The Associates thread

[Marklar_33]

Good to be getting a look at the top associates for the next 6 nights on Fox Sports. I'd say Afghanistan are a better than good chance to make the main draw, with Ireland facing a tougher challenge in the Bangladesh side of the draw

 

[The Speaker]

Netherlands are probably a better chance than Ireland - the latter has never been very good at T20.

 

[ioppolo]

On the Oman bandwagon.

 

[Marklar_33]

Netherlands are probably a better chance than Ireland - the latter has never been very good at T20.

Very true. The traditional adding of Tom Cooper helps

 

[Damon_3388]

By the way, what ever happened to Namibia and Kenya as cricketing nations? Have both just fallen off the face of the earth?

 

[the universal]

Kenyan cricket's governance completely collapsed from what I remember. They're a long, long way back now. Namibia are still around that cluster of nations that participate in qualifying for the big events.

 

[The Speaker]

By the way, what ever happened to Namibia and Kenya as cricketing nations? Have both just fallen off the face of the earth?

Namibia is in about the same position it's always been in. Tiny population, poorly funded, cricket second to rugby in popularity. Currently competing in the ICup.

Kenya, on the other, didn't receive the assistance it needed, and ended up with a lot of infighting and poor development, and is now struggling to stay in Div 2.

 

[Resistor]

http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc-world-twenty20-2016/content/story/982797.html

Good short description of Kenyan Cricket here, didn't realise they were going for a full member vote in 2005

 

[The Speaker]

Afghanistan preparing to give Namibia a good thrashing at their new home ground in Noida. Bowled them out for 176 (Nabi took five), and are 1/126 in reply (Shahzad on 74*).

 

[ioppolo]

Noida as in the new planned city?

 

[The_Reaper]

Namibia is in about the same position it's always been in. Tiny population, poorly funded, cricket second to rugby in popularity. Currently competing in the ICup.

Kenya, on the other, didn't receive the assistance it needed, and ended up with a lot of infighting and poor development, and is now struggling to stay in Div 2.

Namibia at least gets involved with South Africa

It is also a pretty stable and well run country

 

[The Speaker]

Afghanistan win by an innings and 36 runs. Shahzad the MotM with his 139, but Afghanistan only scored 334 in their innings. Seemed like a pretty heavy turner - 21 of the 30 wickets fell to spin - but Namibia's batting also leaves something to be desired. Interestingly, it appears Gerrie Snyman bowls off-spin these days, which would explain his 4fa.

 

[The Speaker]

Paras Khadka is ridiculous.

Has the captaincy, is absurdly economical - in this match against Namibia he went for 22 from nine overs, while one of his other bowlers went for 64 off six - and is a match-winner with the bat, casually scoring 103 as Nepal chased down 240 with one ball to spare and three wickets in hand.

 

[Rob]

Turns out they don't mind the game in Nepal either.

This is where the bulk of the ICC's development funding (or lack of it) should be going - countries where cricket has the potential to make it as a major sport. It's also where you're more likely to get consistently good cricket over a number of decades because you'll have the kids coming through that have played the game for years, as well as government funding - which you're much more likely to get if you can show that the team can be world class. Not much point funding the Nepalese soccer team which will never do better than a world ranking of about 180.

And finally, I bet you can employ a shitload more development officers in Nepal for the same coin than you could in Scotland or Ireland.

 

[Resistor]

One of the reasons they promoted Ireland and Afghanistan to ODI full member to open up two extra spots in ICC cup for Nepal

 

[The Speaker]

WCL division five is going on right now, and Nigeria seems to have a rather flexible bowling line-up.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/979833.html

Although Jersey and Guernsey aren't far behind:

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/979831.html

 

[Resistor]

Nigeria got smashed by 10 wickets twice this week

 

[The Speaker]

Oman has continued their good run and have been promoted to WCL div 4 along with Jersey. Tanzania and Nigeria drop down to the regional qualifers (which says something about the fraility of African cricket - they are ranked 4th and 5th in amongst the African qualifiers), while Guernsey and Vanuatu languish in div 5.

Meanwhile, PNG has won the first match of their two againt Kenya in Port Moresby in the WCL Championship. Their next match is the last of round three, and the winner will be in a better place to make the World Cup Qualifier at the end of the Championship, as they are currently in 4th and 5th. Having said that, PNG still has to play Namibia and UAE, which are probably the weakest teams in the competition.

 

[The Speaker]

Kenya capitulated after being 3/210 to be all out for 228, losing by 21 runs. This leaves us at roughly the halfway point of the WCL Championship (as there are seven rounds, and that completed the third).

Team W L T N/R Pts
Neth 4 0 0  2  10
HK   4 1 0  1  9
PNG  4 2 0  0  8
Scot 2 1 0  3  7
------------------
Ken  3 3 0  0  6
Nep  2 4 0  0  4
Nam  1 5 0  0  2
UAE  1 5 0  0  2

 

[The Speaker]

Afghanistan defeat the Dutch by an innings in their ICup match. Dutch batting is pretty weak.

Ireland is playing a decent amount of cricket at the moment, but I get the feeling they're going through a transition stage.

 

[t_94]

Yeh Ireland have been struggling a bit recently. McCarthy has done well in his early games and, Niall O'Brien, Young and Rankin are back for the series against Pakistan.

 

[The Speaker]

Yeh Ireland have been struggling a bit recently. McCarthy has done well in his early games and, Niall O'Brien, Young and Rankin are back for the series against Pakistan.

so about that first odi against pakistan...

 

[Seldom Seen Kid]

so about that first odi against pakistan...

What ODI?

I'm home at the moment and have tickets for tomorrow but I'm almost thinking that we'd be better off with a traditional Irish rain-off.

We have been worryingly poor lately. I think we're getting very close to a point where a major clear out is needed, particularly in relation to the batting order. Stirling is becoming an absolute liability - he has 4 scores over 50 in ODI's since the start of 2012 (approx. 40 games). That's pathetic for an opener. Porterfield isn't any better really while our reliance on Joyce can't go on forever.

The real worry is the injuries to Young and Balbernie, and particularly the apparent collapse in form of Dockrell. Bracewell's performance will surely come under scrutiny as well.

 

[Howard Littlejohn]

Without knowing much about what's going on there, it seems Ireland have hit that point where as nation they can prove themselves. Did they just have a golden generation (like Kenya 20 years ago) now coming to its end or can they produce players consistently. Obviously with turnover happening a drop is to be expected, the question is if, and how quickly, they bounce back.
I think they are better placed than Kenya proved to be, and should bounce back without dropping out of the top few associates. Afghanistan and Scotland might be ahead for a while, but it should be close between the three which can only be good for all three.

 

[t_94]

so about that first odi against pakistan...

Yeh, not good at all...didn't see anything this bad coming. Maybe a clean out is needed? There are a few promising players in the 19's but they are inexperienced. Just a shame that this is happening as they are starting to get more opportunities....