This year’s ICC 2011 Cricket World Cup is the 10th and arguably the most important in the history of the event. Back when it was first staged in 1975, the cricket world cup was a fresh affair designed to showcase a much shorter (50 over) form of cricket than the traditional five-day test match. But since the recent rise of the even shorter and more dynamic Twenty20, 50 over cricket has started to look a bit pedestrian.
So a well-organised and competitive world cup should provide an overdue shot in the arm to the 50 over game. Sadly, that didn’t happen at the last world cup in the Caribbean four years ago – a tournament marred by administrative cock-ups and an interminable length.
This time round co-hosts India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh – three cricket crazy nations – get the chance to apply some sub-continental shine to the event. (Pakistan were also originally due to co-host, but a terrorist attack on the Sri Lankan team in Lahore in 2009 put paid to that.)
Fortunately, some lessons have been learnt from 2007. This year’s cup, which starts on February 19 and culminates in the final in Mumbai on April 2, is shorter in duration. The structure has also been modified to ensure big attractions such as India don’t go home early. The 14 competing teams are initially divided into two groups of seven, with each team playing the other six in its group to determine who progresses to the knock-out stages.
The history of the cricket world cup is one of Australian dominance. The winners of the last three world cups, in 2007, 2003 and 1999, the Aussies also triumphed in 1987. Three teams from the sub-continent have also previously won the event: Sri Lanka (1996), Pakistan (1992) and India (1983). The first two world cups, in 1975 and 1979, were won by West Indies.
Teams to watch
Australia
The world cup has been gold and green for the past 12 years, but Australia’s hold on the trophy is in the balance this year. The retirement of many of the side’s amazingly talented players such as wicketkeeper/batsman Adam Gilchrist, opening batsman Matthew Hayden and bowlers Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne has utterly depleted the Aussies. But, although their confidence hit rock bottom after the recent Ashes drubbing by England, their triumph in the subsequent One Day International (ODI) series bodes well for the team in the world cup.
Prediction: Finalists
England
Could this be the year that England finally break their world cup duck? The team goes into the tournament with most of their players in good nick after retaining the Ashes in Australia with apparent ease. But their confidence after that series has taken a hit after being comprehensively outplayed by Australia in the ODIs, proving they’re still not sure who their best team is.
Prediction: Semi-finalists
India
The weight of expectation will be crushing, but India’s superstars are used to it. Every cricket fan in India (which includes just about the entire nation) will accept nothing less than victory in Mumbai on April 2. And, with an excellent captain like MS Dhoni at the helm, and the legendary Tendulkar playing his last world cup, expect them to rise to the occasion in style.
Prediction: Winners
South Africa
They will be keen to lose their reputation as chokers following dramatic flops at the semi-final stage of previous world cups. With some of the best one-day players in the world in their side, including Hashim Amla, 50 over cricket’s leading batsman in 2010, the Proteas can match any team in terms of skill.
Prediction: Semi-finalists again!
Pakistan
What a story it would be if Pakistan, stripped of the right to co-host the event and forced to play their home games in exile, were to win the world cup on Indian soil. Their outrageously gifted captain Shahid Afridi believes his players perform best with their backs to the wall.
Prediction: Brilliant winners or abject failures.
The also-rans
The following teams are also in the competition: West Indies; Sri Lanka; New Zealand; Bangladesh; Ireland; Canada; The Netherlands; Kenya; and Zimbabwe.
Players to watch
Batsmen
Hashim Amla: South Africa’s Indian born batsman has a brilliant record in 50 over cricket. In fact, his impressive average of nearly 60 makes him the best player in the world in ODIs. On top of that, the devout Muslim relishes playing in India, where he has proved almost impossible to get out. Crucially, Amla scores at nearly a run a ball – the holy grail in 50 over cricket. In 2010 he only failed to make a score above 30 on one occasion.
Chris Gayle: The West Indies’ former captain is capable of hitting a cricket ball further than anyone else playing the game today, although Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi might disagree with that. When the chilled-out Jamaican is in the mood, he can rapidly take the game away from the opposition with a violent barrage of fours and sixes. Stripped of a team captaincy he never really wanted, Gayle is free again to enjoy what he does best – being the West Indies’ master blaster.
Sachin Tendulkar: India’s batting genius is 37 now, and arguably the only true great currently playing the game. Written off not so long ago, Sachin enjoyed another record-breaking season in 2010, scoring his 50th century in test match cricket, and making an unprecedented double hundred in a 50 over match. Since making his debut against Pakistan in 1989, the little genius has scored over 17,000 runs in one day cricket, including 46 centuries. A perfect end to a perfect career would be triumph at home in Mumbai on April 2.
Bowlers
James Anderson: The star bowler of England’s recent Ashes triumph, while the seamer doesn’t reach the super-quick pace of some of his competitors, he makes up for it with pinpoint accuracy and ability to swing the balls both ways. England’s chances of progress through the tournament depend heavily on his form.
Sean Tait: After his test career was ended prematurely by a dodgy elbow, the lightning fast Australian paceman has dedicated himself to the shorter form of the game – and with devastating results. During his short bowling bursts, he’s been known to bowl at over 160kph, and if he gets himself fired up for the tournament expect him to rattle his way through the oppositions’ batting line-ups in no time.
Daniel Vettori: Currently the world’s number one ODI bowler, the bespectacled Kiwi off-spinner is a master of guile, constantly outthinking batsmen with subtle changes of pace and flight. He’s announced his retirement from international cricket after this world cup, so expect him to want to leave the game covered in glory.
Where to see it in Abu Dhabi
The first match of the Cricket World Cup will kick off on February 19, with the competition lasting until the final at the beginning of April. These sports bars should be showing the main matches of the competition, though we advise you to call to confirm before you head there.
Heroes: This underground bar might be a little bit rough around the edges, but if you can find yourself a prime viewing spot, there are few better places to order your favourite draught and a plate of greasy food, and waste an afternoon as a cricket game unfolds.
Crowne Plaza Abu Dhabi, Hamdan Street (02 621 0000).
NRG: Until recently, NRG was the only drinking spot in the capital that sold itself exclusively as a sports bar. Design wise, it’s all about primary colour fittings, sheet metal tables and wall-to-wall big screen TVs. There are plenty of stools and booths, but on big match days you’re as unlikely to find seating space as Holland are likely to win the World Cup.
Le Méridien Abu Dhabi, Tourist Club Area (02 644 6666).
Stars ’N’ Bars: A new branch of the famous Monaco sports bar, the Yas Island outlet follows the same theme as its European cousin with walls strewn with sporting memorabilia and pictures of celebrities. If you love cricket and don’t mind the extra journey to Yas, sit yourself down in one of the chairs, which are designed to look like sports car seats, and enjoy the ride.
Yas Marina & Yacht Club, Yas Island (02 565 0101).
Hemingway’s: One of the oldest bars in the capital, Hemingway’s is a bit scruffy, but it’s always rammed when there’s a big sporting spectacle to be viewed, making for a cracking atmosphere. Missed out on a seat but hate standing? Get here reasonably early and you should find space in one of the adjoining rooms to the bar.
Hilton Abu Dhabi, Corniche (02 692 4567).
Rules of 50 over cricket
Limited overs cricket follows exactly the same rules as five-day test cricket, with a few key differences.
Two teams of 11 play one innings each. An innings consists of 50 overs of batting and bowling. An over is a series of six balls bowled at batsmen. The bowlers try to get the batsmen out (take wickets). The batsmen try to score (make runs) by hitting the balls and running.
Batsmen can get out (dismissed) in a number of ways, eg bowled, caught or LBW (leg before wicket). Runs are scored individually (singles) or in boundaries. A boundary is the perimeter of the field of the play. When a batsman hits the ball to the boundary, a ‘four’ is scored. If the ball reaches the boundary without touching the field, a ‘six’ is scored.
One team bats first, posts as many runs as they can in the 50 overs, before the opposition tries to surpass this without losing all 10 wickets.
A major difference between the five day game and limited overs cricket is ‘power plays.’
Usually, fielders can stand wherever they choose when the opposition is batting. But when the power plays are called, only two fielders are allowed outside a 30-yard circle around the batting pitch. This gives the batsmen an advantage over the fielding side as they can freely hit balls with less fear of being caught. The fielding restrictions are mandatory for the first 10 overs of batting – which is known as Power Play One. During the rest of the 40 overs, the fielding and batting captains can call a power play each, getting five overs when the fielding restrictions are in place again, giving them a chance to swing the game in their favour. Confused? Don’t worry, even the captains say they can’t quite fathom the rules.
