The Tests Down Under

There are times when a game ceases to be a clash between two teams and the ones playing it lift it to a higher level, making it transcend above everything else in life. In those special moments, it makes everything else seem mundane and it is best to sit back and revel in those moments. The encounter between India and Australia in the recently concluded Test series provided plenty of those moments, which proved there was something in the hype before the series. It often made us wonder whether such levels of cricket could be played ever since the mighty Windies stopped ruling the game in the Eighties. Frankly, it was quite heartening to see the sides lock horns and engage in an absorbing duel. Other sports have and are still providing thrilling encounters, take a Federer-Nadal clash for an example and cricket has only faltered because there are too many games being played with too little time in between. A defeat for Australia has only seemed a tougher mountain to climb for the team that plays it. A scoreline of 2-1 can be misleading considering the contest between India and Australia that was witnessed. It was high quality cricket all the time and what was even more fascinating was that the Indians seemed to get better with each duel. Forget the controversies, forget the media hype, why, forget the result for a moment- what stood was the way the teams fought to make it memorable. It also provided a crucial glimpse into the future- every series that will be played between these two sides will assure us that cricket can still be played in a way that no one ever imagined it possible.

Once the Indians battled hard on the first day of the first Test, it became obvious to everyone around that this was going to be one cracker of a contest. Significant in that fight back was Kumble, leading from the front and richly deserving the five-wicket haul. Thereafter, it was downhill for Team India. It was bundled out for less than 200 in both its innings and the mistake it committed was asking Dravid to open the innings. He wasn’t even a shadow of the man who famously scripted a win for the team last time around, more like a penumbra cast by a fading sunlight. He was too cautious and defensive, due to which India lost the plot, managing only 6 in 12-odd overs in the first innings. It was a session wasted by virtue of India’s diffident batting and it was no surprise when the Indians lost the test. Sachin’s 67 was the highlight in an otherwise forgettable innings but it still set the platform to move on to bigger scores in the following Tests. India was further hampered when Zaheer pulled out of the series with an injury.

Moving on to the Sydney Test, oh, if ever a match has to be remembered only for its thrilling finish in the dying minutes of the last day and be forgotten for everything else that came out of it, then its this one. The match turned this way and that, with both sides edging out each other in sessions but the champions had the last laugh. The circumstances under which the team won is a highly debatable topic and there was furore all over the world on the Aussie way of victory-at-all-costs. The Test also had its brighter moments, with a master-class display from Sachin while Symonds could have outstripped any cat on account of his lives on his way to a big score. There were dubious decisions against the Indians and to rub salt into the wounds, Harbhajan was banned from the subsequent Tests for racially abusing Symonds. What followed was an outcry against the umpires and the Aussies, the passion of a cricket-mad nation fuelled by the outrageous decisions and a frenzied media. Bucknor was sacked while the integrity of the Aussies was questioned. And one line from a very dejected and frustrated Indian captain said it all, ’Only one team played it in the spirit of the game.’ It was a telling comment, one that will go down in history as one of the best one-liners to have been made under harsh conditions. (At the time of writing, Harbhajan was found not guilty by a New Zealand High Court judge, Mr. Hansen, following the BCCI appeal).

Nobody gave the visiting team even a slim chance of winning the Perth Test, traditionally the fastest track in the world. Australia unleashed a four-pronged pace attack including Shaun Tait who strived on raw pace. But, astonishingly, as a fitting reply to the previous Test, the Indians regrouped and came back amazingly to script one of the most famous victories on foreign soil. At the end of it all, even Sunil Gavaskar was of the view that this win had to rank as the best for the past 40 years in Indian cricket. What made the win even more special was the fact the Indians believed in themselves and bonded together as a team after all that had happened in Sydney. The team outclassed Australia in all departments and the win was fashioned by the promising trio of Ishant, Irfan and R.P.Singh. In a display of emotion and bonding, Bhajji, who wasn’t playing in the game, ran onto the ground carrying the tricolour after India won. It was a dramatic and a touching end to a glorious victory. One other moment will be etched in any Indian fan’s memory. Ishant, on the fourth day, had Ponting in a daze. Punter swished, got a few on his body, swatted and flailed only to find the bat missing the ball. In short, he did pretty much everything except than middle the ball. It was an hour that encompassed the best of everything that a fast bowler can give to the game. It was a supreme effort by a hard-working 19-year old, supreme because he was bowling to the best batsman in the Australian team. In a typical display of a player sticking for his state-mate, Sehwag pushed Ishant into bowling one more over. One ball later, Ponting was back in the pavilion and the Indians had already started their celebrations. It was a crucial strike-Kumble’s words ‘Ek aur over karega? ‘ to Ishant will be remembered for years to come.

Adelaide had been the place where India had pulled one over Australia the last time it had come Down Under and the visitors were raring to square the series on the back of a morale-boosting win at Perth. Sachin came up with yet another century in the first innings and Sehwag fired in the second. Australia’s tactics were questionable. One can rarely find them crawling along with a run rate of 3 an over or even below that. In cruise mode, they move rapidly at 4 or more and the tactics were no doubt defensive. The Test eventually meandered to a draw and though the Aussies had won the series, much must go the Indians for the way they came back in the last two Tests. They could have easily been crushed to be whitewashed 4-0, as Stuart Clark had predicted, but the Indians showed they had more resolve and nerves of steel.

What stood out in all these Tests, at least barring the first Test, was the fierce contest between the Indian batsmen and the Aussie bowlers. It was enthralling Test cricket, one that richly deserved to be watched by a genuine cricket fan. Brett Lee bowled like a dream, with great verve and swing. He was fast, hit the right line so often that you could place a patch on the pitch and label it as ‘This is where Brett Lee bowled throughout the series.’ He varied his length often, pitching in steep bouncers followed by toe-crushing yorkers or just good-length deliveries that left the batsmen guessing. As a fitting reward for his consistency, he had Tendulkar’s number on quite a few occasions-he even had the Little Master hopping. Stuart Clark bowled those mean deliveries constantly probing the corridor but he was quite unlucky to have not got more scalps to his name. Johnson was fantastic as well, using the angle to perfection but Tait was a disaster in the only Test that he played. Not that the Indian batsmen struggled much. The way they counter-attacked only bears testimony to the fact that this is the best middle-order that any team can have. There were fluent drives, beautifully timed glides, even cheeky boundaries through the slips but you can’t ignore the fact that these batsmen were seasoned veterans, clearly using their experience to adjust to the conditions and unleash their dazzling array of strokes. Yes, Dravid was a bit subdued, except for his brilliant 93 at Perth, and Ganguly did appear a bit uncomfortable against Hogg even when he was playing well but the other two were just outstanding. Laxman was at his magical best, his wrist play proving too much even for Lee’s better deliveries. I guess it has something to do with grounds; when Laxman made his third century in as many Tests at Sydney, it was as if everyone knew it was coming. His on-drives were perfect and you couldn’t have seen more elegant cover-drives than his. His 70-odd at Perth in the second innings was crucial, considering that the Aussies came within 70 runs of the target. And it was a privilege to watch Sachin bat. He was at his aggressive best, not the Sachin that we saw in England but the Sachin we remember, who dismantled bowling attacks with his bold and daring stroke play, instilling terror in the bowlers as only he can. He cut, pulled and drove magnificently-he was downright brilliant and it was a treat to watch him play and smash the bowlers with disdain. He singled out Hogg, sending the ball to all corners of the ground and even clearing the long boundary a few times. Gilchrist must have considered himself extremely lucky to have watched him from close quarters. There was one shot he played that I will never forget. Lee was bowling at his fiery best and he bowled one short, directing it at his head. Sachin leant back, moved away and at the last second, played at it to guide it over the heads of the waiting slip cordon. It went sailing past them and thudded into the boards after one bounce near the fence. Nobody moved for a second. There was a stunned silence as everyone tried to comprehend yet another stroke of genius from the little man. That one second belonged entirely to Sachin. It was pure magic for that one everlasting second. The sportsman that he is, Lee smiled and trudged back to his bowling mark, shaking his head in exasperation. But that one shot showed why Sachin can never be written off- age might have slowed his reflexes but his class will never die down. He keeps redefining the word ‘genius’ and as a fitting tribute, he received a standing ovation everytime he strode into the field to bat or back to return to his pavilion. Well, Sachin and Australia have always shared a special bonding. Ever since the country’s legend, the Don, said that Tendulkar’s batting was similar to his, the genial crowd has flocked to the grounds everytime he bats and sometimes, especially for that. It was no different this time as well. It’s a rare honour and India must be proud of its rare jewel in the crown.

India has never produced quality fast bowlers in the past, barring a few. Probably that’s why it was refreshing to see someone like R.P.Singh or Ishant to don the fast bowler’s mantle and deliver the way they did. Once Zaheer left the squad to tend to his injury, it was upto the young speedsters to take on the famed Australian batting order. And attack they did, with Ishant bowling splendidly and R.P.Singh and Irfan backing him up. It was a top-class performance and the win at Perth was possible only because they had reduced the Aussies to a paltry total of 212 in the first innings that helped the visitors gain a lead of over 100. Ishant, by far, was the pick of the lot he used his height admirably well to generate bounce. R.P.Singh was at his menacing best, showing that he is now ready to do whatever it takes to succeed at the Test level, while Irfan reminded us why there is no substitute for hard work. His sterling performance after a mediocre show last year should cement a hard-earned place in the team. What was important was that these pacemen never tried to bowl at greater speeds; they relied more on length, line and swing while bowling within their limits. Much credit must go to Venkatesh Prasad for making the bowlers strive on accuracy and keeping them focused on the job at hand because bowlers can easily get carried away by the pitches found in those parts of the world. The rise of these young bowlers is a very good sign for India- half a season ago; no one would have imagined that a second-string attack could pose a threat to the Aussies. But they have belied expectations and shown maturity beyond their age. They deserve the accolades heaped on them.

Captaining an Indian side is a tough job, even more so when there is so much pressure to put up a decent show. From my point of view, no one could have done a better job during the series than Kumble. Ganguly might have pulled it off but to do it unassumingly was the best reply that could have been given after all that happened at Sydney. After R.P.Singh castled Tait to notch up the victory in the Perth Test, Kumble didn’t engage himself in frenzied celebrations. He did enjoy the moment and yes, he did celebrate but he smiled just like a mother would after watching her talented son win a prize at school. In fact, that is the man in essence-quiet and dignified in his approach but just as confident and determined to lead his side to a historic win. If ever there has been a role-model for young budding cricketers, it is this man. Work ethics, hard work, perseverance-you name anything that makes up a champion and he has them all. The team was 2-0 down, one of its players had been banned from the subsequent Tests and the rub of the green had simply gone against India. To lift the team morale, make the players bond together in the times of adversity and make them focus only on their cricket to fight back was the need of the hour. That the team did all this and much more to halt the winning run of the Aussies and win the Perth Test was a terrific achievement. Kumble deserves credit for rallying the team around and urge them to challenge the Aussies even more on the field. Commitment has always been on top of his list. He is a legend. I am not calling for meaningless felicitations that would award him with cash or kind- he is a man who has stayed true and served his country more often in times of need- such kind of cricketers are a huge asset to the side. He deserves much more.

It was saddening to see the Sydney Test being marred by so many contentious decisions and though the match lasted until the final minutes to deliver a result, it left a bad taste in the mouth. The three-match ban slapped on Harbhajan was unwarranted and questionable on many counts. Firstly, it was Symonds who had stirred up Harbhajan; if at all Harbhajan was guilty, then Symonds was equally so. Secondly, the match referee who found Harbhajan guilty was not a qualified judge. There was ample evidence that he did not even have the makings of one- he delivered the judgement with the allegations of the three Aussies (Ponting, Hayden and Symonds) as the base while ignoring the defence by Tendulkar, arguing that he could not have been close enough to hear what Harbhajan could have said. Thirdly, the issue should have never gone to the match referee. It should have been resolved then and there on the field. Words may be spoken in the heat of the moment- players will agree with that but at some point, even if it does cross the line, the on-field umpires should have enough power to defuse the situation. Once a third party who is neither a qualified person in the matters of delivering a judgement nor someone who has solid evidence to prove that the player has indeed crossed the line, delivers judgement based only on the words of the players on the field who lodged the complaint, the case loses its way then and there. There is no way, in that situation, anyone can believe that justice will prevail. That Harbhajan was found not guilty later by a qualified judge only shows the hollowness of the hearing that had taken place earlier. It reflects on many things that the ICC is incompetent at.

There is the issue of not having enough umpires at the highest level. If cricket is going to continue having just 8 umpires in the ‘Elite Panel’ (in which one or two like Bucknor are past their prime and still carry on), then I am afraid we might probably see more Tests like the one at Sydney. The right thing to do and at once is to expand the Panel. It’s useless if Simon Taufel keeps bagging the Best Umpire award every year. What about the rest? Even if assessments are being made on the performance of the umpires, there is no proof of it. If the quality of the game is brought down by poor umpiring, then it takes something from the game. One can always argue about the human factor being prevalent in the game but errors of magnitude such as the ones at Sydney need to be looked at. Something needs to be done and done fast. The second thing that the ICC needs to look at is the power of the umpires on the field. I strongly believe that the umpires should be capable of resolving issues on the field, which makes the need for a match referee necessary only for matters such as the over rate and the like. A player’s conduct can be monitored by him but not to the extent of determining whether the player was right or wrong in his behaviour. He has virtually no idea of what is happening on the field- only the umpires do and the responsibility of ensuring that nothing untoward happens against the spirit of the game should solely belong to them. If a player finds the behaviour of his opponent objectionable, he should report it to the umpires first. If they do not have sufficient evidence, only then should a judge be summoned to attend to the case and be asked to deliver the judgement after sifting through the evidence that is available and assessing the nature of the case. Another issue that has been gaining considerable momentum is about the technology in aiding umpiring decisions. It can be used only as long as it is reliable. Certainly, it will lift the pressure off the umpires who need to take decisions in a split-second. If the umpire is still unclear about the decision, then the batsman can be given the benefit of the doubt. Its use can be a decisive step forward but it must be done carefully and slowly only after testing it for a sufficient period. It’s also crucial that the players learn to accept the decisions made based on this- there is no use in complaining about it later.


There are some surprises in life which are so shocking that you wish you never heard it in the first place. So, when Adam Gilchrist recently announced his retirement from all forms of the game, it came as a huge surprise considering that he had surpassed the world record for the most dismissals the day before. I guess the bowlers would have heaved a sigh of relief for he was one of the most destructive batsmen around. Wicketkeepers like him will be hard to find; cricketers like him, even harder. He epitomized the better half of the cricket world; not only due to the fact that he walked even if not given out, Gilchrist was the sort of a person who would applaud on the field when a batsman in the opposition made a century. When Kumble bagged his 600th wicket during the recent Test series, he went over from the non-striker’s end to congratulate the bowler. He was a terrific batsman, someone who could change the match situation in an hour of scintillating batting. I still remember the first Test century that he made, against Pakistan. Australia was already 5 or 6 for 100-odd, chasing a mammoth 369 when Gilchrist joined Langer. What followed was one of the best attacking batting displays ever. Gilly straight-drove for a scorching boundary to bring up his maiden century and he was ecstatic. He gestured to his team-mates, punched the air while repeatedly shouting ‘Yeah! Come on!’. By that time, Australia was within sniffing distance of a victory. What struck everyone around was not the way he batted. More than that, this was a player who had been booed when he walked into the Gabba in the previous test, having replaced Healy. By the end of the second test, he had won the hearts of people all around. This was a true Australian character, complete with a never-say-die attitude. From that time, he has been a vital cog in the Australian team during their golden run in the past decade. Whether it was plucking catches out of thin air or simply turning matches around single-handedly with his batting, he has done them all. On his day, he would tear the bowling apart. His cut and pull shots were ferocious in nature and he was one of the first to use the upper-cut shots over the slips. When he was told that he had missed the record of the fastest Test century by a ball, he replied in trademark style that the record should rightfully belong to Viv Richards alone. We must consider ourselves lucky to have seen this champion grace the game. I think people will miss Gilchrist, the cricketer than Gichrist, the batman. True, he was totally Australian- aggression was his forte but there was this delight on watching him play and conduct himself. Being the emotional man that he is, he might be choked to tears after he has played in his final international match in Sydney but I guess there will be more people who will be shedding silent tears at the end when this legend bids adieu to the cricket world and walks away from the field for one last time. We salute you, Adam!

Selection of an Indian team always throws up interesting results. This time around, it was huge disappointment for Ganguly and Dravid when both were dropped from the ODI squad. The selectors have opted for young blood instead of relying on experience. Getting them prepared for the 2011 World Cup is fine but staring it off with an Australian tour is probably not the right thing to do. These guys are still relatively fresh from the T20 World Cup; I doubt if any of them has played a proper challenging 50-overs game- it will take some time for them to get adjusted to the conditions and learn the ropes. In this case, the selectors should not expect an outright victory everytime they take to the field. For one thing, the Australian tour is one of the toughest around and they will be competing against the hosts and Sri Lanka, a formidable team that has grown into a fantastic outfit. On their day, the Lankans are very much capable of thrashing their opponents. Another issue that might be a little worrying is the experience that the Indian batting possesses. Apart from Sehwag, Sachin, Yuvraj and to an extent, Dhoni the rest are yet to make a mark. True, they are talented and look promising- Uthappa was brilliant in England while Rohit Sharma impressed one and all with his impressive strokeplay and decisive footwork in the T20 WC but I feel the real litmus test awaits them in the CB series. Even if they do fail, there is no need to press the panic button. A little more experience will make them better players. Until then, it’s best to wait and see. There are no problems in the bowling department unless one picks up an injury and returns home. Ishant is having the time of his life while Irfan has looked much better as a bowler. He swung the ball at a lively pace in the Test series and he will look to carry his form into the one-dayers as well. Sreesanth has made a comeback to the squad after an injury forced him out of the Tests but he must be careful in showing his aggression. He does overstep the mark sometimes and its time someone took him aside and asks him to take it easy. All in all, it is promising to be a very good series. All the sides are evenly matched- yes, India and Sri Lanka do have the firepower to put it across Australia. Moreover, it’s the last edition of such a series in Australia and the hosts will be raring to win it for one last time. There will be plenty of good cricket around that might make it too good to miss. Let’s see who emerges the winner. I think it will be cricket once again!

One of the reasons why I like English summers is due to the fact that you never know when it is going to rain. And you don’t need to go to England to get to know. Plug in your T.V. and you can witness anything from a drizzle to a downpour during any Wimbledon tour or a cricket tour in that place. But it’s never irritating to watch it. Rainy days are always punctuated by periods of warm sunshine. You can almost feel the joy of getting drenched and feel the warmth of the glorious sunny weather.

If you still don’t get what I am trying to say, just imagine yourself in an English county. Let’s take a cricket match for an instance and you are playing in it. You are standing in a lush green outfield and the air is pleasant. You look heavenwards and its cloudy, with the lances of the sun interspersed by the grey clouds. There is a light breeze around that lifts you, that awakens you to the very joy of playing cricket in these glorious conditions. You never want it to end. You want to remain in the () atmosphere and keep playing until fatigue overwhelms you. That is English county cricket, in a nutshell, in a quite different way. There is lots more to it than what you see. War veterans and promising youngsters rule the roost. Flipping through the scoreboards, you shouldn’t be surprised to see Hick scoring yet another century or a certain Mike making waves with his debut performance. English county cricket, though, flatters to deceive. England is yet to produce a bunch of cricketers that can pose a threat to any top team. Though it blanked West Indies in the recent test series, it still has a long way to go if it wants to reproduce the kind of spirits and guts it showed in that historic Ashes in 2005. And its one-day cricket seems to be going from bad to worse. It has become a two-man show for the side and to add to its woes, both are world-class batsmen and not very effective bowlers. Pietersen can turn his arm over sometimes but he presents as much as a threat as Panesar with a bat in his hand. Collingwood is a good enough all-rounder but he can’t bat, bowl and field exceptionally and still lead his side, all at the same time, something that Flintoff tried. Flintoff tried and couldn’t - one reason why he is still agonizing over the Ashes whitewash.
The series ahead against India looks to promise much. Both the teams have had some memorable encounters over the years and one gets the feeling it is going to be no different this time. For India, it is going to be the last tour of England for the likes of Tendulkar, Ganguly, Dravid and Laxman. All of them would be pretty eager to mark their presence in their own fashion and bid farewell in style. One has already made sure that he is not going without pleasing the cricket crowds and delighting pundits with his batting. Sachin has fond memories of England for this was where he made his first ever international ton and the Wonder Kid is as hungry as ever. He is a writer’s delight, you know, plays amazing cricket with such grace and style which is so typical of him that any cricket-lover can’t wait to watch him for one last time in cricket’s homeland. Ganguly, Dravid and Laxman fill the spaces of the best middle-order this team has and will probably ever have and they will raring to sign off on a good note. On the whole, the series looks to promise much and it will be worthwhile to watch the clash between the teams.
On a general note, cricket seems to be losing its sheen. The quality of the game has declined sharply and it has become more of a tussle between the commercial giants to rule the game rather than the ball and the willow. The World Cup in West Indies was a big let-down and it wouldn’t be inappropriate to term it a fiasco. Australia needs no more to prove that it is the champion but it is quite disheartening to see that teams haven’t risen to their level. The gap is widening more and more and something quick has to be done to bring back competitiveness in the game. To add to the woes of the genuine cricket-lover, the ICC is doing nothing more than corrupting the game for power and money. It conveniently missed the cold truth by a mile when it blamed the WICB for the World Cup fiasco. As cricket’s governing body, it has to take a lot of responsibility for the mistakes it committed and it was a shame to see it turning over the tables on a cricket board that was already in shambles, ripped apart by constant allegations and player disputes.

To really know how cricket is going downhill, just take a look at the things that have happened in the cricket world. As already mentioned, the WICB is in tatters and the disputes that have followed about the contract allegations have weakened the belief in players. The spirited fight back in the one-day series against England notwithstanding, the form that the Windies have showed in the recent past is enough to make the former greats lament for the rest of their lives and make Malcolm Marshall toss over in his grave. Clearly, the ICC can have a say in this matter and bring back things to normal but it has wrongly found the time to remain aloof and weaken the game. Some of the great legends of the game came from that enchanting place and it is dreadful to see the Caribbean spirit missing in the team. Ever since Lara left the side to hang up his boots and cool off his heels to take care of his family rather than save his team single-handedly, the side has been devoid of the colour and the very flavour of cricket that the southpaw brought into the game. What Lara brought into the game was magic, an irreplaceable something that reminded of a magician without a wand but wielding a bat. The bat speed that he generated as he brought down the willow from the high back lift, the sweet timing with which he essayed his strokes as the ball hit the meat of the bat and, oh the shots! A rasping cover-drive, a gentle caress down to fine-leg, a scorching straight drive, a neat turn of the wrists to guide the ball to square-leg. It was all done in one fluid motion as if he had descended from above to play this wonderful game. He was the wizard, the enchanter, the Prince Charming all at the same time when he was on song. Any innings of his was found to be as colourful as his life. His power, his timing, his strokes, his sheer display of skill and the flawed genius inside-oh, it was a treat to watch Lara! The team will miss him a lot, there is no doubt about that but only God knows how much the Indian team is going to miss Sachin when he decides to call it a day. And now back to the crises that are threatening the cricket world. Chaos is reigning in Zimbabwe and the ICC is still struggling to cope with the situation out there. It is powerless, no doubt, thanks largely to Mugabe whose acts are growing more repulsive by the day. There is the issue of the long and drawn-out international calendar that the players have to keep up with, not to mention growing resentment about Bangladesh being granted Test status too early. And yes, there is also the Twenty20 World Cup on the back of one of the worst World Cups ever staged- well, the ’99 WC was a tad better than this one and that, in itself, should speak a lot. The disappointments seem to be mounting on top of one another, much like Sachin waltzing past records, adding to the never-ending pile.

All said and done, the Twenty20 WC might offer something and bring back the lost glory and infuse life into the game just like what one-day cricket did few years ago. And this is mainly due to the fact that Twenty20 is powered ahead on the concept of Power Cricket, a new brand of the game that has been endorsed by players like Pietersen and one that has been embraced by his fans. The game has become more inclined towards the batsman’s occupation at the crease for a longer time. You know, just make him bat as long as he can, let him make the most of the PowerPlay overs, smash the bowlers around and strut as if he has made the top score of the match on a devilish pitch. Bowlers trudge back to the pavilion, demoralized and grumbling about the level of cricket that is being played. The new rules aren’t helping them either. One of them that stands out is one about the old ball that has to be replaced after 35 overs in the ODIs. It has made the bowlers more vulnerable, leaving them no room for opening up the batsmen with reverse swing. It is pitiful to even think that we can never see that wonderful art again- the ball swinging and curving in, taunting the batsman and deceiving him at the last moment- it has always been a bowler’s delight to rattle the timber. It is a symbol of the bowler’s might, the one sign that he has breached the defences of the one wielding the bat.

Alas, pitches have become flatter and the bats have heavier not to mention shortening boundaries, one reason why we see more batsmen in the Pietersen mould than the classical Dravid or Cullinan type. If you ever see a low-scoring match , you can see the captains wearing a ‘Gawd-help-us’ expression on their faces, blaming the pitch and stopping short of accusing the curator. Of course, there is always the snide comment which no one can miss- ‘Yeah, it helped the bowlers a lot, bit surprising to see.’ What do they expect then? A run-feast that the crowd can gorge upon? Gentlemen, you are supposed to be playing cricket, not golf where you can just whack the ball around. Of course, there are that breed of bowlers like Murali who never get bogged down, bamboozling the batsmen with their guile, totally indifferent to these anti-bowler developments. Just go and ask them about how they cope with the style of cricket that is being played. It’s the same stereotyped reply that one will find, ‘Oh, just bowl it in the right areas and the rest will take care of itself.’ You have to give credit to them, bowlers have been so badly treated like knights being stripped of their armour and still they find a way to square the batsmen up. If there are more of them, cricket will be back as the game that is supposed to promise much, the duel between the bat and the ball resplendent with its many twists and turns.














P.S: This was written in July-Aug '07, which is why you might find some pieces of information a bit outdated. Never mind them…