*Official* Cricket World Cup in Australia, CWLand and New Zealand

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Fleming leads upbeat New Zealand

Despite their recent failure in the final of the Chairmen's Trophy against the Cricket Web XI, Stephen Fleming's New Zealand team are positive heading into the 2013 World Cup.

The squad:

SP Fleming (C)
DL Vettori (vc)
BB McCullum (wk)
L Vincent
PG Fulton
NJ Astle
HJH Marshall
RL Taylor
SB Styris
SE Bond
JDP Oram
JEC Franklin
MJ Mason
JS Patel
KD Mills

 

[Nate]

Awesome-looking so far. Can`t wait.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Defending Champions arrive

Rarely does a team return to defend its title as the underdog, but that is firmly the case as Brian Lara leads his team to the World Cup this year. Lara's men arrived in Australia this morning looking relaxed, but will face a stiff task to make significant headway in the tournement.

The only surprise in the squad is the inclusion of Carlton Baugh ahead of Denesh Ramdin.

The squad:

BC Lara (C)
RR Sarwan (vc)
CD Baugh (wk)
CH Gayle
RS Morton
S Chanderpaul
MS Samuels
DJJ Bravo
DR Smith
WW Hinds
JE Taylor
FH Edwards
CD Collymore
IDR Bradshaw
D Mohammed

 

[thewizard1o1]

Lara must be mid 40s by now :|

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Australia squad announced

Cricket Australia today announced their 15 for the World Cup, with Ricky Ponting attempting to revenge numerous disappointments in recent years. A batting-heavy squad, with Phil Jaques and Shaun Tait as the surprise selections, are among the favourites on home soil.

RT Ponting (c)
AC Gilchrist (wk, vc)
BJ Haddin
MJ Clarke
MEK Hussey
A Symonds
DR Martyn
SM Katich
SR Watson
PA Jaques
GD McGrath
NW Bracken
B Lee
SW Tait
SR Clark

 

[Dizzy #4]

Come on Colts, let's ruffle some WI and Bangi feathers!

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Tendulkar fit for World Cup

Superstar batsman Sachin Tendulkar has been passed fit for the Cricket World Cup. After consulting with specialists in Florida, New York, Toronto and Dortmund, Tendulkar received an opinion he is willing to accept.

Wasim Jaffer represents a shocking selection in the team, and may be granted an opportunity at the top of the order should Sehwag struggle.

Indian squad:

R Dravid (C)
MS Dhoni (wk)
M Kaif
Yuvraj Singh
S Raina
V Sehwag
W Jaffer
SR Tendulkar
RR Powar
A Agarkar
Harbhajan Singh
IK Pathan
RP Singh
Sreesanth
Z Khan

 

[andyc]

One feels Australia is lacking a competent spin option.

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Lara must be mid 40s by now :|

47 and going strong. Ok, maybe not. He'll be gone soon. Everytime he tries to get out, they just keep dragging him back in.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Sri Lanka squad

The Sri Lankan team, who has not enjoyed the best of one-day seasons recently and were the first Test team to surrender a series to thee Webheads, have nevertheless convinced a number of key players to stay on in the side.

DPMDS Jayawardene
KC Sangakkara
HAPW Jayawardene
ST Jayasuriya
WU Tharanga
TM Dilshan
C Kapugedera
MS Atapattu
R Arnold
M Muralitharan
WPUJC Vaas
SL Malinga
CRD Fernando
PDRL Perera
CM Bandara

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Zimbabwe arrive

Terrence Duffin is a man with a huge task at hand. He leads a Zimbabwean team surrounded by few expectations and even fewer players of established quality.

Zimbabwe squad:

T Duffin (C)
CK Coventry (wk)
BRM Taylor (wk)
CJ Chibhabha
E Chigumbura
RS Higgins
NB Mahwire
H Masakadza
S Matsikenyeri
T Mupariwa
EC Rainsford
HP Rinke
V Sibanda
GM Strydom
P Utseya

 

[Loony BoB]

In other news, the Bangladesh Cricket Board have announced their 15-man squad for the World Cup.

Habibul Bashar (c)
Khaled Mashud (wk, vc)
Aftab Ahmed
Alok Kapali
Javed Omar
Nafees Iqbal
Mohammad Ashraful
Rajin Saleh
Shahriar Nafees
Manjural Islam Rana
Mashrafe Mortaza
Mohammad Rafique
Shahadat Hossain
Syed Rasel
Tapash Baisya

Post #57.

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Post #57.

Err, oops.

(and read your emails.)

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Canada Squad

With one real star and 14 players out of the club leagues, Canada will have another attempt at the World Cup. Captain Davison has said that the aim is to beat Zimbabwe.

JM Davison (c)
A Bagai (wk)
K Carto (wk)
GEF Barnett
IS Billcliff (vc)
DR Chumney
HS Dhillon
Qaiser Ali
DES Maxwell
GR Codrington
Sunil Dhaniram
S Thuraisingam
U Bhatti
KT Sandher
H Osinde

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

No real surprises in Pakistan squad

It's a fairly predictable squad of 15 that arrived in Australia this morning. Shoaib Akhtar has been included in the squad and will undergo a fitness test today to see how soon he participates in the tournament.

Pakistan squad:

Inzamam-ul-Haq (C)
Kamran Akmal (wk)
Shoaib Malik
Imran Farhat
Shahid Afridi
Mohammad Yousuf
Younis Khan
Salman Butt
Abdul Razzaq
Rana Naved-ul-Hasan
Shoaib Akhtar
Mohammad Asif
Danish Kaneria
Umar Gul
Iftikhar Anjum

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Ireland squad

Ireland get county stars

Eoin Morgan and Niall O'Brien joined the Irish side today, which coach Adrian Birrell was obviously pleased with. However, he still warned that his inexperienced side would have a very tough tournament.

*DT Johnston
NJ O'Brien (wk)
JP Bray (wk)
AC Botha
PG Gillespie
DI Joyce
D Langford-Smith
WK McCallan
JF Mooney
PJK Mooney
EJG Morgan
KJ O'Brien
AR White
AGAM McCoubrey
GC Wilson

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Bermuda arrive in the shadow of Dwayne Leverock

The imposing physique of Dwayne Leverock led the players off the plane, as Bermuda touched down in Australia. He is one of the central players in whatever challenge the World Cup debutants hope to mount.

Bermuda squad:

JJ Tucker (C)
DA Minors (wk)
IH Romaine
S Mukuddem
T Gibbons
AR Pitcher
LO Cann
H Durham
Kwame Tucker
DM Leverock
GH O'Brien
DWO Morgan
K Hurdle
RD Steede
OL Pitcher

 

[Magrat Garlick]

Scotland Squad

Scotland will also enjoy the service of county stalwarts, with John Blain and Dougie Brown joining the non-bowling Gavin Hamilton. As the Scots have outperformed Ireland on this year's county circuit, they remain the favourites of the four new ODI sides, but have drawn a tough group.

CM Wright
CJO Smith
KJ Coetzer
GM Hamilton
JAR Blain
CV English
PJC Hoffmann
DR Lockhart
RT Lyons
DR Brown
JD Nel
G Goudie
IM Stanger
RR Watson
DF Watts

 

[thewizard1o1]

Scotland will also enjoy the service of county stalwarts, with John Blain and Dougie Brown joining the non-bowling Gavin Hamilton. As the Scots have outperformed Ireland on this year's county circuit, they remain the favourites of the four new ODI sides, but have drawn a tough group.

CM Wright
CJO Smith
KJ Coetzer
GM Hamilton
JAR Blain
CV English
PJC Hoffmann
DR Lockhart
RT Lyons
DR Brown
JD Nel
G Goudie
IM Stanger
RR Watson
DF Watts
JG Williamson

Dave you sly dog you...

 

[Mr Mxyzptlk]

Kenya arrive

Kenya arrived this morning, but posed nothing newsworthy other than the exorbitant entourage of Collins Obuya.

Kenya squad:

SO Tikolo (C)
MA Ouma (wk)
DO Obuya (wk)
HS Modi
AO Suji
TM Odoyo
BJ Patel
T Mishra
PJ Ongondo
MA Suji
CO Obuya
R Bhudia
KA Patel
JM Kamande
AS Luseno