2003 World Cup

[Skater]

Ok, so my first memory of cricket is the Ashes of 2002-03, and mostly Michael Vaughan's big hundred in Sydney. From then I was hooked. Not long after that, we had the 2003 World Cup in South Africa. I really enjoyed this tournament, as Sky Sports dedicated the whole of the Xtra channel to round the clock coverage of it. They didn't do that for the 2007 or 2011 tournaments. The games were on at a decent time here in England, and I thought it was a really good event.

Blast me, it is coming up to 10 years since that World Cup. What are your memories of the 2003 World Cup?

 

[barmyarmy]

Depressingly during that world cup is when I first got into patching and modding. Vineet had made a WC2003 patch for c2k2. I joined PC soon after...

 

[vet_m]

Gathered with family to watch the final,which was a stress for everyone as India got smashed.

 

[AbhishekS]

I used to watch some cricket matches with dad, but it was only during the 2003 WC that I actually understood the game perfectly.

My memories with the 2003 WC - Buying the official Indian kit (including the gloves and pads ), having 'Sehwag' and '44' written behind the jersey.

10 years since 2003 WC also mean approx 10 years of me as a proud fan of Sehwag.

Some other memories of the 2003 WC would be the India-Pakistan game and the final against Australia. It was for these two matches that we a huge screen was arranged in my society and certainly I had fun. They had even made the WC using thermocol. Those were the days.

 

[Gaurav_7]

Wow, thanks for the thread.

2003 WC was special for me as I got to know about Cricket via this event. Indian doing good was another reason that got me interested and till the time the team had reached the final, I was like a hardcore cricket fan and started loving the sport. India beating Pakistan in a quarter final (was it?) was special as well as it had the Sachin special.

 

[cerande]

India beating Pakistan in a quarter final (was it?)

Nah,it was just a league match.

 

[Gurjot95]

I was around 8 years old that time. I remember the final between Australia Vs India was the first proper cricket match I watched. I had long urge to see Sachin's batting since I have been listening his name all over news channel and by my Dad. So finally I saw him bat too in 2003 World Cup which is great for me since he was in his prime form. From that day, my interest in cricket started increasing and eventually I started following Indian cricket soon enough.

I also saw Sachin batting against Pakistan also but I don't have a strong memory of it. I didn't saw the full match but I was lucky enough to see Sachin memorable six to Akhtar.

 

[Skater]

If you fancy reliving some of the 2003 World Cup there is a review that has been uploaded to YouTube, voiced by Mark Nicholas:

Part 1
Part 2 (blocked in some countries)
Part 3
Part 4
Part 5
Part 6
Part 7

 

[Epic]

Wow, quite a lot of people starting their cricketing journey through the '03 World Cup, well, add me to that list.

My first match of cricket I ever watched was in this tournament, India vs England, Nehra got a 6-fa and ran around like an absolute tit while doing so, I remember. I was 6 years old, but I still remember.

 

[Satan666]

I had followed most of the games though was disgusted when India reached the final, so I missed the 1st inns, woke up in time to see AUS amass 350 odd with Ponting still batting, sat and watched the Indians failed miserably, great world cup.

 

[MUFC1987]

My main memories of this was Anderson breaking through and swinging it sideways to account for Pakistan (I think?), Andy Caddick opening the bowling and thinking we had Australia beat and that we were going to go through to the next stage, before Andy Bichel joined the party.

 

[sami ullah khan]

2003 WC was sad for me as two of my favorite players were going to retire after that. Yeah you guessed it right, The two Ws. Also Pakistan performed horribly to make it even worse for me.

 

[Owzat]

If you fancy reliving some of the 2003 World Cup there is a review that has been uploaded to YouTube, voiced by Mark Nicholas:

Any that aren't voiced by the smughead?

 

[Skater]

Any that aren't voiced by the smughead?

Ha, I don't think so. The videos are not mine but they look like they come from the DVD review of the tournament, and it seems Mark Nicholas got the job of narrating it. I don't know if you have watched any of the videos but MN does the links and the matches themselves have original commentary.

 

[IanG]

Canada beating Bangladesh

This
Waqar Younis Throws Beamer at Symonds - Sledges & Fight for Australia v Pakistan 2003 - YouTube
Australia's first game of the tournament. Though Waqar and Symmo were going to come to blows. No wonder they call Wanderers "The Bull Ring"

Glenn McGrath and Andy Bichel's 7 wicket hauls

Adam Gilchrist's wlaking incident in the Semi Final

Kenya making the semi finals (all be it because of a forfeit)

Let's not forget Andy Flower and Henry Olonga's silent protest as well.