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NEWS Cricket World Cup 2007> World Cup not ideal place for minnows: Ponting 06th Mar 2007  18.02 IST By Agencies   Australian captain Ricky Thomas Ponting has fuelled the debate about participation of many minnows teams in the World Cup by expressing doubts if it would really do any good to cricketing standard of the second-tier teams. "I've always felt there are probably places and times for minnow nations to be playing. I'm not sure if the World Cup and the Champions Trophy is one of those times," Ponting said. "That's the way it is, you've just got to accept it. It's not ideal. I've never been a great fan for having those countries in. But if it does actually benefit their cricket, and I'm not sure if it does, but if it does help them out and help their cricket become stronger in those nations, then it should be a part of what they do," he was quoted as saying by 'The Age'. The captain of the two-time World Champion team said he remembered playing against the US during the 2004 Champions Trophy in England, when Australia bowled the Americans out for 65 and reached 1-66 in 7.5 overs. "(When) we played USA, I'm not sure if they learned too much about that, and I don't think it does the game any good." Australia will play group A matches against Scotland on March 14 and the Netherlands on March 18 before clashing with South Africa, the ICC's top-ranked ODI team, on March 24. Former West Indian tearaway Michael Holding had earlier expressed his reservations on far too many teams participating in the mega event, stretching a bit too long. Besides Bangladesh, Zimbabwe and Kenya, ICC's associate members like Bermuda, Scotland, Ireland, the Netherlands and Canada would also be a part of the line up for the 47-day event beginning March 13. Also View In-Depth Coverage: Cricket World Cup 2007 Team Page: Australia Team Page: USA

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