England's Plunkett hoping for ipod edge by AFP

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Event:

ICC World Cup 2006/07

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DateLine: 14th March 2007

 

Liam Plunkett is hoping some nifty use of modern technology will prove useful in his side's crunch World Cup opener against fellow Group C giants New Zealand here on Friday.

 

England players can now have a look at their own 'greatest hits' and examine their opponents strengths and weaknesses wherever they are in the West Indies after team analyst Mark Garraway ensured the footage was transfered on to their ipods and games consoles.

 

"When we are batting I can go on the computer and have a look at the wickets I've taken and the way I've bowled," said fast bowler Plunkett.

 

"The good thing about Mark Garraway is that he's put a lot of the video footage onto our Ipods and our games consoles."

 

And he said the technology was as good for England's batsmen as it was their bowlers although he admitted not every member of the side would need the pick-me-up of seeing themselves play well.

 

"That's obviously a good thing before you go in for a bat and you want a confidence boost," he said.

 

"KP (Kevin Pietersen) might want to have a look at himself scoring a hundred or a fifty to give him that bit of confidence, not that he needs it."

 

Plunkett added: "If Belly (Ian Bell) wants to have a look at how (Daniel) Vettori grips the ball or how Shane Bond is running in or mixing his slower balls up, he can do that."

 

While players from all the leading teams have long been able to gather round a computer and have a look at various bits of footage, Plunkett said the ipod transfer had "only happened in the last week".

 

England defeated New Zealand during the tri-series on their way to beating Australia 2-0 in the final in the world champions' backyard.

 

However, earlier in the tournament the Kiwis embarrassed England.

 

The two Test nations are the overwhelming favourites to qualify from a Group C also featuring Canada and Kenya.

 

But, assuming both do go through, the winners of Friday's match will carry through two points into the second stage, Super Eight phase.

 

"It's a massive game," said Plunkett. "It will set the standard for the way we play in the rest of the tournament."

 

"We beat them and been through lots of plans against them so we know what each player does.

 

"They've got two good spinners who will play a massive part (Vettori and Jeetan Patel) and (fast bowler) Shane Bond bowls plenty of slow balls so he'll be useful on these wickets."

 

Plunkett, who impressed in the latter stages of England's one-day triumph in Australia, now finds himself effectively competing for a place alongside fellow seamers Sajid Mahmood, Jon Lewis and James Anderson.

 

At least one of the quartet is set to miss out come Friday's opener at Beausejour.

 

"I finished well (in Australia) but Jimmy and Lewy bowled really well at the start of the one-day series," 21-year-old Durham quick Plunkett said.

 

And of the competition for places, he added: "It's good for the team but I want to play every game, especially in a World Cup."

 

Plunkett insisted the England quicks have been a united group.

 

"We've been getting together and chatting about the wickets.

 

"It's been really valuable having people like Lewy around who has played county cricket for a long time and knows a lot about his game."

(Article: Copyright © 2007 AFP)