The bombs win, for now

Cricket is meaningless when shit happens, like in Mumbai just now. No wonder then that the 2 remaining ODIs got cancelled, and the CL T20 got postponed as well.

Shane Warne, never one to mince too many words, was stranded in Singapore enroute to Mumbai and the Taj Hotel. He is now returning home - thanking his stars and very gleefully. His piece here is a clear reflection of how he feels about the whole situation, but I can't help thinking that he could have added in 2 sentences about the trauma the people in Mumbai are going through - just couple of lines for political correctness, if for nothing else. It can't be all about - fuck, how lucky was I - when your thoughts are read by thousands, and you are revered by millions in the city that is reeling under a terror attack just now.

China cricket

"If I ever get the chance to report the first China v England Test at Guangzhou, I would be delighted to celebrate with a plateful of sweet-and-sour hat" - Matthew Engel, Wisden."

Beautiful.

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South Africa will never learn

South Africa, having steamrolled Bangladesh in the first Test at home, have asked the pitch curator to prepare a grassy pitch for the second game in Centurion.

"We've asked for a lot of grass on the pitch, and for the wicket to favour the seamers." - coach Mickey Arthur.

He goes on to say that he wouldn't want to go into a game without a spinner, but something tells me he doesn't really believe it too much. South Africa never really have trusted their spinners, and hence will always never be the complete side. The sameness of the attack will eventually be their undoing - even if they do have some high quality pace guys now, especially Morne Morkel and Steyn, who are awesome on song.

I am looking forward to the 3 Tests home and away they play against Australia - a wobbling Australia vs. a confident South Africa. If only they trusted Harris/Peterson enough.

England woeful

India have been very good this series, but England, really have been terrible. KP and Freddie (barely) seem to be the only decent players in a team full of neither-here-nor-theres. Bell's innings in Bangalore summed up how terrible Eng have been - 21 runs off 6 powerplay overs chasing 9 runs an over is a crime worthy of a drop from the team for ever.

England don't seem to want to play ODIs - no matter what KP says to the contrary. Please don't - write to the ICC and say that you will only do Test cricket from now on. Have the right attitude towards the game, or else dont' play.

T20 more important that Tests

Surely that's what BCCI thinks. The CL T20 ends the night before India play England in Ahmedabad. Unbelievably, they all realized the stupidity of it all when they figured that Dhoni would have to take a late night flight out of Chennai (if Chennai Super Kings made it to the finals) and turn up for the toss of a vital Test series the next day. Hence a last minute request to postpone the test by a day.

England is chewing on it - clearly wondering what they can get back from BCCI in return. Players are just a pawn in the bigger political chess game being played out by BCCI and ECB.

A mature Kris Srikkanth

Srikkanth is a big mouth at the best of times - speaking before thinking etc etc. Good to see that he has *so far* mellowed down after taking on selection committee responsibilities. His latest on Dravid - Dravid is on innings away from regaining form - is mature, and sends out a lot of positive signals to the struggling Dravid. Here's hoping Dravid goes back to domestic cricket, scores some serious runs, throws away the demons that are in his mind, and comes back with a triple in Ahmedabad against England.

England starting to struggle already

Barely a week into England's tour of India, and they have begun struggling, getting shot out for 98 against a MCA XI side comprising of Mr. Unknowns. KP put up a brave face saying it didn't really matter, but 2 collapses in the last 3 games is not good for them (the previous one being the Stanford implosion).

What I find ridiculous though is that India go straight from a rip-roaring Test victory over Australia in Nagpur into a ODI series against England - massive gear switch for the Test boys in the ODI team, and non-stop cricket from here on right through until Christmas. Terrible scheduling by the BCCI.