'Monkey' talks and the Pandora's Box.

This could be the most telling of all comments on the latest Harbhajan Singh/ Andrew Symonds episode.

 

Former Australian captain Mark Taylor feared Ponting had opened up a can of worms and potential tit for tat citings by rival captains over on-field behaviour.

 

"I think Ricky has opened up Pandora's Box in terms of this," Taylor said.

 

"The Australians play tough cricket and make the odd chirp, if this goes any further I am sure there will be other times when Ricky Ponting will be on the other side of the ledger when the Australian team make the chirp."

 

So no is above slipping in a racial comment, isn't it.

 

I play" tagged"

Dinnie has asked me reveal my darkest secrets. So here goes:

 

1. I always emulated G.R.Vishwanath's late cut. I used to play it so fine that it always ended up in the first slips hands.
2. I was an 'opener' but hated Gavaskars batting. BTW,I was sarcastically referred as 'Sidhu'  ( he was the original stroke less wonder)
3. I was a good fielder- I always took catches on the first bounce.
4. I invented the 'slower one'. It was so slow that it put most batsmen and the fielders to sleep.
5. I was always 'animated' in the field. Particularly, when my Captain's sister used to watch the game from the balcony.

 

Whew! That's a load off my chest. J

 

 

 

A Cricket quote I missed

A bowler describes his plight.

 

"The Newlands boundary looked increasingly small as I approached to start the sixth over – the rest I guess is an over to forget," James Kirtley describes his only over against an in-form Adam Gilchrist and Matthew Hayden in the Twenty20 cricket World Cup. 

 

BTW, do you  know any new cricketing related quotes?

 

 

Harbhajan Singh's code of conduct hearing

India does some arm-twisting?

 

There is no 'science' in 'technology'

That's what Channel 9 says:

 

Steve Crawley, an executive sports producer with the network, said some of the innovations could not be entirely relied upon.

 

"I'd hate us to be involved in the judicial system of cricket," Crawley told the Sydney Morning Herald. "We've only got one thing 100% backed up by science and that's Hot Spot; the others aren't 100%.

 

Umm... technology cannot help…. So how can we eliminate umpiring errors?

 

Umpires - are they the only ones to be blamed?

It is easy to blame umpires and advocate use of technology as an antidote. However, are umpires the only culprits? How about the lack of sportsmanship and the lost refrain 'it is a gentleman's game'?

When cricket was a gentleman's game, umpiring was a simpler task. The bowler and fielders appealed when they genuinely thought the batsman was out, and the batsman didn't wait for the umpire's decision when he knew he was out. Trust was built into the conduct of the game. The umpire could trust players' reactions and take a decision accordingly.

Let us first inculcate the spirit of sportsmanship in our cricketers.Let it seep into our future cricketing generations and then if found wanting let us go the whole hog and let replays decide

Penalize the Umpire?

Let us not be absurd and ask

 

…. should the umpires be penalised for every error they commit for you never know how decisive it could prove?

 

Since most umpires are well-versed with the cricketing laws, the solution is to have more number of physically fit umpires.

 

Additionally, we should lessen the technological intervention. It has given rise to more controversies; expansive dramas, hysterical dissent and have successfully reduced umpires to mere ciphers.

 

Let us stop second guessing the umpire and go back to the days when we unquestioningly accepted his decision.

Will this rattle Australia?

Siddhartha Vaidyanathan:

 

There are unfounded rumours that India plan to utilise the three minutes before walking in. It's all just to rattle the Australians. Sourav Ganguly, who made it a habit of walking out late to the toss in the 2001 series, has been teaching the rest the finer points. Unbelievable.

 

Eh! Unbelievable! But we should also put competitive scores on the board.

 

 

The Third Umpire should never come in play.

I am with Brad Hogg:

 

Brad Hogg said the human element added to the drama of the game.

 

"I just think you have to keep the human element in there," he said.

 

"It is just fantastic when you are … sitting back and enjoying the Boxing Day Test match in your lounge room you have bit more to talk about with that human element and it creates a different feel."

 

Don't you think cricket would become straitlaced, stiff and lose its charm?

 

 

BCCI joins the fray

BCCI has directed the Indian team management to lodge a protest with ICC Match Referee Mike Procter against atrocious umpiring decisions made on the opening day of the second Test against Australia at Sydney.

 

I honestly don't know what good will come off it. Let us await the ICC's and the CAB's response.

Sporting Aussie!

What a man!

 

Andrew Symonds has admitted he should have been given out long before reaching his century against India.

 

Coming from a long list of sportsmen who claim bump catches and what not it is heartening to see Symond's sporting side.

 

Fair go! Gentlemen!

 

Steve Bucknor helps Australia recover

For the umpteenth time the Australian's stage a remarkable recovery.

 

Symonds may be lucky to still be there after a confident appeal for a caught-behind decision off Indian paceman Ishant Sharma was turned down by umpire Steve Bucknor.

 

Wish someone calculates the number of times umpires have helped Australia.

New Zealand Cricket in no man's land

Meanwhile, New Zealand finds itself in a peculiar situation.

 

"New Zealand Cricket has threatened to exclude players who join the breakaway Indian Cricket League."

 

This puts them in a situation of finding quality players to play in the national team.

 

As Tim May, chief executive of FICA, the international players' association, points out, " So what are we going to do, have a New Zealand second XI out there?"

 

Uh! Uh! I doubt whether they can field a 'second XI', or maybe yes, if they include half a dozen sheep in the team.

 

 

 

 

The Ashes - is it the only real thing?

For all their purported hatred for the 'Poms', the Aussies and the English have a 'mutual admiration society' going.

 

Suppose the England team beats Bangladesh, immediately their media will start talking about how this team could be basis of their next Ashes challenge indicating that 'The Ashes' is the only series they are concerned.

 

Unfortunately, this affliction seems to have spread to Australia. Their bowling coach, Troy Cooley says that the current Aussies bowling attack is as good as England's 2005 Ashes winners, implying that the England teams bowling attack for the 2005 Ashes is the bench mark for all bowling attacks to emulate.

 

Which begs the question, do you consider 'The Ashes' to be, in terms of quality and competition, the best Test match series?

 

 

 

 

Waugh suggests Dravid and Sehwag

Steve Waugh suggests that Sehwag should open with Dravid and justifies it by adding that Sehwag stroke play will take the pressure off Dravid to score.

 

Is this worthy of considering, I would say not, for firstly, I think Dravid is a misfit as an opener and secondly Jaffer is no slouch if he gets his eye in.

 

This idea deserves thumbs down.

 

 

Cricketers to watch in 2008

The BBC has carried out an interesting exercise.

 

I plead ignorance about our domestic cricket.

 

So I pass the ball on to you, who do you think will be the cricketers to watch in 2008?

 

Character Assassination

If newspaper reports are to be believed, the Indian team management is unhappy with Yuvraj's attitude. Now what that means is open to conjecture and leaves a lot to our imagination.

 

This is atypical of what goes on in Indian cricket. Malign a player in public with rumours and innuendos and then drop him from the team. During our last tour to South Africa, Sehwag suffered the same fate from which he is yet to recover.

 

If you are worried about a players attitude the sane thing is to talk to him one on one and then if necessary explain to the press the reasons for your actions. Here it is the other way around. They are yet to talk to Yuvraj but his attitude has already been discussed threadbare in public.

 

One had hoped that Kumble was above 'character assassinations'.

Team composition correct.

Kumble firmly believes that the team composition was correct.

 

Is it a refusal face facts or is it 'double speak'?

 

I think it is more of the later and envision some drastic changes courtesy the BCCI.

 

Herein I stick my neck out.

This post is dedicated to Pan who actually set it off and to Scorpi (that's what I call him) who feels I am (we) unfair to Dravid.

 

Now to the interesting question, who or what should be our combination for the next Test. Obviously more capable minds are grappling with it, but here is my sixpence worth.

 

There is a general consensus that Dravid has failed as an opener. Similarly, Yuvraj has also been consigned to the dust bin of Test history.

 

However I am not in line with that thinking and as an antidote I suggest these measures.

 

Bring DK or let Dravid continue partnering Jaffer.

 

If it is DK kick out Dhoni. (Simple reason we don't need 2 keepers). Bring Irfan in for bolstering both our batting and bowling.

 

To make a really aggressive intent, this would be my eleven,

 

Jaffer

DK

Dravid

Laxman

Tendulkar

Ganguly

Yuvraj (He needs to be nursed)

Irfan/Ishant (I haven't seen Pankaj bowling)

Kumble

Harbhajan

Zaheer

R.P.Singh

 

If you are wondering why I am intent on bolstering the bowling, a dispassionate analysis will show that when we bat second our batsmen invariably chase totals in excess of 300. (There are exceptions.)

 

I declare the season open. J

 

 

 

The Yuvraj Experiment

Now that he has failed in both the innings and India is on its way to a resounding hiding, it looks as if Yuvraj's fledgling career is destined to go the Michael Bevan way.

 

His failure presents us another opportunity to exercise our cricketing wisdom and plump for Virendra Sehwag in his place.

 

I say Virendra Sehwag for two reasons - the public will want him and secondly since we are great at clutching at straws, this will give us another opportunity to sink or drown in mediocrity.

 

What do you say?

Sports Psychology- is it the biggest con?

Ian Botham thinks so:

 

Sports psychology, what's that all about? It's the biggest con of all time, people making a lot of money talking bullshit. In Australia, a sports psychologist came to me and said he was writing a book, could he ask me a few questions? I said: 'what's your field?' 'Cricket,' he said. 'Oh, how many Tests did you play?' 'Erm, I never played first-class cricket.' 'Well, piss off then... what can you tell me about walking out in front of 100,000 people?'"

 

Botham has always projected himself as an 'earthy' cricketer and his assessment seems simplistic, in line with the image he projects.

 

Personally, I consider all 'team psychology' to be simplistic and corny. Nevertheless, I believe, sports psychology can help individuals.

 

Racist taunts - Australia puts on the ostrich act

Can you spot the difference between this statement and the one made by the BCCI regarding racism:

"Cricket Australia spokesman Peter Young said
no action could be taken against those involved in the chant because it was not
reported to police or security despite them being within metres of those
responsible.
'Police have confirmed the chant took place and conducted
extensive interviews with both Indian and Australian supporters and they did not
find anyone who was offended,' Mr Young said."

When it comes to inconvenient truth, the official policy around the world is to ignore it or take shelter behind legalese.

It is obvious that Indians were taunted and there are witnesses, what more do the officials want?

If they fail to stop it at the outset, it will embolden others and things will spiral out of control.

Windies take control

I know it is too early to sing hosannas, but this is something which I or we desire to see - WI bowlers on the rampage.

South Africa crashed to 122 for five at close
of play in reply to a West Indian total of 408 in which Chanderpaul made a
patient century.

Its been a long time.

Gavaskar at his worst or is it at his best.

There is one thing I want the BCCI to do, that is shut up Gavaskar. He is one who exemplifies the adage, 'fishing in troubled waters'.

'I think it was something that he wouldn't have
been too happy about. It's something he would have taken on reluctantly.

There was no need to comment on Dravid's reluctance in public.If his intentions were honourable then he should have brought this to Kumble's attention in private.

How do you rate Dravid's performance?

I was always of the opinion Dravid took his nickname 'The Wall' seriously.

There have been quite a few 'better'
performances than Dravid's stonewalling. New Zealand's Geoff Allott once
batted for 101 minutes and still failed to open his account. But most of such
performances came from lower order batsmen who had no or very little batting
abilities or were batting under tremendous pressure. So, they can't really be
blamed for their slow scoring.

Dravid's performance is the fourth worst
performance in entire Test history if we take into consideration the
performances of the specialist batsmen only."

I rest my case.

Rodney Hogg predicted Warnes 500 wickets

And was sacked for his pains. Here is the story in his own words.

"Hogg made a prediction in his column in the
Truth newspaper. 'I got the calculator out, multiplied a hundred by five and
came up with 500, and wrote an article saying Shane Warne would take 500
wickets.' He was sacked. 'I got the sack from Truth newspaper because they
reckoned I was writing a load of crap — the paper was full of crap! Maybe they
knew I was about 200 wickets short.'"

Yeah! Possibly he got sacked for getting it 200 short.

Team management keen on Munaf Patel

This is the sort of news which is sure to unnerve the already nervous Indian cricket fan. After giving the impression of knowing their minds, the Indian team management casually reveals that it is empty.

"Indian team wants Munaf to be available for
selection for the third Test in Perth, starting on January
16-20."

I had always held the view that Munaf was just one strong spell away from hitting prime form. It was a surprise, to me atleast,when they ignored him and took a couple of young bucks who had just been weaned away from their mothers teats.

Admittedly I did not voice my concern because the selectors had put me in a tail spin by threatening the inclusion of Agarkar. As you all know I am allergic to 'jug ears' and the very mention of his name almost set of a massive cardiac arrest.

Now that I have recovered enough I make bold to say that I am all for Munaf joining the team.
Let us hear you on the topic of Munaf, do you think it is a good move?

Selectors not to consider Akhtar for Zimbabwe series

Back to my favorite bug bear - Shoaib Akhtar. He has again put his career on line.

“PCB chairman Nasim Ashraf asked Akhtar to come back from India and participate in domestic cricket to prove his fitness. But Akhtar refused to do so. He is still having ‘fun’ in India,” sources added. “Keeping in view the behaviour of the fast bowler, the selectors have decided to replace Akhtar with pacers Sohail Khan or Abdul Rauf,” they added.

Just another day in the life of Shoaib Akhtar. Is he being wilful or is he a plain vanilla self-destruct personality?

The MCG wicket - a nasty surprise?

It is normal for the Indian team to name its final eleven on the day of the match. The Australians try to derive an psychological advantage by announcing their eleven a day before.

This Test is one of the few exceptions, they are yet to finalise their eleven.

"Captain Ricky Ponting said Australia wanted
more time to assess the MCG wicket before deciding on the final
side".

It is surprising to see the Australians unable to make up their minds about one of their own grounds. Does it mean the pitch would behave unnaturally?

The Indians should heed the Australians caution and be more mindful in their pitch assessment.

Beware, the pitch could spring a nasty surprise.

Yet another blame game and the 'foreigner' fixation

PCB officials have accused local curators of preparing 'lifeless' pitches.

"Naghmi said that the Board's top officials are
convinced that local curators are not competent enough to prepare the bouncy
wickets.
The Board is now planning to get 'foreign help' to prepare lively
tracks for the next season."

What makes us seek 'external solutions' when the fault lies with ourselves.

No matter how good a local curator, cricket administrators undermine them.It is a well known fact that in the subcontinent the 'liveliness' of the pitch is decided by the home team and the curators merely do their bidding.

So why blame the curators?

Smith set to Captain his 50 th Test.

Meanwhile Smith to reach a landmark.

Graeme Smith will captain South Africa for the
50th time at Test match level when he leads the Proteas in the first Test
against the West Indies at St George’s from Wednesday.

Can't make myself congratulate him. He as an individual and his team as a whole are the sort of uninspiring fellows, whom, on principle I love to hate.

Australia v India - the long and short of it

Some reassuring stats:

Laxman has 715 runs from 13 visits to the
crease. His first 5 innings in Australia yielded 54 runs; his last 8 innings,
661 runs@ 94.6 with 3 100's (178, 167, 148). Dravid - 735 runs from 16 inn;
first 7 inn yield 94; last 9 inn 641 @ 106.4 1 double century; Tendulkar - 1029
runs from 22 inn; first 4 inn yield 78; last 18 inn 951 @ 63.3 with 4 100's
including 1 double; Ganguly is the weak link with 461 runs from 12 inn @ 38.4
with 1 100 & two 50's.

Some disquieting stats:

Kumble is the only bowler who has played more
than 2 Tests in Australia. He played the 1999/2000 series taking 5 wkts @ 90,
then four years later returned to be the leading bowler and captured 24 wkts @
29.6. With regard to the rest of the bowling lineup - Zaheer Khan has taken 5
wkts @ 42.6, Irfan Pathan 4wkts @ 66.5, Harbhajan Singh 1 wkt @ 169 and RP Singh
& Irpal Sharma have not played as yet.

As we all know if our batsmen fail, the game is up. Sheesh!

Shoaib Akhtar -duplicity with gall

During the just concluded tour Shoaib Akhtar, tried to shed his bad boy image and project himself both as a team man and as a commercial viable celebrity. However, being Shoaib, his actions seeped duplicity.

As a step to establish his ‘team man’ image he was all diplomacy and tact. He went as far as to come out with ‘supportive’ statements about his team mates. Unfortunately, his insistence on playing even though he was recovering from an illness left his team a bowler short and crippled its effectiveness. Underneath his professed desire to play was the calculation that since Younis was unwilling he could swing the captaincy his way. Fortunately, the team management saw through his duplicity and let him play in order to expose his ‘fitness’.

Parallel to his play for the Captaincy, he was attempting to establish his commercial viability. His calculated attempts at visiting orphanages were nothing but a crass attempt to establish himself as a ‘caring’ and a ‘humane’ celebrity. Similarly his visits to the nigh-clubs were nothing more than an exercise at cultivating an image of ‘work hard and play harder’ celebrity.

The profile of a ‘humane’ and ‘caring’ celebrity who also ‘work harder and play harder’ is a much desired profile. By projecting himself so, Shoaib thought he could land some more juicy contracts and crown his exercise in duplicity by landing a role in a Bollywood movie.

Fortunately the Indian media excepting for the obligatory sound bites gave him a wide berth. Having failed to land the much desire Bollywood film Shoaib had to return to Pakistan vowing that from now he would focus on cricket.

However the lure to make quick bucks before his career implodes, has made Shoaib turn his attention to wooing the Australians.

Here is how he is wooing them.

Pakistan pace ace Shoaib Akhtar said if the curators
produced quick wickets, India stood almost no chance.

"They are
good on slow, dusty, lifeless wickets. But if Australia makes good fast pitches
where the ball has carry they have a huge chance of winning. I hope Australia
wins," Akhtar said in the wake of Pakistan's recent 1-0 series loss to India.

Undoubtedly a fair and balanced view but check out this ‘alteration of perception’.

"We did all right against them. We just did not have enough
match-winners to beat them, but Australia have the match-winners.

The well known fact was Pakistan just escaped being ‘white-washed’ in the series. Let us leave it at that for now and look at his attempt to pander to the Aussie media.

"What people are overlooking is the age of this Indian side.
Most of their batsmen are in their mid-30s. This age is not good to be playing
pace.

This undoubtedly is the ‘clincher’.

"Guys like Tendulkar, (V.V.S.) Laxman, Dravid, their
reflexes are not what they used to be."

When you contrast his statements in India with his current observations, it is clear that Shoaib has astounding gall which goes with his duplicity. Mercifully the Aussies are a pragmatic lot and can be trusted to give him the boot.

Moral ascendancy over Sri Lanka

As expected, England facilitated Sri Lanka's elevation to the third place in the ICC Test Championship rankings.

However, I take solace in the fact that “the teams placed second to fifth, with South Africa, Sri Lanka and fourth-placed India all on 109, only separated by fractions of a ratings point”.

I comfort myself by considering this as a 'moral ascendancy' over Sri Lanka.After all their lead is only 'fractional'.

How to save face?

Use innuendo and allege foul play.

"A day after the humiliating defeat to Punjab
in Mohali, the Orissa Cricket Association (OCA) Friday urged the BCCI to
minutely verify the video recording of the final day of the Ranji Trophy match.
OCA secretary Asribad Behera said he was surprised over the manner in which five
of the players were given out lbw. He too expressed surprise over V.R.V. Singh’s
haul of wickets, including a hattrick. Singh had failed to take one wicket in
the first innings of the match, he pointed out."

Obviously, introspection and taking remedial action are too laborious.

Dravid may not open

In all probability, the Aussies have freezed on a 4 prong pace attack. This can be made out from the fact that the Indians have junked the idea of Dravid partnering Jaffer.
Instead it will be Sehwag.

It appears that Virender Sehwag, the nowhere
man in Indian cricket till a week back, has been put on alert and he wasted
little time in rushing to the MCG indoor nets this afternoon to give himself
some serious workout against bowling machines.

I would say that it is a sound move. India is better served with Dravid at No.3.

What do you say?

Exhausted by Sri Lanka itinerary? Check out mine

To me the best part of a blog are the readers comments, I find them most edifying to say the least.

Typically a British blog is great place to get entertained. The bloggers come up with the most entertaining excuses for their teams failure and the readers leave equally entertaining comments.

Here is one by tigertwin :

"I'm astounded that we're talking about
punishing schedules. This has been a very short tour, as these days they tend to
be. Whilst there's an issue of finding form, surely they can't be overly tired.
I'm just back in blightly after watching the first 2 Tests with in between
scurrying madly around the country by train to see as much as we could. And I
can't believe that Michael Vaughan's men were required to drink in the Bar
Royale, Kandy, until 5am as we were.
All that, an 11 hour flight home, a
four hour drive back up north, a wedding and appropriate celebrations and I've
managed to go back to work and do everything required of me. I can't see why
England haven't done the same."

Good one tigertwin- keep them coming.

Indians are ready - Gilchrist

From the cacophany of voices coming out from Australia, I always considered Gilly as a voice of reason.

"And he has warned Australia's fast bowlers not to
assume bowling short will bring about the downfall of one of the world's best
batting line-ups."

Glad to hear it Gilly- was getting worried over the mixed messages coming out of Australia.Be assured, you have one Indian as your fan.

Australia is disintegrating

That's the impression this 'war of words' creates.

 

"FORMER leg-spin bowling great Shane Warne has launched a withering attack on Australian cricket administrators, saying an Arrogant mindset'' could see the game's current No.1 team headed for a fall."

 

There is a palpable fear in Australia that they are at the verge of  disintegrating and one solitary defeat can send it tottering over the precipice.

 

If it is to happen, then India has to take the lead in providing the momentum.

 

Even if India manages to cut open one wound in this series, it will embolden other teams to bring Australia to its knees. 

 

 

 

 

 

18th lowest score in Test Match history

Update: David Barry of Pappus' plane has made it his life mission to keep an eagle eye on all cricketing facts has pointed out an error. He says :

It's the 18th lowest score by
England in Test history. It's the 89th lowest overall.- David Barry

David, thanks for taking the time out and folks I stand corrected.

England are dismissed for 81 in 30.5 overs - their lowest-ever score against Sri Lanka and if I am not mistaken it is the 18 th lowest score in Test Match history.

Now let us hear the reasons- nay- excuses.

Tour games - Blame the players

The current itinerary with the lack of tour or should we call them 'practice matches' has been a matter of heated debate. Since the BCCI is the favourite whipping boy, everyone has vented their spleen on them for reducing them to nothing.

 

However when you take a look at these statistics; they start right from our 1947-48 tour to the 2003-04 tour, you are left wondering whether the BCCI should be blamed.

 

                              Played  Won  Lost  Drawn

 

Total:                       31         8       11      12

 

It is obvious that our cricketers have reduced these games to an extended net practice and have consistently failed to use these matches to establish an early dominance over their opponents.

 

Recognizing the fact that our players consider these matches to be a chore the BCCI has fallen in step with their wish and reduced the number of these 'charades'.

 

So why blame the BCCI when the fault lies with our players?

 

 

 

2007: the year that was

It is that time of the year folks to sit back and ruminate.As far as I am concerned nothing can top the exhilaration of winning the Twenty20 World Cup. It is natural then that all my savoured moments come from the event.

Here are my picks for the moment(s) of the year.

1. Misbah scooping the ball to Sreesanth (T20 WC Final)
2. Yuvi's 6 sixes of the hapless Stuart Broad
3. Sreesanth pounding the pitch with his hands after Hayden's dismissal ( T20 WC SF)
4. 'Bowl-out' against Pakistan
5. Dhoni holding aloft the T20 World Cup

What are your favourite moments?

Play spin well and prove your mettle

I like this man Partha Rajagopal. He dares the Aussies (and the S.Africans) to

Play spin well and show your mettle. Then it will
become apparent that teams are world champions only when the conditions suit
them.

I find myself in full agreement with him. This is a more practical suggestion than the 'handicap' formula. Let Australia prepare spinning tracks and prove themselves World Champions.

I can see detractors sharpening their knives and ready to spew out statements about Australia's last tour to India- wait - remember they won a Test match on a seaming and pacy pitch at Mohali.

Seriously, this is a suggestion worth examining and at the very least it can make matches between Australia and other teams more interesting.

And now fatigue

Trust England to come up with excuses.

Want to know why they dropped catches - they played three Test matches in as many weeks.

Damn tiring work.

Tait - 'he doth protest too much'

Tait calims he saw chucking claim coming.

"It didn't really worry me at all,' Tait said.
'It was going to be one of those things that was going to come at some point in
my career and then disappear, just looking at Brett Lee and Shoaib
Akhtar."

Unfortunately, Tait has identified himself with the wrong company.There are enough detractors including Lillee who had called for Lee's action to be monitored.

About Shoaib Akthar, the less said the better. He gets most of his wicket taking 'spells' by chucking.

If Taits intention was to clear himself of these allegations, then this is a wrong ploy.

I say, monitor Tait, me thinks 'he protests too much'.

Hogg - will he wash?

The heat is on. Yesterday, Kumble took on the Australian bowling and poked imaginary holes.
Bhajji joined the party and had a go at Hogg.

Obviously, Ponting is not the sort to take it lying down. So here he is giving it as good as he got.

Unfortunately, Ponting seems to have lost sight of the fact that ODI's and Test cricket are as different as 'dosa' and 'idlly'.

We have seen players finding it difficult to make the transition from ODI's to Test match cricket. Michael Bevan is a prime example.

Hogg's ODI success is a good indicator, but will he make a effective Test match bowler?

Are we worthy opponents?

At times I have wondered whether I have hyped up the upcoming series.

 

Australia's has an invincible look about them and more than their aura their record overwhelms my optimism. In my somewhat lucid moments J I have often considered toning down the hyperbole.

 

However my doubts have been set to rest by Golandaaz.

 

Golandaaz in an excellently reasoned post Underdogs Down Under contends "Reality is India is a vastly worthy competitor to Australia than what the Australians would like to admit."

 

Undoubtedly it is music to my ears.

 

 

 

 

 

 

A common ground

Immigrants from Australia, India, Pakistan, South Africa and the West Indies battle it out on any given weekend in Tom Bass Regional Park, flexing their national pride.

But then why do they play?

"The point is, there is a common culture among all these players and that is
cricket," said Itty Abraham, professor of government and Asian studies at the
University of Texas at Austin. "It doesn't matter where you come from."

Unfortunately, the game is still being played by the first generation immigrants and the more recent ones. Their children take no interest and very few of them play cricket.

"All these 300 men are probably first generation and it's not going to be taken
up by the next generation, it's not going to be adopted by the children," said
Sharmila Rudrappa, a University of Texas sociology professor who specializes in
South Asian immigration. "This cricket popularity is going to be quite dependent
on new arrivals coming here all the time."

A common ground in danger?

More Google users interested in cricket

Cricket has upstaged Paris Hilton and the iphone.

 

"If the world's interests can truly be encapsulated by the end-of-year Google Zeitgeist rankings, then perhaps it's time for the media to re-evaluate its priorities as British sports appear to outrank some American celebrities."

 

Can we say that cricket is gaining popularity?