Barnett joins Canada cup bid

Marlborough's Geoff Barnett is looking to give something back to Canadian cricket when he lines up for the national team at next month's ICC World Cup qualifier in South Africa.

The 25-year-old Wairau opening batsman flew out of Blenheim yesterday to join the Canadian team in building up to the tournament that will see the top four sides book a place at the 2011 World Cup.

Initially Barnett had considered pulling the pin on his international career after last season but decided, as one of the team's senior players, he owed it at least one more crack.

"I hadn't planned on it [playing for Canada this year]," Barnett said. "I've been playing it a bit by ear, but we've got a good team going. Guys like John Davison and Ian Billcliff have put a lot into Canadian cricket. I was lucky enough to go to the last World Cup [in the West Indies in 2007] and got a bit of a free ride to get there. I'd like to help the team qualify for the World Cup in 2011, whether or not I actually end up playing there."

The big lefthander said he wasn't sure what his role would be in the Canadian team, but he didn't think he would fill the opener's slot he holds with Wairau and Marlborough. "I picture myself and Ian [Billcliff] more as the guys the rest of the team will try to bat around in the middle order. We've already got a couple of good openers in Davo [John Davison] and Rizwan Cheema."

The qualifying tournament features 12 of the world's developing cricket nations, including five that took part in the last World Cup Bermuda, Canada, Ireland, Kenya and the Netherlands. Denmark, Namibia, Oman and United Arab Emirates, Afghanistan and Uganda round out the dozen.

Teams are split into two pools of six with the top four from each pool going through to a super eight stage where they will play teams from the other pool. Points gained by sides against other top four teams in their pool will be carried forward to the super eight stage.

The top four teams will progress to semifinals and automatically qualify for the next World Cup.

Canada have been grouped with Ireland, Scotland, Oman, Namibia and Uganda in a powerful group. Defending champions Scotland and Ireland both have formidable line ups that include English county players, though Barnett said he was picking Namibia as the team to beat.

"Namibia will be very good, they've got a lot of South African pros. Arguably we're in the tougher pool, but in some ways that could be a good thing. Even if we qualify fourth it will mean we will have easier games in the second round."

While away, Barnett will also have the opportunity to work with former Sri Lankan great Marvan Atapattu, recently appointed as a batting consultant to the Canadian team. Barnett has played 12 one day internationals for Canada scoring 227 runs at an average of 18.91 while in three international Twenty20 matches he averages 32.50.

- The Marlborough Express