One World Cup has just concluded with Spain rightfully crowned champions for the first time, so thoughts can now turn to cricket's World Cup, which begins on 19 February 2011 when India take on Bangladesh in Dhaka.
There has been a slew of one day international cricket recently and as such this seems an apt time to look at each of the contenders for the crown. Can anyone wrest the World Cup trophy from Ricky Ponting? Or will Australia lift the trophy for an incredible fourth successive time?
As we've already pointed out (see What cricket can learn from football in how to stage a World Cup here), the competition itself will run for an excessive six weeks and is comprised of two groups of seven, from which the eight quarter finalists will emerge. Thankfully, the dreadful Super Six/Eight stage has been consigned to the history books. The two groups are as follows:
Group A: Australia, Pakistan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe and the minnows Canada and Kenya.
Having won a series 4-2 in India last autumn soon after retaining the Champions Trophy, Australia are still the team to beat despite the recent Nat West Series reverse to England. A powerful batting line-up (what a luxury to have Michael Hussey coming in at six or seven) will be augmented by Brad Haddin (injured for the games with England). And if they can get their best bowlers fit then it is difficult to see Ponting's side not at least reaching the semi-finals. No one will fancy facing a quartet of Bollinger, Johnson, Tait and Harris even on the slower pitches of the subcontinent. But could the lack of a top class spinner cost the Aussies in the end?
Sri Lanka will also be strong given that they could play at home right up to and including the semi-final. They may have lost the recent Asia Cup final at home to India, but their recent form has been good. Kumar Sangakkara has an excellent and varied line-up of bowlers including Lasith Malinga, Angelo Mathews and Muttiah Muralitharan who will be determined for a one day swansong as happy as his test exit. Add to that a strong batting line-up including the skipper, Tillakaratne Dilshan, the imperious Mahela Jaywardene and the consistent Thilan Samaraweera, then most observers would back the Lankans to also make the semi-finals.
Although Pakistan were knocked out in the preliminary stage of the Asia Cup, their performances under new (and now only limited overs) captain Shahid Afridi were much improved with the losses to Sri Lanka and India both going to the wire. The top order is a bit shaky and invariably relies on the Akmal brothers and the skipper to get it out of trouble, so a recall for Younis Khan and/or Mohamamd Yousuf must be on the cards. Any side that can name Umar Gul, Mohammad Amir and Mohammad Aamer in its XI will be confident of restricting the opposition to gettable targets and then there is the joker in the pack of Shoaib Akhtar. As ever, Pakistan will be dangerous floaters.
New Zealand will be tough to beat as usual, but with Shane Bond retired and some of their more established names past their best, heavy reliance will be placed on (Super)Dan Vettori and Ross Taylor. The Black Caps would seem to be most at risk from coming a cropper against a Zimbabwe side fresh from beating India twice and Sri Lanka once in the recent triangular competition they hosted. When you add in the mix, Zimbabwe's useful complement of spinners, it wouldn't be a massive surprise if they made the quarter finals ahead of Vettori's men. The two minnows in the group, Canada and Kenya can be discounted with the latter a shadow of the side that shocked everyone by reaching the semi-finals in 2003.
Group B: India, South Africa, England, West Indies, Bangladesh, Ireland and The Netherlands.
Just like the England football team, India will have to cope with ridiculously high expectations from its media and supporters, which will be compounded by the fact that they are playing at home. Will they be able to cope with the pressure? At least MS Dhoni is an excellent captain who has won a major trophy (this year's IPL) on Indian soil (as well as the 2007 World T20). And when you add the skipper to a batting line-up that includes Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir, then you begin to understand why most Indian supporters hopes are high; more so if Yuvraj Singh can regain form and fitness. But it is the bowling department where India look short outside of the excellent Harbhajan - even Zaheer Khan has looked out of sorts recently. The recent triumph at the Asia Cup came after a shadow side had been embarrassed in Zimbabwe. Semi-finals at least, but winners?
A lack of quality spin options could cost South Africa dear on the subcontinent, although any team containing the batting prowess of Amla (especially on subcontinent pitches), Smith, De Villers and Kallis plus the pace and brilliance of Steyn will be tough to overcome, even if the proteas have no spinner of note. But then comes the typical South African problem of underperforming (some would say choking) at pretty much every World Cup. They have recently easily beaten West Indies in the Caribbean, but can they overcome the Asian giants, Australia or even England? We doubt it.
England's one day fortunes have taken a sudden rise in the last nine months and their supporters will be dreaming that Andrew Strauss' men can repeat their World T20 success and win the World Cup for the first time. Most of the side is settled and with Ravi Bopara announcing himself in the final game of the series with Bangladesh as the answer to the number six conundrum, only one or two doubts remain. Does Andy Flower stick with Michael Yardy as Graeme Swann's spin twin or does he twist with the precocious Adil Rashid? The only other doubt concerns the new ball opening pair. James Anderson has been out of sorts, but probably has enough credit in the bank. Tim Bresnan however, is clearly not an international bowler of sufficient class so Ajmal Shahzad who impressed against Bangladesh, the great survivor Ryan Sidebottom or Steve Finn could join Anderson in the XI. Whether England can actually win is debatable especially given their poor recent record on the subcontinent, but they have their best chance since 1992.
With Bangladesh playing at home and the West Indies increasingly in turmoil, Chris Gayle's men could suffer the ignominy of failing to get out of the group. Bangladesh have some talented players and if they can have more days in the sun like they did at Bristol against England (rather then the subsequent defeats to Ireland and Netherlands), then more familiarity with the winning habit could make them dark horses on home pitches next year. West Indies were humiliated by South Africa 5-0 at home recently and a huge improvement is required before the main event starts in just over seven months. Don't discount the most dangerous of the minnows Ireland either, who will be spirited opposition for anyone. The Netherlands though can expect to be the whipping boys of this group and certainly won't repeat the success of their footballers by reaching the final.
For now, we predict that the winner will come from one of Australia, Sri Lanka, India and England, with Pakistan being the dark horses.
Recent Comments