A fact on team defeating Kiwis in semifinal of a world cup

The team beating New Zealand in the semi-final has not won a world cup on 2 previous occasions.  1999 - Pakistan beat NZ and lost in the final to Australia. 8 years later SL beat NZ and lost to Australia in the final.

4 years on may be it would be SL again who would lose to the team beating Australia.

By the way its going, it seems a comfortable typical Lankan win unless they choke worse than what Saffers did.  Saffers should have been the worthy semi-finalists to halt the Lankan run at home. They choked and got kicked out,

John Wright

In the run up to the World Cup 2011, the Kiwis had chance to play in all 3 host countries. SL in Aug, BD in Oct and India in Dec. 

They fared poorly here. 1 victory in 11 games means a below below par run up to the world cup. None gave the chance to the team in this world cup. And when they lost to Aus and SL those critics were vindicated. And for much part of the game against SA, those critics wrote off Kiwis. 

But they turned around in this world cup. They have reached semis and just a win away from being in the finals for the first time. Only a small matter of thumping Lankan mongrels and cheats. 

Everybody's talking about Jacob Oram, Danny, Jesse, Nathan McCullum, but spare a thought for the man who is responsible for all this. The man who has known the Indian conditions for 5 years, the man who knows what it takes to succeed as coach. The man who kick started the Indian ascendancy to the top good 10 years back. The man who alongside Saurav Ganguly changed the mindset, attitude of cricket in the country. The man who coached the team through some memorable away, home wins in Tests and ODIs.

That humble man is doing his job without any spotlight, staying in the background, quiet and almost unnoticed. 

Take a bow gentlemen for John Wright. He is a master coach behind this super thumping of Saffers in quarters by Kiwis.

SA choke

Going going going gone. At 3/121 to 172 all out.

SA lose by 49 runs to go crashing out of the semi final race and Kiwis make yet another appearence in the semis. For the first time India and Kiwis go to the semis together. And if tomorrow its England who come up trumps its going to be India vs England final.

Mouth watering stuff.

But SA. What are they made of ? After restricting NZ to 221 and just needing 3 222s to win, they lose yet again. 121 is a dreaded # for them. They collapsed at 121 itself against England and today again they went down.

Generations have gone by but the South African dream has nt materialized.

1992 : Semi final crash, they were not to be blamed for that 21 off 1.

1996: First signs of choking with loss in QF. Thanks to Brian Lara

1999 : Epic choke to Australia 2 times.

2003 : Their own world cup, they need 1 run to go through instead they tie and go out.

2007 : Lose their way in semis to Australia

2011 : Kiwsi blast them out.

Many termed SA as fav team to win the world cup. Not to be. They choked. They had a super team this time.  Amla, Kallis, Smith, ABD and Duminy. None fired when it mattered. Amla got good starts but except 1 100 never went on to make a hundred.

Imran Tahir, their new playtoy couldnt fire against big teams.

And biggest of them all, they choked in their minds. They chased 297 successfuly against India but could not  chase 172 and 222.  There are plenty of South African coaches around, none as best as Gary Kirsten for India. And now they shall desparately want him to coach them.

No decision reviewed this game. Good

What a game Kiwis had. Both captains are going to step down post this campaign, but its Vettori who'z  got better of Smith on a venue where they lost 0-4 to Deshis. Oram, Ryder, Nathan McCullum had a super game today.

And now they travel to Colombo for their semi final against SL or England (England my favorite).

SA need some time off and may be a reconditioning program for empowering mental strenghts. This is a World Cup and it doesnt get bigger than this. They had 4 spinners, but that didnt matter in the end cos their batsmen lacked the steel resolve to conquer something which India, England and Australia have.

Its a glorious upset and what a turnaround for Kiwis.

All attributed to one man, who started it all for Indian turnaround, good 11 years back. Take a bow for John Wright.

Saffers seem to be choking again

3/121 to 7/147.

Only Saffers can do that. They have to accept that they are eternal chokers and they shall always do it. Though they are yet to lose this or win this, but a big ? is set up on their worthiness of winning this tournament, which they desparately want to.

And 8tgh gone.

South Africa cannot win the bigger games, no matter waht conditions, no matter which countries. Pity India lost to them and they couldnt get Saffa choke.

And whoz the hero of chokers? N McCullum and J Oram.

Cant stop laughing.

Rosco on fire in Pallekele....

In walked Ross Taylor, on his 27th birthday, and he received two generous gifts from Pakistan. Before he had scored, Taylor edged the second ball of Shoaib's second spell. Akmal moved to towards his right to take a catch that was his for the taking, and then stopped and looked expectantly at first slip, where Younis Khan looked on in shock as the ball sped to the third-man boundary. A ball later Taylor edged again, this time the easiest of chances straight to Akmal, who dropped it again.

How are Pakistani selectors, coach and captain persisting with this lunatic dickhead is beyond logical comprehension. He uttered "Shahid Bhai" 15 times in Afridi's last over and what his reprieve costed Pakistan in last 6 overs is mind blowing. 

Excellent hitting Rosco. That would  shit hell scare the next opponent captain reluctant to play in Mumbai.

Match 2 : NZ vs Kenya

The mismatch between NZ and Kenya is something ICC had in mind when they reduced the number of teams in 2015. Thats precisely reducing the interest in the world cup in matches not involving strong teams. And if this matches continue to produce one sided results then ICC is right in shunting out associate nations from the world cup. Kenya have been playing world cups since 1996 and  this is their 5th world cup. Barring 2003 when they reached semis, thanks to a victory against SL and a forfeit against NZ, they have not exactly set the games on fire when they have played.....

Expect more such results when the other lopsidedly matches are played.

World Cup Teams Preview : New Zealand

NZ are perennial underachievers in non world cup ODI cricket, but they are over achievers in World Cups. Unexpectedly they have reached 5 semi finals out of 9. And when they have reached semi-final, India has not. When India has, they have not.

Other interesting fact is they have not reached semis in 2 consecutive semi-finals.

1992 : NZ , no India

1996: No NZ, India

1999: NZ, No India

2003: No NZ, India

2007 : NZ, no India

So going by this trend Kiwis wont make it to the semis and India would make it.

Well its not just this trend that goes against them ,but also the form they are in goes against them. Having won just 16 of 40 ODIs since Jan 2009 is a poor record for a team like NZ who has always achieved more than expected in ODIs than tests.

Their main batsman and main bowler is one man. Danny Vettori himself. He is also their captain and not too long back he used to be their selector too. But then he was sacked after disastrous subcontinent tour. They got drubbing of 0-4 and 0-5 in BD and India. They were only team to have played in all 3 hosts and should have had good match practice and conditions exp under their belt. On the contrary they could just win 1 game out of close to 14.

The batting lineup looks a lot thinner though they have players like Ross Taylor, Baz Macullum, Jesse Ryder and youngsters like Guptill, Williamson and others but they fail to click together as a unit.

They are in a tougher group with SL, Pak and Australia. They would be expected to go to the QF but the road would be a bit difficult. They can still hope to beat Pakistan, but getting past Australia would be tough. They have not beat Australia in a world cup game for 12 years now. They did beat them in 1999 and 1992 but after losing that game to NZ, they have not yet lost a game in the world cup till date.

They play their games in Chennai, Nagpur, Ahmedabad, Pallekelelele and Mumbai (last 2). Their first game is against Kenya and 2nd one is a tough game vs Australia. They play one minnow and a strong team next. They will have to win all games against minnows and at least 1 against the remaining 3 to go ahead. And from there on, its all luck and day's conditions how good they play.

Expectations:

Tough to go past Quarter final based on the team they have got and the recent form.

5-0

India has blanked NZ 5-0 and there were some good performances in this 5 ODIs from fringe players. This not only poses some good and happy selectorial choices for the world cup, also augurs well since the world cup is going to be on the home pitches.  It would be selectorial decision who those 15 men would be to represent India. Most of those slots are fixed and frankly enough there are just few spots which need some mind crunching.

This are interesting contenders:

Yusuf Pathan

Parthiv Patel

R Ashvin

Sreesanth

Parthiv Patel's success in 2 ODIs is a slap to Srijkkanth and company who consistently ignored this lad from Gujarat and kept going for losers like BossDK.  PP has always been a better batsman than Bossedeshwar and he has had a strong desire for success built up in the years he was out of the team. He might not be the first choice keeper again, but he can certainly be the backup keeper on the tours abroad.

He is a better batsman and keeper than even Wriddhiman Saha who is going to SA as backup keeper.

Sreesanth's wickets in first 2 games have brought him in contention and if he repeats his success in ODIs in SA, then he would be a seriou contender for 3rd seamer spot.

Zaheer, Praveen and Nehra are certainities. The fourth seamer could be a choice between Ishant, Sreesanth and to an extent Munaf.

R Ashvin would pose a threat to IPL Ojha for the  2nd spinner in the team and if he takes wickets instead of containing or holding the batsmen it would be a huge bonus for India. Its been ages we've had a wicket taking spinner in ODIs since decline of Anil Kumble in ODIs.

India wins Guwahati game

India won the first ODI in Guwahati by comfortable 40 runs. This margin could have been even bigger one should the 9th wkt partnership of 67 runs had been shortened. Yet next game in Jaipur, the Mallu lad Sreesanth would be on hattrick and if he gets wicket on first ball he would become 2nd bowler to take a ODI hatrrick for India. Kapil being the other one.

India had lot of positives from the game in all the aspects:

• Gambhir looked comfortable batting until he chased a wide delivery that got him out.
• Virat Kohli is soon maturing to a wonderful ODI batsman, with his 2nd consecutive century he is a certainity for the World Cup. He has gone past the likes of Vijay, Rohit Sharma and of course Sir Ravinder Jadeja in the utility to the team.
• R Ashvin was a very good bowler on this day and should he get more chances and he encashes them he would be good wicket taking bowler for India in ODIs.
• All bowlers bowled well in tandem with even Yuvraj Singh coming good with his off spin.

Nehra's ommission from the original squad was baffling and still its not sure if PK returns who would go out. I'd reckon it should be Munaf, as he has not been in the frame all this while and Nehra is India's most successful ODI bowler since June 2009 with 55 wickets in 37 games.

Kiwis now have lost 7 games on the trot in the subcontinental conditions and at this point of time Vettori/Taylor would be a huge fan of Mr Speakit Sangakara who every day gives us a new gyan on the cricketology and latest from his repository is "WC 2011 is going to be most  competitive and there is no clear favorite". So if going by this form, Kiwis are not the favorites for the world cup in subcontinent, but since this would be most open and competitive World Cup, the Kiwis can still surprise anybody. I would be happy if they surprise Sri Lanka every time they play.

Nagpur wishlist

My Nagpurian wishlist:

1. An Indian victory within 4 days or at max 5. Not more tha 5 days please. In short, no flat wickets please.
2. Sachin Tendulkar's 50th 100.
3. Dravid scoring a 31st 100.
4. Harbhajan getting a 4-for.
5. Ishant Sharma getting bounce and wickets.
6. Dhoni fires with the bat.
7. Ryder, Baz, Mac get out cheaply.

Nothing short of all 7 wishlist items coming true.

Harbhajan : Now or never

A shame and a disgrace for the best Test team in the world. A team that blanks Australia 2-0 is content with 2 draws with a # 8 team in the world.  A team that wins Tests more often than it draws or loses is not able to win a single Test against hapless opposition which was blanked 0-4 by a minnow team.  Someone from the opposite camp is good enough every time to thwart the champions with a stubborn 100.

Be it Mac, Baz or Bewda Ryder, they are men of character and might not be blessed on talent, but high on temparament and attitude.

India is a  concerned unit right now. The bowling attack has not been able to take 20 Kiwis wickets in any of the 2 test matches so far. Pitches anyone? Not quite.  Look at the bowling attack -- Zaks, Santh, Harbhajan and IPL.

Except Zaks, noone is toothy enough to take wickets on consistent basis.

Harbhajan is happy making runs with the bat whereas he should be concerned on his dwindling bowling stocks. Few years back when he was young and better bowler than he is today, he consistently took 5-fors and 10-fors. Look at his numbers, 24 5-fors. Most of them coming in his early years of Test cricket. And at a time when he should have been doing a Kumble to the team, he is not even himself that he was in early 2000s.

Harbhajan the bowler needs to step up. Ojha is good for bowling marathon spells but not good enough to run through an opposition in a single sensational spell of spin bowling which we have witnessed in home Tests in last 2 decades. When Kumble was around, the visiting teams had tormenting times starting 3rd session of 3rd day. And now they are happy to bat out for a draw. And when there is an occasionally inspired spell of bowling from one of the visiting bowlers, India finds itself in a dock. Heavens gracious we have batsmen capable enough to bail us out of the hole, but tis the bowlers who put us back in the hole with their headless and mindless bowling.

Time is ripe to look elsewhere for the spinning options, if Harbhajan does not mend up his ways and takes charge as leading Indian bowler now that Zaks is out to a groin strain.

Chak de phatte Ulu de patthe Harbhajan!!

Duckworth Lewis needs to be Ducked forever

The rain played havoc in last 4 league games which did not see a complete finish. If England were on receiving end on day 1 of rain drama, then on day 2 they were through to the Super 8s without actually winning a single game. Will Collingwood still make a fuss of D/L now that it helped his team.

NZ got through to Super 8s alongside SL who were lucky to be through.

If the rains continue to play decisive role in the tournament, much serious phase now, then its going to be a lottery. Whoever wins the toss wins the game cos when the team batting 2nd would come on, it would know how much runs it needs to score and at what rate unless you are Shaun Pollock and Mark Boucher, you'd expect to win 9 out of 10 times.

But then whats the use of deciding games on D/L which gives unfair advantage to team batting 2nd. Likes of England or Australia are not going to make consistent noises against the rule as they more often than not benefit from the rule. When they do not they make a fuss and when they do benefit they do nt speak a word on it.

ShippiSH!!!!

World T20 : Day One

Two games. NZ vs SL and WI  vs Ireland.

WI won the game as expected and look good to go super 8s. Ireland now face elimination and must now  expect England to lose both its games, far fetched thought that is.

In the opening game Sangakara was a changed man. He had grown a moustache. He was speaking with lot of mannerisms at the toss. Nothing different that he spoke, but the facial movements he made and the way he spoke was unique.  IPL Nights effect may be.

He chose to open with Mahela and Dilshan. Dilshan was scratchy in IPL. Bishop told us. We also saw. Sangakara did not. He was busy fighting with Yuvraj and trying to get close to his owner (IPL) in IPL. So Dilshan scratched around for 19 balls scoring 3. And then he got out.

Sangakara came and he scratched around. He got out too.

Mahela continued his good form. He made 81 in SL's total of 6/135.   Chandimal, the SL cousin of Dinesh Karthik made 29, Angelo Matthews made 3, Kapugedra made 11, Sanga made 4 off 11.  Jaya did not get a ball to face.

Cheap treatment. He has opened for 14 years or even more in ODIs, Tests and T20s. Needless for me to say his record while doing that. have a look at Dilshan. He is opening for 14 months may be ? He's been failure at top spot this year. For ego or some unknown reasons Sangakara is keeping Jaya off the opening spot.  And that would lead to a downfall soon. His captaincy skills are at display. His results are at display.

They must now win against Zim who are on fire after beating Pakistan and Australia in warmups. If they lose really they go home. End of captaincy for Sangakara may be.

NZ won a tense game and that would be a morale booster for them.

Pakistan inch to first Test win in 3 years

Pakistan are two wickets away from their first win in 3 years in Test cricket.  The attritional team plagued with immense tussle of egos and conflicts followed by inferiority complex owing to the torn situations back home is now getting close to a win amidst farce in the captaincy, farce in the top of the order and farce in almost everything.

That shows how individual performances matter in a game which is perhaps the longest played with team spirits.  Malik and Yusuf wont see an eye to eye, Misbah is given a booty to this career by his mate and the captain for the tour.

And the original captain, the drama king is not even in the picture. He is the man who takes most breaks in the international cricket, whimsical and impulsive. Apt that he ran to the problems within the team.  Reports now say that he is not even going to Australia for form reasons. Well, thats good. Pakistan has never succeded against Australia in ages now. Last test win against them came good 16 years back thanks to a deadly miss by Ian Healy.

Today's win would be hailed as great event in terror torn Pakistan, in fact the ego battles of the senior players and the mess Butt has spread is more horrific than the ISI sponsered and Taliban fired terror wave back in that country.

Contrasting fortunes, a win for the embattled country would see them amongst victory in 3 years and one win to their traditional rivals would see them going on the top of Test rankings. 

I imagine how Pakisani players would react when they would win. How bugsy rabbit Kamran Akamal would go to his Danya Danya, the Gujju and hug him.  How the opportunist and the worst fielder in international cricket, the Younis Youhana nee Mohd Yusuf would walk off with his gang and Malik would walk with his gang. How the drug peddler would give tips to raw young Mohd Aamer to keep the drugs, eat it, get banned and then come back.

Wow.  Pakistan cricket is never short of Ekta Kapoor's errand soap opera tales.

NZ into finals

700....

Great stuff Danny Boy....

Awesome stuff!!

Sri Lanka thumped.....

Wow man. Sri Lanka lost and now are out of the tournament almost. Character demolished. Great stuff Dannie boy. That gives you a blinker of a chance to get to the semis. Beat England who today should beat Saffa.

If Saffas lose today, Kiwis just need to beat England and if they lose, they go in a tussle with the Lankans and Saffas on NRR which they should have edge on the hosts and characterless men now made bare in back to back defeats....

Keep blabbering Sanga Silva and Mahela Jaywardhene.

I am relaxed that this guys now would shut their ass up and go sit in the corner with mouths taped.

And adios to Sanath Jayasurya.

SA trump NZ

Saffers have got back to the track and they are now in contention for the semis. Their next opposition is England, whom we all know the worth of in the ODIs. I would still bet my money on England to go through.

England and New Zealend can beat each other and if any one of them upsets or both upset Sri Lanka, then their result would be keen for knowing who goes through to the next round.

Kiwis are crap. They just have no heart to fight.

Years back Stephen Fleming in a TV ad in India had said "Bada he to Better hai". They should now say "Bada format he to hum bekaar hai". They won the T20s in SL, but lost ODIs and Tests. Thats the same story here.

Wayne Parnell who had a good series against Australia got a 5-for and AB, Amy's favorite saw them through.

Purna would be the happiest fan today on a Saffa win. Aint you lady if you reading this ? Yeah Herschelle Gibbs didnt play but then he should be back in the all important game with England.

Go England go.

Torture......

Run rate of 2.91 on day 1 when batting is easy and the opposition is inexperienced would be pathetic. Just imagine how tough would it be for the spectators to watch it.

Is another record making spree to come in or it is an attempt to draw to win the series.

I just cant get enough of this negative approach.

Fancying Kiwis and India

Kiwis love blue. They have a boogie over blues. Indian blues. Let the Kiwis see Indians in Srilankans, for they also wear blue. They also have yellow patch on their dress. That is something Australian. So Kiwis have enough motivation and reason to go beat SL and go to Semis, their most obvious place in ICC tourneys (except 2003, they have gone in Semis of every world cup).....

McCullum was skipper of Mendis in KKR days and he didnt play much, so who is gonna take revenge? As of now blabba king and Sanga having a ball in the middle. I bet my money on Kiwis. And on battered and bruised Indians in the game later today. But in the longer run, I fancy Saffers to unchoke and win the tourney to cap off an excellent season for them. Choke today, not later. Lose today, win later.

as for Indians, win today and win always to slap the critics and the ass media back home. Heal your bruised ego by thumping the to be champions and make Micky repent on his comments that we are team of individuals who play for ourselves. Just do it guys. Sensible Indians are with you.

A T20 lowdown and high up

Which is the strongest team in the T20Is ? Is it India or Pakistan or Australia or South Africa ?

Or for that matter Sri Lanka or New Zealand ?

India are the defending world champions in the format which they won in 2007 comprehensively. In true Australian way circa 1999.

Having lost to NZ in the Super 8 stage, they needed to win 2 out of 2 games and didn’t they win all and 2 more. 4 in all.

Here is the win loss record for all teams (exclude BD and Zim)

Twenty20 record for each team

Team	Played	Won	Lost
Pakistan	17	13	3 (1 tie)
India	13	7	4 (1 tie + 1 NR)
SL	13	8	5
SA	18	11	7
Aus	21	11	10
WI	11	4	5(2 tie)
NZ	21	8	11(2 tie)
Eng	15	6	9

Pakistan have won 13 games of 17 it has played. Now does that make them the strongest. Well no. 7 of them are against minnows.

Canada, Bangladesh, Kenya and Scotland. Exclude those 6 of them and the record then reads

Pakistan

10

6

3 (1 tie)

Out of this 6, most impressive record is against the Aussies. 2 out of 2 (2007 WC and then in 2009 desert safari). They have favorable record against England (1 out of 1) and New Zealand (1 out of 1)

At par with Sri Lanka (2 out of 4). They are yet to beat India in this format, the biggest parameter to test their strength in any format. 1 of them has been a tie (bowl out went to India for points distribution)

And the most famous T20I match, they lost to their bitter and toughest opponents thanks to an ill timed scoop by Misbah. They are yet to beat SA in this format. They haven’t played WI in any of the games so far.

Not the strongest of the records you see.

Lets take India to the sword.

Played 13. Won 7, lost 4. Out of the 4 , they have lost 3 to one single team – Kiwis. In fact they are yet to beat the Kiwis in this format. They lost the first super 8 game in 2007 and then 2 again in the Kiwi tour in 2009. They have one game washed out against the minnows Scotland, so we are no minnow bashers.

Out of the 7 victories we have, 2 against Aussies, 2 against SA (no loss), 1 against England, 1 against SA and 1 against Pakistan. The other loss came to Australia in 2008 when they were bowled out for a paltry 74.

Strongest ? Not quite. The 3 losses to Kiwis take off the sheen from the claim to be the strongest. Point of concern is since 2007 triumph, the champs have played 5 games, won 2 and lost 3. The only comprehensive win coming against Australia in Brabourne in 2007. They almost lost it against Lanka in 2009, thanks to Pathan bros who got team home.

Sri Lanka

13 played, 8 victories and 5 losses.

Minnow bashing. Yes. 4 against minnows. 4 against good countries. 2 against Pakistan, 1 against England and New Zealand. Err no. Not strong. No no no. Mind ittttttt, they hold the world record in this format too for the highest score. Phew. 260 in World T20 against minnows Kenya. Add 6/952, 443/6 or 8 in Tests and ODIs respectively. Credible.

WI, NZ and England fizz out owing to their on and off record.

We remain with Australia and South Africa. Unfortunately they have pretty on and off record too. Esp Aussies, they started off with a bang this year with 2 of 2 victories down under, thanks to David Warner, but they lost the steam in South Africa and desert safari. Aussies have a 50% ratio here, pretty low by their standards. But we should not forget that they come back hard at a trophy they haven’t won. Go back to Champions trophy, the 2006 edition. They won it comprehensively. It’s a different matter altogether, that this year its going to be India once again as the CT goes to SA and we win almost everything in SA. Won the IPL – 2, The World T20 2007 and almost the WC 2003, the first T20 in SA in Durban. Didn’t we ?

Its more of a day factor, the team that plays well the given day wins, but its to the consistency factor which decides which team remains the strongest. Out of the facts I diagnosed here, it’s a outright result. INDIA. They haven’t won any cheap game, they haven’t lost to major teams except Australia and Kiwis. IMO they are the strongest in the format, but then again only till the next T20 is played.