Sambit extends his lead
For the first time in this tournament, Cricinfo's editor extends his lead over Ian Chappell by more than 100 points
Cricinfo staff
10-Jun-2009
Roelof van dew Merwe gave Cricinfo's editor 135 points • Associated Press
Sambit Bal consolidates his No. 1 position, and for the first time extends his lead over Ian Chappell by more than 100 points - Sambit is now ahead by 160.
The first game between Pakistan and Netherlands witnessed a neck-and-neck fight between Sambit and Ian. Ian earned big points from Kamran Akmal (195); Misbah ul Haq gave him 51 and Peter Borren 42. Though Sambit did not have Man-of-the-Match Akmal in his team, he earned substantial points from Shoaib Malik (55), Ryan ten Doeschate (31), Saeed Ajmal (90) and Mohammad Aamer (25).
But it was the second game, between South Africa and New Zealand, that really swung things Sambit's way. He had seven players from that game in his team, and while Jaques Kallis, AB de Villiers (trump) and Graeme Smith were also in Ian's side, the players who made a difference for Sambit were Roelof van der Merwe, who racked up 135, and Brendon McCullum with 122. Meanwhile Ian's picks - Martin Guptill, Albie Morkel and Jacob Oram - managed just 70 between them.
"I need the luck of the Irish today so I've gone for a pair of brothers. It also wouldn't hurt if Rohit Sharma played a blinder - I've got some catching up to do and I'd like to be right on Sambit's tail going into the Super Eights."
With the last of the first-round games today, it will be interesting to see who goes into the Super Eights leading the Star Wars league.