Gibbs six sixes against Holand goes in to history

South Africa beats Holland by 221 runs, Gibbs launched into van Bunge and hit him for 6 sixes in a single over. Gibbs became only the first man in the history of World Cups and ODIs to achieve such a feat. However, the end of the 30th over also saw the end of Gibbs as he tried to loft for another six but was caught by Eric Szwarczynski for 72 in 40 balls.

Mark Boucher, who walked in at the fall of Gibbs’ wicket could not be left behind and joined the sixers-party when he hit Billy Stelling for two consecutive blows in the 34th over.

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Gavaskar has crossed the line says McGrath

Even if we ignore the fact that Sunil Gavaskar invoked the name of the late David Hookes to support his argument about the behaviour of the Australian cricket team. Let’s just say that was unwise.

But it should not be allowed to obscure his central point which is that the Australians are reviled wherever the game is played because of their uniformly appalling on-field behaviour. They have taken a gentleman’s game and, in the course of three decades, turned it into a game for bogans and boors, where sledging is the norm, civility the exception. That’s the nub of the issue and it took a man of Gavaskar’s standing in the game to say it, and have people sit up and take notice. And yet, as invariably happens when someone dares slag off Our Boys, the person responsible for the criticism gets pilloried and a section of flunkies in the media rush to the Australian team’s defence.

From then, all the way through to McGrath and Warne, the Australians have developed this unappealing habit of not just trying to beat the opposition, but browbeat them as well. They are the original schoolyard bullies. And like all bullies, they hate it when someone has the temerity to stand up to them. The portly former Sri Lankan captain Arjuna Ranatunga was one who was not going to be intimidated by the Australians’ tactics, and he didn’t he cop some stick from Ian Healy and others for refusing to roll over meekly. South African captain Graeme Smith was another who was not going to be swayed by the bullying.

Glenn McGrath and Brad Hodge have joined the Australian backlash over Sunil Gavaskar's linking of David Hookes' death to poor on-field behaviour. McGrath said Gavaskar "crossed the line" while Hodge was "pretty disappointed" his former coach, who died in 2004, had been brought into the argument.

Gavaskar warned the Australians could get "whacked" in a bar if they operated the same way off the field as they did on it and his comments followed Ricky Ponting's complaint Gavaskar acted badly during his playing days. Allan Border and Darren Lehmann were also upset by Gavaskar's response.

Cricket World Cup 2007, flung wide open.

The 2007 Cricket World Cup, the first to be held in the Caribbean, has officially been opened. Sir Garfield Sobers, arguably the best player ever to play in the cricketing field, declared the 16-team, 49-day, 51-match tournament open.

In the opening ceremony, Chris Dehring, the chief executive of the organising committee, said the Caribbean was the perfect place to host the event, which has cost in the region of 400 million dollars to stage.

The ninth quadrennial extravaganza and first in the Caribbean islands is the first ever to feature 16 international sides skirmishing for the foremost title.

In the ongoing wake of game popularity, the media houses are trying their level best to extract as much benefit as is for the taking - with every form of media in pursuit of edging the other. In such fierce competition off the pitch, how could the latest budding internet trend miss out. We at gosporty are also in... keep checking the site for all the latest updates..

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Are West Indies motivated purely by money

West Indies legend Michael Holding has blasted the current squad, insisting West Indies players are motivated purely by money.

As the Caribbean prepares to host the World Cup, which begins next week, former paceman Holding has spoken out. Brian Lara has urged West Indies supporters not to lose faith, promising to turn things around in the World Cup after the hosts were embarrassed by a batting collapse in Friday's warmup match against India. This will be Lara's fifth and last World Cup campaign after starting in 1992, when the event was jointly hosted by Australia and New Zealand.

Two-time world champion West Indies has made just one semifinal appearance during Lara's previous four World Cups. He is eager to turn the clock back to the 70s when the West Indies emerged as the champion side in 1975 and '79.

Living up to expectations

This time the Caribbean lineup is confronted by a historical jinx - no team has won the World Cup on its home soil.

Sri Lanka's title triumph came in 1996 when it was the three subcontinental teams staging World Cup matches, but the few games played in Sri Lanka were preliminary-round matches. It played the quarterfinal and final in Pakistan, and the semifinal in India.

Beckham hopes he can still play for national team

Gary Lineker and Michael Owen believe Real Madrid's David Beckham would still be an effective player for England. David Beckham admits he is "the underdog" as he fights to reclaim his place in the England team. The 31-year-old ex-captain has not been selected for England since coach Steve McClaren succeeded Sven-Goran Eriksson. However, following the national team's poor form and their qualification for Euro 2008 looking uncertain there have been calls to restore the former England skipper.

It comes in the light of his return to the Real side after also being dropped by boss Fabio Capello and the 31-year-old believes his fighting attitude has led to the support. Beckham told The Sun newspaper: "We love it in England when we see players determined to prove people wrong. "We love it when people fight back - and I've always tried to do that.

"I'm the underdog now. Eight months ago it was being said I shouldn't be in the England team any more and my career was over. Beckham has 94 caps for England but Lineker believes it is unlikely he will reach 100 because his international career would end once and for all upon moving to America. Owen is currently recovering from a knee injury he sustained in last year's World Cup.

The Indian board comes strong on Vengsarkar

The Indian board has taken strong exception to a remark by Dilip Vengsarkar, the chairman of selectors, regarding Virender Sehwag's inclusion in India's World Cup squad. Vengsarkar was quoted by a news channel on Saturday as saying that the out-of-form Sehwag was selected only because of the insistence Rahul Dravid, the Indian captain.

"It is not right to comment on team selection now," said Ratnakar Shetty, the chief administrative officer of the board. "I wish Vengsarkar had refrained from making such comments at a time when the team had already left for the showpiece event. The Code of Conduct applies to everybody, players and selectors."

Rajiv Shukla, the vice-president of the board, echoed the same sentiment: "The chairman of the selection committee should not make such a remark. It creates unnecessary controversy before the Cup. He should refrain from making such statements. The team is selected by the five selectors in consultation with the captain and coach. Selection issues should not come out in the open."

Vengsarkar also justified the decision to appoint Sachin Tendulkar as the vice-captain of the side. "Rahul is an experienced player, so is Sachin. If something happens to Dravid, God forbid, Sachin can lead." He added that Greg Chappell had done a "reasonable" job as coach and felt he should continue with the team even after the World Cup.

Sehwag picked only at Dravid's request, says Vengsarkar

Dilip Vengsarkar the Chief selector of the Indian team recently disclosed that out-of-form batsman Virender Sehwag was picked for the cricket World Cup only at the specific request of skipper Rahul Dravid. The 28-year-old Delhi batsman goes into the showpiece event in the Caribbean starting on March 13 following a prolonged form-slump which nearly cost him his World Cup place.

Vengsarkar, a former captain, said Dravid wanted Sehwag in the team and that made the difference.

"I was not under pressure as such, but I will always back the captain," the chief selector told Indian news channel.

"Some players in the team also back Sehwag. Sehwag has done exceedingly well in the past."

Sehwag has been in poor form of late, having scored just one fifty in 13 innings since August, but showed his old touch when he made a quick 46 in the series-clinching victory against Sri Lanka last month.

India, the 1983 World Cup winners, are in Group B with 1996 champions Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Bermuda.