Yorked!!! – By Chetan Narula.

When a nightmare became reality……

The television crew in Queen’s Park Oval is really cruel. As the last wickets of the day were falling, the joyful faces of the Bangladeshi team were being beamed all over the world. So were the despondent faces in the Indian dressing room. The world watched as the Bangladeshi dreams came true as also India’s biggest nightmare.

For the first time since God knows when, an Indian captain won the toss and made the right decision in a crunch match. Winning the toss and using the pitch first where the ball would surely seam and swing. And it did. Zaheer, Agarkar and Munaf turned magicians in their initial spells. Yes the very same three who had been tamed by the Bangladeshis and troubled by the Bermudans. The Sri Lankans could not put bat to ball in the first ten overs. The only proper shot that comes to mind is the one where Tharanga cover drove Zaheer in the air for four. Rest all were either mistimed or edges which didn’t find the fielders.

For the first time in the competition, the Indian bowling had come into its own. Zaheer swinging it both ways and Munaf holding a tight line. Even Agarkar found his rhythm at just the right time. Jayasuriya left early, and so did Jayawardene. But just two wickets for all the laudable efforts put in? Yes lady luck has been not with us on this tour. Maybe they need to bring their wives the next time. Lankan wives were here, seen dancing all along.

It is very rare that something goes totally right for the Indians on the field. And the fact that our highly rated spinner wasn’t upto the mark proves just that. The fact that he was playing in Kumble’s place can never be justified. Yes the Sri Lankans have been successful against him, but every match is a new match. On hind sight, if Kumble would have been bowling to the inexperienced Lankan middle order, things might have been different. Harbhajan, it seems, is content in bowling out his quota by containing the opposition, taking wickets is something he doesn’t feel the need for. What India needed from him, were 10 overs which could deliver two wickets. What if they would come at a cost of 50 runs. He gave away 53 anyways.

Coming to the fifth bowler, it sometimes is beyond belief what Rahul Dravid is thinking. Giving the ball to Ganguly, who quite frankly hasn’t bowled that much recently, was very questionable. I know he snapped up Sangakkara, but let us be frank. That was more because the Lankan keeper played a stupid shot rather than the bowler doing anything magical. For me that was a mistake. Sehwag should have come on to bowl as Harbhajan was proving to be ineffective. However it was the maestro Tendulkar brought into the attack.

The reason why Dravid has failed to impress me as a captain is because he tends to over do things. Sachin bowled his six overs beautifully and the fifth bowler’s quota was up. No need to bowl him when you have three pace bowlers who were in fine rhythm today. But to see Sachin bowl those extra two overs, while there were new batsmen at the crease, was like watching some one commit hara kiri. Two costly overs and the Sri Lankan total was over 250. Something we didn’t want, talk about psychological advantage that is. It is one thing starting your run chase with required rate of 4.9 or something and absolutely another with the asking rate being 5.1. The psychology is different.

And it was clear, what it did to the Lankan mentality. Vaas bowled off cutters to Uthappa and his genuine balls to Ganguly. Which brings us to the pathetic display of batting by the Indians. Ganguly is an opener who has clearly forgotten what opening is all about. He used 120 balls for 60 against the Bangladeshis, a 114 for 80 odd against the Bermudans and 23 here for 7 runs. He didn’t rotate the strike and it not only brought pressure on subsequent batsmen, it brought pressure on Uthappa too. The young batsman was very unlucky to be caught like that, but then as I said, lady luck wasn’t at all with us.

Ganguly departed next trying to break the shackles, he himself had binded on the team. And what a blinder Murali took. Moments like these lift the entire team, much like the catch, Dhoni had taken earlier in the day to dismiss Jayawardene. Even the Indians fielded superbly well. Coming back, Tendulkar came to the crease with a million hopes on him. Nothing new about that. Except that this is not his position. This isn’t playing from where he has become the fear of the bowlers. This is no.4, where he is under pressure. A position where Dilhara Fernando, a bowler who has played only 3 matches in the last 15 months is able to dictate terms to him. And the result was all there to see. Again lady luck was found wanting. On any other day, that edge would have missed the leg stump and gone for four. But not this day. Not this day.

Sehwag played an unusual knock. Waiting for the loose ball and biding his time. Could it be his day? Could the new Sehwag save India the blushes. But what he can do with the bat, surely Murali can do better with the ball. And then we saw a master class. Open off side, with a slip in place, bowling round the wickets and bowling just the doosras. Murali is a champion bowler and here was the moment where Jayawardene proved his mettle as a better captain. The spinner was doing the trick for Lanka something Bhajji had failed to do for the Indians. The bounce and turn the young off spinner got in his first over must have delighted both Kumble and Murali. Sadly only one used the resources.

One after another, the batsmen departed. Sehwag could not counter Murali s guile, nor could Dhoni. Yuvraj, one of the best runners in the team, chose this day to misjudge a run. Only “The Wall” showed them how to bat. How to score runs under pressure. How to stand alone in the face of adversity. And as he showed us, there were no devils in the pitch. Sadly the decision to bowl first was again undone by the pressure under which the mighty Indian batting line up wilted again.

India can still qualify if Bernuda beat Bangladesh. But that’s more like a case of if the mouse Jerry had been a cat, he would have been Tom. The losses will be huge. Almost to the tune of 1500 crores. Take for example the Pepsi “Cheer India” bands launched only two days ago. Who is going to buy them now? And for what? It is all in the hands of the merry Bermudans. Sadly praying for a miracle is something we do in every world cup. I had just hoped this time it would be different.

Last but not the least, a devastated Dravid answered Laxman Sivaramakrishnan’s questions at the presentation. His last words to the Indian captain were “Better luck next time”. 2011 seems very far off from here.

Yorked!!! – By Chetan Narula.

A lot to worry about……

If they think they have redeemed themselves with the win over Bermuda, then Dravid and company are mistaken. They may have gotten two points and some confidence going but as far as positives are concerned, that’s about it in terms of what we got out of the match. Confidence does play a major role in international cricket and it is good that the team got some before the vital clash against Sri Lanka but as we know things in Indian cricket turn around faster than tides.

Yes we scored the maximum number of runs in an innings in a world cup match. Yes Sehwag stroked to a ton and the rest also came to the party. Yes we scored the highest margin of victory in an ODI ever. But does that really matter? I mean it was against Bermuda who aren’t exactly even the best amongst the minnows. Err, we encountered better ones recently remember?

To drive home my point, we will take the above points into consideration as to why the team management may be making a mistake they got anything else out of this game. Because as far as I am concerned, India is still closer to the exit door rather than the gate to super 8.

It is very difficult to understand what is happening to Virender Sehwag’s career at this stage. Surely as far as the world cup is concerned, he has cemented his place in the side for the rest of the matches (one or more, remains to be seen). But then again he hasn’t proved any of his critics wrong with this knock. Will you bet on him to fire against Sri Lanka or other even better attacks given that the Bermudan bowlers were at best military medium? I won’t, given his tendency to relax until the donkey is on his back again.

Not that this necessarily means he will fail against the Lankans. Sehwag if you plan to, please don’t. And same goes for the others as well. The way they batted is well, like the way they ought to have batted against the Bangladeshis. Not paying much respect to the bowlers. And that is where Sourav Ganguly, in particular, is going wrong. It is one thing when the team management asks you to hold up one end and try to bat out the innings but then it is totally another thing to pay respect to the Bermudans and play 114 balls for 80 odd runs. What are you waiting for Mr. Ganguly? 50 overs to be up? Get a move on with your strike rate sir, because as happened with Bangladesh, so will happen with other teams who surely have better bowling options. They will strangle you for runs and then choke you to death. If our neighbours could do it, surely it can happen again. So Dada, please unleash the stroke maker the world knows you to be. Atleast, in the match against Sri Lankans.

Then again the middle order didn’t get the quality time it needs to play well. Sachin and Yuvraj are proving to be two important cogs in the middle-order wheel no doubt, and their performances will give much heart to the think tank. But Dhoni continues to struggle like he did last on last year’s tour and Dravid hasn’t spent much time either on the field. Another worrying point is Robin Uthappa’s dry run. Surely this will give the management to ponder a lot as to whether or not to include Dinesh Karthik in the eleven on the 23rd.

However these are the least of our worries. If we can’t get Bermuda out cheaply, and have already failed to bowl the Bangladeshis out, then let us be frank, our attack is pedestrian at best. Save for the efforts of Zaheer, this bowling performance will be giving the team management and the fans alike, sleepless nights. Agarkar can’t bowl straight, its either the legs of the batsmen or short of length giving too much room. Munaf is expensive in his second spell. And if Kumble struggles against the batsmen of Bermuda, with Harbhajan not too effective against the Bangladeshis, then we have a serious problem on our hands.

Because we do not have a bowling attack that can defend low totals or bowl out opposition cheaply. The performance in the two matches surely proves the practice matches’ results worth less. If we look at the bowling reserves, we have Sreesanth and Pathan only to look at. Sreesanth has the knack of picking up wickets but his economy rate makes Agarkar look like the world’s best bowler. Plus Pathan isn’t in the right frame of mind as of now. If they play him, will he play as an all-rounder, a bowler or a batsman? Surely nobody is there to explain it to him, as the past suggests. Also there is none to backup the spinners. They are among the best in the world, remember? If they are struggling, what chances do Powar and company have, right? That’s no justification, which means the team balance is questionable. Again Pathan’s form could have been the key. But as some one might say, the selectors’ hands were tied.

The only bowlers who seem to have done well are the part timers. In whatever bowling they have done, Sehwag and Tendulkar have impressed. But they have been brought on very late. Sehwag came on when the Bangladeshis required less than 30 runs to win, but still ended up taking two wickets. Sachin was nearly unplayable yesterday where as the Bermudans played Kumble with aplomb. This in fact questions the attitude of the team. Do they not know the run-rate factor could prove crucial? Then why not show some urgency to bowl out a not-so-decent batting line-up quickly. In the match against our neighbours, the shoulders drooped once they were past 130. I mean do they even have the right attitude to win the world cup? And what was the coach doing cooling off in the pavilion, when he should be sending out messages to get things going.

Even if India qualifies for the super 8, these latter points put a big question mark on the ability and desire to win the cup. I know the team is taking one match at a time and not get ahead of themselves at this time, when it is absolutely necessary to beat Sri Lanka. But even to do that, they need to find some answers. And they need to find them quick.

Yorked!!! – by Chetan Narula.

The worst day in Indian cricket.

Shock, awe, terror, trepidation, despair, misery, gloom, anguish, dejection, despondency, indignation, resentment, antipathy. All these together do not reflect my mood. I am still at a loss for words. Exactly what an average Indian cricket fan must be feeling because his favourite team in the world just lost to Bangladesh, a minnow given the gigantic proportions of the cup.

Unbelievable as it may sound, but it is true. Indians did wake up on Sunday hoping that the previous night had been a nightmare. But once the television sets were switched on again, the dreaded truth lay bare in front of them. We had just lost to our neighbours, who are quite young in international cricket, given the amount of cricket Sachin Tendulkar alone has played. But it all went waste. It all went waste.

As much as I would like to harp about Bangladesh being fabulous in every department, for once I cannot control my emotions as a fan and thus will leave that analysis to a more neutral person. For the record, however, Bangladesh restricted India to a paltry 191. The ferocious Indian batting line up could not handle the pace of Mashrafe Mortaza, and the best players of spin could not handle three left arm slow bowlers. And then three under-21 players came out and stroked their way to 50s as if to mock the Indian bowlers, while they easily chased down the target. It cannot get worse than this.

What we will do is take a look one by one at the Indian players who played their part in arguably the worst defeat for Indian cricket ever. Worst, because this is the world cup. It is one thing losing to them otherwise, but in the big tournament, it is a different matter.

Greg Chappell for one has to understand that. We are not some guinea pigs sir, that you keep on experimenting with us till your last breath as Indian coach. I mean come on now, what was Robin Uthappa doing at no.3. Either you play an opener in the opener’s slot or you play a middle order batsman Dinesh Karthick there. Even sehwag and ganguly could have come at no.3 because they have quite a bit of experience and have done well at the top in the middle.

Rahul Dravid: Only God knows when an Indian captain will learn to choose the correct option after winning the toss. Sourav did it in 2003, and now this. I mean they were here last year weren’t they? Don’t they know the ball swings early on in the Carribean? And with Zaheer, Munaf and Agarkar in the side, did he really want to bowl when the wicket had eased out for batting, especially when we were playing just one specialist spinner? Answer up Dravid.

Virender Sehwag: What do you say to this man, who has defied all previous history, in taking if not his place in the team, then atleast his wicket for granted. I mean, you may be a triple tonner in tests sir, but the shot you got out to, is worthy only of gully cricket. No place for that sort of stuff in the international arena. I don’t see a place for him in the team altogether, but it is Dravid who has to open his eyes. But I am quite sure that on his bowling prowess he will make the cut against Bermuda. Talk about blasphemy.

Sachin tendulkar: You are the best batsman in the world. The one with the best technique to attack or defend as you please. You are the Bradman of this era. But there is another thing that you are. The inventor of new ways to get out. Driving on a ball that turns in, get an inside edge, ball hits the pad, and keeper messes up before finally catching it. We have seen it all Sachin. The question is, are we ever going to see you lift a world cup?

MS Dhoni, Harbhajan: Ducks? That’s what they score when the previous day, all the news channels carried out news how the Indian lower order was practicing power hitting. A bit more introspection required especially from Dhoni. Karthik is waiting in the wings and we know that the think tank likes to experiment.

Zaheer, Munaf, Agarkar: Not much fault with them except that they were bowling too much on the batsmen’s legs or too short of length. But then again, the way the Bangladeshis batted, clearly they disturbed their line and length. Bowling on a placid track, didn’t help either.

Ganguly, Yuvraj: Nothing much they did wrong or nothing else they could have done. Except that Ganguly ought to have shown some urgency early on in his innings. Plus one can’t also really blame Uthappa for what happened. He is meant to play attacking shots. We will also take into account his inexperience.

Why we lost was because these highly experienced and talented men just could not get their act right. The powerplays brought runs in a trickle, so much so only 24 runs were scored in the first 10 overs. Ganguly took 120 balls to score his fifty. Yes he was the lone man standing but a bit more urgency than the safety first approach could have been beneficial. Plus what is it with Sachin and left arm bowlers? Add Abdur Razzak to the list of Giles, Jayasuriya and Raymond price. And last but not the least, 5 wickets for 2 runs is the stuff dreams are made of. Bangladeshi ones I am sure. My memory betrays me if I try to even recall a similar streak of Indian dismissals.

All is not lost yet unlike in Pakistan’s case. We can still qualify but it is not in our hands alone. Sri Lanka’s run rate is too high and Bangladesh will play Bermuda last. Not only we have to win the last two matches comfortably but also pray that Sri Lanka beat the living daylights out of Bangladesh, so much so that their run rate becomes irreparable against Bermuda. Our fate is no more in our hands.

The thought of India out of the world cup in the first round, is an edgy one. Ask the advertisers if the fans’ condition is not enough proof. But it is not an improbable one. If that happens, it will surely surpass this as the worst day in our cricketing history. As a fan, I am mentally scarred by this loss forever. Not ready for the next one just yet. Not yet.

Yorked!!! – By Chetan Narula.

West Indies draw First Blood.

Brian Lara calls it overcoming stage fright or calming the big match nerves. Call it whatever you may, it is a fact that the hosts have gotten off to the best possible start in the tournament, more so after the practice match disaster against India. Ladies and gentlemen, the world cup is alive and kicking.

It was the most important match of their group, given that the rest of the two teams, Ireland and Zimbabawe are minnows and they are not expected to make the cut for the super 8. So the opening day of the world cup carnival saw a battle for the precious points which will be carried over to the next round. Inzamam called the toss correctly and chose to field. And this is when things started to go wrong for the Pakistanis.

Pakistan have to know their strengths and weaknesses. Their bowling is weak, they simply have to accept that. So batting first might not have been a bad idea. See out the new ball carefully, and then allow the likes of Youhana and Inzy to take charge. Plus the team selection wasn’t upto the mark either. With the likes of Lara, Samuels and Bravo in the side, how could they even think of playing Kaneria, a leg spinner? Especially when, some one as experienced as Azhar Mahmood was cooling his heels in the pavilion.

But Pakistan is, well, Pakistan. They don’t believe in anything anybody says. Just do what they do. And so began Umar Gul with his good line and length and Rana Hasan with a mix of quick and slow deliveries. Gayle’s innings ended rather quickly and brought out Sarwan, who himself looked like he wanted to go back quickly. He managed to survive a dropped chance on his first ball, then played some horrendous shots and luckily managed to stabilize the innings with Chanderpaul. The latter was quite slow off the blocks and maintained that turtle pace throughout his innings, scoring 19 of 63 balls. Once Sarwan was snapped up for 49, Younis Khan latching on this time, it was all still to be done for the Windies.

In walked Lara and Samuels, their 91 run partnership taking the Windies to a platform to launch the final assault. But just as they were beginning to cut lose, Lara edged it and Samuels skied one. The last heroic of the day were still left to come and thanks to Dwayne Smith, they managed to reach a comfortable 241. A 15 ball 32 runs innings well supported by the lower order.

Smith’s heroics didn’t stop there. Pakistan were too dependent on their top order to fire. But that didn’t materialize. The West Indian opening bowlers, Powell, Colleymore and Taylor set them up with some tight stuff, bowling a nagging line and length. And when Smith and Bravo mixed it up cleverly with their military medium stuff, Pakistan just had no answers. He scalped Youhana, Inzamam and Kamran Akmal, three important cogs of their middle order wheel. Quite clearly, a man-of-the-match performance from the youngster.

In a match where all of Lara’s prayers were answered, his call to the youngsters of the team to stand up and deliver answered, Inzamam discovered that he still has plenty on his plate. The only bright spark of the match for them was the way Umar Gul shouldered the responsibility of leading the attack, the tight line bowled by Iftikhar Anjum in the middle overs and the defiant innings played by Shoaib Malik. They need some answers quick. With Afridi still out for the match against Ireland, they could try out Shoaib at the top, to stabilize things, which will also allow them to play Azhar Mahmood. The all rounder needs to warm up since it is more or less guaranteed that his services will be called for in the super 8. And by all means, they have to shed their unpredictability, and win against the minnows of their group. An upset there would not even allow them to return home.

The West Indies too can’t rest on their laurels from this game. Much is still to be done. They should try out some other combinations in the coming matches and have options in hand for the sterner tests ahead.

The calypso carnival has begun and it could not have had a better start.

Yorked!!! – By Chetan Narula.

Onto the World Stage: South Africa – My Favourites.

The very fact that South Africa are the team billed to win the World Cup 2007 goes to show how open this year’s tournament is. The biggest chokers in the game are the number one team in the world and given their reputation in the previous editions, all other teams can rub their hands in glee that they are going to have more than a decent shot at cricket’s ultimate prize.

Let us take a look at the team representing South Africa in the world cup: Graeme Smith (capt), Loots Bosman, Mark Boucher, AB de Villiers, Herschelle Gibbs, Andrew Hall, Jacques Kallis, Justin Kemp, Charl Langeveldt, Andre Nel, Makhaya Ntini, Robin Peterson, Shaun Pollock, Ashwell Prince, Roger Telemachus. Yes this is the team which has displaced the Aussies from their perch for the first time ever since the ICC rankings were conceived. It is not only because Australia have fumbled in the recent past. No sir, because to even match the Aussies you have to play out of your skins. To beat them, you have to better even that effort.

It is actually a wonder, how the rise and fall of these two teams is totally co-related. We move back to the Hansie Cronje era for some flashback. They did very well in the group stages in 1996 while Australia were struggling. But as the knock out stage arrived, it was the Africans who were on the early flight back home. The Aussies reached the finals only to be denied by the Lankans. In 1999, their contrasting luck could not have treaded a more convergent path. Doing well again in the group stages, they were really upstaged by the Aussies, first in the super six (ask Gibbs) and then in the semi final (ask Klusener). The figure of Hansie Cronje staring out of the pavilion windows can still be seen at Edgebaston, some say. Coming back to the point, the Aussies had struggled in the group stages of that tournament too.

If there is something called luck in cricket (I believe there is), then the equation between South Africa and Australia started turning round in 2003. The Aussies did well throughout the tournament and lifted the crown once again, where as the Proteas could not even manage a super six place. But the real turn around came in what is termed as the best ODI ever. The one in which Australia scored 434 and lost. It is on that day, I believe, that the South Africans lost the “chokers” tag. Steve Waugh, you heard me right.

No team has had such an ideal run through to the world cup in terms of good performances and building players’ confidence. Defeating India and Pakistan back to back in ODIs could not have provided a better background. All their major players are in great form, have enjoyed a good hit in the middle and the bowlers have done well in the field. Herschelle gibbs is one of their most important players and his flexible performances all over the batting order can only boost the morale of the team. We all know that Kallis, Prince, de Villiers can bat. Add to that the fire power of Justin Kemp & Mark Boucher and a pretty decent batting line up is what you get.

The bowling has come into its own too. Shaun Pollock looks like ready to make amends for 2003. Ntini and Nel are bowling with venom and Charles Langeveldt can be a handful any day. Ask Australia. It is funny how I keep referring to them again and again. More so to the greatest ODI ever. Simply put, two individuals came to the fore that day. And may have removed South Africa’s scars forever. And maybe given the Kangaroos some.

I have already mentioned Gibbs. His coming of age was in this match. After coming in at one down, the way he waded into the opposition was simply mind blowing. But it was one other individual who made the difference. Who will make the difference in the West Indies too. Who like captains before him, will not allow them to choke. Graeme Smith is a boon to this team. His batting skills coupled with his sharp tactical acumen have brought those sunshine days back to the South Africans, along time after Cronje has been gone. However it is his never say die attitude that was so aptly highlighted in the match against Australia that lifted the team like no other occasion. It is that day, that performance, that win which will go a long way in determining this year’s winner.

They are not without weaknesses though. The one major point being that all their major successes have come on fast bouncy pitches at home. On slow tracks in India, in the Champions trophy, they were still struggling. Since the pitches will most probably be the same, they better adapt fast. And this is where players like Kallis and Prince will be the most handy as they are the best players of spin in their team. The other problem is that they have Australia in their group. Which makes that clash all the more interesting because of the rule of carrying points forward.

They are the team to beat in this tournament. But unlike the tournaments before this, they have it in them to finally lift the cricket world cup for the first time in their history.

My verdict: My money is on them. Don’t prove me wrong Smith & company.

Yorked!!! – By Chetan Narula.

Onto the World Stage: Australia – The “Beatable” Champions.

It wasn’t surprising that Australia won the world cup in 1999, given the resolve that they showed to win the tournament. Neither was it surprising that they won in 2003, given that they were the best team on view and steam rolled every one into submission. It’s just that it would be very surprising if they won in 2007.

No I am not talking through my hat. But before I give you my reasons for it, let us take a look at the team participating in the world cup: Ricky Ponting (capt), Adam Gilchrist (wk), Nathan Bracken, Michael Clarke, Brad Haddin (wk), Matthew Hayden, Brad Hodge, Brad Hogg, Michael Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Stuart Clark, Glenn McGrath, Andrew Symonds, Shaun Tait, Shane Watson. When you start reading the names, your very bones will quiver if you are a bowler, but if you are a batsman, you will fancy your chances.

Still think I am crazy? Well to bring down a team of Australia’s caliber, I need some statistics. And that is exactly what’s on the menu. After their world cup victory in 2003, the Aussies have played 117 ODIs in the past four years. Out of these, they have lost 28 and tied 1. However, this still means that they have won 75 percent of their matches. But its in the manner that they have lost these 28 matches is what tells you about the chink in the armory of the Australians for the first time in decades. We shall dissect the losses now.

17 matches have been lost when the Kangaroos have tried defending their totals. That’s like 60 percent. Even the tied match against England was the one where they were defending 197. We go way back in 2003/04 to their Sri Lankan tour, to find that their nine consecutive defeats were all batting first. Further more, except for one instance, the Aussies had scored 220+ in all those games. In that particular streak, they also lost to New Zealand when the kiwis chased a then world record of 331. Also, they have failed to defend 300+ four times, including the mammoth 434 in South Africa.

What’s more disturbing is the fact that out of these 17 losses, nine have come in the last one year. And all those four heavy defeats are included in these nine losses. This clearly points out one glaring fallacy in this Australian side. They simply can’t defend their scores. Which in turn, is attributed to their poor bowling attack. Yes, we have come to that point in Australian cricketing history which will be known as the post Warne/McGrath era. The one in which they will be dependent on their batting to bail them out in most of the situations.

I mean look at their team sheet. Barring McGrath, you don’t see one name capable enough to carry the burden of defending targets. Brett Lee is out injured, which is going to be a very big blow to them. Because with him missing the action, they can only be assured of ten good overs from the Pigeon. About the rest we know what can happen to them. We saw South Africa, then England and lately New Zealand do it to them. Under pressure they have caved in again and again. I mean Tait and Mitchell Johnson don’t have the experience, Brad Hogg isn’t exactly Warne or even Stuart Macgill, for that matter. The Aussies are really missing some one to hold out the middle overs and with Symonds’ fitness in doubt, there is cause for concern. Bracken did I hear you say? Well he’s been around for a while but his presence doesn’t exactly cause oppositions to lose their sleep.

And so we come to the strong point of the team. Their batting. The indomitable Hayden, the swashbuckling Gilchrist, the mercurial Ponting, the dependable Hussey, the determined Michael Clarke and the burly Symonds. Enough to make any opposition wet their pants. The fact that Ponting himself stated that they would like to chase rather than defend, tells you that this is one captain who knows his strengths and weaknesses well. Plus you could argue that the team that played in New Zealand wasn’t a strong Aussie side. Let me make this very clear that six out of those 11 players will start the first match against Scotland on 14th March.

Injuries are something which could really upset the Aussie applecart. Symonds is still weak in the arm, Hayden is under fitness clouds too. They have already lost Lee a week before departure. Any more injuries and Ponting might feel like throwing in the towel. The most important factor however is going to be Andrew Symonds. He is the one who gives them the balance. Ten overs and a reliable bat who knows how to accustom himself to the situation. Plus he is no slouch in the field either. If he stays fit, the team has it in them to do well. Without him, they are a touch lost.

Adam Gilchrist is in his last world cup probably. So is Hayden and McGrath has already announced his retirement. After these three go, the future for Australia is somewhat uncertain. But right now, their concentration has to be on the cup. A hat trick of victories will do them immense good and prepare the young lot for the challenges ahead too.

The one point that can go against my arguments is that they have won around 46 matches batting first. That is a 72 percent success rate. But quite a few of those matches were a couple of years back. The recent trend is worrisome. And just for that reason, this world cup is the most open ever.

My verdict: If you are the opposition, win the toss & ask them to bat. Sooner or later, they will falter.

Yorked!!! – By Chetan Narula.

Onto the World Stage: India – The Romantic’s Champions.

Twenty years after they won the world cup, India entered the finals in South Africa in 2003, but only managed to deceive the world. They lost to the only team who could beat them in that edition, Australia. Four years hence, they take on the world again in a bid to bring the cup home after a long time.

And they can actually do it this time. Ever since the “process” began under guru Greg Chappell, they have been through a lot of ups and downs to finally achieve what they aspired to. Atleast what Chappell aspired to. Select the best fifteen for the tournament in the Carribean. And they are: Rahul Dravid (capt), Sourav Ganguly, Robin Uthappa, Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Dinesh Karthik, Irfan Pathan, Ajit Agarkar, Harbhajan Singh, Anil Kumble, Zaheer Khan, Sreesanth, Munaf Patel. No surprises or so you may think, except the fact that Sehwag managed to book a flight and that many will be debating the inclusion of Dinesh Karthik.

Sehwag’s inclusion was always under doubt. His horrendous tour in South Africa not withstanding, it is said that Rahul Dravid lobbied extra hard for his inclusion. Why won’t he? After all, he is the only triple tonner in India. But that is in tests for crying out loud. There he has the advantage of open field spaces and not so in the ODI arena where he is cramped for space more and more nowadays, especially when his non-existent technique has been sorted out. Plus the way he got out in the ODI against Sri Lanka when after so long he had got off to a start, only shows how much he values his wicket Mr. Dravid. For me, he was a no inclusion in the side based on this dismissal alone. But then India is not having a problem of plenty at present.

That is the stellar difference between the team of 2003 and the team of 2007. That’s the difference between Ganguly and Dravid as captain, or for that matter, John Wright and Greg Chappell. Chappell might have tried his best but lets be frank, the bench strength is poor. So much so that, we can’t even find proper replacements for Kaif or Raina when they are not good enough any more. That we have to fall back upon Dinesh Karthik as a batsman to bolster our middle order? Which brings us to the point that this actually is not a bad choice on hind sight. What if Dhoni gets injured? That he needs to miss a game of unimportance, say against Bermuda, in order to be fit for an important one in the super 8 stage. Atleast we know that Karthik won’t be a traveller like Parthiv Patel in 2003.

That’s because Sehwag’s form will be a barrier to his selection in the playing eleven. I don’t predict him starting more than three matches in the tournament on his reputation. After that form will be considered, as on this basis Karthik has a stronger case. Maybe a fourth start as a spin bowler. But no more, unless he performs. Why am I comparing an opening bat with a middle order one? Because simply put, India’s opening pair for the cup is fixed in terms of Ganguly and Uthappa. I won’t harp about Ganguly’s masterly comeback, just that it is going to have far reaching and calming effects on a young Uthappa.

Yes Tendulkar is no more required at the top. And the good point is that he agrees with it. He took to it as fish takes to water, in the last two home series. The middle order hasn’t borne this safe and settled look for so long, so much so that my memory betrays me. With Yuvraj, Dravid and Dhoni still to come, it won’t be a bad idea to let him play at no.3 because whatever some anti-Sachin fans may say, he still is our best batsman and is only logical to allow him as many overs to bat as possible. Dravid can do a fine job at no.5 as he has showed us so many times. I don’t think that this is either Tendulkar’s or Dravid’s last world cup, as many may think. I mean how can they not play in 2011 at home is beyond me. But that is another issue. Because for one player, it is definitely his last ODI outing.

Nobody in the world has proved his credentials more often than Anil Kumble. 800+ plus wickets in international cricket and we still have a selector questioning his inclusion in the team to West Indies. I mean come on now. On any day he is better than the likes of Romesh Powar and Murali Karthik, given that Harbhajan Singh is a certainty in the side. the rest of the bowling attack looks formidable on paper atleast. Zaheer, Agarkar, Sreesanth and Munaf Patel have been doing a good job all this while and if past performances are anything to go by, they would continue doing so. Never after Kapil Dev and Srinath, had I thought the Indian fast bowling scenario would look so good.

Nowadays no talk of an Indian bowling line up is complete without mentioning Irfan Pathan as according to many team members themselves, he is the one who gives the side a balance. True, but only if he bowls & bats both, and not just the latter. My two pence to the think tank, he is as dispensable as Sehwag.

No talk of India’s chances at a world cup is complete without discussing Tendulkar’s past exploits. And this alone makes him the most important cog in the Indian wheel at the cup. Even after the tournament is over, he will have a lot to offer to the side but since this is the most open tournament in years, I am putting my money on him to produce the fireworks again. It is the best chance for him to silence his critics by collecting the missing feather in his crown.

Past form sees the team on a world record run of 17 successful run chases to the lows of defeats in Windies, Kuala Lumpur and of course the Champions trophy at home. Add to that, the thrashing in South Africa and you will almost question their contendership for the cup. But as the two series wins at home proved, the Indian public does have a fickle memory.

As guru Greg said, it’s all about reaching the semi-finals. In this particular tournament, it is. After that any team can do anything. An Indian team in form and high on confidence then becomes more than a romantic’s champion.

My verdict – They have the gift, can they do it? Fingers crossed. Come on guys, I wasn’t even born in 1983.

Yorked!!! – By Chetan Narula.

Onto the World Stage: New Zealand – The Incredibles.

New Zealand are as good as any other international team in the world today. They match Australia in aggression, India in passion, England in defiance and South Africa in talent. Frankly speaking, possessing all these qualities sometimes actually makes them the best team in the world. Then what on earth makes them the biggest under achievers in world cricket?

Finding an answer to this will be my quest as I take a look at their chances in this year’s tournament. But as always we need to take a look at the fifteen players sent to West Indies 2007: Stephen Fleming (capt), Shane Bond, James Franklin, Peter Fulton, Mark Gillespie, Michael Mason, Brendon McCullum (wk), Craig McMillan, Jacob Oram, Jeetan Patel, Scott Styris, Ross Taylor, Daryl Tuffey, Daniel Vettori, Lou Vincent. No big surprises except that Daryl Tuffey returns after a long break from the game due to injury.

The talent has always been there, so has been able leadership under Stephen Fleming. But sometimes able opponents, as in 1996 or in 1999, and sometimes silly decisions, like not playing in Zimbabwe and Kenya in 2003, have cost them in the big tournament. So much so that the ICC knock out trophy in 1998 is the only major trophy they have won in international cricket. Surely as the sun goes down on a number of Kiwi players’ careers after the world cup, they have to muster enough mental strength to give it one final push.

Mental strength I say? You must be surprised that while all other teams have been lacking in some department or the other, is it just the non-physical aspect which is missing in New Zealand’s case. Yes is the answer. Simply put, they have the appetite for big games, as their recent resurgence against Australia has shown us. However what they lack is the will power to succeed against the lesser teams.

A classic case comes to rest in the 2003 world cup. They beat South Africa in front of their home crowd and then were simply not upto the mark against the rest of the teams. In the super six stages they were a pale shadow of themselves and were consequently out of the cup. Or if we want a recent example, how about the escapades against Australia in the recently concluded Chappell-Haddlee trophy. There they could beat the living daylights out of the Aussies but couldn’t put it across a demoralized English side in the preceding CB series.

The fact that they just switch off their minds is the biggest reason why they won’t win the cup inspite being one of the favourites to reach the semi finals. Simply put, they might have played the biggest game of the tournament already and thus won’t be able to recharge themselves enough to compete well on a particular day. And that is why even the shrewdest captain in the world, Stephen Fleming, is not much of a success.

Fleming has been their trump card for many years and will again be so in this year’s cup. The reason is plain enough. Not only is the man a brilliant tactician but also a useful bat. His contributions have been all captain’s knocks or what you might call, leading from the front. He has always derived immense motivation in playing for his country. This is his swan song. Most probably he will not be there to play in 2011, and that is where his motivation will come from this time around. The point is can that be reflected onto the team?

The Kiwis are a team of bits and pieces players of the highest quality, unlike any other team in the world. Probably this is one factor that sets them apart. As a result, this team never hinges on a particular individual. And that is why apart from the skipper, a number of players will want to make themselves counted. Shane bond is one such player. Injuries of all kinds have always haunted his career and nobody than him knows this better that he is playing his last world cup. He has it in him to shake and stir the world but he needs companionship. Which in turn, will be provided by none other than Daniel Vettori, who will be marshalling the spin bowling department. Needless to say, even he knows this might be a last world stage outing.

The batting looks decent enough. As mentioned they are all bits and pieces players and you never know who is going to strike form next. One day they may be out on ducks and the next, they might just end up chasing 350+. Lou Vincent is an able opening bat and the new finds, Mason and Ross Taylor showcased what they are capable of against the Aussies. The fact that they have three all-rounders in Scott Styris, Craig McMillan and Jacob Oram forming their middle order, you will know that no total is safe, especially on the placid tracks in the Carribean. Add to it, the swashing blade of Brendon McCullum, and the batting bears a finished look.

Recent form only re-iterates the fact that they have it in them t reach the semi-finals. They have had the better of both Sri Lanka and West Indies at home, before struggling in the Champions trophy. The fact that they could not reach the tri-series finals in Australia and then beat the Aussies 3-0 at home only shows their supremacy at their home grounds. It’s their ability to perform outside their comfort zone is what will matter the most.

Simply put its all in the mind of the Kiwis.

My verdict – They will succumb to their mental pressure.

Yorked!!! – By Chetan Narula.

Onto the World Stage: West Indies – The Hosts.

The West Indies go into the cricket World Cup 2007 aware of one fact that unlike any other major sport in the world, in cricket, the hosts have never won the world cup. In the past eight editions, all hosts have tried and only one comes close. Sri Lanka in 1996. But they were the co-hosts and will only be considered if cricket forever remains without the headline, “And the world cup has been claimed by the hosts this time around.”

Sad but true is the fact that this time too, like the previous editions, the hosts will not make the cut. Yes we have all heard the same thing before, that the West Indies are no more that force to reckon with. I mean, come on now. Cant you just judge these 11 players on their on merit. Well that’s what I intend to do. However we need to know who the chosen ones are. Brian Lara (capt), Ramnaresh Sarwan, Chris Gayle, Dwayne Smith, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Dwayne Bravo, Marlon Samuels, Ian Bradshaw, Corey Collymore, Jerome Taylor, Denesh Ramdin, Devon Smith, Lendl Simmons, Daren Powell, Kieron Pollard.

A decent team on paper you would say with the right mix of experience and youth. Some very good players and some decent players. The sort of balance you might say is required for winning the cup. But they won’t win the cup. Many reasons for that but as has always been the case, we will take them one by one. First of all the expectations. Cricket in this part of the world is a second religion after only the NBA. But make no mistake the fans are as fanatic as you will find in the sub-continent. All this only makes them the people’s favourite, without proper rhyme or reason as to, are they fit enough to make the semi-finals. Too much hype and hoopla will only add to all the pressure there is already on the players, who know they are the home team.

To win this world cup, all you need is a batting line up which can chase down a target of 350. That essentially means you can actually afford to have half decent bowlers in your squad and get away with murder. And that is exactly what they intend to do. With a batting line up which sees the likes of Chris Gayle, Sarwan and Chanderpaul being supported by the inimitable Brian Lara, you know that they are capable of chasing even the tallest targets. Add to that the guile of Bravo, Samuels and Ramdin on their home grounds and you get reassured about their ability to chase.

It’s their ability to defend that I am worried about. They are only as good as any other average team in the field and their bowling attack, as already mentioned is good enough to be taken for 300+ on a decent batting pitch. Bradshaw, Colleymore, Taylor and Powell do not exactly strike fear into the hearts of the opponents on any given day. No comparisons people, but this is true. The one person who ought to have been considered could have been was Fidel Edwards given his raw pace, but his tendency to break down must have been a deterrent.

So far we have discussed the various capabilities of this squad and I must confess that time and again, I have called them good enough. So is the home team pressure enough to say that they won’t win the cup. For all you might know, it might have an opposite reaction. But still I maintain that they won’t win it. Why? Simply put because other teams have better players in both the categories than them. They have bowlers who do give away runs almost every alternate game but also have the tendency to win you some tight matches or defend low scores, ala England. Or the batsmen, they might be good on paper but they have never actually chased down 320+ in the recent memory. eg. New Zealand.

The point I want to make is very clear. They have the gift but it is not enough to win atleast this time around. But cricket as we know is a very unpredictable game. Every thing is going as you say or plan and then suddenly some one just takes it onto him to disrupt your apple cart. And that man in their squad is the dangerous Chris Gayle. He knows the grounds very well. Bats like an indomitable ice man and bowls shrewdly. He could be the one to turn around their fortunes. For the Windies to fire time and again and especially in the second round, he has to be in the form of his life. It doesn’t get any opportunistic than this for some one like him.

Doesn’t mean that Lara is not important. That is actually not possible. Such is the stature of the man. However the role he has to play this time round is totally different. His current stint as captain has been remarkably different than his earlier ones. However the team still has shown suicidal tendencies under pressure. From many a winning position they have taken the plunge. He is the one who can resurrect that. A bit more leading from the front required from the man, which might mean him batting down at 7 or even 8 in the order. Something he has done in the past season quite a few times.

Peeping onto their form book for 2006-07, we see them reverberating between crests and troughs. From the loss in New Zealand to the home win against the Indians to the finals in Champions trophy to again the bottom against Pakistan and the last few games against India, they have had exactly what you call a mixed season, giving at all times mixed signals as to their chances for the big one. Proving all the above correct.

The match against Pakistan, the tournament opener will be their most crucial one. Winning this one would set the tempo for a great tournament for them. Lose it and they will be watching quite a lot of the tournament from the sidelines.

My verdict – The hosts have never won the cup. This headline will remain the same.

Yorked!!! – By Chetan Narula.

Onto the world stage: Sri Lanka – The Underdogs.

The last time Sri Lanka was regarded the clear under dogs for the cricket World Cup was way back in 1996. Bookmakers had put their chances to 66/1 and we know the end result of that tournament. The Lankans shocked the world with their slam bang approach and great quality spin bowling to lift the trophy, much to the chagrin of the cricketing world. A new force had been born. And it was a force to reckon with.

However ten years is a long time. Much has changed in Sri Lankan cricket, as in the case of all other teams. But the change I am going to discuss is more related to on the field activities rather than the political battles being fought in the Sri Lankan board. So let us first take a look at the team sent to the West Indies: Mahela Jayawardene (capt), Kumar Sangakkara (wk), Sanath Jayasuriya, Upul Tharanga, Marvan Atapattu, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Russel Arnold, Chamara Silva, Chaminda Vaas, Farveez Maharoof, Lasith Malinga, Dilhara Fernando, Nuwan Kulasekara, Muttiah Muralitharan, Malinga Bandara.

You compare this team with the ’96 champions and the biggest problem which glares right back at you is probably the biggest reason why they won’t win the cup. They just don’t have that flair. Let’s admit it. Arjuna Ranatunga’s team had that distinct capability to pull a rabbit out of any hat. Be it the (in)famous Kolkatta semi-final, where they were 1/2 in the first over and the rest we know. Or the final in Lahore where they chased down 240+, a feat never achieved before in any previous final. Even much before that, when they made Manoj Prabhakar and the rest of the Indian attack eat out of their hands in a league match in Delhi.

It was as if they were making a point. After West Indies and Australia refused to play in Sri Lanka in the 1996 tournament, the resoluteness showed by the team in proving to the world that they deserved every bit of the credit they got, is historical. But this is not the only reason why they won’t win this time. The other big difference being the leadership. Mahela jayawardene is no Ranatunga. Or for that matter nobody in the present team is as mercurial as the former captain. And that matters why? Because at times like in the semi final at Eden Gardens, you have to lead from the front. Or like Steve Waugh in 1999, you have to rise to the challenge and beat South Africa in the super six to make your team advance. Jayawardene might be the best guy to lead the Lankans into battle as of now, but no, he doesn’t have the makings of a world cup winning captain.

Of course the rest of the team also matters. But there too the story isn’t exactly rosy. The middle order is almost non-existent. It is not like when Roshan Mahanama and the invincible Aravinda de Silva used to take charge and save them from disaster ten years ago. Atapattu’s ODI credentials are still not proven although he is near the end of his career. Tilaktratne Dilshan and Russell Arnold are good players but within their limitations. Sangakkara is the dashing batsman of the team and much will depend on him and his “non-existent” consistency. He needs to be in a purple patch for the Sri Lankan middle order to work. And again, Jayawardene doesn’t exactly score when he needs to.

However, the most important player in the tournament in 1996 is still very much there and as was then, he needs to play out of his skin to make the rest of the Lankans believe that they can go all the way. Sanath Jayasuriya has to replicate the form he showed in England last year. It is going to be his swansong and he knows it. Can his aged shoulders once more take the huge responsibility of guiding his team’s boat of fortune?

The bowling as always is in the hands of two great stalwarts who like Jayasuriya will be playing their last cup finals. Muralitharan and Chaminda Vaas have been great for Lankan cricket as individuals and as a hunting pair, but recent trends show that when their 20 overs end, that’s where the problem begins. Malinga, Maharoof and Bandara aren’t exactly in the same class and runs will be taken off them, and that too in plenty, believe me. And that’s why not sending the two great bowlers to India for the recent ODIs is going to prove a mistake.

Their most important match too is against the Indians on 17th march. And had they gone there and taken some wickets, even the Indians would have been wary of them. They (the Indians) were in the midst of building their team, remember? A few questions posed by these two wouldn’t have gone unnoticed. But now the whole ball game is different. As in Pakistan’s case, a win that day is of utmost importance because the points are carried forward.

Talking about recent form, they have won seventy percent of their matches last year. From the 5-0 white wash to the Champions trophy, where they were unlucky not to progress, to the drawn series in New Zealand. The only misfit is the loss to India and that too right before the big tournament. That makes the mistake of not playing Vaas and Murali all the more obvious. But this is exactly the situation where the coach, Tom Moody steps in. He has to make them forget the loss and look ahead to the big one. The way he did when they were smacked by India 6-1 in 2005. He was a key to their reversal of fortunes. Can he do it again?

My verdict – Good guys finish last. Don’t think the old saying is going to change much.

Yorked!!! – By Chetan Narula.

Onto the World Stage: Pakistan – The Unpredictables.

If ever Ekta Kapoor wanted to make a television soap on the melodrama in the cricketing world, she doesn’t need to write a script. All she needs to do is follow the fortunes of the Pakistan cricket team for six months and she will get enough antics to keep that soap series running for weeks.

The problem however is that no one in Pakistan is complaining. It has always been like this, some will say, why bother? Yes but its time for the world cup. Better pull your socks up and try and win it. But don’t be surprised if they reply that since it is the world cup year, let’s have a bit more of the drama. And believe me, by making more news off the field than on it this past season, they have done just that.

Taking a look at the fifteen who are currently in the West Indies preparing for the tournament: Inzamam-ul-Haq (capt), Younis Khan (vice-captain), Mohammad Hafeez, Imran Nazir, Mohammad Yousuf, Shoaib Malik, Azhar Mehmood, Shahid Afridi, Kamran Akmal, Mohammad Sami, Yasar Arafat, Umar Gul, Danish Kaneria, Rana Naved-ul-Hasan and Rao Iftikhar Anjum, you will find two names missing, those of Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif. Two players on whom the bowling attack hinges. The very same duo, who have been embroiled in the doping controversy for the past six months.

Actually nobody knows what the whole mess is about. Did Shoaib really slap Woolmer in Jaipur? Did Asif really get into crowd trouble in a party in India and get into trouble, in which Akhtar was party too (pun unintended)? Or is it just ego issues again with inzamam? Is it really that they have failed the drug tests? One thing is for sure, that we will never know. Because this is cricket in Pakistan and probably they themselves don’t know. Unless that or how else do you explain that these two were first implicated in a doping scandal, then banned, then the bans overturned and played in South Africa and then again, didn’t bother to show up for the tests before their departure for the world cup. Or is it that they are really injured?

Whatever the reasons might be, we know that the Pakistan bowling is depleted. If we study the history of their cricket, it is quite clear that pace is their strength. The batting just revolves around it and spinners, except one or two quite good ones, were never that a big factor. That’s the way Pakistan plays its cricket. Now it has to change. It has to find the strike bowlers in the likes of Naved-ul-Hasan and Mohammad Sami. Both don’t make the first team on existing form. Plus Umar Gul’s fitness is still under the scanner as is Sami’s.

In this melee, the bowler who might just land in the Carribean unnoticed is Danish kaneria. The leg spinner has been seldom part of the ODI plans of Woolmer and Inzamam, featuring in less than 20 ODIs so far. His selection is not a surprise anymore because Pakistan has so far failed to fill up Saqlain Mushtaq’s shoes in the shorter version of the game.

And this is the one place the all-rounders would have been valuable. Pakistan has always supported its fast bowlers by able players who bowl first or second change and bat aggressively down the order. Abdur razzaq however got injured at the worst possible moment, in the nets just before leaving. His replacement Azhar Mehmood though a good player when in mood, is clearly an old horse and should have been resting at home. The biggest blow however is Shahid Afridi not playing the first two matches because of suspension.

By the time Afridi returns, they would have already played the West Indies and since the points are carried forward to the next round, this is one reason why the Pakistanis’ world cup might end early. In this edition, carrying points forward in the next round is of utmost importance, when all the best teams will play each other (presumably). And that is exactly where the batsmen have to step up. Only Yousuf Youhana looks a safe bet considering his past year’s run, where as Inzamam remains his mercurial self. Younis Khan is still finding his feet in the ODIs. Plus like all sub continent teams, they are fiddling with their opening combination. Shoaib Malik could come in handy at the top of the order but what Imran Nazir is doing in the team, after a whole year in the wilderness, only god knows.

So much so that even Moin Khan offered to come out of retirement. At what position Moin? If one position in the team is safe, that is of Kamran Akmal, the keeper. And why do you want to de-stabilize that? Guess controversies and Pakistan cricket go hand in hand. If we check the run in to the tournament over the last season, we will see them losing to India at home and then the big debacle in England. The ODIs were lost somewhere in the aftermath. The Champions trophy was bogged down under the doping fiasco but somehow managed to save face against the West Indies at home. However, just when things started looking up, the thrashing in South Africa undid all that.

Clearly, this team has had very little or no preparation at all. Very unlike a Bob Woolmer team. But then Woolmer didn’t know what he was getting into when he took up the job. Inspite of all this, the Pakistanis are a threat. Exactly what anybody in the world will say this, whatever be their form or present state of affairs. They are a sleeping volcano which can erupt anytime. Bob Woolmer knows atleast that. The big question is: can he ignite them?


My Verdict: They won’t win the cup but I am not betting my life on that.

Yorked!!! – By Chetan Narula.

Onto the World Stage: England – The Outsiders.

If there were ever an English team capable of winning the World Cup of the sport they gave birth to, it was the team that won the Ashes in 2005. Sadly that team exists today only in bits and pieces and that too in shambles after a 5-0 thrashing down under. But that was the long version of the game, you must be wondering why I am talking about that. The point being that team stuck it up to the world’s best team not only in the tests but also the ODIs preceding that.

But does it really matter if they win this edition of the cup or not? As I recall many English dailies claimed in 2005 that they had not recovered a long coveted series but won the biggest prize world cricket had to offer. So I ask why bother about Windies 2007? Simply put, because they were put back in their places this Australian summer blanked all over the place in the tests. But again this is not about the longer version of the game. As they took some respite back home by winning the CB series, some English bookies had the audacity of making them 2nd favourites for the big tournament. What were they thinking?

Before we discuss their fortunes, past or future, any further, let’s take a look at the team they are sending to the Caribbean: Michael Vaughan (capt), Ed Joyce, Ian Bell, Andrew Strauss, Kevin Pietersen, Paul Collingwood, Andrew Flintoff, Paul Nixon (wk), Ravinder Bopara, Jamie Dalrymple, Monty Panesar, Jon Lewis, James Anderson, Liam Plunkett and Sajid Mahmood.

Quite a bit of change from the team who were a thorn in the Aussie backside, it’s really sad that somebody as good as Marcus Trescothick is not in the team. But then his breakdown will not be the last one we will see in the over-loaded world of cricket and so the selectors have been tied for long. But more than this it’s the injuries that cause the most concern. Michael Vaughan might not have scored an ODI ton yet, but if he is fit, he has to play because frankly speaking he is the best captain they had after probably Mike Gatting. Plus that also allows you to free up Freddie Flintoff’s mind and if free that mind can cause a lot of terror. So Vaughan’s fitness is the biggest issue for England. If he is fit, there’s no telling what this team can do, ala 2005.

But in his absence, they don’t have to stick with Flintoff as captain, do they? Andrew Strauss was being groomed too and after all wasn’t it under Freddie that they were blanked down under? Well here’s where the problem gets more complex, what do you do when Strauss loses form or confidence. He doesn’t have either right now and this meant trying out a plethora of opening combinations in the ODIs in Australia. And that is where the English selectors have failed yet again. Mal Loye who put both the Aussie and Kiwi attacks to the sword, would have been a good choice upfront but he is not even in the team. An unknown Ravi Bopara replaces him as he is in their words, more suited to the requirements. Oops I say.

As much as I am happy that another player of Indian origins makes it to the English team, I have to say untried players have atleast no place in the big tournament. If not more, he could have been the standby for Vaughan, a role Loye is playing. Plus the bowling in the West Indies has to be specialist to have any chance and not bits and pieces. Guess him being an “allrounder” and Loye just a pure batsman went against him. The bowling looks fine on paper, I mean good enough to be spanked all over, because that is what we will see most of the time. One addition could have been the mercurial Stephen Harmison, but his retirement from the short version is a deterrent. Sadly, a man of his talent wasn’t given more chances either by the selectors or by himself.

One player who could have made a difference would have been Vikram Solanki. No I don’t want to see an English team with as many Indian origin players possible. The point is that while the English team was hounded more or less everywhere they went this last season (home matches included), he was busy playing for Rajasthan in the Indian domestic league. And it doesn’t exactly take Sherlock Holmes to figure out that the experience he gained there will help out in the Caribbean as the conditions will almost be similar.

Considering 2006-07, the high points for this team were of course winning the CB series and well, that’s about it. The lowest being when they were thrashed 5-0 at home by the rampaging Sri Lankans (read Sanath Jayasuriya). However all that can be changed at Saint Lucia where they will play all their group matches. The match against New Zealand on 16th March would go far to determine where they end up in this tournament. Win it, and they gain the momentum & more importantly, the confidence to reach the semis. Lose it and please book your early tickets to England.

My verdict: Book your early tickets home.

Flying Lap!!! – By Chetan Narula.

A Heady Mix…

Never has the winter testing by F1 teams created so much interest and curiosity among the millions of fans world wide. Call it effectively the “last Schumacher effect” if you may. In leaving the sport too, the man has only made it more appealing. Bernie Eccelstone could not have asked for more.

The reason that Schumacher is no more on the starting grid means that a certain number of races will now be open for other drivers, which otherwise he would have won. But his leaving the sport has more far reaching consequences than that. The most important one, being the arrival of Kimi Raikkonen at Ferrari and the debate of the number one driver being sparked again in the scuderia pits. But before we get into that, there is the whole matter of testing times to discuss. And that for a change has nothing to do with one Michael Schumacher.

The most important test of the season at the Sakhir circuit, Bahrain got over this weekend and it is now very clear that we have an impending face off for the championship between Ferrari and Mclaren-Mercedes. The Woking based outfit have evolved their season strategy around Fernando Alonso and at Barcelona before this test, they were awesomely quick. Even the young Lewis Hamilton blew away the competition at the Spanish track which included two burning Ferraris.

But then Mclaren’s persistent problem of consistency caught up with them as soon as they started testing their race specs. And when Ferrari did exactly that at the desert circuit, they appeared the team to beat for the rest of the year. This was expected as they are still on the Bridgestones where as all the other front runners have to cope up. So much so that this could be the difference between Kimi being the number 1 or 2 at Ferrari this season.

Yes that is exactly what the whole world must be thinking ever since Fellipe Massa broke the track record at the Bahrain tests this past week. The fact that he has been with Ferrari for ages given that he used to test for them previously while Kimi has practically driven all his life on the Michelins, it is no surprise that they have been at most been separated by a second. What else do you put this down to, in testing, when there is no race or fuel strategy and the drivers are more or less trying to achieve only good test mileage at the end of the day.

Massa has also spent a year with Schumacher, watching the way he worked with the mechanics and took part in the setting up of the car, how he was as much a part of the pit crew as all others. Kimi all through his career has been alien to this concept. Another point which could be the difference in performance ever since his arrival there. Make no mistake Massa might actually make this season his own.

So where does that leave Fernando Alonso? The current world champion is the third favourite to win the title? Well as preposterous as the thought might be, it is true. Many reasons are doing the rounds for this belief. Ferrari’s pace and Mclaren’s consistency are the foremost. Testing is one thing but it’s the race weekends when the engines have to last. The signs are good but with Mclaren-Mercedes you never know. And this is where the third point, probably the most important one, emerges from.

All these years at Mclaren, have given Kimi his most potent weapon. His unpredictability. Be it qualifying last and finishing first in 2005, or driving an incompetent Mclaren last year superbly, the Flying Finn never ceases to astonish. His move to Ferrari is the only one in his career which anybody could have predicted. So we can safely presume that while the constructor’s championship is a two way race, it will still largely depend on the race to the driver’s crown which will, without doubt face a three pronged charge as of now. Throw in an exciting young number 2 driver at Mclaren and you will find quite a twist in this tale.

Can’t presumably end this without talking about the rest of them. Renault are struggling for pace and a race winning driver, Toyota for consistency, Williams for good quality consistent engines, BMW again for consistency, Red Bull for lack of good designing (ironically, their design engineer is the highest paid in the business), while the back benchers, i.e. Super Aguri, Torro Rosso and Spyker from a lack of testing mileage.

And oh, did I mention Honda? Well they too are struggling to find form be it pace or consistency. But unlike the rest they are doing nothing about it. Just fooling around in a “green Google earth” livery. The Honda circus is complete.

Yorked!!! – By Chetan Narula.

Onto the World Stage: A Preview.

Cricket’s premier event, the ICC World Cup 2007, is just eleven days away and the excitement in the sub continent air is enough to give you goose bumps, even though the action is on the opposite end of the world. The West Indies are hosting this quadrennial event this time as the most coveted trophy in world cricket moves to the American continent for the first time ever. Not surprisingly the calypso beat is already in rhythm.

So is it going to be better than the last edition hosted in South Africa in 2003? Well that’s a high standard to beat, especially as the previous two editions in England in 1999 and in the Indian sub-continent in 1996, were termed as failures in terms of managing the event given its gargantuan proportions, the latter termed a near disaster. Serious questions have always been raised every time before any major event, more so with cricket because as the ICC s global drive moves into high gear, they are breaking new ground literally. Plus comments from somebody as esteemed as Michael Holding, begs you to ponder over this question time and again.

But as much as I would like to talk about the stadiums and grounds being developed and the nature of the pitches, et all, this is not about it. Because there is a change in the wind this time around. The question which goes unanswered every time around for the past four world cup editions at least, or rather the question nobody bothers to spend time over can no longer be denied it’s due. Who is going to win this year’s cricket world cup? No the answer is not Australia. Surprised? I guess so. But that is exactly why every other point becomes irrelevant.

This article will not discuss why the Aussies won’t win a third consecutive champions’ crown. The essence of this article series is to discuss the teams participating in the event and their chances. Where they have gone wrong in their selections and what are their strong points. And no, I am not going to begin with the favourites. It is going to be a countdown to the dissection of the teams, as to who amongst them in my opinion is going to lift this year’s trophy.

Since the purpose of this article series is clear, I will be utilizing the remaining few lines discussing the fortunes of the minnows who are just there to add up the numbers, Scotland, the Netherlands, Bermuda, Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Ireland and Canada. Frankly speaking, counting two test playing nations among them seriously puts the name “World Cup” in a quandary. The point being that how many of these teams will be progressing as the top two teams from their respective groups, pitted against the might of the remaining test playing nations. None would be a consensus everywhere you would go.


This then seriously questions the grouping system being used in this edition of cricket’s premier tournament. Is it merely to increase the number of matches and generate even more revenue? From this far off, yes it appears only that. How else do you justify including four teams who don’t even play cricket on a regular basis to be playing in the world cup? This in itself labels the globalization efforts of the ICC as a sham. Vicious circle of questions, isn’t it?

Eleven days, and we will start getting the answers.