The two upsets will give hope to the minnows in cricket for many years to come. Hope can lead to formation of goals and goals, when aided with proper plan of action, can lead to great things. So 17th April, 2007, has the potential of having many positive effects.

There is another aspect I am wondering about. Pakistan is out of the world cup in the first round and India has a very real chance of following suit. So will this trigger off lowering of following of cricket? Has the lowering of following already started but we just do not notice it yet?

Earlier, people used to follow every ball when India played. Now, many are happy with just following the score. I remember how the Eden Gardens used to be full and you had to pay double the price written on the ticket to watch the game if you didn’t buy your ticket early. However, the last few years have seen lower number of crowds and empty seats - some thing unimaginable earlier.

People will not go on following a sport forever and are not immune to factors like results. Many years ago, hockey enjoyed huge popularity. However, losses and disappointing performances over the years has meant that hockey is a shadow of it’s former self in India. Wins are very crucial for increasing and/or sustaining the popularity of a particular sport in a nation in the long run.

Given the following cricket enjoys, India and Pakistan should produce far more successful cricketers and cricket teams. However, the lack of infrastructure over the years has meant that talent cannot be tapped or honed properly. 17th March should be a warning sign for the authorities in India and Pakistan to get their act together and chart out a proper plan for cricket for the people wont always keep following, the sponsors won’t always keep coming and the money won’t always keep flowing.

The bubble can indeed burst.

After a horrible Ashes where the Aussie team saw ghosts and Jason Gillespie became a ghost of a name where the Australian squad was concerned, Jason Gillespie is back. Not only with wickets, but with runs too! The century from Gillespie proves (once again) that any thing is possible in cricket.

Gillespie did not have a great Pura Cup with the bat making 135 runs at an average of 13.50 with a highest of 33. [Stats attained with the aid of Neil.] However, the defense of Gillespie is underestimated. A solid blocker, Gillespie can stick at the wicket for long periods. His stats for staying at the wicket was a little more than 52 before this test match and is bound to improve as he has already faced 300 balls in the current inning.

Osman Saimuddin writes over at Cricinfo:

… For the purposes of records only should he be called a nightwatchman as he became only the third one to score a Test hundred, but he is much more than that; his Chennai rearguard, fifties against Pakistan and New Zealand over the last year say as much.

But a Test hundred? That surely confirms his as one of the best tailenders, in fact, a tailender who actually isn’t. Lest this seem sarcastic, note the credentials please. Including this hundred, he averages 24.65 from his last 16 Tests with two fifties as well, and if he wishes, he can run those by prodigious Michael `Pup’ Clarke, who averages 25.09, with two fifties and no hundreds from the same.

For the statistically minded, this is the highest score by a night watchman in test cricket history. Tony Mann’s almost 30 year record has been broken.

Read the rest of this entry »

Harsha Bhogle writes on the almost-dramatic Bangladesh-Australia test in The Indian Express:

Australia seemed to be in a trance. At most times they make things happen, here in Fatullah, exhausted and with their minds back home, they allowed themselves to believe that things would happen. It is one of the great realities that sport teaches us: if you just turn up you get a kick up your backside… So, a Test match that we believed would end in three days went to five; a side that we thought would turn up to be trampled upon did the dancing for a while and the world champions spent a couple of sleepless nights against the minnows. It was beautiful while it lasted.

A few years ago, Inzamam-ul-Haq denied Bangladesh a test victory. It was Ricky Ponting this time. Or do they have themselves to blame rather than any external factor? Bangladesh have made a huge leap. However, how big a leap is still needed to be taken?

Also, how and when will the bigger leap take place? We will have to wait and watch.

Bangladesh is dominating the test match versus Australia. Who would have thought. Then, who would have thought that Bangladesh would defeat Australia in a one day match on 18th May, 2005?

Angshuman Hazra writes at Different Strokes:

For millions of fans in a nation where cricket is the number one sport the past year or so has been like a generous helping of apple pie after the bitter pills swallowed along the learning curve. They are hoping for the best and urging their team on to another step up the ladder. With that kind of history against the top team in cricket world their prayers may not remain unanswered for long… May Fatullah be the next Sophia Gardens, and much more.

This test match could be the most significant step Bangladesh has taken in international cricket. There have been important steps earlier - Bangladesh’s qualification for the World Cup in 1999, the World Cup 1999 match they won against Pakistan, the Test Status, the near win versus Pakistan in a test, the one day international victory over Australia.  Regardless of the result in this test match, Bangladesh are likely to be taken much more seriously post this test match. Bangladesh have already taken a very big leap.

I was seeing a one hour cricket programme on NDTV called ‘cricket controversies’. Apparently the Indian team has decided not to speak with the media for the time being to avoid controversies. A sort of media ban. Only Chappell, Dravid and the media manager will speak.

Sidhu was vociferous in defending it. That he said the Indian players are not articulate enough as a point to defend his stance was hilarious. But coming back to the point.

If players do not speak with the media how do they defend comments which may slur their reputation. Like Hayden felt during the Ashes and reacted so strongly. Specially in a scenario of former players - some of the team mates of the current lot having a say at almost every thing.

Also, why should some players be denied of monetary benefits of writing columns etc in the media for the talk of specific players in the team.

The allowing of limited overs international status for more teams is the way to go. This means more matches between comparable stature teams and less of tri nation series involving two top nations and a Banladesh or a Zimbabwe. It also means financial rewards for the teams which the ICC has specified. This more than any thing is the biggest plus point.

But test cricket is a different ball game. In an excellent article in the August issue of Wisden Asia Cricket on why Bangladesh should not be allowed to play test cricket, Ramachandra Guha – one of the best modern Indian writers, conveys with conviction my firm beliefs.

26 out of 26 test defeats if tests versus a depleted Zimbabwe and West Indies are excluded. Many of them innings defeats. As Guha goes through the emergence of star players, results of other teams like New Zealand, Zimbabwe and Sri Lanka, the situation was never so pathetic. And Kenya should have got the status before Bangladesh if based purely on results. Known points all of these and many others but after the one off vctory versus Australia, people have taken it as justification of the test status.

Guha recommends an 8 team structure – top 7 plus one from the second tire promoted every three years; the last of the 8 after 3 relegated. I recommend the last of the 8 and the top of the second tire play a test or a three test series or 2 tests in each country or any such play off to decide the 8th team or a way to include a new test team.

A common argument is how will the second tire improve. The depression and negativity which sets in with constant losses is definitely not the answer. Play versus A teams of the top countries, play in the domestic tournaments like Kenya did a few years back. The improvement will gradually come.