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Friday,
February 21, 2003, Chandigarh, India  
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Australia too good for a fighting Holland Kenya get full points for NZ tie Don’t compare me to Cronje: Pollock Destiny in our hands, says SA coach FACE TO FACE |
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There is room for improvement: Ganguly Win will revive confidence India gave themselves a lifeline with a clinical victory Bowlers gifted too many runs to India
Transformed Lanka relish cutting edge Vaas — the unsung hero of Sri Lanka Hussain doubtful for Pak match
Surjit Academy, SAI lads in final
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Australia
too good for a fighting Holland
Potchefstroom, February 20 In a rain-affected game reduced to 36-overs a side, Holland did well to restrict Australia to 170 for two after electing to field. Damien Martyn top-scored with an unbeaten 67 while Matthew Hayden contributed 33. However, the Duckworth-Lewis system set Holland a revised target of 198 runs from 36 overs since the first of the two rain interruptions had come after Australia had already played 25 overs. Holland kept trying till the end but did not have the firepower to chase a target in excess of six an over. They were bowled out for 122 in 30.2 overs. The win gave Australia 12 points from three matches. They head the Pool A and are almost certain to make it to the Super Six stage. India, England and Zimbabwe have eight points each from three matches. The amateurish bowling attack of Holland made life difficult for the star-studded Australian batting line-up after the world champions were sent in to bat first. Damien Martyn was the top-scorer with an unbeaten 67 while opener Matthew Hayden made 33 as Australia were restricted to a total of less than five runs an over. However, under the Duckworth-Lewis rule for rain-affected games, Holland’s revised target was set as 198 runs from 36 overs. With dark clouds hovering above the stadium, Holland captain Roland Lefebvre had no hesitation in putting Australia in to bat first, his eyes obviously focussed on the two points that his team can earn if the match is abandoned. Australia left out Adam Gilchrist and in his absence reserve wicketkeeper Jimmy Maher opened the innings with Hayden. The Australian openers were never allowed to get off the flying starts that they are so used to and both the batsmen were quite circumspect against the bowling of Lefebvre and Tim de Leede, who claimed both the wickets. De Leede first dismissed Maher, who edged a delivery to Daan van Bunge in the slips. Maher made 26 runs, Australia losing their first wicket at 52 in the 13th over. Kloppenburg almost struck with his first ball when Martyn hit a delivery straight into his hands but the ball popped out of the bowler’s hands. Hayden was then caught by Edgar Schiferli at midwicket boundary to give the second wicket to de Leede. The game was stopped due to rain after 25 overs and when play resumed, the match which had started as a 47-over affair, was reduced to 44-overs a side. However, just three overs had been bowled when rain once again came down. The game had to be finally reduced to 36-overs a side when play resumed again. Reuters,
PTI SCOREBOARD Australia: Maher c Van Bunge b Hayden c Schiferli b Martyn not out 67 Lehmann not out 29 Extras
(b-4, lb-3, w-8) 15 Total (2 wkts, 36 overs) 170 Fall of wickets:
1-52, 2-103. Bowling: Schiferli 7-0-42-0, Lefebvre 8-2-19-0, De Leede 7-0-34-2, Kloppenburg 7-0-32-0, Esmeijer 5-0-16-0, van Bunge 2-0-20-0. Netherlands: Van Troost c Bichel b
Lehmann 23 Van Bunge c Martyn b
Gillespie 1 Zuiderent c Maher b Gillespie 5 Van Noortwijk lbw b
Lehmann 13 De Leede c Maher b Bichel 24 Scholte lbw b Bichel 8 Schiferli b Harvey 9 Kloppenburg c Ponting b
Bichel 9 Lefebvre not out 14 Smits c Maher b Harvey 0 Esmeijer c Ponting b
Harvey 0 Extras (lb-4, w-11, nb-1) 16 Total
(all out, 30.2 overs) 122 Fall of wickets: 1-8, 2-18, 3-42, 4-59, 5-85, 6-90, 7-96,8-112, 9-118 Bowling:
McGrath 3-1-10-0, Gillespie 3-0-7-2, Lehmann 8-0-27-2, Symonds 7-0-36-0, Bichel 5-0-13-3, Harvey 4.2-0-25-3.
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Kenya get full points for NZ tie
Johannesburg, February 20 The ICC executive board refused to reschedule Friday’s game from Nairobi to South Africa, ruling that the venue was safe despite New Zealand’s security concerns. It added that four points have been awarded to Kenya because “New Zealand has decided not to travel to Kenya or apply to the event technical committee”. “I am happy that the matter is now resolved and that the ICC Cricket World Cup can move forward,” ICC chief executive Malcolm Speed said in a statement. “At the same time, we have already seen some fantastic matches in this tournament and I am disappointed that this match will not be taking place.” New Zealand’s fears were fuelled by a bombing in Mombasa in November which killed 16 people, but their request to move the match to an alternative venue was opposed by the Kenya Cricket Association (KCA). The New Zealand Cricket (NZC) has already warned it could appeal to the Court of Arbitration in Lausanne, and is well aware that the match forfeit could prevent its team from progressing to the super six stage of the tournament. Sri Lanka top the group B standings with 12 points, while New Zealand are second on eight, having won two of their first three games. New Zealand can now only hope for a maximum of 16 points by the end of the group phase, leaving them open to being passed by the West Indies or South Africa. The ICC executive board, which considered the NZC’s request in a teleconference, comprised ICC President Malcolm Gray, ICC Vice-President Ehsan Mani, the presidents of the 10 full-member nations and three representatives of associate member countries. The application was heard by the executive board because the NZC’s original advice that it would not play in Kenya was made before the start of the tournament and before the event’s technical committee came into being. The NZC reconfirmed its request to the ICC for the match to be moved on Saturday, the same day England were forced to forfeit a group A game against Zimbabwe after tournament officials rejected their security concerns over playing in Harare. Reuters
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Don’t compare me to Cronje: Pollock Bloemfontein, February 20 “I’ve moved past it. I have to focus on moving forward. I’m not trying to be a Hansie Cronje or a Kepler Wessels or a Clive Rice.” Pollock has come under intense pressure since his team slumped to their second defeat in three games in the tournament, losing a rain-affected encounter against New Zealand at the Wanderers on Sunday after they had posted 306 for six. The defeat put their future in the tournament in jeopardy as they battle for one of three qualifying places from pool B with Sri Lanka, the Kiwis and the West Indies. Pollock said he was not concerned by recent comments by opening batsman Herschelle Gibbs and veteran paceman Allan Donald, who both had praised Cronje and lamented the absence of what they claimed was his tactical ability. “I suppose comments like those don’t help the situation,” Pollock told the SAPA news agency on a visit to Gray College, ironically Cronje’s alma mater. “They don’t mean any harm but it did do a bit of harm on the set-up.” AFP
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Destiny in our hands, says SA coach
Bloemfontein (South Africa), February 20 It robbed the West Indies of two vital points and opened the door for Shaun Pollock’s home team, who can still qualify if they win their three remaining games against Bangladesh, Canada and Sri Lanka. The key game will be against unbeaten Sri Lanka at Durban on March 3, but South Africa must still defeat both Bangladesh and Canada convincingly to improve the net run-rate. Simons, preparing his team for Saturday’s match against Bangladesh at Goodyear Park here, said the wash-out only highlighted how quickly luck can change in cricket. “It just goes to show how unpredictable cricket really is,” he said. “Nobody wants to see points taken away like that but, undeniably, it was a lifeline for us.” Simons said the unexpected bonus had seen a positive change in the South African camp. “The mood in the camp has lifted appreciably now that our destiny is in our own hands again,” he said. “Everywhere we go we’ve been told that we can unite 42 million people like the Rugby World Cup did. That was a special time in 1995 when the Springboks won, but it is still a terrible burden for the guys to carry. AFP
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FACE TO FACE HARARE: Harbhajan Singh won his battle against Andy Flower by bowling him round the legs but by then he was already being driven to desperation at the Harare Sports Club on Wednesday. It was a classic contest between India’s most attacking bowler and the Zimbabwean batsman, who everyone believed held the key to his team’s fortune. Harbhajan was in close-in cordon and jumping up and down in appeal when Javagal Srinath made one lift from a length and induce an edge to wicketkeeper Rahul Dravid. Everyone was convinced Andy Flower was out but for umpire Rudi Koertzen, who was unmoved. Ravi Shastri too in the commentary box was aghast. “Flower surely had got a nick to it,” said Shastri “He is lucky to be reprieved so early in his innings.” Flower soon had another break when he pulled fiercely at Srinath and Harbhajan at square leg lunged to his left in an attempt to catch the chance. It seemed a comfortable catch when all of a sudden the ball dipped and the lunge turned into a desperate dive. Harbhajan got both his hands but the ball bounced out of his hands on impact with the ground. At the end of the 14th over, Harbhajan came on to bowl from the far end. After a couple of deliveries, he decided to pitch the ball beyond the leg stump to left-handed Andy Flower and curl the ball on to his pads. The first two such attempts proved futile, the ball didn’t turn an inch and was called for wides. Then Flower teased the bowler by essaying a one-handed reverse sweep. Finally, it was Harbhajan’s turn. Flower once again went for sweep, the ball hit his gloves, pads and then hit the stumps from behind his legs. The off-spinner soon had another moment to rejoice when he ran a fair distance to a lofted stroke from Grant Flower and held the catch at mid-on. Flower, understandably, sings Harbhajan’s praise at the end of the match. “He is a class off-spinner, there is little doubt. He adjusted his length and the pace of his deliveries splendidly on a slowish pitch.” Harbhajan, too, is an admirer of Flower. When Flower was making headlines in India in 2001, hitting runs by hundreds, Harbhajan was on the sidelines, waiting for his return to the team and hoping his rival spinner Sarandeep Singh would not make much impression. Much has happened since then and Harbhajan now is a match-winner in his own right. Most off-spinners fancy their chances against left-handers but ironically Harbhajan is more comfortable bowling to right-handers. May be his “drifter”, a very effective weapon in his armoury, works better against right-handers. He also fancies getting a right-hander caught at backward short leg with his sharp off-spinner which bites the ground, spins and bounces at acute angle. But on Wednesday, he removed a left-hander, who has been the biggest thorn in India’s flesh in recent times. Another such success at Harare Sports Club for the left-hander and India’s fate would have been sealed in this World Cup. Harbhajan ensured his team would live to fight another day.
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There is room for improvement: Ganguly
Harare, February 20 “It was good to see some of our batters come back to form but I still feel we performed only 80 per cent of our ability,” Ganguly said after India pulled off an 83-run win in their third World Cup match here yesterday. “Our performance was much better than in the last two games but the batters are still not at their best form,” said Ganguly whose side was under tremendous pressure from fans back home to get their act together after dismal performances in the first two matches. Ganguly said the total was at least 25-30 runs short of what his team should have achieved after Sachin Tendulkar (81) and Virender Sehwag (36) had given them a whirlwind start. “We had a good start but then we struggled in the middle overs. The total (255) was a fighting total but I believe we were at least 30-runs short of what we should have achieved. “Still we won comfortably in the end. In that sense the total was enough.” Ganguly said winning the game against Zimbabwe was very important for his team’s chances for a super six berth but added that it was even more important to do well in the key games against England and Pakistan. “Winning is important. England didn’t come to Zimbabwe so in that sense winning four points was important,” Ganguly said. “Qualifying for next round is important but it is vital that we qualify with some points”. Ganguly was pleased with the effort and jest that the players showed while fielding. “The intensity of the team in the field was good and it made our total appear bigger than it was,” he said. Man of the match Sachin Tendulkar was happy with his effort and the fact that his assurance to Indian fans back home came good. “We got together and pulled up our socks in this game. We put up a disappointing show against Australia but it didn’t mean we would do it in the following games as well,” Tendulkar said. Tendulkar made a breezy 81 off 91 balls with 10 fours before being clean bowled by a beautiful delivery from Grant Flower. “It was a good ball and turned a little bit. It also bounced more than I expected,” Tendulkar said about the delivery which got him out. “Indeed, it was the first ball which turned so big. Till then it wasn’t turning. I just wanted to nudge it around for a single.” Losing captain Heath Streak was disappointed with his team’s batting performance while acknowledging the fine bowling by Indians. “Their medium-pacers bowled very well and didn’t give us the width to score runs,” said Streak. “Our batsmen were always under pressure.” Streak felt what made the difference in the match was the way the bowlers of both sides bowled in the first 15 overs. “I thought we bowled poorly in the first 15 overs and it helped them a great deal. Given the discipline with which we bowled later, I thought we could have restricted them to 25-30 run less.” Streak also commented on the form of Andy Flower which came as a surprise to most as the left-hander has always done well against India. “He was not in good form and was trying his best to get the scoreboard going. His failure didn’t help us either,” he said. PTI
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Win will revive confidence India were at less than peak form against Zimbabwe, but a victory was most welcome and will have gone a long way in reviving the confidence of the side. The total could have been at least 30 runs more after the wonderful opening partnership, and inconsistent fielding. But what was impressive was that the players were willing to put lapses behind them and pursue victory. What I liked most about was the flexibility shown by Saurav Ganguly. Tendulkar and Sehwag at the top of the order made a huge difference, and the captain also brought in some interesting bowling changes, not adhering strictly to a formula. I thought Tendulkar batted superbly, very nearly at his best. The punch and timing were back and he found the gaps with ease. In this form, he could lead India’s charge into the super six if the batsmen around him also play a reasonable part. Ganguly had to bat down the order given his poor run of scores which was becoming an albatross round his neck. I believe he will play better here and give the side more runs as the tournament progresses. Srinath’s superb spell made Zimbabwe’s task extremely difficult. The other bowlers too bowled very well, but for a glaring umpiring error and a couple of dropped chances, Zimbabwe’s total would have been much poorer. I thought young Ashish Nehra bowled very well but without any luck. He appears a yard quicker and was able to swing the ball late. Given the quirky weather here, it might not be a bad idea to try out Ajit Agarkar for there might be a situation where four seamers might become necessary in a match. It was an important victory, if not an emphatic one but there should be no over-reaction to it, as there was when we lost to Australia. I was shocked at the ugly reactions of the fans after that defeat. I was at the Butcher’s Grill, Joburg’s famous restaurant, the other day when Allan Donald walked in with his wife and kid. Donald has been having a very poor tournament, but he was treated with the utmost deference by the people at the restaurant.
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India gave themselves a lifeline Adversity has the effect of eliciting talent which could be dormant in prosperous times. India found themselves sinking in quicksand after the dismal defeat by Australia. The choice before the team was simple: either stand up and be counted or lie down and be counted out. Hearteningly, India were booted and spurred as they went into the critical World Cup league match against Zimbabwe in Harare on Wednesday. They were hungry for success and gave themselves a lifeline with a clinical victory. The win was all about India getting their act right at the start of either innings, through the pairing up of Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag at the top of the batting tree and a fiery spell by veteran paceman Javagal Srinath, who rocked Zimbabwe on to the backfoot with his early incursion. Given Saurav Ganguly’s batting blues, it was inevitable that Sehwag was afforded the chance to team up with Tendulkar. Some may see it as negative or pessimistic but I reckon this was a bold move on the part of the captain to drop himself down the order and let the men in form walk in at the start. The conditions were testing, there was moisture on the track and it was overcast as well but the pair ensured that India did not have to endure another nervous beginning. Sehwag eased the pressure off Tendulkar with his early assault. Tendulkar’s own ability to assess the situation is masterly. He was quiet when Sehwag was on song and then accelerated almost effortlessly but lost the impetus with the onset of Dinesh Mongia at No 3. This was an ill-advised move. For, Mongia had played a good hand down the order. I would have liked Ganguly or Rahul Dravid to be walking in at the fall of Sehwag’s wicket. After getting off to a great start — 99 without loss in just over 16 overs — India faltered and fell some 30 runs short of the potential score. The consolation, though, was that the team batted through the 50 overs, an unfamiliar achievement in the recent times. Finally, the formidable batting line-up had given its bowlers a competitive total to defend. The hands that gave you the wounds must give you the cure. The total of 255 was made to seem larger than it actually was by a lion-hearted show from Srinath. The champion that he is, he brought in his variation into play as he tied the batsmen up in knots, keeping them guessing. His spell of two for 10 in seven overs tightened the screws on Zimbabwe and was the single most decisive factor in the match. The good thing about Srinath is that he now uses the crease better, going closer to the stumps than ever before to be more effective. In the past when he was a tearaway, he used to bowl from the edge of crease so that the angle of his natural incoming delivery was acute and predictable. So the batsmen could decipher the swing early. But now that he goes close to the stumps, Srinath has been able to make the batsmen play more, driving them into a quandary with the ability to move the ball away from the right-hander. With his stock delivery squirming into the batsmen, the ball that holds its line and moves away a trifle on pitching is a lethal delivery. The manner in which Harbhajan Singh bowled to India’s bogey man Andy Flower reflected the home work that the team had done. Above all, it showed how well the specific gameplan was executed. By bowling a good leg-stump line, the off-spinner nullified the reverse sweep, which is Andy Flower’s most potent weapon and has unsettled the Indian spinners in the recent past. He also varied the pace to reap the rewards. Once he bowled Andy Flower round his legs, Zimbabwe’s goose was well and truly cooked. The match was also about skipper Saurav Ganguly realising that a successful man is one who lays a firm foundation with the bricks that others throw at him. It was nice to see him bustling with enthusiasm. After all, it is difficult to inspire others to achieve what you have not been willing to try. From being listless due to lack of his own batting form, his body language was transformed to being so right when the team started its defence on Wednesday. He set a good example, fielding at point and by making it clear that he was not only involved, but also in charge. The Indian team can heave a sigh of relief as it takes away so many positives from Harare — more than anything else, its self-belief will have been restored to a great extent. To be an achiever, you’ve to be a believer first. Finally, India have given the fans back home some reason to cheer and a lot of hope to cling to. Hope is feeding your fate when doubting would be easier.
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Bowlers
gifted too many runs to India We were completely outplayed by India in our backyard at Harare, and most of the blame will have to go to the bowlers. While Heath Streak was at least keeping the runs down, the bowlers at the other end bowled on both sides of the wicket and went for plenty. To add to our woes, Streak has definitely lost pace of late. I don’t know whether it is the injury he sustained in Sri Lanka or advancing years, but he was a lot slower than when I last saw him bowling in home conditions. I remember keeping to Streak, and standing way back to collect the ball chest high. I was really shocked to see that his pace had dropped to such an extent that Tatenda Taibu even came up to the wickets later in his spell. Streak was still very nagging in his accuracy, but that the extra bit of energy that he used to impart to every delivery was missing. Andy Blignaut was not up to the task of opening the bowling, and looked pretty rusty after his lay-off from the game. Douglas Hondo was also pretty pedestrian, and this innocuous bowling neutralised the advantage that we had gained after putting India in. All this does not take away from the classy batting display from Sachin Tendulkar. It was not an easy pitch to bat on — every subsequent batsman was proof of that — and it was a testimony to Sachin’s calibre that he made batting look so easy when he was in the middle. He was responsible for steadying the innings, so even if he did not reach three figures, he has the satisfaction of having played a very useful hand. To be honest, the rest of the Indian batting looked pretty ordinary. Only Sachin and to a lesser extent, Virender Sehwag were able to get their timing right on the slow, seaming wicket. The rest were unable to come to terms with the wicket, and quite surprisingly, looked uncomfortable against the spinners. Finally, it was the experience of Rahul Dravid and Mohammad Kaif rather than any great batting display that got India to 255. India’s bowling was a lesson for Zimbabwe’s bowlers, with Javagal Srinath in particular giving nothing away. There were no easy drives, cuts or even tucks on the legside available to the batsmen, so even singles were at a premium. I admit that I was also pretty leaden-footed yesterday, and eventually it was my poor footwork that led to my being bowled around the legs. I think the Indian bowling is quietly improving with every game. Nehra was impressive with lively pace and the ability to move the ball late. Zaheer too looks pretty aggressive, and I think the bowlers seem to have decided to take on some responsibility till the batsmen come into their own. This win would impart a feel-good factor in the changing room. It’s a positive influence when a side is groping for confidence. It now remains to be seen whether the Indians can lift their performance a few notches higher when they take on England.
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Transformed Lanka relish cutting edge
Johannesburg, February 20 The nine-wicket romp over Canada at Paarl on Wednesday lasted just two hours and 23.3 overs, the shortest in the 28-year-old history of the World Cup. Before that, left-arm seamer Chaminda Vaas grabbed a hat-trick with the first three balls of the match against Bangladesh and added a fourth wicket with the fifth delivery. Sri Lanka are clearly a different side from the one that suffered heavy defeats in both Test and one-day cricket on tours of South Africa and Australia over the last four months. The lowest point came when they were shot out for 65 by Australia’s second string in a one-day practice match. As the hosts won easily in the first session itself, officials ordered another 25-overs-a-side game to be played after the break. Jayasuriya’s men lost that one too. Sri Lanka, World Cup champions in 1996, came to South Africa having won just two of their 11 one-dayers in this country. Now they have won three in a row with no signs of slowing down. Jayasuriya attributes the sudden change in fortunes to the time spent in South Africa and Australia before the World Cup. “We don’t get these sort of wickets in Sri Lanka,” the dashing left-hander said. “Playing in these conditions for three months, both here and in Australia, we have got used to them and know what to expect. “Everyone in the side knows the conditions. That’s a big help and that’s why we are playing such good cricket.” Sri Lanka sit proudly on top of group B with three straight wins and will qualify for the super sixes if they beat Kenya at Nairobi on February 24 — even before the key games against heavyweights, the West Indies and South Africa. But Jayasuriya, displaying the confidence that comes with winning, insisted he would not be happy just qualifying for the next round. “We want to top the group and take forward as many points into the super six.” he said. “Which means it is important to beat both the West Indies and South Africa.” The destruction of Canada and the early finish did not happen just by chance. The Sri Lankans had planned a heavy victory to improve their run rate. “The situation in our group is such that we needed to win well and improve our net run rate,” Jayasuriya said. “With four teams in the fray, it could boil down to who has a better run-rate. We were aware of that when we went into the game against Canada.” The win pushed Sri Lanka’s net run rate to a healthy 3.17 from the previous day’s 2.10. The captain himself has led from the front with a century and half-century in the first two matches, backed by superb bowling from Vaas. “The entire team is focused on the job at hand. We help each other out both on and off the field. The batsmen and bowlers have stuck to the task, that’s why we have been able to make a winning start,” he said.
Jayasuriya, however, would not let complacency set in. “One wrong move and the World Cup could be over for us,” he said. “We should not be concerned at what is happening to other teams. The aim is to win all our games.”
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Vaas — the unsung hero of Sri Lanka Sri Lanka were beaten hands down when they toured South Africa in December this year. The 1996 World Cup champions returned home only to engage themselves in a bitter pay dispute with their cricket board. So when the Lankans came calling again in just two months time for the game ultimate showpiece, not many were inclined to take skipper Jayasuriya’s words of being ‘title-confident’. To cap it all, many believed that the Island nation had only two match-winners, one was woefully out of touch with the bat while the other, a spinner, had major injury problems. The above fact that Jayasuriya and Muralitharan had their own share of problems, even fans back home were, at best, optimist. Just three matches down the line and Sri Lankans are now a happy lot. Not only are they leading pool B, but have gained a physiological boost by winning matches comprehensively. And leading by example is skipper none other than Sanath Jayasuriya, who rediscovered his murderous touch with the bat at the right time while Muralitharan is also back to weaving his innocuous off-spin web. However, Chaminda Vaas has been the talk of the town. His performance against Bangladesh, especially the unique 1-2-3 hat-trick has put him firmly in record books. Vaas, a superb performer for Sri Lanka over the years, has often been the unsung hero of their team. While the likes of Jayasuriya, Murali, De Silva and Atapattu have hogged the limelight, Vaas has remained contend with his quota of attention. Not the express variety, Vaas decimates the opposition by his immaculate control over line, length and swing. That fast bowlers hunt in pair does not hold true for him, as he single handedly, and uncomplainingly also, bore the brunt of shouldering the new ball attack, without a steady and good new ball partner at the other end. Despite this, if my memory holds me in god stead, I can hardly remember him missing out on games due to injury. Hats off! Dilhara Fernando, is quick and exciting but has to learn the tricks of the trade. Sri Lanka’s only weak link is their inability to give a strong bowling option from the both ends early on. Nissanka has been good but West Indies and South Africa are in a different league altogether compared to Bangladesh and Canada. Against them, even good balls sometimes are dispatched to the fence. David Whatmore has a real problem in his hands and good that he is aware of it. Sri Lanka depend heavily on batting to click as much as they pin their hopes on spinners. Jayasuriya, as mentioned before, is brilliant and apart from Attapatu, the rest of the line-up has so far been denied match practice. Both encounters against Bangladesh and Canada were not enough to test batting skills of De Silva, Arnold, Jayawardene, Sangakkara. Phew! What a batting line-up but its pertinent to give the middle order a stint in the middle against Kenya otherwise rustiness will not be taken as an excuse when take on Windies. So far so good, but statistics never tell the complete picture. Sri Lanka, all right, are leading the points tally but still have to pool in their energy and skills to beat either South Africa or West Indies to enter Super-Six. From there on it’s a different battle.
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Hussain
doubtful for Pak match Cape Town, February 20 A final decision on whether Hussain will play against Pakistan was unlikely to be made before Saturday morning to give him sufficient time to recover. The 34-year-old opted out of yesterday’s match against Namibia in Port Elizabeth because of the injury and was replaced as captain by Alec Stewart. It was the first one-day international Hussain missed in nearly two years, a run spanning 32 successive matches.
AFP
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Surjit
Academy, SAI lads in final Ludhiana, February 20
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Potchefstroom, February 20
Video
CHOPPER DRIES PITCH