India dominates, but Ryder and Vettori steal India’s thunder.

India dominated Day one of the first test against New Zealand at Hamilton. Skipper Daniel Vettori and Jesse Ryder pegged back their side from a disastrous start of 60 for six in the first session. Indian skipper M S Dhoni’s decision stood vindicated as he chose to bowl first on what looked like a competitive wicket, with something for bowlers as well as batsmen. Zaheer and Ishant lived up to the expectations of the new ball as Zaheer the senior of the lot lead by example and scalped two wickets in four balls while Sharma picked up three in his lively second spell. Zaheer’s wicket column at the end of New Zealand’s innings was a clearly misleading as the Indian spearhead deserved more wickets for the sheer brilliance in his line and length. Ishant Sharma was all aggression and energy as he trotted every time to the crease. Ross Taylor’s dismissal off Sharma’s bowling must have reminded fans of Ponting’s dismissal In the Sydney test. Munaf Patel justified his selection as the third seamer. He went past both Khan and Sharma in terms of his precision in line and length. Patel was also on a hat-trick in the later part of the innings.

All said and done about the Indian bowlers, Jesse Ryder and Daniel Vettori were today’s heroes as they scored their maiden and third century respectively. Ryder carried his form from the last ODI and scored at will along with his skipper whose third ton came at the right time. In fact such was the dominance of the pair that they scored at almost four an over in the second session which they owned hands down. They made the Indian fielders run all around the park as they added 186 runs for the seventh wicket, highest for New Zealand against India. The Black Caps were eventually bowled out for 279, far away from the fear of crumbling down for a less than 100 score. Indian openers Virender Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir played the new ball with aplomb as they ended the day with 29 for none in seven overs. Sehwag already looks in ominous touch with five boundaries in his score sheet.

Previous Post : Attack On Sri Lankan Cricket Team In Pakistan

Attack On Sri Lankan Cricket Team In Pakistan

Sri Lankan cricket Team: Cricket Heroes or Victims of terrorism

Sri Lankan cricket team in Pakistan is the current victim of a terrorist attack leaving few of its players injured while 7 security personnel have lost their lives. This happened on 3^rd March 2009 at Lahore as they were proceeding towards the Gadaffi Stadium in Lahore.

Kumar Sangakkara, Thilan Samaraweera and Ajantha Mendis have been injured during the exchange of gun fire. Meanwhile few other players have received minor injuries. Sri Lankan skipper Mahela Jayawardene has hurt his ankle while Chaminda Vaas too has been wounded. Among the casualties five policemen who served as security officers to the team have died on the spot while two others at the hospital.

This attack very well proves the fact that Pakistan is not a safe country anymore and undoubtedly unsafe for the cricket game. Doubts on the Sri Lankan team security arrangements are on the top as the attack occurred as the Sri Lankan team bus was attacked by 12 gunmen who were equipped with rocket, hand grenades, automatic weapons and even Kalashnikovs. There was a 25 minute tussle between the security forces and the terrorists.

Meanwhile the second test match to be played by Sri Lankans against Pakistan stands cancelled and the Sri Lankan team is slated to head homewards as soon as possible.

Bad and sad scene of affairs has taken Pakistan by storm, as it tries to clear up its tarnished image both at national and international level. The terrorists are clearly gaining a strong hold over the country and not leaving any opportunity to show their supremacy and power. You can expect the unexpected any time and all the time in Pakistan and from Pakistan.

Well, Pakistan has reached to a saturated level of uncertainties. The time is ripe for the common citizen to raise his voice and create a high level of public awareness which can really put forth sweeping changes in Pakistan.

Previous Post : Lankan pace attack rip apart Pakistan to win series decider.

Lankan pace attack rip apart Pakistan to win series decider.

Tillakaratne Dilshan has emerged as Sri Lanka’s new star after Pakistan was mauled by Sri Lanka for a might victory margin of 234 runs. The all-rounder and top class fielder was given a chance to prove his worth as an opener and Dilshan as proved to be a run-away success, scoring 255 runs in three matches in the Bank Alfalah Cup.

On a cloudy afternoon resembling the 1996 World Cup final at the same venue, Lankan skipper Jaywardena opted to bat first. Dilshan and veteran Jayasurya gave their team a perfect start until the later departed in the 16^th over scoring 45 runs in his trademark fashion.

Following Jayasurya’s departure, Sangakkara and Dilshan set about milking the Pakistani spinners. Shoaib Malik did little to stop the flow of runs and in-fact helped Lanka further by relegating his fielders in obscure positions which also allowed timely boundaries. Malik’s captaincy is going to come under fire and his own form will be under the scanner. The Lanka top-order fired perfectly to set a mammoth target of 310, with Dilshan scoring a career best and unbeaten 137.

When Pakistan came into bat, the crowd at Gaddafi stadium was hopeful of seeing at least a fight from the home boys. But, by the time 10 overs were bowled, the scoreboard cut a sorry figure of six wickets against some 25 odd runs. Nuwan Kulasekara and Thilan Thushara had used their best of limited abilities and exploited the conditions to decimate the top-order, clueless of which delivery is zipping, swinging or cutting in. This was probably exemplified best by Afridi, leaving a Kulasekara delivery, which cut-in sharply to run away with the off-stump. The chants of boom-boom Afridi reduced to stunned silence and deserted stands. Kulasekara and Thushara finished with three wickets each; Murali took two while Mendis and Maharoof shared one each. Murali reached the 500 wicket mark in ODI’s, equaling Wasim Akram, the only bowler to do so. The 234 run defeat was Pakistan’s heaviest defeat ever in terms of runs. Dilshan was the obvious choice for Man of the Series.

Previous Post : Mushtaq is hopeful about Monty

Mushtaq is hopeful about Monty

The England team is in St.Kitts in the Carribean preparing for their first practice match of the Windies Tour. The Englishmen are without a head coach after the controversy between Kevin Pietersen and Peter Moores led to Moores departure. Although they do not have a head coach, they are not short of senior officials in the team.

Mushtaq Ahmed is one such entity who will try to brighten the prospects of the English team by guiding Monty Panesar with his experience. This is Mushtaq’s first official stint as the spin-bowling coach. Mushtaq could not tour India due to visa problems. But this time around he hopes to bring about a change in Graeme Swann and Panesar.

Mushtaq Mushtaq has a limited amount of time to help Panesar and then it will be down to the man himself. Andrew Strauss has said how he wants the England players to look after their own requirements much more on this tour, but Mushtaq said it is important for spinners to work together. Panesar has to prove his credentials as a match-winner this time around. Apart from his 6 for 37 against New Zealand at Old Trafford, he struggled to make an impact against South Africa and more significantly in favorable conditions against India. He managed just six wickets in two Tests and was considerably out-bowled by Graeme Swann, leaving him with a real fight for his place for the first time since he was surprisingly left out at the start of the 2006-07 Ashes series.

Mushtaq wants to develop some new techniques for Panesar to add to his arsenal and wants to make it a point to try it out in the field. Mushtaq himself will be facing a test as it is his first stint as coach at any post and any level. It has been hard for him to get any coaching job, post the Qayyum match –fixing commission which cleared him of match-fixing charges.

Previous Post : Andrew Symonds in trouble over his comments in ‘McCullum and Hayden’

Andrew Symonds in trouble over his comments in ‘McCullum and Hayden’

Australian all-rounder Andrew Symonds is at it again. The bad boy of Australian cricket has landed himself into a soup again for his outrageous comments he made live on air on radio station network ‘Triple M’. Symonds went on ranting some ridiculous things about Kiwi cricketer and wicket-keeper Brendon McCullum after New South Wales signed him at the expense of a local player for the KFC Big Bash Twenty20 final against Victoria.

Symonds has attracted wrath of the media, public and attention of Cricket Australia after he had this to say about NSW signing McCullum, “They’re trying to use him (McCullum) as the out because he’s a Kiwi. Yep, we love to hate them, but he’s the lump of s…, sorry, lump of cow dirt, that people are thinking of, it doesn’t matter about McCullum, mate, he could have been Irish, he still would have got it. It’s not his fault; he’s doing his job and trying to earn a wage. But what happened here is an injustice. Daniel Smith, his opposite number was going to miss out. But they said this morning that Daniel Smith is going to play, but at the end of day somebody is still going to miss out,”

Symonds crossed the limit when he made a ‘supposedly’ funny comment on Matt Hayden’s cooking, Symonds said, “He takes a side glance at Hayden’s wife to help the meal go down well.”

Cricket Australia acting Chief Michael Brown has asked for a tape of the recording of the show. Symonds might face tough action for his insensitive comments and might be dropped from the squad going to South Africa next month. Symonds has had a turbulent 12 months inclusive of the Sydney Test fiasco, being missing from a meeting on account of a ‘fishing trip’ and brawl in a pub.

Related Post :  India dominates, but Ryder and Vettori steal India’s thunder.