Blink and you miss it. Australia out of the T20 World Cup

I was half heartedly considering staying up and watching Australia progress through the Twenty20 World Cup. I missed the first game and the second game wasn't televised. And now suddenly, it's over. Australia have been knocked out of the World Cup.

You could see it coming. Even when we were dominating every other form of the game a few years back, the players couldn't help show their ambivalence towards Twenty20. Back when cricket was criticised for being so predictable because Australia always won, suddenly a form of the game emerged where they might lose.

Now that we're struggling to win 50 over games and even Test series, well, these days Australia are happy to even eke out a single Twenty20 victory. We haven't won one in our last 5 outings. But on the bright side, it does allow me to save all my sleep deprivation for the Ashes. And at least we didn't lose to Holland.

Posted by JC on Tue 9 Jun

16 comments

JC, I'm not going to waste much time on a post about the hit-and-giggle meaningless tripe of a pointless comp which doesn't even deserve the name 'cricket' so.... just a couple of edits for ya:

"Australia have been knocked out of the World Cup" should in fact read "Australia couldn't slog well enough to beat Chris Gayle's 6-or-out approach (one which unfortunately makes him only a mediocre test cricketer) and have been knocked out of WHAT IS CALLED THE TWANKY-TWANKY World Cup.

and...

"...suddenly a form of the game emerged where they might lose" should read "suddenly a form of the game emerged where ANYONE MIGHT WIN".

Posted by virtualgaz on 2009-06-09 15:42:29

There's something seriously strange about the makeup of a tournament that has Ireland makign the Super *s (in a draw that included bangladesh and India) but Australia being knowcked out in the first round. If they are going to include the "minnow" nations, surely there should be one in each draw?

That said, Australia cocked up really badly. The selectors learnt nothing from the last 20-20 World Cup. If thye really wanted to win, they should just select the specialists and keep the Test/one day teams separate. Remember the days when the exact same team was used for one days and Tests and how bad that was?

I think a different captain is needed too - Ponting can't think on his feet quickly enough for 20-20.

Posted by MT on 2009-06-09 20:22:06

Have to take issue with the "meaningless tripe" comment! T20 has proved itself to be a perfectly viable third format of the game. As long as administrators avoid overkill I think it has a place alongside ODIs and Tests - clearly the essence of cricket. It's popular, girls understand it, and it lends itself to outstanding batting, bowling and fielding. It even has unexpected subtleties - who would have thought spin would be so effective? I'm sure it's nothing to do with Australia not being very good at it, but if England fans chose not to like forms of the game we're crap at, we'd hate cricket. It's a bit of fun - give it a go!

Posted by Rich on 2009-06-10 05:47:33

You guys are such sore losers.

Posted by sbarb on 2009-06-11 06:04:44

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Blink and you miss it. Australia out of the T20 World Cup

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