“Is a miracle possible for West Indies in ICC Cricket World Cup 2011?”

Feb 20, 2011 Sports

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Colin E. H. Croft
“Do you believe in miracles?”  With only 10 seconds left, this was the eternal question, asked by American Broadcasting Corporation’s commentator, Al Michaels, when USA played USSR at ice-hockey, in the medal round, on February 22, 1980, at that year’s Winter Olympics, at Lake Placid in New York.
Actually, with fully 10 minutes to be played in the final period, USA led by an improbable 4–3.  Captain Mike Eruzione had scored # 4.  But, this was USSR, world ice-hockey champions!
USSR had won every ice-hockey gold medal from 1964.  Ironically, USA beat them in 1960’s Winter Olympics.  By 1980, USSR was absolutely dominant, odds-on favorite to lift Winter Olympics gold!
The Soviets had beaten USA 10–3 in an exhibition game weeks earlier.  USA, though, beat Czechoslovakia, the 2nd best ice-hockey team in the world; 7–3; in a group game.  Still, no-one believed that USA could beat USSR!
David Anderson wrote in the New York Times:  ‘Unless the ice melts, or unless the USA team, or some other team, performs a miracle, as did the USA in 1960, the Russians are expected, in 1980, to easily win the Olympic Gold medal for the 6th time in the last seven tournaments!’
For those last, long 10 minutes, Russia attacked furiously – with full force.  USA fought fire with fire, with goal-tender Jim Craig batting away puck after Soviet puck, keeping USA ahead to the end!
USA did not win gold in 1980 with that monumental victory.  The medal round was round-robin, not plain elimination.  For gold, USA also had to come back from 2 – 1 down, to beat Finland 4 – 2.
The miracle on ice was complete, the answer to the original question a resounding “Yeeeesssss!”
In 2011, not only West Indians, but admirers world-wide are saying that for West Indies to win ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, they need something extra special too!
Any team that West Indies had sent to ICC CWC 2011 would struggle.  We simply do not have cricketers now that can guarantee anything – fitness, ability or aptitude.  Let us move on and accept it.
Yes, I agree.  Only a gargantuan miracle would allow a West Indies ICC CWC 2011 win!
Just to get to quarterfinals, before meeting teams of Group “A”, West Indies must beat at least three, probably four, in Group “B” – India, South Africa, England, Bangladesh, Ireland and Netherlands – a daunting task.  With Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka hosting, India and Bangladesh already have home advantage.  South Africa is a favourite, while England, Ireland and Holland could surprise.
South Africa:  With “chokers’” attached, this is opener and captain Graeme Smith’s last hope at winning the 50-over tournament.  He retires from the format afterwards.
Hashim Amla and Jacques Kallis, both with huge runs appetites, could present serious problems for bowlers.  Jean-Paul (JP) Duminy and Abraham Benjamin (AB) De Villers will augment the batting with skill, agility and ability.  Left-hander Colin Ingram, all-rounder Faf Du Plessis and wicketkeeper Morne van Wyk are reliable, if called upon.  On the right days, SA could score 400 runs regularly in 50 overs!
Their bowling is awesome, led by world’s No. 1, fast bowler Dale Steyn.  Two left-arm medium-fast bowlers, Wayne Parnell and Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Kallis, and pacer Morne Morkel, will help.
Intriguingly, South Africa also has off-spinner Johan Botha, right-arm leg spinner Imran Tahir and orthodox left-arm spinner Robin Peterson, especially for the slow Asian pitches.
If SA cannot win this time around; their best chance; they probably will not win this competition ever!
India:  On paper, with recent consistency, India seems unbeatable.  Their biggest obstacle is expectations of one billion!  How do you explain to them that you have failed while playing at home?
No team in ICC CWC 2011 has better batting riches – Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, captain Mahendra Singh (MS) Dhoni, Gautan Gambhir and Suresh Raina, plus Virat Kohli and all-rounders Yusuf Pathan and Piyush Chawla – an orgasmic batting line-up.  Sometime in the future, India, at full tilt, will make 1000 runs in 50 overs against some unfortunate opposition!
India’s bowling is okay, led by off-spinner Harbhajan Singh and left-arm medium-fast bowler Zaheer Khan.  Ashish Nehra, preferred to Irfan Pathan, wild-cards Munaf Patel and Sri Sreesanth, with surprise selection, off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin, could be key factors.
India beat West Indies in 1983 to win their only ICC CWC.  This is their best opportunity for No. 2!
Bangladesh:   When they toured West Indies in 2009, winning all games here – two Tests, 5 ODI’s – one thing was obvious.  No team has more charm.  They would smile while cutting your throat!
23 year old captain Shakib al Hasan, the ultimate assassin, is a wonderfully gifted, highly rated all-rounder.  Much rests on him, and on Tamim Iqbal, Imrul Keys, Raqibul Hasan, Shahriar Nafees, Junaid Siddique, Mohammed Ashraful and pugnacious wicket-keeper Mishfiqur Rahim, as batsmen.
Left arm orthodox spinner, Abdur Razzak, not to be confused with Pakistan’s all-rounder, Abdul Razzaq, could strangle batsmen.  So too the medium pace of all-rounders Mahmudullah, Naeem Islam, Nazmul Hossain and Rubel Hossian, augmented by the spin of Suhrawadi Shuvo.
Bangladesh has come a very long way recently.  At home, they could embarrass any team!
England:  England lost badly; 6-1; in ODI’s, after that Ashes win.  They are now jaded and lacking that needed confidence.  With no Alistair Cooke as fellow opener – why, I do not know – captain Andrew Strauss has struggled with Matt Prior, then Ian bell, now Kevin Pietersen, as openers; a rather big mess!
Jonathan Trott and Ravi Bopara, Eoin Morgan’s replacement, could be asked to open too.  All are capable, but are they settled enough to produce regularly?
Excellent fast bowlers Jimmy Anderson, Stuart Broad, and off-spinner extra-ordinaire, Graeme Swann, will bowl well, but Luke Wright, Tim Bresman, Mike Yardy and Chris Tremlett are just pick-up bowlers, much too patchy and inconsistent to be convincing.
Paul Collingwood’s form, like Pietersen’s, is crucial, and returns of James Tredwell and Ajmal Shahzad.
Never having won ICC CWC in the competition’s history, this is not going to be England’s year either!
Ireland:  Ireland will forever remember ICC CWC 2007.  They shocked Pakistan, and the world, to make Super 8’s then.  They are better now, more experienced and settled, both professionally and practically!
Batting will depend on captain William Porterfield, Niall O’Brien, Ed Joyce and Gary Wilson, with a slew of all-rounders – John Mooney, Andre Botha, Alex Cusack, Trent Johnston, Andrew White, Paul Stirling.
Pacer Boyd Rankin and spinner George Dockrell lead the bowling, helped by Kevin O’Brien, off-spinner Albert van der Merve and Nigel Jones.  Ireland is probably the most unpredictable team in Group “B”!
Netherlands:  Teams in Group “B” would disregard the Dutch at their peril.  They too could shock.  Remember ICC T-20 2009 opener, when they beat England?
Peter Borren, the captain, is a boisterous all-rounder.  Having lost many stalwarts since 2009, he will depend much on players with experiences from ICC T-20 2009 – Mudassar Bukhari, Tom de Grooth, Alexie Kervezee, Eric Szwarczynski, Pieter Seelaar, Ryan ten Doeschate and Bas Zuident.
Netherlands could be spoilers for a big team or two, maybe several!
Is a West Indies’ miracle possible?  Yes, but very highly improbable!  Enjoy!

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