22 May 2009

Gilchrist takes Deccan to the IPL final

Once again Adam Gilchrist has spoilt a game of cricket, much like he did in the 2007 World Cup final, and won it almost single-handedly! The fastest IPL 50, although he slowed down to only sit 6th in the strike rate list, and a total of 85 off 35 balls.

It's of course great to see such brilliant performances, but as a Delhi supporter I would feel short-changed. They've come top of the league stage and a freak performance sees them out of the tournament. That's the very thing that I (and I know there are a few others like me although we're the minority!) hate about football. The best team doesn't always win. I've Burbled before about wanting the best team to win every time and I still believe that's the ideal.

I'd like to see a best of 3 played in Twenty20 semi-finals and finals and 50 over finals of importance. I doubt many would agree, but it would see the best team win more often, and it would also see more money brought in. That normally is the clincher....

2 comments:

Aussie Dave said...

I still don't understand your obsession with the best team winning. To me, one of the charms of sport is that the best team doesn't always win.
You mention football, well in the EPL, the team that accrues the most points over 38 rounds wins the title. In our Rugby League competition over here, at the end of 26 rounds, the top eight teams play-off in a finals series to eventually get a winner. So theoretically, you could finish the regular season in eighth spot (out of 16 teams) and still win the premiership. Its never happened, but what a fairytale!

Ed said...

I realise I'm in the minority on this one! League football is fine...it's the Cups that come down to chance to an extent. Most World Cup winning teams these days have come through a penalty shoot out at some point....

The English rugby union league has playoffs from the top 4. The problem is that it's all about peaking at the end of the season for the playoffs rather than winning the league....I'm not sure I like that!