Ponting push to send cup minnows packing

[surendar]

May be Ponting had forgotten the defeat against Zimbabwe in 1983 WCup and struggle against Netherland in last WCup

 

[Leicester Fox]

you'd have thought they'd have learnt their lesson after they said the teams weren't good enough to be competitive in the CBS and England and Paul Collingwood (MBE) opened up a can uf whup-ass

 

[andrew_nixon]

All those who support cricket's global expansion will be hoping that Scotland or the Netherlands will leave Ponting with a nice rotten egg on his face when they meet.

Let's not forget that one of these teams reached the semi-finals last time out. Helped by one (not sure where this couple comes from) forfeit, for sure, but they still had three wins over Test opposition.

All teams apart from Australia and England were once "minnows". All had to drag themselves up from the metaphorical gutter to be able to dine at the top table. Sri Lanka were World Cup qualifiers in 1975 and 1979, then won it in 1996. Who is anyone to say that one of the six associates won't be winning it in the future?

Cricket can't be kept a closed shop for ever. Perhaps Ponting wants it to go back to when only England and Australia had Test status?

 

[Sureshot]

How are the minnows supposed to improve whilst not playing class players then, Ricky?

Everyone has to start somewhere, I believe that Kenya with a bit of financial backing could be a test nation as could Ireland as they have come on leaps and bounds.

 

[sphanlon]

wfdu_ben91, you're a good loyal Aussie fan for sure, but if that isn't the biggest example of knee-jerk, overkill, my-guy-can-do-no-wrong defending I've ever seen.

But I'm glad to see so many agree. After seeing the first couple posts, I thought I'd be alone. I figured maybe since I was American and we never had official classes or anything that it stunk to me but would sound plausibly acceptable to most of you.

 

[wolf]

I may be new here, but I think I'm entitled to an opinion. So the big boys play only each other and the others only play each other and the sport is completely segregated into 2 camps? The handful of elites, and all the rest. Maybe it's because I'm American that this sounds really bad. We're always big on Cindarella sports teams coming out of nowhere and causing headaches for the top dogs. Which is why we like to see more than the uppercrust have their shot.

No competitive interaction between the two classes of teams? The little guys do need big game experience to grow, I think.

That is among the best posts I have seen on this forum.

The associates deserve a chance to perform on the world stage, as how the heck are they going to learn to compete?

 

[pominoz]

I've been living in oz for over twelve years and i'll tell you, the Aussies don't know what the word humble means. They can't believe it if they get beat, "We were understrength", We rested our best players", "We've got a few injuries". And when they win, "The opposition just aren't competitive enough". WTF. . Remember them pushing the Indian official last year? And it's not just cricket either.

I guess as a youth in England, no matter what team you support, we grow up with the best underdog tournament in the world, The FA Cup. We love seeing the "MINNOWS" become giant killers. They don't have anything like the FA cup in oz, so they don't understand how much it means to the "minnows" to do well, to battle against the best, to learn from the best, to give it a go at the top level, to maybe earn some money, to maybe earn a contract in county cricket. There's so many good things about having a tournament like the world cup, and Ponting's head is so far up his jacksy that he'd never see any of it.

 

[smssia0112]

Being the best batsman in the world (a debatable point in itself) does not mean that you are exempt from being arrogant. Take Tendulkar, who has been statistically the best batsman in the world for many years--yet he is not an arrogant man; rather he is modest and humble, even.

But Ponting is the captain, he has to make comments, he has commitments. Tendulkar doesn't need to.

Ponting isn't arrogant, and people don't like him beause he is good. Let's face it, we all hate teams or players that are better than us. In any sport, we all hate great teams and players that don't play for our teams. It's just part of sport.

I've been living in oz for over twelve years and i'll tell you, the Aussies don't know what the word humble means. They can't believe it if they get beat, "We were understrength", We rested our best players", "We've got a few injuries". And when they win, "The opposition just aren't competitive enough". WTF. . Remember them pushing the Indian official last year? And it's not just cricket either.

I guess as a youth in England, no matter what team you support, we grow up with the best underdog tournament in the world, The FA Cup. We love seeing the "MINNOWS" become giant killers. They don't have anything like the FA cup in oz, so they don't understand how much it means to the "minnows" to do well, to battle against the best, to learn from the best, to give it a go at the top level, to maybe earn some money, to maybe earn a contract in county cricket. There's so many good things about having a tournament like the world cup, and Ponting's head is so far up his jacksy that he'd never see any of it.

Don't worry, just because we don't have a competition like that doesn't mean we don't understand how good an upset is. But for the record, we were understrength, but Ponting never even mentioned any of that when we lost, he simply said he couldn't explain it, and congratulated England.

To be perfectly honest, the ability to be capable of almost producing an upset every now and then isn't remotely a definition of competitive. It's perfectly reasonable to question the relevance of teams that won't make it to the Super 8 stage, much less the finals.

The Fifa World Cup isn't a good comparison, because that's a sport where the score can hang on 30 seconds of play contrary to the rest of the match. In cricket, the equivalent two and a half minutes might get you a wicket or a couple of sixes if you're batting. You certainly can't win by hitting a few sixes and then blocking out the rest of the innings. Soccer is very punishing on mistakes; cricket much less so.

Personally, I like the symmetry of 16 teams and the ability to use the early matches as tour matches. However, I hold no unwarranted expectations for a magic upset.

I disagree, one day cricket is a fickle game, any team can win on any day, I wouldn't read too much into form at all, Bermuda could upset Sri Lanka if they play well, all it takes is a few quick wickets, or some decent runs and an upset can happen. Yes soccer is a little moreso, but Cricket is the sort of game where one person can stand up alone and still win the game.

 

[Cricketman]

I may be new here, but I think I'm entitled to an opinion. So the big boys play only each other and the others only play each other and the sport is completely segregated into 2 camps? The handful of elites, and all the rest. Maybe it's because I'm American that this sounds really bad. We're always big on Cindarella sports teams coming out of nowhere and causing headaches for the top dogs. Which is why we like to see more than the uppercrust have their shot.

No competitive interaction between the two classes of teams? The little guys do need big game experience to grow, I think.

Exactly how i feel.
USA USA

 

[Insomniac]

Is Ponting on crack?

Does he not remember the thrashing that Bangladesh gave to them in England?

And they almost lost a test match to Bangladesh as well.

I hope, I really do hope, that one of the minnows defeat Ponting.

Maybe this will shut him up for once.

 

[irottev]

I hope, I really do hope, that one of the minnows defeat Ponting.
.

That would be great. Just because Ponting said that I might put aside my Aussie fanism and support the minnows.

 

[sohum]

But Ponting is the captain, he has to make comments, he has commitments. Tendulkar doesn't need to.

That's ridiculous. Ponting doesn't face near as much pressure as Tendulkar when he goes out to bat. And if anything, he should be more careful with his words, seeing that he is representing his players and his country, captain that he is. The fact is that he's arrogant. It's not a bad thing; it's probably why he has so much success. Arrogance is just a characteristic, and Ponting exhibits it.

Ponting isn't arrogant, and people don't like him beause he is good. Let's face it, we all hate teams or players that are better than us. In any sport, we all hate great teams and players that don't play for our teams. It's just part of sport.

That's not true. I think if we measure the top few tried and tested batsmen in international cricket--Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara, Ricky Ponting, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Jacques Kallis, Rahul Dravid--Ponting will top the list as having most non-fans from other countries.

 

[aussie_ben91]

That's ridiculous. Ponting doesn't face near as much pressure as Tendulkar when he goes out to bat. And if anything, he should be more careful with his words, seeing that he is representing his players and his country, captain that he is. The fact is that he's arrogant. It's not a bad thing; it's probably why he has so much success. Arrogance is just a characteristic, and Ponting exhibits it.

Tendulkars "pressure" is a joke. Absolutely overrated and if Tendulkar goes into bat thinking that he is under pressure because if he doesn't score runs then India lose then he is the arrogant one.

That's not true. I think if we measure the top few tried and tested batsmen in international cricket--Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara, Ricky Ponting, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Jacques Kallis, Rahul Dravid--Ponting will top the list as having most non-fans from other countries.

Take Inzy, Kallis & Dravid away but if your gonna add them you may aswell add Hayden, Hussey, Pietersen, Sehwag, Gilchrist and Sangakarra aswell.

 

[mattfb]

i want Ponting to get a duck against every minnow team we play

 

[sohum]

Tendulkars "pressure" is a joke. Absolutely overrated and if Tendulkar goes into bat thinking that he is under pressure because if he doesn't score runs then India lose then he is the arrogant one.

You're just speaking out of your pants now. Claiming that Tendulkar is not under the pressure of close to a billion people thinking that India's success rides on him is equivalent with claiming that water doesn't get you wet.

Take Inzy, Kallis & Dravid away but if your gonna add them you may aswell add Hayden, Hussey, Pietersen, Sehwag, Gilchrist and Sangakarra aswell.

There's a reason I said tried and tested; I meant batsmen who have been playing for a while and have the statistics to back them up. Also, your point doesn't come across here as I do believe Ponting has more haters in the world than Hayden, Hussey, Pietersen, Sehwag, Gilchrist and Sangakkara combined. I, for one, do not dislike any of these players (except perhaps Hussey, but that's because I believe he is overhyped).

i want Ponting to get a duck against every minnow team we play

I guess that would be the next best thing if we cannot have an upset.