Cup BRIEFS

Bookies hail best day

SOUTH AFRICA's surprise defeat to England in the World Cup helped Ladbrokes enjoy their most lucrative day of the cricket World Cup so far. With India stuttering to victory over a spirited Irish side, the in-play markets went the way of the bookies. England's six-run defeat of South Africa was desperate news for the majority of punters who had deserted Andrew Strauss' men before play and during the match.

David Williams of Ladbrokes said: "England are fast becoming a notorious banana-skin team for punters. Abysmal against Ireland then inspired to beat the South Africans, we're having a lot of fun with them." Ireland are out to 7/1 to qualify for the latter stages of the tournament after going down to the 11/4 tournament favourites India. England are into 7/1 to lift the trophy next month.

Ladbrokes Cricket World Cup: 11/4 India, 4/1 South Africa, 9/2 Australia, 5/1 Sri Lanka, 7/1 Pakistan, 7/1 England, 16/1 West Indies, 20/1 New Zealand, 100/1, Bangladesh, 250/1 Zimbabwe, 250/1 Ireland.

Aussies call Hussey

MELBOURNE, Australia, AP:

Mike Hussey has been drafted into Australia's World Cup squad as the replacement player for injured fast bowler Doug Bollinger.

Hussey, a controversial omission from the initial 15-man squad, had been widely tipped as the most likely candidate to join the three-time defending champions in India after selectors delayed naming a replacement immediately following Bollinger's withdrawal.

Victorian paceman Dirk Nannes will also travel to India as a standby player and to train with the squad, Cricket Australia announced in a statement late yesterday.

Selection committee chairman Andrew Hilditch said the experienced Hussey had recovered well from surgery on his hamstring and "is seen as someone who is capable of assisting Australia as we strive to win this tournament.''

Surgery for Pietersen

CHENNAI, India (AP):

Kevin Pietersen will have hernia surgery after England's World Cup campaign, ruling him out of this year's Indian Premier League.

The England and Wales Cricket Board said Saturday that the 30-year-old Pietersen was diagnosed with the injury after England's 6-1 series one-day loss in Australia, but that he should be able to continue playing as long as England remain in the World Cup.

"I'm obviously extremely disappointed to have picked up this hernia injury but I've been able to manage it so far throughout the World Cup and will continue to do so,'' Pietersen said. "It will no doubt impact my preparation but careful management should see me still play a significant role in the team's campaign.''

But the six-week break for rehabilitation means Pietersen will be unable to play for the Deccan Chargers despite the team having paid US$650,000 for him in the Twenty20 IPL auction.

Fans throw stones at Shakib's home

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP):

Angry fans have thrown stones at the house of Bangladesh captain Shakib Al Hasan after his team crashed to a humiliating nine-wicket defeat by West Indies at the World Cup, a regional police chief said on Saturday.

Proloy Chisim, chief of police in the western Bangladeshi town of Maguara, said the incident occurred on Friday after the Group B game at Dhaka's Sher-e-Bangla National Stadium.

"Some youths came on motorcycles and threw stones, no one was injured,'' Chisim said. "I talked to the family, they are doing fine. This is not a big incident.''

Also Friday, stones were thrown at the bus carrying West Indies players back to their hotel from the stadium in the Dhaka suburb of Mirpur. Two windows were cracked but no one was hurt in the incident, which occurred as both teams' buses left in convoy.