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Transcript of the Commentary - Indian Innings

Prem: goodwin agian, to tendulkar, one run needed.waist high full toss, flicked through square leg, the single and INdia have won with 7 wickets and 8.2 overs to spare. shutting down here, guys, see you tomorrow for the India versus Sri Lanka clash. tillthen, adios. tendulkar unbeaten 118 off 116, and that is curtains for now.


Prem: two to win, sachin on strike, goodwin, and down the leg side, wide called, that is the parity.


Prem: outsdie off and driven through the off by jadeja, one more.


Prem: wide down leg, three more needed.


Prem: sachin on drives, and one more. four more needed.


Prem: jadeja, ball one, clips goodwin through midwicket, one more, five needed.


anish () We have gotta get Kambli back into this team- somehow- we will definitely win wc99 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- criclovers (herculus) hai!abhay() the obvious Man of the match would be Sachin Tendulkar who even broke the world record though Nikhil Chopra will also be a good choice. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Satish () Sachin should probably stop accepting MOM awards to give others a chance.. like almost every goos singer does it in the Filmfare awards.. :))) Prem: another paddle, misses, no run. end of 40, 191/3 india.


Prem: 6 more to get. strang to sachin, two balls left in the 40th. and sachin defends.


Prem: another paddle, two more to sachin.


Deepka () Sachin has been my fav ever since he made his debut against pak way back in 89.I am so happy that i am able to see the genius in him -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- rajesh () mom - sachin even if our bowlers would'nt had contained zimb batsmen sachin would have had still shown his magnificient battin skills -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Himanshu (hdhamdhere@hotmail.com) Thanks Vijay for ur support We should form a web-site Dravid-sucks.org -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rocket () I support Chopra for MOM. His bowling led to Zims' eventual low score. Prem: jadeja again off drives, one more,t hree from three thus far.


Prem: strang now to sachin, 187/3 and sachin 113 off 106. 14 fours and two sixes in the innings. diown the track and thumped to cover, the fielder just manages to stop it, single.


Prem: 1 run per over the ask now, 11 overs left to get as many runs, strang to jadeja and the off drive gets one.


Prem: dogmatic:: sure, why, what'snew about today? do that for every game.


Prem: sachin on strike, two left for goodwin in the 39th, and this one is smashed to point, the fielder does very well to absorb the force on that one, bounces oout of his hands but he recovers, no run. end of the over, 186/3 in 39.


Prem: now that's a rather curious shot -- that was on off and jadeja just stood where he was and whipped it, just the wrists there, and one bounce over the fence at square leg. four more. next ball, clipped to square leg again but this time, fineer and just the single.


criclovers (hercules@cnnsimail.com) Yes! Sachin has scored his 20th ODI century and even broke the World Record! Congratulations from all of us Sachin! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- abhay () my man of the match : Nikhil chopra .. any takers -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Deepak () Prem:: Sacin's innings these daya is a perfect example of controlled agression conrary to his ALL out Agression prior to this -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Vijay (usd0002c@hotmail.com) Himanshu>Anytime you ask a Dravid fan about his cricket, they always come up with these two innings, one in SA and the other in Chennai, both times we conveniently lost right from the beginning, so the opposing teams didn't have any interest in the match..Poor guys, I sincerely hope Mr.Technique would give them more to swoon over, instead of two innings out of 75 ... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- seenu (dsrinig@hotmail.com) If at all Azhar has been retained captain for so long, its not because of his performance or inspirational catptaincy, but its sheerly that Tendulkar has come good under him and so Azhar is incredibly lucky.. Prem: 16 more needed off 72 balls, and goodwin continues, bowling to jadeja, into the 39th over here and jadeja plushes to mid off, no run.


Prem: another ball, this time swept from middle stump, two more and india 181/3 in 38


Vijay (usd0002c@hotmail.com) Prem>Sachin has atleast another 10 years left in intl arena.. Mind boggling to think how many centuries and runs he'll make by the time he retires..100 centuries in both forms put together shouldn't be out of reach for the genius.. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rocket () I am still puzzled why Jadeja's position in the team is taken for granted. He has done nothing since Australia toured India earlier this year. We may want to try another batsman in his place, especially with the WC in view. Jadeja re against pace in seaming/swinging conditions. Opinions welcome! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- tvsrini (tvarsrini@hotmail.com) That makes it 1000 runs + in the calender year for Sachin in international cricket, in centuries alone! (8 in ODI + 2 in tests). Prem: 1.78 the ask now and sachin with a delicate paddle, johnson has to chase it right down to the line only to be beaten. four more.


Prem: jadeja off drives, playing that inside out, gets one more. 175/3.


Prem: strang to jadeja, who goes back to whip to leg, misses, hit on the pad but that one landed outside leg, so the appeal not on. next ball, the armeer, outside off and left alone.


Prem: way wide of off that last ball, end of the over, 173/3 in 37


Prem: azhar drives and finds the fielder at mid off, no run. next ball, through midwicket, one more.


seenu (dsrinig@hotmail.com) Himanshu, if ur memory serves right, think abt the 90 odd he hit in SA when the ask was too high.. He blasted Donald for a six, and got expletives from Donald. Also in the Independence cup when pakis scored 300 odd, the guy scored a hundred inless than hundred balls. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Shah (shahull@hotmail.com) What ever may be the reason Azhar seems to be a real lucky captian Prem: goodwin and this time, sachin fetches him around from outside off, gets one to deep midwicket.


Prem: Okay, that's it, apparently -- goodwin short on off and he clubs him with incredible power wide and high over long on, six.


seenu (dsrinig@hotmail.com) Its a pity that Dravid is born in India, else he would have been a regular in any of the international sides.. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Vijay (usd0002c@hotmail.com) Raul>Only you seem to be affected by the team's position,pal..Not tendu,not Ganguly or Azza or Jadeja or Robin Singh.. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- dogmatic () Prem ...could you explain to us SHARJAH's scenic beauty -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- sunil () anu> mitul didn't say that pakistan are the greatest but the most talented team in the world which they blatantly are. they have got strength and depth in both their batting and bowling and have also got a team full of mach winners. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- carlos (srini@risc.sps.mot.com) Sure Himanshu ! Azhar has played many a valuable knock ! Against Kenya, Zimbabwe and Bangladesh ! And most of his runs come on home grounds ! But when we play abroad in SA, Aus or WI, Mr Wrist takes the occassion to conveniently get out of form, all the while knowing that his crusades against Kenya and the like teams will keep him in the team. When was the last time that Azhar performed in the face of real hostile bowling from Donald, Akram, McGrath or Ambrose ? Himanshu (hdhamdhere@hotmail.com) Manesh>> Dravid bashers are not Azar lovers. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nagendra (snagendra@worldnet.att.net) Good Job Prem and Good Job India.... Lets make this a only commentry thing... there are too many distractors out there Prem: jadeja drives, back to the bowler. one ball left in the 36th. flighted, jadeja drives and misses completely. end of the over, 166/3 in 36.


Prem: 100 off 97, sachin.


Prem: sachin on strike to strang, two balls played defensively, ball three, strang loses his run up. satish, very good catch. and there is the 100, push to mid off, and that is also the world record for the most number of international hundreds in a career, 36 of them now nd counting.


Anu () Why the can't people stop talking about Dravid. The guy is a class act: he just needs time. Azhar is pretty hopeless these days. Drop him...... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- vasuv (vasuv@eng.umd.edu) hi everybody, i thnk azhar is a very unimaginative captain and hence should abdicate the positon of captain to jadeja or dravid who i think, is a thinking cricketer !!! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Himanshu (hdhamdhere@hotmail.com) seenu>> Dear seenu, Pl enlighten me where did ur Dravid has provided stability. Scoring 20 out of 50 balls is not stability. In fact many opp keep him there because he eats too many bowls without scoring and that dead end in one days -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- wrk4sex (khskas@hotmail.com) Prem -- I just woke up here in Calif; who was the pick of Indian Bowlers? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- dev () guyz!!! i dont see your point comparing tendulkar to gavaskar,richards etc.....well,do any of you have a doubt in your mind about him being a genius??? jesus christ!!!!!!!!!! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- sundari () Azhar sucks -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- soccerfan (sonesh@hotmail.com) has Sachin scored a lot of runs against the West Indies and South Africa ?? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Satish () prem>> Commentators going ga-ga over that catch by Johnson.. was it that good?? Or is it hyperbole?? Prem: goodwin to jadeja, hit out on the leg side, india in 35, 165/3.


Prem: jadeja drives, gets one more through cover, brings sachin on strike. onto the front foot, off drives, the fielder there is deep, one more, moves to 99.


Satish () Prem>> The commentators are recalling last year's tournament which England won with wicket to wicket bowling from the dibbly-dobblers.. I was there in Sharjah then.. saw all the games... makes me wonder why India is not using Robin and Ganguly here... could fit in the extra batsman in the team... as the pitch keeps getting slower, I hope at least Robin gets a bowl in the later games -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Raul (RDRAVID@hotmail.com) Why do people have it against me Prem???? Hey, what is a guy supposed to do when he comes out when the teams hasn't done well, if I go after them and loss my wicket, then I am incompetent and tell these people to come score 5 an over in my position and hats of to them if they Do 3 an over. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Manash (manash.sengupta@cwix.com) What do Dravid bashers have to say about Azhar's dismissal whwn he was in no sort of pressure. I believe yesterday's 94 has fulfilled Azhar's rungetting quota for the next two years. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- abhay () Why are we making a drama out of this pidly total -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- soccerfan (sonesh@hotmail.com) hi guys, why the hell is india playing countries like srilanka, zimbabwe, etc..... couldn't the board arrange for tours with countries like West Indies, England (for the WC), South Africa.... Manash (manash.sengupta@cwix.com) What do Dravid bashers have to say about Azhar's dismissal whwn he was in no sort of pressure. I believe yesterday's 94 has fulfilled Azhar's rungetting quota for the next two years. Satish () Prem>> The commentators are recalling last year's tournament which England won with wicket to wicket bowling from the dibbly-dobblers.. I was there in Sharjah then.. saw all the games... makes me wonder why India is not using Robin and Ganguly here... could fit in the extra batsman in the team... as the pitch keeps getting slower, I hope at least Robin gets a bowl in the later games Prem: way down leg, wide called.


Prem: goodwin to jadeja outside off, and he covers up and lets it go.


Prem: goodwin continues, sachin gets one on leg stump, flicks, gets one to fine leg, moves to 98, off 93 balls, jadeja on strike.


dogmatic () did they cross over -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- seenu (dsrinig@hotmail.com) Well said carlos. I do agree Dravid is slow, but I can't understand that so many guyz single out him for attack. There are many culprits in the Indian team for their failures and people tend to forget the much needed stability to the middle order Dravid has provided many a time.. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- venu (KAYATHIV@YAHOO.COM) hey carlos, If u see the records of azhuu u wouldnot dare to comment on his batting performance Vijay (usd0002c@hotmail.com) Carlos>No quarrel with u there,I myself don't think Azza is a great bat too, but atleast he is hyped up to the world's best cricketer since the Don, which is what gets me about Mr.Technique... Prem: strang to jadeja, this time the defensive push off the back foot.


Prem: strang, and again, jadeja forward, defending.


Prem: strang to jadeja, on leg turning in, and again the defensive push.


Prem: strang to jadeja, on off, and he plays defensively.


Himanshu (hdhamdhere@hotmail.com) carlos>> what is ur point, Azar have played many valuble knock for india he can afford to go slow but Dravid needs to establish himself, he cannot afford to play he is playing esp in oneday cricket which is higly competative -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Aravintha (aravintha@hotmail.com) Tendu can't even be compared with Gavakar. The runs SG scored pace quartet is legendry. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- dogmatic () MAN....wazz wrong with... AZHAR... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- vineet (vineet.pande@csfb.com) Actually, everybody who is human wants to compare any ABC to any XYZ regardless of era etc... And everybody out here wants to think that Sachin is better than the Don. So go ahead and think that way guys !!! No charges for that ! Sachin is all time best for me atleast. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- tvsrini (tvarsrini@hotmail.com) Prem, Sachin has 29 MOM awards in ODI`s. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- soccerfan (sonesh@hotmail.com) i don't think pak have the most talented team south africa does look at the way they performed in the absence of the regulars at DHAKA Prem: There goes Azhar -- tried to swing the first ball of the next over from strang, found johnson on the lline at midwicket, thefielder running in off the line and diving forward to hold. Azhar 28 off 56, india 161/3.


Satish () Dogmatic>> The commentary is in English.. they r not voicing the Hindi version....they just showed Maninder and Yashpal a while ago in the Hindi commentary box at Sharjah.... I used to love Maninder, what a bowler..could have achieved much more.. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Anu () Saying that Pakistan have the best team at the moment is an absolute joke!! What planet is that guy from?! They have jsut been comprehensively beaten by Australia, and are being torn apart by internal strife!! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Vijay (usd0002c@hotmail.com) Himanshu>Thanks a lot for the support... Prem: this time, azhar whipping one from off to leg, gets one, keeps strike, india 161/2 in 33.


Prem: azahr this time through cover, finds the gap, they push the first hard, and take the second. ball five, goodwin, and azhar off his pds, but finds mid on.


carlos (srini@risc.sps.mot.com) Hey Vijay - Couldn't help noticing your digs at Dravid. I will tell you this - Dravid may score 20 runs of 50 balls but at least he scores 20 RUNS ! Unlike Azhar who scores one fifty a season (or two seasons) spends the rest of the time showing off single-digit scores with that "wristy elegance" of his. But I guess you will have to be more unbiassed to see my point of view. Bull () Dogmatic: Why dont you enlighten us too asto what Maninder is saying! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- anjan (anjan@rocketmail.com) What is Sachin upto. Did he hit his century Prem: azhar this time driving, finds cover, no run.


Prem: goodwin, and sahcin gets one on leg, helps it along to fine leg, one more, 97 now and india need 39 more at 2.18.


Prem: back live -- well, almost, waiting for them to wheel that monster coke bottle outa there.


mitul () In my opinion, Pakistan have got the most talented team 9one day and test match) at the moment. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Anu () Sachin is by far the greatest batsmen there has ever been! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- dogmatic () Gavooury... TAKE a HIKE -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ramesh () I would never compare two players of different eras just as I would never compare a modern day singer to Kishore Kumar or Rafi. This Shane Warne being labelled a great spinner is a Aussie media hype. Saqlain Mushtaq or maybe Mustaq Ahmed are the best. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Himanshu (hdhamdhere@hotmail.com) rajeevm>> Vijay is horrified, Dravid is given so many chances but still cannot score... This all due to dirty politics. So he raising the topic to generate awarness we should support crusaders like him instead of being critical of him. indian need more of Vijay. Go Vijay Gavooury () Tendulkar is getting out on 99. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- dogmatic () SATISH whats MANINDER singh saying....love his commentory Prem: ramesh:: viv with 31. sachin has 28. strang sends one through azhar, andy flowr has the bails off, but azhar had his foot well grounded. 157/2 in 32 and that is drinks, breather time for me, be back in two.


mohit (mohit@rmi.net) suresh, we have every right to expect commentry here instead of silly comments! why don't you guys talk to each other on phones about cricket rather than us going to cricinfo? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- abhay () Look's like your server is about to die.. Everytime some good stuff is going to happen your server dies.. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Vijay (usd0002c@hotmail.com) rajeevm>If I remember right, this was exactly the same comment posted by somebodyelse yesterday.. Whats the matter, guy ?Don't know english but want to act like u do ?I can lend u some self-help books on English if u want ... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Himanshu (hdhamdhere@hotmail.com) wrk4sex>> Tendulkar is of different age than Don since Don played in different era with no onedays, so one cannot compare both of them. hell on cannot even compare tendu to gavaskar -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ramesh () PREM: Who holds the record for most Man of Matches?? Prem: strang continues, flights one on off stump and sachin defends. batting 95 off 87, ball two is clubbed to coverpoint, fielder there rides the bounce, fields well. no run. ball three, onto the back foot, good one that ball, on middle turning to off, defensive push. ball four, onto the front foot, finds mid on with the checked drive.


wrk4sex (khskas@hotmail.com) While Sachin is slowing down in view of his impending century, maybe Azhar should try to wrap this baby up in about 35 overs. In case we are ties with some other team, the tiebreaker is the Run rate and we want it to be as high as possible. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Satish () Guys>> Nice to see Yashpal Sharma and Maninder singh in the Hindi commentary box, in realvideo -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- raghu () I don't understand this obsession of people with Prem's comments about the game. I am sure he 'd acknowledge the fact that he is just another fan like the rest of us. His comments are as good as yours and mine. Prem: wicket these last two games tending to get slower as the game goes on -- interesting to think how much slower it will be by the time of the final. sachin pushes to long off again and walks the single. with the field well back, sachin just pushing the single. azhar guides to point but finds the fielder, no run. 156/2 in 31.


Prem: goodwin continuing, ball two is turned off his pads, one more to azhar, brings sachin on strike, india needing 42 at 2.13 per over. sachin drives, back to the bowler, not really putting anything into that shot.


RAMESH (rjagannathan@siumed.edu) Murali ....Sachin didn't play too many great fats bowlers bu this year he demolished SHANE WARNE - who is being labelled as the best spinner of all-times... predicted to become the first bowler to take 500 test wickets...ramesh -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- rajeevm (rajeevm@rocketmail.com) This Vijay guy is a serious mental character. His pet topic every single day is Dravid! Looks like Dravid borrowed this guys kidney!!! I am afraid this guy might even hire a assasin at this rate!!! Get a life guy!!!! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Suresh Mani (smani@netscape.com) I hear some people craving for more commentary, why don't they go to cricinfo and listen to live commentary. You need a sound card and headphone, that's it. The sound quality is probably better than AIR. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- dogmatic () might as well defend the whole over -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Vijay (usd0002c@hotmail.com) Ok guys.I promise, no more talk about Dravid..till he comes up with his next failure, which'll be the next time he plays (Sorry, couldnt resist that dig) Prem: 154/2 in 30, zimbabwe were 92/6 at this point, sachin 94, azhar 24.


Prem: strang to sachin, floats one up on middle stump, sachin takes it on the full, plays getnly to long off, walks the single. strang to azhar, playyed through cover, one more, keeps strike.


Prem: ball four, on off and azhar punches through cover, one more.


Prem: on off turning away and again, azhar defends.


abhay () just curious .. why did mr. captain Send Mongia at 1 down.. Azhar has really lost it as a captain -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- bachaa (alert_bodyshoper@hotmail.com) India Zindabaad! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Deepak () Prem!! sorry to interrupt u. Again the scorecard problem. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Himanshu (hthaku1@uic.edu) As far as I know, all bats get nervous near 100, and besides, this one's a doozy! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ramesh (rjagannathan@siumed.edu) Ramesh .... SACHIN IS THE BEST IN THIS AGE OF CRICKET --- NO TWO DOUBTS ABOUT IT... WANT TO SEE HIM SCORE A TEST DOUBLE HUNDRED SONN THOUGH -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- dogmatic () wazz wrong with AZZZA Prem: strang again, to azhar, who flicks and finds midwicket.


Prem: azhar on strike and paul strang being brought back. sachin batting 93, azhar batting 22, defends to ball on off, no run.


Deepak () Most of the runs Sachin has scored have come in the last 3 to 4 years. he must have score over 5000 runs in the lsat 4 years in around 140 internationals. assuming that he plays for another 10 years, PREM, what do u think his run would be in this form of cricket?? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- wrk4sex (khskas@hotmail.com) Why are we so obsessed with guessing whether Sachin is now better than the Don or not??? In my opinion, he isn't. That question shouldn't even be asked until Sachin's avg cracks the 75.00 threshold. Anyway, who cares if he is No 2 or No 18? GROW UP! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Satish () Vijay>> My objection is only to the fact that U guys are beating the issue to death... what is the point in going on and on abt Dravid?? Let's also discuss other things... a master is displaying his wares... let;s savour and treasure the moment -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Anand (anand@asu.edu) PC: I thought that Campbell was the captian of the Zim.. side -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Vijay (usd0002c@hotmail.com) Good payback to Zim for beating us in the last one day ... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- murali () Prem - Sachin is a great player. I dont intend to belittle his achievements. But remember he cannot be compared to players of the past. The game has lot its charm after the decline of WI. Lloyd and his men were awesome. Haynes had to play Lille,Thomson,Hadlee,Botham,Imran etc. But I doubt whether Sachin has played a bowler of that calibre in recent times! Prem: goodwin now to azhar, one ball left in the over, azhar whips it to mid on, quick single to keep strike.


Prem: goodwin, and sacin clips to mid on from line of off, gets one more.


Prem: outside off and sachin watches it go.


Prem: wide down leg as goodwin tries to keep that out of sachin's reach, one more to the total.


dogmatic () bring back WHITHALL -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- sunil () out of curiosity, where are all the people who are listening to the commentary from?? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Satish () Prem>> R U going back to the earlier format?? That will be good.. will mean lesser work for U too -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- abhay () Prem and dogmatic>> I'm back.. Wow missed all Sachin due to wife's errands.. sucks -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- vineet (vineet.pande@csfb.com) as much as I admire the young genius, he does get a shade tentative when he approaches the ton, even after 35 exquisite ones... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Manash () SAchin the greatest ever...anybody debating on this ? Prem: sachin on strike again. evans the bowler. 8 short of another record, and the interesting thing is that every one of his records is also coming at speed. sorry, murray goodwin to bowl. ball one is played to point, no run. ball two, on off and played back down the track.


Prem: prasad:: frankly, I find comparisons of the is he better than the other kind rather futile -- different ages, different conditions, whats the point? Sachin is a genius, that should be enough.


Prem: azhar trying for the single to third man, finds the fielder, end of the over.


Prasad (vnprasad@rocketmail.com) Prem : Is Sachin the best batsman ever. Has he relegated Sir Don Bradman to 2nd spot -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PC () Poor andy Flower, I wonder what his options are now.. its important to keep the margin of victory low too.. maybe he ought to get Brandes back on too Prem: deepak:: about the other, email me, I';lll respond. sachin pushes to long off and walks the single, that was a no ball as well.


Prem: deepak:: yeah, well, before pakistan gets here, we will split this. commentary will be uninterrupted from then on. johnson to azhar, outside off, guided to backward point, single, one ball left in the 28th.


wrk4sex (khskas@hotmail.com) Since India is likely to qualify for the finals first, it is time for the selectors to think about resting some key players. But, our selectors are as imaginative as a garter snake!!!! Enough said. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Deepak () prem:i have been commenting about sachin's batting and asking for some of you comments. any of them please?? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- mohit (mohit@rmi.net) prem, websites are my only cricket connection in usa and i would appreciate more commentry than chat since i am running back to cricinfo often to check ball by ball update! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Vijay (usd0002c@hotmail.com) Satish>Last time I checked, this site is deocratic, bud.. Why do people pick on anti-Dravid folks alone ? There are a no of people who keep supporting him, doesnt that make u mad as well ? Prem: sachin swishes and misses, outside off, to johnson, looking to run that one down.


Prem: again, the soft push towards point, the fielder there a bit deep for the cut, sachin racces the single.


Prem: outside off and azhar punches through cover, one more. vijay, sure, lets forget it, lets forget chennai, forget the darn guy, no skin off my nose. sachin back on strike.


Vijay (usd0002c@hotmail.com) Prem>No offence, but isn't it time we forgot about the one innings in 75 that was good ? Everybody manages to have one great innings, but that was 3 years back and since then he's done nothing, zero, zilch to justify the faith people have in him... Prem: When he scored his 19th ODI century, in the game against Australia in the Wills Cup in Dhaka, he tallied 35 international 100s -- which puts him on par with Sunil Gavaskar, Viv Richards and Desmond Haynes, all of whom have the same number in Tests and ODIs combined. Sunny Gavaskar had 34 Test tons and one in the shorter version, Viv Richards had 24 in Tests with 11 ODI tons and Haynes had the best balance of them all, with 18 Test tons and 17 ODI 100s. Of the foursome, Tendulkar again is the fastest to the mark -- his 35 100s having come off jjust 263 Tests and ODIs combined, as opposed to the 354 internationals the next fastest, Haynes, took to record that number of centuries. Sachin, in other words, got there in almost 100 internationals less than the prolific Dessie Haynes.


Prem: stand by now for a world record -- with this 100, if and when he gets it, sachin will have 36 international 100s.


Prem: azhar pushing wide of cover, one more. outside off and sachin blazes it through cover, two men deep there, two more for the shot, nice placement there. 90 now to sachin.


dogmatic () guys ...anything besides dravid...would be really appreciated -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- deepak () Hi prem, back to my sachin's analysis. here's how he has mastered the spinners from january. the big shots will be always thru the V, the sixes and fours pretty much there as they were before. the change again is the ones square and finer of the wicket. the legglanced fours and the late cut fours, the ones and twos to bacward sqaure leg and midwicket eother by sweepng or flicking is the new dimension to his game which is producing lot of runs. any comments: prem -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Satish () VIJAY>> FOR ONE LAST TIME, SINCERE REQUEST.. U DON"T LIKE DRAVID.... BY NOW WE ALL KNOW IT. ENUFF.....Why do U have do discuss the same thing every time U log on? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ramesh (rjagannathan@siumed.edu) Ramesh... SRT had 12 centuries at the start of the year, he now has 19, nearing the 20th today, easily his best year in one-dayers, PREM SRT is close to 2000 runs for the year 1998 in one-dayers, isn't it? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mehul () PLEASE GUYS!!!! Let us savour the moment here and enjoy this vintage poece of batting that we are fortunate enough to witness. Prem: evans to sahcin, onto the front foot andd riving, but finds cover and again, shakes his head -- any other batsman with an innings like this would have been grinning broadly I would think. this one, gentle tap to mid on, moves to 88 with the single.


Prem: evvans, and sachin this time gently pushing towards mid on. with the fielders back, sachin drawing them back in by pushing gently and taking the signles. ball two, azhar drives, finds mid off but they are off and running agian.


murali () PREM - Dropping Rahul Dravid from India's ODI side is one of the most shameful acts ever in the annals of Indian cricket. This considering the fact when prodders like Ravi Shastri,Dilip Vengsarkar played for our ODI team for a long time without any problems though they were miles behind when compared to Rahul's batting acumen. Anyway I am stopping my campaign,... Good bye to all of you and to Vijay in particular -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- satya (satyakvv@yahoo) Prem and my dear fans, why not Prem setup a separate chat session on a weekend to discuss about Dravid and his technique and his presence in the ODI cricket. Right now, I am more interested in what is happening in the game.... So, Please... I do not have any other means of watching this game.. so, please let PRem give some commentary on this.. Thanks. and this chat window is too small.most of the space is occupied by the banner ad . I can not resize the window except maximizing it. Hope the resize facility will be provided. Prem, do not bother about questions.. try give the score as fast as possible. Thanks -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- dogmatic () this is like playing at SHIVAJI PARK!! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Vijay (usd0002c@hotmail.com) Himanshu>Well said, pal.. Though I didn't understand the last statement well..Dravid is not totally without talent ? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Satish () Prem>> I just wish Zim had scored close to 300... in this kinda form, Sachin could have even gone for a double...:)) Prem: 136/2 in 26


Prem: sachin batting 86. azhar on strike, 26th over, last ball, johnson, azhar square dfives, finds the fielder. no run.


Prem: vijay:: even fans with memories that cant stretch to durban and donald in slavering fury on a blazing fast track, yeah, right, oh well, never mind. sachin there furious with himself, got one on leg, played it to the fielder and looks very angry with himself. next ball, lets it come on, plays it down with the softest of hands,s ays come, and off they go.


deepak () prem, can u tell me what sachin's score is. the scorecard i think is not getting updated -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- vp[rabhu () Enough of Dravid. Let's talk of sachin's batting technique. Does he middle the ball and see the ball very well -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- sunil () sanjay, technique is important to a degree, but the ability to score runs quickly in 1 day cricket is far more important. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- sunil () sanjay, technique is important to a degree, but the ability to score runs quickly in 1 day cricket is far more important. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Vijay (usd0002c@hotmail.com) Prem>It's because we fans expect no less from the master, so it's not unexpected..If ever Dravid manages to play an innigs 1/4th as good, now that would cause lot of heart attacks to the fans.. Prem: johnson to sachin, slower balland shorter, sachin waits and then plays it down at his feet. this innings, i notice him muttering quite a lot to himself, seems focussed on getting the big one here. johnson, and the glance finds backward square, no run.


Prem: johnson to azhar, and that one, the open bat face, one to third man.


dogmatic () PPL enjoy the moment!!! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Satish () If we win this match handily, as we will ultimately, then Dravid, Prasad and Laxman shd be played in the next game...some key players could be rested.. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- vineet (vineet.pande@csfb.com) Sachin : 76/62 balls Others : 44/84 balls Himanshu (hthaku1@uic.edu) Sanjay, if Bedade had been given as many chances as Dravid he probably would've been better off and better known. Not to say Dravid's totally without talent. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- kabal (kabal@hotmail.com) Azza has been batting thro Evans overs and seems intent on keeping SRT off strike. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- kabal (kabal@hotmail.com) Azza has been batting thro Evans overs and seems intent on keeping SRT off strike. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- dogmatic () oh his hind legss.... AT LAST some HUMOUR -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- bk:::: () Murli:: I hope you read my comments - thats what I am trying to say - carreers should not be screwed so abruptly - and secondly w need Dravid at #3, even in yesterdays innings Azhar was slow and then picked up at the end, and regarding Azhar as captain he's stupid and I'll stick with it throughout my life, he wins matches because of Sachin, Ganguly, and bolwers like Sri. and co. - So commenting on Azhar's captaincy is a pain - he's a good player - no doubt. Prem: 81 off 65 with 12 fours and a six, and there is the most delicate late cut, to go with his earlier delicate leg glance -- the two go together like a pair of the finest earrings, really -- just waited, waited, then nudged it almost out of the keeper's gloves and down to third man for another four. this man is something else.


sunil () when sachin's hot india are hot. the problem occur's when he fail's. 9 times out of 10 the rest of the batsman are unable to get a decent score when he fail's. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Vijay (usd0002c@hotmail.com) Murali>nowadays, each match and each tournament is a do or die one and we can't just say, this tournament is not important, so let's give Dravid a chance of 5 matches and see how he does it..It's do or get out, pal..Anyway, since when international matches are places to learn how to bat and improve yourself ? You either have it before you come into the team or u don't... Prem: good hit by sachin, hammering one to point and very well fielded there, no run.


Prem: evans, on middle and leg, gently places it square on the on, single. the commentators, holding and tony grieg, now running out of superlatives. rather strange, though, here is as gorgeous an innings as you want to see and the fans can onlyl talk of rahul dravid, pro or con. azhar meanwhile opens the bat, runs one down to third man.


Prem: Ooops, more trouble for Evans -- bowls on off and sachin stands there on his hind legs and clubs it through mid on, four more, again on the one bounce.


Sanjay::: () Murli::Do you remember Bedade- He had more no. of sixes than fours in his career and was considered the most slam bang prospect for ODI's - when did you last hear of him - Does it ring a bell - or do I have to say that technique is also important. Prem: johnson now to sachin. short outside off, gentle steer to third man gets him one to keep strike.


Prem: azhar on strike to johnson the field coming in again. if these two keep taking singles, the fielders are going to work overtime, walking back and forth. azhar off his hips, gets one more.


Prem: johnson, down leg again, sachin helps it along for the single.


Satish () This is sweet, sweet revenge.... Zim being shown how to play cricket by the master.. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- dogmatic () this taking a single of the last ball should be banned when SRT is at the other end .. Prem: johnson now to sachin with the fielders as deep as they can possibly get. down leg, sachin turns it round, finds backward square, no run. quite a funny sight that, even as azhar was taking that single, johnson was already gesturing to his skipper that he wanted the field right back for sachin. slower ball on off and sachin in no hurry, defneds.


Prem: azarh on strike to johnson, tries to flick, inner edge onto pad, gets the single to point.


Prem: 5.21 the run rate despite just one run coming off the last over, the effect of that blitz from sachin.


murali () bk and Vijay - I am also not a Dravid sympathiser. But I am against careers being ended without due justice being done. You pick a batsmen who is a specialist at #3 and then push him down the order. Most times he comes in when 2 wickets have gone early. Azhar asking Dravid to bowl against WI shows that he wanted to write hom off forever! Otherwise he would have tried Ganguly or Robin but gave the ball to Dravid. India were in with a chnace when Azhar gave the ball to Dravid... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- dogmatic () dont understand Y ppl take a single of the last ball when SRT is batting -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sang (sangameshk@msn.com) Right now Dravid is excellent TEST MATCH player. Untill he starts to score at fast pace he should be out of ODI. Azza is not that great in his last 25 ODI's but we don't have any strong replacement either. Azza'a performance in NZ will probably give answer to these queries. Prem: evans keeping it on and around off and three quarter forcing azhar to play on the off, not allowing him scope for wristplay. last ball comes on middle and azhar takes the single, pushing to mid on, keeps strike.


Prem: evans to azhar, who pushes to cvover, finds the fielder again.


Prem: swish and a miss outside off again from sachin, meanwhile, the ask has now been brought down to 2.83. evans, and azhar finds cover with a push.


RanaRansher (rana@akula.com) It is high time we saw Khurasia or Waseem Jaffer in action. Blood the young. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- satya (satyakvv@usa.net) 2 sixes by Tendu... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- sunil () murali>technique is not important in 1 day cricket. what is important is the ability to adapt to different situations and score runs quickly when the need arises. dravid is unable to do this and should not be in our i day team. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Satish () Here is to a 20th one from Tendu.... ensuring that there are no NRR calculations later in the tournament... Prem: ball two, the flick, but straight to square leg.


Prem: evans now to azhar, wide of off, a slashing drive from the batsman and he misses with everything.


Prem: azhar on strike, last ball of the 22nd, played through midwicket, single to keep strike. 50 partnership, 12 of those to azhar and the rest to sachin.


Prem: this time, he stays back, clips it through square and gets one more.


dogmatic () awwwright baby... is 25 overs still ON -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- swaminathan (swami@titan.me.jhu.edu) All said and done. I still think that Amay Khurasia deserves a chance to prove his worth and then let us judge if he deserves a place ahead of dravid at the No.3 spot -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Aravinth (aravintha@hotmail.com) Srilanka has a very good chance of winning this cup . If you note from previous tournaments incliding WC91 the eventual winners didn't do well in initial stages except in Dhaka were you have not other choice but to win. Prem: suddenly, sachin seems in the heck of a hurry -- that shot was the biggest six anyone has seen in a long long time. clears an eight storey high pavilion, soaring over it with plenty to spare. 16 runs in four balls so far.


Prem: this time, sachin down the track and hitting over extra cover, that was hit with enormous power, grant flower gets his hand to it, but cant stop the ball, rolls over, four more. and the next ball, down the track, winds up for this and that one is out of the stadium and into the road outsdie. 4, 4. 6.


murali () Vijay - Can u give me a logical reason why Dravid was pushed to #3 after he made that 62 against Zimbabwe in the first game? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- RanaRansher (rana@akula.com) Wow ! Everytime the debate is "TO Dravid or not to Dravid". I geuss this one cannot be exhausted.....ever -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- dogmatic () Sachin for PRIME MINISTER Prem: 4.86 the rate and now sachin onto the front foot, gets to the pitch and thumps the bowler through mid on, flat hit, one bounce and over. four.


Prem: whittall to tendulkar and he is forward, paddling very gently, very fine, long chase, that shot was played from outside off to fine leg, two more.


Vijay (usd0002c@hotmail.com) bk>That was just a joke which is almost true..But what I don't understand is why do we need a guy who scores 25 or 30 in 75 balls ALL THE TIME in a oneday team..C'paul of WI, Attapattu of SL are all good, technically sound players, but when the need arises, they can belt a quick 30 or 40, which Mr.Technique is completely unable to do..Whenever he comes in, he just has the majority of the strike, doesn't score, doesn't rotate strike, upsets the rythm of the partner and makes him lose his wicket. And then he gets out too.. In my opinion, it's high time Mr.Technique was kicked out, and Khurasiya or somebody else brought in... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- swaminathan (swami@titan.me.jhu.edu) Going back to the utility of Dravid, I am of the firm opinion that in pacy wickets, he is invaluable. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- bk:::: () (vthiyagarajan@hotmail.com)::: To answer you I am not a big time Dravid fan but winning teams are not composed of few bolwers and few batsmen who can smash the opposition, whats needed is a consistent, reliable structure - thats where Dravid fits in, Tedu & Ganguly cannot deliver in all the matches - when they fails we need consolidation - I hope your memory is fresh with SRTs 141 at Dhaka, it was Dravid all the way supporting him............. Prem: make that three in a row, end fo the over, just the one in it.


Prem: 3.25 now the ask and azhar puzhes to cover, bit of yes and no, campbell quick there, no run, bit of chatter between both batsmen, tryhing to get their claling sorted out. next ball, again the cover drive off the back foot, finds campbell, no run.


Prem: evnas, on off, azhar whips it to mid on and finds the fielder.


vineet (vineet.pande@csfb.com) dravid is good for no. 3- but hey, we are not playing test matches there, are we. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- supriya (supsiyer@yahoo.com) hail the great..sachin...... maan...wot a batsman he is!!!! Prem: craig evans was given the ball after the 40th yesterdeay, here he is in already, campbell trying his best to check sachin. on off, played to mid on, no run. wicket to wicket bowler, evans, sachin waits on ball two and guides past mid on, single.


Prem: that run rate means that the asking rate has been broought down already, and india going nicely ahead of the zimbabwe total at this point.


Prem: 5 an over the run rate now, india 100/2 in 20, zimbabwe were 71/3 at this point.


Prem: again, the same shot but this time wide of the fielder, single off the last ball and sachin keeps strike.


Prem: tendulkar on strike, clips one to midwicket, no run.


Prem: azhar on drives, finds the fielder, no run. into the 20th over here. whittall not being allowed to settle by either of these batsmen, azhar working him around to leg, and sachin hitting him around at will, azhar now off drives, fielder out deep there, single.


Prem: sachin this time taking whittqall from off, working it wide of mid on and strolling the single.


Ramesh (rjagannathan@siumed.edu) Ramesh .... i think Dravid is the best bet for No. 3 position in England, can't think of anyone else better equipped to handle the attacks of SA,SL, ZIM and England( the other teams in our group) in English conditions amongst the Indian batsman, apart from SRT ofcourse. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Satish () So, guys, looks like India is coasting to an easy win here...shd try to finish the game off soon to maintain a healthy NRR... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- bk::: () Vijay: I am not sure what prompted your remark regarding Dravid - 0,1,2,3,4,5,6.... but I am sure thats not a very intelligent comment - i hope you agree to it, Dravid was never a slam bang player and is there just to hang around and keep one end going which is necessary in matches where wickets keep falling at regular intervals, we have guys to bang the bowlers also we need someone to keep the end while they bang around, and I think all those who are criticizing ganguly must be ill-informed too - 'ups and downs are always there, he's a good player and there's no doubt - I would'nt say after getting a 50 against WI was no mean task while the entire team was collapsing. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Vijay (usd0002c@hotmail.com) Murali>Just checked the score, 64 off 98 balls in Zim.. When Sachin scored 127 off 98 balls, Anyway, when was the last time India won a match because of Dravid, if it has ever ? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- sunil () murali> with the 2 fielders outside the ring for the first 15 overs rule teams need to to be able to get on with it during this period. dravid is not able to do this and this is why he was rightly dropped down the order. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Shubho (shubho@purdue.edu) Hi guys, just joined now...Why was Mongia brought in at 1 down, while chasing 196? Azhar lacks imaginativeness - I personally would wish for a change... Prem: whittall now to azhar, onto the back foot, thumping suare dirve, long chase and three more to the batsman.


Prem: 3.43 the ask now, 107 more to get, and sahcin onto his knee, picks it from off and smashes through mdiwicket and four more to end the over.


dogmatic () SRT going for a 20th here -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- jaya sumyal sher (sindhu@hotmail.com) `sachin please do bat today Prem: flighted on off and sachin turning it gently round, the fielder there very quick, no run.


Prem: 50 off 45 with 8 fours, azhar meanwhile taking one from outside off, working it to mdiwkcet with his wrists, one more.


Prem: azhar plays ball two to midwicket, no run.


Prem: 4.88 the current rate, sachin the batsman and ball one, punched to midwicket off the back foot and that is a fifty, the crowd raising the roof for it.


Ramesh (rjagannathan@siumed.edu) Ramesh ... Time for an SRT-AZZA partnership... I think they haven't done so since the last game at Toronto. There was no logic in Mongia coming in ahead of Azza today. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Raj (vthiyagarajan@hotmail.com) I don't know why so many people like dravid after he did so many miseries. I think the right guy is Mongia. They did it perfectly. Prem: ball six, gentle turn to backward square, gets one more and keeps strike.


Prem: ball five, pushed off the pads to midwicket, no run.


Prem: whittall, on middle and sachin pushes gently back.


Prem: down the leg side and the most delicate leg glance you want to see, four more to sachin.


murali () Vijay - Cool down pal. Dravid was asked to bat #3 in the first game against Zimbabwe recetly. he made 62 of 80 plus balls. After that he has batted #4 for no reason. If Gangs or Sidhu fail they always retaiunn their positions. Why is Dravid alone being pushed around? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- dogmatic () best centure 1) semi finals -- against aussies the desert storm one 2) finals - against aussies.... same cup 3) dhaka - against aussies 4) and 5) wait for the next tour of aussies -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Nanu (nanbun@hotmail.com) Seem tot me like India doesn't have any gameplan. every batsmen comes and triese to hit the bowler out. Players have to accept Tendulkar as supreme and rotate the strike for him. See what happenend .Today How many singles did ganguly take?. See what mongia did?. Seems like he didn't have any instructions from Captain. If you ask azza about this He will say "Everyone should how to play, they are International players". Its just b'cos of Individual perfomances that india keep winning. Hardly nat total team effort or planning. Lets see what happens!!!! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ananth Nagarajan (naga@cadsi.com) 4 specialist batsmen, Robin Singh, wk and 5 bowlers of whom none can be classified as an allrounder - Doesn't this combination strike you as intrinsically flawed in ODI cricket. To draw a rather obvious contrast, South Africa has 6 specialist batsmen, wk, Pollock, Klusner (both of whom can bat quite a bit) and two bowlers - say Donald & Symcox. Same can be said of Aus & SL. Now, India needs to go with at least 5 specialist batsmen in every game. With the current composition, they could win in Sharjah & other subcontinental tracks but not on foreign soil. Ananth Prem: azhar on strike, leaning forward, pushing on the on and racing the single.


Prem: streak off, it is andy whittall to take up the attack, so spin at both ends now.


Prem: strang to azhar, who goes back, clips it off his pads, single to end the over. 82/2 in 17.


sunil () manash> i agree with your taem except for dravid. either pick kambli, or if he is not fit give a chance to one of the youngsters. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- murali () Vijay- SAHARA CUP -> Dravid at #4 in the first 2 games and at #6 in the third and fourth game OK -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- () strang taking a wicketin each over Prem: 7501 runs now to sachin tendulkar in odis.


Prem: sachin this time onto the back foot, guiding it to midwicket, single again.


Prem: ow, that was "cute". Strang on leg turning in, sachin leaning forward, kept the bat in place and just waited for the ball to come on and hit it, got the single out close on the leg side. azhar this time onto the back foot, driving with the turn, cover dives, gets a hand to it, single.


deepak () hi prem, so far of the 19 centuries that sachin has scored, which do u think is the toughest and greatest or atleast list the top 5 this can be a open question Prem: streak going off after htat over, so we are due a change of bowling next over. but for now, it is strang to continue.


Prem: azhar this time onto the back foot, drives, finds mid off, no run to end the over num ber 16


Prem: next ball, on middle, sachin places it wide of midwicket, wants one, sent back but a rare misfield from zim permits the single in the end.


sameer sindhu (sindhu @ hotmail.com) sachin is playing well he must continue today -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Vijay (usd0002c@hotmail.com) Murali>Yeah sure Ganguly has failed, 100 in the 2nd match in Zim,82 against WI in Dhaka..1 hundred and a fifty in his last 3 matches.. Dravid's score in the last 10 matches have been :0,1,2,3,4,5,6,7..Maybe in your books it's a success... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Aravinth (aravintha@hotmail.com) Kambli scored all his runa initally in his career.Now he has been sorted out and everyone knows his weakness.Lately he hasn,t scored much. If anyone can go thruogh his car. stat you can easily findout how he has fared lately. Prem: tendulkar on strike, streak outside off, slower ball tried, sachin spotted that a mile away, glided onto the front foot, waited on it and smashed it through cover, four more.


Prem: oputside off, azhar cover drives, too much wrist on that, thick inner edge and single to mdiwcket.


Prem: azhar on strike now to streak, into the 16th over and gets one nicely on his pad, the trademark whippy flick gets him two through mdiwkcet.


Sorab (sorab_dalal@dfci.harvard.edu) Well this I do not understand. Mongia's job was to take singles rotate the strike so that Sachin does not get bored and run when Sachin tells him to. Instead he tries to hammer the bowler over the top with just a few balls left till restrictions are lifted and promptly gets out. He played a great innings against SL but I question the decision making in letting him come in one down in all the games. BTW since a spinner is on the ball not moving too much and Azhar with a good score under his belt and saying that he wants to bat at #3 should he not have come in at the fall of the first wicket. This is where the thinking becomes a little whimsical IMO. I think that what needs to be done is that Dravid should be given a 10 match run at #3. If he does not perform then drop him but give the guy a fair shake at the spot before that. Sorab -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Himanshu () If you pick a player,he should be asked to do his job at the position that is suited for him. You cant ask Agarkar to start bowling after 25 overs with a old ball. Similarly Bajju cannot be asked to spin the ball in the second over. On all occasions that Dravid was asked to bat his batting slot has been either 4 or 5 or 6. All this because Azza- the big thinker does not know how to handle his players. Remember how he asked Nikhil Chopra,poor guy, to do the pinch hitting recently? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- rocket () Considering that the WC is in England. IMHO, Jadeja may not a good bet in the lower middle order, suspect against pace and swing. Hence, all the more reason to persist with Dravid and may be try another bat. Prem: Tendulkar back on strike, by past record this where he chokes abck and starts looking for the ones. not that way, though -- big drive at streak on off, thick inner edge to backward square for the single.


dogmatic () Ian Chappells comments on competing with the POMS for the ASHES " We have a climed a mountain by defeating PAKISTAN now all we have to climb is a MOLE HILL" -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dilip (wipman@hotmail.com) I don't understand why Mongia was sent in at no. 3. The asking rtae is well below 4 runs/over. This was the ideal time for Azza to come in and get some valuble batting prac at no.3, if he wants to bat at this no. Defies logic -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Manash (manash.sengupta@cwix.com) Sunil, my XI will be Ganguly, Tendulkar,Dravid,Jadeja, Azza, Robin, Mongia, Srinath, Agarkar, Kumble and Harbhajan or chopra. If Agarkar does not play well, I will have Prasad. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Kunal Goklany (kgoklany@ft1999.rsm.nl) My team for the world cup Batting order Sachin Ganguly Dravid (Kambli) Azhar (Capt) Jadeja (V Capt) Mongia Agarkar(Prasad) Srinath Joshi Kumble Mohanty(Harbajhan) This is the team of 14 and the names in bracket are the substitutes Mt two cents worth! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- raju sindhu (sindhu@hotmail.com) captain was on wrong way by sending mongia he might come ist down -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- vineet (vineet.pande@csfb.com) Unbelievable !! Mongia committing the same mistake as Ganguly !! What's the big need to go down the track to Strang, on a track that seems to favour spin, at a time when your footwork is yet unsettled, at a stage when just hanging in there would ensure victory. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Uncle (Uncle@hotmail.com) I think there will be a collapse now! India can easily lose this game if tendulkar departs in the next 5 or 6 overs. Have to be very careful now! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Aravintha (aravintha@hotmail.com) Two wickets down. How about an upset victory for Zim Prem: two balls left in the strang over, azhar on strike, gets one on leg turning in, pushes at it, gets it on the pad, no run. slip nd silly point in place. last ball, azhar drives, finds cover, no run.


Himanshu (hdhamdhere@hotmail.com) asterix>> Kambli can play well much better than any talent we . He has talent and has good record -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- murali () Ganguly has failed recently in most games. 28 of 49 is poor considering Zimbabwe's pace attack.If it was Dravid again the mountains would fall on him -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Vijay (usd0002c@hotmail.com) Murali>Dravid batted in No 3 in all the matches in Toronto, except the last one.. He never made more than 3 runs, Maybe a good idea to send him at 10, so that he'l atleast make 10 runs... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ramesh (rjagannathan@siumed.edu) Ramesh... Kambli can be suitable for the squad of WC99 only if he's physically fit, I remember after being dropped for the England tour of 1996, the added lot of weoght thru' the summer, 0nly later he reduced it somewhat, so don't know what to expect after such a long break for injury. Prem: drinks on at the fall of that wicket, so taking a breather here.


Himanshu (hdhamdhere@hotmail.com) Murali>> Dravid has been given lot of chances now he should be rested -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bull () Well Nayan cannot treat Strang like he treats Dhama!... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Vijay (usd0002c@hotmail.com) tvsrini>Anybody who's followed cricket as avidly as I've since Azza's debut will be against Azza..It's very easy to spot mediocre players.. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Himanshu (Aravith) Kambli should be given chance he is a fighter and has good record he will be fine Prem: there goes mongia, went down the track to strang, looking for the inside out drive over mid off, but ends up hitting straight to the fielder, Johnson taking the catch easily there.


sunil () manash if you play azhar and dravid who would you drop??? sachin? ganguly? jadeja? india can't drop any of these 3 but they can'y play more than 5 batsman. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- asterix (cheekus@hotmail.com) kambli, u shud be out of ur mind. with the ball moving in england, he is NOT EQUIPPED to face the quickies in england.!! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- murali () Dravid is essentially a #3 player. Ever since he was dropped from the ODI side, his batting slot has not been constant. How many times has he batted at #3? Players like Ganguly, Siddhu,Azhar have always mainted their batting slots irrespective of their failures? Try Dravdi at #3 for 3 matches and if he fails repeatedly then you give him the boot. Of late Dravid comes in at #4 and in both the occasions at Dhaka India were precariously placed when he came in. So how do you expect him to switch gears? Prem: short midwicket now moves to backward short leg, the second close catcher. mongia off his pads plays ball one to square leg, no run. ball two, forward, defending.


Prem: strang to continue, campbell taking a lot of time with his field setting, has a slip now and a short midwicket.


tvsrini (tvarsrini@hotmail.com) Vijay, you seem to be anti-Azhar! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- goind () Prem:Why don't the scores update in real time? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Aravinth (aravintha@hotmail.com) Kambli will not be suitable in English conditions. The ball moves a lot and he doesn't know how to counter it. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- vineet (vineet.pande@csfb.com) A fatal mistake there from Ganguly. This track is favouring spin, number one. His footwork is not at the best today, number two. There was no haste for runs, number 3. Prem: streak continues, to mongia, outside off and mongia guides it to backward point, single to end the over.


Prem: on off and mongia squares up, defends with body behind bat.


dogmatic () 11 more runs for SRT.... for 7500 runs in 1days -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bull () Lets see if Azza comes in now or later... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- sunil () india's batting is so strong that any target is not out of our reach. india's bowling is also good in that they contain the batsman. if only india could improve their fielding they would surely be favourites for wc99. Prem: 35 off 34 sachin, this one is on off and he pushes to mid on, races the single.


Prem: streak to tendulkar, outside off, tendulkar easing onto his front foot and driving on the up, opening the bat face and splitting the gap between point and cover. four, again the fielders reduced to spectators.


Prem: Interesting, Mongia in at three here. that was the last ball of the over, it is streak to tendulkar, good ball on off and middle adn tendulkar defends.


Manash (manash.sengupta@cwix.com) Himanshu (hdhamdhere@hotmail.com) ven>> I agree with u. But I hope Kambli plays he so good -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ramesh (rjagannathan@siumed.edu) Ramesh...Azza will be very valuable at No.4 during WC99, especially against the 2 strong medium-fast/fast attacks of SA and England (at home only), the 2 main teams in our group, not to forget Champions Sri Lanka as well, only 3 get thru' to the super-six round, that's a very tough group. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Manoj (gandhimn@erols.com) Best one day team : South Africa( Best test team : AUs) Best Batting side : INDIA Best Bowling side : Aus Best fielding Side : SA Also we should try to give chance to Laxman or Khureshia. In case of Laxman i think he can be used as Bowler if regular bowler don't click. Otherwise we should do like SA include as 3-4 all rounder (Robin, Kanitkar...) -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ven (vhari#sun.science.wayne.edu) Aeveral typos in my last posting. With respect to Agarkar I meant keeps TAKING wickets not keeping wkts! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sajid Bhombal (sajid@loxinfo.co.th) Prem, I think you should stop this chat show type of expert opinions. Opinion expressed here are all junk and Rediff can loose its credibility by presenting this kind of debates. Expert comments should come from experts and not from general public. Vijay (usd0002c@hotmail.com) Remember our tour to WI in 89 under Vengsarkar? Azza was so scared of Marshall and Ambrose that he literally used to run away from the crease...Vengsarkar said at the end of the tour that if you are scared of fast bowling, you should never play cricket ... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mike (cmrajjf) Well Prem do you think it is a good idea to rest Rahul Dravid tomorrow too against the lankans -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Karun (pkaruna@hotmail.com) Well said Anantha. Even Gavaskar, Shasthri used to be arrogant in the past. But Azhar listens to his players. Only thing is he wastes his innings sometimes by going for mishits. If people think Azhar makes bad decisions, think about Ranatunga in the past 2 tournaments. Also Aamir Sohail.. Because of their poor decisions , they were out. Everybody makes mistakes. Prem: there goes the wicket, ganguly again down the track, strang that time bowled a fuller length, ganguly changed his mind, tried to push square, he was playing for turn but that went through straight, the stumping is easy.


Prem: ball four, ganguly down the track, slams it through cover, taking it on the halfvolley, brandes dives but cant get anywhere close to it, that was hit with a lot of power.


Prem: strang now to the southpaw, ganguly, india needing 139 more at 3.7, good ball thhis, on off and turnning in quite sharply, ganguly hurries a push. slip in place, also short cover. next ball, no called, ganguly down the track then changes his mind and defends.


vineet (vineet.pande@csfb.com) yup. U cant however expect IndiA TO MESS UP SIMILARLY, BATTING SECOND AND WITH THE MAESTRO IN THE REALM OF THINGS -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- deepak () Hi guys, stop this thing on azhar. we need someone who is experienced in the team. azza is just a wonderful player and we need to understand that he is fully fit bats as elegantly as he used to be, field so well and has the support of the team. there is no reson to change the composition of the tema except for kambli (may be) or someone who is as good as ricky ponting or atapattu to get the score moving along. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Mehul () Hey Guys !!!! Enough about Azhar and Dravid. Let's concentrate on the game. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sandeep Singh (sandy@hotmail.com) Guys, Rahul-fans are too blind :-) By the way, if we go on scoring 4s and 6s, do we really need to take singles as many ones insist on? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dhirendra () If Azhar tells that he will retire after world cup 99, I think India Team will try extra efforts to win the cup to give a memorable farewell to their captain. It would be good for Indian Cricket and Azhar will be remembered for ever for good cause.- Dhirendra Prem: same line, ball two, and sachin again head over the ball, angled bat, letting the ball hit it and drop dead. ball three, outside leg, sachin goes for the paddle, off the pad to short fine and a leg bye.


Prem: sachin pointing that out, and now deep backward point comes up to widish gully. on off, turning away, sachin defends.


Prem: Lots of time being taken in field setting, I can see one short catcher at short cover but damned if I kow who the other one is.


ven (vhari@sun.science.wayne.edu) Agarkar Vs Prasad: Agarkar is a much beeter bat, fielder and so long as he keeps wkts, it is difficult for replacing him with Prasad. On English pitches as needed Prasad may be the third medium pacer at the cost of a spinner ( Joshi,or Chopra,or Harbhajan)As for Dravid, he is outstanding for tests but he will have to fight for a place in ODI. His scoring rate is too slow, he has been give plenty of chances. There are a number of other young players who could be given a chance especialy since Kambli is unlikely to be available. As for Azza, his record in England is not anything to write home about but he hol;ds his place in team by virtue of his fielding, experience and hope that he will do as well this time in England as he does frequently in sub-continent type pitches. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- himanshu (hdhamdhere@hotmail.com) srini>> I think the choice is not between Rahul or amay Amay is in so is Kambli. Dravid is useless batesman who cannot score -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- dogmatic () is SRT giving any advice to gangs here... Prem: change in bowling, off goes brandes after 7, looking below his best, and on comes paul strang. bowling to tendulkar, the leg break bowler, so that makes for an interesting contest in context of what sachin did to shane warne.


Prem: this is the period when zimbabwe made a meal of things, went from 43/0 in 10 to 55/3 in 15, india pulling away here, sachin 31/28 seemingly in prime touch thus far.


Prem: End of the over, and india after 12, 57/0.


Anandha (Anandha@jagat.net) The hallmark of Azar's captaincy is that he treats the team members as seniors. "If they can make it to Test level they know what to do" - in his words. He may be right because most of the guys are captains of their respective state teams. Azar's approach is different from an autocratic Cronje or Taylor but I feel he has maintained a lot of harmony in the team, ( no fights like WI or Pak or Aus ). Keep it up Azar. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A () Prem : how was the indian fielding today? sloppy or better? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Karun (pkaruna@hotmail.com) Some of you are talking too much about Azhar. You should agree he is gifted player and successful thro his career. Just for supporting Dravid, you shouldn't talk bad about Azhar. Yes, I agree. Dravid should be given some chance. But he has to improve lot in ODI matches. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- criclovers (hercules@cnnsimail.com) Sachin is going to score 20th century today! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Deepak () hi prem!! do u remember me saying earlier that he is keeping his shots down. and that must have been what happened there.. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- dogmatic () SRT in berserk mode...awesome -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bull () Murali >> Yeah a good performance would make us complacent and a bad performance would take us out of our confidence, so what do you want us to do>? Prem: streak to ganguly, who plays with the shut bat face this time, from off to midwicekt, finds the fielder, no run.


Prem: Outside off, ganguly launches into that and mishits again. too eager ganguly, that one went off the inner edge and missed the stump by very little. the next ball, on off and pushed back to the bowler.


Srini (srini@bellcore.com) Sandy():People who are criticizing Azhar were his fans at one point of time or other.But being good analyzers of the game,know his weakness against moving ball in English conditions and hence the debate.I think Rahul or Khurasia should come at No:3 in WC99. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Vijay (usd0002c@hotmail.com) It's not true that Azza can't handle swing bowling.. He can't handle any bowling, period.. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dhirendra () sandy >> I am not Rahul Fan. I have no doubt that Azhar is a good player but the point is he is AGEING. Look at his performance and you will come to know that. Also I want him to retire gracefully like Sunil Gavaskar and not like Kapil or Ravi Shastry. I hope you get my point- Dhirendra Prem: streak, the sower ball, yorker, sachin spots it, waits, digs it out and punches past the bowler, single before mid on can race across and stop the shot.


Prem: streak to sachin, outside off and majestically dismissed -- flowing cover drive, all along the ground and left the field standing, that one went inches wide of cover, but no chance for the stop.


dogmatic () i think gangus times up -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- murali () Prior to the WC, the BCCI should have planned the iternary in such a way that we play tough cricket with teams like SA,SL or maybe Aus. But we are playing only NZ. And a good performance against NZ will make our players complacent! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sree (sree50@yahoo.com) Azza is a good cricketer... We need both Azza and Dravid to WC -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- sunil () murali> averages are insignicant in 1 day cricket. dravid should definetely be in the test team but he is not a 1 day player.his fielding is poor and he scores his runs too slowly for this type of cricket. azhar can play swing bowling as he has shown on his previos visits to this countryand should DEFINETELY play in wc99. Prem: brandes again, and ganguly off the back foot finds cover on the punch, no run, 52/0 in 11.


Prem: this time, brandes wide of off, and there is that superlative fielding, gnaguly cut brilliantly and an even more superlative stop by paul strang at point, full stretch, and from there, he palms the ball to cover so that fielder ccna pick up and throw. great stuff, but next ball, the half volley on off and ganguly clinciallly dismisses that one through extra cover.


Dhirendra () Just now I saw Sachin's statistics. It is surprise to know that against ZIM he scored at the avg of 37 runs. -Dhirendra -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Manash (manash.sengupta@cwix.com) Kambli has not been successful anywhere else except India and Sri Lanka. His major weakness is the swinging delivery outside the off-stump and also he shuffles abit too much to expose his leg stump. I will take him to England, though Rahul will be my better choice in the playing eleven - remeber his last tour there. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- A.M.Kain (amkain@yahoo.com) This match will get over in the 43rd over. What are the odds for it?? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- ravikanth (ravikanth@worldnet.att.net) It is not true that Azhar cannot handle swing bowling. He has played for Derbyshire in the county season and has some outstanding performances in England too. Only if Rahul had the ability to shift gears and move it along he would have been an ideal no.3 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sanchayan () Murali if you have been following cricket for a while you would remember Azhar's century at Lord's in 1992 ( one in which Gooch scored over 300).. According to Brian Johnston and Chris Martin Jenkins of BBC Test Match Special team .. that was one of the best in all the years they had been following the game .. BJ was 84 then Prem: brandes to ganguly and there's that overeagerness again -- this was short and wide outside off, the batsman keeps his feet in place and launches a drive, mishits onto hhis pad, no run. ball trhee, on leg, played to mid on, finds the fielder.


Prem: brandes to sachin, middle and leg and sachin this time flicks with the wrist, gets one through square leg, going at a run a ball now, 26 off 26


Sandeep Singh (sandy@hotmail.com) I don't know why you people are so much against Azza. I think most of you are Rahul-fans who are trying to find fault with a great cricketer like Azza just to hide lack of those qualities in Rahul -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dhirendra () RaviKanth >> Good augur for US. It could be a 20th ODI for Sachin. I am sure whenever Sachin scores 100, that makes us more happier then Sachin himself- Dhirendra -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Vijay (usd0002c@hotmail.com) Murali>Maybe Dravid's an asset, but I hope Azza decides to keep the asset well away from the playing 11. A match is not won by the no of assets in the team, it's by the no of runs scored, to which we can expect no contribution from the asset, technique or no technique.. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Anandha (Anandha@jagat.net) Sorab_dalal, I think Prem said, if Azhar went for a strong bowling team why did we bowl first on winning the toss ? Prem: streak, with tendulkar's wicket four times in 12 matches, not really bowling the right line, seems to be trying too hard for the wicket, now to ganguly who drives, finds cover, india 47/0 in 10, zimbabwe at this point were 43/0.


Prem: Outside off, sachin drives, opens the bat face a bit too much -- there he is, practising that one again in slow motion -- and as a result, running it to third man off the outer edge. one more.


murali () SUNIL -> You mention that Azhar has experience playing in UK. Look at his batting record in UK on Cricinfo.He was a failure always! Geoff Boycott in Times of India pointed out recently that Azza will fail in Uk if he bats at #3 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bull () If Zim is going to pull this off it is going to be the fielding which is going to do it for them... atleast 20 runs have been saved till now by good efforts in the field!!! Prem: streak again, to sachin. short, not short enough for the pull, though, sachin tries it anyway, but finds midwicekt, not really hitting that off the middle.


Prem: tendulkar a bit unhappy with movement near the sightscreen, lull in play while he gets things the way he wants them, streak to continue and thus far, seems to be trying to bowl all sides of the wicket, outside off, middle, down leg, hard to set a field to that. streak, ball three, middle and leg but fuller length, tendulkar defends.


Ankur () good point Prem -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Vijay (usd0002c@hotmail.com) tvsrini>How's it going ? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- dogmatic () dead sure gangs gonna take a run of the last ball -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- murali () Sunil -> Dravid should play in WC at No 3. Azza cannot handle swing bowling. No matter what records he breaks,he is a very average player. When you play in UK, no team can pile scores above 250 because the bowlers will also have a good chance unlike on Asian pitches.It si in Uk where Dravid will be a definite asset. But AZZA should go! Prem: full toss, attempting the yorker, there was swing on it but sachin onto the front foot, waited on the swing then clipped him through the midwicket-mid on gap, four more.


Prem: Streak continues, bowling to tendulkar, on off and a lovelyl cover drive, great diving stop, fielder gets a hand to it to take the sting off but that ball has enough on it to take it past him for two more.


RaviKanth (ravikanth@worldnet.att.net) Inida seems to be coasting along. Any bets on Century no. 20 today???? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- sunil (sxa650@css1.bham.ac.uk) kambli is not in the mumbai side as he is injured. prasad though a good test match bowler can neither bat nor field and so i would not pick him in the i day team. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sorab (sorab_dalal@dfci.harvard.edu) Hi Prem In y'days match report you said that India should take five bowlers and bat first so the bowlers know what they have to defend. Azhar decides to field. Going in his favor I suppose is that the two previous games have been won by the side chasing. Any comments on this in your report would be appreciated. Sorab PS I hope I quoted you right. I do not have the report in front of me -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- GK (oltsp@aol.com) In zim innings there are totally 9 fours and two sixes. In Indian Innings alreasy 4 fours ! What is says. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sree (sree@yahoo.com) India should consider ro increase the run rate here.. In case if they loose both of remaining matches then still they will make it to final if teh run rate is good.. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rajeev (baids@ibm.net) No need really for the batsmen to step on it Prem: brandes, outside off, ganguly cover drives, to the fielder, no run, end of a maiden.


Prem: good time for ganguly to really bat himself back into touch, run rate is not an issue here so he can concentrate on getting his footwork and timing back.


Prem: on the right line this time, middle and off and climbing and ganguly pushing back down the track.


Rajeev (baids@ibm.net) Each batsmen trying to outdo each other with boundaries -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- sunil (sxa650@css1.bham.ac.uk) murali> azhar has so much experience you can't afford to leave him out of wc99. he has played in england on many occasions and he will easily be able to adapt to the conditions here. these youngsters should be given a go, but not in place of azhar, at least not b4 the wc has finished. Prem: brandes to ganguly, half volley really that one, outside off, ganguly drives but overhits the ball, finds the fielder at cover, no run.


Prem: brandes again, now the slip has swung out to a widish gully, a short cover the other close catcher, outside off and ganguly driving, nice and fluent but the cover point is in place for the shot, fields, no run.


Prem: good line on off seaming in a shade and ganguly covers the movement, defends.


sunil () Dont mention Kambli. he is not in the Mumbai side either. Also I would replace Agarakar with Prasad in UK because Prasad bowls a lot of swing which is what is required in English conditions Prem: Neither batsman really stepping on it, yet India going along quite nicely here at 5 an over. brandes to continue.


Prem: streak, this time middle and leg, slightly short, sachin quickly onto the back foot -- the speed of this guy's weight transfer is somethign else -- swinging it round backward of square, two more to end the over.


dogmatic () this match could be over by 25 overs -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- sorab (sorab_dalal@dfci.harvard.edu) Hi Prem How are things going? Why is Agarkar being taken to the cleaners like this? Is he bowling too short? Sorab Prem: streak again, to tendulakr, on off seaming in, tendulkar opening the bat face, driving against the movement but finds cover, no run.


Prem: streak again, to tendulkar, on off and played defensively off the back foot, 38/0 in 7.4.


Prem: amish:: wait for the match report, please? sanchayan:: alone here, will do my best. wide outside off and sachin wanted to cut, trying to guide it down to third man, missed.


Sanchayan () Prem could you post the scores in between overs ..the scorecard takes a while to refresh -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- gururaj (hsguru@hotmail.com) Prem : I feel the indins are doing well with this team. A victory here and a defeat theer is all a part of the game. I feel they should opt for one more batsman than 5 specialist bowlers. In WC99 dravid will be a good bet. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dhirendra () Prem >> OUZAT Abusive postings must not get publish anymore. I wonder how you missed that. -Dhirendra -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Amish () Prem..how well did Chopra bowl today ?? Prem: Uh oh, more trouble. half volley on off and sachin onto the front foot, swinging it over midwicket, one bounce and over the ropes.


Prem: streak bowling to tendulkar, on off and the punch off the front foot finds the fielder at point.


Prem: Johnson meanwhile taken off, Streak comes on.


Prem: Brandes, unlike agianst the lankans, not really getting his line right and getting taken here by these two.


dogmatic () i think Azhar should tell his players to get all the runs in singles ... a good practice -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- sunil (sxa650@css1.bham.ac.uk) india's team to win the world cup : sachin, ganguly, mongia ,azhar , jadeja , kambli , r singh , srinath ,joshi , agarkar , kumble . 8 players in the team can bowl, and there is a good mixture of youth and experience. comments??? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Ramesh () India seem to have forgotton the importnce of singles.. though I dont remember the last time they got them -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- deepak (d_bhupalam@hotmail.com) As i have told u earlier, tends waits for the ball. over the years, as he matured, this is one of the things that he mastered. next important thing is he has realized that rotating strike is important. he runs his singles very fast and converts some of them into twos. well, i remebr his ininngs at sharjah and that in dhkak. in dhaka, he and jaddu put somuch pressure on fielders. mann,somany runs between the wickets Prem: last ball of the 7th, shhort and swung around, in the air but wide of midwicket, two more to end the over, ganguly not really rolling his wrist over that pull but managed to guide it wide of the fielder.


Prem: Brandes, agaain drifting to leg, ganguly off the hips and square on the on side, two more.


tvsrini (tvarsrini@hotmail.com) Prem, Sachin in 10* right? Prem: brandes, ball three, on off and ganguly on his toes, playing it down towards cover, no run.


Prem: Ow, Brandes really made that one jump into ganguly's ribs, the batsman having a hard time riding the bounce and playing it down. nbext ball, though, nice and easy, three quarter, angled across on off and ganguly eases it between point and cover, four more.


murali () SUNIL -> Azza will be a big failure in UK in WC 99. He has been scoring a fifty once in 7 innings. By persisting with Azza we are dneying a chance to the youngsters like Amol Mazumdar or Khurasia. But Kumble is bowlinga tight line. He is not getting belted though he does not pick too many wickets -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Jayadev (Jay@sprint.ca) It seems Ganguly is going great guns and timing better.Sachin , I think, needs to face some more balls so that He can get the feel of the pitch. dogmatic () Only JAVED AKHTAR can get Tendlya OUT -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- veera (veera13@yahoo.com) Whats this about "chronic bad behaviour?" As long as harmones rule, this thing will always continue... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Bull () HEY PREM! Cant you have some posting automation done and then have some bad-language filters on this page? Even though I agree witht he sentiments of the Azhar-fan, being one myself... this is no way to put it!! Prem: and this time, a lovely off drive, but good fielding there, no run. end of the over.


Prem: johnson again, this one is the halfvolley on off, johnson's big problem is that he keeps presenting these gimmes, and now sachin's turn to put it away through extra cover, perfect timing.


Prem: ooutside off, nipping back a shade and tendulkar pushes his pad at it. johnson the guy who got tendulkar out in the Test earlier, now bowling on leg, tendulkar flicking but missing, pad and finds midwicket, no run.


Prem: ouzat or whatever your name is, that language might suit your drawing room, it doesnt go up here. johnson, ball one, gets tendulkar on the pad, huge appeal but that was the inner edge onto pad, no problem. ball two, a gentle push to mid off, no run.


ouzat () To all the Azhar bashers - FUCK U ALL MOTHERFUCKERS!!! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Rahul (rahul@4ss.com) The problem I see with the indian batting is not enough singles . SA almost takes a single off every ball -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- murali () AGARKAR HAS GIVEN 50 PLUS IN 10 OVERS IN ALL THE 7 MATCHES HE HAS PLAYED RECENTLY - IS HE A GOOD BOWLER? Do we want a bowler who curtials runs or who merely gives a early breakthrough and then gets whacked all over? Prem: 22/0 in 5, zimbabwe at this point being 26/0.


Prem: brandes to ganguly, ball five, outside off, again the overeagerness -- you find that mostly when batsmen have had a bit of a lean trot -- has ganguly mishitting something he would have put away a month back, finds midwicket with the cover drive, thin inner edge. last ball, on leg, off the hips but finds square leg, no run, three in the over.


Prem: vijay:: well, I did post up there that both teams are unchanged, but maybe you missed that. Sachin this time, to a ball outside off, waiting for it to pass the stumps, then the cut, single to backward point.


dogmatic () As long as ganguly doesnt take a run of the last ball india will win -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Vijay (usd0002c@hotmail.com) Prem>Is Dravid in the line-up today ? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Anandha (Anandha@jagat.net) How we long to see Tendu against Waqar & Akram and Agarkar to Afridi. The current match is no turn on! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- sunil (sxa650@css1.bham.ac.uk) murali> the way kumble has been playin lately he's lucky to still be in the team!!! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- deepak (d_bhupalam@hotmail.com) continuing my tends batting analysis, he has sorted out not to play the ball in the air when hitting the ball on the up on the offside. over years, captains had a short cover and shortish point for anything that he used to hit on the up. being a bottomhand player, he used to get out quite a few times. but as you look at his offside shots, very rarely does the ball go into the air. any comments: prem Prem: brandes again, on off and sachin defends.


Prem: brandes agin, to sachin, this one on off, sachhin forward, aiming for the gap through midwicket, ball stopped a bit on him, off the thick bottom edge, two in the direction he intended it to go.


Prem: johnson is medium fast -- which I guess defines as medium pushing towards the fast mark, nice pace through the air but a skiddy actino takes away a bit of that airspeed by the time the batsman gets it. brandes to sachin, outside off, a blazing square drive and a superb stop at point, no run.


dogmatic () is johnson a medium pacer or full fledged steamin in pace bowler -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Asterix (cheekus@hotmail.com) wait guys, azza is not doing that bad. we shud have him for some more time. any who will replace him? Prem: johnson to ganguly, shorter in length this time on off and played to short cover, no run.


Prem: Bit of natter between the two batsmen, sachin in hindi telling the batsman to call early. doesnt have to this time, though, johnson feeding ganguly a nice long hop on off and the batsman leans into his pet cover drive, four more, left the field standing.


Prem: Johnson looks a lot better going round the wicket to the southpaw. slip and short midwicket in place and this one is on off, ganguly pushes, shapes to run then figures not, sends sachin back.


MURALI () AZHAR SHOULD GO! They should ask KUMBLE to lead -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Sanchayan () Is there a way to know whether ganguly's grip on the bat has changed ?? Specially the grip of his top hand (right) ?? that is the most important one for his driving -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Himanshu (hdhamdhere@hotmail.com) Vijay>> We may be minority but we are right. Hope many will realise it sooner, if they give Dravid more chance Prem: johnson again, to ganguly, on off and the batsman forward, head over the ball this time and feet in place, playing to mid on, no run.


Prem: johnson again, short outside off, a fierce cut off the no ball but a good diving stop at pint keeps the scoring to just the extra.


Prem: Ganguly on strike, johnson the bowler. now going round the wicket, to the left hander, gets one close to the stumps, left alone.


Jay .s.Kidambi (bharath@sprint.ca) Hai, Prem. I am first time entering the chat.The redesigned version is really excellent to stop the unwanted remarks of unwanted people who doesn't know the decorum of conducting chat.. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- dogmatic () hey prem... coming back to Mr.T ...juzz kiddin -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- sunil (sxa650@css1.bham.ac.uk) murali> who would you replace Azhar with??? india have nobody to replace him as captain, he's india's best fielder and he scores runs as regularly as any of the other indian batsmen beside's sachin. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Dhirendra () Murali >> I hope Azhar retire gracefully after world cup99. But look like he has desire to play for another 4-5 years leaving no option but to sack him after worlcup99- Dhirendra -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Deepak (d_bhupalam@hotmail.com) Hi guys, I had watched the big innings from tends recently and found some changes in his approach to batting like he waits for the ball more when you compare him how he used to play last year. Prem: last ball, again the same line but this ttime, some movement off the seam and tendulkar over it, on the front foot, rides the movement and plays defensively.


Prem: Uh oh, trouble for Brandes -- pitched it full on off, tendulkar forward, right ovver the ball and smack, back dwon the track past the bowler and four with a lovely straight drive.


Prem: Outside off, ganguly goes chasing, gets the bottom of the bat to it - feet not moving like his best, ganguly -- ball in the air but wide of the guy at gully, one down to third man.


dogmatic () awwwwwwwwwwwright -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- dogmatic () wass the bet they gonna give him another run on the last ball Prem: brandes now to ganguly. early days yet but brandes not looking as sharp as he did yesterday. middle stump line and full, this time, looking to move it in, ganguly playing in line, finds midwicket, no run.


Prem: ball two, on off, straightening this time, tendulkar rides the bounce and gets the one down to deep backward point.


Prem: Brandes, ball one of the 3rd, with two slips in place, pitches outside off seaming away, three quarter length and nice lift off the track, tendulkar covers up and lets it go.


dogmatic () Gangs especially falls for it Prem: a push to point ends the over, so now it is tendulkar on strike with brandes the bowler.


Prem: again the same line but ganguly a bit overeager, didnt move his feet, launched his bat at it, bottom of the bat to square leg, no run.


Prem: johnson this time serving ganguly a gimme -- angling across, pitching full, outside off, nice half volley for the southpaw and he eases it past cover, four. the classic ganguly drive, that.


dogmatic () Everybody seems know the way of getting Tendlya out.. keep him at the other end -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PC () Ganga had developed this shot, where he came down the track to quickie, covered the angle and hit them over the off field, ssems to have stoipped playing that one completely -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- sunil (sxa650@css1.bham.ac.uk) vijay> dravid has got an excellent technique and is an asset to any test match team in the world. HOWEVER in 1 day cricket batsman need to be able to adapt to different situations depending on the match situation. i do not believe that dravid is able to do this and agree with you that he should not be in the indian 1 day team. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- deep () Not a good idea to tell the openers to set any target for first 15 overs .let them play their natural game -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Chitra Hindnavis (svp_dallas@hotmail.com) Krishna Kaliappan, Are u the one in Geneva Prem: johnson, bad ball, full toss just outside off, ganguly drives but though he middled it, no real punch in the shot, ball rolling easily to mid off, no run.


Prem: Ball one, and from line of off, ganguly pushing gently to cover, no run, but he got it in the middle of the bat which is what, given his recent bad trot, he will need here. ball two is outside off seaming further away, ganguly shaped to cut, then saw the ball move away and let it go.


tvsrini (tvarsrini@hotmail.com) You bet, Vijay!! -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- mudit tandon (mudittandon@usa.net) i hope we dont crumble... hey, whats this talk about dravid?(i just joined) i think he's an amazing player- in tests AND onedayers... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- murali () HEY FOLKS PLEASE JOIN ME IN GETTING AZHAR OUT OF THE TEAM -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Saurabh (sgups@hotmail.com) we can post good..what was that about tchies not around today..u dont have to answer it prem Prem: Slip and a short square leg, very square, the close catchers this over, and neil johnson to bowl the second over.


Prem: brandes, and again on leg, ganguly off the hips, gets one to deep fine, to end the first over and retain strike. brandes yesterday bowled an off and middle line, here he seemed a touch more to leg.


Prem: Brandes to ganguly, this one is the wrong line, on leg and ganguly taps it through square leg, two for that. there was a hint of outswing, but the ball was middle and leg, so the bat moving with the line of the swing.


Prem: This one is fuller in length, on off and middle, ganguly plays to mid on, finds the fiedler there, no run. brandes again, ball four, outside off, room there for ganguly but his cut gets the bottom of the bat, finds point, no run.


Vijay (usd0002c@hotmail.com) Something tells me we are in for another big one from Tendulkar.. He has failed in the last two matches and also the last time we faced Zim in Zim.. That's one too many failures for the little champion (To borrow Gavaskar's favorite way of addressing him) and he is going to be ready for Mr.Brandes... -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- mudittandon (mudittandon@usa.net) Who do you think will open? -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Saurabh (sgups@hotmail.com) too bad we cant post messages any more..this sucks..prev. format was much better Prem: brandes, ball two rebowled, to ganguly, slip and gullly the two close catchers, ganguly squares up and plays straight, three quarter length thus far from the burly fast medium bowler.


Prem: down the leg side second ball, wide called, and the chase is on.


Continued

Mail Prem Panicker

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