Well this has become the fate of most of the major cricket playing countries may be since the introduction of the T20 format of the game and more so after the introduction of the devils of the game namely the IPL and ICL. None of the teams are found to put up a good performance for, their national side, the money that it offers is equivalent to a tip that either ICL or IPL offers. If not for Australia, South Africa and India, no other team in the world is today found playing good test cricket. If not, there was no reason absolutely for New Zealand to take the visitors for a ride at Willington.
Not only this, but New Zealand weren't even able to make the second test theirs despite having a 200+ run lead, wherein New Zealand could have even imposed a follow-on. The test went on to yield a null result when all the eyes were on the New Zealand team. The lag that India sufferred in the first innings of that test hardly matterred the Indians who were then under Virender Sehwag. As an Indian cricket fan, I should welcome that. But, as an avid cricket enthusiast, no. It was India who emerged the winers in that game, for they escaped from the jaws of defeat without any pressure upon them whatsoever.
That is a forgotten issue now. However, in the on going third and final test at Willington, the result seems obvious on the second day's play itself, where the New Zealand team crumbled like a baked cookie. It is just funny to even think about a team of the caliber of New Zealand to have had such a disastrous tour and that too being the hosts. The only cheers that the New Zealand team can boast about is owing to the fact that they didn't lose the first test by an innings but only by 10 wickets. The margin of victory being reduced and in turn the woes of the New Zealand team.
And the third test that is ongoing is giving hints of a 2-0 victory for Mahendra Singh Dhoni's men. Whether India deserve the victory or not, Vettori does deserve to be on the losing side. It looks likt the motivating factor that the New Zealand team had in the 2007 world cup has gone away with Stephen Fleming. If the scoreboard cites the 9 wickets that India lost on day 1, the fact of 345 run on the board was also equally true. But, still, if Vettori deserves a pat on his back for getting India all out for 379, what has Vettori got to say regarding his batsman's debacle, who could pile up just 197 runs on the board? Now, the lead being 233, the match is bound to end on day four itself, taking into account New Zealand's first innings score.
Was this the way test matches were used to being played until the introduction of IPL and ICL?
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
A Lot Of Unexpecteds In A Month
Well a month long break from blogging couldn't just keep my life going as it always does. And finally, I'm glad that I'm back to blogging on cricket and getting in touch with you friends who have helped me grow to this level. Anyway let me do something more worth than just going in for some unwanted publicity. In the last one month or so, the day since I had taken an indefinite break from blogging, a lot of unexpected turn arounds in the world of cricket have taken place, which I still repent for not being able to bring or share with you.
First of all would be the sad disastrous end to the test series between Pakistan and Sri Lanka, which witnessed the expected and just added fuel to fire, with most other countries getting more rigid with the plans of not to tour Pakistan may be anymore. The spontaneous reaction being from New Zealand, who immidiately decided to call off their tour to the country which was to be held in late this year. Thanks to some bloody miscreants who don't want Pakistan to showcast their skills on the cricket field. It was really sad that the miscreants didn't even spare the only country that sympathised Pakistan and decided to tour the trouble torn nation.
Next comes the height of politics in India that made its way even to cricket. Alas! the much awaited second edition of the Indian Premire League had to be held in South Africa. This I think is in no way different from the cricket in Pakistan, which was compromised to be played outside its nation like Sharjah and Abu Dabhi. This was a little bit expected and a more of a surprise, for that was the last expected from atleast the fans, who would have thought of making it to the stadium to get a glimpse of the games and a few others who would have wanted their faces to be shown on television sets by luck.
These were the most missed by me in the last one month. Also, there was the way the West Indies escaped with a series win, with team England being unable to grab two wickets on the final day, when the West Indies' scorecard read 114/8. It was England who held the upper hand in that particular match, but not in that particular series whatsoever. England were found paying the heavy price for the debacle that they underwent in the first game where they were all out for 51. This left the West Indies, who are (in the recent past) are known for saving the series rather than go in for a win to just see to that they draw the remainder of the test series and ensure that they take home the trophy. No matter what the spirit of the game says.
First of all would be the sad disastrous end to the test series between Pakistan and Sri Lanka, which witnessed the expected and just added fuel to fire, with most other countries getting more rigid with the plans of not to tour Pakistan may be anymore. The spontaneous reaction being from New Zealand, who immidiately decided to call off their tour to the country which was to be held in late this year. Thanks to some bloody miscreants who don't want Pakistan to showcast their skills on the cricket field. It was really sad that the miscreants didn't even spare the only country that sympathised Pakistan and decided to tour the trouble torn nation.
Next comes the height of politics in India that made its way even to cricket. Alas! the much awaited second edition of the Indian Premire League had to be held in South Africa. This I think is in no way different from the cricket in Pakistan, which was compromised to be played outside its nation like Sharjah and Abu Dabhi. This was a little bit expected and a more of a surprise, for that was the last expected from atleast the fans, who would have thought of making it to the stadium to get a glimpse of the games and a few others who would have wanted their faces to be shown on television sets by luck.
These were the most missed by me in the last one month. Also, there was the way the West Indies escaped with a series win, with team England being unable to grab two wickets on the final day, when the West Indies' scorecard read 114/8. It was England who held the upper hand in that particular match, but not in that particular series whatsoever. England were found paying the heavy price for the debacle that they underwent in the first game where they were all out for 51. This left the West Indies, who are (in the recent past) are known for saving the series rather than go in for a win to just see to that they draw the remainder of the test series and ensure that they take home the trophy. No matter what the spirit of the game says.
Monday, March 2, 2009
Lankans Deceived
Well it has been a very long time since I last held a pen in my hand to blog something about cricket. But, I blame it all on the lack of some or any convincing turn around that really went on in the world of international cricket really. Still, I thought that waiting further for the same would just mean losing my fans who have encouraged me till here. So, I drew some points from the on going test series which featured Pakistan after almost a year or so. And they did the very same in a more decent manner whatsoever. The just showed the cricketing world that they haven't yet forgotten the game of cricket and test cricket in particular.
If Sri Lanka who were facing Pakistan after their debacle against India off late had two players, whom they had thought to have made a difference to their team, they were totally mistaken. For, even the Pakistani test team was well equipped with war heads like Younis Khan who put up a fighting triple century. In the process, Younis Khan became the third Pakistani batsmen to notch up a triple hundred. So, it is now left for the remaining subcontinental teams namely India and Sri Lanka to boast of another batsmen to have scored a triple hundered. Sri Lanka and India have two batsmen who have scored triple hundreds with Pakistan making it three.
For Pakistan, there have been three batsmen off late namely Hanif Mohammed, Inzamam Ul Haq and recently Younus Khan who have a double hundred against their name. While India have two triple hundreds, both of them being scored by Virender Sehwag alone and on the other hand, Sri Lanka too have two batsmen in Sanath Jayasuriya and Mahela Jayawardane to have notched up a triple hundred for their country. This has always been the case with a test match being held on Pakistani soil. Every match played on Pakistani soil becomes a batsmen's paradise and a bowlers' nightmare. More so in the India's tour of the country in early 2006.
In the first two of the three test matches, there were four Pakistani and two Indian batsmen who scored a hundred only to see the first encounter end in a draw. In the second encounter, debutant pacer R P Singh was named the man of the match in the drawn test for taking four wickets. This was the fate of test cricket. All that the first two test matches could witness was smashes from the bat of Shahid Afridi, who hit Harbhajan Singh for four consecutive sixes. And in the first test, Rahul Dravid and Virender Sehwag lost out on putting a record first wicket partnership of 413 when Virender Sehwag lost out hastingly when the scoreboard read 410.
If Sri Lanka who were facing Pakistan after their debacle against India off late had two players, whom they had thought to have made a difference to their team, they were totally mistaken. For, even the Pakistani test team was well equipped with war heads like Younis Khan who put up a fighting triple century. In the process, Younis Khan became the third Pakistani batsmen to notch up a triple hundred. So, it is now left for the remaining subcontinental teams namely India and Sri Lanka to boast of another batsmen to have scored a triple hundered. Sri Lanka and India have two batsmen who have scored triple hundreds with Pakistan making it three.
For Pakistan, there have been three batsmen off late namely Hanif Mohammed, Inzamam Ul Haq and recently Younus Khan who have a double hundred against their name. While India have two triple hundreds, both of them being scored by Virender Sehwag alone and on the other hand, Sri Lanka too have two batsmen in Sanath Jayasuriya and Mahela Jayawardane to have notched up a triple hundred for their country. This has always been the case with a test match being held on Pakistani soil. Every match played on Pakistani soil becomes a batsmen's paradise and a bowlers' nightmare. More so in the India's tour of the country in early 2006.
In the first two of the three test matches, there were four Pakistani and two Indian batsmen who scored a hundred only to see the first encounter end in a draw. In the second encounter, debutant pacer R P Singh was named the man of the match in the drawn test for taking four wickets. This was the fate of test cricket. All that the first two test matches could witness was smashes from the bat of Shahid Afridi, who hit Harbhajan Singh for four consecutive sixes. And in the first test, Rahul Dravid and Virender Sehwag lost out on putting a record first wicket partnership of 413 when Virender Sehwag lost out hastingly when the scoreboard read 410.
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