My Cricket Diary

It was my childhood dream to play at any level of cricket in the UK!! And alas, it happened on my childhood buddy Giri's 38th birthday (21st Aug 2006). I played for the Burgess Hill CC against Bolney CC at the picturesque Bolney Cricket Ground. BHCC lost this match big time. I was guilty of dropping two sitters (one that cracked my little finger), and lost out an opportunity to "bat-it-out" in the middle. But still, the day does give me very happy memories. Also made me think how easy it is to be an arm chair expert, while how tough the execution can be. For example:

Catching: How little time a fielder gets to judge and catch a 5 and half ounz cricket ball!! And then, there are external factors like the wind, the moisture in the atmosphere etc. that comes into play.. moving that ball out of a fielder's grasp at the very last minute. Blessed indeed are those who catch everything that comes their way!!

Line and length: It looks so easy when seeing the likes of McGrath, but is it really that easy? I bowled 5 overs for 38, and thought I actually bowled well!!

Bat - even if you're injured: I have seen frenzied columns of reporters asking cricketers to bat with a fractured hand just to show a bit of patriotism. Hey, when you have a fracture - nothing comes to mind, except the pain. :-)

# posted by Unknown @ 1:35 AM 0 comments

Draw seemed a "just" result. Neither side deserved to win.

Ponting's innings is one of the best I have seen in recent times. Memories went back to the recently concluded India-Pakistan B'lore test which India lost. If only Sachin had played a similar knock!!!!!.... (BTW, will Sachin ever save or win a match for India).

At one stage, when Ponting & Clarke were going on very fluently, it even appeared that Australia may go for a win. I'm simply amazed by this Australian attitude. They're so fearless. No wonder, its the number one cricketing country in the world

Did England deserve to win? NO. For a side that struggles to get 10 batsmen out in 100 overs, they don't. Vaughan's captaincy was once again unimaginative. He was confident with the "out-of-form" Harmisson, but never tried Hoggard. And what about Giles? He sure must've fancied his chances against the tail. At least for Vaughan's captaincy, this side did'nt deserve a win!

Since the time I started blogging, it appears that I keep predicting so many things and am proving myself wrong everytime. Most noticably, the comments I made about Warne & Vaughan's batting. Both proved me wrong in the 3rd Test. Warne's batting continues to be ugly (WHO CARES if he can score nineties and a crucial 30!!!), but he was so effective. May be, someday / somewhere.., England bowlers would exploit his exaggerated foot movement & get him out soon. Vaughan's batting proved me wrong too.. But then if you're dropped twice by world's number one keeper, and get bowled off a no-ball, man... you must be lucky!!

While people rejoice the England victory, there are some questions for which I could never get an answer:

1. Why was Vaughan so preoccupied with bowling only Harmison & Flintoff? Is Hoggard/Jones not good enough to take a tail enders wicket?
2. It was sickening to see the length bowled by Harmison & Flintoff. Whatever happenned to their "basics" of bowling!. It was all the more annoying considering that they were so good the earlier day
3. Will Vaughan stay in the team purely as a captain? Surely a person who gets bowled thrice, of balls which he thinks kept low, deserves a better treatment!

Hmm... Looks like I might have to bite my own words. England producedan inspired performance on Day 2. Some food for thought today..

1. Are we finally seeing the bad patch of Hayden? England is quite lucky indeed!
2. Most often an Aussie score of 297-7 gets converted to 450+ all out with Gilchrist slamming a good 100+ and the tail providing support. Today, it never looked like one of those days. Gilchrist look distinctly uneasy within himself? Is he going thro' a bad patch, or is he worried about anything else??
3. What happened to Warna the batsman? His foot movement is beginning to look awful!
4. The groundsman had said before the start that he was worried about the lack of pitchpreparation before the start of the match. When Strauss was bowled by a Warney "magic ball"we knew what was behind it.. Or was it, when Giles started getting wickets :-)
5. The analysis produced by Simon Jones is probably the best I've ever seen. Wonder if such analysis can ever be "improved"

I saw bits & pieces of day 1, 2nd test. Channel 4 kept summing it as "quite an amazing day". Well, to some extent, it was... Points I pondered about..

• Is a cricketer's physique so fragile that you step over a cricket ball and you're made immobile for 2 weeks!!
• Hayden caught Trescothick of a no-ball and did not even appeal. Amazing reflexes indeed to have heard the no-ball & staying calm as you catch
• Kevin Peterson reminded so much of Sachin Tendulkar - especially the way he played those cover drives or the straight batted flicks. Has anyone checked with him if he ever thought of emulating the master?
• Why is Warne singled out in not being handed lbw decisions? Two of them should have gone his way for sure. Are the umpires thinking of his personal life as they make their decision?
• Is it going to be a norm to see the deep-point position in Test cricket? To me, its an eye-sore!! Why???? Hmm. hard to explain now
• I felt England definitely missed posting a big score on such a placid / true wicket. Australia may still come back to win this one.