Cricket - 30th December 2008

Current Affairs Sports: 30th December 2008

Want to write something so will now give current affairs for the coming few days. :)

Cricket:

• Australia looses test series at home for the first time in 16 years. If South Africa manages to defeat Australia in the final test the numero uno position will be held by SA than.
  
• 3-0 whitewash will take place for the first time since 1984 against WI
• Roy is dropped for the final test against SA
• Australia has named 3 rookies pacer Doug Bollinger, swing bowler Ben Hilfenhaus and all rounder Andrew McDonald in the 12 men squad for the final test.
• Watson will be out of action for the next six months due to stress fracture to his back
  
• Putting aside all the rumors England have not selected Michael Vaughn for the test series against WI.
• New ICC anti doping code is announced
• Player to watch out for in 2009 - Cheteshwar Pujara. He should be in Indian team for NZ tour.
  

Its Official Now : Tour to Pakistan Off

The news which all of India was expecting is official now, tour to Pakistan in Jan has been called off. Government of India asked the BCCI not to proceed with the tour to Pakistan.

Tour was planned from Jan -13 to Feb - 19 consisting of 3 Tests, 5 one dayers and 1 Twenty20. Pakistan is set to loose 20 million dollars. This is a big loss for near bankrupt PCB.

Our neighbors have not played a single test in the whole of 2008 and they played around 22 odi's only.

It is a good measure from India and we should take more such measures which were earlier known as confidence building measures. India with its foreign policy should try to isolate Pakistan more since the Mumbai Attacks.

Cricket needs Test Matches like India vs England @Chennai

What a test match between England and India has turned out to be. Played in security fears and questions by many people regarding the timing of cricket in India as we are yet to come out of Mumbai Carnage. But cricket won and the match took place among lots of security personals and England came with a desire to win and hunger was easily visible in their players.

They scored decent first innings score of 300+ and were on the front foot after getting India out early. Pieterson was brave in declaring at a challenging score of 311 thus giving India 387 runs target. Had it has been reverse case i.e Indian captain had to declare I doubt if any Indian captain would have declared below 420 target.

Hats off to Kevin he gave India the hope that they can win and big thanks to Sehwag for making this test match a great match. If he had got out early, I feel the match would have been a lame duck draw with Indians playing slowly and slowly and by afternoon agreeing for a draw.

Right now India stands a great chance in winning with only 83 runs required and Sehwag and Yuvi at crease. Yuvi controlled himself a lot after being teased by Flintoff regularly during his spell.

Lets see and enjoy cricket.

Finally Cricket to Resume In India

Its final now England cricketers are coming to India for two match test series. Some people will say it may be due to the financial clout of BCCI that England is coming back so early but I feel life is much bigger than money and I salute to the cricketers that they are coming back in full strength.

ECB managing director said :

"This is a very brave and courageous decision which will be respected around the world,''

I totally agree to what he is saying, Its not easy for them after what they saw and some of them including Vaughan had a narrow escape as they were schedule to stay in Taj hotel from the next day.

Some people were saying this is not the time to play as sports are played for enthusiasm and we should be with those who have suffered, I respect this point but I feel we shouldn't let life come to a standstill and let those terrorists win, they want us to stay indoors always and life a life in which we are afraid every time.
No cricket should resume and other sports should also resume. Cricket as a sport will win in these two matches no matter who wins the series.

Successful and peaceful culmination of this series may lead to Champions League T20 being taking place in Jan.

India and England have played 97 Tests prior to the start of this series. India has won 18, lost 34, with 45 ending in a draw. I believe we may take our victory stats to 20 in the coming series.

Squad Details:
Kevin Pietersen (captain), Tim Ambrose (wkt), James Anderson, Ian Bell, Stuart Broad, Paul Collingwood, Alastair Cook, Andrew Flintoff, Stephen Harmison, Amjad Khan, Monty Panesar, Matt Prior (wkt), Owais Shah, Andrew Strauss, Graeme Swann.
First Test: December 11-15, Chennai
Second Test: December 19-23, Mohali