India send New Zealand in at Centurion India are running hot and will be looking at New Zealand as another stepping stone on their way to a World Cup final play-off with Australia after their final Super Six match at Centurion today. With all their top batsmen having regained their best batting form, and the prospect of another good batting pitch at Centurion, India have to be a firm favourite to end New Zealand's World Cup campaign today. New Zealand, with everything to play for, meanwhile, will be looking for a vast improvement on their match with Australia earlier in the week. The regret at having let the world champions off the hook after having them reeling at 84 for seven wickets should have burned deep with the New Zealanders. Compounding their situation was the inability to score 209 runs to beat the Australians in what was the poorest batting effort in New Zealand's World Cup history. There is marked room for improvement in both areas of the game, and it will be how New Zealand manage this requirement that will determine their ultimate fate. India won the toss and asked New Zealand to bat first. While India has stuck with their tried and tested side, the New Zealanders have brought back Craig McMillan and Daryl Tuffey.

Cairns to target Tendulkar New Zealand's pace bowlers will target Sachin Tendulkar in their World Cup clash on Friday, all-rounder Chris Cairns said on Wednesday. Cairns also said he was hoping to bowl his full 10 overs in the Super Six match which New Zealand need to win to clinch the final semi-final berth. "Tendulkar has probably got 75 percent of the runs for India," he said. "So he is the guy you got to stop. He looks amazingly hungry for runs." Tendulkar has been in sublime form, amassing a record 571 runs from eight games in this tournament. Cairns, 32, who is still not fully fit after knee surgery, said he had been frustrated at being able to bowl only eight overs at the World Cup. He bowled at the nets on Wednesday from a three-quarter runup. "I am looking to bowl on Friday. I am still well under done, but it is a confidence thing," he said. "Whether I bowl 10 overs will be up to (captain Stephen) Fleming. If I am bowling well and I deserve to bowl 10 overs, then hopefully I should do that." Cairns added his inability to bowl had also sometimes affected his batting. "Maybe you are not as free," he said. "You know what you have got to do and know that's all you've got in your armoury." It was a view that was echoed by former Pakistan captain Javed Miandad. Writing in CricInfo, Miandad observed, "I sincerely hope to see Chris Cairns bowling against India; his bowling not only ensures a balance to their side but also helps his performance with the bat. "

BCCI announces rewards for Indian players Each Indian player could end up earning a Rs 50 lakhs bonanza if they win the World Cup. The announcement was made by Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) president Jagmohan Dalmiya in Kolkata. "Reaching the semi-final is no mean achievement and therefore the Indian cricket board will pay 18.7 million rupees to the 15 players of the team as reward," he said. "If the team reaches the final the amount will be doubled to 37.5 million rupees and it will be enhanced to 75 million rupees if it wins the World Cup," Dalmiya added. The BCCI president announced that coach John Wright, physiotherapist Andrew Leipus and fitness trainer Adrian Le Roux would also be rewarded for their contribution in ensuring a splendid showing by India in this edition of the World Cup.

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