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Goal.com Special: Cricket vs Football - How the Top T20 Nations Compare to Champions League Heavyweights
Who has as much skill as Barcelona? Who has the firepower of Pakistan? Is anyone as strong as Manchester United? Goal.com's Sulmaan Ahmad has a few ideas...
22-Jun-2009 11:16:13 AM
In
another odd-year footballing summer with no Euro or World Cup, some may have
turned to the Confederations Cup for their fix, but many others are left
relying on nothing more than transfer rumours and have turned elsewhere for their
required dosage of live sporting action.
The event of the summer so far has come in a sport most often considered a polar opposite to football. Cricket in both its fanbase and format differs drastically from football, but the Twenty20 revolution has brought an entirely new viewing audience, both live and on television, to the game.
But then, many of the casual fans still getting to grips with the less beautiful, more brainy game and don't yet know the teams and players perhaps as well as they would like in order to get a better feel for the game and the individual encounters.
So, now is as good a time as any to offer some profile comparisons between the top cricketing countries and some of football's greatest clubs.
Australia are Milan
Not so long ago, this great side were invincible on their day, but as key players grew too old to sustain their dominance, the side were left a shell of their former selves and now suffer embarrassing defeats far too often for their liking.
England are Liverpool
With a huge fanbase, this is a side that has long failed to live up to its illustrious history. Nowadays, unless two or three star players turn up to save the day, this limited outfit just don't have the talent to become a truly great side.
India are Chelsea
A team full of power that has emerged in recent years in particular as one of the best around. However, not all the ageing legends are firing as they once were and now though they are always in and around the best, they have yet to have their one moment at the top.
New Zealand are Villarreal
A tiny place that has somehow forged a fantastic, all-round team that constantly punch above their weight, particularly on the big stage, but ultimately always find themselves falling short.
Pakistan are Real Madrid
Rarely, if ever will you find a team of more talent, but for such long periods, they remain unpredictable, volatile victims of their own raw talent without institutional stability and organisation. They can go from the unbeatable best to shambolic worst in the space of a couple of games.
South Africa are Manchester United
The ultimate all-rounders. They have everything, and seem to steamroll teams with such ease that at times it almost ceases to look impressive - but make no mistake about it, they have it all, like nobody else.
Sri Lanka are Barcelona
The consistent producers of mysterious and remarkable talents with a distinct, unorthodox style about them. Combine great skill with solid teamwork and are beginning to emerge as one of the true greats within the game, though still somewhat limited by their lack of physical strength.
West Indies are Arsenal
A team full of exciting, match-winning talents just lacking the order and discipline to challenge on a more consistent basis. On their day, they're a match for anyone, but lack a touch of further experience to lead the side through tough times. Of course, few comparisons if any will ever be fully in sync, but that hopefully gives you enough starting information to get better acquainted with the showpiece of the summer.
The Twenty20 World Cup finished just yesterday, but not without a handful of absolutely classic encounters before its end.
Let's say it was the Champions League, for example. Milan crashed out in the group stage, again, while an underrated Arsenal made it as far as the semis before being bested by favourites Barcelona. Then in the other semi, Madrid overcame the odds to defeat a previously unbeaten Manchester United. Madrid then defeating Barcelona in a sensational El Clasico final.
And next year's Champions League final will be at the Santiago Bernabeu, no less - so let's just say our next season of football has a lot to live up to.
Sulmaan Ahmad, Goal.com
Now all of our breaking news is at your fingertips. Meet the Goal.com Toolbar, the new and exciting way to take the passion of football with you!
The event of the summer so far has come in a sport most often considered a polar opposite to football. Cricket in both its fanbase and format differs drastically from football, but the Twenty20 revolution has brought an entirely new viewing audience, both live and on television, to the game.
But then, many of the casual fans still getting to grips with the less beautiful, more brainy game and don't yet know the teams and players perhaps as well as they would like in order to get a better feel for the game and the individual encounters.
So, now is as good a time as any to offer some profile comparisons between the top cricketing countries and some of football's greatest clubs.
Australia are Milan
Not so long ago, this great side were invincible on their day, but as key players grew too old to sustain their dominance, the side were left a shell of their former selves and now suffer embarrassing defeats far too often for their liking.
England are Liverpool
With a huge fanbase, this is a side that has long failed to live up to its illustrious history. Nowadays, unless two or three star players turn up to save the day, this limited outfit just don't have the talent to become a truly great side.
India are Chelsea
A team full of power that has emerged in recent years in particular as one of the best around. However, not all the ageing legends are firing as they once were and now though they are always in and around the best, they have yet to have their one moment at the top.
New Zealand are Villarreal
A tiny place that has somehow forged a fantastic, all-round team that constantly punch above their weight, particularly on the big stage, but ultimately always find themselves falling short.
Pakistan are Real Madrid
Rarely, if ever will you find a team of more talent, but for such long periods, they remain unpredictable, volatile victims of their own raw talent without institutional stability and organisation. They can go from the unbeatable best to shambolic worst in the space of a couple of games.
South Africa are Manchester United
The ultimate all-rounders. They have everything, and seem to steamroll teams with such ease that at times it almost ceases to look impressive - but make no mistake about it, they have it all, like nobody else.
Sri Lanka are Barcelona
The consistent producers of mysterious and remarkable talents with a distinct, unorthodox style about them. Combine great skill with solid teamwork and are beginning to emerge as one of the true greats within the game, though still somewhat limited by their lack of physical strength.
West Indies are Arsenal
A team full of exciting, match-winning talents just lacking the order and discipline to challenge on a more consistent basis. On their day, they're a match for anyone, but lack a touch of further experience to lead the side through tough times. Of course, few comparisons if any will ever be fully in sync, but that hopefully gives you enough starting information to get better acquainted with the showpiece of the summer.
The Twenty20 World Cup finished just yesterday, but not without a handful of absolutely classic encounters before its end.
Let's say it was the Champions League, for example. Milan crashed out in the group stage, again, while an underrated Arsenal made it as far as the semis before being bested by favourites Barcelona. Then in the other semi, Madrid overcame the odds to defeat a previously unbeaten Manchester United. Madrid then defeating Barcelona in a sensational El Clasico final.
And next year's Champions League final will be at the Santiago Bernabeu, no less - so let's just say our next season of football has a lot to live up to.
Sulmaan Ahmad, Goal.com
Now all of our breaking news is at your fingertips. Meet the Goal.com Toolbar, the new and exciting way to take the passion of football with you!
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