1.4.08

Cricket: Safs grind a draw.

I had few inhibitions coming into this series some of them have come true while for some there are two more test matches to go. I imagine that coming true sooner rather than latter. It was a batting paradise. The batsmen proved it by scoring a few runs, perhaps they should have score a few more.
The Safs were coming into this series following a series of practice matches played in Bangladesh. The batting clicked well bowlers found much needed rhythm and the team in all may have had a good field trip. Indian bowlers namely captain Kumble, Mr. Insane Sreesanth, checkered Bhajji and recuperating R.P. Singh had any bowl in a Test Match for nearly 3 months. I would have never imagined walking into the park and take 20 Saf wickets.

Spills of catches, runs and woeful bowling.

If you compare the bowling to last leg of Aussie tour to latest bowling show then its better u find something else to do. Indian bowlers should have had a few tough matches. They were bowling Agarkar like lines and were being beaten black and blue. There seemed there was only one plan to display how not to bowl technique. Once the batsmen is set Kumble’s potency looks a bit waning while Bhajji deceives to flatter me. But surprisingly he took a fifer, never mind the runs. He would have been pleased to take kallis out. It’s a big wicket. It seems all Kallis can do is pad up and see cricket, poor soul hardly scored anything against India in this match.
Inda out of ordinary fielding did not help any chances of taking a few quick wickets, as a result the Safs scored freely. Man get Zak back, come Zaheer get in there. I think a batsmen can sacrificed for playing Piyush Chawla. One should let the leggie get in. I mean Safs don’t play spin all that well. If they do then Chawla will learn to bowl to people who are slowly graduating to play spin. Kallis, Boucher and Smith can play spin well coz they use their bats and brains while playing slow form of bowling.

Its he who roared as a thunder and let it rip.

Well slam bang thank you ma’am. You cant bat an eyelid when he bats. You better don’t coz it’s a roller coaster ride. There is certain sense of eccentricity I related to Virender Viru Sehwag. One can just imagine 4 months back he was surprisingly chosen to a plane in Australia. He smashed a beautiful hundred before this test in the second Indian innings. I associated the same eccentricity with Lara. At least for know people will take Bradman, Lara and Sehwag in the same breath. They are the only batsmen who have scored two triple centuries. I back Sehwag to whack another one. I wont be surprised if he does. It was good to see him play straight. There are a few batsmen who look to be in great touch if they are playing well down the ground. Sehwag’s body language means business. He smashed Safs in double quick time. One has to look at his innings to imagine more than run a all triple century.
Viru has to make the good times count. If he is standing he will blunt a very sharp seam attack that the Safs have. I feared Steyn but then I think Steyn now fears Viru.

Counting down 10,000

If one has 10,000 in each form of cricket, (ODI and Tests) then you have to be good. Rahul Dravid has certainly walked out of Tendulkar’s ominous shadow. His form decides whether India wins or looses series that are played abroad, not that he is not good at home. Its just that he play a bit better away from home. I don’t mind saying that he is better then Ponting. While Ponting in tests had an advantage of having two very solid and run scoring openers, Dravid often does repairing job and then score runs. Its not against Ponting. Often Ponting will plunder runs and off late he had plundered lot of runs but rahul dravid has adapted wel to both forms of the game and he proved to be a very good support to Viru. He calmly rotated strike, often held one end up that helped Viru score runs rather then defending. Viru ensured that partnership was rocketing along, meanwhile Dravid shrewdly rotated strike and aul Harris fell to the mercy of Viru. I think the century score by Dravid would be one of those pressure free centuries. He had the best view in the house when Viru was batting. I imagine him egging Viru for one more smash hit to the fence.

Safs batsmen everything to gain.

They are match fit, often people struggle in sub continent with the typical summers. But their performances have exceeded because they did well in Bangladesh. Indian bowling will not add to their nightmares. There would be change provided Zaks to come back on Safs.
It was a rare, which one will remember for batsmen’s triumph.




Your Blogging Type is Unique and Avant Garde



You're a bit ... unusual. And so is your blog.

You're impulsive, and you'll often post the first thing that pops in your head.

Completely uncensored, you blog tends to shock... even though that's not your intent.

You tend to change your blog often, experimenting with new designs and content.

1 comment:

Keshi said...

unique indeed! :)

Keshi.