2011 ICC Cricket World Cup Preview - India

India have unprecedented amounts of pressure going into their World Cup

 

India will not just enter the 2011 World Cup with a billion hopes resting on their shoulders, but they'll do it knowing that their recent tournament history leaves a little to be desired. After coming off an attritional series in South Africa, India will be looking forward to enjoying their home advantage and conditions. Pressure will be killer, though, and after some disappointing campaigns in the past, Mahendra Singh Dhoni's men will have to watch their every step.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Despite making the finals of the 2003 World Cup, India will want to put the hammering they suffered at the hands of Australia behind them. Then there was the 2007 World Cup, where their early exit caused shockwaves. In their favor this time around is the revamped group stage; while only two defeats condemned them in 2007, now India can count on picking off the Netherlands and Ireland (and probably Bangladesh) if their games against South Africa, the West Indies and England don't go according to plan.

 

That said, India certainly have what it takes to ensure a worst case scenario is avoided. Any team that has Dhoni, Virender Sehwag and Sachin Tendulkar will back themselves to win every time. The middle order of Virat Kohli, Yuvraj Singh, Yusuf Pathan and Suresh Raina are untested on the big stage, but they've had plenty of practice in bilateral series around the world. Of the bowlers, all eyes will be on Harbhajan Singh to make the most of the turning pitches of India, supported by Piyush Chawla and Ravichandran Ashwin making their World Cup debuts. India's pace department is in good health, too, with Zaheer Khan, Munaf Patel and Ashish Nehra to complement Harbhajan's spin.

 

With only two groups in this World Cup, India's Group B is as evenly placed as Group A. They will fancy themselves against the Netherlands and Ireland (but then again, Pakistan probably fancied themselves against Ireland in 2007). Bangladesh's army of slow bowlers, and dynamic hitting from Tamim Iqbal might pose India some problems, but India will be chomping at the bit to exact revenge for their upset loss to the Bangladeshis in 2007.

 

Even though India lost the recent ODI series against South Africa, they'll take inspiration from their home series victory against the Proteas, which featured Sachin Tendulkar's epic 200* (of course, now he'll be expected to better that every time he walks out to bat). England's Graeme Swann will be licking his lips at the idea of bowling on a spin-friendly track, but England are surely rattled (and exhausted) by their series loss to Australia, and it might be a weakness upon which India can capitalize. The West Indies will either crush India, or roll over meekly; the former scenario happened when the teams faced each other in the 2009 and 2010 Twenty20 World Championships, but Twenty20 is a very different kettle of fish.

 

Based on India's strength and home advantage, they should see themselves through to the semi-finals. It will make a change, after the early elimination of 2007 and failed campaigns in 2009 and 2010. South Africa and England will prove their toughest opponents in Group B, with Bangladesh and the West Indies having what it takes to give India a run for their money. That said, the Netherlands and Ireland are the two best Associate teams in the world, both known for their giant-killing on the big stage (Ireland vs. Pakistan in 2007 and the Netherlands vs. England in 2009). If India underestimate those two, will it cost them? In front of a rabid, ravenous home crowd, and with this likely being Sachin Tendulkar's last World Cup, India have more than just a world cup at stake. 

2011 ICC Cricket World Cup Preview

A team-by-team preview of the 2011 Cricket World Cup

 

The 2011 ICC Cricket World Cup, the marquee event in the international cricket calendar and the 10th such event, begins in 19 days. The last time we got all dressed up was back in 2007, in the Caribbean. That tournament ended in chaos, mismanagement and tragedy, but it didn't stop Australia from winning their third consecutive World Cup (and fourth overall). The cricketing landscape has changed a lot in the last four years, and the defending champions now face their toughest campaign to retain their trophy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

That's not to say the 2011 tournament has been without its share of controversy, even before the first ball has been bowled. The International Cricket Council stripped the Eden Gardens stadium in Kolkata (capacity of 90,000) the right to host the India vs. England encounter because the ground would not be ready in time (despite objections and pleas by the local cricket authorities and the Board of  Control for Cricket in India). The tournament format has come under criticism for ensuring that India, as the host team and the biggest financial draw, are unlikely to face a first-round elimination (as was the case in 2007).

 

And then there's the duration. Even though the first game is on February 19th, the quarter-finals begin more than a  month later, March 23rd - and this after the last two World Cups came under fire for being too long. There remains criticism that the participation of Associate teams like Canada, Kenya, Ireland and the Netherlands (and, to an extent, Zimbabwe) will do more overall harm than good, with the specter of boring, one-sided matches and meaningless records being smashed (a la Bermuda's miserable 2007 tournament) unnecessarily slowing the tournament down. For their part, the Associates - especially Ireland will look to make their case that they deserve a permanent seat at the big boys' table. And if there's one Associate nation who make that case, it's Ireland.

 

The biggest pre-tournament controversy happened when Pakistan were stripped of their hosting rights, following the terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team in March 2009. Pakistan are often a team that find themselves in the headlines for the wrong reasons, and losing the honor of hosting World Cup matches has dealt their reputation (and wallet) a blow that will sting for a long time to come.

 

But controversy and criticism aside, the game must go on, and on February 19th, India and Bangladesh will square off in the opening game in Dhaka. It will be Bangladesh's first time hosting a World Cup, and coming off a historic win against New Zealand, Bangladesh will be looking to do more than simply make up the numbers this time. I'll start my preview by looking at their team and their chances.

2011 ICC Cricket World Cup Preview - Bangladesh

Is the stage set for Bangladesh's ascendancy?

 

Bangladesh are one of the three co-hosts of the 2011 Cricket World Cup, and despite having been the whipping boys of international cricket for the past 10 years, this may be the first of their four tournaments where they can pose a real threat. That's not to dismiss their performance at the 2007 World Cup, where they upset India and eventual semi-finalists South Africa, in the process of qualifying for the second stage of the tournament for the first time in their history.

 

 

 

 

 

 

You'd have to think the stars are aligned for Bangladesh this time; their biggest advantage going into the tournament is that they will enjoy a home advantage, especially with an army of slow bowlers that strangled New Zealand in the famous series victory in October. Bangladesh will look to Shakib Al-Hasan, Suhrawadi Shuvo and Mahmadullah put the squeeze on opposition teams, especially those who don't play spin well. They'll miss Mashrafe Mortaza, out due to injury, but I wonder if it'll be a blessing in disguise; the turning Bangladesh wickets will be more suited to Abdur Razzak and Naeem Islam either defending a total or ensuring that the other team doesn't run away in the first innings.

 

For the batting, a lot will rest on Tamim Iqbal to provide a fiery start, with Shakib providing a stabilizing influence when necessary. Mohammed Ashraful's stock has fallen in recent times, ceding his rock star aura to Iqbal, but his experience will be critical in the event that the batting requires control.

 

Bangladesh will have a tough time getting past India, who will be familiar with the slow, low conditions, but they might fancy their chances against England and South Africa, especially knowing that they beat South Africa in the West Indies four years ago (and England are reeling after a chastening series loss to Australia). The West Indies might be a wildcard for them: Chris Gayle's team knows a thing or two about stifling slow bowling attacks, but they can easily combust on their own. If Bangladesh can choose their moment, the West Indies might not know what hit them.

 

Bangladesh can count themselves unlucky that of the four Associate teams to take part in this year's World Cup, they share their group with the two best Associates. I'd still put my money on Bangladesh when they face Ireland and the Netherlands, but Ireland have a lot riding on this World Cup, and they will target Bangladesh as the weaker one in the herd.

 

The momentum is with Bangladesh, though, especially coming into the tournament off the historic series whitewash against New Zealand. This will be the first time Bangladesh can really go far in a World Cup, and they will be disappointed if they don't make it as far as the quarter-finals. They've got the players, they've got the advantage and they've got the winning feeling. India and South Africa are two very good teams that have often stumbled on the big stage, and they will know, as will England, the West Indies, Ireland and the Netherlands, that come February 19th, they're in Tigers territory.

2010 Ashes Series, Fifth Test Review

 

 

Australia had lost any chance of regaining the Ashes after their crushing defeat in Melbourne, so all they had going into the final Test in Sydney was a hope to draw the series. Ricky Ponting, suffering a loss of form, a broken finger and controversy following his argument with Aleem Dar in Melbourne, was rested, with Michael Clarke taking over the captaincy to try and salvage some pride for the shattered Australian team. 

 

With the pressure off, Australia gave Usman Khawaja  and Michael Beer their first Test caps. Shane Watson continued his good form, and Khawaja impressed on debut, but both they (and Phil Hughes) were unable to convert their good starts into significant scores. Clarke's own poor run continued, making only 4. Mike Hussey staged another mini-recovery, but his 33 didn't stop every England bowler from taking a wicket (James Anderson led with four scalps). At 189/8, it looked like Australia might not even cross 200 again, but another vital innings from Mitchell Johnson (53) and a good tail-end knock from Ben Hilfenhaus (34) carried the hosts to 280.

 

In reply, Andrew Strauss attacked the Australian bowling, making 60 off 58 before he became the first of Hilfenhaus' three victims. Jonathan Trott was dismissed without scoring by Mitchell Johnson the next over, leaving England at 99/2 and giving Australia hope of making early inroads. Kevin Pietersen resisted with 36, but Alistair Cook's magnificent series continued, making 189 and passing 700 runs in the series. Paul Collingwood's poor tour - and as it turned out, his final Test - came to a quiet end, becoming Michael Beer's first Test victim for 13, but Ian Bell and Matt Prior both made centuries (with assistance from Tim Bresnan and Graeme Swann) to take England to 644, their highest score in Australia.

 

Needing 364 to come even close to saving the series, Shane Watson was involved in yet another run out, this one ending his innings for a brisk 40. As in the first innings, a lot of Australian batsmen made starts, but England's seam attack prevented anyone from establishing themselves. When Mitchell Johnson was bowled for a first-ball duck from Chris Tremlett to leave Australia at 171/7, it summed up Australia's whole series. Rearguard action from Peter Siddle (43) and Steven Smith (54) merely delayed the inevitable. When Michael Beer was bowled by Tremlett, England won the Ashes outright by an innings and 80 runs, and sealed the series 3 - 1.

 

The last time England toured Australia as Ashes holders, they ended up surrendering the urn by a humiliating margin of  5 - 0, manhandled and bossed around like they were a school team playing world champions. England got their own back this time, inflicting three crushing defeats on Australia and, with two exceptions, outplaying them in almost every session of play. It's barely conceivable that the team which enjoyed such unshakeable domination for the whole decade ended it being dominated by the team that languished at the bottom of the international rankings for most of that decade. Alistair Cook was easily named Man of the Series, for his staggering 766 runs, while James Anderson's series haul of 24 wickets was light-years ahead of Mitchell Johnson's 15. Such was the gulf between the two teams . Australia's defense of the World Cup starts in February, and failing to claim the Ashes on two successive occasions does not bode well for the world champions. 

Idiots Fighting Bulls

Another web video of a thinking challenged person fighting a bull. Bullfighting is animal cruelty and torture, I have no empathy for those who say: Oh, it's part of our culture. Human sacrifice once was apart of many brutal cultures, and so were dozens of things that people in the twenty first century do not do.

And so when one of these videos appear showing some dolt or more dolts, the more the better, getting the worst of it in their encounters with a bull, my reaction is: Good for the bull!. Of course there is no joy is seeing a human being tossed around, stomped on, dragged, have the fear of God scared out of him by an avenging bull. These videos have no entertainment value, but I do hope that they will have an educational value.

Item from ITN News -- "Drama at a bullfight in Colombia as an amateur participant is gorged by a rampaging animal." See the video.

2010 Ashes, Fourth Test Review

England stumbled away from the third Ashes Test in Perth, stunned at the viciousness of the Australian fightback. After the hosts were outclassed in Brisbane and overwhelmed in Adelaide, a Mitchell Johnson-inspired counterattack saw them square the series by a huge 267-run margin. With England's seemingly unshakeable defense of the Ashes cracking, the pressure was now on both teams - and slightly more on Australia - to stamp their authority on the fourth Test in Melbourne.

 

With the eyes of the cricket world glued to the Boxing Day Test, Shane Watson survived being dropped twice, before Chris Tremlett finally prized out his wicket. Just as Phil Hughes and Ricky Ponting (playing with a broken finger) began to repair the damage, they both fell, Hughes to Tim Bresnan and Ponting to Tremlett for just 10 (37/3). Australia crawled to the lunch break, but lost Michael Hussey in the last over of the first session, James Anderson making the critical breakthrough. Hussey departed for just 8, having made at least 50 in every innings of the series. Anderson accounted for Steven Smith, the struggling Michael Clarke  and the Perth hero Mitchell Johnson for a duck to split Australia wide open at 77/8. Brad Haddin fell to Bresnan and Chris Tremlett wrapped up the tail to bowl Australia out for an unbelievable 98.

 

Andrew Strauss and Alistair Cook easily took the lead, racing to 157/0, and by the end of the first day, Australia were already trailing by 59. Peter Siddle made the first two breakthroughs: Cook for 82 and Strauss for 69. England were effectively 72/2, but Kevin Pietersen and Jonathan Trott stemmed the damage. KP got to 49 before the Australians appealed for a caught behind decision off Ryan Harris. Umpire Aleem Dar ruled in favor of Pietersen, and perhaps desperate for a wicket, Ricky Ponting asked for a review. Replays cleared Piertersen, but Ponting continued to argue with Dar - the stress of his poor series and batting catching up with him? Pietersen eventually made 50, but got out shortly afterwards with the score on 262. Mitchell Johnson made up for his first innings duck by combining with Peter Siddle to take the wickets of a struggling Paul Collingwood and Ian Bell to knock England back at 285/6, leading by 187. Matt Prior was initially given out caught behind for just 6, but Aleem Dar confirmed that Mitchell Johnson had delivered a no-ball. Prior survived and went on to make 85, putting on 173 with Jonathan Trott, who eventually made his fifth Test century. Prior made 85 and Peter Siddle took 6 wickets, but the story was Trott's unbeaten 168 and England's total of 513, giving them a lead of 415.

 

As though being 415 in the red wasn't bad enough, Australia started the innings a man down, Ryan Harris' ankle injury ruling him out of the batting lineup. Shane Watson ran out Phil Hughes at 53/1, making a 50 for himself before being LBW to Tim Bresnan. Bresnan also accounted for Ricky Ponting (a painfully slow 20) and Michael Hussey for a duck to leave Australia reeling at 104/4. Michael Clarke fell to Graeme Swann for 13 off 61, and Australia had lost half their side for 134, still 281 away from making England bat again. Steven Smith (38), Brad Haddin (55) and Peter Siddle (40) resisted as best as they could, but you can't win Test matches with a first innings score of 98. Ben Hilfenhaus became Matt Prior's 7th catch of the match as Australia were all out for 258. England triumphed by a remarkable margin of an innings and 157 runs, and with only one Test left, ensured that they couldn't lose the Ashes.

 

The numbers tell the story - Australia's 98 was their lowest score against England since 1877. Matt Prior took six catches in that disastrous first innings. This was the first time in history Australia lost two home Tests by an innings. It was also their 8th worst Test defeat of all time. Ricky Ponting, already under fire for Australia's poor showing and his own bad form, brought even more criticism upon himself for his argument with Aleem Dar. Michael Clarke failed and Mitchell Johnson's Perth form deserted him, but it was Michael Hussey's match total of 8 which spoke the loudest. England passed 500 for the third time, with Australia's highest score this series being only 481. Paul Collingwood's bad form remained the only blemish on England's game, but such a dominating, crushing victory - and the result that the Ashes were well and truly out of Australia's reach - made this England's game through and through. With the Sydney Test left, all that remained was for them to take the series. 

German Courts: Employers Have a Right to Mandate Personal Grooming Habits

German bosses will now have more rights to determine the personal grooming habits of their employees after a recent state Labor Court ruling in North Rhine-Westphalia. The ruling was about an airport security firm’s strict guidelines, but will have implications for all of the companies in the state.

 

The issue?

 

 

 

For women, the main issues were fingernail length and bras. The ruling now allows bosses to force women to cut their fingernails to less than half and a centimeter and gives bosses the authority to ask their female employees to wear bras. An undershirt could be worn in lieu of a bra. The bras must be flesh-colored or neutral enough so that they can’t be seen through shirts. (I’m assuming that topless workers at most kinds of companies are not ok, either.)

 

German men were affected as well by the unusual ruling and now have to watch that their facial hair doesn’t reach Grizzly Adams lengths as bosses now have the authority to enforce regulations about beard and moustache lengths.

 

German employees shouldn’t worry too much, however, because not all of their rights have been taken away---German workers still have the right to choose whatever hair color they want and still have the ability to paint their fingernails and toenails in whatever shade happens to strike their fancy.

 

I think I’m more conservative than most on the whole bra issue and would tend to agree with the court; I’m usually all in favor of getting the girls out, but there’s definitely got to be a time and a place. The fingernails aren’t as issue for me either, but I know several women who live and die by their God-given right to have long and/or fake (I know, I know, I don’t like them either) fingernails and I don’t really see a fingernail length can be that standardized.

 

As for men’s beards, I think the court should have gone one step further and included regulations about eye brow length (seriously, what’s the deal with some men and their rogue eye brows) and nose hair trimming. If some guy is going to deal with the public, he needs to have the basics of personal grooming down, which means that rogue hairs are definitely out.

 

Perhaps the court should have included some dental regulations as well. No lettuce in the teeth or something like that.  (Since I don’t know German, I can’t check the original ruling. For all I know, there was an actual lettuce amendment in the ruling and it just didn't get translated correctly.)

 

Image by Will Palmer.

2010 Ashes, Third Test Review

Australia aren't a team used to being bruised and battered, and when you're at the bottom, the only way is up. Going into Perth, England led the series 1-0, and Ricky Ponting's men needed to win the remaining three games to claim the series and win the Ashes back from England, since a series draw would leave the urn with the old menu. There was a time when three wins out of three would have been an underachievement for the Australian team. After being outmaneuvered in Brisbane and demolished in in Adelaide, this was not that Australian team.

 

 

 

 

The Adelaide demolition prompted four changes in the Australian team, with Mitchell Johnson given another chance after Xavier Doherty's less-than-impressive debut. England bid goodbye to Stuart Broad (side strain) and replaced him with Chris Tremlett. It turned out to be a good move, as he, Steven Finn and James Anderson reduced Australia to 69/5. It fell to Michael Hussey (61) & Brad Haddin (53), again, to dig their team out of a hole, which they did - but they didn't do it by themselves. Johnson, under pressure for his failure in Brisbane, responded with a tough 62, aided by Peter Siddle's unbeaten 35, as Australia propped themselves up to 268 all out.

 

England started well, Andrew Strauss making a composed half-century, and Alistair Cook 32, before Australia struck back. 78 for none became 98 for 5, four of those wickets going to Mitchell Johnson for just 7 runs. Ian Bell resisted the attack with a half-century of his own, by Ryan Harris claimed three wickets (and Johnson one more) to knock England out for 187, giving the home team a precious lead of 81.

 

It wasn't easy going for Australia the second time around, losing Ricky Ponting (1) and Michael Clarke (20) cheaply again. With his team at 64/3, Shane Watson crafted his way to 95, denied a hundred by Chris Tremlett. 177 for 4 could have been tricky, but Michael Hussey saved Australia again. No one would deny him his second century of the series. His 116, along with Steven Smith's 36, took Australia over 300, Graeme Swann conceding 51 from his wicketless 9 overs. England would quickly mop up the rest of the innings, with Tremlett claiming 5 wickets, but Australia had set a target of 390.

 

This time, there was to be no good start for England. Mitchell Johnson, Ryan Harris and Ben Hilfenhaus came together to spank England like it was 2006 all over again. Jonathan Trott's 31 was England's highest score of the innings, with no one else passing 20. Harris claimed six wickets in the innings (bringing his match tally to 9) and Johnson accounted for 3 (for a match haul of 9). England crumbled to 123 all out, and Australia won by 267 runs.

 

Well. After being written out of contention, Australia - and in particular, Mitchell Johnson - roared back, reminding England of their penchant for never, ever giving up. Neutralized in Brisbane and dropped for Adelaide, Johnson took the Man of the Match award for his half-century and nine wickets. Ricky Ponting's form remained a concern, not least because he injured his finger while fielding. Michael Clarke's combined score of 24 was another headache for the selectors. England's bowling was its only positive, holding Australia to two manageable scores - but that their batsmen failed to pass 200 in either innings means that their hold on the Ashes urn has slipped.

 

The Bulls' Revenge: 48 Idiots

The Score: Bulls 48, Zero Humans, 0.

Some people are just out of their minds loco sick. They find amusement in the torturing of innocent animals. These are dumb human jackasses, who somehow think that bullfighting is a manly sport..

Item from the Associated Press --"Forty eight people have been injured by bulls during a week long bullfighting festival in Colombia. Warning: Graphic video." See the video.

Where should I begin? Bullfighting? The taunting and the torturing of animals! And for what? For what good reason? No good or sane reason. Forty eight very inhumane human beings, pure idiots all, went into the bull ring to fight? Fight? The bulls had a couple of spears stuck in their backs? Those forty eight injured men went into the ring to torment the bulls! Those forty eight stupid people got their sick and stupid butts kicked and slammed around by the bulls.

God save the bulls.

Bullfighting is no sport, no test of manly courage. It is animal cruelty. The bulls in that Columbia arena got a little pay back

Again: God save the bulls.

Russell Brand and Recycled Comedy

Russell Brand is a pretty face. Well, in the sorta way one might find Marc Bolan a fine specimen. They’re both all disheveled British brilliance in drastically different ways.

But up until a recent appearance on Conan, I was under the impression that the one time television presenter (that’s a Britishism) was just a celebrity in the same way Lindsay Lohan was or is. It turned out, though, that Brand’s ridiculously quick witted and almost constantly funny. So, the guy getting sacked for a prank phone call a few years back seems like a bit much.

In his The World According To Russell Brand, the film’s focus gets into a story about trying to sleep with Mila Kunis, but having a difficult time of it seeing as he’s not too famous Stateside. Well, that and Macaulay. Despite Brand’s few roles in American films, he’s remained something of a wonder here, not necessarily infiltrating the ritzy Hollywood cognoscenti in the way other rather dashing Brits have in the past. Even marrying that singer hasn’t done too much. Whatever.

The World According to… isn’t set to help matters much.

Being a relative new comer to the guy’s schtick, it was pretty disappointing to discover that the film was ostensibly soldered together portions of his various other routines and what appear to be some snippets from the show he hosted. I should have figured that from it's sub-title, though, huh?

Two weird things, though.

First, Brand’s background for that television show look like were sets from SNL episodes dating back to 1987 or so. Secondly, the comedian owns a ridiculous amount of black clothing and cowboy boots. Perhaps more bizarrely, he pulls it off – again in that sloppy, who cares Bolan kinda way.

Apart from his run at stand up domination, which didn’t go too well. I still choose Ricky Gervias if we’re divvying up Brits. The recent film roles Brand’s landed haven’t shot him through to another level of stardom as of yet either.

And while in 2011 the guy’s slated to appear in at least three features, two of them are remakes. Arthur, where Brand’ll take over Dudley Moore’s role, seems like a good fit. But Drop Dead Fred. Even if Hollywood’s scrambling to re-do every movie from the preceding twenty or thirty years, there’s a better one out there than Fred. We’ll see, though, if Brand’s blatant pandering’s going to make him as big a star here as he was in the UK.

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