Different Strokes
IPL 2010: Will it divide or unite?
If it comes to pass that players from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and England withdraw; the risk is it will create an East-West divide that will take many years to repair
Michael Jeh
25-Feb-2013
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| "The IPL, through no fault of its own, faces the prospect of being a vehicle that will ultimately cause friction rather than harmony" © Associated Press |
For a concept that went so far as to bring international cricketers together, the IPL, through no fault of its own, faces the prospect of being a vehicle that will ultimately cause friction rather than harmony. I post this blog piece today, deliberately timed so it gets published before any decisions have been made and diplomatic wrangles occur.
It's clear that security issues will continue to affect the IPL in years to come, regardless of how this year's event pans out. The relocation in 2009 to South Africa, prompted by security issues involving the national elections in India was managed admirably, making the best of a difficult situation. The 2010 situation is a bit more serious because it has the potential to reduce the international flavour of the tournament that makes the IPL such a unique dish. Sure, even if some international players pull out, the event might yet be a modest success, bolstered by patriotism and India's domestic strength but regardless of the brave spin that may be put on it, it will lose some of its lustre. No sense in denying that.
If it comes to pass that players from Australia, New Zealand, South Africa and England withdraw, the risk is that it will create an East-West divide that will take many years to repair. And that will be the ironic legacy of the IPL if it does turn out that way: what started off as a global event may descend into a Cold War drawn along traditional and predictable lines. There will be accusations of cowardice and double standards, of plotting to steal World Cups and of the supposed arrogance of cricket's major powerbroker. One can only hope that the cricketers themselves will be spared the pain and vitriol that will inevitably flow from all disappointed stakeholders.
Full postNtini: a national treasure
Ntini went out hunting for wickets and grabbed great bagfuls
Mike Holmans
25-Feb-2013
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| The highlight of Makhaya Ntini's career - a ten-for at Lord's © Getty Images |
My last post was decorated with a picture of Makhaya Ntini looking tired enough to justify my remark that he had lost his zip. Since he didn't even make the squad for the India trip, it would be a brave gambler who would bet on his playing for South Africa again unless there is a disastrous string of injuries. So this is a good time to remember what he was like when in full possession of zip, mojo and other attributes of successful Test bowlers.
He first played for South Africa in 1998, and his first few appearances were not especially promising. He was fit, energetic and bowled fast, but he bowled from far too wide on the crease, his action was inelegant and awkward, and he had little command of length or direction. It was impossible to avoid the suspicion that politics had played a part in his inclusion.
Full postThe secret behind Nathan Hauritz's success?
Here’s a question for you then
Michael Jeh
25-Feb-2013
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| "Hauritz’s success in the last year or so has been more than just the sheer numbers" © Getty Images |
Cricket is full of intra-sport rivalries, even though much of it is meant to be in a light-hearted tone. Fast bowlers are said to be a bit ‘thick’, wicketkeepers are apparently eccentric and opening batsmen are often associated with having no fear. Perhaps none of these myths have any real basis but it adds to the romance and character of the game.
Another school of thought centres around the notion that it’s often a batsman’s game. Bowlers are forever complaining that flat pitches, shorter boundaries, covered wickets, new technology for bats and restrictions on the use of the short ball have made it even easier for the batsmen. Not surprisingly, batsmen are quick to point out that while bowlers get plenty of chances to make mistakes, one false shot and an innings can be terminated.
Here’s a question for you then. I only thought about it when thinking about the rise and rise of Nathan Hauritz in the last 12 months, despite not really being rated highly by any of his opponents. If you are underrated by the opposition, is it easier to be a bowler than a batsman?
Full postTo drop or not to drop?
For the future, the big question is how the Indian selectors are going to deal with the inevitable loss of Dravid, Laxman and Tendulkar
Mike Holmans
25-Feb-2013
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| "It was painfully apparent at Port Elizabeth that Ntini had lost his zip" © Getty Images |
Established players' careers end (or take a long break) either through retirement (whether for personal reasons or injury) or because the selectors think someone else can do the job better. Retirements take the decision out of the selectors' hands – they only have to work out how to replace what is lost; the harder call is when a dip in form signals terminal decline, or who has to be omitted to accommodate someone whose form and ability simply screams “pick me!”. Getting those decisions right is what justifies a selection panel.
England's selectors have done quite well at this recently. Andrew Flintoff's retirement was met with a lot of worry about how he would be replaced, but he was hardly missed in South Africa. There is no one specific player who replaces him, but what he brought to the team is being covered. Super Fred, the great all-rounder only really played between 2004 and 2006; thereafter, Flintoff's value to the team was as a mid-innings specialist.
An hour and a half's batting would bring 60 or 70 quick runs, demoralise the opposition bowlers and buoy the England tail so that what had looked like being a mediocre 264 turned into a healthy 380. The lack of five-fors shows that he was no destroyer, but his special gift was coming on with a 58-over-old ball and nabbing three middle-order wickets to start a slide, cutting what had bid fair to be 480 to a manageable 305.
Full postThe Gayle Masterplan
Despite Gayle’s cool persona, a cricketer of real substance lies underneath that languid exterior
Michael Jeh
25-Feb-2013
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| Rarely has a moderate run-chase been buried in the third over with the fall of the first wicket © Getty Images |
The summary of Cricinfo’s ball-by-ball match commentary from the MCG tonight reads:
34.2 Hauritz to Rampaul, OUT, Australia go 1-0 up, Rampaul sweeps without too much power behind the shot, the ball loops to Shaun Marsh at deep midwicket, simple catch and West Indies go down by 113 runs, Gayle's 4-1 prediction looks implausible now, Australia picked up their sixth straight ODI win this summer.
Au contraire, Chris Gayle has now ensured that he is on track to keep his bold prediction. While we’re in the mood for making ridiculous statements, we may as well pretend this is all part of the Gayle Masterplan. He’s got the hard bit out of the way – the only loss. Now it’s simply a matter of four consecutive wins against the feeble Aussies and he’s a genius!
Full postOpportunity knocks
Even if England don't have any dramas and put their opponents to bed in an orderly fashion, there should be a fair amount of interest in the newcomers
Mike Holmans
25-Feb-2013
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| It was inevitable that Alastair Cook would be an England captain © Getty Images |
England's forthcoming tour of Bangladesh is going to offer several players an opportunity to make an impression. The Tigers' fans will be hoping for the big upset, but the interest for English fans should really lie in what is revealed about the bench strength.
The main window is the one opened by the absence of Andrew Strauss, or rather the two, since he has one job as captain and another as opening batsman. There has been some adverse comment on his absence but it seems misplaced to me. No one bats an eyelid at Jimmy Anderson missing the tour because of the knee strain which was affecting his bowling, yet Strauss is not supposed to recover from the brain strain which was causing his batting to get flabby towards the end of the tour [of South Africa].
And he's entitled to a brain strain: he started 2009 by being hastily installed as captain, then had to form a relationship with a new head coach, win the Ashes from the underdog position and lead the team through a creditable series in South Africa, and in the meantime succeeded in transforming the ramshackle nonsense of the ODI side into a moderately competitive international 50-over team. After a year like that, any captain could do with a breather.
Full postAustralia needs to introspect
In fact, what happened with Pakistani fielder Khalid Latif in Perth is a timely reminder that it is Australia where such incidents of uncivil behavior are being seen more and more
Saad Shafqat
25-Feb-2013
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| You have to ask, what is happening in Australian society to produce such agitation? © Getty Images |
Imagine for a moment if the shoe were on the other foot. Pakistan has become so demonised, the spectacle is not hard to picture. During an ODI in Lahore or Karachi, an Australian fielder is standing at square leg. All of a sudden, a Pakistani spectator jumps the fence and sprints on to the field, tackling the Australian from behind and pinning him to the ground. What happens next?
Yes, security will run after the invader and subdue him, as happened in Perth. But after that? Do you imagine the Australian player picking himself up without fuss and walking up to his captain to describe the event with a wink and a smile? Do you imagine the Australian team shrugging the whole thing off and getting on with the rest of the game?
Probably not.
Full postWhat was Afridi thinking?
Goodness knows what he was thinking or what his excuse will be for seemingly gnawing away at the cricket ball, but as captain it really begs the question of whether he is true leadership material.
Michael Jeh
25-Feb-2013
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| Shahid Afridi’s actions today rank right up there with Dumb & Dumber © Getty Images |
This weekend, I’ve seen some things on cricket fields which redefine stupidity. First cab off the rank - without even knowing what will become of the inevitable interview with the match referee, Shahid Afridi’s actions today rank right up there with Dumb & Dumber.
I write this post, barely ten minutes after the finish of a tense game in Perth, so I don’t even know if Afridi has been summoned to a “please explain” with Ranjan Madugalle or not, but I’d be hugely surprised if we see him at the MCG on Friday night. Goodness knows what he was thinking or what his excuse will be for seemingly gnawing away at the cricket ball, but as captain it really begs the question of whether he is true leadership material. He has always been accused of playing stupid shots while batting but that is also his charm and excitement. This latest incident has no up side.
I daresay there will be the usual protestations of wide-eyed innocence but I’m not sure if it will wash this time around. Umar Gul’s earnest conversation with him during a subsequent break in play seemed to be about anything but the next bowling change. Of course, that is only my guess but I reckon the dressing room would have been sending urgent messages to the captain, trying to find ways to put out fires that will burn long into the night. Actually, leading up to that incident, his leadership seemed pretty inspiring, in stark contrast to what Mohammad Yousuf's charisma looks like from afar, watching on TV. However, the TV coverage of the 'bitegate' was not pretty – as much as I love watching Afridi play, I just can’t imagine what excuse will save his skin this time.
Full postAustralia's Under-19 marvel
Having watched youngsters playing cricket in just about every part of the cricketing world, it still astounds me that countries like Australia make it to the final of the Under-19 World Cup
Michael Jeh
25-Feb-2013
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| Some of Australia's Under-19 players have already been blooded in the Sheffield Shield © Getty Images |
Having spent a lot of time watching and coaching kids in England and Australia, it is clear that in general terms (not looking at elite squads), there is a significant difference in technique, patience and passion for the game between those countries and India, Pakistan or Sri Lanka for that matter. An average 13 to 15-year-old kid playing school or club cricket in Brisbane is not even close to the ability level of a random kid playing on a maidan in Mumbai, a laneway in Colombo or on a cobbled street in a Karachi bazaar. The Asian lads seem to have infinitely more sophisticated techniques, more patience and an appreciation of the finer arts of the game.
I recall walking through the park that borders the Bombay Gymkhana and watching in amazement at the numerous cricket matches being played in perfect synchronicity with each other, each game independent of another but still played in perfect harmony, rarely getting in the way of the adjoining match, despite sharing common ground. Young boys waited patiently to bat for hours on end, scoring, clapping, cheering and being totally absorbed in every single ball that was bowled.
One young chap, clearly no more than 12, was bowling offspin with an uncanny Saqlain Mushtaq action and as I walked by, he produced a beautiful doosra that clipped off stump. It was obviously no accident because the wicketkeeper moved to cover that very delivery. Hardly believing my eyes, I went up to him and quizzed him about that ball and he showed me how he delivered the killer blow. Still incredulous, I asked him to repeat the same delivery next ball. Lo and behold; another perfectly pitched doosra, a little nick to first slip and ‘Little Saqlain’s’ on a hat trick! No longer prepared to doubt my own eyes, I stayed for two hours in the stifling heat on an April morning and watched more marvels unfold in front of my eyes. I was with some other Australian cricketers at the time, including James Hopes, and we all agreed that this sort of skill level was unparalleled among boys of similar age back home.
Full postWhat ails Pakistan
While Sri Lanka and India have improved the standards of their out-cricket to reach the levels of the world's best, Pakistan still lags behind, and pay the price for it, time and again.
Michael Jeh
25-Feb-2013
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| Salman Butt was involved in two mindless run-outs in Hobart, instances which highlight Pakistan's poor out-cricket and how badly it lets them down © Getty Images |
Forever, since cricket began, players from the Asian countries have been labelled wristy, mercurial, mystical, whippy and many other superlatives that attempt to describe their unique styles, as distinct from the non-Asian countries. These generalisations were probably easier to make some twenty years ago but many of them no longer apply. Players like Jayasuriya, Wasim Akram, Virender Sehwag, Tillakaratne Dilshan, Shoaib Akhtar and a host of others have shown off techniques, physiques and styles that defy those typical Asian sterotypes, positive and complimentary though such descriptions were meant to be.
On the flipside, Asian cricketers used to also suffer from the perception that they were a bit unathletic, had poor throwing arms and often did not do the basics as diligently as teams like Australia and South Africa were renowned to do, almost to the point of being boring. Right until the point when it paid dividends – often at the most unexpected instant.
Watching Pakistan’s openers starting off comfortably in pursuit of Australia’s 519 in Hobart, my cricket-crazy six year old son observed that the batsmen weren’t running as hard as the Aussies usually do. Piqued by his naïve analysis, I started paying more attention and found that he was absolutely spot on. Nothing major, nothing catastrophic, just little things like turning blind or running with gloves in hand or dawdling on the first run. Nothing catastrophic until day gave way to Evening Horribilis for the visitors, when they lost Mohammad Yousuf and Umar Akmal to ridiculous run-outs.
On a flat pitch where a player of Yousuf’s technique would have been virtually impossible to prise out, he found a way to dismiss himself. A few minutes later, Akmal joined him, another victim of not doing the simple things correctly.
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