Thursday, March 23, 2006

Jumbo...Flying High!!

Anil Kumble got to 500 wickets and was probably the only one who had nothing to do with India's dismal underachievement in the recently concluded series against England. Apart from grassing a catch at gully he did nothing wrong. Even Flintoff went to the extent of saying that Jumbo was a "tricky batsman to get rid of". He was always at the batsmen, as is his wont, giving about one run per over. They tried everything to unsettle him. each batsman had a different approach but none seemed to work well. He took 26 overs to bowl a loose delivery a rank full toss to James Anderson but made up by bamboozling him soon after with a googly.

He was the best player on show for the Indians, and he has been absolutely the best for quite some time now. He got to 500 wickets, the second fastest, after the freakish Muralitharan. And his getting to 500 wickets was less of an event than most star birthdays. That is how it has been throughout his career. "Lion Hearted" is the way to describe his bowling. To add to that he was also the third highest scorer in this series after Dravid and Jaffer.

One of the most endearing sights in cricket for me, is watching Kumble start his run up by twirling the ball in his hand and unfalteringly execute his bowling. Yes, it does seem like he is executing a plan every time he bowls. He has a plan for every over, it is like he has an agenda for each over. Amazing the way he executes his plan unerringly and tenaciously. Persistency is a very vital part of his game and that is very conspicuous.

Even in the more recently concluded West Indies he was way ahead of all the bowlers on both sides. His hunger to well for his country is really gargantuan. Another good show by Jumbo.

Here's to the Greatest Match Winner with the ball, that India has ever produced. Keep going, Jumbo. With his current tally at 533 and the kinda of form he is is, 600 is not too far. Keep going,you Legend!! And Thank you for all the proud moments you have given us.

posted by Sreedhar @ Thursday, March 23, 2006 0 Comments

Sunday, March 12, 2006

The Greatest One Day Game !!

South Africa have won the greatest one-day international in the history of the game. The last time a team chased down a huge total to such effect was Pakistan against India, when India toured them in 2004. On that occasion Pakistan lost the game, albeit. This was much better and much more entertaining that that game.

Australia seem unlucky, having lost what was arguably the Greatest Test Match to England in the Ashes and now have lost the Greatest One Day Match to South Africa. But it is clear that we need the Aussie to be involved, rather beaten, in the Game to make it "Great".


Surely this is one game that cannot be surpassed in entertainment. Every ball was amazing. Having scored 434 in 50 overs the Australians could have been excused for thinking that they have the game and series in their bag. But Graeme Smith and Herschelle Gibbs scored at a rate that was possible only on a PS2. Gibbs went to score a career best 175. Then Boucher and the rest made sure they were in the game. By the time Gibbs got out they had scored 299 off 31.5 overs i.e. at a rate of 9.3 runs per over. This left the Australians shell shocked. It was too late for Bracken et al to do anything. Mick Lewis now has the dubious distinction of the worst bowling figures in One Day Games. Apart from Nathan Bracken who seemed like the only one who did not panic, the rest of the Aussie bowlers were guilty of bowling too full and too wide on most occasions. This sure should reduce all the clamor about the South Africans being 'Chokers". At least for now it should be stop.

In the Aussie innings, all the batsmen did their bit in particular Ponting (160) and Hussey (81) were outstanding. The South Africans also seemed lost while bowling. The pitch at Wanderers was as flat as a pancake. It was an absolute batsman's paradise. A pretty consistent one though, unlike a few that change dramatically in the second innings.

We do have to give credit to both teams for making this a memorable match, although only the Proteas go home elated. And they are going into the Test Series with a huge psychological boost. Although that a completely different ball game.

posted by Sreedhar @ Sunday, March 12, 2006 0 Comments

Saturday, March 11, 2006

Australian Spirit...

Just watched the Aussies come back from the brink of defeat about three times in the same game. The resilience and tenacity exhibited by Ponting's men is amazing. Completely at sea in the first two games. Now with their skipper back to lead them, they have come back like the Phoenix.

This team has come back from 2-0 down to level the ongoing One-day series against South Africa. With the series at 2-2, the pressure is well and truly on the Proteas to win this one, to avoid critics saying that they are the eternal "chokers" of world cricket.

But, what a game this fourth one was!!! Andrew Symonds had the game in absolute control, when he lost his head and tried to smash Telemachus out of the Kings mead Oval. And Roger promptly rattled his furniture. Stuart Clark smashed four at the right time to keep them in the game. It all came to the final over when they needed 2 runs to win and the South Africans need one wicket. The first a low full toss (an attempted yorker) was sent through mid-wicket to get the 2 runs and secure victory to the Aussies, who thoroughly deserved it.

Watching this game and the way cricketers run across the wickets to ensure that they are between the ball and the wicket had me thinking. If Inzamam was out "Obstructing the field", then surely so are all the batsmen who run across to get into the path of the ball on its way to hitting the stumps. If a batsman is running in a manner so as to stop the ball from hitting the stumps it must be wrong, coz that is what Inzamam was doing, stopping the ball from going towards the stumps intentionally. Not that I condone what Inzamam did. Hope the ICC is looking into this.

posted by Sreedhar @ Saturday, March 11, 2006 0 Comments