Arm Ball

• Forgotten debut against a team which had just started to see its best opener in years. First test as opener for that man and first test for Harmi as a England player. Harmi got hammered and that player scored 110 odd runs.
• 7/12 against West Indies.
• Cheek breaker delivery that set the tone for epic 2005 Ashes win. The batsman on receiving end was Ricky Ponting.

He was one good bowler who was let down by his own inconsistencies and his own homesickness.

England have now lost all 5 of the bowling attack that won them Ashes 2005. Hoggard , Giles, Jones, Freddie and now Harmison. Add Vaughan and Tresco to that.

Last time England toured SA, they won tests 2-1 and a new star was born in the ODI series loss. KP.

The coming 3 months are key for 4 teams. The number 1 team plays number 5 in the rankings. And no 2 (they should not be) play the no 3 (they should be 2) in no 3 country where no 2 country have not won even a single Test.

And then no 1 would then play no 3 in no 3. Before that no 3 would tour no 9 for 2 Tests.

Figure out the numbers…………….

…are real crap. As per the annual update the Lankans are # 3 and Indians are # 4. How come that happened ?

A look at their record suggests they played 2 against Australia and lost. Drew in WI, won 2-0 against BD, that’s their default scoreline. Who bothers and then 2-1 win against India, thanks to the disgusting referral decisions (26 – 3 in favor of SL). They beat Pakistan 2-0 but then Pakistan weren’t at the top of the table.

Amazing man.

India won against England 1-0 twice, 2-0 against Australia, 1-0 against Pakistan, drew 1-1 against SA and lost 1-2 against Australia (should have won 2-1) and Sri Lanka. Beating strong teams doesn’t count? Winning 2-0 against top team doesn’t count and losing 0-2 against them counts. Wow man. And yes 1-0 in NZ too.

I believe the ICC doesn’t look into the quality of the opposition. It just sees the rankings how and which team beat when and what numbered. Bizzare. Rankings are biased towards Sri Lankans. Out of nowhere Kulasekra becomes # 1 in ODIs, Sangakara leaps to # 1 out of nowhere. MoYo returns and becomes # 1. Guys like Gambhir who have been in platinum form are briefly numbered 1. Chandu forever remains in top 10. Tendulkar despite being in tremendous form in 2008 – 09 never jumps to top 10. Sehwag lingers on 20s and Laxman never reaches top 15. Dravid who was in peak form from 2002 – 2006 hardly became # 1.

Who said India rules the cricket world ? There is no other Test team other than India and South Africa who have got better results anywhere. Look at the performance of this 2 teams in Australia. India won in Perth, something which no one was able to do besides fading Windies of 1991. India did in 2008, SA repeated in 2009. If there was no Bucknor, India would have won Sydney in 2004 and then again in 2008. England lost 0-5 in 2006 in Australia. SL lost 0-2 in 2008 when Murali got only 4 wkts. Pakistan lost 0-3 in 2004-05.

Look at India’s performance in Tests. They have been the best of teams in the pure real cricket over last 2 years. And they drop to # 4. And then contrast that with SL who play boring draws everywhere and win only in their own home conditions and Bangladesh. There is no comparison even. Yet they go up to # 3. A 2-0 or 3-0 win later this year would be apt result for India and set this crap stuff right.

Today it’s the first semi-final between South Africa and Pakistan. As per my memory suggests, the two teams haven’t clashed with each other in any major world cup since 1999. And till then its Saffers who edge past Pakistan easily. 1992, 1996 and 1999. So SA has a boogey over the Pakistanis. I don’t see that result being changed tonite. If Pakistan have Umar Gul, Saffers have Parnell and Steyn along with Albie Morkel. If Pakistan have Ajmal then Saffers have Botha, Duminy and VanDeMerve. If Pakistan have Spinach Razzaq, Saffers have Jacques Kallis who turned around his T20 fortunes, thanks IPL 2. Graeme Smith, Gibbs, AB, Kallis, Duminy certainly sound heavier than Butt / new kid, Younis, Afridi , Akamal, Misbah. But then this is Pakistan for you. Let me say this is not 1992 for them. The quality of that team isn’t just there in this team. Imran, Inzy, Wasim and Mushtaq were a class apart. Not to forget the Six-man Javed Miandad.

Saffers have had a great season this and a T20 world champs win would just ensure them a great capping off. Isnt it? Pakistan haven’t actually done anything great to suggest that they deserve to win this trophy this time except beating Ireland (their 2007 bogey), Netherlands and moaning Kiwis. Contrast that to SA who have now beaten Scotland, New Zealand, England, West Indies and outgoing champions India. Blame it to the format of the tournament or whatever, if Pakistan go through to the finals, they wont be the deserving champs. Though it would do a hell lot of good to the embattled country lacking the cricket and something good to cheer them up. But then do they have the ability to stop the Saffers on roll ?

I was away from the world of cricket and internet travelling to a distant land. So missed the LIVE action of World T20. However, the excitement is just about unfolding with the 7 games being over and results being a mixed bag. 4 teams have almost made it to the Super 8 stage and 2 would be decided almost today. Not an open format though, the IPL was more closer than this when the final 4 were decided in the last league game. The minnows have had it, the stronger teams have been punched hard on their face, the world champs have began emphatically and the runners up are in the dangers of being knocked out in the first round itself.

The world t20 began with a very exciting result when Netherlands beat England by 4/6 wkts in the tourney opener. English media was quick to rub the loss as the worst ever and blackest day in the history of 195 years of Lord’s. Too quick though, when in their next do – or – die league game, England thumped Pakistan by 48 runs, which is a big margin in T20. This result means England are through to the super 8s. And today Pakistan would need to win big against Netherlands. So that’s two fold a task. Win and win big.

SA and NZ had no difficulty in brushing aside Scotland who began well surprisingly in the rain shortened game on Saturday. This 2 sides are through to the next round and the winner of the tie between this 2 teams would decide the groups, the teams go in. SA have looked the most convincing team in the tournament thus far, though they played against a weak side. That has been the SA story. Start well, win all the games and then choke when it matters the most. Hope that this time, Graeme Smith would have different script for his team.

India beat Bangladesh convincingly by 25 runs though the critics would have their share of Dhoni bashing when he struggled to hit the ball. Ojha looked strong and Bhajan deceived. Zaheer was rusty. The way India played as a team sounds warning to the other teams in Super 8 stage that it would be very tough to beat this team. The only matter of concern is when Sehwag returns, who goes out?

Australia have suffered a great deal with the loss of Roy and perhaps they should have thought if sending back Roy was a wise move or it was an battle of egos between Roy and Pups. They face a do or die situation tonight and if they lose, they would be out for the first time in 17 years in the first round itself in any ICC tournament. (1992 World cup being the last). Ponting and Watson disappointed in the batting, Lee was treated like a school kid by Gayle during his 50 ball 88. Australia still might get through the Super 8 stage given they play SL who have been lackluster in the run up to the tournament. Australia have very little time in their hands to turn around the things. If SL lose, they still have a game to go against WI to make up for the loss.

One word on Pakistan. You cannot expect a team which has not won a single game in the tour to scamper through and go to the finals. Be it for cricketing reason or be it the emotional reasons. Pakistan have been simply rubbish over the tour. They have had no plans, they have had no will to play through. Emotional outbursts over Lahore wont always buy them a cover for their shabby performance. If they have to show their might, they have to show in the cricketing paradigms. “I have no idea why our fielders are unable to field properly. Maybe they are under certain pressure. It is not as if we are not working hard but we are not just getting it right for reasons unknown to me.” This kind of answers are lamentable. And then this one “”Even if Butt scored 28 as an opener we’ll have to think about him [for the next game] because of his fielding,“. Public outcry no no. He has demotivated the opener. And then this one “Kamran Akmal is a senior batsman but he can’t somehow take the responsibility. We need a senior guy in the top order who can play the anchor role”. Rustiness and lack of cricket won’t be an excuse to cover their below par performances for long. Another loss and the entire Pakistan team could be renewed including the ouster of selection committee and the PCB management. That’s how it’s always been across the border. For me they were never the side who looked good to go to semis. Why doesn’t Younis Khan go up the order at 3 and anchor the innings. # 5 is bit too low for this man, who is unfortunately the best batsman of the team. Will he take the leads ?

I fancy Ireland beat Bangladesh and Australia beat Sri Lanka.

Captains speak. Here is what the captains of prominent teams got to speak on their chances on the World T20 trophy :

Paul Collingwood, England:

We’ve got to be brave to win a tournament like this,” Collingwood told reporters at Lord’s. “We have to have the belief that we can win as a team, but we also have to have belief in our own ability in the middle. Twenty20 cricket is not an exact science, so you have to think on your feet in the middle. Sometimes it only takes one person, and we’ve got a lot of match winners, so I really do believe we can surprise a few people. I’m not going to say we are going to win it, but we have to believe we can win it.” A lot of our momentum comes from results, because when you’re winning things are very easy,” Playing at home could be an added pressure but we’re not taking it like that,” said Collingwood. “We’ve got an advantage in many ways, we know what the wickets are all about here, and we’re very excited about playing in front of our own crowds. No England cricket team has won an ICC tournament before so we have a three-week period here for us as a team to hopefully put that right.”

My verdict: Long hopes to win the ICC T20 tourney, but that won’t come with half an eye on Ashes and one fourth of the other on T20. I fail to understand the obsession of England with Ashes time and again. They don’t win it too often. They used to win 2 odd tests in an Ashes series in 90s, in 2000s except for 2005, they have never won 2 tests in a single Ashes series and yet they speak so high. Even today they speak of momentum and results after beating a reluctant West Indies in home in 2 Tests and 2 ODIs. Not to forget that the same team had failed to win a single test in tour to West Indies.

Happy to make it to the Super Eights as second team from the group. They have Holland and Pakistan in their group, good for their tendency to self destruct.

Younis Khan, Pakistan

It is special to be back on the world stage. Especially in Twenty20s, and especially in England. We are suffering from not playing regularly, and no-one is coming to Pakistan, but all the time in the last few months I have been talking to the boys, and telling them to do well [in this tournament]. There are a lot of media here, and [if we succeed] we’ll be well on our way to our mission, so to speak. It’s very important for us. If you don’t play regularly, you don’t have that match fitness. But the beauty of international cricket is that it is changing all the time in different conditions, so we feel fresh and will do well in England, ins’hallah. That’s the main reason I’m happy to be in England. Our fans are fantastic back home, they are lovers of T20, and now it’s dependent on us to prove ourselves. If we play good cricket it will be good for our nation. These days the whole nation is depressed, and only cricket [can lift it]. If we play good and win something, they will cheer. To finish in the top four, my nation will come again and start cheering. But it was fantastic to be a part of that team in the final. Some guys were crying at the end, but in T20 everything can change. My confidence is that I’ll take this trophy to Pakistan, but if the plan works ins’hallah it’ll be an achievement for us to finish in the top four.

Yeah, nobody wants to play in Pakistan. But citing that so many times to provide a root cause for the team to play for is weak. It’s just a big tournament and doesn’t matter where the Pak team is coming from. Fans, home, England, situations, prove, play well, all are jargons. Nothing matters when you step on to the field mate. It’s just the bat, ball and mind games that matter in the rub of the green. No emotions, no distraction. Emotional reasons would never help Pakistan win the tournament. Fans back home and across world would anyway cheer for Pakistan for their reputation and not for what happens to them in the tournament. Does Younis want to say that his fans won’t cheer his team in league games and Super 8s ? (Line in red). Downgrading the chances. From being a finalist to a somehow semi-finalist this year in order to cheer up the fans.

My verdict : Not sure how would they perform. Too many distractions for the lads. Rants of JM, IB and coming home of ICL rebels might affect the motivation of lesser and debutants players who have replaced Rana, Razzaq and MoYo. As a result the performance couldn’t be up to the expected levels. Yet they are Pakistan. Can do anything on their day. Score 300 in a game or get dismissed for 30. Watch out their games with a pinch of salt.

Md Asharful, Bangladesh

In this form of the game any side can beat the other,” Asharful told reporters at Lord’s. “We defeated the West Indies in the last World T20 in South Africa and progressed to the Super Eight. Our main goal is to repeat that and if we beat India, who are the world champions, in the first match then we will fancy our chances of doing well against the top sides and making the semi-finals even. We have come here one week early, had three games against New Zealand, Holland and Scotland and the boys have done well,” he said. “We are confident and there are two tough games against Australia tomorrow and Sri Lanka the day after. So that’s a nice build-up to the main tournament. It was only in the last over that MM did badly. Otherwise I thought he was okay. But I know he’ll be back. He is that type of a player. He always does well against India”

My verdict: Play out 20 overs in batting first mate and then hope to beat India. It’s not every day an Indian team has a 16 March 2007 as its match day. So just relax and look out to play for 20 full overs of batting and bowling. Once you do that, we would look to what you want to say. A semi-final berth looks a ginger for monkey like dream. So mate, dream on.

Graeme Smith, South Africa

It would be lovely if we could be successful in this tournament or any ICC tournament that is coming up, “We have had an incredible period in the last 16 months and the team has achieved so much. The confidence is good and we are excited about playing this tournament with the chance to go out and express ourselves. I think there is a lot more talent, flair and confidence among this team than ever before. It would be lovely if we could be successful in this tournament or any ICC tournament that is coming up,”. “We have had an incredible period in the last 16 months and the team has achieved so much. The confidence is good and we are excited about playing this tournament with the chance to go out and express ourselves. I think there is a lot more talent, flair and confidence among this team than ever before.

My verdict: Choking is one issue Saffers have infamously carried on from ICC tournaments across years. 1992, 1996, 1999, 2003, 2007 World Cups and 2007 World T20 are prime examples. That’s something which would always lower Saffers reputation as world beaters. They have had an incredible success in Tests and Odis over last 2 years, but their failure to win a World Cup rankles and perhaps this is a chance they can do it. But the form of captain would be a worry which also led to the loss of Rajasthan Royals in the IPL.

Next stage: Australia, India, New Zealand captains.

Which is the strongest team in the T20Is ? Is it India or Pakistan or Australia or South Africa ?

Or for that matter Sri Lanka or New Zealand ?

India are the defending world champions in the format which they won in 2007 comprehensively. In true Australian way circa 1999.

Having lost to NZ in the Super 8 stage, they needed to win 2 out of 2 games and didn’t they win all and 2 more. 4 in all.

Here is the win loss record for all teams (exclude BD and Zim)

Twenty20 record for each team

Pakistan have won 13 games of 17 it has played. Now does that make them the strongest. Well no. 7 of them are against minnows.

Canada, Bangladesh, Kenya and Scotland. Exclude those 6 of them and the record then reads

Out of this 6, most impressive record is against the Aussies. 2 out of 2 (2007 WC and then in 2009 desert safari). They have favorable record against England (1 out of 1) and New Zealand (1 out of 1)

At par with Sri Lanka (2 out of 4). They are yet to beat India in this format, the biggest parameter to test their strength in any format. 1 of them has been a tie (bowl out went to India for points distribution)

And the most famous T20I match, they lost to their bitter and toughest opponents thanks to an ill timed scoop by Misbah. They are yet to beat SA in this format. They haven’t played WI in any of the games so far.

Not the strongest of the records you see.

Lets take India to the sword.

Played 13. Won 7, lost 4. Out of the 4 , they have lost 3 to one single team – Kiwis. In fact they are yet to beat the Kiwis in this format. They lost the first super 8 game in 2007 and then 2 again in the Kiwi tour in 2009. They have one game washed out against the minnows Scotland, so we are no minnow bashers.

Out of the 7 victories we have, 2 against Aussies, 2 against SA (no loss), 1 against England, 1 against SA and 1 against Pakistan. The other loss came to Australia in 2008 when they were bowled out for a paltry 74.

Strongest ? Not quite. The 3 losses to Kiwis take off the sheen from the claim to be the strongest. Point of concern is since 2007 triumph, the champs have played 5 games, won 2 and lost 3. The only comprehensive win coming against Australia in Brabourne in 2007. They almost lost it against Lanka in 2009, thanks to Pathan bros who got team home.

Sri Lanka

13 played, 8 victories and 5 losses.

Minnow bashing. Yes. 4 against minnows. 4 against good countries. 2 against Pakistan, 1 against England and New Zealand. Err no. Not strong. No no no. Mind ittttttt, they hold the world record in this format too for the highest score. Phew. 260 in World T20 against minnows Kenya. Add 6/952, 443/6 or 8 in Tests and ODIs respectively. Credible.

WI, NZ and England fizz out owing to their on and off record.

We remain with Australia and South Africa. Unfortunately they have pretty on and off record too. Esp Aussies, they started off with a bang this year with 2 of 2 victories down under, thanks to David Warner, but they lost the steam in South Africa and desert safari. Aussies have a 50% ratio here, pretty low by their standards. But we should not forget that they come back hard at a trophy they haven’t won. Go back to Champions trophy, the 2006 edition. They won it comprehensively. It’s a different matter altogether, that this year its going to be India once again as the CT goes to SA and we win almost everything in SA. Won the IPL – 2, The World T20 2007 and almost the WC 2003, the first T20 in SA in Durban. Didn’t we ?

Its more of a day factor, the team that plays well the given day wins, but its to the consistency factor which decides which team remains the strongest. Out of the facts I diagnosed here, it’s a outright result. INDIA. They haven’t won any cheap game, they haven’t lost to major teams except Australia and Kiwis. IMO they are the strongest in the format, but then again only till the next T20 is played.