The Cricket Thread

[C300]

Originally Posted by normally_crazy

Its a fix.there won't be enough spectators for the finals if Sri Lanka make it. Simple. Call me a cynic or a pessimist....we do not deserve to play the finals.

Agree with your second point but not with the first.
Note that the finals are in Brisbane and Adelaide where Indian population is not significant. Had it been Sydney or Melbourne they would have worried about loss of ticket sales given strong Indian support in these two cities.

I agree with your second point. Given our pathetic performance this summer, we do not deserve to be in the finals. We are mediocre in the field and inconsistent in bowling and batting departments.
One good performance and majority of the fans will forget how bad we were throughout the summer. It was actually embarassing during the test series.

[Dushie]

It's too early to jump to a conclusion. Srilanka is a strong team and will get back with lot of fire and vengeance in the next game. Australia's form has been doubtful, either they have done well or have just played badly. So anything can happen in the final decider game.

[suhaas307]

After watching the match yesterday, I began to wonder.. where was this form all these months? When we could not manage to score beyond 250 on a regular basis, how did we surpass a 320 target in just under 37 overs?

And the most important question I have is.. How in the Word did Malinga, popularly considered to be the best bowler today, get thrashed for 24 runs in one over and ended up with figures of 7.4 - 0 - 96 - 1 - 12.52?

Beats me! But I'm glad that the Indian team is back with a bang. We were pushed to the wall and shackled. Even SL found it easy to beat us. And with controversy within our team, it was just going down-hill.

Kohli has showed the World that he is one of the future greats. What a class-act he is. 3233 runs in 82 matches, with 9 centuries, 20 half-centuries, a strike rate of 85 and an average of 45 shows the talent and class of this lad.

[karty_83]

Why did Sri Lanka opt for a bowling power play when they knew that match was as good as over after 40 overs. From a Sri Lankan point of view this move just baffles me.
Nevertheless it was a remarkable batting performance from Kohli

[amitoj]

I am so glad i decided to work from home yesterday and got to see Kohli's wonderful innings and Malinga's thrashing. Well done, boys.

Maybe the placid pitch and the short boundaries had something to do with it but i dont care. I am just happy to see the Indian team win a match comprehensively!

[esteem_lover]

Originally Posted by normally_crazy

Its a fix.there won't be enough spectators for the finals if Sri Lanka make it. Simple. Call me a cynic or a pessimist....we do not deserve to play the finals.

I wouldn't say the entire match was fixed, but certainly some bowlers and other players were fixed, there is no doubt about that. A team that could only 2 days back muster 165 runs chasing a modest 250 cannot become so brilliant in 2 days. Yes, they started off beautifully with vintage sachin and sehwag partnership, but Mahela's captaincy was UNBELIEVABLE. Even dhoni would have captained better. He was 'fixed' with bringing Malinga back whenever the Indian run rate dropped.

@N_C, matches these days are played to the TV audience, no one gives a damn whether there is any crowd on the field or not. The TV rights money takes care of everything whenever India plays. We are the fools who are stuck with watching little cricket in between the stupid ads.

Originally Posted by karty_83

Why did Sri Lanka opt for a bowling power play when they knew that match was as good as over after 40 overs.

As someone already explained, the new rules state that both the batting and bowling PP have to be taken between the 11th and 40th overs.

[Gandhi]

Originally Posted by esteem_lover

As someone already explained, the new rules state that both the batting and bowling PP have to be taken between the 11th and 40th overs.

Small correction, batting and bowling powerplay have to be taken between 16th and 40th overs.

[Naturalist]

Originally Posted by karty_83

Hussey's decision on the other hand was an absolute shocker. Can't believe that a professional cricketer got away doing something so disgraceful.

As R Shastri mentioned, his right hand was touching his body and was in line with the body frame, so that made them to conclude that he was just stopping to get hit.

if his hand was slightly on a different angle from the body then it is a different argument, though I agree with you that it could be intentional too.

[prateekm]

Asia Cup squad announced. Sachin would be playing whereas Dhoni, Zaheer and Sehwag are being rested. Gambhir would lead the team.

EDIT: Looks like TOI got some wrong information from it's sources.

[harry10]

Originally Posted by prateekm

Asia Cup squad announced. Sachin would be playing whereas Dhoni, Zaheer and Sehwag are being rested. Gambhir would lead the team.

I think the above is incorrect as Dhoni is playing and is the captain as well.
Check- Asia Cup 2011-12: Virender Sehwag dropped, Sachin Tendulkar picked | Cricket News | Asia Cup | ESPN Cricinfo

[StarrySky]

Originally Posted by esteem_lover

Mahela's captaincy was UNBELIEVABLE. Even dhoni would have captained better. He was 'fixed' with bringing Malinga back whenever the Indian run rate dropped.

From India's an SL's point of view, the match was as good as over after 40 overs. So, if Mahela wanted to restrict the India from scoring 320 in 40 overs, who would he throw the ball to 99% of the time? In all probability, SL were just one wicket away from restricting India to under 320 in 40 overs, so can we really blame him for going back to his normally-best bowler?

If Mahela had not brought back Malinga and some other bowlers were taken for runs, we would be saying - "Why didn't he bring Malinga back? He's a great bowler in the end overs and what's the probability that he'd be taken for runs in every over?"

[PPS]

Don't understand the logic behind appointing Virat as the Vice-Captain of the team! What wrong did Gambhir do to be demoted?!

Sehwag & Zaheer rested for Asia Cup as they are having fitness issues , don't be surprised to see them playing in the finals if we do qualify.

[karty_83]

Originally Posted by PPS

Don't understand the logic behind appointing Virat as the Vice-Captain of the team! What wrong did Gambhir do to be demoted?!
:

Probably because Virat went on to get those 100's in Australia while Gambhir didn't
But it kinda does make sense considering he is our batting mainstay and the only player who looks set for a decade of international cricket.

[suhaas307]

Making Virat the VC was quite an early move. I wouldn't have done it.

The lad needs more experience under his belt. But he is shaping up nicely, and could be a good contender for the Captain's crown once Dhoni steps-down/retires.

[neofromcapone]

Kohli was the captain of a Under-19 India team which won the World Cup in 2008 and also
Virat Kohli - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
Good Move, should shut up the post match conference voices, even if you have a valid point, how does it help if you create friction in the team.

If you are not happy about something change it, if you cant move on. Why hold the entire team ransom to ego issues and not play as per the fans expectations.