Cricket-Strengths and weaknesses of World Cup semi-finalists

By Rajiv Gupta

NEW DELHI, March 28 (Reuters) - Following is a look at the
strengths and weaknesses of the World Cup semi-finalists.

Sri Lanka v New Zealand, Colombo, on Tuesday

Sri Lanka (1996 champions)

Strengths:

* Batting: Three batsmen in the top five run scorers

- Opening pair: Highest average opening stand (106.1), by
a huge margin. In their last three games, Tillakaratne Dilshan
(394 runs) and Upul Tharanga (363 runs) have provided two double
century stands (282 against Zimbabwe and an unbeaten 231-run
against England). Good strike rate of 91.2, second only to India

- Middle order: Highest average (59.4) and highest strike
rate (90.1)

- Powerplay: Best average per wicket lost (58.9) with a
healthy runrate (6.2)

* Bowling

- Economy (4.4) and average runs per wicket (21.0), second
only to Pakistan. Strike rate (28.8) second only to New Zealand

- Good powerplay performance with economy of 4.7 and
average of 25.6

- Good fast bowling performance with strike rate (29.3),
only second to New Zealand and decent economy (4.7)

- Good spin bowling performance: Economy (3.8), average
(21.2) and strike rate (33.4)

* Fielding: Highest number of stumpings (4)

Weaknesses:

* Lower middle order: Worst average (14.1) by a margin,
although decent strike rate of 89.5. The lower middle order has
faced only 29 balls in the last five matches, an average of two
balls per batsman per innings.

* Running between wickets: Lost most (five) wickets due to
run outs

* Fielding: Despite being considered one of the more decent
fielding units among the sub-continent teams, have dropped a few
catches in the field. Taken only 26 catches and have effected
the fewest run outs (2).
- -

New Zealand (six-times semi-finalists)

Strengths:

* Return to form of middle order: Although the lowest
average among the semi-finalists (34.9), the Kiwis will be
buoyed by the return to form of Jesse Ryder and Ross Taylor. In
three of their last four matches, the middle order has had an
impressive average of 50.0 runs per wicket

* Lower middle order: Best strike rate (94.8) and average
only second to Pakistan (27.3)

* Running between wickets: No dismissals through run outs

* Bowling:

- Best strike rate (28.4), a good average (21.8) and
healthy economy rate (4.6)

- Good powerplay performance with economy of 4.6 and
average of 22.5

- Best fast bowling performance (economy: 4.2; average:
17.1; strike rate: 24.3) led by Tim Southee (15 wickets)

* Fielding: Most number of run outs (6, along with India)
and catches (32)

Weaknesses:

* Opening pair: Openers Martin Guptill and Brendon McCullum
have flourished against the second-tier teams (average stand of
97), but against the test playing nations, the openers have
struggled to provide decent starts with an average of 15.5

* Powerplay: Worst average per wicket lost (30.8) and a run
rate below 6.0 (5.8)

* Despite the best economy rate (3.1) led by Daniel Vettori,
the skipper's inability to take wickets contributing to the
worst strike rate (58.5) and poor average (30.6)

- - - -

India v Pakistan in Mohali, India, on Wednesday

India (1983 champions)

Strengths:

* Batting: Three batsmen in the top 10 scorers so far.

- Opening pair: Sachin Tendulkar (379 runs) and Virender
Sehwag (342 runs) have provided the best overall strike rate
(105.5 - only pair to maintain a strike rate of over 100). Very
good average opening stand (54.7), only second to Sri Lanka

- Middle order: Healthy average (46.6) and strike rate
(87.7) by the middle order (batsmen 3, 4 and 5), led by Yuvraj
Singh (341 runs)

- Powerplays: Despite the worst performance in the batting
powerplay, overall they have the best run rate during powerplays
(6.3) with a healthy average per wicket (40.7)

* Least extras conceded (5.6%) as a percentage of the total
runs conceded

* Fielding: Have effected the maximum number of run outs (6,
along with New Zealand) and stumpings (3, second to Sri Lanka)
and taken 29 catches (second to New Zealand)

Weaknesses:

* Lower middle order (batsmen 6, 7 and 8): Worst strike rate
(78.6) and average (21.0) only better than Sri Lanka, largely
due to the propensity to lose wickets during batting powerplay

* Running between wickets: Lost most (5) wickets due to run
outs

* Bowling:

- Worst economy rate (5.2), strike rate (33.7 balls per
wicket) and average (29.4 runs per wicket)

- Worst powerplay performance (economy of 5.5 and average
of 33.0). Have the dubious distinction of not having taken a
single wicket during the bowling powerplay in the tournament,
though have made amends with the highest number of wickets (16)
during the batting powerplay

- Worst fast bowling performance, despite the stellar
performance by Zaheer Khan (17 wickets) with an economy of 5.4,
average of 25.6 and strike rate of 28.3

- Worst spin economy (4.9), average (40.3) and a strike
rate (49.3) only better than New Zealand -- the inability of the
lead tweaker Harbhajan Singh (only 6 wickets) contributing to
these statistics
- -

Pakistan: (1992 champions)

Strengths:

* Lower middle order: Best average (31.2) and strike rate
(90.3) second only to New Zealand

*Bowling:

- Best economy rate (4.1) and runs per wicket (20.0) with
a good strike rate (29.1)

- Best performance during powerplays: Economy of 4.0 with
21.4 runs per wicket

- Good fast bowling performance with economy (4.4) and
average (23.0), only second to New Zealand

- Best spin bowling performance, led by the skipper and
tournament's leading wicket taker, Shahid Afridi (21 wickets).
Best average (17.5) and strike rate (27.9) with a very healthy
economy (3.8)

Weaknesses:

* Opening pair: Despite the unbeaten 113 run stand against
West Indies, the Pakistani openers have the worst start among
the qualifiers (average stand of 28.9) and the worst strike rate
(75.6)

* Middle order: Poorest strike rate (72.5)

* Powerplay: Lowest average run rate (5.1) despite losing
wickets (low average of 31.9)

* Most extras conceded (9.4%) as a percentage of the total
runs conceded

* Fielding: Least number of catches taken (23), with the
several drops behind the stumps and in the field not helping.

(Compiled by Rajiv Gupta; To query or comment on this story
email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)