April 26 : With the seventh edition of the World Cup less than three weeks away, there is an air of expectancy as well as noticeable tension. The media hype has in some ways made it into the biggest event as millenium draws to a close.But there is one big problem and that could be the fickle English weather, which may eventually, and regrettably, play the spoiltsport and ruin all calculations.The recently announced playing conditions have highlighted the various pitfalls that may confront the contenders, the most difficult to comprehend being the possibility of continuing a rain-affected match on the following day. The calculations of revised targets are complicated, and the playing conditions may be different on the second day. For example, a match starting on day one, on a cloudy and cold afternoon, with say frequent stops for rain, and reduced overs, could end up being continued on the second day in bright and brilliant, and possibly warmer conditions.This could have a bearing on whether the captain winning the toss on the first day should elect to bat, or take the risk to field. It is such thinking and planning, not to mention luck, which could separate the winners from the also rans.Also, for the first time in England, white English manufactured Duke balls are going to be used.These balls have a more pronounced seam than the Australian Kookaburra balls. Alfred Reader and Co. make these balls, and they are in the cricket ball manufacturing business for nearly 250 years, almost since the inception of the game. Yet the propensity for their make of the ball to swing prodigiously will test the top order batsmen, and maybe India, dependent on Sachin Tendulkar's skills as a master batsman, must consider whether to open with the maestro, or seek other options.The nervousness of the teams can be gauged by the lengths of their current injury lists. Key performers like Lara, Donald, McGrath, Shoaib Akhtar, Muralitharan and Jayasuriya to name a few are recovering from injuries sustained in recent months.That Sachin Tendulkar is back has made more fans optmistic, as he virtually carries the hopes of the nation on his shoulders. Agarkar, Ramesh and Azhar have had niggling injuries as well, while the over worked shoulders of Srinath and Prasad may be severly tested in the cold English climate.The South Africans seem to be the fittest team at present, and they have the replacements and standbyes to fill any eventuality.Coaches and captains, like in soccer, may be excused for seeking divine blessings, for a failure to deliver here may mean curtains for them.The team that does its planning meticulously, takes calculated risks and executes them successfully, and learns to adapt to the playing conditions will take the Cup, that cheers cricket fans across the globe. Top
