Memories across 22 yards

Author: achyuth

  • The elegant left arm seamer

    The elegant left arm seamer

    chaminda-vaas-ssc-ground-colombo

    Image courtesy © AFP

     

    Many times we have heard that fast bowling is not all about bowling extremely fast and the bowlers can be successful without express pace. Over the past couple of decades we have been witnessing many fast bowlers who are successful without serious pace. Without any doubt I would say Chaminda Vaas belonged to that category though he had much more pace in the early stages of his career when compared to his later stages in international arena.

    Vaas was very clever and deceptive on any track with subtle variations. I had closely monitored his excellent bowling umpteen times. The first time I had observed Vaas bowling was during the 1996 Cricket World Cup. As a tween I was very impressed with his bowling even though I was just learning the basics of cricket and if I had opined at that time, my suggestions would have been imposed an embargo since I was a pupil about the game of cricket. I had heard fast bowlers rattling the stumps of batsmen and the first time I had seen that was when Chaminda Vaas sent Sourav Ganguly’s stump cartwheeling during a one day international played by India and Sri Lanka during the 1997 Pepsi Independence Cup at Mumbai. Vaas conceded only 13 runs in his 10 overs in that match and had picked 2 wickets.

    In test cricket he had shown his potential as a batsman too. I remember Vaas charging the South African bowlers during the second test match played at Newlands, when Sri Lanka toured South Africa during 2000-2001 and my sister asked me from behind Is this a live match? When India toured Sri Lanka during 2008 Vaas played a crucial role with the bat during the last test match which was the decider in the 3 match test series. Sri Lanka had lost the first wicket quickly in their first innings and Vaas was promoted to number three. He stung around, scored 47 and had a good partnership with Kumar Sangakkara and the Lankans recovered and won the match and series. When Vaas was promoted to number three in that match, my Chartered Accountant friend who now stays in Sydney had said Vaas’ role with the bat may play a vital role  as he may stick around and I said no it won’t, but I was the loser.

    It takes a lot of skill for a fast bowler to be successful on placid tracks if they don’t have that extra pace. In that case the bowlers must have other strategies to be competent. Vaas had shown his skills on subcontinental tracks many times. Malcolm Marshall and Wasim Akram had excellent record on subcontinental tracks but they had that extra bit of pace. I will rate Chaminda Vaas as the all-time second best left arm fast bowler behind Wasim Akram.

    Vaas once held the record for dismissing Sachin Tendulkar the most number of times in one day internationals. Vaas still holds the record for the best one day international figures when he took the first 8 wickets for 19 against Zimbabwe during 2001. I was surprised to see Vaas’ omission from the Sri Lankan squad for the 2011 Cricket World Cup. Vaas along with Sanath Jayasuriya and Muttiah Muralitharan had played a crucial role for Sri Lanka in lifting their first World Cup during 1996. The role of this trio would have been interesting if they had played together the 2011 Cricket World Cup. Vaas’ full name is also very interesting to observe. Warnakulasuriya Patabendige Ushantha Joseph Chaminda Vaas.

    1. Series – Coca-Cola Champions Trophy  (Final)
    2. Year – 2000
    3. Venue – Sharjah Cricket Association Stadium
    4. Date – 29 October, 2000
    5. Result – Sri Lanka won
    6. Margin –  245 runs
    7. Player of the match – Sanath Jayasuriya
    8. Player of the series – Sanath Jayasuriya

    Written on 27th December 2016

     

  • Gilly at Perth – The then second fastest test century

    Gilly at Perth – The then second fastest test century

     

    9-adam-gilchrist-perthImage courtesy © Getty Images

     

    I have observed a few cricket pitches that had lost its earlier behaviour. Those pitches were very much lively for the faster bowlers earlier and now they are in complete contrast to its earlier behaviour. Those pitches lie in Sabina Park, Jamaica, Kingsmead, Durban and WACA, Perth. But the pitch that I observe very much among the above is in WACA, Perth. Because the WACA we see nowadays is very much different from the earlier WACA.  At WACA, earlier there was so much pace and carry for the fast bowlers and that is not the case now, although we have seen a result recently when South Africa defeated Australia here.

    When David Warner and Ross Taylor scored double centuries at WACA during the second test match in the three match test series between Australia and New Zealand during 2015 I was so impressed, but when the match ended up in a draw I was very disappointed. Because the fast bowlers could not deliver what they could do earlier.  Those batsmen who had scored runs at will when WACA was lively really did a remarkable job. I don’t know when did the above pitches start showing contrasting behaviours especially WACA. I remember Chris Gayle charging the Aussie fast bowlers during 2009 at WACA during The Frank Worrell Trophy when he scored a century and I think at that time WACA had not lost its true nature and so was the case when Gilly scored this century. Roy Fredericks had also showed so much skill when he took on a charging Jeff Thomson and an equally competent Dennis Lillee at WACA. Ian Chappell had described Fredericks’ innings at WACA among the list of best centuries that he had watched. Chappell was saying the quicker you bowled, the harder he hit. But somewhere, somehow things started changing and WACA is no more the lively pitch we saw earlier when Fredericks, Gilchrist and Gayle made hay when the pitch assisted the faster bowlers so much. I even doubt those gunslingers have spoiled the charm and pedigree of these pitches.

    When I was watching ESPN’s legends of cricket, I remember Glenn McGrath saying about Gilchrist’s preparation during this Ashes test series. He had mediocre performances in the previous Ashes test series and during this Ashes test series he was working so hard and McGrath had never seen him working so hard like that. One may argue that the bowling unit was not that brilliant and this knock was played at Gilchrist’s home ground. But I will say when Gilchrist is in this kind of form he can score anywhere against any quality opposition. Even now I don’t understand why did Matthew Hoggard bowl a wide when Gilchrist had the opportunity to break Viv Richards’ record for the then fastest test century.

    The first time I had observed Gilchrist’s batting was when he opened with Mark Waugh at Kochi against India when the Aussies needed more than 300 to win the match. That match is one of the very few one day internationals that I had watched from the very beginning till the end including presentation ceremony. When Gilchrist displayed his wide range of strokes I seriously thought whether it is possible for wicket-keepers to bat like this. Australia had scored 102 runs in 11 overs for the opening wicket and Gilchrist had a strike rate of 135 when he was out and such strike rates were very rare during those days. Australia were cruising but Sachin Tendulkar took his first five wicket haul in one day internationals and handed a victory for India. I remember Dean Jones saying about the sound from Viv Richards’ bat when Richards took on the bowlers. Jones was saying it was a different sound When Richards did his batting. I will say Gilchrist also displayed the same sound when he batted and now AB de Villiers is a champion batsman like the above two.

    Whenever my friends and me roam around we say many things related to many fields. Many times one person will say something with a slight hint and asks the others to guess what it is and it is always fun especially when we are in car. Whenever I had said something about Gilchrist and asked my friends to guess who the person is, most times they had replied correctly except when we went to our family oracle during 2010.  Maybe that time my parents were with me when I was behind the wheel. It was 14th November, 2010 and I asked my parents can you guess which Australian cricketer’s birthday is today? But they could not answer. Maybe it was because they don’t watch too much cricket. I am more than happy to present this write-up on Gilly’s birthday. Nowadays I can’t see anyone coming at number seven in tests and swatting the quality bowlers all over the park and I very much feel to witness a player like Gilly again won’t happen in the near future.

    1. Series – Australia tour of England, The Ashes, 5 Match Test Series, 3rd test
    2. Year – 2006
    3. Venue – WACA Ground, Perth
    4. Date – 14-18 December, 2006
    5. Result – Australia won
    6. Margin – 206 runs
    7. Player of the match – Michael Hussey
    8. Series won by – Australia
    9. Margin – 5-0
    10. Player of the series – Ricky Ponting

    Written on 13th November, 2016

     

  • Sachin Tendulkar – ICC World Cup 1999

    Sachin Tendulkar – ICC World Cup 1999

    sachin-bristolImage courtesy © Getty Images

     

    Ever since I started watching cricket Sachin Tendulkar’s name has been discussed by people with immense pep. Now, even after his retirement the trend still continues. In a career that spanned over two decades Sachin had played so many great knocks and there are so much to remember from those knocks.

    I have many things to reminisce about him from those experiences shared by so many legendary cricketers and those matches that I had watched him play over the years. As a teenager when Sachin made his test debut against Pakistan in Karachi, the same match when Waqar Younis made his test debut against India, he was injured by a Waqar Younis delivery, but he still continued playing with grit. Tendulkar was involved in a match saving partnership with Manoj Prabhakar against England at Old Trafford, when India were close to losing a test match. In Sharjah, he had danced down the track and had hit Shane Warne over his head when Warne bowled from around the wicket. He had opened with Sourav Ganguly and later Virender Sehwag in many one day internationals and was involved in so many great opening partnerships. Contrary to Sehwag facing the first ball when Sehwag and Sachin open in one day internationals, Sachin faced the first ball when he took on a mellowed but not adjunct Wasim Akram in Centurion during ICC World Cup 2003. There had been very few instances of Sachin facing the first ball in the Indian batting of a one day international when he had opened with Virender Sehwag. I remember Harsha Bhogle saying this in the commentary box. Both his five-fors in one day internationals had been in my hometown Cochin. Now he is the co-owner of Kerala Blasters.

    But I am very much emotionally attached to this knock of Sachin in the ICC World Cup 1999. This knock may not be against the best of bowling attacks. Sachin had to return to India when he lost his father and he missed India’s match against Zimbabwe. I was so sad when I came to know the reason why he didn’t turn up for India’s match against Zimbabwe. I still remember Shahid Afridi greeting Sachin Tendulkar with a smile when he came back and was there for a practice session.  In the first match Sachin played when he came back from India, he scored a hundred and dedicated it to his father. Many Kenyan fielders had butterfingers and it was so funny to watch them fielding clumsily. Also it was the first time I saw Sachin playing reverse sweep and I don’t know whether he had played this shot before and after this match in a one day international. I can’t remember to whom Sachin spoke to during the presentation ceremony. It was either Bob Willis or Paul Allott. But both are excellent orators and I pay attention to the commentary of both of them. The commentary of Bob Willis and Paul Allott are somewhat similar and sometimes I fail to identify who is commentating due to the similarity in their Anglian dialect which I really like.

    Sachin played this knock against the Kenyans in County Ground, Bristol and only three times Sachin had played in one day internationals in this ground including his first appearance in this match. In the next match Sachin played in Bristol during 2002 after this match, he scored a century against the Lankans. After that during 2007 when India toured England, Sachin played at Bristol for the third and final time and was wrongly given out when Matt Prior took a catch of Andrew Flintoff’s wide ball and he was out for 99. It would have been a record if he had scored a hundred in the third match he played in Bristol and it would have been hundreds in all matches played by a player in one single venue.

    I have a few other memories to cherish about Bristol though I have never been there. At times my brother-in-law travels to Bristol officially and he informs me of the trips. Many branded confectioneries that my parents bring from United Kingdom after their visits have plants there in Bristol. Also I play one of my favourite house music songs in my german motorcar and that duo hails from Bristol.

    1. Series –  ICC World Cup
    2. Year – 1999
    3. Venue – County Ground, Bristol
    4. Date – 23 May, 1999
    5. Result – India won
    6. Margin – 94 runs
    7. Player of the match – Sachin Tendulkar
    8. Series won by – Australia
    9. Margin – 8 wickets
    10. Player of the series – Lance Klusener

    Written on 9th October, 2016

     

  • Bigger bats and smaller grounds

    Bigger bats and smaller grounds

    chris-gayle-big-bash-2015Image courtesy © Getty Images

    I certainly can’t remember when did the game of cricket start witnessing an imbalance in rules between bowlers and batsmen. Probably it was when Twenty20 became popular. But I certainly can remember when did I start thinking about the size of the bats for batsmen in cricket. It was during the early 2000s.

    In any game where many players of different genres participate the rules should always be balanced. Otherwise the contest will be one-sided and monotonous. Nowadays hardly we see the crowd holding placards displaying the name of bowlers and screaming. Now we see spectators shouting the name of their favourite batsmen while having the fritters and sipping aerated drinks. Even a person who had learned the gentleman’s game in the last fortnight wants the batsman to hit the ball to the farthest part of the stadium and even to orbit.

    Gone are those days where batsmen took more time to break records in any formats in cricket. I remember Vivian Richards’ record for scoring the highest runs in a one day international match remained for almost 13 years when Saeed Anwar broke it. And Anwar’s record had remained for almost another 13 years when Sachin Tendulkar broke it. I had watched both Anwar’s and Tendulkar’s knock live, but not Richards’. It was not because I was not interested in watching Richards batting, but I was not born when Richards single-handedly demolished the English bowlers in Old Trafford, Manchester on 31st May, 1984. But now within a very short span of time batting records are getting broken. Even WACA at Perth and Kingsmead at Durban which were once lively for the faster bowlers are its pale shadow now.

    If the size of the bats and other such rules for batsmen still keep on getting relaxed, then a day will come when a batsman in a 50 over match scoring 300 plus and his team posting 500 plus. Similarly a day in a Twenty20 when a batsman scoring 200 plus and his team posting 300 plus is also not far. Nowadays, a team’s score in 20 overs is similar to what many teams used to score in 50 overs. I think that is the reason why Mitchell Starc was rightly adjudged as player of the series during the 2015 World Cup despite many batsmen breaking so many records. Because he did an excellent job on a track where most batsmen including those who did the role of second fiddle thrived.

    There are many famous matches that were won by teams defending their meagre total in 50 overs. I remember Sunil Gavaskar remembering his old days so many times in the commentary box. Many times he had recollected India defending their paltry 125 against their arch-rivals Pakistan in Sharjah in 1985. Imran Khan took 6 wickets when India batted first and Pakistan had to come on to bat even before the scheduled break as there was so much time left since India were bundled out for a small score. But India successfully defended their modest score and won by 38 runs. Gavaskar took 4 catches in that match. Also I remember Indian bowlers successfully defending their 179 against Sri Lanka in Sharjah during 1998. But I really wondered when South Africa won the final of the Standard Bank Triangular Tournament against England in Johannesburg in 2000. I had watched the Proteas’ batting and they were all out for 149 in 45 overs. I had watched the Proteas’ batting from my mother’s house and I had to travel back after that and hence I could not watch England batting. But I literally wondered when I read South Africa’s 38 runs victory against England  in the next day’s newspaper. Now hardly we see matches like those due to the imbalance in rules for batsmen and bowlers.

    Earlier if a team had sored 300 plus in a one day international while batting first, then it was quite certain that they had won the match. But that is not the present scenario. Batting records are tumbling faster than never before. I don’t know which establishment fixes the rules in cricket. But I strongly feel that there should be balanced rules for both batsmen and bowlers. Recently we had seen so many records getting broken when India took on West Indies in a T20I in Florida.  Now England holds the record for a team’s highest total in 50 overs. Doctored pitches and rules for batsmen will make cricket less interested.  If rules still continue to be more favourable for batsmen in terms of the size of the bats and other such things, certainly it will do more harm than good. If I have to give my resolution in favour of balanced rules for bowlers and batsmen, I would give it with pleasure and even if I have to give this for a tubthumping mode, I won’t infract even to the slightest degree.

    Written on 25th September 2016

  • The perfect all-rounder

    The perfect all-rounder

    JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA - NOVEMBER 10: Jacques Kallis of South Africa in action during day three of the 1st test match between South Africa and New Zealand held at the Wanderers Stadium on November 10, 2007 in Johannesburg, South Africa. (Photo by Lee Warren/Gallo Images/Getty Images)
    Image courtesy © Getty Images

     

    Jacques Kallis was a perfect all-rounder. He was technically correct as a batsman and he had excelled in his bowling too. Once Steve Waugh was asked about the greatest player he had seen and he replied its Kallis and he said Kallis is the all-time greatest. Waugh said you take the number of runs scored, wickets and catches taken by him. I totally agree with the statistics pointed out by Waugh. But I rate him as the greatest all-rounder of all-time. When it comes to greatest players that I had seen, there are various categories of them. Among those players that I had seen and who are retired, I will go for Adam Gilchrist when it comes to aggressive batting. I will choose Kumar Sangakkara as a batsman with pure technique and class.

    When there is an evaluation of these legends’ career, many factors should be taken into consideration such as their performance from debut till retirement, fitness, consistency, adaptability, longevity and attack against best teams. Very few players of any genre will get all stars in the above criteria. I am sure Kallis, Sangakkara and Gilchrist met these criteria and so was Rahul Dravid, Glenn McGrath and Muttiah Muralitharan.

    When India toured South Africa during 2011 for a three test series, they lost the first match and then they won the second match and in the third match India did bowl well, but Kallis scored a century in the first innings and rescued the Proteas. In the second innings India could have won the match and the series after they bowled well again, but Kallis yet again scored a century and was unbeaten and India could only draw the match. Indian bowlers yet again proved that they can take the first half of the wickets quickly, and then they won’t upset the wickets column in the scoreboard.

    The series was on only after a few months since I joined for my first job, and I really wanted to reach home quickly to see the match, but I was disappointed to see the result. When India came on to bat they needed more than 4 runs per over to win the match. If someone had played a cameo similar to Gordon Greenidge’s in a fourth innings chase against England at Lord’s, when the Windies needed 340 plus to win the match, maybe India could have won, but that didn’t happen. Kallis had played alongside many top performers of South Africa and he is also as unlucky as them when it comes to major tournaments.

    I really can’t understand what happens to the Proteas when it comes to big tournaments and tri nation series outside South Africa. Actually they can deliver more than what they do. When it comes to tri nation series at home, bilateral series at home and away, they do well. When the big tournaments are on they fall like a pack of cards. In the recently concluded tri series in West Indies also we witnessed the same. The only drawback that they had was the absence of a spinner since Pat Symcox’s retirement. Now they have Imran Tahir and Aaron Phangiso and still they earn the name chokers when it really matters. Ill luck is following them like a shadow and they can’t get rid of it.  At least, Kallis was a part of that victorious South African team, when they won the first ICC Champions Trophy in Bangladesh. That was not the case with many other top performers of the Proteas.

    Kallis could have played the 2015 World Cup and it would have been his 6th World Cup appearance, if he had played. I wonder why he retired even when he had so much left in him. After his retirement, he did well in the IPL and many 20 over matches across the globe.

     Written on July 2016

  • Steve Waugh’s Aussies

    Steve Waugh’s Aussies

    8-adam-gilchrist-johannesburg

    Image courtesy © Getty Images

     

    Recently I have been attending various classes in my office about investments. Experts say about inflation, savings, returns and so on. When it comes to investments, you need to foresee future and for that formulae are applied. It says that based on your present spending, you will be able to know after a couple of decades what will be your expenses and your returns if your investments are productive.

    When you do not know something or when there is an uncertainty, formulae are most welcome. We talk about the collections that were gigantic in old hit movies. When we see the present movies generating more revenue than the old ones, we apply certain formula to know the value of present revenue, because we know the present value of money is very much different from the value of money that was derived years ago.

    If there are such formulae in cricket to evaluate prodigious talents, I would like to learn that and apply. That is simply because I was clueless about the dramatic turnarounds in the outcome of many matches played by Australia in particular, when Stephen Waugh captained the Kangaroos. This match is one among them. I had watched this match live and the Aussies had lost half of their side after posting a decent total. Gilchrist came in and then it was sheer carnage for the next couple of hours. After scoring 650 plus the Aussies declared. I was of the impression that the pitch is really good for batting.

    But the match was over in three days and the Aussies won by an innings and 360 runs. The Aussies comprehensively overshadowed a very strong Proteas in all departments in their own den in South Africa. The pitch that assisted the batsmen was not the same when the Aussie bowlers grabbed the ball. I have observed the other way round also. When Australian bowlers bundle out the opposition inside a few overs, I will be of the opinion that it is a bowling track and when Langer and Hayden come, followed by a very strong middle order I would be having a doubtful second thought about the pitch observation. Till now I didn’t get an answer or a formula and always I am clueless. The Aussies ruled like anything when they were captained by Stephen Waugh. Steve’s captaincy record in terms of winning percentage in test cricket is way ahead of his legendary counterparts that include Clive Lloyd, Viv Richards, Stephen Fleming, Hansie Cronje and Graeme Smith.

    In this innings, Gilchrist was very severe on fast bowlers. Shaun Pollock was not there in this match. But I don’t think when Adam bats like this, his presence would have made a difference. Gilchrist had narrowly missed a display board in this match that offered a prize money, when his six of Neil McKenzie fell inches away from that board.

    Even after more than 14 years, I remember the third day of this match when Australia won the match. All Aussie players paraded around the ground by waving their hands to the crowd.

    1. Series – Australia tour of South Africa, 3 Match Test Series, 1st test
    2. Year – 2002
    3. Venue – New Wanderers Stadium, Johannesburg
    4. Date – 22-24 February, 2002
    5. Result – Australia won
    6. Margin – Innings and 360 runs
    7. Player of the match – Adam Gilchrist
    8. Series won by – Australia
    9. Margin – 2-1
    10. Player of the series – Adam Gilchrist

    Written on July 2016