Australia's Brett Lee and Mitchell Johnson to miss the match

Australia's Brett Lee and Mitchell Johnson have been ruled out of the second ODI against India on Wednesday.

Their absence comes as a blow to the tourists who are already without all-rounder James Hopes who has been ruled out for up to two matches after suffering a hamstring strain in Australia's four-win win in Vadodara on Sunday.

Australia had hoped to have Lee (elbow) and Johnson (ankle) available for the match in Nagpur, although they are expected to return for the third match of the series in Delhi on Saturday.

The news is not as good for Hopes who is set to be sidelined until later in the seven-match series and Australia's selectors have responded by requesting promising all-rounder Moises Henriques fly to India to join the squad as back-up.

"Our medical staff have now decided that while both Brett Lee and Mitchell Johnson's injuries have responded well to treatment, they will be severe enough to rule them out of contention for Wednesday's match in Nagpur," Australia's national selection panel chairman Andrew Hilditch said.

"With James Hopes' right hamstring injury being more serious and likely to keep him out for at least the next two matches it is thought adding a standby player to the squad is a necessity.

"Given the most significant injury appears to be Hopes' hamstring we have taken this opportunity to add Moises Henriques to the squad until the completion of game four in Mohali where we will again assess the situation before it is decided if he remains with the squad."

Henriques is yet to play an ODI for his country, with his only appearance in Australian colours arriving in a Twenty20 against New Zealand earlier this year.

The Portugal-born 22-year-old impressed during New South Wales' successful Champions League Twenty20 campaign in India earlier this month, when he was the tournament's second-leading wicket taker.

"While the injury situation is disappointing it does provide an opportunity for Moises to join the Australian squad and become familiar in this environment," Hilditch added.

"His form for Australia A in Pakistan and for New South Wales during the recent Champions League in India has been very good and we view him as an exciting young all-rounder who will be looking to make the most of this opportunity in India."

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Yuvraj back for the second ODI gives India a boost

India have been given a major boost ahead of the second one-dayer against Australia with the news that Yuvraj Singh will be fit to feature in Nagpur.

The left-handed batsman has recently been sidelined with a finger injury that he picked up during the ICC Champions Trophy in South Africa.

His return is a timely one for the hosts, who suffered a four-run defeat in the series opener in Vadodara on Sunday.

Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni admits Yuvraj has been sorely missed, particularly as his left-arm off-spin provides another bowling option.

Backbone

"Yuvraj has been the backbone of our batting line-up, especially because he bats at number four and at a time when the ball is changed and the second powerplay comes into the picture," he said.

"Someone with the capabilities of Yuvraj at that stage is a huge help and it's not just his batting, but his bowling as well.

"With him around you have the luxury of another part-time bowler so even if the others have a poor day, you have one more option."

Either Virat Kohli or Ravindra Jadeja could be dropped in order to allow Yuvraj to play in the first ODI to be staged at the new stadium built on the outskirts of the city.

India may also opt to make changes to their bowling attack, with one option being the selection an extra frontline slow bowler in leg spinner Amit Mishra.

There have also been calls for Dhoni to move himself up in the order but the captain himself has quickly dismissed the idea, insisting he's happy at five.

"We have Viru (Virender Sehwag) and Sachin (Tendulkar) opening the innings, Gautam (Ghambir) at number three and Yuvraj at number four, so the next slot is only number five," he added.

"I do bat at different slots, but the batting positions of these four players are pretty much fixed."

Australia, meanwhile, have selection issues of their own as they look to double their advantage in the seven-match series.

Brett Lee has joined James Hopes on the sidelines, while Mitchell Johnson remains doubtful due to an ankle injury.

It had earlier been reported that the left-arm paceman would not feature but coach Tim Nielsen insists he could now be fit to play on Wednesday.

Hopeful

"Mitchell woke up a lot better this morning than we thought he would be when we drafted him in the media release yesterday morning," he said.

"So it is really pleasing to see him get up today and shine. We will see how he pulls up after the training session today but all the indications are that he might well be available tomorrow."

The tourists will be hoping Johnson is available with Lee definitely out. Nielsen, however, feels any injuries will only offer other players the chance to gain experience, particularly when it comes to bowling at the death.

"If Mitchell and Brett cannot play then we are losing about 300 matches in ODis in terms of their experience," he admitted.

"And we are talking about six or seven (games) between Ben Hilfenhaus and Doug Bollinger.

"Having said that, it must be said that the only way the young players learn or get better is from getting exposure.

"You can practice all the yorkers in the nets but it is so difficult to bowl to someone like Sachin (Tendulkar) or Harbhajan (Singh) when they are on a roll and the crowd are going."

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The World Cup 2010: Lifting the spirits of a nation

The prospect of playing host to the mostwatched sporting event on earth – the FIFA World Cup – is mouth watering and the competition to host the tournament is, perhaps unsurprisingly, fierce. Already, English papers are dominated by the FA’s bid to host the event in 2018 or 2022, having famously failed in an attempt to host the 2006 competition.

“Hosting the World Cup is big business,” explains Martjin Kuipers, Managing Director of Mammoet Southern Africa (Pty) Ltd, talking about how the 2010 World Cup – to be held in South Africa – is boosting the country’s economy. “My company is certainly benefitting.” Indeed, as South Africa gears up to host next year’s ‘tournament of champions’, stadiums are busily being upgraded and built – great news for firms like Mammoet. “We are doing our bit,” Kuipers adds. “It makes you proud to be South African.”

Kuipers isn’t the only South African taking pride from the World Cup bid. The third instalment of a six-wave public opinion tracking study carried out by international research company SPORT+MARKT, on FIFA’s behalf, soon after the final whistle at the FIFA Confederations Cup in June, suggested that South Africa is more than ready to host the event and recognises the legacy such tournaments can leave behind. The key

extracts from those findings were that 87 percent of those surveyed felt their country will be ready to host the World Cup, while an impressive 93 percent said they were proud that South Africa is host. Another significant figure was that 85 percent of those surveyed said the event will bring long-term benefits to the country.

Danny Jordaan, the man charged with organising the World Cup, and one of those

convinced of the long-term benefits of the tournament, recently spoke to goal.com of his

belief that the World Cup will – like those before it – stimulate future economic growth. He feels it will “bring people together and will have a major impact in building racial harmony,” and revealed his joy at seeing blacks and whites, rich and poor, mixing and sitting together at football matches during the summer’s Confederations Cup. He also dismissed concerns over transport, accommodation and crime during the event. “It is an experience that many people have never had,” he explained. “The doubting Thomases are now believing the Thomases.”

Indeed, off the field, for South Africans, the success should be far greater, far more important, and lasting. Already, billions have been pumped into infrastructure improvements on public transport, roads and telecommunications. “It [the World Cup] will certainly raise South Africa’s profiles abroad,” says Joshua Ngoma CEO and co-founder of Tranter Holdings and a leading South African black mining-industry personality.

Benefits will also come in the shape of tourism, which is expected to boom during the tournament. “They’re anticipating between 200,000 and 300,000 overseas tourists coming to the country during the World Cup,” says Dave Erskine, CEO of Erbacon, a leading South African construction firm which is currently working on the promenade at the entrance to the Moses Mabhida Stadium, Durban. “It’ll be a huge boost to the economy and it’s going to expose the country to a few hundred thousand people who’ve never been here before; we’re certainly looking at the return visits after the World Cup.” Already 9.5 million tourists visit South Africa annually.

DOUBTS REMAIN

Lingering doubts do remain, however, and crime is one major concern for visitors. One England fan, who wishes to remain anonymous, told me of his ‘fear’ of being ‘set upon’ by bandits and instances like the Egyptian team hotel being broken into during their match with Italy at the Confederations Cup (according to reports in the Guardian newspaper) hardly inspire confidence.

There are concerns too about inflated prices in South Africa as a result of the tournament and the new tourists it will bring. Erskine comments: “I’ve got no doubt that it will be a very successful World Cup despite some concerns in the media. Over the past year, we’ve had some fairly large sporting events, not on the scale of the World Cup, but we had the Confederations Cup and the Indian IPL League, which was brought over here at short notice; both of those sporting events went off very well. The World Cup is obviously on a much larger scale but all the stadiums are on track and expected

ahead of schedule.

“Accommodation was thought to be a problem,” he adds, “but that seems to be resolved – there’s a whole network of accommodation providers – and I do think the country is in the position to stage a very successful tournament.”

Despite Erskine’s optimism, there is real trepidation that certain South Africa cities will be unable to accommodate travelling spectators.

Hotels in Durban, for example, are rare (there are something like 10,000 rooms – hardly enough). This will force football lovers to take rooms in hotels up to two hours away ,

with Cape Town expected to take the brunt.

GREAT SPECTACLE

Regardless of the politics or debate surrounding next summer’s highly anticipated

tournament, South Africans are determined to enjoy the event. Irrespective of any concerns about crime, infrastructure or anything else – including the Bafana Bafana’s

performances on the pitch – the World Cup has a history of uniting and I, for one, am

looking forward to it. The South African government has shown great commitment and

all parties involved are working around the clock to ensure South Africa and Africa

deliver a flourishing World Cup which will leave a lasting legacy.

FIFA and its President Sepp Blatter took a gamble when awarding the tournament to South Africa, but it will pay off. World Cups are obliged to leave a positive legacy and it is legitimate to suppose that it will make a more lasting impact in South Africa than a wealthy economy of Western Europe. The tournament will ultimately make a huge profit for FIFA, whose income from broadcast rights is astronomical. The benefits to a nation are harder to specify but South Africa should do just fine. The World Cup after all is much more than football or finance – it has the potential to lift the spirits of a nation.

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World's first underwater cabinet meet in Maldives - News In Pictures

Maldives, October 17, 2009: President Mohamed Nasheed arrives at the underwater cabinet meeting off Girifushi Island. Ministers in full scuba gear met on the sea bed to draw attention to the dangers of global warming for the island nation, a tourist paradise featuring coral reefs and white sand beaches with most parts lying less than one metre above sea level. Scientists have warned it could be uninhabitable in less than 100 years. (AFP Image)

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Rahul Dravid deserves better

Indian cricket begins its home season by showing disrespect to one of its most honourable torch-bearers. Rahul Dravid has always done everything asked of him, including in the last five one-day games he played in. And now he has fallen prey to a whimsical hire and fire policy. I hope there are a few people feeling embarrassed by what they have done because otherwise we are in for more bad news.

By picking Rahul Dravid for Sri Lanka and the Champions Trophy, the selectors had sent out a clear signal that they were unhappy with the younger players. I don't think they saw enough in five games to change that perception. Meanwhile Dravid scored runs, played the role that assigned to him and did nothing to suggest that he didn't belong in a one-day game. So either the selectors were wrong to pick him last month or they are wrong to drop him now.

Maybe they were picking horses for courses hoping Dravid's superior ability would be handy in South Africa. And maybe they have gone horses for courses again by picking free-striking nimble players in home conditions. If that is indeed true, and it seems obvious, it is sending a terrible signal to the young guns in the squad; that it is okay to play only in favourable conditions and that you don't really need to learn how to play elsewhere. I worry about a system that encourages such thought and devalues superior all-round players.

I also think the selectors need to think about whether they are undermining one of India's finest ever team players; someone who opened when no one else wanted to, kept wickets when the team needed him to. We have to, at all times, make the distinction between a selfless team player and another who might seek to fatten his numbers. And with all India's cricket due to be played in home conditions over the next six months, we will not learn too much more about the ability of the younger players to adapt.

That is why Suresh Raina had to be number three in South Africa. But if indeed he was assessed and found inadequate, then he must bide his time. The future belongs to him, to Rohit Sharma, to Virat Kohli but for that these young men have to prove that they can play anywhere; like Dravid did, like Laxman and Ganguly did. You cannot treat Rahul Dravid like a dish you might have ordered wrongly, then have a spoonful and send it back. And that is why, in spite of being a great admirer of his, I hope he doesn't allow this to happen to him again. He deserves better. We have used flimsy scales to weigh a man of steel.

Meanwhile India continues to confound world cricket. If India has to drive the world cricket market, then Indian teams need to play till the last stage. Otherwise viewership tails off, sponsors either pull out or demand more and in course of time revenue drops. It's a peculiar situation where world cricket, and individual nations, will benefit from the revenue that India brings in and yet that revenue could be jeopardised in future if they keep beating India! We have seen that over three high profile events in the last five months. Now either India needs to get more consistent or money will start finding its way towards events where every match is a home game for some Indian constituency. It is tricky situation especially in the light of what happened at the Champions Trophy and the Champions League, two outstandingly organised, and promoted, events where Indian interest ended early.

I've loved the enthusiasm at the Airtel Champions League. The best teams made the semi-final and there are two reasons that come to mind straightaway for the poor performance of the Indian franchises. First, and this is something we have to admit straightaway, the average first class player in Australia or South Africa is better than his counterpart in India and, I suspect, has a superior work ethic. And second, teams like Trinidad and Tobago and the NSW Blues, or even the Diamond Eagles for that matter, played like it mattered more to them. But this is a tournament with legs and I see it growing as viewers get to know players from other lands better.

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Vettori named NZ cricketer of the year

Vettori named NZ cricketer of the year

Daniel Vettori was named New Zealand cricketer of the year for the 2008/09 season at the annual awards ceremony in Auckland.

The New Zealand captain was favourite to win the prize after a stellar year in which he scored 475 Test runs, including a century and three 50s, and took 36 wickets, including three five-wicket hauls.

He also became the eighth player to reach the 300 wickets-3,000 runs Test double during the recent series with Sri Lanka.

In the one-day arena, Vettori led the Black Caps to the final of the Champions Trophy but was unable to play against Australia because of a hamstring injury.

New Zealand Cricket chief executive Justin Vaughan claimed the skipper was a deserving winner of the supreme award.

"Daniel has been an inspiration to his team and to New Zealand cricket fans," he said.

"This year he has also cemented his reputation as one of the most accomplished captains in world cricket currently.

"Daniel has led his side from the front this season. A six-wicket haul against the West Indies, a century against India - then going on later in the year to join the elite club of 300 wickets and 3000 runs - this really has been Daniel's year."

Aside from his National Bank player of the year success, Vettori also walked away with the Winsor Cup as best first-class bowler and the JR Reid trophy for best all-rounder.

Jesse Ryder won the Redpath Cup for best first-class batsman after a year in which he scored a century and a double ton in successive Tests against India, plus three half-centuries against the West Indies and finished with an average of 55.

The Walter Hadlee trophy for one-day international batsman was awarded to Martin Guptill who hit an unbeaten 122 on debut against the West Indies in Auckland in January.

The 23-year-old went on to make half-centuries against Australia and India and in the recent Champions Trophy made 66 against Sri Lanka and 53 against England.

World number one ODI bowler Kyle Mills won the Walter Hadlee trophy for one-day bowling.

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The 30-year-old has consistently been in the top five-ranked one-day bowlers throughout the period, recording best figures of four for 35 against Australia in Perth in February.

Former Black Cap Mathew Sinclair won the domestic men's player of the year.

The awards were overshadowed by reports earlier today that senior players had called for the axing of Black Caps coach Andy Moles.

The Dominion Post stated the unnamed players felt Moles was out of his depth in international cricket and Vettori had been coaching the team for the past six months.

It is believed Moles will enter mediation talks with New Zealand Cricket as early as tomorrow, something Vaughan refused to confirm.

Instead a brief statement was released confirming the 48-year-old Englishman remained head coach of the Black Caps and was preparing the side for their upcoming five-match limited overs series against Pakistan in the United Arab Emirates.

However, Vaughan added that a review was taking place.

"Following the Black Caps' return from Sri Lanka and the Champions Trophy we are undertaking a review of the team's performance," the NZC chief executive said.

"This looks at all aspects of individual and collective performance with a view to continuous improvement."

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