Matt 1ICC Champions Trophy Preview
October 14th 2006 04:48
By- Chris John Abbott
With the ICC Champions Trophy qualifiers under way the big guns of cricket are preparing for the second biggest ODI prize on offer.
The tournament being held in India is currently the only trophy to elude the Australians, who have dominated international cricket over the last decade. The West Indies are current champions after their dramatic win over England in the final of the last championship.
Sri Lanka plays the West Indies today (14/10/06) in the final qualifier for the group stages with both nations having already made the tournament with top spot up for grabs. Top spot would guarantee avoiding Australia, India and England who lie wait in Group One and both teams would be keen to avoid what looms as the group of death.
AUSTRALIA.
Australia coached by John Buchanan are the current top ranked ODI team and are holders of the World Cup and will be firm favorites to iron out the failures of previous Champions Trophy performances when they take on the second placed qualifier (West Indies/Sri Lanka) on Wednesday 18/10.
Australia captained by Ricky Ponting have match winners throughout their squad and will be buoyed by the competitive return of veteran Glenn McGrath who has shouldered the major responsibilities of Australia’s pace attack for many years.
Player to watch for: Mike Hussey. Having only recently made the Australian team after years of apprenticeship the left hander has exploded on to the International scene and enjoys healthy averages in both ODI and Test Match cricket. The natural successor to Michael Bevan.
X-Factor: Andrew Symonds. “Roy” as he is known to team mates has the potential to accelerate or finish an innings in the blink of an eye. Scores freely on both sides of the wicket, whilst also tying up an end with the ball and posing a deadly threat in the field.
INDIA.
India will be hard to beat at this year’s tournament boasting a talented squad and carrying arguably the world’s best batsman in Sachin Tendulkar. India is hosting the Trophy and will be backed by fanatical support in the sub continent country.
Coached by Greg Chappell India are currently ranked 5th in ODI standings and will be looking to prove that they are closer to Australia than the records suggest.
Player to watch for: Sachin Tendulkar. Easily India’s best player a natural cricketer who oozes class and rarely fails to post a meaningful score. If the little master fires expect to see India in the final stages.
X-Factor: Virender Sehwag. Sehwag has struggled in recent performances most noticeably in the warm up tournament in Malaysia were he failed to post a big innings. He remains a player of top quality and the one man who on his day will not take mercy on any bowling attack. A very exciting batsman.
ENGLAND.
England’s ODI ranking of eight is not a fair representation of the talent at their disposal. Flintoff, Pietersen and Strauss all have healthy averages and make runs at a very competitive strike rate.
England’s only question will come in the form of depth of talent. Players like Rikki Clarke, Jamie Dalrympie and Edmund Joyce all need to prove they belong at this level. England is coached by Duncan Fletcher.
Player to watch for: Andrew Flintoff. Flintoff is one of cricket’s superstars, strapping build, good looks with a liking for taking opponents apart be it with ball in hand or bat.
X-Factor: Kevin Pietersen. If Pietersen fires, this tournament will be much the better for it. A stroke player or capable of brute strength, he appears able to adapt his batting style to match the conditions or state of the contest. A player with the cricketing world at his feet.
SOUTH AFRICA.
The South Africans have been in decline in recent times and face a real fight to hold on to their 2nd place ODI ranking. Their preparation has been overshadowed by the police investigation into match fixing involving Herschelle Gibbs.
Coach Mickey Arthur has remained faithful to most of the players who appeared at the last tournament and the team is still brimming with talent. Inaugural winners of the Champions Trophy in 1998.
Player to watch for: Andre Nel. Nel is not the best player nor the most devastating but he is a worthy choice alone for his pantomime performances out in the middle whether it be celebrating a good haul or issuing death stares, Nel is as entertaining as he is effective. South Africa will need him to be at his best, or worst pending individual opinion.
X-Factor: Graeme Smith. Smith is an irresistible talent when in top form. Is able to dominate to a greater extent than Kallis even if not as consistent. A man who gives confidence to the rest of the squad. A very important cog in South Africa’s gears.
PAKISTAN.
With out Inzamam Ul Haq Pakistan are very much outsiders to reach the knock out stage of this year’s tournament. Pakistan has been embroiled in controversy following their sensational disqualification in the final Test against England after failing to take the field after accusations of ball tampering.
Younis Khan has taken the reigns of captain after Yousuf refused the duties, which increased speculation that team spirit is not at optimum ahead of the Trophy. Coached by Bob Woolmer, Pakistan is ranked third in ODI rankings.
Player to watch for: Shoaib Akhtar. Akhtar is a world class bowler, and a genuine threat to any line up in world cricket. His smooth bowling action generates raw pace and his excellent control of line and length coupled with express pace means the Rawalpindi Express will be geared for action.
X-Factor: Mohammad Yousuf. Yousuf has come under criticism for knocking back captaincy but will still be integral to Pakistan’s success. He is an elegant stroke maker who is capable of posting centuries, and big ones.
NEW ZEALAND.
New Zealand is often the forgotten team of International cricket. A talent filled squad with proud sporting tradition and a history of success in the Champions Trophy after winning the 2000 competition.
Coach John Bracewell has instilled a never say die attitude to his team and it stands to reason that New Zealand will be around in the final reckonings of this years Trophy. The only question is whether they have that final touch of class to topple the world’s best all at once. ODI Ranking: 4.
Player to watch for: Stephen Fleming. Not only does he look like James Bond, but he has the style and elegance to match. A true gentleman of the sport, Fleming is a well respected cricketer who regularly performs at the highest level.
X-Factor: Daniel Vettori. Still has to be Vettori who at 27 seems a veteran of this New Zealand team. Unflappable left arm spin bowler who can also pose a problem with the bat. Definitely a mainstay of this New Zealand team.
WEST INDIES.
The Calypso kings will be back again to shake up the Champions Trophy and the islanders look in good touch early on. Ranked at 7th in the ODI standings the Windies won’t be tipped to repeat their shock triumph of 2004 but certainly provide their fair share of entertainment.
Bennet King has had his work cut out molding some raw and precocious talent into a competitive outfit but with old head Brian Lara there for inspiration some of the West Indies youngsters will be ready to show the world what they are made of.
Player to watch for: Brian Lara. At 37 Brian Lara is a living legend of the sport. A batsman that truly has to be seen to be believed. Lara is the personification of timing; expect to see some trademark cover drives into the fence during the tournament.
X-Factor: Dwayne Bravo. Hard to split Bravo and Gayle for this one. In truth either could be given X-Factor status but Bravo is an athlete who delivers energy with the ball and is known for his outstanding fielding off his own bowling. Bravo has a highest score of only 62 and a batting average of 22.15. He is ready to improve on both and enter the final frontier and become a genuine all-round star of world cricket.
SRI LANKA.
Sri Lanka is former World Cup winners, so know what it takes to pre-pare for and compete in major tournaments. Coached by former Australian ODI star Tom Moody, Sri Lanka are more suited to the one day game and contain explosive talents such as Jayasuriya and Sangakkara.
With an ODI ranking 6th Sri Lanka will be keen to re-prove that they are on the cutting edge of ODI cricket. Having had to qualify for the group stage Sri Lanka is already match sharp and will be afraid of no team knowing that they have a certain spin bowler waiting in the wings.
Player to watch for: Upul Tharanga. Tharanga is in splendid form currently and is making scoring runs look as easy as waking for breakfast. Tharanga is just 21 and already has 6 centuries from 31 ODI matches with an average of 40.03 meaning if this continues, greatness awaits.
X-Factor: Muttiah Muralitharan. Supreme talent. Always liable to turn a game on it’s head. Such talent and grace have rarely if ever been seen. Muralitharan will be pivotal to Sri Lanka’s success.
With the ICC Champions Trophy qualifiers under way the big guns of cricket are preparing for the second biggest ODI prize on offer.
The tournament being held in India is currently the only trophy to elude the Australians, who have dominated international cricket over the last decade. The West Indies are current champions after their dramatic win over England in the final of the last championship.
Sri Lanka plays the West Indies today (14/10/06) in the final qualifier for the group stages with both nations having already made the tournament with top spot up for grabs. Top spot would guarantee avoiding Australia, India and England who lie wait in Group One and both teams would be keen to avoid what looms as the group of death.
AUSTRALIA.
Australia coached by John Buchanan are the current top ranked ODI team and are holders of the World Cup and will be firm favorites to iron out the failures of previous Champions Trophy performances when they take on the second placed qualifier (West Indies/Sri Lanka) on Wednesday 18/10.
Australia captained by Ricky Ponting have match winners throughout their squad and will be buoyed by the competitive return of veteran Glenn McGrath who has shouldered the major responsibilities of Australia’s pace attack for many years.
Player to watch for: Mike Hussey. Having only recently made the Australian team after years of apprenticeship the left hander has exploded on to the International scene and enjoys healthy averages in both ODI and Test Match cricket. The natural successor to Michael Bevan.
X-Factor: Andrew Symonds. “Roy” as he is known to team mates has the potential to accelerate or finish an innings in the blink of an eye. Scores freely on both sides of the wicket, whilst also tying up an end with the ball and posing a deadly threat in the field.
INDIA.
India will be hard to beat at this year’s tournament boasting a talented squad and carrying arguably the world’s best batsman in Sachin Tendulkar. India is hosting the Trophy and will be backed by fanatical support in the sub continent country.
Coached by Greg Chappell India are currently ranked 5th in ODI standings and will be looking to prove that they are closer to Australia than the records suggest.
Player to watch for: Sachin Tendulkar. Easily India’s best player a natural cricketer who oozes class and rarely fails to post a meaningful score. If the little master fires expect to see India in the final stages.
X-Factor: Virender Sehwag. Sehwag has struggled in recent performances most noticeably in the warm up tournament in Malaysia were he failed to post a big innings. He remains a player of top quality and the one man who on his day will not take mercy on any bowling attack. A very exciting batsman.
ENGLAND.
England’s ODI ranking of eight is not a fair representation of the talent at their disposal. Flintoff, Pietersen and Strauss all have healthy averages and make runs at a very competitive strike rate.
England’s only question will come in the form of depth of talent. Players like Rikki Clarke, Jamie Dalrympie and Edmund Joyce all need to prove they belong at this level. England is coached by Duncan Fletcher.
Player to watch for: Andrew Flintoff. Flintoff is one of cricket’s superstars, strapping build, good looks with a liking for taking opponents apart be it with ball in hand or bat.
X-Factor: Kevin Pietersen. If Pietersen fires, this tournament will be much the better for it. A stroke player or capable of brute strength, he appears able to adapt his batting style to match the conditions or state of the contest. A player with the cricketing world at his feet.
SOUTH AFRICA.
The South Africans have been in decline in recent times and face a real fight to hold on to their 2nd place ODI ranking. Their preparation has been overshadowed by the police investigation into match fixing involving Herschelle Gibbs.
Coach Mickey Arthur has remained faithful to most of the players who appeared at the last tournament and the team is still brimming with talent. Inaugural winners of the Champions Trophy in 1998.
Player to watch for: Andre Nel. Nel is not the best player nor the most devastating but he is a worthy choice alone for his pantomime performances out in the middle whether it be celebrating a good haul or issuing death stares, Nel is as entertaining as he is effective. South Africa will need him to be at his best, or worst pending individual opinion.
X-Factor: Graeme Smith. Smith is an irresistible talent when in top form. Is able to dominate to a greater extent than Kallis even if not as consistent. A man who gives confidence to the rest of the squad. A very important cog in South Africa’s gears.
PAKISTAN.
With out Inzamam Ul Haq Pakistan are very much outsiders to reach the knock out stage of this year’s tournament. Pakistan has been embroiled in controversy following their sensational disqualification in the final Test against England after failing to take the field after accusations of ball tampering.
Younis Khan has taken the reigns of captain after Yousuf refused the duties, which increased speculation that team spirit is not at optimum ahead of the Trophy. Coached by Bob Woolmer, Pakistan is ranked third in ODI rankings.
Player to watch for: Shoaib Akhtar. Akhtar is a world class bowler, and a genuine threat to any line up in world cricket. His smooth bowling action generates raw pace and his excellent control of line and length coupled with express pace means the Rawalpindi Express will be geared for action.
X-Factor: Mohammad Yousuf. Yousuf has come under criticism for knocking back captaincy but will still be integral to Pakistan’s success. He is an elegant stroke maker who is capable of posting centuries, and big ones.
NEW ZEALAND.
New Zealand is often the forgotten team of International cricket. A talent filled squad with proud sporting tradition and a history of success in the Champions Trophy after winning the 2000 competition.
Coach John Bracewell has instilled a never say die attitude to his team and it stands to reason that New Zealand will be around in the final reckonings of this years Trophy. The only question is whether they have that final touch of class to topple the world’s best all at once. ODI Ranking: 4.
Player to watch for: Stephen Fleming. Not only does he look like James Bond, but he has the style and elegance to match. A true gentleman of the sport, Fleming is a well respected cricketer who regularly performs at the highest level.
X-Factor: Daniel Vettori. Still has to be Vettori who at 27 seems a veteran of this New Zealand team. Unflappable left arm spin bowler who can also pose a problem with the bat. Definitely a mainstay of this New Zealand team.
WEST INDIES.
The Calypso kings will be back again to shake up the Champions Trophy and the islanders look in good touch early on. Ranked at 7th in the ODI standings the Windies won’t be tipped to repeat their shock triumph of 2004 but certainly provide their fair share of entertainment.
Bennet King has had his work cut out molding some raw and precocious talent into a competitive outfit but with old head Brian Lara there for inspiration some of the West Indies youngsters will be ready to show the world what they are made of.
Player to watch for: Brian Lara. At 37 Brian Lara is a living legend of the sport. A batsman that truly has to be seen to be believed. Lara is the personification of timing; expect to see some trademark cover drives into the fence during the tournament.
X-Factor: Dwayne Bravo. Hard to split Bravo and Gayle for this one. In truth either could be given X-Factor status but Bravo is an athlete who delivers energy with the ball and is known for his outstanding fielding off his own bowling. Bravo has a highest score of only 62 and a batting average of 22.15. He is ready to improve on both and enter the final frontier and become a genuine all-round star of world cricket.
SRI LANKA.
Sri Lanka is former World Cup winners, so know what it takes to pre-pare for and compete in major tournaments. Coached by former Australian ODI star Tom Moody, Sri Lanka are more suited to the one day game and contain explosive talents such as Jayasuriya and Sangakkara.
With an ODI ranking 6th Sri Lanka will be keen to re-prove that they are on the cutting edge of ODI cricket. Having had to qualify for the group stage Sri Lanka is already match sharp and will be afraid of no team knowing that they have a certain spin bowler waiting in the wings.
Player to watch for: Upul Tharanga. Tharanga is in splendid form currently and is making scoring runs look as easy as waking for breakfast. Tharanga is just 21 and already has 6 centuries from 31 ODI matches with an average of 40.03 meaning if this continues, greatness awaits.
X-Factor: Muttiah Muralitharan. Supreme talent. Always liable to turn a game on it’s head. Such talent and grace have rarely if ever been seen. Muralitharan will be pivotal to Sri Lanka’s success.
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Comment by Tim
Comment by Anonymous
Thanks for the feed back, Australia v Wales will be a massive match. The Welsh always play with pride and having defeated us the corresponding fixture last year will be using this match as a yard stick for how they are traveling in the lead up to the 2007 World Cup. Australia has to win this one to bury the demons of last year's embarrassing European tour which cost Eddie Jones his job. I feel even though we had a disappointing Tri Nations we are a better side than 12 months ago!
Once again thanks for your comments Tim and feel free to pose a topic in the future!
Regards, Chris John Abbott.
Comment by Hugo of Mandurah
Comment by Chris John Abbott
As i predicted with my post New Zealand would be around at the end of the tournament! They are a very underated quantity in international cricket and along with Australia have been the form batting team. With Fleming in form New Zealand, have every reason to think they can topple Australia on Wednesday. I am quite sure Australia would look to bat first if given the chance as they would love first dig on that flat track. With the effort against India, Australia looked capable of scoring 300 runs which has looked a mile away for most teams in this tournament. I still think Australia will get by it won't be one-sided as the India contest.
Regards, Chris John Abbott.