Musings about sports in general, & Cricket in particular. With baseball season coming up, will look into that, too. And lots of good cricket in 2007, including the World Cup.
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This is where you stick random tidbits of information about yourself.
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20030430
Kent are off to a tough start from the County side of things, but they did take their 1st National League match. It looks like the decision of Kent to field 1st has paid off today, as currently Sussex are 166/6. Captain Fulton is still out, recuperating, but Mark Ealham is proving to be a fine substitute.
Surrey, again, looks to be the class of the league, but then they have more country call-ups than any of the other sides &, with the Zimbabwe series upcoming, they may factor into things. Yorkshire are making the most of their relegation, looking strong here at the start, so maybe (all the Northeasterners hope so) this is just a one-year deal. Still, from County Champs to relegation in a one-year span is quite a fall from grace. If Goughie can get healthy & back in form, it's certainly possible. And if Caddick concentrates now on Somerset, look for things to improve their, too.
2:06 PM
20030423
At 2:37pm local time at Queen's Park Oval, Port of Spain, Trinidad, the Australians completed another whipping of the Windies, winning by 118 runs & leading the 4 Test sereis 2-0. And it's not just that they're winning, but HOW they're winning: can't remember ever seeing a Test match won without the skipper ever coming to bat. By declaring on 4 wickets in the 1st Innings & 3 in the 2nd, Captain Waugh took a gamble that his bowlers could deliver the goods. They did. Windies Captain Brian Lara had a great match, with 91 in the 1st Innings & 122 in the 2nd, but when he was out with 159 runs & 3 wickets left, you knew the jig was pretty much up.
I love Waugh-captained sides, because his aggressive style makes matches so interesting. What could have been another boring draw (& very likely would have been if not for the declarations) turned into an exciting 5th day at Queen's. All of the premier Aussie batters fattened their averages (with the exception of Waugh, whose strategy robbed only him of a chance to get some easy runs...but that's Waugh all over, sacrificing personal stats for a team win). On the bowling end for the Aussies, Jason Gillespie took 6 wickets & Brett Lee 5 in the match (although Lee needs to work on that run rate). It was a total victory for the tourists, & it must leave the Windies praying that hurricane season comes early this year.
In county news: Kent 245, Leicestershire 101/3 in the 1st Innings; Hampshire 381/5 Glamorgan yet to bat in the 1st Innings; Lancashire 354, Nottinghamshire 0 in the 1st Innings; Sussex 239, Middlesex 79/4 in the 1st; & Durham 185, Somerset 126/5 in the 1st. All scores are at stumps.
7:15 PM
Steve Waugh is proving again how he is truly the best cricket captain by his agressive management style in the Caribbean this match. It could have been much safer to build up a huge total & hope for a win but, rather than just try to avoid a loss, he's putting his faith in the hands of his bowlers & going straight out for a win. He thus risks a loss, but Waugh's a gambler. And, he trusts his men. I remember a similar situation against New Zealand a few years ago where that same strategy very nearly led to an Aussie defeat, but he was willing to risk it for the win. This stategy makes for a very exciting match, & livens up what otherwise could be a deadly draw.
At this moment, Captain Lara is holding the Windies together, but if he can be broken than the tourists look to take the match.
2:41 PM
20030421
Brian Lara may just very well be the best batter in the world but, alas, his team is no match for the great Aussie juggernaut. Captain Lara has reclaimed his form in this series, but it may be of no avail for his team. The Windies may have given their best effort here in the 2nd Test, & it still won't be enough.
3:27 AM
20030418
If there is a better team in the world than Australia now, I don’t see them. I’m not just talking cricket: football, baseball, basketball, volleyball, whatever sport you want to name, I think the Aussies are head & shoulders above everyone else right now. The Yankees & Man U notwithstanding…anyone. Their pounding of West Indies only serves to make this point. While the Windies are but a shadow of their former selves, let us not forget that Australia has had an extremely busy (Northern Hemisphere) winter. This is a team that should be totally worn out, but seems fresh as the proverbial daisy. Let us not forget their unbeaten run through the World Cup. Granted, leaving Langer & Waugh out of that Cup team seems now to have been a good move, as both (especially Langer) seem to be heating up & lifting the other boats with their rising tide. The Windies are profiting from a reinvigorated Lara & some aggressive bowling: against any other side, they would probably be competitive. Yet they can’t get started against the Aussies. And with the news that both Ridley Jacobs & Jermaine Lawson are out for the 2nd Test, which starts April 19, the news just went from bad to worse.
I know that this is starting to sound like some kind of Down Under lovefest, but the fact is that teams like this come along very rarely. Even the Windies during their heyday were not as dominating as this Aussie side. They’ve only lost one Test in the last two years, & that was to India at home (and let us not forget that India had to score several records to recrd that series win (including that magnificent win after being forced to follow on—only the 3rd time that had happened in Test Match history). Since then, in addition to their Cup triumph, they totally destroyed a South Africa side (& I sincerely believe that crippled the Proteas in their quest for the Cup at home), & only superb play in one match kept them from sweeping England at home to retain the Ashes. Indeed, it seems to require the best possible effort just to take one match out of a series away from these blokes. They’ve also proved that they can win without their stars: where else could you have lost Shane Warne & Mark Waugh & still roll like thunder. They can even win without McGrath, even though he’s back in now. Australia seems to have answered some questions vis a vis the retirement & aging of key players, & those answers are unfortunate for other sides.
It’s indeed amazing how things have turned around in the previous year: Australia was a question mark, South Africa seemed poised to take over, India & Pakistan seemed strong…my, how quickly things turn around! Other than the Aussies, the aforementioned teams are in shambles—although each certainly has the ability to turn things around (especially the Proteas). No matter how strong other sides are, the Aussies just seem to be stronger, regardless of whom they field.
It’s Holy Week, & that means the return of English County cricket! Surrey looks poised to perhaps repeat this year, & while Kent were looking good, their captain Fulton has gone in hospital for a bout of surgery. Two scores in already: Surrey beat Leicestershire by 483 runs (Surrey 494 & 492-declared; Leicestershire 361 & 142) & Warwickshire beat Sussex by 3 wickets (Sussex 352 & 341; Warwickshire 293 & 405-7).
4:38 AM
20030417
Is Australia the world’s greatest cricket team? This question may be getting a bit boring to some (especially partisans of other teams) & it is becoming almost rhetorical. There is no doubt that Australia dominates, both in the Test & the One-Day game. As I’ve said before, Australia doesn’t rebuilt, they just reload. No doubt, a reason for their great success has been their ruthlessness as a team, not only on the pitch, but also in the selection committee. The Waugh twins just starting to lose a bit? Here are some new guys. Michael Slater having a rough go of it? He’s out. Some may argue about those decisions—indeed, I thought that Steve Waugh most certainly should have captained the side at the Cup—but the fact that the selectors make them, then stick by them, has borne this winning fruit.
This lack of decisiveness in other selections committees has hampered other sides’ success. One can look at both India & Pakistan, two nations with exponentially more players to choose from than Australia with its 19 or 20 millions: in both cases, selection seems sometimes to be based on things other than just merit. If this remains the case, it may be hard for either side to consistently compete: even England is better situated to make a move for dominance, these days. I know that Pakistan just won decisively at Sharjah, but that must be a qualified win: even though not the home side, the UAE, with its large Muslim population, surely embraced the Pakistanis as the favoured team. And India has to rely on just more than Tendulker & Dravid: whilst the other players show occasional brilliance, consistent competence overall would be better. Also, it seems that India has a history of cultivating the superstars at the expense of the whole team: personal records seem to be more valued than wins. Since cricket is a team sport, this seems needlessly shortsighted, & may account for their lack of domination.
Want to take a moment now to congratulate Sanath Jayasuriya for her services to his side & to the game. Well done! Sanath has been a class act all during his career & as a player has been truly entertaining to watch. I well remember how a few years ago in Sharjah Sri Lanka decimated India at the finals of the Coca-Cola Cup, with Sanath almost carrying his bat for the match & setting a Sharjah record. His last match last week, also in Sharjah, is clearly not how he wanted to go out, but that’s not how I will remember him, anyway. Sri Lanka, such a dominant presence over the last few years, now has an uncertain future, with the loss of their captain. I can only wish him well. He will certainly be remembered as one of the greats.
The 2nd Test between the Aussies & the Windies starts today: look for Australia to take this one, too. At this point, I think the Windies are playing for ties.
12:56 PM
20030411
Whew! Play just ended in the 2nd day of the Test Match between Australia & the West Indies, & it was a doozy! Australia, once again, showed their dominance as they proceeded through the day with no fear & with fierce agression against the Windies. After 2 days, it stands at West Indies 237 & 16/0, Australia 489. With such a mountain to climb, I doubt if the Windies have it in them, unless Captain Lara can re-emerge as the superman he used to be. Even that might not be enough, but it looks essential.
Ricky Ponting & Justin Langer had a fantastic knock today, compiling a 248 2nd-wicket partnership. They dominated most of the day, although Alan Gilchrist had an entertaining (& quick) 77 runs spell. But that Langer-Ponting match-up was pure magic. On the Windies side, only bowler Vaz Drakes was able to summon up echoes of the dominance that Windies bowlers used to enjoy, but after an economical start, even he was getting knocked around by Gilchrist & Bichel at day's end. Drake's haul of 5 Aussie wickets was absolutely indespensible today (& he even caused a runout). It's good to see Vaz get a chance after being overlooked by selectors for so long. He's played all over, with several tours of duties in various English sides, with even a tour of duty in South Africa. After today's performance, maybe he'll get the recognition he deserves.
I am so looking forward to tomorrow's play. I hope the rain stays away (it's threatening), as it's getting so entertaining.
10:04 PM
Well mates, it looks like kudos are due to the Aussies again: at 1st day stumps, it's West Indies 237 all out, Australia 120/1. Things are definitely looking up for the tourists. Langer & Ponting had a superb 2nd wicket partnership of 83, & the team must be looking forward to getting back on the pitch bright & early.
I'm so glad that Steve Waugh is the one to break the Test record: Happy 157th, Steve! It couldn't happen to a better man. The thing that impresses me the most about this team is how they're able to submerge their egos & concentrate on the task at hand, which is winning. Waugh is not the most successful captain of all time for nothing. And his team is not just a team for the ages for nothing. They're a team in the true sense, in that they're able to roll with the punches (a la the unexpected loss of Shane Warne) & still find ways to beat you. Their record over the last few years has been absolutely phenomenal, especially as the world game has gotten so competitive with the develop of the Lankans & Pakistanis, & the return of South Africa to international play. And rather than be hurt by the retirement of a Border or a Mark Waugh (as well as the unforeseen suspensions & injuries that are part of the game), Australia has merely re-loaded, rather than re-built. For them to have enjoyed this kind of record is something to be savored as it happens so infrequently. I expect them to sweep the West Indies. I understand the rationale in not having Waugh handle the one-day team, but hope he has a few more years in him with the Test squad.
I really like the trend in having different captains for the test & one-day teams: it's been done for years with the make-up of the squads, so why not factor in the captain in that mix. Because of the World Cup & the preperations for that, you really do want to be developing your one-day squad constantly, shuffling in the young lions, but for the test squad, since it's such a different animal altogether, I think the on the whole an older, wiser lineup is needed. Nasser Hussein is wise to retire from the one-day squad & give the ECB a chance to develop a new captain for the next Cup, but I would hate to lose him in the Test arena: he can really shine there. I think that seperate captains create less of an onus, as it enables the captain of each squad more time to complete his strategy. On the whole, I much prefer the Test match, with its fluctuations & its strategies. It is much more like a battle, & much more in need of competent leadership, than almost any other sport that comes to mind. It is especially poignant now to see the West Indies, who formerly enjoyed a reputation comparable with Australia's recent one, in this particular series. With Brian Lara back at the helm for the Windies, it really does seem like old home week again.
Really, I don't think it matters whether Waugh or Ponting or the recently-retired Phil Tufnell is captain of the Aussies: to a man, they seem committed to winning. Their professionalism is a physical presence with them, & I think that the other teams sense that. Waugh can claim much credit for instilling this presence in them, & his own killer instincts serve both him & his team well. I can't wait for tomorrow morning!
1:31 AM
20030410
World Cup Cricket champion Australia is starting its 1st match since the Cup at Georgetown, Guyana against the WEst Indies. They're taking Drinks now, but the Aussies look good: they're batting over 5 runs an over!
8:44 PM
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