Nazly's BLOG » Sports

It’s that time I start playing football

Nazly — Tue, 25 May 2010 12:28:37 +0000

It’s that time once in four years I start playing football instead of cricket. Football has never been my game, but when the Football World Cup fever gets to me, my feet auto-magically starts kicking the ball around the park. The 2010 FIFA World Cup starts on the 11th June which is like couple of weeks away. The heat has got on to all the football fans already. Even the people who have less interest in football have felt the heat after listening to the version of “Wavin’ Flag” (The Celebration Mix) by K’Naan which has become quite a hit these days . Let it be on radio stations or even in the ring tones of mobile phones, you will hear it where ever you go. The funny thing is its not the official song, but it has reached the people and fans alike since this year’s World Cup will be played in South Africa and this version of Wavin’ Flag inspires the celebrations familiar to Africa.

Wavin’ Flag by K’Naan

There is another version of Wavin’ Flag which was remade by a group of Canadian artists credited as Young Artists for Haiti to benefit the relief efforts following the 2010 Haiti earthquake which is much similar to “We are the World for Haiti” done by popular artists around the world.

Wavin’ Flag by Young Artists For Haiti

Eoin Morgan: Mastering the Reverse Sweep

Nazly — Thu, 06 May 2010 05:52:54 +0000

During the 90’s when One-Day cricket was at its peak different batsmen tried to be innovative to score runs with each an every possible opportunity. The reverse sweep was one of them. While I cannot recall who really innovated this stroke, during the 90’s and early 2000 Damien Martyn, Jonty Rhodes and Andy Flower are few batsmen who come to my mind who mastered this stroke to score some quick runs. When Twenty20’s became popular in the late 2000, a few more innovative shots were tried by the batsmen. Kevin Pietersen’s switch hit became quite popular as a modified reverse sweep. Reverse sweeping Murali for a six using his switch hit during a Test match was the biggest moment for Pietersen. Couple sixes he smashed with his switch hit against Scott Styris in an ODI was the best I have seen him play that shot. But now the Irish-born Englishman, Eoin Morgan is mastering the art of reverse sweeping with his unique style of batting.

Morgan played this reverse sweep against Rampaul when England took on West Indies few days ago in the T20 World Cup. Look at this for a shot.

Digged more on this and found out this clip. A collection of Morgan’s reverse sweeps while playing for his county.. Will he be the king of reverse sweeps?

Stats: most runs at each batting position

Nazly — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 17:58:09 +0000

Came across an interesting question on the Ask Steven column which immediately caught my attention while reading through Cricinfo.com

The question: “Can you give the list of the people with most runs at each batting position in Tests and ODIs?”

And the answer for that question was..

Tests

Sunil Gavaskar (8511 runs)
Matthew Hayden (7351)
Ricky Ponting (9421)
Sachin Tendulkar (11,239)
Steve Waugh (6754)
Steve Waugh (3165)
Adam Gilchrist (3948)
Daniel Vettori (2072)
Daniel Vettori (1075)
Waqar Younis (496)
Muttiah Muralitharan (623)

ODIs

Adam Gilchrist (7720)
Sachin Tendulkar (12,857)
Ricky Ponting (11,979)
Aravinda de Silva (6870)
Arjuna Ranatunga (4675)
Michael Bevan (3006)
Chris Harris (2130)
Wasim Akram (1208)
Brett Lee (557)
Waqar Younis (478)
Courtney Walsh (165 runs; Murali currently has 163)

Source : http://www.cricinfo.com/magazine/content/story/457381.html

This statistic is not quite the common statistics we would normally see. What interested me the most was too see the Sri Lankan veterans Aravinda de Silva and Arjuna Ranatunga taking the No.4 and 5 respectively in the ODI list. Murali has secured the No.11 spot in Tests. Hopefully if he gets another crack in ODIs, he will get the No.11 spot in ODIs as well.

Sachin, Ponting and Gilchrist are there in both lists and deserve very much to be so since they made the best out of their batting position.

Batsmen in the recent past don’t make the cut. But this list is missing some big names coz though they made big runs during their career, they were batting at different positions more often than not. Thats actually the reason why these batsmen standout from the lot.

Will post more interesting stuff when I come across them..

Boom Boom McCullum

Nazly — Thu, 04 Mar 2010 09:08:17 +0000

I have been looking around for the highlights of Brendon McCullum’s hundred against Australia in the 2nd T20 match in the current ongoing series and have finally found it. When I watched the highlights of this match, I was stunned to see his shot selection against the Aussie pace attack. I was amazed by the number scoops he played over the keepers head against the likes of Shaun Tait who almost bowled the “fastest ball ever” in the recent series against Pakistan. The scoops came mostly in the latter part of McCullum’s innings and the two sixes he scored off the scoops after reaching the century were the best picks.

When Dilshan started to play the scoop against some of the best pacemen during the T20 World Cup, the cricketing world admired his ability and gave the scoop a name and that was the “Dil-scoop”. He stands his ground and makes sure that his head is down while playing the scoop to avoid being hit. He is the best in what he does.

The technique McCullum uses is quite different from Dilshan’s. He completely throws himself away from the line of the ball and plays the shot to make sure that he doesn’t get hit. Some may call this “not-Cricket” but lately we have been seeing a lot of innovative shots being played with the invasion of T20 cricket. Can we call this the McScoop?

McCullum was just the second batsman to score a century in a T20 international. While he was just one run short to beating Gayle’s highest score, he also missed out on scoring the fastest century. He had only faced a ball more than Gayle when he reached the century.

Enjoy the highlights of McCullum’s innings

KPs modified reverse sweep

Nazly — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 01:24:03 +0000

England are on a roll after winning the Test Series against New Zealand. After that they have won the Twenty20 match as well the first One Day match as well. Keven Pietersen’s solid batting performances have been a major factor to England’s success. KP’s century in the first ODI was a highlight of the series. The reason being his modified reverse sweep hit for six creating some controversy. This is not the first instance that he has reverse swept for six. He became famous after his reverse sweep for six against Muralitharan in a Test match. But his unique style of reverse sweeping is the key. He in fact switches the hands before the ball being delivered making him almost like a left handed batsman. This created some controversy but he has been cleared by the MCC, the guardian of the laws of cricket. Hope he will regain the No.1 spot of the ODI batsmen list soon.

KP’s modified reverse sweep for six against Scott Styris

KP’s famous reverse sweep for six against Muralitharan

Last ball six wins the game for Windies

Nazly — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 23:18:32 +0000

West Indies clinched a last ball thriller in the 1st ODI vs Sri Lanka which was played at Trinidad. Requiring six runs off the last ball Chanderpaul hit a massive six over deep midwicket from a full toss bowled by Chaminda Vaas which won the game for the West Indies. They were nine down at this stage so the match could have gone either way. But it was Windies who ended on top.

Chanderpaul's last ball six

West Indies Innings highlights

England back to winning ways

Nazly — Wed, 26 Mar 2008 02:01:11 +0000

Ryan Sidebottom's heroics have given a big confident boost to English Cricket as England have beaten New Zealand 2-1 in the recent Test series which ended today. After losing the first Test, England dropped their pace duo Steve Harmison and Matthew Hoggard to inject some young blood into the team bringing in Stuart Broad and James Anderson. Broad and Anderson were right in business but it was Sidebottom who made a big impact on the team. His ten wicket haul in the first Test which included a hat-trick was followed by a five wicket haul in the second Test and a seven wicket haul in the third Test won the series for England.

There has been some remarkable improvement in the England batting lineup as well. Tim Ambrose, Kevin Pietersen, Andrew Strauss and Ian Bell made centuries during the tour and the rest of the batting line up chipped in as well. So all in all its the break that England needed as they are back in to winning ways in Test Cricket.

Summary of the series

England team with the trophy after beating New Zealand

Sidebottom hat-trick

Nazly — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 01:03:48 +0000

England's Ryan Sidebottom bagged a hat-trick during the New Zealand's second Innings, giving some hope for England to win the 1st Test between in the recently concluded Test between the two teams. England trailing by 122 runs after the first innings, bowled out New Zealand for 177 runs in their second innings thanks to Sidebottom who captured six New Zealand wickets including the hat-trick. But England needing 300 to win the match failed to capitalize were bowled out for 110 giving New Zealand 1-0 up in the series.

Here is a clip of Sidebottom's hat-trick

Matt Prior dropped from the England squad

Nazly — Fri, 04 Jan 2008 23:29:27 +0000

England have dropped Wicket Keeper Matt Prior for the series in New Zealand despite his good form with the bat during the Sri Lankan tour. Matt Prior batted exceptionally well during the tour but few spilled chances behind the stumps has caused him to lose his spot in the England team. Warwickshire wicket keeper Tim Ambrose has been added to the squad along with Phil Mustard who was the wicket keeper during the England vs Sri Lanka One-day series which was won by England 3-2.

Andrew Strauss has been called into the side after missing the Sri Lankan tour. He is really an elegant batsman but was earlier dropped from the England Test team due to lack of form. His inclusion to the side will add bit more experience to the side. In New Zealand, Strauss will open the batting with Alistair Cook who was the only batsman to score a century for England during the Sri Lankan tour. Michael Vaughan will bat at No.3 and Ian Bell drops in to No.6. I personally like Ian Bell bat above the order but there is not much options I guess.

Ravi Bopara too loses his Test spot after a poor start to his Test Career in Sri Lanka but has been included in the One-day squad.

England's one-day squad to tour New Zealand:

P, Collingwood (Durham, capt), T Ambrose (Warks), J Anderson (Lancs), I Bell (Warks), R Bopara (Essex), S Broad (Notts), A Cook (Essex), D Mascarenhas (Hants), P Mustard (Durham), K Pietersen (Hants), O Shah (Middx), R Sidebottom (Notts), G Swann (Notts), J Tredwell (Kent), C Tremlett (Hants), L Wright (Sussex).

England's Test squad to tour New Zealand:

M Vaughan (Yorks, capt), T Ambrose (Warks), J Anderson (Lancs), I Bell (Warks), S Broad (Notts), P Collingwood (Durham), A Cook (Essex), S Harmison (Durham), M Hoggard (Yorks), P Mustard (Durham), M Panesar (Northants), K Pietersen (Hants), O Shah (Middx), R Sidebottom (Notts), A Strauss (Middx), G Swann (Notts).

Sunday at SSC and a controversial KP dismissal

Nazly — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 01:15:02 +0000

When England were here for the ODI series in October I was really keen to go and see a match but due to fasting and few other issues I didn't get an opportunity. When England came down again for the Test Matches I really wanted to get out there. 1st Test was played in Kandy so couldn't make it and finally I got an opportunity yesterday to watch the 1st day's play of the 2nd Test Match which was played at SSC grounds. There was a good crowd and most of them being England's Barmy Army. There were few local crowd as well.

England were batting first so I got the opportunity to watch some stunning cover drives and pull shots played by Micheal Vaughan who was brilliant in the morning session. I love watching the batting of Michale Vaughan, Ian Bell and Kevin Pietersen specially when they are in full flow. Ian Bell was building his innings slowly but got out to a stunning catch by Jehan Mubarak who previously took a catch between his legs to dismiss Michael Vaughan. Finally when Kevin Pietersen walked into the pitch I was more keen on the match. He looked pretty solid driving the ball but on the fifth ball he faced, he went for the drive and edged one on to the second slip. The ball died on Chamara Silva but he got his fingers down and flicked the ball back to the first slip where Kumar Sangakkara took it very low but cleanly. It was a stunning effort and the Lankans were celebrating but KP stood his grounds. The umpires got across and had a chat for a while and umpire Daryl Harper ruled KP out with the aid of the square leg umpire Aleem Dar. KP walked but saw the replay in the big screen where the ball seemed to be touching the ground when Chamara Silva flicked the ball. Walking KP stopped and asked the question from the umpire whether he is out. But Daryl Harper raised the finger again and pointed to KP that he has been given out and the decision cannot be reversed. Here is the video of the controversial KP dismissal.

IMO the umpires should have referred to the third umpire where a better result could have been made with the aid of the technology which is permitted. But the umpires have the right to call for it and end of the day nothing could be said against them. There should be some common sense as well in these situations. My bad luck I couldn't watch KP bat in the end. That is what hurting me. Will I get another chance? Hopefully if I can make it to the grounds when England bat in the second innings but its highly unlikely coz of work. Next Test is in Galle. Thats more unlikely.

Quick update of the match : Matt Prior on 60 seems to be leading the fightback as England are 327 for 7 at Lunch on the second day. Ryan Sidebottom offering great support to Matt prior is on 13.