World Cup 2015: Shock and awe

World Cup 2015: Shock and awe

                      Tim Southee produced a brilliant spell of swing bowling for career-best
figures of seven for 33 before Brendon McCullum plundered an 18-ball half-century as New
Zealand destroyed England by eight wickets in their World Cup Pool A match on Friday.

                     Southee‟s performance saw England dismissed for 123, with Joe Root
top-scoring with 46, before New Zealand captain McCullum‟s 77 from 25 balls helped the
co-host roar to victory in 12.2 overs at Wellington Regional Stadium. New Zealand‟s
celebrations were delayed 40 minutes to allow for a scheduled innings break, though needing
only 12 runs with nine wickets in hand.

                     McCullum took 18 runs off pace bowler Stuart Broad‟s first over, the
second of the innings, and then 20 off seamer Steve Finn, who had immediately replaced
Broad. He then belted four successive sixes off Finn‟s next over, which went for 29
runs.New Zealand was 96 for no loss after six overs with their captain seemingly intent on
pushing an already dispirited England further into despair. McCullum was bowled by Chris
Woakes with a full toss after hitting eight fours and seven sixes.

                      McCullum‟s innings, the fastest half-century at a World Cup,
threatened to overshadow the superb bowling effort by Southee, who produced the best
figures by a New Zealand bowler in one-dayers. Shane Bond‟s six for 19 against India in
2005 was the previous best. Southee did not get much movement in sunny conditions at the
top of the innings after Eoin Morgan decided to bat but still managed to bowl Moeen Ali (20)
and Ian Bell (eight) with yorkers that did swing late.

                     He later returned to produce a spell of five for 10 in four overs to set up
the platform for victory. Speaking after the match, McCullum said the crushingly lopsided
win was a „bizarre‟ achievement. “It‟s a great win, while England have probably struggled of
late, we knew we‟d have to keep them quiet,” said the Kiwi skipper.

                      “To win by that sort of margin, it‟s bizarre really. We‟ve earned
ourselves a good break after a great first week of the tournament.” Southee, roared on by a
capacity 33,000 crowd at the Westpac Stadium, said: “A packed house was pretty special to
come out in front of. We‟ve been bowling well as a group for a long time and today was one
of those moments when it all went well for us.”

Full-scale training for Indians

                     After a day‟s rest, Indian cricketers returned to full-scale training ahead
of Sunday‟s Group B fixture with South Africa. The pitch at the centre of the Junction Oval
in St. Kilda was again pressed into service on Friday as India‟s batsmen freed their arms.

                      Rohit Sharma had a long stint in the middle, with a number of his big
hits clearing the fence. On one occasion, he drove Ravindra Jadeja inside-out, over the deep
cover boundary and out of the ground.

                       The fielding coach, R. Sridhar, also remained busy, conducting drills
for a large part of the four hours that India spent training. Mohammed Shami, who at the end
of the afternoon‟s session underwent a routine dope test, did not exert himself greatly, having
done considerable bowling two days ago.

                      Bhuvneshwar Kumar was also used relatively sparingly while Stuart
Binny, Umesh Yadav and Mohit Sharma bowled long spells.In the morning, South Africa
trained at the MCG, when A.B. de Villiers was struck on the right thumb during catching
practice. After briefly placing an ice pack over the affected digit, de Villiers batted in the
nets, showing no signs of discomfort.

                     Michael Hussey, hired as consultant, spent a long time in conversation
with individual batsmen. Meanwhile, in news that the Indian team will not relish, Dale Steyn,
who returned to training yesterday after recovering from sinusitis, bowled at full tilt.

World Cup: West Indies set Pakistan 311 to win

                      An all-round batting performance from the West Indies helped them to
310 for six in their World Cup Pool B match against a sloppy Pakistan here Saturday.

                      Pakistan were left to rue several dropped catches after winning the toss
and deciding to bowl first as the West Indies recovered from the loss of early wickets to post
a strong total at Hagley Oval.

                      The West Indies struggled early on as destructive opener Chris Gayle
(4) went early, top edging pacer Mohammed Irfan‟s delivery.

                    Fellow opener Dwayne Smith (23) was soon back in the pavilion as the
side from Caribbean were reduced to 28-2 inside the first eight overs.

                   However, the West Indies were able to recover as Darren Bravo (49)
and Marlon Samuels (38) tried to attack before Bravo retired hurt with a hamstring injury.

                  Denesh Ramdin‟s 51 off 43 helped to accelerate the Windies past 300,
with Lendl Simmons hitting 50 off 91 balls.

                       The West Indies managed to reach 310-6 after Andre Russell smashed a
quick-fire 43 off just 13 deliveries in the dying overs.

                    Pakistan have strengthened their batting line-up since their opening
match loss to India by dropping leg-spinner Yasir Shah and bringing in Nasir Jamshed as
opener.

                    Veteran batsman Younis Khan is scheduled bat at No.3, Haris Sohail at
four and skipper Misba-ul-Haq at five.

                      For the West Indies, spinner Sulieman Benn replaced Kemar Roach in
their bowling attack from the side that lost to Ireland.

                     Brief Scores: West Indies 310/6 (Denesh Ramdin 51, Lendl Simmons
50; Haris Sohail 2/62, Mohammad Irfan 1/44)

World Cup 2015: Hiding from Sachin Tendulkar
             made Tim Southee stronger

                      It was Tim Southee's day in Wellington as he ripped apart England to
record the third best bowling figures in the World Cup. One wonders whether the Kiwi
paceman still remembers what happened to him six years ago in the same city.

Full Coverage: ICC World Cup 2015

                      Southee's career could have been over in 2009 when Sachin Tendulkar
went after his bowling at the now demolished Lancaster Park here. Tendulkar scored 163 off
113 balls and Southee gave away 105 off his 10, which was the second-worst bowling
figures in ODIs then. Southee was consequently dropped from the New Zealand team and
soon after that the Kiwi was in Chennai playing the Buchi Babu tournament for New Zealand
'A'.

                       He was asked then by TOI about the Tendulkar massacre which had
thrown him out of the team and Southee had said: "It's not all over for me. Yeah, of course, it
was a very bad day. Sachin went mad and it's always tough for any bowler to restrict a player
of his stature. It was slightly difficult for me to come out of it but slowly I have forgotten
everything and I'm confident of regaining my place in the national side."

                     And how well he has done that! He kept performing for Northern
Districts, won back his place in the New Zealand Test and ODI teams and now has the best
World Cup figures for a Black Cap.

                   Chris Harris, one of New Zealand's leading allrouners in ODIs,
remembers how the Tendulkar carnage had taken a toll on Southee.

                      "For a young boy finding his feet in international cricket, it was really
hard. I wasn't playing but I remember Sachin's assault. But it happens to the best of bowlers
in the world and it was great to see the way Tim fought back," Harris told TOI.

World Cup 2015: New rules, old problems for
                         India

                     On Sunday, the Indians will take on a strong South African team in
tough conditions and under rules that could favour the rivals. Their two wins came against
Asian teams - Afghanistan in a warm-up match and Pakistan in the opening World Cup
game. They failed to beat the home team in four Test matches and two ODIs and lost to
England in both the Tri-series games.

Full Coverage: ICC World Cup 2015

                       They have been able to overcome the conditions, fatigue, home sickness
and low morale quite well before the start of the World Cup, but they still have to come to
terms with some of the rules that are being implemented for the first time in the World Cup -
use of two new balls (from either end) during an innings and the restriction of having only
four fielders outside the circle.

                       These rules are to the advantage of the teams that have big hitters and
good fast bowlers. The teams that rely on spinners and medium pacers are bound to suffer.
Looking at the first few matches of this World Cup, the striking bit is that many teams have
been able to cross the 300-mark quite comfortably. India, too, got to 300 against Pakistan and
put them under tremendous pressure.

                      Given this trend, it is going to be very tough for India to contain the
mighty South African batting line-up under the new rules. As India rely a lot on spinners, the
rule of having just four fielders outside the ring is a huge disadvantage for them.Skipper MS
Dhoni has repeatedly referred to this rule on the tour saying it is difficult for the spinners to
add variety. "Look, with just four fielders patrolling the boundaries, it becomes difficult for
all bowlers, particularly the spinners, as they can be carted into open areas easily.

                      The only option for the spinners is to pack one side of the field and
bowl to that particular line. But it is easier said than done. In such a scenario it is imperative
to keep taking wickets at regular intervals. The lesser wickets the batting team has in hands
during the last 10 overs, their better the chance to restrict their score," the Indian captain had
said.