Format of tickets ...suggestions

Guys read your mails for new suggestions. Right for a category say "highest individual score", guys may pick ponting, tendulkar..blah...blahh. But in the end Highest scorer may be Odoyo. This way nobody gets points and we will have to go thru all the scoreboards to see who is the highest scorer. Now with the new suggestion...highest scorer among the picks will be the winner and wins the point. This will be true for all the categories. This way we dont have care about the whole scoreboards of the tourney...just compare the picks...Also this way we keep track of others picks.....what say guys...

Most Valuable Player in this World Cup. How many does India have ?

A very interesting article in Rediff.com,

Before the 2003 World Cup, we had prepared a list of the statistically most valuable players.

Chris Gayle, Jacques Kallis, Chris Cairns, Sachin Tendulkar and Sanath Jayasuriya were the top five in that list.

This wasn't particularly surprising: all-rounders always have more opportunities to add value. So, outstanding all-rounders: great batsmen who bowl a bit, or great bowlers who can bat a bit, are always likely to be nearer the top.

Four years later, we have tried to prepare an MVP list for 2007 using essentially the same rules, but after tweaking the variables slightly.

In 2007, we will assume that the average score of an ODI team is 240 (it was 225 in 2003). This, in turn, implies an average strike rate of 80 (80 runs in 100 balls) for the batsman, and an average economy rate of 4.8 (48 runs conceded in 10 overs) for the bowler.

The article shows the top five most valuable player (MVP) in 2003. Sanath Jayasurya, Sachin Tendulkar from the sub-continent among others. And it also prepares an MVP for the 2007, considering recent 20 matches, which will accurately show the contribution to the team and the form. And then also analyses the recent 50, which pushes the form factor a bit further. The result Sanath is still in the top of the recent 20 matches.

And the first Indian to figure in the list is, of course, Sachin. He is still there, but at 23. I am sure some of you would give this excuse that he was away from playing cricket for sometime etc., For those of you, when you look at the MVP based on 50 matches, Sachin is at 13. He is trailing, the now out of form, Irfan Pathan. Okay, but where is Sanath. He is still in the top 5.

My question is thats all India has. And they hope to win the cup?
Is it fair to expect Sachin to perform in this world cup ?

All that talk about Dhoni, that is the one name we hear so much these days.
It is interesting to see where he is.. guess.. he is 23 in the last 50 matches and 37 in the last 20 matches. This is really an eye opener.

We should lower our expectation on this present Indian team or else, folks in India will get disappointed and will start stoning the players home ( a repeat of 2003).

For more analysis..
MVP based on players last 20 matches
MVP based on players last 50 matches

Off Topic: Official Language for Team! Thats a 2007 special..

BBC Says
The Pakistan cricket team have been banned from speaking in English at World Cup news conferences to prevent players from being misquoted.

The players will speak only in Urdu, said former player Pervez Mir, the team's press liaison officer.

The decision was also taken "because 2007 is our national tourist year and we are promoting Pakistan as well," said Mir in Montego Bay, Jamaica.

National Tourist Year, and you speak in Urdu. I am sure thats going to achieve the reverse-swing effect for them.
Go to Pakistan, you wont understand a thing, they talk "URDU" !!

Cricket-wise -
the interviewer talks to the captain or the man of the match, and you wont get a thing. And the award-giving ceremony at the end of the match is going to be that much longer..

Who will be in the Super Eight ?

Now that the World Cup has begun. The question of who is going to be in the Super Eight. I know, some of us would say that, it is not a question and that we are sure who the eight are. But wait, are we sure.

Is there no team that is capable of springing a surprise. Let us analyze a little bit on each group and see who can do it. Who can be the "Kenya" of 2007.

In Group A, just by the weight of their ICC ranking, Australia(2) and South Africa(1), we cannot think about Scotland(12) and Holland(16). But remember South Africa went down like 66 for 7 against Ireland. But I dont see Scotland or Holland capable of doing that. And SA wouldn't be reckless again.

I am think Bangladesh is in for something this time. All they have to do is beat India or Srilanka and they are in. And they have done this kind of upsets before. I would see Bangladesh can get the surprise entry from Group B. I know ratings doesn't mean much, but for argument sake, if India with a ranking of Eight is considered one to lift the cup( beating eight team rated higher than them) . Why cant Bangladesh who is Eleven in the ranking, beat India ( just three place higher than them) and atleast enter the Super Eight.

And Group C, yea, Kenya themselves can be the Kenya of 2007. I mean one good day for them to beat either England(7) or Newzealand(3). Absurd ?!! There is more..

Here is my bet, Ireland! Look at the Group D. Ireland almost created an upset against SouthAfrica on a very good batting pitch. With the score of WestIndies against India and their morale de-boost ( hey! I invented that word!! ) they got, Ireland can in fact create another big upset and enter into the Super Eight.

So, I think it is going to be

Australia, SouthAfrica
Srilanka, Bangladesh
England/Newzealand, Kenya
Pakistan, Ireland

Yea, I know I sound insane and illogical.
But put in your arguments against it.
How many of my predictions would come true.

World Cup Opening Ceremony..

Musical Opening


Will this is how the finals be. That would be something interesting..
But what are the odds of this happening.

Ganguly hurt by Sreesanth !!??

First Post, what else. Who's Cup is it this time ?

Just got the latest from the warm up match. Man, WI bundled out for 85 !
Yea, I know this is just a warm up match. But still why did Lara chose to bat first given the ground conditions. WI's prospects depends so much on Lara. His captaincy and batting. Anybody betting on Sarwan. I think he is the one from WI to watch.

On Indian side. Man, Sehwag! I cant believe he is doing this. Uthappa would have gained some confidence. We will have to watch what Rahul does now. Anybody's comments on this. Did anyone watch this match ?


Okay now, I go back to the subject. Who's cup is it this time ?