More »
A very #EarlyBoredCall
Showing posts with label early bored call. Show all posts
Showing posts with label early bored call. Show all posts
When England was Pakistan and Jadeja was Kumble. (And Chennai was Delhi)
It’s not rocket science, it’s not even Class VII science, it’s just instinct. Instinct as basic as what made Sharon Stone’s character uncross her legs in that interrogation scene in the 1992 film. Yeah, Basic Instinct.
Seven years later, India beat Pakistan in Delhi. Anil Kumble took all ten wickets. That match was furthest from my mind as I watched Virat Kohli delay a declaration for a personal milestone. Karun Nair reached his triple, England survived a handful of overs, the match seemed set to drag to a dreary draw.
Day Five started with Kohli bowling Ashwin and Ishant Sharma. And next, Ashwin and Umesh Yadav. It took Kohli more than an hour to get his first innings’ most successful bowler, Ravindra Jadeja, in. Was it down to a plan with coach, Kumble? Was it down to instinct?
That Jadeja’s first delivery led to a huge appeal further made me question Kohli’s decision. Nearly 15 overs later, England had crossed 100 without a wicket, Jadeja still bowling.
For a while now I was buzzing with a distant memory from that Delhi Test. Pakistan in its pursuit of 420 runs, was also 100 for no loss. With England 100/0, a strange optimism swept over me, their fall was just around the corner. For me, England was Pakistan, Chennai was Delhi and Jadeja was Kumble.
Could it be? I was looking for a positive in what seemed like a pretty indifferent situation. 3-0 up in the series, was Virat going with Umesh and Ishant also part of his well-informed, overactive gut even though it seemed to go against conventional wisdom.
That day, Pakistan lost their first wicket for 101. Today, England lost their first wicket for 103. At 12:32, I tweeted:
Strange one but been thinking of the Kumble 10 wicket Test, Pakistan lost their first wicket at 101. Next 9 for 106 runs. Eng 103/1#IndvsEng— Gaurav Sethi (@BoredCricket) December 20, 2016
When England’s second wicket fell at 110, I discovered sifting through Pakistan’s 1999 scorecard that they too were 110 for 2. The third and fourth wickets didn’t tally so I gave up on that beast for a while.
Anyway, Jadeja had got the first three wickets, what was I on to here? And even though he didn’t take the fourth, I consoled myself with his catch off Ishant, “really, that was his wicket more than Ishant’s”. In my book, Jadeja had all four, and a ten-for like Kumble was still on.
The Jadeja-Kumble comparison fizzled fast, the wicket comparisons emerged again when England lost its 7th wicket at 196. And I discovered that both England and Pakistan were 196/7.
Both teams progressed to be locked at 9/207 and then 10/207. A little over hundred runs ago, a match from over 16 years back came to me just like that. That day too, the openers, Shahid Afridi and Saeed Anwar were the top scorers. That day too, one made a half century, the other fell short in the forties.Pakistan too was 197/7#IndvsEng— Gaurav Sethi (@BoredCricket) December 20, 2016
As we sat and criticized Kohli for sticking with Ishant and Umesh in the first hour, delaying Jadeja’s entrance, little did we know how all this would unfold? What did Kohli know? What did he believe in? What were those instincts honed on?
Was it relying on gut that kept him from overdoing one bowler, for sticking it with the quicks initially, for giving Amit Mishra an extended run, when all on air thought otherwise.
Ravi Shastri even said, “If he doesn’t take a wicket off this ball, Kohli should change him”. That ball went for four, so you can imagine Shastri’s reaction. Kohli however persisted with Mishra. And then out of nowhere, Mishra, the butt of all jokes on air, in his 11th over (seventh in the spell) bowled his first googly in the innings that went right through Liam Dawson.
What about Kohli deciding to go with the new ball after 80 overs – throwing it to Umesh yet again. Umesh knocked over Adil Rasheed within seconds of taking the new ball.
In spite of the drops, close calls, defensive fields early on, Kohli’s team wrapped the match well before time. Deep down they knew they had England’s number. Even better, they figured that England knew they were already done.
It’s so much easier when you hunt a prey that can only run within the confines of your mindscape. You can just sit back and toss the ball to whoever you want, it’s already been written. Like it was that day in 1999. Like it will be, one day, not too far in the future.
First published here
First published here
The minutes of the first day: Zaheer Khan is bowling within Vinay Kumar.
After two Jamesons, I turned in early at half past midnight. I refused to set an alarm. If it’s important enough, I will be the alarm. I have no stories to file, no deadlines to meet, I’m breaking into S&G there, feeling groovy.
That’s the way it was. I first woke at 3.32 am. By then I had dreamt deeply – vivid, weird cricket story.
The Boxing Day test was being played in the Junior school lawns of St Columba’s. The pitch though, was more like a side practice pitch. India was batting, Gambhir played on, Sachin retired hurt 60, Sehwag was out, not out, it was confusing.
And then I woke up again, around 4.40 am by my watch which is ten minutes ahead. I wake to assemble myself, the laptop, tracks, woolens, a quick net search on the phone – Australia will bat, there will be cricket.
I retreat to an isolated TV that will not wake sleepers. The first hour is yet another warmup for India’s seamers, they are bowling so-as-not-to breakdown.
@BoredCricket tweets (from the night before 1st day)
Indian cricketer (overheard) saying - "The real test will be when we have to prove our match fitness in the morning"
Match day -
Zaks, Ishant prepare for a net to prove fitness
Zaheer Khan is bowling within Vinay Kumar
First we wake up early. Then this bowling. Time for a wake
Someone tell the Indian bowlers that this bloke Ed Cowan is not right handed.
Vinay Kumar warming up in the nets for the 2nd test. Little does he know Mithun will play before him.
Haha cricket, Ponting. #EarlyBoredCall - Ponting makes runs today.
Oh look, this lean patch of Ponting's has made him lose hair - of-the-arms
Ponting has a new shot to fall back on - the one where you fall after the shot
Ed Cowan, Rahul Dravid conspire to take boxing day test into the 4th day
Ishant Sharma is what you call a Thoughtless Man's Bowler
Australia go past 100. That sub 100 score will have to be the 2nd innings then
Ponting is on top of India's game.
Buy-a-wicket-time, Umesh Yadav
Things that make you go UMMMMESH Yadav
OK now till our next tour down under, this Yadav over to Ponting will be spoken of as that Ishant over was.
Zaks finds his voice. And a wicket
Point to be noted: It takes Zaks 64 overs to warm up.
Aus 214/6. Bigger question, how did they let them get past 100
Dogged style departs. Well played Cowan.
Unrelated:
Good thing about Romesh Powar is, he doesn't rest on his Laurels. He rests on his Hardy's
On to some wine now, we’ll be @BoredCricket on twitter tomorrow, join us for #EarlyBoredCalls – got a few bang on today, including Ashwin dismissing Cowan and Ponting scoring runs.
Today was Australia’s day, even though they don’t know it. India, be happy they had Hussey for free. Moral: Bowl good balls, APPEAL in all caps, and Erasmus will deliver.
Where is this test going - nobody has a clue but Australia will bowl better first up than India did.
Bored Cricket Cunning Linguists #3 (India-England sries)
Recorded on 21-22nd July, but funnier listening to now.
Listen to: Megha (shudh Hindi), The Bounce (Zulu), Girsubra (Tamil), Namya (Marathi), Harsh (Gajarati) + Adiratan (Haryanavi) make Early Bored Calls on the India England test series, Jatman's absence, Thank You Sachin! Game? Send in your recording on an mp3 to bcciwrites@gmail.com
Listen to: Megha (shudh Hindi), The Bounce (Zulu), Girsubra (Tamil), Namya (Marathi), Harsh (Gajarati) + Adiratan (Haryanavi) make Early Bored Calls on the India England test series, Jatman's absence, Thank You Sachin! Game? Send in your recording on an mp3 to bcciwrites@gmail.com
Bored Cricket Cunning Linguists - Speak up on the India England test series
Bored-calls-IndEng by bored cricket
Hello! And welcome on bored to our crazy new experiment - Play and listen to 10 bored members make Early Bored Calls in Marathi, Tamil, Bengali, Malayalam, sort of Hindi, Afrikaans and loads more. Wanna? Come contribute, record your Early Bored Call on an MP3 or WMA (with emphasis on the series result, Jatman's absence, who will Thank You Sachin!, KhufiaBaaz, and whatever on Bored grabs you! Mail us bcciwrites@gmail.com
*The ball was once red, then this tongue licked it white.
What the hell are the English saying about the India-England series
Early Bored Call - India vs England by bored cricket
You must listen to Andy Ryan (not to be confused with Ayn Rand) on the India England test series - his baffling Early Bored Calls - Jatman vs Abhinav Mukund, KhufiaBaaz, Thank You Sachin, The Masterdebate, the works, the days off. Even though he's an Englishman, he is quite unbeatable.
Lend your ears to Andy Ryan on Reverse Swept Radio
You must listen to Andy Ryan (not to be confused with Ayn Rand) on the India England test series - his baffling Early Bored Calls - Jatman vs Abhinav Mukund, KhufiaBaaz, Thank You Sachin, The Masterdebate, the works, the days off. Even though he's an Englishman, he is quite unbeatable.
Lend your ears to Andy Ryan on Reverse Swept Radio
Who would've thought Zimbabwe will beat the West Indies?
Not Gravy nor the rum. But Homer, who made an Early Bored Call @Homertweets
"Too early to make that call. Ball is coming slowly off the surface plus there is some spin on offer. WI is known to make a right hashSo glad I kept out of this, thought he’d lost it. Well, the Windies did – but hadn’t they a long, long time ago. At least Pollard played well for his millions. A respectable 1 of 4 balls.
110 will be a fighting score on this surface.
Hate to say I told you.. But I told you :)
never underestimate a team's ability to muck up whe chasing.. :)"
Pakistan's Muddle Order.
In the absence of Younis Khan, none of the so called seniors cared to bat up the order. Instead they were scattered all over the place, waiting for the older ball.That was bored member naked cricket on 28th November. And now what does December 2 bring: Both espnstar and cricket next are harping on about their sources in the team. Not that you can call the Pak side a team.
First neither MoYo nor Shoaib Malik were keen on three, now Misbah's in town, and the holy trinity refuses to bat up the order.
Be wonderful if Inzi could play international cricket again. Together they will form the Great Pakistan Muddle Order. One tight unit: MoYo at four, Malik at half past four, Misbah at quarter to five, and Inzi, back from a nap at five.
Bored Joke: Now you know how Pakistan bats deep.
Who knew Marsh would score a hundred
The trouble with Sachin’s 175, it belittled Marsh’s first one day hundred.
We saw that coming, not Sachin's, but Marsh's hundred.
Early Bored call:
The quiet reassurance that classy openers have, Marsh has that. I see him scoring a ton this series, either Delhi or Mohali. If it happens at some another venue, I’ll take that.
But they didn’t play him in Delhi. Of course they did in Mohali and then Hyderabad.
In a way, Mohali was Marsh’s first chance, and Hyderabad his second. After his hundred, we all know he only gets going after two chances.
What happens after this is none of our business.
Early Bored Call Sri Lanka vs West Indies
This seems even easier than yesterday's call, Lanka will win this unless the game lasts another 9 1/2 weeks er overs with some good old randy Windies' batting. Trouble is Gayle's on edge, he's started thinking about the game - barely bowls an over and then it's over. Clearly preoccupied, needs someone other than him to step up and win the match. Windies can only win it with personal brilliance. Lanka on the other hand can lose it with collective stupidity.
Early Bored Call Paskistan vs South Africa
Ok, this is almost too easy, as were the other two Pak games, one against India (warm up) and the other against Lanka (warmed up), both which Pak lost - because, one was Wasim Bhai's birthday, the other, MianDad's. Today however, is no X men's birthday. Naturally Pak can concentrate on the job at hand, and leave the celebrations for later.
Early Bored Call: Pakistan v Sri Lanka
No two ways about it, Pak will lose and they can blame Javed Miandad and Wasim Akram. Last week, when Pak outplayed itself against India, it was Wasim Bhai’s b’day. Today, it’s Miandad miya’s.
From a purely cricketing POV, it will be a take no POWs kinda game – terribly one sided, might not even go the full distance; but then it is a T20 game, and the full distance is 5 days. Sri Lanka looks like a team, in spite of their captaincy which at best is well read though not street smart. If Sanga was playing in Law school, he would’ve had a Yale of a time. Luckily, this is Lord’s and there are plenty of laws going around. It’s down to his two slowpokes, but he still won't deploy them as an attacking move. Only if the quicks are ravaged in the first 4 will Mendis bowl the 5th. And Murali no way in the first 6, that’s his paid vacation.
On paper, Pak is man-to-man a better side and should win. But as most of the players can’t read it’s just a waste of paper.
Click here for the complete Pak-Lanka Debate, start reading from down under.
Early Bored Call - West Indies vs. Sri Lanka
Gayle will fail, about time he did. He's already won two games, and one of them wasn't even a warm-up. Once Gayle fails, so will his boy Fletcher. Be down to hard times for Sarwan and Co vs. the Lankan slowpokes. The game could even see Mendis-Murali- Sanath-Dilshan bowl as many as 12 overs between them. Looking at the Lankan quicks, Malinga aside, from a purely aesthetic pov, they should not bother with more than 2-4 overs between them. Let them open if Malinga doesn't want to. So, slowpokes 12 (if not more) overs, 4 Malinga, and play the rest by ear.
Be watchable if Dilshan comes off again, and if Sanath does too that's a Diwali Bonus. But honestly, the Lankan batting is working class, and not even Hero. In spite of that, they should win this match of no consequence.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
