action ... REACTION

The action

the REACTION

Never mind the fact that the Secretary of the Board opines on players and matters cricketing.

Never mind the fact that a Vice President of the Board wants to "make payments based on performance".

Never mind the fact too that the BCCI cannot get to any conclusion on what direction to take on domestic cricket.

Never mind too that the BCCI cannot make up its mind on what to pay the Ranji Champions and when.

The Chairman of Selectors reiterates what is common knowledge and lo - the BCCI gets its knickers in a knot!!!

PS :- As punishment for this gross insubordination by the Chairman of Selectors, the BCCI has mandated India to play 50 more ODIs and 30 more 20/20 games in the year 2007!!!

Update:- here

More Trend-spotting

This is basically a continuation of the conversation Kartikeya and I have been having on whether it is the bowlers who fail to deliver or the batsmen and the captain who are culpable in games that India has posted or chased scores between 176 and 250.
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ODI # 2237
Pakistan in India, 2004-05, 3rd One-Day International

FoW: 1-31 (Shahid Afridi, 5.4 ov), 2-176 (Shoaib Malik, 31.2 ov),
  3-219 (Inzamam-ul-Haq, 36.4 ov), 4-239 (Salman Butt, 40.5 ov),
  5-287 (Yousuf Youhana, 44.4 ov), 6-291 (Abdul Razzaq, 45.2 ov),
  7-308 (Younis Khan, 48.4 ov), 8-316 (Mohammad Sami, 49.3 ov),
  9-317 (Naved-ul-Hasan, 49.5 ov).

FoW: 1-6 (Sehwag, 1.4 ov), 2-11 (Tendulkar, 2.6 ov),
  3-20 (Ganguly, 5.6 ov), 4-54 (Dhoni, 9.1 ov),
  5-66 (Yuvraj Singh, 11.4 ov), 6-82 (Dravid, 16.1 ov),
  7-143 (Kaif, 27.4 ov), 8-152 (Harbhajan Singh, 30.2 ov),
  9-204 (Pathan, 39.6 ov), 10-213 (Nehra, 41.4 ov).

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ODI # 2239
Pakistan in India, 2004-05, 5th One-Day International
India v Pakistan

FoW: 1-10 (Tendulkar, 2.5 ov), 2-11 (Sehwag, 4.3 ov),
3-26 (Dhoni, 6.6 ov), 4-59 (Yuvraj Singh, 16.2 ov),
5-194 (Kaif, 42.3 ov), 6-248 (Dravid, 49.5 ov).

FoW: 1-131 (Shahid Afridi, 14.2 ov), 2-135 (Salman Butt, 15.4 ov),
3-193 (Yousuf Youhana, 31.1 ov), 4-216 (Shoaib Malik, 35.4 ov),
5-248 (Younis Khan, 41.3 ov).
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ODI # 2262
Indian Oil Cup, 2005, 1st Match

FoW: 1-17 (Sehwag, 2.1 ov), 2-22 (Dhoni, 3.3 ov),
3-44 (Yuvraj Singh, 13.3 ov), 4-63 (Kaif, 18.6 ov),
5-64 (Raina, 19.3 ov), 6-122 (Dravid, 32.5 ov),
7-159 (Pathan, 43.5 ov), 8-159 (Venugopal Rao, 43.6 ov),
9-202 (Khan, 49.3 ov).

FoW: 1-19 (Sangakkara, 4.3 ov), 2-55 (Atapattu, 13.1 ov), 3-60 (Jayawardene, 15.2 ov), 4-104 (Dilshan, 27.4 ov), 5-112 (Arnold, 29.4 ov), 6-140 (Dilhara, 34.2 ov), 7-172 (Chandana, 40.3 ov).
--

ODI # 2265

FoW: 1-67 (Sehwag, 15.1 ov), 2-117 (Laxman, 29.5 ov),
3-127 (Ganguly, 32.6 ov), 4-128 (Dravid, 33.2 ov),
5-157 (Dhoni, 39.6 ov), 6-161 (Raina, 41.4 ov),
7-194 (Kaif, 47.6 ov), 8-207 (Harbhajan Singh, 48.5 ov).

FoW: 1-4 (Tharanga, 0.6 ov), 2-36 (Sangakkara, 11.1 ov),
3-78 (Atapattu, 19.4 ov), 4-88 (Dilshan, 22.2 ov),
5-94 (Arnold, 24.3 ov), 6-95 (Dilhara, 25.6 ov).

--

ODI # 2297
South Africa in India, 2005-06, 1st One-Day International

FoW: 1-1 (Sehwag, 1.1 ov), 2-4 (Kaif, 2.2 ov),
3-5 (Tendulkar, 4.1 ov), 4-34 (Dravid, 10.3 ov),
5-35 (Gambhir, 11.1 ov), 6-110 (Pathan, 30.1 ov),
7-159 (Dhoni, 38.2 ov), 8-198 (Agarkar, 46.2 ov),
9-227 (Yuvraj Singh, 47.6 ov).

FoW: 1-32 (de Villiers, 5.2 ov), 2-76 (Ontong, 11.6 ov),
3-76 (Smith, 12.1 ov), 4-165 (Prince, 33.4 ov),
5-168 (Boucher, 34.3 ov).
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ODI # 2299
South Africa in India, 2005-06, 4th One-Day International

FoW: 1-2 (Pathan, 0.3 ov), 2-14 (Tendulkar, 4.3 ov),
3-23 (Gambhir, 6.5 ov), 4-49 (Sehwag, 11.2 ov),
5-71 (Dravid, 18.2 ov), 6-152 (Yuvraj Singh, 35.3 ov),
7-167 (Kaif, 39.2 ov), 8-187 (Agarkar, 44.4 ov),
9-187 (Dhoni, 45.2 ov), 10-188 (Harbhajan Singh, 45.5 ov).

SA 189/0
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ODI # 2361
England in India, 2005-06, 6th One-Day International

FoW: 1-4 (Sehwag, 0.5 ov), 2-46 (Kaif, 7.1 ov),
3-58 (Yuvraj Singh, 10.3 ov), 4-63 (Raina, 12.3 ov),
5-79 (Venugopal Rao, 15.3 ov), 6-186 (Dhoni, 38.1 ov),
7-196 (Harbhajan Singh, 40.2 ov), 8-209 (Powar, 43.2 ov),
9-216 (RP Singh, 46.3 ov), 10-223 (VRV Singh, 47.6 ov).

FoW: 1-107 (Bell, 19.5 ov), 2-120 (Solanki, 22.6 ov),
3-198 (Pietersen, 36.1 ov), 4-207 (Prior, 38.5 ov),
5-209 (Plunkett, 40.3 ov).
--

ODI # 2363
DLF Cup, 2005-06, 1st One-Day International

FoW: 1-25 (Uthappa, 7.1 ov), 2-47 (Dravid, 13.5 ov),
3-65 (Yuvraj Singh, 16.2 ov), 4-72 (Pathan, 18.5 ov),
5-136 (Raina, 38.3 ov), 6-149 (Dhoni, 41.4 ov),
7-171 (Agarkar, 45.5 ov), 8-180 (Powar, 47.6 ov),
9-196 (Harbhajan Singh, 49.5 ov), 10-197 (Sreesanth, 49.6 ov).

FoW: 1-42 (Shoaib Malik, 9.4 ov), 2-60 (Imran Farhat, 14.4 ov),
3-146 (Inzamam-ul-Haq, 36.2 ov), 4-149 (Mohammad Yousuf, 39.4 ov).
--
ODI no. 2379

Fall of wickets1-1 (Gayle, 1.4 ov), 2-1 (Morton, 2.2 ov), 3-24 (Lara, 10.5 ov), 4-43 (Chanderpaul, 18.6 ov), 5-103 (Samuels, 34.6 ov), 6-105 (Bravo, 35.5 ov), 7-143 (Baugh, 41.6 ov), 8-163 (Bradshaw, 46.3 ov), 9-197 (Taylor, 49.5 ov)

Fall of wickets1-25 (Sehwag, 5.4 ov), 2-37 (Dravid, 9.1 ov), 3-51 (Pathan, 13.6 ov), 4-60 (Kaif, 16.6 ov), 5-124 (Raina, 35.2 ov), 6-130 (Dhoni, 37.3 ov), 7-134 (Agarkar, 38.5 ov), 8-177 (Powar, 46.3 ov), 9-187 (Harbhajan Singh, 48.1 ov), 10-197 (Yuvraj Singh, 49.4 ov)
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ODI no. 2380

Fall of wickets1-1 (Dravid, 0.6 ov), 2-62 (Raina, 10.2 ov), 3-174 (Sehwag, 28.4 ov), 4-210 (Dhoni, 37.1 ov), 5-215 (Kaif, 39.4 ov), 6-218 (Pathan, 40.4 ov), 7-222 (Powar, 43.3 ov), 8-232 (Venugopal Rao, 46.3 ov), 9-242 (Agarkar, 49.3 ov)

Fall of wickets1-30 (Samuels, 8.6 ov), 2-31 (Morton, 9.3 ov), 3-116 (Gayle, 24.3 ov), 4-131 (Lara, 27.3 ov), 5-237 (Chanderpaul, 48.2 ov), 6-241 (Bravo, 49.1 ov)

--
ODI no. 2381

Fall of wickets1-13 (Sehwag, 3.4 ov), 2-28 (Raina, 9.1 ov), 3-47 (Dravid, 15.3 ov), 4-127 (Yuvraj Singh, 31.5 ov), 5-188 (Kaif, 46.3 ov), 6-206 (Pathan, 48.2 ov), 7-206 (Agarkar, 48.6 ov)

Fall of wickets1-28 (Samuels, 4.4 ov), 2-49 (Sarwan, 8.2 ov), 3-91 (Gayle, 22.3 ov), 4-182 (Lara, 39.2 ov)

--
ODI no. 2382

Fall of wickets1-8 (Chattergoon, 1.1 ov), 2-90 (Gayle, 19.4 ov), 3-137 (Sarwan, 34.1 ov), 4-165 (Lara, 38.1 ov), 5-243 (Hinds, 48.3 ov), 6-251 (Smith, 49.3 ov)

Fall of wickets1-0 (Uthappa, 0.3 ov), 2-26 (Dhoni, 6.1 ov), 3-73 (Dravid, 12.5 ov), 4-130 (Yuvraj Singh, 22.6 ov), 5-170 (Kaif, 31.2 ov), 6-180 (Raina, 35.3 ov), 7-189 (Sehwag, 37.2 ov), 8-230 (Harbhajan Singh, 46.3 ov), 9-231 (Patel, 46.5 ov), 10-236 (Agarkar, 47.6 ov)

--
ODI no. 2421

Fall of wickets1-36 (Katich, 8.2 ov), 2-49 (Ponting, 11.1 ov), 3-87 (Hayden, 21.2 ov), 4-97 (Martyn, 24.2 ov), 5-97 (Symonds, 24.3 ov), 6-117 (Hussey, 31.3 ov), 7-194 (Haddin, 44.4 ov), 8-208 (Hogg, 46.6 ov), 9-213 (Clark, 47.5 ov), 10-213 (Lee, 48.1 ov)

Fall of wickets1-7 (Tendulkar, 2.2 ov), 2-20 (Sehwag, 4.4 ov), 3-47 (Kaif, 12.5 ov), 4-50 (Dravid, 12.6 ov), 5-96 (Raina, 24.5 ov), 6-158 (Dhoni, 36.2 ov), 7-185 (Agarkar, 39.5 ov), 8-186 (Harbhajan Singh, 40.2 ov), 9-193 (Singh, 43.1 ov), 10-195 (Patel, 43.5 ov)

--
ODI no. 2437

Fall of wickets1-22 (Sehwag, 4.3 ov), 2-27 (Pathan, 5.6 ov), 3-69 (Tendulkar, 16.5 ov), 4-130 (Yuvraj Singh, 30.1 ov), 5-131 (Dravid, 30.6 ov), 6-164 (Raina, 41.6 ov), 7-213 (Harbhajan Singh, 48.3 ov), 8-223 (Dhoni, 49.5 ov), 9-223 (Agarkar, 49.6 ov)

Fall of wickets1-43 (Gayle, 9.3 ov), 2-100 (Bravo, 21.6 ov), 3-120 (Chanderpaul, 26.6 ov), 4-212 (Morton, 47.5 ov), 5-218 (Lara, 48.4 ov), 6-219 (Sarwan, 48.6 ov), 7-219 (Smith, 49.1 ov)

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ODI no. 2440

Fall of wickets1-46 (Tendulkar, 9.5 ov), 2-89 (Mongia, 19.4 ov), 3-126 (Sehwag, 28.2 ov), 4-186 (Dravid, 40.2 ov), 5-197 (Kaif, 42.1 ov), 6-224 (Raina, 47.1 ov), 7-239 (Pathan, 48.6 ov), 8-249 (Dhoni, 49.6 ov)

Fall of wickets1-61 (Gilchrist, 8.5 ov), 2-111 (Watson, 15.5 ov), 3-185 (Ponting, 33.5 ov), 4-230 (Symonds, 42.6 ov)

--
ODI no. 2458

Fall of wickets1-18 (Sehwag, 6.5 ov), 2-18 (Laxman, 6.6 ov), 3-103 (Tendulkar, 31.4 ov), 4-127 (Mongia, 37.6 ov), 5-154 (Karthik, 42.4 ov), 6-173 (Pathan, 45.6 ov), 7-183 (Harbhajan Singh, 47.3 ov), 8-183 (Dhoni, 47.5 ov), 9-200 (Kumble, 49.6 ov)

Fall of wickets1-173 (Smith, 28.1 ov)
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Only 5 out of the 16 times ( I apologize for the mis-count in my previous post) India has lost when either setting setting or chasing scores in the range of 176-250 have the Indian bowlers not been able to get early wickets.

I have included ODI 2440 in the above count because, despite getting an early wicket, the Indian bowlers had gone for a few runs.

As will be evident from the fall of wickets list, the plot has been lost more often than not in the opposition middle overs or because the batsmen made a hash of it.

Update:- It gets more interesting - the last match India won over seas when setting a target in the range 176-250 or chasing was ODI # 2274 against Zimbabwe.

?

Shoaib and Asif out of the World Cup

"We have received their medical assessments and the players are physically unfit. Therefore we felt we shouldn't take them for such a big tournament," PJ Mir, the team spokesman told Cricinfo. "Their injuries will take time to heal so after selectors consulted Inzamam-ul-Haq the decision has been taken to not take them."

ICC hold out for evidence of injury to Pakistan pair

The International Cricket Council is insisting on its right to see medical evidence of injuries to Shoaib Akhtar and Mohammad Asif before it will allow Pakistan to call up replacements for the World Cup.

Let me understand this - is the PCB stalling or is the ICC flexing its muscles?

Trend-spotting

Omar did it.Kartikeya does it all the time. So I decided to chime in with my two cents worth on India's ODI record and such like

( All numbers are collated for the Time period Mar 01, 2005 thru Mar 01, 2007)
(P= played
W= won
L = lost
T=tie
NR = no result)

India's Win- Loss ODI record away from Home

P	W	L	T	NR
31	12	17	0	2

Break up of the above against individual countries (away)

	P	W	L	T	NR
v Australia	2	0	1	0	1
v New Zealand	3	1	2	0	0
v Pakistan	7	5	2	0	0
v South Africa	4	0	4	0	0
v Sri Lanka	4	0	3	0	1
v West Indies	9	4	5	0	0
v Zimbabwe	2	2	0	0	0

As can be seen from the above two tables - India has a losing record away from home for the last two years
Also, except Pakistan and Zimbabwe, India has a losing record against all other countries.
( India has not played England outside of India).

Here is the break up of all of India's wins both home and away

	Defending		Chasing
1-150			3
151-175	1		1
176-200	1		2
201-225	1		2
226-250	1		4
251-275	2		4
276-300	2		5
301-325
326-350	3
351-400	1

Defending - score set by India

Chasing - Score set by opposition

Here is the breakup of India's wins away

	Defending		Chasing
1-150
151-175	1		1
176-200			1
201-225
226-250	1		2
251-275	2		1
276-300			3
301-325
326-350
351-400

Here is the break up of all of India's losses both home and away

	Defending	Chasing
1-150
151-175
176-200	3	2
201-225	5	1
226-250	4	2
251-275	1	3
276-300	2	1
301-325	2	2
326-350	1

Here is the break up of all of India's losses away

	Defending	Chasing
1-150
151-175
176-200	2	1
201-225	3	2
226-250	1	2
251-275		2
276-300	1	1
301-325	1
326-350	1

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• India has won 33.34% of its games ( both home and away) when setting/chasing a score in the range of 176-250. Significantly India has the same % ( 33.34) while setting/chasing a score in excess of 275.

• India has won 33.34% of its games ( away) when setting/chasing a score in the range of 176-250.

• India has lost 58.62% of its games ( both home and away) when setting/ chasing a score in the range of 176-250.

• India has lost 64.7% of its games (away) when setting/ chasing a score in the range of 176-250.

• Of the 29 matches India lost between 2005 and 2007 they were unable to complete their innings 14 times.
• In the range 176-250, of the 15 matches played away from home, India has lost 11 times.
• In the range 176-250,of the 28 matches played ( both home and away), India has lost 17 times.
  

The reason the range from 176-250 is highlighted is because - according to every expert there is, matches played in the West Indies will not be high scoring ones.

Yesterday ... and a bit of Today :)

Peter Roebuck on - Shoaib Akhtar and South Africa

Border chimes in on the Akhtar-Asif issue.

Rohit Brijnath on John Buchanan

Nandita Sridhar on those playing their final WC

Chappell .... again.

LP Sahi on Destiny.. specifically Saurav Ganguly and Yuvraj Singh's destiny.

Vijay Lokpally on Himachal Pradesh's ascension to the Elite group.

Heh!!

WC tickets available - what?

Brilliant!!

The Spin hates to go over old ground, but John Buchanan evidently does not.

(read the whole thing)

Today...

Earthquake shakes Antigua and Trinidad

Jamaica has enough food to feed fans despite drought

Rohit Brijnath on the World Cup - here.

Dravid and Chappell - here, here, here and here

Sehwag column - here.

Vengsarkar sound bytes - here.

For our boys ..some TL&C

Team India leaves today for the Carib - Bollywood pitches in with its two cents.

Sahil Kukreja -- you beauty!!! ( btw anyone know where this is being played - Nerul or South Bombay?)

Anil Thakraney

God bless the Pro Football Hall of Fame!!

Update :-

Lawrence Booth - here

Vic Marks - here

Say what?

I nearly choked on my coffee when I read this

“Some do feel we shouldn’t continue with somebody from outside, but the problem is somebody like Sunil Gavaskar is busy with many things and a Ravi Shastri will be seen as young for the job...”

Since when did age become a criterion for the job of Team India coach?

Today..

G Rajaraman has this post on the changing philosophy of Team India.

My two cents - Chappell has no equal in the sound byte sweepstakes. John Buchanan is a distant second.

Virender Sehwag talks of fitness, batting and the World Cup- here.

My two cents - Gee Veeru, since when did looking fitter equal being fitter?

Irfan will make it to the World Cup after all!!

My two cents - Thank God the farce has ended.

Dilip Vengsarkar sound bytes - here

On captaincy - here.I hope someone is reading this.

Indian Eves lose against New Zealand. West Zone beat Central Zone.

BTW, I have been looking at all the interviews and all the sound bytes from the players and the management since after the last ODI at Vizag. The common refrain thru all these sound bytes is about "how united this team is"- is that something that needs to be shouted from the rooftops?

PS: - I cannot put my finger on it nor can I substantiate it - but I get the odd feeling that there is some sort of power struggle between the Team Management and the Selectors.
Only time will tell.