Dec 22nd
Why is Warne in such a hurry to retire ? His skills no where seems to be going down, so is it the Aussie board putting pressure (why would they do that ?) or has he lost the edge the way Martyn did ?
Warne and McGrath, cricket would be different without them. I was hoping Warne would be around for one last duel with Sachin, Laxman and Dravid : or would come out of ODI retirment for our amusement and pleasure during the World Cup 2007. Seems this will not be the case, sadly.
http://content-ind.cricinfo.com/ausveng/content/current/story/273446.html
As usual: the Aussies timing looks perfect, then it's easy going out when u have achieved everything you set out to do (winning a test series in all countries, being the highest wicket takers, winning World Cups).
Thursday, December 21, 2006
Saturday, December 16, 2006
King of Bad Luck
King of Bad Luck
Sachin has been no doubt the master accumulater of runs (recent slowdown withstanding). But at times I wonder his career would be if he had lady luck on his side. Throughout his career he has been dodged by not getting the rub of the green. Some of the instances which come to mind
1) The classic hundred in the run chase in Chennai against Pak. Cramps and a bad back laid him low which led to his dismissal as he tried to finish the game before things would become too bad for him.
2) Run out in Calcutta Test after grounding his back. Pak made a huge noise over the Inzi dismissal esp on Sportsman spirit in the recent ODI: but what about this one.
3) Given caught of a no ball in West Indies. I think this was the test where we lost when we failed to chase 125. The WI umpires later commented that they were under pressure not to give too many no balls. Contrast this to Ponting in the recent Sydney test, where he survived even after being caught off a Legitimate delivery.
4) LBW's in Oz off the shoulder: Mark Taylor commenting that they were brave decisions. This was a series where he got three doubtfull LBW decisions. Bucknor ensure that the trend continued when India visited Australia the next time around in the first test. At the end the biggest loser was the Australian public, who were denied some potentially great knocks by some average umpiring.
5) Bucknor's gifts in Calcutta. In Calcutta in fading light, Bucknor saw or heard an edge and gave Sachin out caugh behind. Replay's showed daylight between bat and ball. Bucknor continued his bad run against Sachin. What was ironic was that Sachin had appealed for light just before that. Guess Bucknor had to prove a point.
6) Ponting's catch in Mumbai. The first test in the 2001 series. Aussies had their nose in front, but Sachin was making a match of it. A pull shot rebounded in the air and Ponting picked up a diving catch near Sqaure leg. A freak end and Aussies went on to win the match easily.
7) As a Captain : Rain in SA when India looked poised to win an overseas test after years. The Indian bowlers did not distinguish them selves as they failed to dislodge the last few wickets fast enough.
Maybe u don't get talent and luck together.
Sachin has been no doubt the master accumulater of runs (recent slowdown withstanding). But at times I wonder his career would be if he had lady luck on his side. Throughout his career he has been dodged by not getting the rub of the green. Some of the instances which come to mind
1) The classic hundred in the run chase in Chennai against Pak. Cramps and a bad back laid him low which led to his dismissal as he tried to finish the game before things would become too bad for him.
2) Run out in Calcutta Test after grounding his back. Pak made a huge noise over the Inzi dismissal esp on Sportsman spirit in the recent ODI: but what about this one.
3) Given caught of a no ball in West Indies. I think this was the test where we lost when we failed to chase 125. The WI umpires later commented that they were under pressure not to give too many no balls. Contrast this to Ponting in the recent Sydney test, where he survived even after being caught off a Legitimate delivery.
4) LBW's in Oz off the shoulder: Mark Taylor commenting that they were brave decisions. This was a series where he got three doubtfull LBW decisions. Bucknor ensure that the trend continued when India visited Australia the next time around in the first test. At the end the biggest loser was the Australian public, who were denied some potentially great knocks by some average umpiring.
5) Bucknor's gifts in Calcutta. In Calcutta in fading light, Bucknor saw or heard an edge and gave Sachin out caugh behind. Replay's showed daylight between bat and ball. Bucknor continued his bad run against Sachin. What was ironic was that Sachin had appealed for light just before that. Guess Bucknor had to prove a point.
6) Ponting's catch in Mumbai. The first test in the 2001 series. Aussies had their nose in front, but Sachin was making a match of it. A pull shot rebounded in the air and Ponting picked up a diving catch near Sqaure leg. A freak end and Aussies went on to win the match easily.
7) As a Captain : Rain in SA when India looked poised to win an overseas test after years. The Indian bowlers did not distinguish them selves as they failed to dislodge the last few wickets fast enough.
Maybe u don't get talent and luck together.
Thursday, June 08, 2006
Where was the Will to Win
4 years back : when there was a test and series to be saved : some spineless batting on the last morning by our Monkey Tail : saw the Windies wrap the match and the series before the rains came down. The will was missing then.
India had it there : right before their eyes. A chance to win a test in the Windies which was not in the Port of Spain. It had 21 overs to pick up the last 3 wickets : one of whom was injured. And they threw it away. The Will was missing again.
India had it there : right before their eyes. A chance to win a test in the Windies which was not in the Port of Spain. It had 21 overs to pick up the last 3 wickets : one of whom was injured. And they threw it away. The Will was missing again.
Friday, February 03, 2006
So What's new
So What's new
There is big uproar on India's perforamce in Karanchi. What's the fuss about. Since 1986 India has not won a series abroad worth mentioing abroad. Most of our losses have been with our batsman unable to play a sessioin or two against the seaming or moving ball, and you would have had India catching up most of the time after that.
Indian batters can adapt : but they need time. I am sure if there was another match played in Karanchi immidiately we would have coped. Our bowling would not have bowled us to a win : but we would have salvaged a draw.
Pak played it smart. They made dud tracks for the first two test, lured our batters into a false sense of complacency before they delivered the fatal punch in Karanchi.
I am still a big Sachin fan. The fact that after 17 years of cricket we still expect him to pull India out of the woods is ample proof of the pressure put on him. People in the corporate world chicken out unable to handle pressure within 10 years and they don't have 1 billion people looking or advising them on each move. I dont buy the argument that he is God : so he should handle the pressure. He has handled enough and obviously the signs of the strain are showing. I still back him to get a couple of hundreds against England and some more against the Windies. Let's wait.
Madness indeed : but even if he had batted first and refused to take all the catches we still would have lost. ----- Forwarded by Sudhir Tiwari/India/sudhir on 03/23/2006 09:52 AM ----- "Munish Daga" 03/23/2006 09:50 AM To "Sudhir Tiwari" , cc Subject RE: What is your prediction for today? Agree with ur point but IT IS CRAZY TO BOWL FIRST ON ANY WICKETR IN INDIA. That’s the bottom line. Regards Munish -----Original Message----- From: Sudhir Tiwari [mailto:STiwari@sudhir.com] Sent: 23-Mar-2006 Thursday 9:44 AM To: srihari.bhashyam@hari.com Cc: Munish Daga; pravin.lal@lal.com Subject: RE: What is your prediction for today? Loss is Poooooooooor Fielding. U don't drop 15+ catches and expect to win against a team which beat Australia recently. 03/22/2006 02:35 PM To cc , Subject RE: What is your prediction for today? This loss is a result of 5 bowler theory. If we had an extra batsman, we would have batted first…. Also I believe what Steve Waugh used to say, when you have 5 bowlers one is usually under-bowled or as in this match the bowler bowls very poorly…. Apart from taking 20 wickets you also need to score more runs than opposition to win……. From: Sudhir Tiwari [mailto:STiwari@sudhir.com] Sent: Wednesday, March 22, 2006 1:58 PM To: B Srihari-IP Cc: Munish.Daga@munish.com; pravin.lal@lal.com Subject: RE: What is your prediction for today? The worst defeat in years. Ranks below the Pak humiliation. We have now mastered the art of losing the last match of a series (had barely got over losing the first few games of a series) Dravid will regret batting first................ 03/22/2006 01:20 PM To cc , Subject RE: What is your prediction for today? Not for this match now L From: Sudhir Tiwari [mailto:STiwari@sudhir.com] Sent: Wednesday, March 22, 2006 1:15 PM To: B Srihari-IP Cc: Munish.Daga@munish.com; pravin.lal@lal.com Subject: RE: What is your prediction%
There is big uproar on India's perforamce in Karanchi. What's the fuss about. Since 1986 India has not won a series abroad worth mentioing abroad. Most of our losses have been with our batsman unable to play a sessioin or two against the seaming or moving ball, and you would have had India catching up most of the time after that.
Indian batters can adapt : but they need time. I am sure if there was another match played in Karanchi immidiately we would have coped. Our bowling would not have bowled us to a win : but we would have salvaged a draw.
Pak played it smart. They made dud tracks for the first two test, lured our batters into a false sense of complacency before they delivered the fatal punch in Karanchi.
I am still a big Sachin fan. The fact that after 17 years of cricket we still expect him to pull India out of the woods is ample proof of the pressure put on him. People in the corporate world chicken out unable to handle pressure within 10 years and they don't have 1 billion people looking or advising them on each move. I dont buy the argument that he is God : so he should handle the pressure. He has handled enough and obviously the signs of the strain are showing. I still back him to get a couple of hundreds against England and some more against the Windies. Let's wait.
Madness indeed : but even if he had batted first and refused to take all the catches we still would have lost. ----- Forwarded by Sudhir Tiwari/India/sudhir on 03/23/2006 09:52 AM ----- "Munish Daga" 03/23/2006 09:50 AM To "Sudhir Tiwari" , cc Subject RE: What is your prediction for today? Agree with ur point but IT IS CRAZY TO BOWL FIRST ON ANY WICKETR IN INDIA. That’s the bottom line. Regards Munish -----Original Message----- From: Sudhir Tiwari [mailto:STiwari@sudhir.com] Sent: 23-Mar-2006 Thursday 9:44 AM To: srihari.bhashyam@hari.com Cc: Munish Daga; pravin.lal@lal.com Subject: RE: What is your prediction for today? Loss is Poooooooooor Fielding. U don't drop 15+ catches and expect to win against a team which beat Australia recently. 03/22/2006 02:35 PM To cc , Subject RE: What is your prediction for today? This loss is a result of 5 bowler theory. If we had an extra batsman, we would have batted first…. Also I believe what Steve Waugh used to say, when you have 5 bowlers one is usually under-bowled or as in this match the bowler bowls very poorly…. Apart from taking 20 wickets you also need to score more runs than opposition to win……. From: Sudhir Tiwari [mailto:STiwari@sudhir.com] Sent: Wednesday, March 22, 2006 1:58 PM To: B Srihari-IP Cc: Munish.Daga@munish.com; pravin.lal@lal.com Subject: RE: What is your prediction for today? The worst defeat in years. Ranks below the Pak humiliation. We have now mastered the art of losing the last match of a series (had barely got over losing the first few games of a series) Dravid will regret batting first................ 03/22/2006 01:20 PM To cc , Subject RE: What is your prediction for today? Not for this match now L From: Sudhir Tiwari [mailto:STiwari@sudhir.com] Sent: Wednesday, March 22, 2006 1:15 PM To: B Srihari-IP Cc: Munish.Daga@munish.com; pravin.lal@lal.com Subject: RE: What is your prediction%
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)