Well with as many exciting encounters in cricket at present in progress, there are equal number of boring encounters as well on the other side of the cricketing world. The excitement includes the ongoing clash between Australia and South Africa for the number one spot in test cricket and the boring one being the West Indies' tour of New Zealand, which has so far not been taken seriously by either of the teams out there. None of the test matches that were played, were played with the spirit of winning or atleast having the opposition in a spin. Such was the situation with teams like Bangladesh and Zimbabwe. But, the late entries to the same have been West Indies and New Zealand.
Both the teams out there are found to play the games just for the sake of it. Thank god that they were not played in a cricket crazy country like India. Had it been, the sponsors would have had to think twice before going in for such matches. And that too in this era where recession has taken a toll! Anyway, issues like that should not really matter us. However, this is been found to clash with the timings of the Australia-South Africa test matches. The preference obviously going to this rather than the West Indies-New Zealand stuff. But, what about the ones who'd prefer a one day match over a test?
And also its been a long time since a one day international has been up. And the cricket fans would obviously be craving to watch some wonderful one day encounters. But, thanks to the boring West Indies-New Zealand series which has stripped them of the spirit of waiting for a one day match to kick off. This leaves the cricket fans wth no other option than to wait for the one day series between Australia and South Africa to kick off after the third test and the two T20 matches that follows. Neither were the two T20 games interesting if the expectations are to be believed. So, will the game of cricket be able to flourish in these nations wtih such a bad approach?
Lest, there are three more one day matches to go. The first one being cancelled and the second was reduced to 28 overs a side, which the West Indies clinched luckily. None of the players from both the teams making the talk of the hour makes the matter still more worse. Especially after the retirement of Stephen Fleming and Shane Bond, the New Zealand team have no big names that would be found on the fans' lips, with someone like Scott Styris and Jacob Oram making news only for injuries rather than the way they play their game of cricket. And even the West Indies are no different in this regard, with the only consolation being Shivnarine Chanderapaul and Ramnaresh Sarwan. Ok..a little bit of Chris Gayle. Not too bad....
Showing posts with label Jacob Oram. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Jacob Oram. Show all posts
Sunday, January 4, 2009
Saturday, December 6, 2008
New Zealand's Change For The Sake Of It?
Having been fed up with the developments going in scheduling the India-England test series, I decided to take a break in between, by going blogging about the developments that are and have been taking place on the other side of the cricketing world as well. So, now, the next we have the West Indies' tour of the New Zealand, that is due to start on 11th December, the day when the first test between India and England kicks off and that too in style.So, we would be having three exciting cricket series' to be watched simultaneously.Well..this is left to the viewers as to who would watch what.
Now, after the 2-0 series whitewash to the Aussies on their tour, as all the teams do, even New Zealand team has gone in for some changes. Be it worth it or not being a different issue altogether, a few changes to the changes made to the New Zealand test team that would be facing the West Indies team shortly would be worth mentioning. The team selectors have gone in for some James Franklin, the name of whom is being heard only after the world cup 2007 that was held at the Caribbean. It is being believed that this all rounder was suffering from a career threatening knee injury, which he has finally overcome.Good!
While, I wish you people take a glance at the ones who have been dropped. Well players like Chris Martin and Aaron Redmond who have a beautiful track record in international cricket for the bad and wrong reasons are worth to be dropped. For a player who has just 146 test scalps from 78 innings and the other who has played just 7 tests need not be given a nod.I agree. This also holds good for Grant Elliot, Gareth Hopkins and Peter Fulton who haven't yet made any mark in international test cricket. Bu, how come these players were chosen for the tour of Australia, where the team selection mattered the most? Did the New Zealand test team take a blow by under-estimating the Australia team who were thrashed by the Indian team before the New Zealand series took off?
And now, when these new comers could be risked with, while playing against a weak team in West indies, it is a wonder that New Zealand team selection committee went in for an injury prone Jacob Oram, who is yet to recover from a back injury which mafe him stay away from the Australia tests.Though Oram says he is fit. I still remember Tim Southee blast an unbeaten 77 off just 40 balls while trying to win a losing battle,in the match against England which New Zealand lost. I feel that this would have been the right place for the New Zealand team to take chances in selection. If one sees the test team that is bound to face the West Indies, it is clear that the New Zealand team doesn't want to take any chances for the West Indies challenge.
Well this is obvious, taking the New Zealand's worst test run, when they can be seen at the bottom of the ICC test rankings, placed only above Bangladesh. But, in the process, New Zealand is missing out on building a team for the future.
Now, after the 2-0 series whitewash to the Aussies on their tour, as all the teams do, even New Zealand team has gone in for some changes. Be it worth it or not being a different issue altogether, a few changes to the changes made to the New Zealand test team that would be facing the West Indies team shortly would be worth mentioning. The team selectors have gone in for some James Franklin, the name of whom is being heard only after the world cup 2007 that was held at the Caribbean. It is being believed that this all rounder was suffering from a career threatening knee injury, which he has finally overcome.Good!
While, I wish you people take a glance at the ones who have been dropped. Well players like Chris Martin and Aaron Redmond who have a beautiful track record in international cricket for the bad and wrong reasons are worth to be dropped. For a player who has just 146 test scalps from 78 innings and the other who has played just 7 tests need not be given a nod.I agree. This also holds good for Grant Elliot, Gareth Hopkins and Peter Fulton who haven't yet made any mark in international test cricket. Bu, how come these players were chosen for the tour of Australia, where the team selection mattered the most? Did the New Zealand test team take a blow by under-estimating the Australia team who were thrashed by the Indian team before the New Zealand series took off?
And now, when these new comers could be risked with, while playing against a weak team in West indies, it is a wonder that New Zealand team selection committee went in for an injury prone Jacob Oram, who is yet to recover from a back injury which mafe him stay away from the Australia tests.Though Oram says he is fit. I still remember Tim Southee blast an unbeaten 77 off just 40 balls while trying to win a losing battle,in the match against England which New Zealand lost. I feel that this would have been the right place for the New Zealand team to take chances in selection. If one sees the test team that is bound to face the West Indies, it is clear that the New Zealand team doesn't want to take any chances for the West Indies challenge.
Well this is obvious, taking the New Zealand's worst test run, when they can be seen at the bottom of the ICC test rankings, placed only above Bangladesh. But, in the process, New Zealand is missing out on building a team for the future.
Tuesday, May 13, 2008
After A Series Of Wins,It Is A Series Of Losses For The Chennai Super Kings
Well when the inaugural edition of the Indian Premier League started,the teams like Kolkata Knight Riders and Chennai Super Kings started it all with a huge bang by registering three consecutive wins and the Chennai Super Kings extending it to four.And much frustration as the Chennai Super Kings were found to do the good work they were found doing in the match against weakly rated Deccan Chargers.This would off course put the audience in a guess as to what would happen to the finals or as to who would emerge the winners of the IPL and walk away with a whooping Rs 12 crore?
Off course that would by no means go into the hands of the Royal Challengers Bangalore.And not even Deccan Chargers.And with the Chennai Super Kings making a mess of their game after the famous New Zealander-Jacob Oram and the Aussies Matthew Hayden and Mike Hussey had to return back home to fulfill their national commitments.Even two lives given to Parthiv Patel was not made use of fully by this child when he threw away a running catch to R P Singh in the sixth ball after he had two lives -one in the first ball and the next in the fourth.
And for a change,this time there were some fireworks from Shahid Afridi who was for most part of the tournament found to score only in the dressing room and only on paper.But,a strike rate of 333 means that this would be the beginning of another Afridi era and a treat for the fans out there in the upcoming matches.A lower order batsman in Albie Morkel was the first one to slog the ball over the ropes.As against Adam Gilchrist who saw to it that the scoreboard kept on jumping with hefty blows all over the ground.
It would be nice for the fans if V V S Laxman is out of the tournament if the Deccan Chargers have got to prove something.
Off course that would by no means go into the hands of the Royal Challengers Bangalore.And not even Deccan Chargers.And with the Chennai Super Kings making a mess of their game after the famous New Zealander-Jacob Oram and the Aussies Matthew Hayden and Mike Hussey had to return back home to fulfill their national commitments.Even two lives given to Parthiv Patel was not made use of fully by this child when he threw away a running catch to R P Singh in the sixth ball after he had two lives -one in the first ball and the next in the fourth.
And for a change,this time there were some fireworks from Shahid Afridi who was for most part of the tournament found to score only in the dressing room and only on paper.But,a strike rate of 333 means that this would be the beginning of another Afridi era and a treat for the fans out there in the upcoming matches.A lower order batsman in Albie Morkel was the first one to slog the ball over the ropes.As against Adam Gilchrist who saw to it that the scoreboard kept on jumping with hefty blows all over the ground.
It would be nice for the fans if V V S Laxman is out of the tournament if the Deccan Chargers have got to prove something.
Saturday, May 10, 2008
Sehwag:The Only One Icon Player?
Well the definition of icon player seemed to be redefined by Virender Sehwag for,he is the only one so called icon player to have proved to be worth his status.Unlike other so called icon players like Sachin Tendulkar-who is yet to make a mark in the tournament,Rahul Dravid-who can just defend the ball rather than see it clear the ropes,Sourav Ganguly who is only a step agead of Rahul Dravid when it comes to big hitting and last but not the least we have Anil Kumble,whose name has hardly been heard by the fans over.Guess this is why a thinking player like V V S Laxman chaose not to be one of those icon players citing the team's budget as the reasons to opt not to be one.Some intelligence to be observed.Ha ha ha..The man for the second time was found to fire with the bat.The first against Deccan Chargers-wherein he scored a quickfire 91 off just 42 deliveries and this time against the Chennal Super Kings-who have until now been unbeaten.But,Sehwag took the initiative to see to that this dominance continues no more.There was nothing to complain from the side of M S Dhoni's Chennai Super Kings if not for Virender Sehwag.And also not to forget his wicket of Parthiv Patel to give initial breakthrough to his team.
Well Dhoni had set each and everything right for his team by putting on 169 runs which was rather the most a decent total.But,Sehwag had different plans.And that too without the likes of Matthew Hayden,Mike Hussey and Jacob Oram,who have been the right hand in posting three consecutive wins for their side.It looks like after this game against the Delhi Daredevils,the life span of the Chennai Super Kings has been numbered.Really??
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