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The return of the regular Monday column in which Steven Lynch answers your questions about (almost) any aspect of cricket

Steven Lynch11-Sep-2006The return of the regular Monday column in which Steven Lynch answers your questions about (almost) any aspect of cricket:

Ed Joyce made his one-day international debut for England on the same day as his brother Dominick Joyce played against him in his first one-day for Ireland © Getty Images
How many England cricketers were born in Ireland, like Ed Joyce? asked Ken Driver from Belfast
Dublin-born Ed Joyce – who rather oddly made his official one-day international debut in the same match as his brother, Dominick, but for the other side – is the sixth Irish-born man to play for England. The first two were also born in Dublin: Leland Hone, who never played county cricket, toured Australia in 1878-79 and played in the Test at Melbourne, while Sir Timothy O’Brien, who also played for Middlesex, won the first of his five Test caps against Australia at Old Trafford in 1884. In 1888-89 Joseph McMaster played a Test (in fact his only first-class match) for England in South Africa: he was born in Gilford in County Down. Essex’s Frederick Fane, who was born at Curragh Camp in County Kildare, won 14 caps in the first decade of the 20th century, and actually captained England in the first three Tests in Australia in 1907-98 when the appointed captain Arthur Jones was injured. Many years later Martin McCague, who was born in Larne in Northern Ireland but brought up in Australia, won three Test caps, the first against Australia at Trent Bridge in 1993. Four Irish-born men have played Tests for other countries: Tom Horan (born Midleton, Co. Cork) and Thomas Kelly (Waterford) for Australia, and Clement Johnson (Carberry) and Major Robert Poore (Dublin) for South Africa.My friend challenged me to name the six England players from the 1992 World Cup final who weren’t born in England – I thought I’d got them, but he says Robin Smith is wrong. Who’s right? asked Anand Mughal from Delhi
Well, you’re both right in a way. Robin Smith was born outside England – at Durban, in South Africa – but he didn’t play in the 1992 World Cup final against Pakistan at Melbourne, although he was in the 14-man squad. England’s XI that day included Graeme Hick (born in Zimbabwe), Allan Lamb (South Africa), Chris Lewis (Guyana), Dermot Reeve (Hong Kong), Derek Pringle (Kenya) and Phillip DeFreitas (Dominica).I was sorry to hear of the death of Wasim Raja. I remember watching him score a fine Test century at the Kensington Oval – how many others did he make? asked Roy Atkin from Barbados
The innings you’re talking about was one of 117 not out against a strong West Indian attack including Croft, Roberts, Garner and Holder at Bridgetown in February 1977. That was the second of Wasim Raja’s eventual four Test centuries: the others were 107 not out against West Indies at Karachi in 1974-75, 125 v India at Jullundur in 1983-84, and 112 against England at Faisalabad in 1983-84. Rameez Raja, Wasim’s younger brother, made his Test debut in the first match of that series.Who was the oldest player to make his Test debut? asked Marvin Chester from Guyana
The oldest man to make his Test debut started in the very first Test of all, at Melbourne in 1876-77: England’s James Southerton, a slowish bowler who played for Surrey and Sussex, who was 49 years and 119 days old when that inaugural match started. In second place is Miran Bux, who was over 47 when he first played for Pakistan against India at Lahore in 1954-55. More recently Omar Henry made his Test debut for South Africa when he was past his 40th birthday. For a full list of the oldest Test debutants, click here.I enjoyed the article on Cricinfo last week about the 1934 Ashes tour, and was reminded of Don Bradman’s amazing run-scoring feats. What was his overall record in England? asked Frank Waters of Banbury
Don Bradman was remarkably consistent on his four tours of England – especially since several good judges, among them England’s Percy Fender, had predicted that his technique wouldn’t suit English conditions. On his first tour, in 1930, Bradman piled up 2960 runs at 98.66, with ten centuries. A record 974 of those runs came in the Tests, at an average of 139.14. In 1934, when as that article mentions, he was troubled by illness, he still made 2020 runs at 84.16 on the tour, with 758 at 94.75 in the Tests. In 1938, recovered and now captain, he made 2429 runs all told at 115.66, with 434 at 108.50 in the Tests. And in 1948, on what’s become known as the “Invincibles” tour, 39-year-old Bradman made 2428 runs at 89.92, with 508 runs at 72.57 in the Tests. In total, that’s 9837 runs in 92 first-class matches in England, at an average of 96.44, with 41 hundreds. In 19 Tests in England The Don made 2674 runs at 102.84.I would like to know what happened to Brian Murphy, who captained Zimbabwe in between Andy Flower and Heath Streak. I heard that in Sri Lanka he was the first captain of a Test team to drop himself. Is this correct? asked Bjorn Mordt
Legspinner Brian Murphy did captain Zimbabwe in a Test and three one-day internationals in 2001-02. I’m not sure that he left himself out – reports at the time suggested he had a hand injury after the first Test in Bangladesh, and Stuart Carlisle took over. In any case he wouldn’t have been the first captain to drop himself – England’s Mike Denness did that in Australia in 1974-75. Murphy quit Zimbabwe in 2003, and took a job coaching at the University of Cape Town in South Africa: as far as we know he is still there. A couple of years ago he joined the “Zimbabwe Lions” fund-raising tour of England.And finally, a plea that I can’t answer, can anyone else help? from Tony Woodward in Canada
“I’m trying to complete a humorous verse I heard decades ago, which used cricketing terms. I’ve remembered most of it, but I am missing a couple of lines in the middle. Can anyone fill in the missing lines?”
With my arms around her Boundary
I said “Will you be mine?”
As I admired her two Fine Legs
And splendid Bodyline.
[Darn, I’ve forgotten the next two lines and I can’t find them anywhere!]
“Did you bowl the Maiden Over?”
“No, she belted me for Six!”

Will Luke talks to the West Indian fast bowler, Daren Powell

Will Luke in Dublin12-Jul-2007

Daren Powell: putting a spring back into West Indies’ step © Getty Images
Watching West Indies celebrate their win over England in the one-day series was special, and marked a remarkable transformation in fortunes for such a brittle side. And for Daren Powell, their fast bowler who suffered during the preceding Tests, the win was a relief as much as anything else. For once, his team could walk tall on this tour.”It was a big relief because we’d been losing, and we didn’t want to be going home with our heads down,” Powell told Cricinfo after West Indies’ thumping win over Netherlands in Dublin on Monday, “For the past year or so, I’ve been saying that I really want to come home from a series with my head up, smiling – and it’s so good that we beat England, you know, it was a real good one.”When we travelled down on the bus to London, I spent some time looking at everyone on the bus…and it was just completely changed, a different bunch of players. Happy, joking, laughing and having a nice time. It’s good to see everyone smiling, happy about what we did, and how we felt.”For a team whose decline in the past 10 years has been as stark as it has been depressing, the victory was a timely fillip, especially as they now have to pit their wits against some of the lesser teams of the world. The squad has decamped to Ireland for a Quadrangular tournament that also involves Netherlands and Scotland, and the onus is on them to maintain the same intensity they showed against England.”It’s pretty hard when you’re playing a team that’s less competitive,” said Powell. “But we haven’t been winning much cricket, and then had a really good series in the one-dayers against England. And after those one-dayers, we just forget everything that happened in the [preceding] Tests.”It just showed that it’s good to win,” he said. “And whatever happens here, we just have to remember how good it is to win. Winning gives you confidence, and then you know how to carry on in other games, when you reach tougher opposition. [In the past] West Indies haven’t pulled off the victory when we should.”Why has it been a tour of two halves, though? West Indies were so dismal during the Test series that few gave them much hope of even challenging England in the one-dayers. Yet they lifted themselves to a new, thrilling level – and, crucially for them, they were clearly enjoying it all so much. Powell, too, was a man reborn, consistently bowling in excess of 90mph and showing excellent control, picking up six wickets at 21.83. Could it have had anything to do with the identity of his captain, Chris Gayle?

Chris Gayle: ‘The whole team has changed since the day he took over’ © Getty Images
“Chris really is tremendous you know,” Powell, a good friend of Gayle’s, said. “Maybe people will take this the wrong way, because we’re from the same country [Jamaica], but really, I’ve played under so many other captains in the past. He doesn’t say much, but he knows how to gel the team together – to spark off your plugs and stuff – and it’s very pleasing to see someone like him generating this team spirit.”He’s a funny guy – always jovial around the team, not like what you see on TV when he probably has a serious face. He’s a jovial kind of guy and often in team meetings, he’ll just say ‘believe in yourself’. He just has a way with people. To me, the whole team has changed since the day he took over.”That’s quite some statement. Who, honestly, would have thought Gayle – as laid back as a flattened deckchair – could inspire so much from his troops? Gayle himself has been very quick to maintain that he’s keeping the seat warm for Ramnaresh Sarwan, who left their tour of England through injury. But inspiration, fortune and success can manifest themselves from the most unlikely of sources and people.Gayle to captain the Test side, then? A broad smile and a revealingly guffawing laugh from Powell suggests he’s already given it some thought. But why the laugh? “Well, because of the name Sarwan! [cue even more laughter].”Sarwan is also good, but it’s up to what the selectors want to do now,” said Powell. “To me, if they want to have different captains for the one-day side and the Test side, that would be nice. And if they pick Sarwan again, that too would be tremendous, you know, as long as the guys can keep up the same momentum as with Chris.”And the impression you get from Powell – a character almost as hynotically relaxed as Gayle – is that West Indies are in no mood to let up the pressure on Ireland, Scotland – or anyone else. Maybe Gayle is the man for the job, after all.

A statistical look at Anil Kumble’s Test bowling career

Mathew Varghese17-Jan-2008Anil Kumble became only the third bowler to complete 600 Tests wickets when he dismissed Andrew Symonds on the second day of the Perth Test. He follows two of his contemporaries – Muttiah Muralitharan and Shane Warne – in reaching the mark.

Anil Kumble’s Test bowling record

Matches Overs Wickets Average Strike-rate 5WI 10WM

124 6416.0 600 28.67 64.1358 It’s been an eventful journey for Kumble, one during which he became only the second bowler to complete the Perfect Ten in Tests. He has reached the 600-mark quicker than fellow legspinner Warne.

Kumble’s journey to 600 wickets

Wicket no. Tests No. of Tests needed by Warne

100 2123 200 47 42 300 66 63 400 85 92 500 105 108 600 124 126He is by far India’s leading wicket-taker, with Kapil Dev a distant second with 434 wickets. In the matches he has played for India, Kumble has taken 600 of the 1960 wickets India have taken, and over a third of the team’s wickets at home.

Kumble’s contribution in India’s wickets

Record Wickets Average

India overall 1960 33.94 Kumble’s share 600 28.67 India at home 977 29.98 Kumble’s share 343 23.85 In the 41 matches India have won during his career, Kumble has picked up 279 wickets at 18.41. In draws and defeats the averagehas jumped up to more than 35.

Kumble’s record by match result

Result Matches Wickets Average Strike-rate

Won 41 279 18.41 44.1 Lost 30 120 39.76 79.8 Drawn 52 200 36.34 82.8 Kumble is by far India’s greatest match-winning bowler; his 279 wickets in Indian victories have come at 18.41 apiece. Harbhajan Singh, who is next in line in terms of wickets, has taken less than half that number. Kumble’s average in wins is only marginally bettered by Kapil Dev, Bishan Bedi and Erapalli Prasanna among Indian bowlers with at least 50 wickets in wins.

Leading Indian wicket-takers in wins

Player Matches Wickets Average Strike-rate

Anil Kumble 41 279 18.41 44.1 Harbhajan Singh 25 131 21.08 49.4 Bhagwat Chandrasekhar 14 98 19.27 45.4 Bishan Bedi 17 97 17.65 54.0 Kapil Dev 24 90 18.30 45.2 Among spinners, Kumble’s strike-rate in matches won is second only to Muralitharan. Muralitharan has a strike-rate of 41.5 in victories, Kumble is second with 44.1, while Warne languishes behind at 51.2. Warne’s Australian compatriot Stuart MacGill is third in the list.

Best strike-rate among spinners in wins (Min 100 wickets)

Player Matches Wickets Average Strike-rate

Muttiah Muralitharan 46 382 15.20 41.5 Anil Kumble 41 279 18.41 44.1 Stuart MacGill 30 161 24.11 46.3 Kumble’s home record is impressive, with the fourth-best average among spinners with 100 wickets at home; however, it is his away record that is often a point for criticism, especially when compared to the likes of Murali and Warne.

Kumble home and away

Venue Matches Wickets Average Murali’s average Warne’s average

Home 59 343 23.85 19.22 26.39 Away 65 257 35.09 25.99 25.50 Barring Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, Kumble averages over 30 in overseas countries.As expected of spinners, Kumble performance improves as the match progresses, with his best coming in the fourth innings of a match.

Kumble by match innings

Innings Wickets Average Strike-rate 5WI

1st 166 32.77 72.6 10 2nd 159 28.85 66.9 8 3rd 185 28.41 60.5 12 4th 90 21.31 50.9 5 In the last few years, beginning with India’s away series in England in 2002, Kumble has been a much improved bowler overseas, with his away average improving from 40.40 in 34 away Tests preceding the series, to 31.23 in matches since the start of the England series*. That average drops to 29.05 if you exclude the generally high-scoring matches in Pakistan. His averages improve significantly for matches in Australia, England and South Africa. However, the same period has seen a decline in the record at home.

Kumble’s record before and after England series in 2002*

Matches before Wickets Average Matches after Wickets Average

Home 36 210 21.30 2313327.89 Away 34 109 40.40 3014731.23 In Australia 3 5 90.00 5 39 29.48 In England 4 8 63.00 6 28 35.25 In South Africa 9 31 35.32 3 14 24.71 In West Indies 7 22 34.094 23 28.60 *Kumble has played a considerable share of his Tests alongside offspinner Harbhajan Singh. The two have been involved in 47 Tests together, with Kumble outdoing his junior partner.

Kumble and Harbhajan in matches played together

Player Wickets Average Strike-rate 5WI 10WM

Anil Kumble 268 26.34 57.7 196 Harbhajan Singh 188 31.99 68.5 15 2 With ten Man-of-the-Match awards and four series prizes, Kumble tops the charts for silverware among Indians; Sachin Tendulkar has also won ten match awards in Tests and both he and Kapil Dev have also four Man-of-the-Series awards. It was perhaps fitting that Rahul Dravid took the catch that gave Kumble his 600th; the Kumble-Dravid combination has been the most successful bowler-fielder partnership (excluding wicketkeepers) for India. Their 54 dismissals is second only to the 65 dismissals by Mahela Jayawardene off Muralitharan.

Fazeer Mohammed on the vastly different ways Australia and West Indies are preparing for their upcoming Test series

Fazeer Mohammed05-May-2008
Dwayne Bravo is one of several West Indies players who will not return home from the Indian Premier League until four days before the first Test against Australia © Getty Images
Who is really who in the upcoming Test series? You would think that the West Indies are playing the role of the all-conquering Muhammad Ali and the Australians are cast in the mould of the huge underdog Earnie Shavers given the degree of preparation, so far, by both sides ahead of the opening showdown at Sabina Park in 17 days’ time.Ali fanatics may not need any reminding, but the undisputed heavyweight boxing champion of the world came fairly close to paying the price for complacency when Shavers took him to 15 rounds in their contest at Madison Square Garden in New York in September, 1977. Criticised for a lack of intensity in his training leading into the fight, the champ prevailed on a unanimous points decision, although some seasoned observers maintained that the comfortable margin of victory had more to do with Ali’s larger-than-life reputation than his dominance of the challenger.The point is, though, that the favourite prevailed in the end, much as the Aussies are expected to do in the three-Test series despite the run of three consecutive victories by the Caribbean side [2nd Test and first two ODIs] last month at home to Sri Lanka. But unlike the man who proclaimed himself to be “The Greatest,” Ricky Ponting and his squad are not giving any indication of taking their two-month swing through the islands in the sun as a leisurely, well-paid holiday with some cricket against lightweight opponents thrown in every now and then.Despite the considerable attraction of huge pay-cheques appearing for their respective franchises in the Indian Premier League (IPL), the entire Australian Test touring party is now in Brisbane for a training camp before the players depart for Kingston next week. The veteran left-hander Simon Katich, recalled to the Test squad after a record-breaking domestic season with New South Wales, was facing up to Brett Lee in the indoor nets last Saturday at the Sydney Cricket Ground just a day after returning from India.It could be argued that Katich would already have been in pretty good shape after turning out for the King’s XI Punjab in the early matches of the IPL. However the 32-year-old, who averages 36.00 in 23 Tests, is obviously keen to make the most of this opportunity after more than two years in the international wilderness. The circumstances of his last Test innings – caught by Chris Gayle at first slip off Corey Collymore for a duck at The Gabba in the first Test of the 2005 series – are probably additional motivation to make amends should he get a chance in the Caribbean.So while the champions are already down to business in the tropical climate of Brisbane, what’s the story with the home side? Following the Sri Lankan series, new manager Omar Khan talked about preparations for a training camp before going into battle with the Australians. However the dates and venue for that camp, if confirmed, are yet to be made public, while the training squad, if already selected, has not yet been released by the West Indies Cricket Board.Nothing new with those two issues, and it is also stale news that the trio of West Indians now involved in the IPL [Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Ramnaresh Sarwan and Dwayne Bravo – Gayle has been ruled out a groin injury] will not be back until May 18, four days before the start of the first Test. Add to that the uncertainty over the captain’s fitness and it seems to be the same old story of time and opportunity lost before an important assignment.It’s interesting to compare the priorities of the West Indians and Australians when it comes to national duty and the IPL, for they seem as far apart as their respective countries … There was never a question of the [Australians] trying to persuade their administrators to excuse them from the camp and let them stay on for another week of IPL money-makingIt’s interesting to compare the priorities of the West Indians and Australians when it comes to national duty and the IPL, for they seem as far apart as their respective countries. The Aussies are among the highest paid in international cricket based on their retainer contracts with Cricket Australia. Still, the prospect of earning up to three times their regular salaries for just a few weeks’ work in India was too good to pass up, although there was never a question of the selected players trying to persuade their administrators to excuse them from the camp and let them stay on for another week of IPL money-making.Their West Indian counterparts do not have retainer arrangements, however the Caribbean cricketers’ match/tour contracts, thanks to aggressive and effective representation from the West Indies Players Association, means they are very well taken care of, even if it is not at the level of the Australians.Yet before the ICC meeting in Dubai which mandated that official international commitments take precedence over sanctioned private competitions, the WICB CEO Donald Peters was prepared to concede that the IPL-bound West Indians would not have been available for the first two Tests of the three-match series. Even after the ICC’s clarification, there was still speculation about the players’ date of return, the implication being that IPL money was higher up the batting order for one or two of them than playing for West Indies in a Test match.Last Saturday made it 13 years since Mark Taylor’s men humbled Richie Richardson’s West Indies side by an innings and 53 runs at Sabina to reclaim the Frank Worrell Trophy and bring to an end an era of Caribbean invincibility in Test series that had spanned more than 15 years.Katich’s sharpening of his skills against Lee and others on that anniversary day suggests that the tourists won’t be caught unawares by hosts seeking to score a lucky punch.

The only thing better than defeating opponents is crushing them. And the only thing better than that is to do so at their own game

Osman Samiuddin in Lahore24-Jan-2009
Sri Lanka have built a depth in their pace reserves matched by only a few, but envied by all © AFP
The only thing better than defeating opponents is crushing them. And the only thing better than that is to do so at their own game. The themes before Sri Lanka arrived in Pakistan laid themselves out readily. Spin, Pakistan’s batsmen must conquer and likewise pace, the Sri Lankans.The pitches were bouncier and Pakistan picked six fast men in their squad. All talk was on how best to tackle Ajantha Mendis and Muttiah Muralitharan, cricket’s M&M, every bit as tasty a prospect as the candy and every bit as vicious as one of the rapper’s lines. The only cursory glance cast over Sri Lanka’s pace attack was at Chaminda Vaas, for being here.Nuwan Kulasekara and Thilan Thushara became, by default, the men to wait through before the spinners came on and the real game began. Yet with delicious irony and Tillakaratne Dilshan aside, no one contributed more to this series win than Sri Lanka’s fast-bowling pair. Together they took one less wicket (nine) than Murali and Mendis, but no one will deny they essentially set up both wins and the series. It has happened more often than people think and it may happen more often.Without too many people cottoning on, Sri Lanka have built a depth in their pace reserves matched by only a few, but envied by all. Probably the variety cannot be matched. There was something in the pitch today, as well as something in the lights and the atmosphere; in Kulasekara and Thushara they had the men to wring every little bit out of it. They located whereabouts to bowl early on and went about it with considerable verve. The movement they got suggested at times they were playing on a different pitch to Pakistan’s bowlers.Beyond them, Dilhara Fernando is more than just a magnificent mullet. He is tall and hits the bat very hard and if he is erratic, it still means he has days when he can run through sides. Farveez Maharoof every now and again, on particular surfaces, reminds various people wherever he travels of Glenn McGrath. There is to be relished the soon-to-return freakishness of Lasith Malinga. Dammika Prasad has pace, reverse-swing and spunk. And remember, Vaas has not yet retired. Only Maharoof has been a member of their pace attack in this series.Malinga aside, none of these individuals has perhaps been given the recognition they deserve. And collectively, just the depth of resources has slipped by. It is understandable, and difficult, when you have men such as Murali and Mendis doing things never before seen on a cricket field. But Kulasekara and Thushara are part of what Mahela Jayawardene, the man responsible for deploying this talent, called Sri Lanka’s “unsung heroes.”They [our fast bowlers] have been unsung heroes for quite some time because of someone like a Murali, who has taken a bucketful of wickets. Guys like Vaasy have been forgotten, guys who have been doing a lotMahela Jayawardene”They have been unsung heroes for quite some time because of someone like a Murali, who has taken a bucketful of wickets. Guys like Vaasy have been forgotten, guys who have been doing a lot,” he said. “But our pace attack has been really good for the last two to three years and these guys have been pushing each other.”Sri Lanka bid adieu but return soon enough for two Tests. It is likely Pakistan will still focus on how to handle the spinners but they will overlook the pace attack at their own peril. The names will be different, the threat the same.”There was lot of focus on the two spinners and we were quite happy for them to talk about that because we knew these guys [the fast bowlers], given the right conditions, are very good bowlers and they can create opportunities. They came to the party when required, so Murali and Ajantha have a good group of bowlers around them which is a good thing.”We have completely different guys coming into the Test series, who have been playing consistently. Dammika, Dilhara and all those guys, even Lasith is coming back. He’s played three-four games back home so he will probably be in the squad pretty soon.”As he usually does, Jayawardene’s words were calmly uttered, with a smile. Make no mistake, Pakistan – and indeed the world – should heed them as warning.

A rapidly maturing Pandey plus a relaxed Dravid equals a near-perfect chase

Sriram Veera at the Wanderers23-May-2009In the end discipline prevailed over flair. The only really tense spell in the chase came when Muttiah Muralitharan operated. On either side of his spell there was such calm, composure and skill from Royal Challengers Bangalore, led by Rahul Dravid and Manish Pandey, that the victory seemed almost a formality if they held their head. And they did.Pandey seems to have grown a year in a couple of nights, from the time he made that hundred. Dravid, it seems, has lost a few years since the IPL’s first edition. It was a perfect tango between a rapidly maturing Pandey and a relaxed Dravid. What stood out was the absence of the mid-pitch conference between the veteran and the novice. When Dravid joined Pandey one expected there would be moments where Dravid would guide the youngster through constant chit-chat to kill the adrenalin rushes. Sure there were talks, but there wasn’t anything visually dramatic. There was no need either: Pandey was eerily cool and in control.The start set the trend. Albie Morkel got his deliveries to curve away in the air, but Pandey showed class. It’s risky to foist such an adjective upon one so young, on somebody who has just played two fine innings at this level, but it was unmistakable tonight. He waited that extra second for the swing to play out before threading two pretty square-drives through point. It was in direct contrast to how he started in his last knock.On Thursday he started off with a few big hits, which came with a touch of desperation in them, to give himself some breathing space. Understandably the pressure on him to deliver was more then. Understandably he was yet to find himself at this level. Cricketers often talk about how one innings can turn things around. Things seem to have turned around for Pandey.What caught the eye was how late he played. There was a delightful late-cut off Manpreet Gony, and a lovely little battle with Shadab Jakati, who actually bowled really well to Pandey, despite what his figures show. Time and again he slowed it up, hoping the youngster would go hard at him. Pandey refused to take the bait. He was made to wait by the bowler, and he waited. There were several little taps past cover before he won that contest with a forcing shot off the back foot to the cover boundary. Jakati was taken off.In the meanwhile Dravid was just being Dravid. Rock solid. A wicket at that time could have set the cat among the pigeons. He not only made sure it didn’t happen but kept the runs coming too. The outstanding shot was his signature classy on-drive. It wasn’t a bad delivery from Morkel who landed it on a length and on the stumps. Dravid leaned forward fully, and wristed it gorgeously through wide mid-on, uncorking his wrist – as is his wont – in an exaggerated fashion at the completion of the stroke.From unpredictable to classy, Manish Pandey seems to have grown a year in two nights•Associated PressAll along Dhoni had delayed the entry of his trumpcard Muttiah Muralitharan. Perhaps he left it for a bit too late. You knew Chennai Super King’s only chance was Murali. And he bowled beautifully. It was a fascinating phase as he did his utmost to strangle Bangalore. It was the only time the Bangalore fans in the crowd got edgy. At the grass banks, they oohed and aahed. In the middle Chennai fielders repeatedly cleared their throats to appeal.Matthew Hayden, at first slip, and Dhoni, at leg slip, defined appealing. Blood-curling cries, the full arch of the body and the extension of arms right behind over their bodies. Murali screamed as well. The tension was palpable, and indicative of their desperation and their state of mind. They knew this was the last and the only dice. Simon Taufel remained impassive, though, till he finally lifted his finger to send Dravid back.It was here, at this moment, where the game paused for a brief while. The Chennai section of the crowd was finding themselves. It was here that Bangalore showed how far they had come through in confidence levels. Virat Kohli and Ross Taylor don’t generally need an invitation to go for their shots, but the clinical fashion in which they hunted down the remaining runs must have given a lot of heart to Kumble.The bowling must have already given him great joy. Though Kumble didn’t do anything magical tonight, the rest of the pack stood up to be counted. Again it wasn’t anything sensational; there were no magical balls but simple old-school discipline. Chennai ended up at least 30 runs short and it made the difference in the end. Bangalore against Deccan in the final. Who would have thought?

By his own admission, Mohammad Yousuf was not at his fittest best and had little batting practice before coming to Galle and scoring a serene century

Sidharth Monga in Galle05-Jul-2009It was as if nothing had changed. When the third wicket fell, the No. 5 didn’t run out immediately in Twenty20 style. He took his time, stepped over the rope casually, past the sweaty track pants and shirts left to dry just outside the boundary, played a couple of air-drives, jogged for a few steps (feet going high behind him but never looking hurried), then walked up to the pitch. If he was anxious, which he was, he didn’t show it.The last time this entry was seen in Tests was in December 2007, against India. For the last year and a half, Mohammad Yousuf’s name has resonated in media releases and legal notices from ICL and IPL, but not in official cricket. ” finish [It used to feel like my career was over],” Yousuf said.He doesn’t want to talk about that period now. He said he sees it as destiny, and has moved on. And when he moved on, back to a Test field, his side was at 55 for 3, in the danger of squandering a stupendous bowling effort on the first day. Soon it became 80 for 4, but with Yousuf comes serenity.The first few overs were edgy. Thilan Thushara moved the ball in and registered strong appeals against him. Still somehow it didn’t seem we were witnessing a batsman who used to think his career was over, and who was now looking to rescue his team, against a team he had never scored a century against. “I have come back after such a long time – a year and seven months. There was pressure, it was difficult, and the team needed a big innings too.”Nor had the wicket become very easy to bat on. Yousuf overcame that period, and went on to show why it is said it’s best to get him out early.Yousuf said he tried to read Ajantha Mendis from the hand. “He is the first bowler in history to bowl like he does. He has so many variations, but I always focus on his hand.” That he was reading Mendis well showed in how he could play the cut and late-cut – two of the most dangerous shots to play against Mendis.He didn’t look under pressure through the innings. It was all normal Test cricket, no aerial shot or ill-advised sweep, or premeditated anything. Though, perhaps, this century was premeditated. At 57 he nicked one to his pad and through to Tillakaratne Dilshan, but the umpire didn’t see it.There is no apparent explanation for how he managed to find the touch of old immediately on a pitch where batsmen have generally struggled. During the lay-off he didn’t do anything special. “I used to train a bit in the gym,” he said. “A bit of running etc, but I didn’t have access to the kind of international-level training that happens with the team trainer. So the fitness level was not where it should be.”Humid Galle is not a place to play Test cricket if you know you’re not at your fittest. What about batting? “I had played a few matches for my club, that’s it.” Oh well.But what about rejoining a team that he had left? How did they react when he came back? “It was not like I was ever out. All of them are my juniors, they respect me. [There were no such concerns.]”Slowly but surely it all came back, as if nothing had changed. Another century, his 24th, his first in and against Sri Lanka, with the same ease. Even the end was not dissimilar: a run-out. The most overwhelming feeling for Yousuf is that of relief. “It’s just because I am playing after so long, and the team needed it so bad. This was just the start I needed.”There were two beautiful moments in the day. One when Yousuf reached his century, threw the helmet away, and did his on a hardly lush square. Shoaib Malik, a former captain, went up to him, picked up the helmet for him, and also wiped his forehead for him. And second, when Pakistan came back to bowl just one over to finish the day. Yousuf was stationed at third man, the farthest position from the pavilion. Younis Khan, the captain, waited at the boundary line for a tired Yousuf to amble along and lead the team off the field. It was clear they had accepted, nay, needed him.

Watching Hayden bludgeon both pace and spin around the park, you cannot help but wonder – will the Mongoose make its way onto the international scene?

Jamie Alter at the Feroz Shah Kotla in Delhi19-Mar-2010File under “Sights I Never Expected to See”: Matthew Hayden, post international retirement, clobbering bowlers all around an international stadium with what looked like a baby’s brass rattle in those paws of his. Here’s introducing Matt the Bat, now with a longer handle, aka the Mongoose bat.For the uninitiated, the Mongoose is a something of a miniature version of a normal cricket bat, but it has two distinguishing features: the handle is as long as the blade and the splice, which normal bats have in the blade, is built into that handle to guarantee a clean hitting surface on the bat. Its USP – if you’ve been following events in the build-up to the IPL – is that it essentially allows a batsman to hit harder and further without changing the way he plays. On the basis of what Hayden achieved at the Feroz Shah Kotla today, the Mongoose suits Twenty20 to the T.Its short, stocky frame – the base is reportedly five centimeters – allows for sweet timing and that was as evident as crystal. The first sign that Hayden, after two poor games, was roaring back in to form came in the second over when he slammed three boundaries in four balls.The Mongoose made its debut in the second ball of the fourth over, after Hayden had already muscled some good shots with his normal blade. He’s has always wielded the bat like a club, but here was Hayden with a big handle and small blade. To the naked eye, the Mongoose looked silly in his bear hands. In fact, at first it just didn’t look right. Surely he would mishit one, inside-edge one onto his stumps, fail to reach out to a spinner, or be caught short of his crease while putting in a dive? None happened.The first shot Hayden played with the Mongoose was a letdown. He went for an ugly heave and got a streaky single to the leg side. You can’t time a cricket ball at pace with that toothpick, was the common assumption. Then Rajat Bhatia came in to the attack for some military medium stuff, only to feel the full effect of what Hayden and his buddy could do. Bhatia to Hayden was never going to be a key contest, but this was too one-sided. Hayden swept four to fine leg, slammed a straight six, tickled another off the pads for four, and slogged four to long-on. Bhatia was nonplussed.Right, so this thing can do a bit, you started to think. But what about against spin, when the pace is taken off and the pitch plays a bit slow and low? The answer came all too soon, as Tillakaratne Dilshan was called on for some offspin in the eighth over. Hayden was back at his furious best: Dilshan tossed it up and the punishment was immediate – three sixes stung Delhi and sent the crowd into raptures. The second was a mishit but still soared into the stands. You marveled at the distance the ball travelled after it struck the blade of the bat.The Mongoose didn’t restrict Hayden in any way, as you might have expected it to. What it lacks in reach, it more than makes up for with effect. Length balls were swatted over the infield nonchalantly; those that hit the edges ran away to fine leg or third man; two balls that came off the toe end sped past extra cover; those that hit the sweet spot just disappeared. A low full toss from Dirk Nannes – and it’s for this specific delivery and the yorker that the Mongoose could prove to be most crucial – was sent speeding past short fine leg.The Mongoose didn’t require Hayden to change his grip or style, but it did allow him to smack the ball harder and further. It was the perfect remedy for Hayden to strike form and Chennai to canter home. On the evidence of what we saw this evening, its power really is phenomenal.Watching Hayden in full flow is one of the more delightful viewing experiences today, his brute force and style elevating him above many currently active hard-hitting batsmen in international cricket. But watching him with that little thing in his hands was something else. Cricket has traditionally been averse to change and innovation, but watching Hayden bludgeon both pace and spin around the park, you cannot help but wonder – will the Mongoose make its way onto the international scene?In 1983, Tony Montana blasted through a door firing his automatic machine gun and screaming six words that went on to become part of cinema lore – “Say hello to my little friend!” Twenty-seven years later, a man who has already etched his name cricket’s history with a pivotal role in how openers approached the game unveiled a small piece of willow that threatens to further revolutionize batting. Talk about creative mojo.

A stats preview to the Sri Lanka India Test series.

Madhusudhan Ramakrishnan17-Jul-2010India and Sri Lanka have played each other with monotonous regularity over the last few years especially in the one day format. In Tests, however, the contests have been pretty interesting. India will be seeking their first series win in Sri Lanka since 1993, while Sri Lanka will look to reassert their dominance. On their two previous visits in 2001 and 2008, India won the second Test of the series but were convincingly beaten in the first and third. Contests between these two teams often favour the home team as is seen in the tables below. India have clearly been the dominant team in matches played at home, while they have quite clearly finished second-best in away games.

India v Sri Lanka in Tests

Host nationMatches playedMatches won by IndiaMatches won by Sri Lanka Matches drawnIndia171007Sri Lanka15357

India vs. Sri Lanka in the 2000s

Host nationMatches playedMatches won by IndiaMatches won by Sri LankaMatches drawnIndia6402Sri Lanka6240The last two series played between the teams were lit up by two double centuries by Virender Sehwag. His effort at Galle was remarkable considering the little support he received. The rest of the Indian batting was a failure, falling to Ajantha Mendis. The table below summarises the top batsmen against Sri Lanka in the 2000s. Rahul Dravid had an excellent series in 2001, but was well below par in the last series in 2008. The form of the openers, Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag, will be key for India, while the middle-order will want to make amends after a forgettable outing in 2008.

Performance of top batsmen for India against Sri Lanka in the 2000s

PlayerMatchesInningsRunsAverage100s50sRahul Dravid111992551.3825Virender Sehwag81389174.2532Gautam Gambhir81464646.1423VVS. Laxman91558545.0016Sachin Tendulkar91548134.3521

Performance of top batsmen for India against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka in the 2000s

PlayerMatchesInningsRunsAverage100s50sRahul Dravid61238334.8103Virender Sehwag3634468.8011Gautam Gambhir3631051.6603VVS. Laxman3621543.0002Sachin Tendulkar369515.8300Sri Lankan batsmen have turned in excellent performances against India in the 2000s, mostly in the home games. Mahela Jayawardene has scored over 1000 runs in the 2000s with four centuries. Tillakaratne Dilshan and Thilan Samaraweera were prolific in the 2008 series and their form will be vital to Sri Lanka’s fortunes.

Performance of top batsmen for Sri Lanka against India in the 2000s

PlayerMatchesInningsRunsAverage100s50sMahela Jayawardene1219120366.8346Kumar Sangakkara 121979043.8831Tillakaratne Dilshan91460450.3332Thilan Samaraweera 101553949.0023Prasanna Jayawardene 6940450.5010

Performance of top batsmen for Sri Lanka against India at home in the 2000s

PlayerMatchesInningsRunsAverage100s50sMahela Jayawardene6957571.8732Kumar Sangakkara 6942553.1221Thilan Samaraweera/td>45346115.3321Tillakaratne Dilshan3418662.0010Prasanna Jayawardene 3410726.7500India go into the Test series with a significantly weakened bowling attack after the departure of Zaheer Khan, who has been the second-highest wicket taker against Sri Lanka in the 2000s after Harbhajan Singh. Apart from Harbhajan, who boasts a good record both home and away against Sri Lanka, the inexperienced bowlers will have their task cut out against a formidable Sri Lankan batting line-up. The performance of Indian bowlers against Sri Lanka in Tests this decade is summarised below.

Performance of Indian bowlers against Sri Lanka in the 2000s

PlayerMatchesWickets takenAverage5WI10WMHarbhajan Singh124733.7622Pragyan Ojha2928.6600Ishant Sharma4843.5000

Performance of Indian bowlers against Sri Lanka in Sri Lanka in the 2000s

PlayerMatchesWickets takenAverage5WI10WMHarbhajan Singh62037.1011Ishant Sharma3635.5000Muttiah Muralitharan’s impending retirement has been the talking point all around, and with good reason. He has undoubtedly been the best bowler from either side and has been a terrific matchwinner in home games. If he does go on to achieve the landmark of 800 wickets in his final Test, it could well be a winning performance. Ajantha Mendis was the star in 2008, picking up 26 wickets, and could be picked in the team after Muralitharan’s retirement. Rangana Herath and the inexperienced Chanaka Welegedara could have their hands full against the powerful Indian batting.

Performance of Sri Lankan bowlers against India in the 2000s

PlayerMatchesWicketsAverage5WI10WMMuttiah Muralitharan126928.9552Ajantha Mendis42822.8521Dilhara Fernando51143.6310Rangana Herath31148.8110Chanaka Welegedara3666.1600

Performance of Sri Lankan bowlers against India at home in the 2000s

PlayerMatchesWicketsAverage5WI10WMMuttiah Muralitharan64420.7042Ajantha Mendis32618.3821Dilhara Fernando3933.7710Much of the reason for Sri Lanka’s success, especially in home games, has been the performance of Kumar Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene. Their partnerships this decade, which includes the record 624-run stand against South Africa, have been extremely productive. Against India, however, the record reads quite differently. An average of just 17 in home games and 19 in away games is well below their overall record and is something they would look to better in the forthcoming series.

Partnership record of Sangakkara-Jayawardene in the 2000s

OppositionInningsTotal Partnership runsHighest partnershipAverage100s50sIndia (in Sri Lanka)3514017.0000India (in India)61145719.0001All other teams66444062470.471119On the other hand, Gambhir and Sehwag have been exceptional in all conditions over the last few years and boast a great record in Sri Lanka. The opening pair, in just 50 Tests, is ranked among the most successful opening pairs of all time. They topped the batting averages when India last toured Sri Lanka, and much of India’s chances will depend on the starts they produce.

Partnership record of Gambhir-Sehwag in the 2000s

OppositionInningsTotal Partnership runsHighest partnershipAverage100s50sSri Lanka (in Sri Lanka)643116771.8313Sri Lanka (in India)637223362.0011All other teams31170121856.7049The table below summarises the overall batting and bowling performances of India and Sri Lanka in head-to-head contests in Sri Lanka. Sri Lanka have bossed the contests, averaging much higher and also scoring 12 centuries to India’s one. On the bowling front too, Sri Lanka’s average is far better than India’s, and the visitors’ inexperienced bowling line-up will have its task cut out.

Overall performance of teams in India Sri Lanka Tests in Sri Lanka in 2000s

TeamMatchesRuns scoredBatting average100s50sWickets takenBowling average5WI10WMIndia6268324.171137340.1231Sri Lanka6285938.6312710626.2573Galle has been a pretty good venue for the home team, with seven wins and three defeats since 2000. There were no matches there for three years following the tsunami in 2004, but as the table below shows, Sri Lanka’s record in the last three years there has been almost as dominant as in the period between 2000 and 2004.

Batting and bowling performances of Sri Lanka and visiting teams at Galle

TeamMatchesRuns scoredBatting average100s50sWickets takenBowling average5WI10WMSri Lanka (before 2005)9461136.88112215328.46114Other teams (before 2005)9421427.01111411839.7241Sri Lanka (after 2005)4205433.12486826.6411Other teams (after 2005)4175823.13366034.7011

Pakistan won their first series since 2006 and continued to maintain their impressive win-loss record in New Zealand

Madhusudhan Ramakrishnan19-Jan-2011It may have come as a surprise to many that Pakistan did not try to chase down New Zealand’s target of 274, but considering that they last won a series in 2006-07, their safe strategy was probably understandable. Pakistan, though, continued to maintain their excellent stats in New Zealand. Their record of eight wins in 15 matches in New Zealand since 1990 is level with Australia’s. Also, Pakistan continued their excellent run in Wellington, where they have not lost a single match since 1990.For New Zealand, however, this turned out to be yet another opportunity lost to register an elusive series win. They last won a Test series in 2005-06 (matches excluding Bangladesh and Zimbabwe) against West Indies at home. Since then, their only series wins have come against Bangladesh and they have lost three of their last five home series.The defeat in the first Test was Vettori’s 16th as captain. Among the four New Zealand captains who have led the team in at least 20 Tests, his win-loss ratio of 0.37 is better only than John Reid’s 0.16.

Teams in New Zealand since 1990

TeamPlayedWonLostDrawnW-L ratioAustralia128224.00Pakistan158342.67England127233.50South Africa73133.00Sri Lanka112450.50India111460.25West Indies91440.25Pakistan were the more consistent side in both departments. Their bowling was much more lethal as they dismissed New Zealand for 110 in Hamilton and succeeded in bowling out the home team in all four innings. New Zealand, despite performing much better in Wellington, lacked the bowling firepower to bowl out Pakistan twice.

Batting and bowling stats of the two teams

TeamRuns scoredBatting average10050Wickets takenBowling average5WI10WMPakistan96338.52093826.6300New Zealand97924.47192538.8400Misbah-ul-Haq and Younis Khan scored crucial half-centuries to help Pakistan salvage a draw in the second Test. Misbah has revelled in his captaincy role: he has scored six fifties in seven innings since taking over as captain and is just one fifty away from equalling the record of seven consecutive half-centuries.Younis, on the other hand, improved on his already outstanding fourth-innings record. Among batsmen with over 700 runs in the fourth innings, his average of 59.13 is second only to Don Bradman’s 73.40. Only two of his eight fifty-plus scores have come in victories, though.

Top batsmen in the fourth innings in Tests (min qualification 700 runs)

BatsmanMatchesRunsAverage10050Don Bradman1873473.4034Younis Khan2388759.1344Geoff Boycott36123458.7637Sunil Gavaskar34139858.2548Jack Hobbs2697957.5826Ricky Ponting51136254.4845Jesse Ryder had a career average of over 50 coming into this series against Pakistan. But his performance in this series was very poor, as he aggregated just 39 runs in four innings including two first-ball ducks, which resulted in his career average dropping to less than 45.Despite his troubles with captaincy, Vettori’s superb batting form continued. He scored his sixth Test century overall and his fourth as captain. Among New Zealand batsmen who have scored at least 1000 runs as captain, Vettori’s average of 39.12 is the fifth highest. His four-wicket haul in the first innings made him only the sixth player to score a century and pick up four wickets in an innings in the same match as captain.