ICC WORLD CUP - a battle of heavyweights

By Hafiz MARIKAR

CRICKET: The first ever World Cup contest in cricket was in 1975 organized in England. At that time England, the only country who were able to put forward the resources to stage an event of this magnitude. The 1st World Cup was played in England and was called the Prudential World Cup_ The matches consisted an over rate of 60 overs per team, played during the day in traditional form, with the red ball and white attire.

The teams who took part in the inaugural World Cup were _ India, West Indies, Australia, Pakistan, England and New Zealand the six Test playing nations, with Sri Lanka as a composite team. The notable absentee was South Africa who had been banned from International cricket due to apartheid. The inaugural competition which was enjoyed by every cricket lover in the globe was pocketed by West Indies under the leadership of kingmaker of cricket at that time Clive Lloyd, beat Australia by 17 runs in a close game played at Lord's Cricket Ground.

Non-Test playing teams in

The second World Cup was held in 1979, where it saw the introduction of the ICC Trophy competition to select non-Test playing teams for the World Cup, Canada who first played the game and Sri Lanka were able to creep in. This event too went in favour of West Indies, for the second time in row, in this World Cup they thrashed the host England by 92 runs. Soon after the competition at a meeting the ICC agreed to make this a competition as a quadrangular tournament.

In 1983, the third World Cup was conducted and that too was hosted by England, by this time Sri Lanka became full Test playing nation, and Zimbabwe qualified through the ICC. Fielding restrictions were introduced with a 30 yards (27 meter) away from the stumps. Only four fielders could be inside the circle at all times. India were able to halt the West Indians and emerged champions by beating three time champions West Indies by 43 runs in the finals.

The 1987 World Cup was called the "Reliance World Cup after the Indian sponsors held the event in India and Pakistan, for the first time the competition was held outside England. The game was reduced from 60 to 50 overs per innings, which is now being the current standard, because of the shorter daylight hours in the Indian subcontinent compared with England's summer. Australia were able to win the World Cup for the first time by beating England by seven runs, it was a close game.

Many changes introduced

The 1992 World Cup Cricket tourney was played in Australia and New Zealand, at this World Cup, many changes were introduced, with the coloured attire and the white ball it was a day/night game, further there was an alteration to the fielding restrictions. South Africa entered into the competition in 1992. Pakistan under the leadership of great Imran Khan did every thing right to clinch the World Cup by beating a strong England side by 22 runs; the grand final took place at the MCG.

1996 World Cup championship took place in India for the second time; some matches were played in Pakistan and Sri Lanka. In the semi-final, Sri Lanka, heading towards a grand victory at Calcutta after the Indians lost eight wickets scoring 120 runs in pursuit of 254, were awarded victory by default after riots broke out in protest against the Indian performance. Sri Lanka entered the final and did the needful. So, the Sri Lankans led by Arjuna Ranatunga ended up as the World Cup winners for the first time, beating Australia by 7 wickets in Lahore.

A hat trick by Australia

Once again in 1999 England hosted the World Cup, with few games being played in Wales, Scotland, Ireland, and Netherlands. Australians were able to get into the semi-finals after reaching their target in their super six match against South Africa off the final over. With this they proceeded to the final with a tied match in the semi-final, that too was against South Africa where a mix-up between South African batsmen Lance Klusener and Allan Donald, saw Donald drop his bat and stranded mid-pitch to be run out. In the final, Australians were lucky to send Pakistan to the pavilion for 132 and the target was reached in less than 20 overs, with eight wickets in pocket. This win gave the Australians a hat-rick, not in wickets but by match.

The 2003 matches were hosted by South Africans, Kenya and Zimbabwe. The participating teams went up from twelve to fourteen. In that World Cup there were some great contributions with superb display to beat the 1996 champions Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe, among others and a forfeit by the New Zealand team, which refused to play in Kenya because of security concerns, Which helped the Kenyans to enter the semi-finals.

Australia in the Cup final, scored 359 runs losing only two wickets, it was the highest ever scored in a final, and they defeated the Indians by 125 runs. The Australians went for the fourth world cup title.

West Indies hosted the World Cup in 2007 and it as the first such tournament to be played on all six populated continents. Bangladesh who did extremely well in this World Cup, entered the second round for the first time, by defeating the senior neighbours at cricket India, and the Indians went on to beat South Africa in the second round. Ireland coming in for the first time, tied with Zimbabwe and defeated Pakistan to progress to the second round, where they went on to beat Bangladesh to get promoted. After their defeat against Ireland, Pakistani experienced a major disaster when their coach Bob Woolmer was found dead in his hotel room. It was later found that the death was due to a heart-attack. Australians in the finals beat the 1996 champions Sri Lanka's side led by Mahela Jayewardene, in a day match by 53 runs, and recorded their third straight World Cup win.

2011 World Cup in action

Now the 2011, World Cup is in action in Sri Lanka, India and Bangladesh, who is going to come out as winners is the question, some of the cricket pundits say it is in the hands of Sri Lanka, India, Australia, South Africa and England,

Some of the World Cup performance, in 1975 the inaugural year of the competition West Indies skipper Clive Lloyd scored 102 runs then in 1979 Vivian Richards West Indies scored 138, 1983 Mohinder Amranath India took 3 for 12 and scored 26, 1987 David Boon Australia scored 75, 1992 Wasim Akram Pakistan scored 33 and took 3 for 49, 1996 Aravinda de Silva - Sri Lanka scored 107 not out and took 3 for 42, 1999 Shane Warne took 4 for 33, 2003 Ricky Ponting Australia scored 140 not out, and in 2007 Adam Gilchrist Australia Scored 149.

Performance details: In 1992. Martin Crowe - New Zealand scored 456 runs, 1996 Sri Lanka's Sanath Jayasuriya made 221 runs and took 7 wickets, 1999 Lance Klusener, South Africa scored 281 runs and took 17 wickets, 2003 - Sachin Tendulkar scored 673 runs and took 2 wickets. Sachin is the main run scorer in the World Cup, 2007 - Glenn McGrath Australia took 26 wickets. Sri Lanka, who co-hosted the 1996 Cricket World Cup, is the only host to win the tournament, though the final was held in Pakistan and England is the only other host to have made the final, in 1979. Other countries which have achieved or equalled their best World Cup results while co-hosting the tournament are New Zealand, semi-finalists in 1992; Zimbabwe, reaching the Super Six in 2003; and Kenya, semi-finalists in 2003. In 1987, co-hosts India and Pakistan both reached the semi-finals, but were eliminated by Australia and England respectively.

The current atmosphere in Sri Lanka is simply breathtaking and the highlights for all was the fact that they were all taken by the brand new grounds specially for the World Cup under the name sake of His Excellency which had its first game in Hambantota.

The public opinion is that the stadium was one of the best in the Asian region with the best of facilities. The other two venues are R. Premadasa Stadium and Pallekelle Stadium are looking good, and it is said by the majority praising the good job well done by Sri Lanka Cricket, a big hand to the Sri Lanka cricket big boss D.S. de Silva and his team for a wonderful job.

Good support by President

It wouldn't have been possible if not for the support rendered by the sporting President Mahinda Rajapaksa who gave his fullest backing for all three stadiums, Namal Rajapaksa MP did his best round the clock to put things in order of the Mahinda Rajapaksa Stadium in his constituency and also the R. Premadasa Stadium with a facelift for which D.S. de Silva went all out, including the big flip up for the Pallekelle Stadium in Kandy. Also not forgetting the former sports Minster C.B. Ratnayake and the present Mahindananda Aluthgamage.

The ICC Cricket World Cup now in progress along with partner nations such as India and Bangladesh is also an opportunity for budding cricketers a chance to gain recognition and meet their idols to increase their love for sports.

The President has also declared 2011 the year - Visit Lanka Year where tourism and hospitality will be the primary aim of the government to reap the benefits of peace. The youth will be empowered with hospitality and tourism jobs to ensure that Sri Lanka is promoted in a sustainable and friendly manner. Thanks to the untiring efforts of President Rajapaksa whose passion for sport is helping youth in a big way.

Sri Lanka Cricket should certainly maintain their consistency and should do very well in the current ICC World Cub tournament, The three stadiums at Hambantota, Pallekelle and Khettarama have been upgraded beyond the expectations of the ICC Organizers, further several facilities have been streamlined to encourage visitors for the cricket and presently there are several expats in the country and tickets for matches in the pavilions have all been sold out except for the stands.

A developing country such as Sri Lanka can be proud that the nation has read the future well in advance and are investing rightly for the future.