Okay, My WI Vs PAK prediction was right on target. WI won the game, though it was less competitive than I thought (51-49). Neither Lara nor Inzy were the main stars and the best I predicted the winning total very accurately.
My next prediction for today, India (60-40) and Pakistan (70-30) will win their matches against BD and IRL though IND BD will be a very tight match. Indian bowlers will win the match for India while for Pakistan, it will be their batting. I don't think IRL bowlers will give any difficulty to Pakistan. IRL batsman will give them a scare though, because of their county and Australian domestic league experience.
Saturday, March 17, 2007
Friday, March 16, 2007
Sunny Vs Ponting: Part 3
Yeah we were expecting a response from Sunny to the personal onslaught from Ponting. The response was a number of good hard punches on the chest and face and another one under the belly. So, as expected Sunny explained his stand of leaving the field. Then pointed the mistake that made Ponting look like a guy who is not articulate (Please check the old post to find this). After puting a number of minor punches, Sunny let go a big one - " The Australian behavior, if done in s bar, will have there ass kicked". OOH!!!
But, then in excitement or to give an example to bolster his statement, he gave a reference of Hookes - An Australian cricketer who was killed in a bar fight. That was really below the belly. In Boxing boxer hits the opponent below the belly to soften him up - even though he may lose a point in doing so. Here this attack will backfire. Score (Sunny 0.5 Ponting 1.0). Would have been a 0.5 each if sunny hadn't referred hookes.
Final Score (Sunny 4.0 Ponting 1.5) Test Series to Sunny.
Please note the tour is not over yet. Ponting may yet respond. In fact, Hookes reference might get other country involved too. We will wait for the one day series that will follow. For the fun of the game, I hope it does :)
In other, sledging match SA and AUS are going at each other with "Chokers" and other tit for tat children fight. We will keep you updated
But, then in excitement or to give an example to bolster his statement, he gave a reference of Hookes - An Australian cricketer who was killed in a bar fight. That was really below the belly. In Boxing boxer hits the opponent below the belly to soften him up - even though he may lose a point in doing so. Here this attack will backfire. Score (Sunny 0.5 Ponting 1.0). Would have been a 0.5 each if sunny hadn't referred hookes.
Final Score (Sunny 4.0 Ponting 1.5) Test Series to Sunny.
Please note the tour is not over yet. Ponting may yet respond. In fact, Hookes reference might get other country involved too. We will wait for the one day series that will follow. For the fun of the game, I hope it does :)
In other, sledging match SA and AUS are going at each other with "Chokers" and other tit for tat children fight. We will keep you updated
Tuesday, March 13, 2007
Sunny Vs Ponting: Part 2
I was awaiting a response from Ponting and surely it was there.
He could have let the comments go. But, being a captain of the team, he also had to defend his team specially when attacked by someone as statesman as Gavaskar. I agree with that, but he fell for the bait that Gavaskar had for him. The attack looked personal, but was not personal. He went ballistic. He had a personal attack on Gavaskar - regarding his walk out on being called LBW. I agree with him that it was wrong to walk out and umpire's decision is final. They make mistake, but that is part of the game. But, by attacking Sunny personally, he proved that Sunny's remarks hurt him where they were meant to. He seemed like an enraged lion. (Second test - Sunny 1.5 - Ponting 0.5)
Also, Ponting recognized that the remarks were meant to play with Australian mind and had an ulterior motive of helping their opponents (SA, IND, NZ). So, he attacked the performance of Indian cricket team and tried to make Gavaskar responsible for the loss. This was a bait that went very wrong for Ponting. In fact, his response makes him feel like an inarticulate person. Judge for yourself.
Gavaskar's Summary: Though Australia has been a dominating force in world cricket and play aggressive cricket like West Indians were in the 70s, they are not loved as well as West Indies of the 70s. This is because of their behavior on the field. Their behavior and aggressiveness falls on the side of unsportsmanlike
Ponting's response: Well Gavaskar himself was not sportsmanlike (eg walk out). Also India has been performing very bad with Gavaskar been associated with the team blah blah blah.
Let me leave with a visual: Ponting made himself look like a CAGED Lion. He wants to attack theperson who is poking him, but the more he tries to attack him, the more he hurts himself as he bangs against the cage. (Third test Analysis: Sunny 2.5 - Ponting 0.5)
Of course this is not over yet, wait for this series between the two titans to get more interesting।
Current Status: Sunny 2.5 - Ponting 0.5
He could have let the comments go. But, being a captain of the team, he also had to defend his team specially when attacked by someone as statesman as Gavaskar. I agree with that, but he fell for the bait that Gavaskar had for him. The attack looked personal, but was not personal. He went ballistic. He had a personal attack on Gavaskar - regarding his walk out on being called LBW. I agree with him that it was wrong to walk out and umpire's decision is final. They make mistake, but that is part of the game. But, by attacking Sunny personally, he proved that Sunny's remarks hurt him where they were meant to. He seemed like an enraged lion. (Second test - Sunny 1.5 - Ponting 0.5)
Also, Ponting recognized that the remarks were meant to play with Australian mind and had an ulterior motive of helping their opponents (SA, IND, NZ). So, he attacked the performance of Indian cricket team and tried to make Gavaskar responsible for the loss. This was a bait that went very wrong for Ponting. In fact, his response makes him feel like an inarticulate person. Judge for yourself.
Gavaskar's Summary: Though Australia has been a dominating force in world cricket and play aggressive cricket like West Indians were in the 70s, they are not loved as well as West Indies of the 70s. This is because of their behavior on the field. Their behavior and aggressiveness falls on the side of unsportsmanlike
Ponting's response: Well Gavaskar himself was not sportsmanlike (eg walk out). Also India has been performing very bad with Gavaskar been associated with the team blah blah blah.
Let me leave with a visual: Ponting made himself look like a CAGED Lion. He wants to attack theperson who is poking him, but the more he tries to attack him, the more he hurts himself as he bangs against the cage. (Third test Analysis: Sunny 2.5 - Ponting 0.5)
Of course this is not over yet, wait for this series between the two titans to get more interesting।
Current Status: Sunny 2.5 - Ponting 0.5
Opening Game Predictions: West Indies Vs Pakistan
This is the most open world cup has been the standard line for this world cup. And the opening match is the best example of why it is very difficult to predict anything in this world cup. Pakistan team is at the lowest that I have seen them as far as I remember. But wait, isn't WI at it's worst after recent failures and being bundled out for 85 in the warm up. Pakistan at least won the warm up matches easily. So, who will win? I give West Indies a 51 - 49 favorite to win this, being the home team. It's Brian Vs Inzy, but I believe that the team that blinks first will lose. I also believe that it will be a low scoring affair with a score of 240 a decent one.
Let the games begin!!!
Let the games begin!!!
Sunday, March 11, 2007
War of the Words: Sunny Vs Ponting
In the heat of the world cup, there is a small word tussle going on between ex India's Captain Sunny and current Australian captain Ponting. Personalities have always been a part and parcel of the game of the cricket especially in the recent times. All along Australians have been criticized for mouthing words on the field. They have always been aggressive on the field and not just in the way they play, but also the way they behave when not part of on the field action (politically correct way to criticize;).
As of now Australians are at their most vulnerable in last 3-4 years. I should point out that they are still my favorite to win the cup. Their recent losses have been after a long season (CB Cup) and a depleted team with a in-experienced captain (in NZ). With the way they have been behaving last few years, I was expecting more teams to take a shot at them while they are down. I was expecting South Africa to take the first shot and then may be New Zealand and England follow the suit.
In 1999, World Cup Australia used choking against SA and even during the last trip to SA there were mouth attacks by Warne and Company. This was a time to give it back to them and rub it in for SA, but I guess SA would rather reply by their action on field.
So, I was not very surprised by attack on the Australian team. I was more surprised that Sunny was the person who attacked. It was a perfect shot, just the way Sunny played his cricket. Measured, poking at the weakness and defense ready so that you don't give the other team chance to knock you down. So, what do I mean by that.
Well he mentioned an opinion, but the way he said it, it felt like a fact. He didn't get personal and pointed to specific players. He acknowledged that they are and have been the best team and compared them to the well known and the most loved dominating force in the cricket world - West Indies of the 70's. It was a perfect strategy to poke the opponent. Something equivalent to Spartans choosing the battle ground to sustain maximum loss to opponent. As an unbiased opinion, the attack was not correctly targeted. The two key sledgers Warne and Lee are not in this team. Trademark Sunny (First Test Result: Sunny 1- Ponting 0) to him. Now the ball is in Ponting's court
As of now Australians are at their most vulnerable in last 3-4 years. I should point out that they are still my favorite to win the cup. Their recent losses have been after a long season (CB Cup) and a depleted team with a in-experienced captain (in NZ). With the way they have been behaving last few years, I was expecting more teams to take a shot at them while they are down. I was expecting South Africa to take the first shot and then may be New Zealand and England follow the suit.
In 1999, World Cup Australia used choking against SA and even during the last trip to SA there were mouth attacks by Warne and Company. This was a time to give it back to them and rub it in for SA, but I guess SA would rather reply by their action on field.
So, I was not very surprised by attack on the Australian team. I was more surprised that Sunny was the person who attacked. It was a perfect shot, just the way Sunny played his cricket. Measured, poking at the weakness and defense ready so that you don't give the other team chance to knock you down. So, what do I mean by that.
Well he mentioned an opinion, but the way he said it, it felt like a fact. He didn't get personal and pointed to specific players. He acknowledged that they are and have been the best team and compared them to the well known and the most loved dominating force in the cricket world - West Indies of the 70's. It was a perfect strategy to poke the opponent. Something equivalent to Spartans choosing the battle ground to sustain maximum loss to opponent. As an unbiased opinion, the attack was not correctly targeted. The two key sledgers Warne and Lee are not in this team. Trademark Sunny (First Test Result: Sunny 1- Ponting 0) to him. Now the ball is in Ponting's court
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