Battle of the flawed heavyweights

Match Facts

March 24, Ahmedabad
Start time 1430 hours (0900 GMT)

The Big Picture

This match can be seen through several prisms: champions of the world v pre-tournament favourites, misfiring middle order v misfiring middle order, pace-reliant attack v spin-heavy attack, athletic fielders v incompetent fielders. Australia against India is a clash between teams with obvious imperfections. The loser goes home while the winner heads to Mohali, to play Pakistan on March 30.

Whether Virender Sehwag will play Australia in Ahmedabad is not yet public knowledge

If any of Ricky Ponting's men are relatively weak-willed, compared to the Australians of campaigns past, they have had plenty to help them focus in the days leading up to this quarter-final. An Australian paper reported Cricket Australia were going to discuss Ponting's future as captain. An English paper reported Ponting was going to jump before he was pushed. An Indian paper reported sinister allegations about Australia's game against Zimbabwe, prompting an angry retraction demand from the ICC. Whether they were planted to drive Australia to distraction is debatable, but none of the stories was substantiated.

Off-field dramas aside, Australia's progress in this World Cup was smooth at first - a comfortable win against Zimbabwe, a smashing one against New Zealand - and then uninspiring, when they laboured against Kenya and Canada. In each of those matches, at least one weakness was evident: a captain struggling for form, a middle order troubled by turn, spinners incapable of striking, and fast bowlers with wonky radars. All of these frailties were exposed by Pakistan, who ended the legendary unbeaten World Cup run on 34 matches. Australia's successes have been built around the opening partnership of Brad Haddin and Shane Watson, and the energy of Brett Lee. That might not be enough to topple India - but it might, for MS Dhoni's team is far from the shoo-in semi-finalist it was expected to be.

Before the World Cup began India's batting line-up was thought to possess the armour of God, their bowling was considered less formidable but effective in home conditions, and the fielding was known to be average. As their campaign played out, it became evident that the armour didn't fit the middle order - there were collapses of 9 for 29 and 7 for 51 - and the bowling, while adequate on helpful surfaces, was mediocre on flat pitches. The fielding has not been average. It has been abysmal. Slow anticipation, slower approaches to the ball, failure to cut off angles, and plain lethargy have allowed opponents to run at will.

For a long time during West Indies' chase, it seemed as though India would make the quarter-finals by beating only the three weakest teams of their group, which would have vindicated this forgiving format designed to prevent the upsets of 2007. But Zaheer Khan saved the day, as India expect him to. Zaheer apart, India have relied on Yuvraj Singh for an extraordinary number of wickets, as well as consistent runs in the middle order. The key, though, is at the top, where Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag have provided tremendous starts. But even if they do it again against Brett Lee and Shaun Tait, it may not be enough.

Form guide

(completed matches, most recent first)

India: WLWWT 
Australia LWWWW

Watch out for...

The batting Powerplay was conceived as an asset for the batting team, an aid in the pursuit of fast runs. In the months leading into the World Cup, it began to be a banana skin, with wickets falling as batsmen resorted to rashness during the fielding restrictions. India have slipped spectacularly on it during the tournament, scoring 9 for 154 off 130 balls. During the batting Powerplay, India lost 1 for 32 against England, 4 for 30 against South Africa and 4 for 28 against West Indies, squandering positions of immense strength. Australia haven't mastered it either, making only 4 for 121 off 100 balls. Those five tricky overs could make or break a campaign tomorrow.

If the stakes weren't large enough to fire up Ponting, the talk about his captaincy and retirement will have strengthened his determination to end his form slump with a cathartic performance. Ponting has been dismissed by the short ball - a strength turned weakness - in this World Cup and by spin, a more traditional subcontinent susceptibility. His composure has also been strained. Eight years ago to the day, Ponting ended India's World Cup dream in Johannesburg with a century of frightening brutality. He plans to watch videos of it in the hope that it will help him reproduce something similar in Ahmedabad.

Sachin Tendulkar watched that World Cup slip out of India's grasp as the bowlers conceded 359 in the final. He was then dismissed in the first over of the chase. The Player-of-the-Tournament prize was little consolation. He has the opportunity to write a wonderful script tomorrow - a 100th international century in a victory that will dethrone the World Champions. But cricket, like life, is never perfect.

Team news

Virender Sehwag missed the last group game because of an inflamed knee and India are keeping news of his fitness under wraps. He batted on Tuesday and on the eve of the game as well, but Dhoni said they might wait as late as match morning to take a decision on his participation. If Sehwag does not play, India are likely to field the same XI that beat West Indies.

India (probable): 1 Virender Sehwag/Gautam Gambhir, 2 Sachin Tendulkar, 3 Gautam Gambhir/Suresh Raina, 4 Virat Kohli, 5 Yuvraj Singh, 6 MS Dhoni (capt & wk), 7 Yusuf Pathan, 8 Harbhajan Singh, 9 Zaheer Khan, 10 R Ashwin, 11 Munaf Patel.

Australia have had an unchanged team since Michael Hussey replaced his brother in the XI, and they are likely to do the same against India. The weakest links have been middle-order batsman Cameron White and offspinner Jason Krejza and potential replacements could be David Hussey and allrounder John Hastings.

"We haven't finalised our 11 yet. We'll have a bit more of a think about things this afternoon, make sure all our players have got through training well, with no injuries or illnesses," Ponting said. "There's a good chance that any of our guys could come in for this game. Coming off a loss last game wasn't ideal for us, and we have to have a look at what we think is going to be the best make-up and balance for the game tomorrow."

Australia (probable): 1 Brad Haddin (wk), 2 Shane Watson, 3 Ricky Ponting (capt), 4 Michael Clarke, 5 Cameron White/David Hussey, 6 Michael Hussey, 7 Steve Smith, 8 Jason Krejza/John Hastings, 9 Brett Lee, 10 Mitchell Johnson, 11 Shaun Tait.

Try picking the XIs for tomorrow's game by playing Team Selector.

Pitch and conditions

Australia played their World Cup opener at Motera, where they started slowly against Zimbabwe before accelerating to a formidable total. Ponting expected tomorrow's pitch to be similar to that one. "It was pretty much what you'd expect for a subcontinent wicket: a little bit slower, spun a bit more in the second innings of the game maybe than the first," he said. "We're going to send our coaches down late tonight to have a look at the ground and see if there's any dew about. I think it's supposed to be 41 [degrees] or something [similar], so it will be nice and hot for the boys out there."

Stats and trivia

• India have lost their last four games in Ahmedabad. They batted first in three of those matches.
• Brett Lee has 50 ODI wickets against India, the highest by an Australian bowler. Four of his nine five-wicket hauls are against India.
• India have not won a game against Australia in a global tournament while chasing. Their last win against Australia in a World Cup was in 1987.
• In 14 ODIs against India in India since 2007, Australia have won eight and lost five.

Quotes

"People have been talking about the short-pitched ball a lot, and not to forget the best batsmen in the world don't like facing the short-pitched deliveries. One good thing, it's not something new to us. It follows us. Wherever we are, the shadows of short-pitched deliveries can be seen. I don't think it's a new strategy."
MS Dhoni hopes that familiarity will breed confidence when Lee, Tait and Johnson thunder in.

"Maybe we've just learned to keep our mouths closed a bit more. A lot of that chat hasn't really happened since [Glenn] McGrath and [Shane] Warne went out of the team. Hopefully, our cricket will do the talking on the field tomorrow."
Ricky Ponting on sledging and whether there will be plenty of it during the quarter-final.

Fred Titmus dies aged 78

Fred Titmus, the former Middlesex and England allrounder, has died at the age of 78 following a long illness.

Titmus enjoyed one of the most remarkable careers of any Middlesex player. When he made his first-class debut in 1949 at the age of 16 years and 213 days, he was the youngest-ever Middlesex cricketer at the time. When he made his final appearance in 1982, he had established a record span of 33 seasons, and at 50 years and 276 days was the fourth-oldest Middlesex player, and the oldest to appear for the county at Lord's.

His overall first-class record was a testament both to his longevity and his class. He made 21,588 runs at 23.11, and claimed 2830 wickets at 22.37 in 792 appearances, to establish himself as one of English cricket's finest allrounders. He was also on the books of Watford Football Club.

Despite competing with a number of fine spinners including David Allen, Ray Illingworth and John Mortimore, Titmus played in 53 Tests between 1955 and 1975, claiming 153 wickets at 32.22, including a best of 7 for 79 against Australia at Sydney in 1962-63. His highest score of 84 not out came the following year against India in Mumbai.

He even came back after a horrific boating accident in the Caribbean in 1967-68, when he caught his foot in the propeller and lost four toes. He was back in action for Middlesex by May 1968 and finished the season with 111 wickets, and also topped his county's batting averages with 846 runs at 25.63. His final first-class appearance came when he was called up out of the crowd against Sussex in 1982, when Middlesex's captain Mike Brearley decided an extra spinner was needed. Sure enough, he took 3 for 43 to set up a 58-run victory.

His artistry as a slow and flighty bowler contrasted with a highly developed practical streak that made him a fine judge of a player. "Too intelligent for his ability," was his appraisal of one; of another, a youngster who scored a dashing hundred against Middlesex at Lord's, he commented: "I like to see someone make a bad 'undred before I make my mind up." He made three tours of Australia, and justified his selection each time. But his favourite memory of the country, he claimed, was "The sight of a ground emptying an hour before the close of play."

"Fred Titmus was my mentor, advisor and coach," wrote the former Middlesex bowler and Guardian cricket correspondent, Mike Selvey, in a tribute last year. "Conversation with him - and there were many - was a masters-level cricketing education, his great skill in simplifying things ("only people make a simple game complicated"), coupled with an ability to implant ideas so cleverly that you believed they were yours in the first place."

"Fred will be deeply missed by all those who played with him and by all those who were fortunate enough to have seen him performing for Middlesex and England," read a statement from his county. "All of our thoughts and best wishes are with his wife Stephanie and family."

David Collier, the ECB chief executive, said: "Fred was simply a master of the art of slow bowling and a very popular figure on both the county and international circuit. He will be much missed and we send condolences to his many friends within the game and his family."

Pak vs WI: Pakistan run chase off to a flying start

NEW DELHI: Chasing 113, Kamran Akmal andMohammad Hafeez brought up Pakistan's fifty in the eighth over in their World Cup quarterfinal clash against the West Indies at the Shere Bangla National stadium in Mirpur on Wednesday.

Scorecard

Earlier, skipper Shahid Afridi led from the front with four wickets as Pakistan bundled out West Indies for a paltry 112 in 43.3 overs.

Afridi finished with impressive figures of 4/30 after Mohammad Hafeez's two early wickets pushed West Indies on the backfoot at the start of the innings before folding up for their third lowest World Cup total.

Umar Gul and Saeed Ajmal, too, figured amongst the wickets.

West Indies skipper Darren Sammy's decision to bat first after winning the toss backfired badly as the two-time former champions were reduced to 16/3 by the sixth over, with the dangerous Chris Gayle back in the pavilion.

Spearhead Gul gave Pakistan a dream start when he had Gayle caught at mid-off by none other than the skipper himself.

If losing Gayle so early was not bad enough, West Indies were dealt another body blow as the left-hander's opening partner, Devon Smith, was trapped in front by Hafeez.

Hafeez was at the thick of things again when he had Darren Bravo caught plumb in front.

West Indies looked completely out of sorts against the guile and variation of the opposition bowlers, especially Hafeez, who picked up two wickets while conceding just 12 runs in his first spell of eight overs, which also had three maidens.

Afridi seemed pro-active in his approach and was looking for wickets at all costs, and at all times.

The skipper was in no mood to let go of the early advantage and therefore replaced first-change bowler Wahab Riaz after the left-arm seamer went wicket-less in his first three overs.

Afridi's move paid dividends as he broke the 42-run partnership between Ramnaresh Sarwan (24) and Shivnarine Chanderpaul (44 not out), the biggest of the innings.

Sarwan and Chanderpaul tried to steady the ship with a dodgy stand, but the duo's effort proved to be insufficient in the prevailing circumstances.

Sarwan, while trying to break the shackles after consuming 68 deliveries, found Umar Akmal at Gully, giving Afridi his first wicket of the match, and 18th of the tournament.

Sarwan always looked in trouble against the Pakistani skipper and the leg-spinner could have had the West Indian had Gul not dropped an easy chance at widish long-off in his second over.

Bowling his fast, attacking leg-spinners to deadly effect, Afridi then had Kieron Pollard caught behind and followed that up with the wicket of Devon Thomas in the next ball.

Thomas' scalp was Afridi's 19th of the tournament, a Pakistani record. Wasim Akram (with 18 wickets in the 1992 edition in Australia and New Zealand) held the previous record.

Sammy survived the hat-trick ball but the damage was done by that time.

Ajmal joined the party by dismissing Sammy and Devendra Bishoo to make it 71/6.

Chanderpaul added 40 valuable runs with number ten Kemar Roach to take his team past the 100-run mark before Abdul Razzaq cut short the tail-ender's valiant innings.

Chanderpaul, for all his patience and doggedness at the crease, could not save his team from slipping further. The experienced left-hander remained unbeaten on 44 but gobbled up 106 deliveries to score his runs.

Chanderpaul's pain-staking knock typified West Indies' display with the bat. They could manage just 18 runs for the loss of three wickets in the mandatory powerplay, and were 36, though without further damage, at the end of the 15th over.

Pak vs WI: Pakistan run chase off to a flying start

Ponting insists he has no plans to quit Australia after the World Cup Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sport/cricket/article-1369061/CRICKET-WORLD-CUP-2011-Ricky-Ponting-I-wont-quit-Australia.html#ixzz1HPpUuJqv

Australia captain Ricky Ponting has insisted he has no plans to retire after the World Cup. 

The 36-year-old told a news conference on the eve of Australia's quarter-final against co-hosts India that he wants to continue playing both Test and one-day international cricket. 

'I don't see the finish line, I want to keep playing both forms of the game as long as I think I can contribute,' Ponting, his country's all-time leading run-scorer in ODIs, said.

'Nothing's changed for me in the past 12 months. I've said all along, every time I've been asked about retirement, I'm enjoying my cricket as much as ever. 

'I've never, ever thought about retirement or where the finish line might be. 

'I've been trying to prepare myself as best I can as a player and lead the side as well as possible. 

'For some reason, these retirement things keep popping up all the time.' 

Collingwood faces knee surgery

Paul Collingwood will undergo knee surgery after the World Cup but remains available for the remainder of the tournament. He has been struggling since the one-day series in Australia and will now miss at least the beginning of the IPL next month following a keyhole operation once England's World Cup campaign is complete.

Paul Collingwood will have a knee operation in a bid to prolong his England career

Collingwood, 34, retired from Test cricket after the Ashes in January and repeatedly said he wanted to prolong his one-day and Twenty20 career despite a prolonged slump in form. He was dropped for two of England's six group matches and didn't play in the crunch game against West Indies last week, but remains the Twenty20 captain.

He was due to take up his deal with Rajasthan Royals shortly after the World Cup finishes but that will now be on the back burner although an appearance later in the tournament remained a possibility.

England play their quarter-final against Sri Lanka, in Colombo, on March 26 and despite his 197-match career Collingwood could again find himself on the sidelines after Luke Wright hit an important 44 against West Indies in his first appearance of the competition.

The squad has been struck by a number of injury problems during the World Cup with Kevin Pietersen (hernia), Stuart Broad (side strain) and Ajmal Shahzad (hamstring) all returning home early.

Money Earn | Cricket Mania: More Business Less Sports

Cricket mania: More business reduction sports
Manipulating pile essence to marketplace consumerism
By Dr Surendra Singh Pokharna

Cricket is the many absolute diversion for public notice of products of companies. Hence lot of allowance was pumped in to it by businessmen both from India and outside. But, the loyal promising of cricket to sell one’s products was realised by MNC’s initial and then by Indian businessmen. The actual new thing could be attributed to the use of cricket radio programme to sell soothing drinks. As cost of containing alkali soothing drinks is really low, their manufacturers have lot of allowance to publicize the soothing drinks and they have used it intelligently.

WORLD crater of Cricket has started on February 19 and will go on compartment April 2, 2011 for a month and half. In our nation this has turn a renouned diversion and has right away turn a national diversion or so and has probably transposed Hockey that was once a national game. Behind this recognition lies a number of phenomena that are critical to understand. Similarly there are many factors that you should comprehend that will bring changes in our life and in future generations.
How cricket has turn renouned by media and MNCs; Why TV is the many absolute media for advertising; How titillate of creation allowance has brought other media agencies, politicians and businessmen in to this game? Resulting in to a self nutritious absolute system.

It will be engaging to know how it has turn renouned diversion and how it has brought about changes in assorted fields? If you break down into parts the expansion of cricket in the nation in final 20-30 years that is after attainment of TV, you find that TV has played an exceedingly critical purpose in creation cricket popular. However, it is not TV alone, that has done it popular. Actually after liberalisation of manage to buy in 1991, attainment of MNCs in country, has helped in creation this diversion really popular. Cricket is the many absolute diversion for public notice of products of companies. Hence lot of allowance was pumped in to it by businessmen both from India and outside. But, the loyal promising of cricket to sell one’s products was realised by MNC’s initial and then by Indian businessmen. The actual new thing could be attributed to the use of cricket radio programme to sell soothing drinks. As cost of containing alkali soothing drinks is really low, their manufacturers have lot of allowance to publicize the soothing drinks and they have used it intelligently.

Why cricket is the many absolute intermediate for advertisers?
It is truly good well known that cricket is a really absolute intermediate for advertisers since crores and crores of people can see the diversion live. However, there is a must be go in to a few item to comprehend it further. Actually there are two leading factors in this context. The initial is that this is one of the diversion that finish not only for one day but even for 5 days and even months together. And many people are examination them for all days and for full days and so they will be examination advertisements moreover several times. This is in difference to other games that are played for only one hour or few hours similar to football, volleyball, basketball, swimming competitions, running races or sharpened competitions etc. Hence it is not probable to uncover advertisements for long times in these games. However, this is not the complete story. The actual distinctive of cricket is that there is a time hole between two uninterrupted balls, that can change from few seconds to roughly a notation or so. It is this time gap, that is used by advertisers to uncover their products. Therefore in a one day diversion of 50 overs. Each group plays 50 overs that is 6 hundred (600) balls are thrown in one day. Hence the complete number of intervals (slots) existing to uncover public notice is scarcely next to to 5 hundred ninety 9 (599). If these intervals are common by 5 companies then on the median any firm can uncover their public notice roughly 100 times only in one day, presumption that only one public notice is shown in any interval. All other media (say print media) do not have this capacity, since their public notice will be seen only once or twice. Also even in TV, unless a programme continues for entire day and for many days, only then advertisements may be noticed several times. The way softdrinks have entered in to thoughts of crores of Indians may be simply attributed to this process. Ofcourse right away many Indian companies are moreover entering in to this fray.

Creating new heroes to sell products:
Through this sequence of media, industrialists, politicians and businessmen, new cricket heroes are combined and then products are advertised by them both “online by live radio programme themselves” and “offline by other media in non personification time. “

Money creation in cricket:
Once allowance starts pouring in to cricket, several agencies comes in to picture. First print and electronic media are used to talk and emanate an sky as cricket is the only diversion in the country. They will uncover past records, large photographs and minutest sum of the game, scoreboards and even lot of personal sum so as to produce a actual havva of cricket. As roughly one lakh of people see the diversion live on ground. The allowance comes from this, but this is peanut. Actual allowance comes by public notice shown in TV during the live telecast. The allowance earn in second box is sufficient more than the first. As this is a absolute media for advertisers, their sales go up due to really successful advertisements and so the nobleman and businessmen earn lot of money. Looking at so sufficient money, many other parties moreover burst in to the fray, that includes politicians and bookies. The worst segment of the story is that even supervision tranquil Doordarshan has many times shown cricket for full day and for several days, by dropping many crucial programs of significance is to nation and even the time of headlines were being changed. Is it fit for a nation similar to India ? Essentially it has turn a sequence between large industries, media and politicians. However, solely for allowance they do not look at anything else.

Does often interrupted “Live Watch” causes stress?
As is good known, advertisements are shown after any ball, it means radio programme of actual tie in is often interrupted 599 times in one day tie in of 50 overs. It will be engaging to scrutinize either the persons examination such interrupted matches have a large amount of highlight as compared to a live radio programme without such interruptions. There is a must be have a research by a group of psychologists and amicable scientists.

Does cricket make the girl dull, dull and inactive?
A really critical effect of cricket radio programme is that it is being played for several hours or even days compared to other games that are of sufficient partial durations. Hence cricket players on the median do not require sufficient status quo or appetite at a given time. So you find that many of the cricket players have reduction physique compared to players of football or basketball or racers etc. However, the worst segment is nonetheless to come. As live radio programme is seen by crores of people for hours and days together. Persons examination these live radio programme probably do not require any appetite or stamina. Only their eyes pierce on the TV shade and not even the body at all. Even if a few are encouraged to fool around cricket after examination a few matches, their physique can never compare to those of football players. The incident of those who are only examination only is still worst since their bodies are not at all used. Hence nothing startling that they may be weak, idle and passive. Also effect of cricket is so sufficient so that people do not fool around other games in the nation at the scale that is compulsory for a nation of our size. So what will come about to the illness of these youths who are only examination radio programme or personification cricket. Will they not turn feeble and lethargic, dull and inactive? If you look at the modern youths deeply entangled in cricket, this observation seems to be loyal and may be validated. A set of systematic experiments may be programmed to try this subject further. This is only an e.g. of psycho-physiological feedback.

How National games have vanished in to the background?
Everybody knows that not long ago 36th National games were played in Ranchi (Jharkhand) but its stating in media was only insignificant. Government is moreover not profitable sufficient concern to these games. Actually National TV channels should give full time televised broadcasts, but it is not there at all. What could have been a fortitude of Indian sports and a foregoer is to next Olympics has been marked down to a non entity. The long tenure effect of this diversion is really horrified. For a nation of one hundred and eighteen crores, there will be heroes only in cricket and really few in other games. Hence it will really bad start our award convene in forthcoming Olympic games and other general games. The future era will be really feeble and dull. Many good diver who have rarely developed skills in other games are deprived of honors and/or apply oneself in the society. Hence there is only talent growth of cricket everywhere in the country. Do such mono talent growth practices in sports are good for future of the youths since only eleven players can fool around in the National team?

This network and Gandhian Economics:
As MNCs and large industrial houses who are using cricket as a media to sell their products are all having large businessmen with large amount of resources with outrageous infrastructure and network of agents truly at large distributed. Hence they are all running monopolistic businesses. Therefore it is probably unfit for tiny businessmen to experience in this sort of advertising. In the long run the businessmen of confused zone will be in low trouble. Hence this is really sufficient against Gandhian Economics that talks of growth of all and opportunities for all and is really bad compulsory for our nation where race is greatest asset.

Cricket a new sort of slavery:
If you mix the effect of all the on top of factors, it appears that modern cricket and the related systems are receiving us to a new kind of labour in a really organized and an smart way, may be even without our knowledge. It is not you Indians alone, who are the actual sufferers but roughly all people of the all countries who were once slaves of Britishers and are right away personification this diversion are relocating towards this feeling of labour of a new kind, more elegant and performed in a modernised way using modern technologies, skeleton and strategies of the modern time. No weapons, no arms or no ammunitions are used and aim is achieved!!

As the network of cricket and related underling systems is a new materialisation in the nation and is strongly inspiring the society, as a result it is referred to to outline a few systematic experiments to countenance a few of the hypotheses mentioned above. Three definite studies will be (i) to authorize that the routine of telecasting cricket with regular interruptions by advertisements causes highlight in the minds of regular watchers, (ii) the relations strength, stamina, and power of players of football, volleyball, basketball, kabbadi is aloft than those of cricket players, (iii) Too sufficient commercialisation of cricket is inspiring other games in the country. Some multidisciplinary teams are compulsory to study these ideas in few universities.

What can you do ?

Do not see the live telecasts of these matches and solicit your friends and kin moreover to do the same.

Start personification other games similar to football volleyball, basketball, carrom, chess, kabbadi, kho kho and several others that may be ended in an hour or so. At smallest urge on your young kids to fool around other games also.

Avoid getting more information headlines about these matches in newspapers.

Ask the media by sending letters, sms, phones and emails, why are they not casing events of National games also. (Is it since they are not getting allowance from them or are not getting 5 star treatment from the organisers of these games or a few other reason ?)

Ask the supervision (through RTI) to make it public as to how sufficient media has warranted from casing world crater matches by articles, large reports, large photographs, space selling in TV and credentials etc.

Also solicit supervision to have a edit our house (like movie edit our boards) to make manners and discipline for media to give sufficient coverage to National Games and many other such events also. Otherwise in the name of Freedom of Speech, they will only cover those events from where supports are simply obtained, that has nothing to do with Freedom of Speech, it is rsther than liberty to earn by offshoot or by crook.

India to face Australia in Cricket World Cup quarterfinals

(CNN) -- Co-hosts India set up a much-anticipated quarterfinal clash with four-time Cricket World Cup champions Australia on Sunday, beating the West Indies by 80 runs at Chennai.

The victory meant India finished second in Group B, while Australia ended third in Group A after their 34-match unbeaten run at the 50-over tournament was halted by table-toppers Pakistan on Saturday.

Limited-overs specialist Yuvraj Singh passed three figures for the first time as a batsman in his 20th World Cup appearance.

The Windies, who had already qualified for the last eight before the concluding match of the round-robin stage, will play Pakistan in the opening knockout game in the Bangladeshi capital of Dhaka on Wednesday.

The Indians have home advantage in Ahmedabad the following day, then Group B winners South Africa take on New Zealand in Dhaka on Friday and Group A runners-up Sri Lanka host England in Colombo on Saturday.

Yuvraj Singh scored his first World Cup century as India posted a total of 268 at Chidambaram Stadium, being bowled out in the final allotted over.

I was very happy with the way it went. I was getting stomach cramps, but wanted to bat till the end 
--Yuvraj Singh

• 
  

He collected his third man-of-the-match award of the tournament after hitting 113 off 123 balls faced, adding 122 for the third wicket with Virat Kohli (59) and then later dismissing two West Indian batsmen with his left-arm spin bowling.

However, India lost their last eight batsmen for just 95 runs as World Cup debutant Ravi Rampaul claimed five wickets for 51 runs.

The 26-year-old fast bowler, who had played 50 one-day internationals before this call-up in place of Kemar Roach, made an impressive start as he dismissed India's opening batsmen Sachin Tendulkar (2) and Gautam Gambhir (22).

World record-holder Tendulkar had been seeking to score his 100th century at international level, but walked off after edging a rising delivery despite the umpire rejecting Rampaul's appeal.

The Windies, who would have faced Australia in the quarterfinals if they had won, made a solid start in reply but then suffered a batting collapse at 154-2 in the 30th over.

Left-arm fast bowler Zaheer Khan bowled top scorer Devon Smith for 81, while spinner Harbhajan Singh accounted for big-hitting dangerman Kieron Pollard (1) as the last eight wickets tumbled for just 34 runs.

Khan ended with figures of 3-26, while limited-overs specialist Yuvraj chimed in with 2-18 in his 271st one-day international outing.

"When you lose early wickets, you need a partnership going. I was very happy with the way it went," the 29-year-old Yuvraj told reporters.

"I was getting stomach cramps, but wanted to bat till the end. Our batting is going well -- once we get the bowling and fielding going we should be okay."

In Sunday's earlier Group A concluder, Zimbabwe finished on a winning note by beating fellow minnows Kenya by 161 runs in Kolkata, meaning their fellow Africans ended the tournament without a win.

Zimbabwe scored 308-6 after batting first, with Craig Ervine top-scoring on 66 and Vusi Sibanda contributing 61, while Tatenda Taibu also made a half-century.

The Kenyans crumbled to 147 all out in 36 overs, as slow bowlers Ray Price, Greg Lamb and Graeme Cremer each claimed two wickets.

Tasmania secure second Shield title

Tasmania has claimed the second Sheffield Shield title in their history, outlasting a brave New South Wales side to win by seven wickets. The Blues gave themselves every chance with an early and surprising declaration late on the fourth evening but they will rue three missed chances last night as Tasmania played patiently and with great discipline to overhaul the 203-run target before tea on the final day.

The day five strip in Hobart was as hard as concrete and it took its toll on a tired Blues attack. The new ball played a few tricks early but Tasmania's openers withstood the barrage to compile 53 for the first wicket. Ed Cowan, who was named Man of the Match for his outstanding 133 in the first innings, made the first mistake of the day miscuing Scott Coyte to mid-on where Phil Jaques was able to redeem himself for dropping the left-hander the previous evening.

Mark Cosgrove, who finished 44 not out, celebrates hitting the winning runs against New South Wales

Nick Kruger stuck to his task before gifting the Blues the second wicket on 31, clipping Trent Copeland straight to square leg where Steve O'Keefe needed to two bites to clutch the catch to his chest. It was nice reward for the tireless Copeland. He bowled 79.2 overs in this final, the most by any player in history, surpassing Stuart MacGill's effort at Bellerive four years ago.

At Kruger's departure Alex Doolan was just 8 from 55 deliveries, showing how miserly the Blues had been and how much pressure there was in this run chase. But Doolan was rewarded for his patience. He put on 60 for the third wicket with his captain George Bailey. The skipper played some cracking trademark pull shots in his 25 before running himself out. Pat Cummins knocked out two stumps from mid-on after Bailey drove straight to him and ran.

The 17-year-old Cummins delivered a monumental 65 overs for the match and deserved better than his figures of 3 for 165 read. But if his body can survive such punishment on a wicket as hard as this, greater rewards will fall his way in the years ahead.

Doolan flourished with victory in sight. He and Mark Cosgrove added the 72 required in less than 20 overs after Bailey's dismissal. Doolan finished 65 not out from three hours of grind. Cosgrove's 44 not out took a typically brisk 66 deliveries and featured a six and five fours, including the winning blow off O'Keefe.

The Blues may well rue their misses last night but can hold their head high in defeat. There have been no less experienced attacks than theirs in any previous Shield Final and their efforts must be applauded.

But it was Tasmania's day to celebrate. They were the dominant side all year. With just three players present from the side that claimed their first title four years earlier the small Apple Isle continues to set an extraordinary standard in Australian Domestic Cricket.

Bangladesh cricket develops on Australian model

Australian Herald
Monday 21st March, 2011 
(IANS)


Bangladesh may have left their supporters heartbroken by crashing out of the cricket World Cup, but no one can doubt the team's improved performance over the years. And here lies an Australian connection.

A team which once went winless in 46 ODIs at a stretch and took 13 years to get their first limited overs victory over a Test playing nation, have now reached a position where their supporters expect them to put it across the strongest of opponents. And that they can do at times. India and South Africa found to their peril in the 2007 World Cup and England were at the receiving end in the current event.

Ahead of the World Cup, Bangladesh crushed New Zealand 4-0, humbled Zimbabwe 3-1 and gave England a fright before going down 1-2 in an away series.

The game's authorities in Bangladesh attribute much of the improvement in the team's standards to a systematic development programme that is in place.

In 2007, the country's cricket board signed a landmark treaty with its Australian counterpart. Before that, Cricket Australia had been providing training to young Bangladeshi cricketers under Australian coaches.

'After the 2007 pact, Cricket Australia trained Bangladeshi coaches, helped the BCB (Bangladesh Cricket Board) prepare a coaching manual, set up an umpires' management system and trained young players at Australian academies. CA experts and coaches came to Bangladesh while two promising youngsters went to Australia for training every year,' said BCB media manager Rabeed Imam.

'Our development programme is totally based on the Australian model. We fast-tracked the process of graduation from the youth level,' Imam told IANS.

Wicketkeeper Mushfiqur Rahim and pacer Shafiul Islam are products of the development programme run under the supervision of a high performance unit. 'We also gave more prominence to talent hunting,' said BCB's acting national manager of game development, Nazmul Abedin Fahim.

In 2003, BCB roped in former Australian cricketer Dav Whatmore as the national coach. 'He was a great motivator. He helped the players come out of their defeatist mentality,' Imam pointed out.

Under Whatmore, Bangladesh won their first Test match and series overpowering Zimbabwe, defeated India in an ODI, and pulled off a big upset victory over World champions Australia in the NatWest series.

Then followed the 2007 World Cup wins against India and South Africa, and Bangladesh had announced to the world they could not be taken for granted.

Meanwhile, Shaun Willams was appointed as the national manager of game development and went on to play a key role with the Under-19 and A teams. He took over as coach in 2007 after Whatmore stepped down.

'After the initial successes, the mentality of the players also began changing. The earlier players were only looking forward to doing well in local cricket. Then came a time when we had cricketers whose focus was doing well in Test cricket. And now we have a generation who think they can beat the best in the world,' said Imam.

Side by side, the school cricket structure was made more organised with the BCB lending strong support. 'Now we have 540 schools spread over all our 64 districts taking part in the Under-16 school cricket. Matches are 50-over one-dayers. Every year we arrange for training of the participants,' said BCB deputy manager for game development Sharif Mahmud Palash.

The best of talent from the schools play in the inter-district Under-16 tournament, from where they are spotted by the clubs for league cricket.

The BCB also runs Under-14 and Under-18 tournaments which serve as supply lines for the senior level.

All these steps, coupled with the successes of the national team, have helped in expanding the players' base. Bangladesh now has over 30,000 registered players in the school and league levels. Besides, there are 300 licensed coaches, said the BCB's Fahim.

Imam also referred to the state-run Bangladesh Krira Siksha Pratishthan, (BKSP), the national institue of sports, which runs its own grooming programme for young talent.

Naimur Rahman, who led Bangladesh in the nation's first ever Test match in 2000, belongs to the first group of cricketers who passed out from the BKSP, said Imam - himself a member of the same batch.

However, inconsistencies are there and big gaps still have to be filled. The batting folded up for a pathetic 58 against the West Indies and a miserable 78 against South Africa in the current World Cup, showing a lot more needs to be done.

'The BCB is dong well. They are organising good training for all departments of the game - batting, bowling and fielding. Now we have to plan for the next five years. We need to look ahead,' said former Bangladesh captain Khaled Mahmud.