow. With 8 overs remaining.

But can Canada bat ?!!

Call in the ICC investigators.....nah this game seems kosher to me.

edit: ALL OUT for 184.

CANADA - can they get 185 and follow Ireland's success. Go the minnows.

But can Canada bat ?!!

Call in the ICC investigators.....nah this game seems kosher to me.

Based on what I saw in Canada v Zimbabwe the other night, they'll struggle to win but 0/16 after 3.5 is a fair enough start.

A win to Canada should get all of the cricket world's conspiracy theorists well and truly out of the woodwork.

Well done Jack - they're now 2/16.

Also, none of the commentators said anything, but I am almost 100% sure that the the opener hit the ball with the first lbw. There was a clear deflection, two noises and the batsman went off holding is bat at the toe end. They barely looked at that when doing the replay, which was the only reason it wasn't given in the first place.

Wouldn't have minded the ICC to have included hot spot in the UDRS for the World Cup. Canada would probably be 1 for.

Well done Jack - they're now 2/16.

Also, none of the commentators said anything, but I am almost 100% sure that the the opener hit the ball with the first lbw. There was a clear deflection, two noises and the batsman went off holding is bat at the toe end. They barely looked at that when doing the replay, which was the only reason it wasn't given in the first place.

Wouldn't have minded the ICC to have included hot spot in the UDRS for the World Cup. Canada would probably be 1 for.

Damn ... I was really hoping for a big win to Canada. A result like that would have had the UN Human Rights Council working overtime to condemn the Pakistanis and get the heat off Ghaddafi.

Well done Jack - they're now 2/16.

Also, none of the commentators said anything, but I am almost 100% sure that the the opener hit the ball with the first lbw. There was a clear deflection, two noises and the batsman went off holding is bat at the toe end. They barely looked at that when doing the replay, which was the only reason it wasn't given in the first place.

Wouldn't have minded the ICC to have included hot spot in the UDRS for the World Cup. Canada would probably be 1 for.

3/104 needing 81 off about 104 balls remaining.

It seems people shouldn't have posted updates! 7-34 at the end to crash away.

They lost their 4th wicket at, yep, 104.

It seems people shouldn't have posted updates! 7-34 at the end to crash away.

They lost their 4th wicket at, yep, 104.

Ok, maybe I've been watching far to much of the World Cup and am sleep deprived and that's why I've come up with this crazy (possibly stupid idea) on how to improve the development of other countries in test match cricket. An EPL style division system where countries can be promoted and relegated from one division to another after a three year period of solid or poor performances.

This idea has come about mainly because of Ireland's impressive first 2 performances of this World Cup & the last also. In 2007 they had victories over Pakistan & Bangladesh and drew with Zimbabwe, while in this World Cup they've already beaten England and should of beaten Bangladesh in their first match if it weren't for loosing their last 5 wickets for about 20 runs when they only needed another 50 to win. I had also been impressed with Zimbabwe's openning performances, although they were pretty ordinary last night against New Zealand to be honest.

So the way my idea works is the top 7 nations form say the premier division. This being India, South Africa, Sri Lanka, England, Australia, Pakistan & New Zealand. These nations over a three year period must play a home & an away test series against one another. Usual min of 2 tests, max of 5. Where as the current 8th & 9th ranked nations West Indies & Bangladesh form a secondary division along with at first Zimbabwe & Ireland where all of these nations must play a home & away test series against one another over a three year period. These should probably all be 5 test series as there's only 4 teams in this secondary division. The second division counts as a test match and all records, wickets & runs would count towards test match averages and stats.

After the initial 3 year period the bottom 2 nations from the premier division are relegated to the 2nd division, the top nation from the 2nd division is promoted to the premier division. Then to try and even everything out, the next highest ranked minow country in the Intercontinental Cup (not sure how many people know about this comp) can also be promoted to test status and start playing in the 2nd division. (This would probably be Afghanistan if anyone's been watching their improvement in the last few years, they're the most improved country by a long way and are reguly beating higher ranked countries like Kenya, Scotland etc).

So this way after the initial 3 years there would be 6 countries in the premire division, 6 countries in the 2nd division, and then every 3 years the top 2 teams from 2nd division are promoted while the bottom 2 from premier are demoted.

The reason why I like this idea is because it serves a couple of important issues in World cricket.

1: It means the higher ranked countries get to play more often only against the other top countries. Australia wouldn't of had to worry about this series against Bangladesh after the World Cup for example or any of those top end series as there's less countries to play against. Also it means because we have to play everyone inside 3 years it means the headline touring nation from year to year goes England, India & South Africa, and then starts again whith no lull year.

2: It allows Ireland, Zimbabwe & possibly Afghanistan eventually to gain test experience against decent opposition like the West Indies & Bangladesh. They get to play against them more often allowing their skills and experience to improve also. And while many may feel it does little for the likes of the West Indies & Bangladesh, it does give them the chance to create a winning culture, and after 3 years they will have the opportunity to take that culture in against more hardened opposition.

3: The relegation & demotion system would mean that it wont always be the same countries stuck in one division all the time as every 3 years they have the oppotunity to swap over if their performances have warranted it.

So I'm curious as to people's thoughts. Obviously I don't expect everyone to love it, and I'm sure there are holes in it. But I just thought I'd see what everyone's thoughts are on expanding the game to include other countries???

Edit: Changed Ireland beating Ireland, to Ireland beating England.

Edited March 4, 201114 yr by Tall Defence

Intereating ideas.

For teams in the bottom division, however, I see death to cricket in that nation.

I don't see any need to employ a division system.

What the next FTP needs to have is fairness, and that means all the countries playing all the other countries the same number of times, home and away. It's a better leveller, it gives teams better ideas of where they rank, and it helps promote the game by allowing the weaker countries (NZ, WI, Bangladesh) to experience the stronger teams (South Africa, India, Sri Lanka).

In ODI cricket Bangladesh and Zimbabwe need to start playing the other 8 countries far more regularly, whether we like it or not, to promote their development. Ireland and the Netherlands should be thereabouts too, maybe not as regular as the other sides, but they need to play the big boys more than just once every four years.

Cricket will be better for it when it expands into more countries. Ireland has shown it has the capacity to play, and beat, the better countries, but their development as a ODI (and, later, Test) nation is only going to stall if they don't get the chance to play Australia, South Africa and co. more than once every four years.

I agree with 45 and t_u on the division proposal.

I'm not a fan, but I do think there needs to be an overhaul of the FTP.

(The first thing off the table - 7-game ODI series').