Muttiah Muralitharan is only four wickets away from 100 Test scalps in Galle, the third venue where he would have achieved such a landmark

S Rajesh17-Aug-2009New Zealand start the two-Test series in Sri Lanka as clear underdogs, not only because of the hosts’ awesome record at home, but also as a result of their own recent struggles in Test cricket. In their last 20 Tests against opposition other than Zimbabwe and Bangladesh – a period spanning more than three years – New Zealand have won only two matches, against Sri Lanka in Christchurch in 2006, and England in Hamilton last year. Their overseas record against the top eight Test teams is even worse – since 2000, they’ve only won one Test out of 28, against West Indies in Bridgetown in 2002. During this period they’ve lost 16 matches.New Zealand have an overall advantage in their head-to-head record against Sri Lanka – nine wins and five losses – but four of those victories came in the 1980s, when Sri Lanka were still finding their way in international cricket. Since then, both teams have won five matches each, but New Zealand have won only one out of seven in Sri Lanka since 1990.

Tests between Sri Lanka and New Zealand

PlayedSL wonNZ wonDrawnOverall245910In Sri Lanka11335In Sri Lanka since 19907313The last time New Zealand toured Sri Lanka for a Test series, they managed to draw both games, thanks largely to some spirited batting by their top order. Their captain led the way – Stephen Fleming scored 376 runs in four innings, including a career-best 274. He received outstanding support from Mark Richardson, who scored half-centuries in each of the three innings in which he was dismissed. He averaged 67 at a strike-rate of 34, which means he batted almost 200 deliveries per dismissal.Overall, the team batted at least 95 overs in each of the innings in which they were bowled out, a feat they’ll have to repeat if they’re hoping to achieve similar results. In two Tests the top seven scored one century and six half-centuries, exactly as many as Sri Lanka managed (though the Sri Lankans batted fewer innings).

Top-order batting(Nos.1 to 7) on New Zealand’s last tour of Sri Lanka

TeamInningsRunsAverageStrike rate100s/ 50sSri Lanka1771247.4647.841/ 6New Zealand2897839.1239.151/ 6New Zealand will also have to overcome their lack of experience in Sri Lankan conditions. Only three players – Daniel Vettori, Jacob Oram and Daryl Tuffey – have played Tests in that country.Vettori has played there the most, and he has an excellent record against, and in, Sri Lanka: in nine Tests against them, he has taken 41 wickets at an average of less than 22 and a strike-rate of less than 50, both significantly better than his career numbers.

Vettori v Sri Lanka and against all teams

AgainstTestsWicketsAverageStrike rate5WI/ 10WMSri Lanka94121.4649.53/ 1Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka52023.3059.41/ 0Career9229333.5576.418/ 3In matches since 2003, Kumar Sangakkara has played Vettori much better than his team-mates, which isn’t surprising considering Vettori’s stock ball spins in to him. Vettori has tied up Mahela Jayawardene quite superbly, though, conceding less than 1.5 runs per over to him.

Vettori v Sri Lankan batsmen, since 2003

BatsmanRunsBallsDismissalsAverageRuns per overKumar Sangakkara621060-3.50Prasanna Jayawardene3266132.002.90Mahela Jayawardene2498124.001.46Chamara Kapugedera1940119.002.85Among Sri Lanka’s batsmen in the current squad, Sangakkara has an excellent record against New Zealand, scoring two centuries in six Tests, in which he averaged more than 62. Jayawardene’s average against them, though, is almost ten runs lower than his career average: in nine Tests he only averages 42.87.New Zealand’s fortunes in the series will depend, to a large extent, on how well they contain those two batsmen, and also on how well they tackle Muttiah Muralitharan. In 12 Tests against them, Murali’s stats are identical to his overall career numbers – an average of 21, at a strike-rate of almost 55 balls per wicket. Surprisingly, his average against New Zealand is better overseas than at home (19.96 to 21.79), though he has taken more wickets in Sri Lanka.Ground realitiesIn 14 Tests in Galle, Sri Lanka have won seven and lost three, one each to Pakistan, Australia and India. New Zealand have played here only once, way back in 1998, and lost by an innings and 16 runs.Most of the Sri Lankans enjoy batting here, but one batsman does so more than most: Mahela Jayawardene has scored 1510 runs in 14 Tests, at an average of 83.88. The fact that he scored only 30 in two innings in his last Test here, against Pakistan last month, could well mean he is due for a big one this time.The fast bowlers got a fair amount of assistance in that match, but overall, spinners have better numbers here. In 12 Tests since 2000, spinners have taken 222 wickets at an average of less than 29, while fast bowlers average more than 36. Murali is just four wickets shy of 100 wickets at this ground. He already has 160 at the SSC and 117 in Kandy; no other bowler has achieved a century of Test wickets at a single venue.

Pace and spin in Galle since 2000

TestsWicketsAverageStrike rate5WI/ 10WMPace1214036.6275.32/ 0Spin1222228.9166.715/ 7

Stats preview to the third Ashes Test at Edgbaston

S Rajesh29-Jul-2009England are sitting pretty in the series with a 1-0 lead, and if pre-match talk is anything to go by, they’ll maintain the advantage after the Edgbaston Test as well. Inclement weather not only threatens to play spoilsport over the next five days, it has also hampered pitch preparations, according to the curator. The “jelly” pitch is likely to play slow and low, and make wicket-taking tough work for bowlers.Thus, a draw seems the most likely result, but the record at Edgbaston over the last couple of decades shows this is a venue where decisive results are the norm – since 1990, only three out of 17 Tests have been drawn. The first-class results this season, though, tell a different story, with six draws in seven first-class matches. There’s a peculiar pattern to the Test results as well, which point to a draw – since 1993, every fifth Test at Edgbaston has been drawn, with South Africa playing out the last two stalemates. If that pattern is followed, Australia will go to Headingley still trailing by a game.Edgbaston is also England’s best home venue: in 43 games they’ve won 22 and lost eight, giving them a win-loss ratio of 2.75; The Oval is next with a ratio of 2.05. Conversely, it’s one of the worst venues for Australia in England – only at The Oval do they have a poorer win-loss ratio.

England and Australia in Tests at Edgbaston

Team	Tests	Won	Lost	Drawn
England overall	43	22	8	13
Australia overall	12	3	5	4
England since 1990	17	8	6	3
Australia since 1990	4	2	2	0

England’s past record at this ground – including their unbelievable two-run win against Australia in 2005 – will give them plenty of confidence, but the record of their batsmen here will not fill their hearts with too much cheer. Going into the Lord’s Test, England’s batsmen had scored 17 Test hundreds at that venue, with Kevin Pietersen scoring four, and Ian Bell and Andrew Strauss getting three each. Pietersen has an excellent record at Edgbaston too, but he isn’t around unfortunately, and most of the others haven’t had much to celebrate here.The batsmen in the current England squad have only contributed two centuries and four half-centuries. Between them, Strauss and Bell have managed one half-century in 12 innings, with both batsmen averaging less than 25 at this ground. In four Tests, Strauss has scored 174 runs at an average of 21.75. He has got starts several times, with five scores of 20 or more, but hasn’t managed more than 48.The highest average at Edgbaston among England’s current squad belongs to Andrew Flintoff, who has scored one century and two fifties in seven Tests. The last time he played Australia at this ground, he scored 68 and 73, and took 7 for 131.

England batsmen in Edgbaston

Batsman	Tests	Runs	Average	100s/ 50s
Andrew Flintoff	7	476	47.60	1/ 2
Alastair Cook	2	142	47.33	0/ 1
Paul Collingwood	2	161	40.25	1/ 0
Ian Bell	2	97	24.25	0/ 1
Andrew Strauss	4	174	21.75	0/ 0

Most of the bowlers in the current England squad haven’t enjoyed much success either. Flintoff has 22 wickets in seven Tests, of which 17 have come in his last three Tests here. The rest don’t have much to shout about – James Anderson has seven wickets from three games while Steve Harmison has done even worse, with five wickets, each costing him more than 68.

England’s bowlers in Edgbaston

Bowler	Tests	Wickets	Average	Strike rate	5WI/ 10WM
Andrew Flintoff	7	22	29.63	54.6	0/ 0
Monty Panesar	2	5	39.20	84.0	0/ 0
James Anderson	3	7	45.85	70.1	0/ 0
Steve Harmison	3	5	68.20	96.6	0/ 0

Overall, there isn’t much to choose between the performances of spinners and fast bowlers at this ground since 2000. The fast bowlers have taken more wickets, but their average is only marginally better than that of the spinners.

Pace and spin at Edgbaston since 2000

	Wickets	Average	Strike rate	5WI/ 10WM
Pace	92	32.59	54.9	2/ 0
Spin	28	33.78	67.0	1/ 0

Among the Australians in the reckoning for the Test, Ricky Ponting is the only one to play more than one match at Edgbaston. In three innings he averages 24; his first-innings 61 in 2005 was undone by a second-innings duck, as he was consumed by Flintoff’s pace and swing in that unforgettable game. Brett Lee has played twice there too, taking seven wickets at a poor average of 43.

He was expected to play last week in Chittagong before missing out, but now James Tredwell is savouring his chance at Test level

Andrew Miller in Dhaka20-Mar-2010James Tredwell’s tour of Bangladesh hasn’t exactly followed the anticipated script, but he’s happy enough with the outcome so far. In Chittagong he claimed eight wickets in England’s three-day warm-up, only to be overlooked for a Test debut as the think-tank opted to go in with three seamers. Today, however, he had his chance to show his full worth to the selectors, at precisely the moment England needed his fuss-free approach.A first-day return of 2 for 85 in 29 overs represented a satisfactory opening gambit in Test cricket for Tredwell, even though the field to which he was bowling in his initial overs was something more akin to the closing stages of a Twenty20 international. With Tamim Iqbal shooting from the hip with extraordinary success, Tredwell at one stage had no fewer than five men back on the boundary – hardly the sort of set-up he’d have envisaged in his planning on the eve of the match.”I heard [I’d been selected] after training yesterday and it was a very proud moment for me,” said Tredwell. “I did think I was in with a decent chance in the last game but that wasn’t to be, but fortunately I got the nod this time. Personally I was reasonably happy with my performance. I bowled a few release balls in the middle of my spell, but other than that the ball came out nicely and I caused a few problems.”Tredwell is what you might class as an unobtrusive character. He toured New Zealand in early 2008 and was summoned to join the senior squad in South Africa before Christmas, but didn’t manage to make his debut in any form of the game. That duck was finally broken in Mirpur earlier this month, when he went wicketless in his full ten-over spell in the second ODI, before holding firm with the bat in the closing stages of the match while Eoin Morgan belted England to a thrilling two-wicket win. But his reward for that resilience was a return to the margins once again for the series finale in Chittagong.This time, however, he had a far more significant role, and no part of it was more crucial than his maiden international wicket, which brought to an end a masterful innings of 85 from 71 balls from Bangladesh’s opener, Tamim Iqbal. “He’s a decent player, isn’t he?” said Tredwell. “He strikes the ball very clean and with no fear. He can damage bowling attacks, that’s for sure.”Tamim had certainly damaged Tredwell’s spin partner, Graeme Swann, clobbering him for three fours and a six from consecutive balls, before succumbing to a loose sweep that appeared to have been top-edged, via the forearm, to Matt Prior behind the stumps. “It was a very proud moment,” said Tredwell. “To play [Test cricket] was a proud feeling, but to have an impact on the game was even prouder, and that dawned on me as the ball looped up.”Tredwell later added the scalp of the captain Shakib Al Hasan for 49, to bring to an end a satisfactory day’s work, and at 330 for 8, he believed that England had just shaded the day’s honours, having overcome that dicey period right at the start of the game. “That’s cricket nowadays,” he said. “More and more batters can take the game away from you, but we also knew that if we stuck to our guns, and picked up a couple of wickets here and there, we’d be right into them, and it advances the game really.According to Tredwell, the Mirpur surface already appeared to be offering more to the spinners than Chittagong. “We’ll take eight-down,” he said. “The wicket seems docile like Chittagong, so it’s going to be tough to get 20 wickets, but there are a few cracks and platelets [developing] on the wicket, so it does seem to be deteriorating. Hopefully we shall see, but the next day will tell us more. To get eight on the first day is a decent effort.”In terms of his personal progress, Tredwell was just happy to have finally made the grade as a Test cricketer, after several seasons of determined performances at Kent that seemed to have gone unnoticed as England concentrated their spin-bowling efforts first on Monty Panesar, and later on Swann and Adil Rashid. But with the Ashes tour looming at the end of the year, and no more overseas Tests between now and then, Tredwell was optimistic of keeping his name in the frame for the next seven months.”They have brought two offspinners here so there’s a decent chance they’ll take them over there,” he said. “I’m just trying to put my name in the hat, take my opportunity and make the most of it. You always have that thought or fear that it won’t happen, but when you’ve got a goal you try and stick to it, and work towards it, and it feels really good to have got a go now.”Whatever happens, at least Tredwell has moved away from quiz question territory, after claiming a stunning one-handed catch to dismiss Mushfiqur Rahim in his only contribution as a substitute fielder in the Chittagong Test. “That was an alright catch,” he said. “I was only on the field for one ball, so it’s nice to spend the whole day out there. I’ve got four more now, and hopefully a few more in the future.”

Few would have realised that they had possibly witnessed a moment of history – today might have been the last time an Indian crowd saw, in a Test, the big three of Indian batting

S Aga04-Dec-2009They came in their thousands in anticipation of history being made. After Muttiah Muralitharan shattered those hopes, they contented themselves with raucous chants in appreciation of Sachin Tendulkar. Later in the day, they even booed the Indian captain before a shower of mighty sixes put smiles back on sunburnt faces. In the midst of this emotional rollercoaster, few would have realised that they had possibly witnessed a moment or three of history anyway – today might have been the last time an Indian crowd saw, in a Test, the trio that did as much as anyone else to defeat the strongest team of the era in 2001.Tendulkar, Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman have played 183 home Tests between them, scoring 13,665 runs and 37 centuries. They also have a combined age of 107 and, with few countries actually adhering to the Future Tours Programme, there might be no home Tests before the World Cup in 2011. Next year’s series against South Africa will feature only ODIs and it’s hard to see much enthusiasm on the part of the BCCI for a tour by New Zealand just three months before the first ball is bowled at the World Cup.While all three could still be around in the summer of 2011, Father Time has a habit of tapping you on the shoulder when few expect it. Matthew Hayden and Adam Gilchrist gave it away before most expected them to, while Michael Vaughan didn’t even play another Ashes Test after the high of 2005. If a combination of itineraries, ageing limbs and satiated minds ensure that the three are not seen in tandem again, those present at the CCI on Friday will look back with special fondness.It was also that rarest of days when all three went past 50 without going on to complete a century. There was still a fair bit to savour, though Dravid added only 12 to his overnight total before chasing a wide one from Chanaka Welegedara. It was a rare lapse from a man whose powers of concentration down the years have been second to none. Batting alongside far more flamboyant individuals, Dravid quickly realised that it was better to have his own niche than be a poor replica. His solidity gave those around him the freedom to express themselves, knowing that all was not lost even if they departed.Tendulkar began as though he meant to match Sehwag in the shot-making stakes, paddling Murali twice for four and pulling Rangana Herath with precision and power. Over the years, the paddle has become his signature stroke against the slow bowlers, and few have played it with anything like the same effect. While fans from a previous generation might yearn for a glimpse of the marauder who took on Shane Warne, the new-age Tendulkar has excelled at playing the percentages and eliminating risk.Laxman, he of the inside-out drives through cover out of the rough – remember Eden Gardens? – started hesitantly, and as he struggled to find the gaps, the run-rate dropped drastically. Not that scoring was easy. Murali was bowling to a 2-7 field, with a leg slip, two men either side of square leg, two short midwickets, a deep midwicket and a mid-on. Though he once lofted Murali over that phalanx of men, the pressure eased only once the new ball was taken, with a punchy back-foot drive off Nuwan Kulasekara.It was a different story after lunch. Tendulkar departed, bowled by a lovely off-cutter, but Laxman found the rhythm that can make him so irresistible to watch. Apart from Mohammad Azharuddin, it’s hard to think of an Indian batsman whose timing has been so exquisite, and after the interval, he scored at a run a ball before Murali enticed him down the pitch to get his reward in the shape of a miscue. A cracking square-cut off Welegedara and a peachy cover-drive off Kulasekara were the pick of the shots he played, and his fluency was instrumental in India getting back on track after a dour phase of play.It’s hard to put into words what these three men have contributed to Indian cricket. Who’ll ever forget Tendulkar’s assault on Warne in Chennai in 1998, or the way he repeatedly upper-cut him for four at the same venue three years later? As for Laxman and Dravid, they have the greatest Lazarus act in the history of the game to their credit. It’s also a measure of their quality that each has performed impressively abroad, being pivotal in famous triumphs at venues as far apart as Adelaide, Sabina Park and Headingley.If, as the Rolling Stones sang, “this could be the last time”, what wonderful memories they leave behind, of both victory and heartbreak: Tendulkar trudging off forlornly at Chepauk in 1999 having taking India to the very brink, Dravid emerging from the worst slump of his career with a typically gritty century in the Mohali gloom last December, VVS saving a Test against New Zealand when it appeared that Daryl Tuffey might be able to do what even Sir Richard Hadlee hadn’t.The other member of the famed quartet, Sourav Ganguly, exited stage left a year ago. And it’s not excessive to say that Virender Sehwag joined that elite band a while ago. But these three men hark back to an earlier age, a time before IPLs and mega endorsements and dodgy agents. They have not only excelled on the pitch, but been marvellous role models off it. Humble, polite to a fault, courteous and admired by the opposition wherever they played. Something tells you that they’ll never be replaced.

Punjab’s batting never imposed itself, the bowlers lacked the venom to stop Bangalore, and their fielding … well that was just deplorable

Jamie Alter in Mohali02-Apr-2010
Nothing’s gone right for Brett Lee in this season•Indian Premier LeagueA perplexing innings
Sent up the order to open, Manvinder Bisla ate up 26 balls for 28 runs. Once Shaun Marsh was dismissed early, the pressure was on Bisla to justify the decision to open with him. Bisla scored the majority of his runs off the South African pair of Dale Steyn (eight off four balls) and Jacques Kallis (nine off eight balls), whom he seemed keen to charge and waft at. Watching him repeatedly charge or back away, it was evident how limited a player he is. Apart from the cut, when he made room, and the uncontrolled clip off the pads, a shot he appeared eager to play but couldn’t pull off regularly, there was little to his stock. No matter what the line or length, Bisla wanted to jump out of the crease and put the ball over the infield. You couldn’t help but contrast his methods with those of Virat Kolhli, who paced his innings with solidity while scoring at the frenetic pace required in this format.And what was Bisla attempting against Anil Kumble? When veteran international players have had troubles against Kumble’s wiles this IPL – the delivery that beat Matthew Hayden was one of the season’s best – Bisla should have been more cautious instead of trying to step out first ball. On the third ball from Kumble he tried to hit across the line and was beaten. He then made room and streakily cut Kumble in the air wide of the catchers. After again trying and missing, his dismissal was the result of an apparent brain freeze. He tried to scoop Kumble over short fine leg, exposed the stumps, and had the furniture rearranged. Instead of helping Punjab, Bisla’s inning hurt them.Catches win matches … oh dear
This was the worst fielding effort I have seen this IPL and when – not if, as there is now virtually no chance – Punjab sit down and look at on-field reasons as to why they didn’t reach the semi-finals, this match will return to haunt them. In the 14th over, Sreesanth put down what will rank as one of the easiest chances of the competition; Kohli hit a slower ball straight to Sreesanth at long-on but it went in and out at about shoulder height.The less said about Ravi Bopara’s fielding the better. First he ran around from third man and let the ball through his legs to give Kevin Pietersen a much-needed four. Then, in the 16th over Bopara was again at it, running in from long-on and failing to take a simple catch from Pietersen that came at him at a nice catchable height.But … drum roll … the enduring image of the evening. After glaring at his butterfingered fielders, it was time for the captain to step up. After a 25-run over that turned the match around, Kumar Sangakkara ran backwards from cover to a swish from Pietersen, settled under the ball, and muffed it. It wasn’t over: before lying on his ground wondering how he’d missed the catch, Sangakkara managed to kick the ball to the boundary for four. These were international cricketers fielding like middle-aged men in .Let down by Lee
With 48 required from 24 balls, Punjab were still in with a shot. Enter Brett Lee, the team’s strike bowler, their most expensive overseas name, and a figure they had been dying to have back in the side. Lee begins with a full toss, which Robin Uthappa dumps 15 rows behind the straight boundary. The next ball is also wretched – length – and is slammed for four. After two near-yorkers Lee reverts back to length and watches Uthappa send the ball over midwicket for the biggest six of the game. He then sprays five wides down the leg side. That horror over took Lee’s IPL returns to three games, 63 deliveries, zero wickets, 111 runs, and an economy rate of 10.57. Lee has been short of match practice but there are no excuses – that 25-run over cost Punjab the match.

The Australian captain’s decision to bat on a testing surface was a result of an overestimation of his team’s abilities

Peter English at the SCG03-Jan-2010Ricky Ponting has experienced major bouts of discomfort over the past month but his team’s self-inflicted pain on the opening day in Sydney could turn into the most damaging of the summer. Boosted by Australia’s resurgence in Melbourne last week and convinced that his hastily re-jigged order could perform like his men of three years ago, Ponting ignored the specks of green across the pitch, won the toss and batted. Just like Mark Taylor or Steve Waugh would have done.Ponting doesn’t have charge of the same quality as that duo and just when he thinks his side is ready to dominate again in every terrain, his emerging men show they aren’t. After 44.2 overs of struggle in extremely challenging conditions, Australia dripped to 127 on a slippery day, their third total of 160 or under since The Oval in August.Since Edgbaston in 2005, when England scored 407 in a day on the way to a series-turning victory, Ponting has stuck rigidly to a bat-first policy during 23 toss wins. Despite his leadership and tactical gains over the past year he refused to be flexible and the decision has given Pakistan an opening to level the three-match series.Still remembering those increasingly hazy days at the start of his captaincy reign, Ponting expected his openers to shoulder arms and shovel through the hardest situation of the summer. Except he no longer has a Matthew Hayden or a Justin Langer. Not even a Simon Katich, who was scratched shortly before the toss with an elbow problem. Even before then it was always going to be a day for the bowlers whenever the showers stopped, which they did after lunch.Michael Hussey didn’t have a say in the decision, but he knew what Ponting would do. “I did joke with Ricky a day before the game saying he batted at Jo’burg in first Test against South Africa [early last year] and that wicket had branches growing on it,” Hussey said. “I didn’t think he’d bowl first on any wicket in the world and there’s proof again today.”Ponting’s over-confidence in his outfit left Shane Watson, a stroke-maker in conventional conditions appearing in his third series as opener, as the senior partner with Phillip Hughes, a 21-year-old in his sixth Test. Hughes has little experience of green tops, although the conditions were similar to his debut innings when he lasted four balls, and had a rushed entry after replacing Katich. Ponting demanded his openers to swim in the damp conditions, but by the time they had both sunk, the captain had joined them at the bottom of the dressing room.It’s acceptable to flap about after being sent in, but there is less sympathy for a side after it has selected the method of execution, and then added to the torture by sharpening the tools. Mohammad Sami and Mohammad Asif were outstanding, but both were helped by some Australian gifts on a day when reputations could have been made or, in Ponting’s case, reconfirmed.Ponting knew it would be tough and understood that intense application would be required to survive the swing and seam. Then he played a soft shot to his opening ball, being hurried into a pull to deep square leg. Other batsmen contributed to their respective dismissals, but none was more culpable than Ponting.

It’s acceptable to flap about after being sent in, but there is less sympathy for a side after it has selected the method of execution, and then added to the torture by sharpening the tools

Mark Taylor had been this brave at the toss at Old Trafford in 1997, but he was certain someone would emerge from that jungle and watched Steve Waugh return with two centuries. Ponting doesn’t have anyone of that class except himself, and he hasn’t been the same since his left elbow was squashed by Kemar Roach’s bouncer in Perth. At the WACA he was caught at short leg fending in the second innings, a justified reaction to another Roach lifter given the bruise in his arm, but in an effort to protect his injury and show he is not frightened by the fast men, he has been determined to pull. Twice in a row he has fallen that way against Pakistan.A captain needs to realise when self-expression and personal battles have to be shelved to show an impressionable team how to wade through a Test’s most difficult day. That can’t be done when the No.3 exits at 2 for 2 in the fourth over.Hughes had already departed for 0, being fortunate to stay for as long as 10 balls on his comeback. Caught between swaying and swinging, he aimed a drive without moving either foot and was taken at second slip, missing out on a chance to impress at home. A gritty half-century would have created a lasting memory for the selectors and those seeing him bat in Australia for the first time.Watson (6) was undone by his front-foot press and as he forced himself on to the back foot was unable to deal with the seam of Sami, sending a catch behind. Michael Clarke, Australia’s most bankable batsman last year, stayed 51 minutes before his self-control departed on 3 and he walked a big drive at Asif. Having seen a couple of outswingers, he left a hole between bat and pad for an off-cutter to slice through.A similar lapse occurred to Michael Hussey, who knew plays and misses were to be ignored, but he couldn’t eliminate his occasionally compulsive tendency to hook. When the ball arrived faster than Hussey calculated on 28, he was caught off the top edge at first slip. It wasn’t a shot to be playing at 4 for 51 and he called it “silly”.Marcus North edged behind in familiar fashion and Brad Haddin walked out wanting to smash his team to 300 before stumps. Some days it works – usually when the wicket lacks spice – but today it didn’t. He left after an ugly skew to mid-off and seven specialist batsmen had gone for 62.Under these conditions batting a long time is the key, and defence the most important weapon. The surface looked like how distracted parents paint ceilings, with a decent coverage through the middle and patchy sections closer to the edge. Bowlers crave such green patterns and Australia’s fast men begged to use it first but were over-ruled by Ponting. At the end of the day the attack, led by Mitchell Johnson’s team-high 38, had already batted on it, praying it would retain its darting seam for another day.

Plays of the Day for the Asia Cup final between India and Sri Lanka in Dambulla

Siddarth Ravindran in Dambulla24-Jun-2010A full house, finally</b
Crowds have been thin all tournament, but for the final fans poured into Dambulla. Deserted spots near the stadium morphed into parking lots, and Sri Lankan flags, usually prominent only near the venue, were flying most of the way from the town centre to the ground. Spectators were treated to an eclectic mix of piped music, including Punjabi, Sinhalese and hip-hop, and the bugle call that cricket appropriated from South African rugby also made a frequent appearance.Keeping it edgy
In a line-up that usually contains the unorthodox and attention-grabbing trio of Lasith Malinga, Muttiah Muralitharan and Ajantha Mendis, the less flashy line-and-length work of Nuwan Kulasekara tends to get overlooked. In the final he showed his effectiveness. After beating Dinesh Karthik and inducing an edge from him past slip in the first over, he tormented Gautam Gambhir in the third. Gambhir couldn’t get bat on ball on the stock indipper, had an overhead chance dropped at first slip next ball, before rounding off the over with a nick which the keeper, who was standing up, couldn’t hold.Eye off the ball
The number of police personnel keeping watch on the stands was double the usual due to the massive turnout for the final. These security people stand with their back to the action, and one of them was nearly injured in the line of duty when a monstrous hit for six from MS Dhoni over long-on landed just wide of her.Me, worried about the short ball?
Suresh Raina has some well-documented troubles against the bouncer. Lasith Malinga tested Raina’s technique against the short ball in the 41st over with a series of them, which the batsman survived, if awkwardly. The final delivery of the over, though, was a quick, swinging yorker and Raina was clueless against the surprise ball, getting trapped plumb in front.The glorious uncertainties
“It was one of those days when everything went right,” Farveez Maharoof said after taking his hat-trick on Tuesday. Two days later, nearly nothing did. His six overs were caned for 41 runs, including three lovely driven boundaries in four deliveries from Karthik through the off side. A difficult return chance didn’t stick in the 14th over, MS Dhoni’s punch to him at extra cover went through him and he made a hash of a simple stop at long-on when he didn’t anticipate the ball’s spin. About the only thing that went right was the straightforward catch he took to dismiss Rohit Sharma.An early breakthrough
Praveen Kumar made his name in international cricket by removing Adam Gilchrist and Ricky Ponting cheaply in both finals of the 2007-08 CB series. He repeated that trend of getting big wickets early by getting Tillakaratne Dilshan to mishit a pull to mid-on in the first over. That wicket buoyed India so much that there was applause for every small thing; for example, a regulation stop at third man by Ashish Nehra applauded by three team-mates.Some late cheer
Some of the crowd started to trickle out of the stadium once Thilina Kandamby was dismissed with Sri Lanka at a hopeless 104 for 6. Those Sri Lankan fans who stayed behind did have something to cheer when Kulasekara and Chamara Kapugedera blasted a stream of boundaries in the batting Powerplay. It didn’t threaten to change the match but at least it kept most spectators at the ground almost till the end of the match.

It’s not as sophisticated as Lord’s or thrilling as Karachi, but an under-renovation Edgbaston will do for this Pakistan fan looking for an Aussie defeat

Maha Hussain06-Jul-2010The game
Give me a cricket match venue it is physically possible for me to get to and I’ll be there. This was largely a last-minute affair, with me and my family booking tickets barely 24 hours before the game. It was a bit of a drive from London to Birmingham, but I wasn’t going to miss the chance to watch Pakistan v Australia, and my first game at Edgbaston. Considering Pakistan had lost their previous 12 encounters against Australia, I was predicting a 13th loss, though hoping for the opposite to happen. I was pleasantly surprised.Team supported
Pakistan, without a doubt. I did root for Shane Watson to perform well. But it clearly didn’t make a difference as he departed for a duck.Key performer
Umar Akmal, the only meaningful contributor to Pakistan’s score, with a delightful 64 off 31. The green lips were an interesting touch too. That said, Umar Gul and Mohammed Aamer had pretty impressive spells, particularly towards the end.One thing I’d have changed
The horrendously annoying bunch of guys a couple of rows in front of me holding up a flag literally the size of the pitch. Some heated exchanges (i.e. yelling) took place before they finally sat down and everyone behind them could get a view of the cricket.Accessories
As always, we packed the car with crisps, fizzy drinks, bottles of cold water, sun visors and hats, none of which we actually remembered to bring into the ground. We didn’t forget the banners, though. Those came in handy.Face-off I relished
I was quite excited about watching Umar Akmal against the Australian pace attack. He hammered Dirk Nannes and Shaun Tait for a bit, and though Tait eventually got him, the damage had been done.Another one I was pretty keen on was Mike Hussey against Saeed Ajmal (we all remember what happened the last time they met!). It turned out to be a bit anti-climactic; Hussey wasn’t nearly as destructive today.Wow moment
Hussey’s dismissal was greeted with a unanimous cheer/sigh of relief from a Pakistani crowd, who felt safe in the thought that the chances of another Hussey-esque rescue were gone.Player watch
Hussey, Mitchell Johnson, Ajmal and Abdul Razzaq all fielded near our stand. The highlight, however, was Shahid Afridi. The roar from the crowd was immense, and Afridi turned to acknowledge the cheers and premature standing ovation. When Ajmal got David Warner the very next ball, the Eric Hollies Stand went ballistic.Shot of the day
All three of Umar Akmal’s sixes – a couple landing in the stands. In fact, his entire innings was a treat to watch.Crowd meter
The stands were more or less packed, and for a ground half under construction, the noise level was greater than those of full-capacity crowds at much larger stadiums. The vuvuzela craze from the FIFA World Cup in South Africa seems to have caught on, and the noise was bordering on deafening. There was also half a Mexican wave going around the stands through most of the second innings.Fancy-dress index
One in every two people (myself included) was wearing a Pakistan t-shirt of some kind or the other. Slightly more out-of-the-ordinary sights included: a man dressed in a white top hat and coat covered with tiny Pakistan flags, complete with sparkly green wig and painted face; a stuffed monkey wearing a Pakistan shirt being thrown into the air in the adjacent stand; and someone who looked like a cross between a ninja turtle and a leprechaun.Entertainment
As with most matches involving Pakistan, most of the entertainment was provided by the crowd. There was “Down Under” every time an Australian came out to bat and “Dil Dil Pakistan” for the other team, as well as some “Boom Boom Pow” for one particular player (no prizes for guessing who).Banner of the day
“Do us a favour, Afridi: DON’T use Ajmal for the last over.” And the usual 500 “Boom Boom Afridi” banners.Overall
The match itself was pretty engaging till Australia lost their ninth wicket. It could have been much closer had Johnson managed to fire. The atmosphere was akin to that of a stadium in Pakistan – you would never guess the match was being played at a neutral venue if the crowds were anything to go by. It didn’t have the charm and sophistication of Lord’s or the thrill and madness of the National Stadium in Karachi, but I rank this day at Edgbaston as one of my best experiences in a cricket stadium.Marks out of 10
9. It could have been 10, except the honking and screeching became too much to bear at times. I also regret leaving the stand during the innings break to get an ice-cream, which meant I ended up missing the minute or so Shane Watson batted. Pakistan finally beat Australia, though, so I was certainly not complaining.

The Kingsmead pitch was as green as advertised and Dale Steyn took full advantage with some high-class swing bowling

Firdose Moonda26-Dec-2010When the covers came off the Kingsmead pitch early this morning, bowlers the world over would have felt like many men do on their wedding day: the world’s most beautiful bride had been unveiled. It was as green as it was talked up to be, almost living up to that legend about the only difference between the Durban pitch and outfield being the painted lines. With gloomy overhead conditions that appeared to have made themselves comfortable for at least a day, it was a bowler’s paradise. We’d seen this movie before. Ten days ago. In Centurion.The psychological mind- games reached their climax when Allan Donald said the pitch looked “exactly the same” as the one on which India were shot out for 66 and 100 in 1996. “Exactly” is probably an exaggeration, but it was a surface that the South Africa bowlers would have relished bowling on and the India batsmen would have felt jittery batting on, especially with memories of Morne Morkel’s SuperSport Park destruction fresh in their minds. It wasn’t Morkel who would be a worry this time, though.Durban is known for swing and Dale Steyn’s arrived like the 1960s. He showed his ability to move the ball away from the first over and exploited the conditions to his advantage. “We had big bounce and a little bit of movement off the seam,” Steyn said at the end-of-day press conference.At the other end, Morne Morkel, with height on his side, was trying to produce something similar to what he did in Centurion, but had no success this time around. While the short ball comes quite naturally to him and has earned him much success, he wasted it today. He used it too often and didn’t execute his follow-ups with the same strategic smartness as he did in Centurion. When Sehwag hit him for four off a fuller ball, Morkel returned to the short ball in defence. His line was questionable, on off stump, or just outside and his first spell was aborted after three overs. Things didn’t improve when he returned, and he bowled an over in which M Vijay did not have to play at a single ball.The bowling at the Old Fort Road end remained gentle and while Morkel and Lonwabo Tsotsobe were posing little threat, Steyn was following the gospel Graeme Smith had preached earlier in the week. Smith emphasised the importance of bowling well, even if conditions are favourable. He went as far as to say that the pressure is greater on the bowlers to perform well when the pitch offers them something.”Everybody is expecting wickets and we knew something would happen,” Steyn said. He usually bowls an opening spell of five or six overs, but he knew patience would pay off and insisted on bowling an extended spell. “I always knew there was a wicket just around the corner. I kept saying to Graeme saying one more, one more.” It was during one of the “one more” overs, that he dismissed Virender Sehwag, with slight away movement. Steyn kept begging. His next over went wicket-less, but then another “one more” and Vijay, who had left so well, poked at one. The wickets came at crucial times, just when South Africa may have started to worry about wasting the new ball.Tsotsobe got Sachin Tendulkar to poke at a wide one in the first over after lunch, but Rahul Dravid and VVS Laxman came together to steady India and it was up to Steyn to intervene again. Dravid received a beautiful ball, bouncing steeply and moving away a touch, although it was the bounce more than the movement that got Dravid out. Steyn’s movement was the highlight of his bounce and he admitted that it was the right tool to bring out on this occasion. “I’m very lucky that I can get the ball to do that. I don’t try and do it all the time. You have to be able to do it on certain days. If it doesn’t work you going to get clipped through midwicket and sent to the leg-side boundary. You don’t want to be a hero every ball.”Steyn was certainly was not the hero for his fourth wicket, Tsotsobe was. An outrageous dive to his right at midwicket saw him snatch Laxman’s pull out of the air. ‘It was unbelievable,” Steyn said. “I only got three wickets today and he got a great catch. He can fall asleep sometimes in the field but that was unbelievable. I am actually pretty jealous of that catch.”Tsotsobe came into this match under pressure to keep his place, although with Wayne Parnell having contracted chicken pox, it now seems as though Tsotsobe would have played no matter what. He was fairly mediocre up front, barely hovering around the 130kph mark and showing a desperate need for some more pace. Although he was pinpointed as the weak link, Steyn denied this. “I thought he bowled nicely at SuperSport Park.”Tsotsobe captured the scalp of Tendulkar and also picked up the wicket of Cheteshwar Pujara late in the day, which went a long way towards backing up his selection. “He got another opportunity today and he’s proved that he can bowl,” Steyn said. “He is definitely somebody who is going to be around this team for a long time.”Steyn said that Tsotsobe should be open to learning from everyone, as he became about 18 months ago. “Before, I thought I could do things on my own and let my own skills take over. But it’s a team sport, and if you can take in as much information as you can and listen to the guys around you that have been around for 150 matches, that can make a difference in your career.”India still have four wickets in hand and Steyn has stressed the importance of focusing on knocking them over. “We will treat their bowlers like we treat their top-order batters. We don’t want to get ahead of ourselves.”

There were actual sixes, actual music, and actually Wellington won!

Trish Plunket05-Dec-2010Choice of game
Still unemployed, sun still shining, Otago still likely to win. Sadly, the game was no longer free.Team supported
The Hell Wellington Firebirds. (How many people is that name gonna upset?)Key performer
A few damn good performances, but it has to go to Chris Nevin, for picking up a stuttering Wellington innings and depositing it over the boundary repeatedly, despite not being considered good enough for a contract this year.One thing I’d have changed

The small squealing children wouldn’t have been set in the sponsors tent between the fence and the boundary rope where they repetedly hit tennis balls onto the outfield; and the best seats in the place would have been given to people who actually wanted to watch the game.Oh, and I’d have wiped the butter off Luke Wright’s hands for him. Just as a favour, like.Suspicious behaviour of the day
I’m beginning to think the people running the scoreboard are messing with us. They managed to have, at various points: the wrong bowler, wrong batsman, wrong score, and the wrong number of overs. It’s like they’re checking to make sure we’re actually paying attention. Or they’re drunk. I’m guessing drunk.Wow moment
Neil Wagner’s spectacular drop of Luke Wright, over the boundary rope for six. Sweeter then when Wagner finally caught him, two sixes later.Player watch
Look mum, internationals! Luke Wright and Damien Wright. But on boundary we got that tiny, tiny Chris Nevin man. And that made me happy.Shot of the day
Michael Pollard hooking the ball over the bank and out onto the road. Sirens followed.Crowd meter
Official count said 8000 showed up. That figure was at best optimistic and at worst a brazen lie. More like 1800, but that was enough to make the atmosphere excellent as we cheered and groaned and tried to drown out the Otago keeper.Entertainment
There were actual loudspeakers playing actual music… Oh, and the tournament sponsors gave away a whole bunch of free stuff. In the innings break – AIR GUITAR!Okay, I swear cricket games in New Zealand are not as lame as that sounds.Accessories
I busted out the blackboard, on which to discuss the Wellington weather, Damien Wright’s maiden-bowling capabilities and Ronald Karitiana’s past life as a McDonalds Young Entertainers super trooper.Overall
The cricket was… iffy. Both teams managed to screw it up so much, it almost became a battle of who could screw up the least. But the sun was beaming, the breeze was pleasant, the sixes were HUUUUUUUGE… And Wellington won. I love being wrong sometimes.Marks out of 10
7.5. Number of marks taken off corresponds to years taken off my life because of how tight the finish was.