Wed, 16 Mar 2011 - Australia vs Canada, World Cup 2011, 35th match Group A - Preview

For Australia World Cup 2011 has turned out to be an easy assignment so far as not only Kangaroos are the only team in the tournament yet to taste defeat, it also won its matches hands down.

Still, there is more than one area where they would be keen to improve and have all facets of the game in order before knockout stages of the tournament. The spin duo of Jason Krejza and Steven Smith have haven’t put pressure in the middle overs and have been scored off easily  while fast bowlers seem to a bit rusty thanks to a long gap between the matches.

Wednesday encounter against a weaker side, Canada provides them an ideal opportunity to have all the bases covered. Australian captain Ricky Ponting has already stated that his side will be competing with Canada with full steam that doesn’t sound refreshing news for the North American side.

With former skipper and all-rounder John Davisson all set to retire from the international cricket after the Wednesday game, it should inspire Canadian side to put up a decent show to give their star player a warm send off.

Canada have strung some decent performances in the tournament by winning against Kenya and displaying a defiant batting effort against New Zealand. But in their heart of hearts they would be know that batting full quota of fifty overs against Aussie pace battery and containing strong batting line up will be a herculean task .

Bangalore pitches are full of runs and kind of batsmen Australia have and weaker bowling line up to play against, another run fest is on cards and, one fears, trouble for Canadian side.

AUSTRALIA

The defending champions have looked a unit that can have another serious crack at the trophy and have looked to get better and better by every game they have played.

Majority of their batsmen are in a good form while pace bowlers have also looked fit but there are some grey areas in the both the departments that Australian team management will be keen to rectify.

As of the skipper Ricky Ponting has, nowhere, looked near to his best batting form and hasn’t been able to convert start to a substantial score.

Cameron White who was preferred over David Hussey in the playing eleven after Michael Hussey’s arrival has hardly scored runs in the tournament so far and it would be interesting whether team persists with him or David gets a game against Canada. Among the top teams, Australia have the weakest spin department and that is showing in the tournament as wickets have dried up in the middle overs whenever Steven Smith and Jason Krejza have come to bowl. The duo needs to step up their performance to add to their chances of going deep into the firmament.

Squad: Ricky Ponting (Capt), Michael Clarke, Shane Watson, Brad Haddin (wk), Callum Ferguson, David Hussey, Cameron White, Tim Paine (wk), Steven Smith, John Hastings, Mitchell Johnson, Jason Krejza, Brett Lee, Shaun Tait, Michael Hussey ,Coach: Tim Neilson

CANADA

There is no denying the fact that Ireland have turned out to be the best Associate nation in the world cup but Canada have also improved after every match they featured in. Their skipper Ashish Bagai is one hell of a wicket keeper and has been leading from the front. He has scored two successive half centuries including a match winning against Kenya while Jimmy Hansra is another batsman who has impressed by displaying a good technique coupled with patience.

But it is the batting from of John Davisson and Rizwan Cheema that has hurt Canada big time and with Davisson playing his last international match that should spur him to have some fireworks before bidding good bye. Bowling unit has been well led by Indian born leg spinner Balaji Rao and occasional performances have come from H Baidwan and Henry Osinde.

Squad: Ashish Bagai (capt/wkt), Rizwan Cheema, Harvir Baidwan, Nitish Kumar, Hiral Patel, Tyson Gordon, Henry Osinde, John Davison, Ruvindu Gunasekera, Parth Desai, Karl Whatham, Khurram Chohan, Jimmy Hansra, Zubin Surkari, Balaji Rao.Coach: Pubudu Dassayanke