The Australians have painted themselves into a spot.

The Australians have ceded an early advantage to India.

Their unconsidered interviews and columns have incited the Australian spectators. Having done that, they now find that they have to cool down the passions and ensure that no racial abuse happens during the Tests. Even a raised eyebrow can cause uproar.

This means that they can neither use the press nor indulge in sledging to gain a psychological advantage over their opponents.

This has given the Indians a huge advantage. They can use the media to score psychological points and they can also continue their aggression on the field.

It remains to be seen how Indians capitalize on this opportunity.

Can Lee become the spearhead?

Despite his bravado, I doubt whether Lee himself is sure of his place in the Australian Team.

To me, he seems to falter, just when we expect him to scale up his performance. The intensity and also the consistency required to graduate from a quickie to a spearhead of an attack is sadly missing.

He seems to be the sort of player who will end his career with everyone admitting that he had his moments.

For my money, Stuart McGill will take to this role effortlessly.

Sri Lanka - Boys in cricketing flannels

Kumar Sangakkara speaks of annoying the opposition (Australia) and he is right on the dot.

Consider the following facts, you will appreciate the accuracy of his assessment.

Sri Lanka has never won a Test match in Australia.

Marvan Atapattu and Sanath Jayasuriya are the only two members of the current team to have scored hundreds in Australia.

Sri Lanka at best can hope to annoy Australia; they are far behind to even think about being a nuisance.

Dhoni needs a tax consultant.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni has become the highest individual income tax payer in Jharkhand with the Income Tax department expecting around Rs four crore from the dashing cricketer.

Obviously, he needs a new tax consultant.

ICL- looking for a way out?

At a time when even Bollywood Badshahs are reluctant to release their new ventures, ICL have organized their league fixtures.

So what is ICL trying to achieve by conducting their league at the same time as the Indo-Pak series?

Having been bested, outsmarted and out sold by IPL, they need an excuse to wind up their circus.

The best way to ensure that the league is stillborn is to conduct it at the same time as an Indo-Pak series.

It will definitely fail to garner attention and citing this failure, ICL can then wriggle out of the players and other corporate contracts.

Obviously, the Lara's will get their pound of flesh; it is the minor players who will be toast.

India's aggression- is it newfound?

The Aussie's are making a mistake if they conclude that the aggressive cricket played by India during the series were put on.

 

This challenge from Ponting and a rather tame assessment by Tim Nielson makes one wonder whether the Australians are living in a cocoon.Times have changed, The current Indian may be beaten but they will not be cowed.

 

Consider these common assumptions:

 

1. Sledging is not new to cricket in India. To get a first hand experience just play in one of the 'Floodlight tournaments' in Chennai.You can hear the choicest words and ridicule being directed at the opposition.

 

2. It looks put on, because the Aussies are hearing it for the first time in English. Earlier it was done in Hindi as means to encourage the bowler. Now the Aussies get an earful because they are now spoken in English and directed at the opposition.

 

3. Importantly, earlier it was the Captain or the Coach who answered the media, now the media has access to all the players and the younger ones are relishing this opportunity to speak their minds.

 

There is one other reason; we have a young captain who is just a couple years into his international career. Fortunately, he has escaped the mindset of seniors who are still afraid to give as good as they get because they doubt whether they can walk the talk.(Their sterling records indicate otherwise.)

 

Like it or lump it, Aussies or for the matter others have to take into account that aggression has become ingrained and it is not going to go away by ridiculing it.

Agarkar threatens

After nearly 10 years of donning Indian colours and playing for the opposition Agarkar is still hungry for more.

 

There are plenty of first-class matches coming up in the domestic season. I'll try my best to perform well in them and stake my claim again.

 

His perseverance though appreciable is totally unwarranted.

 

 

England relegated.

English cricket is in such a bad shape that it now finds itself relegated to the second place.

 

That's right; India has become Australia's favourite side to beat and it is none other than Hayden who says so.

 

Hayden said India had replaced England as his favourite punching bag with the bat.

 

"I think India is close on being my favourite side to beat. They've almost taken the number one seed off England in a lot of ways," Hayden was quoted as saying by Sydney Morning Herald.

 

Bad day for English cricket and good day for cricket India.

 

 

An’Indian’Coach?

The BCCI’s thinking, which I suspect had been their agenda all along, seemed to have settled on an Indian for the prized coach job.

I go so far as to imply, that, it is why they have been dithering and delaying. No doubt, it made them look foolish, but it has now given them the opportunity to say that they are left with no choice.

Fortunately or unfortunately for them, only the future can say which, the Indian team has played into their hands.

In fact, Pawar had told reporters in Mumbai during the Twenty20 World Cup felicitation function that: “Our team has done well on tour of Bangladesh, it managed to win a Test series in England and their performance in South Africa is also commendable so far, even without the help of a foreign coach.”

All signs portend that it could be someone from the South.

Is this something to crow about?

India has now equalled South Africa's world record of most consecutive wins in T20s

T20 as a format is in its infancy and India has played too few to view it as a badge of honour.

Ideally, it would have been laudable, if India has played in more than a handful of games.

If you are going to make a song and dnace of a record it should have more value than a PR handout.

Isn’t there a difference between Bradman and a bloke who has just played one innings?

These statistics are obnoxious to say the least.

Bhogle on Sreesanth

That man Bhogle is anything but articulate. Here is an excerpt from the Indian Express:

 

ADITYA TANDON: What do you make of Sreesanth and this whole new aggressiveness in young Indian cricketers?

 

HARSH BHOGLE: There is a little part of me that rebels and there's a little part of me that enjoys it because it's symbolic of the fact that someone is willing to take them on. A little part of me is worried because he's still not ready to walk the talk; he's not ready because I don't think he is good enough. But he's backing himself to do it, he's telling himself, 'I know you might take me for three sixes but what the hell, I am going to take you on.' And that's a great attitude to have. He has to become a bit more shrewd and know when to do it, when not to do it, and how much to do it.

 

Evocative of a parent watching with trepidation its young testing its wings.

 

 

The British lay claim on Bradman

Well not exactly, writing on how the British held Bradman in high esteem, the author starts by saying:

 

Why did the British public come to like Bradman so much? Being an Australian of English descent was, of course, an advantage.

 

Now all we have to do is wait for the measured comments from Stuart and ahem.. earthy and salty comments from Uncle J Rod to know the truth.

 

Andrew Strauss ruminates

Andrew Strauss ruminates on his lack of form and the probable reasons behind it.

Without any sort of window in the last 18 months – in a ridiculously crowded international schedule – to take stock, make technical changes and refresh the mind, turning it around has been extremely difficult.

As a true blue whiner he, as a first step, blames the crowded itinerary. However he redeems himself by adding.

In truth it is the culmination of a long, tiring and immensely frustrating 12 months in which little has gone my way. I have been a victim of some poor umpiring decisions, some unfortunate dismissals and a few incredibly good balls delivered at just the wrong moment. But I still have to take responsibility for my less than satisfactory contributions.

It never ceases to amaze me how the English blame anything and everything but themselves.

Simon Jones as good as Ian Botham?

The hype surrounding mediocre players has reached its peak in England. A country starved for major cricketing talent, aided and abetted by its press sees anyone who can bat and bowl a bit to be the next Ian Botham.

 

But to consider Simon Jones as good as Botham exposes the paucity of talent and also news in England.

 

Worcestershire director of cricket Steve Rhodes described the capture of former Glamorgan fast bowler Simon Jones as "POTENTIALLY our biggest signing since Ian Botham.".

 

What rot!

 

I lost everything

I have lost all the comments left by you.

 

Being the technical whiz that I am it is a wonder I did not delete this blog to oblivion.

 

Having come under a sustained attack by an anonymous gentleman who was urging me and my readers to grab the Viagra and in turn impressed with the Notify comments feature of Haloscan, I installed it.

 

Needless to say, as a result, I am now bereft of all your valuable comments.

 

Please accept my apologies.

 

Shall ensure that it will never happen again.

Symonds clarifies

The man at the head of the 'racial abuse' war of words says 'I never complained'.

His clarification could be a big let down for all the vested interests who were trying to project that this Aussie was not as tough as he looks.

 

Here is his version of events.

 

 

Bringing Cricket History Back to Life

Cricket Australia's new television advertising campaign promoting the 2007-08 season has Michael Clarke emulating Donald Bradman's golf-ball-and-stump practice technique.

In the first television ad of the "Hungry for it" campaign, Clarke replicates the famous footage of The Don sharpening his skills by throwing a golf ball at the base of a water tank and batting it back and forth with a stump - just as he did as a child in Bowral.

Don and Pup bring cricket history to life

 

 

Set your house in order.

In all their rightful, though exaggerated anger directed at us, Australians have cleverly diverted attention from their own abysmal record.

Other than a token representation in the form of Symonds, there has never been a player from another race or religion who has played for Australia. (Stuart, correct me if I am wrong).

There are two other points which need explanation:

1.What has ICC done to ensure that everyone has an equal chance to represent Australia? Have they any basis to believe Australia does not practice discrimination during selection. ( Something, similar on SA lines)

2. Has Symonds done anything to ensure others have a fair chance to represent Australia and are not discriminated? ( Similar, if not as effective as Mohammed Ali)

First, let ICC and by default Australia put its own house in order and then let it denounce racism