Cricket: Indians consolidate.

It was a good day for Indians, their batsmen played as if they were possesed. India started a day with a slender but meaningful lead of 88 runs. The Captain Rahul Dravid picked up the gauntlet and made sure that he defended allowing Jaffer to cream the hapless West Indian bowling. They managed to go to lunch without a wicket which meant that West Indies had to do a lot of catching with likes of Yuvraj and Dhoni still to come.

Jaffer banks on century.
Jaffer played some of the handsome strokes. He is in no way similar to Sehwag. He looks very sedate, but his shots are anything but sedate. He played some very good strokes some of the cut shots would have made Dravid proud. The straight drives were a scintillating as any. He carried on the good work. He was beaten by some very good balls outside the off stump but went ahead with his shots when opportunity presented itself.
Jaffer being a big innings player kept on scoring rather freely and registered a very impressive double century. There was a very impressive thing about the double was the fact that he remained quiet unfazed. H was not looking edgy or fidgety unlike many other batsmen who tend to fiddle a lot when nearing a personal landmark. He calmly place a single to raise up a double and entered a special bracket of openers (legendary Gavaskar and dashing Sidhu before him) to register a double against West Indies in West Indies.

Something about breaks.
It is amazing no matter where in the world is cricket played or among whom it is played there is always a probability of a wicket falling around tea. It is one of the amazing phenomenon observed in the game of cricket.

Yuvraj and Kaif show a bit of immaturity.
Yuvraj and Kaif have been playing international cricket for some time now but the showed their immaturity, if that’s the word that can be used when it came to accelerate after Tea. There was a period when Indians managed only seven runs in nine overs. I guess it was a lull before the storm was to hit ARG. Why they could not accelerate baffles me? This may cost India the match.

India high on MSD.
I think waking up in the wee hours of the night was worth it. I think it was the most unbelievable “cameo” innings I have seen in some time. India looking to accelerate. Kaif and Yuvraj tried to accelerate with a boundary each in an over. This happened after a very boring cricket which went on for almost 30 minutes. Yuvraj and Kaif started hitting the straps. Yuvraj played a very weird innings; He was out to a very good catch by Chanderpaul clinging on to a stinger. Yuvraj’s end bought Dhoni onto the crease. It was all Dhoni after that time. India last 100 came in just 15 overs. Dhoni responsible for that.
Dhoni creamed Gayle for some forceful cut shorts some cheeky flip shorts over the keeper’s head of Gayle. He was just hell bent to hit anything and every thing that Dave Mohamed had to offer. Dhoni hit five sixes of Mohamed in last 12 balls he faced. Only to be holed out on the boundary trying for his fourth consecutive sixes. He hit two sixes in a row. The first of them was a miss time short that went sailing. The second was a delight full one which never looked like dropping in the boundary.
The next Dave Mohamed over saw Kaif taking strike for the first delivery. Kaif in a mood to enjoy the Dhoni show took the single of the first ball. Then came four lustily blows which were all out of a cannon called Dhoni. The first six was a signature Dhoni shot the saw the ball sailing straight towards the end of the stands. The second ball was bowled flatter Dhoni smashed that out of park. There was only power in that shot and the ball had to be retrieved from outside the stadium. The third was a short delivery which Dhoni hoiked behind square leg.

The cricket controversy of the match.
Dhoni was hell bent on belting Dave Mohamed out of the park. He was not content with three sixes what was to come degraded into dog fighting for the bone in the back alley. Dave Mohamed after being three sixes bowled one way short, way out of leg stumped, Dhoni hit a skier which seemed to be sailing out of the boundary, to dismay of all Ganga was posted on the boundary and caught the ball in mysterious circumstances. Then the dog fight started between Lara and the umpires. Rahul Dravid did the right thing by declaring the innings. Dhoni did a good thing by accepting Ganga’s words.

Lara should be penalised.
Lara was under the hammer as West Indies was being belted by Dhoni. Everyone seemed to have gave up. Then the last ball of the Indian innings saw a cricket controversy which challenged the law of the game crept up there were too many cases to be considered. Lara behaviour was very unruly and unwarranted. He snatched the (now disfigured) red cherry from the umpire and seemed damned rude and baffled. This behaviour is least expected from Lara. While walking out of the park he just rudely threw the ball away. I think he should be penalised. It will be interesting to see if he is penalised at all.

Which way is the match is heading?
This is a speciality of test cricket. India has managed to turn the table around. I think the match can be won by any team and other results could a draw or a tie. I am saying so coz India is more than a bowler short. It will be interesting to see how our inexperienced seamers fare. Kumble obviously has to play a big hand. Sehwag will do a good job if he is to pick a couple of wickets again this time. It is a fifth day pitch and anything can happen. I think Kumble would be looking to do what Jaffer did while batting.