Forget their dismal performance in the Tenty-20s against the world champions prior to the ODIs. The South Africans, after their remarkable run in the test matches, have now come back very strongly in this ODIs clinching the series 3-1 and that too, surprisingly on the Australian turf. However, after Graeme Smith’s injury, everyone had a preconceived notion that the visiting side would face a massive defeat under the captaincy of a new skipper. Now after their clinical performance in the ODIs, they have proved everyone of us wrong. With the injured skipper yet to join the team after the injury, it will be a tough choice to decide who should sit back. True, you will also find a number of promising players in your side when the team is performing quite well and from this Australian tour, it is apparent that the pick of the lot is the dynamic left hander, JP Duminy. Undoubtedly, he’s a fine prospect to the team for he has had a remarkable career so far. Be it ODIs or test matches, he has delivered when his team needed him to. Also interesting is the fact that, many other players have even come up and proved their mettle on many occasions. More importantly, one should also note that beating the world champions on their home turf is not an easy thing to do. All credit goes to the entire team, in fact no other team has achieved this great feat. Unquestionably, South Africa is in its hey days and indeed the best team to enjoy the number one spot.
January 27, 2009
January 26, 2009
South Africa thrash Australia
The series has been sealed. The South Africans have won the tournament for the first time ever in Australia. Apparently, they deserve the number one spot. Be it the test matches or the ODIs, the South Africans have dominated quite comprehensively. Apart from their dismal show in the twenty-20s, they are no doubt a strong team sans Graeme Smith. And not wanting to wait till the series ends, they have proved it in the 4th ODI itself. Having chose to bat first for the fourth consecutive time in the series, the Australian skipper never expected this dingy performance from his team. Having just 222 runs on the board, a comprehensive South African victory was always on the cards. The Australian bowling wasn’t that good either. Apart from James opes no bowler was economical, all went for plenty of runs right from the start of the innings. Hashim Amla and Herschelle Gibbs provided a wonderful platform in their run chase. In the end, it was an easy run chase for the visiting team, completely one-sided. South Africa won the match quite comprehensively with 8 wickets in hand and more than 10 overs to spare. The final encounter between the two teams may not be that intrigiung after all, for the visiting team has already clinched the series. Nevertheless, a good game is in the offing - on the one hand, Australians endeavouring to end the tour on a winning note and on the other hand, South Africans trying to completely dethrone the world champions from the number one spot. Let’s wait and watch.
January 23, 2009
South Africa lead 2-1
Australians have failed to impress yet again. And quite unfortunately, having won just a single game out of the 3 matches, they are lagging the series. Australian captain won the toss, and for the third successive time the visiting team were bowling first. Although Shaun Marsh ans David Warner provided the start the team wanted, they failed to capitalise soon after both the openers departed. Unexpectedly, they were also bowled out for the first time in the series even before the full 50 overs were bowled. Coming to the South African bowling, pacemen, Dale Steyn and Makaya Ntini bowled quite nicley and picked up two wickets each. Skipper Johan Botha was the stand out bowler who chipped in with 3 wickets and who was also the best economical bowler in the side. The South African reply was no different from the first one. Yet again, all rounder Albie Morkel splendid innings of 40 runs from 22 balls was remarkable. Ultimately, South Africa registered a comprehensive victory with 3 wickets in hand and 21 deliveries to spare.
January 19, 2009
Australia level series
After the close encounter in the first ODI, the home team has come back strongly. Having won the toss, the South African skipper opted to bowl first on this Bellerive Oval pitch, Hobart. Australia had a bumpy start when it lost the impressive opener David Warner for just 5 runs. After that, it was skipper Ricky Ponting and the other opener, Shaun Marsh who steadied the Australian innings. Contributions, though trifle, came from other players as well, the home team was not at all satisfied with the final total. 249 though not a good score, it was more than enough on this pitch which was not that conducive for batting. South Africa chasing down 250 was not at its usual best. However at the end, the visiting team fell short of just 5 runs albeit Albie Morkel and mark Boucher were unbeaten till the very end. Unsuccessful run chase, this second ODI.
January 16, 2009
Sensational opener
The first ODI between South Africa and Australia was but fantastic. Having chose to bat first on a pitch conducive for batting, the home team was destined to put up a fighting total on the scoreboard. The ploy to let middle-order batsman Micheal Hussey to open the innings didn’t work at all for the Aussies as he was dismissed cheaply early in the innings. With the unavailability of Ntini, Morne Morkel was given a chance in the playing eleven. Though he took a couple of crucial wickets, he went for a lot of runs in his full quota of 10 overs. Finally, the home team put up 271 on the board, though not a formidable total, it was but a challenging one. In return, South Africa’s reply was no different from the Australian innings. Although, valuable contributions came from a couple of players, it was Albie Morkel’s blistering cameo that made a certain difference. His 18-ball-40 was a remarkable one to the end of the innings and with the captain at the other end, he made sure his team was through in the first encounter. Definitely, a cliff hanger, this.
January 8, 2009
Bull taming, anyone?
Jallikattu! Come January 15th and the populace in most parts of Tamil Nadu are all ready to play this sport as as a part of Pongal celebration. This century old sport is no joke, for this hazardous feature is where man’s gallantry is pitted against the might of the bulls. Injuries, bloodshed, and deaths are quite common in this and those gory scenes have not been detered even a little. Over the years several men have been gored to death and although efforts are being taken to ban this sport, the spirit to celebrate it continues unabated. Years ago, the person who tamed the bull for the longest duartion won the hands of a belle. But now, they have changed the prize for the bull tamer, or probably the matador, as well as the rules which were followed. At the end of the day, the person who is adjudged as the winner goes home with a wad of cash, jewells, bicycles and lots more. This sport not only injures the participants, but also the onlookers who stand on the other side of the barricades. With the lives of both the participants who may lose their life and the bystanders, who are in peril anytime, do you think this sport should still be practised in our state?
January 6, 2009
The so-called new year resolutions
New Year Resolutions! Come January 1 and each and every soul on earth talks about new year resolutions. As a matter of fact, a resolution, according to Wiktionary.org, is a statement of intent, or a vow. In simple words, a decision to do something. Having this in mind let’s now talk about new year resolutions. Resolutions are discussed mostly during when one is doing his schooling (well, I can’t think of a better place other than school) - teachers would often ask the students what resolutions they have taken when they come back from their Christmas vacations. Majority of them don’t believe in this so-called new year resolutions because they hardly work. Some of them take it seriously, they take a decision to do something and out of which only some work. Fag end of the year and people will think for the coming new year they have to take resolutions. Is it impertaive that only on new years, we have to take resolutions? Why not, during any other time of the year? For some, resolutions are promises to be kept and for some, resolutions are building castles in the air, merely. Whether you make or take resolutions, it is of vital importance that you should have to keep your promise. If you feel you need a change, then take a resolution regardless of what time of the year it is. Not necessarily when your calendar shows the 1st of January!
January 3, 2009
Whitewash!
Be it batting first or second, the South Africans were not at all looking comfortable out there. Smith’s absence has taken a toll on the team quite badly and the new team under the captaincy of Neil McKenzie, is looking down the barrel. It’s quite obvious that without the original skipper, the team is void. Now coming to the second twenty-20 of the series, the skipper chose to bat first keeping in mind that it was conducive to bat, plus, the main frontline bowler, Ntini, who was asked to sit back due to an injury, it seemed. With wickets tumbling in quick succession, the visitiors were afraid they would be running short of batsmen even before the full quota of 20 overs were bowled, but fortunately, JP Duminy played another fantastic knocks and almost rescued the team as he does always. At the end, they could only put up 157 runs on the board, which was not at all satisfactory on this pitch. Meanwhile, their bowling wasn’t that good either. Defending a small total, you had to strike early to put breakes on the Australian batting, but that never happened. Eventually, it was a comprehensive victory for the hosts. 157 was not at all enough.
