Super Over in World Cup final in case of tie

A Super Over will be played in the final of the 2015 World Cup in case of a tie.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has announced changes to the playing conditions in the 2015 Cricket World Cup in their first meeting of the year at the ICC headquarters in Dubai on Thursday. The most important development that came out of the meeting is that there will be a Super Over in case of a tie in the final. The previous scenario was that the trophy would be shared in case of a tie.
The ICC also approved a change in the Code of Conduct in offences relating to slow over-rates. The change states that captains do not carry any prior minor over-rate offence 'strikes' or over-rate suspensions from other series into an ICC event. This approval means all captains will enter the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 with no over-rate strikes against their names, and they will only be suspended from playing in a World Cup match if over-rate offences are committed during the event.
The ICC also gave the schedule for all the major events from 2015 to 2019. India will be hosting the 2016 T20 WC from March 11 to April 03 while the Champions Trophy will once again be held in England from June 01 to June 19, 2017. India will be hosting the T20 WC for the first time. England will also be the venue for the 2019 World Cup and it will be held from May 31 to July 15.
The ICC and the Pakistan Cricket Board have also approved Mohammad Amir's return to domestic cricket. Amir was banned in September 2010 for five years after he was found guilty of spot-fixing. His ban was supposed to end on September 02, 2015 but the ACSU (Anti Corrution and Security Unit) on the recommendation of chairman Sir Ronnie Flanaghan, reduced Amir's ban by eight months as he had co-operated with the ACSU.
According to article 6.8 of the ICC Anti-Corruption Code, "The chairman of the ACSU shall, only after obtaining the prior written agreement of any relevant National Cricket Federation(s) and the prior approval of the ICC Board, have discretion to permit a participant who is subject to a period of ineligibility to participate or otherwise be involved in domestic matches at any time prior to the end of that period."

Yuvraj to play for MCC in Dubai

                                    

Yuvraj Singh has been selected to play for MCC in the Emirates T20 tournament in March 2015.

Yuvraj Singh, the out-of-favour India allrounder, has been selected to play for MCC in the Emirates T20 tournament which will take place in Dubai on March 20. Lancashire will face Yorkshire in the first semi-final in the morning while MCC will line up against Sussex in the afternoon game. The final will be held on the same evening.
Alastair Cook and Michael Carberry are also part of the MCC team, which will be led by Nick Compton. Nepal captain Paras Khadka also features in the MCC team. Among the squad members, Yuvraj and Khadka will only play in the T20 matches while the rest of the players will also take part in the the Champions County match against Yorkshire, which acts as a curtain raiser for the English county season.
Yuvraj last played for India in the final of the World T20 2014 against Sri Lanka, which the MS Dhoni-led side lost by six wickets. Yuvraj also played for the Rest of the World XI against MCC in the Bicentenary match at Lord's last summer. He scored 132 off 134 balls in that game but his effort was overshadowed by Aaron Finch, whose explosive 181* powered MCC to a comfortable victory.
"I am very excited about being part of the squad for this tournament, and I'd like to thank MCC for offering me the chance to play out in Dubai again. There are some great players in the squad so we stand a good chance of winning the competition. I've got fond memories of playing against MCC in the Lord's Bicentenary match last year and I'm delighted to be involved with the club again," said Yuvraj about his inclusion.
MCC Head of Cricket John Stephenson said: "I'm very happy to have secured Yuvraj for this tournament. His record speaks for itself and the fact that he has agreed to be involved speaks volumes for the competition's status in cricket. I'm sure he will provide plenty of entertainment for the crowd and I'm looking forward to seeing him in MCC colours."
MCC squad: Nick Compton (Middlesex, captain), Alastair Cook (Essex), Michael Carberry (Hampshire), James Hildreth (Somerset), Zafar Ansari (Surrey), Daryl Mitchell (Worcestershire), Sam Billings (Kent), Matt Dunn (Surrey), Chris Rushworth (Durham), Graham Onions (Durham), Adam Riley (Kent), Paras Khadka (Nepal - for T20 matches only), Yuvraj Singh (India - for T20 matches only).

Dhoni satisfied with WC preparation despite defeats

Dhoni reasoned that injuries to some of the regular players allowed him to play some of the lesser-fancied players in the tri-series.

MS Dhoni, the India captain, said his players' lack of fitness during the course of the Carlton Mid tri-series put paid to their hopes of making Sunday's final against Australia. India were humbled by England in their last league game by three wickets at Perth, ending their Australia tour without a victory.
"To carry momentum into the World Cup is very crucial but more importantly we need all the 15 guys in the squad to be fit. In this tournament not all were fit," Dhoni said after the match on Friday.
India had begun strongly reaching 83 for no loss but lost wickets in quick intervals to be bowled out for 200, a target England found difficult to chase as they were also reduced to 66 for 5 at one stage. But half-centuries from James Taylor and Jos Buttler took England over the line.
Injuries to Ishant Sharma, who missed the tri-series, and Ravindra Jadeja, who only took part in two matches, allowed India to give some of their other players a look-in, which Dhoni was satisfied with. "Getting into a tournament like the World Cup, it's important that all of them have some kind of games behind them," he said. "Now in the coming warm-up games also, we will try to give as many people chances as possible so that we get a look at what the conditions they may face and what the opposition is."
Despite putting in strong performances with the bat during the Test series, India struggled throughout the tri-series to put up strong totals but Dhoni wasn't worried about it despite the defence of their World Cup title two weeks away. "From a confidence point of view we are quite good," he said. "It has been a long tour so far but with this break now, it will really help us. The guys should be able to come back strong."
India's opening woes were somewhat banished as Shikhar Dhawan, struggling for form throughout the Australian summer, scored 38 in an opening stand of 83 before being dismissed. "It is important that all your guys are in decent kind of form," he said. "Now with this game, he (Dhawan) will certainly take a lot of positives out of it because there was a bit of assistance for the fast bowlers and it was not an easy wicket to bat on initially. I felt he did good and the next step will be to capitalise on the kind of start he got."
"It will be important for most of us to capitalise on starts, have wickets in hand and look to exploit because the middle-order batting will be crucial. We might not get 100-120 runs in the last 10 overs everytime, we might be restricted to just 80-odd."

WC Countdown #14 - When cricket gives you a second chance

On 23rd March, 2003 Zaheer Khan walked out of 'The Bullring' in Johannesburg, a forlorn young man who'd just had his wings clipped. India's eight-match unbeaten run had ended rather tamely with a 125-run defeat to Australia in the World Cup final. Among the 11-men left licking their wounds after a brutal Ricky Ponting onslaught was a 24-year old Zaheer, who in his brief career, had already been tipped to take over the mantle of leading India's bowling attack in the new decade.
In the big match, Sourav Ganguly had won the toss and inexplicably chose to bowl on a flat deck. The new ball was thrown to Zaheer. The skipper's trust needed to be vindicated. There were nerves and it showed.
Zaheer Khan ran up and delivered the first ball way down the leg-side. Wide and four byes was followed by a glare at Adam Gilchrist as if to say: 'That missed the stumps by just a couple of feet. Watch out'. The exuberance of youth and the occasion had consumed the young quick. Australia had 15 on the board at the end of Zaheer's over, a platform they used to notch up a mammoth 359 in their 50 0vers. The supposed future leader of the Indian attack ended with figures of 7-0-67-0!
8 years later...
India made it to another World Cup final. This time, at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, under a new captain, MS Dhoni. Zaheer and three other survivors from the 2003 edition were there. The now 32-year old Zaheer, having gone through the rigors of international cricket had emerged wiser, wilier and far more composed. As prophesied, he had carried the mantle of leading India's bowling attack and was duly handed the new ball when India, having lost the toss, were asked to bowl. A second chance to determine true worth.
Zaheer stepped up and this time his mastery of control was on full display. He hit the channel outside the off-stump and gave away nothing to the batsmen. In 2003, he had gone for 28 in his first three. To Tillakaratne Dilshan and Upul Tharanga, he started with 3 maidens. He ended his first spell with figures of 5-3-6-1. He came back in the second spell to dismiss Chamara Kapugedara with his new invention, the knuckle ball. With 21 wickets, he emerged as the joint leading wicket-taker of the World Cup, a vital cog in India's famous win.
Sometimes you deserve a second chance because you weren't quite ready for the first.

Well-rested Johnson available for tri-series final

                                          

A rejuvenated Mitchell Johnson is likely to spearhead the Australian attack on Sunday.

Out of action for a month, Mitchell Johnson has fully recovered in time for Australia's tri-series final on Sunday. According to a report in the Australian Sport, Johnson, who sustained a hamstring injury prior to the Boxing Day Test against India in Sydney last year, believes his body has got a much-required break following a non-stop 2014 which included four Test series.
"I needed a fair bit of a rest," Johnson said. "I think it'd probably been a big 12 months personally, but for all the bowlers as well. The UAE was quite tough. We bowled a lot of overs there and then coming into Australia the wickets were a little bit flatter than we expected. There were a lot of runs scored through the Test series. The body now is fully recovered and ready to go."
Johnson's timely recovery also means he will get to participate in Australia's warm-up games ahead of their World Cup opener against England on February 14. The 33-year-old displayed a fiery spell of bowling against Aaron Finch in the nets at the WACA on Thursday, suggesting that he was fit and raring to go. "I'm feeling pretty good," he told the daily. I'm feeling rested. I don't have any soreness there anymore, so I'm feeling pretty good."
Johson, who slowed down a bit in the latter half of the previous year due to overwork, asserted that he will regain speed on his return to action. "Another game's just started, so we're getting prepared to play either side," Johnson said. "I'm really looking forward to playing on a nice wicket. It's a big match to come into, but I'm as prepared as I can be. I've played a fair bit of one-day cricket now and I know what to expect."

Fascinating facts about World Cups

Highest run-getter in World Cups

During his knock of 52 against the Netherlands, Sachin Tendulkar surpassed Javed Miandad (1083) to become the highest run-getter in World Cup history. Eventually, Tendulkar finished with 2278 runs in World Cups.

Brothers in arms

Dayle Hadlee, Richard Halee and Barry Hadlee all played for New Zealand in the inaugural World Cup in England

The Youngest World Cup winner

Aged 22 years and 3 months, Piyush Chawla was the youngest to taste World Cup success when MS Dhoni's devils defeated Sri Lanka in Mumbai in 2011.

Father-Son combo

Donald Pringle played for East Africa in the inaugural World Cup, while his son Derek Pringle represented England in the 1987 and 1992 World Cups.

The fury of Botham and Gooch

Ian Botham and Graham Gooch caused a stir by walking out of the 1992 World Cup final official pre-match dinner after being far from impressed at Australian comedian Gerry Connolly's act. The Queen impersonator joked that the royal family was to be privatised and sponsored by Fosters.

Martyn ignores broken finger to be part of history

Australian batsman Damien Martyn batted with a broken finger and shared a match-changing 234-run stand with Ricky Ponting in the 2003 World Cup final. Martyn finished unbeaten on 88.

The best and worst bowling average

Pakistani batsman Mohammad Yousuf has the best bowling average (0.00) in World Cup history. Yousuf took the wicket of Zimbabwe's Christopher Mpofu with the very first ball he bowled in the 2007 World Cup. Contrastingly, New Zealand off-spinner John Bracewell has the worst average. Featuring in two World Cups (1983, 1987), Bracewell played seven matches, conceded 310 runs and picked up just 1 wicket, meaning he had an average of 310.

Zimbabwe's black armband protest

Before the start of Zimbabwe's opening match against Namibia in the 2003 World Cup, the likes of Andy Flower and Henry Olonga wore black armbands "mourning the death of democracy in Zimbabwe."

McGrath turns into Nostradamus

When Indian captain Sourav Ganguly called the right side of the coin during the toss in the 2003 World Cup final and said that his side would bowl first, Australian pacer Glenn McGrath made cheeky comment in the dressing room saying, "Well, that's the first mistake."

Tendulkar's clever strategy

During the 2003 World Cup, ever since India changed their opening partnership after their group game against Australia, Virender Sehwag took strike for three successive matches. However, when India took on arch-rivals Pakistan, Sachin Tendulkar thought Wasim Akram would have too many tricks up his sleeve for young Sehwag and told him that he'll take strike in that match. Eventually, Tendulkar hit a couple of lovely boundaries in the very first over to set the tone for a convincing Indian victory.

Amir: Biggest news of my life

                                                     

Mohammad Amir is determined to win over the naysayers with his bowling.

Banned Pakistan paceman Mohammad Amir vowed on Thursday to prove himself as a "better player and better human being" after his spot-fixing ban was relaxed by the International Cricket Council (ICC). Amir, 22, can return to domestic matches with immediate effect after the world cricket body ended his five-year suspension from all forms of the game some eight months early.
Amir, who was banned for his part in a scandal in which he arranged no-balls to order in a 2010 Test against England, said he was overwhelmed by the ICC announcement. "It's the biggest news of my life," he told AFP on Thursday. "It was the most difficult phase of my life but I am sure it's over now and I am keen to return to international grounds."
Amir was banned along with his captain Salman Butt and new ball partner Mohammad Asif for spot-fixing. Cricket, and Pakistani cricket in particular, has struggled with the scourge of corruption in recent years and there has been some disquiet about Amir's return to the game.
Some former professionals have said he should not be allowed back into international cricket, while Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Shaharyar Khan last year revealed some current players were against Amir's return and did not want to share a dressing room with him.
Amir, however, is determined to win over the naysayers with his bowling -- and promised to behave from now on. "If anyone has any problems with my return I am sure he will change his views with my character and good performances," said Amir. "My job is to play and do well and I am sure that I will return to international cricket as a better player and better human being and that's my aim."
The decision to relax his ban came after two years of efforts by the PCB. The ICC last year approved a provision in its players' code of conduct under which all banned players who complete their rehabilitation will be allowed to play domestic cricket a few months before their bans expire.
Amir said he never thought of giving up cricket. "Cricket is my life and I never thought of leaving it. I have not forgotten how to bowl but now my focus on cricket will be more than before as I have to prove myself again," he said.

Morgan eyes confidence boosting win over India

Morgan wants England to beat India and pick up crucial momentum ahead of the World Cup. 

Hungry to get back to winning form, England captain Eoin Morgan is looking at the do-or-die tri-series tie against India as one that will build up the side's momentum ahead of the World Cup if they go on to win the game on Friday.
After handsomely beating India in their previous encounter, England's final round-robin fixture against Mahendra Singh Dhoni's team in Perth is a virtual semifinal as the winners go onto play Australia in the final on Sunday at the same venue.
"The guys are in high spirits. Yes, we did take a lot of confidence from that game and I think that performance has been a long time coming. We've put in a lot of work over the last year or so with very little reward," Morgan told reporters on the eve of the match.
The pitch at the WACA traditionally favours the fast bowlers and is bouncy. England, with one of the better fast-bowling attacks in the world, will fancy their chances against India's batting order which is going through form and injury-based issues in the tri-series.
Things are slowly falling in place for England, who have just six wins from their last 20 ODIs. Steven Finn, with a five-wicket haul against India and Ian Bell scoring an impressive 141 from 125 balls against Australia have given England a momentum that they'd like to carry forward with a win ahead of the upcoming World Cup.
"So an individual performance like Steven Finn put in was brilliant. Since then Ian Bell has put in a fantastic performance (against Australia) so things are starting to come together and I think a win tomorrow would give us huge confidence and build momentum for us ahead of the World Cup. I think it is important to win this game given the lack of success we've had before this tour. We've built a confidence in our preparation, in the game in Brisbane and in performances leading into the start of this series. So as momentum and confidence goes I think it's quite a big game," Morgan said.
"It's vitally important we adapt to conditions tomorrow. It's going to be a little bit different to everywhere we do play on this tour. But the guys are really looking forward to it. It's a place where you come and play and really look forward to it - one of those iconic grounds where you want to do well," he said.

World Cup Heroes: Matthew Hayden bulldozes opposition in 2007

    Hayden was the shining light of Australia's batting in yet another undefeated World Cup campaign. 

Not too many sights in cricket were as intimidating as that of an imposing Matthew Hayden, striding out to take strike. Hayden exemplified a batting style that treated bowlers with utmost disdain. Deft touches and dabs, according to him were for the weaklings. Not that Hayden couldn't, but whyimprovisewhen you can tear the leather off the ball by hitting it in front of the wicket?
In retrospect, it is zany that Hayden, an integral member of the Australian teams in Tests and ODIs, capable of single-handedly demoralizing a bowling attack, made Australia's World Cup squad for the 2007 edition only because Shane Watson picked up an injury and Simon Katich went out of favour in the 2006-07 season. After being part of Australia's World Cup winning squad in 2003, Hayden suffered an alarming dip in form in 2005-06 season and lost his place in the ODI side. Circumstances conspired to bring him back to the team and he gave a timeless reminder of the age old cricketing saying - 'Form is temporary, class is permanent'.
Hayden was the shining light of Australia's batting in yet another undefeated World Cup campaign. Having won the previous two editions of the quadrennial event, the mighty Aussies came to the Caribbean as the overwhelming favourites and left with their fourth trophy, having swept aside all opposition. Hayden was at his bludgeoning best. He warmed up to the event with a 60 and a 29 against associates Scotland and Netherlands respectively. Then, in their final group stage game against perennial heavyweights South Africa in St. Kitts, Hayden blitzed his way to a 66-ball hundred, the fastest in World Cup history, till it was surpassed by Irishman Kevin O'Brien in 2011. The southpaw's onslaught helped Australia post a gargantuan 377/6 in 50 overs, a score that sealed an 83-run win.
Hayden carried his form to the super-eight stages where he tore down a hapless West Indian attack en-route a 144-ball 158, thus far the highest by an Australian in World Cup history. By his lofty standards, Hayden experienced a minor blip in the middle stages of the drawn out tournament. The 'blip' included scores of 47, 41 and 41 against Bangladesh, England and Sri Lanka as Australia marched towards the knockout stages unopposed. In Australia's final super-eight game against continental rivals, New Zealand, Hayden joined Mark Waugh and Sourav Ganguly in a elite list of players to have scored three centuries before the semi-finals of the World Cup, when he hammered a 100-ball 103 as Australia posted their fifth consecutive 300+ total batting first.
The burly left-hander scored 41 in the semi-final as Australia cantered towards South Africa's paltry total of 149 before his 38 in the final(the second highest score for Australia) was dwarfed by Adam Gilchrist's infamous 'squash ball' innings. For a man, who entered the 06-07 season uncertain about his future in the ODI format, Hayden finished the mega event with mind-boggling numbers.
His 659 runs at 73.22 was 111 more than those accumulated by Mahela Jayawardene, who finished in second place. Hayden became one of only two players to amass more than 600 runs in a World Cup. (Sachin Tendulkar scored 673 in 2003). More importantly, Hayden compiled these runs at a staggering strike-rate of 101.07, hitting more boundaries than any other batsman in the tournament. The only time he let a bowler beat him during the tournament was when teammate Glenn McGrath, 26 wickets at 13.73, pipped him to the player of thetournament award.

WC Countdown #15 - Walsh's magnanimous gesture

The Spirit of Cricket is literally an unwritten 'rule' that cricketers take a lot of pride in. The lines have blurred with increasing competition and the very nature of the game has changed a lot over the years. But in 1987, a few cricketers still followed that code of conduct. 'Mankading' a batsman was still considered against the spirit of the game. Strictly following the rules, the bowler has every right to run a non-striker out if he is found backing up too far. However, it is considered unsportsmanlike since the ball has not come into play. It is one of those grey areas where both sides of the argument have a lot of weight. You either agree with it and play a certain way or don't.
Courtney Walsh had no such doubts in mind even when the pressure was highest.
West Indies were in dire need of a win against Pakistan to make a comfortable journey to the semi-final of the 1987 World Cup. West Indies batted first in Lahore and had been bowled out for 216. In the chase, Pakistan were going up and down. There were useful contributions right through the innings but they also kept losing wickets regularly. It came down to 14 needed off the final over with just one wicket in hand. Abdul Qadir and Saleem Jaffar were the batsmen at the crease and Walsh was entrusted with bowling the final over.
The Pakistani duo took singles off the first two balls before Qadir smacked a six and sneaked a couple of twos. Now Pakistan needed two to win off the last ball with Qadir on strike. Walsh ran in to bowl but saw that an eager Jaffar had wandered well out of the crease in readiness to sneak the runs. If Walsh had whipped the bails off at that stage, West Indies would have won, but it was against Walsh's beliefs about the way the game should be played. He merely walked back to bowl the final ball again. Qadir managed to take the two runs and Pakistan clinched a thriller.
But it was Walsh who bagged the headlines for his doubtlessly gentlemanly act. The home team had won but the crowd was won over by Walsh. It is an act that is still regarded as one of the finest moments in World Cup history.

Speculation over CSK buyers as IPL slots auction for Feb 16

The date of the auction being pushed to February 16 is to allow BCCI president N Srinivasan to make arrangements for the expected transfer of his CSK shares to another party. 

The authorities of the Indian Premier League (IPL) have scheduled this year's auction for February 16. No official communication has been made to the franchises, but their representatives have been informally informed to block the date. The venue has, however, not been finalised.
The obvious outcome of the development is a degree of clarity over the structure of IPL 8. There were question marks over Chennai Super Kings and Rajasthan Royals, should the Supreme Court-appointed three-member committee - chaired by former Chief Justice of India RM Lodha, and with former Supreme Court judges Ashok Bhan and RV Raveendran as members - give a verdict before start of the league on April 8.
However, now that the auction date has been fixed, there appears to be no immediate danger to these teams. "That is the inevitable inference. They have not told us anything about the players of the two teams. So we can assume that these two teams will be taking part in the IPL 8 at least," said an official of a franchise.
TIME FOR NEW OWNER?
There is another inference to the development as well. Originally, the auction was tentatively scheduled for February 9-10. Now that it has been postponed by a week, the impression gathering steam is that time has been given to BCCI president N Srinivasan to make arrangements for the expected transfer of his CSK shares to another party. It is also being said that the new party will have time to plan.
Ranjib Biswal, the IPL chairman, refused to join the issue saying no interpretation should be attributed to the decision. "We've no information about the expected date of verdict from the Supreme Court-appointed panel. We're going ahead with our planning for the IPL 8," Biswal said. What if the panel announces action before the start of the IPL 8? "We'll cross that bridge when we reach there," Biswal retorted.
A POTENTIAL CSK BUYER EMERGES
Meanwhile, there is intense speculation over a prospective buyer for the team. A certain Varun Manian is being touted as an interested party along with the Mammens of MRF. Manian is a Chennai-based young billionaire builder, who reportedly got engaged to South Indian film star Trisha a few days ago. But a Srinivasan aide has said there will be a surprise on the way he hives off CSK from parent company, India Cements.
However, the aide said no buyer has been approached. "That he will try to keep the BCCI post is given. We need a few days to kick start the process," the aide said.
There are unconfirmed reports of Srinivasan seeking a clarification from the Supreme Court over one grey area of the judgement but his lawyers contend that is not needed. Currently, Srinivasan is in Dubai for a meeting of the International Cricket Council (ICC).
Meanwhile, the IPL workshop will be held on February 17. The owners of the teams may attend it where the action plan for the league is discussed.

The day a King upstaged Viv Richards

In an otherwise average career, King made a name for himself during the 1979 World Cup - belting a 66-ball 86 in the final against England. 

It was the 1979 Prudential World Cup final at Lords; the West Indies were in trouble. England had chosen to field upon winning the toss and when captain Clive Lloyd fell it was 99/4. But Collis King joined Viv Richards in the middle and by the time he departed, West Indies 238/5, the game was as good as won.
Their union produced 139 runs. Unbelievably, Kings share was 86, meaning the ebullient Barbadian had significantly outscored the man who wielded the most dreaded blade in the game. By the time the West Indies completed their 60 overs (Limited overs games in England those days were 60 overs) the score was 286/9, and Viv, in a man-of-the-match performance, was 138*.
Yet, Viv agrees, it was King who took charge of the innings and allowed them to reach what was then an intimidating score. The eventual margin of victory was 92 runs, as the West Indies irresistible four-pronged pace attack dismissed the hosts for 194, despite a 129-run opening partnership between Mike Brearly and Geoffrey Boycott.
Viv, at the time, stood at the pinnacle of world batting. His position was unchallenged, and much in the way that the deadly gunslinger was feared in the old west, many cowered at the thought of facing him. Chewing-gum was an ever-present part of his armour; the helmet wasnt. And his measured walk to the middle, often accompanied by rapturous cheers, was enough to intimidate all but the toughest of bowlers.
So long as you were willing to put aside the inevitable feeling of inadequacy, batting with Viv must have been quite pleasant. Think of it: Since there was hardly an attack or even a bowler capable of tying him down for any prolonged period, there would be very little scoreboard pressure; additionally, you would have a front-row seat to what was the finest travelling show in cricket.
The Batting Emperors capacity for mayhem was so far ahead of everyone elses that nobody thought there was a batsman breathing that could outshine him from the other end. The World Cup final, contested on crickets most prestigious ground, was the games biggest stage and provided the perfect context for a memorable performance from the master. And though he didnt disappoint it was King who commanded the stage that day, forcing Viv, for one of the few times in his career, out of his usual lead role, into that of supporting cast.
Those of us following by radio in the Caribbean could scarcely believe what was unfolding. King was by no means a top player for the West Indies; indeed it could be said that he had underperformed since making his debut on the 1976 tour of England. But he had an explosive quality about him; his fielding was electric, his bowling lively, and he had the ability to hit a cricket ball as hard as anyone. If there had been twenty20 in his day his services would have been widely sought.
Ignoring Vivs advice to take it easy", when he joined him in the middle King went on the offensive immediately and there was hardly a ball that evaded the very middle of his bat. This is what the Antiguan had to say in Sir Vivian, his autobiography:

Every time I told him to take it easy, he hit the ball further and further. He was in that special frame of mind and in the end I just relaxed and let him tear the bowling to shreds and, rather than the two of us going berserk, I took time out and worked around him while his fire raged. I didnt feel I should try and match himThere was the more important issue of the West Indies reaching 200, and I was happy to support and play second fiddle. (p. 151)

Kings 86 came off 66 deliveries with 10 fours, three sixes, and his 139-run partnership with Viv lasted 77 exhilarating minutes.
The West Indies sizeable victory indicates that the contest was not very close, but when King joined the fray his side was precariously perched on the edge of a precipice and they possibly could have toppled over had King, the last of the recognized batsmen, not made a substantial contribution. The top order had fallen away quickly, and of those who came after him only wicketkeeper Deryck Murray managed to trouble the scorers, making five. King stopped the collapse dead in its tracks and sent the West Indies innings hurtling along at break-neck pace. He took over the controls from the best in the business, relegating the great man to the position of passenger as they guided the Caribbean side to safety, and to their second hold on the World Cup title.
Kings career after the world cup proceeded much the same way it did before he continued being useful without being spectacular. He last played for the West Indies in England in 1980 and effectively wrecked his chances of donning the maroon cap again when he joined the band of rebels that toured South Africa in 1982-83.
In an unexceptional career King played 9 tests for the West Indies and 18 One day Internationals. And if up and coming youngsters in the game would find his record unremarkable, it is certain they would covet at least one day in his career: June 23, 1979. That was the day he played a pivotal role in reclaiming the games most lucrative prize for the Caribbean; the day he upstaged the games best and most destructive batsman.

World Cup Countdown #16: Astle left surprised by 'food vendor'

Nathan Astle smashed a sublime hundred in the 1996 WC opener against England, but there's a wonderful story behind his preparations for the match. 

The cricket aficionados even now fondly reminiscence Nathan Astle's stirring knock in the opening encounter of the 1996 World Cup against England in Ahmedabad. On an easy paced wicket, he cut and drove England's pacers like Dominic Cork, Darren Gough and Peter Martin to pepper the off-side field and compose an entertaining century.
New Zealand eventually won the game by a mere 11 runs and Astle for his sterling knock of 101, was awarded the Man of the Match. However, very few know of the fabled story of an unheralded pani-puri seller, who amazed Astle in the net practice before the game started by bowling with pace and venom.
The pani-puri seller, Bharat Shah, aged 23 at that time, got the chance to bowl at the swashbuckling opener in the nets through one of his friends. He bowled just one over at Astle, but that was enough to stun a batsman, who had amassed over 7,000 ODI runs.
The first three deliveries of his over were reportedly bowled with scorching pace and missed the off-stump by a whisker. Astle managed to somehow defend the next two deliveries, but Bharat had saved his best for the final delivery of the over as he pegged back Astle's stumps to send it for a walk in the park. Astle, who was hugely impressed by the gift-wrapped skills of Bharat, even gave the Man of the Match cheque he received for his game-changing hundred to the pacer.
Bharat was rightly thrilled to receive the chepue from an international cricketer, who was known for his fearless batting against fast bowlers. "The $1,000 cheque means more than the money," he told India Today.
Maybe the Indian selectors, who all the time yearn for a quick bowler, could have watched the youngster rattle New Zealand's premier batsman and beat him for sheer pace.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni at the crossroads

                                          

"My retirement (from Test cricket) has really excited you guys," Dhoni's curt reply gives no indication about his future. 

He seemed invincible just a few months ago. But things are getting tougher for 'Captain Cool' Mahendra Singh Dhoni as he paddles a rocking Indian boat through some very choppy waters in Australia. When he was captain in all formats, Dhoni had complete control over the Indian team. For a long while, he was the man with the golden touch. But as India began to lose matches, especially in overseas Test matches, Dhoni's position became shaky.
The last straw was when Virat Kohli captained India to victory in the ODI series at home against Sri Lanka in Dhoni's absence. And when the current tour began, Kohli was again at the helm as Dhoni was unfit. Despite losing the first Test in Adelaide, Kohli impressed critics by the way he led.
The emergence of Kohli as leader and a split in the Test and ODI captaincy has led to two power centres within the team.
It is quite ironic that Dhoni had total control of the team when the Indian line-up was studded with stars like Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid, VVS Laxman, and Sourav Ganguly, down to Virender Sehwag, Gautam Gambhir and Zaheer Khan. They had all built their name and reputation by the time Dhoni took over and never felt threatened by his growing image. They were more than willing to let him have his way.
Without doubt the blessings of Tendulkar and the backing of the BCCI top brass made Dhoni's life at the helm easier. Under him, the Indian team started delivering spectacular results. The achievements were numerous - the No 1 rank in Tests and ODIs; World Cup and Champions Trophy champions.
After the retirement of some legends and the emergence of the younger lot, one would have imagined that Dhoni would have had a greater hold on the team. But things are slipping out of his grasp, slowly but surely.
Kohli's bold and brash attitude is a contrast to Dhoni's calm image. With a young, inexperienced team under his belt, Dhoni is fast losing his magic touch. And with Kohli wearing his aggressive attitude on his sleeve, he is seen as the best guy to replace Dhoni in all formats.
The transition has already happened in Test cricket, and Dhoni's fate as ODI captain will depend on India's fate in the World Cup.
Many cricket experts have wondered why Dhoni chose to retire totally from Tests when he was still the best bet as wicketkeeper-batsman even in the longer format of the game. Was it that he was too fatigued, having to be away from home for long stretches for time and living out of a suitcase for a better part of the year? Or was he unwilling to play under a captain junior to him?
Dhoni surely had the option of quitting Test captaincy and continuing as a player. But the type of persona he has built over a period of time, he is probably not in a mental state to play cricket under a junior cricketer. Sunil Gavaskar was once famously quoted as saying that he was willing to play even under Maninder Singh, at a time when there was a similar dual power structure with Kapil Dev and he at the helm by rotation. But Dhoni is no Sunny.
Tendulkar willingly gave up captaincy and concentrated on getting runs by the ton for his team. Ganguly and Dravid played under each other without egos being bruised. But Dhoni seems different.
The journalists here keep hounding Dhoni with questions on whether the World Cup is going to be his swansong. He merely says: "My retirement (from Test cricket) has really excited you guys." His curt reply gives no indication about his future.

World Cup Heroes: Klusener blows opposition away in 1999

Zulu as he is fondly called, Lance Klusener was an allrounder par excellence during the 1999 World Cup. An explosive batsman in the middle order and a useful seam bowler, the Natal-born cricketer saved his best for the seventh edition of the multi-team event. Klusener, who was South Africa's highest run-scorer and highest wicket-taker in the event, finished with 281 runs at an amazing average of 140.50 and a strike rate of 122.17. He was also the fourth highest wicket-taker overall, with 17 scalps at an average of 20.58.
Klusener's all-round exploits helped South Africa recover from dicey positions several times in the tournament and he bagged four Man-of-the-Match awards, three in succession, to finish the 1999 World Cup as the most valuable player.
A taste of things to come:
In South Africa's opening encounter against India, Klusener might have gone for some runs, but he delivered important strikes, picking up the wickets of Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and Mohammad Azharuddin to restrict India to a total of 253/5. He finished with figures of 3/66 and also scored 12 crucial runs off 4 deliveries to help South Africa reach the target.
Three MoMs in a row:
South Africa were reduced to 122/8 by Sri Lanka and they were reeling at 168/7 against England - both times it was Klusener who came to the team's rescue. With a valuable unbeaten 52, he helped South Africa post 199/9 before coming back to pick up 3/21 to skittle Sri Lanka out for 110 and bag his first Man of the Match award. Against England, his 48 not-out helped Proteas to a competitive 225/7, while he also picked up a wicket and complemented Allan Donald, Shaun Pollock, Kallis and Steve Elworthy to bowl England out for 103. In South Africa's next game against Kenya, he picked up 5/21 to bowl out the opposition for 152. South Africa secured a comfortable 7-wicket win and Klusener won his third MoM in a row.

Disappointment and delight:
An economical spell of 1/36 helped South Africa restrict a quality Zimbabwe batting line-up to a total of 233/6. However, Proteas top-order failed miserably and were reduced to 106/7 when Klusener came to the crease. He added 43 runs with Pollock before South Africa lost two more wickets to be 150/9. Despite that, Klusener did not lose heart as he scored a fighting half-century and put on a valiant stand with Donald. However, he was stranded on 52 when Donald fell to Olanga as South Africa were bowled out for 185 and suffered a shocking loss. South Africa faced a similar situation when they were 176/7 against Pakistan in the Super Sixes match, chasing 221. This time, Klusener, with an unbeaten 46, saw the Proteas past the line to bag his fourth MoM award.
Heartbreak in the semi-final:
He did not do much with the ball in the semi-final against Australia even as Pollock and Donald combined to bowl out the mighty opposition for a total of 213. It should have been a regulation chase, but South Africa made things difficult for themselves as they wilted under the pressure exerted by Shane Warne (4/29) to slip to 175/6. Even as Pollock, Boucher and Elworthy fell in quick succession, Klusener was like a thorn in Australia's flesh as he took South Africa closer, with Donald giving him company.
Nine required of six deliveries came down to one off four when Klusener blasted back-to-back boundaries off Damien Fleming. Things had gone Klusener's way more times than not in this World Cup and it appeared as though he would turn out to be a hero in this game as well. The third delivery was a dot ball, and Australia missed a run-out chance. Klusener still had three more deliveries to hit the winning run and take South Africa to the final. Striking the fourth ball to mid-off, Klusener took off for a single, only to see that Donald was ball-watching instead of responding to his call. Donald was run out and the match ended in a tie with Australia progressing to the final as they finished higher in the Super Sixes.
Extreme disappointment was seen on Klusener's face after South Africa lost their place in the final and earned themselves the chokers' tag. However, it was still a hugely successful outing for Klusener in the 1999 World Cup and he went on to top the ICC ODI batting chart while he was also voted as Wisden Cricketer of the Year in 2000.

Steven Smith bags Allan Border Medal

Smith, 25, became the second youngest player to bag the medal. 

Australia's stand-in Test captain Steven Smith was, on Tuesday, awarded the Allan Border Medal for the rich vein of form he has been in 2014-15. Smith, 25, became the second youngest player to bag the medal after Michael Clarke, who received the honour as a 23-year-old in 2005. Smith was also named Australia's ODI and Test player of the year.
The Allan Border Medal is decided by cumulative votes cast by fellow players, umpires and media representatives. Smith received 243 votes to win by a big margin. David Warner (175), previous medallist Mitchell Johnson (126), Aaron Finch (111) and Glenn Maxwell (96) were the other contenders for the prestigious medal.
During the voting period (January 24, 2014 to January 10, 2015), Smith amassed 1212 runs in 9 Tests at an average of 86.57. He also scored five hundreds and five fifties. Four of his hundreds came in the Test series against India, in which he aggregated 729 runs to surpass the record of Sir Donald Bradman for most runs in a series against India by an Australian. In the 12 ODIs that Smith played in 2014, he scored 541 runs at an average of 49.18. He managed two centuries and three fifties.
Delighted after receiving the medal, Smith said: "I've just really enjoyed the last 12 to 18 months. And seeing some of those highlights, particularly the South Africa win and to beat the number one Test team in the world in their own backyard was amazing."
Smith attributed his success to staying calm under pressure and not trying anything different. "I think the main thing would probably have to be my patience that I've shown throughout the summer. I think I've been able to withstand pressure and know that things get easier and I think, when they've got easier, I've cashed in."
Shane Watson, who won the award in 2010 and 2011, said the way Smith was batting reminded him of Ricky Ponting at his best. "It really has been a privilege to be able to see the way he's been batting and playing, and also holding himself. I've been very lucky in my career to be able to play with some of the great players that have played for Australia. To see Steve Smith and what he's doing in this point in time is very much along the lines of what Ricky Ponting was doing when he was dominating."
Glenn Maxwell (T20I Player of the Year), Sean Abbott (Young Cricketer of the Year), Meg Lanning (Belinda Clark Medal) and Jason Behrendorff (State Player of the Year) were the other award winners. Former wicketkeeper-batsman Adam Gilchrist and former allrounder & administrator, Jack Ryder were inducted into the Australian Cricket Hall of Fame.

Sunil Narine withdraws from World Cup

Sunil Narine has withdrawn from the World Cup after failing to sufficiently remodel his suspect action. 

The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) on Tuesday announced that offspinner Sunil Narine has withdrawn from the ICC Cricket World Cup 2015 after failing to sufficiently remodel his bowling action that was reported during the Champions League T20 tournament.
Narine, 26, was included in the 15-man squad for the World Cup by the Clive Lloyd-led selection committee despite sitting out of West Indies' tours of India and South Africa. The spinner was reported and suspended for a suspect action during the Champions League T20 in September 2014 while playing for Kolkata Knight Riders. The suspension, however, was limited only to BCCI organised events.
Since the suspension, Narine has undergone intense remedial work on his action with preliminary reports finding all his deliveries to be under the 15-degree flexion restriction. However, Narine opined that he needed more time to be able to bowl confidently with his new action for a sustained period of time.

"Playing for Red Force and winning the NAGICO Super50 has been a big boost, but going in to the World Cup is a little too much too soon and, after consulting the WICB, for both West Indies and my sake we have decided to delay my return to international cricket until I am 100% confident in all that I do,"Narine was quoted as saying by a WICB press release.

"Whilst I am very happy with the progress made to date with my action, and I express my thanks to the coaches working with me in Trinidad and Dr Daryl Foster in Perth, Australia, I am withdrawing from the World Cup," the offspinner said.
Respecting Narine's decision, a WICB spokesperson said that a replacement for the offspinner will be announced soon. "The WICB supports Narine's decision to withdraw from the CWC squad as to risk his exposure to the intensity of the Cricket World Cup would be both unfair to him and the West Indies squad. Narine has taken a positive approach to his remedial work, remains in an optimistic frame of mind and looks forward to returning to international cricket at the earliest opportunity."
Narine's withdrawal follows that of Saeed Ajmal who also cited a similar reasoning after facing an official suspension. The tournament in Australia-New Zealand will now miss both the top two bowlers in the ODI format, Ajmal and Narine.

Injured Rohit unlikely to be available before WC warm-ups

                                                      

                                    Chances of Rohit Sharma's availability for the England game are next to nil. 

The Indian team management has decided not to risk injured opener Rohit Sharma for their crucial match against England of the tri-series on January 30 and also for the final in case they qualifies for it.
Rohit suffered a hamstring injury during the opening encounter where he scored a splendid 138 against Australia. "Chances of Rohit playing in the tri-series even if India reaches final is next to nil. He is recovering but the Indian team management does not want to risk a key player with the World Cup starting in less than three weeks," a source close to the team management told PTI on Tuesday.
"The physio said after having a look at the MRI reports that Rohit needed a week's rest and after that could start training. With Shikhar Dhawan completely out of form, they do not want to risk Rohit in this tournament as they have a World Cup to play. The February 8 and 10 warm-up games against Australia and Afghanistan will serve as Rohit's match-fitness test," the source informed.

WC countdown #17 - A Crowe special denies Houghton

The World Cup is always distilled with those great moments when a minnow upsets the apple-cart and overcomes a favourite. In the 1987 World Cup match between Zimbabwe and New Zealand, Dave Houghton's heart-stirring innings of 142 almost took his country to a surreal win, before Martin Crowe changed the game on its head by taking a brilliant catch to help the Kiwis emerge triumphant in a humdinger.
In '87, New Zealand without Richard Hadlee weren't exactly brimming with confidence, but were expected to beat Zimbabwe comfortably. On a slightly damp pitch in Hyderabad, Zimbabwe won the toss and elected to field. The two Martins Snedden and Crowe struck half centuries and took New Zealand to a competitive total of 242 for 7.
Zimbabwe struggled to get going in the chase and at 104 for 7, were hurtling towards a heavy defeat. That was when Dave Houghton, Zimbabwe's key batsman and wicket-keeper, was joined by Iain Butchart. Houghton struck some lusty bowls to take Zimbabwe to the brink of a famous win.
With Zimbabwe requiring just 22 runs off 21 balls, Snedden ran into bowl his medium pacers. New Zealand's captain Jeff Crowe decided to go for the last throw of the dice. He brought the long on up to lure Houghton to play the big shot.
Houghton, who was getting tired in the sweltering heat, took the bait. With one mighty swing of the willow, he thwacked it high in the air. Crowe, the fielder at mid on, took athletic strides and had great concentration as he ran at full tilt while looking skywards.
For a moment one felt that Crowe, stretching every sinew to run about 30 yards, would have done so for a lost cause. But he never gave up and finally dived full stretch to take the catch that mattered.
Despite Butchart putting up a brave fight Zimbabwe eventually lost the game by a mere three runs. With that spellbinding catch, Crowe, had saved some blushes for his country and ensured that New Zealand came up trumps in a thriller.

Vettori confident of good show in World Cup

Daniel Vettori is the most-capped New Zealand player in ODIs with 280 appearances, going past Stephen Fleming's mark of 279 ODIs.

After missing most of 2012 and 2013 with injury, Daniel Vettori is enjoying his time back with the team this season and his performances have made New Zealand complete. During the sixth ODI against Sri Lanka at Dunedin, Vettori featured in his 280th ODI for New Zealand, becoming the most-capped New Zealand player and he was given a special presentation by Stephen Boock, New Zealand cricket president. The previous record was held by former New Zealand captain Stephen Fleming, who had 279 ODI appearances .
Vettori is the leading wicket-taker in ODIs for New Zealand and he needs just 11 wickets to reach the 300-wicket mark in ODIs. In early 2013, Vettori had declined a central contract in order to be fit for the 2015 World Cup. He said the main concern for him was to get through the amount of cricket that was been played. "It's been nearly four months of nearly non-stop cricket, I've played a lot of games and bowled a lot of overs and I'm feeling pretty good, the body's feeling good, there haven't been any niggles, and with still a fair amount of cricket to go including the World Cup, I'm fairly confident I'll get through it," he said.
When asked about how he felt about the milestones that he has accumulated in his career, Vettori said, "To play for such a long period of time and to put those milestones together is pleasing, particularly as a spin bowler in New Zealand, where conditions aren't always conducive to bowling spin because of the grounds and the nature of the wickets, so to be able to hold the record for Test matches and ODIs is very pleasing."
The main battle in the New Zealand team is for the spinner's slot and it is between Vettori and Nathan McCullum. Vettori has played in four games but has not taken a wicket yet in the series against Sri Lanka. However, he has contained the flow of runs nicely by going at an economy rate of just 3.67.

India left with unanswered questions after Sydney wash-out

Another failure for Dhawan has added to India's woes. 

India may have come out the happier of the two sides after the fifth one-dayer of the Carlton Mid tri-series in Sydney was rained out but during the 16 overs on Monday, the glaring questions that hovered over their top-order turned into massive headaches.

With the bowlers showing that they could be a big problem, India already had their plates full ahead of the ICC Cricket World Cup. Two of the four batsmen who were lucky or unlucky to bat in the penultimate league game only added to the problems today, leaving MS Dhoni and Co. with big decisions to make.

Shikhar Dhawan has contributed little next to nothing in three ODIs while Ambati Rayudu seems all at sea about his role in the side. Both failed in testing conditions on Monday, adding more substance to questions about their spots.

Having invited India to bat on a morning marred by rain, Australia bowled 16 overs before bad weather forced the umpires to call the game off. The teams were robbed off match practice but split points meant India kept alive their chances of progressing to the next stage and playing Australia in the final. Their game against England on January 30 will now be a virtual semifinal.

Just over an hour's play was possible in Sydney, but it was enough to compound the defending World Cup champions' woes.

Shikhar Dhawan understandably took a cautious approach and picked runs when the bowlers erred in line. However, his vigil lasted only 13 deliveries. Dhawan is now becoming concomitant with edging behind the stumps. The left-hander, once again, flirted with a delivery outside off-stump and edged it to first slip. Scores of 2, 1 and 8 are not what India would have hoped for from a batsman who is expected to replicate Virender Sehwags blazing approach.

Dhawans scores before the tri-series read 91, 79 and 113. Three successive failures doesn't necessarily mean a batsman is woefully out of form but Dhawan looks a mere shadow of the player he has been. His confidence has taken a battering and, against quality opposition in overseas conditions, he has become a liability.

Unlike Ajinkya Rahane or Rohit Sharma, Shikhar Dhawan cannot be moved down the order and that could work against the 29-year-old. Add to this, Dhawan's form when India visited New Zealand early last year (32, 12, 28, 9) and it becomes clear why Dhawan is everyone's favourite for the axe.

The other aspect that has made India's World Cup build up all the more irksome is their inability to figure out what to do with Rayudu. The fact that Virat Kohli 'gave him the chance that should have been given to him 10 years ago'is touching for sure but with a World Cup in sight, is it right to persist with having him at the crucial No.3 spot? Especially when India boast of the worlds best No. 3 at the moment.

Rayudu was used more as a pinch-hitter on Monday, perhaps keeping in mind that rain would have an effect on the outcome. And although he hit a couple of lusty blows, it was clear that being quick off the blocks is not one of his strong points. India have players like Suresh Raina to play in such manner, should the need arise. Rayudu slammed two fours and a six during his 24-ball cameo before he was out, trying to hoick Mitchell Marsh out of the ground.

Moving him down the order would pose other problems for India. Rayudu is not known for his big hits and he could throw a spanner in India's works during the death overs should he be batting then. When India played England in a one-off T20I in September last year, MS Dhoni refused to give Rayudu the strike as he appeared to have doubted the Baroda batsman's finishing capabilities. India will be keen on avoiding a similar situation during the World Cup. So then, would the side be looking at dropping Rayudu from the side? That would allow a more-solid Ajinkya Rahane to drop down to No. 3 with Dhawan and Rohit Sharma opening. India could also be looking at getting Rayudu ready for any eventuality. While they see him more as a batsman who can drop anchor, India could also be making sure that Rayudu is ready to wield the long-handle should the situation crop up.

India's experimentation in the tri-series has unfortunately left them with more issues to address. With Ravindra Jadeja and Axar Patel not getting their chance in today's game, the side would now be in a quandary about what to do in their must-win game against England. Should they give Patel and Jadeja another go in the XI? Should Dhawan and Rayudu get one last chance? Or should India go with an in-form and tested combination?

MS Dhoni and Duncan Fletcher do not have much time to find the right answers.

Clarke feels both Smith and himself could play in Australia's XI

Clarke has struggled with injuries in recent times. 

Michael Clarke, who is on a recovery path after undergoing a surgery on his troublesome hamstring, has indicated that there is room for both Steven Smith and himself in Australia's ODI unit. With Clarke constantly troubled by injuries, questions have been raised over his place in the Australian side for the ICC Cricket World Cup, 2015.
"It is about trying to pick the best 11 players and I don't think it is about any individual. There are roles to play for every player. You know your strengths," Clarke was quoted as saying by cricket.com.au.
Former South African captain, Graeme Smith, was one of the cricketers who had questioned Clarke's selection for the World Cup. He had even indicated that there was no room for both Smith and Clarke in the playing XI. Smith has been in great form in both the longest format of the game as well as in ODIs. In fact, since the start of 2014, Smith averages 55.92 in the abridged version of the game. On the other hand, Clarke, played a mere six ODIs in 2014.


Clarke, who is facing a race against time to be fit for the mega-event, trained during the ODI played between India and Australia in Sydney.
"Right now, for me it is about getting fit, about getting back on the park. I have played enough cricket to know that if I am fully fit and playing my best cricket that the selectors will work out what they think is their best XI and we will go with that," Clarke summed up.

WC Countdown #18: The 2007 Final farce

Nothing went right in the 2007 ICC Cricket World Cup. India and Pakistan suffered early exits while Bob Woolmer was found dead under mysterious circumstances shortly after Pakistan suffered a shocking loss at the hands of Ireland. To add to the tournament's woes, a blunder by match officials meant that the final of the 2007 World Cup came to end with a farcical finish in darkness.
The start of the game on 28 April, 2007, was delayed because of rain. In the rain-marred final, which was reduced to 38 overs per side, Adam Gilchrist's brutal assault on the Lankan bowlers meant that Australia finished with a commanding 281/4.
Sanath Jayasuriya and Kumar Sangakkara scored half-centuries, but Australia kept picking up wickets at regular intervals to put Sri Lanka on the back-foot. With no floodlights at the Kensington Oval in Bridgetown, Barbados and the light fading, it seemed obvious that the match would be decided on basis of the D/L method when players were called off after the 33rd over.
Australia, when they were off, were already celebrating as they thought that the umpires calling them off for bad light meant that they won the game as per the D/L method. While the followers of the game clearly know that 20 overs in the second innings is enough to constitute a result in case of rain or bad light, the officials, it appeared, were unaware of the rule as they called the players back, asking Australia to bowl three more overs.
Australia captain Ricky Ponting and Sri Lanka skipper Mahela Jayawardene were perplexed, as were the rest of the players, when they were called back onto the field. On-field umpires Steve Bucknor and Aleem Dar, third umpire Rudy Koertzen and match referee Jeff Crowe are all knowledgeable men. However, their lack of awareness of the basic playing conditions meant that Ponting and Jayawardene had to come up with an arrangement where the Australians agreed to bowl as slow as possible to ensure that no Sri Lankan batsmen were hurt in the three overs that they played in almost complete darkness. Had they not played out those three overs, the umpires had informed the teams that they had to come back on the reserve day.
The match ended with Sri Lanka finishing at 215/8 in 36 overs. Australia won the match by 53 runs (D/L method) to lift their third title in a row. Even as the officials were booed during the presentation ceremony for their foolish move, match referee Crowe admitted that it was a mistake on his part, while he also suggested that umpire Koertzen misread the situation.
"In hindsight, I should have known the rules and said the game had been called off. I'm very embarrassed for the playing control team today. For me, the real confusion has come from the fact we were talking about resuming the game tomorrow, which was technically wrong. Rudi was talking about the allowances and talking about the possibility of tomorrow. I don't think it's Rudi's mistake, it's a collective mistake. The fact Rudi might maybe have suggested it early doesn't mean the other umpires couldn't have over-ruled him. The two on-field umpires are the ones who control the match," Crowe said.

Bailey hopes to end form slump

George Bailey might lose his place in the side if continues to fail with the bat. 

George Bailey has one fifty to his name in his last ten ODIs for Australia. While his team has excelled in the ongoing tri-series that also involves England and India, he has been found struggling for runs. In the absence of regular captain Michael Clarke, Bailey has been leading the side and if his slump continues, his position in the playing XI during the World Cup that starts next month will be in danger.

Bailey knows the consequences of his regular failures with the bat but points out the fact that Australia's top order has been in good form and he comes to bat quite late in the innings which gives him little time to settle and he, invariably, ends up playing the role of a finisher.

"If I'm not scoring runs and they pick him (Michael Clarke), that's fine, that's the nature of the game. It'll sound a bit silly but I think we've been batting really well as a group, so in terms of my role I've been coming in a touch later than when I was scoring big runs," he said. "So I feel like I'm batting as well as I ever have, it's just a matter of getting some balls in the middle. But hopefully we continue batting as well as we are at the top of the order and that role continues to be a finishing role at the end."

However, despite his struggles, the 32-year-old is looking forward to captaining the side against India on Monday which also happens to be Australia Day. "It's a very enjoyable thing to do, to captain your country. Tomorrow will be fun, captaining on Australia Day, that will be a real buzz. And you are scoring runs and you are not scoring runs - then you get picked or you don't. It's a really basic equation," he said.

Allrounder Shane Watson has been ruled out of the India game meaning Bailey can move up the order and spend more time in the middle to get back in touch. Mitchell Marsh, who is available for selection after attaining full fitness, might find a place in the playing XI.

"I will probably get to bat higher up with Watson being out, however our line-up's structure will remain much the same as the other day," said Bailey. "I think the spinner will play, Xavier Doherty will come back in and we're just finalising which quicks we're going to go with. Mitchell Marsh has pulled up really well. He has a good chance and if playing he'll be expected to bowl."

However, Mitchell Johnson has been ruled out as he is being saved for the final of the tri-series to be played on February 1. Australia have already qualified for the final after winning all three of their games of the series."I faced Mitchell Johnson last night and that's never pleasant, so his pace was still pretty good. He's had another hit out today. He's going reasonably well. I don't think he'll play tomorrow and he'll be building up for Perth," he said.

WC Countdown #19 - Rain to Pakistan's rescue

           

To win a major tournament, you need to display plenty of pluck and need a bit of luck, too. In 1992, when Pakistan won the World Cup under the inspirational leadership of Imran Khan, the entire country celebrated and the game was pushed to the forefront in Pakistan. However, without the solitary point they got from the abandoned encounter against England in Adelaide, Pakistan would have been knocked out in the preliminary stages of the tournament itself.

England were up against Pakistan in the round-robin stage. With heavy rain overnight and thunderstorms predicted during the match, England captain Graham Gooch won the toss and elected to bowl. On a wicket that helped the ball move zig-zag and with Imran missing from the line-up due to a back injury, Pakistan looked like a rudderless ship. Derek Pringle, took three wickets for a mere eight runs and rest of the seamers supported him to skittle out Pakistan for a paltry 74 in 40.2 overs. By then, it was clear that only weather gods could save Pakistan.

England, in their reply, lost Gooch, but by lunch they had progressed to 17 for 1. The one-sided nature of the game even made most of those 7,537 fans who had come to watch a riveting contest, leave the stadium in disappointment. Just in the nick of time for Pakistan though, it started raining heavily. On expected lines, the umpires brought out their calculators. 

Now, the 1992 World Cup is still remembered for a bizarre rain rule, where the ''highest scoring overs'' of the first team was taken into consideration. It was unfair towards the team batting second. As 15 overs were required for the match to take place, England suddenly needed 63 runs off 15 overs (based on Pakistan's highest scoring overs). After another shower, it was revised to 64 off 16 overs. Both the not out batsmen, Ian Botham and Robin Smith were unhappy as on a deck that was offering plenty of assistance to the pacers, it was going to be an uphill task to chase it down. But after just two more overs were bowled, it started to rain again and the match was declared as a wash-out.

"We tried to go for them [the target], but it rained again and it was declared a wash-out and we shared the points, one each. In the end that was enough for them [Pakistan] to qualify for the semi-finals," Gladstone Small, England seamer, was quoted as saying by the Guardian.

The one point that Pakistan got from the match eventually helped them reach the semi-final. Pakistan ended up with nine points to their name. The West Indies and Australia remained on eight. However, if Pakistan had lost that game against England, Australia would have gone through as the hosts had a superior net run-rate when compared to the West Indies and Pakistan, and all three teams would have had eight points against their name.

World Cup Heroes: David Boon lifts Australia to maiden triumph

The moustachioed and stockily built David Boon was known for his correct and compact technique against quick bowling. In fact, Boon's career remains even now etched in memory for his unflinching courage and his refusal to buckle down when facing up to the venomous pace of West Indies' pacers of yore.

However, if we jog our memory back to the 1987 World Cup, played in the subcontinent, the 26-year-old Boon, found his career at crossroads. His lack of footwork against the tweakers and his trouble against swing bowling were exposed by the old enemy, England, and he was even dropped from the side. Only consistent performances during a tournament in Sharjah just before the World Cup assured his place in the Australian squad.

With Kepler Wessels having quit the Australian team and the experiment of sending Wayne Phillips up the order not yielding the desired results, the selectors were also looking for a solid opening pair. So, both Boon and his longtime partner-in-crime at top of the order, Geoff Marsh, were given a run in the side.

In the '87 World Cup, Boon surprised one-and-all by turning out to be a vital cog in Australia's stunning surge towards winning the mega-event. He aggregated 447 runs at an average of 55.47 and was on top of the pile in terms of runs scored in that tournament. The trials and tribulations during the early part of his career seemed to have strengthened the Tasmanian batsman's resolve.

Boon started on a good note in the World Cup by accruing a well-constructed innings of 49 in their first match against hosts, India in Chennai. He also stitched an important century stand for the opening wicket with Marsh. As Kiran More, India's wicket-keeper for that game later said: Boon and Marsh never looked like getting out. Both of them expertly milked the Indian spinners square off the wicket on either side to take Australia to 270 for 6. On the back of Steve Waugh's sterling last over effort, Australia beat their fancied opponents by a mere one run.

Boon's next significant contribution for the Aussies came in the third game, when he exuded command at the crease by essaying 87 off a mere 96 balls in a rain curtailed 30-over match against New Zealand. Boon continued his rich vein of form with a 63 in a losing cause against India in Delhi and compiled a fine 92 against minnows, Zimbabwe. By that time, the relatively young Australian side had stumped critics by qualifying for the World Cup semi-final. Yet, many didn't give Australia an iota of a chance to beat the Imran Khan-led Pakistan side in their own den in the semi-final - so much so that Pakistan's former middle-order batsman Zaheer Abbas had called the Australian team as 'club cricketers'.

In the first semi-final played in Lahore, Boon and Marsh, for the umpteenth time, gave Australia a fine start. Even after Marsh was run out for 31, Boon played a defiant knock to lay a solid foundation for the visitors. He had his share of problems against the spin of Abdul Qadir and Tauseef Ahmed. The mighty craftsman, Qadir, looked nigh unplayable, but Boon proved his worth by negotiating Qadir safely. Australia went on to reach 267, and then silence the boisterous Pakistan crowd by winning an engrossing encounter by 18 runs.

Before the tournament started, most pundits had reckoned the final would be played between India and Pakistan. But it turned out to be a tussle between old foes, England and Australia. It was expected to be another of those high-pitched battles between the two sides. In front of of 90,000 fans at a jam-packed packed Eden Gardens, Australia won the toss and elected to bat. Boon, known for those savage cuts and pulls, took full advantage of some wayward bowling with a flurry of boundaries. With his fine start, Boon had certainly soothed the jangling nerves in the Australian camp. Boon, along with Marsh and Dean Jones, had taken Australia to a position from where they could accelerate. Boon was finally dismissed for a well-measured knock of 75 by Hemmings. 

Eventually, in a game full of ebbs and flows, Australia sent shock waves throughout the cricketing landscape by winning their first ever World Cup. Boon was rightly adjudged as the Man of the Match. The epochal win sent the entire team into wild ecstasy as they celebrated long and hard, and it was in no small part to David Boon.