The Cricket Watcher's Journal

Hyderabad, November 5th, 2009

noreply@blogger.com (Soulberry) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 18:29:00 +0000

For some curious reason, the early hour on that Deccan winter day, felt much colder than the more northern sub-Himalayan city of Delhi I hailed from. It was not supposed to be so, given the consistently temperate nature of the plateau's climate. Perhaps the open green spaces with water bodies embedded in them were responsible for the refreshing coolness, perhaps the city on the plateau wasn't yet completely built up and allowed zephyrs to coast gently across...bracingly: we only conjecture as to the causes, but the inlaid warm frisson of good-natured mischievous excitement coursing through the nip was unmistakable and goosepimpling.

People were up and about long before the sun had risen to herald the day; kinsmen and kidred who had converged into the welcoming homes of resident kinfolk for this important day were milling about in different quarters completing their daily ablutions and dressing up to greet what promised to be an eventful and long day. In that simultaneous orderly chaos throbbing inside the different residences, heavenly odors of freshly brewed engine-starting southern coffee and breakfast, of freshly bathed bodies and new clothes, mingled with the syntheticity of branded perfumes, colognes and aftershaves. Bonhomie dominated, and overcame any inconvenience for all kinsfolk who had converged for an important and happy cause. Bright faces shone in the friendly oneness forged in the melting pot of common cause, across the intricate stiles and fencings which dot this countryside.

By the time the sun had just inched up above the horizon in the cleft between the highways leading to Warangal and Vijayawada, vehicles bearing the kinsmen had set out and already focalized at a point there, to disgorge their riders who then proceeded to initiate the various procedures and rituals leading upto the momentous and auspicious muhurtam later that night.

Things got underway, and one by one, gobbled through the preparatory procedures. By the time afternoon arrived, there was a slight flagging of energy and things meandered into the anticipated evening. The lights switched on, brightening up all within their purview. Enthusiasm rebounded, freshness bounced back again, the home run had begun.

Thavil drumbeats reverberated through the evening air. Nadaswarams pealed auspicious raagas into everyone's ears. Videographers inched forward to grab the once-in-a-lifetime action being enacted in the centre. Necks craned this way and that way in gentle rhythmic sways like long-necked birds in courtship moves, so as not to miss a moment of the enthralling action in the middle...under a floral canopy on the stage.

The team from Visakhapatnam was led by a veteran Ranji battler of yore for the Andhra Pradesh team. He was followed by a column of kinfolk who played the game as it should be. The other side was also replete with serious enthusiasts of the game. Blackberrys pinged websites, mobiles ringtoned strategically placed relatives at the venue for updates, which were then quickly spread around to team members of either side.

Males, females, young and old...all were gripped by the ensuing drama. Things began to head to a raucous climax of drumbeats, nadaswarams, chants, prayers and blessings...excitement long ceased to be suppressed, formalities succumbed, the countdown began to the ultimate. The night sky bore a large fuzzy dome of neon glow slightly to the north-east. One could hear the roars of thousands urging on....praying, blessing, celebrating from the same direction.

And then the muhurtham was past, the sacred thread was tied, a new bond was formed, life was rejuvenated once again in a new direction. The thavils and nadaswarams fell silent. People leaned back in a strange kind of exhaustion - happy and sad at the same time - for having witnessed something wonderfully regenerative and yet having to cope with a loss....twice over.

My niece was married away that evening in Hyderabad, the first among the next generation, to a fine young man who harbours a healthy interest in playing and watching cricket as and when the opportunity presents itself to him.

The thing was everybody in the marriage hall kept up with Sachin Tendulkar battling away hard for India just a couple of kilometres away. The groom found a moment or two to keep himself informed as well.

Cricinfo was pinged hard and repeatedly by numerous Blackberrys and like gadgets. Kinsmen strategically allowed to populate the stadium while the wedding was on, were kept hooked onto the mobile lines right through the 175 rebellious runs scored by a 37 year old young man called Sachin Tendulkar.

The coordination and cooperation among so many would have made Alexander proud. The convergence of so many people through, not one, but two common threads was uplifting. The childlike interactions between the branches of the family tree growing old and gnarly was doubly satisfying and energizing.

I did not see one of the memorable innings played that evening in Hyderabad, but it was a night I'll always remember.

A Note to BCCI Big Bosses

Oh, by the way, a note to our good friend BCCI in passing: a cricket madman like me was unable to watch the match for some reason or the other. The nature of responsibility was such that I missed the replays as well. I caught some haphazhard snatches of recordings of the live telecast on a relative's DVD player. Now today, I come back to Delhi all eager to enjoy short clips of highlights of the innings on You Tube and find that BCCI has had them withdrawn!

My Dear BCCI, it is exactly stuff like this...these kinds of innings....you must ensure every home in India has a copy of whether they like to have it or not, either free or at a very nominal cost. This is what you need to inspire the next generation of players, the next hordes of loyal supporters of the game, and warm the cockles of fellow Indians who have religiously supported your efforts despite the many hardshipes you make them face in the process. Grow up....Sachin and his deeds belongs to all of us like Mahatma Gandhi and his deeds. Stop acting like those who are auctioning away the Mahatma's legacy to the highest bidder acquired by stealth or legally. You must take pride in ensuring the world watches Sachin and innings like this from him.

I doubt if this brief note in pasing would have any effect, but I am an eternal optimist, my dear BCCI.

Thanks

Soulberry

Congrats Ozzies, and a VVS rant for my orange streaked brothers in indigo.

noreply@blogger.com (Soulberry) — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 11:21:00 +0000

At the outset, let me congratulate the Australians for winning the ODI series. Not only did they play better all round cricket, they also valued their desire to succeed a little more than the Indians. While they were intent on restoring a weatherbeaten heritage, the Indians were busy drawing up yet another plan for that perfect tower symbolizing their as yet unhatched achievement.

That was the difference for me - one was an effort in trying to fit lost gems of architecture in their moulds with whatever skill was at command while the other was yet another flight of paper fancy.

India lost because it takes its clichés very seriously - "Just a bad day in office", "you win some, you lose some", "when you play as much, you are bound to lose some" - are just some glitter India likes to clad itself in rather than don the serious habit of a winning philosophy. A routine is only a routine if you attach no significance to the nuts and bolts of what you are doing. Attach purpose to it and that routine becomes discipline which will launch you to real achievements.

The signs were all there; too regularly has India become condescendingly lax in the way it performs its fundamentals the moment it percieves a lead or smells a win. We have seen this in all areas of play on the field many times over. Thus, in effect, India was regularly practising being mediocre...practising chipping away the intricate details of winning gems embedded in them with chisels of easy clichés. A lethargy of purpose taints every victory. Rather than be an elixir to inspire the quest for greater achievements, a win for the Indian team often becomes that wine of victory which stuns the quest for progress with its dulling euphoria. When time asks for application, India is found stumbling on its own lab-cultured laxity.

Let us celebrate the ordeal of coming through on the backs of brilliance of one or two individuals, and sneer instead, at the simplicity of team effort and meaningful implementation of practised routines.

Let us toss ourselves up into giddy stratospheres of frenzy whenever such a brilliance explodes to launch us, however and whenever that may be. Let us thrill in the romance of the unexpected rather than bore ourselves with the regularity of winning...frequent winning that comes with meticulous attention to, and practice and applictaion of, our skills with determined purpose...a good kind of ruthlessness.

One Aaj ki Raat^{trans & YouTube} has enough amnesiac power to make one forget the pain of a million mediocre moments of our plays...let it flow I say!

Let us be doused tonight with so much of high spirits that we can wake up in tomorrow as Dons of our fantasies. If our games get crumpled as we lie stoned in our one night's greatness, no worry, we'll brush them off with a wave of our magical hands, flick them with our mystical wrists come morning, and we'll be ready to go again!

Hey, we can even celebrate moments which were made to appear near by a team member's sudden bloodrush, when they were, in actuality, always distant! And kept that far in the first place due to our extremely poor practices.

Celebrate! Moments are rare, the middleclassness of ruthless devotion and application mundanely swamps the clock and calendars of our existence! Firefly that I am, I build nothing, I leave no history no heritage but the genes I spew in one night and die. I am no mechanic of tireless robotic precision to build outreaches in unexplored space but only a shooting star. Celebrate!

The top order batting failed as strikingly as Sachin Tendulkar and Dhoni's bats arose to speak for India erratically. You could call it "form issues" if you are inclined to be comforting, or you could say it was the lethargy of casualness which shackles your feet, your arms, freezes your eye, when you do not want them to be so. Sehwag, Gambhir, Yuvraj...where is the team effort? Why is it difficult? Why must it be a rare phenomenon for all contribute at the same time, rather than the opposite being rare instead?

Then the fielding and poor lines of bowling....we are fed up with this topic. We have addressed this in different ways, from different directions...the chaps who are in the profession of playing cricket don't really mind screwing up aspects of their job on a regular basis. What can you do with such? The culture of mediocrity, the culture of resting on our heels, the culture of "only this much and no more"....the babugiri of public responsibility is as prevalent an affliction in our private enterprise. It appears that nothing matters...not healthy remuneration, adulation, accessibility, facilities, flexibility, support teams...nothing matters to rid oneself of the peongiri mentality.

Give them everything, pick them up and make them sit on thrones, even then they cannot unspool their tails to become lions.

Forget those close finishes...on both occasions the matches were lost long before they eventually were. A relatively average team managed to prevail because it wanted to a little more than the Indians. Because the Indian fielders, batsmen and bowlers obliged.

Sure, there were some who picked their moments to fight back...like the stray soldiers of a ragged army laying seige to the castle running in to butt their heads on the walls of the fortress in frustration or a rush of adrenaline. It doesn't matter how high they climbed up the walls on the strength of that mad wind which seized them suddenly, you always knew it was only a matter of time before they'd fall away like newspapered flies.

You succeed more often when you wear the correct habits most times...the dull drab dungarees which work well around your frequently used talents...not the stiff glittery coat of common clichés which actually conceal the shapeless softness within.

Ruthless habits matter most when the going gets close. We've said that before and this series has been an illustration. India will not often win bilateral, tri-lateral or major tournaments with such hit and trial methods...kal kaam kiya to aaj so gaye kind of stuff.

"India lost the mental battle - Dhoni"...Bah! That's no rocket science...when you win some and lose some, when you let slip a four every match, when you drop catches every match, when you bat more to an image than for a purpose, when you set fields exotically and bowl even more exotically, you are bound to be unsure of which way the mind bends in the current situation.

To be sure of things, to have a ready reference to draw upon from within, you have to be doing some things in a particular way all the times. Then, you can be sure of your mental battles. Yeah you will still lose games...professionalism is all about making that eventuality as uncommon as possible.

By the way, Bollinger is da Badshah! Gimme one bowler who'll bowl with that kind of heart and skill!

Blogsite Notice

noreply@blogger.com (Soulberry) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:46:00 +0000

TCWJ will be idle for a period of five days with effect from November 4th. Active blogging will recommence on the 9th of November.

This is due to prior travel engagements.

Thank you.

Dada needs a cricket talk show of his own

noreply@blogger.com (Soulberry) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 18:00:00 +0000

Currently, he appears to be contracted with Times Now. Rather than hear him from the commentary box, I would prefer to hear him on a cricket show. Like the one's Harsha Bhogle or Alan Wilkins often conducted...a kind of audio-visual blog.

From what I see and hear of him on Times Now, I think he'll have an interesting and informative cricket show.

Any broadcaster listening? Yeh public Dada mangtaa!

On a side note, sometimes I get the feeling Boria M sounds/thinks like me...including the vehemence. I think sometimes there is vehemence in my typed words. It's like having a mirror held up to one's face. Where's that humour I put away? The storage is such a mess, can't seem to find it...

Australia work their way back into the series

noreply@blogger.com (Soulberry) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 16:39:00 +0000

Australia vs India 2009-10 ODI series, Fourth ODI, PCA Stadium, Mohali

Scorecard

Well played Australia!

India didn't bat well. The top order stutters finally told on the middle order. Virat Kohli is NOT the no.3 India wants. At least at the moment.

Good friend Achettup brought up Raina today. The lad needs to unconfuse himself. He should be playing Hauritz better.

Bollinger and Hauritz were the difference.

On a different note, while Boria M is quite right in everything he is saying on Times Now about Ashocker DeSilva and Tendulkar's grace in walking off the field, he is missing one point - that wicket only brought together the FIRM...the new working partnership of Indian cricket...Yuvi-Dhoni. And they are the guys in form.

There was no reason the team should have collapsed the way they did after losing one wicket. So what if it is Sachin's wicket?

More than Sachin's wicket, Yuvi's run out by a sprightly Ponting was the turning point.

Australia have played well...congratulations to them.

India eased off mentally after a good show in the first innings and a brisk start to their own innings.

________

Other match related articles here:

1) Bollinger bowling here

2) Indian bowling and fielding glimmers after slow start

3) Not for the babies

4) Even Stevens re: litany of complaints

Bollinger bowling here

noreply@blogger.com (Soulberry) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 14:10:00 +0000

Australia vs India 2009-10 ODI series, Fourth ODI, PCA Stadium, Mohali

Scorecard

In Not for the babies, we wondered how well Bollinger would bowl here. He's picked up two key wickets. You may say they were lapses on behalf of the batsmen, but he induced them.

Sehwag was in a spanking mood and his game expressed the same. Pretty soon, the Ozzies were A over T and without a clue on the field. Then he threw it away...Sehwag could have bonged Bollinger's offering just about anywhere he wished, but he played curiously and paid the penalty.

Virat Kohli, in my opinion, has skewered his chances with every wasted opportunity.

Ravindra Jadeja and Virat Kohli are like the Sodhi, Kaif and Yuvraj of yesteryears....age-group achievers who were invited to join the main table. Sodhi fumbled, Kaif made some use of it, Yuvraj ended up making the best use. Today, Jadeja is doing so, Kohli is fumbling and Manish Pandey is waiting for the invite.

Bangalore can disorient the strongest; it can easily stuporize wealthy teen-sized youngsters into a permanently worthless haze.

The game, I suppose, is Kohli's life and calling. It is up to him to work at it while he can and when he must.

I'm sorry, but he really needs to go back to Delhi and play out the entire Ranji season in the company of well-meaning mates. Preferably two seasons, for I believe he has quality and he isn't realizing it. He needs to sober down his outlook to bring his career back on track.

Meanwhile, Gramps is rebelling against age - he says he wants to show how it is done to the bachchas.

Aaaaaah, Sachin picked up by Hauritz. Now Australia steal ahead in this match.

Serious pressha again Sah, on de miggle order.

________

Other match related articles here:

1) Indian bowling and fielding glimmers after slow start

2) Not for the babies

3) Even Stevens re: litany of complaints

Indian bowling and fielding glimmers after slow start

noreply@blogger.com (Soulberry) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 12:40:00 +0000

Australia vs India 2009-10 ODI series, Fourth ODI, PCA Stadium, Mohali

Scorecard

In the four games thus far, we have seen different aspects of the Indian team's capability come to the fore.

In the first of them, their bowling and fielding was poor and the top order batting wasn't sufficient. Yet they came as close as four runs thanks to a strong tail order performance.

In the second match at Nagpur, we saw Dhoni tandava, with the support of the middle order. India showed strength in its abs....its six-packs were in good shape. What followed was a recovery of India's bowling effort, albeit under the shelter of an Himalayan score. The fielding was not exceptional, but definitely better than the first match. The unfortunate aspect here was that India eased off once Australia were tipped over into a deep trench, as deep as the Marina Trench. Their bowling went through the motions and fielding became stiff. We disagreed with that aspect.

In the third ODI at Delhi we saw application and rebuilding from the middle order under difficult playing conditions and pressure from Australian team as a whole. Before that Indian bowlers did well, fielders did adequately, but left a lingering feeling that a few things could have been better.

In this fourth ODI at Mohali, where the ball is coming on nicely onto the bat, Australia were off to a good start if you ignore Shaun Marsh's downspiralling form since an IPL so long ago. He was supposed to be playing on his second home ground in a sense, and was expected to lead the way. The Son of Geoff Marsh, that extremely useful Australian opener and Boonie's partner, failed to deliver. Nehra the wily ol' one, had him plumb with a bit of standard swing.

Watson and Punter took over and with a combination of biffing, exquisite strokes and smart running, they had the Indians on the mat. Punter's opening shot, a bold pull off Nehra was class. The bowling was showing signs of dissolving (10-20), like it has done in the past. When Ishant went for 13 in his first, one leaned forward to see closely how the boy-man would respond? How would Captain MSD handle this problem which appeared to be coming back from the forgotten?

The Indian bowling team guided by the captain and wiseheads on the field actually did well. Instead of dissolving at the onslaught, they upped their fielding and smartened up their lines. Sharma was given his chances and Dhoni called him back just once. Instead he stuck to his philosophy of pressuring with spinners. That was the reason he opted to bowl first after winning the toss, and every spinner supported him fully.

Harbhajan let one turn the other way just a little bit the first ball he bowled and Watson couldn't help the edge to Dhoni, stuck as he was in a defensive posture completely on the back foot, close to the stumps. No place to move.

Pretty soon, the upscaled fielding began to yield a rich harvest. First it was a brilliant direct hit from the outfield by Ravindra Jadeja which nonplussed Punter on his uncertain second run. How important was that wicket at that time! Just as in Delhi, a set Ponting gave away his team chance for a challenging score, so to here at Mohali. Punter needed to stay to see his team through but fell around the halfway mark yet again.

Now the Indian fielders and players began to circle purposefully around the Australians. The kill was nearer, the attrition was succeeding, the Kangaroo was pushing itself into a corner under the advance. The run rate was being reigned in.

Bhajji, Jadeja and Nehra, backed up by a transformed P Kumar (read our criticism of his ineffectual leapfrogging in the first match) combined well as a bowling and fielding unit. Keeping it tight, taking their catches and effecting runouts.

The trap laid for Hussey fell in perfectly and netted his wicket. Hussey, by far the most competent and comfortable Australian player on this tour, was threatening another big rescue act. he was playing a sensible game. His radars were on high alert and he knew exactly well all the fielding positions, was anticipating the bowlers well, had a settled Cameron White for company and the run rate began to gallop again into the 8s and 9s per over. It was then that Yuvi bowled a tempting ball for Hussey's favourite shot, the elevated sweep into the stands, only he bowled it a tad faster and lower while keeping a fielder there. Hussey bit the bait and the last hope was gone.

The rest combined in different ways to score a few, but you knew what you were seeing was basically a repair job.

Sehwag is playing in this match, sachin was hitting the straps in the last match before he ran himself out, the ball is coming on well onto the bat....the result of this match appears certain.

To me, Australia looks 60 short.

Today we saw good Indian fielding producing the effect of a wicket-taking bowler. Today we saw calm bowling heads as well. We have been advocating limiting opposition to < 250 scores by Indian bowling (there are more than one articles on this subject in the archives of October 2009) assisted by good fielding, with anything more than 250 only as an exception, a rare bad day at the office - today, under good conditions for batting, they did just that. Indian bowlers and fielders kept me from criticizing them. :)

Today we saw some good batting by Punter, Watson, White and Hussey. The problem for Australia is, not one of them kicked on. India disallowed that.

On a side note, Australia is also defending its ICC ODI ranking status in this match. India are a point away from them, but I guess India's focus in this series is completely different - they are using this as a practice for WC 2011. To make up for the lost chances of practising in the CT 2009.

Looking forward to the Sehwag-Sachin show today. These are ideal conditions for their respective games, and the bowling is the kind which will come onto the bat well. They like that.

________

Other match related articles here:

1) Not for the babies

2) Even Stevens re: litany of complaints

Win-win position for someone

noreply@blogger.com (Soulberry) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:07:00 +0000

Chris Gayle is reappointed captain according to Cricinfo who have the safety valve of "reports' in their headline. You can never be sure who is pulling a faster one with news coming from those parts. Not after the fake Klassless jet-engined leaguemaster's story.

If he performs well and the team performs well, it will be touted as magnanimity of someone instead of a backing down.

If Gayle fails, or loses the series....

I leave the rest to your imagination.

We have seen how it works in that region. Recently, there were calls for Ganga to be capatin blowing in from the TT region while another wind exploded in from the minor islands, called Dots in local parlance, for Sammy's elevation to skippership of the West Indian boat. Then there are the opinonated hordes of West Indian MB expats...dollar and pound eating hexperts who begrudge a man making a little more, while they themselves fawn over their gleaming bimmers in countries far from the ones they abandoned.

And finally, there is the man who wielded a stubborn stick...it could suddenly turn cleft around Chris's neck if Gayle slips.

Not for the babies

noreply@blogger.com (Soulberry) — Mon, 02 Nov 2009 06:17:00 +0000

Australia vs India 2009-10 ODI series, Fourth ODI, PCA Stadium, Mohali

Scorecard

Mohali's selected strip for the game looked a matted green yesterday according to my favorite subscibed newspaper's reporter. Let me link you to the image The Hindu has on its online edition. Incidentally, they are in a process of upgrading their website model and here is their Beta version.

That pitch in the image is clearly before it has visited the local barber for his attentions. No matter how turbocharged the baldes he employs are, the smoothness of shave will not end up resembling a baby's babylotioned bum or its mum's coldcreamed cheek. This is reputed to be the daddy pitch of all in India. There will be a stubble, it is inevitable to have a 2.30pm haze of live grassroots on the pitch.

But what lies beneath those grassy bristles? Is there truly a savage, explosive nature beneath that grizzle or is it merely the indentable softness of an actor beneath his villainous role-playing? The sniffer dogs too are out trying to detect if there is any devastating vigour, a bomblastic spirit, under that coat of grass. Not sure, going by the lack of excitement in the dog in the picture, if it has found any such thing.

If the pitch is not too hard under the grass, then there may not be much bounce. Worse, it will be a two-paced pitch then. Uncertain, like a pliable provokable peeve or the perfidious partnership of a pimp. If the pitch has a sound stern base under its beard, then we can see the hooks, pulls and cuts flying out to chin music.

There could be the duck rolls and body blow movements too. Sehwag would have loved it in that case...what with Mitch bowling across him and bouncing it.....he'd cut the balls for six over and over again anywhere between point and third man till the cows came home to ruminate. But DK is no mug when it comes to playing the square cut.

Every pace bowler worth his salt will like to bowl on that green. I guess they'll like to do so even after the groundsman's shave at it. Siddle, Johnson, Bollinger, Nehra, Ishant Sharma and even P Kumar would love to have a go. The question is, since we haven't watched much of Bollinger, how good will he be in these conditions if he bowled so restrictively well on the Kotla extreme of India's pitches? The caution here is not to get carried away and bang it down at worthless lengths. That would be sacrificing swing which will be available here.

Bat first and bat well, and then come back into the heavier winter evening air to swing the ball too. Dew will of course be a factor here and there will be dew on the pitch freshening up the grass stumps.

This match will not be for the babies...both among the players and supporters of either side who watch from beyond the boundary. Australia should not have any cause for complaint here as far as conditions go...cool, perfect cricketing weather, lush green soft ground to slide freely upon and demonstrate all their fielding proficiencies...and they even have a beer lounge too at this magnificient ground! Kebabs on a skewer cannot be too far away either.

Even Stevens re: litany of complaints

noreply@blogger.com (Soulberry) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 15:56:00 +0000

Australia vs India 2009-10 ODI series, Fourth ODI, PCA Stadium, Mohali

The dominant theme belted out by the supporters and reporters of the visiting Australian team has been the unfair advantage India is enjoying playing at home against an injury stricken touring party with limited replacements upon pitches which suit India's style of play. A couple of commentators tried the Indian umpires trick as well, but Hawkeye, Slo Mo and Snicko smashed every rumour they initiated to smithereens before they became huge embarassments for them. Yet, supporters and sections of media latched on to those rumours till they found there was little traction in them. The umpiring in this series has been the very best of top class. So injuries dominate the ledger of excuses.

India barely lost the first match but went on to win the next two in convincing fashion to fuel the proposition that India wasn't really as good as it looked due to the previously mentioned reasons of Kangaroo injuries.

This is a new India - it asks for no favours, and may not grant any when embroiled in a competitive situation. Yet it has obliged the Australians by trying to balance the ledger of their litaniy. Injuries have been produced within India's ranks - Sehwag and Gambhir are probably out with them. If they do not play then another Australian complaint collapses under the weight of its own delusion, even though it will anyway eventually be vanquished in play. :) It will be curious however, to see who plays for India and how.

Sehwag's loss may not be tragic for India for he has hardly performed with the bat. There is nothing to suggest that his run would have changed. However, going by intuition and some deduction, the tragedy could be that he is probably on the brink of success after wading through the gooey swamp of poor form or luck, and a quicker pitch like Mohali's would be just the all-cure, the Gold sprinkled Ashwagandha, he needed to recover his vim and vigour again.

Karthik is tipped to replace him. While DK doesn't enjoy great ODI statistical support, we must not go entirely by them. They do not reveal the jerky nature of opportunities he has had. The sparsely dispersed call ups, usually as a replacement, have prevented a coherent career for him. Just the 9 ODI matches at home for him despite a debut five years ago.

People have proposed names from M Vijay to Uthappa as replacement openers if Viru declares himself unfit. I believe DK is a fair choice, for we know he is a better batsman than his figures suggest and also a gloveman if Dhoni requires relief. But the main points in his favour are that he has opened for India before in seamer friendly conditions and perhaps he is seen as the nearest injury replacement in the world cup squad of 2011. I believe he's been identified, pending injury and form issues, for that role and hence the first chance for practice ahead of random names. He'll probably be the second gloveman and free-floating batting replacement with a modicum of opening experience on that team.

But if random names are to be taken, then I'd prefer Mukund to Vijay, or even trying out Manish Pandey for the opener's spot.

Gambhir's injury and probable exclusion will be trickier to solve. He has had a good innings but is still not on top of his game. Sachin is only just getting into his stride, so the top order has been like the jerky scooter ride of a first time learner. Gambhir needs games, not sitting out. But if that cannot be helped, Kohli will probably take his spot. He too appears to be in the reckoning for the eventual probables and he would like to take every opportunity he gets. It is HIGH TIME he made capital of them!

Mohali will be dewier, cooler and all that stuff, in comparison to Delhi. The pitch was reputed to be the fastest in the land and probably still is. But it's nature has changed in recent times, and is not exactly the firebrand it used to be.

If the ball flies, then it will be yet another different set of circumstances and conditions for both teams and a fourth test for MSD's men. How will they cope with it this time? I'm rooting for a Sachin Special and Indian pacers doing well. I'd have liked to see Munaf play here, but first chance to first choice bowlers I guess.

I expect Australians to feel more at home at Chandigarh/Mohali, with the ball coming onto the bat quicker and higher than at Delhi. Horizontal shots could be back again. But the pitch has changed since its birth.

It'll be a cracker of a match. Maybe like this one from Titan Cup 1996, when Bevan's dismissal changed the game for me even though Slater was firing at a faster rate. India is coming in with all kinds of winds under its wings while Australia is coming here probably hoping this to be its best bet to win another game in this series. Let's wait and see tomorrow.

By the way, the last ODI here was two years ago, a high scoring one in which Pakistan chased down India's 321 with a ball to spare. Younis Khan won it for Pakistan then with Misbah. It is the same venue which has also seen plenty of scores less than two hundred with the lowest being 89 by Pakistan against South Africa.

The lowest total against India here was 122 by Sri Lanka.

The complete Mohali ODI dossier fot you, and here are the matches featuring India. India are tied one-all with Australia at this venue.

21st Century Strokes

noreply@blogger.com (Soulberry) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 08:40:00 +0000

All About The Ball

The Bangla Star

noreply@blogger.com (Soulberry) — Sun, 01 Nov 2009 07:48:00 +0000

What endears this lad to me is his spirit - not only never-say-die, but expects better from himself and therefore others. He isn't satisfied with mediocrity like some Bangla luminaries before him have been comfortable to wallow in despite possessing immense talent.

Shakib calls for improvement despite a victory. Shakib leads by example. Shakib gives 100% each in batting, bowling and fielding. How refreshing it is to see such a person lead Bangladesh! And you can see chaps responding to the spirit already. Tamim Iqbal vowed to respond to his captain's plea and ended up scoring 80.

That is leadership, that is the effect of Shakib al Hasan for you.

In this series, it must be noted also that Zimbos are putting up a game fight as well.

Sehwag didn't quite matter at Delhi but Yuvi and Dhoni did.

noreply@blogger.com (Soulberry) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 17:05:00 +0000

Australia vs India 2009-10 ODI series, Third ODI, Ferozeshah Kotla, Delhi

Scorecard

We now are engrossed in watching two instinctively attacking players, two young pillars of the team, attempting to play according to the needs of the situation and trying to win it from here.

We take it up from that statement from the previous blog - the two young pillars won it from there on a difficult pitch and a determined Australian side.

Yuvraj had emerged as the powerhouse of the Indian ODI team a few years ago. For me, Dhoni has stepped up to that platform finally. I could be late in this realization, but I needed to see Dhoni play in a variety of conditions and situations. The man has played two innings of demanding character on the trot.

Yuvraj and Dhoni and Raina must now step up to join them.

Well played both teams. India won a good game here.

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Related blogs

India making a hash of it

Hussey's a good player and Ravi Jadeja's coming along fine

Sehwag will matter at Delhi

India making a hash of it

noreply@blogger.com (Soulberry) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 14:30:00 +0000

Australia vs India 2009-10 ODI series, Third ODI, Ferozeshah Kotla, Delhi

Scorecard

I type just as MSD walks in to replace Gautam Gambhir who was bowled playing impatiently to Nathan Hauritz. Trying too much too soon. India are three wickets down for 53.

I mentioned that the Australian team will field a little more tigerishly than the Indians did to supplement the pressure created by line and length stuff on this pitch.

The impatience of Sachin and Gambhir were resultant of that in combination with tight bowling. Sehwag got a beauty.

This is a game of patience and India needed to take it to the closing stages with wickets in hand for new players will find it difficult to attack on this pitch.

India has just one more recognized bat left and Jadeja. The point is moot if Harbhajan and co. can be trusted on this pitch.

We also talked about habits in older posts. About teams carrying the tailwinds of the previous games into the next one. India's bowling+fielding effort, while good wasn't quite what it should have been on this helpful pitch. Something was less...something says the best use of conditions wasn't made....something says enough pressure wasn't created on Hussey.

One would also have liked Dhoni to come closer to the stumps before the sixes were struck but all this history now.

We now are engrossed in watching two instinctively attacking players, two young pillars of the team, attempting to play according to the needs of the situation and trying to win it from here.

Hussey's a good player and Ravi Jadeja's coming along fine

noreply@blogger.com (Soulberry) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 12:42:00 +0000

Australia vs India 2009-10 ODI series, Third ODI, Ferozeshah Kotla, Delhi

Scorecard

At the end of the first innings, the score on the board shows Australia at 229/5. This is a good score. Make no mistake about that. It could have been 20-30 up but still a good score.

The pitch turned out as anticipated. Punter won the toss, much to his relief, and this time he wasn't experimenting and straightaway opted to bat.

Both openers began as they should have and Australia was off to a start which should have seen them finish at around 260-270. If they didn't get there, it was because they lost wickets of set batsmen at inopportune times. Yuvraj-Dhoni first netted Watson who, having measured things up, was beginning to get into the launch mode.

Punter played a mature knock till that point when Ravindra Jadeja befooled him. A terrific lapse of concentration or miscalculation, for Ponting was the key man having built up a head of steam. These two wickets substantially cut down the chances of a very large Australian score.

The man who plays best on such surfaces in Michael Hussey. It is not his fault that he plays in an era when there aren't basketfulls of deadly bowlers prowling in every continent and country. Given the circumstances he plays in, he does an excellent job for his team. If at all something makes us stop short of placing him alongside the likes of Steve Waugh, it is perhaps he doesn't have the startling kind of innings under his belt as Waugh Sr. has. At least not glaringly as many in all forms of the game. But he's a very good cricketer indeed. I'd like to judge him finally when he hangs up his boots.

Indian bowlers did well to limit Australia to 229. Yes, it was a good effort but not entirely a perfect effort. Today some easy singles/runs were given away....watch how Australia will make it difficult and induce risk-taking from Indians as a result.

Ravindra Jadeja bore the brunt of a defeat a few months ago. The ire towards MSD, who sent him up when spectators felt he shouldn't have been at that stage, was shrilly vocal. This player is capable and could be the all-rounder at no. 7 we are looking for. The thing is he is a capable bat and his bowling is what impresses me now. In the U19 WC, he played well, but that was age-group cricket. In the senior league he had shown that he could bat and field, but to see him take his bowling up a nitch from age-group cricket is pleasing.

I'll put him as India's no.1 all rounder in th true sense of the word. Yusuf Pathan doesn't quite fall into that category. He is a powerful hitter if he can connect and a restrictive bowler rather than an attacking bowler. His fielding is average. We only hope Irfan Pathan comes back, for he has the qualities of being a true all rounder. Abhishek Nayar is another capable all rounder but his medium pace can go for a toss at times. He is a good batsman though.

I'd like to see someday Pandey, Mukund and Pujara tested out too.

Indian bowlers didn't bowl them out because Australia played well enough to prevent that on this pitch, but the Indian bowlers also bowled well enough to peg them to this score.

India has its work cut out in the chase. The task isn't easy. Sehwag will have to stay to pump it up from time to time. Sachin neeeds to play a big one today....this pitch requires his expertise and concentration.

Sehwag will matter at Delhi

noreply@blogger.com (Soulberry) — Sat, 31 Oct 2009 01:22:00 +0000

Australia vs India 2009-10 ODI series, Third ODI, Ferozeshah Kotla, Delhi

The last match was played ten days ago on the newly laid pitches at Kotla. During the CLT20 tournament, the pitches demanded application from the batsmen. Only few batsmen could tame the new pitches there. Among the few who did, Sehwag perhaps played with the greatest ease. There was a nonchalance about him when most batsmen were being puzzled by the pitches. The other successful batsmen however did dig in a bit before overcoming their hesitation and taking the bowling apart.

Ten days of rolling and light watering and baking might have compacted the surface. The moisture rising up and dew at this time would have helped in binding the surface too. But can all this change the nature of pitches in ten short days?

Let us presume what will be presented today will be a little better version compared to the CLT20 pitches. That said, it will prove to be a pitch which will be tamed by those who pay their initial respects to it.

Teams batting first have won here more often in the CLT20, but Victoria did win chasing and Eagles were winning smoothly batting second till they surprisingly landed in a tie and super over situation against the Sharks.

Most teams hovered just under 6 rpo though some did exceed that on a few occasions. So it is curious to note that despite its sticky nature, teams were able to score well over 5.5 rpo.

In a 50 over game, patience and 15 overs of PP could net scores between 260-280 for teams but expect things to be about 20 runs lower than that.

Holding wickets will be key...good, wicketless starts will have to be the wheels of progress for bating teams.

Ten days could change things. Maybe some pitches on the strip were not used in CLT20 and will now be used. Whatever it is, batting first, and batting sensibly to put the runs up, could be the recommended method to maximise chances of winning here. For the surface could slow down further in the second innings.

There will be plenty of dew in the morning and enough in the evening....I can see it already on grassy patches and in flower beds near and about my house...the early mornings and nights are cool to cooler even though afternoons are warm. The skin stinging kind of winter heat.

In this day/night encounter, it will be a great idea to bat first despite the fear of dew later in the evening, but it will be a greater idea to spend a few balls to settle in on this pitch. Singles and rotation will be useful. We do not know if the surface will hold through 100 overs, even if the late evening dew will actually prevent further breaking up, that moisture could make the surface sticky while preventing further break up of the top layer.

Will Mishra play here? I doubt if Dhoni will make this move.

Peeking into a detective's diary left unattended on the side table and a quick scribble of our own in it

noreply@blogger.com (Soulberry) — Fri, 30 Oct 2009 06:35:00 +0000

Sidthegnomenator is investigating the mystery of Tim Paine's injury and his return to Down Under. One had a chance to look at her notes on the puzzle...according to her, The plot thickens ...

She has identified the motive as well; I quote Sid -

Oh yeah, Sunshine Paine has a broken finger ... or has he? Cricket Australia has obviously decided to send Paine home to separate him and Brett Lee.

Even Crapinfo has "Tim Paine appears to be in discomfort" as the caption for this photo, so they're suspicious as well.

The image Sid is speaking about is available on her blog but we'll link up to it anyway.

We managed a peek into the investigative diary of Sid, so others too must have had a look as well. I mean, if a lady detective is going to leave her diary around, chaps are bound to flip through it despite chivalry and such stuff. Anyway, among others, MS Dhoni too appears to have had a look at it.

You can see, during a brief lull in the match at Nagpur, he's enquiring of Mitch Johnson about the veracity of Sid's deductions.

It is not clear what Mitch Johnson is revealing to MSD, but Dhoni certainly appears struck by it.

When Brett Lee himself was asked, this is what part of his reply was -

"There has to be a controlled aggression on the field. There has to be some excitement or else you would end up looking like robots on the cricket field and you don't want that."

Brett Lee then expands further on this excitement, and we read on with a stiff upper lip in this age of PC.

"It is the way we play our game.." he says, and goes on to draw everyone into the mischief -

.."and it is the way they play. They will come very hard at us. I have no problems with guys playing hard on the field. I have always said that. I have always been one of the players very hard on the field."

Controlled aggression...."playing" hard...everybody going at each other...but Lee emphasizes his preference for dominating this race on the field. Poor Paine.

You have to say, Indo-Ozzie match-ups lend excitement beyond the boundary as well.

Rolling the tongue out...to catch a cup

noreply@blogger.com (Soulberry) — Thu, 29 Oct 2009 04:46:00 +0000

India had a top-class score backing them, its bowlers bowled better for most part of the Australian innings, ditto for the fielding, yet they couldn't demolish the opposition in a sense. Sure, Australia are not going to roll over and die, but all the three combinations required for restricting the opposition to a low score were there yesterday...and in favour of India for a change.

In Penetration is key to success, we had bemoaned the erosion of India's ability to choo-choo teams out of their stations for under 250 scores unless the pitch and conditions are greatly in favour. Yes, the exact words we employed were something like this - India has lost the art of keeping batting sides penned between 220 to 240. Forget about defending totals lower than 200.

Yesterday, this inability to wind it up was stark. The Australian tail put up enough partnerships to unspool the taut game India played till then.

I agree with Sunny Gavaskar on this; ruthlessness has to be made a habit. And the way it becomes a habit is by practising it at every given opportunity.

Sometimes the tail gets stuck in, sure, but winding it up is something teams aiming to someday becoming champions must practise.

You carry the tailwind of your previous game into the next game....as India went easy on the gas pedal, their fielding standards dropped back to usual levels, some bowling lost the imagination it had earlier in the evening...in fact most of the determination India took the field with earlier in the day was frittered away. Sometimes these can be crucial.

I also agree with Sunny that India should have used this opportunity to practice the right lengths and lines to bowl to tailenders so they can be employed in the next match. India ended up giving batting practice to the tailenders while losing the good intentions they carried in their minds to bolster their game.

(calling good friend Homer to come in here)

When it comes to tournament play, these things will matter. Bilateral series may cover up many flaws just as they reveal some; tournament play strips you bare, down to the bone and with no place to hide. The points carry-forward system reinforces that. Miracles are then needed for fig leafs to transpire on demand.

India suffers in large tournament play as against bilateral series or triangular series.

Too many bad habits are carried into tournament play. Good habits are not well formed for they haven't been practised often enough outside tournament opportunites, and therefore cannot be summoned, or summoned in their full blown avatars, with the mere snap of fingers.

India has to make "ruthlessness" a habit.

1) To take the field - batting or bowling or fielding - from warmed up positions. Batsmen to follow would be better served to have a short session of knocking around rather than sit on the benches through a long partnership and come out stiff limbed and with dulled mind and reflexes. Too often, India has been pushed onto the backfoot during tournament play because their engines are not tuned and chugging well. To recover points from there is difficult.

2) Preparation - meaningful gathering of knowledge and a meaningful discussion on methods to be employed, with perhaps one alternative strategy, and a meaningful practice of the same.

3) Practice of principles must not be limited to the nets. Doing so in every match you play, sets it into a firm habit. Better reflex circuits become established. There is then space left for adaptation to a circumstance unforseen in preparation. From anticipation of a single or a second run to anticipating the batsman's mind by the bowler to anticipating the ball as a fielder...these have to be honed in as instincts through practice in nets and in matches.

It is no secret that India is thirsting for a World Cup win (not the T20 variety). It has been for at least a decade and a half now. After 1987, it was only ahead of 1996 World Cup that India began to seriously internalize a World Cup win into its cricketing philosophy and begin working along those lines. That has been the continuing trend till today.

It is this philosophy that has caused different changes, in the nature of structural improvements taking place. From coaches to technical staff to scouting for good young players, or the experiment with sportier pitches, it has been this win-the-next-world-cup philosophy which has dictated change from within an otherwise stodgy BCCI.

One may argue that only World Cup is an erroneous target to focus on - playing good all round cricket in all forms from grassroots up should be the way to go instead - but whether it is the trickle down philosophy of BCCI or a more Gandhian grassroots up philosophy, or a sensible combination of the two hoped for by theorists like us, the meeting point has to be the same - good standards of cricket play in India.

The end points of these philosophies may be different though - a world cup win could satisfy the trickle down philosophy, just as the micro version World Cup 2007 almost stalled the progress on the path to World Cup 2011, while the other two philosophies may see world cup winning as part of the whole...a strong cricketing nation.

But all this investment and the force of whatever philosophy has ultimately to be applied by the eleven selected men on the field. It is through them - through their skills, through their talent, through their intellect, through their courage and through their desire that such can be fructified.

Talking about bilateral series giving you greater opportunity to bounce back, while valid, is not what one should be talking about any longer. Not after almost two decades of investment in changing the cricketing culture of India. The trickle down effect may not have reached the grassroots in two decades but at the top of the heap, where all resources are focussed, it is time to stop the chalta hai-ness of losing a game (because it is a bilateral long series) or slowing down in a game you are clearly winning.

The Indian team must not happen to be at the throats of opponents by chance or in a fit of competitiveness a bilateral series engenders, but through careful design, anticipation, planning, purpose, training with a clear view of what to do next with the throats in hand, irrespective of whether it is Australia's or Ireland's or Bangladesh's or Bermuda's. India should be in such a habit...alert always. Not waking up after a kick on the backsides and waiting for someone else to decide your fate later, or create a very difficult mountain to overcome.

India's saga of tournament disasters in the past decade (including the fantastic run to the finals in 2003) is because of this...because mediocrity is practised more often than ruthlessness. Excellence is often a reactive surge of adrenaline rather than a sustaining level of daily dose of glucose in the blood. Mediocrity is therefore more likely to leaden the limbs, freeze the mind and capture one's courage. And often at times and in situations you wouldn't want. Summoning excellence becomes an effort, which may or may not transpire.

India needs to flip this around and that can be done only by 1) not looking at excellence as creative surges of reaction to A particular opponent or situation but more a way of living and playing 2) applying your defined principles of excellence at all times in every match from before the toss to after the presentation ceremony, irrespective of match situation, opponent, points tally or lead status.

If you want to follow the BCCI philosophy of trickle down benefits, and win the next world cup, then you will have to apply all the above in every match irrespective of match situation. You may still lose some matches but that should be because the opponent was able to overpower you through his better efforts and not through your succumbing to mediocrity.

If you want to follow the other two philosophies, even then the above aspects will have to be practised as discussed. Only, the starting point for the grassroots version will have to begin there...at the grassroots...and in the minds of the boards while the third version would see such practices being applied on both fronts - from the top and from the grassroots.

Ruthlessness need not be a word with bad connotation - it could also mean the rigorousness with which a practised and ingrained discipline is constantly applied at work and play. India will need to do that whether they have 350 on the board or 250.

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Australia vs India 2009-10 ODI series

Good Stuff Ishant Sharma!

noreply@blogger.com (Soulberry) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 14:37:00 +0000

At the moment of typing this post, Ishant is O 4.2 M 0 R 18 W 1 Eco 4.15. Importantly, he is running in with purpose, hurling them down at 140s, bringing them in to right handers and taking them away from left handers, the way he used to. His follow-through is complete, and one can see 'dum' on his face.

This is the stuff we wanted to see from him. Variations must be slipped in unexpectedly. Anticipation...of what the batsman is thinking...should be logged onto like this.

It took an MSD nuke and a record score to get that confidence back. Hitting the deck, is Ishant, today.

Looks better for his confidence and sense of purpose.

And oh, the fielding was like how it should be when an international team is playing. Keeping my fingers crossed though. Too often, it hasn't been a sustainable effort.

________

Other match related blog - Bolti Band declared by MS Dhoni (see below)

Bolti Band declared by MS Dhoni

noreply@blogger.com (Soulberry) — Wed, 28 Oct 2009 12:36:00 +0000

Australia vs India 2009-10 ODI series, Second ODI, Nagpur

Scorecard

That's the raaga-alaap MSD chose for the day. Along with the gurus of yesteryears, with whom he had a pre-concert discussion upon how to render this particularly effervescent, pulsating and difficult composition. Polite disagreement with them followed.

He came in at his posish (thereby making his point) and played almost 35 overs to score a pile of runs - thereby conceding a point to commentators.

In the process, not only were some stats and records readjusted, MSD also played a mean tabla on our frequent provocation of him. Go ahead, we don't mind dancing to your tune if you do this kind of stuff even 1 out of 7 times. But our criticism has been in test matches mostly! :)

Raina needs to get over the psychological seizure the shortball brings to him. Today he kept a window open for reason to prevail and managed them akwardly. He should realize that a confident Raina is a sight to behold....and he must play confidently.

Gambo came good second time on the trot...good sign that...but that run out...tchah!...buckle up your running and backing up folks!

I expect the Ozzies to go for it on this flat pitch with fast outfield.

The test for Indian bowlers begins now...can they record a big win, or will they scrimp one? Not talking about losing it yet!

MSD has led well thus far - 'not by percept but by example' as RH Davies put it in his introduction to Cardus on Cricket. He must rally the troops when the counter-charge commences.

Australia open their account first

noreply@blogger.com (Soulberry) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 01:34:00 +0000

Australia vs India 2009-10 ODI series, First ODI, Vadodra

Four solid innings and the match was set up for Australia. With a body like that, a loss was the farthest from anyone's mind. Yet, the almost boiled down to that.

The lack of penetration in the Indian bowling, coupled with magnanimous eco rates and fielding has been worrying us for some time now. In Penetration is key to success, we emphasized on these aspects and a few others.

Ishant bowled like a boy with a new bag of tricks eager to test them all out at the same time....but he bowled with marginally better results than in recent times. What troubles us is that he has eschewed his stock ball almost completely for greater variety. The fast inswinger, usually touching early 140s, was missing totally. In its place, he was trying to bowl a different ball everytime...all variations of slower deliveries.

Now I am happy Ishant wants to learrn variety - in future he will be better for knowing how to bowl them - but he must slip them in as surprise weapons. His main ball....that stupendous inswinging ball should not be lost/sacrificed.

One saw him move a ball or two away from the batsman. No...not the straighter one among inswingers but balls which actually cut away from the batsman after pitching. There wasn't much swing in air though.

All this is good but when embedded in his basic bowling mode. He didn't achieve early penetration...but then he came in as the third seamer.

Nehra got one early but couldn't follow it up. Praveen Kumar was bowling nonsense often at the other end. He is a limited bowler and his kinds thrive with superb control of all their faculties and their line and length, backed up by good fielding. This fellow isn't even as good as Mohinder Amarnath was as a bowler simply because he doesn't have the bowling intellect and work ethic of Jimmy Amarnath. Then he isn't even half as good a fielder as Jimmy was - Praveen Kumar leapfrogs above the ball, around the ball and often below the ball when the batsman has backdriven it...he and his limbs are all over the place and nowhere near the ball...one player who has mastered the act of looking busy despite being ineffectual in th field.

Forget his 40* - it was a thukka...a fluke - if he is a Jimmy Amarnath kind of player in this team, then he isn't a patch on the man in terms of batting.

Praveen Kumar is a player who will have to constantly work hard on the field...better he does that, focuses his energies to where required, than waste them all in exprssions and leaping about like a frog with a sore bottom.

Harbhajan shifts gear very easily these days. From and attacking line to the defensively flat and down middle and leg one. His doosra doesn't roll often enough as well from those lines these days. He gets up picked off without any fear of losing a wicket.

The Australians played well...while Ponting and Hussey commanded, Paine and White were not pressured enough when they showed vulnerability at the start of their innings. Praveen Kumar must warm up for five overs before India's bowling innings commences if he is to open the bowling.

Lack of early penetration meant there was enough for a late acceleration.

When India takes to the field these days, it appears a killer swarm of Navjyot Sidhus have descended on the field to destroy any chances India has of attacking through good fielding. They are everywhere leaping here and there, long after the ball has passed them. Or you'll find them escorting the ball to the boundary without a hint of a dive. And when they do dive, it looks like they are imitating a baby's belly flops. What use all the fielding tips handed down since the hiring of the first overseas coach?

Gautam Gambhir recorded a substantial score. We felt he must step up from the mediocrity he had lapsed into of late. But he must also lead the way as a senior decorated player and must finish the game once he has built up a start.

Australia won by four runs - they should have won by many more. No doubt Harbhajan and Praveen Kumar were batting in an inspired fashion but they are tailenders and a champion team should be expectant of such things and be able to snuff out such challenges before they take shape.

In the end, the team which made one mistake fewer won.

Australia will take heart and play more confidently. India must keep the pressure up right through on the Australians with meaningful bowling and fielding supported by stout batting by the top order.

Wasim and Huma Akram

noreply@blogger.com (Soulberry) — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 01:29:00 +0000

Our condolences to Wasim Akram and his family. The news was shocking and sudden.

Wasim bhai has been our favourite bowler.

Cricketing of To=Day

noreply@blogger.com (Soulberry) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 07:35:00 +0000

Yesterday, New South Wales won an inaugural tournament in cricketing manners of today. And some of the players from the victorious team stay on here in India to play another series rooted in relatively recent manners of cricket play. On this Saturday afternoon before the next series commences, what better tribute and pasttime than to read a chapter written by a famous NSWman - Monty Noble - who I'm sure might have been proud to be a Blue today.

Following is the chapter titled Cricketing of To=Day written by him in Cricket by T.C Collings, courtesy Google Books.

NSW Blues win the first CLT20 title

noreply@blogger.com (Soulberry) — Sat, 24 Oct 2009 01:00:00 +0000

The blues were waiting for the exuberant red round the final corner. Soca steel was taught a different rhythm. I'll confess though that I'm scratching my head to name one well-known mentionable beat coming out of Down Under other than Lee's heel clicks...

Both teams boasted enough players with international experience to be considered almost second-string teams for their senior teams. Both teams have fought many battles to reach the finals. They were well-knit as a result and oiled for perfect function.

Ganga Sr. won the toss, and as part of their strategy, opted to chase a total yet again. Yet again he opened with Ganga Jr.

Dave Warner began to blaze from the word go, he had the TTies on the run and looked to be taking advantage of their predictable strategy, but was consumed quickly. At 83-6 in the twelfth over, it appeared that TTies were re-enacting a familiarly successful fishing expedition. Then Brett Lee chanced upon their trawler and ripped apart their nets to free the Blues. Marginally...but a little freer nevertheless. 159 was something to bowl at.

Lee wasn't quite finished yet...after laying his bat into the TTie strategy with abandon, the blonde Ozzie with dancing shoes blew away two big engineheads of the TTie boat of dreams - Perkins and Simmons in the bag for next to nothing, and with Adrian Barath squeezed inbetween by the other star performer of the day - SPD Smith.

Then Stuart Clark took over...as long as it isn't the Indian team he's bowling to, Clark can tie up teams AND pick wickets rather easily. Pollard continued to pull hard in this tournament of much personal glory, but this day was to be an exception. Soca frenzy had to give way to the blues and thus ended the first CLT20.

Brett Lee flew away with all the accolades - MOM and MOS.

Personally speaking, I felt the concept was good. I would prefer all participating teams to be state teams or all be franchises, but that is just a POV. The teams appeared subdued except in flashes...the consistently brightest of all were the TTies who brought enthusiasm to every match they played in as if that was the match they were waiting long to play. I think people will warm up to this tournament. It gives us a look at players who made teams champions in other countries.

TnT may now be seriously considering going it alone at least for the Olympics format of T20 (as and when that comes about) for that is a certain gold medal beckoning, and TnT are after all an independent nation like Usain Bolt's Jamaica. I'm kidding of course, but I suspect many in TTland are talking something similar in all seriousness!

IPL teams flagging out was a downer for sure. Perhaps it is time homegrown talent in these franchises truly make attempts to take their games and fielding to the next level to keep IPL a sustainable exercise. I doubt any league can prosper for long only on talent acquired for the day, or a few weeks at most. Better local talent will have to be the bed and seed...the sown field which will reap a plentiful crop. Imports can only be fertilizer.

Scorecard

Penetration is key to success

noreply@blogger.com (Soulberry) — Wed, 21 Oct 2009 09:32:00 +0000

Australia vs India 2009-10, ODI series

The visitors are here. The touring Australian team has been spotted by us on our television screens and in the sports pages of our newspapers.^{The Hindu}

October generally signifies the emergence of good cricket playing weather from the final tail-flicks of the receding monsoons, and heralds the commencement of prime test match season in India which usually lasts till the lip of March and April. The serious Ranji hopefuls too begin to limber up in squads in the mornings, upon freshly dewed cricket fields around this time of the year, in preparation for the winter fest of domestic full-length cricket drama. They test out various roles and perfect their chosen ones in readiness. An Australian team visiting at this time always promises excitement - to the spectators in India waking up to smell a new season, to the state associations conducting the matches, to the starved media mill, and also to the India cricket players - there is always a something extra when pitting oneself against the best in the business (or nearly so). But this will once again be a strange season like the one two years ago - where a slew of skits will have to suffice in place of the complete drama in multiple acts.

Australia are climbing back up the greasy pole; India continues to scrabble - a few hands up and many slips down - to end up with little change in its position.

Australian batsmen are chipping in, their bowlers are beginning to pull their weight, whereas India continues to be rebuilding resources after fumbling them in the field.

There is no doubt that Indian batsmen will have their work cut out. There is every chance that they could be required to post 330+ scores every time batting first or chase something similar batting second. For it is the bowling which holds the key but remains mercurial. Their economy rates are high enough to suggest this scenario and will have to be offset by wicket taking ability.

India has lost the art of keeping batting sides penned between 220 to 240. Forget about defending totals lower than 200.

Agreed, batting methods have changed, power plays have been introduced and free hits have been sanctioned, but teams are still able to make opponents fight every ball along the way. Indian bowling too can make that happen but increasingly fails to keep up the pressure during reprisals. The ability to strike frequently and quickly often makes this happen. The ability to lock up bowling ends makes that happening come about more certainly. Indian bowling has been just adequate in this regard of late...Australia will demand better.

The Indian squad boasts the following bowlers - Praveen Kumar, Ashish Nehra, Munaf Patel, Ishant Sharma, Sudeep Tyagi, Harbhajan Singh and Yuvraj Singh.

What is their penetration like?

The overall best Strike Rates (with minimum 1000 balls bowled) list reveals that the majority of Indians in that list are not in playing contention. The only two who are, are Ishant Sharma (third for Indians after Sreesanth - 25th position and best for Indian bowler - and Agarkar), and Zak right at the bottom.

We decided to change the params into more meaningful ones - past two years and balls more than 200 bowled, gave us this list of leading strike rates.

Comeback Nehra leaps to the top of Indian bowlers under these criteria, and third among all comers. He figures also in the squad to play Australia.

Sreesanth, Hayden's nonsense bowler, remains high and next on the list at seventh, but he's not in the squad.

Ishant comes in next at 39...these are the only three Indian bowlers in the top 50 strike rates of past two years of bowlers who have bowled at least 200 balls. Two of them are in the squad. And also the reason why so much rides on Ishant shaping up well.

On the next page, Praveen Kumar comes in next at 69th in this list. He is in the squad as well. He is followed at 70th by Zak. Zaheer is coping with injuries and recovery. Harbhajan and Yuvraj follow other non-playing Indians in the top 100.

Munaf Patel comes in on the page after this one.

These are the men who will land all the fatal blows along the road to victory.

Regular and quick wickets are the only way scores can be tamped down in this age when batsmen keep flogging away even as wickets are falling.

Harbhajan will have to strike better than his average, and for that to happen, surgical strikes at the top will have to happen up front.

Bhajji and Munaf are the most economical Indians in that list. At least one another Indian will have to join them at less than 5 rpo without sacrificing strikeability.

I feel penetrative ability of Indian bowlers will decide the series. Quick and regular Australian wickets will be needed to cut the scores. Good catching, running-outs and fielding will have to back up the bowling. This Australian line-up has been in these parts for a while on some pretext or the other, and can get away in these conditions if allowed to.

The Indian batting is capable of countering the ever improving Siddle, the crafty Hilfenhaus, the pumped up Lee and other capable sidekicks, and will be bolstered further if Gautam Gambhir can drag himself out of the extended slump (relative terms) he is suffering for a while now.