Bridgetown, April 27
Sri Lanka face a daunting task of stopping the all-conquering Australians from winning their third consecutive World Cup title as they go into the summit showdown here tomorrow, fully aware that only an extra-ordinary display would make them the new world champions.

The islanders, who last won the title in 1996, have appeared to be the only team capable of giving the mighty Australians a run for their money and would need a huge slice of inspiration in what promises to a thrilling contest at the Kensington Oval.

Australia stormed into the final with a perfect 10, winning all 10 matches in the Caribbean. Even more intimidating is their unbeaten World Cup run of 28 matches, starting from the 1999 tournament in England.

On the other hand, Sri Lanka, despite defeats against South Africa and Australia, seem to have the wherewithal to gatecrash into Australia’s party and run away with the silverware.

To their credit, the islanders survived banana-skin matches—something former champions India and Pakistan could not—and then raised their game at the right time to come just one step away from an encore of their 1996 triumph.

Sparks are already flying and Ricky Ponting has initiated the psychological warfare, claiming that his pacers would run amok at the Kensington Oval.

“If Barbados has the pace and bounce it had for the last couple of games, it should play into our hands beautifully,” gloated Ponting, hinting Sri Lanka would be peppered with short-pitched deliveries.

Not to be outdone, Sanath Jayasuriya, the marauder from Matara who otherwise loves to let his bat to do the talking, seemed game for a verbal battle.

Daring opponents to hurl bouncers at him, Jayasuriya said, “It doesn’t matter what they bowl to me. I have been around long enough in international cricket to face any sort of bowling. If they bounce me, I can pull and hook as well. “It’s not as if we haven’t played on bouncier pitches,” he remarked.

Copping criticism for resting Lasith Malinga, along with Muttiah Muralitharan and Chaminda Vaas, in the Super Eight match against Australia, Sri Lanka will let loose the maverick pacer in his first ODI against the Aussies tomorrow, hoping his weird round-arm, slingshot action would have the batsmen running for covers.

While the chequered past of the bitter Lankan-Australian rivalry promises it to be a humdinger, tomorrow’s final would also be an emotional moment for Glenn McGrath who would like to quit the game after putting up yet another sterling show.

Apart from accomplishing an unprecedented title hat-trick, the Aussies would also strive for a farewell gift for their outgoing coach John Buchanan.

Motivation would be as high for Muttiah Muralitharan as well. The cat calls and innuendoes from the Australian supporters, which once forced him to skip an Australian tour, are fresh in his mind and he has been often the bone of contention in many an Aussie-Lankan dispute.

Murali, however, preferred to take a broad view of tomorrow’s final and said he wanted to win the World Cup for his war-ravaged motherland.

“It would be a bigger achievement than all my personal records...It will act as an inspiration for youngsters and we being a team of different nationalities, it could also help tide over the problems our nation faces.

“We are going through a bad situation in our country but this could achieve something different,” he said.

One thing, however, is certain that whatever maybe the outcome of tomorrow’s final, one of these two Australians—John Buchanan and Tom Moody—would be celebrating tomorrow.

Teams (likely): Australia: Matthew Hayden, Adam Gilchrist, Ricky Ponting, Michael Clarke, Andrew Symonds, Mike Hussey, Shane Watson, Brad Hogg, Glenn McGrath, Shaun Tait and Nathan Bracken.

Sri Lanka: Sanath Jayasuriya, Upul Tharanga, Kumar Sangakkara, Mahela Jayawardene, Chamara Silva, Tillakratne Dilshan, Russel Arnold, Chaminda Vaas, Muttiah Muralitharan, Ferveez Maharoof and Lasith Malinga. — PTI

Melbourne, April 27
Sri Lankan skipper Mahela Jayawardene has taken a cue from Sourav Ganguly’s successful ploy to unnerve the Australians.

Much to the annoyance of Ricky Ponting, the Sri Lankan captain turned up an hour late for a scheduled beach photo shoot, according to a media report here.

Ponting made the appointment despite having to travel with his team from St Lucia to Barbados and had to twiddle his thumbs before Jayawardene arrived after attending a golf function, according to The Age.

Jayawardene blamed a communication breakdown and peak-hour traffic jam for his late arrival.

Ganguly had kept Steve Waugh waiting for the toss on several occasions during Australia’s tour of India in 2001, which irked the then Australian skipper. — PTI

Bridgetown, April 27
Steve Bucknor will stand in his fifth consecutive World Cup final when he steps out along with Pakistan’s Aleem Dar at the Kensington Oval for tomorrow’s title clash between three-time champions Australia and 1996 winners Sri Lanka.

It will be an unprecedented feat for the 60-year-old Jamaican who had earlier stood in the 1992, 1996, 1999 and 2003 World Cup finals.

In contrast, it will be the first such honour for 38-year-old Dar.

The third umpire will be Rudi Koertzen of South Africa, the fourth umpire is New Zealander Brent Bowden and the match referee will be former New Zealand captain Jeff Crowe.

“It is a dream come true,” Bucknor said. “I was happy knowing I was umpiring in a World Cup in the Caribbean and now being asked to stand in the final again makes it even more special.

“Just because the final is taking place here (in the Caribbean) does not mean it is any extra pressure for me. Each game has its pressures and you have to deal with that,” he said.

“As for preparations, it will be business as usual. I will go for a jog around the savannah to get myself ready, as I always do when I am here in Barbados,” the veteran umpire said.

Dar echoed his senior colleagues feelings. “It is a dream come true for me too. I am very glad that I have been selected for this match, which should be a very good one between the two top teams.

“There is no doubt that it is a big match, the biggest, but I will look to treat it as I would any other match and just look to do my job the best I can.” Harold “Dickie” Bird (1975, 1979 and 1983) and David Shepherd (1996, 1999 and 2003) were the other umpires who stood in three finals. Shepherd officiated with Bucknor in the 1996, 1999 and 2003 deciders but his retirement in 2005 meant there was always going to be at least one official standing in tomorrow’s match who was new to the final.

Koertzen, 58, passed Shepherds record for on-field ODI umpiring appearances earlier in the tournament. He has now stood in 174 matches compared to Shepherds previous mark of 172 and tomorrow will repeat the duties he performed in the 2003 final when Australia defeated India in Johannesburg.

Bowden, 44, completes an umpiring team in which the four men between them have stood in the middle in 537 ODIs.

Jeff Crowe has played in the 1983 and 1987 World Cups, captaining New Zealand in the latter campaign in India and Pakistan. — PTI

Bridgetown, April 27
After the ignominy of being eliminated in the first round, the Indian cricketers’ reputation suffered another jolt as they were omitted by Sir Vivian Richards from his all-star team of the World Cup, which saw as many as four Aussies and three Lankans making the cut.

Two New Zealanders and a player each from South Africa and England are in the all-star eleven, led by redoubtable Ricky Ponting.

“There is no Sachin Tendulkar, no Rahul Dravid, no Sourav Ganguly in your eleven,” an Indian reporter asked Richards and the latter said, “Well, this team has been selected only on the basis of pioneering performances and record-breaking feats in this World Cup and unfortunately, no Indian could meet those criteria.

“Yes, on any other day a couple of Indians could have made it into my time but not this time,” he said.

For Richards, Herschelle Gibbs smashed his way into record books with six sixes in an over was the moment of the Cup.

“This tournament featured some great moments with both the ball and bat. For me, the one pioneering moment that I’ll remember for years to come was Gibbs smashing his way into the record books when he hit six sixes in an over,” he said.

He said the selected 11 have been collectively awarded an impressive 16 man-of-the-match awards, led by the Australian duo of Glenn McGrath and Matthew Hayden, who can claim seven between them.

All-star team: Matthew Hayden, Kumar Sangakkara, Ricky Ponting (captain), Kevin Pietersen, Mahela Jayawardene, Herschelle Gibbs, Scott Styris, Shaun Tait, Shane Bond, Glenn McGrath and Muttiah Muralitharan.

Reserves: Jacques Kallis, Adam Gilchrist, Sanath Jayasuriya and Boyd Rankin. — UNI

New Delhi, April 27
Sharad Pawar, BCCI president, today disclosed that young players feel that sponsors were influencing team selection and that there was a complaint that contract of one player was linked to the time he spent at the crease.

Pawar said the BCCI had received an “unofficial” complaint that a player’s contract had a clause which provided for more incentives for more time he spent at the crease.

“It is an unofficial complaint and if found to be correct, the system needs to be strengthened. So I have asked players to submit copies of the old contract,” Pawar told CNN-IBN in an interview.

Asked whether the BCCI was targeting players through ad curbs, Pawar said, “If players sign a contract with X, Y, Z company, the companies want them to be always in the team.” — PTI

Beijing, April 27
As many as seven Indians missed the halfway cut but overnight leader Gaurav Ghei kept the Tricolour fluttering despite slipping to tied third after an even-par second round at the $5 lakh Pine Valley Beijing Open here today.

Among other Indians who progressed to weekend’s play were Amandeep Johl at tied 40th and SSP Chowrasia at tied 53rd.

Gurbaaz Mann was unlucky to miss the cut, which was applied at even par, by a single stroke. However, Uttam Singh Mundy, Harmeet Kahlon, Digvijay Singh, Rahil Gangjee, Amardip Malik, Vivek Bhandari, all played poor golf to miss out weekend action.

Irving (Texas): A fortnight-long break did him more harm than good as an off-colour Jeev Milkha Singh dropped half-a-dozen bogeys as against a sole birdie to card a horrendous five-over 75 opening round for tied 137th and face the risk of missing the cut at the $6,300,000 Byron Nelson Championship here.

The first Indian to play and make the cut at Augusta Masters earlier this month, Jeev had a disastrous day as the bogey on the opening hole suggested. As form dropped from bad to worse, he made the turn at three-over after dropping three more strokes as against a solitary birdie (par-four eighth) on the front nine.

The leader was Sean O’ Hair of the US, who set the par-70 course afire with a brilliant five-under 65.

Meanwhile, Indo-Swede Dainel Chopra was marginally better as he carded a birdie-free three-over 73 for a tied 102nd place. — UNI

New Delhi, April 27
Indian under-14 girls team qualified for the finals of world junior tennis competition after blanking Uzbekistan 3-0 in the quarterfinal tie of the Asia/Oceania qualifying zone here today.

The finals will be played in Czech Republic in August this year. The last time India had qualified for the finals was in 2005 and finished 10th among 16 teams.

Rishika Sunkara gave India 1-0 lead, edging past Alisa Ogrodova 6-2, 7-5 in the first singles of the morning.

Rishika capitalised on unending unforced errors of Alisa, who succumbed to her over-aggression. Alisa’s powerful but uncontrolled shots scripted her defeat.

Rishika broke Alisa in the fifth and seventh games of the first set and went on to win four games in a row after she was levelled 2-2.

Alisa started well in the second set by breaking Rishika in the second game to take a 3-0 lead but squandered the opportunity to take the match to the third set. Her erratic play allowed Rishika first to draw parity and then clinch the set to seal the tie.

The number one player of Indian team Aishwarya Agrawal faced little resistance from Karolina Chernaya in the second singles match before she registered a 6-3, 6-1 victory.

Aishwarya was hardly troubled by Karolina as the Indian took a 4-0 lead in the first set. Karolina came back in the match after winning three consecutive games to make it 4-3.

However, Aishwarya kept her nerves in the next two games to take the set. Under sweltering heat, Karolina gave up in the second set.

Later, in the inconsequential doubles match, Rishika Sunkara and Nova Patel defeated Karolina Chernaya and Nigina Abduraimova 6-4, 6-3. — PTI