The world of cricket

Turbanator Harbhajan Singh on Friday ridiculed Pakistan fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar’s reported TV statement in which the paceman had said that Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid were scared of his bowling.

Talking to reporters here, the Indian off-spinner said only time would tell who was scared of whom.

“Let us face each other at the ground and see who is sacred of whom? Shoaib Akhtar may find himself scared of our batsmen,” he added.

He said one should realise that Shoaib would be playing on his home grounds and might find himself under tremendous pressure to perform. (more…)

December 31, 2005, will be an important day for Indian cricket. The end of the year will also mark the end of the Rs 100 crore contract which master blaster Sachin Tendulkar signed with WorldTel five years ago.

And up for grabs will be one of the most iconic brand s that India has ever seen. Sixteen years and around 23,000 runs in both forms of cricket and counting, brand Sachin Tendulkar is still going strong and if the past is any yardstick, then the last innings of his cricketing life will see the unfolding of the true potential of the brand.

And if you are tempted to think that post the expiry of the WorldTel contract, brand Sachin will be viable only for the remainder of his playing life, then think again.

Industry observers believe that Sachin as a brand is worth a whopping 100-200 % more than the present value and the aura will continue to hold sway even after he hangs his gloves. (more…)

ANOTHER extraordinary cricketing year in the extraordinary career of Shane Warne ended yesterday with his 96th Test wicket in 2005. It is a record that will probably lie undisturbed for years, possibly decades. It may even be one cricketing record that is never broken. That is the scale of this latest achievement by the greatest spinner to have played the game.

Warne’s total is as many as 11 wickets more than the old record of 85, set by Dennis Lillee in 1981. Warne had the benefit of two more Tests than his equally celebrated compatriot, but as he will tell you, Australia bowled first in the majority of his 15 Tests in 2005, denying him the chance to exploit fifth-day pitches. Nor did he have any helpful sub-continental surfaces to bowl on, all of the Tests having been played in Australia, New Zealand and England. Indeed, had the pitch in Perth for the first Test against South Africa not been so docile in the second innings, he might well have completed the holy grail — 100 wickets in a calendar year. (more…)

Helped by an undefeated 138 by opener Jaya Sharma and her unbroken 223-run third-wicket partnership with Anjum Chopra (86), defending champions India handed hosts Pakistan a huge 193-run defeat in the Asia Cup women’s cricket championship in Karachi today.

India had begun their title defence yesterday with a 10-wicket win over Sri Lanka, Jaya remaining unbeaten on 58.

After India, who opted to bat first, had lost two wickets for 66 runs, southpaws Jaya and Anjum joined together to hit the inexperienced Pakistan attack to all parts of the ground. Jaya struck 15 boundaries in her 150-ball, 203-minute stay in the middle while Anjum had a six and seven fours in her 102-ball, 133-minute vigil at the crease. (more…)

The International Cricket Council (ICC) has informed the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) that it will take up the appeal of Shabbir Ahmed against his one-year ban in 21 days’ time.

A senior PCB official said the ICC conveyed that it would constitute the Bowling Action Review Committee to hear Shabbir’s appeal in 21 days. “The 21-day period expires around January 13. After that I’ll proceed with Shabbir to Dubai for the hearing,” said Saleem Altaf, Director cricket operations PCB.

Shabbir has been banned for one year from international cricket by the governing body for having an illegal bowling action. The ban was imposed after Shabbir was reported twice in the year for his action, first in the West Indies in May and finally after the first Test against England in Multan last month. After consulting Board officials, Shabbir has lodged an appeal against the ban. (more…)

The itinerary for India’s tour to Pakistan has undergone an alteration due to security concerns. The first ODI, to be played at Peshawar on February 6, will now be played in Rawalpindi on the same date. The second ODI, on February 8, will now be held at Peshawar instead of Rawalpindi where it was originally scheduled.

The switch in venues has come about because of concerns that there would have been a shortage in security personnel for Peshawar on February 6. Salim Altaf, PCB Director explained to Cricinfo: “The first week of February coincides with Ashura, a ten-day period in the Islamic month of Muharram, which generally requires extra security manpower to be placed around Islamabad and Rawalpindi, particularly. If we had held the game in Peshawar first, there would have been a shortage of security manpower. It’s just a venue switch as it enables us to get the right amount of security for the Peshawar ODI.” (more…)

The Indian cricket team is disoriented with a struggling batting line-up and Pakistan must “throw them on the canvas”, one of the game’s greats Wasim Akram said today.

The former Pakistan skipper is of the view that there are chinks in the Indian batting armour and the team appears to be “disoriented and disjointed” unit ahead of its tour of Pakistan starting early next month.

The controversy revolving around Sourav Ganguly has not done good to their cause either, he said.

“I mean, we are talking about a player who until a couple of months back, was regarded as their most successful captain and one of the most successful batsmen. But now, he is unwanted in the team,” he told PTI here.

“I have been through this period when I was in the team as a player after leading the side and with some players not happy with my presence. It becomes extremely difficult and suffocating. (more…)

Allegations of over-appealing and bad blood between the two sides have tainted Australia’s 184-run victory over South Africa in the second Test at the MCG, but winning skipper Ricky Ponting says he’s had the last laugh.

The home team takes a 1-0 lead into Monday’s third and final Test at the SCG with South African captain Graeme Smith warning Ponting he feels he is close to cracking the code of how to get under the skin of the Australian team.

Pakistan umpire Asad Rauf warned Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne on the fourth day’s play for over-appealing and ICC match referee Chris Broad said he felt Ponting’s side was pushing close to the limit.

“But according to the umpires they haven’t crossed it so I’m happy with that,” Broad said. (more…)

The Indian women’s cricket team registered a crushing 10-wicket victory over Sri Lanka in the second match of the Women’s Asia Cup cricket tournament at the Gymkhana Ground in Karachi on Thursday.

Electing to bat first, Sri Lanka were bowled out for a paltry 115 in 48.5 overs.

Spinners Nooshin Al Khader, Neetu David and Reema Malhotra spun a web around the Sri Lankans as they lost wickets regularly. Al Khader took 3 for 11 in 10 overs, while David claimed 2 for 12 in 10 overs. Leg spinner Malhotra finished off things at the end with figures of 3 for 31.

In reply, openers Karuna Jain and Jaya Sharma scored half-centuries to take India to victory in 27.3 overs. Jain was unbeaten on 52 from 93 balls, with five boundaries, while Sharma hit six boundaries to remain not out on 58 from 72 balls to help their post a huge win.

India face arch-rivals Pakistan at National Stadium in Karachi on Friday.

Pakistan had lost to Sri Lanka by 14 runs in the opening match of the tournament.

Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka play each other on a double league basis in the first-ever women’s Asia Cup, with the top two teams qualifying for the final on January 4.

Clearly amused by the high drama regarding former skipper Sourav Ganguly’s inclusion in the Indian team, Pakistan believes Rahul Dravid’s side is low on team spirit and that’s going to suit the hosts’ purpose in the series starting next month.

According to a survey conducted by ‘The News’, former and present Pakistani cricketers believe Team India is now low on spirit and Ganguly would be in an awkward position during the tour of Pakistan.

“It is no secret that neither the Indian captain Rahul Dravid nor their coach Greg Chappell wanted him in the team. Then he has been preferred over someone like Mohammad Kaif who has been doing well for them recently. It’s obvious that his presence in the dressing room will not be the best thing for their team spirit in Pakistan,” a “well-known former Test player” was quoted as saying. (more…)

There is a certain poignancy to Kerry Packer’s death, coming only weeks before the Indian team embarks on a tour of Pakistan. After all, as cricket’s faithful but endangered band of archivists will remember, it was on the historic tour of Pakistan in 1978 that this country’s cricketers came into the business-sphere of the Australian media tycoon.

A compulsive gambler—he was the Bradman of casino tables—Packer had just reacted to the Australian Cricket Board’s rejection of his offer to buy television rights by announcing his alternative cricket universe. If the fuddy-duddies at the ACB insisted on dealing with the public broadcaster and were cussed enough to turn down a lucrative deal, Packer was going to show them!

He devised World Series Cricket: coloured clothing, matches under lights, baseball-style player promotionals (remember the delicate thunder of “Lillee, Lillee”?), instant replays, stump cameras, gladiatorial contests called “Supertests”. And, essentially, invented the cricket entertainment industry. (more…)

Mumbai thumped Taml Nadu by nine wickets with 32 balls to spare in their Ranji Trophy Group A Elite Division match to collect four points and shoot to the top of the pool table at the Wankhede Stadium here today.

Set a target of 197 in 38 overs by the visitors, who collapsed from 318 for six to 351 all out in the second innings in just 5.4 overs, the hosts won on a canter after a solid foundation was laid by openers Sahil Kukreja (80 not out) and Vinayak Samant (67).

The Mumbai openers put on 129 runs in only 26 overs to give the home team a flying start in their run-chase and then Pakistan-bound Wasim Jaffer showed the splendid touch he’s in with a smashing innings of 44 not out in 19 balls.

Jaffer, chosen as one of the three openers for the upcomng three-Test series in Pakistan, clouted spinner S Badrinath for 24 runs with three fours and two sixes.

Badri had replaced off spinner Ashish Kapoor after the latter was carted around for 16 runs in his over, ten of them by Jaffer, which included a six. In all the batsman played for 25 minutes and clubbed three sixes and five fours. (more…)

Former Pakistan captain Waqar Younis believes the Indian selectors have taken a step back by selecting Sourav Ganguly for next month’s gruelling cricket tour of Pakistan.

“I think the Indian selectors have taken a step back by picking Sourav because he is certainly not a player in form. I saw him batting in the New Delhi Test (against Sri Lanka) and he was clearly struggling to put bat to the ball”, Younis said.

“I don’t think you can select any player who is in such a bad form in his career. Somehow, he does not look like capable of scoring runs,” Younis, who played 87 Tests and 262 one-dayers for Pakistan, said in an interview.

Ganguly was picked in the 16-man squad amidst drama and suspense after being left out of the third Test in Ahmedabad despite scoring 39 and 40 in Delhi.

The former India captain did not do any good to his cause when he missed the Ranji Trophy game for Bengal against Gujarat but escaped sanctions after the BCCI accepted his explanation. He, alongwith three others, were allowed to play the next round of Ranji Trophy and were also granted permission to join the team in Lahore two days later. (more…)

An India-Pakistan series constructs an unforgiving environment. The intensity, emotion and expectation which surround each move can be extolling and ruthless. It can elevate ordinary cricketers to legendary status and topple the most decorated ones to the depths of ignominy. Some thrive under such circumstances, when much is expected. Others buckle under the high demands of the situation.

Pakistan has always possessed an almost extraordinary ability to churn out cricketers of the former kind. Players who are otherwise ordinary, but raise their game substantially and flourish in the gut-wrenching atmosphere of this epic battle. The trend is visible even in the country’s hockey team where Rehan Butt has tormented India in almost every encounter of recent memory.

Usual suspects in the cricket team would be Inzamam-ul-Haq and Shoaib Akhtar. However, it’s the man from the same village as squash champions Jansher and Jehangir Khan, who has displayed a knack, and is most likely, to bag that honour.

Even though former captains like Imran Khan are backing Shoaib in the bowling department, current Pakistani captain Inzamam has made no bones about who he prefers to have in his bowling arsenal - the unassuming Peshawari Umar Gul. (more…)

When he steps out to play against Sri Lanka in Queenstown on Saturday, Shane Bond will unbelievably be playing his first international match in New Zealand in nearly three years. Bond last turned out in a home one-day against India in January 2003, immediately prior to the World Cup. His last home Test was against the same opponents the previous month.

In a four-year career plagued by injury, Bond has played only three of his 36 ODIs and five of 12 Tests at home. And as he revealed in an interview with the New Zealand Herald, understandably, he is raring to go against the Sri Lankans.

“The goal for me now is to get over this hurdle of playing another game at home, which has been a bit of a bogey.

“So my first target is Queenstown, the next is Christchurch and, once I’ve got that monkey off my back, I should be match hardened and ready for the West Indies series next month.” (more…)