Cricket: Sri Lanka loose.

India winning is passé for now, so Sri Lanka lost the match, again, India have won two in a row so that ensure the remaining of the match will have something to offer other than academics. You know, “just for the sakes thing” wont be there. So thats something good. Will it last? I for one thought India would be bundled out 3-1 by the fourth mach, but I was really surprised as I had exchanged by blue jersey for the darker shade. The darker shade just faded tonite.

This Singh is King too.

There are so many Singh going every where these days. This Singh is one of the King. India is high on MSD, (Mahendra Singh Dhoni). He has just raised the level of captaincy a couple of notches. I still have reservations about team selection though, but as crowds part for a man who knows where he is going, Dhoni makes the right call more often then not. Those traits are good. He first took a right call for dropping Pathan, poor chap, Virat Kohli, is young and did play well, before running himself out. Gambhir, seems to losing momentum need to up the ante soon, because he can play spin really really well, he has had a good run from the last T-20 World cup and scoring in every form of the game. Anyways Dhoni saw himself in a familiar situation of rebuilding his innings, Raina, who had a very good Asia cup, looking good, was also run out after making a solid 54, Badri felt early, so not much on him. Dhoni mean while looked like a man with a plan and purpose and will to execute, He made a well made 76 before he was out in the pen-ultimate over. Dhoni like Ganguly has started well leading by performances, but there is long road. Ganguly seemed to fizzle out of form especially in test and then runs, and fitness seems desert him. I think wicket keeping ensure Dhoni match fit. He is a very vital component of this batting line, with ability to hit some towering sixes.
But playing a bowler shot would have seemed like a very stupid decision if Lanka were to bat first and score card that would have read 120 for None. But he made the right call, India batted first knowing that Murali and Co would be hard to negotiate under lights, he won the toss and batted. A decent start helped and Dhoni-Raina-Sharma did their bit to present a respectable store. Indian seam bowlers darting the white cherry around, seemed to have had the better of Lanka’s batting. All the worries are now resting in Lankan camp, Indians wont mind it at present, in fact that would be welcome change, Lankans carrying the burden of favourites tag. I wonder will they collapse again if they were to bat first?

No one is singing for this Singh.

Yuvraj Singh, continues to vacillate between ordinary and extra ordinary performance, the chief architect on India T20 World Cup along with MSD off course, any way the start was decent but Yuvraj needs to carry on, perhaps he might be interested in watching today’s highlights and see what Jayawardene did. He needs to spend time, say 10 overs 60 balls I don’t care how much he scores in those 60 balls, he can cut loose anytime and make up for that lost time. The runs he makes afer that would be worth couple of barrels of Crude. ODI is Yuvrajs domain, if he stays in the end India will win,if sats are to be believed, India don’t loose often when Yuvraj crosses 50.

Zaheer in wonderland.

Zaheer has a penchant for pegging back left hand opening batsmen. Gilchrist, Langer, Smith, Gayle, Sangakarra, couple of new openers from Lanka, Cook from England have all been on Zaheer platter. I still remember his one of delivery to Langer in a Mumbai test when Aussies were here last. He produced a beauty kicking of from length and Langer was proud to glove it. He is in control and seems to be taking care of Sangakarra, He has him twice in two matches. Its Zaheer ability, something that Pathans lack to just land one a stump away from off and coming in to the left hander. Sanga creamed Zaheer, to a boundary only to be beaten next ball and see the Umpire raise his finger, the rot started. Jayasuriya is such a touch plaer against India, just guided a gentle lob to Dhoni, couple of more LBW and Lanka dug themselves a big hole, more to come, couple of more wicket, Munaf also coming to the party, Lanka down and out. He looks in a wonderful rhythm, Zaheer should take the charge and will have to continue to pile deep, if India is to win this series

Captains in command.

Jayawadene would have dealy thanked the India if he had crossed into three figues, if you are playing in Lanka you cannot drop catches of Jayasruriya Jayawardene and company and then think you will cream them off, with couple of catches gone a begging Jaywardene would have taken Lanka home but he played a risky flick which ended up as a lob to man behind his back, victory was for th taking, Munaf cleaned up Murali. He dug in and build his innings picking and chosing what to hit, leave and ease for a single. When he got out, he had a very good strike rate. He almost single handedly won the match.

The loser goes back to safety of his home.

The Champions Trophy issue crept up last week. I don’t know whats with the security? We hada tournament last month there, nothing came of it. Is it more because of politics between the sub continent countries and England-Australia-SAfs and NZ. I think there is lot of politics going on in the board room off ICC. There has been lot of it there in past few years. India and sub continent fetching nearly 80% of ICC revenue, wants more while the founding countries still amazed and seduced by the revenue don’t wish to accept the new hegemony of the business of country and the huge following there is. Australia don’t accept it because they are the most consistently winning for so many years. The English who “invented” the game and took it their colonies, haven’t done all that to well in any form of cricket, especially after IPL become such huge thing in India, the number coming out of IPL and couple of foreign players who came and played and went back to the counties would have spread the word around, ECB still looking dumb as to why did they not allow players here for IPL. I LMAO when I first read couple of fortnights back that English would be sending their second rung team, man it would have not mattered, they way they seem to crash out of major tournaments, it wouldn’t have mattered if they were to second whichever rank team hey wanted. They would have come there just to fill the numbers. West Indies board don’t have much say, SAfs pull out was surprise, perhaps they were more concerned with Aussies coming in and their Captain in not the best of health. That’s is besides the point now.
So will the suspended Champions trophy make way for Champions League?

A few other points.

Dravid should be recalled ASAP.
Whats with the fielding/catching/running?
Four bowlers/Eight batsmen?
Are India Spinner looking at Mendis?
Mendis = Kumble - bounce
Sharma/Badri should be number three.
Yuvraj may wanna look at number four.
The edge is missing from both teams, bothe teams are guilty of vacillating between sublime to the ridiculous.