Why bother

18-Feb-2003Sunday, February 23, 2003:::
Why bother?
Indian fans, it appears, are not the only ones who despair at their team’s consistency in plumbing both the highs and the lows of international cricket. At least one New Zealand cricket supporter feels the same.
Source: Nzoom.comHoggard goes out the swing door
Not so long ago, Matthew Hoggard was England’s premier swing bowler. But he has not seen any action in a World Cup in which Wasim Akram and Chaminda Vaas, among others, have been using the swinging white ball to devastating effect.
Source: The Guardian, UKOne-day greats: they’re here, but they aren’t playing
Michael Holding, Ian Botham, David Gower, Ravi Shastri, Allan Border, Vivian Richards and Kepler Wessels – just a few of the all-time greats in one-day cricket who are at the World Cup commentating on it, Trevor Chesterfield observes.
Source: The Indian Express, IndiaBarmy Army happy again
The chants of the English fans leaving Newlands on Saturday night said it all. Success against cricket’s stronger nations has been rare indeed for sport’s most enduring fans, and the drunken singing honouring the team that had beaten Pakistan most comprehensibly was as much joy at the rarity of the event, as it was at having put English chances of advancing to the Super Sixes well on track.
Source: Iafrica.comCaptain Marvel keeping the faith
Australian cricket legend Steve Waugh told Stephen Fleming to keep believing. That advice has finally paid off for the Kiwi cricket captain, as evidenced in his side’s win against South Africa.
Source: Stuff, New ZealandRead anything interesting lately? Send us the link for the CricInfo weblogs.Saturday, February 22, 2003:::
I’m not interested in sheer pace – Akhtar
I don’t know how many times I have to say it, but I’m not interested in sheer pace. At my speed, it’s all about reining it in a bit, writes Shoaib Akhtar.
Source: The Guardian, UK
World Cup dream still alive: Pollock
“The dream is still alive, the dream of going all the way, but our focus is on getting into the Super Sixes because looking further now is very dangerous,” South African skipper Shaun Pollock insisted on Friday.
Source:The Daily Times, PakistanShane Warne, flawed genius
The money, sex and drugs scandals that Shane Warne has gotten embroiled in at various stages of his famous career ensures he will be remembered as much for his chronic stupidity as for his peerless ability.
Source:The Herald Sun, Australia
Eye of a World Cup storm awaits a bolter
After a brilliant start, the World Cup has slowed and now it is a matter of watching teams struggle like crocodiles on land in desperate attempts to scramble the points needed to keep their hopes alive, observes renowned cricket writer Peter Roebuck.
Source:The Age, AustraliaWorld Cup a huge draw for crowds
With a total of 1,82,000 people attending the 14 matches and the opening ceremony in the first week of the World Cup, tournament executive director Ali Bacher is understandably very pleased.
Source:The Times of India, India
Manufacturer says tape made India’s bats too wide
The man whose company manufactures the bats that most Indian cricketers use says “that the excess width detected by the match referee (ahead of the Zimbabwe match) is due to a tape pasted over the bat.”
Source:Foxsports
Read anything interesting lately? Send us the link for the CricInfo weblogs.Friday, February 21, 2003:::
I’m below par, Donald admits
It is always a poignant moment when one realises that a cricketing icon, a childhood hero, is struggling with his game, and Allan Donald fans would have gone through quite a few of those moments during his two games in this World Cup.
Source: The Star, South AfricaCairns attacked outside night club
More than half the New Zealand cricket team were bundled into cars and rushed to safety by armed guards when star all rounder Chris Cairns was felled by a king hit outside a night club early this morning.
Source: Stuff, New ZealandIn Saurashtra, they no longer eat, drink and sleep cricket
Disappointed with the performance of Indian cricket team at the ICC World Cup, most fans in Saurashtra have stayed away from hotels and restaurants offering meals with a cricket theme, not even sparing the multiplex showing cricket matches live on the big screen.
Source: The Indian Express, IndiaWorld Cup boosts sex industry
Apparently the economic benefits of staging an event like the World Cup trickle down into sectors that one would not normally associate with the gentleman’s game. On the other hand, considering that those sectors could very well be called gentleman’s games as well, perhaps we shouldn’t be surprised.
Source: The BBC, UKIndian TV gets World Cup front row seat
In front of Table Mountain – an “incredible setting” according to Harsha Bhogle – a group of Indian commentators dissect and analyse the World Cup for millions back home.
Source: The Independent Online, South AfricaRead anything interesting lately? Send us the link for the CricInfo weblogs.Thursday, February 20, 2003:::
BV or AV – do you get the picture?
Behind every successful team is a successful geek-brigade, analysing hours of video to give their captains valuable “before video” and “after video” feedback. All the captains have to do, really, is put it into practice!
Source: The Gulf News, United Arab Emirates”I’m not Cronje” – Pollock
Is it surprising that Shaun Pollock is sick and tired of being compared – to his disadvantage – to a former captain who, to exacerbate matters, was banished from the game in disgrace?
Source: Reuters”Aussie pacers compare with my era” – Holding
Australia’s hell-raising fast-bowling attack, believes Michael Holding, can compare favourably with the mighty West Indian outfit that terrorised batsmen in his time.
Source: CaribbeanCricket.comHarare mayor snubs World Cup invitation
Engineer Elias Mudzuri, the Executive Mayor of Harare, will not attend the cricket World Cup matches being played in Harare because he says part of the invitation letter treated him “like a criminal.”
Source: The Harare Daily Newspaper, ZimbabweRead anything interesting lately? Send us the link for the CricInfo weblogs.Wednesday, February 19, 2003:::
There’s hope, says Harbhajan’s mom
Remember, says Avtar Kaur, this is the same team that defeated England and “won the ICC Mini World Cup in Sri Lanka.” Perhaps Harbhajan exaggerated the ICC World Cup part to his mom, but she does have a point when she asks India to have faith in their team.
Source: The Indian Express, IndiaKirsten backs Pollock
Opener Gary Kirsten has come out in defense of his captain Shaun Pollock after criticism was levelled at him in the South African media after the national side’s dismal performance thus far in the World Cup.
Source: The Dispatch Online, South AfricaRain, mist and Hansie – a spooky day
Another round of pining for Hansie Cronjé spread like a rash yesterday. In the stands above the grass banks a man wore a green and gold T-shirt with Cronjé’s face on it. The morning papers had jumped on Herschelle Gibbs’s quotes on how much the team missed their former captain, doing both Gibbs and Pollock something of a disservice as they looked to apportion blame for the position South Africa had found itself in after Sunday.
Source: The Star, South AfricaAustralia rise to the wild colonial boy
The maturing of Ricky Ponting has long been a long and uncertain process, but if Australia survive the unrest of their campaign to lift the trophy it may be time to proclaim that the journey is complete.
Source: The Guardian, UKRead anything interesting lately? Send us the link for the CricInfo weblogs.Tuesday, February 18, 2003:::
Sarwan earmarked to join Windies greats
The West Indies, in recent times, may have missed the presence of giants like Desmond Haynes, Vivian Richards and Clive Lloyd, but Ramnaresh Sarwan has the potential to figure in that league.
Source: The Star, South AfricaHard touch used over soft drink
Have ambush-marketing accusations gone too far? Is it “commercial fascism” to be manhandled and deprived of your cans of Coke at a Pepsi-sponsored World Cup?
Source: The Scotsman, UKSports oasis in deprived township
If the World Cup is bringing cricket and prosperity to formerly impoverished townships like Langa, it must – despite all its attendant controversies – be doing something right.
Source: The Guardian, UKRead anything interesting lately? Send us the link for the CricInfo weblogs.