Australia fiery bowler Tait eager for new Cup aggro

Australia fast bowler Shaun Tait has said he hopes his dust-up with Sri Lanka's Tillakaratne Dilshan is the stuff of things to come at the World Cup as he tries to get under the skin of batsmen. There was time during last Saturday's Colombo washout for slingshot speedster Tait and the dashing Dilshan to exchange a few heated words.

In the second over of the match, Dilshan edged Tait through the slip cordon for a first-ball boundary -- something rarely appreciated by any fast bowler. "Things kicked off there for a bit," said Tait, who had his revenge three balls later when he dismissed Dilshan. "He's a dangerous player so I thought I'd attack his mind and try and get under his skin a bit and vice-versa, he got under mine. "If you start off like that and there's a few words exchanged it's nice to get a wicket. It worked out well for me."

The 28-year-old Tait dropped out of international cricket in 2008 because of repeated injuries and has decided to concentrate on shorter formats in a bid to ensure he still has a professional career. "It's been good, the last couple of years have been brilliant. "Just playing the shorter form of the game has been a good decision and this World Cup has been great. Any time you play cricket for your country is great. "I've changed massively. The decision was a good refresher to have a couple of months off. That was a while ago now, so things have been good ever since." "This is probably going to be my last World Cup so I'm just going to enjoy it while I can."

Defending champions Australia, bidding for a fourth straight title, continue their group campaign against rank outsiders Kenya and Canada in Bangalore on March 13 and March 16 respectively. They had to wait eight days to play Sri Lanka in their third match of the tournament and now face a seven-day break before facing Kenya at the Chinnaswamy Stadium. "It's not ideal, but we have known there was a chance of that happening right the way through, before the tournament even started," said Australia captain Ricky Ponting after the no-result washout against Sri Lanka. But Tait, often used in short spells by his skipper, was not complaining. "There's been decent gaps between games which is good for the fast bowlers."

Source: http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/37821/australia-fiery-bowler-tait-eager-for-new-cup-aggro

Tweet

Pakistan on brink of quarter-finals

Pakistan came into the World Cup besieged by a corruption scandal and doubts over Shahid Afridi's captaincy but they now stand on the verge of the last eight with the tournament's only perfect record. Inspired by Afridi, who has led from the front with a tournament-high 14 wickets, Pakistan sit on top of Group A with six points after wins over Kenya, Sri Lanka and Canada. Now they face New Zealand in Pallekele, Sri Lanka, on Tuesday, who are in fourth place in the group with two wins.

Pakistan started their World Cup bid under a cloud after former Test captain Salman Butt and pacemen Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer received lengthy bans on charges of corruption relating to last year's Lord's Test against England. But they have regrouped and Afridi, who is also known for his devastating hitting, has turned the side into genuine contenders for their first World title since 1992.

Amid the focus on the 31-year-old, Test skipper Misbah-ul-Haq urged his team-mates to take the pressure off Afridi, who took 5-16 against Kenya and followed up with four wickets against Sri Lanka and five against Canada. "It's really very good for a team that its captain is doing well, but other players are also required to play well, take responsibility and ease pressure off the captain," said Misbah.

Misbah said Afridi has led from the front in the tournament. "I think in all conditions, especially here, Afridi is a difficult bowler to handle, he has got variation and doesn't give the batsmen time. With that kind of aggression he has led from the front," he added. Misbah said Pakistan's recent one-day series win over New Zealand would count for nothing. "We have done well against them in World Cups and in the recent series there but that win will count for nothing as it's a new game at a new place," said Misbah, of Pakistan's 3-2 win in New Zealand last month. Pakistan are set to bring in paceman Shoaib Akhtar after resting him for the previous match against Canada, while left-arm spinner Abdur Rehman is also available after missing that game due to a leg muscle injury.

New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori said he was aware of how good Pakistan's bowling attack could be. "They can probably defend any score because of the nature of their bowlers. They bring a lot to the table," he said. New Zealand, who lost to Australia by seven wickets but eased past Kenya and Zimbabwe by 10 wickets in each game, have four points after three matches. "It's a matter of stepping up against the harder teams," said Vettori, whose country has lost six World Cup matches against Pakistan since winning their first in 1983. The hill town of Kandy has suffered from persistent rains and the only international match here, a Test between Sri Lanka and the West Indies in December, was drawn without a single innings completed in five days.

The warm-up matches before the World Cup were also moved because of bad weather. Meanwhile, Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has criticised Bangladeshi fans for stoning the West Indies team bus after the home side was humiliated against the Caribbean side, in an apparent case of mistaken identity. The attack on the West Indies bus was "undesirable" and such behaviour could affect Bangladesh's chances of hosting further major events, Hasina told a political rally late Monday. The Prime Minister urged fans to be patient after any home defeat, saying it was "not acceptable that you will garland the players if they win and pelt them with stones if they lose," she said.

Source: http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/37838/pakistan-on-brink-of-quarter-finals

Tweet

Kenya vs Pakistan, Shahid Afridi 5 wickets, 2011 World Cup

Tweet

Sri Lanka looms for struggling Kenya

Colombo: Sri Lanka have the chance to make a swift comeback from their dispiriting defeat by Pakistan with surely easy pickings against Kenya in a World Cup Group A match on Tuesday.
The co-hosts may have their troubles after losing to Pakistan on Saturday by 11 runs, a match they were widely tipped beforehand to win but nothing compared to the east Africans.

Not only have they crashed to 10-wicket and 205-run defeats to New Zealand and Pakistan respectively, but Cricket Kenya chief Samir Inamdar suggested that coach Eldine Baptiste had fallen out with his senior players.
Inamdar told Reuters that Baptiste had his own way of doing things which has not "gone down well" with some of the senior players.
Baptiste, meanwhile, has asked the players to go back to basics after their 205-run thrashing by Pakistan.
"We were not up to the mark in all three departments and in cricket whatever you do you have to stick to the basics, and when you play any international side you don't spurn your good starts," said Baptiste.
"It's about being persistent and at the moment we are just not doing that."
SHOT OUT
Of the four associate member teams participating in the World Cup, Kenya have been shown to be the weakest having being shot out for 69 in their opening game against New Zealand.
Sri Lanka have so far badly missed the services of fast bowler Lasith Malinga who is expected to play his first World Cup match to get some kind of rhythm against Australia on Saturday. He should cash in with some easy wickets.
"Lasith is improving. I think he is going to be back with us very shortly. We just didn't want to risk him over this match," Sri Lanka captain Kumar Sangakkara said after the Pakistan game.
Sri Lanka have one win over minnows Canada and another over Kenya will lift spirits again and give them a loosener at least for Saturday's match against holders and four-time winners Australia which should be another humdinger.
Kenya are the only associate side of this World Cup which have a win over Sri Lanka. That victory was achieved in the 2003 World Cup but since then Kenyan cricket has been on the slide as is all too evident here.

Source: http://cricketnext.in.com/news/sri-lanka-looms-for-struggling-kenya/54792-13.html

Tweet

Sri Lanka want World Cup win for Murali

Sri Lanka want to win the World Cup as a farewell trophy for legendary spinner and world record holder Muttiah Muralitharan who will retire from international cricket after the tournament.

The spinner, who holds the records for Test (800) and one-day wickets (521), is playing his fourth and final World Cup. He retired from Tests in July last year.

"He is a special person, a legend," teammate Chamara Kapugedera said of the wily 38-year-old on Thursday.

"Everyone in the team wants to give him (Murali) a good send off. We want to win the cup for Murali. It will be a great tribute," added Kapugedera, during team practice at Colombo's renovated R. Premadasa Stadium.

Sri Lanka, the 1996 World Cup winners and 2007 runners-up, are also keen to lift the trophy for the legions of home fans who treat the sport like a religion.

"The Sri Lankan crowd have been very supportive of us, even in bad times. So we are working hard to bring the Cup home again for our supporters too," the right-handed batsman said.

Knicknamed "Kapu", the middle-order batsman managed only two runs in Sri Lanka's first game in their opening Group A match against Canada on Sunday.

A tougher test awaits on Saturday when Sri Lanka meet South Asian rivals Pakistan in Colombo.

Pakistan, the 1992 winners, won Tuesday's opening game against Kenya comfortably and have never lost a World Cup match against Sri Lanka in six previous meetings.

Kapugedera said Sri Lanka are ready to meet the "fiery Pakistanis" on home soil in front of a supportive home crowd.

"I think our top order is prepared for the challenge," he said, referring to facing key bowlers Shoaib Akhtar and Shahid Afridi.

"Our top-order has faced good fast bowlers before. We have had a very good stint in Australia too (last year). The guys are up for the challenge and we are looking forward to delivering the goods," Kapugedera said.

"Pakistan are a good team. A good combination of bowlers and batsmen. Yes the pressure is there when we play them. But then again, we are also a good team with a good combination. Saturday's game should be good," he said.

Source: http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/37007/sri-lanka-want-world-cup-win-for-murali

Tweet

Trans-Tasman rivals to meet in emotional clash

Allan Border has warned Australia to beware the threat of a New Zealand side riding a wave of emotion when the trans-Tasman rivals meet in a World Cup clash on Friday, overshadowed by the devastating Christchurch earthquake.

New Zealand's 15-man squad Tuesday desperately scrambled for news of loved ones caught up in the 6.3 magnitude quake which has left at least 98 dead, with the team admitting to being left shocked and numbed.

Former Australia captain Border, a World Cup winner in 1987, said the tragedy would give the Black Caps additional motivation.

"They're a side that tend to lift against Australia and given the recent events in Christchurch, they've got the added incentive to do well," Border told foxsports.com.au.

"Not that that should make that much difference, but you've got that incentive in the back of your mind to lift for the sake of your countrymen. They're a dangerous opponent, there's no doubt about that."

The Black Caps have seen physio Dayle Shackel return home for a week to leave then relying on Australian support staff here Friday.

New Zealand captain Daniel Vettori said a win for his side over Australia could lift national spirits.

"The greatest thing we can do for a lot of people is to win the game against Australia. I think that will bring a bit of light relief to some people going through tough times," he said.

The fixture has been given an added edge by being designated this year's Chappell-Hadlee Trophy match as it is the only chance Australia and New Zealand have to play each other in 2010/11.

The trophy, named for the contributions of Australia's Chappell family and New Zealand's Hadlee clan to their respective national teams, is currently held by Australia after a 3-2 series win last year in New Zealand.

Australia captain Ricky Ponting goes into the match having been reprimanded by the International Cricket Council (ICC) after smashing a television set in a fit of fury after being run out during the champions' 91-run tournament opening win over Zimbabwe in Ahmedabad on Monday.

Australia, bidding for an unprecedented fourth successive title and fifth in all, looked awkward against Zimbabwe left-arm spinner Ray Price in an otherwise convincing victory that stretched their unbeaten run in World Cup matches to 24 straight games dating back to 1999.

"We know that spin factor will be a big one in this tournament. We know these conditions and know how to play in India or Sri Lanka," Ponting said.

But Australia are without Michael Hussey, one of their best batsmen against spin, after doubts over his fitness following a hamstring injury saw the left-hander left at home.

With New Zealand boasting two fine slow bowlers in Vettori and Nathan McCullum, he would have been a valuable asset against the Black Caps.

"Hopefully it won't come back and hurt us at all," Ponting said of Hussey's controversial omission.

"We've got what we've got now. We understand that Mike was disappointed not to be in this squad in the first place.... The medicos and our selectors felt he wasn't fit enough to come away on the tour."

For New Zealand, who thrashed Kenya in their opener, the match promises to be a stern test of their World Cup ambitions but Vettori is confident his inconsistent side can raise their game.

"If we are going to do well over here, we are going to have to beat the likes of Australia," said Vettori, who backed the Black Caps top order, which includes powerful hitters such as Brendon McCullum and Jesse Ryder, to propel New Zealand to what would be a first World Cup crown.

"I really believe our top four, top five can win this tournament for us and I think they will find Australia's pace attack to their liking."

Source: http://www.cricbuzz.com/cricket-news/37045/trans-tasman-rivals-to-meet-in-emotional-clash

Tweet

Can Kenya challenge Pakistan?

It's not the exciting Umar Akmal, the marauding Shahid Afridi, the blaster Abdul Razzaq, or the volatile Shoaib Akthar who captures the essence of this Pakistan team but the back-from-the-dead Misbah-ul-Haq. He was never supposed to be here, back playing international cricket. He was plagued by form issues, was not growing any younger, and just when you thought he was history, Pakistan made him the Test captain. They said he will prove a bad investment, that he will roll up and surrender but what did he do? He kept scoring fifties, also sparkled in the ODIs against New Zealand and nearly became the ODI captain. In many ways, the Pakistan team is like him. Spot-fixing, aging stars, cocky youngsters and loss of good bowlers to controversies should have rendered them impotent, but they are the dark horse in this tournament.
Pakistan showed in New Zealand that they like to play the game the 80's way: Start steady, build during the middle overs and explode in the end. They have Misbah and Younis Khan to build, the Akmal brothers and the Afridi-Razzaq combination to finish in style but in Ahmed Shehzad they have unearthed someone who can provide them with a fiery start. The loss of Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Amir might hurt their Test team but Umar Gul, Wahab Riaz, Shoaib and the canny spinners Abdur Rehman and Saeed Ajmal have enough skill in them to keep their ODI bandwagon up and running in style.

For their part, Kenya are trying to breathe after the demolition under the hands of New Zealand. For what it's worth, it could be the best thing that happened to them. Now they would know there is no point in trying to play a safe game and meander towards defeat. They were nervous in the first game, never dared to express themselves, and sunk without a trace. Even in that performance, there was evidence that they possess a few batsmen with some flair. Collins Obuya flirted, albeit briefly, with flamboyance, Steve Tikolo will be itching to script a memorable swan song, Alex Obanda is an attacking batsman and the young Seren Waters seems to possess the skill required to belong at this level. They beat Netherlands in a friendly in Dubai and lost a close game in a warm-up encounter in this tournament. You feel they are a much better team than the outfit that turned up against New Zealand. Can they shed their big-stage nerves?

Form guide
(Most recent first for the last five completed games)
Pakistan: LWWWL
Kenya: LWLWL
Pitch and conditions
It looks a typical subcontinental batting track and a run feast is expected.
Watch out for…
Seren Waters reminded one of Kane Williamson: Compact, technically correct and in this day and age, showed an almost old-fashioned preference to get completely behind the line of deliveries. His captain rates him as the batsman who has got the skill and the inclination to bat long.
Ahmed Shehzad provides the much-needed fire at the top order. He loves to loft straight and frequently uses the fierce mow over midwicket as his go-to shot under pressure. His 115 against New Zealand in the last series also showed that he was willing to be cautious against the moving ball, under conditions which demanded that, before counter-attacking his way out of trouble. If he can continue to show such judicious shot selections, he can help Pakistan launch solid starts.

Team news
Pakistan are keen on playing both Younis and Misbah in the XI but Afridi suggested that they might not be played at No.4 and 5 to ensure the run-rate doesn't slacken. It's also learnt that Shoaib Akhtar will be given a go despite concerns over his form.

Pakistan (probable): 1 Mohammad Hafeez, 2 Ahmad Shahzad, 3 Kamran Akmal (wk), 4 Younis Khan, 5 Umar Akmal, 6 Misbah-ul-Haq, 7 Shahid Afridi (capt), 8 Abdur Razzaq, 9 Umar Gul, 10 Wahab Riaz, 11 Shoaib Akhtar

Kenya captain Jimmy Kamande got hit on the side of the head by a ball in practice and there was some swelling, but he is expected to play tomorrow.

Kenya (probable) 1 Seren Waters, 2 Alex Obanda, 3 Collins Obuya, 4 Rakep Patel, 5 Steve Tikolo, 6 Maurice Ouma (wk), 7 Jimmy Kamande (capt), 8 Thomas Odoyo, 9 James Ngoche, 10 Shem Ngoche, 11 Nehemiah Odhiambo

Try picking the XIs for tomorrow's game by playing Team Selector.

Stats and trivia
Pakistan and Kenya have faced each other five times with Pakistan winning all the encounters. Kenya have gone past 150 only once against Pakistan.
Afridi's has 288 sixes, the record for most sixes in one-dayers. Sanath Jayasuriya is second with 270.
Quotes
"We don't want Misbah and Younis batting together so that we can keep momentum and the scoreboard ticking."
Shahid Afridi suggests Pakistan will be using a floating batting line-up to ensure the pace never slackens

Tweet