Australia is the most successful team in the history of ICC Cricket world cup. Australia won the world cup in 1987, 1999, 2003 & 2007 and lost in the finals in 1975 & 1996. It is famous for making stunning bounce back from the edge of elimination. Who will forget its "spectacular recovery" in 1999 & 2003 world cups? Who forget its "assassination of India" in the finals of 2003 world cup? Never underestimate these Australians irrespective of form. 2011 Cricket world cup – Australian team analysis: Current ICC one day Ranking: 1 Coach: Tim Nielsen Captain: Ricky Ponting Crucial players: Shane Watson, Michael Hussey & Doug Bollinger. Missing stars: Clint McKay, Shaun Marsh, Ryan Harris, Brad Hodge, Xavier Doherty & Peter Siddle Group A: Australia, Pakistan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka, Zimbabwe, Canada and Kenya Qualification: Australia is a top ranked ODI team in the world and also defending Champion. World cup hisotry: Australia won the Cricket world cup in 1987, 1999, 2003 & 2007 by defeating England, Pakistan, India & Sri Lanka respectively. Australia lost to Arjuna Ranatunga's Sri Lankans in the finals of 1996 world cup at Lahore. No looking back since then. In sub-continent world cups, Australia won in 1987 (Reliance world cup) and lost in the finals in 1996 (Wills world cup). Australian squad for 2011 Cricket World Cup: S.NoCricketer NameAgeICC RankState Batsmen: 1.Ricky Ponting 36 11 Tasmania 2.Michael Hussey 35 3 Western Australia 3.Michael Clarke 29 15 New South Wales 4.David Hussey 33 - Western Australia 5. Michael Hussey All-rounders: 1.Shane Watson 29 21 & 26Queensland 2.Cameron White 27 23 & 194Victoria 3. John Hastings 25 339&237 Victoria/NSW 4. Steven Smith 21 176&158 New South Wales Wicket-Keepers: 1.Brad Haddin 33 45 New South Wales 2. Tim Paine 26 94 Tasmania Bowlers: 1.Shaun Tait 28 43 South Africa2.Brett Lee 34 37 New South Wales 3.Mitchell Johnson 29 21 Queensland 4.Nathan Hauritz 29 31 Queensland Schedule of Australia's world cup matches: 1. February 21: Vs Zimbabwe at Sardar Patel stadium in Ahmedabad. 2. Febraury 25: Vs New Zealand at VCA stadium in Nagpur. 3. March 5: Vs Sri Lanka in Colombo - Must watch match. 4. March 13: Vs Kenya at Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore. 5. March 16: Vs Canada at Chinnaswamy stadium in Bangalore. 6. March 19: Vs Pakistan in Colombo - Must watch game. Strengths: All-rounders (especially Shane Watson) & good pace attack. Weaknesses: Inconsistent batting & Poor spinners. Our rating for Australian team: 9/10 Our prediction for Australia in 2011 World Cup: Australia may easily reach semi-finals but absence of quality spinners (who will forget Shane Warne's performance against West Indies in the semi-finals in 1996 world cup?) is its biggest problem along with inconsistent batsmen. Can all-rounders compensate these weaknesses? Forget about form - never underestimate these Australian fighters. Please share your views on Australian cricket team. … [Read more...]
History
ICC Cricket World Cup history: YearWorld Cup HostsWinnerRunners-Up 2015 Australia & New Zealand 2011 India, Sri Lanka & Bangladesh 2007 West Indies Australia Sri Lanka 2003 South Africa Australia India 1999 England Australia Pakistan 1996 India, Sri Lanka & Pakistan Sri Lanka Australia 1992 Australia Pakistan England 1987 India Australia England 1983 England India West Indies 1979 England West Indies England 1975 England West Indies Australia Highlights of Cricket World Cup history: 1. Australia is the best performer and won 4 times in last 6 Cricket world cups. 2. England never won ICC one day cricket world cup despite reaching finals in 3 world cups. … [Read more...]
ICC Annual Award Nominations
ICC Cricket Awards: The ICC's prestigious sixth annual awards appear to have run into a controversy with several high-profile figures from South Africa criticizing the final selection process for not including even a single South African player. The ICC Awards ceremony is now in its sixth year and this year it will be held in Johannesburg to coincide with the ICC Champions Trophy. Previous ceremonies were held in London (2004), Sydney (2005), Mumbai (2006), Johannesburg (2007) and Dubai (2008). Majola, the South Africa’s national cricket board chief executive questioned the credibility of the awards and said it appeared to him that the only way to get on the shortlist was to play the Ashes. One can raise various questions on the selection. How Graham Onions featured in the Emerging player of the year list? Before being short listed, he has played hardly 5 or 10 tests and do not have nothing great like Parnell or Duminy in him. Same applies for Ryder. They had done nothing outside their home conditions. It seems that the countries which do not play cricket in the latter part of the year will be totally forgotten. Selection Criteria: An ICC spokesperson said that the awards nomination "is a completely independent process in which the ICC has no says whatsoever". The long list of nominations for the individual awards was prepared by a five-member ICC panel headed by Clive Lloyd, the ICC's cricket committee chairman, and including Anil Kumble, Mudassar Nazar, Bob Taylor and Stephen Fleming. This list was then sent to the ICC's independent panel of 25 members (including two South Africans) for selection of four players for each category. Nomination is based on the period between August 13, 2008 and August 24 2009, the ICC Awards 2009 take into account performances by players and officials in that period for the game. That period includes such high-profile events as the ICC World Twenty20 in England, the ICC Women's World Cup in Australia and the ICC Cricket World Cup Qualifier in South Africa, as well as several bilateral Test and ODI series. While the shortlist was announced, the category winners will be known only on awards night. The votes have already been collated by Ernst and Young, who acted as independent auditors. Highlights of ICC Awards: Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni and opener Gautam Gambhir got twin nominations, while Yuvraj Singh and Virender Sehwag were shortlisted for the ODI Player of the Year. Gambhir, Dhoni, Mitchell Johnson and Andrew Strauss have been short-listed for the Sir Garfield Sobers trophy for Cricketer of the Year. In addition, Gambhir, Johnson and Strauss were also short-listed for the Test Player of the Year alongside Sri Lanka's Thilan Samaraweera. Dhoni is also in contention to retain the ODI Player of the Year award he won last year as he is short-listed in that category with team-mates Yuvraj and Sehwag as well as West Indies' Shivnarine Chanderpaul. This year's awards include eight individual prizes and also feature the selection of the Test and ODI Teams of the Year and the award to the side that has adhered most to the Spirit of Cricket. The nominees for the Women's Cricketer of the Year are last year's winner England captain Charlotte Edwards along with team-mate Claire Taylor and Australia's Shelley Nitschke. The Emerging Player of the Year nominees short-list features two Australians, Ben Hilfenhaus and Peter Siddle, as well as Jesse Ryder of New Zealand and England's Graham Onions. The Umpire of the Year award was voted on by the captains and the match referees based on the umpires' performance statistics. ICC Awards 2009 - short lists of nominees: 1. Cricketer of the Year: • Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Ind) • Gautam Gambhir (Ind) • Mitchell Johnson (Aus) • Andrew Strauss (Eng) 2. Test Player of the Year: • Gautam Gambhir (Ind) • Mitchell Johnson (Aus) • Thilan Samaraweera (SL) • Andrew Strauss (Eng) 3. ODI Player of the Year: • Shivnarine Chanderpaul (WI) • Mahendra Singh Dhoni (Ind) • Virender Sehwag (Ind) • Yuvraj Singh (Ind) 4. Emerging Player: • Ben Hilfenhaus (Aus) • Graham Onions (Eng) • Jesse Ryder (NZ) • Peter Siddle (Aus) 5. Associate and Affiliate Player of the Year: • Rizwan Cheema (Can) • Ryan ten Doeschate (Ned) • William Porterfield (Ire) • Edgar Schiferli (Ned) 6. Twenty20 International Performance of the Year: • Shahid Afridi (Pak) for 51 runs and taking 2-16 against South Africa • Tillakaratne Dilshan (SL) for scoring 96* against West Indies • Chris Gayle (WI) for scoring 88 against Australia • Umar Gul (Pak) for taking 5-6 against New Zealand7. Women's Cricketer of the Year: • Charlotte Edwards (Eng)• Shelley Nitschke (Aus) • Claire Taylor (Eng) 8. Umpire of the Year: • Aleem Dar• Tony Hill • Asad Rauf • Simon Taufel 9. Spirit of Cricket: • Australia• England • New Zealand • Sri Lanka Author: Mona Gupta, New Delhi. … [Read more...]
Australia won 2007 Cricket World Cup
Hot favourites Australia won 2007 cricket world cup for 3rd consecutive time by defeating Sri Lanka by 53 runs in the final at Barbados. Sri Lanka won the hearts of cricket fans with their fighting spirit and never say die attitude. Worst world cup ended on the disastrous note. Rains spoiled the finals party and Sri Lanka hopes. Australian won the cup but Sri Lanka won the hearts. It is the third straight win for Sri Lanka after its success in 1999 and 2003 editions. Incidentally, Aussies defeated Sub continent teams in all the finals. Australia scored 281/4 batting first after electing toss. Sri Lanka was 215/8 at the ended of 36th over. Match was truncated to 38 overs due to delayed start. Sri Lanka lost the match due to Duckworth –Lewis system. Adam Gilchrist scored wonderful 72 ball century to lift the Australians to almost unachievable target. He scored fastest century in the finals of the cricket world cup. Despite mounting run rate, Sri Lanka is in the right direction till the end of 20th over due to positive start by Kumara Sangakkara and Sanath Jayasuriya. Mounting run rate, fall of quick wickets and rain spoiled the hopes of fighting Lankans. Australians are worthy champions as they played exceptional cricket consistently. They are way ahead of other teams in all forms of cricket. Man of the series: Glen McGrath Man of the Final: Adam Gilchrist. … [Read more...]
My dream team: 2007 Cricket World Cup
2007 Cricket World Cup will remain as one of the worst world cup ever. Though India and Pakistan disappointed the fans, Australia, Sri Lanka, New Zealand and Bangladesh entertained with their fine exhibition of all round Cricket. My Dream 2007 cricket world cup team: Captain: 1. Mahela Jayawardene – He played captaincy knocks in the vital games. He is the shrewdest captain in this world cup. He is slightly ahead of Ricky Ponting in the captaincy race. Openers: 2. Mathew Hayden – He is the best batsman in this world cup. 3. Sanath Jayasuriya – He is the match winner on his day. He can destruct any bowling attack to pieces on his day. Middle order: 4. Ricky Ponting – He is the best batsman on planet earth on current form. 5. Scott Styris – Most consistent batsman for New Zealand. 6. Kevin Pietersen – He is the lone warrior in the England batting Line up. Wicket Keeper: 7. Adam Gilchrist – How can I miss a keeper – batsman who can walk away into any team of any generation? Bowling Attack: 8. Shane Bond – My favourite fast bowler. 9. Glenn McGrath – Best bowler on the earth.10. Muttaih Muralitharan – He is an automatic selection like Hayden and McGrath. 11. Nathan Bracken – he may not have taken maximum number of wickets like Tait, he is the most controlled bowler in 2007 world cup. Sanath Jayasuriya and Scott Styris complete the remaining 10 overs. My dream missed a genuine all-rounder. Who missed selection by a split margin: 12. Michael Clarke – Future hope for Australia. 13. Shane Watson – According to Ponting, he is the most crucial member in Australian team. 14. Shaun Tait – He missed the selection due to lack of control. Speed is not enough man! It is dangerous some times. 15. Lalith Malinga – Future hope for Sri Lankan Cricket. 16. Masharafe Mortaza – He bowled consistently well against the top order of top teams. 17. Rahul Dravid – Bad luck! You are the member of Indian team. 18. Gibbs – Congrats for hitting 6 sixers in an over. Special Thanks: 1. Ireland and Bangladesh teams – for their fighting spirit. 2. Bermuda team – Purely for entertainment. Special Mention: Andrew Flintoff, Sachin Tendulkar, Michael Hussey, Inzamam and Chris Gayle – I disappointed with their performance. … [Read more...]
Preview: 2007 Cricket World Cup Final
Most disastrous world cup in cricket history will end in Barbados today. Two best teams, Australia and Sri Lanka, will clash in the finals of the 2007 cricket world cup. Can Australia able to achieve Hat-trick cups? Can Sri Lanka able to repeat 1996 finals? Will this final become another dud as in 2003? Batting: Except Michael hussy, all the Australian batsmen are in roaring form. Mathew Hayden, leading run scorer, is creating shivers in the opposition bowlers. Ricky Ponting, world’s best batsman, is playing captaincy knocks at high strike rate. Michael Clarke is the most composed batsman in the world cup. He is the “Rahul Dravid of Australia”. Andrew Symonds and Shane Watson can increase run rate within a short span of time. If Hussey and Gilchrist fire to their potential, it is almost impossible to this Australian team. Sri Lankan batting is not looking as formidable as Australian lineup. It may brittle under pressure from Australian fast bowlers and finals atmosphere like their neighbours (Indians) in 2003 final. Except Mahela Jayawardene, no other batsman is looking as promising as Australians. Sanath Jayasuriya is inconsistent throughout this tournament. Though Chamara Silva is playing well in this world cup, his inexperience may cost him dear in the finals. Kumara Sangakkara, Upul Tharanga and Arnold are playing well throughout the tournament. If they play well, Sri Lanka may upset the world champions. Australia team was beaten in most of the matches by the individual brilliance of the opposition rather than team effort. Sachin Tendulkar, Brain Lara, Kevin Pietersen and Gibbs proved this fact in recent times. Can Sanath Jayasuriya and Mahela Jayawardene repeat this feat? Batting Rating: Australia – 8/10. Sri Lanka – 6/10. Bowling: Glenn McGrath will try his best in the last of his glittering International career. If Sri Lankan batsmen able to play this legend well, match may be in the Sri Lankan kitty. Sri Lankans hammered Shaun Tait in the super 8 match. Nathan Bracken is another danger man. Sri Lankans can easily play Brad Hogg and Shane Watson. First 10 overs are crucial against Australians. They will try to exert maximum pressure in those overs. Sri Lankans are blessed with the most versatile bowling line up in this world cup. If Vaas and Malinga can able to take the top order wickets of Australians, Muralitharan will take care of the rest. Australians have not faced these 3 bowlers for the past 14 months. This is the most worrying aspect for the Australian team management. Bowling Rating: Australia – 7/10. Sri Lanka – 8/10. Fielding: Both teams are equal in this aspect. Rating – 8/10. Captaincy: Ricky Ponting already established his credentials as one of the great captains. Mahela Jayawardene has surprised everyone with his maturity, tactics and captaincy knocks. He is the captain of my “dream team”. He is slightly ahead of Ponting in captaincy aspect. Finals of the 1999 and 2003 world cups are ended on disappointing note with Australia ruthlessly crushed Pakistan and India. Can Australian able to repeat it against another sub-continental team, Sri Lanka? My Verdict: Australia is favourite as it is more balanced than Sri Lanka in all departments. Sri Lanka crushed Australia in 1996 world cup in Lahore (thanks to Aravinda batting and Ranatunga captaincy). Australia is waiting for revenge. … [Read more...]
Cricket stars we miss in 2007 world cup
In 2007 cricket world cup, we are going to watch splendid performances from great cricketers like Sachin Tendulkar, Brian Lara, Ricky Ponting, Glen Mcgrath, Shane Bond, Sanath Jayasurya and Injamam-Ul-Haq. But, we miss the performances of some great batsmen and bowlers who entertained us in the recent years. Some are missed due to retirements while some may miss due to non-selection and fitness problems. Missing stars in 2007 cricket world cup: Retirements: 1. Shane Warne: Australian spin legend who missed the 2003 cricket world cup (due to drugs controversy) will not be in action in the 2007 edition due to retirement. Who can forget his performances in the semi finals of the 1996 and 1999 world cups? He was the man of the match in the both matches. At least we can watch Mcgrath in action upto this world cup. 2. Damien Martin: Cool customer in the Australian middle order retired from International cricket. Still, Australia can boast of likes of Michael hussey, Michael Clark and Andrew Symonds to over come top order failures. 3. Nathan Astle: This dynamic New Zealand batsman retired from international cricket just before the world cup. This leaves a big hole in the already brittle New Zealand batting line up. Injuries and Non-Selection: 1. Marcus Trescothick: Dynamic England opener failed to get a place even in the World cup probables list. This virtually demolished the little winning chances (if any) of England. 2. Virender Sehwag: He may miss the selection due to the arrival of Sourav Ganguly and Gautham Gambhir. He was a star of Indian batting line up just 6 months back. It happens only in India. Irfan Pathan, Indian All rounder, is on the brink of selection. Injuries may pose a problem for selecting stars like Shoaib Akhtar. We may miss some other stars due to injuries and lack of form. More details will be known after the announcement of final teams on February 13. … [Read more...]
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