Long rant!

What does the victory mean for you?
It just means Mumbai cricket has not gone down. If we had lost, our cricket would have gone back by three years. I vouched that each and every member worked hard. There were no shortcuts.

says Praveen Amre in his interview on Cricinfo. Truth be told, I don't think this win has taken Mumbai cricket forward either. I rejoice as a Mumbaikar, but unlike 2006/07, when the joy was unrestrained, this win brings its share of worries.

Amre, in his interview states

That appointment might have raised a few eyebrows especially as Amol Muzumdar was a Ranji-winning captain two years ago, and the side's highest run-getter last year. So what was the idea behind replacing him with Jaffer?
Firstly I must give credit to Wasim for staying with Mumbai. Before the season began Maharashtra had given him an offer and were willing to pay him any amount of money, but he opted to stay with Mumbai.

and

Was dropping Amol - the first time ever in his career that he has been benched after being named in the 15 - was the most difficult decision of your coaching career?
That was very, very tough. It was also emotional as we had won the Ranji title under him two years ago. That was my first year as coach and it was a very, very special moment for me, too, because I had never won the title during my playing days. But this time around we had to take the decision for nothing else but winning the tournament. There were only two other names apart from Amol's - Abhishek [Nayar] and Sairaj [Bahutule]. Abhishek had been batting well, and was giving us that extra balance. The main reason behind finally opting for Sai was because this was the first time in two years that we were playing a five-day game.

and that highlights the biggest problem with Mumbai's win this year - selections.

Wasm Jaffer is among 4 top order batsmen in the Mumbai squad this year ( 5 if you include Vinayak Samant).

Amol Muzumdar had led the Mumbai team to the greatest turn around in Ranji history in the 2006/07 season and had top scored for Mumbai last season. And he was the captain till Wasim Jaffer assumed the mantle.

So, what part did the threat of Jaffer's alleged change of loyalties play in him being appointed captain of the Mumbai Cricket Team?

In the game against HP, two names in the HP team stood out - Bhavin Thakkar and Vineet Indulkar. Thakkar had played Ranji for Mumbai. Vineet Indulkar was Mumbai's next great
batting hope before Rohit Sharma hit the headlines.

Previously too, plenty of Mumbaikars have plied their trade for other Ranji teams. And the impact to the team has been minimal.

So, what does it say about the Mumbai selectors spine if they indeed let this threat dictate the course of the Mumbai team captaincy?

And what message does this give the rest of the team - that you can brow beat the Mumbai selectors to comply, with mere threats?

Nilesh Kulkarni and Amol Muzumdar. Two long serving servants of Mumbai cricket. Two captains. And yet the treatment meted out to them by Mumbai is nothing short of despicable.

So, what price loyalty?

The fact that Mumbai considered dropping Abhishek Nayyar despite his efforts after coming into the team this season ( after a bout of dengue) and Sairaj Bahutule actually played the finals raises the other pertinent question - does performance count?

And finally, the Sairaj Bahutule selection for this Ranji season.

Iqbal Abdulla was the man anointed to succeed Nilesh Kulkarni in the Mumbai Ranji team. He played for Mumbai all through last season. Iqbal Abdulla is 19.

And this year, he finds himself nowhere.

Instead, we have Bahutule. Aged 36. With 2 bad knees. Ex Mumbai captain who defected to Maharashtra, had issues with powers to be there, sat out a year, did nothing noteworthy in the lead up to the 2008/09 season and yet finds himself with a Mumbai cap.

The Bahutule selection is questionable all on its own. But when juxtaposed with the Abdulla omission, it begs the question - where is the continuity?

Also, Bahutule will play another season or two. Abdulla has his entire career in front of him. So, where is the investment for the future?

Mumbai won and hurrah for that. But if the selectors keep on this course, this team will implode before you can say 39.

The "Cricinfo Staff" strike again!

From the 5th Day Match Bulletin

Bhuvneshwar, who had a great match with a five-for and 41 quick runs in the first innings, fell 20 short of a second-innings century when he was adjudged caught behind off Kulkarni. Replays indicated there might have been a gap between the bat and ball. The dismissal embodied the kind of luck UP had had over the last four days, with opposition edges falling in safe areas and umpiring decisions not going their way.

I am sorry, but what kind of dumb statement is "Replays indicated there might have been a gap between the bat and ball" ? Either there is a gap between bat and ball or there is no gap between bat and ball, so why the obfuscation?. Where does "might" factor in this?

And, if the "Cricinfo Staff" is not sure of whether there was an edge or not, after watching replays, on what basis do they question the decision made by the umpire in real time?

And why the harangue that follows ( unless of course, the harangue was the reason for the paragraph in the first place)?

There for the takng?

Sri Lanka, that is.

India play Sri Lanka in 5 ODI's and the one T20 late January and February. And if Sri Lanka's tri series form is any indicator, India should do better than the 3-2 win they notched the last time India were in the Emerald Isle ( the M&M's notwithstandng).

The wrong team wins!

Champions again!! For the 38th time..

And Mumbai did this with the wrong team!

Think about it - the squad contains 4 openers ( Jaffer, Rahane, Kukreja and Mane) and they open with Vinayak Samant, the wicket keeper.

The squad has, for most of the season ridden on the shoulders of one bolwer. A rookie.

Its most promising left arm spinner is a no show, its only genuine all rounder is down with dengue for most of the season.

The team selection raised more questions ( and more than a few hackles).

And yet, they won 5 of the 7 league game, beat HP outright before winning against Saurasthra on the basis on the basis of the first innings and beat U.P outright in the finals!

And all of this with the backdrop of the outrage inMumbai.

The only explanation I have for Mumbai's run - either God is a Mumbaikar or Praveen Amre has used up all good luck cards this season ( and we are in for a lot of pain in the next) !

So, why was he selected?

Readers of this blog will know that I am no fan of Sairaj Bahutule, specifically in his current incarnation as Mumbai leg spinner.

And true to form, he has failed to deliver. His numbers for the finals ( with a day left) read

with the bat

first innings - 0/402
second innings - 9/367

with the ball

first innings - 13-3-31-0

And he has not exactly been flash in the other knockout match he played either.

Nilesh Kulkarni captained Mumbai in 2005/06. He found himself dropped ahead of the Ranji finals in 2006/07.

Amol Muzumdar captained Mumbai in 2007/08. He finds himself dropped ahead of the Ranji finals in 2008/09.

Any explanations, Mumbai selectors?

A step forward.

When discussing Suresh Raina and Rohit Sharma, my argument has been that neither has shown the patience or the inclination to make the big scores. Both gents seem content with the pretty cameos.

And those pretty cameos do no justice to the talent they possess.

It is therefore heartening to see Rohit Sharma become the sixt batsman in Ranji history to score a 100 in each innings.

Neither of his innings have ben pretty. Dropped catches, half chances, innumerable plays and misses were the hall marks of his first innings batting.

The second innings was slightly more refined, but in the context that none of the UP Seamers were available to bowl to him on a wicket that continued to be difficult to bat on.

This season has been a huge improvement over his last season , where he was not even noticed. This season however, he has accrued 3 100's in the Ranji Trophy and 1 against the visiting Australians, making this his most productive season in domestic cricket.

Does this make Rohit Sharma ready for the big stage? I dont think so.. But it does indicate that Sharma has now started showing the intent to make the big scores that are required for him to make the step up to Test cricket.

A couple of years in the domestic and the "A" tour grind and a few more long innings and Sharma should be a shoo-in for the India cap.

Wrong focus

Sriram Veera, in another interesting article on the domestic scene in India, finishes by asking the question

But the question remains, when will India throw up a quality umpire good enough to enter the elite panel?

My two cents -

I don't think that should be India's focus anyways. Having umpires in the Elite Panel was a big deal in the 90's, when India was not yet THE place to be for International cricket. Add to that a middling team and having an umpire in the Elite Panel was considered prestigious.

Times have changed and I am not sure getting umpires into the Elite Panel is necessarily what it is cut out to be these days.

For two reasons.

1. On the top of my head I can think of Simon Taufel, Asad Rauf, Aleem Dar, Asoka DeSilva, Mark Benson, Rudy Koetzen, Billy Bowden and Steve Bucknor who are part of the Elite Panel.

And none of these worthies inspire the kind of faith that a David Shepard or a Dickie Bird invoked.Every umpire has been found wanting in certain conditions - Taufel was miserable in England, Dar and Rauf haven't been spectacular in the Southern Hemisphere, Bowden and Koetzen are in a league of their own while Benson and Bucknor - the less said the better.

So, the first question that pops up is - what is the standard for being an Elite Umpire anyways? Umpires make mistakes. They stand more exposed today than at any other time in Cricket's history thanks to technology. So, what is the Gold Standard by which the quality of the umpire is to be gauged?

2. Technology -

Full disclosure - I am not big on technology in the game ( related posts here,here, here. tangential post - here) and the reason I am not big is because technology is hostage to the broadcaster. And so, an umpire can be made to look like an idiot by telecasting ( or not telecasting) all the relevant angles in a dismissal.

And with the referral system gaining more prominence, the whole umpire-player dynamic is changing. And as the stakes grow higher, the functions of the umpire are correspondingly being compromised.

In this scenario, is being a member of the Elite Panel as cut up as it sounds?

I think India had to focus on its umpiring standards - for its own good. We play the game where the umpires are savvy with the rules, the standards under which the games are played are high and it will directly and indirectly benefit Indian cricket.

In fact, if umpiring standards are coupled with pitches ( and variances therein), it can only help us get umpires who are not only knowledgeable and cricket savvy, but also acquainted with umpiring in different conditions ( and therefore, better rounded).

To paraphrase, let us do everything to get our umpiring standards up. And if the ICC thinks it is worth their while to utilize our umpiring pool, good for them. If not, lets not sweat it!

( as an aside, why don't we see more articles of this nature on CricInfo? )

PS:- About a year ago, I cam across an interesting piece in the Mumbai Mirror - in a local game, the players had batsman had pushed the ball to the deep and run 4. The fielder, to prevent any extra runs, kicked the ball beyond the boundary rope.

At this, the umpire awarded 4 over throws to the batsman in addition to the runs run. I thought ( and continue to think) that it was a brilliant call!

MoYo deserves an answer

"I just say the Pakistan board should take its own independent decision. It should not tow the line of the Indians," Yousuf said in an interview on a popular show on Geo Super, a local sports channel. "What have they given us? They even refused to tour the country recently."

Enter left, Ijaz Butt

"We suffered a loss of at least $40 million while on the other hand India lost four times more than us," Butt said. "The Sri Lanka series would help us generate just a small amount, but we do hope that the Indian cricket team tours Pakistan in the near future." Butt is keen for ties to be revived between the two, even if it is away from home. He believes Pakistan will earn at least US$25-$30 million from playing India at a neutral venue as an alternative.

and this addendum, courtesy CricInfo

India's cancellation of their tour to Pakistan this month hasn't helped matters, denting the board further to the tune of at least US$40 million and though Sri Lanka has replaced them and agreed to tour, the series will raise little - US$500,000 - compared to the effect an India series has. In the past - notably 2003-04 - when the board was in financial trouble, a series against the neighbours revived the situation completely.

I know that it may not be the answer you are looking for MoYo, but I hope this suffices.

Siddle sidelined!

Siddle's injury concern has ruled him out of the South Africa games but he is expected to be fit for the one-day series against New Zealand beginning on February 1. Scans revealed the early stages of mild stress in Siddle's left foot, although the problem is far less severe than a similar worry that required Brett Lee to have surgery.

"Peter Siddle has had previous pain in his left foot which became worse during the Test Series against South Africa," Alex Kountouris, the team physio said. "After the series was completed, we investigated and scans revealed the early signs of mild stress on a bone in his left foot.

Siddle's bowling figures

Perth

16.5-5-44-1

26-2-84-0

Melbourne

34-9-81-4

14-5-34-0

Sydney

27.5-11-59-5

27-12-54-3

Thankfully, no one has held India responsible for Siddle's injury - yet!

Write on!

He did not genuinely enter the consciousness of the international cricket community until 2001 when a century of extraordinary resourcefulness on a sub-standard pitch at Mumbai provided him with such confidence and momentum that he amassed 549 runs in a losing three-Test series against India at the Bradmanesque average of 109.80.

writes Mike Coward in his paean to Matthew Hayden. Which is fine.. The story has been told before and will be repeated again about how Matthew Hayden resurrected his career in India.

But it is not sufficient to praise the man for his deeds alone, it is necessary to embellish it with "on a sub standard pitch at Mumbai" to accentuate his performance?

This extract, from the Rediff match report of that time

There has been a lot of speculation about the nature of the wicket. As it turned out, curator Nadeem Memon did everyone proud, producing a fine track with a bit of surface grass, nice bounce and carry, turn for the spinners, and runs if you know how to bat.

and this, from Cricinfo

Earlier, Waugh won the toss and put India in to bat on a pitch that looked like it might help the fast bowlers a bit early on. Help early on or not, it was a brave decision

and

This was a great day's play at the Wankhede, on a pitch that offered a little something for all the bowlers. And the highlight of the day came right in the middle, in just about 90-minutes either side of lunch. This consisted of the much-anticipated contest between the hometown boy Tendulkar and the Australian attack - primarily the two legends, McGrath and Warne.

and here is the score card from that match.

Which begs the question - what match is Mr Coward talking about?Or is playing fast and loose with facts a mandatory requirement to be an Australian journalist?

A primer on wickets

An extremely interesting piece on Cricinfo

Cut the grass? Daljit gives the dummy's guide to preparing a pitch. "You should have liberal grass - now we have stipulated a 6mm standard - when you prepare a wicket. And four inches of soil under the wicket to produce good hard pitch. First you wet it properly - don't flood it and say you have wet it but wet it three-four times a day for two or three days. Then you bring the rollers - use the light rollers for the cross roll and diagonal roll and the heavy roller for straight roll.

"The top one-and-a-half inches dries from sun and air. The below two-and-half is through transpiration (evaporation of water from plants). If we have deep root and good foliage on top, then the transpiration takes place. If that doesn't happen, the wicket below doesn't get hard. If we don't keep liberal grass on top it will affect [the hardness of the pitch]. The rolling only smoothens the wicket; it doesn't harden the surface inside.

"The cricket soil should swell when it's wet. The heavy roller just shapes the wickets, not dry it. If you understand this, you can make hard wickets. The CCI have learnt that now and have started producing fantastic wickets. The ones produced for the Ranji Plate League final last year and the three games that were played there this year [in the Ranji Trophy] were all good wickets."

The other thing that Indians grounds don't have is proper drainage blocks around the pitch. "In the long run it spoils the root of the grass and so much muck gets accumulated below that wickets go from bad to worse," Daljit says. "We got to have drainage around."

I think the BCCI can go one step further and mandate the kind of "home" pitch each of the 27 Ranji teams should have.

That way, teams can get exposed to various pitches (square turners, green tops, bouncy wickets) thus enabling players to be all round players.

Also, the BCCI should mandate a minimum ground size for each of these home grounds - I think the ICC recomended minimum is 65 yards, the BCCI should shoot for 70 yards or more.

And did I mention slow outfields? Batsmen and fielders have to work - to make runs and to prevent runs.

Also the home association must face stiff penalties ( no ODI's for 3 years will be a start) for not adhering to the BCCI guidelines.

With TV and media coverage in the mix, this will go a long way in making the domestic season more competitive than it already is.

And that can only augur well for Indian cricket.

Another step in the right direction

From Cricinfo

Former India captains Anil Kumble and Sourav Ganguly will head the expert panel for a series of specialist skills coaching clinics starting at the National Cricket Academy in Bangalore on Tuesday.

The clinics, to be held over ten days, will be attended by qualified Level Two and Three coaches from all over the country. A release said: "The initiative is in line with the BCCI's mandate that all states establish their own academies by April 30 this year, and will ensure they are headed up by highly-skilled personnel."

Besides Kumble and Ganguly, the others in the panel of 'master coaches' include Robin Singh and Venkatesh Prasad - India's fielding and bowling coaches - besides former internationals Saba Karim, Laxman Sivaramakrishnan and Venkatapathy Raju. The panel will be supported by NCA staff under Dav Whatmore, the director of operations.

"B Arun, Dinesh Nanavati and R Sridhar will oversee the various cricket skills, supplemented by Dr Kinjal Suratwala (nutrition, psychology) and Paul Chapman (fitness)," the release said. "Noted Australian biomechanist, Dr Rene Ferdinands, will anchor the courses at the Academy's facility at Chinnaswamy Stadium in Bangalore." Ferdinands, who played first-class cricket in New Zealand, developed the first three-dimensional kinetics model of bowling.