35 years of wait..!!

Sunday, May 16, 2010 12:15 AM
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England gets another chance to redeem themselves from the tags of 'also-rans' as they take on Australia .

England and Australia have been best teams in World T20 tournament and will go head to head to decide who are crowned champions as England seek to win their first ever world competition in 35 years.

England have been outstanding throughout and after Australia's sensational semi-final win against Pakistan on Friday today's game has all the ingredients of being something very special.

Paul Collingwood and his men have played each game without fear and have been able to express themselves as both individuals and a united team knowing that they have belief in one another's skill levels and execution of plans while being totally adaptable to every situation.

This is without doubt the most relaxed yet confident England side I have seen and the way they have responded to the pressure has been a joy to watch.

Every player has played their part in reaching the final and it now needs one last massive effort to secure a victory all England fans have been waiting for - it's 35 years since the first one-day World Cup and England's name does not appear on any of the trophies. All that could change by tonight.

However, it won't be easy as Australia have shown that they have come to terms with this form of the game having struggled previously. Their pace attack of Dirk Nannes, Shaun Tait and Mitchell Johnson is a handful, especially on what should be a quick and bouncy pitch.

How England's top order cope with the 90mph thunderbolts will have a huge bearing on the outcome of the game. Also, Australian bowling attack seemed vulnerable in their last game against Pakistan.

For England, the opening pair of Michael Lumb and Craig Kieswetter have proved a huge success as they have been prepared to take the attack to the opposition and it's vital they continue in the same way today.

The excellent form of Kevin Pietersen and Morgan has bred confidence and adds a cutting edge to their play.

It is apparent Collingwood and the coach Andy Flower have instructed the team to play with freedom and take the attacking options knowing they have their total support even if it doesn't always come off.

It isn't just with the bat either as the bowling has been of the highest class with great variety and control and all the plans expertly executed.

The innovations of the slower ball and slow bouncer have proved hugely successful while the spin twins of Graeme Swann and Mike Yardy have worked exceptionally well. Australia too has great depth to their batting and with Michael Hus-secoming in at seven they will always believe that they will score enough runs to ensure victory as proved in their thrilling semi final win.

It really is too close to call but England's greater all -round variety in batting and bowling will hopefully tip the scales in their favour. It's been a long time, but today could be the day when England can finally be called world champions.

ENGLAND'S WORLD FINALS HEARTACHE

1979 World Cup: WEST INDIES beat ENGLAND by 92 runs
England reduced the Windies to 99-4 but 86 from Collis King set up an easy World Cup final win for Clive Lloyd's team.

1987 World Cup: AUSTRALIA beat ENGLAND by 7 runs
This is the closest England has ever got to winning the world title. They were set for World Cup final glory until Mike Gatting's reverse sweep sparked a collapse that gifted it to the Aussies.

1992 World Cup: PAKISTAN beat ENGLAND by 22 runs
England had looked impressive on the way to the World Cup final, but even Ian Botham could not inspire his team as much as Imran Khan inspired Pakistan.

2004 Champions Trophy: WEST INDIES beat ENGLAND by 2 wickets
A Marcus Trescothick ton was not enough in the Champions Trophy final as a ninth wicket stand saw the Windies home.

Mike Hussey 6-6-4-6, Australia in final of World T20

Saturday, May 15, 2010 5:40 AM
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Mike Hussey has single-handedly bludgeoned Australia into the World Twenty20 final against England with a miracle final-over performance in the semi-final against Pakistan at Beausejour Cricket Ground.

Needing 18 off the final over the match chasing Pakistan's 6-191, Hussey belted three sixes and a four off spinner Saeed Ajmal as Australia won with one ball to spare.

After storming through the tournament undefeated, it was a victory that never seemed possible after slumping to 4-62 at one stage but Hussey's 60 from 24 balls saved their day.

Australia will now meet England in the final at Kensington Oval in Barbados on Sunday.

Captain Michael Clarke's decision to bowl after winning the toss looked to be a costly call, with brothers Kamran and Umar Akmal blasting half centuries as Pakistan set-up an imposing total.

Australia rarely seemed in the hunt during their chase, especially after lethal David Warner was caught off the second ball of the innings.

Earlier, Pakistan openers Kamran Akmal and Salman Butt (32 from 30) had got their team off to a cracking start in posting the highest total against Australia in the tournament so far.

Morning drizzle had delayed the start by more than half an hour and there were thoughts that the game would not be played at all - which would've seen Australia through to the decider because of their form throughout the tournament.

When Clarke won the toss, he elected to bowl, probably solid in the belief that the Duckworth-Lewis Method favours the side batting second in Twenty20.

But it was a decision that initially proved costly. Akmal and Butt tore into Australia's much-vaunted pace attack of Dirk Nannes, Shaun Tait and Mitchell Johnson.

When all-rounder Steve Smith was introduced sixth over to bowl leg-spin, they duly whacked him for 15 runs. Two overs later, they belted Shane Watson for 16, with Akmal scorching one into the second tier of the players' pavilion. At 0-82 from nine overs, Pakistan were positively on fire.

Then David Warner took a spectacular diving catch at deep over when Akmal tried to bite off more than he could chew. Two overs later, he took an easier one to dismiss Butt and Pakistan had slowed to 2-89.

It was only a temporary loss of transmission. Umar Akmal then came to the fore, belting 56 runs - including three sixes off the one over from Johnson in the 17th - to put Pakistan firmly in the box seat.

Australia started its reply in disastrous style when Warner was caught off the second ball of the innings. Watson got the party started, rattling Mohammad Aamer and Abdul Razzaq for boundaries, but when he holed out for 16 Australia were staring down the barrel of defeat at 2-26.

When Clarke and Brad Haddin were stumped in the space of consecutive overs off the bowling of Rehman and then Afridi, they slipped further into the mire.

Vice-captain Cameron White bravely attempted to rescue the match but when he was caught for 43, Australia's promising World Cup had all but collapsed until Hussey's final-over heroics.

England vs Australia: The final showdown

2:16 AM
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With its alluring blend of powerful batting and disciplined bowling, Andy Flower and Paul Collingwood have constructed England’s finest one-day outfit since they reached the 50 over World Cup final in 1992.

England are the only one of the eight major international teams without a major limited overs victory and despite their excellent form will have their work cut out against Australia.

Typically, Michael Clarke’s Australians are producing some awe-inspiring cricket to coincide with England’s overdue resurgence.

Australia's miraculous victory over Pakistan in the semi-final was described as the finest ending to a cricket match ever by experts, as Mike Hussey smeared 22 off just four balls to knock out the hosts.

The finale was a perfect illustration of how T20 has altered pre-conceptions about what is possible from a short period of time as well as underlining Australia’s immeasurable bloody-mindedness.

But with Kevin Pietersen and Eoin Morgan lighting up the England middle order Australia are taking on the team most likely to prevent them lifting a first T20 World Cup.

Gone are the days of dithering in the powerplays and ineffective accumulation against spin, this England side bats with almost nerveless gusto.

True, the top five contains four players brought up outside of the UK, but such facts can be swept under the carpet if they combine to bring home a first ever ICC trophy.

Perhaps more essential however have been the performances from the five man attack of Tim Bresnan, Stuart Broad, Ryan Sidebottom, Graeme Swann and Michael Yardy.

Sidebottom and Broad have rewarded the selectors faith in leaving out test match talisman Jimmy Anderson while Yardy and Bresnan could both make cases for being the tournaments surprise package.

Collingwood has barely needed to call upon Luke Wright or himself as a 6 or 7th bowler and the control exerted early on by Bresnan in particular has been a highlight of the tournament.

Australia’s top order has been their weakest link so far and England will undoubtedly be looking for a strong start on what will almost certainly be a true, bouncy track at the Kennington Oval.

That will suit both sides better than the sluggish strips prepared in Guyana and St Lucia but how England cope with the rapid trio of Dirk Nannes, Mitch Johnson and Shaun Tait could determine the fate of the trophy.

Openers Craig Kieswetter and Michael Lumb should continue to play positively and will feel more at home against pace than spin.

If they find a way to cope with the hostility and give the likes of Pietersen and Morgan a platform on which to build then maybe we will see England’s name on a trophy for the first time.

India's performance: The post-mortem

Friday, May 14, 2010 12:19 AM
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Indian team had done bad enough in first 2 Super8 matches to draw criticism from media back home. However, their performance against Lanka ensured that the daggers will not only be out but will seek blood of whomsoever is associated with Indian Cricket. Hundreds of discussions have been sparked by Indian overzealous media over India's exit. The final words on this are yet to be written as this will be the hottest topic to increase TRPs as Indians love cricket more than anything else.

Frankly, the 2007 champions did not look like, or play like, the world-beaters, and lost badly to Australia and the West Indies at Barbados, before losing to the Lankans off the last ball in a do-or-die match at St. Lucia. Here are seven of the most stated reasons that we have picked up:

The IPL effect: M.S. Dhoni had the guts and the plain-speaking-ability to state the facts as they stood at the post match conference after the loss to Sri Lanka. He blamed the IPL, not for the amount of cricket played, but for the post-match parties and the excessive travelling involved in the 45 day extravaganza, that left the players jaded and stale. All other teams played practice matches, while India rushed into their campaign with none.

Selection errors:Those who saw Robin Uthappa, Virat Kohli and S. Badrinath bat during the IPL, would wonder why they were not picked for Team India. Uthappa in particular has the ability to take on pacy short pitched bowling and score at a rapid pace while doing so. With Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag not in the team, India needed Uthappa to bat up the order in the West Indies. Pragyan Ojha was the highest wicket taker in the IPL but was not on the flight with Team India either.

Waning form:Unfortunately for the team, two of its main batsmen, Gautam Gambhir and Yuvraj Singh were woefully out of form. Yuvraj was unlucky to see one or two good hits go straight to the fielders on the boundary, but Gambhir looked totally out-of-sorts. Coupled with the disastrous performances of Murali Vijay and Yusuf Pathan, this meant that India’s batting firepower was greatly diminished.

No preparation:By not practising together as a team between matches since 'the players were tired' and by not sending an advance party of the coach and players who were free from the last stage of the IPL they had little time to acclimatise

The J factor:Ravinder Jadeja may be one of the most talented all-rounders in the country but he has been found wanting in the last two World Cups. Sent in at number three at Lords last year, he lost his team precious time by scoring at less than a run a ball. In the Caribbean he was woefully short on confidence and was hit for several sixes. He dropped crucial catches and once again scratched around with the bat. Also, his off-field antics resulting in one year ban from IPL also doesn't inspire great amount of confidence about his mental make-up.

Non-existent pace attack: India's pace spearhead Zaheer Khan bowled well below his penetrative best and cost India extra runs. He went for over 40 runs in most matches. Ashish Nehra was more effective in the death overs but ploughed a lone furrow. Praveen Kumar bowled impressively in the only two matches that India won. His injury left the team without a genuine swing bowler who could make crucial early breakthroughs.

Short-pitch ball:The Indian team were unable to handle shot-pitch stuff from the quickies. India capitulated against fast bouncy deliveries and lost key wickets. They did not realise that with only two bouncers per over permitted they should have waited for length balls to hit.

Dhoni got it wrong..!!

Monday, May 10, 2010 12:55 AM
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India is hanging on but barely in the World T20. In all probability, they won't make it to the semi finals and will have to fly back home.

It was their failure to counter short pitched ball that is being seen as a reason for a possible early exit. True, the team was found wanting while facing leather up close. Also, it was lack of application and pitches in Wonderland (read IPL) that may have also contributed to inability to play short balls.

There is one more aspect that has been a big contributor to Indian failure in Super 8 stage. The signs were there in preliminary rounds as well. India won against South Africa in preliminary round and in post match conference, Dhoni credited the performance to their spinner. While, India has come to the tournament clearly with the strategy to have primarily spin attack, however it has not really paid off.

Consider this, against South Africa, spinners bowled 15 overs and gave away 139 runs. However, Dhoni missed the trick and found their performance up to the mark. Missing the point here led to failure to do the correction, and in next match againsts Australia spinners performed equally badly and gave away 108 runs in 12 overs. Oppositions have clearly come up with a strategy to play Harbhajan respectfully and not to take risks against him. This is proved as he has not taken a single wicket in last 3 matches. If we take out Harbhajan's performance, then spinners gave away 93 runs in 8 overs. Clearly, not the signs of a great bowling attack.

The dismal bowling performance continued against West Indies with spinners except Bhajji gave away 78 in 8 overs.

With the format of the game needing precise analysis and real time corrections, Indian strategy of spin attack has back-fired. In post match conference Dhoni suggested that batsment did not click. However, team India need to look at their bowling if they hope to improve the performance in the last game.

No comments: Pakistan selectors

Sunday, May 9, 2010 7:06 PM
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Pakistan chief selector Mohsin Khan on Sunday refused to react on T20 skipper Shahid Afridi's outburst against the selectors as they face exit from the Twenty20 World Cup.

Afridi had said that he and the coach were not consulted by the selectors while picking the squad.

Mohsin said he will speak on the issue only after the tournament is over.

"Let the tournament finish then I will speak in detail about the team's performance and team selection," Khan said.

Sources close to Mohsin said he was not happy with the remarks made by Afridi as he (Mohsin) had unofficially consulted Afridi while finalising the 15-member squad for the World Cup.

"At that time the Pakistan Board had not announced the captain or coach but Mohsin knew Afridi would be captain and had discussed the selection of the team with him so he is obviously surprised by the remarks made by Afridi," one source said.

Pakistan's poor performance has evoked sharp reactions in the country with former players saying all is not well with the team.

"I don't know what has happened but the team has just not shown the commitment and flair. They are capable of doing and they have looked under pressure in this tournament," former captain Rameez Raja said.

Former captain Moin Khan said the players appeared to play with the fear of defeat on their minds.

"I don't know but the fearless approach of our players that we saw in the first two World Cups is missing, they seem to be subdued and not excited about doing well," he said.

Another former captain Rashid Latif said maybe the recent punishments handed out to the players and the leakage of the inquiry committee's report during the World Cup had put more pressure on the players.

Australia does India a favor, thrash Lanka

4:12 PM
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The Australians showed their resilience once again in the manner the side picked itself up from the mat at the Kensington Oval on Sunday. In the process, they did pass on some hope to India who looked completely down and out after their defeat to West Indies.

Seemingly down for the count at 67 for five in the 11th over, Australia, following a remarkable turnaround, outplayed Sri Lanka by a massive 81 runs in a Group `F' Super Eights match of the ICC World Twenty20.

Man of the Match Cameron White (85*) and the left-handed Michael Hussey (39*) orchestrated the Aussie revival with the willow with an unbeaten 101-run partnership for the sixth wicket. Australia finished at a challenging 168 for five.

Then, Dirk Nannes, Shaun Tait and Mitchell Johnson bounced out the Sri Lankans on a typical Barbados surface with pace and lift.

With two victories in as many games and backed by a healthy net run-rate, Australia is virtually through to the semifinals. Sri Lanka, with a win in two games, may have to endure some moments of anxiety against India.

When the Sri Lankans chased, the Australian quicks were on fire. The in-form Mahela Jayawardene could not connect a pull off left-arm speedster Nannes properly and was held in the deep. Kumar Sangakkara fell to the hook trap laid by Tait and soon Sanath Jayasuriya swung across a fullish delivery from Nannes, missed, and was adjudged leg-before.

Tillekaratne Dilshan, waded into Shane Watson but his uppish cut off left-arm quick Johnson was sensationally held by a diving White at point. Sri Lanka was struggling at 48 for four. Australia closed out the match ruthlessly.

Australia gathered a whopping 81 runs in the final six over as White, supported splendidly by Michael Hussey, put his foot on the accelerator.

Perhaps, White's most memorable stroke was an effortless off-drive for a six when Mendis flighted one. And left-arm paceman Chanaka Welegedara was muscled over the sightscreen by the imposing White.

At the other end, the canny Michael Hussey rotated the strike with deft placements – the right-left combination disrupted the line of the bowlers – and the runs began to flow. The smart left-hander can clobber the ball as well and on one occasion got under a low ball for a fierce straight hit for a six off slinger Lasith Malinga.

The Sri Lankans missed the experience and craft of off-spinner Muttiah Muralitharan in the second half of the innings. Muralitharan has flown home after aggravating a groin injury.

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