WC 2011: Ireland seek greener pastures

New Delhi: Ireland have caused some sensational upsets in major ICC events which includes their giant killing act against the unpredictable Pakistanis in the 2007 World Cup which was followed by a victory over Bangladesh in the same event.

Ireland coach Phil Simmons, the former West Indies batsman, believes his side are arguably even better placed now than they were heading into the last World Cup.

Ireland travel to the Indian sub-continent with nine of the squad that did so well in 2007 while Ed Joyce has returned to Irish duty after failing to nail down a place in the England squad.

And Ireland's World Cup party also includes promising young players in the likes of teenage spinner George Dockrell and Middlesex batsman Paul Sterling.

This could be a watershed World Cup for Ireland following the decision by the International Cricket Council (ICC) that the 2015 edition will be contested by 10 teams only.

Although the ICC has insisted there might still be room for an associate or non-Test nation such as Ireland, it is hard to see how any of the 10 existing or full members will agree to a set-up that could see them fail to qualify as of right.

Matches against fellow associates the Netherlands and Test strugglers Bangladesh would appear to offer Ireland their best chance of victory in a Group B also featuring main hosts India as well as England, the West Indies and South Africa.

Sri Lanka cricket weekly news round-up – 11/02/2011

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) is on the hunt for a new head coach to fill in Trevor Bayliss’ position after his contract expires at the end of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. Secretary of SLC Nishantha Ranatunga said Bayliss had shown interest in remaining with the Sri Lankan team until the end of Sri Lanka’s tour to England in May this year but SLC hoped to fill the position before the tour.

Barath names Malinga as a player to watch out for at the World Cup

West Indian opening batsman Adrian Barath said that Lasith Malinga was a “world class bowler” and named him as a player to watch out for at the World Cup. “He is on spot at the moment and any player on spot is a force to be reckoned with,” Barath told reporters in Colombo on February 5.

Sri Lanka beat Windies in third ODI to seal series win

Sri Lanka defeated the West Indies by 26 runs in the third ODI played at the Sinhalese Sports Club grounds in Colombo on February 6 to win the three-match series 2-0.

Sri Lanka 277/9 (Sangakkara 75 , Bravo 2-58, Benn 4-38) -- West Indies 251 all out ( Bravo 79, Sarwan 51, Fernando 2-45, Perera 3-36, Mendis 4-46).

Colombo prohibits the hanging of laundry outside homes near Premadasa

Residents near the R. Premadasa Stadium have been ordered not to dry their laundry in front of their homes during the World Cup by the City of Colombo. Residents have also been ordered not to litter and not to engage in playing cricket or other sports on the street.

New road for World Cup

Colombo Municipal Council (CMC) will construct a new road in Maradana which will lead to the R. Premadasa Stadium. SLC would bear the cost of the road – Rs. 15 million.

Sangakkara rues missing out on practising at World Cup venues

Kumar Sangakkara told reporters in Colombo on February 6 that his side have come to terms with the fact that they will be unable to train at the World Cup venues. “We would have loved to have gone there a month in advance, set our camps and maybe play a bit of provincial cricket there and some of the club games at those venues,” Sangakkara said. “It would have been great for other players and the World Cup squad to experience those venues and match conditions but things are what they are, so we accepted the fact that we will have to go in and play World Cup matches on those grounds without knowing the conditions too much.”

Cricket fans swarm SLC headquarters

Sri Lankan cricket fans queue to buy tickets for the 2011 Cricket World Cup in Colombo on February 7, 2011. AFP PHOTO/Ishara S. KODIKARA.

Hundreds of cricket fans lined up at the break of dawn outside SLC headquarters in Colombo on February 7 to purchase World Cup tickets. They claimed SLC officials had informed the public that tickets priced at Rs. 50 would be available for purchase there on the day. SLC officials, however, denied they had informed anyone of such and stated only tickets reserved in advance were available for pick up that day. Fans seeking tickets braved the wet weather to stand in line for hours and had travelled great distances to arrive there, resulting in a tense situation.

Muralitharan to coach Australian spinners

Cricket Australia’s Centre of Excellence has approached Muttiah Muralitharan to coach Australian spinners at the Centre in Brisbane. Muralitharan’s manager Kushil Gunasekera said nothing has been finalised yet as a result of Muralitharan’s busy schedule this year but confirmed the spinner is interested in the offer and is willing to help Australia despite all that has transpired in the past.

World Cup warm-up matches moved from Pallekele to Colombo

The ICC announced on February 7 that the warm-up match between Sri Lanka and Netherlands would be moved to Colombo’s SSC ground due to heavy rain in the Kandy region.

Muralitharan signs with Gloucestershire

Gloucestershire have signed Muttiah Muralitharan for the next two seasons to play T20s for the English county.

Jayawardene appointed captain of Kochi

Mahela Jayawardene, 33, has been appointed captain of Kochi - the new Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise - for the upcoming IPL season.

Ajantha Mendis to play for Somerset

Ajantha Mendis will play for Somerset as a replacement for Murali Karthik and is expected to arrive in England in time for Somerset’s match against Warwickshire on April 14.

Zim has no excuses at ICC World Cup

FORMER Zimbabwe national cricket team batsman Stuart Carlisle has said that Zimbabwe should have no excuses at the 2011 International Cricket Council (ICC) World Cup as the team has gained enough international experience to be competitive.

Carlisle, who briefly captained the national team in 2002, said that the team is in a position to fare better after being placed in a relatively easier pool.

Zimbabwe are in the same pool as Kenya, Canada, Australia, New Zealand , Pakistan and Sri Lanka where the top four teams advance to the next stage.

India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh will host the global showcase. The ICC World Cup begins in the sub-continent on February 19 and runs until April 25. Carlisle believes the Allan Butcher coached side is now ripe and should be competitive enough.

“I think there should be no excuses. It has been almost six years since this team has been together and most of the guys in the squad have been around for a long time,” said Carlisle. “A few years ago we’d say the guys are young and inexperienced, but the same can’t be said now. We should start getting good results.”

Carlisle played 111 One-Day-Internationals for Zimbabwe and is one of the 15 players who quit international cricket after a dispute with the administrators in 2004. The exodus by the experienced players left the administrators with little option, but to throw the inexperienced players into the deep end. Some of the players who include Prosper Utseya, Tatenda Taibu, Elton Chigumbura and Brendan Taylor have formed the core of the team since the departure of the “rebels”.

He said that the team’s spin department will be key to the success at the World Cup because of the nature of Asian pitches which relatively turn a lot. In the last few years, Zimbabwe has been involved in many tours in the sub-continent, particularly against Bangladesh. Carlisle said: “We have very impressive spinners and that will be key at this world Cup because it’s in Asia. It should work to our advantage that we have Raymond Price and Prosper in the team as well as the other guys that travelled. It will depend on the tactics that they will employ that side but it will be quite an interesting World Cup because no one is really standing out at the moment. Everyone has a good chance.”

The former opening batsman impressed upon Zimbabwe to win their matches against the associate members, namely Kenya and Canada, and hope to upset one of the full member nations. He lamented the inconsistency in the batting department and the absence of bowlers who can apply early pressure and take wickets. His former team-mate in the national team Dirk Viljoen echoed the same sentiments, but expressed optimism that under fire captain and frontline bowler Chigumbura will regain his form at tournament.

“Maybe his three wickets against Netherlands are a sign of good things to come, his performance will be key to our ambitions,” said Viljoen. The former all-rounder, who was part of the Zimbabwe team that sprung a few surprises to storm into the Super-Sixes at the 1999 World Cup in England, said that Chigumbura was working on his technique with batting coach Grant Flower. Like Carlisle, Viljoen said that the sub-continent conditions favoured Zimbabwe more than any of their pool opponents.

“A lot of countries generally struggle in the sub-continent. Recently both Australia and New Zealand struggled there so this sort of gives us an edge. We have a strong spin department and they (Zimbabwe) will find Asian conditions favourable. These are exciting times for Zimbabwe. I think we have a good chance of progressing out from our pool.

“Brendan Taylor holds the key as he has been our best batsman in the past year and it’s good that he is getting the runs in the warm-up matches. That will keep his confidence high going into the opening match against Australia,” added Viljoen. He said the senior guys in the team will have to stand out and be consistent if the team is to progress past the first stage. Former captain Taibu is one of the players that have been performing well for the team as has been Craig Ervine in the middle order of late. The batsmen have been working with Brian Lara at the ICC High Performance Centre in Dubai looking to improve on their technique.

XI Reasons why Pakistan will win the World Cup

Beware the carefree man who suddenly decides to become preoccupied. For most of his career, Shahid Afridi has played with such daredevil abandon that Pakistan supporters often wondered whose side he was on. Now he cuts a determined leonine figure, hungrily eyeing prey as he prowls open grasslands. You can see the single-mindedness written all over his face. In the twilight of his career, he can see the greatest of prizes on the horizon, and all he has to do is outrun the competition. He is going to drain every ounce to get it done.

Stars are lined up for an Asian team that is not the host

We often think of Australia as the dominant force of recent World Cup history, but Asian teams haven't been far behind. In fact, there has been an Asian team in each World Cup final since 1992, which augurs well for an Asian team making it to the last two in 2011 as well. Add to this the well known World Cup adage that the host side never wins, and you can see that Pakistan - the only Asian team that happens not to be the host - is comfortably placed to come out on top.

Honesty of effort is guaranteed

Thankfully, the spot-fixers have now been tarred and feathered. This landmark development will surely motivate the remaining cricketers to play to the best of their potential. Cleared of distractions that have been diluting their efforts, a more linear relationship between Pakistan's talent and output can be expected to emerge. Everybody better watch out.

Their momentum is surging

By November last year, Pakistan had the poorest ODI record of any team in 2010, worse even than Zimbabwe. Yet they started to pick themselves up bit by bit, and now enter the World Cup with a win-loss ratio that places them ahead of West Indies, New Zealand, Bangladesh, and Zimbabwe. Extrapolated over the next few weeks, this steady trajectory is headed straight to the top of the heap.

They know how to hold their nerve

Knockout matches in the World Cup can easily become a high-stakes quicksand heading into the final overs, when panic can unravel the best talent and preparation. Pakistanis are famous for squandering and surrendering, but they also know how to handle themselves in a close finish. Of the eighteen matches in ODI history decided by 1 wicket with 1 ball or less to spare, Pakistan has been the winner in six, more often than any other team. Pakistani supporters will be loath to agree, but statistics show that tense endings can bring the best out of Pakistan.

They fire best when cornered

We all know the "cornered tigers" story - Imran Khan's stirring exhortation that transformed his scattered 1992 side into champions. There's a good reason it has become folklore - it's utterly true. Squeeze them into a corner and push them against the wall, and Pakistan will explode with the force of a nuclear warhead. Circumstances have lately been pushing and squeezing Pakistan badly - a forfeited Test, doping scandals, an inexplicably dead coach, the stigma of insecurity, and a terrorist attack. The spot-fixing catastrophe may well prove to be the final trigger.

The 2011 format favours a mercurial outfit

After the disaster of the 2007 World Cup, when crowd-pullers India and Pakistan made preliminary exits, the ICC came up with a new formula for 2011, in which wins against unranked teams guarantee a quarter-final spot. After that, it's a rapid-fire shootout and three wins gets you the cup. This creates a truly open field in which Pakistan's unpredictability is a potential advantage.

Their talent is deceptive and disarming

Pakistani players are recognized for world-class talent, but they often apply it haphazardly, getting out to senseless shots and suicidal run outs, and undermining clever bowling by needless wides, no-balls, dropped catches, and erratic ground fielding. The overall effect is to appear attractive but not threatening, like a beautiful cat striking a languid pose. Sharp claws lurk beneath the surface, but you just don't see them and it can trick you into dropping your guard.

They have a seasoned brain trust

Imagine a Pakistan team meeting, and it immediately inspires confidence. Captain Afridi is at the head of the table, vice-captain Misbah is next to him, and Younis Khan, Abdul Razzaq and Shoaib Akhtar occupy the other senior spots. When tactics are discussed, wisdom and experience flows. There are over a thousand ODIs between them, and invaluable know-how from numerous high-stakes encounters, including a successful World Twenty20 title fight. If and when it hits the fan, these are the guys you want in charge.

What doesn't kill you makes you stronger

It's one of Friedrich Nietzsche's most memorable quotes, and it applies unambiguously to Pakistan, a team that has been through hardships of all kinds. Any one of these blows could have proved lethal, but it didn't. Not only has the Pakistan team lived to tell the tale, it has managed to accumulate the skills for handling adversity that no other team possesses.

They have a date with fate

Pakistan is a team that has been slapped, beaten, shamed, and kicked about. Murphy's Law states that if anything can go wrong, it will, and for Pakistan this has proven to be a resounding truth. So much has gone wrong for them, in fact, that they are finally due for some much-needed relief. No season lasts forever, it is darkest before the dawn, and nature loves a balance. In short, several pieces of time-honoured wisdom point to Pakistan finally catching a break. 

Pakistan is the most dangerous team, claims Afridi

DHAKA: Pakistan’s One Day International captain, Shahid Khan Afridi, started a psychological campaign against the teams participating in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 on Saturday claiming Pakistan is the most dangerous team in the competition.

Afridi upbeat on his team's World Cup chances. Courtesy: Getty Images

Addressing a press conference after landing in Bangladesh city of Mirpur, Boom Boom Afridi said, “We all know how important the competition is for my country. This is a message for the other teams: No one can underestimate us. And when I said dangerous, [I meant] don’t underestimate the Pakistan team. We are with a very good bunch of youngsters and experienced players. It is good to see Kamran Akmal back in the team, Misbah-ul-Haq too is in good form and so is Younus Khan. We also have two genuine spinners and a fast bowler like Shoaib Akhtar.”

Pakistan Captain's Press Conference. Courtesy: Getty Images

Admitting to have been disturbed by a spate of controversies in the recent past, Afridi said, “I think we’re really going through a very tough situation. But I am very happy because we are trying to rebuild the team and keep the morale high. I am confident the team is in very good shape now. We all know how important the World Cup is for us and for our country. The message for other teams is that no one should underestimate us.”

Pakistan are placed in Group A with Australia, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Kenya, and Canada and will play two warm-up matches, one against Bangladesh on Feb 15 and the other against England on Feb 18 both in Dhaka.

Afridi and his men train hard ahead of World Cup. Courtesy: Reuters

The Afridi-led Pakistan will kick-start their World Cup campaign with a match against Kenya in the Sri Lankan town of Hambantota on February 23.

Pakistan’s media has recently been reporting news of rifts in the team but Boom Boom Afridi dispelled all the reports saying, “They feel hungry to win a big event and want to play good cricket and the recent wins in New Zealand had bolstered the team’s morale.”

2011 ICC World Cup - Pakistan Captain's Press Conference. Courtesy: Getty Images

“Fans would see a vastly improved Pakistan in the World Cup. Inshallah (God willing), we will achieve our goal,” Afridi said.

Afridi also put his hand right on the pulse of the cricket-mad Indo-Pak fans when he said he wanted to see Pakistan and India playing in the final of the world cup at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai on April 2.

The ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 on BBC Radio 5 Live

After bringing you coverage of England's historic Ashes victory in Australia, BBC Radio will have uninterrupted commentary of the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup.

There will be twenty-five ball-by-ball commentaries on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra starting with the opening game of the tournament between co-hosts Bangladesh and India on Saturday the 19 February. Commentary will follow on all of England's group matches plus the cream of the other fixtures including all the games from the quarter final stage onwards.

Jonathan Agnew leads the BBC commentary team which will also includes the man who captained England in the last World Cup, Michael Vaughan, plus World Cup winners Sunil Gavaskar and Rameez Raja.

They will be joined by Test Match Special favourites Geoff Boycott, Christopher Martin Jenkins, Ian Chappell and Vic Marks with contributions from the analyst Simon Hughes.

BBC Radio 5 Live will also have extensive coverage of the tournament with regular updates and features from the event with Mark Pougatch, Alison Mitchell, Rahul Tandon and Adil Ray among the team. Phil Tufnell will also return with some World Cup Specials starting on Thursday 24 February at 8.00pm.

There will also be nightly highlights on BBC Television and a wealth of coverage at bbc.co.uk/cricket.

Pietersen: England will be ready for Cricket World Cup

Fresh from the recent Ashes triumph, Kevin Pietersen is now looking at victory in the ICC Cricket World Cup as the perfect way to cap off a remarkable year for English cricket. The impressive year began with victory in the ICC World Twenty20 in May, where England defeated Australia by seven wickets and Pietersen was named player of the tournament.

England then went on to earn Test series wins against Pakistan and Bangladesh in the summer before claiming a resounding 3-1 series win against Australia in which they retained the Ashes.

England head into the World Cup, which is being jointly held by India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, on the back of a disappointing one-day series against Australia which they lost 6-1, but Pietersen believes they will be back on track in time for the World Cup.

"We're going to a World Cup and World Cups are incredibile events. We've had an incredible 12 months and winning would cap off the most remarkable 12 months in English cricket history," said the 30-year-old.

ICC CWC Warm-Up Preview: IND vs AUS

ESPNSTAR.com brings to you the preview of the India-Australia warm-up as ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 finally begins. It’s show time folks!

Before you go on to read our preview, here is where you get to know all you want about the Teams, Star Players , Captains, Statistics, Factoids, History, Venues and of course the Fixtures of the ICC Cricket World Cup.

Uneasy lies the head that wears the crown. And if you are Ricky Ponting – the phrase just gains that much more gravitas for the skipper of the team which has won and retained the crown of ICC World Cup Champions from the past three Cricket World Cups.

So don’t be surprised if the ball gets rolling from Sunday’s warm-up game itself at Bengaluru as defending champions Australia are up against none other than hot favourites India in a game which may not be remembered just for a few practice hits.

For starters, Ponting will be back in action for the first time after exacerbating a finger injury that he received during the Ashes series Down Under and he has already made his intention clear about playing in the two warm-up games. Injuries have troubled his side with Mike Hussey ruled out of the tournament with a hamstring injury and Nathan Hauritz suffering from a shoulder strain.

The stakes won’t be any lower for Ponting’s counterpart, Team India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni, for he carries the burden of expectations of a billion people. He may eulogize it by calling it an “added-responsibility” but the Indian skipper is well aware that one bad game at the start will lead the nation's fickle fans to turn the heat on him. Add to it the last minute exit of Praveen Kumar and one realizes that MS Dhoni has some issues to address. 

But these games have not been given international status by the ICC and this will allow teams to try out various combinations and get the fine-tuning done. In Sunday’s game batsmen have the option of declaring and teams can shuffle the playing eleven from the fifteen.

A close look at the Aussie squad for the ICC Cricket World Cup and one would assume that Ponting and Co. know the pitfalls of picking only one spinner on the turning tracks of the Indian sub-continent. 

The Men in Blue on other hand have three spinners in their armoury with Turbanator Harbhajan Singh leading the attack. On the contrary, just-fit-in-time Brett Lee will carry the bulk of Australia’s largely pace laden attack. 

Bengaluru might not provide Indian spinners the vicious turn that would worry the Kangaroos, but considering the nature and history of the Chinnaswamy stadium, scoring will not be that easy with the ball holding up after pitching.

Named after a former BCCI president, M Chinnaswamy Stadium has been a happy hunting ground for the Indians, especially during World Cups in the past. The last India match it hosted during a Cricket World Cup was a quarter-final battle between the hosts and Pakistan in 1996. India emerged victorious in a classic that remains fresh in public memory.

India go into this tournament with their tail up. The presence of Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag at the top, Yuvraj Singh, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Yusuf Pathan in the middle would give any opposition some sleepless nights. 

Australia on the other hand will carry huge confidence from their 6-1 win over a strong unit like England and will have a point to prove as well. Punter has expressed confidence in his team’s ability to win on any soil. 

"I don't really care where we start the tournament. It's irrelevant. I think going into the last Cricket World Cup there was negativity around us. We lost the Commonwealth Bank series and lost to New Zealand. So there were a few doubts around our team but we went there [West Indies] and won the World Cup. I don't think it really matters too much what's happening in the lead-up.

"I don't care who the favourite is. I don't know whether there is such a thing around in tournament like this,” Ponting claimed on Friday.

Whether there are any tournament favorites or not - the Sunday game will serve as a useful form-guide. Bring it on guys, let the games begin!

Consistency key to Aussies' 4th consecutive World Cup quest: Clarke

BANGALORE: Their confidence sky high after drubbing England, Australian vice-captain Michael Clarke said consistency would be the key when his team begins chasing a record fourth consecutive World Cup starting February 19.

Clarke, who returned to form in the seven-match one-day series against England after a disappointing Ashes campaign, said to win ICC's showpiece event, Australia need to play as a unit.

"Our ODI form has been pretty consistent over the last 12 months. We have really played some pretty good cricket and it was great to win the ODI series against England. We can take a lot of confidence out of that especially after the tough start to the summer we had," Clarke said during an open media session.

"Our team is a lot different to what was there in 2007 but the guys are playing some good one-day cricket off late and we are confident that if we can continue to play the way we did throughout the summer, we can have a really good crack in this tournament," he said.

"We have got very good individual players in our side. We have got lot of talent in our side but to win the World Cup the team must play together. It's not individual brilliance, it's about the team performing consistently throughout the tournament.

"To win such a tournament you have to be at your best all throughout and it will decide the winner of this World Cup," the 29-year-old right-hander added.

Conceding that conditions will favour slower bowlers in the World Cup, Clarke said Australia has a fair amount of experience of playing in the sub-continent.

"I think the wickets are going to be pretty slow, similar to what was there in the West Indies. One good thing is that we are playing this tournament in the sub-continent as many guys in our team are experienced of playing in these conditions because of IPL, Champions League Twenty20 and international duties," he said.

He also said that Australia has very good slow bowling options if not a quality attack and if required, he will chip in with his left-arm spinners.

"We have got a few good spinners in Jason Krejza, Steven Smith. Jason has had a lot of success in the sub-continent. But if I am required to bowl I will look forward to that. I enjoy bowling anywhere in the world especially in these conditions," Clarke said.

He also said that inspite of some injury setbacks - Mike Hussey and Nathan Hauritz - Australia came into the tournament with a well-balanced side.

"We have Cameron White, David Hussey and probably Steven Smith. They have shown that they have the power to clear the fences. With the fast outfield and good wickets chasing eight runs an over is quite gettable in the last 10 overs these days," Clarke said.

"I think we have a very good opening combination in (Shane) Watson and (Brad) Haddin because both can play positively and bat very well together. The combination has been successful for a while now," Clarke viewed.

"Our four fast bowlers will be important for us. Brett Lee has been a wonderful bowler and has been successful for Australia for a long time. So, his experience is going to be certainly needed in these conditions. John Hastings and Watson can provide that variation and change of pace in the middle overs. We tried to cover as many bases as possible," he added.

Clarke himself would be a key batsman for Australia against the spinners, which he thinks will rule the roost in the sub-continent pitches.

"Spinners will definitely play a big part in these conditions throughout the World Cup and it's important that I do play well against the spin bowling. I guess I have had some success against spin in the past. But it's important for all of us to adapt and adjust in different pitches and against different teams and bowlers. It's important to play well as a batting unit against spin bowling," he said.

He also refused to take the two warm-up games lightly and said Australia will go out there to win both the matches, the first of which is against India on Sunday.

"I think it's great to play as much cricket in these conditions before the first game in the tournament. We are playing two very good teams in India and South Africa and we want to win both the games. Every time we take the field we want to win," he insisted.

Meanwhile, David Hussey, who is a vital cog in Australia's ODI scheme of things, said the series against England has helped him gain in confidence.

"The one-day series against England is sort of a breakthrough series for me. I really enjoyed it. I had little bit of success but what was more satisfying that we won the series convincingly. I also enjoyed bowling in the ODI format," he said.

He also said he is under pressure to perform in the World Cup in the absence of his experienced brother Mike, who has been ruled out due to a hamstring injury.

"Every time you play for Australia there is lots of pressure involved and playing in the World is pressure intense. What I am looking forward to is not to disappoint Mike. He will be watching us play back from Perth and I am sure he will be supporting us," David said. 

ICC Cricket World Cup 2011: Players to watch out

From February 19, 2011, the ninth edition of the Cricket World Cup will officially get underway in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. Although as many as 14 teams and over 200 players will take part in the event, only a few are likely to stand out due to the presence of outstanding players in their ranks.

There is no doubt that in the last three World Cup tournaments, Australia has been a side better than the rest. A win in 2011 will be important to veterans Ricky Ponting and Brett Lee who have featured in three and two title triumphs respectively. Add the all-round Shane Watson at the top of the order, the dependable Michael Hussey (if he is fit) and Mitchell Johnson as the spearhead, and you get an instant recipe of another World Cup win. Quickie Shaun Tait took as many as 23 wickets in the Caribbean in 2007, and he will also try to demolish batting line ups in the subcontinent.

India and Pakistan failed to qualify for the second round of the last World Cup four years ago, yet they both have the firepower to qualify for the last four this time.

Sachin Tendulkar, who will become the second player after Javed Miandad to feature in six World Cup events, is in the form of his life. Playing in front of his home crowd will boost his performance and with Mahendra Singh Dhoni as captain and fellow swashbucklers Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh and Yusuf Pathan in the side, India will be a force to reckon with. The presence of Harbhajan Singh and Zaheer Khan will bolster their bowling attack, making them a threat if they stick to coach Gary Kirsten’s script.

On the other hand, Pakistan will have the services of veterans Shahid Afridi, Abdur Razzaq and Shoaib Akhtar who were part of the side that reached the final of the 1999 World Cup. The presence of Younis Khan and Misbah ul Haq will give batting the stability they need whereas Umar Akmal and Wahab Riaz will provide the exuberance needed from young blood.

Kumar Sangakkara and his Sri Lankan squad will be looking to give Muttiah Muralitharan the perfect farewell he deserves by winning the event, again. Most of the players were part of the last World Cup as well as the World Twenty20 final in 2007 and 2009 respectively.

In Sri Lankan conditions, Tillekeratne Dilshan and Mahela Jayawardene are the most difficult batsmen to dismiss, and same goes for spin twins Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis who can take wickets at will if the conditions suit them.

Bangladesh may never have reached the last four stage of the event yet they have defeated Pakistan (in 1999) and India (in 2007) to stake their claim as a force to reckon with in the mega event. They defeated New Zealand last year and had triumphed against West Indies before that, both under the leadership of Shakib Al Hasan who will bank on the explosive start provided by Tamim Iqbal and guile of his fellow spinners Abdur Razzak and Co.

England may have lost the one day series to Australia just before the mega event yet they are a force to reckon with in subcontinent conditions. They were the runners up in the 1987 event and would have been the eventual winners had skipper Mike Gatting not played that wretched reverse sweep that brought their downfall! With an able leader in Andrew Strauss, the English side is likely to pose a threat to Aussie domination. They have batsmen like Jonathan Trott, Kevin Pietersen and Eoin Morgan in their ranks whereas James Anderson’s pace as well as Graeme Swann (if fit) can destroy any team on its day.

The year 2010 belonged to South Africa’s Hashim Amla who scored at will in both Tests and ODIs. He will be the trump card for Graeme Smith in the mega event. Then there is AB De Villiers and Jacques Kallis, the top ranked batsmen in the world who will be their best bet to break the title jinx for good. Pacer Dale Steyn will also unleash his fearsome bowling while Pakistan-born Imran Tahir is also likely to create problems for batsmen with his untested leg-spin.

Although New Zealand have lost 17 of their last 20 matches, they have the likes of skipper Daniel Vettori, all-rounders James Franklin, Brendon McCullum, Scott Styris and Jacob Oram who can win matches on their own. Same goes for the West Indies who have Chris Gayle, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Dwayne Bravo, Kieron Pollard and captain Darren Sammy in their squad, each with a mission to win, and win at all cost.

Fielding will play a decisive role in the event as the best in the world from England’s Paul Collingwood and Graeme Swann, Pakistan’s Younis Khan and Shahid Afridi, Sri Lanka’s Mahela Jayawardene, India’s Yuvraj Singh and Australia’s Michael Clarke will spend 40 days in the subcontinent, helping their team become the world champions for the next four years!

Sri Lanka stroll to warm-up win

Sri Lanka delivered a firm statement of intent ahead of the World Cup as they coasted to a 156-run victory over the Netherlands in their opening warm-up match in Colombo.

Tillakaratne Dilshan, Thilan Samaraweera, Chamara Silva and Chamara Kapugedera all recorded half-centuries as the hosts racked up an aunting 351 for five at the Sinhalese Sports Club.

Bernard Loots and Ryan ten Doeschate came in for particular punishment as they conceded a total of 168 runs from their combined 18 overs.

The Netherlands fared little better with the bat and slumped to 37 for four in reply. Tom de Grooth salvaged some pride with a defiant 76, but his side failed to reach 200.

Elsewhere in the Sri Lankan capital, at the R Premadasa Stadium, Ramnaresh Sarwan scored a fluent century as West Indies recorded a comfortable 61-run win over Kenya.

Sarwan cracked 123 off 125 balls and received good support from Dwayne Bravo, who made 54, as the Windies posted 253 for eight.

Kenya’s reply started well, with Seren Waters and Collins Obuya hitting 43 and 68 respectively, but they were always struggling to keep up with the required run-rate.

A flurry of wickets saw them dismissed for 192 in the 46th over, with Andre Russell claiming 4-43 and Kemar Roach chipping in with 3-23.

South Africa made short work of Zimbabwe, winning by eight wickets with more than half their overs to spare in Chennai.

Morne Morkel and Imran Tahir shared six wickets as Elton Chigumbura’s men were restricted to 152.

The target was never likely to pose any problems for South Africa and they cruised home in 23.3 overs, with Hashim Amla, Graeme Smith and Jacques Kallis all passing 40.

The highest individual score of the day belonged to Martin Guptill, whose 130 off 134 balls paved the way for New Zealand's victory over Ireland in Nagpur.

Guptill's innings was the centrepiece of an imposing 311 for six, to which Ireland replied with a more than respectable 279.

Will Porterfield's 72 at the top of the order was the biggest contribution, while New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori finished with 4-42 from 10 overs.

Bangladesh wasted little time in completing a nine-wicket thrashing of Canada in Chittagong.

Captain Shakib Al Hasan led the way with excellent figures of 3-5 from 3.3 overs as Canada were dismissed for just 112.

Tamim Iqbal then displayed typical aggression in a 50-ball 69 as the underdogs’ paltry total was overhauled with more than 30 overs to spare.

ICC cricket World Cup 2011: Stuart Broad raring to go

ICC cricket World Cup 2011: Stuart Broad raring to go

English fans are in for a treat as their teams pace spear-head Stuart Broad has regained complete fitness before the start of the ICC World Cup, 2011. He suffered from abdominal injury in England’s Ashes tour back in December 2010 and has been out of action ever since.

The right-arm fast bowler affirmed, “I'm 100% fit now and excited about the chances of playing in a World Cup.”

Broady is an important member of the English side; he was sorely missed during England’s 6-1 loss to the Aussies in the recently concluded One Day International series.

The 6 ft 5 in player said, “It's been a while since I've been on a field. I've been in the gym and in the nets but I'm excited about that competitive edge you get on the pitch and excited about our chances as well.”

The 24-year-old speedster was one of many players who were injured during the lengthy tour of Australia. Other players who joined him in the injury list included: all-rounder Paul Collingwood, spinner Graeme Swann, middle order batsman Eoin Morgan, fast bowlers Ajmal Shahzad and Tim Bresnan.

Before the ODI series loss to Australia, the Poms were on a roll: they won five ODI series back-to-back and had been undefeated in the short format of the game since 2009. They also won the prestigious ICC World Twenty20 trophy in 2010.  

Broady believes his team is one of the best ODI sides with immense talent and experience in their line-up. He asserts that once the injured players make their way back to the team, their side will be tough to beat.

The 24-year-old cricketer made his one-day debut for England in August 2006 against Pakistan. He has featured in 73 ODI’s and has 124 wickets to his name at an average of 25.70; over the past months he has also emerged handy with the bat.

He is usually a very good bowler on bouncy pitches and will be tested on the slow Subcontinent pitches which have less bounce in them. He will have to use every trick in his arsenal if he wants to emerge successful in ICC’s signature tournament.

England has failed to reach the semi-final stage of the World Cup since 1992. Their chances have taken a blow with Eoin Morgan being ruled out of the mega event due to a broken finger. Morgan has been instrumental in his team’s victories over the last year; he averages 38.08 in ODIs and has an impressive average of 59.66 runs in games won by England.

England will be playing their first warm-up match for the premier tournament on 16 February, 2011.

Starting with a bang

 Three weeks back, this column had looked at team performances with bat and ball in the last ten overs of ODIs over the last two years. This time, the focus shifts to the first ten overs. It's potentially a period when the fate of a match could be decided: the mandatory field restrictions give the batsmen the license to attack almost recklessly, but at the same time it also gives the bowlers an opportunity to exploit this to their advantage. With most ODIs being played on flat tracks which offer little to fast bowlers, the opening slot has become the best position to bat in ODIs, and the first Powerplay gives the batting team the chance to take the initiative, and control the tempo of the rest of the innings.

The last couple of years have generally been a good time for opening batsmen in ODIs, but the batsman who has exploited these opportunities better than anyone else is South Africa's Hashim Amla. He has played 32 ODI innings during this period - each of them at the top of the order - and has been dismissed in the first ten overs only 11 times, a stat that is a good illustration of the excellent form he has been in a format that was supposed to be unsuitable for him. One of the best examples of his ability to utilise the first ten overs came in the match against Pakistan in Dubai last November: from 31 balls he scored 48 runs, with eight fours and a six. That's the most he has scored in the first ten, though he was also splendid against India in Durban on the way to a 36-ball 50, scoring 42 off 29 during the first Powerplay. Overall, he averages almost 71 runs per dismissal, at very nearly a run a ball, during the first ten overs. That's an outstanding combination of the ability to score quickly, and to do so over a long period of time in a manner that is relatively risk-free.

Virender Sehwag's methods are more audacious, which explains why he has been dismissed within the first ten overs 18 times in 31 innings. Sehwag falls cheaply more often, but he also more destructive, scoring at a run-rate of more than seven per over in the first ten. Twice within a week he has reached his half-century within the mandatory Powerplay: against New Zealand in Wellington en route to a 36-ball 54, and in Hamilton five days later when he made an unbeaten 125 off 74 balls.

Eight other batsmen have touched 50 within the first Powerplay, but only one has gone past 60, and gone past it by a significant margin: against England in Barbados, Gayle hammered 80 off 43 balls, of which 76 came in 41 during the first ten overs. Admittedly he took much of the strike during this period, but few other batsmen could have made it count like he did. The second-best in the first Powerplay is Tamim Iqbal's 58 off 39 against India in early 2010.

Best ODI batsmen in the first ten overs (Qual: 500 runs scored)

Batsman	Innings	Runs	Balls	Dismissals	Average	Runs per over	4s/ 6s	Ave x RR/6
Hashim Amla	32	780	795	11	70.90	5.88	110/ 5	69.48
Virender Sehwag	31	772	642	18	42.88	7.21	125/ 12	51.53
Tillakaratne Dilshan	41	1041	964	22	47.31	6.47	179/ 7	51.02
Chris Gayle	33	761	685	17	44.76	6.66	87/ 32	49.68
Shane Watson	51	1073	1238	21	51.09	5.20	141/ 15	44.28
Graeme Smith	29	585	689	13	45.00	5.09	79/ 4	38.18
Gautam Gambhir	35	577	632	14	41.21	5.47	75/ 2	37.57
Andrew Strauss	42	839	1044	18	46.61	4.82	116/ 8	37.44
Upul Tharanga	35	583	801	12	48.58	4.36	82/ 4	35.30
Martin Guptill	37	612	715	16	38.25	5.13	81/ 13	32.70

Among bowlers who've sent down at least 500 deliveries during the first Powerplay, Lonwabo Tsotsobe has the best economy rate, along with Mashrafe Mortaza of Bangladesh, though Mortaza's numbers are boosted by the number of matches he played against less than top-class opponents. Tsotsobe, though, did superbly against the Indians last season, though he too was helped by the fact that India were missing some of their top batsmen during the ODIs. Twice in that series - in Durban and Port Elizabeth - he bowled five overs in the first Powerplay and went at less than four runs per over.

One of the best performances - in terms of economy rates - by a bowlers in a Powerplay overs came from Abdul Razzaq against New Zealand less than two weeks ago, when he gave away a mere 13 runs in five overs and picked up a wicket too. He finished with figures of 1 for 16 from seven, and helped Pakistan to a comfortable win.

Best ODI bowlers in the first ten overs since Jan 2009 (Qual: 500 balls bowled)

Bowler	Innings	Balls	Wickets	Average	Econ rate	Ave x ER/6
Lonwabo Tsotsobe	19	516	14	24.78	4.03	16.64
Mashrafe Mortaza	21	528	13	27.30	4.03	18.34
Nuwan Kulasekara	41	1164	31	27.38	4.37	19.94
Doug Bollinger	31	677	20	26.15	4.63	20.18
Thilan Thushara	22	522	15	27.93	4.81	22.39
Praveen Kumar	32	870	19	34.47	4.51	25.91
James Anderson	36	912	19	35.89	4.48	26.80
Kyle Mills	38	1032	23	34.82	4.65	26.99
Mitchell Johnson	43	618	14	34.78	4.72	27.36
Ashish Nehra	43	929	24	33.66	5.21	29.23

And now for the team analyses, which tells the team which best utilises the overs at the start with both bat and ball. South Africa and Sri Lanka are the ones who seem to do this better than any other side. South Africa's brilliance with the bat - thanks largely to Amla - is also complemented with their strong bowling performances, as both Tsotsobe and Dale Steyn concede less than 4.40 runs per over in the first Powerplay (though Steyn only averages 46 runs per wicket compared to Tsotsobe's 24.78). The net result is that South Africa usually manage to get an edge over their opponents during the early stages of the game with both bat and ball.

Sri Lanka do superbly too, thanks to the excellent opening combination of Tillakaratne Dilshan and Upul Tharanga, who average 51.20 for the first wicket with five century and as many half-century partnerships in 25 innings.

Australia and England are the two other sides who have begun pretty well, but India's bowling pulls down their strong batting stats. Their batting run-rate of 5.41 runs per over compares favourably with the rest of the teams, but with the ball they've been unable to stem the flow of runs in the early overs, going at 5.37 runs per over. With Praveen Kumar ruled out of the competition, the onus for India will be on Zaheer Khan and Sreesanth.

Teams with bat and ball in first ten overs of ODIs since Jan 2009

Team	Bat ave	Run rate	Bowl ave	Econ rate	Ave diff	ER diff
South Africa	56.42	5.49	35.98	4.70	20.44	0.79
Sri Lanka	43.95	5.68	30.08	4.93	13.87	0.75
Australia	39.54	4.73	30.50	4.67	9.04	0.06
Bangladesh	33.56	4.81	28.74	4.93	4.82	-0.12
England	41.66	5.07	38.32	4.91	3.34	0.16
New Zealand	30.10	4.95	34.50	4.85	-4.40	0.10
India	36.94	5.41	43.11	5.37	-6.17	0.04
West Indies	31.17	4.77	42.63	5.07	-11.46	-0.30
Zimbabwe	27.04	4.39	42.46	4.99	-15.42	-0.60
Pakistan	28.93	4.19	46.51	5.30	-17.58	-1.11

The table below lists the eam-wise stats for the opening combinations of each side. Sri Lanka and South Africa are clearly way ahead, thanks to the Dilshan-Tharanga and Amla-Grame Smith combinations. Over the next month and more, these pairs and many others will get opportunities to make a name for themselves in the 2011 World Cup. (Click here for the full list of opening pairs in the first Powerplay in ODIs since January 2009.)

Team-wise opening partnership stats in ODIs since Jan 2009

Team	Innings	Runs	Ave stand	Run rate	50/ 100 p'ships
Sri Lanka	51	2633	51.62	6.21	8/ 14
South Africa	40	1656	42.46	5.70	3/ 11
England	46	1800	39.13	5.41	4/ 9
India	60	2189	37.10	5.78	3/ 13
Australia	71	2630	37.04	5.02	7/ 14
Pakistan	44	1425	33.13	4.67	2/ 10
New Zealand	48	1558	32.45	5.71	3/ 10
West Indies	41	1174	30.10	5.19	1/ 7
Zimbabwe	47	1402	29.82	4.53	4/ 7
Bangladesh	47	1367	29.71	5.25	1/ 7

S Rajesh is stats editor of Cricinfo

Feeds: S Rajesh

© ESPN EMEA Ltd.

Canada look to capitalise on Sri Lanka Cricket's blunders

February 12, 2011 (Island Cricket): Canadian captain Ashish Bagai hopes to cause an upset at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 by defeating Sri Lanka in their opening match on February 20 in Hambantota. Bagai said the clash against co-hosts Sri Lanka will be a tough one but felt the untested venue in Hambantota evened the playing field.

“We play Sri Lanka in Hambantota, which is a new venue. I think even they don't know what to expect,” Bagai told reporters during a press conference at Dhaka's Sheraton Hotel on Thursday.

Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) failed to meet the International Cricket Council’s deadline for completion of their three World Cup venues, which has resulted in the home-side missing out on the invaluable opportunity to get accustomed to new venues in Hambantota and Pallekele and the renovated R. Premadasa stadium in Colombo.

“We would have loved to have gone there a month in advance, set our camps and maybe play a bit of provincial cricket there and some of the club games at those venues,” Kumar Sangakkara said last week ruing the missed opportunity, while speaking to reporters from Colombo.

“It would have been great for other players and the World Cup squad to experience those venues and match conditions, but things are what they are. So, we accepted the fact that we will have to go in and play World Cup matches on those grounds, without knowing the conditions too much,” the Sri Lankan captain conceded.

Sangakkara’s men were further deprived when their warm-up game against Netherlands in Pallekele was moved to Colombo as a result of heavy rains in the Kandy region. The home-team has been unable to train at any of the World Cup venues leading up to the tournament.

The Indian-born Canadian captain, however, conceded that minnows Canada will have their work cut out.

“But it's going to be tough. We get there [Hambantota] days before. Hopefully, we will get used to the conditions. The team is prepared to play them mentally.

“Lasith [Malinga] and [Muttiah] Muralitharan are obviously the main threats to our batting. But I still think we have a good chance,” Bagai added.

Meanwhile, legendary off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan, who will be playing in his final World Cup, told reporters in Colombo this week that he, was wary of the lesser known teams in the competition.

“Australia, New Zealand and Pakistan, we know these teams. [We know] who the players are and their form. But we don't know about Kenya, Canada and Zimbabwe and they can cause a surprise,” Muralitharan said.

“We can't call these smaller teams ‘minnows’ anymore because they have surprised stronger teams in the past.”

Firms unleash sales blitzkrieg to cash in on World Cup

As the nation prepares to soak itself in the colours of cricket, brand marketers are leaving no stone unturned to leverage the opportunities provided by the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011.

This sporting extravaganza returns to the subcontinent after 15 years and is much more than just a battle on the 22-yard pitch.

Starting February 19, cricket enthusiasts will have a plethora of special offers, consumer packs, cricket-themed games and events to choose from, as companies step on the gas to promote themselves on the World Cup platform.

KFC, the official restaurant partner of the Cup, will launch a special edition 'Fan Bucket' during the tournament, which will be available in 108 KFC outlets across India, from February 19 to April 2. During the offer period, customers will be able to order an eight-piece Hot & Crispy or Original Recipe Fan Bucket and get two complimentary PET bottles of Pepsi.

Dhruv Kaul, director of marketing, KFC, India, says, "KFC is a youth brand and cricket is a great platform for us to connect with our target audience."

Shoppers Stop operated hypermarket chain, HyperCITY, will turn into a cricket fair, with a range of shirts, signature bats, PU balls, graphic tees and Team India t-shirts on display. The stores will be converted into play zones with World Cup themed games for the people to participate in. With 'Master Blaster Balance ? Boost', you've to keep the ball airborne while you dribble it on the bat.

Pepsi's 'Photocrazy' combines the fun of cricket and photography. Other games like 'The Speed Shield ? Lifebuoy', 'Axe Googly ? Axe', and 'Smooth Drive ? PS3 Gaming' can be enjoyed as well.

German toy manufacturer Simba Toys has entered into an alliance with the ICC to manufacture and merchandise 'Stumpy', the official mascot of the World Cup, in India. Stumpy is available in various sizes across toy stores in the country. Pradeep Parmar, business head, Simba Toys India says, "Stumpy was conceptualised by ICC and was given to us in 2D, which was then brought to life by transforming it into a 3D soft toy mascot. During the World Cup, we hope to build a connect with the kids."

Jump Games, the mobile gaming division of ADAG and the official partner of ICC for mobile gaming, has released 'ICC World Cup 2011 Games'.

The games will be launched across cricket playing nations and in countries with a substantial Indian population. Zapak, owned by Reliance Entertainment, is also set to launch the official PC version of the Cup's game, titled 'Cricket Power'.

While 92.7 BIG FM, the official radio partner for the World Cup, plans to entertain its listeners with an

innovative campaign 'Bollywood Meets Cricket' that offers them a chance to be part of their favourite Bollywood superstars team, ice-cream chain Baskin-Robbins is offering special packs to its customers to indulge in, while they watch their favourite teams battle it out on the field.

Sangakkara in the nets

Kumar Sangakkara looks through the nets during a ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 training session at the Sinhalese Sports Club (SSC) ground in Colombo on February 11, 2011. AFP PHOTO/Ishara S. KODIKARA.

In pictures: Sri Lanka v Netherlands - ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 Warm-up match

ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 warm-up match between Sri Lanka and Netherlands played at the Sinhalese Sports Club grounds in Colombo on February 12, 2011.

Berend Westdijk bowls to Tillakaratne Dilshan. Westdijk’s three-over spell cost 26 runs as Dilshan blazed away to a run-a-ball 78. AFP PHOTO/Ishara S. KODIKARA.

Dilshan's opening partner Upul Tharanga joins in on the action. Tharanga scored a quick-fire 48. The pair raised 100 runs in just 14 overs for the first wicket. AFP PHOTO/Ishara S. KODIKARA.

Dilshan plays the shot named after him - The Dilscoop, as Netherlands' wicket-keeper Wesley Barresi looks on. Dilshan's half century came in just 42 balls. AFP PHOTO/Ishara S. KODIKARA.

Thilan Samaraweera glides one away to third-man on his way to an aggressive half-century. Samaraweera retired after scoring 60 off 59 balls, allowing others in the Sri Lankan line-up to get a hit. AFP PHOTO/Ishara S. KODIKARA.

Chamara Silva is bowled by Mudassar Bukhari but not before the middle-order batsman devastated the oppostion with 54 runs off 33 balls. At the fall of Silva's wicket in the 47th over, Sri Lanka were 321/5. AFP PHOTO/Ishara S. KODIKARA.

Thisara Perera dismisses Tom Cooper, caught behind by Kumar Sangakkara. Perera finished with 2/16 in six overs. AFP PHOTO/Ishara S. KODIKARA.

Sri Lankan players congratulate Dilhara Fernando after he dismissed Eric Szwarczynski, LBW, for a first-ball duck. AFP PHOTO/Ishara S. KODIKARA.

Ajantha Mendis in action. Mendis finished with 1/40 in his eight-over spell. AFP PHOTO/Ishara S. KODIKARA.

ICC World Cup 2011: India vs Australia warm-up match

IN THE sixth warm-up match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, two of the strongest teams India and Australia will take each other at M Chinnaswamy Stadium, Bangalore on Sunday, February 13.
In the last ODI series between India and Australia in October 2010, India won the series of three ODIs by 1-0. Two matches in Kochi and Margao were abandoned without a ball bowled due to bad weather. India had won the Visakhapatnam ODI by five wickets.
Team India, which is being considered as one of the strongest contenders of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, lost ODI series against South Africa by 3-2 in January this year. Three key players of the country, Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir missed that series due to injuries.
Defending champion Australia have reached India to take part in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 with a morale boosting 6-1 victory over England this year. However, prior to the World Cup Australians faced a big blow in the form of Michael Hussey, who along with spinner Nathan Hauritz has been ruled out of the ICC Cricket World Cup due to injury.
Captain Pointing, who missed just concluded ODI series against England due to injury, would be desperate to get some runs under his belt. All-rounder Shane Watson is one of the biggest weapons of Australia from the last couple of years. He is performing equally well with both bat and ball.
Australia has won three world cups in a row from 1999 to 2007. Since 1987 Cricket World Cup, Australia has every time reached in the final of this mega cricket show except 1992 Cricket World Cup and won four times. In 1996, Australians lost to Sri Lanka in the final.
India and Australia warm-up match on February 13 in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 will start from 02:30 PM IST and will be telecast live on Star Cricket, ESPN, Star Sports.

Cricket World Cup 2011 Forecast

Cricket world cup 2011 begins from 19^th February 2011, as such its very big event in cricket world every eyes searching for what will happen. This will be the high scoring world cup and Rudr feels that 26^th February to 4^th March, 11^th and 12^th March, 17^th to 20^th March is the dates on which upsets are likely, so this will be the time to watch out.

The forecasting of Cricket Match is depend upon the final playing eleven says Rudr, but primary calculations for cricket world cup 2011 as per schedule and most likely final eleven here is the predictions for cricket world cup 2011. In this cricket world cup 2011 the teams India, Australia, Sri Lanka and South Africa may be the semifinalist team. Rudr further says that England has good chance for Semi Finalist in this cricket world cup but the dates of their schedule is not much batter supportive for them, hard luck for the team. But still good sings are their and so hope. Pakistan, New Zealand is the teams which clears the first round for Quarter Final Match in this cricket world cup. Rudr feels that Bangladesh may enter the club of Quarter Finalist, their signs are much positive. If Bangladesh perform properly on ground and choose final eleven properly than the team will be in Quarter Final of 2011 Cricket World Cup. West Indies has not much better supportive sign so the team might not be clear the first round or they have to do lots of hard work for that.

Rudr is giving StarPower out of 10 to the teams for Cricket World Cup 2011

India Cricket Team StarPower 9.0

Australia Cricket Team StarPower 9.0

South Africa Cricket Team StarPower 8.5

Sri Lanka Cricket Team StarPower 8.5

England Cricket Team StarPower 8.0

Pakistan Cricket Team StarPower 7.0

New Zeland Cricket Team StarPower 6.5

Bangladesh Cricket Team StarPower 6.0

West Indies Cricket Team StarPower 6.0

The Thrill Of ICC Cricket World Cup Warm Up Matches From 12 Feb

Cricket World Cup will begin on 19 February in the Indian subcontinent, but before February 12 to participate in this mega-event in the warm-up matches’ start between the 14 teams.

Many of the warm-up games, such as fierce competition in large groups also could not leave the excitement of World Cup matches. It does not matter if these matches, but these teams match fitness and form a platform for players to be assessed.

Warm-Up Matches

February 12:

Kenya vs West Indies

Bangladesh vs Canada

Ireland vs New Zealand

South Africa vs Zimbabwe

Sri Lanka vs Holland

February 13:

India vs Australia

February 15:

Ireland vs Zimbabwe

Bangladesh vs Pakistan

Africa vs. Australia

Kenya vs Netherlands

Sri Lanka vs West Indies

February 16:

Canada vs. England

India vs New Zealand

February 18:

England vs Pakistan

भारत पर डिपेंड रहेगा क्रिकेट मार्केट

जयपुर। दस दिन बाद शुरू होने जा रहे क्रिकेट महाकुंभ को भी टीवी चैनल टीआरपी बनाने के चांस के रूप में ले रहे हैं। इस बार टीम इंडिया को मार्केटिंग के लिहाज से फायदे का सौदा माना जा रहा है।
जानकारों के मुताबिक विश्वकप का मार्केट भारत और पाकिस्तान की टीमों पर ज्यादा निर्भर होगा। इसके पीछे जानकार कारण बताते हैं कि इस उपमहाद्वीप में क्रिकेट के प्रति दीवानगी सिर चढ़कर बोलती है। ऎसे में वर्ल्ड कप के जरिए टीआरपी में इजाफा भारतीय उपमहाद्वीप के दर्शकों पर डिपेंड है। यही वजह है कि मैच के प्रसारण अधिकार खरीदने को चैनल उतावले रहेते हैं और विज्ञापन कंपनियां पैसा लुटाने से नहीं हिचकती।
मार्केटिंग गुरू हरीश बिजूर का कहना है कि अगर भारत और पाकिस्तान के बीच ज्यादा मैच होते हैं तो यह टूर्नामेंटि मार्केटिंग के लिहाज से सफल होगा। अगर दोनों देशों की टीमें जल्द ही वर्ल्ड कप से बाहर हो गई तो मार्केट के लिए यह अच्छा नहीं होगा। क्योंकि विज्ञापन एजेंसियों की नजर इन दोनों टीमों पर है।
हालांकि भारत और पाकिस्तान के बीच ज्यादा मैच होने मुश्किल हैं क्योंकि दोनों को अलग-अलग ग्रुप में रखा गया है। दोनों टीमों का आमना सामना क्वार्टरफाइनल में ही होगी।
हरीश मानते हैं कि 2011 का वर्ल्ड कप एक तरह से वन डे क्रिकेट का रेफरेंडम होगा। उनका कहना है कि विज्ञापन से होने वाली कमाई भरोसेमंद दर्शकों पर निर्भर करती है। अगर खेल उनको भावनात्मक रूप से जोड़ता है तो वे इसे जरूर देखेंगे।
कमर्शियल हब है भारतीय उपमहाद्वीप
क्रिकेट विश्वकप और भारतीय उपमहाद्वीप अपने आप में ही ऎसा विचार है जिसे बेचा जा सकता है। अब यह कोई रहस्य नहीं रहा है कि भारतीय उपमहाद्वीप ही ग्लोबल क्रिकेट फाइनेंस को सहारा दे रहा है। ऎसे में भारतीय उपमहाद्वीप अपने आप में कमर्शियल हब बन चुका है। इसी को ध्यान में रखते हुए ईएसपीएन ने विश्वकप के प्रसारण अधिकार एक बिलियन डॉलर में खरीदे हैं।
दर्शकों के भरोसे लगाया पैसा
प्रसारण अधिकारों के लिए इतनी बड़ी राशि खर्च करने की बड़ी वजह यहां के दर्शक हैं। अकेले भारत में ही करीब 726 मिलियन दर्शक हैं। अगर पूरी दुनिया के दर्शकों को जोड़ा जाए तब भारत के दर्शकों के बराबर संख्या होगी।
ऎसे चलता है क्रिकेट का मार्केट
आईसीसी प्रसारण अधिकार बेचती है
प्रसारण कंपनियां विज्ञापन के जरिए कमाई करती हैं
विज्ञापन कंपनियां टीमों से भी प्रचार करवाती हैं
टीमें विज्ञान का प्रचार करती हैं, मसलन खिलाडियों की पोशाकों पर प्रचार
स्थानीय क्रिकेट बोर्ड जो स्टेडियम में जगह बेचती हैं
950 करोड़ की कमाई का अनुमान
ऎसे लाखों क्रिकेट प्रशंसक हैं जो स्टेडियम में मैच देखने नहीं जाते वे टेलीविजन पर मैच देखना पसंद करते हैं। प्रसारण कंपनियों का मुनाफा इसी वर्ग पर निर्भर है। बाजार विश्लेषकों का दावा है कि विज्ञापन से करीब 950 करोड़ रूपए की कमाई का अनुमान लगाया गया है।

वर्ल्डकप के पांच बड़े विवाद

जयपुर। कहते हैं कि अच्छे पल हमेशा गुदगुदातें है जबकि भूलें हमेशा गलती का अहसास कराती हैं। क्रिकेट विश्वकप के इतिहास में भी कई ऎसे मौके आए जब खिलाड़ी अपना आप खो बैठे और कुछ ऎसा कर बैठे जो शायद उन्हें नहीं करना चाहिए था। ऎसे ही कुछ घटनाओं का हम यहां जिक्र कर रहे हैं।

ड्रग टेस्ट में फेल होने पर वॉर्न बाहर

ऑस्ट्रेलिया के गेंदबाज शेन वॉर्न को 2003 के वर्ल्ड कप से बाहर कर दिया गया। वॉर्न को वर्ल्ड कप शुरू होने से ठीक पहले बाहर का रास्ता दिखाया गया था। ऑस्ट्रेलिया के क्रिकेट बोर्ड का कहना था कि वॉर्न घरेलू ड्रग टेस्ट में असफल रहे थे। उस वक्त विजडन की ओर से शताब्दी के पांच खिलाडियों में शामिल वॉर्न प्रतिबंधित डाइयुरेटिक लेने के मामले में दोषी पाए गए और उन्हें 12 माह के लिए निलंबन झेलना पड़ा था।

मोरे से उलझ गए थे मियांदाद

यह वाकया 1992 में हुए विश्वकप से जुड़ा है, जब भारतीय टीम के विकेटकीपर किरण मोरे और पाकिस्तानी प्लेयर जावेद मियादांद आपस में उलझ गए थे। किरण मोरे जब बार बार स्टंपिंग के लिए अपील कर रहे थे तो मियांदाद परेशान हो गए। मियांदाद ने अपांयर से इसकी शिकायत की लेकिन अंपायर ने कुछ नहीं किया। इसके बाद मियांदाद उत्तेजित हो गए और वह किरण मोरे के सामने लगातार जोर जोर से उछलने लगे।

जब वेंकटेश को आमिर ने दिखाया बल्ला

1996 के वर्ल्ड कप के क्वार्टरफाइनल में उस वक्त तनाव उत्पन्न हो गया जब पाकिस्तान के खिलाड़ी आमिर सुहेल ने भारतीय टीम के तेज गेंदबाज वेंकटेश को बल्ला दिखा दिया था। हुआ यह था कि आमिर ने वेंकटेश की एक गेंद पर कवर में चौका जड़ दिया था। इस चौके के बाद आमिर उत्तेजित हो गए और उन्होंने वेंकटेश को बल्ला दिखाते हुए इशारा किया कि अब अगली गेंद पर भी चौका पड़ने वाला है। घरेलू दर्शकों के सामने प्रसाद ने इस चुनौती को स्वीकार कर लिया। उन्होंने अगली गेंद एक लेट कटर दी, जिस पर सुहेल बोल्ड हो गए।

गिब्स तुमने तो वर्ल्ड कप गिरा दिया

यह वाकया 1999 में हुए वर्ल्ड कप का है जब ऑस्ट्रेलिया के कप्तान स्टीव वॉ ने दक्षिण अफ्रीका के हर्षल गिब्स से कहा था दोस्त तुमने तो वर्ल्ड कप गिरा दिया। हुआ यूं था कि गिब्स ने स्टीव वॉ का एक सीधा-साधा कैच हाथ में लेकर तेजी से उछालने के चक्कर में छोड़ दिया और वह भी ऎसे समय में जबकि ऑस्ट्रेलिया विश्व-कप के सुपर सिक्स से बाहर होने वाली थी। वॉ उस समय 56 रन पर खेल रहे थे। उस समय वॉ ने गिब्स से कहा था

कि दोस्त तुमने तो वर्ल्ड कप गिरा दिया।

वॉ ने एक यादगार पारी के जरिए न सिर्फ उस मैच में जीत हासिल की बल्कि विश्व कप जीत लिया। गिब्स ने दक्षिण अफ्रीका की पारी में शतक लगाया था। विवाद ये नहीं था कि वह कैच कैसे गिरा बल्कि बात ये सामने आई कि शेन वार्न ने पहले ही कह रखा था कि गिब्स कैच गिराएगा और वैसा ही हुआ। बाद में शेन वार्न ने कहा कि वह उसकी बहुत जल्दी खुशी मनाने की प्रवृति से वाकिफ थे थे और उसी की बुनियाद पर उन्होंने यह बात कही थी।

जब फ्लिंटॉफ पीकर गिर गए थे

यह घटना 2007 के वर्ल्ड कप की है, जब इंग्लैण्ड के एंड्रयू फ्लिंटॉफ को विश्वकप के बीच में ही उपकप्तानी छोड़नी पड़ी थी। हुआ यूं था कि न्यूजीलैण्ड से मैच हारने के बाद फ्लिंटॉफ अपनी टीम के साथियों के साथ सेंट लुसिया के एक नाइट क्लब में शराब पीने गए थे। रात भर शराब का दौर चला। कहा जाता है कि जब फ्लिंटॉफ लौट रहे थे तो तालाब में गिर गए। इस घटना की जानकारी मिलने के बाद उनको अगले मैच में नहीं खेलने दिया गया।

Mike Hussey, Nathan Hauritz, Eoin Morgan ruled out of Cricket World Cup

AFTER INDIAN pacer Praveen Kumar, one of the most consistent batsman for Australia, Michael Hussey as well as spinner Nathan Hauritz and England's batsman Eoin Morgan have also been ruled out of the ICC Cricket World Cup due to injury.

Cricket Australia has confirmed that the Australian middle order southpaw Mike Hussey has been ruled out due to his hamstring injury. In the recently concluded Ashes series, Mike Hussey played some brilliant innings for his country. The 35-year-old Hussey has an impressive record in ODIs. In 151 ODIs he has scored 4469 runs with an average of 51.96. 26-year-old batsman Callum Ferguson has been drafted in the 15-member Aussies squad.

Spinner Nathan Hauritz, who is suffering from a shoulder injury has been replaced by off break bowler Jason Krejza. Krejza, who has played only one ODI, was not in the provisional Australian 30-man squad named in December. The Australian team will fly to India today, aiming for a fourth consecutive World Cup victory.

Like the Aussies, England's left-hand middle order batsman Eoin Morgan has been ruled out of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 due to a broken middle finger of his left hand. Essex all-rounder Ravi Bopara replaced Morgen in the England's 15-member squad.

Earlier on Tuesday, Indian speedster S. Sreesanth replaced injured Praveen Kumar in the Indian  squad for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. Praveen Kumar has been ruled out due to an injured elbow.

ICC Cricket WORLD CUP 2011 Official THEME

ICC cricket WORLD CUP 2011 official THEME The 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup will be the tenth Cricket World Cup and will be hosted by India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. The World Cup will use cricket's One Day International format, with fourteen national cricket teams scheduled[1] to compete. The World Cup will take place between February and early April 2011, with the first match to be played o…

ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 Tickets

One of the mega sports events, the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 is all set to start in just two weeks. This 10th Edition of Cricket World Cup is being hosted by Asian countries like: India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. However Pakistan was left out due to security issues.

The ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 will get underway with an opening ceremony on 17th February, which will take place at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium, Mirpur in Bangladesh. Also on 19th February, this stadium will be hosting the first match of the World Cup 2011 between India and Bangladesh.

The 14 International teams are divided into two Groups, with Group A consisting of Australia, Pakistan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Canada and Kenya and Group B includes India, South Africa, England, West Indies, Bangladesh, Ireland and Netherlands.

The tickets for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 are now available online on its official website for sale. All the ticket buyers are advised to read the terms and conditions before purchasing the tickets. Click the below link for booking and buying of tickets for ICC Cricket World Cup 2011:

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Practice ties at Wankhede after green signal from ICC: Rajput

MUMBAI: Mumbai Cricket Association is awaiting a go-ahead from the International Cricket Council (ICC) to conduct practice matches at the refurbished Wankhede Stadium, which is to host three World Cup ties, including the final on April 2.

"We are waiting for ICC's pitch consultant Andy Atkinson, who is here, to give us the go-ahead for conducting a few practice matches at the Wankhede Stadium," MCA's joint secretary Lalchand Rajput on Thursday.

Though Rajput did not confirm, other sources said the matches would be held only after February 20.

Rajput also said the MCA has already written to the municipal authorities, public works department and the fire brigade for clearance and was awaiting the replies.

Wankhede Stadium's refurbishment started in mid 2008. Meanwhile, MCA has decided to keep aside the same number of tickets to be sold to the public during the World Cup as has been the practice for international matches in the past, though the capacity of the stadium has been considerably reduced.

"The capacity of the Wankhede Stadium, after its renovation and installation of bucket seats, has come down from around 38,000-40,000 to 31,000. But we have not reduced the number of tickets to be sold to the public which would be the same as before - 4,500," said the cricketer-turned administrator.

Rajput explained that MCA, as per its rules, will have to part away with tickets to its affiliated clubs and gymkhanas as well as to the Garware Club House which had been part of it since the stadium was built in 1974.

"We have to provide tickets to the 350 clubs and gymkhanas affiliated to us, as well as to the Garware Club, but we have proportionately reduced the number of tickets to them as the capacity of the stadium has been reduced," said the former India and Mumbai opening batsman.

"We have also told the clubs and gymkhanas that they will have to buy tickets for all three matches being hosted by us (two league matches in March and final on April 2) or they would not get any ticket," he said.

New Zealand would take on Canada on March 13 which will be followed by the second World Cup league fixture at the Wankhede between the Kiwis and Sri Lanka on March 18 and the summit clash.

For clubs and gymkhanas affiliated to MCA, the number of tickets they could buy would come down to 17 or 18 from the earlier 27 and there would be reduced number of tickets on offer to Garware club too from the earlier figure of 6,000 seats.

Asked whether the clubs agreed to this, Rajput said, "They have to. There is no other choice because the capacity of the stadium has been reduced. We also have to give away 8000 tickets to the ICC," he said.

The cheapest ticket for the league ties (in the east stand) would cost around Rs 250, while the north stand tickets would cost Rs 500 and the gymkhana stand tickets would be priced at Rs 1000," said Rajput, adding that the marquee tickets for a seat in the hospitality boxes would cost a whopping Rs 37,500 each.

"There would be 2000 marquee tickets on sale and the cost of the tickets includes Rs 500 as entertainment tax," he said.