SabWorld Cup predictions
March 12th 2007 07:07
The Cricket World Cup is ready to kick off with the opener just a day off when hosts the West Indies play Pakistan. The tournament should be very interesting considering the previously invincible Australian side being demoted to world number 2 behind the South Africans.
I still believe Australia are the strong favourites to complete a hat-trick of world cup wins despite their loss of form and injury concerns. So who will make the final four? Well obviously you can wipe off half of the 16 teams competing. Yes, Kenya are not too bad and probably as good as Bangladesh and Zimbabwe and of course did famously make the semis ndin the last Cup. But don’t expect that to happen again.
Australia: Certainties to reach the semis. Despite losing 6 of their last 7 are still the favourites. The bowling is a worry without the injured Lee, retired Warne and ageing McGrath. The batting is strong led by the best batsman Ricky Ponting, dynamic keeper Adam Gilchrist and middle-order star Mike Hussey. If Andrew Symonds can recover from elbow injury, the Aussies should be holding their fourth cup on April 28.
New Zealand: I’m confident the Kiwis can make the semis. One shouldn’t get too excited over their clean sweep of the Aussies in the Chappell/Hadlee, but they were impressive. They possess a world class fast bowler in Shane Bond and a top spinner in Daniel Vettori. The batting lacks a genuine superstar, but they have impressive all-rounders Jacob Oram and Scott Styris. Oh, and captain Stephen Fleming is a good player, not to mention the best skipper in the world.
India: Have been erratic at times, but possess a super batting line-up. Probably for the last time will they have the core line-up of Tendulkar, Dravid and Ganguly for a world cup. Throw in the likes of Sehwag, Singh and Dohni and on the small grounds of the Caribbean should murder attacks. The bowling is a concern but with spin likely to have a big impact, Harbajan Singh should be dangerous.
Sri Lanka: The 1996 Champions should make the final four. They have been many critics choice of making the final, and with master blaster Sanath Jayasuriya playing his last tournament they should be dangerous. Also with Kumar Sangakarra in great form, the Sri Lankans should post big totals. With the ball they have two of the best- Chaminda Vaas with swing and pace and of course Murali with spin. Expect Murali to be the leading wicket taker in the series.
They are the semi final teams. How about the others? The big omission of course is the new world number ones South Africa. The Proteas usually choke under pressure, when it really matters most. The 1999 World Cup, they clearly had the best team, and should have beaten Australia twice but failed both times. The two teams squared off in the group stages, and I’m predicting an Aussie win. I feel the Proteas will once again disappoint, despite having a good all-round side.
I like what I saw from the England team at the end of the CB series, and they didn’t have their best player Kevin Pieterson. They have a good all-round side, with Paul Collingwood, skipper Michael Vaughn and Pieterson with the bat, Fred Flintoff with his all-round skill, Liam Plunkett with pace and Monty Panesar with spin. However like South Africa I feel they will underachieve, like they always do on the big stage.
Pakistan has as much talent as anyone and can be truly breathtaking. You really don’t know what they are capable of and are the hardest team to predict. Will it be the brilliant Pakistan or the rabble Pakistan? I’m predicting the latter- believing it is the safer option.
And lastly the hosts the West Indies. I would love them to do well, for reasons such as seeing them return to their glory days, they are playing at home and this will be Brian Lara’s swansong to one-day cricket. However I can’t see them reaching the final four. The bowling attack looks weak and the batting relies too heavily on Lara and Chris Gayle. The powerful Gayle was man of the tournament in the Champions trophy and will need to replicate that performance if the hosts are any chance.
Enough talk and predictions. Let the games begin.
I still believe Australia are the strong favourites to complete a hat-trick of world cup wins despite their loss of form and injury concerns. So who will make the final four? Well obviously you can wipe off half of the 16 teams competing. Yes, Kenya are not too bad and probably as good as Bangladesh and Zimbabwe and of course did famously make the semis ndin the last Cup. But don’t expect that to happen again.
Australia: Certainties to reach the semis. Despite losing 6 of their last 7 are still the favourites. The bowling is a worry without the injured Lee, retired Warne and ageing McGrath. The batting is strong led by the best batsman Ricky Ponting, dynamic keeper Adam Gilchrist and middle-order star Mike Hussey. If Andrew Symonds can recover from elbow injury, the Aussies should be holding their fourth cup on April 28.
New Zealand: I’m confident the Kiwis can make the semis. One shouldn’t get too excited over their clean sweep of the Aussies in the Chappell/Hadlee, but they were impressive. They possess a world class fast bowler in Shane Bond and a top spinner in Daniel Vettori. The batting lacks a genuine superstar, but they have impressive all-rounders Jacob Oram and Scott Styris. Oh, and captain Stephen Fleming is a good player, not to mention the best skipper in the world.
India: Have been erratic at times, but possess a super batting line-up. Probably for the last time will they have the core line-up of Tendulkar, Dravid and Ganguly for a world cup. Throw in the likes of Sehwag, Singh and Dohni and on the small grounds of the Caribbean should murder attacks. The bowling is a concern but with spin likely to have a big impact, Harbajan Singh should be dangerous.
Sri Lanka: The 1996 Champions should make the final four. They have been many critics choice of making the final, and with master blaster Sanath Jayasuriya playing his last tournament they should be dangerous. Also with Kumar Sangakarra in great form, the Sri Lankans should post big totals. With the ball they have two of the best- Chaminda Vaas with swing and pace and of course Murali with spin. Expect Murali to be the leading wicket taker in the series.
They are the semi final teams. How about the others? The big omission of course is the new world number ones South Africa. The Proteas usually choke under pressure, when it really matters most. The 1999 World Cup, they clearly had the best team, and should have beaten Australia twice but failed both times. The two teams squared off in the group stages, and I’m predicting an Aussie win. I feel the Proteas will once again disappoint, despite having a good all-round side.
(Who will win?)
I like what I saw from the England team at the end of the CB series, and they didn’t have their best player Kevin Pieterson. They have a good all-round side, with Paul Collingwood, skipper Michael Vaughn and Pieterson with the bat, Fred Flintoff with his all-round skill, Liam Plunkett with pace and Monty Panesar with spin. However like South Africa I feel they will underachieve, like they always do on the big stage.
Pakistan has as much talent as anyone and can be truly breathtaking. You really don’t know what they are capable of and are the hardest team to predict. Will it be the brilliant Pakistan or the rabble Pakistan? I’m predicting the latter- believing it is the safer option.
And lastly the hosts the West Indies. I would love them to do well, for reasons such as seeing them return to their glory days, they are playing at home and this will be Brian Lara’s swansong to one-day cricket. However I can’t see them reaching the final four. The bowling attack looks weak and the batting relies too heavily on Lara and Chris Gayle. The powerful Gayle was man of the tournament in the Champions trophy and will need to replicate that performance if the hosts are any chance.
Enough talk and predictions. Let the games begin.
| 61 |
| Vote |
Subscribe to this blog
