Sreesanth's bouncer to Kallis

What is fast bowling without aggression!

These days it’s a rare sight. Except few, not many fast men exhibit aggression, which would add spice to the contest.

On the field, at present, hostile characters are more seen rather than hostile bowling.

The Indian pacer Sreesanth is an erratic character and an antic loving personality. He has aggression but his bowling has been undisciplined so far. He is mostly famous for his comical antics on the field and ill-behaves towards the batsmen. But a bit more focus on his bowling could have made him an exciting fast bowler to watch.

On the morning of the 4th day of the Durban Test, Sreesanth seemed to be more focused on his bowling rather than his antics and waywardness. In the second ball of the 34th over, he produced a gem of a delivery to one of the best batsmen of modern-day cricket, Jacques Kallis.

The ball bounced at Kallis from short of a length and rose so sharply and then jagged back into him so viciously that Kallis wasn’t able to avoid it. He jumped and then arched back in an attempt to get out of the way. But the ripper of a delivery hit Kallis’ gloves and went into the safe hands of the gully fielder, Virender Sehwag.

What an exhibition of hostile fast bowling! 

This delivery is a part of Indian cricket folklore.

Thank You

Faisal Caesar 

South Africa v India - VVS Laxman is the guardian angel for the Indian tail-enders

In the second innings of the Durban test match, the Indian batting line-up discovered themselves in familiar position again – rusty. Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel were ferocious and the Indian top order was jolted in no time.

But one man stood firm against such a ferocious fats bowling. It was none other than the classicist from Hyderabad VVS Laxman. As usual, when the chips are down, Laxman took the responsibility to build the Indian innings.

Laxman’s composure is something unique. It provides enough sense of security not only in the Indian dressing room but the batsman batting at the crease as well. Especially the tail-enders find it enough comfortable to bat with Laxman. A batsman who assures the tail is very, very special. Inzamam-ul-Haq used to be such a special batsman and at present Laxman is such a gem.

The Indian’s start on the third day was shaky. Steyn, Morken and Tsotsobe rattled the toporder as three wickets fell in a quick succession. Laxman came at the crease but wickets kept on tumbling at the other end. Zaheer Khan came in to bat with Laxman.

Though Zaheer is not a novice with the bat but still not the man to fancy his batting and hang around on a track which was providing enough bounce to make the tail reel. But amazingly Zaheer was to hang around and counter the hostile bowling by the South African pacers with enough courage and patience.

At the other Laxman, though had his edges past the slips early, buckled down as he traditionally does on such situations and then with his calm stay at the crease provided enough assurance to Zaheer to make sure he stays there and contribute in building an effective partnership. 

Yes it was the assurance of Laxman that makes the tail bat well. Very few batsmen in modern day cricket can do such. There will always be proper guidance to the tail-enders and there will always be that sense of security ‘Don’t worry. I am here with you” from Laxman. He is the guardian angel for the Indian tail-enders. 

A valuable partnership of 70-run was scripted with Zaheer and how valuable will it be if India manages to pull out a victory here at Durban.

He was dismissed for 96 but I don’t think Laxman is disappointed fro missing a ton. Neither are we. We know he is not the man to chase after records, he is not the man to rue on missing a ton but, he is the man who gets happier after contributing for the team.

Thank You

Faisal Caesar

South Africa v India - The importance of Zaheer Khan

Dale Steyn ended up the Indian resistance on the second day by picking up his sixth wicket, his fifteenth five-wicket haul in Test cricket. The Indian team cam out to bowl against a very competent South African batting line-up who at Port Elizabeth made the Indian bowlers toil hard.

This South African batting line-up was needed to be jolted and India needed to inject an early blow. Who would be ideal person to inject that? Obviously, it would be Zaheer Khan. This time around, Zaheer had been fit and beaming with confidence. A fit and confident Zaheer is a hard nut to crack.

From the word go, Zaheer started to test the South African batsmen. He extracted enough bounce and movement from the pitch and each of his deliveries were posing a threat. A vital breakthrough came immediately - Graeme Smith was given the marching order with a ball banged on a perfect length with pace and that ball kissed Smith’s bat to the wicketkeeper. Zaheer was on song. Then it was time for Alviro Peterson to leave the crease. Zaheer pitched the ball on the leg-stump; Peterson went for the charge on the onside but discovered that his bails have been knocked off.

Zaheer’s energetic bowling and timely strikes had given the Indian bowlers enough momentum and for which suddenly we could notice that an erratic Sreesanth to bowl his heart out and the lanky Ishant Sharma became threatening. Ishant had bowled with pace and intent against Jacques Kallis. It was a different Indian bowling attack altogether. Kallis was run out and the South African batting line-up was reeling. The Indians were in a high.

The much gained momentum must be utilized at its maximum and thus, Zaheer Khan came to bowl again. He dismissed Ashwell Prince with a Jaffa - It was a ball that Zhaeer made to move away and angled it into the batsman; producing one of those balls that pitched on and held its line. Prince played around it and found his stumps arranged! What a ball!

Enters Harbhajan Singh make full use of this momentum. He bagged four wickets and South Africa were bundled out for just 131.

The Indian bowlers dished out an astonishing performance. It all happened due to Zaheer Khan whose inspiring bowling essayed a much needed momentum which helped the other Indian bowlers to utilize. Surely, Zaheer is the leader of this Indian attack.     

Thank You

Faisal Caesar

South Africa vs India - You have to love Sachin Tendulkar

Some cricketers are bon to be great. They are born to give greatness a new name and Sachin Ramesh tendulkar is that cricketer who is just born to give greatness a new name. Since his entry to this topsy-turvy world of international cricket, Tendulkar’s bat has been busy in rewriting the record books and he has simply turned the world of statistics upside down with his magical batting display.

At Centurion in the first Test against South Africa, India’s pride as the number one Test side in the world was at stake. They were bundled out for a 136 in the first innings and their bowlers were made to look club stuffs when the Proteas punished them in their first innings. India were trailing by a massive 484 runs. And in their second innings, India were reduced to 277 for 6.

But the little master decided to buckle down and hold at one end. He had Dhoni at the other end who had turned in to a murderer and took the Proteas attack to the cleaners. Dhoni’s knock was only possible due to the assurance from the other end where Tendulkar was rock steady. The Proteas were made to toil.

When Tendulkar was on his 80’s, the crowd at Centurion including spectators from both sides, started demanding the little champion’s 50th Test ton and in such situations, automatically a batsman’s concentration can get altered. But Tendulkar was in a different zone. His focus was to save the Test match and not the milestone.

Morkel and Steyn were and top and started to show their fury against Tendulkar with bouncers. But Tendulkar rather than getting carried away to play any rash strokes left them alone. The balls that kept low were negotiated with solid technique and he was giving the impression to the Proteas that what ever they do, they will not be able to dismiss him, Tendulkar was immortal at the crease.

At 97, Tendulkar was again digested with a flurry of bouncers but still he was cool as a cucumber and spent 10 deliveries without a run. In came Dale Steyn. Tendulkar got an inside edge to mid-wicket to add a couple. He was on 99. Then the little master played one through the covers to reach his 50th Test ton.

The  bat went high in the air, thanking the almighty and then responded the fans. Another milestone had visited the little master. But what more glaring was his concentration, solid technique and authoritative stroke-play even at this age. Simply brilliant!

I am one of his harsh critics but I cannot but love this man’s dedication towards his team. You have to love him

Thank You

Faisal Caesar

Bangladesh v Zimbabwe - It was Shakib Al Hasan again!

At first it was 5 for 2 then there was a resuscitation-work from Imrul Kayes and Raqibul Hasan but then it was 71 for 4. The situation was not looking good and Bangladesh needed something from their captain to get them out of this rut. As usual Shakib didn’t dissatisfy us. He shone for Bangladesh with the bat this time around.  

Shakib Al Hasan took little time to settle and started to play his shots in a carefree manner and with the little Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib scripted a polished partnership of 116 runs for the fifth wicket. The partnership was more about well-timed singles, nudges and working the ball here and there with more brains rather than rush of bloods. Shakib scored 73, while Rahim made 63.

The foundation of a fighting total was made and the Bangladeshi lower order did blazed to swell the Bangladeshi total and later on, the Zimbabweans just could not cope against the guile of Abdur Razzak and Shafiul Islam.

Again, it was that man Shakib Al Hasan.

Thank You

Faisal Caesar

Bangladesh v Zimbabwe - Aren't we forgetting Shakib Al Hasan?

Bangladesh are euphoric about Razzak’s hat-trick and why not? Razzak has been brilliant in this match, but amid this euphoria should be forget one man’s critical contribution in this match? That man has created an enormous impact throughout this match and he is none other than our Shakib Al Hasan.

In the morning, Shafiul Islam gave Bangladesh the early break through, but that didn’t deter Bredan Taylor from unleashing an assault. Taylor took the attack to our bowlers and silenced the vociferous Mirpur crowd. Taylor was much needed to be stopped and who can do that job masterfully other than Shakib? 

Shakib took the responsibility to halt Taylor's assaulting-mood. In the extra-cover position Shakib set Raqibul Hasan in a bit depper position which make any attacking batsman think that it would be easy to clear that area. Shakib dished out a well-flighted delivery, which set-up Taylor to attack Shakib over extra-cover but was out caught to Raqibul Hasan.

Shakib's plan worked and Bangladesh have fetched the wicket of the danger man, courtesy of some thinking captaincy. Shakib had noticed that Taylor was driving on the front- foot aggressively and thus, he made Taylor over-ambitious to drive on a flighted delivery which Taylor mistimed and as a result Zimbabwe's escalating run rate had been dented. 

Then, Dabengwa was well set and his brief 48-run stand with Taibu was again helping the Zimbabweans to gain the lost momentum. Enters, Shakib Al Hasan again to bowl in the 29th over - Shakib’s second delivery took Dabengwa’s edge and went for four. Before bowling the last ball of the over, Shakib noticed that, Dabengwa was preparing to attack him as the previous three balls didn’t fetch him any runs. Shakib could realize that, Dabengwa would shape-up to attack him and thus, he deliberately bowled a full toss which let Dabengwa to hit that straight to Shakib – another classic breakthrough as a result of some thinking bowling and another important breakthrough as a result of leading-from-the-front like leadership. 

The Zimbabwean captain was at the crease and with Craig Ervine, he was trying to get back Zimbabwe’s depleted momentum. Both of them were involved in a chicky little building-the-partnership stuff. They were milking the singles and couple more than cracking boundaries.

Shakib Al Hasan realized that another wicket is needed to halt this momentum and he returned to bowl again. If his second spell was tidier and thoughtful, then his third spell was attacking – he bowled with an attacking line and length to dent the Zimbabwean batters - Elton Chigumbura was done by an arm ball – Shakib had arrested another threatening Zimbabwean partnership and at 132 for six, Zimbabwe were at bay.  

Shakib came back to bowl again when the partnership of Craig Ervine and Prosper Utseya started to blossom. Zimbabwe had taken the Powerplay at the start of the 44th over to go for the final assault. But the rest of the show belonged to Razzak who notched-up a hat-trick with Shakib getting rid of Meth to gain his fourth wicket of the match.

Razzak’s hat-trick might have stolen the show, but Shakib’s impact on this match had been instrumental. Those crucial breakthroughs in the critical junctures of the match can hardly be undermined. Sadly, our fans and cricket pundits are too much obsessed with Razzak's feat rather than Shakib's brilliant cricketing brain. I have not seen any so-called experts to say about this. But it should have been highlighted as well.

Thank You

Faisal Caesar

Bangladesh v Zimbabwe - Great show by the Tigers

So, the Tigers have bounced back in style at Mirpur in the second One-day international against the cocky Zimbabweans. It was the sort of clinical performance which we expect from our boys.

The bowling of Shakib Al Hasan and Abdur Razzak was simply brilliant. The Zimbabwean innings was made directionless by the teasing left-arm spin of Shakib and Razzak.  

With four more overs of the Powerplay to go and with Ervine and Utseya still at the crease, Zimbabwe was targeting more than 220 in 50 overs. But Abdur Razzak and Shakib Al Hasan orchestrated a dramatic collapse. Utseya who was targeting the vacant midwicket area and was swinging his bat against the turn was caught by Naeem Al Islam in the last ball of the 45th over and in the next over Meth was caught and bowled by Shakib and in the 47th over Razzak trapped Price and Mpofu leg before to ensure that the target remains below 200. Zimbabwe had lost their last four wickets for jus two runs and Razzak became the second Bangladeshi bowler to grab a hat-trick in ODIs.

The Bangladeshi batters didn’t panic while chasing but ensured the victory without making the weather heavy.

Thank You

Faisal Caesar

Bangladesh v Zimbabwe - The Tigers' feet comes to ground

So, the Tigers start the One-day series against Zimbabwe with a defeat. The Bangladeshi boys had been brilliant on the field in the first-half of the game but, it didn’t matter much as because the hosts were left stunned with a nine-run defeat. Zimbabwe now lead the series 1-0.  

The visitors certainly deserve enough credit for being disciplined. Their temperament didn’t tilt despite the pressurized situation. The team which lost the battle of nerves had been the hosts. The running between the wicket had been shoddy and sadly, Mohammad Ashraful frustrated us again. That was a horrifying dismissal. You don’t expect such sort of dismissal from a batsman who has been playing cricket for almost ten years.

It was again Shakib who looked to pull this match out of the fire by scripting a Michael-Hussey-like knock. He tamed the disciplined bowling of Price and Chibhabha by milking singles and couples and when they were put out of the attack Shakib unleashed his attacking strokes to make the silent Mirpur crowd to roar again. Shakib was well aided by Mahmudullah Riyad.

But things didn’t go well for the Tigers as the Zimbabweans went on to win the first ODI. In fact, the Tigers’ batting still looks shoddy. It lacks stability and the urge to to build partnerships. This defeat should be a wake-up call for the Tigers. The lessons must be learned as early as possible.

Thank You

Faisal Caesar