The Australian captain Ricky Ponting is always found to be in the news for some or the other reasons. This might be for suggesting something new that sometimes might favor the cricketing world and at most of the times definitely favors the Australian cricket. It was Ponting who has a share in the worry that was found to haunt the ICC which feared that the advent of the T20 cricket may be the end of the road as far as the one dayers are considered. The other side of the coin also suggests that the T20 format of the game of cricket is not Australia's cup of tea.
Relax! This might not be the reason for Ricky Ponting to throw out such a comment. However, now Ponting has come out saying that "It is the number of one day games being played that is responsible for reduced crowd strength in Australian stadiums." Australia were found playing 10 one day internationals against Pakistan and West Indies in the past couple of months or so. Added to these were 6 test matches, with three games each against Pakistan and West Indies respectively. These 6 test matches took as much as 30 days compared to the 10 days taken away by ODIs.
Moreover, be it anywhere in the world, test cricket has hardly been able to draw people to the stadiums and Ponting is not found commenting on the issue. Ricky Ponting wants the number of one dayers to be reduced from 10 to 5 in the Australian summer. So, does Ponting insists that one series has 3 one day internationals and the other series has just 2 games? If one has to go by Ponting's words, there should have been 3 ODIs played against Pakistan and 2 ODIs against West Indies this summer. And it is not a big issue if test cricket is not able to draw crowds to the stadiums according to Ponting.
Next interesting fact is that Australia have been playing 10 one day internationals every summer. Like, there were 10 ODIs involving Australia with New Zealand and South Africa last year. And prior to that, there was the Commonwealth Bank series that hosted 14 ODIs minimum. This was the case even prior to that as well. And no one was found taking to the issue then. But, now Ponting comes out saying that the number of ODIs be reduced. Ponting suggests that due to the end of the summer vacations after which kids will have to return back to school, the number of spectators have reduced.
So, if Ponting's words are to be followed, ODIs have to be held only during vacations and nowhere in Australia otherwise.
Showing posts with label Commonwealth Bank series. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Commonwealth Bank series. Show all posts
Tuesday, 23 February 2010
Monday, 1 February 2010
The crowd's take on the match
Well from Eden gardens to Lahore in 1997, there have been much disturbances to the sporting action on the field, most of which has resulted in abandoning the matches. No one can forget the way the semi finals of the Wills world cup 1996 was washed out due to fan fury in the game between India and Sri Lanka when the scoreboard for India read 120/8 during their unsuccessful run chase of 252 imposed by Sri Lanka. However, hardly anyone would have noticed the way India lost the third ODI to Pakistan in Lahore which saw Ijaz Ahmed blasting a 84 ball unbeaten 139 to take Pakistan through in just 26.2 overs.
It was neither India's weak bowling nor the strength in the Pakistani batting line up that saw such a splendid performance from the Pakistani batsmen. But, it was the stone throwing incident in the 2nd ODI at Karachi that made India surrender the 3rd ODI to Pakistan. Then there have been many such incidents like the first three ODIs between India and West Indies, which took place irrespective of whether India won or lost. The third ODI between India & West Indies had to be called off after 27 overs owing to a stone throwing incident despite India being in a dominating position and were ultimately declared winners.
The other incidents that need not be highlighted specially is the one in the 1996 world cup where Australia and West Indies cancel their group matches against Sri Lanka scheduled at Colombo after news papers reports of LTTE strikes in the city, that was favored to Sri Lanka finally. Then comes the way England and New Zealand call off the matches against Zimbabwe and Kenya anticipating some trouble from the crowd especially England in 2003 world cup. The ugliest of them all being the one in the 2nd finals of the Commonwealth Bank series 2008 where a streaker was hit by Symonds after smuggling himself onto the field at Brisbane.
There was a similar incident even in the previous game as well that was let off lightly. The latest one that we hear is the one recently in the fifth and the final one day match of the first part of the Commonwealth bank series between Australia and Pakistan, where a spectator comes in from behind and hugs on to Khalid Latif in the deep. The case was hardly any different when a fan was found throwing a water bottle at a Pakistani fielder in Bangalore in 1999 after India's chances of winning was ruled out by the Wasim Akram led side. This has to be something that the ICC should keep an eye upon at least in Australia, where such incidents are fresh unlike the ones in the sub-continent.
It was neither India's weak bowling nor the strength in the Pakistani batting line up that saw such a splendid performance from the Pakistani batsmen. But, it was the stone throwing incident in the 2nd ODI at Karachi that made India surrender the 3rd ODI to Pakistan. Then there have been many such incidents like the first three ODIs between India and West Indies, which took place irrespective of whether India won or lost. The third ODI between India & West Indies had to be called off after 27 overs owing to a stone throwing incident despite India being in a dominating position and were ultimately declared winners.
The other incidents that need not be highlighted specially is the one in the 1996 world cup where Australia and West Indies cancel their group matches against Sri Lanka scheduled at Colombo after news papers reports of LTTE strikes in the city, that was favored to Sri Lanka finally. Then comes the way England and New Zealand call off the matches against Zimbabwe and Kenya anticipating some trouble from the crowd especially England in 2003 world cup. The ugliest of them all being the one in the 2nd finals of the Commonwealth Bank series 2008 where a streaker was hit by Symonds after smuggling himself onto the field at Brisbane.
There was a similar incident even in the previous game as well that was let off lightly. The latest one that we hear is the one recently in the fifth and the final one day match of the first part of the Commonwealth bank series between Australia and Pakistan, where a spectator comes in from behind and hugs on to Khalid Latif in the deep. The case was hardly any different when a fan was found throwing a water bottle at a Pakistani fielder in Bangalore in 1999 after India's chances of winning was ruled out by the Wasim Akram led side. This has to be something that the ICC should keep an eye upon at least in Australia, where such incidents are fresh unlike the ones in the sub-continent.
Sunday, 31 January 2010
Pakistan prepared for the worst?
The last time a team was found heading to Australia and coming back empty handed was Zimbabwe way back in 2003 when they lost both the test matches to Australia and then lost all the eight matches in the then Victoria Bitter series with 4 loss each to India and Australia. That was the test series where, in the first test Australia's Mathew Hayden scored a world record individual score of 380 runs breaking the 14 year old record held by the West Indian legend Brian Lara. Now, Pakistan after having been defeated in 3 tests and 4 ODIs are heading in the same direction.
It is no doubt that there have been teams in the past as well who have been whitewashed by Australia in tests. There was England team that lost all 5 matches in the Ashes 2006-07 and then there was Sri Lanka who lost both the test matches to Australia in 2007-08. Very few teams like India have been lucky not to have come back without winning even a single test match. India were able to win one test and draw another one on their last tour to Australia. Prior to that, South Africa managed to draw their first test at Perth in 2005-06 thus avoiding whitewash though they were not able to win.
Luckily, the West Indies were able to draw the second test at Adelaide in December last yer. But, when it came to the one dayeres, in the last decade there have been almost all major cricketing nations who have been a part of the VB series which is now played as a bilateral series under the sponsorship of Commonwealth bank. Though India was not able to win a game against Australia in 1999-00, they had a win against Pakistan in that year. So has been the case in the following years where a team takes home atleast one victory from the series be it against any opposition.
But, this time the Pakistan team that is currently under tour of Australia are found to break that jinx in case they lose the remaining one dayer to be played at Perth and the only T20 match that is bound to follow that. And moreover, Pakistan has not been whitewashed atleast in the recent past over almost a decade by any team. even in their last meeing with Australia, Pakistan despite losing the series could manage to win 2 out of the 3 one dayers and the T20 game also with it. Their worst defeat in the past decade has been 4-1 against India in 2006 and against New Zealand in 2004.
It is no doubt that there have been teams in the past as well who have been whitewashed by Australia in tests. There was England team that lost all 5 matches in the Ashes 2006-07 and then there was Sri Lanka who lost both the test matches to Australia in 2007-08. Very few teams like India have been lucky not to have come back without winning even a single test match. India were able to win one test and draw another one on their last tour to Australia. Prior to that, South Africa managed to draw their first test at Perth in 2005-06 thus avoiding whitewash though they were not able to win.
Luckily, the West Indies were able to draw the second test at Adelaide in December last yer. But, when it came to the one dayeres, in the last decade there have been almost all major cricketing nations who have been a part of the VB series which is now played as a bilateral series under the sponsorship of Commonwealth bank. Though India was not able to win a game against Australia in 1999-00, they had a win against Pakistan in that year. So has been the case in the following years where a team takes home atleast one victory from the series be it against any opposition.
But, this time the Pakistan team that is currently under tour of Australia are found to break that jinx in case they lose the remaining one dayer to be played at Perth and the only T20 match that is bound to follow that. And moreover, Pakistan has not been whitewashed atleast in the recent past over almost a decade by any team. even in their last meeing with Australia, Pakistan despite losing the series could manage to win 2 out of the 3 one dayers and the T20 game also with it. Their worst defeat in the past decade has been 4-1 against India in 2006 and against New Zealand in 2004.
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