Betting points towards a competitive ICC World Cup in 2011

Looming large on the 2011 international cricket calendar is the ICC ODI Cricket World Cup, which will take place on the Asian continent between 19^th February and 2nd April. The host nations this year will be India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, with Bangladesh hosting the opening ceremony and India the final. Pakistan, who was also elected to be a host, lost that right following the terrorist attacks that took place in Lahore during the 2009 Sri Lankan tour.

This will be the tenth time that the tournament has taken place, but it will be the first time that it will be hosted in Asia. The defending champions are Australia, who has won the tournament on the last three occasions and on four occasions since the tournament came into being in 1975. Other tournament winners have been the West Indies twice with India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka all winning once.

The Australians should, in theory at least, come into the tournament well prepared as they will arrive in the wake of their ODI series against England, which has followed the Ashes series played between the two countries. England too will be well set and looking to add the crown to their Twenty20 World Cup victory which they achieved earlier this year. The nearest England has come to winning the ODI World Cup was finishing runners up three times, in 1979, 1987 and 1992.

The format for the 2011 tournament has change from that of 2007; The 2011 ODI World Cup will see 14 competing teams, divided into two groups of seven, who will play each other on a ‘round robin’ basis. The top four teams from each group will go through to the quarter finals from which time the tournament will be decided on a straight knock out basis. The two groups of seven have been drawn as follows:

Group A

Australia

Canada

Kenya

New Zealand

Pakistan

Sri Lanka

Zimbabwe

Group B

Bangladesh

England

India

Ireland

Netherlands

South Africa

West Indies

The World Cup has many startling records and record holders, none more so than that of Sachin Tendulkar. The Indian master batsman, is the highest run scorer of the tournament, with 1796 runs scored between 1992-2007. He also holds the record for the total number of runs scored in an individual tournament with 673 runs scored in 2003. The highest individual score however goes to South African, Gary Kirsten who scored a magnificent 188 in 1996 when playing against the UAE. The Highest average record however lies with Sir Vivian Richards of the West Indies, who averaged over 63 runs per match between 1975 and 1987.

As far as the bowling records are concerned it is Glenn McGrath, Glenn McGrath, Glenn McGrath and Glenn McGrath. The brilliant Australian seamer holds the record of most wickets taken with 71, he has the lowest average of 19.21 runs per wicket, he has the best bowling figures of 7/15, which he took against Namibia in 2003 and he also holds the record of taking most wickets in an individual tournament, which was 26 in 2007.

Adam Gilchrist, the former Australian wicket keeper, holds the record for the most dismissals with 39, while current Australian captain, Ricky Ponting holds the record of most catches with 24.

The highest team score in the World Cup was recorded by India in 2007, who smashed their way to 413 in 2007 against Bermuda, with Virender Sehwag top scoring with 114 of just 86 balls. The lowest score however was the embarrassing 36 that Canada scored in their match against Sri Lanka in 2003.

The cricket world cup odds ahead of the tournament have India as the clear favourites with Australia, Sri Lanka, England and South Africa not far behind. Only two point in the betting separate the the top five with India a 4/1 chance and South Africa and England 6/1. Add Pakistan to the mix at 8/1 and this promises to be a competitive tournament, one of which any of those teams will fancy their chances.

England Can Expect Win Over Australia at Twickenham

England go into battle with Australia this Saturday at Twickenham in the belief that they can continue the improvements that were clearly evident in the defeat by the All Blacks last week.

Martin Johnson has worked tirelessly with his England team since taking the helm two and a half years ago but he has admitted that unless they learn to finish more clinically then any hopes they might harbour for the 2011 World Cup will be dashed.

Johnson of was referring to the try scored by centre, Shontayne Hape that was disallowed by the video ref with six minutes left and which, if converted, would have put England just 3 points behind at a time when the All Blacks had been reduced to 14 men. Johnson made the point that clinical finishing was a hallmark of the Southern Hemisphere game and was quite certain that had nape’s chance fallen to an All Black, they would have scored it.

The comments were not a personal attack on Hape, more an observation by Johnson of the difference in desire that exists between the Northern and Southern hemispheres. Nape overall had a very positive game and looks like he will make the centre position his own by the time the 6 Nations kicks off next year.

His center partner, Mike Tindall, one of the very best defensive centre’s in world rugby, will be a very important component of the team when they take on the Wallabies this week. He will undoubtedly have his work cut out by the hugely talented Australian three quarter line who are all match winners in their own right. The potentially devastating outside half, Quade Cooper, has the potential to open up any defence with either hand or foot, his trickery is well known, which is why Tindall, Toby Flood and back row, Lewis Moody will have to pay him special attention.

The last time the two teams met was ‘Down Under’ earlier this year when England levelled a two match test series with a very narrow 21-20 win. It was a win that also showed the all round improvements of the team, which has does much to enhance the team’s confidence.

The area where they should have a comprehensive advantage will bi the scrum, particularly in the front row, where England’s Andrew Sheridan on the loosehead side should wreak havoc on what appears to be a blundering Australian front three. The Australian scrum was wholly embarrassed against Wales in fact, but they showed enough ingenuity in the breakdown to still score three tries and put the game beyond a plucky Wales.

A very close game in prospect therefore, but one that if England heed the message of their boss, they should defy the rugby odds of 6/4 about the win, giving them a further confidence boost before their nest two autumn internationals against Samoa and the Springboks of South Africa.

Is Graeme Swann the key to an England Ashes victory?

There are several cricketing plaudits who have tipped England to retain the Ashes in the latest series which starts later this month in Australia. However, most have added a caveat to their predictions by adding England will win provided Graeme Swann stays fit and bowls at his best down under.

It must have been very unnerving for them and for all English cricket fans for that matter therefore, when they learned that the brilliant off spinner had damaged a finger on his bowling hand during net practice at the weekend. The players and staff have been quick to confirm that the injury is not too serious and needed only minor strapping and that Swann was almost certain to play in the forthcoming warm up match against West Australia on Friday.

Swann is undoubtedly pivotal to England’s chances of bringing back the urn from Australia for the first time since 1987. Since making his Test debut against India in December 2008, the 31 year old has gone on to play in 24 test matches, taking 113 wickets for just 26.55 runs apiece, he is currently ranked as the best spin bowler in the world and the second best bowler in the world of any kind. He has become the real talisman of the England team over the last year or so.

He has taken five wickets in a test match nine times already, including twice against Pakistan in the recent 3-1 series victory in England. He also took a ten wicket haul earlier in the year against Bangladesh finishing with match figures of 10/217. His performances this year earned him the ECB cricketer of the year award.

In the 2009 Ashes series in England, Swann easily proved himself to be the best spinner of either side, taking 14 wickets at an average of 40, he also took seven Australian wickets in the recent five match ODI series also played in England, which the home team won by 3-2.

What makes Swann such a danger as well as a potential Ashes series winner is his ability to know when to attack. He appears to have discovered more ways to dismiss batsmen than other off-spinners, which he continues to prove time and time again. He has a phenomenal ability to bowl very quick off-spin without ever losing the spin on the ball, which only very few off-spin bowlers have managed to achieve; this quick ball has become a key weapon in his comprehensive armoury. He is also a great studier of batting technique and the Australian batsmen can be certain that he will have spent long hours looking for their weaknesses and that he will know when best to expose them.

Although Australia are odds on favourites to win the series, Swann is the favourite in both the England Top Bowler and the Series Top Bowler markets to take the most wickets. He is also a good looking bet to be the first England player to achieve a five wicket haul in the series.

It should also be noted that Swann, certainly at County level is regarded as a genuine all rounder who has proven himself as a good quality test batsman too. He averages over 25 with the bat currently, but against Australia in the 2009 series he averaged a very respectable 35.57 with a top score of 63 made in the fourth test. In fact Swann scored a total of 249 runs in that series which was only bettered by Andrew Strauss (474), Matt Prior (261) and Paul Collingwood (250).
It is easy therefore to see why so many plaudits are tipping Swann to be the Ashes series winner, it just needs the other England bowlers to be a trifle more gentle with him in the nets and avoid hitting those magic fingers, particularly on his bowling hand.

In the Ashes odds, Swann is the 5/4 favourite to be England's top bowler across the five tests and 7/2 favourite to out perform Australia's bowlers to be named top ahses series bowler and if he is to play as pivotal a role as many expect, then it may well just be worth a flutter!

KFC Big Bash Finals:New South Wales beat Victoria

What a match for a T20 finals. The finals of the KFC Big Bash between defending champs Victoria 'Bushrangers' and New South Wales 'Blues' went till the last ball and in the end it was the Blues who took home the trophy in a nerve racking thriller and ended Victoria's stronghold over the trophy. Victoria, batting first made 166 for 4 thanks to some clean hitting by Rob Quiney who hit a 91 from 56 balls including 8 sixes. Bird took 3 wickets for the Blues. And in reply the Blues appeared to be cruising at 85 for 1 but they lost 3 wickets for 7 runs and made things complex for themselves but then came Ben Rohrer. His brutal innings of 44 came off 20 balls as he took them nearer to the target. And with a single needed off the last ball, Rohrer scampered for a bye and the bowlers throw hit the stumps. But the Blues were celebrating while the third umpire was called for. And replays showed Rohrer's bat in the air while the bails were removed but his dive meant that his hands were inside the crease!!!!!! After a few anxious moments Blues erupted again. Both these teams will take part in the Champions League t20 coming October.

Ponting's problems

Ricky Ponting has got his hands full. His current Australian is on an alarming decline and his captaincy has come for lot of stick from all corners and many in Australia have called for his head. It all started with Australia unable to win the test against India in Bengaluru, a match that should have been won by them. What followed was even worse, they were totally outplayed by the Indians in Mohali and his captaincy attracted lot of criticism. And in the final test were Aussies had to win to square series he kept on with the part timers so that he could escape match referee's ban. This act of his was severly condemned by all as Aussies were in a strong position when Ponting decided to go with the part timers and that allowed India to claw back into the match and they batted them out of the series. And back home South Africa had come with real intent of winning the series, something which has not been achieved by any team over the last 16 years. And Aussies were not able to defend 414 in the first test and that left Ponting complaining about the famous WACA pitch saying "Its not the old WACA pitch". I really don't know how a home captain can complain about WACA pitch and that too being the world champions-Shame on you Punter!!!!!!!! And in the second test he scored a fine hundred and a 99 but that was not enough to save the team from losing. Ponting conceeded defeat saying it was a deserved on. His real problem is the bowling which does not look like taking 20 wickets. He has tried all sorts of attacks but !!!!!!!!!!! . But Punter says Aussies will regain those glory days!!! A long way to go for Ricky..........

Australian Cricket dead - End of an era

This is the tribute from Sydney's Daily Telegraph to Australia's first home-series defeat in 16 years. Australia have been totally dominating the world cricket right from the day they world cup in 1999. But this defeat in their home turf is a clear indication that their era is over. India had been the only country in the past decade to challenge the Aussies in Australia, winning a few matches. But they did not win a series outright. But the manner in which Aussies were defeated by South Africans is a warning for the future of Australian Cricket. In the first test even 414 was not enough for them to defend and the things were worse in the second test, from 171/6 South Africa ended making 450+ The bowlers were not able to take 20 wickets and the problem for Ponting is "he doesn't know if the problem is with his batsman or bowlers". Though some may say Aussies are coming down, it will be fair to say that other teams are improving and have caught them. Good signs for the future of World Cricket...........