Ireland have made two changes to their squad for the two-match RSA series against Netherlands that begins on Monday

Cricinfo staff15-Aug-2010Ireland have made two changes to their squad for the two-match RSA series against Netherlands that begins on Monday after they comprehensively beat the same opposition in the Intercontinental Cup.Following Allan Eastwood’s successful debut in the win against Netherlands, where he took 4 for 62 in the second innings, he retained his place in the squad ahead of Craig Young who hasn’t recovered from a side strain. Elsewhere Andrew Poynter returns to the squad following the shoulder injury he picked up in the final of the World Cricket League last month in place of James Hall who will instead play for Ireland A in a three-day game against Hampshire which begins on Wednesday at the Rose Bowl.Ireland Squad: Trent Johnston (capt), Alex Cusack, George Dockrell, Andrew Poynter, John Mooney, Kevin O’Brien, Paul Stirling, Albert van der Merwe, Andrew White, Gary Wilson (wk), Allan Eastwood, Nigel Jones.

Betting in cricket and other sports should be legalised in India, a Delhi court has said

Cricinfo staff01-Sep-2010Betting in cricket and other sports should be legalised in India, a Delhi court has said, pointing out that the police have failed to curb illegal betting in the country. Legalising betting, the court said, would help the government keep track of the transfer of funds and even use the revenue generated for public welfare.”It does not need divine eyes to see that ‘satta’ in cricket and other games is reaching an alarming situation. The extent of money that it generated is diverted to clandestine and sinister objectives like drug trafficking and terrorist activities,” said additional sessions judge Dharmesh Sharma, of a Delhi trial court. “It is high time that our legislature seriously considers legalising the entire system of betting online or otherwise so that enough revenues can be generated to fund various infrastructural requirements for the common man and thus check the lucrative business in organised crime.”The judge cited a media report that claimed more than Rs. 20,000 crores (approximately US$4.27 billion) were pumped in by illegal betting syndicates during the IPL last year.”A little surfing on the internet would reveal that in Delhi alone there would be operating as many as 2,000-3,000 bookies at any given point of time when cricket matches or even other matches are played all over the world. This could not be done under the very nose of police without their knowledge,” the judge said.The court was also critical of the police for its laxity in trying to keep a check on the illegal business. “The half-hearted and lackadaisical approach of the police in nabbing the perpetrators of this organised crime on business leaves an irresistible impression that police is not only ill-equipped to deal with such cases but probably they have higher stake in continuance of the same under their patronage.”The court made its remarks while allowing an appeal by two people held guilty by a lower court for betting under the Delhi Police Gambling Act. It said there was not enough evidence to convict the two, who were prosecuted for organising betting on the 2007 World Cup match between Australia and South Africa.

After playing just eight Tests, Darren Sammy finds himself catapulted to the forefront of West Indies cricket in a time of upheaval and change, but none of this appears to faze him

Tariq Engineer21-Oct-2010Darren Sammy never dreamed of being the West Indies captain. He once said his goal was to be the workhorse of the side. Yet after playing only eight Tests, he finds himself catapulted to the forefront of West Indies cricket in a time of upheaval and change, with a tough tour of Sri Lanka on the horizon, but none of this appears to faze him.”I am going to be bold and frank,” Sammy told ESPNcricinfo. “I will let the players know what I expect and I, myself, will set an example. I will bring out the passion, the energy, and the commitment to West Indies cricket.”Sammy was given the captaincy after his predecessor Chris Gayle, and vice-captain Dwayne Bravo chose not to sign central contracts last month. The pair, along with Kieron Pollard, have forged lucrative Twenty20 careers in domestic tournaments, including the IPL, and refused WICB’s contracts which stipulated that they must make themselves available for the West Indies team at all times.The selectors decided it was important to have a captain who wanted to make that commitment, and placed Sammy and the Australian-born batsman Brendan Nash in charge of the Test squad until the end of the 2011 home series, ending Gayle’s three-year period at the helm of the team. Gayle and Bravo are in the squad that is headed to Sri Lanka, and Sammy is confident of having his former captain’s support.”Ever since I started my career in 2004, Chris has been the one who has made me feel comfortable. I have a good relationship with him, and with most of the players. He has said he will give me and the team his full support, which I know he means.”Sammy said he doesn’t feel any pressure to justify his place despite not being a regular member of the Test squad since he marked his Test debut in 2007 with 7 for 66 at Old Trafford. Since then he has been in and out of the side, averaging 19.40 with the bat and 27.74 with the ball. “I have full confidence in my ability,” Sammy said. “When I have been given the opportunity to play Test cricket, my stats show that I have done well.”West Indies have slipped to seventh place in the ICC Test rankings and eighth in the ODI chart and Sammy, obviously, is keen to lead the side back up the table. To do this he talks about thinking clearly on the field and executing properly, about doing the right things. But most of all, he talks about playing with pride and passion – something West Indies teams of recent vintage have often lacked.”I vow to represent the West Indies with pride and dignity,” he said. “Whatever we do, whether we are fielding, batting or bowling, you do with pride.”He realises this is no overnight task, that West Indies are in a rebuilding phase, and the Sri Lanka tour is merely the first step in what will be a long journey back to prominence. He remains optimistic though, that everyone is on the same page. “It will take a strong work ethic and discipline to get us there. We have to work as a team. We have to enjoy what we do. When we do that, and when we play well, it brings lots of smiles to the Caribbean people.”Sammy is acutely aware of the heritage of West Indies cricket and the responsibility of the current generation to live up to it. “I am taking on a mountain that carries so much legacy,” he said, “and I will also remind the guys of the great legacy that we carry.” He talks about the honour of following in the footsteps of Frank Worrell, Garfield Sobers, Clive Lloyd and Vivian Richards as the captain of the side. Sammy’s comments are in contrast to Gayle’s, who has said more than once that he does not want to be captain, and that he wouldn’t be sad if Test cricket were to disappear.Sammy plans to pick the brains of Lloyd and Richards, as well as senior players in the current team, to help him become a better captain. However, he makes it clear he will ultimately be his own man.His expectations for the tour of Sri Lanka are simple – to compete. The squad contains a lot of new faces and he cites Shivnarine Chanderpaul as someone who sets “an excellent example” as a batsman and a cricketer that newcomers can look up to. Gayle is another player he feels can inspire the youngsters in the squad. Although Sulieman Benn will miss the first Test due to suspension, Sammy is confident the team has the bowling resources to trouble the Sri Lankan batsman.But beyond the mathematics of wins and losses, Sammy wants to put the smiles back on the faces of West Indies fans. He wants to make them feel the same way he felt when he first started watching cricket with his father. “That’s what Darren Sammy wants to do. Bring back the joy.”

A round-up of the action from the third day of the ICC Women’s Cricket Challenge where West Indies, South Africa and Pakistan all recorded victories

ESPNcricinfo staff09-Oct-2010
ScorecardStafanie Taylor scored her third straight half-century•International Cricket Council

Anisa Mohammed took four wickets and Stafanie Taylor starred with the bat yet again, as West Indies turned in their third straight dominating performance in the ICC Women’s Cricket Challenge, cruising to a nine-wicket win over Sri Lanka at the North-West University No.1 ground in Potchefstroom.Sri Lanka chose to bat and were immediately in trouble when Hiruka Fernando was run out without scoring off the second ball of the innings. Wickets fell at frequent intervals after that, with Mohammed taking three of the next four to leave Sri Lanka reeling at 89 for 5. It was soon 99 for 8, but Dilani Surangika and Sripali Weerakkody added 65 to push Sri Lanka’s total past 150. Surangika’s unbeaten 29 took 69 deliveries, illustrating the problems the West Indies bowlers posed to Sri Lanka.It was a different story when the West Indies batted. Taylor and Juliana Nero got off to a quick start, putting on 91 in 12 overs before Shashikala Siriwardene had Nero stumped for 52. Taylor was joined by West Indies captain Merissa Aguillera, and two shared a 75-run partnership to see West Indies home with 21.2 overs to spare. Taylor remained unbeaten on 68, her third fifty-plus score in a row. The win takes West Indies to the top of the points table, ahead of South Africa on net run-rate.
ScorecardSouth Africa made it three wins a row with a crushing eight-wicket defeat of Ireland at the Wiltrand Cricket Field in Potchefstroom. Ireland elected to bat but struggled to score quickly from the off. Opener Cecelia Joyce crawled to 19 off 64 balls, while fellow opener Clare made 22 from 40. Laura Delany topscored with 40 not out, but also struggled to up the tempo, finishing with a strike-rate of 48.19.Medium pacer Marcia Letsoalo was the strangler-in-chief, giving away just 12 runs off her 10, overs while picking up a wicket.South Africa made quick work of the small target, despite losing both openers early. Cri-zelda Brits and Mignon du Preez came together with the score at 37 for 2, and both of them went on to make half-centuries in a 126-run unbroken partnership as South Africa reached their target in the 35th over. Brits’ 60 came off 64 balls, and contained four fours, while du Preez made 66 off 86 balls, with seven fours.
ScorecardLegspinner Sana Mir led Pakistan to a comfortable 45-run win over Netherlands at the North-West University No.2 ground in Potchefstroom. Mir took five wickets as the Netherlands were bowled out for 213 in 45 overs chasing 259.Pakistan got off to a decent start after choosing to bat, with Javeria Khan and Marina Iqbal putting on 54 for the first-wicket, before Iqbal was bowled by allrounder Esther Lanser. Nain Abidi fell to Lanser as well soon afterwards, but Bismar Mahroof anchored the innings with a patient 52 and the last-wicket pair of Kanwal Naz and debutant Shurmaila Qureshi threw their bats around at the end, plundering 22 off the last two overs, to take Pakistan past 250. Lanser was the pick of the bowlers, with 2 for 22 from her 10 overs.Netherlands lost Violet Wattenburg early, but Lanser and captain Helmien Rambaldo added 118 for the second-wicket to put Netherlands in a strong position. Rambaldo was trapped lbw by Nidi Dar, before Mir got into the act by having Lanser stumped for a career-high 75 from 116 balls, with nine fours. Lanser’s wicket sparked a collapse as the Netherlands slipped from 146 for 2 to 167 for 6, with Mir taking three of the wickets, including two in two balls.Mir added the wicket of Merijn Nijman to finish with 5 for 32 from her 10 overs, and Iqbal Asimavia chipped in with 2 for 53 from eight overs. The win moved Pakistan to third in the points table, behind West Indies and South Africa.

Contrasting hundreds from Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers pulled South
Africa out of strife and into a position of considerable comfort at the
Sheikh Zayed stadium in Abu Dhabi

The Bulletin by Osman Samiuddin20-Nov-2010
Scorecard and ball-by-ball details
Jacques Kallis’ counterattack turned the tables after South Africa had been reduced to 33 for 3•AFP

Contrasting hundreds from Jacques Kallis and AB de Villiers pulled South
Africa out of strife and into a position of considerable comfort at the
Sheikh Zayed stadium in Abu Dhabi. Debutant seamer Tanvir Ahmed had reduced
South Africa to 33 for 3 but Kallis and de Villiers punched back with
a 179-run stand that left South Africa handily placed on 311 for 5. For
Pakistan, only Tanvir could look back on the day with similar pride.The Kallis-de Villiers stand was the tenth century partnership in 32
innings between the pair and it was done with such aggression it suggested
were in trouble when they came together. Kallis’s fight
began the moment Graeme Smith became the third victim of a hectic morning
and though his mien remained as expressionless as usual, his game was
unusually expressive.He had hooked an uncontrolled six by the time a swish of fortune sashayed
in. Mohammad Sami’s first over captured an entire career: one unplayable
delivery, honest endeavour but batsman ultimately supreme. Having been
beaten by a beauty, Kallis coolly cover drove the next two balls for four
and the day’s mood changed.Sami was plundered repeatedly, everywhere and anywhere and even Umar Gul
wasn’t spared a fine pull and efficient drives. Either side of lunch two
towering sixes off Abdur Rehman brought one message: ‘I am Kallis, you
are nothing’. Not a particularly attacking spinner on his best days,
Rehman immediately retreated, the supremacy in the relationship
established. By then a swift fifty had been notched up as casually as
a snap of the fingers.de Villiers was twitchier, a more impish presence and not just because he
doesn’t have Kallis’ broad-chested appearance. Whereas Kallis imposed
himself on matters, de Villiers took advantage of Pakistan’s growing
flakiness. When they pitched short, he gladly cut; when they got too full
he happily drove; when they drifted to his pads, he politely clipped away.Five overs after lunch a century partnership was registered and by this
time, the surface had lost its early morning friskiness. Boundaries were
mostly controlled, though with Sami around control remained a relative
concept. In any case, runs were so readily available no risk needed to be
taken. One flick brought up a fifty for de Villiers. As an afterthought
Kallis brought up a fifth hundred in four Tests against Pakistan, in which
his lowest score is 59; in his first 11 against them, he had only one. It
was his fastest century as well.When Kallis fell, de Villiers carried on, though with the sadness and
restraint of someone who has lost a partner. He was comatose during the
nineties, only waking up once four freebie overthrows from Gul took him to
99. It would’ve been impolite to not take a single next ball. Essentially
the day ended there for him.Pakistan were fitful, not stringing together any sustained pressure. Tanvir
was responsible for the highs, further proof that whatever hole they find
themselves in, there’s always a fast bowler to get excited about.A month shy of his 32nd birthday, he was an unlikely hero and not just
because he is probably the best bowler ever born in Kuwait. The pitch at
Test cricket’s 103rd venue had enough moisture in it early on to tempt
Misbah-ul-Haq to bowl. It was a second gesture of positivity; the first
had been to revert back to Pakistan’s traditional strengths by selecting a
three-man pace attack.Tanvir has long been a steady hand at the domestic level; sharp enough, always tight
and if conditions are right, eminently capable of exploiting them. So in
he ran as Pakistan’s oldest debutant new-ball bowler, a heavy action and a
grunt at release and did precisely that. Immediately he became the sixth
Pakistani to take a wicket in the first over and a typical scalp too,
full, searching for swing, finding an edge. It was his 400th first-class
wicket. Five balls later he had another and Test cricket was looking an
easy game, though admittedly Asoka de Silva had a greater hand in Hashim
Amla returning to the pavilion.Later, through a long afternoon Tanvir maintained a pleasant discipline and
the wicket of Kallis after tea helped Pakistan slow down the scoring. But
after the first hour the bluff had gone from the rest and the attack
looked precisely what it was: quite weak. Gul looked good in patches, Sami
a man condemned and Rehman the wrong choice.The umpires, who got four decisions clearly wrong, had a worse day.

England women’s captain Charlotte Edwards has called for more Test matches in the women’s game ahead of her team’s departure for an Ashes tour of Australia

ESPNcricinfo staff17-Dec-2010England Women’s captain Charlotte Edwards has called for more Test matches in the women’s game ahead of her team’s departure for an Ashes tour of Australia. Unlike the men’s team, who play a five-Test series on trips down under, England’s women will play three one-day internationals, five Twenty20s and just one four-day Test.”Having watched a lot of the men’s Tests I’m kind of envious that we don’t get to play three- or five-match series because I think that is a true test, real Test match cricket,” said Edwards. “But it’s not the way at the moment. The Twenty20 and ODI formats have been deemed more important. But hopefully in the long-run we can start getting a three-match series, which will make our Test cricket a lot more enjoyable.”Janette Brittin, the former England opening bat, has more Test caps than any other player but took part in just 27 Tests between 1979 and 1998. In comparison, Sachin Tendulkar has played 175 Tests and 50 men have played 100 Tests or more.”We don’t play any Tests or four-day cricket domestically, so it’s really difficult for us to say what we prefer because we don’t play enough of it,” added Edwards. “In 14 years I’ve played 12 Test matches. I think ODI and Twenty20 cricket is the way the women’s game is going and we fully understand that. Especially Twenty20, that’s what most TV stations want to cover now these days, so we have to go with that. When I play for England it’s all important, but hopefully in the future we can play more Test cricket.”Edwards spoke ahead of England’s departure for Australia for a defence of the Women’s Ashes, which will coincide with the men’s series. England won the 2007-08 Ashes series in Australia 2-0, and retained the women’s urn with a drawn series in 2009.”It’s a hard act to follow at the minute, the men, but also we’ve been really successful in Australia so we’re going out there with a huge amount of belief and confidence that we can play well,” said Edwards. “We also know we’re going to come up a very good Australian team, but we’re ready for them.”They’re quite a young side; they’ve picked a few young players but from all accounts some very talented players. I think we’ll be very evenly matched. We know a lot about them and they know a lot about us, and Ithink at the moment we’re the best two teams in the world so it’s going to be one of our toughest tests out there this winter, but one we’re really looking forward to.”England depart for Australia after an unbeaten tour of Sri Lanka, during which several newer players gained valuable experience. Fast bowler Katherine Brunt, who missed that trip in order to undergo strength and conditioning training, has returned to the squad for the Ashes, as has Left-arm spinner Holly Colvin, who took time off for her university studies, and right-handed batter Beth Morgan.”That tour to Sri Lanka has really been crucial for this tour to Australia, to give the likes of Fran Wilson, Danni Wyatt, Susie Rowe and Heather Knight the opportunity to play some cricket before this Australia trip and to get them gelled into the team has been vital. We’re also bringing back Katherine brunt and Holly Colvin for this trip as well, so we’re going out there as strong as we possibly can.”The 1st and 2nd Twenty20 matches of their trip will be played directly before England men play Australia on January 12 and 14, at the Adelaide Oval and the MCG respectively.

A Twenty20 masterclass from Western Australian openers Shaun Marsh and Chris Gayle blasted the Warriors to a 19-run victory over the Blues in a rain interrupted match in Sydney

Andrew Fuss09-Jan-2011
Scorecard
Chris Gayle smashes a boundary during his record breaking innings•Getty Images

A Twenty20 masterclass from Western Australian openers Shaun Marsh and Chris Gayle blasted the Warriors to a 19-run victory over the Blues in a rain-interrupted match in Sydney. A quick start saw the visitors reach 0 for 62 off the first six overs but it was the seventh over that proved to be match-defining. The laconic Gayle took to medium-pacer Scott Coyte, smashing 32 runs off the over (6, 6, 6, 4, 4, 6) – a KFC Big Bash record.The Blues’ skipper Stuart Clark combined with David Warner to get the vital wicket of Gayle for 61, but when the dust settled, Man of the Match Marsh also emerged swinging. He pummelled the midwicket and mid-on boundary on his way to the highest individual score for this season’s Big Bash, 85 off 45 balls, as the Warriors chalked up a massive total of 5 for 205.The hosts’ run-chase got off to a disastrous start as they lost Daniel Smith for a duck in the first over before Brad Haddin was dismissed softly in the third over, lofting a weak drive to Marcus North at cover. Warner started firing in the fifth over before a rain delay halted any momentum the Blues had begun to gather. The revised total of 189 off 18 overs looked unlikely but with Warner and Phil Hughes at the crease, anything was still possible.It was a run-out that ultimately proved costly, Hughes involved again just days after his mix-up with Shane Watson in the fifth Test, although this time it was more a case of Warner and the Blues’ desperation, rather than poor calling. Saj Mahmood struck shortly after the runout, dismissing Hughes for 24 before rain ended the match – the Warriors deserved victors.It was confirmed after the match that New South Wales batsman Nic Maddinson, who had been part of the Prime Minister’s XI side to take on England in Canberra on Monday, would no longer play any part in that match after injuring his thumb in the field against the Warriors.Maddinson will have scans on Monday to determine the extent of his injury, and has been replaced in the Prime Minister’s XI by local Australian Capital Territory top order batsman, Sam Miller. Miller, 22, moved from country Victoria in 2009 to play with ACT in the Futures League, this year scoring a breakthrough 102 against Tasmania.The points table is now interestingly poised, with all six teams sitting on one win after two rounds, the Warriors still in last place due to their poor net run rate. Western Australia will host South Australia on Thursday while New South Wales travel to play Queensland next Saturday.

Ashish Bagai will lead a young 15-member Canadian squad for the 2011 World Cup, and Rizwan Cheema will be his deputy

ESPNcricinfo staff20-Jan-2011Ashish Bagai will lead a young Canadian squad to the 2011 World Cup, and Rizwan Cheema will be his deputy. Apart from Bagai, seamer Henry Osinde and allrounder John Davison are the two other players in the side with prior World Cup experience.Canada have four Pakistan-born players in their squad who are still waiting to receive visas to enter India, where Canada play four of their six group games. Batsman Rizwan Cheema, allrounder Umar Bhatti, paceman Khurram Chohan and back-up keeper Hamza Tariq were all ruled out of Canada’s recent pre-tournament warm-up in India because they couldn’t enter the country, but have been named in the World Cup squad.The team features seven players who have come through Canada’s youth programs, including six who have represented the country at the under-19 level – Zubin Surkari, Nitish Kumar, Hiral Patel, Ruvindu Gunaskera, Parth Desai, and Hamza Tariq.The Jamaica-born Tyson Gordon has been picked, though he still awaits confirmation of his Canadian citizenship. Cricket Canada expect this to be completed in the coming days but have named Hamza Tariq as a standby in case Gordon cannot make the cut.The team leaves for a pre-tournament training camp in Dubai on January 26 and will head to Bangladesh on February 8 for warm-up matches against Bangladesh and England, before opening their tournament on February 20 against Sri Lanka.Squad: Ashish Bagai (capt & wk), Rizwan Cheema (vice-capt), Harvir Baidwan, Nitish Kumar, Hiral Patel, Tyson Gordon, Henry Osinde, John Davison, Ruvindu Gunasekera, Parth Desai, Karl Whatham, Khurram Chohan, Jimmy Hansra, Zubin Surkari, Balaji Rao.Standby: Hamza Tariq (for Tyson Gordon)

The ‘Baby’ Blues have struck again, this time cruising past the Queensland Bulls by 17 runs at the Gabba – the final scoreline flattering the hosts who were never really in the contest during the second innings

The Bulletin by Andrew Fuss24-Jan-2011
Scorecard and ball-by-ball detailsSean Abbott pulled off an outstanding catch in addition to taking three wickets as the Blues’ teenagers shone in the field•Getty Images

The ‘Baby’ Blues have struck again, this time cruising past the Queensland Bulls by 17 runs at the Gabba – the final scoreline flattering the hosts who were never really in the contest during the second innings.On a pitch on which 160 looked like it would be a par score, the New South Wales Blues won the toss and had no hesitation in batting first. The visitors, however, battled to find the boundary and found themselves reeling at 5 for 72 in the 13th over, having broken the record for the lowest number of runs scored in the Powerplay during the season – 1 for 30.Moises Henriques (34 off 27 balls) and Man-of-the-Match Ben Rohrer (47 off 25) then joined forces for a handy 44-run partnership to give the Blues some hope of a respectable total.It was Rohrer – the only batsman to look comfortable on an, at times, two-paced pitch – who did the most damage, helping his side take 38 off the final three overs to reach 7 for 140.The Bulls’ big hope in the run chase – the dynamic Chris Simpson – started terribly, connecting with the ball just once (a top-edged six over third man) in the first ten deliveries he faced, including seven missed pull shots.Captain Stuart Clark (1 for 13) and teenager Patrick Cummins (3 for 24) were superb, bowling the visitors into a commanding position before another teenager, Sean Abbott (3 for 15), finished the hosts off with some good stump to stump bowling to tear through the middle order.Cummins, 17, looks to be a future Australia paceman and was unlucky not to have more economical figures; most of the runs off his bowling coming from edges through the slips.In a sign of just how poorly the Bulls did with the bat, it was No. 10 Nathan Rimmington who top scored for them, blasting his way to 24 off just 11 balls in the final overs.Queensland will play their second game in two days when they host Western Australia in what has now become a knockout match, before they travel south to face New South Wales again on Saturday.

Ricky Ponting, the Australia captain, believes the World Cup will be a better event without the weaker Associate nations, but hopes the ICC’s decision doesn’t hurt the development of the game around the world

Brydon Coverdale in Ahmedabad20-Feb-2011Ricky Ponting, the Australia captain, believes the World Cup will be a better event without the weaker Associate nations, but hopes the ICC’s decision doesn’t hurt the development of the game around the world. The ICC has decided the next World Cup will feature only ten teams, and the Associates will have to use the World Twenty20 as their major chance for exposure to the top level. They have not yet revealed what the qualification for the 50-over World Cup will be.It’s a move that has understandably angered plenty of the Associates, who have also received support from leading players such as Graeme Swann, AB de Villiers and Shaun Tait. However, Kenya’s capitulation for 69 against New Zealand, and Canada’s struggle to contain Sri Lanka on Sunday highlighted one of the problems of adding the less competitive teams to the tournament, according to Ponting.”That’s a tough question, for the sheer fact that you need to be bringing some of these smaller nations on in the world of cricket,” Ponting said when asked if the Associates should play in the World Cup. “We all want to see the game develop and blossom in different countries around the world. I’ve always been a bit unsure if World Cups and Champions Trophies are the right place to do that.”The major reason for that is I’m not sure how much a lot of the teams actually learn when they’re getting hammered like they tend to do in a lot of those contests. It would probably be a better tournament if there were fewer teams, but we understand the responsibility for the game to continue to grow around the world as well.”Ponting’s Australian side will meet Canada and Kenya in the group stage this year, while Netherlands and Ireland are the Associates in the other group. One thing the ICC’s decision has done is give the minnows something to prove during the current World Cup.”It is so important for us to put out strong performances and show everyone, including the ICC, how much progress the Associates have made and send further strong messages to all that we are competing,” Netherlands coach Peter Drinnen said. “We beat Bangladesh last year. We have beaten a full member in the shorter version [England at the 2009 World Twenty20]; other Associates have beaten full members. Whether we win or lose as long as the performances are there people can see the amount of progress we have made in the last three to five years with the introduction of the high performance programme.”Drinnen added his name to the growing list of players and coaches who think the move to restrict the number of teams will be bad for the game. “The gains [of playing against full members] are significant,” he said. “So it is so important that we keep getting those opportunities as that only enhances our development and increases our progress. To have those opportunities taken away, obviously, is going to be detrimental.”The 2015 World Cup will be held in Australia and New Zealand. The last time the tournament was hosted there, in 1992, was also the last time there were no Associates that took part.