West Indies vs South Africa, Can Indies repeat History

The match between West Indies and South Africa will be held on 24th February. It will be one of the most interesting matches that to wait to see the result. It’s the opening match for them. Because, in the hands of West Indies that South Africa was to see many of their crucial moment’s defeat. Brian Lara started it 15 years ago. During that world cup tournament, South Africa won every of their group matches till they faced West Indies and was smashed in the hand of Lara by his 111 off 94 and West Indies made a score of 264 for 8.In 2003, 9th February, in the first ICC world cup match, West Indies again defeated South Africa. This time also, Brian Lara scored 116.In the ICC T20 world cup in 2007, 11th September; Chris Gayle took the responsibility to smash South Africa. He made the biggest score and the only century of T20 cricket history. He scored 117.But South Africa managed to win. In 2004, West Indies again made South Africa their victim in the semi final of the Champions Trophy. Again Chris Gayle scored 133.

But West Indies is now a different team and they also realize this .The present ICC World Cup Tournament is also a different one. Since 1996 West Indies Has played 320 matches and lost 169.Among them there are six ODI series lost to South Africa.

 So the Caribbean squad may seek inspiration from the past and see the match in the historical context. Gayle thinks they are beatable and they will beat South Africa. Whether they can repeat the history is just a matter to wait and see.

A Win against Kenya ,not All for Pakistan

Venue:Hambantota.Sri Lanka.

Match: Pakistan vs Kenya

Date: 23.02.11

Pakistan team draws focus on them more for their controversy and scandal. In some recent years Pakistan have come under discussion for such affairs as are not healthy for cricket. The mysterious death of their coach,so frequent change of captain, involving of the players in match fixing, attack on cricket players in Pakistan-all these have brought very negative discussion on them.Its not that Pakistan come with talented players.But this side of bountiful cricket talents is usually overlooked in general discussion though not by their opponents.This team is a unique team for the players are waiting to make their names and not those who sells their name.This is a team of young talents.The match fixing controversy sided some veteran cricketers from the team.So the team is now a combination of the young and experienced, of flared and pragmatic.

In the last six months they have won in three different lands .In last 19 ODI they have won in 8 and lost 10 match. But what worries experts most is that they can’t finish off close game. In the matches above, they won or lost but very closely. Also in the long bilateral ODI series they produce the same inability.

Though they won the ODI series with New Zea land and defeated Bangladesh in warm up match,the lost to England by 67 run in 2nd warm up match. Kenya is not a big challenge for them. But if they wants to bring back 1992 and become champion 2nd time they must learn how to finish well and must play rightly in right time.

Australia Confident to Win Against Zimbabwe

This is the first world cup that Australia didn’t come with a clear favorite.  Yet Ricky Ponting‘s squad has enough weapons to blow  Zimbabwe out and make a very confident start.The team will obviously take inspiration from their world cup performance.Moreover Zimbabwe is not a strong opponent to them.They are still one of the best ODI squads.They have proved it picking a 6-1 win over England though they lost the Ashes series just before the ODI series to England.They also have a record of winning 23 consecutive world cup matches since 1999. They defeated South Africa by 7 wickets in the warm up match though lost to India by 38 runs.

But the Zimbabwe team is some what different than the team Australia defeated in 3-0 in 2004 though some of the players of that team will play.The team will be spirited from the memory of two wins against Australia in T20 World Cup 2007 and in a warm up match in T20 world Cup 2010 and also from the memory of the famous win in 1983 at Trent Bridge.Moreover Zimbabwe have a set of emerging stars in their team. So if Australia doesn’t play their best Zimbabwe can make the match very competitive.

The match will be held in Ahmedabad and Start at 14:30 local time (09:00 GMT)

SOURCE: ESPN CRICINFO

McCullum my miss first match with Kenya

Perhaps, Nathan McCulluam is going to miss the first match of New Zealand with Kanya on Sunday in Chennai. He was hospitalized on Thursday night for high fever and discharged on Saterday morning. Though Mc Cullum is fit to play, Daniel Vettori, the captain won’t take the risk to play him as the match is against a weak team.

Nathan Mc Cullum is a regular player of New Zealand’s ODI team. Most often he plays as the 2nd spinner of the team and managed an economic bowling rare of 4:50 in last twelwe minths. He has also made two half centuries in the recent tournament against Pakistan.

Source: EspnCricinfo

India won the First World Cup 2011 Match

India won the first World Cup match against Bangladesh by 87 runs. Bangladwesh won the toss and chose to field. India made a high score of 370 lossing only 4 wickets and playing full 50 overs Virendar Sehwag did another of his epic innings of 175 out of 140 balls He did a very charming innings with 14 fours and 6 sixs..Virat Kohli made his maiden world cup century.He scored unbitten 100 out of 83. G Gamvir scored 39 out of 39 balls. Its very unfortunate for Sachin Tendulkar that he was made run out after 28 runs from 29 balls. YK Pathan made 8 runs. 

Bangladesh started well but after the gone of Tamim Iqbal with his 70 out of 84 the remaining wickets of the host team did go regularly.Tamim did the highest score. Among the rest Imrul Kayes 34 (29) Junaid Siddique 37 (52),Sakib Al Hasan*55 (50),Musfiqur Rahman 25 (30),Raqibul Hasan not out 29 (28). None of the others crossed single digit. Bangladesh made 283 runs altogether by 9 wickets and plying full 50 overs. Zaheer Khan took 2 wickets, MM Patel 4, Harvajan Singh 1 and YK Pathan took 1 wicket. V Sehwag is the player of the match.

It’s the first match of World Cup Cricket 2011 match. The day night match was held in Mirpur Stadium in Dhaka.

ESPN-Cricinfo Awards announced

ESPN Cricinfo Awards have been announced today in Bangalore Tendulkar, Laxman, Styne, Umar Gul, Michael Husseyande Tim Southee Won the awards. Laxman has been given test batting awards for his 96 in Durban. Styne has been given the bowling prize for he took 7 wicket giving 51 runs against India in Nugpur test in a bad condition. The jury has given Tendulkar one day award for his unbitten double century against Africa. It’s the first and only double century in the one day cricket history. The 10 jury member ranked Tendulkar number 1.Tendulkar also won the same prize last year. Umar Gul won one day award for his 6 wickets against England at the Oval giving 42 runs only.Gul also won last years T20 prize. Tim Southee took five wickets only in 9 balls with a hat-trick.The jury gave him the T20 prize for this outstanding performance. Myke Hussy made a score of 22 runs from only last 4 balls in World T20 and this saved Australia in semi final and took the team to final.

Source: http://www.espncricinfo.com/awards2010/content/current/story/500425.html

Cricket officials are public servants Indian Supreme Court

In a ruling the Indian Supreme Court has upheld the Kerala High Court’s view that the cricket officials of Kerala are public servants. This will create a very far reaching effect on Indian Cricket administration that from now onward anyone can sue against the cricket officials.The Kerala Cricket Association tried to established in the High Court that the Cricket Association is a private body and cannot be tried under The the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988, which applies only to public servants.

Justice VS Sirpurkar and TS Thakur comprised the bench. The KCA president, TR Balakrishanan, and secretary, TC Matthew filed the appeal against the Kerala High court. But the Bench rejected the appeal and explained that the Kerala cricket board enjoys monopoly on cricket in the state and so does public function. So the cricket body must be tried under the public law. The BCCI is such a body and KCA is a member of it.  BCCI is consistently trying to hold that it was a private body.

The original case was filed two years ago in a vigilance court in Kerala by Balaji Iyengar who was, a chartered accountant and former Kerala junior cricketer. He sued against KCA. The vigilance court gave the judgment holding that the cricket bodies are private body. Then the complaint went to high court and won the case.  Afterward KCA appealed to Supreme Court.

The complainant, Balaji Iyengar , a chartered accountant and former Kerala junior cricketer, had filed the original complaint against the KCA in the Vigilance Court two years ago. The court ruled in favor of the KCA, saying its officials were not public servants, but Iyengar challenged the ruling in the High Court.

Source: NDTV