What's ailing Sree Santh?

Time to go back to the domestic circuit, again it seems. After a wonderful display of seam-up fast bowling in South Africa, Sree Santh has started to come off the seam now. In Greg Chappell’s wicked regime, he was thrown out of the one-day squad, and not it seems his test position awaits similar fate.

Zaheer and RP Singh have clearly out bowled him in both the tests at Lord's and Trent Bridge. He is eccentric to say the least. At first when he did that jig after hitting Andre Nel, everybody thought it was wonderful, and praised his attitude. But somehow, it has stuck with him. He could bowl as well he could speak, dance, sledge or whatever, he would have been in place of Zaheer Khan picking up the Man-of-the-Match award. Instead, he his busy running into Michael Vaughn, bowling BIG, I mean BIIIIIG no-balls that you would not even see in galli cricket, leave alone international cricket. His troubles are far from over, lately his rounds to the match referee have also gone on to become a common norm. In South Africa, he was fined for gesturing Alma when he was out and yesterday he paid another visit for fine of 50% match fees.

It is believed that he bowls legspin at the Indian batsmen in the nets. If that is true, i wonder what the Venkatesh Prasad is doing as a bowling coach. Sree Santh was bowling a heap of garbage, his run-up was all over the place, his action changing every ball from being a Merv Hughes to Imran Khan and what not. Being cocky is a different thing and being irresponsible is altogether different. I hope somebody goes up to him and has a word or two. Whatever they do, i am sure, Rahul will think twice before picking him up for the third and final test; which for that matter will decide the series.

The Great Indian Tail

India has along tail and it is not wagging...atleast for the past 10 tests.

It would be interesting to see, the records in last 10 tests of the Indian Tailenders. The tail is invariably longish, starting with Kumble, Zaheer, RP Singh, Sreesanth.

Here are the scores of our tailenders when batting first in last 10 tests.

Anil Kumble: 11,1, 0, 0, 6, 45 , 43, 14, 21, 30= 171 runs
* the scroes of 45, 43 have come against a weak West-Indian attack in West-Indies.

Zaheer Khan: 7, 0, 1, 2, 9, 21, 20, 2, 13, 0 = 75 runs

Sree Sath: 0, 3,28, 0, 0, 0, 29*, 29*, 1 = 90 runs

RP Singh is playing just his 6th Test match, and therefore, cannot be judged as quickly. If his spirited display of batting against the England Lions in a practice match is anything to go by, than we can expect some more.

Here's a ready agenda for the yet-to-be-appointed Indian Coach: get the tailenders to contribute more. Anybody listening?

Dummies Guide to dismiss Kevin Pietersen

I couldn't help but notice the agony and pain Indian bowlers were going through when KP was dismissing all and sundry on leather hunt. They just couldn't get him out whatsoever. May be some the following things, might just put some light on KP has had in the past. I hope somebody from the Indian team or close to the Indian team is reading this post. Better still, call Munaf Patel, simply because he had a good success rate against KP.


1) Outside the Off: KP is suspecting outside off early in the innings. KP's county coach vouches the same. He wants to get off the mark as soon as possible. Get him to drive outside the off stump early on, and we might just have our man.

Here are some examples when the two teams met last time in India.

a)1st Test: India v England at Nagpur, 1-5 Mar 2006 (first innings)
40.1 Sreesanth to Pietersen, no run, Dropped! Pietersen gets an edge to second slip where Laxman,after taking a superb catch earlier, grasses a regulation one.

b)3rd Test: India v England at Mumbai, 18-22 Mar 2006 (first innings)
80.3 Sreesanth to Pietersen, OUT: Fuller, just outside off and holds its line. Pietersen goes for another forcing shot, plays inside the line, the edge is safely pouched by Dhoni. A great break for India and something England won't be pleased about


2) When in doubt sweep: KP is a big sweeper. Loves his big sweep from outside the off stump. But he has caught napping by quiet a few teams sweeping. Harbhajan, Murli, Shane Warne they all have done it time and time again. Keep throwing it up for him to sweep, he is gonna miss one soon. Buy out his wicket.

Here are some examples when the two teams met last time in India.

a)1st Test: India v England at Nagpur, 1-5 Mar 2006 (second innings)
66.2 Kumble to Pietersen, OUT: pitches outside leg again. Pietersen plays the slog sweep again but this time the top edge lobs behind Dhoni and Dravid takes the catch. Pietersen goes for 87 after accelerating the lead towards 300.

b) 2nd Test: India v England at Chandigarh, 9-13 Mar 2006 (second innings)
26.5 Harbhajan Singh to Pietersen, OUT: wicket! Tossed up on middle and leg, Pietersen again goes for the sweep, ball lobs off the gloves and pops behind the stumps where Dravid at leg slip holds the simple catch! Harbhajan gets one to his name and he is mobbed!!


3) Slower balls: He doesn't like em'. He is the kind of batsmen who likes the ball come on nicely on the bat and then smak it all around the park. Something similar happened to Sachin tendulkar in his haydays, when Fanie DeVillers used to regularly snap Sachin at short-midwicket.

a) 2nd Test: India v England at Chandigarh, 9-13 Mar 2006 (first innings)
48.1 Patel to Pietersen, OUT: Wow!Big, big wicket to get on debut! Slower ball on off, held its line and drew Pietersen into the expansive drive, Pietersen chips it back to the bowler who holds a good catch! Take a bow, Munaf! What a way to get off the blocks in Test cricket.

Reference: Ball-to-ball excerpts courtesy by Cricinfo

PMT: Facts and Benefits

Ever had to travel by Pune Murder Transport? Do you still live those horrid moments? Well here's something that will cheer you. Laugh away.
Click on the image to enlarge

Medicine Man

Outrageously Funny. I almost died laughing after reading this hilarious piece. Presenting you the Medicine Man live and direct from the Himalayas.


# Look out for Shankar bhagwan emerging out of the Himalayas
# Look out for all the known species of animals going haywire over Himalayas.
# Lastly, comment on your fav. line from the writeup.

Welcome on board Mr.Lawson

Get ready for the new fast and furious. With Pakistan appointing Geoff Lawson, former Australian fast bowler, their new coach; we can expect the old ghosts to haunt us again. Pakistan has produced some illustrious fast bowlers over a period with names like Sarfraz Nawaz, Imran Khan, Waqar Younis, Wasim Akram (the greatest left-arm fast bowler ever to play the game), Mohd. Asif and Shoaib Akhtar. The list keeps on adding every year. I always wondered the way Pakistan excavated high-quality fast bowlers at will and at regular intervals. It is a no brainer for us to think what their toe-crushing yorkers or their bouncers did to our batsmen.

Lately, with the exception of Mohd. Asif the Pakistan bowlers had ceased to pose any threat to any of our batsmen. They were nowhere near the class of the earlier mentioned crop, neither they had the tenacity to work hard and come out stronger. However, with Lawson at the helm of affairs, Indian batsmen's nightmares resurface again. They would also want to take their protective gear out and start practice facing yorkers and bouncers. Irrespective of nationality, and thinking purely in terms of cricket, there is no better sight in world cricket than a tear away fast bowler up against the best batsmen with speed, accuracy and hostility. The sight of flaying bails and walking stumps does not get any better. Bring it on, Mr. Lawson.

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About Pakistan's new coach: Geoff Lawson has a histroy of working with bowlers like Glenn McGrath, Brett Lee, Stuart Clark and Nathan Bracken. He has mentored Mark Taylor and Steve Waugh when he was captaining New South Wales team. A brief coaching stint again with New South Wales from 1995-1997, saw the team finish on fifth and third position. Lawson is a qualified level 3 coach.
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