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Sight Screen

Monday, November 14, 2005

Still not over(-worma)

Looks like the Pak-Eng test has once again taken a turn, after Eng seemed to be shutting out Pak till yesterday (Dang..looks like I missed some real good action!)...now Pak seems to have tightened their game after a predictably shaky start to another test series. Those watching closely can help throw more light?

But right now, Eng is 125 ahead with last two Eng wkts remaining. If they can be mopped under 150 lead, and Pak lineup can get its act even reasonably together...a target of 150+ can be a bit of a challenge for Eng. I don't think looking at the Eng scorecard one can say their batsmen are in good nick. Not yet, atleast. And therein lies Pak hopes. Not just for the match, but the series as well.

Tresco goes for 193, and he probably rightly calls it his best test century, more so for its importance in context of Eng chances in the series (and even the whole winter in subcontinent, and thus on its ultimate and unquestionable mount to the very top)

Even as I write this, Akhtar and Shabbir seem to be cleaning up pretty fast!..more updates and thoughts to follow..

posted by worma at 3:11 AM

64 Comments:

  • losing: No not 'over'...just plain optimistic ;-)...I didn't say they would win with a 150+ lead...just that it can challenge Eng...I would still think Eng is ahead in this test, by a good margin...just that they havent been able to shut it out, mainly due to the middle order failure.

    Ofcourse 'wishing' is different matter altogether :-)...just want to see a close match (and a series) rather than a one-sided one...towards either team.

    Thats also good for our chances, since we play both these teams as their next assignment.

    By Blogger worma, at 03:33  

  • losing: yeah..lead's pretty much around what we thought. Akhtar, as I wrote earlier, is on his last leg. But I think its fair to give him a full series (if he's able to survive)...and remember he's just played a test after a long long time...so obviously will take time to settle in. Lets see how he goes...already showed signs (from what I read) of building up the rhythm. You watching?

    And agree by your analysis(although Shabbir can become that long term man, lets wait and see..he's really good, from what I've seen) of their team. Probably thats why they've been struggling in tests for a while. But their problem is more about getting the combination and their plans right...than a lack of right talent to fit into those plans.

    By Blogger worma, at 03:50  

  • losing: ok. Just wondering how the pitch is holding up...just 3 out of 20 wkts to spinners so far. Wonder if there is turn at all, and what kind. Did read reports that Kaneira turned, and googled as well :-)

    By Blogger worma, at 04:00  

  • meanwhile....why has Flintoff opened the bowling? Surely the situation is not as desperate now (as it was in some of Aus second innings during Ashes)..and neither has Harmison been ineffective? (or has he?)

    By Blogger worma, at 04:04  

  • greg,
    what is the latest in the duleep final ?

    By Blogger Gaurav, at 04:22  

  • losing: they have tried 6 openers in past 10 matches...so obviously not enough patience...thats the problem. Sure Hameed and others have some technical flaws...so does Sehwag and Tresco. You cannot judge so soon...and not everyone is an overnight success (actually Hameed started off really well). Even Taufiq, Imran were good. I have no clue why they didn't persist...except for the fact that Woolmer finds Malik fitting his 'mentality' of a good long term cricketers..and wants to find a place for him. The middle order's really packed...they've left out Afridi who was good in last two series....and Razzaq is still unfit. And yet, they had a fight between Raza and Kamal for that last middle order spot

    By Blogger worma, at 04:25  

  • yeah ... go WEST ... plz update when the match is over

    By Blogger Gaurav, at 04:29  

  • duleep trphy won ???

    By Blogger Gaurav, at 04:36  

  • ah ok ... im waiting for west to Win ... yippeee

    By Blogger Gaurav, at 04:44  

  • hmmm ... i hope pak do put up a fight ... 300-350 in the second inns will leave them with a chance

    By Blogger Gaurav, at 04:47  

  • hurrah !! good job parthiv

    By Blogger Gaurav, at 04:55  

  • do they even have things like MOM in domestic cricket in india ?? i dont think so

    By Blogger Gaurav, at 04:59  

  • santanu,
    how do you mean "best" ? based on records alone ? or what ?

    By Blogger Gaurav, at 05:02  

  • santanu,
    why worry ? u r there to support him.

    By Blogger Gaurav, at 05:09  

  • santanu,
    u r getting it wrong mate, at least as far as i am concerned. i am from the west so naturally i shud support the west. and no i have nothing against bengal ... some of my best friends are bengalis ... i think basically they are brilliant wonderful ppl

    k-slice,
    i agree. besides i dont even boo ganguly ... im just not bothered abt him too much

    By Blogger Gaurav, at 05:14  

  • santanu,
    i think you said u live next to Rahl Dravid. why dont u ask him sometime what is the situation vis-a-vis "supporting" SG ?

    By Blogger Gaurav, at 05:17  

  • k-slice,
    current maharashtra captain is kanitkar, no ?

    By Blogger Gaurav, at 05:19  

  • oh jadhav is the captain already ? hope he does good.

    santanu,
    hope you get to have a nice tete-a-tete with Rahul in december ... if possible plz give him the link to my blog http://gamesupreme.blogspot.com
    i am a HUGE supporter and theres plenty of articles abt him there

    By Blogger Gaurav, at 05:25  

  • greg, losing: sorry went around for a while...about not picking Afridi...yes surprising since he is doing pretty well off late (in tests also). But I can understand the line of thought to some extent. See the problem with picking Afridi is that he is neither a full test batsman nor a bowler. And picking him means losing out on a specialist in atleast one department. If only his test batting can add another dimension of reliability (when chips are down, or when they want to hold on for a while before launching the assault, or when he needs to complement a partner like Inzy etc) then he can be picked as the 6th batsman regularly, and chip in with the ball.

    That would also help them afford to keep Malik out (he's there also because they dare not go in with one spinner ;-) as a case-by-case basis. And Afridi and Razzaq can then he rotated based on pitch, ground conditions (so they need extra pace or spin).

    By Blogger worma, at 05:28  

  • btw, what do you think of the match situation now, losing? :-)

    By Blogger worma, at 05:29  

  • and what the fudge is tresco doing!..spin in tandem against Pak...on a third day pitch...and that too docile spin of Udal and Giles!!!...someone watching?..are they turning prodigiously? (I laugh a silent in-my-mind laugh at using that word for Giles ;-))

    By Blogger worma, at 05:31  

  • losing: ofcouse Eng have so far been the better team...but you agree that that middle order failure has opened a tiny bit of crack for Pak to exploit..no? Its upto their batsman to widen it as much as possible. Any lead over 150-200...I would give atleast *some* chance to Pak....anything above 250....a lot of chance for them.

    By Blogger worma, at 05:33  

  • santanu,
    u there ? cud u do me that favor ?

    By Blogger Gaurav, at 05:33  

  • k-slice LOL :-)...yeah Giles is so..umm..'consistent' ;-)

    By Blogger worma, at 05:35  

  • k-slice
    i do think damien martyn wud disagree with you on that ...

    By Blogger Gaurav, at 05:39  

  • k-slice, huh ??

    By Blogger Gaurav, at 05:46  

  • k-slice...get whom out? Martyn?..He's become a brilliant player of spin of late...so chose your words carefully ;-)

    losing: yep apparently it was just a bit of a gamble..Freddie back to try and reverse...and if these two survive this session (no matter how many runs) they can make Eng pay big time tomorrow.

    gk: yeah that ball to Martyn was great. Sure Giles can turn, and with some assistance and heart, get it to trouble good batsman. Just doesn't do it that often.

    By Blogger worma, at 05:47  

  • santanu,
    oh alrite ... thanks anyway

    By Blogger Gaurav, at 05:47  

  • this slowing things down seems to be working again. interesting to see if the pakis lose patience and do something daft

    By Blogger Gaurav, at 05:52  

  • k-slice
    u seem to be missing something ... martyn has ALREADY done SUPREMELY well against sl last year in SL ... it was then that he came to be regarded as australias best player of spin since mark waugh

    By Blogger Gaurav, at 05:54  

  • santanu, thanks :-)

    By Blogger Gaurav, at 05:55  

  • What happened to today's practice match of SA, folks? Any idea?

    By Blogger Chandan, at 05:57  

  • k-slice...Martyn scored mountains of runs in the Aus tour of SL last time around..check it out.

    losing: no idea about the number of overs...thats news to me...been travelling..haven't caught up well with all the news

    By Blogger worma, at 05:58  

  • ppl,
    what score do u think england will begin to worry abt chasing 200 ? 250 ?

    By Blogger Gaurav, at 06:11  

  • hmmm
    but i always find worma a little anti-england in his comments ... as i see it england have in the last year or so chased down sizeable totals quite comfrtably

    By Blogger Gaurav, at 06:17  

  • no team, nor do i care

    By Blogger Gaurav, at 06:47  

  • This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    By Blogger Gaurav, at 06:47  

  • chitragupta
    i dont think 150 will be enuf but we will see
    is bengal playing maharashtra ?

    By Blogger Gaurav, at 06:52  

  • wats the issue chitragupta ? he has been travelling with the team - not got a chance to play too much FC cricket - of course i agree he is nowhere close to RD but he is a fair player nevetherless

    By Blogger Gaurav, at 07:04  

  • good enuf for what chitragupta ?

    By Blogger Gaurav, at 07:05  

  • deepak
    shoaib and shabbir picked 7 wkts between them .. and kaneria is a proven performer

    By Blogger Gaurav, at 07:16  

  • deepak,
    u confusing kanria with giles ?

    By Blogger Gaurav, at 07:18  

  • deepak
    u sure ur not reading too much into parthiv patels performancs ?

    By Blogger Gaurav, at 07:20  

  • yes chitragupta .. but shoaib was no worse than say sami in this match

    By Blogger Gaurav, at 07:20  

  • shri
    i agree with afridi for raza ... but dont think they can drop shabbir now .. maybe drop sami for rana

    By Blogger Gaurav, at 07:22  

  • deepak
    u severely underestimating kaneria .. he has lot of potential

    By Blogger Gaurav, at 07:23  

  • chitragupta
    did karthik tell you so himself ?

    By Blogger Gaurav, at 07:24  

  • shri
    is gul in the squad ?

    By Blogger Gaurav, at 07:25  

  • vshan
    u can add JPY to that list

    By Blogger Gaurav, at 07:26  

  • shri
    i wud have been interested in mishra against SA - unfo the selectors didnt think so

    By Blogger Gaurav, at 07:30  

  • http://gamesupreme.blogspot.com

    By Blogger Gaurav, at 07:31  

  • deepak
    i agree PP has talent ... not sure if he AT THE MOMENT merits a selection as batsman in the team

    By Blogger Gaurav, at 07:38  

  • shri
    thanks :-)
    for that matter against SA even Anil Kumble is a fair choice for second spinner

    By Blogger Gaurav, at 07:40  

  • chitragupta
    hope u r rite abt murali karthik

    By Blogger Gaurav, at 07:42  

  • deepak
    thats a fair idea - yuvraj has way too much class tho - the others he can compete with

    By Blogger Gaurav, at 07:45  

  • wow ... that wud be some sight wont it chitragupta ?

    By Blogger Gaurav, at 07:46  

  • yeah chitragupta .. that email was forwarded to me as well ;-)

    By Blogger Gaurav, at 07:48  

  • http://www.outlookindia.com/pti_news.asp?id=334992

    SA beat HCA XI by 8 wickets.

    By Blogger Chandan, at 07:56  

  • sorry for late replies...busy day

    gk: well...not biased against Eng...or even favouring Pak...just dont want either team to dominate the series. Want good matches..and most importantly..dont want either team to ride high before facing us. So, kindof...hoping for Pak fightback here.

    About the analysis of the current situation...I said above also that I have not watched the action so far...and also that 150-200 would be the point from where pak would start having *any* chance at all (10-20% or whatever). Its not like they would become hot favourites to defend 200 :-)

    And this was based on what I read...and analysed a bit. Looked like Pak bowlers tightened up their act after a loose start...so today was not good for Eng batsmen. Also their middle order failed. And most importantly, Kaneria, from what I read, bowled well. Troubled KP..Freddie etc. So all in all...200+ can start mounting Eng challenge. Although under 250 its still in favour of Eng.

    losing: yeah starting to sweat...I think I will chew my nails all night ;-)...but seriously..isn't it getting interesting now? If they see off the first 1 hr session with only the tailender...then it gets into interesting territory. Then we'll see how good was the Eng decision to play two spinners, as they would be tested well.

    By Blogger worma, at 08:48  

  • deepak: ok..thx for update. As I have been asking since morning for views from someone who watched :-)...so how was the pitch..was he getting some turn? And how did Shoaib look towards the end of Eng innings? Did he look like getting back to somewhere close to his good nick?

    By Blogger worma, at 09:04  

  • hmm...so reading the situation from the scorecard and reports is deceiving....which probably means under 250 lead is not going to do much for Pak. Unless Kaneria can come to the party soon enough.

    By Blogger worma, at 09:16  

  • deepak...325 is a stretch mate :-)...not many teams have chased anything of that kind on subcontinent, I would think?

    By Blogger worma, at 09:39  

  • yeah :-)...hope its not too soon and we see a typical Pak collapse tomorrow morning. Hoping it goes to the last day atleast...and Eng, even if they win, do have to put up with tense moments. I know its asking for too much...but thats what I want this series to be, from an Indian fan point of view.

    By Blogger worma, at 09:46  

  • deepak...but its not as fair game as that all the time, right? For example...who remembers what was the psychological condition of the team when we last went touring to Eng or Aus (we scared the hell out of both, right?). All we say is that 'yes we were good...but not good enough to win the series'(even the ratings in the world are designed to reflect that only). So...I want them to come on a low (or atleast not high) and sure...play good cricket..give us a fight and if we win, it should be one to be happy about.

    By Blogger worma, at 10:10  

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