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Kapil Dev has once again expressed the view that India can win the World Cup. And emphasizing on the “team work” that the Indians have produced of late, Ravi Shastri is the latest to jump on this upbeat bandwagon. And of course all over the country, and one suspects abroad too, cricket followers are chanting the mantra that India will win the World Cup.

I wish I could share this optimistic mood when it comes to analyzing India’s chances at the World Cup. But I am afraid I remain pessimistic. With just over two months left for the mega-event to commence there are three very important factors that are governing my rapidly increasing negative mood ­ the past, the present and the future.Let’s quickly examine the past record of India in the World Cup. In 1975 and 1979, India were novices in the field and predictably enough were eliminated at the preliminary stage. If a Test nation suffers its most inglorious moment when it loses to an associate member, then, India suffered that humiliation when they went down to Sri Lanka in 1979.The unexpected triumph in 1983 still constitutes the greatest moment in Indian cricket. Outsiders at 66 to one, Kapil’s Devil’s, as they were imaginatively labeled, surprised the cricketing world. The one cautionary note that triumph served was that from then on great things would be expected every time from an Indian team in the World Cup.What’s that adage again about it being hard to reach the top but it being harder to stay there? Realistically speaking, the Reliance Cup in 1987 represented India’s best chance to win the title again. The team had huge factors in their favour. They were the defending champions, the nucleus of the trophy-winning side was still intact and they were playing at home in familiarenvirons.The build up to the title defence was terrific and the crowd was behind them to a man. A semifinal spot was theirs for the asking for starters, and they did well too in the preliminary stage winning five straight games following a one-run loss to Australia in the tournament opener. And then, as everyone knows, the dream run and the dream itself was shattered by England in the penultimate round.In Australiasia in 1992, India never had a realistic chance, though, few expected them to finish as low as seventh among nine teams in the preliminary stage. However, hopes were renewed four years later when India were co-hosts again.This time too the Indians flattered only to deceive, being outplayed by ultimate champions Sri Lanka in the riot-torn semifinal at Calcutta. And despite all the hype surrounding their campaign for the 1999 tournament in England there was again never any realistic chance of India making much progress. They just about made it to the Super Six stage and that remained the extent of their challenge.So the net result is that in seven competitions, India have finished winners once and semifinalists twice. The past then does not inspire confidence. Much the same sentiments can be expressed when it comes to the present.A lot has been made of the NatWest Trophy triumph in England and the sharing of the ICC Champions Trophy in Sri Lanka. Notable as these feats are, the fact remains that teams like Australia, West Indies, New Zealand, Pakistan and South Africa were not among the contestants in the NatWest Trophy while it must not be forgotten that the Champions Trophy was held in the sub-continent where India have always performed well.The conditions in South Africa are very different and to compound matters, India does not enjoy a very good record in that country. Yes, on present form, the team perhaps deserves a place in the Super Six, something confirmed by the latest team rankings but anything above that will have to be considered a bonus.And now to the future. India are in the much tougher Pool A. The other teams in the group are defending champions Australia, England, Pakistan, Zimbabwe, Holland and Namibia.The challenge of Holland and Namibia can be discounted. Associate members at the most have pulled off the upset victory in the World Cup ­ besides Sri Lanka defeating India in 1979, we have had Zimbabwe beating Australia in 1983, Zimbabwe upsetting England in 1992, Kenya shocking the West Indies in 1996 and Bangladesh surprising Pakistan in 1999 ­ but have not progressed beyond the preliminary stage. That still leaves four tough matches against Australia, England, Pakistan and Zimbabwe and India will have to win at least two of these to be in the running for a place in the Super Six.That’s easier said than done. Incidentally, the other group comprises South Africa, New Zealand, West Indies, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Canada and Kenya. So there you have it. On past record, present form and a cursory glance at the future (the draw for the World Cup) it is not going to be an easy passage for India. As I said, anything beyond the Super Six must be considered a bonus. But then in 1983 even qualifying for the semifinal was thought to be out of the question. So, then, what was that adage again about man living on hope?

Steve Harmison’s spirits have lifted considerably after a vastly improved performance against Western Australia on day one of the Perth warm-up. His tour had got off to a wretched start in the opening game at Lilac Hill last week.”It wasn’t brilliant today, but it was a lot better than at Lilac Hill andthere’s been a little bit of an improvement since then,” he said. “I was possibly trying too hard during that first match, but it was a one-day game andI’ve never really played much one-day cricket.”My confidence was dented a touch and I struggled early on, but I started to get some rhythm today and it felt a lot better. I’m gradually getting my confidence to where I want it to be and I want to get better and better.”Hopefully I can get some more overs under my belt in the next couple of weeks and get my rhythm fully back from that.”

B.A.T.Sports Cricket Club have installed a new club secretary since the beginning of the season.South coast newcomer Stephen Jones, who advertised his services as scorer and statistician on the Southern Premier League web-site during the winter after moving from Norwich, has taken over from Stephen Buss with immediate effect.He can be contacted at:
Stephen G. Jones,
18 Collett Close,
Hedge End,
Southampton,
Hampshire, SO30 2RR.Contacts: 01489 789581 (home),
07815 458949 (mobile),
e-mail: [email protected]

India A were battling to save their second four-dayer against South Africa A at the end of the third day’s play at Bloemfontein. They will begin the final day 91 runs in the arrears with seven second innings wickets in hand.South Africa A, who began the day on 313 for four, were well-served by overnight not out batsmen Hashim Amla and Robin Peterson. The duo added a further 80 runs before Amla fell to left-arm spinner Murali Kartik. The 19-year-old KwaZulu-Natal batsman, who has had an impressive season, made a sedate 82 off 191 balls with seven fours.Peterson, however, ploughed on to raise his maiden first-class hundred. The southpaw, who hit as many as 16 boundaries in a 251-minute stay, made 108 before becoming Kartik’s second victim of the day.The Indian left-arm spinner, who had earlier top-scored in the Indian first-innings, bowled a teasing line and length to snare two more wickets before the end of the hosts’ innings. Medium-pacer Debasis Mohanty was the other successful bowler on the day for India, claiming the last two South Africa A wickets.The hosts, then, made 469 in their first innings, gaining a healthy lead of 178. For India, Kartik claimed six wickets for 101 runs while Mohanty, for his part, claimed three wickets.India A, who were batting to save the match, saw their second innings get off to a terrible start. Gautam Gambhir, the India A opener, who had scored a double-hundred in Zimbabwe’s tour-opener in India, was trapped lbw by Andre Nel for 9 with the score on 18 in the ninth over.Fortunately, the other opener Amit Pagnis, made a handy 27, putting on 47 runs for the second wicket with his vice-captain Mohammad Kaif to save the tourists from falling into dire straits.However, the almost immediate loss of India A captain Jacob Martin, who has been having a dreadful run with the bat, meant that Kaif, batting on 39, and Yuvraj Singh, batting on seven, were saddled with the onerous responsibility of bailing the Indians out when play resumes on Monday.The two men, who have both turned out for India, will know that they have to bat out at least two sessions on the final day to save the match and would be hoping to put their best foot forward as early blows could devastate their team’s chances of saving the match.

The baby boom at the County Ground goes on, with the announcement that Peter Bowler and his wife Joanne are celebrating the birth of their third child, Matthew William who commenced his innings yesterday.Matthew will be a new brother for Robert who is nine and Rebekah who is seven.Both mother and baby are doing so congratulations to Peter and Joanne on producing another potential opening batsman for the county. Well done!Following hot on the heels of Keith and Sharon Parsons baby son last month, Matthew’s birth brings the number of recent or expected arrivals amongst the playing staff to fourteen.There are now seven new arrivals, two babies expected in the next few months and five toddlers.Is this a new Somerset County Cricket Club record?

Mohammad Asif, the Pakistan fast bowler, has been detained by authorities in Dubai on suspicion of possessing drugs. The fast bowler, who tested positive for the banned steroid nandrolone nearly two years ago, was held back by airport authorities on Sunday. According to a PCB official already in Dubai, no charges have yet been brought against Asif, though he remains in the detention centre at Dubai International Airport.Nadeem Akram, a senior board official who is in Dubai handling the case, said officials had not yet identified what the substance is. “It has been sent to a lab for testing but we do not know yet what it is,” Akram, in Dubai since Sunday, told Cricinfo.Akram also stressed that Asif hadn’t yet been arrested and that he had been detained. “No charges have been brought yet. We have a lawyer here and he is due to meet the public prosecutor at 12.30pm Dubai time. We will know more about the case after their meeting.”Akram has been in constant touch with Asif, who was understandably “shattered” by the events, but maintained that he did not know what the substance was and had been carrying it in his wallet for several months.Earlier, a PCB official told Cricinfo that Asif “has been held since the day before yesterday in Dubai. So far the authorities haven’t told us much but that it is on suspicion of possessing a contraband item.” Dubai’s laws on drug possession and use are among the strictest in the region, though the top hierarchy of the PCB has always enjoyed close ties with leaders in the United Arab Emirates.The Pakistan board was to hold a press conference about the issue in the afternoon but decided to push it back till 4.30pm (PST), presumably to wait and hear developments from the meeting between Asif’s lawyer and the public prosecutor.Asif, along with Shoaib Akhtar, tested positive in an internal dope test conducted by the Pakistan board in October 2006. He was initially banned for one year, though the ban was overturned on appeal a month later. Since then, one of the most promising fast bowlers on the world circuit has been dogged by a long-standing elbow problem. The injury had already taken the sheen away from a prodigious start to his international career and this new development is likely to do so even more.

Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club and the England and Wales Cricket Board(ECB) have reached agreement for the staging of One-Day Internationals andTest Matches at Trent Bridge from 2003 to 2011.In 2003, Trent Bridge will host the opening match of the NatWest Seriesbetween England and Zimbabwe on Thursday 26 June. This will be followed later in the summer when England return for the third npower Test Match versus South Africa from 14-18 August.In 2002, Trent Bridge had capacity crowds for the NatWest Series match between England and Sri Lanka, and for three days of the second npower Test Match versus India. This clearly demonstrates the demand for cricket in the East Midlands.Nottinghamshire CCC Chief Executive David Collier commented:”Since 1998, Nottinghamshire CCC has invested more than £10m in developingTrent Bridge. This long term Staging Agreement provides the security ofregular international cricket at Trent Bridge which is required to fund theexisting and possible new developments at the ground. We are delightedTrent Bridge is the first Test Match Ground to sign a long term agreementwith the ECB and that cricket fans in the East Midlands can look forward toannual international cricket through to 2011.”Following today’s announcement Nottinghamshire CCC will be selling ticketsto its members from 23 September, and to the general public from 7 Octoberfor next year’s international matches at Trent Bridge.ECB Chief Executive Tim Lamb said, “I’m very pleased that the ECB hasreached agreement with Nottinghamshire County Cricket Club about the stagingof future international matches at Trent Bridge. This longer term agreementwill give Notts the certainty of international cricket until 2011 and enablethe club to continue developing the already-impressive facilities at theground.”For further information contact:
John Read, ECB Director of Corporate Affairs on 07774 476 391
David Collier, Notts CCC Chief Executive on 07768 558 130

Police in the riot-torn state of Gujarat are stepping up security for three upcoming one-day internationals between India and West Indies amid fears that Hindu-Muslim hostilities could erupt at the cricket venues.Cricketing authorities said they would also screen unruly fans from entering stadiums in Ahmedabad, Baroda and Rajkot, where the three international matches will be held – beginning Tuesday in Rajkot.”Since the state has witnessed communal riots and a terrorist attack at the Akshardham Temple, we are taking all measures to ensure the safety of spectators,” Gujarat Cricket Association (GCA) president Nihar Amin said.”The hotels where the players will stay and the buses in which they will travel will be checked. And before the players come on the ground, it will checked thoroughly by explosives experts,” said GCA executive member Hitesh Patel.”As there is a security threat, spectators will not be allowed to carry food boxes, water bottles, firecrackers, radios, mobile telephones or any object which can be used to cause trouble or a stampede,” he said.At least 1,000 people, mostly Muslims, were killed in the religious bloodbath that erupted in February after a Muslim mob attacked a train carrying Hindu activists and burned to death 58 of them in the Gujarat town of Godhra.Sporadic rioting has continued in Gujarat, where the ruling Hindu nationalist BJP party has been widely blamed for not stemming the riots.In September, communal tensions resurfaced when two Islamic guerrillas attacked Gujarat’s revered temple of Akshardham and killed 28 Hindu devotees before being gunned down by commandos.Officials said extra precautions would be taken in Ahmedabad – the hub of the sectarian violence – where the fourth tie of the seven-match one-day series will be played on Friday.They said some 1,500 armed policemen will be deployed at the city’s 55,000 seat capacity Modera Stadium.

Ian Bell’s coach at Warwickshire was full of praise for the 20-year-old after he won the gold award for carrying the Bears to victory in the last-ever Benson and Hedges Cup final.Bell’s unbeaten 65 saw Warwickshire home by five wickets after Essex had under-perfomed with only 181 for eight. Bell shared in an 84-run third-wicket stand in only 12 overs with Jim Troughton, ensuring Warwickshire’s victory with almost 14 overs to spare.Coach Bob Woolmer said: “Ian has a terrific big-match temperament. Here, as in the quarter-final against Sussex in a tight situation, he came in and never looked like getting out. That is the sign of a very good player. He plays as if he is there for bed and breakfast.”Warwickshire’s winning captain Michael Powell praised both Bell and Troughton.”Bob picked his man of the match last night and he was right,” said Powell. “But I said then `the other one may not be too far away either’. To watch those two guys out there helping us win a final was a joy.””With the bat the best thing for us was me and Nick (Knight) getting out as early as possible and letting these two get in.”Bell himself said: “This was the biggest occasion of my career so far, and I would like to think I came through it quite nicely. It was a great experience, and I would like to do it again some time.”Essex captain Ronnie Irani admitted: “We were poor in all departments andwe let ourselves and our supporters down. Our one-day form speaks for itself this season. We have been outstanding – but we came down at the final hurdle when it mattered most today.”We have to go away and learn from it. We cannot go and sink our heads in thesand. Unfortunately our execution – obviously our batting, but our bowling aswell – was wrong today.”

The England and Yorkshire pace bowler Darren Gough has been advised to resthis injured right knee for a further two weeks after seeing a specialist inSheffield yesterday.The rest period is designed to allow time for the inflammation in Darren’sknee to subside and he will not be available for selection for the 2ndnpower Test at Trent Bridge.Darren underwent a scan yesterday that revealed no further damage to hisknee. He will see the specialist again in a fortnight’s time for a furtherre-assessment of the injury and it is hoped that he will be given theall-clear to resume training thereafter.