I am quote OK with the team, just that I feel that Chawla should have been there instead of Ojha.

Post from: EveryJoe

Indian team for the Sri Lanka tour

Here are a few stories coming from the land where the world cup is always on:

1. Brett Lee is tired: He doesn’t say it, but Punter does
2. Kamran Dropmal has a mate : Brad Haddin is feeling the heat, though I dunno how you do that against the current West Indies team.
3. Gayle is Back : Being a Knight Rider was never so cool; after all, loyalty is loyalty
4. GAYLE is the Skipper! AS IF!
5. Joel Garner has described the fast bowlers as “lazy”, but Gayle said they had done a “terrific job” so far. “Everybody has been playing their part,” he said, “it’s just that our batting has let us down a bit.”.

   I so fishin don’t think so!

6. Someone’s Beau has been selected, Casson, they say.
7. Third Test begins today (in India, its past midnight, so don’t go by the b5 clock here)
8. West Indies have HOPES of leveling the series. Go play Stanford, MAAN!

A funny name for you guys : Sewnarine Chattergoon. Google him.

Post from: EveryJoe

West Indies vs Australia – a lazy update

Kevin Pietersen has been oft criticized for being too irrational and inconsistent! But not today. He was rational and scored 115. While a few of my friends are mulling over the IPL, i thought it was time to move on in life. Everything you love might go away, but this one will come back.

Back to the test match, the Black Caps won the toss and decided to field on a typical Trent Bridge wicket. The English batsman struggled early on, with Cook, Vaughan and Collingwood getting out to bowling beauties, O’Brien being the wrecker-in-chief! The score was 86/5. KP loves being there when the team is at five down, as the Aussies would know. Being lent able support from Ambrose, he piled on the runs, thought eventually getting out to a Corridor of Uncertainty Delivery. England ended the day at 273/7.

Brief Scores:

KP Pietersen 115(223)
TR Ambrose 67(148)

IE O’Brien 4/61
KD Mills 3/58

More on day 2. This is turning out into a fantastic test match

Post from: EveryJoe

England vs New Zealand – 3rd Test – Trent Bridge, Nottingham – Day 1

It was a fighting match. Just that the West Indies were fighting as soon as Ponting made 150 on the first day. In the end, needing 240 odd to win on the last day, they succumbed to the accuracy of Stuart Clark, Brett Lee and Stuart McGill and ended the innings at 191, 96 runs short.

Clark returned with a five-for. Mc Grath II seems to be learning fast. From the West Indies, Ramdin the little keeper showed sparks of guts with his 36 of 61 balls, but when he was out, the fat lady had already cleared her throat.

Test Cricket was the winner, though. Australia showed again that perseverance and accuracy pays all the time. All in all, a nice beginning to a really boring tour. LARA COME BACK!

Photo : Newscom

Post from: EveryJoe

Australia beat West Indies

West Indies vs Australia – 1st Test – May 22-26 2008

Sabina Park, Kingston, Jamaica

Sometimes the mind says : TOO MUCH IPL! But mate, it never is enough, when it comes to pleasures of life. But not in this post. I would try my best!

If you are a Kolkata Knight Rider fan, you would have a bitter feeling now. Bitter as your team has been knocked out of the IPL. Bitter as one of your star signings Ricky Ponting could do nothing to help you in your quest for a semi-final berth. Bitter as the same guy has scored 154 in his very first post IPL stint on the cricket field, albeit in a test match against the null-star West Indies team. Enough about feelings, serious cricket follows:

Despite Hayden not playing due to Achilles, at the end of Day 1, the Aussies were well placed at 301 for the loss of 4 wickets. Other major contributions with the bat : Hussey(56) and Hodge(53)

Looking at the bowling analysis of the West Indies, almost everyone bowled as good, or as bad, though Fidel Edwards was the most successful (and expensive) of the bowlers (2/56 in 14). The day was dull to watch, if not for the exquisite stroke play by Ponting, Hussey and Hodge. Updates Tomorrow.

Photo: Newscom

Post from: EveryJoe

Ricky Ponting Sizzles as West Indies go through the motions

Ain’t no use in Complaining
When You Got a Job to do!

So let me shoot away. I did see a lot of the first day’s play between England and New Zealand at Lords. Sidebottom looked sharp. I sometimes get the feeling England look a much better team when they are not playing India these days. Anyway’s, the new ball attack which the whiter shirts (England) dished out almost buried the White uniforms with Black Caps.

The major wreckers were Jamie “I love lords” Anderson (12-3-42-3) and Stuart :(666666) Broad (15-3-70-2). The NZs were reduced to 190 for 5 by tea. To tell you something, John Buchanan and Saurav Ganguly have a great eye for talent. If you think this statement is completely off topic, think again! They picked Brendon McCullum (though Mallaya wanted him too) and the rest is history. Coming back to the present, in walked McCullum. He played an innings which could only be described as…well….I would say careful! He left quite a few balls, but then if a batsman makes a run a ball 97 and still is called careful, you know the IPL has arrived to stay. Watch!

BB McCullum b Panesar 97(97) 13×4 2×6

New Zealand closed the day with 208 for 6. More tomorrow.

Photo: Cricinfo
Video : Youtube

Post from: EveryJoe

England vs New Zealand – First Test at Lords – Day 1

Pretty predictable list, basically. Only surprise is Sreesanth’s absence.

Yes, he’s unfit, but then RP and Zaheer Khan have been roped in too, despite injuries. Well, so we’ll miss on the fun, I guess.

Post from: EveryJoe

The Prospects’ List is Out

As soon Monty heard he’s Coach’s fave, his hypothalamus is activated (actually, he’s trying to do just that here in the above pic), and it sends signals across the body and his adrenaline is send gushing through it. See how profusely he sets himself to practice.

–

England vs. Sri Lanka

Actually, this is a time in England’s cricketing history when players are actually competing hard to get in. That Steve Harmison was flown in to join the squad meant bad news for the other pace battery prospects. Ryan Sidebottom is one who looks good, and his impressive runs in the recent past will stand him in good stead. They might want to wait on Broad, though (my left brain complies with the idea, but right brain kicks it hard in the rear). James Anderson looks bad, and worse, he’s faced with fitness issues, which, if not resolved, will ensure Broad’s Test debut. (right brain neurons firing at abnormal speed).

I’ll bet on Alastair Cook as far as the batting side of things is concerned.(Hey, Betfair guys, whadya say?)

England would definitely have an edge over the SL side, since they beat the Lankans in the ODI series, and we aren’t sure how much Jayawardhane’s boys have learned from their Australian debacle. Plus, England’s pace line-up looks darn strong, and Monty’s ready to spin them around.

Photo Credit: BBC

Post from: EveryJoe

Why Monty looks so happy?

Idea in a nutshell: Convert Test playing nations into franchises and allow player flow among them. He perceives this as a formula to level the playing field between Australia and rest of the crop.

The ICC is earnestly considering it. Oh, well.

IMHO, the kind of fix he’s looking for, if he has altruistic concerns at all, doesn’t exist. The only (and it’s not the “only one”) way to surpass Australia is to follow in their footsteps. Observe what they do, how they do it. Emulate them. Then beat them to it. Simple, eh? Yes. Easy? No. It takes time, money, and lots of left-brain thinking (which politicians aren’t capable of).

He said:

Most young cricketers in Australia grow up wanting to play for Australia, but I’m sure there would be quite a few who, when they get to about 25 or 26 and realise they probably won’t get a chance to wear the baggy green, would still be happy to play international cricket anywhere.

I am reminded of the epitome of batting prowess, Stuart Law. The King Law, as they hailed him.

That happens, I agree. But that’s how the things are– survival of the fittest. More cricket talent is wasted in India than in any other country. Point not taken, Sir. Sorry.

Buchanan’s sole focus with this looks like finding better avenues for second-class Australian players.

Some thoughts to ponder over:

*Won’t the so-called franchises indulge into “buying” the cricketers? The highest bidder gets the player.

*If half your country’s test team was made up of players from other countries, would you feel patriotic at all? Would you go to the matches?

Post from: EveryJoe

Buchanan Has a Dream…

Some may not be ready to hail Brett Lee as Australia’s new “spearhead” yet, but he’s cut through the Sri Lankan innings like a torpedo, ripping apart 4 wickets, putting SL on the backfoot completely.

Off the field, he’s signed a deal to compose the World Cup 2011 theme song. Don’t forget: he’s the leading guitarist for Six and Out, a music band run by him and his cricketing friends from New South Wales. His duet with Asha Bhonsle hit the second spot on the Indian music charts last year.

He also believes that, with his kind of external features, he could easily get roles in Bollywood (think the British types in Lagaan). So, he’s actually counting on that as a career option after retirement from cricket.

He’s a lucky chap, Liz Kemp and all. What a life.

Oh, and I don’t have a problem with his singing the theme song — as long as it’s not in Hindi!

Post from: EveryJoe

Lee is in the Air