Cricket World Cup 2019: Unbelievable Final, great advertisement of ODI cricket

It is never easy to express what I just witnessed. What would I write? What would I try to explain? My mind is just blocked after witnessing the greatest One-day matches ever since that dramatic semi-final clash at Edgbaston twenty years ago. After 7 weeks of intriguing cricket, it all came down to a super over in a World Cup Final at Lord’s.

The game changed its colour, shifted the balance so many times and gifted us so many moments to relish, that you cannot but love this 50-over format more and more.

Even the Super Over could not separate the two teams, but the winner had to be just one and England won it by virtue of hitting more boundaries. That was quite cruel towards New Zealand and it could have been the same for England had they lost. But rules are rules and we hardly can point a finger towards it.

When the Super Over was injected in this format, none even bothered to say anything, then why now? You wished a Twenty20 flavour everywhere and you got it. So, now, you need to accept it.

Anyhow, this has been one of the best World Cups ever to happen in the history of the competition. And of course, this tournament has rejuvenated 50-over format. This tournament has conveyed us the message, the flavour of 80s and 90s is much-needed for the survival of 50-over cricket and dead decks can hardly ensure an exciting contest. Neither does a bat vs bat battle can help to attract a mass audience. You need sporting decks to make a contest simmering. You need to give the bowlers a bit more to make the  World Cup a big hit!

Thank You

Faisal Caesar 

Cricket World Cup 2019: England advance, Adil Rashid played a key role

Win the toss and bat first - Aaron Finch called it right, but this New England relish more on making things happen rather than depending on the toss and conditions.

Within first half-an-hour of the match, the English pacers set jitters in Australia's batting line-up. For Jofra Archer and Chris Woakes, the matter was not only about pace but dragging back the length more often. Their correct use of length accounted for the wickets of Aaron Finch and David Warner. When Peter Handscomb departed, Australia were in a mess.

But Australia being Australia - Steve Smith and Alex Carey stood up and reminding all of us of what Steve Waugh and Michael Bevan did in that historic semi-final on the same venue in 1999. A partnership started to flourish and that belief started to crop up - Australia would pull this one off and of course, they are an invincible species in World Cup semi-finals.

One of the most special things about this New England have been over the last four years, they know, how to pick wickets during crucial stages of the match. They have invested faith in bowlers like Adil Rashid, Moeen Ali and Liam Plunkett to strike gold in middle overs and during crucial moments.

It was Adil Rashid, who stepped up, yet again, to bring England back into the match.

At first, he removed Carey to halt the dangerous-looking-partnership and then Marcus Stoinis was outclassed by a similar kind of a googly, which Mushtaq Ahmed Bowled to Graeme Hick at MCG during the final of World Cup 1992. My word, England have a legspinner now. Neither is he Ian Salsbury nor Joe Denly, but he is Rashid, Adil Rashid - who have given this English attack a new dimension.

Rashid's breakthroughs simply ended Australia's hopes of a competitive total.

England just needed to keep calm and play their natural game to register a place in the finals.

Even though England might have done adventurous things with the bat in the past, but in the first 3 to 5 overs, power-hitters like Jason Roy and Jonny Bairstow exhibited resolve, but they had no intention to make the weather heavy. As soon as they settled own, it turned out to be an exhibition match.

Australia's unbeaten run in World Cup semi-finals came to an end.

England's bowling was the factor for which they were able to outweigh Australia. Archer and Woakes' opening spell proved lethal, but for me, Adil Rashid was the real hero yesterday. He was given the task during a moment when the match was slipping out of England's grip. But his legspin-bowling derailed Australia. Had the Smith-Carey partnership prolonged a bit longer, the story could have been different as well know, what Australia can do!       

Thank You

Faisal Caesar 

Cricket World Cup 2019: My thoughts on the India v New Zealand semi-final

1. I was surprised to hear when some of the commentators were saying, it was an easy track. The hard and true look doesn't mean it was a deck with plenty of runs on it, but as a matter of fact, it turned out to be a damp deck, where resolve was the order of the day rather than boosting your strike rate.

Ross Taylor and Kane Williamson's steadiness was like Imran Khan and Javed Miandad of World Cup 1992 final, where their snail-paced batting display helped Pakistan to build a platform after an early hiccup on that MCG deck, which was semi-damp in the early part.

The problem is, experts these days emphasize fluency and power-hitting over application due to an overdose of circus shows.

But as a matter of fact, the longer-formats demand resolve and strike rotation and thankfully, this World Cup established this truth yet again!

2. Trent Boult's dismissal of Virat Kohli was a well-thought one. He forced Virat to focus on his offstump more by dishing out two deliveries outside off - gradually the line came down to middle and leg to middle and off and then all of a sudden he took the pace out of the ball - BINGO!

Virat dragged his front foot out early and was trapped lbw. Boult varied the line but the length remained on the goodish area.

3. MS Dhoni - who should have come out to bat earlier and Ravindra Jadeja unleashed an inspiring partnership, but still, Kane Willaimson never lost his cool, but always attempted to increase the number of dot balls in each over by manoeuvring his fielders.

The New Zealand fielders responded to their skipper with some athletic displays, while his bowlers bowled according to the field set - the deliveries pitched more on length with a lesser amount of errors in line.

Kane never let the pressure off from India even when the partnership was threatening to take the match away from Kiwis. In a crucial phase of the match, Jadeja skied one, while Guptill scripted one of the best run outs you would ever see in a knockout match.

4. Imran Khan said, the team, which handles the pressure better would always win and Kane handled it better and deserved to advance to the finals.

Thank You

Faisal Caesar 

Brazil need Neymar

Websites like Goal and Bleacher know nothing but bashing Brazil and Neymar. If Brazil does well, somehow, they find a way to bash Neymar. And when Messi does not do well, bashing Cristiano Ronaldo becomes the motto to save their boss. We have been watching these bullshits for the last 10 years.

Neymar should not be in the team?

Mate, do you understand Brazil football?

Brazil are a team which is blessed with stars but among such stars, they always have one or three superstars, who become the source of inspiration in the World Cup.

Our boy Neymar Jr. is that superstar - like a Romario or Ronaldo, he's the nucleus of Selecao. And to win the World Cup Brazil would need Neymar.

The problem with many modern fans is, they take Copa America and Confederation Cup too seriously and forget, winning the World Cup is the ultimate goal.

Winning a Copa without your superstar does not mean, you're in the right track. And, Brazil won quite a few Copas in the late 80s and 00s without their major superstars.

In 2013, the victory in Confederation Cup created such a false sense of security that it forced Scolari to exclude players like Coutinho, Felipe Luis etc. only to keep the team of Confederation Cup intact.

We paid a heavy price, didn't we?

Whereas in 2006, the form of Adriano in Copa America 2004 and Confederation Cup 2005, gave the Selecao think tank and fans the thought, a combination of Ronaldo and Adriano would work better. But in fact, the combination of Ronaldinho and Ronaldo was needed more.

In fact, Ronaldinho was playing behind Adriano in Confederation Cup 2005 in a 4-2-3-1 formation. In Germany 2006, Ronaldinho was needed to be behind Ronaldo with Robinho and Kaka on the right and left respectively, with Adriano coming in later third to boost things up. But Copa and Condeferation Cup success forced all not to twist things.

The return was not good.

And the result was the same in 2010 as well.

Successes in Copa America 2007 and Confederation Cup 2009, gave Dunga the legitimacy to exclude Ronaldinho, whereas his experience was needed in South Africa.

So, we don’t need to get blind and fly in the sky with just one Copa success, but need to keep our logical mind intact.

Winning the Copa without Neymar had been a good practice of building Brazil's temperament and testing the available bench strength.

Thinking of excluding Neymar is nothing but a disastrous practice and a Brazil fan needs to realize this deeply. And of course, we need to give a fitting reply to such opinion pieces.

Thank You

Faisal Caesar 

Lionel Messi: Think twice before you talk

Lionel Messi accused of corruption in the Copa America, but he has no definitive proofs. But Messi should think twice before he talks…..

Dear Lionel Messi, you said, “We could have gone further but we weren't allowed into the final. Corruption, referees and all the rest stopped people from enjoying the football”. And then added, “Brazil champions? No doubt. Sadly, I think it’s set up for Brazil”.

First of all, let me reply to this: We could have gone further but we weren't allowed into the final. Corruption, referees and all the rest stopped people from enjoying the football.

Dude, you are lucky to be in the semi-final with this crap team. You and your team are nowhere near that team of Gabriel Batistuta and Riquelme, which we respected and admired a lot. In fact, we the Brazil fans always remained tensed while facing that great Argentine side. 

As because it was not a team of an overrated individual, but a compact unit ready to fulfill their mission. But your current team is just below-average, where you are a big flop in Argentina shirt.

Now let me cite a very important incident.

Leo, do you know what happened during the Second Round of FIFA World Cup 1978?

Your team – the hosts - was all set to play the third-place play-off against Italy with Brazil gearing up to meet the Netherlands in the finals of FIFA World Cup 1978.

Brazil beat Poland 3-1 and then Peru 3-0 in the Group B of the second round. Which meant, Argentina had to beat Peru 4-0 or 5-1.

That Peru was not an easy team to beat by such a margin and during that time your dictator Govt. run by Jorge Videla made a political deal with the dictator of Peru, Francisco Bermudez – the Condor Plan - where Francisco wanted to send 13 Peruvian  prisoners to Argentina, but Videla would only accept them if Peru deliberately lose the match against Argentina.

Videla wished to exploit Argentina’s success to the maximum and hide the massive disappearances of protestors, who were dubbed to be killed by the Videla and co.  

Videla and Francisco accepted the deal and as the match progressed, the Argentine-origin goalkeeper of Peru checked himself from showing any intent and digested 6 goals.

Former Peruvian Senator Genaro Ledesma confirmed about this dirty deal by Videla in 2012.

Again, do you remember, how Brazil were denied a win against Sweden when the referee blew the final whistle after Zico scoring the winner? The gaame was leveled as time was running out. Zico scored on a header to win game but the referee calls off the goal saying that the clock had run out. In soccer thats a pretty odd call, especially since the assistant delayed the Corner by moving the ball which took another 10 seconds off the clock.

What was that? Fair or corruption?

That corruption – as you termed today - by the referee denied Brazil the top spot in Group 3, but hey, you people wanted to avoid facing Brazil, but in the end, you had to face them as because, Italy beat you in the last group match and forced you to move to Rosario. But to stop Brazil, your Videla played this dirty game.

Then you complained about the substandard pitch in this year’s Copa America. Do you remember the pitch at Mar del Plata, where you forced Brazil to their group matches during World Cup 1978? Brazil failed to adapt on that pitch could not do anything against Spain.

***

Now let me come to this: “Brazil champions? No doubt. Sadly, I think it’s set up for Brazil”.

Half of the answer had been given above. But as you accused without any proofs, I guess I am entitled to raise my doubts as well.

Okay, since 2010-2018, if we witness Argentina’s group arrangements during FIFA World Cups, we notice, three times in a row, your team had been placed against Nigeria and in 2010 and 2014, you were placed in an easy group where a Group Champion ensured an easy entry to the finals.

It could not happen in 2010 as you and your coach underestimated a young German unit whereas, in 2014, you expected too much favour from Germany. Am I right? The Germans don’t spare their oppositions so easily like Nigeria, South Korea or Greece.

In 2018, you were placed with Croatia, Nigeria and Iceland. Except for Croatia, none were that better, but the set up was such, if you become the Group Champion, the entry to final would be easier. But you are such an overrated player that you could not overcome the Croatian threat and end up as Group runner-ups. The French showed you where you belong.

***

Like you, I just expressed my doubts and I have no proofs. I can only doubt, the FIFA Officials have been backing you since the start of this decade, whereas they had been too harsh against Cristiano Ronaldo – subjected to tougher Groups than you - and Brazil – who had been a victim of poor referring in Russia and at their own den in 2014.  

I gave the answers to your two statements and if we, the Brazil fans, wish to dig deep, we can dish out the Hand of God saga, The Holy Water Scandal saga, the referee keeping his eyes closed against the Soviet Union when Maradona touched the ball with his hand inside his own penalty area during the second match of Italia 90 at Naples, you place the ball a few meters forward at Camp Nou while taking the free-kick against Liverpool in first phase of semi-final after claiming it by a false foul, Diego Simeone playing the dirty acting to prompt the referee to show David Beckham the red card in that Round of 16 match of World Cup 1998 etc.

I am confident that I have all the answers to the accusations you and your team would dish out against Brazil today and tomorrow.

So, think twice before you talk!

Note: This has been posted at Cricketsoccer as CSdesk (slightly edited) on 07/07/2019 Lionel Messi: Think twice before you talk

Thank You

Faisal Caesar