Controversially Yours

Disclaimer – This is not a book review. And I have not read the book as yet. And more importantly I have NO intention of reading it either.

Its becoming quite a trend in the cricket world. A cricketer gets his “autobiography” (or rather a “ghost written” account of his life in first person). Now whats the use of writing it if he can’t sell it. To sell it, need to market it. To market it, a little controversy helps. Whats the easiest way to do that. Take potshots at the biggest icons in the biggest cricket market in the world. It could be anyone. Mention SRT claiming that he doesn’t win matches for India or BCCI as a dictator in the cricketing world or IPL having bought the soul of cricket or poor Indian crowd behaviour or whatever comes to their mind. Now this little snippet might be just 1 line buried somewhere in the 235th page of a 600 page biography. But make sure to use selectively leak this to the Indian media, which can be always be trusted to blow up any non-event. There they would be making sure that everyone hears of the “insult” to our “holy”deities. For the cricketer and his publisher “Job Done”.

Pretty formulaic.

But then we have our own Amul find humour in this. Here is their latest billboard.

Nishant Kumar for DieHard Cricket Fans
Follow Nishant on Twitter @NishantSKumar

Australia on the Road to Redemption

A comprehensive Argus review, a bunch of talented young batsmen and spin bowlers arriving in bulk. All telling signs of Australia’s burning desire to erase their 2010 season misery. After sinking to an all time low at number five in the ICC Test rankings, the ramifications undertaken by the ‘baggy greens’ seem to come across as a strong warning signal to the top teams.

To see an Australian line up with two specialist spinners is a rare sight, however, Michael Clarke’s men took the liberty of employing a two spin attack in the warm up match against Sri Lanka Board XI at Colombo. The inclusion of Michael Beer and Nathan Lyon, both in the fledging years of their first class careers, came as a pleasant surprise. Not many would have expected Australia to shift from their rather traditional strategy of playing four seamers and one specialist spinner but the change clearly indicates that this team and its management is now thinking differently.

Change is surely the way forward for a team that has slumped in recent times and what is evident is that this Australian team is learning from its mistakes and the criticism it has received. Before the World Cup, and during it, there was enough evidence to suggest that the men from down under were certainly under achieving in the spin department and worse were not trying to change that. Nathan Hauritz would never be accompanied by another specialist spinner, even in conditions conducive to spin. This new breed though seemed to want to make that extra effort by trying out their spin armory before the Test series commences in Sri Lanka. Such efforts have wielded exceptional results in the form of a five wicket haul for debutant Lyon.

Apart from the will to change, a major positive for Australia is the influx of young talent that seems to be gearing up to replace a Michael Hussey or a Ricky Ponting. Clarke and the panel of selectors have a bit of a headache at the moment, that of awarding the number six slot to Usman Khawaja or Shaun Marsh. This though is not the sort of a headache that you would want to do away with by popping an Asprin. In fact a selector longs for such a classic dilemma, simply because it underlines the fact that team is moving towards success and is building a plush reserve. Just to throw in a few numbers Khawaja who already made his Test debut before this tour has scored 2604 first class runs in 36 matches including a highest of 214. Marsh on the other hand has been in the reckoning for a long time but hadn’t got his shot in Tests, despite boasting of 3658 first class runs and an ODI average of 36.58. Khawaja’s form displayed by his knock of 101 in the practice match landed him a spot in the playing XI in the 1st Test. That spot though was quickly taken away by Marsh who grabbed the opportunity with both hands and put in a better performance in the 2nd Test and hence played the 3rd one replacing Khawaja. This surely epitomizes the future of Australian cricket that has a bent towards performance.

Instant results may not show, they never really do especially when a team is in the transition phase. What is evident though is the fact that Australia is certainly thinking long term and is implementing the right methods. The Argus review stresses on greater accountability and the need for channelizing resources towards success in the longest format. Trent Copeland in a way is an example of the success of the Argus review that stresses on performance, after taking a five wicket haul in the practice match and being picked in the Test squad despite not having a Cricket Australia contract. Clearly the Australians are hungry to reclaim the number one Test spot and are ready to patiently chalk out a side that is fit to do just that. It would be safe to say that with the commitment Australians are showing towards Test cricket, redemption is certainly on the cards soon.

Shashreek Roy for DieHard Cricket Fans
Follow Shashreek on Twitter @shashreek

Champions League T20 – Redbacks Under Siege

Warriors v South Australia at Hyderabad
[scorecard]

Well to make a long story short, after losing the toss and thus bowling first, the Redbacks’ new ball bowling basically gave away all the runs that made the total unchaseable. While the two Dans, Redbacks Player Of The Year Dan Christian and Dr Daniel Harris, bowled wonderfully at max 6/ov and took four of the five wickets, Shaun Tait leaked a shocking 13.25 per over, and opening with the spinners was perhaps not the smartest move (although in the Big Bash it worked at times). I am not blaming Taito for the large Saffa total but he’s had one of his mitchy lowlights today. Hats off to JJ Smuts for his 88 off 65; Saffa greats Mark Boucher and Colin Ingram made the best of their stays at the crease as well.

Having to chase 172 the Redbacks batsmen crumbled in the face of the classy South African bowling attack, Lonwabo Tsotsobe, Rusty Theron, Johan Botha, Wayne Parnell, Nicky Boje are all experienced campaigners and past or present fixtures in the South African national side and I must admit that their experience made the difference here. It felt a bit like two different worlds clashing and the side with plenty of internationals in it came out on top.

Generally the competition is a lot tougher this year and due to the qualification round all of the weak teams got eliminated prior to the group stage, unlike last year when there were still a few punching balls around, on whose defeats you could coast to the semis. I guess the Champions League really deserves its name this time.

The Redbacks will now have to look how to plan for the next match, whether to stick with the three-pronged spin crown, or to throw another seamer into the mix. Gary Putland has done a good job for the Redbacks over the last years, and Big Bash final protagonist Kane Richardson is surely keen to get a shot as well. I’m having the feeling that perhaps Ben Edmondson could have added value to the attack… 

Contributed by Wes
Follow Wes on Twitter @WesPFCNFS

Satya Srinivas – An Interview With The German Wicket-Keeper

Satya Srinivas (c) DCB

This is the most special moment for a cricket writer: an interview with a player of the team you love. Srinivas Satyanarayana aka Satya has been keeping wicket for Germany for three years now and I was absolutely delighted that he agreed to have this little chat with me. Born in India in the city of Calcutta and brought up in Hyderabad he came to Germany as a young bloke, and with a lot of determination and (he will disagree) talent he battled his way into the national side. Get yourself a good cup of tea or coffee and enjoy a look into his fascinating world. The interview was conducted like a chat, hence the casual style, enjoy!
Hey Satya how are you today? Thank you so much for taking the time to answer my questions, is this the first interview you give as a cricketer?
Hey Wes I am good. My pleasure!! Yeah this is definitely my first interview as a cricketer and probably my last as well 
Oh never say never. Alright, could you perhaps introduce yourself to our readers a bit i.e. you give us a short summary of your cricket career, from your first backfoot defence to your present situation?

The Champions League T20 Starts With A Cracker

Champions League T20
Royal Challengers Bangalore v Warriors at Bangalore
[scorecard]

The death at the death ^^

What a wonderful opening match, energetic, closely fought, with great performances by both teams, and won by good running off the last ball. You really couldn’t have asked for anything better, except perhaps for an audience more appreciative of good, exciting cricket.

For the third time in a row I find myself tremendously enjoying this tournament, no matter how many Indian teams are taking part in order to improve attendances, TV ratings, or to make an Indian winner more likely.

I think the point of the Champions League lies somewhere else. You still get to see the deserving domestic teams from all bigger cricketing nations, and being able to enjoy the Warriors again, this wonderful organic combination of many of my all-time Saffa faves, captain Johan Botha, the eternal Nicky Boje, the ginger dominator Rusty Theron, the good old Lonwabo Tsotsobe aka Tsobie ((C) PFCNFS), and the legend that is Mark Boucher, as if they had not been away from the screen for one year, felt as pleasant, refreshing and inspiring as in 2010.

I am actually wiping a tear over Botha’s stunning knock and the way Rusty turned up in his second and final spell. Like warm apple pie with a scoop of vanilla ice cream: comfy food for the cricket connoisseur. Plus, somebody said Nicky Boje was 38 – I deem this a blatant lie 

And on top of that, due to the lopsidedness towards the IPL participants, a whole bunch of other favourite players of mine appear in the competition as well. With delight I watched Daniel Vettori putting in a fighting performance with the ball as the captain of “the opposition”, Anil Kumble was jumping around, AB de Villiers played his part, and the Messrs Kohli and Gayle do at least command my respect.

So I will keep enjoying this tournament as in the years before, even the matches in which none of my favoured teams are playing; in fact the CL is one of the highlights of my personal cricket year, and of course it would be nice if the Redbacks or NSW or Somerset or some Saffas made it to the final, but even if not, there’s always a bunch of guys playing for who you can keep your fingers crossed. Thanks for that, Lalit.

Contributed by Wes
Follow Wes on Twitter @WesPFCNFS

RIP Tiger Pataudi

Like all Indian cricket fans of my generation, I have never seen MAK in action. All that we have are old newspaper clippings, stories passed on to us by grandfathers and fathers and raving eulogies by his contemporaries.

So, I’m not in the best position to comment on his contributions to Indian cricket; but the common thread which runs through most of the eulogies is the fact that he was the first Indian captain who made the team and an entire nation believe that they can win and not just be satisfied with honorable draws.

A timely reminder to the present Indian team, a month after losing the Pataudi Trophy.

Rest in peace, Tiger.

Benny for DieHard Cricket Fans
Follow Benny on Twitter @tracerbullet007