|
|
|
|
 |
 |
   |
Twice world
champions, West Indies look for glory days to return MEET
THE WEST INDIES PLAYERS
Group Editor Sports Gul Hameed Bhatti still has his
reservations about the West Indies side becoming the first home team to win a
World Cup title
Once considered the mightiest of the mighty cricket teams on the international circuit, the West Indies have actually won no World Cup title for a period now having run into almost twenty-eight (28) years, since picking up the trophy back in the summer of 1979 at Lord's. Yet, for a long number of years, they were the strongest outfit in the realm of One-day Internationals and it was only in the late 1990s that the rot in their fortunes actually started setting in. Under the examplary tutelage of Clive Lloyd, who was at the helm when the West Indies won the first two World Cup competitions staged -- in 1975 and 1979 -- the Caribbean cricketers reigned supreme for some two decades. The baton was handed to the legendary (now Sir) Vivian Richards, who led the West Indies in Tests as well as the ODIs with equal conviction and an exceptionally consistent string of successes. True, after having squandered the chance to make a hat-trick of World Cup titles in 1983 -- also at Lord's as in the previous two editions -- when they surprsingly lost to India in the final by 43 runs, the West Indies have never won a World Cup trophy again. Their loss too was under the captaincy of Lloyd who had won them the first two titles. But they remained a dominant force, winning several other multi-team events all around the globe with quite an amazing consistency. In the master batsman Brian Lara's third stint as the West Indies captain, after having refused the responsibility on a number of occasions in the past because he was being unable to deliver the goods and also felt there were too much interference from the cricket board's management, the West Indies seem to be inching their way up the ranking ladder. The progress is in fact painfully slow at the moment, but having qualified for the Super Eights stage of World Cup 2007, ahead of a disappointing Pakistan, is really a step in the right direction. Whether the Caribbean side manages to make the semifinals also is something that still remains to be seen, of course. But the media hype in the West Indies prior to the World Cup as also predictions by some of their major ex-cricketing stars suggested that West Indies could become this year the first host side ever to run away with the World Cup title! INSPIRED NO REAL CONFIDENCE LATELY The reality certainly can exactly turn out to be the reverse of this belief. Lara's team has beaten Pakistan and Zimbabwe rather comfortably in the first two matches in Group D and moved ahead into the Super Eights. But they were not convincing enough in the win against a much weaker Zimbabwe side. Pakistan were definitely undergoing a massive crisis of confidence, as subsequent developments on and off the field suggested, and they never once appeared getting anywhere near snatching away the possibility of victory. In recent times, the West Indies cricket team has inspired no real confidence in its abilities. Since the dawn of the new millennium, they have won only one major title -- the International Cricket Council (ICC) Champions Trophy in England in September 2004, with Lara as their captain. In the last seven years or so, their only other win in a multi-national tournament was in 2000-01, when they beat India and Zimbabwe in a tri-series hosted by the latter. West Indies' fortunes registered a welcome uplift in October last year when, after having to undergo a qualifying round to make it to the championship proper, they reached the final of the ICC Champions Trophy 2006 organised in India. Eventually, they had to be content with the runners-up position to the all-conquering Australia team.
AN ALMOST IMPREGNABLE FORTRESS OF BATSMEN The strength of the current West Indies team lies in its batting. They have some of the finest batsmen on the current international circuit in their midst. Starting from the hard-hitting left-hander Chris Gayle at the top of the order, they have the likes of Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Lara himself and Ramnaresh Sarwan following. Then, there's the Dwayne Bravo and Marlon Samuels factor that makes the West Indies an almost impregnable fortress of batsmen -- all they need is to get going and put up some runs on the board. The bowling attack is somewhat on the weaker side, the fast bowler Jerome Taylor though is a real star in the making. There are several capable support bowlers in the line-up but they need to put up stronger performances. Dwayne Smith, previously included in the various teams as a batsman, is a refreshing success as a wicket-taking medium-pace bowler. Corey Collymore, Daren Powell, Bravo and the yet unused in the World Cup Ian Bradshaw have to rise above themselves if a Caribbean revival is to be triggered soon enough. After winning the first two World Cup competitions -- and then losing out in the third edition in 1983 -- the West Indies' best achievement since is a solitary semifinal place in 1996, when the World Cup was hosted here in the sub-continent. They finished only fourth behind Sri Lanka -- the eventual champions, Australia and India in Group A but there was at least a quarter-finals stage to follow. They beat South Africa at National Stadium Karachi by 19 runs but Australia, who later lost to Sri Lanka in the final at Gaddafi Stadium Lahore, clinched the semifinal game by a narrow five-run margin in Mohali in India. In 1987, when India and Pakistan organised the World Cup event for the first time, the West Indies couldn't make the semifinals. In 1992 in Australia/New Zealand, where all nine participants played a single-league preliminary round before the semis, West Indies managed to be placed only at number six. In 1999 in England as well as in South Africa in 2003, they even failed to qualify for the Super Sixes round. The ICC Champions Trophy of 2004 was thus their last moment of glory in the last three years or so. They won the title after beating hosts England at The Oval by a mere two wickets with seven balls to spare in the final. Chasing a rather small target of 218 runs, they were eight down for 147 in the 34th over. Wicket-keeper Courtney Browne and pace bowler Ian Bradshaw, with unbeaten knocks of 35 and 34 respectively, then joined together in a match-winning unbroken 71-run ninth-wicket partnership off the next 91 deliveries to take their team to a welcome victory. Surely, the current West Indies team does have the kind of players in its midst who make an outfit good enough to conquer the world. But one still has one'sreservations because what it seems to lack is the killing power, perhaps even the will to go for a kill. MEET THE WEST INDIES PLAYERS 
Brian Charles LARA. Captain. Born Cantaro, Santa Cruz,
Trinidad May 2, 1969 (37 years old at start of World Cup 2007). Left-hand
batsman. Right-arm leg-break
Dwayne John BRAVO. Born Santa Cruz, Trinidad October 7, 1983 (23 years old at start of World Cup 2007). Right-hand batsman. Right-arm medium-fast bowler. Test matches 19 (2004-06). One-day Internationals 61 (2004-07), 844 runs (ave 24.82), HS 112*, S/R 76.65, one 100, 2 50s, 264 catches, 65 wickets (ave 30.95), BB 4-39, 4w one, R/O 5.28. First selection for a World Cup competition. Shivnarine CHANDERPAUL. Born Unity Village, East Coast,
Demerara, Guyana Corey Dalanelo COLLYMORE. Born Boscobelle, St Peter,
Barbados December 21, Christopher Henry GAYLE. Born Kingston, Jamaica September
21, 1979 Kieron Adrian POLLARD. Born Trinidad May 12, 1987 (19
years old at start of World
Denesh RAMDIN. Born Couva, Trinidad March 13, 1985 (22
years old at start of
Ramnaresh Ronnie SARWAN. Born Wakenaam Island, Essequibo,
Guyana June 23, 1980 (26 years old at start of World Cup 2007). Right-hand
batsman. Right-arm Lendl Mark Platter SIMMONS. Born Port of Spain, Trinidad
January 25,
Dwayne Romel SMITH. Born Storey Gap, Codrington Hill, St
Michael, Barbados April Devon Sheldon SMITH. Born Grenada October 21, 1981 (25
years old at Jerome Everton TAYLOR. Born St Elizabeth, Jamaica June 22, 1984 (22 years old at start of World Cup 2007). Right-hand batsman. Right-arm fast bowler. Test matches 10 (2003-06). One-day Internationals 30 (2003-07), 30 runs (ave 6.00), HS 9, S/R 58.82, 9 catches, 46 wickets (ave 26.71), BB 4-24, 4w 2, R/O 4.81. First selection for a World Cup competition.
***All career figures complete upto the morning of March 23, when the West Indies played their World Cup 2007 Group D match against Ireland, at Sabina Park, Kingston, Jamaica
PERFORMANCE INDICATOR Rank Team Points 1 Bangladesh 76 2 Sri Lanka 73 3 South Africa 71 4 Australia 67 5 New Zealand 54 6 Pakistan 52 7 West Indies 52 8 England 37 9 India 36 10 Zimbabwe 24
(a) Kenya 56 (b) Netherlands 33 (c) Ireland 33 (d) Scotland 30 (e) Canada 24 (f) Bermuda 24 Note: Matches taken into consideration were mostly played over the last one-year period. The quality of opposition has not been evaluated though WEST INDIES AT WORLD CUP 2007 MATCH SCHEDULE
WARM-UP MATCHES March 5 West Indies bt Kenya Trelawny Stadium, Jamaica March 9 India bt West Indies Trelawny Stadium, Jamaica
GROUP D MATCHES March 13 West Indies bt Pakistan Sabina Park, Jamaica March 19 West Indies bt Zimbabwe Sabina Park, Jamaica March 23 West Indies v Ireland Sabina Park, Jamaica
SUPER EIGHTS MATCHES March 27 D2 v A1 Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, St Peter's, Antigua March 29 D2 v C1 Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, St Peter's, Antigua March 30 D1 v C2 Providence Stadium, Guyana April 1 D2 v B1 Providence Stadium, Guyana April 3 D1 v A2 Providence Stadium, Guyana April 9 D1 v C1 Providence Stadium, Guyana April 10 D2 v A2 National Cricket Stadium, Grenada April 13 A1 v D1 Kensington Oval, Barbados April 15 B2 v D1 Kensington Oval, Barbados April 18 D1 v B1 National Cricket Stadium, Grenada April 19 D2 v B2 Kensington Oval, Barbados April 21 D2 v C2 Kensington Oval, Barbados
SEMIFINALS AND FINAL April 24 1st Semi Final 2 v 3 Sabina Park, Kingston, Jamaica April 25 2nd Semi Final 1 v 4 Beausejour Stadium, St Lucia April 28 Finals SF1 v SF2 Kensington Oval, Barbados
Group Editor Sports Gul Hameed Bhatti believes there
remains quite a distance between the cup and the lip and the eternal
bridesmaids of world cricket may still have to be content with just catching
the lofted bouquet On Friday, the eternally under-rated New Zealand cricket team became the first participant side of the ongoing World Cup competition in the West Indies to win all its three group matches, bag the full six points and qualify for the tournament's Super Eights stage. Of course, they had achieved the needful when they won their second match in succession -- as had teams like Australia, South Africa, Sri Lanka and the West Indies also -- but they have gone on to emerge victorious three times before anyone else has had the opportunity to do so. Yet, in the final reckoning, this may not mean much for the unlucky Kiwis, who have had to frequently play the role of a sort of bridesmaid at multi-nation cricket events in the past. Of the previous eight World Cup events, they have not won any, yet they were in the semifinals on as many as four occasions and surrendered at the quarter-finals stage on another, without threatening to upset the applecart of any of the more superior cricketing sides at any juncture. This could very well change in the Caribbean this year. But are the New Zealanders properly equipped to stage the cricketing coup that they have been looking for... almost forever? They've always had the individual super power, in the shape of world class batsman, even more proficient bowlers and wicket-keepers of the highest order, yet they are one team who have realised that there are many a slip between the cup and the lip. In fact, at times there has been a huge distance between the two and even the sip has hardly ever materialised. Their previous record in terms of winning trophies is really pathetic. It was not until the 2000-01 season that New Zealand won their first -- and so far only -- major international title. They lifted the ICC KnockOut Trophy -- a tournament now known as the ICC Champions Trophy -- when they beat India in the final at Nairobi's Gymkhana Club Ground in October 2000. Their only other achievement of some substance was their winning the NatWest Series in England in the summer of 2004, when they defeated West Indies in the final at Lord's by 107 runs in the final. New Zealand also won the Bank Alfalah Cup in Sri Lanka in 2003, where their opponents in the final were Pakistan, and the Videocon Triangular Series in Zimbabwe, beating India in the decider. But, apart from the ICC KnockOut, the other three competitions were all just three-team series. New Zealand have hardly ever been able to sniff a real, final victory from up close. Back in 1975, when the inaugural World Cup competition was organised in England, New Zealand qualified for the semifinals. Here, however, they were beaten by a five-wicket margin by the eventual champions, the West Indies. In 1979, they lost by the difference of just nine runs -- being beaten by England in the semifinals -- the opportunity to be playing in the all-important final.
'YOUNG GUNS' COME OUT ALL GUNS BLAZING In 1983, again in England, they were deprived of a chance to be in the semifinals. In 1987 again, there was no last-four place for them. But the rampant New Zealand side under a Martin Crowe in terrific batting form and with a brand name -- The Young Guns -- to match, came out all guns blazing when their own country and Australia hosted the World Cup event in 1992. The tournament format was simple. All nine participants played all other teams once in a single-league preliminary round. And New Zealand meant business from the very beginning. They were in tremendous form. Every team played eight matches before the last-four stage. New Zealand's Young Guns won all seven matches of their first seven and were perched on the top of the points table. Then came two bad days in succession and the Black Caps, another title for the Kiwis, perished without even a whimper. On either occasion, they suffered at the hands of a rejuvenated Pakistan, Imran Khan's 'cornered tigers' having come from way behind and on their way to bagging their first World Cup trophy in another few days' time. They beat New Zealand not only in their last league-round game but also pushed them out of the semifinals to finally put to an end to their earlier magnificent charge. In 1996, New Zealand only reached the quarter-finals, where they were beaten by eventual finalists Australia by six wickets playing in Madras. A semifinal place was earned in 1999 in England, before being defeated by Pakistan in Manchester by nine wickets. They got into the Super Six stage in South Africa 2003, but didn't go beyond that.
FLEMING COULD BE THIRD TIME LUCKY New Zealand's ever present captain Stephen Fleming is, in fact, performing this duty in his third World Cup competition in a row as he was skipper at the 1999 and 2003 events also. Surely, he would like his luck to change for the better and bring home a World Cup for the first time. Handed over the team's leadership back in 1996 when he was just 23 years old, Fleming has held on to the job now for just over a decade and is already the most experienced captain in all One-day International cricket history -- having done so in as many as 211 matches. It is really high time that he picked up a truly meaningful world title. New Zealand began World Cup 2007 with a significant victory over England in their first match. Taking care of Kenya and Canada, both ICC associate member nations, was not going to be too difficult and they have done that too. Now, however, starts the big show. They have to meet six of the other best in the Super Eights in order to book another spot in the semifinals. The Black Caps, unfortunately, have no real super stars in their midst, but they have several players who know how to work damned hard. Fleming is one of them, always intent on giving explosive starts at the top of the order with Lou Vincent. The hard-hitting Jacob Oram, the wicket-keeper Brendon McCullum -- who on Friday hit the World Cup's fastest fifty off a mere 20 balls -- Craig McMillan and Scott Styris take the batting right down the order. And the discovery of a batsman like Ross Taylor has been a bonus. Shane Bond is a really fast bowler who has given the Kiwis attack a real kick while James Franklin and Michael Mason are able allies in addition to Oram and Styris. Daryl Tuffey is undergoing a tough time on his comeback and off-spinner Jeetan Patel is beginning to gel with the rest of the side. Then, there's the excellent Daniel Vettori. A future New Zealand captain, the left-hander brings in the much needed stability in the lower batting order, is an enthusiastic and responsible fielder and his slow left-arm bowling is absolutely world class. With a team like the one that they have, New Zealand would be a disappointed lot and disappoint their supporters too if they don't extract the best out of the 2007 World Cup competition.
PAKISTAN IN WORLD CUP 2007 MATCH SCHEDULE WARM-UP MATCHES March 6 Pakistan bt Canada Sir Frank Worrell Memorial Ground, Trinidad March 9 Pakistan v South Africa Sir Frank Worrell Memorial Ground, Trinidad
GROUP D MATCHES March 13 West Indies v Pakistan Sabina Park, Kingston, Jamaica March 17 Ireland v Pakistan Sabina Park, Kingston, Jamaica March 21 Pakistan v Zimbabwe Sabina Park, Kingston, Jamaica
SUPER EIGHTS MATCHES March 27 D2 v A1 Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, St Peter's, Antigua March 29 D2 v C1 Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, St Peter's, Antigua March 30 D1 v C2 Providence Stadium, Guyana April 1 D2 v B1 Providence Stadium, Guyana April 3 D1 v A2 Providence Stadium, Guyana April 9 D1 v C1 Providence Stadium, Guyana April 10 D2 v A2 National Cricket Stadium, Grenada April 13 A1 v D1 Kensington Oval, Barbados April 15 B2 v D1 Kensington Oval, Barbados April 18 D1 v B1 National Cricket Stadium, Grenada April 19 D2 v B2 Kensington Oval, Barbados April 21 D2 v C2 Kensington Oval, Barbados
SEMIFINALS AND FINAL April 24 1st Semi Final 2 v 3 Sabina Park, Kingston, Jamaica April 25 2nd Semi Final 1 v 4 Beausejour Stadium, St Lucia April 28 Finals SF1 v SF2 Kensington Oval, Barbados
MEET THE NEW ZEALAND PLAYERS 
Stephen Paul FLEMING. Captain. Born Christchurch April 1,
1973 (33 years old at
James Edward Charles FRANKLIN. Born Wellington November 7,
1980 (26 years old
Mark Raymond GILLESPIE. Born Wanganui October 17, 1979 (27
years
Craig Douglas McMILLAN. Born Christchurch September 13,
1976 (30 years old at
Jacob David Philip ORAM. Born Palmerston North July 28,
1978 (28 years old at
Scott Bernard STYRIS. Born Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
July 10, 1975 (31
Daryl Raymond TUFFEY. Born Milton, Otago June 11, 1978 (28 years old at start of World Cup 2007). Right-hand batsman. Right-arm fast-medium bowler. Test matches 22 (2000-04). One-day Internationals 80 (2000-07), 154 runs (ave 7.33), HS 20*, S/R 61.35, 19 catches, 91 wickets (ave 31.97), BB 4-24, 4w 2, R/O 4.75. Appearing in his second World Cup, the previous one being in 2003.
Lou VINCENT. Born Warkworth, Auckland November 11, 1978
(28 years old at start
***All career figures complete upto the morning of March 23, when New Zealand had finished their three matches in Group D of World Cup 2007, the last one being against Canada on March 22 at Beausejour Stadium in Gros Islet, St Lucia
PERFORMANCE INDICATOR Rank Team Points 1 Bangladesh 76 2 Sri Lanka 73 3 South Africa 71 4 Australia 67 5 New Zealand 54 6 Pakistan 52 7 West Indies 52 8 England 37 9 India 36 10 Zimbabwe 24
(a) Kenya 56 (b) Netherlands 33 (c) Ireland 33 (d) Scotland 30 (e) Canada 24 (f) Bermuda 24 Note: Matches taken into consideration were mostly played over the last one-year period. The quality of opposition has not been evaluated though
NEW ZEALAND AT WORLD CUP 2007 MATCH SCHEDULE
WARM-UP MATCHES March 6 Bangladesh bt New Zealand Three Ws Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados March 9 New Zealand bt Sri Lanka Three Ws Oval, Bridgetown, Barbados
GROUP C MATCHES March 16 New Zealand bt England Beausejour Stadium, St Lucia March 20 New Zealand bt Kenya Beausejour Stadium, St Lucia March 22 New Zealand bt Canada Beausejour Stadium, St Lucia
SUPER EIGHTS MATCHES March 29 D2 v C1 Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, St Peter's, Antigua March 30 D1 v C2 Providence Stadium, Guyana April 2 B2 v C1 Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, St Peter's, Antigua April 4 C2 v B1 Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, St Peter's, Antigua April 8 A1 v C2 Sir Vivian Richards Stadium, St Peter's, Antigua April 9 D1 v C1 Providence Stadium, Guyana April 11 C2 v B2 Kensington Oval, Barbados April 12 B1 v C1 National Cricket Stadium, Grenada April 14 A2 v C1 National Cricket Stadium, Grenada April 17 A2 v C2 Kensington Oval, Barbados April 20 A1 v C1 National Cricket Stadium, Grenada April 21 D2 v C2 Kensington Oval, Barbados
SEMIFINALS AND FINAL April 24 1st Semi Final 2 v 3 Sabina Park, Kingston, Jamaica April 25 2nd Semi Final 1 v 4 Beausejour Stadium, St Lucia April 28 Finals SF1 v SF2 Kensington Oval, Barbados |
|
googly bowler. Test matches 131 (1990-2006).
One-day Internationals 292 (1990-2007), 10,217 runs (ave 40.70), HS 169, S/R
79.32, 19 100s, 62 50s, 117 catches, 4 wickets (ave 15.25), BB 2-5, R/O 7.46.
Captain in 118 ODIs (1994-2007), won 57, lost 54, no-result 7, win % 51.35.
Appearing in his fifth World Cup, the previous four being in 1992, 1996, 1999
(captain) and 2003.
Ian David Russell BRADSHAW. Born Hopewell, Christ Church,
Barbados July 9, 1974 (32 years old at start of World Cup 2007). Left-hand
batsman. Left-arm fast-medium bowler. Test matches 5 (2006). One-day
Internationals 59 (2004-07), 261 runs (ave 11.86), HS 37, R/O 62.44, 6
catches, 76 wickets (ave 28.05), BB 3-15, R/O 4.26. First selection for a
World Cup competition.
August 16, 1974 (32 years old at start of World Cup 2007).
Left-hand batsman. Right-arm leg-break bowler. Test matches 101 (1994-2006).
One-day Internationals 210 (1994-2007), 6,499 runs (ave 37.78), HS 150, S/R
70.25, 5 100s, 44 50s, 60catches, 14 wickets (ave 44.07), BB 3-18, R/O 5.17.
Captain in 16 ODIs (2005-06), won 2, lost 14, win % 12.50. Appearing in his
fourth World Cup, the previous three being in 1996, 1999 and 2003.
1977 (29 years old at start of World Cup 2007).
Right-hand batsman. Right-arm fast-medium bowler. Test matches 26
(1999-2006). One-day Internationals 79 (1999-2007), 90 runs (ave 5.62), HS
13*, S/R 37.50, 12 catches, 78 wickets (ave 34.76), BB 5-51, 4w 2, R/O 4.28.
Appearing in his second World Cup, the previous one being in 2003.
(27 years old at start of World Cup 2007). Left-hand batsman.
Right-arm off-break bowler. Test matches 64 (2000-06). One-day Internationals
161 (1999-2007), 5,738 runs (ave 38.51), HS 153*, S/R 80.19, 15 100s, 29 50s,
75 catches, 134 wickets (ave 32.16), BB 5-46, 4w 4, R/O 4.62. Captain in one
ODI (2007), match lost. Appearing in his second World Cup, the previous one
being in 2003.
Cup 2007). Right-hand batsman. Right-arm
medium-pace bowler. No Test matches or One-day Internationals. First
selection for a World Cup competition.
Daren Brentlyle POWELL. Born Jamaica April 15, 1978 (28
years old at start of World Cup 2007). Right-hand batsman. Right-arm
fast-medium bowler. Test matches 19 (2002-06). One-day Internationals 17
(2002-07), 17 runs (ave 2.83), HS 6, S/R 38.63, 3 catches, 17 wickets (ave
37.76), BB 4-27, 4w one, R/O 4.55. First selection for a World Cup
competition.
World Cup 2007). Right-hand batsman. Wicket-keeper.
Test matches 15 (2005-06). One-day Internationals 24 (2005-07), 358 runs (ave
25.57), HS 74*, S/R 78.85, one 50, 27 catches, 2 stumpings. First selection
for a World Cup competition.
Marlon Nathaniel SAMUELS. Born Kingston, Jamaica January
5, 1981 (26 years old at start of World Cup 2007). Right-hand batsman.
Right-arm off-break bowler. Brother of RG Samuels (6 Tests and 8 ODIs for the
West Indies 1996-97). Test matches 23 (2000-06). One-day Internationals 85
(2000-07), 1,996 runs (ave 30.24), HS 108*, S/R 74.17, 2 100s, 13 50s, 23
catches, 53 wickets (ave 41.88), BB 3-25, R/O 4.84. Appearing in his second
World Cup, the previous one being in 2003.
leg-break bowler. Test matches 65 (2000-06). One-day
Internationals 117 (2000-07), 3,785 runs (ave 44.01), HS 115*, S/R 76.72, 3
100s, 24 50s, 33 catches, 10 wickets (ave 39.90), BB 3-31, R/O 5.88. Captain
in 4 ODIs (2004), won 3, lost 1, win % 75.00. Appearing in his second World
Cup, the previous one being in 2003.
1985 (22 years old at start of World Cup 2007). Right-hand
batsman. Right-arm medium-fast bowler. Wicket-keeper. Nephew of PV Simmons
(26 Tests and 143 ODIs for the West Indies 1987-99, including three World Cup
competitions in 1987, 1992 and 1999). No Test matches. One-day Internationals
6 (2006-07), 112 runs (ave 18.66), HS 70, R/O 56.56, one 50, 3 catches, 0-9
as bowler, R/O 9.00. First selection for a World Cup competition.
12, 1983 (23 years old at start of World Cup 2007).
Right-hand batsman. Right-arm medium-pace bowler. Test matches 10 (2004-06).
One-day Internationals 61 (2004-07), 749 runs (ave 15.93), HS 68, S/R 101.07,
2 50s, 20 catches, 43 wickets (ave 36.11), BB 5-45, 4w 3, R/O 4.75. First
selection for a World Cup competition.
start of World Cup 2007). Left-hand batsman. Right-arm off-break
bowler. Test matches 16 (2003-05). One-day Internationals 10 (2003-07), 201
runs (ave 25.12), HS 44, S/R 61.46, 4 catches. First selection for a World
Cup competition.
start of World Cup 2007). Left-hand batsman. Right-arm
slow-medium bowler. Test matches 104 (1994-2006). One-day Internationals 273
(1994-2007), 7,817 runs (ave 32.15), HS 134*, S/R 71.24, 7 100s, 48 50s, 132
catches, one wicket for 28 runs, BB 1-8, R/O 5.79. Captain in 211 ODIs
(1997-2007), won 94, lost 103, tied one, no-result 13, win % 47.47. Appearing
in his fourth World Cup, the previous three being in 1996, 1999 (captain) and
2003 (captain).
Shane Edward BOND. Born Christchurch June 7, 1975 (31
years old at start of World Cup 2007). Right-hand batsman. Right-arm fast
bowler. Test matches 16 (2001-06). One-day Internationals 61 (2002-07), 198
runs (ave 15.23), HS 31*, S/R 72.52, 12 catches, 115 wickets (ave 19.48), BB
6-19, 4w 10, R/O 4.28. Appearing in his second World Cup, the previous one
being in 2003.
at start of World Cup 2007). Left-hand batsman. Left-arm
fast-medium bowler. Test matches 21 (2001-06). One-day Internationals 58
(2001-07), 413 runs (ave 14.75), HS 45*, S/R 70.84, 19 catches, 57 wickets (ave
37.26), BB 5-42, 4w one, R/O 5.07. First selection for a World Cup
competition.
Peter Gordon FULTON. Born Christchurch February 1, 1979
(28 years old at start of World Cup 2007). Right-hand batsman. Right-arm
medium-pace bowler. Test matches 5 (2006). One-day Internationals 29
(2004-07), 862 runs (ave 35.91), HS 112, S/R 76.96, one 100, 5 50s, 9
catches. First selection for a World Cup competition.
old at start of World Cup 2007). Right-hand batsman. Right-arm
fast-medium bowler. No Test matches. One-day Internationals 15 (2006-07), 61
runs (ave 15.25), HS 28, S/R 85.91, one catch, 18 wickets (ave 36.11), BB
3-39, R/O 5.27. First selection for a World Cup competition.
Brendon Barrie McCULLUM. Born Dunedin September 27, 1981
(25 years old at start of World Cup 2007). Right-hand batsman. Wicket-keeper.
Test matches 25 (2004-06). One-day Internationals 107 (2002-07), 1,577 runs (ave
23.53), HS 86*, S/R 82.09, 6 50s, 126 catches, 10 stumpings. Appearing in his
second World Cup, the previous one being in 2003.
start of World Cup 2007). Right-hand batsman. Right-arm
medium-pace bowler. Test matches 55 (1997-2005). One-day Internationals 190
(1997-2007), 4,587 runs (ave 28.14), HS 117, S/R 76.13, 3 100s, 28 50s, 44
catches, 46 wickets (ave 36.23), BB 3-20, R/O 5.48. Captain in 8 ODIs
(2001-02), won 2, lost 6, win % 25.00. Appearing in his third World Cup, the
previous two being in 1999 and 2003.
Michael James MASON. Born Carterton, Wairarapa August 27,
1974 (32 years old at start of World Cup 2007). Right-hand batsman. Right-arm
fast-medium bowler. Test matches one (2004). One-day Internationals 16
(2003-07), 22 runs (ave 11.00), HS 13*, S/R 56.41, 3 catches, 21 wickets (ave
34.38), BB 4-24, 4w one, R/O 5.23. First selection for a World Cup
competition.
start of World Cup 2007). Left-hand batsman. Right-arm
fast-medium bowler. Test matches 22 (2002-06). One-day Internationals 96
(2001-07), 1,483 runs (ave 23.17), HS 101*, S/R 80.99, one 100, 6 50s, 25
catches, 101 wickets (ave 31.50), BB 5-26, 4w 4, R/O 4.54. Appearing in his
second World Cup, the previous one being in 2003.
Jeetan Shashi PATEL. Born Wellington May 7, 1980 (26 years
old at start of World Cup 2007). Right-hand batsman. Right-arm off-break
bowler. Test matches one (2006). One-day Internationals 19 (2005-07), 22 runs
(ave 5.50), HS 10, S/R 33.84, 7 catches, 28 wickets (ave 29.67), BB 3-11, R/O
5.06. First selection for a World Cup competition.
years old at start of World Cup 2007). Right-hand batsman.
Right-arm medium-pace bowler. Test matches 27 (2002-06). One-day
Internationals 126 (1999-2007), 2,837 runs (ave 29.86), HS 141, S/R 78.60, 3
100s, 17 50s, 48 catches, 110 wickets (ave 32.61), BB 6-25, 4w 4, R/O 4.74.
Appearing in his second World Cup, the previous one being in 2003.
Ross Luteru TAYLOR. Born Lower Hutt, Wellington March 8,
1984 (23 years old at start of World Cup 2007). Right-hand batsman. Right-arm
off-break bowler. No Test matches. One-day Internationals 20 (2006-07), 684
runs (ave 40.23), HS 128*, S/R 83.31, 2 100s, 3 50s, 14 catches, 0-16 as
bowler, R/O 8.00. First selection for a World Cup competition.
Daniel Luca VETTORI. Born Auckland January 27, 1979 (28
years old at start of World Cup 2007). Left-hand batsman. Slow left-arm
orthodox bowler. Test matches 73 (1997-2006). One-day Internationals 194
(1997-2007), 1,270 runs (ave 15.11), HS 83, S/R 79.02, 3 50s, 53 catches, 192
wickets (ave 33.31), BB 5-30, 4w 6, R/O 4.22. Captain in 11 ODIs (2004-07),
won 8, lost 3, win % 72.72. Appearing in his third World Cup, the previous
two being in 1999 and 2003.
of World Cup 2007). Right-hand batsman. Right-arm
medium-pace bowler. Wicket-keeper. Test matches 22 (2001-05). One-day
Internationals 97 (2001-07), 2,375 runs (ave 28.27), HS 172, S/R 70.05, 3
100s, 11 50s, 37 catches, 0-25 as bowler, R/O 10.71. Appearing in his second
World Cup, the previous one being in 2003.