World Cup Gets An Open Look

It is nice to be proved wrong a few times, especially when your prediction
leaves you mug-faced, yet lights up a world Cup. Bangladesh continued their
giant killing run thanks some much disciplined cricket at the outset. The
key to the minnows’ (can we continue with that term?) success was continuing to
be positive with the bat in spite of wickets falling around them.


Mohd. Ashraful played an innings that was innovative and also laced with
risks but that is the advantage one carries when you are not expected to come
first. His shot selection was exemplary. It looks great when it comes,
and draws some serious flak when it fails, but it was his day, and it turned
out well. The square drive he played was reminiscent of a GRV in his pomp
and majesty.

The slow nature of the wicket helped the cause for Bangladesh. The wicket
was anyway on the slower side and Graeme Smith should have batted first to
make the best of the conditions. Bowling in the slog has been the Proteas’
problem area and the sameness in the attack is not helping them either.
Batsmen get used to it, and if a team can preserve wickets, the last 10 can be a
good hunt.


The Bangla bowlers must be given credit for bowling stump to stump and
holding a tight leash that set the trap. The fielding standards helped a
disciplined attack look better and the two run-outs were special. It was a
win for self-belief and covering the percentages well. The bottom half has
opened up well and the final spot could be anybody's and it is good for the
event that looked going one-way till yesterday.

Team India would have been ideal in the present conditions. The wickets are
slowing down and spinners would have had a large part to play. In the
present scenario Sri Lanka have their brightest chance and look the likeliest
team to upset the Aussie applecart.


The match today has more stakes to it after the upset yesterday. If the
Aussies are to encounter a run chase on slow wicket, Monty Panesar and Paul
Collingwood could be a handful. The English batting is also showing signs of
improvement -- and I am not going to make predictions here! If England can pull
it off it would give the tournament the much needed fillip.

A total in excess of 250, if England were to bat first, would make interesting
viewing. I wouldn't mind getting up weary-eyed on Monday morning. Take my word, it’ll be worth it.

A Worthwhile Exercise

It was worthwhile. It was also an excuse to bump into some old pals and renew memories. As far as the main agenda items ere concerned, it did go on well. The key task areas were identified and all the main points were touched upon. Emphasis was laid on promotion of junior cricket and selection of junior teams.

The job of a selector from now (I hope) should be a paid job, and they can only be held accountable when they are compensated for their time and effort. The zonal system could be done away with, but that has been a concept for a long time and it might take some time for the BCCI to eradicate that procedure.

The revamp of the Ranji Trophy was highly commendable. The format from now could be that the top 10 teams play the elite on a round robin format, and the remaining teams could be divided in to three zones and the top team from each zone go on to progress to the top tier for the ensuing season and the bottom three from the elite slip to the lower rung. This can throw up some tight competition and produce some better and importantly well-prepared cricketers. The wickets would hold the key, though; the condition of wickets will have to be made truer so performance correctly reflects the players standing.

The A-tour concept was mooted mainly because younger players can do away with their fear when they encounter bouncier tracks and bowler-friendly conditions, and they feel at home when the travel with the senior side.

The NCA has been identified as the supply source - not it was not doing it earlier - the role only gets bigger now. Each zone will have a facility that would measure to the standards set by the NCA and work will also start on each association having their own indoor facility.

I stuck to my stand on an 'Indian' coach and was happy to see my good friend and opening partner Ravi Shastri appointed as the cricket manager for the tour of Bangladesh. I am sure it is the first of the many good moves the BCCI is going to take. A review meeting has been proposed every three months and the board is considering it.

Only when I came back out of the meeting did I realize there is to be a match on between South African and Bangladesh. The Proteas are far ahead on paper, and should wallop the next best Asian hope. It is a game of glorious uncertainties but this match looks not to fall in to that trap.

Meeting Should Provide The Answers

A touch nervy for a start. By the time this column appears on the world wide web or in print, the BCCI meeting that involves some of the greatest to have graced the game would be well and truly on its way.

The focal point of discussion will be on the appointment of a new coach. I am certainly on for an Indian coaching Team India. The reasons are too obvious to be stated and I have written or said a lot on that already, and I don't believe I need to dwell on those points anymore.

There will also be a lot of talk on the resurrection of the first class system in the country. Believe me, there is good talent that is available, but the wickets on which our first class cricket is played does not prepare these young players for the sterner tests which international cricket throws up.

When I was the chairman of the pitch committee, I made an honest attempt to make the pitches, at least those of the major venues, livelier. But it was not an easy task, given the way our surfaces are made out. It was to be a long drawn process. I felt we lost track somewhere.

Here are my views, in short form, on the matter: domestic cricket should be treated better by the media. I hear the players are going to be given a substantial hike, which is as it should be. Better and truer wickets, along with the above said, will make the domestic scene worthwhile.

Unless there is a good reservoir, the team is going to face crisis regularly. And for that to happen, all points have to fall in place quickly. I am not trying to please anyone when I say thanks to the BCCI for having the faith in former cricketers to address one of the biggest crises to have hit Indian cricket.

Well, there is going to be no cricket at the World Cup for two days, and the meeting could not have been timed better. We can keep our focus solely on the meeting. But one thing is getting clear in the Caribbean: Sri Lanka, New Zealand, Australia and South Africa (not in that order) are breaking free from the other sides and are sure to make the knockouts.

Any other team making it to the next stage is as likely as snowfall in my city.

England Light Up The World Cup

image courtesy cricinfo.com

It was only along expected lines. The partnership could not have continued, with so many glaring differences. With Greg Chappell's resignation comes an end to a very eventful and, of late, unsavoury chapter in Indian cricket.

Till the very end, the Indian coach did not agree that he was a part of the bunch that failed at the World Cup and only continued to play the blame game. If the attitude of the players was not up to the mark, he should have made a point about that before the World Cup and not after the debacle in the West Indies.

The rift and the so-called divide between the seniors and juniors could have been averted (if at all there was one). Chappell should have addressed these problems, or reported it to the BCCI as and when it happened. Using things to his convenience after a bad result does not talk highly of a person who did almost everything as a player and captain right, except instruct his younger brother to bowl underarm to ensure victory at all costs.

It was a mixed bag as far results are concerned in the last 22 months, but the team at the moment is an insecure lot and for the boys to regroup might take some time. But the advantage is the next assignment is against Bangladesh, where the team has all the chance to get back to their best. The season that follows is one of the most grueling and it is not only going to test the skill of the players but also the mental tenacity of the lot.

There were other small matters that surrounded the world of cricket when England played Sri Lanka at St. Peter's. England, for once, played to potential and if they had won it would have really opened up this World Cup and made things a lot more interesting.

England's biggest Achilles’ heel has been its openers. Michael Vaughn is hardly the inspiring figure he used to be. Joyce is nervy. The duo's failure at the top is costing them dearly. Their body language is also not very positive and the bowling that looked good was only aiming to be restrictive, rather than look at wickets. This, to me, made the difference between the two sides.

England also left the task undone for too long. The middle overs ticked by without much scoring being done and if not for the heroic effort from Ravi Bopara, Sri Lanka would have won comfortably. England though can take a lot of positives from this show and approach the upcoming games with assurance. Ravi Bopara's success is a shot in the arm for the English who might well have envisaged a back door entry to the final four when he was at the crease.

Cricket At Its Boring Best

The chaff is on its final stretch, he top four clearly visible. If this World Cup has no more upsets in store, then Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and Sri Lanka should take their rightful spots in the semifinals. The difference in class between the above mentioned teams and the rest in the super eights is as clear as crystal.

Ireland tried their best and came second-best, by a long distance. Most of the games in the second stage are becoming a big yawn, and a futile exercise. South Africa must watch out for the number of runs that leak in the final ten. They have to get tighter, or higher-ranked sides might just trample over them.

When results are a foregone conclusion, add heavily priced tickets and little amusement, and your grounds are nearly empty. Television viewing has also dwindled; a difficult time zone to accommodate in the sub-continent has had its part to play.

The scheduling of matches in the super eight has left a lot to be desired. Only a handful of matches have produced good contests. The one that involved South Africa and Sri Lanka was worthy. Same way today's game between Sri Lanka and England holds promise. Sri Lanka, though, seems to have hit the straps better than England. The slower nature of the wickets give added advantage to the Islanders.

It is going to be a difficult match to predict, as the two sides play with a style that is totally distinct from each other. The Lankans rely on instinct and spin, while England try to grow on discipline and hinge on pace. The fans have been devoid of quality stuff, so the best we can hope for is a keenly contested match.

India might have been ousted but continue to hit the headlines. It was good to see Sachin Tendulkar come out in the open and voice his displeasure. No player, whatever be his stature, would ever like his attitude questioned. And to someone who has done so much for Indian cricket for more than 17 years, it would have been difficult to digest.

The blame game has definitely gone past the point of no return, as I mentioned earlier. I don't see a cordial atmosphere in the dressing room if Greg Chappell continues to be the Indian coach. It is time to move on and appoint someone who will understand the players better.

This Blame Game Must Stop

image courtesy cricinfo.com

If the reports that suggest a row between the senior players and coach Greg Chappell hold truth, then Indian cricket finds itself in its messiest state in a long time. What I have been unable to fathom is the regular leak of content to the media, especially if it is a report from Greg Chappell. Every one except the intended recipients seems to have the news much in advance.

The 'seniors' have been in the news for the wrong reasons. Let us get this right; to me there are four seniors in the side: Sachin, Dravid, Kumble and Sourav. The first two will not stop the growth of youngsters in the side because there is no threat to their place in the team (at least till the World Cup) and they are players who have proved beyond doubt that they belong and never need to feel insecure.

Kumble, for all I know, is not the kind of player who is going to sabotage a youngster's career. Cast your mind back to February 2001. Kumble braving an injured arm helping a young Harbhajan before the grueling series against Australia is still a vivid memory, and for a player who has always put the team interest first, these things would be last on the list. Sourav has just made his return and he is not to resort to such tactics. So which senior player is Chappell talking about? Harbhajan and Sehwag are two experienced campaigners and if Chappell felt they were acting against the interest of the team, he should have pulled them up personally and had a chat with them instead of going public with his views.

There is a forum that has been given to him to submit his report, and Chappell using his 'friends' in the media to get the news out before it could be discussed in the appropriate forum does not speak highly of his methods. Right from the moment he took over the reins of Indian cricket, he has resorted to his policy of divide and rule. It worked with the ouster of Sourav and he is trying his hand again now.

Another area where Chappell has been found wanting is not understanding his role within Indian cricket. He is not the messiah who is here to clean up the system. He is a paid professional whose job was to ensure the Indian team more victories. Sadly, that never happened. Instead he has played the blame game from day one. There is no denying the fact the coach and captain must be given the side they want. The squad that played the Champions Trophy or the one that travelled to the World Cup was the best India had at that point of time, so there are no excuses. Backing guys like Suresh Raina or a under performing Kaif was not based on logic.

The damage has already been done and there is no point brooding over it. Things can get only better for Team India from this point. Let the BCCI use this as an opportunity to usher in a fresh start. Axing the captain or a major portion of the team is only going to make things worse. Let sanity prevail and selection in the future be based on merit rather than emotion.

Greg Chappell's failure is another reminder on how great players need not make it big as a coach. 7110 Test runs at an average of above 53 did not ensure success as a coach. A proven failure as coach at levels, be it South Australia or the Indian team, I feel he is just not cut out for the job.

He is the one who harped on the 'perform or perish' mantra and it is time Chappell understood he has not performed. The time has come. It is time for the board to look at a new coach who will understand the Indian psyche better and keep the side as one fighting unit, rather than let infighting grow to such an extent it paralyses performance.

The rift between the players and the coach has gone past the point of no return. There is no point in continuing with a coach who does not see the larger picture and work cordially with the players.

Sanath Constructs Another Masterpiece

image courtesy cricinfo.com

The chasm between the top-sides and the also-rans is getting mightier by the minute. Sri Lanka proved beyond doubt they are a side not to be taken lightly. No doubt the match revolved around the trailblazing blade of Sanath Jayasuriya and later his crafty bowling skills. But the others chipped in as well and the Lankans performing as a team augurs well for a side that has always been seen as a proverbial under achiever away from home.

The knock from Sanath was an eye-opener. The daggers came out right after the 2003 World Cup and when he visited India a few seasons back he was written off as a spent shell. The way he has picked himself in the last two years and amassed runs is reflective of his combative nature and extraordinary self belief.

Sachin Tendulkar who has been under the scanner after the world Cup debacle, can pick a few important points from Jayasuriya. Naturally attacking batsmen should never resort to defensive cricket, I tried it a few times and came only second best, not for a moment am I comparing myself with Sachin but the crux of the matter is stroke makers should play their natural game and Sachin if he has to leave the game with his head held high must continue to attack. Adam Gilchrist another annihilator of attacks does not hold himself back in the twilight of his career so why should Sachin?

Jayasuriya's owes his success to his eye sight. A good eye is the lead up to picking the length early and bat speed and hand-eye co-ordination is only a by product. Great attacking batsmen, be it past or present, have possessed a great eye and Sanath has that in abundance and he is a glowing example on how one can go mug faced when writing of a legend.

The match as such was only a good mismatch, though my prediction came right, it once again exposed the limitations in the Caribbean ranks. Sri Lanka proved a far superior side man to man and had the answers to represent every situation. They played the percentage game better and as I had said earlier every player in the side understands his role correctly and that is the secret of their success.

The West Indian approach left a lot to be desired. Chasing a target in excess of 300 requires a bold approach and the hosts did not make an attempt go after the attack and take the fight to the opposition. It was another game that was robbed of its competitive flavor and the writing was clear after Brian Lara left in the eleventh over.

image courtesy cricinfo.com

The tournament goes on promising a good game of cricket but hardly delivering it. Followers of the game can hope for another miracle today. Bangladesh can take a lot out of their win in the warm up game against the Kiwis and go full throttle. The Kiwis for their part have peaked well and prove to be more than a handful for the other Asian hope.