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Home , Adeel Raja, Alok Kapali, Al Sahariar, Andrew Hall, Andre Adams, Boeta Dippenaar

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18 SUNDAY TIMES OF New , January 5, 2003 SPORT

GROUP A GROUP B INDIA NAMIBIA NETHERLANDS WEST INDIES CANADA (C) (C) Saurav Ganguly (C) Deon Kotze (C) R. Lefebvre (C) (C) (C) (C) SRI LANKA (C) (C) (C) Joseph Harris (C) (C) A Gilchrist J Anderson V Sehwag J Berry Burger L van Troost Andy Blignaut Sanath J’suriya (C) Thomas Odoyo Ashish Bagai Hannan Al-Sahariar M Bevan S Tendulkar Louis Burger R Scholte Saleem Elahi Dion Ebrahim Joseph Angara Ian Billcliff M’mad Ashraful A Caddick Sarel Burger Mahela J’wardene Asif Karim Desmond Chumney J Gillespie P Collingwood Morne Karg F Kloppenburg Hitesh Modi Austin Codrington M Hayden Andy Flintoff Mohd Kaif Danie Keulder I-ul-Haq Collins Obuya John Davison Bjorn Kotze Yousuf Youhana Vasbert Drakes Craig McMillan David Obuya Nicholas Degroot Tapash Baisya Lennie Louw Victor Grandia Brendon McCullum Kennedy Obuya Nicholas Ifill Mohammad Rafique Gavin Murgatroyd Doug Marillier A. Gunawardene Davis Joseph Manjurul Islam Jimmy Maher Gerrie Snyman Henk Jan Mol Brian Murphy Peter Ongondo Ishwar Maraj Stefan Swanepoel Klaas van Noortwijk M. Muralitharan Ashish Patel Glenn McGrath Burton van Rooi Edgar Schiferli Nixon McLean Ravindu Shah Abdool Samad Melt van Scoor Jacob Jan Esmeijer Martin Suji Fazil Samad Ehsanul Hoque Rudi van Vuuren Bas Zuiderent Guy Whittall Pulasthi Gunaratne Tony Suji Barry Seebaran Craig White Riaan Walters R. Sarwan Prabath Nissanka Monde Zondeki Alpesh Vadher S’yan Thuraisingam CHINKS & ARMOURS 14 teams will be in the fray. But only eight of them will really be vying for the World Cup. TNN sees if they (apart from India) have any major chinks By Dinesh Chopra dinner set and do the dishes once the guests leave. They’d love if BATTER LATE THAN NEVER AUSTRALIA: Hello, there’s a chink spotted in the they manage to ‘stay’ in the party Australian crick- till the very last. But for that By Bobilli Vijay Kumar The stage is finally set for the World Cup (despite the contracts’ bottleneck). The teams have been an- always come back in the middle they’ll have to TIMES NEWS NETWORK et team. What? nounced and it is up to each one of them to iron out their weaknesses and sharpen their strengths. overs when the game is meandering use both — the and the batsmen are aiming to con- Whaat? Whaaat? he Indian team will soon Whaaaat? Sorry, laptop and the Times News Network looks at the Indian combination and the main contenders. solidate. land in the jungles of South Ajit Ninan if you missed an necktop. At Pakistan, Australia, Sri Lanka odd heartbeat or times, Shaun Africa, bruised and bat- Heads or tails: Play, rewind, fast forward, and now even New Zealand know your wigged hair Pollock’s men Ttered like injured soldiers. pause do whatever with that tapes of ri- that Srinath can be ruffled: they val batsmen but please zero in on their are standing merrily on their ends seem a bit too All the good work through the year would surely pass on the message to weaknesses asap at this reference. But without a methodical, al- has clearly evaporated in New all those who haven’t been watch- most robotic. They tend to lose it gentleman called Stephen Rodger Zealand’s cold and windy condi- ing India closely. Waugh Aussies are like orphans. when cornered. With a fading tions; if Jagmohan Dalmiya had his Shoulder responsibility: Enjoy, this White Lightning their can one’s a national trait. The PM, the The biggest setback to India’s God knows the details of Indo- way, he would find a deep-rooted plans, however, was the success of Australian export-import policies be a weak link. ICC conspiracy behind this to stop MPs, the MiB (correction: Men in Mind matter: Half the Blue), you and me all believe Bangar in the home series. He but sarkar would lax any number his board from becoming a cricket slipped into the elusive all- of directives to clear Waugh’s ‘im- battle is usually won in the responsibilities only gatecrash SRI LANKA: Commentators have super power. rounder’s shoes that Ganguly and port’ to play for India. mind; India lose most of been privately But then, Dalmiya shouldn’t al- Wright were carrying around the ways be taken seriously. The indi- them even before entering The Green ‘n’ Gold men are on confessing how Looking for arm-strong: country.But since then he hasn’t re- cations of a looming disaster had the field a high alright and need Waugh’s they hate to do Naah...not about the moon, ally contributed enough. It is anchor in that slightly light mid- any Sri Lanka surfaced during West Indies’ tour to honey. Looking for some strange that the shoe-carriers dle-order. He defends the short match. It’s diffi- the country itself: India captivated well-rounded arms for those haven’t noticed that Bangar would ball well and doesn’t mind the cult to phonate the Test series comfortably but the zooming throws from the deep hardly ever bowl ten sparkling speed or spin. May be, there will those surnames One-dayers failed to sway or swoon be that last and final call for Mr. once and impos- overs or score too many quick-fire to their players’ ebullient charms. 30s or 40s either. Stephen Rodger Waugh. sible for 100 overs in a day, The batsmen proudly scored An eye for an eye: The key to success is aggression. The India should abandon their all- they’d say. If Sri Lankans can’t runs and India consistently crossed hold themselves from playing fan- Indian batsmen appear in no rounder designs immediately; they 300- barriers even without the Not for jelly bellies: ENGLAND: With or without the cy strokes, they’d be back home mood to fight when the ball should revert to their seven bats- mighty willow of Sachin Ten- My Bio ma’m taught amber gold, sooner than later ensuring an is seaming or is coming in at men and four bowlers formula. dulkar. But about food pipe, wind even a die-hard easy time for the commentators. express speed Ganguly, Sachin, Sehwag and Yu- showed his first signs of fallibility pipe, liver, intestines Barmy Army Apart from Marvan Atapattu, Ar- vraj have to feel the ball a lot more etc. etc. Poor lady, she regular would avinda de Silva and a bit of Ma- against the electric pace and steep (it might, in fact, come in handy forgot how much do we struggle to hela Jayawardena, few can look bounce of Jermaine Lawson. The while they are ). Bangar, if name all the need to have that fire in back into a fast bowlers’ eyes. bowlers, on the other hand, forgot at all, has only one use for the team: members of there too. Ditto for our Hashan Tillekeratne can block it how to smile when confronted with A nose for victory: Five as an opener against strong bowl- England’s World Pranayams in the morning, five in boys well. Sunny boy Jayasuriya is an Gayle, Sarwan and Samuels. ing attacks or in horrible batting Cup squad. Most of their CVs may the evening, one inhaler each. impulsive and can be The Kiwis were, of course, conditions. Unfortunately, the op- be heavy on promise but are light forced to make wrong moves. watching every ball and every shot May be then the Blue Brigade can on experience. Especially, the sniff victories portunities to test him in New very closely. Zealand were never utilised. bowling. It seems Andrew Cad- They didn’t have to work too hard dick’s never-ending legs will have The other worry is that the Kiwi WEST INDIES: For the West Indi- to imprison Sehwag in the crease or to gain an odd feet more to run ans, life is one tour has exposed the vulnerability make Ganguly squirm in the pavil- for his side. Possibility of Andy big beach with The handicraft: Got it wrong of the Indian batting. The team Flintoff bowling at the word go each wave ion. Laxman had anyway already again. Nothing about cross stich- management has hardly shown the can invite close odds after that up a started batting like his off-stump es. Need some soft hands — courage to deal with new situa- hernia operation. Then, with Eng- new reggae was at gully; and Kaif and Yuvraj manicured or otherwise — to tions; if anything, it has just react- land playing, an ambulance is just beat. Sadly, were still walking around like To heart’s content: If Dr pick singles and take catches ed like a startled cat. round the corner with the fre- cricket can be a Lord’s on the field. Only Rahul Christian Bernard was alive Sehwag and Ganguly may have quency of injuries. To round it all different tune altogether. Carl Dravid proved that he has the tech- he’d be flooded with pleas for done very well as openers over the they’ll have to shed the conserva- Hooper is good enough to know nique, the courage and the desire to 11 transplants. Wanted men last few months. But both are sus- tive approach and explore. If not that. He’d do well to keep his float in dangerous environs. who can wear that “pump” on pect against the moving ball, if not in South Africa then where. teammates in check. More often Sehwag, of course, managed a their sleeve the express deliveries. One of them, than not it’s their indiscipline that sparkling when Bond was if not both, should have come down has let them down. They can be taken away, presumably, on Her PAKISTAN: With Mian Musharraf the order instead of sticking to lavish with the number of Sun- Majesty’s Service; Ganguly walked giving an odd tip dries they can gift the opposition tried and busted theories; after all, or two to our ne- up and down the and it is much better than giving catch- and drop catches galore as if only kept sliding further and fur- tas on politics they’re embarrassed to win. ing practice and looking sillier. and coup, the ther into the abyss. It would really have been inter- Pakistani players The Indian captain is, however, esting if Tendulkar had not got in- can safely stick NEW ZEALAND: Stephen Fleming confident that life would be jured before the One-dayers: would to playing crick- is a level-headed individual. He smoother in the company of he have been asked to open? Nice legs: Say it with surround et. Most of the isn’t exactly par- Africa’s Big Five. Probably. But India can hope to survive in the time a Pakistani dressing-room sound or not but India needs 11 tying at his they would be smarter to go back a World Cup only if they put the right smells of internal feuds, cold (and team’s accom- pairs of nice legs to carry their few months, into the cooler climes The tips and toes: Won’t mind if they aren’t pedicured man in the right slot. They need to hot) wars, conspiracy theories plishments hopes and make a 22-yard dash but their movements have to be precise. Forward, back, of London, before embarking on define a batting order and stick etc. They’d do well if they can against India. He this long and arduous journey. left and right just be sure of your footpath leave all of that on Mian. Then, understands with it till the end, leaving just a lit- There are quite a few lessons to be tle room for flexibility. Sehwag and this exciting bunch is also into that Indians picked up from that historic victory Waqar vs Waqar, Inzamam vs In- aren’t in the best of nicks and any The tactic worked wonderfully; Nehra and Ajit Agarkar were some ability. Ganguly should be reunited at the in the NatWest final. even in Sri Lanka’s oppressive hu- times good for our team and some Srinath looks on top when the very top (Bangar can be summoned zamam, Akram vs Akram, fighting success against them can be India had won because of a rela- their own selves. There’s no harm misleading. Fleming’s woes begin midity. times for the others. batsmen are quiet; when they start in case of a contingency,or against tively new and bold theory: load the if they can work upon their field- with his own self. There isn’t a lot But then, they got complacent The arrival of Brijesh Patel as rocking, he looks down and out. the pace of Brett Lee and Shoaib ing, running between the , happening at the top of the order. team with batsmen. They accepted and greedy. The Indian head- chairman of selectors paved the John Wright and Ganguly must de- Akhtar). Tendulkar, Kaif, Ganguly catching as well. Their inconsis- Save a near half-century on Sat- that their bowling would never be hunters went in search of an all- path for Javagal Srinath’s return. vise a flexible plan for the aging (if Bangar is opening; or else Mon- tency can frustrate even the hap- urday, he has been groping in the good enough; so they dropped the rounder and a genuine, or at least, a The fast bowler has done a few speedster: he should be allowed to gia), Dravid and Yuvraj should fol- piest bachelors on earth. dark. Even the rest of the batting specialist -keeper and the dependable fast bowler. They felt smart things since he was left hold- complete his overs with the new low. Such a lineup would not only isn’t exactly pink in health. fifth bowling arm. The strategy was that Harbhajan Singh and Anil ing an injured ego: he has cut down ball only when the batsmen are not set the pace but also absorb blows SOUTH AFRICA: The hosts. How Bowlers don’t boast of much ex- clear and positive: no target is be- Kumble made a happy pair; but on his pace and has added a few feeling too restless; otherwise, he in the initial stages. they’d wish they do much more perience, and things will get yond reach if you bat deep; no total they weren’t so convinced about the more deliveries to his inswingers. should be stopped immediately af- But is the think-tank too bruised than answering the door bell, worse with Chris Cairns being is impossible to defend if part- speedsters. Zaheer Khan looked The only problem is that quite ter two overs. Even if he has con- and battered to regroup and draw showing off their Italian cut glass played only as a batter. timers bowl a little more smartly. quick and on target; but Ashish often he still threatens to be a li- ceded just a handful of runs. He can fresh strategies?

By Shashank Shekhar bat well at No 7 and who have not really distin- spite Nagamootoo and We let millions AUSTRALIA: The world could be handy with the HOW THEY CHANGED THEIR COLOURS guished themselves in Breese getting their champions have gone ball. They have zeroed in The final fifteeen have been announced by all the the run-up to the big chances. West Indies will from strength to strength on young Shane Watson teams. But is this how they looked six months ago? event. The falling out of have to make do with of Indians since they won the last who has been given Nuwan Zoysa has been a skipper Hooper, Samuels edition in England in enough chances to get a Anderson his big oppor- Iqbal and . in the past. They have big minus for the Is- tunity. Hence, Pakistan had to stressed on high-quality and Powell’s off-spin- down: Ganguly 1999. The best thing feel of the international landers. ners. about the Aussies has arena. PAKISTAN: How Pakistani fall back on old stars. fielding without which it’s WEST INDIES: The NEW ZEALAND: The Kiwis Queenstown: India captain been that they never had ENGLAND: The Poms teams are selected, who SOUTH AFRICA: The host difficult to get into their had some- captains it and who is squad has five coloured side. have always been well- admitted on to to chop and change have been looking to cul- thing to cheer about Saturday that his team had the team a lot and the tivate those bits-and- the manager, are ques- players including young LANKA: when the opening pair of served by those who can let hundreds of millions of team has been a settled pieces players who are tions not easily aan- medium-pacer Monde has hit a plateau in re- Hinds and Gayle showed bat a bit, bowl a bit and fans down with their dismal one all the while. And the so handy in a one-day swered. Sound planning Zondeki who seems to cent years. No new talent consistency and aggres- field like tigers. They rotation policy which they situation. This utilitarian has never been their be a quota selection. This who can be a matchwin- sion after several options have been on the lookout performances on the New pioneered in the last thinking led to the revival strength and this World forced veteran Steve El- ner has come out despite were tried out. for more such guys in re- Zealand tour. “We are letting two-three years has in- of Ronnie Irani and the Cup is no exception. worthy out who must several getting interna- has cent times. There search everyone down,” said Gangu- deed served them well. unearthing of the likes of While Waqar Younis has consider himself unlucky. tional exposure. They also responded ade- has not been futile with ly after his team’s seven- Most of their stars have who had a fair run as skipper, is another have left out Thilan quately to the needs of Andre Admas, Scott wicket defeat in the fourth One-dayer against the hosts managed to avoid burn- have responded well to his position has been un- one who performed with Samaraweera who the team after he was Styris and Jacob Oram dermined by board offi- distinction in the last looked a good all-round at the John Davies Oval here. outs even though many the challenge. The com- given an extended run to showing their mettle to cials expressing reserva- year and formed a sound prospect. The new all- “We are letting our people are into the final years of ing-off-age of Craig off-set the loss of Brian complement the efforts tions about his bowling. opening pair with Her- rounder Jehan Mubarak back home down. We are let- their careers. The Waugh White and Andrew Lara to some extent. Lara of veterans like Chris bothers are gone, but the Flintoff in the last year ’s failure to schelle Gibbs but had to has played only four ODIs is back in the team after ting all those down who come Cairns and Chris Harris. flowering of Matthew has been one of Eng- cement his place as the give way to veteran Gary and does not inspire going through a horror to watch us. We are letting Hayden’s and the maturi- land’s big gains. But a one-day opener and the Kirsten for whom a cen- much confidence right year. However, the failure Like the South Africans, our coach down. We are let- ty of the middle order spate of injuries in 2002 poor show of his replace- tury against Pakistan in now. The pace line-up of paceman Reon King to the Black Caps have al- ting our physio down. We are has helped the Aussies have upset their apple- ments has meant Saeed December did wonders. wears a new look with come out of the injury in wyas kept fielding a high letting our trainer down,” maintain their suprema- cart, the biggest casualty Anwar is back at the top On the whole, however, Gunaratne, Nissanka and the last two years has priority area and their said Ganguly. “We have really cy. The only thing the being pace spearhead of the order. Other the South Africans have Buddhika making the cost West Indies dear. squad boasts of players been very poor in this series. Aussies lack is a quality which has youngsters who flopped the nucleus intact which grade alongwith the ex- Also, no specialist spin- who are very fit and ath- We have to find ways to stop all-rounder who could given a rookie like James in the ‘trials’ were Faisal has served them so well perienced ones. But they ner could come good de- letic. this. We still have three more games to play for pride.” The Indian captain did not four! What was the best way out for West? blame the pitch for his team’s CHESS BRIDGE Pankajbhai thought long and hard. Clearly, De- defeat, saying his batsmen clarer had no more than two Diamonds. For his had been in very poor form. Pravin Thipsay opening, South had to hold the red Aces, and Prakash Paranjpe “It was a very good One-day quite likely, the HQ. Even if West didn’t open the An attack can be successful if Hearts, the HQ would be high after two Heart wicket,” said Ganguly. “The A very happy New Year 2003 to all the readers the number of pieces around ruffs. All the hopes of the defence rested on De- batsmen are in poor form. It’s and Bridge lovers. To set the tone for this year, the enemy King is greater than clarer’s Diamond loser. eight now and none here is a blinder from Surat, reported by Dr. V.K. A Diamond switch was ruled out because of the of us has fired.” that of the defending ones. It is Vahalia. Cover the South and East DQ in the Dummy. A Club continua- Ganguly conceded that it therefore, essential for the de- hands and try to find out the winning S Dealer ♠ J 9 6 3 fending side to depute some of EW Vul ♥ 4 tion was ruled out because of the CQ was the worst phase since he defence for West. It was a Club ♦ Q 9 7 in the Dummy. Pankajbhai had to had taken over the captaincy the forces entirely for the game. South opened 1S and West ♣ Q 9 8 5 3 defence. In the diagram Black a5,b7,d6,e5. ♠ open the Heart suit if the defence in 2000. “I have been the cap- overcalled 3Nt. After two passes, A K ♠ 4 is a piece up but the number of Problem:-White to play and ♥ K T 7 ♥ had to have any hopes of defeating tain for three years now, but win. South did not fancy his chances J 8 6 3 2 White pieces attacking against 3Nt and tried 4H. West dou- ♦ K 6 2 ♦ J T 9 5 4 the contract. The Heart switch, too, it’s the worst phase of our Solution: White won brilliantly ♣ ♣ T 7 the Black King is greater than bled, North corrected to 4S, and A K J 4 2 was going right into the AQ, thus al- cricket,” he said. with another sacrifice 1.Rhg1 lowing the Declarer to discard one of Ganguly said it was neces- the one of the defending of West doubled again. ♠ Q T 8 7 5 2 White pieces attacking the Rg8 2.Rh6+! which decided the Pankaj Kapadia, sitting West, led the ♥ A Q 9 5 Dummy’s Diamonds immediately. sary for the team to forget issue immediately. The game ♦ A 3 The crux of the matter was to prevent these defeats and concentrate Black King is greater than the CA drawing the CT from East. The ♣ C 6 one of the defending it. So, went 2...Bxh6 3.Qxh6+ Qh7 CT could well have been a singleton, Declarer from developing a third on the World Cup. “We just White can successfully 4.QF6+ Rg7 5.h6! Rag8 (Hope- but there was no way Pankajbhai could know Heart trick in addition to the HAQ that he was have to forget it,” he said. break through the enemy less would have been 5...Nxc3 that for sure after trick one. He switched to the going to make anyway. East had to hold the HJ “The World Cup is a new positon. ch, 6.bxc3, Qxe4 ch,7. Ka1, Spades cashing both his top honors. On the for that. If he held the H9 as well, any Heart card tournament. There are bats- Position:- White:-Kb1; Qd2; R- Nc2 ch, 8.Kb2 forcing mate) second Spade, Dr. Vahalia pitched his C7 clarify- would have seen the defence through. If the De- men in the team who have g6,h1; Be2; N-c3,f3. P-a2, b2, 6.hxg7+Rxg7 7.Ng5! Black re- ing the Club situation. It was clear that the CK clarer held the H9, however, West had to take done well in the past. So it de- d5, e4, f2, h5. Black:-Kh8; Qe7; signed in view of 7...Qg6 would not survive. It was also clear that West extra care to preserve East’s HJ.. Pankajbhai fig- pends on us to pull out of the 8.Qf8+Rg8 9.Rh1. ured out as much and fired the HK!!! R-a8,38;B-d7,g7; N-a4,b4; P- was in a bad position. He was endplayed at trick position we are in.” AFP

SUND50103/CR1/18/K/1