How big are the Ashes?

“Its humongous” says Brad Haddin, “it is huge” says Michael Clarke, “it is awesome” says Hussey in the promos preceding the first Ashes test at the Gabba which are still on ESPN. My mind goes back to 1960 and the first test, though not an Ashes test but arguably the greatest test of all time between Richie Benaud’s Australians and the gentlemanly Frank Worrall’s West Indians. Now that was big! Compared to that the much hyped “clash of the Titans” (if you can call the no.4 and no.5 teams that) has been a damp squib to equal some of our firecrackers from my childhood in the November rain of Madras. On the 16th of December the teams will move to Perth, the scene of former bounce and pace. But if the first two games are any indication, Australia is dead and buried, caught between the confusion of old versus new, plaintive appeals for Shane Warne’s return which remind me of his own fervent efforts in his bowling days to get umpires to nod, Ponting’s struggles making us realize the value of Sachin Tendulkar’s longevity, spinner after Australian spinner being chosen only to be dropped, Hauritz giving away his test kit… What a time to be a pom!! “Are you England in disguise” is the barmy army’s cry and how apt it seems. Australia’s stuttering efforts remind me of the 1992 world cup that was held in Australia- arguably their worst world cup ever, perhaps only to be rivaled by what is going to happen to them in India in February, if their current losing record is any indication. Of course Australia may still win if James Anderson after his paternity leave takes a flight to Atlanta instead of Perth, Swann fractures his spinning finger on the day of the match, Hughes scores a century before lunch and Ponting bats like 2003, 2004, 2005 or 2006 and Australia fields like we all know it can. Now what are the odds of all of this happening mate?

On to the real big game

On the same day in South Africa, the number one and two teams will lock horns- South Africa and India. Even with the confusion surrounding the ratings (Australia moved up a notch after losing the Adelaide test by an innings) there is no doubt that these two teams are superior to Australia at least, by far. South Africa is doing many things right and has its batsmen in form. Of course its ability to get twenty wickets will be in sharp focus, what with our best batsman (or at least the one with the best averages in the last series) batting at no.8! Their bowling against the Pakistanis albeit in the dust bowls of the Middle East was found wanting. They have in their own modest way pointed out India’s none too flattering record in South Africa to an ever obliging media which has lapped up every word. They are talking about Sehwag which is always a dumb thing to do – never sledge the opponent lest they make you grovel as Tony Greig discovered to his horror! Of course they can do one better; they can sledge Sachin and then be forever consigned to no.2 before England dislodges them!

Boring test matches, the order of the day

If Australia had not lost three wickets for two runs (what an achievement) the Adelaide test too would have been a dull, boring draw like the test match at the Gabba, the ones in Sri Lanka and the first two against New Zealand here in India. As sponsors get greedier and insist on matches not being decided in less than five days, draws are going to be the order of the day. Batting averages are going to be inflated to 55 instead of the 50 some time ago and people like me are going to switch off our TV sets. Mark my words, this series against South Africa is not only critical to these two warring teams but to the entire cricketing world. I do hope the wickets give both bat and ball a chance. If South Africa is dumb enough to produce wickets that will aid seam and swing they need to remember that Sreesanth when he is not consumed by madness, can be a force and Zaheer is arguably the best left arm seamer in the world. But it could well be a series dominated by batsmen – whether it will be Amla, Kallis or DeVilliers or VVS Laxman, Sachin and Sehwag who will call the shots will soon be known. But at the risk of stating the obvious, the team that will get twenty wickets will win and one hopes that we set to rest all the doubts that are constantly being raised, not without reason, about us being “lions at home and lambs abroad”.

Here is my prediction

I know how dumb it is to make a prediction before a ball has been bowled. India is going to play the first test without even the benefit of a practice game and we all know how lethargic we are as starters of test series. But I still believe that the Indian team like the English team in Australia has self belief. It has done many things that was only associated with the Australia of old. I think India will scrape through and if Sehwag clicks as he is bound to then we will win in a canter.

Whatever happens, I do hope that it is a darn sight more interesting than the Ashes.

Ramanujam Sridhar
CEO
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Thank you Steve Davis!

What is it about Australian umpires that cause the more self-restrained people to raise eyebrows and normal human beings to raise their voices? I have been watching and following cricket for a small matter of 51 years and wonder whether any cricket related topic has created as much heat. From the days of the immortal Frank Worrell’s tour of Australia which resulted in the unforgettable tied test to yesterday at Ahmedabad there has been discussion about Australian umpires and most of it unfavorable on TV. For one Simon Taufel, there have been several Steve Davis over the years. In the past it used to be laced with veiled comments about partiality while yesterday it was time to question the competence of the umpire who is the hero of this piece.

For months now the BCCI has refused to see what was obvious and apparent to most cricket lovers and commentators - the crying need to accept the UDRS system. I am what is a needless species as far as the BCCI is concerned - a cricket fan. A humble cricket fan and I may not know as much as some of the exalted people who run the game in India, but I can challenge them on one simple aspect. I sincerely believe I have watched and continue to watch more cricket than any of them. For I have a sneaking suspicion that most administrators, players and even commentators here do not watch cricket other than what India plays in. I have the dubious distinction of travelling to different parts of the world to watch cricket and more importantly watch every cricket match that is happening in the world of cricket and many of them which happen outside this country use the UDRS, and in my opinion the UDRS works . It would have worked yesterday for VVS Laxman who would have got a richly deserved century. It would have worked for Ishant Sharma when he got a raw deal and most certainly for Ricky Ponting when Ojha was plumb in front of the stumps in what would have settled the match. It will save us from the vagaries of Billy Bowden’s crooked finger and Steve Davis’ short sightedness!

Well done Steve

The fifth day of the first test between India and New Zealand was arguably Steve Davis worst day. In one memorable five ball over he did not see that VVS had a huge insight edge and Zaheer had another that was only slightly less intense. He promptly gave both of them out lbw of successive balls. He must have been so happy with his own umpiring that he called the over in just five balls. But Steve Davis I hope has given a rude jolt to the slumbering BCCI officials. I do hope that some of the BCCI officials were watching. I wish Virender Sehwag would just saunter to one of them and say “I told you so”. Clearly there is divided opinion about the UDRS and its efficacy within the Indian team and “God“ is against it. God maybe the greatest batsman that ever trod the post war cricket ground, but he has got it completely wrong this time around.

All the talk about technology not being adequate is pure hogwash. Technology will never be perfect but it would have certainly avoided the blunders of yesterday. Let’s go with what Ravi Shastri said about UDRS. It prevents blunders like what we saw yesterday at Ahmedabad. Let’s not let the same blunders happen in South Africa when we travel there for what is ostensibly the world championship of cricket. Picture this - Wayne Parnell pitches the ball six inches outside the leg stump there is a huge shout and Sachin is adjudged lbw! Hashim Amla smashes one to Dhoni and despite fervent appeals by the entire Indian team is given not out!. VVS Laxman again inside edges to be given out lbw! Who knows Steve Davis and Billy Bowden could well be the umpires we might have for that series while Aleem Dar is officiating in the Ashes and Simon Taufel is officiating in some state game in Australia. India has always been lazy in understanding new concepts - it was the most vocal critic of the T20 and now it’s most ardent follower. Let’s hope that the same thing happens with UDRS.

Ramanujam Sridhar
CEO
brand – comm.
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Is the BCCI finally learning?

I have never been a great admirer of the BCCI. The organization {?} is one that you normally associate with “chaos’, ‘confusion’ and even ‘corruption’. It has been known for email leaks, irresponsible media interviews, lobbying and a whole host of undesirable activities. Of course my major grouse with them has been the fact that they do not give a fig for the ultimate consumer, whether he is a person who pays hard earned money to watch matches live or sits religiously in front of the TV set. I recently went to watch the India Australia test match at Bangalore (what a match it was) and was appalled to see the condition of the seats. And mind you these were member’s seats. Of course the World Cup is around the corner, but then in India we specialize in doing things at the last moment, don’t we! Just ask Kalmadi!

The times they are a changing

Yet, the BCCI seems to have woken up to the fact that the Indian test team is number one in the world. They suddenly realized that they could lose their number one status without playing too much test cricket as other countries are busy playing with each other. So the BCCI quickly changed the seven match one day series against Australia to two test matches and three one day internationals. Despite Ponting’s bleatings that this was hardly the ideal preparation for the Ashes, the BCCI had its way. Thankfully, both the teams ensured that this was one of the finest short series that one had seen and the Australians were graceful losers and India got a good lead in the ICC points table.

Of course India bashers are fond of saying that we are lions at home and lambs abroad. The truth as always is somewhere in the middle. But full credit to the BCCI for realizing that the series against South Africa in South Africa could well be the true test championship of the world. Of course Indians have known to be indifferent travelers and much is at stake. So it is proposed that the key Indian players travel early to South Africa to acclimatize. Of course in today’s hurly burly world there is no time for practice games. Incidentally, we need to remember that England is scheduled to play three tour games before the first test at Brisbane.

Be that as it may, I think the first Indian eleven for the first test in South Africa should move earlier to the country to acclimatize. Who knows the BCCI could even request(!) the South African test team to play a practice game against this team at the Wanderers and they might even accept! Of course being an Indian fan, I do know that nothing is certain till it actually happens and this may just be Kirsten’s zeal which may well be nipped in the bud! And who is to prevent some smart sponsor from getting in a few days of commercial shoots with our celebrity cricketers!

Let’s keep hoping and praying that the BCCI is finally understanding its role as something beyond money and sponsorships!