If I were Rahul Dravid...

If I were Rahul Dravid, I would be a very unhappy man today. You may think that we shot out the West Indies for a mere 85 runs, and then raced to victory losing just a solitary wicket – that should be a reason to celebrate, be happy. Instead, why the hell am I sulking? Actually, I have good reason to.

Yesterday’s match against the West Indies was a warm-up match. Just that and no more. You don’t earn any points for winning it, definitely no bonus points for winning it that easily. If you really want to, you may factor in the psychological advantage nonsense bit for whatever it is worth. However, after what transpired on the cricket field there is reason to sulk – and more than one.

I fought with the entire selection committee to get Veeru included in the team for the World Cup, not because I am fond of him – rather because I believe in his abilities, I know and you know that Sachin is not the Sachin that was. Nor is Saurav. On the top of the innings, Sehwag remains the only one who has the potential to break the back of the opponents, sometimes race away with the match on his own – yes, Uthappa has shown the sparks, but this is the biggest stage in cricket – and I would have preferred someone who has played a couple of hundred matches to someone who has played a couple of great innings. But look, what he has done now. With a total of 19 runs from two warm-up matches, how do I make a case for him now? Even I am beginning to doubt the idea now – continuing with Veeru may be almost insane now. To include Veeru in the team, either of Uthappa or Karthick has to make way – and these are the two guys who scored 100% of the runs yesterday, that too without getting dismissed.

My other bet was Irfan – the only genuine allrounder in the team. Did you watch him bowl yesterday? In spite of the fact that he got Brian Lara and two more top batsmen, he was all over the place. Just too many wides and no balls. On the other hand, Munaf was brilliant. He looked in complete control and his line and length was close to perfect. With Zaheer, Agarkar and Kumble, the other 3 bowlers on display all bowling well, how do I even think of including Pathan. The problem is that Irfan’s inclusion provides the team with a lot of flexibility – both the batting and bowling line-ups look longer and stronger. As a captain, his inclusion allows me that much more freedom in deciding on the rest of team. Alas!

Those twin disasters yesterday, I think overshadow the victory. I’d have happily traded off a good performance from Sehwag and Pathan for a loss – though, not the kind which we handed Lara’s men. That indeed would be a psychological disaster!

See what Cricinfo does for an extra click

"We fear England but can win the World Cup - Lara"
This was the headline of one of the leading stories on today's/yesterday's Cricinfo - obviously intended to get you curious - as to what makes Brian Lara think so higly of England's chances. Obviously, i got interested and clicked on this link to read the whole story. Look, what i got - a page long interview, of which i am reproducing the all-important excerpt.

"Cricinfo:Speaking of England, do they have a chance?
Lara:Yeah, most definitely. The fact they took something away from the Australian tour, even if it wasn't the Ashes themselves... well, it augurs well for the World Cup. They beat Australia in Australia, so they'll go into the World Cup with huge confidence. If Kevin Pietersen can return and Michael Vaughan is back and fully fit, England are capable of competing with and beating the very best in the world. You'd be stupid to ever write them off."

An excerpt from an online interview done by Cricinfo's Nick Harper with Brian Lara - in the interview Lara clearly says that he still considers Australia as favourites for the title, but calling Australia favourites is too boring and unsaleable an idea, so Cricinfo chose to blow-up this England bit well out of proportion. Maybe, this was the idea even before the interview began, and hence the leading question. No point blaming Cricinfo much though, as this kind of misrepresentation of facts has become an acceptable practise in modern day journalism - and this is hardly the worst example.

Pathan: Key to India's Success

In a few hours from now, when India walk out onto the field for the first time during the World Cup 2007, he won't have to worry about one important decision, atleast not today. In the warm-up matches the ICC allows teams to play upto 13 players - so together in the 2 warm-ups, Dravid should be able to give a chance to each of the 15 members of the Indian contingent. However, the big decision that the Indian captain will have to take on the 17th March (India vs Bangladesh) may end up being the key to India's chances.

- Four bowlers or five?

- Who opens? Sehwag or Uthappa. ( I am assuming Ganguly will be the other opener)

- First chance to Uthappa / Karthick / Sehwag ?

- One spinner or two?

- Harbhajan or Kumble, in case the previous question is answered in the solitary

- Tendulkar at 3 or 4? ( Does Tendulkar still want to open?)

- Dravid at 3 or 4?

- Who would be the first choice pacers - Zaheer looks a certainty, Agarkar also does but Dravid seems to have an affinity for the lazy-n-lanky Munaf (in case we go for 2 pacers)

- If Pathan has to come in, who goes out?

Why is Irfan Pathan so important? Why was he chosen although he did nothing of note to merit a recall? Why was he chosen though he could hardly play any matches to even be tested for a recall?

Pathan is the only player in the Indian team who could play the role of a genuine all-rounder - I am sure even Agarkar has himself given up on any such notions now. The Baroda pacer can bat as well, in fact it is his bowling which is the worry right now - and including him in the side suddenly gives the side a strong look - at least on paper. He allows you to actually create an Indian team which has 8 genuine batsmen and 4 genuine bowlers.

Batsmen:

1. Sehwag / Uthappa 2. Ganguly 3.Tendulkar 4.Dravid 5.Yuvraj 6.Karthick 7.Dhoni and 8.Pathan

Bowlers:

1. Zaheer 2. Agarkar 3. Kumble/Harbhajan & 4.Pathan

The team now has 3 pacers (with a left-right combo as well), one genuine spinner, Ganguly to fall back on in case it's a seaming track or Tendulkar/Sehwag/Yuvraj for slower tracks. 8 batsmen is of course a great luxury which can do no one any harm.

However, 8 batsmen is one too many and I would rather want to bring in an extra bowler at the expense of Karthick. Zaheer, Munaf, Agarkar, Kumble & Pathan will be one solid attack. On slower tracks I would sacrificie Munaf for Harbhajan - maybe even otherwise. Pathan can actually be promoted back to no.3, one of Chappell's move which worked pretty well for India - though which got sidelined later for the wrong reasons.

Look at this line-up - I think this would be the best possible one: Sehwag, Ganguly, Pathan, Tendulkar, Dravid, Yuvraj, Dhoni, Agarkar, Harbhajan, Kumble & Zaheer Khan. ( that's in order of batting - though Pathan should be used at no.3 occasionally)

Only one small problem - Pathan needs to prove a point with the ball, else we will have to prefer someone else - who is better than Pathan with either bat or ball. But, i hope, for India's sake that he comes good because he gives the Indian captain a lot of flexibility (just what Dravid's keeping did for Ganguly last time round) and the team looks that much better with Pathan inside. Let's hope Pathan comes good in the warm-up today.

*****

Highly recommended for Pathan fans or Cricket fans interested in the Lives of Cricket Players!! Click on the link below:

Irfan Pathan, Women & South Africa. Don't bother with the post - scroll down to the comments below, that's where the action is!!

Cricket + News + Some Bragging

It's time for some old-fashion, media style bragging. An "ICC bash story over the Super-Eight structuring and future predictions of World Cup matches" which has made the newspaper and web headlines today on Hindustan Times and Rediff.Com was broken out by this blog exactly 2 weeks back.

Thank you, Homer and Shakester for giving me the credit. While Karthikeya at A Cricketing View thinks of it as a media hype, saying that the ICC had announced the rules in 2005 itself, that's like saying that a stupidity overlooked for 2 years is not a stupidity anymore.

In case you are wondering what all this is about, let me fill you in with the details. The ICC has designed the world-cup rules this time such that it's possible to predict with close to 100% confidence the exact team-wise schedule of the Super-Eight stage, definitely the high point of the Cup. The ICC official site itself tells you when you can expect the Indo-Pak match to happen, when the English are likely to on the Aussies et al. Now, while it's all very fine that it helps everybody to plan out things in advance - the fans who are travelling and getting ticketd booked, the journos and the organsiers, the security staff et al, that cannot be the best logic, or can it be? The rule says that "in case Australia and South Africa go through to the super-eight stage, Australia will be treated as A1 irrespective of who finishes first because the ICC ratings will super-sede the points tally. " Nothing too wrong with that, because it doesn't really affect anyone in the end because everyone plays everyone else eventually. But wait, there is more "In the event of Scotland qualifying, Scotland becomes A1 if they have displaced Australia." Isn't that like going a bit too far, into the territory of the illogic? The ICC rules are not even clear on what happens if both Scotland and Netherlands go through. Will Malcolm Speed then decide who displaced Australia, and who pipped South Africa? Or will they leave it to the PCB to decide!!

Early Trends

The first World Cup Warm-ups have begun, and the early trends are interesting....

Ireland is rocking the Protean boat - Smith, Kallis, DeVilliers, Gibbs and Prince are all gone and the score is just 64. Langford Smith has claimed 3 wickets for the Irish.

In Bridgetown, Barbados where tournament contenders Sri Lanka are battling the other English neighbour, the Scots are managing to keep the fiery Jayasuriya under supreme control. 10 overs gone, Lanka has not lost a wicket yet, the score is just 36. Hoffman's first spell reads 5-1-11-0.

England has however recovered after a couple of early jitters against Bermuda. Pietersen and Collingwood have managed to steady the ship and the score now reads a decent 125/3.

Exagerrated Summary:
1. Minnows will create a flutter in the World Cup Cricket 2007
2. United Kingdom will rule!!

Chinese Twist to Opening Ceremony

On Sunday, 11th March 2007, when Sir Garfield Sobers declares the ICC World Cup 2007 open, a long held dream of the West Indian cricket fan would have finally been cherished. But alas, the setting might be entirely wrong. The Trenawly Multi-purpose Stadium, now simply renamed as the Trenawly is neither about the Caribbean nor a home of West Indian cricket. For a bunch of island nations that are so steeped in the cricketing culture, the simple folks in Jamaica & Trinidad so entirely into reggae, red-stripe and everything so Caribbean, that choice is a pity. What led to this sad happening is a sad story.

Until last year, none of the host nations showed any keenness towards hosting the opening ceremony. Jamaica finally stepped in, with ample support from China. The Trenawly Stadium is China's gift to Jamaica, also entirely constructed by Chinese labourers. Devoid of any caribbean flavour, the Trenawly is also unlikely to host much cricket in the future - it will be more of rugby and soccer there.

Tony Cozier might be the saving grace, though. Few others speak with that warmth for the Caribbean as Tony does, and if he is going to be at the helm of the ceremony, the proceedings might more than make up for the ill-chosen venue. Windies Energy has been chosen as the theme for the opening ceremony, but India being the power-centre of cricket, there is a dose of Bollywood in there. Here's hoping that Tony will be able to rein in India for the time being, and give the 2007 show a grand Caribbean opening.

Chinese interest in Kenya's World Cup prosects!!

Below i reproduce excerpts from one of the top stories from the Sports section of the People's Daily Online.

"Kenya's cricket team sets off for World Cup in Caribbean...where they look forward to silencing their critics just as they did in 2003.....The East Africans are in a group with Canada, who they thrashed in the recently concluded inaugural ICC World Cricket League Division 1, England, who are hardly one-day goliaths, and New Zealand....They have a great chance to reach the Super Eights and dump on one of the big boys en route."

It goes on to inform about their campaign in detail even bothering to include the fact that begin their tour with a warm-up match against the West Indies at Trelawny, Trinidad.

Amongst the other top stories was a mention of a cricket tournament about to begin in Thailand - the country's first inter-regional tournament. It has the backing of the Asian Cricket Council. And very surprisingly, there's no mention of any mainstream cricket per se - no more news from the World Cup or about India or Australia or England. Isn't it interesting yet intriguing, that China should be so interested in Cricket that it bothers to read about Kenya's prospects in the World Cup, but not too interested in the rest of the tournament!!