Universal Cricket

Sachin seems to be in good nick, at 45 not out. Gambhir has just gone, out to Siddle for 83. India now are 173/3, still facing an uphill task ! Now Sachin is playing confidently and let us see whether he will get the coveted hundred.

Now India are 181/3 ! Laxman and Sachin are batting confidently and India are now 193/3! India were all out for 400, Tendulkar perishing in the 80s. Overall it was a lack lustre performance by the Indians. The only consolation was a 62 by Ashwin and 68 by Laxman. Kohli went out cheap.

India has a lot of homework to do Down Under. Gavaskar was right when he predicted India has no chance Down Under.

Wednesday, January 4, 2012

Aussies resume accumulating !

Aussies are now 484/4, with Clarke on 253, on his way to a triple ton.

Tuesday, January 3, 2012

Ponting, Clarke score centuries

Tons by Ponting and Clarke have destroyed India. Now India is fighting back to wall.

India face an uphill task Down Under. Against genuine pace bowling, their batsmen are faltering and except for some luck by the pacers, there is nothing for India to brag about

Clarke had progressed to 251 and Aussies are 482/4 !. India is flattened.

Gavaskar had opined that things look bleak for India Down Under and his prediction has been proved right. Indian batting and bowling Down Under gives scope for alarm and despondency. India is formidable in India and a paper tiger abroad !

An enthused Clarke said " "Hopefully, it would earn me respect. That's all I can do - to put the team in a good position to win another Test. Punter had told me while I was starting as skipper that as a leader, I should be standing up in the field, leading from the front and scoring runs. That's what I have tried to do".

Can he score a triple ?

A visibly overjoyed Ponting said "There have been plenty of frustrating moments. It's not when you get out early. It's when you have had a decent start and not capitalized. It's a game where the low scores are always going to happen. But when you are 40, 50 and 60, the great players make big scores. The last few weeks have been frustrating. I was getting starts but not capitalizing."

"I was probably run-out by two yards (if the throw had hit the stumps while Ponting ran for his 100th run). I had a brain fade. Thankfully, the ball missed the stumps or it would have been pretty sad end. When I got up, my shirt was destroyed, the grill was pressed against my face and I changed my shirt which probably made it the whole day out for the crowd," said Ponting, who was at his jovial best.

"It was an unbelievable day. To make 1 for 366 during the day was special. Michael (Clarke) batted as good as ever in any game. The way we batted, we repaid the bowlers in setting this game up," said Ponting.

"Michael came last night. It was a huge little period for us. We were three down for not many. The momentum had begun to swing in favour of India. We played our natural games, showed great intent and also managed to score reasonably quick. It was the same this morning. Our scoring rate was very good and we are taking the game forward all the time. That's the way we want to play." said the whirlwind master batsman.

Monday, January 2, 2012

Dhoni and Ashwin block Aussies

At the moment, India are 30/2, having lost both Dravid and Gambhir to the Aussie quickies.

While Pattinson was responsible for the wicket of Gambhir, Siddle cleaned up Dravid.

The Little Master has just come in and everybody is looking forward to his century of centuries. Not possible this series, says McGrath !

Dhoni , 42 not out and Ashwin, 20 not out are blocking the Aussies and India are now 174/6 ! Sachin is gone for 41, as Pattinson and Siddle carved up India !

Sunday, January 1, 2012

India declining ?

Are aging batsmen the problem? Is India like the West Indies side, a declining side in 1971 when Wadekar's team defeated them ?

What changes are to be made to the Indian team?

You decide. The 100th Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground begins tomorrow at 0500 AM IST sharp !

The Indian weakness against genuine pace has been exposed by the Kangaroos ? Will the Indian batsmen learn ?

Thursday, December 29, 2011

India mauled !

Indian cricket at the crossroads again. The Holy Trinity and Co fell like nine pins. Gone are the days of formidable Indian batting displays.

The Kangaroo quickies bowled with fire and India were skittled out for 169.

Dhoni, meanwhile, defended Indian batsmen and lauded the Aussie demon fast bowlers.

He said he is not worried by the lacklustre performance.

Said he "Not really. They are very experienced batsmen. You have to give credit to Australia bowlers for the way they bowled. They kept a nagging line outside the off-stump and that's why they got us."

He also praised the lower order Kangaroo batsmen for making contributions with the bat in Australia's first innings.

"Bowlers brought us back in to the game. We were short by 50-odd runs in the first innings. Their lower-order scored some runs, if we had got them earlier, we would have had 50-60 runs less to chase" he said.

He said India has resilience.

"We are known to be tentative starters, I think in the next game we will be slightly better."

Clarke hailed his pace trio and the experience of Hussey and Ponting.

"Our tail were outstanding with their batting, and we have to give full credit to the bowlers. You always want to have plans against whatever team you play and we were able to execute the plans.

"Credit has to go to Ponting and Hussey as well. India are a fantastic team. It is great to have them here in Australia. We know they'll come hard at us in Sydney" Clarke said.

We have said in our columns that astrologically this is not a good phase for India, with Jupiter in the 10th and Saturn in the 4th. Now it is a real problem Down Under India is facing, despite the Holy Trinity ( Laxman, Dravid & Sachin ).

Wednesday, December 28, 2011

India strike back !

Umesh Yadav bagged three top wickets, as Australia plunged to 27/4. Then Ponting and Hussey played well and the Kangaroos are on a respectable 179/8 !

Hussey is still a thorn in the flesh for the Indians and is unconquered on 79. Ponting was out for 60.

Yadav was the pick of the bowlers with 4/49. Zaheer took 2/32 and Ishant and Ashwin scalped one each.

Earlier Dravid was bowled Hilfenhaus for 68 and Laxman was removed by Siddle for 2. Then Hilfenhaus removed Kohli and Dhoni and India plunged to 282 all out.

Experts say that chasing more than 250 is difficult at the MCG but Sehwag says chasing 300 can be easy.