The
historic match between two neighbours, Pakistan and Afghanistan, who
mostly learned the art of cricket from the former, produced an expected
result but it was not without excitement. Pakistan chased down a modest
target without much fuss but the men from war-torn Afghanistan got
rousing support from the crowd for their flamboyant cricket.
Match Report - Afghanistan in UAE: Only ODI, Sharjah Cricket Stadium, 10 Feb 2012 (D/N)
After
beginning their remarkable journey in division 5 of the World Cricket
League in 2008, they are now in division 1 alongside Ireland, Scotland,
Netherlands and Kenya. Their meteoric rise brought them, apart from
glory, a chance to face Pakistan in their first ever ODI against a full
member Test nation. They have played two T20 Internationals in the World
T20 in 2010. This was also a first ever instance where an affiliate
nation was facing a Test nation – Afghanistan has not yet been granted
an Associate status.
The
historic toss was won by Nawroz Mangal, Afghan captain and he had no
hesitation in opting to bat first on a typical Sharjah pitch. Quite
disappointingly, Hamid Hasan was ruled out due to injury. For Pakistan,
Shoaib Malik, who was inducted into the squad late allegedly on the
behest of Misbah, got the nod ahead of Hammad Azam, a decision widely
criticized.
Afghanistan
started as if this was not their first ever ODI against a top side.
Karim Sadiq and Noor Ali Zadran got a four each of Umar Gul early on to
ease their nerves, if any. Zadran was foxed into a soft dismissal, an
easy return catch to Umar Gul to hand Pakistan first blood.
From
no where, Sadiq hammered Gul’s slower one for a stunning hit over long
on but was immediately dropped by Younis off the next ball at midwicket
as he flicked uppishly. Mohammad Shahzad, hard-hitting wicket keeper
batsman, came next and opened his account with three fours on successive
balls, including a lucky one through the vacant slip region.
Saeed
Ajmal was welcomed into the attack by Shahzad with an incredible
reverse-swept six. The bowler as well as the batsman were bewildered for
a while as the shot had come out of nowhere against the man who had
traumatized the much-vaunted English batting line up during the Test
series. But his enterprising stay did not last long, as Afridi struck in
his first over, a flying catch at point by Asad Shafiq. Afridi, then,
clean-bowled Nawroz Mangal to make it 71 for 3 in the 14th over - not a bad start for an Affiliate nation.
Afghanistan
needed some stability to make it big for themselves. Karim Sadiq was
going well and some body had to give him company to keep their team
going for a while against Afridi who was bowling superbly. Mohammad Nabi
joined Sadiq as Hafeez was introduced into the attack. Sadiq latched
onto a flighted delivery from Hafeez and sent the ball soaring over the
boundary at long-on.
Afridi
dealt a body blow to Afghanistan when he had Karim Sadiq caught behind
for a well-made 40 (47 balls, 2x4, 2x6). Nabi and inexperienced Gulbodin
Naib resorted to play safely, throwing the flair away. Spin-pair of
Ajmal and Afridi made their life difficult by bowling tightly. Naib
brought Afghanistan’s hundred with a lovely cut but had no answer to
Afridi’s googly the next ball as he was trapped right in front.
Nabi
hit Afridi for a six down the ground when the bowler gave a little air
to the ball. Some flow was injected into the innings with the
introduction of Shoaib Malik into the attack, who looked out of sorts.
Nabi carted him for another huge six as the 7th wicket pair
looked good. But it was not to be as Nabi was run out for 37, four runs
short of a fifty partnership. Samiullah Shenwari was at the crease as
the last hope for Afghanistan, as the scoring rate came to a halt.
The batting powerplay started in the 36th
over which was a maiden one bowled by Wahab Riaz. After two more
economical overs, Mirwais Ashraf scored two crucial fours off Ajmal to
give some sparkle to an innings which had gone listless. But that
sparkle was just a splash in the pan as Afridi came back top remove
Ashraf with a perfectly placed googly.
The
innings ended in a hurry as Wahab and Umar Gul polished off the tail.
Apart from Shenwari who made 32, no one could resist for long. The score
of 195 was below par but for a minnow, on a slow pitch, it wasn’t a bad
effort either. Umar Gul and Wahab Riaz took two scalps each but the
stand out performer for Pakistan was again Shahid Afridi who grabbed 5
for 36.
Pakistan
lost Mohammad Hafeez cheaply who played on as Dawlat Zadran brought one
back off a good length. Asad Shafiq started with a crispy drive against
the other Zadran, Shapoor. Asad was looking in great shape as he
unleashed few more strokes for four while Imran Farhat played a waiting
game at the other end. Afghanistan pulled things back through Dawlat who
got his second victim by trapping Asad (20 off 21 balls with 5 fours)
LBW.
Imran
and Younis then played effortlessly as the score ticked along smoothly.
Imran got a reprieve when Nawroz Mangal dropped him on 37. Imran was
particularly severe on Hamza Hotak, the left-arm spinner, whom he
punished for three fours in one over, last one bringing up his 50 (62
balls, 9 fours). The platform was set for Imran to go on and register a
hundred but he gave a simple return catch to Samiullah Shenwari to make
it 99 for 3 in the 22nd over.
Younis
Khan then took over the mettle of scoring the bulk of the runs as he
thumped Mohammad Nabi for a couple of fours on both sides of the ground.
He used his feet against spinners masterfully. Misbah, on the other
hand, played his natural game; tuk tuk tuk and bang! His 6 off Shenwari
over long-on was an effortless one. Younis, shortly after being dropped
by the keeper off Shapoor, brought up his fifty in 55 balls with a
straight-driven four off Dawlat and celebrated it with a thumping
on-drive the very next ball.
The
experienced pair helped Pakistan cruise to victory with Younis playing
fluently and Misbah doing it Misbahishly. Match ended with a flourish -
last five overs yielding nearly 9 an over. Misbah 40 (3 fours, 2 sixes)
and Younis 70 (65 balls, 10 fours) remained not out, sharing the
match-winning stand of 99 runs in 15.3 overs.
Although
the victory came easily for Pakistan but Afghanistan showed enough
glimpses of brilliance – a sign of bright future for them.
Summarised scores:
Pakistan 198/3 in 37.1 overs (Younis 70*, Imran Farhat 52; Dawlat Zadran 2/38) beat Afghanistan 195 all out (Karim Sadiq 40; Shahid Afridi 5/36, Umar Gul 2/30) by 7 wickets
Man of the Match: Shahid Afridi
Credit: AFP (Image)
An imaginative angle to Pakistan’s English white wash
Once
upon a time Pakistan cricket ruled the world. In eighties and early
nineties they challenged the very best. After an agonizing period of
underachievement in best part of late nineties came the worst phase when
they became pariahs of the cricketing world. But then fortune changed
as success started to smile upon them again.
Pakistan,
often, can do what others only dream of – in both success as well as
failures. A whole decade from 1999 to 2010 was marred by controversies,
shocking defeats and underachievement. The young generation will
remember that era like ‘once upon a time we were so rubbish’, but a true
fan or a chronic follower of Pakistan cricket will only give it a
passing reference though in a sad and touching way. There is so much in
Pakistan cricket that it cannot be ignored as a product. The brand has
always been attractive and will always be.
By
thrashing and ‘green-washing’ England, Pakistan has signaled return
back to the golden days. Tomorrow’s historian will remind his readers by
saying ‘once upon a time World’s number one team was rolled over by
Pakistan who were isolated to the edge of the cricketing fraternity’.
That will be the time when true merits of this huge success would be
realized. They say when we are too close to a thing we cannot appreciate
its true value. Today we can celebrate this victory and term it a huge
one but its grandiosity will continue to increase with each passing
day. The reason being this win is a harbinger of something special to
come. As a cricket lover and follower I can sense that.
It
is team Misbah. Misbah has surprised even his biggest fan by becoming
the central figure of Pakistan’s success. The man who enjoys love and
hate relationship with his fans has come out as a messiah for his
beleaguered team. Merely two years ago, after being overlooked in the
squad of 35, he was contempla
ting
retirement and wanted to burn his kit out of frustration. After the
manic events of 2010 in which spot-fixing saga shook the cricket world,
he became the logical choice, and the only reasonable one, for captaincy. His calmness, friendly nature and strong mind turned a bunch of individuals into a fighting unit.
The
task has just begun. We have seen enough desolation. Now is the time to
rise and shine. The victory achieved in the Arabian Desert should not
go to waste. Under Misbah, the team will achieve more and continue its
ascendancy. But the test is what next after Misbah and the current
bunch. We need to plan a smooth transition in the next two years. If we
can mastermind that effectively, we would be able to say proudly
somewhere in the future, ‘we were invincible once upon a time’!
One
of the all-time greats of the game, the Wall, Rahul Dravid has decided
to retire, a media report said today. It is revealed that he has
conveyed his desire to his teammates shortly after failing yet again
with the bat on another tumultuous Test match day for India at Adelaide.
He
had already quit limited overs’ cricket. With the pressure rising on
the veteran Indian stars like Sachin Tendulkar, VVS Laxman and Rahul
Dravid, the likely announcement will not be a surprise. Sachin, although
in reasonable form with the bat, has of late consistently failed to
convert his starts into meaningful ones for his struggling team. His
long-awaited hundredth international ton is taking years to come as
pressure continues to mount on the stalwart. Laxman’s days, it seems,
are also numbered.
In the current series in which India is heading towards another ov
erseas
white wash, 39 years old Dravid has failed miserably. He scored only
194 runs at 24.25, a sharp contrast to his form in England. Further, the
mode of dismissals has not helped his cause.
He
stands at number two in all-time Test runs with 13,288 runs at 52.31,
and has 36 centuries to his name and a world-record 210 catches.
His
retirement will mark the end of an era for Indian cricket which owes a
lot to the man for a number of Test wins. Known for his solid technique
and steely mind, Dravid will be sorely missed by cricket fraternity. The
void left would not be filled any time soon – he was such a necessity
for Team India.
Credit: AFP (Image)
Sri
Lankan cricket continues to get face-lift ever since the New Year
began. After changes in the selection panel and appointment of new
coach, Tillakaratne Dilshan is the latest casualty. Though the news has
not come as a surprise, it has given Sri Lanka another headache.
Dilshan’s
tenure as captain has been a forgettable one both for him as well as
his team. In the 11 Tests under him, Sri Lanka won just once losing
five. ODIs were no different; 13 losses as opposed to 8 victories in 21
matches.
His
own form as captain, particularly in the ODIs, was a real concern for a
team searching for lost footings in the international arena after the
World Cup where they were the second best.
The
transition in the Sri Lankan camp had been rather smooth over the past
few years. After Mahela, Kumar Sangakkara had led the team successfully before
he abruptly decided to step down from captaincy in May 2011. Sri Lanka
lost to England (away), Australia (at home), Pakistan (in the UAE) and
South Africa recently under Dilshan. The slide slowly sealed the fate
for Dilshan and has thrown Sri Lankan cricket at the cross roads again.
Mahela
Jayawardene has been offered the role by Cricket Sri Lanka but he has
taken some time to ponder over the offer before accepting it for a
second term. Angelo Mathews and Dinesh Chandimal are other possible
candidates, but their inexperience at such a difficult time for Sri
Lanka may keep them waiting for a while.
Credit: AFP (Image)
The win in Dubai against England has turned a new page in Pakistan cricket >
I
am sure I am not the only one who never writes Pakistan off, even when
they are on the edges of extinction. The most unpredictable yet most
dangerous cricket team never fails to surprise. After a tumultuous 2010
and a dreadful time since the attack on Sri Lankan team bus when
Pakistan was declared zona non grata, few would have thought they would
put world’s best Test side on the mat.
England
had never lost a match in almost two years, yet they capitulated
against a spirited Pakistan side inside three days. Yes three days on a
flat deck! Although Pakistan was on the rise ever since Misbah-ul-Haq
took over, this win was almost unthinkable before the tour started. At
best they were given good odds to surprise the world’s best side.
This
is a very delicate time for Pakistan cricket. I am still not convinced
that Pakistan cricket is in safe hands, but a quick flash back to Ijaz
Butt’s era gives immense consolation. So far the new PCB management
under Zaka Ashraf has shown signs of maturity. They are not jumping on
things like their predecessors. Their decision making has been sensible.
Their choice of appointing Dav Whatmore despite Mohsin Khan’s
apparently good performance is praiseworthy.
The
role played by Waqar Younis and Misbah-ul-Haq cannot be overestimated.
The good work done by Waqar is still paying off but we need to take off
from here. And a qualified foreign coach is what the team needs now.
Misbah has transformed this team from an incoherent bunch of cricketers
to a well-gelled unit of professional sportsmen. Can he take the team to
next level is another big question which only time will tell.
The
most satisfying thing about Dubai win is that it came against England,
the team with which we had unmemorable rapport of late. Bitter memories
from the infamous 2010 tour must have been felt by players on both sides
as this tour began. But this win should erase those because both teams
now have immediate other issues – cricketing issues – to sort out. The
attention should now divert to cricket not credibility.
The
spot-fixing saga had shaken our cricket set up as well as the players,
but over time they had become battle hardened. The victory in Dubai has
sealed that fact. This win is at par with many of our glorious Test
victories. It will be cherished much like Delhi 1952, Oval 1954, Sydney
1976, Lords 1982, Faisalabad 1986, Bangalore 1987, Leads 1987,
Georgetown 1988, Lords 1992, Lords 1996, Durban 1998, Chennai 1999,
Multan 2005, Bangalore 2005 and Oval 2010.
At
one point on the second evening, the pitch was being criticized for not
being ideal for Test cricket and Nasser Hossain and Waqar Younis were
talking about possibility of a tame draw, but quite remarkably the match
ended on the third day. Saeed Ajmal’s performance and the way Pakistan
batting contributed as a unit signal an exciting new era for Pakistan.
Pakistan
should absorb this moment and grab the opportunity. We should make this
win a turning point from where we should aim for a new beginning – a
beginning of a journey to become best in the world once again.
After
a good 2011 in which both teams attained new heights, Pakistan and
England are ready to lock horns in the deserts of UAE. At stake for
England is the number one Test spot, while Pakistan would love to
continue the upward momentum they achieved during last year. Amid the
ghosts of the past loitering over these two teams, both camps will
happily accept a clean series.
The
last Test series between the two teams was a forgettable one. The dust
of the spot-fixing saga has more or less settled after the trio involved
got their due punishment in a UK court last year. As English squad has
not changed significantly from that home series in 2010, Pakistan is
wearing a totally new look.
Both
teams have moved on since that tour. Pakistan has come out of the on
and off-field distractions – quite remarkably under the captaincy of
Misbah-ul-Haq. England has risen to number spot in Test cricket rankings
in style when they white-washed their forerunners India at home.
Misbah, as he has said, would like to move upwards in the rankings – by
playing solid cricket compromising happily flamboyance over method.
England, on the other hand, cannot afford to take their eyes off. They
know, from India’s experience, reaching the top spot is easier than
maintaining it.
The squads
Pakistan
has named a strong 16-member squad for the tour. Significantly, Wahab
Riaz - rested for being under the scanner, and Umar Akmal - after being
sidelined to ponder over his careless approach to Test batting, are
selected for this important series. The hope is both will bring the
aggression required to tackle a top class side.
Squad: Misbah-ul-Haq
(C), Younis Khan, Mohammad Hafeez, Taufeeq Umar, Imran Farhat, Azhar
Ali, Saeed Ajmal, Umar Gul, Abdur Rehman, Asad Shafiq, Umar Akmal, Wahab
Riaz, Adnan Akmal (wk), Aizaz Cheema, Junaid Khan, Mohammad Talha
England
have chosen to add an extra spinner in Monty Panesar – back after two
years, keeping in mind the nature of pitches in UAE. They suffered a
pre-tour setback when Tim Bresnan was ruled out due to a shoulder
injury. With a compact batting line-up and in-form bowling attack,
England have a clear edge over Pakistan, although that is somewhat
neutralized by the conditions they will face in UAE.
Squad:
Andrew Strauss (C), Kevin Pietersen, Ian Bell, Alastair Cook, Jonathan
Trott, Eoin Morgan, Matt Prior (WK), James Anderson, Stuart Broad,
Graeme Swann, Graham Onions, Chris Tremlett, Steven Finn, Ravi Bopara,
Monty Panesar, Steven Davies (WK)
One to one
Openers
In
the opening department, England have a clear edge. Alastair Cook is
number 3 in the Test batting rankings, while Andrew Strauss is a quality
Test player. Cook has had a memorable last year and will be a prized
scalp for Pakistan’s new ball attack.
For
Pakistan, Mohammad Hafeez and Taufeeq Umar have forged a good
partnership at the top. While Hafeez provides flare, Taufeeq is a
grinder, and together they form an ideal combination for a Test side.
Cook and Hafeez, for his all-round ability, managed to find a place in
Sportpulse’s Test team of 2011.
Middle order
The
reason England are such a world-beating outfit is the fact that they
have a formidable and intimidating middle order, which carries the good
work put up by their openers. Although Pakistan too have a solid middle
order, it is not as threatening as England’s.
Azhar
Ali, Younis Khan, Misbah-ul-Haq, Asad Shafiq and Umar Akmal form a good
batting line up for any conditions. Younis is the only world class Test
batsman in the side at the moment. He is the only Pakistan batsman
featuring in the top 10 in Test ranking, at number 7. Only Azhar, Younis
and Misbah have been consistent enough over the last year or so, but
the conversion rate of Misbah and Azhar is worrisome. Against a good
bowling unit like England’s, Pakistan’s fortunes would rest on these
three players.
Ian
Bell (world number 4), Jonathan Trott (world number 9) and Kevin
Pietersen are an awesome combination in the middle order. All are in
terrific form and will be difficult to dislodge on slow and low UAE
wickets. All three, in particular Pietersen, are good players of spin
and the visitors will rely on them to counter the threat posed by Saeed
Ajmal and Abdur Rehman.
Pakistan,
wisely, has brought back mercurial Umar Akmal in place of Shoaib Malik.
Although Asad Shafiq has shown Test temperament, inclusion of Umar
Akmal gives them an attacking option at number six. He will bring the X
factor adding much needed pomposity to the side.
Eoin
Morgan adds that X factor to the English side and will be preferred
over Ravi Bopara at number six position. All in all the real battle will
be between the middle orders of the two sides, a deciding factor in all
likelihood.
All-rounder
With
Bresnan ruled out, this job will be solely on the shoulders of Stuart
Broad. Apart from being a good seamer, he is quite capable with the
batting as well. The last time these two teams met in a series, he hit a
stunning 167 in the infamous Test match at Lords. He is at number 4 in
Test all-rounders list.
For
Pakistan, Wahab Riaz aims to become a decent all rounder. Although he
has not proved this at international level so far, his recent showings
with the bat in Quaid-e-Azam trophy auger well for Pakistan. Abdur
Rehman can also stick around.
Wicket Keeper
Mat
Prior wins this battle hands down. Adnan Akmal will do well if he
proves his worth behind the stumps for his team. Steven Davies is the
reserved keeper for England.
Fast Bowlers
In
James Anderson and Broad, England have two bowlers who are in top 10
Test bowlers list. Both included in the Sportpulse’s Test Eleven for
2011, they provide the backbone of English seam attack. Anderson is
arguably the best swing bowler in the world while Broad is coming on the
back of a stunning 2011.
Umar
Gul and Wahab Riaz form a potentially threatening new ball pair for
Pakistan. Although Gul had a decent last year, he is yet to prove that
he can run through a Test batting line up. Wahab’s entry has been
impressive, as he showed in his debut Test in England where he grabbed a
5-fer. With ever-improving Junaid Khan and skiddy Aizaz Cheema as back
up, the hosts are a match up for their opponents.
Chris
Tremlett, Steven Finn and Graham Onions have all proved their worth at
Test level, while Mohammad Talha, though has potential, is yet to rove
himself.
Spinners
World
number 3 Graeme Swann will be the trump card for England on
spin-friendly tracks. But whether he is overshadowed by his much fancied
and unorthodox rival in Saeed Ajmal is the burning question ahead of
the series. While Swann is a classical off spinner who relies on
deceiving the batsmen with his flight and change of lengths, Ajmal has
all kinds of trickeries in his bag.
If Swann’s aggression and consistency are his weapons, Ajmal has doosra
and a stunning last year baggage with him. Swann had an average 2011
but that was more due to the brilliant performance of the seam attack
rather than his poor form. Ajmal was the leading wicket-taker in 2011
with 50 Test wickets in 8 matches at 23.86.
The war of words has mainly centered on Ajmal’s revelation, many months ago, that he would unleash a new delivery, teesra,
against England. The English camp, Swann in particular, has laughed it
off but they would take Ajmal lightly on their own peril.
Pakistan
probably will go with two spinners. Abdur Rehman provides an ideal back
up to Ajmal, with his consistent line and the holding job. Often this
strategy reaps fruits for him as batsmen, pressured by Ajmal at the
other end, hand him wickets. Hafeez too has proved to be a golden arm,
especially against left handers, so Cook and Strauss need to be careful
of this threat too.
Swann
has suggested same tactic for England. Monty Panesar has raised his
claims by taking wickets in the side match but most likely he will have
to sit in the first Test.
Stratagem
England
is renowned to play orthodox cricket and they will stick to it.
Pakistan too, interestingly, is playing the same kind of game of late.
Misbah has time and again stated that he prefers solidity over splendor
to achieve better results which his team dearly needs. Will this lead to
a boring series on dead tracks? No, first because there are enough
players on both sides who can provide entertainment and second because
it will be a closely contested series.
England
will rely on their batting to post big totals to put Pakistan’s brittle
batting line-up under pressure. Pakistan, on the other hand, will look
towards their varied bowling attack to upstage all English plans.
Watch out for
Umar Akmal is
at the stage of his career that he has to prove that he belongs at the
Test level. This may well be his make or break series. If he comes good,
England bowlers will have some tough time.
Graeme Swann
will be under pressure to out perform Saeed Ajmal. If he succeeds,
England will have fewer headaches in disposing off Pakistan. Otherwise
they should be ready for a surprise.
Head to head record
Overall
England has a clear advantage over Pakistan with a 22-13 margin in 71
Tests. This is the first time they are facing each other at neutral
venue.
Probable Line-ups
Pakistan: 1-
Hafeez 2- Taufeeq 3- Azhar Ali 4- Younis Khan 5- Misbah 6- Umar Akmal
7- Adnan Akmal 8- Wahab Riaz 9- Abdur Rehman 10- Umar Gul 11- Saeed
Ajmal
England: 1- Strauss 2- Cook 3- Jonathan Trott 4- Pietersen 5- Bell 6- Morgan 7- Mat Prior 8- Broad 9- Swann 10- Anderson 11- Tremlett
Prediction
1-0 in favour of Pakistan
Credit: Upcric.com (Image)
These two Pictures of Ponting and Kohli reveal the respective states of their teams >
During
the ongoing Test match at Sidney Cricket Ground (SCG) between India and
Australia, two images struck me hard apart from sparkling batting by
the home team. One was of Ponting, celebrating after reaching to his
hitherto elusive hundred, and the other in which Kohli was gesturing
obnoxiously to the crowd. These are not just two images; these are
reflection of the state of mind the two teams are in at the moment.
Ricky
Ponting was once the leader of Australian cricket scheme. After years
of unparalleled success, both as player and captain, fate turned on its
head for him. A back-to-back Ashes defeat in England coupled with a halt
to the world cup victories marked the decline of a team that ruled
international cricket for well over a decade. Ponting as a batsman fell
away as well.
His
leadership suddenly turned into a stumbling block for Australia to move
forward. People were asking for his head. The man who always played the
game for pride did not want to bow out as defeated. He wanted to quit
the game on his terms not the other way. For this he had to make
sacrifices. He obliged.
He
handed over the captaincy to Michael Clarke realizing his time was over
as Australia needed to get going. The fact that he gelled so well with
the new management only raised his caliber as a sportsman. In and out of
the team his stature as a mentor and a senior pro grew even stronger.
His
continuous failures with the bat necessitated a move down the batting
order. He quietly slipped to number four. He knew his reflexes have
waned with age. The pull shot that he had made his own turned into a
nightmare for him. You bowl to him short and he would perish playing the
pull shot. He started to pull out of a few especially early in the
innings and even ducked bouncers more frequently than he ever did.
The
result was sweet. His timing came back, and runs too. After two lean
years he started feeling at home in Test cricket, and at SCG he scored a
scintillating hundred to thrill the packed crowd and fans around the
world once again. His last hundred was at Hobart, in January 2010
against Pakistan 33 innings ago.
He
had to dive desperately for the ‘wining’ run – the single that gave him
the most awaited hundred. When he raised his arms aloft, a remarkable
tale of perseverance and struggle was complete. Great men do not lose
heart. They raise their resolve in adverse circumstances and fight back
with persistence to achieve the lost ground.
Ricky Ponting proved why he is a great sportsman and a great human model of success.
Virat
Kohli is a shining star for India. He has proved his worth in ODIs but
has potential to become a great batsman in Test cricket too. He is
admired by cricket pundits for his talent and his aggressive style of
play. But that aggressive nature also makes him vulnerable to commit
errors, fatal at times.
When
you are being looked at as a role model for upcoming cricketers in
India to come forward and replace the ageing stars, it adds extra bit of
responsibility. India will soon lose icons like Sachin Tendulkar, VVS
Laxman and Rahul Dravid. People like Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma and
Suresh Raina are tipped to replace them in future.
In
this phase of transition, when the team is on a downward slide,
positive attitude and sincere hard work is needed by the younger
recruits. Aggression on the field bears fruits only when you back it
with your performance. And being aggressive is different from being
bigheaded. One remembers his celebration after winning the under-19
world cup in Malaysia. It was forgotten because he was young at that
time, and an apprentice as a professional. But now he is an important
member and a future backbone of his team.
He
has been fined previously but on Wednesday at SCG his showing of middle
finger to the crowd was disappointing and a colossal idiocy to say the
least.
The
impact would be slightly different had his team been in dominant
position, but with the position you are in the match this act was
nothing but like a frustrated cat scratching the pole. When a person is
irritated he becomes irrational in his acts and behaves with such
defeatist and lame gestures.
In
the company of players who confronted mighty Australians with pride in
the past, Kohli’s frustration is understandable. But this is not the way
to answer.
Virat Kohli must learn and he must be made to learn if he is to go on and become an icon himself.
Credit: Getty Images
A round up of West Indies’ performance and their player of the year for 2011 >
The
year 2011 saw many new stars emerging on the world stage as well as
many sparkling performances from the established maestros. For West
Indies, this was a relatively satisfactory year despite the long
standing struggle between WIPA and WICB. Under Darren Sammy, the Test
team seamed to move forward as they looked settled as a unit even
without Chris Gayle who continued to be ignored due to his scuffle with
WICB.
Three men - Darren Sammy, Devendra Bishoo and Darren Bravo - shined for West Indies in the year 2011.
Darren Sammy
led the team admirably, shrugging off the off-field problems and
carrying his team forwards without the services of players like Chris
Gayle, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Jerome Taylor and Dwayne Bravo. His performance
as the third seamer in team was more than satisfactory; in fact he was
instrumental in the win against Pakistan at Guyana.
Devendra Bishoo
grew as a reliable spinner with each match he played. In a team
renowned for tear-away fast bowlers, his presence is an emblem fresh
air. He took wickets in both Tests as well as limited overs cricket. He
was not just a containment option for his captain; rather he produced
high class spells and took crucial wickets. He was the leading
wicket-taker for the Windies with 39 scalps in Tests at 36.23. He also
took 20 wickets in 13 ODI that he played in the year 2011.
Darren Michael Bravo
was the highest run scorer for them with 949 runs at 49.94, sitting at
number 4 over all. He scored 3 hundreds, most by a West Indies player in
2011. In ODIs, he was not as successful as he fared way below Lendl
Simmons who scored his 792 runs, highest for West Indies by a margin, at
49.50.
In
the Test arena, although West Indies still lost more matches then they
won, they had many reasons to smile. They played their first Test series
against Pakistan at home in May. After winning the first Test at
Guyana, riding on the brilliance of their captain Darren Sammy, they
lost the next in St Kitts. But the overall performance was widely hailed
by their supporters. Their loss was mainly due to their failure as a
batting unit, but Darren Bravo fared well against a strong Pakistan
bowling attack. Ravi Rampaul led the bowling charts for his team.
Their
next home assignment was against Indians, the World’s second ranked
Test team. Despite the absence of Sachin Tendulkar and Virender Sehwag,
Indians were too strong for the home team as they proved by winning the
series. West Indies were good enough to limit the margin of defeat to
1-0. They lost by 63 runs at Jamaica but the next two Tests ended in
draws. At Dominica in the last Test, Kirk Edwards scored a defiant
century on debut and along with Chanderpaul he buried India’s chances to
win. Chanderpaul and Darren Bravo led the runs chart while Fidel
Edwards was the leading wicket taker in the series.
Then
they achieved their first Test series win abroad since 2003 in
Bangladesh. After drawing first Test of the 2-match series, they
trounced the home team with a big margin in the second at Mirpur.
Davendra Bishoo and Fidel Edwards sparkled with the ball, but the real
stars were Kirk Edwards (century in 1st innings and 86 in the
2nd) and Darren Bravo whose enterprising knock of 195 in the second
innings set up the match and the series for the Windies.
West
Indies capped off the year by playing a tough 3-match Test series in
India. They came back their heads held high despite 2—0 loss as they
played obdurate cricket after being trounced in the first two Tests. The
avoidance of a likely white-wash on Indian soil was not a bad job at
all. In the first Test at Delhi, West Indies surprised India by getting
huge first innings lead, but capitulated in the second innings to hand
the home side an easy win. At Kolkata, Darren Bravo impressed with
another second innings century as he stood out prominent among his
colleagues in an innings defeat.
The 3rd
Test at Mumbai will be remembered for its sensational final moments
apart from the fact that Tendulkar narrowly missed his hundredth
international ton. West Indies compiled a mammoth 590 thanks to another
brilliant hundred by Bravo. With India needing 243 on the last day, West
Indies held their nerves to come out with a tense draw when the scores
were level.
On
the whole, West Indies played 10 Tests, winning 2 and losing 4. Out of
28 ODIs, they won 10 and lost 17 matches with one being no result. They
lost all but one ODI series, against Bangladesh in Bangladesh which they
won 2-1. Their high point was reaching World Cup quarter final, which
they lost to Pakistan.
In 22 years old Darren Bravo,
West Indies have found a gem. In the mould of legendry Brian Lara, this
young man has quite similar stats to him after 12 Test matches. Both
left-handers are Trinidadians and have similar face cuts especially
upper half of the face. Although Bravo does not possess the aura which
Lara used to have, his stance and footwork is astonishingly comparable
to the wizard. And despite the fact that he lacks something
indescribable which Lara enjoyed while batting, he has all the shots in
his armoury which keep us peeping into the past.
As
a cousin of Prince Lara, he used to idolize him in his childhood and no
wonder when he started playing himself a certain Lara was embodied in
his demeanors. The way he walks in to bat, takes his guard, lifts his
bat and plays his strokes is reminiscent of the man he modeled his game
on.
In
a team renowned for batting collapses, his presence is both a
reassuring one and threatening for the opposition. At times he can put
his head down and grind his team out of trouble, but mostly he is in his
flowing best. He has proved himself at the Test arena by scoring big
and at important junctures. Two of his three hundreds in the year 2011
were 150-plus scores which prove he can play big knocks, sign of a great
Test batsman. Like any good Caribbean batsman, he does not waste time
at the crease as he scores at good strike rate. Runs seem to flow off
his bat, and when they are not coming in conventional way he uses his
feet to play eye-catching drives, cuts and pulls.
His
195 against Bangladesh at Mirpur is the highlight of his short career
so far. He scored his runs quickly and most of his 12 boundaries were a
treat to watch. He hit 5 sixes in 297-ball innings – a sign of his
fearlessness and class. He passed stern test of skills against quality
spinners with honours, when he played in India. His score of 166 against
Ravichandran Ashwin and Pragyan Ojha in Mumbai was a good learning
experience for him apart from proof of his abilities.
It
is quite strange that he has not been able to transfer his success at
the Test level into the limited overs versions. With the strokes that he
has and talent that he possesses it will not be too long before we see a
complete batsman dominating the cricket world.
Darren
Bravo is a great prospect for the future. His presence in the middle
order will act as a catalyst for the progress of West Indian cricket.
Players like him will help them build a strong team under Darren Sammy
who has proven to be a great find himself as captain.
Darren Bravo indeed is a gift from the West Indies to the world of cricket.
Credit: AFP (Image)
Australia downed India comprehensively on the 4th
day of the Boxing Test to go 1-0 up in the series. India could not
prevent the Aussie lower order to help their team post a daunting
target, and then capitulated disappointingly to hand the home team
psychological advantage for the remainder of the series.
Match Report – 1st Test: Day 3, Border-Gavaskar Trophy, Melbourne Cricket Ground, 26-30 December 2011
The
last two wickets batted astutely for Australia and extended the total
to 240 from the overnight 179. Although Hussey got out after thumping
two fours, and threatening for more, when Zaheer induced a faint edge to
Dhoni who accepted it gleefully. He innings of 89 with 9 fours gave his
team a real chance and him reassurance for some more time in the team.
Zaheer
dropped Pattinson who played well for his 36 not out before Hilfenhaus
gave a second-slip catch to Laxman. Both men added crucial 43 runs for
the last wicket, giving India a tough task of 291 to chase on a
deteriorating pitch - a record chase at the venue.
Probably
under pressure of a big chase and in sight of the Lunch break, Sehwag
played loosely outside off giving Hussey a comfortable catch at gully - a
vital breakthrough for Australia. It was a big jolt to India’s
prospects as Sehwag was the man who could have given the home team real
headache with his presence at the crease.
Soon
after Lunch, Gambhir got out to Siddle in a familiar fashion, edging
behind. At 39 for 2, the target looked a long way away. The man known as
Wall, Rahul Dravid, could not rescue his team on this occasion as he
was clean-bowled all ends up by a jubilant Pattinson. With Tendulkar at
the crease and the new man Laxman walking in, India hoped for some
resistance from the pair. The hope was based on the fact that Tendulkar
looked in great form in the first outing while Laxman always relished
situations like these.
But the hope was short-lived.
Pattinson
accounted for Laxman, tempting him to go aerial on the leg side after
testing him with the away swingers. Laxman could not resist and was held
low at square leg by Ed Cowan. The Australians were all over India at
this stage as the vociferous MCG crowd went berserk. The riot did not
end here. India’s half team was gone to the hut at the score of 69, when
Virat Kohli was trapped plumb in front by Hilfenhaus.
MS
Dhoni started his account with a six off Peter Siddle to signal a
counter attack out of desperation, but the plan died soon after birth as
Siddle sent Tendulkar back to the pavilion. He was again positive for
his 32, but flirting with a widish delivery cost him and India dearly.
Ashwin,
as he did in the first innings, played uninhibitedly and took India to
Tea at 117 for 6, still miles away from the coast.
After
Tea, Siddle removed Ashwin for 30 while Zaheer was taken care of by
Pattinson, but not after he had hit him for a four and a six. In his
next over, Pattinson had Dhoni played on for 23 but the chase had
already run out of gas. It was Nathan Lyon who took the last wicket when
Yadav, after slogging a six, perished to long on trying to repeat the
shot. The ground erupted in joy as Australians celebrated an important
win.
Pattinson
took 4 for 53, continuing his dream entry in international cricket,
while Siddle got 3 for 42. For India, none of their stalwarts could
resist a resurgent young Aussie attack. They lost by a big margin of 122
runs.
In
the end it was a fitting result for the home team, which played well in
the important phases of the match. Indians, on the other hand, failed
under pressure and they need to lift themselves a few notches if they
are to challenge Australia in the next Test.
Summarised Scores:
Australia 333 (Cowan 68, Ponting 62; Zaheer 4/77, Yadav 3/106) and 240 (Hussey 89, Ponting 60; Yadav 4/70, Zaheer 3/53) beat India 282 (Tendulkar 73, Dravid 68; Hilfenhaus 5/75, Siddle 3/63) and 169 (Tendulkar 32, Pattinson 4/53, Siddle 3/42) by 122 runs
Heroe of the Day: James Pattinson
Flop of the Day: Virender Sehwag
Disappointments of the Day: Sachin Tendulkar, Rahul dravid, VVS Laxman
Man of the Match: James Pattinson
Credits: AFP (Image)
