Injured batsman Kevin Pietersen admitted England had only an "outside chance" of winning this year's World Cup after their dismal start to the triangular one-day series in Australia.
Pietersen faces up to five weeks on the sidelines after a Glenn McGrath delivery broke one of his ribs during Australia's rampant eight-wicket win in Melbourne on Friday.
"The World Cup is a knockout tournament and, who knows, we could have an outside chance of doing well in the competition," Pietersen said.
The South African-born batsman said he would be "champing at the bit" to be ready for the World Cup, which starts in the Caribbean on March 13.
"I'll just have to bide my time but I'm a pretty quick healer, so I'll get myself as fit as I can as quick as I can and I'll be champing at the bit to get out to the Caribbean," he said.
Pietersen's injury was yet another setback for embattled England as they lurch towards the World Cup and will significantly affect their chances in the current series also involving New Zealand.
Speaking after Friday's match, Australian captain Ricky Ponting noted that England's one-day tactics revolved around the powerful right-hander.
"Pietersen has been their best batsman throughout the summer," he said. "A lot of their one-day cricket tactics are based around him and they will miss him a lot."
Despite England winning just seven of their last 28 limited-overs internationals, Pietersen averages 56.50 and is second in the ICC rankings behind Australian Mike Hussey.
England called up promising middle order batsman Ravi Bopara as Pietersen's replacement in the squad.
The right-hander, 21, was part of the England Cricket Board Academy squad that played in Perth during the Ashes Test series and got the nod ahead of Owais Shah, Alastair Cook, Robert Key and Vikram Solanki.
"Ravi has been brought in because he is a middle order batsman who impressed in his time with the Academy in Perth earlier in the winter," said chairman of selectors David Graveney.
Graveney said England weren't keen to shuffle their top order, despite Friday's demoralizing loss.
Although Ed Joyce is expected to take Pietersen's place when England play New Zealand in Hobart on Tuesday, Bopara is likely to make his international debut before the series is over.
"We are happy with the top order of [Andrew] Strauss, [Michael]Vaughan and [Ian] Bell," Graveney said. "We also see the injury to Kevin Pietersen, while unfortunate, as offering a great chance for Ed Joyce to stake his claim for a place in the ICC World Cup."
OUT AGAINST INDONESIA: Taiwan reached the semi-finals at the tournament for the first time by defeating Denmark, with Chou Tien-chen beating Viktor Axelsen Taiwan yesterday crashed out of the Thomas Cup team competition in Chengdu, China, but achieved their best result at the top-tier badminton event by reaching the semi-finals. Indonesia were too good in the semis, winning 3-0 to advance to today’s final against China, who eliminated Malaysia 3-1. In the opening singles of the men’s team clash at the Hi-Tech Zone Sports Center Gymnasium 2, Anthony Ginting defeated Taiwan’s Chou Tien-chen 21-18, 21-19 in 51 minutes, which put a huge hole in Taiwan’s aspirations to perhaps even make the final. In the men’s doubles, Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Ardianto downed Lee Yang and Wang
NO DOUBT: Spurs star Wembanyama was unanimously selected as NBA Rookie of the Year, winning all 99 votes to become the first Frenchman to capture the honor The Minnesota Timberwolves on Monday night produced a dominant defensive display to seize a commanding 2-0 lead in their best-of-seven playoff series against the Denver Nuggets with a 106-80 road victory. The third-seeded Timberwolves harassed Denver relentlessly to claim a second straight win over the NBA champions as the series heads back to Minneapolis for Game 3 on Friday. Karl-Anthony Towns and Anthony Edwards scored 27 points apiece, but the star of the show was Minnesota’s suffocating defensive effort, which knocked Denver out of their stride almost from the tip-off. The Timberwolves finished with 11 steals and 12 blocks, in sharp contrast to
Top-ranked Iga Swiatek on Saturday came through “the most intense and crazy final” she has ever contested to avenge her loss to Aryna Sabalenka in last year’s Madrid Open final with a grueling three hour, 11 minute victory in the Spanish capital. Coming back from 1-3 down in the decider and saving three match points in total, Swiatek claimed a 7-5, 4-6, 7-6 (9/7) victory to secure the Madrid Open trophy for the first time. “Well, who is going to say now that women’s tennis is boring, right?” Swiatek said. Swiatek, who picked up the 20th title of her career, and ninth at
Playing soccer and competing for trophies is the best way that many transplanted Hong Kongers and Macanese have found to stay in touch, and to interact with Taiwanese society, said officials at the Taiwan-Hong Kong-Macau Football Friendship Cup, which was held on April 13. Twelve clubs, mostly of players and coaches originally from Hong Kong and Macau, took part in the tournament in New Taipei City. The event is sponsored by the Mainland Affairs Council (MAC) and the Taiwan-Hong Kong Economic and Cultural Co-operation Council. Participating teams were from the wider Taipei area, Hsinchu, Taichung, Kaohsiung and other areas. They divided into two