Zimbabwe Drawn In Tough Group For World Twenty 20

[zimfan1]

ICC announces World Twenty20 venues

Cricinfo staff

July 5, 2009
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Pakistan and Bangladesh have been grouped together in the ICC World Twenty20 in the Caribbean next year - and face each other first up on May 1. The tournament will be staged at four venues - Barbados, Guyana, St Kitts and St Lucia - and the final will be played at the Kensington Oval in Barbados on May 16.

Also with Pakistan and Bangladesh in Group A are Australia, who failed to cross the first round in this summer's edition. India are in a pool with South Africa and a qualifier team. Sri Lanka, the other finalist from this year, are paired with New Zealand and Zimbabwe in Group C. The hosts, West Indies, are with England and a second qualifying team in Group D.

The 2007 World Cup, the premier 50-over tournament, was held in the West Indies and the World Twenty20 will present an opportunity to the island nations to set right some of the criticism directed at the 2007 tournament.

Haroon Lorgat, the ICC chief executive, was confident that the tournament would be a success among the spectators. "One measure of success will be to fill the venues and to try to achieve this we have worked hard with the West Indies Cricket Board to ensure the ticket prices are extremely competitive," he said.

"In Barbados, Guyana, St Kitts and St Lucia we have four outstanding venues, something that was shown in 2007 when they hosted matches in the ICC Cricket World Cup, and we know that West Indian spectators enjoy the format as they have already embraced Twenty20 at domestic level."

The tournament will also see women's matches played alongside the men, a concept that was used in the recently concluded World Twenty20 in England. "I'm delighted we have retained the men's and women's tournaments in one event with the respective semi-finals and finals being played on the same days at the same venues," said Lorgat. "This will again provide women's cricket with a great platform to showcase the talents of the top players."

In an effort to spread out major tournaments so two important events are not held close to each other, the ICC has decided to host the Twenty20 World Cup in 2010, between the Champions Trophy in October 2009 and the World Cup to be held in 2011.

[zimfan1]

hmmm looks like a tough group but in twenty 20 and with our spin attack anything is possible

the key will be how many runs we can put on the board

[brmtaylor.com admin]

Another ICC World Twenty20?!?!

I'm not complaining in as far as it means we can at least watch a few matches on TV, but are the ICC really going to have one of these tournaments every year? I think they would be best eliminating the Champions Trophy and having the ICC World Twenty20 every 4 years and the World Cup every 4 years, so there is an ICC event every 2 years. Obviously this is the route to take if they want Twenty20 to have any sort of prestige, but by having it every year it quite clearly is nothing more than a glorified money spinner. With IPL, ICC World Twenty20, P20 and the myriad of other Twenty20 competitions the ICC might be shooting themselves in the foot - people might feel Twenty20 overkill.

I don't really care much for Twenty20... I think it is entertaining when Australia play but I don't care too much about the result. I thoroughly enjoyed watching the Zimbabweans in Canada last year too, but beyond the national affiliations I don't care too much. IPL does not attract my interest, it means nothing to me how well an Indian city team made up of people from x different countries plays.

Give me a Test match - any Test match - over a meaningless Twenty20 any day.

[Detective RDS]

Another ICC World Twenty20?!?!

ICC World Twenty 20 is scheduled by the ICC after every 2 years. 1st W T20 was held in 2007 and the next was this year (2009). But another world T20 is coming up in 2010 in WI.

ACTUALLY, the fact is that Pakistan had the ICC Champions trophy scheduled last year (2008) but it was postponed due to security concerns and it is moved to 2009 and will be played in South Africa.

ICC Champions trophy also helds every after two years. So, the previously scheduled 2010 ICC champions trophy was to be played in West Indies. But since it is moved to 2009, so the next one will be in 2011. But WICB wanted an ICC event, they can organize.

So, the ICC allowed them to run the ICC World Twenty in 2010, it's an extra one. Keeping the eyes on the popularity of Twenty 20 and the amount of crowds it gathers and of course the money it earns, ICC had no problem to stage ICC World Twenty 20 three years in a row.

IPL does not attract my interest, it means nothing to me how well an Indian city team made up of people from x different countries plays.

IPL is more ' International Premier League ' than as it is called now ' Indian Premier League '. Actually brmtaylor.com admin, it's not about the indian cities tournament. The amount of money players earns from it makes it a global event. The players even want a space free for IPL in the FTP. Actually, the best thing of IPL is the way it is presented and the excitement it provides. Some of the IPL teams have foreign captains like Rajasthan Royals have Shane Warne, Hydrebad Deccan Chargers have Adam Gilchirst, Bangalore Royal Challengers have Kevin Pietersen and I guess Kolkatta Knight Riders will have an overseas captain in the next season. Even some of the Indian players think that they are over shadowed by the foreign signings and their commitment to the team.

[brmtaylor.com admin]

IPL is more ' International Premier League' than as it is called ' Indian Premier League '. Actually brmtaylor.com admin, it's not about the indian cities tournament. The amount of money players earns from it makes it a global event. The players even want a space free for IPL in the FTP. Actually, the best thing of IPL is the way it is presented and the excitement it provides. Some of the IPL teams have foreign captains like Rajasthan Royals have Shane Warne, Hydrebad Deccan Chargers have Adam Gilchirst, Bangalore Royal Challengers have Kevin Pietersen and I guess Kolkatta Knight Riders will have an overseas captain in the next season. Even some of the Indian players think that they are over shadowed by the foreign signings and their commitment to the team.

Of course the players want a window for the IPL! They want to earn hundreds of thousands of dollars, they don't want the window created because they think the IPL is some sort of prestigious tournament.

I can understand that it is a high profile event and it has a lot of excitement. It wasn't televised on regular TV in Australia (I didn't really care ) so I don't know if or how South Africa did it differently, but from the first season it seemed to me it was a very Bollywood like atmosphere. Lots of dancers and singing, a few imported cheerleaders, and fireworks. Which I think is great for people who like it - and I completely understand that it is a part of Indian culture, but it doesn't do much for me. It was interesting, I felt, to see once because it was something different, but I would tire of it quickly. To capture my imagination, from a Western viewpoint (this will probably sound stereotyped too!), there would have to be diverse high profile musical acts from America (maybe they do this already? I don't know). That might get me to tune in if there was a band I was interested in, and I might even continue to watch the match as a neutral. From an advertisers perspective, that would be a good thing.

I don't see it as being an International Premier League, sure it has foreign players in it (so did the ICL, the people who came up with the concept initially) but as an international cricket fan I have no affiliation with any of the Indian city teams. Nearly every team has Australian players in it... as well as English, South African, Indian players etc. I want to support a team I can connect with in some way... whether that be Australia, Western Australia, Zimbabwe, Africa XI (Zimbabweans), World XI (Australians, in the Tsunami appeal match). I had a passing interest in how Taibu did for Calcutta, for no other reason than he was the only Zimbabwean. Don't know how the team did, but I remember Taibu was pretty ordinary Just as if Taylor played for Delhi or Chigumbura for Deccan, I would be interested in their individual performances but I couldn't see myself following the team.

I am interested to see how you picked a team to support Detective RDS. Being in Bangladesh, did you pick a team to support that was geographically close to you, or a team that contained a lot of your favourite players or did you have another method of choosing a team to support?

[Dr_Situ(ZimFanatic)]

Well,my initial interest was in ICL coz of streak, goodwin n later hick. IpL this year was better than last year coz of spinner's dominance but the unwanted delayed 10 min 'strategic time out' really pissed me off. 14 matches were too much and their was no connection between cities. For e.g zaheer, uthappa Switching their places. ICC T20 was better because of shorter duration. Had their been few Zimbo's i wud hav followed IPL more passionately.

[brmtaylor.com admin]

I have a bit of a soft spot for the ICL - I actually remember watching the very first ICL match (I saw the first IPL match where McCullam stuck 150 odd too incidentally). Like the IPL, I have no allegiance to any team but I have a soft spot the ICL as a whole because they came up with the idea first. If I have my history correct, WSC was created by Packer in order to get top quality cricket on to Channel 9 (commercial TV) from ABC (government broadcaster). ICL was created by Zee TV in order to get more cricket on their network after they lost the bidding war for the official BCCI matches. So I think there are a few parallels there. I do believe that the ICL did want to develop cricketers though - it may not have been their primary goal, but I think the intention was there.

Unlike IPL which didn't have the initiative and "stole" the 20 over city/franchise/overseas players idea. Everything about IPL is money, money, money and the 10 minute break infuriates me. That they have the nerve to call it a strategic break when it is quite clearly a mechanism to sell more advertising time... They should have just been upfront and said they were creating an advertising break rather than trying to deceive people into thinking it actually had a purpose.

[CrimsonAvenger]

IpL this year was better than last year coz of spinner's dominance

Indeed. It just exposed the mindset of majority of the batsmen of this era: All they know of are flat tracks and they go hammer and tongs at every delivery that is hurled at them. A mindset that got well established once T20 got popular. People were feeling uncomfortable picking spinners in the playing eleven for ODIs and they almost closed the door on them when T20 came along. Most of the "gurus" even concluded that spinners no longer have a role to play in shorter versions of the game, especially the wrist spinners (who, according to me, are the most valuable, but also the most endangered species today).

What this IPL did was to bring spinners back to limelight, and also wipe off the myth that T20 is the format for the younger generation. Peitersen's quote about Kumble (5/5) after the inaugural match of IPL2 - "The man's a legend, a real genius. You can't buy that experience in any shop, no shop in Cape Town sells it, no shop in Bangalore sells it." - is ample testimony to the above two observations. So, teams and people had to change their mindsets post IPL2. Having said that, that was where IPL's success stories end. Everything else was all about money.

All I hope is that history would remember ICL, not IPL, as the pioneer of T20 revolution.

As far as T20 world cup goes, it is ridiculous to have it once in 2 years.This definately degrades the value of all ICC events. Champions Trophy has lost its significance way before even T20 came into existance. Some tough calls must be taken, but who would do that, as long as people who want to milk the cash cows are at the top?

[maehara]

Thing is, the money raised by the three ICC events - or at least, what's left once the Full Members have taken their sizeable cuts - goes to the ICC's development programmes, and I'd be loathe to see them cut back - which they'd have to be if there were fewer ICC tourneys on the scene...

[Detective RDS]

I am interested to see how you picked a team to support Detective RDS. Being in Bangladesh, did you pick a team to support that was geographically close to you, or a team that contained a lot of your favourite players or did you have another method of choosing a team to support?

I never believe in geographical closeness, never and moreover we know the world is getting closer to us anyways. In that case, I would have supported Asian teams but that isn't the fact. Expect Bangladesh, no Asian team has become my favourite. Actually, I'm a fan of the game of Cricket. Where there is cricket, I am there. After Bangladesh, my most favourite team is South Africa, New Zealand, England, Australia and of course Zimbabwe. And yes these team bags many of favourite players.

In the IPL, I am a big supporter of Rajasthan Royals and Bangalore Royal Challengers. Rajasthan Royals has got LEGEND Shane Warne as captain. I become just impressed seeing the captaincy of Warney, the way he leads the team/handles the young players and expose the potential hidden in them/sets the field/rotate the spinners or the bowlers and use them when needed. Despite his off field controversies, in field he is just a match winner. Kevin Pietersen is my another favourite players who is the leader of RCB. RCB has got Steyn, Ryder, R Taylor, VD Merwe, Kallis, Boucher and I rate them very highly. RR contains Graeme Smith, Shane Watson both are my favourites. Though Shaun Tait wasn't available for IPL season 2 but I like to watch his fast furious bowling over 90+ mph. I never though I would have liked Sohail Tanvir. But after seeing him in the first edition of IPL, I have become his fan too. I never liked any Indian players. But I used to cheer for RR Indian players likes of Ravindra Jadeja, Yusuf Pathan, Amit Singh, Kamran Khan etc.

I can understand that it is a high profile event and it has a lot of excitement. It wasn't televised on regular TV in Australia (I didn't really care ) so I don't know if or how South Africa did it differently, but from the first season it seemed to me it was a very Bollywood like atmosphere. Lots of dancers and singing, a few imported cheerleaders, and fireworks. Which I think is great for people who like it - and I completely understand that it is a part of Indian culture, but it doesn't do much for me. It was interesting, I felt, to see once because it was something different, but I would tire of it quickly. To capture my imagination, from a Western viewpoint (this will probably sound stereotyped too!), there would have to be diverse high profile musical acts from America (maybe they do this already? I don't know). That might get me to tune in if there was a band I was interested in, and I might even continue to watch the match as a neutral. From an advertisers perspective, that would be a good thing.

Ya, I agree with you. The inaugural season of IPL was very much attached to Bollywood. Actually, the Indian people are just crazy about cricket and bollywood. So, IPL authorities decided to mix it up and you see the result, it's bumper hit. It was needed to attract the people and provide some extra entertainment/recreation to the crowd. Bollywood actors participation is for their investments, advertising and promotion which is necessary to make the tournament financially success and high profile. Yes, that was a part and parcel of Indian culture and I guess it was actually arranged for the crowd I mean those who turned out to the stadium to see the match. Being a TV watcher, my main interest was in cricket although. But I enjoyed everything of IPL like you said too.

The second edition of IPL in South Africa was a little bit different to the first season. The South African culture came in light through it. The music and dance also turned in SA way. In the closing ceremony of IPL 2, they came with International singers live performance likes of Aron, Eddie Grant (I first watched them) etc. But mostly I liked the fireworks of IPL 2, that was just tremondous.

I have a bit of a soft spot for the ICL - I actually remember watching the very first ICL match (I saw the first IPL match where McCullam stuck 150 odd too incidentally). Like the IPL, I have no allegiance to any team but I have a soft spot the ICL as a whole because they came up with the idea first. If I have my history correct, WSC was created by Packer in order to get top quality cricket on to Channel 9 (commercial TV) from ABC (government broadcaster). ICL was created by Zee TV in order to get more cricket on their network after they lost the bidding war for the official BCCI matches. So I think there are a few parallels there. I do believe that the ICL did want to develop cricketers though - it may not have been their primary goal, but I think the intention was there.

That's absolutely right, brmtaylor.com admin. I also supported ICL previously. But when I heard that that's all about TV rights and business, I though that was indeed a crime to use the players as their rifle/gun. But I felt sad for the players who were in a difficult situation being out of international cricket and everything. But thanks to the board the opportunity they provided to bring the players back in. And thanks to ICL for two reasons, one they didn't create any problem to release the players and a big thanks to introduce ICL because only for that reason IPL has emerged and the world is now able to watch IPL which is far more bigger and better and produced a new dimention in World cricket.

IpL this year was better than last year coz of spinner's dominance but the unwanted delayed 10 min 'strategic time out' really pissed me off. 14 matches were too much and their was no connection between cities. For e.g zaheer, uthappa Switching their places. ICC T20 was better because of shorter duration.

Yes, agree with you. I really think Twenty-20 is a spinners game. Thay take the wickets and keeps the run rate low. I prefer every team to use spinners at the death unless they have got Malinga/Dwayn Bravo/Steyn/Parnell to handle the pressaure.

There was really no connection between the cities. Zaheer (Last year RCB, this year MI), Uttappa (Last year MI, this year RCB), Shikhar Dhwan and I predict some other Indian players changed their team in IPL season 2. The franchise has to buy the Indian players also.

Abhishek Jhunjhunwala who resigned from ICL after playing for Royal Bengal tigers and who is a Bengal batsman has signed with Rajasthan Royals instead of Kolkata Knight Riders in the IPL. Like him another ICL Bengal star Eklak Ahmed is likely to sign with Mumbai Indians (http://ipl.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/ ... 734657.cms).