Yes! Australia lost the ODI series to South Africa. THey lost the fourth ODI by 61 runs, losing the series 3-1! This is SA’s third consecutive series win over Australia – proving once and for all whose the better amongst the two! SA are now back on to their deserving no. 1 in ODI rankings!
Archive for Cricket
India looking for series win
with a 531 run lead after day 3 and 5 wickets in hand, with main batsman (Bhajji and ZK!)still to come, India are looking all set to taking the match and the series with it! Yippee!
Sports update: Cricket and F-1
Sunday was a ideal day for a sports fan like me. The all important fourth day of the India Vs NZ 2nd test in the morning followed by Formula 1 opening race!
First things first- Cricket: India finally drew the test!!! Thanks to a 642 minute enduring century from the surprisingly patient Gambhir! The innings that saved the test and hopefully which would enable us to win the series. Such was the patience that he did not score a single run (while on 83) for almost 12 overs! VVS showed us real class in his boundaries studded century (25 fours in his 125*) and so did Yuvi in his half century (54 off 63, 10 fours). And the patience game was ably supported by the Wall, Dravid (62) and Sachin (64). The partnership between Dravid and Gambhir (133 in 63 overs) is the best defensive batting display I have seen in a very long time. Who would have thought that India could have batted 6+ sessions to save the test match! A commendable feat indeed.
Formula 1: What a dramatic start to the season! It could not have been filled with more twists! Brawn GP scored a 1-2, the only third time in racing history by a debut team. Hamilton coming third after starting last on the grid. Actually Trulli was third but was dropped down later after a penalty for improper rear wing. That meant that the FORCE INDIA cars came in 9th and 11th! And if positions are further cut following the diffuser controversy, FI will get precious points!Ferrari continued their tradition of not scoring any points in the opening race. And feel sad for Vettel and Kubica. Two of the better drivers who should have got points but for their recklessness! And Kubica was not even on KERS!
Aditya writes about qualifying and the actual race in detail. I am thinking of writing more on rear diffusers and KERS soon…
And I am definitely not impressed by the current scoring pattern 
India struggle in 2nd test
Well, 3 days are over and India are already following on. In response to mammoth 619 by NZ, INdia managed just 305. And worse, we lost Sehwag in the second innnigs too! Things looking bad already – its upto the famed batting to come out of the hole they have dug themselves. And Indian bowling again missed the knockout punches after reducing NZ 23-3 in first innings… a trend I am getting familiar with
INDIA WIN FIRST TEST!!!
In another display of pure awesomeness, the Indian cricket team won the first test. Winning a test after a whopping 33yrs in NZ, team India look all set to win the three match series!
Harbhajan took 6 wickets to restrict NZ to 279 (again! wonder how many times that has happened?!). This left India with 39 to win which was chased down bya blazing Gambhir (30*, 6×4s) and surprisingly Dravid! (was hoping to see Sehwag actually). Tendulkar was man of the match for his 160. He donated the money to the Tiger conservation fund – a real nice gesture one must appreciate. Dhoni gave a classic post match interview in which he stated the importance of team contribution, finding the right length, taking the aggressive decision of bowling first. Overall a clean n professional performance – outclassing NZ in all respects. A well deserved win!
The next one in Napier also promises to be a batting delight… hopefully India will win that too…
Day 2: India still in control!
India ended the second day at 278-4 with Tendulkar and Yuvraj at the crease. A Steady response i would say. India were a bit down on the run rate. But this can be duly appreciated to Vettori’s tactics and a pretty disciplined performance from the bowlers.
The morning started on a horrific note with sehwag (24) run out on a direct hit about 50 yards away. It was a risky run, had it not been a direct hit he would have made it. Some would call it foolish, some aggressive I would chose the term impatient. But thats that. The Indian batting too lacked the flair it usually has with all batsmen – Gambhir (72), Dravid (66), Laxman (30) and Tendulkar (70*) playing steady and dodgy innings. Some chances were gone begging including a dropped catch of Tendulkar. Gambhir had some luck as a 50-50 LBW decision went in his favour when he was on 6. Laxman was a victim of the second new ball. Martin took 2 wickets while O Brien castled Dravid with a brilliant delivery – hit nothing but the top of off-stump. Text book perfect!
But overall, Indian ship seems on course albeit a bit slow. The strategy should be to play out tomorrow entire day and make about 280+ and give NZ the bat on day 4 morning.
India in control after day 1
It was the same old story. After reducing NZ to 60-6, India failed to deliver the knowckout punch. Brave centuries from Vettori (118) and Ryder (102) saw NZ end at 279. In reply, India were 29-0 at stumps, Sehwag yet again in prime form. Hopefully, India wont lose too many wickets in the first session tomorrow.
And this tradition of letting teams claw back into the test from seemingly hopeless positions has to be broken once and for all. Of course, the morning sun played its part in making the pitch a bit more playable. Z Khan was not his usual self (4+rpo), still we managed to pin them down. I think Harbhajan was over-bowled on the first day (22 overs just 1 wicket). It seems India still needs a quality fast bowling all rounder for such wickets.
Still India are in control on day one. We must look to make 550+ and not bat again – ideally.
Match Review – Ind vs Aus!
Well, I had planned to write a match review – of the India v NewZealand 5th ODI of course… But as that match turned out to be a dud and India staring into the face of defeat, I decided to go for the other Indian match!
Closing comments on the NZ match first – Stupid Gambhir, Raina, and Sharma – what were you thinking keeping Sehwag off strike for so long – He got bored and threw his wicket away. And if a side that strong cant bat out 43 overs, its just a shame. Perhaps this will bring back the hi-flying Indians back to ground and they would like to rethink the basics of the game. Raina, Sharma are shocking options for 3 and 4. You need your best batsman at that slot… And poor bowlers – small ground, even smaller target, nothing much they could have done with the ball swinging – NZ could just play the new ball out…
Well the India – Aus match that I am reviewing is of the Womens World Cup, 2009 in Australia. It is the first of the Super Six stage. With no semifinals, a loss for either team would leave them with a near impossible chance of making it to the finals.
Aus won the toss put India to bat first. India had looked a bit fragile in the batting department through out the series. However, the day was of redemption and fantastic knocks from the experienced Anjum Chopra (76) (sadly, many would only recall her from several post match shows on national television), new keeper Anagha Deshpande (45) saw India get to a solid start. After the very young Tharush Kamini got out early, Mithali Raj (who averages a staggering 47.72 in ODI’s and 52.00 in tests) showed why she was the most prized batting jewel in the team by scoring a brisk 44 off 50. Cameos from Amita Sharma 31(22) – promoted up the order, and new comer Harmanpreet Kaur (a superb 19 off 8 balls – 2×4s 1×6) saw India make a whopping 47 off the last 5 overs to end on 234-5. A very applaudable effort considering the average scores in Womens cricket!
Aussie domination persists in Womens cricket as in Mens cricket. It was always going to be tough to keep them down. After a steady start 40-0 in 10 ov, Indians struck to reduce the Aussies to 53-3. The clean bowled wicket by India’s most trusted speedster and captain Jhulan Goswami (106 wkts at an avg of 22.5) was a peach of a delivery that would have made many legends proud! Her first spell was 7-4-18-1. Some repair work by the Aussies gave some headache to the Indians but wickets at regular intervals (2 to spinners Gouher Sultana and Reema Malhotra each) and excellent support by the inspired Rumeli Dhar and Priyanka Roy and great fielding in particularly by Raj and Deshpande meant that the asking rate was always climbing and was above 12 in the last few overs. In the end, Australian women fell short by 16 runs.
The margin may be small but the victory was far more convincing. Indian Girls hardly looked out of control in the entire match! Bravo! A good job done indeed.And any time India beats Australia all are happy!
India now move to second place in the points table. We have 4 points in 3 matches and second place thanks to a healthy NRR over NZ. Aussies have very little chance of defending their title. They seem to be going downwards just like their male counterparts!
Ind vs NZ is on Tuesday and would be a virtual semifinal… lets c! All the best of luck to the team – Chak de!
Full scorecard and Bulletin on my fav cricket news site – CricInfo
Ponting to miss IPL 2009!
Yes its official now. We wont be seeing him play for Kolkata Night riders. Ponting cited heavily loaded Aussie cricket year and wanting to have the 14 day break, by not playing in the IPL, as his reasons.
Seems fair and sensible enough. Sadly, I will have one less face to laugh at after my team (Chennai Superkings) smashes KKR once again! 
For full story >
N so will David Hussey too it seems! KKR are looking in trouble again…
