Cricket fever started gripping the cricket world as another version of ICC World Cup starts knocking at door.

Australia and New Zealand are two of the most beautiful countries of the world. For many these are tourists delight. Some of venues are among the world’s best. It is any cricketers dream to play at Iconic MCG, Adelaide Oval, Gabba, Auckland, Christchurch or SCG.

Cricket is a game of glorious uncertainty. Any prediction can make anyone sound fool. Still experts and analysts make previews, make predictions. Contemporary forms, wickets, environments, match conditions and finally lady luck often make heroes and villains. World Cup 2015 may not be any different. Firm favorites may not go the distance. Some favorites may even get knocked out even at the preliminary round.

Teams have started arriving in their base camps in final preparation for the mega event. In only 8 days from this day the mega event will be launched simultaneously at Hagley Oval, Christchurch and Melbourne Cricket Club (MCG) Melbourne. Fourteen teams divided in two groups will play on league basis to advance into quarterfinal knock out round. The two top teams surviving the knock out rounds will appear in the final at MCG on 29 March to crown the new champion. This write up will attempt to make a comprehensive preview of the tournament.

Pool A: Australia, Sri Lanka, New Zealand, England, Bangladesh, Afghanistan and Scotland

Pool B: India, South Africa, Pakistan, West Indies, Zimbabwe, Ireland and UAE

Poll A Matches Preview:

 Pool A comprises of two co-hosts Australia and New Zealand. Two other very strong and stable teams Sri Lanka and England are also in the group. Bangladesh and Afghanistan are also capable of striking some surprises in the group. Only Scotland may struggle to win any match in the group. The world cup matches are going to be played on true sporting surfaces of Australia and New Zealand .Naturally home teams will have greater advantages of playing most of their pool matches on their backyard. Playing on wickets in Australia and New Zealand is always a big challenge for teams from other countries .However that does not mean that Australia and New Zealand will automatically advance. Other teams of the group Sri Lanka and England also have seasoned professionals and match winners. Bangladesh has a blend of talented youngsters and some world class performers. Afghanistan may turn as a surprise package. History also evidence that in the only other Cricket World Cup played in down under Pakistan and England battled out the final of the event at MCG.
 

Australia Firm Favorites to Top the Group:

Australia has won the world cup a record four times .They were champions in 1987, 1999, 2003 and 2007. Experts predicts that Aussies are strong favorites to win it for the fifth time.

The recent tri nation Carlton Mid Tri Angular ODI series involving Australia, England and India evidenced that Australia now possesses a very lethal combination of fast furious bowlers, aggressive batsmen and sharp fielders. The team has peaked at the right moment. Warner, Flinch, Watson, Clark, Smith, Maxwell, Haddin, Faulkner Johnson, Starc, Hazelwood / Cummins can prove too hot to handle for any team in the tournament. Captain Clark has fitness issues and has been given time till Bangladesh match in Brisbane to prove fitness .If unavailable George Bailey walks in and takes over the mantle . The team has few match winners like Warner, Smith, Maxwell, and Johnson who individually can win matches on their day. The team has some wonderful all-rounders like Watson, Faulkner, Mitchell Marsh and Glen Maxwell. The only limitations in in spin bowling department. Maxwell and Doherty are spinning options. But Australia has so many wicket taking options that spin bowling may not be a must for them. Sharp and agile fielding adds 20-30 match to Australian attack in any match. Australian fielders usually strike wickets from almost every position at any time for turning tide of any match. At this moment Australia is not only favorite to win the group but they appear ready for winning its fifth world cup.

Australia starts its World Cup campaign on the very first day at MCG against traditional rival England. We do not think winning against England should be a major challenge for the Australians. At the group stage the Australia –New Zealand match at Eden Park Auckland on March 20, 2015 appears to be the only big challenge for the Australians. Australia in all probabilities will advance to quarterfinal as top team of the group.

Australian Squad: George Bailey, Michael Clarke (capt), Patrick Cummins, Xavier Doherty, James Faulkner, Aaron Finch, Brad Haddin (wk), Josh Hazlewood, Mitchell Johnson, Mitchell Marsh, Glenn Maxwell, Steve Smith, Mitchell Starc, David Warner, Shane Watson
 

Black Caps Are Looking Great: Readers may recollect that New Zealand was going great in the world cup 1992 till they were hamstrung by Imran Khan’s cornered tigers or to be more specific by a wonder boy at time “ Sultan of Multan” Inzamamul Haque . The current team is stuffed with few match winners – a combination of seasoned professionals like Bredon McCullum, L P Taylor, Dan Vittori and sparkling youngsters Kane Williamson, Tom Latham, Corey Anderson, Trend Boult, Adam Milne and Ronchi. In recent times Kiwis overwhelmed very strong Sri Lanka and Pakistan in bilateral series. They also proved equal to the task in the desert destination of UAE against Pakistan. Wickets in New Zealand is always challenging to the visitors .They will play most of the pool matches on the home ground having smaller side boundaries, seaming conditions and strong wind .Beating this Kiwi team in the pool matches may be extremely challenging for any team including Australia . The very first match of the tournament against Sri Lanka at Hagley Oval Christchurch is very crucial. That match will decide who turns at least second in the pool. The Kiwis may not have superstars like Amla, de Villiers, Gayle, Sangrakara, Jayewardene, Warner, Maxwell, Virat Kohli but they have a dynamic combination of very useful cricketers. I won’t be surprised if the Kiwis go all the way to MCG for the ICC World Cup Final this time. New Zealand has never won the World Cup.

New Zealand Squad: Brenden McCullum, Corey Anderson, Daniel Vettori, Tim Southee, Kane Williamson, Ross Taylor, Luke Ronchi, Martin Guptill, Mitchell McClenaghan, Nathan McCullum, Kyle David Mills, Adam Milne, Tom Latham, Grant Elliott and Trent Boult

Steady Sri Lanka Is Always Favorite:

Sri Lanka finished runners up in the last two World Cups .They are current T20 World Cup. The team that possesses Dilshan, Sangrakara, Jayawardene, Mathhews and Malinga can win any match anywhere against any opposition. The team is now struggling a bit in New Zealand to adjust but Sri Lankans are smart cookies and too good a team to take lightly.

Sri Lankan team possesses two of their all-time greats Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayewardene in their team. They have several times in the past on their own individually or in tandem have own several matches for their team .These two Sri Lankan icon players along with two other greats Dilshan and Singer Malinga will be playing their last world cup. The team also have talented youngsters like Angelo Mathhews, Rangana Herath , Dinesh Chandimal and Lahiru Thirimanne. Who would love to give fitting farewell to their idols Jayewardene and Sangrakkara. Sri Lanka will definitely finish among the qualifiers in pool A. Whether or not they can beat one of the hosts in the pool matches will be the matter of interest. I think that they will beat England and will prove better in the challenge that Bangladesh may present them at MCG. There is possibility that Sri Lanka may finish second in the group. The first match the championship opener against New Zealand at Christchurch is the key. The winner of the match will have great advantage. Once Sri Lanka advances to the knock out stage they have quality and experience to go to the distance.

Dinesh Chandimal (wk), Tillakaratne Dilshan, Rangana Herath, Mahela Jayawardene, Dimuth Karunaratne, Nuwan Kulasekara, Suranga Lakmal, Lasith Malinga (subject to fitness), Angelo Mathews (capt), Jeevan Mendis, Thisara Perera, Dhammika Prasad, Kumar Sangakkara (wk), Sachithra Senanayake, Lahiru Thirimanne.

England or Bangladesh Will Emerge as the Fourth Team Of the Pools?

Any of the above two teams will make the fourth team from the pool to advance to quarter final. Of the top four England appears to be only team which Bangladesh may beat in the group stage at Adelaide Oval on March 9 , 2015 . England lost its world cup match against Bangladesh at Chittagong in 2011 .The present England although managed to appear in the final against Australia in the recently concluded Carlton Mid Tri Nation ODI series elbowing out reigning world champion England .

Bangladeshi boys have some talented youngsters and team will get better as they play more and more in Australia New Zealand Conditions.

 
Bangladesh Sqaud: Mashrafe Mortaza (c), Tamim Iqbal, Shakib Al Hasan, Mushfiqur Rahim, Sabbir Rahman, Mohammad Mahmudullah, Nasir Hossain, Mominul Haque, Anamul Haque, Taijul Islam, Taskin Ahmed, Soumya Sarkar, Rubel Hossain, Al Amin Hossain  and Arafat Sunny

Bangladesh has some world class performers .Sakib Al Hasan is the top ranked all-rounder in all format of the game .Tamim, Mushfique, Mahmudullah and Mashrafee are world class performers in ODI. Some talented youngsters Mominul Haque, Anamul Haque, Nasir Hossain, Taskin Ahmed, Soumya Sarkar and Sabbir Rahman make Bangladesh a fighting unit. Bangladesh should not have much of a problem in weathering the challenges of Afghanistan and Scotland. It may be hot challenges for them to win against Australia at Brisbane and New Zealand at Hamilton. But from my deep insight in Bangladesh cricket and experience of witnessing cricket in venues in Australia I have a feeling that Bangladesh has opportunity of winning against Sri Lanka at MCG or England at Adelaide Oval.

Batting has depth and diversity. They have quality of putting up competitive scores against Sri Lanka and England. They have to bowl well and field smartly. The senior pros Tamim , Shakib, Mushfque and Mahamudullah must lead the way with the bat. Good opening will be the key. We are not sure about full fitness of Tamim and Anamul is struggling to adjust with Australian condition. The team could have an experienced opener like Imrul Kayes. Middle order batting of Soumya Sarker, Mominul, Mushfique, Sakib and Mahamudullah are the keys. They must step up and put in their best .Nasir or Sabbir will bat with tail to finish the innings. Soumya Sarkar, Mominul, Sabbir and Nasir will mature as the tournament progresses. Bangladesh pace battery led by Mashrafee and comprising of Taskin, Rubel and Al Amin should get regular early breakthroughs. Bangladesh may feel absence of leg spinner Jubair as all Bangladesh spinners are of similar type and style. With Sakib in the team Bangladesh could have relied on experienced Razzak and bring an additional Batsman Naeem Islam. Naeem could add additional off spinning bowling option.
 

England Squad: Eoin Morgan, Stuart Broad, Ravi Bopara, Joe Root, James Tredwell, Jamesh Anderson, Ian Ronald Bell, Gary Balance, Steven Thomas Finn, Chris Woakes, Moeen Ali, Alex Hales, Jos Buttler, Chris Jordan and James Taylor

England could not win the cup yet and is always considered a formidable team to create challenges. England appeared in finals on three occasions in 1979, 1987 and 1992 but every time they failed to win the cup. In 2011 they have a good team but not strong enough to play consistently well in a very difficult group. They have to start the tournament with a very difficult game against home team Australia at MCG. Their second match is against another host New Zealand at Westpac Stadium Wellington. Present England team is very unlikely to win any of these matches. The tournament schedule will put England on the back foot. After losing two matches in succession England may go on the edge as Australia, New Zealand and Sri Lanka will be better placed by that time. Bangladesh plays Afghanistan, Australia, Sri Lanka and Scot Land before playing England at Adelaide. Bangladesh may win two or may be three before appearing at Adelaide against England. This will be a do or die match for both the team. English team appears a bit thin in batting. Only Bell and Morgan are world class batsmen in the team. Root, Moeen Ali, Gary Balance are good players but not attained the tag of great players. Tigers have opportunity to hunt the English lions. Bangladeshi spinners may stifle the English batsmen.

(To be continued.)

BDST: 1416 HRS, FEB 06, 2015