The Surfer
China ... the fragile reality
Matthew Pryor in The Times take a look at the reality behind stories that cricket is about to take off in China:-
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
Matthew Pryor in The Times take a look at the reality behind stories that cricket is about to take off in China:-
Thus far, many of the clichéd reports of cricket gripping the Chinese have been just that — the truth has been much more fragile. But as they say, a journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step and there has been genuine movement in the past two years.
Malcom Speed, never a man to miss an opportunity for massive new markets for the game has his own thoughts.
Full postLee a victim of bad timing
The busy one-day international calendar comes in for criticism from Malcolm Conn, who in The Australian describes the timing of the “seemingly unwanted” Chappell-Hadlee Trophy series as folly, especially in the wake of Brett Lee’s ankle injury.
Brydon Coverdale
25-Feb-2013
The busy one-day international calendar comes in for criticism from Malcolm Conn, who in The Australian describes the timing of the “seemingly unwanted” Chappell-Hadlee Trophy series as folly, especially in the wake of Brett Lee’s ankle injury.
Brett Lee is shaping as an innocent victim of greed and incompetence by cricket administrators worldwide who are determined to strangle the golden goose that is one-day cricket.
In the Herald Sun, Ben Dorries speaks to former players who believe Adam Gilchrist should move down the order in limited-overs matches.
And for all those who wondered what Steve Waugh is up to these days, check out this story about his upcoming role at the Beijing Olympics.
Full post Moores made merrier by Fletcher
Charles Randall, writing in The Daily Telegraph , interviews Peter Moores, the England A coach touted by many to be the successor to Duncan Fletcher
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
Charles Randall, writing in The Daily Telegraph, interviews Peter Moores, the England A coach touted by many to be the successor to Duncan Fletcher. Moores, who is with the A side in Bangladesh, said that he was concentrating on the job in hand and not speculation.
"I ignore what I read and hear in the media … I'm just really pleased that England have done well for everybody in the last bit of their Australian tour. At the moment my job is very clear - that's to support Duncan in everything we do, and that's what I'll continue to do."
Allow the skipper the pleasure of his choice
Harsha Bhogle reckons that now it is up to Sehwag to respond to the backing of his skipper by displaying his attitude
Sriram Veera
25-Feb-2013
Harsha Bhogle reckons that now it is up to Sehwag to respond to the backing of his skipper by displaying his attitude.
"India’s selectors have ... allowed Dravid his instinct and his comfort level. Now it is up to Sehwag to respond by displaying his attitude. He may not always have control over his form but his attitude is his own. And he has been around long enough to know that in cricket, as in all sport and indeed in life, attitude always trounces ability.
Calling the coach at 6.30 and offering a dismissive reply for not turning up is a symptom of a much deeper illness. As I have said many, many times, a lot of our young cricketers need benevolent, but firm, elder brothers who will gently pull them away from the lure of the simple and the dangerous."
Full postFor Dravid, team is the only thing that matters
R Mohan pitches in on the Dravid v manager issue in the Deccan Chronicle .
Sriram Veera
25-Feb-2013
R Mohan pitches in on the Dravid v manager issue in the Deccan Chronicle.
The fact is any skipper would have been annoyed at the kind of exposes of team matters by officials wishing to be in the spotlight. Funnily enough, the report was leaked to the media and the BCCI sought an explanation from the captain for his outburst instead of finding out how the matter came to be splashed in the media.
Considering how only three people could have had access to that report before it reached the president, it would seem a simple enough investigation could have been carried out about where the leak occurred. For, after all, who but the writer of the report, the board secretary and the executive secretary could have had a copy of the manager’s tour report?
Click here to read on.
Full post
The importance of being Sidhu
Navjot Singh Sidhu's role as a jester doesn't have political implications , feels Diptosh Majumdar.
Sriram Veera
25-Feb-2013
Navjot Singh Sidhu's role as a jester doesn't have political implications, feels Diptosh Majumdar.
He has not matured into a man married to politics and electioneering in a way an aspiring, full-time politician would have. Sidhu still stands on the peripheries, playing to the gallery, importing elements from the world of showbiz and firing up the political imagination with tidbits conceived for the Laughter Challenge show. Sidhu has retained his impulsive nature, is a shade impetuous and can, sometimes, be very unpredictable. These are not traits of an experienced, street-smart politician. ... But the BJP believes in him.
Aussies are now the bigger whingers
Ted Corbett lets rip in Sportstar
Sriram Veera
25-Feb-2013
Ted Corbett lets rip in Sportstar. Click here to read the tour diary.
Full postI hear a claim that the old cry about "whinging Poms" — who are supposedly always complaining about some slight, mishap or wrong — no longer comes readily to Australian lips. Perhaps the Aussies are now the bigger whingers. They spent most of this warm summer telling us that they want to see more fight from the England side but when the Poms not only put up a fight but win a match there is a complaint that Aussie fans did not pay $50 a ticket to see their side lose, particularly when their favourite player Brett Lee is left out of the team. Now that is whinging; and in my opinion no-one whinges better than a defeated Australian.
Mumbai's grand turnaround
Nandakumar Marar, in the Sportstar , charts the fall and the rise of Mumbai in Ranji Trophy this year.
Sriram Veera
25-Feb-2013
Nandakumar Marar, in the Sportstar, charts the fall and the rise of Mumbai in Ranji Trophy this year.
Mumbai conceded first innings lead to Bengal, was forced to follow-on for the first time and returned home scarred and empty-handed from Eden Gardens. Punjab and Hyderabad proved to be tough opposition, too, leaving the title-holder staring at relegation in the Super League.
For the two new people at the helm, Praveen Amre (debut season as Ranji coach) and captain Amol Muzumdar (given charge for the first time for a full season) the turnaround after the trauma was what mattered. "People may have wondered what was wrong with Mumbai cricket at one stage, three games and no points," recollected Amre, about those nightmarish days. "This was a special team which then won five matches outright in a row. There were areas of concern, but the selectors backed the players who responded superbly."
Full postWorld Cup plans running out of time
The Age carries a report from the Los Angeles Times saying the World Cup preparations are behind schedule .
Peter English
25-Feb-2013
The Age carries a report from the Los Angeles Times saying the World Cup preparations are behind schedule.
Jamaica is not ready for its close-up. As host of the cup's opening ceremony in Trelawny on March 11 and semi-finals in late April, Jamaica is probably the most laggard of the Caribbean venues. None is said to be fully ready for the most logistically challenging and costly cricket tournament ever staged: 67 matches spread over 54 days at 12 venues.
In the Sydney Morning Herald Alex Brown reports Stuart Clark could link up with Shane Warne at Hampshire.
“The chance to play with Warney again would be fantastic," Clark said. "I have really enjoyed the few opportunities I have had to bowl with him in the past, and to get the chance to do that again would be great.”
Leave McGrath alone - Ponting
Peter English
25-Feb-2013
Ricky Ponting writes in his column in The Australian Glenn McGrath is vital to the World Cup campaign.
It's particularly unfair to single out McGrath just because he happens to be the oldest member of the team and is retiring after the World Cup. His know-how, ability and experience are all very important factors we will be relying on heavily during the World Cup.