Friday, February 18, 2011

The best opening partnerships in World Cup history

No two batsmen are more important in helping a team to set up an innings than the opening pair. We take a historical look at the best partnerships in World Cup matches.

1. Saeed Anwar and Wajahatullah Wasti – 194 runs

After setting up a reasonable target of 242 in the semi-final of 1999 World Cup, New Zealand, with the likes of Nash, Cairns and Larsen in their bowling arsenal, would have fancied their chances against a Pakistani batting line-up that had a reputation of falling like nine pins on a given day. But their hopes were quickly dampened by the opening duo of Wasti and Anwar whose opening stand of 194 would send the Kiwis out of the competition. The openers were not flashy but made sure that they did not to give their wickets away. Unable to find a breakthrough, the New Zealand bowlers soon tired and at one stage, it looked like both the Pakistanis would finish the game with an unbeaten stand. However Cairns ended that hope by removing Wasti (84), but Anwar was there till the very end striking an unbeaten 113 off 148 balls and thereby ensuring Pakistan’s progress into the final.

2. Andrew Hudson and Gary Kirsten – 186 runs

They may only have been playing first-time qualifiers, the Netherlands, but the South Africans refused to show quarter. Captain Hansie Cronje won the toss and his decision to bat on a flat surface was justified as the right- and left-hand pair of Hudson and Kirsten made it extremely difficult for the Dutch bowlers to maintain a particular line and length. They pummelled the bowling attack to all corners of the ground but the stand was finally broken with Kirsten the first to go after making 83. Hudson, however continued to look in ominous form, stroking a mind-numbing 163 off just 132 balls but missed out on a double hundred, a mark which till then had never been breached in ODIs.  This century, too, remains his only one at World Cups.

3. Rick McCosker and Alan Turner – 182 runs

Back in 1975, an innings was played over 60 overs, but innings in excess of 300 were still an unheard of phenomena due to the nature of the wickets and the mould in which batsmen, who were used to Test cricket, were made. This is what makes Rick McCosker’s and Alan Turner’s opening stand all the more stunning as Australia went on to post a massive 328 runs against Sri Lanka, who were not the side they are today. Turner was the dominant partner, but McCosker, who made a composed 73, also provided ample support. The former went on to make a century and his innings was laced with nine boundaries and a massive six. It would prove too stiff a target for the Lankans and they would finish on 276/4, falling short of Australia’s target by 52 runs. Turner was rewarded for his efforts with the Man-of-the-Match award.

Want to know more about who the best opening pairs at the ICC World Cup 2011 might be? Watch Ravi Shastri pick his Top 5 Opening Pairs at the World Cup here: www.youtube.com/castrolcricket#p/u/7/RpJK0W6rNDk, or log on to CastrolCricket.com for more from Ravi Shastri and other Gurus of the Game.

India has the hunger to prove Castrol Predictor right

The Opening Ceremony of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 in Dhaka was put together professionally and performed passionately on Thursday night, setting the stage for the first of the 49 games in the tournament – India vs. Bangladesh – to be played on Saturday. It has been a long wait for India since it exited from the 2007 tournament in the West Indies.

Based on a number of factors like the players’ career records, the 10 most recent games and familiarity with conditions, the Castrol Predictor  has India (22 per cent) just a shade ahead of Sri Lanka and South Africa (21 per cent each). Australia (18 per cent) completes the top four and the four sides with the best Team Strength Index account for 82 per cent chances of winning the World Cup.

I do not think many will argue against that list. Do you disagree? Though it would be a mistake to write off either Australia or the mercurial Pakistan, you will have to admit that India is looking a well-balanced and hungry side, blending vast experience with youthful enthusiasm.

Of course, India has been a notoriously slow starter – remember, it struggled to post 200 runs against the Dutch in the opening game of the 2003 edition in South Africa and lost to Bangladesh four years later in the West Indies. But with Viru and Sachin combining at the start one more time – promising India several Quick Starts that will push up the team’s Batting Momentum – and with the reliable Gautam Gambhir coming in at No. 3, Team India looks solid at the top.

When it comes to the XI, given his wonderful form, Virat Kohli will normally have to be picked ahead of Suresh Raina. Kohli has it in him to play smart cricket and it is not surprising that skipper MS Dhoni has indicated that Kohli could be playing ahead of Raina. Yuvraj Singh’s recent batting form is not something he will be happy with but has not only shown glimpses in South Africa but also can compensate with his efficient bowling.

I am glad MS got a whirlwind hundred in the warm up game against New Zealand and showed that he can change gears imperceptibly. India has some good batting options, with Yusuf Pathan – the Indian batsman with the best Recent Form Index – pencilled to bat No. 7 but who can step up the order.

I believe India is hungry and well prepared for the Bangladesh challenge but it is important that the team enjoys itself when it is out in the middle. It must also be aware that there is little to choose between the two sides as far as bowling parameters on the Castrol Index – be it bowling efficiency or quick start bowling. It is upto Zaheer and Harbhajan to negate Bangladesh skipper Shakib Al Hasan and Abdur Razzak’s figuring so prominently on the Recent Form Index for bowlers.