The Sabina Park pitch was relaid ahead of the last England tour and caught the home side by surprise: what little preparation the WI batsmen had done was on the typically slow and low pitches of WI domestic cricket.... and they had simply not even considered the possibility (and prepared for) Harmison getting steep bounce off a good length.

I'm pretty sure other WI pitches have been relaid since that tour (couldn't say which ones). My understanding is that the concerns were at one point raised that the pitches would not have time to settle in before the WC.. but as I understand it the ICC inspectors are all pretty happy with progress.

With any luck the pitches will be faster, bouncier and (in keeping with many new pitches, such as the first-year Hampshire pitch before it settled into mediocrity) "sporting".

On your other point... the explanation for the dearth of WI spinners strikes me as part cultural and as more related to short boundaries (and perhaps to the lack of bounce in the pitches): I reckon spinners suffer more than anyone from short boundaries that can be found without the batsman compromising his balance by the effort needed to play a forcing shot to a long bounday.

ps. I suspect the great WI attacks of the past were great despite the pitches rather than with the assistance of the pitches.

Sri Lanka have to be one of the front runners for the WC, but the Aussies are so far ahead of the rest.
Its true that we have only 3 star batsmen, and 2 bowlers, but the thing is, that so called 'lesser' players do stand up sometimes as well. Particularly with the bat.
draexem, when you say that we have as much chance of winning the World Cup, as england, i will say that our 'lesser,' players do have the ability to stand up and be counted, and provide important performances. People like Dilshan, Maharoof, Chamara Silva if he plays, can provide support for the main batsmen.
We have upset the odds before, and whos to say that we cant do it again? Although playing on the type of pitches native to the Windies, will be tough, as it is common knowledge that we tend to fold in on ourselves on pitches unlike the ones at home...

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...said outswing

Last time Sri Lanka toured the WI (2003) they won all three ODIs... and of the five ODIs Sri Lanka have played in the WI... they've only lost one (June 1997).

See here

No one has the hitting power of Australia. In the batting line up there are powerful players who can hit the ball over the rope with ease.

Big hitters - Gilchrist, Hayden, Ponting, Symonds, White.
Grafters - Clarke & Hussey.

ODI player batting rankings
1. Hussey
4. Gilchrist
6. Symonds
8. Ponting
11. Clarke

Bowling rankings

2. McGrath
3. Bracken
7. Lee

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Bill Ponsford - The only one who could play in Bradman’s company and make it a duet.

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http://www.myspace.com/the_world_championship

I agree crabs the best four teams in the world are Australia, South Africa, Pakistan and I think that West Indies will do very well because they are at home and there form in the Champions Trophy. Sri Lanka on there day are as good as any of them.

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Bill Ponsford - The only one who could play in Bradman’s company and make it a duet.

I don't know, Sri Lanka have an explosive top order of Jiyasuria, Tharanga & Sangakara, good experience in the middle with Attapatu and Jaywardene, and then they have Malinga, Vaas and Murali who have all been matchwinners with the ball. It's a cliche phrase, but thats a lineup that can beat anyone 'on their day' and are not to be taken lightly. As poor a side as England are, the systematic demolition job the 'Lankans did on them last year was imperious, really made me take note.

Coming back to the topic of this thread, which if not wrong was the 2nd ODI of the tri angular series down under, while I was watching a bit of the play in South Africa, the commentators there read an email from some one who spoke about a catch that was claimed by Symonds even though it fell short of him, in relation to a catch which Nazir took in SA's first innings, which replays showed was out. Can anyone who saw the match on telly tell me what happened?

Symonds dived forward after delivering a ball and he thought he had caught it.

He did not make a big appeal,sort of asked the umpires to check,then White who had a good side on view told everyone it was short(it was) and the game went on.

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" You don't want the truth,you can't handle the truth."

Fair enough then.