World Cup Monitor
Gough – Beers are the best way to tour
Darren Gough has come out in support of the England players at the centre of Booze-gate
ESPNcricinfo staff
25-Feb-2013
Darren Gough has come out in support of the England players at the centre of Booze-gate. “I’m not going to criticise Feddie Flintoff,” he says. “Going for a drink with your team-mates is one of the realeas which allow you to cope with life on the road.” He does, however, concede that the timing of events was not spectacular.
But he believes, like Ian Botham, that the biggest mistake England made was actually getting caught. And he has these words of advice for the side: “They were wrong to go out in public, where fans who have paid thousands of pounds to travel to the Caribbean were understandably upset to see players out on the town. Next time they will probably stick to the hotel bar.” So that’s all right, then.
Just to further explode any myth, he added: “If you think cricketers retire to their rooms at 9pm with a cup or cocoa you’re on another planet.”
Full postDonald worries over McGrath's impact
Allan Donald fears Glenn McGrath’s international bow could be ruined by batsmen who are no longer mesmerised by his reputation
Peter English
25-Feb-2013
Allan Donald fears Glenn McGrath’s international bow could be ruined by batsmen who are no longer mesmerised by his reputation. South Africa and Australia have been sparring in the lead-up to Saturday’s game at St Kitts and Donald higlighted McGrath’s one-day performances over the past couple of months.
"It's not often batters line McGrath up, but he has been taken to,” Donald said in the Courier-Mail. “Teams will target him. No doubt they know it's his last World Cup and they will come hard at him."
Donald’s final World Cup in 2003 ended badly and he hopes McGrath hasn’t gone one tournament too far. “You don’t want to finish your career going out in the worst possible fashion,” he said. “What will take the pressure off him is that it’s not in Australia.”
Full postSymonds takes a break from 'cushy life'
Andrew Symonds has been keeping himself busy while recovering from his biceps injury, but not just by training and lounging at the team hotel
Peter English
25-Feb-2013
Andrew Symonds has been keeping himself busy while recovering from his biceps injury, but not just by training and lounging at the team hotel. Symonds and Michael Hussey spent a day visiting a Teen Mother Centre in St Kitts, where they saw the challenges faced by single mums who returned to finish their education.
Symonds was impressed by the dedication shown by the locals. One woman even went on to study law. "We seem to live a fairly cushy life," he told AAP. "We don't see a great deal of hardship. It's very sobering to see other things that actually go on.
"You hear about these things but actually coming and seeing them and experiencing it, I think it's much-needed. It's good for your own humanity.” The visit was for the Unite for Children, Unite Against AIDS campaign run in part by UNICEF and UNAIDS.
Full postFrench ticket tout deported
A Frenchman has been fined and sent back to France after pleading guilty to attempting to sell World Cup tickets illegally in St Lucia
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
A Frenchman has been fined and sent back to France after pleading guilty to attempting to sell World Cup tickets illegally in St Lucia. He was arrested by police outside the Beausejour Stadium before the England versus New Zealand group match last Friday, and a search of his hotel room revealed a stock of more than 200 tickets for various matches in the tournament. He was fined more than £800 at Gros Islet magistrates court and deported. Ernest Hilaire, the local World Cup director, told charlierandallcricket. “He was here not because he liked cricket, but because he was a professional ticket tout."
Full postIrish punters exploited upset
Australia have been cut to 7/4 to win the World Cup, and Ladbrokes admitted they lost money from Ireland’s upset win over Pakistan in Jamaica
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
Australia have been cut to 7/4 to win the World Cup, and Ladbrokes admitted they lost money from Ireland’s upset win over Pakistan in Jamaica. Spokesman Robin Hutchison told charlierandallcricket: "We hardly took a penny on Ireland before the game, as the punters didn't think they had a prayer. But as it progressed confidence grew and we ended up losing a pretty penny.” The Irish were 8/1 to win before the match, but were backed extensively in play, including a bet of £12,000 at 5/6.
Full postTait rocked by seasickness nightmare
Shaun Tait might be the baby of Australia's squad, but until he joined a Caribbean cruise it had been a long time since he’d embraced the foetal position
Peter English
25-Feb-2013
Shaun Tait might be the baby of Australia's squad, but until he joined a Caribbean cruise it had been a long time since he’d embraced the foetal position. Tait, who has three wickets in his first two World Cup games, experienced “four hours of hell” in the choppy waters off St Kitts instead of a day of peaceful R&R.
"I spewed up about 15 times,” Tait, 24, told AAP. “There was a fair bit of vomit and what-not, so I'm not quite 100% today.
“I spent four hours in the foetal position, basically. It was a nightmare. I don't think I will be heading out again for the rest of my life." After Andrew Flintoff’s problems with England, boat rides might be next on touring teams’ banned lists.
Full postTears of joy
Malachi Jones, the 17-year-old Bermuda seamer, admitted that he was so overjoyed with taking a wicket with his first World Cup delivery that he couldn't help bursting into tears.
Andrew McGlashan
25-Feb-2013
Malachi Jones, the 17-year-old Bermuda seamer, admitted that he was so overjoyed with taking a wicket with his first World Cup delivery that he couldn't help bursting into tears.
Jones, the third youngest player to feature in the World Cup, claimed the scalp of the India opener Robin Uthappa with his opening ball at the Queen's Park Oval on Monday. Dwayne Leverock, all 255 pounds (116kg) of him, dived to his right to pouch the chance.
Jones said: "I knew it wasn't going to be easy. I just tried to get my line and length. But I couldn't believe getting a wicket with my first ball."
Full postGibbs and Garry remember their records
Peter English
25-Feb-2013
Two men who know the feeling of hitting six sixes in an over have swapped tales of their feats. Herschelle Gibbs, who achieved the mark against The Netherlands on Friday, and Garry Sobers met in St Kitts on Monday for the handover of a US$1million cheque to the Habitat for Humanity.
Gibbs earned the money for the charity after attacking the legspinner Daan van Bunge to become the first to record the milestone in an ODI. Sobers said there was no pressure on him when he did the same to Malcolm Nash in a first-class game for Glamorgan in 1968.
Full postIndian fans turn on their idols
Furious Indian cricket fans stormed the home of national wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Sunday after the five-wicket defeat by Bangladesh
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
Furious Indian cricket fans stormed the home of national wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni on Sunday after the five-wicket defeat by Bangladesh. Some 200 fans brought down walls and pillars of Dhoni's house, which is under construction, in the eastern city of Ranchi to protest against his performance. State authorities deployed paramilitary units to prevent further possible attacks.
Similar protests were reported in Ahmedabad, where irate fans were out on the streets. They burned effigies of Rahul Dravid and screamed slogans against out-of-form batsman Virender Sehwag. "They have betrayed the faith of the entire nation," the fans chanted.
Full postMcCallan needs note from headmistress
Ireland’s unpredicted success means the offspinner Kyle McCallan will have to make a special request for more time off school
Peter English
25-Feb-2013
Ireland’s unpredicted success means the offspinner Kyle McCallan will have to make a special request for more time off school. The minnows are almost assured of another four weeks in the Caribbean after beating Pakistan and McCallan, a Belfast physical education teacher, is about to contact the headmistress.
"Personally I'm due to go back on April 1 and will have to ring and ask her to give me another few weeks off," McCallan told the BBC. "But it's great prestige for the school where I work and for the rest of the employers.”
McCallan is not satisfied with the team’s amazing opening, which includes a tie with Zimbabwe, and wants to add West Indies to the list of victims on Friday. "I'll be honest and say we did think we could do this,” he said. “Coach Adrian Birrell has instilled a sense of belief that we're capable of creating an upset."
Full post