Injured Stuart Broad ruled out of World Cup

CHITTAGONG ( Bangladesh): England fast bowler Stuart Broad has been ruled out of the rest of the World Cup due to a side strain, the England and Wales Cricket Board announced on Tuesday.

Broad, 24, will join teammate Kevin Pietersen on the sidelines after picking up the injury during his four-wicket haul in England's six-run win over South Africa in Chennai on Sunday.

Seamer Chris Tremlett is expected to replace Broad, but the ECB will need to apply to the World Cup technical committee first.

The ECB said Broad will leave Chittagong for home in the next 48 hours for further assessment that will "determine his recovery and rehabilitation timescale".

The ECB's chief medical officer Nick Peirce said the side strain was a new problem for Broad, who suffered an abdominal injury during the recent Ashes tour of Australia which caused him to miss the last three Tests.

"Stuart felt some discomfort following the South Africa match and our initial assessment indicated a strain to his left side," Peirce said in the ECB statement.

"Subsequent scans have confirmed a significant side strain injury - where the muscle attaches the rib - that will rule him out of the remainder of the World Cup.

"This is a new injury, separate from the abdominal tear suffered during the Ashes, that requires a period of recuperation and rehabilitation and the duration of this recovery period will be determined following further assessment in the UK."

It is the second injury blow for England inside 24 hours after star batsman Pietersen left for home to undergo a hernia operation.

Pietersen will be replaced by Eoin Morgan.

toi

Pak vs NZ: New Zealand thrash Pakistan by 110 runs

PALLEKELE: Ross Taylor enjoyed an unforgettable bash on his 27th birthday. And the tab was picked by Pakistan. In an exhilarating display of explosive hitting, Taylor smashed an unbeaten, career-best 131 that included seven towering sixes, and inspired New Zealand to thrash Pakistan by 110 runs in a key Group A encounter on Tuesday night.


Moving outside the off-stump, going down on one knee and smashing the ball repeatedly over the mid-wicket region, Taylor went absolutely berserk as Kiwis notched up 92 runs off their last four overs to take their score to a daunting 302 for seven after electing to bat. Pakistan produced an equally sorry performance with the bat and managed just 192. Only Abdul Razzaq (62) showed stomach for a fight, adding 67 runs in a ninth-wicket partnership with Umar Gul.

This was Pakistan's first defeat in the tournament, and a big one too. New Zealand enjoyed their best One-day game in a long, long time and also produced one of their finest World Cup performances.

On Tuesday, however, Ross was the boss. There are a few people the Kiwi needs to send a 'thank you' card to after his memorable party. The first on that list must surely be Pakistan wicketkeeper Kamran Akmal, who dropped him twice, the second chance an absolute dolly, even before Taylor could get off the mark. The second 'card' must have skipper Daniel Vettori's name on it. The captain kept his faith in Taylor even after his long run of failures.

Just before this game, Vettori rubbished the query that he was re-thinking Taylor's position in the team. "I think your best players are the ones that help you win the World Cup. And Taylor is definitely one of our best. He likes to take the responsibility and performs when he is in form. I expect him to win a game for us at some stage of the tournament. And hopefully it is tomorrow." Vettori's faith was repaid and how!

The third 'Thank you' card must be addressed to Pakistan pacemen Shoaib Akhtar and Abdul Razzaq. Both fed Taylor with 'hit-me' balls. Towards the end, Taylor and Jacob Oram (25, 9b, 1x4, 3x6) tore Pakistan into shreds plundering 85 off just 22 balls for the seventh wicket.

Akhtar gifted full tosses which Taylor whacked over mid-wicket. Twenty-eight runs came off that 47th over but there was more to come. Razzaq, who bowled the 49th, gave away 30 as Taylor hit three sixes and two fours. Till the 47th over, Pakistan had the game well under control. Martin Guptill's 57 (86b, 6x4) was the only thing New Zealand could cheer about. Then 'Typhoon Ross' happened.

Pakistan have to blame themselves for having persisted with a blundering Akmal. Their fielding was, as usual, pathetic and the slog overs bowling clueless. The batsmen panicked under the weight of the opposition's heavy total and perished to full, swinging deliveries from the Kiwi bowlers, who bowled a far better line and length than their Pakistani counterparts.
Later, Taylor even got to lead the Kiwis, as Vettori hurt his knee. What a special night on a special day!

toi

Ind vs Ned: India eye Dutch feast on way to quarters

NEW DELHI: Wednesday's World Cup game against the Netherlands affords India just about the last chance to hammer out strategies and gameplans before big battles become the order of the day. After this tie, India play South Africa and West Indies, two formidable opponents, in their final group matches before the knock-outs begin.

India, who have eyes firmly fixed on the quarterfinal spot, would like to finish on top of the group to facilitate an 'easy' outing in the last eight. A victory over the Dutch, the underdogs, at the Ferozeshah Kotla will serve that purpose nicely. In fact, skipper MS Dhoni declared on Tuesday that the hosts were looking at a comprehensive win.

Going by form and pedigree, that looks like the most likely result of this clash. But as Netherlands captain Peter Borren reminded everyone, "Cricket is a funny game, we've seen it before in this World Cup." So, India will be trying to nip in the bud any 'rebellion' that may rise from the Dutch ranks.

The major point of interest is the eleven India will field on Wednesday. The batting line-up is settled. What is exercising the minds of the captain and his advisers is the bowling department. Will off-spinner R Ashwin play in place of the largely unimpressive Piyush Chawla? Is Ashish Nehra fit enough to get a game at his home ground?

There has been a clamour for Ashwin to be included in the eleven, especially after Chawla's indifferent performance against Ireland in India's last game. But Dhoni, did not divulge anything about the combination he was thinking of going in with. He did, though, says, "Ashwin is a very good bowler who has done really well for us. If our bowling does not click, he is an option." India have probably missed a trick by not opening the bowling with a spinner in any of the games so far. The move could have especially served them well against England.

Harbhajan Singh opened the bowling for India at the T20 World Cup last year almost throughout the event and proved a miserly customer. Ashwin too has experience of bowling with the new ball, an advantage he brings to the table. With two frontline and two support spinners in the eleven, India can afford to bowl one upfront, more so on low-slow, turning tracks like the one at Kotla. Some leading teams have done that to good effect in this World Cup but not India, despite having many tweakers in the armoury.

On Wednesday too, spinners, and slowish bowlers, are going to play a pivotal role because the track promises to keep low and afford turn. Harbhajan, Chawla, Ashwin and even Yusuf Pathan were turning the ball a fair way while bowling on the side pitch during training on Tuesday. Belting runs won't be easy and those hoping for a run-spree are likely to be disappointed.

India would like to finish this one off in a hurry. But if Ryan ten Doeschate and Co are given any leeway, the tale can become a gripping one. And there lies the beauty of the World Cup.

toi