The Reverse Sweep

Cricket XIs: A composite Associate World Cup XI

 
With the ICC dictating that the Associate sides will not be present at the next World Cup, there has been no end of debate as to the justification or otherwise of this decision.

Indeed, as an extension of something we heard on Test Match Sofa, perhaps the identity of the 10th side in the next World Cup should be a ‘Best of the Rest’?

As the XI names below suggest, a team formed from the combined strengths of Zimbabwe (not strictly an Associate side we know but they're in scope for us), Ireland, Netherlands and Canada (sorry, Kenya but none of your lot make it) could be quite competitive:

1. Brendan Taylor (Zimbabwe)

Has ODI hundreds against South Africa and Sri Lanka to his name in the last 12 months and just pips the promising Netherlands opener Alexei Kerverzee to a spot in this side.

2. Ed Joyce (Ireland)

He may have been too quickly dispensed with by England, but a first-class average of 45 proves that Joyce is a genuinely good batsman.

3. Tom Cooper (Netherlands)

The Australian born batsman with the completely non-Dutch sounding name looked good against England and West Indies and has a startling good average of 69 in ODIs.

4. Ryan ten Doeschate (Netherlands)

Has an Associate batsman ever played a better innings at the World Cup than ten Doeschate’s wonderful hundred against England? Like Cooper, has an ODI average in the high sixties, although unlike his team mate does have a Dutch name.

5. Tatenda Taibu – Zimbabwe

Has a claim to be the best wicket keeper on show in the tournament and is decent enough with the bat to average 30 in over 130 ODI.

6.  Rizwan Cheema - Canada

A career ODI strike rate of just under 120 means that Cheema would add impetuous to the efforts of those above him in the order. An IPL contract would surely follow.

7. Elton Chigumbura – Zimbabwe

13 fifties and 81 wickets in his ODI career makes the Zimbabwean captain an obvious pick for this XI.

8. Trent Johnston - Ireland

This team still needs a bit of animal about it and the scary looking Johnston provides that as well as naggingly accurate medium pace and useful late order runs.

9. Ray Price – Zimbabwe

The spinner with the attitude of a fearsome fast bowler is ranked the third best ODI bowler in the world and certainly tied Watson and Haddin up in knots in Zimbabwe’s opening match.

10. George Dockrell – Ireland

The 18 year old slow left armer looks a real prospect and could well follow Eoin Morgan in making the move across the Irish Sea to a place in the England side sometime in the future.

11. Boyd Rankin – Ireland

The 6 ft 8 in quick averages under 30 in all forms of the game and would be expected to be the leader of the attack in this XI.

Where next?

Netherlands 1 ICC 0

The real reason why Ricky Ponting smashed that TV

Cricket Heroes: Test Match Sofa

Check out our other Reverse Sweep XIs

Read all our World Cup posts here

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep

World Cup Team Previews: Ireland/Canada/Kenya/Netherlands - Last chance for the minnows?

 
There has been much gnashing of teeth - including at The Reverse Sweep - at the format of this World Cup with its elongated 42 match group phase. But this is not the fault of the four Associate countries that are present. On the contrary in fact. The organisers are so scared that one or more of the top teams could be upset like India and Pakistan were in 2007, that they have devised a format which pretty much ensures that none of the minnows can get through to the quarter-finals.

With the number of teams due to participate in the 2015 World Cup likely to be cut to 10, this could be the last hurrah for the minnows on the big stage. Once again the ICC have got it wrong. They have a duty to grow the sport around the world by getting more countries involved. 16 teams organised into four groups of four is the right format - 24 games instead of 42 and if one of the big teams gets knocked out, so be it.

Strengths

Err… the element of surprise?

Weaknesses

Where do we start? Suffice to say that it is unlikely that any of the four minnows will win the three games they will probably need to progress through the group stage.

Main men

Looking at the line-ups, there are a few gems hidden amongst the eager but limited squads. Rizwan Cheema certainly showed he can hit a cricket ball during Canada’s narrow warm-up defeat to England. Ryan ten Doeschate is the Netherlands stand out player. Ed Joyce is back with Ireland following some harsh treatment from the England selectors and Steve Tikolo may nearly be old enough to qualify for his bus pass, but he is still Kenya’s standout player.

Look out for…

All the supporters at the Netherlands matches wearing dark glasses on account of their shockingly bright orange pyjamas.

Prediction

There may be the odd shock, but all four minnows will exit at the group stage much to the relief of the organisers.

Where next?

World Cup Team previews: Part 1 - India: Glory or effigies?

World Cup Team Previews: Part 2 - South Africa: Don't mention the 'C' word...

World Cup Team Previews: Part 3 - Bangladesh: Shock & Awe

World Cup Team Previews: Part 4 - West Indies: Calypso or Collapso?

World Cup Team Previews: Part 5 - England: How far can resilience take them?

Our XI to shine at the World Cup

What Cricket can learn from Football in staging a World Cup

Check out all our Reverse Sweep heroes and zeroes 

If you like this, follow us on Twitter @thereversesweep