Gambhir and Sehwag playing well Dhoni
Indian captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni praised his opening batsmen Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag for giving the team a flying start to lay the foundation for their 6 wicket win over Sri Lanka and they have given us some great starts in the competition and it has made the job of chasing big totals easier for us Dhoni said at the post match press conference. Sehwag and Gambhir put on 92 runs for the opening wicket in 11.4 overs to plot Indias easy win over Sri Lanka and set up a summit clash on Sunday against the same opponents. Even though the wickets in this tournament have been very flat and that is why we have seen totals of 300 still you need good starts to take the pressure off the middle order batsmen he said. Dhoni said normally if a team had to chase 300 runs there was nervousness and confusion at the interval and but in this tournament due to the pitches everyone is relaxed and knows it is possible to chase down. He said it was a great feeling to be in the final which would be a tough one against a very good side. The Indian captain insisted that the performance of the bowlers in the tournament should not be a criteria to assess their worth. Let us be clear that we have a bunch of very talented and exciting players. But the pitches have nothing in it for the bowlers even the spinners have got little turn so it has been hard on them and put more responsibility on the batsmen Dhoni added. Sri Lankan skipper Mahela Jayawardene said he was more comfortable playing India in the final. I think Pakistan can be a very dangerous side playing a big match in front of its home crowd. So in a way we have cut that element of crowd support out. It is good for India and Sri Lanka they don`t have to worry about this factor. Jayawardene said his team had fallen 25 to 30 runs short of posting a defendable total. We lost wickets when our batsmen were set. You need a big hundred from someone which we usually get to post a big total he said adding that he was not disappointed with the result. What is important is how we executive our plans and strategies in the final.
Popularity: 2% [?]
July 2, 2008
South African Test Series Against England
Ahead of the 1st Test against England at Lord’s starting on July 10 the South African team has two first class warm up games to get back in rhythm. This is welcome news for the visitors who could use the match practice to get into full flow as they have not played an international match for the last two months. Their 1st warm-up game of the tour is currently being played against Somerset. After setting an imposing total of 515 for 3 declared in the first innings, in which all the Proteas batsmen except opener Neil McKenzie found form Somerset went in to bat and was bundled out for 249. Morne Morkel was the pick of the South African bowlers. Morkel is no novice to English conditions having played county cricket for Kent and Yorkshire before. But this was his first stint for the country in England and he picked up 3 wickets for 64 runs in his 13 overs. Bowling well within himself, Morkel surprised the Somerset batsmen with some unusual bounce on what was considered a flat and lifeless pitch. On the first day of the match Andy Caddick captain of the Somerset team commented that the wicket was too flat. But the South African bowlers who held back their full potential and were solely concentrating on hitting the right line and length seemed to make the best of a lifeless pitch. Apart from Morkel’s 3 wicket haul Makhaya Ntini and Paul Harris picked up two wickets a-piece while Andre Nel picked up the sole wicket of Somerset opener Neil Edwards. Morkel seemed happy with his 3 wickets haul and admitted to playing around with his lengths a little more in this match, as it was his first international outing since his injury earlier this year and after two days of play South Africa looks in a commanding position with a 322-run lead over Somerset and the team is currently batting at 56 for 1. The touring Proteas will play another first class warm-up game against Middlesex on Friday before taking on the English at Lords on July 10 for the first Test. Jacques Kallis and Hashim Amla.
Popularity: 4% [?]
July 1, 2008
Captaincy of Pakistan Cricket Team
The fact that captaincy of Pakistan is no less than a crown of thorns, is a well known. So it comes as a pleasant surprise to see an eagerly optimistic Misbah-ul-Haq bracing up for what might be his toughest challenge of his nascent career so far, captaining Pakistan in a do or die clash against India and the lone warrior in their previous Super four encounter against Sri Lanka and vice captain Misbah said that he was ready to don the mantle of captaincy if Shoaib Malik doesn’t play. I am ready to handle captaincy he said. I have been regularly helping captain so captaincy should not be a problem he said ahead of the crucial clash against arch rivals India. Though the hosts stand on the brink of elimination in the Asia Cup Misbah felt that the pressure would be on the Indians. Pressure would be on Indians too. One defeat can put them in trouble. Both the matches are crucial for India too. Misbah also ruled out possibility of any wholesome changes in the team. Minor changes here and there we will decide the playing eleven after looking at the pitch tomorrow. Misbah who is fast acquiring a reputation as the new crisis man for Pakistan rubbished reports that the morale in their camp is low. All players know the importance of tomorrow’s game we will give it our all he promised.
Popularity: 5% [?]
June 30, 2008
Anil Kumble such a Helping Person -Ojha
The newest addition to Indias spin bowling armoury left armer Pragyan Ojha credits Test captain Anil Kumble for helping him learn the tricks of the trade and fine tune his game. Obviously it helps a lot if you are playing with experienced bowlers like Anil Kumble and Harbhajan Singh. I have not had a chance to speak to Bhajji but I have been in touch with Anil bhai and he has been very helpful to me Ojha told reporters after a net session on Monday. Ojha who made his ODI debut against Bangladesh on Saturday said he had got tips from Kumble who had given him a lot of guidance. His advice has helped me a lot and it is good to learn from experienced players like him he said. Ojha who had a decent show in the Indian Premier League didn`t agree that the Twenty20 competition was the main reason behind his selection in the Indian team for the Asia Cup. No it has all come together. It is very important to also play and perform in Ranji trophy Deodhar trophy and the Challenger trophy. I think playing in all these events including the IPL has brought me forward he said. The young spinner who impressed on his debut against Bangladesh said he was prepared to the challenges of bowling to sub-continental batsmen who play spin well. My only ambition is to play for my country and do well. There is pressure no doubt but I can take it. Playing in the Asia Cup against batsmen who are used to playing spinners is a challenge but I have accepted it he said. My 1st match was a good one and I just want to continue the same way whenever I get a chance to play he added. Ojha said he was sticking to the basics and not working on special deliveries or tactics for Twenty20 and one day cricket. I am just trying to stick to the basics like working on my flight and keeping a good length consistently. Meanwhile only three Indian players opted to use the optional practice session with the Pathan brothers and Ojha coming to the nets. Irfan who missed the first three games of the Asia Cup because of a side strain bowled around 6 to seven overs in the nets before he picked up the bat under the guidance of the team physiotherapist.
Popularity: 5% [?]
June 29, 2008
Indian Team After The Asia Cup
Drained after playing three matches in four days time in the ongoing Asia Cup Team India choose to visit a public water resort close to the city to unwind themselves and however the surprising fact was the choice of the resort by the Indian cricketers as the Dreamworld Resort famous for its beautiful water slides is generally jam packed on Sundays. According to eye witness accounts as soon as the news spread that Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his men were in the resort people started clamoring near the water slides to get a glimpse of the stars and seek autographs and pictures. One can`t understand why they chose this resort to relax and unwind. People are not going to leave them alone for sure an eye witness observed and the Indian players were escorted to the resort some 30 km from the city centre here under a heavy police guard with five security cars and a pilot. The decision by the Indians to take a day off was not unexpected after captain Dhoni had made the point last night that very tight schedule and the players were very tired after spending 36 hours on the field and according to sources the Indians were also made an offer to go to Arabian Country Club, a private and exclusive golf club outside Karachi which they have visited in the past on previous tours. Probably they went to the Dreamworld Resort because of its excellent water slides and pools which are not available at the private club.
Popularity: 6% [?]
June 27, 2008
Zimbabwe Team In Trouble
The BCCI will oppose Zimbabwes expulsion from the international cricket council at the ICC annual meeting in Dubai next week, a decision that would put the Indian board on collision course with its counterparts in South Africa and England. A reputed British daily quoted an unnamed BCCI official as saying that the Indian board “was still behind Zimbabwe and would not support any motion to throw them out of the ICC at the meeting on Wednesday. Earlier Cricket South Africa was the first to suspend its bilateral ties with Zimbabwe. England and Wales Cricket Board ECB followed suit by scrapping a proposed tour by Zimbabwe next year. The ECB wants to strip Zimbabwe of ODI status which would bar the African nation from appearing at the World Twenty20 championship in England next year. ECB fears that Zimbabwes presence would almost certainly prevent the tournament from going ahead as the British government is unlikely to issue visas for Zimbabwean cricketers. In that case ICC would be forced to strip England of the lucarative competition and award it to the back-up venue Canada. The Indian board were steadfast in their refusal to back moves to isolate Zimbabwe from the world game leaving the England and Wales Cricket Board fighting a delicate political game ahead the report in the newspaper said. ECB chairman Giles Clarke met his Indian counterpart Sharad Pawar who was at the Lords to attend the commemoration dinner of indias 1983 world cup final victory and the BCCI chief had described their discussions on Zimbabwe as detailed on every aspect. David Morgan who will become ICC Chief at the end of the ICC meeting while supporting action against Zimbabwe had acknowledged that Indias stand would be vital on the issue. It will be a very difficult discussion. India and Zimbabwe are close and Indias position is crucial in all this for sure the Englishman had said.
Popularity: 7% [?]
June 26, 2008