Posted by The CB Series features three finals. This fact led to Mark Taylor saying something almost transcendentally stupid while commentating on the second one.
To be fair to Tubby, it wasn’t his fault that what he said was stupid, because it actually made sense. It’s the fact that this phrase can even exist that’s so profoundly moronic.
Taylor said that today’s match was “a must-win final” for Sri Lanka.
That phrase pretty much sums up all that’s wrong with modern cricket. We’re actually faintly impressed with how comprehensively it covers everything in so few words.
There should be no such thing as ‘a must-win final’. All finals should be ‘must-win’ – it simply shouldn’t need stating. The implication that some finals aren’t ‘must-win’ rather undermines the finality from which they take their name.
If you play best of three matches against another nation, you are not playing finals. What you are playing is “a one-day international series”.
Even the World Cup isn’t so important it warrants more than one final.
“Even the World Cup isn’t so important it warrants more than one final.”
Jesus Christ, if this isn’t tempting fate then what is?
Tell that to the Yanks.
Baseball has the decency to call their championship a series (even if the lack of clubs outside of North America means it’s hardly a World Series, although they’ve plenty of players from elsewhere), and the NHL has the Stanley Cup Finals, rather than final.
Please tell me this is the first of five posts detailing your thoughts on this subject.
Quarter final, semi final, opening final, must-win final, bonus final. What’s the problem?
100%.
I even like how you’ve reinforced the point KC, with 5 unnecessary paragraphs tagged on to the end of the post.
Please stop being fair to Tubby. He was never fair to you.
Not sure you can blame “modern” cricket though, seeing as how back in the early 80’s sometimes the finals series was best of 5, and got reduced to best of 3. Unless you cconsider early 80s to be modern I suppose.
KC since when has “a one-day international series” only had 3 games?
Three matches is barely sufficient for a series in my view.
TWO MATCHES IS NOT SUFFICIENT. Sorry to shout.
Please don’t describe the imminent two tests between England and Sri Lanka as a series. But perhaps we can describe the two games as a final, followed by another final.
While I’m here, what on earth is this van Wyk fellow doing playing for New Zealand?
Cornelius Francoius Kruger van Wyk.
Born in Wolmaransstad and raised in Northern South Africa.
He should be playing for England, not New Zealand.
Ged is back! It hasn’t been the same without him.
A 3 match series is a long series for nz.
Also on the SA’ns, NZ fans are eagerly waiting for the fast bowler Wagner to qualify (April 2012). Then they’ll have 2 SAn imports.