Story ICC World Cricket Sixes [BLIC 07]

[DJ Ager]

Today, the ICC has announced a new form, and tournament, to the international cricket calendar. The "ICC World Cricket Sixes" is a new competition and format, and takes a lot of ideas, and is very similar to rugby's annual "IRB Rugby Sevens" tournament. Perhaps unlike this, due to a rare gap left into international cricket calendar, the strongest players from each country are likely to be selected, instead of "specialist" sixes squads. However, this competition isn't to be confused with Hong Kong Sixes, and simliar tournaments. There are 11 players on each side, and an innings lasting 6 overs. There will be 16 competing sides, all the main ODI sides, who played in this year's ICC World Cup in the West Indies. The tournament will be played at 10 venues, starting in Auckland, finishing at The Oval, London. Each of these rounds, there will be a pool stage of 4 groups of 4, then the top 8 going into the Cup tournament, the bottom in the Bowl tournament. The losers in the quarter finals go into a Plate tournament. The teams will gain points for progress in each tournament, and totalling up to the final tournament at The Oval. Each round will last over 2-3 days(weather permitting).

The ICC has labelled it as "another great, exciting form, venture, and tournament to add to the magic and excitement of international cricket", although some quarters have criticised this "pointless razmatazz" as another "gimmick and coporate, advertising money spinner for a money obessed ICC". Whatever the opinion, we are likely to be in for a real exciting tournament.

Points
Cup Winner (1) 20 points
Runner Up (1) 16 points
Semi Final (2) 12 points
Plate Winner (1) 8 points
Runner Up (1) 6 points
Semi Final (2) 4 points
Bowl Winner (1) 2 points

Venues in order
Auckland
Melbourne
Johannesburg
Harare
Karachi
Calcutta
Dhaka
Colombo
Barbados
The Oval

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[gamerkid22]

wow this one will be a real cracker. All the best mate. Nice to see a BLIC 07 story in this forum

 

[kookaburra69]

Great start mate,looking forward to the next update.

 

[Ollie_H]

really good story here! excellent idea

 

[mattfb]

Sounds like a very good idea mate. Nice stuff. Its a bit like a V8 supercars tournament

 

[DJ Ager]

As the 16 teams arrived in New Zealand for the first stage of the ICC World Cricket Sixes in Auckland, the draw for the Pool Stage was made:

Group A
South Africa
West Indies
Bangladesh
Scotland

Group B
Australia
India
Zimbabwe
Bermuda

Group C
New Zealand
England
Kenya
Canada

Group D
Pakistan
Sri Lanka
Ireland
Netherlands

The group fixtures will take place on day 1, with New Zealand taking on Canada in the first game, and the final evening game being India versus Australia


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[mattfb]

Sounds cool mate, good luck with it.
Are you gonna play every game?
Otherwise who are you controlling?

 

[DJ Ager]

Morning Report

So the World Cricket Sixes began, with a bang would be an exaggeration, with Canada limping to 21-4 off their 6 overs on a damp wicket, and hosts New Zealand costing home by 8 wickets, 22-2 off 2.5 overs. Nevertheless, it had begun. Pakistan were the next to make an entrance, against Netherlands. However it wasn't the expected thrashing, Pakistan restricted to 63-1 off their 6 overs, and for a while thanks, to 30 from Bas Zuiderant, they were in with a good shout, but when he left, victory hopes faded as they ended on 48-2.

A contest certainly wasn't on the agenda of South Africa, as they took on Scotland. They hammered 88-3 then the Scots struggled to 21-7. A similar thrashing was predicted as Bermuda took on Australia. However, Bermuda did very well to restrict Australia to 59-3, but it was in the other aspect of the game where they struggled, as they mustered only 13-7.

Next it was England who entered the fray with Kenya. England bowled well as Kenya could only manage 25-6. It was England's batting which looked decidedly shakey at times, until Ian Bell smashed England home, 26-4 with 5 balls to spare. England's neighbours, Ireland, took on Sri Lanka in their opening game, and didn't disgrace themseleves, restricting the 50 over World Cup finalists to 60-2, but despite the efforts of N.O'Brien, they could only make 36-5.

Hmm...perhaps, despite the sixes and wickets, what it needed as well to capture the imagination was a shock. Well plucky Bangladesh provided that, although these days more of a surprise than a shock, as they restricted West Indies to 40-8 thanks to great bowling, and Shariar Nafees guided them home by 9 wickets with an over to spare in a comfortable victory. Despite a decent bowling performance by Zimbabwe, restricting India to 60-7, a shock was never on when they came to bat, not even reaching double figures, ending on 9-8.

PlanetCricket talks to: Ramnaresh Sarwan

PC: Views on this morning's loss?

RS: Well it is a major blow in our hopes of getting into the Cup Stage, but we will have to give it our all in the next two games. We didn't apply ourselves well in either aspects of the game, we lost far too many wickets and let runs flow too well but we were outclassed really though by Bangladesh, so fair play to them, they deserved it.

PC: What are you views on this form of cricket?

RS: Well its very rapid, like a small canned version of Twenty20. But you have to think fast, and like whereas one mistake may not cost you too much in normal ODI or even Twenty20, it is likely to cost you in this form, but it is good for the crowd, and also fun for the players.

New Zealand 22\2(2.5) V 21\4 Canada
Pakistan 63\1 V 48\2 Netherlands
South Africa 88\3 V 21\7 Scotland
Australia 59\3 V 13\7 Bermuda
England 26\4(5.1) V 25\6 Kenya
Sri Lanka 60\2 V 36/5 Ireland
West Indies 40\8 V 44\1(5) Bangladesh
India 60\7 V 9\8 Zimbabwe



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[Pakistani Army]

Excellent works and presentation Ager!

 

[mattfb]

Excellent stuff man!
Do you play as the associates or not?
Anyway good win for Bangladesh!

 

[Monty57]

Like it mate

 

[kookaburra69]

Great Result there for New Zealand!
Keep it up mate

 

[DJ Ager]

Afternoon Report

Hosts New Zealand played their second match against Kenya, who like against England, gave them a brief scare or two, before they pulled through. New Zealand could only struggle to 48-7, but Tikolo went for a duck as Kenya could only reach 24-4. There weren't many scares for Pakistan as they took on Ireland, looking for revenge after defeat to them in the World Cup. Posting 66-5 batting first, Ireland lost wickets regularly and no chance of repeat of March 17th 2007 limping to 33-9.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh were hoping to repeat their heroics in the first game and what they did in the Super Eights to South Africa. However this never materialised, despite South Africa being restricted to 55-2, Bangladesh limped to 20-8. Next, Zimbabwe took on Australia, and looked impressive with the ball, Australia only making 41-4, but it was again Zimbabwe's batting which let them down, only getting 27-8.

England took on Canada in the next game hoping to join New Zealand in the Cup Stage. They were worried when Jon Davison got the Maple Leafs off to a flyer, and they made an impressive 45-4. However, England's batting was too strong and the won by 7 wickets with 7 balls to spare. Despite an impressive showing in their first game, a similar result was expected for Netherlands against Sri Lanka. What happened was a giant killing. Sri Lanka only mustered 38-2, which could have been worse in all honesty, and the Dutch cantered home by 7 wickets, van Bunge the main man, with 5 balls to spare to complete a big shock.

After a surprise defeat in their first game, West Indies needed to win their next two games, and well. The Windies certainly blew the Scots away, despite responding well with 42-6, West Indies had already posted the competition's highest score of 93-2. Bermuda had more than pride intact after their defeat to India. Restricting the Indians to 56-7 taking their chances, Dean Minors kept the North Atlantic territory in the game looking good at another big shock of the day, but he went and so Bermuda finished on 43-5.

PlanetCricket talks to: Daan van Bunge

PC: Great feeling to pull off a win like that?

DvB: Thanks. Yes it vas great to beat an established nation such as Sri Lanka, and we will hope into ze main cup competition, but we will have to play veell to beat Ireland.

PC: Do you think shorter forms of the game like this give smaller sides like yours more of a level playing field?

DvB: Perhaps. I think the overall level of Associates cricket is improving anyway, despite what peole zay. But yesh, the shorter version allows us to compete perhaps slightly betterm but then again other associate sides haven't doen so vell so its hard to tell, I still think 50 over cricket...how you say umm...etc... is the the way forward.

New Zealand 48\7 V 24\4 Kenya
Pakistan 66\5 V 33\9 Ireland
South Africa 55\2 V 20\8 Bangladesh
Australia 41\4 V 27\8 Zimbabwe
England 49\3(4.5) V 45\4 Canada
Sri Lanka 38\2 V 39\3(5.1) Netherlands
West Indies 93\2 V 42\6 Scotland
India 56\7 V 43\5 Bermuda


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[kookaburra69]

Great stuff mate,this is great

 

[DJ Ager]

Thanks

I'm going be away for a week from tommorrow so there won't be any updates for a while