1. Digvijay Singh – Sachin is an RSS agent. All these days he was waiting to score his century against a Muslim country.
2. Manmohan Singh – I congratulate Sachin and appreciate the leadership of Shrimati Sonia Gandhi.
3. Rahul Gandhi – My grandmother created Bangladesh. She deserves the credit for this century.
4. Raj Thackeray – Sachin has proved himself to be a true Marathi manus after scoring this century. So what ifIndia has lost, Maharashtrians can’t take the responsibility for the whole nation.
5. Mulayam Singh Yadav – If Sachin was from UP, all his matches would be tax-free.
6. Anna Hazare – Sachin deserves to be the next Lokpal.
7. Kapil Sibal – The social media should exercise restraint
Chennai Super Kings (CSK), the reigning champions of Indian Premier League (IPL), is owned by a man who heads the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). This has led to N Srinivasan, the man in question, being at the receiving end of much criticism from various fraternities over the conflict of interest.
But if there is one thing that Srinivasan cannot be questioned it is ability to run CSK as the most successful franchisee one in IPL. CSK were runners-up in first edition and came third in the second edition. Since then CSK triumphed in successive tournaments. Each time, they looked down and out before fighting their way to the top. They sneaked into the knock-outs and once there, they were
In 2006, Greg Chappell believed that Sachin Tendulkar had reached the evening of his career. Even the most diehard fans of the Little Master believed that Dilhara Fernando’s yorker in the 2007 World Cup was the last ball he had faced of the grand cricket extravaganza called the World Cup. Even four years later in 2011, when he tamed the same lions in his own home ground, many held the same belief, but with different emotions.
With a continuous run of scores not reaching the elusive three figure mark, the latest cry out is for Tendulkar’s retirement from the 50 overs format.
Nobody doubts his greatness. Most of them are not even questioning his ability to regain form. The desperation rises simply from
We're pleased we set our Sky+ box to record day two of the Sydney Test between Australia and India.
Well, kind of. Whilst like most people watching we enjoyed seeing Ricky Ponting finally make his 40th Test hundred - a saga even longer than Sachin Tendulkar's quest for that 100th hundred. We also enjoyed a real gem of an innings from Michael Clarke.
Sadly for some of the Channel 9 cheerleaders, Ponting and Clarke's momentous knocks were merely a sideshow as they salivated over Rianna Ponting and Clarke's new girlfriend Kyly Boldy.
As Ponting entered the nervous nineties, the cameras spent as much time on a nervous Rianna as it did on the action in the field. We were worried they were going to miss Ponting
Following is Australia’s mark sheet (out of ten) in the first Test against India at the MCG
David Warner - 5: Caught hooking after a breezy Sehwag-esque 1st innings 37 and played on to a very loose shot early in the Australian 2nd innings. Partnership with Cowan looks a promising contrast of styles. Great catch to seal the win.
Ed Cowan - 7: Looked instantly at home on Test debut and was undaunted by the 70,000 crowd and bowler friendly conditions to produce a retro-style Test innings from an opener that would have had Geoff Boycott licking his lips. The main feature of his 68 was his sound judgement and when and when not to leave - something that deserted him second time around.
Following is Team India’s mark sheet (out of ten) in the first Test against Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground.
Gautam Gambhir - 2: Looks completely out of sorts, which is maybe not a surprise given he has now gone 17 Tests and 31 innings without a Test hundred - he had hit eight tons in his 10 Tests before that. He averages just 29 during this barren run and it was easy to see why with his angled bat and problems outside off stump condemning him in both innings. May need to find another wedding to attend as he clearly needs a break.
Virender Sehwag - 6: Looked somewhere close to his best in the 1st innings where another hour at the crease could have seen him take the game away from Australia.
Test cricket was at its very best during the second day’s play of the first Test between India and Australia at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG), a venue which justified why it is known as Cricket’s Colosseum. Like a typical Bollywood masala film, the second day’s play had everything in it - drama, joy, distress and thrills.
The day began with India wrapping up the Australian tail for 56 runs. The leader of Indian pace attack Zaheer Khan, though not at his wily best, managed to scalp four wickets in the first innings which will be a confidence-booster for the senior bowler who is making a comeback after an injury. Ravichandran Ashwin, playing his first Test Down Under ended with three wickets which
Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey hang tough after Australian openers fall cheaply.
Umesh Yadav struck thrice reducing Australia to 81 for four in the second innings against India at tea on the third day of the first cricket Test at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG) here Wednesday.
Ricky Ponting was unbeaten on 33 and Mike Hussey 29 at the break and the duo with their 54-run stand for the fifth wicket helped Australia recover from a disastrous 27 for four. Australia, who made 333 in the first innings, stretched their lead to 132 after bowling out India for 282 runs in the morning session.
Indian fast bowlers atoned for the disastrous performance of the batsmen. Resuming at the overnight score of 214/3, India suffered a
If one makes enough predictions, he is likely to be right. I think I met that threshold. Ravichandran Ashwin and Ishant Yadav were key to India finishing Australia quickly. Both bowled much better than their Test ages. Ashwin, especially, has been a wise bowler who is an ideal replacement for Anil Kumble. He may or may not end up with as many wickets, but he certainly brings that cerebral element to the game.
Umesh Yadav is all heart. It was nice to see him let it rip. He did get pasted on a few occasions, but it was a blast watching him go. India's bowling has come to this game well prepared. For this, Duncan Fletcher must be complimented. Ishant Sharma has been bowling extremely well, although he's been
Watching the two Tests over the weekend confirmed to us that there are a number of fairly mediocre sides operating in Test cricket at the moment.
Nevertheless, the likes of West Indies, Australia and even New Zealand (as they so ably demonstrated in Hobart last week) have the bowling firepower that means on any given day they can win their respective sides a Test match.
Sri Lanka do not have that luxury and actually seem to be plunging alarmingly quickly towards Bangladesh territory.
Their top six is as good as most other sides, which has helped them save Test matches at the Rose Bowl, Pallekelle and Abu Dhabi over the last few months. Indeed, if you had to choose between England’s top six and the Sri
Whilst it is sad to see the axe fall on Phillip Hughes after all the hilarity he has provided over the last 12 months, its welcome to see the call-up of Ed Cowan to the Australian squad for the Boxing Day Test against India at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).
Cowan provides a much-needed cerebral dimension to an otherwise illiterate (sorry, is that too strong?) Australian XI.
As his book ‘In The Firing Line’ ably demonstrates, Cowan really thinks about his sport and his own game in equal measure. He is one of the few cricketers playing the game today whose thoughts on the game provide a revealing and vivid insight into what it is to play cricket at first-class level. His book puts all the endless and
Another good game for Test cricket and even though the Baggy Greens weren't victorious, it was good to see a game where fast bowling dominanted with swing conditions on offer throughout all four days.
Low scoring games have proven to be exciting, but when you look at it in detail the Baggy Greens have been a big part of the low scoring dilemma.
It remains a big issue and while it can be expected every 5 Tests or so that a bad innings will occur for most sides, it has become a frequent matter.
You can’t help but feel the Selectors will be making some tough calls, which we all expected heading into this series.
As always you need to find the positives. There were a few to make note of but many of the
Martin Guptill – 4: Nicked Siddle to the keeper in both innings and looked particularly angry – as he should have been – for his needless poke on the second occasion. Showed safe hands to snare four catches in the Black Caps impressive slips cordon.
Brendon McCullum – 3: Has found opening the batting in Tests in Australia much more difficult than in India last year. Showed extreme restraint and diligence on the first morning but – as in the 2nd innings – was caught behind the wicket both times after edging attempted drives. Would serve his country better at five or six.
Jesse Ryder – 2: Completed a poor series by being embarrassingly stumped down the leg-side off Hussey. Has all the talent in
David Warner - 9: One swallow may not make a summer but Warner’s valiant, unbowed if ultimately futile maiden Test hundred suggested that those who said he would be found out at the top level were premature in their assessment.
Phillip Hughes – 2: Four innings, four failures and four c Guptill b Martin’s on the scorecard. Cut a sad and disconsolate figure as he departed in full knowledge that the axe is about to fall. Averages just 24 since returning against England at the WACA one year ago.
Usman Khawaja – 4: Got starts in both innings but was unable to go on; being found out outside off stump on both occasions. It seems the new generation of Australian batsmen are just as susceptible in swinging
“One brother gets sent off, the other scores. Amazing” opined Barry Davies as Francois Omam Biyik’s header put unfancied Cameroon ahead against holders Argentina in the opening match of the 1990 World Cup.
Not all siblings who share the international stage also end up enjoying success together. For every Steve and Mark Waugh or Bobby and Jack Charlton there is a Robin and Chris Smith or a Kamran and Umar Akmal (ok they’re both crap).
In the wake of James Pattinson taking a second successive five wicket haul in his second Test, it would seem that he and his brother Darren fall into the latter category.
As we documented in our One Cap Wonder Test XI, the elder sibling Darren was plucked from relative obscurity to
