AS we approach the end of our World Cup form assessment, it is time now to take a look at teams that are not likely to start out as pre-tournament favourites. We have already gone through Australia, South Africa and Pakistan teams that will not surprise anyone if they go on to take the Cup. Today, we have on agenda teams that will surprise everyone if they make it big in South Africa.
In doing so, we will leave out six teams — three from each group — for they have practically no chance at all even after taking into account the famous and glorious uncertainties of the game of cricket. The teams, as everyone would have guessed by now, are Bangladesh, Kenya and Canada in one group, and Zimbabwe, Netherlands and Namibia in the other.
Without disrespect to any of these teams, I must say that while the uncertainties of cricket are glorious, they are not ridiculous. Any of these teams can have a wonderful day against its more fancied rivals — like the Kenyans had it against the West Indians, and the Bangladeshis had it against the Pakistanis in previous editions of the World Cup — but for them to go all the way will be the biggest fluke in sporting history. And only the foolhardy punter would be putting his money on such a thing happening. And I am neither foolhardy, nor a punter, so I will leave it at that.
Sri Lanka, West Indies and New Zealand are bunched together alongside the South Africans, and are likely to have a three-way fight for the second spot in the group to qualify to the knock-out stage behind the hosts. It really pains me to say that, of the three, the West Indians appear to have the least chance of moving ahead.
In Brian Lara, Shivranine Chanderpaul, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Carl Hooper, Chris Gayle and Wavel Hinds, they have the batting to make a fight of it, but their bowling is nothing much to talk about. In recent times, Mervyn Dillon is the only bowler who has been able to make an impression, but others are not up to the mark. Guys like Pedro Collins and Adam Sanford, frankly speaking, are single-track pushers who wait for the batsman to make a mistake rather than forcing him into making one.
With Muttiah Muralitharan in their fold, the Sri Lankans definitely have the capacity to move ahead. They do have the batting prowess with the likes of the explosive Sanath Jayasuriya, the serene Marvan Atapattu, the skillful Mahela Jayawardene, and the experienced Arvinda de Salva who will be backed up by the likes of Russel Arnold. Their bowlers try to bowl within themselves and their fielders are never afraid of throwing themselves around. Put them all together, and you have a side to watch out for. The team’s recent form, however, must have dampened the spirit of the boys.
In the last few seasons, Stephen Fleming has done a good job of turning things around for the New Zealand Black Caps. At the World Cup, they would need a fully fit Chris Cairns and an in-form Daniel Vettori to make things happen in their favour. If they have these two guns firing effectively, they will give a tough time even to the South Africans. Nathan Astle, Lou Vincent, Craig McMillan and Shane Bond, all have the capacity to take their opponents head on, and under Fleming, the team has a sense of self-belief that has not always been the hallmark of New Zealand sides.
As things stand today, who will graduate to the next stage from this group behind South Africa will largely depend on New Zealand’s and Sri Lanka’s matches against the West Indies.
AS we approach the end of our World Cup form assessment, it is time now to take a look at teams that are not likely to start out as pre-tournament favourites. We have already gone through Australia, South Africa and Pakistan teams that will not surprise anyone if they go on to take the Cup. Today, we have on agenda teams that will surprise everyone if they make it big in South Africa.
