ICC World Cup 2011 Free Online Live Watch Now

Preview: India vs Ireland Cricket World Cup 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Abdullah) — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 12:08:00 +0000

AT M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore, cricket spectators watched two high voltage dramas in the last week. First, in-spite of scoring 338 runs, India tied their match against England on Sunday, February 27. Next, on March 2, Ireland upset the English team by three wickets after chasing the Cricket World Cup record of 327 runs. The Irish batsman Kevin O'Brien scored the fastest 100 in world cups in just 50 deliveries.

MS Dhoni-led Indian team won the inaugural match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 against Bangladesh by 87 runs. Team India is in third place in the points table after South Africa and West Indies in group 'B', whereas the Irish team is in the fifth spot with one victory.

Indian bowling attack is one of the biggest obstacles for team India to lift ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 trophy. In the last two matches, main weapons in the bowling department Zaheer Khan, Harbhajan Singh and Munaf Patel conceded 321 runs for 13 wickets.

Meanwhile, Indian batsman scored more than 330 runs on both the occasions, however, during the last match against England, team India lost their last seven wickets for just 33 runs in four overs. Indian fielding is also a big concern for the team management. In this area Indians need to improve a lot.

Ireland started their ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 campaign with a loss against Bangladesh. In the next match they beat England. Prior to the World Cup, the Irish team lost to New Zealand by 32 runs and beat Zimbabwe by four wickets in the warm-up matches. Their batting is mainly dependent on O'Brien brothers (Kevin and Niall O'Brien), Ed Joyce and John Mooney.

Once again, if Dhoni will win the toss at M. Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore, he will likely to decide bat first. Once again Indian batsmen will set a huge target for the Irish batsmen in the 22nd match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. Dhoni will likely to play with the same team who had played against England.

Indian and Ireland squads for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011:

India: MS Dhoni (capt/wk), Virender Sehwag(vice capt), Sachin Tendulkar, Gautam Gambhir, Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Suresh Raina, Yusuf Pathan, Harbhajan Singh, R. Ashwin, Piyush Chawla, Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra, Munaf Patel and S. Sreesanth.

Ireland: William Porterfield (capt), Trent Johnston, Alex Cusack, Andre Botha, Kevin O'Brien, Niall O'Brien (wk), Nigel Jones, Ed Joyce, John Mooney, Paul Stirling, Gary Wilson (wk), George Dockrell, Boyd Rankin, Albert van der Merwe, Andrew White.

Sri Lanka vs Australia ICC Cricket World Cup 2011: Live Score

noreply@blogger.com (Abdullah) — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 12:05:00 +0000

SRI LANKAN captain Kumar Sangakkara won the toss and decided to bat first against Australia on the dry surface of R. Premadasa stadium in Colombo in the 20th match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, Saturday afternoon. Sri Lanka and Australia met last time four years back in the final of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 in West Indies, which was won by the latter.

Sri Lankan captain Kumar Sangakkara has made one change in the playing XI from the last match against Kenya. The Lankan team won that match by nine wickets. Lankan's captain is playing with three spinners in one of the most important matches of the Cricket World Cup 2011. He has included left-arm spinner Rangana Herath in place of medium pacer Nuwan Kulasekara in the playing XI.

Australia, who are playing their third match in the ICC World Cup 2011, are playing with the same squad that played against New Zealand on Friday, February 25.

Australia is the World Cup champion since 1999, it has not lost a a World Cup match since ICC World Cup in 1999.

Australia and Sri Lanka have played 19 times in sub-continent conditions and the Lankans have won 12 times. Overall, both teams have met 71 times, wherein the Australians have won 47 and the Sri Lankans have won 22 matches. In World Cups, the record is in favour of Australia by 6-1.

Given below is the list of the playing XI of Sri Lanka and Australia in the 20th match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011.

Sri Lanka: Kumar Sangakkara (capt/wk), Mahela Jayawardene, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Upul Tharanga, Thilan Samaraweera, Chamara Silva, Angelo Mathews, Lasith Malinga, Rangana Herath, Muttiah Muralitharan, Ajantha Mendis.

Australia: Ricky Ponting (capt), Shane Watson, Brad Haddin (wk), Michael Clarke, David Hussey, Cameron White, Steve Smith, Mitchell Johnson, Brett Lee, Jason Krejza, Shaun Tait.

ICC Cricket World Cup 2011: The Mystery of the Batting Powerplay

noreply@blogger.com (Abdullah) — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 12:03:00 +0000

iSporter Aswath ponders on the mystery of 'batting powerplay' and feels that it's creating havoc. Do you feel so too?

A certain phenomenon called the 'batting powerplay' is creating havoc. It was intended to anyway; bring down the bowlers further; however, it turns out to be a boon for the fielding Captain sometimes. The league game between India and England at Bengaluru was a prime example of that.

Andrew Strauss and Ian Bell were going strong, getting a boundary almost every over, and then succumbed to the pressure of the batting powerplay. They chose to take it, in anticipation of advancing dinner time by a few minutes, but the decision almost proved to be fatal for them.

When two batsmen are going strong in the middle overs; it is usually by means of constantly rotating strike, working the ball into the gaps and hitting the odd boundary. It is by no means easy for them to shift suddenly from second gear into top gear. Try doing this to your car often and you could end up in the mechanic shop very soon.

Then when exactly do you take the batting powerplay? It is a mystery, and I shall try and find a few possible pointers.

The approach to the game is the key here. The top four batsmen in a side are accustomed to playing in the powerplay overs. The openers are the best suited for it - one would suppose - as they would be preparing to face the most part of the first 10 to 15 overs of their innings to set up a good foundation for their team.

The first 10 overs are mandatory powerplay overs. The fielding captain usually takes the bowling powerplay immediately after, to get rid of it, unless the batsmen in the middle are going hammer and tongs. If the batsmen are really playing well and the fielding captain does not take a powerplay, the batting side still has the option to opt for theirs.

This is a crucial juncture. The batting side could well take their powerplay from overs 16-20 (assuming the previous five overs have also been powerplay overs) if they are finding the gaps with ease and not more than a wicket (or sometimes two, depending on the game situation) down.

The reasons are aplenty. First, the batsmen have been out in the middle for long enough and can carry on the momentum. The fielding captain usually saves his best bowlers for the batting powerplay. By taking it in the 16^th over, chances are that the opening bowlers are tired and the fielding captain has only one top bowler to bowl in these overs. By doing so, they would also be exhausting a good bowler's overs early in the game.

Overs 20-40 are usually those of consolidation and unless the situation really demands, the batting captain refrains from taking the powerplay. Things are changing with the advent of T20 alright, but the principles of batting remain the same. You could try hitting the ball into the stands, but piercing the field is a different proposition altogether. After all, it is better to see a ball hit the ropes than a spectator, right? More often than not, it plays too much on the mind of the batting captain not knowing when exactly to take it. And of course, there is no one right answer.

In the league game between England and Ireland, Kevin O' Brien took it more out of force than out of choice as the required run rate was getting too far out of control. And what a decision it turned out to be. It made him a national hero.

During the slog overs, the approach of the batting side is going to be just one; see the ball and swing hard. Does the approach change if a powerplay is on? Not much.

If a powerplay is on and the fine leg and third man are inside the circle (which I assume would be the case more often than not, especially in a powerplay in the slog overs), the batsmen in the middle could probably try something out of the ordinary to get a boundary behind the wicket and lose their wicket in the process. It could prove to be detrimental to their side's batting.

There are many angles to analyzing the batting powerplay and these are just a few. It depends on how well set the two batsmen out in the middle are and other assumptions. But if you were doing it in the first 15 overs earlier, what is wrong in extending the agony for the bowlers for another 5 overs immediately?

ICC Cricket World Cup 2011: Top 5 score update apps for iOS devices

noreply@blogger.com (Abdullah) — Sat, 05 Mar 2011 12:00:00 +0000

With the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 heating up quite nicely. Quite a few close matches, some brilliant individual performances and a few upsets have kept the temperature up. Now as we are heading into the business end of the tournament, keeping up with the latest scores is becoming very important for most people. And since cricket is the undisputed national past-time, people find some way or the other of keeping themselves updated with the latest from the match.

However, mobile apps are just making lives easier, with the latest scores available on the move. If you happen to have an iOS based device - the iPhone, iPod Touch or the iPad, there are a lot of apps which may be of interest to you. Here are our top 5 picks. Download these and stay updated!

ESPNcricinfo: Free

This app is backed by probably the most reliable cricket news and score website. ESPNcricinfo will keep users updated about the world cup and all the other cricket action happening around the world- domestic league action in various countries. If you enable push updates, a notification is sent any time a wicket falls or a cricketing milestone is achieved. And Indians are generally obsessed with records! This is an app to download for this world cup, and the cricket action all year round.

ICC World Cup 2011: Free

Open this app and the home page shows you the matches currently in progress, with the team totals in short. Click on any of the match tabs, and this takes you to the next screen which has a lot of interesting stuff. Detailed scores, run rate display, current batsmen’s individual scores, how much the recently dismissed batsmen scored etc. However, you don’t need to click anywhere to get the detailed scoreboard- just tilt the device to open the complete scoreboard! Flick right and left to see batsmen scores, bowling figures, partnership details etc. Not only this, the videos section has 20 second clips of highlights from that match, which is a huge value add. Now you will know who dismissed whom!

ESPN ScoreCenter: Free

Okay, this one is not a dedicated app for just this edition of the cricket world cup. ScoreCenter will keep you posted with scores from sports around the world- be it American Football, or basketball or football. You can also set favourite teams for individual sports or tournaments, which highlights any updates from the match of that team. The app essentially tries to offer the maximum possible scores, without any additional, (and maybe unwanted), frills like animations or videos.

Cricket 2011: Free

This app will not give you the latest scores. Which is why you are probably wondering why this app is on our list. There are valid reasons- results and tables. What this app does best is offer results of all matches played in this world cup with complete scorecards and details. If you are in the middle of a heated argument with a friend about some previous encounter, this is the app to pull out and deploy. Also, the group stage points tables are available instantly. The future fixtures are listed in a hard to miss format, and the squads are available as a ready reckoner for you when you are trying to change the fantasy cricket team!

World Cup Cricket 2011: Free

This app’s name gives the impression that it’ll only offer the scores from the world cup. However, the app, at the time of testing, was offering scores from other matches being played globally- domestic competitions in Australia, Sri Lanka, and South Africa and also Guateng vs. Namibia! Coming back to the world cup, and we have the latest scores from the on-going games, the match schedule, team details and even venue details. The only thing we did not like about this app is the complicated layout of the world cup points table.

Mindstorm Studios develops official game for ICC’s Cricket World Cup 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Abdullah) — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 12:13:00 +0000

It’s about time we had some good news associated with the ICC World Cup 2011.
Mindstorm Studios, a Pakistani games development company, announced today that it has successfully developed the “Official Game” for the ICC 2011 Cricket World Cup, an event followed religiously by over a billion fans around the globe.
This is an unprecedented move in Pakistan’s software industry by a self-funded startup; Mindstorm have managed to indigenously design, develop, and deliver an officially licensed title over all leading global game development companies.
“We are extremely excited about creating the official title for ICC’s Cricket World Cup 2011” said Babar Ahmed, CEO Mindstorm Studios. “Cricket has long been a subject closely linked to our organization and we are thrilled to take it to the next level and be a source of pride for our nation on the digital front.”
The game, “Cricket Power” (www.cricketpower.com), is the most advanced 3D browser cricket game developed to date. It features all 14 official teams along with
official players, stadiums and kits, and is played directly in the browser. The game is powered by a superior cricket engine at its core, coupled with a pick-up-and-play interface to appeal to casual and core gamers alike.
This is the second time the company has made waves in the Pakistani gaming industry. Many of you will remember that their previous hit title ‘Cricket Revolution’ which won the P@SHA ICT Awards in 2009 and went on to win the Silver at APICTA in Melbourne. Mindstorm Studios has raised the bar in Pakistan’s game development industry with the launch of Cricket Power.
The game is being published by Karkadann Games, an Abu Dhabi Media Company subsidiary, and is currently available at www.cricketpower.com.
So what is the big deal, you might ask? The big deal is that Mindstorm Studios is a young startup company from Pakistan. All the software professionals, coders, designers and the management are Pakistanis. It has received no outside funding. The team is self-taught. It has managed to cross all hurdles, conquer all challenges and emerge as a champion. Image has not stopped Mindstorm Studios from achieving their potential, from reaching their goal. It should give other young people in Pakistan hope and confidence that all one needs to do to succeed is have a dream and a plan, and to do whatever one can to execute the plan professionally and not let perceived and real challenges stand in the way.
I for one take great pride in the achievements of this amazing company and I look forward to watching their growth and the continued

innovation that I am sure will emerge from their studios. Let us ensure that we celebrate their achievement by posting the news on all our Facebook pages, on our blogs, on Twitter and on as many news sites as possible. Let’s unite in recognizing the brilliant work done by a team from amongst us.

Cricket World Cup: Netherlands vs South Africa Odds and Preview

noreply@blogger.com (Abdullah) — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 12:10:00 +0000

Netherlands vs. South Africa

The South Africans are a talented side and are favourites to win this world cup along with India. The only thing that can prevent the South Africans from winning this match is the weather. Check out the current odds from William Hill.

London Start Time: 04:00

Venue and Pitch

The match is scheduled to take place at the Punjab Cricket Stadium in Mohali. The conditions do not look great, as rain is predicted throughout the day. If play does get underway, with all the cloud covering, you can expect the ball to swing. The side that wins the toss will look to bowl first so that they can make use of the conditions as well as know exactly what they need to chase if the Duckworth Lewis method comes into play.

Team News

The South Africans are probably the most professional unit amongst all the other teams. Their work ethic is commendable and they will be looking to take their fielding to another level, as the general standard of fielding in the tournament so far has left a lot to be desired. Both Dale Steyn 5/2 and Morne Morkel 7/2 will love the conditions and will be looking to wrap up the Dutch innings quickly. The Dutch have shown that they are capable of putting up a good fight and will do their best to push South Africa.

Match Odds

South Africa are clear favourites 1/50 to win this match. The only thing that can stand in their way is the weather. If the match gets reduced to 25 or 30 overs a side, the Netherlands will stand a better chance of competing against the South Africans.

Top Batsman

Hashim Amla 9/4 will be his usual explosive self at the top of the order and will be looking to put his stamp on this world cup. AB Devilliers 11/2 is in excellent form and will play an integral part in the middle order.
The key players for the Netherlands will be RT Doeschate 11/4 and Alexei Kervezee 11/2 although they will have their hands full when they face the likes of Steyn and Morkel.

Featured Bet

The weather holds the key to this match when it comes to Cricket betting. If the rain holds up and we get a full match on the cards, you can expect South Africa 1/50 to run away with this match. If the match is interrupted consistently, then the overs will be reduced and you might see something like a 20/20, which will be exciting for the fans. Find the best odds here.

Match Predictions

South Africa’s pace attack will overpower the Dutch and they will be bowled out with overs to spare.

Man of the Match: Dale Steyn 5/2

ICC Cricket World Cup 2011: The World Cup in numbers

noreply@blogger.com (Abdullah) — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 12:09:00 +0000

About two weeks into the ICC World Cup 2011, ratings for the first 10 matches of the series have been released by TAM Sports. So far, the top rated matches have been the India-Bangladesh opening match and the last of the TAM Week 9’11 bunch, the Pakistan-Sri Lanka match played on Saturday, February 26, which rated a 3.28 TVR in CS-4 plus all India markets.

As per the data, the tournament is seeing a viewership interest ranging from 1 to 1.5 plus TVR in All India markets in games that have strong teams and audience following such as England, Pakistan, Australia and Sri Lanka.

Matches such as Netherlands versus England, which left audiences at the edge of their seats until the last over, has rated the third highest, with a peak rating of 4.8 TVR, tying on an All India level with West Indies versus South Africa at 1.68 TVR. Another such a crowd pulling match was that between Bangladesh and Ireland that left audiences glued through the game, drawing a peak rating of 3.12 TVR.

In the next batch of highly viewed matches came in Australia versus Zimbabwe, Sri Lanka versus Canada, and Pakistan versus Kenya, scoring ratings of about 1.3 to1.5 TVR, despite some being on weekdays in the 2 pm time slot. Primetime scheduling of matches has not attracted substantial viewership as was the case with the Kenya-New Zealand or New Zealand-Australia matches, which have scored about 1 TVR.

As of February 26, 2011, among the ratings for the 10 matches of the tournament, the highest rated match has been the opening match of India versus Bangladesh at 7.47 TVR, peaking at 12.2 TVR.

Industry heads have been positive about the format this season and the strong points of the ICC World Cup 2011 have been highlighted by many industry watchers. For starters, many measures have been taken by the BCCI and ICC to ensure India’s presence late into the series. What are the strong points in the tournament? exchange4media spoke to media planners and buyers to decode the success formula chalked out this time...

Cut to Fit Formatting
Commenting on the tailor-made format cut out for the World Cup this year, Rajneesh Chaturvedi, National Director, MEC Access, said, “Non-India matches have always delivered low on numbers. It will be interesting to see how much these matches deliver this time around. Most of the matches are Day/ Night games and these would end in the prime time. The timing of the matches should help in the ratings specially the non-India ones.”

“There will be little interest during some of the non-India matches, but it isn’t as bad. Barring the last seven matches (quarters, semis & final) and six India matches, there are about eight good matches (likes of Sri Lanka versus Pakistan), about 18 average matches (likes of Bangladesh versus South Africa) and about 10 matches that involves the minnows. About 20 per cent matches are likely to be of minimum interest. If we get desired response from the 80 per cent matches, those 20 per cent will be averaged out,” reasoned Vidyadhar Kale, Client Leader, Maxus Mumbai.

“I would not term it as low, but lower than India matches,” said Sushma Jhaveri, Senior Vice President, Carat. According to her, there was no surprise about lower interest in non-India matches given the disparity in ratings. “The strength of tournament lies in the fact that it happens once in four years and in the Indian Sub-continent. Unlike the last World Cup, this time the matches are also on during primetime and then there is the Sachin factor,” she added.

Speaking to exchange4media, Sanjay Kailash, Executive Vice President, Advertising Sales and New Media, ESPN Software India, said, “Format change is one key game changer, but the event coming to India is the biggest factor that has given the thrust. Timings are more suited to Indian audiences, noise around the event has been huge and the choice of getting to see your country play live is a huge attraction. This year, many things have been revised with the number of groups being collapsed to two, matches scattered in such a manner with India matches almost till the end of the tournament and scheduled on weekends. The Indian team will also be well rested and the Day/ Night timing is well suited. India forms up to 85 per cent of cricket viewership worldwide and the BCCI and ICC boards are well aware of suiting the needs to the market. The format helps stronger teams come to quarter and semis; earlier, if you lose one match, it may be difficult to stay on in the tournament, whereas this time, consistent teams will remain till the end.”

South Africa vs Netherlands ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, Live Score Card

noreply@blogger.com (Abdullah) — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 12:07:00 +0000

IN THE 16th match of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 between South Africa and Netherlands at Punjab Cricket Association Stadium in Mohali, Netherlands captain Peter Borren won the toss and asked the South Africans to bat first. PCA Stadium at Mohali is hosting the first match of the World Cup 2011.

South Africa is playing their second match in the World Cup 2011. It had won the first match against West Indies by seven wickets at Delhi's Ferozeshah Kotla, whereas Netherlands have lost both their opening matches in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 against England and West Indies.

The Proteas captain Graeme Smith made one change in the playing XI from the last match against West Indies. He preferred Morne van Wyk over spinner Johan Botha. The Dutch captain made no changes in his playing XI from the last match against West Indies, that they lost by 215 runs on Monday in Delhi.

Both group 'B' teams of the Cricket World Cup 2011, South Africa and Netherlands have played two World Cup matches with each other in the past. South Africans registered victory by a margin of 160-run in 1996 and 221 runs in 2007 World Cup respectively.

Here is the playing XI of South Africa and Netherlands for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011:

South Africa: Graeme Smith (capt), Hashim Amla, Jacques Kallis, AB de Villiers (wk), JP Duminy, Faf du Plessis, Morne van Wyk, Robin Peterson, Morne Morkel, Dale Steyn, Imran Tahir.

Netherlands: Alexei Kervezee, Wesley Barresi (wk), Tom Cooper, Ryan ten Doeschate, Bas Zuiderent, Tom de Grooth, Peter Borren (capt), Mudassar Bukhari, Pieter Seelaar, Bernard Loots, Berend Westdijk.

Terror Threats Lead to Unpretended WorldCup Security

noreply@blogger.com (Abdullah) — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 12:07:00 +0000

One thousand police personnel, 200 disaster management officials and 500 private security men will monitor New Delhi’s historic Feroz Shah Kotla grounds on Wednesday, when India clash with minnows the Netherlands in the cricket World Cup.

Security for the final game in Mumbai on 2 April will be tighter, adding sea and air surveillance.

“The World Cup security arrangements are on a par with what they were during the Commonwealth Games,” said Suresh Chopra, head of the security committee at the Delhi and District Cricket Association, referring to the sporting event the capital hosted in October.

From shadowing players to hotels and practice grounds to placing sharp-shooters in high-rise buildings near the stadiums, security for the 45-day World Cup is unprecedented.

Officials of the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the International Cricket Council (ICC) declined to give information on the expenditure on security for the tournament.

N. Srinivasan, secretary of BCCI, said the Indian board, ICC and cricket associations that are hosting the matches have agreed to pay local police for the security.

“Every venue will pay a certain amount to the police,” Srinivasan said. “Police will not come free and there is a cost to security.”

The Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) pays Rs7-8 lakh to the Chennai police for routine tournaments at the MA Chidambaram Stadium. The World Cup matches will need more than 1,000 security personnel and will cost Rs10-12 lakh a match, said association manager R. Santhanam.

Chennai will host four World Cup matches. TNCA would have to pay Rs40-50 lakh to the police alone, Santhanam said.

This will be in addition to other expenses such as private security, safety equipment, ambulances and doctors stationed at the stadium.

Delhi, which will also host four matches, has all 14 entries to the 41,000-capacity stadium equipped with X-ray scanners for the tournament.

Mumbai and New Delhi had been targets of terrorist attacks in the past.

In Bangalore, where a bomb was found outside the Chinnaswamy stadium during an Indian Premier League match last year, organizers have erected 18 watch towers around the venue, installed 58 surveillance cameras, and stationed sniffer dogs.

Bomb disposal squads and about 2,700 police and security personnel will be positioned in and outside the stadium.

One main venue operation centre and four sub-stations are already monitoring the stadium through closed circuit television cameras, said Ratnakar Salunke, venue security officer for the Chinnaswamy stadium, which will host five matches.

Officials from ICC, BCCI and local authorities have been working for more than three months on security for the World Cup, which began on 19 February.

“There are no guarantees when it comes to issues of security and it will always remain our primary concern, but we believe we are taking all reasonable measures possible to make sure everyone can enjoy the cricket in a safe and secure environment,” said James Fitzgerald, a spokesman for ICC.

BCCI, the co-host of the World Cup, has sought a Rs400 crore insurance cover for the 29 matches that will be played in India. The tournament is also being hosted by neighbours Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

How England Captain Andrew Strauss mastered one-day cricket with Golf Swing

noreply@blogger.com (Abdullah) — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 15:38:00 +0000

There are many who will be surprised by that. Until he took over as England captain two years ago he wasn’t even considered as a one-day batsman.

As Sachin Tendulkar has so often proved however, those with the best methods for the longer game can usually adapt it to other formats. All Strauss has really done is added a bit of purpose to an otherwise sound method.

The unlikely ally of his golf swing has come to his aid in this respect. More of that anon. First though, his overall philosophy on one-day batting.

“It’s fairly simple,” he says. “Assess the percentage risks of a particular shot on a certain pitch, and know when and when not to go for the big shots. It comes mainly from experience. In a Test I collect runs early in an innings. In one-day cricket I look to be a bit more assertive.

"But I’m quite selective. And sometimes a little voice in my head says ‘go for the big shot now’ but I have learnt to usually ignore that. There’s nearly always more time than you think.”

“On Sunday I said to the guys at the halfway point ‘it’s a fantastic wicket, just play normal cricket, look to build partnerships but we might have to look to play a few more big shots than normal in the middle overs.’

"I knew I would have to make the first ten overs count and I calculated that Munaf Patel would bowl a fairly consistent length so I selected him as the bowler to go after initially and try and disrupt his rhythm.”

It didn’t quite work because Patel tucked him up a bit as he sought to use his feet and go down the ground. He was not flustered though because he knew the spinners would offer scoring potential.

“The Indians always tend to have a couple of close fielders – a slip and a leg slip – to their spinners and that gives me some boundary options,” said Strauss.

“With no man at short fine leg for instance, a fine sweep will go for four. Also if I look to play a couple of slog sweeps I can get the deep mid wicket fielder moved squarer, and then wait for one to pull in front of square. Its all about field manipulation. Sachin does that brilliantly.”

He looked to hang on the back foot – while Kevin Pietersen is inclined to lunge forward at everything – and use the pace of the ball.

“In India because the ball doesn’t move much footwork is not all that important,” he said. "Look at the way Sehwag bats. He rarely gets forward. And he’s pretty successful!”

The one extra dimension he has added to his one day game is six-hitting. He rarely hit balls over the ropes until two years ago when he adapted his prowess at golf – he plays off five – into his batting.

“It was Paul Collingwood [also a handy golfer] who first came up with the idea. Instead of running up the pitch and trying to hit the spinners over the top with an orthodox straight swing of the bat, we tried using more of a golfers back swing, taking the bat back and round behind your head and then using your hips and clearing your front leg to follow right through over your shoulder,” said Strauss.

He gets up from his hotel room sofa to demonstrate this with his club of a bat, illustrating how if the ball is not quite in the slot you can still go through with the shot and drag it more over the legside.

“I tried it in the one-dayers in the West indies against the left arm spinners and it worked really well and I’ve practised it a lot since,” he added.

“It gives me the confidence to know I don’t need to worry about the men on the boundary.”

He proved that with his advance up the pitch to Yuvraj Singh on Sunday to plant the ball 20 rows back over long on despite the presence of a fielder in that position. “I backed myself to clear him,” he says.

How does one pace an enormous run chase like that? “We use the Duckworth-Lewis par score on the board as a guide. We tried to keep ahead of it all the time. You don’t want to leave too much to do at the end, but it’s important not to panic.”

Strauss passed 4,000 one day international runs during his scintillating century, another cuff to the heads of his one-day detractors.

“I have reached the stage of my career when I’m not bothered about what people say about me,” said Strauss “I know I’m actually one of the most important players in the one day side and being here at the World Cup really floats my boat, being on a world stage to show what I can do.”

With his smart approach, he could just help England get a little further than everyone expects.

West Indies vs Netherlands ICC World Cupvideo, WI 119

noreply@blogger.com (Abdullah) — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 15:33:00 +0000

Cricket,West Indies vs Netherlands ICC World Cupvideo, WI 119 for the loss of one wicket. They are in very strong position right now

West Indies are in a very strong position after a great opening partnership between Smith and Gayle. Both scored well and rather fast and gave a dream start to their team. Netherland captain seems to have erred in asking the West Indies cricket team to bat first after winning the toss.

Smith scored a brilliant 53 runs before being out. Gayle is playing at 49 and may be preparing to explode after playing a very balanced inning.

New Zealand score after 21 overs is 119 and Bravo is giving good support to Gayle.

West Indies take on Netherlands at the ICC World Cup 2011 in a day-night matchup today. The West Indians, two-time winners of Cricket World Cup are in a miserable state now that even makes it difficult for cricket analysts to predict that they can beat Netherlands comfortably, one of weaker sides in the tournament.

It looks like that Netherlands will be a tough challenger for West Indies, the team legendary cricketer Brain Lara and many others played in the past. West Indies lost their first match in the ICC World Cup 2011 to South Africa. Netherlands, on the other hand, lost their match to England after raising huge challenges to the English players.

West Indies need to show up a tight competition today to enliven their ICC World Cup 2011 quarterfinal dreams. Otherwise, it will perish their dreams to stay in the elite group of world cricket.

“The results in the last two years don’t suggest that West Indies are a big team, but what we know and what believe in is that we are a still a big team and we have to prove that,” Ottis Gibson, former England bowling coach from West Indies said.

Gibbon had a bad experience from Dutch as English bowling coach with the team being defeated by them in the World Twenty20. “Our players have got a lot belief that they can come here and do well and prove to the world that we are still a more than capable nation,” Gibbon hoped.

Kenya Vs SriLanka ICC World 2011

noreply@blogger.com (Abdullah) — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 15:29:00 +0000

Sri Lanka, beaten in their last game against Pakistan, will play Kenya in the 14th match of the ICC Cricket World Cup at Premadasa Stadium, in Colombo.

The team was very disappointed about the lost to Pakistan and have vowed to come out and play strong against the Kenyans, even though they are overwhelming favourites to take the victory.

Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene will look to lead the charges with the bat while Muttiah Muralitharan will be the man in charge with the ball.

Meanwhile, pacer Lasith Malinga could return after recovering from a back injury.

Sri Lanka coach Trevor Bayliss said: “Lasith bent over to pick up a cricket ball about two weeks ago and strained his back a little.

“He bowled in the last two practice sessions. He has bowled with a full run-up today and batted and fielded.

“We have a selection meeting in the evening and will decide what to do then.”

Failure on the part of the International Cricket Council’s official ticketing agent Kyazoonga.com

noreply@blogger.com (Abdullah) — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 15:26:00 +0000

Failure on the part of the International Cricket Council’s official ticketing agent Kyazoonga.com to deliver ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 tickets purchased as early as July last year and the lack of information on where to pick up tickets has caused panic among cricket fans in Sri Lanka.

Kyazoonga leaves cricket fans in the dark. © AFP/Dibyangshu SARKAR.Panic stricken cricket fans, who purchased tickets for the Pakistan-Sri Lanka encounter at the R. Premadasa Stadium from Kyazoonga, wrote to Island Cricket just days before the match seeking more information on how to obtain their tickets. They claim that Kyazoonga was not replying to their e-mails.
“My brother purchased our tickets from their website [Kyazoonga.com] last year and we were getting very worried because five days before the match the tickets weren’t here,” Shenuka Fonseka from Colombo said in an e-mail.

Ajit Jayasekara the chief executive officer of Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) requested cricket fans to visit the World Cup secretariat at SLC headquarters in Colombo to obtain their tickets, when Island Cricket approached him with complaints from disgruntled fans.

“People who have made on-line bookings may come to the World Cup office at SLC with their on-line confirmation e-mails and collect their tickets from there,” Jayasekara said.

Mayan Priyadarshana from Anuradhapura purchased tickets for last Saturday’s Group-A clash via Kyazoonga.com and says he was in a state of panic two days before the match. He was unaware of the location to pick up his tickets.

When Priyadarshana attempted to contact SLC by telephone, he says, the operator abruptly ended the call when he mentioned that he was calling to inquire about World Cup tickets.

“I’m from Anuradhapura. I bought tickets on-line because I thought I can get the tickets at the gate before the match,” Priyadarshana said, after visiting SLC offices last Friday to pick up his tickets.

“I have to waste one extra day to travel to Colombo to pick up the tickets. In India, the Kyazoonga counter is right near the gate. In Sri Lanka, we have to waste a whole day.

“But getting the tickets was easy. I went to SLC with my national ID card and the ticket confirmation print-out,” he added.

Kyazoonga - India’s leading ticketing agency - has been under criticism lately, after its website crashed during the sale of World Cup final tickets last week.

Fearing Arrest,Samuel declined WorldCup offer

noreply@blogger.com (Abdullah) — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 15:22:00 +0000

Controversial West Indies batsman Marlon Samuels apparently rejected an offer to play in the World Cup as a replacement for injured Dwayne Bravo fearing that police officials might arrest him over charges of match-fixing.

Noted commentator and columnist Tony Cozier wrote in Trinidad Express that the 30-year-old Jamaican, who is coming out of a two-year ban on charges of match fixing, was in good form and was West Indies Cricket Board's (WICB) first choice replacement. But fearing arrests in India, Samuels declined the offer and Guyana leg-spinner Davendra Bishoo was selected as Bravo's substitute.

Samuels returned to regional cricket for Jamaica in October and since then he has been the leading scorer in the Caribbean Twenty20 tournament in January and also tops the current four-day tournament batting.

He began the season with an unbeaten 250 against Guyana and has followed with hundreds against Barbados and against the Leeward Islands in the current season.

WICB corporate communications officer Imran Khan would neither confirm nor deny the report.

"All I can state what is already known, that Davendra Bishoo has been chosen as Dwayne Bravo's replacement," Khan was quoted as saying by the daily.

Clyde Butts, chairman of the West Indies selection panel also declined to comment on the matter.

Samuels was banned by the International Cricket Council (ICC) for two years in May 2006 for passing information on to an Indian bookmaker during an ODI in Nagpur. The evidence was supplied by the Delhi police through taped telephone conversations during a West Indies ODI series in India in 2007.

Cozier wrote that Samuel's decision has now placed that hope in doubt, especially since the West Indies are scheduled for a tour of India in November and December.

Samuels has taken the same course as that of South African players Herschelle Gibbs and Nicky Boje who were both implicated in the match-fixing scandal that led to a life ban for the late captain, Hansie Cronje.

They chose not to return to India, for fear of arrest, until they were given assurances by the Indian police prior to their return for the 2006 Champions Trophy.

Reviews : Kenya Vs SriLanka

noreply@blogger.com (Abdullah) — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 15:20:00 +0000

Sri Lanka on Tuesday will face Kenya in the World Cup Group A match at R Premadasa Stadium in Colombo.

Sri Lanka, tipped as one of the title contenders, lost to Pakistan by 11 runs on Saturday and they would look to lift their morale with a big win against Kenya at R Premadasa Stadium on Tuesday.

They have also got the boost ahead of Tuesday's match with fast bowler Lasith Malinga available for selection for after sitting out of Sri Lanka's last two matches due to a sore back.

Sri Lanka ill-afford to take their Tuesday's opponents lightly though Kenya had suffered heavy defeats at the hands of New Zealand and Pakistan in their last two matches and facing internal division with differences between their coach Eldine Baptiste and senior players.

Against the Kiwis, Kenya were bowled out for 69 runs, their lowest total in ODI cricket, and then Pakistan thrashed them by 205 runs at Hambantota.

But the last time Sri Lanka and Kenya met in a World Cup encounter was in 2003 and the Africans had stunned the 1996 champions on that occasion with an upset win in Nairobi.

Understandably, Sri Lanka coach Trevor Bayliss warned his players not to be complacent

"The fact that we did not win our last game will stop any complacency. Our guys are consciously aware of playing good cricket and we certainly will not take them lightly," Bayliss said.

He said Malinga was able to bowl full steam at the nets today and he would be available for selection.

"Lasith bent over to pick up a cricket ball about two weeks ago and strained his back a little. The physio said that the first two weeks were the most important after his injury as the most likelihood of him re-injuring was that period. He bowled in the last two practice sessions. He has bowled with a full run-up today and batted and fielded. We have a selection meeting in the evening and will decide what to do then," Baylisss said.

Kenya, on the other hand, are facing trouble ahead of their all-important match with reports of differences between players and coach emerging.

Cricket Kenya chief Samir Inamdar yesterday blamed differences between the players and West Indian coach Eldine Baptiste for their lacklustre performances so far.

Kenyan captain Jimmy Kamande, however, dismissed suggestions that there was disunity within the squad and promised a better performance on Tuesday.

"I also read those reports. I have not spoken to the chairman, but I can tell you that my team is very solid. When a team loses people try to find excuses. The thing is we have not performed and we want to play well," Kamande told reporters at the pre-match press conference.

"Obviously Sri Lanka are a solid side. But we have nothing to lose. They are the ones who are under pressure to perform. Having lost to Pakistan, this makes a must win game for them and we will try and put pressure on them," Kamande added.

ICC World Cup 2011: India vs. Bangladesh- Expert review

noreply@blogger.com (Abdullah) — Mon, 21 Feb 2011 13:46:00 +0000

ICC World Cup 2011: India vs. Bangladesh- Expert review
Virender Sehwag showed once again that he is the man for big occasions and pressure has no affect on him.
If it was any other batsman, he would have wanted to settle his nerves down before launching an attack on the opposition, but not Sehwag, as he struck a boundary on the very first ball of the ICC World Cup 2011.
Although, Bangladeshi fast bowlers did help him with wayward bowling, one must give credit to Sehwag for the entertainment he provided cricket fans on the first day of the tournament.
Scoring 175 runs in a world cup match is definitely not an average achievement.
Sehwag was responsible for the run out of Sachin Tendulkar but he did not let Indian fans down and converted his start into a big innings, which ensured that India post a huge score on the board.
Virat Kohli was under pressure before this match as he was given preference over Suresh Raina but he proved once again that he is the future of India’s batting line-up.
Kohli played second fiddle to Sehwag for some time but he came into his own afterwards and struck a brilliant century, which came off only 83 balls, with the help of 8 fours and a couple of massive sixes.
India’s batsmen proved once again that they are the most destructive batting line-up of the world and possess the ability to post big runs on the board with consistency.
Bangladesh’s bowling line-up looked toothless in the absence of former captain, Mashrafe Mortaza, who was ruled out of this world cup because of an injury. Indian openers did not face any difficulty with the new ball and they had enough momentum when the spinners came into the attack.
Shakib Al Hasan would be hoping that his fast bowlers would give him a better start in the upcoming matches so that the spinners are more effective.
Bangladesh’s batsmen did put up a good fight and showed that they can no longer be rated as the minnows of international cricket. The likes of Tamim Iqbal and Shakib Al Hasan played impressively but their inexperience was quite evident as at-least one of them needed to carry on if the home team was to get any closer to the mammoth total set by India.
However, these are good signs for the Bengali Tigers for the upcoming matches and a red signal for all the teams in group ‘B’ as none of them can afford to take Bangladesh lightly.
MS Dhoni and Gary Kirsten would be very happy with this victory but their bowling line-up is a huge worry as the young Bangladeshi batsmen scored 289 runs against them. The situation might have been a lot different without Sehwag’s blazing ton.
India is rated as the hot-favourite of this event but they have to do some serious work on their bowling if they have a realistic chance of lifting the most illustrious trophy of international cricket.