The Cricket World Cup Thread

Dmurphy · Post by **Dmurphy** » 06 Mar 2011 22:10

Huh. A tweet rightly said "Yuvraj plays like a pregnant cow". The way he trudges, he looks sick.

nachiket · Post by **nachiket** » 06 Mar 2011 22:15

Marten wrote: You called it right twice, dude. Good show.

MSD is on LSD> what else could explain his bravado. They nearly stank up the pitch. The Windies will beat us given the current bowling. Mumbai boy Pollard will spank the bowlers until they cry Unkil. God will have to play well against one of SA or Windies for TI to do better.

Unfortunately this time God cannot give us a victory no matter how well he plays. He may score 150 and help us get to 350. But WI or SA will reach that in 45 overs against our fantastic bowling attack.
But of course we know that God will get out for 0 onlee and TI will lose onlee.

svenkat · Post by **svenkat** » 06 Mar 2011 22:17

The pitches at Madras and Bangalore are perhaps a sign of what is in store.Then it makes sense to play Chawla in the earlier matches to make him battle ready.In the normal course,ashwin would be expected to be chosen ahead of chawla.

Prasad · Post by **Prasad** » 06 Mar 2011 22:18

Zaheer and munna bowled pretty decently I thought. But chawla and bhajji were totally off-colour. What was chawla doing bowling big leggies landing on leg stump for the lefties! And bhajji's line was awful despite getting the ball to turn.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 06 Mar 2011 22:19

did anyone notice how many tapes and bandages were on SRTs fingers and palms...a lot..pretty much every finger. and he did not bowl today in younger years used to be routinely used as bowler in ODIs and get breakthroughs.

I hope he doesnt pick up some injury ahead of crucial matches...next match is a 'easy' one vs the netherlands.

negi · Post by **negi** » 06 Mar 2011 22:22

Munna should not be used during slog overs even 'Gandhari' would spank him over the midwicket (he got hit for sixes against BD as well as by Shahazad just because he bowled right in the slot) . Chawla is a pseudo-leggie even part timers were extracting more turn than him. Yeah for all matches in Chennai, Premadasa and Wankhede we need to have the 7th batsman simply because our middle order sucks even if it turns a shade .

sum · Post by **sum** » 06 Mar 2011 22:23

^^ SRT also got his entire waist taped between overs....must be having enough tape over his body to cover a Egyptian mummy!!!!

Man, wonder how you got hold of it... write to me dude.

I actually tagged along with a relative who managed to extract 2 passes through a pretty senior chaiwallah in the KSCA ( who is ex-India player also)...No chailwallahs who i can directly approach to gain some favours

CRamS · Post by **CRamS** » 06 Mar 2011 23:14

sum wrote:I actually tagged along with a relative who managed to extract 2 passes through a pretty senior chaiwallah in the KSCA ( who is ex-India player also)...No chailwallahs who i can directly approach to gain some favours

Man, I had the privilage of watching this match from the N stand on Cubbon Road directly in line with the stumps. Its been a long time since my college days watching a match at KSCA stadium. All in all, a great contest. The Irish fielding was simply breath-taking. I still feel that but for Yosuf Pathan's fearless counterattack with 40 off required, India might have struggled to reach the target.

SwamyG · Post by **SwamyG** » 06 Mar 2011 23:15

Okay, first we started of saying our fielding is bad, bowling is bad onlee. Now the consensus is our batting is not all that dependable

Abhi rakha hi kya? So all we have is jinxes and reverse-jinxes going in our favor. Looks like BRFites have single-handedly steered TI to the first place.

Is TI that bad to make IR look better?

Dilbu · Post by **Dilbu** » 06 Mar 2011 23:19

I told you that 10 days ago. Only thing going in TI's favour is the reverse jinx we do here on BRF. So zor se bolo India will lose onlee.

CRamS · Post by **CRamS** » 06 Mar 2011 23:20

Tanaji wrote:
Dhoni "I think the Irish fielders backed up their bowlers very well. Everyone got a chance to bat, everyone was under pressure, it was very good exposure for the batsmen, the No. 7 batsmen is important. We are showing signs of improvement in bowling,
Did he watch the same match as us?

Yes he did watch the same match as I did in the stadium. I thought India bowled well and fielded well. Zaheer Khan was on target. So was Yuvaraj. I am a tad worried about Piyush Chawla. He seems to lack confidence. he fielded brilliantly though.

nachiket · Post by **nachiket** » 07 Mar 2011 05:11

Was watching the highlights of the SA vs Englishstan game. I noticed a big band of bearded mullahs dressed in all white pathani suits sitting together and looking rather out of place. Couldn't quite make out who they were supporting. Commentators used to go quiet whenever the camera panned to them.

SBajwa · Post by **SBajwa** » 07 Mar 2011 05:38

Indian team is packed just like our Gods!! Each God has its day and it shows!! Today was the day of Yuvraj! So!! the biggest God of them all (Sachin) provides a Good/Great start and somehow team fashions a win!! Have faith people!! if not Sachin God then we got lots of smaller gods (like Sehwag the Indra). Sachin is Brahma and Dhoni is Vishnu. I can't decide who is Mahesh the destructer!! probably on their good day destructer is Yuvraj, Sachin, Gambhir, Sehwag, Pathan, etc.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 07 Mar 2011 06:24

Dhoni "Everyone got a chance to bat, everyone was under pressure, it was very good exposure for the batsmen, the No. 7 batsmen is important.

I agree that with the non-existent bowling capabilities in the country, adding another bowler in the 11 would not make any difference. However, after packing the team with batsmen like gawd, semi-gawd and demi-gawd, if the no. 7 batsman is considered important while chasing a score of 200 on a home ground against a lowly Ireland, I am convinced that this team does not deserve to advance any further in the competition. If it does, it would be a travesty of truth.

nachiket · Post by **nachiket** » 07 Mar 2011 07:03

SSridhar wrote:
Dhoni "Everyone got a chance to bat, everyone was under pressure, it was very good exposure for the batsmen, the No. 7 batsmen is important.
I agree that with the non-existent bowling capabilities in the country, adding another bowler in the 11 would not make any difference. However, after packing the team with batsmen like gawd, semi-gawd and demi-gawd, if the no. 7 batsman is considered important while chasing a score of 200 on a home ground against a lowly Ireland, I am convinced that this team does not deserve to advance any further in the competition. If it does, it would be a travesty of truth.

Well advancing to QFs is assured thanks to the group structure. A lot depends on who we play in the QFs. If it's NZ we have a good chance of reaching the Semis. The other three SL, pakis and white pakis seem too daunting right now.
Looking at the way SA collapsed todin, it's a pity the India-SA match is in Nagpur and not Chennai.

nachiket · Post by **nachiket** » 07 Mar 2011 07:21

Marten wrote:
nachiket wrote:Was watching the highlights of the SA vs Englishstan game. I noticed a big band of bearded mullahs dressed in all white pathani suits sitting together and looking rather out of place. Couldn't quite make out who they were supporting. Commentators used to go quiet whenever the camera panned to them.
Nachiket, they were cheering TI a LOT -- cameras focused on them whenever Pathan hit hard. And boy were they happy! Khoja-party... most likely.

This was the SA-Eng game. Didn't see them during India's matches.

Abhijit · Post by **Abhijit** » 07 Mar 2011 07:28

Nachiket, they were cheering TI a LOT -- cameras focused on them whenever Pathan hit hard. And boy were they happy! Khoja-party... most likely.

How could they cheer TI when the match was between SA and brit pakis? They were all cheering SA and by their attire they were probably all some relatives of Hashim Amla.

archan · Post by **archan** » 07 Mar 2011 08:56

SSridhar wrote:
Dhoni "Everyone got a chance to bat, everyone was under pressure, it was very good exposure for the batsmen, the No. 7 batsmen is important.
I agree that with the non-existent bowling capabilities in the country, adding another bowler in the 11 would not make any difference. However, after packing the team with batsmen like gawd, semi-gawd and demi-gawd, if the no. 7 batsman is considered important while chasing a score of 200 on a home ground against a lowly Ireland, I am convinced that this team does not deserve to advance any further in the competition. If it does, it would be a travesty of truth.

Yet, we are the only unbeaten team of the group! we have WI, SA and Netherland to play. I would guess we should be able to win at least two of those. The question of QF place being assured due to group structure does not arise as we would probably be 1st or 2nd in our group anyway.
So far we have seen there is no one team that has an absolute superiority over others a-la Australia of yesteryear and WI of yester-yester year. All seem fallible. SA failed to chase 171, Aussies failed to chase 214 in the practice match against us. WI and pakis are unpredictable. Teams that have major batting troubles are the ones that are in deeper doodoo IMO.
Not to say the I would like to see TI field like Ireland and bowl 80% of SA level (at least!).

krishnan · Post by **krishnan** » 07 Mar 2011 08:59

The SA - Eng match showed why No 7 is important.

sum · Post by **sum** » 07 Mar 2011 09:00

Abhijit wrote:
Nachiket, they were cheering TI a LOT -- cameras focused on them whenever Pathan hit hard. And boy were they happy! Khoja-party... most likely.

How could they cheer TI when the match was between SA and brit pakis? They were all cheering SA and by their attire they were probably all some relatives of Hashim Amla.

Yup...both the games yesterday had a BIG contingent of fully white clad Bohra dudes. The India game ones i saw with eyeball Mk1( they were in the BEML stand) and they were vigorously cheering the Indian team. Saw the almost similar looking bunch in the SA-Eng game on TV...

Dilbu · Post by **Dilbu** » 07 Mar 2011 09:23

The-Piyush-Chawla-debate

Overall figures:

Matches Balls Runs Wickets Economy Rate Average
Pragyan Ojha 16 835 601 20 4.32 30.05
Piyush Chawla 29 1523 1276 35 5.03 36.46

niran · Post by **niran** » 07 Mar 2011 09:29

SSridhar wrote: I agree that with the non-existent bowling capabilities in the country, adding another bowler in the 11 would not make any difference. However, after packing the team with batsmen like gawd, semi-gawd and demi-gawd, if the no. 7 batsman is considered important while chasing a score of 200 on a home ground against a lowly Ireland, I am convinced that this team does not deserve to advance any further in the competition. If it does, it would be a travesty of truth.

aaw! saar, cut TI some slack, it was one of those matches, TI beats Ireland by 10 wikits people will say "so what?tis Irish kiekit" they got to 200 thanks to exemplary bowling by a tinku Chawla(ever watched a spinner bowling 3 no balls in a match) methinks he flushed his WC tourney down the urinals.
in the end Yusuf and company did get some real match practice no? it should work wonders in crunch matches no?
Yuvi got back his elegantly murderous batflow no? all is well.

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 07 Mar 2011 09:36

yusuf seems to have gone in a shell kind of berserker mode...no talking...no facial expression...not too much body movement...just an explosion of quiet rage at something.

clouting 3 sixes in 4 balls in a tightish situation from a decent spinner takes ability for sure.

Yuvraj after a long time though still not so fluent did unveil one of his patented golf push-chips to dispatch a full toss straight to midwicket fence...a gentle flow and the ball disappeared like a bullet.

Dilbu · Post by **Dilbu** » 07 Mar 2011 09:38

Piyush will need a larger bottle of vaseline to play another match in this WC.

Dilbu · Post by **Dilbu** » 07 Mar 2011 09:40

Yuvraj after a long time though still not so fluent did unveil one of his patented golf push-chips to dispatch a full toss straight to midwicket fence...a gentle flow and the ball disappeared like a bullet.

The ease with which he did it was jaw dropping. Made it look so easy. The guy has loads of talent if only he will improve his work ethics. (Sigh)

Murugan · Post by **Murugan** » 07 Mar 2011 09:44

Why there is no instance of Khans or Pathans in Porkistani cricekt history? (or is there)

Dilbu · Post by **Dilbu** » 07 Mar 2011 09:55

Imran Khan

sum · Post by **sum** » 07 Mar 2011 09:56

Afridi, Younis Khan..

Dilbu · Post by **Dilbu** » 07 Mar 2011 10:03

Moin Khan

nachiket · Post by **nachiket** » 07 Mar 2011 10:10

Dilbu wrote:Piyush will need a larger bottle of vaseline to play another match in this WC.

Dhoni will be guilty of favoritism if he still picks Chawla over Ashwin after today's performance. Agreed Bhajji didn't impress either, but at least his economy rate was under 4 an over. What Chawla did today on a helpful wicket was just criminal.

Yuvi's two 50s (not to mention the fiver) are one of the few +ve things to come out of our last 2 matches. He was the only Indian batsman looking out of form before we started the tournament. Hopefully his confidence will remain high for the rest of the matches. One thing Dhoni should think about is sending Pathan at No.4 if we lose a couple of wickets after a decent start. He can keep the momentum up and get us those few extra runs that will help shield the bowlers a bit more. It's a gamble that won't work every time. He might end up trying to hit the wrong ball out of the ground and lose it. But considering his current form and Indian pitches, he'll probably make sure the morale boost that the opposition received after a couple of big wickets quickly vanishes into thin air.

Prasad · Post by **Prasad** » 07 Mar 2011 10:22

Dilbu wrote:
Yuvraj after a long time though still not so fluent did unveil one of his patented golf push-chips to dispatch a full toss straight to midwicket fence...a gentle flow and the ball disappeared like a bullet.
The ease with which he did it was jaw dropping. Made it look so easy. The guy has loads of talent if only he will improve his work ethics. (Sigh)

People would kill to get his talent! If he gets going, he can play some beautiful strokes. The 6 6's of broad werent slogs at all. Lovely swing of the bat and he hit them over the rope. If he has to go in to bat when spinners are operating, its better to send in YPathan and keep yuvi for later. He is a shaky starter against spin.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 07 Mar 2011 10:26

Murugan wrote:Why there is no instance of Khans or Pathans in Porkistani cricekt history? (or is there)

What do you mean ? All Khans are Pathans.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 07 Mar 2011 10:30

Prasad wrote:If he has to go in to bat when spinners are operating, its better to send in YPathan and keep yuvi for later. He is a shaky starter against spin.

Agree with you on the fantastic ability of Yuvraj. He doesn't hit any ball with ferocity or brute force. A gentle swish and the ball disappears. Comes from the forearms and the wrist, apart from excellent timing.

As for his shaky start against spinners, he & we will have to contend with it. In modern-day ODIs, spinners start very early. A spinner will be brought on the moment he appears at the crease.

SSridhar · Post by **SSridhar** » 07 Mar 2011 10:36

archan wrote:Not to say the I would like to see TI field like Ireland and bowl 80% of SA level (at least!).

Archan saheb, you are ambitious. You add 'at least' also for a good measure ?

Singha · Post by **Singha** » 07 Mar 2011 11:04

typical case of wanting F-15E at Tejas price.

chackojoseph · Post by **chackojoseph** » 07 Mar 2011 12:03

The Cricket Blind

Tanaji · Post by **Tanaji** » 07 Mar 2011 14:04

Well I am trying to look at the bright side:

Sehwag is due for a big one, so is Game-bhir. God, is well God, he is getting starts and he will smile on us soon...

Bowling, what can one say. The only depth left to plunge is Zak failing to fire, which will happen in one match, lets hope its not in the quarters/semis/finals.

Ah, well as the mullah say, we will lose onlee...

krishnan · Post by **krishnan** » 07 Mar 2011 14:19

We are getting good match practice which is keeping every on on his toes. Good for later big games

Aditya_V · Post by **Aditya_V** » 07 Mar 2011 14:20

Looking at yesterday's match I think certain debates have been closed:

1) 6 Batsman - 5 bowler theory, Sehwag or Tendulakar will not score centuries in every match - we need an extra batsman. Besides how many more runs would we save by having a 5th bowler, not more than 10-15 runs than the 10 overs Yuvraj and Pathan bowl. Infact they bowl more than that.

2) Piyush Chawla the next spin Bowling Mahdi- well not for this world cup atleast

1 more theory which will go away in the next 3 matches

Ashish Nehra is the Hero we are waiting for solving our bowling troubles.

CRamS · Post by **CRamS** » 07 Mar 2011 14:22

SSridhar wrote:I agree that with the non-existent bowling capabilities in the country, adding another bowler in the 11 would not make any difference. However, after packing the team with batsmen like gawd, semi-gawd and demi-gawd, if the no. 7 batsman is considered important while chasing a score of 200 on a home ground against a lowly Ireland, I am convinced that this team does not deserve to advance any further in the competition. If it does, it would be a travesty of truth.

Boss, I was at the stadium and had a great time watching the match up close. I would not call Ireland a lowly team. I would say their fielding is the best, even better than white Pakis.

Guys:

Cut our boys some slack. Why is everybody piling on them. As far as I am concerned, they are giving 100%, they have loads of talent, and I will back them all the way. There are weak points no doubt, mainly bowling and fielding. But which team does not have soft spots.

For all the criticism of the men in blue, just remember that they have not lost a match yet. I would rather have them go into the QF with some growing pains than peak early and fizzle out later.