The Cream of Cricket

I was reading the very funny Andy Zaltzman's blog the other day and it reminded me of my early years in Bangalore when me and my friends/roommates would sit and discuss something as ridiculous as 'how would the world's worst cricket team look like'.

That's the advantage of having like-minded, similar-wavelengthed friends as roommates. It is quite rare and should be cherished while it lasts. We would spend insane amounts of time discussing whether a player is 'worthy' enough to be picked in the world's worst cricket team. These discussions would last hours on end. On many occassions we would walk to Home Meals in Jayanagar 4th block, have dinner and come back home without even remembering what we ate or how long the walk was.

Anyway, I seem to have misplaced my copy of one such squad. Over the last few days I have tried my best to recollect it using my superhero-esque memory powers.

(For all you purists & uptights, I have this to say: As an accomplished allrounder in gully cricket, I have every right and capability to judge other petty international cricketers)

So without further ado, presenting, on the auspicious occassion of ICC's centenary year, (fittingly) the Cream of Cricket.

Team: KMH  (Kivi Mele Hoovu)

Vikram Rathour (IND) (wk) - Yes. He is the wicket keeper too. He can also bowl if you want. Superb player under pressure.

Wajahatullah Wasti (PAK) - A solid reliable quick scoring opener who almost single handedly won the 99 world cup.

Jacob Martin (IND) - A cool head. So cool, sometimes it forgets to score.

Dale Benkenstein (SA) - Another solid middle order batsman who's currently taking the ICL by storm.

Sylvester Joseph (WI) - Raw talent that those stupid WI selectors failed to encourage.

Chandika Hathurasingha (SL) - A living example of how one's weight cannot affect one's abilities.

Adam Huckle (ZIM) (c ) - He was Zimbabwe's captain. 'nuff said.

Abey Kuruvilla (IND) - Only bowler to beat Venkatesh Prasad in terms of Build : Pace ratio. Also takes home the best bowling action prize.

Chris Drum (NZ) - Exciting, incisive fast bowler. Wow.

Nehemiah Perry (WI) - Square turner of the ball. Again, those WI selectors.

Henry Williams (SA) - Damn the match fixing controversy for cutting short a promising career.

Reserves

Mark Ramprakash (ENG) - You cannot tell me you didn't get goosebumps out of excitement when he came out to bat.

Nadeem Khan (PAK) - Aah. Perfect loop, guile and turn. Too bad Pakistan only loves its pacers.

Pommie Mbangwa (ZIM) - What a joy it was to see his hair bounce around in front of his eyes just before he delivered the ball. And he got buckets of wickets in spite of that.

Adam Dale (AUS) - Killer swing bowler.

Russell Arnold (SL) - Has the most beautiful sweep shot. Perfectly suited for middle overs. He can pinch a single in the 3rd man area even with 3 fielders in. Backup Captain.

Ruchira Perera (SL) - The original slinger. Sachin feared him.  Malinga would do better if he learnt some tricks from him.

Team: HMT (Heglu Mele Towel)

Debang Gandhi (IND) - I will never forgive McGrath for ending such a promising, exciting opener's career.

Matthew Horne (NZ) - A classy opening batsman. Hardly ever edged to slip.

Darren Ganga (WI) (c ) - He became captain of WI. 'nuff said again.

Mohammad Hussain (PAK) - The best looking of the lot. Amazingly consistent with both bat and ball.

Sanjeeva Ranatunga (SL) - A real hidden talent. SL has a lot of those.

Courtney Browne (WI) (wk) - A calming, inspiring presence on the field. Very consistent.

Prashant Vaidya (IND) - What pace! What swing! What happened?

Eric Upashanta (SL) - Superb straight arm action, which caused the ball to move so much that it ended up being wide many times. That was his only problem.

Mahendra Nagamootoo (WI) - Another terrific WI spinner who was sidelined by WI in favor of another promising fast bowler Marlon Black.

Mick Lewis (AUS) - An honest fast bowler who dismissed his world record performance of 10-0-113-0 by saying "It was just a game".

Heath Davis (NZ) - Generated too much movement off the seam. Kept the slips interested. Just not the batsman.

Reserves

Khaled Mahmud (BAN) - Genuine allrounder. Matchwinner.

Ian Salisbury (ENG) - England's best spinner. Without a doubt. Had a great rivalry with Shane warne during the 90's.

Peter Martin (ENG) - Tall, fast and lethal. Having a splendind action helped him take bagful of wickets in his short career.

Winston Benjamin (WI) - A True caribbean speedster. His venomous bouncers were rendered useless on lifeless pitches of Jamaica & Trinidad.

Pubudu Dassanayake (SL) - A world class keeper and an immaculate batsman.

Dulip Liyanage (SL) - Fastest Srilankan bowler of the last decade. Only Nuwan Zoysa has come close since.

Honarable Mentions (i.e. AJMs)

Sujith Somasunder (IND): A dashing, dynamic opener who stood tall to McGrath, even when his stumps did not.

Noel David (IND): A Mystery Spinner.

Blair Hartland (NZ): A Calm and composed player who can stabilize any innings.

Amay Khurasiya (IND): Classy left hander capable of some lusty blows.

Niroshan Bandaratilleke (SL): Left Arm Orthodox spinner who can control the run flow in any situation.

Ashish Kapoor (IND): Still waiting for his recall into the squad.

Are you still reading? OK...

Now that you are well familiar with the teams, can you predict the winner if these two powerhouse teams meet head to head?

For added effect, imagine this match being umpired by Ameish Saheba and Steve Bucknor, match refereed by Mike Denness and commentated by Ranjith (Wickath Crickath) Fernando,  Arun (Insightful) Lal and Sidhu.

(Extraaa Innings hosted by Charu Sharma with guests Kapil Dev, Mohinder Amarnath & Aamir Sohail all speaking English)

(Suggestions to the team composition are most welcome. Only rule is that they should be from my generation i.e. late 80s - present day.)

We've Won! We've Won!!

What a match! What a win!!

Sachin, I bow to thee. I shall go ahead and eat my words now.

Take a bow Yuvi and Gambhir, nerves of steel you guys have.

But hats off to Virendar Sehwag. The man who set it all up. Incredible guy! One man destruction army. No team will ever declare with confidence against India!

My day is made! :)

(Picture courtesy: Getty Images)

Sourav Ganguly

Drama and Sourav Gangluy always went hand in hand.

In that sense, it was fitting that he got out for a duck in his final innings. It had to be a duck or a century, for anything in between would've been just ordinary.

I'll always remember 'Dada' as the most aggressive captain India had. It was he, without a doubt, who changed Indian cricket as a whole. Not Kapil, Not Tendulkar, but Sourav Ganguly.

He backed matchwinners to the hilt (yuvraj, harbhajan, sehwag), who've repaid Indian cricket with some memorables wins. More importantly, he infused steel and grit in a team which was typically dazzling but complacent, flamboyant but inconsistent. Its not surprising that he's the winningest captain of India (yet).

His on field aggression wasn't always the in-your-face type. The best example was the first test in Brisbane in the 03-04 series, where he hit a superb, counter-attacking 144 (one of his finest hundreds) to set an example for his teammates. India drew the series 1-1, but came damn close to winning it in Sydney (where another message was sent to the Aussies when India declared immedietly after Brett Lee, their premier strike bowler, got hit for 200). 

The thing that struck me there was that Gangluly looked dissappointed with a 1-1 result. He wanted to win the series. Badly. When was the last time an Indian captain didn't gloat about drawing an away series against the best team in the world?

Initially, I looked at Ganguly as a superb batsman (albeit some 'short'comings) and an above average captain. But all that changed on 13 July 2002. It was the Natwest Trophy finals and England had racked up 325. 

Out came Gangluy, smashed 50 off less than 35 balls, got India off to a flyer, dispatching Flintoff repeatedly over cover along the way. India lost their way once he got out and were choking as usual when Yuvraj and Kaif pulled off the win memorably. It was then that I witnessed something remarkable. On the famous Lord's Balcony was Ganguly, pumped up beyond imagination, taking off his shirt and swirling it while uttering F-Bombs. It was a stunning sight. It was the first time I'd seen that kind of intensity from an Indian Cricketer. It changed my entire perception of him, both as a player and as a captain.

It is a bit of an irony that the man who was once called "God of all things off side" will be best remembered for his leadership than batsmanship. But the fact is that Ganguly was always a couple of rungs below Tendulkar and Dravid in terms of pure batting skills. He was a great ODI opening batsman who could pace an innings superbly. In tests though, he was inconsistent and that's why he's at 7000 odd runs while his peers have crossed 10000.

When Ganguly was dropped in early 2006 due to woeful form, I felt a tinge of sadness, even though the overwhelming emotion at the time was hate. Hate, because of his extended run of awful form. Hate, because of the way the media portrayed him during the Chappell fiasco.

But there was definitely sadness too. I did not want my last memory of such a great player to be one of a coward running away from a test match for the fear of bouncers (as it was alleged). I did not want that painful century against Zimbabwe to be his last remembered century.

And I'm sure there were thousands others who felt the same way.

Which is why his comeback brought so much joy and buzz. It was the stuff of fairytales, capped off with the super double hundred at Bangalore against Pakistan.

And now he goes away. Was it too early? I certainly thought he could play till 09. But it was the right decision in the sense that he got to leave on his terms. On a high. With a series win against the Aussies.

And Sourav, you absolutely deserved to leave on a high. In fact, in a strange way, so did we all.

(Image Courtesy: AFP)

Anil Kumble

And he walks away.

Thousands of tributes have poured in for the man fondly called "Jumbo" by his teammates, so I'll keep this one short.

There are 3 distinct memories I have of Anil:

1. During the mid to late 90s period, when India played at home and lost the toss, almost every time Kumble would start warming up as soon as India took the field. He would invariably end up bowling within the first 8-10 overs, sometimes even earlier. He was our only hope.

2. During this year's infamous Sydney Test, the Indian team got wronged so many times in so many different ways that one would've forgiven Kumble if he'd lost his cool at the end. And he almost did. You could see it in his eyes and his voice. But the way he maintained his composure while suggesting only that Austraila were not playing in the spirit of the game not only gained him worldwide appreciation, but also gave his team the moral high ground, which they used superbly to win the next match in Perth. (One of the more memorable Indian Wins). Shouldn't that be "Captaincy 101" or something?

3. The Antigua run-fest in 2002. If not for Kumble's heroics, I'm sure nobody would even remember this match. (Well.. except maybe Ajay Ratra's fans [are there any?]). I was almost drifting into sleep when I saw Kumble come out to bowl with a heavily strapped face covering a broken jaw. I had not seen anything like it in my life. He bowled 14 straight overs, made the ball talk and scalped Lara's wicket. He boarded a flight home that night and didn't play for months. 

I'm sure Kumble would've liked to play out the year. Or the Australia series at least. You could see it on his face. He wanted to beat the Aussies one last time. He also wanted to take India to the top spot in world rankings. But it wasn't to be.

The eyes still had steel in them, but the legs didn't. Deliveries still carried intensity, but not the bite.

He did the right thing in the end. In spite of being a long time Kumble fan, I felt at the beginning of this week that his time was almost up. And you've got to give him credit for catching the pulse of things at the right moment, you know, for 'getting it'.

Young spinners in India have a huge gap to fill now. They would do well to remember those eyes. The way they stayed on target the whole day, every day, for 18 years.

(Image Courtesy: Getty Images, Cricinfo)

Just another innings

I have to say "Well Timed, Sir".
Not to Afridi, but to the photographer who clicked this. Because it depicts to perfection, the nature of this innings and Afridi's batting in general:
Savage Aggression and nothing else.

Now that I think of it, i cannot recall a SINGLE innings where he's changed his approach....
whether its the first innnings, second innings, avoiding a follow on, victory chase, grinding out a draw... it just does not matter to this guy.

He'd probably say that this was just another innings for him.

Honestly, its unbelievable at times.

Also, this piece of info from IndiaUncut is extremely interesting...

Currently Listening to: Modjo - Lady (Hear me tonight)

Quote...Unqoute

"England, the conquerors of Australia, have been beaten by Pakistan, the conquerors of themselves."
by Andrew Miller after Pakistan's stunning 22 run victory at Multan

Interesting...

Currently Listening to: Bombay - Bombay Theme

Speed

Great photography...

Brian Charles Lara

Aaah.. That recurring question?? Who's better.. Sachin Tendulkar or Brian Lara...

Y'know... its just one of those questions which is gonna spark a debate regardless of the place/time/context in which it is asked....

The other day, I was just watchin' the highlights of an WI vs AUS test match held in Barbados in 1998-99 season. (Link to scorecard)
Now, Anybody who can recollect that match will tell you in one go that Lara beats Sachin hands down.....
why??? Coz Sachin, for all his greatness, hasn't played an innings like that !
Chasing 311 to win on a last day pitch, Lara scored 153* and carried the team home with just the last wicket standing... (The next best score was 38 by Jimmy (P)adams !)
It was an innings of pure class which included a memorable confrontation with McGrath. (Bouncer hit on the head, next ball pulled away for four... verbal duels in between.. u can visualize it..)
It was a kind of innings that characterizes a Hero.. a Champion Sportsman.. that one guy whom the crowd absolutely loves... that one guy whom u just love to watch play....
And Lara has played a lot of those innings.....

Sachin is a great player, a master batsman & more importantly an unmatched team player, whose commitment towards the country is unparalleled & whose determination is inspiring....
He is a pure batting genius, technically flawless.

While Lara relies purely on rhythm & flair, Sachin relies on technique & only ocassionally, his mood.
And this is where I feel the difference is.... that "mood"...
Remember that Nairobi match in 2000, when Sachin smashed McGrath in a brilliantly pre-planned attack.. Although he scored just 40 odd... it was enough to spur the team, the crowd, the fans... everyone... India beat Aus in that game & went on to reach the finals in that tournament.
This mood of his apparently shows up only once in a while.. Sharjah in 1998, more recently in the WC 2003...
But when it matters the most.. Sachin has failed to live up to the expectations... WC Finals & Lots of other finals come to mind....

This doesn't mean I'm putting lara ahead of tendulkar.. no way.... but this is just a hindsight on those what-might-have-beens...

As an ending note, try & recollect Ind vs Pak test match in 1999 in chennai... doesn't it seem strikingly similar to the WI vs AUS match above...
Only here, Sachin fell when India where tantalisingly close... Lara didn't...

FantASHtic !!

Okay Okay, I lifted the title from a british tabloid's headline... but still, it was fantastic !!
Probably the only series that comes close to the Ind-Aus 2001 series... but then again, being an Indian, I'm bound to be partial to that one.

It is cruel that shane warne had to drop the most crucial catch... considering the fact that he'd virtually played like an one man army.
Just can't wait to see India play England now!

A few unforgettable moments, in pictures















Andrew Flintoff consoles Brett Lee after England's nail-biting 2 run win at Headingley.. This Image went on to become a series defining one.




Andrew Strauss takes an absolutely incredible one handed catch to send Gilchrist packing home.




Kevin Pietersen survives some superb bowling from McGrath & Lee en route his series-clinching century at the Oval



The Jubiliant England Team with the Urn... (Could this be the shift in power of cricket??)