Cricket: Dhoni wins Champions trophy

There is always this saying that keeps going around, which says captain is as good as the team. Napoleon said once something to the effect that he doesn't fear an army of hundred of lions led by a sheep but fears an army hundreds of sheep led by a tiger. Dhoni got his team, he won. There are light years between Dhoni and others captains in the latest contest that saw India winning Champions trophy. Yes team matters, there have been these brilliant performances, starting but not limiting to Jadeja and Dhawan, who won the golden ball and golden bat respectively. The fielding was superlative through out the tiurnament. It made a just above decent (pace) bowling look brilliant. The top order clicked and middle order had little chances and on their way to winning the trophy, got exposed in the final a little bit, but they won all the matches, at times they looked to be losing ground but came back to win eventually.

Champions of champions

India beat previous winners, South Africa and West Indies, Sri Lanka. The first match against South Africa, which started well for the Indians. Steyn didn't play as he was ruled out on fitness grounds, Morkel broke down middle of the game, rest of the bowling didnt posed enough challenge. Sharma cut loose early and Dhwana caught up to match stroke for stroke. Sharma characteristically holed out, Dhawan went on to score his second century in as many international innings. 

There were more twirls to the mustache which were to follow. Indians faulted a late charge by Jadeja and Indians ended up scoring 334. In the end it proved just enough to secure a win.

South African charge saw, Bhuvanesh claiming Ingram as the first wicket, Yadav then claimed Amla with one that took the inside edge, Amla was a man in hurry and a big wicket to restrict SAf chase early. Devilliers promoted Peterson up the order probably showed his cards to soon. Peterson and Devilliers kept building a strong base. Jadeja through a brilliant fielding spectacle claimed Peterson run-out, the trap was set for the choke. Jadeja then claimed Dumiy LBW and the bubble was just about to meet the needle, from 155 for 2 they were reduced to 188 for 6. The danger men were all in the pavillion.  Then Indian just made sure SAf were in the hut and just deflated SAf chances. McClaren did play well, if only one of the SAf batsmen had stayed long enough on the crease.

West Indies were next.

West Indies started well. Gayle obviously like T20s, started well, but then got out as he was looking to build on. West Indies look half baked if Gayle doesn't fires. So it was wickets, run wickets, wickets, run wickets and Runs. Charles played well, but once spinners came of, he played to many shots instead of holding on. Darren Bravo was almost on his way to score an infamous 36 not out, but his misery too ended soon. Jadeja just ran through the middle order taking fie wickets, with subtle changes of turn and bounce and spin and West Indies batsman had little clue. Jadeja has come a long way, in the last T20 world cup in West Indies he was nowhere as good as a bowler, and to come from there and win the golden ball is something.

Sammy however restored faith in tottering innings I think Sammy should be batting three down and should shoulder the responsibility of building an innings from 25 to 40 over. He scored last 50 of West Indies runs on his own. He caned Ishant Sharma, epitome of Indian bowlers inabilit to bowl at the death. A very interesting chased one would have though, Indian reply was one worth looking forward too.

Talented Mr Sharma and Messrs Dhawan started the Indian chase. Sharma with some daft touches, square drives and pulls, started to make West Indies attack very very ordinary Sharma is an innovative modern day player, but he is at his innovative best when it comes to getting out. He managed to get a tickle on the inside edge flicking the bal leg side,one of the more embarrassing ways to get out if there is one. Nanine claimed both the wickets that feel meanwhile rampaging Dhawan kept building on and scored is second ton of the series. Karthick meanwhile helped himself to a half century as West Indies dropped catches and chance of posing a challenge to Indian reply. The Juggernaut had just started to roll.

A farce called Pakistan cricket team.

Pakistan are the most dangerous when they are down and out. They have been down and out for quiet some time. Yes there are these occasional flashes of bizarre freakness but thats about it. Pakistan seem to have a very ordinary team, wickets fall like nine pins. If you bat first and score a decent score of 240 to 260 you pretty much in drivers seat. But Indian were ticking all the boxes on paper, Pakistan seemed unable to put up a decent team on the paper. They limped to an embarrassing 165 in nearly 40 overs. It was such an eyesore of an innings. It wasn't a Pakistan we knew; it was such a shame that there was such a hype for this match and when it ended there wasn't even a whimper about it. Pakistan have to go back and search for wood to find a decent drawing board before thinking of going back to the drawing board. Indian had a cake walk over Pakistan, didn't even look like a worthy of a practice game of clubs,which one feels are more competitive. Pakistan were out bowled and blown in the field. Kohlis run-out of Junaid just stood for the metaphor of the match and Indian's Dominance. 

Rain didn't exactly help matters, but that doesn't rob way the fact that Pak played like a true minnow.

Another walk in the park, OK jog.

Lankans came off from a tough match where they beat England chasing down 293, which at one stage looked more than enough score to defend. But against Lankans, Indians won a crucial toss and invited Lankans to bat. Indian bowlers made the most of the bowling conditions and ball swirled and swung on the string. Reduced to 41 for 3 and Dilshan injured. Jayawardene and Matthews tried building a partnership. Jadeja once again put his hat in the ring by having Jayawardene bowled. 

Mahela is a big fish, he plays with a silken touch and perhaps one of the better batsman who can play spin bowling. It was a big wicket. Other fell trying to up the ante and Indian restricted Lank an score to 181. A jog in the park was ensured.

Talented Mr Sharma and Dhawan opened the innings, Sharma fell as expected when least expected should have looked to finish the match with a quiet 60 but went for glory and tried an ugly hoick only to get bowled top of off stumped. Embarrassing way to get out. Kohli started cautiously and just build on it. Dhawan was doing the hitting and kept going, before he was smartly stumped. India were in cruise control before more dibble and dabbles, whip and slashes and we were into the finals.

Finals England.

The match was on 23 Sunday, anyone remotely a cricket fan saw the entire Indian campaign at least 5 to 6 times as rains tried it best to get a wash out and England India to be joint winners. The match was 5 minutes away from wash out but rains retreated and a 100 over match was reduced to 20 over a side match.

Indians started cautiously. The rain started and stopped at times Indian batsman were hitting it to covers and stealing singes, at times they were running to the pavilion as the covers came on. 66 for 5 and in deep soup, Sharma bowled again. Dhoni and Raina scored a single between them, Karthick fell to a swipe, Dhawan did his bit but Kohli and Jadeja added quick runs to just push the Indian score at more than run a ball. Just enough cosnidering the condtions and England had to do the chasing.

English had the match to loose. Yadav started the rot, got one to bounce more and Ashwin caught Cook at first slip. Trott was looking comfortable against pace but Indian spinners had sorted out how to bowl on English conditions. Ashwin, was looking to make it rip. He went round the wicket straight away. Trott having dabble previous over to spin , looked very cautious. Went down the wicket, Dhoni stumped him in a flash, Root, holed out on sweep and England were looking very very insipid.

Bell got stumped which was clearly not out and may have just turned the match or nearly turned it in Indians favor Bopara, living under a sword did his bit with eh ball, claiming three wickets earlier, started to build with danger man Morgan. Ishant was back to his merry ways, of gifting one boundary ball per over. Morgan and Bopara looked dangerous Ishant got clubbed for a six and then bowled two wides, Indians looked in a precarious position and need a stroke of luck or a mistimed stroke from the batsman. Morgan has such a good eye, was lulled into a weird stroke lobbed an easy catch at mid wicket, Indian came back next ball, Bopara smashed a pull and Ashwin caught one and India merely had to hold on to the 20 over and victory was there for the taking. 

Butler got bowled from a beauty from Jadeja and Indians had their hands on the trophy. One more wicket, courtesy a run-out and fat lady was clearing her throat.

Ashwin had 14 to defend in the last over, with such conditions loaded in favor of Ashwin, he bowled a cool last over even after being stuck for a boundary.

India deserving winners.

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: 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: 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: South Africa stretching India

South Africa is stretching India, while India could have lost all the matches in this series and it would not have mattered, chief spoilers Sehwag, Gamhir and Tendulkar are nursing injuries back home, Praveen Kumar who just swings it enough, to keep his team in fray. Zaheer looking good. India seem to be winning crucial moments in tight situations.

A let down and a ray of hope.

Ishant woefully out of form, Sreesanth does all things well including bowling; Rohit Sharma will wait to show off his exploits in IPL. Sharma is ensuring he has the fame and glory but never fulfilment. It seems a mental thing for him, I was surprised he being sent to South Africa as Sehwag's substitution. He had just screwed up Mumbai chances hence returned a ticket to world cup. It is kind a sad, I guess he would feel the pinch as well, but I guess lives should move on.

Graeme Smith and Zaheer Khan

Marriages are made in heaven, so are Nemesis. Zaheer Khan devours taking left handed openers out soon, he has marked and pocket many a prize wickets. Zaheer has two more games to completely tie down Graeme Smith. There is a similarity between Dhoni and Smith, its apart from the fact that these two guys lead there respective teams, Smith batting technique is as rustic and agrarian as Dhoni but I guess what suits the best, both are power hitters and muscle the bowl unlike Kallis or Dravid (touch players). But Zaheer had Graeme Smith spell bound, he was just hopping to see Zaheer off. He did succeed, but got out to Bhajji playing an innocuous sweep, no doubt, Smith would have felt sheepish and innocuous when he was walking off.

Bowling deserves the due.

There have always been question marks over Indian bowling especially in the end overs of an innings, Paki bowlers are the best, but Indian bowers languish. I guess all teams fancy scoring 70 to 80 runs in the last ten and since the advent of another power play, people fancy a lot more. But it wasn’t to be this time, Zaheer and Munaf bowled to there fields, some inept batting from Duminy triggered a collapse and last six runs were out adding only 20 runs to the score, power play was wasted. Indian part time bowlers Yuvraj & Co did well too, keep the scoring restricted and not allowing any freebies.

Catch it!

Indian fielding is the perfect barometer of teams morale and hunger, Indians came up with brilliant catches, Zaheer ran and cupped one off Devillers to provide a crucial break through, it was a super athletic effort, something which would add a spring to fielders step. Kohli also plucked a couple of catches and made it look easy, couple of run outs meant that SAfs could never reach a score in excess of 240 to 250. This game saw some tidy bowling with supple and sharp fielding, batting, well since the spoilers were not there, guess we can do better in batting.

Indian batting springs no surprises.

Murali Vijay needs to score. He was caught of a brilliant return catch by Steyn. A couple of batsmen did the hard thing, got start but Morne Morkle seems to be a tall order to fight. He belongs to tall fast bowlers, Garner, Ambrose and all but I guess Morkel offer much more pace, haven’t seem Ambrose bowling a lot bowling in excess of 147 clicks. Steyn with his swing and Morkle with his bounce at top speeds do make for a killer combo. I don’t seem any pair of fast bowlers coming close to them. Tsotsobe, is improving with every game, he looked good, lack a bit of luck. Morkle came on and put the brakes on, as Indian middle order seems to be crumbling. It is weird to see Yuvraj struggling for timing. He should have done better, Sharma flattered to deceive, probably not for the last time. Raina and Pathan got going. Indians wanted to win that what they conveyed.

Pathan the thunder storm.

He gets on the pitch and blows the bowlers away, three sixes off Botha. The towering sixes changed the complexion of the game, it was the point of inflection for me. It started with Pathan clearing the front leg, thrashing Botha three sixes in the single over, and ended with Bhajji hitting Morkel much like a tennis player hitting a powerful groundstroke down the line. Pathan was outsmarted by Steyn when he got Pathan caught out at third man, it was a brilliant catch. But another cameo by Zaheer and some riding the luck moments of Bhajji saw Indian get through as winner in consecutive tight matches. I think it is no ordinary feat. Bowlers repaid captains faith. I am sure everyone in the Indian cricket team will cherish a nice break before battle cry for world cup gains voice boxes.

Indians lead the series 2-1 with two more games to be played this weekend.

Cricket: SAfs win first test.

South African cruised to a very comprehensive innings victory against under prepared India. This match will be remember more for Tendulkar 50the hundred rather than South African victory, another Tendulkar century in vain and when all seemed lost. I had thought a lot worst and was pretty convinced that India would loose by at least innings and 150 runs. Tendulkar has other plans, Indians lost crucial wicket at indifferent times ib the second innings, Sehwag, Laxman and Raina were out when least expected.

All was lost in a day. 136 all out

Indian came into the test match without a practice match, Zaheer lost the race to fitness, Sehwag got out for a duck. All bad omens one may say. The most telling of these omens was no practice match, long time back between 97 and 99 seasons India toured Zimbabwe for a test match, they didn’t have a practice match and we lost there as well. A lesson not learnt or learnt the hard way. This time we weren’t touring Zimbabwe we are touring a place where we haven’t done all that well, the combined average of our top four bats is 36. They are the main threats to our number one position. It would be a great boost for us as a cricket team if we play SAfs with more conviction. Wasn’t to be. The question if we had survived that dreaded first session hold little value. A practice match would have done a lot of good things. The preparation would have been better, Zaheer fitness would be no mystery, there would be match sense, playing a test match would have been a fine tune rather than a crude shock.

India selection was a bit bemusing, I thought Yadav who bowls in 140s would have made the cut, but then there would have been something more about Undakant that I don’t know. Raina now has 84 runs in his last 8 innings; if he deserves a place in the side he must be demoted. Dhoni, who has more conviction and common sense, should come ahead of Raina. Bhajji has done little with his bowling efforts and should be dropped. SAfs have, Petersen, DeVilliers, Amla and Kalis, all right handers and have a liking for Bhajji’s off spin and would continue to hoick him over mid wicket. Ojha, spinning it away from the bat becomes a more threatening option. Laxman would want to think about hitting across the line not before he is over 150 runs. Dravid seemed unlucky with bad bounce. But we can expect a better fight in the next match considering most batsman spend decent time at the crease.
It is something SAf batsmen capitalize on. I am also wondering how pitch changed its nature. The second question then is if the pitch really changed its nature at all. Did Indian batsman come with poor mindset, weather already had played a spoil sport.

Kallis - A big match player.

Kallis has scored big runs and taken big wickets, last genuine breed of now nearly extinct species of cricketers called all rounders,more than 250 wickets more runs than any other SAf hundred catches but still finds himself a bit of a loner. He out weighs much of SAf team by his performances, this time around, SAf were in hunt for this massive lead. Kallis looked good especially against a very ordinary Indian bowling. He wanted a big one, he did get a massive double hundred. I think if you match the team player for player, Tendulkar is matched by Kallis, his bowling on seeming bouncing pitches is an asset.
DeVillers just hammered it all over and ensure that Indians would bat for a longer time then would like, they had to bat out seven sessions, but since we lost the plot before the first evening itself, result was just a matter of time. When the SAfs declared there was only one result possible, pending Indian defeat.

The difference is in the bowling.

If you look beyond Steyn and Morkel there isn’t much that South Africa has to threaten a batting side. The problem is Steyn and Morkel are so damn good. I mean they would easily cream couple of wickets every time they bowl together. India I thought would come out with a very conservative way to just weather the storm and pick runs when Steyn and Morkel have been tired out. The casualness of Indians has invited this defeat. South Africa must meanwhile look for a bowler who can complement Morkel and Steyn, there can be no easy reprieve if Steyn or Morkel has a bad day.
But it is tough challenge for our batsman to negate Steyn and Morkel let alone tie both of them and score of other bowlers. They claimed 14 wickets in between them in the whole game, Ishant claimed two of the four wickets. Bhajji claimed the other two& two is the number of maiden overs he bowled in his marathon like 36 overs that leaked runs close five runs an over. Bhajji is a different kinda off spinner, who relishes on variable bounce and whizz of the wicket, unlike conventional off spinner, Randiv and Swann who invite the batmen forward with the loop and flight. Bhajji needs to look at Mendis and R Ashwin and other off spinner going around. Bhajji Pa invite them to drive, speed and bounce and spin will all come into play.

Sachin the man keeps them churning on and on

There have been many a child prodigies, some withered away, some never made it, some self consumed. Sachin Tendulkar I think is the only child prodigy after Mozart to fulfil (and exceed) the God gifted promises. The person who goes past him or even close to him will be the only one who would know what immense pressure, scrutiny, glamour and hype. Indian cricket has had a rich history but the rich treasure and coffers of BCCI have grown in Sachin’s Era. I am not sure if it is just coincidence. Actually, it is too true for being coincidence.

There have been many a great batsmen, there would be some more. All of them put together would have not lived in as much scrutiny, praise adulations and criticisms as Tendulkar, certainly not many bought as much smiles to millions. Personally for me he remains a super achiever on the field and supreme achiever off it. It is this intense and unrelenting electron microscope like life that he has lived makes it more special. It is not easy what he has done on the field, records are meant to be broken, Sachin records too may be broken someday. There are things that we do and then there is a way we do them. Sachin keeps us all glued to the game. Every time he has risen and every time his form has waned his humility increased, he got more dignified. He remains in the headlines for right reasons. I wonder if they would retire the No.10 jersey. He deserves a Bharat Ratna,if doesn’t who does?

Back to the game.

We were out played and out smarted.Raina deserves a demotion if not a drop from the eleven, Dhoni must come ahead of Raina no mater what the situation of the game, I think it would have been a bit different had Dhoni come up the order before Raina and the may have had a similar partnership with Tendulkar. It would have changed the complexion of the game. Bhajji needs to bag lick a dozen wickets every time,don’t think he is a stupendous form,Bhajji the batsmen will be of little consequence, Okjha, Yadav should be in, Zaheer would be definitely come in. I don’t think there would be so many changes. At this point in t ime 1-1 seems a long way away. But second innings batting by Indians give me lot of hope and is something positive to be taken at the end of this game.

Cricket: Indians tour of South Africa

Indians begin a tour of South Africa in a couple of day’s time. The facts that the no 1 ranked team (Indian Team) are not the favourites for the series. I may be corrected on this but I think this is our first tour away from the sub continent after being crowned number one cricket team. I am not taking into account tour of Bangladesh. It tells you so many things. Indians haven’t played much in South Africa. Our top batsmen and bowlers don’t have much to say about their exploits in South Africa. The batsmen are scoring between 35 to 38 runs compared to mid 50s in their careers. The bowlers haven’t had much fun. It is one place where we haven’t done all that great.

There was a chance to prepare well, but then BCCI acted a bit naive(?). Indians go into the series without any first class match. I think ICC is the custodian and marketer of the game. It must serious look into how tours are scheduled and planned. It is responsible for the way game is playerd, develops and spread. The present Indian tour to South Africa sets a very BAD example. But then ICC is as meek as Indian cricket fans. I wonder why there isn’t something seriously done about it. A decent tour match could be so vital in setting the right tone.

Bowling and batting are the only two weak links.

There seems to be just two weak links, batting and bowling. The fielding hasn’t been our forte so not write much on that front. While bowling rests on Zaheer who’s fitness isn’t being 100% if we are to “believe” the latest reports. Sreesanth bowled a magical spell and SAfs were gasping for breath. It was so rare that not many performances by Indian bowlers on foreign pitches can come to reckoning. I am still wondering if we have the bowlers to take 20 wickets in the match. Srinath and Prasad did their couple of bowling performances but not to be but it was in the past.

I don’t think we have a good and a settled combination of bowlers sent there I am not sure of this time either. I was wondering if Irfan Pathan (yes, Irfan ) could be added in the mix. He is been in wilderness for some time. His presence would provide an interesting combination. My line up would be – Sehwag, Gambhir,Laxman, Tendulkar, Dravid, Dhoni, Raina,Irfan, Zaheer, Ishant, and Ojha. Is it just three and a half bowlers there or keep Irfan, drop Raina for a bowler?

Sehwag has to blast and negate Steyn and Morkel. Gambhir is playing there for the first time. Laxman has to come ahead at one down to keep the scoring going, although Dravid is scoring runs but looks a touch out of rhythm and may not be able to take the momentum ahead. Tendulkar is in prime form but it is some place he hasn’t done his best. He will score. Dhoni as a batsman hasn’t been going great guns, his lack of runs doesn’t catch the eyes in the background of good (not great) performances. Zaheer kept Smith in check for most of the tour, but Smith had hit back smashing a century to win the series. Bhajji has played just one match there, I don’t know if he would make it to the playing XI. Raina (if playing) and Sehwag would make up for Bhajji. They could together bowler 15 to 18 overs (together) and would be luck to get couple of wickets (maximum). Ojha will have to keep it tight, Ishants testing Test match waters again, so remains a bit uncertain. The whole team seems to be tredging this uncertain line, there is more hope than belief that the team would do well.

It is probably last tour for the Big three, at least together.

The trick is to start with conservative strategy of playing a least 100 to 120 overs, see the new ball out, make a foundation for a decent score. The bowlers should look to bowl to conservative lengths and lines but attacking fields. The fielding has to be as good as SAfs if not better.

SAfs have lot to prove as well.

SAfs would be busy setting traps but they do have to consider Indian bowling as a possible threat or else it may spiral downwards for them. I hope Smith is injury free and fit to play. Amla and DeVilliers are in very good form, Kallis is genuine class. Boucher has always been a tough nut to crack. Steyn will lead the charge. He is an awesome bowler, mean and menacing and a big threat to Indian batting line up.
If the series would be drawn 1-1 I would be really happy. SAfs will go all guns blazing in their own backyard, Indians have a lot to prove. This is top of the line clash so hoping for very gruelling and a tough series.

Cricket: India won, Sachin shone

 

India won the match, but for every once in a while in a team game someone comes along, who almost seemed like the one for whom prophecies are voiced and then one prophecy fulfilled leading him to another and a protégé metamorphised into a marvellous genius capturing amazement unlike previously imagined. It's a road not all willingly take, the some who do willingly take up the gauntlet,face a lonely climb up, hide there tears in pain and misery while lighting warm candles of affection and spreading the cheer and joy for others who follow. The Pantheon of Cricket won’t be complete without Sachin and yes, when the Pantheon is assembled Sachin’s statue would be humble and selfless and would continue to shine with an aura that no eye would afford to miss.

Sachin is a great genius and outstanding champion cricketer. His feats will make you wanting to know more about his ways,mannerisms etc. I think his humility, his respect for the game, his attitude towards the game and life that pleases and amazes me the most. I mean I don’t think I have seen/known many people who have achieved even close to the quantum of what Sachin has seemingly achieved so easily and be equally humble while he did what he did on teh cricketing field. His achievements and his humility add to his never wavering aura. There are many champions, who have come and gone, not many have achieved so much and at the same time lasted so long without being seduced by charms of fickle flame of fame. Sachin has lived more than half his life, more than two decades in public life, yet remained practically aloof, never was anywhere near controversy or did anything that would make u raise your eye brow. I think this makes his achievements more special. I don’t know if any book on cricket records would ever mention the pressure, the emotion and tears of joy when Tendulkar scored (centuries).

Even in this particular innings, he batted and scored half the runs of the team, yet not many who saw would realize that when he was nearing his double century, he was just pushing himself on will. He ran and sashayed down the pitch he pulled, swilled, ran for his partners apart from himself, a tremendous physical effort. In the end he came to field, and at the end of the game he said he would like to bat for another 50 overs and see how his body copes up. I don’t think his body matters anymore, he is walked away from the physical to the metaphysical will mind, body soul are in sync and things happen the way he want them to happen. I may be painting eloquence but then in last 12 months or so what Tendulkar has done over so many years cannot simply be done on the basis on healthy body alone.

Sachin’s in supreme form physically and seem to be winding the clock back dozen of years ago. While a few years ago people imagine his body not being able to bear the brunt of the rigours of the game, he restricted himself of the strokes that carried his signature but now in the present he has reinvented himself and looks more solid, capable of changing years and controlling the direction and flow of the game.

All things said and done, yesterday I would have loved to see him bowl and take couple of wickets just for fun. I guess 200 not out wasn’t enough. But then he over compensated and made up when he was stranded run out. He more than made up with a 200 not out, something that was never ever done in history of ODI cricket. Perhaps it may be done in times to come, but he would always remain the first to do it.

Yes a few more men played the innings, perhaps helped Tendulkar as booster rockets put satellites in space. Karthick if fast putting up weight of runs for a selection in the team with some splendid performances He batted well and just got well along with Tendulkar and kept the score to tick along. He was looking for more than a 79, yeah it wasn’t to be. His wicket saw entry of Yusuf Pathan, shrewed Dhoni’s hand in that is hard to miss in that decision. Pathan played himself in and was soon raced along to a good 30 odd runs; Tendulkar kept smashing it all over. Dhoni came to fore and just up the ante in double quick time; Tendulkar by now was looking ever more patient and focus to get to a coveted double century.

South Africans overawed with what they say just wilted under weight of expectation of scoring over 8 an over before even a ball was bowled. Devilliers put up his hand to score a good hundred but then he was a lone ranger. Tendulkar etched out a special innings. I hope the dust of adulation and admiration never settles. All I wish to say in the end that I wish I too was as humble as Tendulkar, the most worshipped cricketer the game of cricket has seen.

Cricket: India square series

India came back from behind to square series one each. I am still to be convinced of two test and four test and six Odis. I think Odis should be restricted to maximum of three, included more test. I mean would it have mattered to BCCI in terms of revenue if this were to be only a test series? But then seldom what BCCI does has anything to do with something called as rationale.

Storm in the tea cup

Greame Smith was the only joy for first couple of sessions. SAfs won the toss and elected to bat. It was a conscious decision to bat first in order to avoid facing the spinning ball on the last day. Alviro Petersen made a century on debut. He was doing pretty good and not only rose to the occasion, but did very well, obviously helped by what look a wayward Ishant especially in first innings. A big partnership between Amla and Alviro saw them cruising and made Indian bowlers look like someone without plan and imagination. There was a storm to come in the session following tea.
I guess when Indians went back they sensed a storm in the tea cup. The whole scenario changed when Bhajji wrecked the SAfs batting line up and sweet memories of 2001 the Eden test flickered in front of many a cricket fans. In the hindsight that very test marked in some subtle ways how India team went to become a very professional, albeit a touch inconsistent but good test team. The balance is in favour of batsman but bench strength seems good but untested.
The buzz of the match changed soon after tea and out of nowhere things start to happen as if sequence of events waited for a hint of the trigger. One wicket let to another and what seemed like a picture perfect scenario in the second session looked so ominous, Kallis, Devilliers, Duminy, Prince along with Petersen and Amla came and went what seemed innocuous deliveries and unthought-of shots. The shots were inexplicable needless to say unwarranted and before the dust settled and sunset, eight wickets had fallen and India came out of back jail. Zaheer, Ishant, Misra and forget me not Bhajji claimed wickets and shared to onus. The cake was baked and the dressing was about to be added.


Sustained batting effort

Indians sustained the pressure. SAfs assisted the Indian batting effort, but bowling little less the good and fielding as worst as any you would imagine from SAfs. It was by far the worst fielding display I have seen from SAfs in quiet some time. Sehwag kept on smashing them all over. There is a method to his madness. See ball hit ball. His style is so simplistic on the lines of being almost minimalistic, but one of the more profound batsmen of his time if not in the history. His numbers say it all. He is for sure the corner stone of batting and other rally around him. Yes, he does keep you n the edge of the seat and will always give the other side a chance, yes he may make you want to pull your hair but when he does hammer scores those score are big loud and brash.
Tendulkar on the while seems to be batting like a Zen master, its almost serene, through out his innings; you could see the glimpses of various phases of Tendulkar through out his illustrious career. You could almost sense him holding fort and then come out with a brilliant stroke that would just steal your breath away. But the bowl he got out to deserves praise for Harris. He deserved it. Tendulkar smacked fourth century in as many matches. His tally is know like 47 test centuries and opened a considerable gap of eight centuries in test versus Ponting.
Laxman and Dhoni then prolonged the agony of foes as they built up a considerable partnership, each getting to their hundred meanwhile Laxman was the stabilising factor and gave support, Dhoni kept nibbling away. Laxman and Dhoni scored not out centuries and closing the door on SAfs.


Second time up hill

After tea on first SAfs seemed just very pedestrian, although this time they did get starts. I am leg side Smith always up for LBW didn’t have to face Zaheer's menace was claimed LBW by Mishra what looked a plumb decision. Kallis got ball of the series from an Indian bowler. Kallis must be proud to get on that delivery and Mishra would sing the swan song of this delivery even to his grandchildren. It pitched middle middle-off ripped across Kallis’s bat took the edge and Dhoni made on mistake. Badrinath added something to the scorecard and audiences memories when he kept the nerve to catch Petersen what ended up as a simple catch. Prince played an ordinary shot Devilliers foxed by a googly, Duminy beaten for pace, some moments of uneasiness for Indian audiences came when Harris and Parnell and Morkel stitched some useful partnerships Ishant bowled a line and length which bemused everyone except the batsmen he was wayward and looked distraught at missed catches. Fielding was quiet ordinary by Indians as well. There were so many missed catches. In the end before the close of play Bhajji claimed the honours and also the end wicket to help India square the series. It is so sad there were only two matches.

The focus on shifts to ODIs. I am hooting for Gibbs, Bootsman & Co while the Kohli and Raina need to redefine there role and a certain Yusuf Pathan needs to dish out some hearty performance. Tendulkar would want to hit a century in at least one of the ODIs.

Cricket: SAfs leads through to win

A five days test match gets over in four. If you beat any test team within four days you better be good. If you beat them inside four days and with an innings and you better be comprehensive. South Africa, batted for two days and India for two, corollary to that is that we bowled for two days and we did for two. They scored double hundreds and hundreds (Amla and Kallis), our bowlers toiled and our fielders spilled chances. The Steyn gun fired on all barrels, claimed 10 wickets in the match. Sehwag and Tendulkar came up with consolatory centuries.

Ian Chapell had already remarked on thin on resources in bowling department. Bhajji well I don’t know if he would select himself for the next test, not convinced he is in any form to play any kind of cricket. Mishra ripped a few past the bat and would be lucky on some to get many more wickets on others days. Ishant Sharma tried his luck, Zaheer claimed wickets. I think fielding did us in. Amla batted and batted, though it wasn’t a chanceless innings, but to his credit he kept on riding his luck and scored heavily and a big partnership with Kallis saw SAfs batting India into submission.

Question that may be asked, if the presence of Dravid and Laxman could have changed the result? I don’t know. Steyn bowled his heart out, he knew what he was doing and he out manouvered, out paced and out smart the Indian batsmen with and awesome bowling. I wonder if Ishant watched Steyn closely. He could learn a lot. Ishant has the bounce and the pace to upset batsmen, a certain Ricky Ponting would testify.

SAfs, batting and Indian agony.

They kept on batting, Smith weary of batting last in the fourth innings, from 6-2 to 558 for 6. They batted for nearly two days. Amla made a massive 253 in a manner that will give a team a much consolidated position. They may have not accelerated at the end of the innings but Amla, was an embodiment of patience’s and gusto. He seems to be a man of limited means but boundless determination. Amla is likely to be placed in a similar bracket with the likes of Collingwoods and Chanderapauls of the world. He may not have a very attractive but they are so very effective. Amla kept on chipping away and kept Indian bowlers at bay. Kallis looked good till he lasted, but DeVilliers gave a move on and Boucher chipping in and Dumminy came and went. Kallis had controlled most of the first day but then didn’t go on to get a double, Amla kept his head down, something he shouldn’t do while standing in close on the leg side. It is amazing the innings we got to saw.

Steyn peppers India away

Steyn and Morne skittle India, once again underlining the face that subcontinent is not a graveyard for bowlers, you just need a different skill sets. Steyn just made it look so easy. He was so awesome to watch the ball started reversing, he just kept bending it back with speedometer clicking at above 85 mph, too good for anyone or at least most Indian batsmen. He was a treat to watch.


No wall and a loud fall.

Rahul Dravid may have not altered the result in anyway, but he could have had India showing more fight. They say all the five finger are not the same, like begets like and all that. Dravid absences was dearly felt, there was no partnership of any note. Dravid may not make it to the next series. Sehwag and Tendulkar did try to fight it out with good hundreds, but they were consolatory in the context. The fate of the match was pretty much decided before they could score their hundreds. It was matter of time. Indian batsman has to still to master the art of batting when it comes to batting out time. They failed to do so. The batsman had to show some fight.

How could they?

SAfs is one of the visiting team which have played uninhibited cricket, Harris claim the fame In second winnings, There bowling looked good and Indians have to now sort out the two aspects of the game, batting and bowling, there is a case of strengthening the batting order and look for attacking bowlers. I am still to get convinced of Bhajji to be in the squad. Ishant and Zaheer did ok, Mishra impressed. SAfs didn’t only come here to play. They came here to win and the onus to make this series exciting is on Dhoni & Co.

Cricket: South Africans tour to India.

A test series that came as a new year’s gift to many of ardent cricketing fans. A small window carved out for South Africans (SAfs from now on) tour to India. May be three test and three ODIs would get u a better picture but then so far so good. South Africa and India match each other player for player, on paper but Indians would do well to match SAfs as a fielding unit. There would be many interesting battles within, this competition. Lets just for the moment, park the No 1 Test team championship and look at it in a way that SAfs have did well compare to other touring teams especially the teams away from sub continent. India has been up to the mark when they have toured to South Africa and they have done well in India. One may refute an odd inning, but South Africans have had better performance of many visiting teams.

South Africa remains the team to beat, almost all Indian batsmen the likes of Sehwag, Tendulkar, Laxman, Dhoni, Gambhir, have average runs scored significantly or marginally less compared to career averages. It’s including home and away test scores. Tendulkar averages 35 and Laxman 30 against South Africa. Of course that could change but that means that Indian batsmen would have to be on the top of the game against a very good seam attack and a brilliant fielding unit.


Man to man watch out for these tiffs.

Captains Dhoni vs. Captain Smith, Zak vs. Smith, Zak vs. Kallis, Bhajji vs. Kallis, Tendulkar vs. Kallis, both playing two down now. Steyn vs. Sehwag, Parnell vs. Gambhir, those are just few of the interesting tussles you would want to watch. One may forget India pacers and SAf spinners, but I think they would be crucial in getting break through at crucial times, which may turn the match. Zak seems to be on top of the game for couple of seasons now. Tendulkar had a good series vs. Bangladesh; Sehwag shall remain volatile and mercurial. Dravid would be missed to say the least. All of a sudden Indian batting line up would look fresh and new. Murali Vijay looks so good. Badrinaths earned the place in the squad. It would be interesting to note that once fabled middle order of Dravid Tendulkar Laxman Ganguly is replaced by Murali Vijay, Badrinath, Sharma and Manish Pandey. Off course they would have to do well. But Indian batting line up need to play to their merits.

One is hoping for a riveting test series. Don’t watch it for numbers watching it for some dazzling stroke play, controlled swing, incredible batting. It is gross understatement SAfs are a team to beat. Dhoni would have shuffled his pack of tricks well. Smith would be looking to score. Bhajji may want to prove a point; Tendulkar is 10 away from a ton of centuries. Its not that he would score all ten in this series, but one would like to bet on at least one if not two. Ishant is looking decent. Sreesanth would be missed.

May the best team win the series.

Away from the post, I managed to link my blog to fb to twitter using blog feeds. I had connected my blog to fb, but learnt how to update twitter when blog gets updated was something excited me. The title of the post is suppose to come up on twitter. I have my fingers crossed. :)

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: SAfs salvage a draw

It was a typical test match, As typical as saying it would be a draw seeing the second ball of the first over of the test match, when Boucher collected a Steyn “Gun” delivery down the leg side just near his ankles. I knew that at least one of the team would bat for a long long time. The surprise was England was the first team to do so.

What I see is what you get!!

I would to be an unbiased and an unabashed cricket follower. I think I try to be one. Of course I would be hooting for one team or a player but I am always in for a contest. Test matches actually are perhaps the most balanced form of the crickets. The bowler and batsmen both can influence the game. I think it may not be wrong saying that bowlers can win you test matches because to win a test you need twenty wickets.
I think here is the critical difference between India and Pakistan till almost three years back. We “traditionally” have had strong batting line up and ordinary bowling line up until a Kapil Dev inspired a generation of fast bowlers. I can say we have now we have decent bowling attack and victories in test matches abroad are an ample testament.
Mean while the Pakis have produced and kept on producing Sultans of Swing. Imran, Sarfaraz, Mudassar, Wasim, Waqar, Aquib, Shoaib, Gul, Razzaq. Yes Pakis produced some good batsmen too, Hanif, Javed, Zaheer, Inzi, Yousuf but its fair to say that they always had a better bowling attack.
The point I am trying to make is that a team with good consistent bowling attack and half decent batting line up is more likely to win a test match as compared to a team with excellent batting line up and half decent bowling attack. India being the prime example. The other being Aussies and SAfs, both team good look head to head on paper. But since the Aussies have a better balance and varied attack help them stay on top.

Spinning trouble for SAfs.

The spin department has a worry for SAfs. They have still a spinner to burst through their ranks and be used as an attacking bowler The are ordinary players of spin bowling and then have not had a good spinner with them, a Symcock a Boje or a Paul Adams will never ever win a side games for their teams let alone a test match. Then there is a ghost of playing the spin bowling remember when SAfs came to India the skittle India out for 86 in one of the innings and won the test and then India invited SAfs to play on a dust bowl Green Park pitch in Kanpur and they were skittle out for nothing and India draw series 1-1. I think English are the only team which play spinners at par with SAfs. Its no trade secret that SAfs play spin were poorly.

The English predicament.

In the first test too, they were reduced to 117 for 3 from 114 for no loss. There is a tendency of English to collapse as the batsmen come and go. I find no batsmen throwing in the spanner to the opposition. If a couple of wickets fall then it makes sense to bide time and slow the pace of game to your level, a few quick singles a few twos and the sanity is bought back to the system. I know game of cricket is game of glorious uncertainties and more often then not it catches you aware on the wrong foot. But I can say this that there would be a great English collapse sooner rather than later. It is imminent.

England nearly scoring 600, the match end in a drawn.

English piled on the agony on a very very docile pitch. They made over 550 runs with the most incomplete batsmen Ian Bell making 199. Flintoff return is for sure and by making 199 he perhaps have saved his head from the chopping board. I wonder if Ian Bells almost double hundred is the proof of the docile nature of the pitch! Pietersen coming on with a century early in the series will help breather a bit easier for a bit longer. But since there have settled opening pair and a very good one down in form of their captain Vaughan it is vital that Pietersen fires. But Pietersen delivered the goods this time around with a meaty hundred as the SAfs bowlers looked tired after the pitch wearied them out and English were allowed to take charge. Stuard Broad helped himself to a test fifty against a classy attack. The bowling attack did not attack much and pitch was docile and English almost racked up 600 runs. These remain the fact of the English first innings

SAf's first innings.

It was a contrast to English innings would be the proverbial understatement. The start was ordinary no partnerships among batsmen Boucher continuing his poor form from the IPL. The full Monty show saw them peering down the barrel with sill almost more than two days more to come. They were rightly asked to follow on, I am still trying to asses why SAfs folded so easily but the point remains lack of poor partnerships and poor opening. The openers failed to deceive. Prince mean while got a fitting hundred and bought a sense of respectability to the score. But SAfs Followed On as they were more than 200 runs deficit after completion of their first innings.
The cookie seemed to crumble against a very good English batting performance and ordinary bowling performance.

A defiant second innings.

I think Indians should be looking at the review of this test match very closely. The SAf second innings was weathering a decent attack in alien conditions on a decent pitch. It was more about building innings. Neil McKenzie batted and batted. I mean facing 447 deliveries. Greaeme Smith also bludgeoned a century and so did Hasim Amla who played a Chanderpaul like innings. I will be following Amla closely. He is not all that classy but he is damn good, coz he plays “Percentage Cricket”, when in doubt leave it alone. I think SAfs have players who can enforce a draw, Amla, Prince and Rudolph. I don’t know why Rudolph is missing from the action.
The pitch never crumbled and Monty hardly could do a thing. He bowed sixty over for nothing.

SAfs stands for South Africa. :P

Last Score,

England: 593/8 | Bell 199; Morkel 4-121
SAfs: 247 All out| Prince 101; Monty 4-74
393 /3 | McKenzie: 138; Anderson 2-78

Cricket: An English Summer.

An English summer to remember perhaps although people have began the countdown for next summer Ashes tour but time is far off. The English team would believe they will have a fair crack at the Ashes provided they do well in the build up to the Ashes. Its no cake walk, the English will find them in deeper water when they face South Africans as the tour gets under way today. While England had an easy series against New Zealand and SAfs played there last series away from home in India. The Indians went from bizarre to ridiculous, Sehwag soaking a fastest triple, then getting out for 86 and then Kumble sitting out and Dhoni leading the team to a ten wicket out of the blue win.

The generous host?

 

Well hopefully will dish out what they get out a very impressive SAf bowling line up. Morkel, Ntini, Steyn, all of them gunning at good pace. It will be an interesting site how English play SAf spinner, Paul “Lord” Harris. Vaughan and Pietersen may take him apart but Harris will try to exploit the English tendency to collapse under any type of conditions against any attack.
The onus of English batting line up would be on Strauss, Vaughan and Pietersen and they will pray that the rest of tail wags. Yes Cook is there too, he too will be looking to add a few centuries against a very formidable SAf attack. Vaughan is some class; he has a very appealing and attractive style of batting, perhaps a right handed Ganguly only a shade better, at par with Clarke, Dravid, Laxman. He is a very touch player seem to just time the shots. A few more touch players right handed batsmen come to mind are Jaywardene, Mohd Yousuf, obviously Dravid Laxman, Kallis perhaps then there is Sarwan and Fulton from New Zealand. I think Damien Martyn was a lovely touch player too. A touch players brings so much grace to the game.

Coming back to Vaughan, I think he relishes fast and spin bowling alike plays well against the both and has scored well in Australia against Australia, perhaps precondition these to be marked as a good player. Pietersen is not far away though, but perhaps if he is able to play something which helps English rather than the SAfs we may see a few interesting duels.

The eager visitors.

SAfs have always been a good team to beat. They are competitive but a crafty spinner will help them boast of a better balanced attack. Smith may turn his arm over but Vaughan and company may not have sleepless night. Smith’s back to back double century in the last tour may do him good, Kallis will make runs every where and in all conditions, so will Boucher. Amla is a fighter something like Chanderpaul. AMla will stay put and build his innings. Ashwell Prince need to experiment more with his bat he is a good player. DeVilliers well he is a dasher and will score runs very very quickly. I hope Gibbs is not missed. Gibbs and Sehwag have lot in common more so after Sehwag’s hair line has receded to the back of his head. Gibbs can shred any attack to pieces he is an ace fielder but his tendency to be a naughty boy and doing unwanted things away from cricket field pisses me off. Wouldn’t he loved to tour England and shred them to pieces. Boucher will again be dodgy, u can only count on him when the chips are down. SAfs have something to produce all rounder currently I can see three, Kallis, Boucher and Morkel. Kallis is bit on the downhill but still handy enough. Morkel will be looking to smack a few sixes out of the English grounds.

A close eye on …

I will have my eyes riveted on the following

Steyn “Gun” vs the English batting team.

Monty vs SAfs,

Ntini vs Pietersen,

Smith vs Vaughan,

Harris vs Monty.

Also on the list.

I am trying to think what may happen and just praying it doesn’t rain.
The few of things which are likely to happen during the course of the Test series:

• England losing their last eight wickets for 65 runs after being 200 for 2.
• Boucher gardening the strike and making 100 runs with the last four wickets.
• Boucher and Morkel tonking sixes.
• Panesar spinning SAfs to a full monty.
• Pietersen getting out by playing some stupendous stroke.
• Ian Bell the most incomplete batsmen struggling against Harris.
• Steyn cooking English bastmen for lunch.
• A good Kallis hundered.
• England losing by innings and 200 runs.
• SAfs doing well till they choke in the last or second last test.