Murali works his magic again

New Delhi: It took yet another moment of genius from Muttiah Muralitharan, the master of spin, to settle fears that outsiders Zimbabwe could mount a serious challenge to Sri Lanka's innings of 327 in a World Cup game on Thursday.

After a record-setting 282-run first wicket partnership from Tillakaratne Dilshan (144) and Upul Tharanga (133), Sri Lanka looked set to cruise to victory in front of a packed stadium in the central Sri Lankan city of Kandy.

But just like India the day before, Sri Lanka faltered in the face of a 116-run opening Zimbabwe partnership, inspired by an aggressive knock of 80 from Brent Taylor.

Then Muralitharan, in his third over, produced his "doosra" from his bowling armory, bowling a legspinner that looks like an offspinner and confusing batsman Regis Chakabva into playing inside the ball and missing.

It couldn't have happened in a better place, or at a better time. Murali, as he known, was bowling in his home town of Kandy for what is probably going to be the last time.

Work done, the world's leading wicket taker, 38 years old, was able to relax as Zimbabwe tumbled to 188 all out and Sri Lanka advanced to the quarterfinals.

Murali ended with impressive figures of 3-34 from nine overs, even if his analysis was overshadowed by Dilshan's 4-4 to add to his impressive century.

A country away in the Indian city of Bangalore, another veteran, Australian paceman Brett Lee, acknowledged that at 34 years old he is a smarter bowler these days, but still thrives on "seeing the stumps fly."

Lee, described by skipper Ricky Ponting as the glue that holds his pace attack together, is still central to Australia's bid to retain the World Cup.

"I'm still out to bowl fast," he said. "I said about six months ago that if I couldn't hit that 150kph (93mph) mark I wouldn't want to be playing cricket, which is the truth.

"I enjoy the pace, I enjoy seeing the stumps fly," he told reporters as Australia prepared to play Kenya on Sunday.

South African selectors were facing a dilemma: select top wicket-taker Imran Tahir despite his broken thumb or listen to the doctors' advice and rest him for 10 days. Tahir can bowl as the fractured thumb is on his non-bowling hand, but he risks aggravating the injury while batting or fielding.

England batsman Kevin Pietersen may have returned home to have a hernia operation, but some believe that his replacement, Eoin Morgan, may do a better job.

Morgan has proved himself against the handy spinners produced by Bangladesh, while Pietersen has of late become easy prey for slow bowlers, especially legspinners.

England will meet Bangladesh in Chittagong, home to the world's largest ship-breaking yard. Bangladesh, co-hosts of the tournament, is facing what many see as false expectations from a home nation that is demanding success well beyond the abilities of the young, but inexperienced team.

England can effectively clinch a place in the quarterfinals with a third victory from five Group B matches after a mixed bag at the World Cup involving defeat to Ireland but a thrilling tie with India and a low-scoring victory over South Africa.

Resentment at the International Cricket Council's decision to reduce the next World Cup to 10 nations from 14, effectively excluding the ICC Associate nations of Kenya, Ireland, Netherlands and Canada, emerged in the shape of Kenyan batsman Tanmay Mishra.

Mishra, asked to explain Kenya's fall from grace from World Cup semifinalist in 2003 to 2011 strugglers, said in Bangalore that the smaller nations will never get the chance to improve if they don't get regular fixtures against the top teams.

"There's nothing much really to add to that because you can't really play cricket at Associate level and then come up and try to compete against the big boys. It's a challenge as it is," he said.

Ireland captain William Porterfield thinks coach Phil Simmons — a former West Indies all-rounder — may be able to hand over some Caribbean secrets to help the Irish outsiders in their drive for an unexpected quarterfinal spot.

Ireland's preparations have been hindered by a knee injury to veteran seamer Trent Johnston which could prevent him playing against the West Indies in Mohali on Friday.

Source: http://cricketnext.in.com/news/murali-works-his-magic-again/55264-5.html

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Tamim Iqbal living his WC dream

Dhaka: Think World Cup openers and the names flow easily - Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Kevin Pietersen, Andrew Strauss, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Chris Gayle.

Add to the elite list Bangladesh's Tamim Iqbal, who is just as explosive at the top of the order and as integral to the team's cause as any of his contemporary superstars.

If Bangladesh are to progress far in the showpiece event, much will depend how the left-hander, one of the most exciting prospects in world cricket, fares.

Tamim, who turns 22 in March, went into the World Cup determined to be his team's top scorer in every match, and he has so far kept that promise in the two matches Bangladesh have played.

Tamim made 70 during a losing, but spirited chase of India's mammoth 370-4 in the opener, before scoring 44 off 43 balls in his team's modest, but winning, 205 against Ireland.

A diving catch on the mid-wicket fence to dismiss Ireland's Niall O'Brien, ensured that Tamim won the man of the match award even though seamer Shafiul Islam stole the limelight with his 4-21 burst.

Tamim, who speaks as freely as he bats, admitted the award surprised him.

"I think I got the nod for that catch," he said. "Shafiul deserved it more, but whoever judged it, thank you for that."

Tamim bruised his left-hand while taking the catch, but precautionary x-rays and scans cleared him of any serious damage, even though he had injured the same hand last year.

"He has just damaged some soft tissues in his left hand and should be okay within two or three days," said team manager Tanjeeb Ahsan.

The sigh of relief in the Bangladeshi camp, preparing to face the West Indies at the Sher-e-Bangla stadium on Friday, could be heard across Dhaka.

Tamin, younger brother of Bangladesh international Nafis Iqbal and nephew of former Test captain Akram Khan, became a household name soon after making his one-day debut in February, 2007.

A month later and playing only his fifth match, Tamim hit a half-century to fashion Bangladesh's stunning win over India in the World Cup in the Caribbean.

The sight of the teenager dancing down the wicket to smash Indian pace spearhead Zaheer Khan for a six was one of the most memorable moments of that tournament.

Tamim made 53 and 84 on his Test debut against New Zealand in Dunedin in early 2008, but it was on the tour of England last year that the world took notice of this gifted batsman.

He scored 103 in the second innings of the Lord's Test and followed that with another century in the next Test at Old Trafford, but could not prevent England from winning both matches.

In 19 Tests, Tamim has made 1,445 runs at an impressive average of 40.13 with four centuries. He also has 2,754 runs in 91 one-dayers at a strike rate of almost 80 with three hundreds.

Tamim's immediate target is to score a World Cup century in his home town of Chittagong, where Bangladesh take on England on March 11 and the Netherlands on March 14.

"That's one place I really want to do well," he said.

Millions of home fans will hope he delivers on that promise too.

Source: http://cricketnext.in.com/news/tamim-iqbal-living-his-wc-dream/54804-13.html

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