Comments on: Who will win the Super Series ODIs?

By: R J

R J — Thu, 06 Oct 2005 18:31:52 +0000

Yes that is true, but its a good and, on hindsight, essential safeguard. Counting down the clock for ODI2 to get underway. Hope RoW pull themselves together into a fighting team.

By: colindale

colindale — Thu, 06 Oct 2005 13:47:34 +0000

Checked that site out rj and as i normally use willow i can compare the two,pros have to be the price,was also sceptical,but as you say it certainly works,was watching at 205kbps,which was fine and bufferless,the only cons i would say,it takes a while to work out the system ie sending off for the link,putting in the password,into winamp etc guess next time i will allow 5 mins extra

By: R J

R J — Wed, 05 Oct 2005 18:39:29 +0000

sorry about the double comments. i guess the comments did not post straightaway, since they may have been parked for moderation.

By: R J

R J — Tue, 04 Oct 2005 12:37:36 +0000

Dont do Willow, so cannot honestly compare. But there have been many who have used both and opt for sportingstreams.com. Quality and variety. No, its not someone filming TV. Rate is at anything between 186kbps ~ 250kbps. They are trying to up it to around 300kbps which would be good, but existing quality is great, especially when considering the price also.
I have been pretty much happy with the quality. If you need any more info shoot me an email.
Can’t wait for the SuperSeries circus to get rolling.

By: R J

R J — Tue, 04 Oct 2005 12:29:19 +0000

I am pretty much happy with the quality. I have not used Willow since I tried Sportingstreams and was happy with the quality and the variety available. I enjoy Manchester United in English Soccer. No this is not tv being filmed. The rate is anything between 186kbps ~ 240kbps. I have watched all the Indian Cricket series thus far – Pakistan, SA, Australia, SL-Ind-Ban TriSeries, SA in Windies, the local English League cricket and even the recent Twenty20 Club championship in England. If you’d like any more info shoot me an email.
Can’t wait for the Super Series circus to start rolling!

By: mark

mark — Tue, 04 Oct 2005 09:28:37 +0000

Just looked at sportingstreams.com and it seems way too cheap to be legal. There is also no way of seeing a test clip. R J: Is it a proper stream or someone filming the tv? And what’s the bitrate? A friend got conned on a similar site for football where the bitrate was only 36kbps..

As the saying goes.. if an offer’s too good to be true it usually is..

By: R J

R J — Mon, 03 Oct 2005 17:36:06 +0000

Talking about streamcast cricket, for fraction of the price, I would recommend http://www.sportingstreams.com.

I subscribed to sportingstreams.com since the India-Pakistan series not so long ago and have been more than satisfied. Added advantage that you can also get links to streams for F1, the new A1 grandprix, football/soccer.

By: mark

mark — Mon, 03 Oct 2005 08:15:09 +0000

For those interested and like me stuck somewhere with no cricket on tv… Just got a mail from willow.tv and they’re now streaming all 3 ODIS and the test. 39 USD for the whole lot (although it looks like that may be a special offer as i bought the ashes streaming from them).

The day’s play is also repeated after the close so that lazy gits like me won’t have to get up in the middle of the night..

By: Elliott

Elliott — Mon, 03 Oct 2005 03:34:49 +0000

Gee ur up late Will!

Well if my mum would let me borrow her laptop then i would be able to e-mail photos and thoughts and stuff after each game! Remember i am only going to the first two! But if its 1-1 then i will try dad on a last minute extension on the trip

But not durring the games because (a) i wouldn’t be able to get an internet connection in telstra dome! (b) I can’t be arsed! doing durring game comments! i’m there to watch the cricket not a computer screen!

Anyway i will ask mum if i can borrow her laptop when she gets home form work and whats your e-mail address to send the photos too???? I can defintly send photos even if i have to do it when i get back home (next monday)

By: Will

Will — Sun, 02 Oct 2005 22:45:38 +0000

Elliott, how would you feel about providing us with a match report from the games? If you want to email your thoughts over (what the crowd were like, your opinions – something intelligable), please do. If you can’t be arsed, then no worries. Also, photos – would love to see some, but again if you can’t be arsed, no worries

By: Elliott

Elliott — Sun, 02 Oct 2005 22:28:28 +0000

As sad as this is (coming form an Aussie) i really hope that Flintoff plays! It would be good to see he play live!
HahAhAHAha Pieterson only got 5 against Victoria!
And Flintoff dropped the drinks when doing the 12th man duties!
Thats an overall good job from the pommy reps in the world XI!!! (so far)
I go to melbourne on the boat tonight!! Gettin all ready for Wednessday and Fridays games!

By: Matt

Matt — Sun, 02 Oct 2005 18:13:13 +0000

As a Pom it pains me to admit it, but I’ve voted for an Aussie win in the ODIs. Australia are still the best ODI side by a long way, and proved that in the 3 match Natwest Challenge over here, although that “Challenge” was another meaningless series tacked on to the end of the Natwest Series that was tied with England.

Basically, the World XI won’t gell in time for the ODIs, and I think that is shown by today’s result against Victoria in the warm-up game which they won by 12 runs.

By: Elliott

Elliott — Sat, 01 Oct 2005 05:11:23 +0000

Are u going Harry? You live near Melbourne right? if my memory serves me right!

By: Oisin

Oisin — Fri, 30 Sep 2005 21:36:40 +0000

I find it hard to believe many of the World XI will be motivated by this pointless farce and neither would the Aussies if they hadn’t lost their last series. This sort of exhibition ahs never worked in any sport.

By: Harry

Harry — Fri, 30 Sep 2005 14:28:30 +0000

the thing about one day matches, to work out the best team you need many games against each other over a fairly long period of time, and as these teams have never played then we can only guess. On paper the world 11 team is stronger, but it’s not a whole lot stronger and one day matches are very unpredictable.
the fact the the australian’s will be so so so hungry and the fact that it’s in Australia will really make it a close contest. But of course, i’m one of those biast aussies, so Australia for the win!

By: nick

nick — Fri, 30 Sep 2005 13:03:59 +0000

thankyou very much Will.

much much better!

By: A P Webster

A P Webster — Fri, 30 Sep 2005 11:07:09 +0000

Australia will probably win the Test, but the ODIs are more open, as it’s less about partnerships and tactics(things that a side that hasn’t played together before may struggle with), and more about outstanding individual performances.

By: Elliott

Elliott — Fri, 30 Sep 2005 01:39:20 +0000

I really hope the Aussie’s can win. I can’t wait for the games as i am going to the first two ODI’s!!
I was disapointed when i heard that Tendulkar wasn’t playing, i was looking forward ti him and the likes of Lara batting together against McGrath & Co. (HaHa thats the name of a local Lawyer Firm where i live, “McGrath & Co.”)
Anyway can’t wait for the games it should be awsome!!

By: Wraye

Wraye — Thu, 29 Sep 2005 17:35:36 +0000

Motivation will be the key. As Zainub said, the Aussies will want to show the world they’re still the best, and they’re on home ground too. But, and it’s a very big but, the World XI want a slice of the pie, to knock Oz further down a peg or two. They are already studying the tactics England used, and capt Pollock admits he will turn to Flintoff if a breakthrough is needed. Point is: are Fred & Co still motivated enough? Perhaps 2:2, but I hope World XI win.

Also, I agree with Zainub, Charlie Watt, Bearders et al, making the game into a Test is a farce, especially showing contempt for Law 16 by starting the game with the toss. Obviously, the ICC enjoy a good toss and in the Bible (and probably other Holy Books) it says, “and by their actions, you shall know them.”

By: Zainub

Zainub — Thu, 29 Sep 2005 14:06:04 +0000

The ICC can have the scorers to include the statistics in official records, market the ivent â€¦they might as well build it up as the even of the century if they want, make as big a hyperbole out if it as they please, do just about anything they like, but my definition of test match is when one nation goes up against another nation, not a meaningless exhibition match of this sort.

The Ashes have taken off some of the gloss of this series anyway, but I wouldn’t have given a damn to who win either way. The only people who are bothered about its result now are the ICC and Australia. The ICC in the hope that it raises them some good money and henceforth prevents them from looking like a bunch of complete and utter fools (if that already hasn’t happened that is!). And Australia so that they prove everyone including them selves that Ashes was just one big nightmare, and now it’s all over, so everything will be back to normal.

The only thing I’m concerned about is Inzamam. He is on the wrong side of 30, the body gets increasingly vulnerable at this stage, and it takes far longer to recover from injuries, as McGrath would testify. The last time we traveled to Australia his long troubling back problems resurfaced again, and it widely believed that was almost entirely because of the constraints of extensive traveling.

The last thing we need is for our most important player to go all the way down to Australia, just to take part in a single meaningless exhibition match and injure him self ahead of a very important series against England. I frankly would have preferred him to stay back home, but because Shehrayar Khan is such a smart **** I will now have my heart in my mouth for quite a while. Any runs will be a bonus, all I wish is for him to come back home, safe and sound, with no niggles.

By: Will

Will — Thu, 29 Sep 2005 14:05:33 +0000

Done. Better?

By: nick

nick — Thu, 29 Sep 2005 13:31:04 +0000

while not wanting to be too negative – i love this blog – why don’t you put the poll nearer the top of the right hand nav and on the archived pages (for those of us who subscribe to your rss feed).

that way you can change it and publish the results without having to make a new post about it…

you could put it below the commerce stuff (i understand that you need that stuff) and still have it visible without scrolling down.

By: R J

R J — Thu, 29 Sep 2005 13:01:09 +0000

I have voted for World XI to win. However, do hold reservations as to how a bunch of players from different teams, cultures, attitudes, can gel together, play together in such a short time leading up to the main event.