Sports : life magnified

The English Team was at cross roads in Pakistan. I had written on the same nearly 3 months ago which can be read here. I titled it facing adveristy. In the period which has followed since then, England has enountered a lot of adversity. A menacing Shoaib Akhtar in Pakistan and a series of unfortunate events leading 4 of their first XI to withdraw from the tour of India being unquestionably the biggest external adversities. The internal weaknesses they have shown shouldn’t be forgotten.

With the collapse in Pakistan and throwing away a match England should have probably drawn in India in the second test of the series in Mohali, it has probably let slip the opportunity to challenge Australia for now. From being the unquestionable number 2 side, it has gone down a step in the close battle of the number 2.

In fact, it also finds itself at a position inferior to Pakistan. Pakistan appear to have lost Shoaib Akhtar for the immediate future. However there is some time to go for Pakistan’s tour of England. If Pakistan can manage even a draw in that series, it would mean that Pakistan has set itself above the current English side.

And what about South Africa? South Africa played superbly in Australia. It is now involved in the home series versus Australia. If South Africa can manage a victory or even a draw, it can be accepted as a strong team despite Glenn McGrath not playing in the current series and despite what Chris Fogarty has to say regarding only the Ashes mattering, test cricket is about more than just The Ashes. John Stern analyses the current situation and the mouth watering prospect which lies ahead of us much more judiciously.

India may be finding bowlers (Munaf Patel, Piyush Chawla) who might show some potency in times to come. However, with it playing just 2 test series in the run up to World Cup 2007 and having lost the series to Pakistan (despite it being like a 1 test series), India finds itself behind the pack in this chase. Did New Zealand not go behind a huge distance in one session in their home series versus Pakistan where Shoaib Akhtar wrecked them? It did India no favours that for them that the home series versus England was always going to be The Nothing Series. India in fact loosened their noose in the tussle they failed to win their last series in the West Indies. That they lost the home series versus Australia did them no favours. They have been chasing as a back runner since then and will have to keep persisting. They do not find themselves in the picture before the pyajama cricket - World Cup 2007 is done and dusted with.

Climbing up the ladder is difficult. It requires consistent brilliant performances. New Zealand is finding it out the hard way. It is doomed in mid table for the time being. Has England let it’s opportnity slip by two collapses, one in Pakistan and one in India? The importance is not in that England lost. England would be respectable losers after drawing their first test match in India. The importance was in the manner in which a match which should have been drawn was lost. A win in Mumbai is now needed for England to remain in the race. Very difficult but it is the only way England can stop the opportunity from slipping. No one said the battle was ever going to be easy!

Pakistan does have a small lead ahead of the rest of the pack - England, South Africa and India. South Africa has the best chance to contend with Pakistan. While all this is going on, Australia cannot work out who the right players are for their international side. A side which boasted of depth finds itself bringing back older warriors who were discarded after the Ashes war was lost. The batsmen are not showing consistency. There is no sign of a future Glenn McGrath or Shane Warne. Most importantly, Australia has set such high standards for themselves that they will themselves find it difficult to maintain these levels. Even if McGrath and Warne do manage to play for a few more years, it will be very difficult for Australia to not slip from it’s high intensity performances is now characterized with. Some would argue that the slipping has already started.

Very interesting times to be a test cricket fan.

Javed Miandad, on Asif’s prospects at Headingley later this year:

Gaand phaar de ga angrez ki (”He will blow the a*****es of the English”)

Cricinfo published it, then deleted it. It got noticed by a lot of people apart from me though. As evident in Outside Edge and playing from home.

The win in the series versus India after the series win versus England means Pakistan is on course to be the undisputed number 2 team in the world. They have the challenge in England later this year which I await eagerly.

What if India defeat England in India and then England beat Pakistan in England? We do not have a clear number 2 then.

Meanwhile Uttar Pradesh with solid performances from Piyush Chawla, Kaif and Raina in the match and a crucial first inning lead means that we will, barring some miracle, see Kaif hold aloft Uttar Pradesh’s first Ranji title. Another likely feather in the cap for the guy who held aloft the under-19 world cup trophy what now seems ages ago.

I had the feeling in the first session. Thoughts came back of this match. Jagdish seems to agree.

At National Stadium, Karachi, Pakistan has suffered just one loss. In the last 10 tests here, 8 matches have provided results. India has never won here (losing twice and drawing thrice). Inzamam averages above 70 here. A lot more facets here. Inzamam and Akhtar face injury worries and there are soft mumblings that they may not be as effective even if they play.

The grass is unlikely to be shaved off the wicket as it would mean backlash. There has already been a lot of frustration among fans and media after the first two tests. In these circumstances Pakistan has a slight advantage. A combined effort from India though could see a memorable win. It can be safely said that most people are praying that this match does produce a result. I am hoping that we see some brilliant cricket in the match and a superb inning from Tendulkar, at a ground he returns 16 years since he made his debut, which shuts a portion of the people who feel he is past his best for good.

It is game on!

Dr. Saeed Durrani in Daily Times letters suggests Rakhi as the name for the India-Pakistan series. While Ashes symbolises destruction, Rakhi is the symbol of bonding. I like it.

Younis Khan and Kamran Akmal love to bat versus India. They know how to play the Indian spinners very well. Pakistan can make quick runs and put India under pressure tomorrow if they are brave enough to go down that road. With only 1 wicket for Pakistan, they find themselves in a position to decide the possible course of the match. A draw does look the likely outcome even if both teams intent to play for a win from the current scenario.

Sri Lanka inflicted a defeat on Australia. Not many were giving them a chance in the VB series after their performances versus India and New Zealand.

Bengal courtesy Deep Dasgupta and Laxmi Ratan Shukla look all set to go into the Ranji Final. So do Uttar Pradesh.

The India-Pakistan match meanwhile turned into the Afridi show yet again yeterday. The essential point in this match is there is a lot of time left. Two things are very vital from now on - whether the Indian batting puts up a total or collapses, what the effect of the spinners is from the 3rd day evening session onwards.

India has 110. At 3 and half runs per over then can reach 425. Accelarting tomorrow, they can reach the score of Pakistan. Then a performance by Kumble and Harbhajan (provided the pitch provides support) can lead to a change in scenario.

India may have to chase around 200-250 in the last 2 sessions or so. Could be a mouth watering prospect.

On the other hand the Indian batting can collapse and we can see a Pakistan victory.

There is a lot to unfold still in this match

That’s what has seems to have happened all the three cricket matches from glance at the scorecards. Inzamam and Afridi ensured Pakistan went over 4 runs an over for the day. Even 10 years ago that would have been unthinlable in most scenarios. I am very happy with India playing five bowlers. It is not some thing which is unusual. India has played Prabhakar as the 5th bowler in the 90’s for example. The first necessity to win a test match is to take twenty wicket. India look more likely to that with a 5 man attack.

Bengal, surprisingly as far as I am concerned, have a first inning lead over Baroda. The unlikely hero has been Subhomoy Das. Subhomoy Das who? The same guy who averages a mere 35.84 in First Class matches. He is also the guy who’s 83, along with Jhunjhuwala’s 139 were instrumental in taking Bengal to the semis. Kudos to Shib Pal for putting Bengal in a position to take a first inning lead. But the batting collapses in the past have been all too familiar. In that regard the efforts of the young guns like Das and Jhunjhwala (even though he has made a duck in this match) and of course Rohan Gavaskar have to be commended.

Uttar Pradesh has taken their first inning lead versus Mumbai after bundling them for 199. Kaif, Raina and Rizwan Shamshad have been instrumental in that.

Now the question is - can India, Baroda or Mumbai script a resurgence.

It’s not Aaqib Javed with the four wickets.

There was nothing ‘great’ in the batting effort of India or Pakistan in this test match. People were going gaga when Afridi and Akmal were making runs and some fans from India would be feeling the same currently. Memories of Chris Gayle’s knock and that India-Sri Lanka test match comes to mind.

In chess, when the opponents decide, a draw can be agreed upon. I think the same should hold good for test cricket. It is an option in the last hour of play. But why not in any period during the test match. Why have a dead rubber too after a series has been completed.

The Indian board was not able to accomodate a twenty20 charity match for Pakistan earthquake victims and proceeds of a limited overs match will go to them.

A twenty20 match or one dayer for charity would be much more interesting than cricket which has been played till now and that which will be played tomorrow.

There is so much excitement in the air - and its unrelated to any irrelevant media hype which has known to follow Indian cricket.

It’s a good time to be a test cricket fan. The Ashes, RSA in Australia have ended. Australia will tour South Africa next while England will battle it out in India.

We can forget all that for the next few weeks while we enjoy India versus Pakistan in a cricket contest. In the past 15 years or so of cricket watching, I have seen quite a few contests and memorable incidents in matches between the two countries.

Whether it was the jumping of Miandad in frustration at the antics of Kiran More in 1992, the catch of Rashid Latif and Jadeja going wild in Bangalore in 1996, Shoaib Akhtar in all his glory yorking Tendulkar, the mastery of Saqlain taking consecutive 5 wicket hawls, the anguish of Tendulkar at Chennai despite his mastery, the wonderful Sahara Cup low scoring contests or the whole India’s tour to Pakistan in 2003 which brought the two nations together like no cricket tour in the past probably did, we have all watched in amazement.

I can’t wait any longer!

Sunil Gavaskar has said that India sould play 3 openers versus Pakistan.

That would mean Yuvraj Singh and Ganguly both missing out from the test side. It is winter and the conditions are bound to be testing. So in that context Gavaskar has a point.

The laws are quite clear on this. The umpires have the final say on the pitch. Also if the conditions or the pitch, ground etc are not dangerous it is playable.

In a test match in India vs England play was stopped and the match abandoned because the ball was bouncing so awkwardly that it could cause serious damage to the English batsmen. Hussain was right to protest and the umpires were right to stop play.

But if the pitch is not dangerous, and its within the laws So what is the issue why so many English fans are disgruntled with the pitches provided to them.

A great team wins even in the most adverse of conditions.

The only way left is to boycott the Karachi one dayer. Miandad has requested fans to not go to the stadium to watch the match.

I certainly will not be watching the match on tv.

After the PCB agreed to the ECB’s demand of not playing a test in Karachi, the ECB, it appears, are not pleased at having England play at Multan either. The PCB has not succumbed on changing the venue from Multan to Rawalpindi though. Roebuck would be pleased like me to an extent on the stand I think though the displeasure at ECB not wanting to play in Multan would be mixed with it.

It would surprised me if some more unnecessary hassles do not come up before the first ball of the series is bowled.

Peter Roebuck rights about there being no shame in losing to Australia but ads a statement quite out of place in an article on the Ashes:

They must play cricket in Karachi and anywhere else. The world has shrunk.

I have stated my views on England’s decision not to play in Karachi earlier but it is good to know that my favourite cricket writer shares the same view.

Mianad in saying Pakistan should cancel the English tour of Pakistan has got it spot on. Should cricket teams cancel playing in Lords or other cricket venues just because there was the terrorist attacks?

Its sad Pakistan Cricket Board has not insisted on England playing in one of Pakistan’s trditional venues.

If you get a hold of Pundits From Pakistan by Rahul Bhattacharya switch over to the chapters where he describes the enigma of Karachi - the city. Switch over then to the pages which show the atmosphere after the Karachi one dayer in 2004. Jagmohan Dalmiya declares that when India next tours Pakistan, the first test match will be held in Karachi. This after India’s refusal to play in the venue.

Such was the brilliance of the match in which nearly 700 runs were scored in a day, described so aptly in this archived piece by Bhattacharya that I remember I started cheering for Pakistan beyond a point. And when Md. Kaif took that brilliant catch, and every one in Cafe Coffee Day rejoiced, I quickly sank back on my seat.

Now we have England refusing to play a test in Karachi. Samiuddin, who is fast becoming the young voice of Pakistan cricket, voices his anguish. It is more to do with the fact that people, not players, not PCB officials have done any thing when a lot could have actually been done.

My stand is simple. If India and Pakistan can play a one dayer in Karachi some time after Musharaff had life threatening attacks, England has no case. If Pakistan guarantee player safety, England have no case. If specific players wouldn’t like to play in a specific match, in this case a Karachi test for fear of family and self, they can be allowed to opt out but I doubt many England players will try to make a stance in a crucial series in Pakistan like some did in Zimbabwe. In Zimbabwe when players opted out, though the scenario was different, and yet the English toured the country, the case brought up against Karachi is unnecessary.

Shoaib Akhtar has gained back the confidence of the PCB after abandonment from the squad for the tour of West Indies. The fitness level of Shoaib was questioned by Woolmer, the commitment in doubt. Shoaib has since then come with strong remarks of how he wants to give his best against the English.

After not being included in the 17 people who were initially given the Central contract, the latest news certainly comes as a new formed faith of the PCB. The contract is only for 6 months though. The last 6 months or so have shown Shoaib he is not indespensible and the team is always larger than the player.

More media news for what he does on field rather than off it in the future? Only time will tell.