Experience will be a key

Team building, chopping and changing, seem to be coming to an end as the World Cup nears and the Champions trophy involving the ten test playing nations has got underway. The best eight will ultimately contest the trophy and there is no doubt that the exerienced players will play a major role for their teams.

Still, the Australians are the most superior outfit. They gave notice to the cricketing world by brushing aside India and the West Indies recently, in Malaysia. Ricky Ponting, Adam Gilchrist, Simon Katch, Damien Martin, Glen McGrath, Brett Lee and Andrew Symonds are their experienced lot. That’s more than a handful to contend with.

There is allround strength in that lot of players and they will be the individuals that the opposition will have to watch. They have plenty of ability and talent in the rest of the squad too. That is the reason they are billed as the number one outfit in the world.

In terms of experience Sri Lanka could be considered equal. Mahela Jayawardena, Kumar Sangakkara, Chaminda Vaas, Sanath Jayasuriya, Muttiah Muralitharan, Marvan Atapattu, Tillekeratne Dilshan and Dilhara Fernando are in the bracket of experienced men in the game. They do not match the Aussies in the pace department, but in batting and spin bowling, they match or even outdo the Aussies. In their current form they are worthy of a bet to bring home the Silverware.

The pitches in the Carribean Islands have lost their pace and now have the characteristics of pitches in the sub-continent. The pace, bounce, amount of spin available are pretty much similar. This makes the West Indies a force to to be reconed with.

They will be the outside team to put their hands up to win both trophies. They will bring with them the memories and experiences from the last Champions Trophy – winners in tournament played in England, in 2004 which is not too long ago. Brian Lara, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Chris Gayle, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Corey Collymore, Ian Bradshaw, Marlon Samuels, Wavell Hinds are the experienced lot. They have been together for awhile and together with youngsters, Dwayne Smith, Runako Morton, Fidel Edwards, Jerome Taylor, form a tough lot of players. What they lack is a genuine, outstanding spinner.

India have been experimenting with younger players in the past twelve months and are a blend on youth and experience. Like the Sri Lankans the senior players are a very experienced lot. Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Virender Sehwag, Yuvraj Singh, Mohamed Kaif, Irfan Pathan, Haribajan Singh, Ajit Agarkar, are all match winners. In this tournament they have the home advantage too. They must go out as a team which can give the Australians a good run.

At full strength the South Africans also have a number of experienced players. Graeme Smith, Jacques Kallis, Mark Boucher, Shaun Pollock, Herschelle Gibbs, Makhaya Nitini, are players who have been around for awhile. They stunned Ricky Ponting’s men not too long ago. They are a capable team, but somehow, after their win in the inaugural Champions trophy tournament in 1998, have failed to go all the way in the majors.

Likewise, New Zealand are a team that goes thus far and no further. They too somehow lose their way in the big games. In terms of experience all but two members of this present squad, have been around for a while. They could well spring a surprise or two.

That leaves Pakistan and England. They rank low in the list of experienced number. When Inzamam-ul-Haq returns Pakistan will jump up a few notches.

Come this time next year a number of older players will not be in World Cricket. But for now, they, who are the most experienced in their respective countries, will hold the key.