David Warner loves batting in Australia

David Warner maybe below-par outside Australia but in Australia, he is simply invincible…..

  

Four years ago, a fan on Twitter requested David Warner a triple hundred in Test cricket at which Warner replied, “Have you seen my patience haha”. Indeed, Warner is famous for essaying flashy hundreds rather than the composed ones like Steve Smith. He did score a double ton at The WACA four years ago, but, perhaps, that was the only time, he showed the patience to occupy the crease "a bit more" period and chase for something big.

It could have been something bigger if he calmed down "a bit more". Runs came at a brisk pace – 253 runs off 286 balls created havoc and entertained all. The crowd demanded more than a triple ton. Well, Warner walked for the pavilion, happy with a double ton.

The opportunity cropped again after 4 years - this time against an under-strength Pakistani unit, who were taken to the cleaners mercilessly by Warner from the word go. On the first day, Marnus Labuschagne hogged the limelight with his fluent hundred, but on the second day, it was the raging bull from Australia, who gave the Pakistani bowling attack a run for their money.

Warner went on to script a triple ton and it was possible because he did not have the intention to score run a ball, but play with a bit more composure. Yeah, a bit more composure was what needed against a Pakistani team, whose captain did not know how to set an attacking filed for his bowlers. Warner was fed with the stuffs he loved. The young Pakistani pacers provided width outside offstump like hell, which they would not provide throughout their life to any other batsmen if they learn their lessons from Adelaide.  Warner relished those things and once he was set, runs leaked, leaked and leaked.

It was great moment for Warner and his fans. He joined the elite club of those Test batsmen in the history, who scored a triple hundred. He did not have faith in his patience four years ago, but now he has and paid rich dividends.

In all, Warner batted for more than 9 hours and smashed 39 fours and a six.

Warner joined Sir Don Bradman (twice), Matthew Hayden, Taylor, Bob Simpson, Bob Cowper and Clarke as Australians to have scored a Test triple ton and is the 27th man overall to reach the mark, the most recent of which was India's Karun Nair in 2016.

Warner's knock is the highest-ever Test score at the Adelaide Oval, surpassing the unbeaten 299 that Bradman scored against South Africa in 1932.

Warner is also just the second man to score a triple hundred in a Day-Night Test, joining Pakistan skipper Azhar Ali, who scripted it three years ago against West Indies in Middle East.

Of course, Warner loves batting in Australia. The Australian tracks never frustrated him and always played a key role from getting out of the lean-patch.

Outside Australia, Warner’s numbers are below-par. In 41 Test matches and 80 innings away from home, he averages 34.50 (63.78 at home) and scripted just 6 hundreds (17 at home). The numbers are pretty mediocre, when we talk about someone like Warner, who burst into the scene as one of the flag-bearers of Matthew Hayden. At home, Warner does remind us about Hayden, but as soon as he leaves the Australian shores, he consistently proves that he is nothing but a home track bully.

A few months back in Australia, Warner was undone by Stuart Broad and co. In five Tests, he scored just 95 runs at an awful average of 9.51. Had someone like Smith and Labuschagne not been around, it would have been tough for Australia. The English pacers, Broad in particular, exploited Warner’s weakness outside offstump and beat his defence couple of times. In this age of videos and modern technology, it is easy to get an idea about how to outweigh the opposition players. Teams like India, England and New Zealand learn while the rest just watch.   

Anyhow, Warner knows he would be able to get back to rhythm in this summer and returned with a bang. After scoring the triple ton, each and everyone – especially those from subcontinent, demanded for a 400, but the Australians are never attracted by personal landmarks. In their culture, winning matters more and at one point the Australian captain declared. Warner left the arena with 335 not out.

It was a bold and professional decision from Paine and Australian think tank, which a bunch of emotional fan base from subcontinent won’t be able to understand. With the Adelaide weather showing poor forecast in the coming days, it was very important to allow Australia enough time to set jitters in Pakistani batting line-up. It worked. Pakistan are in shambles at stumps. Definitely, winning a Test is more important than someone’s personal landmark.   

Note: This article has been posted at Cricketsoccer on 30/11/2019 David Warner loves batting in Australia 

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Faisal Caesar  

Robert Lewandowski: The best number 9 in the world right now

Scoring goals is his habit. In fact, he is addicted to it. Robert Lewandowski is the best number 9 in the world right now and very few would disagree with that.....

 Since the great Ronaldo O Fenomeno left the stage, the days of those flexible but prolific number 9s seemed to have ended. Yes, someone like Luis Suarez did show up, but is more about pressing and possession rather than the flair of an Andriy Shevchenko. In this decade, the beautiful game almost forgot the ture nature of a genuine number 9.

We witnessed the return of false 9 – a reminiscence of Magnificent Magyars using  Nandor Hidegkuti as such at Wembley in 1953 and Brazil using Tostao as such in Mexico in 1970. Football’s technical experts had to ploy such because when you are dealing with two extra-ordinary talents, you cannot but go for false 9 idea. Wingers like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi took goal-scoring to such a level that it completely undermined the value of a striker and centre forward in a team.  

But in recent times, people like Karim Benzema, Jamie Vardy, Crio Immobile and Robert Lewandowski are bringing back the concept of genuine number 9 again. Neither are they O Fenomeno nor Andriy Shevchenko, but their flexibility in front of the goal is aiding the number 9s to thrive again. Certainly, they are not all about pressing and posession.

Among these few gentlemen, Poland and Bayern Munich’s Robert Lewandowski is becoming one of the best number 9s in Europe if not in the history of the game. Recently, he has been in a rollicking form. In the Champions League group match encounter against Red Star Belgrade, the Polish striker smashed 4 goals in just 14 minutes and 31 seconds. Such insane displays are nothing new for Lewandowski, who smashed 4 six years ago against Real Madrid. Meanwhile, in 2015 at Bundesliga in 2015, he plundered 5 goals in 9 minutes against Vlf Wolfsburg.  

After scoring 4 goals the other night, Lewandowski also became the club's all-time scorer in the tournament - the same record he holds with Borussia Dortmund as well - and the fastest player in tournament's history to do.  

For the club and country this year, Lewandowski has scored 51 goals in 53 games – 10 goals from 7 games in the Champions League. According to the statistics of Daily Mail, Lewandowski’s  goal-scoring run leads to a goal approximately in every 57 minutes.  

Interestingly, this stellar run is about seven minutes quicker than Messi's best ever La Liga and Europe season in 2012-13 where he scored 46 goals in 32 appearances.  Barcelona won the La Liga title with historical 100 points with the Argentine proving a prolific best. Ronaldo, on the other hand, had best minutes-to-goal campaign in 2013-14, where he scored every 73.6 minutes for Real Madrid. These feats have now been beaten by Lewandowski with 24 Bundesliga matches remaining.  

With the increase of age, Lewandowski is relying more on scoring from long-range shoots and set-piece headers like Cristiano Ronaldo in his 30s rather than those chicky ones in front of the goal. His ability to use both the feet aids him to score more gaols at which he is just addicted to. In fact, he has become an all-round performer – other than possessing the abilities of a cool finisher like Vardy and Benzema, he can score in variety of ways. As Gerard Pique stated, “He can use both feet and he’s good in the air. It’s really tough when you have to mark a player that can do everything”.

The 31-year old Polish star is the best number 9 in the world right now.

Still a lot of time left in this season to end and the kind of form Lewandowski is in, he is expected to achieve greater feats.

Note: This ariticle has been posted at Cricketsoccer  as CSdesk on 29/11/2019 Robert Lewandowski: The best number 9 in the world right now 

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Faisal Caesar 

The impact of Neymar at Santiago Bernabeu

Real Madrid came out all guns blazing against Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) last night. Two of their pivots – Fede Valverde and Casemiro kept things tight in the centre, whil Isco added an extra-bit of flair to that diamond-shaped midfield. It allowed freedom for the attackers, which kept PSG at bay for the most part of the game.

One of Thomas Tuchel’s main men in the centre of midfield rhis season have been Marquinhos and Idrissa Gueye. But an Isco man-marking of Marquinhos, while Casemiro and Valverde cutting-short of Gueye prompted Tuchel to take drastic measures in the second half. Gueye was substituted and Neymar was brought on.

Neymar looked rusty at the start. But as the time progressed, he started to gather momentum via unleashing an array of depth touches –  typical Brazilian body movements, chicky dribbles, flicks and short-passes, from deep. He was not fully fit, but the only way he could create an impact on the match was by his ability to dictate the game from behind via these depth touches. Remember when Diego Maradona was struggling through fitness during Italia 90, he relied more on such skills rather than running with the ball at pace. Neymar was doing the same last night.

Neymar was actively involved in PSG’s comeback. He outweighed the marker of Real Madrid with body movements, advanced forward, then got involved with one-to-one touch with one of PSG players and from the centre passed it to the left-flank from where the cross was deflected at which Pablo Sarabia latched on to a loose ball and score.

It was a low cross and Real Madrid defence just did nothing to stop it and even they were not up to their mark when Mbappe scored one of the easiest of goals. There are problems with Real defence, but let hat not undermine the build-up of Neymar from the deep.  It helped the team to move forward. It was a half-chance, which was converted, but it all started from that Neymar-move.

Dictating games from behind despite being a forward is one of the hallmarks of a legendary customer and someone like Neymar possesses such qualities and for which, still despite not fully involved on the pitch actively, big clubs want this Brazilian on their side because they are well aware of his talent.

Note: This article has been published at Cricketsoccer on 28/11/2019 The impact of Neymar at Santiago Bernabeu  

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Faisal Caesar 

  

Real Madrid played one of their best matches of the season, but still share points

Real Madrid came out all guns blazing, but still shared points. Zidane needs to fix the defence as soon as possible……

 That night in Paris, two months ago, can’t be forgotten so easily. The best team in Europe were humiliated to the limits by Paris Saint-Germain. Since then, it has been a topsy-turvy ride for Los Blancos. One day they exhibit flashes of brilliance while on the other, they frustrate. One of the best managers in the history of Real Madrid, Zinedine Zidane’s credibility came under scrutiny. But Zidane is someone, who won’t just hang around the corner without trying hard until and unless changes are evident.

At Santiago Bernabeu, Zidane and Los Blancos came out all guns blazing to give their counterparts from Paris a fitting reply.    

Even though the usual school of thought was that Zidane would start up with Rodrygo Goes on the right, but instead, he went on with Isco, who formed the top of diamond-shaped midfield with Casemiro and Valverde forming the pivots as defensive midfielders.

Zidane emphasized more on a compact midfield, which would not only keep things tight but would take part in orchestrating attacks as well. Of course, when someone like Casemiro is around, such a ploy is possible.

Playing Isco was a smart move from a tactical point of view. It allowed Zidane to guard Marquinhos and give the freedom to Marcelo and Valverde to press high up when required. The two pivots gave Idrissa Gueye – one of the headaches for Madrid in first leg – a taste of his own medicine: tackles were completed successfully and balls were won, which led to his substitution and bring on Neymar to inject life in PSG set-up, which was at bay most of the times against a pumped-up Real Madrid.

The first goal was a treat. Eden Hazard picked up the ball from midfield and then got past Marquinhos, Thomas Meunier and Gueye to pass the ball on the wing to Carvajal and Valverde. After completing a quick one-two between them, Valverde passed the ball to Isco at the top of that diamond midfield – he shot the ball, which hit the far post, but Karim Benzema scored from the rebound.

Brilliant display of team-effort!

Madrid looked even better in the second.

Marcelo curled in an inch-perfect cross to Benzema, who was denied by Kaylor Navas. Hazard, who was gradually becoming the heart of Madrid’s each and every move, glid past defenders to set up Varane. But that Navas denied him again. Thomas Meunier cut down the Hazard threat – Gareth Bale would come in. The absence of Hazard did not stop the relentlessness of Real Madrid.

Marcelo, Isco and Toni Kroos made it clear that Hazard won't be missed and consistently threatened from the left. Meanwhile, Real went 2-0 up and were looking for more. Bernabeu demanded the revenge of Paris, but in the end, it did not happen.

The match ended 2-2 and a finger can be pointed towards the defensive fragility of Real Madrid.  PSG’s opening was a gift from the defenders and Thibaut Courtois. Real Madrid allowed Mbappe to script the easiest of goals he would score all year. On the second, each Real Madrid defender anticipated a low ball across the face of goal from the left-wing, but the ball went top of the box and eventually found its way Sarabia for a wide-open rebound attempt. He equalized and overshadowed all the hard-works done by Real Madrid midfield and forward.

Real Madrid did not concede a goal for six matches until that match against Real Sociedad and now last night they shared points because of defensive fragility.

Note: This article has been posted at Cricketsoccer on as CSdesk 28/11/2019  Real Madrid played one of their best matches of the season, but still share points

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Faisal Caesar 

He is Watling, BJ Watling!

England were on top, but as soon BJ Watling started to exhibit his true nature, they lost their way. New Zealand remain unbeaten at home since 2017 and at Bay Oval, the home team owes a lot to Watling’s yet another Herculean act……

 Five years ago New Zealand were transforming into an aggressive and fighting unit under the leadership of Brendon McCullum. After a rocky start to the journey of captaincy, McCullum was instilling the aggressive and fighting intent among his men and it was evident when they toured West Indies that year. In the second Test at Port of Spain, McCullum praised one man’s vigil in the middle, who was batting out there and trying hard to deny West Indies a victory. BJ Watling, the wicketkeeper, became the factor between the West Indies and victory.

From a hopeless 212 for 8 on Day 4, New Zealand went onto score 331 on Day 5 giving West Indies 95 runs to win. Watling stitched an inspiring partnership of 99 for the ninth wicket with Mark Craig, which not only frustrated the home team, but gave the possibility of an impossible draw only. Watling batted for 387 minutes and scored 66 runs facing 216 balls, while Craig scored 67 runs in 184 minutes facing 167 minutes. A bit more support from the top and middle, then, perhaps, Watling would have denied West Indies a victory.

 In the post-match presser, McCullum said, “BJ is fast becoming my favourite cricketer, actually. His strength of character and his fighting qualities. The guy never complains, gets on with the job, goes out there and keeps for a hundred-and-something overs and goes out and bats for seven hours trying to save a Test match for his country”.

“It's not the first time he's done it. He's done it on numerous occasions now and he's certainly a guy who's becoming a strong leader within the group as well. He's doing that through his actions and leading by example and that's a really good sign because we're still a young team, so we need as many leaders within the group as possible”.

Indeed, it’s not the first time that he dared to chase the impossible dreams, but for the last five or six years, getting New Zealand out the Black Hole has become a regular duty for Watling. Be it at home or abroad, whenever the Kiwis fall in deeper troubles, Watling comes out to bat and tests the skill and temperament of opposition teams to the limit.  Each and every time, his knocks end up as quintessential.

At Bay Oval, it was Watling again, whose epic vigil undermined England’s efforts. England posted a competitive total in the first innings. Jora Archer, Sam Curran, and Ben Stokes made the ball bounce and New Zealand’s top and middle-order came under huge pressure. At 127 for 4, they were reeling, but such situations are ideal for Watling to shine.

For the next couple of days, one could witness a similar story – the story of Watling grinding the opposition and helping his team to escape. At Bay Oval, Watling’s knock not only dragged the home team out of the fire, but put them in such a commendable position that they gunned down England on Day 5. Who else, but the beast Neil Wagner’s brutish sucker-punches ensured a comprehensive victory.

No wicketkeepers in the past were able to score a double ton against England in a Test match before.  Budhi Kunderan's 192 at Chepauk in 1963-64 was the previous highest. Watling's 205 is the first double ton by a wicketkeeper against England in Test matches and is also the first by a designated New Zealand keeper in Tests. Brendon McCullum's 185 against Bangladesh in 2010 was the previous best. Again, his 473-ball effort is the second longest-innings played by a wicketkeeper in Tests. Sri Lanka’s Brendon Kuruppu lies ahead of him. He faced 548 balls for his double ton against New Zealand in 1987.

This year, Watling has faced 949 deliveries in Test matches, which is 189 deliveries per dismissal in a Test. He is leading Steve Smith in this list, where a batsman faced 500 or more deliveries in a Test this year with 151 deliveries per dismissal.

Mind you, as a batsman, you won’t come across such a technically gifted customer in Test cricket. The hallmark of his batsmanship is his ability to move the feet with authority against any attacks and on any surfaces and playing the ball late as much as possible. Then of course, he possesses one of the most solid defences in Test cricket.

Then, he does his wicketkeeping job very well too.  He has 2.05 dismissals per innings across his career, which again is super, but puts him at only fourth on the all-time list behind Adam Gilchrist and Brad Haddin (for keepers with more than 200 dismissals in Tests).

More often we read and listen to the word – Silent Assassin. At times, such gritty knocks of Watling makes me feel that Watling is nothing but a silent assassin, who just takes the game away from opposition and they don’t even realise that they are done and dusted. He is not a James Bond, but still, he is the James Bond of Test cricket –delivers the best in hopeless situations and then makes one feel, Test cricket can be sexy as because someone like Watling, BJ Watling is around!

Note: This article has been posted at Cricketsoccer on 25/11/2019 He is Watling, BJ Watling!  

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Faisal Caesar