Cricket World Cup got underway with a very impressive performance and brilliant cultural presentations of participating countries, on Sunday March 11, 2007, at the new Trelawny Multipurpose Stadium in Jamaica. The ceremony was like a wonderland. Never has anything of this magnitude and spectacular ever been staged before in the West Indies. There was a parade of the delegations of the participating teams. There were thousands of visitors and local fans. The Stadium was jam-packed. It was a never –to- be- forgotten Opening Ceremony. Thanks to Chris Dehring and his team, to Ken Gordon, the West Indies Cricket Board ( WICB) President, the Government of Jamaica and to all West Indians who participated.

CWC Teams 2007

Australia/ India / New Zealand / West Indies

South Africa / Bermuda / England / Ireland

Netherlands / Sri Lanka / Kenya / Pakistan

Scotland / Bangladesh / Canada / Zimbabwe

 

 

The first match of Cricket World Cup( CWC) 2007 was played at Sabina Park, Jamaica, on March 13, 2007.

West Indies won. Approximately 15,000 spectators attended. After beating

Pakistan, West Indies took their place in the Super Eight by beating Zimbabwe who

held Ireland to a thrilling tie, on March 17, 2007 at Sabina Park. Pakistan fell out early,

while England defeated Canada by 51 runs on Sunday March 18, 2007.

 

 

 

On Friday March 16, 2007, England made 279 runs to beat New Zealand.

England went on to beat Keyna on March 31, 2007, to qualify for the Super Eight ,

 

 

This match was played at Gros Islet, St. Lucia on Saturday, March 24, 2007 . England

Reached the second round of the World Cup With Ed Joyce hitting 75 in seven

wicket win over Keyna.

 

England………….178 (for 3 wickets off 33 overs)

Keyna …………..177 (al out from 43 overs)

 

Australia made 358 runs ( for 5 wickets from 50 overs).

Netherlands made 129 runs ( for 7 wickets from 50 overs),

 

Saturday March 24, 2007, Matthew Hayden , fastest World Cup century holder, and Brad Hogg led defending champion, Australia to beat South Africa by 83 runs , in

St. Kitts. This win put Australia in top place in the Group A of the Cricket World Cup. Australia then played West Indies on Tuesday March 27, 2007. Hayden slashed 4 sixes and 14 fours from 66 balls . Australia ‘s fielding was super and significantly helped to secure victory .

 

Australia ……….377 ( for six wickets off 50 overs

S. Africa………..,294 (all out off 48 overs)

 

England vs Canada

 

England beat Canada by 51 runs on Sunday March 18, 2007 , at Gros Islet, St. Lucia.

Ed Joyce hit 66 and Paul Collingwood 62 to secure England’s victory. England need to

beat Kenya on Saturday March 24, to qualify for the next stage. Joyce had shared an

opening partnership of 101 . runs with Captain Vaughan before the Captain was caught.

 

England made 279 runs ( with 6 wickets from50 overs)

Canada made 228 runs ( with 7 wickets from 50 overs)

 

South Africa vs Sri Lanka

 

On Wednesday, March 28, 2007, South Africa played their first Super Eight match

against Sri Lanka in George Town. Ranked the Number One One-day Internatioanl

Team , they beat Sri Lamka by one wicket.

 

New Zealand vs Bangladesh Monday April 2, 2007

 

New Zealand defeated Bangladesh in Antigua, which match earned them a place in

the ICC Super Eight Group This was New Zealand’s second win and the second loss

for Bangladesh.

 

This match was played at George Town, Guyana. It was West Indies’ third loss in a row with Sri Lamka making 303 runs for 5 wickets , and West Indies 190 all out in 44.3 overs. West Indies loss to Sri Lanka was witnessed by 12,000 spectators.

The West Indies have been performing dismally after a brilliant start. They have little hope of reaching the semi-finals in the Super Eight Serie. They crashed in the CWC second round when Shri Lanka whipped them by 113 runs to make the top-four of the

Super Eight elite. West Indies have fallen to sixth position , though they have played

more games than all the other teams. At April 3, 2007, West Indies were in a bad spot,

with three games remaining—South Africa in Grenada on Tuesday,April 10;

Bangladesh in Barbados Thursday, April 19; England Saturday April 21, in

Barbados.

Irate West Indies’ fans called for the sacking of Captain Brian Lara who holds the

record for Test scores and first class individual scores. Lara is seen as a

great cricketer, but a rather incapable leader. There is also weak call for the dismissal of

the entire West Indies team.

 

 

under-dog Bangladesh beating giant South Africa.

 

 

up. After a glamorous start, they fell to Australia on March 27, to New Zealand on

March 29, to Sri Lanka on April 1, thus falling into sixth place with Bangladesh. More

about this match in my Jottings Part Two.

 

Australia ……………………………………….8 Points

South Africa ………………………………………. 8 “

Sri Lanka ………………………………………. 8 “

S . Africa ………………………………………. 6 “

England ………………………………………. 2 “

W. Indies ………………………………………. 2 “

Bangladesh ………………………………………. 2 “

Ireland ………………………………………. 0 “

 

 

 

CRICKET WORLD CUP 2007

 

Jottings from LINSTEAD’S notebook (Part Two) at April 10. 2007,

Cricket World Cup 2007 which began at Sabina Park on Tuesday March 13, 2007 is well on it way, though the crowds have been disappointing and Pakistan’s coach was found in his hotel room mysteriously dead. West Indies’ performance is abject and the spirits of West Indian fans have waned.

The opening match was played between West Indies and Pakistan on March 13, 2007, at Sabina Park.Ireland vs Pakistan The Irish Cricket Flag , with its Shamrock emblem, fluttered proudly at Sabina Park , Jamaica on Saturday March 17, 2007. Irish men and women cheered and danced in th etropical sunshine. It was a celebratory “jollification” in reaction to their victory against Pakistan. It was probably the first great shock in the Cricket World Cup, Ireland knocking Pakistan out of the tournament. Indies vs Ireland Saturday March 24, 2007.

West Indies crushed Ireland.

Shivnarine Chanderpaul was brilliant at , Sabina Park , against Ireland. He made 102 runs not out , and entertained the crowd to a display of superb batting. He was like an obsessed man . He made some dazzling strokes in 164 minutes of 113 deliveries from which he smashed 4sixes and 10 fours. The best of him was when he stroked Willam Rankin for 4 consecutive balls, sending them over the boundaries.

The West Indies with superb batting by Chanderpaul, finished the first round of the CWC tournament in fine style. Ireland won the toss and went to bat. West Indies won at 190 runs for 2 wickets from 23..3 overs. Chanderpaul made shots all around the ground, some racing over the green grass of Sabina Park or sailing through the air to land beyond the boundaries. This is Chanderpaul’s best century in CWC one –day

matches. The best of left-hander Chanderpaul came when he stroked William Rankin for 4 consecutive sixes over the boundaries and stroked Andre Botha for 2 fours then smashed him for a six .Australia vs W.I. This Super A match was played on Wednesday March 28, 2007, at Sir Vivian Richard Stadium , St John’s , Antigua. West Indies failed to better Australia’s 322 runs off 50 overs.

 

Matthew Hayden a 35 year master batsman was man of the game between WestIndies and Australia., West Indies failed to better Australia’s 322 from 50 overs made the day before when rain stopped play. West Indies won the toss and sent Autralia to bat. Hayden a left-hander from Queensland who achieved a record-breaking century from 66 balls against South Africa ion March 25,in St. Kitts, beautifully ran up a third century in the World Cup, This is considered his best century. He played some rather impressive strokes until he was dismissed byb Marlon Samuels . Stroking 14 fours six, he made 158 runs in 216 minutes. “Mass-mi- master! Mi couldn’ sit down when dat man was ah lick ball! Sar, ah so man fi lick ball!”

S. Africa vs Sri Lanka

 

This match was played Wednesday March 28, 2007 , at Georgetown , Guyana.

S. Africa beat Sri Lanka by one wicket in their Super Eight match . .
Herchelles Gibbs became the first cricketer to score 6 sixes in a single over. On Friday March 16, 2007, South African Gibbs struck Dutchman , Daan van Bunge in one over at Warner Park. St. Kitts . It is a first in international one day cricket. “Many spectators kept their mouths wide open in stunned wonderment.

At Friday March 30, 2007, THE CRICKET WORLD CUP TEAMS

Bangladesh beat India , went on to lose to Sri Lanka.

Defending CWC 2007 champions – Australia, South Africa, West Indies, Ireland, Sri Lanka and New Zealand. Have moved into the Super Eights stage of the tournament.

Bermuda, CANADA, The Netherlands, Zimbabwe, Scotland, India are on their way out.

Pakistan went home early, also Grenada. England is fighting to gain a place in the Super Eights.

 

.

 

S. Africa vs Sri Lanka Wednesday March 28, 2007,

 

 

Sri Lankan Lasith Malinga , age 23 , has been outstanding on the international one-day scene. He has been brilliant for Sri Lanka and world cricket. Malinga nearly fell

S. Africa on Wednesday March 28, 2007 ,in Georgetown ,Guyana. He is fast , bowling at 90m.p.h. He became the first player of international cricket to take 4 wickets from 4 balls. He took 4 wickets for 54 runs off 9.2 overs before S. Africa managed to put their act together to finish the match at 212 for nine wickets, with 10 balls left. Malinga bought the S. Africa vs Sri Lanka match to an exciting finish with astonishing hat-trick.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

West Indies …………….177 runs all out from 44 overs

New Zealand…………….179runs for 3wickets from 39.20vers.

 

Bangladesh………………174 runs from 48.3overs

New Zealand……….. 178, one wicket from 29.20vers

 

 

Australia ……………. .6 points S. Africa……………..2 points

New Zealand……….… 6 “ West Indies…………. 2 “

Sri Lanka…………… 4 “ Ireland……………….0

England……………… 2 Bangladesh………….0

West Indies vs Australia Tuesday , March 28, 2007 in Antigua,

 

Trinidadian Brian Lara ,. Skipper of the West Indies Team , did get a chance

ss on several occasions in Test Cricket and one-day matches when his team is doing badly, to show off his unbeaten uniqueness at the crease.

By the time he got to the wicket, the game was already lost, with the scoreboard reading 20 for 3 wickets off 10 overs. By the time Lara made 50, with the scoreboard showing 114 for 5 wickets off 30 overs , it was almost over for the West Indies team. Lara , as usual , set out to perform a one-man job, that was intended for eleven men , but went down after the 30th, over.Skipper Lara, age 37, a world super-batsman , treated an embarrassingly small crowd of cricket spectators and fans to a display of his exquisite skill in a bid to defeat Australia. He scored 77 runs before he surrendered to left –arm spinner Brad Hogg. His team fell apart under the fierce onslaught of giant Australia. Chasing a target of 322 runs off 50 overs , with Matthew Hayden having stroked 158 , West Indies , particularly , Chris Gayle, opening batsman, and Marlon Samuels , Sarwan and Bravo did little or nothing to assist their team.