Who Can Win This World Cup Now? by Tim Holt

If anything this World Cup has been symbolised by the incompleteness of the Teams....
There have been no super Teams like the great West Indies Teams of the 70's and the masterful Aussies of the recent World Cups
So it could be conceivable that a Team comes from the clouds to win the Cup.Like India did in 1983 and Pakistan in 1992
So what are the respective Teams chances?
Ill separate it into 5 categories


1.Batting
2.Bowling
3.Weaknesses
4.XFactor
5.Chances to Win

Australia

1.Batting
The Aussie batting has been strengthened by the inclusion of Mike Hussey.Who not only is an exceptional player,but one of the few Aussies whose accomplished against spin.They also have the quality of Shane Watson at the top and two sleeping giants in Ricky Ponting and Michael Clarke.Then also dangerous types like Dave Hussey,Cam White and Brad Haddin

2,Bowling
The bowling is in my mind very one dimensional with the three fast bowlers of Johnson,Lee and Tait.All of which are attacking options,but if someone gets on top of them they can go for plenty.In Shane Watson you have the one defensive option in the bowling.Who has done a very admirable job,but the reliance on him in this Team is intense.There are spin options in Krejza,Smith and Dave Hussey,but none are of the threatening incarnate

3.Weaknesses
Spin in all regards...........They struggle to bat against it bar Mike Hussey and Clarke and then they have no one who can bowl it adequately.Which makes their bowling very one dimensional.
Also a very unhealthy reliance on Shane Watson,so if he was to get injured or struggled. Australia would be on it's knees

4.Xfactor
Mike Hussey's inclusion is a huge boost for he adds quality to the batting and a good player against spin.Also a very good leader on the field in a Team that lacks leaders

5.Chances of Winning
20%-The inclusion of Hussey has improved their chance but I still think this Team will come a cropper against a quality unit.Or against a Team with quality spinners.

Bangladesh (Assuming they qualify)

1.Batting
The Tigers have struggled with their batting with an unhealthy reliance on Tamim Iqbal and Shakib al Hasan.Thankfully for them Imrul Kayes and Junaid Siddiqui stepped up in the last game.They still are very fragile in this regard of the game

2.Bowling
The bowling has improved by the match with the very impressive medium pacer Shafiul Islam becoming a key factor.Then the spinners starting to perform in a manner that is making it very hard for teams to score against this Bangladesh Team

3.Weaknesses
The batting is very fragile and relies on too few to get winning scores.So against better bowling Teams they will struggle to post winning scores
Also the Tigers have struggled with the weight of expectation as seen in their insipid implosion against the Windies

4.Xfactor
There are two for the Tigers........
The first being the pitches getting low and slow and favouring their glut of spinners and the second being fate.In regards to missing an Asian Team (in particular India) if they make the quarters

5.Chances of Winning
2%-Their batting is too weak to survive against the better Teams

England (Assuming they qualify)

1.Batting
The batting has been reliant on Strauss,Trott and Bell to carry it.Which on occasion has been good enough for them.Though like the rest of the English Team these three have struggled with consistency.The loss of Kevin Pietersen to injury and the loss of form of Paul Collingwood has nobbled the batting .This off set in some small way by the inclusion of Eoin Morgan

2.Bowling
It has like the batting been so inconsistent and bar the South African miracle win has been toothless.Though one of the chief architects in that miracle Stuart Broad has now succumbed to injury and thus the bowling has been weakened again

3.Weaknesses
Chief one consistency......
For there is obvious quality in their Team though they are all over the place in performances.
Also seems luck is against them with so many injuries to key personnel at inopportune moments

4.Xfactor
Chris Tremlett replicating his Ashes heoroics

5.Chances of Winning
1%-More chance of flying to the moon

India

1.Batting
The batting is about as complete as you can possibly get.
It has the supreme class of Tendulkar
Then other class acts in Sehwag,Gambhir and Kohli.
Completed by the lower order maulers in Yusuf Pathan,Yuvraj Singh and Dhoni

2.Bowling
The bowling has one of the best bowlers in the World in Zaheer Khan and then a very able off sider in Harbhahjan Singh.
Though if they are very good the rest are average to be polite and rubbish to be honest in Piyush Chawla,Ashish Nehra and Munaf Patel

3.Weaknesses
The Bowling.........
The back up bowlers to Zaheer and Harbhahjan are money for old rope and then the part timers in Yuvraj and Yusuf.Though they have been effective against the Associate Teams can't be expected to be decisive factors against the better Teams
M.S.Dhoni's Captaincy has also been seen as a weakness for it's very defensive mindset and ill advised decisions
The fielding is on the wrong side of average too

4.Xfactor
The inclusion of Ravi Ashwin on pitches that are likely to get lower and slower could make the Indian bowling a bit more effective.For Ashwin with his off spin is very effective with his accuracy and very unorthodox and penetrative with his lethal carrom ball

5,Chances of Winning
20%-Their batting can carry them far,but then their bowling and fielding will eventually lead to their demise

New Zealand

1,Batting
The batting is if they perform very dangerous and in the initial parts of the Tournament they struggled and the Team with them.Though with the likes of the Taylor's,McCullum's and Ryder's having started to improve as has New Zealand.They have very dangerous lower order hitters in Jacob Oram and the unconventional but effective Dan Vettori

2.Bowling
The bowling has very much been carried by the improving Tim Southee.Then supported by the big hearted types like Kyle Mills and Jacob Oram.Dan Vettori has yet to be a factor at this World Cup with the ball,but has potential to do so.

3.Weaknesses
The bowling is an accident waiting to happen to be honest.Southee has carried it with his very fine performances,but he's a young man and can be reasonably expected to cool off at some point.The rest of the bowlers aside from Dan Vettori are just mediocre trundlers.
So against the better Teams they will likely get plundered

4.Xfactor
Kane Williamson would add some much need class to this Team in the batting department.Plus is an exceptional fielders and a useful off spin bowler

5,Chances Of Winning
5%-They haven't the class in particular in their bowling to win the Cup

Pakistan

1.Batting
The batting has been very inconsistent with only Misbah ul Huq being a constant performer.Though it isn't lacking in class in regards to players like Younis Khan and Umar Akmal and threat in the lower order hitters.Such as Shahid Afridi and Abdul Razzaq.The adding of young Asad Shafique might alleviate the issues in the top order.

2,Bowling
The bowling has been carried by Shahid Afridi and Umar Gul...
The rest of the attack in Shoaib Ahktar,Razzaq and the spinners in Harfeez and Rehman have had their moments,but can' really be relied on in a big match

3.Weaknesses
The key one is the keeping of Kamran Akmal and if he's retained then Pakistan have no hope of winning.For as seen again New Zealand his drops and attitude just kills the Team like putting termites in wood
The top order is also a worry,but Asad Shafique could assume a role in the top order and alleviate that issue.
Then the bowling is reliant on too few to get Teams out.

4.Xfactor
I think it would be a good ploy rather than wasting Abdul Razzaq at 7 to bat him in the top 4.Where if it comes off it could be devastating
Saeed Ajmal needs to come back into the Team too

5,Chances of Winning
0% If Kamran Akmal is retained as keeper or even kept in the Team
25%-They still if everything comes together can upend the more fancied Teams and as seen when everything clicked in 1992 can go on a run and win the Cup

South Africa

1,Batting
The South African's have been very fine in this regard.Highlighted by stars like Hasim Amla,A.B.DeVilliers and J.P.Duminy.Then with class players like Smith and Kallis yet to leave a mark on this Tournament

2.Bowling
In truth the best at the World Cup with every aspect covered

3.Weaknesses
Very few,maybe the lower middle order against a quality spin attack

4.Xfactor
The Team has been performing very well,but they could do better and be very hard to topple if Graeme Smith and Jacques Kallis start to perform


5,Chances of Winning
70%-They'll be very hard to beat

Sri Lanka

1,Batting,
The batting is based around the elite pair of Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene and they are good-very good indeed! If the openers click which they have in games. It's another huge strength.The lower middle order is workmanlike

2,Bowling
On a par with South Africa's with a key spear head in Malinga and then spinners that are lethal.In lieu of slower and lower pitches as the World Cup goes on. They'll be even more lethal

3,Weaknesses
The lower middle order is fragile especially if Sangakkara and Mahela are dismissed cheaply.It exposes them and as shown against Pakistan.They are very fragile.

4,Xfactor
If Sri Lanka had the courage to play Mahela Jayawardene as an opener as they do in T20 cricket.It could be a factor that can win the World Cup.Especially when their chasing a target

5,Chances of Winning
71%-I'd rate them just ahead of South Africa on the basis that they have so many quality spinners and the pitches will start to favour them.

West Indies

1,Batting
The batting has been very adequate in this Tournament and Chris Gayle its king pin has yet to make a decisive contribution.They have the class of Darren Bravo and the acidic threat of Kieron Pollard down the order.Then the workmanlike players to compliment them

2,Bowling
Like the batting they have got the job done.The unlikely opening partnership of Kemar Roach and Suliaeman Benn have been huge successes.In Roach they have one of the best strike weapons in this Cup.Then the rest of the bowlers,like the support batsmen have done their job adequately.

3,Weaknesses
It's hard to pick a weakness out of this Team for they have been very well performed in all regards.If anything the lack of supreme class is a weakness.For they are very much 11 good players playing exceptionally well as a Team.

4,Xfactor
Chris Gayle always is threatening against any bowling,but has yet to exert his influence here.If he decides to turn up and put in one of his characteristic devastating blitz's.Well the Windies might be a darkhorse to win it

5,Chances of Winning
20%-They have on performance have a chance to pull off an unlikely win.Though I think might be found out by a better Team

West Indies V England? Group B Decider!

Tomorrow, will probably be the defining game of group B. High flying West Indies take on England, which will be a must-win game for the English. A defeat will mean they are knocked-out of the competition and Bangladesh will progress. Even if England win they will need South Africa to beat the Bangla boys in their last game. So what should we expect? Well, I really do think that it will be a tight game, that wont surprise me if it goes the whole 100 overs.

West Indies
The Windies have the power and ability of Chris Gayle back, and the emergence of of Devon Smith of a dependable opener give West Indies a good opening option. The likes of young Bravo, Chanderpaul and Sarwan mean its a solid middle order and with wickets in hand it gives Pollard a chance to open and chance his arms. On the bowling front Roach's explosiveness and Benn's line and lenght give them a decent chance. The biggest plus has to be the unity under the captaincy of Darren Bravo.

England
England captain, Andrew Strauss has had a goodish tournament, with one big knock against India. Prior has struggled and I firmly believe Bell should open. Bopara has been consistent but not explosive in his game. While Collingwood looks past his best. The big player has to be Morgan, a guy that is dependable and can play a winning innings, a truly brilliant batsman. Again on the bowling, the loss of Broad is a major blow. Anderson has been poor, Swann not his best. Leaving Shahzad and Bresnan to pick up the pieces.

Prediction:-
The lack of match winners in the Enland team will mean the winners will be Bangladesh.

I’m Sharing my Goodies with Pakistan! YES! Nanaimo Bars For Everyone! by the great Kairene Khan

So Pakistan is heading for the quarterfinals of the 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup because they beat the Zimbabwe cricket team in last night’s ODI, and guess who couldn’t be happier? That’s right, me because I am Pakistan’s biggest fan! And guess what? I’m so happy that I want to share my goodies with the lovely lads on the team and all of you, my co-fans of the best cricket team in the world. Yes, it’s everyone’s lucky day because I’m going to show you a delicious goodie from Vancouver Island, my home-island in British Columbia, which will be the show-stopping sweet on the celebratory mitai plate you should be having in the PCT’s honour!

I’m dedicating our world-famous specialty sweet to the lovely lads of Pakistan because every man on the team brought his can of whoop-ass to the match and showed the world how things are done in Pakistan! Yes! The chaps on the PCT are BOSS of the cricket pitch and I’m loving every minute of it. Nobody deserves a great goodie from an Islander more than they do! So without any more of my silly nonsense, let me show you how to make

The Pakistan Cricket Team’s Nanaimo Bars of World Cup Wonderousness


Ok, here comes the lecture bit. As you know, I grew up very close to the city of Nanaimo on Vancouver Island on the west coast of Canada. Our world-famous goodie is the Nanaimo Bar, a treat invented during the coal-mining days which is still incredibly popular. This rich, three-layered dessert is difficult to prepare but worthwhile making on grand occasions and for grand people. So come on, let's make this ASAP because our favourite team is waiting for it and they deserve it! Let’s make and share those Nanaimo Bars! Let’s share our goodies!

Ingredients

Bottom layer
3/4 cup unsalted butter
1/4 cup white sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa
1 large egg, beaten
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 and 3/4 cups crushed graham wafers or maria biscuits
1/2 cup nuts
3/4 cup dried and shredded coconut

Filling
1/4 cup butter
2-3 tablespoons milk or cream
2 tablespoons custard powder
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups powdered sugar

Top Layer
115 grms semi-sweet chocolate
1 tablespoon butter

Bottom Layer
In a pot, melt butter on low heat, stir in sugar, cocoa powder, and gradually add the beaten egg.
Cook 1-2 minutes on low heat, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat.
Add vanilla, crushed graham wafers, coconut and nuts. Press HARD into a square baking pan or flat glass dish. Refrigerate 1 hour.

Middle Layer
In a bowl, cream the butter, and add the milk or cream, custard powder, vanilla and sugar. Add more milk if necessary, the mix should be smooth and spreadable.
Spread over the bottom layer and refrigerate 1/2 hour.

Top Layer:
In a small pot, melt the chocolate and butter over very low heat.
Spread on top of the middle layer.
Refrigerate 1/2 hour

Cut into small bars, place alongside all of the other traditional mitai, and enjoy with a nice cup of coffee or tea.

And there, I give you the best of Vancouver Island so that it can be shared with the best of Pakistan. So come on, get into the kitchen and make the famous Nanaimo Bars and share my goodies with all of your friends and fans of the Pakistan Cricket Team. We all deserve it! Yes! Let’s go Pakistan! Let’s go all the way!!!

Happy Cricket, Happy Cooking, and enjoy my goodies!

We Miss The Man Who Made Every Ball Count by Tim Holt

Sanath Jayasuriya-A True Odi and World Cup Great
The change to colour clothing in the World Cup in 1992 in Australia brought about a change in tactics that to be frank made a few see 'red'.This in regards to the early over onslaughts instigated by New Zealand's Mark Greatbach.For in the past the openers were given license to construct an innings,but after the success of Greatbach mauling from ball one in 1992.The game changed forever and every Team started following suit
Every Team had varying success in finding these players but it was Sri Lanka who struck gold in a man that was viewed initially as a bowler who could bat a bit in Sanath Jayasuriya.The man behind this success was the tough as teak Sri Lankan Captain Arjuna Ranatunga, who told Jayasuriya to go open in Odi's and trail blaze and he'd back him to the hilt.This was in 1993 and after a few initial failures. The seeds had been sown for the man that was in truth probably the most feared man in the modern odi game.
To truly sum him up he was the first that made every ball count when batting....
In the 1996 World Cup he was a wrecking ball that no Team had an answer too as seen in glaring evidence in the quarter final against England where he mauled 82 from 44 balls.Which prompted this response from England's Alec Stewart...
'If he belts the good balls to the boundary and into the stands....what will he do with the bad balls.........'
Real fear and bewilderment in that quote as to how to deal with this little Sri Lankan. As was seen by the unfortunate Indian's previously in the Tournament.
So after this iconic victory for his Nation in this Tournament his legend was cast in stone and rather than being a case of 15 minutes of fame he blazed other moments of glory....
To the point where his name must go down as one of the best Odi players the game has ever seen.Im not one for records, but Sanath's don't lie
444 matches,13428 Runs,Average 32.43,Strikerate 91.22,28 Centuries and 68 50's
Then to show his value in this form of the game his bowling figures were stellar too:
322 Wickets at 36.72 with an economy rate of 4.78
These are indeed the figures of a truly elite performer and though his form and the depth of quality in Sri Lankan cricket at present couldn't justify him being in this Tournament
We as fans cant help but bemoan his absence, for such was the legacy of joy and excitement he gave to the fans.

What Would You Have Done If You Were J.P.Duminy? by TIM HOLT

A Masterful Innings by Duminy!
With three balls to go, and 99 against his name, Duminy did not push the single. He instead looked for the straight six and perished in the outfield
That was the Cricinfo report of the fabulous innings of South Africa's J.P.Duminy against Ireland....
Though it made me think of how this innings would be viewed by respective fans across the Globe....?
For to us as Non Asian's we lauded the Team first mentality of Duminy and if in fact he had of pushed a single to grace himself with an individual accolade.Rather than do the Team thing and try to hit it out of the ground he would have been criticised in the extreme.Even to the point in some circles where his place in the next game would have been in question.
Lets change this innings a bit to say Sachin Tendulkar and the same circumstance and reaction....
The Indian's with the embrace of everything individualistic would have thought as soon as their Demi God got to 99....They would have foregone Team India and urged Tendulkar to dab a single to bring up 3 figures.If he perished like Duminy did it would have nearly sparked a riot in the Stadium.
Maybe this is a bit extreme but one can't ignore Asian's embrace of the individual over the Team....You can understand that on the back of all the Asian Teams struggles in their infancy in the game.Where they were the whipping boys for all and their source of glory was embracing the deeds of an individual.
This is the 21st Century though where all the Asian Teams are key players in the game and in many circles where India rules the roost.So why can't this embrace of everything individualistic be put to rest?
It's not to say that Asian players don't embrace the Team ethos,but rather the impact of the cricket crazy fans and jingoistic media has on their psyche.Even to the point where the iconic Saurav Ganguly saw this as the bane of the Indian game in this recent exchange with Bob Willis in commentary
Bob Willis The thing about India is there still a very good Team....They just need to sharpen up the fielding and in particular their out fielding
Sourav Ganguly: That's very difficult with the Indian Media and Indian fans

The background of the quote being how this key Team aspect of the game was being overlooked for the fans and Media were happy to bask in the run fests by Tendulkar and Sehwag.Like in this look at the Duminy innings and how if it was an Asian player sacrificing in the hope of benefiting the Team on 99.The inevitable regret would have followed

It makes you wander what would be the effect if you put say an Australian mentality in Asian cricket.Where no one cares about the individual and everything is about Team.....
Of course this is idealistic and maybe nieve taking into account the different cricketing culture of the people of the individual Nations.
Though if the learnt could be re learned-could you imagine the benefit...........?

Asian Mondays by Tim Holt

As the World Cup gets to the sharp end of Qualifying we have three of the Asian Teams in Sri Lanka,India and Pakistan virtually assured of making the Quarter Finals.Then Bangladesh has finally found a pulse and also has a chance.
So lets look at the Teams and their present state and past performances.


Bangladesh:
The Tigers have looked dreadful all Tournament culminating in their truly insipid performance against the West Indies.They looked a Team that was suffering with dealing with the spotlight that goes with expectation.Plus their batting has been shown up to be too reliant on Shakib al Hasan and Tamim Iqbal to get winning scores.All the batsmen have shown an immaturity and petulance in their play with too many wickets gifted to the opposition.The bowling which also looked dreadful has come around lead by the efforts of the impressive Shafiul Islam and the spinners are starting to improve.
We had them dead to rights in the Tournament.Though then came the England game and the Bangladesh we envisaged before the Tournament with their bowlers performing very well.Highlighted by their spinners strangling the life out of the Poms.Then the batting rather than it's usual 'hari kari' suicidal tendencies.They gained great respect by running down England's total on a tricky pitch and now have their destiny in their own hands.
They have the Netherlands today and then South Africa with their main competitor in England facing a revitalised and dangerous West Indies line up.So if as expected Bangladesh account for the Dutch today and the Windies beat England.The Tigers will not need to beat the South African's to qualify


Looking Forward-
I can see the Tigers qualifying and then based on their spin factor.If they face a non Asian Team in the Quarters they have a chance to go forward.Though the key is support for Tamim and Shakib in the batting


Key Men-
Junaid Siddiqui and Imrul Kayes need to lift to take pressure off Tamim and Shakib in the batting


India

"Both Akmals will play" Afridi

Shahid Afridi looked to play down speculation sweeping around the Pakistani media over the Akmal brothers, insisted both would play against Zimbabwe.

With Kamran dropping two crucial catches behind the stumps in the 110-run defeat to New Zealand on Tuesday, coverage of the Pakistan side has involved little else over the past few days.

The only possible wicketkeeping replacement is younger brother Umar Akmal, and when he suffered an injury scare in training on Friday when he was said to have hurt a finger, one media report went so far as to claim that a conspiracy was involved, suggesting Umar was playing up so that his brother wouldn't be dropped.

Such speculation has been denied by the team management, and although Umar sprained his right ankle playing football in a warm-up on Sunday Afridi insisted that the injury isn't serious and he expects both Akmal brothers to take their place in the side on Monday.

"He (Umar) is fit, it is a light injury. He fielded today and looked better, so definitely he will play tomorrow," Afridi said of Umar.

Nevertheless there is no escaping the wicketkeeping ineptitude of Kamran, but like coach Waqar Younis pointed out after the loss to New Zealand, Pakistan have little choice but to back the struggling player.

"Kamran's performance in batting hasn't been bad but, yes, he is struggling with his keeping. He is working very hard, and we haven't got such an option in the squad to whom we can give a chance in this tournament," Afridi said on Sunday.

"Kamran has been working hard for four days. He has support and our confidence, he seems a better choice. I think he knows the mistakes he has committed and he will try to cover it for sure and will perform."

Another cause for concern has been the batting after the top order were swung out cheaply by the Kiwi fast bowlers.

Pakistan crashed to 23 for four, giving them no chance of chasing down New Zealand's hefty total of 302 for seven despite Pallekele offering up a good batting wicket.

A win over Zimbabwe would guarantee Pakistan a spot in the last eight, and the skipper maintained that the best way for his batsmen to succeed would be to play their natural game.

"At the moment our plan is not to lose wickets and be positive. I have already told them to play to your strengths, like you play in domestic cricket, play like that," said Afridi.

"Over the last couple of days the openers have worked really hard and the coaches have worked hard with them as well. The results will hopefully come and realising the importance of the match I am confident that they will perform."