Champions Trophy kicks off big 6 months

New Delhi: The ICC Champions Trophy begins on Saturday amid greater anticipation than usual with the tournament acting as the first leg of an exciting six months of cricket, highlighted by the Ashes and next year's World Cup.
World champions Australia start as favourites, as they have in every One-Day tournament over the last decade, bidding to capture the only item of silverware missing from their overflowing trophy cabinet.
As well as strength in depth and a wealth of experience, Australia's form is also encouraging after claiming a One-Day tri-series victory in Malaysia last month, upstaging West Indies in the final after knocking out India.
The biennial event is rated as the second most important One-Day tournament after the World Cup, which is next being contested in the Caribbean in March-April 2007.
Eight teams will be lodged in two pools for the main rounds, with Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, India, Pakistan and England gaining direct entries as the top six teams in the ICC rankings at the April 1 cut-off date.
Two others will join them from a four-team qualifying league involving defending champions West Indies, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Zimbabwe. The qualifiers start on Saturday with Sri Lanka taking on Bangladesh in Mohali.
The main rounds open on October 15 with India playing England in Jaipur. The top two from each pool will qualify for the semi-finals with the final to be played in Mumbai on November 5.
The International Cricket Council (ICC) introduced qualifiers after one-sided contests drew criticism in previous editions of the event launched in 1998 to raise funds to develop the game globally.
However, there is an air of anticipation this time around. Sparks could fly when Australia meet England on October 21, the day India celebrates Diwali. That game acts as a prelude to the Ashes series starting in Brisbane on November 23, with Australia desperate to reclaim bragging rights between the nations after England's 2-1 Test series victory last year. —Agencies