Sir Vivian Richards feels Australia is not a good bet for 2011 World Cup
The sensation is apparently over and the rousing command with which the mighty Aussies once ruled the perch in international cricket is now in the past.
The men from Down Under are facing the crisis that they have never even thought of. After losing against India and Sri Lanka, Ponting’s men are currently struggling against England for the 133-year old Ashes battle.
The current struggling form of the Aussies has made Sir Vivian Richards, the legendary batsman from Caribbean, feel that once unbeaten http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Australia-c746 is no longer the best team in the world and no more a World Cup favourite side.
"Looking at the way they are playing, it seems they are not the best team in the world," said the legendary http://www.senore.com/Cricket/West-Indies-c760 batsman. "Looking at the Ashes tour, it seems Australia will not win the World Cup according to the current form. Australia
are on their way down", Richards added.
Richards was in the Subcontinent to attend a ceremony where the International Cricket Council and its broadcasting partners for the World Cup uncovered their plans and new initiatives for the quadrennial event that would be jointly hosted
by http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Bangladesh-c747.
Three World Cup-winnings skipper from the Subcontinent, http://www.senore.com/Cricket/Haroon-Lorgat-c61719 and the 2011 World
Cup Tournament Director Professor Ratnakar Shetty.
Six years ago, Steve Waugh stepped down from the captaincy role handing over a bunch of world-beaters to Ricky Ponting, who have moved on with time. The Australian side touched the peak of fame under Ponting’s leadership and earned the bragging
rights in One Day and Test cricket for the last six years.
But the times have changed and India sparked as a new superpower in five day cricket, when they subjected Ponting’s visiting side to their first whitewash in over two decades followed by a 1-0 rain-ruined ODI series loss.
Soon after their return from the Subcontinent, Australia faced its ever first series defeat against Sri Lanka on home soil and is currently struggling for a fight back against England in The Ashes series after going down 1-0.
Imran Khan was also was incredulous about the current form of Australia. "They don't have the bowling lineup to take 20 wickets in a Test match. They need a match-winning spinner", suggested the former captain of Pakistan, who had lifted
the World Cup trophy for his country in 1992.
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