Here’s an interesting compilation of who all ended their careers after the World Cup in the Caribbean. Unfortunately, the compiler Mohandas Menon (a statistician of some repute) has included the following in the list:

Sachin Tendulkar & Sourav Ganguly (Ind) — Rested for ODI series in Bangladesh
Virender Sehwag (Ind) — Dropped from Test squad
Harbhajan Singh, Ajit Agarkar and Irfan Pathan (Ind) — Dropped from Test and ODI squads

Sure there are details as to their status, but is he suggesting something? Naughty, naughty! The last line does make some interesting reading, though. What do you think are the chances of Harbhajan, Agarkar and Pathan returning to the team anytime soon? Or anytime at all?Do say!

Technorati Tags: cricket, world cup, casualty, retirements

. . . → Read More: Cup casualties

The head says Australia.
Heart wants Sri Lanka.

I predict Australia will win.

Don’t ask why. And god, I hope I am wrong!

UPDATE: Too easy in the end. Congrats Australia!

Technorati Tags: world cup 2007, final, prediction, cricket world cup, australia, sri lanka, barbados

. . . → Read More: Australia completes WC hat trick

Sourav Ganguly famously frustrated Steve Waugh by keeping him waiting for the toss. Mahela Jayawardene may be trying a similar stunt! Let’s hope it doesn’t backfire. Ganguly could pull it off, but the challenge and the stakes are much higher for Mahela. The Aussies, of course, are not amused:

“For the Australia captain to be kept waiting for nearly an hour after a day of travel just 36 hours before a World Cup final and for 100 journalists to have their shots ruined because the sun had gone down because the Sri Lankan captain didn’t turn up was clearly unfortunate,” Australia media manager Phil Pope told Reuters on Friday.

Steve Bucknor, meanwhile, is going to officiate in his fifth successive World Cup final. He would have preferred to sit and watch had his team made it through, but alas and alak… he has to officiate yet again. This time, though, he will be . . . → Read More: Sourav Ganguly redux?

It’s the sort of question that seems innocuous but can give captains sleepless nights. Most captains, one would assume, might just prefer losing the toss and not having to make the decision! But even if a decision were to be made for you, there needs to be a plan in place. Australia has shown themselves to be adept at setting totals and chasing down scores. And despite all reported weaknesses in their bowling and batting, none of it has even come to the fore let alone exploiting it. England, perhaps, was the only team that was somewhat close to making Australia sweat. But then Ian Bell went and got himself out.

Continue reading AUS v SL: Bat first or second?

A bit late in the day for this, no? It actually seems like Michael Vaughan is trying to extend his ODI career with statements such as these:
I want it to be a turning point in my form. What I will say is that I
am a fighter. Today was a fighting performance from Michael Vaughan

With the first semi-final just about to start, who will win? Sri Lanka or New Zealand? I am inclined to think SL has the experience to go through, but NZ look hungrier. A good match is promised. I daresay New Zealand will win.

Let’s see.

Technorati Tags: world cup 2007, semi final, sri lanka, new zealand, england, michael vaughan

. . . → Read More: Found the turning point?

Quite similar to the drumroll, this, except that the music is a little muted. A little high on the bass… for the thud is a bit sudden! But it’s known to be enjoyed by most… especially those who have nothing to do with it! Like us!

And after a prolonged headroll in India, it’s time for other countries. England’s set the ball rolling with the sacking (or resignation?) of Duncan Fletcher and if Tony Grieg is to be believed, Michael Vaughan is next. There have been many asking for Fletcher’s head including the outspoken Sir Geoffrey Boycott and now, it’s happened.

Next in line looks to be Bangladesh’s coach Dav Whatmore. It’s not surprising since he has expressed interest in taking up the job available in India. Speaking about it, the BCB President, M Abdul Aziz said the decision is yet to be taken, but the writing seems to be on the . . . → Read More: Headroll…

At the start of the World Cup, there were a few candidates who were primed to retire after a satisfying campaign. Satisfying not always being “winning” but a semi-final or so. Now, the list is burgeoning and this time, it’s thanks to a call for someone’s head. While not unprecedented, the performance of some of the stars from various teams has left us surprised. One may wonder why. Here’s the list (real and potential):

Michael Vaughan (England)
His time as captain has come. For far too long has England done without a specialist captain for the one-day game. And even if they don’t regard this as the ‘true’ form of the game, they need to put up a good show. Paul Collingwood looks like a good and worthy successor with Andre Flintoff more interested in drinking binges…

Duncan Fletcher (England)
Ten years as the coach of a team and very little to show for it. How he survived that long itself is a mystery. Of things Continue reading The Goodbye lot

Where else would you be treated to such diversity? Justin Langer, after years of on-field sledging and name-calling, now declares the whole thing unfit for the game. Well, if he understood Hindi, there was only one thing to say: Billi sau choohe khaa ke Haj ko chali! Ricky Ponting is rightly amused about the whole thing!
“There must be two Justin Langers in the world I think,” Ponting, the Australian captain, told The Australian newspaper when informed of Langer’s call. “I don’t know what’s happened there. But I know the little fella was never too far away from it if something was going on.”

Over in Pakistan, the result of the World Cup failure has seen not one, not two but all of 80 heads roll! Let’s rock? The job cuts, though, are not only at a high-level. They are at all levels and this is what baffles us. Why would a daily-wage . . . → Read More: Isn’t cricket wonderful?

Of course, we are talking theoretically, but the West Indies can still make the semi-final. How? They have two matches left: one against England and the other against Bangladesh. One would hope that they win against Bangladesh (and rather handsomely) and then beat England. This would bring them to three wins overall.

If England can beat South Africa today, they would have three wins, as would South Africa [Points Table]. And then the whole circus comes down to net run rate. The whole ‘who beat whom’ formula won’t work since England would have beaten South Africa, who beat the West Indies, who beat England. Whooppee doo! One merry go round, that!

Of course, all this hinges on the hope that England can beat SA. And WI would have to play out of their skins to get their run rate up. At least they have the chance against Bangladesh. Such straws we are now . . . → Read More: Let’s clutch to straws, shall we?