All posts by csb10.top

Ridley Jacobs, who did much to save West Indies’ bacon in the epic first Test at Harare, spoke out after the match about his relief at being able to stave off defeat. Jacobs, who made 60 not out, and No. 11 Fidel Edwards survived the last 11.5 overs, in gathering gloom, with the Zimbabwean fielders crowded around the bat, searching for a rare victory after losing their last 11 Tests.”That was the toughest time,” said Jacobs of his last-ditch stand. “When you look on the scoreboard and you see there are more than 11 overs to go and you’re batting with the last man, you start getting worried. But I told him to play straight and stay strong, and we got the job done.”Jacobs told the BBC that Andy Blignaut, the Zimbabwean allrounder, had been the toughest to face. “It’s been a long time since I faced that kind of pace. I was just telling myself to hold on, take the blows and bat it out.”And he admitted: “Everybody at home probably thought we would play much better than we did. But we have an opportunity now to play another Test match and to perform better. We need to go back to the drawing board to revisit everything we need to do to win a Test.”The home hero was Raymond Price, the left-arm spinner, who became only the third Zimbabwean (after Paul Strang and Adam Huckle) to take ten wickets in a Test. But, he admitted afterwards, “I would have given all ten of those wickets to get that last one.”Price went on: “Our goal is to get up from the bottom. We’ve had enough of being in the same category as Bangladesh. We’ve had enough of being called minnows. We hate to lose, and we don’t like drawing – you should see our guys play tiddlywinks.”The second Test of this short series starts at Bulawayo on Wednesday (Nov 12).

We need to draw appropriate lessons from Pakistan team’s gratifying but unconvincing performance in Sri Lanka to help remain on track towards building a top-level team.I would like to offer some views to make this rebuilding process truly productive and enduring.Historically, the term rebuilding when used around a cricket team usually has an unsavoury context. It has often been used to rationalise any consistent failure of a team by maintaining that it was in a rebuilding process.I was in the West Indies recently and the conversation with knowledgeable cricket fans was invariably about what was wrong with both Pakistan and West Indies cricket. I tried to explain that “actually we were rebuilding”, to which they shot back, “Maaan, they all say that; look at the West Indies, we have been rebuilding for the last ten years.”This left me wondering about all those statements in recent years by Pakistani cricket management dismissing any losses with remarks that there is nothing to worry about, “we are preparing for the World Cup”. In fact, even the term rebuilding was used several times in this context.In this latest round we are now being made to believe as if the concept of rebuilding has just been discovered, and that we have to persist with it and on top to have confidence in the Board as it rebuilds. The results however tell a different story.In all honesty, the General running the cricket board has also done some good things for Pakistan cricket for which, I am afraid, he has not been given due credit.So, for all its shortcomings, I am resigned to accept the existing system, which in any case is not accessible to my influence or capacity to change.In a good cricket administration the rebuilding is not an event but a process. And a good process does not have to be assigned any labels, rebuilding or anything else.It would be pertinent to begin here with a popular misconception, which is the concept of not changing a “winning combination”. When we win, even if it is against Bangladesh, or a below strength regular competitor, up goes the slogan that not only our cricket has been rejuvenated but also that we have found a “winning combination”. Just because a team has won a match or even a tournament does not make it a winning combination, not to be altered under any circumstances.I have seen matches in the past which were won purely by the efforts of one or two players, especially bowlers, and often in the face of some rank bad performance by some others whose retention in the team should have been reviewed but this never happened with us.The approach to rebuilding should be marked neither by complacency nor panic. Old players who are past their prime should in normal course be eased out before they become deadwood and a liability. And this has to be done irrespective of any past public adulation they may have enjoyed. Indeed, their mythical status often owes to their image building by the Board itself with such appellations that so and so is a “national asset” etc. And unfortunately the label remains in currency long after the player has passed on from being a national asset to a national “heritage”.It creates discipline problems besides making it hard to drop such players. The media also, which is otherwise very knowledgeable and professional, sometimes creates pressures for the Board by lobbying on behalf of players. And there are different, and often conflicting and contradictory, voices speaking for differentplayers. Who does the Board listen to?Now what is the best way to blood in new and young players?To bring them in one by one in phases, so that there are older and experienced players still around to take them under their wings, guide them and facilitate their initiation. Look at what happened when a completely changed and young team was fielded against the Australians resulting in their being shot out in fifties in both the innings.There is another way to bring in new players. They should be introduced when the team is still strong and on a winning streak. It is much easier on the morale of a young player to be initiated as part of a winning team, not a losing team. See how even some of the players with no exceptional talent have blossomed by beinginitiated into the current winning Australian team. I am sure if they had been brought into a losing outfit they would have by now come and gone, never to be heard of again. Even in our own team some of the most successful inductions were done in the glory days of our cricket, under Mushtaq’s and Imran’s captaincyThirdly, if possible we should wait for not too tough a competitor to introduce a new player, specially a batsman, and do so preferably in a home series. Remember some of our best players in the past were introduced in a home series – such as Mushtaq Mohammad, Majid Khan, Asif Iqbal, Zaheer Abbas, Javed Miandad, Saleem Malik, and Inzamam (even though it was a one day series), to name only a few. It is true there were no neutral umpires or TV replays then and we may have had the advantage of having a few “nationalistic” umpires, but the argument still holds.I shall conclude this article with two suggestions for the Board. One relates to the team and the other to the Board.Firstly about the team and especially the batsmen. I shall begin by saying that Miandad is potentially the best coach we can have. And I compliment the Board for appointing him. It was sad he had to leave just before the 1999 World Cup, because certain players got so carried away about the sudden resurgence of the team, to which Miandad had indeed contributed, that they thought they could get rid of him and claim credit for the likely win at the World Cup themselves. And they engineered his exit. I would not name any names. Miandad may not have been a very personable man but he always gave his very best to the team and the country. I think he is an ideal coach, for the batting at least.But I am going to suggest something else. Anyone who has listened to Ian Chappell doing commentary cannot help being terribly impressed by his extraordinary insight into the game. When he is giving expert comments on the batting, each ball is analysed with remarks as comprehensive, insightful and penetrating as an essay. I would suggest the Board dig out videos while he was commenting on Pakistan batsmen. And give them to our batsmen for guidance, particularly to those who are still playing. Indeed other players who have just joined in and have not been to Australia can also benefit.At the same time we should show our players videos of cricketing greats from others countries specially batsmen with excellent technique such as Greg Chappell, Sunil Gavaskar, Sachin Tendulkar and Barry Richards. I hear Barry Richards had a very effective technique to play swinging and seaming balls. I have omitted Viv Richards and Brian Lara, because of their unique talent allowing them to play unconventional shots that may be hard for others to copy.It might also be a good idea to give our players some lessons in psychology. Now there have been numerous books written to help sportsmen with the techniques of peak performance and optimal experience. Anthony Robbins’ books on peak performance can be very useful and on optimal experience, I highly recommend the book “Flow” by Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi.Lastly, a word of advice to the PCB. I would say if the team is to be rebuilt, so should be the Board. Please reform and restructure yourself. I know a beginning has been made, for the first time, but it needs to be carried through. Every one’s responsibility has to be delineated and made autonomous as far as possiblespecially that of the Selection Committee. And there is no need for the Chairman to be getting involved in team selection or to address the media so often. We continue to hear different and even discordant voices on selection. This has to be remedied.And finally one more thing. Pakistan cricket has gone through so much controversy and strife, that I would advise the Chairman not to appoint people to sensitive positions who may have been playing cricket until very recently, and may have some scores to settle. I am not referring to any specific individuals; it is just a general advice.Good luck to the team and the Board.Ed: Touqir Hussain is former Ambassador of Pakistan to Japan

Australian top-order batsman Damien Martyn has been ruled-out of the one-day international leg of the 2003 Travelex Tour of the West Indies due to a finger injury, the Australian Cricket Board (ACB) announced today.He will be replaced in the 15-man squad by New South Wales Blues batsman Michael Clarke, currently on tour in the West Indies with the Australian Test side.Martyn, who fractured his right index finger while fielding during Australia’s five-wicket World Cup victory over Kenya on 15 March, missing the Test leg of the West Indies tour, has been undergoing specialist treatment since his return from South Africa in March.A medical review of the injury has discovered that whilst the fracture has healed, joint stiffness will prevent him from batting for another four weeks.Upon learning of the news that he would not be taking part in the one-day international leg of the tour Martyn said: "Having had some time to contemplate the injury, I have been able to come to terms with sitting on the sidelines."Missing the Test series in the West Indies was probably the biggest blow, but as time went by it became apparent that things weren’t going to be entirely right for the one-dayers either."I guess the selectors could have ruled me out of the squad earlier, but they gave me as much time as possible to prove my fitness, which I appreciate."I’m naturally disappointed that I won’t be on the plane to the Caribbean, but it’s important that I allow the treatment to take its course and get things right for good."I’m making steady progress, which is encouraging, and I’m really looking getting myself 100 per cent right for the Top End Tour in Cairns and Darwin," he said.Clarke, 22, made his one-day international debut for Australia in the VB Series match against England at the Adelaide Oval in January, scoring an unbeaten 39 runs from 47 balls, and taking 1-24 from seven overs with his left-arm orthodox spin.Speaking from Barbados, Clarke said: "I feel really sorry for Damien that he still isn’t fit, after what must be a frustrating time on the sidelines."However I’m thrilled to be able to stay on with the Australian side and hopefully play some part in the one-day series."Just being around the senior players on tour has been a terrific learning experience and I’m grateful for being given the chance to continue that."The one-day international that I played in Adelaide in January was the highlight of my career to date, so to I’m really excited that there’s the opportunity for more matches in national colours," he said.

New Zealand Cricket boss Martin Snedden has been delighted with the way the ICC Under-19 World Cup has worked out.It is the first big tournament run since he became chief executive of NZC last year, although staff members were involved in the running of the CricInfo Women’s World Cup in 2000.”It has been terrific. All the feedback has been great and the organisation has been spot on.”I know the ICC representatives here have been over the moon about the efficiency of the operation.”Tim Murdoch and Catherine Campbell have gone a great job of organisation while Karl Johnson and his team have done an amazing job on the grounds at Lincoln for the tournament.”And reports from Auckland and Dunedin where preliminary rounds were played have also been terrific.”It has just gone perfectly, touch wood. It has exceeded my expectations. I knew our people were good, but I am very pleased with how this has gone,” he said.All it needs now is for fine weather for the last three days of the event, tomorrow, Friday for the Plate Championship final and Saturday for the World Cup final.The High Performance Centre which includes New Zealand’s cricket academy has stood up well under the pressures and scrutinies of overseas teams.”It is an excellent facility,” Snedden said.”We are under-taking a major review of it over the next few months. It has been going for a five-year period and we want to see what we can do better,” he said.

Shane Bond, the world’s third fastest bowler is nowonly a few km/h away from becoming a genuine contenderto the big guns, of Shoaib Akhtar and Brett Lee.Against Bangladesh yesterday, Bond recorded his fastest delivery, clocking 153.6km/h and beating hisprevious best effort of 153.5km/h on June 29last year in the West Indies.Bond has steadily built up speed from his firstTest matches in 2001 which netted him top speeds of142.3km/h and 146.2km/h. In January 2002, Bond clockedfastest speeds of 147.6km/h and 148.2km/h and burstinto the express paceman’s club, onJanuary 26 in emphatic style with a 151.2km/h searingyorker which shattered Adam Gilchrist’s stumps.Jason Gillespie is Bond’s nearest rival for the No 3 spot as last year he bowled at 151.0km/h and153.9km/h in consecutive matches in South Africa.Gillespie however has not gone above the high 140s(km/h) since then and his top speed in the tournamentso far sits at 148.9km/h. By contrast, Bond hasreached 148.6km/h, 151.3km/h and now 153.6km/h in hisfirst three matches and looks to be on the verge ofsomething very special.In his second match against the West Indies, Bond wasin the express lane, during his first spell, bowlingnine deliveries above 150km/h. He ended up with fastestballs of 151.3km/h, 148.0km/h and 146.3km/h in eachspell.When Bond emerged on the international scene, hehad played 19 first-class matches. Hewas chosen after some outstanding bowling in India’s Buchi Babu tournament showed he had overcome back injuries that frustrated the early stages of his career.The extra pace he has gained is most likely theresult of increased experience, confidence andrefinement to his action.A distinct disadvantage however to Bond’s chances ofknocking off either Lee or Shoaib in the pace race,is that he plays half of his matches in New Zealand.The radar guns being used in New Zealand only measurehorizontal velocity which may be fine for baseball,but in cricket horizontal velocity is not relevant.Incricket varying angles must be catered for toaccurately reflect bowling speeds and this cannot bedone with the equipment employed in New Zealand. Thescanning rate of a standard radar gun does not allowfor the ball’s speed to consistently be captured theinstant it leaves the bowler’s hand so the speeds ondisplay in New Zealand may also reflect an airaffected velocity.The big companies like BBG Sports and EDH have foundunique ways to negate these variables and displayspeeds which represent actual ball velocity ratherthan horizontal velocity.The result of all of this is that Bond’s fastestrecorded ball in New Zealand stands at 146km/h. In thefield of bowling speeds that is a long way from his153.6km/h recorded today by BBG and his 153.5km/h byEDH.Not since Nantie Hayward bowled at 154.4km/h late in2001 has a bowler materialized to threaten Shoaib andLee for the Nos 1 and 2 spots. Bond hasannounced himself as a genuine threat and may soon bea contender for the title of the fastest bowler in theworld.

After the glory days of the 1980’s, the West Indies performance in recentyears remains a cause for concern in world cricket. With world attentionfocussed on the politics of, and wrangles within, the game, the casualcricket fan could be forgiven for not noticing West Indies’ gradual decline.This was a year when the team bade farewell to old faces and were left tosearch desperately for new; where tentative hope ultimately ended in bitterdisappointment.Courtney Walsh and Brian Lara stole the individual honours. Despitecricket’s grounding as a team game, its obsession with statistics shows thepower and importance of the individual. Walsh, at his cunning best, managedto pick up his 500th Test wicket in Trinidad. Jacques Kallis was his unluckyvictim (a woeful leg before decision) as the great man took such an immenseachievement in his stride.Lara, who had threatened without fully delivering against Australia andSouth Africa, came alive in Sri Lanka. He hit three centuries, one of them adouble, but could not prevent West Indies crashing to an ignominious 3-0defeat. A collision with Marvyn Attapattu broke Lara’s elbow, putting himout of the game for at least six weeks.So much has changed in West Indies cricket since last year’s ill-fated tourto Australia. At the turn of the year, West Indies braced themselves foranother pummelling at the hands of a rampant Australia, looking to extendtheir Test record for consecutive wins.The New Year Test at Sydney saw West Indies fight hard. Wavell Hinds showeda willingness to attack the quicks, and Ramnaresh Sarwan came back to formwith a half-century. Despite this, West Indies were well beaten, withAustralia reaching a victory target of 173 comfortably despite early alarms.A lacklustre one-day series, where West Indies edged out Zimbabwe to makethe final, was brightened by Brian Lara. He may not have deserved hisman-of-the-series award, but did bat beautifully. His best knock, 116 in alosing cause, was brilliant. Carving the Australia attack to all parts,several times launching McGrath over cover, West Indies were denied thechance of an unlikely victory by rain. The final outcome saw Australianeeding only two finals to comprehensively take the Carlton Series.Such a woeful performance demanded swift action. The powers-that-be in WestIndies cricket did not shy away from controversy. Sherwin Campbell was leftout of the side to face South Africa, and Jimmy Adams was ousted from boththe captaincy and team.It was Carl Hooper who was chosen to succeed Adams. Hooper, who had enjoyeda two-year sabbatical from the national game, was not a popular choice. SirGary Sobers slammed the decision, which was altogether too much forcommentator Michael Holding. The former Test great refused to commentate onthe West Indies series with South Africa, dismissing the selectors as “a setof jokers.”Still, Hooper had been on top of his game in the Busta Cup, leading aconfident young Guyanan side. Certainly the West Indies performed betteragainst South Africa. Though the home side lost the series, they were atleast able to compete. Unfortunately, this was a fairly turgid series,played on lifeless pitches. No batsman on either side managed a strike-rateof 50 runs per 100 balls, and all too often one side or other relied ondefensive tactics.Despite this, the matches were closely fought, with the game going down tothe wire on several occasions. South Africa went one-up at Trinidad, a Testwhich will forever be remembered by Courtney Walsh, and could have pushedtheir advantage further in Barbados. Indeed, after collapsing to 82-7, itwas only Dinanath Ramnarine and Merv Dillon’s desperate time-wasting whichsaved the match.At Jamaica, where Courtney Walsh bowed out of the game, West Indies produceda fine performance. Led by Dillon and Walsh, the bowlers struck back afteranother batting failure. Ridley Jacobs – who had made his first century inTests earlier in the series – weighed in with 85 in the second innings tothe delight of a rapturous crowd. Walsh picked up three wickets in his lasthoorah, a just send-off for a true master.After a routine thrashing by the Proteas in the ODI’s, West Indies set offfor Southern Africa. They emerged as surprise winners of the Coca-Cola Cup.Despite losing twice to India in the group stage, West Indies’ victoriesover Zimbabwe ensured a passage to the final. They managed to reverse theirfortunes against India at the perfect time. A solid team performance tookWest Indies to 290-6 from their allocation, and Corey Collymore picked upfour wickets to stop an Indian charge.A pace attack of Reon King, the recalled Pedro Collins and Colin Stuart area long way from the great West Indian pacemen. They were too good forZimbabwe though, as West Indies cruised to a first Test victory.Though the second match was drawn, there was hope for the West Indies.Darren Ganga, Chris Gayle and Ramnaresh Sarwan were in the runs. Along withMarlon Samuels, who was a steady rather than spectacular performer on tour,the West Indies have a number of talented young players who must be helpedto achieve. Hooper’s quick-fire 149 at Bulawayo was a trip back in time.West Indies left Zimbabwe happy, and were further buoyed by a predictableODI clean sweep in Kenya.On then to Asia, where Sri Lanka promised to give Hooper’s men a muchtougher time. Brian Lara was back after an injury worry, having discussedhis batting with Gary Sobers. Criminally, West Indies fans were not able towatch the series, and Lara’s magnificent return to form, because of disputesover TV rights. Constantly we are told that the Caribbean is becoming moreinfluenced by American sports. One has to ask how the next Ambrose or Walshwill chose cricket over basketball if they don’t have the chance to watchthe former and are saturated by the latter.Apart from Lara’s brilliance, this was a series perhaps best left unseenfrom a WIndies point of view. Murali was irresistible, picking up 11 wicketsat Galle, and ten at Kandy. Whilst Lara was prepared to attack, the otherbatsmen pushed and prodded, a recipe for disaster against the best spinnerin the world. Lara’s run of scores – 178, 40, 74, 45, 221, 130 – could dolittle so long as the lower middle order batted so feebly. Sri Lanka tookthe series 3-0, also winning the triangular tournament with relative ease,and West Indies were left with much thinking to do.The talent in the West Indies batting is enormous, a simple fact which cannot be questioned. The bowling gives more cause for concern. For severalyears Merv Dillon and Reon King (amongst others) have been able to hidebehind Walsh and Ambrose. No more. Now they must make their own way in thegame.West Indies must move quickly to arrest their decline. It truly is importantfor world cricket that West Indies are strong. They are 6th in the ICC TestChampionship table, and desperately need a series win when India tour.Before that, they will travel to Pakistan. Pakistan have not fared well athome recently, and West Indies will look to reverse the 3-0 defeat imposedon them last time they visited.

Western Province continued to dominate on the third day without being ableto turn the knife as Eastern Province came within 100 runs of the hometeam’s score before declaring with one wicket standing. By the close, thehosts had stretched their lead to 150 with nine wickets in hand.Resuming at 197 for 3, debutant Homani continued to impress beforeeventually falling to Harris’s arm ball. Callaghan scored an attracttive 72before being well caught by Duminy, and after some dogged lower orderbatting, Kemp hit an aggressive half-century before Bradfield declared.Munnik, the breakthrough bowler the previous evening, went for 25 in a twoover burst, but it was the spinners who eventually came to the party. Harrisfinished with 3 for 131 in 49 overs, and Adams produced some more controlledbowling to take 2 for 77.Left 15 overs before close of play, Gibbs played some attractive shotsbefore being run out attempting a risky single. After that, Kirsten andTrott saw out time with no further loss.

The four clubs chasing the Southern Electric Premier League, Division 3 bounty should all cash in with big wins tomorrow.Unbeaten leaders Alton chase a ninth successive win against South Wilts II at Lower Bemerton, while second placed Ventnor should be too strong for Hook & Newnham Basics, even though Andy Whyte is missing.Trojans, whose one-run defeat by Winchester KS last week was an untimely blow, will fancy their chances at Leckford and Rowledge ought to be too strong for Waterlooville.Flamingo will remain anchored to the basement unless they win at Southsea, but Hambledon will do well to get anything from their visit to New Milton, even though Lee Miller is injured.

Delhi failed to gain the first-innings lead despite a double hundred from opener Gautam Gambhir. Gambhir made 214 before being run-out by a substitute. Railways reached 27 for one before stumps were drawn at the Karnail Singh Stadium, Delhi.Earlier, Delhi, who resumed at 262 for three, had to suffer the mortification seeinf her bastmen make a beeline for the pavilion. Only with the arrival of No. 10 Ashish Nehra did Gambhir find a partner who was willing to give him worthwhile company. The two put on 50 runs before Gambhir’s long vigil ended. Nehra went on to make 25 before becoming the last man to be dismissed. Railways bowlers Harvinder Singh and Murali Kartik, who claimed three wickets each, played a big role in helping their team secure the vital 102-run lead. With just a day’s play remaining, Railways are well on their way to the Ranji quarter-final.

Indian selectors on Tuesday named the 16-man squad for the three-match Test series against South Africa. Zaheer Khan and Ashish Nehra, who were both found to be fit in the morning, were included. So also were Baroda opener Connor Williams and wicket-keeper Sameer Dighe.Deep Dasgupta, the young wicket-keeper whose performance in the one-dayers had reportedly not pleased the team-management , has also been surprisingly retained. Virender Sehwag was the other player making it to an Indian Test squad for the first time.The squad:Saurav Ganguly (captain), Rahul Dravid (vice-captain), Shiv Sunder Das, Connor Williams, Sachin Tendulkar, V V S Laxman, Virender Sehwag, Sameer Dighe and Deep Dasgupta (wicket-keepers), Harbhajan Singh, Anil Kumble, Ajit Agarkar, Venkatesh Prasad, Zaheer Khan, Ashish Nehra and Javagal Srinath