The Island, Tuesday 31st October, 2006 Asian flops cause World Cup jitters

The failure of the four Asian teams to Bangladesh and before falling opportunity to review and turn this make the semi-finals of the Champions at the first major hurdle against a deplet- around." Trophy indicated trouble in store at the ed Pakistan in Jaipur. The Champions Trophy confirmed the World Cup, experts said. 's Sri Lankans belief that Asians are unsurpassed when joined Pakistan and bounced back to beat New Zealand in it comes to piling up records, but fall on the sidelines after being thrashed by , only to lose the crucial game short of what matters most -- winning world champions by six against South Africa at Ahmedabad that matches and titles consistently. here Sunday night, while Bangladesh sent the islanders crashing out of the Eleven of the 12 places in most one- failed to progress beyond the qualifying tournament. day appearances are held by Asian play- rounds. Few gave Pakistan a chance after ers. Of the top 10 batsmen in the game, This was the first time since the inau- inspirational Inzamam-ul-Haq eight are Asians. Among bowlers, seven gural World Cup in 1975 that an Asian was banned for four matches over the of the top 10 hail from the region. team had failed to enter the semi-finals of Oval Test fiasco and pace spearheads "What use are these records if you a major multi-nation tournament -- that, and Mohammad Asif were can't win," said former Indian all-rounder too, in their own backyard. recalled home a day before their first Mohinder Amarnath, who was named the The first semi-final here Wednesday match due to failed drug tests. man of the series at his nation's victori- pits Australia against their trans-Tasman Yet the Pakistanis stunned Sri Lanka, ous 1983 World Cup. rivals New Zealand. On Thursday, South but could not put it across New Zealand "Things do turn around quickly in Africa clash with defending champions and South Africa on seaming wickets in limited-overs because a lot the West Indies in Jaipur. the northern town of Mohali. depends on how you play on that day, but "I still can't believe it," said legendary Hosts India, often referred to as tigers a lot of hard work lies ahead if Asian all-rounder , who captained at home and lambs abroad, went out with teams are to do well at the World Cup." India to their lone World Cup triumph in a whimper after losing their sixth game Three Australian coaches -- India's 1983. in seven matches against the West Indies , Sri Lanka's Tom Moody "We are supposed to be masters in our and providing a no-contest against the and Bangladesh's -- and conditions, the same applies to Sri Lanka mighty Australians. Englishman Bob Woolmer with Pakistan, and Pakistan. It's like going for a wedding "If you don't reach the semi-finals, it is have begun to feel the heat. minus the bride and the bridegroom. a failure," said a disappointed Indian cap- "It has to be asked if paying huge "I don't even want to contemplate what tain . sums to foreign coaches has helped," said will happen at the World Cup. It's going to "We would have liked to play in the outspoken former Indian captain Bishan Ahmedabad : Citizens of Khokhra Circle hold a demonstration protesting against the Indian cricket play- be tough, very tough." semi-finals and the finals of this tourna- Bedi. "Mr Chappell, at least, has reduced ers after Australia knocked India out of the Champions Trophy with a six- win, in Ahmedabad, on Sri Lanka breezed through the quali- ment, especially when we were playing in the Indian team to ashes." Sunday. An effigy of Indian cricket coach Greg Chappell was also burnt. fying round against the West Indies, India. It's a setback, but it is also an -Championstrophy.com Chandana takes five Confident Ponting aiming to add Shuttle Junior in Sri Lanka A's win Champions Trophy to title list Nationals put off

MOHALI, The Junior Nationals November 4 to 8 and Under Upul Chandana, the discarded Sri Lankan India (AP) - 2006 conducted by Sri Lanka 11, 13 and 15 events were to legspinner, gave a timely reminder to the selectors Australia cap- Badminton Associations be played from November 15 as his five-wicket haul sealed a resounding 195- tain Ricky (SLBA) have been postponed to 22. run win for Sri Lanka A in their maiden Duleep Ponting is confi- due to unavoidable circum- The closing date for all Trophy match against West Zone at Cuttack, yes- dent that his stances, a SLBA commu- events has been extended to terday. world champion niqué said yesterday. December 15 and new dates Wasim Jaffer's set up an interesting team will be The Under 17 and 19 for the events will be noti- chase, but the target of 467 was always a tough successful in its events were originally fied later, the organisers ask. Jaffer and Muzumdar (61) made a fist of the fourth attempt scheduled to be played from said. target with a steady stand of 131 for the third wick- and clinch the et, having already added 97 on the third day. It ICC Champions was Chandana who brought his side right back Trophy. into the contest, deceiving Muzumdar, by Winners of Bucknor reaches milestone Kaushal Silva and Kiran Powar for 2 soon the last two World Cups, in 1999 However, Ponting's squad ral- "With Watson opening the bat- after. and 2003, Australia has stumbled lied in style and defeated Ashes ting now, it gives us even more Chandana and seamer Akalanka Ganegama in its bid to secure the Champions rival England and host India to flexibility," Ponting said. struck with three quick wickets to leave West Zone Trophy in three previous tourna- top the Group A. New Zealand has an impres- in shambles at 247 for 7. Jaffer fell to Chandana ments. "Looking at the way we've sive record in the recent months, for 129. Ganegama was the most penetrative The title has eluded Australia played in the last couple of games winning nine of its last 12 games among the seamers, finishing with seven wickets for the past eight years, even I think we will play better this and Ponting knows that well. in the match. though Australia has remained time around," Ponting said. "Their strength is all-rounders Sri Lanka ‘A’ 325 (Mahela Udawatte 68, the top-ranked team in the world. Australia plays New Zealand like Scott Styris sort of players," Malinda Warnapura 40, Chamara Silva 61, The biennial Champions in the semifinals here Wednesday. Ponting said. "They also have Koushal Silva 47 n.o, 30; S.K. Trophy is the cricket's second "It will be a big game against (captain) Stephen Fleming, who Trivedi 5/79) and 290 for 7 declared (Michael biggest limited-overs tournament, New Zealand and a great chal- has done a good job." Vandort 54, Malinda Warnapura 56, Chamara having grown from a one-week lenge for all of us," Ponting said. Fleming holds the record for Silva 57, Jehan Mubarak 40) knockout event into a month long "They just enjoy playing good leading a national team in the West Zone 149 (A. Muzumdar 51; Akalanka Ganegama 4/47, Upul Chandana 3/23) and 271 competition. cricket and the conditions we are most limited-overs internationals. (Wasim Jaffer 129, A. Muzumdar 61; A. "There's no excuses now for us, playing in here suit them a little Fleming made 80 and won man of Ganegama 3/79, U. Chandana 5/65) we have a good team and it will be bit as well. the match award in his record- a great challenge," Ponting said in "It will be a great contest, no breaking 194th match as New the wake of Australia's six-wicket doubt about it." Zealand captain when Pakistan victory over India on Sunday India failed to challenge a was beaten by 51 runs here last night. strong Australian lineup week. Defending champion the West and could muster only 249-8 on The second semifinal between Indies shocked Australia in the Sunday.Three top order batsmen - South Africa and the West Indies opening match when Jerome Damien Martyn, Ponting and all- will be played at Jaipur on Steve Bucknor: It was his 150th ODI and he became only the third offi- Taylor recorded a hat-trick in the rounder Watson - scored half-cen- Thursday. The semifinal winners cial in the history of the game to reach that milestone Caribbean's' 10-run win at turies in Australia's runaway vic- meet in the final Nov. 5 at The ICC Champions "But now I can look back Mumbai earlier this month. tory. Mumbai. Trophy clash between India and think about the ICC and Australia in Mohali was Cricket World Cups and a massive game for both many other matches I have sides but for Umpire Steve umpired and it makes me Bucknor it had a degree of feel very proud." India recalls Khan, Kumble for South Africa series personal significance. In addition to umpiring It was his 150th ODI and in 150 ODIs, Bucknor has After overlooking for the Rudra Pratap Singh were dropped for the tour, important. "He is an integral part of our one- he became only the third also stood in more Test Champions Trophy, India yesterday recalled the while veteran leg-spinner was day team and his record is fantastic," official in the history of the matches - 113 - than anyone fast bowler for next month's five-match limited- included after a 14-month absence. Vengsarkar said. game to reach that mile- else. overs series in South Africa. Opening batsman Wasim Jaffer was a sur- Team: Rahul Dravid (captain), Virender stone, following in the foot- The list for most appear- The 16-man squad was named in the wake prise inclusion. The right-handed batsman is Sehwag, , Wasim Jaffer, steps of David Shepherd and ances by an umpire in ODIs of Sunday's loss to Australia. yet to make his debut in one-day international , , Dinesh Rudi Koertzen. is: 172 - David Shepherd 156 - Khan, 28, went out of selectors' favor due cricket despite playing 14 test matches. Mongia, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, , The 60-year-old Jamaican Rudi Koertzen 150* - Steve to poor form and missed a tour of the West Kumble - veteran of 264 one-day interna- , Zaheer Khan, Anil Kumble, said: "I never thought I Bucknor 126 - Daryl Harper Indies, a triangular series in Malaysia that also tionals with 329 wickets - has not played a lim- Shantakumaran Sreesanth, , would get this far as, back 124 - Darrell Hair 107 - David featured the West Indies and Australia before ited-overs international since representing Asia and . Standbys: Dinesh when I started, there was Orchard 100 - Steve Dunne the Champions Trophy. XI in the Afro-Asian Cup in August last year. Karthik and VRV Singh. the chance to stand in just a (Figures up to and including Off-spinner Ramesh Powar and paceman Vengsarkar said Kumble's return was - (AP) few matches every year. 29 October 2006)

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