Bullshit!! im not happy

couragous cloke · Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2004 6:55 pm

Im CRUUUUUUUSHED!!! windies are not coming to australia like Scheduled to. apparently they are sending over Pakistan and bloomin NewZealand instead.. the cause was apparently scheduling problems.

ACB is thinking of inviting windies for the ODI series which could involve 4 teams, but channel 9 may not give because there will be too many games without australia in it..

If u ask me i reckon Westindies should tell australia to shove there ODI's up (extremely naughty words edited out - Donny) !!

I was waiting for 4 years for this Sad

London Dave · Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2004 8:17 pm

Fly to the windies, they play there every year....

more than likely, the fact that they (the windies) got thumped last time they were here, and probably would again meant that perhaps they were only offered 3 tests or so...

Donny · Posted: Sat Feb 21, 2004 8:22 pm

From the New Zealand Herald

New Zealand might replace the West Indies as the Australian cricket team's early-season opponents next summer.

Cricket Australia is expected to announce next week that the Black Caps will tour from mid-November, playing two tests, before possibly returning for the VB one-day series with Australia and Pakistan.

The West Indies were due to play at least three tests but have pulled out because of scheduling constraints.

New Zealand last toured Australia in 2001, drawing the three-test series 0-0 before featuring in the one-day series finals against South Africa after beating Australia in three out of four games.

"There's been talk of rearranging the International Cricket Council's programme but nothing has been confirmed," said New Zealand Cricket operations officer John Reid.

A Cricket Australia spokesman said a decision would be made soon.

commonwombat · commonwombat Joined: 12 Jul 2003 Location: sydney/s.africa

Anthony, the sad fact is that the Windies are no longer any sort of a drawcard and a 5 test serres for the Frank Worrall Trophy can no longer be justified.

Money is what makes the world go round, even the cricketing world and the viability of holding a 4 team comp of this sort with a non-drawing team is zip.

The fact is the next time they tour Aus, they will be the early team for the Tests and play on the "lesser" grounds.

Donny · Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2004 1:40 pm

Hey, wombat. This puzzles me a bit.

Have you heard of this before Anthony's post? I hadn't and had to dig till I found the article in The N.Z. Herald.

Nothing about it in Cricinfo or Baggy Green.

"The West Indies were due to play at least three tests but have pulled out because of scheduling constraints" - NZH.

I realise they're not the drawcards they used to be but it's still a reasonably big item to cricket followers, and not just the Windies fans like Ant.

commonwombat · commonwombat Joined: 12 Jul 2003 Location: sydney/s.africa

I heard a whisper during the Sydney Test that there were a few snags with the West Indies and that the ACB was not looking to back down and were putting out feelers for alternate tourists. This was firther confirmed by a friend who had been a senior administrator and is now a player manager.

The West Indies Cricket Board has always been short of money, even in their glory days. From the late 70's onwards most of their players have had to base themselves offshore professionally and their team hawked furiously around the world. Currently they are broke and with their current stature, have a far weaker bargaining position than in the old days. Methinks, this explains the "scheduling constraints".

Re yr final point, Donny. I, like many longtime cricket watchers were in awe of the mighty WI sides and want to see them as a competitive part of intl cricket. The facts are that they are no longer a cricketing power and not likely to ever regain any such status.

The fact is that they have NOT warranted "highlighted " status since the mid 90's (ie 5 test series) and have frankly been living off their former reputation. The gravy train has came to an end.

couragous cloke · Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2004 9:24 pm

thats bullshit mr Wombat.. we would draw bigger crowds then both New Zealand and Pakistan no matter How bad we are.. and by the end of the season i'd say we'd be improved a slight bit more. Was a competitive, entertaining series in the caribbean last year and for someone to refer back to 99-00 series then your Stupid, About 10 times better team and that dud Jimmy Adams is gone..

Put your head back on..

The Prototype · Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2004 10:01 pm

I thought the Windies would bing a crowd now that Lara is back in form, some of the fans that goto watch the Windies play, have been doing so to see Brian Lara. Just like when Tendulkar was firing, it's a shame, I would of loved to see the Windies down here, and hopefully of gotten to see them play down in Hobart.

molloymagic · Posted: Sun Feb 22, 2004 10:19 pm

Would have been more worth getting them here instead of Zimbabwe(sorry 2 anyone who likes Zimbabwe) Wasn't a big drawcard. Most knew that it would have been Australia vs India in the ODI finals.

commonwombat · commonwombat Joined: 12 Jul 2003 Location: sydney/s.africa

CC, you are letting sentiment infiltrate yr judgement. With a few notable exceptions such as yourselves, many Australian cricket fans below mid-late 20's have little to no recollection of the West Indies glory daus when they WERE the big all-powerful drawcard.

The recent Caribbean series may have been competitive, but frankly a majority of cricket followers probably did not watch it on pay TV. Their most notable recollections of WI teams have been of generally one-sided contests, nonwithstanding the occasional heroics.

Re comparitive drawcards. NZ are not a team of superstars but have regularly proved to be extremely competitive and are one of the few teams that take the game to the arrogant Aussies. Also bringing into account that most Kiwis now live in OZ, they should be viable viz the bums on seats factor.

The Paks are always an unknown factor playing away with their capabilities for the brilliant and the bloody awful, generally within the same over. Frankly, I would rate both these sides as at least equal and probably far superior drawcards to the current WI outfit.

couragous cloke · Posted: Thu Feb 26, 2004 10:15 pm

oh c'mon wombat! you know that the windies would draw bigger crowds then both newzealand and Pakistan.. You cannot be serious!

commonwombat · commonwombat Joined: 12 Jul 2003 Location: sydney/s.africa

From the mid 70's to the start of the 90's the Windies WERE undoubtedly the biggest drawcard in world cricket and they were hawked mercilessly around the world in this regard, and to bring in hard currency for the cash strapped WI Board.

The Windies were even able to dine out on their former reputation for about another 5-6 years. Sadly many of the younger cricket followers (yr self being an obvious exception) will have little to no personal recollection of the all powerful Windies and their WI images will be of one sided contests. Get many to name PRESENT WI players and many will struggle to name 1-2 other than yr man Lara.

There aren't many big names amongst the sheep molesters but their recent record vs Australia is for tough competitiive matches, which WILL attract crowds and the Paks are always an unpredictable commodity.

Understand and respect yr passion for the Windies but I fear that I may indeed be closer to reality. The WI 2 latest Test series as I recall were a v tight fought 1-0 2 tester v Zimbabwe followed by bath night v Sth Africa. Whilst Lara is always a threat and there appears some interesting batting talent and a little more consistent support for "the man", the fact is yr men are not bowling out good batting lineups.

You accused me of bullshit re my piece on the change in schedule. I wish it were but the fact remains that money and success talks and the WI pulling power and bargaining position ain't what it used to be.

Pardon me for v politely raining on parade.