'round the wicket

From the village green to the test arena, a premier cricketing blog covering cricket around the world

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Rahul 'The Wall' Dravid Retires after a sensational international career spanning 16 years at the top

Rahul Dravid's Career Stats

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RIP Runako Morton 1978 - 2012 (33 Years Old) http://www.guardian.co.uk/sport/2012/mar/05/west-indies-runako-morton-dies?newsfeed=true

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Australia v. Sri Lanka

Clarke wins the toss and elects to bat, rain forecasted for later so efficient batting display required by the Aussies to prevent a Duckworth Lewis mishap. Malinga opens up and after a first ball wide recovers to it both Wade and Warner in half in his first over. Should be a good battle this..

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Happy 35th birthday to Andrew Strauss. Tears will be shed when he retires.

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Class exemplified in this image

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Brian Lara's Greatest Knocks

375 For West Indies v. England in St. Johns Antigua (1994)

400 not out for West Indies v. England in St. Johns Antigua (2004)

501 not out for Warickshire v. Durham at Edgbaston, Birmingham, England (1994)

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Innings Spotlight - Richard Levi (South Africa)

Twenty20 International

South Africa v. New Zealand, Seddon Park Hamilton

19th February 2012

R.E Levi - 117 not out

67 Minutes, 51 Balls, 5 x 4's, 13 x 6's, SR: 229.41

Fastest T20 Century (100 from 45) 

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One to Watch: Brendan Taylor (Zimbabwe)

Brendan Taylor - Zimbabwe

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Banana Army not Barmy Army

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The famous lime tree in the outfield of the St. Lawrence Ground, Canterbury, Kent.

The weakened 200 year old tree met it's maker after a gale force storm in 2005. The club replanted it's successor, so here's to another 200 years!

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Back yard cricket? It would be nice to have a back yard!

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Tendulkar explained: Superman..or God?!

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It's a dogs life.. Indian fielding has never been up to much

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Virat Kohli leaves Dilshan & Sangakarra in the shade

Virat Kohli hit one of the greatest one day innings of all time in the amazing dismantling of Sri Lanka, but who'd have thought it?

Kohli's knock: 133 runs from 86 balls was even more incredible considering India needed to win within 40 overs to get the required bonus point to leave them with a chance of qualifying for the Commenwealth Ban Series final against Australia, which they duly did. That was not the only reason it was such a quality knock, it was added to by the fact India's position in the game and the series, was put in doubt as Sangakkara notched an 87 ball 105 and Dilshan an amazing 165 ball 160 not out, batting the entire innings which ended on an impressive 320-4, and were perhaps strongly fancying themselves for the win.

Not Insignificant, but insignificant

Sangakkara: 105 runs, 87 balls, 8 x 4's, 2 x 6's, SR: 120.68

Dilshan: 160 runs, 165 Balls, 11 x 4's, 3 x 6's, SR: 96.96

Kohli's knock has Channel 9 commentators waxing lyrical about the sheer brute force and systemic dismantling of Sri Lanka and in particular Lasith Malinga: one of the worlds great ODI bowlers has his figures destroyed as India made it to 321 in under 37 overs with just 3 wickets down.

Kohli was struggling to time the ball at first and being reserved in a partnership with Gambir (63). His amazing knock was epitomised by clipping near-yorker deliveries over square leg and mid wicket for 6 in an over in which he scored 24 runs, leaving Malinga a broken man, as he struggled to bowl his famed slower deliveries or yorkers to the usual perfection. The stand out shot for me was a lofted cover drive which showed the timing, skill, precision and strength exhibited throughout through his incredible innings. I can't do the innings justice so I've added a video at the foot of this post!

Sri Lanka could have the last laugh however as 1 point from the final game against Australia will see them through to the final and an assured batting display, like the one today in Hobart will surely set them up to do so! (famous last words?!)

Virat Kohli: 133 runs, 86 balls, 16 x 4's, 2 x 6's, SR: 154.65

Here's the video which includes all three amazing innings! Sit back and enjoy a exhibition of batting

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vY_qeg5Vxdk

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Shahid Afridi: Has the 'Boom Boom' Boom.. Bust?

This article won't make me popular amongst Pakistani fans but here is goes..

Shadid Afridi, the legend, idol and figurehead of Pakistan cricket. But is it now time for the PCB to get brave and move on? It won't be popular with the fans who turn up in droves to simply watch him bat, but is that all he's used for in a fledgling Pakistan ODI & T20 squad? I would argue yes.

Now, I'm not disputing that Afridi is one of the most dominating batsmen of his time, destructing bowling attacks at his devastating best. However, these days he's not the game changer he once was. I take the 4 ODI's & 3 T20's against England, he scored just 141 runs @ 20.14 from 7 innings which included one half century, he was built up to change the face of each game over both series and it didn't really materialise, he seemed to be outwitted by the bowling attack on a regular basis, he never was a great thinker of the game and his impatience to 'have a look' perhaps lets him down more than most.

His form with ball is still quite good on paper, but patchy and replicable in reality. I'm suggesting that Pakistan have enough youth and talent in the armory these days that perhaps Afridi's role should be reconsidered. Why? Because as I said, he's hardly unique these days, his form with bat and ball is replicable and who better to do it that that the rising talent of Pakistan? Spin provided by Hafeez and Ajmal and powerful lower order innings by Gul are the perfect antidote to Afridi, add players like Awais Zia into the mix and I think Pakistan have more of a chance of competing at the major world tournaments. 

Now you question the experience in the side? I believe there is still plenty of experience, Afridi would never have offered too much insight on the field I don't think, so I'm not sure he will be missed too much in that capacity.

You perhaps also have to question the motives of the PCB in selecting him, I believe it is purely in the interest of commercial gain, which is great but who's going to fill the void when he retires? I say retire, because I just can't see him being forced out by any means.

You also have to question the motives of Afridi himself, he seems to be a walking retirement fund, signing deals left, right and centre to swell his personal coffers, including a bizarre pre-match on field hair wash in the name of a sponsor; a shampoo brand. (I'm not stating he's the only heavily endorsed player in the world by the way!

As above, I believe he should be replaced fairly soon in the interest of the longevity of Pakistani cricket. Do I think he will be? No.. brand Afridi reigns supreme and don't the PCB know it.

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England Tour of Pakistan - A Review

Welcome to the UAE, Pakistan's new home for the foreseeable future and the first time an England side has gone hunting on these middle eastern soils and sands. England were looking to continue their reign as world number one in test format, the sub-continent hasn't recently been fruitful for them, with a recent 5-0 ODI drubbing at the hands of India highlighting the inability to deal with the slow turn and bounce of the sub-continent tracks. Their opponents; Pakistan were on a re-emerging force following the match fixing scandal that blighted their last tour to England in 2010, it was clear they are moving forward.

Test Series - Pakistan 3-0 England (3 Games)

Saeed Ajmal was the tormentor of an under-prepared and under par England side, the unorthodox off spin sent England batters packing with little success. England failed to post big scores when setting or chasing and Ajmal was largely to thank for this, the bane of Pietersen, Trott and co. It was a thoroughly limp batting display throughout all six innings. Even when the England seamer's knocked over a patchy looking Pakistan batting line up, the batsmen simply couldn't back it up. A rude awakening for England who were deserving of the series whitewash they received and has called into question the selection of several players.

ODI Series - Pakistan 0-4 England (4 Games)

Ajmal's torment was reduced in the 50 over format as short fielding wasn't in play, allowing the England batsmen to express themselves more. Alistair Cook scored back to back centuries as well as a nifty 80-odd, the skipper leading from the front. Pietersen followed that up notching two tons of his own, the latter being his highest ODI score in a masterful knock which guided his team home from a precarious position in the final game. Special praise also for Bopara, admittedly I'm not his biggest admirer, but his responsbilbe back to back 50's were more than a supporting role for the centurions. Craig Kieswetters new role down the order doesn't suit a player of his promise and I'd fully expect a move up the order as soon as Eoin Morgan's impending departure from the side is made formal by the selectors in due course, after another poor tour.

If anything this England performance in the ODI series really highlighted how poor they batted in the test series. Currently number 5 in the world maybe they can have a look up the rankings as an ambition and set up for 2015.

T20 Series - Pakistan 1-2 England (3 Games)

The T20 series have been greeted with more anticipation from the Pakistanis as the crowds swelled to see Afridi's magic. England entrusted youngsters Kieswetter, Bairstow and Buttler for the series. Pieterson set off at electrifying pace without going on to make big scores from commanding starts, that was until the final game when he carried his bat making an unbeaten 62.

Kieswetter made a couple of decent scores from his more natural opening berth. Bairstow made a huge half century in Abu Dhabi. Buttler leaves a bit more convincing but it's important he's kept in the fold for experience. Promising spells from Finn and Dernbach too, with the latter bowling great at the death in the final game to help his side to a slight victory (in the context of the game and the serious). It's easy to forget we are reigning T20 World Champions I suppose, so you could have expected us to win?

So onwards and upwards in the short formats and an abrupt alarm call to wake up from the dream land of test supremacy, there could be worse times for it to go off I suppose

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Swarm of Bees stops play Australia v. India (October 2008)

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One to Watch: Vernon Philander (South Africa)