Speaking of the Socceroo's, I think they are right up there. But, how did Australia catch the soccer fever? Perhaps, they have not, and the soccer team is yet another testimony to the sporting heritage of Australia.
Not a long time ago, ( actually a long time ago, really), I watched some excellent videos of Marcus Trescothick playing a shot on BBC cricket website. What was the icing on the cake was that there was Shane Warne, and his esteemed coach who exhibited the art of leg spin bowling. In fact, I was...
The first quarter final was certainly not a farce. If India beat Australia similarly, and If I have to come home before, or a little after fifteen overs, if I am watching the World Cup at the stadium, then I will not mind. In fact, I will be mightily happy. Let us say, that Pakistan were better...
There is no single length which can be bowled to all batsmen. It depends upon the batsman's reach, as to where you pitch your leg spinning delivery. You must bowl a length, which is uncomfortable to the batsman. Some batsmen like the delivery pitched a little short, while others like the...
I think that you are reticent to get behind the delivery. If you had gotten behind the delivery, more than you are then the chances of finding the middle of the bat will increase. I do not think, that every bowler can be a big cutter, swinger, or spinner of the delivery, where you play.
There is no ultimate fast bowling body. I don't think Allan Donald had a body like Dennis Lillee. Donald was on the leaner side. But, because Lillee had to shoulder more bulk on his back, and shoulders, was perhaps why he got a stress fracture. Same with Waqar Younis. Donald could move with less...
Swing bowling has to do entirely with how your arm comes down, relative to the seam position. Cutters are bowled, with how your wrist comes down, relative to the seam position. Cutters are more difficult to bowl, than swingers.
I think the seam is more on the horizontal side, than vertical. Perhaps, I do not know. If the seam points 10 O Clock, then it is an inswinger, and if it points 2 'O clock, then it is an outswinger, to the right hand batsman. In my experience, being a left hander, I could bowl outswingers to...
The best bet would be, to hold the ball with the seam and angle the ball towards you or away from you when bowling. I was(am) a leftie, and when I bowled the delivery with my arm leaving my body, then the delivery swung, and/or seamed away. One has to learn to bowl with the new ball, before he...
The thing about spin bowling, is that you cannot belt the ball irrespective of how the bowler is bowling. You have to see what the bowler is bowling, and then act accordingly. When you face fast bowling, you have no time, and when you face spin bowling, you have the most time.The spin bowler...
What separates Harbhajan Singh from the rest? He just wants that one chance more, to bowl to the opposition, so that he can bowl a batsman out. In England, this is a great pastime, in the cool, sunny climes, but in India, it takes a lot of passion, to play cricket, for the tenure of the day. In...
Steve Waugh was a 'utility player' during the 1987 World Cup. I watched the Finals at the Eden Gardens. What struck me, when I watched him play the finals, was his exemplary attitude towards the game. It was electrifying. This 'utility player' stood head and shoulders above the others.
In fact...
It is up to the teams to make the cricket supporter evince interest in their cricketing fortunes. For example, Ireland had a full house watching them play, when they took on India. After their(Ireland) match against England, they were among the most popular teams in the world cup.
To look at New Zealand Vs South Africa, the two teams are very similar in their make up, except that South Africa has one or two more spinners than New Zealand. South Africa, perhaps, have fewer all-rounders than New Zealand. New Zealand Have Vettori, Styris, and Oram, not to forget Franklin. I...
England Vs Sri Lanka will be the most engrossing quarter final clash. I feel, England have the edge. England have that very good seamer Tim Bresnan, and the off spinner Swann. It will be interesting to see how the Lankan Lions face these two bowlers. The England batting is better than their Sri...
Pakistan have to be very very careful, for them to enter the semi's. To be frank, I love the way they play their cricket, but at the higher echelons of cricket, cricket is more like a chess game. Plans do not guarantee success, but if a team has a plan, then they have a direction towards which...
India are favourites for me, because of the combination of the bowling, and batting. Look at Nehra, Zaheer, Harbhajan, Ashwin, and Chawla closely. They may be not performing, but do you associate non-performance with these Indian squad members? India had other bowlers to pick for the World Cup...
What are Sri Lanka's prospects, in the Cup? In my opinion, there is no doubt, that Sri Lanka are joint favourites with India, with England, and Pakistan coming next. But why are Sri Lanka so strong? Let us look at their indifferent aspects. In the batting line-up, there is one natural striker of...
Soccer is more widely played in schools in India, than is cricket, at least in West Bengal. Cricket requires many pre-requisites which are more restrictive than in soccer. If one reads 'A Corner of a Foreign Field' by Ramachandra Guha,(A social history of the game of cricket in the...
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