Archive for the ‘Cricket’ Category
For the first time in 86 years, the Ashes has seen a whitewash. And from the moment the cricket became a sideshow to the three retirements, it was always clear that there would be mini battles that would be played out.
And so there were. McGrath vs Warne, Langer vs Hayden and not for who will win it, but who will complete the final rites. As it turned out, McGrath got the last wicket and Hayden scored the winning runs. But the biggest result of this Test would be that Australia have come to the end of an era.
And there is finally hope for a new generation of players to make their mark. And this applies to players from other countries too! Maybe now someone can beat Australia!
Australia’s next Test assignment is an easy one against Zimbabwe (albeit away) in September. But thereafter come 6 Tests against Sri Lanka (2) and India (4). And this would be a real tester for them before their away tours to Pakistan and the West Indies in 2008. So time is on their side for rebuilding.
But a big “thank you” is in order for McGrath and Warne for being the fantastic sportsmen they have been and to Langer for his grit and making opening batting an art. Thanks, guys. You will be missed…
Testemonials: Shane Warne | Glenn McGrath | Justin Langer timeline [All via Cricinfo]
It’s indeed very rare that India goes into the final Test of an away series with a chance of winning the series. They do have the chance this time around and would be foolish not to have a go.
But they are also in a peculiar situation because a draw would allow them to come back home without losing the series and that doesn’t happen too often when India travels! But the first thoughts must be to try and win and if not, then draw. Well, d-uh!
But for India to win, there are some things that need to happen:
- Sehwag must not play: Apart from a couple of good catches, he has contributed nothing to the team so far. Sure he picked up Morne Morkel’s wicket in the SA 2nd Innings at Durban, but that cannot be why he is in the team. He is an opening batsman and scores of 4, 33, 0 and 8 (avg: 12.25) are simply not good enough. On the other hand, Gautam Gambhir, who played the makeshift two-day game between the first and second Tests, managed a 79*. So if Irfan Pathan can be sent back on grounds of being ‘not in form’ without even playing a Test, Sehwag can surely be sent back after failing in two.
- Munaf Patel should play: VRV Singh has done a pretty good job of it so far, considering he has played only 4 Tests so far, but if India are serious about winning the series, Munaf Patel simply has to play. And now that he’s fit and Vengsarkar feels he has had enough practice too, it won’t do any harm in fielding him in the final XI.
- Someone needs to talk to Dravid and Tendulkar: VVS Laxman and Sourav Ganguly have shown signs of a fight. Tendulkar did that only on the third day until he threw his wicket away. Someone needs to tell him that his wicket is the most important in the team and losing that has psychological effects on both sides. Of course he knows it, but reinstating that could not hurt. As for Dravid, maybe one of the touring commentators (like Gavaskar or Shastri) could have a word with him and tell him to just hang around… he is crucial to India’s success and the link between the top order and middle order. His failure is instant pressure on an already underperforming middle order.
- Umpiring needs to be fair and consistent: While neither team can control this, the ‘uncertainty’ from umpiring decisions needs to be taken away. Asad Rauf giving Dravid out both times to bad decisions is unacceptable. So is Sreesanth’s decision in the fourth innings at Durban. Who know what could have happened after that? And while it has been said often, there is a desperate need for more umpires on the ICC Elite panel. Even David Shepherd thinks so. And yes, I think the third umpire too should be neutral.
I sincerely hope India makes it through… not often that the bowling is making the opposition (home) dance to its tunes! And please watch out for Ntini!
1st Test Scorecard | 2nd Test Scorecard
Oh, and about the other Test series going on (yes, the Ashes), England may as well forfeit the game, say it’s 0-5 and save themselves some pride for the ODIs coming up. The stage (with three retirees) is simply too big for them to perform on now. Prediction: Australia should win by an innings and plenty!
And we are not just referring to the new year (oh, yes Happy New Year!)… but more retirements are now happening and the latest announcement comes from Justin Langer. This effectively breaks what is arguably Australia’s best opening pair since Boon and Marsh! Any replacements in sight? Maybe Matthew Elliott… he would still be just about 32. Or Greg Blewett… 34?
India v South Africa (2nd Test, Durban): Scorecard
Far too much frustration has come around. India has suffered at the hands of tailenders on many occasions. But this particular effort by SA may just hurt badly.
The 10th wicket partnership between debutante Morne Morkel and Makhaya Ntini was worth 32 runs. Prince and Morkel put together 39 for the 9th wicket. So the last two wickets cost India all of 71 runs. When the opposition top 8 have fallen for 257, you expect to wrap up the innings for approx 275. Tsk!
Australia would have!
UPDATE: India has been bundled out for 240. Conceding a lead of 88 runs. As predicted above, the last two partnerships that yielded 71 for SA have proved costly for India. Else the lead would not have been more than say 30 or 40. How costly? Two and a half days to go to find that out!
So what exactly is he trying to say here?
A bit more clarity would be better, eh?
This is easier said than done. Now that it’s been said, what to do?
This is something he had to say. Again, now what to do?
And this is something he could have done well not to say. Again…
First it was Martyn. Then went Warnie. Then it will be McGrath. That leaves the current Australian team with only a few seasoned campaigners, all of who are well into their 30s. Let’s face it, Ponting’s not exactly young at 32. Neither are Gilchrist, Hayden or even Hussey for that matter. Maybe Hussey has the most time left.
But 12 months down the line, the Australian line-up could well look dramatically different…
Australia Test XI in Perth (3rd Test, Ashes 2006)
- Matthew Hayden (35 yrs)
- Justin Langer (36 yrs)
- Ricky Ponting (32 yrs)
- Michael Hussey (31 yrs)
- Michael Clarke (25 yrs)
- Andrew Symonds (31 yrs)
- Adam Gilchrist (35 yrs)
- Shane Warne (37 yrs; retiring for sure)
- Brett Lee (30 yrs)
- Stuart Clark (31 yrs)
- Glenn McGrath (36 yrs; retiring for sure)
This would remain largely unchanged (perhaps with the exception of Andrew Symonds) till the final Ashes Test, but the next Test Australia will play after that would see a very different side indeed…
Matthew HaydenAny takers?Justin LangerAny takers?- Ricky Ponting
- Michael Hussey
- Michael Clarke
Andrew SymondsHe may HAVE to play!- Adam Gilchrist (?) How long?
Shane WarneStuart MacGill?- Brett Lee
- Stuart Clark
Glenn McGrathShane Watson?
This makes only 5 of the current 11 certain starters (subject to fitness, form and selection). Not a nice situation to be in. What’s worse, is that none of the new crop would get a chance to be groomed alongside the two great bowlers. And let’s face it… Brett Lee isn’t exactly mentoring material yet. He himself has a long way to go before he can be considered someone who can groom upcoming bowlers.
The average age of the current Australian side is 32 and a half years! And if they keep blooding players at 31, that will always remain the case. But so long as they are winning, what’s wrong with that?
The trouble is that at some point, they would run out of experienced quality players who can be called up from domestic cricket to face the vagaries of the international scene. Just take a look at the differences of the careers of Michael Hussey and Michael Clarke. Both bat in the middle order and both have had some good times. But after a rousing start, Clarke fell away and was on the sidelines for a short while. Which is when Hussey came in. To be honest, they are both captain material as well and Australia would do well by appointing the younger one as the next captain. Ponting should perhaps start the ‘grooming’ process immediately, if he already hasn’t.
One generation of Australian cricketers has perhaps already missed the boat. People like Hussey and Clark (Stuart) are lucky that they got a chance so late. Clark owes it to the burned out Gillespie while Hussey owes it in part to Steve Waugh, Andrew Symonds and maybe even Michael Clarke!
But to be fair, the future doesn’t look too promising and while the larder may not exactly be bare, it appears rather thinly populated at this point. For most names that are often discussed or recommended are in the ‘late bloomers’ category.
In some way, this is following the trend that the great West Indian side of the ’80s faced. The last two of that legacy, Walsh and Ambrose, had to struggle to keep it going. Australia may well be headed down the same path unless they take some risks in the short term and set things right for the long term. A crop of players like they have had over the last 20 years is rare and even by their standards, it will become rarer again.
One hopes that in the rarified air of high success, they don’t lose sight of the crowd at the bottom that is perhaps ready to be given a chance.
Just had to post this one. Sure it’s available all over, but this shows my support of his actions! So, enjoy the Sreesanth Tango!
The first Test between India and South Africa had its share of controversy even before the first ball was bowled. There was Graeme Smith (and coach Mickey Arthur) doing the mandatory lip service about how India would face the pace music and how he had plans for India’s batting with his pacers. Well, they worked to some extent. Then there was the delay on day 1 because of too much sweating due to an over-enthusiastic groundsman getting the pitch wetter than necessary. But then, the games began. And SA seemed to be on top!
Until the SA bowling ran into a man making a comeback with much to prove. Sourav Ganguly was the only man to cross 50 in both first innings and remained unbeaten on 51 when the last Indian wicket fell for 249. Not the best score when you have won the toss and elected to bat, but given the pitch (and how it was doctored to suit pace), this looked competitive.
Little would the curator or either team or the fans have guessed that this score would be big enough to afford India a 165 run lead! Thanks partly to Allan Donald who put some sense into the Indian bowling advising them to stick to line and length! S Sreesanth who has always been hyperactive and shown great promise, made good this time and came up with figures of 5/40; his best ever. And as all commentators repeatedly said, it was the upright seam that made the difference.
India’s second innings tottered for a while until M/s Ganguly and Laxman steadied the ship. India already have a lead in excess of 311 but half the team is out and on this pitch which is easing up marginally, chasing 350 may still be possible. Having said that, the Indian bowling attack does have more variety than the SA team does and with Anil Kumble already having tasted blood, the odds are heavily in favour of India.
A special note about Andre Nel: I like the man for his energy but I find him extremely anal when it concerns his behaviour. He needs to grow up and quickly considering he is already 29! No matter how much you can outtalk the batsmen, it’s finally the wickets you can pick that will make the difference. And he doesn’t seem too smart either. All his short stuff was dealt with pretty easily by the Indian batters and the couple of wickets he did pick up were off good-length or just short of a good length deliveries. Line means nada to him and I am talking of the lines he would bowl with the ball not his mouth!
For once, India has a chance to go has gone 1-up after the first Test on an overseas tour and I would hazard the prediction that India would win. A caveat: India needs to ensure that SA are chasing more than 400 (ideally, more than 450). This means Laxman, Dhoni, Kumble and Zaheer (and now VRV Singh) need to ensure another 90-odd runs are scored among them. Not too tough one would think, but stranger things have happened in this Test. Remember, all 10 SA wickets have fallen for 84 in the first innings! (Told ya!)
Update: Well, my prediction came through (whew!). India did manage to set SA more than 400 (402, to be precise!) and are now 1-0 up in the series. Not a normal situation for India to be in. The interesting part here would be how they handle the pressure of being the favourites to win a series. For the South Africans will come back hard at them. The next Test is at Durban, not the most favourite of India’s venues, but they should hold on based on the performance in the first Test. The only missing link really now is the opening batsmen’s forms…
What was also really good to see was that Sreesanth delivered in the second innings too. This goes to prove that he is not flash in the pan and can become one of the strike bowlers if he can stay fit, focussed and add to his repertoire without losing what he already has: a natural flair for the game.
And, oh… the lips seem to have gone a little numb now:
“The wicket played quite slow on day one but it quickened up quite a lot on day two. But for us to get bowled out for what we did was obviously not good enough. Credit to them, they got the ball in the right areas and created chances consistently. They were a lot more precise than us the whole Test match. We did get the highest total of the game in the fourth innings but all credit to India. They have got their first win and congratulations to them.”
Yes, Graeme, the pitch was slowed down with extra water before the game and then quickened by drying on day 2. Way to go, Einstein.
So is it good news? Certainly! I am no longer a resident Mumbaikar, but I will start trying for those tickets right away. Never mind that there’s a World Cup to go before that!
My previous experience at the Wankhede was quite unforgettable! India vs England in 2003, I think. And more recently at the Brabourne, it was even better sitting in the press box watching Sri Lanka hammer the West Indies in the ICC Champions Trophy 2006 qualifiers. Ah! What a view that was!
The point here is I don’t care which stadium hosts the final, it’s an unforgettable experience. But I seriously hope it happens at the Wankhede. Knowing the ICC’s commercial requirements of a “clean stadium” (i.e. sans any advertising committments), it could well happen at the CCI (Brabourne). That was the reason the Champions Trophy matches for Mumbai were not played at Wankhede!
Do you know a right-arm fast bowler by the name Morne Morkel? I did not. But now you will. For he has crushed the Indian top order in their tour game. As India tottered at 69/5 (Lunch, Day 1), Morkel was responsible for 4 of those wickets including those of Sehwag (0), Laxman (23), Tendulkar (10) and Dhoni (6). Was he bowling hand grenades?
And these are the Big Guns of the Indian batting. God save India in the Tests! Incidentally, Ganguly (who has just flown in and has not had a chance to acclimatise, etc., etc.) was on 20* at last check. That’s twice as many as Tendulkar and well, more than 20 times as Sehwag! Go figure!
Live Scorecard [Cricinfo]
He’s a “peaceable” man, as Dileep Premchandran says on Cricinfo, but is VVS Laxman the next Indian captain? I doubt it. But he does have the unenviable task of leading India against the Rest of South Africa in the only tour match before the Tests begin. Of course, that’s because Virender Sehwag was releived of his responsibilites as vice-captain during the ODIs.
But the thing to remember here would be that Rahul Dravid [Captaincy Record] is still injured. And while everyone wants to believe that he will be back by the time the first Test begins, what if he doesn’t? VVS Laxman would have to lead India in the Test (s).
He has been praised for his captaincy in domestic cricket, but this is a different ballgame altogether! The pressure of a Test, the world watching… not easy. To top it all, there are three former captains: Sourav Ganguly [Captaincy Record], Sachin Tendulkar [Captaincy Record] and Virender Sehwag [Captaincy Record]. This, of course, not counting Anil Kumble who has been vice-captain and stand-in captain on random occassions!
So VVS won’t really have any problem in getting advise, but the true test of a captain is what he stands for. And that, I think, is where Rahul Dravid went wrong. But VVS has had a good time with the bat in SA averaging in the high 40s. So in terms of confidence, he must be ok…
In effect, the tour game against a second string SA team has just become more important than it should have been. Thanks to some poor performances and injuries, India sees (once again) too many changes when on tour.
My $0.02 worth: Don’t expect too much. Even if VVS can score 50+, that’ll be a bonus. A drawn game would be a huge fillip to confidence. (What have expectations come to!)
Shane Warne ia back and he’s doing what he does best: terrorising English batsmen! The latest installment in this 12-year payment programme came at Adeleide.
And some have likened his terror to that wreaked by hands running amok in an English castle. The story ‘The Beast With Five Fingers’ could well be Warne’s autobiography title except that it has already been taken by W F Harvey!
Anyways, Warnie’s more of a myth to the Indian fan having not had to see their team suffer at his hands. That, of course, is speaking relatively. But it sounds better when said absolutely!
Come on, Pommies! Stand up to him. At least once!
[Via: The Telegraph]
Australia snatched victory from certain draw and have almost regained the Ashes. Heroic performances by Mike Hussey, Ricky Ponting and that wizard of spin Shane Warne saw Australia snatch an incredible 6-wicket win in the 2nd Test.
Interestingly, in the last series too, it was the second Test that had provided a lot of nailbiting moments… just this time, the tide is flowing the other way!
Here are some interesting reactions from around the world:
Six & Out: And again please
24×7 Cricket: Pommie bashing!
24×7 Cricket: Nice record to have
The Burnt Bail: Hussey guides the Aussies!
Cricinfo: The greatest win, say Ponting and Warne
Cricinfo: Flintoff shocked!
In other developments, Shoaib Akhtar and Mohd. Asif find that they are now ban-less. Meaning, the doping ban on them has been lifted [News]. And how did this happen?
An appeals tribunal appointed by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has exonerated fast bowlers, Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif of doping offences and lifted their long-term bans.
So what this tells me is that the entire exercise was a bit of a sham. The ban lasted all of 5 weeks. I smell a rat here and some fabulous planning. The PCB was rather proactive in banning the two players. This manouevering ensured that the ICC did not do any banning of their own.
And once the issue seemed to have cooled off, the PCB goes and lifts the ban. Especially on a day when England lost the “unlosable Test”, who would notice? We’ll know soon! More importantly, though, why was the ban lifted?
“The tribunal, after looking at every aspect of the case and hearing the arguments of the players, has decided to lift the bans and cancel the earlier decision of the drugs inquiry tribunal,” Hasib Ahsan, an appeals tribunal member, said on Tuesday.
What about the proof based on which the ban was imposed? Or is that unnecessary?
The recent drubbing of India in South Africa would qualify as the worst ever in recent memory. Normally, touring teams have managed at least one win. Although, the more recent ones under Sourav Ganguly had gotten the fans used to much more. Like winning. But that’s not the point. In true Indian sense, let me say “we competed”. Or did we?
I really think there’s no point in looking back at the matches and trying to figure out who’s fault it was that India lost. It’s pointless because it cannot change the result. What needs to be done is understand what India learned from this ignominous defeat. I think (actually, hope) there is a lot that the team learned.
- The team cannot change at a whim: Irfan Pathan had some success as a No. 3 batsman in ODIs and then, was shunted down suddenly. Any explanations? If loss of form was the reason, shouldn’t he have been given more chances? All that this move achieved was a loss of confidence for Pathan. And then the bowling went downhill. Moral: Let players get used to a spot. And let them try to make it their own. I think it’s called solidity in a batting/bowling order.
- Who is the captain?: Is it the coach or the on-field appointed captain who will take the tough calls? For the first time in a long time, India looked like a team without a captain. Dravid was listless and Sehwag looked like he would prefer to be anywhere else. A strong captain like Ganguly brought much more to the table (or field) than batting capability. And Mark Taylor of Australia was another perfect example of a captain being an inspirational leader despite poor batting form.
- Flexibility needs to be introduced: This point may look like I contradict what I say in point 1, but let me explain: Point 1 would have to hold true when you have a winning streak or the team is in good form. In a slump like India is experiencing right now, the batting needs to be shuffled around. MS Dhoni looks like the only batsman who has any clue about what he’s doing. Maybe offering him more than 20 overs (he did get it, so no problem!) that he may at the end of the innings could be wiser. So when (not if) Sehwag and Sachin fail, having an in-form batsman come in early could help the team. It may also have a positive impact on other batters to follow. I mean, what was the point of sending in VVS Laxman at No. 3 when he had arrived in SA just 48 prior to the game? And then, the media takes off again!
- Bowlers need to know where to bowl: This is something that has long been the bane of Indian bowling. The spinners bowl too quick and the quicks are not quick enough. This may work out well on the dustbowls of the subcontinent, but on faster tracks like the ones in SA, length and line plays a bigger role than pace and our bowlers seemed totally lost on where to bowl. Except for Zaheer Khan, no one seemed to have any idea where to bowl.
- Fans need to be patient: It is a fan’s right to criticise the team. Or is it his privilege? As supporters of the team, Indian fans need to show some restraint. Writing this after a 0-4 drubbing may be the wrong time, but fan discomfort was visible right after India lost the 2nd ODI. Sure there were a string of bad performance prior to that which would have triggered this off, but still… And fans should not barge into dressing rooms at any cost.
- Media needs to know when to stop: Going after out-of-form players is a good way to fill pages and TV time. But the way the media has taken off against the current crop, it would appear that India were on the verge of annihilation and not in Cricket! Very little positive has come out and while it’s not all without reason, there could well be a reason to be a little more ‘circumspect’ on what’s written. Sure most would not agree with this point, but think of the impact it has on the team. For instance, VVS Laxman’s performance should not be an indicator of his capability. He has been there for just 48 hours and may not have even got out of jetlag, leave alone getting used to the conditions.
I think we all agree and know that India performed below par. There did not seem to be any good reason for the team selected was good based on the capability. But a fact of life is that at least 12 of the 15 in this group will represent India in the upcoming World Cup.
So will tearing them to shreds help? Or would being a little positive with the criticism be a better idea?
I sure hope I do not jinx this for England, but they are looking good in the ongoing 2nd Ashes Test. Paul Collingwood is close to a hundred and one hopes he does get there this time around. Kevin Pietersen is also looking in good touch and might just make the Aussies pay with a big score. I sure hope so!
But more than the English batting display, what interests me is how the English bowling would fare. On a pitch where the Australians are struggling on Day 1, there is a good chance that the Aussies may just pile up a massive total putting pressure on England. And then again, they have that wizard Shane Warne who can make the most of a Day 4/5 pitch if Australia does manage to get a massive total.
Whatever the case, the series seems to be well and truly alive and England may just be able to get something out of it. Or have I spoken too soon?
There is some great coverage of the Ashes to be found at Cricket 24×7, Six & Out and The Burnt Bail among others. Check it out.
And why wouldn’t you? They are all around you… much like the dead people in The Sixth Sense. What am I talking about? Check out this phenomenal post by Jayesh on Indian cricketers and its Ashes parallel on Cricket 24×7.
Sooper stuff!
When things are going wrong for you, they just go wrong all the way. The Indian team at this point must be wondering who in the world is conspiring against them that they are facing a new problem everyday of this tour.
First it was the injury to Virender Sehwag, then Munaf Patel and now Rahul Dravid. The first two may just get back in time to make some difference to the tour, but Dravid’s return in time seems difficult. Initial reports suggest that he’s out for about 3 weeks and that rules him out of the first Test. Not a good sign considering he was the only one showing any signs of coming to terms with the conditions.
And if that wasn’t enough, the replacement who is flying in is none other than VVS Laxman. The man not good enough to be in the first 15. To top it off, there is now also talk of Sourav Ganguly making it back to the team. Which just means more controversy and less content on the field. The tour just got murkier, no?
Greg Chappell finds himself in the middle of another storm. It really is interesting and commendable to note the tenacity of the man. He has gone through some really turbulent times and emerged on top. Till now, that is. But if the Indian team’s performance does not improve soon, there may be trouble. Although the BCCI President Sharad Pawar has backed Chappell, it won’t take time for him to lose this backing for the matter is making news in the Parliament now!
Another day, another dismal performance. And this time, they even looked like they could have won it. But to allow South Africa to reach 274 after having them at 76/6 is not just shocking, but shameful. Rahul Dravid, for once, would have to take a lot of the blame.
There did not seem to be any planning in the bowling and once Kemp was given his second life, he played as if he knew that nothing could stop him. I don’t even want to get into any more analysis of this. As I may have mentioned before, I would be very surprised if India manages to win even one match on this tour. Theoretically, they still have a chance to make it 2-2, but seriously, how many of us believe they can? Not me.
Right. So India is on another tour of South Africa, a country where their record, for all practical purposes, is non-existent. And they lost one of the tour practice games before capitulating in the second ODI at Durban. Since that loss, the Indian media has worked overtime to impress the fact that this is bunch of underperforming, overpaid cricketers who need to be pulled up.
Not just the media, even politicians have jumped into the fray. Anyting for a minute of fame, I think!
[Photo courtesy: Cricinfo]
A bit unfair, no to write off the England team after just one day, no? Especially if we were to remember how the last series panned out… And day 2 has not been exactly one-sided now, has it?
And if music is your thing, here’s a song about Brett Lee killing Freddie Flintoff. Sing it to the tune of Queen’s Bohemian Rhapsody.
Brett Lee just killed a man
Bowled a ball around his head,
hit his temple, now he’s dead.
Freddie, your time has come
Your Ashes urn was here but now it’s blown away
India finally got their tour of South Africa off the ground. And I am sure they must be wishing they had not! For their performance last night was a hark back to the 1996 tour I remember vividly. The bowlers (M/s Prasad and Srinath) got the team on top with a fiery spell of bowling in the first Test only to have the batsmen bungle up royally. And how badly they bungled up last night at Durban… Incidentally, the venue for this debacle is the same as the match referred to in 1996.
The bowlers looked and perhaps played their part but the batsmen never got their bearings about them. A look at the scorecard would reveal that three of the top four batsmen were clean bowled (Jaffer’s wasn’t as clean, but he was bowled nonetheless) and this only shows a lack of application. The technique is there, but fear has been struck in the hearts of the mighty Indian batsmen.
Going by last night’s performance, India would be very lucky to come away with even one victory in the remaining three ODIs. Wonder what Mr Chappell had to say after the match…
Update: Some others in the blogosphere lament India’s performance here. It’s real good! By the Greatbong!
It’s not often that Brian Lara takes on a bowling attack the way he has in the second Test against Pakistan. It’s great to see and heartwarming when one thinks that the WI will host the next World Cup. The WI team has been in a mini-resurgent phase for a while now and perhaps this is the time they make good of whatever promise they hold. They do seem to have (cliche alert) the perfect blend of youth and experience in Lara, Chanderpaul, Sarwan, Gayle, Morton (yes, he has promise) and Bravo.
The bowling, though, seems to be a little one-dimensional with Taylor and Collymore the only two capable of making any inroads. On the whole, though, this is a side that has potential (as they amply displayed in the Champions Trophy by almost defending it). Go Windies!
Tony Greig talks on Cricinfo. Good stuff. Wish they could colour it up a bit. But there is a nice old-world feel to it like listening to the radio. Give it a go.
It’s Ashes time and while the ‘mind-games’ have been on for a while, the biggest piece of news has been Marcus Trescothick pulling out (rather suspicously, if you ask me) and Steve Harmison declaring himself fit. I mean, isn’t someone else, like a doctor, supposed to do that?
The other good thing to have happened of late is that cricket season is well and truly underway. West Indies struggle against Pakistan, India wait for the clouds to clear so they can take on South Africa and the Ashes is just around the corner…
Fun shall be had!
I am currently in Chennai and living at a rather nice hotel. Our flight landed about 20 mins late last night and so we were even later in hitting the bed. So when I woke up this morning, I was a bit groggy and thought i saw Mohammed Kaif walk out of the lift when I descended the stairs. Hm.
For a split second, I wondered why I imagined I saw Mohd. Kaif and not say, Catherine Zeta-Jones. Good question, na? That’s because I did see him and not just imagine. And in the rest of the split second (I managed to split the second into two :)), I gathered my thoughts, composed myself and managed a “Hey, Hi!”. Not very eloquent, I agree, but given my state of mind, I think I did well. ЁЯША
The next shock was when I saw Suresh Raina at the breakfast spread getting some juice. Hu? Yes him. And then just after him came Harbhajan Singh. So I decided to look around. And lo and behold! There sat the Indian cricketers. M S Dhoni, Ajit Agarakar, Dinesh Mongia, Irfan Pathan and even Rahul Dravid.
A colleague claims to have spoken to Dravid and told him about the work we do (:)). But I could not stop gasping and staring thorugh breakfast. After messaging everyone who I knew would appreciate the gravity of the event, my life seemed set.
Never have I looked forward to breakfast more (except of course when… ;))
Yet again, an Australian cricketer (albeit former) was at the centre of a “racial abuse” storm. The guilty party this time: former Aussie batsman Dean Jones. His crime: Calling Hashim Amla a “terrorist” when on air. His justification: “It was a silly and completely insensitive thing to say and, obviously, it was never supposed to be heard over the air”.
The silly and insensitive part we agree to. But what about stupid? What does he mean “It was never supposed to be heard…” never mind where. On Air or not, he has no business saying this. For one, he is a public figure and must display more responsibility of what he says.
Of course, this is not the first time that an Australian player has been found guilty of such abuse. Darren Lehmann was the guilty one last time around.
While players have been found guilty, even the crowds in Australia have not been any better. Remember the infamous tour when South African players were called names by the crowd? Something needs to be done and quick. So what if Australia are the best cricket team in the world? That does not give them any right to abuse others.
Niranjan Shah has announced a ground-breaking agreement with Canali for travelling clothes for India’s players. This would make them look 100% smarter when they travel, he says. And the cost? A measly Rs 70,000+ per suit.
‘Yes, Canali has offered to provide regular travelling clothes for the players,’ Shah told IANS.
‘They make world class clothing, and their suits cost anything up to
Rs. 70,000. Our cricketers would look 100 percent more smart in Canali
suits,’ he said.
Wonder if the grade of contract matters when the suits are ordered!
Perhaps a better headline was not written in this context. I also agree with most things that have been said in the article. Well said!
Lara whined, but Sehwag is fined
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