Thursday, March 30, 2006
England Swept Out Of Delhi
Conditions,toss,an Indian top order collapse, everything pointed to an easy win for England at
Delhi. Well into the twentieth over of their innings England looked on course too. But something
snapped somewhere and they just could not put the pieces together again. 117 for three with just
87 more to get with seven wickets in hand, the match was so much loaded in favor of England that
some of my friends went to the extent of switching off their sets. Flintoff called correctly and he inserted India to bat on a pitch which he thought was likely to
help his bowlers. But there was no appreciable help for the bowlers except uneven bownce at one
end. But that was enough to sow doubt in the minds of the batsmen and a few perished because of
the bounce or percieved bounce. Once the initial momentum was checked, India found constructing
the latter part of its innings difficult but the lower half heroically fought to take India past
the 200 mark. If you look at the scorecard, you would be surprised to note that as many as six
batsmen played themselves in and then were either beaten or gave away their wickets. That tells
you that the pitch was not as villainous a character as it was made out to be.203 obviously was not just enough and both teams knew it . But Irfan's irritating habit of taking
two wickets in an over put some life into the match at least for some time. The uneven bounce
wore off as the day progressed and England had no enemy other than itself to handle. Prior and
Pietersen played Indian bowling with comfort and looked set to take their team to an impressive
1-0 lead. But it was then god took his incarnation in the form of sweep to help India. Sweep has
a history of being a double-edged weapon. It has on occasions helped England: I am sure you
remember the day when Graham gooch swept India out of a World Cup. But here there was a wee bit
of help to the spinners which was evident when Blackwell bowled also. And the Englishmen refused
to take that into account and in a strategy gaffe played into India's hands. 87 runs in more than
180 balls was not an occasion for a team to experiement unnecessarily. All they had to do was to
milk the bowling for singles and squeeze the Indians out of the match. Instead they thought the
sweep was the weapon they are destined to use without caution. About half of the side swept their
way back to the pavilion. Jones who never got around to sweep was caught on the wrong foot, yet
another victim of the intended sweep syndrome. The only positives India could take home from this match are the rear guard batting action and
Harbhajan's bowling. Since Harbhajan got some help from the track and the rival batsmen committed
harakiri, I would like to think of the bowlers' batting as the more important positive. This
partial recovery might not have been enough and the unutilised overs did not reflect well on the
effort by the tail. But their effort points to the realisation of the importance of pulling
together as a batting team. That India has been doing this with some regularity of late is the
most satisfying development.There may not be many more pitches like the Delhi one in this series but such pitches are also
needed to provide variety to the one day game. The monotony of slam bang cricket is at least on
occasions like this interrupted by the ball taking the upper hand.
Delhi. Well into the twentieth over of their innings England looked on course too. But something
snapped somewhere and they just could not put the pieces together again. 117 for three with just
87 more to get with seven wickets in hand, the match was so much loaded in favor of England that
some of my friends went to the extent of switching off their sets. Flintoff called correctly and he inserted India to bat on a pitch which he thought was likely to
help his bowlers. But there was no appreciable help for the bowlers except uneven bownce at one
end. But that was enough to sow doubt in the minds of the batsmen and a few perished because of
the bounce or percieved bounce. Once the initial momentum was checked, India found constructing
the latter part of its innings difficult but the lower half heroically fought to take India past
the 200 mark. If you look at the scorecard, you would be surprised to note that as many as six
batsmen played themselves in and then were either beaten or gave away their wickets. That tells
you that the pitch was not as villainous a character as it was made out to be.203 obviously was not just enough and both teams knew it . But Irfan's irritating habit of taking
two wickets in an over put some life into the match at least for some time. The uneven bounce
wore off as the day progressed and England had no enemy other than itself to handle. Prior and
Pietersen played Indian bowling with comfort and looked set to take their team to an impressive
1-0 lead. But it was then god took his incarnation in the form of sweep to help India. Sweep has
a history of being a double-edged weapon. It has on occasions helped England: I am sure you
remember the day when Graham gooch swept India out of a World Cup. But here there was a wee bit
of help to the spinners which was evident when Blackwell bowled also. And the Englishmen refused
to take that into account and in a strategy gaffe played into India's hands. 87 runs in more than
180 balls was not an occasion for a team to experiement unnecessarily. All they had to do was to
milk the bowling for singles and squeeze the Indians out of the match. Instead they thought the
sweep was the weapon they are destined to use without caution. About half of the side swept their
way back to the pavilion. Jones who never got around to sweep was caught on the wrong foot, yet
another victim of the intended sweep syndrome. The only positives India could take home from this match are the rear guard batting action and
Harbhajan's bowling. Since Harbhajan got some help from the track and the rival batsmen committed
harakiri, I would like to think of the bowlers' batting as the more important positive. This
partial recovery might not have been enough and the unutilised overs did not reflect well on the
effort by the tail. But their effort points to the realisation of the importance of pulling
together as a batting team. That India has been doing this with some regularity of late is the
most satisfying development.There may not be many more pitches like the Delhi one in this series but such pitches are also
needed to provide variety to the one day game. The monotony of slam bang cricket is at least on
occasions like this interrupted by the ball taking the upper hand.
Tuesday, March 28, 2006
India Has An Edge In Onedayers
The test series has ended and the dust has almost settled down. Not exactly because there wasn't enough to dissect threadbare but the one-day series is already upon us. When the excitement of seven one-dayers is ahead of us who is bothered about doing a postmortem on a mistake committed by the Indian think tank. The only sour note left by the 1-1 result of the test series is India's inability to convert its superiority on paper into domination on the field. Total dominance was impossible against a bowling attack which even without Simon Jones is quite formidable. But India could not control the series the way a favorite was expected to do. That too on Indian pitches. But when we talk of Indian pitches both Mohali and Mumbai were reasonable tracks with something in it for every body. And one should acknowledge the courage shown by Chappell and company in favoring such tracks with bounce and lateral movement, in their overall scheme of preparing the Indian players to handle bowlers on pitches hitherto unavailable in India . It is a different matter that such a move got converted into an invitation to the Englishmen to do unexpectedly well. The misreading of the pitch was directly responsible for the loss of the third test but India's endeavor to enable its batsmen to play balls which bounce and move off the seam was a significant contributing factor to India's unsatisfactory show.There of course are chinks in India's armor besides the above mentioned one. The most important defficiencymight be the failure to make the necessary tightening of one's technique to suit the test requirement. It is a revelation to see the Australian Mike Hussy making the changes in his approach to batting in both versions of the game. He may be a rare talent in that area. But those who don't have it, have to make an effort to acquire that discipline.All that one can expect from a team is commitment to its cause. Lack of technique or talent can not be cited as factors against a player. You can ask for his replacement but not on grounds of casualness. The accusation raised against India's glamorous batsmen is that there was no such effort to keep the team's interest above everything in a technical sense. The shortcomings which are cruelly exposed in the gruelling test format are not so obvious in the hurly-burly of the frenzied action of the condensed version. More over, in one-day format Indian players have managed to respond to Chappell's integrated approach with a comfortable level of efficiency. And it would be a surprise if they fail to do so in the forthcoming series against England also. England is an inspired side under Flintoff looking more confident in the absence of its more celebrated colleagues. But that may not be just enough to overcome India. India of late has shown enough resilience to come back from crises and that new-found confidence might carry the day for them.There are problems,of course. There is no Tendulkar. Sehwag is a doubtful starter. Munaf Patel it is reported has some minor problem. But more important than these injuries, it is the ability to blend individual brilliance with a no-nonsense approach which is going to help India. And that skill, India often has failed to exhibit regularly.
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
Satisfying Win For England
The Indian think tank must have reserved the opportune moment of captain Dravid's 100th test match to give England an unforgettable gift. A team battered by withdrawal of several of its stalwarts and handicapped by the conditions and heat of the sub-continent was given the key to a cricket test by India. Today after a semblance of a fight in the pre-lunch session, India caved in ignominiously, seven men-Tendulkar and Dravid among them- capitulating before the second string of England in the span of less than an hour.
India began the final day with a target of batting out 90 overs and if opportunity came its way trying to go for it. But they began inauspiciously losing Kumble and without delay Jaffer. The dismissal of Jaffer-a victim of Flintoff- was an indicator of things to come. Because India must have banked on a long occupation of the crease by him as that was no longer expected from Tendulkar. Three down for 75 was a very much iffy situation with the balance nudging its way towards England.
But what happened after lunch was shocking. Dravid edged Flintoff to the keeper, Tendulkar was beaten by a gem of a delivery by Udal before many got back to their seats after lunch. India, it appeared was not capable of surviving this double whammy. Sehwag is not cut out for this back-to-the-wall fighting and soon he fell to an Anderson ball which reversed into him.
Dhoni never even tried to do what he was not capable of. We have seen his sliding down to the defensive gears and overcoming mini crises. But those were done on featherbeds. This pitch would not suffer technically unsound prods for any long period. Dhoni once stepped out to Udal and lifted him to deep mid on- an intended six- but Panesar failed to latch on to it. Not impressed by Udal's guile, he walked out at the next available occasion and presented Panesar with another catching test.
The rot had set in. Soon Harbhajan and Patel went for big hits and perished in the deep. Well, such acts were in the periphery of the main act. They may invite the wrath of the management but the management might be expecting some questions themselves. Any way they tried to slog their way out of pressure only after the test was practically lost.
There is no sense in becoming wise after the event. But looking at the condition of the pitch during the last three or four sessions, no one in his senses- not even the England team- would have entertained any idea of the visitors making it in the fourth innings whatever be the target.
The most important factor obviously which contributed to this highly forgettable match is the decision to field first. But that was a mistake and one should allow some space to the people who have to take decisions. The series is drawn and India has to move on. We have the one day series ahead of us, and then the West Indian tour. While discussion on India's shortcomings is very much on, any attempt at nitpicking, looking for a scapegoat for the unexpected defeat might only cloud the major issues on hand.
But hats off to England! We have to appreciate the tremendous fighting qualities this depleted side showed in the series. They had lost Vaughan, their captain and most important batsman even before a ball was bowled. A mainstay in their lineup, Trescothick was another casualty, the reason perhaps of a different nature. Ashley Giles could not even come to India. Simon Jones who could use the old ball with telling effect did not play in any of the tests. And finally Harmison who could extract bounce even from tracks as flat as stacked hay withdrew from the final test in Cook's company. Remember Cook, a substitute himself, did very well in the first test.
A team losing more than half of its original members and then having the better of the contest in alien conditions deserves all praise. Such fighting qualities are usually not associated with the English men who have almost specialized in squealing at the first sign of adversity. This time they stood up behind their heroic skipper who led from the front in all three departments and gave him total support.
They certainly rallied behind their captain and this turnaround would not have been possible without the brilliance of one man. Andrew Flintoff! What a series this had been so far for him. To be a team's best batsman, best bowler and best catcher and to crown it all to lead the team overcoming the strains of having to be the principal contributor! Not many could even attempt that! And that too after a wonderful effort against the Australians. Flintoff without doubt is the best all rounder in the world today. And soon we may be talking about him in terms of all time greatness.
India began the final day with a target of batting out 90 overs and if opportunity came its way trying to go for it. But they began inauspiciously losing Kumble and without delay Jaffer. The dismissal of Jaffer-a victim of Flintoff- was an indicator of things to come. Because India must have banked on a long occupation of the crease by him as that was no longer expected from Tendulkar. Three down for 75 was a very much iffy situation with the balance nudging its way towards England.
But what happened after lunch was shocking. Dravid edged Flintoff to the keeper, Tendulkar was beaten by a gem of a delivery by Udal before many got back to their seats after lunch. India, it appeared was not capable of surviving this double whammy. Sehwag is not cut out for this back-to-the-wall fighting and soon he fell to an Anderson ball which reversed into him.
Dhoni never even tried to do what he was not capable of. We have seen his sliding down to the defensive gears and overcoming mini crises. But those were done on featherbeds. This pitch would not suffer technically unsound prods for any long period. Dhoni once stepped out to Udal and lifted him to deep mid on- an intended six- but Panesar failed to latch on to it. Not impressed by Udal's guile, he walked out at the next available occasion and presented Panesar with another catching test.
The rot had set in. Soon Harbhajan and Patel went for big hits and perished in the deep. Well, such acts were in the periphery of the main act. They may invite the wrath of the management but the management might be expecting some questions themselves. Any way they tried to slog their way out of pressure only after the test was practically lost.
There is no sense in becoming wise after the event. But looking at the condition of the pitch during the last three or four sessions, no one in his senses- not even the England team- would have entertained any idea of the visitors making it in the fourth innings whatever be the target.
The most important factor obviously which contributed to this highly forgettable match is the decision to field first. But that was a mistake and one should allow some space to the people who have to take decisions. The series is drawn and India has to move on. We have the one day series ahead of us, and then the West Indian tour. While discussion on India's shortcomings is very much on, any attempt at nitpicking, looking for a scapegoat for the unexpected defeat might only cloud the major issues on hand.
But hats off to England! We have to appreciate the tremendous fighting qualities this depleted side showed in the series. They had lost Vaughan, their captain and most important batsman even before a ball was bowled. A mainstay in their lineup, Trescothick was another casualty, the reason perhaps of a different nature. Ashley Giles could not even come to India. Simon Jones who could use the old ball with telling effect did not play in any of the tests. And finally Harmison who could extract bounce even from tracks as flat as stacked hay withdrew from the final test in Cook's company. Remember Cook, a substitute himself, did very well in the first test.
A team losing more than half of its original members and then having the better of the contest in alien conditions deserves all praise. Such fighting qualities are usually not associated with the English men who have almost specialized in squealing at the first sign of adversity. This time they stood up behind their heroic skipper who led from the front in all three departments and gave him total support.
They certainly rallied behind their captain and this turnaround would not have been possible without the brilliance of one man. Andrew Flintoff! What a series this had been so far for him. To be a team's best batsman, best bowler and best catcher and to crown it all to lead the team overcoming the strains of having to be the principal contributor! Not many could even attempt that! And that too after a wonderful effort against the Australians. Flintoff without doubt is the best all rounder in the world today. And soon we may be talking about him in terms of all time greatness.
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
A Beautifully Scripted Finish
What a way to finish a series! The final test is a cliffhanger with the car a shade more likely to fall off the cliff. If it does not happen then England has none to blame except itself. They took about 80 overs today to stitch together less than 160 runs. And remember they were the team which very badly needed to win this test to square the series.
Let us go back to this morning and try to look at the possible situations. A positive English response
would have either meant England in the driver's seat by tonight or an Indian reply about half-way to the target. It was obvious England, depleted as they are, would not dare to go that route. Then a periodical reassessment of the position was the logical method. The slow and cautious approach in the initial overs was understandable. But about 110 runs in two full sessions was not the pace, teams hoping to win a match would set for themselves. I admit it was not an easy pitch to bat on. But there can always be a path between reckless shotmaking and dour blinkered defensive prodding. Allowing four or five fielders around the bat and trying to keep the ball from harm's way can not be best way to set a reasonable target. This over defensive approach should be blamed if England fails to draw the series. The absence of Vaughan, Trescothick and Cook should not be a factor if England really wanted to win this test. Without the courage to accept defeat none can march towards victory. England looked like a team having priorities usually associated with series-leading teams.
313 runs was an organic target which could not be improved upon. Anything much more than that would deter the chasers from taking a calculated risk. Anything much less than that would prompt the fielding side to throw in the towel even before the first ball is bowled. No credit to Flintoff or Fletcher for arriving at such a tantalizing target.
Now India's second innings. Since Sehwag was not fit to bat, India needed a makeshift opener to go out with Jaffer. It would have been too dangerous to ask Dravid to that in today's conditions. The moving ball may have posed a lot of problems to the Indian skipper and his dismissal would have opened the floodgates. The truth however bitter it may be is that India depends too much on Dravid these days. Either to set a platform to launch an attack or to resist stoutly through sessions. To lose him tonight would have meant curtains for India. But to send out Kumble when Pathan could not cope with the pressure was a decision hard to understand. If you look at the possibilities you will realise this was an invitation to pile up more pressure on Dravid and co. Kumble luckily survived the few overs but his dismissal would have meant tremendous pressure on India and the inevitable would have happened. The home team would have caved in tonight itself.
Anything can happen tomorrow. That is the beauty of the situation. England has the ball still new and it could still prove effective. And India may not recover from an initial collapse. On the other hand a sound, even if defensive start with minimum loss could enable the wings of hope to flutter and the stroke makers can enter the straight on a positive note. Since miracles are known for their rarity, I may have an eye on the odds on England since a draw does not appear to be there on the cards now.
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Monday, March 20, 2006
England's Lead Handy But...
It was an inspired spell, as inspired as they come. Sreesanth, brisk but not exactly a McGrath, bowled the spell of his lifetime this evening at Wankhede stadium. Never leaving the Corridor of Uncertainty, he made the ball do enough to make the English batsmen look like the boys in the back alleys of Mumbai. It weaved away from the unsure bats and when least expected, it darted in. The Englishmen with swing as their staple diet, missed ball after ball as if they were taking part in well rehearsed drama.
That was after India conceded a significant lead to the visitors. India which lost Yuvraj early today soon lost Dravid also. When Pathan too left without any serious resistance, it looked like England all the way. But Dhoni, Kumble, and quite unexpectedly Sreesanth displayed enough grit to stretch the Indian innings past tea so that England were left with less than 20 overs this afternoon. And then quality pace bowling made sure that the match would remain in the realm of possibilities.
England now leads by about 150. They may be able to add another 250 runs if they bat throughout the fourth day. That looks improbable if India can reproduce the form with the ball tomorrow also. If England declared their second innings at Nagpur to try and bowl India out, that may not be necessary here. England may not last that long. How many runs England would collect tomorrow before they lose eight more wickets, might the factor crucial to the outcome of this test.
Almost all predictions about the pitch have gone wrong. It so far has not helped the spinners unduly. The ball is moving as it is to be expected since the ground is near the sea. But the unexpected bounce the bowlers- spinners and pace men- have extracted from the pitch has played a major role in shaping the course of the match. It could continue to do so in the next two days also. India might rue the butter-fingered attempts by its fielders unless its batsmen make amends in a way that would do justice to its reputation.
One thing which should not escape our scrutiny is India’s inability to establish its brutal superiority over this strictly second rate team that too on Indian wickets.
That was after India conceded a significant lead to the visitors. India which lost Yuvraj early today soon lost Dravid also. When Pathan too left without any serious resistance, it looked like England all the way. But Dhoni, Kumble, and quite unexpectedly Sreesanth displayed enough grit to stretch the Indian innings past tea so that England were left with less than 20 overs this afternoon. And then quality pace bowling made sure that the match would remain in the realm of possibilities.
England now leads by about 150. They may be able to add another 250 runs if they bat throughout the fourth day. That looks improbable if India can reproduce the form with the ball tomorrow also. If England declared their second innings at Nagpur to try and bowl India out, that may not be necessary here. England may not last that long. How many runs England would collect tomorrow before they lose eight more wickets, might the factor crucial to the outcome of this test.
Almost all predictions about the pitch have gone wrong. It so far has not helped the spinners unduly. The ball is moving as it is to be expected since the ground is near the sea. But the unexpected bounce the bowlers- spinners and pace men- have extracted from the pitch has played a major role in shaping the course of the match. It could continue to do so in the next two days also. India might rue the butter-fingered attempts by its fielders unless its batsmen make amends in a way that would do justice to its reputation.
One thing which should not escape our scrutiny is India’s inability to establish its brutal superiority over this strictly second rate team that too on Indian wickets.
England Smells Victory
I don’t know why Dravid chose to field first in the third test.. If history is the reason, then he should have jumped at the idea of bowling last on a dusty, crumbling pitch. If Chappell and Dravid made an assessment unlinked to history, then they were divorcing themselves from their position just 24 hours old. In fact Dravid had predicted that this track would start turning by the third session. And then he went ahead to include three pace bowlers.
But he was not the only one who apparently misread the pitch. Even Strauss who scored a century admitted that the pitch did not play up as much as they had feared. Any way England was allowed to run up a score which without being a match winning one, has made their position safe. Only very poor batting performance in the second outing coupled with very partisan behavior of the pitch would put them in trouble. At close on the first day England had reached a stage from which they could launch an all out assault. But that assault never happened. India despite lack of support from the fielders managed to capture the last seven wickets for less than 130 runs. Had some of the catches been taken India’s score of 89 for three at close on the second day would even have been competitive. More than half a dozen missed chances played a significant role in England’s reaching 400. Munaf Patel was the man to suffer most. Three chances within two overs! All offered by Flintoff!
Sreesanth continues to impress. Even on a day when the fielders refused to cooperate, he posed enough problems to harvest four wickets. That too without appearing to be the best bowler on show. Patel looked the best bowler in this innings. Even though Kumble and Harbhajan failed to take wickets at regular intervals they too bowled with spirit and looked like taking a wicket anytime.
England’s crawl towards 400, it appears, has helped India by way of lost time. But the collapse of India’s top order has given England a great opportunity to try and skittle India out for a small score. Sehwag despite being very cautious perished in a repeat performance of Mohali. Soon Jaffer followed his partner nudging a very good ball to the keeper. Tendulkar in a very amateurish way chased a ball almost a yard outside the off stump and managed to get an edge.
India-Dravid and Yuvraj are at the crease with relative comfort-may avoid the ignominy of a follow on as it only has to scrape together another 112 odd runs. But any failure to consolidate the position which looks a distinct possibility, would present England with a golden chance to square the series.
But he was not the only one who apparently misread the pitch. Even Strauss who scored a century admitted that the pitch did not play up as much as they had feared. Any way England was allowed to run up a score which without being a match winning one, has made their position safe. Only very poor batting performance in the second outing coupled with very partisan behavior of the pitch would put them in trouble. At close on the first day England had reached a stage from which they could launch an all out assault. But that assault never happened. India despite lack of support from the fielders managed to capture the last seven wickets for less than 130 runs. Had some of the catches been taken India’s score of 89 for three at close on the second day would even have been competitive. More than half a dozen missed chances played a significant role in England’s reaching 400. Munaf Patel was the man to suffer most. Three chances within two overs! All offered by Flintoff!
Sreesanth continues to impress. Even on a day when the fielders refused to cooperate, he posed enough problems to harvest four wickets. That too without appearing to be the best bowler on show. Patel looked the best bowler in this innings. Even though Kumble and Harbhajan failed to take wickets at regular intervals they too bowled with spirit and looked like taking a wicket anytime.
England’s crawl towards 400, it appears, has helped India by way of lost time. But the collapse of India’s top order has given England a great opportunity to try and skittle India out for a small score. Sehwag despite being very cautious perished in a repeat performance of Mohali. Soon Jaffer followed his partner nudging a very good ball to the keeper. Tendulkar in a very amateurish way chased a ball almost a yard outside the off stump and managed to get an edge.
India-Dravid and Yuvraj are at the crease with relative comfort-may avoid the ignominy of a follow on as it only has to scrape together another 112 odd runs. But any failure to consolidate the position which looks a distinct possibility, would present England with a golden chance to square the series.
Tuesday, March 14, 2006
Emphatic Win For India
Even the disruptions in the first few sessions could not prevent
Both Harbhajan and Chawla disappointed. Harbhajan failed to give Kumble the kind of support he is capable of and Chawla simply was out of depth failing to capitalize on the wonderful opportunity that came his way.
On a placid pitch
On the other hand
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Friday, March 10, 2006
Good Start For India
At last Indians are convinced that one extra bowler against this England makes good cricketing sense. A good look at the pitch might have impressed upon them the usefulness of having one more spinner. And thus Piyush Chawla makes his debut in test cricket.
The experts were not unanimous in their interpretation of the pitch at Mohali. Some said it was dusty and brown and would turn. But England chose to drop a spinner and brought in Plunkett. India on the other hand dropped a batsman-poor Laxman- and introduced Chawla. No body after the truncated first day's play thinks it would have nice bounce and carry. About turn, one may have to wait for some more time but the pitch certainly is different from the Nagpur one. There was some help in it for the bowlers but the opening day's compactness did not allow them to extract more from it. It could yield more turn as the game progresses but the pace men would not dream of bouncing the batsmen out on this track.
The loss of toss may not be very significant. But the loss of almost half a day's play may work against the advantageously positioned team. That only means a victory might elude the better team.
That is relevant only if it turns out to be a tall scoring game. It could restrict itself to small totals and a couple of hours lost might not amount to much.
England has lost both the openers, Bell and the belligerent Pietersen by the time play was called off for poor light. All the three spinners have begun well and they may be able to have a better grip on the game when play resumes tomorrow. Chawla bowled well for a debutant and even bamboozled Bell on occasions with his wrong ones. Harbhajan stuck to a good line and had the lefthanders looking for the ball that comes in. Kumble bowled with his usual control and the small doze of luck necessary for success has it seems returned to him.
England seems to have a fight on its hands.
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The experts were not unanimous in their interpretation of the pitch at Mohali. Some said it was dusty and brown and would turn. But England chose to drop a spinner and brought in Plunkett. India on the other hand dropped a batsman-poor Laxman- and introduced Chawla. No body after the truncated first day's play thinks it would have nice bounce and carry. About turn, one may have to wait for some more time but the pitch certainly is different from the Nagpur one. There was some help in it for the bowlers but the opening day's compactness did not allow them to extract more from it. It could yield more turn as the game progresses but the pace men would not dream of bouncing the batsmen out on this track.
The loss of toss may not be very significant. But the loss of almost half a day's play may work against the advantageously positioned team. That only means a victory might elude the better team.
That is relevant only if it turns out to be a tall scoring game. It could restrict itself to small totals and a couple of hours lost might not amount to much.
England has lost both the openers, Bell and the belligerent Pietersen by the time play was called off for poor light. All the three spinners have begun well and they may be able to have a better grip on the game when play resumes tomorrow. Chawla bowled well for a debutant and even bamboozled Bell on occasions with his wrong ones. Harbhajan stuck to a good line and had the lefthanders looking for the ball that comes in. Kumble bowled with his usual control and the small doze of luck necessary for success has it seems returned to him.
England seems to have a fight on its hands.
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Thursday, March 09, 2006
Lessons For Both Teams To Learn
England could come out of the first test without many bruises when compared with India. England which came with the reputation of a world beating team lost much of its sheen owing to a mixture of misfortunes; injuries to Vaughan, its premier batsman and Simon Jones, a main weapon in their armory and the absence of Trescothik for personal reasons. And that even before the test began. These problems coupled with the ever present difficulty in overcoming the twin-faced Great Indian Challenge-slow and low turning tracks and the heat of March, made them the underdogs. But none who was aware of the possible inadequacy of Indian bowling on unresponsive pitches thought that even this weak English batting might not help India in its quest to get twenty wickets in five days.
And we never for a moment entertained the thought that given an opportunity, the available bowling resources could take the game away from India. Simply because Hoggard, Harmison and Flintoff were even without the reversing skill of Jones were formidable. On a slightly helpful track they could easily bundle India out for a score which might prove uncompetitive.
But as we saw, Nagpur did not allow any such thing to happen. England was let off the hook by India to reach a comfort level which kept out nasty thoughts of defeat. India’s weak reply revealed its consistent failure to convert potential to actual favorable score line. Even as every one thought that things could become interesting if the tend continued, England did even better in the second innings and set India a reasonable target to chase.
Indians had got their priorities right and made certain they would go to Mohali with a draw. But at a stage when Dravid after a long and defensive second wicket partnership with Jaffer suddenly decided that it was time to shift gears and promptly missed a reverse sweep and was bowled off the next ball. In came Irfan with the formidable name of Pathan and the Englishmen literally looked scared. Suddenly all the serenity of a match dying a slow death vanished and the suspected violent intentions of Pathan brought about a very strong response from Flintoff. Men ran helter-skelter and resurfaced on the boundary ropes. About half a dozen of them dotting the big circle to prevent India from hijacking the match! Frankly I thought Flintoff was going to chew his nails off with embarrassment after a few balls. Pathan apparently came to savor the tension which still hung in the air though not on a significant scale. But he quickly revealed his intentions and it was I who was cut a sorry figure for questioning the knee-jerk reaction of Big Freddie. Pathan played a few big shots and set the hunt on. But that was too stiff a target at that stage with about nine-plus to get in the test match environment without many of the one-day restrictions. Soon the challenge had its casualty, Jaffer getting out to an on-the-rise drive after getting his fine maiden hundred.
After a cameo Pathan found his way back to the pavilion. But that Chappell’s aggressive intentions were on autopilot was made clear as the burly form of Dhoni walked out. Dhoni’s presence, not perhaps his actual blows must have sent shivers down the spines of the English side. Tendulkar also was making his contributions to the cause but its immensity soon overpowered the Indians and two more wickets –Dhoni and Harbhajan- must have told Chappell enough was enough. But even without a formal declaration of peace, the run chase came to an abrupt end, the umpires offering light to the batsmen and their accepting it without hesitation.
I am certain Chappell must have known very well that this was an attempt against great odds. But he perhaps got what he wanted. He obviously wanted to tell England here was a batting machine that at least on surfaces like these could chase any score. So if you ever get to a position to declare, do it more carefully. England would certainly remember that.
The first test took place at a time when the visitors’ confidence was at its lowest. That was the ideal time for India to strike. I am not suggesting that Piyush Chawla should have been played but India should have played five bowlers. That would have provided India with the required fire power. Without becoming wise after the event, one could say that the fifth bowler would have helped India in restricting England in both innings. Even if that had not happened, India would have been spared of the defensive mindset it is accused of now. Such timidity usually is not followed by the sudden shifting of gears at the fag end of the match.
Anyway England goes into the Mohali test with the confidence that Indians can be contained and canned with some luck. Pathan and company looked quite playable and Kumble and Harbhajan looked their shadows. All this might change soon but it is almost obvious that such changes would almost certainly be aided by favorable conditions. India at the present moment of time does not look capable of overcoming the docile nature of pitches and take a match by the scruff of its neck.
And we never for a moment entertained the thought that given an opportunity, the available bowling resources could take the game away from India. Simply because Hoggard, Harmison and Flintoff were even without the reversing skill of Jones were formidable. On a slightly helpful track they could easily bundle India out for a score which might prove uncompetitive.
But as we saw, Nagpur did not allow any such thing to happen. England was let off the hook by India to reach a comfort level which kept out nasty thoughts of defeat. India’s weak reply revealed its consistent failure to convert potential to actual favorable score line. Even as every one thought that things could become interesting if the tend continued, England did even better in the second innings and set India a reasonable target to chase.
Indians had got their priorities right and made certain they would go to Mohali with a draw. But at a stage when Dravid after a long and defensive second wicket partnership with Jaffer suddenly decided that it was time to shift gears and promptly missed a reverse sweep and was bowled off the next ball. In came Irfan with the formidable name of Pathan and the Englishmen literally looked scared. Suddenly all the serenity of a match dying a slow death vanished and the suspected violent intentions of Pathan brought about a very strong response from Flintoff. Men ran helter-skelter and resurfaced on the boundary ropes. About half a dozen of them dotting the big circle to prevent India from hijacking the match! Frankly I thought Flintoff was going to chew his nails off with embarrassment after a few balls. Pathan apparently came to savor the tension which still hung in the air though not on a significant scale. But he quickly revealed his intentions and it was I who was cut a sorry figure for questioning the knee-jerk reaction of Big Freddie. Pathan played a few big shots and set the hunt on. But that was too stiff a target at that stage with about nine-plus to get in the test match environment without many of the one-day restrictions. Soon the challenge had its casualty, Jaffer getting out to an on-the-rise drive after getting his fine maiden hundred.
After a cameo Pathan found his way back to the pavilion. But that Chappell’s aggressive intentions were on autopilot was made clear as the burly form of Dhoni walked out. Dhoni’s presence, not perhaps his actual blows must have sent shivers down the spines of the English side. Tendulkar also was making his contributions to the cause but its immensity soon overpowered the Indians and two more wickets –Dhoni and Harbhajan- must have told Chappell enough was enough. But even without a formal declaration of peace, the run chase came to an abrupt end, the umpires offering light to the batsmen and their accepting it without hesitation.
I am certain Chappell must have known very well that this was an attempt against great odds. But he perhaps got what he wanted. He obviously wanted to tell England here was a batting machine that at least on surfaces like these could chase any score. So if you ever get to a position to declare, do it more carefully. England would certainly remember that.
The first test took place at a time when the visitors’ confidence was at its lowest. That was the ideal time for India to strike. I am not suggesting that Piyush Chawla should have been played but India should have played five bowlers. That would have provided India with the required fire power. Without becoming wise after the event, one could say that the fifth bowler would have helped India in restricting England in both innings. Even if that had not happened, India would have been spared of the defensive mindset it is accused of now. Such timidity usually is not followed by the sudden shifting of gears at the fag end of the match.
Anyway England goes into the Mohali test with the confidence that Indians can be contained and canned with some luck. Pathan and company looked quite playable and Kumble and Harbhajan looked their shadows. All this might change soon but it is almost obvious that such changes would almost certainly be aided by favorable conditions. India at the present moment of time does not look capable of overcoming the docile nature of pitches and take a match by the scruff of its neck.
Sunday, March 05, 2006
Indians Let Off The Hook?
The heat must have done it. Even the sturdy Flintoff must have found it difficult to think clearly at 40+ C. Otherwise what would seem obvious to a tyro, must not have missed the experienced eye of Flintoff and Fletcher. You are given a 70-run lead and almost two full days to try for a win on a playable pitch. A 70-run lead does not insure you against a possible defeat. So your first priority would be to ensure that you don't lose the test. Once that is taken care of , you try to implement the next stage of your plan; to push the gas down a little. And if there are no hiccups at that stage, you go for the final assault.
It is only fair that England bats till lunch making it certain they don't run into a crisis. That, they achieved easily. And 70 runs without loss was a good launching pad. They could have tested the waters in the post-lunch session and changed gears. Instead they went into the shell just because they lost a couple of wickets. They had all the ten wickets at lunch and only a once-in-a-lifetime bowling performance would have raised Flintoff's pulse rate to dangerous levels. But they let go the opportunity because their think tank could not shake off the initial defensive mentality caused by the absence of a few top-notch performers. After tea they did push up the scoring rate but the damage was done between lunch and tea. They added just 77 runs in 120 minutes.
They should have planned for a lead of 370-380 with about 7-8 overs to bowl to the Indians. Those overs plus the three sessions might have been just enough for England to convert pressure into a victory on a last-day pitch that might have brought Panesar into play more significantly.
Now only a pathetic Indian response would result in an English win. India should be thankful to the visitors for their misplaced sense of gratitude to their hosts for their insipid cricket in this test.
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Saturday, March 04, 2006
Test Still Very Much Open
Pitches are blamed undeservedly for not influencing a game in a positive way. Look at the Nagpur pitch. It by nature causes no problem to the batsmen and does not give any undue advantage to the bowlers. But the match at the end of the third day's play will prompt you to change your perceptions about the relationship between pitches and the progress of a game.
On the first day, India surprisingly reduced England to a position from which they could work for a possible win. Flintoff must have thought that the orient was again working on his men in an occult way. But obviously the charm must have worn off during the night as the second day unfolded stiff resistance from the wounded Englishmen, wounded even before the battle began. Collingwood herded his tail with such non-challance that it seemed he thought he had the top order for company. They responded spiritedly and England reached the shores of safety. Almost.
393 is not a winning total but it would take a lot to beat a team which has posted a near-400 score in its first innings. But India's confident reply suggested India might overhaul this score and might end up with a crucial lead which would have its value in gold nuggets on the fifth day.
Well, the scriptwriters had different ideas. Hoggard made the ball do extraordinary things and brought about the downfall of Dravid, Jaffer and Laxman in the span of a few balls and broke the back of India. A pattern as usual was established and Tendulkar,Dhoni and Pathan allowed the script to dictate terms to them, they performed as if they had a duty to prove the script right. Of these dismissals, Dravid's alone was a doubtful decision.
Then came the Kaif-Kumble partnership. They decided that the bowlers would have earn their wickets
and they would try their best not to get involved in an effort to provide England with a decisive lead. Each run was making its contribution to India's cause which at that stage was ensuring a draw. Though like all such fightbacks, this one too acquired a surrealistic aura. Edges did not carry, sure chances were dropped and bowlers began to spray the ball around even while bowling unplayable stuff occasionally which either beat the batsman vainly or brought about a sheepish grin on the batsman's face as such balls produced unearned runs.
Kaif who would have to give way to Yuvraj in the next test irrespective of the size of his contribution, did not allow this to influence his determination to thwart England's bid for the driver's seat. Kumble just refused to accept the age-old notion that the willow was just another piece of wood to keep the winter away. He does not have the technique to counter the challenges thrown at him but he knows how to fight for a continued place at the crease. Someone has to literally pull him away from that T-shaped piece of land, holy to all the batsmen.
By the time the umpires called it a day, the match had got into a zone of unpredictability. The upper hand is still with the visitors but not decisively. Even a first ball end of the Indian innings would force England to be wary of any unexpected turn of events before thinking in terms of forcing a victory. Anything under a day for India's second innings would mean only one thing, a draw. If England shedding its reputation, decides to press on from the word go, that may open up possibilities galore. A strong show by England would put the underdogs 1-0 in the series, an early collapse would swing the match in India's favor and the car-precariously-perched-on-the-rock England score could make the fifth day a stunner. A fit set up for Stephen King to work on.
But King may have to factor in the tendency of the ball to grip and move laterally during the last few overs on the third day. If this change in the behavior of the pitch overcomes the compression caused by the roller, then I don't want to end up as the perpetual eater of one's own words
Friday, March 03, 2006
Finely Poised After Two Days
Even on placid pitches drama can be scripted. And the very placidity of the track enables one to rewrite the unpleasant lines. On the first day of the Nagpur test, India had things under control and it seemed the toss was not very significant. 240-plus with three tail enders to be mopped up, was a situation very much in India's favor. But on the second day, England almost took the game away from India by a great rearguard action. Collingwood compensated his average skills with grit and commitment to his cause, of seeing his team out of trouble. A cameo by Harmison and unexpected support from Panesar enabled Collingwood to score his maiden test hundred and take England to a comfortable position.
When India began its innings, a hint of a crisis was on the air. A mini collapse, India would be fighting to save the test. When Sehwag perished to a slow ball, the stage was set for an all out England assault. Which did not happen. England which perhaps because of a combination of factors played five bowlers, could not disturb the second wicket pair and slowly Jaffer and Dravid brought things around. At the end of the day, an ardent Indian fan could dream of a 200+ lead which would open up exciting opportunities.
I believe that Dravid bungled in not taking the second new ball at the fag end of the first day's play. A few overs then and a few more on the next morning would have been better than looking for the arrival of the non-existent turn. The delayed new ball might have helped England a bit.
I liked what I saw in Jaffer's batting. He in the past was not above playing risky shots and that image had stuck. But yesterday he played like a man who knew where his off stump was. He displayed fine temperament and tons of patience. He was of course helped by some poor bowling which the wagon wheel would reveal to you.
If India puts up a big total, the match would swing in India's favor. And an early stutter could mean three eventful days.
When India began its innings, a hint of a crisis was on the air. A mini collapse, India would be fighting to save the test. When Sehwag perished to a slow ball, the stage was set for an all out England assault. Which did not happen. England which perhaps because of a combination of factors played five bowlers, could not disturb the second wicket pair and slowly Jaffer and Dravid brought things around. At the end of the day, an ardent Indian fan could dream of a 200+ lead which would open up exciting opportunities.
I believe that Dravid bungled in not taking the second new ball at the fag end of the first day's play. A few overs then and a few more on the next morning would have been better than looking for the arrival of the non-existent turn. The delayed new ball might have helped England a bit.
I liked what I saw in Jaffer's batting. He in the past was not above playing risky shots and that image had stuck. But yesterday he played like a man who knew where his off stump was. He displayed fine temperament and tons of patience. He was of course helped by some poor bowling which the wagon wheel would reveal to you.
If India puts up a big total, the match would swing in India's favor. And an early stutter could mean three eventful days.
