ICC Champions Trophy 2004/Pak one of the favourites.

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Playing Conditions confirmed for ICC Champions Trophy 2004

Mark Harrison - September 1, 2004

The ICC today confirmed details of the Playing Conditions that will apply for the ICC Champions Trophy 2004. These are based on the standard One Day International Playing Conditions used around the world, with the addition of a number of specific conditions for this tournament.

A simple point scoring system has been adopted for the group stage, which excludes the use of bonus points. Games that cannot be finished on the first day will continue on the reserve days allocated for all matches, and the decision to reduce overs because of weather interruptions will only apply to the reserve day.

Particular points of interest are:

Points scoring: 2 points for a win, 1 point for a tie or no result, 0 points for a loss. If runs are equal in both innings the result is a tie; no account will be taken of the number of wickets lost. There will be no bonus point system used in the ICC Champions Trophy

If teams are equal on points and wins, net run rate will be the next criterion for deciding which team is positioned higher at the end of the group stage, rather than based on who beat who

Reserve days: all group stage and finals matches will have a reserve day provision against bad weather. Any match interrupted by weather on the first day will continue on the reserve day (unlike the ICC Champions Trophy 2002 where a new match was started if no result was reached on the first day)

The Duckworth/Lewis system will be used to determine revised targets in the event of weather affected or reduced overs matches. A reduction in overs will only take place on the reserve day

Weather interrupted matches: a minimum of 20 overs per side must be completed to constitute a match. This is a new Playing Condition which reduces the minimum number of overs from the previous requirement of 25 overs per side. A bowler will be allowed to deliver a maximum of one fifth of the innings total, ie 4 overs in a 20 overs match.

Additional** crease markings **will be incorporated and used by umpires as a guideline to call wide deliveries on the off side (this is already standard practice for overseas series and tournaments)

Hours of play: All ICC Champions Trophy matches will be played as day games, beginning at 10.15 with a scheduled finishing time of 18.00 hours. 20 minutes extra time can be played on the first day

David Richardson, ICC General Manager-Cricket said: "These Playing Conditions are consistent with those used in most One Day International cricket, but with the agreement of participating countries we have made a number of changes to reflect the particular circumstances of this tournament. For example, the provision of reserve days will provide the best opportunity of completing all matches, which is particularly important in a short format event like this.

“By deciding against the use of bonus points there is clarity in the points scoring system, while** the new benchmark of 20 overs as the minimum number to constitute a match has already been trialled in England this summer. It will also be adopted for all ODI cricket around the world after the ICC Champions Trophy,” **added Mr Richardson.

ICC Champions Trophy 2004 umpires and referees appointed

Mark Harrison - August 30, 2004

The International Cricket Council (ICC) today confirmed the umpire and referee appointments for the 12 group matches at the ICC Champions Trophy beginning on 10 September.

Chris Broad, Clive Lloyd, Ranjan Madugalle and Mike Procter of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Referees will share referee duties over the group stage of the tournament.

All eight members of the Emirates Elite Panel of ICC Umpires will officiate on the field and as third umpires over the 12 preliminary matches.

The eight on-field umpires will be joined by Emirates International Panel of ICC Umpires Billy Doctrove and Jeremy Lloyds.

Umpires officiating at the ICC Champions Trophy 2004 will take part in a series of technology trials as the ICC continues its approach to understanding what role technology can play in aiding and improving umpire decision-making.

The two technological innovations involving umpires will see standing officials wired-up to TV stump microphones, and third umpires calling no balls. Umpires in seven of the 15 ICC Champions Trophy matches will wear an earpiece that picks up the audio from the stump microphone as the ball passes the batsman.

This trial will indicate whether the microphone’s position close to the action area will provide audible assistance to officials in cases which are sometimes difficult to pick up, such as thin nicks to the keeper or bat pad fielders.

The second innovation sees the responsibility of calling no balls in the ICC Champions Trophy passing to the third (or TV) umpire. He will use the two-way link provided by the earpiece to advise standing officials of any deliveries ruled as no balls.

The umpire and referee appointments for the 12 group matches follow. Appointments for the semi-finals and tournament final will be made at the end of the group stage.

**DATE MATCH VENUE REF ON-FIELD TV UMPIRE **
Fri 10 Sep England v Zimbabwe Edgbaston Madugalle Taufel Bucknor Bowden
New Zealand v USA The Oval Procter Doctrove Shepherd Hair
Sat 11 Sep India v Kenya Rose Bowl Lloyd Harper Koertzen Dar
Sun 12 Sep SA v Bangladesh Edgbaston Broad Lloyds Taufel Hair
Mon 13 Sep Australia v USA Rose Bowl Madugalle Bowden Dar Bucknor
**Tue 14 Sep Pakistan v Kenya Edgbaston Lloyd Hair Doctrove Koertzen **
SL v Zimbabwe The Oval Procter Harper Shepherd Taufel
Wed 15 Sep WI v Bangladesh Rose Bowl Broad Lloyds Dar Bowden
Thu 16 Sep Australia v NZ The Oval Madugalle Bucknor Koertzen Shepherd
Fri 17 Sep SL v England Rose Bowl Procter Bowden Hair Doctrove
Sat 18 Sep South Africa v WI The Oval Broad Lloyds Shepherd Harper
Sun 19 Sep India v Pakistan Edgbaston Lloyd Koertzen Taufel Bucknor

The ICC Champions Trophy 2004 begins in England on 10 September with two matches scheduled for the opening day. England begins its campaign to win cricket’s second major event when it hosts Zimbabwe at Edgbaston, while New Zealand plays the United States of America at The Oval. Play begins at 10.15 for all 15 matches in the tournament, with reserve days in place for all games.

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2 points for a win- No bonus points- Reserve days. Reduced minimum overs requirements. All sound cool :k: Hope ICC dont change those rules after this one tournament.

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yea, the fact that every match has its own reserved day, and there are no bonus points and mr. shepherd for Pakistan is a relief.

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no shepeherd :D

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:bhangra:

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Bob UK Update: Shabbir out, Azhar in for ICCT and more.

Here is the latest update on the team by Bob Woolmer on his website.

Hi everyone, well we have been fortunate with three great days to practice on the hallowed turf at Lords, I know it is always a debatable question as to where the home of cricket is, but for me Lord’s epitomizes why we follow this great game, walking through the long room is a history lesson in itself. One of my coaching heroes is CB Fry, who played for Sussex and England way back in the early 1900’s his book on batting (The Art of batsmanship) is the first book on batting techniques and I have to say that it is my “Cricketing Bible”!

**Well I have good news and bad news for you on this site. We have just learnt that Shabbir Ahmed, who has bowled so well in the last few games has a knee injury, a combination of a carteledge tear and bone bruising, it is an injury that will definitely rule him out of the ICC Champions trophy and he know has to go to a specialist for advice on his treatment, the likelihood is that he could be out of the game for considerable period if the immediate diagnosis is correct.

This is a considerable blow for us as he was settling in beautifully as the new ball bowler. The good news is that Azhar Mahmood will replace him and he is playing some excellent cricket with Surrey and knows the English conditions well. He joins us on Monday after the Surrey v Lancashire game finishes.**

The game against Australia on Saturday then will give a chance to a player currently sitting on the bench and I suspect we will replace a seam bowler with the like. While this game is important to us it will also be an opportunity for us to try one or two things and the result while always an important factor is not vital in the terms of the ICC trophy.
It was interesting to read Jonty Rhodes saying that in this tournament you have to come out firing from the word go.
On a much more serious note I hope we will all pray for those poor children stuck in the school in Russia, what a nightmare for them and their families.

It puts into perspective just how lucky we are to be able to play sport and enjoy it. The pitch at Lords looks excellent but as it is September the opening overs in the morning will test the batting team and the first two hours of the game will be crucial. I am also noticing how well England are playing against India. It just goes to show how quickly confidence comes and goes! ** I thought Yousouf’s run out in Sri Lanka was bad until I saw the Indian Captain and Saurav Ganguly charge into each other!**

FINALLY LAST BUT NOT LEAST I HAVE ASKED YASIR HAMEED TO COME ALONG AT 1700HRS (BST) SUNDAY 5TH SEPTEMBER TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS ON THE WEB SITE. IT WILL BE IN THE Q & A SECTION. HE WILL BE ON FOR ONE HOUR ON SUNDAY. IN THE FUTURE PLAYERS HAVE SAID THAT THEY WILL COME AND ANSWER QUESTIONS AND WE WILL TRY AND HAVE 1 PLAYER EVERY OTHER WEEK. I AM NOT PROMISING BUT I WILL TRY.

Shabbir Ahmed is really a big blow to Pakistan bowling as he has been bowling superbly in the last 5-6 games. But hopefully Azhar's experience will come handy.

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I have to say this. “oh $hit, now Shabbir is out”, now we are back to square one in bowling, same old crappy bowling Shoaib, Sami, Azhar, Razzaq. The reason “crappy” is that all of them are occasional shiner, and when its not their “occasion” (which is more than not) they just throw the ball eyes closed.

and instead of trying out other bowlers this Babloo is trying the same “experience” thing :smack: I thought he was smart.

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finally they brought back azhar mahmood :)

well what i have noticed about PCB is that whenever they wanna drop a player they will make up a story about his injury so lets wait and see if there is any truth in this one.......

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Azhar is the RIGHT choice considering where the games are being played.

So Rana will get another chance to impress tomorrow. :)

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[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by hello143: *
Azhar is the RIGHT choice considering where the games are being played.

So Rana will get another chance to impress tomorrow. :)
[/QUOTE]

brother, he was the right choice before NATWEST series last year, but tell me about his achievement, that is if there is any :)

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^ I don't know what he has done and what he has not last year.

I know his bowling is not the same as Shabbir but what other options do we have now ? Umar Gul is injured and it won't be a good idea to try any inexperience bowler at this stage so Azhar is the only choice we have now, infact he is bowling really well currently in England.

But i still say too many allrounders in the team is not a good idea.

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Let the games begin](http://uk.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/CRICKET_NEWS/2004/SEP/039518_ICCCT2004_07SEP2004.html)

The Greeks would sympathise. There has been something Athenian about the doubts and delays that have dogged England’s preparation for the ICC Champions Trophy, which gets underway at Edgbaston and The Oval on Friday. While the Zimbabwe crisis was raging, there was a genuine threat that the tournament would be whisked away to India, and as for the venues – neither The Oval, which is midway through its long-overdue facelift, nor the Rose Bowl, with its recently laid pitches, looked as if they could possibly be ready for such a high-profile event.

Factor in all those other peripheral matters, such as the wisdom of staging such a jamboree so late in the English season, sluggish ticket sales, and the blink-and-you-miss-it format, which seemed tailormade for another embarrassingly early exit for the hosts, and there were all the makings of cricket’s dampest squib since … well, the opening ceremony of the 1999 World Cup at a rainy Lord’s.

But then again, it is not every day that you get all the world’s top players (give or take a Tendulkar or Muralitharan) gathered together in one place, and it is not every day that English cricket finds itself on a roll of quite such staggering proportions. So far, touch wood, even the weather looks as if it might play along. Far from being a tournament too many, the coming fortnight has all the makings of a celebration of cricket – and, assuming they don’t fall at the first hurdle, a celebration of England’s remarkable season as well.

That factor could be the clincher. With apologies to Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka, it is not being unduly one-eyed to suggest that the tournament’s best hope of capturing the public’s imagination is for England to progress beyond the group stage – for the first time in the competition’s history. The whole show will be done and dusted in 15 manic days, which is a far cry from the bloated, seven-week slog everyone endured at the last World Cup. The longer the host nation is involved, the better.

Given the disparity between the competing teams, the four groups of three could hardly be better balanced. There is little prospect of an upset from any of the four underdogs (and in the case of USA v Australia, those of a weak constitution ought to look away now). In fact, the only side that might conceivably fancy their chances are Bangladesh, the best of the rest, who have been drawn alongside those two faltering powers, South Africa and West Indies.

The tasty ties, however, are Australia v New Zealand in Pool A, and India v Pakistan in Pool C. Quite apart from the local rivalries involved, each throws up the prospect of a clear challenge to the established pecking order. Australia, as they showed against Pakistan at Lord’s on Saturday, retain an uncanny ability to wriggle out of any tight corner, but both they and India have shown signs of vulnerability in their recent performances.

As for India, their victory over a Flintoff-free England in the last match of the NatWest Challenge was hailed in some quarters as the turning of a corner. That might be over-egging the game’s significance slightly – the mere fact that England selected Anthony McGrath as Flintoff’s stand-in was ample proof that England have, to borrow Brian Lara’s phrase, no Plan B, not when it comes to their one-day side, anyway. It is time for Duncan Fletcher to cross his fingers and pray that his first XI can come through four more matches unscathed.

There is, of course, one potential match-up lurking around the corner that could conceivably shunt even Wayne Rooney and Graeme Souness off the back pages of the British tabloids for a day or two. If England can see off a Murali-less Sri Lanka at the Rose Bowl, and Australia send everything pear-shaped for the Kiwis at The Oval, then the big two will square up at Edgbaston on September 21. It will give England a chance to lay the ghost of that two-wicket defeat at last year’s World Cup, not to mention a marker or two for next summer’s Ashes.

It’s not all going to be fun and frolics, however. The ICC has seen to that with their absurdly draconian stance on spectators’ picnics (never mind British Rail suffering from the wrong sort of snow; to be apprehended for the wrong sort of cheesy nibbles really takes the, er, biscuit). And all the while, the climate threatens to jeopardise the entertainment. Never mind the threat of rain, the real fear is that too many matches will be decided by the toss of a coin, as fielding sides take the chance to exploit the moist conditions that will prevail early in the morning.

But all such doubts remain, at this stage, mere speculation. A global audience of millions will be tuning in over the next fortnight; there is prizemoney of US$1.15million at stake, and new stump-microphone technology has been introduced to aid the umpires in adjudicating on caught-behind decisions. All of this and more goes to show how high-profile this tournament is intended to be. It’s time to put the cynicism to one side, and let the games begin.

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PAKISTAN TO CHALLENGE - WILLIS/LLOYD](http://www.skysports.com/skysports/article/0,,8-1150787,00.html)

Sky Sports commentators Bob Willis and David Lloyd provide their assessments of the ICC Champions Trophy, and predict the outcome.

POOL 1
AUSTRALIA
NEW ZEALAND
USA

BOB SAYS
Australia, the world champions must be rated as the favourites. The Aussie selectors are a ruthless bunch and like to see a consistent turnover of players. Proven one-day performers such as Michael Bevan and Andy Bichel have been dispensed with, players who other countries would beg to have in their teams. Conversely, Michael Kasprowicz is back with a bang, Andrew Symonds is showing destructive batting form on a regular basis and Michael Clarke has been identified as a very exciting talent and could be moved up the order.

Clarke: Exciting talent
The Aussies have never won this tournament, and they do occasionally have a bad day which a competitive New Zealand side could take advantage of (if their ageing and injury prone first XI can all get on the field), but I can’t see beyond Ricky Ponting finally getting Aussie hands on the trophy.

DAVID SAYS
Yes, but New Zealand are a method team, Stephen Fleming kepes them ticking along with his highly intelligent captaincy. Nathan Astle could be their key figure, if be is fit and firing, ands is backed up by some fine all-rounders in Jacob Oram, Scott Styris and Chris Cairns. They have the toughest of draws but are a match for anyone.

POOL 2
SOUTH AFRICA
WEST INDIES
BANGLADESH

DAVID SAYS
South Africa are not good enough, simple as that. They are very competitive and hard-working but lack the class required.

South Africa: Not good enough, says David
You need more than just competitiveness and aggression. Graeme Smith is a magnificent player, and a great captain, but hasn’t got the tools.

BOB SAYS
South Africa are in the doldrums, and West Indies have just come off a Test match whitewash, so both need a boost. I can see the West Indies just sneaking through in what looks like the weakest group.
Bangladesh, the eternal whipping boys of Test cricket, can paper over the cracks in One-Day International matches but I have serious doubts about whether they can succeed, even against two out of form teams.
As soon as the ball bounces above chest height they have a problem, as they just don’t face that at home. If the opposition can bowl short of a length they will struggle.

POOL 3
INDIA
PAKISTAN
KENYA

DAVID SAYS
The loss of Sachin Tendulkar to injury must be a huge blow for India. They need the younger brigade to stand up and be counted. Yuvraj Singh, Mohammad Kaif and Virender Sehwag have all been out of form of late. Despite being named in the ICC One-Day team of the year, Sehwag has only averaged 17 in his last 11 matches and Yuvraj has scored just two fifties since his match-winning innings in the NatWest Series final against England a few years ago.

India: Will miss Tendulkar
Skipper Sourav Ganguly must be frustrated about recent results, he’s a fabulous leader and fired them up for the last NatWest Challenge game where he scored runs himself. The younger bowlers and batsmen are not scoring as they should do. I think Pakistan will get the better of them.

BOB SAYS
Yes, on the their performance against Australia at Lord’s, I agree that Pakistan look to have more momentum. Meanwhile, the spectre of corruption and the harsh penalty handed out to Maurice Odumbe have cast a shadow over Kenya and I don’t see them performing well at all.
They reached the semi-finals of the 2003 World Cup but were considerably helped by politics, with New Zealand refusiong to go to Nairobi, and the weather. That was their moment, I can’t see India and Pakistan forfeiting matches in Birmingham and Southampton.
It may be the last time we see Steve Tikolo on the international stage, unless the ICC revamp the schedule and introduce a two-tier system. This would be of great benefit to Kenya and Bangladesh, who would not be getting whopped all the time and could go for promotion to the first division cricket. Winning games against the associate countries would boost their confidence.

POOL 4
ENGLAND
SRI LANKA
ZIMBABWE

BOB SAYS
Sri Lanka are a real threat to England having been in tremendous form recently, even without Murali. A very experienced side, if they can get through the opening exhanges, when the ball will probably seam around, they can take advantage of the good pitches with their fast-scoring stroke-players.
Kumar Sangakkara is getting better and better, old favourites Jayawardene, Jayasuriya, Atapattu and Dilshan are back again and Chaminda Vaas also keeps on going. I think it will be a terrific game against England, with the winners progressing to the semi-finals.

Sangakkara: Getting better and better
Sri Lanka got to the Champions Trophy final last time, on home soil, but were forced to share the prize with India thanks to a wash-out when they appeared to be the likely winners. They have a chance to go one better this time.

DAVID SAYS
England v Sri Lanka is going to be some match. England will have their hands full and could well fall at the first hurdle again in a major tournament. But I prefer to be positive and back our lads to come through.
I hope Zimbabwe get something from the tournament. The eyes of the world are on Zimbabwe cricket, but the players are fighting an uphill battle as political or administrative uncertainty will always impact on the pitch. The team has been stripped of all its world-class players and I just can’t see them figuring.

CHAMPIONS TROPHY PREDICTIONS


       WILLIS  LLOYD    
Pool 1  AUS  NZ    
Pool 2  SA  WI    
Pool 3  PAK  PAK    
Pool 4  SL  ENG    
Semi-finals  AUS v SL & SA v PAK  NZ v ENG & WI v PAK    
Final   AUS v PAK  NZ v PAK    
Winners  AUS  Pass!!

Australia 6/4 Pakistan 6/1 England 13/2 South Africa 13/2 New Zealand 7/1 India 8/1 Sri Lanka 12/1 West Indies 12/1 -

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[thumb=H]champions1326_7513732.JPG[/thumb]
All the ICC champions Trophy teams at Lords

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Good read indeed! Thanks Ehsan bhai :)

I can spot Aaloo at the extreme right in the middle row.

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[QUOTE]
*Originally posted by ehsan: *
[thumb=H]champions1326_7513732.JPG[/thumb]
All the ICC champions Trophy teams at Lords
[/QUOTE]

Wow!

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Aussies remain the team to beat](http://pak.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/CRICKET_NEWS/2004/SEP/040692_ICCCT2004_08SEP2004.html)

Australia

There’s nothing like a challenge to bring out the best in an Aussie. The Champions Trophy is the one major tournament that has so far eluded their grasp, and that fact alone will make them all the more determined this fortnight. They may not be quite the formidable unit that steamrolled all comers at the 2003 World Cup, but how could a side containing Matthew Hayden, Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist and a resurgent Glenn McGrath be anything other than overwhelming favourites?

One to watch

It’s the dawn of a new era of allrounders, and right up there with the best is Andrew Symonds. Like that other Andrew - Flintoff - Symonds has always had ability, but only lately has he developed the intense focus to deal with his immense power. He announced his arrival with a century against Pakistan in the 2003 World Cup, but when he repeated the feat at Lord’s last week, from an equally dicey situation, you couldn’t help noticing that he has morphed into a more violent version of Michael Bevan. His offspin’s pretty handy too, and he rockets returns in from the deep as if he’s got something against the keeper.

New kid on the block

While we’re on the subject of allrounders, here’s another useful addition to the Aussie squad. Shane Watson isn’t new new - he first played as a 20-year-old in March 2002, but after being kept out of the World Cup with a stress fracture of the back, he’s back to form and fitness, with a remodelled bowling action and a lust for leather-whacking. Andrew Miller

New Zealand

New Zealand disappointed in the Tests in England earlier this summer, but there wasn’t much wrong with their one-day form, as they spoiled England’s party then blitzed West Indies in the final of the NatWest Series in what was, remarkably, their first one-dayer at Lord’s. And the good news is that most of the injury problems that beset them on that tour have been resolved. Daniel Vettori is back in action, and so is Daryl Tuffey. Brendon McCullum is back after paternity leave. Sadly, Shane Bond is still unable to strut his stuff, but Ian Butler, puzzlingly overlooked for the Tests in England, isn’t far behind him for pace. Their match against Australia could well be the clash of the first round.

One to watch

Chris Cairns, no longer a Test player, but still a one-day legend. It was his responsible century that clinched the Champions Trophy for New Zealand - their first victory in a multi-nation tournament - in Kenya in 2000. Since then he’s blitzed his way to the top of the Test six-hitters’ list, and remains a ferocious competitor.

New kid on the block

Michael Papps, 25, didn’t feature in the one-day series in England after breaking a finger during his only Test of the tour. But his five ODI appearances so far, all against South Africa last winter, included matchwinning innings of 67 at Wellington and 92 not out at Napier. He’s short, but drives well, and acts as a handy foil to the big hitters down the order. Steven Lynch

United States of America

Their first appearance in the big time, and they couldn’t have landed a more brutal group if they tried. Australians have long had a penchant for annihilating teams with “America” in their title - in 2001, the “Socceroos” football team beat American Samoa 31-0 in a World Cup qualifier, while South Australia’s favourite Canadian, John Davison, recently grabbed 17 wickets in the ICC Intercontinental Cup fixture aganst the USA in Florida. So quite what vengeance the world champions en masse intend to wreak is anyone’s guess. Mind you, America can’t expect the Kiwis to go easy on them either - because if rain happens to wash out the third and decisive match between the big guns, it’ll all come down to net run rate …

One to watch
Clayton Lambert may be a venerable 42-year-old, but in his days as a West Indian batsman, he played five Tests and 11 one-day internationals, with a century in each format. A left-hand batsman with a forthright, if crabby, style, he was never one to bother with the orthodox - as an exasperated Angus Fraser would readily testify - so if he can last long enough to get his eye in, we could yet see a reprise of his former glory days.

New kid on the block
The entire team … this is a whole new ball game for Team America. They may have taken part in the original cricket international, against Canada in 1844, but it has been a struggle to get the game re-established since. A boardroom dispute has undermined the fledgling professional 20-overs league, and the side has been treading water ever since qualifying for this Champions Trophy at the Six Nations Tournament at Sharjah. Still, there’s nothing like exposure on the big stage for getting a country kick-started. Andrew Miller

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Down on their luck](http://pak.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/CRICKET_NEWS/2004/SEP/040731_ICCCT2004_08SEP2004.html)

West Indies

After chopping and changing for most of the summer, West Indies’ one-day team now has a settled look to it, even though they needed to stall for a while before retaining Brian Lara as captain. They have the kind of batting talent that most others can only dream of, while the bowling attack consists of a hotchpotch of the tried, tested and discarded, and the young and eager. It’s not a combination that has been treated kindly in Test cricket, but in the one-day game, short flashes of brilliance can turn matches. With first-hand experience of English conditions this year, and first-round matches against two demoralised opponents, West Indies have more than a ghost of a chance.

Man to watch

Chris Gayle had always been prone to manic bursts: now, however, he intersperses these with periods of accumulating, and when he bats through an innings, the opposition bowlers know about it all right. Seven of his nine hundreds have resulted in victories, and even the two that got away were scores over 140 that helped the team pass 300. Though Gayle’s lack of footwork still confounds, his remarkable hand-eye coordination more than compensates. But, like the rest of the West Indies side, he has been inconsistent; large hundreds are bracketed by poor scores. His innocuous spin is well utilised, and hugely under-estimated.

New kid on the block
With bat and ball, there’s a touch of pluck to Dwayne Bravo. He learnt his lessons quickly during the series in England, and impressed experienced players with his attitude and appreciation of the West Indian legacy. His fortunes were inversely proportional to those of his team, but it was clear that in Bravo, West Indies had quite a talent. In the midst of all the carnage, the image of a defiant Bravo remained: defying England’s bowlers, defying England’s batsmen, defying West Indies’ penchant for self-destruction. But defiance isn’t everything - he’ll need allies if West Indies are to progress. Rahul Bhatia

South Africa

For the first time in ten years, South Africa go into a one-day tournament as outsiders, and in the eyes of some, even no-hopers. Ten consecutive defeats in New Zealand and Sri Lanka, where they were largely listless, have left them vulnerable even against Bangladesh. Herschelle Gibbs has managed just one fifty in his last 22 games and no adequate replacements have been found for Gary Kirsten and Jonty Rhodes. To add to their woes, South Africa will face Brian Lara’s West Indies in the plumb tie of the pool, and it was a Lara special at Newlands last year that shoved South Africa towards an early exit from their own World Cup party. But Graeme Smith’s inspirational abilities, a surplus of allrounders - Lance Klusener, Mark Boucher, Shaun Pollock and Nicky Boje - and a certain Jacques Kallis could produce a different script.

Man To watch
With an average of nearly 66 since the World Cup, Kallis is undoubtably South Africa’s linchpin. He will also have fond memories of this tournament, as he was one of the chief architects of South Africa’s triumph in the very first edition at Dhaka in 1998, when was declared the Man of the Series. Kallis’s 5 for 30 demolished West Indies in the final that day, and he has relished playing against them ever since.

New kid on the block
Jean-Paul Duminy, 20, could turn out to be South Africa’s surprise weapon in the tournament. Like many of the others, he couldn’t come to grips with the slow and low pitches in Sri Lanka, but the conditions in England will be a sea apart. As a floater in the middle-order and a part-time left-arm spinner, Duminy may be the man to complete the jigsaw. Siddhartha Vaidyanathan

Bangladesh

Still a long, long way from living up to their lofty status, but Bangladesh are far removed from the disjointed rabble who bombed out of the last World Cup with defeats to Kenya and Canada. Under the firm-but-fair guidance of Dav Whatmore, an emphasis on basic discipline and fitness is beginning to pay dividends, and their recent tour of the Caribbean demonstrated that the gap between them and the rest is closing, albeit slowly. The loss of their captain and leading batsmen, Habibul Bashar, is a grievous blow, but it could yet force the rest of a young squad to shelve their indiscretions.

Man to watch
If Ashley Giles can take 21 wickets on England’s midsummer pitches, then Mohammad Rafique, another spinner flushed with confidence at present, could also pose some significant questions - not least to the same West Indian left-handers who faltered against England this year. Quite apart from his ebullient bowling, Rafique is a tailend biffer who delights in the unorthodox, and has a Test century to his name to prove it.

New kid on the block
This time last year, 23-year-old Rajin Saleh had not been seen at international level. Now he is captain of Bangladesh, where his abilities are about to be scrutinized by millions on a global stage. It is a daunting prospect, but judging by his fearless approach to batting - he is never afraid to take his share of blows - Saleh is very much equipped for the task ahead. His devotion to physical fitness sets him apart from his peers, and suggests he will lead by example in all aspects of Bangladesh’s development

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Pakistan in the ascendancy?](http://pak.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/CRICKET_NEWS/2004/SEP/040813_ICCCT2004_08SEP2004.html)

India

They have never failed to reach the last four in the ICC Champions Trophy, and were joint winners with Sri Lanka last time, two years after being eclipsed by Chris Cairns in the 2000 final. But since a remarkable run of nine successive victories that took them to the World Cup final in 2003, India’s one-day form has plummeted, with 18 defeats and only 17 victories in 38 matches. And barring the five-match series in Pakistan where they plundered runs, the oft-celebrated batting line-up has failed to live up to expectations. The pace bowlers are inexperienced, and the likes of Virender Sehwag and Yuvraj Singh are going through a wretched run with the bat. Under Bob Woolmer, Pakistan have given India two thumpings, and a third could be on the cards at Edgbaston, especially with the talismanic figure of Sachin Tendulkar ruled out by injury.

One to watch
Regardless of whether he keeps wicket or not, the double ICC-awardwinner, Rahul Dravid, will be the main repository of Indian hope. When on song, there is no better batsman in the game, and after an ugly-duckling phase early in his career, he has matured into a one-day finisher of real quality, peerless at building an innings and accelerating smoothly. Has endured a rocky start to the season, but his familiarity with, and love of, English conditions should bring him back to his resolute best when the team needs it most. With the team certain to stick to the seven-batsmen policy, his keeping will also be under scrutiny. If he can perform the dual role as well as he did in Pakistan a few months ago, India may yet give their immense following something to cheer about.

New kid on the block
It seems sacrilegious to make comparisons with the incomparable Wasim Akram, but Pathan has made a tremendous impact since he broke into the team during the last Australian summer. He lacks the raw pace that Akram had in his youth, and has yet to learn to move the ball away from the right-hander consistently, but the delivery that shapes back in and the stealthy yorker have troubled some of the best in the game. An extra yard of pace and greater variety will surely come with time – Akram himself has said that the boy soaks up information like a sponge – but for the moment, the precocious Pathan must carry the quick-bowling burden for an Indian side that is without Zaheer Khan. An adept batsman who can strike the ball cleanly and hard, Pathan’s greater attribute is the strength of will that got him from the courtyard of a Baroda mosque to the Long Room at Lord’s in next to no time.

Pakistan

You can’t talk about Pakistan at the moment without lingering a moment on Bob Woolmer, the newly-appointed coach. Throughout their history in international cricket, Pakistan have had the talent and drive to shock the best teams on any given day. The flip side is that their day comes infrequently, and discipline, unity and planning is often sorely lacking. Those three facets are exactly what Woolmer brings to the table. In the last two one-day tournaments they have played – the Asia Cup and the Videocon Cup – Pakistan have beaten India. Now, in the Champions Trophy, they have already made noises about making it three in three. Shoaib Akhtar is still the major force, but now he isn’t the only one. Shoaib Malik has come along nicely to partner Inzamam-ul-Haq and Yousuf Youhana in the middle order, and Abdul Razzaq gives the team an allround edge, and ensures that they bat low. If Pakistan push past India, they will become certain contenders for the title, given the knock-out format of the ICC Champions Trophy.

One to watch
Shoaib Malik has made the Pakistan No. 3 slot his own like no-one else in the recent past. He provides a perfect combination of fluent drives and urgent running between the wickets, and has an invaluable ability to pinch-hit when needed, before quickly changing gears to play the big knock. In the last 10 one-dayers he has scored 500 runs at an even 50, with two hundreds and as many fifties. Throw in his canny offbreaks and brilliant fielding, and you have an MVP just waiting to happen.

Old kid on the block
Shabbir Ahmed’s last-minute injury has paved the way for the return of one of the most talented allrounders on the fringes of international cricket. That Azhar Mahmood is referred to as “the Surrey allrounder” these days tells a story. It tells you how Pakistan were never fully able to harness the ability of this wily swing bowler who was a good enough batsman to score a Test century against South Africa on debut. If Pakistan can find place for Mahmood and Razzaq in the playing XI, Inzamam will have an embarrassment of riches on his hands.

Kenya

Alas, the surprise World Cup semi-finalists are unlikely to pull off similar heroics in this tournament, having gone backwards in the interim - as internal squabbling takes its toll. The Kenyan team, a rag-tag assortment consisting mainly of old-timers and new blood, are in poor form and were routed at home by Pakistan A and India A. To make matters worse, they are lacking key men in Maurice Odumbe and Collins Obuya - for varying reasons. Spirits in the camp remain high, however, and Kenya will certainly seek to entertain with their trump card, dashing batting, embodied in particular by Steve Tikolo and Ravindu Shah.

One to watch
Steve Tikolo, almost certainly the best batsman outside the Test-playing nations, will hope to continue his recent aggressive and destructive batting form against Pakistan A and India A. But Tikolo, 33, is comfortable on the international stage, too, having plundered runs against Australia and India in the World Cup. Batting prowess a given, Tikolo, the Kenyan captain, also bowls useful offbreaks and is a fine fielder to boot.

New kid on the block
Ah, so many new youngsters to choose from: Kenya have been forced to turn to their Under-19s to reinvigorate an ageing side. But the pick of the pack is former youth captain Ragheb Aga, a 20-year-old with a mature outlook who has already been tipped by Tikolo as future leader of the senior side. But before this, medium pace bowler Aga has a manful task ahead in the Champions Trophy: to step up to the challenge of spearing Kenya to success.

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Clash of the resurgents](http://pak.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/CRICKET_NEWS/2004/SEP/040891_ICCCT2004_08SEP2004.html)

England

Finally beginning to gel as a one-day unit, England go into the tournament as more genuine contenders than seemed likely in midsummer, when a side short of specialist batsmen and fielders was exposed by New Zealand and West Indies. The return of Vikram Solanki has enlivened the fielding, while his wristy batting adds a new dimension to the top of the order - where there is a suspicion that Andrew Strauss is showing signs of mental fatigue after a long but successful maiden international season.

One to watch
Steve Harmison has worked out how to readjust his Test radar to the one-day arena, and can now spear in Garneresque yorkers after pushing the batsman onto the back foot with back-of-a-length 90mph testers. Shortlisted for the ICC’s World Player of the Year award, and certainly its most-improved one.

New kid on the block
At 29, it’s pushing it to call Alex Wharf young - but he’s new to the international scene and, as he demonstrated with three wickets in his first three overs, capable of making up for lost time. His batting - hardly seen at international level just yet - could have the odd spectator ducking for cover too.

Sri Lanka

During their customary pre-tournament Buddhist farewell ceremony, Sri Lanka’s squad were given a serious pep talk by a cricket-loving chief monk. After two months of rising confidence and consistent success, the monk sensed Champions Trophy victory was within their grasp. After a difficult post-World Cup form dip, the team has burst back into life, invigorated by new leadership and fresh blood. They have lifted the Asia Cup crown and - even without their talisman, Muttiah Muralitharan, who, sadly for them, will be missing again - they whitewashed South Africa. The manner in which those victories were achieved, by solid allround contributions rather that the superhuman efforts of one or two senior men, also fuels hope. Should autumn not close in too fast, they could enjoy the dry end-of-season conditions too. Will probably still tinker with the balance of the team though, re-introducing a 7-4 batsman-bowler combination and using three pacemen, one specialist leggie and a choice of well-drilled part-time spinners.

One to watch
Kumar Sangakkara arrives in England in sizzling form. Naturally aggressive, fiercely competitive and ice-cool under pressure, he now plays a pivotal role within the one-day team, anchoring the team at No. 4, where he is expected to bat throughout the innings, and then pulling on the wicketkeeping gloves. He feeds the team with his spunky attitude in both disciplines. After a disappointing 2003 World Cup, he will be looking forward to the chance to make amends.

New kid on the block
Lasith Malinga, 20, might not play a game. But if he does, the crowd will be on the edge of their seats. A pocket-sized pace bowler with astonishing upper-body strength (the product of a rural childhood filled with softball cricket, coconut tree-climbing and river swimming), Malinga bowls with a weird round-arm action that has genuine shock value for those facing him for the first time. His forte is inswinging toecrushers, but he also banana-swings the new ball out and can deliver a fiery bouncer. A fearless and raw talent who made his first-class debut after just five school games with a real cricket ball.

Zimbabwe

On paper, and in reality, the odds are stacked against this young Zimbabwe side, who are without any of the expertise or experience of the 15 “rebel” players. The average age of the team is just 21, which is also the age of their captain, Tatenda Taibu, and most of the squad have no experience of late-summer English conditions. Taibu, Mark Vermeulen, Douglas Hondo, Dion Ebrahim, and Vusi Sibanda were here during Zimbabwe’s tour of England in 2003, but the rest of the players are still very much finding their feet in international cricket. Their first challenge will be to take on a strong, resurgent England at Edgbaston, and they will then face Sri Lanka, who humiliated them in both the Test and one-day series earlier this year. Two very one-sided contests are on the cards. On the other hand, this team hasn’t yet inherited the cynicism of their predecessors. They have plenty of talent within their ranks, and even though they will probably lose both of their matches, this tournament will provide some much-needed experience.

One to watch
All eyes will be on Taibu, Zimbabwe’s hugely composed young captain, who has kept his head while all hell has broken loose around him. When Zimbabwe last met Sri Lanka, Taibu was not content with being the team’s leading run-scorer and holding all edges that flew his way - he was also forced to unbuckle his pads and reveal a useful line in medium-pace bowling as well.

New kid on the block
Tinashe Panyangara took 6 for 31 against Australia’s Under-19 squad on the flat tracks of Bangladesh earlier this year, and although England and Sri Lanka’s line-ups will be a different proposition, the conditions will suit his brand of nippy seamers. Panyangara has a reputation for accuracy, and, in the circumstances, performed admirably in Zimbabwe’s home series against Australia and Sri Lanka in May. He is also handy with the bat, and scored 40 not out in the second Test against Sri Lanka.