Showing posts with label ICC CWC. Show all posts
Showing posts with label ICC CWC. Show all posts

ICC CWC: Tour Diary from Ahmedabad

Well done ICC: Too often in the past, international cricket matches in India have been besieged with the problem of fake ticketing. So much so, that many a times even genuine ticket-holders are deprived entry in the stadium. But in ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, the world governing body has ensured that this problem is eradicated. All tickets are bar-coded and one can enter the ground only after a scanner reads it. Thus genuine ticket-holders during this mega-event need not worry. The BCCI will do well to emulate this system.

Energetic crowd:
There were some doubts as to whether the Australia vs Zimbabwe clash in Ahmedabad will get any response at all. Despite these worries, there was a decent crowd of around 10,000 at the ground. This may be a non-India game but the energy levels amongst those present were quite high. The DJ deserved a pat on the back for keeping the energy levels going, as he played out popular Hindi are English songs in-between overs or at the fall of a wicket. Needless to say, that a majority of people were supporting underdogs Zimbabwe.

Beverage stalls in high demand:
The middle of February is generally the onset of summer in certain parts of India. Sitting under the sun and watching a match can often be an arduous task. No wonder then, that the staff at the beverage stalls in the stadium were kept busy throughout the day. Spectators could be seen queuing up at the stalls to quench their thirst. Thankfully, there were enough stalls to cater to this rush.

Excellent media-facilities:
The press box facilities at the Sardar Patel Stadium in Motera, Ahmedabad are top-notch. The Gujarat Cricket Association has ensured that every minute need of journalists are looked after. Right from providing daily ICC news bulletins to providing everyone with a Duckworth-Lewis par score sheet, no aspect was been ignored. Seven television sets were also there to ensure that you can catch up on all the action just in case you missed it LIVE.

ICC World Cup 2011-Prediction For India

India goes into this tournament as favorite and with good reason. The side possesses quality throughout and there is no shortage of experience and exuberance. With the side playing most of its fixtures in front of lively home crowds, it could benefit from the mystical ‘12th man’ factor in the stands, too. Drawn in Group B With South Africa, England, West Indies, Bangladesh, Ireland and Netherlands, India has a real chance of winning the group and thus ensuring a more straightforward quarter final draw, perhaps against New Zealand. A game against Pakistan would be an awesome spectacle for home fans and neutrals alike, though.

Will Team India win again ?

With expectation, however, comes pressure. If India fails to perform early on in the tournament the partisan Indian crowds could turn on the side, resulting in the magnification of any cracks that appear. With the experience in the side this shouldn’t happen, but pressure and expectation can do funny things.

Ably led by MS Dhoni, India also has the luxury of players such as Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Singhs Harbhajan and Yuvraj and Zaheer Khan. Yusuf Pathan also possesses a destructive streak that can take games out of reach of the opposition and make the unwinnable winnable.

If India wins its group, it appears set to face Sri Lanka in the semis – no easy task, especially as the fixture would likely be in Colombo. The toss will be crucial as neither side would want to be batting under lights. That said, this India side, fresh from defeat in the ODI series in South Africa, will be confident of coping with any conditions and has the players to do so. This is an entirely different proposition to playing in South Africa. The prospect of a final in Mumbai will doubtless drive the side on. For us, this will be the winning team.

Key Player – Sachin Tendulkar. The Little Master sees the World Cup as being the trophy that would put the icing on the cake of his fine career. His very presence inspires those around him and he is a totemic figure in Indian cricket. If he fires, so will the Indian team. A final in his home city of Mumbai is the perfect inspiration for Tendulkar, if he needs any more inspiration, that is.

Strength – There is a lot in India’s favour; home crowds, explosive batting and canny bowlers. The side has good openers, a strong middle order and tight bowling in Khan and Harbhajan.

Weakness – For all the strength, India has a knack of losing of its way at crucial times. If the pressure mounts in front of expectant fans, some of the younger elements will need the experienced heads to see them through. If players like Sehwag and Tendulkar can be removed cheaply, India could be pulled apart.

Betting – 3/1. Favourites on merit, these are hardly tempting odds and there is perhaps better value elsewhere. Sehwag and Tendulkar are both 14/1 to top score in the tournament and India should be involved long enough to give them sufficient opportunity to fill their boots.

Agree with what we’ve got to say? How do you feel India will fare at the World Cup?

ICC World Cup 2011-Prediction For India

India goes into this tournament as favorite and with good reason. The side possesses quality throughout and there is no shortage of experience and exuberance. With the side playing most of its fixtures in front of lively home crowds, it could benefit from the mystical ‘12th man’ factor in the stands, too. Drawn in Group B With South Africa, England, West Indies, Bangladesh, Ireland and Netherlands, India has a real chance of winning the group and thus ensuring a more straightforward quarter final draw, perhaps against New Zealand. A game against Pakistan would be an awesome spectacle for home fans and neutrals alike, though.

Will Team India win again ?

With expectation, however, comes pressure. If India fails to perform early on in the tournament the partisan Indian crowds could turn on the side, resulting in the magnification of any cracks that appear. With the experience in the side this shouldn’t happen, but pressure and expectation can do funny things.

Ably led by MS Dhoni, India also has the luxury of players such as Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar, Singhs Harbhajan and Yuvraj and Zaheer Khan. Yusuf Pathan also possesses a destructive streak that can take games out of reach of the opposition and make the unwinnable winnable.

If India wins its group, it appears set to face Sri Lanka in the semis – no easy task, especially as the fixture would likely be in Colombo. The toss will be crucial as neither side would want to be batting under lights. That said, this India side, fresh from defeat in the ODI series in South Africa, will be confident of coping with any conditions and has the players to do so. This is an entirely different proposition to playing in South Africa. The prospect of a final in Mumbai will doubtless drive the side on. For us, this will be the winning team.

Key Player – Sachin Tendulkar. The Little Master sees the World Cup as being the trophy that would put the icing on the cake of his fine career. His very presence inspires those around him and he is a totemic figure in Indian cricket. If he fires, so will the Indian team. A final in his home city of Mumbai is the perfect inspiration for Tendulkar, if he needs any more inspiration, that is.

Strength – There is a lot in India’s favour; home crowds, explosive batting and canny bowlers. The side has good openers, a strong middle order and tight bowling in Khan and Harbhajan.

Weakness – For all the strength, India has a knack of losing of its way at crucial times. If the pressure mounts in front of expectant fans, some of the younger elements will need the experienced heads to see them through. If players like Sehwag and Tendulkar can be removed cheaply, India could be pulled apart.

Betting – 3/1. Favourites on merit, these are hardly tempting odds and there is perhaps better value elsewhere. Sehwag and Tendulkar are both 14/1 to top score in the tournament and India should be involved long enough to give them sufficient opportunity to fill their boots.

Agree with what we’ve got to say? How do you feel India will fare at the World Cup?

ICC Cricket World Cup 2011: Sreesanth replaces Praveen Kumar

INDIAN SPEEDSTER S. Sreesanth will replace injured Praveen Kumar in the Indian 15-member squad for the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. Praveen Kumar has been ruled out due to an injured elbow. BCCI secretary N. Srinivasan said in a statement that the International Cricket Council has confirmed that Praveen Kumar can be replaced in the squad by Sreesanth.

The 10th edition of the Cricket World Cup is scheduled to be played in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh from February 19 to April 2.

Praveen Kumar, who missed the India and South Africa one-day international series, underwent a fitness test at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore on Monday. The 24-year-old Indian pacer went to United Kingdom last week to consult with London-based surgeon, Dr. Andrew Wallace about his injured elbow. Praveen Kumar has been a regular with team India in ODIs  from last couple of years.

Sreesanth, who has played 51 one-day internationals since his debut in 2005, has taken 75 wickets with a best bowling spell of 6/55. Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra and Munaf Patel are the other fast bowlers in the Indian squad picked by the selectors for the world's biggest cricketing event ICC Cricket World Cup 2011.

ICC Cricket World Cup : 10 days to go…

With the world war of cricket sniffing distance away, here are some facts for the lovers of the sport
Sandeep Kumar Delhi

The world is readying to witness the biggest cricketing action as ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 unfolds in a fortnight. The 10th ICC World Cup will be the biggest world cup in the history as far as the number of participating teams is concerned. The 43 days event will jointly be hosted by three countries of the sub-continent, India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh.

This is the third time when the World Cup is being played in the Asian subcontinent. India is the only team which has been a host on all three occasion. Pakistan was also supposed to hold 14 matches of the forthcoming 2011 World cup but due to the 2009 attack on the Srilankan cricket team in Lahore, the ICC cancelled the holding rights of the neighbouring country.

The teams are divided into two groups with World Champion Australia, Sri Lanka, Pakistan New Zealand, Canada, Zimbabwe and Kenya in Group A. While co-hosts India, South Africa West Indies, England, Bangladesh, Ireland and Netherlands complete the other group. It would be an auspicious moment for Bangladesh as they will be hosting any world cup event for the first time.  The tournaments begins on February 19,  2010 when India and Bangladesh face will battle it out at the Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium in Mirpur, Dhaka.

Altogether 49 matches will be played on different stadia spread over three countries. The grand finale is slated for April 2, 2010 at the Wankhede stadium, Mumbai. Four time world champion Australia is again the hot favourite to take the trophy home. India, Sri Lanka and South Africa too are closing in the gap with a strong line-up. Australia won in 1987, 1999, 2003 and 2007. West Indies won in 1975 (the first World Cup) and 1979. India won the World Cup in 1983, Pakistan in 1992 and Sri Lanka won in 1996

BIG FM partners ICC Cricket World Cup 2011

Mumbai : Cricket and Bollywood are synonymous with entertainment in India and with the World Cup fever around the corner, 92.7 BIG FM the radio arm of Reliance Broadcast Network Limited (RBNL) announces its association with ‘ICC Cricket World Cup 2011’ as the official radio partner. Starting from February 7th 2011 – April 4th 2011, 92.7 BIG FM will entertain its listeners with live cricket action across its 45 station network. This celebration of cricket will last through out the World Cup with live match updates, detailed match analysis, rewarding contests and more…

As part of its promotion, 92.7 BIG FM will engage and entertain its listeners with an innovative campaign called ‘Bollywood meets Cricket’; an action packed property that will offer listeners a chance to be part of their favourite Bollywood superstars team. This activity will see the celebrity-named teams fight against each other for the coveted title. Registered listeners from different teams will play against each other to answer 6 questions on their favourite superstar and the final winner will win goodies ranging from merchandise of the World Cup mascot, to movie tickets and world cup tickets etc.

During the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011, 92.7 BIG FM will introduce famous RJ and stand-up comedian Udham Singh, who in his inimitable signature style and humour will comment on the preparation of the team before every match along with pre and post match analysis. Prior to every match, the radio station will treat its listeners with Pitch Report, Astro Prediction, Weather Report, Team Profiles, etc. Famous cricket commentators like Arun Lal, Charu Sharma will also come on air to provide expert comments during the match and explain finer details on the World Cup 2011. Post the cricket match, the RJ will also share match summaries with names of the best bowler, best batsman and best fielder.

92.7 BIG FM will bring the cricketing action alive on-ground by playing Power Cricket in Tier I and Tier II cities. The players can participate for the on-ground activities by answering the right question of their favourite Bollywood superstar and can win on the spot movie tickets.

The radio station also has an excellent line up of activities guaranteeing the highest excitement levels with their Cricket Microsite where listeners can register, choose their favourite team and play the game of Bollywood ka World Cup online. The website will also host audio podcasts of Udham Singh’s interstitials, expert comments on the game, RJ links of the game played, et al.

The holistic promotions will be taken on mobile through SMS led games that allows listeners to undertake net practice, as well as members who have registered for the service can predict about players and their team. The registered members will also get daily updates via mailers and SMS. The radio station further take the activity to social networking sites like Facebook wherein people can add an exciting gaming application and send challenges to their friends who can either bet on a match or a player.

BIG Street, the Out of Home arm of Reliance Broadcast network Limited will add to the excitement by projecting online game on LED screens wherein people around the LED screens can also get a chance to play the innovative game. This activity will be taken to Delhi Metros through a flip book that will be brought alive through innovative use of back to back site of DMRC. The creative will be designed such that when the train moves in or out of the station, the passengers inside will get an impression that the cricket ball is moving from one side to the other.

92.7 BIG FM will ensure maximum reach through multiple touch points for the ICC World Cup 2011 and also provide a 360 degree approach by offering integrated solutions through its various media verticals including BIG Digital that will offer online and mobile solutions along with an effective campaign to assure this activity permeates into consumer’s lives and garner great success

Commenting on the development, Soumen Ghosh Choudhary, Business Head 92.7 BIG FM, commented, “We are excited to be associated with this prestigious cricketing event and this campaign sets a new benchmark for the offerings of 92.7 BIG FM to its listeners. With hectic schedules it becomes difficult for cricket fans to follow all the matches, 92.7 BIG FM will provide its -listeners near live updates, match analysis and all the action right from the cricket field so that they can follow the game on the go. We will offer the perfect blend of Bollywood and cricket and give a chance to our listeners to be a part of the World Cup while allowing them a chance for excellent gratification too.”

Bangladesh names Shakib as ICC World Cup skipper

Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) also named opening batsman Tamim Iqbal as vice-captain of the team, which will face India in Dhaka on its first match Feb 19.

'The board wishes the two leading lights of Bangladesh cricket a very successful New Year and hopes their partnership would inspire the team to greater heights,' a BCB statement said.

The name of the full squad will be announced shortly.

Bangladesh is co-hosting the tournament with India and Sri Lanka. It will host the inauguration of the tourney Feb 17 at Bangabandhu National Stadium beside eight matches in Dhaka and Chittagong.

ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 to see 50 per cent increase in ad rate over last season

ESS lines up special Hindi feed for select matches, HD production and live match coverage through 3G mobile streaming for ICC Cricket World Cup 2011. With the 2011 edition of the ICC Cricket World Cup taking place in India, the TV ad rates for the game have gone up by at least 50 per cent over what it had commanded in its last season. An increase in television viewership fragmentation and the year-on-year inflation in media ad rates (approximately 12 per cent in print and TV) are the influencers that have caused the augmentation in the pricing, media pundits state.

A top media executive says on conditions of anonymity, "The channel is commanding Rs 4-5 lakh per 10 seconds, while the sponsors are paying about Rs 3.5 lakh. This is a large increase over what the tournament had witnessed in the last season." For the record, ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 was the ninth edition of the tournament and took place in the West Indies on March 13-April 28, 2007. SET Max was the official broadcaster in India. On the viewership front, ESPN-STAR Sports (ESS), the official broadcaster, has already syndicated the rights of the tournament to more than 200 territories so far, in a bid to reach out to at least a billion viewers.

In India, media observers believe that if India continues to remain in its current fine form, thereby increasing the audience expectations about winning the World Cup, the viewership of the tournament could bring in as much eyeballs as the peak viewership figures of the last IPL. Additionally, ESS has also lined up mega plans for the ICC Cricket World Cup in a bid to present it in an entertaining and engaging manner to garner maximum viewership.

Shot in high definition (HD) format, the 2011 edition of the tournament will introduce live match coverage by 3G mobile streaming in India. The matches will be covered by 27 cameras, including innovative features such as movable slip cameras and new low 45 degree field cameras. The production will also have a mid-wicket camera position for live running between wickets.

Manu Sawhney, managing director, ESPN-STAR Sports, states in an official communiqué, "At ESPN-STAR Sports, we are launching many first of its kind initiatives during this edition, including a special Hindi feed for select matches, HD production and live match coverage through 3G mobile streaming." Meanwhile, ESS' bouquet of networks, including ESPN-STAR Sports and STAR Cricket, will telecast all the 49 matches of the ICC World Cup 2011, starting February 19, 2011. In addition, 37 matches will be simultaneously telecast in Hindi on STAR Sports.

With an eye to reach out to a billion viewers, ESS has already syndicated the rights of the tournament to more than 200 territories so far. Sawhney says, "In India, we have had a very positive response for this marquee property as advertisers fully realise the significance of the event and its traction amongst fans in the subcontinent. Sponsors such as Sony, Pepsi, Maruti Suzuki, CEAT, Phillips, Nokia and others have already come on board and we are in discussions with many others." On the marketing front, ESPN-STAR Sports is working closely with ICC for the creative execution and media implementation of the communication campaign, 'The Cup That Counts'.

"The high decibel 360 degree campaign involves key players from the three host nations and will be breaking in Indian media very soon," Sawhney says. As far as programming is concerned, the channel has lined up 2500 hours of lead up programming and 150 hours of original content, in addition to the highlights package. The lead up programming will come under various titles, including 'Versus', 'World Cup Upsets', 'Epic Encounters', 'Advantage Australia', 'Gameplan' and 'Road to the Final'. ESS is also showcasing highlights of all the earlier editions of the World Cup ('75, '79, '83, '87, '92, '96, '99, 2003 and 2007).

Also, the production effort will see ESPN-STAR Sports deploying six OB units - one each in Sri Lanka and Bangladesh and four in India - with a production crew of more than 350 on board. The production task will involve taking more than 2000 domestic flights, along with 350 international ones. More than 13,000 room nights will be consumed by the sports broadcaster's crew while covering the mega event.

ICC Cricket World Cup history recorded in definitive television series

The ICC Cricket World Cup (ICC CWC), the game's flagship tournament, now has a definitive visual history thanks to a new series of 12 television programmes.

The programmes produced by ESPN STAR Sports, the ICC's global production and broadcast partner, looks back at the event's rich history through stories told by the players who experienced the highs and the lows. This audio-visual history beautifully captures the precious moments that will stand the test of time.

They feature extensive interviews with all seven ICC CWC-winning captains - Clive Lloyd, Kapil Dev, Allan Border, Imran Khan, Arjuna Ranatunga, Stephen Waugh and Ricky Ponting.

And they also include the views of some other pivotal figures from each tournament, including Sachin Tendulkar, Shane Warne, Ian Botham, Mike Gatting, Wasim Akram, Sanath Jayasuriya, Martin Crowe and Brett Lee.

Broadcast by ESPN STAR Sports and other official ICC broadcasters, they are the perfect lead-in for cricket fans ahead of next year's ICC CWC in India, Bangladesh and Sri Lanka that begins on 19 February.

The programmes chart the evolution of the ICC CWC from humble beginnings in 1975 through to its current status as The Cup That Counts.

Each of the nine previous tournaments are recalled and analysed, and the seven victorious captains also have a programme devoted to their own personal recollections of achieving the ultimate honour in the game - lifting the ICC Cricket World Cup.

ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat said: "The ICC Cricket World Cup is cricket's flagship tournament - it's The Cup That Counts - so we are delighted that, for the first time, a definitive series of programmes charting its history has been produced.

"The programmes feature the key players from the first nine editions dating back to the inaugural event in 1975 and will serve as the essential historical record of the ICC Cricket World Cup. The timing of its release is also a perfect lead in to the 2011 tournament.

"It is a must-watch television show, not only for those who love and watch the game but also for those who have no real knowledge of our great sport. The programmes capture vividly the fantastic national drama that only the ICC Cricket World Cup can produce.

"These documentaries are the best possible illustration of why the ICC Cricket World Cup is the biggest and best tournament in the game."

Manu Sawhney, ESPN STAR Sports Managing Director, said: "The ICC Cricket World Cup 2011 will draw massive interest from around the globe as cricket's flagship event, and this compelling cricket programming is a must watch for all cricket fans in the lead up to next year's showpiece event.

"As the global production and broadcast rights holder for ICC events, this documentary was produced to highlight the proud history and traditions of the Cricket World Cup in perspective to the upcoming blockbuster event next February, and we hope that cricket fans will enjoy every minute of it."

Imtiaz Patel, Group CEO of MultiChoice South Africa, one the ICC's official broadcasters for the ICC CWC, said: "The ICC Cricket World Cup is full of extraordinary feats, intense rivalries and gripping human drama, and we look forward to highlight the many personalities and teams that have made this stellar event so well celebrated around the world.

"SuperSport is delighted to be showing every match of the 2011 edition live to its subscribers and this additional content will complement the live transmissions superbly. With the extensive research and value put into the production of these documentaries, this cricket programming will certainly bolster the interest leading up to this remarkable global sports event."

In total, there are 12 programmes - two devoted to an overall history of the ICC CWC, a further nine on each edition of the tournament (1975, 1979, 1983, 1987, 1992, 1996, 1999, 2003 and 2007) and one in which the captains provide their memories of what it took to lift cricket's greatest prize.
 
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