ARSENAL 1 van Persie 39'
BIRMINGHAM CITY 2 Zigic 28', Martins 89'
Arsenal Szczesny - Sagna, Djourou, Koscielny, Clichy - Rosicky, Song, Nasri, Wilshere - Arshavin (Chamakh 77), van Persie (Bendtner 69).
Subs not used: Almunia, Denilson, Squillaci, Eboue, Gibbs.
Booked: Koscielny, Clichy
Birmingham Foster - Carr, Johnson, Jiranek, Ridgewell - Fahey (Martins 83), Gardner (Beausejour 50), Ferguson, Bowyer, Larsson - Zigic (Jerome 90+2).
Subs not used: Taylor, Murphy, Phillips, Parnaby.
Booked: Larsson, Jerome, Ferguson
Attendance 88,851 at Wembley Referee Mike Dean (Wirral)
OBAFEMI MARTINS took advantage of a dreadful late defensive muddle to fire Birmingham City to their first major trophy since 1963.
Martins pounced on the mix-up between goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny and centre-back Laurent Koscielny to tap the ball into an empty net from 12 yards in the 89th minute.
It was no less than the Blues had deserved after they stunned strong favourites Arsenal with a surprisingly enterprising performance.
Birmingham are the most goal-shy team in the Premier League with just 25 from 26 games but they could have been 1-0 up within three minutes.
Nikola Zigic slipped the ball through to Lee Bowyer who was brought down by Szczesny in the box.
It would have been a red card for the keeper and a penalty for the Blues but Bowyer was incorrectly flagged offside.
Undeterred, the Blues continued to play above the standard of a team sitting 16th in the league and they took the lead on 28 minutes.
The goal predictably came from the head of 6ft 8in striker Zigic who exposed the Gunners' continued inability to deal with set pieces.
More than half of the goals conceded by Arsenal have come from dead-ball situations in the league this season while Birmingham have had notable success in this area.
And, this time, Roger Johnson and Zigic won successive headers in the box with Szczesny stranded in no-man's land.
Zigic could have made it 2-0 shortly afterwards but he proved to be less adept with his feet after the ball had broken to him kindly in the box.
But, as the half drew to a close, Arsene Wenger's men finally began to respond. It looked as if Jack Wilshere had brought the Gunners level but his 25-yard screamer crashed off the bar.
It did not matter as the ball rebounded back into play where Andrey Arshavin twisted and turned before fashioning a cross for Robin van Persie to score with a fantastic finish.
However, in the process of hooking the ball from behind him, the Dutchman appeared to pick up a knock and he was replaced midway through the second half by Nicklas Bendtner.
If van Persie is injured, it would cause Wenger a further headache after he was deprived of the services of Theo Walcott and captain Cesc Fabregas for the Final today.
There are worries that, after this defeat, the injuries and fixture pile-up may cause Arsenal's season to be derailed with further important cup matches against Barcelona and possibly Manchester United coming up.
But the truth is that deficiencies in the Gunners' defensive armoury was well-known before this season's assault on all four competitions - and yet Wenger has still not sought to rectify this.
To give too much focus to Arsenal's weakness would be doing a disservice to Birmingham, though.
The Blues were unlucky not to have retaken the lead earlier than they did when Irish midfielder Keith Fahey hit the inside of the post.
But, in a refreshingly entertaining and open Cup Final contest, Arsenal threatened with notable efforts from Wilshere, Tomas Rosicky and Samir Nasri.
Clearly looking to avoid a period of extra time, Wenger's second half changes pointed towards an attempt to win the match inside the 90 minutes as Marouanne Chamakh replaced Arshavin and Bendtner stepped in for the ailing van Persie.
It was the equally-positive substitution from Alex McLeish which ended up making the difference, though.
With extra time looming, former Newcastle United man Martins, on for Fahey, found himself in the perfect place at the perfect time to capitalise on Koscielny's indecision.
And, with such little time left - four minutes of added time - Arsenal were unable to find a second equaliser.
Indeed, Martins could have made doubly sure of Birmingham success in stoppage time but he could not find a finish to his mazy run.
But, in the end, that mattered nought as McLeish became only the second-ever Birmingham manager to win a major trophy, after Gil Merrick beat Aston Villa over two legs in the 1963 Final of this competition.
In the build-up to the match, much had been made of Arsenal's supposed 'Cup drought' of almost six years but Blues fans had been waiting for 48 years until today.
Now, for the blue half of the Second City, the wait is over.
ROAD TO WEMBLEY
Arsenal
R3 beat Tottenham Hotspur (a) 4-1 after extra time
R4 beat Newcastle United (a) 4-0
R5 beat Wigan Athletic (h) 2-0
SF1 lost to Ipswich Town (a) 0-1
SF2 beat Ipswich Town (h) 3-0 to win 3-1 on aggregate
Birmingham City
R2 beat Rochdale (h) 3-2
R3 beat Milton Keynes Dons (h) 3-1
R4 beat Brentford (h) 4-3 on penalties after a 1-1 draw a.e.t
R5 beat Aston Villa (h) 2-1
SF1 lost to West Ham United (a) 1-2
SF2 beat West Ham United (h) 3-1 after extra time to win 4-3 on aggregate
PREVIOUS LEAGUE CUP FINAL APPEARANCES
Arsenal
1968 lost 0-1 to Leeds United
1969 lost 1-3 to Swindon Town after extra time
1987 won 2-1 against Liverpool
1988 lost 2-3 to Luton Town
1993 won 2-1 against Sheffield Wednesday
2007 lost 1-2 to Chelsea
Birmingham City
1963 won 3-1 against Aston Villa on aggregate (3-1 home, 0-0 away)
2001 lost 4-5 on penalties to Liverpool after 1-1 draw
Sunday, 27 February 2011
Monday, 21 February 2011
AV debate divides opinion
First Past the Post (FPTP): The current system.
Voters select their favoured candidate by marking [x] in the box next to his/her name. The candidate with the most votes wins even if this is not 50%.
Alternative Vote (AV): The system proposed in the referendum on 5 May.
Voters rank the candidates in order of preference [1],[2],[3] etc. Voters can use as many or as few preferences as they wish. If a candidate has 50% of first-preference votes, then he/she is elected; if the 50% threshold is not reached, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and their second-preference votes distributed, and so on until one candidate has more than 50% of the vote.
THE ONLY thing that is certain about the current debate over whether to change the voting system is that no one knows what is going to happen in the referendum on 5 May.
Last week, the referendum bill was eventually passed by the House of Lords but there is a distinct lack of agreement on all sides.
This is evidently the case in the coalition government with Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron opposing the alternative vote (AV) while his deputy, Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg, favours a change.
A small minority of Tories - there were 10 rebels in the House of Commons vote - is backing AV though there is no such cross-over from the Lib Dems.
That should come as little surprise. Although the Lib Dems had a disappointing result at the last General Election under First Past the Post (FPTP), they still gained 1% more of the popular vote than in 2005 - only to end up with five fewer seats.
Meanwhile, the Labour ranks appear no more decisive. While leader Ed Miliband has gone on record to back a change to the alternative vote system, senior Labour figures from the recent past such as John Prescott, David Blunkett, Margaret Beckett and John Reid have all stated opposition to the proposals.
Moreover, the Labour peers in the House of Lords - including Lord Prescott - attempted to delay the referendum bill so that the vote could not be held on 5 May.
Labour figures were unhappy about other areas of the bill including the reduction of MPs to 600 and equalisation in the size of constituencies.
Unsurprisingly, this led to accusations that Mr Miliband could not keep his party under control.
But, while it is fair to say that a reduction in the number of MPs would be widely welcomed, the issue of equalising constituencies is rather trickier.
As part 2.1 of this report from the Electoral Calculus website points out, the deviation in the size of constituencies at the 2010 election was 12%, actually lower than at previous elections.
The referendum bill intends to impose a maximum deviation of 5% and increase the regularity of Boundary Reviews.
However, as the report explains (see 4.1), the 5% rule would cause over 400 seats to change their boundaries with the net effect on the result being small compared with just equalising the number of seats in the four nations of the UK.
Meanwhile, an increase in the frequency of boundary reviews (see 4.2) would undoubtedly cause confusion to voters dealing with a perpetual changing of their seat's boundaries and name.
The report concludes that while "the proposed reform is not 'gerrymandering', equally it is not clearly good administration".
Back to the bill itself, and there was a further hurdle in the House of Lords when peers from both the Labour and Conservative benches attempted to make it so that the referendum would only be binding if there was a 40% turnout.
This prompted former Lib Dem leader Lord Paddy Ashdown to accuse the Tories of a "betrayal" with him stating: "We have delivered, in full, our side of the deal. The Conservatives seem unable to deliver theirs."
It was all a rather unseemly mess but the process known as "ping-pong" finally ended when the Conservative Lords leader Lord Stratchclyde urged the House to back down, and they did.
To the relief of Westminster, the news channels have been devoting most of their time to events in North Africa and the Middle East and so much of the debate went unnoticed.
However, the lack of coverage so far means that many people outside of the Westminster bubble have been unable really to make an informed decision about AV.
This is demonstrated by opinion polls which have generally shown a lack of consensus and "soft" support on both sides of the argument with people liable to switch.
Immediately after the election, with the Lib Dems in government for the first time in 65 years, polls showed the public in favour of a change to AV.
But then further polls between September and February showed a clear preference for retaining the status quo.
Most recently, the majority of the polls have shown a further shift with FPTP and AV neck-and-neck - though the latest from YouGov now shows a seven-point lead for the No campaign.
Both No2AV and Yes to Fairer Votes have now launched their campaigns to firm up their support and help convince the undecided to vote for them.
The No2AV campaign has focused mainly on the cost of implementing the changes, arguing that, with such a shortage of public funds available, the money would be better spent elsewhere.
Meanwhile, Mr Cameron has warned that the arrival of AV would cause more coalitions and less stable government - even though, this is not necessarily the case.
Australia has used the AV system in elections for the House of Representatives since 1918, and only had one hung parliament since then, in 1940.
But Mr Cameron's other point in the same speech was more accurate.
The Prime Minister argued that a change to the system would lead to many MPs being elected on second choice votes - i.e. they are elected on the strength of second preferences.
The Yes campaign opposes this view by pointing out the use of second preference votes means that fewer voters will have cast a "wasted" vote.
And the Yes camp also point out that under AV, a successful candidate will have received more than 50% backing of his or her constituents, meaning they will have to have had a broad appeal.
Of course, the argument against this is that it may mean parties and, indeed, individual candidates go for the common denominator even more so than at present.
But the main argument of the Yes camp is that the referendum offers a once-in-a-lifetime chance to make the electoral system better and "fairer".
For that reason, they argue, the money spent on it is worth it as it will make future government more relevant to its electorate.
However, like Mr Cameron's ill-informed claim that AV will result in more coalitions, this argument is a bit of a misnomer.
For a start, AV is not proportional - the number of seats won by a party in the Commons at an election will still be far from representative of the votes cast by the public.
More crucially, AV is not necessarily "fairer". As this report on Electoral Calculus points out, the concept of fairness - much like the concept of beauty - is in the eye of the beholder.
Part five of the report shows the votes-to-seats ratio for the Conservatives, already higher than for Labour under FPTP, would be even higher still under AV.
On that basis, it should really come as no surprise that Mr Cameron is no fan of AV.
However, personally, I would like at least to try a change from the current, tired FPTP system.
The tradition and simplicity of the system count for little when it can produce results which allow Labour to gain a majority of 67 on just over 35% of the vote, as in 2005. Or that the Lib Dems can gain 23% of the vote but only 8.8% of the seats, as in 2010.
The argument that FPTP produces stable government has long been a strong one but this is also not necessarily a good thing.
All it means is that successive governments with huge majorities can pass unpopular laws while a meek opposition can do little but sit idly by.
Having said that, the arguments in favour of AV have not convinced me that it would be much of an improvement, if it is an improvement at all. As such, I remain in the Don't Know (or still to be convinced) camp for now.
Basically, I would like a change from FPTP but it is fair to say that AV would not be my first preference.
Voters select their favoured candidate by marking [x] in the box next to his/her name. The candidate with the most votes wins even if this is not 50%.
Alternative Vote (AV): The system proposed in the referendum on 5 May.
Voters rank the candidates in order of preference [1],[2],[3] etc. Voters can use as many or as few preferences as they wish. If a candidate has 50% of first-preference votes, then he/she is elected; if the 50% threshold is not reached, the candidate with the fewest votes is eliminated and their second-preference votes distributed, and so on until one candidate has more than 50% of the vote.
THE ONLY thing that is certain about the current debate over whether to change the voting system is that no one knows what is going to happen in the referendum on 5 May.
Last week, the referendum bill was eventually passed by the House of Lords but there is a distinct lack of agreement on all sides.
This is evidently the case in the coalition government with Conservative Prime Minister David Cameron opposing the alternative vote (AV) while his deputy, Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg, favours a change.
A small minority of Tories - there were 10 rebels in the House of Commons vote - is backing AV though there is no such cross-over from the Lib Dems.
That should come as little surprise. Although the Lib Dems had a disappointing result at the last General Election under First Past the Post (FPTP), they still gained 1% more of the popular vote than in 2005 - only to end up with five fewer seats.
Meanwhile, the Labour ranks appear no more decisive. While leader Ed Miliband has gone on record to back a change to the alternative vote system, senior Labour figures from the recent past such as John Prescott, David Blunkett, Margaret Beckett and John Reid have all stated opposition to the proposals.
Moreover, the Labour peers in the House of Lords - including Lord Prescott - attempted to delay the referendum bill so that the vote could not be held on 5 May.
Labour figures were unhappy about other areas of the bill including the reduction of MPs to 600 and equalisation in the size of constituencies.
Unsurprisingly, this led to accusations that Mr Miliband could not keep his party under control.
But, while it is fair to say that a reduction in the number of MPs would be widely welcomed, the issue of equalising constituencies is rather trickier.
As part 2.1 of this report from the Electoral Calculus website points out, the deviation in the size of constituencies at the 2010 election was 12%, actually lower than at previous elections.
The referendum bill intends to impose a maximum deviation of 5% and increase the regularity of Boundary Reviews.
However, as the report explains (see 4.1), the 5% rule would cause over 400 seats to change their boundaries with the net effect on the result being small compared with just equalising the number of seats in the four nations of the UK.
Meanwhile, an increase in the frequency of boundary reviews (see 4.2) would undoubtedly cause confusion to voters dealing with a perpetual changing of their seat's boundaries and name.
The report concludes that while "the proposed reform is not 'gerrymandering', equally it is not clearly good administration".
Back to the bill itself, and there was a further hurdle in the House of Lords when peers from both the Labour and Conservative benches attempted to make it so that the referendum would only be binding if there was a 40% turnout.
This prompted former Lib Dem leader Lord Paddy Ashdown to accuse the Tories of a "betrayal" with him stating: "We have delivered, in full, our side of the deal. The Conservatives seem unable to deliver theirs."
It was all a rather unseemly mess but the process known as "ping-pong" finally ended when the Conservative Lords leader Lord Stratchclyde urged the House to back down, and they did.
To the relief of Westminster, the news channels have been devoting most of their time to events in North Africa and the Middle East and so much of the debate went unnoticed.
However, the lack of coverage so far means that many people outside of the Westminster bubble have been unable really to make an informed decision about AV.
This is demonstrated by opinion polls which have generally shown a lack of consensus and "soft" support on both sides of the argument with people liable to switch.
Immediately after the election, with the Lib Dems in government for the first time in 65 years, polls showed the public in favour of a change to AV.
But then further polls between September and February showed a clear preference for retaining the status quo.
Most recently, the majority of the polls have shown a further shift with FPTP and AV neck-and-neck - though the latest from YouGov now shows a seven-point lead for the No campaign.
Both No2AV and Yes to Fairer Votes have now launched their campaigns to firm up their support and help convince the undecided to vote for them.
The No2AV campaign has focused mainly on the cost of implementing the changes, arguing that, with such a shortage of public funds available, the money would be better spent elsewhere.
Meanwhile, Mr Cameron has warned that the arrival of AV would cause more coalitions and less stable government - even though, this is not necessarily the case.
Australia has used the AV system in elections for the House of Representatives since 1918, and only had one hung parliament since then, in 1940.
But Mr Cameron's other point in the same speech was more accurate.
The Prime Minister argued that a change to the system would lead to many MPs being elected on second choice votes - i.e. they are elected on the strength of second preferences.
The Yes campaign opposes this view by pointing out the use of second preference votes means that fewer voters will have cast a "wasted" vote.
And the Yes camp also point out that under AV, a successful candidate will have received more than 50% backing of his or her constituents, meaning they will have to have had a broad appeal.
Of course, the argument against this is that it may mean parties and, indeed, individual candidates go for the common denominator even more so than at present.
But the main argument of the Yes camp is that the referendum offers a once-in-a-lifetime chance to make the electoral system better and "fairer".
For that reason, they argue, the money spent on it is worth it as it will make future government more relevant to its electorate.
However, like Mr Cameron's ill-informed claim that AV will result in more coalitions, this argument is a bit of a misnomer.
For a start, AV is not proportional - the number of seats won by a party in the Commons at an election will still be far from representative of the votes cast by the public.
More crucially, AV is not necessarily "fairer". As this report on Electoral Calculus points out, the concept of fairness - much like the concept of beauty - is in the eye of the beholder.
Part five of the report shows the votes-to-seats ratio for the Conservatives, already higher than for Labour under FPTP, would be even higher still under AV.
On that basis, it should really come as no surprise that Mr Cameron is no fan of AV.
However, personally, I would like at least to try a change from the current, tired FPTP system.
The tradition and simplicity of the system count for little when it can produce results which allow Labour to gain a majority of 67 on just over 35% of the vote, as in 2005. Or that the Lib Dems can gain 23% of the vote but only 8.8% of the seats, as in 2010.
The argument that FPTP produces stable government has long been a strong one but this is also not necessarily a good thing.
All it means is that successive governments with huge majorities can pass unpopular laws while a meek opposition can do little but sit idly by.
Having said that, the arguments in favour of AV have not convinced me that it would be much of an improvement, if it is an improvement at all. As such, I remain in the Don't Know (or still to be convinced) camp for now.
Basically, I would like a change from FPTP but it is fair to say that AV would not be my first preference.
Saturday, 19 February 2011
Cricket World Cup full results
GROUP A FIXTURES AUSTRALIA + CANADA + KENYA + NEW ZEALAND + PAKISTAN + SRI LANKA + ZIMBABWE
Qualified for the Quarter Finals: Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Australia, New Zealand
GROUP B FIXTURES
BANGLADESH + ENGLAND + INDIA + IRELAND + NETHERLANDS + SOUTH AFRICA + WEST INDIES
Qualified for the Quarter Finals: South Africa, India, England, West Indies
KNOCKOUT PHASE
QUARTER FINALS
SEMI FINALS
FINAL
Qualified for the Quarter Finals: Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Australia, New Zealand
| Date | Venue | Result |
| 20 Feb | Chennai | NEW ZEALAND 72-0 beat KENYA 69 by 10 wickets |
| 20 Feb | Hambantota | SRI LANKA 332-7 beat CANADA 122 by 210 runs |
| 21 Feb | Ahmedabad | AUSTRALIA 262-6 beat ZIMBABWE 171 by 91 runs |
| 23 Feb | Hambantota | PAKISTAN 317-7 beat KENYA 112 by 205 runs |
| 25 Feb | Nagpur | AUSTRALIA 207-3 bt NEW ZEALAND 206 by seven wkts |
| 26 Feb | Colombo | PAKISTAN 277-7 beat SRI LANKA 266-9 by 11 runs |
| 28 Feb | Nagpur | ZIMBABWE 298-9 beat CANADA 123 by 175 runs |
| 1 Mar | Colombo | SRI LANKA 146-1 beat KENYA 142 by nine wickets |
| 3 Mar | Colombo | PAKISTAN 184 beat CANADA 138 by 46 runs |
| 4 Mar | Ahmedabad | NEW ZEALAND 166-0 bt ZIMBABWE 162 by 10 wkts |
| 5 Mar | Colombo | SRI LANKA 146-3 v AUSTRALIA (No result - rain) |
| 7 Mar | New Delhi | CANADA 199-5 beat KENYA 198 by five wickets |
| 8 Mar | Kandy | NEW ZEALAND 302-7 bt PAKISTAN 192 by 110 runs |
| 10 Mar | Kandy | SRI LANKA 327-6 beat ZIMBABWE 188 by 139 runs |
| 13 Mar | Mumbai | NEW ZEALAND 358-6 beat CANADA 261-9 by 97 runs |
| 13 Mar | Bangalore | AUSTRALIA 324-6 beat KENYA 264-6 by 60 runs |
| 14 Mar | Kandy | PAKISTAN 164-3 bt ZIMBABWE 151-7 by seven wkts (DL) |
| 16 Mar | Bangalore | AUSTRALIA 212-3 beat CANADA 211 by seven wickets |
| 18 Mar | Mumbai | SRI LANKA 265-9 bt NEW ZEALAND 153 by 112 runs |
| 19 Mar | Colombo | PAKISTAN 178-6 beat AUSTRALIA 176 by four wickets |
| 20 Mar | Kolkata | ZIMBABWE 308-6 beat KENYA 147 by 161 runs |
| W | L | NR | RR | Pts | |
| PAKISTAN | 5 | 1 | 0 | 0.76 | 10 |
| SRI LANKA | 4 | 1 | 1 | 2.58 | 9 |
| AUSTRALIA | 4 | 1 | 1 | 1.12 | 9 |
| NEW ZEALAND | 4 | 2 | 0 | 1.13 | 8 |
| Zimbabwe | 2 | 4 | 0 | 0.03 | 4 |
| Canada | 1 | 5 | 0 | -1.99 | 2 |
| Kenya | 0 | 6 | 0 | -3.04 | 0 |
GROUP B FIXTURES
BANGLADESH + ENGLAND + INDIA + IRELAND + NETHERLANDS + SOUTH AFRICA + WEST INDIES
Qualified for the Quarter Finals: South Africa, India, England, West Indies
| Date | Venue | Result |
| 19 Feb | Dhaka | INDIA 370-4 beat BANGLADESH 283-9 by 87 runs |
| 22 Feb | Nagpur | ENGLAND 296-4 bt NETHERLANDS 292-6 by six wkts |
| 24 Feb | New Delhi | S AFRICA 223-3 bt WEST INDIES 222 by seven wkts |
| 25 Feb | Dhaka | BANGLADESH 205 beat IRELAND 178 by 27 runs |
| 27 Feb | Bangalore | INDIA 338 tied with ENGLAND 338-8 |
| 28 Feb | New Delhi | WEST INDIES 330-8 bt NETHERLANDS 115 by 215 runs |
| 2 Mar | Bangalore | IRELAND 329-7 beat ENGLAND 327-8 by three wickets |
| 3 Mar | Mohali | S AFRICA 351-5 bt NETHERLANDS 120 by 231 runs |
| 4 Mar | Dhaka | WEST INDIES 59-1 beat BANGLADESH 58 by nine wkts |
| 6 Mar | Chennai | ENGLAND 171 beat SOUTH AFRICA 165 by six runs |
| 6 Mar | Bangalore | INDIA 210-5 beat IRELAND 207 by five wickets |
| 9 Mar | New Delhi | INDIA 191-5 beat NETHERLANDS 189 by five wickets |
| 11 Mar | Mohali | WEST INDIES 275 beat IRELAND 231 by 44 runs |
| 11 Mar | Chittagong | BANGLADESH 227-8 beat ENGLAND 225 by two wickets |
| 12 Mar | Nagpur | SOUTH AFRICA 300-7 beat INDIA 296 by three wickets |
| 14 Mar | Chittagong | BANGLADESH 166-4 bt NETHERLANDS 160 by six wkts |
| 15 Mar | Kolkata | SOUTH AFRICA 272-7 beat IRELAND 141 by 131 runs |
| 17 Mar | Chennai | ENGLAND 243 beat WEST INDIES 225 by 18 runs |
| 18 Mar | Kolkata | IRELAND 307-4 beat NETHERLANDS 306 by six wkts |
| 19 Mar | Dhaka | SOUTH AFRICA 284-8 bt BANGLADESH 78 by 206 runs |
| 20 Mar | Chennai | INDIA 268 beat WEST INDIES 188 by 80 runs |
| W | L | T | RR | Pts | |
| SOUTH AFRICA | 5 | 1 | 0 | 2.03 | 10 |
| INDIA | 4 | 1 | 1 | 0.90 | 9 |
| ENGLAND | 3 | 2 | 1 | 0.07 | 7 |
| WEST INDIES | 3 | 3 | 0 | 1.07 | 6 |
| Bangladesh | 3 | 3 | 0 | -1.36 | 6 |
| Ireland | 2 | 4 | 0 | -0.70 | 4 |
| Netherlands | 0 | 6 | 0 | -2.05 | 0 |
KNOCKOUT PHASE
QUARTER FINALS
| Date | Venue | Result |
| 23 Mar | Dhaka | PAKISTAN 113-0 beat WEST INDIES 112 by 10 wickets |
| 24 Mar | Ahmedabad | INDIA 261-5 beat AUSTRALIA 260 by five wickets |
| 25 Mar | Dhaka | NEW ZEALAND 221-8 beat S AFRICA 172 by 49 runs |
| 26 Mar | Colombo | SRI LANKA 231-0 beat ENGLAND 229-6 by 10 wickets |
SEMI FINALS
| Date/time | Venue | Result |
| 29 Mar | Colombo | SRI LANKA 220-5 beat NEW ZEALAND 217 by five wickets |
| 30 Mar | Mohali | INDIA 189-5 v PAKISTAN |
FINAL
| 2 Apr | Mumbai | INDIA 277-4 beat SRI LANKA 274-6 by six wickets |
Friday, 18 February 2011
Cricket World Cup Group B
ENGLAND + IRELAND + INDIA + BANGLADESH + SOUTH AFRICA + WEST INDIES + NETHERLANDS
GROUP B FIXTURES
(9am GMT start unless stated)
19 Feb (8.30am) India v Bangladesh Dhaka, Ban
22 Feb England v Netherlands Nagpur, Ind
24 Feb South Africa v West Indies New Delhi, Ind
25 Feb (8.30am) Bangladesh v Ireland Dhaka, Ban
27 Feb India v England Bangalore, Ind
28 Feb West Indies v Netherlands New Delhi, Ind
2 Mar England v Ireland Bangalore, Ind
3 Mar (4am) South Africa v Netherlands Mohali, Ind
4 Mar (8.30am) Bangladesh v West Indies Dhaka, Ban
6 Mar (4am) India v Ireland Bangalore, Ind
6 Mar England v South Africa Chennai, Ind
9 Mar India v Netherlands New Delhi, Ind
11 Mar (4am) Ireland v West Indies Mohali, Ind
11 Mar (8.30am) Bangladesh v England Chittagong, Ban
12 Mar India v South Africa Nagpur, Ind
14 Mar (3.30am) Bangladesh v Netherlands Chittagong, Ban
15 Mar South Africa v Ireland Kolkata, Ind
17 Mar England v West Indies Chennai, Ind
18 Mar (4am) Ireland v Netherlands Kolkata, Ind
19 Mar (3.30am) Bangladesh v South Africa Dhaka, Ban
20 Mar India v West Indies Chennai, Ind
ENGLAND
ICC World ranking: 5
Coach: Andy Flower
Captain: Andrew Strauss
World Cup best: Runners-up 1979, 1987, 1992
Recent ODI series results:
Feb 2011 v Australia (A) L1-6
Sep 2010 v Pakistan (H) W3-2
Jul 2010 v Bangladesh (H) W2-1
Jul 2010 v Australia (H) W3-2
Warm-up matches:
16 Feb - beat Canada by 16 runs
18 Feb - v Pakistan
Prediction: Quarter finals
England has not won any of the nine previous editions of the Cricket World Cup and does not seem likely to win at the 10th attempt. Never at their best on the sub-continent, England's squad of players come into this World Cup on the end of a 6-1 One-Day series spanking from Australia.
Many put the heavy defeat down to fatigue at the end of a long Ashes tour and, while this was a factor, the turn around for this bloated, gruelling affair was not much more than a few days. Anyway, the problems are much more fundamental than that.
After Matt Prior failed to impress with the bat Down Under, the enigmatic Kevin Pietersen became captain Andrew Strauss' 13th opening batting partner since the 2007 World Cup. Also, there are concerns over the form of the middle order, outside of the impressive Jonathan Trott, and over the fitness of the bowlers.
The latter concern has led to the call-up of Chris Tremlett, though the returning Stuart Broad has impressed in warm-up wins over Canada and Pakistan, taking five-wicket hauls in successive matches.
And yet, despite Broad taking 5-37, England only just beat the Canadians by 16 runs. On that basis, an appearance in the last four looks far too optimistic.
IRELAND
ICC World ranking: 10
Coach: Phil Simmons
Captain: William Porterfield
World Cup best: Super Eight 2007
Recent ODI series results:
Sep 2010 v Zimbabwe (A) L1-2
Sep 2010 v Canada (A) D1-1
Aug 2010 v Netherlands (H) W2-0
Jul 2010 v Bangladesh (H) D1-1
Jul 2010 - won ICC World Cricket Division One (W6 L0)
Warm-up matches:
6 Feb - lost to Zimbabwe by six wickets
8 Feb - lost to Kenya by three wickets
12 Feb - lost to New Zealand by 32 runs
15 Feb - beat Zimbabwe by four wickets
Prediction: First round
Irish cricket celebrated St Patrick's Day like never before four years ago after stunning Pakistan to reach the Super Eight stage of the World Cup and it is a shame that the joyous scenes were subsequently overshadowed by the untimely and still mysterious death of Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer. However, it should be remember that in that tournament, the Irish also tied with Zimbabwe and beat Bangladesh to earn plenty of plaudits and reignite interest in the sport on the Emerald Isle.
Ireland is widely recognised as the strongest of the Associate nations and proved this again by winning all six matches in the ICC World Cricket Division One against other Associate countries. William Porterfield's men followed that success with a creditable 1-1 series draw against Bangladesh but, despite their game improving, the Irish have struggled when abroad. Their last tour to Bangladesh in 2008 resulted in a 3-0 loss and, more recently, the team lost 2-1 in Zimbabwe.
The Irish squad has plenty of familiar names for supporters of the English county game with no fewer than eight of the players plying their trade across the Irish Sea including Sussex's Ed Joyce who played for England in the 2007 World Cup. South Africa-born Andre Botha and former captain Trent Johnston will also provide invaluable experience alongside the O'Brien brothers, Kevin and Niall.
A repeat of past glories is not out of the question with both Bangladesh and West Indies vulnerable on their day. However, it is far more likely that Ireland will have to settle for just another win against the Dutch and no more.
INDIA
ICC World ranking: 2
Coach: Gary Kirsten
Captain: Mahendra Singh Dhoni
World Cup best: Winners 1983
Recent ODI series results:
Jan 2011 v South Africa (A) L2-3
Dec 2010 v New Zealand (H) W5-0
Oct 2010 v Australia (H) W1-0
Aug 2010 - lost to Sri Lanka (A) in Final of Triangular Series (W2 L3)
Jun 2010 - won Asia Cup v Sri Lanka (A) (W3 L1)
Warm-up matches:
13 Feb - beat Australia by 38 runs
16 Feb - beat New Zealand by 117 runs
Prediction: Winners
India always expects the very best from its cricket team but especially so this time. With the Final scheduled on 2 April at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, all of India expects the home side to be there, adding only a second World Cup to the collection.
Indeed, this tournament represents a chance for India to improve their overall World Cup record which stands at just one win in 1983 and one runners-up placing in 2003. Even the 1983 Cup victory lost some of its lustre soon afterwards when the side which the Indians had beaten in the Final, the West Indies, returned to India and won a One-Day series 5-0.
India took their underachievers tag to the extreme four years ago when they crashed out of the World Cup in the First Round after defeats to Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. It was not only a disastrous result for India but for neutral supporters and tournament sponsors who were denied the chance to see one of the most talented sides in the world in the latter stages.
Now, it is payback time, and it just so happens that India's first match is against Bangladesh in Dhaka. There, they will line-up with a frankly frightening batting order including Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, captain-wicketkeeper MS Dhoni and Sehwag's opening partner Sachin Tendulkar.
This tournament is the 37-year-old Tendulkar's sixth World Cup and, most probably, his last chance of winning it. Much has been said about India's obsession with the Twenty20 format given the riches of the Indian Premier League. But, for the next six weeks, the Indian dream is for the Little Master to strike the winning runs amid an unimaginable atmosphere on a swelteringly hot April evening. If India can hold their nerve, then their dream will come true.
BANGLADESH
ICC World ranking: 8
Coach: Jamie Siddons
Captain: Shakib Al Hasan
World Cup best: Super Eight 2007
Recent ODI series results:
Dec 2010 v Zimbabwe (H) W3-1
Oct 2010 v New Zealand (H) W4-0
Jul 2010 v Ireland (A) D1-1
Jul 2010 v England (A) L1-2 Jun 2010 - finished bottom in Asia Cup (W0 L3)
Warm-up matches:
12 Feb - beat Canada by nine wickets
15 Feb - lost to Pakistan by 89 runs
Prediction: Quarter finals
Since promotion to the Test arena after a successful 1999 World Cup, Bangladesh has been forced to put up with a lot of stick. Given the level of some of the team's performances, not all of it was undeserved.
But the detractors would be careful to mock no more. The Tigers' victory against England last summer finally completed a full set of wins at One-Day level against the major nations, and it should come as no real surprise that the cricket-mad nation of Bangladesh has begun to make great strides in the game.
The Test team remains liable to a humiliating collapse and a heavy defeat but the One-Day side is fast becoming a force to be reckoned with. The team warmed up for the World Cup with a 3-1 ODI series win against Zimbabwe and a 4-0 thumping of New Zealand. With home advantage again in the tournament Group Stages, the Tigers are my tip to cause a surprise.
SOUTH AFRICA
ICC World ranking: 4
Coach: Corrie van Zyl
Captain: Graeme Smith
World Cup best: Semi finals 1992, 1999, 2007
Recent ODI series results:
Jan 2011 v India (H) W3-2
Nov 2010 v Pakistan (in UAE) W3-2
Oct 2010 v Zimbabwe (H) W3-0
Jun 2010 v West Indies (A) W5-0
Warm-up matches:
12 Feb - beat Zimbabwe by eight wickets
15 Feb - beat Australia by seven wickets
Prediction: Runners-up
It is not hard to see why South Africa has gained a reputation for being a team of chokers when looking back at recent World Cup history. In the 1999 tournament in England, South Africa tied with Australia in the semi finals after last batsman Alan Donald was run out with the scores level. The tie meant the Aussies went through as they had beaten South Africa in the Group phase.
However, if anything, the choke in the 2003 edition was even worse as South Africa failed to get out of the Group stage despite being hosts. The vital error came in the match against Sri Lanka which was again tied because the late Hanse Cronje misinterpreted the Duckworth-Lewis rule as the batsmen were called in from the worsening conditions.
In 2007, South Africa put together a solid tournament to reach the semi finals but, against Australia, the team fell to 149 all out and a subsequent heavy seven-wicket defeat. But recent form suggests that, this time, the Proteas will enjoy their best ever World Cup placing with bowlers Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel helping them finally to get rid of the spectre of underachievement.
WEST INDIES
ICC World ranking: 9
Coach: Ottis Gibson
Captain: Darren Sammy
World Cup best: Winners 1975, 1979
Recent ODI series results:
Feb 2011 v Sri Lanka (A) L0-2
Jun 2010 v South Africa (H) L0-5
Mar 2010 v Zimbabwe (H) W4-1
Warm-up matches:
12 Feb - beat Kenya by 61 runs
15 Feb - lost to Sri Lanka by four wickets
Prediction: First round
How West Indies fans must ache for a return to the days of Clive Lloyd and Sir Viv Richards - or even Brian Lara, Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh - although the latter group never won the World Cup. At least in the days of the fearsome fast bowling duo of Ambrose and Walsh, the Windies still had their respectability intact.
Now recently-appointed captain Darren Sammy has the unenviable job of trying to make a competitive unit of an increasingly rag-tag bunch of individuals.
Last summer, under Chris Gayle's leadership, the Windies were humbled 5-0 at home in an ODI series by South Africa. Against Sri Lanka in February under Sammy, matters were little improved as the team went down to a 2-0 defeat.
Sammy still has Gayle to call upon, despite the latter resigning the captaincy, and his talent as an opening batsmen is often the Windies' best chance of winning a game. Otherwise, the onus falls upon the ageing Shiv Chanderpaul, now aged 36, to cover for a bowling attack best summed up by the hugely frustrating and inconsistent Dwayne Bravo. It is sad to say but this previously great cricketing set of islands is presently ripe for the picking against the likes of Bangladesh and Ireland.
NETHERLANDS
ICC World ranking: 12
Coach: Peter Drinnen
Captain: Peter Borren
World Cup best: First Round 1996, 2003, 2007
Recent ODI series results:
Aug 2010 v Ireland (A) L0-2
Jul 2010 - beat Bangladesh in one-off match in Scotland
Jun 2010 - finished fourth out of six in ICC World Cricket Div One (W2 L4)
Warm-up matches:
6 Feb - lost to Canada by four wickets
8 Feb - lost to Zimbabwe by 115 runs
12 Feb - lost to Sri Lanka by 156 runs
15 Feb - beat Kenya by two wickets
Prediction: First round
Associate nation the Netherlands had the brightest moment in its cricket history less than two years ago in the 2009 ICC World Twenty20 competition when beating England, stunning the hosts by four wickets at Lord's.
However, memorable Dutch moments in the 50-over World Cup have been rarer with just two wins from 14 matches in three finals appearances. Those victories came against the powerhouses of Namibia and Scotland in 2003 and 2007 respectively, although - more encouragingly - the Dutch beat an ICC full-member in Bangladesh in a rain-affected one-off match held in Scotland last summer.
Netherlands will get to renew battle against England and Bangladesh in this World Cup, having been drawn into the tougher Group B. A repeat of those past successes against England and Bangladesh would come as a massive surprise and the Dutch are probably content to target a solitary victory against fellow Associate nation Ireland. Even then, the series last August and overall previous record suggests the Irish are stronger so the Dutch look set to finish bottom of a difficult section.
GROUP B FIXTURES
(9am GMT start unless stated)
19 Feb (8.30am) India v Bangladesh Dhaka, Ban
22 Feb England v Netherlands Nagpur, Ind
24 Feb South Africa v West Indies New Delhi, Ind
25 Feb (8.30am) Bangladesh v Ireland Dhaka, Ban
27 Feb India v England Bangalore, Ind
28 Feb West Indies v Netherlands New Delhi, Ind
2 Mar England v Ireland Bangalore, Ind
3 Mar (4am) South Africa v Netherlands Mohali, Ind
4 Mar (8.30am) Bangladesh v West Indies Dhaka, Ban
6 Mar (4am) India v Ireland Bangalore, Ind
6 Mar England v South Africa Chennai, Ind
9 Mar India v Netherlands New Delhi, Ind
11 Mar (4am) Ireland v West Indies Mohali, Ind
11 Mar (8.30am) Bangladesh v England Chittagong, Ban
12 Mar India v South Africa Nagpur, Ind
14 Mar (3.30am) Bangladesh v Netherlands Chittagong, Ban
15 Mar South Africa v Ireland Kolkata, Ind
17 Mar England v West Indies Chennai, Ind
18 Mar (4am) Ireland v Netherlands Kolkata, Ind
19 Mar (3.30am) Bangladesh v South Africa Dhaka, Ban
20 Mar India v West Indies Chennai, Ind
ENGLAND
ICC World ranking: 5
Coach: Andy Flower
Captain: Andrew Strauss
World Cup best: Runners-up 1979, 1987, 1992
Recent ODI series results:
Feb 2011 v Australia (A) L1-6
Sep 2010 v Pakistan (H) W3-2
Jul 2010 v Bangladesh (H) W2-1
Jul 2010 v Australia (H) W3-2
Warm-up matches:
16 Feb - beat Canada by 16 runs
18 Feb - v Pakistan
Prediction: Quarter finals
England has not won any of the nine previous editions of the Cricket World Cup and does not seem likely to win at the 10th attempt. Never at their best on the sub-continent, England's squad of players come into this World Cup on the end of a 6-1 One-Day series spanking from Australia.
Many put the heavy defeat down to fatigue at the end of a long Ashes tour and, while this was a factor, the turn around for this bloated, gruelling affair was not much more than a few days. Anyway, the problems are much more fundamental than that.
After Matt Prior failed to impress with the bat Down Under, the enigmatic Kevin Pietersen became captain Andrew Strauss' 13th opening batting partner since the 2007 World Cup. Also, there are concerns over the form of the middle order, outside of the impressive Jonathan Trott, and over the fitness of the bowlers.
The latter concern has led to the call-up of Chris Tremlett, though the returning Stuart Broad has impressed in warm-up wins over Canada and Pakistan, taking five-wicket hauls in successive matches.
And yet, despite Broad taking 5-37, England only just beat the Canadians by 16 runs. On that basis, an appearance in the last four looks far too optimistic.
IRELAND
ICC World ranking: 10
Coach: Phil Simmons
Captain: William Porterfield
World Cup best: Super Eight 2007
Recent ODI series results:
Sep 2010 v Zimbabwe (A) L1-2
Sep 2010 v Canada (A) D1-1
Aug 2010 v Netherlands (H) W2-0
Jul 2010 v Bangladesh (H) D1-1
Jul 2010 - won ICC World Cricket Division One (W6 L0)
Warm-up matches:
6 Feb - lost to Zimbabwe by six wickets
8 Feb - lost to Kenya by three wickets
12 Feb - lost to New Zealand by 32 runs
15 Feb - beat Zimbabwe by four wickets
Prediction: First round
Irish cricket celebrated St Patrick's Day like never before four years ago after stunning Pakistan to reach the Super Eight stage of the World Cup and it is a shame that the joyous scenes were subsequently overshadowed by the untimely and still mysterious death of Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer. However, it should be remember that in that tournament, the Irish also tied with Zimbabwe and beat Bangladesh to earn plenty of plaudits and reignite interest in the sport on the Emerald Isle.
Ireland is widely recognised as the strongest of the Associate nations and proved this again by winning all six matches in the ICC World Cricket Division One against other Associate countries. William Porterfield's men followed that success with a creditable 1-1 series draw against Bangladesh but, despite their game improving, the Irish have struggled when abroad. Their last tour to Bangladesh in 2008 resulted in a 3-0 loss and, more recently, the team lost 2-1 in Zimbabwe.
The Irish squad has plenty of familiar names for supporters of the English county game with no fewer than eight of the players plying their trade across the Irish Sea including Sussex's Ed Joyce who played for England in the 2007 World Cup. South Africa-born Andre Botha and former captain Trent Johnston will also provide invaluable experience alongside the O'Brien brothers, Kevin and Niall.
A repeat of past glories is not out of the question with both Bangladesh and West Indies vulnerable on their day. However, it is far more likely that Ireland will have to settle for just another win against the Dutch and no more.
INDIA
ICC World ranking: 2
Coach: Gary Kirsten
Captain: Mahendra Singh Dhoni
World Cup best: Winners 1983
Recent ODI series results:
Jan 2011 v South Africa (A) L2-3
Dec 2010 v New Zealand (H) W5-0
Oct 2010 v Australia (H) W1-0
Aug 2010 - lost to Sri Lanka (A) in Final of Triangular Series (W2 L3)
Jun 2010 - won Asia Cup v Sri Lanka (A) (W3 L1)
Warm-up matches:
13 Feb - beat Australia by 38 runs
16 Feb - beat New Zealand by 117 runs
Prediction: Winners
India always expects the very best from its cricket team but especially so this time. With the Final scheduled on 2 April at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai, all of India expects the home side to be there, adding only a second World Cup to the collection.
Indeed, this tournament represents a chance for India to improve their overall World Cup record which stands at just one win in 1983 and one runners-up placing in 2003. Even the 1983 Cup victory lost some of its lustre soon afterwards when the side which the Indians had beaten in the Final, the West Indies, returned to India and won a One-Day series 5-0.
India took their underachievers tag to the extreme four years ago when they crashed out of the World Cup in the First Round after defeats to Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. It was not only a disastrous result for India but for neutral supporters and tournament sponsors who were denied the chance to see one of the most talented sides in the world in the latter stages.
Now, it is payback time, and it just so happens that India's first match is against Bangladesh in Dhaka. There, they will line-up with a frankly frightening batting order including Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, captain-wicketkeeper MS Dhoni and Sehwag's opening partner Sachin Tendulkar.
This tournament is the 37-year-old Tendulkar's sixth World Cup and, most probably, his last chance of winning it. Much has been said about India's obsession with the Twenty20 format given the riches of the Indian Premier League. But, for the next six weeks, the Indian dream is for the Little Master to strike the winning runs amid an unimaginable atmosphere on a swelteringly hot April evening. If India can hold their nerve, then their dream will come true.
BANGLADESH
ICC World ranking: 8
Coach: Jamie Siddons
Captain: Shakib Al Hasan
World Cup best: Super Eight 2007
Recent ODI series results:
Dec 2010 v Zimbabwe (H) W3-1
Oct 2010 v New Zealand (H) W4-0
Jul 2010 v Ireland (A) D1-1
Jul 2010 v England (A) L1-2 Jun 2010 - finished bottom in Asia Cup (W0 L3)
Warm-up matches:
12 Feb - beat Canada by nine wickets
15 Feb - lost to Pakistan by 89 runs
Prediction: Quarter finals
Since promotion to the Test arena after a successful 1999 World Cup, Bangladesh has been forced to put up with a lot of stick. Given the level of some of the team's performances, not all of it was undeserved.
But the detractors would be careful to mock no more. The Tigers' victory against England last summer finally completed a full set of wins at One-Day level against the major nations, and it should come as no real surprise that the cricket-mad nation of Bangladesh has begun to make great strides in the game.
The Test team remains liable to a humiliating collapse and a heavy defeat but the One-Day side is fast becoming a force to be reckoned with. The team warmed up for the World Cup with a 3-1 ODI series win against Zimbabwe and a 4-0 thumping of New Zealand. With home advantage again in the tournament Group Stages, the Tigers are my tip to cause a surprise.
SOUTH AFRICA
ICC World ranking: 4
Coach: Corrie van Zyl
Captain: Graeme Smith
World Cup best: Semi finals 1992, 1999, 2007
Recent ODI series results:
Jan 2011 v India (H) W3-2
Nov 2010 v Pakistan (in UAE) W3-2
Oct 2010 v Zimbabwe (H) W3-0
Jun 2010 v West Indies (A) W5-0
Warm-up matches:
12 Feb - beat Zimbabwe by eight wickets
15 Feb - beat Australia by seven wickets
Prediction: Runners-up
It is not hard to see why South Africa has gained a reputation for being a team of chokers when looking back at recent World Cup history. In the 1999 tournament in England, South Africa tied with Australia in the semi finals after last batsman Alan Donald was run out with the scores level. The tie meant the Aussies went through as they had beaten South Africa in the Group phase.
However, if anything, the choke in the 2003 edition was even worse as South Africa failed to get out of the Group stage despite being hosts. The vital error came in the match against Sri Lanka which was again tied because the late Hanse Cronje misinterpreted the Duckworth-Lewis rule as the batsmen were called in from the worsening conditions.
In 2007, South Africa put together a solid tournament to reach the semi finals but, against Australia, the team fell to 149 all out and a subsequent heavy seven-wicket defeat. But recent form suggests that, this time, the Proteas will enjoy their best ever World Cup placing with bowlers Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel helping them finally to get rid of the spectre of underachievement.
WEST INDIES
ICC World ranking: 9
Coach: Ottis Gibson
Captain: Darren Sammy
World Cup best: Winners 1975, 1979
Recent ODI series results:
Feb 2011 v Sri Lanka (A) L0-2
Jun 2010 v South Africa (H) L0-5
Mar 2010 v Zimbabwe (H) W4-1
Warm-up matches:
12 Feb - beat Kenya by 61 runs
15 Feb - lost to Sri Lanka by four wickets
Prediction: First round
How West Indies fans must ache for a return to the days of Clive Lloyd and Sir Viv Richards - or even Brian Lara, Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh - although the latter group never won the World Cup. At least in the days of the fearsome fast bowling duo of Ambrose and Walsh, the Windies still had their respectability intact.
Now recently-appointed captain Darren Sammy has the unenviable job of trying to make a competitive unit of an increasingly rag-tag bunch of individuals.
Last summer, under Chris Gayle's leadership, the Windies were humbled 5-0 at home in an ODI series by South Africa. Against Sri Lanka in February under Sammy, matters were little improved as the team went down to a 2-0 defeat.
Sammy still has Gayle to call upon, despite the latter resigning the captaincy, and his talent as an opening batsmen is often the Windies' best chance of winning a game. Otherwise, the onus falls upon the ageing Shiv Chanderpaul, now aged 36, to cover for a bowling attack best summed up by the hugely frustrating and inconsistent Dwayne Bravo. It is sad to say but this previously great cricketing set of islands is presently ripe for the picking against the likes of Bangladesh and Ireland.
NETHERLANDS
ICC World ranking: 12
Coach: Peter Drinnen
Captain: Peter Borren
World Cup best: First Round 1996, 2003, 2007
Recent ODI series results:
Aug 2010 v Ireland (A) L0-2
Jul 2010 - beat Bangladesh in one-off match in Scotland
Jun 2010 - finished fourth out of six in ICC World Cricket Div One (W2 L4)
Warm-up matches:
6 Feb - lost to Canada by four wickets
8 Feb - lost to Zimbabwe by 115 runs
12 Feb - lost to Sri Lanka by 156 runs
15 Feb - beat Kenya by two wickets
Prediction: First round
Associate nation the Netherlands had the brightest moment in its cricket history less than two years ago in the 2009 ICC World Twenty20 competition when beating England, stunning the hosts by four wickets at Lord's.
However, memorable Dutch moments in the 50-over World Cup have been rarer with just two wins from 14 matches in three finals appearances. Those victories came against the powerhouses of Namibia and Scotland in 2003 and 2007 respectively, although - more encouragingly - the Dutch beat an ICC full-member in Bangladesh in a rain-affected one-off match held in Scotland last summer.
Netherlands will get to renew battle against England and Bangladesh in this World Cup, having been drawn into the tougher Group B. A repeat of those past successes against England and Bangladesh would come as a massive surprise and the Dutch are probably content to target a solitary victory against fellow Associate nation Ireland. Even then, the series last August and overall previous record suggests the Irish are stronger so the Dutch look set to finish bottom of a difficult section.
Cricket World Cup Group A
SRI LANKA + AUSTRALIA + PAKISTAN + NEW ZEALAND + ZIMBABWE + CANADA + KENYA
GROUP A FIXTURES
(9am GMT start unless stated)
20 Feb (4am) New Zealand v Kenya Chennai, Ind
20 Feb Sri Lanka v Canada Hambantota, SL
21 Feb Australia v Zimbabwe Ahmedabad, Ind
23 Feb Pakistan v Kenya Hambantota, SL
25 Feb (4am) New Zealand v Australia Nagpur, Ind
26 Feb Sri Lanka v Pakistan Colombo, SL
28 Feb (4am) Zimbabwe v Canada Nagpur, Ind
1 Mar Sri Lanka v Kenya Colombo, SL
3 Mar Pakistan v Canada Colombo, SL
4 Mar (4am) New Zealand v Zimbabwe Ahmedabad, Ind
5 Mar Sri Lanka v Australia Colombo, SL
7 Mar Kenya v Canada New Delhi, Ind
8 Mar Pakistan v New Zealand Kandy, SL
10 Mar Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe Kandy, SL
13 Mar (4am) New Zealand v Canada Mumbai, Ind
13 Mar Australia v Kenya Bangalore, Ind
14 Mar Pakistan v Zimbabwe Kandy, SL
16 Mar Australia v Canada Bangalore, Ind
18 Mar Sri Lanka v New Zealand Mumbai, Ind
19 Mar Pakistan v Australia Colombo, SL
20 Mar (4am) Zimbabwe v Kenya Kolkata, Ind
SRI LANKA
ICC World ranking: 3
Coach: Trevor Bayliss
Captain: Kumar Sangakkara
World Cup best: Winners 1996
Recent ODI series results:
Feb 2011 v West Indies (H) W2-0
Nov 2010 v Australia (A) W2-1
Aug 2010 beat India (H) in Final of Triangular Series (W3 L1 NR1)
Jun 2010 lost to India (H) in Final of Asia Cup (W3 L1)
Jun 2010 beat Zimbabwe (A) in Final of Triangular Series (W3 L2)
Warm-up matches:
12 Feb - beat Netherlands by 156 runs
15 Feb - beat West Indies by four wickets
Prediction: Semi finals
The last time that the World Cup was held on the subcontinent, Sri Lanka won it, shocking favourites Australia in the Final to win by seven wickets. Now, this talented and experienced Sri Lankan side feels the time is right for them to strike again.
Led by skipper Kumar Sangakkara, an athletic wicket-keeper, Sri Lanka will benefit from home advantage in the Group stage and an experienced bowling attack, spearheaded by the unorthodox Lasith Malinga and the outrageously talented Muttiah Muralitharan.
Now 38, this tournament surely represents Murali's last chance at claiming a second World Cup to add to the one won in 1996. Undoubtedly, it would be a fitting end to an outstanding career for the spinner who took his 800th and final Test wicket with the last ball of a Test match victory over India in July 2010.
Frustratingly for Sri Lanka and Murali, they had the chance of a second World Cup four years ago in 2007 but the team was second-best to Australia in the Final and, with 23 scalps, Murali finished as the second-highest wicket taker behind Aussie Glenn McGrath.
This time, Sri Lanka will be hoping to go one better, and the form guide suggests they could with recent series victories in Australia and over India in a Triangular tournament final. There is certainly no one that Sri Lanka will fear in this World Cup.
AUSTRALIA
ICC World ranking: 1
Coach: Tim Nielsen
Captain: Ricky Ponting
World Cup best: Winners 1987, 1999, 2003, 2007
Recent ODI series results:
Feb 2011 v England (H) W6-1
Nov 2010 v Sri Lanka (H) L1-2
Oct 2010 v India (A) L0-1
Jul 2010 v England (A) L2-3
Warm-up matches:
13 Feb - lost to India by 38 runs
15 Feb - lost to South Africa by seven wickets
Prediction: Semi finals
Australia arrive at the World Cup full of confidence after a 6-1 post-Ashes pummelling of injury-ravaged England in the ODI series and with a record in this tournament which is second to none.
The Aussies have won the World Cup on four previous occassions and the team is unbeaten in its last 29 matches, stretching back to 1999. The 12-year unbeaten run enabled Australia to win the tournament in 1999 despite a slow start in which they lost two of their opening three group games, famously reaching the Final after a tie in the semi-final against South Africa.
And 23 wins out of 23 since the 1999 Final against Pakistan confirmed Australia as the dominant force in cricket during the last decade with further Final wins against India in 2003 and Sri Lanka in 2007.
However, none of those tournament victories came on the subcontinent where Australia often find it tougher. The 1999 tournament was hosted by England, the 2003 edition was in Africa and the last World Cup was hosted by the West Indies. The most recent World Cup on the subcontinent was in 1996 when Sri Lanka caused an upset by beating the Aussies in the Final.
Of course, losing in the Final is no particular disgrace, and with opener Shane Watson back in the runs and captain Ricky Ponting having recovered from a broken finger, the Aussies could well reach the showpiece occasion for a fifth time in a row.
However, Mike Hussey is out with injury and the absence of Nathan Hauritz exasperates Australia's lack of spin options which can be a vital factor on the subcontinent. Also, the easy 6-1 win over a tired and demoralised England opposition still does not hide away the fact that Australia's air of invincibility has faded in recent years.
Since last summer, the Aussies have lost ODI series in England, India and against Sri Lanka at home. In the two warm-up matches, Australia were quite convincingly beaten by both India and South Africa. As such, a repeat of Australia's previous feats looks beyond this team - expect the unbeaten run to end sometime in the next six weeks.
PAKISTAN
ICC World ranking: 6
Coach: Waqar Younis
Captain: Shahid Afridi
World Cup best: Winners 1992
Recent ODI series results:
Feb 2011 v New Zealand (A) W3-2
Nov 2010 v South Africa (in UAE) L2-3
Sep 2010 v England (A) L2-3
Jun 2010 - finished third out of four in Asia Cup (W1 L2)
Warm-up matches:
15 Feb - beat Bangladesh by 89 runs
18 Feb - v England
Prediction: Quarter finals
Pakistan was meant to host 14 matches in this World Cup but that privilege was taken away in the wake of the attacks in Lahore on the touring Sri Lankan team in 2009.
Since then, Pakistani cricket has been further rocked by bans to former captain Salman Butt, and bowlers Mohammed Asif and Mohammed Amin for spot-fixing on the 2010 tour of England.
Inevitably, all the negative press has had a detrimental effect on the team's efforts on the field although a good recent ODI series win in New Zealand suggests Shahid Afridi and his men are finally starting to turn the corner.
Certainly, Pakistan should have enough to avoid the embarrassment of going out in the First Round for a second successive World Cup. But the confidence of the side remains fragile and any more than a last-eight place would come as a surprise.
NEW ZEALAND
ICC World ranking: 7
Coach: John Wright
Captain: Daniel Vettori
World Cup best: Semi finals 1975, 1979, 1992, 1999, 2007
Recent ODI series results:
Feb 2010 v Pakistan (H) L2-3
Dec 2010 v India (A) L0-5
Oct 2010 v Bangladesh (A) L0-4
Aug 2010 v Sri Lanka/India - finished third (W1 L2 NR1)
Warm-up matches:
12 Feb - beat Ireland by 32 runs
16 Feb - lost to India by 117 runs
Prediction: Quarter finals
New Zealand normally produces a team greater than the sum of its parts but this year could be the exception. The Black Caps have reached five World Cup semi finals, winning many games against the odds, although the difficulty of doing this over and over again perhaps explains why the Kiwis have gone no further.
Even so, in the 1992 World Cup, then-New Zealand captain Martin Crowe was recognised as a great innovator in the One-Day game, opening with spinner Dipak Patel and employing the use of a pinch-hitter (a lower-order batsmen promoted to score quick runs).
The current skipper Daniel Vettori is also one of the most thoughtful in the game but his announcement of his retirement after this tournament demonstrates the general malaise currently affecting New Zealand cricket. Future hopes lie mainly with youthful fast bowler Tim Southee and big hitter Jesse Ryder.
Looking at the present day and recent form has not been good with the team suffering a 4-0 humbling in Bangladesh followed by a 3-2 home defeat to Pakistan. The Black Caps should still have enough to reach the knockout phase but progress beyond that stage would be a greater surprise than usual.
ZIMBABWE
ICC World ranking: 11
Coach: Alan Butcher
Captain: Elton Chigumbura
World Cup best: Super Six 1999, 2003
Recent ODI series results:
Dec 2010 v Bangladesh (A) L1-3
Oct 2010 v South Africa (A) L0-3
Sep 2010 v Ireland (H) W2-1
Jun 2010 lost to Sri Lanka (H) in Final of Triangular Series (W3 L2)
Warm-up matches:
6 Feb - beat Ireland by six wickets
8 Feb - beat Netherlands by 115 runs
12 Feb - lost to South Africa by eight wickets
15 Feb - lost to Ireland by four wickets
Prediction: First Round
Zimbabwe's policy of self-exclusion from Test cricket seems to have paid dividends. By rebuilding their team around youth and building their confidence by not exposing them to a series of hammerings, Zimbabwe can enter the World Cup this time and expect to perform credibly. There are even hopes that Zimbabwe will return to playing Test cricket soon after the World Cup.
Fans of Zimbabwean cricket will recall ventures to the Super Six stage in 1999 and 2003 (although the latter was aided by England refusing to play in Zimbabwe due to security concerns caused by Robert Mugabe's oppressive government).
But, in 2007,the team went down to heavy defeats to West Indies and Pakistan in the First Round after a tie with Ireland in their opening match. The tournament completed a woeful few years for Zimbabwe, far removed from the successes of the late 1990s when the team even appeared able to compete at Test level.
In 2004, then-captain Heath Streak had been sacked by the Zimbabwean cricket authorities, prompting a mass walkout and a series of results with a weakened side which could only be described as embarrassing. The results included consecutive innings defeats to South Africa and a two-day home Test defeat to New Zealand in which they were bowled out twice in a single day.
This series of embarrassments prompted a re-think which included a self-imposed suspension of the team at Test level. Since then, Zimbabwe has built a team based mainly in their early- to mid-20s with an emphasis of spin which should prove useful on the subcontinent. It still will not be enough to see Zimbabwe progress but the team will be expected to perform admirably and above the level of the Associate nations.
CANADA
ICC World ranking: not ranked
Coach: Pubudu Dassanayake
Captain: Ashish Bagai
World Cup best: First Round 1979, 2003, 2007
Recent ODI series results:
Sep 2010 v Ireland (H) D1-1
Jul 2010 - finished fifth out of six in ICC World Cricket Div One (W2 L4)
Warm-up matches:
6 Feb - beat Netherlands by four wickets
8 Feb - lost to Afghanistan by five wickets
12 Feb - lost to Bangladesh by nine wickets
16 Feb - lost to England by 16 runs
Prediction: First Round
Canada is perhaps the weakest of the Associate nations to have qualified after finishing fifth out of six in the 2010 ICC World Cricket League Division One. Of course, not much will be expected of Canada in this tournament though that is perhaps just as well, given their previous record at World Cup finals which reads as played 12, won one.
That sole victory came against a poor Bangladesh team in 2003 although big hitter John Davison then enjoyed a personal highlight by scoring a century against West Indies off 67 balls, the fastest in the World Cup at the time.
However, in that same tournament, the Canadians were bowled out for just 36 by Sri Lanka, and the chances are that the team has already had its high point of the whole campaign this time by restricting England to a measly 16-run win in a warm-up match this week.
KENYA
ICC World ranking: 13
Coach: Eldine Baptiste
Captain: Maurice Ouma
World Cup best: Semi finals 2003
Recent ODI series results:
Oct 2010 v Afghanistan (H) W2-1
Jul 2010 - finished bottom of ICC World Cricket Div One (W0 L6)
Warm-up matches:
6 Feb - beat Afghanistan by 49 runs
8 Feb - beat Ireland by three wickets
12 Feb - lost to West Indies by 61 runs
15 Feb - lost to Netherlands by two wickets
Prediction: First Round
Kenya burst onto the international cricket scene in 2003 after a surprising run to the World Cup semi finals, still the only non-Test playing nation to do this. On the way, the Kenyans beat Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, and benefited from New Zealand's decision not to visit Nairobi over safety concerns.
However, the underdogs were well-beaten in the semi finals by India and their earlier victories actually proved to be detrimental in the long run, raising expectations from supporters and sponsors alike. A poor showing in an ODI quadrangular series against Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe later in 2003 was followed by player strikes and a match-fixing ban for former captain Maurice Odumbe.
By 2005, Kenyan cricket was left without sponsors or any semblance of organisation, and the team returned to playing against fellow Associate nations. This process of rebuilding appeared to be working when Kenya hosted and won the ICC World Cricket Division One in 2007. But, three years later, Kenya suffered an annus horribilis, losing all of its matches in the same tournament in 2010.
There were also ignominious ODI defeats to Afghanistan and Uganda, and - most recently - a disastrous tour of India in early 2011 in which they lost all five to local sides. The tale of Kenya's cricket history naturally centres about the 2003 success but the team finished bottom of the group in the First Round in 2007 and 2011 may be a repeat of that, depending on the result of the Canada match.
GROUP A FIXTURES
(9am GMT start unless stated)
20 Feb (4am) New Zealand v Kenya Chennai, Ind
20 Feb Sri Lanka v Canada Hambantota, SL
21 Feb Australia v Zimbabwe Ahmedabad, Ind
23 Feb Pakistan v Kenya Hambantota, SL
25 Feb (4am) New Zealand v Australia Nagpur, Ind
26 Feb Sri Lanka v Pakistan Colombo, SL
28 Feb (4am) Zimbabwe v Canada Nagpur, Ind
1 Mar Sri Lanka v Kenya Colombo, SL
3 Mar Pakistan v Canada Colombo, SL
4 Mar (4am) New Zealand v Zimbabwe Ahmedabad, Ind
5 Mar Sri Lanka v Australia Colombo, SL
7 Mar Kenya v Canada New Delhi, Ind
8 Mar Pakistan v New Zealand Kandy, SL
10 Mar Sri Lanka v Zimbabwe Kandy, SL
13 Mar (4am) New Zealand v Canada Mumbai, Ind
13 Mar Australia v Kenya Bangalore, Ind
14 Mar Pakistan v Zimbabwe Kandy, SL
16 Mar Australia v Canada Bangalore, Ind
18 Mar Sri Lanka v New Zealand Mumbai, Ind
19 Mar Pakistan v Australia Colombo, SL
20 Mar (4am) Zimbabwe v Kenya Kolkata, Ind
SRI LANKA
ICC World ranking: 3
Coach: Trevor Bayliss
Captain: Kumar Sangakkara
World Cup best: Winners 1996
Recent ODI series results:
Feb 2011 v West Indies (H) W2-0
Nov 2010 v Australia (A) W2-1
Aug 2010 beat India (H) in Final of Triangular Series (W3 L1 NR1)
Jun 2010 lost to India (H) in Final of Asia Cup (W3 L1)
Jun 2010 beat Zimbabwe (A) in Final of Triangular Series (W3 L2)
Warm-up matches:
12 Feb - beat Netherlands by 156 runs
15 Feb - beat West Indies by four wickets
Prediction: Semi finals
The last time that the World Cup was held on the subcontinent, Sri Lanka won it, shocking favourites Australia in the Final to win by seven wickets. Now, this talented and experienced Sri Lankan side feels the time is right for them to strike again.
Led by skipper Kumar Sangakkara, an athletic wicket-keeper, Sri Lanka will benefit from home advantage in the Group stage and an experienced bowling attack, spearheaded by the unorthodox Lasith Malinga and the outrageously talented Muttiah Muralitharan.
Now 38, this tournament surely represents Murali's last chance at claiming a second World Cup to add to the one won in 1996. Undoubtedly, it would be a fitting end to an outstanding career for the spinner who took his 800th and final Test wicket with the last ball of a Test match victory over India in July 2010.
Frustratingly for Sri Lanka and Murali, they had the chance of a second World Cup four years ago in 2007 but the team was second-best to Australia in the Final and, with 23 scalps, Murali finished as the second-highest wicket taker behind Aussie Glenn McGrath.
This time, Sri Lanka will be hoping to go one better, and the form guide suggests they could with recent series victories in Australia and over India in a Triangular tournament final. There is certainly no one that Sri Lanka will fear in this World Cup.
AUSTRALIA
ICC World ranking: 1
Coach: Tim Nielsen
Captain: Ricky Ponting
World Cup best: Winners 1987, 1999, 2003, 2007
Recent ODI series results:
Feb 2011 v England (H) W6-1
Nov 2010 v Sri Lanka (H) L1-2
Oct 2010 v India (A) L0-1
Jul 2010 v England (A) L2-3
Warm-up matches:
13 Feb - lost to India by 38 runs
15 Feb - lost to South Africa by seven wickets
Prediction: Semi finals
Australia arrive at the World Cup full of confidence after a 6-1 post-Ashes pummelling of injury-ravaged England in the ODI series and with a record in this tournament which is second to none.
The Aussies have won the World Cup on four previous occassions and the team is unbeaten in its last 29 matches, stretching back to 1999. The 12-year unbeaten run enabled Australia to win the tournament in 1999 despite a slow start in which they lost two of their opening three group games, famously reaching the Final after a tie in the semi-final against South Africa.
And 23 wins out of 23 since the 1999 Final against Pakistan confirmed Australia as the dominant force in cricket during the last decade with further Final wins against India in 2003 and Sri Lanka in 2007.
However, none of those tournament victories came on the subcontinent where Australia often find it tougher. The 1999 tournament was hosted by England, the 2003 edition was in Africa and the last World Cup was hosted by the West Indies. The most recent World Cup on the subcontinent was in 1996 when Sri Lanka caused an upset by beating the Aussies in the Final.
Of course, losing in the Final is no particular disgrace, and with opener Shane Watson back in the runs and captain Ricky Ponting having recovered from a broken finger, the Aussies could well reach the showpiece occasion for a fifth time in a row.
However, Mike Hussey is out with injury and the absence of Nathan Hauritz exasperates Australia's lack of spin options which can be a vital factor on the subcontinent. Also, the easy 6-1 win over a tired and demoralised England opposition still does not hide away the fact that Australia's air of invincibility has faded in recent years.
Since last summer, the Aussies have lost ODI series in England, India and against Sri Lanka at home. In the two warm-up matches, Australia were quite convincingly beaten by both India and South Africa. As such, a repeat of Australia's previous feats looks beyond this team - expect the unbeaten run to end sometime in the next six weeks.
PAKISTAN
ICC World ranking: 6
Coach: Waqar Younis
Captain: Shahid Afridi
World Cup best: Winners 1992
Recent ODI series results:
Feb 2011 v New Zealand (A) W3-2
Nov 2010 v South Africa (in UAE) L2-3
Sep 2010 v England (A) L2-3
Jun 2010 - finished third out of four in Asia Cup (W1 L2)
Warm-up matches:
15 Feb - beat Bangladesh by 89 runs
18 Feb - v England
Prediction: Quarter finals
Pakistan was meant to host 14 matches in this World Cup but that privilege was taken away in the wake of the attacks in Lahore on the touring Sri Lankan team in 2009.
Since then, Pakistani cricket has been further rocked by bans to former captain Salman Butt, and bowlers Mohammed Asif and Mohammed Amin for spot-fixing on the 2010 tour of England.
Inevitably, all the negative press has had a detrimental effect on the team's efforts on the field although a good recent ODI series win in New Zealand suggests Shahid Afridi and his men are finally starting to turn the corner.
Certainly, Pakistan should have enough to avoid the embarrassment of going out in the First Round for a second successive World Cup. But the confidence of the side remains fragile and any more than a last-eight place would come as a surprise.
NEW ZEALAND
ICC World ranking: 7
Coach: John Wright
Captain: Daniel Vettori
World Cup best: Semi finals 1975, 1979, 1992, 1999, 2007
Recent ODI series results:
Feb 2010 v Pakistan (H) L2-3
Dec 2010 v India (A) L0-5
Oct 2010 v Bangladesh (A) L0-4
Aug 2010 v Sri Lanka/India - finished third (W1 L2 NR1)
Warm-up matches:
12 Feb - beat Ireland by 32 runs
16 Feb - lost to India by 117 runs
Prediction: Quarter finals
New Zealand normally produces a team greater than the sum of its parts but this year could be the exception. The Black Caps have reached five World Cup semi finals, winning many games against the odds, although the difficulty of doing this over and over again perhaps explains why the Kiwis have gone no further.
Even so, in the 1992 World Cup, then-New Zealand captain Martin Crowe was recognised as a great innovator in the One-Day game, opening with spinner Dipak Patel and employing the use of a pinch-hitter (a lower-order batsmen promoted to score quick runs).
The current skipper Daniel Vettori is also one of the most thoughtful in the game but his announcement of his retirement after this tournament demonstrates the general malaise currently affecting New Zealand cricket. Future hopes lie mainly with youthful fast bowler Tim Southee and big hitter Jesse Ryder.
Looking at the present day and recent form has not been good with the team suffering a 4-0 humbling in Bangladesh followed by a 3-2 home defeat to Pakistan. The Black Caps should still have enough to reach the knockout phase but progress beyond that stage would be a greater surprise than usual.
ZIMBABWE
ICC World ranking: 11
Coach: Alan Butcher
Captain: Elton Chigumbura
World Cup best: Super Six 1999, 2003
Recent ODI series results:
Dec 2010 v Bangladesh (A) L1-3
Oct 2010 v South Africa (A) L0-3
Sep 2010 v Ireland (H) W2-1
Jun 2010 lost to Sri Lanka (H) in Final of Triangular Series (W3 L2)
Warm-up matches:
6 Feb - beat Ireland by six wickets
8 Feb - beat Netherlands by 115 runs
12 Feb - lost to South Africa by eight wickets
15 Feb - lost to Ireland by four wickets
Prediction: First Round
Zimbabwe's policy of self-exclusion from Test cricket seems to have paid dividends. By rebuilding their team around youth and building their confidence by not exposing them to a series of hammerings, Zimbabwe can enter the World Cup this time and expect to perform credibly. There are even hopes that Zimbabwe will return to playing Test cricket soon after the World Cup.
Fans of Zimbabwean cricket will recall ventures to the Super Six stage in 1999 and 2003 (although the latter was aided by England refusing to play in Zimbabwe due to security concerns caused by Robert Mugabe's oppressive government).
But, in 2007,the team went down to heavy defeats to West Indies and Pakistan in the First Round after a tie with Ireland in their opening match. The tournament completed a woeful few years for Zimbabwe, far removed from the successes of the late 1990s when the team even appeared able to compete at Test level.
In 2004, then-captain Heath Streak had been sacked by the Zimbabwean cricket authorities, prompting a mass walkout and a series of results with a weakened side which could only be described as embarrassing. The results included consecutive innings defeats to South Africa and a two-day home Test defeat to New Zealand in which they were bowled out twice in a single day.
This series of embarrassments prompted a re-think which included a self-imposed suspension of the team at Test level. Since then, Zimbabwe has built a team based mainly in their early- to mid-20s with an emphasis of spin which should prove useful on the subcontinent. It still will not be enough to see Zimbabwe progress but the team will be expected to perform admirably and above the level of the Associate nations.
CANADA
ICC World ranking: not ranked
Coach: Pubudu Dassanayake
Captain: Ashish Bagai
World Cup best: First Round 1979, 2003, 2007
Recent ODI series results:
Sep 2010 v Ireland (H) D1-1
Jul 2010 - finished fifth out of six in ICC World Cricket Div One (W2 L4)
Warm-up matches:
6 Feb - beat Netherlands by four wickets
8 Feb - lost to Afghanistan by five wickets
12 Feb - lost to Bangladesh by nine wickets
16 Feb - lost to England by 16 runs
Prediction: First Round
Canada is perhaps the weakest of the Associate nations to have qualified after finishing fifth out of six in the 2010 ICC World Cricket League Division One. Of course, not much will be expected of Canada in this tournament though that is perhaps just as well, given their previous record at World Cup finals which reads as played 12, won one.
That sole victory came against a poor Bangladesh team in 2003 although big hitter John Davison then enjoyed a personal highlight by scoring a century against West Indies off 67 balls, the fastest in the World Cup at the time.
However, in that same tournament, the Canadians were bowled out for just 36 by Sri Lanka, and the chances are that the team has already had its high point of the whole campaign this time by restricting England to a measly 16-run win in a warm-up match this week.
KENYA
ICC World ranking: 13
Coach: Eldine Baptiste
Captain: Maurice Ouma
World Cup best: Semi finals 2003
Recent ODI series results:
Oct 2010 v Afghanistan (H) W2-1
Jul 2010 - finished bottom of ICC World Cricket Div One (W0 L6)
Warm-up matches:
6 Feb - beat Afghanistan by 49 runs
8 Feb - beat Ireland by three wickets
12 Feb - lost to West Indies by 61 runs
15 Feb - lost to Netherlands by two wickets
Prediction: First Round
Kenya burst onto the international cricket scene in 2003 after a surprising run to the World Cup semi finals, still the only non-Test playing nation to do this. On the way, the Kenyans beat Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, and benefited from New Zealand's decision not to visit Nairobi over safety concerns.
However, the underdogs were well-beaten in the semi finals by India and their earlier victories actually proved to be detrimental in the long run, raising expectations from supporters and sponsors alike. A poor showing in an ODI quadrangular series against Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Zimbabwe later in 2003 was followed by player strikes and a match-fixing ban for former captain Maurice Odumbe.
By 2005, Kenyan cricket was left without sponsors or any semblance of organisation, and the team returned to playing against fellow Associate nations. This process of rebuilding appeared to be working when Kenya hosted and won the ICC World Cricket Division One in 2007. But, three years later, Kenya suffered an annus horribilis, losing all of its matches in the same tournament in 2010.
There were also ignominious ODI defeats to Afghanistan and Uganda, and - most recently - a disastrous tour of India in early 2011 in which they lost all five to local sides. The tale of Kenya's cricket history naturally centres about the 2003 success but the team finished bottom of the group in the First Round in 2007 and 2011 may be a repeat of that, depending on the result of the Canada match.
Wednesday, 16 February 2011
The Season 2010/11: Rooney reduces Manchester United's title rivals to one
Premier League
Table
A BRILLIANT overhead kick from Wayne Rooney was enough for Manchester United to win another derby against City late on, and effectively ruled their opponents out of the title race.
Rooney's spectacular strike came in the 78th minute and provided the perfect response from the Red Devils after they had surprisingly lost their unbeaten record at bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Nani had given United the lead four minutes shy of half time before City got a lucky break when on 65 minutes when Edin Dzeko shot ended up in the net via David Silva's back.
Roberto Mancini's men had deserved to be level on the balance play, though, and it took a moment destined to go down in the Old Trafford history books to win the match.
Sir Alex Ferguson's men now have 57 points from 26 games - eight clear of third-placed City who have played a game more.
Only Arsenal, in second on 53 points, are in the position to provide any challenge to Manchester United in the closing months after Robin van Persie rediscovered his best form.
The Dutchman has scored five goals in his last three games against Newcastle United, Wolves and Barcelona.
But, incredibly, in the first of these matches, van Persie and Arsenal had to settle for a point after an extraordinary 4-4 draw at St James Park.
Newcastle found themselves 2-0 down within three minutes after early goals for Theo Walcott and Johan Djourou. Van Persie then received the freedom of St James Park to double the score to 4-0 within 26 minutes.
The tide then turned immediately after half-time when Abou Diaby was sent off for pushing Joey Barton and Kevin Nolan.
And, as soon as Barton converted a penalty with a quarter of the game left, the home crowd roused itself to inspire the greatest comeback of the Premier League era.
Leon Best made it 4-2, having earlier had a goal wrongly ruled out for offside, before Barton added another penalty, this time dubiously awarded for a push on Mike Williamson.
But there was nothing wrong with the goal which restored parity as Cheik Tiote smashed a volley from 25 yards just inside the left-hand post.
It is fair to say that Arsenal will not expect comebacks like that to happen to them again any time soon and van Persie will be glad his subsequent goals against Wolves and Barcelona contributed towards two wins.
The Gunners' North London neighbours Tottenham Hotspur have also been picking up vital victories to sit in fourth place on 47 points from 45 games.
Niko Kranjcar scored successive match winners against Bolton Wanderers and Sunderland as Harry Redknapp's men bounced back from their FA Cup drubbing at Fulham.
Spurs have now won four matches in a row in all competitions, and the most recent of these came at San Siro where Peter Crouch scored the only goal of a Champions League last 16 tie against Milan.
And, having impressed in Europe's premier competition, it is no surprise that the Spurs fans and Redknapp want more.
They may well get their wish with Chelsea still flailing in fifth place, two points behind after a 1-0 home defeat to Liverpool and a 0-0 draw at Fulham.
It could not have gone much worse for Fernando Torres since his £50m move from Liverpool on transfer deadline day - but it could have actually been worse for the Blues.
Fulham, who had frustrated Chelsea with their defensive tactics for most of the game, then had a glorious chance for a rare win over their West London neighbours.
However, American Clint Dempsey - who had won a penalty after falling under David Luiz's foul - then proceeded to fire the ball straight at Petr Cech from 12 yards.
Only in May, I suspect, will we know how important that penalty save was.
Plenty will happen between now and then, of course, and matters will be no more keenly felt than at the bottom of the Premier League where it remains incredibly tight.
Wolves currently prop up the rest of the league on 24 points from 26 games after a tough run of fixtures against both Manchester clubs, Liverpool and Bolton.
To their credit, the Molineux club inflicted Manchester United's first league defeat upon them thanks to goals George Elokobi and Kevin Doyle in a 2-1 win.
However, coming matches against West Bromwich Albion, Blackpool and Aston Villa will reveal more about the chances of Mick McCarthy's men surviving.
West Ham United know what it feels like to be bottom having been there most of the season but Avram Grant's men lifted themselves up a place after a fine comeback of their own.
The Hammers were 3-0 down at half time as Roy Hodgson's first game since he was appointed as West Brom manager started like a dream.
But the Baggies remain deep in relegation trouble themselves after Scott Parker inspired two goals from Demba Ba and one from Carlton Cole to make it 3-3.
West Brom, in 17th on 27 points, are just outside the drop zone on goal difference with that game in hand against Wolves coming up on Sunday.
Wigan Athletic are third-bottom after a run of just one league win in eight matches since Boxing Day - though that was a cracking 4-3 win over Blackburn Rovers, James McCarthy scoring twice.
However, the relegation battle does not just concern these four teams and there are just six points between Stoke City in 10th and the bottom three.
The Potters should have more than enough to survive, though, and Blackburn and Fulham can also rely on their home form.
Things are more looking more serious elsewhere where Everton, Birmingham City and Aston Villa - three clubs who finished in the top-half in 2009-10 - are all just three points above the relegation places.
But the biggest concern must be reserved for Blackpool who are now in their lowest position since the start of the season.
The Seasiders are in 16th on 29 points, two ahead of Wigan, and they have the worst form in the league.
Ian Holloway's men have taken just four points from a possible 24 in 2011 with their sole victory coming against Kenny Dalglish's Liverpool.
Whatever happens to Blackpool, they can reflect on some fantastic memories of a campaign which began so well for them.
It is increasingly looking as if it will have no happy ending, though.
The Championship
Table
QUEENS PARK RANGERS became the first club in England's top four divisions to reach 60 points this season after a 1-1 draw with in-form Nottingham Forest on Sunday.
The Rs reached the landmark after 31 games and it is enough to be five points clear of Cardiff City in second.
It could have been even better for Neil Warnock's men after Tommy Smith had given the home side the lead at Loftus Road on 16 minutes.
Radoslaw Majewski was then given a straight red for a nasty two-footed challenge on Adel Taarabt but Forest refused to wilt.
David McGoldrick equalised on 26 minutes and the score remained the same as QPR extended their latest unbeaten record to six matches.
Forest lost only once in the league since the end of October when they visited Glanford Park to play struggling Scunthorpe United in their game in hand last night.
But, typically, with second spot up for grabs, Forest failed as Chris Dagnall's early strike earned a vital three points for the Irons.
Forest's defeat, their first in the league for 10 games, leaves them in fourth place, two points adrift of Cardiff - though Billy Davies' men still have another game in hand to come.
Sandwiched in between the teams for now are Norwich City who have lost just once in their last 10 league matches to amass 54 points so far.
That represents a fine effort from Paul Lambert's Canaries who were only promoted from League One last season - although it was clear they were far too good for that division.
The League One runners-up Leeds United are also in the promotion picture, sitting in sixth place on 52 points, three behind Cardiff, after successive wins over Coventry City and Bristol City.
Swansea City are just above Leeds in fifth on 53 points courtesy of Craig Beattie's stoppage-time winner in a 4-3 thriller against Middlesbrough at the Riverside.
Behind the top six, there is a gap of four points but seventh-placed Leicester City are worth keeping an eye after really hitting form in the New Year.
Sven Goran Eriksson's Foxes have taken 19 points from a possible 21 in their seven matches in 2011 with two successive four-goal hauls at home against Millwall and Barnsley, and a 2-0 win at East Midlands rivals Derby County.
That defeat for the Rams is part of an arresting slide down the table and the Pride Park club currently have the worst form in the division with just five points from their last 36.
The sequence included a run of five successive defeats either side of Christmas, culminating in a 5-2 thumping at the hands of Forest.
Early promotion hopes have given way to another relegation fight - and victory over Preston North End on New Year's Day is Derby's only success since late November.
At least Derby fans can just about take heart from the fact that they are not yet in Preston's position.
The Lilywhites are bottom with just 22 points from 30 games, nine adrift of safety, and already it would take something special for them to survive now.
Although there was some fight shown in the 2-2 draw with Watford this week, Phil Brown's men have won just once in their last 17 games, and Deepdale looks set to be hosting League One action from August.
Second-bottom Scunthorpe United are at least more accustomed to playing at that lower level but the Iron do not look like giving up their status in the second-flight easily.
That 1-0 win over promotion-chasing Forest takes Ian Baraclough's men to within four points of safety with two games in hand over fourth-bottom Crystal Palace.
But it was only their second home win in the league all season, and their first since August when they beat Palace.
Sheffield United have also struggled at home this season - indeed, the Blades are finding it hard to pick up a result from anywhere at the moment, having won just once in 13 games since the end of November.
In that time, the Blades have taken only seven points under old boss Gary Speed, now with the Wales national team, and new boss Micky Adams.
United have 29 points from 31 games, two adrift of Palace who famously stayed up against the other Sheffield club in a winner-takes-all match on the last day of last season.
Palace may be pulling off the great escape act again this season after their 1-0 win over Middlesbrough made it seven consecutive clean sheets at home.
However, three of those matches finished 0-0 and Eagles manager Dougie Freedman's men have failed to win away since October.
Meanwhile, Boro's recent improved run of form looks to have ground to a halt with the defeat at Selhurt Park followed by a gut-wrenching collapse from 3-1 to lose 4-3 at home to Swansea.
The successive defeats leave Tony Mowbray's men in 20th place on 33 points from 30 games, four above the drop zone with a game in hand.
But, the Boro are in reach of a trio of clubs on 35 points - Bristol City, Portsmouth and the plummeting Derby.
Pompey have also been in rough form recently with four draws and five defeats in nine games since Boxing Day.
However, they did at least arrest that form away at Doncaster Rovers with a 2-0 on Saturday.
Rovers then made it a week to forget at the Keepmoat by promptly losing their next home game 6-0 to Ipswich Town on Tuesday as the Suffolk club continues its resuscitation under new boss Paul Jewell.
League One
Table
BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION boss Gus Poyet has admitted that promotion to the Championship is "getting close" after the Seagulls soared to a 4-1 win over Hartlepool United.
Glenn Murray's brace and further goals from Chris Wood and Craig Noone put Brighton 4-0 up just 10 minutes into the second half.
And, although Antony Sweeney reduced Pools' arrears, Brighton gave a further boost to their goal difference by recording their fifth win by three goals or more this season.
The Seagulls' fourth successive home win helps them onto 56 points from 28 matches, three points ahead of Bournemouth with two games in hand.
Bournemouth remain steady in second place with 53 points from 30 games, and just one defeat in 2011, but the chasing pack is ominously filled with bigger names.
On Saturday, the Cherries face third-placed Huddersfield Town. The Terriers are only three points behind with a game in hand, and they are unbeaten in eight league matches in 2011.
But the biggest impact will perhaps come from fourth-placed Southampton who do not have a 10-point deduction with which to contend this season.
Rickie Lambert scored his 50th goal for the Saints in his 92nd appearance as Carlisle were beaten 1-0 at St Mary's Stadium.
Nigel Adkins' men are now on 48 points, five behind Bournemouth, but with two games in hand.
Another former Premier League club, Charlton Athletic, have also moved themselves into a playoff place after winning four games in a row, only to find this good run of form end in a 2-1 defeat at Hartlepool.
Still, Chris Powell's team sit in fifth position with 47 points from 28 games, just ahead of Peterborough United who have 46 points from 29.
In January, Posh turned back to former manager Darren Ferguson in a bid to reignite their stuttering promotion bid.
But, while he has failed so far to nail down any consistency, his teams have been involved in some recent thrillers with 34 goals scored at either end in his first seven games.
This included a 4-4 draw at home against Southampton in a match featuring four penalties, two for each side.
Saints took a 2-0 lead through Richard Chaplow and Lambert's first penalty before Posh hit back with two goals in six minutes before half time through Craig Mackail-Smith and Chris Whelpdale.
Within five minutes of the restart, though, Southampton had restored their two-goal lead at 4-2 as Lambert converted his second spot-kick and Dean Hammond slotted home.
But, the two-goal advantage was only held for five minutes before Grant McCann scored the third penalty of the match to make it 4-3.
Southampton looked set to hold on for a vital win in the promotion chase until Lee Tomlin kept his cool to convert the game's fourth penalty in the 93rd minute.
Outside of the top six, there is still plenty of interest in the playoff spots with Oldham Athletic, Milton Keynes Dons, the hugely impressive Rochdale and Leyton Orient all within a win of a top-six spot.
Orient, who have been caught up in the West Ham-Tottenham Olympic Stadium saga, are having much more fun on the pitch with an unbeaten home run stretching back to September.
The Os most recent success at Brisbane Road was an easy 4-1 win against Bristol Rovers who have tumbled to the bottom of the division after five successive defeats.
Indeed, Dave Penney's Pirates have won just once in 18 league games since mid-October, meaning they have only 27 points from 30 games, six adrift of safety.
However, Rovers are not the only West Country club having a tough time of it in the division this season - Plymouth Argyle, Yeovil Town and Swindon Town are all at the wrong end of the table.
Like Bristol Rovers, Plymouth have lost their last five league games, though looking back further, it is even worse for the Devon club with eight defeats in their last nine.
Plymouth are two points above the relegation places with 33 points from 31 matches, level with Yeovil who have one game in hand.
The Glovers' encouraging run of form of just one defeat in December and January has dramatically ground to a halt after three successive defeats.
But it is Swindon who fill the last relegation spot after their 2-1 defeat at Colchester United left them with 31 points from 31 games and only three points from their last 27 available.
The other two clubs in the relegation zone are Walsall and Dagenham & Redbridge who met on Tuesday at the Bescot Stadium with the result being a 1-0 home win to Walsall.
That should not come as too much of a surprise as the Saddlers have been steadily improving since the New Year with three wins, two draws and a defeat in their last six league games.
Having said that, Dagenham have also had some encouraging recent wins away at Hartlepool and at home against Brentford and Yeovil.
Those results have left John Still's men just five points shy of the safety mark with two or three games in hand on all the teams around them.
The Daggers, in only their fourth season in the Football League, may yet pull off a surprise by staying in the third flight.
League Two
Table
CHESTERFIELD hold a five-point lead and look set to continue their five-month long occupancy at the top of League Two.
But the Spireites have started to wobble after a series of stalemates, the latest of which came in a 1-1 draw against Bury at Gigg Lane.
Craig Davies gave Chesterfield a first-half lead but John Sheridan's men made it five matches without a win after Ryan Lowe equalised for the Shakers straight after the restart.
It is still not as if the leaders are being reeled in, though.
Of all the teams behind them, only second placed Shrewsbury Town are in particularly good form, and Chesterfield are still five points ahead with a game in hand.
The Shrews won just once in December and January to slip to seventh but four successive wins over Burton Albion, Southend United, Lincoln City and Stevenage have taken them to 51 points from 31 games.
None of the rest of the top seven can match that form with Rotherham United, in third on 50 points, having won their last three home games but lost their last five away.
Fourth-placed Wycombe Wanderers are also on 50 points but with two games in hand on the Millers. However, the Chairboys have taken just a single point from their last three matches.
Bury, in fifth on 47 points, sum up the division well by going from a defeat at struggling Stockport County to gaining that credible draw against Chesterfield.
Draws have also been an issue for Gillingham who have had three in their last four games - although a playoff place is much preferable for Gills fans than their early season form.
But seventh-placed Port Vale, on 45 points, are in danger of doing backwards having recorded just one win and six points in their last seven games.
The failings of the teams currently in playoff places and the improved form of some mid-table sides has unsurprisingly had a concertina effect on the table.
Now, even 11th-placed Southend United are within striking distance of a playoff spot. The Shrimpers have won their last four away games to put themselves within one good win of seventh place.
At first glance, the bottom of the table looks just as intriguing as the bottom four are separated by three points.
However, the two relegation spots are already filled by the two teams - Barnet and Stockport - who have played more games than any of the others.
Barnet are bottom with just 26 points from 30 games and, with only one win in their last 10 league matches, it does not like turning around for the Bees any time soon.
Stockport are second-bottom with 28 points from 31 games and a horrendous goal difference of -36, having conceded 69 goals.
But at least the Hatters managed on Tuesday to bring an end to a devastating run of just two points out of 27 with a 2-1 win over Bury.
Goals from debutant Matt Paterson and Antony Elding gave Stockport their first win at Edgeley Park since October, and perhaps a little hope for the rest of the season.
At this stage, though, it looks as if the likes of Burton Albion and Macclesfield Town will survive simply due to the weaknesses of Barnet and Stockport.
FA Cup
Delayed Fourth Round replays
Saturday 19 February:
Chelsea 1-1 Everton (12:30, ESPN). Everton won 4-3 on penalties.
Sunday 20 February:
Manchester City 5-0 Notts County (14:00, ITV1)
Fifth Round
Saturday 19 Februrary:
Birmingham City 3-0 Sheffield Wednesday
Manchester United 1-0 Crawley Town (17:15, ITV1)
Stoke City 3-0 Brighton & Hove Albion
Sunday 20 February:
Fulham 0-1 Bolton Wanderers
Leyton Orient 1-1 Arsenal (16:30, ESPN)
Monday 21 February:
West Ham United 5-1 Burnley (20:00, ESPN)
Tuesday 1 March:
Everton 0-1 Reading (19:30)
Wednesday 2 March:
Arsenal 5-0 Leyton Orient (replay)
Manchester City 3-0 Aston Villa
Sixth Round Draw Ties played on weeekend of 12-13 March
Stoke City v West Ham United
Manchester City v Reading
Birmingham City v Bolton Wanderers
Manchester United v Arsenal
Table
A BRILLIANT overhead kick from Wayne Rooney was enough for Manchester United to win another derby against City late on, and effectively ruled their opponents out of the title race.
Rooney's spectacular strike came in the 78th minute and provided the perfect response from the Red Devils after they had surprisingly lost their unbeaten record at bottom-of-the-table Wolverhampton Wanderers.
Nani had given United the lead four minutes shy of half time before City got a lucky break when on 65 minutes when Edin Dzeko shot ended up in the net via David Silva's back.
Roberto Mancini's men had deserved to be level on the balance play, though, and it took a moment destined to go down in the Old Trafford history books to win the match.
Sir Alex Ferguson's men now have 57 points from 26 games - eight clear of third-placed City who have played a game more.
Only Arsenal, in second on 53 points, are in the position to provide any challenge to Manchester United in the closing months after Robin van Persie rediscovered his best form.
The Dutchman has scored five goals in his last three games against Newcastle United, Wolves and Barcelona.
But, incredibly, in the first of these matches, van Persie and Arsenal had to settle for a point after an extraordinary 4-4 draw at St James Park.
Newcastle found themselves 2-0 down within three minutes after early goals for Theo Walcott and Johan Djourou. Van Persie then received the freedom of St James Park to double the score to 4-0 within 26 minutes.
The tide then turned immediately after half-time when Abou Diaby was sent off for pushing Joey Barton and Kevin Nolan.
And, as soon as Barton converted a penalty with a quarter of the game left, the home crowd roused itself to inspire the greatest comeback of the Premier League era.
Leon Best made it 4-2, having earlier had a goal wrongly ruled out for offside, before Barton added another penalty, this time dubiously awarded for a push on Mike Williamson.
But there was nothing wrong with the goal which restored parity as Cheik Tiote smashed a volley from 25 yards just inside the left-hand post.
It is fair to say that Arsenal will not expect comebacks like that to happen to them again any time soon and van Persie will be glad his subsequent goals against Wolves and Barcelona contributed towards two wins.
The Gunners' North London neighbours Tottenham Hotspur have also been picking up vital victories to sit in fourth place on 47 points from 45 games.
Niko Kranjcar scored successive match winners against Bolton Wanderers and Sunderland as Harry Redknapp's men bounced back from their FA Cup drubbing at Fulham.
Spurs have now won four matches in a row in all competitions, and the most recent of these came at San Siro where Peter Crouch scored the only goal of a Champions League last 16 tie against Milan.
And, having impressed in Europe's premier competition, it is no surprise that the Spurs fans and Redknapp want more.
They may well get their wish with Chelsea still flailing in fifth place, two points behind after a 1-0 home defeat to Liverpool and a 0-0 draw at Fulham.
It could not have gone much worse for Fernando Torres since his £50m move from Liverpool on transfer deadline day - but it could have actually been worse for the Blues.
Fulham, who had frustrated Chelsea with their defensive tactics for most of the game, then had a glorious chance for a rare win over their West London neighbours.
However, American Clint Dempsey - who had won a penalty after falling under David Luiz's foul - then proceeded to fire the ball straight at Petr Cech from 12 yards.
Only in May, I suspect, will we know how important that penalty save was.
Plenty will happen between now and then, of course, and matters will be no more keenly felt than at the bottom of the Premier League where it remains incredibly tight.
Wolves currently prop up the rest of the league on 24 points from 26 games after a tough run of fixtures against both Manchester clubs, Liverpool and Bolton.
To their credit, the Molineux club inflicted Manchester United's first league defeat upon them thanks to goals George Elokobi and Kevin Doyle in a 2-1 win.
However, coming matches against West Bromwich Albion, Blackpool and Aston Villa will reveal more about the chances of Mick McCarthy's men surviving.
West Ham United know what it feels like to be bottom having been there most of the season but Avram Grant's men lifted themselves up a place after a fine comeback of their own.
The Hammers were 3-0 down at half time as Roy Hodgson's first game since he was appointed as West Brom manager started like a dream.
But the Baggies remain deep in relegation trouble themselves after Scott Parker inspired two goals from Demba Ba and one from Carlton Cole to make it 3-3.
West Brom, in 17th on 27 points, are just outside the drop zone on goal difference with that game in hand against Wolves coming up on Sunday.
Wigan Athletic are third-bottom after a run of just one league win in eight matches since Boxing Day - though that was a cracking 4-3 win over Blackburn Rovers, James McCarthy scoring twice.
However, the relegation battle does not just concern these four teams and there are just six points between Stoke City in 10th and the bottom three.
The Potters should have more than enough to survive, though, and Blackburn and Fulham can also rely on their home form.
Things are more looking more serious elsewhere where Everton, Birmingham City and Aston Villa - three clubs who finished in the top-half in 2009-10 - are all just three points above the relegation places.
But the biggest concern must be reserved for Blackpool who are now in their lowest position since the start of the season.
The Seasiders are in 16th on 29 points, two ahead of Wigan, and they have the worst form in the league.
Ian Holloway's men have taken just four points from a possible 24 in 2011 with their sole victory coming against Kenny Dalglish's Liverpool.
Whatever happens to Blackpool, they can reflect on some fantastic memories of a campaign which began so well for them.
It is increasingly looking as if it will have no happy ending, though.
The Championship
Table
QUEENS PARK RANGERS became the first club in England's top four divisions to reach 60 points this season after a 1-1 draw with in-form Nottingham Forest on Sunday.
The Rs reached the landmark after 31 games and it is enough to be five points clear of Cardiff City in second.
It could have been even better for Neil Warnock's men after Tommy Smith had given the home side the lead at Loftus Road on 16 minutes.
Radoslaw Majewski was then given a straight red for a nasty two-footed challenge on Adel Taarabt but Forest refused to wilt.
David McGoldrick equalised on 26 minutes and the score remained the same as QPR extended their latest unbeaten record to six matches.
Forest lost only once in the league since the end of October when they visited Glanford Park to play struggling Scunthorpe United in their game in hand last night.
But, typically, with second spot up for grabs, Forest failed as Chris Dagnall's early strike earned a vital three points for the Irons.
Forest's defeat, their first in the league for 10 games, leaves them in fourth place, two points adrift of Cardiff - though Billy Davies' men still have another game in hand to come.
Sandwiched in between the teams for now are Norwich City who have lost just once in their last 10 league matches to amass 54 points so far.
That represents a fine effort from Paul Lambert's Canaries who were only promoted from League One last season - although it was clear they were far too good for that division.
The League One runners-up Leeds United are also in the promotion picture, sitting in sixth place on 52 points, three behind Cardiff, after successive wins over Coventry City and Bristol City.
Swansea City are just above Leeds in fifth on 53 points courtesy of Craig Beattie's stoppage-time winner in a 4-3 thriller against Middlesbrough at the Riverside.
Behind the top six, there is a gap of four points but seventh-placed Leicester City are worth keeping an eye after really hitting form in the New Year.
Sven Goran Eriksson's Foxes have taken 19 points from a possible 21 in their seven matches in 2011 with two successive four-goal hauls at home against Millwall and Barnsley, and a 2-0 win at East Midlands rivals Derby County.
That defeat for the Rams is part of an arresting slide down the table and the Pride Park club currently have the worst form in the division with just five points from their last 36.
The sequence included a run of five successive defeats either side of Christmas, culminating in a 5-2 thumping at the hands of Forest.
Early promotion hopes have given way to another relegation fight - and victory over Preston North End on New Year's Day is Derby's only success since late November.
At least Derby fans can just about take heart from the fact that they are not yet in Preston's position.
The Lilywhites are bottom with just 22 points from 30 games, nine adrift of safety, and already it would take something special for them to survive now.
Although there was some fight shown in the 2-2 draw with Watford this week, Phil Brown's men have won just once in their last 17 games, and Deepdale looks set to be hosting League One action from August.
Second-bottom Scunthorpe United are at least more accustomed to playing at that lower level but the Iron do not look like giving up their status in the second-flight easily.
That 1-0 win over promotion-chasing Forest takes Ian Baraclough's men to within four points of safety with two games in hand over fourth-bottom Crystal Palace.
But it was only their second home win in the league all season, and their first since August when they beat Palace.
Sheffield United have also struggled at home this season - indeed, the Blades are finding it hard to pick up a result from anywhere at the moment, having won just once in 13 games since the end of November.
In that time, the Blades have taken only seven points under old boss Gary Speed, now with the Wales national team, and new boss Micky Adams.
United have 29 points from 31 games, two adrift of Palace who famously stayed up against the other Sheffield club in a winner-takes-all match on the last day of last season.
Palace may be pulling off the great escape act again this season after their 1-0 win over Middlesbrough made it seven consecutive clean sheets at home.
However, three of those matches finished 0-0 and Eagles manager Dougie Freedman's men have failed to win away since October.
Meanwhile, Boro's recent improved run of form looks to have ground to a halt with the defeat at Selhurt Park followed by a gut-wrenching collapse from 3-1 to lose 4-3 at home to Swansea.
The successive defeats leave Tony Mowbray's men in 20th place on 33 points from 30 games, four above the drop zone with a game in hand.
But, the Boro are in reach of a trio of clubs on 35 points - Bristol City, Portsmouth and the plummeting Derby.
Pompey have also been in rough form recently with four draws and five defeats in nine games since Boxing Day.
However, they did at least arrest that form away at Doncaster Rovers with a 2-0 on Saturday.
Rovers then made it a week to forget at the Keepmoat by promptly losing their next home game 6-0 to Ipswich Town on Tuesday as the Suffolk club continues its resuscitation under new boss Paul Jewell.
League One
Table
BRIGHTON & HOVE ALBION boss Gus Poyet has admitted that promotion to the Championship is "getting close" after the Seagulls soared to a 4-1 win over Hartlepool United.
Glenn Murray's brace and further goals from Chris Wood and Craig Noone put Brighton 4-0 up just 10 minutes into the second half.
And, although Antony Sweeney reduced Pools' arrears, Brighton gave a further boost to their goal difference by recording their fifth win by three goals or more this season.
The Seagulls' fourth successive home win helps them onto 56 points from 28 matches, three points ahead of Bournemouth with two games in hand.
Bournemouth remain steady in second place with 53 points from 30 games, and just one defeat in 2011, but the chasing pack is ominously filled with bigger names.
On Saturday, the Cherries face third-placed Huddersfield Town. The Terriers are only three points behind with a game in hand, and they are unbeaten in eight league matches in 2011.
But the biggest impact will perhaps come from fourth-placed Southampton who do not have a 10-point deduction with which to contend this season.
Rickie Lambert scored his 50th goal for the Saints in his 92nd appearance as Carlisle were beaten 1-0 at St Mary's Stadium.
Nigel Adkins' men are now on 48 points, five behind Bournemouth, but with two games in hand.
Another former Premier League club, Charlton Athletic, have also moved themselves into a playoff place after winning four games in a row, only to find this good run of form end in a 2-1 defeat at Hartlepool.
Still, Chris Powell's team sit in fifth position with 47 points from 28 games, just ahead of Peterborough United who have 46 points from 29.
In January, Posh turned back to former manager Darren Ferguson in a bid to reignite their stuttering promotion bid.
But, while he has failed so far to nail down any consistency, his teams have been involved in some recent thrillers with 34 goals scored at either end in his first seven games.
This included a 4-4 draw at home against Southampton in a match featuring four penalties, two for each side.
Saints took a 2-0 lead through Richard Chaplow and Lambert's first penalty before Posh hit back with two goals in six minutes before half time through Craig Mackail-Smith and Chris Whelpdale.
Within five minutes of the restart, though, Southampton had restored their two-goal lead at 4-2 as Lambert converted his second spot-kick and Dean Hammond slotted home.
But, the two-goal advantage was only held for five minutes before Grant McCann scored the third penalty of the match to make it 4-3.
Southampton looked set to hold on for a vital win in the promotion chase until Lee Tomlin kept his cool to convert the game's fourth penalty in the 93rd minute.
Outside of the top six, there is still plenty of interest in the playoff spots with Oldham Athletic, Milton Keynes Dons, the hugely impressive Rochdale and Leyton Orient all within a win of a top-six spot.
Orient, who have been caught up in the West Ham-Tottenham Olympic Stadium saga, are having much more fun on the pitch with an unbeaten home run stretching back to September.
The Os most recent success at Brisbane Road was an easy 4-1 win against Bristol Rovers who have tumbled to the bottom of the division after five successive defeats.
Indeed, Dave Penney's Pirates have won just once in 18 league games since mid-October, meaning they have only 27 points from 30 games, six adrift of safety.
However, Rovers are not the only West Country club having a tough time of it in the division this season - Plymouth Argyle, Yeovil Town and Swindon Town are all at the wrong end of the table.
Like Bristol Rovers, Plymouth have lost their last five league games, though looking back further, it is even worse for the Devon club with eight defeats in their last nine.
Plymouth are two points above the relegation places with 33 points from 31 matches, level with Yeovil who have one game in hand.
The Glovers' encouraging run of form of just one defeat in December and January has dramatically ground to a halt after three successive defeats.
But it is Swindon who fill the last relegation spot after their 2-1 defeat at Colchester United left them with 31 points from 31 games and only three points from their last 27 available.
The other two clubs in the relegation zone are Walsall and Dagenham & Redbridge who met on Tuesday at the Bescot Stadium with the result being a 1-0 home win to Walsall.
That should not come as too much of a surprise as the Saddlers have been steadily improving since the New Year with three wins, two draws and a defeat in their last six league games.
Having said that, Dagenham have also had some encouraging recent wins away at Hartlepool and at home against Brentford and Yeovil.
Those results have left John Still's men just five points shy of the safety mark with two or three games in hand on all the teams around them.
The Daggers, in only their fourth season in the Football League, may yet pull off a surprise by staying in the third flight.
League Two
Table
CHESTERFIELD hold a five-point lead and look set to continue their five-month long occupancy at the top of League Two.
But the Spireites have started to wobble after a series of stalemates, the latest of which came in a 1-1 draw against Bury at Gigg Lane.
Craig Davies gave Chesterfield a first-half lead but John Sheridan's men made it five matches without a win after Ryan Lowe equalised for the Shakers straight after the restart.
It is still not as if the leaders are being reeled in, though.
Of all the teams behind them, only second placed Shrewsbury Town are in particularly good form, and Chesterfield are still five points ahead with a game in hand.
The Shrews won just once in December and January to slip to seventh but four successive wins over Burton Albion, Southend United, Lincoln City and Stevenage have taken them to 51 points from 31 games.
None of the rest of the top seven can match that form with Rotherham United, in third on 50 points, having won their last three home games but lost their last five away.
Fourth-placed Wycombe Wanderers are also on 50 points but with two games in hand on the Millers. However, the Chairboys have taken just a single point from their last three matches.
Bury, in fifth on 47 points, sum up the division well by going from a defeat at struggling Stockport County to gaining that credible draw against Chesterfield.
Draws have also been an issue for Gillingham who have had three in their last four games - although a playoff place is much preferable for Gills fans than their early season form.
But seventh-placed Port Vale, on 45 points, are in danger of doing backwards having recorded just one win and six points in their last seven games.
The failings of the teams currently in playoff places and the improved form of some mid-table sides has unsurprisingly had a concertina effect on the table.
Now, even 11th-placed Southend United are within striking distance of a playoff spot. The Shrimpers have won their last four away games to put themselves within one good win of seventh place.
At first glance, the bottom of the table looks just as intriguing as the bottom four are separated by three points.
However, the two relegation spots are already filled by the two teams - Barnet and Stockport - who have played more games than any of the others.
Barnet are bottom with just 26 points from 30 games and, with only one win in their last 10 league matches, it does not like turning around for the Bees any time soon.
Stockport are second-bottom with 28 points from 31 games and a horrendous goal difference of -36, having conceded 69 goals.
But at least the Hatters managed on Tuesday to bring an end to a devastating run of just two points out of 27 with a 2-1 win over Bury.
Goals from debutant Matt Paterson and Antony Elding gave Stockport their first win at Edgeley Park since October, and perhaps a little hope for the rest of the season.
At this stage, though, it looks as if the likes of Burton Albion and Macclesfield Town will survive simply due to the weaknesses of Barnet and Stockport.
FA Cup
Delayed Fourth Round replays
Saturday 19 February:
Chelsea 1-1 Everton (12:30, ESPN). Everton won 4-3 on penalties.
Sunday 20 February:
Manchester City 5-0 Notts County (14:00, ITV1)
Fifth Round
Saturday 19 Februrary:
Birmingham City 3-0 Sheffield Wednesday
Manchester United 1-0 Crawley Town (17:15, ITV1)
Stoke City 3-0 Brighton & Hove Albion
Sunday 20 February:
Fulham 0-1 Bolton Wanderers
Leyton Orient 1-1 Arsenal (16:30, ESPN)
Monday 21 February:
West Ham United 5-1 Burnley (20:00, ESPN)
Tuesday 1 March:
Everton 0-1 Reading (19:30)
Wednesday 2 March:
Arsenal 5-0 Leyton Orient (replay)
Manchester City 3-0 Aston Villa
Sixth Round Draw Ties played on weeekend of 12-13 March
Stoke City v West Ham United
Manchester City v Reading
Birmingham City v Bolton Wanderers
Manchester United v Arsenal
Friday, 11 February 2011
Best foot forward
THE GREAT North Run is a massive annual event on the North East calendar - and I don't just mean on the sporting calendar.
In fact, the race from Newcastle to South Shields attracts over 50,000 entries and hours of BBC coverage, making it the world's most iconic half marathon.
This year, two days before my 28th birthday, I should be taking my place on the start line (or some way behind it) with thousands of others.
Yes, I have been 'fortunate' enough to be selected in the general ballot - but, already, part of me is absolutely petrified of what I have let myself in for.
Like many novice entrants into the Great North Run, I have never run 13.1 miles in my life - and I suspect I will never again do so after September.
For the record, the furthest I have officially run was 5.7 miles in the 2004 Blaydon Race but that was now more than six-and-a-half years ago.
Indeed, my last attempt at a proper run was last year's Sport Relief Mile in Gateshead's Saltwell Park when I just about collapsed over the line having been drinking until 3am that morning.
That was over just one measly mile and, though the late night undoubtedly did not help, it was still an embarrassing indictment of my fitness.
Since then, the poor state of my cardio has been playing on my mind hence the rather rash entry into the Great North Run.
But, having paid my entry fee and gained a place, it seems wrong to waste the chance of ticking off one of the things I have always wanted to do in my life.
In preparation, I plan to train up for and re-enter this year's Blaydon Race (now 5.9 miles) on 9th June, Geordie Day.
However, most of my Great North Run training will be made in the 12 weeks after the usual indulgences of the Glastonbury Festival.
Yes, once again, I will be making the annual pilgrimage at the end of June to Michael Eavis' Worthy Farm in Somerset to see - among other things - Beyonce Knowles shake her booty.
The July to September plan is probably leaving myself short of doing justice to the run to South Shields.
But, like my mum and my sister in 2009, and countless others before and since, I will more than likely just be happy to finish having picked up my fitness a little.
A moment of madness to be regretted or a great chance for personal achievement?
I suppose all will be revealed on Sunday 18th September.
In fact, the race from Newcastle to South Shields attracts over 50,000 entries and hours of BBC coverage, making it the world's most iconic half marathon.
This year, two days before my 28th birthday, I should be taking my place on the start line (or some way behind it) with thousands of others.
Yes, I have been 'fortunate' enough to be selected in the general ballot - but, already, part of me is absolutely petrified of what I have let myself in for.
Like many novice entrants into the Great North Run, I have never run 13.1 miles in my life - and I suspect I will never again do so after September.
For the record, the furthest I have officially run was 5.7 miles in the 2004 Blaydon Race but that was now more than six-and-a-half years ago.
Indeed, my last attempt at a proper run was last year's Sport Relief Mile in Gateshead's Saltwell Park when I just about collapsed over the line having been drinking until 3am that morning.
That was over just one measly mile and, though the late night undoubtedly did not help, it was still an embarrassing indictment of my fitness.
Since then, the poor state of my cardio has been playing on my mind hence the rather rash entry into the Great North Run.
But, having paid my entry fee and gained a place, it seems wrong to waste the chance of ticking off one of the things I have always wanted to do in my life.
In preparation, I plan to train up for and re-enter this year's Blaydon Race (now 5.9 miles) on 9th June, Geordie Day.
However, most of my Great North Run training will be made in the 12 weeks after the usual indulgences of the Glastonbury Festival.
Yes, once again, I will be making the annual pilgrimage at the end of June to Michael Eavis' Worthy Farm in Somerset to see - among other things - Beyonce Knowles shake her booty.
The July to September plan is probably leaving myself short of doing justice to the run to South Shields.
But, like my mum and my sister in 2009, and countless others before and since, I will more than likely just be happy to finish having picked up my fitness a little.
A moment of madness to be regretted or a great chance for personal achievement?
I suppose all will be revealed on Sunday 18th September.
Saturday, 5 February 2011
Australia win the One-Dayers. No one notices.
AUSTRALIA regained a sense of pride with a 6-1 thrashing of injury-hit England in the One Day International series.
But, outside of Australia, the truth is that no one really cares.
Ask an England cricket fan to reflect on the 2010-11 tour of Down Under and all he or she will recall is the comprehensive retention of the Ashes.
In fairness, it was always going to be difficult to get excited for a stupidly drawn out seven-match ODI series after three momentous innings wins in the Tests.
And so it proved - with even England coach Andy Flower and captain Andrew Strauss understandably bemoaning the length and structure of this tour.
Indeed, Flower has - again quite understandably - requested greater input into the schedule of future tours, presumably to ensure there are no further three-month long hauls.
After all, the quality of the cricket and the well-being of the players should be paramount.
Certainly, both factors should be put ahead of forcing another money-spinning limited overs match into the timetable.
Instead, England have struggled to provide much in the way of a contest amid an injury crisis which has ripped through the bowling attack.
Having already lost Stuart Broad in the second Test, the tourists have since lost Tim Bresnan, Ajmal Shahzad, Chris Tremlett and Paul Collingwood during this series.
But, while England's injury problems have undoubtedly had an effect on the team's form, it would be unfair not to credit Australia from bouncing back from a devastating first home Ashes series defeat in 24 years.
After one tight Twenty20 International victory each, during which time England set a record for eight successive wins in the format, the Aussie comeback began in Melbourne.
England actually opened the 50-over series well with the bat as Andrew Strauss struck 63 and Kevin Pietersen 78 in a score of 294, their then-highest ever total in ODIs in Australia.
But Shane Watson, who has become famed for failing to convert half-centuries to three figures in Tests, hit a magnificent 161 off 150 balls as the Aussies won with five balls to spare.
The second ODI in Hobart looked to be going England's way after they won the toss and reduced Australia to 33-4 and 142-8.
Shaun Marsh had other ideas, though, and he scored 110 runs, assisted by Doug Bollinger's 30 as the Aussies reached 230.
England, perhaps losing heart after failing to bowl Australia out more cheaply, then collapsed themselves to 184 all out. Jonathan Trott and Ian Bell shared the top individual score of 32.
Two days later, Australia went 3-0 up in Sydney with a more straightforward win. England won the toss but could only make 214 and that was largely thanks to Trott's unbeaten 84.
The Aussies got over the line with four wickets and four overs to spare after Brad Haddin's 54 and David Hussey's 68 not out.
In the fourth ODI, England finally returned to form to reset the record for their highest score in Australia again, hitting 299-8 after Trott excelled again, scoring 102.
The Aussies always looked like coming up short despite an unbeaten last stand between Steve Smith (46) and Brett Lee (39) which added 77 runs to take the hosts to 278-7.
But Australia then won the series in the fifth match at Brisbane, beating England by 51 runs to go 4-1 up.
Despite the hosts wrapping up the series prematurely, Chris Woakes became only the second Englishman to take six wickets in an ODI, ending with figures of 6-46.
However, the England batsmen could not match Woakes' heroics as they collapsed to 22-3 and eventually 198 all out in reply to the Aussies' 249.
There were still two dead rubbers to play and Australia won both - though the victories were contrasting, to say the least.
To England's great credit, they made their third score of more than 290 as Trott scored his second century of the series with 137 from 126 balls.
Indeed, the tourists' total of 333-6 is England's highest ever 50-over innings score against Australia at any venue.
But the Aussies stunned England by chasing down the total with two wickets and four balls to spare despite not having a centurion in their innings.
Captain Michael Clarke hit the top score of 82 but Australia batted right down the order with opener Watson scoring 51, Mitchell Johnson 57 and further support from Callum Ferguson (46) and Hussey (38).
Already 5-1 down, it came as no surprise when what was left of the England team fell well short in the final match in Perth.
Adam Voges hit an unbeaten 80 in Australia's 279 and, after losing both their openers Strauss and Steven Davies for ducks, England eventually made just 222.
Despite the heavy defeat in the One-Dayers, Strauss and his men can still be proud of their achievements on this tour: a thumping Ashes series win, a record for successive Twenty20 wins and three big scores in the ODIs.
Nevertheless, the ODI series was still comprehensively lost and England now face a race against time to get their players back fit and in form for the World Cup.
That limited overs tournament begins in less than two weeks with England pitted against India, South Africa, West Indies, Bangladesh, Ireland and Netherlands in Group B.
Looking for a fourth successive win, Australia are in Group A alongside Sri Lanka, Pakistan, New Zealand, Kenya, Canada and Zimbabwe.
And having been down in the dumps in early January after their Ashes defeat, the Aussies could not have wished for more momentum going into the World Cup.
Their Test line-up may still be full of holes but, in limited overs cricket, Australia under Clarke have looked near to being back to their ominous best.
IN FULL: ENGLAND TOUR OF AUSTRALIA
The Ashes
England won the series 3-1
Brisbane England 260 & 517-1dec drew with Australia 481 & 107-1 Scorecard Match Report
Adelaide England 620-5dec beat Australia 245 & 304 by an innings and 71 runs Scorecard Match Report
Perth Australia 268 & 309 beat England 187 & 123 by 267 runs Scorecard Match Report
Melbourne England 513 beat Australia 98 & 258 by an innings and 157 runs Scorecard Match Report
Sydney England 644 beat Australia 280 & 281 by an innings and 83 runs Scorecard Match Report
Twenty20 series
Series drawn 1-1
Adelaide (12 Jan) England 158-9 beat Australia 157-4 by one wicket Scorecard
Melbourne (14 Jan) Australia 147-7 beat England 143-6 by four runs Scorecard
One-Day Internationals
Australia won the series 6-1
1 Melbourne (16 Jan) Australia 297-4 beat England 294 by six wickets Scorecard
2 Hobart (21 Jan) Australia 230 beat England 184 by 46 runs Scorecard
3 Sydney (23 Jan) Australia 215-6 beat England 214 by four wickets Scorecard
4 Adelaide (26 Jan) England 299-8 beat Australia 278-7 by 21 runs Scorecard
5 Brisbane (30 Jan) Australia 249 beat England 198 by 51 runs Scorecard
6 Sydney (2 Feb) Australia 334-8 beat England 333-6 by two wickets Scorecard
7 Perth (6 Feb) Australia 279-7 beat England 222 by 57 runs Scorecard
Other tour matches
5-7 Nov England 223-8dec & 243-4dec beat Western Australia 242-8dec & 223 by six wickets Scorecard
11-13 Nov England 288-8dec & 240-1dec drew with South Australia 221 & 48-2 Scorecard
17-20 Nov England 523 & 11-0 beat Australia A 230 & 301 by 10 wickets Scorecard
10-12 Dec Victoria 216-2dec & 278-6dec drew with England 184-2dec & 211-6 Scorecard
10 Jan England 225-3 beat Prime Minister's XI 254-9 by seven wickets (D/L method) Scorecard
But, outside of Australia, the truth is that no one really cares.
Ask an England cricket fan to reflect on the 2010-11 tour of Down Under and all he or she will recall is the comprehensive retention of the Ashes.
In fairness, it was always going to be difficult to get excited for a stupidly drawn out seven-match ODI series after three momentous innings wins in the Tests.
And so it proved - with even England coach Andy Flower and captain Andrew Strauss understandably bemoaning the length and structure of this tour.
Indeed, Flower has - again quite understandably - requested greater input into the schedule of future tours, presumably to ensure there are no further three-month long hauls.
After all, the quality of the cricket and the well-being of the players should be paramount.
Certainly, both factors should be put ahead of forcing another money-spinning limited overs match into the timetable.
Instead, England have struggled to provide much in the way of a contest amid an injury crisis which has ripped through the bowling attack.
Having already lost Stuart Broad in the second Test, the tourists have since lost Tim Bresnan, Ajmal Shahzad, Chris Tremlett and Paul Collingwood during this series.
But, while England's injury problems have undoubtedly had an effect on the team's form, it would be unfair not to credit Australia from bouncing back from a devastating first home Ashes series defeat in 24 years.
After one tight Twenty20 International victory each, during which time England set a record for eight successive wins in the format, the Aussie comeback began in Melbourne.
England actually opened the 50-over series well with the bat as Andrew Strauss struck 63 and Kevin Pietersen 78 in a score of 294, their then-highest ever total in ODIs in Australia.
But Shane Watson, who has become famed for failing to convert half-centuries to three figures in Tests, hit a magnificent 161 off 150 balls as the Aussies won with five balls to spare.
The second ODI in Hobart looked to be going England's way after they won the toss and reduced Australia to 33-4 and 142-8.
Shaun Marsh had other ideas, though, and he scored 110 runs, assisted by Doug Bollinger's 30 as the Aussies reached 230.
England, perhaps losing heart after failing to bowl Australia out more cheaply, then collapsed themselves to 184 all out. Jonathan Trott and Ian Bell shared the top individual score of 32.
Two days later, Australia went 3-0 up in Sydney with a more straightforward win. England won the toss but could only make 214 and that was largely thanks to Trott's unbeaten 84.
The Aussies got over the line with four wickets and four overs to spare after Brad Haddin's 54 and David Hussey's 68 not out.
In the fourth ODI, England finally returned to form to reset the record for their highest score in Australia again, hitting 299-8 after Trott excelled again, scoring 102.
The Aussies always looked like coming up short despite an unbeaten last stand between Steve Smith (46) and Brett Lee (39) which added 77 runs to take the hosts to 278-7.
But Australia then won the series in the fifth match at Brisbane, beating England by 51 runs to go 4-1 up.
Despite the hosts wrapping up the series prematurely, Chris Woakes became only the second Englishman to take six wickets in an ODI, ending with figures of 6-46.
However, the England batsmen could not match Woakes' heroics as they collapsed to 22-3 and eventually 198 all out in reply to the Aussies' 249.
There were still two dead rubbers to play and Australia won both - though the victories were contrasting, to say the least.
To England's great credit, they made their third score of more than 290 as Trott scored his second century of the series with 137 from 126 balls.
Indeed, the tourists' total of 333-6 is England's highest ever 50-over innings score against Australia at any venue.
But the Aussies stunned England by chasing down the total with two wickets and four balls to spare despite not having a centurion in their innings.
Captain Michael Clarke hit the top score of 82 but Australia batted right down the order with opener Watson scoring 51, Mitchell Johnson 57 and further support from Callum Ferguson (46) and Hussey (38).
Already 5-1 down, it came as no surprise when what was left of the England team fell well short in the final match in Perth.
Adam Voges hit an unbeaten 80 in Australia's 279 and, after losing both their openers Strauss and Steven Davies for ducks, England eventually made just 222.
Despite the heavy defeat in the One-Dayers, Strauss and his men can still be proud of their achievements on this tour: a thumping Ashes series win, a record for successive Twenty20 wins and three big scores in the ODIs.
Nevertheless, the ODI series was still comprehensively lost and England now face a race against time to get their players back fit and in form for the World Cup.
That limited overs tournament begins in less than two weeks with England pitted against India, South Africa, West Indies, Bangladesh, Ireland and Netherlands in Group B.
Looking for a fourth successive win, Australia are in Group A alongside Sri Lanka, Pakistan, New Zealand, Kenya, Canada and Zimbabwe.
And having been down in the dumps in early January after their Ashes defeat, the Aussies could not have wished for more momentum going into the World Cup.
Their Test line-up may still be full of holes but, in limited overs cricket, Australia under Clarke have looked near to being back to their ominous best.
IN FULL: ENGLAND TOUR OF AUSTRALIA
The Ashes
England won the series 3-1
Brisbane England 260 & 517-1dec drew with Australia 481 & 107-1 Scorecard Match Report
Adelaide England 620-5dec beat Australia 245 & 304 by an innings and 71 runs Scorecard Match Report
Perth Australia 268 & 309 beat England 187 & 123 by 267 runs Scorecard Match Report
Melbourne England 513 beat Australia 98 & 258 by an innings and 157 runs Scorecard Match Report
Sydney England 644 beat Australia 280 & 281 by an innings and 83 runs Scorecard Match Report
Twenty20 series
Series drawn 1-1
Adelaide (12 Jan) England 158-9 beat Australia 157-4 by one wicket Scorecard
Melbourne (14 Jan) Australia 147-7 beat England 143-6 by four runs Scorecard
One-Day Internationals
Australia won the series 6-1
1 Melbourne (16 Jan) Australia 297-4 beat England 294 by six wickets Scorecard
2 Hobart (21 Jan) Australia 230 beat England 184 by 46 runs Scorecard
3 Sydney (23 Jan) Australia 215-6 beat England 214 by four wickets Scorecard
4 Adelaide (26 Jan) England 299-8 beat Australia 278-7 by 21 runs Scorecard
5 Brisbane (30 Jan) Australia 249 beat England 198 by 51 runs Scorecard
6 Sydney (2 Feb) Australia 334-8 beat England 333-6 by two wickets Scorecard
7 Perth (6 Feb) Australia 279-7 beat England 222 by 57 runs Scorecard
Other tour matches
5-7 Nov England 223-8dec & 243-4dec beat Western Australia 242-8dec & 223 by six wickets Scorecard
11-13 Nov England 288-8dec & 240-1dec drew with South Australia 221 & 48-2 Scorecard
17-20 Nov England 523 & 11-0 beat Australia A 230 & 301 by 10 wickets Scorecard
10-12 Dec Victoria 216-2dec & 278-6dec drew with England 184-2dec & 211-6 Scorecard
10 Jan England 225-3 beat Prime Minister's XI 254-9 by seven wickets (D/L method) Scorecard
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