CENTURION, South Africa, 28 February 2003 — England have one man to blame for the World Cup defeat to India which has all but knocked them out of the tournament — Pakistani veteran Wasim Akram. It was the lessons learnt from the great man that helped fellow left-arm seamer Ashish Nehra demolish England with 6-23, the third-best figures in the history of the tournament at Durban on Wednesday. “Wasim bhai (elder brother) always told me to bowl a good line and length under floodlights and the ball would do the rest,” Nehra said. “I have spoken to him many times and follow his advice religiously. “It would be stupid not to take Wasim bhai’s advice. He is after all the greatest left-arm fast bowler and my hero.” Wasim, 36, reached the unprecedented landmark of 500 one-day wickets on Tuesday to top the 414 wickets he has in Tests, the only bowler in history to cross the 400-mark in both forms of the game. Nehra will face-off against his hero when India take on Pakistan here on Saturday, the first match between the two warring neighbors since June, 2000. “My respect for him will not go just because we are on opposite sides,” he said. “But India is my team and I will try to ensure we win.”
We’re Not Barmy,
We’re Just Bharat
DURBAN — Move over Barmy Army, the Bharat Army is here. They’re a group of British Asians who are following the Indian cricket team around South Africa during the World Cup and who certainly made their presence felt when Saurav Ganguly’s team beat England by 82 runs here on Wednesday. “We are British Asians and we support England — except when they are playing India,” founder-member Shailen Tank, from Southampton in southern England, told the BBC. “I am passionate about India and supporting cricket like an Indian.” Where the Barmy Army survives on beer, the Bharat Army thrives on tea and little sympathy. “Nasser is an Indian, Nasser is an Indian,” they chanted from the Kingsmead boundary as they reminded the England skipper of his Madras roots. The four founder members of the Bharat Army — the word means Indian in Hindi — were at the ground on Wednesday and were hard to miss with their hair dyed orange, white and green with cake dye, and paraded the boundary with Indian flags, whistles and chants.
Now for Pakistan,
Says Confident Ganguly
DURBAN — India captain Saurav Ganguly said his side will be going all out for a World Cup victory against arch rivals Pakistan at Centurion on Saturday, even though he believed his team were already in the Super Sixes. Ganguly’s men all but booked their place in the tournament’s second phase with an 82-run Group A win over England here under the Kingsmead floodlights on Wednesday. “Yes, I think so,” replied Ganguly when asked if his team were through to the Super Sixes. “But we need to go with as many points as possible. The next game is important because we need to carry points through.”
Chris Cairns Fined
Over Nightclub Incident
AUCKLAND — Star cricketing all-rounder Chris Cairns and another player, Brendon McCullum, were yesterday fined by administrating authority Cricket New Zealand (CNZ) for their behavior in a Durban nightclub last week. The two were among a group of 11 Blacks Caps at the Tiger Tiger nightclub where several, while drunk, pulled off their shirts and did hakas or Maori war dances. They were asked to leave and outside the club Cairns was punched to the ground and was briefly unconscious. CNZ chief executive Martin Snedden said in a statement that team protocols and procedures were inadequate. Snedden said Cairns and McCullum had admitted misconduct and had apologized. They had each been fined 500 NZ ($250). The other players at the club were reprimanded “and the players as a whole have been reminded of their responsibilities to act professionally off the field.” Among those reprimanded was captain Stephen Fleming. Most of the squad was present other than Nathan Astle, Chris Harris, Mathew Sinclair and Shane Bond.
England’s Knight Given
Pain-Killing Jab
PORT ELIZABETH — Opening batsman Nick Knight had a painkilling injection in his right shin yesterday but is expected to be fit for England’s final pool A match against Australia on Sunday. Knight has a cyst on the top of his shin which caused him discomfort during the defeat to India in Durban on Wednesday. Knight is an integral part of the England side. The squad does not have a specialist batsman as cover. England have lost their last 13 one-dayers against Australia. Another defeat is likely to end their hopes of making the Super Six stage.
I Want Eight Against
England, Says McGrath
POTCHEFSTROOM — Australian pace ace Glenn McGrath smashed his way into World Cup history yesterday and then promised there was more to come against the old enemy England. The 33-year-old took 7-15 as the world champions crushed Namibia by 256 runs in their Group A clash at North West Stadium here to record the best bowling figures in the history of the event. However, he then said he wants to go one better against Nasser Hussain’s men when the two sides meet in Port Elizabeth on Sunday. “I hope I can get eight now against England,” said McGrath.
Lara’s a tougher opponent
than Tendulkar: Murali
CAPE TOWN — Muttiah Muralitharan has hailed Brian Lara as his toughest opponent on the eve of Sri Lanka’s World Cup match against West Indies. “I think Lara is the key. He played against me in Sri Lanka and he did very well,” the off spinner said yesterday. “I think, of all the batsmen in the world, he plays my bowling better than anyone else, including Sachin Tendulkar. “His eyesight and hand co-ordination is very good and he’s able to adjust very quickly to very good deliveries.”
