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    World Cup beginneth

    By Will last year, at the start of March Leave a comment on this post

    Is anyone else really up for this World Cup? It’s on at a reasonable hour for those of us in Blighty (14.00 - 22.00 or thereabouts); Australia are in a mess; England are unusually buoyant and appear, for now, to be recovering from a mass of injuries; Pakistan have already fallen off their perch yet appear bullish about their chances. In fact everyone, bar Bermuda, seem to think they can win it. It’s wide open and damn near exciting.

    Although I’m a fan of minnow-cricket, Bermuda really do take the biscuit. In fact, they take a whole packet of biscuits. One-day cricket is a fickle beast, but I really cannot see Bermuda upsetting anyone but their home fans. Talking of such things, I thought the world could do with a guide to the minnows, especially after hearing Paul Collingwood and Michael Vaughan admit they knew nothing about the Bermudans - other than David Hemp (or “Hempy”. The y is an obligitory addition to all cricketers’ names in England. Except if your name happens to end in a y, like Yardy, in which case you’re called “Yarders”. Or Mike.)

    So if you’re clueless and/or completely apathetic about the performances of Kenya, Canada, Scotland and co, think again.

    Rock on. I’m up for this.

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    10 Responses to “World Cup beginneth”

  • marmarzet wrote:
    March 4th, 2007 at 5.57 pm

    March 13th has been highlighted in my diary for several months now and I can’t wait til the World Cup finally begins. Though I’m pessimistic about England’s chances, it should be a damn fine contest with some exciting, tight games. It would make my day if one of the minnows caused an upset- I’d be laughing til Christmas.

  • Angus wrote:
    March 4th, 2007 at 10.06 pm

    It could be Kenya’s tournament again.

    Come on, Scotland!

  • Ollie wrote:
    March 5th, 2007 at 2.23 am

    TI am (surprisingly) quite up for this, although it’s gonna drag once it gets going. I’ll have something to entertain me through the Easter holidays anyway!

  • Crichawk wrote:
    March 5th, 2007 at 6.09 am

    I sincerely think these matches are just warm up matches and doesnt make any sense for them to participate in the WC. Actualy, the way they perform, they only lower the standards of International cricket at the esteemed cup

  • Alan R wrote:
    March 5th, 2007 at 6.53 am

    I would be up for it, but I doubt I can watch it here in Paris. If I make hour-long trek on a weekend to go to the English pub that’s open in the afternoon, if there’s any sort of soccer match going on there’s no way they’d switch to cricket unless it’s England playing, and even then it depends on the soccer match.

    I might give it a try, though, because a friend of mine from India is in town. If there’s no cricket, then we can go to the Louvre, I guess.

  • Graham E Smith wrote:
    March 5th, 2007 at 11.52 am

    Excuse me while I stop choking on my breakfast…..

    Crichawk…says…”just warm up matches!”…”doesn’t make any sense for them to participate!”……”only lower the standard of international cricket!”……excuse me while I puke again….

    What a bigoted ,toffee-nosed snob!…..must be a member of the English selection board….or someone very similar?

  • Rich B wrote:
    March 5th, 2007 at 12.22 pm

    I really can’t understand how people have such a negative attitude to the lower ranked teams at the World Cup. Yes, Bangladesh were given Test status too early. Yes, there were probably too many 1-sided matches in the 2003 cup.

    But nobody ever complains when England have to play Luxemburg in football qualifying competitions, it’s just part of the game. I for one will be eagerly anticipating the group stages, letting my very British love of the underdog kick-in and hoping some of the lesser nations will rub the noses of the elistist big boys right in it.

  • Graham E Smith wrote:
    March 5th, 2007 at 1.52 pm

    Rich B…..a man of my ilk!

  • Angus wrote:
    March 5th, 2007 at 3.45 pm

    My god! South Africa 95 for 8 against Ireland! England struggling against Bermuda! Now I realise what’s been missing in international cricket. Adding 5 new teams has spiced it up. They can only get better. Come on, the associates!

  • Michael wrote:
    March 6th, 2007 at 7.44 pm

    Everybody secretly loves and underdog. If for no other reason than that.

    Kenya 1996. Bangladesh 1999. Kenya & Canada 2003. Who didn’t enjoy watching the sheer joy on their faces? If you didn’t enjoy it, I state that you are an idiot.

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