All posts by h716a5.icu

Sri Lankan batsman Mahela Jayawardene provides an eyewitness account of the pitch fiasco at the Feroz Shah Kotla during the final ODI against India

27-Dec-2009
‘Till the moment Tillakaratne Dilshan got hit, that was when we realised this was getting bad.’•Associated PressWe do not consider the pitch to be dangerous or unfit because of its unpredictability. There have been many occasions when sideways movement or variable bounce poses a great challenge for the batsman to showcase the skills to handle those conditions. This also holds true in instances when the ball keeps a bit low, or once in a while, jumps up on to you. Even today, when the ball was keeping low, the most it could do was hit you on the ankle or the knee. But the ones that were taking off from the good length were really dangerous.Batsmen have very little time to react, especially with guys bowling at 135-140 kph, and that is a concern because you could get hit seriously, and these days it is not such a great thing to sit out with a broken bone for three to four months. It is not about the odd one cutting and hitting your fingers but when the batsmen are put in such a situation [like today] it becomes dangerous. That last ball, after which the game was stopped, from [Sudeep] Tyagi, the way it took off was ridiculous! That cannot happen.Did we foresee anything like that on the eve of the game or even today morning? Personally I had not come for practice on Saturday, as I was injured. But I have played in Delhi in the past and I was here as recently as this September, representing Wayamba in the Champions League Twenty20 where it was quite a different surface. Then it was a very dry-and-bare pitch where the ball kept low. The matches were mostly low-scoring affairs as batsmen struggled to get runs because there was hardly any pace and bounce. But it was still manageable and all teams went through similar experience.But today’s pitch was unusual because it was not the typical grassy one. Whatever grass was there, was in patches, while the rest was bare and the pitch had a hollow sound. We felt they were trying to do something different, trying to help in binding the pitch and the grass [with the top soil]. The groundsmen had informed us in the morning there was a new growth of grass, and since we do not have any knowledge in that area, we took it at face value. We thought there would be a bit of variable bounce too, but more of the tennis-ball variety, which is slow. But we never expected the pitch to behave like that.Till the moment Dilly [Tillakaratne Dilshan] got hit, that was when we realised this was getting bad. Then Sanath [Jayasuriya] got hit couple of times on his fingers. Luckily, most of our batsmen were left-handers, so the ball was actually going away from them. If there were right-handers batting they would’ve probably got hit on the chest or head. Then [Muthumudalige] Pushpakumara got hit on his elbow as well. It was just ridiculous as it had taken off from a length. After that Kanda [Thilina Kandamby] faced a ball which had a funny sort of bounce. As it went over Dhoni, we felt our batsmen would not be comfortable anymore.You’ve got to understand that in such a scenario it is no more a challenge. You are actually being threatened. When you are playing against a fast bowler the batsman has very short time to react. Generally he reacts to line and length. But in a situation like this you do not react. You just wait for something to happen. That is not good. You are hoping that the ball will not take off from that length, and all of a sudden you have to react so it is not a pleasant situation for the batsman.

You’ve got to understand that in such a scenario it is no more a challenge. You are actually being threatened. When you are playing against a fast bowler the batsman has very short time to react. Generally he reacts to line and length. But in a situation like this you do not react. You just wait for something to happen. That is not good.

As soon as Dilly returned into the dressing room they rushed him to the hospital for an X-ray, after he continued to feel uncomfortable despite applying the ice. His reaction was that it was unplayable.When Pushpakumara got hit, Sanga [Kumar Sangakkara] had already lodged his protest to the third umpire and the match referee. Sanath was already icing his fingers. We felt it was too dangerous for our guys and then Kandamby went and told the umpires soon after the Tyagi ball. The Indian camp too, felt the same and that it was not a fair wicket to play an ODI.We tried to see how long we could sustain it. We felt that when the pitch would dry up and the ball got softer, it might settle down. But we stopped the game in the 24th over, so things were not going to improve. It could’ve been worse. Usually what happens is divots are created due to the moisture in the morning and later when it gets drier then it can become much more dangerous. In the afternoon sun, with the harder ball we would’ve bowled in those dents and that would have become more dangerous.Still we should not point fingers at anyone. It is a newly relaid pitch. Curators do not make a pitch purposefully – they try to do a good job, make it lively and get something out of it. The preparation was not good. Usually a freshly relaid pitch takes about good 6-12 months for it to season itself. Obviously it would be a challenge if you play on it before that period. But when you see a pitch behaving like that, you do not take too many risks. You should instead try and season the entire square firstly.It wasn’t a fair contest between bat and ball and I understand it was very hard for the packed house at Feroz Shah Kotla. We all love the game but not to extent where somebody gets injured in a nasty way. If we can prevent that we should take those right decisions at the right time.

‘Twas a bond that brooked neither stats nor sense

Lawrence Booth16-Dec-2010If love is blind, then my relationship with Allan Lamb was more of a myopic obsession. He never knew about it, of course, and the one time I met him I had to fight hard not to blub pathetically and admit all. I was 23 by then, but the two of us had already been through a lot together.It had not always been easy. Lamb finished with a Test average of 36.09, which pained me. His highest Test score was 142, which was frankly careless. And, well, he wasn’t exactly English, was he? “Limmie”, my mates would snigger in a mock-South African accent, as if that settled the argument. But none of this mattered. Lambie and I had a bond that transcended trivialities like statistics and passports.Everyone remembers the first Test series that captivated them. For me it was England’s trip to the West Indies in 1989-90, which I followed on the radio in my bedroom, insulated and isolated from the world. There was something magical about that faint crackle, and when Lambie made 132 in England’s shock win in the first Test at Sabina Park, I was under his spell. He later made 119 in Barbados, and I can still remember the words of the BBC commentator Trevor Bailey as another bottom-handed cover-drive – feet in concrete – was slain to the boundary: “Allan Lamb is a fine player!” The emphasis was on “is” and “fine”, as if Bailey was simply reminding us of one of life’s truisms. At least, that’s how this impressionable 14-year-old heard it.With Lamb came his adopted county, Northamptonshire – another deeply unfashionable choice. (Graham Gooch and Essex would have been so much simpler.) In 1995, with the help of Anil Kumble, he almost captained us to our first-ever championship. He was brassy, aggressive, irritating – and I loved him for it. Against Nottinghamshire we conceded over 500 in the first innings, but Lambie insisted on building a lead rather than declaring behind. He was one of four centurions as Northants rattled up 780 and won by an innings and plenty. I swelled with pride as journalists began to refer to us as “the people’s choice” (never mind that the people largely ignored county cricket), and nearly wept with frustration when our 12 wins out of 17 were not enough to topple either Warwickshire or Middlesex. We have never come so close since.By this stage Lambie was long gone as an England cricketer. He had retired from the international game in 1992, which meant that I only enjoyed at first-hand the final two and a half years of his imperfect career. Only research could complete the picture. I lapped up tales of his four centuries in the summer of 1984 – three of them against the all-conquering West Indians (he would make six Test hundreds against them in all, my favourite Lambie stat). I rejoiced in the time he hit 18 off Bruce Reid’s final over to beat the Aussies in a one-dayer in Sydney. I took vicarious pride in the fact that he had scored a century in only his third Test, against India at The Oval. And I could usually recite his batting average to within two decimal places. Didn’t he need a personal statistician?His career post-1990 was, to be honest, a bit of a struggle. But we pulled through. I remember spending a summer holiday in 1990 on a French campsite, and waiting anxiously as my brother did the newspaper-and-croissants run. Back he came with the news: Lambie had scored 109 in the second Test against India at Old Trafford! Surely this would silence the carpers, especially after his 139 in the first Test at Lord’s (but why did Gooch have to steal the show with that 333?). It was pure solipsism: Lambie existed only to thrill or disappoint , and I regarded it as a personal triumph when his 142 saved the Wellington Test early in 1992. A few months later I was there at Lord’s when Lambie faced what turned out to be his final ball in Test cricket: a grubber from Mushtaq Ahmed that struck him plumb in front. He made 12.There were three more seasons with Northants, and then, just like that, he was gone. There were wranglings over some controversial content in his autobiography – retirement was the only option. But did it have to be so clean and brutal? There was no farewell. Nothing. Those were hard days.It’s virtually impossible to put my finger on why I worshipped Lambie so zealously. He was a hopeless starter, and failed far too often for someone who played 79 Tests. He made 14 Test hundreds but only 18 fifties. He could look appalling against spin and tended to push at the ball with those stiff South African wrists. But he had this swagger. He loved to hook and cut, and he was a short man, which is why he scored runs against West Indies. And he had this nerveless, tireless way about him.When I got the chance to meet him, I was doing my finals at university. My girlfriend at the time and her family had been invited to a day of golf and socialising and – was I dreaming? – the Lambs would be there too. We shook hands, and chatted about Northamptonshire and scoring hundreds at Lord’s as Lambie organised the barbecue. The rest of the day was subsumed in booze, and I wondered whether I should have preserved Lambie in the realm of idolatry, rather than risked the warts-and-all reality. Did I regret meeting him? A bit. He would never quite be the same again. But we would always have Sabina.

For an attacking batsman, Gautam Gambhir shows a surprisingly liking for situations where dour defending is the need of the hour

Sidharth Monga at Newlands06-Jan-2011Gautam Gambhir loves these situations; situations which attacking batsmen such as himself should find difficult in theory. A match to save, no thought of scoring runs, no release of pressure through boundaries, just grinding the opposition down, and boring the hell out of them. It is not as easy to do as it is to say. Not when your injured hand has combined with a fresh hit to your elbow to put you out of cricket for a few weeks. Not when you decide to come out to bat one last time against Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel on an uneven pitch, with that crazy swing from the first innings still on your mind. Not when the third ball you face hits you on the same aching elbow that needed icing for a whole day.During an equally important innings he played in Napier in 2008-09, where he batted longer in terms of time (close to 11 hours), but faced a lesser challenge from the track and the bowlers – VVS Laxman noticed that Gambhir hadn’t said a word for a very, very long time. Gambhir told Laxman he didn’t want to come out of the zone he was in. That innings, he went at 12 runs an hour. Today, as he went at 14 runs to the hour. He had found a similar zone.Gambhir repelled everything the fast bowlers threw at him. There were judicious leaves either on line or length, or both. When the bouncers were at him, he rode the bounce well. When the leg gully came in, he managed to fend the ball down into the ground. When Steyn went round the wicket and looked for a repeat of the dismissal from the second innings in Centurion, he managed to clip him for four.Paul Harris provided him with a challenge, even though Gambhir is one of the best players and dominators of spin in the world, because of the rough outside the left-hand batsman’s off stump. When Harris bowled from the Kelvin Grove End, the ball kicked and turned and snarled at him, but Gambhir swallowed his pride and just kept kicking away balls pitched in the rough. Some of them reared up towards his hurt elbow, some even higher, but he resisted the urge for release. Balls and minutes went by, and Gambhir looked more and more entrenched.The only time he got anxious to score runs wasn’t a surprise. He gets a little fidgety in the 40s and the 90s, wanting to reach the landmark as quickly as possible. Even in Napier, where he put the rest of the world out of his head like a monk, he got to his fifty and his hundred by steeping out to a spinner and lofting him over the infield. He got more enterprising in the 40s again, punching Steyn down the ground for four, and driving him over point with what was not a controlled shot. He then played and missed one, charged at Harris again, and was not steady until he had square-cut Steyn to bring up his 11th fifty-plus score in the 30 attempts he has had to bat in the second innings.The steadiness was deflating for South Africa, especially after Rahul Dravid got out just before tea. Gambhir had made 62 from 142 when Dravid got out, and then just to make sure South Africa were completely disheartened, he scored only two off the next 42 deliveries. For those who respect stonewallers, it was a beautiful passage of play that started just before Dravid’s dismissal: Gambhir added five runs in 58 deliveries.By the time he got out in an unfortunate manner, gloving one down the leg side, Gambhir had made sure the series had been saved. India were not surprised at the source of this particular kind of resistance. “We saw the Napier innings, which was very special,” MS Dhoni said. “We all knew he was one guy who could do it. It was really good to see him take those big heavy blows on the body and still continue. You need plenty of courage to do that, and it was good to see the bat the way he did. Unfortunately he got out. If he had stayed till the end, it would have been much better, but still happy because the team needed that and one of the individuals stepped up and said, ‘Okay I will be the person to do that.'”Now that the game has petered out to a tame draw, Gambhir’s effort might look easier than it was, but it took all his concentration to bat and not do what every batsman loves to do: score runs. Gambhir didn’t get a century on the tour that was to be his biggest test as an opener, but he looked good for one on three occasions out of the four times he batted. Quietly during the series, Gambhir has walked away with a lot of credit.

The batting line-ups of both teams have been inconsistent, but Pakistan’s better bowling attack gives them the edge

Madhusudhan Ramakrishnan22-Mar-2011Despite there being few doubts about Pakistan qualifying for the knockout stages, their top position in the group stages has come as a bit of a surprise. Their performances over the years have always been characterised by sheer unpredictability, which makes them a formidable opponent on any given day. As per their seeding, Pakistan were expected to finish behind Australia and Sri Lanka, and beat New Zealand. But what happened was quite the opposite. They pulled off stunning wins over Sri Lanka and Australia, ending the latter’s 34-match unbeaten streak in World Cups. However, they lost heavily against New Zealand after an inept batting and bowling performance. West Indies, who were expected to face stern tests against Bangladesh and the other two lower-ranked teams, comfortably triumphed in the three matches. They bowled Bangladesh out for just 58 in Mirpur and went on to ensure their qualification for the next round. What has been less inspiring is their performance against the top teams. While they were not expected to topple India, England or South Africa, they have had their chances in all three teams and failed to grab them.Pakistan better against top teams
West Indies have been more ruthless than Pakistan in the matches against the lower-ranked teams. They beat Netherlands by 215 runs and thrashed Bangladesh in Mirpur by nine wickets. Pakistan, on the other hand, comfortably got past Zimbabwe and Kenya, but fell for 184 against Canada before eventually defending the score with some disciplined bowling. In matches played against lower-ranked teams, West Indies have the better average and run-rate difference. The story is very different against the top teams. West Indies have a poorer bowling average and economy rate than Pakistan. West Indies, who have chased and lost on two out of three occasions against top teams, might prefer to bat first and post a big score against Pakistan, who floundered in a big chase against New Zealand. In 1996, fourth-placed West Indies faced top-ranked South Africa in the quarter-finals and pulled off an incredible win defending 264, which was set up by a stunning century by Brian Lara. One of their batsmen will have to stand up and deliver a similar emphatic performance for them to upstage Pakistan.

Pakistan and West Indies in the World Cup 2011 so far

TeamOppositionRuns per wicket(batting)Run rateRuns per wicket(bowling)Economy rateAverage diffRR diffPakistanTest-playing teams28.134.8728.615.07-0.48-0.20West IndiesTest-playing teams21.164.6931.915.21-10.75-0.52Pakistannon Test-playing teams and Bangladesh33.255.2214.853.4618.401.76West Indiesnon Test-playing teams and Bangladesh34.945.9113.464.0621.481.85Batting woes for both teams
Pakistan and West Indies have finished top and bottom of their respective groups, but the batting performances of both teams have been inconsistent. In the match against Sri Lanka, Pakistan’s batting came good and enabled them to post an excellent score of 277 which they defended successfully. Against Australia, Pakistan’s brittle batting was nearly exposed while chasing a modest 176. New Zealand, however, thoroughly exploited the weaknesses in Pakistan’s top order, by reducing them to 23 for 4 in pursuit of 303, from which Pakistan never recovered. Pakistan’s top order has been unconvincing except for Asad Shafiq, who top-scored against Zimbabwe and Australia. Their middle order has been doing much better, but is likely to be severely tested if faced with a competitive target and quality bowling attack.West Indies’ problems have been quite the opposite. Strong starts in almost every game have been frittered away and incredible middle order collapses have meant that they have finished well short. After the early loss of Chris Gayle against South Africa, they recovered and looked set to reach a score of 280 before a flurry of wickets in the end kept them down to just 222. Gayle provided an explosive start against England but again the middle order failed to capitalise. In their final group game against India, West Indies lost their last eight wickets for just 34 runs and lost by 80 runs after being in a comfortable position in their chase of 269.

Batting stats of top order and middle order of teams

TeamBatting positionAverageStrike rate100s50sPakistanTop order (1-3)24.7069.1902West IndiesTop order (1-3)42.6281.8714PakistanMiddle order (4-8)33.6881.6906West IndiesMiddle order (4-8)19.8086.0802Powerplay performances reflect batting worries
The consistent batting performance of the top order of West Indies is clearly reflected in the stats in the mandatory and bowling Powerplays. Their batting average and run rate are much higher than Pakistan’s in the same phase of the innings. However, Pakistan have been the more incisive and economical bowling team in the first ten overs. The powerful lower-middle order of Pakistan has scored at a run rate close of 9.81 in the batting Powerplay. In the same period, though, West Indies have been unable to create an impact as a result of major middle-order collapses.

Performance of the teams in the Powerplays

TeamInnings phaseRRBatting AverageERBowling averageRun rate diffDot-ball percentageBoundary percentagePakistanMandatory Powerplay (overs 1-10)4.4121.333.6619.850.7578.1658.59West IndiesMandatory Powerplay (overs 1-10)5.1361.604.6327.500.5066.9460.38PakistanBowling Powerplay3.5834.664.5033.75-0.9267.8126.92West IndiesBowling Powerplay5.24131.004.3025.800.9454.6644.27PakistanBatting Powerplay9.8152.336.0011.283.8138.5462.42West IndiesBatting Powerplay8.0023.336.079.751.9346.6662.85The batting for both teams has been a let down in the tournament so far. Not surprisingly, Devon Smith is the only batsman from both teams to figure in the top 20 run-getters in the tournament so far. Kieron Pollard and Gayle have been good on occasions, but will need to step up if West Indies are to challenge the top teams in the knockout games. Not a single Pakistan batsman figures among the top 20 run-getters with Umar Akmal coming in much later on the list with 211 runs.Pakistan the better balanced bowling side
Shahid Afridi, the most successful bowler in the World Cup with 17 wickets, could be a huge threat to West Indies, given that they haven’t been comfortable against spin. Umar Gul and Abdul Razzaq found form against Australia, and the right blend of pace and spin gives Pakistan a bowling edge over most teams. Pakistan’s pace bowlers have been more impressive against right-handers, though, and the presence of a number of left-hand batsmen in the top order of West Indies could be a test for Pakistan’s bowlers.The West Indies pace attack has been quite a revelation all through, with Kemar Roach and Andre Russell being the pick of the bowlers. Ravi Rampaul also impressed with a five-wicket haul against India, and could get another game despite the return of Roach. Devendra Bishoo has been quite economical in the two games he has played, while Sulieman Benn did well in Mirpur against Bangladesh. Like Pakistan’s attack, West Indies’ bowlers have also relished bowling to right-handers.

Performance of pace bowlers and spinners against right handers and left handers

Type of BowlerType of BatsmanAverageERPakistan (pace)RHB21.5922Pakistan (pace)LHB29.664.20West Indies (pace)RHB16.044.95West Indies (pace)LHB26.664.48Pakistan (spin)RHB21.193.74West Indies (spin)LHB19.844.52Pakistan (spin)RHB19.425.62West Indies (spin)LHB53.005.18Even record in recent times
In recent head-to-head clashes in global tournaments, the teams have been evenly matched. Pakistan won by five wickets in their most recent meeting in the Champions Trophy while West Indies won comfortably in their last World Cup meeting in the opening game of the 2007 World Cup. West Indies have an 8-3 record in global tournaments against Pakistan. Since 1999 though, both teams have won two games each when they have met in the World Cup and Champions Trophy. Overall, in matches played since 2000, Pakistan enjoy a much better record.Mirpur, the venue for the match, has generally been a good batting wicket, but stats here are distorted because of the two batting failures by Bangladesh, when they were bowled out for 58 and 78 against West Indies and South Africa respectively. In recent games teams chasing have done much better in Mirpur, but in a crucial knockout game batting first might be the better option.

South Africa are hoping that Johannesburg, their traditional first stop of an international season, will bring about a chance in their fortunes

Firdose Moonda in Johannesbug15-Oct-2011Nevermind the game parks, the wildlife and the wide open spaces, South Africa’s favourite holiday destination is Cape Town. A mountain, pristine beaches and a city that combines the delightfulness of Europe with the authenticity of Africa, it’s an ideal spot for a holiday or an adventure but it proved an unhappy place for South Africa’s start to the international season.It’s an unusual venue for an incoming tour to start, with bustling and busy Johannesburg usually the first stop of an international season. “This used to be the starting point for the tour and the guys have started well here,” Johan Botha said at the Wanderers, where South Africa were preparing for the second Twenty20 against Australia on Sunday. “Hopefully we can start our winning ways for the season here,” Botha said.After more than six months away from the international game, South Africa looked like an undercooked lot. While they achieved a par score at Newlands, their batting stuttered along the way, their bowling lacked incisiveness and even their fielding was a little off colour. The lack of energy culminated in an ultimately rusty performance, with one of the guiltiest parties being the man with the same name as the team’s showing.Rusty Theron, who made his name as a death-overs specialist, bowled three and a half overs and was hit for 42 runs. He was ineffective, wayward and expensive, a far cry from the bowler who was selected as part of the World Twenty20 squad in 2010. “He probably was a little off the beat in the Champions League and it showed on Thursday,” Botha said. “He shouldn’t just look at pace but he is probably five or six kilometres per hour down from where he has been in the past. Bowling yorkers at 133 kph to where he was at 140 kph is quite a difference. He will have to lift his game to stay in this team. That’s just honest.”Despite his obvious potential, Theron has only featured in four ODIs and six Twenty20s during his year as an international cricketer. Lack of opportunity appears to have pushed him back and he is likely to make way for Warriors team-mate Wayne Parnell. “Wayne should definitely get a go. He has got that little bit of extra pace and flair,” Botha said. “He is not scared to try things. In Twenty20 you need to be a little unpredictable sometimes.” Parnell has battled injury in recent months but is still considered the best back-up, in terms of pace, in the case of one of Dale Steyn or Morne Morkel breaking down, and has been looking to cement a more permanent place in the team.On a pitch that will offer more pace and bounce, South Africa may leave out one of their spinners, Botha or Robin Peterson. Botha was their best bowler in the first match, his place should be safe. An experienced Twenty20 campaigner, Botha also captained the team in the past and is regarded as one of their trump cards. He said he has based his game in the shortest format on unpredictability. “I am probably not your classical offspinner who lands it on the same spot all the time, I do try different things,” he said. “You have to try and stay one step ahead and use your fielders cleverly.”It was those creative and innovative elements of his game that made Botha a respected leader. Although he no longer holds that role, he is still part of the think-tank and Hashim Amla was seen consulting with him on numerous occasions on Thursday night. Botha was pleased with the way the team fought, although he felt the ability to close out the game was lacking. “We did really well. There was a period towards the end of the innings where we almost got 50 in four overs and in the field, our general energy was really good,” he said. “We did well to get it that close but obviously we would have liked to take more chances.”Another former captain, Graeme Smith, was guilty of letting one of those chances go begging when he dropped Shane Watson off Morkel’s bowling. He also failed with the bat; after facing six awkward balls from Doug Bollinger he was bowled off the inside edge. JP Duminy said it was just a matter of Smith rediscovering his form. “Obviously he hasn’t played much competitive cricket of late. A few of us have been involved in Champions League which helped. He has been only involved in club cricket,” Duminy said. “It’s about him just finding his feet again and with him not being captain he can focus more on batting and fielding.”Richard Levi, South Africa’s only new cap in the squad, missed out on playing in front of his home crowd on Thursday and would slot in ideally in Smith’s place. Although it is unlikely Smith will be dropped, Levi would not be wrong if he was hopeful of a chance. Botha said Levi could provide a little extra oomph at the top. “He is a very explosive player and we could maybe use that in the first six overs.”

Bunking classes to watch India-Pakistan? Hell yeah

Fahmim Ferdous19-Mar-2012Choice of game
It was India versus Pakistan, in Dhaka. That kind of a thing happens literally once in 12 years, and my absolute sweetheart of a friend got hold of two of the most sought-after tickets of the year, through her dad’s contacts. I felt the match was more important than my electrical engineering lectures, and to my surprise, I found two of my favourite lecturers from the university in the same gallery as me.Team supported
Pakistan, because their win would allow Bangladesh a slightly easier equation to reach the finals. Though, I would have supported Pakistan regardless.Key performer
Virat Kohli. The man, bursting with confidence from a dream run, was a class apart. To me he resembled a mountaineer – focussed, gritty, and determined to keep going no matter what the circumstance. The strength of his mind outdid his muscles by a fair margin, which was something, given the muscle-power on display. In the end, he did justice to his name, getting too “Virat” (Hindi/Bangla for “big”) for Pakistan.One thing I’d have changed
Wahab Riaz’s lunch menu. Or the DVD he watched the night before. Or maybe the alignment of his bowling shoulder a little bit to the left, so that all those deliveries down the leg side would have been on line. Hard to believe it was the same guy who took a five-for the last time these two sides met.Face-off you relished
Saeed Ajmal v Sachin Tendulkar. Sachin looked like his old self against the seamers, timing everything exquisitely. But against Ajmal he stumbled, more than once, and was eventually outfoxed by his doosra.Wow moment
Suresh Raina pulled off a Paul Collingwood-ish blinder at cover to send a dangerous-looking Younis Khan back. If he loses his touch with the bat, Raina can certainly audition for the position of “Seeker” in any Quidditch team.Close encounter
Praveen Kumar fielded near where we were sitting, and he got heckled for his name, which when translated to Bangla means “elderly bachelor”.Close encounter II
I met the Indian supporter who claims to be Sachin’s biggest fan, and backs it up with his action. His face and torso were painted perfectly in the India colours, and “Sachin” was written on his back. He was blowing a conch shell and wielding a huge Indian tricolour flag. He is such a common sight at India’s games worldwide, and it was good to have him at our gallery.Shot of the day
Tendulkar’s upper-cut off Aizaz Cheema in the fifth over was like a maestro doing a quick encore of one of his oldest, most famous classic sonatas. It was a moment to reminisce on a bad day – that I have seen Tendulkar hit a bowler for six over the keeper’s head will surely cheer me up no matter how low I may be feeling!Crowd meter
Despite it being the first weekday, the stands were packed long before offices closed. The atmosphere was festive, upbeat and dynamic. Pakistan were narrow favourites, especially because a victory for them would pretty much shut India out of the final, and open it up for Bangladesh. The loudest cheers, very predictably, went up for the two most loved characters of the game in this part of the world – Tendulkar and Shahid Afridi.Accessories
With too many restrictions on what we could take into the stadium premises, all we managed was my friend’s little camera, whose lens covered just us and the wide-angle shots of the grounds.Overall
It was a high-scoring encounter, had three centuries, and a stunner of a catch. Not much more to expect from an ODI. The atmosphere in the stands was scintillating and the weather just about perfect. Can’t complain, unless you’re a hardcore Pakistan supporter. Then again, the players have themselves to blame for the defeat.Marks out of 10
The game would get an 8.5 from me, the deductions being for Pakistan’s listless bowling and fielding efforts, and the overall toothless-ness of the Indian bowling attack.

A timeline of events and decisions that has affected the implementation of the Decision Review System (DRS)

ESPNcricinfo staff25-Jun-2012June 2008
A decision is made to trial the DRS in the Test series between Sri Lanka and India starting in July 2008.July-August 2008
Virender Sehwag becomes the first player to be given out after the on-field umpire’s decision was overturned by the use of DRS. In three Tests, India make only one successful review; Sri Lanka make 11. The system reveals some glitches in its first experiment and receives mixed reviews.March 2009
ICC expands the scope of DRS by including Hot Spot as a tool for decision-making, allowing it to be trialled during the second and third Tests between Australia and South Africa.November 2009
There is serious opposition to DRS after the BCCI decides against using the system for the Tests against Sri Lanka, and other boards begin to complain over the costs borne by the host nation. Instead, they call on the ICC to fund DRS.October 2010
The ICC says the DRS will be used in the 2011 World Cup. While ball-tracking, it said, would be used for all games, Hot Spot would be available for the semi-finals and final.February 2011
Hot Spot, it is announced, will not be used for the World Cup as the “supplier advised it was not willing to supply its cameras for the tournament.”February 2011
A controversial moment in the World Cup when Ian Bell is ruled not out, with Billy Bowden sticking to his original decision as a result of the 2.5 metre rule. It triggers a spat between the BCCI and the ICC. The rule is subsequently tweaked to ensure consistency.May 2011
The BCCI reiterates its opposition to the DRS following a recommendation by an ICC committee to implement the system in all internationals.June 2011
A compromise is struck when the ICC unanimously agrees to make DRS with Hot Spot – subject to availability – mandatory in all Tests and ODIs, with ball-tracking removed from the compulsory list. The ICC also moots raising a sponsor to fund DRS.August 2011
The BCCI and Hot Spot reach an agreement to use the technology for India’s home season.September 2011
Hot Spot is criticised by the BCCI after it proves inconclusive on several occasions on India’s tour of England. It decides to revisit the agreement reached with the ICC in June.October 2011
Hot Spot, it is decided, will not be used for India’s home ODIs against England. Its owner cites disappointment with performance, and not having the BCCI’s support, as the reasons.October 2011
The DRS is no longer mandatory, says the ICC, leaving it subject to the bilateral agreement between the boards.February 2012
The ICC decides on testing the effectiveness of the two ball-tracking technologies – Hawk-eye and Virtual Eye – independently at Cambridge University.June 2012
Following successful testing of DRS technology, the ICC Chief Executives Committee reiterates its commitment to making DRS mandatory in international cricket. The BCCI, however, says its stand remains unchanged.

When the home team wins, you don’t feel too bad about the one-sidedness of the victory

Aashish Calla07-Apr-2012Choice of game
It was the Rajasthan Royals’ first game of IPL 5 so I had to be there. A carnival atmosphere was expected at the ground, and of course, the prospect of Rahul Dravid captaining the side against Adam Gilchrist’s Kings XI Punjab made it an unmissable game.Team supported
The first champions of the IPL, and perhaps the only team in the tournament that has consistently invested in veterans – who else would pick Warne, Lehmann, Martyn, Dravid, Hodge and Hogg for their T20 team?Key performer
Ajinkya Rahane proves that you just have to be a good batsman to succeed in all formats. As Sanjay Manjrekar aptly put it while announcing the Man-of-the-Match award, Rahane showed that one can maintain a strike rate of over 150 in a Twenty20 without slogging. He didn’t play a single delivery across the line. In fact, there were times during his opening stand with Dravid when I was confused as to who was on strike. There can’t be a greater compliment for a young batsman.One thing I’d have changed
I would have given the first over of the Kings XI innings to Johan Botha because spinners have managed to get the usually rampaging Gilly out early in T20s. Siddarth Trivedi was easy meat for him.Face-off you relished
Piyush Chawla v Rahane – two talented youngsters trying to win back a place in the national side. Round one went to Chawla who beat Rahane twice in his first over, and later removed another future star, Ashok Menaria. But round two went to Rahane when he hit Chawla for four fours in one over (one was a leg-bye though, but hey, it was Rahane’s leg!). That over shifted the momentum towards the Royals.What an entry
Kevon Cooper’s first-ball six made him a crowd favourite. Though the Royals had maintained a good run-rate and hit fours right from the start, there had been only two sixes in the innings till 19.3 overs. But then out came Cooper – an unknown commodity for the opposition and the spectators – and smashed his first ball of the IPL, and in India, over backward point for an 85-metre six.Wow moment
The usually slow-moving Shah dived full-length at the boundary line to save a four. Then he picked the ball up cleanly and flicked it back to another fielder nearby. Fabulously done. He saved two runs, but more importantly, showed the hunger he has despite being ignored by the selectors for some time now, even though he’s one of England’s most dangerous T20 batsmen.Close encounter
My seat was too far from the boundary to get a good look at the players, but I enjoyed watching Ramesh Powar – who didn’t play the match – warming up with the team. It was fascinating to see someone who looks so unfit field so actively.Getting to watch Gilchrist live for the first time was a moment I’ll cherish.Shot of the day
Owais Shah swept Praveen Kumar for a four. What made it the shot of the match for me was the fact that after connecting with the ball, Shah didn’t even look behind to see if it had gone for four. Instead, he looked at the bowler, as if to say, “Mate, someone told me you are a fast bowler so why are you bowling spin today?” Terrific, loved the attitude.Crowd meter
The chants from the crowd in my section built up to a crescendo. Louder than the reception usually given to politicians and at religious functions. They were also singing old Hindi film songs during the game, which was unexpected. But the most hilarious part came when they chanted “Baith jaao” (“sit down”) in the tone of “Sachin, Sachin” to people who stood up on their seats in front of them. That made the standing spectators smile and immediately sit down.Entertainment
The DJ at the stadium deserves a high-ten, if there is such a thing. From the latest Hindi film songs to Punjabi music to the IPL trumpet, he had it all. But nothing entertained the Jaipur crowd more than the dancing cheerleaders, not even the 22 players, I dare say.Overall
It was a lovely game for me, maybe because my team won. But it was also fascinating to watch the tussle between two captains who were probably unlucky not to have led their national teams for longer periods. I also got to watch the birth of a new T20 star and a youngster showcasing his splendid talent again. I couldn’t have asked for much more from the Royals’ first game in 2012.Marks out of 10
8.5. I deduct 1.5 because I couldn’t get to see Rahane score a century and because Kings XI didn’t really give much of a fight, which meant there weren’t any nail-biting moments in the game.

ESPNcricinfo presents the plays of the day from Chennai Super Kings v Sydney Sixers at the Wanderers

Firdose Moonda at the Wanderers14-Oct-2012Throw of the day Ben Hilfenhaus had misjudged a catch off Michael Lumb that seemed to circle Pluto before dipping, but that was not a true measure of his fielding ability. When Shane Watson cut the ball to the sweeper and called for the second, Hilfenhaus was called to action. His throw – flat and accurate – came in quickly to MS Dhoni in front of the stumps who managed to break them without getting his gloves in the way. Watson looked in World T20 form and Chennai Super Kings were lucky to get rid of him before he reached his half-century. Hilfenhaus had the spotlight on him again when he caught Brad Haddin, falling forward, in the deep a few overs later.Reception of the day With a lot of big names in action, there were bound to be big greetings from the crowd. Sachin Tendulkar may receive the biggest cheers later on, but in the first match, those went to South Africa’s Faf du Plessis, who doesn’t usually get welcomed so warmly at the Wanderers. Du Plessis plays for the Titans franchise domestically, who are arch rivals of the home team, the Lions. The derbies between the two sides are fierce but the fans were able to put that aside when they saw du Plessis come on to bowl in yellow.Test series pre-cursor of the day Australia’s bowling attack will clash with South Africa’s batsmen again in three weeks’ time for a Test series in Australia and two players in this match provided a bit of an appetiser. Chennai’s du Plessis, who is pushing for a spot in South Africa’s XI in the No.6 position, played an innings about half as good as Jacques Rudolph’s last night. He took a good few off a man who will appear for Australia in Perth, Pat Cummins, including three fours off his first over: a leg-stump half-volley that was dispatched, a drive through the covers and a pull after charging the young quick. Cummins won the war though. Du Plessis did not get enough on an attempted clearance of long-on and was caught by another national bowler, Mitchell Starc.Contribution of the day Steve Smith scored a handy 26 but is often criticised for both his batting and bowling. One thing he could not be jeered at about was his catch on the boundary. Suresh Raina was on 57 and hit out high to long-on where Smith was stationed. He caught the ball over his shoulder and some nifty footwork ensured that he remained inside the playing area, saving six runs and dismissing Chennai’s top-scorer.

Tony Greig had unlimited enthusiasm for the game, and he took it global, working from Brisbane to Bridgetown and everywhere in between

Mark Nicholas30-Dec-2012So Greigy has died. He didn’t seem the sort. That huge heart, the heart that brought an uncompromising and triumphant life, finally said enough now, enough. He was born in 1946, and you kind of expected him to say good morning to all his viewers in 2046. Unbreakable Greigy; spirited, talented, courageous, opinionated, passionate, compassionate Greigy. Hard nut one minute, soft as the sands of Bondi the next. Goodbye, mate.Anthony William Greig was out of South Africa’s Eastern Cape, to Sussex in England, then Sydney, where he settled with a beautiful family of young and old, from marriages old and new. He first met his second wife, Vivian, soon after the World Series Cricket days and they became an irresistible partnership – breathtakingly good-looking, stylish and fun. Eventually their joint legacy was to be two children: Beau who is tall, gifted and 12, and Tom, two years her junior and a complete natural with bat and ball. Today their confusion and grief will be overwhelming. Though time will never fully heal, it will allow space for their father’s strong leadership to make its impact.Greig was a dynamic and fearless leader. He brought confidence and bravado to English cricket and unwavering commitment and showmanship to World Series Cricket. That move away from England was the seismic shift in his life. He stood at Kerry Packer’s side and from an unlikely friendship came the seismic shifts of modern cricket. More money, more colour, more drama, more commerce. He was the face of the game’s popular culture, full of mischief but still grounded, rooted even, by cricket’s inherent and traditional values. This was a contradiction that England could not understand. The old school patronised his belief in a better world for all and vilified his desertion. He was sacked as captain – of course he was, like a dozen strokes from the headmaster solves anything – and left to rot as the adopted son who betrayed a nation.Greig did anything but rot. This was a man who conquered epilepsy, the English establishment was but a bauble of intrusion. He convinced the greatest players in the world to come to Australia and play for Packer. He made the World XI a team that took on and beat the Aussies and by galvanising this so-called circus – probably the best cricket ever played, incidentally – he gave credibility to the show that ultimately brought Packer the television rights he so desired. This was, by any standard, a phenomenal achievement. In less than two years the game had changed forever.The Eastern Suburbs of Sydney became his home, the Packer compendium his playground and the beaches his relaxation. But most of all, the television screen gave him a new identity. He became cricket’s greatest salesman, taking it global, working from Brisbane to Bombay, from Birmingham to Bridgetown. He understood television’s unique access and its value to the broadcaster, the advertiser and audience. “This is the time, boy” he once said to me, rubbing his hands with glee as we took our commentary seats at 4 o’clock in the afternoon, “that we get the housewives and the children: get them now and they are ours forever.”

He stood at Kerry Packer’s side and from an unlikely friendship came the seismic shifts of modern cricket. More money, more colour, more drama, more commerce. He was the face of the game’s popular culture, full of mischief but still grounded

He loved it – absolutely, unconditionally loved that microphone. Yes, he could raise the hairs on the back of any neck and just occasionally he pushed his luck but mainly, day in and out, he educated and entertained in a way like no other. Bill Lawry and Geoffrey Boycott loved to work with him; Ian Healy, Ravi Shastri and Ian Botham loved to work with him too. There you have it, a common appeal. Sure, he could shoot you a look or fire a barb; intimidation was often the name of his fame. Surprisingly, when it came to work he was as insecure as the next man – “The jury’s still out on you blokes” he said to Ian Healy, Mark Taylor, Michael Slater and me three or four years back, with tongue only marginally in cheek – but he cared deeply about the product and was terrified that one day he may not be a part of it. He need not have worried. The key with Greigy was to divide most things he said by half; that way you got a better feel for their real meaning.For example, he was not remotely racist in his threat to make the West Indians “grovel”. Rather he thought that if you got on top of them, you had better stay there or they would bounce back and bite your balls off. And he was right, they bit and they bit, until he screamed. When he arrived in India as captain of England, he emerged from the plane into the subcontinental clamour and pronounced Indian umpires to be comfortably the best in the world. This got him favourable decisions previous touring teams could not have dreamed of. Against all odds England won the first three Tests and secured the series before anyone worked it out. Sort of a heist, or better explained as the power of personality.It is worth noting that Tony was an exceptional cricketer, without ever quite looking like one. Platinum blond, gangly tall, long arms loping, big hands flapping, bigger smile disarming, and a huge, almighty, competitor. He scored his runs at more than 40 per innings and took his wickets, as both swing bowler and offspinner, at better than 33 per innings. Only two other men have ever done that. And he took a heap of catches, mainly at slip. The runs came against Lillee and Thomson; Roberts and Holding; Bedi, Prasanna and Chandrasekhar. Hardly muggins. The wickets included names such as Richards and Chappell – in other words, the best.So what is left? The memory of a wonderful life, for sure. A strong family, with Viv at the helm and his older children, Mark and Samantha – who have children of their own – close by in spirit and place. A legacy of unbridled passion for cricket and everlasting enthusiasm for life. A gift of energy, of a determination to move things on, to not look back. Sure he liked a bit of hype; frankly, he couldn’t see the downside. And yes, he liked to be No. 1 but he is not the lone ranger there.There are myriad friends of course, and warm audiences that miss him already. And there is a sense of romance left behind, in the sense that cricket and family are as one in their ability to unite and broaden. In the redemptive MCC Spirit of Cricket Cowdrey Lecture that he gave at Lord’s earlier this year, he said: “Give your hand to cricket and it will take you on the most fantastic journey.” You, Tony, have been the best evidence of that.