ACQUITTED BUT GUILTY
Predictably, the ICC has taken actions that are at best ridiculous. If the Pakistan team was not guilty of ball tampering, then action ought to have been taken against the umpires, Darrell Hair and Billy Doctrove. If Inzamam was slapped with a suspension for bringing the game into disrepute, the umpires also were as much guilty. Ranjan Madugalle did not find anything incorrect with the decision of the umpires when there was no evidence of ball tampering.
The ICC decided not to have Hair and Doctrove for any of the matches in the ongoing Champions Trophy. This leaves one question unanswered, how does Mike Procter, continue to act as the Match Referee? Procter was the man-in-charge at the Oval when the whole incident took place.Procter could have done much to diffuse the situation.
Everything speaks of the double standards. Procter is from South Africa and the ICC chief is also from that country. Hair is from Australia and Madugalle is from Sri Lanka. Thus, poor Billy Doctrove was made a scapegoat.
Sunday, October 08, 2006
Saturday, September 30, 2006
BALL TAMPERING
WHO IS THE LOSER?
In the end, everyone went home smiling. The wisecracks at the ICC were happy in the belief that they were able to diffuse the situation. The PCB felt ‘vindicated’ and decided not to appeal against the 4 match suspension slapped on Inzamam. The umpires, particularly, Darrell Hair, was not made a scapegoat. So it all makes a ‘win-win’ game.
But there is something larger than a few individuals that has taken a beating and one that will suffer even greatly in the future. It is the game of cricket. From now on, the umpires may not be really vigilant towards the condition of the ball. I am not in any way dropping hints that the Pakistan bowlers resorted to ball tampering in the Oval test. The whole thing has relegated the role of the umpire.
Umpiring and umpiring mistakes have been part of the glorious uncertainties that cricket is. If I remember correctly, Steve Bucknor refused to take the help of the 3rd umpire on India’s first tour to South Africa. The home team cashed in on this reprieve and went on to save the match. In the recent DLF Cup, every team got the benefit of the umpires’ largesse and every team felt robbed by the umpires at crucial moments. Does this make umpires biased and prejudiced? With neutral umpires, things have more or less evened out for all the teams.
It is not sporting to take recourse to questions of race and nationality whenever any decision goes against the team.
After all, George Orwell said many years ago that sport is war minus the shooting.
In the end, everyone went home smiling. The wisecracks at the ICC were happy in the belief that they were able to diffuse the situation. The PCB felt ‘vindicated’ and decided not to appeal against the 4 match suspension slapped on Inzamam. The umpires, particularly, Darrell Hair, was not made a scapegoat. So it all makes a ‘win-win’ game.
But there is something larger than a few individuals that has taken a beating and one that will suffer even greatly in the future. It is the game of cricket. From now on, the umpires may not be really vigilant towards the condition of the ball. I am not in any way dropping hints that the Pakistan bowlers resorted to ball tampering in the Oval test. The whole thing has relegated the role of the umpire.
Umpiring and umpiring mistakes have been part of the glorious uncertainties that cricket is. If I remember correctly, Steve Bucknor refused to take the help of the 3rd umpire on India’s first tour to South Africa. The home team cashed in on this reprieve and went on to save the match. In the recent DLF Cup, every team got the benefit of the umpires’ largesse and every team felt robbed by the umpires at crucial moments. Does this make umpires biased and prejudiced? With neutral umpires, things have more or less evened out for all the teams.
It is not sporting to take recourse to questions of race and nationality whenever any decision goes against the team.
After all, George Orwell said many years ago that sport is war minus the shooting.
Thursday, September 28, 2006
PAWAR POLITICS
As expected, Sharad Pawar and company have managed to consolidate their position in the BCCI. It was also according to the script that people who were part of the Dalmiya camp were sidelined while anyone who showed even an iota of support for Pawar, was rewarded with a plum position. With a full time politician at the helm, things are now not different from the way ministerial berths are awarded.
Dilip Vengsarkar is now the new Chairman of the selectors. There is no doubting the cricketing credentials of the Colonel. But there has always been a concern over his bias towards Mumbai players and the prejudice against non-Mumbai players. Few of us can recall the anger that Vengsarkar displayed in his column over the selection of Saurav Ganguly for the tour to England in 1996. It is another story that he later apologised after the magnificient show by Ganguly.
In all this farce that is BCCI, everyone seemed unperturbed by the dismal showing of India in the DLF Cup in Malayasia.
Dilip Vengsarkar is now the new Chairman of the selectors. There is no doubting the cricketing credentials of the Colonel. But there has always been a concern over his bias towards Mumbai players and the prejudice against non-Mumbai players. Few of us can recall the anger that Vengsarkar displayed in his column over the selection of Saurav Ganguly for the tour to England in 1996. It is another story that he later apologised after the magnificient show by Ganguly.
In all this farce that is BCCI, everyone seemed unperturbed by the dismal showing of India in the DLF Cup in Malayasia.
Monday, September 04, 2006
BALL TAMPERING
NEEDED A CLEAR LINE OF ACTION FROM THE ICC
It is hard to comprehend the issue of the ball tampering in the aftermath of the Oval test match. I am in no position to make any value judgements. But the fallout has the potential to hurt the game.
Pakistan have always been suspect of doctoring the ball much to the chagrin of the others. It is quite a different thing when English bowlers like Simon Jones managed to make the ball swing in the other way. The appointment of Waqar Younis as the bowling coach and the subsequent allegations leveled by Hair appear to be justified. Let us not forget that Bob Woolmer is someone who doesn’t always play the game fairly. In the 1999 World Cup match between South Africa and India, he had conversations with the South African captain Hansie Cronje through a wireless communication device. Further, ICC match referee Barry Jarman has now accused the South African bowlers of having tampered with the ball in a match against India.
The one fallout will surely be the undermining of the role of the umpire. Captains have a way of making their displeasure over the performance of the umpires. But Inzamam and the Pakistan team think-tank decided to take the drastic measure of not coming on to the field after the tea interval. Then Hair appeared to be on solid ground but the revelation of the Aussie umpire seeking a golden handshake tilted the scales in favour of Pakistan.
In the recently concluded FIFA world cup, many referees made horrendous decisions and the governing body took immediate steps. Referees were asked to leave the world cup after being found guilty of bad decisions. Why not the ICC devise such a strategy?
At the best of times, the ICC does not have the acumen to take tough and definitive stands on prickly issues. This was demonstrated during the match fixing crisis and the chucking issue. The dilly-dallying and the procrastination led to the farcical 15-degree leeway given to the bowlers with suspect actions. The inaction then also led to racial and other such allegations. Now things have gone one step ahead with the inclusion of religious beliefs.
It is hard to comprehend the issue of the ball tampering in the aftermath of the Oval test match. I am in no position to make any value judgements. But the fallout has the potential to hurt the game.
Pakistan have always been suspect of doctoring the ball much to the chagrin of the others. It is quite a different thing when English bowlers like Simon Jones managed to make the ball swing in the other way. The appointment of Waqar Younis as the bowling coach and the subsequent allegations leveled by Hair appear to be justified. Let us not forget that Bob Woolmer is someone who doesn’t always play the game fairly. In the 1999 World Cup match between South Africa and India, he had conversations with the South African captain Hansie Cronje through a wireless communication device. Further, ICC match referee Barry Jarman has now accused the South African bowlers of having tampered with the ball in a match against India.
The one fallout will surely be the undermining of the role of the umpire. Captains have a way of making their displeasure over the performance of the umpires. But Inzamam and the Pakistan team think-tank decided to take the drastic measure of not coming on to the field after the tea interval. Then Hair appeared to be on solid ground but the revelation of the Aussie umpire seeking a golden handshake tilted the scales in favour of Pakistan.
In the recently concluded FIFA world cup, many referees made horrendous decisions and the governing body took immediate steps. Referees were asked to leave the world cup after being found guilty of bad decisions. Why not the ICC devise such a strategy?
At the best of times, the ICC does not have the acumen to take tough and definitive stands on prickly issues. This was demonstrated during the match fixing crisis and the chucking issue. The dilly-dallying and the procrastination led to the farcical 15-degree leeway given to the bowlers with suspect actions. The inaction then also led to racial and other such allegations. Now things have gone one step ahead with the inclusion of religious beliefs.
US OPEN
AGASSI BIDS GOODBYE-BECKER BEATS AGASSI
In 1992 Andre Agassi won the Wimbledon and in the way to the title, he got the better of Boris Becker. Those were the times when Becker was my sporting hero, exceeded only by the likes of Kapil Dev and Steve Waugh. The defeat of the German was painful since he was the natural grass court player while the American was the pretender.
However, with the passage of time, even as his contemporaries bid adieu, Agassi was still busy on the courts. He surprised everyone with the finals at the US last year. The initial disapproval turned into admiration.
The match against Baghdatis demonstrated the longevity and the staying power of Agassi. That win seemed to drain away all the mental and physical strength so much that in the match against Benjamin Becker, Agassi looked pedestrian at times.
The game of tennis has lost a character that is very hard to find in the era of the Federers and company.
In 1992 Andre Agassi won the Wimbledon and in the way to the title, he got the better of Boris Becker. Those were the times when Becker was my sporting hero, exceeded only by the likes of Kapil Dev and Steve Waugh. The defeat of the German was painful since he was the natural grass court player while the American was the pretender.
However, with the passage of time, even as his contemporaries bid adieu, Agassi was still busy on the courts. He surprised everyone with the finals at the US last year. The initial disapproval turned into admiration.
The match against Baghdatis demonstrated the longevity and the staying power of Agassi. That win seemed to drain away all the mental and physical strength so much that in the match against Benjamin Becker, Agassi looked pedestrian at times.
The game of tennis has lost a character that is very hard to find in the era of the Federers and company.
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
BOOTCAMP ANYONE?
I am not much of a tech guy. So this blog is not meant to highlight the ways and means of installing Windows on a Mac with the help of bootcamp.
First, the Indian cricket team went through drills and exercise regimens that are commonly associated with the armed forces. There were even photographs of the Indian players attired in military fatigues and shooting targets.
The second concerns with the training camp for the Australian team to take on the English in the forthcoming Ashes. Ricky Ponting and his men undertook training that was called ‘bootcamp’. Opinions were divided on the logic of holding such training or conditioning camps. Neil Harvey, one of the few survivors of the 1948 ‘invincibles’ was highly critical of the camp. More recent ex-players were all for the need to toughen up the players in order to recapture the Ashes.
The Indians played just 4 overs and three balls in Sri Lanka after preparing themselves for a war! The Aussies are truly hell bent on revenge. But in the final analysis it may not be necessary considering the absence of key players from the English side.
Why do coaches go to such extremes? Is there any method to this madness?
First, the Indian cricket team went through drills and exercise regimens that are commonly associated with the armed forces. There were even photographs of the Indian players attired in military fatigues and shooting targets.
The second concerns with the training camp for the Australian team to take on the English in the forthcoming Ashes. Ricky Ponting and his men undertook training that was called ‘bootcamp’. Opinions were divided on the logic of holding such training or conditioning camps. Neil Harvey, one of the few survivors of the 1948 ‘invincibles’ was highly critical of the camp. More recent ex-players were all for the need to toughen up the players in order to recapture the Ashes.
The Indians played just 4 overs and three balls in Sri Lanka after preparing themselves for a war! The Aussies are truly hell bent on revenge. But in the final analysis it may not be necessary considering the absence of key players from the English side.
Why do coaches go to such extremes? Is there any method to this madness?
US OPEN
UPDATE-AGASSI FIGHTS TO LIVE ANOTHER DAY
Andre Agassi overcame a tough challenge in the form of Andrei Pavel to advance to the second round. At times Agassi looked jaded and tired before the experience and determination saw him through on the big points. Every match played by the American will be watched with a great deal of interest for it may be the last.
Andy Roddick gave a powerful display to secure a very comfortable passage into the second round. At times the serve and the returns were simply scorching. The only thing missing so far in the arsenal of Roddick is mental toughness when playing the likes of Federer.
Sania Mirza started her campaign with a straight set win over a fancied opponent. I did not give much chance to Sania considering her form for much of the season.So this win over Sprem was a surprise. It remains to be seen whether Sania can repeat her performance of the last year when she went to the fourth round.
Andre Agassi overcame a tough challenge in the form of Andrei Pavel to advance to the second round. At times Agassi looked jaded and tired before the experience and determination saw him through on the big points. Every match played by the American will be watched with a great deal of interest for it may be the last.
Andy Roddick gave a powerful display to secure a very comfortable passage into the second round. At times the serve and the returns were simply scorching. The only thing missing so far in the arsenal of Roddick is mental toughness when playing the likes of Federer.
Sania Mirza started her campaign with a straight set win over a fancied opponent. I did not give much chance to Sania considering her form for much of the season.So this win over Sprem was a surprise. It remains to be seen whether Sania can repeat her performance of the last year when she went to the fourth round.
Monday, August 28, 2006
BALL TAMPERING ROW
PREDICTABLE REACTIONS
The crisis triggered by the allegation of ball tampering in the Oval test has thrown up the familiar reactions from everyone.
The Aussies stood up in support of their beloved countryman Darrel Hair. Former captains and players were unanimous in their admiration for Hair. The Prime Minister of Australia took time off his busy schedule to speak on the matter.
The Sri Lankan cricket officials were very quick to condemn the actions of Hair. It was Hair who first no balled Muralitharan. So this reaction from the islanders was hardly surprising.
Pakistan as a country felt outraged and hurt. Allegations of racial discrimination flew thick and fast. The old bogey of reverse swing once again came into the spotlight. The part time politician Imran Khan used this opportunity to allege conspiracy.
The Indians have not been able to take a clear stand on this issue. Poor Niranjan Shah was in no position to articulate the stand of the BCCI. Many Indians feel that the whole issue is nothing but racial discrimination. Navjot Sidhu and Ajay Jadeja ‘admitted’ that ball tampering is something that goes on a regular basis in the domestic scene.
The bomb in Colombo shocked the South Africans and so they flew to home. But with the one-dayers between Pakistan and England in doubt, the Proteas expressed their intentions to fill the void caused by the pull out of Pakistan.
The ICC was caught in a quandary with the initial support to Hair receding following the offer of a ‘golden handshake’ from the Umpire. David Richardson of the ICC, however, is confident of Hair’s tenure in the elite panel.
Predictable reactions but what does the future hold?
The crisis triggered by the allegation of ball tampering in the Oval test has thrown up the familiar reactions from everyone.
The Aussies stood up in support of their beloved countryman Darrel Hair. Former captains and players were unanimous in their admiration for Hair. The Prime Minister of Australia took time off his busy schedule to speak on the matter.
The Sri Lankan cricket officials were very quick to condemn the actions of Hair. It was Hair who first no balled Muralitharan. So this reaction from the islanders was hardly surprising.
Pakistan as a country felt outraged and hurt. Allegations of racial discrimination flew thick and fast. The old bogey of reverse swing once again came into the spotlight. The part time politician Imran Khan used this opportunity to allege conspiracy.
The Indians have not been able to take a clear stand on this issue. Poor Niranjan Shah was in no position to articulate the stand of the BCCI. Many Indians feel that the whole issue is nothing but racial discrimination. Navjot Sidhu and Ajay Jadeja ‘admitted’ that ball tampering is something that goes on a regular basis in the domestic scene.
The bomb in Colombo shocked the South Africans and so they flew to home. But with the one-dayers between Pakistan and England in doubt, the Proteas expressed their intentions to fill the void caused by the pull out of Pakistan.
The ICC was caught in a quandary with the initial support to Hair receding following the offer of a ‘golden handshake’ from the Umpire. David Richardson of the ICC, however, is confident of Hair’s tenure in the elite panel.
Predictable reactions but what does the future hold?
US OPEN
This year end Grand Slam shall witness the end of a great career. Andre Agassi announced his intention to bid goodbye to professional tennis after the US Open. Looking back, his longevity causes a great deal of amazement and also at the same time, a sense of awe.
Agassi continued to play long after his friends like Sampras and Courier called it a day. The retirement of the Las Vegan comes at a time when good players from the United States have become a rarity.
Martina Navratilova has also made the decision to step off the courts. It is another fact that she called it a day once before in 1994.
It is to be seen whether the tennis world will once again see the likes of Agassi and Martina.
Agassi continued to play long after his friends like Sampras and Courier called it a day. The retirement of the Las Vegan comes at a time when good players from the United States have become a rarity.
Martina Navratilova has also made the decision to step off the courts. It is another fact that she called it a day once before in 1994.
It is to be seen whether the tennis world will once again see the likes of Agassi and Martina.
Tuesday, July 11, 2006
DRAWING PARALLELS
In the recently concluded 2006 FIFA World Cup, England could not even reach the semifinals and they lost out on a penalty shoot out. Portugal were the team not fancied to go to the last four. Italy went on to win the Cup and France went to the finals when every one expected not much from the likes of Zidane. The hosts Germany also managed to reach the last four when they were not favoured to do so. England, on the other hand, had all the stars and the talent one could ask for but still returned home with no credit. It is not everyday that a football team boasts of the talents like Beckham, Rooney, Gerrard, Lampard, Rio Ferdinand and Joe Cole. Even the bench consisted of precociously talented youngsters like Theo Walcott. So what went wrong?
The English struggled against their opponents before caving against Portugal. Now there are excuses galore. First, the target is their Swedish coach Sven Goran Eriksson. The second reason for the defeat is Christiano Ronaldo who caused Rooney to receive the red card. The third reason is the alleged distractions posed by the wives and girlfriends of the English players, called ‘WAG’ by the English press.
The Indian cricket team went to the Caribbean with a lot of hope. The team of Rahul Dravid was expected to beat the West Indies in both the tests and the one-dayers. The Indians won the first one-dayer and then lost the remaining four. The reversal in fortune was hard to explain considering the success in Pakistan and then in India. England and Sri Lanka were trashed. The Indians won the test series 1-0 after a lot of difficulty. Even if there was no Tendulkar in the team, talent was never scarce for the Indians. But most of the players came a cropper. The coach of the Indian team got flak as was with the selectors. So what went wrong?
There was a lot of controversy when a Swede was appointed as the coach of the English football team. There were similar noises when John Wright was appointed the coach of the Indian cricket team. Former greats were appalled by the decisions. The parallels do not end here. The decisions of the respective coaches have received widespread criticism. The pay packets given to the ‘foreigners’ have been the subject of many a discussion.
Coming to the public, a lot of attention and time is given in the following of the lifestyles of the players. The private lives of the players interest most followers of the game. The players are placed highly even if their success is moderate and every failure is treated as a national calamity. If Rooney gets so much attention even when he is relatively new to the international football scene, the birthday of Dhoni is an event to cover for most of the television news channels.
India won only one world cup in 1983 which seems ages ago and England won their only world cup in 1966. But every time the teams step onto the field, there is anticipation which time and again is not fulfilled.
The English struggled against their opponents before caving against Portugal. Now there are excuses galore. First, the target is their Swedish coach Sven Goran Eriksson. The second reason for the defeat is Christiano Ronaldo who caused Rooney to receive the red card. The third reason is the alleged distractions posed by the wives and girlfriends of the English players, called ‘WAG’ by the English press.
The Indian cricket team went to the Caribbean with a lot of hope. The team of Rahul Dravid was expected to beat the West Indies in both the tests and the one-dayers. The Indians won the first one-dayer and then lost the remaining four. The reversal in fortune was hard to explain considering the success in Pakistan and then in India. England and Sri Lanka were trashed. The Indians won the test series 1-0 after a lot of difficulty. Even if there was no Tendulkar in the team, talent was never scarce for the Indians. But most of the players came a cropper. The coach of the Indian team got flak as was with the selectors. So what went wrong?
There was a lot of controversy when a Swede was appointed as the coach of the English football team. There were similar noises when John Wright was appointed the coach of the Indian cricket team. Former greats were appalled by the decisions. The parallels do not end here. The decisions of the respective coaches have received widespread criticism. The pay packets given to the ‘foreigners’ have been the subject of many a discussion.
Coming to the public, a lot of attention and time is given in the following of the lifestyles of the players. The private lives of the players interest most followers of the game. The players are placed highly even if their success is moderate and every failure is treated as a national calamity. If Rooney gets so much attention even when he is relatively new to the international football scene, the birthday of Dhoni is an event to cover for most of the television news channels.
India won only one world cup in 1983 which seems ages ago and England won their only world cup in 1966. But every time the teams step onto the field, there is anticipation which time and again is not fulfilled.
Monday, July 10, 2006
THE AZZURI TRIUMPH
The final of the world cup 2006 went all the way to a shoot out as more than 120 minutes tied the score at one goal each to Italy and France. The French drew first blood through a penalty scored by Zidane. It took a header from Matterazzi to equalize for the Azzuri.
For a greater part of the stipulated 90 minutes, the Italians enjoyed possession of the ball but could not add to the score. The French also could not score a second goal. In the extra time, the French tried everything but to no avail. Buffon made a fine stop preventing a powerful header from Zidane going into the net.
The final was the last international match for Zidane and it could not have ended in a more bizarre fashion. The captain of France was red carded for head butting an opponent in the extra time.
In the tiebreaker, neither Barthez nor Buffon could do anything heroic. David Trezeguet’s shot rattled the crossbar but the ball bounced outside the line. Earlier in the 6th minute, Zidane was lucky to find the ball bouncing inside the line after hitting the crossbar. Grosso scored the decisive penalty to make it five from five for the Italians.
The Italians have won the world cup for the first time since 1982. That triumph was also preceded by match fixing allegations as is the case now.
For a greater part of the stipulated 90 minutes, the Italians enjoyed possession of the ball but could not add to the score. The French also could not score a second goal. In the extra time, the French tried everything but to no avail. Buffon made a fine stop preventing a powerful header from Zidane going into the net.
The final was the last international match for Zidane and it could not have ended in a more bizarre fashion. The captain of France was red carded for head butting an opponent in the extra time.
In the tiebreaker, neither Barthez nor Buffon could do anything heroic. David Trezeguet’s shot rattled the crossbar but the ball bounced outside the line. Earlier in the 6th minute, Zidane was lucky to find the ball bouncing inside the line after hitting the crossbar. Grosso scored the decisive penalty to make it five from five for the Italians.
The Italians have won the world cup for the first time since 1982. That triumph was also preceded by match fixing allegations as is the case now.
FOUR IN A ROW FOR FEDERER
As expected, Roger Federer won his fourth Wimbledon in a row with a four set win over Nadal. Nadal took time to warm up to the occasion while Federer was in no mood to give anything to his opponent. The world number 1 from Switzerland won the first set 6-0 and few would have given Nadal any chance to come back into the match. Proving that he is not like other clay court specialists, Nadal took the next two sets to tiebreaks, winning the third and taking the match to a fourth set.
History was very much against Nadal. It was in 1927 that Henri Cochet- a part of the legendary ‘Four Musketeers from France’ won the trophy after losing the first two sets. We have to go even further into the past to find a player winning after losing the first set 6-0.
Federer won the fourth set and with it the championship. Federer failed to match the 1976 achievement of Bjorn Borg when the Swede won the event without dropping a set. However, with this win, Federer has now joined Borg and Sampras in winning four finals in a row.
Both Federer and Nadal played good tennis but there is every indication that grass court tennis is a dying art.
History was very much against Nadal. It was in 1927 that Henri Cochet- a part of the legendary ‘Four Musketeers from France’ won the trophy after losing the first two sets. We have to go even further into the past to find a player winning after losing the first set 6-0.
Federer won the fourth set and with it the championship. Federer failed to match the 1976 achievement of Bjorn Borg when the Swede won the event without dropping a set. However, with this win, Federer has now joined Borg and Sampras in winning four finals in a row.
Both Federer and Nadal played good tennis but there is every indication that grass court tennis is a dying art.
Saturday, July 08, 2006
WIMBLEDON-FEDERER IS THE FAVOURITE
With the cricket and football, time could not be devoted to tennis and Wimbledon. The final of the men takes place tomorrow and the winner in the women’s section has already been crowned.
Amelie Mauresmo has become the winner of the famous Rosewater Dish beating the favourite Justine Henin-Hardenne. In the men’s side, the final features the two top seeds Roger Federer and Raphael Nadal.
Federer was tipped from the start to reach his fourth consecutive final and Nadal has reached the final for the first time. The Spaniard’s progress this far has been a surprise. It also points to a rather grim situation for grass tennis. There is a genuine dearth of serve and volley type of tennis that people of my generation have been accustomed to. To be fair, Federer is also not in the mould of Pete Sampras, Stefan Edberg or Boris Becker. But he is a great talent and that is something that makes me wonder about the reason for the failure to win the French Open.
Anyway, Federer is the favourite to win the event and stamp his authority on the famed centre court on Sunday. The win would make Federer the first man since Bjorn Borg to win four successive finals.
Friday, July 07, 2006
BATTLE OF THE BLUES
The finals of the 2006 world cup will feature France and Italy. No one would have anticipated this clash even 15 days ago. Both the teams have rewritten the formbook. Zidane and the others of the Les Bleus started the tournament in a poor fashion, securing a draw with Switzerland. But as the tournament advanced to the knock out stages, the French conquest gathered the momentum and Spain was beaten decisively. Then in the quarterfinals, it was the turn of Brazil to suffer a loss.
The Italians have always played scrappy football where a goal decided the issue. The match against Australia went the full distance before a doubtful penalty settled the issue in favour of the Azzuri. However, in the subsequent matches, the Italians displayed attacking football, securing a place in the finals. The Italians are in the finals after a gap of 12 years. Interestingly, they also reached the finals in 1982 which was also 12 years from 1994.
The finals shall be interesting with Zidane and company making a final attempt at glory while the Italians would be keen to win the cup and redeem themselves following the match fixing allegations at the club level. Can they repeat the feat of 1982 when they won the cup in Spain, which also was preceded by allegations of match fixing?
The Italians have always played scrappy football where a goal decided the issue. The match against Australia went the full distance before a doubtful penalty settled the issue in favour of the Azzuri. However, in the subsequent matches, the Italians displayed attacking football, securing a place in the finals. The Italians are in the finals after a gap of 12 years. Interestingly, they also reached the finals in 1982 which was also 12 years from 1994.
The finals shall be interesting with Zidane and company making a final attempt at glory while the Italians would be keen to win the cup and redeem themselves following the match fixing allegations at the club level. Can they repeat the feat of 1982 when they won the cup in Spain, which also was preceded by allegations of match fixing?
Tuesday, July 04, 2006
A GOOD MATCH IN PROSPECT
The first semifinals of the 2006 world cup features the hosts Germany and Italy. The Germans do not have happy memories of past encounters with the Azzuri in the past. In a warm-up encounter before the world cup saw the Italians come up victors with a 4-1 scoreline.
It was a very rare sight to see the Italians win their match against Ukraine with a score of 3-0. Most of the times, the Italians find it difficult to score goals. With the strong defence and the newfound confidence, the Italians can embarrass Ballack and company.
The Germans have played good football except in the match against Argentina. The likes of Podolsky and Klose can score goals with Ballack controlling the midfield. The suspension of Frings can cause some problem, though.
The match promises to be a close encounter.
It was a very rare sight to see the Italians win their match against Ukraine with a score of 3-0. Most of the times, the Italians find it difficult to score goals. With the strong defence and the newfound confidence, the Italians can embarrass Ballack and company.
The Germans have played good football except in the match against Argentina. The likes of Podolsky and Klose can score goals with Ballack controlling the midfield. The suspension of Frings can cause some problem, though.
The match promises to be a close encounter.
GREATEST COMMON FACTOR
GREATEST COMMON FACTOR
In recent times, India has won a few tests abroad at places like Jamaica, Headingley, Adelaide and Rawalpindi. All these wins have a common factor in the batting of Rahul Dravid. The two half centuries at Jamaica have only added to the exploits of Dravid.
Early in his career, Dravid was considered as a solid player but not recognized for his match winning qualities. The decline of Sachin has provided the space and opportunity for Dravid to stamp his class and authority.
Gone are the days when Rahul Dravid was not able to get into the one-day side. His batting was considered too slow for the liking of the spectators and the selectors. But he has reinvented himself and is one of the more consistent of the Indian batsmen. The run of success that India enjoyed leading upto the finals of the cricket world cup in 2003 was not just due to the batting but also due to the wicketkeeping of Dravid. The masterstroke of making the Karnataka batsman don the big gloves gave the team the much needed flexibility.
It is too early to talk about the captaincy skills of Dravid. The win at Jamaica has to be seen in the light of the defeats in Pakistan and in Mumbai.
In recent times, India has won a few tests abroad at places like Jamaica, Headingley, Adelaide and Rawalpindi. All these wins have a common factor in the batting of Rahul Dravid. The two half centuries at Jamaica have only added to the exploits of Dravid.
Early in his career, Dravid was considered as a solid player but not recognized for his match winning qualities. The decline of Sachin has provided the space and opportunity for Dravid to stamp his class and authority.
Gone are the days when Rahul Dravid was not able to get into the one-day side. His batting was considered too slow for the liking of the spectators and the selectors. But he has reinvented himself and is one of the more consistent of the Indian batsmen. The run of success that India enjoyed leading upto the finals of the cricket world cup in 2003 was not just due to the batting but also due to the wicketkeeping of Dravid. The masterstroke of making the Karnataka batsman don the big gloves gave the team the much needed flexibility.
It is too early to talk about the captaincy skills of Dravid. The win at Jamaica has to be seen in the light of the defeats in Pakistan and in Mumbai.
Friday, June 30, 2006
JAMAICA
The Indians and the West Indies battle it out one last time for the elusive win the four match test series. The teams have shown a rather defensive attitude notwithstanding the soundbites from the rival camps.
There is again a lot of speculation about the state of the pitch at Sabina Park. Once upon a time, batsmen of the rival teams feared to walk on to the pitch. This was more to do with the line-up of fast bowlers with the maroon caps. The relaying of the pitch and the decline of the fast bowlers of the West Indies has the potential of making this match a dull and high scoring affair.
The Indians have squandered a great opportunity to win an overseas series since 1986. However, this a chance that has to be taken. The Indian cricket fans do not have great memories of Sabina Park for here it was Clive Lloyd unleashed Michael Holding and company whereby most of the Indian batsmen go hit and the innings was declared.
It is time for the Greg Chappell and Rahul Dravid combination to get a win. With the Chairman of selectors Kiran More in Jamaica, there is no shortage of guidance and inspiration for the Indians !
A CRACKER OF A MATCH
The quarterfinals of the 2006 FIFA world cup will open with a bang with the match featuring Germany and Argentina. The two teams have put up an impressive display so far in the tournament. The Germans have fielded a team that is the best since 1990. The same goes for the Argentines.
Both sides have wonderful playmakers in Ballack, Riquelme and Messi. Saviola and Crespo have Klose and Podolsky. The Germans are traditionally good defenders while the Argentines are well served by Ayala and company. But the biggest factor could be the home fans, whom the German coach, Klinsmann calls the 12th player.
The second match of the day features Italy and Ukraine. The Italians were lucky to be awarded a penalty in the extra time against Australia. The Azzuri have not displayed the kind of football that would make them strong contenders for the cup. But they might prove to be too strong for the tournament debutants, Ukraine. Shevchenko and the others don’t have the firepower to cause difficulties for the Italian defence.
Both sides have wonderful playmakers in Ballack, Riquelme and Messi. Saviola and Crespo have Klose and Podolsky. The Germans are traditionally good defenders while the Argentines are well served by Ayala and company. But the biggest factor could be the home fans, whom the German coach, Klinsmann calls the 12th player.
The second match of the day features Italy and Ukraine. The Italians were lucky to be awarded a penalty in the extra time against Australia. The Azzuri have not displayed the kind of football that would make them strong contenders for the cup. But they might prove to be too strong for the tournament debutants, Ukraine. Shevchenko and the others don’t have the firepower to cause difficulties for the Italian defence.
Wednesday, June 28, 2006
OUT BUT NOT DISGRACED
OUT BUT NOT DISGRACED
Brazil got a win over Ghana. The Africans who made their debut in this world cup were not overrun as the scoreline suggests. The Ghanians made several forays into the Brazilian half but somehow did not have the finishing skills. Dida in the Brazilian goal had to make a couple of good saves and one ball was prevented from entering the goal thanks to an instinctive reflex action of the goalie.
The team from Brazil has to strengthen its defence in the coming matches. Ronaldo scored a record fifteenth goal to take him past Gerd Muller. The second goal from Adriano was somewhat lucky as the television replays showed him to be offside. Adriano should not resort to dives.
Brazil got a win over Ghana. The Africans who made their debut in this world cup were not overrun as the scoreline suggests. The Ghanians made several forays into the Brazilian half but somehow did not have the finishing skills. Dida in the Brazilian goal had to make a couple of good saves and one ball was prevented from entering the goal thanks to an instinctive reflex action of the goalie.
The team from Brazil has to strengthen its defence in the coming matches. Ronaldo scored a record fifteenth goal to take him past Gerd Muller. The second goal from Adriano was somewhat lucky as the television replays showed him to be offside. Adriano should not resort to dives.
SPAIN AT IT AGAIN
SPAIN AT IT AGAIN
After an impressive display in the first round, Spain was expected to beat France. But as in the past, Spain lost. In 1986, Spain beat Denmark who scored 6 goals past the likes of Enzo Francescoli of Uruguay. Then in another edition, Michel scored 4 goals in one match and the Spanish progress was halted abruptly. The Spanish have lived upto the tag of underachievers.
To be fair, Zidane and company played inspired football, especially in the second 45 minutes. Things were expected to go the Spanish way after the successful penalty conversion by David Villa. The French equalizer by Ribery seemed to bring the confidence back to the Les Bleus. Patrick Viera had a great role to play scoring one goal and also setting up the scorers.
The win pits the French against the Brazilians. The Samba boys and in particular, Ronaldo would like the erase the bad memories of the defeat in the finals of 1998 at Paris.
After an impressive display in the first round, Spain was expected to beat France. But as in the past, Spain lost. In 1986, Spain beat Denmark who scored 6 goals past the likes of Enzo Francescoli of Uruguay. Then in another edition, Michel scored 4 goals in one match and the Spanish progress was halted abruptly. The Spanish have lived upto the tag of underachievers.
To be fair, Zidane and company played inspired football, especially in the second 45 minutes. Things were expected to go the Spanish way after the successful penalty conversion by David Villa. The French equalizer by Ribery seemed to bring the confidence back to the Les Bleus. Patrick Viera had a great role to play scoring one goal and also setting up the scorers.
The win pits the French against the Brazilians. The Samba boys and in particular, Ronaldo would like the erase the bad memories of the defeat in the finals of 1998 at Paris.
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