Who Will Make the Last 8 in Group B in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011?

Is India sure of a last 8 berth in the ICC World Cup 2011? Contrary to belief it is possible for India to miss a Quarter Finals berth in the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011! India just lost to SA by 3 wickets in a Group B match.


The Group B table stands like this

Group B
Teams Mat Won Lost Tied N/R Pts Net RR

India 5 3 1 1 0 7 +0.768
West Indies 4 3 1 0 0 6 +2.206
South Africa 4 3 1 0 0 6 +1.352
England 5 2 2 1 0 5 +0.013
Bangladesh 4 2 2 0 0 4 -1.241
Ireland 4 1 3 0 0 2 -0.444
Netherlands 4 0 4 0 0 0 -2.728

This is how India can NOT go to the Quarter Finals.

* Bangladesh Beats Netherlands on 14th March
* SA beats Ireland on 15th March
* England beats WI on 17th March
* SA loses to Bangladesh on 19th March
* India loses to WI on 20th March

The points table will look like this

Group B
Teams Mat Won Lost Tied N/R Pts

India 6 3 2 1 0 7
West Indies 6 4 2 0 0 8
South Africa 6 4 2 0 0 8
England 6 3 2 1 0 7
Bangladesh 6 4 2 0 0 8



All the above results look to be a distinct possibility as of now (except maybe the Bangladesh vs SA tie). In this eventuality - India and England will tie on 7 points each and India will need to have a better NRR to go to the Quarter Finals.

For Bangladesh to make it - they have to beat at least one team (Netherlands or SA) and hope England loses to WI. If Bangla beats just Netherlands and England wins over WI - then the Tigers will be out.

For England to make it - they desperately need to beat WI. In case they fail to beat WI - India will be through and Bangladesh will just need one victory in their remaining matches.

For WI to make the last 8 - they need to pull of just one more victory over either India or England - or hope Bangladesh falters once. They have the advantage of a high NRR so far.

SA has two easy games next. Four out of the five teams still in contention will be going to the last 8. As you can see - it is still anybody's game!

How is the NRR calculated?

The NRR is calculated by the difference between the average runs per over scored against a team and the average runs per over scored by a team. Even though India has a superior NRR as of now, it could change with one big win by England or a big loss by India.

Bottom line - India needs to win against WI on 20th March to make a comfortable entry to the Quarter Finals. Though of course the Group B situation maybe be untangled by then!

(Also see this article at Xomba.com http://www.xomba.com/cricket_world_cup_2011_it_possible_india_not_go_quarter_finals)

Google Crisis Response on Japan Earthquake

Google has created a crisis response page for the japan Earthquake. The page gives local emergency numbers to dial, missing person finder for the Japan Earthquake 2011, latest alarms and warnings on the earthquake, transportation status like latest flight status, public transportation status, electricity blackout status on the disaster affected areas.

Please go the page for the latest information and update on the earthquake. The site has links to maps and videos on the earthquake and disaster message boards

I eel more than the sharing of news, this a really beneficial way to harness the technology available to help the disaster affected regions in Japan.

http://www.google.com/crisisresponse/japanquake2011.html

Day 1 Experience at a Fitness Camp

Bootcamp - Day 1 Experience at a Fitness Camp

(Article originally published at www.xomba.com)

I had a sudden and unexplained notion to join a fitness camp recently. I guess not so unexplained since I am a huge fan of the Biggest Loser show. I googled for fitness camps in my locality and it came up with a solution which I thought was the perfect answer to all my fitness prayers. A fitness camp right near my home with perfect timings! The camp gives something called HIIT or High Intensity Interval Training.

Today was my first day at the camp. After getting up in the morning at the unearthly hour of 5 am I made my way in pitch black darkness to the campsite. I am sure I left behind my husband with amusing dreams of my losing my way, gasping on runways or fumbling on ropeways and treadmills!

Frankly, I had zilch idea of what to expect. Maybe some cute laps, a few stretches, sit ups and push ups like they do in aerobics class and some games. Like I said – I had a real vague idea. But this is what I got.

After a few stretches, the coaches gathered all for an innocuous sounding “fitness assessment test”. Fitness assessment, eh? For all my 165 pounds – I consider myself relatively fit. And assessment seemed a good idea – so I thought, till they started on it.

The group was divided into two and one group had to run back and forth for a distance of 100 mts or so for 10 times in sets of three – punctuated with squats, push ups, sit ups. Whew. My assessment of my fitness levels went for a toss. On the last stretch I had one of the coaches running along with me shouting – you can do it, cmon all the time as I panted, slobbered, gasped till I fell dead at the finishing line. Then I had the dubious pleasure of seeing my partner doing the same thing in less than half my time while I kept count.

The next bootcamp assignment started. The coaches showed us some markers around the huge field that seemed to stretch for miles. However it was just 200 mts we were informed. And we had to take 4 laps around the markers. The first lap went okay in the boggy and dark ground. The second lap, I just walked. The third I stuttered and by the fourth lap – I found all the participants lined up and shouting c’mon you can do it – as I dragged myself along to the finishing line. I was not last though. Not in a long way. I proudly left behind two stragglers. I felt like a dirty zombie at the end of it all – walking dead with mud splattered all over and blackened elbows and knees.

I did expect some tough fitness regime. Wish I was aware how tough! And I wish even more I never get these brilliant ideas!