Monday, January 14, 2008
Thursday, January 10, 2008
[Video] Sri Lanka Vs Stuart MacGill | 2007/08
This may well be the last time Macgill donned the baggy green. Atapattu, Sangakkara and later Jayasuriya (who incidentally was batting in the middle order) took a liking to his bowling. Macgill ended with figures of 1 for 102 in 20 overs.
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Wednesday, January 9, 2008
[Video] Sri Lanka Vs Australia, Second Test, Hobart, 4th day | 2007
4th day
Bulletin - Sangakkara digs in for big climb
Peter English - Lee rises to the challenge
Quotes - 'We're still right in the box seat' - Ponting
Quotes - First session will be key, says Sangakkara
Plays of the day - Missing magic, and missing school
Audio - Ian Chappell: Sri Lanka have given themselves a chance
Gallery - Sri Lanka face tough ask
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Friday, November 30, 2007
Koertzen is Not Having a 'Bad Hair Day'
Cricinfo: Rudi Koertzen has flown to India to stand in the second India-Pakistan Test in Kolkata after Billy Bowden, who was due to officiate, was taken ill.
The Cape Argus reported that Koertzen, who was scheduled to umpire the opening Sri Lanka-England Test in Kandy, had been switched by the ICC at short notice as he was the only elite official who could make the trip at such short notice.
Aleem Dar, who was not eligible to stand in Kolkata, is en route to Sri Lanka where he will replace Koertzen.
There had been suggestions in Australia that Koertzen was being punished for his well-publicised error in giving Kumar Sangakkara out in the Hobart Test, but an ICC spokesman made clear this was not the case. "If we replaced every umpire who made a mistake, there would be no umpires left," he said. "It's the same with players. Everyone makes mistakes. His replacement is more to do with the workload of umpires and some rescheduling."
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Wednesday, November 28, 2007
[Video] Sri Lanka Vs Australia | Second Test | Day Three | Hobart 2007
3rd day
Bulletin - Australia's bowlers pile on the misery
Peter English - Mahela's burden
Quotes - Lee enjoys being pace spearhead
Quotes - 'I was very disappointed with our batting' - Jayawardene
Plays of the day - A bat break, and some lucky breaks
Audio - Ian Chappell: Middle-order fails Sri Lanka
Gallery - Jayawardene plays a lone hand as Australia dominate
Courtesy cricinfo
Shane Warne | How England can avoid falling under the spell of Muttiah Muralitharan the magician
Times Online: Sometime in the first Test that starts in Kandy on Saturday, I expect Muttiah Muralitharan to take the five wickets he needs to go past my world record of 708 Test victims. Hopefully, England will make him work for them, but once I retired, I knew it was only a matter of time before Murali passed me. In fact, I think he will reach the magical figure of 1,000 wickets.
As I look back, I am happy I got to be top of the tree for three or four years..
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Wait, was this not about how England should play Murali? What's Warnie on about this time?
Reading thus far into his Column entry for the Times Online all i can gather is a little bit of sorrow and remorse for his record being broken.
As I continue to read through I find that he is ever keen on seeing his arch rivals the poms keep Murali - a fellow bowler who he claims to be best mates with, away from his precious record.
It's about time Warnie realised that 708 test scalps is no big feat. Another quality bowler will achieve that with the number of tests being played these days.
Where as Murali's eventual tally will take some beating. Warne may well end up 3 or 4 down on the list of all time wicket takers in as soon as 20 years.
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[Video] The Sanath Jayasuriya VEOH TV Series
If you don't have Veoh TV yet consider downloading it? Most of my extended highlights (over 1 hour) can only be viewed on Veoh TV.
Any video hosted on Veoh which is over 60 minutes in run time will display just a 5 minute online preview so watching it on the Veoh TV player is the only option.
Online Videos by Veoh.com
http://www.veoh.com/series/sanathjayasuriya
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Tuesday, November 27, 2007
[Video] Murali | Suffering in the name of spirit
Regardless of which side of the fence you sit on, it would be very cruel not to acknowledge Murali's resilience and remarkable strength in battling 12 years of adversity and scrutiny.
Murali has taken it all with a smile and let his bowling do the talking. He has utilised all available options including science to prove his innocence.
- Bio mechanical Testing at the University of Hong Kong
- Australia Coach Foster Clears Muralidaran (22 Jan 1996)
- Murali in career-defining test
- Armed and dangerous
- Channel 4 unlocks Murali's secrets
Now the critics call for some non existent technology that's far from reality. "Test him in live test match conditions" says Jenner and Warne. All this on the verge of Murali breaking Warne's record for the title of leading wicket taker in history.
Regardless of the truth and what's right and wrong, Warne chose to pick on the most sensitive topic in Murali's life and decided to hound him with it on the verge of his most special moment. This too after Warne went on record in 2004 to claim Murali is not a chucker. The true qualities of a great sportsman eh?
Many others have also played their part in making Murali's existence in cricket miserable. The International Cricket Council's inaugural 'team of the year 2004' selectors omitted Murali from a honorary XI. Muralidaran was left out of the honorary Test side chosen on performances in the 12 months - the period in which he became the most successful bowler in Test history.
- Murali snubbed by Test greats
- Murali is a monster: Bedi
- Is Murali-bashing John Howard's only chance to get elected?
Were the laws changed to accommodate Murali?
NO, The tolerance levels had been set at five degrees for spinners, seven-and-a-half for medium-pacers, and 10 for quick bowlers, a scenario that had invited much criticism from past greats like Ian Chappell. But the study conducted by three prominent bio mechanics experts suggests that the human eye can only detect a kink in the action if the straightening is more than 15 degrees.
The trio used cameras shooting at 250 frames per second - ten times the speed of a TV camera - to illustrate phenomena like 'adduction' and hyper extension which can convince an observer watching without the aid of technology that the bowler is chucking.
Based on these findings, the ICC extended the tolerance limit to 15 degrees for all bowlers, regardless of whether they bowl at Shane Warne's pace or Shoaib Akhtar's.
Murali was born with a congenital deformity of the elbow and as a result he is unable to straighten his elbow. Murali's wrists are so supple that the back of his middle finger can touch the back of his forearm. His shoulder rotates in a 360 degree motion.
Recommended Viewing
Revealed, discovered: no longer concealed Muralidaran
Super slow motion footage Channel 9
Ian Chappell's view on Murali's action
The Murali and Warne Conundrum
Wikipedia - Chucking / Throwing
Click to expand...[Video] Mahela Jayawardena 104 Vs Australia | Hobart 2007
Brief highlights of Mahela's maiden century in Australia.
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Sunday, November 25, 2007
[Video] Masterclass : Muttiah 'Murali' Muralidaran
Murali gives us a rare look into his magic, courtesy of Mark Nicholas and the Channel 9 crew.
Related Video
Cricket Show - Master class 'Murali's spin'
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Friday, November 23, 2007
[Video] Sri Lanka Vs Australia | 2nd 3Mobile Test | Day 2 EXT HL
http://www.veoh.com/videos/v1523481eHKGMNSR?c=cricket
2nd day
Bulletin - Clarke, Gilchrist and Symonds pile on the pain
Peter English - Murali's chances of another bowl in Australia
Quotes - Gilchrist wants his ball back
Quotes - "Murali is enjoying the challenge" - Jayawardene
Plays of the day - Injury and weather squash SL further
Audio - Ian Chappell Sri Lanka need to bat aggressively
Stats - Gilchrist's century of sixes
Gallery - Australia pile on massive total
Courtesy Cricinfo
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[Video] Kumar Sangakkara | 192 Vs Australia, Hobart 2007
It looked very much like only an outside influence and not the opposition that could dismiss him and some times in life the worst possible thing that could happen, happens.
Related News Bulletins
Umpire sorry for giving Sangakkara out, says skipper AFP
Sangakkara's last stand something special, despite Rudi shocker SMH
Rebirth not quite perfect The Sunday Mail
Sorry… Mr. Warne your fangs are showing! | Sunday Times LK
There is a local saying that one must never trust even a kitten born beyond the Bentara River. Well……now I have the feeling that it’s high time to dump that age old cliché and have a new one.
I feel it should read as “never trust an Australian when it comes to cricket”.
The fangs of the werewolf are now showing. First it was all brawn Jason Gillespie who uttered anti-Murali slogans while still under contract to Cricket Australia. Then Cricket Australia comes up with another ruse by imposing a media ban on the agencies. Then it was the turn of former Australian spinner Terry Jenner to stink the atmosphere with another distasteful utterance. Now the bad boy of Australian cricket Shane Warne has come with another wrong’un just prior to the beginning of the second Test match in Hobart.
Many will agree with our view that this is a calculated move by those living Down Under in a bid to tarnish or take the shine off a Murali record if he takes those magic seven during the second Test.
To do that he has another possible twenty Australian wickets on offer and he only needs a little bit of support by the ten remaining Lankan players who will ‘don’ the national cap during the said game.
The first match was a disaster. On the first day itself of the match when Murali was about to take the upper hand the rest of his team mates led by none other than skipper Mahela Jayawardena let him down by grassing at least five possible chances.
May be they were sharp but at that level of cricket, every half chance is counted and had the Lankan fielders held on to the ones offered by the Australian batsmen, the final outcome of the match could have been different. By gone is now by gone. Not even father time can alter the fate of that Test match now.
What the Sri Lankans did to lose that match is not the core issue here. The core issue here is that how the Australians plan out a strategy on a victim to single out long before the visiting team even arrives in the country and starts to address the issue in their own sinister way.
The strategy never lets up till the last ball of the last match is bowled and Australia emerges the ultimate victors. Ironically this strategy does not stop to the activities inside the boundary lines. But, it spills over to every sphere of Australian life and some times it includes the Prime Minister of the vast Island Nation.
At the same time I also believe the incident involving the two original umpires for the first Test – Aleem Darr of Pakistan and Steve Bucknor of West Indies not being present to officiate in the middle is also more than intriguing. Was there any connection between their absence and the way that Sanath Jayasuriya was dismissed at the hands of New Zealand umpire Tony Hill?
It is a well known secret that Sanath Jayasuriya’s fortunes in a Lankan match has a huge bearing on the rest of the deeds in Lankan performances in the outcome of the game. One bad decision against a player of that nature really could tilt the balance of the scales of a match especially if it is played against Australia on Australian soil.
To give the devil its due the Australians are a bunch of professionals and they do possess the ability of converting an inch into a mile if the circumstances let them do it. However the sad part is that they seem to employ even other factors besides their own cricketing abilities to ensure their claim to the cricketing throne in the World of Cricket.
I was also rather intrigued when Cricket Australia agreed to play the Aussie-Lankan series for the Warne-Murali trophy. Well to launch a series of this nature and and name it after two individuals I suppose you have to get the consent of the two individuals who would sign on to that deal.
Now after agreeing to name the trophy in their name and even letting Cricket Australia take a cast of his bowling hand Warne has tracked back on his consent while writing for the Courier Mail. Now the so called champion bowler who was once proved positive for the usage of performance enhancing drugs has called for Murali to be tested in match conditions.
Murali is a bowler who already has been cleared by the Sports’ governing body. Then why should Warne call for other Tests on the Lankan bowler after consenting to name a trophy after them. This is a real Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde situation.
Even the Sri Lanka Cricket Interim Committee member and former Lankan opening batsman Sidath Wettimuny was saddened by this latest Warne stunt. He said “It does leave a bad taste. I wonder why he came out with such statement after giving his consent to the Murali-Warne series. It’s a very sad situation indeed”.
But I honestly feel that Mr. Shane Warne should not be let loose on those lonely streets of St. Kilda’s, Melbourne, especially on a full moon night.
Source
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Wednesday, November 21, 2007
Sangakkara shakes on Koertzen's blunder | The Australian
KUMAR SANGAKKARA proved himself a true champion by shaking hands with South African Rudi Koertzen after the game despite a woeful decision by the umpire that cost the Sri Lankan the chance of making a historic double century.
Koertzen apologised to Sangakkara for giving him out in controversial circumstances when he was on 192.
A bouncer from fast bowler Stuart Clark came off the batsman's shoulder, ricocheted off his helmet and dollied to Ricky Ponting, who took the catch. The Australians appealed in unison and Koertzen saw it their way.
Clearly disappointed, Sangakkara stood his ground for a good few seconds, before heading towards the pavilion.
Sangakkara was on the verge of scoring his seventh double century. In his past eight Tests he has scored six centuries, including three doubles and two in excess of 150.
Sri Lanka captain Mahela Jayawardene said Koertzen's decision had removed the player his team was building its fightback around.
"The plan was for him to bat through the day today and the other guys rally around him and have a few good partnerships. I was very disappointed the way he got out.
"We've had a very good look at it, but that's how the game goes. People do make mistakes. As cricketers we do the same. It's just that spur of the moment.
"It's very disappointing. I think we just have to move on. Rudi came and said sorry to him and Kumar being Kumar, he's fine with it. But he was very disappointed at that particular moment.
"But then you sit back after half an hour and you think: 'It's a mistake made by a human so that's it'."
Ponting said the fielding team "reacted to two noises we heard at the time" but clearly thought Sangakkara had been unlucky.
"I appealed and he was given out. Things happen very quickly out on the field when a bouncer is bowled to a batsman like that. At the time when it happened I thought there had been bat on it," Ponting said.
Australia's captain paid tribute to Sangakkara's innings, in which he hit 27 fours and one six. He faced 282 balls and was at the wicket for 431 minutes. It followed a 57 (nine boundaries) in the first innings.
Ponting said Sangakkara's knock was one of the finest