Praveen's cricinfo

Types of bowlers

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 15:03:00 +0000

In cricket there are two broad categories of bowlers: pace bowlers and spin bowlers. Pace bowlers rely mostly on the speed of the ball to dismiss batsmen, whereas spin bowlers rely on the rotation of the ball.

Pace bowlers
Most pace bowlers are medium-fast to fast in top level cricket. In general, bowlers of this type are described as right arm or "fast", or right arm or left arm "fast-medium", and so on. Though Jeff "Thommo" Thomson of Australia was long regarded as the fastest bowler in the world (with a fastest ball clocked at 99.7 mph and rumoured to have broken the 100mph barrier), today Shoaib Akhtar of Pakistan, Brett Lee and Shaun Tait of Australia are considered the fastest bowlers in the history of the game.
Swing bowlers are pace bowlers who, apart from being fast, also use the seam of the ball to make it travel in a curved path through the air. This is further encouraged by systematically polishing one side of the ball while allowing the other side to become roughened and worn. The differing airflow around the two sides will cause the ball to swing in the air, towards the roughened side. By changing the orientation of the ball in his hand, a bowler may therefore cause the ball to swing into or away from the batsman. In addition to a well-polished ball, other factors help the ball to swing, notably damp or humid weather conditions. However balls which have been in play for some time do not tend to swing so much due to the deterioration of the seam. In addition, bowlers of express pace do not tend to get as much swing as the fast-medium-to-medium pace bowlers.

Spin bowlers
Spin bowlers or spinners impart rotation to the ball to get a batsman out. The spin on the ball makes its movement hard to predict, particularly when it bounces, hence spin bowlers try to deceive batsmen into making a mistake. Speed is not crucial in spin bowling, and spinners tend to bowl in the slow-medium to medium-slow range, around 45-55 mph. There are two broad categories of spin bowling: wrist spin and finger spin.
Wrist spinners are bowlers who use their wrists to spin the ball. A right-handed wrist spinner is known as a leg spinner and his or her mode of bowling is known as leg break. A leg break will move from right to left from the bowler's point of view, or from the leg-side to the off-side for a right-handed batsman. Shane Warne of Australia, one of the most successful bowlers in Test cricket history, and Anil Kumble of India are two of the contemporary bowlers of this type.
Finger spinners make use of their fingers to rotate the ball. A right-arm finger spinner is known as an off-spinner and their mode of bowling is known as off break. The ball will appear to move just as the chinaman does, from off to leg for a right-handed batsman. Muttiah Muralitharan of Sri Lanka, one of the most successful bowlers in Test and ODI cricket history, is an off-spinner, although his bowling style is unusual. Indian Harbhajan Singh also employs this bowling style.

Bowling abbreviations
Bowling styles are often abbreviated in scorecards as follows :

Pace bowling	RF	Right-arm fast
	RFM	Right-arm fast medium
	RMF	Right-arm medium fast
	RM	Right-arm medium
	LF	Left-arm fast
	LFM	Left-arm fast medium
	LMF	Left-arm medium fast
	LM	Left-arm medium
Spin bowling	OB	Off break (right-arm)
	LB	Leg break (right-arm)
	LBG	Leg break googly (right-arm)
	SLA	Slow left-arm orthodox
	SLC	Slow left-arm chinaman

Types of Dismissals of a batsman

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 09:43:00 +0000

There are ten ways in which a batsman may be dismissed. Once a batsman is dismissed, he leaves the field to be replaced by another batsman. When the tenth batsmen is out, and only one batsman remains undismissed, the side is "all out" and the innings is over.

Many modes of dismissal require the wicket to be "put down". The wicket is put down if a bail is dislodged from the top of the stumps; or if a stump is struck out of the ground either by the ball or by a fielder using the hand in which the ball is being held. Of the following ten modes of dismissal, the first six are common; while the last four are technicalities that rarely occur. The ten modes are:

Caught — When a fielder catches the ball before it bounces and after the batsman has struck it with the bat or it has come into contact with the batsman's glove while it is in contact with the bat handle. The bowler and catcher are both credited with the dismissal.
Bowled — When a delivered ball hits the stumps at the batsman's end, and dislodges one or both of the bails. This happens regardless of whether the batsman has edged the ball onto the stumps or not. The bowler is credited with the dismissal.
Leg before wicket (lbw) — When a delivered ball strikes the batsman's leg, pad or body, and the umpire judges that the ball would otherwise have struck the stumps. The laws of cricket stipulate certain exceptions. For instance, a delivery pitching outside the line of leg stump should not result in an lbw dismissal, while a delivery hitting the batsman outside the line of the off stump should result in an lbw dismissal only if the batsman makes no attempt to play the ball with the bat. The bowler is credited with the dismissal.
Run out — When a fielder, bowler or wicket-keeper removes one or both of the bails with the ball by hitting the stumps whilst a batsman is still running between the two ends. The ball can either hit the stumps directly or the fielder's hand with the ball inside it can be used to dislodge the bails. Such a dismissal is not officially credited to any player, although the identities of the fielder or fielders involved are often noted in brackets on the scorecard.
Stumped — When the batsman leaves his crease in playing a delivery, voluntarily or involuntarily, but the ball goes to the wicket-keeper who uses it to remove one or both of the bails through hitting the bail(s) or the wicket before the batsman has remade his ground. The bowler and wicket-keeper are both credited. This generally requires the keeper to be standing within arm's length of the wicket, which is done mainly to spin bowling.
Hit wicket — When the batsman knocks the stumps with either the body or the bat, causing one or both of the bails to be dislodged, either in playing a shot or in taking off for the first run. The bowler is credited with the dismissal.
Handled the ball— When the batsman deliberately handles the ball without the permission of the fielding team. No player is credited with the dismissal.
Hit the ball twice — When the batsman deliberately strikes the ball a second time, except for the sole purpose of guarding his wicket. No player is credited with the dismissal.
Obstructing the field— When a batsman deliberately hinders a fielder attempting to field the ball. No player is credited with the dismissal.
Timed out — When a new batsman takes more than three minutes to take his position in the field to replace a dismissed batsman. (If the delay is protracted, the umpires may decide that the batting side has forfeited the match). This rule prevents the batting team using up time to unfair advantage. No player is credited with the dismissal.

A batsman may leave the field without being dismissed. If injured or taken ill the batsman may temporarily retire, and be replaced by the next batsman. This is recorded as retired hurt or retired ill. The retiring batsman is not out, and may resume the innings later. An unimpaired batsman may retire, and this is treated as being dismissed retired out; no player is credited with the dismissal.

Batsmen cannot be out bowled, caught, leg before wicket, stumped or hit wicket off a no ball. They cannot be out bowled, caught, leg before wicket, or hit the ball twice off a wide.

Some of these modes of dismissal can occur without the bowler bowling a delivery. The batsman who is not on strike may be run out by the bowler if he leaves his crease before the bowler bowls, and a batsman can be out obstructing the field or retired out at any time. Timed out is, by its nature, a dismissal without a delivery. With all other modes of dismissal, only one batsman can be dismissed per ball bowled.

Forms of cricket

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 09:24:00 +0000

There are many different types and grades of cricket; those played professionally at an international level are Test cricket, One Day International cricket and Twenty20 cricket.

Test cricket

Test cricket is a form of international cricket started during the 1876/77 English cricket team's tour of Australia. The very first Test match began on 15 March 1877; Australia won by 45 runs. The Test cricket series between England and Australia is now called The Ashes. Since then, over 1,800 Test matches have been played and the number of Test playing nations has increased to ten with Bangladesh, the most recent nation elevated to Test status, making its debut in 2000. Test matches are two innings per side, and are nowadays restricted to a maximum of five days. In the past, Tests have been played over three, four, or six days, and some have been "Timeless" - played to a finish with no maximum duration. Tests that are not finished within the allotted time are drawn.

One-day cricket

Limited overs matches, also known as "one-day cricket", were introduced in the English domestic season of 1963 in response to demands for a shorter and more dramatic form of cricket. One-day, single-innings, matches often took place before this, but the innovation was the limiting of each side's innings to an agreed number of overs (nowadays usually 40 or 50). The idea was taken up in the international arena in 1971, during England's tour of Australia, when a match was played on the scheduled fifth day of the rained-off third Test. The one-day game has since become a crowd-pleaser and TV-audience-generator across the globe, hastened in part by the success of the inaugural World Cup in 1975. The abbreviations "ODI" (One Day International) or sometimes "LOI" (Limited Overs International) are used for international matches of this type. Innovations have included the introduction of coloured clothing, distinct tournaments, and "day-night" matches (where play extends into the night under floodlights); together with frequent nail-biting finishes and the impossibility of either side opting to play for a draw, these have seen ODI cricket gain many supporters.

Twenty20 cricket

Twenty20 Cricket was first played in English domestic cricket in 2003 to popularise first-class cricket and attract more spectators. It has since spread to many other countries. A Twenty20 match consists of 20 overs for each side, a "free hit" after an illegal no-ball is bowled, short boundaries, batting-friendly pitches, and other rules designed to attract spectators who would not attend the slower-paced one-day games or test matches. The first men's Twenty20 international was between Australia and New Zealand in 2005, the first women's Twenty20 international having been between England and New Zealand in 2004. From 2007 to 2015 the Twenty20 World Championship will be held every two years; the first was staged in South Africa in 2007, and was won by India. It has an abbreviation as T20.

First-class matches

A "first-class" match is generally defined as a high-level international or domestic match that takes place over at least three days on natural (as opposed to artificial) turf. First-class games are two innings per side. Like Test matches, if the game is not completed over the allotted time then it is drawn. Games where the teams have only one innings each are not first-class (including one-day internationals).

Among cricket statisticians, first class cricket is variously deemed to have started in 1660, 1772, 1801, 1815 or 1864; the reasons for this are described in the main article.

Cricket statisticians have also introduced the concept of list A status, which is not first-class, but includes important limited-over matches.

Other forms of cricket

At all levels, the rules of cricket are often modified. At international or first-class levels this is usually in order to make the game more commercially attractive. More or less formal domestic club cricket matches are usually played over one to two days, either two innings per side or one innings per side with limited overs. At lower levels the rules are often changed simply to make the game playable with limited resources, or to render it more convenient and enjoyable for the participants. Variants of the sport are played in areas as diverse as sandy beaches and ice floes. Families and teenagers play backyard cricket in suburban yards or driveways, and the teeming cities of India and Pakistan play host to countless games of "Gully Cricket" or "tapeball" on their streets. Tennis balls and homemade bats are often used, and a variety of objects may serve as wickets such as the batters legs, as in "French cricket", which did not in fact originate in France, and is usually played by small children. Sometimes the rules are also improvised: for instance it is sometimes agreed that fielders can catch the ball with one hand after one bounce and claim a wicket, or if only a few people are available then everyone may field while the players take it in turns to bat and bowl.

In Kwik cricket, the bowler does not have to wait for the batsman to be ready before a delivery, leading to a faster, more exhausting game designed to appeal to children, which is often used in English schools' PE lessons. Another modification to increase the pace of the game is the "Tip and Run", "Tipity" Run, "Tipsy Run" or "Tippy-Go" rule, in which the batter must run when the ball touches the bat, even if it the contact is unintentional or minor. This rule, seen only in impromptu games, speeds the match up by disabling the batsman's ability to block the ball. Indoor cricket is played in a netted, indoor arena.

In Samoa a form of cricket called Kilikiti is played in which hockey stick-shaped bats are used.

In Estonia, teams gather over the winter for the annual Ice Cricket tournament. The game juxtaposes the normal summer pursuit with harsh, wintry conditions. Rules are otherwise similar to those for the six-a-side game.

Pictures of 2nd Final in Cb series @ Brisbane

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 05:20:00 +0000

With Sachin Tendulkar watchful at the start, Robin Uthappa took the initiative.

Tendulkar still tried to put away the loose deliveries and soon overtook Uthappa in the scoring rate.

Stuart Clark delivered the first breakthrough by dismissing Uthappa.

Tendulkar reached his fifty from 70 balls as India made their best start of the series

Tendulkar took a few more risks after crossing his half-century.

Yuvraj Singh, here launching the ball into the stands, hit a run-a-ball 38

A disappointed Tendulkar returns to the pavilion after falling nine runs short of his century

Mahendra Singh Dhoni played some useful shots during his 36 .

India lost their way a bit after Tendulkar's dismissal.

Praveen Kumar improvised against Brett Lee and managed a boundary.

Praveen combined with Yuvraj Singh to dismiss Ricky Ponting cheaply.

Ponting cut a lonely figure as he walked back for 1.

Praveen took the first three wickets to fall, sending back Clarke as well.

There were distractions aplenty at the Gabba as a streaker made an appearance, only to be shoulder barged by Andrew Symonds

Matthew Hayden took control of the partnership and managed a half-century

However, he was run out by Harbhajan Singh when going for a single that wasn't on

Symonds' dismissal made it two wickets in quick succession

Harbhajan and the rest couldn't control their joy.

Sreesanth had him caught behind, and it was left to James Hopes and the tail to do the job.

Irfan Pathan got the final wicket of James Hopes.

Harbhajan Singh exults after the win.

India stole the thunder by clinching the CB Series.

Munaf Patel and Virender Sehwag give Sachin Tendulkar a lift.

The dejected Australian faces say it all.

Champagne moment: The Indian team celebrate.

Pictures of 1st final in CB series @ Sydney

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Sun, 09 Mar 2008 04:57:00 +0000

Praveen Kumar was given the new ball to start off with and struck very early ...

.. dismissing the dangerous Adam Gilchrist for 7 in his last innings at the SCG.

Praveen struck another big blow to leave Australia smarting ...

.. and it was another failure for Ricky Ponting, bowled for just one.

Elsewhere in the ground Shane Warne kicked back and took in the first CB Series final.

Ishant Sharma dismissed Michael Clarke for four as Australia slipped to 24 for 3

Harbhajan Singh had a tidy outing at the SCG, snapping up 2 for 38 to bring India back.

Brad Hogg was unbeaten on 23 and Australia got to 239 in their 50 overs.

Michael Hussey is mobbed after his stellar boundary catch that dismissed Robin Uthappa.

Sachin Tendulkar was in excellent form, however, and held up one end.

ames Hopes stops the ball after bowling a delivery.

He batted like a man on a mission, crossing 50 from 56 balls.

Tendulkar found an able ally in Rohit Sharma, who made 66 in a crucial 123-run stand for the fourth wicket.

Tendulkar made his maiden ODI century in Australia and remained unbeaten on 117 as India grabbed a 1-0 lead in the finals.

Sachin Tendulkar is congratulated by teammate Harbhajan Singh.

Best Scorecard ever in Cricket History

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 08:10:00 +0000

The IPL Teams

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 08:27:00 +0000

Following are the IPL teams after Wednesday's auctions
Bangalore:
Rahul Dravid (icon player)
Jacques Kallis - USD 900,000
Anil Kumble - USD 500,000
Cameron White - USD 500,000
Zaheer Khan - USD 450,000
Mark Boucher - USD 450,000
Wasim Jaffer - USD 150,000
Dale Steyn - USD 325,000
Shivnarine Chanderpaul - USD 200,000

Kolkata:
Sourav Ganguly (icon player)
Ishant Sharma - USD 950,000
Chris Gayle - USD 800,000
Brendon McCullum - USD 700,000
David Hussey- USD 625,000
Shoaib Akhtar - USD 425,000
Ricky Ponting - USD 400,000
Ajit Agarkar - USD 350,000
Murali Kartik - USD 425,000
Umar Gul - USD 150,000
Tatenda Taibu - USD 125,000

Chennai:
Mahendra Singh Dhoni - USD 1.5 million
Jacob Oram - USD 675,000
Albie Morkel - USD 675,000
Suresh Raina - USD 650,000
Muttiah Muralitharan - USD 600,000
Matthew Hayden - USD 375,000
Stephen Fleming - USD 350,000
Parthiv Patel - USD 325,000
Joginder Sharma - USD 225,000
Makhaya Ntini - USD 200,000
Michael Hussey - USD 350,000

Delhi:
Virender Sehwag (icon player)
Gautam Gambhir - USD 725,000
Manoj Tiwari - USD 675,000
Mohammad Asif - USD 650,000
Daniel Vettori - USD 625,000
Dinesh Karthik - USD 525,000
Shoaib Malik - USD 500,000
AB de Villiers - USD 300,000
Tillekaratne Dilshan - USD 250,000
Farveez Maharoof - USD 225,000
Glenn McGrath - USD 350,000

Hyderabad:
Andrew Symonds - USD 1.35 million
Rudra Pratap Singh - USD 875,000
Rohit Sharma - USD 750,000
Adam Gilchrist - USD 700,000
Shahid Afridi - USD 675,000
Herschelle Gibbs - USD 575,000
VVS Laxman - USD 375,000
Chaminda Vaas - USD 200,000
Scott Styris - USD 175,000
Nuwan Zoysa - USD 110,000
Chamara Silva - USD 100,000

Jaipur:
Mohammad Kaif - USD 675,000
Graeme Smith - USD 475,000
Yusuf Pathan - USD 475,000
Shane Warne - USD 450,000
Munaf Patel - USD 275,000
Younis Khan - USD 225,000
Kamran Akmal - USD 150,000
Justin Langer - USD 200,000

Mohali:
Yuvraj Singh (icon player)
Irfan Pathan - USD 925,000
Brett Lee - USD 900,000
Kumar Sangakkara - USD 700,000
Shantakumaran Sreesanth - USD 625,000
Mahela Jayawardene - USD 475,000
Piyush Chawla - USD 400,000
Ramesh Powar - USD 170,000
Ramnaresh Sarwan - USD 225,000
Simon Katich - USD 200,000

Mumbai:
Sachin Tendulkar (icon player)
Sanath Jayasuriya - USD 975,000
Harbhajan Singh - USD 850,000
Robin Uthappa - USD 800,000
Shaun Pollock - USD 550,000
Lasith Malinga - USD 350,000
Dilhara Fernando - USD 150,000
Loots Bosman - USD 150,000

Pictures of 8th ODI in CB series @ Adelaide

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 21 Feb 2008 04:51:00 +0000

Mahendra Singh Dhoni cheers after getting the winning run.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni dives flat out to make the crease.

Yuvraj Singh is bowled by a yorker from Chaminda Vaas.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni plays it behind square leg.

Yuvraj Singh acknowledges the crowd after reaching his fifty.

Muttiah Muralitharan delivers the ball.

Yuvraj Singh drives to the off side.

Yuvraj Singh sweeps to behind square.

Lasith Malinga is charged up after dismissing Sachin Tendulkar with his first ball.

Chamara Silva swivels around to pull.

Ishant Sharma unsuccessfully appeals for a wicket.

A determined Kumar Sangakkara after reaching the century.

Kumar Sangakkara uses his wrists to good effect while playing a sweep shot.

Praveen Kumar celebrates after running out Mahela Jayawardene.

Munaf Patel appeals for a run-out after deflecting a ball onto the non-striker's stump.

Match Structure

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 17:06:00 +0000

The Toss

The two opposing captains toss a coin before the match, and the captain who wins chooses either to bat or bowl first. The captain's decision is usually based on whether the team's bowlers are likely to gain immediate advantage from the pitch and weather conditions (these can vary significantly), or whether it is more likely that the pitch will deteriorate and make batting more difficult later in the game.

Overs

Each innings is divided into overs, each consisting of six consecutive legal deliveries bowled by the same bowler. For the definition of illegal deliveries, see Extras. No bowler may bowl two consecutive overs, so at the end of the over the bowler takes up a fielding position and another player bowls.

Overs are bowled from alternate ends of the pitch; at the end of each over the umpires swap, the umpire at the bowler's end moving to square leg, and the umpire at square leg moving to the new bowler's end. The fielders also usually change positions.

End of Innings

An innings is completed if:

Ten out of eleven batsmen are out (dismissed); the team are said to be "all out".
The team has only one batsman left who can bat, one or more of the remaining players being unavailable owing to injury, illness or absence; again, the team is said to be "all out".
The team batting last reaches the score required to win the match.
The predetermined number of overs has been bowled (in a one-day match only, most commonly 50 overs).
A captain declares his team's innings closed (this does not apply in one-day limited over matches).

Playing Time

Typically, two-innings matches are played over three to five days with at least six hours of cricket played each day. One-innings matches are usually played in one day, and often last six hours or more. There are usually formal intervals on each day for lunch and tea, and brief informal breaks for drinks. There is also a short interval between innings.

The game is usually only played in dry weather; play is also usually stopped if it becomes too dark for the batsmen to be able to see the ball safely. Some one-day games are now played under floodlights but, apart from a few experimental games in Australia, floodlights are not used in longer games. Professional cricket is usually played outdoors. These requirements mean that in England, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Zimbabwe the game is usually restricted to the summer. In the West Indies, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh games are played in the winter. These countries' hurricane and monsoon seasons coincide with their summer.

Batting

The batsman may play a "shot" or "stroke", attempting to hit the bowled ball with the flat surface of the bat. If the ball brushes the side of the bat it is called an "edge". There is no requirement for the batsman to play a shot, and there is no requirement to run if the ball is struck. The batsman automatically scores runs if he hits the ball to the boundary. Shots are named according to the style of swing and the direction aimed. As part of the team's strategy, the player may bat defensively, blocking the ball downwards, or aggressively, hitting the ball hard to empty spaces in order to score runs.

Batsmen come in to bat in a batting order, decided by the team captain. The first two batsmen - the "openers" - usually face the most hostile bowling, from fresh fast bowlers with a new ball. The top batting positions are usually given to the most competent batsmen in the team, and the non-batsmen typically bat last. The batting order is not agreed beforehand, and if a wicket falls any player who has not batted yet may bat next.

Run Scoring

To score a run, a striker must run to the opposite end of the pitch, while his non-striking partner runs to his end. To register a run, both runners must touch the ground behind the crease with either their bats or their bodies (the batsmen carry their bats as they run). If the striker hits the ball well enough, the batsmen may double back to score two or more runs. However, no rule requires the batsman to run upon striking the ball. The decision to attempt a run is ideally made by the batsman who has the better view of the ball's position, and this is communicated by calling: "yes", "no" and "wait" are often heard. The batsmen swap ends every time an odd number of runs are scored.

If a fielder knocks the bails off the stumps with the ball while no part of the batsman is grounded behind the popping crease, the batsman nearer the broken wicket is run out. The batsman may ground the bat, provided he or she is holding it.

If the ball reaches the boundary, then runs are automatically scored: six if the ball goes over the boundary without touching the ground, four if it touched the ground. These are scored instead of any runs the batsmen may have already run (unless they have run more, which is unlikely), and they return to the ends at which they started.

Bowling

A bowler delivers the ball toward the batsmen: during the bowling action the elbow may be held at any angle and may bend further, but may not straighten out. If the elbow straightens illegally then the square-leg umpire may call no-ball. The current laws allow a bowler to straighten his arm 15 degrees or less.

The bowler's primary goal is usually to get the batsman out; the most common modes of dismissal (except run out) are credited to the bowler, who is said to have taken a wicket. Dismissing an accomplished batsman is more difficult than dismissing a non-batsman. The bowler's secondary task is usually to limit the numbers of runs scored. Occasionally the match situation makes it more important to limit runs than take wickets.

There are many types of bowler, and many nuances of bowling techniques. Two categories are pace bowlers, who aim to bowl quicker than the batsman's reaction speed, and spin bowlers who bowl slower deliveries that bounce and curve in unpredictable ways.

Extras

Every run scored by the batsmen contributes to the team's total. A team's total also includes a number of runs which are unaccredited to any batsmen. These runs are known as extras; in Australia they are also called "sundries".

Pictures of 5th ODI in CB series @ Canberra

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 08:24:00 +0000

Sri Lanka’s Mahela Jayawardene and Tillakaratne Dilshan celebrate their win.

Mahela Jayawardene shapes to dab one through the off side.

Tillakaratne Dilshan cuts during his unbeaten 62.

Tillakaratne Dilshan dives in an unsuccessful attempt to stop four runs .

Mahendra Singh Dhoni plays his version of the double-fisted forehand.

Rohit Sharma raises his bat after completing his half-century.

Rohit Sharma carves the ball over the covers during his unbeaten 64-ball 70.

Lasith Malinga hits the stumps to get rid of Gautam Gambhir.

Sachin Tendulkar follows the course of the ball after playing a shot in the air.

Indian fans keep the cheer despite the rain delay.

Pictures of 4th ODI in CB series @ Melbourne

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 11 Feb 2008 08:41:00 +0000

India's winning run came via a wide from Andrew Symonds.
Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Rohit Sharma added 58 to guide India home.

Rohit Sharma's patient 39 ensured India's victory.

Sachin Tendulkar was dismissed for 44.

Brett Lee is thrilled at dismissing Gautam Gambhir.

Nathan Bracken trapped Virender Sehwag lbw.

Sachin Tendulkar plays the ball behind point.

Ishant Sharma finished with figures of 4 for 38.

Michael Hussey celebrates his fifty.

Irfan Pathan had Brett Lee caught by Mahendra Singh Dhoni.

Michael Clarke was dismissed for 11.

Ishant Sharma dismissed Matthew Hayden for 25.

Sreesanth celebrates Adam Gilchrist's wicket.

Pictures of 1st ODI in CB series @ Brisbane

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 04 Feb 2008 06:17:00 +0000

Michael Clarke and Sachin Tendulkar walks off as the rain pours down.

Sreesanth signals the fall of Ricky Ponting.

An ecstatic Ishant Sharma celebrates the wicket of James Hopes.

James Hopes is cleaned up by Ishant Sharma.

Harbhajan Singh reacts to the crowd's boos.

The covers were brought out as rain interrupted play.

Adam Gilchrist gets room to cut the ball.

Sreesanth is run out while attempting to steal a third run off the last ball of India's innings.

Harbhajan Singh tries to swat the ball.

Irfan Pathan guides one through the off side.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni pulls the ball.

Rohit Sharma hits out and is caught behind of the bowling of Brett Lee.

Manoj Tiwary is cleaned up by a scorching yorker.

Eyes wide shut: Rohit Sharma ducks under a bouncer.

Brett Lee signals Sachin Tendulkar's dismissal.

Sachin Tendulkar walks off after being dismissed cheaply by Brett Lee .

List of Test Cricket Grounds

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 01 Feb 2008 11:30:00 +0000

The list of Test Cricket Grounds around the World are given below:

Australia

Official name	City	State or Territory	First used	Ends
Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG)	Melbourne	Victoria	15 March 1877	• Members End • Great Southern Stand End
Sydney Cricket Ground (SCG)	Sydney	New South Wales	17 February 1882	• Paddington End • Randwick End
Adelaide Oval (The SACA)	Adelaide	South Australia	12 December 1884	• City/River End • Cathedral End
Exhibition Ground (The Ekka)	Brisbane	Queensland	30 November 1928	• Hospital End • The Hill
Brisbane Cricket Ground (The Gabba)	Brisbane	Queensland	27 November 1931	• Stanley Street End • Vulture Street End
Western Australian Cricket Association Ground (The WACA)	Perth	Western Australia	11 December 1970	• Members End • Prindiville Stand End
Bellerive Oval	Hobart	Tasmania	16 December 1989	• Church Street End • River End
Marrara Oval	Darwin	Northern Territory	18 July 2003	• McMillans Road End • Airport End
Bundaberg Rum Stadium (Cazaly's Stadium)	Cairns	Queensland	25 July 2003	• City End • Club End

England

Official name	City	State or Territory	First used	Ends
The BRIT Oval Cricket Ground (The Oval)	London		6 September 1880	• Pavilion End • Vauxhall End
Old Trafford Cricket Ground (Old Trafford)	Manchester	Greater Manchester	10 July 1884	• Stretford End • Brian Statham End
Lord's Cricket Ground (Lord's)	London		21 July 1884	• Pavilion End • Nursery End
Trent Bridge Ground (Trent Bridge)	Nottingham	Nottinghamshire	1 June 1899	• Pavilion End • Radcliffe Road End
Headingley Carnegie Stadium (Headingley)	Leeds	West Yorkshire	29 June 1899	• Kirkstall Lane End • Football Stand End
County Cricket Ground (Edgbaston)	Birmingham	West Midlands	29 May 1902	• City End • Pavilion End
Bramall Lane	Sheffield	South Yorkshire	3 July 1902	• Pavilion End • Football Ground End
County Ground (Riverside)	Chester-le-Street	County Durham	5 June 2003	• Finchale End • Lumley End

South Africa

Official name	City	Province	First used	Ends
Sahara Oval St. George's (St George’s Park)	Port Elizabeth	Eastern Cape	12 March 1889	• Duckpond End • Park Drive End
Sahara Park Newlands (Newlands)	Cape Town	Western Cape	25 March 1889	• Wynberg End • Kelvin Grove End
Old Wanderers (Old Wanderers)	Johannesburg	Gauteng	2 March 1896	• •
Lord's No. 1 Ground (Lord's)	Durban	KwaZulu-Natal	21 January 1910	• •
Sahara Stadium Kingsmead (Kingsmead)	Durban	KwaZulu-Natal	18 January 1923	• Umgeni End • Old Fort Road End
Ellis Park Stadium (Ellis Park)	Johannesburg	Gauteng	27 December 1948	• •
New Wanderers Stadium (Wanderers)	Johannesburg	Gauteng	24 December 1956	• Corlett Drive End • Golf Course End
SuperSport Park (Centurion Park)	Centurion	Gauteng	16 November 1995	• Pavilion End • Hennops River End
Goodyear Park (Springbok Park)	Bloemfontein	Free State	29 October 1999	• Loch Logan End • Willows End
Buffalo Park	East London	Eastern Cape	18 October 2002	• Buffalo Park Drive End • Bunkers Hill End
North West Cricket Stadium (Sedgars Park)	Potchefstroom	North West	25 October 2002	• Daly Auto End • University End

New Zealand

Official name	City	Region	First used	Ends
AMI Stadium (formerly Jade Stadium and Lancaster Park)	Christchurch	Canterbury	10 January 1930	• Hadlee Stand End • Port Hills End
Basin Reserve (The Basin)	Wellington	Wellington	24 January 1930	• Vance Stand End • Scoreboard End
Eden Park No. 1 (Eden Park)	Auckland	Auckland	14 February 1930	• Dominion Road End • Sandringham Road End
Carisbrook	Dunedin	Otago	11 March 1955	• Railway End • Hillside End
McLean Park	Napier	Hawke's Bay	16 February 1979	• Centennial Stand End • Embankment End
Seddon Park	Hamilton	Waikato	22 February 1991	• Members End • City End
University Oval	Dunedin	Otago	4 January 2008	• Unknown • Unknown

West Indies

Official name	City	Country	First used	Ends
Kensington Oval (The Mecca)	Bridgetown	Barbados	11 January 1930	• Malcolm Marshall End • Joel Garner End
Queen's Park Oval	Port of Spain	Trinidad and Tobago	1 February 1930	• Pavilion End • Media Centre End
Providence Stadium	East Bank Demerara	Guyana	February 2007
Sabina Park	Kingston	Jamaica	3 April 1930	• Blue Mountains End • Headley Stand End
Antigua Recreation Ground (The Rec)	St. John's	Antigua and Barbuda	27 March 1981	• Pavilion End • Factory Road End
The Playing Fields (Arnos Vale)	Kingstown	Saint Vincent and the Grenadines	20 June 1997	• Airport End • Bequia End
National Cricket Stadium (Queen's Park)	St. George's	Grenada	28 June 2002	• River End • D'arbeau End
Beausejour	Gros Islet	Saint Lucia	20 June 2003	• Pavilion End • Media Centre End
Warner Park	Basseterre	Saint Kitts and Nevis	22 June 2006	• South Stand End • Media Centre End

India

Official name	City	State or Union Territory	First used	Ends
Bombay Gymkhana Ground (Gymkhana Ground)	Mumbai	Maharashtra	15 December 1933	• •
Eden Gardens	Kolkata	West Bengal	5 January 1934	• High Court End • Pavilion End
M. A. Chidambaram Stadium (Chepauk)	Chennai	Tamil Nadu	10 February 1934	• Anna Pavilion End • V Pattabhiraman Gate End
Feroz Shah Kotla (Kotla)	New Delhi	Delhi	10 November 1948	• Stadium End • Pavilion End
Brabourne Stadium	Mumbai	Maharashtra	9 December 1948	• Pavilion End • Church Gate End
Green Park Stadium	Kanpur	Uttar Pradesh	12 January 1952	• Mill Pavilion End • Hostel End
University Ground	Lucknow	Uttar Pradesh	23 October 1952	• •
Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadiu (Fateh Maidan)	Hyderabad	Andhra Pradesh	19 November 1955	• Pavilion End • Hill Fort End
Nehru Stadium	Chennai	Tamil Nadu	6 January 1956	• •
Vidharba Cricket Association Ground (VCA Ground)	Nagpur	Maharashtra	3 October 1969	• Jaika End • Church End
M. Chinnaswamy Stadium (Chinnaswamy Stadium)	Bangalore	Karnataka	22 November 1974	• Pavilion End • BEML End
Wankhede Stadium	Mumbai	Maharashtra	23 January 1975	• Garware Pavilion End • Tata End
Gandhi Stadium	Jalandhar	Punjab	24 September 1983	• Stadium End • Pavilion End
Sardar Patel Stadium (Motera)	Ahmedabad	Gujarat	12 November 1983	• Adani Pavilion End • GMDC End
Barabati Stadium	Cuttack	Orissa	4 January 1987	• Mahanadi River End • Pavilion End
Sawai Mansingh Stadium	Jaipur	Rajasthan	21 February 1987	• •
Sector 16 Stadium	Chandigarh	Chandigarh	23 November 1990	• •
K.D. Singh Babu Stadium	Lucknow	Uttar Pradesh	18 January 1994	• Pavilion End • Gomati End
Punjab Cricket Association Stadium (Mohali)	Mohali	Punjab	10 December 1994	• Pavilion End • City End

Pakistan

Official name	City	Province	First used	Ends
Bahawal Stadium	Bahawalpur	Punjab	15 January 1955	• •
Bagh-e-Jinnah (Lawrence Gardens)	Lahore	Punjab	29 January 1955	• •
Peshawar Club Ground	Peshawar	North West Frontier Province	13 February 1955	• Pavilion End • College End
National Stadium	Karachi	Sindh	26 February 1955	• Pavilion End • University End
Gaddafi Stadium (Lahore Stadium)	Lahore	Punjab	21 November 1959	• Pavilion End • College End
Pindi Club Ground	Rawalpindi	Punjab	27 March 1965	• •
Niaz Stadium	Hyderabad	Sindh	16 March 1973	• •
Iqbal Stadium	Faisalabad	Punjab	16 October 1978	• Pavilion End • Golf Course End
Ibn-e-Qasim Bagh Stadium	Multan	Punjab	30 December 1980	• •
Jinnah Stadium (Sialkot Stadia)	Sialkot	Punjab	27 October 1985	• Railway End • Pavilion End
Jinnah Stadium	Gujranwala	Punjab	20 December 1991	• •
Defence Housing Authority Stadium (Defence Cricket Stadium)	Karachi	Sindh	1 December 1993	• •
Rawalpindi Cricket Stadium	Rawalpindi	Punjab	9 December 1993	• Pavilion End • Shell End
Arbab Niaz Stadium	Peshawar	North West Frontier Province	8 September 1995	• Pavilion End • College End
Sheikhupura Stadium	Sheikhupura	Punjab	17 October 1996	• •
Multan Cricket Stadium	Multan	Punjab	29 August 2001	• Main Pavilion End • North Pavilion End

Sri Lanka

Official name	City	Province	First used	Ends
Pakiasothy Saravanamuttu Stadium (Saravnamuttu stadium)	Colombo	Western Province	17 February 1982	• Air Force Flats End • Press Block End
Asgiriya Stadium	Kandy	Central Province	22 April 1983	• Hunnasgiriya End • Hanthana End
Sinhalese Sports Club Ground (SSC)	Colombo	Western Province	16 March 1984	• Tennis Courts End • South End
Colombo Cricket Club Ground (CCC)	Colombo	Western Province	24 March 1984	• Press Box End • Pavilion End
Ranasinghe Premadasa Stadium (Premadasa Stadium)	Colombo	Western Province	28 August 1992	• Khettarama End • Scoreboard End
Tyronne Fernando Stadium (Fernando Stadium)	Moratuwa	Western Province	8 September 1992	• Press Box End • Katubadda End
Galle International Stadium	Galle	Southern Province	3 June 1998	• City End • Fort End

Zimbabwe

Official name	City	Province	First used	Ends
Harare Sports Club (formerly "Salisbury Sports Club")	Harare	Harare	18 October 1992	• City End • Club House End
Bulawayo Athletic Club	Bulawayo	Bulawayo	1 November 1992	• •
Queens Sports Club	Bulawayo	Bulawayo	20 October 1994	• City End • Airport End

Bangladesh

Official name	City	Division	First used	Ends
Bangabandhu National Stadium (Dhaka Stadium)	Dhaka	Dhaka	1 January 1955(Pakistan)	• Pavilion End • Paltan End
MA Aziz Stadium	Chittagong	Chittagong	15 November 2001	• Pedrollo End • Ispahani End
Chittagong Divisional Stadium	Chittagong	Chittagong	28 February 2006	• UCB End • Ispahani End
Shaheed Chandu Stadium	Bogra	Rajshahi	8 March 2006	• •
Narayanganj Osmani Stadium	Fatullah	Narayanganj	9 April 2006	• Press Box End • Pavilion End

United Arab Emirates

Official name	City	Country	First used	Ends
Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium (SCA Stadium)	Sharjah	United Arab Emirates	31 January 2002	• Pavilion End • Sharjah Club End

The cricket pitch

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 11:18:00 +0000

A cricket pitch is the central strip of the cricket field between the wickets. The pitch is 22 yards (20.12 m) long and 10 feet (3 m) wide. The surface is very flat and normally covered with extremely short grass though this grass is soon removed by wear at the ends of the pitch.

In amateur matches, artificial pitches are commonly used. These can be a slab of concrete, overlaid with a coir mat, or artificial turf. Artificial pitches are rare in professional cricket - only being used when exhibition matches are played in regions where cricket is not a common sport.

The pitch has very specific markings delineating the creases, as specified by the Laws of Cricket.The rectangular central area of the field that is used for pitches is known as the square.

The word wicket is often used to refer to the pitch. Although technically incorrect according the Laws of Cricket (Law 7 covers the pitch and Law 8 the wickets, distinguishing between them), cricket players, followers, and commentators persist in the usage, with context eliminating any possible ambiguity. Track is yet another synonym for pitch.

Protected Area

The protected area or danger area is the central portion of the pitch - a rectangle running down the middle of the pitch, two feet wide, and beginning five feet from each popping crease. Under the Laws of Cricket, a bowler must avoid running on this area during his follow-through after delivering the ball.

If a bowler runs on the protected area, an umpire will issue a warning to the bowler and his team captain. The umpire issues a second and final warning if the bowler transgresses again. On the third offence, the umpire will remove the bowler from the attack immediately and the bowler may not bowl again for the remainder of the innings.

The protected area is protected in this way because the ball normally bounces on the pitch within this region, and if it is scuffed or damaged by the bowler's footmarks it can give an unfair advantage to the bowling side. The rule does not prevent the bowler or any other fielder from running on the protected area in an effort to field the ball; it only applies to the uninterrupted follow-through.

State of the pitch

If the grass on a natural pitch is longer or more moist than usual, the pitch is described as green. A green pitch favours the bowler over the batsman as the ball can be made to behave erratically on longer or wet grass. Most club and social cricket is played on pitches that professional cricketers would call green.

A sticky wicket is a pitch that has become wet. This causes the ball to behave erratically, particularly for the slower or spin bowlers. However, the pitch is now generally protected from rain and dew preceding and during games so that a sticky wicket is rarely seen in first-class cricket. The phrase, however, has retained currency and extended beyond cricket to mean any difficult situation.

As a match progresses, the pitch dries out. The Laws of Cricket prevent the pitch from being watered during a match. As it dries out, initially batting becomes easier as any moisture disappears. Over the course of a four or five day match, however, the pitch begins to crack, then crumble and become dusty. This kind of pitch is colloquially known as a 'dust bowl' or 'minefield'. This again favors bowlers, particularly spin bowlers who can obtain large amounts of traction on the surface and make the ball spin a long way.

Covering the pitch

The pitch is said to be covered when there are covers on it to protect it against rain or dew. Whether covers are used or not significantly affects the way the ball comes off the pitch, making the issue a controversial one. Law 11 of the Laws of cricket provides that during the match the pitch shall not be completely covered unless provided otherwise by regulations or by agreement before the toss. When possible, the bowlers' run ups are covered in inclement weather to keep them dry. If the pitch is covered overnight, the covers are removed in the morning at the earliest possible moment on each day that play is expected to take place. If covers are used during the day as protection from inclement weather or if inclement weather delays the removal of overnight covers, they are removed as soon as conditions allow.

Preparation and maintenance of the playing area

Law 10 of the Laws of cricket sets out rules covering the preparation and maintenance of the playing area.

Rolling the pitch

During the match the pitch may be rolled at the request of the captain of the batting side, for a period of not more than 7 minutes, before the start of each innings, other than the first innings of the match, and before the start of each subsequent day's play. In addition, if, after the toss and before the first innings of the match, the start is delayed, the captain of the batting side may request to have the pitch rolled for not more than 7 minutes, unless the umpires together agree that the delay has had no significant effect on the state of the pitch. Once the game has begun, rolling may not take place other than under these circumstances.

If there is more than one roller available the captain of the batting side shall have the choice. There are detailed rules to make sure that rolling, where possible, is conducted so as not to delay the game, but, if necessary, the game is delayed to allow the batting captain to have up to 7 minutes rolling if he so wishes.

Sweeping

Before a pitch is rolled it is first swept to avoid any possible damage by rolling in debris. The pitch is also cleared of any debris at all intervals for meals, between innings and at the beginning of each day. The only exception to this is that the umpires do not allow sweeping to take place where they consider it may be detrimental to the surface of the pitch.

Mowing

Both the pitch and the outfield is mown on each day of a match on which play is expected to take place, if ground and weather conditions allow. Once a game has begun mowings are carried out under the supervision of the umpires.

Footholes and footholds

The umpires are required to make sure that bowlers' and batsmen's footholes are cleaned out and dried whenever necessary to facilitate play. In matches of more than one day's duration, if necessary, the footholes made by the bowler in his delivery stride may be returfed or covered with quick-setting fillings to make them safe and secure. Players may also secure their footholds using sawdust provided that the pitch is not damaged or they do not do so in a way that is unfair to the other team.

The cricket ground

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 31 Jan 2008 11:17:00 +0000

A cricket ground is an elliptical stretch of grass where the game of cricket is officially played. Though there is no fixed shape of a cricket ground, deviating too much from a low-eccentricity ellipse is largely discouraged. The size too varies from 90 to 150 meters (100-160 yards) across.

In recent times, the grounds are getting smaller by the day in order to propagate high-scoring matches. On most of the cricket grounds there is a rope that demarcates the perimeter of the field. This is known as the boundary.

Boundary
A boundary defines the limits of the playing area and it is marked by a line, a fence or a rope. If a player or any other foreign object disturbs a part of the boundary during play, then the boundary is considered to be at the same position as it was before the disturbance.

References can be made to different sections of the boundary in terms of nearest fielding positions - for instance third-man boundary or mid-wicket boundary.

A ball in play, when touches or crosses the boundary without a bounce, gives six runs to the batsman. When the ball touches or crosses the boundary with one or more than one bounce, it gives four runs to the batsman. If a fielder touches the boundary while he is still in contact with the ball, the batsman is awarded four or six runs accordingly.

Pitch
A cricket pitch is the place where most of the action in the cricket ground takes place. The standard size of a pitch is 22 yards in length and 10 feet in width.

A pitch is generally made up of two kinds of surfaces. The surface generally used is a natural surface with a grass cover. The grass is usually cut extremely short so that the surface becomes flat.

At times, artificial turf is also used for the preparation of the pitch. This can be a slab of concrete overlaid with a coir-mat. Artificial pitches are mostly used in exhibition matches. The pitch is also referred to as a track or the wicket. This mode of usage is technically incorrect going by the Laws of Cricket.

Parts of a cricket ground
A cricket field can be divided into three parts – infield, close-infield, outfield.

Infield - The infield is made by drawing an arc of 30 yards radius from the center to each wicket with respect to the breadth of the pitch. The two arcs are then joined by parallel lines which are at a distance of 30 yards from the center of the pitch with respect to the length of the pitch.

Close-infield – The close-infield is defined by drawing a circle of radius 15 yards from the center of each wicket.

Outfield- The part of the ground which is on the outer side of the infield is termed as the outfield.

Important grounds around the world
MCG:
The Melbourne Cricket Ground in Australia is the biggest cricket ground in the world. With a seating capacity of over 100,000, this ground is one of the most picturesque grounds around.

Established in the year 1854, the MCG plays host to the Boxing Day Test match on 26th December every year. It has also hosted the Centenary Test match between Australia and England.

The playing area in the MCG is 172.9m long, 147.8m wide. Along with cricket it also hosts a number of football and rugby matches. The Australian Gallery of Sport is also located at the MCG.

Lord’s:
The Lords cricket ground in England is regarded at the spiritual headquarters of the game of cricket. Established in the year 1814, this ground played host to the first Test match that took place between Australia and England in 1884.

With a capacity of about 30,000, the Lord’s cricket ground is famous for its sloping pitch with the north-west side of the ground being 8 feet higher than the south-east part of it.

Lord’s is privately owned by the MCC (Marylebone Cricket Club). It is the home of Middlesex Cricket County Club, English and Wales Cricket Board and the European Cricket Council. The ICC also had its base at this ground from 1999-2005.

Eden Gardens:
The Eden Gardens is a ground to treasure for every Indian cricket fan. Established in the year 1864, this ground has seen a plethora of victories, defeats and controversies over the years.

With a seating capacity of over 100,000, it has the headquarters of the Calcutta Cricket Club. The Eden Gardens has played host to a number of memorable matches. It was on this ground that V V S Laxman scored 281 and dismantled the Australian side.

This ground has however been under severe criticism due to crowd interference. Many incidences. Crowd boorishness led to match disruptions against the West Indies (1966-67) and Australia (1969-70). A semi-final of the World Cup between India and Sri Lanka in 1996 had to be ‘awarded’ to Sri Lankans for the same reason.

Carisbrook Stadium:
The Carisbrook Stadium located near Dunedin in New Zealand is regarded as one of the smallest grounds in the world. It also has the reputation of being one of the coldest grounds to where cricket is played.

This small ground plays host to a number of cricket and rugby matches. It has its association with the game of cricket since 1883. It can accommodate about 30,000 spectators.

In the year 1999, lights were set up in Carisbrook to host day/night matches. Since then, this has become one of the more popular grounds in New Zealand.

Eden ParkEden:
Park is regarded one of the smallest cricket grounds in New Zealand as well as world over. It has been a sporting ground since 1900, but used for playing cricket since 1910.

Eden Park played host to one of the most dismal matches in Test history. In 1955, the hosts slumped to their lowest total in cricketing history (26 all out). With a capacity of about 50,000, this ground plays host to a number of rugby and cricket matches. The one peculiar feature about this ground is that it is in the shape of a baseball diamond.

Harbhajan racism charges dropped

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Tue, 29 Jan 2008 08:06:00 +0000

A picture taken during the hearing on Harbhajan’s appeal against the 3-match ban at Adelaide.

Indian off-spinner Harbhajan Singh escaped with a fine of 50 per cent of his match fee for the Sydney Test as the racial slur charge against him was dropped after a hearing here on Tuesday.
Harbhajan had been charged with a level 3.3 offence by match referee Mike Procter for an alleged racial abuse against Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds during the second Test, but the Appeals Commissioner, Justice John Hansen of New Zealand, reduced the charge to that of using offensive language (level 2.8).

The decision to reduce the charge and resultantly drop the three-Test ban on Harbhajan was announced even as the Indian team remained here, threatening to withdraw from an upcoming tri-series also featuring Sri Lanka.

The Indian cricket Board had already made it clear that the racial charge was unacceptable to it, also showed displeasure over the manner in which the ban was handed to Harbhajan. South African official Procter had gone by the version given by Aussie players Matthew Hayden and Michael Clarke while ignoring that of Sachin Tendulkar, all of whom were around when the incident took place.

Apart from pressure from the Indian cricket Board, the Indian team management and senior players too took a tough stance in Australia.

The Australian players, who had been keen to press on for racial charges, also reportedly backed down to mounting pressure. In fact, Tendulkar and Aussie skipper Ricky Ponting wrote to Judge Hansen, urging him to reduce Harbhajan's charges to that of using offensive language.

An amicable solution had looked imminent earlier this morning as Tendulkar came out of the hotel with Cricket Australia Chairman Craigh O'Connor and the duo took a car for the Federal Court which was a clear signal that the hosts had softened their stance in order to salvage the tour.

A little before that, Harbhajan had come out with media manager MV Sridhar, appearing confident of holding his ground in the hearing.

Pictures of Adelaide Test - Day 5

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 09:07:00 +0000

Adam Gilchrist with wife Mel and children Annie, Harry and Archie after his final Test.
The victorious Australian team with the Border-Gavaskar Trophy.

Adam Gilchrist bids adieu to fans at the Adelaide Oval.

Ricky Ponting and Anil Kumble share a word after a draw in Adelaide.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni's penchant for the loose drive did him in.

VVS Laxman walks off before the umpire can rule him out.

Virender Sehwag puts his best foot forward as he races away to a 13th hundred.

Sachin Tendulkar departs to a superb direct hit.

Virender Sehwag celebrates his 13th Test hundred.

Rahul Dravid was forced to leave with an injured finger.

Adam Gilchrist is applauded onto the field on his last day of Test cricket.

Pictures of Adelaide Test - Day 4

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 08:54:00 +0000

Mitchell Johnson trapped Irfan Pathan leg before for a duck.

Anil Kumble dives in an attempt to stop a shot from Michael Clarke.

Irfan Pathan celebrates the wicket of Brett Lee.

Andrew Symonds is bowled by Ishant Sharma for 30.

Adam Gilchrist waves goodbye to Adelaide.

Adam Gilchrist plays a trademark shot in his last Test.

Adam Gilchrist walks out in his last Test.

Ishant Sharma dismissed Michael Clarke for 118.

Anil Kumble belts out an appeal.

Michael Clarke kisses his helmet.

Michael Clarke cuts during his century.

Ricky Ponting celebrates his 34th Test hundred.

Ricky Ponting was far more fluent on day four.

Pictures of Adelaide Test - Day 3

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 08:42:00 +0000

Ricky Ponting ground his way to a half-century.

Michael Hussey looks back at his rearranged stumps.

Irfan Pathan sets off after castling Michael Hussey.

Ricky Ponting dabs one wide of the point fielder.

Matthew Hayden fell to a gem from Ishant Sharma.

Phil Jaques was bowled trying an ill-advised sweep.

Matthew Hayden returned to the side in style.

Harbhajan Singh runs in to bowl.

Phil Jaques followed Matthew Hayden to his half-century.

Matthew Hayden raises his bat after reaching his half-century.

Phil Jaques plays one to the off side.

Matthew Hayden cracks one through the off side.

Pictures of Adelaide Test - Day 2

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 08:54:00 +0000

Sourav Ganguly gets hurt while fielding.

Phil Jaques scrambles back to his crease as Dinesh Karthik tries to run him out.

Anil Kumble acknowledges the crowd after his fifty.

Adam Gilchrist breaks Mark Boucher's record of most Test dismissals.

Ricky Ponting drops a catch off Ishant Sharma.

Harbhajan Singh hits out during his 63.

Harbhajan Singh and Anil Kumble put on 107 to frustrate Australia.

Harbhajan Singh negotiated the short-pitched stuff well.

Anil Kumble on the attack during his fifty.

Harbhajan Singh lofts the ball high.

A relieved Brett Lee and Co. celebrate the big wicket.

Sachin Tendulkar fell mistiming a pull shot.

Sachin Tendulkar copped one on the inside of the knee the ball before he was out.

Sachin Tendulkar acknowledges the applause after reaching 150.

Mitchell Johnson got rid of Mahendra Singh Dhoni .

The Fielding Positions

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Fri, 25 Jan 2008 06:54:00 +0000

There are only 11 players in the fielding side including one wicket keeper and a bowler. So there are, at a time, only nine fielders on the field and the captain of the fielding side has to stipulate various positions to the fielders. A captain cannot do so when the ball is in play or the bowler is about to ball and is in his delivery stride.

Fielding positions
There are only a few basic fielding positions in a cricket ground. Many positions are applied frequently but some are applied only rarely depending upon the situation. Terms like backward, forward and square can further indicate the angle.

Wicketkeeper
It is regarded as one of the specialised positions in the field. A wicketkeeper is also one of the busy players on the field. He gets the ball every now and then when it is a wide ball or batsman misses it in any aspect. A wicket keeper would stand just behind the stumps in case of a spin or a slow bowler. But he would go further behind the stumps in case of a fast bowler.

Slips
The slips is the position where the ball travels very quickly. This is also a catching position as the batsman edges the ball that goes straight into the hands of slip fielders. Nine can be the maximum number of fielders a captain can have in the slips.

There can be nine fielders in the slip cordon. The slips start from exactly one foot behind from the wicketkeeper. The players standing here have good hand and eye co-ordination since the ball travels at a rapid pace and the fielders need to stop it.

There also are positions that are called floating slip and fly slip. A floating slip is the one where the fielder is moved anywhere on the slip cordon. A fly slip is the one that is exactly behind the slips cordon.

Gully
Gully is another one of the catching positions that is just behind square of the wicket on the off side. In this position a batsman would hit the ball while trying to hit the ball over the fielder and will in the process get out. This is also a position where the ball travels quickly.

Point
This position is further away from the gully and is square of the wicket on the off side. The most powerful shots are stopped on this position like the square cut. The best fielders in the business are usually on this position. India’s Yuvraj singh and South Africa’s Jonty Rhodes are the two examples associated with this position.

This area also has a few different positions like:-
1) Backward point
Backward point is behind square of the wicket.

2) Silly point
Silly point is closest to the wicket. It is used when a bowler is bowling spin that might create catching opportunities. They are often seen jumping around when the batsman drives a powerful shot.

Cover
It is the area that covers the point and the mid off. Cover is another important offside position.
At cover there are a few positions where a fielder usually stands.

1) Extra cover
The fielder at extra cover is between the regular cover fielder and mid off.

2) Short Extra Cover
If a fielder gets more close to the wicket in the same angle to the batsman he is said to be at short extra cover.

3) Deep extra cover
Deep extra cover is down the boundary and it is one of the most defensive positions.

Third Man
Third man is the fielder at the boundary on the off side. He is generally deployed there to stop the runs which slips and gully fielders were not able to stop. He is usually 45 degrees to the wicket defending at the boundary. There is usually no third man in a Test match because in that situation the captain employs an attacking field.

Fine Leg
Fine Leg is just the mirror image of third man. It is a place where a bowler can take some rest. It is 45 degrees on the leg side. Though it is not a glamorous position on the field but it is an important run saving position.

Square Leg
Square leg is the position next to where second umpire stands. It is the mirror image of point. And it is also one of the catching positions on the leg side.

At square leg there are a few positions where a fielder usually stands:

1) Deep square leg
This position is at the boundary which is just behind the square leg position. It can be at the angle 0 degrees from the wicket.

2)Short leg
This position is usually for the youngest member in the team. The fielder has to stand close to the batsman wearing a helmet and shinguards. So in a way the fielder is directly in the line of fire on the leg side. The fielder has to be very sharp and

3)Backward square
Backward square is the position where a fielder would be standing on the leg side and would be slightly behind the line of the wicket.

All possible field positions in a cricket filed are shown below

Pictures of Adelaide Test - Day 1

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 11:00:00 +0000

Adam Gilchrist, who dropped VVS Laxman on 37, finally held on to one towards the end of the day.

Sachin Tendulkar launched a stunning attack on the spinners.

VVS Laxman acknowledges the crowd after his fifty.

VVS Laxman, who added 126 with Sachin Tendulkar, congratulates him on his hundred.

Sachin Tendulkar reached a quite brilliant 39th Test hundred.

VVS Laxman's assured presence helped India rebuild.

Sourav Ganguly isn't convinced about his leg before decision.

Sachin Tendulkar slogs Brad Hogg over midwicket.

Sachin Tendulkar cuts Brad Hogg for four.

Brett Lee made Virender Sehwag his 20th victim of the series.

Rahul Dravid looked good briefly before getting stuck in a rut.

Mitchell Johnson nails Irfan Pathan for 9.

Virender Sehwag raised his fifty from just 68 balls.

Mitchell Johnson celebrates the wicket of Irfan Pathan.

The Cricket Ball

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 10:16:00 +0000

Weight
For professional men’s cricket, a ball should weigh between 5 1/2 ounces/155.9g to 5 3/4 ounces/163g. The circumference should be between 8 13/16 inches/22.4cm to 9 inches/22.9cm.

For women’s cricket the weight of the ball should be from 4 15/16 ounces/140g to 5 5/16 ounces /151g. The cricket ball should measure from 8 1/4 inches/21.0cm to 8 7/8 inches/22.5cm in circumference. This means that the ball used is slightly smaller in size than men’s cricket.

For youth cricket the ball should weigh from 4 11/16 ounces/133g to 5 1/16 ounces/144g and should measure from 8 1/16 inches/20.5cm to 8 11/16 inches/22.0cm in circumference.

Make up
The cricket ball is made of two halves of cork. The cork is binded by a thick wound of strings. A layer of leather then covers the cork. The layer is divided into four quartered peels of leather, which covers the round ball from all the sides. One hemisphere covers the ball in a 90-degree angle in respect to the other. This cover is then sewn to form a seam that is tied at the equator of the ball. There are in all six rows of stitches. The remaining two joins between the leather pieces are left unstitched.

Red and white
There are two types of cricket balls. One, which is dyed red and the other one is white. The red cricket ball is used in Test as well as first class cricket, whereas the white cricket ball is used in the one-day format of the game. The red ball is also referred to as ‘cherry’.

But there has been a debate over whether both red and white cricket balls are the same when it comes to bowling?

The answer to this may be no. Many veteran players believe that the white cricket ball has more swing and impact than the red ball. Both the balls are made in the same manner as the first ball was made in the 1700s. The balls are made up of the same cork and then leather is put on. But there is just a slight difference between both the balls. The white ball has a harder-wearing coating to stop them getting dirty.

But the manufacturers deny these claims. They say that there is no difference between the two balls and proper remedies are taken to see that the characteristics of the ball remain the same.

The other colours
After the white ball was finalised for limited-over matches, other colours like orange and yellow were also tried and tested. But white proved to be more effective under the floodlights.

Besides the leather ball, there are other balls that are used to play cricket. The local Pakistani bowlers used the ‘taped ball’. In this case a tennis ball is wrapped with electrical insulation tape to harness some hardness in the ball while retaining the softness.

The Laws
The balls that are chosen by umpires and the captains of both the teams will remain in umpires’ possession before the toss and will be under umpire’s control throughout the match.

The umpire will have the ball in his possession after a fall of a wicket, or at the time of drinks break or during the interruption of the play under any circumstances.

Either captain has the right to demand a new ball at the start of an innings. In Test cricket the red cherry can only be changed after the prescribed minimum (80) overs. Other than this the ball can be changed only under a few circumstances-

If the ball has become unfit to play
During a match the umpires can consider the ball as unfit for play because of normal wear and tear. The ball would then be replaced with another one that has had similar wear. This replacement would be informed to the batsmen and the fielding captain.

If the ball is lost
If during play the ball is lost and is not recovered, it will be replaced with another one which is similar in condition to the one lost.

Ball tampering
The condition of the ball is very crucial in the game of cricket. And any infringement to the ball can vary the results of the game by huge margins. So to avoid these defections, ICC has formulated certain laws. These laws are: A player cannot rub any substance apart from sweat and saliva on the ball. These two substances are used only under the pretext of them bieng natural substances. A player is not allowed to rub the ball on the ground under any circumstances. The umpires may however, wipe the ball with a piece of cloth in exceptional cases of ball getting wet and slippery due to dew or any other reason. A player cannot scratch the surface of the ball with any rough object.

LAW 42.3c of ICC rule book states that it is unfair for anyone to rub the ball on the ground for any reason, interfere with any of the seams or the surface of the ball, use any implement, or take any other action whatsoever which is likely to alter the condition of the ball.

The Manufacturers
Sanspareils Greenlands (SG)
In India, Sanspareils Greenlands (SG) are the main manufacturers of cricket balls. They came to India at the time of partition and made their way into Meerut. And since then Sanspareils Greenlands is the brand name that identifies cricket in India.

Even in this age of technology, the ball is made in the traditional way. In India, it takes almost 75 days to make a ball that lasts for a day in Test cricket.

The core of the cricket ball is a cork-rubber and is grey brown in colour. Cork-rubber is then covered with flat strips of cork. Then a wet wool string is wrapped around the cork mixture tightly and more and more layers are wrapped around the core. A wooden bowl is then used to put the core in it, which is moulded into a sphere though a hammer. The mass of cork is then hung on the wall for drying and establishing bounce.

The leather after being checked for its quality is dyed and then cut into oval but pointy-ended parts on a wooden board. Then these oval shaped parts are joined with needles through the borders thereby creating a half ball.

This half ball is then battered in thappai- a machine shaped like a head-clamp instrument to give definite shape. The remaining part of the ball is then covered with steel cups and leather slices and sewn.

But this form of making cricket balls is dying with time. The technological advances of other manufacturers around the world are threatening to conquer this hand made miracle. The latest being BCCI opting for Kookaburra balls for Tests.

Kookaburra Sport
Kookaburra is the most famous manufacturer of cricket equipments in the world. The company was instituted in Australia and established itself in almost all the Test playing nations which also include India and Pakistan.

The history of Kookaburra goes back to 1890s when a migrant, harness and saddle maker, Alfred Grace Thompson turned into making cricket balls. His next generations then helped Kookaburra establish worldwide which now specialises in other equipments of cricket and also hockey.

Ball gauge
A ball gauge is used by umpires to measure the size of the ball. Through ball gauge, the umpires see whether optimum measurements mandated by the governing body are followed or not.

The ball gauge looks like handcuffs. There are two rings connected to each other, one has a diameter through which the ball should not pass. The other is the maximum acceptable diameter through which the ball should pass.

If the ball does not pass through the maximum diameter and passes through the minimum diameter, the ball is deemed to have lost its perfect shape. Umpires should then replace the ball with an old ball that has been used in the comparable number of overs earlier.

( courtesy the ICC)

The Cricket Bat

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Thu, 24 Jan 2008 10:02:00 +0000

A cricket bat is very much like a paddle, though uptill the 18th century it used to look like the present day hockey stick. Like the paddle, a cricket bat has a paddled handle. But the cricket bat is sturdier than the handle of the paddle.

The handle of the bat finishes at the shoulder. The shoulder exceeds till the blade which is a flat wooden block on one side and V-shape ridge on the other side to boost the strength of the bat. The bottom of the blade is known as the toe of the bat.

Rules
The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) states underlying laws for a cricket bat in the rule book:-

1. Width and length
The bat overall shall not be more than 38 inches/96.5cm in length. The blade of the bat shall be made solely of wood and shall not exceed 4 1/4 inches/10.8cm at the widest part.

2. Covering the blade
The blade may be covered with material for protection, strengthening or repair. Such material shall not exceed 1/16 inches/1.56mm in thickness, and shall not be likely to cause unacceptable damage to the ball.

3. Hand or glove to count as part of bat
In these Laws, (a) reference to the bat shall imply that the bat is held by the batsman. (b) contact between the ball and either (i) the striker`s bat itself or (ii) the striker`s hand holding the bat or (iii) any part of a glove worn on the striker`s hand holding the bat shall be regarded as the ball striking or touching the bat, or being struck by the bat.

The make-up
The bat is made from a willow wood. The willow wood is hard enough to be shock resistant. And is very much a matierial for a cricket bat as through the cricket bat the player has to hit the the ball hard, without denting the surface of the bat. The willow also keeps in check the wieght of the bat, which should be light and the bat should be easy to handle.

A cricket bat is not supposed to be used immediately after its production. It requires knocking which compresses the exposed wood.

The knocking-in
The knocking-in process is very unique and it starts from the edges of the blade as the cracks start appearing on the edges of the bat.

The knocking in process is initiated by applying a thin layer of linseed oil on the blade of the bat. The bat is knocked by a worn down soft leather cricket ball or a tack hammer. The face of the blade is then repeatedly hit for several hours.

After a few hours of knocking-in, another thin layer of linseed oil is applied. The bat is now ready, but only for light practice. For competitive matches some more hours of knocking-in is done. During this stage though, care is taken to protect the spring of the bat from jarring.

This process is the traditional way of making the bat steady for use. However, manufacturers of the bat now a days use machines to compress the bat.

The imperfections
After the bat is made, there could be many imperfections in the bat. These imperfections are as follows:-

Small knot or "Pin knot" is the most common imperfection found in the bat after it is made. These knots are generally up to 10 mm in diameter and at times visible on the face of the bat.

"Speck" is another imperfection which is due to the growing conditions of the tree. In this case, the tree grows in earth containing a lot of gravel or stones. As a result of which there is an uptake of tiny molecules with water that gets deposited. Speck is purely cosmetic and is also a sign of a strong bat.

The third imperfection is the "Butterfly Stain", it is called so as it resembles the body and wings of a butterfly. This imperfection is mainly due to the tree being a hybrid of English Cricket Bat Willow. This makes the bat very strong.

"False Growth" is a common imperfection in the bat. This is caused when the tree stops growing for some reason atleast for a season. The causes can range from drought, fire or weed killer. Nine times out of ten there is no weakness in the bat and they will certianly not break along the False Growth.

Another imperfection is the "dead knot". The tree has been trimmed up very late and the resulting branch has been left to grow for many years. Before this can be used to make a bat the knot is drilled out and filled. As long as it is not on the face of the bat it will have very little detrimental effect on the playability.

The willows
English Willow
English Willow has a fibrous wood which provides excellent rebound performance when the ball strikes the middle of the bat, English willow bats are used by top and middle order batsmen.

Kashmir Willow
Kashmir Willow is a harder and although it is quite similar to English Willow, it is a little more brittle and therefore less responsive when the ball strikes the middle of the bat. Kashmir Willow bats do however offer excellent value for money and are ideal for lower order batsmen, beginners or club bags.

The controversy
The recent controversy concerning the cricket bat originated in October 2005 when Ricky Ponting was stopped from using the Kookaburra bat.

Reportedly, the Kookaburra bat had a graphite plate on it which enhanced stroke play. This clearly violated rule number 6.1 of MCC which states that the “bat shall be made solely of wood.”
The ‘Kahuna’ bat was thus not brought into the play. Similarly, English player Owais Shah was told not to use the same bat as it also had the graphite plate on it.

India could play the five-bowler card

noreply@blogger.com (Unknown) — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 06:09:00 +0000

After a dramatic win in Perth, India are plotting the final punch in their battle against the world champions. Cold logic says that the eleven men who won them the Perth Test should retain their place but could their be a twist in the tale? There is even talk, muted for the moment, that India may gamble with five bowlers.

Traditionally, the Adelaide Oval is a batting paradise. And India know the onus is on them to find a way to take 20 Australian wickets to level the series at 2-2. So could they find a place for this man, Harbhajan Singh in their eleven?

The seam bowling trio earned their stripes in Perth, so Harbhajan will find it hard to displace any of them. But one team source says the option of playing five bowlers isn't closed. It's an idea the vice-captain certainly likes.

"Our bowlers, they have bowled consistently and they have encouraged the batsmen to drive the ball, so at times that really helps and that is helping us in taking wickets," Mahendra Singh Dhoni says.

If five bowlers were to play; Dhoni will have to bat at number six. On current form, he is averaging a shade over 17 from six innings on tour; that will be a pretty big gamble.
But with Irfan Pathan showing impressive form with the bat in both innings in Perth, India could be tempted to take the risk. He could bat at number seven, an option even the opposition camp believes isn't out of the question.

"Pathan batted very well over there (Perth) too, so they get down that avenue, or as they did in Sydney, play two spinners and two quicks and the extra batter," Australia opener Phil Jaques says.

If India do play five bowlers, this man will be forced on the bench. Wasim Jaffer has made just 49 runs in six innings so far at an average of under nine.
And once again, Rahul Dravid could be asked to open the innings, which will be a tough call for the management to take after his 93 in the first innings at Perth, especially as Dravid himself is reluctant to do the job.

The final call will only be taken after assessing the pitch at the Adelaide Oval. But there is no doubt that victory is priority number one going into this Test match and this Indian team is prepared to chart a brave new course if need be to achieve it.