The Surfer
A case for Ramesh Powar
Dilip Vengsarkar, the former India captain, feels ignoring Ramesh Powar is a blatant case of indifferent selection
The Surfer
25-Feb-2013
Dilip Vengsarkar, the former India captain, feels ignoring Ramesh Powar is a blatant case of indifferent selection. "There is a clique. I want to know why he can't be accommodated when he fared well on the few opportunities he got on the last tour of Pakistan. Harbhajan Singh has not claimed a wicket in two Tests."
click here to read about what's eating Vengsarkar
Full postThe man who bowled' em over
Aaqib Javed, former head coach of Pakistan’s National Academy, talks about how Mohammad Asif showed character to bounce back after being dropped
The Surfer
25-Feb-2013
Aaqib Javed, former head coach of Pakistan’s National Academy, talks about how Mohammad Asif showed character to bounce back after being dropped. Aaqib, who worked with Asif for 3-4 months at the academy, also feels India missed the services of Lakshmipathy Balaji.
"After he [Asif] had played just one Test, the selectors turned around and said that he wasn’t good enough. They said that ‘he doesn’t have the quality to bowl at the international level. In fact, Asif hasn’t had an easy time at all. When the selections for the regional cricket academies were being made in 2000, his name didn’t even figure among them. Javed had to present his case to just get him included in that academy.
"When you look at Asif bowl, you instantly recognise his talent. He has the height, a good wrist action and it is rather difficult for the batsmen to pick him because he gets movement in the air and off the pitch too. So there are times when the ball moves one way in the air and does the complete opposite off the pitch. The only Indian bowler who does that is L Balaji and he isn’t here".
Full postSurviving Andy Roberts' hat-trick ball...only just
"Pathan's achievement is unique to Test matches
The Surfer
25-Feb-2013
"Pathan's achievement is unique to Test matches. Six years ago the gangly Sri Lankan Nuwan Zoysa actually claimed a hat-trick against Zimbabwe with his first three deliveries of the game, but Chaminda Vaas had already sent down an over," writes Mike Selvey before recounting how Andy Roberts was denied a hat-trick.
Full postThe underarm stages a comeback
Cricket’s most controversial delivery, Trevor Chappell’s underam, has been turned into a play and will be shown in New Zealand in September
The Surfer
25-Feb-2013
Cricket’s most controversial delivery, Trevor Chappell’s underam, has been turned into a play and will be shown in New Zealand in September. The stage version of the February 1, 1981 incident will include a re-enactment of the ball that split two nations and the family described in the performance.
Another famous bowling style, that of Muttiah Muralitharan, is also being talked about in the Sydney Morning Herald. Bruce Elliott, the University of Western Australia biomechanics expert, says he is worried about his doosra.
"I have no doubt about his offbreak because he can bowl that quite legitimately and has a lot of leeway in his elbow extension. The doosra, I have more concern for. Warning bells should ring and it should be looked at more carefully from an umpiring perspective."
Not much fun at the cricket
The crowd problems seen in Australia this summer have rightly caused concern
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
The crowd problems seen in Australia this summer have rightly caused concern. although some feedback to Cricinfo has insisted that no more than a handful of people are to blame. But the Sydney Morning Herald carries an account of a day at the SCG from an average punter which suggests that the problem is more widespread:
"Blokes were bringing grog in. Because of the new regulations, a lot must have filled up before the match. It's the only explanation for their state. We were about 10 rows back. A few rows in front there was a bunch of about 10 20-year-olds mouthing off. Most of them were drunk as skunks."
And general abuse then became racist as the drunks turned their attention to the Sri Lankan fielders:
"These youths kept calling them names, taunting them, trying to get a rise out of them but they didn't take any notice. It was a constant bombardment. The language was dreadful."
Cricket should be on the A-list
The Guardian's John Plunkett is enraged about England's contract with BSkyB :
Will
25-Feb-2013
The Guardian's John Plunkett is enraged about England's contract with BSkyB:
There is an easy solution - stick cricket back on the A-list of protected sporting events and live cricket need never disappear from terrestrial schedules again. But will MPs recommend that? Will they heck. They should put up - or shut up.
Also see more at Cricinfo on the Commons' attack of the ECB today.
Full postGlovemen at the gallop
In Adam Gilchrist, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Kamran Akmal, three of the most thrilling batsmen of the moment are also three glovemen
The Surfer
25-Feb-2013
In Adam Gilchrist, Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Kamran Akmal, three of the most thrilling batsmen of the moment are also three glovemen. Peter Roebuck reflects on the changing status of wicketkeepers, remarking that their current role is a far cry from the eccentric days of yore, when "one county keeper used to ignore anything down the leg side on the grounds that incompetence was not to be encouraged"
Full postWhat a waste
The Niaz Stadium in Hyderabad was one of Pakistan's premier venues, staging Tests and ODIs and hosting Pakistan's opening match in the 1987 World Cup
Martin Williamson
25-Feb-2013
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It's a lesson in what can go wrong with the best of grounds in the wrong hands. When built, it was a state-of-the-art sports stadium. But things have gone badly awry ... for example:
The ground has been treated badly over the last decade. In 1994, stagnant rainwater of surrounding areas was released on its outfield and nobody took notice of it for several weeks. It was drained out only when the press raised the issue and the entire outfield had to be dug out.
Ponting shows his softer side for cancer research
The Sydney Morning Herald’s Alex Brown talks to Ricky Ponting about his charity work with cancer patients at the Sydney Children’s Hospital
The Surfer
25-Feb-2013
The Sydney Morning Herald’s Alex Brown talks to Ricky Ponting about his charity work with cancer patients at the Sydney Children’s Hospital. The Pontings have already raised more than A$1 million for cancer research.
"Having visited maybe 15 or 20 young cancer sufferers [on the first day], my wife and I walked out holding back tears and we both felt that we could do something to help. We both became ambassadors of the charity very soon after that.”
Hinds makes history
Ryan Hinds has achieved a remarkable feat: he is the first batsman in the history of West Indies cricket to make more than 150 in both innings of a first-class match .
Will
25-Feb-2013
Ryan Hinds has achieved a remarkable feat: he is the first batsman in the history of West Indies cricket to make more than 150 in both innings of a first-class match.
In marching to another commanding 150 to add to his 168 in the first innings, Hinds became the first batsman in the long history of West Indies cricket to make more than 150 in both innings of a regional first-class match.
"It is a great achievement. I told myself just hang in there and get another hundred. I didn't know I would get 150. Praises to God for guiding me through this day. I'm very grateful," Hinds told NATIONSPORT.
[via Ryan]
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