Cricket: Review SAf vs England

Success has many fathers, failure is always an orphan. In last few seasons,teams have climbed on the top, stayed there for few seasons and saw themselves on the wrong side of slope. Its all the more reason, to look back at the great Australian, team and their performances 1995 to 2005-2007. It was a complete team. Two fine openers, and gritty middle order batsmen, a most fearsome, batsman/glove man ever to play the game. A wizard tweaker and a metronome fast bowler along with very capable pace battery. Their fielding was top notch, their motivation, ability and fitness were source of intimidation. They prevailed in all conditions home and abroad. It was as if they would walk into a contest as the lone competitors and walk away with series win against all opposition under all circumstances. No team cricket team in modern times held such a swagger.

Now follows the review of the series between SAf and England.

England looked lack lustre. We all know that problems don't come in drip of water from a leaking tap, instead they come as a flash floods. England players looked out of boil. The bowlers hardly showed any inspiration, their batsmen shone in bits,not many partnerships worth the note. Then there was The Pietersen issue. He shoots from the hip and invariable his aim is his own toes or fingers tips. I mean it is not the sole reason for a very feeble show put up by English. We expected a contest when the best two teams on top of the table met,it ended in a whimper, after reading the scoreline of 2-0 looks more like a no contest..

When problems do come, so much ambiguity and collusion and distortion of thoughts take root in the thought process that mind goes numb and rigid and dense. Strauss may confess to this very fact. It need some inspiring selection and imagination, both for much missing. Strauss is not the most expressive and imaginative captain to play test matches. He is likely to search for his handkerchief when its time to pull the rabbit out of the hat. His own form too didn't inspire much. He just scored 107 runs,at times Morkel was on top of his mark and Strauss was marking his exit standing on top of the batting crease. Cook and Trott looked clueless. Bell the most incomplete batsman across an age. Only Rohit Shama on current form will give him a run for his money. Pietersen meticulously keeps shooting his own foot. He took four wickets and scored a hundred only to be inevitably be dropped. He went too far one way, took a u-turn came back a long way and reached a point where he thought he had travelled a long road and still found himself just behind the start mark. Surely there would have been a subtle and smarter way to resolve issue. English players can't even blame IPL for their misery, so at least for England IPL cannot be a valid excuse.

This also brings down the excellent setup and the coaching staff which we thought we were brilliant a season. There is more to it than support staff that win you matches. England have taken a step back to the lost 90s when they lacked imagination. The provisional success of England especially against teams of the sub continent and WI was based on green pitches and in form pace attack. SAf had a better pace attack purely on the form of fitness and ability which almost negated the advantage to zilch A team may have a bowler and batsman out of form and still the team may do well. But if a newbie in Baristow and talismanic batman Pietersen lead your batting and bowling averages respectively, its time to rush to buy a new drawing board. The seeds of English capitulation were sown in series in UAE against Pakistan. England never recovered.

South African charge, inspired by Mark Boucher.

Not everything went in favour of SAf from the word go. A freakish career ending injury was hardly an auspicious start to the tour. England in England one would have thought at the start would fight fire with fire but wasn't to be. Boucher has been such an inspiration who everyone holds in high esteem. Everyone in SAf squad would swear by grit and determination of Boucher. It was grit and determination that saw SAf come up triumphs. His injury provided SAf with an extra zip if ever they needed one. SAf have always been tough mean competitors. They have always been good fighters and disciplined in approach. At times one would scoff when they would choke. Gary Kirsten seemed to have replaced this choke with an extra spark plug. His success with Indian team and now with South African team is surely no coincidence. Steyn, Morkel, Philander with the wickets, Amla, Smith, Kallis with the runs, Duminy and Rudolph with meaningful contribution lead an all round and complete assault which saw England being bought down the ladder.

Ama kept batting, England bowlers would have seen enough of him but couldn't have a clue as to whats operating within Amla. He kept one end up, scoring runs, and the entire SAf team batted around him.

At the last session on the series, at one point there were four possibilities, a win either ways, draw and a tie. Baristow, Prior and Swann kept the SA in check, if only for a more meaningful partnership, this test match could have been one of the best comeback in the game by England. It wasn't to be. Also, Tahir operating round the wicket, didn't help matters. Tahir is not threatening enough or imaginative enough to use outside the leg stump line to good effect. Murali and Warne could don't think many bowlers can tie batsman down, claim wickets and make run getting difficult. Smith used him far too long from round the wicket. Prior was amused to say the least.

Two wickets in two balls sealed it for South Africa in the end. Philander with another five-for

I don't know who prepares cricket schedules or who they are settled. But surely whoever is in-charge of setting up schedules has no clue of the pulse of test cricket fans. I mean when top teams are playing is three test matches good enough? Isn't it a shame? Surely a lousy series against Aussies could have been done away with a couple of ODI from SAf should have done away with for a full five test match series. It is such a whimper. It is something that takes the interest away. I mean ODI are struggling for survival. If top teams are playing, it will give your more revenue if you play longer test series and shorter ODI series. T20 will get you the money anyways.

Cricket: Oval test review

Success and failure are part of life and sports. But Success tends to make us a reluctant students and failure is a hard task master. Failure and your enemy can be the best teachers you will come across. England went into this match in robes of numero uno team in test matches, lost it all. SAf were suppose to pose a stiff challenge,but England sitting on past laurels were caught napping when SAF batsmen were forging meaty partnerships. Smith, Amla and Kallis scored century with the bat and Anderson, Broad, Swann and Bresnan scored a century with their bowling. The batsmen helped themselves to big scores in the very first inning of the tour. The ball is literally in English bowlers court and they need to bounce back.

Well within the means, day one.

The English had a bad start, losing the captain Strauss in the first over, Morkle claiming him LBW with a delivery in the very first over, that was hitting middle of middle stump, following that dismissal, the SAf just looked very subdued all day. Trott and Cooked helped themselves on a slowish, docile pitch. SAf bowlers meanwhile had a tough day, were operating pretty much on half accelerator and second gear. English batsman through the first and second session kept scoring by mean of a good solid partnership, between Cook and Trott. They kept scoring the round against SAf bowlers who were not even half throttle.

Storm in the tea cup.

In the first two sessions SAf bowlers managed just a single wicket, after tea, Trott nicked a wide delivery and went caught behind. Pietersen fresh from retire, re-retirement from limited overs and IPL walked in, scored a few boundaries good looked for more. But there is no batsman playing International cricket who flatter to deceive like Pietersen. He came, he scored, he edged and he was gone. He scored a 40, got out. The English woes started when he went out. His dismissal was that point on the cliff when the descend started and ended with England capitulating with an inninsg to spare. After that no partnership lasted more than 10 overs or so for probably the whole match.

Day two exact opposite of day one, un-redux.

It seemed Steyn was just warming up. He kept the run flow in check on day one, build up to day two. We all know SAf didn't have all the practice they thought that was required. After summing and sizing the conditions on day one,SAf bowlers were back and back in style. Dale on top on his mark and peering down English batsman on the other end of the pitch. The bowler with one of the best strike rate in Test Match history was beginning to ask question without the batsmen having a sniff of a hint, The English batsmen came and went with their bats tugged into their arms and tail in between their legs. They were cruising at 271 for 3 and were reduced to 313 for 7. Cook, Bell, Bopara, Bresnan found themselves on bull eye of a raging Dale “Steyn Gunn” . The English lost their last Seven wickets for 114 runs. An interesting and a very long tale with no twists was about to unfold. England found themselves 385 all out.

1/1 bring on Hashim Amla.

Alviro Petersen got out for a duck. SAf were in a spot of bother Amla is a man of few words. It does not reflect his repertoire of strokes. Broad and Swann had worked him out when SAf hosted England in South Africa few years back. Both were at sea against Amla as he started rebuilding, hoisting his sails and steering the SAf ship away from England's grasp. Smith meanwhile seemed looking to get into an exclusive club of batsman who have scored century in their 100th test. He ground himself on the pitch and then pulverized the attack. When the big bliff Smith scores, he bludgeons bowling attack and makes a very big score. Smith and Amla cautiously stitched a very meaningful and vital 200 runs second wicket partnership. The English bowlers looked more helpless with each passing over. The second and third day being the easiest to bat on a traditional test match pitch. SAf batsmen are traditionally know how to trade caution and aggression, flair and grit. Smith was being outscored for a while by Amla. But story changed once he breezed past his fifty.

Amla being very choosy of what to play and how, every on middle and leg was played straight down, taking LBW out of equation. Every Indian batsmen wanting to score runs should get the CD of Amla innings and should force to see every ball he played. He for better part of the innings chose to stay in the middle there by scoring runs. He did this by playing percentage shots, his strengths, dab behind third man and cover, flicks to midwicket square leg if the ball pitched outside the line of leg stump. Amla scored a hundred and another hundred and another hundred in the same innings. A triple hundred in a test match is tough to get, getting against the Number One team in their own backyard is something worthy of respect.

Jacques Kallis the greatest unacknowledged.

Jacques Kallis is a Colossus. He has taken wickets scored century taken catches. He is a perfect team man. He came into this series with an average of 29 at the start of the tour. Flintoff was all over him last time around. He looks more eager now. Boucher injury has given him an extra reason, if ever he required one. He and Amla made sure England bowlers keep bowling, two days on the field is never fun. It means that team that behind the contest will never catch up and will have to play beyond their measure to get out of the jail. Kallis exactly ensured that. Amla, Smith and Kallis helped each other and SAf boasted a score of 637 for 2. The jury is out whether Smith called them in too early, it is perhaps the right call considering SAf won the test.

Not quiet England, the team.

English bowlers presented a very tired and lack luster body language. Yes there was nothing in that favour, Strauss is most into the box kind off campaign. I can ever see him instigating or engineering a turn around. His batsman score his bowlers take wickets. Pakistan humbled them in Dubai earlier this year. They were all at sea. Philander claimed Cook early, if there was anyone who could have batted for a draw it was Cook. Steyn, Morkel and Tahir broke the back of the batting line up. Steyn with the second new ball cleaned up the tail, Tahir collected three and Steyn five and SAf completed one of the most astounding victories we have witnessed. They won by an inning and 12 runs, losing only two wickets in the match. A superb effort.

England should bounce back probably on more responsive bouncier pitch.

Cricket: Preview SAf tour of England

South Africa Tour England for English summer of 2012. It is the fight for the Numero Uno status in the Test Arena. South Africa the eternal bridesmaid will eye a series win and repeat the victory of 2008. If only this was a full five test match series. I don't know who sets the cricketing calendar but surely this person is oblivious of want the fans are queuing up for. A premier Test Series like this one in which the top bracket teams are playing deserve a five test series. I believe premier ties like Indian-Pak, Indian-Aus, Aus-SAf, SAf-Eng deserve to be a five test series, if it means sacrificing a few dead ODI of T20 so be it.There was an additional wish that was lingering in my mind, an ODI series of Aus-SAf-Eng it would have been perfect. I think its the best series that never happened in some time now. It is sad to say the least. SAf start this series with absence of Mark Boucher. I know these two teams playing offer a lot but an indifferent English weather is the key to whole series.

Mark Boucher a Hero.

How brilliant was Mark Boucher? I mean yes he was best compared to Gilchrist for better part of his career. But I am sure Boucher could hold on to this game his own. His qualities, abilities and performances defy and outweigh his career stats. He was one player you would look forward to when the team wasn't doing good. He got out on a freakish injury when he was struck by a bail that flew off to hit his eye. It perhaps the saddest way to bow out. If you could imagine, its something like an opera singer gearing up for that finale only to retire because of sore throat. It is indeed sad and anti-climatic, unworthy and rude to someone like Mark Boucher. I hope Boucher provides an inspiration and hopefully South Africans will have some additional motivation to push for series win. Whoever replaces Boucher will have a huge role to fulfill. I thought in last few seaso Boucher was given a raw deal. He shouldnt have been dropped for 2011 World Cup considering he was the most adapt at playing spin especially on sub-continental pitches. He wasn't the first choice keeper for limited overs cricket for some time. Boucher has 999 dismals to his name. A huge Mountain to climb if somebody has to emulate and better him.

South Africa on the chase.

South Africa is one of the better teams, considering, discipline, fintess and ability to make runs especially in English condition. Smith, Kallis, De'Villers along with (Alviro) Petersen, Amla, Duminy and Rudolph. The SAf bat around Kallis who averages 29 against England in England, hoping he does better, considering he averages around 56 in tests otherwise. Kallis will have to do well if South Africa wishes to upstage England in their backyard. Smith will remember previous English tour with some sense of fondness, he has done well and he will have to set the tone and swagger as he opens the batting. Amla is a key componenet and provides variety in the Saf line up. DeVilliers is a top athelete and has had a very good last couple of season. He will be keep with Boucher injured may just alter his game. Rudolph knows the English condition as he has played first class county there, not sure he will have a role to play. Dumiy need to find more peaks to climb after some good performances early on in his career in Australia. But English attack is on ascendency and will test Duminy if and when he plays.

Dale Styen Gun will be al ready to fire on all cylinder with a formidable bowling attack. He is a key memeber who can have significant influence by taking and inducing wickets. Morkel, Philander, Tahir, Kallis, DeLange and other. It is a ver formidable attack Steyn will look to destroy and Morkel will look to bounce, Philander will look to outwit with cunning use of swing and seam. Tahir should play all tests. But Saf dont use spinners in an attacking role. Tahir himself will look to keep things tight. It will be interesting to see how Smith uses Tahir, SAf haave in recent years not have a leg spinner an attacking option. Smith should attack with Tahir,it will be very interesting how things unravel in the spin department. SAf will be facing Swan who is on top of the game at the moment.

It will be intersting. Dale versus Peitersen will be a treat to watch. I already cant wait to see this contest.I am not sure what playing eleven Saf choose but I hope their starting eleven is - (Alviro) Petersen, Smith, Amla, Kallis, DeVilliers, Rudolph, (Albie) Morkel, Steyn Philander, (Morne) Morkle, Tahir. 

 The English Challenge

English team seems to be one of the most settled teams, Strauss, Cook, Bell, Trott, Pietersen, Bopara, Prior, Broad, Swan, Bresnan, Anderson and others. They have enough in the batting line up to make run. The bowling also balances each other out in bowling. Anderson can seem to string the ball and bend it on will, Broad and Bresnan keep the batsman honest.  Broad has had very good few season. But SAf provide the English the toughest challenge since Pak toured England. Then English were faced wih some other challenges ad found themselves in some fix. Strauss and Cook like to bat long. Pietersen provides the oomph while Trott will provide the soothing effect, Bell and Bopara the key. English have enough riches with their tail often coming to fore front and scoring runs. Te bowling line up has variety in pace and spin. Swann will l pose some very interesting questions. Swan will be hoping he gets some purchase from the pitches.

The advantage they have had is they have already played a few test coming into this test. They will hope to get SAf early. Smith vs Strauss is another contest to look forward too.The weather and pitches hold key. 

The link to blog on previous tour of South Africa to England. 

Cricket: Preview India vs England

England hosts India for four tests five ODIs and a T20. It is billed as the series the number one team, India vs. the number one contenders, England. If you look at the official rankings, Indians are on the top. I think India South Africa, England are the top teams, each on their day capable of upsetting the other two, Indian have squared series with South Africa home and abroad. SAfs have lost of English in South Africa, while English haven’t won a series against India in England or anywhere for last ten years or so, the previous series played in England in 2002 series was drawn, Indian won in 2007.

This series see the teams’ line up and balance each other man for man. In the openers, Strauss and Cook square against Gambhir and Mukund. Gambhir is coming back after missing a few test, so he is likely to be edgy. Mukund looked good but may want to consider resetting himself for English conditions. Zaheer would get an opportunity to bowl at two left handers in Cook and Strauss. Sehwag not likely before the third test as I write this, Johanthan Trott has been collecting runs, playing sense and ticking the strike over. He may not have the aura of a big stroke player but he is least likely to step in the trap to prove his bravado. Rahul Dravid is perhaps an institution when it comes to batting at number three. Dravid’s form will make set the tone how the team performs. If Dravid is fluent and controls the tempo, then he would lay strong foundations and Indians would do well, if he doesn’t then Indians may struggle for just that bit. I am not adding Sehwag to this, coz he is injured. There is no point discussing what an injured player could have done. But it just shifts the favour of the balance towards the English.

Tendulkar, will score runs. It is the matter of time. Indian middle order of Tendulkar, Laxman, Raina and Dhoni will compete with Pietersen, Bell, Morgan. Bell seems to be in form, but Pietersen's form is a worry. I hope he has a good series. It would be fun seeing Morgan against Bhajji. Then Prior vs. Dhoni, both good, but Dhoni has aura and Prior has his gloves. The bowling is where this series gets very exciting. Laxman hasnt had a century there in England. Laxman may want to cash in on this series big time. He has had a decent workout in West Indies, his sublime touch in English conditions would be great to watch.

Zaheer, Praveen Kumar, Munaf, Ishant, Sreesanth are all available for selection (fingers crossed). I mean when was the last time, place for three seamers and five were available for selection? There is variety as well, Kumar and Sreesanth will swing it, Ishant will queue up to get use of any bounce, Munaf has control. Zaheer has everything. Sreesanth will also look to do something, it could be bowling as well. The team up against, Bresnan, Broad, Tremlett, Anderson. A very good attack. I have a feeling even the seam attack tends to balance it out. The key lies some where between the fingers you may guess. Swan vs. Bhajji is perhaps the one to watch. Swan and Bhajji are both off spinners, Swann has a bagful of wickets, Bhajji is struggling for rhythm. Swan clearly has an edge. The difference is Swann would be bowling to Indian batsmen who are comfortable facing spin bowling, especially off spin bowling. English batsmen have had a traditional weakness to collapse against any kind of bowling.

Strauss has been a reluctant captain, who has learnt the trade after he got the job. Dhoni it seems was destined to be this Captain Cool. Dhoni is still to lose a series. Dhoni will always have a few tricks up his sleeves. Strauss will be efficient and clinical and methodical, Dhoni will Strauss guessing. Dhoni would want to score here with the bat. 

It is unlike the series in West Indies, where India had field new players. Raina, Laxman and Ishant were the big plus from that series. Gambhir and other making comeback. I am also looking forward to English commentators for this series. They are fun to listen.

I think 1-1 may be a fair result for the series.

Cricket: Review India vs England

I think this would be one result that both the teams would accept, unwillingly. The two teams converged to the result courtesy some excellent play some poor effort by both the teams at different times. You know you have seen a magnificent knock when Tendulkar’s ton is worthily over shadowed. Andrew Strauss cut and swept his way to a brilliant 158, sad he could see it through.

Batting too good, bowling too bad.

You cannot win a marathon with legs tied. If be pack our batting order with batsmen then we should back to get to any score. Dhoti winning second toss is succession was his consecutive win of tosses, a rarity in recent past.
I wonder having packed sides with batting first, you would want to chase because you know the bowling is week. I mean we scored 338 and the match got tied courtesy a poor finish. We didn’t even completed our quota of over and last seven wickets went for 33 runs. The highest point of the game for Indians was when Tendulkar raised his bat to a fighting century after that it was pretty a spiral downwards till the point Zak trapped Strauss leg before.

Bowling attack consisted of three and a half bowlers.

Indians have traditionally had weak bowling attacks. We are now compelled to use filling bowlers to make ends meet. But going with four bowlers where each bowler can bowl maximum 10 overs is stretching optimism that bit (delta) too much. If a bowlers have an off day you are doomed and if you are defending a sub 250 score then prayers will get you more results then acts on the field. This is where Pakistan are so good, have always found to play 6 bowlers at times 7, and at least five of them having ability to bowl their 10. It is a huge advantage. South Africa too invariably have more than one all rounder. Aussies have been anomaly where they field four really specialist wicket taking bowlers, with very good fielding, the dearth of fifth bowler is hardly felt. Poms have various kinds of batting and bowling all rounder, Collingwood, Bresnan, Wright Broad. If these four play, we can expect at least 35 overs from them and ability to score 100 runs run at run a ball. Invaluable.

Flat, flatter; flattest.

Place the words pitch, bowling, skill, appropriately in the preceding sentence. I would place it a flat pitch, flatter bowling, flattest skill. I mean how many cover drives did we see Strauss playing against all the combined bowling. I don’t remember more than three. He was fed with deliveries, which he kept either cutting or sweeping, taking the slip of the equation. The fielding placement was done in a manner, which encouraged both stroke play and singles. Zaheer bowled perhaps the worst opening spell of the season. He was feeing batsmen on both sides of wicket, preferably short obliging what batsmen set their eyes for. It was incredulous. Bhajji is approaching 400 test wickets, no mean feta, off all people Bhajji should now that best chance for him to get wickets is extending an invitation for batsmen to drive him through the covers, it brings in the LBWs, bowled, edges, caught behinds. The most shots I remember seeing off Bhajji were cut and sweeps no invitation offered to play the drive, Chawla finding his way back had ideal opponents in Poms, any other side would have ensured Chawla hit out of the attack. I mean imagine same bowling attack and we bowling fist against teams like Pakistan or South Africa the top teams in this competition. There are reasons beyond this it is an observance that the muscle in the bowling won more matches then magnificence of batting. Sachin Tendulkar’s whole career bears eye wtiness to this fact. The cricket matches are won by restricting the opposition and taking wickets is the only way to do that.

Batting order need a rejig.

Gambhir, Kohli or Pathan much be dropped to make way for another bowler, the problem is which bowler will replace them and bowl line and lengths with discipline and claim wickets or put pressure to ensure wickets at other end. Pathan did make a century in South Africa but for him to be effective he must come when there are 12 to 15 ovrs where he can get in. The finish role will have to be done by Dhoni coz Yuvraj is also off the boil, with the best form seem to have deserted him. But I hope this 50 is welcome return to form for Yuvraj following couple of ordinary seasons.

Tendulkar’s ton out shone.

Strauss superlative effort out shone a very good Tendulkar century. There is little doubt that if Sachin bats 40-45 overs he would get a century. His century was full of attacking stokes though the start was slow but early caution was packed off to the winds when Collingwood was walloped two sixes in an over and Swann saw two huge sixes sailing over to the leg side off consecutive delivers, Tendulkar was turning the tide and time for his team. There were useful contributions from Sehwag and Gambhir and Yuvraj. He was thoroughly out shone by Strauss who displayed a commanding presence and hunger to score big runs. He shepherd the innings for as long as he could and it had to be superb delivery from Zaheer to bring an end a superb innings.

Cricket: Preview India vs. England

Roll up your sleeves, dig in the flag masts, get the vuvuzelas out and get your throats primed for harrowing echoes. India hosts England in a crucial world cup tie at Bengaluru. Hello World Cup. Let the rain be away while the game is being played. England will look to pull the rug from India's feet while India would look to stamp their authority over England. A match on a Sunday makes for delightful viewing, but then all matches barring one that India play are on a weekend so thank you to the organizers.

Sreesanth induces helplessness.

Sreesanth is too earnest a “tryer”. He was touché unlucky though against Bangladesh. He averages 16 per wicket for his ten wickets against England. Dhoni does back his team but then will he get in two spinners for English, who are known for their weakness against swing, seam and spin. He may not make it to the playing eleven. It’s a hope more than a guess. India one would accept with a tacit nod isn’t fool proof. But Dhoni seems to have it control at most times, so that’s cool. Sreesanth is trying to hard but he may come off on his own in some match and lead the charge. I am sure that won’t be happening anytime soon in the near future.

Man for Man contest.

I am looking forward to Chawla vs. Pietersen, Broad vs. Yuvraj. I hope Luke Wright and Tim Bresnan play, they along with Collingwood would offer a lot, we talking for say 25 overs of bowling and batting at a decent rate. Pietersen would look to make some impact in the game. I hope Trott doesn’t go under the radar, he remains virtually un-noticed and doesn’t seem to be an impact player but if you look at the game history and traditions number three and four are one of the crucial batting slots, best stoke players in the history have occupied that slot. So Trott remains the key. Ian bell is always threatening to come but the threat is as potent as white clouds sending down a spell of incessant rainfall. Zaheer will try to get a left handed opening batsman, the opposition’s captain Andrew Strauss. I am not sure Dhoni vs. Prior would fit this billing.

England bowling looks balanced with Broad, Anderson looking to use pace and swing. Swann looking to turn. If Indians corner Swann early they will pull a huge advantage towards themselves. There is a case for sending Pathan early just to have him a look in, wonder if Dhoni would switch roles with Pathan. Yuvraj is way of the boil and needs to make it count on the field and with the bat. The bat has been silent, for some while now but a fluent hitting Yuvraj can find centre stage among the four hitters, Dhoni, Pathan, Raina and himself.

The two teams would be looking to touch 300 runs. I for one think only one ball should last 50 overs that will even out an advantage which the batting team seem to have. I mean seeing bowlers smacked for 10 an over is no joy, especially if are own bowlers seem to have mastered the art of leaking runs at the death. Indians death bowling is an area of major concern; it may cost us a crucial match. Nehra had bowled an awesome spell in 2003 and shot out England after Sachin had hooked, line and sinker Caddick out of the park for a huge six. England have pressure of sorts, don’t know how well they have prepared but its been a while since they have done well in ODIS, they come as defending champions of a tough T20 format but then the ODIs are a different format and things cannot be super imposed. England way want to go beyond the semis and wining this match in India would set them into a right tone and rhythm and loads of confidence.

Bengalluru gets two-two matches.

I think the mad rush for tickets is justified, lathi charge, one cannot say. Bengalluru got lucky with two cricket matches. I mean if Eden has already hosted a match it could host one of either Netherlands or England match there. It is a shame that there is no India match there. This is what happens when political big wigs slug it out in a centre of a sports field. It is one of the uglier episodes of Indian cricket which is being swept under the carpet. You know who are the big wigs and for once I wont take names, but people slugging it out have to do with top jobs in BCCI and ICC and this is a delta more than a mere coincidences. The world delta was learnt which struggling with calculus in maths while it meant slightly more/less one understood that slightly less/more is a big deal. But then there is no love affair/romance then with maths and at times cricket. Both are alluring, both excite and reflect life both are insatiable and you want more even if you had enough.

On the other most front.

The national games went without trace, The Athletes who have done us proud in CWG and Asian games were missed, I didn’t even get a whiff off it and I am kicking myself for it. But then when cricket is on, people in offices delay board meetings,road are deserted and people ump up and down in front of the Telly as the match has its twists and turns.

May the best team win. May we all say a good match befitting a big game.