Tuesday, February 22, 2011
Doeschate powers Netherlands to 292-6 against England
NAGPUR: A superb century by Ryan ten Doeschate powered the Netherlands to an astonishing total of 292 runs for six wickets against a strong England side in their Group B match here at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Ground on Tuesday.The 30-year-old South Africa-born right-hander hit three sixes and nine fours in his 110-ball 119 that was the cornerstone of the Netherlands's innings.It was his fourth hundred in One-day Internationals and first in the World Cup.Ten Doeschate added 78 runs with Tom Cooper (47), 64 with Tom de Grooth (28) and 61 with skipper Peter Borren (35 not out) to set a target that should be quite a test for England's tweaked batting order.Earlier, after Borren had won the toss and elected to bat first, the Dutch openers provided a bright start of 36 from only six overs but the English bowlers soon got rid off them.First, Tim Bresnan got Alexei Kervezee caught behind for 16 when Netherlands were 36.Later, Graeme Swann got Wesley Barresi stumped out for 29, again by wicketkeeper Matt Prior.Then, Ten Doeschate ensured there was no panic in the Dutch camp. He offered dogged resistance in the company of former Australia under-19 player Cooper, consolidated the innings with his smart association with de Grooth before providing the late charge with Borren.The total of 293 looks a difficult target for England despite a formidable batting line.
Afridi vows World Cup win for Pakistan
HAMBANTOTA: Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi vowed Tuesday to win the World Cup for millions of fans back home."Not playing in our country is on our minds," Afridi said, ahead of his team's first match against Kenya on Wednesday."We feel for our nation, our people who are missing the World Cup. "I think this is the main thing for us, so definitely we will try our level best to win, which is very important for us, and if we do that I hope some cricket returns to our country sooner than later." Afridi admitted it was hard to keep the team in the right frame of mind against a background of such problems. "It was difficult to keep the team settled in the beginning when we had all those issues," said Afridi."We had to rebuild the team again but now a situation has come that our team is settled. We now have such a combination that people have hopes that this team can do something," said Afridi, who took over as captain in July last year. "It's difficult to be the captain in India or Pakistan with all that's happening, you have to make sacrifices. But my effort is always that I do well as captain or as player," said Afridi, who made his ODI debut against Kenya in 1996. "I love Kenya and Kenyans," said Afridi, when asked about his team's opponents. "I don't think we will be relaxed when we face them and I would like to be playing at our full strength."(AFP)
Holland win toss, bat against England
NAGPUR: Netherlands captain Peter Borren won the toss and elected to bat against England in the teams' World Cup Group B opener here at the Vidarbha Cricket Association Ground on Tuesday.England recalled star off-spinner Graeme Swann, who'd only recently joined the squad following the birth of his son, in place of left-arm spin bowler Michael Yardy in the only change to the side that beat Pakistan in a warm-up match last weeek.England are looking to add a maiden World Cup title to the World Twenty20 trophy they won in the Caribbean last year.Meanwhile the Dutch, who beat England at Lord's in the 2009 World Twenty20, were attempting to become the first associate nation to pull off an upset at this year's World Cup following heavy defeats for both Kenya and Canada.Teams:England: Andrew Strauss (captain), Kevin Pietersen, Jonathan Trott, Ian Bell, Paul Collingwood, Ravi Bopara, Matt Prior (wkt), Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Graeme Swann, James AndersonNetherlands: Peter Borren (captain), Alexei Kervezee, Wesley Barresi (wk), Tom Cooper, Ryan ten Doeschate, Bas Zuiderent, Tom de Grooth, Mudassar Bukhari, Pieter Seelar, Bernard Loots, Berend WestdijkUmpires: Asad Rauf (PAK) and Bruce Oxenford (AUS), TV umpire: Kumar Dharmasena (SL)
Match referee: Ranjan Madugalle (SL)
Netherlands win toss, bat against England
NAGPUR: The Netherlands captain Peter Borren won the toss and elected to bat against England here at the Vidarbha Cricket Association stadium on Tuesday.
Strauss wants England hit Holland hard in opener
NAGPUR: The Zero Mile Marker in Nagpur, bang in the middle of India, was once used as a measuring post by the British, but the World Cup opener against Holland should be enough to tell us how far England's one-day side has come since the 6-1 thrashing in Australia.That series finished 16 days ago, but England's 67-run warm-up win over Pakistan in Fatullah on Friday reflected a desire to revert to the bold cricket that brought them five one-day series wins in a row before Australia. In their dreams awaits a first World Cup. The pieces are more or less in place. Kevin Pietersen, who made 66 from 78 balls against Pakistan, has been belatedly entrusted with reinvigorating England's opening partnership, while Matt Prior is the new middle-order finisher. The bowlers, meanwhile, are all fit again, with Stuart Broad's five-wicket hauls against Canada and Pakistan an advert for the benefits of a three-month break. The contrast in mood between the final defeat by Australia 16 days ago and the start of a tournament England are telling themselves they can win has not been lost on captain Andrew Strauss.'It was a frustrating two or three weeks in Australia,' he said. 'But we gained a lot of confidence out of that Pakistan game, purely because it was going back to a formula that has worked for us. It felt comfortable and has been the basis of most of our one-day cricket over the past two years.' The cornerstone of England's more aggressive tactics will be the opening partnership between Strauss and Pietersen. Although it yielded only four and six in the warm-ups, the principle is sound. 'We are contrasting players and that might make it hard for bowlers to adjust,' said Strauss. 'I think it could flourish.' Holland hold the bragging rights after their shock win in the opening game of the World Twenty20 in 2009. Strauss, who was not in the team that night, played down its relevance before pointing out: 'If we are 10 per cent off and they have a good day, we are in trouble.' Special attention will be reserved for Holland's first-class players: Essex all-rounder Ryan ten Doeschate, whose one-day batting average of 68 is a world record, Worcestershire batsman Alexei Kervezee, 21, and South Australia batsman Tom Cooper. Batsman Bas Zuiderent said: 'There is massive belief. We feel - and not just because of the Twenty20 win - that we can beat England.'
Australia beat Zimbabwe by 91 runs
AHMEDABAD: Defending champions Australia recorded a 91-run victory over Zimbabwe in their opening World Cup match on Monday. Chasing 263 runs, Zimbabwe were all out for 171 in 46.2 overs after their bowlers made the Aussies struggle in the early overs.Main scorers for Zimbabwe were Graeme Cremer (37), Sean Williams (28) and Prosper Utseya (24).For Australia, Mitchell Johnson was the most successful bowler taking three wickets for 19 runs while Shaun Tait and Jason Krezja captured two wickets each.Earlier, Shane Watson and Michael Clarke hit half-centuries as Australia overcame early struggles against spin.In-form Watson, who cracked one six and eight fours in a 92-ball 79, added 61 for the first wicket with Brad Haddin (29) and 79 for the second with skipper Ricky Ponting (28).Clarke provided the late flourish with a 55-ball 58 not out as Australia plundered 90 runs in the closing 10 overs to set a challenging target for Zimbabwe after electing to bat in the day-night match.Zimbabwe's specialist spinners Ray Price, Prosper Utseya and Graeme Cremer tied the Australian batsmen down, preventing them from scoring freely.Left-arm spinner Price, who shared the new ball with seamer Christopher Mpofu, was instrumental in keeping the run-rate low early in the innings with a tidy line and length. He finished with 1-43 off 10 overs.Off-spinner Utseya and leg-spinner Cremer bagged one wicket apiece, conceding 84 runs in a combined tally of 20 overs.In a rare show of aggression in the early overs, Watson and Haddin smashed two fours apiece in a Mpofu over, but skipper Elton Chigumbura promptly turned to spin.Utseya provided the breakthrough when he trapped Haddin lbw, with Zimbabwe asking for a review of the umpire's decision after the batsman had initially been given not out.Watson was also ruled out lbw off Cremer following a referral, but not before he had set the stage for the final onslaught.Ponting was run out after a brilliant piece of fielding by Mpofu, who hit the stumps at the non-striker's end from deep midwicket.
Afridi signs for Hampshire county
LONDON: Big-hitting Pakistan World Cup skipper Shahid Afridi is to join English Twenty20 champions Hampshire for their 2011 campaign, the club said on Monday.The explosive all-rounder, captaining his side at the ongoing 50-over World Cup in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, will arrive at the club in May and is expected to be available for the entire Friends Provident T20 campaign.Afridi, 30, had been due to join the Hampshire Royals last year but withdrew to resume the captaincy of the Test side, a statement on the club's website said."I was disappointed not to join Hampshire last season. It would have been fantastic to have been a part of the team that made history by winning the T20 trophy on home soil," Afridi said, according to the statement."Having played at the Rose Bowl for Pakistan last year I know that it is fast becoming one of the best places in the country to watch cricket of all levels. I hope very much to play a big part in the club's success in 2011."Afridi, one of the most devastating batsmen in world cricket, made his one-day debut for Pakistan aged just 16. He scored the fastest recorded ODI hundred in his maiden innings, reaching 100 runs off only 37 balls.Afridi, who has played 312 one-day internationals and 27 Tests, was named player of the tournament in the inaugural World Twenty20 in 2007 and was part of the Pakistan side that won the 2009 title in England."Shahid is a wonderful all-round cricketer and will be a real asset to our club over what should be an incredibly exciting summer at the Rose Bowl," said Hampshire manager Giles White.He joins Imran Tahir as the second of Hampshire's two permitted overseas signings eligible to play in the competition.
Australia struggle to reach 262
AHMEDABAD: Shane Watson and Michael Clarke hit half-centuries as Australia overcame early struggles against spin to post 262-6 against Zimbabwe in their opening World Cup match on Monday.In-form Watson, who cracked one six and eight fours in a 92-ball 79, added 61 for the first wicket with Brad Haddin (29) and 79 for the second with skipper Ricky Ponting (28).Clarke provided the late flourish with a 55-ball 58 not out as Australia plundered 90 runs in the closing 10 overs to set a challenging target for Zimbabwe after electing to bat in the day-night match.Zimbabwe's specialist spinners Ray Price, Prosper Utseya and Graeme Cremer tied the Australian batsmen down, preventing them from scoring freely.Left-arm spinner Price, who shared the new ball with seamer Christopher Mpofu, was instrumental in keeping the run-rate low early in the innings with a tidy line and length. He finished with 1-43 off 10 overs.Off-spinner Utseya and leg-spinner Cremer bagged one wicket apiece, conceding 84 runs in a combined tally of 20 overs.In a rare show of aggression in the early overs, Watson and Haddin smashed two fours apiece in a Mpofu over, but skipper Elton Chigumbura promptly turned to spin.Utseya provided the breakthrough when he trapped Haddin lbw, with Zimbabwe asking for a review of the umpire's decision after the batsman had initially been given not out.Watson was also ruled out lbw off Cremer following a referral, but not before he had set the stage for the final onslaught.Ponting was run out after a brilliant piece of fielding by Mpofu, who hit the stumps at the non-striker's end from deep midwicket.
Cricket World Cup: Fans furious at final ticket squeeze
MUMBAI: Cricket fans lashed out on Monday when it was revealed that just 4,000 tickets will go on sale for the World Cup final at Mumbai's historic but capacity-squeezed Wankhede stadium.The venue for the title match, which has already been criticised for failing to meet fire safety regulations, has undergone major renovations for the tournament which led to a reduction in seating from 38,000 to 33,000.Tournament director Ratnakar Shetty said obligations, which require 20,000 tickets to be provided to clubs linked to the Mumbai Cricket Association and 8,500 to the International Cricket Council, have slashed the selling options.But angry fans complained that supporters were being squeezed out and questioned why Kolkata's Eden Gardens, with a 65,000-capacity, was not named as the venue for the April 2 showpiece."Disgusting... only 4,000 tickets... this is a big failure of management," wrote one fan on a sports website.Another added: "Are you kidding me? Why are we hosting the final on one of the smallest grounds in the country? Assuming Eden Gardens is ready by April 2, the final should be moved there.""What's the purpose of hosting the final in India if only 4,000 out of the millions of spectators are able to watch it from the stands," said one more.Shetty admitted his hands were tied by contractual duties, but said the fact that 20,000 tickets were going to clubs meant that the public was not missing out.The ICC said that tickets for the final, as well as the two semi-finals, would be available online from Monday."From the outset it was always going to be near impossible to satisfy the enormous demand for tickets," said ICC chief executive Haroon Lorgat.
"But the central organising committee always wanted to provide as many cricket lovers as possible with an opportunity to experience the World Cup. That is why some tickets are now being made available online."
Meanwhile, Shetty insisted that the Wankhede would be ready for the final as well as its two other matches - New Zealand v Canada on March 13 and Sri Lanka against New Zealand on March 18.That's despite fire chiefs' unhappiness at the level of safety standards at the ground."When we build a stadium, we take care of each and every person who will come to the stadium," said Shetty."Rest assured, all permissions will be in hand and all things required from the fire department." (AFP)
Australia win toss, bat against Zimbabwe
AHMEDABAD: Australia captain Ricky Ponting won the toss and elected to bat against Zimbabwe in their opening World Cup match here at the Sardar Patel Stadium, Motera on Monday This is the fourth match of the tournament and the third in Group A.Australia, who are aiming to win the fifth title after emerging champions in 1987, 1999, 2003 and 2007, have not lost a match in the last two editions in South Africa and the West Indies under Ponting.They have lost just one of their 27 one-day internationals against Zimbabwe, the defeat coming in the 1983 World Cup in England.Teams: Australia: Ricky Ponting (captain), Shane Watson, Brad Haddin, Michael Clarke, David Hussey, Cameron White, Steve Smith, Mitchell Johnson, Jason Krejza, Brett Lee, Shaun Tait.Zimbabwe: Elton Chigumbura (captain), Charles Coventry, Regis Chakabva, Graeme Cremer, Craig Ervine, Christopher Mpofu, Raymond Price, Tatenda Taibu, Brendan Taylor, Prosper Utseya, Sean Williams.Umpires: Asoka de Silva (SL) and Richard Kettleborough (ENG), TV umpire: Amish Saheba (IND)
Match referee: Roshan Mahanama (SL)
