Like most boys, as a youngster Yuvraj would doubtless have fantasized
about reaching the very pinnacle of sports, and being mentioned in the
same breath as the two most famous athletes in the world, Ali &
Jordan. Unlike, 99.99% of the population, he actually had enough
talent, training, and opportunities to make this a remote possibility,
unlike the rest of us mere mortals.
Well his prayers have been answered. Yuvraj now is on a top 10 list
that includes not only Ali & Jordan, but other sporting giants like
Nick Faldo and Jose Marinho; Kevin Pietersen is also part of the
list.
Unfortunately for Yuvraj, the list isn't "greatest sports figures
ever" but "greatest sports egos ever." But, at least now the man can
say he was on the same list as Ali & Jordan -- not many others can :)
http://www.rediff.com/cricket/report/yuvraj-in-british-newspapers-top...
Bharat
Saturday, January 1, 2011
Two Great Tests to start of the New Year
The battle between #1 & #2 reaches its climax with the Newlands Test starting Jan 2 -- probably the most beautiful cricket ground in the world. South Africa's plan of creating pitches that helped pacers backfired -- on average pitches the gap between the world-class Protea attack and the ahem.. less than world class Indian attack would be large. Make the pitch bouncy, throw in a dash of spicy conditions, and suddenly the Indian bowlers also become really menacing -- to some extent, the helpful conditions may have contributed to the inordinate number of play and misses by the Indians. How knows -- it is purely hypothetical, but India may be a fit Zaheer and a won toss at Centurion away from a 1-0 scoreboard. Anyway, Newlands should be more balanced -- hopefully not a batting beauty, though rain may make batting on D1 difficult. Whoever wins may insert, try to blast out the opposition, and consolidate, though if India go in with two seamers and Ojha replacing Sreesanth, they may bat upon winning the toss. Anyway, set your clocks for 3:30am EST for must watch TV!
Meanwhile Down Under, Australia face an uncertain future. The great -- and I don't toss that appellation around loosely -- Ricky Ponting may have played his last Test; though for my money, I'd want him as a player but not skipper. It is not impossible that freed of the cares of captaincy, he will rediscover his passion for the game, and become the super bat he was once more. From an Indian perspective, Ganguly did it, and he wasn't that good to begin with. Anyway, despite all that is written about how dominating England has been, this series (if we are going to be hypothetical) is probably a Cook wicket at the first Test away from 2-2 and an edge-of-the-seat scoreline. I think Australia will surprise England, in much the way England surprised Australia at the MCG -- though the old hand Flower may be able to keep his boys on even keel. This being the SCG, spin will play a role, and I'll have a Swann over a Beer please.
Either way, it will be compelling watching.
Bharat
Meanwhile Down Under, Australia face an uncertain future. The great -- and I don't toss that appellation around loosely -- Ricky Ponting may have played his last Test; though for my money, I'd want him as a player but not skipper. It is not impossible that freed of the cares of captaincy, he will rediscover his passion for the game, and become the super bat he was once more. From an Indian perspective, Ganguly did it, and he wasn't that good to begin with. Anyway, despite all that is written about how dominating England has been, this series (if we are going to be hypothetical) is probably a Cook wicket at the first Test away from 2-2 and an edge-of-the-seat scoreline. I think Australia will surprise England, in much the way England surprised Australia at the MCG -- though the old hand Flower may be able to keep his boys on even keel. This being the SCG, spin will play a role, and I'll have a Swann over a Beer please.
Either way, it will be compelling watching.
Bharat
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Dhoni's Daredevils square the series (I vs SA: T2D4)
What a great fightback by Team India. I had opined after Test 1 that the gaps between the two sides wasn't as large as the margin of defeat in T1 would seem to indicate. And that if India got the better of the conditions, and got some luck that they could win. India actually got the worst of the conditions, and they still won! Wow.
Before we get carried away, lets also remember that India got more than its fair share of luck. Not just the freak Kallis runout, nor the Zaheer lbw (not given) and the deVilliers and Boucher lbws (given). The Indian batsmen seemed to have an inordinate number of play and misses, and when they did edge or play a false shot, the ball went to ground or in the gaps. But thats the rub of the green and all part of the game, and fair payback for the reverse happening at Centurion.
But above all, this Test reiterates that Zaheer Khan is the single most valuable player in the Indian lineup. The batting has many contributors, each of whom has stepped up at different time; but without Zak, we would struggle to bowl out county second XI's, let alone a murderer's row like South Africa's lineup.
And a nod to the much-maligned (TM) Harbhajan Singh. He needed to bowl tightly, hold one end up, and let Dhoni rotate the pacers from the other end as the pressure built up. Keeping it tight was essential, and starting with the first over of the day Bhajji's analysis was 13-1-25-1 -- outstanding pressure at one end, and with that kind of bowling, it is no wonder that wickets will fall somewhere. And they did, with Sreesanth producing a brute to remove Kallis, and Zaheer prying out Boucher, Steyn & Harris.
All that remained was the formality of naming VVSL the Man of the match, for his brilliant 96, which was by some distance the highest score on this bowler's paradise (no one else crossed 40). This is his third straight clutch second innings knock to set up a win in the last few months, after his match-winning ton against Sri Lanka and his famous stand with Ishant against the Aussies.
Moreover, Team India continues to play as a team -- all credit to Dhoni for welding together a wonderful unit, where parochial pressures and selfish desires are set aside, and the team pulls together for a win.
All square, and everything to play for in picturesque Newlands. January 2nd can't come soon enough for me. I will post a preview in a few days.
Until then Happy New Year to you and yours, and may 2011 be the year for you.
Bharat
Before we get carried away, lets also remember that India got more than its fair share of luck. Not just the freak Kallis runout, nor the Zaheer lbw (not given) and the deVilliers and Boucher lbws (given). The Indian batsmen seemed to have an inordinate number of play and misses, and when they did edge or play a false shot, the ball went to ground or in the gaps. But thats the rub of the green and all part of the game, and fair payback for the reverse happening at Centurion.
But above all, this Test reiterates that Zaheer Khan is the single most valuable player in the Indian lineup. The batting has many contributors, each of whom has stepped up at different time; but without Zak, we would struggle to bowl out county second XI's, let alone a murderer's row like South Africa's lineup.
And a nod to the much-maligned (TM) Harbhajan Singh. He needed to bowl tightly, hold one end up, and let Dhoni rotate the pacers from the other end as the pressure built up. Keeping it tight was essential, and starting with the first over of the day Bhajji's analysis was 13-1-25-1 -- outstanding pressure at one end, and with that kind of bowling, it is no wonder that wickets will fall somewhere. And they did, with Sreesanth producing a brute to remove Kallis, and Zaheer prying out Boucher, Steyn & Harris.
All that remained was the formality of naming VVSL the Man of the match, for his brilliant 96, which was by some distance the highest score on this bowler's paradise (no one else crossed 40). This is his third straight clutch second innings knock to set up a win in the last few months, after his match-winning ton against Sri Lanka and his famous stand with Ishant against the Aussies.
Moreover, Team India continues to play as a team -- all credit to Dhoni for welding together a wonderful unit, where parochial pressures and selfish desires are set aside, and the team pulls together for a win.
All square, and everything to play for in picturesque Newlands. January 2nd can't come soon enough for me. I will post a preview in a few days.
Until then Happy New Year to you and yours, and may 2011 be the year for you.
Bharat
Tuesday, December 28, 2010
RFP: Predict Test Result Ind vs RSA T2
South Africa 111/3 chasing 302. Rain forecast for tonight but a bright sunny day tomorrow.
Whats the result you predict? Ind by x runs, RSA by y wickets.
Tie-breaker: How many wickets will Harbhajan get (he has 1 already)?
Bharat
Whats the result you predict? Ind by x runs, RSA by y wickets.
Tie-breaker: How many wickets will Harbhajan get (he has 1 already)?
Bharat
India pull slightly ahead after a roller-coaster day (IvSA T2D3)
The morning dawned bright and sunny day, but it quickly brought gloom and doom to fill Indian hearts. Pujara played on against Morkel -- a couple of times yesterday defending on the back foot, he played the ball straight down and spun back, once coming close to the stumps. This time he defended a bouncing Morkel delivery with an angled bat and it crashed into the stumps. The lead was still only 166, and Indian hopes sank lower than the Titanic.
But hang on folks, the roller coaster ride was just beginning.
Dhoni came in, and straight away Steyn was steaming from the other end into Laxman. India decided to attack, as pure survival would eventually lead to a wicket. Dhoni has his dancing shoes on. He straight drrove Morkel for 4, then hooked Steyn over a leaping Amla for 4, and carved the next ball in the air over point for 4. Later he edged Morkel through slips for 4.
Interestingly, Smith elected not to have a third man -- a curious decision as most early runs would come from there -- and the batsmen made him pay. Laxman steered a Steyn away swinger through slips deliberately with soft hands, and then deliberately swatted a wide Morkel delivery over slips. He edged Tsosobe -- a rare loose shot -- over slips as he tried to pull from outside off. Smith finally relented and put in a third man, but not before 5 boundaries went there.
As drinks came out 40 minutes in, India had added 40 runs in as many wickets and the lead was just over 200. By and large Morkel and Steyn (but for one over) had bowled too many balls outside off that the batsmen had let through. Advantage India.
Just as Dhoni was threatening to carry the game away for India, Tsotsobe did it again for Smith. He troubled Dhoni and got him sparring at a delivery outside off. Dhoni walked off livid with himself, and at 141/6 the tail was wide open. And all fears seemed to be coming true as Harbhajan fell cheaply. At 148/7, a sub-250 target seemed the most likely outcome as Zaheer tried to flail away at the fast bowlers, usually missing.
Laxman hasn't hesitated to let the tail face their share of the bowling (or even the bulk of it, as in the famous partnership with Ishant earlier this year). He talked to Zaheer, who settled down to play some defense. Which begs the question of why he didn't do that from the start??
India continued to ride their luck as both batsmen had their share of play and misses -- and this partnership changed the course of the game. They added 80 incredibly valuable runs, and had some luck. Zaheer was probably plumb lbw to Steyn but Umpire Davis saw an edge where there likely wasn't any. Another 30 runs were added and at lunch India were effectively 292/7 and having visions of a 350 target that would put the game definitely beyond reach. But Zaheer's vigil came to an end right after lunch.
Laxman had been batting beautifully. He was beaten a few times, but for the most part his batting showed the incredible timing that is his hallmark. Some beautiful punches through the off side, and a couple of pulls, and even dancing down the wicket to inside out Harris to extra cover, adorned his batting as he moved into the 90s.
Ishant fell and finally Laxman tried to farm the strike. And he fell to Steyn cruelly at 96. The field had come in to save the single and Laxman tried to carve a wide Steyn express to the point fence, but only edged. To put this innings in perspective, no other batsman has crossed 35 so far. Though he would rue his missed century, he would surely be satisfied -- a target of 303 was a good 50 runs more than the most ardent fan would have hoped for. India were firm favorites at this point; not quite what they would have hoped for when they came out after lunch (10 runs for 3 wickets was a great fightback from South Africa), but overall in great shape.
But the roller coaster wasn't done yet. The new ball was crucial and Smith knew it. Instead of allowing Zaheer to dictate terms, Smith simply laid into the bowling, ala Sehwag. Zaheer was pulled after just 3 overs, and South Africa was off to a flier. At 60/0, the pendulum had swung back in South Africa's favor, when Smith decided to indulge in a verbal confrontation with Sreesanth -- sure enough, his concentration faltered, and he tried to pull a Sreesanth delivery from outside off, and popped up and Dhoni ran around to grab the skier. Still South Africa were probably still favorites as India were reeling from the attack.
Amla came out and showed uncharacteristic aggression, not just with 3 boundaries flying off his blade, but a missed hoick outside off against Sreesanth. Then Petersen feel pulling Harbhajan Singh onto his thigh (thin inside edge) to lob up to the perfectly positioned, relatively strange position, of backward short leg! And next ball, Sreesanth bowled one even wider outside off, and Amla slashed and feathered one -- a most uncharacteristic shot. India firmly back ahead at 83/3, and the old Boycott maxim of "when you feel good about your score, add twenty runs and two wickets to the score and see how it looks" was well proven. An over late, Pujara put down Kallis -- very tough chance that came off the full face of the bat straight to his at backward short leg -- had it been held, RSA would have been dusted. Kallis & deVilliers saw out the day, until bad light ended the action.
At 111/3, the match is well poised. I have India as 60-40 favorite, but the weather will play a big role. If there is rain and the pitch freshens it would rapidly become 75-25 India, but if it dawns bright and sunny, it is a 50-50 game. An absorbing Test -- don't forget to set your alarm clock for the morning of D4, for the morning session will surely be as crucial as today's pre-lunch play.
Bharat
But hang on folks, the roller coaster ride was just beginning.
Dhoni came in, and straight away Steyn was steaming from the other end into Laxman. India decided to attack, as pure survival would eventually lead to a wicket. Dhoni has his dancing shoes on. He straight drrove Morkel for 4, then hooked Steyn over a leaping Amla for 4, and carved the next ball in the air over point for 4. Later he edged Morkel through slips for 4.
Interestingly, Smith elected not to have a third man -- a curious decision as most early runs would come from there -- and the batsmen made him pay. Laxman steered a Steyn away swinger through slips deliberately with soft hands, and then deliberately swatted a wide Morkel delivery over slips. He edged Tsosobe -- a rare loose shot -- over slips as he tried to pull from outside off. Smith finally relented and put in a third man, but not before 5 boundaries went there.
As drinks came out 40 minutes in, India had added 40 runs in as many wickets and the lead was just over 200. By and large Morkel and Steyn (but for one over) had bowled too many balls outside off that the batsmen had let through. Advantage India.
Just as Dhoni was threatening to carry the game away for India, Tsotsobe did it again for Smith. He troubled Dhoni and got him sparring at a delivery outside off. Dhoni walked off livid with himself, and at 141/6 the tail was wide open. And all fears seemed to be coming true as Harbhajan fell cheaply. At 148/7, a sub-250 target seemed the most likely outcome as Zaheer tried to flail away at the fast bowlers, usually missing.
Laxman hasn't hesitated to let the tail face their share of the bowling (or even the bulk of it, as in the famous partnership with Ishant earlier this year). He talked to Zaheer, who settled down to play some defense. Which begs the question of why he didn't do that from the start??
India continued to ride their luck as both batsmen had their share of play and misses -- and this partnership changed the course of the game. They added 80 incredibly valuable runs, and had some luck. Zaheer was probably plumb lbw to Steyn but Umpire Davis saw an edge where there likely wasn't any. Another 30 runs were added and at lunch India were effectively 292/7 and having visions of a 350 target that would put the game definitely beyond reach. But Zaheer's vigil came to an end right after lunch.
Laxman had been batting beautifully. He was beaten a few times, but for the most part his batting showed the incredible timing that is his hallmark. Some beautiful punches through the off side, and a couple of pulls, and even dancing down the wicket to inside out Harris to extra cover, adorned his batting as he moved into the 90s.
Ishant fell and finally Laxman tried to farm the strike. And he fell to Steyn cruelly at 96. The field had come in to save the single and Laxman tried to carve a wide Steyn express to the point fence, but only edged. To put this innings in perspective, no other batsman has crossed 35 so far. Though he would rue his missed century, he would surely be satisfied -- a target of 303 was a good 50 runs more than the most ardent fan would have hoped for. India were firm favorites at this point; not quite what they would have hoped for when they came out after lunch (10 runs for 3 wickets was a great fightback from South Africa), but overall in great shape.
But the roller coaster wasn't done yet. The new ball was crucial and Smith knew it. Instead of allowing Zaheer to dictate terms, Smith simply laid into the bowling, ala Sehwag. Zaheer was pulled after just 3 overs, and South Africa was off to a flier. At 60/0, the pendulum had swung back in South Africa's favor, when Smith decided to indulge in a verbal confrontation with Sreesanth -- sure enough, his concentration faltered, and he tried to pull a Sreesanth delivery from outside off, and popped up and Dhoni ran around to grab the skier. Still South Africa were probably still favorites as India were reeling from the attack.
Amla came out and showed uncharacteristic aggression, not just with 3 boundaries flying off his blade, but a missed hoick outside off against Sreesanth. Then Petersen feel pulling Harbhajan Singh onto his thigh (thin inside edge) to lob up to the perfectly positioned, relatively strange position, of backward short leg! And next ball, Sreesanth bowled one even wider outside off, and Amla slashed and feathered one -- a most uncharacteristic shot. India firmly back ahead at 83/3, and the old Boycott maxim of "when you feel good about your score, add twenty runs and two wickets to the score and see how it looks" was well proven. An over late, Pujara put down Kallis -- very tough chance that came off the full face of the bat straight to his at backward short leg -- had it been held, RSA would have been dusted. Kallis & deVilliers saw out the day, until bad light ended the action.
At 111/3, the match is well poised. I have India as 60-40 favorite, but the weather will play a big role. If there is rain and the pitch freshens it would rapidly become 75-25 India, but if it dawns bright and sunny, it is a 50-50 game. An absorbing Test -- don't forget to set your alarm clock for the morning of D4, for the morning session will surely be as crucial as today's pre-lunch play.
Bharat
11 right-handed bats in the lineup
Just noticed that with Gambhir & Raina out, India don't have any left handed bat in the lineup. With those two, and before that Yuvraj, Ganguly, Ramesh, Joshi, Kambli and Raman there's always been a left-hander in the mix back to the early 90s. Of course, Gambhir missed a few Tests recently, but I think Yuvraj was in the squad then, and Ganguly missed a few Tests due to injury, but Yuvraj replaced him.
The last time India played with all 11 right handers was against South Africa at Cape Town 1992/93
Bharat
The last time India played with all 11 right handers was against South Africa at Cape Town 1992/93
Bharat
Monday, December 27, 2010
Preview Ind @ RSA T2D3: First hour will be crucial
Set your alarm clocks for 2:25am EST, because this Test could come down to the first hour of play tomorrow. India are 166/4 and need another 110 runs to have a 50-50 chance. The problem is that another two wickets, and RSA is into the tail, and I wouldn't expect more than 20-30 runs from that group. So, the next two wickets need to add at least 80 more runs between them.
The first hour will be when conditions are the most spicy, and more importantly Steyn probably won't be able to go for more than 4-5 overs at most given his groin. If we can somehow ride through that hour or so, then conditions should be much easier for batting. But being 4 down, an abject collapse is never far away.
My head says, a 230 runs target and RSA to win by 4 wickets, but my heart is hoping for 320 and a 50 run victory. Either way it will be must-watch TV, and who knows we may get another Laxman ton to burnish his glowing reputation as one of the most clutch second innings players in cricket today.
Bharat
The first hour will be when conditions are the most spicy, and more importantly Steyn probably won't be able to go for more than 4-5 overs at most given his groin. If we can somehow ride through that hour or so, then conditions should be much easier for batting. But being 4 down, an abject collapse is never far away.
My head says, a 230 runs target and RSA to win by 4 wickets, but my heart is hoping for 320 and a 50 run victory. Either way it will be must-watch TV, and who knows we may get another Laxman ton to burnish his glowing reputation as one of the most clutch second innings players in cricket today.
Bharat
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)