Pen-sketches of Canada squad

Published March 12, 2007

BRIDGETOWN, March 11: Pen pix of Canada's World Cup squad:

John Davison (RHB/OB/captain). Age: 36. ODI appearances: 22. Debut: v Bangladesh, Durban, Feb 11, 2003. He is the backbone of Canadian cricket after learning his early skills in Australia where he played grade cricket in Melbourne. A hard-hitting middle-order batsman and off-spinner.

Career: 612 runs (ave 29.14), HS 111, 1 100, 4 50s, 10 catches, 29 wkts (ave 24.34), BB 3-15.

Ashish Bagai (RHB/WK). Age: 25. ODI appearances: 26. Debut: v Bangladesh, Durban, Feb 11, 2003. The India-born is a small, tidy wicket-keeper and a good batsman. Was man of the tournament at the recent World Cricket League in Kenya.

Career: 710 runs (ave 32.27), HS 137*, 2 100s, 4 50s, 35 dismissals 30 catches and 5 stumpings).

Geoff Barnett (LHB). Age: 23. ODI appearances: 6. Debut: v Zimbanwe, Port-of-Spain, May 16, 2006. Qualified to play for Canada because his mother was born there but he lives and plays first-class cricket in New Zealand for Central Dstricts. Gladly accepted an offer to play the World Cup for Canada.

Career: 126 runs (ave 21, 00), HS 77, 1 50, 4 catches.

Umar Bhatti (LHB/LM). Age: 23. ODI appearances: 13. Debut: v Zimbabwe, Port-of-Spain, May 16, 2006. The Pakistan-born made it to the World Cup because the team badly needed a left-arm seamer to balance the attack.

Career: 101 runs (ave 14.42), HS 22*, 3 catches, 12 wkts (ave 37.58), BB 4-45, 4w 1.

Ian Billcliff (RHB/RM). Age: 34. ODI appearances: 10. Debut: v Bangladesh, Durban, Feb 11, 2003. He learnt his cricket in New Zealand playing for Otago. A hard-hitting batsman, he represented the Kiwi under-19 team before accepting an invitation to play for Canada.

Career: 348 runs (ave 34.80), HS 93, 3 50s, 2 catches.

Desmond Chumney (RHB/OB). Age: 39. ODI appearances: 20. Debut: v Bangladesh, Durban, Feb 11, 2003. The West Indian-born player is a regular feature in the Canadian team as a hard-hitting batsman. A surprise inclusion for the World Cup after many believed the 39-year-old's career was over.

Career: 370 runs (ave 19.47), HS 48, 2 catches.

Austin Codrington (RHB/RM). Age: 31. ODI appearances: 9. Debut: v Bangladesh, Durban, Feb 11, 2003. Another regular with the Canadians since 2000, he bowls fast-medium with an open-chested action and is known for big hitting lower in the order.

Career: 47 runs (ave 5.87), HS 16, 10 wkts (ave 26.50), BB 5-27, 4w 1.

George Codrington (RHB/RMF). Age: 40. ODI appearances: 16. Debut: v Bermuda, Port-of-Spain, May 17, 2006. One of the few home-grown players in the Canadian team and the only 40-year-old alongside team-mate Anderson Cummins to play in the World Cup.

Career: 228 runs (ave 19.00), HS 45*, 5 catches, 15 wkts (ave 33.80), BB 4-33, 4w 1.

Anderson Cummins (RHB/RFM). Age: 40. ODI appearances: 73. Debut: for West Indies v Pakistan, Karachi, Nov 20, 1991. The former West Indian fast bowler made it to the World Cup at the ripe old age of 40 despite poor form with the ball. Probably the experience of Caribbean conditions helped his inclusion.

Career: 476 runs (ave 13.60), HS 44*, 14 catches, 89 wkts (ave 30.65), BB 5-43, 4w 3.

Sunil Dhaniram (LHB/SLA). Age: 38. ODI appearances: 18. Debut: v Zimbabwe, Port-of-Spain, May 16, 2006. A former first-class cricketer in the West Indies chose to play for Canada in 2004. A useful all-rounder.

Career: 326 runs (ave 20.63), HS 63, 2 50s, 4 catches, 24 wkts (ave 21.54), BB 4-10, 4w 1.

Ashif Mulla (RHB/WK). Age: 26. ODI appearances: 12. Debut: v Netherlands, Potchefstroom, Nov 26, 2006. The India-born Mulla is the reserve wicket-keeper of the team but may get a chance to play as a batsman where he has a top score of 48.

Career: 285 runs (ave 23.75), HS 48, 7 dismissals (5 catches and 2 stumpings).

Henry Osinde (RHB/RMF). Age: 28. ODI appearances: 17. Debut: v Zimbabwe, Port-of-Spain, May 16, 2006. The fast bowler was born and raised in Uganda before he migrated to Canada in 2000 and soon found himself playing weekend cricket.

Career: 24 runs (ave 4.80), HS 11*, 3 catches, 24 wkts (ave 27.37), BB 4-33, 4w 1.

Qaiser Ali (RHB/OB). Age: 28. ODI appearances: 11. Debut: v Kenya, Toronto, Aug 5, 2006. The Pakistan-born bats in the middle order and bowls off-spin.

Career: 189 runs (ave 18.90), HS 70, 2 50s, 2 catches.

Abdool Samad (RHB/OB). Age: 27. ODI appearances: 16. Debut: v New Zealand, Benoni, March 3, 2003. The Guyanese-born rose from the ranks in Canada and debuted for the senior team in 2000. He bowls seam, off-spin and also keeps wickets.

Career: 434 runs (28.93), HS 83, 2 50s, 5 catches, 3 wkts (ave 37.66), BB 1-8.

Kevin Sandher (RHB/SLA). Age: 26. ODI appearances: 13. Debut: v Zimbabwe, Port-of-Spain, May 16, 2006. The slow left-armer made his debut for Canada as a 19-year-old in 2001. Played in the under-19 World Cup in 2001 and has been a regular in the national side since then.

Career: 32 runs (ave 8.00), HS 12, 1 catch, 14 wkts (ave 32.21), BB 3-24.—AFP

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