Cricket: Melbourne test Day 3

Its end of day three and possible twelve wickets or 200 runs and more would decide a keenly contested test match. It looks at least for now that it is Indians match to loose. I would also add that Aussies have their noses in front. It wont be a cake walk for India. It is always tough when u have runs on the board. India looked really good at one stage with the score reading 214 for 2. They finished with 282 all out within the first session of day three. You can sing bravado about Indian bowling, but the fact is we are against the odds and Aus camp will be a bit more at ease. Indians have a tendency to collapse in a heap, ref: first innings of this test. The fans on the other end would feel the other team has the upper hand. The uncertain cricket to follow has just pumped up the nervous excitement.

Sachin and the magic number.

The hundredth hundred may be playing on his mind, it may not. One more century would make him superlative. He is the best of his generation. He is the best Indian batsman ever. He is a genuine gentlemen and there is very little that public has seen of him that they didn't like. He has lived under an undiluted spotlight for better part of his adult life. He got into cricket at an age when you and me seek freedom without responsibility. He gave up both. I have this amazing sense of gratitude towards guys humility. It is simply impossible for anyone else to pull it off when you have earned so much fame and praise, all deserving off course.

I have seen a few centuries of his and seen him play since I can remember. But I hardly remember any century in which he starts flourish, you string of boundaries, punches on the off side, blistering square drive and flicks and get his century. I long to see centuries, when he is a bit circumspect and builds on his innings. Tendulkar settling in first and then decimating the bowlers, collecting boundaries and growing in confidence. It almost seem unacceptable to me that he will get a century with gusto and flourish like the one which was on display on day two of the Melbourne Test. It was delighting never the less.

Deja Vu in Melbourne

The Indian fan is witness to a collapse of Indian batting previously at The MCG too. It was a nasty one, Sehwag was brutal that day. India all out when they look to drive the advantage home wasn't to be. Aus cruised to victory. Indian bowlers however are looking good. Umesh Yadav is taking wickets, Ishant Sharma will get paid for hard-work sooner rather than later. Indian bowlers riding on self destruct tendencies of Aus batsman capitalized. It was 24/4 at one point before Ponting & Hussey chose to perform rather than parish. The tide turned the runs flowed.

Three aces.

Yadav had claimed first three wickets to fall in the first innings, accounted for Aussie top order again in the second innings. Cowan, warner and Marsh came saw went. Ishant had Clarke. This bought the two people like to face axe (but shouldn't). Ponting and Hussey attacked and defended and restrained the Indian bowling and set course for a competitive fourth innings total for the Indians to chase. . The target is approaching 250. Aussies would like to add a bit more. Indians will look to restraint. It makes for a good Test series.

Sore thumb rule

If two innings have been completed by the end of the third day, you tend to get the direction in which test is likely to head. It is hard to decide those. Indian collapse followed by Aus collapse makes for a jittery viewing if you are an Indian fan. Sehwag will do everything to amplify these jitters. Aus will try to push it beyond 250 may be beyond three hundred. If it is 275 in last five sessions of play to remain. Its just the tendency of collapse that you need to guard again.

Reemphasizing the change in The Menu.

It can be easily concluded about what kind of life you have by the priorities we follow. One we set the goal it is easier to aim. If scoring runs is the goal for the team than batting order should be one of the priority, the right batting order should be one of the priorities. I would love to see Laxman at three, Dravid at four and Tendulkar at five, Dhoni at six and Kohli at seven. It guards against possible collapse, it covers Kohli fallibility it adds to Dhoni since he would have at least one experienced batsman to play with. Tendulkar and Dravid would provide solidity. It would challenge Laxman to add a bit of caution and tightening up his game.

I wish to see changes in Aus line up as well. Hussey is there best bat for sometime now. He like Dravid has a complete game, well suited to play of either foot against all kind of bowling under various condition and score runs competently. He should be batting at three, Clarke at four, Ponting at five. Marsh at six.

It is easy to say Indians will come all out blazing. They need to dismiss Aussies as soon as they can and then chart a course where each batsman should take responsibility to be at the crease when the time comes to finish the game. I hope Yadav gets five tomorrow. I hope its a good match and it sets the right tone for the new years. It will be a good test match to follow.

Cricket: Preview India vs Aus

India tour to Australia has kicked off with a couple of practice matches. Its was so magnanimous of BCCI to let a batch of our players leave early and gift them two matches, guess thats what early Xmas gifts resemble. I don't know if the Board thing or our players, but we don't consider practice matches much on to do list of a tour. India's previous tours to South Africa, West Indies and England being the latest one, have seen us in pretty embarrassing situations, in South Africa we lost the match in the first session, the pitch turned docile after Indian innings and every SAf batsman helped himself with runs and form. West Indies we were 5 wickets down for peanuts the then Man in form with th Bat, Harbhajan and guess who Suresh Raina bailed us out, if it was any other set of players in the opposition we would have been decimated. England saw us winning nothing except a couple of mini sessions between lunch and the following drinks break. I hope fortunes have changed.

Fit? Fine.

India vs Aus is no more the marquee series per se. But for an Indian fan (here, me :P) and players in the team there should be enough spice to compel me (read us) to follow. Its fitness rather than form on this tour that will be the key to the series. It is the key to any series but for us this is the one. You can go out of form and inform in the middle of the game but if you are down on fitness. You can go into a series with an indifferent form and pull of some magical performances but it would be difficult to go into a series with your fitness in the wrong direction of slope. Then Aus is a big country to travel with injuries. Sehwag, you don't know, before you get up on Boxing day he may already playing 50 of 30 balls. Gambhir next to stay put. Dravid, Laxman, Tendulkar have all done well against Australia at home and away when Aussies were at peak of the game in the last decade or so. Laxman is just primed for runs. Sachin is a ton away from ton of tons, wonder if anyone has noticed it. Rohit Sharma and Virat Kohli will have to fight it out for now exclusive so bereft batting order. But Kohli may get a look in before Rohit Sharma. Dhonis batting may just be under a more stern observation. 

Zaheer is coming out of long injury lay off, Ishant seems to be jumping a skipping rope between Am-I-injured-or-Am-I-not. Umesh, Ashwin and Ojha are yet to play in Aus. Irfan Pathan is not selected for some reason. Praveen Kumar wont be there. He did well in West Indies and England and did enough to be considered a decent test bowler. If there is swing he will do it. Bhajji and Sreesanth have been sent home for a long family vacation. Ashwin should fancy a chance against Aussies who have traditionally felt the pinch from the off spinners from Laker, Jasu Patel, Bhajji, Murali, Swann have done well against Australia. I for one would have love to see, Ishant and Bhajji bowling in tandem to Ricky Ponting. Ishant beating the inside edge with Ponting on the back foot, Bhajji beats the outside edge with Ponting coming forward. But then we have to savour what we get. Zaheer Khan is the keep simply because he has played just three test match in Australia. He is has to last the whole tour and keep taking wickets. He is vital to the outcome of the series from Indian perspective

Down Under - getting out of the rot.

Aussies now find themselves thin on talent and aptitude. It is (obviously) hard to replace guess who have entered history of the game. I don't know for how long Haddin may play, there are a few injured players, not suggesting Indians don't have their share of worries. Aussies have worries of their own. Its only Bangladesh and West Indies who have lost more matches. Ponting seems to the punter who out of tricks, but then the harder you want to pray of Indians winning this tour, they more you got to hope that Ponting doesn't get into form. Hussey is another player who can keep ticking, best brains in Aussie line up Watson is not played so that is a dream bonus. Why wasn't Warner scripted couple of years back is the question? Phill Jacques is a joke. Hilfenhaus makes a come back. Siddle will look to sizzle again, rest of the Aussie bowling is something I don't know about. I must add though, I am looking forward to Lyon vs Dhoni.

There are some key duels you want to see, Sehwag vs the cover point or third-man fielder. Dravid & Tendulkar old (oldest) war horses vs greenhorn Aussie rookie bowlers. Gambhir vs bad luck and ill form. Zaheer vs fitness. Ricky Ponting vs Ashwin. Hussey vs Zaheer. Umesh Yadav needs to adapt quickly and be counted. I am just wondering is Dravid, Laxman, Tendulkar should all swap places. It's an idea that has caught my fancy. I wonder if it would make sens to have Laxman at three, Dravid at four and Tendulkar at five. Dhoni vs Haddin. 

The contemplation.

I am contemplating either a daily blog or after at the end of each innings.for  this tour especially for the days test matches played. There is one thing that I pray for, is series to be free of any possible controversy. The most important question for me will they employ DRS?

Cricket: Pride goes before a fall.

Aussies lost pride before losing the Perth test and now seem to have lost the plot and surely have lost the series to an unassailable SAfs 2-0 lead. They are busy garnering public sympathy rather than axing soon to be dead wood, injured players, out of form players, whoever, whatever Ponting called passengers. There is no spinner in the horizon, someone who can keep tight.

The Challengers: South African’s, SAfs from now on.

SAfs have a tremendous run of past couple of years, since there disastrous tour to Sri Lanka. But they have to managed, to unearth Steyn, DeVillers, Amla, Morkel Brothers. Greame Smith himself has scored tones of runs. They won against England and Bangladesh and drew series against India in India no mean task that. They beat Aussies chasing a record total, the Aussies looked visitors to Perth, and SAfs walked easy and bought the cake home. Smith, DeVilliers smashed century, Kallis the talisman, scored runs, gave break through and got wickets, took some catches. This series has again reconfirmed by belief that comparing the bowling and batting may separate ordinary teams but it is the fielding which really differentiates great teams. SAfs took some stunning catches and almost made look Aussies an ordinary team.
SAfs kept coming from behind, much like the Aussies did for more than a decade and half, but since 2005, the English, Indians and SAfs have learnt the trick and maintain at times to count attack from positions unlikely positions of going for the kill. SAfs were 196 for 7 and 198 runs behind played the whole days with Harris and Steyn scoring runs and JP Duminy made a majestic 166. A position that dented Aussies hopes. Hayden being out of form Ponting impressed with 99, but Greame Smith showed more proactive and more incisive approach. He was unnerved with taking tough calls. But he can be better, but he will get there. The only thing SAfs have is to safe guard against complacency. I say go for the kill; take em out 3-Nil.
Hayden and Ponting will want to forget 2008. Ponting did score some centuries, but then two he scored against India ended in draws, India remains a land of mystery to him. He suggested that since lot of spin is bowled you are likely to be claimed by spinners, something Ishant Sharma took to heart as he was all over Ponting in Australia and India.
The next India SAfs tussle would be real fun.

The losers, Aussie cricket team.

You win you lose, in a cricket contest one team will win and one will lose. Drawes and tie matches are exceptions. You lose or you out manoeuvred. Ponting for now is not only losing but being out manoeuvred, which are of a greater concerned. It is easy to accuse Ponting of everything, but as compared to Mark Taylor and Steve Waugh his tenure as captain is tougher simply because during Taylor and Waugh’s captaincy the Aussie teams was in ascendancy, there were bunch of players which were coming up the core consisted of solid openers with like of Taylor, Slater, Blewett, Elliot, then Langer and Hayden the non a good strong middle order of Waugh brothers, Ponting, Martyn, Warne and seamers like McGrath, Gillespie, Kasprowicsz, Refiel, Fleming, Lee.
Five times in five tests. Hayden not giving those flying starts made Australia work double hard and yielded very ordinary result. Clarke impatient was exposed, Hussey succumbed to impatience, Symonds to alcohol, Ponting to some ingenious. Katich remains a pleasant exception he has consolidated. Other players crashed out due to injuries.
The openers are struggling, Hayden used to score in bulk but know rests most of time cooling is heels for as long as Aussies bat. The bowling looks paltry, catches taken with some difficulty. Instead of moving ahead with the game they seem to be looking back, hoping something good happens rather then looking inwards and marching forwards. I wonder why Pomersbach or Shaun Marsh opened in with Hayden, Katich should have bowled more often and played instead of White.
But going ahead will be tougher if they cannot put behind whatever happened and play for pride. If they lose the next match, it would be right time for Hayden to put his hand up, and hand his gloves, Ponting should give up the obsession of captaincy and stop calling shots. In drastic times especially this year when things have turned upside down each and everyone was shaken and stirred in more ways then one.

Indian hand in Aussie downfall.

I am glad that SAfs won the battle of the South Hemisphere. On current form they are the number one side by far. But I think SAfs have completed what the Indian team started. We should have drawn if not lost the Test match. It will be remember for all the wrong reasons. Symonds, the Racism row, the immense money muscles that BCCI flexed. The pull out was a hype all right never the less the Aussies may have felt the ripples if not repercussions from Indians on that tour. Then the IPL which say Aussies queuing up for mega bucks and witness the mega hysteria over the duration of the summer.
Kumble swept the carpet while Ponting harping all sorts of negative vibes. Aussies lost the next match at Perth starting this year then played a dead rubber to save the series and then when the rot had started. If I am not wrong Indians played Aussies 6 times this year, we have won three and drawn three. Aussies zilch.
The racism row proved to be heave guilt of many Aussies. Then big tough players like Symonds took up drinking and fishing to fins a way through. The chinks were beginning to exposed when one of the pace demons, bowled some ordinary medium pace in Perth, then citied psychiatric problems to take a break. I think I haven’t heard of him since then, I am worried if still going therapy. The Aussie were mentaly dragged and degraded and I think gave up soon.

Cricket: Second Test, SA on the mat.

India have made sure that they make this one sided tour exciting, which rekindled hope for cricket fan like me and bought right sort of attention to the game. It has been a year of mixed fortunes. I think inconsistency is what represents Indian cricket.

Not so green, I am sceptic.

I thought SAfs would come hard and make India stamp on an axe, but not to be. I was watching TV and Ravi Shastri ( a top commentator) kept on saying it was a good toss to lose. I was so happy when Dravid lost the toss and SAfs elected to bat.

South African first innings

Smith is Zaks bunny.

Zaheer Khan is looking really good. He has picked up Smith as his bunny, tormented him right through the ODIs and Smith was far away from being impressive. He tried postively and ended up top edging Zaheer, long hop, it was a skier and Tendulkar maintained his calm to latch on a good (also Vital) catch of Smith. Short Pitch Stuff on opposing captain, grerat going Zaheer. He was generating some pace, some more control may be and we would have had a better and clear picture.
Zaheer then trapped Amla for nothing and Safs were deja vu al over again.

DeVillers needs to do something better. It was a shot which must not be playe. He was dismissed again Tendulkar holding a tidy catch. It is good to see Dravid asking Tendulkar to stand on first slip.

Parternship tested Indian bowling.

Dravid opted not to atack after lunch with SAfs not enjoying much at 67 for 3. Anyways a partnership made sure India patience was tested. Indians held fort even after Gibbs changed gears and suddenly went on the rampage , but by mistake he pressed a self-destruct button only to get out on a short-pitch ball Dhoni mopping him up with a nice low catch.

Boucher-Sreesanth more than a contest.

Sreesanth upped the ante agains Boucher who kept on scoring against everyone barring Kumble. Sreesanth yorked him and the next ball pitched outside off and blew his middle and leg stumps away much to the joy on Sreesanth. Boucher kicking himself.

Pollock came, saw, thrashed and went.

Ambition or excess of it done Pollock in and VRV got his lone wicket of the innings. Pollock cut a rising VRV delivery to point where Sehwag caught a stinger. SAfs hoped dashed. The next to follow was a Kumble Show.

Kumble Show.

He has been an unsung hero of India Pantheon currently the fourth highest wicket taker. No mean achievement that. Andrew Hall who is in the record books for scoring a slwoest century that too aginst India wasn't alowed to settle in much and a googly ctrapped him front. The couple of balls latter another googly bowled Nel through the gate.

Prince on Kingsmead.

He is a sticker. Dravid is another but I think Dravid on present form is one of the most complete player in world cricket. Prince had his luck, as the standard of umpiring was not that good and there were a few appeals which were turned down and helped save SAfs from the blushes or else they would have been wrapped up for less that 225. Anyways he stayed among the ruins and played the way Test cricket should be played. He should cut on his tendency to sniff around the offstump. Hacques Rudolph is missing much to my dismay. He is a very good batssmen copy book but good.

What's instore?

It depends on what colour one is supporting. It is all about taking initiative and driving home the advantage. Indian will look to bowl them below 300 and SAfs will be first looking towards Prince getting a deserving century and then may be get as many as they can. Who opens the bowling in the first session of the day.
Indian will be batting at some-point in time. Lets hope SAfs get bowled for say 285. The Indian opening batsmen have to put the heads down and just wait for Pollock to get out of attack. it means even if they have to face him for an hour and not score to many then then can score heavily from other. Nel is important for SAfs and India should look fprward to scoring off him. Indians have to look to facing they second new ball with atleast 5 wickets in hand. If they do it they will win the series or else India will make a one sided affair exciting.


Shane Warne has taken 700 hundered wickets and can take a maximum of thirty more atleast 15 must I say.

Cricket: Boxing Day Test, Day One.

Score Card: Stumps Day One
Australia: 239/8
Ponting: 117 Pollock: 3/46
Hayden: 65 Nel: 4/58
A good beginning may not make a good end. That’s the bottom line of whatever happened on the first day at Melbourne Cricket Ground. Australia won the toss and to know ones surprise elected to bat first. The Aussies have two spinners in their side Warne and Macgill. The Melbourne pitch will be a spinner friendly, at least the two spinners in Aussie side suggest so. It was a dream start for Proteas snapping the new opener without much hard work. It was hard work for both teams after that. It could have been worst for Aussies if Andre Nel held onto Ponting’s catch. Ricky Ponting and Matthew Hayden took Australia to 154 for 1. This is when The Proteas turned the tables on Kangaroos.
They slipped from their and continue to slip to the days end. Shaun Pollock rocked the top order taking out Hayden and Hodge. Nel then rocked the Aussie middle order with most of their batsmen licking their wounds. Andrew Symonds who is such a destructive One-Day player seems not to get his footing right in the tests. Hussey looked circumspect all the while. Nel ruffled Shane Warne’s feathers. Shane Warne hit him for a four on the first ball on Nel’s over. Nel tickled his wrong side again. Warne holed out to mid off, a good catch. Warne was no his way to pavilion.
The scenarios on a cricket match tend to change pretty soon. It may be so on the next day. The onus is on South Africa to polish the Aussie tail and then bat at least for two days. If they do so, with a run-rate of 3 an over that should see them with a lead of well in excess of 250 runs. This is easier said then done. Warne and Macgill will leave no stone unturned. McGrath will always take wickets. Bret Lee is always threatening with quick pace. South Africa should say to themselves, if we screw up this innings we screw up the series.
If they don’t bat Aussies out of the game then you can very well predict whats going to happen. The Aussies always manage to come back if given a chance to do so. I think Gilchrist poor form is a cause of concern. I hope he returns to form sooner rather than later.
The ball is in South Africa court, they are in a driver seat. Do they have enough to take a big lead over Aussie? The fat remains to be seen