Web before Wicket!
Bijoy AK, January 23, 2003, Rediff.com

As the countdown to the Cricket World Cup begins, Bijoy AK takes a look at what the Net has to offer fans of this game

If the print, visual and audio media are gearing up for the arrival of Cricket World Cup with gusto, can Net be far behind? With astrology, analysis, predictions, quizzes, contests, cartoons, games, discussions and web logs galore, the Internet is all set to capture the excitement of the tourney and bring it to your desktop.

The Indian portal cricketnext.com has bagged the prestigious rights to webcast the event. For official information on the tournament you can head to the International Cricket Council.

Cricketastrology.com already predicts good things for Sachin Tendulkar, who has displayed a low-key form during the New Zealand tour. 'Watch him this session. Scintillating performances' it says.

According to Terry Walsh of Cricket Online, the Net allows people to get 'instant' access to information that other media cannot provide due to time constraints and obligations to sponsors. "Online information can be presented in a more interactive manner," Walsh adds.

Predictions:
- Cricket Astrology
- Fantasy Factory
- Sport Punter


Links:
- About Cricket
- Web log
- Records

Rediff Cricket too will provide its readers with lots of interactivity. Its World Cup coverage will have a mix of information, tools, analysis and loads of fun. It plans to send a team to South Africa and leverage its relationship with cricketers and administrators to offer the best possible coverage for cricket fans who throng the site.

Detailed statistics is another area where the Web scores. According to Walsh, statistics are not easily available on television. Else, you might find them in the next day's newspapers. Online, you can find almost anything you want, on any player.

Some cricket enthusiasts have gone further. US based Ramkumar Duraikannu has created a web log that will track the event. The Net will be the first choice for NRIs like him to enjoy the event. "Since I am in the US, I don't get to see much of sport magazines about cricket. So the only way I can get news is online," explains Duraikannu. [...]
- posted by ARYABHATT @ 6:23 pm