Dhoni’s earlier experiment of promoting himself at three might have cost India dear. World cups are not the tournaments to experiment. You go with couple of plans and stick to them through out the campaign.

Dhoni’s promoting himself ahead of others has always come in matches where India was well placed. He did it in IPL and he did here in earlier matches.

So why question his move now? Well, you need some good sample to bring out a point. It had to fail consistently. Other way too should be true.

All those have been discussed here

India might be one loss away from being kicked out of tournament. This has been a story of great upsets so far.

It will be the true test for Dhoni and all players. Will they come out flying colors or choke amidst pressure?

If India choke, their and Dhoni’s stock will start going down. We have always felt he has had too much luck on his side. May be tide is turning.

• South Africa = Chokers
• Aussies, still numero uno !
• India move to Super Eight!
• Johnson and his karate champion girlfriend !
• South Africa thrash West Indies; almost confirm berth to Semis

It was a clinical display from SA. They thrashed West Indies bowling to each 183. Within three overs into the West Indies innings, chase was almost over.

Simmons showed his innings against was not fluke. He carried West Indies hope all alone. They might have hoped for a miracle when he was out there. Once he was out caught at long off, it was all over.

It was impressive display. Fielding was good. Batting was pretty effective. Bowling was clinical. Parnell is growing in stature with each match. His figures today were 4-0-13-4. You can’t ask for more.

India is one loss away from getting out of the tournament. Dhoni’s experiments in earlier stages have made sure of it.

South Africa is almost through to semifinal.

• Super Eight Schedule!
• Twenty20 Worldcup schedule
• Horrors of third Umpire
• India 2nd in the ICC ODI ranking !
• England or South Africa?

Are these messages or plea has anything to do with IPL? I think so. Bal Thakre urged IPL officials to throw the Australian players out of IPL after the attacks.

For these players retired or almost near retiring, IPL is very important source of income. They are not in dire straits. Who does not want more money?

What better way to get into good books of IPL or BCCI? Say some few good things about India-Australia relationship. Urge students not to retaliate and show sympathy.

Now they become ambassadors of their country and good human beings. I am not saying that they are not. Would the response have been same, if they were not playing for IPL?

Question is how much of influence IPL has played in their messages. A big one it seems. Folks who have not great stake in IPL have not said a word so far!

• IPL Fate hangs on a thin thread !
• John Buchanan wants more foreign players
• Australian Coaches and Sourav Ganguly
• IPL move - Politically Motivated ?
• John Buchanan hits back at his critics!

During a match between South Africa and West Indies, a batsman hit the ball and was caught. On field umpires were confused; up they went.  Replays showed clearly it was out.

Now horror of horrors, umpire first ruled him out, I mean not out and then after lots of boos from crowd gave him out.

Why do these things happen with best technology available?

Good luck ICC and England for making entertaining us.

• England survive, Pakistan might not!
• Ganguly did not play the game in the right spirit : Warne
• England or South Africa?
• IPL moves out of India, its confirmed!
• Ganguly, Warne and the umpire fined

It’s not as if they planned it that way. Trophy or no trophy, they wanted to reward their players for their performances. They went ahead and did. What if team had been knocked out of world cup?

Now there might be competition to quickly exit from the world cup, expecting pay hike.

For the first time, top sic players in both Test and limited-overs cricket will be given fixed retainers. They will be paid all match fees even if they miss some games.

The minimum of such retainer will be $190,000 this year, rising to $210,000 next year, and there is no maximum.

These are interesting times. Australia have shows how to retain and nurture players.

Kudos to Aussies

• Pakistan will not host 2011 World-cup matches
• Aussies, still numero uno !
• Top 10 Batsmen of IPL-II
• India loses first T-20 in NZ.
• Mr.Pain in the wrong area retires!

This is something that needs to be taken care. The standards and guidelines should apply for all. Its not first time its is happening. It goes on to show that there is problems with the way officials follow the guidelines.

Its a loophole in the system how you can interpret the obstruction to the game. Those are being used Cleary here.

Hope West Indies learn from it.

ICC has to tighten up too.

• South Africa thrash West Indies; almost confirm berth to Semis
• Ganguly, Warne and the umpire fined
• Cricket Dying Sports:only Twenty20 can save it?
• APL-American Premier League: New Rival for IPL ?
• Pidge is getting younger by the day

Dhoni

I was surprised to see him. The way he played also did not convince me about his role and the experiment’s reason.

You are moving into tougher contests. It always serves to have your best men in touch. If you think otherwise, give some one who has not played a chance.

It was neither. He kept playing normal cricket. It confuses me. Only good thing about it was that it’s going to stop sooner.

There is no one who can tell us unless we have one more fake world cup player.

Lets hope sense prevails and we get to see better cricket from India

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• BCCI or Uncle SAM of Cricket ?
• Will Cricket Die due to terrorism?
• South Africa = Chokers
• T-20 World cup : Serious contenders
• Create window for IPL ! Warne urges ICC.

Other group has Pakistan, New Zealand, Sri Lanka and Ireland.

Schedule for the Super Eight.

Group E is tough one. All are good teams. India and South Africa should qualify from this into the next stage. Will they? Actually any two teams can go to next stage in this group.

Group F is easy one. Sri Lanka is hot favorite here along with New Zealand followed by Pakistan. Ireland can look for upsetting an off color team on that day, nothing more.

Lets see what happens.

• Twenty20 Worldcup schedule
• ICC Test and ODI Rankings
• T-20 World cup : Serious contenders
• India 2nd in the ICC ODI ranking !
• Today’s matches!

Sangakkara made Jayasuriya open bowling at other end. Relied heavily on spin to contain and take wickets too. His bowlers did a fantastic job. Hardly gave anything for batsmen to work with.

Mitchell Johnson’s cameo of 29 and some big hitting by Bret Lee helped them reach a fighting score. It was not enough.

Dilshan peppered boundary consistently. Jayasuriya got out to a beauty of a catch by Warner. Nothing stopped Dilshan. He reached his fifty off quick time.

Mahela and Sangakkara played calculated game to bring the game within reach. That’s when Mahela fell to Hauritz. They played sensibly. Sanga took apart Hauritz in one over.

Lee turned up heat for five bowls, only to give six off a last ball.  24 required of 18. It was anyone’s game from there. It was tense. It was fun watching it.

Sangakkara played a brilliant captain’s innings to take Sri Lanka home. Mubarak hit two sixes to finish the game in hurry.

Australia are out of the competition.

This tournament has thrown few surprises.

• England played ferociously to come back having lost to Netherlands earlier.
• Bangladesh lost to Ireland and knocked out.
• Andrew Symonds going back to his old ways is not one of them.

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• Today’s match: Australia at Sri Lanka’s mercy
• ICC Test and ODI Rankings
• Bangladesh kicked out off world cup!
• Vintage Jayasuriya toys with Chennai bowlers
• Jeff Crowe is the match referee for Bangladesh series

This should send right message to ICC. They should be looking at reconsidering the Bangladesh’s test stature.

Ireland will celebrate and rightly so. Wicket suited their strengths, but they used it to fullest. Bangladesh instead of being sensible and doing basics right, tried to dominate and paid price.

Three top order batsmen got starts and played horrible shots. Captain played the most reckless of them all. He is been like that. Time has come to show him where he belongs to.

Three spin bowlers who bowled tidily, did not get to complete their quota of four overs. Naeem Islam bowled two overs for nine runs. He did not get complete his overs.  Sense seemed to be missing from this team.

Ireland deserves their place in super eight. Not due to their abilities, but for their sheer enthusiasm and commitment. They were earnest and stuck to their strengths. Hope they still have an upset in store.

Good luck Ireland. Go home Bangladesh; that’s where your place is!

• Australia are out of Twenty20 world cup. Follow Bangladesh.
• Deccan Chargers quest for victory continues
• India 2nd in the ICC ODI ranking !
• Top 10 Bowlers of IPL-II
• Twenty20 Worldcup schedule