A brief history of Cricket World Cup

The first Cricket World Cup was played during 1975 in England. The first three matches were also recognized as Prudential Cup with the sponsorship of prudential plc, it is a pecuniary services company. The cricket matches consisted of 60 overs per players and it was played with established white uniform and with red balls. There were matches held only during day and the event is held ever four years.

Till the 1992 Cricket World Cup, only 8 teams participated in the Cricket tournament. Later on, the numbers of teams were certainly increased and in Cricket World Cup 2007, 16 teams would take part. In 1975, England, New Zealand, India, East Africa, Australia, West Indies, Pakistan and Sri Lanka took participation and during 1979 Canada were replaced by East Africa. In 1983, Zimbabwe made an entry arena and Canada was out of the court. The same teams took part in the 1987 Cricket World Cup.

In 1992, South Africa made an entry in the group and pertaining year 9 teams took part in the Cricket tournament. By the year 1996, the number of teams even increased more up to 12 with the participation of three fresh groups UAE, Netherlands and Kenya. Bangladesh and Scotland were replaced by UAE and Netherlands during 1999 Cricket World Cup.

England successively hosted the first three matches and during 1987 match became the first World Cup to be hosted outside England. Cricket World Cup 1987 introduced unbiased umpires. The 1996 Cricket World Cup started the first look of third umpire in front of the TV monitor.

All the 9 cricket world cup matches played have also contributed more records in the Cricket World Cup History. The records are on most excellent batting strike rate, maximum individual scores, and uppermost run-scorers, top bowling analysis, best bowling financial system rate, finest bowling strike rate, chief wicket-takers, premier team totals, lowest team totals, all major cricket catches and actually the most dismissals.

Though initially the cricket world cup confined the attention of only hundreds of spectators, it has now fascinated millions who are keenly waiting to watch this year’s tournament.

Match Report: SA v Ind, 1st Test - Day 1

India struggled to 136 runs for nine wickets on a difficult batting pitch at the close of Day One’s play on a rain-curtailed first day of the opening Test against South Africa here on Thursday.

Captain MS Dhoni remained unbeaten on 33 while debutant Jaidev Unadkat was batting on 1 when play was stopped due to bad light. It’s up to Dhoni to try and squeeze as many runs out of the innings as possible when play resumes tomorrow.

South African speedsters Dale Steyn, Morne Morkel and Jacques Kallis made the most of the damp pitch and ran through the Indian batting order brutally.

Morkel, who bowled venomously throughout his spell, got the better of S Sreesanth in the 35^th over. Sreesanth survived for few deliveries only to drive straight into the hands of Dale Steyn at mid-off. In doing so Sreesanth joined the other non-scorers of the day - Ishant Sharma and Sehwag .

Harbhajan Singh played a spirited knock of 27 runs before running himself out in an untoward fashion. The incident occurred when Morkel bowled a no-ball which Dhoni smashed to cover boundary. At first it looked like four, but it didn't go all the way and the Indians had to scurry for their third run. Alviro Petersen returned the ball to Boucher who took a couple of steps and flicked it between his legs to hit the stumps. Harbhajan fell short owing to a dropped bat earlier in the run.

Ishant Sharma, not known for any tail-enders’ heroics, lasted all of two balls as Morkel had him caught at slip.

Sachin Tendulkar was looking dangerous on 36 off 34 balls, but Steyn got him trapped LBW right in front of the wickets. Suresh Raina, who has been going through indifferent form off late, didn't do much exiting the crease having scored only the single run. Jacques Kallis took his wickets’ tally to 268 when Raina pushed one outside off stump and was caught by Ashwell Prince at third slip.

After having smelled blood early in the innings, Dale Steyn got the Indian crisis man VVS Laxman out for seven. He only faced 20 balls in 36 minutes and never really got going. India were left reeling at 66-4.

At Tea, Sachin Tendulkar was 22 not out and VVS Laxman 6 not out as India battled through 20 tricky overs.

Fiery Indian opener Virender Sehwag was out for naught and then India lost Gautam Gambhir and Rahul Dravid in quick succession to slip to 27-3, with fast bowlers Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel making use of the pace-friendly conditions at SuperSport Park.

Sehwag fell in the third over when he attempted a flowing back-foot drive off Steyn and sent a catch to Hashim Amla at third man.

Morkel struck twice in two overs, Gambhir edging to Paul Harris at first slip for 5 and Dravid out lbw for 14.

Brief Scores: India - 136/9 in 38.1 overs (MS Dhoni batting 33, JD Unadkat batting 1, Sachin Tendulkar 36, Harbhajan Singh27), Dale Steyn 10-1-34-3, M Morkel 12.1-5-20-4, Jacques Kallis 6-1-20-1

Johnson And Watson Put Australia 200 Ahead

Australia closed day two of the third Ashes Test against England on 119 for three in their second innings - a lead of 200 having bowled England out for 187.

Half-centuries from Andrew Strauss and Ian Bell failed to steer England to a big score thanks to Mitchell Johnson's haul of six for 38.

Shane Watson then closed on 61 not out as Australia enjoyed their best day of the series since the opening Test in Brisbane.

England, resuming on 19 without loss, made a good start to the day with Strauss (52) and Alastair Cook (32) extending their opening partnership to 78 before Johnson had Cook caught by Michael Hussey.

Johnson then picked up three wickets in quick succession as he trapped Jonathan Trott (4), Kevin Pietersen (0) and Paul Collingwood (5) in front and when Strauss fell to Ryan Harris, England had slipped to 98 for five.

Bell, who made a fluent 53 in 90 balls, then helped take England past three figures along with Matthew Prior (12) and Graeme Swann (11) before, with England's lower order not looking comfortable against Australia's quick bowlers, he was caught by Ricky Ponting driving at Harris.

Johnson then completed his five-wicket haul by bowling Chris Tremlett (2) and having James Anderson caught by Watson without scoring.

Watson then anchored Australia's second innings as England hit back strongly, removing Phillip Hughes (12), Ponting (1) and Michael Clarke (20).

Hughes was caughy by Collingwood off Steven Finn before Ponting gloved Finn to Prior down the leg-side.

Clarke fell when he was bowled by Tremlett and unbeaten alongside Watson at stumps was Hussey on 24.

Anderson and Tremlett took three wickets apiece on the opening day as Australia were dismissed for 268 after Strauss won the toss and opted to bowl first.

England lead the series 1-0 following a draw in Brisbane and an innings victory in Adelaide.

Pakistan Delays Naming Of World Cup Squad

The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has delayed the naming of its preliminary squad for the 2011 World Cup after the International Cricket Council (ICC) allowed them until 5th January to do so.

“A meeting of selection committee was held today at PCB headquarters in which the squads for The ODI series in New Zealand and names of 30 probables for the upcoming ICC World Cup came under discussion,” a PCB statement said.

“A meeting of integrity committee was also held (with) Mr. Ijaz Butt in the chair. Other members of integrity committee — Mr. Subhan Ahmad (COO), Justice (Retired) Jamshed Ali, Mr. Mohsin Hasan Khan (chief selector), Mr. Zakir Khan (DCO International), Mr. Sultan Rana (DCO Domestic), Col. Wasim (Security Manager/Integrity Officer) and Mr. Taffazul Rizvi Advocate (Special Invitee) attended the meeting.

“All the issues relating to the clearance of players came under discussion. The committee decided that further consideration of this matter is required. The ODI squad for New Zealand and that for the World Cup will be announced at a later date."

The PCB will then have to trim the squad to 15 players by 19th January, ahead of the tournament beginning on 19th February.

Cricket: Pakistan readying for NZ tour

Pakistan's captain Shahid Afridi, left, speaks with fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar.

 

Pakistan hit top gear in preparing for next year's World Cup with former great Javed Miandad giving special coaching to faltering batsmen in a week-long training camp that began Wednesday.
Pakistan tour New Zealand for three Twenty20 matches, two Tests and six one-day internationals before the February 19-April 2 World Cup to be jointly hosted by Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka.
Manager Intikhab Alam said the camp is the final phase of Pakistan's preparation and Miandad's involvement would be a boost.
"It's a great chance for the youngsters to get useful training from Miandad in this final phase of our training for the World Cup.
"And I am confident that first in New Zealand and then in the World Cup this team will achieve the best results," Alam told AFP.
Pakistan's one-day captain Shahid Afridi last week expressed dissatisfaction in preparations for the World Cup with key players Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer suspended on charges of spot-fixing.
Pakistan are also uncertain of the selection of wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal and all-rounder Shoaib Malik who are reportedly under suspicion for match-fixing.
Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Ijaz Butt announced Miandad will serve as batting consultant during the camp in the eastern city of Lahore.
"Miandad has agreed to be batting consultant and help out the players in the camp but he will let us know in a few days' time if he is going to New Zealand with the team as well," Butt said.
Former paceman Waqar Younis remains head coach of the team.
Miandad said he was happy to help batsmen ahead of the event. Pakistan crashed out of the 2003 World Cup in South Africa and the 2007 tournament in the West Indies in the first round, mainly because of batting failures.
"I am always ready to help the Pakistan team in any way because Pakistan cricket has given me a lot.
"I hope that they improve their batting and achieve better results in the World Cup," said Miandad, whose batting helped Pakistan clinch their only World Cup title in Australia in 1992.
Pakistan finish their tour of New Zealand on February 5 and after a week's rest fly to Bangladesh for two World Cup warm-up matches.
They open their World Cup campaign with a match against Kenya on February 23 in Hambantota, Sri Lanka.

Pakistan likely to host Bangladesh next year

Karachi: Pakistan is confident of hosting Bangladesh in what will be a ground-breaking home series next year after its cricket chief had a fruitful meeting with Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) officials in Dhaka.

Ijaz Butt, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman, met top Bangladesh cricket officials in Dhaka on the sidelines of the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) meeting and discussed the possibility of Bangladesh visiting Pakistan in 2011.

Butt said on Wednesday that the BCB has shown its willingness on sending a Bangladesh team to Pakistan for a full series.

"Bangladesh has agreed to tour Pakistan and we hope that the series will rake place here soon," said Butt.

Pakistan has become a no-go zone for international sports-persons after Sri Lanka's cricket team was ambushed by terrorists in Lahore in March 2009. The attack left several people, mostly policemen, dead while a number of Sri Lankan cricketers and team officials were injured.

PCB officials have since then been making futile efforts to resume international cricket in Pakistan.

Butt is hopeful that Bangladesh will help break the ice by visiting Pakistan soon.

The PCB chief rejected the impression that relations between the PCB and the BCB were strained after Pakistan refused to send its team to Bangladesh on security grounds.

"There have been a few issues between us, but our relations are fine," he said.

Relations between the two boards touched rock bottom in early 2009 when Bangladesh refused to host Pakistan for a series of five One-day Internationals and two Twenty20 matches in March.

Despite requests from the PCB, the tour was eventually called off by the BCB on government advice a day after the terrorist attack in Lahore.

At that time the BCB said that its government refused to give it clearance for the series. However, the general impression in Pakistan was that the BCB was influenced by the Indian cricket board in its decision to cancel the series.