5 Reasons to Remember Tendulkar

And so it has finally happened, Sachin Tendulkar is actually going to retire.

It was nice of the BCCI to rig a nice friendly home series against the cuddly West Indies instead of having to enjoy his farewell cake against the demonic Dale Steyn, a series of ducks does not make an ideal farewell.

But in truth, this man does deserve to go out in any way he wishes.  In terms of the great things he has achieved you can number crunch all day and talk about the smashed batting records, but there is much more to Sachin Tendulkar and these are the things he should really be remembered for:

1. Surviving This Long
Maybe he should have retired already, but nonetheless to still be playing is truly something to behold. The man is 40 years old and debuted at 16, a 24 year old career which began in 1989 before most current players even worked out how to hold a bat.

Tendulkar 1994 © msn.com

Indian U-19 Team 1994

The young often promise a lot and fizzle out (Irfan Pathan) while others get fat and fizzle out (Sehwag), cricketing is a physically and mentally demanding sport. For Tendulkar to keep delivering for this long is a feat that only FedEx can match.

2. Being The One Man Team
Once upon a time India didn't have a team, they had a bunch of guys who turned up to play every now and then and casually fell apart any other day except when playing Pakistan. There was nobody around to help around and they were led by the corruption king Azharuddin. It was Sachin or nothing.

He soldiered on despite having no support from team mates and administration alike and having the weight of a billion fans expecting miracles every game. No cricketer in history has had that much weight on their shoulders, and he survived.

3. Being the First to 200
We live in a crazy world where 434 has been gunned down and Chris Gayle nearly hit a double century in a T20 slog.  But we mustn't forget that the first man to 200 in an ODI was in fact Sachin, yes I know I wouldn't talk about records but I think its significant that it was an old-school cricketer that broke the barrier before anyone else.

And this was despite Dhoni's best efforts to steal all the strike and leave him stranded! Yes that really happened, the Indian crowds booed while he kept rotating the strike back to himself.  Since then though Sehwag has also done it and many others will. Dhawan and Kohli are making 350 look easy and an average joe like Rohit Sharma is the latest to join the 200 club.  Even Dhoni is beginning to question all the extra help the modern day batsman gets, and by george he's got a point.

4. Winning the World Cup
Many will recall my good friend Dhoni being the 'star' of the 2011 World Cup victory, when in reality apart from that World Cup final knock (where he was outscored anyway) he did basically nothing but manage bowling changes and handle the press.

After a whopping six attempts at it, Tendulkar finally got there. In most World Cups he was immense (lets just forget about 2007) and in 2011 he made centuries against England and South Africa and crucial fifties in the quarter and semi finals. These two matches were much closer than many might care to remember, only he and Yuvraj had a clue against Australia and only him alone in that bizarre slop of a match against Pakistan.

5. Being A True Sportsman
The closest thing Tendulkar ever got to showing dissent was at the famous Bucknor flop in Brisbane 2003, and even then it was a brief look of astonishment before tucking his bat under the wing and walking off quietly.

That was him, no fuss, no back chat, the only thing that ever talked was that swishing blade of his. Its fair to say that he is the most respected opponent bowlers ever faced, even the potty mouthed Glenn McGrath generally had nothing to say to him directly.



Sachin Tendulkar is the last member of the class of the 2000s that rose India from shame to glory, they were the gentlemen Indian cricketers of the yesteryear and they will be missed. It is a shame that a group of talented but arrogant brats are replacing them.

Tendulkar the cricketer will always be remembered, but Tendulkar the sportsman should be remembered even more fondly.

The Dhoni Rollercoaster

Mahendra Singh Dhoni. The biggest name in Indian cricket bar Sachin Tendulkar. His rise to the top is nothing short of extraordinary, scaling heights in a manner that would make any rock climber blush. Literally he went from zero to the top in five years, and on the way acquiring magic powers that no other cricketer can boast:

• Choosing when to play (in order of revenue).
• Choosing where to bat (#3 if the score is 200-1, #7 otherwise for a guaranteed not-out).
• Halting a review system that the entire cricketing world embraced.
• Turning a god awful slap into a famous "helicopter shot".
• Starting a hairstyle trend.
• Being immune to criticism and the axe.
• Being the only captain allowed to keep the same IPL team (hence winning).
• Getting umpires fired at will.

There is no denying one thing, Dhoni is a very shrewd character. With well thought out batting promotions, deadpan media interviews and a controversy free life outside cricket, he managed to climb his way to the very top of everybody's praise list. Proudly he stands at the top of Everest while other more worthy cricketers tried and failed at hill tops.

Lets take a ride of the Dhoni Rollercoaster and experience the meteoric rise (and fall).

BANG!

Dhoni announces himself as a young buck with a mullet and a ferocious bat swing, clubbing a fun filled 148 off 123 deliveries, and that too against Pakistan. The very definition of raw batting, and being a wicket-keeper, that's Parthiv Patel and Dinesh Karthik in the dustbin. 

The realist says: Hah check this guy out! If he really can keep wickets, then he'll have a bright career as our own Mark Boucher. Good signs.

BANG!

That same year Dhoni makes mince of Vaas, Murali and friends with a bulldozing 183 off 145 deliveries, including an astonishing ten sixes. Tendulkar made 3 that day, his presence barely registering as Dhoni  scooped up the man of the series award and a contract with the BCCI. He's here to stay.

The realist says: Hmm that was a double century beckoning, thwarted only by lack of runs for the chase. Maybe we have a serious limited overs weapon here, albeit an India-only one.

Dhoni #1 in ODIs! 

After bashing around the Pakistani's yet again, this time in lower order match winners, Dhoni marched onto the #1 ranking in one-day internationals. There is no looking back now for the wonder boy from Jharkhand.

The realist says: What the heck, how did that happen? Boy do these ICC rankings change quickly, suddenly he is a better batsman than Ponting! Lets just mention that out of his first 43 games, a convenient 5 were outside of the sub-continent batting friendly pitches. A few more overseas tours and things will level out.

Captain Dhoni to the Rescue!

The young guns of India rally and defeat the very best of the twenty 20 world and take away their first world cup since the famous 1983 victory. Dhoni was the man in charge, and with the help of Yuvraj Singh's bat, RP Singh's swing and a ridiculously dumb Misbah-ul-Haq shot, a young India won in grand style. Dhoni was hailed a hero, and finally we have a captain!

The realist says: Whoa now hang on a minute, Dhoni contributed little to nothing with the bat, and took HUGE gambles which through sheer luck paid off (Joginder Sharma is rubbish). By a combination of injuries and selection woes, in other words, purely by process of elimination, he got the job. You can't be serious about him taking over as captain? This is T20 cricket!

Dhoni Defeats The Mighty Aussies!

For the first time, ever, India take home the CB series in Australia led by the inspirational Dhoni. He promoted himself on various occasions and chipped in with sensible singles, putting to bed the Dhoni of old who would try and blast the bowling into oblivion. Great maturity and class to help bring down the mighty cricketing empire, in their own back yard.

The realist says: Granted that Dhoni helped out here and there, it was Gambhir and Sachin who really played the crucial hands. This was an impressive landmark victory, but it had a lot to do with the ageing Australia contributing to their own downfall with a tired performance. Dhoni's timing to become captain was truly immaculate, luck!

Dhoni ICC ODI Player of the Year - For Two Years!

There is no better limited overs cricketer than Dhoni in 2008 and 2009, mastering the art of switching between dynamic aggression and controlled finishing, he has become the new Michael Bevan of cricket. Add to that a great test record including four centuries, truly our best wicket-keeper batsman in history!

The realist says: Here's a fun fact, only around 30% of his ODI's are played outside of the subcontinent, and less than half the test matches. Here's another one, Dhoni has never scored a century outside Asia, in any format, ever. Definitely a decent player but bit of a stretch to call him number one in the world.

Dhoni leads India to #1 Test Ranking!

For the first time ever India has a formidable test team. Actually managing to win a few overseas tests, they secured some important results in England, New Zealand and South Africa, and of course beating the Australians *once again* at home. Dhoni is the perfect captain with an unbeaten test record, and life is good.

The realist says: Lets not forget that the Australians are falling apart like a house made of hay. Admittedly the Indians are playing good test cricket and deserve their ranking, but the real heroes are the Laxman's and Dravid's who time and again have saved them from the dead. At one time there were four ex-captains in the team with Dhoni, who really is just a happy passenger.

Dhoni wins the World Cup!

Finally, undisputed champions of the ODI world! Dhoni's place in the hall of fame is all but guaranteed as he lifted the World Cup for the second time in India's history. The road to the final included beating defending champions Australia and the red hot Pakistani and Sri Lankan teams. There is no question that in the reins of Dhoni, life is a million bucks (literally). Bring on England!

The realist says: Apart from the final where he stole Yuvraj Singh's job (another shrewd self promotion folks), his other major contributions to the cup was complaining about the DRS system and being the first guy to the podium. For goodness sake can we stop attributing *everything* to him!

CRASH

Dhoni leads an unfit and unprepared bunch to the English shores, chock full of opposition players brimming with skill and confidence, and a hunger to be number one. What followed as a 4-0 drubbing so ridiculous, so embarrassing that not one excuse washed with anybody, even the Indian media. There is a gentle hush around Indian cricket, suddenly Ravi Shastri has nothing to say and everyone sits back in suspended disbelief. All that build up for this massive anticlimax?

The realist says: Feeling the pinch of gravity are we?

What lies ahead?

After that fierce ride up, Indian cricket is zooming back down at breakneck speeds, Dhoni in the front seat. Will it rush back up and meeting more twists and corkscrews? Or will the rollercoaster continue to run its course and come to a crashing halt?

Dhoni is by no means a poor cricketer, he is at best a decent keeper with good temperament and the ability to play a useful innings in helpful batting conditions. Yet instead, he has propelled himself to all sorts of heights and achievements.

Luck my friends, and a lot of it. The true test of his rollercoaster ride is about to begin.


All stats courtesy of Cricinfo.com
All images courtesy of Getty Images and AFP

The Cricket World Cup 2011 Oscars

Its awards time at The Cricket Musings! This is an opportunity to commemorate the stand out performances of the 2011 world cup, be it good, bad or quirky. The judge and jury will be yours truly, however no physical awards will be handed out, as we believe cricketers are paid quite enough. Lets begin.

The Most Annoying Celebration Award
Winner - Harbhajan Singh
Removed Afridi in the semi-final with an off-stump full toss that deserved to be smashed over extra cover for six. We saw instead the token Afridi miscue, and Bhajji going off in a bizarre screaming, head twirling, seizure style celebration. Most of his wickets in the tournament came off average to rubbish deliveries.

Honorable Mention
The famous Afridi "bow before me" pose.


The Dodgy Hairstyle Award
Winner - Sreesanth
An horrid cross between Don King and Edward Scissorhands. After playing two games and getting tonked everywhere, this is the only accolades he will get.

Boo. © AFP

The Two-Face Award
Winner - Ross Taylor
The man who turned it all around for New Zealand. Should have been out twice, and looked woeful for most of his innings, before unleashing a hulk style assault on the hapless Pakistanis. Never before had I seen such a dramatic turn around in one mans innings.

Honorable Mentions

Umar Gul - From demon to deck scrubber in no time at all. Picked the worst game to do it as well.

Kamran Akmal - Also made the quick switch from iron gloves to good keeper, no surprises to see two Pakistani's nominated for this one.

The Houdini Award
Winner - Ireland
Ireland were fighting hard chasing a huge total, but never looked like winning at the halfway stage, with the odds 400-1 for an Irish win. Enter big burly Kevin O'Brien, who unleashed an onslaught so unbelievable it became the grandstand for the biggest upset of the world cup.

Honorable Mention
New Zealand - Didn't deserve to even get close against a South Africa side that appeared to be cruising along. Enter some brilliant catching, fielding and sledging, and the gritty Kiwi's sent the highly fancied team packing.

The Anticlimax Award
Winner - Pakistan
For their failure to turn up in what should have been the match of the tournament. Thank you for ruining the match with atrocious fielding and shot selection, and also for robbing Shoaib Akhtar of a final hurrah. I have massive doubts over the legitimacy of all this, but that can of worms can be opened another day. Special mention also to Razzaq, who disappointingly didn't produce any batting miracle we know he can give us.


The Irony Award
Winner - Saeed Ajmal and Harbhajan Singh
For delivering a perfect doosra to the very man who endorsed it. Poetic really.


The Umpire Howler Award
Winner - Amiesh Saheba
For denying Nathan McCullum what was a clean catch, and costing New Zealand crucial momentum in that match. Disgraceful.

Honorable Mention - Bruce Oxenford
The Gary Wilson situation, where the batsman was deemed to have not been playing a shot and given LBW, though he clearly was. Don't blame the technology, blame the moron behind it. Secondly, why not just do away with this stupid rule, if the ball will hit the stumps, it will hit the stumps. Period.


Best Quote
Winner - Waqar Younis
When asked the difference between Kamran Akmal and Michael Jackson, i.e. they both wear gloves for no reason, the reply was "The difference is one is dead". Brilliant, albeit not very politically correct.

Honorable Mention - Darren Sammy
Putting Graeme Swann's typical English whining in it's place, "... if there is dew, just get a towel and wipe the ball, simple".

The Sammy Swagger never made it on the field though. © Getty Images

Best Piece Of Fielding
Winner - Chris Mpofu
For a stunning throw from the boundary that crashed into the stumps and sent a comfortable Ponting on his way. Inadvertently led to a poor LCD TV feeling Punters wrath.

Honorable Mentions
Nathan McCullum - For that aforementioned catch that was wrongly denied.
Jesse Ryder - For a stunning diving catch that sent the dangerous Upul Tharanga on his way. Big man or not, he can move all right.
Jacob Oram - The catch that turned the match. Removing Kallis in the quarter final was one of the huge blows for South Africa. Notice how there are three kiwi's on this list?


Best Bowling Performance
Winner - Dale Steyn 5 wickets for 50 runs vs India
Blew away the hapless Indian lower order to bring back South Africa from what should have been a slaughtering. He is a brilliant fast bowler wasted on dead tracks.

Honorable Mentions
Tim Bresnan 5 for 48 vs India  - Similar situation to Steyn, crucially held it together to ensure that the Indian onslaught did not end up at 400.
Ravi Rampaul 5 for 51 vs India - Awesome performance for a man who was initially left out, it should have been a match winning one too.
Shahid Afridi 4 for 34 vs Sri Lanka - This performance in Sri Lanka's back yard was a towering pillar on the night, amazing how it all just disappears when it counts the most.


Best Individual Innings
Winner - Kevin O'Brien 113 vs England
Incredible stuff from the big man against the old enemy. World records aside, what made this knock special was the underdog context behind it.

Honorable Mentions
Mahela Jayawardene 103 vs India - Beautifully crafted this innings with only silken, delightful stroke-play and deserved to be a winning masterpiece.
Ross Taylor 134 vs Pakistan - As mentioned earlier, this incredible innings seemed to restore the hunger and self belief that drove New Zealand to the semi finals.
Virender Sehwag 175 Bangladesh - The warning to the world. Sehwag got the revenge he desired by bullying a capable Bangladeshi attack on their home turf.
Andrew Strauss 158 vs India - A classy, correct innings that got the world to notice England, too bad he got reduced to a bumbling mess in their quarter final exit.

Best Utility
Winner - Yuvraj Singh 
Put away all the flashy stuff and eased himself to controlled, match winning half centuries. Also had the golden arm in the tournament, putting Bhajji to shame by bowling tight, getting turn and picking up timely wickets. Even his fielding was back to his younger days (almost).

Honorable Mentions
The New Zealand Team - They are the definition of utility players. A failure with the bat or ball doesn't mean the end of their day, and when the whole machine fits together, they are only a Crowe or a Hadlee short of a champion team.
Trent Johnson - Was his usual old self, tonking useful runs, taking sharp catches and snapping up crucial wickets. Records will never show how valuable this guy is.


Best Fielding Unit
Winner - New Zealand
By a country mile. Their catching and ground fielding was absolutely peerless, and South Africa more than anyone know the reward what brilliant fielding can bring. The difference between being a crashed out quarter finalist, and a respected semi-finalist.


Best Match
Winner - England vs Ireland
*That* match again, enough has been said about it already.

Honorable Mentions
India vs England - But for the underdog status of the Irish, this would have been the match of the tournament. 
India vs South Africa - Another frantic match that ebbed and flowed more than the stock markets. A real lesson on how to stop a batting juggernaut.
South Africa vs England - The choke that got them worried.
South Africa vs New Zealand - The choke that sent them home.


Best Overall Bowler
Winner - Zaheer Khan
By a country mile. He is no more the fiery quick of 2003 or the one who got manhandled by Tamim Iqbal in 2007. He has developed a Vaas-like guile and control to his bowling, and without him, India would not have won the world cup. Make no mistake about that.

Dishonorable Mention
Afridi may have equalled the wicket tally with Zaheer, but ripping through Canada and Kenya doesn't count, thank you very much.


Best Overall Batsman
Winner - Sachin Tendulkar
This choice was surprisingly easy. Dilshan may have more runs, but look at the context of the performances. Given the collapses that followed, the centuries against England and South Africa were invaluable. His half century against Australia was of the highest order, and as ugly as his Pakistan knock was, it was the difference between 260 and 160. Much like Zaheer, his presence was a big reason why India came out victorious.

The image that will be etched in the memories of 2011. © AFP

This tournament truly was a festival of cricket, providing the full array of skills and plenty of thrilling moments. Well done to the participants, for providing a fantastic and memorable world cup, be it through mighty ability, or moments of ineptitude. Farewell also to Muralitharan, who was one match shy of the grand exit he richly deserved.

World Cup 2011 - The Blue Era Begins

And so after three consecutive world cups, and over ten years of uncontested dominance, we have a new team crowned winners. I have made it no secret that I am no fan of this Indian team, but its time for a quiet admission on my part through clenched teeth. India deserve to be crowned champions. 

It also invited bad puns. © Associated Press

India had their usual misfields, but Sri Lanka had more. India had poor backup bowlers, but Sri Lanka's were worse. The first innings was a scramble around the brilliant Jayawardene. The run chase, barring the first few overs, was precise, restrained and quality batting. One can harp on about dropped catches, injuries and leaving Mendis out (some even dare to say that Sangakkara cheated at the toss), but it came down to a very simple fact, the better team won.


Are They The Best In The World?
Yes, despite their flaws. While they were sloppy throughout, you cannot argue with results, their only loss was narrowly to South Africa. The ease in which they got over the final, with who was without doubt the number two team really highlights this. As much as I hunted for excuses for the Sri Lankan's losing, there were none.

It of course helped that this all took place on dead home pitches, and they probably will struggle more outside of the subcontinent. But that is no reason to begrudge them, every series or world cup is held at some venue, and a home side will have an advantage. Its part of the game.


Are They Better Than The Australian Empire?
Absolutely not. Not even close actually. The Australians were magnificent, they would field eleven top class players with no apparent weakness in any department. Think six Tendulkars, three Zaheers, a Sangakkara and a Murali, who all field like Raina and Dilshan. Scary wasn't it. They could have fielded a second eleven and beat most world teams, such was their depth.

India and Sri Lanka emerged on top because the Aussie fortress collapsed (well, retired), not the other way around. I honestly believe that the Indian team of 2003 is equal, if not stronger than this one, and we all saw what happened to them.

Ouch. © Neil Lane

There is a long way to go before any team is as good as these guys were.

Why We Thank India's Victory
They bring in the numbers, of that there is no doubt. They were excellent hosts of this tournament, and the event was a big success. With the Indians backing it up, at least we can be rest assured that the fifty over game is in safe hands. They didn't "IPL" the game thankfully and left it in its own, mostly original and glorious form.

India is also one to embrace other teams I feel. Out of sheer numbers, smaller teams such as Ireland will get their supporters, particularly with a few of them featuring in the IPL already, along their first Dutch player to join them this year. All cricket lovers cannot deny that a strong Indian fan base and their passion is great for the sport.

Why We Regret India's Victory
The overindulgence has already begun. The amount of money that gets poured into the game is truly astounding, with each player receiving a 1 crore bonus ($200,000 USD roughly). It doesn't sound like much, but 1 crore in India is more than what the average man will ever see in his lifetime. Worse still given that half the team were average, if not poor throughout the tournament. They simply do not know when to stop, especially with money. The BCCI are already powerful, with having more control over cricket than the ICC itself, this victory means more power.

Too much power is never good.

The hero worship is almost laughingly bad, with patriotic film songs booming throughout the game as if India was welcoming a victorious army on independence day. All that was left really was Aamir Khan to jump out onto the pitch and win the match Lagaan style with "Mere Desh Ki Dharti" running in the background (to the non-Indian readers, something like Queen's "We Are The Champions").

And you need to be in, or have been to India to see just how far the endorsements go, with cricket players all over clothing labels, Pepsi ads, hair gel, even this monstrosity from Nike:

Get used to it folks, cricket will indeed bleed blue for the coming years.

World Cup 2011 - India vs Pakistan, The Battle Of The Two Losers

What. Was. That.

I have just witnessed, without doubt, the most bizzare semi-final match for as long as I have been watching the game. Compelling and interesting? Absolutely. But never have I seen two semi final teams so unskilled, so inept, so utterly determined to lose the match. Everything from ball one to ball six hundred was shrouded with nothing but chaos, with only a handful of bowlers deserving to compete at this level. Here are the many reasons why:

The Gul Trash
I can blame the opening exchanges on nerves, and Sehwag has taken apart his fair share of good bowlers. However his comeback spell was equally abysmal. Full tosses, wides, no-balls, what was going on? Pakistan's leading bowler became its leading liability.

The "Fielding"
Both teams are a disgrace on the park, India only marginally better on the night. The commentators will naturally refuse to highlight it, but Pakistan, aside from dropping Tendulkar four times (!) leaked 20-30 runs with a combination of leisurely and amateurish efforts. A startling drop given the fantastic benchmark set by all the other world cup sides.

This isn't the Hot Potato world cup. © AFP

The Ugly Tendulkar
I like Sachin Tendulkar, but if his innings went on to result in this hundredth international century, it would be an insult to the man. I have never seen him play such an ungainly innings. As one rash shot followed another, he would have realized that the freebies would have been snapped up by any other fielding unit in this world cup. That includes Kenya. He was completely clueless against Saeed Ajmal in particular, and I have no idea how that LBW shout was shown to be missing leg stump. Hand over your Man of the Match award to Wahab Riaz thanks.

The Suicidal Indian Batting
The so-called best batting unit in the world, were anything but. The trio of Gambhir, Kohli and Dhoni were prodding, poking, and needlessly charging the impressive but not impossible bowling attack. Add to that, Bhajji getting the same doosra treatment he endorses and comical swinging for glory by Zaheer Khan to leave Raina, the real batsman stranded. IPL batting at its worst, 260 could have easily been 160.

The Run Chase From Hell
There were no demons in the pitch, and the Indian bowlers were tight at best. Apart from peaches that removed Razzaq and Umar Akmal, the other batsman have no excuses. Hafeez's paddle sweep attempt, to a Munaf Patel ball that was a meter outside off stump was inexcusable. Younis and Misbah ensured that the required run rate soared above eight and beyond when it should never have reached six. Batting powerplays too are overrated it seems, Afridi preferring to hoick a Harbhajan full toss to nowhere and seal the loss.

But Above All...
Where was the aggression! What happened to the rivalry, the competition, the history! All the players out there were lumbering around, smiling and grinning like it was a Sunday morning tea party. They might as well have held hands and had a sing-along. My thoughts turned to wishing that it was all a bad dream, one big joke before the real match started. Alas no.

"How are the wife and kids?" © AFP 

We were treated to a fantastic contest in the first semi final between New Zealand and Sri Lanka, the true meaning of a playoff match. Two teams desperate to win, playing to their peaks and not giving the opposition an inch. This contest should have trumped that, but instead we got the sloppiest match of the cup, two teams playing under a false pretense that they are champion sides.

Anything but a Sri Lankan world cup victory will be an insult to cricket, regardless of who won today. There were no winners today, India lost, Pakistan lost, cricket lost.

World Cup 2011 - The Dream Semi-Final Preview

With the quarter finals dusted, for a fleeting moment, all other things in cricket will be insignificant. History won't matter, the other teams won't matter, the looming grand finale won't matter. Nothing matters but this moment, the two biggest rivals in international cricket, the biggest of all grudge matches, the one that promises to be the greatest semi final clash of all time. That moment, bearing down upon us, is India vs Pakistan.

Who will be left standing? © AFP 

The Last Meeting
They last met nearly a year ago in Sri Lanka in an Asia Cup match, with Harbhajan smashing a six off the penultimate delivery to clinch a tight thriller. The second last encounter was half a year before that, with Pakistan throwing India out of the Champions Trophy thanks to a Shoaib Malik century. Curiously neither Malik or India's best batsman on the day, Rahul Dravid, are in this world cup. These two have not been playing frequently, and like caged panthers are eager to get at each other.


The Last World Cup Meeting
Believe it or it, it was eight years ago when Sachin Tendulkar tore apart an attack that read Wasim, Waqar, Shoaib, Razzaq and Afridi. That game too was after a massive gap between the teams, and it was one of the most memorable world cup thrashings anyone can remember. India went on to race to the final while a strong Pakistan outfit were sent crashing home.


The Last World Cup Meeting In India
Track back to 1996, in another spectacular match in Bangalore. India for once played as a team (did somebody say corruption?), and set Pakistan a decent total. Aamir Sohail and Saeed Anwar began carving the Indian bowling in such a brutal manner that the Chinnaswamy was rendered laughingly mute. Until this happened.

The mother of all brain explosions, and the rest as they say is history (of course, until this happened not long after).


Where Does India Stand?
India continue to deceive. Sachin Tendulkar has been saving their batting from blushes, with the likes of Sehwag and Gambhir relying on the slog-out-of-trouble, and the lower order in pure unadulterated IPL mode, barring the steady Yuvraj Singh. Zaheer meanwhile is rescuing their bowling, disguising how woefully inept Munaf, Harbhajan and most of their fielding is. Don't let the Indian commentators fool you, this is a team running on three players. Much of India's success came down to opposition failures.

Where Does Pakistan Stand?
I never thought I would call this side balanced, but they are bowling beautifully, with a varied and classy bowling attack. Notice how they actually turn the ball (take note Sanjay Manjrekar, and stop kidding yourself with Bhajji). They field adequately, but only an inch ahead of India, and the batting has been just enough, albeit nothing impressive. One must never forget though that this is a team containing Afridi, Razzaq and Umar Akmal, if even one of them has a good day, India do not have the bowlers to do anything about it. Afridi to open maybe?

The Clashes
Forget Sam Worthington, in the battlefield of cricket we have the following titanic match ups to savour:

Gul vs Tendulkar/Sehwag
How will India's big guns at the top respond to controlled and quality pace bowling? If Shoaib gets a crack at them too, it will be a great opening gambit.


Afridi vs Yuvraj, and Yuvraj vs Afridi
A unique contest, the bowler who pretends to bat versus the batsman who pretends to bowl. Who is the bigger pretender? We also have the Bollywood Superstar (BS) Award, with Afridi the hot favorite.


Kamran Akmal vs His Hands
What a crucial battle this is! Will Kamran's hands be made of cast iron? Will he rattle up the local heroes with his sharp tongue? Will we see 'The Face'?

© Getty Images

Razzaq vs Everyone
And in the background, quietly minding his own business, the Silent Assassin looms. The stage is certainly ripe for the ninja to strike.


Who Will Win?
Forget the form books. Given that this is an India-Pakistan match, each of the players will find an extra 10% from somewhere. It will be unpredictable, it will be intense, it will be turbo charged. The Pakistani PM will be there, along with the token slew of Bollywood actors, some on the field. I don't know who will win, and to be honest, does it even matter?












Forgetting Something?
Fine fine, Sri Lanka to beat New Zealand in a 2007 semi final rematch.

World Cup 2011 - One Empire Falls, Others Stay Down

We said our goodbyes to the minnows, now it is time to watch the big names in cricket to depart from world cup 2011, to face their media at home and heal the scars over the next four years. The teams that left us however were no small fries, these were four of the biggest nations of the game.

West Indies
What can anyone say about these guys. They did a Bangladesh on us for a little while, flattering to deceive, convincing us that after throwing away winning positions against England and India, that they at least had the mettle for a fight.

Lies, all lies.

We have seen it for ten years. The fun, futile Gayle bash, the classic Chanderpaul grind, and the others blown away like the first two little pigs. Dumping players does not replace lack of mental strength, I see no answer. This once proud cricketing nation will continue fumbling about in its own ruins.

Australia
This is the end of the Aussies, the final nail in the coffin. Having already lost the prized ashes both home and away, they never looked like retaining crickets holy grail for a fourth time. Savour this moment:

© Associated Press

It is symbolic in many ways, the wounded Australian, fighting tooth and nail to only come up short. We hadn't seen this in the Australian empire that lasted nearly fifteen years, Australian sides almost never came up short. Ponting played his ugliest, most determined hundred of his career, the others around him simply lacked the skill to cope. One might even feel sympathetic, if they were not so brash and abrasive when on top.

Rather than the grinning, leaping Australians, we have crunched eyebrows and chin scratching amidst Salman Khan impersonations behind them. The powers have shifted from the arrogant empire to the Bollywood empire.

South Africa
I did warn South Africa, but even I was surprised at the clockwork. The key ingredients were a freak Amla dismissal (sheer dumb luck), some outstanding fielding and a de Villiers run out worthy of mention among the Klusener of 99. From that point on it was just a matter of bowling tight, holding catches, and watching South Africa machine disintegrate in its own madness.

 A pinch of salt for your wound? © Associated Press

Sledging is fun to watch, but I don't agree one bit about this war of words from New Zealand. For a team renowned for its sportmanship, often only that, this is just getting a bit silly. There is no need to slide back into the Adam Parore days, in which the Black Caps were essentially Australia in disguise, minus the wins. These two teams have a history of getting on each others nerves, probably starting out when Fleming really getting under the skin of a young Graeme Smith. Maybe that had something to do with it?

But that's hardly the point here. The point is that South Africa have never won a world cup playoff match. Ever. Since their return to cricket in the early 90's, there has been no such thing as a weak South African team. They are rightfully gobsmacked, as we all are, how can they simply fail to win, every single time? This is the empire which has done nothing but underachieved.


England
Will make like the English football team and bemoan their injury list as their token excuse for 2011, but there are no excuses. They never had the strength, mentally or skillfully, to win this world cup. The way Strauss in particular heaved and ho'd like the drunken master really illustrated where they are at right now.

Heading in this direction.

Losing by ten wickets, especially with a 200+ score, is inexcusable really. This is the nation that gave birth to this game, their ODI status has remained constant for many a year. They will always remain a collection of top county cricketers and overseas players rather than anything resembling a team.

World Cup 2011 - The Playoffs Preview

The pool play has descended to a close. The business end of the world cup has begun.

In terms of the top eight, there are few surprises here, with only Ireland posing a true challenge (Bangladesh posing a fake one). South Africa and Pakistan, despite one choke each, look the most well rounded and consistent of the lot. Of the rest, only Sri Lanka look composed, the others are a complete lottery. This is quite easily the most open playoffs in any of the previous world cups. Even though the matches could well turn out one sided, predicting four winners is a very tough ask. Lets try it anyway.

Pakistan vs West Indies
The Paper Says..
Pakistan will no doubt be hungry for a semi final showdown against India, and showed against Australia that most of the cogs are operating smoothly, with batting and K.Akmal being the only real questions. The West Indies have the players to win the whole thing, but fail to win the mental battle and easily throwing away good starts.

Key Player
Umar Gul is definitely wide awake in this tournament, and has troubled just about every team he has come up against. He is the sort of guy that can rip apart a flaky middle order, and the West Indies are pretty flaky at best.


Dark Horse
Kieron Pollard. One just gets the feeling that this could be his day. He only really got going with the bat against Ireland, and a Pollard special could end up separating the two teams. Special mention also to Darren Bravo, a volcano waiting to erupt.


Predicted Winner: Pakistan


India vs Australia

The Paper Says..

This could be the match of the tournament. Both teams are potential winners, at least in their own minds. Both have glaring flaws which should prevent them from winning it all. Both are arrogant, hungry, and determined not to lose at any cost. Is your mouth watering yet? Lets just hope there is no watering from the rain gods.

Key Player
Brett Lee. He was the only one really troubling the Pakistanis, and his solid run of form should give the Indians plenty to think about. Especially given that he can extract bounce, one of the key weaknesses among the Indian batsmen. (Remember the last T20 world cup?).

Dark Horse
R. Ashwin. He looked good against the West Indies, gave Australia problems in the warm up game, and they have a history of struggling with new spinners.

Like when this guy used to actually take wickets. © AFP

Predicted Winner: Australia to lose, rather than India to win

South Africa vs New Zealand

The Paper Says..

Everyone is predicting an absolute walkover here. In theory there is no reason at all why New Zealand should challenge this outfit, which is superior from #1 to #11. That is exactly why South Africa should beware. Complacency, and dare I say choking, certainly looms here. New Zealand have nothing to lose, have a team full of pocket rockets, and could very easily pull a surprise. They could also very easily crumble into a heap. This is the hardest game to call.

Key Player

Dale Steyn. He could turn this match into a farce very quickly. New Zealand's best ploy would be to counter attack him a la Sehwag, otherwise its goodnight.

Dark Horse

Brendon McCullum. Can he do what Stephen Fleming did in 2003? He is due for a good score against a good opponent, it is just a matter of time before his mad swinging finally clicks. If it really is his day, then New Zealand could quite easily chalk up the 300.

Predicted Winner: South Africa

Sri Lanka vs England

The Paper Says..

This bunch reminds me of the English football team. Lots of hype and promise and so little deliverance. They have been a poor show in this tournament, only turning up for half a game or not at all. They simply don't deserve to beat the well rounded and disciplined Sri Lankan team. 

Key Player

Kumar Sangakkara. He is in prime form and all eyes will be on him to lead from the front. Psychologically he is the wicket that England should be targeting, if there is a chink in the armour, it is in the middle/lower batting order.

Dark Horse

Eoin Morgan. He is the annoying type of player that can suddenly turn a match and steal it from under your nose. It is a mystery why he was not selected in the first place, but now that he is back in the team and due for a big score, he could be the one to cause an upset.

Predicted Winner: Sri Lanka

The Bottom Line
I don't think I have been this excited over a cricketing contest in many many years, possibly ever. The big teams have been locked in, every match is a do or die, and everybody has a chance to win. There is only one more thing left to say really.

Let the games begin.

Images courtesy of Getty Images, AFP and Associated Press, via Cricinfo.com

World Cup 2011 - New Zealand Defeated By Murali and Stupidity

It was business as usual really. New Zealand fielded hard and restricted Sri Lanka to a gettable 265, only to be thwarted by Murali and friends and falling well short. Looking at the scorecard alone it all looked pretty innocuous and predictable, but for one incident.


The Moment
Jayawardene was bogged down for a number of overs, and the run rate was really going nowhere. Nathan McCullum finally drew the mistake, gobbling up a miscue with the catch of the tournament.

Gotcha. ©Getty Images

But Did He!?
Jayawardene stood his ground, and the umpires went upstairs. The replay was reasonably conclusive and everyone, myself and commentators included, was expecting the finger. But alas it was given not out! McCullum and Taylor (surprisingly animated) gave the umpire and Jayawardene a good spray. Simon Doull had a good rant on air while Russell Arnold amusingly wanted nothing to do with it. Where did it go wrong? Who is to blame for this blunder? Lets play judge.

1. Nathan McCullum
Took the catch and rightfully claimed it, before venting his frustrations when the decision was overturned. He did nothing wrong and has every reason to be annoyed. Remember that the person who best knows if the catch was clean is McCullum.
Verdict: Not Guilty

Isn't this a face you can trust? © Getty Images

2. Mahela Jayawardene
Did the right thing by standing his ground if he was unsure, but looking at the big screen should have been enough for him to realize that he was a goner. At the very least he should have gone up and asked the bowler what happened and walked based on his word.
Verdict: Accomplice To Crime


3. Asad Rauf
Was the umpire standing at the time. He did the right thing by going upstairs, but again lacked the backbone to make the rightful stand and send MJ on his way. Shrugging your shoulders was not the answer.
Verdict: Accomplice To Crime


4. Amiesh Saheba
The third umpire at the time, he had the luxury of getting all the replays and angles from upstairs, but you can only take the thirsty horse to the well...
Verdict: Accomplice To Crime


5. Common Sense
Or lack of it. It really goes to show once again that it doesn't matter how brilliant the technology is, having muppets using it will always lead to farces like this. What happened to cricket being a gentleman's game?
Verdict: The Real Culprit

World Cup 2011 - The Angry Punter

What on earth has happened to you Ricky Ponting!

A few years ago you were an unlikeable but admittedly top quality #3 who grinned away as your merry men cleaned up all the opponents and silverware. You marched on confident, cocksure, and usually cool headed barring the time you gave Duncan Fletcher an earful for abusing the substitute fielders rule (to be fair you had a point, and England still do it).

But how thats all changed. Losing pretty much your entire winning team exposed Michael Clarke, the 'future of Australian cricket' for what he really is, and it meant that you only had the irreplaceable Mike Hussey to help you out. The Ashes are gone, the Indians claim to be number one, the South Africans are no longer scared of you, it all went horribly wrong didn't it?

Come the 2011 World Cup, you returned from injury looking grizzled, beaten and demoralized. And above all, angry, with a real bee in your bonnet. Not that classic Steve Waugh kind which translates into runs, oh no, this is the frustrated, throwing-toys-out-of-your-pram anger. Your innings so far have been listless, often getting dismissed to poor shots, even when the match is in the bag. But lets see what really stood out:

The Mpofu Run-Out
Smashing up an LCD TV because you were run-out is probably not that new or surprising, given the Australian history of smashing stuff up in the name of 'venting'. Ian Chappell made me laugh hysterically when he asked people to get off your back, as if vandalizing public property is as right as rain. What truly amazed me was the fact that it was a brilliant throw that caused it. There was no mix up, no hesitation, you ran hard and went for a second, and you lost out.

What on earth are you venting for Mr. Ponting? Cursing a brilliant piece of cricket? Well gee, running with that  attitude would leave a fair few bashed up dressing rooms at the hands of your boys over the years wouldn't it now? For every McGrath edge? Every Warne LBW? Every one of your direct hits? Both you and Mr. Chappell need to grow up.

Stop playing QUALITY CRICKET! © dawn.com

The Steven Smith Spat
This was even more strange. It was a near collision with a team mate for a catch, happens a lot really. Usually players collide, dust themselves off and have a bit of a yarn about it. I've never seen somebody hurl the ball into the ground in blind fury and blast their own team mate! Again, justify the anger. You're angry because your fielder was hungry for the ball and looking for the catch? You're angry at a little extra commitment? He is a young man in your team, a fine role model you are.

How dare you attempt my catch. © adelaidenow.com.au

Keep throwing the fits Punter, give me a few free laughs before you and your boys head back home without a World Cup.

World Cup 2011 - The Final Scramble

So here we are with seven games left of pool play. If we discount two of the smaller games, that leaves five very important matches, important for some because it could mean advancing or heading home in misery, important for others because it will define the final pool standings (and who will get the 'easy games', if you could call them that). Lets take a look at whats at stake in the big five matches:

England vs West Indies
Importance: Very High
England lose, they go home. Do they deserve to go? I would say yes, you cannot turn up to a World Cup and only get up for the big matches. Losing to both Ireland and Bangladesh should mean that you are on your bike. The West Indies on the other hand have points to prove. They have brushed off the minnows, and now need to show the world they are not pretenders against the bigger boys.

Lets not forget the Gayle factor either. © Associated Press

New Zealand vs Sri Lanka
Importance: Medium
I mentioned earlier, Sri Lanka is not Pakistan. New Zealand, for incredibly odd reasons, have chosen to rest a mostly healthy Vettori and Mills. I can understand bubble wrapping some players, but surely for a team desperate to hold on to momentum you would want your fittest XI possible? Sri Lanka should get home here with Malinga being the difference.

Bangladesh vs South Africa
Importance: High
Bangladesh's date with destiny. If they win here, they will qualify, which is huge. Their best approach would be to apply a spin based choke, and then hopefully having a target small enough to chase down. Tamim has yet to really fire up, this could be his big game. South Africa on the other hand will be looking to top the table with a win here.

Australia vs Pakistan
Importance: High
Believe it or not, this could be Australia's only real big game before the playoffs, given that rain and inept batting played spoilsport earlier. This is a mouth watering contest between yin and yang, the well drilled and consistent Aussies versus the sublime-or-ridiculous Pakistanis. Impossible to call, but the winner will win huge psychological ground.

India vs West Indies
Importance: Medium
Both teams have more or less qualified, with the West Indies an outside chance of going home early. The real question is, who is the bigger pretender? India's are beginning to creak under their glaring weaknesses, while the West Indies have had flattering results and big players lying dormant. Roach will be key.

Chalk and Cheese - Indian Intent 1975 vs 2011

While the World Cup hits a another relatively 'slow patch', lets take a trip down memory lane.

1975. The year of the inaugural cricket world cup, a lot of pressure was on the tournament as this was the opportunity to truly realize the potential of the game.

2011. Present year world cup, facing a time where the ODI game faces a crisis (or does it?). Only time will tell if the game will be resurrected.

The similarity between the two world cups is that the opening match featured India on both occasions. Both matches were highlighted by the performance of their opening batsmen, but for entirely different reasons.

The Chalk

http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc_cricket_worldcup2011/engine/match/433558.html

Virender Sehwag. The opening match was against the fancied underdog Bangladesh, expected to present a decent challenge. As gung-ho as ever, he made some smug claims before this world cup. The result, in an electric atmosphere rained with staunch Bangladeshi support, was an aggressive and calculated destruction of the opposition bowling attack. The intent was absolutely clear, to bludgeon runs, and bludgeon with style.

When the dust settled, the gauntlet had been thrown, and the world took notice. Sehwag had 175 and India had 370. They meant business in a big way, and the world cup was lit up at the hands of one mans exuberance.

The Cheese

http://www.espncricinfo.com/ci/engine/match/65035.html

Sunil Gavaskar. The inaugural match was against a strong English side, who were up for the occasion with an attacking 334 set as the target (from 60 overs). What followed was the most bizarre ODI innings of all time. Gavaskar gave up the chase before a ball was bowled, but rather than sacrifice himself in pursuit of quick runs, he chose to bat through the innings, turtle style. In an absolute farcical effort, he held the bat, managing 36 from 174 deliveries. Mark Richardson in Sydney was Gayle-esque in comparison.

Gavaskar had hell to pay for, and to this day has not come up with a logical reason. Angry fans ensured their disapproval was heard, and some even invaded the pitch to directly question what the heck was going on.  

India went nowhere in that tournament, and the world cup copped an harsh blow at the hands of one mans madness.

The lesson is simple, half of cricket is mental. Positive intent and a strong mindset can add up to so much more.

Strength in simplicity. © Associated Press