Monday, January 11, 2010

America's First Cricket Stadium (with pics)


Posted by SledgeHammer at Monday, January 11, 2010 Pitched (9)
[Updated to add a few pics directly in this post...scroll to bottom]

So I was visiting Miami a few days back (great place btw - everyone should go there if they get a chance!). While there, I took advantage of a small window of free time to make the short 30-minute drive up to Lauderhill, Florida.

Why Laudherhill, Florida, you ask? Well, it's the location of America's first cricket stadium - the Main Event field at the Central Broward Regional Park. Inaugurated a couple of years back, it has 5,000 seats (with space for accommodating 15,000 more spectators if needed), a pavilion, two pitches, floodlights, electronic scoreboard, well-maintained outfield, etc.

The town has a large population of Caribbean origin, which is why there is an inclination toward cricket. The ground is located in a sprawling complex of various sporting facilities.

There is some cricket held on the Main Event field regularly (domestic, exhibition tournaments, etc), but the field is also used as a soccer and rugby ground. There are four more football fields in the complex, and each pair is designed to be turned into a cricket ground if necessary.

I really don't know why international cricket hasn't been held here yet. It's a beautiful stadium near a wonderful location with a huge passionate fan base for many teams. Well, maybe there is the technology issue i.e. are the facilities available to transform the stadium into a third umpire/hawkeye/etc equipped stadium? And is it cost-effective to do so? Given that so many small stadiums around the world have been able to do this, I can't see why this would be an exception. Another issue would be getting visas to the US, but so many international sports events happen here that I don't think it's that big a deal.

I hope the ICC takes a closer look at the stadium and that cricket boards start getting interested as well. This is a financial success waiting to happen. A short T20 triangular between Pak/India/West Indies would be very well attended, and would constitute a lucrative TV contract as well. People are very keen to see the first international cricket in the US.

Oh well, let me keep dreaming of the potential this ground holds. Hopefully the ICC is listening and my dreams of cricket in the US will turn into reality soon!

Here's an album of stadium pics I put together, enjoy!

Updated: A few pics are pasted directly here for the reader's convenience:







Make your pitch on this post...

Share this post...


Labels: , , , ,


Saturday, January 9, 2010

Where were you...


Posted by obaid at Saturday, January 09, 2010 Pitched (12)
Where were you when JFK was assassinated? Where were you when Armstrong landed on the moon? Where were you when Pakistan won the World Cup? Where were you when 9/11 happened?

This most basic of questions is usually reserved for momentous events that forever change the course of history. Now, as supporters of the Pakistan cricket team we have another event to add to the list - where were you when Pakistan lost the plot in Sydney? If one of my favorite writers, Dr Saad Shafqat is to be believed then this is THE "most heartbreaking" Test in Pakistan's history.

I followed all 4 days of the test match, waking up each day believing that we had a real chance of winning. Ofcourse, being a Pakistan cricket fan I knew that anything was possible. I remember a famous Adidas ad campaign featuring Beckham and others in which the tag line claims "Impossible is Nothing". With the Pakistani cricket team you know that "Nothing is Impossible". On the rare occasion when they achieve great heights from impossible positions, all followers of the team are left exulting and the cricketing world repeats its usual cliches about Pakistan being the most unpredictable and mercurial side in the world. But if anything is predictable about the team, its that they lack the application and temperament required for the longer version of the game.

This was clearly evident at Sydney where the Pakistanis dominated for the first 3 days but came out on the 4th as if they were on the defensive. I wonder what went through their minds when they lay in bed before the 4th day? Ofcourse the captain must take the blame, which he has. But the sad part is that he still doesnt realize his mistake. Yousuf has defended his tactics and said that Hussey was the set batsman which required the 7 fielders on the boundary. What about confidence in your bowlers? And what about the fact that every batsman starts fresh on a new day? Bigger batsmen have fallen after a drinks break.

In his writeup Dr Shafqat also mentions Pakistan's most momentous wins, one of which was the win at the Oval in 1954. It is for sure one of Pakistan cricket's most historic wins. The thing that struck me the most was Fazal Mahmood's conviction and sheer belief that Pakistan would win. Here is what he said after the match:


Even though we were bowled out for 133, I did not think for a second we would lose
I wish he were alive today to explain the definition of conviction and self-belief to Yousuf and the team. At the same time our cricketers share a symbiotic relationship with society. If you look back and take a look at the last year in Pakistan (leave cricket aside) then they're probably happy to just be playing. Fazal Mahmood and his team mates were probably full of an optimism and self belief born from the birth of their nation. They had a point to prove that Pakistan belonged with the other Test playing nations. Maybe the current Pakistan squad should use this Sydney match to motivate themselves? That they will put a price on their wickets, hold on to their catches and prove to their strongest detractors that they can beat any team in the world.>

On another note I couldn't help but dig up some other painful memories (to compare with Syndey). I agree with Dr Shafqat that Syndey was our most heartbreaking Test. But in my mind, two other Test's come close behind.

1. The infamous St. Johns test where Jimmy Adams, the umpires and Saqlain all came together to deny Pakistan what would have been a historic series win in the West Indies.

2. And ofcourse that morale sapping historic 4 innings chase in Hobart in which Gilchrist scored his maiden Test century and the umpires and Saqlain figured prominently. An attack that featured Shoaib, Wasim, Waqar and Saqlain failed to defend a 4th innings total of 369... still hurts!

Let us know what you think and whether the Pakistan team can rebound from this loss.

Make your pitch on this post...

Share this post...


Labels: , , , , ,


Monday, January 4, 2010

A Year in Pakistan (Test) Cricket


Posted by Q at Monday, January 04, 2010 Pitched (6)
After the drought in 2008, the year 2009 gone by started with Sri Lanka touring Pakistan.

It was also the beginning of Younis Khan's captaincy stint; this time as full-time captain and not just a fill in for Inzamam ul Haq or Shoaib Malik; this time in the job he had finally accepted and not turned down like in the past.

If that was the start, 2009 ended with a different man at the helm of Pakistan cricket - Mohammad Yousuf.

Yes, Pakistan's captaincy had been played like a YoYo again, from one Yo to another, with the all familiar sight of Younis Khan giving up.

It is hard to imagine how a tough personality like Younis can give up so easily. In his own word he "lost control of his players".

Why Younis? Why did you lose control? Why were you not strong enough to command respect? What did you do so differently from the meek Shoaib Malik that you could not even last a full year as captain? You started your stint with a tremendous 313 in your first test as captain, yet you did not command respect? You led your team to the World T20 title, yet you did not command respect?

And how does someone like Mohammad Yousuf, who has turned his back on the country, who has dissed the players currently representing Pakistan, who has dissed the selectors currently serving Pakistan, who has spoken against the current cricket board of the country, command respect as captain that you could not Younis?

As always, 2009 was no different for Pakistan cricket - it continued to entertain, amuse, bemuse, satisfy, and sadden on and off the field.

Where there was the emergence a Mohammad Aamer and an Umar Akmal, there was the unfair handling of a Fawad Alam.

Where else in the world will you find a player who tours with the test squad for 3 years without playing, makes his debut as an opener when he has played in the middle order all his life, smashes 168 on debut, opens in another test and is then moved to number 3 in the next, then gets dropped from the XI, and then all together from the touring squad!

A 168 on debut and 5 innings of 16,16,16,29, and 5 gets Fawad Alam booted from the Pakistan camp! How absurd is that? What about all those innings that he played in domestic cricket to get him into the squad? What about all the time he spent on the bench for a chance?

What's more, while Fawad was dropped, Misbah Ul Haq, who had a torrid year with the bat was first dropped and then called back to strengthen the batting in Younis Khan's absence!

Where is the logic? You drop your most promising batsman (well after Umar Akmal) and you recall a fading star?

This happens only in Pakistan!!!

The opening is another drama in itself.

Khurram Manzoor is hailed as the solution to the opening problem at the start of 2009, but by the end of the year he is dropped in favour of Salman Butt who was dropped mid way during the year due to a prolonged period of failures with the bat.

And then they think they have an opening problem! They have a problem sustaining their openers!

Khurram was dropped after scores of 27, 59*, 2, 15, 3, 38, 93, 2, 6, 4. Alright so not convincing but bad enough to be replaced by an opener that has failed so many times?

Well on the brighter side Salman Butt is being hailed as a part of Pakistan's next promising opening pair along with Imran Farhat - how many times have we heard that one before?

There was Imran Farhat and Taufeeq Umar, then there was Salman Butt and another dozen partners, then there was Khurram Manzoor, then there was Fawad Alam, and now its Salman and Imran again!

Some things never change.

Enough with the negatives; as always with Pakistan there were some positives too and none bigger than the emergence of Umar Akmal and Mohammad Aamer, who will in all probability will be at the forefront of Pakistan cricket for the next decade and a half.

It had been a long time since a true batting star emerged in Pakistan. The last one was Mohammad Yousuf; before him, Inzamam ul Haq.

Such has been the dearth in batting talent in Pakistan that we had to wait for over a decade for the next batting star to emerge.

And who better than Umar Akmal!

We at Well Pitched had followed Umar's rise before he made his international debut; and what a ride it has been since then.

A century on debut, followed by 5 fifties and 9 test innings into his career his scores read: 129, 75, 46, 52, 0, 77, 51, 27, 49.

His ODI start has been just as impressive.

Dare I say, this is just the beginning!

Pakistan had always had riches in the fast bowling department, which was displayed yet again by Mohammad Aamer.

He first thrilled during the World T20 where in his debut tournament for Pakistan he played an instrumental role in taking Pakistan to the title.

His ODI and test performances, which peaked at the MCG with his first 5-for, have been stellar to say the least.

With Mohammad Asif returning from his doping facade, Mohammad Sami returning from the wilderness and rocking Australia's boat at Sydney, and Mohammad Aamer hopefully returning from a groin injury, Pakistan's bowling attack looks almost as strong as it was during the days of the 2 Ws.

Pakistan cricket never ceases to amaze and with plenty of cricket to come on 2010, we can be sure to see a lot more surprises.

A lot more heartache, a lot more pleasant shocks, a lot more thrilling cricket, and a lot more drama, which never stops as long as Pakistan keeps playing.

Hopefully I will be able to continue blogging too!

Make your pitch on this post...

Share this post...


Labels: , , , , , ,


Sunday, January 3, 2010

Which IPL Team will bag Shahid Afridi?


Posted by Q at Sunday, January 03, 2010 Pitched (10)
Even before wondering that, shouldn't one wonder whether an IPL team even wants Shahid Afridi or not.

He had a terrible season playing for the Deccan Chargers in 2008.

He publicly denounced his captain, VVS Laxman, after the season was over.

There were rumours that he didn't act professionally and missed several training sessions.

So then, why would an IPL team want Shahid Afridi?

Why not I ask.

Afridi helped Pakistan win the World T20 earlier this year.

He was man of the match in both the semi final and final of the World T20.

He has rediscovered his batting form, at least in the T20 version of the game; he recently became one of the few batsmen to hit 3 consecutive 50s in T20 internationals.

He took over the captaincy of the Pakistan T20 team and hasn't lost a game as captain yet.

He is at the top of his bowling form and is still the 2nd highest wicket taker in all T20 internationals.

Moreover, he is playing for South Australia in the T20 Big Bash down under and has delivered 2 consecutive man of the match performances helping SA beat Western Australia and Queensland.

If that is not a T20 match winner, than what is?

There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that Shahid Afridi will be the most sought after player in the IPL auction set to take place before the 3rd season of the league kicks off this year.

Or rather, should be!

He is in the list of 97 players to be auction, which was released yesterday.

IPL teams, start budgeting for the Boom Boom!

Make your pitch on this post...

Share this post...


Labels: , , , , , , ,


Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)