Kunal Diwan
It’s official. Strap your wiggly butts to your lazyboys and prepare for launch. Roger has started liking the dirt. It doesn’t choke his nares as before. His air-maxes have attained firm footing. And a certain someone in three-fourths is certainly frowning in displeasure.
If Federer’s pummeling of Nadal in the final of the Hamburg Masters is anything to go by, we have a French Open of epic proportions awaiting us.
It was not the eventual victory that mattered. It was the timing and manner of it - a handful of days before the French, all knives out against a ‘suspect’ Federer on clay, and this ripped teenager in highly un-recommended tennis attire having his own disdainful way with the champion. Here was a man who had just parted ways with his coach because he did not want any “interference” from any quarter in his preparation for the French. Was this the supercilious decline of a haughty champion? This was surely it. Or so we thought.
Federer’s scowl in the first set was representative of the 2-6 scoreline. His forehand lacked punch. His first serve was off by a mile and did nothing to extricate him from the hypnotic domination that his Majorcan opponent exercised over him each time they met across the net. It was been downright embarrassing, the way this teenager had made the magician appear to be a semi-professional drifter in their earlier encounters.
The first set followed an expected course. Nadal powered his way through whatever Federer hurled his way. Federer scowled, flicked his hair in that arrogant manner of his and (to the best of this writer’s tennis acumen) resigned himself to the ignominy of yet another defeat. Nadal even had a better percentage of points won at the net.
Then suddenly the first serve started hitting the sweet spot. The forays to the net seemed increasingly sure-footed. And before anyone could breathe a familiar gasp of awe, the Federer we knew was back at his dismissive best. He out-ran, out-hit, out-rallied, and out-played Nadal in every possible aspect of the game - in the second set Nadal was out-Nadal-ed by Federer. Second set in his pocket, we waited like scared cats for Rafa to step up a gear in his well-oiled musculature. He did. But Federer out-geared him there as well. I guess all the propitiating on my part had worked wonders. Not that this man needs the help of any Gods that require pleasing.
The decider was vintage (pardon the usage) Federer. He did not play as much as he rammed his brilliance into his opponent’s face. Nadal was blasted off court and ended his 81 match-winning streak on clay with an embarrassing 0-6 drubbing. But then there is no shame in losing to someone who would beat you with equal ease with a toothpick. Spectatorship was elevated to such euphoric levels that Custom Officials may well accost Federer for carrying contraband.
Midway through the third set, (with the end a good ten minutes and three games away) a commentator chimed – “It is going to be a deserved win for Federer. Nothing that Nadal can do about it now”. When someone is playing at this humanly unattainable level, precognition may well be excused.
For the record, Roger Federer beat Rafael Nadal 2-6 6-2 6-0.
Showing posts with label 2007. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 2007. Show all posts
Sunday, May 20, 2007
Monday, April 16, 2007
F1 Season 2007: Catch-22
A friend of mine and an F1 fan at it put it perfectly after yesterday’s race:
CATCH-22 SITUATION OF THE F1 SEASON 2007:
F Alonso 22 points
K Räikkönen 22 points
L Hamilton 22 points.
That’s how the standings look like at the end of the first three races. And yesterday’s winner - Ferrari’s Felipe Massa - is right behind the trio with 17 points in the bag. Interestingly, Massa is the only one out of the above mentioned drivers who raced with the same team last season. Hamilton obviously doesn’t count; he may have raced in McLarens before, but creating history in F1 is an altogether different ballgame.
Some may crib about the two-team tussle at the top, but I am surely not complaining. Other teams may catch up before the season moves to Europe in a month’s time - beginning with Catalunya. However, so far this has been perhaps one of the most exciting starts to a season, with two teams and both their drivers in contention for the top honours. Agreed, one may get a bit bored if the duopoly over podium places continues.
While the TV cameras catch the nail-biting action at the top of the grid, one cannot overlook the fact that the rest of the teams - especially the middle-rung ones - are struggling. BMW is the only exception, with Nick Heidfeld being the only driver outside the top two constructors to have have moved ahead of single digits in the points tally. His teammate Robert Kubica is catching up, scoring his first points of the season at Sakhir.
Similarly, last year’s champions Renault too are off the pace and their rookie Heikki Kovalainen has by no means had the same start to the season as Lewis Hamilton. The Williams and the Toyotas have not done anything special so far. And the less said about the Hondas, the better.
There’s a long wait for fans before the European leg of the season starts. But one thing’s for sure - it will take some catching up for the likes of Heikki Kovalainen and Jenson Button to share the podium with Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Raikonnen.
CATCH-22 SITUATION OF THE F1 SEASON 2007:
F Alonso 22 points
K Räikkönen 22 points
L Hamilton 22 points.
That’s how the standings look like at the end of the first three races. And yesterday’s winner - Ferrari’s Felipe Massa - is right behind the trio with 17 points in the bag. Interestingly, Massa is the only one out of the above mentioned drivers who raced with the same team last season. Hamilton obviously doesn’t count; he may have raced in McLarens before, but creating history in F1 is an altogether different ballgame.
Some may crib about the two-team tussle at the top, but I am surely not complaining. Other teams may catch up before the season moves to Europe in a month’s time - beginning with Catalunya. However, so far this has been perhaps one of the most exciting starts to a season, with two teams and both their drivers in contention for the top honours. Agreed, one may get a bit bored if the duopoly over podium places continues.
While the TV cameras catch the nail-biting action at the top of the grid, one cannot overlook the fact that the rest of the teams - especially the middle-rung ones - are struggling. BMW is the only exception, with Nick Heidfeld being the only driver outside the top two constructors to have have moved ahead of single digits in the points tally. His teammate Robert Kubica is catching up, scoring his first points of the season at Sakhir.
Similarly, last year’s champions Renault too are off the pace and their rookie Heikki Kovalainen has by no means had the same start to the season as Lewis Hamilton. The Williams and the Toyotas have not done anything special so far. And the less said about the Hondas, the better.
There’s a long wait for fans before the European leg of the season starts. But one thing’s for sure - it will take some catching up for the likes of Heikki Kovalainen and Jenson Button to share the podium with Lewis Hamilton and Kimi Raikonnen.
Tuesday, April 10, 2007
Malaysian GP: McLaren serves a warning
The 1-2 finish at the Malaysian GP would have come a boost to Ron Dennis and his team. The new drivers for the 'silver and red' outfit this season - Fernando Alonso and Lewis Hamilton - have come good with podium finishes in the first two GPs of 2007.
Alonso's great start to the season would have been expected. After all, his ability to consistently finish at the top is perhaps the reason why the team signed the two-time defending world champion. However, the team would be particularly pleased with Hamilton's successes. The rookie has had a fabulous start to his F-1 career, and McLaren would be proud that a talented driver like him has come through the team's driver development programme.
What is interesting to note is the consistency shown by the team so far this season. The team has surely put in good work during the winter testing to bring out a car that - even after two races - looks more convincing and reliable than those in the last few seasons.
Ferrari's Kimi Raikonnen must be wondering why did he not have such a car during the 2005 season. Raikonnen, who was at McLaren then, lost out in the title race to Alonso in the Renault. Many believed that Raikonnen deserved the title for his sublime skills and speed, only to be done in by an underperforming car.
But do not rule out Ferrari and Raikonnen yet. Or even Felipe Massa for that matter. After all, Raikonnen was alongside Alonso and Hamilton on the podium at Melbourne and Kuala Lumpur. Massa started on pole in Malaysia (refer 'Massa takes pole'.) The prancing horse may have been slightly (very slightly) inconsistent compared to their arch-rivals McLaren, but there's still a long way to go before we can pass judgement on this season's winners.
Click to vote - Who will be F1 World Champion this year?
For more on F1, log on to www.konigf1.com.
Alonso's great start to the season would have been expected. After all, his ability to consistently finish at the top is perhaps the reason why the team signed the two-time defending world champion. However, the team would be particularly pleased with Hamilton's successes. The rookie has had a fabulous start to his F-1 career, and McLaren would be proud that a talented driver like him has come through the team's driver development programme.
What is interesting to note is the consistency shown by the team so far this season. The team has surely put in good work during the winter testing to bring out a car that - even after two races - looks more convincing and reliable than those in the last few seasons.
Ferrari's Kimi Raikonnen must be wondering why did he not have such a car during the 2005 season. Raikonnen, who was at McLaren then, lost out in the title race to Alonso in the Renault. Many believed that Raikonnen deserved the title for his sublime skills and speed, only to be done in by an underperforming car.
But do not rule out Ferrari and Raikonnen yet. Or even Felipe Massa for that matter. After all, Raikonnen was alongside Alonso and Hamilton on the podium at Melbourne and Kuala Lumpur. Massa started on pole in Malaysia (refer 'Massa takes pole'.) The prancing horse may have been slightly (very slightly) inconsistent compared to their arch-rivals McLaren, but there's still a long way to go before we can pass judgement on this season's winners.
Click to vote - Who will be F1 World Champion this year?
For more on F1, log on to www.konigf1.com.
Sunday, April 8, 2007
Massa takes pole
For anyone who assumed that this season is going to be a two-way race, think again. Though the Constructors' Championship looks for a certainty to be decided between McLaren and Ferrari, the Drivers' equivalent is perhaps a three-way affair, between Felipe Massa, Kimi Raikonnen and Fernando Alonso. McLaren rookie Lewis Hamilton - fourth on the grid - may for sure find it tough to stake a claim in his first season, though unexpected things do happen in sport.
After the disappointment in qualifying at Melbourne, Massa bounced back to take pole this time around. Right on his tail are defending champion Alonso and his own team-mate Kimi Raikonnen. Massa, said later at the press conference, " Yes, I'm quite happy. Unfortunately Melbourne didn't end as I had hoped. It ended up that I started at the back but I'm not supposed to start completely last on the grid but here it looks just a little bit different, so I'm just looking forward to having a good race tomorrow."
The disappointment of the day had to be Renault. Both Giancarlo Fisichella and Heikki Kovailainen stayed out of the top ten, a worrying sign for Team Principal Flavio Briatore. Renault don't appear to have the car and the talent to take them close to title contention this time around. BMW's Nick Heidfeld and Nico Rosberg in the Williams shored up the top six, with BMW's Robert Kubica in seventh.
The Toyotas of Jarno Trulli and Ralf Schumacher will start eighth and ninth, while Red Bull's Mark Webber is at No. 10. But the action is surely at the top-end of the grid. Kimi Raikonnen's suspect engine managed to make it through qualifying, but will it last the whole race? Also, will Alonso quietly sneak in a win today, upsetting the applecart of the Ferraris?
Click to vote - Who will be F1 World Champion this year?
For more on F1, log on to www.konigf1.com.
After the disappointment in qualifying at Melbourne, Massa bounced back to take pole this time around. Right on his tail are defending champion Alonso and his own team-mate Kimi Raikonnen. Massa, said later at the press conference, " Yes, I'm quite happy. Unfortunately Melbourne didn't end as I had hoped. It ended up that I started at the back but I'm not supposed to start completely last on the grid but here it looks just a little bit different, so I'm just looking forward to having a good race tomorrow."
The disappointment of the day had to be Renault. Both Giancarlo Fisichella and Heikki Kovailainen stayed out of the top ten, a worrying sign for Team Principal Flavio Briatore. Renault don't appear to have the car and the talent to take them close to title contention this time around. BMW's Nick Heidfeld and Nico Rosberg in the Williams shored up the top six, with BMW's Robert Kubica in seventh.
The Toyotas of Jarno Trulli and Ralf Schumacher will start eighth and ninth, while Red Bull's Mark Webber is at No. 10. But the action is surely at the top-end of the grid. Kimi Raikonnen's suspect engine managed to make it through qualifying, but will it last the whole race? Also, will Alonso quietly sneak in a win today, upsetting the applecart of the Ferraris?
Click to vote - Who will be F1 World Champion this year?
For more on F1, log on to www.konigf1.com.
Wednesday, March 28, 2007
SHOWDOWN - SUPER EIGHT - MATCHDAY 1
The Super Eight begins today, without two big names, India and Pakistan. But the intense rivalry will go on regardless. The astute oracles that we are, we have been proved otherwise in the last few days. This is a chance for redemption. The red hot Australians are making their opponents dance, but will the Windies follow suit? The Windies have home support and a certain Chris Gayle, along with the post-wicket celebration guru, Dwayne Bravo , which could be deterrents to the Aussie arsenal. Both the predictors, Ashok and Mathew think, and pray that the Windies win today!!
1900 IST on SET MAX (English) and SAB TV (Hindi).
1900 IST on SET MAX (English) and SAB TV (Hindi).
Sunday, March 25, 2007
Showdown - Matchday Thirteen
The last match of the group stages shall see Bangladesh take on Bermuda.
Our prediction:
Bangladesh v/s Bermuda
AKG and MJV: Bangladesh. If Bermuda does, Mathew thinks India will win the World Cup.
Match starts at 1900 IST on SET MAX.
Our prediction:
Bangladesh v/s Bermuda
AKG and MJV: Bangladesh. If Bermuda does, Mathew thinks India will win the World Cup.
Match starts at 1900 IST on SET MAX.
Saturday, March 24, 2007
Showdown - Matchday Twelve
Supporters of the Indian team may be mourning the looming exit (since Bangladesh still need to beat Bermuda) of the Indian cricket team, but today a cracker of a match is on offer. The world's top two sides - South Africa and Australia (in order of rankings)- square-off at the Warner Park Stadium, St.Kitts and Nevis.
The other match of the day features England and Kenya. Kenya will be hoping to defeat England to qualify for the next round and rid criticism that its 2003 performance was largely due to the the unwillingness of the Kiwis to travel to Nairobi.
Our predictions for today.
South Africa v/s Australia
AKG and MJV: South Africa.
Match starts at 1900 IST on SET MAX and DD-1.
England v/s Kenya
AKG: England
MJV: Kenya
Match starts at 1900 IST on SAB TV.
Hopefully, if India exits the tournament, we should at least get to watch some more action in between the ads. I guess the only team that has done worse than the Indian cricket team is the production team for this World Cup. Hope to view something better, as this team in all probability can't be knocked out till the tournament ends.
The other match of the day features England and Kenya. Kenya will be hoping to defeat England to qualify for the next round and rid criticism that its 2003 performance was largely due to the the unwillingness of the Kiwis to travel to Nairobi.
Our predictions for today.
South Africa v/s Australia
AKG and MJV: South Africa.
Match starts at 1900 IST on SET MAX and DD-1.
England v/s Kenya
AKG: England
MJV: Kenya
Match starts at 1900 IST on SAB TV.
Hopefully, if India exits the tournament, we should at least get to watch some more action in between the ads. I guess the only team that has done worse than the Indian cricket team is the production team for this World Cup. Hope to view something better, as this team in all probability can't be knocked out till the tournament ends.
Friday, March 23, 2007
Showdown - Matchday Eleven
Today's the big one. India have to beat Sri Lanka to qualify for the next round. West Indies will take on Ireland in the other match of the day; the Irish will be hoping that an upset win this time around won't have similar repercussions as the last one. Though both the teams have qualified for the next stage, this match is important as two points to be carried forward to the next stage are up for grabs.
So, as usual, our showdown for today.
India v/s Sri Lanka
AKG and MJV: India
Match starts at 1900 IST on SET MAX (English), SAB TV (Hindi) and DD-1.
Ireland v/s West Indies
AKG and MJV: West Indies
Match starts at 2000 IST on PIX.
So, as usual, our showdown for today.
India v/s Sri Lanka
AKG and MJV: India
Match starts at 1900 IST on SET MAX (English), SAB TV (Hindi) and DD-1.
Ireland v/s West Indies
AKG and MJV: West Indies
Match starts at 2000 IST on PIX.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Showdown - Matchday Ten
Our contributors once again have a go at stretching their powers of prediction.
Netherlands v/s Scotland
AKG: Scotland
MJV: Netherlands
Match starts at 19:00 IST on SAB TV.
Canada v/s New Zealand
AKG and MJV: New Zealand
Match starts at 19:00 IST on SET MAX.
Netherlands v/s Scotland
AKG: Scotland
MJV: Netherlands
Match starts at 19:00 IST on SAB TV.
Canada v/s New Zealand
AKG and MJV: New Zealand
Match starts at 19:00 IST on SET MAX.
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
Showdown - Matchday Nine
A bereaved Pakistan take on Zimbabwe in Jamaica while a buoyant Bangladesh will be looking to stun Sri Lanka at the Queen's Park Oval in today's World Cup matches.
Here are our predictions for today.
Pakistan v/s Zimbabwe
AKG: Pakistan
MJV: Zimbabwe
Match starts at 20:00 IST on SAB TV.
Bangladesh v/s Sri Lanka
AKG: Sri Lanka
MJV: Bangladesh
Match starts at 19:00 IST on SET MAX.
Mathew seems to be on a minnow-supporting spree. We shall get back soon with the scores so far for both our contributors.
Here are our predictions for today.
Pakistan v/s Zimbabwe
AKG: Pakistan
MJV: Zimbabwe
Match starts at 20:00 IST on SAB TV.
Bangladesh v/s Sri Lanka
AKG: Sri Lanka
MJV: Bangladesh
Match starts at 19:00 IST on SET MAX.
Mathew seems to be on a minnow-supporting spree. We shall get back soon with the scores so far for both our contributors.
Twenty20 World Cup Draw
- Inaugural Twenty20 World Cup Draw
Group A
Bangladesh
South Africa
West Indies
Group B
Australia
England
Zimbabwe
Group C
Kenya
New Zealand
Sri Lanka
Group D
India
Pakistan
Scotland
Venues: Kingsmead, Durban; Newlands, Cape Town; and Wanderers, Johannesburg.
Duration: September 11-24, 2007.
Tuesday, March 20, 2007
Showdown - Matchday Eight
Indian fans may have heaved more than a sigh of relief following the win over Bermuda yesterday. The West Indies also won their encounter against Zimbabwe, thus booking their place in the next round.
In today's matches, Scotland take on South Africa and New Zealand take on Kenya.
Scotland v/s South Africa
AKG and MJV: South Africa
Match starts at 19:00 IST on SAB TV.
Kenya v New Zealand
AKG: New Zealand.
MJV: Kenya.
Match starts at 19:00 IST on SET MAX.
In today's matches, Scotland take on South Africa and New Zealand take on Kenya.
Scotland v/s South Africa
AKG and MJV: South Africa
Match starts at 19:00 IST on SAB TV.
Kenya v New Zealand
AKG: New Zealand.
MJV: Kenya.
Match starts at 19:00 IST on SET MAX.
Sunday, March 18, 2007
Kimi needs to be alert about Alonso
The first race of the season sent out clear signals: “Ferrari is Red-Hot, though Ice-Cold McLaren is not far behind.” Kimi Raikonnen got off to a great start in a new car and a new season, but so did McLaren Mercedes’ new drivers – the defending champion Fernando Alonso and the debutant Lewis Hamilton. The Ferraris were by far the fastest, and only a gearbox problem and engine-change pushed Raikonnen’s partner Felipe Massa to sixth, a creditable finish considering his Ferrari started the race at the end of the grid.
Lewis Hamilton was definitely the toast of Melbourne; his strong third place finish will only increase the expectations from him, especially from Britons who will finally have another driver to support along with Honda’s Jenson Button. Button, however, will be wondering if Honda can ever provide him with a car that can vie for the championship, after finishing a disappointing 15th. The BMW Saubers also had a good start to the season, with German Nick Heidfeld finishing in fourth. Compatriot Robert Kubica also did well till a gearbox problem forced him to retire on Lap 38.
2006 Constructors Champion Renault had a sluggish start, with the Italian Giancarlo Fischella finishing in fifth and debutant Heikki Kovalainen in tenth. Team boss Flavio Briatore was extremely critical of the Finn’s performance, a race where the promoted test driver made too many mistakes. Toyota’s Jarno Trulli finished ahead of Kovalainen in ninth place, with team-mate Ralf Schumacher rounding up the points table in eighth place. Nico Rosberg placed seventh in his Williams, which has Toyota as its engine-supplier. ‘Comeback Man’ Alexander Wurz’s race was cut short due to damage done to his Williams during an overtaking manoeuvre by Red Bull’s David Coulthard, who fortunately walked away uninjured after going airborne and landing in the gravel.
However, the man to watch is the one who quietly collected points from this race. Raikonnen may have won the race and Hamilton stolen the limelight, but Spain’s double F1 champion Fernando Alonso was the man in between the two, finishing second. It’s true that team-mate Hamilton led him till the final round of pit-stops. But the champion still ended with eight points, from what can be described as an ‘average race.’ The same trait also helped him see off the challenge put forth by Michael Schumacher last year. Kimi Raikonnen - Schumacher’s replacement at Ferrari – may have the best car on the track, but he needs to have consistent finishes in the points to win his first F1 championship, and perhaps add a new chapter to his rivalry with Alonso.
Lewis Hamilton was definitely the toast of Melbourne; his strong third place finish will only increase the expectations from him, especially from Britons who will finally have another driver to support along with Honda’s Jenson Button. Button, however, will be wondering if Honda can ever provide him with a car that can vie for the championship, after finishing a disappointing 15th. The BMW Saubers also had a good start to the season, with German Nick Heidfeld finishing in fourth. Compatriot Robert Kubica also did well till a gearbox problem forced him to retire on Lap 38.
2006 Constructors Champion Renault had a sluggish start, with the Italian Giancarlo Fischella finishing in fifth and debutant Heikki Kovalainen in tenth. Team boss Flavio Briatore was extremely critical of the Finn’s performance, a race where the promoted test driver made too many mistakes. Toyota’s Jarno Trulli finished ahead of Kovalainen in ninth place, with team-mate Ralf Schumacher rounding up the points table in eighth place. Nico Rosberg placed seventh in his Williams, which has Toyota as its engine-supplier. ‘Comeback Man’ Alexander Wurz’s race was cut short due to damage done to his Williams during an overtaking manoeuvre by Red Bull’s David Coulthard, who fortunately walked away uninjured after going airborne and landing in the gravel.
However, the man to watch is the one who quietly collected points from this race. Raikonnen may have won the race and Hamilton stolen the limelight, but Spain’s double F1 champion Fernando Alonso was the man in between the two, finishing second. It’s true that team-mate Hamilton led him till the final round of pit-stops. But the champion still ended with eight points, from what can be described as an ‘average race.’ The same trait also helped him see off the challenge put forth by Michael Schumacher last year. Kimi Raikonnen - Schumacher’s replacement at Ferrari – may have the best car on the track, but he needs to have consistent finishes in the points to win his first F1 championship, and perhaps add a new chapter to his rivalry with Alonso.
Saturday, March 17, 2007
Showdown - Matchday five
Today's matches feature three teams from the subcontinent. Bangladesh and India square off at the Queen's Park Oval in Trinidad. Both the teams are the last ones to play their opening match of the World Cup, and supporters all over the world are waiting for this one with bated breaths. Pakistan however will play their second game and should have it easy against the Irish side. They better be careful, this is the same Irish side that cornered Zimbabawe to what is the third tie in World Cp history.
Our predictions for today. The score so far is 6 out of 7 for Mathew, with Ashok one point behind.
Bangladesh v India
AKG and MJV: India. The Bangla Tigers may have upseted the Kiwis, but India will not be taking any chances in this one.
Match starts at 1900 IST on SET MAX, SAB TV and DOORDARSHAN (we guessing).
Ireland v Pakistan
AKG and MJV : Pakistan. Though another loss will spell the end of the side's World Cup campaign.
Match starts at 2000 IST on PIX.
Our predictions for today. The score so far is 6 out of 7 for Mathew, with Ashok one point behind.
Bangladesh v India
AKG and MJV: India. The Bangla Tigers may have upseted the Kiwis, but India will not be taking any chances in this one.
Match starts at 1900 IST on SET MAX, SAB TV and DOORDARSHAN (we guessing).
Ireland v Pakistan
AKG and MJV : Pakistan. Though another loss will spell the end of the side's World Cup campaign.
Match starts at 2000 IST on PIX.
Thursday, March 15, 2007
Showdown - Matchday 3
Well, both contributors got their predictions right yesterday. Anyways, it wasn't a tough decision. Today's matches are also not that difficult to call.
Bermuda v/s Sri Lanka
AKG and MJV: Sri Lanka
View live scores on cricinfo.com
Ireland v/s Zimbabwe
AKG and MJV: Zimbabwe
Mathew was inclined towards Ireland, but swayed over to the other side after considering skipper Prosper Utseya's off-spin.
View live scores on cricinfo.com
Bermuda v/s Sri Lanka
AKG and MJV: Sri Lanka
View live scores on cricinfo.com
Ireland v/s Zimbabwe
AKG and MJV: Zimbabwe
Mathew was inclined towards Ireland, but swayed over to the other side after considering skipper Prosper Utseya's off-spin.
View live scores on cricinfo.com
Wednesday, March 14, 2007
Showdown -Matchday 2
Since we are a bit late today we shall keep it short. Plus, anyways we have a consensus today, as both Ashok and Mathew are going with the favourites. As the Cup progresses we should hear from Kunal and Nikhil on their views.
Australia v/s Scotland
AKG and MJV: Australia
View live score on cricinfo.com
Kenya v/s Canada
AKG and MJV: 2003 World Cup semi-finalists Kenya
View live score on cricinfo.com
The Showdown score so far is 1-0 in Mathew's favour. We hope to see your comments as well. Mail us at notjustcric@gmail.com.
Australia v/s Scotland
AKG and MJV: Australia
View live score on cricinfo.com
Kenya v/s Canada
AKG and MJV: 2003 World Cup semi-finalists Kenya
View live score on cricinfo.com
The Showdown score so far is 1-0 in Mathew's favour. We hope to see your comments as well. Mail us at notjustcric@gmail.com.
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Showdown - World Cup Matchday Predictions
The spiritual concept of the power of "now" can be seen quite clearly in a game of cricket. Its uncertainties make it a sport one should be wary of making predictions on. The men on the field wouldn't be bothered about who said what before the match. But don't we all like to take that odd wager. Kingdoms have fallen because of failed bets and fortunes unimagined showered on lucky winners.
In Showdown, our contributors Ashok Kumar Ganguly and Mathew J. Varghese will stick their necks out and try to predict the winning team for the day. We shall keep score, one for every right pick, no points for a wrong one.
Here's the Showdown for today match - Pakistan v/s West Indies.
Ashok Kumar Ganguly: I will go ahead and say that the Pakistani's will win this match. I say this because they have been in a huge mess in the run up to the world cup and they play their best when things get the worst for them. Lets see how things pan out... 6 hours to go... God... I can't take it....
Mathew J. Varghese: Playing at home in front of the steel bands, I would expect the boys from the Caribbean to kick-start the World Cup with a bang. The embarrassing loss to India in the warm-ups notwithstanding, I feel Lara and Co. can outwit the unpredictable Pakistanis. Can't wait to witness the electrifying atmosphere in Jamaica.
In Showdown, our contributors Ashok Kumar Ganguly and Mathew J. Varghese will stick their necks out and try to predict the winning team for the day. We shall keep score, one for every right pick, no points for a wrong one.
Here's the Showdown for today match - Pakistan v/s West Indies.
Ashok Kumar Ganguly: I will go ahead and say that the Pakistani's will win this match. I say this because they have been in a huge mess in the run up to the world cup and they play their best when things get the worst for them. Lets see how things pan out... 6 hours to go... God... I can't take it....
Mathew J. Varghese: Playing at home in front of the steel bands, I would expect the boys from the Caribbean to kick-start the World Cup with a bang. The embarrassing loss to India in the warm-ups notwithstanding, I feel Lara and Co. can outwit the unpredictable Pakistanis. Can't wait to witness the electrifying atmosphere in Jamaica.
Monday, March 5, 2007
Cricket coverage ... thats not important... it's all about the money!
Hi Folks! In a few weeks viewers in India will watch the Cricket World Cup on Sony's four channels; Set Max, Sony, Sab TV and Pix. Terrestrial broadcaster Doordarshan has signed an agreement with Sony to provide all the matches to its platform. But the blatant commercialization of cricket has meant that new and innovative ways to disrupt the viewing experience have been found by creative people without a conscience. You will have the irritating music with a weird cartoon figure, all excited when the batsmen scores a fifty or the team reaches three figures. The screen will suddenly shrink when the bowler is returning to the bowling mark, give way to a toothpaste ad and then come back to its old form, mid way through the bowlers run up. The national anthem, sung by the team and its supporters, which offered such a wonderful spectacle in last year's Soccer World Cup, is too unimportant for Sony's head honchos. They choose to ignore the national anthem segment during their coverage of the 2003 World Cup. The ad-breaks keep on increasing, and we are getting to see lesser and lesser of the actual match.
IPTV (Internet Protocol Television) is an innovative way to reach viewers via the Internet. But illegal softwares that broadcast TV channels are doing the rounds. I have used one such software, and I got to watch a Champions Trophy match on an Channel 9, Australia. Edgy display for lack of bandwidth notwithstanding, it was a surreal experience. I did not even notice the ads.
If only greed could be kept at bay!
IPTV (Internet Protocol Television) is an innovative way to reach viewers via the Internet. But illegal softwares that broadcast TV channels are doing the rounds. I have used one such software, and I got to watch a Champions Trophy match on an Channel 9, Australia. Edgy display for lack of bandwidth notwithstanding, it was a surreal experience. I did not even notice the ads.
If only greed could be kept at bay!
Saturday, March 3, 2007
WC - Players to watch out for
Nearly 200-odd players will don their national colours this World Cup, all eager and rearing to showcase their talent in a tournament jointly hosted by eight nations, perhaps a record of some sorts. On the relaid tracks and newly-built stadiums in the West Indies, one still has to wait to determine which type of bowlers or batsmen will excel, but this is just an attempt at highlighting the players who may make a mark.
The Debutants
Two-time defending champions Australia goes into this World Cup with pace bowler Brett Lee ruled out and an injured Andrew Symonds hoping to make it in time for the Super Eight stage. The Aussie middle-order will be controlled by the two Michaels – Clarke and Hussey- who will be making their World Cup debut. Clarke, also known as ‘Pup’, might still be considered a youngster but he has already featured in 101 ODIs, and with some success that is. In the absence of Symonds, Clarke may be called upon to bowl his arm over as well; the left-arm spinner has best figures of 5/35 and 6/9 in ODIs and Tests respectively. Having lost on the finisher’s role to his namesake Bevan in the ‘Australia’s Greatest ODI XI’, Michael Hussey will be looking forward to succeeding in this World Cup, and if his ODI average of 66.81 is sustained during the campaign, Australia will surely be in the reckoning.
South Africa is on top of the one-day rankings, and many will be featuring in their first World Cup. Amongst them are AB De Villiers and Ashwell Prince, two players who have performed well in the recent past. De Villiers will most likely open the batting with skipper Graeme Smith, while the left-handed Prince along with Jacques Kallis will be entrusted the responsibility of handling the middle-overs. Both are also good fielders, especially the agile De Villiers, who has also kept wickets for his side in Test cricket.
In a side that boasts of batsmen such as Kumar Sangakarra, Mahela Jayawardene and Sanath Jayasuriya, Tilakaratne Dilshan has stood tall and cemented his place. His records may not look that impressive, but he surely is electrifying on the field. He effected four run-outs in the 2005-06 VB Series final against Australia, forcing the home team to concede a rare lead in the best-of three series decider. His off-spin bowling will be handy if the wickets are conducive to spin, in addition to his cool presence in the batting line-up. Lasith Malinga has a round-arm action that looks scary to most even on a television set, more so if coupled with hair streaked in a hue between brown and blond. Sri Lanka’s fastest bowler can be erratic and expensive, but has the ability the pick up wickets, especially with the yorkers.
India brings a relatively experienced squad to this World Cup, with nine of the 15 in this squad having been around in the 2003 edition. The side includes Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the most exciting wicketkeeper-batsman post Adam Gilchrist, the one who made teams realise the all-round potential of a ’keeper in an age where genuine all-rounders are hard to come by. Dhoni may be restricted to a lower middle-order role in this World Cup, but many Indians will sit up the entire night only to watch the lad from Jharkhand clear the boundary ropes. Left-arm swing bowler and a handy bat Irfan Pathan could have done no wrong in his first two seasons of international cricket; however the 2004 ICC Emerging Player of the Year will have to fight the demons of poor form and fitness if he wants to do more than warm the benches.
New Zealand’s Jeetan Patel is no relation of Dipak Patel, the former off-spinner who defied convention when skipper Martin Crowe made him open the bowling for the Kiwis in the 1992 World Cup. The young Patel - an economical off-spinner with a good record to boot - will be hoping that his captain Stephen Fleming will take a gamble and play two spinners, as he would find it hard to win a place in the side ahead of the experienced vice-captain Daniel Vettori. Ross Taylor only made it to Team Black Caps last year, but the exciting 22-year old batsman is a crucial component in the Kiwi top-order, in the wake of Nathan Astle’s retirement.
England may be on the rebound following their convincing win in the tri-series over Australia, but will be looking forward to the return of their star batsman Kevin Pietersen, who injured himself during the tournament. An explosive batsman, Pietersen not only won the ICC Emerging Player of the Year but also the ICC One-Day Player of the Year for 2005. Along with the man of the moment Paul Collingwood, Pietersen will need to fire in order to propel England to its first World Cup. The other man to watch out for will be Mudhsuden Singh (Monty) Panesar. Panesar was the first Sikh to play for England, and has not even played a dozen ODIs for England. But the man whose first scalp in Test cricket is Sachin Tendulkar, will be vying with Daniel Vettori for the title of the best slow-left arm spinner at present in the world.
Pakistan’s unpredictably as a side has even begun before the team takes the field in the West Indies. Their top bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammed Asif are under the cloud of dope suspicion, and all-rounder Abdul Razzaq is out injured. Asif is a promising youngster and is a seam bowler who can trouble most batsmen. Shoaib Akhtar will spearhead the bowling if available but it is Shoaib Malik who could well lead the way for the side. A useful batsman, coach Bob Woolmer has smartly used him either as a mainstay at one-down or No.4 or as an aggressive bat lower down to finish off the innings. His off-spin bowling is modelled on the style of Saqlain Mushtaq, effective though not as successful.
The pressure of playing at home will be on Brian Lara and his boys. All-rounder Dwayne Bravo could play an important part in the team’s World Cup prospects. He’s a matchwinner with both bat and ball; his slower ones kick-started a disastrous run for a till then successful Indian one-day side when the team’s last visited the Windies. Jerome Taylor took a hat-trick in the side’s exciting win over the Aussies in the group stages of last year’s Champions Trophy. The Jamaican pacer will be looking forward to repeating that success at home.
The Last Hurrah
At 37, Brian Lara and Sanath Jayasuriya will for sure be playing their last World Cup. It’s a certainty that this World Cup will see many cricketers who will most probably either bid adieu to the game or at least the shorter version after the carnival ends in the West Indies.
This World Cup will see the defending champions say goodbye to Glenn McGrath, perhaps the game’s most accurate bowler since the great Sir Richard Hadlee. It will also be the last one for wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist and his opening partner Matthew Hayden. At 32 and with the phenomenal record he has in recent years, Ricky Ponting might wait to bow out in 2011. Brad Hogg and Brad Hodge might also see their position in the Aussie side handed over to youngsters once this World Cup is done with.
South Africa’s tried and tested players- Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis, Mark Boucher and Shaun Pollock- are all in their thirties, and a success here might convince a couple to perhaps walk off in style, at least from the shorter version of the game. Kallis and Boucher will only be 35 and 34 at the next one, so might hang around till then. However, Gibb and Pollock, both 33, will find it a tough battle to survive, more so for Pollock, South Africa’s leading wicket-taker in both forms of the game.
The stalwarts of Sri Lankan cricket over the years – Chaminda Vaas, Marvan Atappattu, Sanath Jayasuriya and Muttiah Muralitharan – along with Russel Arnold look set to feature in the last World Cup of their careers, unless Murali can continue bowling his off-spinners till the island nation hosts the World Cup along with Bangladesh, India and Pakistan in 2011. Sri Lanka is considered a favourite by many, and these five will need to perform if they want to repeat their success of 1996, a side which had Jayasuriya, Murali and Vaas.
Anil Kumble has made his intentions clear for his career after the World Cup. Kumble will quit ODIs for certain. ‘The Big Three’ in the batting – skipper Rahul Dravid, vice-captain Sachin Tendulkar and former captain Sourav Ganguly- won’t be around till 2011 unless they can prolong their careers keeping the target in mind. Ganguly will turn 35 this year and had it not been for the woeful run of the side last year, would not have made it to this World Cup. Sachin Tendulkar may play the World Cup semi-finals on his 34th birthday, if India manages to qualify that is. Injuries have plagued the highest run-getter in ODIs and World Cups; though the team would be hoping that he can repeat the exploits of 2003.
For the Black Caps, 33-year old skipper Stephen Fleming might hand over the reins to a worthy successor after the World Cup. The man at the helm during the Kiwis’ two previous campaigns will be hoping to better the nation’s semi-final finishes in 1992 and 1999.
It’s uncertain whether England captain Michael Vaughan will play in the upcoming World Cup, forget the next one. Interestingly, wicketkeeper Paul Nixon, aged 36, will most likely be playing his first and last World Cup.
Pakistan skipper Inzamam ul-Haq will turn 37 on March 3, and would be looking to erase memories of his woeful run in South Africa, where he scored 16 runs in six matches. Inzamam has been suffering from indifferent form of late, but fans will wish he leaves the stage with many more great innings like the cameo that send the Kiwis crashing out of the World Cup in 1992. It remains to be seen if the ‘Rawalpindi Express’ Shoaib Akhtar will make it to this World Cup, which in all probability will be his last. Although one should not hazard predicting anything about a man involved in more action off the field rather than on it.
Brian Lara and Shivnarine Chanderpaul will hope to end their careers by doing what no team has achieved before, a win on home soil. West Indies has not reached the finals of the World Cup since their loss to India in 1983. Both Lara - the greatest left-hander of all-time and perhaps of his generation as well- and Chanderpaul’s careers have come at a time when the West Indies slumped from world-beaters to almost minnows. Though the team has had sort of a revival with youngsters performing well under Lara’s leadership, the onus will be on the left-handed batsmen along with Chris Gayle and Ramnaresh Sarwan.
The Debutants
Two-time defending champions Australia goes into this World Cup with pace bowler Brett Lee ruled out and an injured Andrew Symonds hoping to make it in time for the Super Eight stage. The Aussie middle-order will be controlled by the two Michaels – Clarke and Hussey- who will be making their World Cup debut. Clarke, also known as ‘Pup’, might still be considered a youngster but he has already featured in 101 ODIs, and with some success that is. In the absence of Symonds, Clarke may be called upon to bowl his arm over as well; the left-arm spinner has best figures of 5/35 and 6/9 in ODIs and Tests respectively. Having lost on the finisher’s role to his namesake Bevan in the ‘Australia’s Greatest ODI XI’, Michael Hussey will be looking forward to succeeding in this World Cup, and if his ODI average of 66.81 is sustained during the campaign, Australia will surely be in the reckoning.
South Africa is on top of the one-day rankings, and many will be featuring in their first World Cup. Amongst them are AB De Villiers and Ashwell Prince, two players who have performed well in the recent past. De Villiers will most likely open the batting with skipper Graeme Smith, while the left-handed Prince along with Jacques Kallis will be entrusted the responsibility of handling the middle-overs. Both are also good fielders, especially the agile De Villiers, who has also kept wickets for his side in Test cricket.
In a side that boasts of batsmen such as Kumar Sangakarra, Mahela Jayawardene and Sanath Jayasuriya, Tilakaratne Dilshan has stood tall and cemented his place. His records may not look that impressive, but he surely is electrifying on the field. He effected four run-outs in the 2005-06 VB Series final against Australia, forcing the home team to concede a rare lead in the best-of three series decider. His off-spin bowling will be handy if the wickets are conducive to spin, in addition to his cool presence in the batting line-up. Lasith Malinga has a round-arm action that looks scary to most even on a television set, more so if coupled with hair streaked in a hue between brown and blond. Sri Lanka’s fastest bowler can be erratic and expensive, but has the ability the pick up wickets, especially with the yorkers.
India brings a relatively experienced squad to this World Cup, with nine of the 15 in this squad having been around in the 2003 edition. The side includes Mahendra Singh Dhoni, the most exciting wicketkeeper-batsman post Adam Gilchrist, the one who made teams realise the all-round potential of a ’keeper in an age where genuine all-rounders are hard to come by. Dhoni may be restricted to a lower middle-order role in this World Cup, but many Indians will sit up the entire night only to watch the lad from Jharkhand clear the boundary ropes. Left-arm swing bowler and a handy bat Irfan Pathan could have done no wrong in his first two seasons of international cricket; however the 2004 ICC Emerging Player of the Year will have to fight the demons of poor form and fitness if he wants to do more than warm the benches.
New Zealand’s Jeetan Patel is no relation of Dipak Patel, the former off-spinner who defied convention when skipper Martin Crowe made him open the bowling for the Kiwis in the 1992 World Cup. The young Patel - an economical off-spinner with a good record to boot - will be hoping that his captain Stephen Fleming will take a gamble and play two spinners, as he would find it hard to win a place in the side ahead of the experienced vice-captain Daniel Vettori. Ross Taylor only made it to Team Black Caps last year, but the exciting 22-year old batsman is a crucial component in the Kiwi top-order, in the wake of Nathan Astle’s retirement.
England may be on the rebound following their convincing win in the tri-series over Australia, but will be looking forward to the return of their star batsman Kevin Pietersen, who injured himself during the tournament. An explosive batsman, Pietersen not only won the ICC Emerging Player of the Year but also the ICC One-Day Player of the Year for 2005. Along with the man of the moment Paul Collingwood, Pietersen will need to fire in order to propel England to its first World Cup. The other man to watch out for will be Mudhsuden Singh (Monty) Panesar. Panesar was the first Sikh to play for England, and has not even played a dozen ODIs for England. But the man whose first scalp in Test cricket is Sachin Tendulkar, will be vying with Daniel Vettori for the title of the best slow-left arm spinner at present in the world.
Pakistan’s unpredictably as a side has even begun before the team takes the field in the West Indies. Their top bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammed Asif are under the cloud of dope suspicion, and all-rounder Abdul Razzaq is out injured. Asif is a promising youngster and is a seam bowler who can trouble most batsmen. Shoaib Akhtar will spearhead the bowling if available but it is Shoaib Malik who could well lead the way for the side. A useful batsman, coach Bob Woolmer has smartly used him either as a mainstay at one-down or No.4 or as an aggressive bat lower down to finish off the innings. His off-spin bowling is modelled on the style of Saqlain Mushtaq, effective though not as successful.
The pressure of playing at home will be on Brian Lara and his boys. All-rounder Dwayne Bravo could play an important part in the team’s World Cup prospects. He’s a matchwinner with both bat and ball; his slower ones kick-started a disastrous run for a till then successful Indian one-day side when the team’s last visited the Windies. Jerome Taylor took a hat-trick in the side’s exciting win over the Aussies in the group stages of last year’s Champions Trophy. The Jamaican pacer will be looking forward to repeating that success at home.
The Last Hurrah
At 37, Brian Lara and Sanath Jayasuriya will for sure be playing their last World Cup. It’s a certainty that this World Cup will see many cricketers who will most probably either bid adieu to the game or at least the shorter version after the carnival ends in the West Indies.
This World Cup will see the defending champions say goodbye to Glenn McGrath, perhaps the game’s most accurate bowler since the great Sir Richard Hadlee. It will also be the last one for wicketkeeper Adam Gilchrist and his opening partner Matthew Hayden. At 32 and with the phenomenal record he has in recent years, Ricky Ponting might wait to bow out in 2011. Brad Hogg and Brad Hodge might also see their position in the Aussie side handed over to youngsters once this World Cup is done with.
South Africa’s tried and tested players- Herschelle Gibbs, Jacques Kallis, Mark Boucher and Shaun Pollock- are all in their thirties, and a success here might convince a couple to perhaps walk off in style, at least from the shorter version of the game. Kallis and Boucher will only be 35 and 34 at the next one, so might hang around till then. However, Gibb and Pollock, both 33, will find it a tough battle to survive, more so for Pollock, South Africa’s leading wicket-taker in both forms of the game.
The stalwarts of Sri Lankan cricket over the years – Chaminda Vaas, Marvan Atappattu, Sanath Jayasuriya and Muttiah Muralitharan – along with Russel Arnold look set to feature in the last World Cup of their careers, unless Murali can continue bowling his off-spinners till the island nation hosts the World Cup along with Bangladesh, India and Pakistan in 2011. Sri Lanka is considered a favourite by many, and these five will need to perform if they want to repeat their success of 1996, a side which had Jayasuriya, Murali and Vaas.
Anil Kumble has made his intentions clear for his career after the World Cup. Kumble will quit ODIs for certain. ‘The Big Three’ in the batting – skipper Rahul Dravid, vice-captain Sachin Tendulkar and former captain Sourav Ganguly- won’t be around till 2011 unless they can prolong their careers keeping the target in mind. Ganguly will turn 35 this year and had it not been for the woeful run of the side last year, would not have made it to this World Cup. Sachin Tendulkar may play the World Cup semi-finals on his 34th birthday, if India manages to qualify that is. Injuries have plagued the highest run-getter in ODIs and World Cups; though the team would be hoping that he can repeat the exploits of 2003.
For the Black Caps, 33-year old skipper Stephen Fleming might hand over the reins to a worthy successor after the World Cup. The man at the helm during the Kiwis’ two previous campaigns will be hoping to better the nation’s semi-final finishes in 1992 and 1999.
It’s uncertain whether England captain Michael Vaughan will play in the upcoming World Cup, forget the next one. Interestingly, wicketkeeper Paul Nixon, aged 36, will most likely be playing his first and last World Cup.
Pakistan skipper Inzamam ul-Haq will turn 37 on March 3, and would be looking to erase memories of his woeful run in South Africa, where he scored 16 runs in six matches. Inzamam has been suffering from indifferent form of late, but fans will wish he leaves the stage with many more great innings like the cameo that send the Kiwis crashing out of the World Cup in 1992. It remains to be seen if the ‘Rawalpindi Express’ Shoaib Akhtar will make it to this World Cup, which in all probability will be his last. Although one should not hazard predicting anything about a man involved in more action off the field rather than on it.
Brian Lara and Shivnarine Chanderpaul will hope to end their careers by doing what no team has achieved before, a win on home soil. West Indies has not reached the finals of the World Cup since their loss to India in 1983. Both Lara - the greatest left-hander of all-time and perhaps of his generation as well- and Chanderpaul’s careers have come at a time when the West Indies slumped from world-beaters to almost minnows. Though the team has had sort of a revival with youngsters performing well under Lara’s leadership, the onus will be on the left-handed batsmen along with Chris Gayle and Ramnaresh Sarwan.
Too many minnows fill the Cup?
Michael Holding may have spoken the mind of many a cricket fan when he questioned the logic behind having so many non-Test playing nations or the Associate Members of the ICC – the ‘minnows’ - at the sport’s premier event. This edition of the World Cup will see Bermuda, Canada, Ireland, Kenya, the Netherlands and Scotland vie for honours alongside top-ranked teams South Africa and Australia. Test-playing nations Bangladesh and Zimbabwe will also be playing with the ‘minnows’ tag.
The number of teams playing the World Cup has increased from nine at the1992 edition in Australia to 16 in this year’s tournament. The consequence: a World Cup lasting nearly two months, in contrast to a month-long event for the Football World Cup, featuring 32 teams. And cricket is not even half as popular as football.
Coming back to the minnows, one must not belittle their ability to spring a surprise or two. It has happened in earlier World Cups, and chances are that a repeat will occur in the West Indies. The World Cup might be only chance for most players from these teams to rub shoulders with the ‘big boys’, apart from sharing the limelight.
Bangladesh will be leading the pack this time; though like the others they will need a great effort to overcome their sub-continental counterparts India and Sri Lanka to qualify for the Super Eight stage from Group B. However, the team led by batsman Habibul Bashar and coached by Dave Whatmore – the man who succeeded in guiding an unfancied Sri Lanka to the 1996 title- will take inspiration from their upset win over Pakistan at the 1999 World Cup and another over World Champions Australia in the NatWest tri-series in 2005. The Bangladesh squad for this World Cup only has skipper Bashar and wily left-arm spinner Mohammed Rafique from the 2003 squad, and with an average age of 23.6, has some exciting players such as Mashrafe Mortaza, Mohammed Ashraful and Aftab Ahmed to watch out for.
Bermuda is the fourth team in Group B, this being the first-ever appearance at the World Cup for the island nation. Irvine Romaine will lead the side. Key players include English county Glamorgan skipper and batsman David Hemp. The team fared poorly at the recently concluded World Cricket League in Kenya – featuring the top six ICC Associates- and lost all but one of their five matches. The team consists of what many call “unfit amateurs”, surprising for a country where cricket is the national sport. The team has former West Indian cricketer Gus Logie as coach.
Zimbabwe may still play Test cricket, but they are far from the peak that they hit in the 1999 World Cup. A win over India and South Africa saw them reach the Super Six stage, but they missed out on a semi-final berth. Internal strife has plagued the team in recent years, and this team led by 21-year old off-spinner Prosper Utseya lacks the star quality of the Flower brothers, Heath Streak or Henry Olonga. Utseya and Sean Williams are the players to look out for. Coached by former player Kevin Curran – who incidentally played a part in the country’s stunning win over Australia in the 1983 World Cup- will be hoping his young lads can create a amongst the ranks of Pakistan and West Indies, the top sides expected to go through in Group D.
Ireland faces a tough proposition in Group D. The country is the other debutant in this World Cup, and will be hoping that opponents Pakistan, Zimbabwe and the West Indies strike the indifferent form that they are prone to. Their bowlers failed to deliver at the World Cricket League in Kenya, the team ending with one win, though all losses were closely contested. Batsmen hold the key for the side, 22-year old William Portenfield being one of them.
Kenya will consider having done a good job even if they match their semi-final appearance in the 2003 edition. Star batsman Steven Tikolo leads the African side that has Canada, England and New Zealand for company in Group C. Former West Indian off-spinner Roger Harper is coach of the team that boasts of talented players such as all-rounder Thomas Odoyo, leg-spinner Collins Obuya and medium-pace bowler Peter Ongondo. However, the team will miss the services of World Cup stalwarts Kennedy Otieno and Hitesh Modi as well as fast bowler Martin Suji, who is out due to a knee injury. The team’s win over West Indies in 1996 remains one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history.
Think of Canada and one instantly recalls skipper John Davison’s blitzkrieg against the West Indies. Slotted in Group D, Canada will come up against England and New Zealand – two sides on the back of successes against the Aussies- and Kenya, a semi-finalist in South Africa. Vice-captain and wicketkeeper-batsman Ashish Bagai was named ‘Player of the Tournament’ at the World Cricket League, Nairobi. Former West Indian fast bowler Anderson Cummins also figures in the squad.
Scotland will make their third consecutive appearance this World Cup. Scotland lost to eventual winners Kenya in the World Cricket League in Nairobi, and tops the Associate ODI rankings, which does not include Kenya though. The team has to compete in Group A alongside the top two ODI sides of the world – South Africa and Australia. Scotland won the ICC Trophy, the qualification tournament for this World Cup, in 2005. Gavin Hamilton, the all-rounder who was the star of their campaign in 1999 and later played for England, will play for the minnows in this World Cup.
The Netherlands is the other team in Group A and their match with Scotland will be one to watch out for. Batsmen Bas Zuiderant and Ryan ten Doeschate had a good run in Nairobi and will be hoping to replicate that form against quality bowlers like Glenn McGrath and Shaun Pollock. The team is captained by 37-year old Luuk van Troost. The Netherlands’s Nolan Clarke made history at the 1996 World Cup, at 47 years and 257 days he became the oldest player to appear in an ODI when he played South Africa at Rawalpinidi.
Eight ‘minnows’ will be playing this World Cup, in spite of doubts over their ability. However, with so many ‘minnows’ in the fray, it will hardly be a surprise if one or two can pull off an upset.
The number of teams playing the World Cup has increased from nine at the1992 edition in Australia to 16 in this year’s tournament. The consequence: a World Cup lasting nearly two months, in contrast to a month-long event for the Football World Cup, featuring 32 teams. And cricket is not even half as popular as football.
Coming back to the minnows, one must not belittle their ability to spring a surprise or two. It has happened in earlier World Cups, and chances are that a repeat will occur in the West Indies. The World Cup might be only chance for most players from these teams to rub shoulders with the ‘big boys’, apart from sharing the limelight.
Bangladesh will be leading the pack this time; though like the others they will need a great effort to overcome their sub-continental counterparts India and Sri Lanka to qualify for the Super Eight stage from Group B. However, the team led by batsman Habibul Bashar and coached by Dave Whatmore – the man who succeeded in guiding an unfancied Sri Lanka to the 1996 title- will take inspiration from their upset win over Pakistan at the 1999 World Cup and another over World Champions Australia in the NatWest tri-series in 2005. The Bangladesh squad for this World Cup only has skipper Bashar and wily left-arm spinner Mohammed Rafique from the 2003 squad, and with an average age of 23.6, has some exciting players such as Mashrafe Mortaza, Mohammed Ashraful and Aftab Ahmed to watch out for.
Bermuda is the fourth team in Group B, this being the first-ever appearance at the World Cup for the island nation. Irvine Romaine will lead the side. Key players include English county Glamorgan skipper and batsman David Hemp. The team fared poorly at the recently concluded World Cricket League in Kenya – featuring the top six ICC Associates- and lost all but one of their five matches. The team consists of what many call “unfit amateurs”, surprising for a country where cricket is the national sport. The team has former West Indian cricketer Gus Logie as coach.
Zimbabwe may still play Test cricket, but they are far from the peak that they hit in the 1999 World Cup. A win over India and South Africa saw them reach the Super Six stage, but they missed out on a semi-final berth. Internal strife has plagued the team in recent years, and this team led by 21-year old off-spinner Prosper Utseya lacks the star quality of the Flower brothers, Heath Streak or Henry Olonga. Utseya and Sean Williams are the players to look out for. Coached by former player Kevin Curran – who incidentally played a part in the country’s stunning win over Australia in the 1983 World Cup- will be hoping his young lads can create a amongst the ranks of Pakistan and West Indies, the top sides expected to go through in Group D.
Ireland faces a tough proposition in Group D. The country is the other debutant in this World Cup, and will be hoping that opponents Pakistan, Zimbabwe and the West Indies strike the indifferent form that they are prone to. Their bowlers failed to deliver at the World Cricket League in Kenya, the team ending with one win, though all losses were closely contested. Batsmen hold the key for the side, 22-year old William Portenfield being one of them.
Kenya will consider having done a good job even if they match their semi-final appearance in the 2003 edition. Star batsman Steven Tikolo leads the African side that has Canada, England and New Zealand for company in Group C. Former West Indian off-spinner Roger Harper is coach of the team that boasts of talented players such as all-rounder Thomas Odoyo, leg-spinner Collins Obuya and medium-pace bowler Peter Ongondo. However, the team will miss the services of World Cup stalwarts Kennedy Otieno and Hitesh Modi as well as fast bowler Martin Suji, who is out due to a knee injury. The team’s win over West Indies in 1996 remains one of the biggest upsets in World Cup history.
Think of Canada and one instantly recalls skipper John Davison’s blitzkrieg against the West Indies. Slotted in Group D, Canada will come up against England and New Zealand – two sides on the back of successes against the Aussies- and Kenya, a semi-finalist in South Africa. Vice-captain and wicketkeeper-batsman Ashish Bagai was named ‘Player of the Tournament’ at the World Cricket League, Nairobi. Former West Indian fast bowler Anderson Cummins also figures in the squad.
Scotland will make their third consecutive appearance this World Cup. Scotland lost to eventual winners Kenya in the World Cricket League in Nairobi, and tops the Associate ODI rankings, which does not include Kenya though. The team has to compete in Group A alongside the top two ODI sides of the world – South Africa and Australia. Scotland won the ICC Trophy, the qualification tournament for this World Cup, in 2005. Gavin Hamilton, the all-rounder who was the star of their campaign in 1999 and later played for England, will play for the minnows in this World Cup.
The Netherlands is the other team in Group A and their match with Scotland will be one to watch out for. Batsmen Bas Zuiderant and Ryan ten Doeschate had a good run in Nairobi and will be hoping to replicate that form against quality bowlers like Glenn McGrath and Shaun Pollock. The team is captained by 37-year old Luuk van Troost. The Netherlands’s Nolan Clarke made history at the 1996 World Cup, at 47 years and 257 days he became the oldest player to appear in an ODI when he played South Africa at Rawalpinidi.
Eight ‘minnows’ will be playing this World Cup, in spite of doubts over their ability. However, with so many ‘minnows’ in the fray, it will hardly be a surprise if one or two can pull off an upset.
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