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Some interesting and random sub-plots from the warm up game.
What looked like a cake walk turned into choke walk for the Aussies.
The match looked all but over at Australia 118 / 1 in the 22 over.
But as was quoted by Yogi Berra, "It ain't over until it is over !".
13 people played for India on Sunday the 13th February.
One bad-boy [Sreesanth] welcomed another bad boy [Ponting] in a manner that suited both.
Australia couldn't warm up enough in the cold wintry Bangalore evening and collapsed like Pakistan. The Pakistani Umpire must have felt at home.
Krejza continues to pick the wicket of Sehwag when he least looks like doing anything on field.
Raina and Yuvi continue to compete with each other and we still don't know who is behind.
Chawla has at least for the time being, proved me wrong and put Yuvi and Raina in serious trouble.
If pitches continue to behave this way throughout the Cup, it might be 2 + 2 + part-timers for India. Nehra and Sree will have to fill in the second seamer's slot.
Yusuf Pathan will retire with more sixes than fours, singles or twos at the end of his career.
It looked as if Johnson had started the walk back even before Bhajji bowled the ball. He was very close to the boundary line when Dhoni removed the bails.
Ponting's slog sweep was neither a slog nor a sweep. It almost looked like a swog sleep or whatever.
Michael Clarke makes a better Captain than a batsman if that is any consolation.
Virat Kohli is good. But he still isn't Dravid or Laxman. Neither in the slips nor with the clips [of the hips].
Munaf Patel did a huge favor to us. We knew he'd be cannon-fodder on Indian pitches. Thankfully he proved that well before the curtain-raiser.
Mitchell Johnson again bowled twice as many wides as all the Indian bowlers together.
Australia bowled more than 4 additional overs thanks to wides.
In fact not only Johnson but Hastings, Lee and Dussey out-wide-balled India.
And to think I was one of the very few Indians who didn't get to bowl today because Aussies folded up in 38 overs.
Ashwin and Nehra won the match for India. The 44 runs the No. 10 / 11 scored was the difference.
Australia's part-time spinners appear to be better than the main spinner.
India's lower order looks better than the middle order [which is still in South Africa].
And finally, a sensational scoop, breaking news and revelation all put together...
Sachin and Zaheer are India's secret weapons being hidden from the opponents.
S-Pun Doctor
Raina is slightly behind. But, that's on the count of bowling. 16 wickets to Yuvi since start of 2010 means he should get the nod ahead of Raina.
ReplyDeleteMethinks so too !
ReplyDeleteGovind, this was one of your most entertaining posts! That bit from Ponting's "swog sleep" to Kohli's hips had me grinning wide!
ReplyDeleteThe only thing I found a little unfair was this - "Australia's part-time spinners appear to be better than the main spinner." He may have been quite short on a number of occasions, but he did bowl well and spun the ball well. He was not bad at all, in my opinion!
Good one Govind. I would keep Yuvraj. I think he will be a key as a bowler in middle overs on flat wickets. As for batting both he and Raina seem to have forgotten how to handle a bat. Even Ashwin showed more guts and technique to handle the short stuff! Kreza will warm up to the challenge. He may go for runs but he will pick up wickets. I am happy to see him in the team. Clarkey? Can't fathom what's hit him. He isn't same after Lara's Bingle!! Great little spell by Sreesanth. Also he and Ponting are determined to provide drama and that's good too! Only watched first spell from Chawla; while he gave away runs he looks to have tightened up more in his line length and seems now to come on more quickly to the batsmen than before; a sign of more strength in wrists and maturity. Will cause a good-headache for the selectors. India batting needs a spark; may be a Tendulkar or a Sehwag regular. Bowling is fine. They can go the distance, I think. Aussies looking shaky, though. I hope these two meet in Finals..
ReplyDeleteShridhar and Deep, Thanks and happy you guys liked it.
ReplyDeleteWith due regards to K-Man, somehow Australia's part time spinners have proved more successful in India of late. North was better than Hauritz and often Clarke was better than many who played after the Warne era.
Forgot Sree's spell. He did have Ponting in a lot of trouble. But Sree more often than not hogs the limelight for all the wrong reasons.
But I am definitely happy for Chawla whom I have ridiculed many a times. I still believe Amit Mishra is a better bowler. But Dhoni believes otherwise and finally that is what matters.
Well, if it makes any difference, one more point here...
Ashwin's 'Doosra' turned more than Bhajji's and Chawla's leg-break.