Saudi Crown Prince, Italian PM Meloni discuss regional security in phone call    Musaned tops 2024 Beneficiary Satisfaction Index among 39 platforms with a rate of 96%    Saudi Arabia launches loan guarantees for SMEs to stimulate investment in environmental projects    Dr. Soliman Fakeeh Hospital, Jeddah is among top three 5-star hospitals in Middle East and North Africa    Antenna: Saudi artist Ahmed Mater opens first solo exhibition in China    79 hospitality facilities in Makkah and Madinah face penalties for closure order violations    S&P upgrades Saudi Arabia's credit rating to A+    Trump orders 'decisive' military action against Houthis in Yemen    US Senate passes Republican spending bill to avert government shutdown    Zelenskyy says territorial control key to peace talks, rejects recognition of occupied regions    Pakistan says train hijacking death toll rises to 30, accuses India and Afghanistan of supporting militants    Al Nassr climbs to third with dominant win over Al Khaleej, Al Qadsiah slips after loss to Damac    CEDA reviews role of reforms in diversification of economy and surge in non-oil revenues    Crown Prince receives Yazeed Al-Rajhi after historic Dakar Rally 2025 victory    Saleh Al-Shehri's late penalty rescues Al Ittihad against Al Riyadh    SR17 million fines slapped on 16 individuals and companies convicted of violating Capital Market Law    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    Man lives for 100 days with titanium heart in successful new trial    Argentinian court begins trial of seven healthcare professionals over Maradona's death    Singer Wheesung who wooed Korea with his ballads, found dead at 43    Prince Frederik of Luxembourg dies from rare disease    King Salman prays for peace and stability for Palestinians in Ramadan message King reaffirms Saudi Arabia's commitment to serving the Two Holy Mosques and pilgrims    Bollywood star Saif Ali Khan 'out of danger' after attack at home in Mumbai    Order vs. Morality: Lessons from New York's 1977 Blackout    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Dhoni not in favor of playing an extra bowler
Published in The Saudi Gazette on 06 - 03 - 2011

BANGALORE: India captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni says he is not planning to use an extra specialist bowler against Ireland in Sunday's World Cup match, despite a glut of runs in the previous two games at the Chinnaswamy Stadium.
Dhoni told reporters Saturday he believed “you should always back your strength, which is batting,” and that India would continue to rely on part-time bowlers in the Group B match.
India's batting lineup is considered the best in the World Cup, but its four-man bowling attack has been unimpressive, giving rise to speculation that India might play an extra specialist bowler in the good batting conditions.
Giant-killing Ireland has vowed to play aggressive cricket against India as it attempts to add the host to its list of scalps.
The non-Test-playing nation provided the shock of the tournament to stun England by three wickets Wednesday and all-rounder John Mooney said they would adopt the same fearless approach in Bangalore.
“Our expectations going into the India game will be the same and we will go all out. Every game we play, we play to win,” said Mooney, who took four wickets and scored a crucial 33 not out against England.
“As it was against Bangladesh, it will be the same against India too. It didn't happen in the first outing, but we went out with the same attitude against England and the approach will be the same against India.”
India, with three points after two matches, including a dramatic tie against England, may be struggling to find the right bowling combination but O'Brien said the hosts had the resources to keep pressure on his team.
“A couple of bad matches won't make them a bad bowling attack. I've seen the likes of (paceman) Zaheer Khan and (spinner) Harbhajan Singh and they're very good bowlers,” said O'Brien, who turned 27 Friday.
The track has favored batsmen in the past two matches – England vs. India and Ireland vs. England – as each team topped 300 runs.
India needs to back up its batting with tight bowling and fielding against Ireland, which showed the depth of its batting against England as lower-order batsmen Alex Cusack and Mooney made crucial contributions.
Smith wary of England backlash
South African captain Graeme Smith said he expected to face a fired-up England following its humiliation by Ireland.
Andrew Strauss's team was victim of one of the greatest upsets in World Cup history when Ireland, inspired by O'Brien's record-breaking 50-ball century, chased down a 328-run winning target in Bangalore Wednesday.
It was a victory that threw the race for quarterfinal places from Group B wide open.
However, England has a good recent record against the Proteas, winning seven out of their past eight completed ODIs against South Africa.
“I think England-South Africa's always a big game,” Smith told reporters at the Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai Saturday.
“It's very competitive and it's a game you look forward to.”
As for England's response after the Ireland loss, Smith said: “They are a very proud team and have had some good ups over the last few years.
“They have the ability to play really well and as a team we know that. We expect them to bounce back.
“The Ireland result will have hit them. It was terrific for the World Cup to watch them (Ireland) get the victory. Tomorrow will be a very different game.”
England off-spinner Graeme Swann urged his teammates to hold their nerve. “If we start panicking and thinking we're the disgrace that half the people on Twitter thought we were on Wednesday night, there's no point in us playing,” he said.
“But to win three-quarters of the game (against Ireland) and throw it away so catastrophically, that's the sort of thing that can ruin momentum.”
Previous campaigns have often seen the Proteas accused of choking but, with the exception of all-rounder Jacques Kallis, few of the current squad have much in the way of a lengthy World Cup history behind them.
Significantly, an attack once over-reliant on fast bowling has been boosted by the inclusion of Pakistan-born leg-spinner Imran Tahir and he could have an important role to play on a Chidambaram pitch set to take turn.


Clic here to read the story from its source.