CricketWag » Nimish Dubey

Wanted in twenty20: bowlers who attack!

Nimish Dubey — Wed, 13 May 2009 16:38:52 +0000

What is about twenty20 cricket that drives bowlers into their defensive shells straight away? We have looked through the rules a dozen times and have so far not seen any law that prevents them from having attacking fields – a stackful of slips, a short leg and the like – or delivering more than the token bouncer. And yet, from the moment a team starts batting in a twenty20 match, it seems as if the bowlers go on the defensive. The attempt from the very outset seems to be to bowl a dot ball or at the most, concede a single! This when a captain of the calibre of Imran Khan had famously stated that the best way to control the run rate was to take wickets. Honestly, a side that takes six wickets in effect has bowled a maiden and considering that the new batsman will take about a couple of deliveries to settle will have ensure close to another dozen dot balls. All of which add up to something like three maiden overs! Seems to make mathematical sense, doesn’t it?

And yet, just how many times have we seen four slips and a gully for a new ball bowler or a forward short leg and a silly mid on for a spinner? Seldom, if ever! Twenty20 is all about attacking cricket, we agree. But why is it only the batsmen who are doing the attacking. Have the bowlers of the world developed lily livers or what!

When teams morph…

Nimish Dubey — Wed, 13 May 2009 16:32:14 +0000

A week or so ago, we had not seen the likes of Andrew Symonds, Brett Lee and David Hussey in the IPL. However, they have now sprouted up and are making a considerable impact on the tournament too. Heck, as cricket fans, we just love it. What we do not like, however, is the confusion that all this sows in the tournament. It has been bad enough trying to keep track of the teams that are being called different things by different publications – The Times of India insists that something called Team Hyderabad exists while other publications refer to the same side as Deccan Chargers – and now we are having to keep pace with rapidly changing squads. Ah heck, we are just happy to see Symonds belt a six or Lee send down a screaming bouncer. Who cares about their teams? Mind you, a bit more permanence about the line ups would help.

The incredible foolishness of Chris Gayle

Nimish Dubey — Wed, 13 May 2009 16:25:47 +0000

What do you call a person who joins his national team on the eve of a Test Match with minimal preparation, just because he wanted to play an extra Twenty20 match for a club that stuffs his wallet with Dollars? What do you call a person who says he will resign the captaincy of his country on the eve of an important Test Match and then claims that he was misquoted? What do you call a person who says he would not be too sad if Test cricket died away as it would enable him to focus on the shorter (read, more profitable) versions of the game? What do you call a person who insists that Twenty20 is a huge success and games have been sold out in spite of dipping viewership and stands?

We call him Chris Gayle. Heaven help the West Indies. He is their captain.

Gayle to give up Test cricket for Twenty20?!

Nimish Dubey — Wed, 13 May 2009 16:15:55 +0000

The IPL might have dealt Test cricket its first major blow. West Indies captain Chris Gayle has strongly hinted that he might give up playing Test cricket and instead concentrate on a career in Twenty20. Talking to reporters on the eve of the second Test against England, Gayle evidently said: “Twenty20 has come onboard and it’s made a huge impact on the world, it’s brilliant, games have been sold out and it has taken the place by storm. I look at Test cricket differently, I don’t see it as long term for me, just for me, I’m just speaking about myself.” This comes on the heels of his statement in an interview to The Guardian that he would not be sad if Test cricket died out.

Now we have heard everything. Mind you, we do think the Windies skipper needs to take those dark glasses off. We could not spot a single “sold out” game in the IPL this year!

Modi a “mismatched thespian disaster”: Trevor Chesterfield

Nimish Dubey — Mon, 11 May 2009 03:39:15 +0000

In what is one of the most stinging attacks delivered on the IPL, veteran cricket writer Trevor Chesterfield has lashed out at the manner in which the tournament is being handled by its own administrators. Writing in his column at cricketnext, Chesterfield pulled no punches and referred to the high profile Lalit Modi as a” mismanaged Thespian disaster involved in an act that is sheer theatrical torture and makes him appear a bigger idiot than did George Bush on a good day.” Chesterfield was referring to the public relations side of the tournament, which he feels is an unmitigated disaster, especially after a press release that quoted Modi as having seen the report of the three umpires about Rajasthan Royals’ bowler Kamran Khan and video material of the game at “the Centurion in Pretoria.”

Chesterfield really blows his top at this, writing: “What sort of obtuse gibberish is this from what is a bunch of sycophantic morons running the IPL PR system? Just where on the map of South Africa is the Centurion in Pretoria? Is it a hotel, a shopping mall or a suburb of Tshwane? What this explains is just how dysfunctional the whole system has become, with the chief mutant ninja and his motley moronic pals giving misleading geographic details.”

We do not think he is going to get a Merry Christmas card from Lalit Modi. Honestly, we do not think it makes any difference to him.

What the chuck! Another bowler reported for suspect action

Nimish Dubey — Mon, 11 May 2009 03:18:42 +0000

Amid all the hype and hoopla (mostly self-generated) about the IPL, one issue that seems to have been swept under the carpet is the fact that the tournament is seeing a number of bowlers with suspect actions. Kamran Khan, who everyone was touting as India’s next pace sensation, has already been reported and now it is the turn of Amit Sing, another Rajasthan Royals player. One would have thought that in this age of technology, bowlers with suspect actions would be easier to spot. Alas, the commentators seem to be more keen on telling us what a wonderful tournament this is, rather than raising legitimate doubts about bowling actions. Mark our words – there are at least two other bowlers out there who occasionally look as if they are throwing rather than bowling.

IPL not covered by ICC match-fixing unit

Nimish Dubey — Sun, 10 May 2009 14:16:04 +0000

Even as the media goes to town about Indian Sports Minister MS Gill expressing concerns that a mobile game revolving around the IPL is fuelling betting and gambling, a lot of people seem to have forgotten that the IPL had very publicly refused to use ICC’s anti-corruption and security experts in South Africa for the tournament, preferring to rely on its internal staff. Now, if that does not leave the door open for match fixers, we have no idea what does. There have already been whispers and murmurings about weird team selections and decisions, but maybe we are reading too much into cricket’s glorious uncertainties.

Sreesanth turns on the cheese, says his only girlfriend is cricket!

Nimish Dubey — Fri, 08 May 2009 03:47:04 +0000

He may not be doing too much on the pitch, but speedster Sreesanth is not short of quotes. He has now reacted angrily to rumours that he and actress Daisy Bopanna are more than just good friends. Speaking to the Times of India’s Delhi supplement, he said that the rumours were bull excreta (well, he used a four letter word for excreta) and that he was not going to take “any more nonsense from all these single girls who want to latch on to my name.” He then decided to throw in a cheesy touch and added that his only interest right now is cricket, which is his only girlfriend! We do wish this couple a lot of luck.

Why is TOI not mentioning IPL team names?

Nimish Dubey — Fri, 08 May 2009 02:56:55 +0000

If you look at The Times of India, India’s most widely read English newspaper, you will be struck by the fact that the newspaper is not mentioning the names of half of the IPL teams. While the newspaper has no problems in referring to the team from Mumbai as Mumbai Indians and the Kolkota side as Knight Riders, Chennai Super Kings are referred to as “Team Chennai,” Rajasthan Royals as “Team Jaipur,” Delhi Daredevils as “Team Delhi” and Deccan Chargers as “Team Hyderabad.” And this seems to be a full-fledged editorial policy – the names of the teams are treated in this way even in celebrity columns! We do not have the foggiest idea about why this is happening – all other major newspapers are using the full IPL names of the teams. Any explanations, anyone?

Jayasuriya wants IPL in England?

Nimish Dubey — Thu, 07 May 2009 06:10:02 +0000

Even as news filters in that team owners and sponsors are not too happy with the IPL having moved out of India and Lalit Modi has been assuring people that the next edition of the IPL will be held in the country after which it is named (imagine, the English Premier League being played in Germany!), Sri Lankan veteran Sanath Jayasuriya has stated in his column in The Times of India that he would like to play IPL matches in venues like Lord’s, Colombo and Dubai! To be fair to the Lankan blaster, he has also pointed out that playing the tournament out of India every year could be a “logistical nightmare.” Now, is the man looking for free trips abroad? You never know!

Incidentally, if you were among those who were thinking that age has not affected Jayasuriya, check out what he says about the crowds at the IPL: “Not all matches have been sellouts, but the crowds have been large and the atmosphere brilliant.” Now, either our eyesight has gone weak or the Lankan legend’s have or maybe he is watching the IPL on TV, where the empty stands are being carefully filtered out!