hello all sajhaties,

this is my attempt to cure some of our ICC Cricket World cup fever by playing online version of World Cup cricket (to the one who doesnt like cricket: do not worry it will not consist of too many rules and it certainly wont take your whole day either)....it will be more like of a prediction game ....the similar to what we earlier did during NFL...i was highly impressed y it and huge number of responses...i can only hope it will be the same for WC Cricket

...so here is what is in store for the game:

PREDICTION MODEL

You must predict:

1. The game outcome (team 1 win, team 2 win or draw)

2. The margin of victory (i.e. runs difference AND wickets difference*)

* In cricket the judge of victory is determined by the coin toss, and as we won't know until each game starts how the victory will be determined, you must pick both options.

Points are awarded as follows:

Win Point (WP) 1.0 (for round robin, Super 8), 2 (for semi-finals), and 3 (for the final)

Margin Point (MP) 0.5
(A Margin Point will be awarded to every player whose margin prediction is within 30 runs of the real run margin or 3 wickets of the real wicket margin. You must correctly predict the winner of the game in order to qualify for a Margin Point.)


Bonus Point (BP) 1.0 Scored by player(s) whose margin prediction(s) is/are the closest to the actual margin. Each if the players will get 1 whol epoint point in case of ties. Once again, you must get the game outcome right (i.e. earn a WP) in order to qualify for BP.

i didn't make it too completed, did i ?

I will provide the scoreboard (which will be in an Excel spreadsheet, remember its online version we are playing) every week on saturdays after the saturday's game outcome

so, we ready for the toss?

P.S. There will be a 'trophy' for the winner ...the more the number of players, the bigger the trophy. It's a promise that wil lbe kept.

thank you tusaro, for speaking my mind..ya, lets give some life to this thread

i dont regret my prediction for aussies and west indies game after half way through ....i am, in fact, more confident to get MP, if not BP from this game!

and ya tusaro, you can change your prediction if the toss hasn't been made

come and lets join hand cricket enthusiasts ...show us how much you love this beautiful game of 'love and unity'

there wouldn't be better time to watch this nail-biting game from the past than now ....One of the best finishes to a game of Cricket. This was the 2nd final of the 1983/1984 World Series Cup between Australia and the West Indies, played at the MCG.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-3Pd-ob3PE

Is this thread loosing intrest After India's exit.

Anyways, I think SA is struggling against SL. Last thing I want is Ausralia going to No 1 again.

Any predictions for this match.

Hey Guys,

here we go w/ my Conference Line up. *smile*

Kangaroos, Kiwis, Lions and the Proteas.


If you are in London, do not forget to bet, albeit honestly.

Best~!

-B

My first prediction went so close.I guessed Ausies winning by 95 runs--Hurray

Yep, da Kangaroos got some momentum going on. Preety clinical ball by ball whether batting or bowling or say fielding.

Very interesting to see how brain surgery can be applied to cricket. HUH!

ya guys, aussies are just getting stronger with each matches...someone has to stop their momentum before they make it three in a row...can new zealand do it in the World Cup stage as well?...has the proteas learn from their round robin mistakes ...can vaugan's boys got what it takes to stop aussies?...only time has its answer !

congrats hi_nanu ....you are the 'man of the match' for the day ...you take home all three points (WP, MP and BP !)

Result of Game 1 (WEEK 3)

Australia 322/6 (50 ov)
West Indies 219 (45.3 ov)

Australia won by 103 runs

"It's a big, big win for Australia - 103 runs - with just Brian Lara, inevitably, holding up their victory charge with a slick 77. Denesh Ramdin showed plenty of ability and class in his 52 but it was the failings of the top-order which hurt the West Indies. Chris Gayle 2; Shivnarine Chanderpaul 5; Ramnaresh Sarwan 29 and Marlon Samuels 4. There were some decidedly complacent, injudicious strokes in those wickets too. All in all, a comprehensive, worry-free win for Australia. "

lets not forget Hayden's second century in a row ...can he make it hatrick ???

Result of Game 2:

Sri Lanka 209 (49.3 ov)
South Africa 212/9 (48.2 ov)

South Africa won by 1 wicket (with 10 balls remaining)

"Phewwwww! What a nerve-wracking finish. South Africa were cruising at one stage and were hit by a double strike by Murali. They recovered again, via a calm Kallis, and then, just when they were staring at the victory, they blinked. Malinga slinged slower ones and fiery yorkers and blasted out four in a row (to make it 206 for 5 to 206 for 9). From there the game was hanging on a knife's edge. And in the end, an edgy drive to third man sealed it for South Africa."

This is the beauty of the game of cricket !!!...loved it, absolutely loved it...undoubtly, the best game of World Cup so far!

8 players to keep an eye out for during the Super 8's

Result of Game 3:

West Indies 177 (44.4 ov)
New Zealand 179/3 (39.2 ov)

New Zealand won by 7 wickets (with 64 balls remaining)

"New Zealand register a emphatic seven-wicket victory. Bond started off with an sensational spell to push West Indies into a shell. They rallied through Gayle and Sarwan but then came the familiar West Indies collapse. Lara tried to stem the rot but his dismissal hastened the end. New Zealand jogged through the chase and are sitting pretty with four points."

Way to go Kiwis !!!

This is a minnows studded super 8 and we cant expect frequent upsets like in the group stages where chances of understimation of opposition can contribute to unprecendented results. WI have already played against the most weakest team - Ireland. The future looks bleak for them. Still to come are the mighty South Africans and Srilankans. English too are mighty on their day. Bangladesh produced some magic to beat India and also NZ in the practice matches. Things dont look good for the hosts and they could be the first nation to be out of semifinal race. This all could be clear as early as their match against Srilanka on Sunday. Sorry bidhan40 but thats the reality as of today unless minnows produce some magic to upset some big guns.

So the Semifinal race looks like this

Certain to feature: Australia and NZ ( both have two matches against minnows and have already won two)

Other likely candidates for remaining tow places
South Africa - very likely candidate ( have already played dengerous australian and srilanka, and still have bangladesh and Ireland in their hand)

Srilanka - Second likeliest candidate. They already have 2 points - but thats for beathing bangladesh and not a big gun. Still to come are Aus, NZ, England and WI and have to beat at leat 2. They have the potential and are very favourite to do that.

England - England dont have any points in their bad but they have 2 match against weak nations and they have to upset at least two of the other big guns. Their path is not easy as they have to upset at least two of SF,AUS,Sri and WI


Outsider:
WI

Distant outsider:
Bangladesh

infinite outsider:
Ireland

your 'dream' semi finalists do look real...the only thing i think different is, looking at present sri lankian form, i think England has upper hand to reach semi final over them...i wouldn't consider it a hard task for english team to upset two criket giants among four (AUS, SA, WI, SL) ..it could be any of them ..they have done many times in the past ..and they are capable of doing it again

so, my semi finalists are Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and England.

This is what the bookies put for the World Cup win market:

They still think Srilanka have more chances to making to the semis than England. But you never know. Should be interesting of this unfolds.

Personally I like an Asian team to feature in semis. after that the best team should win.

Result of Game 4:

England 266/7 (50 overs)
Ireland 218/10 (48.1 overs)

England won by 48 runs

"A fairly comfortable win for England, but they were made to work hard by a determined Irish side. England's bowlers lost their way in the middle of the innings, and had it not been for Paul Collingwood's late onslaught then it would have been a much tighter match - at 40 overs the two teams' scores were almost neck-to-neck, but England, crucially had wickets in hand and heaps more experience. A good contest and Ireland showed doubters that they are worth their place in the Super Eights."

Result of Game 5:

Bangladesh 104/6 (22/22 ov)
Australia 106/0 (13.5/22 ov)

Australia won by 10 wickets (with 49 balls remaining)

"So Australia wrap up the first ten-wicket win in this World Cup. It was an expected victory but they went about in in clinical style. Bangladesh let themselves down with the bat and never really had a chance once they made just 104. Hayden and Gilchrist are as devastating an opening pair as any and they completed the job in just 13.5 overs. Australia look unstoppable, Bangladesh will hope to pick up the pieces when they take on New Zealand on April 2."

Here is the result after the end of WEEK 3:

Congratulations for hi_nanu for three 'man of the matches' this week ....you played awesome innings...hats off !!!

Here are your picks for WEEK 4 (Super Eight goes strong!):

1. Sunday, April 1: West Indies v Sri Lanka
2. Monday, April 2: Bangladesh v New Zealand
3. Tuesday, April 3: Ireland v South Africa
4. Wednesday, April 4: England v Sri Lanka
5. Saturday, April 7: Bangladesh v South Africa

Good luck to the all the players and warm welcome to new players...we all are for good cricket !

Sunday, April 1: West Indies v Sri Lanka; Sri Lanka will win by 59 runs or 4 wickets
2. Monday, April 2: Bangladesh v New Zealand , NZ by 130 runs or 6 wickets.
3. Tuesday, April 3: Ireland v South Africa, SA by 130 runs or 7 wickets.
4. Wednesday, April 4: England v Sri Lanka , Sri Lanka will win by 40 runs or 3 wickets.
5. Saturday, April 7: Bangladesh v South Africa, SA by 150 runs or 7 wickets.

And by the way I should get points on average , since I didnot participate in the first two weeks.

so drifting clouds, u decided to come as opening batsman for this week ...thats the spirit of a man...good luck

...but i don't think we can provide you any points on average because you didn't participate for first two weeks....they don't average and add to the runs you made from the rest of the years total just becaue you were away from the pitch for first two months because of injury, do they?...anyways, good try