They have introduced a few new rules which come into effect on October 1, but the craziest one is that front foot no balls will result in a free hit from the next delivery.
That’s right a free hit!
I mean, this is international cricket for f**ks sake, it’s not me and my mates in the back yard. Please someone tell me this is a joke.
Here are all of the rules for your reading pleasure.
An additional fielder will be allowed outside the fielding circle during the second or third power play in a ODI
If a ODI innings is reduced, the numbers of overs making up each of the three power plays shall be reduced proportionately
If a bowler bowls a front foot no-ball in a ODI, the following delivery will be deemed a free hit and the batsman cannot be dismissed by the bowler from that delivery
There will be a mandatory change of ball after 35 overs of each innings in a ODI; the replacement will be a clean used ball
Minimum boundary sizes in all international matches will be increased with the square boundary measuring at least 150 yards from one side of the ground to the other (minimum 65 yards on one side; previous total minimum size was 140 yards); and the straight boundaries 70 yards at both ends (previous minimum was 65 yards); maximum boundaries to be used allowing for three yards between boundary rope and advertising boards up to a maximum of 90 yards from the centre of the pitch
All he wants is to maintain a public profile in order to drum up customers for his mortgage broking venture. Thus it’s natural he will say things that get a reaction and get people talking. He knows how the media works, and he’s doing it well.
His latest article has zero credibility. Consider that before the Chappell Haddlee series victory, he bagged the team. After we won it, he decided that we actually had a shot at winning the world cup.
Now he has described Fleming’s resignation as captain as him ‘falling on his own sword’. That is hardly the term I would use for the resignation but Parore is out to make as loud a noise as possible.
‘Expert’ columnists like Parore cannot too seriously. They are usually in the business of keeping up a profile, or selling newspapers or both. When things are going wrong in their sport, it’s all too easy for them to point the finger at someone or something.
It was gut wrenching not to win the world cup. This truly seemed like our best shot. However, I was even more gutted for two players – Stephen Fleming and Shane Bond.
Fleming because he is our best ever captain, a master at maximising the limited talent on offer. He deserved better as the man who has been the best captain in world cricket for many years now. The energy he put into this is wasted.
And to Bondy. I doubt he will play another world cup; this was also his best shot. Our best bowler since Haddlee had a poor game. After all the injuries and associated rehab, the greatest prize will elude him. Sport really can be cruel.
While sport is cruel, the reality is that with 150 pro cricketers in this country, getting to the semis is not all bad. Again we have punched above our weight. Don’t get me wrong, I am not making excuses, we were poor in the last two games and deserved to lose.
The tournament is over for me. I hope the Lankans take it out – it will be good for world cricket. If they don’t win I won’t begrudge the Aussies – how can you, when they are as good as they are. I doubt that I will watch the final – if anything I’ll get out of bed and watch the last few hours.
What a strange tournament – one coach is dead, probably murdered, another 4 have resigned (King, Whatmore, Fletcher and Chappell) and Brian Lara, the greatest batsman this generation has resigned.
I txted a mate after the game suggesting that Fleming would quit one day cricket. I was surprised he only resigned as captain. I don’t think that is wise. How will the new captain fare knowing the old skipper is observing . . .
It’s worth remembering that when Daniel Vettori was captain against Sri Lanka last year, Fleming was rested and he himself alluded to the fact it would be hard for him to play and not captain. It will be interesting to see how things pan out.
I also think he should step down as test captain. The reason is simple. Before he retires I want to see Stephen Fleming play 3, maybe 4 years simply as a batsman. I want to see him take responsibility for being the absolute best batsman he can be and not have to worry about being captain.
I know that is contradictory to the above, but the desire to see him finish his career as a world-class batsman outweighs other considerations.
The never-ending tournament is about to get interesting for the Black Caps. The first game, back on March 13 seems like ages ago. In that space of time we’ve had a ton of cricket, none of which I deemed worthy of getting out of bed for.
I love upsets, so it was fantastic to see Bangladesh and Ireland/Australia C taking a few big scalps. As far as New Zealand is concerned, it’s been matches against England and the West Indies and assorted minnows. A long month indeed.
Our run into the semi finals sees us taking on Sri Lanka, then South Africa, then the Aussies. It is not outside the realms of probability that we can lose all these matches and head home with nothing.
However the team seems confident in their planning and know what they need to do. This has been many months in the planning, so most scenarios will be catered for. For example as the pitches get worse, taking two spinners is proving to be wise.
The form shown by players in the Chappell Hadlee series has been maintained, despite the continual injuries we suffer.
I can’t say with confidence that we will win it. I know we can win it, but doing it is another matter. In theory Australia should take home the cup. They know what to do in the big games – it’s second nature to them. While they have the batting lineup from hell, it’s Ponting and his captaincy that makes the real difference. So for them not to win would be huge.
I’d love to see us taking on Aussie in the final, especially if we win it. It would be a dream to see Bondy take out Hayden and Gilly with his unplayable yorker. . . . . .
Darn it all, I’m getting carried away.
First note to self: Stay rational; remember that the chances of us winning it are small. Australia and then Sri Lanka are the favourites.
Second note to self: They won the Chappell Hadlee, they can win this as well – have some faith for pity’s sake!
Third note to self: Dude, get of this emotional roller coaster, it’s tearing you up. And stop having conversations with friends who want to see Ricky Ponting fending off a Shane Bond delivery aimed for this throat, straight into the arms of Fleming.
OK, after losing the game against the Black Caps, Freddy gets on the large and gets caught and punished.
I think Freddy should stand up and take a bow.Cricket needs these sorts of characters. The fitness demands of international cricket are not as onerous as Rugby League or Rugby, so no real damage was done.  A few extra beers were never going to do him any harm, so what is the big deal?
The only thing that was damaged was his pride. Not at getting drunk, not at getting caught, but at falling out of the pedalo – I mean these things look damm hard to fall out of, and how he managed to end up in the ocean after taking one of these for a ride is well beyond me.
From one great character to another I loved the fact thatIan Botham supported him. Â All this nonsense about him having to behave in a certain way is over the top.Â
This incident also reminded me of Chris Cairns at the 2003 World Cup , when he was at a Durban nite club celebrating the fact his partner was pregnant. He ended up getting whacked by someone, after being after leave for removing his shirt.
Cairns copped some flack, but there was no real damage done.  Contrast this with Andrew Symonds who turned up reeking of booze to an ODI against Bangladesh in 2005. That was just dumb. Let players take responsibility for their actions off the field.  If they do something stupid, and then by all means dish out the fines and punishments, but if no real harm is done, then let it be.
Having just watched the Black Caps beat the Poms in their opening World Cup cricket match, one thing that stood out in the TV coverage was the shots of the crowd.
Much of what was shown on the telly consisted of English fans dancing like they would at some outdoor dance party. It was quite funny, and I guess a pointer to the party atmosphere that would be prevalent in the West Indies at present. At times I was confused . . .was this a cricket match I was watching or an episode of ‘Jamaica Uncovered’
Of course this is TV so naturally we’ll get shown people in the crowed dancing over people who aren’t.
Last night I saw the news highlights of the Ireland v Zimbabwe match, and I couldn’t help but laugh at the Irish - it was just funny to see them running around in the emerald green shirts. The fact the Irish drew the match would have kept the supporters happy, so it was no surprise to see them dancing away as well . . .
Two days after the game and I am still pumped. I watched the highlights again last night. I reckon this has been the greatest week in our one day history. Now, when we one the Champions Trophy back in 2000, I was sleeping in my flat and missed the match. A few mates think that the victory in Nairobi was better
But you just can’t beat the two chases we just witnessed. What we saw the kind of stuff you dream about when you were a kid - winning the unwinnable, smacking the Aussies all over the park etc etc.
To be honest it’s not just the stuff kids dream of, I reckon most grown men do as well. That’s what made it such a surreal five days though, it was almost like you were watching a movie - this stuff wasn’t real, this couldn’t really be happening could it?
Turns out it can happen. And did happen. Not a dream. Real stuff. Three zip.
3- nil over the Aussies and for me cricket is back. It’s been ages since the Black Caps have made me feel good about cricket in this country, as I’ve been so bored with it lately. I still cannot fathom how Australia failed to defend their last two scores. It’s been surreal.
For the Black Caps, the dream is alive, I’ll actually be paying heaps of attention to the World Cup, because even I reckon we have a shot at the title.
Vincent, Taylor, Fulton, Macca and McCullum have hit form at the right time, but they need to carry it through.
Fulton in particular has impressed. He’s weird because he does not look like he’s going to do as well as he has - he doesn’t have the body language of a confident player. But oh has he delivered.
In the last game of the series, Brendan McCullum was outstanding, he showed an amazing level of cool to bring the game home.
Anyway, the papers and talk radio etc will be all over this latest victory, so I don’t have much more to add.
Except of course that I got Sky TV hooked up at the perfect time - it’s been a crazy five days.
Oh dear, about a week ago everything was fine. Jake Oram was back (covering up the weaknesses in our batting) and it was a done deal. It would be us and the Aussies in the crickets tri-nations finals. Then, the poms got one over the Aussies. That funny feeling you get in your stomach when things are about to go wrong returned with a vengance.
Well, if ya aint good enough then you aint good enough. The fact is that we never really performed in this series. Too many failings with the bat, bowlers up and down, and don’t start me on the fielding. Regardless of that we play the Aussies three times next week although it seems they will not send their top team.
Anyway, they most frustrating thing is that you get the feeling that not only should we have made the finals, we would have given them a good shake once there. If all the players that fired during this series fired at once, together . . .well lets not get carried away . . . :)