For months we have heard players and support staff justify every move by saying it is part of the planned lead-up to the World Cup. Now, as the tournament looms, players are being rested from competition so that niggling injuries can be healed in time for the start of the World Cup. That should be a hint to the programmers that the players are "cricket ready" and what they need is a little bit of time to fine tune and heal, rather than more matches.

Injuries are a fact of life for cricketers and they often come at the most inopportune time. They test the dedication of an individual and often determine how badly he wants to succeed. Equally, they provide opportunities for players and the best teams prosper despite the setbacks. Nevertheless, mental fatigue is the sportsman's greatest enemy and when players start thinking about saving themselves for something bigger and better, problems generally occur.

Is it any wonder with the demanding program of the last six months that many players are weary and injured and heaven knows how many are showing "empty" on the competitive juices gauge? In the case of Australia and England, they have played the Champions Trophy, a five-Test Ashes series, a month long one-day tournament and now they have to front up for the biggest tournament of all.

For the better players that means no mental let-up for seven months; no club or first-class match affording an opportunity to play in a more relaxed atmosphere, just hard grinding international cricket the whole way. And for good measure a Twenty20 match was squeezed in between the Test series and the one-day tournament just in case the players were thinking about putting their feet up for a day.

There can be no argument that if cricketers want to be well-paid they have to play regularly; the money is only available if big matches are programmed at appropriate times. However, equally true is the fact that if players are pushed too hard they will adopt their own measures to cope with the grind. This will include performing at a slightly reduced level (especially in the case of pace bowlers) and taking matches off.

There's every reason to globalise the game but when star players then miss tournaments being played in major cricket playing nations because they are weary it does seem to be defeating the purpose

The administrators in Australia see no problem with rotating players to monitor their work load but that can lead to a game or tournament being diminished.

Because India has the money they offer huge financial incentives to the individual boards to participate in tournaments and you don't see star players opting out of series being televised on the subcontinent. However, some of these events are designed for television and played where cricket isn't a major sport, in the name of globalising the game. There's every reason to globalise the game but when star players then miss tournaments being played in major cricket playing nations because they are weary it does seem to be defeating the purpose.

Already the high cost of obtaining the rights for ICC events is adversely affecting the way cricket is telecast. If a plethora of advertisements eventually leads to a downturn in viewers then less young fans will be attracted to the game.

The administrators need to strike the right balance between greed and good intentions. Somewhere between the measly three matches that were played in the six months leading up to the first World Cup in 1975 and the multitude that have been crammed into the days prior to the 2007 tournament there is an acceptable work load for players.

Even though the players may have been a little underdone for the 1975 tournament, the final was contested by the two best teams at the time, both of whom were at full strength. It was a well-played Cup final not a last-man-standing affair, which could occur at the 2007 showpiece

Currently i think all teams are facing Fitness problem, India, Australia, New Zeeland, Pakistan and afcourse South Africa world cup winners will be from one of these teams. New Zeeland has struck a excellent form and if they can continue to do what they are currently doing they have a chance indeed, Australia and South Africa are definately coming into semis for Pakistan depend upon shoib, Asif, Umar Gul these three bowlers can do it for pakistan if they are fit. Lets keep our fingers crossed this world cup nobody is favourite.

going by Ian's article, mebbe we can conclude that one of the associate teams will win the cup. As they have had the least number of games and the possibility to them having all 16 men standing is high!!

India

south africa is one of the most stable and fit team at this time without injuries.

well.. in my opinion..south africa is fittest team at the time but but i m not saying that they r going to win the cup..this year ..the cup is open for every body..its a oneday game ..who plays better will get better result ..so every 1 has a chance to clinch the trophy

Well indian has achieved the wins.Indians are overcoming with injuries and performing well. Some tactics like fielding has to be improved. I think Indians can reach Final again in this world cup 2007. My best wishes to India team.

Sri Lanka and South Africa look the fittest. Vaas and Murali were only rested and not injured during the recent series with India.
South Africa are the next with the next minimum number of players with niggling injuries

i believe tht our pakistan team has a good chance if all our bowlers r fit by tht time....keeping tht aside i think south africa is the best team at the moment with all their players contributing and fit...

I totally agree with Ian here. Quantity has certainly taken over quality and all the cock and bull about preparing long term strategies for the world by all the cricket playing nations have fall right back on their face. Let me add another point here that the greats of 60's 70's and 80's would have certainly had 1000+ wickets and 10000+ runs in all forms of cricket if they had ended up playing the amount of cricket being played these days. It does not come to me as a surprise that these days you don't have five six supestars in every team. The Aussies had Lillee, Chappells, Marsh, Thomo, Border, all in one team. The Windies had Greenidge, Haynes, Richards, LLoyd, Garner, Marshall, Holding all in one team. The Pakis had Miandad, Imran, Qadir, Wasim, Waqar all in one team. The Indians had Gavaskar, Amarnath. Kapil, Vengsarkar all in one team. The Kiwis had Hadlee, Crowes, all in one team. The Pomms had Botham, Willis, Gower, Lamb all in one team. How many legends can you can you count in the cricketing world playing today. Ponting, Mcrath,Tendulkar,Lara, and then you have to pause and think and pull up some names. What pisses me off that captains are making excuses just before the world cup now. What was all that talk about preparation of the mega event. One of the clearest examples is Inzi going on air after the thrashing in South Africa saying: I can't make openers in 1 month. Well! mate what was the think tank, coach and yourself doing for the last 4 years. Coming back to Ian's comments, I feel the only fit teams left are the Kiwis, Springboks & the Windies and in my book are strong contenders to make it to the final on fitness and form.

I think the kiwis and the srilankans will make it to the semis . I perosnally feel the current Indian team's fielding is one area where they lack. Aussies in the current form I don't see them making it to the semis.

It is going to be South Africa this time (unless they do a repeat of 1999). They are not only strong, but also fit and their bowling is too good. With Kallis, Prince and De Villiers batting superbly, they are pretty strong. Australia will try to comeback strongly. but their bowling needs to be better. As for India, Sachin needs to repeat his magic of 2003. Otherwise no hope!

It is gonna be South Africa....coz they look the fittest of the lot,have hit top form,peaking for the right occasion....and of course they will be buoyed by their new found ODI rank 1 status....as for India,if pathan is back to the peak of his powers that is pre may 2006 then India have a very good chance coz Pathan at his prime gives the Indian side a lot of options and he also lends stability and balance to the team

Fitness is a regime every cricket playing nation has to practice and whilst agreeing with Ian that the average international cricketer's diary does not have much left in it nowadays, I also feel that cricketers playing for their nation need to also keep themselves fit to perform for their country. What does professionalism mean? If you are paid to do a job, you are expected to also keep yourself fit to perform. What is the difference between people going to work and get on an average of 6 days a year of sick leave apart from regularly doing a 6 day week of work. Otherwise stars may lose out to fitter and hungrier youngsters who will one day become stars. I do not sympathise with any of these guys, considering the amount of money they make at play or out of play.

very true Ian..But I wonder he would have rubbished about this had australia won the CB series and the current Kiwi series. For instance,He never rubbished about this when australia were simply invincible over the past five years...for instance, every year there will be a australian summer which includes a test series followed by a tri-ODI series...n there was one before the last WC too
http://uk.cricinfo.com/db/ARCHIVE/2002-03/ENG_IN_AUS/
apart from this aussies this time is playing an extra work of three ODI's in kiwis, which i think they've programmed to keep up the fitness but was wonderfully backfired so far.

Sorry Ian, though I agree with the point made by you, the timing of this article made my think that this is crying foul.

The top four will be Australia, India, South Africa and Newzealand. Australia will win the world cup third time in a row to complete the hatrick.

To an extent, I almost feel gleeful at this. As a Brit I've heard for months that only a bad side loses because of injuries (to key players such as Vaughn and Simon Jones, who hardly played last year) - and we've largely heard it from the Aussies. Now they lose Andrew Symonds, and we beat them three times on the trot. They lose a couple more players, and now they're 2-0 down to New Zealand. Perhaps they shouldn't have been so soon to berate us for our lack of "strength in depth".

But that's only my petty, vindictive side. We just beat an almost full-strength Australia after being down and out for months, and I loved it. But how would I have felt if they'd been missing Ponting, Lee, Symonds and Gilchrist? What are the NZ crowds thinking right now, and what's it got to be like for the players?

Everybody knows we have too many matches these days. It's a joke when the *only* people who don't agree are the administrators. I say, cut the matches... if you have to, cut the pay a little. At least they'll be able to spend it, rather than stay behind on doctors' orders.

The Only team which is hot favourit this time is Sout Africa.Because they have shown their fitness level in last few months with great one day and test wining form as well and they are strongest on thire knees.So they are well fit to lift the well cup.

South Africa and New Zealand seem to have in them this time around, given their overall conditioning and build up to the mega event.

South Africa and New Zealand excel on current form and are the two teams to watch out for but again the game of cricket is unpredictable and there could be few surprises on offer.

Even, Sri Lanka could repeat their World Cup triumph. They have a well balanced team and have been impressive of late. Murlitharan could yet prove to be their trump card!

How teams perform during the initial rounds and gel together as a performing unit would contribute to their ultimate chances.

With team Australia taking a sudden plunge (with five losses during the last six outings), the race to the Cricket World Cup is truly on and it is wide open.

I am an Indian, So i would like to see India win this WorldCup, But at this point of time, I believe South Africa looks determined to Win and take away the Cricket World Cup 2007, Some facts:
Recently South Africa beat Pakistan 3-1 in the ODI series in South Africa, Also a big boost for them; They are No.1 on the LG-ICC Cricket Rankings as of now, The players are in Superb Form and Seem very healthy and Fully prepared to win this WorldCup. But Again, I am a Indian Fan and would love to see my country win this WorldCup!!

It diffecuot to say any thing.s.africa and austrila have equickly chance to win but there is a chance for pakistan if there all three main bowlers (shoaib,umer and asif) is 100% fit and clear from doptest then pakistan is a differant team for opposition.one thing is more sutable for all teams of subcontinets that conditions of w.ind and there gruond are very same as subcontinet.
no doubt that in oneday cricket you can not say any thing before last bowl is bowled.

I think India is fit and ready for the World Cup....besides India teams like Pakistan,Australia are missing their key players so they will have to work very hard..India is sure to reach the semi finals with teams like Sri Lanka and South Africa and we talk about West Indies i think they are no threat to India since India faced dem very recently so have the psychological advantage over them

well cricket is a game of uncertainities, if we are talking about the preparations done by all participating teams including the fitness of players: sorry no teams had done that. there was overdose cricket played by almost all teams and certainly we will not going to witness any fire in general.however team like pakistan, famous for uncertainities and miracles especially when they are on backfoot or against the wall may perform well and will lift the cup against all the odds.

Well,In my opinion, South Africa are reputed for their nervousness in big games. They did bad in the recent warm up match, ofcourse it is a different condition here in West Indies. Australians are morally down even though they try to pretend as if they have nothing gone down,Pakistan Team is uncertain. New Zealand is in good form but may find it difficult to play in the West Indies. England would be a good force.
Depending on the conditions, recent form of the Team and fitness of all star players , Three teams will top up the table West Indies, Sri Lanka and India. To be specific, India and Srilanka would play in the Finals and Sri Lankans play well in the tense situations and in big games. They will repeat 1996 again. Sachin and Jaysuriya will lead in the batting department.
All the best to all Teams.

I feel the best team to win 2007 Cricket world cup shall be SA and followed by SL or Windies.

India is the bet. Remember that the pitches on the WI are low and slow. The batsmen from all teams will struggle with avg scores at about 250. Teams with the most spinners will win. SI has second best chance with Murali. As far as player burnout is concerned...who's complaining...the more the merrier. There is now scope for multitude top players instead of the earlier era with only a few of them....gives scope for more folks to get noticed. No argument there for not having more cricket.

i think india will enter the semis with austraila,southafrica,and westindies then after we cannot say who will win the final.

india has a better chance to win the world cup b cos of the form n fitness of the senior most players like tendulkar, dravid,ganguly,sehwag,yuvraj and explosive batsmen like dhoni and utthappa.bowling is a bit of concern but players like even pathan are still the favourite ones.comparing the other teams like nz, aus,sa,srilanka also have a chance but not as much as india.i think its going to be india or westindies who emerge as the winners for a leap world cup just as a leap year

INDIA, AUST, SRI LANKA

pakistan will surprice everyone they are going to win the world cup

Pakistan will win this world cup. Yes injuries to Shoaib and Asif are a big blow, but two people don't make a team. If every pakistani player contributes and play like a solid unit then there is nothing stopping Pakistan. Watch out for Sami. He will have a blistering World Cup. Gul is also an excellent bowler. Batting and fielding wise we are all set. So, this is gonna be the second World Cup Pakistan is gonna bring back home. Once again, watch out for Sami in this World Cup.

ITS gonna be south africa all the way,,,,gone are the days of their neverousness,,its days of thunder from now on.......they are the 2007 cuplifters...the true giant killers and the deserving cricket world cup winners for a long time from here on..

Sri Lanka

IT WILL BE A REPEAT OF WC 1996(SL/AUS)AND SRI LANKA WILL WIN