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Help Bangladesh cricket if you can, but if you can’t, at least refrain from crushing their dreams, writes Rabeed Imam

Rabeed Imam11-Jun-2005

Mohammad Ashraful was the big disappointment of Bangladesh’s tour of England © Getty Images
Exactly a month ago the Bangladeshis arrived in England. A month can be an awfully long time if you are on a cricket tour and the playing experience, particularly in the trying early summer conditions, is supposed to do a budding Test nation more good than bad. But looking back, it is difficult to fathom the gains so far.Until their fourth and final innings in the Test series, Bangladesh were invisible. With the batting in tatters, the bowlers, often a matter of pride in their own humble ways, disappointed even more with only Mashrafe Mortaza looking Test class. And then before the Durham Test, all the detrimental aspects surrounding the team, which in good times would just go under the carpet, started surfacing.Whispers of discord in the team, lack of confidence in the captain and coach, dismay at team selection and grumbling due to the presence and reported interference of officials and high-ups of the Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) became too loud to ignore. But as with success-starved teams, a spark of brilliance can instantly transform team morale. With the sun shining and the second-day pitch resembling a Dhaka strip in character, Bangladesh’s batsmen dominated the English pace quartet which had been in steam-rolling form previously. There was also a little battle won.Forget about all the witless after-match comments and suggestions that they were not motivated enough to go for the kill. Michael Vaughan challenged Bangladesh to a two-day finish and tried all his cards and even took the extra half-hour on offer but failed to shake off the first signs of stubborn resistance by the tourists who scored nearly 300 runs in two sessions at nearly five an over. But even then the performances and team selection posed some intriguing questions.Javed Omar, virtually written off by his coach and peers, ended up making the highest number of runs under the most testing of circumstances with his desperately limited technique. Aftab Ahmed, not considered a Test article yet, looked at home every time he arrived at the crease. On the other hand Mohammad Ashraful, who was expected to make an impact, was left fighting the demons within and appeared a shadow of the talent he is. Habibul Bashar was an epitome of irresponsibility and even his blistering knock in the last innings failed to convince, as he gave the impression that he was trying to get something off his chest by hitting out at everything.As soon as the Test series was over, the not so one-day savvy returned to Bangladesh and that group included left-handed spinner Enamul Haque Jr, the one bowler who had won a Test single-handedly not too long ago. He didn’t get a game in England. Few would have complained if Ashraful had been sent back too, especially on the evidence of his second innings dismissal at Chester le-Street, where he presented Gareth Batty with a wicket he never should have had by holing out to long-on with the afternoon’s tea being poured in the dressing-room.On a slightly brighter note, that defiant batting on the second day in Durham also prevented a mini-catastrophe.Test defeats inside the first two days are nothing new. The West Indies, Pakistan and Zimbabwe have gone down that road before, shrugged off the humiliation and have moved on. However, if the team on the receiving end is Bangladesh, then rest assured the same dubious distinction would be projected as the final tangible evidence that they are not worthy of Test status. At least that was the preparation the perennial Bangla-bashers had taken before Aftab’s cracking unbeaten half-century spoiled their evening somewhat.But at the next available chance, which could be during the NatWest Series, they will come out fighting again demanding Bangladesh be banned from Test cricket. To understand just how flimsy a call that is, you have to approach the reality of Bangladesh’s cricket with an open mind – a prospect which valued names like Shane Warne, Richie Benaud or Kim Hughes are reluctant to entertain as long as their columns and interviews satisfy the hardliners, which is a shame. If a Benaud or a Warne or some of the former England stars who have turned cricket journalists, dropped in during a training session of the Tigers and just said a few words of encouragement, that would have been befitting their image and would have proved they want to help. But by joining the “kick Bangladesh out” campaign instead, they have sadly shown that they are probably not big enough where it really matters.

Mashrafe Mortaza was certainly Test class in Bangladesh’s recent tour © Getty Images
Imagine telling Mashrafe Mortaza, “mate, thank you for all your effort over the last three years. Unfortunately you won’t be playing another Test until we feel your team is good enough”. He’ll strangle you to death with his bare hands right there. What has inspired him to return to cricket after undergoing career-threatening surgery on both knees? It is the appeal of Test cricket and the opportunity of pitting himself against the best. Try taking that away from him for an indefinite period.This is a philosophy shared by all the cricketers in the Bangladesh team. And what about those who are aspiring to become a Test player or are on the fringes of national selection or the Bangladesh Under-19s who give their Australian counterparts a hiding at every scope? Asking them to shift their dreams to tackling the likes of Zimbabwe, Kenya and UAE in A-category matches is as good as killing off their cricketing ambitions for ever.Bangladesh is a cricket country and no other game comes close, not even the once numero uno football which is dying a slow death. Unlike in many of the established cricket nations, you don’t have to sell cricket to the public here, don’t have to woo youngsters with fancy gimmicks. In Bangladesh, corporate firms come knocking at the door wanting to sponsor cricket events, not the other way round. It is also the game that makes a mockery of the rich-poor divide. In every Bangladeshi national selection you get representatives from both extremes of the social strata.Bangladesh should be judged on potential and not by all the matches they have lost by an innings or their poor domestic first class structure (what do you expect? County or Ranji standard in three years of existence?) or their many other struggles. Cricket is the game of the masses here and if even half of this country’s 150 million people are interested in the sport in one way or the other, that should be a convincing enough reason both from commercial and cricketing considerations to stick by them and cash in on the massive possibilities.So anyone directly involved with Bangladesh’s cricket would seek time. But we live in an age of impatience and skeptics would want a deadline which takes us back to Aftab.”His problem is that he has too many shots. But with someone like Aftab who might be scoring 30s in international cricket at the moment, you know that in five years time he’ll give you 130s,” said Richard McInness, the former Bangladesh Under-19 coach. Athar Ali Khan, selector and ex- Bangladesh batsman also echoed the five-year formula in his interview with Cricinfo recently.That, in a nutshell, is the answer. Habibul Bashar, Mohammad Rafique, Khaled Mashud, Javed Omar never had any Test desire when they started playing cricket. When the opportunity came, they embraced it. The present lot are being nurtured and brought up for that level and are the actual bearers of the Tigers dream. In five years, the most exciting generation of Bangladesh’s cricketers will shape the national squad. Until then, all Bangladesh is asking for is some breathing space and understanding.

Deb K Das wonders whether the long-awaited constitutional reforms will really lead to a reform of US cricket, or end up as another road to nowhere …

Deb K Das25-Sep-2006The long-awaited draft Constitution of the USA Cricket Association (USACA), under preparation for the past six months under cloak-and-dagger secrecy, is finally available on the USACA website for all to see. It remains to be seen whether it will be approved by USACA’s member clubs – and if it is, whether it will really lead to a reform of US cricket, or end up as another road to nowhere.Critics have already weighed in on the document’s inconsistencies, some of which range from the absurd to the trivial. The big change is the addition of a National Election Committee, which is to have authority over the election of the BOD, regional directors, and the top three executive officers. Such an independent authority was an express requirement of the ICC, and appears to have been met by the draft.Then there are inconsistencies, contradictions and “just plain foolishness” according to one vocal critic. For example, member clubs can be expelled for not meeting their “financial obligations” to the USACA, yet no club can resign without fullfilling these financial obligations! Again, Lifetime memberships can be revoked bya two-thirds vote … how do you revoke a lifetime membership? Lifetime and Honorary members are also required to be at all annual meetings, even though they have no vote and could be living halfway around the world. The point of this requirement is lost on the reader, and its relevance is also questionable.Also, there are no clearly established guidelines on how the National Election Committee is to be selected, how future vacancies will be filled, and how conflicts of interest are to be avoided. Presumably, the ICC would have to approve, and its Americas office would be responsible to see that its requirements are met. But this is hardly a comforting thought, given ICC’s track record on such matters.What is especially crucial, however, is what the draft constitution does not say. Here is one of its most glaring omissions. When the Constitution Review Committee was first formed, a group of US cricketers made a formal proposal to John Wainwright, then chairman of the Committee, to include certain items in the new constitution as by-laws. These items were as follows: (1) Set goals requiring every member league to increase the percentage of American-born cricketers without any cultural background in cricket by five percent each year, to comprise 25% in five years; (2) Member leagues failing to meet these quotas were to be denied the right to vote, to participate in regional or national teams, or enjoy any privileges of USACA membership; (3) Similar quotes were to be applied to junior cricket, with the same penalties; (4) All money received from ICC was to be set aside either for programs and services directed towards American-born citizens, or on ICC requirements for maintaining Associate Membership. In particular, no ICC funds were to be spent on any other activities than those specified herein.The point of all these proposals was that if US cricket was to become part of the American sports landscape, mainstream America had to be somehow incorporated into its development plans. Without such carrot-and-stick rewards and penalties, it was highly unlikely that this would ever happen. Indeed, Gary Hopkins, who had performed a similar feat of legerdemain with the US Major Soccer League, was hired by ICC to oversee Project USA with just such a goal in mind. When Project USA was shut down by ICC, a promising line of development was left stillborn, and with it went the hopes of most US cricketers for a promising future.The question now is, whether the USACA and its Constitution Review Committee will re-adopt these proposals as part of its by-laws, and again set US cricket on the promising path that was abandoned three years ago. A great deal is riding on the answer.

Jenny Thompson pays tribute to Australian fast bowler Cathryn Fitzpatrick who has retired, aged 39

Jenny Thompson28-Mar-2007

Cathryn Fitzpatrick: 75mph rockets © Getty Images
This, it seems, is the year for blond Australian bowling legends toretire. First Warne and McGrath said goodbye, now it’s time to thank Cathryn Fitzpatrick, their peerless fast bowler, for her contribution. Like Shaneand Glenn, she will be missed and, like Shane and Glenn, she’ll behard to replace.Her retirement was just as shocking as theirs. Of course it wasinevitable, as she’s now nearing 40, yet, as with Warnie, all alongyou still secretly clung on to the child-like hope that somehow theywould go on forever, in some cricketing NeverNeverLand. But then cameconfirmation that she is, after all, mortal. She retired. “You can’tkeep playing forever,” she confessed.Yet it seemed that she would. Even immediately prior to her bowingout, she was at the peak of powers in the World Series in India, asfit now as she was when she first hurled down one of her 75mph rocketsfor Australia a whopping 16 years ago. Sixteen years at international level is impressive enough for a male, but for a female – often forcedto put their ‘real’ career on hold, or with thoughts turning to afamily – it’s remarkable.For those who faced her, those 16 years of being the world’soutstanding female pace bowler would have felt like 60. CharlotteEdwards, England’s captain and formidable batsman, enjoyed many a duelwith the woman they called the female Brett Lee, although perhapsBrett Lee was the male Fitzpatrick. “It was always a challenge to face her,” says Edwards. “You always knew that you had to raise your game. I looked forward to it, though, because you always knew you were goingto be tested.”

Fitzpatrick was prolific for her state side, Victoria, too © Getty Images
Fitzpatrick was certainly Lee in style, tearing in, pinging them downand watching the stumps cartwheel. But she also had the fierce economy of McGrath – 1.91 in Tests and 3.01 in one-dayers. Her 180 ODI wicketscame at a ridiculously economic 16.79. The numbers just keep stacking up: she was also the first bowler to 150 one-day wickets, and finished with 180 from her109 one-dayers at an impressive strike-rate of 33.42. At state level, she also holds the record for most wickets in a career, with 198 for Victoria.When she did retire it was on an inevitable high, afterhelping Australia win the World Series, and as a two-time World Cupwinner. She could have gone on longer. So why didn’t she? “There areonly so many pre-seasons you can do.”Her departure leaves a gaping hole in Australia’s attack, with no obvious candidate to replace her. But she could have a hand inunearthing, and nurturing, the next Fitzpatrick. She has been developing her coaching skills for a long time now. Indeed, last year she won a scholarship with the Australian Sports Commission. Controversy courtedher when she was called in to help the Australian men’s team; butmaybe, just maybe, with such a frightening economy rate and smooth action she hadsomething to say.She believes she does, and takes inspiration from John Harmer, the formerAustralia coach who went on to coach England, too. “I believe that noother individual has had a bigger impact on women’s cricket than John,and that’s why I know it’s so vital to have quality coaches in thesystem.” And now it’s Tim Neilsen who’s inspiring her, by teaching herto coach.”Cricket has cost me a lot of money and a lot of time,” she said two years ago, “but something makes me want to keep going.” While it may not be in the playing arena any more, she will certainly be contributing off the pitch.

Twenty quick numbers for the ICC World Twenty20

25-Sep-20070 – The number of teams that remained unbeaten in the tournament. India lost once, as did South Africa. It’s also the score on which Kenya’s Maurice Ouma was dismissed twice, leading to a round figure for his total aggregate as well.1 – The number of hundreds scored in the tournament – and also in all 46 Twenty20 internationals thus far. A downer that no one else could achieve what Chris Gayle did taking first strike in the opening match. Also the number of hat-tricks in Twenty20 internationals, Brett Lee doing the needful against Bangladesh.5 – The highest number of no-balls bowled in an innings, by Australia against Bangladesh. 7.99 – The average run-rate through the tournament. At that rate, 400 would be a par score in ODIs, and 650 the best if we take into account Sri Lanka’s 13 per over against Kenya.9 – Century partnerships in the ICC World Twenty20, with two involving Australia’s Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist.10 – The number of four-fors in the tournament, a fair indication that Twenty20 is not a batsman’s game after all. Also the most sixes in an innings, hit by Gayle in his knock of 117, nearly equalling the record of 11 in ODIs.12 – The number of balls taken by Yuvraj Singh to score his fifty against England, the fastest in international cricket. Yuvraj also became the second batsman to hit six sixes in an over in 2007, a feat that has happened only four times in top-level cricket.13 – The number of matches won by the team batting second, with one tie with the side chasing (Pakistan) losing in the bowl-out and one No Result in the 27 matches played. And there was talk that putting the opposition in was the right way to go in Twenty20.15 – Maidens bowled. The World Cup in the Caribbean had 274 maidens in 51 50-over matches, so batsmen have evidently realised the need to stop wasting deliveries in the 20-over format. 19.2 – The average number of balls taken by bowlers to take a wicket in the tournament. RP Singh, Stuart Clark and Lasith Malinga needed only 12.36.52 – The percentage of dot balls among all deliveries bowled in the tournament.64 – Most runs conceded by a bowler in one match. Poor Sanath Jayasuriya was the victim as the Pakistan batsmen carted him all over the park in Johannesburg, equalling the most expensive figures in a Twenty20 game.91 – The number of runs scored off free hits (39).124.03 – The average runs scored per hundred balls by the batsmen. In other words, the batting strike rate197.82 Shahid Afridi’s strike rate, the highest in the tournament for anyone facing a minimum of 25 deliveries260 – The highest total in a Twenty20 international, made by Sri Lanka against a hapless Kenya, who could muster only 161 in their two outings in the tournament.265 – The number of sixes hit in the ICC World Twenty20, with Craig McMillan topping the charts with 13. The corresponding figure for the World Cup in the West Indies was 373, in 51 matches and of course 50-over games.269 – The runs scored off 207 wide balls bowled during the tournament, with West Indies squandering away 23 runs against South Africa in the opening match.418 The most runs scored in a single match (and a record for Twenty20 internationals); this was from the England-India match in Durban. 659 – The number of fours hit during the tournament. Add to that the 265 sixes and 348 wickets, and you’d guess the dancers at the grounds had a pretty busy time!

Within the next week or so, several of the Stanford Superstars must come back to earth and link up again with the established WICB management

Tony Cozier10-Aug-2008
Jonathan Carter, one of the 30 players training as part of the Stanford Superstars squad © Stanford2020.com
As Julian Hunte and Donald Peters were at their kiss-and-make-up lunch in Antigua last week, settling an issue that had absolutely nothing to do with the depressed state of West Indies cricket, 30 players were going through the rigours of training and coaching nearby.They were all West Indian but, even though the next official West Indies assignments are the Associates tri-series in Toronto in August and the Champions Trophy in Pakistan in September, they weren’t there as a West Indies team.While president Hunte occupied himself with chief executive Peters’ handling of a report claiming the WICB paid for the work on his office in St Lucia, no side had yet been announced for either Toronto or Pakistan – and still hasn’t.What is more, confusion remained over Chris Gayle’s resignation as captain. There were no such distractions for the players in Antigua, members of the initial Stanford Superstars squad for the breathtaking US$20 million one-off winner-take-all challenge match against England, devised and financed by Texan billionaire Allen Stanford at his ground adjoining the VC Bird International Airport, almost three months distant on November 1.They were there for a fortnight’s training camp, ending on Wednesday, that the Stanford organisation said was “designed to upgrade the fitness levels of the players and fine-tune their all-round cricket skills”. There would also be “emphasis on other critical aspects of the game such as team work, strategy formulation and video analysis review”.The Superstars are under the direction of head coach Eldine Baptiste and his deputy Roger Harper, the former West Indies allrounder with compelling coaching credentials. Sir Viv Richards, the chief selector, and Lance Gibbs, the manager, are the West Indies icons who are part of the event. Cardigan Connor, the Anguillan who played for several seasons with Hampshire, will be Gibbs’ assistant.They were augmented by “specialist advice from several of the legends of West Indies cricket on the Stanford 20/20 board of directors and other experts including the internationally-renowned fielding coach Julian Fountain”.As his investment of unprecedented millions into the game confirms, Stanford doesn’t deal in half-measures. He has no intention of depositing his US$20 million into English bank accounts and has called in West Indian heavyweights to ensure that he doesn’t have to. If those picked do not benefit from the exercise, they had no right being there.Yet it gives rise to an obvious dichotomy. Within the next week or so, several of the Superstars must come back to earth and link up again with the established WICB management for the upcoming tournaments.Coach John Dyson, assistant David Williams and manager Omar Khan are all relatively new to their jobs. They are still feeling their way, trying to overcome the inconsistent performances of the team and the consistent bungling of the board.Now their main charges return from a fresh experience under different coaches, presumably with different methods. It is a situation to be repeated over the next five years that these multi-million dollar, one-off extravaganzas are scheduled.For the past two weeks in Antigua, the adrenaline of Stanford’s Superstars would have been driven by the hype surrounding the November 1 event. They would have been flattered by the close and constant attention of the West Indies greats and five-star amenities. Not least, they would have had ample time to contemplate the unprecedented wealth on offer.They now have to return to reality, to a low-key series against Canada and Bermuda in Toronto, followed by the Champions Trophy in Pakistan that most players would rather avoid. November 1 can’t come around fast enough.It all adds up to a formidable challenge for Dyson and his associates to assert their influence once more.

Rahul Dravid played the sort of knock that made him the world’s most bankable batsman a few years ago, displaying the confidence, ease and solidity that were once second nature to him

Siddarth Ravindran24-Jan-2009South Zone 329 and 345 for 6 (Dravid 118, Karthik 103*, Yadav 68) lead Central Zone 326 by 348 runs
Scorecard

Rahul Dravid was reliable as ever on the third day against Central Zone © Cricinfo Ltd
Rahul Dravid played the sort of knock that made him the world’s most bankable batsman a few years ago, displaying the confidence, ease and solidity that were once second nature to him. Though he asserted that the immediate context – shutting Central Zone out of the Duleep Trophy – was top of his mind, the innings augurs well for greater trials in the weeks ahead.South Zone’s top order had crumbled, his captain and one of the team’s main batsmen, VVS Laxman, had twisted his ankle, and Rajasthan fast bowler Pankaj Singh was in the middle of an incisive spell with the new ball – with figures of 5-4-1-2. Just the sort of crisis Dravid would routinely defuse with his pragmatic batting during his glory days.He made a tentative start today, nearly dismissed on 2 when he was caught at cover point by substitute Faiz Fazal, but it was off a no-ball. He was particularly troubled by Bhuvneshwar Kumar’s exaggerated inswing; even when he was well set, on 45, there was a moment of concern when he did not offer a stroke to an incutter from Bhuvneshwar, surviving a close lbw call as he was well struck outside off.At the other end Pankaj was testing him with steepling bounce and by getting the ball to straighten. Dravid was cautious against him, but once nearly edged to slip, escaping because he played with soft hands which ensured the ball landed short of the fielder.Once the ball got older and the new-ball bowlers were taken off, batting became less hazardous, especially with the third seamer, Umesh Yadav, having an off day. “There was a bit in the track today early on with the new ball,” Dravid said. “Once you get set there is full value for shots and it is a good and fast outfield.”What stood out about Dravid’s innings today was his back-foot play against the fast bowlers. They were punished by an array of square cuts and cover drives, through which he scored the bulk of his runs, every time they offered anything short.Against the spinners, he was quick to get on the front foot and drive them either side of mid-off. Their leg-stump line was countered with sweeps, both conventional and the paddle, and once by advancing down the track to launch Piyush Chawla near the sightscreen.The century came on the back of one of his toughest years in international cricket. Already cast aside from the national side in the limited-over formats, there is a talented bunch of youngsters queuing up for a middle-order slot in the Test line-up. It required a century in the Mohali Test against England last month, to quieten calls for the 36-year-old Dravid to exit.Today’s reprise of the patented Dravid rescue act will hearten Indian fans, especially with a testing tour of New Zealand next month. Dravid, though, insisted he was only focussed on the Duleep Trophy and that the innings should not be ‘looked at from any other angle’. “New Zealand is a fair way away,” he said. “This is important because it is important for South Zone to go to the next phase. We have put our self in a really good position.”

Muttiah Muralitharan has been Sri Lanka’s go-to man for several years now, but over the last three years his numbers have declined quite dramatically

S Rajesh20-Nov-2009Muttiah Muralitharan has been Sri Lanka’s go-to man for several years now, but over the last three years he’s had to work much harder for his wickets. He finished the Ahmedabad Test with match figures of 3 for 221 from 63.5 overs, of which only one victim was a top-order batsman. Equally worrying was his lack of bite on the last day, admittedly in conditions which offered little assistance for bowlers. It’s only the seventh time he finished wicketless in the second innings, but the first time this happened after he bowled more than 20 overs.It could be dismissed as a one-off, except for the fact that Murali’s form has been on the decline since 2007, especially when playing away from home. His overall stats during this period are still respectable – 112 wickets in 20 Tests at 26.51, with nine five-wicket hauls – but dig a little deeper, and cracks begin to appear.Of his 112 wickets, 39 have come in five Tests against Bangladesh, at an average of 14.46. Take away those numbers, and his overall average during this period climbs to 32.95. Even that average has been propped up by his numbers at home; overseas, he has only taken 20 wickets in seven Tests, each costing him 60 runs. To be fair to Murali, some of those matches have been played on the flattest featherbeds – earlier this year, for example, when Sri Lanka toured Pakistan, the first Test in Karachi yielded 1409 runs for the loss of 13 wickets in the two first innings.

Muttiah Muralitharan in Tests since 2007

TestsWicketsAverageStrike rate5WI/ 10WMv Bangladesh53914.4632.74/ 2v other teams157332.9570.65/ 1at home (excl B’desh)85322.5453.34/ 1away (excl B’desh)72060.55116.51/ 0Overall2011226.5157.49/ 3What is equally surprising, though, is Murali’s lack of effectiveness in the second innings of Test matches during this period. He has bowled in 17 such innings during this period, but has only taken 45 wickets, at an average of more than 32, which is ten runs higher than his first-innings average.More than once, Murali has been lethal in the first innings, but far less effective in the second. In Port of Spain last year for example, he took 5 for 79 as West Indies were bowled out for 294 in the first innings. In the second, with West Indies chasing 253 for victory, Murali returned disappointing figures of 1 for 92 as West Indies won by six wickets. Against Bangladesh later that year, he claimed 6 for 49 in the first, but toiled 48 overs to take 4 for 141 in the second.

Muralitharan in the first and second innings in Tests since 2007

InningsWicketsAverageStrike rate5WI/ 10WMFirst innings206722.6450.47/ 3Second innings174532.2867.82/ 3After the Ahmedabad Test, Murali averages 31.47 against India, one of only two teams against whom his average tops 30 (Australia is the other). In India the average goes up to 42.58, with 34 wickets in nine Tests. The only country where his performance is worse is in Australia – an average of 75.41, with 12 wickets in five Tests.

Gayle b Sidebottom, and impromptu entertainment courtesy a pitch invader

Jon Guard16-Jun-2009Why I picked this match
I chose this fixture because I thought England had a good chance of making it to the Super Eights. I also expected, as the organisers probably did, that Australia would be the opposition. That they were not did not matter. West Indies are a formidable Twenty20 team. The result was difficult to predict – England’s resilience under pressure against Chris Gayle’s attacking batsmen. My money was on England to squeeze through.Key performer
Ramnaresh Sarwan – rarely will a batsman score such a crucial 19 not out. He came in at 45 for 5 with 35 needed off 22 balls and with England on a roll. He responded with three fours and calmly led his team to victory.One thing I’d have changed about the match
The weather. Games subjected to Duckworth-Lewis always lose some lustre. Sustaining eight runs per over across 20 overs rather than nine across nine might have been too much for West Indies.Face-off you relished
Gayle against any England bowler. The nonchalant West Indies captain has an aura of power. If Gayle gets going, no total is safe.Wow moment
Gayle had calmly dispatched three boundaries, but the final ball of the second over, bowled by Ryan Sidebottom, was full, fast and splayed his stumps. England must have sensed possible victory.Player watch
Andre Fletcher fielded at square leg when West Indies bowled from the Pavilion End. He took a fine mid-air catch above his head to get rid of Owais Shah. Luke Wright fielded there for England and made a fumble late on to give away a second, vital run – not appreciated by the crowd.Shot of the day
Kevin Pietersen’s first ball, bowled by Kieron Pollard, was pulled to the midwicket boundary. No messing around, straight into his stride.Crowd meter
The game was watched by a full house, cheering every England run, wicket and dot ball. There were a good number of West Indies supporters, as well as Pakistanis who had watched the earlier game, with flags for the various countries being waved all round the ground. As the game reached its climax, the noise lessened as the bowlers ran in, the atmosphere very tense, before rising in cheers or groans depending upon the outcome.Entertainment
As the crowd awaited the start of West Indies’ reply, the mood was lightened by a man in just his pants running onto the pitch and sliding on his belly across the covers. Not the right thing to do, of course, but he made an impressive slide and got a huge cheer before being escorted away.Overall
England’s innings got off to an aggressive start, although they lost momentum towards the end, before the rain prevented a genuine, full-length contest. Nevertheless, West Indies’ nine-over reply had the crowd on the edge of their seats. The game came down to the wire, as Twenty20 matches should.Marks out of 10
7. Tense finish, but England slightly unlucky to go out in shortened match.

Initially Mumbai had the crowd’s support, but by the end, by the sheer weight of their performance, the Lions were on the path to winning back the hearts their home fans

Firdose Moonda10-Sep-2010It could have been the mighty presence of Sachin Tendulkar or the effects of IPL branding, which has people from all corners sprouting loyalty to some of its teams. Either way, Mumbai Indians must have felt they were playing a home game in their Champions League Twenty20 opener on Friday night. Pity the wrong team won.The Wanderers is by no means the Wankhede, the DY Patil or the Brabourne – for a start, those venues are usually full when Mumbai play – but it welcomed the IPL runners-up with open arms. A paltry 15,500 people turned up for the first match, less than half the stadium’s capacity but most of them arrived united on one front – their support for Mumbai.The reason? Apart from wanting to cheer stars, the truth is that it’s been difficult being a Lions supporter in the past three seasons. Since winning the 2006/07 Standard Bank Pro20, the team has been in free-fall. They’ve finished last in five out of nine competitions including two MTN40s, two Pro20s and a SuperSport Series, and have finished in the top two of any competition only once. The once-mighty sporting province became known as the whipping boys of the local league and the running joke was that they should be renamed the kittens. Crowds in domestic competitions, which are scant anyway, have been even thinner at the Lions’ den in recent times and the people of Johannesburg had all but lost interest in domestic cricket.It should hardly be surprising that they didn’t come out in droves or that those who did attend the match were there to see the other team. In some ways it was reminiscent of the Apartheid days when non-white supporters would attend rugby matches and cheer for New Zealand instead of the Springboks. This crowd had no political reasons to not get behind the home team, they simply saw something more attractive in the other side.The Lions’ batsmen started nervously and the needless confusion that led to Alviro Petersen’s run-out may have resulted in moans of “much of the same” from those that know the Lions well. By the end of the sixth over, with the score on 39 for 2, the rustling restlessness of a group that sensed a collapse was obvious. Then, Harbhajan Singh came on to bowl and the Bullring shook to its core with delight at seeing another hero.They hardly noticed Jonathan Vandiar redeem himself, after the race with Petersen to the same end, with his highest score in Twenty20s or the favourite son of the team, Neil McKenzie, scoring a classy, confident half-century. At the end of their innings, the Lions had done as much as they could. They had put their third highest total in the format, 186, on the board. It was the same score that helped them overcome the Titans in the semi-final of the Standard Bank Pro20 competition, and qualify for the CLT20. They had also reached the highest score against an IPL team in the CLT20’s short history.Ten minutes later, the Lions started back-pedalling so fast, they may have ended up in Durban. Bowling to Tendulkar was going to be no easy task and the Lions let the crowd indulge as the master marched on. Tendulkar survived a loud Ethan O’Reilly appeal and two run-out chances, and while he was on fire, the crowd lit up. They cheered his every move, praised his every run and worshipped each of his nine fours with their decibels. As long as he was at the crease there was no doubt about which team the Wanderers wanted to win.Then, the tide started turning. The relatively unknown Shane Burger grabbed his Big Mac with all the extras when he deceived Tendulkar with a slower ball. The Lions had started to roar and the people couldn’t help but join in. It might have been the spark they saw when Burger, fizzing like an exploding cold drink, beamed after sending Tendulkar on his way, opening the tiniest window of opportunity.With four overs to go and Mumbai needing 47, a sequence of clapping and the chanting of “Lions” was heard from a small section of the crowd. They were being coaxed over. But, the first ball of Burger’s next over was slapped for six by Kieron Pollard and the amateur cheer-leading subsided. A four and another six followed before Burger dished up the supersize version, a perfect yorker, to dismiss Pollard.”Towards the end of the match, the crowd really got on our side,” said Petersen and he was right. The bunch of people watching the last three overs appeared a completely different one from those who had seen the 37 before as they now suddenly remembered that they were on the Highveld supporting the Lions. Zander de Bruyn and Frylinck, who bowled in that period, got the best of it, but the message was clear: the Lions have put themselves on the path to winning back the hearts and minds of their own fans. Suddenly, it felt very good to be behind them.

A case of Piyush Chawla’s emotional career history keeping R Ashwin out of the XI

Sharda Ugra10-Mar-2011The R Ashwin question is about to be answered. Soon. Maybe even on the weekend, definitely by next weekend; the captain says so. On the night that India beat Netherlands (with what may have looked like a huff and a puff but was otherwise interpreted as a thorough workout for various arms of his team), MS Dhoni said R Ashwin was definitely going to get a game in the World Cup.”We are still supposed to give Ashwin a chance, he deserves a place, so he will feature in one of the teams [that will play in the group stages].” That should ideally be either against South Africa on Saturday or, maybe in keeping with the team’s current philosophy, against West Indies in the last group game in front of Aswhin’s home crowd in Chennai.Chennai would be quite fitting and in keeping with India’s secret nickname at this World Cup – not merely the favourites but the favourites who are, to borrow George Bush Sr’s words, the “Kinder, Gentler” team. The debate over Ashwin and legspinner Piuysh Chawla has nagged Dhoni at every World Cup press conference. (By the time he is done, his aggregate would at the very least be thirteen.) A dip in form in group games against England and Ireland, Dhoni said, had actually made Chawla’s case stronger going into the match versus Netherlands.Ashwin didn’t stand a chance of getting a look-in at the Kotla because, “basically you have to see which was the player that needed this game most, rather than the team needing the player. I felt it was Piyush, who needed this game much more than Ashwin.”The reasons for that line of thinking were not centred around the merits of Chawla’s googly over Ashwin’s carrom ball. Or even, as Sanjay Manjrekar said in his audio chat with ESPNcricinfo, the advantage of the leggie’s relatively shorter stature on a wicket keeping low over Ashwin’s high-arm action. It was all about the stuff between the ears and Dhoni was not bringing IQs into the equation either.He said he had been pleased with Chawla’s performance against Netherlands – he had bowled with a “lot more freedom” – and reminded the world of Chawla’s emotional career history. We should remember, Dhoni said, that Chawla had made his debut “quite early… he was still a teenager. He comes back in the side in a big tournament like this and people all over try to criticise him from left to right, so you can imagine his state of mind. So I think it was a very crucial game for him.”Dhoni explained that Ashwin, two years older, was not quite so fragile. “I know he is mentally very tough and up for a challenge or competition. It is good to have someone in the reserves who has mental stability.” Ashwin’s composure is clearly being seen as an investment that would be cashed in on during the knock-out stages while, in the early half of the World Cup, India wants to spread the equilibrium around.”You want your bowlers to be in a very good mental state in the second half of the tournament, where you play against the best teams and you will be participating in the knock-out stages – that was one of the main reasons why we picked Piyush ahead of Ashwin.” By doing so, Dhoni said the Indians were set for an ideal scenario knowing that the bowling now could be changed on situational demand. “It will be good to have all the bowlers at their best to select a XI,” Dhoni said. Ashwin’s best for the moment is locked up in the scorebook, his last ODI three months ago, his last World Cup bowling in a warm-up match more than three weeks behind him.India’s ‘gently, gently’ approach in the gestation period of the World Cup is being talked up as the tournament favourites stretching themselves only as far as they really need to go and, and in doing so, lulling every rival into complacency. Its success over the next few weeks is dependent on one of two conditions: whether Ashwin turns out to be the world’s first nerveless cricketer. Or whether the team doesn’t believe its own publicity.