Think Again!
For all those who thought:
1. Australia were the weak side going into the 1st test against India
2. Ricky Ponting cannot score in India to save his life
3. The ICL had killed Bangladesh cricket for good
4. The Sri Lankans would not bend over to please the BCCI
5. Harbhajan would maul the Aussies
Think Again!
I feel sorry for the New Zealanders. But Bangladesh has suddenly excited me!
I also feel sorry for the Indians - Ponting is back in form. Maybe he'll get to Lara's record before Sachin does!
1. Australia were the weak side going into the 1st test against India
2. Ricky Ponting cannot score in India to save his life
3. The ICL had killed Bangladesh cricket for good
4. The Sri Lankans would not bend over to please the BCCI
5. Harbhajan would maul the Aussies
Think Again!
I feel sorry for the New Zealanders. But Bangladesh has suddenly excited me!
I also feel sorry for the Indians - Ponting is back in form. Maybe he'll get to Lara's record before Sachin does!
The Indians kept on talking the talk but it was Ponting who walked, the strategy of playing 4 bowlers was wrong and defensive, the Aussies are going to set a big total and Aussie bowling is strong enough to shoot down the Indian line up.
Australian team showed its trade mark tenacity on day 1 India will be in deep trouble if they don't take quick wickets early tomorrow,the Aussies are playing according to the plan and they have come to India well prepared.
Bangladesh crushed Newzealand but guess what? nobody will dare to call Newzealand a minnow.
ponting beating sachin - yeah, that crossed my mind. and if both players have a little imagination, it should have crossed their minds too.
A Bangladesh win, more often than not, most welcome.
I doubt Ponting even considers batting records or who will reach a milestone first.
What concerns Ponting is winning. Nothing else is important.
Australia have only lost 1 Test series in the last 26 and Ponting's batting has been instrumental in compiling that record.
He is the most successful captain in cricket history, in terms of runs, centuries and wins, and the way he batted today was all about putting Australia in a position to control the match.
When Ponting scored his 10,000th run, he didn't even know till they put it on the scoreboard and the crowd began clapping!!
Oh well, at least we don’t get booted out of a World Cup early as a result of losing to Bangladesh.
Q
What are your views on Pakistan's lacklustre T20 performance against Cananda?
Umar Gul deserved the Man of the Match award, not Malik.
Malik played a superb knock, no doubt about that and the credit should not be taken away from him.
But it was Fawad's knock that won Pakistan the match. How pathetic that a guy who averages 50 in first class cricket is sent to bat at no 9 by the team management.
Fawad has better stats than Younis Khan and Shoaib Malik in domestic cricket. He is one of the best batsmen and fielders at domestic level, everyone knows this but he is still being relegated by the captain and team management.
re: fawad, whether Pak crick wants him or not, ipl will sniff him out.
Wasim - I think the Aussies are still on top.
As for the Kiwis being a minnow. I think they will have to lose more regularly for that. But the Bengalis did surprise me. I never thought they could win..
NC - I think at this rate Sachin will get to the record in probably the 4th test!
Nesta - we keep reading that about Ponting not knowing how many ruyns he has scored in his career or how many 100s he has - but do u think all that is really true? I mean, how could he not know?
Hahahaha.. LB - well said my friend ;-)
Khansahab - I didn't watch the Pak vs Canada game but I heard the pitch was really bad.
Last night though, it was exciting to see Pak win a nailbiter. But since it was done against a Sri Lanka A side it took the charm away i think. If Lanka were at full strength, Pak would have lost.
But Malik led from the front. He enjoys 20-20 more than any other format I think - his batting form in 20-20 is outstanding and he played amazing under pressure last night.
As for Fawad Alam - I dont have any words for this boy. He is just awesome! The wa he played on the academy tour and then the RBS 20-20 and then last night. Just brilliant.
I dont know what politics are keeping him out of a permanent place. I dont know why he didnt play against Canada and why he batted as low as 9 last night.
He bats at 4 for Karachi, above his Khi captain Afridi yet for Pakistan he is kept so low. why?
What do u think Khansahab?
NC - u can be sure abt that. IPL wud definitely have their eyes on this boy..
q
The following are the stats for the odis for last year.
Team Mat Won Lost Tied Nr W/L
Pakistan
28 19 9 0 0 2.11
India 31 18 11 0 2 1.63
Aus 23 16 5 0 2 3.20
New Z 23 13 7 1 2 1.85
S A 21 13 7 0 1 1.85
Sri 23 10 11 0 2 0.90
WI 20 8 11 0 1
0.72
England 17 6 7 1 3 0.85
Bangla 26 5 21 0 0 0.23
If you do a T20 for the last two years you will again find Pakistan at top, for test Pakistan hasn't played any during 2008.
Pakistan is being accused of playing minnows every country has played Bangladesh and Pakistan has played every country with the exception of Australia in the last two years,look at the tables and look at the pathetic performance of England, WI and NZ why are they not called minnows.
Regarding Ponting and records, I think it is true. He doesn't hold them dear.
Don't confuse this fact with humility though. It's more a cultural thing.
Individual records don't gain you much respect in Australia.
Sure, the media rattles on about these things to fill their space but we are more attentive of the team than the individual.
When Mark Taylor equalled the then Australian top score of 334 in Peshawar he was roundly criticised for being selfish and he is still reminded of it to this day.
Even if Ponting does regard all-time records highly (and I'm reasonably certain as a Tasmanian that knows his family that he doesn't)he wouldn't dare express it for that wouldn't be perceived well by his peers or community.
Because of our colonial anti-authoritarian history no-one is encouraged to think he is better than anyone else.
Doing so would quickly lose you friends and respect. Therefore individual records are always described as 'nice' and phrases like 'someone will beat it in the future' and 'individual records don't matter only the team does' are common when players are asked about them.
Team records, on the other hand, are an entirely different matter for they are representation of the country's unity and success.
Wasim - those are some amazing stats! A post is in order I think! Thanks for these.
Nesta, your explanation makes absolute sense. I think I've just understood something about the Aussies that I never knew before.