Madness!

An absolutely bizarre game of cricket going on between England and New Zealand...

A few days ago England comfortably beat a star-studded South African side and bumped them out of the Champions Trophy and now suddenly they have been bundled out for 146.

New Zealand looked like they were easily going to overhaul the target and suddenly Stuart Broad has ripped through their batting lineup and they've slipped from needing 35 runs with 8 wickets in hand to suddenly needing 6 runs with 4 wickets in hand.

Crazy stuff!

ICC Champions Trophy - Sunday betting

Two big clashes for Sunday and two fixtures that should ultimately decide one of the groups.

New Zealand vs. Sri Lanka
After losing to England earlier in the week, Sri Lanka will be looking to wrap up their semi-final spot with a victory over the Black Caps.

I can't see Sri Lanka losing this one and neither can the bookies.

Bets taken:

Dilshan to top score for Sri Lanka
Grant Elliot to top score for New Zealand

South Africa vs. England
A critical fixture for both teams with the winner pretty much assured of going into the semis having each picked up a win.

The pressure itself is piled on the South African team as both the home team and pre-tournament favourites. After stumbling in their first game against Sri Lanka they are left in a "must-win" situation.

In contrast England have very little to lose - they've come off a drubbing from Australia and then surprised Sri Lanka the other day. If they beat the local team the English press will have an absolute field day....

My picks:

South Africa to win
Graeme Smith to top score for South Africa
Paul Collingwood to top score for England

C'mon SA!

ICC Champions Trophy - Saturday betting

Two more games in the ICC Champions Trophy are here and after England blew Sri Lanka out of the water, Group A is looking for interesting - especially if you are a South African supporter!

Australia vs West Indies
In the first game of the day Australia and the West Indies clash at 9:30.

With all due respect to the West Indies (which isn't very much) I don't see how Australia could lose this game and the bookies don't either. I don't even think they have the firepower for an upset.

I've gone with:

• Ricky Ponting as the top Aussie batsman
• Devon Smith as the top West Indian batsman

India vs. Pakistan
Boy oh boy does this game have the potential to be a cracker...

The two old rivals are at it again and there is a lot riding on this fixture in terms of who goes through to the knockout rounds. There is nothing to choose between the two sides and I anticipate a tight game.

Bets I've placed:

• Rahul Dravid - top Indian batsman
• Shahid Afridi and Mohamad Youssuf - top Pakistan batsman

Helluva interesting tournament so far although I have to say I've been surprised by some very stilted batting performances.

Mixed feelings on the West Indies

I had some serious mixed feelings on the West Indies side after their match-up against Pakistan in the ICC Champions Trophy last night.

On one hand - the fact that they had been bowled out for 133 at the Wanderers and fielded what was effectively a "B" or more likely a "C" side I felt was unfair to international cricket fans as well as the tournament organisers.

Personally I think the tournament would have been better off inviting Bangladesh to participate in their place.

On the other hand - Maybe this player revolt and whinge about money is just the thing to bring some new blood into West Indies cricket at senior level and maybe help them rebuild a more committed core of cricketers.

It is not my place to criticise the West Indian players for deciding not to play when it is not commercially viable for them, but the reality is that their cricket has been in the doldrums for many years now and something has to give. Either new players need to come through that can turn their cricket around and make it a competitive side which can be backed by commercial sponsors or the West Indies cricket board needs to draw a line in the sand and say it is not their intention to in the long run try and develop their talent beyond a certain level - i.e. you get what you get.

Pakistan vs. West Indies last night
I personally thought the West Indies gave a pretty good account of themselves last night.

Yes Gavin Tonge (pictured) bowled particularly well, but go and have a look at how little "spray and pray" bowling was dished up by their guys last night. They consistently bowled a good line outside off-stump and they kept the Pakistani batsman working for every run.

That's important because the one thing that the West Indian bowlers have not been able to do in recent years is deliver a consistent and disciplined bowling performance. A BIG positive for the side.

As well as the bowlers bowled, the batters batted badly. You cannot win a cricket match with 133 runs on the board and even THAT was helped by some big-hitting from Miller at the end. Interesting statistic is that Mohammad Yousuf on his own has nearly six times as many career ODI runs as the entire West Indian side put together.

Like I said - mixed feelings.

I have said it before and I will say it again - the world needs a strong West Indian cricket base.

As a parting shot
Just my own humble response to the West Indian players who are on "strike" at the moment. I appreciate that this remuneration issue with the West Indies Cricket Board is a long standing one, but economic reality is that you need to be in front of cricket fans all the time if you want to make the most of your short careers.

Somebody like Gavin Tonge has emerged from last night as a name to be considered for things like the IPL when contract time rolls around. If you are not out playing in front of people you are unlikely to be picked.

The real money for these guys is in the likes of the IPL and the other big money domestic tournaments and that is where you want to be playing.

Sri Lanka get the ICC Champions Trophy off to a colourful start

Say what you like about Sri Lanka, they are pound for pound one of the toughest One Day International sides you'll ever come up against and they showed what they are capable of in the opening match-up of the ICC Champions Trophy.

At the time I am making this post the game has been delayed due to rain, but the performance they put on in the batting front will certainly have caught the eye of the other teams in the pool.

I think South Africa was quite lucky to restrict them to 319 - it could have been a lot worse. Maybe the Proteas were a little ring rusty having not had any top-level cricket for the last three months, but the team looked a little out of sorts in their first big match of the season.

Hopefully the South African boys are simply going to need to shake off the cob-webs and will be out all guns firing in the next fixture.

Clouds hover over England

By: Tom Mallows

England travel to South Africa with great heart……………..oops sorry wrong sport.

While Fabio Capello’s England football squad will arrive in South Africa next summer confident of making an impact, the same cannot be said of the England cricket team ahead of the Champions trophy in the same country.

The long home summer, stretching from the start of May till end of September, came to a close in the Durham sunshine on Sunday, where England took a crumb of comfort from what was a miserable one-day series. Though even after skittling out the tourists for 176 they nearly contrived to throw it away as once again a middle order collapse gave the Australians the scent of victory. Thankfully Prior and Bresnan finished the job to seal a four wicket win.

With little time to draw breath the squad are on their way to Africa themselves for the Champions Trophy which begins this week.

With issues in the upper order and problems in the bowling attack even the most optimistic of England attack would foresee any other than early elimination. But we also carry with us a foolish optimism that things maybe different, perhaps the win in the North East can inspire the side to a Lazarus style comeback – I’m not holding my breath though.

Elsewhere the hosts South Africa will once again look to shake off their chokers tag, though Graeme Smith’s men clearly have the talent, they maybe hampered by a lack of competitive action since the Twenty/20 World Cup (in June. They begin against Kumar Sangakkara's talented Sri Lankan side. I consider them the two favourites alongside the old enemy Australia, who regained the number one spot during their series with England.

I can’t help but feeling an exciting tournament is needed to breathe new life into the 50 over format. The growth of Twenty/20, the arduous 2007 World Cup and the planned scrapping of the English domestic 50 over game has left many people scratching their heads as to the future of this form of cricket. A few swashbuckling batting performances and some spectacular bowling could inspire new interest in the game.

Sadly, if the past few weeks are anything to go by, that inspiration is not going to come from England.

Good for a laugh

I am not sure where this comes from but I got e-mailed this and I thought it was good for a laugh:

JOHANNESBURG. Minister of Sport Makhenkesi Stofile has called on South Africans of all races to be at Johannesburg International Airport on Tuesday to welcome home the country`s Ashes-winning cricket team. A spokesperson for the Ministry of Sport, Tighthead Mabandla, said it would be great to have as many people as possible at the airport to cheer on the arrival of Andrew Strauss and his all conquering Ashes heroes, who recently defeated Australia 2-1 to reclaim cricket`s most coveted prize.

"Last time a South African side won the Ashes was during the height of Apartheid," said Mabandla, referring to the powerful South African eleven of 1972 that included the likes of Basil D`Oliveira and Tony Greig.

"The 2009 winners are truly a team of the people." Mabandla said it would be a shame to see the emotional return of the Ashes winning heroes turned into a political points-scoring exercise.
"We have learned lessons from the airport welcomes afforded to Caster Semenya and the Tri-Nations winning rugby side," admitted Mabandla, who said everybody would be welcome at Johannesburg International Airport provided they acknowledged the role that the Ministry of Sport had played in helping to build one of the greatest sports team on earth.

"The team that beat Australia was a truly representative side," said Mabandla, who said their success illustrated that even when quotas were in place, South African teams could still challenge the world`s best. "Andrew Strauss, Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen and Matt Prior were the only white South African`s in the side," he said, adding, "The rest were all previously disadvantaged."

Mabandla said he would write to rugby coach Peter De Villiers, or maybe summon him to appear before parliament, and urge him to follow the example set by Andrew Strauss` side. "A couple of non-white wingers and some reserves were all that De Villiers could manage," said Mabandla. "I doubt he will ever win The Ashes with that team." Meanwhile a spokesperson for the England team, Crusty Horse-Whisperer denied there had been a foul up with the team`s travel arrangements.

"We purposefully didn`t book a hotel for our trip here," he said. "The lads are all going to be staying with their parents."

Freddie Flintoff

As an aside - what do you guys make of Andrew Flintoffs career decision to become a hired mercenary and basically become a full-time free-lancer?

Freddie has never been the fittest guy around and injuries have weighed on him - suddenly he is running around the globe trying to fit in as many ODI and T20 games as possible. Wonder how many other quality international players are going to follow this kind of career path?

It could definately change the way world cricket is played and fit in with the scenario I presented a while back about franchise cricket overtaking international fixtures in terms of importance for both players and fans.

Champions Trophy Picks

Right - the ICC Champions Trophy is around the corner and if you read the media reports it is nothing but a two horse race between the usual suspects South Africa and Australia.

South Africa has the homeground advantage and a pretty settled side, while Australia is in the process of thrashing the English side left, right and centre.

Before I continue I must tell you a joke I heard on the radio - it's a bit lame but I'm going to tell it anyway. (Bearing in mind that half the English side are South Africans by birth):

- Where is the English side going to stay when they are here for the Champions Trophy? At their moms' houses!

Ok it was lame but I told it anyway.

Anyway the teams I have backed to win the ICC Champions Trophy are South Africa (15/10), India (3/1) and Sri Lanka (6/1).

Personally I think the Aussies may regret the long series against the English and may wish they'd had a chance to recharge some of their batteries. India are good in these kind of tournaments and Sri Lanka also tend to fire when it counts so I think it is a nice mix of bets.

Nobody else really seems to feature for me - anyone else got thoughts on the tournament?

Calling all cricket fans,

The ICC Champions Trophy Dream Teams is now open! Follow the action by picking your own fantasy cricket team from the top 8 countries challenging for the honour to be crowned ICC champions.

The tournament kicks off on Tuesday 22 September at 14:30 SA time (12:30 GMT). Enter your team now at http://dreamteams.supersport.co.za/championstrophy

Hosts South Africa are the odds on favourites after the tournament was moved from Pakistan. But current holders Australia will not relinquish their crown that easily and will be buoyed by their recent triumph over England in the ODI series. Pakistan have a point to prove after losing the hosting rights and will want to build on their recent success at the World Twenty20 tournament. India are always a force to be reckoned with and have the players to make an impact while Sri Lanka and New Zealand can't be counted out either. Only the West Indies look weaker than the rest after fielding a second string side due to an unresolved player strike. With so much choice in quality players, remember to look out for players who can perform with both bat and ball when selecting your team. Good fielders pick up extra points for catches and run outs, while your captain scores double points and should be one of your top players.

Our top 3 performing managers at the end of the tournament will each walk off with a cool LG KP500 cellphone worth R2400. With great prizes and bragging rights up for grabs you can’t afford not to show off your cricket knowledge. Enter your team now at http://dreamteams.supersport.co.za/championstrophy

Good luck!

Super Dream Teams

www.supersport.com/dreamteams

Is Test Cricket In Danger?

By Keith Barret

There has been a lot of talk recently that suggests that there are real problems ahead for Test Match cricket. These dangers appear to be caused by a combination of the increased popularity of Twenty-20 cricket and falling crowds at Test Matches in some parts of the world.

So let's take a look at some of these issues and see what's going on. One point to note is that more and more money is being pumped into the game in India, increasing the importance of this country massively in cricketing terms. It's also the country that has the greatest number of cricket fans in the world.

This is having a big impact on the game as a whole. The great success of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has brought vibrant matches to a large, worldwide audience. It's also clear that crowd levels at Test Matches in India appear to be much lower than those for IPL and other limited overs forms of the game. But does this necessarily indicate problems ahead?

The situation here in England is somewhat different. There's no doubt that Twenty-20 has made a big impact on the domestic game. Crowds have been much larger for these matches than they have in the 4-day County Championship matches. So this might indicate that the longer form of the game is certainly at risk.

Yet nothing is as simple as it may seem. Although county sides may indeed be struggling to attract large attendances to their County Championship contests, it seems that the national team are having no such problems. Attendances at Test cricket here in the UK tend to be impressive and tickets are in high demand.

So what is going? It seems clear that there are different approaches to the game in different parts of the world. Limited overs cricket is really capturing the attention in some parts of the world but Test Match cricket remains the primary form of the game for some viewers, especially in England and Australia.

Is this to be the end for Test Match cricket? It seems hard to believe that it possibly could be, although different countries may place more emphasis on particular forms of the game. There could be associated risks with this, but it may be best that we all simply accept that the newest form of the game provides new opportunities and helps to bring more people into the game.

Anything that makes cricket more popular has to be a good thing. One important set of people in all of this will be the players themselves. As long as they still see Test cricket as being important, it seems certain that this form of the game will continue.

Keith Barrett has written about cricket for a number of publications.