News 1: Watch out for Bangladesh, Pollock warns
Source:
http://www.businessday.co.za/article...aspx?id=131528
Proteas should not underestimate giant-killers during World Cup
TELFORD VICE
Published: 2011/01/14 07:44:17 AM
INDIA and England are SA’s biggest rivals in the group stage of the Cricket World Cup next month, but the Proteas will also need to be wary of minnows Bangladesh.
"Don’t underestimate them as a unit," Shaun Pollock said yesterday. "They’ll be playing on their home grounds with the crowd fully behind them. They’ll want to play as well as they can, and they’re certain to lift their game to new heights due to the support they will get."
Pollock’s warning may seem alarmist considering Bangladesh’s modest standing in world cricket. But the former SA all-rounder was part of the team that lost a Super Eights match to the Asians by 67 runs in Guyana at the 2007 World Cup. In the 1999 World Cup, Bangladesh beat Pakistan. India came unstuck against them in 2007 in the loss that dumped the heavyweights out of the tournament.
This year, the giant-killers come up against India in the opening match of the World Cup in Mirpur on February 19.
"India have a tricky one against them first up, and SA’s trip there will be difficult as well," Pollock said.
The Proteas take on the Tigers in Mirpur on March 19 in the last of their six Group B matches. Should Graeme Smith’s team have secured a top-four finish by then, the result will be irrelevant. But the pressure will be on if SA need a win to advance.
Bangladesh play a plucky, athletic brand of cricket that depends on the sum of the parts of their team rather than emphatic individual performances. They have won just five of their 20 World Cup matches to date, but they have played all of those games in foreign conditions.
News 2 : Andy Flower (England's Coach) about Bangladesh Match:
Source:
http://blogs.bettor.com/Andy-Flower-...England-a51973
"I'm not sure where we're rated in one-day internationals but I think the brand of cricket we're playing, we've got a chance," added Flower. "We'll have to switch on to the sub-continent conditions and thrive very quickly. Even the Bangladesh conditions will be very tricky - they've just beaten New Zealand 4-0.That's going to be a tricky match in itself."
The English team is placed in Group B for the tournament where, they have to overcome two hosts India and Bangladesh at home in their conditions.