Shahid Afridi is back - back to the league he belongs!
The league that boasts of a presence of the ones with "a License to Kill" - to Kill, to Demoralize, to completely Demolish and Humiliate a bowler and then Powder him to dust and Dance on the powder with a bat in one hand!
(Question to Myself : Is this a WWE blog or a Cricket one?)
The league where his compatriots are the likes of Gibbs, Dhoni, Gilchrist, Jayasuriya, Hayden etc.
The ever-adorable (yet mostly foolish) Afridi hit 32 in a Bandara over where he completely changed the face of the game! Till that over, it was neck-to-neck between Pakistan and Sri Lanka and all of a sudden, in the space of 5 maniac minutes and 6 decent balls, Afridi put Pakistan into the winner's throne, barring some formalities. Two fours and four sixes!
All that the spectators could have said would have been to the likes of 'Oh My God!' with gaping mouths in their respective languages!
They call it a whirlwind hurricane! Or a Thunderstorm ? A Tornado? A Hailstorm?
We call it a typical Afridi knock!
Saturday, May 19, 2007
Friday, May 18, 2007
England Ride on 4 Centuries!
England did an Australia today!
While we should sit back and applaud all the four centurions (especially the debutant Prior), WI have only themselves to blame - not only were they up against a solid England today morning when they took up the field, they missed chances galore and had they taken half of those, it could very well have been a different story.
England are sitting pretty with 553/5 after 2 days of play and it will not be long before they declare tomorrow - probably in the first session itself. The WI team, then will have a real uphill task, first to avoid follow on and then to avoid defeat. And whatever the result, they have only themselves to blame.
In the meanwhile, let's look at the English batting:
1) Cook played really well yesterday but went home early today.
2) Collingwood, ODI specialist, rode his luck for an important century.
3) Ian Bell, an opener of one time, came at 4 down and has played exceedingly well to hit a balanced unbeaten century.
4) And Matt Prior has batted almost run-a-ball to strike a wonderful unbeaten century on debut at Lords!
Prior to Prior, England had the old Nixon who was good, but with Prior, if he continues in this vein, they have an excellent addition to their team. And mind it, there is no Flintoff in this match.
Great team work!
So - well done England !
Bravo!
(Er...not Dwyane, but just "Bravo, England!')
While we should sit back and applaud all the four centurions (especially the debutant Prior), WI have only themselves to blame - not only were they up against a solid England today morning when they took up the field, they missed chances galore and had they taken half of those, it could very well have been a different story.
England are sitting pretty with 553/5 after 2 days of play and it will not be long before they declare tomorrow - probably in the first session itself. The WI team, then will have a real uphill task, first to avoid follow on and then to avoid defeat. And whatever the result, they have only themselves to blame.
In the meanwhile, let's look at the English batting:
1) Cook played really well yesterday but went home early today.
2) Collingwood, ODI specialist, rode his luck for an important century.
3) Ian Bell, an opener of one time, came at 4 down and has played exceedingly well to hit a balanced unbeaten century.
4) And Matt Prior has batted almost run-a-ball to strike a wonderful unbeaten century on debut at Lords!
Prior to Prior, England had the old Nixon who was good, but with Prior, if he continues in this vein, they have an excellent addition to their team. And mind it, there is no Flintoff in this match.
Great team work!
So - well done England !
Bravo!
(Er...not Dwyane, but just "Bravo, England!')
Sri Lanka - Jayawardene
Sri Lanka struggled against an admirably effective Pak attack to limp to 235 /9 after 50 overs - thanks to a surprising knock of 69 n.o. by their bowling all rounder Mahroof!
And this when they have not one but two Jayawadanes in the midst of them! Yes - and I couldn't help but notice the scorecard with each of them having 4 initials in their name!
On further probing, I found their names to be as follows:
Mahela's full name : Denagamage Proboth Mahela de Silva Jayawardene
Prasanna's full name: Hewasandatchige Asiri Prasanna Wishvanath Jayawardene
Now we know the secret to Mahela's batting talent! He has a 'De Silva' hidden in his name! :-)
And this when they have not one but two Jayawadanes in the midst of them! Yes - and I couldn't help but notice the scorecard with each of them having 4 initials in their name!
On further probing, I found their names to be as follows:
Mahela's full name : Denagamage Proboth Mahela de Silva Jayawardene
Prasanna's full name: Hewasandatchige Asiri Prasanna Wishvanath Jayawardene
Now we know the secret to Mahela's batting talent! He has a 'De Silva' hidden in his name! :-)
India vs B'desh - Day 1 of Test 1
Wasim Jaffer was unlucky.
Kartik is a delight to have in the team.
Dravid is still 'The Wall'
Tendulkar and Ganguly - need to play like this consistently. Yes, they were edgy to start with , but it was a pleasure to watch them when in full flow.
B'desh - have a real uphill task ahead.
If I was Bashar, I would not try to stem the flow, but to get the wickets. Surround the batsmen with all fielding positions and ask Mortaza to bowl bouncers and slower ones and get more variety in the morning. And in the later part, with left arm spinners bowling, I would still surround the batsmen and try for wickets.
I don't want to see too much in the batting of Indian batsmen - because it is still a match played on the sub-continent batting paradise pitch and even I can bat out there. (OK, I can't - but you get the point, right?)
Kartik is a delight to have in the team.
Dravid is still 'The Wall'
Tendulkar and Ganguly - need to play like this consistently. Yes, they were edgy to start with , but it was a pleasure to watch them when in full flow.
B'desh - have a real uphill task ahead.
If I was Bashar, I would not try to stem the flow, but to get the wickets. Surround the batsmen with all fielding positions and ask Mortaza to bowl bouncers and slower ones and get more variety in the morning. And in the later part, with left arm spinners bowling, I would still surround the batsmen and try for wickets.
I don't want to see too much in the batting of Indian batsmen - because it is still a match played on the sub-continent batting paradise pitch and even I can bat out there. (OK, I can't - but you get the point, right?)
Thursday, May 17, 2007
Cook Cooks!
Yes, this man, Alastair Cook, all of 22 years old, a delightful left handed opener, not only cooked but also served a delicious dish today at the Lord's!
His 5th Century in 14 tests at an average of 43 odd.
Tremendous potential, led the under 19 team, had a great debut against India in India (who doesn't?), learnt a lot in the Ashes down under last year, and a promising prospect for the Poms.
This is as fresh as it gets in the good-ol Brit cricket empire !
Well done, mate!
His 5th Century in 14 tests at an average of 43 odd.
Tremendous potential, led the under 19 team, had a great debut against India in India (who doesn't?), learnt a lot in the Ashes down under last year, and a promising prospect for the Poms.
This is as fresh as it gets in the good-ol Brit cricket empire !
Well done, mate!
My India-Test-Team
Here is my playing 11 for India's first test against Bangladesh:
1. Wasim Jaffer
2. Dinesh Kartik
3. Rahul Dravid
4. Sachin Tendulkar
5. VVS Laxman
6. Yuvraj Singh
7. MS Dhoni
8. Anil Kumble
9. Ramesh Powar
10. Zaheer Khan
11. Munaf Patel
I am going in with 4 bowlers and want Dravid to be more aggressive as a captain to support his 4 bowlers.
I have not given Dada a place in my playing 11 just yet as the only place he can take up is either Sachin or Dhoni (since we already have Kartik as a keeper and an opener) . But Sachin can bowl his spinners and Dhoni deserves to be in the team in absence of Sehwag.
Don't ask me about Laxman - I think Laxman is a solid test player to have in the team.
The rest pick themselves up.
This is my 11! Let's see what 11 the 'think-tank' picks!
1. Wasim Jaffer
2. Dinesh Kartik
3. Rahul Dravid
4. Sachin Tendulkar
5. VVS Laxman
6. Yuvraj Singh
7. MS Dhoni
8. Anil Kumble
9. Ramesh Powar
10. Zaheer Khan
11. Munaf Patel
I am going in with 4 bowlers and want Dravid to be more aggressive as a captain to support his 4 bowlers.
I have not given Dada a place in my playing 11 just yet as the only place he can take up is either Sachin or Dhoni (since we already have Kartik as a keeper and an opener) . But Sachin can bowl his spinners and Dhoni deserves to be in the team in absence of Sehwag.
Don't ask me about Laxman - I think Laxman is a solid test player to have in the team.
The rest pick themselves up.
This is my 11! Let's see what 11 the 'think-tank' picks!
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