The Cricket Thread

Spitfire · 13th June 2008, 10:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by diabloo

Question: Why do you think Shahid Afridi - who he thinks is one of the greatest hitters of the ball ever in the history of the game - is not performing? Do you think he should be dropped from the team? Or should he change his game or quit trying to hit the ball for six in all directions?

Geoffrey Boycott: He can't change his game because he is a hitter of the ball. He is a wonderful hitter and I think he is one of the biggest hitters that the game has seen. He has a wonderful physique and is a strong lad. But he has no brain. He can't think. He can't stop swiping even if you stood on his shoulder and told him not to hit the ball before the bowler bowled.

I love him to bits and I think he is a smashing lad. He has the gift of natural hand-eye co-ordination to hit the ball, but I am sorry, God didn't give him a cricket brain to think his way through cricket situations. He doesn't have a cricket brain to play technique cricket, so he cannot change. I think he has a natural skill at bowling. But I am afraid, that you and I, and lots of his fans have to love him for what he is, not for what we'd like him to be.

I fell off my seat after reading that

karanraheja · 13th June 2008, 12:37

Quote:

Originally Posted by wanderlustindia

I was done with consummate ease in the end. The Daredevils, Sehwag and Gambhir carried on from where they left against Pakistan. The result was never in doubt after another good start.

When is the final match? India should take the final with some caution as the Pakis would be looking to bounce back after a huge defeat in the last match.

Rohit Sharma suddenly looks out of sorts. He is taking ages to get used to the pace of the wicket. He had settled down yesterday only to hit a bad shot and throw his wicket away.

I guess the finals in on Saturday. Hope that Goni gets to play. Yup quite surprised that Rohit was taking time to settle at the crease after his awesome run in IPL. Hope he clicks tom. I would like to see Gony Replacing
RP singh and may be Irfan can be rested and Ishant Sharma can play instead of him.

diabloo · 13th June 2008, 13:03

Considering Dhoni's track record, Gony might play in the finals. Dhnoi played Yuvsuf Pathan in T20 World Cup final. He again played Piyush Chawla in the finals against Australia to win the ODI series.

Quote:

Originally Posted by karanraheja

Hope that Goni gets to play.

Finals is on 14th June - Saturday at 2:30PM IST at Dhaka (previous matches were played at Mirpur).

snaronikar · 13th June 2008, 14:55

Quote:

Originally Posted by wanderlustindia

Rohit Sharma suddenly looks out of sorts. He is taking ages to get used to the pace of the wicket. He had settled down yesterday only to hit a bad shot and throw his wicket away.

Remember, he has played for Deccan Chargers. He is still in the DC mood itself and forgotten how to play normal cricket. Actually, he is playing like Gilly & Laxman.

diabloo · 13th June 2008, 17:30

Dhoni declined citing prior commitments. So the honor goes to Yuvraj

!!! He gets a chance to meeet his footballing hero Cristiano Ronaldo cheers:!!!!

Yuvraj Singh to be chief guest at Euro match*-*News*-*News*-*The Times of India Cricket

Quote:

Originally Posted by diabloo

Great moment for Indians !!

MS Dhoni at Euro 2008- News-Euro 2008-Specials-Indiatimes Sports

"it would be the first time in the history of the Euros that someone from India has been requested to grace the occasion. It will be a proud moment for India as the international press would be there to cover the event."

snaronikar · 14th June 2008, 17:49

This thread is surprisingly silent today. The final match betwen India Vs Pakistan. The story so far is Pakis are taking Dhoni and Co for a ride. I think Dhoni is run out of ideas in this match with youngsters. He should have had couple of expreienced players to advice him what to do. Used almost all the bowlers for getting the break through. But invain. I think the writing is on the wall. Indians will never win a final against Pakistan in 50 over game.

blue_pulsar · 14th June 2008, 18:10

The idea of going with 4 bowlers is always a terrible idea. Add to that, the lack of experience.

Edit: Pak 315/3. The poll should have been open by now.

karanraheja · 14th June 2008, 18:25

India need 316 to win. Piyush had taken most of the hammering.
Gony should have played today ! Someone like Irfan should have rested.
A lot will depend on Sehwag & Gambhir ! Hope we can get thru.

snaronikar · 14th June 2008, 18:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by karanraheja

India need 316 to win. Piyush had taken most of the hammering.
Gony should have played today ! Someone like Irfan should have rested.
A lot will depend on Sehwag & Gambhir ! Hope we can get thru.

Even I did not understand the team selection by Dhoni for today's match. Gony should have been given a chance in this tournement. We have all the t20 heros on the side now. Let's wait and see whether we will get past the total. Is this the batting track by any chance....

blue_pulsar · 14th June 2008, 18:49

Quote:

Originally Posted by snaronikar

Is this the batting track by any chance....

I think in the pitch report, it was mentioned that its a batting track and pitch will not change much for second innings.

Also, Salman Butt's catch drop proved really costly. Guess that will be kind of 'turning point' if India loose.

snaronikar · 14th June 2008, 22:24

Sehwag/R.Sharma did not fire when mattered most. This is the big problem when we have all hitters in team. Nobody wants to stay at crease when its required. The inexperience of players is proving to be very costly for the team.

@Diabloo: Where art thou?

ECM · 14th June 2008, 22:56

Dhoni scored 64,faced 59B was little slow imo,wickets fell at regular interval and in such case calm Dhoni failed finally.Such technic works when you have wickets in hand.Bad play by Indians as usual when they were fav.to lift the cup,again B'desh soil gave unexpected result for which they are known for !!

snaronikar · 14th June 2008, 23:09

Quote:

Originally Posted by ECM

Dhoni scored 64,faced 59B was little slow imo,wickets fell at regular interval and in such case calm Dhoni failed finally.Such technic works when you have wickets in hand.Bad play by Indians as usual when they were fav.to lift the cup,again B'desh soil gave unexpected result for which they are known for !!

Nope, our people did not apply themselves. All are hard hitters and nobody wanted to stay at crease. Kept loosing the wickets at regular intervals. Thus the fall of wickets & defeat was immenient. Hope Dhoni and co will learn couple of points from this match.

Fountainheader · 14th June 2008, 23:43

Dhoni's been playing really subdued innings ever since he's become the captain!! I dint notice even a single "hard-hitting" shot from him.

Mission_Safari · 15th June 2008, 09:45

IMO the turning point was the the three overs (40,41,42) where only 8 runs were scored and created the pressure forcing Pathan to go for that shot where he lost his wicket.

14th June 2008, 17:49	#4056
snaronikar Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Bengaluru Posts: 2,845 Thanked: 29 Times View My Garage	This thread is surprisingly silent today. The final match betwen India Vs Pakistan. The story so far is Pakis are taking Dhoni and Co for a ride. I think Dhoni is run out of ideas in this match with youngsters. He should have had couple of expreienced players to advice him what to do. Used almost all the bowlers for getting the break through. But invain. I think the writing is on the wall. Indians will never win a final against Pakistan in 50 over game.
	() Thanks

14th June 2008, 18:10	#4057
blue_pulsar Senior - BHPian Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: Bangalore Posts: 1,112 Thanked: 403 Times	The idea of going with 4 bowlers is always a terrible idea. Add to that, the lack of experience. Edit: Pak 315/3. The poll should have been open by now. Last edited by blue_pulsar : 14th June 2008 at 18:23.
	() Thanks

14th June 2008, 18:25	#4058
karanraheja Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Coimbatore Posts: 1,961 Thanked: 436 Times	India need 316 to win. Piyush had taken most of the hammering. Gony should have played today ! Someone like Irfan should have rested. A lot will depend on Sehwag & Gambhir ! Hope we can get thru.
	() Thanks

14th June 2008, 22:24	#4061
snaronikar Senior - BHPian Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Bengaluru Posts: 2,845 Thanked: 29 Times View My Garage	Sehwag/R.Sharma did not fire when mattered most. This is the big problem when we have all hitters in team. Nobody wants to stay at crease when its required. The inexperience of players is proving to be very costly for the team. @Diabloo: Where art thou?
	() Thanks

14th June 2008, 22:56	#4062
ECM BHPian Join Date: May 2006 Location: Somewhere Posts: 226 Thanked: 15 Times	Dhoni scored 64,faced 59B was little slow imo,wickets fell at regular interval and in such case calm Dhoni failed finally.Such technic works when you have wickets in hand.Bad play by Indians as usual when they were fav.to lift the cup,again B'desh soil gave unexpected result for which they are known for !!
	() Thanks

14th June 2008, 23:43	#4064
Fountainheader Senior - BHPian Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Silicon Valley Posts: 1,501 Thanked: 13 Times View My Garage	Dhoni's been playing really subdued innings ever since he's become the captain!! I dint notice even a single "hard-hitting" shot from him.
	() Thanks

15th June 2008, 09:45	#4065
Mission_Safari BHPian Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: Chennai Posts: 449 Thanked: 6 Times	IMO the turning point was the the three overs (40,41,42) where only 8 runs were scored and created the pressure forcing Pathan to go for that shot where he lost his wicket.
	() Thanks