Sunday 10 May 2009

Symonds & Sreesanth Targetted By Bad Luck

Just two posts back, I had stated regarding the class of a team that could help the team in getting itself into better position despite a loss. The Kings XI Punjab once again proved this by pulling off a last ball victory against the Deccan Chargers and restrict their successive loss to 3 at the moment. Still, the Kings XI Punjab are not placed in the top four of the IPL. But, if they continue to show the same class as they showed in their games so far, they can make it to the semis this time as well. One view would place them even higher compared to the Deccan Chargers who at the beginning of the tournament were one of the undefeated teams in this series.

In today's cricketing world, a last ball victory is no longer a subject of thrill. Not even a last ball six when the situation demands the same is enough to thrill the audience who are watching the feat being achieved almost once a year. It was the time when Javed Miandad hit a last ball six at Sharjah when the team required 4 runs off the last delivery. That feat made him be alive in the hearts of many cricket fans over the world. After this, there have been a number of such feats. But, the concern is that, they are found repeating itself recently after 2005.

I still remember Inzamam Ul Haq scoring a boundary against India in the last ball of the match when Pakistan required 1 run off the last ball. Then, in a match between Bangladesh and Zimbabwe, Zimbabwe won the match when one of its batsmen hit a last ball six. Also, West Indian Shivnarine Chanderapaul scored a last ball six to see his team through against Sri Lanka last year. So, now a days incase the match is to be considered as a last ball gasp, the team should emerge victorious scoring something like 24 runs off the last over. This should happen once in a bluemoon incase the fans have to rejoice the moment.

Anyway, in the match between the Kings XI Punjab and the Deccan Chargers, the degree of bad luck of Andrew Symonds was evident when despite him scoring the lone half century of the match had to compromise with the losing side. On the other, another entry in Brett Lee had a wonderful day not with the ball but with the team, for he belonged to the winning team. Even last year, Andrew Symonds was in the losing in the match against the Rajasthan Royals despite him scoring a hundred. In the sense, the hundred scored by Symonds was the fastest one till date, until Adam Gilchrist overtook the same against Kings XI (I guess).

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