Tendulkar's 100 centuries

A century of centuries is no easy task.

The guy is amazing and remained amazing till last year. Now he has done something that is not likely to be emulated in the foreseeable future. Lara retired at peak long back. Ponting with 41 Test Hundreds has stopped playing one days and Jacqued Kallis is there with 42 Test Hundreds. Don't see any getting a break as early as 16 and being consistent enough never to be dropped to have an opportunity to break your record.

Tendulkar's concentration is unbelievable. His habits permanent. He never ever played without the helmet. With all that gear for the guy to focus for so long is amazing. He has taken the flak though that he plays for records but nevertheless he contributes one way or the other. It is another story that sometimes the team loses to accommodate his centuries. Like the team lost to Bangladesh because they slowed down for his century and not add say 30 runs which they could have.

Forget the criticism Sachin. Afterall who remembers the team won or lost so long as you have your century! People remember your centuries not the losses. But for God's sake now retire with grace. Don't wait till you are dropped. All great players retire while they still have some years left in them. Leave people with good memories not memories of your failures.

Why did Pakistan loose the semifinal?

When you make Himalayan Blunders no amount of prayers help...

What are those Himalayan Blunders? Let me be brief.

1. Not playing the most feared bowler in the world - Shoaib Akhtar. Umar Gul should have been dropped and Shoaib taken. Is there any match between these two bowlers? None. Shoaib is a class apart. He runs through the batting line up and when people avoid getting out to him they give wickets to others. In either case team benefits.
2. Umar Gul giving away too many runs - 69 runs in 8 overs without any wicket. Afridi gave him many sessions even in the end to have a wicket in his name but he only succeeded in conceding more runs to India. One wonders why Omer Gul is the most favourite with Shahid Khan Afridi at the expense of the team.
3. Bad field placement and hence leaking runs without a deep third man. Omar Gul was never bowling to the field. Over 20 runs were lost like that.
4. Very poor fielding at least 30 runs could have been saved.
5. Four catches were dropped of Tendulkar to the extent he was embarrassed. His luck was such that even after being given out the decisions were reversed thanks to the review.
6. Such abysmal batting. Hafeez had no business to be out so irresponsibly. Where was the need of a non-cricketing shot? He must be dropped as Kapil Dev was once dropped at his peak by Gavaskar for an irresponsible stroke.
7. Asad Shafeeq had no business to cut a straight ball from that arrogant Yuvraj.
8. There was no need to bring upon themselves the pressure which they brought upon themselves. Misbah while trying to save wickets consumed far too many runs.
9. Mohammed Yousuf was sorely missed in the middle and batting flopped miserably. What was Younis doing if he could not bat? And Afridi and A.Razzak? Why were they taken? I guess to bat.
10. Kamran Akmal continued to be as bad as possible behind the stumps.
11. What about power play? It should have been taken when the captain Afridi and vice captain were at the crease.

In short Pakistan could not have had a better chance to make it to the final and possibly the cup. This is too much and it has broken the hearts of millions around the world. Now we have to listen for the next four years that India has never lost to Pakistan in a world cup. Disgusting.

What a match? What a chase? What a tie?

England needed to be there. But this is the super charged World Cup 2011. Expect any thing.

The batting was good by India but England were no where behind. Tendulkar ofcourse is Tendulkar. He built the platform for India no wonder. Bresnen five wicket haul ensured India did not pile up further.

The reply was equally sprited. Kevin Pieterson was wonderful and Munaf's catch was doubly superb that ended a class innings. The best caught and bold ever as they said.

Strauss and Bell amazing too. Did not think they could play so good. While cruising at will, Zaheer applied brakes along with Munaf.

But the last guy Shahzad of England's six brought England too close. Yet England's victory was not to be. Although some think technically England won. They lost less wickets and India did not bat the full 50 overs. It batted for 49.5 overs.

http://www.espncricinfo.com/icc_cricket_worldcup2011/content/story/503292.html?CMP=NLC-DLY

Tendulkar makes 50 Test Centuries...

Murli The Bolwling Bradman takes 800 Wickets...

The drama was there till the last ball of the innings...

Both friends and foes were on edge and this time both were praying for the success of this little man from Sirlanka called the great Muralitharan who is the first to take 800 wickets in Test Cricket.

He had to see the heart break of one run out, that of Laxman and only one wicket remained between him and the record and a plumb LBW was not allowed. One kept wondering if any bad luck would not intervene between Murli and his record. The infamous Galle weather was also threatening. Besides Murli was telling the captain regardless of his record get Indians out lest the weather intervene and Srilanka not win.

No. He wanted his last test to be a winning test. So you see a lot of drama was going on all the while and continued till the end. It was one seesaw.

People remembered Bradman how he was out for a duck on his farewell test and his average slumped from 100 to 99.94 while every one prayed nothing like this should happen now. Finally he did have luck. Ojah snicked one at second slip to Jayaverdane. Wow! He made it.

Congratulations Murli. Don't forget 8 wickets is a big ask for a guy playing his last test and against a side that is known for its batting with guys like, Tendulkar, Dravid and Laxman in the team. On paper India is a formidable foe although not always on the ground. Yet for Murli to make them bite dust is no small achievement. The guy deserves every bit of adulation.

For once it seemed the world had only one team - that of Muttia Muralitharan.

Even his critics and enemies were praying for his success.

Poor shot selection in batting and poor captaincy...

Simple follies cost us the test...
This test will go down as a classic case of opportunities lost. The bowlers set it up for us but the batsmen and the captain let us down.
Why did he let Laxman settle down? When we had India on the mat at 93/5 we let them loose by poor captaincy. When Laxman and Dhoni were new at the crease Shoaib Akhtar should have been brought right back who could have dislodged Laxman who is known to be suspect to the rising delivery, before he got set. The Pakistan captain allowed him to settle down and helped India take an avoidable lead. That was the first turning point.
This is a test not a 20/20 Then our great batsman did not treat Test as a test but a 20/20. Salman Butt was out to a good ball from Zaheer. That is OK but Younus Khan had no business for that flamboyance and gifted his wicket. What was the hurry? Could he not have grafted in. Stay on the crease runs will follow. If the bowler gets you, it is ok but for God's sake don't give your wicket away.
Indian batsmen did not play a non-cricketing shot: Compare that to Indian batting. I did not see any of their batsmen going for un-necessary or risky strokes. They played for the situation. Hats off to Dravid who fell to the best ball of the test by Shoaib. He did not gift it away. Similarly Tendulkar took scores of ball and for ever to make 18 runs and crafted yet another exquisite 56 for himself and an innings to remember for his team. He took his own time 178 minutes and 110 ten balls. He accelerated only in the end. He also has all the strokes in the book but never tried any thing foolish. He was never in a hurry like a true test player.
Learn from mistakes please: If we bat like this don't be surprised we might loose the rest of the tests too. I hope and pray our players do not repeat the mistakes.
Shoaib Akhtar is great: Although the 6 wickets he got and so few runs he gave is yet no reflection of his class Shoaib today is the best fast bowler the world has. He has to be supported by a better fielding. When that happens and our batting clicks even to half potential no team in the world can beat us.