World Cup Update (21/2/2011)
India won against Bangladesh as expected with batting firing away and bowling doing adequately as they were not under any pressure. Main worry for India will be the bowling as they will not be able to put up huge scores against other big teams that easily. India's best chance against other strong teams will be to face them on spin friendly tracks.
I have not felt the need to catch action on TV after the first match as there is series of mismatches on offer. Last world cup format was good but ICC had to change after India got derailed in the first round.
Crushing of Kenya by NZ, who themselves are struggling shows gulf between test playing and associate teams.
World cup is like a soap opera where some episodes will be interesting........
Monday, February 21, 2011
Saturday, February 12, 2011
World Cup Update
I am residing in Singapore now hence obviously missing all the world cup related hype and excitement back home. I am sad that world's best stage for beloved game does not get the top priority from all national boards as number of star players missing due to injuries.
Based on knowledge on Indian conditions and form of teams here is my take on each of the teams (ones matter). One thing to keep in mind with the format, any prediction is worth only so much as teams need only 3 good days from being out in group stage to world champions.
1. India
This is India's best chance considering the talent, technical acumen, experience and the conditions. India needs to start early to avoid any additional pressure and hope that their batting can provide enough extra cushion to carry their bowling and fielding.
2. England
Prospect look good if their first choice bowling attack plays and stays injury free towards the business end and their batting can click. They have one of the game's smartest thinker in Andy Flower and should do better than last few times.
3. South Africa
SA have a solid team and look good to go all way with probably the best all round team. I will be surprised if they are not one of the finalists.
4. Australia
As always, Australia will do well but will they be consistent enough to go all the way seems little suspect; they require their pace attack to do really well with thin spin resources.
5. Srilanka
Srilanka have a strong team with good top order batting and bowling but their middle order little less certain with Samaraweera and Kapugedra.
6. West Indies
WI have a good batting line up but they lack in bowling with quality and consistency and will have to fight hard to get to the knockout level with Bangladesh in their group.
7. Pakistan
Pakistan have a strong lower middle order and good bowling attack that are huge factors in one day cricket. Afridi and Razaak will be more dangerous in the sub continental conditions. IMO, it will depend on how they perform IN knock out stages as they are prone to inconsistencies.
7. New Zealand
can't be excited about NZ; probably there may be couple of good innings from McCullum and Ross Taylor but honestly they will find it difficult to get past 1st knock out stage.
8. Bangladesh will be confident in home conditions and will be disappointed if they don't make it to knockout stage.
9. Other teams, do they really matter??
Enjoy the world cup; let us see how it unfolds.....
I am residing in Singapore now hence obviously missing all the world cup related hype and excitement back home. I am sad that world's best stage for beloved game does not get the top priority from all national boards as number of star players missing due to injuries.
Based on knowledge on Indian conditions and form of teams here is my take on each of the teams (ones matter). One thing to keep in mind with the format, any prediction is worth only so much as teams need only 3 good days from being out in group stage to world champions.
1. India
This is India's best chance considering the talent, technical acumen, experience and the conditions. India needs to start early to avoid any additional pressure and hope that their batting can provide enough extra cushion to carry their bowling and fielding.
2. England
Prospect look good if their first choice bowling attack plays and stays injury free towards the business end and their batting can click. They have one of the game's smartest thinker in Andy Flower and should do better than last few times.
3. South Africa
SA have a solid team and look good to go all way with probably the best all round team. I will be surprised if they are not one of the finalists.
4. Australia
As always, Australia will do well but will they be consistent enough to go all the way seems little suspect; they require their pace attack to do really well with thin spin resources.
5. Srilanka
Srilanka have a strong team with good top order batting and bowling but their middle order little less certain with Samaraweera and Kapugedra.
6. West Indies
WI have a good batting line up but they lack in bowling with quality and consistency and will have to fight hard to get to the knockout level with Bangladesh in their group.
7. Pakistan
Pakistan have a strong lower middle order and good bowling attack that are huge factors in one day cricket. Afridi and Razaak will be more dangerous in the sub continental conditions. IMO, it will depend on how they perform IN knock out stages as they are prone to inconsistencies.
7. New Zealand
can't be excited about NZ; probably there may be couple of good innings from McCullum and Ross Taylor but honestly they will find it difficult to get past 1st knock out stage.
8. Bangladesh will be confident in home conditions and will be disappointed if they don't make it to knockout stage.
9. Other teams, do they really matter??
Enjoy the world cup; let us see how it unfolds.....
Saturday, January 29, 2011
This Week In Cricket (24/1/2011 - 30/1/2011)
Australia - England One Day Series
For the audience's and organizer's(mainly) sake, England won the last match to keep the series alive but tough to keep the interest levels high in a 7 match series in this fast paced world. England have some injuries that could prove beneficial in the world cup preparations. Flower and co must be relieved after Prior's knock in the 4th match else their pragmatic decision would have looked like utter foolish; this is the kind of fine line between good and bad decision in sports.
World Cup Thoughts
1. India and SA seem to be front runners at this point of time considering the kind of batting and all round fire power they posses respectively.
2. It might actually come down to teams with match winning bowlers with pitches favoring batsmen and this is where Australia have a chance with Lee and Tait with their express pace and swing.
3. Bangladesh will be the team to watch with conditions favouring them.
4. Batting second will be an advantage with due problem in the evening but interestingly this could balance out the ever present batting first advantage in cricket.
finally..
World cup could be an opportunity for players to impress some of the IPL franchises; this is true if you follow football and have noticed how players use FIFA world cup as launch pad for their professional careers.
Australia - England One Day Series
For the audience's and organizer's(mainly) sake, England won the last match to keep the series alive but tough to keep the interest levels high in a 7 match series in this fast paced world. England have some injuries that could prove beneficial in the world cup preparations. Flower and co must be relieved after Prior's knock in the 4th match else their pragmatic decision would have looked like utter foolish; this is the kind of fine line between good and bad decision in sports.
World Cup Thoughts
1. India and SA seem to be front runners at this point of time considering the kind of batting and all round fire power they posses respectively.
2. It might actually come down to teams with match winning bowlers with pitches favoring batsmen and this is where Australia have a chance with Lee and Tait with their express pace and swing.
3. Bangladesh will be the team to watch with conditions favouring them.
4. Batting second will be an advantage with due problem in the evening but interestingly this could balance out the ever present batting first advantage in cricket.
finally..
World cup could be an opportunity for players to impress some of the IPL franchises; this is true if you follow football and have noticed how players use FIFA world cup as launch pad for their professional careers.
Sunday, January 09, 2011
This Week In Cricket (03/01/2011 - 09/01/2011)
Ashes 2011
England achieved emphatic series win in Sydney. it is easy to say that the Aussies are on decline but to beat them so comprehensively at home suggests the quality and superiority of this English setup. For me the highlight has been skillfulness, consistency and depth of their bowling. Cook had a dream series and helped England pile up big totals consistently. Paul Collingwood made the right decision to go before being pushed because this English setup under Andy Flower is very result oriented (remember leaving out Anderson from T20 world cup playing 11).
India- SA Test Series
India missed a golden opportunity to win their first series in SA, but if somebody has offered a drawn series before it started or after the first test, it would have been gladly accepted. India's ineffective attack hurts most and will not allow them to covert the good positions into victories. Steyn's bowling was extraordinary and treat to watch; I have never seen Tendulkar getting beaten so many times in an Innings and required lot of luck to survive in the first innings. Pujara did reasonably well and should his keep his place and Sreesanth's was at his best and troubled all SA lineup time and again.
IPL 2011 Auction
One word, absurd!!. There was huge clamour for India capped players as if they were extinct species. There is no other reason to explain how Umesh Yadav and Abhishek Nayyar can get more than $700K. IMO, best buy was Andrew Symonds for around 450K by MI. MI and CSK have done good business and have shown that they are way ahead of other teams in terms of planning and execution. KKR seemed to be in panic mode and splashed too much on Gambhir and Yusuf, but seemed to be getting the core of the team right with Kallis and Shakib purchases later.
Gayle not being sold is inexplicable as his game is made for T20 and has proven tack record.
Ashes 2011
England achieved emphatic series win in Sydney. it is easy to say that the Aussies are on decline but to beat them so comprehensively at home suggests the quality and superiority of this English setup. For me the highlight has been skillfulness, consistency and depth of their bowling. Cook had a dream series and helped England pile up big totals consistently. Paul Collingwood made the right decision to go before being pushed because this English setup under Andy Flower is very result oriented (remember leaving out Anderson from T20 world cup playing 11).
India- SA Test Series
India missed a golden opportunity to win their first series in SA, but if somebody has offered a drawn series before it started or after the first test, it would have been gladly accepted. India's ineffective attack hurts most and will not allow them to covert the good positions into victories. Steyn's bowling was extraordinary and treat to watch; I have never seen Tendulkar getting beaten so many times in an Innings and required lot of luck to survive in the first innings. Pujara did reasonably well and should his keep his place and Sreesanth's was at his best and troubled all SA lineup time and again.
IPL 2011 Auction
One word, absurd!!. There was huge clamour for India capped players as if they were extinct species. There is no other reason to explain how Umesh Yadav and Abhishek Nayyar can get more than $700K. IMO, best buy was Andrew Symonds for around 450K by MI. MI and CSK have done good business and have shown that they are way ahead of other teams in terms of planning and execution. KKR seemed to be in panic mode and splashed too much on Gambhir and Yusuf, but seemed to be getting the core of the team right with Kallis and Shakib purchases later.
Gayle not being sold is inexplicable as his game is made for T20 and has proven tack record.
Tuesday, January 04, 2011
This Week in Cricket (27/12/2010 - 2/1/2011)
Ashes 2010
England played fantastic cricket to retain the Ashes. Trott played an excellent innings and discipline of English bowling has been excellent too. I am big fan of Andrew flower and his performance as coach so far has be very impressive. Ricky ponting is really having a bad series and might struggle catch up with Tendulkar's records from here on. Steve Smith looks not ready to be number 6 and does not bowl enough to bat lower than that.
India - SA Series
Excellent win for India. Indian team has struggled more in SA compared to Australia; this fact along with Durban being the venue (remember the 1996 test match) makes it extra special. VVS was again excellent and deserved hundred for his efforts. Not having URDS for this series is a shame as some of the decisions in SA's 2nd innings were debatable and this takes shine out of victory to a certain extent. Not sure why Indian team does not want it as not having it could cost them a test match sometime in near future. Zaheer's bowling to Paul Harris round the wicket was treat to watch and Pujara has handled the short stuff decently so far and should be persisted at number 6.
Ashes 2010
England played fantastic cricket to retain the Ashes. Trott played an excellent innings and discipline of English bowling has been excellent too. I am big fan of Andrew flower and his performance as coach so far has be very impressive. Ricky ponting is really having a bad series and might struggle catch up with Tendulkar's records from here on. Steve Smith looks not ready to be number 6 and does not bowl enough to bat lower than that.
India - SA Series
Excellent win for India. Indian team has struggled more in SA compared to Australia; this fact along with Durban being the venue (remember the 1996 test match) makes it extra special. VVS was again excellent and deserved hundred for his efforts. Not having URDS for this series is a shame as some of the decisions in SA's 2nd innings were debatable and this takes shine out of victory to a certain extent. Not sure why Indian team does not want it as not having it could cost them a test match sometime in near future. Zaheer's bowling to Paul Harris round the wicket was treat to watch and Pujara has handled the short stuff decently so far and should be persisted at number 6.
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