India and South Africa will be hard to beat
 

Elmo Rodrigopulle a former reputed cricketer who played for the Sri Lanka Board President's XI is in the West Indies covering the World Cup for the 'Sunday Observer' and the 'Daily News'. Here Rodrigopulle analyses the teams and their chances.

Ricky Ponting

Stephen Fleming

Yuvraj Singh

Inzuman Ul-Haq

Jacques Kallis Chaminda Vaas

Rodrigopulle tips South Africa or India to win the World Cup. Keep a date with Rodrigopulle and his fearless and forthright reporting in the 'Sunday Observer' and the 'Daily News'.

The Ninth Edition of the World Cup cricket tournament conducted by the International Cricket Council will start when the umpires call 'Play' when two former champions West Indies and Pakistan lock horns in Jamaica in a group D match on March 13.

The ICC has this time round entrusted the West Indies of conducting this once in four year prestigious one-day tournament and are hoping that the Caribbean Islands would deliver.

At the time of writing not all venues have been fully completed. The hosts have been doing their best and fighting against time, leaving no stone unturned to see to the successful completion of this tournament. But whether the hosts would be able to do what other countries did when they hosted this tourney and completed it very successfully, would tell only when the last ball is bowled in the final to be played in Barbados on April 28.

The tournament had come in for a bit of bashing and rightly so, because of the inclusion of some third rate teams. Scotland, Ireland, Canada, Bermuda and the Netherlands are there just to make up the numbers and also lower the standard of the game in the early rounds.

Who will come to watch these teams in action, paying good money? With so many matches to watch as the tournament progresses, when these teams take the field, they will be playing to empty houses. One thing that these third rate teams could gain, and also go into the record books is by allowing players and the countries to hit up bit individual scores and totals. Other than for that they will serve absolutely no purpose.

In this aspect the ICC should have acted with more responsibility. True they must promote and develop the game, but certainly not by making a mockery of the World Cup. A close study of these third rate teams show that they could hardly be tagged competitors and worthy of playing in the World Cup. If they happen to upset a reputed and formidable country, then that victory could be questionable.

AUSTRALIA THE REIGNING CHAMPIONS: Chances of Australia making it three in a row looks very remote considering that they are injury hit and have alarmingly lost the form that they are renowned for.

But if Adam Gilchrist, Matthew Hayden, skipper Ricky Ponting fire and Michael Clarke and Andrew Symonds join in the run then they could set their opponents formidable scores to chase and give their bowlers who would be sans tearaway Brett Lee - Glen McGrath, Michelle Johnson, Stuart Clarke, Shaun Tait and Brad Hogg the necessary runs to bowl the opponents out.

INDIA - (THE PREVIOUS CUP RUNNER-UP)

India after early uncertainty, mainly due to the in fighting between coach Greg Chappell and former captain Sourav Ganguly have now settled down, and if the form that they displayed against the Sri Lankans is an indication, then they will once again challenge strongly for the trophy.

Players to watch will be skipper Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Yuvraj Singh, Irfan Pathan and Zaheer Khan.

SOUTH AFRICA

Easily the most well knit and formidable side. With cricketers of the calibre of skipper Greame Smith, Jacques Kallis, Shaun Pollock, Abraham de Villiers, Herschelle Gibbs and Makhaya Nitini should make their way into the finals.

WEST INDIES:

The Windies led by the dashing Brian Lara will face immense pressure what with their Calypso and Reggae fans shouting themselves hoarse for them to win the Cup. They have some formi dable cricketers. But the pressure from their supporters might stall their progress.

PAKISTAN:

Led by Imzamam Ul-Haq they are individually brilliant and rarely do they play as a team. If they can shed their individual ability and play as a team like they did under. Imran Khan when they won the trophy, should be strong contenders.

NEW ZEALAND:

Under Stephen Fleming, the Kiwis suddenly became larger than life with tremendous victories against Australia in the Chappell-Hadlee series. If they can maintain that form, then there is no reason why they too should not have atilt at the trophy.

SRI LANKA:

Skipper Mahela Jayawardena's form is the main worrying aspect for the Lankans. If he starts scoring then their batting problems would be solved. Sanath Jayasuriya and Kumar Sangakkara must make bit of runs and Chaminda Vaas and Muttiah Muralitheran must work miracles in the 10 overs each they bowl if the Lankans are to make progress.

ENGLAND:

England who gave the game of cricket to the world, have sadly not won the World Cup, although figuring in many finals. They tend to chole in the finals. Led by Michael Vaughan and if they can produce the form that they produced in the triangular finals against Australia should progress in the tournament. Bangladesh, Zimbabwe, Kenya, Ireland, Scotland, Canada and Bermuda are just expects to make up the numbers.