The Dutch are coming (again), but the Irish aren’t

The Netherlands (or rather, the Dutch cricket board – the KNCB) have accepted the ECB’s offer to take part in their shiny new 40-over competition (not to be confused with their old, irrelevant 40-over competition). Ireland, meanwhile, have (somewhat controversially, in some quarters) decided not to take part, partly due to the difficulties involved in [...]

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Minnows making their case

One of the criticisms that a sport like cricket,with such a limited number of established international sides, tends to face with regard to international tournaments is that some of the Associate nations are simply making up the numbers, contributing to an ICC-sponsored illusion about the relative popularity of the game outside of its traditional strongholds. [...]

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ICC World Twenty20 Preview: Group D

New Zealand beat India in their recent warm-up match for this tournament, which is bound to raise hopes that the Black Caps will pose a real challenge. Brendon McCullum is perhaps the archetypal Twenty20 batsman (as he showed in his dramatic introduction to the IPL last year), and Daniel Vettori and Jacob Oram are both [...]

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World Cup Qualifier: Super Eights

After five matches each, the wheat have been separated from the marginally more chaff-like wheat, and 12 teams have been reduced down to eight for the Super Eights stage, which it is to be hoped will be more than half well named. The teams eliminated, and therefore definitely not going to the finals (and also [...]

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World Cup Qualifier Preview: Group A

The final stage of qualification for the 2011 World Cup gets underway on Wednesday in South Africa, as 12 teams begin the battle for four places at the finals. Some have played at the finals before, whilst others have fought their way up from the obscurity of World Cricket League Division 5. Canada’s build up [...]

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Scotland – England a washout

No TV coverage, little fanfare, no result. A shame, Scottish cricket could have done with a bit of publicity. Gavin Hamilton made 60, which isn’t bad for a man with a Test average of zero.

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World Twenty20: The qualifiers

Ireland, the Netherlands and (pending confirmation of Zimbabwe’s non-participation) Scotland have all qualified for next year’s World Twenty20, although the final of the qualifying tournament was rained off, so Ireland and the Netherlands had to share the trophy. So, who will Herschelle Gibbs be hitting for 36 in an over this time next year? Ireland [...]

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The World Twenty20 Qualifier

Not all countries are automatically invited to the Twenty20 party. Some have to qualify. There are three spots available for Associates in next year’s tournament, including the extra slot which has been created by the non-participation of Zimbabwe. Next weekend, the following teams will try and fill them: Group A features Ireland, Scotland and Bermuda. [...]

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England – Scotland slips under the radar

Cast your minds (or mind, if you only have one) ahead to August. It’ll be a busy time for sport: the Olympics will be taking place (amid much controversy) in China, the Football season will be back underway (as if the previous one ever finished), and England will be taking on South Africa. Somewhere in [...]

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