Cricket: India takes out Pak

Did the match live up to the hype? No. It was an Ind Pak match everything was (so skilfully) charged up. Everyone from Heads of the governments, Head of the Head of the government, heir looms, ministers, sun baked, mascara packed artists, war criers, camera crew along respective dramatics, police security men, businessmen (sellers as well as ones who bought the tickets), local DJs, drum beaters, match officials, grounds-men and players arrived on Mohali to play this super built match. India won, everyone thought Pak would fight well but it never happened until the time winners were decided.

The right call made.

Dhoni often takes the right call in crunch situations in crunch selection matters. He is such instinct. But I guess Dhoni is in a happy run of fortunate days when he is winning tosses. How many times we have seen toss to be such a crucial factor of the game. He got this one going his way. One more toss and we all will be as proud of him as we ever have been. India elected to bat, rest; as they say, is history.

Blink and he is gone

Sehwag got off the mark with the boundary; I think this is the sixth instance in this world cup that he has opened his account by depositing the delivery to the boundary. He whacked five fours of Umar Gul and Mohali was roaring, sun was shining and Gul was panting. There was a bowling change. Wahab Riaz the newbie was bought on, bowled with verve got prize wicket of Sehwag. A review was invoked, one of things that still the Indians are reluctant about. The decision stayed, Sehwag had to go. This bought Virat Kohli to the pitch. It was increasingly felt spin would do the trick even though it is believe Indians players are best as playing spin.

Catch me if you can

Tendulkar kept fighting fire with fire, some bold stroke some tentative check drives, he kept the scoreboard ticking, and the heart beats racing. It was as scratchy an innings you would see from Tendulkar in a long time. He has been in such a supreme touch that even thinking he would struggle for runs was proving to be naive, not today. Saeed Ajmal had Tendulkar bemused. He was wrapped on the pads, when looking to play for a straighter one given out, reviewed and Sachin stayed, the very next delivery he played for the turn, got beaten on the outside edge was overbalanced and almost stumped. Saeed Ajamal was taking on the attack, perhaps one of the most crucial points of the game. Bhajji and Ashwin would do well to look at Saeed Ajmal's ten over from the previous match as well as one against West Indies, they do well to adapt some of his tricks.
Mendis and Murali, both of whom have ample mystery in their arsenal would have eagerly seen Ajmal bowl to Tendulkar. It was good to watch. Tendulkar rode his luck, to be finally caught by Afridi. I imagine Pak batsman found it the hard way why Tendulkar seem to be struggling. If only Ajmal was as to keep going at one end.

Playmaker is missing

Rahul Dravid was missing, we don’t have a playmaker any more, and we have seen Indian batting collapse for more than one occasion. There is no batsman at present who can keep ticking the strike over on a consistent basis, 4 an over seems to be daunting task. Dravid's presence saw the team set a record for most chases and while Dravid who keep ticking the strike, the likes of Dhoni and Yuvraj and others would utilize flatform provided and then look to seize the momentum of the game. Ideally, Dhoni is fit for the job but does his form permits. A serious thought must be given to how the team performs between overs 15 to 40, four an over and an odd boundary would fetch close to 120 runs a couple of wickets in the bargain is not a bad deal. Raina, Pathan and Dhoni himself and accelerate at the end.

The bolt in green gives a jolt

Wahab Riaz has all the qualities of a typical Pak bowler, swift in the air, ability to get it to swing both ways, a lethal Yorker and penchant for taking wickets. He accounted for Kohli and Yuvraj off consecutive deliveries. He caught India unawares. Dhoni joined Tendulkar had a little partnership but India kept loosing wickets, but since the start was rapid, Indians at times looked beyond 300 but Pak kept them in check and late flurry of boundaries helped India get to 260 which was enough runs on the board in the hindsight. He joins, Steyn Rampaul, Bresnan as pace bowlers who got 5 wickets in the innings against Indians. It is something that teams may want to look into next time they bat against Indians.

Pakistan response in chase of 260

Akmal started with two boundaries in a Zaheer over. They openers look good and Indian bowling tentative, Dhoni kept changing the bowlers, the dew may have been a factor. Zaheer came back in his second spell inside the tenth over and got Akmal to drive away from the boundary. The ball flew into Yuvraj’s lap, Pak had just gifted their first wicket. India draw first blood just when Pak where looking to consolidated. Hafeez looked compose. He tried to play a very interesting scoop of Munaf the toe edge off the bat and a lob catch to Dhoni who would have taken it unwillingly even if he had seen ghosts of Kamran Akmal's keeping. Pak two down.

Yuraj came in the middle and kept it tight. A quick arm ball smashed Asad’s middle stump and Mexican waves and Indian flags waving everywhere. Younis and Misbah came together and a required run rate of 5.5 scaled to 7.5 in their presence. Their batting, was a civil disobedience movement of sorts not wanting to score against any delivery. It put up a weak show. Misbah did strike in the end but it was too little too late. Younis went to drive Yuvraj and Raina held a regulation catch at short cover. Umar Akmal kept going and looked to consolidate, He took to Yuvraj and hitting him for couple of sixes and a four but wasn’t enough. Bhajji came round the wicket and got him bowled and Akmal failed to gauge the pace of Bhajji faster delivery. Bhajji now has 8 wickets in 8 matches and no more in the esteem company of Rizwan Cheema and Prosper Utseya in the leading wicket takers list. He joins Shakib Al hasan, Sellar and Nathan McCullum at wickets. He got Afridi though, but then Afridi isn’t a price wicket anymore. He looks to get out before you would decide how to get him out. Afridi batting is a major minus for Pak. He needs to look hard at his batting. Munaf got his second wicket when in foxed Razzaq. Razzaq looked as if he felt he was invited. He was bowled of a very good Munaf leg cutter. Pak were 6 down. Umar Gul tasted his own medicine when Ashish Nehra (finally) got the Yorker right. A couple of more hits when Misbah tried to pull out the rabbit out of the hat but then all that he had in his hand resembled a tattered gunny bag and few ragged scrap items.
As the Pak, batting got stoic and detached to the goal Indian fielding kept gaining prominence with an old looping throw/ Indian fielders add resolve to Pak batsmen civil disobedience movement of not wanting to score. A few runouts would have been such a fun
Ind vs. Pak matches aren’t high voltage drama anymore. There is a definite hype before the matches but then it doesn’t always reflect the hype. It is something like trying a buffet dinner in a nice restraint only to come out and savour the ice cream in the nearest ice cream parlour.India however are in teh finals where they meet Lanka who would be playing finals in consecutive world cups.

Coming soon Master, Murali, Mendis, Malinga, Mumbai and Ma

Cricket: The great game

Let’s turn up the volume. It is here. India vs. Pakistan plays for a berth in final. It doesn’t matter if India vs. Pakistan is a practice match, a group match, or a knock out. Pakistan for many followers and writers are a surprise entry in semis. One has to beg to differ. I mean Pak team is fuelled by uncertainty. You are never really sure what will happen next and you write them off then you be assure that the rug will be pulled off your feet and you will be biting dust and licking your lips.

The captains

Afridi and Dhoni lead their respective teams. They were quiet a mavericks swashbuckling best. Afridi turned himself into an excellent leg spinner and a mediocre batsman. Dhoni meanwhile has been very good behind the stumps, perhaps the best in the business today. Dhoni has been now been thin on runs; he would love to score runs today. Afridi can turn it on with the bat too, but ideally, that can wait for one more match, may be in the next match. Dhoni averages 54 against Pakistan. No one can forget that whirlwind 148 against Pak at Vizag where is just blew Pak away. Dhoni’s composure and his gambling instinct would be put to test. Afridi would bring his best foot forwards. It is more than just a match for both the teams.

The openers and the rest of the line up

Sachin Tendulkar needs no introduction, he needs no words of advice. Sehwag would want to unsettle a very incisive and capable Pak seam attack. Their counterparts are still feeling for international experience but that’s not taking away their explosive powers. Indians traditionally have had a settled opening pair for a decade or so. The opening gambit has been traditionally Pak bane but they more than make it up with the 5,6,7 and 8, in all probability Misbah, Younis, Razaaq and Afridi would be manning these posts. A settle number six and seven from Indian side have come good now, No one has forget Jadeja leaving Waqar jaded after an astonishing back end display of slogging that would have left Pak out of the game. Anwar and Sohail bought them back and were running away with the game till Aamir smashed one towards point and pointed his bats towards the direction only to find Prasad steaming in and blasted his off stump. Aamir walked back with his tail in between his legs.

India may want to consolidate their middle order. Yuvraj now has an extra burden to be consistent. India wouldn’t have come close to semis if Yuvraj wouldn’t be as good. Yuvraj may want to rub it in a little more against Pak. Virat, Dhoni and Raina will have to rally around Yuvraj.

Indian spinners have their work cut out. Bhajji has played more matches and he has taken wickets. He finds himself in company of Rizwan Cheema of Canada and Prosper Utseya of Zimbabwe while he competes against the highest wicket take (Afridi) and Hafeez and Ajmal. Bhajji needs to do better with the ball, his performance with bat won’t forever yield favourable result. Raina 9a more settled) and Kohli (in form) square against Umar Akmal and Shehzad to make a mark.

Zaheer and Umar Gul lead the charge of bowling department. Zaheer meanwhile may want to at least equal Afridi he doesn’t do too much damage with the ball. Zaheer has been quiet brilliant infact. Gul is so very good. Pak is perhaps depleted bowling attack after spot fixing controversy. In todays match fielding may just differentiate the winner and the loser.You would want watch this match for skills and graft, passion and panache watch it for sublime to ridiculous action.
The lull can wait after the storm has passed. It will resemble the great game. For now it is the game today.

Cricket: Preview Aus vs India

Aussies are the defending champions in this world cup. Aussies know most about the way to get to the finals. They have depended on individual brilliance and sustained team effort to make it to finals of five world cup finals out of the last six. India meanwhile have been anywhere on the chart, swinging between good and ordinary. Aussies meet India in the quarters of cwc11.


The men who matter.

Tendulkar has notched up 99 centuries, our expectation of one more against a side that always got stiff competition and centuries for Tendulkar. One more centuries seems almost inevitable. Bhajji at the current form finds himself in the company of Prosper Utseya of Zimabawe and Rizwan Cheema of Canada. Bhajji to his discredit is striking with one wicket every match conceding 43 runs in his ten overs. Bhajji needs to pull in his weight. Ponting is been bait/bunny he would love to devour. Zaheer, on Indian pitches coming back in reverse gear to catch the teams on tentative footwork, inducing edges, false stokes and LBWs.
Ponting captain marvellous (last edition circa 2007) and a struggling batsman with form, fitness. He can come good with one last innings. India bowlers beware. Hussey is another one, a competent bat, quick run, clean hitter, can change gears and momentum at will. Lee always has bowled hostile, may want to turn back to his debut match against Indians in Adelaide where he just blew us away.

The men who would have mattered.

V.V.S. Laxman


In many ways.

India seem worthy successor to Aussies at times, But SAf look equally worthy, with better bowling line up and discipline in the field. Indian perhaps with better batting. SAf and us both don’t have that aura of menacing skill of winning from any point. The Aussie batting and Indian bowling both look fragile; needless to say both will be tested.
Aussies have won the toss amd elected to bat. A second edit of this blog soon.

Cricket: India trudges into QFs

A few people like conspiracy theorists and chartists find patterns so very interesting. Lets have a look at Indian teams performances (botched up efforts) in the context of establish test playing teams in our group namely, Windies, SAfs and Poms. I am leaving out Bangladesh because other teams have been playing test matches for more than two decades, Bangladeshi team may do well in the future in the test arena.

Check this out –

Dhoni wins the toss. Dhoni winning the toss is as big a headline as Kamran Akmal taking catches. India bats, there are a flurry of boundaries nice tempo going for the team a top player gets to 110 (or there abouts), holds out to a tame catch. The batting collapse starts. There is this wedding procession like scene people come in with a flurry and get out. The opposition team’s fast/opening bowler gets 5 wickets (Bresnan, Steyn, Rampaul). The Indian batsmen at 9 10 and 11 deflect the ball rather intelligently of the inside edges to the wickets. Indians haven’t batted allotted 50 overs in all these match. Zaheer starts with an insipid spell the part times strike, Bhajji bowls, leaks runs. He then gets lucky with a wicket, or two. Then Zaheer comes back and nips out a couple of wickets, inspiring hopes from the people watching it on the TV and also helps in raising the decibels up a few notches in the stadium. We have favourable result in previous match against Windies, we tied one Poms and we lost against SAfs in the last over. The over, which gave Nehra his 15 minutes of fortune, which he wasn’t looking forward too.
It is too obvious. It is setting a precedent, which will weigh heavy on us. We need to bat all fifty overs doesn’t matter is the batting power play fetches us a dozen runs. Each of the Indian victory has highlight the grey areas. It is crucial to rectify those so that we have the best chance of winning the world cup i.e. by entering the finals. We should also look forward to beating the best teams, Aussies, Pak, SAf if we are to lay claims being the best team. The next match is India vs. Aus which Ganguly has dubbed it the match to set the wrong doings in the Finals of 2003.


The ever magnificent will now be magnanimous.

Tendulkar walked. Rampaul was bowling in a dream spell – (you know, Inception). The stocky bowler got to what looked like missing an inside edge, the umpire turned down the appeal and the broadcasters devoid of hot spot and inconclusive replays, Tendulkar chose to walk. He could have stayed and scores. But when people moan why didn’t Ponting walk against Pak, was a bit ridiculous. Ponting looks at the umpire and wait for the umpire even when he is bowled. He is an eternal optimist. But he may not believe Kamran Akmal would take the edge off his bat standing up to the wickets for a spinner, clearly, Ponting is out of luck, apart from being out of match practice and runs. The one last thing about Ponting getting out is the look on his face. It will be very interesting to see what happens if Tendulkar faces a similar delivery gets a familiar edge and it is the crunch match (say the semis or finals) Tendulkar reaction would decide the topic of discussion among millions of people and will also fetch a few their next breakfast or cup of tea. Will he or wont he. But his decision to walk gives you a peek into the confidence of the man. He know when he comes out to bat the next time, he will strive equally hard (hopeful gets) more runs. It was a good sporting gesture. It shows his confidence in his own ability.

Yuri still strives for form but looks good.

So far so good for Yuvraj. He started with a boundary and now among the runs, he kept the scoreboard ticking and had a good partnership going with Kohli after Gambhir cut one to third man and Tendulkar chose to walk. Benn was called on, all spinner worth their salt look forward to bowling to Yuvraj but Benn was one of the reason for Yuvraj’s fluid innings. The timing seem to be coming back, but the transfer back to form is still not complete, something is missing I hope he hungrier for more. His form is crucial. Yuvraj got out to Pollard, the big man. His dismissal was the difference between the score of 290 - 295 and the score which we finally got.

The great and ominous but fragile batting line up and frequent collapses.

India has great and ominous batting line up, you know great numbers, in the average and strike rate columns and huge amount of runs big power hits are signs of the great batting line up. But Indian batting line-up has been very fragile of late. We have batted out our 50 overs once in one last month, the frailty if batting comes up once to often. It is a weird aberration. I hope the fact that we play 7 batsmen doesn’t let a sense of complacency to creep into the batsmen. If that’s the case one of the batsmen Kohli or Gambhir, have to give way to in the next match. I don’t think bowling order would change much.Yuvraj, Pathan and Raina together are likely to bowl more than 12 overs between themselves, giving Dhoni lot of options and help ease the pressure off Bhajji. Bhajji needs to be among wickets, his bowling form amuses me.


On the other side of fence.

Pollard’s dismissal was turning point of the match. It was a rush of blood or what, he was caught in the deep of Bhajji, strange actually, considering the way he smacks it all over the park, however it was a catalyst to trigger a collapse. Bhajji to bowled tight for couple of overs, his second maiden in six matches all credit to Sarwan, who being to prod and block. Gayle and Chanderpaul didn’t play for some reason. Chanderpaul doesn’t seem to get out and keeps nudging the single, I don’t know if he is off the boil but looks good for many. The lack of experience in batting line up showed. Devon Smith batted well. His straight drive off Zaheer was the shot of the match. Devon Smith was bowled by Zak and that triggered the second collapse of the match. Windies lost their last 8 wickets for 30 runs.
The Windies look good, if Dwayne Bravo join in and Chanderpaul is in good form then Gayle, Chanderpaul, Sarwan, Bravo brothers, Pollard Sammy. Three fat bowlerd including Fidel Edwards, Roach, Russel, Benn. Indians are touring West Indies and it will be a good tour.

Cricket: South Africa eases past India

Indian cricketers are seasoned performers. They all have played enough seasons in the Sun to convince everyone of their ability to flatter and deceive alternatively. They invite the wrath of doomsayers and make soothsayer cry hysterically in joy, both look for gumption and smile of content of the performance and punctuated by a few tumbling.

They came, they blasted; they exploded.

Morne Morkel was picking up wickets during Indians tour to SAf at aroun11 per wicket was going for couple of boundaries every over. Sehwag played exceptionally well to set the tempo. Tendulkar did better than Sehwag. Mokle and Steyn the best opening bowling pair presently in the business were reduce to shambles for first 10 overs. Indians set the pace and set alight the fire-works, only to be consumed before the innings ended. Tendulkar kept the run rate up and scored and strokeful century with some power hitting, a signature of Tendulkar. He took as single and got his 99 hundred in international cricket. Indians however were left licking their wounds after that. It may prove to be a costly miss. It was amazing to see the mindset of the incoming batsmen. All of them thought they were Sehwag or Tendulkar. I hope no there entertained no thoughts of outdoing Tendulkar or Sehwag.

Gambhir is serious class and very good talent. If he wants to add explosive qualities to his batting, he should look at (Yusuf Pathan or as Harsha Bhogle calls him khade khade) Pathan. Gambhir kept moving around his crease to create angle a-la Nadal wasn’t to be. Steyn saw him moving towards leg side and bowled one a little wider and slower, Gambhir scooped a catch to mid off and the avalanche was triggered. Pathan tried hoicking one over extra-cover where big mouth Smith and took a good catch. Yuvraj played a huge six and then was caught 5 meters inside the boundaries off a Kallis full toss. Indian batsmen left no opportunity to fool themselves, even Nehra and Munaf went for ambitious shots. Dhoni, stranded in the middle perhaps the sign of things to come in the near future. I wonder if he would have promoted himself instead of Pathan.

There were so many similarities to the collapse in the match against England. The other match against the Dutch where the top order blew it up to set a tight match, dew, and Yuvraj saw India though. The end score was in paltry in comparison to projected score between 10 and 15 over. Steyn took five wickets and looked like a hungry bear in a this big bull market, clawed down over bought Indian batting line up and got wickets for his team and changed the course of this match. India would now be at the mercy of other teams as much as it to qualify for quarters. I think its time to go back to the drawing board and add to the mix the fifth bowler. The policy of playing with three & half bowlers won’t pay dividends. Bhajji should consider himself lucky to be in the playing eleven and Yuvraj seems to especially doing well notching up fifties against Netherlands. One among Yuvraj, Virat, and Gambhir has to make way for a specialist bowler that’s the need of the prevailing time.

I was wondering about couple of things one, Dhoni actually winning tosses and then Indians batting first. If we claim out batting to be stronger of the two aspects among batting and bowling, we must chase scores down. But with a tendency of collapsing and bowling getting the stick we see ropes burning pretty fast from both the ends. I hope Indian team isn’t reduced to an awesome looking calls without an engine of the four wheels neither being good enough for bullocks to cart it along.

It’s the partnerships, stupid…

One way of comparing Indian and SAf cricketing style is comparing an orchestra to drum flogging at Ganpati pandals. The Drum beating of Pandals is hysteria little to do with sense, just brawn greeted by loud cheer. SAf mean while represents a perfect classical playing orchestra every note in the right place, team working together to create harmony. There batting is always partnerships, there were a few 50s and few blows in the end, batsmen, all rounder and bowlers form the line up. There is one of the best sides in terms of fitness (fielding & running between the wickets). Even though Smith never fails to get past Zaheer, poor chap. Amla can change gears, De Villers can hit those huge sixes at will, Kallis is still mystery to a generation of Indian bowlers. SAfs crept past India. Their smart partnerships, good positive running did us in. A contrast to way we batted. We got the height but not the distance and SAfs got us in the middle of the field. It is more than worrisome time for Indian team, wicket taking bowler is fast becoming a part of the myth. Zaheer Khan looks good others look like tigers in sheep’s garb hungry and happy to graze grass.

Indians are still to beat SAf in the world cup. Will there be another chance where the two teams would meet again?

Indians have never defeated SAfs in world cup matches, so far.

Cricket: Dutch challenge

The Indians seemed to pose a stiffer challenge to themselves and Netherlands did. The win wasn’t suprising and pretty much an obvious one. Indian cricket team won’t win this World Cup based on merit alone. There has to be a great deal of luck to come to front if Indians want to stamp their authority. At this point in time Indian bowling seems to be thin of paper, thin to the point of being fragile. I keep my fingers crossed for health of bowlers. Nehra looks so fragile that you can risk him standing in one place for an hour or he may be injured. Dhoni was a captain marvellous seem to be turning to captain adamant. But on the other front Yuvraj seem to be paying Dhoni's trust in the form of runs and wickets. He seems to be the best spinner to control runs and take wickets. India being the host country was given a perfect schedule, so no grumbling on that part.

Switch on the Turbunator.

Is Bhajji of the boil? Is he trying to hard? Whatever it is, somebody please turn on the Turbunator. He seemed off the whizz. Bhajji bowling round the wicket to the right-handers take off virtually ever mode of dismissal out of the equation if the batsmen decide to see him off. Indian spinners of the past have bowled compelling lengths and line, inviting batsmen to drive at deliveries that our just out of reach, or just bounce enough and drive to regions which offer more chance of batsmen getting out rather than they getting runs. The compelling lengths in which batsmen drives at the balls without much balances bring many forms of dismissal, apart from being bowled and getting caught behind. Bhajji in his prevailing bowling form doest seem to invite the batsmen to drive to extra-cover or lob him over long off. Dhoni on his part needs to give an attacking field to Bhajji. A long on and long off a deep square leg simple wont motivate the bowler enough. Bhajji needs to take charge about his field and the captain needs to use the stick and the carrot for Bhajji when it comes to field placement. Bhajji should bowl to one of side of the wicket and if there is boundary concede of bad ball then he deserves it and if batsmen score of good deliveries (which eh hardly bowls) then there is a chance of the wicket. An easy single of a spinner is crime, conceding a boundary is lieu of wickets is a fair deal.

The fact remains the second choice Aussie spinner seems Jason Krezja offers better economy and strike compared to Bhajji. The runs he scores doesn’t compensate for the wickets he cannot take, this is the biggest tournament, and Bhajji is expected to get more than two wickets in four matches. He went wicket less against Netherlands and Ireland took just one wicket against Bangladesh, not a good sign considering other spinners are doing better. Form is temporary ad class is permanent. Bhajji should follow that or put his hand up and give up his place for someone who is willing to take couple of wickets every match.

Yuvraj repays faith

Yuvraj looks like coming to his best. If he strikes big in the middle overs, he could mean a difference between 250 and 280. Yes, he is taking wickets but I wish to seem him propelling a team and with company of Dhoni and Pathan bat the other team out of the game. If my wish could come true I would like to see Gambhir, Sehwag open, Yuvraj to follow then Tendulkar followed by Kohli, Pathan and Dhoni Ashwin (seems better bet, but is untested) Zaheer, Munaf and Chawla. This is with all due respects to Tendulkar. I thin this particular order provides better chances of securing wins and gives better balance. I would like to see Yuvraj bat in last five overs with India having 6 to 7 wickets.

Marquee matches.

Australia vs. Pak and SAfs vs. Ind are perhaps the marquee matches of the tournament. Aussies are so methodical and precise, not robotic by any means. Pak is always been flair and exuberance, quiet the opposites. Pak bowling isn’t primed 100 % but still would test most batting line-ups. The always seem to have 6 bowlers and 7 batsmen in their line up which is a luxury most teams cant afford. Kamran Akmal is dismal though. They had an off day against New Zealand. If they have a rematch in rounds to folloow (semis probably) you would seem a completely different display. Aussies and Pak both have the players who have the resolve and propensity to turn matches on its head.

India vs. SAf is another marquee matches. SAf have been a very good time and haven’t won the world cup. India needs to do well if they want to prove their candidature of this edition of world cup. Indians have just completed their tour of the SAf. They were bruised and battered by Steyn and Morkel. I think couple of batsman would want to return the favours. SAf vs. India happens this Saturday.

Cricket: Moving on hapless

India’s stupendous win over Ireland (???) gives rise to more questions than answers. All those who follow cricket and some of us Indian team fans have to confess that Indian batting excites us more then our bowling. A team almost chased 338 so I think if there is a batting collapse while we bat first, bowling in its present form will be shredded or second scenario,the wheels coming off from are toothless bowling then the opposition sets us a steep chase and if the top order collapses then an unsavoury result hopes to meet us soon. It will not be ill fate it would be our own misdeeds. If we are praying that our bowling shines once in a while then we must aceept the top order will collapse once in a while.

Yuvraj looking ragged for more than a season now, would be thanking the Irish, and would have treated them with double Patialas of Irish beers in huge mugs. A five-for and fifty made him look ominous. He would do well against the SAfs as well, ball turning away from batting line consisting of Amla, Kallis, De Villiers, Van Wyk, Du Plessis all right hand bat. Yuvraj would fancy his chance considering SAfs collapsed more than once when we were there in South Africa, guess we could trigger another collapse to see of the SAfs, easier said then done though. There are couple of shot that convince me that Yuvraj isn’t in his prime, a flick of Johnston when he moved from 45 to 49 and the shot at which he got out in the match vs England, Yuvraj in his prime would have cleared the boundary by some margin. The interesting question to be asked is, if Yuvraj’s best a thing of the past or is he priming himself to knock the winds out of the opposition?

Harsha Bhogle calls him Khade Khade Pathan. Yusuf Pathan blocks blocks and bangs. I am vying for Pathan-Razzaq-Aridi blast it would be such a fun. Pathan came on after Dhoni went hammered and dented a few over the ropes and without further ado got India couple of points.

Bhajji, exudes no confidence at this point in time, he kept feeding Strauss with cut and sweep, can remember him bowling only two or three deliveries which invited batsmen to drive on the front through covers. At this point in time, even the Aussie off spinner Jason Krezja offers better average and economy compared to Bhajji. The last time when we got to a world cup final, Nehra, Zaheer and Srinath were on fire and had bagged more than a dozen wickets each. Yes, it was South Africa, seamer friendly condition. I think teams like SAf, may be west Indies as well along with possible quarter final teams from other group Pak, Aus, Lanka would fancy having Bhajji bowl to them. Bhajji in this phase of form, he would provide the teams an ideal platform for the death overs where we know we are bound to go in excess of 7.5 to 8 an over (by very conservative estimate). There is minor concern of leaking singles and not rotating the strike enough which is well covered in the shimmering shinning boundary hitting habbits of our batsmen.

Any team winning a toss against India should fancy chasing the score because our bowling is a threat to our batting prowess.

England vs. SAf.

Indians look bunny rabbits on swinging and seaming wickets, SAfs look equally cute on typical Indian wickets where spinners are in charge and make the cherry spin like a top. I remember seeing the English innings, the second ball of the first over of the match that Peterson bowled pitch middle and went past Strauss’ pad wide down leg, if a SAf spinner I turning it proverbial mile the match was not to last full 100 overs. Strauss got out when he skied one to de Villers who took a tumbling catch. Half as good as pie - Pietersen followed Strauss when scored read 3-2. It was 15-3 when bell got out. Then mysteriously Smith took Peterson off the attack that was perhaps one of the turning points of the match. There were a few turning points in the match which happened before the toss took place, Collingwood sitting out, personally I believe whatever his form, he should be batting in the top order, could be a useful bowler. The SAf decided to play Wan Vyk, which is an excellent move. I think the game hasn’t turned so modern that you can do without a specialist keeper. But the fact is SAfs have left their best fire fighters home, Boucher and Albie Morkel, both were worth of their places, their experience, and their record speaks for them. Morgan and Hussey are joining their teams are injuries have forced teams to switch players, wonder if there is any injury concern in SAf would Boucher and Morkel be called for? SAf may pay heavily by dropping Boucher and Morkel. The future will unravel this mystery in the next near future.

SAfs did a U-turn and escort Poms to the victory post.

SAfs seems to be cruising with Amla and Smith providing them a solid paternship, in a low scoring match one wicket can trigger couple of wickets more. Kallis is still searching for runs in the tournament and on the other end De Villiers has already scored back to back centuries in first three games,. SAfs seem to have been caught in a slumber when the slip 4 wickets in a span of three runs, and Poms were right back, Wan Vyk and Steyn Gun did provide a partnership but then Poms saw an opportunity to pull the rug under SAf feet. At some point in time during the match, Poms beating SAfs would have had the same odds as Irish beating Poms.

The Indian side is in desperate search of either Bhajji hitting form soon or some other form of bowling inspiration, chances are thin is bowling reaming hapless and fielding remains a window decoration.

Cricket: 1 March 2003

I was in my second year engineering, it was a holiday, the earliest hour of morning got my third sem result with it. I had flunked my third sem after crossing the tide of the first year engineering without a blemish. I was distraught. The result was I had flunked but I had pegged my hopes imagining the worst for myself, days later the mystery of the result unravelled when the elephant had gone through the needle but its tail stuck in the eye of the needle. It was the worst feeling of having left high and dry.

The summers were here and Maharashta’s winter capital always experienced temperatures that made sure there were no mosquitoes other crawlies alive apart from odd moth, jeans and bed sheet dried in minutes an hour without electricity felt close to eternity. Coke and sutta were the only intakes body accepted a touch willingly. When one entered the hostel room after 10 minutes walk in the lunch, the eyes took their time to adjust to the environs of indoor.

The day of the result made sure people wore clean clothes, jeans and kurta. The result day was also an incentive to made sure the lecturers were spared of lecturing mentally absent, cynical engineering students not many were happy except the chap in the canteen, who hoped university would announce at least one result every month. But since it was Mahashivratri and a holiday, hostel mates flowed across the campus like rivulets and headed towards Ram temple, I too joined, more in asking the dearest Lord, why me? I was blank and I knew the world had stopped spinning and only thing spinning around me was my brains.

The walk to the temple was long on a dusty road few shorts cuts and we landed on the footsteps of stairs up a hillock towards the temple. The sun blessed us with temperatures in vicinity of 40 deg Celsius and I was feeling the pinch more than ever. The worst bout of dehydration was just waiting to hit me with some crude intention. It did, the climb up the stone stair combined with the fact that I was not feeling anywhere near optimistic made me feel sick. A soft drink and few sweet toffees did make me feel a touch better but I was gasping for air and my stomach churning.

I thanked God for everything and started to look at the time, India vs. Pakistan was couple of hours away. It was the match to see in a boy’s hostel. I managed to reach back to my room, found myself having a quick lunch, around 230 in the afternoon hysteria started to get grips of a hostel lobby and we resembled a stand at Centurions rather than a hostel of an engineering college. Everyone gather near the television, which was kept in a wooden box like cupboard. The locked were opened without keys off course. The lock too knew a crucial match was on. A bit of tiffs and iffs for getting the best seat on the floor to see the match. The power cut off just pumped up the hysteria, the power was back on and there was this huge cheer.

Pakis batted first silken wrists kept Saeed Anwar chugging Pakis along and an imposing total in excess of 270 was posted. Anwar getting a magnificent century. The ordinary death overs made sure Pakis kept flexing there hitting muscles and Indian bowlers made too look not so good. The Doordarshan commentary was mute for most of the times as a cheeky comment, a slur or a swear kept everyone busy. A few people who were lazy after a big meal preferred a blurring crackling voice on radio and separate set of noises added to Dolby vocal systems that the hostel turned itself.
A break of 40 minutes and Indian response was to start.

The Indian response started, the Wasim Akram ran towards Tendulkar, unstoppable force was about to met an unmpvable rock. The first ball Tendulkar face was dispatched to cover boundary. It was to be a long leather chase for Pakis as Tendulkar took the leg stump guard with his stumps exposed to bowlers named Wasim, Waqar and Shoaib. At the end of over strike changed, Shoaib was on top of his mark, Sachin on top of his crease, all three stumps in the bowler’s eye. Shoaib ran in breathing fire, Tendulkar gaze unruffled a blink of an eye, a wide deliver and this ambitious upper cut saw the ball flying across third man across rows into the crowd. Tendulkar played like a man holding fort and knocking winds out of opposition’s sails. Sehwag flattered to deceive to get to Waqar. Ganguly deceived of Waqar yorker but this didn’t stop Tendulkar who was in another dimension Kaif played with Tendulkar to string a hundred runner partnership, by the time Kaif was other India were counting down runs, Tendulkar pace made sure required rate was never a bother. Shoaib bowled a host one at Tendulkar's body and Tendulkar was gone, he missed the Century but no one missed perhaps his best innings.

Dravid guided Yuvraj to another control partnership that made sure the target score was never too big or too far. I strongly believe Dravid's mentored Yuvrajs and Kaifs and other to chase down a score. We held the record for scoring down most number of chases. Tendulkar scored at more than run a ball and Yuvraj and Dravid bought it home.

At the end of the day, the disappointment of the day was Tendulkar not getting to a desired century and not my poor third sem results.