South Africa closed in on England's mediocre total on the second day at Edgbaston, despite losing two key wickets during the afternoon session, reaching 205 for 4. Neil McKenzie fell for a stubborn 72, becoming Andrew Flintoff's 200th Test wicket, but Jacques Kallis was looking ominous by tea on 48 as he aims to make up for a quite couple of matches with the bat.
England had their moments, but they were too few and far between to put them back in the match. They were frustrated by a second-wicket stand of 77 between McKenzie and nightwatchman Paul Harris, although there was a small opening after James Anderson produced a wonderful catch off his own bowling to shift Hashim Amla. This was soon followed by Flintoff's milestone strike, but once again South Africa's strong middle order began closing the door as Kallis and Ashwell Prince added 70.
Conditions were perfect for swing bowling in the morning with a heavy atmosphere, but England's attack failed to make the most of them. Flintoff was hostile, but Anderson and Ryan Sidebottom were wayward in their early spells, failing to make the batsmen play on off stump.
McKenzie continued as he has throughout the series, judging what to play and what to leave, drawing the bowlers to attack the stumps and then clipping them through the leg side. For a moment McKenzie thought his innings had ended on 29 when he edged Flintoff low to Andrew Strauss at first slip, but not for the first time in this series there was doubt over the carry. Strauss thought he'd caught it but didn't look entirely convinced, McKenzie remained and Flintoff stayed on 199 wickets.
Next over he sent a slashing cut straight through Paul Collingwood at gully and the indication was that it wasn't picked up out of the background. The bowlers' line continued to vary from too wide outside off, to drifting onto the pads with Anderson guilty of straining too hard. Harris played his role perfectly as he repelled a short-pitched attack. He is a limited batsman, but got behind the line as Flintoff peppered him and even the edges evaded the slips. Eventually, though, his luck ran out as he sparred outside off and sent a comfortable edge to Alastair Cook at third slip.
McKenzie's hard work was rewarded when he brought up his fifty off 100 balls shortly before lunch. After the break he received a life on 57 when Collingwood's miserable match continued with a spurned chance at second slip off Flintoff. However, Anderson then gave England a much-needed boost with a brilliant piece of athleticism, sprinting from his follow through to hold Amla's inside edge that ballooned into the off side. Anderson once again performed manfully for Michael Vaughan, moving the ball late at pace to trouble all the batsmen and could easily have had another wicket.
Anderson's pumped celebrations were soon followed by Flintoff's as he trapped McKenzie plumb in front, being the 12th Englishman to reach 200 Test wickets. Another wicket and England were back in contention, but it was only going to be a matter of time before Kallis made a contribution. It wasn't without fortune, though, as he was twice troubled by yorkers, edging one past second slip and another within inches of his stumps.
Slowly the fluency returned as he picked off consecutive boundaries from Collingwood, although a thick inside edge did rocket into Tim Ambrose's leg as he was stood up to the stumps. Vaughan eventually turned to Monty Panesar in the 52nd over, but he began poorly with a couple of short balls which were easily put away by Kallis. Rain was threatening as tea approached, but South Africa will be very content with their position.
Thursday, July 31, 2008
Despite good start India & Sri Lanka share Honours
India started promisingly in their quest to exorcise the ghosts of the SSC Test before being thwarted by double-strikes from Ajantha Mendis and Chaminda Vaas. Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir played India into a position of domination but, after a rain break that accounted for the middle session and 75 minutes, Sri Lanka struck gold, taking four wickets for 11, bringing the memories of the collapses in the first Test back to roost.
Like the pitch at the Galle International Stadium, which comprised two polar halves — one cracked and unreliable, the other flat and damp — the first day's play featured startling contrasts. In the first half of the day Sehwag and Gambhir put behind them not only the debacle at the SSC but also thoughts of how, early in the piece here, they played and missed, and how the ball misbehaved when it hit the cracks. They got India off to a flier; Sehwag fell just short for the second time in his career — of a hundred in the first session of a Test, a session in which India scored 151 runs, registering the second biggest opening stand in Galle.
What made Sehwag and Gambhir's partnership - which came at more than five an over —remarkable was that both batsmen were troubled amply by the bowling. Nuwan Kulasekara was the most testing, and the most unfortunate, of the bowlers in the first session, getting the ball to move both off the seam and off the cracks. In his first three overs he beat Gambhir and Sehwag more than once each, even getting a leading edge from Gambhir, and used the variable bounce well, bowling shooters and bouncers.
Gambhir was the first to counter the cracks: he stood outside the crease, and then walked down the pitch, almost like Matthew Hayden, as the bowler ran in. The lbw was ruled out, and a game of tip-and-run got underway, with the batsmen taking singles almost intuitively.
Soon Sehwag shook off the early jitters and shifted gears. No bowler was spared: only a soggy outfield saved Ajantha Mendis from being hit for a four in his first over. Muttiah Muralitharan was hit for a four off the first ball he bowled. Mendis was hit for a six for the first time in Tests.
Kulasekara employed a similar field for Sehwag as at the SSC — two fielders in the deep on the leg side. Here he bowled a head-high bouncer again, and Sehwag went for the pull again, but this time he got on top and hit it to cow corner. This was a batsman who reached a triple-century with a six, after he had tried - and failed - to get to a double the same way. Sehwag was true to character in his approach to moving from 90 to 100. The first ball he faced after the break, he edged Vaas to gully, who collected it first bounce. The second ball, he moved his front leg out of the way and almost hit it into the Galle Fort. Two balls later he bludgeoned a straight boundary to get to his 15th century.
The 21st over best illustrated Sehwag's approach. Mendis started by beating Sehwag with a carrom ball, which he didn't read. Then a straight one that beat him again. And he was almost caught and bowled off the fourth ball. Two balls later, reading the regulation offbreak correctly, Sehwag opened his arms and thrashed it through the covers for a four. The plan was simple for both batsmen: hit whatever you read, and rely on short-term memory loss if you are beaten. It worked in the first session.
In the third over of the second, Mendis got Gambhir with a googly that wasn't. Gambhir had read the wrong'un correctly, playing for the offspin, but this one straightened to trap him in front. He was so befuddled by the deception that he called for the review, which only confirmed the unpalatable truth.
In came Rahul Dravid, not VVS Laxman - that experiment lasted only one innings — to face Mendis. To the second ball Dravid faced from Mendis, he thrust his pad forward to a regulation offbreak, and bat-padded. Malinda Warnapura, at forward short-leg, took the catch on the third take, but the ball had hit the visor of his helmet on the way. In any case, Dravid rendered the debate superfluous by walking. Dravid has now faced 32 balls from Mendis, scored three runs, and got out thrice.
Leading up to the match, there was some debate over Vaas's utility to the side; it was even thought that Dammika Prasad's inclusion in the squad was a nudge. Only three Tests ago, in Providence, Antigua, on a pitch that resembled Sri Lankan wickets, Vaas had taken eight wickets. Here in Galle, he proved once again his utility to the side with two wickets in one over, which helped turn 167 for 0 into 178 for 4.
Sachin Tendulkar played outside the line to one that straightened up enough to be hitting off stump. Sourav Ganguly was done in by the reverse-swing, the ball moving away with the shiny side; with a spectacular diving catch in front of Kumar Sangakkara at slip, Prasanna Jayawardene made amends for a slip he had made in similar circumstances earlier in the innings, causing Gambhir to be dropped on 13.
Sehwag has previously seen fiery starts given by him go to waste — in Melbourne in 2003-04, and in Mohali and Bangalore against Pakistan in 2004-05, to name a few. A similar story seemed to be panning out here, but thank goodness for small mercies — he was still unbeaten when bad light finally stopped play.
Like the pitch at the Galle International Stadium, which comprised two polar halves — one cracked and unreliable, the other flat and damp — the first day's play featured startling contrasts. In the first half of the day Sehwag and Gambhir put behind them not only the debacle at the SSC but also thoughts of how, early in the piece here, they played and missed, and how the ball misbehaved when it hit the cracks. They got India off to a flier; Sehwag fell just short for the second time in his career — of a hundred in the first session of a Test, a session in which India scored 151 runs, registering the second biggest opening stand in Galle.
What made Sehwag and Gambhir's partnership - which came at more than five an over —remarkable was that both batsmen were troubled amply by the bowling. Nuwan Kulasekara was the most testing, and the most unfortunate, of the bowlers in the first session, getting the ball to move both off the seam and off the cracks. In his first three overs he beat Gambhir and Sehwag more than once each, even getting a leading edge from Gambhir, and used the variable bounce well, bowling shooters and bouncers.
Gambhir was the first to counter the cracks: he stood outside the crease, and then walked down the pitch, almost like Matthew Hayden, as the bowler ran in. The lbw was ruled out, and a game of tip-and-run got underway, with the batsmen taking singles almost intuitively.
Soon Sehwag shook off the early jitters and shifted gears. No bowler was spared: only a soggy outfield saved Ajantha Mendis from being hit for a four in his first over. Muttiah Muralitharan was hit for a four off the first ball he bowled. Mendis was hit for a six for the first time in Tests.
Kulasekara employed a similar field for Sehwag as at the SSC — two fielders in the deep on the leg side. Here he bowled a head-high bouncer again, and Sehwag went for the pull again, but this time he got on top and hit it to cow corner. This was a batsman who reached a triple-century with a six, after he had tried - and failed - to get to a double the same way. Sehwag was true to character in his approach to moving from 90 to 100. The first ball he faced after the break, he edged Vaas to gully, who collected it first bounce. The second ball, he moved his front leg out of the way and almost hit it into the Galle Fort. Two balls later he bludgeoned a straight boundary to get to his 15th century.
The 21st over best illustrated Sehwag's approach. Mendis started by beating Sehwag with a carrom ball, which he didn't read. Then a straight one that beat him again. And he was almost caught and bowled off the fourth ball. Two balls later, reading the regulation offbreak correctly, Sehwag opened his arms and thrashed it through the covers for a four. The plan was simple for both batsmen: hit whatever you read, and rely on short-term memory loss if you are beaten. It worked in the first session.
In the third over of the second, Mendis got Gambhir with a googly that wasn't. Gambhir had read the wrong'un correctly, playing for the offspin, but this one straightened to trap him in front. He was so befuddled by the deception that he called for the review, which only confirmed the unpalatable truth.
In came Rahul Dravid, not VVS Laxman - that experiment lasted only one innings — to face Mendis. To the second ball Dravid faced from Mendis, he thrust his pad forward to a regulation offbreak, and bat-padded. Malinda Warnapura, at forward short-leg, took the catch on the third take, but the ball had hit the visor of his helmet on the way. In any case, Dravid rendered the debate superfluous by walking. Dravid has now faced 32 balls from Mendis, scored three runs, and got out thrice.
Leading up to the match, there was some debate over Vaas's utility to the side; it was even thought that Dammika Prasad's inclusion in the squad was a nudge. Only three Tests ago, in Providence, Antigua, on a pitch that resembled Sri Lankan wickets, Vaas had taken eight wickets. Here in Galle, he proved once again his utility to the side with two wickets in one over, which helped turn 167 for 0 into 178 for 4.
Sachin Tendulkar played outside the line to one that straightened up enough to be hitting off stump. Sourav Ganguly was done in by the reverse-swing, the ball moving away with the shiny side; with a spectacular diving catch in front of Kumar Sangakkara at slip, Prasanna Jayawardene made amends for a slip he had made in similar circumstances earlier in the innings, causing Gambhir to be dropped on 13.
Sehwag has previously seen fiery starts given by him go to waste — in Melbourne in 2003-04, and in Mohali and Bangalore against Pakistan in 2004-05, to name a few. A similar story seemed to be panning out here, but thank goodness for small mercies — he was still unbeaten when bad light finally stopped play.
Monday, July 28, 2008
India not fit to Play Tests, says Lankan Media
Ripping apart already bruised and battered Indian team for their below-par show in the first Test, Sri Lankan media said the visitors did not look a side fit to play Test cricket.
"They did not look a side fit to play at this level of the game. The Indian batsmen looked feetless wonders as they stayed manacled to the crease and refused to attack the spin. Had the Indian top order done that, such a disgraceful defeat would not have been slapped on them," the state-run newspaper 'Daily News' said of India's disgraceful defeat.
It would require a cricketing miracle for the visitors to show their resolve and resilience to come good and pocket the series in the next two Tests, the paper said.
Indian batsmen were handed an innings and 239-run defeat by Sri Lankans with a day to spare in the first Test, thanks to the spin duo of Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis.
The report wondered how the Indians who taught the world how to play spin could be so disgraceful and "spin shelled and shocked".
"For the Indians, who taught the world to win matches with spin, this batting display was an utter disgrace. No one expected the Indians to capitulate in this poor fashion.
"In name they had some of the best batsmen going in the game. But the meek manner in which they surrendered was a shame and brought their game down to the depths," it said.
The paper felt spin wonder Mendis deserved the man-of-the-match award for his scintillating 8/132 on debut ahead of his senior Muralitharan.
"No one would have faulted the Test adjudicator had he awarded the man-of-the match award to spin sensation Ajantha Mendis," the paper was quoted as saying.
"Muralitharan (who was declared the man-of-the-match) had won this award several times before. Mendis was making his debut. His figures for a debutant were sensational," added the report.
Possibly no other debutant, in Sri Lanka or any other Test playing country, made such a "telling" debut that also earned his side a massive victory, it said in a back page spread article.
"They did not look a side fit to play at this level of the game. The Indian batsmen looked feetless wonders as they stayed manacled to the crease and refused to attack the spin. Had the Indian top order done that, such a disgraceful defeat would not have been slapped on them," the state-run newspaper 'Daily News' said of India's disgraceful defeat.
It would require a cricketing miracle for the visitors to show their resolve and resilience to come good and pocket the series in the next two Tests, the paper said.
Indian batsmen were handed an innings and 239-run defeat by Sri Lankans with a day to spare in the first Test, thanks to the spin duo of Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis.
The report wondered how the Indians who taught the world how to play spin could be so disgraceful and "spin shelled and shocked".
"For the Indians, who taught the world to win matches with spin, this batting display was an utter disgrace. No one expected the Indians to capitulate in this poor fashion.
"In name they had some of the best batsmen going in the game. But the meek manner in which they surrendered was a shame and brought their game down to the depths," it said.
The paper felt spin wonder Mendis deserved the man-of-the-match award for his scintillating 8/132 on debut ahead of his senior Muralitharan.
"No one would have faulted the Test adjudicator had he awarded the man-of-the match award to spin sensation Ajantha Mendis," the paper was quoted as saying.
"Muralitharan (who was declared the man-of-the-match) had won this award several times before. Mendis was making his debut. His figures for a debutant were sensational," added the report.
Possibly no other debutant, in Sri Lanka or any other Test playing country, made such a "telling" debut that also earned his side a massive victory, it said in a back page spread article.
Peterson makes use of Practice Time
The South Africans opted for extended batting practice on the final day against Bangladesh A at New Road, continuing their second innings well into the second session before setting a notional target of 637. AB de Villiers and Robin Peterson cashed in on the easy runs available with centuries, while Bangladesh batted out the final 27 overs of the match.
With the third Test starting on Wednesday, Mickey Arthur and Graeme Smith clearly didn't want to over-exert the bowlers with an extended spell in the middle. Andre Nel sent down an extra five overs, following his three-wicket haul in the first innings, as he prepares for a likely call-up in place of the injured Dale Steyn.
However, most of the day wasn't a great advert for first-class cricket. Jacques Kallis didn't resume his overnight 55, but is expected to be fully fit for the Test after a minor injury scare with a finger problem on the second day. de Villiers, who made 174 at Headingley, reached an even 100 before also retiring as the bowlers were given a chance to find some batting form.
Peterson, the reserve left-arm spinner in the squad behind Paul Harris, milked the bowling with ease while Nel made 56. Peterson's fifth first-class century came off 153 balls as Bangladesh used nine bowlers, as they had in the first innings. Mushfiqur Rahim had to leave the field after injuring his shoulder trying to catch Peterson.
When Smith eventually declared before tea Nel and Makhaya Ntini opened with five and four-over spells respectively. The spinners then took over, with Peterson continuing his good day as he removed Bangladesh captain Junaid Siddique with the last ball before tea. Tamim Iqbal responded with a positive 65 off 86 balls, comfortably the highest individual score for Bangladesh in the match. He became Peterson's wicket second before the match was called off at the start of the final hour.
With the third Test starting on Wednesday, Mickey Arthur and Graeme Smith clearly didn't want to over-exert the bowlers with an extended spell in the middle. Andre Nel sent down an extra five overs, following his three-wicket haul in the first innings, as he prepares for a likely call-up in place of the injured Dale Steyn.
However, most of the day wasn't a great advert for first-class cricket. Jacques Kallis didn't resume his overnight 55, but is expected to be fully fit for the Test after a minor injury scare with a finger problem on the second day. de Villiers, who made 174 at Headingley, reached an even 100 before also retiring as the bowlers were given a chance to find some batting form.
Peterson, the reserve left-arm spinner in the squad behind Paul Harris, milked the bowling with ease while Nel made 56. Peterson's fifth first-class century came off 153 balls as Bangladesh used nine bowlers, as they had in the first innings. Mushfiqur Rahim had to leave the field after injuring his shoulder trying to catch Peterson.
When Smith eventually declared before tea Nel and Makhaya Ntini opened with five and four-over spells respectively. The spinners then took over, with Peterson continuing his good day as he removed Bangladesh captain Junaid Siddique with the last ball before tea. Tamim Iqbal responded with a positive 65 off 86 balls, comfortably the highest individual score for Bangladesh in the match. He became Peterson's wicket second before the match was called off at the start of the final hour.
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Umpire Referral System Introduced in 1st Test
With the umpire referral system set to be trialled in the Test series between Sri Lanka and India, Here are the basic aspects of this system.
What is the umpire referral system?
It’s an arrangement that will allow the sides to appeal to change a decision perceived to have been incorrect.
Can the sides appeal any number of times?
Both, the fielding and the batting sides, are allowed three unsuccessful appeals per innings, i.e. the sides may continue to appeal against decisions in an innings till three appeals go against them — much like the system used in tennis.
Can the quota of appeals be carried over?
No. The allocation of unsuccessful appeals is three per innings, and can’t be carried over. Again, it’s similar to the system in tennis, where the quota is confined to a set.
With so many players involved — unlike in tennis — who makes the appeal?
These appeals can be made only by the batsman in receipt of the umpire’s original decision or the captain of the fielding side, in both cases by the player making a ‘T’ sign with both forearms at shoulder height.
What happens once an appeal is made?
The on-field umpire consults with the third umpire, who reviews available television coverage of the incident before relaying fact-based information back to his colleague. The on-field umpire then delivers his decision either by raising his finger to indicate “out” or by crossing his hands in a horizontal position side to side in front and above his waist three times — as per a “safe” decision by an official in baseball.
What technological aids can the television umpire use? Can he use Hawk Eye?
The aids available to the television umpire are: slow-motion replays; the wicket-to-wicket “mat” to judge where the ball pitched; sound from stump microphones; ball-tracking technology up to the point of impact on the pad, but not the extrapolation thereafter — so he can’t use Hawk Eye as it is seen by viewers, but he will have access to the measured path of the ball till it strikes the pad. The television umpire will not be able to use snick-detecting devices and “hot-spot” technology in this trial.
This is what experts say:
Anil Kumble: It will be helpful for both the players and the umpires. We have to keep moving with the times, line-ball decisions are accepted in tennis now. We aren’t trying to do away with tradition.
Mahela Jayawardene: It’s to try and eradicate the obvious mistakes, the series-threatening and career-threatening mistakes, so it will help us concentrate on the game. We must be sure to do it in a respectful way to the umpires because they are also human, and I’ll be glad if we don’t use it too much.
Rudi Koertzen (television umpire in the first Test): The pressure will be more since there is immense scrutiny, but everybody’s trying to arrive at the right decision. This won’t erode the authority of the on-field umpires.
Rahul Dravid: I just hope the television technology matches up to it and it gives us a clear picture of what is happening in the middle so that the correct decision is made. It’s going to be fun, it’s going to be interesting — when to appeal and when not.
What is the umpire referral system?
It’s an arrangement that will allow the sides to appeal to change a decision perceived to have been incorrect.
Can the sides appeal any number of times?
Both, the fielding and the batting sides, are allowed three unsuccessful appeals per innings, i.e. the sides may continue to appeal against decisions in an innings till three appeals go against them — much like the system used in tennis.
Can the quota of appeals be carried over?
No. The allocation of unsuccessful appeals is three per innings, and can’t be carried over. Again, it’s similar to the system in tennis, where the quota is confined to a set.
With so many players involved — unlike in tennis — who makes the appeal?
These appeals can be made only by the batsman in receipt of the umpire’s original decision or the captain of the fielding side, in both cases by the player making a ‘T’ sign with both forearms at shoulder height.
What happens once an appeal is made?
The on-field umpire consults with the third umpire, who reviews available television coverage of the incident before relaying fact-based information back to his colleague. The on-field umpire then delivers his decision either by raising his finger to indicate “out” or by crossing his hands in a horizontal position side to side in front and above his waist three times — as per a “safe” decision by an official in baseball.
What technological aids can the television umpire use? Can he use Hawk Eye?
The aids available to the television umpire are: slow-motion replays; the wicket-to-wicket “mat” to judge where the ball pitched; sound from stump microphones; ball-tracking technology up to the point of impact on the pad, but not the extrapolation thereafter — so he can’t use Hawk Eye as it is seen by viewers, but he will have access to the measured path of the ball till it strikes the pad. The television umpire will not be able to use snick-detecting devices and “hot-spot” technology in this trial.
This is what experts say:
Anil Kumble: It will be helpful for both the players and the umpires. We have to keep moving with the times, line-ball decisions are accepted in tennis now. We aren’t trying to do away with tradition.
Mahela Jayawardene: It’s to try and eradicate the obvious mistakes, the series-threatening and career-threatening mistakes, so it will help us concentrate on the game. We must be sure to do it in a respectful way to the umpires because they are also human, and I’ll be glad if we don’t use it too much.
Rudi Koertzen (television umpire in the first Test): The pressure will be more since there is immense scrutiny, but everybody’s trying to arrive at the right decision. This won’t erode the authority of the on-field umpires.
Rahul Dravid: I just hope the television technology matches up to it and it gives us a clear picture of what is happening in the middle so that the correct decision is made. It’s going to be fun, it’s going to be interesting — when to appeal and when not.
We need to be more Aggressive — Zaheer
Removing a couple of Sri Lankan top order batsmen on the truncated opening day was not a bad effort but Zaheer Khan wants his bowling colleagues to be more aggressive on Thursday to get early breakthroughs and pin down the hosts in the first Test.
"The first session tomorrow is going to be crucial. We have to maintain the pressure on the Sri Lankan batsmen. We have to be more aggressive and get early breakthrough," said the left-arm seamer, who scalped the crucial wicket of Kumar Sangakkara.
And while the bowlers give their best, others would have to complement them with sharp fielding, he said.
"We gave away one or two boundaries today. We have to field better," he said.
Zaheer said even his side would have liked to bat first on this track but felt there was enough in the pitch for the bowlers.
"No doubt we too would have batted first had we won the toss. This is a good track and there was something in it. We had a short but good session today."
Zaheer, making a comeback after an injury layoff, said the tour match helped him get into the groove and he did not have any problem on Wednesday.
"That side match was very important for me. I bowled some 25-26 overs which really helped me. It was a good lead up to the Test.
"There was no problem with my fitness either. Once I had declared myself fit, I was ready for every kind of conditions," he said.
"The first session tomorrow is going to be crucial. We have to maintain the pressure on the Sri Lankan batsmen. We have to be more aggressive and get early breakthrough," said the left-arm seamer, who scalped the crucial wicket of Kumar Sangakkara.
And while the bowlers give their best, others would have to complement them with sharp fielding, he said.
"We gave away one or two boundaries today. We have to field better," he said.
Zaheer said even his side would have liked to bat first on this track but felt there was enough in the pitch for the bowlers.
"No doubt we too would have batted first had we won the toss. This is a good track and there was something in it. We had a short but good session today."
Zaheer, making a comeback after an injury layoff, said the tour match helped him get into the groove and he did not have any problem on Wednesday.
"That side match was very important for me. I bowled some 25-26 overs which really helped me. It was a good lead up to the Test.
"There was no problem with my fitness either. Once I had declared myself fit, I was ready for every kind of conditions," he said.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Ten-wicket Win for South Africa
After the first Test at Lord's, Mickey Arthur promised that the real South Africa would turn up at Headingley. And so they did, with an emphatic 10-wicket win over England. They were made to work for their victory today, but with England only squeaking a lead of eight runs, it is South Africa who have taken a 1-0 series lead with two Tests to play. England have plenty to ponder.
However great the feeling of inevitability was that England wouldn't survive six sessions, they didn't lie down submissively and wait for the axe to fall. South Africa were frustrated by Alastair Cook and James Anderson at the start of the day; by Stuart Broad and Darren Pattinson at the end. Broad smacked his third Test fifty and most authoritative to date, with 11 perfectly timed fours in a partnership of 61 in just 12.3 overs with Pattinson.
Broad has improved with each of his Test innings, but while his batting average is going in the right direction, he is taking his wickets at forties. Not that his place was directly under threat today, but his innings of 67 not out was a timely reminder of how valuable he is at No.8. His back-foot play through the leg-side off Jacques Kallis and Dale Steyn was remarkable for the timing he showed, twice swivelling on shorter deliveries to lift them over the infield. After bringing up his fifty from just 41 balls, a powerful cover drive off Makhaya Ntini handed England the lead, though Pattinson was bowled shortly afterwards to end the entertainment. Graeme Smith and Neil McKenzie knocked off the nine runs in seven balls as South Africa recorded an emphatic 10-wicket win.
South Africa have enjoyed the better of the conditions, truth be told, but such is the advantage of winning the toss at Headingley. Regardless of the pitch, however, their bowling performance was far improved from their Lord's display. Today's effort with the ball was a team performance. Steyn and Morkel each took three apiece; Kallis and Ntini two. Even Paul Harris briefly threatened, even though he went wicketless. Graeme Smith's seamers were made to work for their wickets, however, and England nearly managed to survive until lunch unscathed, thanks to a partnership of 59 between Cook and Anderson.
Anderson played with impressive composure and no shortage of class, though South Africa passed the edge of his bat on numerous occasions. Morkel and Ntini opened the bowling and Anderson, mostly playing off the back foot, was beaten twice by Morkel as the fourth-day pitch began to show worrying variable bounce. Balls shot through; the occasional one from Morkel, with his extra height, spat up, but it was an early concern for South Africa that they extracted so little movement.
Cook showed excellent judgement of his off stump all morning and the pair began to irritate South Africa with impish running between the wickets. If anything, it caught South Africa off-guard. Anderson was particularly eager, nudging singles out to cover and midwicket and taking on the fielders. These were decidedly dangerous runs, but South Africa's wild throws missed the stumps repeatedly. England were beginning to really frustrate them.
A languid cut by Anderson demonstrated his growing confidence, and he bettered it with two excellent fours off Harris, threading him through cover with the panache of a No.4. Steyn, meanwhile - delayed into the attack until the 12th over of the day - persisted with a war of bouncers against both batsman, and only when he pitched it up did he trouble the two left-handers. He was at his most vicious from around the wicket, however, and rapped Anderson a nasty blow on his forearm that required treatment from the physio .
The next ball, however, really shook Anderson's resolve when the batsman ducked into a bouncer, the grille of his helmet hammering into his right jaw. He was immediately floored, prompting Steyn and Hashim Amla to assess the damage, and though he looked groggy and stunned by the bouncer, he gave a sparse Headingley crowd reason to cheer by deciding to bat on. He only lasted a few more overs, but richly deserved the standing ovation for his courage.
Kevin Pietersen marched to the crease for a frenzied 13 from five balls, and Ian Bell fell to a screaming catch by de Villiers at gully - taking it one-handed, low to his right - while Cook carved out an impressively calm 148-ball fifty. Unlike South Africa's rescue act at Lord's, no England batsman could contribute a hundred, and though Tim Ambrose and Andrew Flintoff briefly threatened to take on the bowlers, South Africa were too disciplined and probing to let England get away.
Some of South Africa's fielders practised their golf swing at mid-on and mid-off earlier in the day, and tomorrow represents a much-needed break for both teams before the third Test gets underway at Edgbaston. England, however, need more than recuperation if they are to bounce back and level the series a week on Wednesday.
However great the feeling of inevitability was that England wouldn't survive six sessions, they didn't lie down submissively and wait for the axe to fall. South Africa were frustrated by Alastair Cook and James Anderson at the start of the day; by Stuart Broad and Darren Pattinson at the end. Broad smacked his third Test fifty and most authoritative to date, with 11 perfectly timed fours in a partnership of 61 in just 12.3 overs with Pattinson.
Broad has improved with each of his Test innings, but while his batting average is going in the right direction, he is taking his wickets at forties. Not that his place was directly under threat today, but his innings of 67 not out was a timely reminder of how valuable he is at No.8. His back-foot play through the leg-side off Jacques Kallis and Dale Steyn was remarkable for the timing he showed, twice swivelling on shorter deliveries to lift them over the infield. After bringing up his fifty from just 41 balls, a powerful cover drive off Makhaya Ntini handed England the lead, though Pattinson was bowled shortly afterwards to end the entertainment. Graeme Smith and Neil McKenzie knocked off the nine runs in seven balls as South Africa recorded an emphatic 10-wicket win.
South Africa have enjoyed the better of the conditions, truth be told, but such is the advantage of winning the toss at Headingley. Regardless of the pitch, however, their bowling performance was far improved from their Lord's display. Today's effort with the ball was a team performance. Steyn and Morkel each took three apiece; Kallis and Ntini two. Even Paul Harris briefly threatened, even though he went wicketless. Graeme Smith's seamers were made to work for their wickets, however, and England nearly managed to survive until lunch unscathed, thanks to a partnership of 59 between Cook and Anderson.
Anderson played with impressive composure and no shortage of class, though South Africa passed the edge of his bat on numerous occasions. Morkel and Ntini opened the bowling and Anderson, mostly playing off the back foot, was beaten twice by Morkel as the fourth-day pitch began to show worrying variable bounce. Balls shot through; the occasional one from Morkel, with his extra height, spat up, but it was an early concern for South Africa that they extracted so little movement.
Cook showed excellent judgement of his off stump all morning and the pair began to irritate South Africa with impish running between the wickets. If anything, it caught South Africa off-guard. Anderson was particularly eager, nudging singles out to cover and midwicket and taking on the fielders. These were decidedly dangerous runs, but South Africa's wild throws missed the stumps repeatedly. England were beginning to really frustrate them.
A languid cut by Anderson demonstrated his growing confidence, and he bettered it with two excellent fours off Harris, threading him through cover with the panache of a No.4. Steyn, meanwhile - delayed into the attack until the 12th over of the day - persisted with a war of bouncers against both batsman, and only when he pitched it up did he trouble the two left-handers. He was at his most vicious from around the wicket, however, and rapped Anderson a nasty blow on his forearm that required treatment from the physio .
The next ball, however, really shook Anderson's resolve when the batsman ducked into a bouncer, the grille of his helmet hammering into his right jaw. He was immediately floored, prompting Steyn and Hashim Amla to assess the damage, and though he looked groggy and stunned by the bouncer, he gave a sparse Headingley crowd reason to cheer by deciding to bat on. He only lasted a few more overs, but richly deserved the standing ovation for his courage.
Kevin Pietersen marched to the crease for a frenzied 13 from five balls, and Ian Bell fell to a screaming catch by de Villiers at gully - taking it one-handed, low to his right - while Cook carved out an impressively calm 148-ball fifty. Unlike South Africa's rescue act at Lord's, no England batsman could contribute a hundred, and though Tim Ambrose and Andrew Flintoff briefly threatened to take on the bowlers, South Africa were too disciplined and probing to let England get away.
Some of South Africa's fielders practised their golf swing at mid-on and mid-off earlier in the day, and tomorrow represents a much-needed break for both teams before the third Test gets underway at Edgbaston. England, however, need more than recuperation if they are to bounce back and level the series a week on Wednesday.
Monday, July 21, 2008
Pakistani Cricketers to Undergo Doping Tests
Pakistan's star cricketers lined up at the National Cricket Academy (NCA) in Lahore on Sunday to undergo dope tests two months before the Champions Trophy.
Two years ago, Pakistan conducted similar, out-of-competition dope tests ahead of the 2006 Champions Trophy in India. That exercise ended on an explosive note when key pacers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif tested positive for banned anabolic steroid nandrolone but by that time the competition had already begun and Pakistan had to pull the pacers out of their squad. Just days later, their team was bundled out of the first round.
This time the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is hoping to avoid a repeat of that embarrassing episode. The Board is conducting the dope tests two months before the Champions Trophy and will receive its results much before the deadline for the announcement of the 15-man squad for the tournament.
On Sunday, 26 of the thirty players named in Pakistan's preliminary squad underwent the doping procedure at the NCA.
Shoaib Akhtar, the controversial pacer who failed a dope test in 2006, was among the players who gave away urine samples for dope testing. The samples were collected under the supervision of a World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) representative. Anti-doping experts of PCB and the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) were also present on the occasion.
The biggest name missing from the exercise was that of master batsman Younis Khan, who is in Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah. Three more cricketers - Yasir Arafat, Bazid Khan, and Azhar Ali - are playing professional cricket in England. A PCB official said anti-doping professionals accredited by WADA will collect urine samples from those players in England within the next few days.
Doping is a major issue in Pakistan's sporting circles these days after their leading pacer Mohammad Asif failed a dope test conducted during the Indian Premier League. Two of the country's Olympic-bound athletes also recently failed dope tests.
Two years ago, Pakistan conducted similar, out-of-competition dope tests ahead of the 2006 Champions Trophy in India. That exercise ended on an explosive note when key pacers Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif tested positive for banned anabolic steroid nandrolone but by that time the competition had already begun and Pakistan had to pull the pacers out of their squad. Just days later, their team was bundled out of the first round.
This time the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is hoping to avoid a repeat of that embarrassing episode. The Board is conducting the dope tests two months before the Champions Trophy and will receive its results much before the deadline for the announcement of the 15-man squad for the tournament.
On Sunday, 26 of the thirty players named in Pakistan's preliminary squad underwent the doping procedure at the NCA.
Shoaib Akhtar, the controversial pacer who failed a dope test in 2006, was among the players who gave away urine samples for dope testing. The samples were collected under the supervision of a World Anti-Doping Agency's (WADA) representative. Anti-doping experts of PCB and the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) were also present on the occasion.
The biggest name missing from the exercise was that of master batsman Younis Khan, who is in Saudi Arabia to perform Umrah. Three more cricketers - Yasir Arafat, Bazid Khan, and Azhar Ali - are playing professional cricket in England. A PCB official said anti-doping professionals accredited by WADA will collect urine samples from those players in England within the next few days.
Doping is a major issue in Pakistan's sporting circles these days after their leading pacer Mohammad Asif failed a dope test conducted during the Indian Premier League. Two of the country's Olympic-bound athletes also recently failed dope tests.
South Africa in Command at Headingley on 3rd Day
South Africa maintained their domination of the second Test at Headingley, leaving England in the forlorn position of 50 for 2 at stumps on the third day, still trailing by 269. AB de Villiers' magnificent 174 lofted South Africa's first innings to 522, grinding down England's weary bowlers mercilessly. On a wearing pitch, the hosts have rather little hope of preventing South Africa taking a 1-0 series lead in the next 48 hours.
South Africa have outplayed them in nearly every session since the third day at Lord's, and it is due to their resilient batting that the home have been left kicking the turf in frustration. England's prospect of batting all day tomorrow and Tuesday to save the Test is not one they will cherish, on a surface beginning to offer variable bounce and movement. South Africa fought back brilliantly to save the Lord's Test, but that was on a pitch more akin to Lahore than London. Still, Headingley has history in creating history.
It was pleasing to see Makhaya Ntini return to something like his best, too. Poor at Lord's and disappointing in the first innings, he bowled much wider of the crease today - like he used to - as recommended by his former team-mate, Shaun Pollock. The acute angle created, slanting across both Alastair Cook and Andrew Strauss, affected the judgement of their off stump, but it wasn't until he went around the wicket that he really threatened. A surprise lifter outside off was fended behind by Strauss, and South Africa had kicked the door open on weary England.
England so nearly resisted. For once, Michael Vaughan survived several near misses off Dale Steyn who produced two leg-cutting jaggers that zipped off the seam. Vaughan picked him off through midwicket twice, but Steyn continued to attack and could easily have had him lbw on 9. However, with one over left in the day, Ntini squared him up with a corking leg-cutter to cap a perfect day's Test cricket
South Africa owe their position to Ashwell Prince and de Villiers, whose hundreds - though not always glitzy, attractive innings - were models of patience and resilience, and they needed to be. England fought hard this morning, grateful for a pitch that at last offered seam movement, and both batsmen could have fallen within the first hour. Inevitably, it was to Andrew Flintoff that Vaughan turned for early inspiration, and in a lively morning spell he found encouraging movement off the pitch, beating de Villiers with several leg-cutters and even luring the normally sober Prince into a washy drive outside off.
James Anderson impressed throughout, though to judge by his pained expression and Angus Fraser-like kicks at the turf, his patience wore thin as he passed the edge of Prince and de Villiers' bat time after time. de Villiers was particularly tentative, doubtless nervous about a possible hundred, and was beaten all ends up by a corking outswinger that came off his hip. England were at last making them work.
They were far from faultless, tiring visibly, and for all Anderson's occasional jaffas, too often they were followed by half-volley gifts that de Villiers made sure to capitalise on, flicking through midwicket with fine timing. Prince was less tentative, and accordingly less patient, edging the impressive Darren Pattinson behind one short of his 150. Nevertheless, South Africa's lead had swelled beyond 200.
Mark Boucher struggled, as he has all series, and narrowly escaped edging behind on numerous occasions, but de Villiers powered onwards and upwards to register his sixth Test hundred from 264 balls. The Headingley crowd unsportingly booed their disapproval, doubtless with a nod to de Villiers' non-catch which he tried to claim on the first day, but this was a courageous and skilful innings, even if the half-cut couldn't bear to acknowledge it. Anderson was eventually rewarded for persistence when he bowled Boucher, and de Villiers fell to an outstanding catch by Flintoff at first slip - diving to his left to pluck a grass-licker - while Monty Panesar picked up 3 for 65. The damage had been done, however, and in losing two late wickets, England look down and out.
The door hasn't quite been shut on them, but it is only just ajar. Not even the weather is looking down in their favour with two days' hard work ahead.
South Africa have outplayed them in nearly every session since the third day at Lord's, and it is due to their resilient batting that the home have been left kicking the turf in frustration. England's prospect of batting all day tomorrow and Tuesday to save the Test is not one they will cherish, on a surface beginning to offer variable bounce and movement. South Africa fought back brilliantly to save the Lord's Test, but that was on a pitch more akin to Lahore than London. Still, Headingley has history in creating history.
It was pleasing to see Makhaya Ntini return to something like his best, too. Poor at Lord's and disappointing in the first innings, he bowled much wider of the crease today - like he used to - as recommended by his former team-mate, Shaun Pollock. The acute angle created, slanting across both Alastair Cook and Andrew Strauss, affected the judgement of their off stump, but it wasn't until he went around the wicket that he really threatened. A surprise lifter outside off was fended behind by Strauss, and South Africa had kicked the door open on weary England.
England so nearly resisted. For once, Michael Vaughan survived several near misses off Dale Steyn who produced two leg-cutting jaggers that zipped off the seam. Vaughan picked him off through midwicket twice, but Steyn continued to attack and could easily have had him lbw on 9. However, with one over left in the day, Ntini squared him up with a corking leg-cutter to cap a perfect day's Test cricket
South Africa owe their position to Ashwell Prince and de Villiers, whose hundreds - though not always glitzy, attractive innings - were models of patience and resilience, and they needed to be. England fought hard this morning, grateful for a pitch that at last offered seam movement, and both batsmen could have fallen within the first hour. Inevitably, it was to Andrew Flintoff that Vaughan turned for early inspiration, and in a lively morning spell he found encouraging movement off the pitch, beating de Villiers with several leg-cutters and even luring the normally sober Prince into a washy drive outside off.
James Anderson impressed throughout, though to judge by his pained expression and Angus Fraser-like kicks at the turf, his patience wore thin as he passed the edge of Prince and de Villiers' bat time after time. de Villiers was particularly tentative, doubtless nervous about a possible hundred, and was beaten all ends up by a corking outswinger that came off his hip. England were at last making them work.
They were far from faultless, tiring visibly, and for all Anderson's occasional jaffas, too often they were followed by half-volley gifts that de Villiers made sure to capitalise on, flicking through midwicket with fine timing. Prince was less tentative, and accordingly less patient, edging the impressive Darren Pattinson behind one short of his 150. Nevertheless, South Africa's lead had swelled beyond 200.
Mark Boucher struggled, as he has all series, and narrowly escaped edging behind on numerous occasions, but de Villiers powered onwards and upwards to register his sixth Test hundred from 264 balls. The Headingley crowd unsportingly booed their disapproval, doubtless with a nod to de Villiers' non-catch which he tried to claim on the first day, but this was a courageous and skilful innings, even if the half-cut couldn't bear to acknowledge it. Anderson was eventually rewarded for persistence when he bowled Boucher, and de Villiers fell to an outstanding catch by Flintoff at first slip - diving to his left to pluck a grass-licker - while Monty Panesar picked up 3 for 65. The damage had been done, however, and in losing two late wickets, England look down and out.
The door hasn't quite been shut on them, but it is only just ajar. Not even the weather is looking down in their favour with two days' hard work ahead.
Friday, July 18, 2008
Flintoff Returns to Test Team
It is not just that Andrew Flintoff bowls like the wind, strikes the ball as cleanly as anyone and catches safely wherever he fields. There is also an unstoppable life force about this giant too; a bristling get-up-and-go and a humour that makes him admired whatever impossible task he is attempting.
He is due to return to the England side against South Africa at Leeds for the second Test. I say due, but that is foolishness.
Why would the selectors bring back the best all-rounder in the world and then have his only worry to arrange glasses neatly on a tray and to remember to have a towel nearby lest some fast bowler needs to remove the sweat from his brow.
Flintoff — Freddie if you are one of his familiars, a loving spectator or a tabloid journalist — is such a massive man at 6ft 5in, perhaps 16st and giving the impression that he and barn doors have much in common.
He is the cynosure of all eyes; his waves make huge noises wherever he is.
His pal — they are neighbours in the posh parts of Cheshire, they and their families dine together, they are both in truth Lancashire lads, with similar accents and attitudes — Michael Vaughan, the England captain, reminded us after the Lord’s Test earlier this week that Flintoff was not a wizard. Why he chose to say that is anyone’s guess for Freddie is a magic man.
He has already forced the South Africans, reinvigorated by their long defensive retreat at Lord’s to admit that they talk about him all the time in their dressing room.
We were a bit surprised he did not play at Lord’s, said the coach Mickey Arthur. He is such a formidable cricketer.
Flintoff will take the place of Paul Collingwood. It is a like-for-like replacement; but it is not Mighty Joe Young in for King Kong.
Flintoff has been building up for this moment with Lancashire, taking wickets and catches, hitting sixes while Collingwood has been bowling slower and slower, failing with the bat and, worst of all, looking down in the mouth.
Don’t blame him. He wakes every morning to headlines which announce the return of Flintoff and he retires every night with the memory of yet another wretched day at the crease.
Collingwood has been a fine player for England with half a dozen miraculous catches in the gully or thereabouts, competent bowling and a double hundred not to mention an average in the forties. But he is no Flintoff. Who is? And unless Flintoff finds another tweaked muscle or cracked bone there is only one winner between the two in a complete cricketer competition.
South Africa may have to find a replacement for Neil McKenzie who strained his groin batting for almost 10 hours at Lord’s.
He is due to return to the England side against South Africa at Leeds for the second Test. I say due, but that is foolishness.
Why would the selectors bring back the best all-rounder in the world and then have his only worry to arrange glasses neatly on a tray and to remember to have a towel nearby lest some fast bowler needs to remove the sweat from his brow.
Flintoff — Freddie if you are one of his familiars, a loving spectator or a tabloid journalist — is such a massive man at 6ft 5in, perhaps 16st and giving the impression that he and barn doors have much in common.
He is the cynosure of all eyes; his waves make huge noises wherever he is.
His pal — they are neighbours in the posh parts of Cheshire, they and their families dine together, they are both in truth Lancashire lads, with similar accents and attitudes — Michael Vaughan, the England captain, reminded us after the Lord’s Test earlier this week that Flintoff was not a wizard. Why he chose to say that is anyone’s guess for Freddie is a magic man.
He has already forced the South Africans, reinvigorated by their long defensive retreat at Lord’s to admit that they talk about him all the time in their dressing room.
We were a bit surprised he did not play at Lord’s, said the coach Mickey Arthur. He is such a formidable cricketer.
Flintoff will take the place of Paul Collingwood. It is a like-for-like replacement; but it is not Mighty Joe Young in for King Kong.
Flintoff has been building up for this moment with Lancashire, taking wickets and catches, hitting sixes while Collingwood has been bowling slower and slower, failing with the bat and, worst of all, looking down in the mouth.
Don’t blame him. He wakes every morning to headlines which announce the return of Flintoff and he retires every night with the memory of yet another wretched day at the crease.
Collingwood has been a fine player for England with half a dozen miraculous catches in the gully or thereabouts, competent bowling and a double hundred not to mention an average in the forties. But he is no Flintoff. Who is? And unless Flintoff finds another tweaked muscle or cracked bone there is only one winner between the two in a complete cricketer competition.
South Africa may have to find a replacement for Neil McKenzie who strained his groin batting for almost 10 hours at Lord’s.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Legend of the Day — Andy Roberts
Anderson Montgomery Everton 'Andy' Roberts (born 29 January 1951 on the island of Antigua in the West Indies) is a former West Indian cricketer. He was an excellent fast bowler, twice taking seven wickets in an innings of a Test match. In England, he played first class cricket for Hampshire County Cricket Club.
Andy Roberts formed part of the "quartet" of West Indian fast bowlers from the mid-Seventies to the early Eighties (the others being Michael Holding, Joel Garner and Colin Croft) that had such a devastating effect on opposition batsmen at both Test and One Day International level. He was also part of the West Indies team that won the first two Prudential World Cups in England in 1975 and 1979.
Despite an excellent record in Tests his international career was relatively short and ended in 1983. Imran Khan (former captain Pakistan national cricket team) once described a ball bowled to him by Andy Roberts as the fastest and most terrifying he had ever faced.
One of his trademarks was the use of two different bouncers. One was delivered at a slower pace and was often dealt with quite easily by the batsman. However, this was a ploy by Roberts to lull the batsman into a false sense of security. Roberts would then deliver the second bouncer, pitching in a similar spot to the first, but delivered at far greater pace. The batsman would attempt to play this delivery in the same fashion as the first slower bouncer only to be surprised by the extra pace and bounce of the ball. Many batsmen were dismissed- and many more struck painful blows- by Roberts using this ploy.
Andy Roberts' contribution to West Indies cricket has continued since his retirement as a player. As an administrator overseeing the preparation of pitches, he helped prepare the pitches in Antigua on which Brian Lara twice broke the world record for highest test scores.
Roberts was the first Antiguan to play Test cricket for the West Indies, thus leading the way many of his famous countrymen including Viv Richards, Richie Richardson and Curtly Ambrose.
In October, 2005, Roberts was inducted into the United States Cricket Hall of Fame, becoming the second Antiguan to be recognized.
Andy Roberts formed part of the "quartet" of West Indian fast bowlers from the mid-Seventies to the early Eighties (the others being Michael Holding, Joel Garner and Colin Croft) that had such a devastating effect on opposition batsmen at both Test and One Day International level. He was also part of the West Indies team that won the first two Prudential World Cups in England in 1975 and 1979.
Despite an excellent record in Tests his international career was relatively short and ended in 1983. Imran Khan (former captain Pakistan national cricket team) once described a ball bowled to him by Andy Roberts as the fastest and most terrifying he had ever faced.
One of his trademarks was the use of two different bouncers. One was delivered at a slower pace and was often dealt with quite easily by the batsman. However, this was a ploy by Roberts to lull the batsman into a false sense of security. Roberts would then deliver the second bouncer, pitching in a similar spot to the first, but delivered at far greater pace. The batsman would attempt to play this delivery in the same fashion as the first slower bouncer only to be surprised by the extra pace and bounce of the ball. Many batsmen were dismissed- and many more struck painful blows- by Roberts using this ploy.
Andy Roberts' contribution to West Indies cricket has continued since his retirement as a player. As an administrator overseeing the preparation of pitches, he helped prepare the pitches in Antigua on which Brian Lara twice broke the world record for highest test scores.
Roberts was the first Antiguan to play Test cricket for the West Indies, thus leading the way many of his famous countrymen including Viv Richards, Richie Richardson and Curtly Ambrose.
In October, 2005, Roberts was inducted into the United States Cricket Hall of Fame, becoming the second Antiguan to be recognized.
"Muralitharan is Key", says Harbhajan
Harbhajan Singh does not doubt mystery spinner Ajantha Mendis' potentials but the star off-spinner believes it is old trickster Muttiah Muralitharan who would pose bigger threat for the Indian batsmen in the forthcoming Test series.
Harbhajan heaps praise on Mendis, who ran through India's famed ODI batting order in the Asia Cup final in Karachi, and said it was an extraordinary display of quality spin bowling.
"It was a treat to watch Mendis bowl during the Asia Cup final," Harbhajan told ESPN's 'Sportscenter' programme.
"The deliveries with which he got Yuvraj Singh, Rohit Sharma and even RP Singh were outstanding. I have seen people doing this with a tennis ball but it is incredible that he is doing it with a cricket ball. There is so much to learn from Mendis," said Harbhajan.
But still it's too early to compare Mendis with Murali and the old warhorse would create more problem for the Indian side, believes Harbhajan.
"It will be Muralitharan who will pose a bigger challenge and do well in the series and not Mendis. You cannot compare Mendis and Murali. Oh, come on, Murali has been doing it for so many years whereas Mendis has just started," he reasoned.
The aggressive offie himself would have to live up to the expectation in the series, to prove that he remains the same potent force despite spending the last three months in the wilderness following the slap-gate episode.
"I am ready for it. In fact to sit on the sidelines has made me hungrier and I am willing to play any role that the team wants me to," said Harbhajan, who remains out of action since slapping India teammate S Sreesanth after an Indian Premier League Match.
One after another controversy has stalked Harbhajan but the offie says he now wants people to remember him for all the right reasons.
"I committed a mistake and I admitted it. I think we all need to move on from there and look ahead. From now on, people should remember me for all the right reasons and not controversies," he said.
Looking back at the slapgate issue and its aftermath, Harbhajan said, "That period was really tough for me and I didn't know where I was heading. I think God helped me come out of that. He's been very kind."
Harbhajan heaps praise on Mendis, who ran through India's famed ODI batting order in the Asia Cup final in Karachi, and said it was an extraordinary display of quality spin bowling.
"It was a treat to watch Mendis bowl during the Asia Cup final," Harbhajan told ESPN's 'Sportscenter' programme.
"The deliveries with which he got Yuvraj Singh, Rohit Sharma and even RP Singh were outstanding. I have seen people doing this with a tennis ball but it is incredible that he is doing it with a cricket ball. There is so much to learn from Mendis," said Harbhajan.
But still it's too early to compare Mendis with Murali and the old warhorse would create more problem for the Indian side, believes Harbhajan.
"It will be Muralitharan who will pose a bigger challenge and do well in the series and not Mendis. You cannot compare Mendis and Murali. Oh, come on, Murali has been doing it for so many years whereas Mendis has just started," he reasoned.
The aggressive offie himself would have to live up to the expectation in the series, to prove that he remains the same potent force despite spending the last three months in the wilderness following the slap-gate episode.
"I am ready for it. In fact to sit on the sidelines has made me hungrier and I am willing to play any role that the team wants me to," said Harbhajan, who remains out of action since slapping India teammate S Sreesanth after an Indian Premier League Match.
One after another controversy has stalked Harbhajan but the offie says he now wants people to remember him for all the right reasons.
"I committed a mistake and I admitted it. I think we all need to move on from there and look ahead. From now on, people should remember me for all the right reasons and not controversies," he said.
Looking back at the slapgate issue and its aftermath, Harbhajan said, "That period was really tough for me and I didn't know where I was heading. I think God helped me come out of that. He's been very kind."
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Test Cricket, the Ultimate Challenge — Kumble
The phenomenal success of Twenty20 notwithstanding, Tests would remain the ultimate challenge for a cricketer, says Indian skipper Anil Kumble.
"Test cricket is here to stay and players really feel privileged to be a part of Test cricket. Personally I remember most of my milestones achieved in Test matches. It's very hard for me to go back and pull out my best One-day performances," Kumble said.
Kumble felt the Twenty20 craze among the fans has a lot to do with media's frenzied coverage of the format. The veteran leg-spinner hoped that the media would give an equally exhaustive coverage to his side's Test series against Sri Lanka starting here July 23.
"As a cricketer we value Test cricket than any other form. This series obviously will depend on how the media portrays it," Kumble said.
"When you talk about results 90 per cent of Test matches have produced results. I don't see why there should be a decline in that issue, it's just that the talk and the success of the Twenty20 that has probably made Test cricket look as if it has taken a back seat. But I dont think so. Its just a perception," he added.
Kumble's opposite number, Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene echoed his views and said a cricketer's success in Test cricket was the real indicator of his capability.
"As cricketers the ultimate challenge for most us is Test cricket where we will be tested the most. Twenty20 cricket is a different challenge, so is One-day cricket. Test cricket is where the cricketers are really tested," Jayawardene said.
Meanwhile former Lankan skipper Arjuna Ranatunga once again stressed the need to rekindle the interest in the longer version of the game.
Ranatunga, who once described the Twenty20 as "three-minute Maggie noodles. Bang, bang, and it is over" called for protecting Test cricket.
"It is very important to protect Test cricket. That has been my view from day one. When it comes to Twenty20 it is more of a business.
"You need Twenty20 to get more money but ultimately you've got to realize that Test cricket is the major concept. I feel that players should concentrate more on Test cricket and try and protect the game we all love," Ranatunga said.
"Test cricket is here to stay and players really feel privileged to be a part of Test cricket. Personally I remember most of my milestones achieved in Test matches. It's very hard for me to go back and pull out my best One-day performances," Kumble said.
Kumble felt the Twenty20 craze among the fans has a lot to do with media's frenzied coverage of the format. The veteran leg-spinner hoped that the media would give an equally exhaustive coverage to his side's Test series against Sri Lanka starting here July 23.
"As a cricketer we value Test cricket than any other form. This series obviously will depend on how the media portrays it," Kumble said.
"When you talk about results 90 per cent of Test matches have produced results. I don't see why there should be a decline in that issue, it's just that the talk and the success of the Twenty20 that has probably made Test cricket look as if it has taken a back seat. But I dont think so. Its just a perception," he added.
Kumble's opposite number, Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene echoed his views and said a cricketer's success in Test cricket was the real indicator of his capability.
"As cricketers the ultimate challenge for most us is Test cricket where we will be tested the most. Twenty20 cricket is a different challenge, so is One-day cricket. Test cricket is where the cricketers are really tested," Jayawardene said.
Meanwhile former Lankan skipper Arjuna Ranatunga once again stressed the need to rekindle the interest in the longer version of the game.
Ranatunga, who once described the Twenty20 as "three-minute Maggie noodles. Bang, bang, and it is over" called for protecting Test cricket.
"It is very important to protect Test cricket. That has been my view from day one. When it comes to Twenty20 it is more of a business.
"You need Twenty20 to get more money but ultimately you've got to realize that Test cricket is the major concept. I feel that players should concentrate more on Test cricket and try and protect the game we all love," Ranatunga said.
India not to Alter Tour Itinerary
India will not alter the schedule of England's cricket tour later this year despite protests from the visitors about being made to play in smaller venues, an official said on Tuesday.
The England and Wales Cricket Board announced on Monday it was upset that India's regular Test venues like Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai and Mohali were not given matches during the six-week tour.
India want the two Tests in December to be played in Ahmedabad and Mumbai, while the seven preceding One-dayers were spread across various centres like Rajkot, Guwahati, Cuttack and Jamshedpur.
"We would like to remind the ECB that our venues are always decided on the basis of a rotation policy," Indian cricket board secretary Niranjan Shah was quoted as saying on the cricketnirvana.com website .
"The itinerary for the England tour has been finalised on the basis of this rotation policy."
The website, which belongs to the official broadcaster of the series, Nimbus Communications, reported that Shah was unhappy that the ECB had made its protest public.
"We do not quite understand how and why the ECB has chosen to air its grievances over this policy in the media," said Shah.
"Whenever the Indian team has toured England, some of the venues have not been up to the mark in terms of facilities for Indian players and supporters.
"However, we have complied and gone ahead and played, for it is the host board's prerogative to fix the itinerary."
An ECB statement issued on Monday said: "ECB are disappointed that, despite their representations, the itinerary doesn't offer the thousands of supporters who follow the England team abroad the opportunity to experience more of the great cricket grounds of India.
"As far as the ECB are concerned, the acceptance of the itinerary remains subject to acceptable logistical arrangements and an an acceptable security environment and security arrangements being in place at each of the venues."
England's tour, which runs from November 6-December 23, includes two Tests, seven one-Day Internationals and three warm-up matches.
The England and Wales Cricket Board announced on Monday it was upset that India's regular Test venues like Chennai, Kolkata, Mumbai and Mohali were not given matches during the six-week tour.
India want the two Tests in December to be played in Ahmedabad and Mumbai, while the seven preceding One-dayers were spread across various centres like Rajkot, Guwahati, Cuttack and Jamshedpur.
"We would like to remind the ECB that our venues are always decided on the basis of a rotation policy," Indian cricket board secretary Niranjan Shah was quoted as saying on the cricketnirvana.com website .
"The itinerary for the England tour has been finalised on the basis of this rotation policy."
The website, which belongs to the official broadcaster of the series, Nimbus Communications, reported that Shah was unhappy that the ECB had made its protest public.
"We do not quite understand how and why the ECB has chosen to air its grievances over this policy in the media," said Shah.
"Whenever the Indian team has toured England, some of the venues have not been up to the mark in terms of facilities for Indian players and supporters.
"However, we have complied and gone ahead and played, for it is the host board's prerogative to fix the itinerary."
An ECB statement issued on Monday said: "ECB are disappointed that, despite their representations, the itinerary doesn't offer the thousands of supporters who follow the England team abroad the opportunity to experience more of the great cricket grounds of India.
"As far as the ECB are concerned, the acceptance of the itinerary remains subject to acceptable logistical arrangements and an an acceptable security environment and security arrangements being in place at each of the venues."
England's tour, which runs from November 6-December 23, includes two Tests, seven one-Day Internationals and three warm-up matches.
Asif Suspended, Akhtar in Champions Trophy squad
Taking a tough stand, Pakistan Cricket Board on Tuesday suspended beleaguered pacer Mohammad Asif from all cricket activities for an indefinite period following his positive dope test in the inaugural Indian Premier League.
Asif, who was also left out of the 30-member list of probables for the Champions Trophy, will not be allowed to take part or associate himself with any activity related with PCB, ICC or ICC members until a final decision on his dope result is reached.
"PCB hereby suspends Mohammad Asif with immediate effect from participating in cricket including its organisation, administration and promotion conducted by or under the auspices of PCB, ICC or ICC members until final decision which includes appeal," PCB Chief Operating Officer Shafqat Naghmi said.
PCB Chief Operating Officer Shafqat Naghmi said the Board would implement the findings of the IPL Drugs Tribunal on the issue.
"We have suspended Asif though he will have the right to appeal under ICC Anti-doping regulations," Naghmi said.
"PCB will offer all the assistance to IPL Drugs Tribunal and implement its findings and can even attend the enquiry proceedings," he said in the presence of Board lawyer Tafazzul Rizvi.
Mohd Asif was also dropped from the Champions Trophy squad.
Controversial fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar on Tuesday was included in Pakistan's provisional 30-member squad for the Champions Trophy.
Akhtar, who has also been in the news of late, was allowed by a Pakistani court to play again after suspending the 18-month ban imposed on him by the PCB for indiscipline.
"We want to give Shoaib a legitimate chance to prove his fitness and win back his place in the team," Naghmi said.
Naghmi also disclosed that all the selected players would undergo dope tests in Lahore on the July 19 and 20 of this month.
"Any player who fails the test or avoid giving a sample would not be considered for the final Champions Trophy squad and will also face disciplinary action under our anti-doping regulations," Naghmi said.
Asif, who was also left out of the 30-member list of probables for the Champions Trophy, will not be allowed to take part or associate himself with any activity related with PCB, ICC or ICC members until a final decision on his dope result is reached.
"PCB hereby suspends Mohammad Asif with immediate effect from participating in cricket including its organisation, administration and promotion conducted by or under the auspices of PCB, ICC or ICC members until final decision which includes appeal," PCB Chief Operating Officer Shafqat Naghmi said.
PCB Chief Operating Officer Shafqat Naghmi said the Board would implement the findings of the IPL Drugs Tribunal on the issue.
"We have suspended Asif though he will have the right to appeal under ICC Anti-doping regulations," Naghmi said.
"PCB will offer all the assistance to IPL Drugs Tribunal and implement its findings and can even attend the enquiry proceedings," he said in the presence of Board lawyer Tafazzul Rizvi.
Mohd Asif was also dropped from the Champions Trophy squad.
Controversial fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar on Tuesday was included in Pakistan's provisional 30-member squad for the Champions Trophy.
Akhtar, who has also been in the news of late, was allowed by a Pakistani court to play again after suspending the 18-month ban imposed on him by the PCB for indiscipline.
"We want to give Shoaib a legitimate chance to prove his fitness and win back his place in the team," Naghmi said.
Naghmi also disclosed that all the selected players would undergo dope tests in Lahore on the July 19 and 20 of this month.
"Any player who fails the test or avoid giving a sample would not be considered for the final Champions Trophy squad and will also face disciplinary action under our anti-doping regulations," Naghmi said.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Legend of the Day — Sir Donald Bradman
Sir Donald Bradman (1908-2001)
Sir Donald Bradman is an Australian sporting legend.
No other sportsperson in Australian history has captured the respect and admiration of the sporting public the way 'The Don', the cricketer from Bowral in the State of New South Wales (NSW), has done.
During his 21 years of first-class cricket, Bradman achieved everything that was possible in the sport - he captained his South Australian Sheffield Shield team; was a State selector; Test selector; and captain of the Australian Team for almost a decade, including of the 1948 Australian Test team known as The Invincibles.
Bradman averaged a century - 100 runs - once in every three innings he played. His batting averages are revered.
In his first international tour (1930) Bradman made 2960 runs (with a batting average of 98.66), including 10 centuries. In his final tour 18 years later, he made 2428 runs with an 89.92 batting average, including 11 centuries.
When he retired in 1948, Bradman's legacy to the cricketing world was a remarkable Test batting average of 99.94.
The tributes to Bradman kept coming after he retired. In 1949 he became the only Australian cricketer to be knighted. And in 1988 the Australian Confederation of Sport voted him greatest male athlete of the past 200 years.
In 1960 Bradman became the first former Test player to be elected chairman of the Australian Board of Control. He continued to serve cricket as a selector and a member of the Board, including as chairman, for two terms. On 16 June 1979 he was invested as a Companion of the Order of Australia.
According to Bradman's official web site, this famous cricketer also holds other awards, including:
Sir Donald Bradman is an Australian sporting legend.
No other sportsperson in Australian history has captured the respect and admiration of the sporting public the way 'The Don', the cricketer from Bowral in the State of New South Wales (NSW), has done.
During his 21 years of first-class cricket, Bradman achieved everything that was possible in the sport - he captained his South Australian Sheffield Shield team; was a State selector; Test selector; and captain of the Australian Team for almost a decade, including of the 1948 Australian Test team known as The Invincibles.
Bradman averaged a century - 100 runs - once in every three innings he played. His batting averages are revered.
In his first international tour (1930) Bradman made 2960 runs (with a batting average of 98.66), including 10 centuries. In his final tour 18 years later, he made 2428 runs with an 89.92 batting average, including 11 centuries.
When he retired in 1948, Bradman's legacy to the cricketing world was a remarkable Test batting average of 99.94.
The tributes to Bradman kept coming after he retired. In 1949 he became the only Australian cricketer to be knighted. And in 1988 the Australian Confederation of Sport voted him greatest male athlete of the past 200 years.
In 1960 Bradman became the first former Test player to be elected chairman of the Australian Board of Control. He continued to serve cricket as a selector and a member of the Board, including as chairman, for two terms. On 16 June 1979 he was invested as a Companion of the Order of Australia.
According to Bradman's official web site, this famous cricketer also holds other awards, including:
- Sportsman of the Century;
- Captain of the Greatest Team of the Century (1948 Australian cricket team);
- Wisden Cricketer of the Century;
- Captain of the Australian Cricket Team of the Century;
- nominated in the top ten world sports figures of the century by the World Confederation of Sport; and
- elected in the top 100 world figures of the twentieth century - one of only two Australians to be included.
It is None Other than Asif Again (Tested Positive)
Mohammad Asif has been confirmed as the player who tested positive for a banned substance during the Indian Premier League (IPL), the league has announced. The IPL, though, hasn't revealed the drug that was found in the sample that Asif, who played for the Delhi Daredevils, provided during random testing.
The IPL compared the result from the WADA-approved laboratory in Switzerland [that tested the samples] with the data collected by IDTM, the Sweden-based independent agency that organised the tests, and confirmed Asif as the player whose sample was positive.
The IPL medical committee then scruntinised the form filled by Asif prior to the test to verify but he had not applied for or been granted an exemption for the drug found in the sample. "It was also checked if Asif had applied for and was granted a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE)," an IPL release said. "It was found that Asif had not applied for a TUE. A note in writing has been sent to the player and his home board and to the franchise on the findings."
"I am shocked and surprised because I was extra cautious and never used any banned substances," Asif told AFP. "I don't know what to do. I will decide the next course of action only after consultation with my lawyer." Asif was detained in Dubai for possession of contraband drugs last month for 19 days and he is already the subject of a board inquiry into those events.
Because of the globally unique nature of the case - Asif, as a Pakistani, tested positive at a domestic Indian tournament approved by the ICC - there is bound to be some confusion over final jurisdiction in the matter. The ICC had said in a release on Sunday that it was the responsibility of the BCCI to "deal with the process in a timely and fair manner". Though initially the PCB said they would also take action against Asif, the case is not so clear anymore.
The IPL compared the result from the WADA-approved laboratory in Switzerland [that tested the samples] with the data collected by IDTM, the Sweden-based independent agency that organised the tests, and confirmed Asif as the player whose sample was positive.
The IPL medical committee then scruntinised the form filled by Asif prior to the test to verify but he had not applied for or been granted an exemption for the drug found in the sample. "It was also checked if Asif had applied for and was granted a Therapeutic Use Exemption (TUE)," an IPL release said. "It was found that Asif had not applied for a TUE. A note in writing has been sent to the player and his home board and to the franchise on the findings."
"I am shocked and surprised because I was extra cautious and never used any banned substances," Asif told AFP. "I don't know what to do. I will decide the next course of action only after consultation with my lawyer." Asif was detained in Dubai for possession of contraband drugs last month for 19 days and he is already the subject of a board inquiry into those events.
Because of the globally unique nature of the case - Asif, as a Pakistani, tested positive at a domestic Indian tournament approved by the ICC - there is bound to be some confusion over final jurisdiction in the matter. The ICC had said in a release on Sunday that it was the responsibility of the BCCI to "deal with the process in a timely and fair manner". Though initially the PCB said they would also take action against Asif, the case is not so clear anymore.
Lord's Test ends in a Draw
Hashim Amla's fifth Test hundred guided South Africa safely to a draw on the fifth and final day at Lord's. Two days ago, it seemed unlikely the visitors scrap it out into the fifth, yet it was England - the team who so dominated the first three days - who trudged off wearily 75 minutes after tea. South Africa may not have won, but they will take heart from their characteristically dogged performance with the second Test only four days away.
Remarkably, this was the sixth draw in as many Tests at Lord's. Indeed, the home of cricket hasn't witnessed a win since Australia's 239-run win in the 2005 Ashes, and barring a spectacular collapse by South Africa, it was unlikely that the trend would be broken today by Michael Vaughan's men. This isn't to discredit a wholehearted bowling performance, more to emphasise the benign surface that Lord's has produced over the last few years. In truth, they needed an Andrew Flintoff, and shortly after play his name was included in England's 12-man squad for Headingley.
Amla and Neil McKenzie deadened the match in the morning session, surviving unscathed at lunch, though by no means did England simply go through the motions. They persisted in a war of bouncers against Amla, attacking his supposed weakness; James Anderson, in particular, cranked up impressive pace from the Pavilion End, and fired in bumper after bumper to try and unsettle Amla. Yet not even an extraordinary leg-side field reminiscent of Bodyline could waver Amla's concentration, as he ducked, weaved and evaded all Anderson threw at him. Anything on his legs was duly whipped through midwicket with subcontinental elasticity. With Amla nudging and nurdling on a lifeless pitch, this was more Lahore than Lord's.
Meanwhile, McKenzie continued where he left off last night, showing remarkable resolve as he notched up his 400th ball faced. Such were England's attacking fields that anything wide could be easily dispatched, as was the case when Stuart Broad offered McKenzie a gift outside his off stump that was languidly back-cut.
Not even the introduction of Monty Panesar could turn England's fortunes for the better.
In fact, Panesar bowled the first over of the day to McKenzie, and could well have had him caught at short-leg, the ball narrowly evading his bat. Yet thereafter, for all his guile and occasional turn, Panesar was rarely a threat - unsurprisingly given the pitch's lack of bounce. Only occasionally did the odd ball leap alarmingly, and Amla's concentration failed him for once when he drove loosely at a wider spinning delivery. The very next ball was thumped through cover for four, before Amla nurtured more runs through midwicket to bring up the pair's hundred partnership from 250 balls, and his own cultured fifty from 116 balls. The match was subsiding into a draw.
Or was it? England were given cause for brief hope just after lunch when Anderson, visibly tiring in the field, offered McKenzie a wide to which he slashed behind to Tim Ambrose. In strode the ominous figure of Jacques Kallis, who made just 7 in the first innings, and again he struggled to pick up England's seamers, driving streakily just wide of Alastair Cook in the gully. Panesar troubled him in the next over, too, with one that finally spat up off a length, but Kallis responded in commanding style to pull him over midwicket. The authority he showed in one stroke eluded him entirely a few overs later, however.
Sidebottom chose this moment to produce his best ball of the match to South Africa's best batsman. Appearing to angle across Kallis, it bent back markedly on the right-hander to rip out his middle stump. South Africa were effectively 11 for 3, and the excitement of the situation chivvied Panesar into producing a fine over to the new batsman, Ashwell Prince. Two very close shouts for lbw were turned down by Daryl Harper, while Prince insisted on padding up to viciously-spun balls turning out of the rough.
As South Africa took the lead, Amla visibly settled, working twos through midwicket and occasionally pouncing the odd boundary off any strays that England offered. His was a controlled, disciplined innings - the type none of his team-mates, with the exception of Prince, could muster in the first innings; the like of which South Africa will need at Headingley, too. A back-cut for four brought up his hundred from 231 balls, and the match was as good as saved.
Farce briefly threatened to scuff the shine off South Africa's gutsy effort when the umpires halted play for bad light - in near-bright sunshine. And a patient crowd were then victim to watching Alastair Cook's time-stalling offbreaks for an over, before common sense prevailed and an exhausted Graeme Smith gave the thumbs up to Michael Vaughan from the balcony. The match might have petered to a draw, but both sides have given a tempting glimpse into the battles that lie ahead in the final three Tests.
Remarkably, this was the sixth draw in as many Tests at Lord's. Indeed, the home of cricket hasn't witnessed a win since Australia's 239-run win in the 2005 Ashes, and barring a spectacular collapse by South Africa, it was unlikely that the trend would be broken today by Michael Vaughan's men. This isn't to discredit a wholehearted bowling performance, more to emphasise the benign surface that Lord's has produced over the last few years. In truth, they needed an Andrew Flintoff, and shortly after play his name was included in England's 12-man squad for Headingley.
Amla and Neil McKenzie deadened the match in the morning session, surviving unscathed at lunch, though by no means did England simply go through the motions. They persisted in a war of bouncers against Amla, attacking his supposed weakness; James Anderson, in particular, cranked up impressive pace from the Pavilion End, and fired in bumper after bumper to try and unsettle Amla. Yet not even an extraordinary leg-side field reminiscent of Bodyline could waver Amla's concentration, as he ducked, weaved and evaded all Anderson threw at him. Anything on his legs was duly whipped through midwicket with subcontinental elasticity. With Amla nudging and nurdling on a lifeless pitch, this was more Lahore than Lord's.
Meanwhile, McKenzie continued where he left off last night, showing remarkable resolve as he notched up his 400th ball faced. Such were England's attacking fields that anything wide could be easily dispatched, as was the case when Stuart Broad offered McKenzie a gift outside his off stump that was languidly back-cut.
Not even the introduction of Monty Panesar could turn England's fortunes for the better.
In fact, Panesar bowled the first over of the day to McKenzie, and could well have had him caught at short-leg, the ball narrowly evading his bat. Yet thereafter, for all his guile and occasional turn, Panesar was rarely a threat - unsurprisingly given the pitch's lack of bounce. Only occasionally did the odd ball leap alarmingly, and Amla's concentration failed him for once when he drove loosely at a wider spinning delivery. The very next ball was thumped through cover for four, before Amla nurtured more runs through midwicket to bring up the pair's hundred partnership from 250 balls, and his own cultured fifty from 116 balls. The match was subsiding into a draw.
Or was it? England were given cause for brief hope just after lunch when Anderson, visibly tiring in the field, offered McKenzie a wide to which he slashed behind to Tim Ambrose. In strode the ominous figure of Jacques Kallis, who made just 7 in the first innings, and again he struggled to pick up England's seamers, driving streakily just wide of Alastair Cook in the gully. Panesar troubled him in the next over, too, with one that finally spat up off a length, but Kallis responded in commanding style to pull him over midwicket. The authority he showed in one stroke eluded him entirely a few overs later, however.
Sidebottom chose this moment to produce his best ball of the match to South Africa's best batsman. Appearing to angle across Kallis, it bent back markedly on the right-hander to rip out his middle stump. South Africa were effectively 11 for 3, and the excitement of the situation chivvied Panesar into producing a fine over to the new batsman, Ashwell Prince. Two very close shouts for lbw were turned down by Daryl Harper, while Prince insisted on padding up to viciously-spun balls turning out of the rough.
As South Africa took the lead, Amla visibly settled, working twos through midwicket and occasionally pouncing the odd boundary off any strays that England offered. His was a controlled, disciplined innings - the type none of his team-mates, with the exception of Prince, could muster in the first innings; the like of which South Africa will need at Headingley, too. A back-cut for four brought up his hundred from 231 balls, and the match was as good as saved.
Farce briefly threatened to scuff the shine off South Africa's gutsy effort when the umpires halted play for bad light - in near-bright sunshine. And a patient crowd were then victim to watching Alastair Cook's time-stalling offbreaks for an over, before common sense prevailed and an exhausted Graeme Smith gave the thumbs up to Michael Vaughan from the balcony. The match might have petered to a draw, but both sides have given a tempting glimpse into the battles that lie ahead in the final three Tests.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Legend of the day — W.G. Grace
William Gilbert Grace (1848-1915)
William Gilbert Grace (W.G. Grace) was a Doctor by profession but also one of the best amateur cricketers Gloucestershire has ever produced. With a record that is extraordinary, the Bristol born legend has still left his mark on the modern game today.
With a career spanning almost forty years, Grace began first class cricket for Gloucestershire back in 1865. He was an athletic man, who when not out on the crease, was shooting, hunting and running with beagles. In 1866, he had so much stamina that two days after running 224 not out for England against Surrey, he won a race at the National and Olympian Association meeting at Crystal Palace, London.
Incredible batting ability
Despite being a fantastic fieldsman with safe hands, quick feet and a good throw, Grace was best known for his incredible batting ability. Overall he scored 55,309 runs in first class cricket and test matches combined. Some say that he developed many of the techniques of modern batting.
Grace reached his peak in the 1870’s when he was averaging between sixty and seventy runs a game. This might not seem like a lot in the modern game, but back then pitches were in poor shape, making scores a lot lower.
As a bowler, he started out with a fast right arm but later developed a slower, more effective delivery. Never reaching 200 wickets taken in one season, his record was 191 in 1875, giving him a grand total of 2818 wickets taken in the 36 years he played. He also took all 10 wickets in 1886 when playing Oxford University; Oxford only managing 49 runs.
"The Doctor"
Nicknamed “The Doctor”, Grace did not finish medical school until he was in his thirties. Training in London, he finished and soon opened his own practice in Easton, one of the poorest parts of Bristol at that time.
Playing his last test match at the age of 50, he became secretary and manager for the London County Cricket Club in Crystal Palace. He then later moved to Mottingham in south-east London, with his wife Agnes.
He died in his home on 23rd October 1915 and a blue heritage plaque can be seen there in his remembrance.
He is buried in London at Beckenham Crematorium.
William Gilbert Grace (W.G. Grace) was a Doctor by profession but also one of the best amateur cricketers Gloucestershire has ever produced. With a record that is extraordinary, the Bristol born legend has still left his mark on the modern game today.
With a career spanning almost forty years, Grace began first class cricket for Gloucestershire back in 1865. He was an athletic man, who when not out on the crease, was shooting, hunting and running with beagles. In 1866, he had so much stamina that two days after running 224 not out for England against Surrey, he won a race at the National and Olympian Association meeting at Crystal Palace, London.
Incredible batting ability
Despite being a fantastic fieldsman with safe hands, quick feet and a good throw, Grace was best known for his incredible batting ability. Overall he scored 55,309 runs in first class cricket and test matches combined. Some say that he developed many of the techniques of modern batting.
Grace reached his peak in the 1870’s when he was averaging between sixty and seventy runs a game. This might not seem like a lot in the modern game, but back then pitches were in poor shape, making scores a lot lower.
As a bowler, he started out with a fast right arm but later developed a slower, more effective delivery. Never reaching 200 wickets taken in one season, his record was 191 in 1875, giving him a grand total of 2818 wickets taken in the 36 years he played. He also took all 10 wickets in 1886 when playing Oxford University; Oxford only managing 49 runs.
"The Doctor"
Nicknamed “The Doctor”, Grace did not finish medical school until he was in his thirties. Training in London, he finished and soon opened his own practice in Easton, one of the poorest parts of Bristol at that time.
Playing his last test match at the age of 50, he became secretary and manager for the London County Cricket Club in Crystal Palace. He then later moved to Mottingham in south-east London, with his wife Agnes.
He died in his home on 23rd October 1915 and a blue heritage plaque can be seen there in his remembrance.
He is buried in London at Beckenham Crematorium.
Doping Test Results Positive on an Asian Bowler
A sample taken from random testing at the inaugural season of the Indian Premier League has tested positive, IPL commissioner Lalit Modi has confirmed. This is the first step of the verification process, Modi said, and there are several stages before a player is deemed to have failed the test.
The tests were carried out by IDTM, a Sweden-based independent agency, in accordance with World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) standards after the IPL adopted the ICC's anti-doping code. The samples were forwarded to a WADA-approved laboratory in Switzerland for testing. "Two days ago the IPL received a letter from the Swiss lab, mandated by WADA, which said one sample had tested positive," Modi said. "The IPL will follow set procedures from now on."
The first step, he said, is to match the identity of the player with the sample. Next, the player's form, filled out before the match, will be scrutinised for any pre-declared or prescribed drug by the IPL medical committee, consisting of an IDTM representative and Dr Anant Joshi; if that matches the drug found in the sample, the matter ends there and the player's name won't be revealed.
If the medical committee investigation reveals the player had not applied or been granted an exemption for using the drug found in the sample, the player, the concerned IPL franchise and national board will be informed in writing of the positive test that violates the anti-doping code. The player has the right to request that his 'B' sample [supplied at the same time as the one that tested positive] be sent for analysis, which he and his representative can attend along with an IPL representative.
If that too is positive, the matter will be taken up by the IPL's drugs tribunal, comprising of Sunil Gavaskar, Dr Ravi Bapat (ex-Vice Chancellor of Maharashtra University of Health Sciences) and lawyer Shirish Gupte. The tribunal will study the issue and take a decision in accordance with the code. "This is just the procedure," Modi said, "as of now we are at the first stage where one sample has tested positive. The issue is now with the IPL's medical committee. The identity of the player will matter only after we check on the pre-declared drugs."
The ICC, in a release, said it had been informed of the "adverse analytical finding" and that it was the responsibility of the ICC member, in this case the BCCI, to deal with the process. The ICC stated it will "be closely monitoring the situation to ensure the correct action is taken by the BCCI", and "retains a right of appeal if any penalty that may be imposed is inconsistent with the WADA code".
The tests were carried out by IDTM, a Sweden-based independent agency, in accordance with World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) standards after the IPL adopted the ICC's anti-doping code. The samples were forwarded to a WADA-approved laboratory in Switzerland for testing. "Two days ago the IPL received a letter from the Swiss lab, mandated by WADA, which said one sample had tested positive," Modi said. "The IPL will follow set procedures from now on."
The first step, he said, is to match the identity of the player with the sample. Next, the player's form, filled out before the match, will be scrutinised for any pre-declared or prescribed drug by the IPL medical committee, consisting of an IDTM representative and Dr Anant Joshi; if that matches the drug found in the sample, the matter ends there and the player's name won't be revealed.
If the medical committee investigation reveals the player had not applied or been granted an exemption for using the drug found in the sample, the player, the concerned IPL franchise and national board will be informed in writing of the positive test that violates the anti-doping code. The player has the right to request that his 'B' sample [supplied at the same time as the one that tested positive] be sent for analysis, which he and his representative can attend along with an IPL representative.
If that too is positive, the matter will be taken up by the IPL's drugs tribunal, comprising of Sunil Gavaskar, Dr Ravi Bapat (ex-Vice Chancellor of Maharashtra University of Health Sciences) and lawyer Shirish Gupte. The tribunal will study the issue and take a decision in accordance with the code. "This is just the procedure," Modi said, "as of now we are at the first stage where one sample has tested positive. The issue is now with the IPL's medical committee. The identity of the player will matter only after we check on the pre-declared drugs."
The ICC, in a release, said it had been informed of the "adverse analytical finding" and that it was the responsibility of the ICC member, in this case the BCCI, to deal with the process. The ICC stated it will "be closely monitoring the situation to ensure the correct action is taken by the BCCI", and "retains a right of appeal if any penalty that may be imposed is inconsistent with the WADA code".
Smith and McKenzie lead Fightback
After three days of being a distant second best, South Africa have a chance of leaving Lord's with a draw after Graeme Smith and Neil McKenzie produced an opening stand of 204. Both players struck fine rearguard hundreds as England's attack toiled on a surface getting flatter and slower. James Anderson claimed the lone success, but South Africa still trail by 104 and will need to be batting at tea on the final day to complete their match-saving mission.
The 22 yards of pristine pitch produced by Mick Hunt has provided some heartbreak for bowlers in recent times, and when clear blue skies greeted play it signalled a day of hard toil for England's attack. South Africa had learnt their lessons from the previous day. For 80 overs the bats of Smith and McKenzie looked feet rather than inches wide.
Michael Vaughan tried everything, but in the end it was that conventional weapon, the second new ball, that finally brought a wicket with Anderson removing Smith for 107. England, although never completely flat at any stage, were clearly lifted and produced a concerted effort in the final hour. Hashim Amla was given a working-over by Anderson, but came through unscathed. With Jacques Kallis and Ashwell Prince still to come South Africa have the batsmen to complete the job.
There were the occasional alarms for Smith and McKenzie, especially against Monty Panesar. McKenzie survived a confident lbw shout on 13, when the ball was heading for middle and leg although Daryl Harper thought otherwise. Smith had three let-offs, firstly when no one appealed for a faint under-edge off Anderson then, on 26, when an inside edge scooted through low to Ambrose against Panesar and most clearly an outside edge off Kevin Pietersen in the final over of the old ball.
Even though Smith and McKenzie have only been opening partners for seven Tests, they have experience of long partnerships. In Chittagong, against Bangladesh, they ended the first day intact with 405 between them, a considerably higher scoring rate than they managed today, in a considerably different situation. Midway through the final session they were shaping to repeat their whole-day effort, but the second new ball brought success for England when Smith aimed to pull and got a top edge to point.
McKenzie has been a revelation since returning to the side and he complements Smith. Partly it's the left and right-hand combination, but also the playing styles with McKenzie quite content to score at his own pace and his hundred took 307 deliveries. He was rendered virtually scoreless at times and for one period before lunch he added two runs in 60 balls, but that wasn't a concern for South Africa.
England have recent memories of finding it much tougher dismissing a side second time around at Lord's. In 2006 they enforced the follow-on against Sri Lanka, who then batted for 199 overs to save the Test. So Vaughan, even though he wasn't in charge for that match, will have been very aware of the task ahead when he sent South Africa back in. But he would have expected more than one wicket in 92 overs.
England worked hard on the ball to try and extract some reverse swing. There was a hint of it for a struggling Ryan Sidebottom, who spent time off the field during the day for general stiffness, and Anderson's afternoon burst was testing. Vaughan was at his quirkiest in the field, never afraid to set unusual fields when there was very little happening with the ball, which was most of the time. England can still force victory from this position, but they will have to defy a comatose surface and resilient opponents to leave with a series lead, which looked theirs for the taking a day earlier.
The 22 yards of pristine pitch produced by Mick Hunt has provided some heartbreak for bowlers in recent times, and when clear blue skies greeted play it signalled a day of hard toil for England's attack. South Africa had learnt their lessons from the previous day. For 80 overs the bats of Smith and McKenzie looked feet rather than inches wide.
Michael Vaughan tried everything, but in the end it was that conventional weapon, the second new ball, that finally brought a wicket with Anderson removing Smith for 107. England, although never completely flat at any stage, were clearly lifted and produced a concerted effort in the final hour. Hashim Amla was given a working-over by Anderson, but came through unscathed. With Jacques Kallis and Ashwell Prince still to come South Africa have the batsmen to complete the job.
There were the occasional alarms for Smith and McKenzie, especially against Monty Panesar. McKenzie survived a confident lbw shout on 13, when the ball was heading for middle and leg although Daryl Harper thought otherwise. Smith had three let-offs, firstly when no one appealed for a faint under-edge off Anderson then, on 26, when an inside edge scooted through low to Ambrose against Panesar and most clearly an outside edge off Kevin Pietersen in the final over of the old ball.
Even though Smith and McKenzie have only been opening partners for seven Tests, they have experience of long partnerships. In Chittagong, against Bangladesh, they ended the first day intact with 405 between them, a considerably higher scoring rate than they managed today, in a considerably different situation. Midway through the final session they were shaping to repeat their whole-day effort, but the second new ball brought success for England when Smith aimed to pull and got a top edge to point.
McKenzie has been a revelation since returning to the side and he complements Smith. Partly it's the left and right-hand combination, but also the playing styles with McKenzie quite content to score at his own pace and his hundred took 307 deliveries. He was rendered virtually scoreless at times and for one period before lunch he added two runs in 60 balls, but that wasn't a concern for South Africa.
England have recent memories of finding it much tougher dismissing a side second time around at Lord's. In 2006 they enforced the follow-on against Sri Lanka, who then batted for 199 overs to save the Test. So Vaughan, even though he wasn't in charge for that match, will have been very aware of the task ahead when he sent South Africa back in. But he would have expected more than one wicket in 92 overs.
England worked hard on the ball to try and extract some reverse swing. There was a hint of it for a struggling Ryan Sidebottom, who spent time off the field during the day for general stiffness, and Anderson's afternoon burst was testing. Vaughan was at his quirkiest in the field, never afraid to set unusual fields when there was very little happening with the ball, which was most of the time. England can still force victory from this position, but they will have to defy a comatose surface and resilient opponents to leave with a series lead, which looked theirs for the taking a day earlier.
Saturday, July 12, 2008
No Plans to retire from ODI Cricket — Ganguly
Former Indian cricket captain Sourav Ganguly has denied rumours of taking retirement from One-Day Internationals (ODIs).
Ganguly made this announcement on the sidelines of an awards function on Thursday. He said that though he was not picked for the Champions Trophy and Asia Cup, he was not planning to retire from ODIs.
"I'm not even picked so it doesn't matter whether I announce it or not," said he.
He further added that he hoped that to make his way back into the ODI team by his performance.
Ganguly, who was awarded with the best Asian batsman of the year recently, has always come back with flying colours whenever he has been pushed into a corner.
He made a comeback in 2007, and also led one of the teams of the domestic Twenty 20 matches.
Ganguly made this announcement on the sidelines of an awards function on Thursday. He said that though he was not picked for the Champions Trophy and Asia Cup, he was not planning to retire from ODIs.
"I'm not even picked so it doesn't matter whether I announce it or not," said he.
He further added that he hoped that to make his way back into the ODI team by his performance.
Ganguly, who was awarded with the best Asian batsman of the year recently, has always come back with flying colours whenever he has been pushed into a corner.
He made a comeback in 2007, and also led one of the teams of the domestic Twenty 20 matches.
England in Driver's Seat
Ian Bell became the seventh batsman, and first Englishman, to fall for 199 in Tests, but the most commanding innings of his career cemented England's dominance at Lord's as they piled up 593 for 8. Bell and Kevin Pietersen, who turned his emotional hundred from yesterday into 152, carried their fourth-wicket stand to a record-breaking 286. He then joined forces with the ever-improving Stuart Broad to add 152 for the eighth wicket as Broad oozed class in his career-best 76.
Graeme Smith and Neil McKenzie played out 20 balls before another heavy shower forced the players off for a final time, but after two days of leather chasing South Africa now have the challenge of saving the game. They are facing England's highest total since their 604 against South Africa, at The Oval in 2003, and the demand in recent times has been for England's batsmen to score big hundreds. Although Bellfell agonisingly short of the precious double, when he clubbed a straight drive back to Paul Harris, it meant an England innings included two 150-plus scores for the first time since Adelaide in 2006.
Bell's performance on the first day secured his long-term position, but it was important that he converted into three figures and beyond. He hadn't done it in the first innings of a Test since West Indies at Lord's last year, and even then England were in a commanding position before he came in. Here it was different and he came through under pressure. The stroke play was silky and confident as he reached his century off 189 balls.
If anything, Bell's shots became even purer during the afternoon as the played with the freedom of someone who'd proved a point. He danced down the pitch to Harris and drove the quicks with nonchalant ease through the covers, cruising past 150. Bell's previous career-best of 162 came way back in his third Test, against Bangladesh, and he finally managed to set a new mark against a far more testing opponent. In the latter stages of his innings he was strutting around the crease, bringing out reverse sweeps. He won't be making way for Andrew Flintoff.
England scored at a rollicking rate throughout the day, adding 113 runs in each of the first two sessions as the much-vaunted South African attack was made to look ordinary. The only exception was Morne Morkel, surprisingly overlooked for the first hour, who removed Pietersen and Tim Ambrose either side of lunch, but others lacked direction and control. Smith struggled to stem the flow of boundaries until he opted for all-out defence and got Harris to bowl over the wicket outside leg stump.
The moment for South Africa to haul themselves back into contention passed during the first hour. With the second new ball only nine overs old there was the opportunity first thing to make life tough for England. Instead Steyn offered Bell a second-ball leg-stump half volley and it set the tone for the session. Some deliveries were sprayed so wide that they eluded the diving Boucher.
Pietersen was in commanding form and he left Smith chasing the game. He toyed with Smith's field settings, taking balls from outside off stump through the leg side as he passed 150, for the fifth time in Tests, off 176 balls. He offered one tough chance, a firmly-driven return catch on 133 which Jacques Kallis couldn't gather in his follow through.
Eventually Morkel got a bouncer on target to break a stand of 286, the highest fourth-wicket partnership against South Africa in Tests. It brought in Collingwood, under strain for many reasons - most immediately his recent Test form - but he was given out caught at short leg against Harris. It was a rough decision, the ball coming straight off the pad to Hashim Amla, and Collingwood's expression as he walked off was of a man who feels the world is against him.
South Africa struck again straight after lunch when Ambrose came half forward and edged Morkel low to Smith at first slip. Morkel again showed the way in the length to bowl, but his colleagues couldn't back him up. Broad's batting has been one of the most significant developments of this England side and he comfortably dealt with the South African attack. The leg side was a profitable area as he showed elegant timing against pace and spin. He reached his second consecutive Test fifty with a back-foot drive off Ntini that would have done a No. 4 proud.
Thoughts were turning towards the possibility of a century, yet to his credit Broad never stopped playing positively for the team cause. That brought his down fall when he missed a drive against Harris, but his 76 was the highest score by an England No. 8 since Craig White made 85 at the MCG in 2002-03. Now he needs to play his part with the ball as England try to make their imposing total count. The first two days of this series couldn't have gone much better for them.
Graeme Smith and Neil McKenzie played out 20 balls before another heavy shower forced the players off for a final time, but after two days of leather chasing South Africa now have the challenge of saving the game. They are facing England's highest total since their 604 against South Africa, at The Oval in 2003, and the demand in recent times has been for England's batsmen to score big hundreds. Although Bellfell agonisingly short of the precious double, when he clubbed a straight drive back to Paul Harris, it meant an England innings included two 150-plus scores for the first time since Adelaide in 2006.
Bell's performance on the first day secured his long-term position, but it was important that he converted into three figures and beyond. He hadn't done it in the first innings of a Test since West Indies at Lord's last year, and even then England were in a commanding position before he came in. Here it was different and he came through under pressure. The stroke play was silky and confident as he reached his century off 189 balls.
If anything, Bell's shots became even purer during the afternoon as the played with the freedom of someone who'd proved a point. He danced down the pitch to Harris and drove the quicks with nonchalant ease through the covers, cruising past 150. Bell's previous career-best of 162 came way back in his third Test, against Bangladesh, and he finally managed to set a new mark against a far more testing opponent. In the latter stages of his innings he was strutting around the crease, bringing out reverse sweeps. He won't be making way for Andrew Flintoff.
England scored at a rollicking rate throughout the day, adding 113 runs in each of the first two sessions as the much-vaunted South African attack was made to look ordinary. The only exception was Morne Morkel, surprisingly overlooked for the first hour, who removed Pietersen and Tim Ambrose either side of lunch, but others lacked direction and control. Smith struggled to stem the flow of boundaries until he opted for all-out defence and got Harris to bowl over the wicket outside leg stump.
The moment for South Africa to haul themselves back into contention passed during the first hour. With the second new ball only nine overs old there was the opportunity first thing to make life tough for England. Instead Steyn offered Bell a second-ball leg-stump half volley and it set the tone for the session. Some deliveries were sprayed so wide that they eluded the diving Boucher.
Pietersen was in commanding form and he left Smith chasing the game. He toyed with Smith's field settings, taking balls from outside off stump through the leg side as he passed 150, for the fifth time in Tests, off 176 balls. He offered one tough chance, a firmly-driven return catch on 133 which Jacques Kallis couldn't gather in his follow through.
Eventually Morkel got a bouncer on target to break a stand of 286, the highest fourth-wicket partnership against South Africa in Tests. It brought in Collingwood, under strain for many reasons - most immediately his recent Test form - but he was given out caught at short leg against Harris. It was a rough decision, the ball coming straight off the pad to Hashim Amla, and Collingwood's expression as he walked off was of a man who feels the world is against him.
South Africa struck again straight after lunch when Ambrose came half forward and edged Morkel low to Smith at first slip. Morkel again showed the way in the length to bowl, but his colleagues couldn't back him up. Broad's batting has been one of the most significant developments of this England side and he comfortably dealt with the South African attack. The leg side was a profitable area as he showed elegant timing against pace and spin. He reached his second consecutive Test fifty with a back-foot drive off Ntini that would have done a No. 4 proud.
Thoughts were turning towards the possibility of a century, yet to his credit Broad never stopped playing positively for the team cause. That brought his down fall when he missed a drive against Harris, but his 76 was the highest score by an England No. 8 since Craig White made 85 at the MCG in 2002-03. Now he needs to play his part with the ball as England try to make their imposing total count. The first two days of this series couldn't have gone much better for them.
Pietersen's day at Lord's
Kevin Pietersen has been remarkably quiet in the build-up to this series, but he didn't miss the opportunity to make the strongest of statements on the opening day at Lord's. In his first Test against the country of his birth he struck a faultless century to put England in command, adding an unbeaten 192 with Ian Bell for the fourth wicket, following an opening stand of 114 by Alastair Cook and Andrew Strauss.
The early exchanges of this series had plenty to live up to after all the hype and there was more than enough to suggest that the contest can stand up to its billing. In between England's two century stands there were three wickets in 13 balls as South Africa enjoyed their one period of dominance. But Michael Vaughan said he saw a "glint" in Pietersen's eye in recent days and once he overcame a slightly shaky start he was in complete command.
Pietersen has always responded best to pressure situations and England's innings was at a tipping point when Pietersen and Bell joined forces, with eyes firmly fixed on both for different reasons. Pietersen had to keep his emotions in check, and a typically manic run to get off the mark showed the adrenalin was flowing. In the next over he was clanged on the head by Dale Steyn, but was down and up in one motion. His determination was clear from the outset and he played second fiddle to Bell until the tea interval.
His first fifty took 73 balls, but the next required just 51 more deliveries. This was his 13th Test hundred and fourth at Lord's, while he scored 91 between tea and the close. He took 10 off two balls from Paul Harris, twice coming down the pitch, but the clearest sign of his form was an effortless whip through midwicket off Jacques Kallis from outside off stump.
For Bell, the challenge was to show he could perform when it really mattered after a poor series against New Zealand. Andrew Flintoff is getting closer to a return and someone will have to make way. He came into this match off the back of a double century for Warwickshire, but this was an occasion where substance was more important than style.
In the end Bell managed to marry both in an authoritative innings. He was off to a flyer thanks to a series of half volleys from Steyn, then his innings went in the opposite direction to Pietersen. After 18 balls he had 30, but his fifty came off 89 deliveries. He concentrated hard to the close as the fourth-wicket stand became the highest partnership since Peter Moores became coach, surpassing Bell and Matt Prior's 190 against West Indies at Lord's last year.
Graeme Smith's day was a far cry from four years ago when South Africa skittled England for 173. His decision to bowl was swayed by the recent heavy rain, but the morning was bright. Lord's is one of those grounds where it's as important to look up at the toss as much as down.
All the talk heading into this match has made it sound as though South Africa's pace attack is the most ferocious to land on English shores since the West Indies of the 1980s. The outcome was far less dramatic and the bowling was poor apart from a brief period after lunch. Cook and Strauss had to play at very little in the first hour and a second century opening stand of the season arrived shortly after lunch.
This was the first time that Steyn and Morne Morkel had bowled at Lord's, plus rain hindered their preparation, and it showed as they struggled for rhythm. However, their post-lunch burst did hint at the potential on offer. Strauss was unlucky to be given out lbw to Morkel as replays showed the ball pitched outside leg, but it was the spark South Africa needed.
Smith immediately recalled Steyn and history repeated itself. On his Test debut in 2004 at Port Elizabeth, Steyn produced a magical ball to rip out Vaughan's off stump and found a near identical offering with his second delivery to the England captain. Morkel was extracting considerable lift out of a generally slow surface and claimed his second when Cook, after reaching fifty off 92 balls, got himself into a tangle. Trying to fend off a rising delivery, the ball took glove and shoulder of the bat, looping into the slips.
The knives were being sharpened over another England collapse and South Africa had the bit between their teeth. However, one man was on a personal mission and when he's in this mood Pietersen is irresistible. He may have been quiet before the series, but his actions have spoken louder than any words.
The early exchanges of this series had plenty to live up to after all the hype and there was more than enough to suggest that the contest can stand up to its billing. In between England's two century stands there were three wickets in 13 balls as South Africa enjoyed their one period of dominance. But Michael Vaughan said he saw a "glint" in Pietersen's eye in recent days and once he overcame a slightly shaky start he was in complete command.
Pietersen has always responded best to pressure situations and England's innings was at a tipping point when Pietersen and Bell joined forces, with eyes firmly fixed on both for different reasons. Pietersen had to keep his emotions in check, and a typically manic run to get off the mark showed the adrenalin was flowing. In the next over he was clanged on the head by Dale Steyn, but was down and up in one motion. His determination was clear from the outset and he played second fiddle to Bell until the tea interval.
His first fifty took 73 balls, but the next required just 51 more deliveries. This was his 13th Test hundred and fourth at Lord's, while he scored 91 between tea and the close. He took 10 off two balls from Paul Harris, twice coming down the pitch, but the clearest sign of his form was an effortless whip through midwicket off Jacques Kallis from outside off stump.
For Bell, the challenge was to show he could perform when it really mattered after a poor series against New Zealand. Andrew Flintoff is getting closer to a return and someone will have to make way. He came into this match off the back of a double century for Warwickshire, but this was an occasion where substance was more important than style.
In the end Bell managed to marry both in an authoritative innings. He was off to a flyer thanks to a series of half volleys from Steyn, then his innings went in the opposite direction to Pietersen. After 18 balls he had 30, but his fifty came off 89 deliveries. He concentrated hard to the close as the fourth-wicket stand became the highest partnership since Peter Moores became coach, surpassing Bell and Matt Prior's 190 against West Indies at Lord's last year.
Graeme Smith's day was a far cry from four years ago when South Africa skittled England for 173. His decision to bowl was swayed by the recent heavy rain, but the morning was bright. Lord's is one of those grounds where it's as important to look up at the toss as much as down.
All the talk heading into this match has made it sound as though South Africa's pace attack is the most ferocious to land on English shores since the West Indies of the 1980s. The outcome was far less dramatic and the bowling was poor apart from a brief period after lunch. Cook and Strauss had to play at very little in the first hour and a second century opening stand of the season arrived shortly after lunch.
This was the first time that Steyn and Morne Morkel had bowled at Lord's, plus rain hindered their preparation, and it showed as they struggled for rhythm. However, their post-lunch burst did hint at the potential on offer. Strauss was unlucky to be given out lbw to Morkel as replays showed the ball pitched outside leg, but it was the spark South Africa needed.
Smith immediately recalled Steyn and history repeated itself. On his Test debut in 2004 at Port Elizabeth, Steyn produced a magical ball to rip out Vaughan's off stump and found a near identical offering with his second delivery to the England captain. Morkel was extracting considerable lift out of a generally slow surface and claimed his second when Cook, after reaching fifty off 92 balls, got himself into a tangle. Trying to fend off a rising delivery, the ball took glove and shoulder of the bat, looping into the slips.
The knives were being sharpened over another England collapse and South Africa had the bit between their teeth. However, one man was on a personal mission and when he's in this mood Pietersen is irresistible. He may have been quiet before the series, but his actions have spoken louder than any words.
Thursday, July 10, 2008
Ponting Fears about Test Cricket
Ricky Ponting, the Australian captain, believes that Test cricket isn't in a healthy state and that international players have a duty to provide entertaining matches to ensure its future in the wake of Twenty20's popularity.
"A few 50-over games will make way for 20-over cricket but I'd hate to see it touch Test cricket," he said. "Right at the moment, (Test cricket) is probably not in its healthiest state. I think it's up to all of us to make sure that we're putting on a good enough spectacle to bring crowds back to the game."
Ponting said finding the right formula for a Test tournament would be the biggest challenge. "I don't think there's anything wrong with it, but I think the logistics of it is going to be the difficult thing," he said. "What it does do, I guess, is make sure that every Test you play has a lot riding on it as far as points go. But I've always said that every Test match Australia plays always means a lot to us anyway."
Ponting is resting after undergoing minor surgery in Melbourne for a tendon injury in his right wrist that forced him out of Australia's final two one-day internationals in the Caribbean. His fitness will be assessed for Australia's home series against Bangladesh starting next month and September's Champions Trophy in Pakistan.
Ponting suffered the injury during Australia's third one-day international in Grenada on June 29.
"I did it about 20 runs into my innings and sort of battled through that with a few painkillers and taped it up," he said. "I tried to get up for the fourth game but basically couldn't lift my bat in the nets."
Ponting, however, is confident that the emerging members of the squad will continue to pick up the slack in what he describes as a transitional period for his side.
"We haven't got the old, wise heads to call on all the time but the blokes we're bringing in are certainly getting the job done for us. Whenever you have a big changeover of players as we've had in the last 18 months, it's very satisfying to continue to win games and win series."
Ponting identified the performances of the allrounder Shane Watson, substitute wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi and bastman David Hussey as the most pleasing from the one-day sweep of the West Indies.
"All the guys who came in were some our better players through the tournament," he said. "With our set up here in Australia, the gap between first-class and international cricket isn't as steep as it is some other places. I expect players to come in and have an impact straight away."
"A few 50-over games will make way for 20-over cricket but I'd hate to see it touch Test cricket," he said. "Right at the moment, (Test cricket) is probably not in its healthiest state. I think it's up to all of us to make sure that we're putting on a good enough spectacle to bring crowds back to the game."
Ponting said finding the right formula for a Test tournament would be the biggest challenge. "I don't think there's anything wrong with it, but I think the logistics of it is going to be the difficult thing," he said. "What it does do, I guess, is make sure that every Test you play has a lot riding on it as far as points go. But I've always said that every Test match Australia plays always means a lot to us anyway."
Ponting is resting after undergoing minor surgery in Melbourne for a tendon injury in his right wrist that forced him out of Australia's final two one-day internationals in the Caribbean. His fitness will be assessed for Australia's home series against Bangladesh starting next month and September's Champions Trophy in Pakistan.
Ponting suffered the injury during Australia's third one-day international in Grenada on June 29.
"I did it about 20 runs into my innings and sort of battled through that with a few painkillers and taped it up," he said. "I tried to get up for the fourth game but basically couldn't lift my bat in the nets."
Ponting, however, is confident that the emerging members of the squad will continue to pick up the slack in what he describes as a transitional period for his side.
"We haven't got the old, wise heads to call on all the time but the blokes we're bringing in are certainly getting the job done for us. Whenever you have a big changeover of players as we've had in the last 18 months, it's very satisfying to continue to win games and win series."
Ponting identified the performances of the allrounder Shane Watson, substitute wicketkeeper Luke Ronchi and bastman David Hussey as the most pleasing from the one-day sweep of the West Indies.
"All the guys who came in were some our better players through the tournament," he said. "With our set up here in Australia, the gap between first-class and international cricket isn't as steep as it is some other places. I expect players to come in and have an impact straight away."
Hanif Mohammad sees Sobers in Yuvraj
Yuvraj Singh may be disappointed that he has been dropped from the Test squad for the Sri Lanka tour but the left-hander has reasons to smile: Pakistan’s great Hanif Mohammad has compared Yuvraj with none other than the West Indies legend Gary Sobers. Hanif compared Yuvraj's style of play with the former West Indies captain and all-rounder.
Sobers is among the few cricketers who has hit six sixes in an over in a first class match.
Cricket’s original Little Master Hanif said he was a big fan of Sobers. When he saw Yuvraj hit six sixes in an over off England’s Stuart Broad in the Twenty20 World Championship, flashes of the West Indian legend sparked in his mind.
"I saw him (Yuvraj) hitting those six sixes against England. For a moment, I thought that Sobers was batting," Hanif said. The 71-year-old former Pakistan captain said that he loves to watch Yuvraj bat. "He is so talented. His (Yuvraj) approach to a delivery, his adjustment to the ball reminds me of Sobers. I am a great fan of Sobers and Yuvraj’s style is similar to Sobers."
Known for dour batting, Hanif still holds the record for the longest-ever Test innings when he stayed at the crease for 970 minutes for his 337 against the West Indies in Bridgetown in 1957-58.
Hanif appeared in 55 Tests and also recorded the highest first-class innings of 499 until it was surpassed by Brian Lara’s 501 in 1994.
Hanif was recently honoured with the Pakistani Lifetime Achievement award at the Asian Cricket Award ceremony in Karachi on July 4. Incidentally, Yuvraj too got a special award, for his six sixers in an over, at the same function. "I met Yuvraj and told him that I saw those six sixes," Hanif said.
It cannot be more inspiring for Yuvraj, who is struggling to find his feat in Test cricket since his debut against New Zealand in October 2003.
The latest jolt came when he was left out from the squad for the three-Test matches in Sri Lanka. Yuvraj made a brilliant comeback to Tests scoring 169 against Pakistan last year but was woefully out-of-form in the four away Tests in Australia and the three Tests against South Africa at home which prompted the selectors to drop him.
The left-handed batsman has been in and out of the team playing just 23 Tests scoring 1,050 runs at an average of around 33.
Sobers is among the few cricketers who has hit six sixes in an over in a first class match.
Cricket’s original Little Master Hanif said he was a big fan of Sobers. When he saw Yuvraj hit six sixes in an over off England’s Stuart Broad in the Twenty20 World Championship, flashes of the West Indian legend sparked in his mind.
"I saw him (Yuvraj) hitting those six sixes against England. For a moment, I thought that Sobers was batting," Hanif said. The 71-year-old former Pakistan captain said that he loves to watch Yuvraj bat. "He is so talented. His (Yuvraj) approach to a delivery, his adjustment to the ball reminds me of Sobers. I am a great fan of Sobers and Yuvraj’s style is similar to Sobers."
Known for dour batting, Hanif still holds the record for the longest-ever Test innings when he stayed at the crease for 970 minutes for his 337 against the West Indies in Bridgetown in 1957-58.
Hanif appeared in 55 Tests and also recorded the highest first-class innings of 499 until it was surpassed by Brian Lara’s 501 in 1994.
Hanif was recently honoured with the Pakistani Lifetime Achievement award at the Asian Cricket Award ceremony in Karachi on July 4. Incidentally, Yuvraj too got a special award, for his six sixers in an over, at the same function. "I met Yuvraj and told him that I saw those six sixes," Hanif said.
It cannot be more inspiring for Yuvraj, who is struggling to find his feat in Test cricket since his debut against New Zealand in October 2003.
The latest jolt came when he was left out from the squad for the three-Test matches in Sri Lanka. Yuvraj made a brilliant comeback to Tests scoring 169 against Pakistan last year but was woefully out-of-form in the four away Tests in Australia and the three Tests against South Africa at home which prompted the selectors to drop him.
The left-handed batsman has been in and out of the team playing just 23 Tests scoring 1,050 runs at an average of around 33.
Wednesday, July 9, 2008
Dhoni Opts out of Idea Cup
Mahendra Singh Dhoni has opted out of the Idea Cup three-Test series in Sri Lanka. Speculation had been rife that India’s one-day and T20 captain was considering skipping the Test series part of the tour of Sri Lanka.
In three-and-a-half years, Dhoni has played 29 Tests, 115 ODIs, 10 Twenty20 Internationals and the DLF-IPL T20 for Chennai Super Kings.
“He wanted a break and the BCCI acceded to his request,” said Ratnakar Shetty, Chief Administrative Officer, BCCI. Dhoni had formally made a request to the BCCI officials here on Monday evening. He is reported to have conveyed his decision to Dilip Vengsarkar, Chairman of the national selection committee.
While there was clarity in Dhoni’s case when the five selectors met at the Cricket Centre on Tuesday to pick the Indian team for the Test series, BCCI Secretary Niranjan Shah did not cite a reason for Yuvraj Singh’s absence from the 16-member squad, though he had mentioned in a press release that S. Sreesanth was not considered because of fitness concerns. In the circumstances it can surmised that Yuvraj has been dropped, a clear setback to his Test cricket ambitions.
Yuvraj’s showing with the bat in Test matches, after his 169 against Pakistan at Bangalore, has been below par. Unfit for a major part of the tour of Australia, the selectors were not inclined to stick their neck out in favour of the Punjab left-hander, especially after his poor scores of 0, 5, 12, 0 and 32 against Australia and in the only Test he played against South Africa at Kanpur. One national selector said: “Let him make a claim with a strong comeback in domestic cricket.”
In any case, Yuvraj would have been a passenger with a middle order phalanx in Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, V.V.S. Laxman and Sourav Ganguly.
After serving a BCCI ban of five ODIs, Harbhajan Singh returns to the team. The selectors have opted for left-arm finger spinner Pragyan Ojha ahead of the young wrist spinner Piyush Chawla. The selectors seem to have retained Ojha in the team to ascertain his potential in the traditional form of the game.
Skipper Anil Kumble will have the luxury of two wicketkeepers — Dinesh Karthik and Parthiv Patel. The Gujarat left-hander — thanks to Dhoni’s decision — has been recalled for a Test series after a gap of 44 months. His last Test was against Australia at Nagpur in October 2004. Patel also comes in as a third choice opener.
The team
Anil Kumble (Capt.)
Virender Sehwag
Rahul Dravid
Sachin Tendulkar
Sourav Ganguly
V.V.S. Laxman
Ishant Sharma
Zaheer Khan
R.P. Singh
Dinesh Karthik
Gautam Gambhir
Harbhajan Singh
Pragyan Ojha
Parthiv Patel
Rohit Sharma
Munaf Patel
In three-and-a-half years, Dhoni has played 29 Tests, 115 ODIs, 10 Twenty20 Internationals and the DLF-IPL T20 for Chennai Super Kings.
“He wanted a break and the BCCI acceded to his request,” said Ratnakar Shetty, Chief Administrative Officer, BCCI. Dhoni had formally made a request to the BCCI officials here on Monday evening. He is reported to have conveyed his decision to Dilip Vengsarkar, Chairman of the national selection committee.
While there was clarity in Dhoni’s case when the five selectors met at the Cricket Centre on Tuesday to pick the Indian team for the Test series, BCCI Secretary Niranjan Shah did not cite a reason for Yuvraj Singh’s absence from the 16-member squad, though he had mentioned in a press release that S. Sreesanth was not considered because of fitness concerns. In the circumstances it can surmised that Yuvraj has been dropped, a clear setback to his Test cricket ambitions.
Yuvraj’s showing with the bat in Test matches, after his 169 against Pakistan at Bangalore, has been below par. Unfit for a major part of the tour of Australia, the selectors were not inclined to stick their neck out in favour of the Punjab left-hander, especially after his poor scores of 0, 5, 12, 0 and 32 against Australia and in the only Test he played against South Africa at Kanpur. One national selector said: “Let him make a claim with a strong comeback in domestic cricket.”
In any case, Yuvraj would have been a passenger with a middle order phalanx in Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, V.V.S. Laxman and Sourav Ganguly.
After serving a BCCI ban of five ODIs, Harbhajan Singh returns to the team. The selectors have opted for left-arm finger spinner Pragyan Ojha ahead of the young wrist spinner Piyush Chawla. The selectors seem to have retained Ojha in the team to ascertain his potential in the traditional form of the game.
Skipper Anil Kumble will have the luxury of two wicketkeepers — Dinesh Karthik and Parthiv Patel. The Gujarat left-hander — thanks to Dhoni’s decision — has been recalled for a Test series after a gap of 44 months. His last Test was against Australia at Nagpur in October 2004. Patel also comes in as a third choice opener.
The team
Anil Kumble (Capt.)
Virender Sehwag
Rahul Dravid
Sachin Tendulkar
Sourav Ganguly
V.V.S. Laxman
Ishant Sharma
Zaheer Khan
R.P. Singh
Dinesh Karthik
Gautam Gambhir
Harbhajan Singh
Pragyan Ojha
Parthiv Patel
Rohit Sharma
Munaf Patel
Monday, July 7, 2008
Tendulkar — Best Batsman in ODIs
The Asian Cricket Council’s inaugural awards at the Mohatta Palace here on Saturday night was a gala affair with lights, music, video clippings of Asia’s legendary cricketers and, most importantly, the sense of pride and achievement that lingers in the award winners’ hearts.
Kumar Sangakkara and Muttiah Muralitharan won the best batsman and best bowler awards respectively for Tests in 2007.
The Indians, too, had something to cheer about when Sachin Tendulkar was named the ‘best batsman in ODIs’ and Sunil Gavaskar was listed in the ‘legendary cricketer’ award category. Tendulkar and Gavaskar were, however, not present on the occasion.
Another notable absentee was Imran Khan, who too won the legendary cricketer award but had to stay away in Islamabad due to political compulsions.
Indian captain Mithali Raj was named the ‘woman’s cricketer of the year.’
The Indian, Sri Lankan and Pakistan teams were present for a large part of the function that was compered by Rameez Raja.
Among the luminaries present were ACC president Arjuna Ranatunga, ACC CEO Syed Ashraful Haq, BCCI president—elect Shashank Manohar, ECB chairman Giles Clarke and many other leading cricket administrators and players.
The other awardees:
Best bowler in ODIs: Farveez Maharoof; Best umpire: Aleem Dar; Lifetime award for cricket administration: I.S. Bindra.
Kumar Sangakkara and Muttiah Muralitharan won the best batsman and best bowler awards respectively for Tests in 2007.
The Indians, too, had something to cheer about when Sachin Tendulkar was named the ‘best batsman in ODIs’ and Sunil Gavaskar was listed in the ‘legendary cricketer’ award category. Tendulkar and Gavaskar were, however, not present on the occasion.
Another notable absentee was Imran Khan, who too won the legendary cricketer award but had to stay away in Islamabad due to political compulsions.
Indian captain Mithali Raj was named the ‘woman’s cricketer of the year.’
The Indian, Sri Lankan and Pakistan teams were present for a large part of the function that was compered by Rameez Raja.
Among the luminaries present were ACC president Arjuna Ranatunga, ACC CEO Syed Ashraful Haq, BCCI president—elect Shashank Manohar, ECB chairman Giles Clarke and many other leading cricket administrators and players.
The other awardees:
Best bowler in ODIs: Farveez Maharoof; Best umpire: Aleem Dar; Lifetime award for cricket administration: I.S. Bindra.
Australia Sweep 5-0
In a series that has been as one-sided as a Möbius strip, it was somehow appropriate that Australia saved their biggest victory for the final match. They completed a rare ODI cleansweep in the Caribbean with a 169-run thrashing of West Indies and in the process highlighted their enviable depth as Luke Ronchi and David Hussey made two of the fastest half-centuries in one-day international history.
Both men were batting for only the second time in ODIs and their destructive striking suggested that they will become valuable members of the evolving limited-overs side. Ronchi stunned the Warner Park crowd with a 22-ball fifty that was briefly the second-fastest by an Australian in an ODI, but he was quickly bumped down the list when Hussey completed his in only 19 deliveries.
The two men were major contributors to Australia's monster score of 341 for 8, which was their highest ever against West Indies, and the home team never looked like making a successful chase. Mitchell Johnson ended what had been a disheartening tour for him personally on a high with 5 for 29 as Australia became only the third team to wrap up an ODI whitewash against West Indies in the Caribbean.
Johnson was handed the new ball instead of Nathan Bracken and made the most of the opportunity, drawing an edge behind from Chris Gayle and deceiving Ramnaresh Sarwan with a slower ball that had West Indies in trouble at 21 for 2. From there it was a steady decline and the only real bright spot for West Indies was the innings of Shawn Findlay, who in his second match showed some much-needed resolve to finish unbeaten on 59. Johnson returned to grab the final three wickets and earned his second ODI five-wicket haul.
West Indies fizzled out for 172 and it was a limp end from a team whose only strong effort in the series came at the same venue on Friday when they lost by one run. On that occasion they were chasing 283; this time the task was way too tall. Australia's 341 was the sort of score they posted in St Kitts three times in last year's World Cup. For a team used to playing on huge expanses like the MCG, the dimensions of the tiny Warner Park were unlikely to contain their powerful strikers.
Most pleasing for a team being led by an inexperienced captain was that the brightest stars were fringe players. Ronchi, the owner of the fastest domestic one-day century in Australia, brought his skills to the international stage with a 28-ball 64 that justified the captain Michael Clarke's decision to promote him to No. 3. No bowler was safe as Ronchi clubbed six sixes in an innings that will keep the incumbent wicketkeeper Brad Haddin on his toes. He gorged on Gayle's offspin, slamming three drives over the long-off boundary in one over, and he muscled Fidel Edwards over long-on and midwicket for another pair of sixes.
Ronchi also proved himself capable of more conventional shots. He square-drove when given width and brought up his half-century with a powerful drive wide of mid off against Edwards. The St Kitts crowd has witnessed some amazing strokeplay over the past couple of years - it's the venue where Herschelle Gibbs struck six sixes in an over and Matthew Hayden made the quickest World Cup hundred - and after Ronchi's fireworks they were treated to more of the same from Hussey.
His half-century was one ball short of the Australian ODI record, set by Simon O'Donnell against Sri Lanka in Sharjah in 1989-90. It also consigned Ronchi's effort to equal third, alongside Damien Martyn's mauling of Bangladesh in Cairns in 2002. Hussey was aided by some questionable captaincy from Gayle, who asked Sarwan to bowl the 50th over. Hussey brutally dispatched two of Sarwan's legspinners over midwicket and long on - one of the strikes left the stadium - and against the frontline bowlers he swung wildly and accurately. His urgent approach was only possible because of the earlier hard work of his brother Michael and Andrew Symonds.
The pair calmly built a 113-run partnership that ended when Symonds, on 66, edged behind off Edwards. That brought the Hussey brothers together at the crease for the first time in Australian colours. The pair played much backyard cricket in their Perth home as children and there was a flashback to the days of metal stumps for David when his under-edge to Edwards crashed into the stumps at pace, yet failed to dislodge the bail. It capped off a horror day for Edwards, who finished with 3 for 86 from nine overs.
The only bowler to escape with his reputation intact was Nikita Miller, whose 1 for 38 from ten overs suggested West Indies should persist with him for longer than they often do with slow men. In a series where almost nothing has gone right for West Indies, there were at least positive signs from Miller and Findlay.
For Australia, the tour has allowed a series of fringe players to shine. Shaun Marsh played well for his 49 to add to his 81 on debut a fortnight ago, Ronchi has been brilliant behind the stumps and with the bat, David Hussey has two half-centuries from his only two ODI innings and the reinstated opener Shane Watson was the side's leading run scorer in the five games. To cap it all off, Clarke's first two one-day internationals in charge brought victories. The Champions Trophy in September will be a different challenge but for Australia the future looks bright.
Both men were batting for only the second time in ODIs and their destructive striking suggested that they will become valuable members of the evolving limited-overs side. Ronchi stunned the Warner Park crowd with a 22-ball fifty that was briefly the second-fastest by an Australian in an ODI, but he was quickly bumped down the list when Hussey completed his in only 19 deliveries.
The two men were major contributors to Australia's monster score of 341 for 8, which was their highest ever against West Indies, and the home team never looked like making a successful chase. Mitchell Johnson ended what had been a disheartening tour for him personally on a high with 5 for 29 as Australia became only the third team to wrap up an ODI whitewash against West Indies in the Caribbean.
Johnson was handed the new ball instead of Nathan Bracken and made the most of the opportunity, drawing an edge behind from Chris Gayle and deceiving Ramnaresh Sarwan with a slower ball that had West Indies in trouble at 21 for 2. From there it was a steady decline and the only real bright spot for West Indies was the innings of Shawn Findlay, who in his second match showed some much-needed resolve to finish unbeaten on 59. Johnson returned to grab the final three wickets and earned his second ODI five-wicket haul.
West Indies fizzled out for 172 and it was a limp end from a team whose only strong effort in the series came at the same venue on Friday when they lost by one run. On that occasion they were chasing 283; this time the task was way too tall. Australia's 341 was the sort of score they posted in St Kitts three times in last year's World Cup. For a team used to playing on huge expanses like the MCG, the dimensions of the tiny Warner Park were unlikely to contain their powerful strikers.
Most pleasing for a team being led by an inexperienced captain was that the brightest stars were fringe players. Ronchi, the owner of the fastest domestic one-day century in Australia, brought his skills to the international stage with a 28-ball 64 that justified the captain Michael Clarke's decision to promote him to No. 3. No bowler was safe as Ronchi clubbed six sixes in an innings that will keep the incumbent wicketkeeper Brad Haddin on his toes. He gorged on Gayle's offspin, slamming three drives over the long-off boundary in one over, and he muscled Fidel Edwards over long-on and midwicket for another pair of sixes.
Ronchi also proved himself capable of more conventional shots. He square-drove when given width and brought up his half-century with a powerful drive wide of mid off against Edwards. The St Kitts crowd has witnessed some amazing strokeplay over the past couple of years - it's the venue where Herschelle Gibbs struck six sixes in an over and Matthew Hayden made the quickest World Cup hundred - and after Ronchi's fireworks they were treated to more of the same from Hussey.
His half-century was one ball short of the Australian ODI record, set by Simon O'Donnell against Sri Lanka in Sharjah in 1989-90. It also consigned Ronchi's effort to equal third, alongside Damien Martyn's mauling of Bangladesh in Cairns in 2002. Hussey was aided by some questionable captaincy from Gayle, who asked Sarwan to bowl the 50th over. Hussey brutally dispatched two of Sarwan's legspinners over midwicket and long on - one of the strikes left the stadium - and against the frontline bowlers he swung wildly and accurately. His urgent approach was only possible because of the earlier hard work of his brother Michael and Andrew Symonds.
The pair calmly built a 113-run partnership that ended when Symonds, on 66, edged behind off Edwards. That brought the Hussey brothers together at the crease for the first time in Australian colours. The pair played much backyard cricket in their Perth home as children and there was a flashback to the days of metal stumps for David when his under-edge to Edwards crashed into the stumps at pace, yet failed to dislodge the bail. It capped off a horror day for Edwards, who finished with 3 for 86 from nine overs.
The only bowler to escape with his reputation intact was Nikita Miller, whose 1 for 38 from ten overs suggested West Indies should persist with him for longer than they often do with slow men. In a series where almost nothing has gone right for West Indies, there were at least positive signs from Miller and Findlay.
For Australia, the tour has allowed a series of fringe players to shine. Shaun Marsh played well for his 49 to add to his 81 on debut a fortnight ago, Ronchi has been brilliant behind the stumps and with the bat, David Hussey has two half-centuries from his only two ODI innings and the reinstated opener Shane Watson was the side's leading run scorer in the five games. To cap it all off, Clarke's first two one-day internationals in charge brought victories. The Champions Trophy in September will be a different challenge but for Australia the future looks bright.
Clinical Performance by Sri Lanka
Virender Sehwag's blistering early onslaught was rendered irrelevant as Sri Lanka stormed to a 100-run victory, retaining the Asia Cup and extending India's miserable record in tournament finals.
With Sehwag hammering an exhilarating 60 from just 35 balls, India had romped to 76 from just nine overs. Muttiah Muralitharan prefers not to bowl during the Powerplays, and it was to Mendis, who the Indians had never faced before, that Mahela Jayawardene turned as he sought to staunch the flow of runs.
Even he couldn't have predicted the impact that Mendis would have. Like a combine harvester scything through a field of corn, Mendis sliced through a line-up that has quite a reputation when it comes to playing spin. Sehwag charged his second delivery and watched helplessly as it drifted away from him. Kumar Sangakkara did the rest. Two balls later, Yuvraj Singh was utterly befuddled by one that skidded on. Suddenly, 274 appeared a long way away.
That Sri Lanka got anywhere near that was down to a man who refuses to bow to Father Time. India picked up four wickets in the first 12 overs, with Ishant claiming three of them, but Jayasuriya's 114-ball 125, and a 131-run partnership with Tillakaratne Dilshan utterly changed the complexion of the game.
It's perhaps no coincidence that India haven't won the Asia Cup since Jayasuriya became a regular at the top of the Sri Lankan order, and his mastery over the opposition was best revealed in the 16th over, bowled by RP Singh. RP had managed to escape relatively unscathed in his opening spell, conceding 24 from five overs, but when he returned, Jayasuriya took to him like a bull that had been riled by the matador's cape.
Sixes on either side of the sightscreen were followed by two wallops over cover, and after a one-ball lull, he pulled one over midwicket for six more. With Dilshan then taking three successive fours off Irfan Pathan, Mahendra Singh Dhoni had no option but to turn to spin, with Pragyan Ojha and Sehwag managing to have something of a fire-extinguishing effect.
India had started poorly, with RP conceding two boundaries to fine leg in the opening over, but a mix-up between two experienced hands gave them the opening they so desperately needed. Jayasuriya tapped one to short mid-off, and Sangakkara had already hared halfway down the pitch before he realised the striker had no interest in a single. Suresh Raina's underarm flick was the ultimate punishment.
But with two maiden overs bowled in the first five, India wrested back a measure of control, despite Jayasuriya's sporadic bursts of aggression. With the pressure building, it was Ishant who struck, as Jayawardene slapped one straight to Rohit at point. No bother for Jayasuriya though. A swivel pull sent an Ishant delivery for six, and Pathan's introduction was greeted with three fours in the over.
The problem was at the other end, where Ishant was wreaking havoc with the extra bounce he extracted from a comatose pitch. Bounce and a hint of lateral movement had Chamara Kapugedera playing one off the leading edge to point, and two balls later, the other Chamara - Silva - inside-edged one back on to the stumps.
Jayasuriya's version of consolidation involved a pull for six off Ishant and a slice of luck as a as a miscue off Pathan evaded RP, who ran around in circles and failed to get his hands to the ball. Dilshan contributed only four to the first 50 the pair added, from 30 balls, but he did his part, turning the strike over to allow Jayasuriya to inflict maximum damage.
With Sehwag and Ojha - Rohit contributed three tidy overs too - taking the pace off the ball, it was a different story. With the field spread, the boundaries dried up and the runs came mainly in singles. India missed a couple of run-out opportunities and Dhoni put down a sharp chance offered by Dilshan when he was on 37, but the helter-skelter pace of the Powerplay overs soon gave way to relative calm.
Eventually, the lack of action got to Jayasuriya and a flat slog-sweep off Sehwag only found Ishant at deep midwicket. After that, Sri Lanka lost their way. Dilshan eased to 50 from 68 balls, but when Pathan returned to bowl round the wicket, he popped a catch to Dhoni. Vaas, back in the fray after missing the last game, square-drove Ishant for the first four in more than 20 overs, but was castled by RP soon after.
Nuwan Kulasekara flailed the bat to finish with an unbeaten 29, but a target of 274 was expected to be well within reach for an Indian side that had included seven specialist batsmen. But after his extraordinary first over, Mendis soon set about making a mockery of the predictions.
Raina had been fortunate to survive a vociferous leg-before shout before he decided to play the worst shot of the evening, an ugly pull to a delivery that pitched on middle stump. Rohit soon followed, struck on the back pad by one that deviated away a touch, and by the time Jayawardene decided to take him out of the attack, Mendis had stunning figures of 4 for 8.
No one including the umpires knew quite what to expect, and the batsmen appeared unsure whether to play him as a slow bowler or a medium-pace one. That indecision was to prove fatal, especially against the carrom ball that was being propelled by a flick of the middle finger. As eye-catching was his accuracy. There was no width for the batsmen to work with, and hardly a loose delivery. Only Dhoni, who played the ball as late as he possibly could, showed any signs of coming to grips with him.
With Mendis casting such a spell, Murali's introduction went almost unnoticed, but with him in parsimonious mood, the tourniquet was tightening around India. Robin Uthappa and Dhoni added 38 in attritional fashion before Murali struck from round the wicket. Uthappa missed a flick, and the appeal from the bowler was just a formality.
Jayawardene waited a while longer and then brought back Mendis for the 30th over. India somehow survived that, but the game was up in his next. Pathan's attempt to flick through the leg side ended up at slip, and RP walked off bemused after one deviated away to take off stump. He should have had the hat-trick too, only Simon Taufel was as perplexed by a ball that pitched in line as Ojha was.
Dhoni had watched it all from the other end, defending stoutly and striking the odd four when he could. But once he inside-edged Chaminda Vaas to the keeper, the Sri Lankan dressing room readied for the celebrations. When Kulasekara cleaned up Ishant with 63 balls still to be bowled, they could begin in earnest. The combination of the six-hitting veteran and the six-wicket carrom-ball spinner had been far too much for India to handle.
With Sehwag hammering an exhilarating 60 from just 35 balls, India had romped to 76 from just nine overs. Muttiah Muralitharan prefers not to bowl during the Powerplays, and it was to Mendis, who the Indians had never faced before, that Mahela Jayawardene turned as he sought to staunch the flow of runs.
Even he couldn't have predicted the impact that Mendis would have. Like a combine harvester scything through a field of corn, Mendis sliced through a line-up that has quite a reputation when it comes to playing spin. Sehwag charged his second delivery and watched helplessly as it drifted away from him. Kumar Sangakkara did the rest. Two balls later, Yuvraj Singh was utterly befuddled by one that skidded on. Suddenly, 274 appeared a long way away.
That Sri Lanka got anywhere near that was down to a man who refuses to bow to Father Time. India picked up four wickets in the first 12 overs, with Ishant claiming three of them, but Jayasuriya's 114-ball 125, and a 131-run partnership with Tillakaratne Dilshan utterly changed the complexion of the game.
It's perhaps no coincidence that India haven't won the Asia Cup since Jayasuriya became a regular at the top of the Sri Lankan order, and his mastery over the opposition was best revealed in the 16th over, bowled by RP Singh. RP had managed to escape relatively unscathed in his opening spell, conceding 24 from five overs, but when he returned, Jayasuriya took to him like a bull that had been riled by the matador's cape.
Sixes on either side of the sightscreen were followed by two wallops over cover, and after a one-ball lull, he pulled one over midwicket for six more. With Dilshan then taking three successive fours off Irfan Pathan, Mahendra Singh Dhoni had no option but to turn to spin, with Pragyan Ojha and Sehwag managing to have something of a fire-extinguishing effect.
India had started poorly, with RP conceding two boundaries to fine leg in the opening over, but a mix-up between two experienced hands gave them the opening they so desperately needed. Jayasuriya tapped one to short mid-off, and Sangakkara had already hared halfway down the pitch before he realised the striker had no interest in a single. Suresh Raina's underarm flick was the ultimate punishment.
But with two maiden overs bowled in the first five, India wrested back a measure of control, despite Jayasuriya's sporadic bursts of aggression. With the pressure building, it was Ishant who struck, as Jayawardene slapped one straight to Rohit at point. No bother for Jayasuriya though. A swivel pull sent an Ishant delivery for six, and Pathan's introduction was greeted with three fours in the over.
The problem was at the other end, where Ishant was wreaking havoc with the extra bounce he extracted from a comatose pitch. Bounce and a hint of lateral movement had Chamara Kapugedera playing one off the leading edge to point, and two balls later, the other Chamara - Silva - inside-edged one back on to the stumps.
Jayasuriya's version of consolidation involved a pull for six off Ishant and a slice of luck as a as a miscue off Pathan evaded RP, who ran around in circles and failed to get his hands to the ball. Dilshan contributed only four to the first 50 the pair added, from 30 balls, but he did his part, turning the strike over to allow Jayasuriya to inflict maximum damage.
With Sehwag and Ojha - Rohit contributed three tidy overs too - taking the pace off the ball, it was a different story. With the field spread, the boundaries dried up and the runs came mainly in singles. India missed a couple of run-out opportunities and Dhoni put down a sharp chance offered by Dilshan when he was on 37, but the helter-skelter pace of the Powerplay overs soon gave way to relative calm.
Eventually, the lack of action got to Jayasuriya and a flat slog-sweep off Sehwag only found Ishant at deep midwicket. After that, Sri Lanka lost their way. Dilshan eased to 50 from 68 balls, but when Pathan returned to bowl round the wicket, he popped a catch to Dhoni. Vaas, back in the fray after missing the last game, square-drove Ishant for the first four in more than 20 overs, but was castled by RP soon after.
Nuwan Kulasekara flailed the bat to finish with an unbeaten 29, but a target of 274 was expected to be well within reach for an Indian side that had included seven specialist batsmen. But after his extraordinary first over, Mendis soon set about making a mockery of the predictions.
Raina had been fortunate to survive a vociferous leg-before shout before he decided to play the worst shot of the evening, an ugly pull to a delivery that pitched on middle stump. Rohit soon followed, struck on the back pad by one that deviated away a touch, and by the time Jayawardene decided to take him out of the attack, Mendis had stunning figures of 4 for 8.
No one including the umpires knew quite what to expect, and the batsmen appeared unsure whether to play him as a slow bowler or a medium-pace one. That indecision was to prove fatal, especially against the carrom ball that was being propelled by a flick of the middle finger. As eye-catching was his accuracy. There was no width for the batsmen to work with, and hardly a loose delivery. Only Dhoni, who played the ball as late as he possibly could, showed any signs of coming to grips with him.
With Mendis casting such a spell, Murali's introduction went almost unnoticed, but with him in parsimonious mood, the tourniquet was tightening around India. Robin Uthappa and Dhoni added 38 in attritional fashion before Murali struck from round the wicket. Uthappa missed a flick, and the appeal from the bowler was just a formality.
Jayawardene waited a while longer and then brought back Mendis for the 30th over. India somehow survived that, but the game was up in his next. Pathan's attempt to flick through the leg side ended up at slip, and RP walked off bemused after one deviated away to take off stump. He should have had the hat-trick too, only Simon Taufel was as perplexed by a ball that pitched in line as Ojha was.
Dhoni had watched it all from the other end, defending stoutly and striking the odd four when he could. But once he inside-edged Chaminda Vaas to the keeper, the Sri Lankan dressing room readied for the celebrations. When Kulasekara cleaned up Ishant with 63 balls still to be bowled, they could begin in earnest. The combination of the six-hitting veteran and the six-wicket carrom-ball spinner had been far too much for India to handle.
Saturday, July 5, 2008
Twenty20 cup still bound for England
The answer from David Richardson, the ICC's acting chief executive, was surprisingly emphatic. With the Zimbabwe crisis about to limp into its third day, and the ICC mired in indecision, would England be staging World Twenty20 next summer? "Yes,'' he insisted.
Richardson's response could be dismissed as a polite piece of wishful thinking on behalf of a governing body that cannot find a solution to the Zimbabwe issue so it has been reduced to dreaming of one. But some insisted it carried more resonance – a hint that the ICC has a final strategy in reserve to allow England to stage a tournament without Zimbabwe. Few are confident that it really exists, but if it does we are about to discover it. It is a fair bet that lawyers will be involved.
"I think it would be very sad if we lacked any of our full members at World Twenty20 and in particular England,'' Richardson said. "If England are not around in any international event it loses a lot.''
Barring a last-minute morality check from Zimbabwe's allies – India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and, most irritatingly for the ECB, the West Indies – that remains a potential outcome of two days of increasingly heated negotiations. If Zimbabwe are confirmed as Twenty20 entrants then England must carry through their threats to cite a desire from the British Government that Zimbabwe do not compete, prove that they are legally entitled to make such a move, and take pride in a principled stance. Then the ICC has to chose between accepting England's demand or shifting the tournament; running a World Twenty20 either without Zimbabwe or without England.
With South Africa still insistent that Zimbabwe's status as a major international nation is unthinkable while the country remains in such political disarray, Peter Chingkoka, the chairman of Zimbabwe Cricket, sparked anger during the second day of the annual meeting when he accused their representative, Norman Arendse of betrayal. "Storming'' Norman, a prominent Cape Town lawyer, responded furiously to the obvious implications.
India's support for Zimbabwe has not wavered, their intransigence seriously questioning in British eyes whether world cricket's most financially powerful nation is capable of putting mature leadership of the game ahead of vainglorious self-interest. For the first time since his arrival, Chingoka looked shaken when he left the annual meeting at the Westin Hotel having been informed that India wanted a meeting at the nearby Grosvenor Hotel. "We are going to see friends,'' he said defiantly.
India, in the first tiny sign that they might compromise, reportedly invited Zimbabwe to consider whether they might voluntarily opt out of World Twenty20 in England next summer. The suggestion that Chingoka might consider returning to Harare to inform President Mugabe that he had voluntarily withdrawn Zimbabwe from World Twenty20 was enough for the Zimbabwe Cricket chairman, flanked by two ever-present lawyers, to leave the meeting in laughter at the impossibility of the suggestion.
Relations between England and India have somehow survived enough for them also to join representatives from Australia and South Africa in a six-hour meeting about the inaugural club Twenty20 Champions League in September. Predictably, these also were largely unresolved, but that did not prevent an ECB spokesman insisting that the tournament will go ahead in two venues in India in late September and that two English counties would definitely be involved.
Whether those two English counties will be the winners and runners-up in England's domestic Twenty20 competition remains to be seen. India still wants English teams who have fielded players from the unofficial Indian Cricket League to be barred. The Australians, who are charged with drawing up the rules and regulations, have understandably felt the need to seek clarification.
The staging of the Champions Trophy in Pakistan in September remains uncertain. The ICC is awaiting delivery of a security report following the Asia Cup tournament, which will be received in the next week. England, Australia and New Zealand have also commissioned an independent report. Sri Lanka is on standby and the ICC has even asked England to act as a stand-by for the stand-by. Richardson played down threats of a player boycott, stating that Tim May, the head of the international players union had "dissociated himself from a boycott'' – although there remains disquiet about Pakistan among players from Australia, England and New Zealand.
Richardson's response could be dismissed as a polite piece of wishful thinking on behalf of a governing body that cannot find a solution to the Zimbabwe issue so it has been reduced to dreaming of one. But some insisted it carried more resonance – a hint that the ICC has a final strategy in reserve to allow England to stage a tournament without Zimbabwe. Few are confident that it really exists, but if it does we are about to discover it. It is a fair bet that lawyers will be involved.
"I think it would be very sad if we lacked any of our full members at World Twenty20 and in particular England,'' Richardson said. "If England are not around in any international event it loses a lot.''
Barring a last-minute morality check from Zimbabwe's allies – India, Pakistan, Bangladesh and, most irritatingly for the ECB, the West Indies – that remains a potential outcome of two days of increasingly heated negotiations. If Zimbabwe are confirmed as Twenty20 entrants then England must carry through their threats to cite a desire from the British Government that Zimbabwe do not compete, prove that they are legally entitled to make such a move, and take pride in a principled stance. Then the ICC has to chose between accepting England's demand or shifting the tournament; running a World Twenty20 either without Zimbabwe or without England.
With South Africa still insistent that Zimbabwe's status as a major international nation is unthinkable while the country remains in such political disarray, Peter Chingkoka, the chairman of Zimbabwe Cricket, sparked anger during the second day of the annual meeting when he accused their representative, Norman Arendse of betrayal. "Storming'' Norman, a prominent Cape Town lawyer, responded furiously to the obvious implications.
India's support for Zimbabwe has not wavered, their intransigence seriously questioning in British eyes whether world cricket's most financially powerful nation is capable of putting mature leadership of the game ahead of vainglorious self-interest. For the first time since his arrival, Chingoka looked shaken when he left the annual meeting at the Westin Hotel having been informed that India wanted a meeting at the nearby Grosvenor Hotel. "We are going to see friends,'' he said defiantly.
India, in the first tiny sign that they might compromise, reportedly invited Zimbabwe to consider whether they might voluntarily opt out of World Twenty20 in England next summer. The suggestion that Chingoka might consider returning to Harare to inform President Mugabe that he had voluntarily withdrawn Zimbabwe from World Twenty20 was enough for the Zimbabwe Cricket chairman, flanked by two ever-present lawyers, to leave the meeting in laughter at the impossibility of the suggestion.
Relations between England and India have somehow survived enough for them also to join representatives from Australia and South Africa in a six-hour meeting about the inaugural club Twenty20 Champions League in September. Predictably, these also were largely unresolved, but that did not prevent an ECB spokesman insisting that the tournament will go ahead in two venues in India in late September and that two English counties would definitely be involved.
Whether those two English counties will be the winners and runners-up in England's domestic Twenty20 competition remains to be seen. India still wants English teams who have fielded players from the unofficial Indian Cricket League to be barred. The Australians, who are charged with drawing up the rules and regulations, have understandably felt the need to seek clarification.
The staging of the Champions Trophy in Pakistan in September remains uncertain. The ICC is awaiting delivery of a security report following the Asia Cup tournament, which will be received in the next week. England, Australia and New Zealand have also commissioned an independent report. Sri Lanka is on standby and the ICC has even asked England to act as a stand-by for the stand-by. Richardson played down threats of a player boycott, stating that Tim May, the head of the international players union had "dissociated himself from a boycott'' – although there remains disquiet about Pakistan among players from Australia, England and New Zealand.
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