Crushing losses by Kenya and Canada in the ICC World Cup 2011 stirs debate about minnows
Two out of the four associate teams in the ICC World Cup 2011 played their opening games of the event on day two. The two group A games played at Chennai and Hambantota saw the Kenyans and Canadians crushed by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Sri-Lanka-c758
respectively.
Kenya was simply no match to the sustained hostility and aggressive mindset of the Black Caps as the five time semi-finalists pulverized the 2003 semi-finalist by 10 wickets. Kenya found the pace and accuracy of Hamish Bennett, Tim
Southee and Jacob Oram too hot to handle as they were sent packing for a dismal 69 run total. In reply the Black Caps cantered home in only 8 overs as Martin Guptill and Brendon McCullum blasted the Kenyan bowlers.
Canada was sent crashing to a 210 defeat at the hands of Sri Lanka at Hambantota. The hosts amassed a staggering total of 332/7 batting first on the back of fine knocks by Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene, in response the Maple
Leaves were bundled out for a measly 122.
The inclusion of the associate members in big competitions like the ICC World Cup and the Champions Trophy has always been questioned by the pundits of the game and understandably the issue raised its head again after the twin losses.
Australian captain Ricky Ponting thinks that the minnows should not be included in big events like the World Cup. "That's a tough question, for the sheer fact that you need to be bringing some of these smaller nations on in the world
of cricket," Ponting said when asked if the Associates should play in the World Cup. "We all want to see the game develop and blossom in different countries around the world. I've always been a bit unsure if World Cups and Champions Trophies are the right
place to do that.
Ponting thinks that the minnows don’t learn much by being exposed brutally by the leading Test playing nations who are far better equipped than the lower ranked teams. While there is always a possibility of an upset win for a minnow
there is more chance of their meek capitulation as was evident yesterday.
The ICC has to find a balancing act according to Ponting yet he is not sure as to what the formula is. "The major reason for that is I'm not sure how much a lot of the teams actually learn when they're getting hammered like they tend
to do in a lot of those contests. It would probably be a better tournament if there were fewer teams, but we understand the responsibility for the game to continue to grow around the world as well."
The defending champions would take on both http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Netherlands-c753 and Ireland are the associates in the other group. Meanwhile the International Cricket Council (ICC) announced at the start
of the tournament that the ICC World Cup 2015 in http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 and New Zealand would not have any minnows. The number of teams teams would be trimmed down to 10, with each team expected to play the other once in the round robin format which was implemented in
the 1992 edition, hailed by many as the best tournament ever.
The Netherlands and the http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Ireland-c751 team management lambasted the governing body of the game for its decision and one feels that they have to prove that they deserve to be playing the biggest cricketing tournament in the world when they
get the chance to play their group games.
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