World Cup flashback: Caddick gets Sach a caning

India's Sachin Tendlukar hits England's Andy Caddick for a six at Kingsmead during the 2003 World Cup. Pic/Getty Images

World Cup memory
Caddick gets Sach a caning

When cricket lovers sit down to talk about Sachin Tendulkar's most entertaining half century in one-day cricket, the 52-ball 50 he scored against England at the 2003 World Cup in Durban would surely come up for discussion. On match eve, England pacer Andy Caddick indicated to the media that the Indian team was not a crack outfit as it was made out to be. "Even Sachin did not play well despite his century (in the previous game against Namibia). Sachin's just like another batsman in the Indian team, and there are a lot of others in the Indian side," said Caddick.

He also said that his fellow pacers and himself would prefer Tendulkar opening the innings because that gave them more of a chance to dismiss him with a new ball. Wonder whether Tendulkar's ears had been filled, but he came out and caned Caddick at Kingsmead. The most memorable of his shots was the pull that sailed over midwicket and out of the ground. Caddick had nowhere to hide when Tendulkar hit three of the last four deliveries of the 11th over to the fence.

Tendulkar and Sehwag put on 60 for the first wicket and 250 seemed enough on a ground where the ball invariably swung around. Nasser Hussain's men had another storm to deal with later in the day. It came in the form of Ashish Nehra whose 6 for 23 sent England packing for 168.

Figured out
Angus Fraser, the fine exponent of swing bowling, had a highly forgettable World Cup in 1999 when he could claim only one wicket in the three opportunities he got in Alec Stewart's England team. Zimbabwe's Alistair Campbell was Fraser's solitary victim but the Middlesex bowler enjoyed a good economy rate for the tournament - 3.70.

Did you know?
Zimbabwe leg-spinner Paul Strang claimed all the four West Indies wickets to fall in their 1996 World Cup game at Hyderabad. The West Indians got to their 152-run target in the 30th over but not before Sherwin Campbell, Richie Richardson, Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Keith Arthurton succumbed to Strang.

Player to watch
Jonny Bairstow

Jonny Bairstow may have endured a duck in his last game of this year's IPL against Chennai Super Kings, but that won't hide the fact that the Sunrisers Hyderabad wicketkeeper-batsman has had a good tune-up to the forthcoming World Cup. His 43-ball unbeaten 80 against Kolkata Knight Riders proved that he can stay there till the end with sizeable runs against his name. Jos Buttler will keep wicket at the World Cup, but England can always hand the big gloves to their opening batsman in an emergency.

Catch up on all the latest T20 news and updates here. Also download the new mid-day Android and iOS apps to get latest updates