2011 ICC Cricket World Cup - Sri Lanka vs. Pakistan

Sri Lanka and Pakistan go down to the wire

Barring the Netherlands/England game, the 2011 World Cup offered precious little by way of genuinely exciting matches until Sri Lanka faced Pakistan on Friday. Even the games between established sides, like South Africa vs. the West Indies and Australia vs. New Zealand, telegraphed their one-sided nature very early on. But the Sri Lanka/Pakistan gave us some of the best of what 50-over cricket has to offer, as the match went down to the final over and the final wicket.

 

 

 

 

 

Sri Lanka is always a good place to bat first, and that's what Shahid Afridi did when he won the toss. Ahmed Shezad and Mohammed Hafeez avoided the soporific start they made in the Kenya game and cashed in on some easy bowling from Nuwan Kulasekera and Tissera Perera. Shezad fell chasing a wide one from Perera for 13 (28/1), but Hafeez and Kamran Akmal kept the momentum going with boundaries. At 76/1 in just the 13th over, Muttiah Muralitharan was brought on, and Hafeez was comically run out off his first over for 32 (requiring a combination of Mahela Jayawardene, Kumar Sangakkara, Rangana Herath and Murali to effect the dismissal). Kamran Akmal threw his wicket away with an unnecessary attempted swipe off Herath for 39 (105/3), but Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq worked the singles and the gaps to ensure there would be no collapse from Pakistan. The two put on 108 together, Younis eventually falling for 72 off 76 (with just four boundaries). Shahid Afridi biffed 16 off 12, but the bigger story was Misbah finishing the innings on 83 not out, taking Pakistan to a very competitive 277/7.

 

Upul Tharanga and Tillekeratne Dilshan started well for Sri Lanka, but both were out after having made good starts (Tharanga for 33 and Dilshan for 41). The home team slipped from 76/0 to 88/2, then found themselves in big trouble as Shoaib Akhtar bowled Mahela Jayawardene, and Thilan Samaraweera was stumped off Shahid Afridi in quick succession. At 96/4, Pakistan were back in the game. Kumar Sangakkara survived a couple of missed stumpings to make 49, but fell trying to up the pace as Chamara Silva failed to get going. Silva eventually made 57, but when he and Tissara Perera fell in consecutive deliveries, the game was over for Sri Lanka. Nuwan Kulasekera threatened a rearguard assault with 24 off 14 balls, but his wicket was the final nail in Sri Lanka's coffin. They finished 11 runs short, at 266/9, with Shahid Afridi claiming 4 wickets in 10 tight overs.

 

The result might have surprised a lot of people, but this is Pakistan's 7th victory over Sri Lanka in World Cup games (despite the two not having played since the 1992 tournament). Sri Lanka might have missed Lasith Maligna's bowling services, but they were helped by some shoddy Pakistan fielding - Kamran Akmal's reputation as the worst wicket-keeper in world cricket was not helped by his glovework today (even though he stumped two batsmen). The dismissals of Mahela Jayawardene and Thilan Samaraweera turned the game around for Pakistan and put too much effort on Sri Lanka's unsteady middle order. Batting second in Sri Lanka has never been easy, but Pakistan have only themselves to blame for letting Sri Lanka get so close. The middle-over work of Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Huq was a lesson in how to use the middle overs, and Shahid Afridi now has nine wickets from two games. Pakistan reminded the world that they're still a powerful team in cricket, and Sri Lanka are now under pressure to ensure that they make no more mistakes.

 

Pakistan: 277/7 (Misbah-ul-Haq 81*, Rangana Herath 10-0-46-2) in 50 overs

Sri Lanka 266/9 (Chamara Silva 57, Shahid Afridi 10-0-34-4) in 50 overs

Pakistan win by 11 runs

Man of the Match: Shahid Afridi

 

Forfeit Not Fight: Boy Says No to Wrestling Girl

Today on the Internet is the story of Joel Northrup, the high school boy who competed in the 91-year-old Iowa wrestling tournament, that had been an all-boys event until this year. Yesterday, Thursday, young Northrup forfeited a match, rather than to wrestle a girl. Today, Friday, Northrup was knocked out of the tournament. The forfeiture hurt.

I do not fault the Northrup kid for refusing to wrestle the girl. Maybe I am 20th century. I still believe that there is a difference between boys and girls, and that boys should not wrestle girls.

Also, today, reports USA Today, the girl found her match and was eliminated from the tournament after two loses.

Item from the Associated Press -- "Iowa wrestling standout Joel Northrup refuses to face his female opponent in the state championship, saying it was against his religious beliefs. The call likely cost him the championship. But the decision seemed to be respected by his opponent." See the video.

2011 ICC Cricket World Cup Preview - Sri Lanka

Sri Lanka look to roar on their home stage

 

Sri Lanka go into the 2011 World Cup as one of the favorites, but previous tournaments have not been kind to them since their historic win in 1996. Their squad for the 2011 edition leans towards youth and the future, spreading pressure among the newer members of the team and the old hands to better their 2007 campaign, which ran into a red-hot Australian machine. But now Sri Lanka will play on their home turf, though, and will look to add to the cemetery of teams they have vanquished on their soil.

 

 

 

 

The biggest news out of Sri Lanka, even before the tournament started, was the exclusion of Chaminda Vaas and Sanath Jayasuria. While Vaas has turned into a veritable all-rounder on the English circuit, Jayasuria's stock has plummeted. Sporadic reminders of his greatness have been tempered by a consistent run of low scores, and his dream of signing his career off with another World Cup victory has been dealt a harsh kibosh.

 

Tillekeratne Dilshan has inherited Jayasuria's position and aura, and Sri Lanka will look to him for quick starts during the first Powerplay. Upul Tharanga, Mahela Jayawardene and Kumar Sangakkara will provide stability when wickets fall, but the virgin middle order will be tested. Only Angelo Mathews has shown his mettle in the face of fire; Chamaras Kapugedera & Silva have failed to swing a game in the middle overs, and Thilan Samaraweera's experience and Test-esque patience will be needed should those two fall. This will be Muttiah Muralitharan's last World Cup, and his batsmen will try that much harder to give him a total to defend. Ajantha Mendis has found the going difficult since his meteoric debut in 2008, but on the subcontinent wickets, he might yet prove deadly to the opposition.  And the way Lasith Malinga bowls, he's never worried about the type of wicket.

 

After being blitzed by Adam Gilchrist in the 2007 finals, Sri Lanka have a score to settle with Australia, and their first ever series win in Australia at the end of 2010 will serve them well (on the other hand, Australia will be screaming for vengeance). New Zealand might be a soft target, given their poor run of form and fielding mostly a young squad still trying to find its feet. Pakistan will prove a much tougher opposition, but their explosiveness could easily backfire on them. Sri Lanka struggled against Zimbabwe in 2008, and with the Africans making a much-awaited comeback to top-level cricket, the game might not be as one-sided as expected.

 

Canada have to live with the ignominy of holding the lowest score in World Cups to the Sri Lankans (36 in the 2003 tournament), and I don't expect a reversal of fortunes this time around.  Kenya conceded the (then) highest total in ODIs to Sri Lanka in 1996 (398), but got their own back in 2003, in what was a remarkable tournament for the Africans. On home soil, though, and against a more settled Sri Lankan team, Kenya will struggle to force an upset.

 

A semi-finals berth is the least the Sri Lankans can expect at the 2011 World Cup, along with Australia, India and South Africa. The going gets much tougher then, but Sri Lanka will back themselves to use the familiar conditions to their advantage. Kumar Sangakkara will look to go better than Sri Lanka's 2003 semi-final and 2007 finals' defeat (and certainly better than the 1999 first round exit). But with new blood replacing old hands, he'll have his work cut out for him. 

Yes, Ban Bullfighting

In the capitol of Mexico, Mexico City, hundreds of young people, activists, from the animal rights group, Animanaturalis, staged a graphic protest demonstration, soaking themselves in fake blood, wearing beige and black to mimic the skin of a bull, and with sticks affixed to their shoulders to look like bloodied darts, they lay with their eyes closed, role playing the part of dead bulls, to call attention to the cruelty of bullfighting, and to protest the horrible slaughter of bulls for sport? entertainment?

The protesters want lawmakers to stop the wicked torture of bulls, the inhumane practice of using the animals in games to amuse people. The young protesters are saying that bullfighting isn't a cultural issue but an animal rights concern. They are demanding the the banning of bullfighting.

Item from the Associated Press --"About 750 activists soaked in fake blood and with colorful banderilla stakes attached to their backs staged a protest Saturday demanding a ban to bullfighting in Mexico. The demonstrators are from animal-rights group AnimaNaturalis." See th video.

2011 ICC Cricket World Cup Preview - Zimbabwe

Are Zimbabwe ready to make their return?

 

The 2011 World Cup promises to be the most significant tournament for Zimbabwe since their surprise performance in 1999. Recent signs have been good that the government-imposed rot, which stunted the growth and development of the game, has receded, and with numerous former players returning to offer their coaching and training advice, the vibes coming from Zimbabwe have been better than they have been in years. Zimbabwe hope to return to the Test arena within the year, and the World Cup will be the best litmus test of their readiness to do so.

 

 

 

 

Unwittingly for them, the 2011 World Cup being held in the subcontinent might actually play in Zimbabwe's favor. The spin services of Graeme Cremer, Greg Lamb, Craig Ervine, Sean Williams and Ray Price have strangled opposition batting lineups on less friendly surfaces, and the dust and turns of the Indian subcontinent will give the foursome a lot to work with. The pace of Elton Chigumbura, Christopher Mpofu and Ed Rainsford gives Zimbabwe a surprisingly well-rounded bowling attack, and more than a few options should one of their bowlers have a bad day.

 

Poor 2010 or not, Hamilton Masakadza's exclusion from the squad could be a misstep, as Zimbabwe are not yet in a position where they can drop prominent batsmen (especially their only batsman to have two scores above 150). This puts pressure on Tatenda Taibu, Brendan Taylor and Charles Coventry, who now is unfortunately expected to score 194 or more every time he walks out to bat.

 

Given the structure of the 2011 World Cup, Zimbabwe stand a fair chance of qualifying for the quarter-finals. They shouldn't have any difficulty dealing with Canada or Kenya, having downed their fellow Africans 4-1 in October 2009. Sri Lanka will be a tougher prospect, but Zimbabwe gave them a scare despite losing 5-0 in November 2008, also registering a win over them in the 2010 tri-series tournament. The Zimbabweans won't have forgotten the humiliation of making the lowest ever score in ODIs (35) to the Sri Lankans, and will look to show the co-hosts - and the ICC - that their team has come a long way since those days.

 

Zimbabwe will target a misfiring New Zealand, who have suffered three consecutive ODI series defeats. Pakistan and Australia will be tougher challenges, but Zimbabwe will remember that they defeated the Aussies in the inaugural World Twenty20 Championships, back in 2007. That victory was a sign of changing times for the Africans - now is their chance to show it wasn't a flash in the pan.

 

Three wins will see Zimbabwe through to the quarter-finals. Assuming Canada and Kenya don't prove to be a problem, Zimbabwe will play like hell in their game against New Zealand to force an upset. Quarter-final qualification (and beating a Full Member team like New Zealand) may be the most Zimbabwe can hope for in this World Cup, but it might convince the powers that be at the ICC that Zimbabwe are ready for Test status. If that's the case, then the 2015 World Cup might be the stage for Zimbabwe to really announce their return to top-tier competition. Their journey back from exile started a few years ago, but this is Zimbabwe's chance to show the world how far they've come. 

2011 ICC Cricket World Cup Preview - Pakistan

Pakistan look to put history and controversy behind them

 

Pakistan are a team that never make things easy on themselves. Going into the 2011 World Cup, their preparation has been comic, like not naming a captain until two weeks before the tournament, and tragic, with the news that the trio of players suspected of spot-fixing have been charged by legal authorities in the United Kingdom. Whether that will distract Pakistan, or the fact that they won't be playing any home games in front of their own fans, remains to be seen; but if there's ever been a team that can win from such adversarial circumstances, it's Pakistan.

 

 

 

 

Even with three frontline players barred from playing, Pakistan certainly have the manpower to go far in this World Cup. Shahid Afridi has been at his devastating best in New Zealand, tearing and traumatizing opposition bowling attacks like he did when he made his debut at 16. Fortunately for Pakistan, age and the captaincy have matured his approach a tad, but he's still capable of blasting a match-winning half-century out of nowhere one game, and being out first ball the next. He'll look to Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan to provide some balance in what can be a brittle batting order. Kamran Akmal may still be the worst wicket-keeper in the world, but his batting will prove very useful. Pakistan will undoubtedly miss Mohammed Aamir and Mohammed Asif, but they'll breathe easy knowing Shoahib Akhtar and Abdul Razzaq still have what it takes to cut through opposition lineups, supported ably by Wahab Riaz and Sohail Tanvir.

 

The legal and administrative controversies - and that they won't have the honor of playing in front of their home fans - will undoubtedly be at the back of the players' minds, but the series victory against New Zealand will give Pakistan a good dose of momentum going into Group A. They'll look to replicate that success when they face the Kiwis in Kandy. The rest of the group is slightly more open; Australia's new look team will undergo a trial by fire, but the series victory over England will boost them - and despite a change in fortunes, Australia are never a team that you want to underestimate. Sri Lanka will be nigh impossible to beat at home, but it has been done before. Pakistan would back themselves to beat Zimbabwe, but stronger teams have fallen prey to their army of spinners. Canada and Kenya shouldn't prove too much of a problem - but the West Indies probably thought Kenya wouldn't be a problem back in 1996.

 

The change in structure of this world cup has ensured that Pakistan should qualify for the quarter-finals, even if they lose half their group games. That may be a given, given the presence of three ostensibly weaker teams in Group A, but I think Pakistan can realistically think of the semi-finals. They're playing good cricket; and they, more than any other team in world cricket, have that magical 'X' factor that helps them win games when the odds are against them. It took them to victory in the 1992 World Cup, and it helped them win the 2009 ICC World Twenty20 a few months after their 2011 World Cup hosting rights were stripped. And after being humiliated by Australia in the 1999 finals, being eliminated in the first round in 2007, and losing their home games in the 2011 tournament, the cornered tigers have a lot of unfinished business.

2011 ICC Cricket World Cup Preview - Ireland & the Netherlands

Cricket's underdogs look to make their mark

 

 

Making the big leagues is always important for the Associates, but the 2011 World Cup will be the last chance they get to impress; there won't be any Associates taking part in the 2015 tournament. There are advantages - reducing the length of the tournament and avoiding meaningless massacres - but it raises the glass ceiling between Associate and Full Members considerably. With the two best Associate teams in the same group of the 2011 World Cup, they will both play out of their skins to ensure the 2015 World Cup isn't off-limits. 

 

 

 

 

The Netherlands have been the perennial underachievers. Their performances have been commendable (and sometimes flattering), but aside from one memorable night - and at that, in the Twenty20 format - they've failed to make any significant upsets on the big stage. The Netherlands certainly have the players to make a fist of it: Ryan ten Doeschate, Alexei Kervezee and Tom Cooper will bring their experience and skill from the English and Australian domestic sides. Peter Borren was part of the team that famously beat England in the first game of the 2009 World Twenty20 Championships, and his team might fancy their chances against a bruised and weary England again.

 

 

 

Ireland caused many jaws to drop when they qualified for the second round of the 2007 World Cup on their first try. It's been a tough road for them since then, having enjoyed victory in the Twenty20 arena more than their ODI outings. Losing Eoin Morgan robbed them of a truly world-class player, but they still have the services of William Porterfied, Trent Johnston and Boyd Ranking - the same men who famously downed Pakistan and Bangladesh in 2007. With Associates not being invited to the 2015 World Cup, Ireland will look to make their last foreseeable World Cup appearance count.

 

 

 

 

The last time South Africa and the Netherlands crossed paths, Herschelle Gibbs took Daan van Bunge for six consecutive 6s. Ireland can cross their fingers against India, having surprised Pakistan in '07, but I daresay both Associates will be looking at Bangladesh, the West Indies, and possibly England, as weak teams in Group B. Ireland dropped Bangladesh in the 2007 World Cup and the 2009 World Twenty20, and the West Indies were weak enough to have slumped against Zimbabwe last year. England's players will be dealing with niggling injuries, a long tour and a smarting ODI series loss against Australia, and this might provide enough chinks in the armor for Ireland and the Netherlands to slip through.

 

Ireland captivated the hearts of cricket lovers the world over (except Pakistan) with their fairy-tale run in 2007, but the door is ostensibly closed to them for 2015. Associates are always under pressure to justify their presence on the big stage, and this goes double for an up-and-coming team like Ireland. The Netherlands, for all their talent and persistence, don't have history on their side, and will probably have to settle for a first-round elimination. The Irish can optimistically think of a quarter-finals berth, and that's the most they can hope for this time around. They'll have to hope it lasts them for a while. 

2011 ICC Cricket World Cup Preview - West Indies

A new captain and a new future for the West Indies?

 

The 1983 World Cup final changed the cricketing landscape, as an upset win saw India become one of the elite teams in the world, at the expense of two-time winners the West Indies. Since then, India have constantly been among the top three cricketing nations, and the West Indies have had to fight for scraps at the bottom of the international rankings. But with a new captain and some talented young players, the Windies will look to make 2011 their year.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The West Indies are currently playing an ODI series against Sri Lanka, and while you'd think this would be ideal World Cup preparation, it's not; unseasonably heavy rainfall has robbed the team of much vital time in the middle, and in the just-completed ODI in Colombo, Darren Sammy's team made just 203, losing by eight wickets.

 

Given the group the West Indies are in for the World Cup, this doesn't bode well for them; the fact that they let the Sri Lankans make 199 for just the loss of two wickets won't help their bowler's confidence, either. Sammy will put his trust in Nikita Miller and Suleiman Benn's left-arm spin to work its magic on the turning wickets of the subcontinent. Sammy's own pace bowling, supported by Kemar Roach, will serve more to soften the ball (and possibly the opposition) for Benn and Miller to do their work, but the absence of Jerome Taylor and Fidel Edwards as additional bowling options will hurt.

 

The batting looks better, but only just. Chris Gayle smashed 333 against Sri Lanka in the first Test of the interrupted West Indian tour, but was on the receiving end of a 5-0 whitewash from South Africa in May, where he averaged just 25.60, with no 50s or centuries. Kieron Pollard set scoreboards on fire with his batting in the Australian Twenty20 Big Bash, but made only 4 and 4 in the two games against Sri Lanka. When on song, those two - or even one of them - can dismantle opposition bowling attacks, or engineer remarkable come-from-behind run chases. Unfortunately for the West Indies, Pollard and Gayle appear to be out of tune.

 

Their company in Group B doesn't allow them much room for error. It'd be easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than to beat South Africa, and Sammy's best hope is that Suleiman Benn and Nikita Miller can cause some trouble for a South African lineup that doesn't play much spin. India won't have any such trouble, so the pressure then falls on Sammy, Roach and the uncapped Andre Russell. England are coming off a hard tour of Australia, and they might be caught on the wrong foot by an inspired spell of fast bowling and a Chris Gayle assault. Ireland and the Netherlands offer stiff challenges, but their inexperience and relatively weaker skill will work against them. The Windies can expect to qualify for the quarter-finals, but against the probable leaders of Group A (Australia, Sri Lanka and Pakistan), the semi-finals might prove a spot too far. 

 

1983 should have completed a hat-trick of World Cup victories for the West Indies, but the ascendancy of India started the decline of a team that dominated world cricket. Since then, the Windies have made the semi-finals only once, in 1996, where they collapsed to Shane Warne and Glenn McGrath (and famously lost 8 wickets for 37 runs). Darren Sammy taking over the captaincy from the lackadaisical Chris Gayle hopefully means the revival of the West Indian fortunes, and the World Cup might be the right stage for it. But they're going to have a hell of a fight on their hands. 

2011 ICC Cricket World Cup Preview - South Africa

Can South Africa bury their World Cup ghosts?

 

Your heart just breaks when you think about South Africa at the World Cup. They're talented; they're likable; they've got a feel-good story; and nine times out of ten, you'd back them to win. That other one time has always happened at the World Cup, and South Africa will look at the 2011 tournament to break a jinx that has haunted them since their return to international cricket in 1991.

 

 

 

 

 

 

South Africa held the edge over India in their just-concluded bilateral series, and this momentum will help them as they head to the subcontinent. Once there, though, it's going to be a whole different ball game, and South Africa will remember that when they toured India in 2009-2010, it was India who held the edge. Still, South Africa have long been one of the best teams in the world, and playing in foreign conditions or not, they will back themselves to go far in the World Cup. How far they go is another question entirely.

 

On paper, South Africa are the team to beat in the World Cup. Graeme Smith, AB de Villiers and Hashim Amla tear through bowling attacks like a whale going through a school of plankton. Jacques Kallis remains the best allrounder in the world today. Subcontinent wickets or no, Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel are the best new-ball pair in the game, and can easily shatter a batting lineup before Robin Peterson (and debutant Imran Tahir) are called on to make the most of the turning pitches. Jean-Paul Duminy's star has fallen since his storming debut, and he might - might - be the only weakness in an otherwise impenetrable combination. Herschelle Gibbs' time may have passed, but his indomitable presence will surely be missed.

 

South Africa vie with India for being the strongest team in Group B. They should have no problem dealing with Ireland and the Netherlands, and it's hard to imagine the West Indies overcoming them (especially after drubbing them 5-0 in 2010). England might pose a challenge, but a spate of injuries and wear and tear after a tough Australian tour is not the ideal preparation for facing a team like South Africa. India vs. South Africa is scheduled for March 12th, and the only thing that could influence that match are how the two teams performed in the games before it. Otherwise, it's a case of your immovable object meeting your irresistible force.

 

In 1992, they fell victim to a cruel rain rule that robbed them of a finals berth. In 1996, they peaked too early and were eliminated by a Brian Lara masterclass. Then came Edgbaston in 1999 and the beginning of the "chokers" tag - which, despite all their talents and their victories, South Africa have never been able to shake. In 2003 was the Duckworth/Lewis miscalculation, which sent them home early from their own tournament, and they were decimated by the Australian machine in 2007. A new crop of South Africans will go to India to do what their heroes and mentors came so close to doing so many times, but they will have the curse of history to beat  first. 

2011 ICC Cricket World Cup Preview - England

Has England's winning formula run out of steam?

 

England have often found themselves the laughing stock at recent global tournaments, often failing to make any significant impact and crashing out in the second - and sometimes even the first - stage. All that changed in 2010, when they secured their first piece of ICC gold, beating arch-rivals Australia in the World Twenty20 Championship. With the victory came a new breath of life for the much maligned England ODI squad, and Andrew Strauss has his eyes firmly set on adding to England's trophy cabinet.

 

 

 

 

 

Winning the Ashes 3-1 should have been the perfect springboard to take England to the World Cup, but their focus came crashing to the ground after a series loss to Australia, and a number of key players sustaining injuries during the grueling Australian tour. Jonathan Trott's form has been exemplary, but Paul Collingwood's has not; Matt Prior is yet to find his groove as Andrew Strauss' opening partner, and Kevin Pietersen and Eoin Morgan have been unable to establish themselves in the middle order. England's one-day bowlers were given a working over by the Australians. Stuart Broad and Graeme Swann both left the tour to recover from injury, and on the slow and low subcontinent pitches, Swann's presence will be a gamechanger for England.

 

England's first five World Cup campaigns were largely respectable, finishing in the semi-finals or as runners up; but after 1992's finals loss to Pakistan, their were relegated to pushover status, floundering in the four tournaments afterwards. It was only when Andy Flower's coaching and Andrew Strauss' captaincy came together than the pendulum started to shift, and series victories across the board saw the England squad reborn. Winning the World Twenty20 signaled the start of a new age for English cricket. The Ashes victory seemed to continue that, but the painful ODI series loss to Australia - and what has been a very long tour for England - has surely robbed them of vital momentum going into the World Cup.

 

England's Group B is marginally tougher than Group A, purely because the two Associate teams in their group are the two best Associates in the world. England won't forget their loss to the Netherlands in the opening game of the 2009 World Twenty20, and they will count on lightning not striking twice. They saw off a stiff Irish challenge in the 2010 World Twenty20, and Ireland will target England's rustiness and injuries in their bid to claim Full Membership. South Africa and hosts India will prove tougher challenges - India are all but impossible to beat at home, and South Africa tend to crush everything in their path. The West Indies will either combust or explode - but who can forget the Jerome Taylor-led 51 all out in Sabina Park?

 

England should consider themselves a shoo-in for the quarter-finals, and I think they've got what it takes to make the semis. They're tired, they're sore and their confidence has been knocked, but this is England's first World Cup team since 1992 that believes in itself. Nobody put money on them winning the 2010 World Twenty20, but they beat all challengers to hoist the trophy at the end of the day. The 50-over game will be a much tougher test, and England will be eager to show that their time has finally come.

Pages