Archive for the ‘WestIndies’ Category
T&T a fairy tale
Pakistan beat West Indies in a mess up
Misbah, Yusuf, Malik failed and thats just going to raise more brows in their country. Beating West Indies could have been a walk in the park for the Greens, but they are Pakistan. Lest they mess, they wont be the team they are. Mavericks…Their next game is against the Indians. And its not a Friday. Its a Saturday. 2003 / 3/ 1 was also a Saturday. It was Centurion then, its centurion now.
Tendulkar, Dravid, Nehra, Harbhajan were then in blue. Younis, Yusuf, Afridi were in green.
Under Inzy, the Pak team mellowed and that basically gave the likes of Asif and Akhtar a chance to go wild, my view. Dare somebody do that under Akram or Imran, the player would have ended his career. Today serial offenders like Yusuf, Asif, Akhtar continue to play and get away.
Chuck out a few losers from Pakistan team and they should be a good team back to the glory of 90s. And yes PCB too.
Lankans favorite
Preview to the Ind vs WI game
“We had options for back-up openers, Yusuf and I were also spoken about. But Rohit was in good form in the IPL and has grabbed his chance with both hands”
MS was speaking on the options for opening in absence of Viru. Heavens gracious, he didn’t open. Just imagine what would have been the reaction if MS was opening. Flood gates would have been opened. He is reeled for coming at # 3, he is being accused of leaking the news and being arrogant with the media. He is now no more the captain kewl.
Rohit Sharma has been pretty decent with the opening spot in England. However he must soon realize that opening is not his cup of tea and its just that he is filling in for Viru in his absence. Ditto for DK. His first test comes today when he takes on his Deccan Chargers team mate Fidel Edwards (subject to play) in the first super 8 game India plays tonite against West Indies at Lord’s. Yes the same ground where 26 years ago India beat WI by 43 runs to win their World Cup.
India would have one challenge to stop Gayle, who has tormented them in the past since 2002 or even old since 1999. Remember the Singapore tri-series followed by Toronto 3 game series when Ganguly first time captained India. Another question India would need to find an answer to is the place of Irfan Pathan. He has been pathetic with the ball. If he opens the bowling today, Gayle is for sure to run away with game. May be Praveen Kumar would be an option to go with as he swings the ball and gets more wickets than Irfan does. Yeah India would lose a batting all-rounder, but then there is enough firepower in the batting department.
Matara Mozart
I must say I hated him whenever he hit those nasty hundreds and triple hundreds against us. I overjoyed whenever he went out quickly most notably during the 1996 Semi final. Generations of captains went in. Azhar, Ganguly, Tendulkar, Dravid and Kumble. Now MS. This man still there.
Take a bow. Take a bow. He along with the GOD are the only links now from the 1980s. Hail them as long as they are around.
Meanwhile SL look good to go to semis at least way they have played. Look good today to win as well since no Gayle today and without him WI just seem a touch better than Holland or Ireland.
Owe it when it deserves!!
If you guys attribute failure to IPL, please attribute the success of the players to IPL as well.
Bopara Ton
eventually shuts down Vaughan and Bell’s Ashes dreams. Still England looks a weak team unable to get through the # 7 ranked Test team. So its futile to expect that they would get past # 1 team…
Captain Imperious…
If Antigua was in India!!
Hail West Indies
A West Indies victory in 2000s over stronger teams is a NEWS as it was an Indian victory in 1980s. And yesterday they not only achieved the improbable but also broke a jinx of 9 years of being not able to beat England anywhere. The last time they beat England was in 2000 1st test in England as they began their way in typical then routing England fashion, but fell apart horribly in the next 4. One of the Tests was even finished in 2 days with Andy Caddick taking 4 wkts in a over. And then their woes continued in 2004 home series when we had the rise of Steve Harmison with 7/12 in Sabina Park. Its an irony that the ground where they suffered worst defeat by being bowled out for 47, they won the Test match at the same ground by dismissing England for 4 more runs. 51 to be precise.
The victory wasn’t a news amidst the IPL auction. But it is very significant for West Indian cricket. It should give them a huge boost to the upcoming Tests especially with Jerome Taylor showing the caliber. 5 for 11 are superb figures against a team which has highest paid IPL cricketers in the world. Too early to say that their revival would begin, but this should definitely begin their upward sojourn.
Gayle, Sarwan and Chandu should form the batting trio if they are to win more and consistently. May be a draw NZ series gave them a boost to perform well so much so the pre series mess and the awful proceedings in England over captain coach row.
What would KP and Freddie feel ? On moon one day and buried deep down in shame the next ? So is the game. A great leveler.
Bravo and Hail the West Indies. Good job.
