It was not long ago that the number one team in test cricket- Australia went down 0-2 to India on the recent tour to the same.This series really tested and questioned the Aussies' dominance in atleast test cricket, with the retirement of the key Aussie players at almost the same time just added fuel to fire.After that, Ponting's words meant that he would be playing tough cricket in the day to come.Of course that is anyway obvious for any team that has lost so badly which questioned its strength and guts.But, that is now the past.Now that Aussies are found them- selves back winning ,Ponting thinks that he's back with a bang after the recent 2-0 whitewash over New Zealand.
Its is true that Australia defeated New Zealand 2-0 at home.But, now the question arises whether New Zealand were or are up to the challenge posed by the mighty Aussies?What is the place that the current New Zealand team commands in the ICC test ratings?If one takes a look at the recent ICC test ratings, New Zealand is placed in the eighth position, only behind Bangladesh.And if one thinks that Aussies have dominated the test series, its mistaken.I don't find anything special in a test match, wherein the number test team beats a last placed team. And, had Australia beaten New Zealand in New Zealand, I would have given them a consolation. But, now Australia were playing at home.So....?
With the current test situation being so horrible in the cricketing world, it would not be tough for the Australian team to get back to their winning ways.Right now, there are hardly any teams who plays good test cricket.Only teams like India and South Africa are really equipped to face the challenge imposed by the Aussies.Australia has lost to India 2-0, meaning that their challenge means nothing to India and are forced to agree that India are a far better team.Now, in the days to come,Australia will be facing South Africa, which would be a better challenge for them.But, even this series is played at home for Australia.So, even an Australian win might not command their position in people's mind who have their own ratings for teams.
And, if one takes the last 4-5 tours that Australia have played test against New Zealand, we would find that Australia have just swept the New Zealand.In 2004- 05,Australia beat them 2-0,with a match drawn, owing to bad weather.And the same year, New Zealand were thrashed 2-0 when they toured Australia, 3-0 in 1999-00 in New Zealand.The last time New Zealand won a test match against Australia was way back in 1992-93 in Christchurch by 5 wickets.So, I now leave it to people to judge themselves regarding the might of the Australian team.A real test would be when Australia leaves to South Africa from february to April next year.
Tuesday, December 2, 2008
Monday, December 1, 2008
At Times Luck Favours South Africa
Well as I would love to call it, the South African cricket team is a mixture of good and bad lucks. This was after all of us saw them as to how they were found to make a mess of their own game in the world cups from 1992 to 2003.And then in the inaugural edition of the world T20 Championship at home,which South Africa lost after losing to India, which was their first ever defeat in that tournament.Well I don't intend in going to the details of the same.At times, despite their wonderful performance, South Africa are found to make a mess of their own game, like it happened in the world cup 2003, where South Africa got itself omitted itself from the tournament, citing a calculation mistake as a reason.
Well, despite all these at times, there are silver linings in South Africa's cloud.On two occasions, South Africa emerged as the top team in the ICC one day rankings, and this time South Africa have regained the second position in the latest ICC test rankings, overtaking India.In the year 2007, just prior to the world cup at the caribbean,South Africa topped the ICC one day rankings, courtesy-Australia's consecutive five match loss to England and New Zealand just before the world cup.And earlier, when South Africa beat teams like West Indies and Bangladesh to be on par with the Aussies-who were still at their peak in March earlier this year. All because of the Australia's loss of the Commonwealth Bank series to India.
And imagine how! South Africa beat Bangladesh in the two test series, both of them by an innings.And this was enough for the Proteas to get on the top of the ICC test rankings after Australia.Well if India beat a no 1 team in Australia to move up the rankings in the ICC test points table, South Africa beat the weakest team in the game to surpass the same India. Howzaat!This hapens as long as there are teams like Bangladesh and West Indies playing test cricket out there.
Well, despite all these at times, there are silver linings in South Africa's cloud.On two occasions, South Africa emerged as the top team in the ICC one day rankings, and this time South Africa have regained the second position in the latest ICC test rankings, overtaking India.In the year 2007, just prior to the world cup at the caribbean,South Africa topped the ICC one day rankings, courtesy-Australia's consecutive five match loss to England and New Zealand just before the world cup.And earlier, when South Africa beat teams like West Indies and Bangladesh to be on par with the Aussies-who were still at their peak in March earlier this year. All because of the Australia's loss of the Commonwealth Bank series to India.
And imagine how! South Africa beat Bangladesh in the two test series, both of them by an innings.And this was enough for the Proteas to get on the top of the ICC test rankings after Australia.Well if India beat a no 1 team in Australia to move up the rankings in the ICC test points table, South Africa beat the weakest team in the game to surpass the same India. Howzaat!This hapens as long as there are teams like Bangladesh and West Indies playing test cricket out there.
Stupidity At its Peak
Well after much condemnation for the recent ghastly terror attacks in Mumbai's Taj Palace last week, I thought that the test series that were supposed to follow the one day international matches (that were canceled) would also be canceled in the same manner.But, no.Anyway that is another issue altogether.Finally, the BCCI after holding talks with the ECB officials, decided to continue with the test series, but, for a change at a different venue.And as one never guessed, the vanues are selected that are even more worse as far as the situation of holding a test match goes.Is there any end to the foolishness of the BCCI?
I wonder as to what does one really get out of such hopeless tours.It looks like the test series is played just for the sake of it and for no other reason.Well the security concern for the players could be understood.Both Ahmedabad and Mumbai offlate have a poor track record as far as security concern goes.Now, the new venues for the two tests starting on December 11th to 15th at Mohali instead of Ahmedabad and Chennai instead of Mumbai.How come one assumes that the new venues could go cool with hosting the test match?Are the players, especially those from England mentally ready to play test cricket?
I don't know about Mohali.But, as far as Chennai is concerned, there is little chance of the game taking off and continuing smoothly.Not because of any security threat or any intelligence reportsof a bomb blast.But, due to the recent rains that had almost washed Chennai, as a result of a cyclone.And this was the situation a week back.Now,can anyone assure a test match at such a venue?For that matter the situation is no better in any of the stadium in South India like Bangalore.And playing somewhere in Northern part of India is totally out of question.I wish atleast the Mohali test takes off smoothly.
And one more thing that is to be taken into consideration is that the warm up match that was to be held in vadodara tomorrow has been scraped.Well the reasons are quite obvious and can be understood.But, proceeding further without a practice game before going to the test series be a bad decision?After going through all these, I feel that the decisions regarding hosting the India-England test series is being done in a hurry.The series has very litttle or absolutely no gains at all.A decision to withdraw the test series would have been a better choice.or a delayed or split tour would have helped matters.Now, with such a hasty decision by the BCCI, the test series can only be thought of to be a formality and nothing else.
I wonder as to what does one really get out of such hopeless tours.It looks like the test series is played just for the sake of it and for no other reason.Well the security concern for the players could be understood.Both Ahmedabad and Mumbai offlate have a poor track record as far as security concern goes.Now, the new venues for the two tests starting on December 11th to 15th at Mohali instead of Ahmedabad and Chennai instead of Mumbai.How come one assumes that the new venues could go cool with hosting the test match?Are the players, especially those from England mentally ready to play test cricket?
I don't know about Mohali.But, as far as Chennai is concerned, there is little chance of the game taking off and continuing smoothly.Not because of any security threat or any intelligence reportsof a bomb blast.But, due to the recent rains that had almost washed Chennai, as a result of a cyclone.And this was the situation a week back.Now,can anyone assure a test match at such a venue?For that matter the situation is no better in any of the stadium in South India like Bangalore.And playing somewhere in Northern part of India is totally out of question.I wish atleast the Mohali test takes off smoothly.
And one more thing that is to be taken into consideration is that the warm up match that was to be held in vadodara tomorrow has been scraped.Well the reasons are quite obvious and can be understood.But, proceeding further without a practice game before going to the test series be a bad decision?After going through all these, I feel that the decisions regarding hosting the India-England test series is being done in a hurry.The series has very litttle or absolutely no gains at all.A decision to withdraw the test series would have been a better choice.or a delayed or split tour would have helped matters.Now, with such a hasty decision by the BCCI, the test series can only be thought of to be a formality and nothing else.
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