As the IPL is starting to take shape there are a few points to discuss.
Is it just me, or is the ball travelling further in this tournament? We have seen some huge sixes, and big totals too. I have watched the Twenty20 competition in England, and the World Cup in South Africa. Generally the par scores have been lower, and this time around there seems to be many more sixes.
So what is the reason for this?
The quality of the batsmen immediately springs to mind, there are many established internationals competing, but there are also high quality bowlers, so surely this should balance out.
The size of the grounds could come into question. Are the boundaries too small? Surely they can’t be smaller than some of the English grounds. Taunton…
I can only come to one conclusion. The BCCI have sanctioned a secret batch of superhuman bats, and have sent them out to the following:
If you haven’t been watching, it’s time you purchased Setanta Sports. Although you get the obvious bonus of Arsenal v Derby next Monday night (yay!), they show every IPL game at around 3:30pm every day.
So far we’ve seen everything. Massive totals (Chennai’s 240), huge innings (Brendon McCullum’s 158 not out), almost 100 sixes, and we haven’t even reached game 8 yet. The attendances have been brilliant, with most games selling out the big stadiums.
The tournament kicked off on Friday afternoon with Kolkata Knight Riders mauling of the Bangalore Challengers. Brendon McCullum struck 13 sixes in his 158*, and Bangalore were bowled out for an awful 82. The second game saw Chennai Super Kings, one of the tournament favourites, smashing 240 in their 20 overs. Michael Hussey scored the second century of the IPL.
Since then their has been some close games, with Bangalore bouncing back to beat the impressive Mumbai Indians, and Shane Watson hitting Rajaesthan Royals to a surprise victory over the Punjab XI.
Tomorrow’s fixture sees Tendulkas Mumbai take on the Chennai Super Kings, in what should be a very good game.
Just to bring you up to date with the upcoming IPL tournament. (Check IPL section above for info on teams and players)
It starts on Friday, and we should be excited about it. The worlds best players (bar England’s) have flocked to India, and it will be great to watch.
There is no doubt it will be a success, but should England’s players have been allowed to participate?
In the future I can see problems, as players like Pietersen and Flintoff will surely want to pick up $1m for six weeks work.
The ECB’s stance was that the centrally contracted players will never be able to play, as the tournament clashes with early summer test matches. But today has seen a change of tune, with a spokesman explaining that the top English players should play in the worlds best tournament.
Dimitri Mascheranas is the only English player taking part, and he explained that Twenty20 is the future, and we should embrace it. That is all well and good, but it takes away the value of the County championships.
One interesting view point was that of Ravi Bopara: “I don’t know much about it, seriously I haven’t read about it but I’ve heard people talk about it, not at Essex just around… normal fans, mates and stuff.
“But I’m not interested. I’m more interested in what I am doing right now.”
There are a couple of solutions. Hopefully the ECB will recognise that an EPL or expanded Twenty20 tournament should be the centrepiece of the county season. Otherwise IPL officials will need to consider bringing the tournament back a few weeks, or the ICC will include it in the Future Tours Programme, meaning it won’t clash with any international cricket.
Engineer being the operative word. As soon as SA captain Graeme Smith saw the pitch Kanpur he held his head in his hands.
It put SA on the backfoot from the start. They said the pitch was cracking before the first day, if that’s true there really was no point in playing the test.
Lets be honest, it is pretty much a form of cheating. India lost the second test, and decided they couldn’t possibly be outplayed at home, so lets prepare a pitch so conjucive to spin that SA won’t stand a chance.
It was that bad, Harbajan Singh will actually be dissapointed he didn’t get 10 wickets in the match.
SA did well to get 265 in the first innings, with Smith and Hashim Amla both battling their way to half-centuries. But India took a commanding 60 run lead, after a frustrating last wicket stand between Sreesanth and Ishant Sharma.
Anyone could have predicted what would happen next. With the ball turning square and bouncing excessively, SA were bowled out for 121 with Harbajan and Sehwag doing the damage. India knocked off the 60 runs to level the series.
West Indies have beaten Sri Lanka twice in the last three days to win their three match series. On Thursday Shivnerine Chanderpaul hit a six of the last ball to snatch a famous victory. Saturday saw them stroll to an easy win in a rain affected game.
There are some consolations for Sri Lanka. In a series where they have been without Murali, Dilhara Fernando and Lasith Malinga, a couple of gems have shone through.
Chamara Kapugedera, a 21 year old all rounder, showed everyone his capabilities with an outstanding 95. He came in with the score at 49-5, and played himself in before launching into the bowlers with a few overs to go.
Ajantha Mendis emerged from the weak bowling attack to take three wickets. The mystery spinner stayed calm on his one-day international debut, and looks to be an exciting prospect, dare I say someone to replace Murali?
Chris Gayle took West Indies to 109/1 in reply, but a fall of wickets put the game back in the balance. Dwayne Bravo was batting like a dream, until he was comically run out. The wickets kept falling, and it was left to Chanderpaul to smash his side home.
In a low key second game, Sri Lanka struggled to 112-5 before the rain came. Chasing a revised total, Chanderpaul and Marlon Samuels both struck half-centuries. It was good to see Samuels back to his hard-hitting best, after a run of poor form.
Ramnaresh Sarwan’s hard fought century helped West Indies draw the series against Sri Lanka. He shared a partnership of 157 with Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who was unbeaten on 86 at the end.
It was important for the Islanders not to fall too far behind in the rankings, they lie second from bottom, 20 points below New Zealand. In recent years they have had trouble securing results, but not at the Queen’s Park Oval yesterday.
Sri Lanka had scored 278, Chamara Silva top scoring with 76. Fidel Edwards impressed with 4 wickets, especially in a devastating spell, removing the top three. In response the Windies grabbed a lead of 16, Sarwan hitting his third consecutive half-century, but no-one really went on. Needless to say Mutiah Muralitharan got himself another five wicket haul.
Early wickets cost Sri Lankan dear in their second innings. They were always struggling at 32/4, and when Silva was dismissed with the score at 99/6 the test match seemed close to conclusion. However Thilan Samaraweera had other ideas. His 125 gave Sri Lanka a chance, with Chaminda Vaas offering valuable support.
A target of 253 was set, which is neither expected or comfortable.
They would have been confident after the Windies slumped to 73/3, but a combination of the brilliant batting of Sarwan, and the inexperienced bowling of Thilan Thushara and Ishara Amerasinghe took the game West Indies way.
Vaas and Muralitharan consistently built pressure, but the other bowlers released it by bowling the wrong line and length. In truth, had Dilhara Fernando and Lasith Malinga been present, Sri Lanka would probably have flown out of Trinidad with their first test series win in the West Indies.
Since India were bowled out for 76 on the first morning of this test match, there was only going to be one outcome. In truth, it would have needed a batting performance of superhuman standards to rescue this game.
The Proteas took a lead of over 400 into the second innings after AB de Villiers and Jacques Kallis shared a stand of 256. They came together with the score at 116-4, and together they methodically took the game away from the Indians. Kallis batted his way to 132, but the more impressive innings was given by the number 6. Ab de Villiers looked at ease working the spinners around, and brought up his first double-century. He was left on 217 not out when Graeme Smith declared on the morning of the third day.
It needed a big score from one of the Indian batsmen, but only Sourav Ganguly and MS Dhoni contributed with 87 and 52 respectively. Dale Steyn added to his five wickets in the first innings with another three in the second, including the prize dismissal of Ganguly. Makhaya Ntini took three in each innings, drastically improving his fortunes from the first test.
It was South Africas largest test win against India, and one that is being blamed on the upcoming IPL. It is difficult to tell whether these sentiments are true, or whether SA truly are the contenders to Australia’s crown. India certainly looked lethargic, especially on that first morning. Their players either have one eye on the IPL, or the functions they have been attending to promote it have worn them out.
Controversial fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has been banned for five years by the Pakistan Cricket Board. The ban effectively ends his international career. By the time the ban finishes, Shoaib will be 37, surely too old for a comeback to international cricket.
Not content with his past wrongdoings, Akhtar recently spoke out against the PCB. It centred around the type of contract he was offered, despite his injury worries (and bulging waistline), he demanded a category A contract instead of the ‘retainership’ he received.
Previously Shoaib has been banned for two years for taking steroids. This was followed by the infamous incident before the Twenty20 World Cup last year. Hitting team-mate Mohammed Asif with a bat earned him a 2 year probation period, which this latest discretion falls inside.
Of course this situation is not fully resolved. Akhtar plans to appeal the ban, and given the way he has returned from exile before, don’t be surpised to see his ban overturned in the near future.
‘The Rawalpindi Express’ is free to participate in the Indian Premier League, coming up later this month.
The first test match of the Future cup ended in a tame draw, as both India and South Africa piled on the runs.
The first two days saw South Africa compile 540 runs with Hashim Amla scoring 159. Neil Mackenzie added 94, and the skipper Graeme Smith hit 73.
In reply Varinder Sehwag and Wasim Jaffer got off to a flyer. Sehwag had already reached 50* when he resumed on the morning of the 3rd day, and he just kept going. Smashing everything on a batsman friendly wicket, he notched up the quickest triple century ever.
He ended the day on 309 not out, but only added 10 the next day as he strove for Brian Lara’s world record. He received support from Rahul Dravid, who hit a patient 111 which took him to 10,000 runs in test cricket.
With the test now well into the fourth day, it was up to the Saffers to bat out the remaining time to guarantee a draw. Neil Mackenzie made sure, as he battled his way to 155 not out.
Thursdays test looks even more important, as both sides go all out for 2nd spot in the rankings.
England have done it. Monty Panersar span Michael Vaughan’s side to their first series win abroad for three years, against THE BEST TEAM IN THE WORLD. Wait…no, hold on cut, cut, I’ll go again.
England have won their first series abroad for three years, with Monty Panesar taking 6 wickets in the final innings. Michael Vaughan’s side made it difficult for themselves again, but when Ryan Sidebottom beat the immaculate defence of Chris Martin, the celebrations took over.
Vaughan was quick to highlight the need for improvement. And he’s right. New Zealand are astonishingly weak, possibly the worst test side (bar Zimbabwe and Bangladesh) for 20 years. The Kiwi’s should get hammered in England, and that’s no understatement. Of course, there is no guarantee that this will happen, especially when England are involved.
They somehow contrived to go 1-0 down in this series, but after a commendable fightback (polite way of saying it’s about time) they take the momentum into the return series in a months time. New Zealand on the other hand have little to cling to. Stephen Fleming is gone, and against Sidebottom and Broad in early summer the likes of Matthew Bell and Matthew Sinclair are going to find it very tough. At least Ross Taylor and Tim Southee provide glittering lights in the distance.
England got off to a slow start, and at 4-3 in the first innings everything was going wrong. Enter Kevin Pietersen, who produced 129, arguable his best knock in an England shirt. His were the only meaningful runs in a poor all round display. Sidebottom then continued his fine tour, taking 7-47 as the Kiwi’s were rolled over for just 168.
Two more centurions in Englands second innings. Andrew Strauss, batting for his career, supplied 177, in a calm knock. He shared a stand of 180 with Ian Bell, who hit his way to 110 – his first century for 20 innings. Both went some way to securing their immediate test futures, although not against the hardest opposition.
Having been set 553, on a wicket which had flattened out considerably, Bell, Fleming and Taylor all hit half-centuries. However none of them went on, and after Tim Southee had smashed 9 sixes in 77 not out, New Zealand had come up 120 short, with Panersar the hero.
“We’ve still got work to be done, but don’t underestimate what we’ve achieved here,” Vaughan said. “We were 1-0 down, we’ve not won a series for a long while, and we’ve beaten a New Zealand team that’s quite difficult to beat at home. It’s been a real hard-fought series. We’ve had to show an immense amount of character to come back, and a lot of individual players have had to show their strength of character as well.”
Cricket World 