South Africa 12 - India 11
By Gaurav Sethi

By now you should know all the cricket clichés - how the first game sets the tone for the series… that it’s always a huge psychological win…that South Africa are now unbeaten for 20 games – what a magical number, they’re out of the teens! Or that India was flying high after the Sri Lanka series and have now been put in their rightful place – no. 7? Well, if the clichés don’t get you, the numbers will.

But then, there’s no easy way out. All that talk won’t stop. At least not till the next game. For the time being, it appears South Africa have won more than just a match at Hyderabad. In some way, they have succeeded in making a Sri Lanka out of India (didn’t you sense some glee in Ranjit Fernando’s voice?) Importantly, the Proteas forced India to abandon their original game plan.

Here’s why: Over the last couple of weeks, India had made a definite effort with Murali Kartik – as the second spinner and the fifth bowler for the India-SA series. Evidence: Kartick, in spite of being frequently hit out of the attack, was persevered with, and not dropped from the team. If anything, team India showed rare vision to stick it out with Kartik. After all, the experience would only help him partner Harbajan Singh more effectively against the South Africans. For, spinners like quicks, hunt in pairs. And what better way to prepare for the Proteas than having your two main spinners in some kind of form.

However, on game day, one too many Indian wickets falling meant, in came super sub Gautam Gambhir, and out went the second spinning option, Murali Kartik. Whether Kartik’s exclusion altered the result is not the point. The point is, India was compelled by the Safs into making a change that went against their basic game plan and preparation for the series. Like the India-Sri Lanka series started with Pathan’s promotion, this series has ominously begun with Kartik’s forced exclusion. Almost like South Africa were 12 players while India handicapped, were down to just 11.

Of course, it would have been a lot tougher (and braver) to leave a seamer out, especially after what their pacers had achieved in the morning– more so, since RP Singh, the third seamer, was amongst the more successful Indian bowlers against Sri Lanka.

Welcome to the next level, boys!
India v/s South Africa
By Gaurav Sethi

On their return to international cricket, South Africa first toured India. After a couple of defeats in the one-dayers, the Safs came back strongly in New Delhi - a rookie called Kuiper helped knock off India’s 280 something in a hurry. It appears that this one innings might have set the tone for quite a few India-SA encounters. And over the last decade or so, many of India’s top players have often faltered against South Africa.

Even during Tendulkar’s dream run in the 1990s, the wily Fannie de Villiers repeatedly flummoxed him with the slower one while captain and medium pacer Hansie Cronje often placed a leg slip against Sachin to good effect. Through the years, Alan Donald and Shaun Pollock have laid siege on the Indian top order. So when Rahul Dravid smashed Donald down the ground for six in an ODI, White Lightning struck in all its fury at him. And that particular six became the talking point in all inebriated cricketing circles. It didn’t matter that India lost the game – the Wall had struck lightning after all!

Even though today the likes of Donald, de Villiers and Kuiper have retired, the Safs have never been short of tormentors. Imagine a spinless wonder like Nickie Boje has made merry against the Indian batsmen. It must be some relief then, that Boje is not part of the touring team or for that matter, nor is Gibbs. Long live the match fixing investigation!

India however, will need much more than police inspectors to stop South Africa. After losing 10 consecutive games, the Safs have gone on to win 16 out of 18 one-day games – with a 4-0 series win against New Zealand only recently. By the way, these are the very same Kiwis who blew India apart in Zimbabwe thanks to Shane Bond’s 90 mph heroics.

Somehow Bond didn’t do much against South Africa. Justin Kemp, (a timely replacement for Lance Klusener) took care of Bond and the rest of the Kiwi firing squad. In fact, Kemp like our own Dhony-boy, also loves to finish matches with Godzilla sized sixes. There’s also Andrew Hall, who like Kemp, is part of a new breed of all-purpose cricketers who can bat big and bowl that elusive slog over length.

But what typifies the hostility of this new South African bunch is the no hold’s barred Andre Nel, who on a good-day makes Glenn McGrath look cute. Nel is the type of fast bowler who is in your face literally. His body language and facial expressions, it appears, are a graphic extension of the captain, Graeme Smith’s aggressive new strategy to take no prisoners. When twisted and at its menacing best, Nel’s face conveys terrible stuff, most of which is unprintable. (A sampler would be something like the infamous McGrath-Sarwan altercation.) Credence to Nel’s ability as a top bowler is the regularity with which he has been getting a certain Brian Charles Lara out off late.

Not to be outdone by anyone is Makhaya Ntini, the babbler – Afrikaans is his weapon of choice, and when not bowling, he’s chirpier than any wicket keeper in the world. Of much greater threat though, are his fierce incoming deliveries that he bowls from wide of the crease. Today, Ntini is today on top of his game, replacing Shaun Pollock as the South African spearhead.

The new stars aside, South Africa looks like a top team when Jacque Kallis comes off with the bat. Kallis has the ability to hold the batting together, as he switches styles - from an impenetrable Dravid to a silky smooth Sachin to a destructive Sehwag, all in the course of one innings. That Kallis can bowl some nagging outswingers is an added bonus.

India will still have to contend with Pollock’s boringly repetitive on and around off-stump accuracy; plus Charl Langeveldt, the death-bowling specialist. Also, SA will have far greater pace options – Nel, Ntini, Pollock and Langeveldt should be four sure shot starters, where as Kallis and Kemp will bowl a few as well. Andrew Hall might come into play as super-sub, which will give the Safs as many seven bowling options. There may not be any front line spinner – possible spin options include Johan Botha (who started off as a medium pacer and now emulates Bajji), Justin Ontong (a batsman who made the switch to offspin) and Robin Peterson, apart from part-timers Smith and Prince.

As for team India, they’ve just received a mega Diwali bonus. Coming off a cracking 6-1 series win against Sri Lanka, India is in the right frame to take on another cricket superpower. Compared to Sri Lanka though, South Africa has a battery of younger, fitter and stronger pacers i.e. broader shoulders and bigger, meaner units. The two Ns (Nel & Ntini) will look to cramp the two Ss (Sachin & Sehwag) by bowling fast, short, into the body, possibly targeting the rib cage – a bodyline of sorts. That the margin of error will be much smaller on Indian wickets than back home in Johannesburg, should make for gripping cricket.

South Africa’s real test will be against the Indian spinners who should be more effective bowling in tandem, than they have been in a long time. For one, playing Murali Kartick in more games than not (v/s Sri Lanka) will pay some dividend. Better still, Murali was persevered with in spite of being targeted by the Lankans. And best of all, he bowled along with a highly effective Harbajjan Singh. It finally does appear that India is looking to develop a spin duo of sorts, and preparing for life beyond Kumble, at least in the one-day format.

So, one-sided as the Sri Lanka series has been, it’s been a blessing for India to experiment and get new strategies in place for the next level of competition. Game’s on. Let’s play, boys.

Nude cricketers held
author/source:AFP

"All of sudden these nine undressed, rushed back to the centre of the ground and started dancing around naked ... nude, nude"

Harare - Zimbabwean police arrested nine cricketers at the weekend for dancing nude in the rain in the middle of the cricket grounds in the northwestern town of Hwange, police said on Monday. Inspector Andrew Phiri said the nine were arrested for crimen injuria for indecently exposing themselves during traditional annual anniversary celebrations of the formation of the Wankie Cricket Club. The club was set up five years ago on Valentine's Day. The cricketers allegedly took off their clothes after a stoppage due to rain then rushed to the ground and danced in full view of all cricket fans. "Nine cricketers were arrested. They are being charged with crimen injuria. I think they will appear in court tomorrow (Tuesday)," Phiri said. "They were playing cricket, following the normal cricket rules and when it started raining all the officials and players left the ground. All of sudden these nine undressed, rushed back to the centre of the ground and started dancing around naked ... nude, nude. They showed their private parts to all the people in the ground... and to some it was offensive," said Phiri, adding that it was not yet clear why the men had danced naked. He said some spectators took photographs, police were informed and followed up with arrests.

The moody face of Sri Lankan cricket.
Is Sanath Jayasuriya the last reminder of a bygone era that Sri Lankan cricket refuses to let go off? By Gaurav Sethi

Notice Sri Lanka’s game plan in the on-going series – it’s uncannily similar to 1996. To top that, now a few key players are also playing far too many key roles.

Ranatunga’s masterstroke in the 1996 world cup was to promote Sanath Jayasuriya from a forgotten tail-end batsman to opener and chief destructor in charge. At the top of the order, Sanath blazed with little Kalu. Strain you ears and you can almost hear Tong Greig go – “Kalu has come to the party!” Their job was simple - to attack, attack, attack! End of story, start of glory. The World Cup was won and Sanath became part of Sri Lankan folklore.

Though not everybody else had it that good. For starters, the multi faceted Kalu self destructed, and went on to retire prematurely. Worse still, Ranatunga and Arvinda, key players and strategists from that golden run, retired around the same time, leaving a huge void in Sri Lankan cricket. Lankan cricket may never see another cricketer of Arvinda’s class or Arjuna’s guile, but it has been widely believed that in Kumara Sangakkara and Mahela Jayawardene the future of Sri Lankan cricket was secure. As for Jayasuriya, it appeared, he would always be there to win games single-handedly - at least in the subcontinent against teams like India.

Unfortunately for Jayasuriya, from a pinch hitter he now has to play multiple roles – (almost like Tendulkar was meant to be attacker, sustainer and winner for a long time). There has also been an attempt to slide Sangakkara into Arvinda De Silva’s role of champion player. Brimming with ability, Sangakkara is saddled with the task of attacking and consolidating almost simultaneously. However, he also has the added responsibility of keeping wickets and being senior council to Atapattu at all impromptu crisis meetings. Imagine Gilchrist with all that? Won’t quite pack the same punch will he?

Then again, Sangakkara is perceived as the prime threat, and has already made a classy hundred in the series, while batting through the innings. However, the added responsibility of playing such an innings does take it toll, and Kumara failed in the next two games. Worse, Sanath Jayasuriya is yet to fire in the series. Previous wins, especially against India, always saw Sanath running amok, whether it was with Srinath, Prasad or Zaheer. For years, India’s medium pacers were clueless, not knowing what lines or lengths to bowl. For years, it really didn’t matter. Sanath Jayasuriya, possibly made a lion’s share of his runs against India – triple hundred in tests and some biggies in one day games as well.

You might wonder what has changed today? Why has Sri Lanka been so beatable in the Videocon series? For one, Jayasuriya at 36 is the senior statesman of the side. Plagued by injuries, he is still expected to open the innings, and smash the bowling round the park. Will someone tell Moody (the coach) and Marvin (the captain) that this is not circa 1996 and Jayasuriya is not getting younger.

Unfortunately for Sri Lankan cricket have not found a player like Virender Sehwag – someone who could take the pressure of Jayasuriya and the repetitive madness of one-day cricket; that demands a rotational policy among top players, if their fitness is to be maintained. While India has over the years had the successful combine of Sachin and Saurav opening; the timing of Sehwag’s arrival cannot be undermined – off late, the loss to Indian cricket via Sachin’s frequent injuries and Saurav’s loss of form, both were too some extent negated by Veeru’s presence. However, for Jayasuriya there has been no such reprieve. Even in the present series he nurses an injury, and only turned his arm in the 5th game. While Sachin Tendulkar sits back and takes a breather after four frantic games.

Of course, Sri Lanka has Marvin Atapattu, the captain. As a player though, he is stylish and at best rock steady in the one-day version. Almost like a vintage Dravid (strike rates are similar too); but today, even The Wall has acclimatized to the rigours of One Day cricket, and his strike rate is on the up – touching 70. Which reads better when coupled with an average of nearly 40.

What really ails the Lankan one-day team is the inability of a supposed top player like Jayawardene to either master the role of Atapattu or of Jayasuriya – with an average in the early 30s, and an average strike rate around 70, he has still not mastered the role of either attacker or sustainer. And that, after being given top billing for years, from senior pros like Ranjit Fernando, in the box.

Talking of which, may be Lankan cricket hasn’t been thinking out of the box. For years, classy bats like Jayawardene and Arnold (who has been in and out of the team) have rarely, if ever, had any competition. They have continued to play in the same mode, lacking consistency, more so, when playing overseas – where their records (like of most other team players) are abysmal.

The options tried, haven’t really come off - even Tillekratne (an ex-captain) who was more in the test mould couldn’t cement his place in the one-day team for long. Where as Gunawardene with his crazy quick-fire approach, lacked consistency and didn’t find favour after a few games. Which meant, back to the likes of Arnold (who at least had won games initially). What’s that they say about a known devil…

So, that’s how it is. And Sri Lankan cricket has not been able to nurture fresh talent – they are still stuck at the Yuvraj and Kaif stage of the early 2000s– for them that would be the Arnold and Chandana stage. Since then, new faces have emerged and vanished with the regularity of one of those vintage Jayasuriya flicks behind square. But that seems like a long time ago.

Although unlikely as it seems, there might be one last hurrah from the maestro of the 1996 World Cup. Amen.