Bangladesh root for England defeat today

West Indies captain hopes to have inside track in Group B match.

DHAKA:

Darren Sammy’s West Indies will be cheered by millions of Bangladeshi fans when they take on England in the World Cup in Chennai today.

The support does not emanate from any sense of remorse for the unruly scenes in Dhaka on March 4 when the West Indies team bus was stoned. The reason is simple enough: if the West Indies defeat England, Bangladesh will make the quarter-finals of the showpiece event they are co-hosting for the first time with India and Sri Lanka.

But if England win, Bangladesh face the daunting prospect of beating mighty South Africa in their last group match on Saturday to qualify. The Proteas, with eight points from five matches, are the only team to have qualified for the quarter-finals from the tough Group B. Four teams, India, the West Indies, Bangladesh and England, are in the race for the remaining three berths.

Bangladesh coach backs West Indies

National coach Jamie Siddons was also hoping for a West Indies win, which will give his team a realistic chance of reaching the knockout phase.

“If England win, it will be very difficult for us to qualify,” said Siddons. “Beating South Africa even at home will be a difficult task. I am not going to guarantee that we will win against them. Also our run-rate is very poor.”

Gibson’s knowledge crucial for Sammy

West Indies captain Darren Sammy hopes to make the most of coach Ottis Gibson’s knowledge of England.

Victory for the West Indies will see them into the quarter-finals while England must win to keep alive their hopes of reaching the last-eight and then hope other results fall kindly for them. Former West Indies fast-bowler Gibson spent more than two years as England’s bowling coach before taking charge of the West Indies in January 2010.

“The plus we have is we have a coach who just a year ago was working with England, so he has inside details and will be quite helpful,” said Sammy.

“He has a lot of information and has worked in a successful English team.

Injury-hit England

England were deciding whether to stick with misfiring strike-bowler James Anderson as their World Cup date with destiny approached. One major problem for England has been the form of Anderson, whose four wickets have cost 282 runs at an average of more than 70 apiece.

“Jimmy has had a tough time in some of the games so far but we all know what a quality performer he is,” said England captain Andrew Strauss, who returned to training on Wednesday after a bout of illness.

“He has done it for us over and over again. So his name is very much in the mix for selection.”

Fast-bowler Ajmal Shahzad became the latest player, after Strauss and off-spinner Graeme Swann, to succumb to illness on Thursday. Strauss when asked if Shahzad’s health would have a bearing on Anderson’s selection now that Chris Tremlett has replaced Broad, said, “No, not necessarily. It is something we have to think about.”

Published in The Express Tribune, March 17^th, 2011.