Well, it is not somehow India yet, but one Pakistani intellectual, who has his own popular talk show on Geo TV, said this on the 29th January 2010 episode to explain Pakistan's debacle in Australia - "the Pakistan team had started to perform poorly because its players are now wearing cricket shoes with green colored soles!"
Link One - Jahil Online: Explaining Why Pakistan is Losing!
Link Two - Cyberdera.com
Afridi has only been banned for two games for ball tampering. ICC thinks the offence of ball tampering is of the same level as MS Dhoni being penalized for two matches because his team had a slow over rate!
The Chairman of Selectors, PCB. has resigned. It's no longer his baby anymore.
One awaits the Sports Minister-Butt accusation routine now.
Any sensible man would have seen that Pakistan played poorly and Australia better. Pakistan was a divided team on this tour, and despite Yousuf Yohana's conversion and deep adherence to the new religion, Mohammed Yousuf was never really considered one of the boys since the Inzi days. Wasn't that one of his own statements as explanation for his conversion? (If anybody has a link to it, I'd be glad to add it here for reference.) His team played completely without interest or purpose. There was no response either to the captain's urgings.
Do they feel they were hard done by in IPL thanks to MoYo being the totem for Pakistani players currently? You see, nobody would touch MoYo with a barge pole for he has flip-flopped from Pakistan team to ICL-to Pakistan team and IPL attempt-to Pakistan team and anti-IPL, anti-T20 stance when his IPL attempts failed. Nobody wants to waste their time and money on lawsuits to get back their money from broken contracts. Could this also have put off teams from Pakistan players? For you never know when they could be pulled? After all, politicisation began with frivolous statements about snubs and national pride and a multitude of smells, emanating from various Pakistani oras, and the Chief, Butt.
Time to look inwards my friends.
Sunday, 31 January 2010
Peculiar Reason for Pakistan's Loss
Ball Biting Afridi: Juvenile Relapse or Plain Cheat?
We have seen before that Afridi frequently succumbs to juvenile impulses easily and likes to put his mouth to things he should not. We have also seen him 'pitch dance' with spikes a few years ago. We have also read Ian Chappell's criticism of Pakistani captiancy and management on the Australian tour, implying that it lacked bite.A good article by Chappeli
Well, Afridi came out big today, while officiating as Captain unstead of MoYo - in full view of 26 cameras covering the match (according to the commentators), he actually BIT the ball in his huge mouth for Asif to generate some swing! The ball was changed three overs later by the umpires - AShocker DeSilva naturally didn't notice it and third ump had to intervene, but Paul Reifel was also caught napping - Mitch Lee was out in between but that couldn't be ascribed to abnormal swing generated by the bitten ball.
Afridi, who already has a chequered disciplinary history after being banned for a Test and two one-dayers back in 2005 for for deliberately damaging the pitch during a Test match against England, will almost certainly have to answer to his bizarre actions – as will the invader who disrupted play again minutes later.
Despite the heavy security presence, the man was able to run unhindered from the boundary line to tackle Latif to the ground – bringing back worrying memories of the incident in 1982 when WA legend Terry Alderman was injured when tackled by an England fan.
The two moments of controversy were an unsavoury end to an already tumultuous tour for the visitors --- Tim Clarke @ www.smh.com.au
Afridi, named captain for the day after Mohammad Yousuf withdrew due to a knee injury, was caught on camera biting the ball with Australia precariously placed at 7-178 and needing 35 more runs for victory off 30 balls to chase down Pakistan's 212.
-- voxy.co.nz
This Afridi chap is a true specimen.
The self-styled 'LOI Specialist' couldn't prevent the 5-0 blanketing though. Maybe he should try the box....he has the gift of a multipurpose mouth. That's where his future is. In fact if he can convince the world that somehow India or Modi made him bite the ball, he should be given a permanent position at the mic.
One match remains - can he salvage a T20?
Scorecard Read More......
A good article by Chappelli
If we were to judge the flamboyance of administrators along similar lines, does that make Lalit Modi the Sehwag of officialdom?
Modi has had moments of brilliance interspersed with occasional lapses. His outstanding manoeuvres have resulted in IPL franchises, the IPL-Google deal and the BCCI's finances rising exponentially. On the debit side there have been his indiscretions in the USA during his student days and a rampant ego massaged by appearing more often on the IPL television coverage than the sponsor logo.
Modi is an administrator for the modern game. He's decisive and forward thinking. However, like Sehwag needs a steady opening partner to balance the combination, Modi requires a strong lieutenant to watch over him and temper his instinctive brilliance with a liberal dose of discipline.
With a number of international teams now bunched at the top of the rankings and sides being more aware of each other's ability through technology, one of the few remaining ways of gaining an advantage over opponents is to have a decisive and more flexible administration. This should apply to officials both at home and on tour.
-- Ian Chappell in "Why Modi is like Sehwag" @ Cricinfo
He's reading the man well. Modi performs best with a strong backroom man in overall command. Sharad Pawar was that for him, IS Bindra could be one too considering his seniority, diplomacy and adminstrative capabilities, but we don't kow if Modi sees him instead as a contemporaneous official. Srinivasan and Manohar have together managed to keep the weight on thus far and prevent needless upheavals. The team has cooperated too and the selectors look glossy instead of dull with their moves coming off. All together, a sense of balance has been maintained. BCCI was quick to correct course when they realized their test match scenario was skewed against. Read More......
Saturday, 30 January 2010
Young Australia lift the Cup
At the outset, let me clarify that I wan't able to watch this match at all. I hope to catch a replay /highlights of it at some poitn of time later.
From the scorecard and reading around, it appears that the Australian remained more persistent to prevail in the end.
Well played Australia and Pakistan! Congratulations to Australia who have defended a smallish total.
As a rule, I'd rather not be hypercritical of youth unless it is in a constructive manner. But since I haven't seen the match at all, I have no specific views on it.
Friday, 29 January 2010
It's Ryaning Harrises on Pakistan Down Under
First Bollinger ran in from the anonymous outback to pitch in a few headaches to an assortment of batsmen from South Africa and West Indies (and to the general spectators of course with his theatrical skills), following all that up with a heavy dose of Pakistani batsmen, and now, as if he wasn't enough, the hapless Pakistanis, stranded out there in the open, upon cricketing spaces Down Under which are appearing wider than they are used to, are now being pelted upon by Ryan Harrises, and with no place to hide! Pakistanis are wearing helmets of course besides the other cricketing armour, but they simply have no clue as to how to put a proper bat to the swinging ball generated by the pacy Ryan. "From whither?", you ask. And, justifiably, you may also question, "why not till now?", when you ask about Ryan Harris and Bollinger's relatively late entry.
As a spectator of the sport, I am partial to those pace bowlers who can swing the ball both ways, and at pace, over those who bowl fast but without any substantial jive to their bowling. Irfan Pathan's bowling grabbed me from the backrest of my television easy couch and made me sit up in my straight-backed computer chair, and set me off feverishly typing, forumming or blogging. Bollinger, if not to the same extent, certainly made me open my bored eyelids a little wider apart. Ryan Harris makes me want to watch him bowl a little more. He makes me yearn for the rediscovery of Irfan Pathan - by himself and by the kingdom of cricket.
You need skillful players to keep the interest in the game alive. There is no point in watching the mediocrity of limited talent - after an inituial while, they become stale...unwatchable. You cannot see forever a Shaun Tait steaming in, purple with venomous intent, only to watch him go wan and pale in less than a trice it takes for his straight fast ball racing away from the bat's face to the boundary. "He is no Waqar," you say to yourself with a shake of your head. Or the medium paced piscators, who make effective use of their height to metronomically pepper a spot and wait for the batsman to bite eventually. Yet, despite the plentiful bait thrown into a narrow spot, they may not bite, or bite in unforseen and uncomfortable places as, for example, Stuart Clark discovered with the fish called 'India'.
Angling is also an art, but it is less so in watching than in participation perhaps. Give me a swinger anyday, and one who can bemuse batsmen even beyond the beneficiently heavy air of England. As a one-time batsman, keeper and a current spectator, I most enjoyed, and enjoy, the challenges such bowlers posed to one (besides a truly talented spinner of course). In a way, cricket assumes a little more intellect while the ball is still new, when such a bowler is at inspired work.
There are not many among this Pakistan line-up who are equipped to handle this swing. If MoYo had a florid year with the bat some seasons ago, he is now that much older and therefore burdened by the need for a quicker eys and reflexes. Younis Khan can perform if the other team is India and the setting is in India or Pakistan. Perhaps he feels comfortable among the familiar and is so able to expres himself to a greater extent. Afridi is also a senior of the team, but he has chosen to be adept at other things. Chattering away and the same old hit and giggle stuff is what he has decided to perfect instead of majoring for his team on a consistent basis.
The fellow has even given up test cricket to become a PhD at limited overs! He has grown a beard to develop that thesisatorial look! He imitates the student, a forever student, in every style but not once in substance. His game is as immature today as it was a decade ago...when he was perhaps in the the nursery of Pakistan cricket. I recall Wasim Akram's initial impressions of him when called to the net to help. But he fits neatly into his juvenile self image - of wild chattering and wilder slogging. Both look or sound good when they come off, but look damn silly when they don't. What's worse is anybody can see the complete lack of any science, learned or instinctual, supplementing the natural art a person may be born endowed with. The way he is going, I doubt if this deep student of limited overs who has become a hermit from the distractions of any other cricket, can ever complete his PhD in LOI cricket. Like I said before, lashers of the cricket ball abound in every gully and lane of every cricket follwoing nation. Some like Afridi just happen to be at the right net at the right time.
MoYo is a brave man - he first decamped from the Pakistan team and joined the ICL for a quick buck. Subsequently, he fled from with the terms of the contract and wanted to play IPL. At a later stage, following the brilliance of autosuggestion after failing to make the lure any team in IPL to hire him, he fatwahed that LOIs were killing the game in Pakistan, the T20 Champions, and a team he captains! Let all those contradictions be...what makes him a brave is that he continues to captain Pakistan in LOI cricket and insists he will continue to do so even after being a game away from a complete and total whitewash! The most abject surrender it could turn out to be too, from any Pakistani team to have played in Australia ever! He is indeed a very very very brave man. So Pakistan has a chatterbox juvenile, a very very very brave man and a homesick-for-India YoKha as the senior gentlemen giuding the team's destiny. Only one another is missing, Misbah The Illusionist. You have to feel sorry for the likes of Umar Akmal and like youngsters who are being misguided by the seniors this way.
Pakistan needs a captain who talks sense, plays sense, and is a credible man, to bring them all together. But if we were punters, the odds should be attractive on some Pakistan minister, Butt, or a captain, or a senior team member to want you to smell something in this Pakistani annihilation at the hands of Australia. And rest assured world, they will point away from themselves and tell you its Indian! Hold your bellies brothers!
Let's hope Ryan Harris continues to bowl his swingers and doesn't lose it with fame.
Scorecard
Wednesday, 27 January 2010
Egad! Dem say, Ozzies 'sneaked' one in!
So sez Cricinfo and Cricinfo's article author.
I tort dat wuz a good game played by de youtes, both sides, wid no sneaky tweakies of non-youtes.
Congratulations Ozzie Youtes and well played Lankans!
Scorecard
Tuesday, 26 January 2010
BlitZAKrieg Flattens Bangladesh !
It took a supreme effort from the latest Indian soldier (since Jumbo retired, Zak has become India's main foot soldier) plodding away to save the blushes for an injury-hit India. One inspired over not only brought him his career best but also removed Bangladesh from any visions they harboured from overnight. The match is not over yet - there's a wicket to go - while heroics cannot be ruled out by Rahim and Hossain, now it looks inevitable that India should win.
Bangladesh does indeed find it difficult to maintain momentum over consecutive days.[Link]
What also remains starkly clear is that Zak is the only reliable customer left in the Indian bowling attack. The others might or might not contribute. India has still ended up taking 20 wickets when it mattered most and stayed ahead of the game, but the question needs be asked - For how long?
A purple patch fopr BD the other day? Could be, but some of their batsmen have pressed the Indian attack even if the results suggest otherwise. A better batting team than they could pose greater problems. We need at least two penetrative bowlers to partner Zak - be they one pace one spin, both spin or both pace or any other combo you may imagine.
Zak needs three balls after lunch to wrap it up. As Rubel Hossain's off stump is knocked back, Zaheer joined eight other Indians who took ten wickets in a match outside India. Along with Pathan, Prasad and Chetan "Haryana Trelli" Sharma as Indian pacers who have taken a ten-fer outside India.
Yup, Kapil and Srinath are not among them!
Statsguru
Zak - 10/149 in the match and 7/87 as personal best in an innings.
As a result, India were left with a couple of runs to score for a win. It didn't require the injured men to come out and play - Gambhir knocked them off in a trice.
So India go into the Saffie series with a slight buffer of points.
Scorecard
Day Four, Second Test, India vs Bangladesh 2010, Mirpur Read More......
Clarification via 'source'
Cricinfo has an article in which they say they are quoting a 'source close to Cricket South Africa', which reveals that Mickey Arthur resigned due to pressure to do so from the board, has nothing to do with Graeme Smith or any differences with him, and the board was pressuring him on the spate of recent losses as well as 'transformation' issues, the pressure of which, 'Arthur doesn't handle well at all'.
The Independent had also suggested that race quota issue were behind the resignation. Some Saffer boggers/commentators had suggested the same in their comments appended to various Saffer newspapers and blogs on the subject and had also suggested that control issues were also a factor.
The truth about quotas and merit will never be known anymore for sides on either side of the debate blur and fudge much. The quota camp accuses the merit camp of using merit as a shield to block talent while the merit camp accuses the quota camp of promoting mediocrity and lack of talent under the guise of quota reservation instead of truly identifying the good talent and propelling it forward.
You and I can debate it till the cows come home or till one side dissolves completely in minority. Meanwhile, those who have the currency of power will apply their POV regardless of the debate. Read More......
Batting Blast - e - Tamimi
There are times when you play a perfect knock even though it doesn't amount to much,like the one Laxman played at Sydney. Tamim Iqbal found one in his quiver today, and, it is just possible that like Laxman's innings was in vain materially, Iqbal's impeccable innings could end up the same.
On the other hand, like Laxman's counterattacking magnum opus 281 against the visiting dominant Ozzies at Eden Gardens, the Impeccable One's 151 could just have lighted an important Bangla bush fire at Mirpur which could down titans. Tomorrow will be the day to decide which way this match will billow - a roaring wildfire or into a sputtering ember.
The ferocity of his innings was silken. When he cut, only a single drop of blood red raced over the boundary even as the bowler's spirit lay squirming at his feet in mortal gasps.
He didn't spare many Indian bowlers while exploding the fastest B'desi test century in their presumptous faces, but he singled out Ojha for demonstartion of multiple treatments at his command. Was he trying to issue a statement on Dhoni's preference to select Ojha ahead of Misra?
Also, he set up a double hundred stand with Junaid Siddiqui.
If the Indians thought the match was over yesterday, they know now that after getting beyond Ashraful and Hossain, Rahim, Shakib and Mahmudullah are lurking ahead.
Indian bowling can be torn up too easily by those determined to do so.
well played Tamim, but you threw away a double or more...and a possible team win.
Scorecard
Day Three, Second Test, India vs Bangladesh 2010, Mirpur
Onus and Opportunity
India vs South Africa 2010
The upcoming series with the Saffers will be a battle between two vulnerable teams. There are areas of softness in both, but the series will not be without keenness. If the thrill of contest isn't enough to keep the sense high in battle, then surely the prize at stake will. I am talking about the top ranking in test cricket - It is at stake.
The Prize
The ICC Test Predictor tool tells me that India is stationed today at 124 points and South Africa at 120. It also tells me that even if India wins the current test match at Mirpur, it stands to drop a point to end up at 123 prior to the Saffer series. However, if Bangladesh manage a draw at Mirpur, as they are now looking to with their second innings score at 228-3, India will drop four points and begin their next series level with the Saffers at 120 each. In a sense, Saffers will have the advantage of knowing that even if they win the series 1-0, they'll push down India to become the top-ranked team themselves. So falliabilities, weaknesses and any limitations aside, there will be no dearth of incentive for the teams to compete well and hard.
With the sting of contest assured, let's look at the two teams - both teams have their strengths and weaknesses.
The Grounds
The matches will be played at Nagpur and Kolkatta.
The only test played at the VCA stadium at Nagpur was the fourth test of the recent Border-Gavaskar Trophy 2008-09, which India won by 172 runs. Jason Kejza will be remembered for his dream debut here, taking 12 Indian wickets with his floating off-spin. It was MS Dhoni's first test as formal captain, and not a stand-in job.
The pitch didn't go out of the way to help pacemen or spinners, but Krejza did turn the ball on first day itself. However, most of his wickets were obtain by deception in flight and preying on patience rather than anything extravagantly Muraline or Warneykind.
Sehwag began the match at a brisk trot with the elgant Murali Vijay, before both threw their wickets away. No domestic matches have been played since for us to draw further conclusions about the nature of the pitch at the VCA.
The other ground, Eden Gardens of Kolkata, has been idyllic for batsmen for the past two years. In the last test played there between India and Pakistan, Jaffer scored a double along with two other century contributions from Ganguly and Laxman, for India. Pakistan responded with three hundreds of their own in their two innings, and, it was one of the rare times I have seen Kumble disappointed early enough on the fifth day of a match in India.
In the last first class match at the Eden, Bengal and Saurashtra slugfested it our for a high scoring draw with Saurashtra following on actually despite 456 runs to their name!
So those are the recent profiles of the grounds the matches will be played on.
Superior Saffie Pace but Manageable Spin
The Saffers are coming in with pace bowling advantages - Steyn, Morkel and Parnell are capable individuals. However, they could be defeated by the pitches here, especially if reverse swing isn't used. Yet, they are a strong attack. When you consider that the Indian batting line up will have two large holes in the likely absence of Dravid and Laxman.
While Saffie spin, on paper at least, shouldn't bother Indian batsmen. However, in practice we have seen younger Indian batsmen stumbling to anonymous spinners of late. However, instinct and application should allow Indians to dominate Saffie spinners.
One of Botha or Harris should play and while they may not be alarming, it would pay for India to be alert with them.
Mishra Must Play
With Nagpur capable of assisting spin and Eden likely to be a graveyard for bowlers, it makes sense to play Mishra with his leg spin bowling in either case. His wrist spin and flight deviations will offer a slight edge if the pitch is too friendly with the batsmen. Harbhajan has serious work to do in test cricket now to keep his spot. It is results India wants from him in terms of wickets.
India has suspect penetrativeness with its attack. I wouldn't rely much on its pacers beyond Zaheer Khan. harbhajan, the other senior bowler, must take up the responsibility of bowling the bulk of overs and taking the wickets, as a senior citizen of the team now.
I may even be inclined to play two spinners and two pacers.
A Sip of The Fabled Amruta
Fading batting stars looking for a last hurrah, struggling batsmen fallen from graceful form, anonymous tyros looking to make some kind of name for themselves to charge their careers, head to to cricketing grounds of India for a series. It is a pilgrimage batsmen and bowlers alike make to India for a sip of that reviving, life-reigniting, future-creating amruta (or nectar).
Ashwell Prince and JP Duminy are therefore headed in just the right direction to inject their inretia-ridden careers with some jetspeed. It is not Indian pitches that energizes such, it is not the lack of good bowlers in the Indian ranks which has made this quite a tradition, one suspects there is a mystical spirituality about India which makes men out of the fallen once again.
The rest of the saffers attack is quite strong and accustomed to the region. Last time they were here, it took a Green Park to disturb their batsmen.
Onus on Veterans and Opportunity for Noobs
Sehwag, Gambhir, Tendulkar and Dhoni will have to perform and keep the team alive in the absence of Dravid and Laxman. Yuvraj, I do not yet rate as a a consistent test batsman - more like an option which must be plunged in as per requirement. But he will play. Also likely to play will be Murali Vijay for he looks a decent player in these conditions and has a good domestic season behind him. The one vacant spot could be Virat Kohli's debut opportunity.
I might have wanted to check out a name or two in addition, but that must remain in my imagination.
I am not deliberately underplaying India, but just keeping things honest with them.
Fielding WILL Tilt
Saffies have fumbled recently, but they are a super team in comparison to the Indian 'fielders'. I have no doubt if things are even in other respects, it is this which will tilt the scales towards one side.
So India, you have some work to do - to take 20 wickets in both matches and score that crucial extra run which matters. The seniors will have to lead and the youngsters will have to respond.
India's squad is yet to be announced whereas the South African squad is as here.
[ERRATA] The errors in this article may be read corrected as per the suggestions of Achettup and Mehak. Read More......
Bit of drama before the India-South Africa series
Mickey Arthur has resigned from the post of SA Cricket Team Coach. Different reasons are being thrown about without much substantiation but the commonest among them is that mutual differences between the captain, Graeme Smith, and coach resulted in their parting of ways.
All sorts of responsibilities are being attributed to the two men by their supporters or detractors. Calls for Smith's stepping down are also being aired on SA blogs and newspapers. From defeats to the quota system to "control-freakism" are doing the rounds.
A couple of points for India to ponder - 1) Could this pressure Gary Kirsten to quit Team India and take up the Saffer job? 2) Whatever the state of affairs is in the SA camp, India must not presume distraction diluting their cricketing prowess.
Monday, 25 January 2010
A good article on UDRS - it's use, misuse and abuse, and a few ways forward
My views on the use of technology in cricket and why such a need arose are well known to regular readers of this blog and my postings at different cricket forums. They would also know that I urge ICC to greater imagination and use of capable professionals to select, develop, modify and standardize the best technology for cricket's use. It is therefore that I keep an eye open for related articles.
I came across two articles, one illustrative, and the other quite interesting.
One agrees with the points Ian Chappell makes that players and umpires are not using UDRS well, and that some technologies are inappropriate for the purpose, but one also completely disagrees with the tone he employs towards technology. That illustrates precisely the fears we had expressed in our last article here on technology in cricket - we wondered if the use of incorrect technology and in an inappropriate manner by various concerned individuals and ICC might not be an attempt to scuttle the whole project as such. The ambit may be extended to include commentators, ex-players and influential mandarins of the game.
There is almost an unseemly haste to gather enough discredits around technology so that it may bury itself before long.
On the other hand, Ganeshbabu Venkat, of St.Louis Cricket League and Cricketweb.net, has presented a balanced analysis of the topic. Our views match on most aspects - from the need for technology...or call it an inevitable step forward...to its appropriateness in selection, use and standardized application. Venkat is a technocrat and a cricketer, migrated from Chennai to St.Louis, who is also actively contributing to the game taking root in the new land, besides writing about it.
The article is worth a read - The Link again.
Republic Day Greetings
On this day, 26th January, India formally became a Republic from a British dominion, when it adopted the Constitution of India in 1950.
With the adoption of its own constitution, India ceased to be governed by the colonial Government of India Act of 1935. This also meant that the head of state ceased to be the British ruler and his colonial official, the Governor General of India, and in their place was appointed an elected Head of State, the President of India, who is also the First Citizen of India.
Dr.Rajendra Prasad was the first Indian President.
Dr.Pratibha Patil, the current President of India, is the first lady to be elected to this office.
The Prime Minister of India is the Head of Government in India.
India gained its independence on the 15th of August, 1947.
Virender Sehwag is one of the Republic Day honorees this year. He has been awarded the Padma Sri for his contribution to the nation and its youth through the sport of cricket.
Read More......
Into the 90s !
| Format | Span | M | I | NO | Ru | HS | Avg | 100s | 50s | SR |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SR Tendulkar c Imrul Kayes b Shakib Al Hasan 143. His 90th, and it came in this quiet, undeniable, manner - 73.3 Shakib Al Hasan to Tendulkar, 1 run, 45th Test century for Tendulkar, nudged towards mid-on for the single that takes him to triple figures (Cricinfo) | ||||||||||
| Test Matches | 1989-2010* | 164 | 268 | 29 | 13234 | 248* | 55.37 | 45 | 54 | - |
| ODIs | 1989-2009* | 440 | 429 | 40 | 17394 | 186* | 44.71 | 45 | 93 | 85.90 |
to 100 n beyond that!
Onwards Ahoy!
Scorecard
Day Two, Second Test, India vs Bangladesh 2010, Mirpur
Dravid joins Sir Don Bradman at 29 centuries!
Tendulkar and Dravid are the only two batsmen to score at least two hundreds against all test cricket playing nations.
Sir Don Bradman missed out on the Kiwis in his time. The Kiwis debuted about a year after Sir Don, but Australia played their first test only in 1946, close towards the end of Bradman's career. The next test between the two countries was only in 1973! Beating up your neighbour
But Sir Don has at least two or more hundreds against every team he played - England, South Africa, India and West Indies.Statsguru
Read More......
Sunday, 24 January 2010
Arrite, Now we can talk...
About a series whitewash and also ask what the fuss was all about a few days ago.
I switched off the Australia-Pakistan ODI very early for two reasons - Firstly, the Indo-Bangla test match was going on, and second, somehow one felt the ODI would be a one-sided affair after seeing the ease with which Australia are measuring out Pakistan in every format.
I briefly returned to the match while Pakistan was batting...yeah, you read it correctly...was batting. Arrite, I concede the point to you, let's just say, was attempting to bat. 50-odd runs and six wickets back in the hut chasing less than 270 runs and with more than half the overs to go didn't sound like a match I must watch. No sir! In fact, when I had returned to catch up with the match, Shahid Afridi was out. I thought I was seeing a rerun of some long gone by match, but found that it was live and current - Afridi continues to be out this way for the umpteenth time. Whack a six and top edge the next...not an international batsman but a dhobi ghat's ballebaaz. I seriously wonder what the fuss was about in the aftermath of IPL recruitments...I said then, I say again, who wants to invest in a player who gets it all together only once every blue moon evening?
But it wasn't Afridi alone who gave up early...the top order must have subsided gracefully, uncomplainingly, without resistance and in an extremely friendly manner.
Australia won, deservingly so. They have conquered the minds of all Pakistan players and completely dominate them today.
But these kind of comprehensively one-sided matches are poor advertisement for any form of cricket and do not enthuse a watcher.
Not that the Bangla boys were doing anything different, but Mahmudullah made up for a dull winter Sunday's cricket watching.
Scorecard
The Rise of Mahmudullah
Somebody new among minnows catches the eye and before long that person ends up a good cricketer, if not great. Andy Flower and Sanath Jayasuriya are just a couple of examples. It is not always true as the case of Ashraful suggests, but that's what makes it exciting. Only a few from among the few noticed acrually make it to the top. Mohammed Mahmudullah 'Riyad' is one such.
Take a look at this statement he made - "Dhoni is my role model. It is not that I imitate his batting but I want to bat like him."Rediff Sports
The balance of that statement suggests that its application would be similar. Mahmudullah has not disappointed thus far on this count. His career is still young to draw statistical conclusions. However, the way he plays the game reveals that he has correctly distilled out the spirit of Dhoni and is gainfully employing it.
Nobody can go very far through imitation; the lad realizes it and has been attracted instead by the determination to succeed and make the most of his abilities, which Dhoni broadcasts loudly from his demeanour to his play. Riyad knows what he has and has supplemented it with a dogged determination to make best use of it. It is this which Ashraful sorely lacks. By the way, I believe it is time Ashraful is dropped. There may be another Mahmudullahtype lurking among the delta thickets to take his place.
Today it was his unbeated 96 scored with the lower order after yet another B'desi collapse which helped his team to a respectable total of 233 from a precarious 106-6.
India bowled well intitially and then let off the pressure as usual. Yet they managed to bowl out Bangladesh well within the first day itself. Note must be made here of the absence of Amit Misra who took seven wickets and scored a 50 in the last match.
Sehwag and Gambhir have commenced operations in, again, usual fashion. Hopefully, Sehwag can hold his contempt and prosper for the greater respect shown. This is an opportunity for him to score massively...beware Hayden, beware Lara...beware Bradman as well (more than two test triples).
Oh yes, please do not forget Gambhir and his sixth to be.Hindustan Times
Scorecard
Day One, Second Test, India vs Bangladesh 2010, Mirpur
Lusting Of The Unplanned Minds
- Thomas Hobbes
It is in this Hobbesian conundrum that both Sri Lanka and India find themselves inseparably locked in, as they prepare to meet again; to fill an unplanned, unfilled slot of mutual time.Cricinfo It is as if the two have nothing better to do than play cricket in their plentifully spare time together.
Thomas Hobbes, the English philosopher of the seventeenth century, also called curiosity to be mind's lust. Gluttony perhaps is lecherousness of the mature idle mind whereas curiosity would be the thrist of a seeking one. But I guess somewhere ahead, miles along the same road, curiosity must morph into the grey horizon of gluttony.
Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) is looking to host India for three Tests and an ODI tri-series, with New Zealand the third team, later this year to help fill the void that exists in their international calender for 2010.
- Cricinfo
Voids in a man made calendar do not just exist. It simply means he hasn't planned and prepared enough to account. They do either because he didn't plan to work in that period and is now forced to do so, or a plan fell through. Or the emptiness could arise because he now baulks at the idleness and is seized with an intense desire for unplanned gratification. This restlessness drives one into the nearest and familiar vice, which is what playing each other repeatedly becomes. How can the speactators maintain a precision of interest? How can the players too, when they play each other as frequently? When familiarity and sameness are synonymous...almost nauseaous.
Many minds have said sage things about familiarity - Mark Twain's twist was that besides contempt, familiarity also bred children - but it is Ouida's wisdom which is applicable best to the Indo-Lanka cricketing knot.
"Familiarity is a magician that is cruel to beauty but kind to ugliness," she said.
Maria Louis Ramé(Ouida) perhaps meant that familiarity allows time for the notice of flaws, whereas fleeting moments together, or infrequent meetings, create just enough time for the most striking talents of the other to linger in one's mind. Perhaps that's why one isn't chary about calling out Sangakkara's silly manner of over-appealing or non-Lankan affections and accents anymore. Perhaps that's what makes us now blind to the beauty of his batsmanship and wicketkeeping, and keeps us occupied instead with the shortcomings of his leadership. Perhaps it is this Ouidaism that makes Ajantha's art appear no longer a work of mystical craft.
A journalist at Cricinfo's Page 2 has listed out many more children of this mad familiarity. Monga ko gussa kyon aata hai
While one welcomes the opportunity to play test cricket any time for a sense of balance and proportion, and one understands that neighbourly proximity within a close region meants one plays each other a little more than usual, too much of the same thing is just not good.
There can be no better illustration of the anticipated mess than this image of Kasia Piech's ceramic sculpture fountain from his Garden of Earthly Delights gallery.
The fusion of two lazy boards and television revenue merchants regurgitates this excess onto the nonplussed fan of the game and the players. Not having planned in advance, we are forced to submit to an overdose of the same. Read More......
Saturday, 23 January 2010
U19 India couldn't quite do a Jason Holder
Or a Braithwaite or a Creary. Both India and West Indies batted first in the U19 WC tournament. Both scored poorly and set low targets - India's effort being the poorer of the two. However, the West Indians halted the strong England line up in its tracks, 18 runs short of their own 166, thanks to the effort of young Barbadian, Jason Holder, who took 5/19, in the stirring fightback.
'best bowling stats fi di tournament so far', as one ardent fan of West Indian cricket put it, at a WI cricket forum on the web.
Without doubt a chest swelling performance.
Scorecard
India's fightback was no less stirring in the rain curtailed match, but a target of 114 runs should never really have been the challenge that the combination of Pakistan batsmen and Indian bowlers made out. In the end, Pakistan managed to scramble ahead 3 balls and two wickets ahead of the deadline.
Netravalkar was impressive, but not enough wickets.
Scorecard Read More......
Friday, 22 January 2010
A few young Indian cricketers I'm keeping tabs on (Batsmen)
| Level | Ma | In | NO | Ru | Avg | HS | 100s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Potenial opener. FC performance must improve. Highlight - Winner ICC U-19 WC 2007-08 topping India averages with 262 runs @ 52.40 & fifth overall. Status: ↓↓ | |||||||
| Under 19s Youth Test Matches | 11 | 18 | 3 | 1156 | 77.06 | 220 | 4 |
| Under 19s ODIs | 28 | 25 | 4 | 1161 | 55.28 | 110 | 2 |
| First Class Matches | 31 | 53 | 1 | 1757 | 33.78 | 159 | 4 |
| List A | 13 | 13 | 2 | 582 | 52.90 | 124 | 3 |
| Level | Ma | In | NO | Ru | Avg | HS | 100s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| One of the brightest prospects who has stepped up from Youth levels and contributes significantly to Mumbai's cause.Big score man. Status: ↑↑ | |||||||
| Under 19s Youth Test Matches | 3 | 5 | 0 | 358 | 71.60 | 179 | 1 |
| Under 19s ODIs | 3 | 3 | 0 | 144 | 48.00 | 110 | 1 |
| First Class Matches | 35 | 58 | 6 | 3403 | 65.44 | 265* | 11 |
| List A | 27 | 27 | 0 | 1048 | 38.81 | 187 | 2 |
| Level | Ma | In | NO | Ru | Avg | HS | 100s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Smart opening option. Big scores and figures suggest does better in longer version of game. Status: ↑↑ | |||||||
| Under 19s Youth Test Matches | 4 | 7 | 0 | 461 | 65.85 | 205 | 2 |
| Under 19s ODIs | 9 | 9 | 0 | 198 | 22.00 | 80 | 0 |
| First Class Matches | 24 | 37 | 1 | 2002 | 55.61 | 300* | 8 |
| List A | 7 | 7 | 0 | 342 | 48.85 | 118 | 2 |
| Level | Ma | In | NO | Ru | Avg | HS | 100s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| U-19 WC Winning Captain. Has contributed to Delhi's Ranji title. Has settled into his international/senior role after a period of distraction. Will be the main player for India in time to come. Status: ↑↑ | |||||||
| Under 19s Youth Test Matches | 12 | 19 | 1 | 932 | 51.77 | 932 | 3 |
| Under 19s ODIs | 28 | 25 | 4 | 978 | 46.57 | 100 | 1 |
| First Class Matches | 24 | 35 | 6 | 1617 | 55.75 | 197 | 5 |
| List A | 41 | 38 | 7 | 1690 | 54.51 | 124 | 6 |
| ODIs | 20 | 18 | 4 | 759 | 54.21 | 107 | 2 |
| Level | Ma | In | NO | Ru | Avg | HS | 100s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| This is an attacking batsman for the future to replace Sehwag. Some way to go though. He has a T20 hundred too. This season smashed an exquisite 100 for his team in adversity during Ranji Finals chasing to within 6 runs of the target. And, boy, can he catch or what![Video Link] Status: ↑↑ | |||||||
| Under 19s Youth Test Matches | 1 | 1 | 0 | 47 | 47 | 47 | 0 |
| Under 19s ODIs | 15 | 13 | 3 | 328 | 32.80 | 72 | 0 |
| First Class Matches | 14 | 22 | 1 | 1075 | 51.19 | 194* | 4 |
| List A | 6 | 6 | 1 | 172 | 34.40 | 69 | 0 |
| Level | Ma | In | NO | Ru | Avg | HS | 100s |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| In 2008 he scored two triple-hundreds for Saurashtra in an Under-22 tournament. He followed that up with another triple-century against Orissa in the 2008-09 Ranji Trophy! Status: ↑= | |||||||
| Under 19s Youth Test Matches | 2 | 3 | 0 | 103 | 34.33 | 85 | 0 |
| Under 19s ODIs | 8 | 8 | 3 | 371 | 74.20 | 129* | 1 |
| First Class Matches | 45 | 72 | 11 | 3416 | 51.19 | 302* | 12 |
| List A | 29 | 29 | 6 | 1063 | 46.21 | 109* | 2 |
I'll add to this list and flesh out the thumbails. Just got tired of making so many tables today!
Read More......
Wednesday, 20 January 2010
An Author's Perspective
Even before the third edition of Indian Premier League (IPL) has begun, there is already enough drama leading up to the actual games. The difference this time is that it is not news of sensational amounts to purchase non-performing assets but the supposed failure to be more inclusive which hogs the headlines. That's not entirely true actually - some players did measure themselves in serious money, namely, Kemar Roach and Keiron Pollard of West Indies. While Pollard's (fondly called 'Pullhard' by his West Indian fan following) story itself is compelling - he isn't a regular on the Windies team but has four lucrative contracts; the first with his home team T&T with whom he has won the Stanford millions, the second with the KFC T20 Big Bash South Australian team, the West Indian team of course, and now the IPL team of Mumbai Indians - the story of the rise of the 'scabbie', Kemar Roach, from the isolation of anonymity to the hubub of top dollar is a perfect tale for the dramatically inclined to work upon.
There is one another story which is as compelling, and flexible as the ink flowing through the author's pen - it is the tale of Pakistan players not considered by any of the teams.
Anybody could take this story in any direction. Authors of melodrama could begin the story at any point of time and build it up towards a climax they visualize in their minds. Emotional reactions are liberal ingredients, and there is a ready backdrop of history, intrigue and tragedy, to add an apparently convincing depth to any tale woven around this situation which has arisen. It isn't difficult to prop up perspectives, especially if the appropriate passions are whipped up strongly enough to glue it all together. Afridi and Pakistan Sports Minister, Aijaz Jakhrani, have commenced thir threads already. Till now the two stories are running as parallel versions, and have been easily accepted by Pakistan cricket fans and people. There are natural advantages to these parallel versions of the story, of emotion - plenty of it - and the easyiness of subduction into rhetorical politico-regional jingoism.
Let us first examine what the ready-opinion Afridi has to say, Cricinfo reports thus - Afridi, Pakistan's Twenty20 captain, was the first player up for sale on Tuesday but fetched no bids. He called it a snub to his country. "The way I see it, the IPL and India have made fun of us and our country," he said. "We are the Twenty20 world champions and for me the attitude of the franchises was disappointing. I feel bad for the Indian people who, I am sure, wanted to see us play in the IPL this year."
And let us examine a portion of what the sports minister of Pakistan has said, (perhaps the same minister who alleged match fixing by Younis Khan? I don't know...)-
“I have phoned the sports minister of India and recorded a protest over the unjust and discriminatory treatment meted out to the Pakistani cricketers,” sports minister Aijaz Hussain Jakhrani told AFP.
“It is indeed a matter of disrespect of Pakistani heroes, who are the champions of Twenty20 world cup,” he said.
They must have their valid grouses, I will not dispute that, but clearly there is plenty of emotion and angst there fictionalizing facts beyond a correct, rational perspective of a club team and their requirements.
What would you want as an administrator of a professional sports team from your star overseas recruits?
Let us get into the minds of such, maybe a county manager or an Australian provincial honcho or maybe an IPL team coach, and guess a few points -
1) Availability - without doubt that is what most team managers would want of their recruits. Sudden withdrawls, for whatever reasons, and the prospect of similar withdrawls in future not only upsets the team plans and balance but also could lead to a loss in investment.
2) Performance - In a mix of overseas international pros and local heritage, convention has it that the senior pros contribute convincingly to the team. It has been the norm of county and club cricket structure in England and in other parts of the world where overseas players are recruited, such as Australia.
3) Fitness - an easily lamed horse is of little use in a race irrespective of its intrinsic talent.
4) Adjustability - is the player able to fit into the team structure and identify with common goals or is he a maverick with wandering goals?
5) Development, Mentoring and Role Model - does the player contribute to the overall growth of the team? Does he enhance the image of his club, county or nation?
6) Discipline - teams are teams wherever they are on this globe. From a family to a cricket field, there is a group effort within a certain structure of rules of order. Players must submit to them just as we submit to them.
7) Appropriateness - do you want to recruit players for the heck of it or do you want to recruit players for specific skills which complement the team plan?
This is Shahid Afridi's record for Deccan Chargers as an overseas star all rounder - 81 runs off nine innings played and 9 wickets from ten matches played.
September 6th 2008: Laxman responds to Shahid Afridi's impromptou remarks upon team members in the press - Laxman took exception to Afridi’s outburst saying it was a collective failure and not the captain’s alone. The Test star from Hyderabad accused Afridi of violating team ethics by speaking out to media.
“It is probably time someone told Afridi that a captain can only be as good as the team. He is an experienced cricketer and should not be questioning the way the team functions. Speaking negatively about the team, let alone the captain, is just not on,” retorted Laxman
May 25th, 2008: Rameez Raja analyzes from Karachi - Former captain Rameez Raja rued Pakistani cricketers in the Indian Premier League have not lived up to the expectations even though he believes the IPL exposure would make them more responsible and better equipped to handle pressure situations
"The biggest disappointment for me has been the fact that our players have not been able to perform consistently. We have had good performances here and there but not enough," he said.
24th April 2008, Sky Sports: Afridi expands beyond the boundary - "The girls in skimpy dresses should be removed from the ground as this is distracting the batsman," he told The News
Then to trace the chronology of events, leading up to this, one can examine this Google Timeline.
You can expand each month or click on 'Related web pages' to find articles to help you understand the sequence of events.
I am not going to analyze each and every article here or even the major significant ones, I leave it to you and your interest in knowing. And I leave it to you to write your own story with that.
One understands the feelings of hurt, but one cannot understand the stories being scripted. Especially the 'insulting a country' ones. Well...actually that's not quite true...one can understand that twist as well for it is familiar. In fact if you were to change the point of time, you could keep going back in time and space...even beyond the confines of a cricket field...to the attack on Mumbai and Pakistan's response to it, the past and continuing incursions, the lack of certainity of many factors listed above...today assurances are there, tomorrow Pakistan's PM or Interior Minister or President could withdraw the same. Or even further back in history through the various mortal transgressions which continue to date.
How can a team plan its future and invest in personnel rooted in such uncertainities.
This story can indeed be taken in any direction from any point of time and a perspective created to suit.
Personally, I am for playing with all nations and including capable players from all nations in IPL, for selectivity will reduce variety and diminish your body of knowledge and depth of game.
See India frequently caught off guard by teams like Bangladesh or such...because they do not see enough of who is developing there...their game, their skills. That's an illustration of the dangers that lurk in ignorance.
Thursday, 14 January 2010
Mumbai the Juggernaut
WHEN I CHECKED the score in the morning on cricinfo I thought Karnataka will cross the line comfortably as both overnight batsmen were playing well with around 130 odd runs required for the victory. But I was proved wrong by Mumbai, the Australia of Indian domestic cricket. I call them so because both teams, it seems, do not believe that they can lose. Mumbai had a mixed season and in the Finals they started shakily. Pandey and Satish once again rocked them in the 4th innings. But end of the day Mumbai emerged winner for the 39th time, and that's an incredible performance out of 76 Ranji editions.
Wednesday, 6 January 2010
Almost predictable in a way
But one feels for the Pakistan cricket fan yet.
There's plenty to write and mulch on this match....plenty of criticisms to give away and accolades to adorn with, but not today. I am still stunned by the meekness and certainity with which Pakistan surrendered.
I never rated the likes of Faisal Iqbal and Misbah as test class batsmen irrespective of their averages. Kamran Akmal's steady performance, MoYo's giveaway shot....Hussey braving through reprieves purposefully to script a miracle for Australia...so much to talk about.
There will be calls for investigations and the like....but somehow it was almost predictable that something like this could happen with Pakistan. A kind of certainity which is stronger with this team than any other.
Pakistan played to lose and Australia played to win.
More later, after I overcome my disbelief!
No fuss win for Lanka
The appearance of a close battle was creditable effort by Indians - Harbhajan particularly - but all along you knew that it was only appearances. One felt the Indians were always a step behind and playing catch up. Tilan Samaraweera and Sangakkara sealed it for Lanka. Samaraweera scored his second ODI ton in the bargain.
Well played Sri Lanka and Samaraweera.
Monday, 4 January 2010
Lessons for young batsmen from Dravid
I WAS READING the article 'In Dravid they trust' by Siddarth Ravindran in Cricinfo. Dravid scored a double in the Semi Final to take Karnataka to a dominant position. It's not the double ton but the manner in which he scored those runs and ensuring his team's interests that made me post this link here. Excerpts from the article given below.
"The first thing Dravid did right in the game was win an important toss, but Karnataka were in danger of frittering that advantage after RP Singh's two-wicket over reduced them to 138 for 3. All three dismissed batsmen - in their early twenties age-wise - had been in for at least an hour, and each had crossed 30 without carrying on to a score that would really hurt UP.
There can hardly be a more reassuring sight than Dravid at the crease when your team is in a slight bother. As he done for India innumerable times over the past decade, Dravid calmed his team's nerves by blunting the UP attack. There were no flash strokes in the hour till tea, the only boundaries he stroked were a textbook cover drive and a whip to midwicket off a legstump half-volley. Otherwise, it was classic Dravid, solid defence mixed with a few singles to dissuade the opposition. In the 18 overs of the final session, he grafted 20 runs, persevering even after Pandey threw away his wicket for an eye-catching 66."
With the knowledge that even 500 will not be sufficient, he began the second day carefully as well. Only after the main threats, RP Singh and Praveen Kumar, had been seen off in the first hour, and Karnataka's score had crept past 300, did he unveil his full repertoire of strokes. Legspinner Piyush Chawla was carted for three fours in two overs, Bhuvneshwar Kumar was deftly leg-glanced for a boundary followed by a superbly timed on-drive for four more. There was even a late cut off Chawla to bring up the 350.
Dravid rarely took the foot off the gas after that, his final 147 runs consuming only 36 deliveries more than his first fifty. Even so, his first ugly stroke was only after he reached the double-century - an attempt to shovel a delivery from way outside off towards midwicket. He compensated for that, though, with a sweetly timed straight hit that cleared the top of the sightscreen.
What stood out in his innings was the determination, showcased by his annoyance at not finding the gap with a square cut when on 194 - Karnataka were in control with the total exceeding 550 by that stage, but he still chastised himself and practiced the stroke several times before the next delivery.
--------
Does a keeper's innings bring shame to the team?
I came across a curious statement on the official match thread of BBC's 606, where one English fan (one presumes) of the game, perhaps disconsolate at the steady fall of top order English wickets, said something about how shameful it was for England to be saved by its keeper yet again after the top order batsmen had failed.
A few days ago, I came across a related conversation at another forum. Both made me think...
While disappointment with his top order players may have prompted the enthusiastic, but perhaps young, English fan to berate his batsmen by shaming them with such a reference to the keeper's efforts, at the other forum the discussion was far more political and hypermature, with interest groups pushing their respective keepers ahead while pulling the others down....and these groups were all jousting for the one keeping spot on their national side!
Anyway, coming back, does the keeper having to play a substantial innings to help his team considered shameful? In this day and age? Where contemporary cricketing philosophy emphasizes the twin roles a keeper has to play to exist in the team?
And not just bat, the keeper is expected to be flexible about his batting, with the ability to switch through different gears like a smooth Ferrari responding to a feather touch. He must attack viciously or defend dourly, for such are the situations he usually steps into with his bat in hand.
Now let us see the Keepers of various teams over the past three years. With the bat of course.
MS Dhoni of India tops the list, followed by Prior of England and Haddin of Australia at three. All three of them are averaging 40 or above with the bat.
They are proper batsmen in the lineup...so there can be no shame if their teams are held up because of their efforts.
Do you think a keeper's rescue act with the bat is outlandish or shameful?
Personally, I have often criticized my keeper, MSD, for not playing seriously enough in test matches! He's applying himself a little more of late but he did have his lackadaisical moments in the test team.
Isn't he, the keeper, merely fulfilling one aspect of his job requirement if he plays well with the bat in these modern times? And isn't it a team game at the end of it?
And coming to the match, South Africa have fought back to restrict England close to their total. England could kick on to a healthy lead with in-form Prior and Swann at the crease, or maybe Saffers strike early and wind it all up for England.
Matt Prior goes into the evening ice bath on an unbeaten, defiant, uplifting 52.
Scorecard
England vs South Africa 2009-10, Day Two, Third Test
Sunday, 3 January 2010
Watching Shakib al Hasan play
It is after some time that one will be watching a reagional contest of sorts - an Asian akhara if you like. Only Pakistan are missing for they are busy trying to square the series first in Australia.
India have played Sri Lanka recently and though they prevailed consistently the matches were close and high scoring. There is every reason to believe that both teams will continue with their intensity here. Bangladesh are no scuppers for quality - under Shakib al Hasan they are learning to sustain aggressive play and ambition.
There are players when you see, you know there is something special about them. There is a distinct charisma with some. When one watches Shakib bat, bowl or lead his men, you know that here is a chap who will find another way forward for his team if the current is blocked. It could be with any of his three abilities or with any combination of them. He could just as easily turn them all on in the same game. He has done that before many times. Players like he can keep the spectators glued to the action.
Tamim Iqbal is one who shows an intense desire to succeed. What he may want is just that extra moment's patience to script a useful career for himself and his team.
Ashraful...well, all players new, unknown or formless tend to find their sunshine playing India, and Ashraful has succeeded against India before. Here is another chance for him to stop resting on some ancient innings and start playing in current time.
Two other players - Mahmudullah and Aftab Ahmed are cricketers to watch.
Shahriyar Nafis returns from ICL where he had a useful stint.
The Tri-series will be important to all three teams. It is a chance to assess themselves and their opponents a year from the 50-50 World Cup. For India this series is crucial. Remeber, it was the combination of these two teams which bumped India out of the last edition. Success in the Tri-series will not guarantee any future performance but it will be a useful calibration of self and opponents.
India will want to have a close look at the Bangladesh bowling and do well against them. India has found them tricky in a tournament situation before.
Chappelli's a straight shooter (mostly) from OK Corral
We mostly prefer his straight talk to his brother's underarm bowling tendencies. We may not agree always with Ian Chappell but we understand him far better than we understand others.
Here, in the Cricinfo article titled The new Bradman he says this about Sehwag among many other things
In a calendar year where there were many fine feats and admirable achievements, Virender Sehwag's remarkable performance in scoring 284 off 79 overs in a Test match day stands out like a peaceful protest. The way he mercilessly flayed the Sri Lankan attack at the Brabourne Stadium is further proof that he's the greatest destroyer since the U-boat.
In an era where over rates are slowing perceptibly, he's scoring quicker than ever. At a time when batsmen like Sanath Jayasuriya and Jonathan Trott enact more rituals than a religious cult, Sehwag just faces up, taps his bat a couple of times and proceeds to lash the ball to all parts. Where other batsmen rely on visualising techniques, he prefers the tried and tested method of "see the ball, hit the ball".
We couldn't agree more with a former player and famous Australian captain coming round to what we, the ornery fans with minds uncluttered with this and that and who play simple evening games of gully cricket, had seen in Sehwag. Yes, we had seen the simple effectivity of the Viru in him a long time ago, even if the world was preoccupied with complicated matters espoused by textbooks or the deception of the elaborate swaggery of various Vivians of modern cricket who rise up from nowhere to swat the ball in a match or two or a few seasons, begin to believe they are the genuine chewing gum, and then disappear into nothingness as quickly as they flashed in onto the scene.
Chappelli, I am sure, has no motive other than pure admiration and understanding of the methods of Viru Sehwag, when he draws parallels between yet another Indian player and Sir Don Bradman after the Don himself set the ball rolling in that direction. Read More......
A Sami sized punt by Ricky
A few things actually - conditions conducive to hot bowling suggested Pakistan's frail batting be put in and demolished first after winning the toss and then sit on your bet, but Punter betted upon himself and his team against Asif and Sami, backed by a Gul the Ozzies have recently seen plenty of in their domestic circuit. That bet fizzled out dramatically.
Australia were at one time in real and grave danger of being bowled out for their lowest test scores in recent times, but MitchHits solved that looming problem and Australia ended up with a more creditable 127 a.o.
The other bet was Punter betting on getting it all right going in for the hook first ball to Sami instead of letting it be. Age does funny things to many things...from joints, reflexes, anticiapation to ambition. The crucial warming up to is often overlooked. Even if it was Sami bowling. Youngsters from Ishant to Roach are preying on ageing batsmen...and now ageing speedsters are joining in as well!
Md.Sami's bowling had fallen into disrepute and he himslef out of favour with his selectors. That saw him landing up to play the now defunct ICL. But those who saw him in that ICL, witnessed that Sami was a rejuvenated self. But the world was not really to know for ICL douesn't count for anything.
Ricky Punter perhaps miscalculated his bets against Sami, perhaps due to lack of current info. Sami was quick and hurried on.
Cricinfo describes the over thus
3.4
Mohammad Sami to Hughes, OUT, caught! drives at a full of a length delivery, gets a thick outside edge that carries to second slip where a very smart catch is taken by Faisal Iqbal on his knees low to the ground. The end of a very unconvincing innings by Hughes.
PJ Hughes c Faisal Iqbal b Mohammad Sami 0 (15m 10b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00
Ricky Ponting the new batsman
3.5
Mohammad Sami to Ponting, OUT, caught! short ball, Ponting hooks it out in the air out to deep square leg, but there's a fielder out there in place for the hook shot and it's duly collected by Umar Gul diving forward to take an excellent catch.
RT Ponting c Umar Gul b Mohammad Sami 0 (1m 1b 0x4 0x6) SR: 0.00
So far, so good for Mohammad Sami in his return to Test cricket. He's on a hattrick.
Mohammed Asif ended up with six bags full of wickets, but for me Australia was undone by Sami. Strange but true, the bowler who couldn't bowl anymore usefully in cricket has come back vitally. Helpful conditions? So what? you need to know how to make best use of those.
Call it commentator's curse or whatever, but towards the end of the last test, we had hoped Aamer wouldn't fade away like Sami did in the post titled Aamir CAN bowl!
The match isn't won yet for one can never say anything with certainity with the Pakistan team other than they are terribly unpredictable chaps.
Scorecard
Pakistan vs Australia 2009-10, Day One, Second Test
England serious, Kallis even more so.
Somewhere along the road last year, England began to get excited at winning one-dayers. It began to seriously harbor desires of cup success in LOIs. Perhaps it felt it now had the correct personnel for the job. Swann's success and Broad's backing up of Anderson have encouraged this radical feeling. It was only a matter of time that this desire should spill over into the traditional arena - England now seriously believes it should be number one in Test cricket as well.
Editorials have begun to appear bearing propositional tones about such a possibiliy. They are not wrong though - if England continues to perform the way they are doing, they will be strong claimants for the title at the end of this year. Perhaps they could even win those elusive series victories in the subcontinental settings of India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka for greater credibility to their claims. But that is not essential for the current rating system - teams in the past have been champions without having to win everywhere. For instance Australia had little glee in India till 2004 happened. South Africa were champions without winning everywhere. India have yet to win a series in South Africa and Australia (officially). So that is simply a kind of moral criterion to feel good about one's Numero Uno status....not an essential absolute statistical requirement to determine the top position.
What is visible today is England's desire to win - whether at home or abroad. And thngs have been falling into place for it. There could be any number of explanations appended to their success, but that will not take away from the fact that they are an in-form team and a team that is developing a great balance of its resources. Experience and youth are blending in well. There is just enough performing variety in the attack in good health to keep their hopes in contention. Maybe they'll make bold to play India in India this year...out of FTP...even if it means it may have to accomodate India in the settings of exclusive special five/four part series it likes to play with a few teams. Will India rise to the bait if such a thing happens?
Australia and South Africa have fallen away in recent times - perhaps South Africa more dramatically than Australia. India's tise, as Rngland's, may have been contributed to by these two events in addition to their own performances.
Today England are again rampaging all over South Africa, but for Jacques Kallis again. It is he, the man less spoken about, who is yet again standing between South Africa and disaster. Yessir, only he, the discounted great all-rounder of cricket, stands up to the English onslaught.
South Africa blundered with Prince, and continue to do so - McKenzie should be in the game and Prince in the middle order. Perhaps in place of the out-fo-form Duminy even.
Scorecard
England vs South Africa 2009-10, Day One, Third Test
