Twenty20 fun

Yesterday's Aus-NZ match was great fun. Vettori said he was devastated - well he should be - it was a match they should have won easily with so many wickets in hand. Bracken was outstanding - and claimed he was helped a bit by the commentary team he was wired to. It was great viewing, helped no doubt by the mike-friendly Aussie players who clearly got along great with ex-cricketers in the Nine box. But for the first time I can recall, I saw empty seats in a Twenty20 game. What, people are already bored with the format?

Can Bracken replicate this bowling performance for Bangalore in the IPL?

Jayawardene quits

Brilliant blog post on Mahela quitting - there is much more to it than meets the eye. India thrashed SL 4-1 and then in the T20 as well (Mahela wasnt in the T20 side, which is funny given Kings XI dependence on him and Sanga). India playing some good cricket, but remember - all of this is in sub-continental conditions. Will they be able to replicate it in NZ? Kiwis are playing decently now - being robbed of a ODI series win on account of rain in Brisbane. Good series in NZ in prospect. Predictions coming up soon!

Unbelievable Test, great for Sachin

Terrible for Rahul - thats the summary of the Test to beat all tests. The man who has been a key feature of all significant Indian Test wins in the last few years has gone fishing in the last 3 months, when India beat Aus 2-0, and then this game in Chennai - when India plucked a rabbit out of the hat to win a superb Test match. Sachin played fantastic to lay low so many doubters (me included), and god knows, every Indian will be so bloody happy for Sachin that he has managed to score a match-winning 4th innings knock. The context (terror etc) makes it extra special. As KP said, it was a dream script if there ever was one.

Of course this shouldnt ever have been the case - India are the better team, and should have dominated from Day 1. The fact that they allowed England to nearly win, and required a superman effort to win this Test means India are a long way away from threatening Australia.

Of course this wouldnt have been possible if not for Sehwag - who is batting in a different planet right now. Just the most gob-smacking test innings of all time - out of this world.

Where does Rahul go from here? Surely he will play in Mohali, maybe at No. 6 - which may not be such a bad thing. Then if he plays into some form for Karnataka, you cannot not take him to NZ - where the seaming pitches need his skill. Who knows what will happen after that? What a tailor-made situation it was on Day 5 in Chennai for him to score a century and save/win the game? he didn't take it, Sachin did - good for Sachin. come on now, Rahul.

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.