Counting down to the Commonwealth Games in Melbourne - 8 days to the start of the badminton event, here's an exact from the Malaysian Star Newspaper online to whet your appetite: PETALING JAYA: Malaysia’s chances of snaring the mixed team event gold medal for the first time in the history of the Commonwealth Games badminton have soared – thanks to a favourable draw. In the just released four-group draw for the preliminaries, Malaysia are the top seeds and are tipped to play against England in the final. The top two teams in each group advance to the quarter-finals and Malaysia are in Group A with Sri Lanka, Northern Ireland and Fiji. In the knockout stage, their opponents in the quarter-finals will come from Group B, which comprises New Zealand, Australia, Jamaica, Kenya and Uganda. In the same half of the draw are the winners of Group C and the runners-up of Group D. Group C has Singapore, Canada, Mauritius, South Africa while Group D comprises England, India, Seychelles and Trinidad and Tobago. National chief coach Yap Kim Hock said: “We have never won the mixed team gold medal and, looking at this draw, I believe we have a very good chance to take it this time. “A place in the final is in our favour. I hope the players will fight to go one step further.” England have dominated the mixed team in every edition of the Games. But the marked progress made by the Malaysian women has raised hopes of Kim Hock’s team emerging as the champions. The mixed team tie comprises five matches – men’s and women’s singles and doubles, and the mixed doubles. Malaysia have quality players in all five events. “We lost to England in the semi-finals in Manchester four years ago. But Wong Mew Choo and the doubles pair of Chin Eei Hui-Wong Pei Tty have improved a lot since then.
In fact, I think the Malaysians are favourites for the gold, and anything less will be a disappointment for me. With two points guaranteed (MS and MD) most of the time, it will take a complete collapse in the women's event to lose a tie.
Yes it seems so, but the English ladies are known to be fierce fighters and the Mixed Doubles is almost guaranteed for England. So Adelina, it may be more prudent not to write your script in advance!
I agree, especially Mew Choo. I remembered she once did a Susi Susanti look-alike split to save a point. But Tracey Hallem has improved too, judging from her recent performance. This 'never-say-die' attitude will just raise the excitement a decibel higher. It will be a very intense final, but the result is not foregone! The suspense will make it all the more interesting.
Excccuuuuuzzzzzz me!! Oi! If you read my article Loh, you'll see that I didn't write it, it's an extract from the Star newspaper online lah! Aiyoh! :crying: You are soooooo buying me a drink to make up for this false accusation! Did I tell you that I'm also a lawyer? I've filed defamation suit against you, see you in the Kangaroo Court! (I'll settle out of court, aka a few drinks if you're nice!) A
Au contraire... Why are the males always in such a hurry to blame the females for everything, MEN need to take responsibility for their own imperfections! Case in point: Commonwealth Games 2002 in England - It was the Malaysian men that let the country down after we won the MS and the WS (yes, Mew Choo beating Tracy Halam). We had 2 points and all we needed was for the MD to deliver but did they? NooooOOOOoooo...they lost to the unheralded English pair and as a result, Malaysia failed to make it to the semis, hence not get any medals. So there!!! Now hcyong, go and stand behind Loh in queue to buy me drinks to make up for this!
Fierce fighter are we ey adelina? You could argue also that if the WD won Malaysia would've won the mixed team event too.
Yes, that is true, but the point that was raised by hcyong was that the MEN always do the job and it was the Malaysian ladies that let the team down. I was simply pointing out the fact that this time, the men did not do their jobs and had they done it (as they were expected to), then we would have gone through to the semis. Bear in mind that the ladies, both WS and WD were NOT expected to beat their more illustratious English opponents...Soooo, when one of them did, good ol Mew Choo...then the Malaysians should have capitalised on this and have their MD deliver as they were expected to. Fend, go and join the queue too!
I never mentioned I wanted to argue the point. Merely raising another point for you to raise a lovely discussion with Loh and Hyung. Now I've gotta run. Got a plane to catch.
Well, in the past, there is no doubting that women largely caused the downfall of the Malaysian team, and it is because of the women that we were never the favourites. True or not? I don't think you can sue for for that statement. You will get thrown by by the judge. My main point was that, this time around, we are the favourites. Of course, anything can happen during the tournament, but at the moment, we will see silver as a disappointment.
Thank you, your Honour, for being so kind and understanding. I will be most willing to settle out of court. Yes, I was aware that the writeup was from The Star of Malaysia. Therefore the writer could be not faulted for being optimistic that Malaysia should take the gold for the Mixed Team event this time. Hopefully, you will be more neutral now that you are residing in NZ although you were perhaps born and raised in Malaysia but received your legal training in NZ. My remark was to remind you of certain possibilities when you finally make your IBF report. BTW, will Kit and partner be going to the MCG?
I think the writeup from the The Star was being realistic. If we don't expect gold, we would be pessimistic and should rightly be accussed of grossly lacking in ambition. Look at the weekly team rankings that cxytdn posts. Even a neutral will put Malaysia as favourites right now. Note that being favourites does not mean that the win is guaranteed.
I think the predicted final between Malaysia and England in the Mixed Team event will most certainly happen if the recent March world ranking list provided by Ants is any guide. Of all the Commonwealth countries participating in the badminton competition, only Malaysia and England have players included in the Top 10. Malaysia's players come from MS, MD, WD and XD and England's players were featured in WS, WD and XD. As for MS and MD, none of the English men can hope to defeat Lee Chong Wei (WR2) and the pair of Chan Chong Ming (CCM)/Koo Kien Keat (KKK). This assumes that the MD will be played ahead of the XD in which KKK will most probably partner Wong Pei Tty. Conversely, England's Robertson Nathan/Gail Emms (WR1), should have no problem gaining a point for England and Tracey Hallam is the only Commonwealth lady ranked at WR9. If Malaysia's Wong Mew Choo (WR12) is fielded against Tracey, on paper Tracey should have a slight advantage. So it will all boil down to the WD - an anticipated match between Wong Pei Tty/Chin Eei Hi (WR4) against Gail Emms/Donna Kellogg (WR5). Whichever team is in better form will decide the issue. If this is the case, WPT and Emms will both be involved in the XD, hopefully as the last tie. But a win in the WD may well decide who the eventual champions will be. But much has to depend on how the matches are scheduled and in what order. If players have to play twice in different events on the same day, like Malaysia's XD pair, KKK and WPT (possibly involved in MD and WD as well) and England's Gail Emms in XD and WD, then the results could turn out different. It will certainly be to Malaysia's disadvantage to involve its two key players (KKK and WPT) twice. But there are not much options open to the teams as there is a limit on the number of players registered and allowed to play. Unfortunately, it appears that the ladies will have to shoulder a heavier burden, especially the Malaysians, in particular WPT. If the WD is played first then the Malaysians will have a slight advantage but they can't afford to lose. But it will also favour Gail Emms if she partners Donna Kellogg as she will be fresher ahead of her XD encounter. This important match will have a significant impact on the final outcome, especially if Tracey Hallam is able to defeat Mew Choo. As for KKK, although he will probably lose the XD with WPT, he is expected to win the MD with CCM (WR6), possibly against Anthony Clark/Robert Blair (WR14). But KKK cannot treat his MD match lightly, otherwise a win by the English will open the floodgate and give England the confidence to secure at least one of the women's events and the final XD match for the gold medal! Indeed, this will be a very, very exciting final!
I think both Wong Mew Choo and Chin/Wong are slight favourites over their English opponents, world rankings notwithstanding. With the other 3 matches being 2-1 in Malaysia's favour, Malaysia are favourites over England. Not heavy favourites like in MS or MD, but slight favourites. Malaysia may not field KKK/WPT as XD, because no matter who they field, the English are heavy favourites to take the tie. So it's better to let them concentrate on their MD and WD respectively. Or maybe CTF/LWW will be fielded in the MD and KKK/someone else will play XD.
I agree that it is in Malaysia's best interest not to play KKK and WPT in the XD. I think England cannot afford not to field Emms in the WD, which is a vital match. But even if Emms should play twice with her XD tie as the last match, England should still win the XD. But Malaysia's WD must win as I feel the WS could go either way and Tracey seems to have a slight advantage IMHO.
Mmm. We're raising the stakes now are we? I like hcyong's argument that being favourites does not mean that they will automatically win. It's like Manchester United who were favourties to go through the group stages of the Champions League tops came last in their group (LAUGHS AT THE MANCS!! BWAHHAHAHAHAHA).
