What was more difficult task in WC finals ?

[Sehwag1830]

What was more difficult task in WC finals at halfway stage ? Not comparing players .Just opinion.

[Lurker]

Defending 183 obviosly. Duh!

[cameron_black]

chasing 273

[daryl1985]

Chasing 360 against a side where McGrath is in the attack is nigh on impossible IMO.

[ganeshran]

360 in the 2003 WC

[punjabi_khota]

360 at the time was probably highest or 2nd highest chase ever

[maniac]

a) 1 star bowler with a average fielding side defending-183 against a power packed WI line up in 60 overs vs b)a star studded batting line up up against a star studded bowling line up /amazing fielding side chasing 360 in 50 overs on a relatively flat wicket. After weighing in Option A clearly looks impssible though option b is pretty difficult too

[Number]

Before 1983 final 4 times WI were restricted less than 183 while chasing. http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/65292.html http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/65297.html http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/65322.html http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/65336.html No doubt it was a great effort from our team. But chasing 360 against 2 all time greatest ODI bowlers is more difficult, IMO.

[Clarke]

Lets agree on the fact that both sides we faced are all time greats. Beyond that: - How many times has 180 odd been defended successfully ? - How many times has 350+ been chased successfully ? Do the numbers favor the former more than the latter ? I would hence pick option B in the poll.

[vvvslaxman]

Actually if India had organized the chase better, they could have achieved. India got bowled out for 234 in 39.2 overs (RR close to 6). It was an absolute patta wicket. All you need to do is spend a bit of time before going ballistic. You guys have to remember very reason India opted to field first not because of Mcgrath. It was Brett Lee. He was in red hot form. That was a stupid decision from the get go on a patta wicket. Even then India should have organized it better. And also India was not a surprise finalist unlike INdia in 1983. India was expected to be absolutely thrashed from the outset as against 2003 where India had better bowling performances right through the contest.

[vvvslaxman]

You guys have to remember defending 183 runs in 60 overs was considered next to impossible that too against most teams let alone Greenidge, Richards, Haynes,Lloyd starring West INdies.

[rkt.india]

You guys have to remember defending 183 runs in 60 overs was considered next to impossible that too against most teams let alone Greenidge' date= Richards, Haynes,Lloyd starring West INdies.

But conditions were aiding medium fast swing bowlers then and that was not a patta wicket in 2003. Indian bowlers made that look patta. it was a green track but Indian bowlers started bowling short where they had to bowl fuller and were carted around.

[Raghav_12]

You can compare based on these two stats. How many time 183 was defended and how many times 360 was chased before both these events happened? Definitely chasing 360 was much more arduous task out of these two. Comparable defending target would have been some 110 or 120. India had as much chance of chasing down 360 as Pakistan had of defending some 120 in WC 99 final.

[Sidhoni]

Chasing 275 after losing both the openers on total score of 31 when the opposition included Malinga, Kulasekera and Murali. :proud: :isalute:

[yoda]

Comparing these two only makes sense when we the result were the same in both cases. Given that we totally choked chasing 350+, 2003 shouldn't even be discussed on par with the 1983 performance, it was a shameful display, period, falling short by 125+ runs. It is a different matter if we did indeed chase 350+ or at a minimum came close, then one can ask if it was more difficult. A better comparison would be between the 1983 defense of a low score vs the 275 chase of 2011, cause in both those cases, something was achieved. That 03 team would have probably failed to chase even the 275 target.

[yoda]

Chasing 275 after losing both the openers on total score of 31 when the opposition included Malinga' date=' Kulasekera and Murali. :proud: :isalute:[/quote'] Not sure if that was more difficult than the 1983 low score defense against the Windies of that time, but at least here we are comparing apples to apples. Two teams that gave their best and brought home the cup. Comparing 1983 with 2003 is a joke as the 03 team didn't even come close. That was an embarrassing batting performance in the finals.

[King Tendulkar]

360 at that time was ridiculous score and even now is mammoth.

[Sarkar]

Some people dont know cricket very well 360 against likes of MC GRATH Gillespie is a huge task it was Zak who messed that final and rest of the bowlers did the same not to forget Ganguly,s stupid decision to bowl.

[CSK Fan]

BTW, what were the highest totals in ODIs till 83? Around 250?

[Lurker]

a) 1 star bowler with a average fielding side defending-183 against a power packed WI line up in 60 overs vs b)a star studded batting line up up against a star studded bowling line up /amazing fielding side chasing 360 in 50 overs on a relatively flat wicket. After weighing in Option A clearly looks impssible though option b is pretty difficult too

Agreed. But with a slight clarification. Anybody who considers Mcgrath is the greatest LOI bowler would need a reality check. I wont consider Mcgrath amongst top 3 greatest LOI bowler, heck I wont see him in top 5 either. So all this nonsense of chasing a large total against a great bowling attack is just that. On the other hand Richards IS the greatest LOI batsman, or atleast amongst top 2 alongside Sachin. To defend a low score against him, that too by a team who had 1:66 odds is terrific. Is this even a question? Kidding me.