The Manicou Report

Well this has indeed been a wacky week of the Cricket World Cup. The person who said cricket is boring is incredibly misguided. Whether the action is on or off the field, the excitement never stops.

1. First of all the West Indies beat Pakistan. The wacky part is not that the Windies won, the ease of it all. They sort of looked like the Windies of days gone by and not the shaky, nerve-wrecking ones we’ve become accustomed to.

   Sachin Tendulkar

2. Next, World Cup debutants Ireland force a tie down Zimbabwe’s throat in a game that seemed to be a sure win for the seasoned Zimbabweans. At one point, needing just 15 runs from 36 balls with four wickets in hand, Zimbabwe slumped to needing a run off the very last ball of the game. However no run came as number eleven Ed Rainsford was stumped on that last ball creating the third ever tie in a World Cup game.
3. India then looses to lowly Bangladesh by five wickets at the Queen’s Park Oval. India accumulated 191 all out in 49.3 overs – an innings in which Sachin Tendulkar could only muster 7. Bangladesh was able to make up the total with 5 wickets to spare.
4. Pakistan, of course, wasn’t going down like that. In their bid not to be upstaged by rivals India, they decide that they are going to lose to an even worse opponent in the form of Ireland – by three wickets – on St. Patrick’s Day. Guess who their top scorer was? The extras with 29 runs. Not only do they lose and are booted from the tournament, but then they get fined for having a slow over rate. Inzamam-ul-Haq was fined half of his match fee, whilst the other players were fined 20 percent each. Say what? In the wisdom of Ace Ventura, “Unfortunately in every contest, there must be a looooser.” What exactly is a minnow anyway?
   

   Bob Woolmer found dead

5. Next, the unthinkable happens. Very sadly, Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer is found dead in his hotel room. The cause of death is still uncertain. Before coaching Pakistan, Bob Woolmer actually coached South Africa and even Warickshire during the time that Brian Lara scored his record 501 not out. I’m hearing talk that the players will be wearing black armbands to commemorate Woolmer’s passing although I’m not sure for how long.
6. Lastly, England Vice Captain Andrew Flintoff was one of six England cricket players disciplined for their participation in a late-night drinking session. Flintoff himself was demoted and handed a one game suspension for his role in the incident that ended when he had to be rescued from the sea when the pedalo he was using capsized. Hmm, excessive drinking at a world sporting event? Can anyone say Bode Miller? On the other hand, why does a 4am pedalo ride appeal to drunk people?