The World Cup Weblog - Jan. 28-Feb.4

Monday, February 3, 2003:::

Hussain hints at England players' boycott of Zimbabwe match
England skipper Nasser Hussain seems to have made up his mind to boycott the Zimbabwe match come what may.
Source:The Independent, UK

All-rounder Pollock ready to become the host with the most
South African captain Shaun Pollock is certainly capable of becoming the first home team captain to win the World Cup, reports Neil Manthrop.
Source:The Guardian, UK

Posted at 12:45 p.m. IST

Sunday, February 2, 2003:::

ECB in court over Harare match
England's World Cup match in Zimbabwe could yet be halted if the High Court in London declares that the England and Wales Cricket Board are acting illegally in sending Nasser Hussain's side to Harare.
Source: The Observer, UK

Lehmann: I nearly quit cricket
Australia's Darren Lehmann has admitted that he came close to quitting cricket after he was branded a racist and handed a five-match suspension.
Source:Ananova, UK

Mind is all that matters for Donald
Allan Donald is convinced that his side has the mental resolve to go all the way in this edition of the World Cup.
Source:The Independent, UK

Posted at 12:50 p.m. IST

Saturday, February 1, 2003:::

Perfect pitch
It may not be a "La Copa De La Vida" - at least, not yet - but Silk Route's "King of the Game," a good-luck number for the Indian cricket team that was commissioned by the BBC, was released in Delhi on Friday.
Source: Delhi Newsline, India

Windies team stand a chance: Walsh
World record-holder for the most Test wickets Courtney Walsh believes that the West Indies have a good shot of making the World Cup final.
Source: Barbados Advocate, West Indies

Ponting yet to prove himself as skipper, says Cairns
Who said the Aussies were the masters of psychological warfare? Chris Cairns, for one, definitely gives as good as he gets, slipping a few digs in at the Aussies ahead of the World Cup.
Source: ABC Online, Australia

posted at 12:54 p.m. IST

Friday, January 31, 2003:::

MAX to splurge Rs 55-65 crore on World Cup promotion
How much big money is really involved in the World Cup? Ad spend during the two-month event will be in the region of Rs 300-400 crore!
Source: Agencyfaqs.com, India

Cricket politicians lack moral fibre
By not taking the firm but tough decision of boycotting World Cup games in Zimbabwe, Doug Gillon argues that cricket's politicans lack moral fibre just as much as their counterparts in the British government.
Source: The Glasgow Herald, UK

Cricket fever hits the police
Criminals in South Africa have a field day as police officers, redeployed to the cricket World Cup, were too involved to search for some documents.
Source: News24.com, South Africa

Sourav's team to sport Sahara's Amby Valley logo
Don't be surprised to see your men in blue sporting a new logo when they step on the cricket field next month in South Africa. A Sahara official reveals that the logo will carry the name "Amby Valley," which is the company's residential project in Maharashtra, to avoid ambush marketing controversy.
Source: Business Line, India

posted at 11:35 p.m. IST

Thursday, January 30, 2003:::

'Match-fixing still alive'
Certainly not what one wishes to hear before the most prestigious tournament in cricket, but former Pakistan paceman Sarfraz Nawaz insists that the World Cup cannot be held without match-fixing.
Source: Mid-Day, India

Hansie tribute may cause tension in SA team
The declarations of Jonty Rhodes and Allan Donald about dedicating the World Cup to former South African captain Hansie Cronje may spur a rift in the South African team, avers a leading sports psychologist.
Source: The Independent Online, South Africa

If cricket's a dead duck, why is it still creating a flap?
So if cricket in England is as unpopular as it is made out to be, why is there such a furore over the country's World Cup game in Zimbabwe? David Hopps tries to figure it out.
Source: The Guardian, UK

posted at 12:47 p.m. IST

Wednesday, January 29, 2003:::

Aussies give Potch a claim to fame
The elders of Potchefstroom once banned sex because it led to dancing - or was it the other way around? - but that Calvinist ethos has changed considerably, and it is now a veritable hub of dancing. Perhaps the Australian team took this into account when deciding on their base for the World Cup.
Source: The Star, South Africa
Related CricInfo links: North West Cricket Stadium, Potchefstroom

Injuries may aid our Cup defence
How does Australian coach John Buchanan figure that Australia's injury worries could actually help them retain the World Cup?
Source: The Ballarat Courier, Australia

English cricketers' fears do not hold water
There is no basis, Zimbabweans argue, for English cricketers to have any concerns about their safety during the World Cup.
Source: The Harare Herald, Zimbabwe

posted at 12:01 p.m. IST

Tuesday, January 28, 2003:::

Security task-force launched for World Cup
The Zimbabwe Republic Police gears up to provide maximum security for the World Cup games. "The UN speaks highly of us," says Commissioner Chihuri, so perhaps England's players will sleep easier tonight.
Source: Allafrica.com

Hutch to provide World Cup video clips
The future, as they say, appears to be here. Hutch announced that it would provide as many as 50 video clips per World Cup match on subscriber mobile phones across India.
Source: The Financial Express, India

Mystery ball gives enigmatic Indians something to Singh about
Bad news, Ricky. Harbhajan Singh, the Indian off-spinner who ended Australia's world-record run of Test victories in 2001, has perfected a new "mystery ball" for the World Cup. And he's not discussing it.
Source: The Sydney Morning Herald, Australia

posted at 11:20 a.m. IST