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or why I am not too disappointed with India's early exit from the Champions Trophy.
1. India has historically been slow to get off the blocks. Every single time we have gone into a break, we have taken our own sweet time to get back into the groove. It happened in 2004 after the Pakistan series. It happened again before the West Indies series in 2006. And the South Africa series in 2006.Sri Lanka 2009 was an aberration.
2. No Sehwag, Yuvraj and Zak. No Sachin for the final game. No Sreesanth, Irfan, Munaf or Rohit Sharma. No Ojha either. RP, Ishant and Yusuf on the bench because of poor form. And yet, I have to hear an argument about India not playing its best team. And I think that is the biggest gain for India. The fact that we can whistle up players to fill in the gaps ( and quality players too) speaks volumes of our bench strength.
3. There are no apparent weaknesses in this team. We have all bases covered, whether in power batting, pace bowling or spin. Unlike 2007 when we were scrambling to put a team together on the park.
The problem is form. The team as a whole is battling pre season form.Which is a product of the 2 month layoff.
4. The luck factor. The teams batting first at the Centurion, with the exception of New Zealand, scored in excess of 300 runs and won. Rain played spoilsport in the match against Australia. For what its worth, I would have backed India in the run chase only because the Australian bowling is not quite there and because India performs at its best with its back against the wall.
But like everything else, the worm will turn. And if we continue to win inspite of the luck factor rather than because of it, it augurs well for us in the future.
The blue print and the tools for 2011 are there in place. Between now and then , every game played is another exercise to fine tune our game plans.Sure, we should win all. Its a good target to achieve... But I will not accept that this team has suddenly become ordinary because it did not win the Champions Trophy or make it to the semis.
Mountains out of molehills
Dangling Conversations
What Needs to Happen for India to Qualify for the Champions Trophy Semi Finals
Bored Game: Fantasy Cricket Challenge - Day Eight Update
After eight days and 10 games we arrive at the final group stage day with Mahek literally running away with it the moment, I've gotta admit a 1085 point lead is going to be hard for anyone to catch, but with 5 games left it is still not impossible - kinda like India's chances today! Congratulations are also due to Mahek for his performance outside the league, he now lies 8th overall on cricinfo! Well Done Mahek!
| Position | Manager | Team Name | Points |
| 1 | HundredPercentBarcelonista | The Mahekoholics | 3976 |
| 2 | VelvetFlair | Velvet Flair | 2891 |
| 3 | Achettup | SoaL Smashers | 2840 |
| 4 | aditya.chv | aditya.chv | 2837 |
| 5 | mudassarijazawan | Reverse Swing dt Wordpress | 2695 |
| 6 | NakedCricket | Naked Cricket | 2602 |
| 7 | crownish | deft punks | 2475 |
| 8 | meg.s | RDX | 2387 |
| 9 | Homer2007 | Homers Troopers | 2357 |
| 10 | CricketTragicOfOffCutter | Cricket Tragic Champs | 2313 |
| 11 | The_Daredevils | The Daredevils | 2308 |
| 12 | practimist | paddlesweepers | 2282 |
| 13 | DonQ | Qs Syndicate | 2205 |
| 14 | varunyc | LOST | 2143 |
| 15 | FCKING | FCKing11 | 2012 |
| 16 | Lord_Littlething | Little Things | 1508 |
| 17 | krishnakkm | kridaya | 1422 |
| 18 | pravsjain | Classical Dreams | 1091 |
Just two games left in this stage of the Fantasy Challenge and they're both taking place today. Since they start at different times, you can once again pick players for the first game and drop them after they've been locked in for the second game, effectively meaning if you've got enough transfers you can earn points from more than 11 players today at the very least. And you can have two trumps!
Remember that you get unlimited transfers before the first semi-final, so stop holding on to those kiwis and poms and use up those transfers.
Cabby Cabby Mere Dil Mein (tale from Padosan)
To cricinfo
At 2359 points my overall rank is 2987. Take it that’s very good as at least few million geeks play Fantasy Cricket.
Today, before the start of the England-New Zealand game, my rank in the highly competitive Bored Cricket Crazy Indians league was 5, and I was left with 3 transfers.
No Englishman, and just Elliott at 80000 bucks. Of course I drop him for Morgan, make Morgan trump and get lost.
Prior to this, Johnson was my trump who took no part in yesterday’s game versus rain and India. Straight away a good few hundred points lost there.
Anyway, I return, after a jaunt round the place, discover much to my dismay, the Elliott-Morgan transfer did not take place.
Aside: Meanwhile Elliott takes his second wicket.
Yeah, so it was something to do with the combination not allowed, here’s what’s allowed:
1. 4 Batsmen, 2 Allrounders, 1 Wicketkeeper(s), 4 Bowlers
2. 5 Batsmen, 1 Allrounders, 1 Wicketkeeper(s), 4 Bowlers
3. 4 Batsmen, 3 Allrounders, 1 Wicketkeeper(s), 3 Bowlers
So where am I? Johnson as Trump, but he’s not even playing.
Elliott is, and he continues to take wickets as I write this. One of the reasons he is taking wickets is because I write this.
I ask you, cricinfo people, if you are real, and not some fantasy, to include Elliott as my trump. It may cause a minor upset in the Bored league, and I’m all for that.
Damn: Elliott takes another wicket. That's his third, and England are seven down.
Convinced, if I continue to write, Elliott will take the next three, and then take some in the nets. But what good is that for me?
PS: Elliott is the only player, either Kiwi or Pom who is part of the Naked Cricket team, it is but natural for him to be the trump player.
Tears in my eyes
this is from my personal archives…nothing duplicated, feel like sharing it now, after a chat I had with NC:
Some dreams are truly beautiful!
When I was six years old, I used to play tennis ball cricket with folks from surrounding areas. Most of them were about 10 years older than I was, which meant I was the last one to bat, no one taught me how to bat, and wicket-keeping came naturally. I remember a couple of occasions when I took a breathtaking catch or made the crucial last 5 or 10 runs needed to win the match and fill my teammates(who had lost hope, of course) with tremendous joy.
As I grew up, the breathtaking catches became a norm and the batting as well as the number at which I batted, improved. I enjoyed the tests the most. The tests were 2-innings a side games which lasted for five days, each day consisting of 2 hours maximum or till lights permitted. I proudly bragged about two ground records I held for around 4 years. ( I think I still hold one of them). They were:
- Highest Individual Score: 142 off 83 balls (set in June 2000, got broken in June 2003)
- Fastest Fifty: in 14 balls. I ended up scoring 73 off 23 and we ended up chasing 106 in near dark conditions on day 5. (set in June 2000, still unbroken)
Such are memories which stick. And are sweet even now. They used to call me the "velcro cheetah”, for obvious reasons…
Meanwhile, I was always improving. I could field at all positions save slip (keepers suck at slip, its the 180 degrees habit), I could take ultimate reflex catches, and would have tears in my eyes whenever, when I was batting and would hit an excellent cover drive or one over long off(my favourite), dad would cross the street and tell mom or whoever was with him- “look, he is my son!”
Around 2003, I was in 9th grade and the only thing I wanted to do in life was to play for India one day. Suddenly, one fine day, I was told not to go and play – by my dad. He did not give any reason. No he did give me one: “koi bhee aira gaira parthiv patel nahin ban jaata hai. padhai pe dhyaan do! (every tom, dick and harry cannot become Parthiv Patel, Concentrate on your studies.” I had tears then too, and hated him for about 2 years. No, I hated both of them (dad and Parthiv).
I did not play a single day for 2 years. In 11th, when I was in DPS NOIDA(high school), I started again as I was in boarding, and could never be the velcro cheetah again! 
I worked hard, but people always seemed to be much better than me. I mean, I got into the Hostel Team (was their second best batsman), but I knew this was never going to be good enough. I thought this would be the time to decide between my dream and my career. Alas, the 2 years of no cricket had already made the decision. The day I realised this fact, I had tears in my eye…
Ravindra Jadeja made his debut this february, and scored a fifty. He might not succeed in the long run, he might not be a great, but his story touched the chords of my heart like nothing till now ever has. Here it is:
In the morning, ahead of Jadeja’s first one-day international, Sachin Tendulkar gave him the India cap on the ground. It’s been a 12-year dream for Jadeja. It’s the story of a young boy and his mother standing firm on the path to walk in life.
When he was just eight and beginning to fall in love with the game, his father, a security guard, decided he had to join the army and was just a day away from enrolling him. Jadeja cajoled his mother to persuade his father from doing it.
Jadeja’s mother passed away in 2005 and he has been nursing her dream. "She wanted to see me in Indian colours. Losing her was the saddest moment of my life." The young boy has fulfilled his promise.
Mr. Ravindra Jadeja, you are the “lapku bhagoda” I could never be! Live my dream…Right now, I have tears in my eyes.
PS: It all right, Parthiv. And yeah, dad stopped me from playing as he had seen one of my teammates carry a gun on him. Nothing against you now, love you dad.
Ankit Mishra also blogs at Paddlesweep
Bored Game: Fantasy Cricket Challenge - Day Seven Update
We still got to score points from the match that wasn't. All the remaining teams play one match each. Mahek has extended his lead to 594pts.
| Position | Manager | Team Name | Points |
| 1 | HundredPercentBarcelonista | The Mahekoholics | 3350 |
| 2 | aditya.chv | aditya.chv | 2756 |
| 3 | VelvetFlair | Velvet Flair | 2689 |
| 4 | Achettup *LM | SoaL Smashers | 2436 |
| 5 | NakedCricket | Naked Cricket | 2359 |
| 6 | mudassarijazawan | Reverse Swing dt Wordpress | 2332 |
| 7 | meg.s | RDX | 2319 |
| 8 | DonQ | Qs Syndicate | 2205 |
| 9 | CricketTragicOfOffCutter | Cricket Tragic Champs | 2204 |
| 9 | practimist | paddlesweepers | 2204 |
| 11 | Homer2007 | Homers Troopers | 2043 |
| 12 | crownish | deft punks | 2018 |
| 13 | FCKING | FCKing11 | 1936 |
| 13 | The_Daredevils | The Daredevils | 1936 |
| 15 | varunyc | LOST | 1926 |
| 16 | Lord_Littlething | Little Things | 1508 |
| 17 | krishnakkm | kridaya | 1379 |
| 18 | pravsjain | Classical Dreams | 1036 |
Good Luck!
Andrew Strauss loses cool, turns semi-geek, semi-bad guy
Andrew Strauss leading and freeing the team of unpredictable uncertainties
Andrew Strauss has been having a really troubled life. Just when he thought that immortality was his after winning the ashes, the Aussies crushed his ego which by then had reached the peak of Rosemary Bank.
Then, having decided that he was full of shit and capable of no good (equilibrium frame of mind), Australia New Zealand surprise him by losing. “Why me?”, he asks god.
Now he is thinking about such important life and death issues, about the quest to solve his identity issues, about saving the world from inconsistencies, and suddenly he looks up to see his team scoring more than 320 odd runs against South Africa.
His eyes light up: “Are we going to be the team this time? Will we be given the opportunity to knock these buggers out of an ICC Event this time? Are you sure, Lord!”
Another twist awaits him. Cut to two and a half hours later. A certain G Smith is batting on about 120, Strauss is still in his Utopian Wannbreams of course. He is snapped out of that by the Umpire who is just doing the formality of asking the opposition skipper as Smith had called for a runner.
“I am in the middle of a conversation with the almighty and you need a RUNNER? That’s too bad, as I won’t let you have one. The rulebook says that I have full right to deny you if I feel like so. F*ck the rulebook, I won’t anyway allow you. You have no idea how f*cked up my mind is right now, so don’t push it. Aiite?”
Smith replies in a language which could not be understood by any England player as KP wasn’t there.
It is another story that England won this game too and are lost in the pit of disbelief at the moment. Smith can have the last laugh.
Cut Ishant some slack
DileepPremachandran: Ishant was pretty awful again today. A few good balls interspersed with absolute dross.
Alex Brown: What do you feel is the problem? Mechanical, temperamental, all of the above?
DileepPremachandran: If India do go out and it looks like they will now, Dhoni will be left to reflect on how two of his biggest hopes - Ishant and Harbhajan - let him down so badly in both games.
DileepPremachandran: I think it's both, Alex. He's lost a few yards of pace, and clearly lacks confidence too. Ever since his man-of-the-series efforts against Australia last year, he's been well below par.
He may have been well below par, but awful he wasnt. Here is Javagal Srinath
"This is part and parcel of the development of a bowler. The second season is always going to be tougher for a cricketer. He has the basics right and he will go on to become a very good bowler for India. These tough times are the best for him to learn about himself, about his bowling craft and develop. From what I hear, he has a great attitude to learn and if he remains hungry, he will come out a better ODI bowler and as a result, a better bowler overall."
There are concerns that Ishant, who has a fragile body and not a smooth post-release routine where he almost stumbles a bit, can get injured with playing too many ODIs but Srinath believes that's a risk that he has to take at this stage. "That's the risk that you have to weigh against the results and only he can know about his body."TA Sekhar, who ran the MRF Pace Academy with Dennis Lillee, shared the same view. "His strength is the pace and the bounce he gets from length and back of a length. That is his USP. I see no reason, for example, why should he cut down pace just to bowl a fuller length as some people have been suggesting
"What's the use of him bowling like [Glenn] McGrath? People say cut down pace, concentrate on lengths … No way. I am sure he is in good hands with Venkatesh Prasad (the India bowling coach) who would get the best out of him. Obviously, Ishant has to tinker with a few things like lengths but he doesn't have to change anything drastically. He is just 19-20. This is the time to play more and improve. He has what we call the fast-twitch muscles. The body will grow stronger and importantly, he will be much the wiser for going through this phase."
Now what?
Great, now we depend on Pakistan even for the slightest chance of making it to the semis. Thats like depending on Hugo Chavez to solve global warming. Or not. Anyway, we probably don't deserve to go there - oh wait, let me correct that - Team India probably don't deserve to get that far and we certainly don't deserve to see our bowlers put to the slaughter anymore and our captain's ridiculous tactics ruin their good early efforts anymore. I'm just glad I won't see Harbhajan's Tintin sleeves throwing a few more darts down the leg side. Annoyed. Frustrated. Will go to sleep, let this wash all over me.
" A gift for India"
That was Sanjay Manjrekar describing the Ricky Ponting run out. This was followed by " It was a good thing it was a direct hit, else the throw would have been awkward for the bowler".
This when Gautam Gambhir covered good distance in the outfield, fielded the ball with his wrong hand and then made a dead eye throw from 50 metres ( or more) to throw down the wickets at the non strikers end. Against one of the best judges of the run in the modern game, and one of its swiftest movers.
Any other team and Manjrekar would have jumped off his seat praising the accuracy and the speed of the throw along with the agility and the mobility of the fielder. Case in point - when Hussey and Ponting were playing the short singles, Manjrekar was " the sharp single.. This is what Australia bring to the game".
And this has been the leitmotif of almost all cricketing discussion in India.
When India wins, we will find every possible reason to qualify our win. When we lose, we exaggerate every real or perceived fault.
We are the best ODI team in the world. So when we lose, it is the trigger for national mourning. However, the fact that we are the best team in the world is qualified with Australia not being the force it was, England being ordinary, New Zealand not playing enough cricket. And look, India cannot sustain the number 1 ranking, so they dont deserve the ranking.
Just like India cannot play short pitched bowling. Never mind the fact that in the 2000s, we have the second best record ( after Australia) in winning overseas. And never mind the fact too that in this day and age, hardly anyone can play when the conditions are even so slightly off the norm. And never mind too that T20 is not ODI which is not Test Cricket, an argument that gets thrown up often every time an Indian, especially a youngster, performs.
Like, when a kid scores in the IPL, the first argument heard is that it is all fine and dandy to play the slam bang version of the game, but none of these kids can hold their own in Tests. However, when the same kids have problems scoring off the short ball in T20, the argument is that there is atechnical problem and how the future is bleak.. Conveniently forgetting that the T20 is the slam bang version of the game, unlike Tests, where the batsman can keep ducking under the ball till the cows come home!
And so on and so forth.
And this is from people who get paid to watch the game!
And then we berate "Match Ka Mujrim". I wonder why?
Paine In The Aus
6.0 - 0 - 49 - 0
Was a time he had Punter. Looks like Punter has him now - by the tall and the curlies.
And we have something. Something in common with Australia.
They have a Paine and we have a bit of Ishant at the mo.
Yeah , i can prolly expect a few from the "best new ball attack in the world" brigade. Well , bring it on, bros !
Relax , only kidding - peace :-)
Only for Amit Mishra
(updated after Mishra bowls and when he should)
I have decided to write in between overs - write when Bhajji or Ishant bowl, it's far more satisfying. And watch when Amit Mishra bowls.
A little thing, don't know if you noticed: After Mishra's excellent first over, where he bowled like he belonged, nearly had a wicket, what does MSD do -
He brings on Bhajji from Mishra's end. They have must have noticed turn, let's cash in fast - buy Bhajji a few wickets.
The other day when Yusuf, the jr spinner was going well, and bowled way earlier before Bhajji, what does MS do - he introduces Bhajji from Yusuf's end.
Ok, Mishra's on after the break.
Mishra strikes, he had to. It was written. And it is written here. The irony, even Bhajji couldn't drop that.
Another little thing, don't know if you noticed: Virat Kohli grabs at Bhajji to be part of the huddle.
Myopic MS: If the rain does come, and we have an abridged game, why waste overs on Ishant - bowl Mishra through.
Anonymous Amit
Amit Mishra may play in today’s one dayer. He last played in one more than six years’ back, in April 2003. Within less than ten days, Mishra made his debut and played his last ODI.
What does this tell you? The last ten years were booked for Bhajji and Jumbo. Between them they ate all the tests, ODIs, and T20s on offer. Why wouldn’t they, look at those cool nicknames – does Mishra have one?
Does anyone know how many first class wickets Amit Mishra has taken? How would you, even his mates and selectors don’t. Mishra did not exist before the IPL.
Mishra is a TV character, he was born on prime-time one IPL evening, playing for the Delhi Daredevils. Even then in season 1, his captain did not see obvious merit in his bowling. He didn’t play at first, then Vettori was sick, and he played. And boy, did he play.
Season 2, again, the Daredevils went the Vettori route, but Dan all but had his specks broken by a cranky Yusuf. Mishra was back, again. It took a special captain in Jatman, not to maximise Mishra in the semis, he preferred to bowl himself to a marauding Gilchrist.
Here we are on 28th September 2009, Dusherra. If Mishra is back, chances are, he may not be back for long. If for instance he bowls his ten overs for 71, that could be it. This may be his last game for another seven years.
He’ll need a five for, like his test debut, to stay on the selectors' radar.
Remember what happened to that guy called Ojha, the only way I remember his name is thinking Orange Juice, OJ, and a laugh – Ha! The OJ-Ha cricketer – how many people had the patience with Ojha?
He was born on prime time IPL too. And it’s because you and me saw it, the selectors could no longer afford to look away.
How much corporate money is there behind Ojha and Mishra – more than there is behind this blog, but that’s not saying much.
How much money rides on Bhajji’s inclusion in the side? You good at maths?
At Bored we like talking about Amit Mishra, no one else does; you can read more about him here – it’s usually cynical, depressive, but then, by now, so must be Mishra.
Bored Game: Fantasy Cricket Challenge - Day Six Update
Eight of the twelve group games have been played and Mahek has now managed to carve out a solid lead of 523 points. If you've been saving up on your transfers, this might be the time to make wholesale changes. The league standings after six days of pretty entertaining cricket are:
| Position | Manager | Team Name | Points |
| 1 | HundredPercentBarcelonista | The Mahekoholics | 3141 |
| 2 | aditya.chv | aditya.chv | 2618 |
| 3 | VelvetFlair | Velvet Flair | 2531 |
| 4 | Achettup | SoaL Smashers | 2283 |
| 5 | CricketTragicOfOffCutter | Cricket Tragic Champs | 2204 |
| 6 | NakedCricket | Naked Cricket | 2135 |
| 7 | meg.s | RDX | 2120 |
| 8 | mudassarijazawan | Reverse Swing dt Wordpress | 2117 |
| 9 | practimist | paddlesweepers | 2056 |
| 10 | Homer2007 | Homers Troopers | 2013 |
| 11 | crownish | deft punks | 1952 |
| 12 | FCKING | FCKing11 | 1946 |
| 13 | DonQ | Qs Syndicate | 1879 |
| 14 | varunyc | LOST | 1859 |
| 15 | The_Daredevils | The Daredevils | 1824 |
| 16 | krishnakkm | kridaya | 1308 |
| 17 | Lord_Littlething | Little Things | 1283 |
| 18 | pravsjain | Classical Dreams | 929 |
Keep in mind that including today's game, Australia and India are the only sides with two games left. And also remember that once the group stages are over you get to make an unlimited number of changes before the semifinals start.
A warm welcome to our latest league member, The_Daredevils. Good Luck everyone!
suresh raina is on a staple diet...
its not easy being great... for that you must have an insatiable hunger for runs... every time you step on to the field you must shoulder the weight of expectations... of not only the fans but more importantly your own... in short you need to do a sachin... over 20 years non stop...
if you want be a great batsman that is... not necessarily of sachinesque level... not everyone can be... but at least there must be something burning inside you that keeps you going... challenging you to run that extra mile... so that when time comes knocking at your door... you have the presence of mind... skill and urge to grab it with both hands...
but alas when the same opportunity presented itself to raina... he said... "boss i am on a staple diet of 40 odd runs..."
when he took guard india were in a spot of bother... having lost kohli and dhoni in quick succession and ever increasing asking rate... half an hour or so and the world would see why he should be feared... he not only started delivering the knock out punch but virtually floored the opponent to submission... one bite more and he would have had him... suddenly he noticed that the stomach is heavy and he is just about to cross the diet program his mind designed for him when he was at leisure... and he let it go...
no don't say his dismissal was 50-50 that could have gone either way... its the manner in which he batted for couple of overs before getting out... one could see it coming... one could see that he was losing it... the focus... the concentration... and the way he played afridi's over before getting out confirmed that to me that he is not going to survive more...
he had them on the mat... he had the chance to be a hero but let it go for his staple diet... raina has this problem since he made his debut four years ago... inspite of him being dropped on occasions and fighting his way back the problem persists... part of the problem is the reason that you know there is no one in the team to challenge your spot... and the other part is in his mind which refuses to be challenged... refuses to answer uncomfortable questions... and explore regions beyond the set boundary line...
so next time you see him throwing away the possible glory do not burn yourself with unnecessary emotions coz it was always meant that way...
take it or leave it...
If Murali can, Bhajji must.
If you believe Sanga, then Murali went up to him and asked to be left out for today’s game against New Zealand. That’s right, don’t pick me skip, pick a seamer instead. He didn’t even ask to be picked instead of Mendis.
While comparing Murali’s spell with Bhajji’s isn’t doable (nothing compares to Bhajji) – let’s try, Murali 10-0-60-1, Bhajji 10-0-71-0. While Murali’s was against England, shame on him, Bhajji’s was against himself, though the other team was Pak.
Murali bowled his share of Bhajji balls, down leg, but Bhajji even bowled his share of Agarkar, Tino Best balls. Clearly the car dealership is a better option, but MS must have his driving buddies around.
Y’kno Bhajji is a great bowler, it’s just the bowling alley is in Gurgaon, boss. Ok, cheap one, but you have to get across to Bhajji.
Drop him, not just for the next game, but the Australia series too. He must know what a slap on the face feels like.
Anybody seen Amit Mishra? He’s so small, often goes unnoticed.
PS: How do you spell Muralitharan
Bored Game: Fantasy Cricket Challenge - Day Five Update
After six matches we have a new leader, Mahek managed to amass a stunning 681 points from yesterday's game to take a solid lead of 144 points over Aditya. Q, Megha and Varun were our other big movers gaining some 500-600 points. Well done everyone, and see its possible, a few good picks here and there and you could win the tournament yet!
| Position | Manager | Team Name | Points |
| 1 | HundredPercentBarcelonista | The Mahekoholics | 2139 |
| 2 | aditya.chv | aditya.chv | 1995 |
| 3 | mudassarijazawan | Reverse Swing dt Wordpress | 1953 |
| 4 | VelvetFlair | Velvet Flair | 1886 |
| 5 | NakedCricket | Naked Cricket | 1845 |
| 6 | Achettup *LM | SoaL Smashers | 1834 |
| 7 | meg.s | RDX | 1560 |
| 8 | DonQ | Qs Syndicate | 1532 |
| 9 | practimist | paddlesweepers | 1510 |
| 10 | FCKING | FCKing11 | 1447 |
| 11 | CricketTragicOfOffCutter | Cricket Tragic Champs | 1443 |
| 12 | crownish | deft punks | 1435 |
| 13 | Homer2007 | Homers Troopers | 1378 |
| 14 | varunyc | LOST | 1247 |
| 15 | Lord_Littlething | Little Things | 945 |
| 16 | krishnakkm | kridaya | 623 |
| 17 | pravsjain | Classical Dreams | 601 |
We're at the halfway mark of this stage, and the weather forecasts seem to be improving. So don't exhaust your transfers just yet.
Also, once again we've got two games being played today that start at different times, so be sure to take advantage of the Bored Tips we gave you yesterday. Let us know in the comments section who you selected as trump... for each game :).
Good Luck!
India v Pakistan v Demons v Angels (Live + Dead)
I once met an astrologer who never watched India-Pakistan matches: He knew the outcome. It would end in despair. The astrologer was born in pre-partition Lahore, but post 1947, he crossed over to Lucknow. There’s a bit of the astrologer in most Indians and Pakistanis.
Pak win the toss, MSD looks shifty at the toss, no wonder he had his hands tied behind. No Amit Mishra - if India don't play him today, they never will in an ODI.
Bored question: How many times did you hear DRY in the pre-match talk - 1)10 2)7 3)6 And how many times did you hear 'Nightmare for seamers', 'the sun is beating down' and 'there are cracks' too?
Aside: It's been close to 7 years since Mishra made his debut and played his last ODI.
An African sings the national anthem. Elsewhere Misbah sings in the bathroom.
Game begins, a close run out call, Raina-Kohli get mildly physical.
Regardless of what happens later, RP will not make my final eleven. He won't make my final DC eleven. Paging Praveen Kumar. (oh right, that warm-up game)
Ok, wrong tweet on NakedCricket: "Can almost see him playing across and getn bowled now" - Imran Nazir holds out instead
And I'm still thinking: Why wouldn't you play Amit Mishra? Another four, Ishant takes over from where RP left.
When will MSD bring on spin: When Ishant+RP go for 50 of 5
MSD won't read this, but you can
That was Kamran Akmal playing on, with shots like that agriculture will get a new fillip in the region
RP's back and so are we. That one over had more in it than the last many by ishnat+nehra - dropped catch, wide ball, misfield
That doesn't seem right: RP Singh takes a wicket. Shit happens. So does RP.
Younis Khan and his broken finger take our leave. (and here's some light reading - Younis Khan sets off the bullshit detector)
MoYo, the frowning face of the ICL is back. Let's welcome him with a bouncer.
MoYo's innings will define this Pak innings. And also ICL's standing in world cricket.
Been a dull passage of play, then the passage through India - RP misfields, 2 becomes 4, and we're all laughing again. Clearly he's a Deccan Uncharger.
Bhajji bowling like a nervous drama queen, too bad he can't bite his nails while darting it in.
Bored Question: where will MSD hide those remaining Bhajji overs
MS should have bowled Yusuf through, change of ends may not work - instead, he should have changed Bhajji's end, if he intends to get his 7 overs in.
There you go, first four off Yusuf's bowling, MS has had no feel for this game, even less for his bowlers.
Look out for the Paki spinners: they will bowl an off or middle stump line, not like Bhajji way outside off, or outside leg. Can see some LBWs, bowled dismissals coming up. In the second innings.
8 overs to go: Pak will have to bat as badly as India have bowled to lose it from here.
MSD's throw, a pointer to how off target he and the bowlers have been today
May sound funny, but only the batting power play can save India now
Sanjay Manjrekar: His Lordship, Bhajji doesn't know how to bowl full. He's just full of himself.
Sit back, and enjoy the master class: If this is the Batting Power Play, then what was that for the last 30 overs. Misnomers.
Ravi Shastri: Up the ante, find something new.
Like I said earlier, only a power play could buy India a wicket. (Aside: yeah, you're such a know it all)
A trademark Bhajji wide, followed by a fluke: A wicket. Thankfully the cameras panned away, else we would've had to suffer a trademark Bhajji celebration.
Target: 303
Bhajji, RP and MS tried for a few more, but 303 is all they could give the Pakis. Bhajji bowled 8 overs too many, Kohli one extra one, and Raina none. Also, Mishra didn't bowl any, but then he wasn't picked.
India's middle overs aka the middle age overs
And when will RDX hit his next four: Oh, don't be impatient, a freehit is just round the corner
Boy, this is a long match. It's just gone into 27/9/09 - One day cricket my foot, call it Two day cricket. Today.
That SIX from Raina gives the Indian reply new purpose. If the game were to finish in the next six balls, that SIX, you will remember.
First Afridi for MSD, and now Ajmal for Raina: Watch them appeal, India. They don't appeal, they beg, demand, want. At best India's appeals were belated.
Don't think I'll waste a word on Yusuf Pathan, but you can check him out here. That pretty much sums it up.
India live in hope that the 7th batsman/allrounder will pull off a stunning win. The team selection is based on this false hope, and we're getn into a loop here: Amit Mishra again is it?
While he was sleeping, RDX hit a four, and it wasn't even a free hit. In the background Bod Dylan sings, the times are a changing...
It's a thankless job being Rahul Dravid, damned if you, damned if you don't. Dravid has become a cliche, nobody understands him. The cramps could earn him a rest for the next few games. Who will rememeber this innings?
RP gone, hopefully for a while: When did you ever see MoYo slide and take a catch - the ICL does strange things to strange people.
Now for some studied fwd defence from Ishant. If only he could be half as copybook with the bowling.
Ishant gone...And now the ICL's Rana Naved doing them so proud they want him back
Yet again the batting power play strikes. Don't take cocaine if you can't handle it guys.
Befitting end, Bhajji on the reverse sweep, bowled. Thought he was playing his own bowling. Always the wrong line.
