World Cup Notes

The poll set out to identify the greatest players of the past 20 years. Only cricketers who had been featured on the cover of Wisden cricket monthly were eligible to vote.

Praise for Sachin

LONDON: 8220;Tendulkar8217;s a gun. An absolute gun,8221; says Michael Atherton, captain of England till last year and one of that country8217;s top batsmen.

And, England8217;s opening bowler Angus Fraser thinks the Indian pace duo of Javagal Srinath and Venkatesh Prasad is as impressive as Australia8217;s top pacemen Glen McGrath and Jason Gillespie or South Africa8217;s Allan Donald and Shaun Pollock.

Australian captain Steve Waugh is quoted as saying that Tendulkar is 8220;easily the best batsman in the world8221; and he will 8220;sit second only to Bradman in the history books8221;.

Fraser considers Robin Singh8217;s fielding8220;top drawer8221;. 8220;He Robin Singh was magnificent in Sharjah 8212; almost in Jonty Rhodes class,8221; the paceman said.

Coin on Sachin

DUBAI: India8217;s ace cricketer Sachin Tendulkar has been honoured with the release of a special 24-carat gold Sachin Medallion in Dubai.

The quarter-ounce coin was issued as a limited edition ahead of the World Cup cricket beginning in England by the French bank Societe Generale with the support of the world gold council.

The coin, with Tendulkar8217;s profile on one side and a message 8220;support India 19998221; on the other, has already generated enthusiastic response, according to the retailers Damas Jewellery.

Thanks for axe8217;

LONDON: Shane Warne believes his sacking from the Australian Test team was the best thing that could have happened to him ahead of the World Cup.

Warne hasn8217;t looked back since, regaining form and confidence in time for Australia8217;s first match against Scotland at Worcester on Sunday.

Beware of weather

LONDON: Sri Lanka got atimely warning from their former coach not to underestimate World Cup hosts England on the eve of their tournament opener 8212; especially if the cold, wet weather continues.

Dave Whatmore, the man who led the Sri Lankans to the 1996 crown, said he thought Alec Stewart8217;s team, despite home doubts over their chances, had enough quality to go a long way in the event.

Power woes

DHAKA: Barring cricket miracles, Bangladesh have no chance of winning the World Cup but that will not stop young and old structuring their lives around the tournament.

This huge interest is worrying the nation8217;s power supply authorities who fear a violent backlash if transmission of the matches on television is disrupted by electricity failures.

8220;It has stolen my sleep,8221; said an official with the Dhaka electric supply authority DESA.