a prelude to Semi finals line up - WC 2011

Cricket now a days is far different than what it used to be.  Day night matches were invented to provide entertainment for those who return from job – a novel way of getting the crowd, back from their official routine.  In India, the concept is different. Chepauk bustled with milling crowds – officially for the match  at 0230 pm, the gates were opened at 12 noon and crowds had been there waiting much earlier.  Where is the concept of day-night for them – their day started much earlier…

The crowds had come in anticipation of a Sachin Century (100^th 100) and an Indian win, irrespective of the fact that both the teams had sort of qualified for QF already.  Ravi Rampaul a different breed of WI pacers, who does not threat with pace with bowls a line length and is known to Indians through his performance in Champions League ran in; he was playing his first WC match.  Sachin got the strike the third ball and with his favourite whip off the pad, got a two and crowd went delirious.  The sixth ball pitched short, moved beat Sachin and West Indians went on appealing.  Umpire Steve Davis nodded his head in disapproval and it is likely that his decision would have stood, even if WI had chosen to refer.

BUT – the little master is different – his initial forward movement had taken him a step or two, he turned back only to walk without stopping.  He knew that he had nicked, nobody else perhaps could check but that is the genial little man and his way of playing.  Even recently, Ricky Ponting was in a similar situation.  Pak were appealing for a catch behind the wicket, he certainly knew that he had nicked – was given not out; Pak referred and got the decision in their favour – Punter left fuming showing his dissatisfaction.

Now with the Indian win the QF line up is as under :

1  :  Pak   Vs WI   at Mirpur – 23/3/11

2  :  India Vs Australia at Ahmedabad on 24^th

3  :  NZ Vs SA  - Mirpur on 25^th

4  :  Srilanka Vs England, Colombo 26^th

On Mar 29^th winner of NZ/SA will play SL/Eng at Colombo; on 30^th winner of Ind/Aus play winner of Pak/WI – both India and Lanka can think of a possible Semi match at their home grounds.

As we dream of putting it across the Aussies, here is how our main batsmen and bowlers have performed in the qualifying stage :

Player	Mat	NO	Runs	HS	Ave	SR	100	50
Yuvraj Singh	6	2	284	113	94.66	86.06	1	3
V Sehwag	5	0	327	175	65.4	125.3	1	1
SR Tendulkar	6	0	326	120	54.33	99.69	2	0
V Kohli	6	1	214	100*	42.8	89.16	1	1
MS Dhoni	6	2	118	34	39.33	71.08	0	0
G Gambhir	6	0	219	69	36.5	89.75	0	2
YK Pathan	6	1	74	30*	14.8	115.6	0	0
SK Raina	1	0	4	4	4	50	0	0
Z Khan	6	0	9	5	3	81.81	0	0
Harbhajan Singh	6	0	6	3	2	37.5	0	0

Player	Mat	Overs	Mdns	Runs	Wkts	Ave	Econ	SR
R Ashwin	1	10	0	41	2	20.5	4.1	30
Z Khan	6	51.4	1	223	15	14.86	4.31	20.6
Harbhajan Singh	6	57	2	247	6	41.16	4.33	57
YK Pathan	6	35	2	167	1	167	4.77	210
Yuvraj Singh	6	45	1	227	9	25.22	5.04	30
MM Patel	5	39.5	0	228	9	25.33	5.72	26.5
SK Raina	1	2	0	12	1	12	6	12
PP Chawla	3	28	0	174	4	43.5	6.21	42
A Nehra	2	13.4	1	87	1	87	6.36	82
S Sreesanth	1	5	0	53	0	-	10.6	-

Regards – S. Sampathkumar.