Knocking On Heaven's Doors

It is fashionable these days to put Test cricket on the highest possible pedestal while knocking down the shorter version of the game as a mere fast-food version of the four-course meal. At most times, that is indeed the case. But not when there is a World Cup just around the corner. Every team forgets about white flannels for a period and gets geared to cover themselves in glory in the high-adrenaline one-day championship. It is, after all, the only meaningful way to be crowned world champions, unless you’re the kind that likes cricket ratings, championship tables and the like.

For no one, however, is the World Cup more vital to their existence than the associate members of the International Cricket Council (ICC).

And this can be said without any guessing that. For Namibia and Canada, the trip to the World Cup will give them their only opportunity to play against the best teams in the world. For the Netherlands, this, apart from the icc Champions Trophy, is a rare chance to test themselves against their heroes. And yes, for Bangladesh and Kenya, who have both effected massive upsets in past World Cups, the tournament must be very close to the heart. While the cameras turn their gaze to the Australians, the South Africans and the Indians, this band of ‘minnows’ will be striving hard to further their cricketing cause.

With this in mind, it’s well worth spending a moment thinking about what these teams hope to achieve, and how far they will go, when the competition kicks off in South Africa.

Bangladesh, being the only Test nation of the lot, will naturally fancy their chances when pitted against any one of these other teams. In the recently completed home series against West Indies, more than one Bangladeshi cricketer impressed with the manner in which they went about taking on the opposition.

Young medium-pacers Tapash Baisya and Talha Jubair sneaked through the defences of attacking batsmen more than once with a good line and length coupled with late swing. Alok Kapali took on the bowlers with panache and will fancy his chances of turning a game on its head in the World Cup.

The skipper Khaled Mashud, meanwhile, has more experience than some of his teammates and combines a safe pair of hands behind the stumps with some efficient middle-order batting.

For many, though, Bangladesh is not the team to watch out for when it comes to picking the award for the best among the also-rans. Kenya, you will hear it said, deserve more attention than they get, and are closer to readiness for Test status than Bangladesh. Their coach, former Indian middle-order batsman Sandeep Patil, reckons that there’s enough and more talent in Kenya. "It’s not in the talent department that we’re lacking. What we need is more exposure, more cricket at the highest level, competing with the best in the game," he says. Well, Kenya will get their chance soon enough.

The African nation have the advantage of playing in conditions familiar to them. Perhaps it is with this in mind that Kenya have recalled a couple of their most experienced cricketers to take their campaign forward. Left-arm spinner Aasif Karim, who has 30 odis under his belt, makes a comeback.

Having led Kenya in 25 of his odis and also in Davis Cup tennis, Karim knows a thing or two about sport. Joining him is batsman Alpesh Vadher, who also returns to the side after a gap. Add to this the existing strength of skipper Steve Tikolo, all-rounder Maurice Odumbe and the ever-improving medium-pacer Joseph Angara and you have a combination that could pull off a surprise or two.

From Africa on to Europe for the next contender. The Netherlands, having played in the 1996 World Cup, failed to qualify for the 1999 edition and will be happy to be back after easily emerging on top in the icc Trophy last held at Toronto. With a first-class century to his name, skipper Roland Lefebvre will carry a lot of the Dutch hopes on his shoulders. To help ease the load, Lefebvre can fall back on Bas Zuiderent, who, after working hard to make it to Sussex and even recording a first-class ton, will be out to prove his worth. Experience apart though, the most exciting talent in the Dutch side is all-rounder Edgar Schiferli. Bowling his medium-pace at a brisk pace, Schiferli can hurry onto batsmen. Where he will be really dangerous, though, is with the bat. In the Champions Trophy, Schiferli gave good account of his ability, thumping some clean sixes.

Alas, even in limited overs cricket, a few sixes alone will not be enough to take on the best in the world. The Canadian squad will be keenly aware of this.

When they take the field in this World Cup, it will be the second time Canada is doing so. Having last qualified in 1979, the Canadians were beaten badly by Pakistan, England and Australia, in the course of which they set the dubious record for the lowest total ever. It might then come as a surprise to many people that Canada actually has a long, if not distinguished, history of playing cricket. The first Canada-USA series took place in the 1900s, about 30 years before the first Ashes series! History sadly doesn’t translate into runs and wickets on the field though. Achieving that will be left to skipper Joseph Harris, who was born in Madras but learned his cricket in the West Indies. Ashish Bagai, the Delhi-born wicketkeeper of the side, has also played cricket successfully for many years now and is highly regarded for his glove-work.

John Davidson, who has been bowling off-spin for South Australia, will team up with talented left-arm spinner Barry Seebaran and the pair are likely to be key bowlers in the World Cup. But it is the batting that is a concern for the Canadians, and they need skipper Harris to be score heavily to take their hopes forward.

Last, and certainly not the least, come the Namibians. Very little is known about them. Very few people have ever seen them play. And in this lies their biggest strength. And there is one contribution that only this African nation will make to this edition. Rudi van Vuuren, a doctor by profession and a rugby national for Namibia, is set to become the first player to play in both rugby and cricket World Cups. And the country is yet to play a one-day international.

The key for Namibia, however, is likely to lie in the bowling of Lennie Louw who has bowled his left-arm spin and medium-pace with some success in first-class cricket in South African domestic cricket. The batting of skipper Deon Koetze will also certainly play a part.

Sure, they’re minnows, but these five teams will also play their part, when the World Cup gets under way in South Africa.