| Cricket Notes: Smith and Watson back on the same pitch - but on different sides
|
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts (AP) - Graeme Smith has come a long way since he played under Craig Watson at school in South Africa, and he's unlikely to agree to the Scotland captain's cheeky request.
"Believe it or not, he used to fetch drinks for me and carry my bags. I don't know if he'll do that tomorrow - but I'll ask him," Watson said Monday. Watson, who also played with South African wicketkeeper Mark Boucher at school, has been named captain for Tuesday's Group A game at Warner Park - with Craig Wright attending a funeral in Scotland.
While admitting his knowledge of and friendships with the South African team will add to the occasion, Watson readily concedes that Smith has improved as a batsman since those younger days.
"At school, he was limited in terms of his stroke-play, he's progressed a long way with that," Watson said. "Mentally, he was far better than anyone I saw as a young kid. He used to enjoy making big hundreds as a schoolboy, which is unusual when other guys are making 50 or 60.
"He got hundreds as a 15-year-old against Premier League attacks, so everyone knew he was going to be a special player and he's proved that."
For his part, Smith has been teasing Watson since the 16 teams arrived in Jamaica for the opening ceremony about the impending clash. The pair usually catch up for a beer on Watson's annual trip to Johannesburg.
"It will be weird to walk out on the pitch and spin a coin with a South African," Smith said. "He's a really good man, so I guess part of you wants him to do well - but then there is a big part that doesn't."
Scotland lost by 203 runs to Australia, but Watson saw a missed opportunity.
"They did get 330, but up until the 47th over they only had 270-280, so we lost it a little bit in the last three overs," he said.
Other than his South African heritage, Watson has ensured he will receive special attention from Ntini, Shaun Pollock and Andre Nel with the ball for one particular comment.
"Australia are the best side in the world in my opinion, so hopefully the next games will get a little easier," Watson said.
-
PORT-OF-SPAIN, Trinidad (AP) - Dwayne Leverock's girth has been a cause of mirth among World Cup watchers. The 35-year-old Bermuda policeman proved size was no barrier when he took a stunning catch to dismiss Indian opener Robin Uthappa on Monday.
The 265-pound Leverock, the lone slip fielder, stretched wide to his right and snapped a low catch off seamer Malachi Jones in the second over at Queen's Park Oval.
The big man ran wildly around the field sending flying kisses at the galleries, while Jones - his 17-year-old teammate - was overcome by the emotion of taking a wicket with his first ball in a World Cup and burst into tears.
Bermuda is the smallest country ever to play in the World Cup, having made the grade among five minor cricket-playing nations through a qualifying competition.
-
MELBOURNE, Australia (AP) - The Australian government is opposed to the national cricket team touring Zimbabwe but does not want to raise the issue while Ricky Ponting and Co. is trying to defend the World Cup.
"Once the World Cup is over, we'll talk to the Australian cricket board about this, but we won't be doing that while they're focusing on the World Cup," Foreign Affairs minister Alexander Downer said Monday.
"I've not been a great fan of cricket tours to Zimbabwe and the final decision (rests) with the Australian Cricket Board and the International Cricket Council - a lot of issues tied up there with contractual issues."
Australia's main opposition party and others have already called for a boycott of the September tour because of continued violence and humans rights abuses under Robert Mugabe's regime.
But a boycott puts Cricket Australia in a bind, because it is obliged under the International Cricket Council's Future Tours program to play at every other member country at least once every five years.
The only way of avoiding financial penalties for canceling the tour is if there is a legitimate security threat or the federal government bans the team travelling to Zimbabwe.
"We're just not thinking about it, it's not on our current agenda and not on our radar as such," Cricket Australia spokesman Peter Young said.
Australia canceled its 2002 tour of Zimbabwe because of security fears but did visit there in 2004 despite political unrest.
-
BASSETERRE, St. Kitts (AP) - When South Africa captain Graeme Smith leads his team out against Scotland in the Group A match at Warner Park on Tuesday, motivation won't be a problem.
Smith wants his team to demonstrate to the world the cricket legacy of former South Africa coach Bob Woolmer, who died in hospital after being found unconscious in his hotel room on Sunday.
"Tomorrow, it's important that we can turn it into a pride performance for Bob, who had such a big role to play in South African cricket," Smith said Monday. "He coached for a number of years and has been a part of the system for so long - we hope tomorrow we can represent that well for Bob."
Still struggling to come to terms with Woolmer's death, Smith spoke warmly of the Englishman.
"A lot of us played under Bob, so it is obviously a huge sadness among the guys. All of us socialized with him over a period of time. We will all have very fond memories of Bob, which is very important."
http://slam.canoe.ca/Slam/Cricket/2007/03/19/3783383-ap.htmlEdited by anishma24 - 18 years ago
Monty Panesar of England celebrates the wicket of Abdool Samad of Canada during Sunday's Cricket World Cup Group C match in Gros Islet, Saint Lucia.
Jaane Anjaane Hum Mile
Fan Fictions
Kyunki Saas Bhi Kabhi Bahu Thi 2
Iss Pyaar Ko Kya Naam Doon
306