The Hindu : Sport / Cricket : `Indians can pull off some upset wins'

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Wednesday, Jan 31, 2007
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`Indians can pull off some upset wins'

Principal Correspondent

HYDERABAD: India has the potential to pull off some upset wins but Australia is the favourite in the second quadrangular Series featuring India, World champions Australia, New Zealand and England starting from February 21 to March 5, according to Purnima Rau, former India captain and coach of the Andhra Pradesh State team.

The inaugural series in Lincoln (New Zealand) 2003 saw Australia emerge champion with its captain Karen Rolton putting up a splendid all-round performance.

Rolton, who scored 246 runs in the 2005 World Cup including a match-winning century in the final against India in the Centurion Park against the Mithali Raj-led Indians will be one of the star attractions of the event, says Purnima Rau.

The other big name is Rebecca Rolls, the 32-year-old Kiwi top-order bat who will be targeting two milestones — 2000 runs in one-dayers and two short of joining the select band of eight cricketers who have played 100 and more ODIs.

Kiwi challenge

New Zealand has the reputation of coming to any big event fully prepared. The Kiwis do their homework pretty well and are always a force to reckon with, points out Purnima.

England, which has recalled Lydia Greenway after the 21-year-old left-hander averaged 111 in domestic cricket for Kent, has also included the 17-year-old duo of Holly Colvin and Sarah Taylor. Colvin is the youngest ever player — male or female — to represent England at cricket, making her Test debut against Australia in the 2005 series aged 15 and taking three wickets in the first innings.

England's most celebrated women's cricketer, however, remains skipper and top-order batsman Charlotte Edwards, winner of the `ICC Player of the Year' award in 2004 and 2005.

Hopeful

Purnima believes that there are plenty of reasons to cheer the Indian team, which won the second Asia Cup title in Jaipur in the space of last 12 months. "India looks for some special performances from the likes of exciting Rumeli Dhar, Jhulan Goswami and Mithali Raj, a seasoned campaigner by now," she says.

"Thirush Kamini is another wonderful prospect but with plenty of scope to improve," she added.

More importantly, Purnima feels that the onus is on the Indian players to come up with a special performance to enhance the importance of the WCAI merger with BCCI, which is expected to do a world good for women's cricket in India.

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