Cricket World Cup: Brian Lara backs West Indies, Randwick Petersham to host Ireland

BRIAN Lara believes the West Indies remain a cricket team to be feared in the upcoming World Cup, despite recent off-field turbulence.

West Indies captain Chris Gayle (R) directs fielders after bowler Dwayne Bravo (L) gave up runs during the first of three One-Day International matches against Sri Lanka April 10, 2008 at the Queens Park Oval in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago. Sri Lanka has a score of 235 for 7 at the end of their innings. AFP PHOTO/Stan HONDA

CHAMPIONbatsman Brian Lara believes the West Indies remain a cricket team to be feared in the upcoming ICC Cricket World Cup, despite recent off-field turbulence.

Lara listed world class players Sunil Narine, Chris Gayle, Kieron Pollard, Dwyane Bravo and Dwayne Smith to highlight the obvious firepower that still exists in Caribbean cricket.

BRIAN LARA’S ADVICE TO MICHAEL CLARKE

However, he acknowledged that unlike T20 cricket, individual brilliance is often not enough in the 50-over format and particularly on foreign soil.

“It’s nice to have the stars but you’ve got to have guys who are going to be making little contributions, or maybe big contributions at times, when they need to, and sort of unify them and get it going,” Lara told foxsports.com.au.

“I just saw the rankings on TV and in the one-day game we’re just above Bangladesh and Zimbabwe as well, so it’s hard to say that they’re one of the favourites.

“Sachin (Tendulkar) said they’re a dark horse — we’re always going to be a dark horse because you’ve got players that are matchwinners.

PACE KEY TO ENGLAND’S CHARGE

FORMER England pacemen Steve Harmison has nominated Steve Finn and Ben Stokes as the keys to England’s World Cup assault.

Finn only returned to the international scene in August after a year out of the game due to issues with his run up and Stokes’s form has been patchy since he burst onto the international scene against Australia last summer.

But Harmison believes England will present a bowling attack to rival the group that broke through to win the Ashes in 2005.

“Finn for me is the key to England’s success in the next nine months,” Harmison said.

The #cwctrophytour has had a blast in @WestAustralia. Here's just a few of the amazing sights the trophy saw! #cwc15 pic.twitter.com/hhvaaROmur

— Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) November 19, 2014

“If he’s fit, firing and bowling well, England have got a good chance of taking wickets in that middle-over period at the World Cup.

“I believe, if they’re all bowling well, Anderson, Broad, Finn and Stokes, with Moeen, I think that’s as good as 2005, I really do. I think Finn is the key, because somebody that can bowl over 90mph and make the ball bounce on any given surface and be aggressive, that makes the job easier for the rest of them.”

Harmison went on to describe Stokes as a “phenomenal” talent.

“He’s one of the best young players I’ve ever seen. It’s hard to put all that on one man’s shoulders but if he’s batting at six and bowling well for England, they’ll have a very, very good team.”

Steve Finn during England training for the 3rd Ashes Test at the WACA in Perth. Phil Hillyard

GRADE CRICKET V WORLD CUP CRICKET

SYDNEY grade cricket club Randwick Petersham will host the Irish cricket team ahead of the ICC World Cup.

Ireland use the club’s training facilities for a five-day training camp and play a match against the hosts on Friday February 6.

Randwick Petersham will field an invitational XI compromised of its first grade talent with the potential addition of Simon Katich and Nathan Hauritz.

PRE-WORLD CUP WHITEWASH

INDIA leapt into No. 1 in the one-day rankings with a series clean sweep over Sri Lanka this week.

After Rohit Sharma stole the show with his incredible 264, Virat Kohli was the hero in the fifth and final match with an assured 139 to claim victory with 8 balls to spare.

Sri Lanka was without some key players and captain Angelo Matthews refused to concede the series was not an indicator of their World Cup prospects.

“I don’t think the series will have a negative impact,” Mathews said.

.@TonyAbbottMHR and @narendramodi side by side with the CWC trophy and Border-Gavaskar Trophy @MCG. #cwc15 pic.twitter.com/b8ZI9GC0rQ

— Cricket World Cup (@cricketworldcup) November 18, 2014

“We have figured out who our players are going to be. We wanted to try them out here because playing in India is always a lot of pressure,” Matthews said.

“We wanted to know who the guys are, who will perform under pressure. We now have an idea. We just have to flush the defeats out of the system and take the England series on, and move on.”

Sri Lanka now hosts England in a one-day series, while India travels to Australia for four Tests and a one-day series.

Paul Collingwood will be an assistant coach with Scotland during the ICC World Cup. AFP PHOTO: ALEXANDER JOE

COLLINGWOOD GOES NORTH FOR DOWN UNDER

FORMER England all-rounder Paul Collingwood will rejoin the Scotland coaching staff for the ICC World Cup.

Collingwood was the fielding coach during the qualification process and despite deciding to continue his playing career, he will return to help head coach Grant Bradburn.

Collingwood’s presence will add some extra spice to England’s Pool A match with Scotland on February 23 in Christchurch.