Starc must bowl with consistency during World Cup: McDermott
Melbourne: Australia's bowling coach Craig McDermott says in-form pacer Mitchell Starc must be consistent throughout the 44-day long Cricket World Cup to give co-hosts the best chance of winning the coveted title. Starc, with 12 wickets, is the leading wicket-taker in the ongoing tri-series including India and England, performing the role of pace spearhead well in the absence of Mitchell Johnson. "We do have two spearheads from that point of view," McDermott told the Herald Sun. "Mitchell Starc is swinging the new ball. It is certainly going to swing for him in Perth. He is a real weapon if he gets it right and the ball is swinging early. "There is no point having two good games and two mediocre games. We are going into a World Cup. We have got to put six or seven good games together in a row to make sure we have got the best attack on the park and we are knocking teams over," said the former Australian fast bowler.
Inzy asks Pak players to play fearless cricket in World Cup
Karachi: Former captain Inzamam-ul-Haq has advised the Pakistan World Cup squad to shed the fear of defeat and play with an open and positive mindset in the mega event in Australia and New Zealand. “I speak from experience. In the 1992 World Cup despite losing six matches, Imran Khan never allowed us to lose hope or hang our heads. We remained positive and the end result was we emerged as upset winners of the competition,” Inzamam said at a function in lahore. “Nowadays cricket has changed a lot and it is difficult for the bowlers and we have some issues to resolve in this department. But I would still advise our players not to fear defeat and to remain positive even if they lose a few matches. If we remain positive and play without fear of defeat I am sure this team, like the one in 1992, can surprise many people,” Inzamam said.
1983 WC final was biggest disappointment of my career: Garner
New Delhi: Recalling the monumental upset when the mighty West Indies were stunned by India in the 1983 Prudential World Cup final, pacer Joel Garner said that the loss was the biggest disappointment of his decade-long cricket career. Chasing 184 for victory in the 60-overs-a-side game at the lord’s, reigning champions West Indies slumped from 50 for two to 140 all out in what proved to be the biggest upset of the the mega-event. “You know when we chase small totals, everybody looks to the next person to finish the job,” Garner was quoted as saying in a Tony Cozier column on ESPNcricinfo. Garner admitted that overconfidence played spoiler. “Overconfidence is a hell of a thing,” Garner says. “It was just that they took it for granted that they would make the 183.”
India need to identify frontline pace attack: Srinath
Dubai: Javagal Srinath believes India need to identify its frontline pace attack who can take wickets upfront during their title defence at the ICC Cricket World Cup. “It’s extremely important for India to identify its frontline pace attack. At this time, Bhuvneshwar Kumar is a certainty, and given that Ishant (Sharma) is fit, he will be a shoo-in if he can find his line and length. The third seamer is then a toss-up between Mohammed Shami and Umesh Yadav,” said Srinath. “Bhuvneshwar will swing the ball, which is his great strength, while the others will get seam movement. What this means is that Bhuvneshwar apart, the others have to bowl just a yard shorter and place the onus on the batsman to play the cut and the pull from that indeterminate, uncomfortable length,” he added. "The faster bowlers have to go for the win. By that, I mean they have to look for wickets up front, not at being economical. Having two new balls per innings is a boon," said Srinath, the only Indian fast bowler to have taken more than 300 wickets in ODIs. Agencies