Tournament Favourites – Picky Finalists!

By Sreelata S. Yellamrazu

It would be like killing two birds – money and mania – with one stone, er, tournament. But having come thus far, the scenario for the final suggests nothing could surpass a seething border rivalry. Pakistan and Australia have a ‘been there, done that’ feel about them while India-New Zealand seem a tad boring combination. On the other hand, Australia and New Zealand’s Trans Tasmanian rivalry has always had a combative thrill about them. Commercial cricket though would put the vote on the other piquant border- India and Pakistan in the final. But would Twenty20 throw up a new world champion or throw a new tantrum? The twist in the tale lay veritably in the semi finals.

Saturday’s double sundae featured some unusual entrants. Of the four semi-finalists, only one can truly claim to have held the banner of tournament favourites true. New Zealand was considered the most adaptive of all teams to this format of the game and reasonable performances kept the team on track to the semi finals. But thereafter Zealand played inexplicable cricket, one that they will sit back and look long into the sunset trying to decipher.

New Zealand may have just watched the match between South Africa and India a little too hard. The disease of failure can be quite contagious. If South Africa unraveled in a so called ‘safe’ game, New Zealand failed to perform to its potential. For all of the trying clichés used against Pakistan (including “Don’t know which Pakistan will turn up for the match), Pakistan performed uncannily professionally and consistently through the tournament.

New Zealand contradicted all the versatility they had displayed in the course of the tournament. Their tall hitters turned into tame batsmen and their running between the wickets was appalling. It was a lesson in cricket by the novice. Suddenly it showed not even the semblance of the New Zealand the world has come to expect of them.

It is an even sad reflection on Daniel Vettori and unfairly so. His selflessness for the team’s cause was evident as he sacrificed himself for some crazy misjudgement of running between the wickets by Ross Taylor, this one proving more costly than others. Taylor is a gifted batsman but his presence of the crease was reflective of the patchy, hesitant batting that New Zealand stuttered with. His mighty blows in the final over showed how his skipper’s presence of mind paid off. But would it be enough against a fired up Pakistan?

New Zealand looked remarkably relaxed at the change of innings. Perhaps it was a deliberate attempt to approach the Pakistan innings with nerves under control. But there would be not be many smiles for too long. Imran Nazir played a healthy innings, survived by a missed run out chance and a catch that neither wicketkeeper nor first slip really attempted to pouch. With a target that was never going to really test the opposition, Pakistan made their task all too easy. Except from a brief little melodrama that did not really threaten the outcome of the match, Pakistan were firm favourites for the finals come Monday.

New Zealand survive an own goal: On a cautious note, Lou Vincent was fortunate to survive a direct hit to his head from none other than his fielding team mate, Jeetan Patel.

The matter of the other semi final was not too far. Somehow while both, Australia and India, suffered hiccups, Australia appeared far less intuitive about the game and India’s resurgence against South Africa gave the latter that extra edge. But knowing Australia, India would not have it easy like Pakistan.

Australia have not shown the ability to crack under pressure. But pressure can do strange things to people. The greater the opposition effort, greater was the chance to put Australia under pressure. That was exactly what Mahendra Singh Dhoni and India did by batting first. Without the pressure of chasing on them or the fact that the bowlers could easily submit the initiative as Australia looked to make headway.

While other batsmen did play their part, yet again Yuvraj Singh proved the star of the show. More than his seventy, it was the alacrity with which he batted that set the tone for the way India would end in a flourish. Australia had to brace themselves and injured skipper Ricky Ponting could only look on concerned.

Australia’s reign thus far in the tournament can be attributed in large part to Mathew Hayden’s bat as much as some of their bowlers. On this occasion as well, Hayden nearly took the game away from India. Frenetic changes from Dhoni, not to mention taking a gamble on the odd occasion, paid off in the end. It did not come easy but it was helped by the fact that India had forty-fifty more runs in the bank than in their previous encounter against South Africa. From a possibly difficult situation for most teams, Australia holstered their chase in Hayden’s hands. Sreesanth, RP Singh and Irfan Pathan, all came good for the effort. But Harbhajan Singh held his nerve as did Joginder Sharma. In the end, it was the best team effort on exhibit for India in quite some time.

Australia appeared ill prepared for the scant regard and respect they would be met with by opposition teams. But even from a straight forward speaking stand-in skipper like Adam Gilchrist, excuses seemed to flow through at the end of the day. Gilchrist felt Australia missed it by one odd mistake. Let us be precise, Australia fell short by precisely three big shots. In Twenty20 matches, 15 runs are gold. And yes, Australia lost that sheen and they would have sounded a lot more dignified to admit it, accept their fate that this would be the first World Cup final since 1996 that would not see the famous green and gold.

For Australia to hide behind the excuse of Australia having come out of hibernation speaks of unprofessionalism. Surely, an event as big as the World Cup merited preparation, off season or not. Perhaps then Ponting was not off the mark claiming Australia needed to show a little more respect for the game. May be that is where Australia should look, in their backyard!

The tournament can rejoice; the outcome of the fanfare has outlived the expectations. Now if only it can continue for one final encounter…

Pakistan: Breaking out of the Cocoon in Impressive Style!

By Sreelata S. Yellamrazu

In a thoroughly exhilarating inaugural Twenty20 World Cup, Pakistan is the only team to have made their final Super Eights match a contest of no threatening consequence. (South Africa, at the point of writing this article, still have a match against India and while it may not threaten to topple them from the virtual final four spot, still makes for a keen contest.) Pakistan though have come into the tournament rounds by leaps and bounds. But only a brave betting man would daresay Pakistan are the favourites to lift the cup by a mile.

Pakistan’s only loss came against India and that too not in the Twenty20 format of forty overs. It was in the bowl out that Pakistan got it all wrong and conceded the match to their fierce rivals. Overlooking the bowl-out clause cost them but not dearly. That would explain why the bowlers failed to strategize using the crease in a normal rhythm and run up and tinkered to make a mess. But Pakistan have not looked back in this Twenty20 and what was considered a slight imbalance with the fiasco with Shoaib Akhtar has died down to reveal a more stable, settled Pakistan under Shoaib Mallik.

Pakistan seem to have a hold on the game in a situation where another team would consider it dire. It does come as a surprise that Pakistan have done as well as they have and as cohesively as they have. Shahid Afridi’s coming down the order has raised many an eyebrow. But his usefulness with the ball has not gone unutilized, showing the value for having a blistering batsman who can also turn the game on its head with the ball.

Mohammad Asif suffered a bruise at Shoaib Akhtar and just to prove that Pakistan’s woes are usually self-inflicted, Asif has not really suffered the routine harrowing affairs of a bowler in a Twenty20 match. He has proved more than a handful, incisive, and deadly accurate from match one.

Another match who needs mentioning is Shoaib Tanvir. He is the biggest talk coming out of Pakistan and his performances have ensured he remains in the limelight. Although he attributes Wasim Akram for bringing the notice of the selectors to his talent, Tanvir seems to fit into the international arena with a degree of self-confidence and a down-to-earth personality. And if all goes well, the cricket world should hear more of the exploits of his enigmatic bowler.

But Pakistan’s strategy has a beautiful blend not just of youth and experience, but of bat and ball. Two seemingly scary scenarios and Pakistan made it without a scratch. Better yet, they looked decidedly on top of the game when the sun set on their encounters. Younis Khan and Shoaib Mallik have played their praiseworthy knocks with the bat. But the duo was joined by another name that hung around the international arena for a bit before he made a mysterious disappearances into the dry land. Misbah-ul-Haq could not have timed his return to the international game with greater aplomb and his mug shot gleams as he continues to remain the big to hit the ball the farthest (111m to be precise surpassing the likes of Justin Kemp, Albie Morkel and Chris Gayle).

Handsome are Pakistan’s gains as they have made a smooth and clean entry into the semi finals. For all of Pakistan’s clinical performance, and a well jointed array of skills with bat and ball and individual talents that make this a fascinating team to watch, Pakistan’s mercurial behavior of the past has not been on show. (Perhaps their batting against India as it fell away towards the end overs was a hiccup.)

Their bowling has been enigmatic; their batting has been superlative at the best of times. They may not have the high scores, or individual tallies. But Pakistan make a pretty impressive bunch and for all of the sub continent that has bemoaned of too much cricket, it is less likely Pakistan will be spared the circus of this enticing roulette that Twenty20 poses!

A lot rides on Pakistan. If not in the result, Pakistan have a major role in keeping the climax of the Twenty20 on track. For the sake of the tournament, one hopes Pakistan’s devious ways have blown away with the rain clouds. This is one case where the law of averages hopefully actually misses its mark, in the temperamental department at least!

SL : Another One bites the Dust!

By Sreelata S. Yellamrazu

Sri Lanka is perhaps the one team besides New Zealand who seemed to have a hang of the tournament. Dark horses perhaps, but decidedly Sri Lanka was showing the mature side if Pakistan could curb its temperamental ways. India was thrown in with England as two of the worst teams of the tournaments; harsh perhaps but there was too much deviation to predict. Sri Lanka though flopped at their worst moment. The result: it was not a pretty sight!

Australia were riding on a prayer and their final league match against Sri Lanka to make it to the final four. Men of cricketing acumen concurred: Sri Lanka deserved it more than Australia. Australia, one felt, never really tuned in to the tournament and paid a face losing price for their debacle against a zealous Zimbabwean squad. Sri Lanka were always brimming with confidence and seemed they could put no foot wrong.

Sri Lanka were on a high with Sanath Jayasuriya, the thirty-seven year old veteran of the bombastic bat, roaring like his hey days of the limited overs World Cup of 1996. It would then have to be said that Sri Lanka’s fall from grace had much to do with the luck of the charismatic all-rounder. Jaysuriya was taken to the cleaners by Pakistan and his lbw against Australia waylaid Sri Lanka beyond recovery point.

The hurdles grew and so did Sri Lanka’s woes. Against Australia, Sri Lanka failed to simply wind down. Their gung-ho attitude of the earlier games failed to sublimate as the Australian bowlers proved too hot to handle. But at least a couple of dismissals were soft, suggesting a greater subdued application at the crease could have seen better times for Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka were blown away by the speed of the game and by a man people are unfairly likening to Glen McGrath. Stuart Clark would like his own identity and certainly after the way he systematically decimated Sri Lanka’s pride and performance, he is not a man to take lightly.

One had to blink twice to see a side five down with virtually nothing on board. Even the minnows have not fallen as badly. Coming from Sri Lanka, it was a shocker. From being the favourites to put it past the world champions who failed to overcome Pakistan in their previous game, Sri Lanka put up a limp performance that every one would like to forget in a hurry.

Undoubtedly Sri Lanka’s worse day of the tournament and unfortunately at a stage of no comebacks. As well as Sri Lanka have performed, they simply did not have enough in the bank to overcome this horrendous performance. For the tournament, the timing of this clash could not have been any better. Not only was this a match between the so called favoruites and the so called fallen champions, it was also a knock out match that should have ideally brought out the best of both teams and made this a teething tussle.

But Sri Lanka put up their toothless side on show; the much hyped clash appeared never to have arrived. Now the much shell shocked Sri Lanka will find themselves on the flight back, their campaign to the inaugural Twenty20 cut short cruelly by their own inability at application as also, a resurgent performance from the slighted world champions.

Australia should consider themselves to have survived the vagaries of their shock and awe performances. Now they will in all likelihood without the resources of their skipper Ricky Ponting who was left shamefaced after their first loss to Zimbabwe. But Australia are finding their feet in this tournament and on their day, can blow away the opposition like they did to Sri Lanka. Australia will hope to capture that essence in the semi-final in order to reach the final pinnacle.

Australia have put their defeats past them and with this close to laying their hands on a second World Cup trophy in a year, will now go for crowning glory. Australia will be the team to beat, although that is not how all cricket fans would have liked it. Australia are the overwhelming favourites to be the least favourite side to win the tournament, if the fans were concerned. The green and gold have had it all too much for the fans to settle for more of the same. The tournament perhaps deserves a brand new champion. But this time it would be Sri Lanka who stands in Australia’s way!

NZ v SA: More Power to the Hosts!

By Sreelata S. Yellamrazu

New Zealand have been the most amiable favourites to win the Twenty20 World Cup. Their performance over time has shown that they have a better sounding board on the game and the necessary artillery to deliver. One of the most prominent to show that spin by way of their skipper is not to be taken likely, they now face an uncertain future for the semi-final slot in the inaugural Twenty20 World Cup. South Africa have subdued the tournament favorites and ironically, are still their only refuge if New Zealand are to make it to the semi finals!

South Africa responded in style against a sloppy England and making it against New Zealand would virtually slot them in an invincible position in the lead up to the semi finals. Justin Kemp featured predominantly in leading South Africa courageously and majestically with the bat. The fall of the wickets at the other end failed to frazzle the tall all-rounder. Shaun Pollock and Mark Boucher had modest scores to show but their partnerships with Kemp was immensely substantial for the hosts to pull one over the ever-aspiring tournament favourites.

The defeat certainly hurt Daniel Vettori, whose pride would not have let him deflect from his primary objective as captain of New Zealand. Snide remarks were made in newspapers of New Zealand’s performance but they were harsh given their performance thus far. New Zealand begun well with the bat and threatened to take South Africa to the cleaners. Pollock seemed to come to grips with the game but threatened to lose it all once more in the face of the New Zealand assault.

Perhaps it would be better to say, it was South Africa’s bowling comeback that made a greater impact that New Zealand’s waywardness in batting. Once Morne Morkel (one of the two Morkel brothers who ominously stand to represent South Africa of the future.) came onto the scene, the entire scenario changed. Where Albie Morkel stuck in out at the sticky end of the previous game against England to subject the England bowlers to blistering blows, it was the turn of the other Morkel to steal the show and rightly so. He got South Africa back into the match when it seemed New Zealand had galloped out of the reach of the hosts.

The umpires are just going to face the brunt. Billy Doctrove denied a budding young bowler to right to fame. Morne Morkel, with four wickets already in the pocket, bowled out the batsman only to have to turn back and watch the umpire declare the ball a no ball. Resigned to it, he ended his spell. But the replays made for a horrific display as Morne seemed well within the bowling crease and his foot only half way over the line. Undoubtedly Morne will have many more moments to impact the game with the ball. Comparisons are already been made of Morne being the Shaun Pollock of the impending future.

But it a game where bombastic runs make heroes of batsmen overnight, this was a glaring oversight on the part of the umpire!

As Justin Kemp stated at the end of the game that South Africa still need to get a few more areas right in order to fully impact the Twenty20 game and their progress, South Africa have coped well in the absence of a spinner and in the constant presence of consistent criticism of their bowling appeared pedestrian and boasting of a sameness about them. However, if South Africa are to truly go the distance, one gets the feeling Graeme Smith will have to fire one significant innings at this final stage. AB de Villiers and Smith were on song in the warm up match where the hosts dealt the Australia a blow. But it is the top three that have to fire on all cylinders now and while Gibbs has only come back from injury, this is not the game that allows much time between recovery and achieving heart stopping glory. Perhaps Albie Morkel and Kemp would love to have a thunderous platform from which to shoot their cannon balls in the final important games.

A lot though will ride on the match between South Africa and India. India pulled one out of the hat against England although it took more than nerves to do it. Now India will have to attempt a Houdini act to help New Zealand pack their bags. The tournament would love a game of such proportions. Indian fans may just differ in their opinion. Daniel Vettori’s pride is at stake. He looked sheepish when he told the television commentator that New Zealand would support South Africa in the final game to go further. That was certainly not what New Zealand had in mind when they started out, and certainly not part of their original strategy. Who knew Twenty20 allowed time to switch to Plan B!

Ill Timing Precedes Speculation of Ill Will!

By Sreelata S. Yellamrazu

It seems the big trio stayed away from the Twenty20 World Cup only to embrace the format in an unusual twist. If that does not throw dubious light on the politics of the sport in India, the skipper’s resignation and the apprehension of selection, all have once again taken the light out of the very version of the sport that has become the centre of turmoil for the money spinners of the game.

Controversy once again dogged the Indian campaign. News of Rahul Dravid’s resignation filtered ahead of the crucial Indo-Pak contest and speculation over Dhoni’s impending succession created a media frenzy that bordered on the inane and the disgusting. No one knows how to stay in the limelight that the BCCI and unfortunately once again the limelight seems notoriously intoxicated with the antics than with any serious breakthroughs.

For once, even the limelight shadow of Rahul Dravid appeared deviously mischievous. A captain that does not consciously court controversies was in the middle of the storm and if BCCI is to be believed, it was all by his design. A decision that would perhaps have been revealed to the media the day the Indian Premier League (IPL) was announced, postponing it by a day only meant the team would wake up in South Africa not thinking of their opposition of the day, Pakistan, but rather of what was brewing back home.

The media were once made to look sheepish as they flocked like a bunch of hungry wolves as if no Indian skipper has ever resigned before. So Dravid had resigned. It had to happen. At least in the one day game. Was he considered the skipper for the next World Cup? It would seem pretty obvious that any level headed sports body would have figured out a change of in order, now or later. When so much has been written about ‘the aging trio’, why did it create such turmoil? Or does India simply thrive on controversy?

While Dravid’s resignation should not have been surprising if logic was applied, what made matters murky was the fact that it seemed sinister for Dravid to make the announcement after a mixed affair that was the tour to England. That there seemed nothing innocuous that the trio shared the podium a day before, speculation surfaced that it was perhaps lobby groups that favoured Sachin Tendulkar or Sourav Ganguly that had finally got to the harrowed skipper.

Dravid always appeared a reluctant captain. But once thrust with responsibility, Dravid was not the type to back away. Considered the second wheel in Greg Chappell’s mayhem-like handling of the Indian cricket team, Dravid took it all on the chin. Defending himself was something he never felt necessary. Angered by the cheap talk, he refused to be unfazed in his ways on the field. Given the reputation of the sport, no doubt there is more than meets the eye. But knowing Dravid, perhaps even his best selling autobiography will not unravel a can of worms, just one man’s unsuccessful attempt to meet the captaincy role, off the field that is.

But it gave the news channels frenzied newsbytes and once again BCCI stopped short of making a bold announcement. Stretching themselves to only over just ten one dayers, they have given Mahendra Singh Dhoni an immature little stint at captaincy. Dhoni does not appear the kind of person to be affected by the duration of the stint or by the result of the short tenure. But that would be unfair even for the likes of him. One just hopes the BCCI take better care to nurture its young lot, because if players can stand the length of time, there is a decade of players to watch out for.

The team selection is another matter of consternation, not in its composition as much as its timing. The selection of the team for the one day internationals back home would have created considerable personal strife for a few members in the Twenty20 squad. Perhaps it is time it dawned on the selectors to let the current team perform without the threat of the future weighing, especially in a pertinent tournament such as this and a lot of hope hinging on this players to carry the flag further. Could not have the selection have waited until the team finished its Super Eights phase of the Twenty20, just a couple of days later?

It’s all in the timing, be it a shot, the team selection, or a potentially scenario changing decision. The BCCI has not resolved the coach mayhem created by the unceremonious exit of Greg Chappell. Now the team is without a Test captain and significant series against Australia and Pakistan looming. Chappell is back, albeit as Rajasthan Cricket Academy’s advisor and perhaps if his sarcasm and wit is still intact, chuckling at the status quo of affairs within the BCCI. There is still a case for handling matters deftly and with dignity, without deflecting attention from ongoing events.

Settling Tall Scores in Hair Raising Affair!

By Sreelata S. Yellamrazu

England knew their fate even before the game against India got underway. The England team piled up like school boys (a few even chewing their brittle nails) as they watched Justin Kemp stealing the show and the match for South Africa against New Zealand. That also meant, South Africa’s victory left no room for comeback for the men of cricket origin.

On the other hand, India found plenty of time between matches for controversies, not necessarily slanderous, but deviating from the event nonetheless. Could Dhoni handle the heat, of the change of guard back home and the fluctuating fortunes of the team in South Africa in a do-or-die situation? Undoubtedly all eyes were on Dhoni, as India’s new captain in more than one sense. But stealing the thunder seemed order of the day for the openers and for one middle order south paw, Yuvraj Singh.

England were considered tournament favourites, no by virtue of any form, but by the fact that they had perhaps played more Twenty20 matches in the domestic scenario than any other Test playing nation. But if there is one thing about England, apart from their brief success under Michael Vaughan and the Ashes victory of 2005, they have had little cheer over the last decade. Even that was considered a flash in the pan. All the talk of finding their mark and their balance was quickly rendered redundant and their team composition continues to flummox most cricketing brains.

If an example were to be cited, in the match of little consequence for England except perhaps playing for pride (whatever that means), England chose to hold back Andrew Flintoff and Dmitri Mascarenhas in favour of Owais Shah and Luke Wright even as England were running out of overs. The difference is telling considering the fact that England were neck and neck with India’s tally until that penultimate over when Yuvraj turned it on. Dmitri should have at least been given an opportunity to silence Yuvraj’s claims of the former being the cause of his grievance.

It has been precisely matters like these that have become the watershed of England cricket and the stalemate that England are finding hard to break out of. Their fielding has been paltry, given their own modest standards but it has done little to help their bowlers salvage something back for the team. Even in the game against South Africa, crucial misses such as that of Albie Morkel, resulted in South Africa getting out of the clutches and into a league of their own.

The Indian openers started awkwardly, particularly Virender Sehwag who seemed to try very hard to get out but the balls proving too good for the best of batsmen. Eventually the self-destructive streak subsided and a more vintage Sehwag looked to break through the clouds. It spelt great start for India as Sehwag and Gautam Gambhir got into a zone of their own and left England gasping thereafter.

That Twenty20 is a game relished by all batsmen was no more proved when Yuvraj and Dhoni tossed around thoughts as to who should follow whom. Eventually Yuvraj prevailed on Dhoni and then, on England with a might of near unmatched proportions. Dhoni went in first, but Yuvraj’s feats lasted through the night. Stuart Broad had no clue what he was getting himself into when he acceded to bowl the penultimate over of the match. Yuvraj Singh did not know either than he would soon be joining the likes of Gary Sobers (and Malcolm Nash), Ravi Shastri (and Tilak Raj), and Herschelle Gibbs (and Daan van Bunge) as he strode his way into the constellation of stars.

Yuvraj claimed that hitting the first four sixes of that over did not seem out of the ordinary. It was only when he caught sight of Dmitri Mascarenhas lurking in the outfield that his stinging pain when the latter blasted him for five sixes not so long ago in the series in England came back to him. Himself scarred from the treatment meted out to him in the aftermath of that effort, Yuvraj chose to inflict a few of his own on the young English lad as Broad could only watch as Yuvraj played six out of six textbook shots to set the ball sailing over the boundary every single time.

A first for Twenty20, and England had just been hit all over the town!

While Dhoni spoke all the right notes at the post match conferences, when he roared off that his team has finally put out the all-round performance demanded of them and that the bowlers bowled professionally, there had to be a few guffaws. Admittedly, it would be unfair to judge Joginder Sharma on his first outing in the tournament. But one had only to look back on the South Africa-New Zealand match to see what ‘professional’ bowling truly entailed. India managed to keep things on par. The only consolation for England lay in the fact that despite knowing that they were out of depth to actually win the match, they managed to stretch India more than the latter would have liked, especially with back-to-back do-or-die encounters, the following night against a resurgent South African side!