01-29-2006, 04:05 PM (This post was last modified: 01-29-2006, 04:07 PM by narayanan.)
CLASSIC <!--emo&tupid--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/pakee.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='pakee.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--emo&tupid--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/pakee.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='pakee.gif' /><!--endemo--> ROADRUNNER SHOW. Pakis spend months making two dead pitches, and then a fast swinging, cutting pitch for DAY 1 morning.
Pakis fall in it.
Apparently the pitch is now OK : 225 for 7 at last check. Kamran Akmal going strong past century, even Shoaib heading for a fifty.
The term "Innings defeat" seems written large on the scoreboad. <!--emo&tupid--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/pakee.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='pakee.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--emo&tupid--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/pakee.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='pakee.gif' /><!--endemo-->
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->56.2 Pathan to Kamran Akmal, OUT: offcutter, the ball pitches just
    outside off, grips the pitch and kisses the edge of Akmal's bat as
    he is committed to the front-foot stroke, Dhoni dives and takes a
    good catch!<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Well, India 74 for 4, and it's Ganguly, Yuvraj, Dhoni, Pathan standing between Pakistan and match-saving.
PREDICTOR_CORRECTOR IS BACK. HERE'S MY PREDICTION:
<b> GANGULY SCORES CENTURY-PLUS. YUVRAJ DOES WELL (crystal ball is not clear on whether than is a century or not). DHONI AND PATHAN SLAM PAKIS SILLY. AKHTAR EXPELLED FOR CURSING AND THROWING BALL AT CROWD.
INDIA ALL OUT 453. Pakis 34 for 3 at close of play, day 2. </b>
was the last test match fixed or what? they score almost 600 and we can't get to even half with who's who of batting stars? wtf?
every tom, dick and harry err abdul, salim and younis is making 70s, 80s, 90s and our guys end up with scores of 2s, 4s with one lone century. I don't think it was their bowling which lost us the match.
I did not follow the series as I don't have one iota of trust for matches between India and pakistan unless it is world cup match.
That's it. This is the really the last time I praise any Indian cricketer. Every time I do it, India loses. After 4 years of disciplined superstition, I decised enuf was enuf, how can a team lose after it gets a hat trick in before the opposition even starts scoring runs, so I posted about Irfan (above). Now I understand, O Cricketeshwar!! Never again shall I do it! Never shall I tempt fate... <!--emo&--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/sad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='sad.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Anyway, hats off to Akmal for pulling Pak out of 39/6 and taking the air out of India.
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->âThe local media are questioning his (Tendulkarâs) technique and he is not as prolific as he has been. He is susceptible to the ball nipping back off the seam and does not move his feet as well as he used to,â Woolmer said in an interview to The Wisden Cricketer magazine.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Karachi, February 17: Knives are out and former cricket captains are calling for Inzamam-ul-Haqâs head after India took an unassailable 3-1 lead over Pakistan in the ODI series.
While Javed Miandad wants more accountability in the team management, Aamir Sohail has blamed Inzamam for poor strategy and planning which led to the teams loss.
But these stalwarts have forgotten they have gone through such patchy phases in their captaincy period as well when skipper was made the scapegoat for every loss.
While bitterly slamming the teamâs performance, they have also undermined the fact that the same team won the Test series by beating India in Karachi by a whopping 341 runs margin and that too after collapsing to 0-3 and then 39-6.
Furthermore, this is the same team that drew the Test series in India in 2005 and went on to win the ODI series 4-2.
They have followed it up with drawing the Test series against the West Indies at their den and winning the ODI series 3-0 and finally defeating Ashes winners England 2-0 in Tests and 3-2 in ODI series.
The saddest part is that these icons of the game have been part and parcel of the Pakistan cricket setup for decades and have seen the ups and downs closely during their respective tenures.
Imran Khan, worshipped for bringing Pakistan the 1992 World Cup glory, made an amateurish mistake in the Bangalore Test victory in 1986-97 when he misread the pitch and included left-arm pacer Saleem Jaffar while Abdul Qadir was felt to be suited for the substitute bench.
Jaffar did not bowl in the second innings as Wasim Akram showed his talent as a left-arm spinner.
In the 1987 World Cup semifinal against Australia, Imran miscalculated the overs and Saleem Jaffar bowled the 50th over in which Steve Waugh took him for 17 runs. Pakistan lost by 17 runs.
Javed Miandad has demanded accountability of the team management while easily forgetting that he was the Pakistan coach a couple of yearâs ago when India won both the Test and ODI series.
The star of yesteryear probably wants the same treatment meted out to his successor Bob Woolmer which he got on June 16, 2004--termination of contract.
Interestingly, it was the third time he had failed to complete his contract as Pakistan coach. Needless to recall that he was appointed Pakistan captain no less than half a dozen times but never completed a full term.
Aamir Sohail, another former captain, continues his tirade against Inzamam and blames him for poor strategy and planning for teamâs routing while proposing Younis Khan as next captain.
Ironically, Sohail was the captain in 1998 when Zimbabwe won their first Test and the series out of their country while beating Pakistan on a green top in Peshawar.
<b>After the Peshawar game, the cricket managers told Sohail not to turn up for the second Test</b> in Lahore that was marred by bad weather.
These greats have been in situations where all the fingers were pointed at them in the wake of teamâs defeat.
Unfortunately they also know that when the team is down, it requires motivation and morale boosting instead of harsh criticism that further dampens the spirits of the players. But why such attitude now? Is it personal and they have an axe to grind, be it against Inzamam or the cricket board?]
"Do not ask Why Pakis whine. Ask Why Not Whyne!!! We are Pakis!"
<!--QuoteBegin--><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--> Senior cricket correspondent Waheed Khan, writing in The News newspaper, summons up the scenario in a more professional and sophisticated manner.
<!--emo&:argue--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/argue.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='argue.gif' /><!--endemo-->Â <!--emo&:flush--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/Flush.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='Flush.gif' /><!--endemo-->Â <!--emo&:flush--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/Flush.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='Flush.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd--> URL: http://www.expressindia.com/fullstory.php?newsid=63022<!--QuoteEnd--></div><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<b>The five-match One-Day International series between Pakistan and India has ended <span style='font-size:14pt;line-height:100%'>with India denying Pakistan even a consolation win in the final ODI at Karachi last Sunday.</span> It was Indiaâs fourth successive win after they lost the first match to Pakistan by seven runs under the D/L method.</b> The Indian camp should be happy because they have managed to beat a side that was brimming with confidence after having defeated the Ashes-winning England side just a month before the Indians arrived for a full tour of Pakistan. What went wrong between then and now?
Just days ago Australia bounced back after losing the first ODI in the three-match final against Sri Lanka. Thatâs the sign of a great team. In our case we threw away four successive matches after winning the first. Were we getting bored of winning? Even against India, after the two drawn matches, we produced a winning combination of batting and bowling to clinch the Test series. It is all very well to say that we lost the ODI series because of poor batting, bowling and fielding. But how does a team on a winning spree manage to reverse its fortunes? Surely it must require some hard work.
Coach Woolmer also produced another gem: âWe have to look hard at our batting, bowling and fielding and I am glad that it has happened now so that we can do something about it before this time next year.â Glad that this happened? We are not amused. This is a team that, before this flop, had taken England to the cleaners. Now it needs to look hard at its batting, bowling and fielding. Does that leave out any department of the game? Why was nothing done, if everything is so wrong in all departments, before this debacle?
Meanwhile, even as our national team was being thrashed in Karachi, further south in Sri Lanka our Under-19 team managed to successfully defend a low total of 109, dismissing India for 71 runs and retaining the Junior Cricket World Cup title. Earlier, Pakistan had defeated Australia to reach the finals. <b>There is something to cheer about, after all.</b>*
03-21-2006, 05:57 PM (This post was last modified: 03-21-2006, 05:59 PM by narayanan.)
After deep research, I have determined why TOI is such pits compared to good media sites.
Here is a comparison between TOI "commentary" and REAL commentary on the same tense, nail-biting, umbrella-chewing final over of the 4th day.
CRICINFO
which is run by people who know cricket
<!--emo&:tv--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tv_feliz.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tv_feliz.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--emo&:tv--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/tv_feliz.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='tv_feliz.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Quote:7.1 Panesar to Kumble, no run, tossed up outside the off stump, forced away well wide of the fielder at silly point
7.2 Panesar to Kumble, no run, quicker delivery outside the off stump, Kumble gets a good stride forwad, covers the stumps and leaves it through to the keeper
7.3 Panesar to Kumble, no run, fraction short and close to the off stump line, Kumble rocks back and drives it away towards cover
7.4 Panesar to Kumble, no run, good length outside the off stump, driven away square on the off side, single not taken
7.5 Panesar to Kumble, 2 runs, inside edge and the ball rolls away well wide of the fielder at short fine leg, Kumble runs hard and makes it back safely for the second, better throw would have made things interesting
7.6 Panesar to Kumble, no run, on the middle and off stump line, defended stretching well forward
And that's stumps on day four.
You can almost feel the tense air swishing around the ball as it is "tossed up, outside the off stump", and hear the "crack!!" as "Kumble rocks back and drives it away towards cover" and the screaming excitement as "nside edge and the ball rolls away well wide of the fielder at short fine leg, Kumble runs hard and makes it back safely for the second," followed by the let-down/relief as "etter throw would have made things interesting"
Is that SUBLIME commentary or WHAT? <!--emo&:clapping--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/clap.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='clap.gif' /><!--endemo-->
Here is TOI commentary on the same over, run by the usual Paki morons:
Quote:<b>FREE Money Transfers to India NOKIA Phones on SALE</b>
7.1 Monty Panesar toA. Kumble
No Runs Scored on this ball.Total Score: 16 / 1
7.2 Matthew Hoggard toA. Kumble
No Runs Scored on this ball.Total Score: 16 / 1
7.2 Monty Panesar toA. Kumble
No Runs Scored on this ball.Total Score: 16 / 17.5 Monty Panesar toA. Kumble
2 Runs Scored.Total Score: 18 / 1
7.3 Monty Panesar toA. Kumble
No Runs Scored on this ball.Total Score: 16 / 1
7.4 Monty Panesar toA. Kumble
No Runs Scored on this ball.Total Score: 16 / 1
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin-->The burly Afghans created havoc with the bat, slamming 356 for seven in 39 overs and then came back to bowl out MCC XI for a mere 184 runs.<!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
<b>Umpires Darrell Hair and Billy Doctrove examine the ball</b>
A joint statement from the ICC, England and Wales Cricket Board and Pakistan Cricket Board read: "After lengthy negotiations which resulted in agreement between the teams, the match referee and both the ECB and PCB to resume the fourth Test tomorrow, it was concluded that with regret there will be no play on the fifth day.
"The fourth Test has therefore been forfeited with the match being awarded to England.
"In accordance with the laws of cricket, it was noted that the umpires had correctly deemed that Pakistan had forfeited the match and awarded the test to England.
"The Pakistan team was aggrieved by the award of five penalty runs to England.
"The award of those penalty runs for alleged interference with the ball is under review by the ICC match referee Mike Proctor, whose report will be considered in due course.
"ICC will be issuing a separate report concerning action which may be taken in relation to the forfeiture of the match by Pakistan."
England therefore took the series 3-0, but chief executive David Collier said the ECB expressed regret that "spectators, television viewers, and radio listeners [had been] deprived of play".
<b>He added that there would be a 40% refund for fourth-day tickets and a full refund for those holding tickets for Monday's play.</b>
Earlier Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Shaharyar Khan explained to the BBC why the team had chosen to make their protest.
"We simply said we would stay indoors for a few minutes then go out and play. We want to play but the umpires do not."
The row began when Hair and Doctrove stopped play to look at the condition of the ball after 56 overs with England on 230-3. It had begun to reverse-swing and they declared it had been altered artificially.
They penalised Pakistan five runs and allowed England batsmen Kevin Pietersen and Paul Collingwood to select another ball.
Pakistan captain Inzamam-ul-Haq was clearly upset and annoyed at the decision but play continued without further incident until tea.
After the interval, however, Pakistan failed to come out and the umpires removed the bails after walking onto the pitch for a second time.
Thirty minutes later Pakistan emerged and walked onto the pitch but were told to head back to the dressing room because the umpires would not be coming out.
Khan said the team had been insulted by the accusation of cheating.
"The umpires have concluded the ball was deliberately scuffed and we are absolutely 100% sure that is not the case," he said. <!--emo&:liar liar--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/liar.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='liar.gif' /><!--endemo-->
"What we feel very resentful about is that the captain was not informed something was going wrong with the ball and told to contain it.
"Umpires are within their rights to decide without consulting but there was no consultation with anyone and no evidence seems to have been given.
"One or two of the management staff have had a look and are convinced this is a ball which has been hit about for 56 overs.
"We think it's the kind of ball you'd expect to see and there is no evidence of deliberate scuffing. We hope the ball will be showed so people can make up their own minds about it."
Play officially ended for the day at 1813 BST with England - who have already won the series - on 298-4, 33 runs behind Pakistan.
Australian Hair is no stranger to controversy, having famously no-balled Sri Lanka spinner Muttiah Muralitharan for throwing in the Melbourne Test of 1995.
He also reported Pakistan all-rounder Shahid Afridi for scuffing the pitch with his boots in the second Test against England last winter.
Relations between England and Pakistan have improved in recent years following the 1987 row between then captain Mike Gatting and Pakistani umpire Shakoor Rana in Faisalabad.
Cricinfo rues the indigent state of India's oldest, one time premier cricket tournament and the scenery of my up close and personal encounters with the stars. - Back in the seventies you could see Sunil Gavaskar, Karsan Ghavri, Yograj Singh, Sidath Wettimuny, Asantha De Mel, Nari Contractor, GR Viswanath, Brijesh Patel, Dilip Vengsarkar, Sandeep Patil, MV Narasimha Rao, Shivlal Yadav squatting cross-legged at the edge of the ropes sipping colored ice passing off as ice-cream. My favorites were the Bombay clothing mills, Nirlons, Mafatlal etc.
tupid--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/pakee.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='pakee.gif' /><!--endemo--> <!--emo&
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