There was a time when the West Indies were the team to beat by all oppositions.The then West Indies team included the like of hard hitting batsmen in Vivian Richards, Clive Lloyd and deadly fast bowling Andy Roberts, Joel Garner and Malcolm Marshall that could rip out any opposition apart. That was once upon a time. Then, the next generation players for the West Indies saw the Batting great Brian Lara, with some decent performers like Richie Richardson, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Carl Hooper and the next generation deadly fast bowlers in Ian Bishop, Curtly Ambrose and Courtney Walsh who carried the good work done by Andy Roberts and co.
Even though the West Indies could not make it to even the semis after the 1983 world cup until the next generation players as said above made it in 1996 after beating the Proteas. However, despite the presence of Courtney Walsh, Brian Lara, Ambrose and Chanderpaul, they could not make it to the second round of the 1999 world cup after collapsing at 110 in the crucial match against Steve Waugh's Australia after having an early loss to Pakistan. It was as though that, the standard of the West Indies cricket had completely gone out of the way since then. Of course, West Indies never dominated the cricket world like they did in the 70s.
But, they were considered to be a decent opposition by all teams. However, their test performance after this can never be taken into consideration. Now, in the recently concluded one day series against England, even their one day performance is found to follow suit. Whatever be the case, West Indies until now was a major challenge for only teams like Bangladesh and Zimbabwe when it comes to playing test cricket. But, now, after their 2-0 loss to England in the Natwest series, it looks like they are suited only for minnows even in their ODI. Perhaps! This can be evident from the fact that they lost to Bangladesh in the inaugural edition of the ICC world T20.
For that matter, even England are way behind in one day cricket compared to other teams barring Bangladesh, Zimbabwe and the West Indies offlate. When it was not possible for the West Indies to pull even one out of the two one dayers played, one can imagine the capability of the West Indies team. No doubt that the West Indies put up a decent 270 on the board in comparison to England's 328. But, can the 58 run defeat that the West Indies sufferred be forgiven? If not for Owais Shah, none of the England batsmen showed any signs of pressure while facing the West Indian bowlers. If not for 2 bowlers who bowled 10 overs, rest of the bowlers ended up with a run rate of 6+, with 5 others going in for 7+.
Showing posts with label Stuart Board. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Stuart Board. Show all posts
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Wednesday, July 1, 2009
Start of The West Indies' ODI Debacle
Until recently, the West Indies had trouble only when it came to test cricket but now, the West Indies have started extending their dismal performance even in the one day international matches as well. After getting whitewashed in the recently concluded 2 test match series against England by a 2-0 margin, now, it looks as though it is the turn of the ODIs to follow suit. Last time in 2004-2005, when the West Indies had played England on two occasions successively, they had lost 7 out of the 8 test matches played but, they had a better run in the one dayers.
First, the West Indies leveled the 5 match one day series with both the West Indies and England winning two matches. And then in the return series, in the Natwest series involving West Indies, England and New Zealand, England failed to make it to the finals of the tri series then. Not to mentioned that West Indies lost the finals to New Zealand without giving the Kiwis a tough time on the field. But, this time, the West Indies have shown signs of collapsing in the one day matches as well. Out of three matches, with the first one being abandoned owing to rain, the second one was a one sided affair with the game being completely dominated by England.
West Indies were nowhere in the game from the beginning of the match. First, they not only lost all their wickets for a partly score of 160, but also could not bat their complete quota of 50 overs. The West Indian batsmen were bowled out for 160 in just 38.3 overs. And in the second, no attempt was found to be made by the West Indian bowlers to make things difficult for the English batsmen either. The English batsmen were able to reach the target of 161 in just 36 overs, with as many as 14 overs remaining. I wonder as to how come players like Chandrapaul, Ramdin and Sarwan couldn't cut lose despite being known for their big hitting ablities!
It was fascinating to see Paul Collingwood do the trick with both the bat as well as with the ball. Collingwood ended up with figures of 3/16 from his alloted 6 overs and then scored a 50 ball 47 that included 4 hits to the fence and one huge six. A glance at the scorecard of the match would suggest that it was a shortened game with each team being allowed to play just 39 over, when the West Indies' batting chart reading 160 in 38.3 overs from the allotted 39 overs and the England chart reading 161/4 in 36 overs. But, that was not the case. It was as though that England were playing some minnow team and not the team that has had 2 world cup wins in the past.
First, the West Indies leveled the 5 match one day series with both the West Indies and England winning two matches. And then in the return series, in the Natwest series involving West Indies, England and New Zealand, England failed to make it to the finals of the tri series then. Not to mentioned that West Indies lost the finals to New Zealand without giving the Kiwis a tough time on the field. But, this time, the West Indies have shown signs of collapsing in the one day matches as well. Out of three matches, with the first one being abandoned owing to rain, the second one was a one sided affair with the game being completely dominated by England.
West Indies were nowhere in the game from the beginning of the match. First, they not only lost all their wickets for a partly score of 160, but also could not bat their complete quota of 50 overs. The West Indian batsmen were bowled out for 160 in just 38.3 overs. And in the second, no attempt was found to be made by the West Indian bowlers to make things difficult for the English batsmen either. The English batsmen were able to reach the target of 161 in just 36 overs, with as many as 14 overs remaining. I wonder as to how come players like Chandrapaul, Ramdin and Sarwan couldn't cut lose despite being known for their big hitting ablities!
It was fascinating to see Paul Collingwood do the trick with both the bat as well as with the ball. Collingwood ended up with figures of 3/16 from his alloted 6 overs and then scored a 50 ball 47 that included 4 hits to the fence and one huge six. A glance at the scorecard of the match would suggest that it was a shortened game with each team being allowed to play just 39 over, when the West Indies' batting chart reading 160 in 38.3 overs from the allotted 39 overs and the England chart reading 161/4 in 36 overs. But, that was not the case. It was as though that England were playing some minnow team and not the team that has had 2 world cup wins in the past.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
A South African Debacle
Well one could not ever believe if the team that is being placed second in the ICC one day rankings let alone winning a match against a team that is placed third from the last in England,but,could not even put up a formidable batting nor play its allotted 50 overs.Sorry,not even half of it.The South African tem was all out for a mere score of 83 in just 23 overs.Can any one of you believe it!And the man who was responsible for such a devastating spell being the one who got belted for 6 sixes in an over by Yuvraj Singh in the inaugural T20 championship.And six catches to a keeper who is not known to be one among the world's best?
Well..I suspect some foul play being involved in the game.For,even when the going was really found to be tough for the South Africans who were batting out there,the incoming batsmen showed no signs of seriousness absolutely whatsoever.Only three of the South African batsmen were found to cross the double digit mark.Despite losing the first ODI by 20 runs,the visitors showed no signs of improvement in the second one dayer.And when it came to the batting of the England side,they never had problems of any sort,for they never lost a wicket and successfully chased down the target in less than 15 overs with a run rate of 6.00 per over.
How come so much difference in performance and that too when the team which has lost is above par with the team that has won.All these happening despite no injury woes to any of the South African players.Did the captaincy of Kevin Pietersen influence to that extent on the South African team?Its really confusing to see the South African team succumb to England bowling so badly even in a pitch that was favoring the batsmen.How?
Has the England team really become so tough to out play or has the South African team lost its balance to out perform the England team.Not once but twice this has hapenned.The last time when the South African team toured England,the result was 5-1 favoring South Africa.Well..the point is not that the same history has to repeat itself.But,atleast some fighting reply would have cooled down things.With as many as 27 overs left to bat in the South African side,the lower order could have done a lot better.But?Well this is only an illusion,but,the suspicion is justified.Sorry to say this.
Well..I suspect some foul play being involved in the game.For,even when the going was really found to be tough for the South Africans who were batting out there,the incoming batsmen showed no signs of seriousness absolutely whatsoever.Only three of the South African batsmen were found to cross the double digit mark.Despite losing the first ODI by 20 runs,the visitors showed no signs of improvement in the second one dayer.And when it came to the batting of the England side,they never had problems of any sort,for they never lost a wicket and successfully chased down the target in less than 15 overs with a run rate of 6.00 per over.
How come so much difference in performance and that too when the team which has lost is above par with the team that has won.All these happening despite no injury woes to any of the South African players.Did the captaincy of Kevin Pietersen influence to that extent on the South African team?Its really confusing to see the South African team succumb to England bowling so badly even in a pitch that was favoring the batsmen.How?
Has the England team really become so tough to out play or has the South African team lost its balance to out perform the England team.Not once but twice this has hapenned.The last time when the South African team toured England,the result was 5-1 favoring South Africa.Well..the point is not that the same history has to repeat itself.But,atleast some fighting reply would have cooled down things.With as many as 27 overs left to bat in the South African side,the lower order could have done a lot better.But?Well this is only an illusion,but,the suspicion is justified.Sorry to say this.
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