The World Cup.

[MrsTarrant]

LoL Slater is a hack good one mate that's the funniest thing I have ever heard!

[couragous cloke]

just witnessed a champion at his best last night and early last morning, i stayed up all night to c westindies and brian lara silence all the critics, roberto Powel IS A GUN! and sarwan is a gun aswell, i have to admit it was getting a little scary when Lance was hittin em all over the park but we pulled threw and have had a great start to the world cup! GO WESTINDIES!!!!!!!!

footy ROX!

[Donny]

Hey, Clokey! I was thinking of you when Bwian was batting. Lol. Top effort. What a great opening game.

Donny.

THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN !!!!

[Donny]

Sri Lanka made 7/272 due mainly to another great century from Sanath Jayasuriya (120 from 125 balls with 15 fours) and 81 n.o. from Hashan Tillakaratne. Nathan Astle took 3/34.

New Zealand began disasterously and were 3/15 early but Rod Styris (40) and Chris Cairns (23 are fighting back. Gunaratne has 2/24 from 5 overs.

Donny.

THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN !!!!

[Donny]

Zimbabwe racked up 2/340 against Namibia. Craig Wishart remained 172 n.o. with 18 fours and 3 sixes and Grant Flower was 78 n.o. in 55 balls.

Namibia are 2/80 from 16 overs. Heath Streak took both wickets but went for 7 an over.

Donny.

THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN !!!!

[Donny]

Rod Styris played a lone hand with 141 from 125 balls. He hit 6 sixes but only 3 fours. NZ fell short by 47 runs.

Russell Arnold took 4/47 and Murali, 2/42.

Donny.

THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN !!!!

[Donny]

The Zimbabwe/Namibia game was washed out with Namibia 0n 5/104 after 25.1 overs.

The D/L method determined that Zimbabwe won by 86 runs.

Donny.

THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN !!!!

[JLC]

New Zealand would be VERY disappointed with that batting effort. May have been a mistake not to play Vettori.

I am also very surprised how good the pitches are as they seem to be favouring the batsman.

jlc

Symonds picked on potential for the fifth year running ;)

Essendon 2000 premiers
2001 runners up
2002 fifth
2003 ????
The slide continues

[JLC]

Champions ripe for the picking say Pakistan
Will Swanton - 10 February 2003


JOHANNESBURG, Feb 10 AAP - Pakistan believes Australia is ripe for the picking in tomorrow's potentially explosive World Cup cricket match at the Wanderers because of a batting lineup missing Michael Bevan and Darren Lehmann.

Pakistan coach Richard Pybus claimed his Jekyll-and-Hyde side was bubbling with confidence and keen to make a statement as Australia prepared to tackle Pakistan's potent pace attack with only five specialist batsmen.

"Our boys are looking forward to this match because they are sure they have a great opportunity," said Pybus tonight.

"There is a lot of history between the two countries and there are a couple of scores to settle.

"If we take early wickets it will place enormous pressure on them because of the situation with Lehmann and Michael Bevan. The key for Australia is the top order and we will be going hard at them with our fast bowlers.

"Our focus is going to be on that top order and it is going to be a fascinating battle.

"Both teams like to play it tough. Australia know about us. They know that when we are hot we are very hot, when we hit our straps we can take out anybody."

Australia's top six became a top five when Bevan (groin) failed a fitness test, joining Lehmann (suspended) on the sidelines. Australia only selected one reserve batsman, Jimmy Maher, so the Cup favourites were left a specialist batsman short for the clash against Pakistan's fast-bowling royalty: Shoaib Akhtar, Waqar Younis and Wasim Akram.

Pybus said Maher and Australia's latest allrounder, Brad Hogg, were unproven at World Cup and would be tested.

"It (World Cup) is a totally different stage," he said.

"I've seen a little bit of Jimmy - there is a lot of responsibility on him now. He's a linchpin there in that middle order and we will be putting a little bit of pressure on him.

"Brad Hogg, he's been doing well, he's a competitive sort of player, but it's always interesting to see how players accommodate themselves in big tournaments like this."

Shoaib, Waqar and wicketkeepr Rashid Latif have done their best in the lead-up to ruffle Australian feathers.

Shoaib vowed to dismiss Matthew Hayden, Adam Gilchrist and Ricky Ponting, and claimed Brett Lee was no match-winner.

Waqar claimed Australia was panicking about having to play Pakistan and then Rashid said the defending champions had dropped the trophy by leaving Test skipper Steve Waugh at home.

But Australian skipper Ponting wasn't buying into a pre-match war of words.

"He can say whatever he likes," Ponting said of Waqar.

"I'm not too worried about whatever they say.

"We haven't spoken about it and we won't speak about it.

"As soon as we start worrying about what they're talking about we're taking our eye off what we have to do.

"We've been in South Africa just going about our business. We've had our fair share of success against them in the past and I hope that doesn't change.

"We've got three of the best fast bowlers in the world, the best leg spinner in the world and a bloke who has done particularly well in the last few games bowling left arm wrist spin.

"Our bowling line-up is good and we're pretty sure our batting line-up can do the job."

Ponting admitted Shoaib, timed at a world record 161kph in a one-dayer against New Zealand last year, would be a handful.

"They seem to get the ball to swing quicker than most other sides," Ponting said.

"You just have to have a smaller back lift and eliminate your big shots and try and get through those dangerous spells.

"As we've seen in one-day cricket and Test cricket he (Shoaib) can still take three or four or five wickets in a hurry and destroy your innings so you've just got to get through those tough periods.

"We know he's a very dangerous bowler ... but most of our guys have had success against him and have got game plans worked out to combat his speed."

Wasim, 37, who has 490 one-day international wickets, is playing his fifth and last World Cup and commands respect.

"I have always enjoyed taking on challenges," he said.

"Australia has always been a very competitive team and I always enjoy playing and performing against them. I just can't wait for Tuesday's game and although it would not be a grudge match, we would certainly like to start the tournament on a winning note.

"We need to start with a bang ... we are ambitious and motivated enough to win the tournament."

Ponting said the first hour would be crucial.

"If you let them get away early they're a very good side, very good front runners."

Australia (from): Ricky Ponting (c), Adam Gilchrist (vc), Matthew Hayden, Damien Martyn, Jimmy Maher, Brad Hogg, Shane Warne, Brett Lee, Andrew Symonds, Ian Harvey, Jason Gillespie, Glenn McGrath, Andy Bichel.

Pakistan (from): Waqar Younis (c), Shahid Afridi, Saeed Anwar, Saleem Elahi, Younis Khan, Inzamam-ul-Haq, Rashid Latif, Azhar Mahmood, Saqlain Mushtaq, Abdur Razzaq, Mohammad Sami, Shoaib Akhtar, Taufeeq Umar, Wasim Akram, Yousuf Youhana.



Symonds picked on potential for the fifth year running ;)

Essendon 2000 premiers
2001 runners up
2002 fifth
2003 ????
The slide continues

[JLC]

This is a great opportunity for Maher, Symonds and Hogg etc to step up and show us how good they are Thankfully Maher is in sparkling form or the middle order could look a bit shaky

jlc



Symonds picked on potential for the fifth year running ;)

Essendon 2000 premiers
2001 runners up
2002 fifth
2003 ????
The slide continues

[Donny]

Pakistan's Latif cleared of racism, will sue Gilchrist
Richard Sydenham (Bloomberg) - 12 February 2003

Pakistan wicket-keeper Rashid Latif says he will sue Adam Gilchrist for defamation of character after being cleared of making a racist remark to the Australian player during yesterday's cricket World Cup match.

At a hearing in Johannesburg, match referee Clive Lloyd said there was insufficient evidence to substantiate Gilchrist's allegation. Lloyd had watched videos of the incident.

The 34-year-old Latif, who has played 34 Test matches and 144 one-day internationals, said he'll take legal action after consulting the Pakistan Cricket Board.

I'm going to take him to court because he has ruined my image," Latif said in an interview. "My reputation in cricket is good and, since I'm retiring after the World Cup, I'm very worried about what happened last night."

Gilchrist clashed with Latif on several occasions during the match at Wanderers stadium and could be heard asking whether the Pakistan player had made a racial slur. He approached umpire David Shepherd to report the matter.

"I was shocked by a comment I believed I heard yesterday," Gilchrist said after today's hearing. "I was upset at the time. I wouldn't have raised the issue if there was not an offence."

Gilchrist, speaking before Latif's threat to sue, said he has a "fantastic relationship on and off the field" with him.

"We've shaken hands and I'm happy to say the issue is closed, and I'm confident there'll be no future problems in matches against Pakistan," he said.

Latif accused the Australians of trying to damage his reputation because he was the person who accused Shane Warne and Mark Waugh of corruption in 1995. Waugh and Warne were later fined for taking payments from bookmakers in return for match information.

"Me and Adam are still friends but he hurt me a lot and I must clear my name," Latif said. "I have always played for Pakistan with great dignity throughout my career."

The ruling means Latif, the only specialist wicketkeeper in Pakistan's squad, is free to play in Sunday's match against Namibia. Australia won yesterday's match by 82 runs.

Australia batsman Darren Lehmann received a five-match ban for making a racist remark against Sri Lanka last month. Lehmann was the first player to be suspended under the sport's racial vilification laws. Lloyd was referee at that match.

"It would have been a terrible thing for me to have lived with the stigma of being branded a racist," Latif said.



Donny.

THE BOYS ARE BACK IN TOWN !!!!

[JLC]

It seems its a one way street.....VERY hypocritical and accoring to them the vilification only offends blacks. I think its a disgrace and i actually feel sorry for Lehmann now.

jlc



Symonds picked on potential for the fifth year running ;)

Essendon 2000 premiers
2001 runners up
2002 fifth
2003 ????
The slide continues

[Kristin5]

I am appalled at the hypocricy shown here. How can they say there is no evidence that anything happened - we all heard it!!!

And then for Lehmann to have been suspended for 5 matches for the same thing (though possibly even less serious as it was said in the privacy of the dressing room) is a disgrace!

It does indeed seem that there is one rule for one and then other rules for the rest.

I was away when the Lehmann incident occurred, and as you all know he is not one of my faves, but I still sympathised with him for being so severely penalised for a private remark said in the heat of the moment. This was a chance though for some consistency to be shown...Clive Lloyd has FAILED!!!

"I'm sure people see me as a screaming redhead with a big pair of boobs, but I like to think I've got things to say." Geri Halliwell, former member of the Spice Girls

[JLC]

Latif then threatened to sue Australian Cricket Board or some crap like that. What power trip is he on??

At the end of the day the word black or white shouldnt be the offensive word its really the word that follows. No one has a problem when we say "Black Magic" etc. Personally i would be more offended by the adjective like c*** etc etc

jlc



Symonds picked on potential for the fifth year running ;)

Essendon 2000 premiers
2001 runners up
2002 fifth
2003 ????
The slide continues

[Kristin5]

Yeah, JLC that's what I've always said too. Surely being called some of the swear words is worse than being called black or white (and in the USA isn't it politically correct to call african-americans 'black'? I believe so.) Remember when one of the Essendon players was up on racial villification charges a couple of years ago, he was more embarrassed when told to repeat what he'd said at saying the 'c' word - he was worried about what his mum would think! I know I'd be more offended at someone saying something uncomplimentary about my family (like, "your mother is a .........") than being called 'white' or 'black' (or 'redhead' LOL).

"I'm sure people see me as a screaming redhead with a big pair of boobs, but I like to think I've got things to say." Geri Halliwell, former member of the Spice Girls