The World Cup Qualifying Series (WCQS) is a new competition that will see 12 of the leading non-test countries claim one of four places at the next world cup, to be held on the subcontinent in 2011. With ODI status for 5th and 6th, and Intercontinental Cup berths for 7th and 8th, there is everything to play for. Indeed, it is no exaggeration to say that the performances in this tournament will dictate the fixtures and fortunes for the competing teams for the next four years.

The WCQS is the focal tournament of a new qualification structure introduced in 2007 by the ICC that has seen 30 countries compete in 5 World Cricket Leagues for the right to compete for a coveted, and lucrative, world cup spot.

The tournament succeeds the ICC Trophy, that has been staged every four years since its inception in 1979 and was formerly the only route to world cup qualification for the sports so called 'minnow' nations. However, whereas any associate member nation could enter the ICC Trophy, all teams competing at the WCQS have qualified on merit through the World Cricket League. This meritocratic process has seen some young, vibrant cricketing nations come to the fore. Afghanistan won three successive promotions in the World Cricket League to take their place in the WCQS, and in doing so have vindicated the new qualifying structure and captured newspaper headlines across the world.

Although it will cause hardly a ripple in test cricket countries, many of whom see associate nations as fodder to inflate their averages, for the competing teams world cup qualification represents the culmination of a dream; an opportunity to put themselves on the cricketing map, ODI status for 4 years; access to funding and sponsorship, the chance to compete against the best at crickets showcase event in front of a global audience of millions.  In short, the stakes could not be higher. 

The tournament will pit the 6 nations that competed at the last world cup, who will fight to retain their status and the status quo, and 6 challengers looking to steal the limelight and show that they are the strongest non-test nations and deserve the opportunity to play the world's leading teams. The established teams, such as Kenya, Ireland, Scotland and Canada, have all competed at world cups before, and have had the benefit of ODI experience, exposure and funding. They have to be considered favourites. However, there are several emerging teams, such as Uganda and Afghanistan, that have youth, energy and raw talent on their side and could well upset the apple-cart. Add to the mix the UAE and Namibia, two teams that have played ODI's but missed out on world cup qualification last time around, and the stage is set for an enthralling and hard fought contest.

Afghanistan

The Afghans have defied the odds in reaching the WCQS but with momentum and unbridled ambition on their side they will be a difficult team to beat. Their strength is in their bowling, with a seam attack with more pace and variation than any other in the tournament. Their weakness has been in the batting that can be a bit gung-ho at times. In striking out for a target of 350 they have sometimes struggled to 150. Greater discipline in the batting, allied to an emphasis on partnership building, will give them a great chance. Never rule them out though, even if they are defending a modest total as wickets may well skittle if it swings and seams.

Key Player - Mohammed Nabi

Nabi is the heartbeat of the Afghan team and plays a crucial role with both bat and ball. Coming in at number 5 he often has to contend with a top order collapse and has rescued his team countless times with dogged and determined half centuries. he also has all the strokes to mount a late charge if he comes in with 10 overs to spare. With the ball he provides excellent control and economy, complementing the seamers well.

Netherlands

The Dutch, in their dazzling orange kit, have been World Cup regulars and will be confident they can make the cut once again. However, a shortage of emerging players and a domestic structure that places club above country has seen them lose ground to Scotland, Ireland and Namibia. The team is heavily reliant on handful of players with first class experience and if they are to qualify the whole team will have to contribute. The withdrawal of Australian based quickie Dirk Nannes, was a massive blow, and leaves them    relying on line and length and bowling. Spinner Pieter Seelar could have a crucial role to play and seamer Mudassar Bukhari could be one to watch.

Key Player - Ryan ten Doeschate

Ten Doeschate is such an important player for the Dutch that they look toothless in his absence. His record with the bat for his country is astounding, at one stage averaging almost 300 in first class games. His ability to score heavily and quickly will be integral to Dutch success. If he can forge partnerships with Alexie Kervezee and Eric Szwarczynski, and score a couple of centuries then the Netherlands could be competitive. With the ball he is half a yard quicker than any of his teammates and always attacks the stumps with a full, penetrative line.

Denmark

The Danes have never made a world cup and may prove outclassed once again. The batting has been a traditional area of weakness with only 2 of the top 6 averaging over 20 against associate opposition over the last 5 years. The bowling unit will enjoy bowling in seamer friendly conditions but perhaps lack the pace to rip through a batting line-up. The young but raw spin partnership of Bashir Shah and Bobby Chawla could make an impact if early wickets can breed confidence. They have an outside chance of claiming an intercontinental cup spot.

Key Player - Freddie Klokker

Captain and batting lynchpin Freddie Klokker is a disciplined and technically correct top order batsman who has scored a first class century for an English county. He will have to score heavily and consistently if Denmark are to be competitive at this level. 

Ireland

Ireland can boast of a victory against Pakistan and qualification to the super eights at the last world cup and they will be odds on favourites to qualify once again. They have a well balanced team, many of which are professionals in the English county championship. All the pieces of the jigsaw are in place, from batsmen who can dominate attacks to bowlers who can take five wicket hauls. Regular fixtures against English county opposition and a professional programme of fitness and training will make them the best prepared team in South Africa. Another key factor will be the experience of the senior players, who can apply professionalism and pragmatism to recover from a wicket falling or an expensive over. Producing consistency in pressure situations is the achilles heel of many associate nations but the Irish have a proven track record and should prove their class in this field.

Key Player - Andre Botha

Botha is the man for a crisis, demonstrating a coolness under pressure both with the bat and ball to ensure that Ireland are always in the game. His uncomplicated batting, cuts out undue risks and helps his team to build partnerships to set challenging totals. With the ball he is a miserly seamer who applies pressure by denying batsmen scoring opportunities, with clever variations of pace. Not the most exciting player, perhaps, but certainly the most reliable.

Scotland

Cricket Scotland's decision to award professional contracts to three key players demonstrated their determination to qualify for the world cup once again. On paper they have a strong enough squad to qualify, including several English based professionals. However, in recent years they have shown a capacity to choke under pressure and have not played to their potential. The key to their success will be the form of captain Ryan Watson, who has the ability to dominate the bowling but has also made an alarming number of ducks for his country. Durham's Kyle Coetzer and Warwickshire's Navdeep Poonia will also have to add circumspection to their undoubted ability if they are to post challenging totals. The seam bowling is in capable hands with Dewald Nel, Callum McLeod and Gordon Goudie all contenders for top wicket taker of the series.

Key Player - Dewald Nel

This young seam bowler of South African origin will enjoy returning to his homeland where the wickets will suit him. Although not blessed with out and out pace he is one of the most accurate bowlers outside the test world and has an excellent economy rate. He will keep the pressure on opposition batsmen and expect him to keep the slip fielders busy for when batsmen play injudicious shots after being starved of scoring opportunities.

Uganda

Uganda are the youngest and most athletic team in the tournament. Their players are all home-grown and the product of a successful youth development programme. In the past they have lacked the cutting edge to challenge the top teams at this level but they are very committed and will fight to the very last ball. The team revolves around two dynamic all-rounders, Kenneth Kamyuka and Joel Olwenyi. They need batsmen to turn promising cameos into match-winning innings if they are to challenge for a world cup spot.

Key Player - Kenneth Kamyuka

Kamyuka is the match winner for Uganda. His incisive bowling and explosive cameos with the bat provide a cutting edge that may turn creditable performances into winning ones.

Oman

Along with Afghanistan Oman are the unknown quantity at this level. Their strength is their self-belief and sheer appetite for quick runs. The team ethic appears to be don't die wondering and unless their opponents bowl with accuracy and discipline they will find themselves smited to all corners of the ground. Against better quality bowling their cavalier approach to batting may be found wanting, but with some luck, and a dropped catch here and there, they could well set unassailable totals. An accurate spin attack will attempt apply pressure on, rather than tear through, the opposition.

Key Player - Wategaonkar

A destructive top-order batsman who will seize on any scoring opportunity gleefully. If he stays at the crease for an hour then Oman will set a challenging total.

Bermuda

Bermuda are one of the established teams that could make way for one of the challengers.  They have had a wretched run of results since the last world cup and a damaging series of power struggles, disciplinary issues and player mutinies. They are prone to alarming batting collapses and senior batsmen Irving Romaine and David Hemp will have to steer their younger colleagues to respectable totals. Larger than Life spinner, Dwayne Leverock, became a cult star of the last world cup and his accurate spin bowling will be crucial once again. Are likely to relinquish a world cup spot.

Key Player - Chris Douglas

Douglas is the new golden boy of Bermudan cricket. His precocious talent is evident in his swashbuckling stroke-play and if he can learn to occupy the crease and temper his aggressive instincts with the desire to make big scores he could make the difference for Bermuda.

Canada

Canada are a difficult team to predict as they have a large pool of players and rarely field a consistent XI. Their team ethic lacks consistency and professionalism although in their favour players such as Jon Davison, who once scored a memorable world cup century, and Rizwan Cheema are match winners on their day. Sunil Dhaniram provides the anchor with both bat and ball and lanky, Ugandan born opening bowler Henry Osinde will cause batsmen trouble on bouncy pitches. A lack of consistent player selection could be their undoing, and could cost them a world cup place. However, a pre tournament coaching programme run by Sri Lankan legend Marvan Attapattu could instill the professionalism they have lacked in the past.

Key Player - Rizwan Cheema

Cheema is a relatively new addition to the Canada squad but has quickly become their most dynamic player. To say that he enjoys putting bat on ball is an understatement.His innings of 89 off 69 balls against the West Indies in only his second ODI served notice of his rare talent. If he gets in the groove he will keep the boundary fielders busy signaling boundaries. He is also a useful slow bowler, claiming three wickets in that same game against the West Indies. 

Kenya

Since making the quarter finals of the 2003 world cup, after which they were widely tipped to become the next test nation, Kenya have endured a sustained period of regression. Their main limitation is the small domestic player base. Despite several players of genuine quality, including veteran captain Steve Tikolo and all-rounder Thomas Odoyo, fringe members of the team have simply not performed. The availability of Sussex swing bowler Ragheb Aga would prove a phillip for them and the emergence of young Surrey batsman Seren Waters has given them cause for optimism. A chastening 5-0 whitewash by Zimbabwe suggests a world cup place is not a foregone conclusion.

Key Player - Steve Tikolo

Tikolo is the greatest player ever produced by a non test country. His technique and style has been likened to Mark Waugh and with a first class average over 50 and over 3000 ODI runs to his name he is undoubtedly a class act. He is capable of anchoring the innings and taking the game away from the opposition. With the ball he is an accurate off-spinner who can tie up and end as the seamers rotate.

UAE

The UAE are a group of talented individuals who have not been given the structure or support to shine at international level. Despite dominance at regional level their form in the Intercontinental Cup, against the leading associates they will meet in the WCQS, suggests they will rely on individual brilliance and a fair share of luck to qualify. Khurrum Khan, Arshad Ali and Saqib Ali provide the spine of the team and they will have to shoulder the burden of responsibility and hope that the youthful energy and exuberance of the younger players will blossom. The lack of domestic infrastructure, player contracts and professional preparation could see them fail at the final hurdle once again.

Key Player  - Arshad Ali

Whether it be with bat or ball Arshad Ali can leave his mark on the game. At the World Cricket League Division 2 in 2007 he averaged 99 with the bat, making two centuries, and finished as the tournaments leading wicket taker, claiming 17 victims. In this case the statistics alone tell the story.

Namibia

Namibia are a team very much on the rise, after suffering several years in the international wilderness. The key factor in their resurgence has been their involvement in the South African domestic structure, that has enabled their younger players to develop against quality opposition on a regular basis. Their strength is undoubtedly seam bowling, and with several bowlers capable of breaking 80 mph and extracting awkward bounce expect several teams to be skittled. Should claim a world cup spot this time around.

Key Player - Gerrie Snyman

Snyman is the player that will take Namibia to the world cup. His effortless strokeplay makes him very difficult to bowl against, and if players stray in line and length he will really make them pay. His momentous 196 in the WCL2 is the highest international limited overs score in history, and if he hits that kind of form in South Africa he could have opposition captains scratching their heads wondering who to turn to. With the ball he is an incisive seamer who has an excellent record of breaking partnerships. He is contracted to coach in the Netherlands so will have the inside knowledge on at least one of his opponents.


The WCQS takes place in South Africa from April 1st-19th



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