Huge disappointment for Bangladesh

One player from Newzealand finally came in between Bangladesh and its surge towards a first test victory over a major test playing nation. It was a spirited performance from Bangladesh in the 1st test of the 3-match series being played at Chittagong, but in the end captain Vettori's splendid all-round performance claiming 9 wickets and half-centuries in either innings ensured that Newzealand managed to reach home with 3 wickets remaining and in the process breaking a million Bangla hearts.

Compare Vettori's performance with the other test captain who finished with the man-of-the-match award on the same day and you will realize what a grand effort it was. In India's annihilation of Australia, Dhoni's twin fifties were enough to bag him the MOM award. Vettori, besides doing that, also bagged 9 wickets. Unlike India who outplayed Australia on each of the 5 days of the test, captain Vettori had to maintain his composure in a test, where Bangladesh were on top for the first 3 and a half days. (not for nothing is he amongst my favourite cricket players in the world - see pic on right column, top)

Two more tests still remain in each of the two test series being played in the subcontinent, and both teams from down under seem to be under huge pressure, though of different kinds. Whatever the final outcomes, the next couple of weeks surely promise the most exciting cricket action, and for a change, not of the quicker variety and neither off-the-field.

Twenty20 SemiFinal: What happens in case of rain?

Here are the 'ICC Twenty20 Playing Conditions' which give the rules in case a semi-final of the Twenty20 World Cup is abandoned due to rain.

In case of No result in the Semi Final – the team with the most wins in both the Group stage and Super Eight Series matches shall be placed in the higher position.
If still equal the team with the higher net run rate in all matches (in both Group stage and Super Eight Series matches) shall proceed to the Final.
If following the net run rate calculation above there are teams which are still equal, then the team with the higher number of wickets taken per balls bowled in all matches (in both Group and Super Eight Series matches) in which results are achieved, shall proceed to the Final.
If still equal, the finalist shall be determined by drawing lots.

So Pakistan will go through to the semi-final in case the semi-final is abandoned. (NZ has a total of 3 wins so far but Pakistan has 4)

World Twenty20: It's a India vs Pakistan final

It was the expected thing in the 1987 Reliance World Cup, but didn't happen as England and Australia spoiled the fun at the penultimate juncture. Twenty years later in the Twenty20 Cup, with both India and Pakistan fielding young teams and new captains at the helm, no one expected the sub-continent arch-rivals to reach this far. But then cricket is a game of glorious uncertainties, ain't it?

In the first semi-final of the inaugural World Twenty20 championship, New Zealand took on Pakistan at Capetown. Daniel Vettori won the toss and asked Pakistan to make first use of the wicket which promised some movement and early help for the faster bowlers. Shane Bond got into the act in the first over itself scalping opener Imran Nazir ever before the young man had opened his account. But from there on it was Pakistan all the way as they thrased the Kiwi attack all round the park. Even Vettori, who has had a most economical series so far was not spared. The hapless NewZealand captain was taken for 24 runs in his final over as Shahid Afridi just missed breaking Yuvraj Singh's record of T20's fastest fifty. Afridi was finally dismissed for 49 off just 10 balls. (for the video of Afridi's 8 consecutive sixes, click here :)) .

Chasing a mammoth target of 222, NZ got off to a blistering start reaching 75 in just 5.0 overs. It was the brilliant change of attack from the Pakistan captain that changed the tide of the game completely - in the 6th over, Malik brought on himself even though the fielding restrictions were still on and in the 7th over, a double change happened as spin was introduced from the other end as well, in the form of Afridi. Malik and Afridi bowled in tandem right from the 6th to the 13th over - and what a spell it was! Many many years from now, cricket fans would still remember this afternoon in Capetown when two Pakistani spinners mesmerized the Kiwis into abject surrender.

Not a single wicket fell in the 6th, 7th, 8th, 9th and 10th overs but the Kiwis were in deep tangle as the scorecard read 80/0. Just five runs were scored off the last five overs and the asking rate had climbed to a steep 14.20. Under intense pressure to get going, one after the other NZ batsmen threw away their wickets and by the time the two spinners had finished their quota of overs, the match was for all purposes over. The scorecard read 92/7 at the end of over no.13 . Pakistan finally won the match by 92 runs to reach the final.

In the other semi-final at Durban, Australia who chose to bat first were dismissed for all of 43 runs. Ajit Agarkar who once again managed to find a place in the India XI wreaked havoc on the Aussies as he dismissed Gilchrist, Hayden, Symonds, Hussey, Hodge, Clarke and Watson. He finished with figures of 3.5-0-21-7 . India rattled off the required 44 runs without the loss of any wickets. Speaking at the post-match conference, Adam Gilchrist said, "It was the most humiliating day of my life." (Gilchrist was out hit-wicket as a squash ball fell onto his stumps :) )

Twenty20 Points Table: Who will make it to the semis?

Group E current standings:

Team	Matches Played	Won	Lost	Points	Net Run Rate
South Africa	2	2	0	0	0.766
New Zealand	3	2	1	0	0.050
India	2	1	1	0	0.200

Remaining Match:India Vs South Africa

Yesterday's 18 runs victory over England, powered by Yuvi's 6-6-6-6-6-6 has made India's task much simpler now. To ensure a spot in the Twenty20 World Cup semi-final, Dhoni and his men need not bother about the net run rate now - a simple win over South Africa will do.

Let's look at the various possible scenarios in this group.

1. If South Africa wins, India will be knocked out. NZ & SA go through to the semis.
2. If India wins, India go through to the semi, for sure. But New Zealand and South Africa's fortunes will be a function of the margin of India's victory.

- If South Africa lose by about 30 runs, they will be out.
- If India chases, they will need to win with about 3 overs to spare to give New Zealand a spot in the semis.

(approx calculations: please allow a small margin for error, i am no mathematician :) )

For now, it's time to start gazing at the TV screen as i hope Sri Lanka will knock Australia out of the Twenty20 World Cup.

Preview: Newzealand vs Sri Lanka

The Fleming-os takes on the Lankans at the National Cricket Stadium in Guyana tomorrow, and this match may be important in more ways than one. The semi-finalists for this World Cup have more or less been decided, so there shouldn't be too much excitement on that front. However, tomorrow's match may be important for a more important reason.

Newzealand is currently at the top of the Super Eight table, with 4 victories and a net run rate of +1.728. Australia are close behind, with equal number of points but a slightly lower run rate. Both these teams are yet unbeaten in this 9th World Cup, and close on their heels on the points tally is Sri Lanka. They have lost that one match to South Africa, by the narrowest of margins and are currently at 6 points and a NRR of +1.549, actually a wee bit better than Australia's.

From whatever we have seen so far in this World Cup, the Australians definitely look a class apart - the ghost of the VB series has well and truly been buried, and I don't know if it's possible, but they look better than they have ever before done in the World Cup. Australia hasn't lost a World Cup match since 1999, with 2003 being a clean run, but even then, they didn't look as convincing. This time round in the West Indies, besides being convincing, they give you that feeling of a juggernaut - unstoppable and crushing.

Well, if this Aussie juggernaut is to be halted, I think either of Fleming or Jayawardene will have to raise their hands. The Sri Lankans have that right variation in their bowling arsenal, and if Hayden and Ponting could be removed early, Lankans are in with a chance. On his day, Malinga can irritate the best of batsmen with his awkward line and pace. Vaas is always good, and so is Murali. If Lanka bats first and can get 260-280, it will all boil down to Hayden and Ponting. Remove them early, and the advantage is with you.

I fancy the Kiwis for a wholly different reason - because they are indeed a bunch of Fleming'os. Stephen Fleming is the best captain in the cricket world, almost without argument and he has built a team of world-beaters out of a collection of some otherwise very average cricketers. What Fleming has instilled in his men is a sense of fearlessness, which has stood them in good stead. Whether Australia set 280 or 320 as a target, if there is one team which has the best chance of reaching it, it is the Kiwis. Here's one team which doesn't get bogged down by the loss of an early wicket or two. (keep telling my friends that here's a team of 10 irfan pathans + 1 fleming, and since they don't have a tendulkar or a ponting, there is no fear of him getting out, so if 2 pathans go, they know that there are 8 more to follow. this is an exaggerated simplification, but not too far off the mark either). Plus, they have the astute Fleming - he is bold enough to delay the power-play till the 30th over if need be, yet not silly enough like Lara, to wait till the 44th. He's smart, and uses his resources in the most efficient manner. What he will need is a bit of luck, and a bit of Bond - to rattle Hayden and Ponting.

When Sri Lanka takes on Newzealand tomorrow, we may find out who is going to be the likely challenger to Australia. This may even be a rehearsal for a likely semi-final match between the two. Either ways, it's going to be an important affair - and more than anyone else, it's John Buchanan and the Aussies who would be following the match with the greatest interest.

Who will win the World Cup of Cricket?

Suddenly, the cricket's become more exciting...

England beats Australia (fluke), England beats Australia (fluke), England beats Australia (fluke), Newzealand beats Australia (fluke), Newzealand beats Australia (fluke), Newzealand beats Australia (fluke)

England, and not Australia win the VB series (surprise), Australia are dismantled from the top of the ICC One-day Cricket rankings (surprise) and the Blackcaps black-wash the Ozzies 3-0. (surprise)

So is it time to stop getting surprised by yet another fluke? Are Australia no more invincible? Is it just a passing fad? Afterall Symonds is injured, and Ponting & Gilchrist were not in Newzealand. But how do you dismiss the fact that NZ were playing without Oram, Bond & Vettori. That on a list of the top 3 run chases in one-day history, suddenly there is one common name now - Australia, on the losing sides! And if Symonds alone decides the fate of Australia, then it hardly deserves to be called the world's best, afterall which team today is not saddled with injuries.

Post this World Cup, Australia will no more have the services of Glenn Mc Grath. Warnie is already gone, and Gilchrist will not be around for long. Are we finally going to see the end of the unipolar cricket world? The timing couldn't have been better - the World Cup is suddenly wide open. England is suddenly a contender, the Kiwis look more than just dangerous, India have bounced back and their top order looks back in form, Sri Lanka is my favourites to lift the Cup, South Africa is the official no.1 team in the world and the West Indies will be a potent force in their own backyard and Pakistan, well you should never rule out the world's most talented bunch..and of course, there are defending champions Australia, i had almost forgotten them! Except for some really boring one-sided encounters in the league phase, I am waiting for my life's most exciting Cricket World Cup. Just that this time, i am no willing to put any bets on any team and i will be enjoying all the action with my money firmly in my pockets. What are your plans?

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For complete information on the Cricket World Cup 2007 match schedules, venue details, tv & radio schedules across the world, check out the ICC Cricket World Cup 2007 blog.

Jacob Oram & Newzealand: Poor end-cricket or God's victims?

Why does it always happen to the weak and the meek?

Why do the underdogs lose most of the close matches? Isn’t it enough that they lose almost all the other matches. What was God doing yesterday when Jacob Oram was shining brilliantly at Perth? Busy trying to dampen the spirits with some unneeded rain!! If the almighty had stepped in for the underdog, even if for a measly few minutes, Newzealand could have finally turned the tide. They had done everything else chasing Australia’s mammoth 344 and they deserved to win. Just that they needed a bit of God, and he was unfortunately missing from action.

Oram’s chase reminded me of a similar performance by Sachin Tendulkar against Pakistan in an unofficial 20 over match just before his debut. Both began with the odds stacked heavily against them but with some absolute breathtaking batting they brought their teams within smelling distance of a victory. But just when they needed a bit of outside support, it was not to be and both ended up losing.
(what I call outside support or God is what the expert cricket commentators refer to in a more scientific way as the rub of the green!)

And it’s not about just two instances - scratch your memory cells and try to remember some closely fought matches and you will know what I mean. Of the two matches between India and Australia that were decided by the thinnest margin of a solitary run, the laws of mathematical probability would say that both teams should have won one each. Unfortunately, both were won by Australia. Remember the famous tied test at Chennai? The test could have been won by India, but an Indian umpire erred in favour of the Australians.

Yesterday at the WACA, Jacob Oram smashed six sixes to complete a 71 ball hundred, the fastest ever by a Kiwi batsman. For around 10 overs, they were chasing an impossible asking rate of over 10 and they had almost pulled off the improbable. God had two ways of helping the weaker team – Hayden could have been not dropped on 0 or the almighty could have stepped in towards the end. He failed twice yesterday, and that was bad enough.

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