Yorked!!! – By Chetan Narula.

What's the fuss all about???

So Rahul Dravid gets dropped (or rested, whichever way one wants to look at it) from the ODI squad and there’s a huge hullabaloo about it all over. Yes, a player of his stature has not found a place in the team which is worrying, but that’s a different proposition altogether. More important is the fact however, that this man was captain of this very team about until two months back. Suddenly, he will be sitting in his drawing room and watch the team play their arch-rivals. What changed is what he ought to be thinking.

What changed is something that will be looked at towards the end. Right now, it is important to wonder about the implications of the decision. By no way, one is suggesting that the decision is wrong, or right, for that matter. Everything needs time to marinate, more so, everything in Indian cricket. So, again, what might be the implications?

No strength in the middle order, for one. Who will Dhoni look up to when Shoaib Akhtar and Mohd. Asif rip apart the top order, in an early morning start? Or when chasing a big target, the team loses a few quick wickets, and begins to meander from its path. And of course, he will be missed every time, Sehwag is found napping at first slip. Though, let it be clear, that by no way, “The Wall” is being made to look indispensable here.

For everything has a sell-by date. More so, the kind of cricket Dravid plays, when the country has just taken to T20, like fish to water. Thus, Sehwag, Uthappa and Ganguly could all drop down the order. Rohit Sharma can be groomed for the job too. The point is, with two big series coming up, should Dravid have been the one taking the fall?

Maybe yes, since he was out-of-touch, inspite of what people say. One won’t use the word ‘form’ in his case, simply because, players such as him, don’t have anything called form in their dictionary. But even by those standards, he has had a less than mediocre 2007. One ODI innings in England, though, isn’t enough anymore it seems, nor are the tons of runs he has scored over the past decade. That said, maybe no, is another option. What is Ganguly still doing in the team when his 100-plus-balls-innings aren’t helping the team either? Is this a hint for Dada too, come the next selection meeting?

So far, it seems to be a simple enough logic to drop (err rest) him. Let him sit out for two matches. Let him clear his head and in the meanwhile, we will get to see some youngsters tried out. So, why all the noise then? Are all the retired cricketers and so called ‘cricket pundits’ failing to see the simple but obvious cricketing logic behind this? If no, then they are simply ignorant, inspite of having been there and done that. If yes, then what is forcing them to do so?

The answer is a simple phone call. Dilip Vengsarkar returning the favor to his ex-captain, as even Dravid chose not to inform him of his resignation. Now, while one is laughing his/her head off at this egotistical gesture by two grown ups, some objectivity is required to look at it, whatever way you look at it. Rahul Dravid is rested for two matches and is not even given a deserved courtesy call, inspite of his services to the country for the past decade. Obviously this rang a million bells of some conspiracy everywhere, when there is none. For the Karnataka player is getting what we know as tit-for-tat.

For simplification purposes, let us consider an army captain, who has just won a minor battle at the front. But he’s all fed up with the monitoring of his ways by his superiors and, in Dravid’s case, the constant media & public glare. At the end of it, while his immediate superior is away at another front, the captain goes to the head-quarters and puts in his papers. Then he calmly walks away, as if nothing has happened. The immediate superior isn’t informed and gets to know through alternative means. What is he supposed to do?

Well, in the army, the superior won’t greet the captain, the next time he sees him. He would be shot, called a traitor, if he already hasn’t been. One is not suggesting anything similar in this case, but the fact is that what goes around comes around. You simply can’t relinquish the second most important post in India (the prime minister’s being the most important one, one thinks) and walk-off without absolutely no rhyme or reason. Thanks to the huge media presence, Vengsarkar was directly seen as the reason for the same.

It is no hidden fact that the two didn’t see eye-to-eye on many occasions previously, be it team’s selection or the coach’s. And this seems to have been the last straw. Plus the Mumbai lobby theory. Or previously, the Bengal lobby theory. And the fact that Sachin Tendulkar who maybe rightly named test captain, will also be incarcerated under this same logic, is a sad testimonial to the affairs of Indian cricket.

Now before the average Indian fan gets ahead of himself, it has to be cleared out that he might actually return for the next three ODIs. Consider India trailing 2-0 and the picture will be more than obvious then. Already, Pakistan have started rubbing it in, it being Dravid’s absence. Anyways, he is still very much a part of the test plan, no doubt about that, and obviously, when Down Under, will be part of the ODI ones as well, as the pitches will demand it. But then again, parameter seems to be the criteria now and he will have to perform, something he is very much capable of.

As promised, towards the end, we discuss, what changed in Dravid’s life? The simple fact that he let go of the second most powerful job coupled with his spiraling-down performances and obviously rubbing some one as important as the selection committee wrong. Getting away with murder would have been easier.

Flying Lap!!! – By Chetan Narula.

Did the best man win???

Sport can be real cruel sometimes. Lewis Hamilton found that out the wrong way, first in China and then in Brazil. It can be pretty hard when you have been leading the world driver s championship from the second race onwards, only to see it slip away in the last race. But that said, his competitors have been there and done that. Kimi Raikkonen, third time lucky this year, has previously twice tripped at the last hurdle. Of course, one can now add Fernando Alonso to that list as well. Read More.

Yorked!!! – By Chetan Narula.

The beginning of the end???

India beat Australia in the last match of the recently concluded ODI series. The least it brought to the average Indian fan was a satisfactory smile and maybe the hope that their beloved team would do much better in the times to come. For one man though, it brought nothing more than some nail-biting memories from the late-90s, frustration and a bit of disappointment. That man is the ex-India captain, Rahul Dravid.

‘The Wall’ was told, on the eve of the match, that he wasn’t in the playing eleven and as usual, this has struck a discord amongst the many “pundits” across the girth of this nation. Some would argue that it was a wrong decision, some would still try and bask the team in the wake of their T20 triumph, and thus justify it as the right way to go. But which of the two is right? Are they both right? Or are they both equally wrong? No one knows, yet.

On hindsight, it was a good decision. Dravid, given his past accolades, has done little of notice this season. He had a mediocre series in England, where for the first time in recent memory, the team won a test series without a sizeable contribution from him, the 90-ball-12-runs notwithstanding. The ODIs were no better and then the shell shocking decision to relinquish the captaincy. The point here is, was that decision supposed to get him in-form? Maybe, may be not.

What made this particular decision to leave him out, look ridiculous, was that they played Dinesh Karthik instead of him. Had dinesh gone on to score some valuable runs and helped India score a half decent win, maybe then the team think tank would have been spot on. But as we all know, that all decisions don’t come out right always. Not every time, can Dhoni expect to throw the ball to some one like Joginder Sharma and expect him to win the match. Sooner or later, it is bound to backfire.

Why, one may ask? Class is the answer. As the age old saying goes, class is permanent, form is temporary. Or may be it is the other way round. The point is that on any given day, some one like Rahul Dravid will always bring more quality to the side than any of the Dinesh Karthiks or Rohit Sharmas. The only thing that the team management or even the selectors need to do is, select on the basis of merit. And thus, finally one can rest the debate by concluding that, on the basis of current form and the fact that it as after all a dead rubber, the “dropping” or “resting”, (whatever you would want to call it) was justified.

However, the debate doesn’t end here. Rameez Raja goes on to say that all the big three of Indian cricket should only play ODIs. Wasim Akram will agree as well as might some others. Dilip Vengsarkar, head of the selection committee being amongst them. But they, for all their money’s worth, are wrong.

There is no denying that the three are ageing, rather quickly it seems. But the only countable win that came in the series, came because of the seniors. If some one were to say that the team is capable of winning without them, then there is serious doubt over that person’s cricketing intellect. T20 is one thing but both in the tests & ODIs, their experience is valuable. With the series against Pakistan and then Australia down under just round the corner, it is for sure that once again the trio of Tendulkar, Dravid and Ganguly will prove their detractors wrong.

But, again, there is some shade to their path forward. The trio must understand that now the patience of both the selectors as well as the public runs thinner than it ever did. Constant performance is the only requisite and past laurels are, well, past laurels. Also, they must pick and choose their matches more often. For example, in the coming months, there might be a few ‘dead’ ties, which they would do well to skip on their own and not only give the youngsters a chance, but get themselves energized too. The fact that they were not considered for the Challengers Trophy can only be a boon to them, if one is capable enough to read between the lines.

It is beyond doubt that they have the required temperament. They are, after all, the three best batsmen in either forms of the game. They have to believe that their time is not yet up and also that they still have a lot to offer to Indian cricket. The end is yet far, far away.

And, make no mistake, each of the three has earned the right to decide for themselves, when they want to bid adieu. One only hopes that they know when it is time. But more than that, one prays that the rest, who are around them, don’t make that decision for them.

Flying Lap!!! – By Chetan Narula.

Anticipating a thriller…

Sport cannot get more ironical than this. The very same year Formula One earned a bad name because of Stepneygate and the very ethics of the teams being questioned the world over, it will still however, witness one of the greatest spectacles in the history of motorsport, come Sunday. All those very same people who doubted its very basis the world over will tune in to watch Kimi Raikkonen, Lewis Hamilton or Fernando Alonso win the title.

Formula 1 could have done without the spy saga but, lets be honest, it needed this tight race for the championship as a shot in the arm, especially after the great Michael Schumacher left us fans (read F1) at tenterhooks last season. In the words of none other than Bernie Eccelstone himself, the sport needed a saviour. And so, thank god for Lewis Hamilton. Err, shouldn’t we thank Ron Dennis?

Indeed Hamilton will be thanking his mentor, his second father or team principal, whatever he calls him. From a very young age, Ron has nurtured this driver to see this day, when he would bring back glory to his team and finally end Mclaren’s quest for their own Schumacher. And as we stand just three days away from a historic grand prix weekend, the signs are truly ominous for this to happen.

Quite simply, Hamilton has the numbers in his favour to drive conservatively and win the title, come race day. Alonso has already stated that he needs a miracle to win the WDC for a third time running and obviously then, Kimi needs more than a miracle. But if we leave aside the points for one second, is it really possible that a rookie could pull off such a huge upset in his very first year in the sport?

May be yes, may be not. He has the talent and more importantly the car to do the needful. But maybe not, because Hamilton has shown that he can wilt under pressure. That happened first at his home race in Britain, where at Silverstone, he first almost lost out his track position to the Finn and then eventually did lose it when he made his first error in the pits. It is only logical that the pressure will only increase on him considering that atleast every British fan of the sport will be rooting for him on Sunday.

Add to it the fact that he has never raced at Interlagos. Yes, he has the famed Mclaren simulator at his aid and of course, has spent time on his PlayStation as well. But after all, if that were the real thing, then aren’t we all world champions in our own right? The point is on an unknown circuit, under pressure from two rivals, and of course, adding the rain factor to it, the situation suddenly doesn’t look really rosy from here. If one is to consider the only two races where he hasn’t scored points this season, Nurburgring and Shanghai, we see only one common factor, rain.

There is always the argument however, that he won in the rain at Fuji. Yes, he did, but let’s just put that in perspective. Half that race was driven behind the safety car. And of course, Ferrari’s big foul up with the intermediate tyres cost them the race. When Kimi began his charge in the later stages at Fuji, he looked unstoppable. The other factor is that both in Germany and in China, Hamilton failed to look after his tyres in the mix of dry and wet, which ultimately proved critical.

Even then Fernando Alonso would say that his chances are no good. This is because Mclaren will provide both their drivers with equal opportunity. Yes, the very same thing the Spaniard has not desired the whole season. Again if it weren’t for Ron’s ethics, he wouldn’t be here. Simply because, after blackmailing your own team, one doesn’t usually get away without any punishment. But he did. And that might just come back to haunt Dennis.

For there is no way that one sees Fernando Alonso driving for the Silver Arrows next season. So will the Spaniard do the unthinkable and be overtly aggressive on the race track? The first corner at Brazil is a bit squeezed for space and obviously in the wet, things will only be trickier. The big question is if at all Alonso is that desperate to leave Mclaren or hurt them so badly that he will jeopardize both his and Lewis’ chances? If yes, then certainly there is no place for him at Woking next year.

Did one mention two rivals for Lewis earlier? Well make it three. Because Kimi will only win if there is Felippe Massa playing the supporting acts. Even then things aren’t exactly cut out for the Iceman. He has to come first, and then hope that Alonso finishes no higher than third, and even then Hamilton has to be sixth or lower. Indeed a tough ask but then stranger things have happened in sport.

There is only one guarantee though. That is, we will have a champion, even after all that has happened this year. Which one, that’s a question, even the most hallowed punters or pundits of the sport will avoid.

Yorked!!! – By Chetan Narula.

About time, we had a new coach…

On 4^th April 2007, Greg Chappell resigned from the post of the Indian cricket team’s coach after an embarrassing early exit from the ODI world cup. 190 days later, the Indian team still doesn’t have its new coach selected as yet.

Everybody has witnessed the drama that unfolded since Chappell’s exit. Just for refreshing the memory, Dav Whatmore was supposed to be the favourite to replace the Aussie, but somewhere something went wrong and he wasn’t short listed after the initial round of discussions held by the coach selecting committee. Then, as if pulling rabbits out of the hat, the BCCI invited Graham Ford and John Emburey for an interview. Ford agreed principally only to later refuse, adding yet another mysterious chapter to Indian cricket history.

So finally some sense prevailed and the BCCI then invited applications via advertisement for the coach’s post, the way it is supposed to be done. Some 20 ‘coaches’ have applied, among them being, Chandrakant Pandit, Richard Done, Tim Boon, Kepler Wessels and Martin Crowe. But rumour has it that the Board is unhappy with the ‘lack of quality among the current applicants’, the process is yet to proceed beyond the application stage.

Anyhow, the team went to England without a coach, won the T20 world cup and is now facing the ODI world champions at home without one too, so one can only imagine how long it will actually be before one sees a new face in control of the team. The point is that it needs to be done fast, the selection of the coach that is. Simply, because it will only get tougher for the team in the months to come as first our arch rivals come calling and then the looming tour down-under. But why suddenly does one feel the need for a person-in-charge? The answer follows hence.

There is no doubt that the seniors ought to command deserved respect from the juniors and the juniors should be only too happy to give it, if they are treated well in return as well as given their due. Although the captain has commented about how invaluable the trio of Tendulkar, Dravid and Ganguly actually is, to the team, the selectors don’t seem to be agreeing whole heartedly. Which, in turn is not surprising, as when was the last time, the selection committee agreed with the Indian captain?

This time, however, it could lead to a fairly more troublesome situation. Clearly, any sensible cricket follower would be foolish to write off the trio just because we won the T20 without them. But that doesn’t mean that they should be playing all possible matches. The time has come in Indian cricket, thankfully, when rotation of players becomes a focal point. And this is where the new coach could be the most useful. With a younger captain asking the seniors to sit out games, even the inconsequential ones, or the selectors wielding their axes, would be in nobody’s interests. Although all three are seasoned campaigners and experienced enough, only a coach can make them understand as well as advice on which matches they should play or, well, skip without hurting any sentiments.

The next point emanates from the point above. Dhoni is a bold captain no doubt, but he’s become one in a very short span in international cricket. He’s been successful in an even shorter span so naturally all eyes are on him. Not only of the Indians’ but the opponents’ as well. What remains to be seen is how he will cope with the pressure as all Indian captains traditionally begin to lose it within a year of ascertaining captaincy. Be it Azhar, Sachin, Dravid or even Dada, all have suffered sooner rather than later. Dhoni’s troubles have already begun as the team trails Australia at home, so the sooner the coach comes to relieve some pressure and responsibility, the better.

Australians are at the pinnacle of not only this sport, but mostly in all the sports they participate in. no wonder the opposition and especially the captain feels tremendous pressure against them. and dhoni is beginning to feel it. A couple of tosses have gone wrong coupled with a few decisions as well. But this is no report card on his captaincy, not yet. The point is that something as important as the batting order hasn’t been sorted out is a cause for concern. Why is dravid scratching around at no.5 or why isn’t dhoni coming in at no.3? why isn’t gambhir opening despite the fact that either of tendulkar or ganguly, are capable enough of dropping down to the middle. Some one needs to be assertive enough to take a stand on this and clearly the team management is currently not upto it.

Then there is the small matter of the overall responsibility of the team, their conduct and their on/off field antics. Venkatesh Prasad and robin singh might be doing a fine job but they are at best support staff. If some one like sreesanth continues with his monkey antics on the field, somebody s got to pull his reigns in at some point or the other. Dropping him is no solution as he has a wonderful bowling brain and we need to rest the overburdened bowlers. In short, this is just another case in point which demands an immediate arrival of a coach.

The overall bone of contention is that as we progress in the season, the pressure on the team is only going to mount. With the success in the tests in England and then in south Africa, maybe the board feels the team could go on a bit longer. But what they fail to understand is that the team is being supported at the moment by the home fans. This will not work in Australia as they will need some one to take off all the steam in pressure cooker like conditions. But even before that against the Pakistanis, even the fans might not be so forgiving if the team meanders at home against them. the Indian public, after all, does have a fickle memory.

The above discussed questions, all need to be answered and quick. Although the team management might be scratching their brains over these issues, it s amply clear that we really need some one who does this twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week. He is called the coach.

Flying Lap!!! – By Chetan Narula.

2007: A Tainted Title.

With one hand on the World Driver’s Championship after his win in the Japanese grand prix, Lewis Hamilton will be busy making arrangements for a lavish party after the last two races. The same can be said of Ferrari, who are already the constructors champions, again. Both parties will be expectedly prolific with loads of well dressed people, some great music, tasty caviar and bubbling champagne. Read more...

Bon Jour...

hey people...i am back...after a long hiatus, m back where i belong. bt all this while i have been upto other stuff too. started writing fr Cricket Today magazine and another website. was getting a bit bored writing reports based articles for my new blog page, so decided it was time for a home coming. just want to add that there will be some changes around here, as in will be referring some articles back n forth from my other ventures. needless to say, will be updating this blog as soon as possible.

counting on ur never ending support,

happy reading,

chetan.

Adieu...for now...

hey people...thanx fr all ur support n time n comments et all...really appreciate ur inputs to help me achieve what i set out to...

now its time i took the next step...so this address is off from now on...now will be writing in a whole new medium...the address is An evening @ a Sports Bar...

lookin forward fr ur support there too...

thanx,

chetan.

Yorked!!! – By Chetan Narula.

An Unforgettable Tournament.

This world cup will never be forgotten.

Because simply put, the premier event of the International Cricket Council failed to ignite the passion and the zeal of a cricket world cup, say as a football world cup does. True football is a far reaching game, more famous than cricket, more nations play it than cricket. But then the way the tournament was administered, it doesn’t give a very good impression to those nations who are trying to learn the game or even adopt it.

Because even though the stadiums were quite good, well located and the facilities were good enough, the travel arrangements and the spacing of the matches was so uneven that traveling band of fans had to make a zillion arrangements to catch their teams in action. So many of them decided to stay put in one of the islands and then watch the matches that were being held there. If in a world cup, you can’t follow your team around to support it, what’s the point?

Because the ICC designed such a long tournament, that just thinking about it makes you yawn. The group matches were increased by increasing the number of teams and subsequently the number of groups. It is alright to increase the number of teams since this is the showpiece event of cricket, but there could be a more logical planning put in place. The first round of matches took two and a half weeks to be completed. On many occasions only one match was being played per day. This meant that a 51 match tournament took 6 weeks to complete. If the ICC is serious about expanding the game and bringing more teams to the world cup, we need something better than this. In the same scenario, if we had like 32 teams participating as in a football world cup, it would take approximately 6 months to complete a cricket world cup.

Because the ICC is just too greedy became increasingly evident during this world cup. the tournament was too long by any standards and this was done not keeping in mind the interest of the spectators, but its own. Only two matches per day was the limit so as to generate as much revenue from the television audiences all over the world. They have to understand that even the millions sitting at home will only tune in if the tournament progresses at a healthy rate and does not stagnate. Thus atleast the first round matches should have been done and dusted within a week or so. Playing four matches per day that is. They surely had the stadiums available. Which brings us to the on field spectators.

Because the ICC even managed to drive away the coolest cricket fans away from the grounds. They managed to drive away the most fanatic supporters away in India during the Champions trophy by pricing the tickets too high. One thought that they might have learnt their lessons then. But no was the answer as again the ticket prices were exorbitantly high. Rates of the range of 100 US$ per head were common in almost all matches and it was no surprise that the spectators kept away from the grounds. Congratulations to the ICC to have achieved something which is quite difficult in the Carribean, i.e keeping the calypso away from the cricket.

Because this world cup saw two great cricketing powers go down in shambles. India and Pakistan both returning after the first round itself, dealing the ICC and the sponsors a huge loss speculated to be to the tune of Rs.1500 crores. Not to mention cricket lost a lot of sheen in the next few weeks. On the other hand, teams like Bangladesh and Ireland brought a new look to the second round of the cricket world cup showing that the opposition quality in ODIs is just a myth. Bangladesh actually raised a few eyebrows as they highlighted the uncertainty of the game that is cricket, first beating India and then South Africa, and then losing to Ireland, who themselves had already taught Pakistan a lesson or two.

Because the other teams in the fray also managed to catch the headlines as almost all lost form in the middle of the tournament. Though they didn’t exactly choke, the South Africans’ loss of form especially their middle order just became a riddle they could not solve. New Zealand started well and even reached the semi finals only to fizzle out. England and West Indies were, well there to complete the numbers, as they bowed out without ever staking a serious claim to a semi final berth. The West Indian loss hurt the tournament greatly as the home side s fortunes were seen as a last hope to revive the tournament with a spark. While Sri Lanka looked like the only team to mount a serious threat to the Australians, but that debate too was put to rest by one Adam Gilchrist.

Because Australia continued their domination of world cricket by winning an unprecedented third straight title. 28 matches unbeaten in three world cup editions. It will take a lot of brain scratching to find another such run of domination in any other sport by a single team, maybe Ferrari and Michael Schumacher in Formula 1. But in F1, it’s all dependent on the machinery too as proven last year in Japan when Schumacher’s car blew up. Here it’s this team that is the machinery and this machine just doesn’t stop. It’s well oiled and isn’t getting rusted any sooner. Plus the spare parts which will replace the old ones are just as good. This mean machine will continue to roll on many opponents for the years to come. 2011 is merely four years away.

Because sadly too many stalwarts played their last world cup and there was only one sufferer, the game. Inzamam-ul-Haq was the first to go, accompanied by Anil Kumble. Brian Lara was the next big casualty as the West Indians could not even muster enough grit to hand him a final winning good bye. Champions like him deserve to go out on a high and that’s what exactly the Australians gave to Glenn McGrath. The Pigeon could not have asked for more than the trophy and the man-of-the-series award. Cricket is poorer post world cup 2007.

Because the world cup finally came to an end, albeit a dramatic one. Actually many had lost hope it would. But a farce of a tournament ended in a farce. A rain curtailed game, 38 overs a side and the last three overs played out in pitch black darkness, not to mention the drama which preceded that. It proved beyond doubt that the best four umpires in the game and the best match refree in cricket had little knowledge as to the rules of the game. The Australians were shocked to hear that they will have to come out again the next day to bowl 3 overs and it was the presence of mind shown by the two skippers that the match finally ended. The match should have ended earlier when the Sri Lankans accepted bad light and saved cricket from this embarrassment. If the ICC wants to project a good image of the game in countries it is trying to get a foot in, it was a poor advertisement of it.

Because cricket eventually claimed a life. Yes it killed someone for reasons not yet entirely known. And there is doubt if they will ever be known. Was he killed because he was about to blow the whistle on the match fixing saga or was it something to do with the book he was writing on the religion creeping up in the Pakistani team. Or was it merely the act of fanatic fans upset with the loss to Ireland. By the way, Ireland’s national academy was coached by Bob Woolmer under ICC’s programme to increase the game’s reach. Who ever it was, whatever the reason might be, he is gone. The man who gave cricket so much, even his life, it’s such a pity he got only death in return.

This world cup will never be forgotten.

Yorked!!! – By Chetan Narula.

Australia blow Sri Lanka away……..

Swish, swoosh, zoom, whiz, thump, slam, bang. That’s all the noise the menacing blade of Adam Gilchrist (still a wooden bat) made as it thumped the Sri Lankan bowling to all parts of the ground. After the carnage was over, when Gilchrist finally got out to an unforgettable 149, there was only one question remaining. Why was Mahela Jayawardene smiling after the toss?

The Sri Lankan skipper might have gone out for toss expecting a good day. After all it was the world cup final and they were the second best team in the tournament. But for all the talk about the pitch and its bounce, Jayawardene actually didn’t know what to do. In reality, it was more like he wanted to lose the toss and let Australia decide. His wish came true and one wonders now, is he regretting wishing that?

Of course he is. Take a look at these statistics. First ten overs yielded 46 runs for no loss as Australia batted first in a rain curtailed 38 over game after Ricky Ponting won the toss. There were only two power plays to be executed and the Sri Lankans delayed the second one for nine overs after the first one. End result? Those 9 overs were smashed for 89 runs. No Sri Lankan bowler gave away less than 6 runs an over. Everything they tried went waste. The ball did not swing in the hands of Vaas, Malinga or Fernando. Neither did it spin in the hands of Murali or Dilshan. All it did was visit the boundary in quick succession as the Australian wicket-keeper launched the most brutal attack this (otherwise boring) tournament has seen. Inspite of his indifferent form in the tournament, only he could do it on such a grand stage, what Adam Gilchrist did. He scored a majestic ton of only 72 balls. His first ever century in three world cups played. He ended with 149 runs off 104 balls with 13 fours and 8 sixes. A savage batting display indeed.

The Sri Lankans didn’t do much wrong though. They fielded well and even bowled well. The simple fact that Hayden who has notched over 600 runs in the tournament struggled is testimony enough. Or that Ponting and Symonds failed to score at a run-a-ball only shows that it was the special magic of Gilly that failed the Sri Lankans. Not that they could do anything about it. Or that it wasn’t enough to win Australia its third straight world cup.

The only thing that stood between Australia and glory was well, their mental strength. And we know this side is mentally as well as physically tough. But it had been done before. Remember the best ODI ever played? South Africa doing the unimaginable and what bigger stage than the world cup final to do the same but by Sri Lanka. It all depended on how Jayasuriya would play and the support he would be getting from the other batsmen. Well they tried and for a moment, when Sangakkara and Sanath were batting, they were actually ahead of the Aussies on score comparison. However it wasn’t to be. The rain gods intervened and so did the D/L method, virtually putting the match beyond the reach of the Lankans. Almost as if even the Gods wanted Australia to lift the trophy too, such has been their domination.

And so it ended, but not without another twist. This time a farce being played out after the Sri Lankans had accepted bad light. What it shows is that the players have more knowledge about the game than the officials governing it. But let’s leave it to that and look at the positive side. The Australians got to celebrate twice. And if you do think about it, wasn’t it deserved?

Another stalwart of the game walks away into the shade. Glenn McGrath bid farewell to the game and what a farewell it was. A third straight world cup win, four consecutive appearances in the world cup finals, above 500 test wickets, he’s done it all. And to top it up, he was voted the man-of-the-series. We will miss you Pigeon.

29 matches, that’s how long this unbeaten run in the world cups has lasted. The Australians were last beaten in the 1999 world cup by Pakistan in a league match. When the next defeat will come, only God knows. Can we bet on it to be in 2011?

Yorked!!! – By Chetan Narula.

World Cup Final: Defending Champions v/s Dark Horses

This world cup could not have had a more perfect final. The defending champions, Australia, on the cusp of history, a third straight world cup, a record in the making and a chance to get even for the defeat in the 1996 final. The dark horses, Sri Lanka, a great run to the final, the second best team in the world cup, easily the most tactical team too and of course the chance to complete a double on Australia in world cup finals. Doesn’t get better than this.

But it is not the past that matters for this match and that is what both the captains have to understand. Easier said than done, of course, but more so in the case of Ricky Ponting than Mahela Jayawardene. The Australian captain believes that it is the heavy defeats his team incurs on the opposition that gives his team the confidence they have and display on the field. Yes agreed, any win does you a world of good and adds to your momentum. But the truth is that the Aussies haven’t really been tested. The semi final against South Africa was supposed to be the tough one for them, but it didn’t happen. Of course, they deposed off the Proteas with disdain but again, what happens when this team is stretched?

They tend to meander and lose, is the answer. It has been done before and will be done again. No doubt about that, but will it be this match? It might be. Because in the super eight match against the Aussies, the Sri Lankans might have lost but they came away with smiles and of course a tactical advantage. And that is where Mahela Jayawardene has really put his hands up. The move of not playing his front line bowlers in that match might just pay off. Malinga was injured and both Vaas & Murali were rested. Vaas is a dodgy customer any given day and Malinga has well, set this world cup on fire, with his slinging deliveries. But it’s the Murali factor that matters most tomorrow. Yes it matters on any other day too for Sri Lanka to win but not more than this, has it mattered ever.

The last time Australia played Muralitharan for a whole series was well, quite a long time back. He didn’t visit them in 2004 for the tests and then after that played the VB series in 2006. Since then the two sides haven’t met for a while. Why this is going to be a factor is evident from the group stage match against India. Murali and Vaas didn’t tour India prior to the world cup and here they became literally unplayable. And consider that the Indians, their world cup debacle notwithstanding, are far better players of spin than the Aussies. Point is that Murali’s guile is unplayable if you haven’t faced him for a while.

While the fact that the Sri Lankan bowling will be bearing a totally different look from the one that played the super eight match, the batting will be the same. And that is where the Aussies probably have a head on. Their bowling led by Glenn McGrath is quite competent on any day and if it is the world cup final, you would certainly root for them. It is going to be the last match for the Pigeon and unlike Lara and Inzamam, he would certainly want to go out on a high. And what better than winning the world cup for a third straight time. The pitch at Barbados is expected to have good pace and bounce which could only mean that the Aussie pace battery will be smiling even before the match starts. And as we have seen in this tournament, the ball does move a bit in the mornings before it settles down for the day. And again, the Sri Lankan batting seems more circumspect than the Aussie line up.

The Lankan batsmen have done well throughout but they have not come out on tops as many times it would like to. Against good quality attacks of South Africa and Australia, they came up short. A repeat of that in the final and they can kiss the trophy good bye. The Aussies haven’t been tested as mentioned earlier and Hayden & co. couldn’t have faced a sterner test in the final. Given that Ponting wants to set a target most of the times than chase, both the teams’ batting will have to click. The first to blink will be the one to lose.

Key players will be the stalwarts of the respective teams. Hayden, Ponting and McGrath hold the Aussie keys but its time Gilchrist set this world cup on fire. For the Sri Lankans, Sanath Jayasuriya is up for one last hurrah and then of course there is Vaas and Murali. Throw in a bit of Clarke and Symonds plus Malinga and Sangakkara, it’s a fine concoction for the biggest cricket match in four years.

The last time a team was on the verge of winning a hat trick of world cups, Clive Lloyd’s West Indies in 1983, they were upset by the underdogs, India. Again in 1996, Australia were firm favourites to lift the cup, only to be beaten by the 66/1 underdogs, Sri Lankans. A repeat is on the cards. It’s the defending champions versus the underdogs. It’s game on.

Yorked!!! – By Chetan Narula.

When a nightmare became reality……

The television crew in Queen’s Park Oval is really cruel. As the last wickets of the day were falling, the joyful faces of the Bangladeshi team were being beamed all over the world. So were the despondent faces in the Indian dressing room. The world watched as the Bangladeshi dreams came true as also India’s biggest nightmare.

For the first time since God knows when, an Indian captain won the toss and made the right decision in a crunch match. Winning the toss and using the pitch first where the ball would surely seam and swing. And it did. Zaheer, Agarkar and Munaf turned magicians in their initial spells. Yes the very same three who had been tamed by the Bangladeshis and troubled by the Bermudans. The Sri Lankans could not put bat to ball in the first ten overs. The only proper shot that comes to mind is the one where Tharanga cover drove Zaheer in the air for four. Rest all were either mistimed or edges which didn’t find the fielders.

For the first time in the competition, the Indian bowling had come into its own. Zaheer swinging it both ways and Munaf holding a tight line. Even Agarkar found his rhythm at just the right time. Jayasuriya left early, and so did Jayawardene. But just two wickets for all the laudable efforts put in? Yes lady luck has been not with us on this tour. Maybe they need to bring their wives the next time. Lankan wives were here, seen dancing all along.

It is very rare that something goes totally right for the Indians on the field. And the fact that our highly rated spinner wasn’t upto the mark proves just that. The fact that he was playing in Kumble’s place can never be justified. Yes the Sri Lankans have been successful against him, but every match is a new match. On hind sight, if Kumble would have been bowling to the inexperienced Lankan middle order, things might have been different. Harbhajan, it seems, is content in bowling out his quota by containing the opposition, taking wickets is something he doesn’t feel the need for. What India needed from him, were 10 overs which could deliver two wickets. What if they would come at a cost of 50 runs. He gave away 53 anyways.

Coming to the fifth bowler, it sometimes is beyond belief what Rahul Dravid is thinking. Giving the ball to Ganguly, who quite frankly hasn’t bowled that much recently, was very questionable. I know he snapped up Sangakkara, but let us be frank. That was more because the Lankan keeper played a stupid shot rather than the bowler doing anything magical. For me that was a mistake. Sehwag should have come on to bowl as Harbhajan was proving to be ineffective. However it was the maestro Tendulkar brought into the attack.

The reason why Dravid has failed to impress me as a captain is because he tends to over do things. Sachin bowled his six overs beautifully and the fifth bowler’s quota was up. No need to bowl him when you have three pace bowlers who were in fine rhythm today. But to see Sachin bowl those extra two overs, while there were new batsmen at the crease, was like watching some one commit hara kiri. Two costly overs and the Sri Lankan total was over 250. Something we didn’t want, talk about psychological advantage that is. It is one thing starting your run chase with required rate of 4.9 or something and absolutely another with the asking rate being 5.1. The psychology is different.

And it was clear, what it did to the Lankan mentality. Vaas bowled off cutters to Uthappa and his genuine balls to Ganguly. Which brings us to the pathetic display of batting by the Indians. Ganguly is an opener who has clearly forgotten what opening is all about. He used 120 balls for 60 against the Bangladeshis, a 114 for 80 odd against the Bermudans and 23 here for 7 runs. He didn’t rotate the strike and it not only brought pressure on subsequent batsmen, it brought pressure on Uthappa too. The young batsman was very unlucky to be caught like that, but then as I said, lady luck wasn’t at all with us.

Ganguly departed next trying to break the shackles, he himself had binded on the team. And what a blinder Murali took. Moments like these lift the entire team, much like the catch, Dhoni had taken earlier in the day to dismiss Jayawardene. Even the Indians fielded superbly well. Coming back, Tendulkar came to the crease with a million hopes on him. Nothing new about that. Except that this is not his position. This isn’t playing from where he has become the fear of the bowlers. This is no.4, where he is under pressure. A position where Dilhara Fernando, a bowler who has played only 3 matches in the last 15 months is able to dictate terms to him. And the result was all there to see. Again lady luck was found wanting. On any other day, that edge would have missed the leg stump and gone for four. But not this day. Not this day.

Sehwag played an unusual knock. Waiting for the loose ball and biding his time. Could it be his day? Could the new Sehwag save India the blushes. But what he can do with the bat, surely Murali can do better with the ball. And then we saw a master class. Open off side, with a slip in place, bowling round the wickets and bowling just the doosras. Murali is a champion bowler and here was the moment where Jayawardene proved his mettle as a better captain. The spinner was doing the trick for Lanka something Bhajji had failed to do for the Indians. The bounce and turn the young off spinner got in his first over must have delighted both Kumble and Murali. Sadly only one used the resources.

One after another, the batsmen departed. Sehwag could not counter Murali s guile, nor could Dhoni. Yuvraj, one of the best runners in the team, chose this day to misjudge a run. Only “The Wall” showed them how to bat. How to score runs under pressure. How to stand alone in the face of adversity. And as he showed us, there were no devils in the pitch. Sadly the decision to bowl first was again undone by the pressure under which the mighty Indian batting line up wilted again.

India can still qualify if Bernuda beat Bangladesh. But that’s more like a case of if the mouse Jerry had been a cat, he would have been Tom. The losses will be huge. Almost to the tune of 1500 crores. Take for example the Pepsi “Cheer India” bands launched only two days ago. Who is going to buy them now? And for what? It is all in the hands of the merry Bermudans. Sadly praying for a miracle is something we do in every world cup. I had just hoped this time it would be different.

Last but not the least, a devastated Dravid answered Laxman Sivaramakrishnan’s questions at the presentation. His last words to the Indian captain were “Better luck next time”. 2011 seems very far off from here.

Yorked!!! – By Chetan Narula.

A lot to worry about……

If they think they have redeemed themselves with the win over Bermuda, then Dravid and company are mistaken. They may have gotten two points and some confidence going but as far as positives are concerned, that’s about it in terms of what we got out of the match. Confidence does play a major role in international cricket and it is good that the team got some before the vital clash against Sri Lanka but as we know things in Indian cricket turn around faster than tides.

Yes we scored the maximum number of runs in an innings in a world cup match. Yes Sehwag stroked to a ton and the rest also came to the party. Yes we scored the highest margin of victory in an ODI ever. But does that really matter? I mean it was against Bermuda who aren’t exactly even the best amongst the minnows. Err, we encountered better ones recently remember?

To drive home my point, we will take the above points into consideration as to why the team management may be making a mistake they got anything else out of this game. Because as far as I am concerned, India is still closer to the exit door rather than the gate to super 8.

It is very difficult to understand what is happening to Virender Sehwag’s career at this stage. Surely as far as the world cup is concerned, he has cemented his place in the side for the rest of the matches (one or more, remains to be seen). But then again he hasn’t proved any of his critics wrong with this knock. Will you bet on him to fire against Sri Lanka or other even better attacks given that the Bermudan bowlers were at best military medium? I won’t, given his tendency to relax until the donkey is on his back again.

Not that this necessarily means he will fail against the Lankans. Sehwag if you plan to, please don’t. And same goes for the others as well. The way they batted is well, like the way they ought to have batted against the Bangladeshis. Not paying much respect to the bowlers. And that is where Sourav Ganguly, in particular, is going wrong. It is one thing when the team management asks you to hold up one end and try to bat out the innings but then it is totally another thing to pay respect to the Bermudans and play 114 balls for 80 odd runs. What are you waiting for Mr. Ganguly? 50 overs to be up? Get a move on with your strike rate sir, because as happened with Bangladesh, so will happen with other teams who surely have better bowling options. They will strangle you for runs and then choke you to death. If our neighbours could do it, surely it can happen again. So Dada, please unleash the stroke maker the world knows you to be. Atleast, in the match against Sri Lankans.

Then again the middle order didn’t get the quality time it needs to play well. Sachin and Yuvraj are proving to be two important cogs in the middle-order wheel no doubt, and their performances will give much heart to the think tank. But Dhoni continues to struggle like he did last on last year’s tour and Dravid hasn’t spent much time either on the field. Another worrying point is Robin Uthappa’s dry run. Surely this will give the management to ponder a lot as to whether or not to include Dinesh Karthik in the eleven on the 23rd.

However these are the least of our worries. If we can’t get Bermuda out cheaply, and have already failed to bowl the Bangladeshis out, then let us be frank, our attack is pedestrian at best. Save for the efforts of Zaheer, this bowling performance will be giving the team management and the fans alike, sleepless nights. Agarkar can’t bowl straight, its either the legs of the batsmen or short of length giving too much room. Munaf is expensive in his second spell. And if Kumble struggles against the batsmen of Bermuda, with Harbhajan not too effective against the Bangladeshis, then we have a serious problem on our hands.

Because we do not have a bowling attack that can defend low totals or bowl out opposition cheaply. The performance in the two matches surely proves the practice matches’ results worth less. If we look at the bowling reserves, we have Sreesanth and Pathan only to look at. Sreesanth has the knack of picking up wickets but his economy rate makes Agarkar look like the world’s best bowler. Plus Pathan isn’t in the right frame of mind as of now. If they play him, will he play as an all-rounder, a bowler or a batsman? Surely nobody is there to explain it to him, as the past suggests. Also there is none to backup the spinners. They are among the best in the world, remember? If they are struggling, what chances do Powar and company have, right? That’s no justification, which means the team balance is questionable. Again Pathan’s form could have been the key. But as some one might say, the selectors’ hands were tied.

The only bowlers who seem to have done well are the part timers. In whatever bowling they have done, Sehwag and Tendulkar have impressed. But they have been brought on very late. Sehwag came on when the Bangladeshis required less than 30 runs to win, but still ended up taking two wickets. Sachin was nearly unplayable yesterday where as the Bermudans played Kumble with aplomb. This in fact questions the attitude of the team. Do they not know the run-rate factor could prove crucial? Then why not show some urgency to bowl out a not-so-decent batting line-up quickly. In the match against our neighbours, the shoulders drooped once they were past 130. I mean do they even have the right attitude to win the world cup? And what was the coach doing cooling off in the pavilion, when he should be sending out messages to get things going.

Even if India qualifies for the super 8, these latter points put a big question mark on the ability and desire to win the cup. I know the team is taking one match at a time and not get ahead of themselves at this time, when it is absolutely necessary to beat Sri Lanka. But even to do that, they need to find some answers. And they need to find them quick.

Yorked!!! – by Chetan Narula.

The worst day in Indian cricket.

Shock, awe, terror, trepidation, despair, misery, gloom, anguish, dejection, despondency, indignation, resentment, antipathy. All these together do not reflect my mood. I am still at a loss for words. Exactly what an average Indian cricket fan must be feeling because his favourite team in the world just lost to Bangladesh, a minnow given the gigantic proportions of the cup.

Unbelievable as it may sound, but it is true. Indians did wake up on Sunday hoping that the previous night had been a nightmare. But once the television sets were switched on again, the dreaded truth lay bare in front of them. We had just lost to our neighbours, who are quite young in international cricket, given the amount of cricket Sachin Tendulkar alone has played. But it all went waste. It all went waste.

As much as I would like to harp about Bangladesh being fabulous in every department, for once I cannot control my emotions as a fan and thus will leave that analysis to a more neutral person. For the record, however, Bangladesh restricted India to a paltry 191. The ferocious Indian batting line up could not handle the pace of Mashrafe Mortaza, and the best players of spin could not handle three left arm slow bowlers. And then three under-21 players came out and stroked their way to 50s as if to mock the Indian bowlers, while they easily chased down the target. It cannot get worse than this.

What we will do is take a look one by one at the Indian players who played their part in arguably the worst defeat for Indian cricket ever. Worst, because this is the world cup. It is one thing losing to them otherwise, but in the big tournament, it is a different matter.

Greg Chappell for one has to understand that. We are not some guinea pigs sir, that you keep on experimenting with us till your last breath as Indian coach. I mean come on now, what was Robin Uthappa doing at no.3. Either you play an opener in the opener’s slot or you play a middle order batsman Dinesh Karthick there. Even sehwag and ganguly could have come at no.3 because they have quite a bit of experience and have done well at the top in the middle.

Rahul Dravid: Only God knows when an Indian captain will learn to choose the correct option after winning the toss. Sourav did it in 2003, and now this. I mean they were here last year weren’t they? Don’t they know the ball swings early on in the Carribean? And with Zaheer, Munaf and Agarkar in the side, did he really want to bowl when the wicket had eased out for batting, especially when we were playing just one specialist spinner? Answer up Dravid.

Virender Sehwag: What do you say to this man, who has defied all previous history, in taking if not his place in the team, then atleast his wicket for granted. I mean, you may be a triple tonner in tests sir, but the shot you got out to, is worthy only of gully cricket. No place for that sort of stuff in the international arena. I don’t see a place for him in the team altogether, but it is Dravid who has to open his eyes. But I am quite sure that on his bowling prowess he will make the cut against Bermuda. Talk about blasphemy.

Sachin tendulkar: You are the best batsman in the world. The one with the best technique to attack or defend as you please. You are the Bradman of this era. But there is another thing that you are. The inventor of new ways to get out. Driving on a ball that turns in, get an inside edge, ball hits the pad, and keeper messes up before finally catching it. We have seen it all Sachin. The question is, are we ever going to see you lift a world cup?

MS Dhoni, Harbhajan: Ducks? That’s what they score when the previous day, all the news channels carried out news how the Indian lower order was practicing power hitting. A bit more introspection required especially from Dhoni. Karthik is waiting in the wings and we know that the think tank likes to experiment.

Zaheer, Munaf, Agarkar: Not much fault with them except that they were bowling too much on the batsmen’s legs or too short of length. But then again, the way the Bangladeshis batted, clearly they disturbed their line and length. Bowling on a placid track, didn’t help either.

Ganguly, Yuvraj: Nothing much they did wrong or nothing else they could have done. Except that Ganguly ought to have shown some urgency early on in his innings. Plus one can’t also really blame Uthappa for what happened. He is meant to play attacking shots. We will also take into account his inexperience.

Why we lost was because these highly experienced and talented men just could not get their act right. The powerplays brought runs in a trickle, so much so only 24 runs were scored in the first 10 overs. Ganguly took 120 balls to score his fifty. Yes he was the lone man standing but a bit more urgency than the safety first approach could have been beneficial. Plus what is it with Sachin and left arm bowlers? Add Abdur Razzak to the list of Giles, Jayasuriya and Raymond price. And last but not the least, 5 wickets for 2 runs is the stuff dreams are made of. Bangladeshi ones I am sure. My memory betrays me if I try to even recall a similar streak of Indian dismissals.

All is not lost yet unlike in Pakistan’s case. We can still qualify but it is not in our hands alone. Sri Lanka’s run rate is too high and Bangladesh will play Bermuda last. Not only we have to win the last two matches comfortably but also pray that Sri Lanka beat the living daylights out of Bangladesh, so much so that their run rate becomes irreparable against Bermuda. Our fate is no more in our hands.

The thought of India out of the world cup in the first round, is an edgy one. Ask the advertisers if the fans’ condition is not enough proof. But it is not an improbable one. If that happens, it will surely surpass this as the worst day in our cricketing history. As a fan, I am mentally scarred by this loss forever. Not ready for the next one just yet. Not yet.

Yorked!!! – By Chetan Narula.

West Indies draw First Blood.

Brian Lara calls it overcoming stage fright or calming the big match nerves. Call it whatever you may, it is a fact that the hosts have gotten off to the best possible start in the tournament, more so after the practice match disaster against India. Ladies and gentlemen, the world cup is alive and kicking.

It was the most important match of their group, given that the rest of the two teams, Ireland and Zimbabawe are minnows and they are not expected to make the cut for the super 8. So the opening day of the world cup carnival saw a battle for the precious points which will be carried over to the next round. Inzamam called the toss correctly and chose to field. And this is when things started to go wrong for the Pakistanis.

Pakistan have to know their strengths and weaknesses. Their bowling is weak, they simply have to accept that. So batting first might not have been a bad idea. See out the new ball carefully, and then allow the likes of Youhana and Inzy to take charge. Plus the team selection wasn’t upto the mark either. With the likes of Lara, Samuels and Bravo in the side, how could they even think of playing Kaneria, a leg spinner? Especially when, some one as experienced as Azhar Mahmood was cooling his heels in the pavilion.

But Pakistan is, well, Pakistan. They don’t believe in anything anybody says. Just do what they do. And so began Umar Gul with his good line and length and Rana Hasan with a mix of quick and slow deliveries. Gayle’s innings ended rather quickly and brought out Sarwan, who himself looked like he wanted to go back quickly. He managed to survive a dropped chance on his first ball, then played some horrendous shots and luckily managed to stabilize the innings with Chanderpaul. The latter was quite slow off the blocks and maintained that turtle pace throughout his innings, scoring 19 of 63 balls. Once Sarwan was snapped up for 49, Younis Khan latching on this time, it was all still to be done for the Windies.

In walked Lara and Samuels, their 91 run partnership taking the Windies to a platform to launch the final assault. But just as they were beginning to cut lose, Lara edged it and Samuels skied one. The last heroic of the day were still left to come and thanks to Dwayne Smith, they managed to reach a comfortable 241. A 15 ball 32 runs innings well supported by the lower order.

Smith’s heroics didn’t stop there. Pakistan were too dependent on their top order to fire. But that didn’t materialize. The West Indian opening bowlers, Powell, Colleymore and Taylor set them up with some tight stuff, bowling a nagging line and length. And when Smith and Bravo mixed it up cleverly with their military medium stuff, Pakistan just had no answers. He scalped Youhana, Inzamam and Kamran Akmal, three important cogs of their middle order wheel. Quite clearly, a man-of-the-match performance from the youngster.

In a match where all of Lara’s prayers were answered, his call to the youngsters of the team to stand up and deliver answered, Inzamam discovered that he still has plenty on his plate. The only bright spark of the match for them was the way Umar Gul shouldered the responsibility of leading the attack, the tight line bowled by Iftikhar Anjum in the middle overs and the defiant innings played by Shoaib Malik. They need some answers quick. With Afridi still out for the match against Ireland, they could try out Shoaib at the top, to stabilize things, which will also allow them to play Azhar Mahmood. The all rounder needs to warm up since it is more or less guaranteed that his services will be called for in the super 8. And by all means, they have to shed their unpredictability, and win against the minnows of their group. An upset there would not even allow them to return home.

The West Indies too can’t rest on their laurels from this game. Much is still to be done. They should try out some other combinations in the coming matches and have options in hand for the sterner tests ahead.

The calypso carnival has begun and it could not have had a better start.

Yorked!!! – By Chetan Narula.

Onto the World Stage: South Africa – My Favourites.

The very fact that South Africa are the team billed to win the World Cup 2007 goes to show how open this year’s tournament is. The biggest chokers in the game are the number one team in the world and given their reputation in the previous editions, all other teams can rub their hands in glee that they are going to have more than a decent shot at cricket’s ultimate prize.

Let us take a look at the team representing South Africa in the world cup: Graeme Smith (capt), Loots Bosman, Mark Boucher, AB de Villiers, Herschelle Gibbs, Andrew Hall, Jacques Kallis, Justin Kemp, Charl Langeveldt, Andre Nel, Makhaya Ntini, Robin Peterson, Shaun Pollock, Ashwell Prince, Roger Telemachus. Yes this is the team which has displaced the Aussies from their perch for the first time ever since the ICC rankings were conceived. It is not only because Australia have fumbled in the recent past. No sir, because to even match the Aussies you have to play out of your skins. To beat them, you have to better even that effort.

It is actually a wonder, how the rise and fall of these two teams is totally co-related. We move back to the Hansie Cronje era for some flashback. They did very well in the group stages in 1996 while Australia were struggling. But as the knock out stage arrived, it was the Africans who were on the early flight back home. The Aussies reached the finals only to be denied by the Lankans. In 1999, their contrasting luck could not have treaded a more convergent path. Doing well again in the group stages, they were really upstaged by the Aussies, first in the super six (ask Gibbs) and then in the semi final (ask Klusener). The figure of Hansie Cronje staring out of the pavilion windows can still be seen at Edgebaston, some say. Coming back to the point, the Aussies had struggled in the group stages of that tournament too.

If there is something called luck in cricket (I believe there is), then the equation between South Africa and Australia started turning round in 2003. The Aussies did well throughout the tournament and lifted the crown once again, where as the Proteas could not even manage a super six place. But the real turn around came in what is termed as the best ODI ever. The one in which Australia scored 434 and lost. It is on that day, I believe, that the South Africans lost the “chokers” tag. Steve Waugh, you heard me right.

No team has had such an ideal run through to the world cup in terms of good performances and building players’ confidence. Defeating India and Pakistan back to back in ODIs could not have provided a better background. All their major players are in great form, have enjoyed a good hit in the middle and the bowlers have done well in the field. Herschelle gibbs is one of their most important players and his flexible performances all over the batting order can only boost the morale of the team. We all know that Kallis, Prince, de Villiers can bat. Add to that the fire power of Justin Kemp & Mark Boucher and a pretty decent batting line up is what you get.

The bowling has come into its own too. Shaun Pollock looks like ready to make amends for 2003. Ntini and Nel are bowling with venom and Charles Langeveldt can be a handful any day. Ask Australia. It is funny how I keep referring to them again and again. More so to the greatest ODI ever. Simply put, two individuals came to the fore that day. And may have removed South Africa’s scars forever. And maybe given the Kangaroos some.

I have already mentioned Gibbs. His coming of age was in this match. After coming in at one down, the way he waded into the opposition was simply mind blowing. But it was one other individual who made the difference. Who will make the difference in the West Indies too. Who like captains before him, will not allow them to choke. Graeme Smith is a boon to this team. His batting skills coupled with his sharp tactical acumen have brought those sunshine days back to the South Africans, along time after Cronje has been gone. However it is his never say die attitude that was so aptly highlighted in the match against Australia that lifted the team like no other occasion. It is that day, that performance, that win which will go a long way in determining this year’s winner.

They are not without weaknesses though. The one major point being that all their major successes have come on fast bouncy pitches at home. On slow tracks in India, in the Champions trophy, they were still struggling. Since the pitches will most probably be the same, they better adapt fast. And this is where players like Kallis and Prince will be the most handy as they are the best players of spin in their team. The other problem is that they have Australia in their group. Which makes that clash all the more interesting because of the rule of carrying points forward.

They are the team to beat in this tournament. But unlike the tournaments before this, they have it in them to finally lift the cricket world cup for the first time in their history.

My verdict: My money is on them. Don’t prove me wrong Smith & company.

Yorked!!! – By Chetan Narula.

Onto the World Stage: Australia – The “Beatable” Champions.

It wasn’t surprising that Australia won the world cup in 1999, given the resolve that they showed to win the tournament. Neither was it surprising that they won in 2003, given that they were the best team on view and steam rolled every one into submission. It’s just that it would be very surprising if they won in 2007.

No I am not talking through my hat. But before I give you my reasons for it, let us take a look at the team participating in the world cup: Ricky Ponting (capt), Adam Gilchrist (wk), Nathan Bracken, Michael Clarke, Brad Haddin (wk), Matthew Hayden, Brad Hodge, Brad Hogg, Michael Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Stuart Clark, Glenn McGrath, Andrew Symonds, Shaun Tait, Shane Watson. When you start reading the names, your very bones will quiver if you are a bowler, but if you are a batsman, you will fancy your chances.

Still think I am crazy? Well to bring down a team of Australia’s caliber, I need some statistics. And that is exactly what’s on the menu. After their world cup victory in 2003, the Aussies have played 117 ODIs in the past four years. Out of these, they have lost 28 and tied 1. However, this still means that they have won 75 percent of their matches. But its in the manner that they have lost these 28 matches is what tells you about the chink in the armory of the Australians for the first time in decades. We shall dissect the losses now.

17 matches have been lost when the Kangaroos have tried defending their totals. That’s like 60 percent. Even the tied match against England was the one where they were defending 197. We go way back in 2003/04 to their Sri Lankan tour, to find that their nine consecutive defeats were all batting first. Further more, except for one instance, the Aussies had scored 220+ in all those games. In that particular streak, they also lost to New Zealand when the kiwis chased a then world record of 331. Also, they have failed to defend 300+ four times, including the mammoth 434 in South Africa.

What’s more disturbing is the fact that out of these 17 losses, nine have come in the last one year. And all those four heavy defeats are included in these nine losses. This clearly points out one glaring fallacy in this Australian side. They simply can’t defend their scores. Which in turn, is attributed to their poor bowling attack. Yes, we have come to that point in Australian cricketing history which will be known as the post Warne/McGrath era. The one in which they will be dependent on their batting to bail them out in most of the situations.

I mean look at their team sheet. Barring McGrath, you don’t see one name capable enough to carry the burden of defending targets. Brett Lee is out injured, which is going to be a very big blow to them. Because with him missing the action, they can only be assured of ten good overs from the Pigeon. About the rest we know what can happen to them. We saw South Africa, then England and lately New Zealand do it to them. Under pressure they have caved in again and again. I mean Tait and Mitchell Johnson don’t have the experience, Brad Hogg isn’t exactly Warne or even Stuart Macgill, for that matter. The Aussies are really missing some one to hold out the middle overs and with Symonds’ fitness in doubt, there is cause for concern. Bracken did I hear you say? Well he’s been around for a while but his presence doesn’t exactly cause oppositions to lose their sleep.

And so we come to the strong point of the team. Their batting. The indomitable Hayden, the swashbuckling Gilchrist, the mercurial Ponting, the dependable Hussey, the determined Michael Clarke and the burly Symonds. Enough to make any opposition wet their pants. The fact that Ponting himself stated that they would like to chase rather than defend, tells you that this is one captain who knows his strengths and weaknesses well. Plus you could argue that the team that played in New Zealand wasn’t a strong Aussie side. Let me make this very clear that six out of those 11 players will start the first match against Scotland on 14th March.

Injuries are something which could really upset the Aussie applecart. Symonds is still weak in the arm, Hayden is under fitness clouds too. They have already lost Lee a week before departure. Any more injuries and Ponting might feel like throwing in the towel. The most important factor however is going to be Andrew Symonds. He is the one who gives them the balance. Ten overs and a reliable bat who knows how to accustom himself to the situation. Plus he is no slouch in the field either. If he stays fit, the team has it in them to do well. Without him, they are a touch lost.

Adam Gilchrist is in his last world cup probably. So is Hayden and McGrath has already announced his retirement. After these three go, the future for Australia is somewhat uncertain. But right now, their concentration has to be on the cup. A hat trick of victories will do them immense good and prepare the young lot for the challenges ahead too.

The one point that can go against my arguments is that they have won around 46 matches batting first. That is a 72 percent success rate. But quite a few of those matches were a couple of years back. The recent trend is worrisome. And just for that reason, this world cup is the most open ever.

My verdict: If you are the opposition, win the toss & ask them to bat. Sooner or later, they will falter.