Spinners dominate in 175-run win

Man of the Match Tatenda Taibu top-scored with 98 and then completed two stumpings as Zimbabwe romped to a 175-run win © Getty Images Enlarge

Zimbabwe's spinners made sure a record third-wicket partnership between Tatenda Taibu and Craig Ervine didn't go to waste, maintaining an asphyxiating grip on Canada's batsmen to secure a 175-run win in Nagpur. Taibu and Ervine's stand, which is Zimbabwe's highest for the third wicket in ODIs and their fifth largest overall, helped their team recover from a decidedly shaky start to reach 298 for 8 on a good batting wicket. While the ascendancy had swung between the two teams in the first innings Zimbabwe's slow bowlers assumed full control in the afternoon, sharing 37.1 overs and all ten wickets as Canada were bowled out in the 43rd over.

Despite needing practically a-run-a-ball from the start Canada would still have begun their batting effort with the belief that an upset was not impossible. What was needed was a positive start by their opening pair, the unlikely couple of veteran batsman John Davison and the comparatively foetal Nitish Kumar who, at 40 and 16 respectively, are the oldest and youngest players at this tournament.

Davison looked to attack Ray Price - who shared the new ball once again - almost immediately but ran straight past a flighted delivery that straightened just enough to clip the top of off stump. Things got worse for Canada four overs later when, in consecutive deliveries, Price stuck out his left hand and held onto a chipped drive to get rid of Kumar and Ashish Bagai swept straight to short backward square. Jimmy Hansra safely negotiated the hat-trick ball but the damage had been done with Canada staring into the precipice at 7 for 3.

Hansra and 19-year-old Ruvindu Gunasekara clung gamely to the crease for a while, but the required rate rose steadily as the slow bowlers strengthened their stranglehold. As the frustration rose Hansra again used his feet to Utseya but this time an arm ball rushed past the outside edge and he was easily stumped for a 41-ball 20.

Gunasekara followed in the very next over, bottom-edging an attempted late cut onto his own stumps, and when the big-hitting Rizwan Cheema mis-hit a full toss straight to short fine leg Canada were 66 for 6 and the match was over as a contest. With the pitch exhibiting increasingly extravagant turn legspinner Graeme Cremer was unleashed on the lower order, and both Tyson Gordon and Khurram Chohan were flummoxed by his subtle variations in flight and spin.

Zubin Surkari briefly held Zimbabwe at bay, gritting out a brave 26 before he fell to a leg-side stumping. Cremer wrapped up the innings an over later, ripping one through Balaji Rao's defences to claim his third wicket.

Smart Stats Brendan Taylor became the third batsman to be dismissed off the first ball of a World Cup game. Three of the dismissals have come against Zimbabwe. Tatenda Taibu's 98 is the first instance of a Zimbabwe batsman being dismissed in the nineties in a World Cup game and the 32nd instance overall of a batsman being dismissed in the nineties in a World Cup match. Taibu's 98 was his third-highest score in ODIs and his 17th fifty overall. In 14 matches since June 2010, he has scored 564 runs with five half-centuries. The 181-run partnership between Taibu and Craig Irvine is the highest partnership for Zimbabwe in World Cups, surpassing the 166-run stand between Grant Flower and Craig Wishart against Namibia in 2003. It is also the fifth-highest stand for Zimbabwe in ODIs overall. Zimbabwe's 298 is their fourth-highest total in a World Cup game. They have 18 scores over 300 in ODIs. Zimbabwe's 175-run win is their largest in World Cups and their fourth largest in ODIs overall. The margin of defeat is also the second largest for Canada in World Cups.

Canada had been able to put up much more of a challenge with the ball, legspinner Rao picking up career-best figures of 4 for 57 as Zimbabwe were kept under pressure on either side of Taibu and Ervine's partnership. There was a real buzz in the field when Brendan Taylor and Charles Coventry were removed within the first four overs - Taylor pinned in front of his stumps by a Khurram Chohan inswinger on the very first ball of the day - but as the shine faded and the sun baked all life from the wicket the batsmen settled in and a large total loomed.

After seeing off the new ball Taibu took two boundaries from offspinner Jimmy Hansra's first over, another brace from his second, to calm Zimbabwe's nerves. He barely dipped below a-run-a-ball thereafter, bringing up a 46-ball fifty in the 15th over and playing with increasing fluency. Ervine, who made a cautious start to his innings with 17 from his first 35 balls, eventually began to pick up the tempo too and used a variety of sweep shots against the spinners to good effect as the partnership passed 100.

It appeared Zimbabwe had assumed full control once more, but as the ball softened it began to grip the surface and Rao got the breakthrough with one that bounced a little more than Ervine was expecting, ricocheting off the shoulder of the bat and the pad and looping up for wicketkeeper Bagai to complete a good catch. Ervine had reached 85, his highest score in ODIs, but his dismissal sparked another collapse and when Taibu top-edged a sweep to be out for 98 Zimbabwe were 201 for 5.

Rao had luck on his side in nipping Greg Lamb and Sean Williams out, Lamb chopping a long-hop onto his own stumps and Williams gloving a sweep to give Bagai the chance to take a third smart catch, diving forward. Zimbabwe were precariously placed at 240 for 7 at that point and were thankful for an enterprising 41-run stand between Prosper Utseya and Graeme Cremer, which gave the score took a sheen of respectability after a stuttering start and a middle-order wobble. As it turned out, their score was more than enough against a Canadian line-up that showed precious little competency in combating an unrelenting hydra of spin.

West Indies hand Netherlands 215-run thrashing

	Kemar Roach lifted the spirits of a lacklustre game by taking a hat-trick to finish the game © AFP Enlarge
Related Links Matches: Netherlands v West Indies at Delhi Series/Tournaments: ICC Cricket World Cup Teams: Netherlands | West Indies

Kemar Roach lifted the spirits on a dank day of World Cup action by becoming the sixth bowler to claim a World Cup hat-trick as West Indies cruised past a disappointing Netherlands outfit in Delhi.

Roach's whippet pace and low trajectory overwhelmed Netherlands who, set 331 for victory, were left to regret their captain's decision to field first. He finished the game in style, trapping Pieter Seelaar and Bernard Loots lbw before splattering Berend Westdijk's middle stump to seal a 215-run victory.

After the World Cup found its voice in a nerve-shattering encounter on Sunday evening it reverted to an inaudible mumble on Monday as Canada capitulated against Zimbabwe in Nagpur, before Netherlands put up an embarrassing showing. Gone was the intensity and discipline that spooked England as they allowed West Indies to saunter to victory with more than 18 overs left unused.

This was an important match for West Indies who, coming into it, looked in danger of being drawn into a qualification dogfight in Group B. If they are to beat Bangladesh to the quarters they need their big guns to fire and they would have been relieved that Chris Gayle and Kieron Pollard found their form before Roach's heroics.

Smart stats The 215-run win is West Indies' biggest margin of victory in ODIs, going past their earlier record of 208 runs against Canada in Kingston last year. It's also the joint sixth-largest by any team in World Cup history. West Indies' total of 330 is their second-highest in World Cups, and seventh-best in all ODIs. Kemar Roach's hat-trick is the 28th in ODI history, and the sixth in World Cups. He is also the first West Indian to achieve this feat in World Cups, and the second in all ODIs, after Jerome Taylor. Chetan Sharma, Saqlain Mushtaq, Chaminda Vaas, Brett Lee and Lasith Malinga are the others to take a hat-trick in World Cups. Roach's figures of 6 for 27 are the fourth-best by a West Indian bowler in ODIs, and the second-best in World Cups, after Winston Davis' 7 for 51 against Australia in 1983. Keiron Pollard's 23-ball half-century is the joint fourth-fastest in terms of balls faced in World Cups. Brendon McCullum's 20-ball effort against Canada in 2007 is the fastest, while the next two belong to Mark Boucher in the same tournament: off 21 balls against Netherlands, and 22 balls against West Indies.

It was only a composed but futile 55 not out from Tom Cooper that dragged Netherlands past their lowest-ever ODI total - 80 against West Indies four years ago - in a showing that did themselves, and the beleaguered Associate brand, a total disservice.

Roach operated consistently around the 90mph mark and was happy to aim full at the stumps - a tactic shunned by England's bowlers against the same opposition - and Netherlands' batsmen were not up for a fight.

Though he took six wickets, the crucial, crushing blow was landed by towering left-arm-spinner Sulieman Benn. Ryan ten Doeschate, the hero against England and the sole player in the side with the quality to mount a challenge, was trapped low on the front pad and despite a long stride, and a review, he could not survive. Thereafter it was only Cooper who could resist Roach's pace.

The rot was set earlier in the day when Gayle made a measured 80 and Pollard a 27-ball 60 that carried West Indies out of sight. Pollard blended his immense power with the touch of savvy that has been absent from his 50-over game so far to bring up only his second ODI fifty. His assault gave a crowd deprived of much excitement something to cheer and emphatically confirmed that Borren's decision to field first on a pudding pitch and speedy outfield was the wrong one.

Devon Smith's silky fifty allowed Gayle plenty of time to rouse himself into the contest. At no stage were West Indies pinned down but it did take Gayle 24 deliveries to find the boundary. ten Doeschate's first over shattered his shackles as he drove three times through the covers, before collecting two more boundaries in the next over. He looked poised to explode from thereon but was instead content to coast and make the most of some generous Netherlands offerings.

The seam bowlers leaked runs both sides of the wicket and it was only the 23-year-old left-arm-spinner Pieter Seelaar who impressed. With an action and temperament similar to his touted Irish counterpart George Dockrell, Seelaar was happy to give the ball air and was rightly rewarded when Gayle holed out to long-off, one run shy of his 8000th in ODI cricket.

At that stage, two balls into the batting Powerplay, West Indies looked like suffering the same hoodoo that has infected many other teams throughout the tournament, but in Pollard they had the right man for the stage. There was the customary six-hitting, including a monstrous strike into the stands off Mudassar Bukhari, but there was plenty of nous too as he raced to his fifty from 23 balls, the joint fourth-quickest in World Cup history.

Given the stiff target Netherlands were unlikely to get near and Roach ensured West Indies overcame them in style.

Bresnan reprimanded, England fined

size: A | A

	Tim Bresnan smacked a six shortly before the incident © Associated Press Enlarge
Related Links Players/Officials: Tim Bresnan Matches: India v England at Bangalore Series/Tournaments: ICC Cricket World Cup Teams: England

Tim Bresnan, the England allrounder, has been reprimanded for breaching the ICC Code of Conduct during the thrilling tie with India in Bangalore. Bresnan hit the stumps with his bat after being bowled by Piyush Chawla in the penultimate over of England's chase.

Bresnan apologised for the incident and didn't contest the reprimand. He pleaded guilty to contravening Level 1 of the Code of Conduct which relates to the "abuse of cricket equipment or clothing, ground equipment or fixtures and fitting." All Level 1 breaches carry a minimum penalty of an official reprimand and/or a maximum penalty of the imposition of a fine up to 50 per cent of a player's match fee.

"While giving my verdict, I took into account that Bresnan admitted his mistake, apologised for his action and that it was his first offence," Roshan Mahanama, the ICC match referee, said. "Further, it was encouraging to note that Bresnan on his own initiative met the umpires concerned and reiterated that his action was unintentional."

England were also fined for a slow over-rate after they were found to be one over short of the target at the end of the Indian innings, after time allowances were taken into consideration. Andrew Strauss, the captain, was fined 20% of his match fee, the rest were fined 10%.

Bell stumped by his UDRS reprieve

has conceded that he was as baffled as anyone when he benefited from a controversial decision review in England's on Sunday. Bell was given not out by umpire Billy Bowden but the bowler Yuvraj Singh was certain he had trapped the batsman lbw, and convinced the captain MS Dhoni to ask for a review.

The process was played out on the big screen at the Chinnaswamy Stadium and when the fans saw the ball had struck Bell in line and was going on to hit the stumps, a roar went around and Bell began to walk off. However, Bell was turned back by the fourth umpire Aleem Dar, who was sitting on the sidelines and knew that Bowden was sticking to his decision.

Bell was more than 2.5 metres down the pitch when he was struck, and from that distance the Hawkeye tracking technology is considered to be less reliable, so the on-field umpire can decide to trust the computer or stick to his own eye. The spectators had no idea why the decision was upheld, and began chanting "cheating", while Dhoni said after the game it was an adulteration of human decision-making and technology.

"When a decision gets reviewed, you can see everything as it unfolds on the big screen," Bell said the next morning. "When I saw it pitch in line and hit the stumps, I thought that was it. I wasn't aware of the rule of how far you had to be down the wicket. I got waved back on by the fourth official and I moved on from there. I wasn't aware that the distance down the wicket was a factor.

"I didn't even know that rule existed. As soon as I saw it pitch in line and hit, I thought that was enough. It's strange, to be honest with you, if you see Hawkeye saying it's going to hit the stumps. It's a little bit strange. But that's the rule, I guess, and we're not going to be able to change that for this World Cup."

Although the rule was news to Bell, it had been seen during England's recent ODI series against Australia. In the seventh and final match , the Australian batsman Tim Paine was adjudged not out to Liam Plunkett, and England reviewed the umpire Paul Reiffel's on-field decision.

The replays showed Paine was hit more than 2.5 metres from the stumps, but Hawkeye suggested the ball would have crashed into the stumps halfway up, and on that occasion Reiffel decided not to argue with the technology, even though he would have been within his rights to stay with his not-out call.

Bowden didn't feel the same way on Sunday, and the decision contributed to an epic tie that came down to the final ball of the 50th over, as England nearly pulled off a mammoth chase. Despite not taking full points from the game, Bell said England could take plenty of confidence from their efforts against a strong Indian side.

"I think we can take a hell of a lot from it," Bell said. "Going in halfway chasing 338, I don't think too many England teams in the past over here would have done that. I've certainly played in a fair share myself where we wouldn't have got 250 runs chasing that.

"To do that and to be involved in this one-day side showed me the strides forward we've made as a team. If we can keep doing that, we've got the quality in bowling that when we get our bowling and fielding 100% right we're going to be a good team in this competition."

'Wherever there is a need, I play there' - Younis

| Text size: A | A

	Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq have had dynamic partnerships in the middle order © AFP Enlarge
Related Links Players/Officials: Misbah-ul-Haq | Younis Khan Series/Tournaments: ICC Cricket World Cup Teams: Pakistan

The good form of Younis Khan and Misbah-ul-Haq in the middle order, individually and in partnership, has been one of the significant factors in Pakistan's winning starts in Group A. They made two fifties each against Kenya and Sri Lanka, putting on a quick 45 in Hambantota and a platform-setting 108 against the co-hosts at the R Premadasa.

Their partnerships have been doubly important given the pre-tournament concerns that batting Younis and Misbah at No. 4 and No. 5 would rob Pakistan of impetus in the middle overs. Instead, the pair has brought stability and momentum. In recent years, Younis has been the regular one down, but the arrival of Ahmed Shehzad pushed Kamran Akmal to that spot, pushing Younis down one further. The two fifties have been his first in World Cup cricket, having failed to perform in 2003 and 2007.

"My job is that wherever there is a need, I play there," Younis said at the P Sara Oval in Colombo after a practice session. "I played at No. 3 before and now we need me at No. 4, so whatever the situation is for the team or in the match, I will do. Misbah and I are the seniors and we talk about our roles. We've made a couple of good partnerships so we want to keep that going. In both of the games I have missed hundreds but I am happy that I have scored fifties."

Younis and Misbah, at 33 and 36, are very much the senior members of the squad, and along with another old pro Shoaib Akhtar (35), were involved in the moments that won the Sri Lanka game. Younis and Misbah have also been involved in leading the fielding performances of the side which, though it faltered towards the end of Saturday's game, has shown signs of improvement over the last few months and series.

Senior players, including Umar Gul, got together before the World Cup and decided they would take the lead. "The seniors got together and decided that we have to make an extra effort with juniors," Gul said. "Whatever is in the junior's workload, we should also take that on so that we can be role models roles for them. That is our target, that we should take the load and fulfill as much responsibility as we can ourselves."

Pakistan's second win puts them in a good position to not only qualify for the quarter-finals but also to be in a good position in the group, as two of their four remaining games are against Canada and Zimbabwe, which they would expect to win comfortably.

"It is getting easier now because by winning every match we make it easier to get to the quarter-finals," Younis said. "We want to keep playing like this and win every match. We all know that it's a big tournament, so senior or junior, the goal is that we give our best and contribute to every game."

Pakistan's win has put them on the radar as far as serious contenders in the tournament are concerned. Shahid Afridi has already said he wants, at the least, a semi-final berth, but Younis was more cautious about where he saw Pakistan reaching. "I have said this before, right now these are round matches. In knockouts, if it is your day, if someone bats well or bowls well or has a lucky day, then the match turns. First we want to reach the quarter-finals."

We can't improve our fielding much - Dhoni

India captain, MS Dhoni, has admitted his team fielded poorly against England, but said there were limits to how much it could improve its fielding. Instead, he said, the team needed to focus on its strengths.

"Maybe if we would have fielded slighted better, we would have won the game by one run because you realise in these games the importance of one run," Dhoni said. "I don't think we can improve the fielding very much because we have got quite a few slow fielders in the side.

"So I think if we were a different fielding side it would have been slightly better, but then you need to realise your strengths and definitely fielding is not a big part of it."

Apart from a dropped chance off Andrew Strauss early in his innings and one off Ian Bell at slip, India conceded quite a few runs by way of misfields.

The hosts amassed 338 on the backs of another Sachin Tendulkar century on Sunday in Bangalore, but Strauss made a century of his own and the match ended in a dramatic tie after some lusty lower-order hitting from England. During England's innings, Dhoni was seen discussing fielding and bowling changes on a number of occasions with Virender Sehwag.

	Munaf Patel took a clever return catch to dismiss Kevin Pietersen, rare bright moment for India in the field © AFP Enlarge

"If you are not 100% sure of something, you have got experienced players in the side whom you can always approach because at the end of the day the motivation is to take the best decision at the right time. That's what I was interacting with him since he was close to me."

Dhoni said he likes to let his bowlers choose their own field and it is only when things don't go to plan that he steps in. "I always give the liberty to the bowlers to set the field," he said. "If the fast bowler wants a particular field, even if i am not very happy with it, I believe in the skill of the fast bowlers, and give him the first preference to pick his own field. If it is not successful, then I implement my own field."

Kenya hope to avoid mismatch

	Kenya's team is significantly weaker than the one that beat Sri Lanka in 2003 © AFP Enlarge
Related Links News : 'Malinga is fit' - Bayliss Matches: Sri Lanka v Kenya at Colombo (RPS) Series/Tournaments: ICC Cricket World Cup Teams: Kenya | Sri Lanka

Big Picture

The last time Sri Lanka played Kenya in a World Cup, they did so despite security concerns in the country, choosing not to follow New Zealand, who forfeited their game in Nairobi. No amount of concerns over security would have prepared Sri Lanka for what happened: a shocking 53-run defeat against a spirited home side. It was 2003, and to borrow from the pop-sport anthem, it was time for Africa. Kenya were a seriously good side then, and would have had every right to feel indignant about not being a Test side. Eight years on, their side well and truly reflects the political turmoil the country has gone through, and the general neglect of the sport. Suffice to say, no such upset can be fantasised about this time.

Sri Lanka, on the other hand, have gone from strength to strength since 2003. All they will want is for the Colombo rains - which are never too far away any time of the year - to stay away, and then notch up the two points by playing solid cricket. There will be disappointment after Sri Lanka lost to Pakistan. It could result in the hosts having to play a better team in the quarter-final than they would ideally want, but there aren't many teams who can claim to have faced the ghosts that appear only under the Premadasa floodlights, and lived to tell the tale.

Form guide

(Most recent first)

Sri Lanka LWWWL

Kenya LLWLW

Pitch and conditions

Scattered thunderstorms are predicted for Tuesday, but that is hardly unusual for Colombo. The weathermen say chance of precipitation is 60%. Now that becomes slightly gloomy. Be that as it may, the game should become interesting if Kenya get to bat first and set Sri Lanka a fighting target under the lights. The pitch, though, hardly holds any demons otherwise.

Watch out for…

In his 15th year of international cricket, Thomas Odoyo is still going strong. His opening spell against Pakistan was the only positive Kenya could take away from their first game of the World Cup. They will need much more from him to compete against Sri Lanka.

Considering how successful Shahid Afridi's spin was against the Kenya batsmen, Muttiah Muralitharan could be in for a wicket-fest too.

Team news

Sri Lanka, strong favourites to win the World Cup, had one problem area when they started out. They have the class of Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene and Nos. 3 and 4, and the hitting prowess of Angelo Mathews and Thisara Perera in the lower order. The link between them, though, gets exposed every now and then. Chamara Silva's fifty against Pakistan, though, might just mean he is the lesser of the evils. The other Chamara, Kapugedera, doesn't have the results to match the flair he seeks to exhibit. Lasith Malinga is reportedly fit but whether he will play is not yet certain.

Sri Lanka: (probable): 1 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 2 Upul Tharanga, 3 Kumar Sangakkara (capt & wk), 4 Mahela Jayawardene, 5 Chamara Silva, 6 Thilan Samaraweera, 7 Angelo Mathews, 8 Thisara Perera, 9 Nuwan Kulasekara, 10 Ajantha Mendis, 11 Muttiah Muralitharan.

Kenya: 1 Maurice Ouma, 2 Seren Waters, 3 Colins Obuya, 4 Steve Tikolo, 5 Tanmay Mishra, 6 Rakep Patel, 7 Jimmy Kamande, 8 Thomas Odoyo, 9 Nehemiah Odhiambo, 10 Shem Ngoche, 11 Elijah Otieno.

Try picking the XIs for tomorrow's game by playing Team Selector.

Stats and trivia

• This is Steve Tikolo's fifth World Cup, and he possesses an all-round record that not many from stronger sides will mind - 739 runs and 15 wickets.

• Although Sri Lanka co-hosted the 1996 World Cup, this is only the second World Cup game being played at the Premadasa. Australia and West Indies forfeited their Colombo matches back in 1996 because of security concerns.

• Tikolo is six short of becoming only the second Kenyan to take 100 ODI wickets, after Odoyo.

Netherlands not just out to surprise

A

	Motivation's not a problem for the Dutch © Getty Images Enlarge
Related Links News : ten Doeschate looms as main threat Players/Officials: Peter Borren | Peter Drinnen Series/Tournaments: ICC Cricket World Cup Teams: Netherlands

Of all the things Peter Borren, the Netherlands captain, has had to catch recently, a tape recorder probably wasn't one of them. When one such device was casually flung across the table he was seated at, moments before his press conference in Delhi began, his eyes widened, a solid red blush crept over his face and he spoke before he could think. "Oh s**t, that caught me by surprise," he said, with a nervous laugh.

The journalists giggled with him, the tape recorder tosser apologised with a small raise of his hand, perhaps a little embarrassed for having done something so casual and the press conference began. Most people spoke to Borren like he was an old friend, catching up on social concerns, like whether people recognise the Dutch cricketers when they walk around street (No, they don't and according to Borren they may not even recognise Sachin Tendulkar) and the soccer craze in Europe.

It's these more personal interactions that make the Associates so valuable in major tournaments. They remind most that there are cricketers beyond the Dhonis, Muralitharans, Kallises and Pontings, who are considered ultra-human some of the time. There are cricketers who juggle a full-time job, a family and their passion for playing the sport and when they get picked for the national side, their balancing act only becomes more delicate. Their challenges are completely different to those of the full-member teams, who have the luxury of only thinking about the game, and that's what makes them so interesting.

"We are not a fully professional outfit but we have a core group of guys who live and work in Holland," Borren said. "It can be a disadvantage that we don't work together all the time but given the sacrifices that the guys make to be out here, with some of them working 40-hour weeks and having families, it's a strength as well. We've given up a lot to be here so we are quite tight as a unit."

Even though the Dutch Cricket Association has 16 players on incremental contracts, the team only actually works together for a few months of the year. Coach Peter Drinnen said the players spent the past seven weeks preparing for this tournament and they usually get that much time together in a regular year before some head off to the English domestic limited-overs competition, the CB40, and others return to their day jobs. He describes their preparation as a "rollercoaster" which they hop and off in their attempt to develop the sport.

Despite their intermittent training schedule, Drinnen finds no problem keeping the team's eyes on the ball when it matters. "It's not difficult at all to motivate them. It's more of a management thing for me, especially time management. They've got families and loved ones to see and so I have to help them to get the best out of their training. Motivation is not a problem because this is a big environment."

The Dutch certainly thrive off performing on the big stage, and they showed that against England in their World Cup opener, where they posted a competitive 292 for 6. Although England won comfortably in the end, the fight in the minnows was there for all to see and it is set to continue as the tournament goes on."We are here to cause surprises and if people think that's it a surprise that we competed, that's not good enough for us. We're here to get results on the board," Borren said.

West Indies are the next team they face and, judging by the decline that team has found themselves in, it should be almost an even contest. "We've had time to reflect on what was a reasonably good performance against England and we are looking forward to the game." They may be being a bit harsh on themselves to call their previous showing only "reasonable" but it reflects their seriousness to keep improving and give a respectable account of themselves at this tournament. "The other night we may not have got it quite right with the ball," Drinnen said.

After watching the match between South Africa and the West Indies, Drinnen said Netherlands "will consider" using more spinners. Offspinner Tom Cooper and left-arm spinner Peieter Seelaar played against England and they have another offspinner, Adeel Raja, waiting in the wings. Borren would also like to a few others contributing with the bat. Ryan ten Doeschate's century was the major contribution to their score against England and Borren said the rest of team can learn from "how he paced it and took advantage of the Powerplay."

It's this type of fine tuning that they want to get right that shows that the Dutch are sincere about their ambition to keep improving, not only for themselves but to increase the popularity of cricket in their home country. "The better we do, the more awareness there is about the sport." So focused are they on growing the game that they don't even seem too bothered by whether or not their performances will change the ICC's mind about the number of teams in the next World Cup. "2015 is still four years away and we have a job to do here," Borren said.

Vettori grateful for decent break

Comments: 12 | Text size: A | A

	Kyle Mills is likely to return for New Zealand's next match against Zimbabwe © Getty Images Enlarge
Related Links Players/Officials: Kyle Mills | Jacob Oram | Ross Taylor | Daniel Vettori Series/Tournaments: ICC Cricket World Cup Teams: New Zealand

Daniel Vettori is hopeful that the seven-day break until New Zealand's next World Cup match against Zimbabwe will give them a chance to have a fully fit squad to select from. A number of players, including the captain, are carrying injuries following the thumping defeat against Australia.

Scott Styris didn't take the field during Australia's run chase while Vettori also spent time off on the sidelines nursing a hamstring problem. Although New Zealand started with a strong 10-wicket victory against Kenya the seven-wicket hammering by their Trans-Tasman rivals suggested that the tournament will be a struggle even though they should still emerge from the group stage.

Kyle Mills, the team's most experienced pace bowler, and allrounder Jacob Oram were notable omissions against Australia as New Zealand retained the inexperienced pairing of Tim Southee and Hamish Bennett after their success against Kenya. Mills missed the first game with a back injury but was available for selection, while it was confirmed Oram had been left out due to form.

"Kyle [Mills] looks like he is almost fully fit; he probably is fully fit. We've got a long break between now and the next game so I'm pretty confident all 15 guys will be available," Vettori said. "I think Scott has a bruised finger and I'll think we'll find out more on that later on. Unfortunately, I've got ongoing hamstring issues but I should be fine."

However, even if New Zealand are able to draft in some experience from outside the current XI that will largely be for the bowling attack and not the struggling top order which hit 73 for 6 against Australia's pace bowling. It continued a regular trend of batting woes for New Zealand who have struggled for consistent contributions.

The trio of Brendon McCullum, Jesse Ryder and Ross Taylor have the potential to dominate any opposition but they have rarely fired as a unit. Taylor's form is a growing concern as he has made 114 runs in six one-day international innings this year with one fifty; he scored the last of his three ODI hundreds back in October 2008.

"Our batting has been part of our game that we haven't been happy with and have to continue to look to rectify it," Vettori said. "We have got very good players in our top four, top five, we just need to find a way to stand up and be counted. That is the same with the ball, as well. We have a good balanced squad here but that doesn't matter unless you perform and you have to get that out of these guys as quickly as possible.

"I you look at their [batting] records over the last year or so, they haven't been too bad. Jesse Ryder's coming off a good hundred a couple of weeks ago against Pakistan," he added. "They have got the skills there, but as a unit we have to lift.

"This 15-man squad is the team for this world cup and we are going to have to find a way to get the results. We have a chance in eight days' time against Zimbabwe."

Afridi demands improvement despite victory

size: A | A

Shahid Afridi wasn't an entirely happy man after orchestrating "a very big win" over Sri Lanka at the R Premadasa, a result likely to have significant repercussions on Group A as the tournament progresses.

Afridi was at the centre of the triumph, picking up four key wickets as Pakistan overcame a late implosion in the field to sneak out with an 11-run win. The haul included his 300th ODI wicket, the third Pakistani to do so and only the second player after Sanath Jayasuriya to complete 300 wickets and 4000 runs in the format. With nine wickets in two games, he is for now the leading wicket-taker in the tournament.

But Pakistan's inability to finish off games over the last year has worried coach Waqar Younis and tonight's performance, deservedly triumphant ultimately, would not have eased those concerns. Sri Lanka lost their top order with less than 100 on the board, so by the 22nd over of the chase, the game seemed done.

Pakistan relaxed and proceeded to spill three catches, fluff two stumpings and miss a host of run-out attempts over the next 20 overs, allowing Chamara Silva, Kumar Sangakkara and Angelo Mathews to fight back. Amid the bedlam, they swiftly wasted two referrals and totted up 29 extras and though Afridi felt that "80%" of the task was done by then, he warned that improvement was needed.

	Shahid Afridi is now the tournament's leading wicket-taker with nine scalps in two games © AFP Enlarge

"It's a very big win for us, beating Sri Lanka before a capacity crowd, their own people and a strong team which has been playing very well recently," Afridi said. "I think when we go ahead in this tournament our destination will get tougher and tougher and if we commit the same mistakes, then we will return to Pakistan very soon. We must improve. Our fielding has been improving since the New Zealand tour, but I don't know why in this match we dropped catches and failed to take run-out chances."

The win was built on the back of contributions from older players; fifties from Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan set up the total and two wickets from Shoaib Akhtar, as well as Afridi's haul, helped defend it. Given the blend of youth and experience in the squad, it was an important contribution. "I'm happy that seniors have taken responsibility," he said. "Younis and Misbah are the backbone of the team, and it's important that the captain performs well as it sets an example for others."

Pakistan have a couple of days off now before their next game against Canada on March 3, also at the R Premadasa. There are likely to be changes for that game, to rest some players, but also for strategic reasons. Pakistan took an unchanged line-up into today's game, which meant they were using just three specialist bowlers and again not fully exploiting Abdul Razzaq: he faced four balls at the death and bowled five tidy overs. Another specialist bowler is likely to be considered. Misbah also picked up a hamstring strain during his innings and though it is not thought to be serious just yet, it might impact on the line-up for the Canada game.

"I will sit down and plan, I will take advice from my coach and from my senior players as it is everyone's team," Afridi said. "Winning is very important for us, it is a good habit and we should try to win every match and play hard with our strength. I think we will give rest to some of our players but definitely we want to win each and every game."

Top-order collapse cost match - Sangakkara

Kumar Sangakkara, the Sri Lanka captain, rued his side's top-order problems which wasted the solid start provided by the openers as they came up short in their run chase against Pakistan to register their first home defeat in a World Cup.

Tillakaratne Dilshan and Upul Tharanga put on 76 for the first wicket but Sri Lanka then lost 4 for 20 in seven overs. The middle order became bogged down as Chamara Silva struggled to build momentum until it was too late and despite Nuwan Kulasekara's brave effort the target always appeared out of reach.

"We did pretty well to restrict them to 277 and the start we got was good enough to keep on batting, but when you lose four wickets in the same amount of overs and you are less than 100 for four wickets down, it makes it a bit difficult," Sangakkara said. "We can say that we missed Lasith [Malinga] a bit, but the guys were pretty up to it.

"On this track 277 was very gettable and you saw how close we came at the end. If we had done a little more hard work with the top order batsman, I think we would have made it and crossed the line. The real negative for us from this game is we lost a bunch of wickets in a very short space of time."

Sangakkara believes his side will have learned some valuable lessons from the defeat, a result that shouldn't hamper Sri Lanka's chances of progressing to the quarter-finals. "Also the fact that partnerships are important and we should never panic at any point," he said. "We were well behind the run rate, but we still fell only 10 run short. So basically if we had kept building partnerships, when we had that great start, I think it would have been a different story."

	Tillakaratne Dilshan's departure came in the middle of a bad period for Sri Lanka in their run chase © Getty Images Enlarge

Shoaib Akhtar rolled back the years with an express delivery to remove Mahela Jayawardene which followed quickly from Shahid Afridi's removal of Dilshan for 41. "That kind of gives them the momentum and unfortunately that was the real critical period in this game," Sangakkara said.

Chasing is notoriously difficult at the R Premadasa but Sangakkara refused to use the toss as an excuse. "Winning tosses will not decide a match. On a pitch like this, had we played better cricket and done our basics especially in batting, we could have changed the decision."

And even in defeat there were elements of Sri Lanka's performance that pleased him including the role the spinners played in the Pakistan innings and how Silva overcame his sluggish start to give the home side a chance late in the chase. "[The spinners] were outstanding. The rest of the fast bowlers started off a bit shakily but I think we came back to the game pretty well," he said. "The opening partnership was great and the way Chamara Silva batted.

"Kulasekara again proved he can handle the bat well and Angelo Mathews unfortunately didn't have enough time to get himself set. When we were so far behind it is easy to say that's it and walk away from the game. But the way we fought it out and how close we came is I think we can do them.

"Pakistan are a very good side and well balanced. They showed today that they got a lot of pride also. Everyone writes off a team at their peril and cricket has a lot of surprises. Today they played better cricket than us all round."

Feeds: Sa'adi Thawfeeq

© ESPN EMEA Ltd.

Cricket Kenya chief hints at team discord

: A | A

Kenya have had a dispiriting World Cup campaign so far © Associated Press Enlarge

Cricket Kenya chief Samir Inamdar has cited differences between the players and coach Eldine Baptiste while criticising the national team's performance at the World Cup thus far. Kenya suffered massive defeats at the hands of New Zealand, who bowled them out for 69, and Pakistan, against whom they went down by 205 runs.

"The coach has his own way of doing things which did not go down well with some senior players," Inamdar told Reuters. "But ultimately, the coach has a duty to do and the players as well have a duty. I hope they will overcome those differences and play well."

Though Kenya's defeats have come against Test-playing nations, their spineless capitulation in each of their two games thus far has not gone down too well with the board. They are in the same group as Zimbabwe and Canada, teams they'll be confident of competing better against, but their game thus far has lacked discipline. Their bowlers conceded 37 wides against Pakistan, while the batsmen have struggled to measure up to both pace and spin.

"The board and I are disappointed by the performance so far," Inamdar said. "I don't mind losing to teams like New Zealand and Pakistan because they are obviously better than us but we should be competitive. We need to be seen to be fighting and scoring runs."

Inamdar said he'd spoken to the players. "We can do better. I have had a long chat with the team management. The chief executive (Tom Sears) returned home yesterday and we had a long chat as well and I expect them to lift themselves up in the remaining matches.

"Obviously, they did not get the basics right. The batting and bowling was not good at all."

Wright defends playing extra batsman

7 | Text size: A | A

	Jamie How, a regular opener, batted at No.7 © AFP Enlarge
Related Links Players/Officials: Jamie How | John Wright Matches: Australia v New Zealand at Nagpur Series/Tournaments: ICC Cricket World Cup Teams: New Zealand

John Wright, the New Zealand coach, has defended the team's decision to pick Jamie How ahead of allrounder Jacob Oram and Kyle Mills in the defeat against Australia in Nagpur. New Zealand went in with an extra specialist batsman with How, a regular opener who was dropped down to No.7, making 22 in his team's score of 206.

The match was New Zealand's first major fixture of this World Cup and Wright, while acknowledging the ploy didn't pay off, said the team had decided to strengthen its batting against a potent Australian pace attack. "We wanted to strengthen our batting because we knew Australia would come at us with pace on a number of fronts," Wright said of How's inclusion. "Particularly around that secondary ball, we thought it would be nice to have a guy who can play pace well and Jamie is a very good player of pace to counter that.

"But it didn't work, did it?"

Wright confirmed Mills was fit for the game, and said he will get his chance against Zimbabwe on March 4 in New Zealand's next fixture. "Kyle's back to full fitness. He's trained well the last two days, but we felt that the two pace bowlers and two spinners against Australia was the right option so he'll get his opportunity in the next game."

Epic encounter ends in thrilling tie

	Andrew Strauss led from the front with a brilliant captain's innings © AFP Enlarge
Related Links Analysis : India exposed in flawed thriller Analysis : Strauss and Bresnan make it special for England Players/Officials: Tim Bresnan | Stuart Broad | Virender Sehwag | Andrew Strauss | Sachin Tendulkar | Michael Yardy Matches: India v England at Bangalore Series/Tournaments: ICC Cricket World Cup Teams: England | India

On an evening that simply beggared belief, England tied with India in an incredible finale in Bangalore. Andrew Strauss was England's inspiration, producing an extraordinary 158 from 145 balls, the highest score by an English batsman in World Cup history, as England threatened the unthinkable, and set off in full pursuit of India's seemingly unobtainable total of 338 - a score that had been made possible by a brilliant 120 from Sachin Tendulkar.

Such was the clarity of Strauss's strokeplay and the passivity of India's attack, at 280 for 2 in the 43rd over, England were cruising towards an extraordinary triumph. However a late intervention, sparked by a reverse-swinging Zaheer Khan, left them clawing for breath as a silenced Chinnaswamy stadium rediscovered its roar, and when the requirement shot up beyond two runs a ball, there seemed no way back into the contest. However, a ballsy volley of sixes from England's lower order hauled them back from the brink, and with two runs needed from the final delivery of the match, Graeme Swann drilled Munaf Patel to cover to salvage a share of the spoils.

The breathless finale was entirely in keeping with a contest that twisted and turned like an insomniac in a mosquito-pit. From the first over of the match, in which Virender Sehwag might have been dismissed three times in five balls, through the sumptuous strokeplay of first Tendulkar and later Strauss, and on through a pair of batting collapses - one apiece for the lower order of both teams - there was scarcely a moment in which normal service was permitted. Tim Bresnan, with 5 for 48 in ten unrelentingly composed overs, was the unsung star of a day that deserves to be remembered as the finest World Cup contest since that semi-final in 1999.

For the first 39 overs of the match, and again for the last seven, the Bangalore crowd was as raucous as a monsoon wedding, as Tendulkar ignited India's first home fixture of the World Cup with his 47th ODI century, before Zaheer Khan hauled them back from the brink of ignominy with 3 for 11 in his final three-over spell. But in between whiles, the game belonged to England, as India shipped their last seven wickets in 25 balls to let their opponents regain a toe-hold in the contest, before turning the stage over to Strauss and his magnum opus.

A positive start was a pre-requisite as England embarked on their second daunting chase in as many matches, and just as Strauss had soothed his team's anxieties with 88 from 83 balls after their flirtation with humiliation against the Dutch, he was once again in the thick of things right from the start of the innings. Zaheer, who was as poor with the new ball as he was devastating with the old, bowled both sides of the wicket to gift two boundaries in six balls, and Strauss was up and running. He barely dipped below a run a ball at any subsequent stage of his innings.

He required some moments of luck, particularly on 17 when TV replays suggested he had nicked a drive against Zaheer that the Indian fielders were unable to hear against the din of the crowd, but for the most part he was rewarded for his intent and aggression, and a common-sense approach to the three key partnerships that propelled England's challenge. By the end of the batting Powerplay, England were 19 runs to the good, on 77 for 1 compared to India's 10-over total of 58 for 1, and with a stream of easy singles to offset the intermittent boundary balls, they never looked like blinking until the summit was within sight.

	Sachin Tendulkar launched his innings in ominous style © Getty Images Enlarge

At the top of the order, Kevin Pietersen's stay was short, sharp and effective. He pounded four fours in eight Zaheer deliveries to rush along to 31 from 22 balls, before dumping Munaf on his backside with a brutally struck drive, only for the ball he had parried from in front of his face to plop into his left hand as he glanced up to regain his bearings. Trott proved an able ally in a 43-run stand for the second wicket before Chawla hurried one through to strike his back pad, whereupon Bell arrived to embark on what should have been the game's decisive stand - a 170-run partnership that spanned 27 overs.

Bell, England's best player of spin, was beaten twice in his first two balls as Chawla ripped first his googly then his legspinner to perfection, but his hairiest moment came on 17, when Yuvraj Singh referred an appeal for lbw that Hawkeye suggested met all the criteria for an overturned decision. However, umpire Billy Bowden, applying the letter of the law even if it meant contravening the evidence on a billion TV screens, reprieved Bell on the grounds that he had advanced more than 2.5 metres down the pitch, and that the technology's prediction could not be deemed conclusive.

The despondency of the crowd was reflected in India's subsequent bowling, as Strauss motored through to his sixth ODI century, from 99 balls, and on towards his third in excess of 150. Liberated by the match situation, he launched Yuvraj for one of the biggest sixes of his career, straight down the ground, to bring up the hundred partnership, and Bell did likewise to Chawla to rush through to his fifty from 45 balls.

It was England's decision to take the batting Powerplay, at 280 for 2 in the 43rd over, that triggered the devastating late reversal of momentum. India's last chance appeared to have gone begging when Bell, on 68, was dropped by Virat Kohli at slip off Chawla, but Kohli made amends 10 balls later, when Bell miscued a tired slog off Zaheer to extra cover. With the crowd alive to the contest once again, Zaheer then put himself on a hat-trick with an unplayable late-swinging yorker that crushed Strauss's toe in front of leg stump.

With the pressure proving smothering and Chawla's variations now illegible to the new batsmen, Paul Collingwood missed a wipe across the line to be bowled for 1 from five balls, before Prior gave up all hope of threading the gaps and took a huge top-edged heave at Harbhajan to be caught for 4 from 8. Michael Yardy chipped and chivvied before dinking an attempted boundary shot straight to Sehwag at short backward square, but it was Swann's flat six off Chawla, with 29 needed from two overs, that reawakened England's challenge. Three balls later, Bresnan also put Chawla into the stands, and though he was bowled having a mow in the same over, Ajmal Shahzad sent his first ball, from Patel, in the same direction, to set up the grandstand finish.

If England felt that they'd let a golden opportunity go, then at least it could be said that they proved themselves equal to one of the best performances of a legendary career. Even by Tendulkar's matchless standards, his was a vintage performance, and a masterful example of how to pace an innings. He was a casual bystander in the day's opening exchanges, while Sehwag ran amok, before picking up his tempo throughout a second-wicket stand of 134 with Gautam Gambhir, without ever needing to take risks to make his mark. The high point of his innings came when he belted consecutive sixes at the start of Swann's second spell, a calculated show of class that undermined England's trump bowler, and left Strauss floundering for alternatives as his tactics were picked apart.

In all Tendulkar stroked 10 fours and five sixes in what was, somewhat curiously, his first one-day hundred against England for nine years. By the time he was dismissed with 11 overs of the innings remaining, caught off a leading edge at cover (to give James Anderson his first one-day wicket in India for 53 overs dating back to 2006, on a day in which he conceded the most expensive analysis in England's World Cup history), India's total stood at an imposing 236 for 3, and it was a measure both of Tendulkar's brilliance and of England's dogged refusal to give in, that Yuvraj and MS Dhoni were unable to cut loose to quite the extent they might have expected.

The omens for England had not been exactly positive going into the start of this match. Eleven defeats in their last 12 away matches against India underlined their status of underdogs, as did the two team's respective performances in their opening fixtures of the tournament - England's laboured victory over the Netherlands compared distinctly unfavourably to India's crunching win against Bangladesh in Dhaka, and when Stuart Broad, their best and most aggressive seamer, was ruled out with a stomach complaint before the start of the match, a vast swathe of England's gameplan went down with him. Nevertheless, they thought on their feet and showed precisely the pluck that was in stasis throughout their one-day campaign in Australia. Two of the best teams in the world were on show in Bangalore, and what a show they produced.

Teams seek revival after poor start

	Charles Coventry hasn't clicked in quite some time © AFP Enlarge
Related Links Players/Officials: Ashish Bagai | Charles Coventry Matches: Canada v Zimbabwe at Nagpur Series/Tournaments: ICC Cricket World Cup Teams: Canada | Zimbabwe

Big Picture

Given what's transpired in this World Cup so far, Group B, which includes Ireland and Netherlands, has clearly emerged as the more competitive pool. While the Associate teams in Group B have, through their performance, challenged the ICC's plans of a ten-team World Cup in 2015, their counterparts in Group A have done little to justify their inclusion. By getting bowled out for 69 and then humbled by 205 runs, Kenya, more than anybody else, have provided ammunition to the ICC's argument but Canada are not too far behind.

No one expected them to perform a miracle against Sri Lanka, but some resistance against one of the tournament favourites would have given them confidence for the remainder of their campaign. That resistance was absent in their 210-run thrashing in Hambantota. Though underdogs, Ashish Bagai, their captain, said Zimbabwe and Kenya were the best opportunities for Canada to achieve a favourable result in this tournament. Against an opposition weaker than the one they faced in their opening game, it's time to step up and back their participation in the World Cup with some spirit.

There were brighter signs for Zimbabwe in their opening game for Australia. Spin is their strength with the trio of Ray Price, Graeme Cremer and Prosper Utseya restraining the batsmen. Spinners, in fact, bowled 39 of the 50 overs but the batting failed the team. There is significant experience in the top and middle orders but the bulk of the responsibility in Zimbabwe's chase fell on those lower down the list. On what is expected to be a flat pitch, against a Canadian attack, Zimbabwe's batsmen have the right opportunity to get into the groove.

Form guide

(Last five completed games, most recent first)

Zimbabwe: LLLLW
Canada: LLWWW

Pitch and conditions

The performance of the top order remains the worry for both teams in the lead-up to this game, and they've got the pitch they need to recover. The track is expected to favour batsmen, Netherlands and England were involved in a high-scoring contest here while New Zealand failed to take advantage of the conditions at hand. Neither team has an excuse to capitulate the way they did in their previous game.

Watch out for…

Charles Coventry: After his sparkling, record-equalling 194 against Bangladesh, Coventry hasn't quite shone in international cricket. An attacking batsman, Coventry hasn't lived up to his potential in the recent past, his last 18 innings yielding just one half-century. He's got starts, a spate of scores between 10 and 20, but his failure to push on has undermined, somewhat, the hype around him after that landmark achievement.

Ashish Bagai: The Canada captain gave up a lucrative career in the banking industry to play as a full-time cricketer for his country, only to learn his team may not feature in the next edition of this tournament. In a squad comprising five Under-19 players and without much experience, he's among the few the team looks to for guidance. He's been in good form of late, with six half-centuries in 2010 amid a series of other useful contributions and forms a key component of the Canadian middle order.

Team news

The seamer Henry Osinde walked off the field due to an injury after bowling just 2.1 overs against Sri Lanka. They don't have another pace option in the reserves, so they'll be forced to play a slow bowler or an extra batting option in the event of his failure to recover. The squad also includes Nitish Kumar, the youngest player in the World Cup. Will he open the batting with the oldest player in the tournament, John Davison?

Canada (probable): 1 John Davison, 2 and 3 Nitish Kumar and Ruvindu Gunasekara, 4 Zubin Surkari, 5 Ashish Bagai (capt and wk), 6 Rizwan Cheema, 7 Tyson Gordon, 8 Khurram Chohan, 9 Harvir Baidwan, 10 WD Balaji Rao, 11 Henry Osinde/Parth Desai.

Zimbabwe captain Elton Chigumbura hinted his team would retain its three-pronged spin attack. They could go in with an unchanged team. They have seamer Shingirai Masakadza, allrounder Tinashe Panyangara and left-hand batsman Terry Duffin in the 15-man squad as well.

Zimbabwe (probable): 1 Brendan Taylor, 2 Charles Coventry, 3 Tatenda Taibu (wk), 4 Craig Ervine, 5 Elton Chigumbura (capt), 6 Sean Williams, 7 Regis Chakabva, 8 Prosper Utseya, 9 Graeme Cremer, 10 Ray Price, 11 Chris Mpofu.

Try picking the XIs for tomorrow's game by playing Team Selector.

Stats and trivia

• Only three out of Canada's 15 players in this World Cup were born in Canada - John Davison, Nitish Kumar and Zubin Surkari.

• Zimbabwe and Canada have met just once in an ODI, in Port of Spain in 2006. Canada were thrashed by 143 runs.

• Canada made their World Cup debut before Z