The Surfer
Successful political debut for Azhar
Cricinfo
25-Feb-2013
Mohammad Azharuddin, the former Indian captain, has become a Member of Parliament after winning on a Congress ticket. The Indian Express' Kunal Pradhan met him during his campaign in Moradabad in the northern state of Uttar Pradesh.
Full postAs we started chatting in the next room, away from the local netas who had assembled to help chart out his campaign, it was clear that Azharuddin was seeking more than an election to the lower house of Parliament. It was his last attempt at redemption, at finally putting the match-fixing nightmare behind him by seeking acceptance from the people he had once wowed with his finesse at the crease.
An Australian all-time XI
As part of their build-up to the Ashes, the Independent has published their all-time Australian XI
Cricinfo
25-Feb-2013
As part of their build-up to the Ashes, the Independent has published their all-time Australian XI. Ricky Ponting, Shane Warne and Adam Gilchrist are the three players to make the cut from the team that blanked England to win the 2006-07 Ashes series.
Full postChanderpaul inches past Richards
The last decade has seen West Indies steadily decline, but one man from Guyana seems to carry on from strength to strength
Cricinfo
25-Feb-2013
The last decade has seen West Indies steadily decline, but one man from Guyana seems to carry on from strength to strength. Michael Atherton writes in the Times on how Shivnarine Chanderpaul, who now has more Test runs than Viv Richards, continues to amaze with stand-out performances.
Full postHe relies on eyesight, his instincts and touch, manoeuvring the ball with supple wrists and, by modern standards, a wafer blade. In a power-obsessed game, Chanderpaul reminds us that there is room for precision ... He watches the ball more carefully on to the bat than any present batsman, plays it later than most and you could balance an egg on his head as the bowler releases the ball
Radical changes needed to save Tests
As Twenty20 continues to grow in popularity Makarand Waingankar writes in the Hindu that Test cricket needs restructuring if it is to remain the game's premier format
Cricinfo
25-Feb-2013
As Twenty20 continues to grow in popularity Makarand Waingankar writes in the Hindu that Test cricket needs restructuring if it is to remain the game's premier format. He suggests imposing an over-limit on each side's batting, 125 overs for the first innings and 100 overs for the second innings.
Full post... bifurcation of overs will make the moves of the teams more aggressive. The most important factor will be to show urgency in scoring runs without losing wickets.
The team would have to have wickets in hand to launch into attack in the last 20 overs. Bowlers will have to be aggressive especially in 90-120 over block. This will definitely make some fascinating watching.
What is a captain's role in Twenty20?
Cricket is unique in how it privileges the captain
Cricinfo
25-Feb-2013
Cricket is unique in how it privileges the captain. Its duration and its susceptibility to changing conditions ensure it can’t be remote-controlled from outside. But Twenty20 short-circuits both these attributes, says S Ram Mahesh in the Sportstar.
Full postA case may be made that the captain has therefore less of role in this version; only, the fact that it’s so fluid and sensitive to turns of flow (an over can prove irreversible) necessitates a different sort of captaincy. A leader of studied deliberation, of rigorous pre-match planning, or one given to elaborate set-ups isn’t out of place — for cricket, whatever its format, allows everyone space — but a captain who reacts intuitively and spontaneously often does better
Chris Lewis: A waste of talent
He could have been viewed as a role model for the Black community in England, but former England allrounder Chris Lewis now faces 13 years in prison
Cricinfo
25-Feb-2013
He could have been viewed as a role model for the Black community in England, but former England allrounder Chris Lewis now faces 13 years in prison. Patrick Kidd writes in the Times about the man with a history of outrageous behaviour, and how Lewis wasted his abundant talent.
James Meikle has similar views on Lewis in the Guardian, writing that "descriptions such as promising and multi-talented soon turned to mercurial and enigmatic, and long before the end of his international career, fragile and lacking in confidence".
Full postAustralia’s new all-round direction
Peter English
25-Feb-2013
Australia’s Ashes squad is locked in and Chloe Saltau, writing in the Age, says it reflects the modern infatuation with allrounders.
It may not be an adventurous touring party, but the decision to stick with the core of the team that did the job in South Africa two months ago is a commendable one given the need to build on that success after a period of intense upheaval. There are still some tough decisions to be made before the first ball is bowled in Cardiff on July 8, not least which of the quicks will bowl it, but the selectors have made some clear statements about their priorities.
Graeme Pollock wary of commercialisation in cricket
Graeme Pollock, one of the finest left-hand batsmen the game has ever produced, believes that cricket has become too financial
Jamie Alter
25-Feb-2013
Graeme Pollock, one of the finest left-hand batsmen the game has ever produced, believes that cricket has become too financial. Speaking to the Independent's Peter Bills from his home in Johannesburg, Pollock says he's not one for Twenty20 and says 50-over cricket changed Test cricket because players started hitting over the top.
Does Pollock still like just watching cricket, surely one of the great pleasures of life for the sporting male? His reply surprises me. "I don't get the same pleasure. Cricket has become far too financial and I am not a 20 overs a game guy. If it wasn't for the big money, I'd be surprised if any of the guys said they enjoyed 20/20.
"It's a huge money making thing but it's just a slog and it's out of proportion to the game itself. I was talking to Barry Richards about it and he said, why not just have a bowling machine and see who can hit the ball the furthest."
Full postAnderson at his absolute peak
Nasser Hussain is very impressed with James Anderson and England after their ruthless demolition of West Indies
Cricinfo
25-Feb-2013
Nasser Hussain is very impressed with James Anderson and England after their ruthless demolition of West Indies. Hussain goes so far as to write in the Daily Mail: "[England] are now the narrow favourites for the big one coming up in July and which I envisage being possibly as tight and dramatic as in 2005".
Former England coach Duncan Fletcher is also happy with Anderson's progress and feels that if he maintains his level of performance, he can do for England what Simon Jones did in 2005 – but with added extras. He writes in the Guardian.
Like Jones, he swings the ball at pace, but he swings it both ways on a regular basis and I would say he swings it even more than Jones did. And, unlike Jones, Anderson is the undisputed attack leader. If he can maintain that level of performance, he can be a match-winner in the Ashes this summer.
In the same paper, Lawrence Booth assesses where the England players stand ahead of the Ashes series.
Full postEngland can take confidence from crushing win
England have reacquainted themselves with the art of winning, which is no small thing with the Ashes seven weeks away, writes Mike Atherton in the Times .
George Binoy
25-Feb-2013
England have reacquainted themselves with the art of winning, which is no small thing with the Ashes seven weeks away, writes Mike Atherton in the Times.
England's successes were numerous: the composure and class of Ravi Bopara, named England's man of the series for his two hundreds; the vitality and skill of James Anderson, the man of the match; the purity of Matt Prior's strokeplay; the imposing presence and intelligence of Stuart Broad with the new ball; the honest endeavour of Graham Onions at first change and the sparky enthusiasm of Graeme Swann.
The honours went to James Anderson and, to the genuine delight of his team-mates, Tim Bresnan, who, wondering perhaps if he might ever take a Test wicket, ploughed his considerable frame manfully into the wind and managed to do so with the last ball of his 25th over at this level, writes Mike Selvey in the Guardian.
Anderson, meanwhile, was outstanding. With atmospheric conditions perfect for him and having managed to get a decent shine on the ball, he made it talk so eloquently that it should be signed up immediately for next week's Question Time. He now has complete control of swing both from over the wicket and, more difficult to execute, from around the wicket, where his ability to hoop the ball away from the left-hander brought memories of Bob Massie and, indeed, such was his pace, Mike Procter.