21 Oct 08 India Dominates Australia in Test match #2
Right from the word go, it clicked for the indians. Mahendra Singh Dhoni won the toss and made the right decision of choosing to bat first. The seniors came out good in the first innings with the skipper himself making 92 in no time. Indians ended up scoring 469 and with some belligerent bowling from Amit Mishra, Indians were on song and australia were bundled out for 268!. Imagine such a situtation where even the mighty aussies couldn’t avoid a follow on!
However, Mahi did the clever thing. Instead of enforcing the follow on, Indians padded up and continued on with Innings number 2. Delhi guys Gambhir and Sehwag made aussies bowling look insultingly simple and the scoreboard kept ticking. Indians ended their innings before tea, declaring at 314/3.
Australians started off their 2nd innings well, with matt hayden looking strong. However, three balle balle’s from Bhajji did the trick and aussies reeled at 52-3. Ponting was no good playing Ishant sharma and followed his men suit. It was 52-4 and Shane watson, player of the IPL tournament was taken out again by Ishant sharma. Haddin and Clarke put up a good solid stand and lifted the score and aussie hopes as the visitors reached 142-5.
Day 5: It all ended within the first session. And how?!. Zaheer came, took 3 wickets in 4 deliveries. Australia’s hopes of saving the match were doomed now as their score looked a pathetic 144-8. Mitchell johnson and Clarke shared a 50 run partnership. But however, debutant Amit mishra set the tail of the tailenders on fire and removed Johnson and Clarke. Australia bundled out for 195. India win by 320 runs! Highest ever victory margin!!
Tags: australia, border gavaskar trophy, india
28 Aug 08 India win Idea Cup
Three cheers to the Indian team for emerging victorious in the Idea cup ODI series. After a humiliating defeat in the test series and in the match 1 of the ODI series, Indians bounced back and won 3 matches in a row to seal the deal. One thing I appreciate in the victory is MS Dhoni. There is a saying ‘Cometh the hour, cometh the man’ Dhoni exhibited controlled brilliance and frenzy in the field and made sure Indians put up a decent total on the board.
Bowlers complemented the efforts of the batsmen and over all it was a good team effort that brought us the victory. Suresh raina is becoming more mature in his approach off late and the young indian team has proven once again that they can fare well without the seniors. Indians win their first ever ODI series in Sri Lanka.
Tags: dhoni, india, ODI series, raina, srilanka
16 Aug 08 Vijeendar Kumar storms into Quarter Finals
Vijeendar Kumar, representing India in Middlewieght 75 Kg boxing, stormed into the quarter finals with 13-3 against a Kazhak guy (his name was hard to pronounce). Right from Round 1, it was Kumar all the way. Healthy sets of punches right on the button. Round 1, he scored 2 points. Rounds 2 and 3 he gained a healthy lead with 4, 4 points. Final round, he scored 3 as he played defensively. In the end, the match went in favor of Vijeendar who was 10 points ahead.
I consider myself very lucky to have witnessed this match, to see an Indian overpowering and dominating a match. Lets see if Akhil kumar wins the other match and it would do India proud to see atleast 2 bronze medallists.
Tags: india, olympics, Vijeendar Kumar
16 Aug 08 Phelps = Spitz
Michael Phelps of USA equalled fellow american Mark Spitz world record of 7 gold medals in Olympics. Spitz set the record about 36 years back and none have equalled it so far. It took 36 years for another fellow american to equal the legend’s record. Phelps has one more events to break the record. I don’t know if he can, but the feat he has acheived is no mean achievement.
Off track: Akhil kumar has reached the quarter finals of Boxing. Lets hope he makes it to the semi finals. If he reaches semi finals, then a bronze is assured for India.
Tags: akhil kumar, india, Mark spitz, Michael phelps, usa
01 Aug 08 Bright start - Wasted.
Indians are known for clutching defeat from the jaws of victory. It is just the case now. With a sorry performance from the senior players, Indians puffed and puckered to a sorry score of 329, with sehwag on 201 not out. That means, the rest of the team managed to contribute only 128 runs! Gambhir obviously taking up a lion’s share of 56 runs. Sachin, Saurav and Dravid have to move on I guess.
Consistency is the element in the game. If you don’t have what it takes, why do you even step on the turf?
Tags: cricket, india, srilanka
31 Jul 08 Bright start!
Well, just now I saw the score in CC lab and Indians are well settled with the opening pair giving us a solid start. Sehwag is in belligerent form, firing on all cylinders. Once again he reaches his century at a fast pace. It doesn’t matter whether sehwag doesn’t understand the difference between a Test match and an ODI or whether test match is a test of character and all the bullshit. All that matters are ‘Runs on the board’ and it is coming in good numbers now. Keep the momentum up guys!
Tags: cricket match, india, srilanka
30 Jul 08 India take on Srilanka tomorrow
The second test of the series is going start tomorrow and like any other indian fan, I hope that they don’t fall for the spinners like they did in the first test. (19 wickets taken by spinners!). India is known for playing well against spin. But last test match proved the statement otherwise. So lets put our hands up for the indian team and wish them the very best for a good match. This time around, lets hope that they put up a fighting total on the board or do well in the bowling department.
Tags: cricket, india, srilanka, test match
26 Jul 08 Indians fall like Ten pins
Well, we already saw what happened in Asia cup finals. Indians had no clue to Mendis’s ‘Carrom’ like release of the ball. AND, still they don’t have a clue. The team performance in batting, bowling and fielding were thoroughly dismal (Maybe because of the missing Dhoni charm). Adding insult to injury was Mendis and Murali’s bowling. 22 wickets were taken in 2 days. 19 wickets were taken by spinners and Kulasekara (Fast bowler) took the first wicket in the first innings. Murali, the Wizard of Lanka, scalped 11 for himself and Mendis helped himself to 8 wicket haul in two innings.
Seriously, I don’t know what the confidence level of Indian team is, but I’m saying that they are pretty much over confident. Its not the loss that makes me say this, but even after the loss, Anil Kumble claims ‘We have the best technically equipped side’. Technically equipped side only fell to the novice called ‘Mendis’. Kumble, if I were you, I’d play it safe.
Tags: cricket, defeat, india, srilanka
06 Jul 08 India gets stuck in the Web spun by Mendis
Few days ago, nobody would have known who Ajantha Mendis was. But now, they will know him as the force of destruction behind the Indian team’s poor show at the Asia cup. Sri Lanka after scoring a modest total of 274 in 50 overs, thanks to brilliant knock by the Annihilator Sanath Jayasuriya (115), successfully defended its title. India lost the match by 100 runs, scoring only 173 in 39.3 overs
Two in a row, for both Lankan lions and Mahendra singh Dhoni. For Lankans, its two Asia cup victories in a row. For Dhoni, its two losses in final matches (finals of Kitply cup and Asia cup). Well, we must agree that Indians don’t have what it takes to be the champion team. I appreciate Dhoni for backing up the youth. But when it comes to crunch matches, you need to have some experience in the side. No Rahul Dravid, Sachin Tendulkar, Sourav Ganguly.. No good men.. No good.
Tags: ajantha mendis, dhoni, india, lose, srilanka
27 Jun 08 India defeats Pakistan
After 20 years in Asia Cup, India defeated pakistan with ease in a jam packed stadium @ Karachi. Pakistan, hosting the tournament has never lost to India in an Asia cup match, since 1988. The Indians, however, rewrote that record yesterday when they won with 7.5 overs to Spare.
Match Summary:-
Pakistan 299-4 in 50 overs. A brilliant 125 by Shoaib Malik. Indian bowlers after containing pakistani batsmen upto 25 overs, gave the game away as the latter amassed huge total in the final half of their 50 overs.
India 301-5 in 42.1 overs. Sehwag and Raina in a blistering partnership that featured heavy blows on the pakistani spinners took the game away. India were cruising along, when Raina and Sehwag got out in quick succession. However Yuvraj continued the momentum with dhoni and in the end, All’s well that ends well.
Result: India win comprehensively by 5 wickets with 47 balls to spare.
