Australian cricket team’s star batter Steve Smith is my role model. The star cricketer made his International debut way back in 2010 and within a short span of time, the batter became an integral part of the Australian side. Steve Smith had come into the side as a bowling all-rounder but later during BGT 2013, he got a chance and made a strong case for himself.
Steve Smith holds a peculiar record to his name as the batter is a part of the victorious 2015 ODI WC, 2021 T20 WC & the recently concluded ICC World Test Championship 2021-23. It won’t be wrong to say that Smith is a big match player as he has contributed immensely in all the crunch matches of ICC tournaments.
Steve Smith’s batting style is quite unorthodox as the batter doesn’t have any significant weakness in his game plan. Smith is tipped to break all the cricketing records as currently he has 32 tons to his name and is looking unstoppable. Smith may not have a spectacular record in ODIs as compared to Tests, but the batter can change the complexion of the match with his attacking game plan and funky shots.
The way Steve Smith made a comeback after the ball-tampering in 2018, not many gave Smith a chance. Smith was banned from the sport for a year by CA and his captaincy too was snatched away. Steve Smith is the deputy of skipper Pat Cummins in the Test format.
Cricket Australia (CA) has shown faith in Smith despite being involved in the infamous ball-tampering scandal. Smith has got attacking tactics & game plan as compared to Pat Cummins. Steve Smith had a wonderful Ashes 2019 series and he silenced all the critics with his belligerent stroke play. Smith continued his brilliance against England and has got staggering numbers against the arch-rivals.
Steve Smith is expected to open the batting for Australia in the T20I format against South Africa in August-September 2023 in South Africa as the batter had a prolific BBL 2022-23. Smith though was unsold in the IPL auction but the batter can be the surprise package for the opposition in the upcoming T20 WC 2024 with his crisp stroke play.
Steve Smith will have to bring his “A” game if the Aussies want to clinch ODI WC 2023 which is staged in India. Smith was a part of the ODI WC 2011 squad as a right-arm over leg spinner but the side lost against India in the Quarter-Finals. I
It is assumed that Steve Smith would bat at the No.4 position in the marquee championship and guide the batters in the middle overs phase, especially against the spinners as the pitches in India are expected to assist the spinners.
Steve Smith’s journey is inspirational for all aspiring players. A Smith has shown a never to say die attitude. Smith would be keen to get his hands on the silverware in October-November 2023 in India which won’t be an easy task as this time all the 10 teams are evenly matched.
ECB is in a lot of crisis. Currently they are placed at bottom in the World Test Championship Cycle 2021-23. They got humiliated by the Champion Aussies by 4-0 in the Ashes 2021-22. In that Series, a lot of batters performance was below par. The likes of Root, Stokes and Buttler found new ways to get out. The Iconic bowling pair of Anderson-Broad weren’t given enough runs to bowl at which made sure that Aussies pile on a lot of runs.
The Captaincy of Joe Root was questionable as he was seen saying that bowlers need to bowl a bit fuller to make things happen. Australia’s and one of the Greatest Test Captains of all Time Ricky Ponting lambasted Root by saying that what are you doing in that post, if bowlers aren’t listening to you. The entire Ashes Series was no less than a cry for Britishers.
ECB’s main motto as of now is to reset Red Ball Cricket and in doing so they have dropped Rory Burns & Jos Buttler and the Legendary Pair of James Anderson- Stuart Broad. Although Andrew Strauss made it clear that this is not the end of the road for Anderson and Broad. By dropping Rory Burns, England have named Alex Lees in the squad and recalled Ben Foakes for Wicket-keeper.
Alex Lees inclusion at the top means ECB have not ignored their right hand-left hand strategy. The other opener is the dashing Zak Crawley. The left-handed batter has played for a lot of counties in England like Durham and Yorkshire. Going by the stats which are displayed below, it is crystal clear that he has grinded a lot. Amassing 7,000 runs in domestic circuit is not that easy which looks.
SNAPSHOT: Alex Lees playing a shot for his county team.
The batter has a steep road ahead as succeeding in Caribbean conditions is tough. ECB knows that they haven’t won a Test Series in West Indies since ages. Last tour of 2019 was a horrible as England throwed the towel by losing first 2 Test Matches. Since that tour England are finding an ideal opener. They have tried numerous openers, yet they haven’t performed according to the expectations.
It is often said that opener has to lay the foundation for the other batters to stamp their authority. The way England’s batters have performed over the last year states that there is a lack of intent of scoring quick runs. Having a strike rate of 40-50 is better than getting out on single digit scores. ECB have started the process of getting in right batters for conditions, though they have to give time.
Stats
Batting
Mat
Inns
NO
Runs
HS
Ave
Balls
SR
100
50
4s
6s
Ct
St
First-class
127
217
14
7078
275*
34.86
15049
47.03
17
35
885
32
89
0
List A one-day
63
58
6
2095
126*
40.28
2677
78.26
4
16
200
21
22
0
List A Twenty20
56
53
6
1350
77*
28.72
1114
121.18
0
8
134
23
20
0
Ben Foakes has been recalled to the Test Side. He has been in and out of the time. He had made his debut in 2018 against Sri Lanka in Alien Conditions. He too was a part of 2019 Caribbean tour where he had a forgettable outing. He is famous for his supreme and acrobatic glove-work. He was a part of England’s tour to India in 2021 where he thrilled everyone by doing amazing wicket-keeping.
SNAPSHOT: Ben Foakes doing an excellent glove work against India in 2021 Test Series.
Foakes major test of character would be to score handful runs. He just can’t be praised for wicket-keeping. England already have the services of Jonny Bairstow who can take up gloves if needed. Ben Foakes record as a batter isn’t that great, although these are his early days. He has been in and out of the team which too has to be seen by ECB. Foakes alike other can be the missing spark for England.
The wicket-keeper batter’s main prowess is to play attacking cricket. He just can’t let the opponent bowlers dominate the phase. His role would be pivotal as playing around tail-enders can be the deciding factor. If he can manage to stick to the crease and contribute 50-70 odd runs with the bowlers then the scenario would change drastically. ECB would hope that they get a keeper like Matt Prior.
Stats
Batting
Mat
Inns
NO
Runs
HS
Ave
Balls
SR
100
50
4s
6s
Ct
St
Test
8
16
3
410
107
31.53
877
46.75
1
1
34
5
14
5
One-day international
1
1
1
61
61*
76
80.26
0
1
3
1
2
1
Twenty20 international
1
0
0
0
–
–
0
0
0
0
1
0
First-class
123
194
32
6214
141*
38.35
12181
51.01
11
34
775
25
254
29
List A one-day
73
63
11
1941
92
37.32
2244
86.50
0
18
163
18
86
11
List A Twenty20
77
52
12
856
75*
21.40
690
124.06
0
4
72
14
38
10
Youth Test
2
3
0
76
46
25.33
208
36.54
0
0
9
0
2
0
Youth ODI
22
21
3
854
111
47.44
1026
83.24
2
4
85
10
23
3
Ben Foakes and Alex Lees can prove to be the game-changers. West Indies Coach Phil Simmons and Captain Kraigg Braithwaite would be wary of the factor that their team is mercurial. England on the other side too have been erratic. Both the nations know that they have started a new chapter in their rivalry which should not be taken lightly as we all know that spectators don’t like Test Cricket.
West Indies arsenal and weapon is their pace bowling. They have got the likes of Roach, Holder and Alzarri who are too hot to handle. All these trio were a part of the successful triumph. The ex-skipper Jason Holder now is playing as an all-rounder which undoubtedly a bit sad as he is one of the most senior statesmen. Nevertheless, he can be lethal as of now there is no added responsibility of the team.
Bangladesh defeated Afghanistan against all odds and came out victorious. Bangladesh won the match by 4 wickets. By winning Bangladesh have taken invaluable 10 World Super League Points. Afghanistan would rue the fact that they had the match in their bag, but a brilliant performance from the lower middle order proved to be the difference
Bangladesh started their run chase of 216 runs. Bangladesh lost half of their side for 39 runs. The left arm pacer was the wrecker in chief as he took 4 wickets in the phase of power-play. The veterans Shakib & Rahim got back in the pavilion. Afghanistan sensed that they have a solid chance to stamp their authority. They were defending a target of 216 runs. Picking up 5 wickets did the half job. Bangladesh were reduced to 45 runs for the loss of 6 wickets.
The lower order batter Afif Hossain along with the off-spin bowling bowler Mehidy Hasan were involved in a match-winning partnership of 174 runs. Both the batters showed immense mental application as one more wicket would mean that the run chase is done and dusted. Bangladesh would be proud that their No. 7 & No.8 batter won them a match. The left handed batter Afif Hossain scored 93 runs in 115 balls whereas the spinner Mehidy Hasan struck a knock of 81 runs in 120 balls
After choosing to bat first, Afghanistan had a mediocre power-play as they managed to score 41 runs for the loss of 1 wicket. Bangladesh’s bowlers were immaculate with the line and length as they didn’t allow any batter to settle down. The likes of Rahmat Shah & skipper Hashmatullah Shahidi got starts but failed to capitalize on it. Afghanistan was reduced to 102 runs for the loss of 4 wickets. Surprisingly the pacers got the chunk of the wickets.
SNAPSHOT: Afghanistan’s batters losing wickets after a good show from Bangladesh’s bowlers.
Then came the flamboyant Najibullah Zadran. He had a wonderful outing with the dangerous Mohammed Nabi. The duo was involved in a 63 runs partnership. The dismissal of Nabi just opened the gates of wickets for Bangladesh. Najibullah at one end was playing attacking shots. He played a terrific knock of 67 runs in 84 balls. He along with the rest of the batters posted below par total of 215. Mustafizur Rahman was the pick of the bowlers as he took 3 wickets for 35 runs in his 9.1 overs. Taskin Ahmed and Shoriful Islam took 2 wickets each and made sure that Bangladesh is chasing a decent total.
Bangladesh would be in a shock of happiness as this victory is one of their finest. On the other hand Afghanistan would be stunned. Afghanistan’s skipper Shahidi is responsible for team’s downfall. His captaincy wasn’t quite up to the mark.
Australia came out flying colors against Sri Lanka. Australia won the match by 6 wickets & now have taken an unassailable lead of 4-0 in the 5 T20I Series. Australia in this T20I match were without the services of the trio: Mitchell Starc, Josh Hazlewood & Pat Cummins. All 3 were given break as the Aussies are set to tour Pakistan in the next month. Sri Lanka would hope that they avoid a whitewash which looks most likely because the brand of Cricket which Sri Lanka doesn’t quite fit in the international level. Sri Lanka is in all sorts of trouble as they are not showing a fight.
Australia had opted to field first. Sri Lanka once again failed to put up a sizeable total. Sri Lanka managed to score 139 runs for the loss of 8 wickets. In response to 140 target Aussies lost 2 wickets & managed to score only 30 runs in the power-play overs. Then came the duo of Glenn Maxwell & Josh Inglis. Josh Inglish who is new to International Cricket scored 40 runs in 20 balls, he along with Maxwell toyed with Sri Lanks’s bowlers.
Glenn Maxwell made a contribution of an invaluable 48 runs in 39 balls, as Australia won the 4th T20I match with 1.5 overs remaining (*11 balls). From Sri Lanka Lahiru Kumara was the only bowler who had good figures as he took 2 wickets & gave away 22 runs in his 4 overs spell. Maheesh Theekshana the mystery spinner had a good outing as he took 1 wicket & conceded 20 runs in his quota of 4 overs.
SNAPSHOT: Glenn Maxwell guiding the ball towards third man by playing an upper cut shot.
After electing to bowl first, Sri Lanka had a decent power-play where they managed to score 41 runs for the loss of 1 wicket. The elegant opener Pathum Nissanka once again continued his good run by scoring 46 runs in 40 balls. Sri Lanka were looking set for a total in excess of 170 runs but as usual there was a collapse. Sri Lanka lost 6 wickets for 12 runs (110-2 to 122-8). Apart from Nissanka not a single batter scored 30 runs. Jhye Richardson & Kane Richardson both fast bowlers took 2 wickets each. The spinners Ashton Agar & Adam Zampa were quite economical with the ball. Both the spinners gave away 40 runs amongst themselves in a span of 8 overs & both of them took 1 wicket each. The role of spinners is critical as the middle overs phase is pivotal.
The next T20I match is scheduled on 20th January. Australia would be delighted as they were without Steven Smith & the pace trio. All in all, Australia is making a statement that their any team is enough to create destruction. Sri Lanka on the side would hope that their batters show some intent which has been missing since the start of the T20I Series. Sri Lanka should not forget that their next assignment is against India which is scheduled on 24th February, so Sri Lanka cannot take the next T20I match as every match for them is a contest.
Australia showcased nerves of steel by winning a close encounter against the Courageous Sri Lanka. Australia won the 2nd ODI by a whisker of 20 Runs according to DLS (Duckworth Lewis Stern) Method. Australia have taken a lead of 1-0 in 5 Match T20I Series. This T20I Series starts the journey of the upcoming T20 World Cup in October-November 2022 in Australia. Australia are the Champions of T20 World Cup as earlier in T20 World Cup 2021 they thrashed the puissant New Zealand in Finale
Sri Lanka had opted to bowl first. Sri Lanka’s bowlers were spot on as they restricted Australia to a below-par total of 149/9. In response to 150 target Sri Lanka’s batters lost 2 wickets in power-play overs & managed to score 30 runs. The runs where hard to come due to the immaculateness of the Josh Hazlewood & Co. The opener Pathum Nissanka was dropped on 12 by the speedster Pat Cummins. At the end of 10 overs Sri Lanka managed to score 60 runs for the loss of 2 wickets. Sri Lanka needed another 90 runs to be victorious.
In 11th over the leg spinner Adam Zampa got rid of Nissanka & Charith Asalanka and all of a sudden Aussies were in the ascendancy. Sri Lanka were bruised as they needed the opener Nissanka to stay till at-least 16 overs; he scored a fighting 36 runs in 37 balls. The skipper Dasun Shanaka & the flamboyant spin all-rounder Wanindu Hasaranga tried to put the run-chase back on track. Sri Lanka required another 74 runs in 6 overs which was a bit too much.
In the 16th over Josh Hazlewood did the damage by getting rid of Shanka & pinch hitter Chamika Karunaratne. His 2 wickets over dented the run chase as now the required run rate was way far off from the reach. Sri Lanka’s batters tried to score runs & fell short of the target by 20 runs (*DLS method).
Josh Hazlewood was the pick of the bowlers as he took 4 wickets for only 12 runs in his 4 over spell. He along with the sly leg spinner Adam Zampa ruined Sri Lanka’s chances by picking up 3 wickets as he gave away 18 runs in his 4 over spell.
SNAPSHOT: Josh Hazlewood thrilled as ever after breaking the back of Sri Lanka’s batting line-up.SNAPSHOT: Adam Zampa grinning after an impressive performance with the ball.
Invited to bat first Australia’s skipper Adam Finch had a forgettable outing as he scored 8 runs in 12 balls. His poor form now has been a concern as it has been a long time since he has notched up a gritty half-century. Ben McDermott made the most of the opportunity as he smashed a fighting half century of 53 runs in 41 balls. The debutant Josh Inglis had a decent run as he scored 23 runs in 18 balls. Australia’s middle order woes continue as the likes of Glenn Maxwell & Steven Smith had a bad day in the field. Hasaranga achieved a rare feat by picking up Fich, Smith & Maxwell
Then came one of the finest finishers in World Cricket Marcus Stoinis. He played a dazzling cameo of 30 runs in 17 balls. At the back end of the innings Sri Lanka’s Binura Fernando slowed down the run rate by getting wickets of Mattew Wade & Marcus Stoinis on consecutive deliveries. Those wickets just pulled the things back for Dasun Shanaka as Sri Lanka were chasing a moderate total of 150 runs. The left arm lanky fast bowler Binura Fernando had a dream spell as he took 2 wickets & gave away 12 runs in his 4 over spell. Chamika Karunaratne too had a good outing as he took 2 wickets & was economical.
This victory for Australia may sound good but this is a wake-up call. Sri Lanka at the same time would need to get mistakes corrected & create an upset. Australia look favorites but Sri Lanka can’t be taken for granted. All in all, we are in for a spectacular T20I Series where we may & most probably see some enthralling yet mesmerizing Cricket.
England would be astonished that they deferred Aussies a victory. Aussies were looking in full control that too till the last ball, yet England attained a draw which would be remembered for Ages. As of now England would be relieved that 2006-07 & 2013-14 feat (*5-0 white-wash) won’t be attained by Aussies.
SNAPSHOT: James Anderson & Stuart Broad took England home (Draw) after a hard-fought Match.
Aussies had won the toss & elected to bat first. Rain intervened a lot on the 1st Day of Test Match. For the first time Australia’s top-order was exposed as the likes of Warner, Harris, Smith & Labuschagne were back in the dressing room, while the score was 242-5. Usman Khawaja came into the team as Travis Head had tested positive for Covid-19.
SNAPSHOT: Usman Khawaja playing a pull shot & getting his eye in after a long gap of Cricket.
On Day 2 Khawaja made the most of the opportunity & rescued Australia’s ship by smashing a century. He scored 137 runs in 200 deliveries. It was looking as if Khawaja was a regular part of team. His calmness & composure was spot on. For England the presence of Khawaja proved to be a surprise package as Khawaja had played his last test match in 2019 Ashes. Khawaja got ample support from the rest of the batters. Australia declared after posting a mammoth 1st innings total of 413-8.
SNAPSHOT: Usman Khawaja delighted after Scoring a Hundred.
“The Old Horse” Stuart Broad proved his mettle by picking up a 5 wicket haul. This was the first time where an England bowler took 5 wickets in 7 innings. Broad was looking determined as ever as there were no freebies. England’s bowlers looked dedicated as getting rid off top-order quickly sensed that England are heading in the right direction.
SNAPSHOT: Stuart Broad pumped up & reignited old rivalry with David Warner.
England came out to bat & went unscathed (* 5 overs before day’s play) which was surprising given the history of openers in Series. On Day 3 Aussies continued their domination & dragged England to 36-4. It was looking that this Test Match would end quickly, then Ben Stokes & Johnny Bairstow came.
SNAPSHOT: Johnny Bairstow & Ben Stokes keeping an eye on scoreboard & one on the bowlers.
It was understood that Bairstow’s career as a red ball cricketer would be finished. He just went into attacking mode as he scored a barnstorming century of 113 runs in 158 balls. His celebration was evident that he is still an integral part of the Team.
SNAPSHOT: Johnny Bairstow thrilled after notching up 100 runs & saving his Test Career.
Even Stokes was looking threatening but he was foxed by the craftiness of Nathan Lyon. Stokes contributed 66 runs in 91 balls to England’s Scoreboard. The dismissal of both the batters meant that Aussie got a lead. England were bowled out for 294 runs. Aussies got a lead of 122 runs.
SNAPSHOT: Ben Stokes playing a shot through covers/off side & looking ominous.
Australia’s hero/wicket-taker with the ball was none other than Scott Boland. He took 4 wickets & was as immaculate as ever with the line & length. Mitchell Starc was taken to the cleaners & he looked a bit drained in his spells. There were instances where catches where dropped by Alex Carey, slip fielders & Marnus Labuschagne.
SNAPSHOT: Scott Boland continuing his purple patch from 3rd Test Match.
On Day 4 once again the top-order failed to score size-able runs. The score was 86-4. Usman Khawaja made a solid case for himself as he smashed a turbulent century of 101 runs in 138 balls. The peculiarity of Khawaja’s knocks this time was that he played according to the conditions.
SNAPSHOT: Usman Khawaja ecstatic after scoring twin centuries in SCG.
Khawaja scored his 2nd Century of Test Match & made a strong case for the upcoming Asian Test Tours (Pakistan, Sri Lanka & India). Both the dug-outs lauded Khawaja’s performance as he was at his best. He along with Cameron Green ruined England’s chances of making a come-back. Green played a flamboyant knock of 74 runs in 122 balls. Aussies declared on 265-6 & posted a total of 388 runs for Britishers.
Lack Leach made the most of the turning tracks as he took 4 wickets. The rest of the bowlers were bowling on foot-marks which made the batting extremely difficult. Overall, the bowlers were spot on. Khawaja & Green made the bowlers to bowl according to their strengths.
SNAPSHOT: Jack Leach enthralled after bamboozling the “Greatest of all Time” Steven Smith.
In response to 388 target (*Day 4) England once again went wicket-less in dressing room as they scored 30 runs in 11 overs. Attaining target looked plausible as scoring 358 runs in 3 sessions is a bit unrealistic. Both the openers in this Test Match blunted the new ball which made the task easier for the rest.
On Day 5 England’s batters showed a lot of character. Pat Cummins the skipper was grinding for each & every wicket as this time England were staunch in their defense. Cummins would be unhappy as his strike bowler Mitchell Starc’s wicket-column was empty. Not only he was wicketless but he also gave away runs with an economy of more than 3.5. Starc’s inability of taking a wicket proved to be a decisive factor.
SNAPSHOT: Mitchell Starc looking grumpy because of Stokes’s resistance.SNAPSHOT: Pat Cummins the skipper tried everything for a victory through attacking mindset.
This Test Match was played with a lot of things under scanner as Aussies wanted to dominate while England wanted to prove a point. England would be grinning that they defied the odds, this Australian team looks similar to the Legendary Ricky Ponting’s & Michael Clarke’s team.
England found a lot of positive aspects as Ben Stokes (“Mr. Incredible” termed by his mates) got back into his groove & Johnny Bairstow saved his place by cracking up a hard -fought century. This time pacers toiled & showcased results which was optimum. England now needs to take one more step ahead & win the TEST Match at Hobart which would be the proper way to sign off. All in all, England looks back on track in Test Cricket
Aussies have a habit of finding replacements quickly. Cameron Green has some shades of the Legendary Shane Watson. They have the pedigree of All-rounders which makes them invincible & challenging. The Top 2 World Class batters of Australian line up haven’t scored a century till now (*8 innings) which augurs a lot about Australia’s Camaraderie on & off the field.
West Indies defeated Ireland by a mere margin of 24 runs. By winning the 1st bilateral ODI Match West Indies have bagged 10 crucial World Super League points. Just before the match was going to commence Ireland were dealt with a huge blow as Simi Singh & Ben White tested positive for Covid-19. The wrecker in chief & the Man of the Match was the debutant Shamarh Brooks. He notched up a stupendous knock of 93 runs in 89 balls which consisted of 9 fours & 3 sixes. Though he would rue the fact of missing out on a hundred, the Camp would be delighted as they found a proper white ball batter.
SNAPSHOT: Shamarh Brooks guiding the batting line up after a sloppy start.
Ireland had won the toss & elected to field first. West Indies managed to score a challenging total of 270 runs, where the bounce of the pitch was uneven. The skipper Andrew Balbirnie & the veteran William Porterfield started off the innings. Porterfield was sent back by the crafty spinner Akeal Hossain. The power-play for Ireland wasn’t quite fruitful as they managed to score 30 runs for the expense of 1 wicket. In the 17th over Andy McBrine got injured (*retired hurt) in the middle of his innings. He scored a decent knock of 34 runs in 50 balls.
SNAPSHOT: Akeal Hossain cherishing the moment after bowling out William Porterfield.
Balbirnie & McBrine were involved in 61 runs partnership. Then came the rising Harry Tector. The run rate was peaking at 9 runs per over, yet it wasn’t perturbing as Ireland had 9 wickets in tank. Just when it looked like the ship was sailing smoothly the gigantic partnership of 103 runs was broken. Romario Shepherd broke the dangerous partnership by getting rid of the skipper Andrew Balbirnie. Balbirnie scored a dazzling knock of 71 runs in 94 balls as scoring was tough.
SNAPSHOT: Andrew Balbirnie plating a Captain’s knock of 71 runs
Ireland required 105 runs in 83 balls, the captain was back in the dug-out. All of a sudden, the momentum of the match changed drastically. Ireland had a tough scenario to attain as they required 92 runs in last 10 overs with 6 wickets in hand. Harry Tector too got dismissed before the last 10 overs. Odean Smith the turbulent all-rounder got rid of Tector. He managed to score 53 runs in 68 balls The batters present at the crease were blatantly new to the mission ahead.
George Dockrell tried to put the run rate under 10 runs per over, but he didn’t get ample support from others. West Indies bundled out Ireland inside 50 overs for 245 runs with 5 balls remaining. Dockrell was the only positive aspect amongst others in the last 10 overs where he scored 30 runs in 25 balls. The Youth Sensations Alzarri Joseph & Romario Shepherd took responsibilities on their shoulders to wrap up the game. Joseph’s figures were staggering as he priced out 3 wickets for 55 runs in his 10 overs quota. Shepherd’s role was pivotal as he took 3 wickets & got rid of the big fish Balbirnie.
Asked to bat first West Indies had 3 new faces: Justin Greaves, Shamarh Brooks & Odean Smith. The debutant Justin Greaves was targeted from the word go. West Indies managed to amass only 36 runs in 10 overs for the loss of 1 wicket. Ireland’s bowlers sensed that they can deepen the agony of Caribbean batters. Ireland had hit West Indies so perfectly, that the score was 91 runs for 4 wickets in 26 overs. Mark Adair was the pick of the bowlers where his line & lengths were impeccable as he was able to drag West Indies down.
The Beast Skipper Kieron Pollard along with the novice Shamarh Brooks had another ideas. Both of them first of all made sure that they stick to the crease. Pollard took the responsibility of scoring runs as on the other side Brooks was looking for rotating the strike. Both the batters were involved in 155 runs partnership. The score at that point was 217 runs with 8.2 overs remaining. Pollard was undone by the brilliance of Craig Young as Pollard scored a feisty 69 runs in 66 balls including 4 fours & 4 sixes.
SNAPSHOT: Kieron Pollard smacking the ball & playing mind games with the bowlers.
Brooks took over from Pollard & made sure that West Indies put on a competitive total of 270 runs. In doing so West Indies didn’t bat the full quota of 50 overs as they got all out in 48.5 overs. Brooks knock was calm & attacking one as he scored 93 runs in 89 balls. From Ireland the pick of the bowers were Craig Young & Mark Adair were both of them took 3 wickets each. Mark Adair was sensational with the new ball where he broke the back of West Indies batting line up whereas Craig Young was absolutely lethal at the later stages of the game.
West Indies know that Ireland have given them a sniff. West Indies would look to avoid embarrassment & ignominy as for 2019 Cricket World Cup they had to play 2018 World Cup Qualifiers with minnow nations. West Indies have 50 points out of 10 matches
Ireland would be unhappy as they had the match under control for the majority of the game. Ireland currently have 60 points out of 16 matches as the journey has been topsy-turvy. Every match for Ireland is a literally do-or-die, qualification scenarios don’t look promising unless they win a Series.
Both the skippers & management should keep one thing in mind that they are playing for the elusive trophy.
South Africa broke their shackles to defeat the Gigantic India. TEST Series as of now is squared by 1-1, with the final one scheduled on 11th January at Cape Town. There was elation even in closed doors as South Africa proved a point that they are not a finished product. India on the other-side looked humdrum as defeating 240 runs wasn’t a tough task given the affluence India has in pace department. The Test Match got wrapped up on 4th day itself; which ICC would be keeping an eye on it as earlier in 2020 there have been talks of making a “Test Match” a 4-day affair.
SNAPSHOT: Skipper Dean Elgar & Temba Bavuma delighted after winning 2nd Test Match.
South Africa’s chase started on 3rd Day and they were quite cautious in their approach. The openers Dean Elgar & Aiden Markram didn’t allow the quartet: Jasprit Bumrah, Mohammad Shami, Shardul Thakur & Moahammed Siraj to settle; as both the openers rotated the strike on a consistent basis & were ready to pounce on an opportunity. The opening partnership was of 47 runs in 10 overs. Aiden Markram the dashing batter was in full form as he played a cameo of 31 runs in 38 balls.
The man with the “Golden Arm” Shardul Thakur perturbed every batter through his cunning variations. The stand-in/ temporary captain K.L. Rahul used fiery tactics alike the “Youth Sensation” Virat Kohli, who was out of the Test Match due to lower back spasms. At the end of Day 3 Proteas scored almost half of the runs with 8 wickets in tank. In an attempt of experimentation Rahul lost the plot as giving easy singles & a regulation boundary made the job half done.
On Day 4 two sessions were wiped out due to inclement weather. Evening session finally had the last laugh & match resumed. Rahul’s captaincy didn’t yield results as on one side the skipper “Dean Elgar” was solid in defense, he literally took blows on his body & helmet. Elgar’s survival mode was so productive as he made the bowlers bowl to his strengths. Elgar would rue the fact that he missed out on the century (96 runs in 188 balls), yet he would be booming with confidence as Proteas still have their fortress under control. (* India hasn’t won a Test Series since South Africa’s readmission) Elgar got ample support from Rassie van der Dussen who was playing shots irrespective of getting outputs. There was a fear factor present in the form of Rassie. Rassie managed to score 40 runs in 92 balls, his partnership with Elgar proved to be decisive as both were involved in 82 runs partnership.
SNAPSHOT: Rassie van der Dussen playing cover drive with absolute sheer brilliance.
Elgar & “White Ball Skipper” Temba wrapped up the match & won the Test Match by 7 wickets.
SNAPSHOT: Dean Elgar waiving his bat after completing 50 runs.SNAPSHOT: Temba Bavuma playing a shot elegantly & playing a role in the triumph
Team members of India were blissfully annoyed as they tried every trick yet Proteas didn’t succumb to the white noise. Last 6 months for Rahul has been a roller-coaster ride as in June he wasn’t a part of playing 11 & now he captained Test team & going to captain ODI Format. India should have gone for the lethal brand of bowling as losing by 7 wickets is a bit tough pill to swallow. There is some sort of uncertainty regarding Virat’s participation & if he isn’t fit then South Africa would be thrilled as Virat on his day can decimate the opponent through bat & captaincy.
SNAPSHOT: K.L. Rahul & Dean Elgar playing the game in right spirit.
India had won the toss & elected to bat first. The veteran batters Cheteshwar Pujara & Ajinkya Rahane once again failed to trouble the scorers as they were dismissed for a single digit. The skipper K.L. Rahul has now made a habit of taking burden on his shoulders as he scored a half century a (133 balls) on a spicy wicket. Ravichandran Ashwin the crafty spinner formed partnership with the “unorthodox” Hanuma Vihari & posted a decent yet challenging total of 202 runs. Ashwin played a quick-fire knock of 46 runs.
Marco Jansen the tyro fast bowler took 4 big scalps & was seen having a banter/sledging with the “Yorker Sensation” Jasprit Bumrah. Duanne Olivier played a critical role by sending Pujara & Rahane in quick succession as his presence was too hot to handle for batters.
SNAPSHOT: Marco Jansen & Jasprit Bumrah were seen a spat so much that Umpire had to intervene.
The entire bowling department of South Africa hunted in a pack which is must to succeed. India had a short burst with the ball as they were bundled out in 63.1 overs. Shami got rid off Markram quickly & later India’s bowlers tightened up the screws as Proteas managed 35 runs in 18 balls.
On Day 2 South Africa were scoring runs easily & looked as if they would get a size-able lead. Just before half an hour away from Lunch, Rahul gave the ball to Shardul Thakur. Absolutely from nowhere Thakur priced out the skipper Elgar (28 runs in 120 balls) & got rid of the well settled batter Keegan Petersen (62 runs in 118 balls) & eked out 3 wickets in his 5 over spell. He triggered 3 wickets & created panic in South Africa’s camp.
SNAPSHOT: Shardul Thakur got mesmerized after dismissing Aiden Markram.
After the lunch break of Day 2 Temba Bavuma took the team out of the muddle by notching up a half century in 60 balls. His dismissal paved the way for India as the score was 177-6 wickets. The tail-enders somehow grabbed a lead of 27 runs. This time Shardul Thakur accomplished the job of wrapping up the batters & tail-enders as he took his career best of 7-61 in 17.5 overs. Thakur proved to be a Trump & Wild Card as his spell changed the dynamics of the Game.
In response to 27 runs lead South Africa got rid of the “Big Fishes” Mayank Agarawal & K.L. Rahul. Marco Jansen who had a small stint via Mumbai Indians in IPL 2021 (MI) made the most of his experience. Rahane & Pujara resurrected the innings by rotating the strike & a typical boundary. At the end of Day 2 India’s lead was 58 runs with 8 wickets remaining. The Coach Mark Boucher was worried as he knew the momentum shifted very quickly.
On Day 3 Rahane & Pujara fretted bowlers. It was entertaining to see how Pujara was in attacking mode. During Drinks break India ‘s lead was 124 runs. It looked as if South Africa gifted the match, then Kagiso Rabada the speedster eliminated Pujara & Rahane by bowling peach deliveries. Within a blink of eye Rabada changed the course of the match.
SNAPSHOT: Cheteshwar Pujara & Ajinkya Rahane gave a glimpse of historic partnerships.
Rishabh Pant came in & then Rabada enticed Rishabh. Within 3 deliveries Pant threw his wicket & made sure that Proteas are in full control. Lead at that time was 140 runs with 5 wickets left.
SNAPSHOT: Rishabh Pant looks dejected as the sledging/ banter proved to be too hot.
Hanuma Vihari stood tall from one end & made sure that India posted a competitive target of 240 runs. South Africa’s quartet was slaying like anything as there was no respite. Lungi Ngidi, Marco Jansen & Kagiso Rabada all of these 3 took three wickets each.
SNAPSHOT: Hanuma Vihari playing a cover drive shot & resurrecting the inning.SNAPSHOT: Kagiso Rabada is pumped up after breaking the back of India’s batting lineup.
With the series being squared by 1-1. The contest at Cape-town would be grueling as South Africa have made a comeback from nowhere. Mark Boucher the Head Coach would be pumped up whereas Rahul Dravid the Head Coach knows that the loop-holes have been exposed.
In 2006-07 South Africa vs India Test Series, Rahul Dravid was the captain of India & Mark Boucher was the wicket-keeper of South Africa. South Africa had levelled the Series by winning in Durban & co-incidentally the 3rd Test Match is going to be played at Cape-town only. Given the history India would be hoping that the fortunes would change as in 2006-07 South Africa had thrashed India convincingly.
India wants the Batter Virat Kohli, as he is under a lot of pressure regarding off-field issues. Unfortunately, if Virat isn’t fit then there should be absolute role clarity as players need to acclimatize themselves to the situation. The blunder of Rishabh Pant is an example, if he would have batted responsibly then the result might have been different, putting entire blame on him is not right, but it is often said “Wicket-keeper is the heart of the team”. India has got everything to excel, unfortunately on the given day match is played on field not on paper.
South Africa would be in shock as in this Test Match they were without Quinton de Kock as he quitted Test Cricket to focus on White ball. Quinton was a huge blow as his acrobatic glove-work & furious batting was a major skill. Even in his absence South Africa gave a Reality Check to India.
On the current performances India looks unlikely to win as South Africa look ominous.
Bangladesh have created history by defeating the World Test Champions, New Zealand. 1st Test Match was played at Bay Oval, Mount Maunganui. The Test Match was scheduled & played from 01st January – 5th January. For Bangladesh it is a phase of merriment as defeating New Zealand in their own backyard isn’t everyone’s cup of tea.
SNAPSHOT: Mushfiqur Rahim & Skipper Mominul Haque are spellbound after defeating Kiwis
In 2020-21 season the likes of India & Pakistan were whitewashed & buried alive by Kiwis. 2022 Year has definitely brought smiles in Bangladesh after a disastrous 2021 T20 World Cup. Bangladesh was without the services of Tamim Iqbal & Shakib Al Hasan due to injury & personal reasons. On the other side New Zealand had a power-packed team except skipper Kane Williamson who is nursing elbow injury. Bangladesh was given a moderate target of 40 runs to chase. In attaining the target Bangladesh lost couple of wickets & hunted the total inside 17 overs.
SNAPSHOT: Mushfiqur Rahim thrilled after scoring the winning runs & reigniting Test Cricket.
The entire camp was jubilant as before the start of Day 5 the match was evenly balanced as New Zealand’s score was 17-5 (*exact score was 147-5). The veteran Ross Taylor & the Rising Rachin Ravindra were present. Before the commencement of 2022 Season Ross announced that he will retire at the end of the season.
Ebadot Hossain the speedster castled Taylor’s stumps & ignited a belief that Bangladesh have a chance to create “History”. Ross Taylor would be annoyed with himself that his lack of concentration & shot selection opened the gates for Bangladesh. After Ross’s dismissal the skipper Momiul Haque went into ultra -attacking mode as Ebadot & Taskin wrapped up the tail-enders. Ebadot took his maiden 5 wicket haul, most of the times he was looking for hitting immaculate line & lengths.
SNAPSHOT: Ebadot Hossain (saluting) is delighted after getting rid of the “Big Fish” Ross Taylor
Will Young the tyro cricketer was the only batter who went beyond half-century mark. He played a well defining knock of 69 runs in 172 balls.
New Zealand’s batters were so much drained while fielding that there was a lack of intent (*standing on the field for 176 overs may be the reason).
New Zealand had managed to score 328 runs while batting first. Shadman Islam & Mahmudul Hasan Joy exhibited appropriate brand of “TEST Cricket” as they blunted the new ball quite easily. Not a single batter scored a century, but there were ample contributions made:
Mahmudul Hasan Joy :78 runs in 228 balls
Najmul Hossain Shanto: 64 runs in 109 balls
Mominul Haque: 88 runs in 244 balls
Liton Das: 86 runs in 177 balls
Trent Boult, Tim Southee, Kyle Jamieson & Neil Wagner were exhausted as they tried all the tricks in the book, yet the batters were sturdy to pull of a heist. Bangladesh managed to put a humongous total score of 458 runs. A lead of 130 runs was invaluable. Each & every fast bowler had to bowl multiple & long spells. The pick of the bowlers was the thunderous Trent Boult who took 4 wickets.
Bangladesh had opted to bowl first as there was a tinge of grass present. The left arm fast bowler Shoriful got rid off the big fish Tom Latham. Will Young the novice opener made the most of the opportunity as he displayed complete mental application; he scored 52 runs in 135 balls.
The multi-talented Devon Conway once again proved his worth by notching up a brilliant century of 122 runs in 227 balls. It looks like Devon Conway is a master of all the formats, as he had played a crucial role in T20I World Cup (*Semi Final knock against England of 46 runs in 38 balls)
SNAPSHOT: Devon Conway cherishing the moment by scoring his 2nd century & 1st at New Zealand
The experienced campaigner Henry Nicholls played a terrific knock of 75 runs in 127 balls. The specialty of Nicholls’s knock was that he always wanted to score, irrespective of the runs. There was a surprise element present this time, lower-middle order & tail-enders didn’t contribute. The likes of Jamieson & Southee are expected to contribute at-least 50 runs amongst themselves.
New Zealand posted a decent total of 328 runs. The runs where hard to come due to the impeccable bowling of Bangladesh’s pacers & spinners. Shoriful Islam was the pick of the bowlers. He was well accompanied by the crafty off spinner Mehidy Hasan who also took 3 scalps.
TEST CRICKET
2022 has started with a Bang & with an Upset as who would have even thought that Bangladesh would defeat New Zealand. Bangladesh’s playing 11 was quite young irrespective of experience. This match literally could be said as “David & the Goliath”, Kiwis are the true embodiment of the game.
Bangladesh have made a statement that they are not a team who just visits a nation & goes back empty handed. Not to forget Bangladesh have bagged 12 WTC (World Test Championship) Points. New Zealand would be shell-shocked that how come Bangladesh defeated them. New Zealand are yet to win a Test Match in 3 Test Matches (* 2 against India in November-December).
New Zealand are placed at 6th position with 4 points
Bangladesh is placed at 9th position with 12 points
The argument of Kane Williamson’s absence is plausible. Black Caps would like to avoid the ignominy as loosing a series would be dreadful.
Before the series Mominul Haque was seen saying that it’s difficult to trust the process without result. Bangladesh defeated New Zealand as they had the players to succeed, it is often said that the Board & Management should trust the players, which BCB (Bangladesh Cricket Board) did.
The entire Cricketing Fraternity (BCCI, CA & ECB) would be jolted as well as thrilled that one more nation has joined the league of Legends. The beauty of “Test Cricket” is that you can make a comeback on any given day. Now the pressure is on New Zealand as their throne can be snatched away, whereas Bangladesh would look to go one step ahead & dominate New Zealand.
England are facing one of the worst times as surprisingly they relinquished ‘The Urn’ inside 12 days. Aussies are 3-0 up with 2 more Test Matches remaining. Before the start of the Series there were a lot of negotiations done as ECB (England Cricket Board) demanded resort type of quarantine for players & their families. CA (Cricket Australia) fulfilled every requirement as the entire process was a helluva.
SNAPSHOT: Joe Root looks distraught after Josh Hazlewood ekes out the BIG FISH.
In the 3 Test Matches England’s Cricketers showed lack of intent. England’s batters succumbed to pressure so easily that Aussie bowlers weren’t required to toil significantly. In 6 innings England did not cross 300 runs mark for a single time nor any reputed/designated/novice batsmen struck a Century.
The experienced troika of Ben Stokes, Johnny Bairstow & Jos Buttler got into ultra-pro-defensive mode. This hampered England’s batting as all of these are expected to up the ante. Particularly Ben Stokes flabbergasted everyone by displaying defensive tactics.
Dawid Malan who was a part of 2017-18 Ashes made the most of his experience, as he struck 2 half-centuries. Once again, the burden was on the shoulders of Skipper Joe Root. Root got the starts & converted too but didn’t capitalize on it. He scored 3 half-centuries in 6 innings. Joe Root’s century jinx in Australia continues as this is his 3rd tour Down Under (*2013-14, 2017-18 & 2021-22).
SNAPSHOT: Joe Root & Dawid Malan carrying the burden & responsibility of England.
Joe Root now has become the only 3rd batter in TEST Cricket to amass more than 1,700 runs in a calendar year. The list is as follows:
Batsmen
Runs
Year
Mohammad Yousuf (Pakistan)
1788
2006
Vivian Richards (West Indies)
1710
1976
Joe Root (England)
1708
2021
England would be disheartened as they have lost 8 Test Matches in 2021:
3 Away Test Matches against India, January-February 2021
1 Home Test Match against New Zealand, June 2021
2 Home Test Matches against India, August-September 2021
3 Away Test Matches against Australia, December 2021
Jos Buttler the swashbuckling wicket-keeper batter literally dropped dollies. He jumbled regulation catches, missed easiest of stumpings & looked in a disarray. At the same time Jos was taking absolutely stunning catches. It has been a mixed bag of wicket-keeping for Buttler in Ashes as most of the times he has been under the pump. It is often said ‘Wicket-keeper is the Heart of the team’, a single error is enough to drag the team down.
SNAPSHOT: Jos Buttler frustrated after dropping simple catches
The Stalwarts: James Anderson & Stuart Broad were off-color & looked like out of the gas. The Speedsters Mark Wood & Ollie Robinson weren’t able to wrap up the innings which is ultimate. England’s spear-headed fast bowling line up astonished the pundits as none of them bagged a 5 wicket-haul. Ollie Robinson was the pick of the bowlers as he took 9 wickets in 3 matches.
There was a lot of confusion & miscommunication as Root was seen saying that the bowlers need to bowl full length deliveries. Legendary Captain Ricky Ponting lambasted Root by saying that if the bowlers are not listening to you then what are you doing in that post?
SNAPSHOT: Joe Root looks furious as the bowlers are not yielding productive outcomes.
Ways for England to bounce back:
Joe Root knows that most probably his Captaincy would be snatched away at the end of Ashes Series. Joe & ECB should keep one thing in their mind that WTC (World Test Championship) points are at stake too. Currently England are placed at 7th Place with 6 Points as they played 8 Test Matches.
Before the commencement of 2021 home season ECB sacked Selection Panel which was more than 140 years old & gave complete authority to the Head Coach Chris Silverwood. It resulted in monarchy as Silverwood was the whole & soul of selecting a squad. ECB should bring back the old traditional system as Coach’s responsibility is to train the players.
ECB received a lot of flak when ‘Hundred’ (22nd July-21st August) was given priority over Red Ball Cricket (Couty Cricket). ICC WTC 2021-23 cycle was about to kick-start as India was scheduled to play 5 Test Match Series. England who are the founder of Game of Gentlemen are seen ignoring TEST Cricket. There is no doubt that England are a force to reckon with in white ball format. If England believe that TEST Cricket is their pinnacle then they should keep a separate pool of 30 Cricketers who are ready for any uphill task. Playing multiple-formats with same bunch of players back-to-back doesn’t look quite fruitful.
ECB should take a leaf out of CA (Cricket Australia) performance. In 2nd Test Match Australia were without Josh Hazlewood (due to injury) & Pat Cummins (close contact of Covid-19), that didn’t stop them from winning as the tyro Jhye Richardson & Michael Neser filled their shoes. Australia’s bowling is blatantly dependent on their trio of Starc, Hazlewood & Cummins, yet they found a replacement on the 11th hour.
The time has come now for ECB to have talks with the iconic ‘James Anderson’ & ‘Stuart Broad’ as investing in youth looks a formidable option. Broad & Anderson’s pair is the lethal bowling attack & would be remembered for ages as taking 1,165 wickets (amongst themselves) is beyond imagination. On any given day Broad & Anderson would rip off a powerful batting line up, but in doing so they are not giving ample chances to a 20–24-year-old fast bowler.
Australia had never retained/won Ashes in England before 2001. CA used Dukes Ball in Sheffield Shield 2019 season as Dukes Ball swings wildly. Ashes 2019 proved to be a nail-biting contest where Aussies retained ‘Urn’ (2-2). Aussies main motto was to win an Ashes Series, but they broke the jinx of 18 years. It is often said home-work is crucial to excel, ECB have got the players, coaches & staff but they were somewhat bogged down.
ECB should give a last rope to the entire squad. Giving a chance would mean that ECB is trusting the system. Regardless of the result players need to show some fight & grind the opposition as Test Cricket is the “TEST of Character”. Getting bundled out for 68 runs & losing by an innings is an embarrassing act (3rd Test Match, 2nd innings).
Chopping & changing would sound the need of the hour, but the batters in the top-order (Zak Crawley, Rory Burns, Haseeb Hameed & Dawid Malan) are too scared due to such treatment.
After these 2 Test Matches England are slated to tour West Indies in March for a full-fledged tour. Richards-Botham Trophy (*Test Series) would be inaugurated when West Indies & England clash.
SNAPSHOT: Ian Botham & Viv Richards are set to reignite one of the greatest Rivalry.
West Indies may look an easy opponent as compared to the Dominant Australia & Puissant India, yet they have the caliber to give sleepless nights to England. In 2019 Test Series West Indies had defeated England by 2-1, these are alarming signs as ECB can’t take the opponent lightly. ECB have a long road ahead & for that they need to take pragmatic approach.
SNAPSHOT: Jason Holder delighted after winning the Wisden Trophy in West Indies by 2-1.
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