Home Blog Page 475

Afghanistan v Bangladesh 3rd T20I Preview

Charbel Coorey
-
0

The cricketing world is so proud of Afghanistan, and it’s beautiful to see. A source of respite to their fellow citizens who go through all kinds of things each day, the Afghanistan cricket team have given reason to smile. Their progression in international cricket has been spectacular.

Led by a superb spin attack, they have simply been too good for a team more established than them. Both T20Is have been super one-sided, and if Afghanistan can develop a ruthless mentality in this kind of situation, it will only help progress their development even further.

What can I say about Bangladesh? As a big Bangladesh cricket fan of over 12 years myself, I am concerned for what the future holds for their cricket. Their bowling attack continues to underwhelm, and when facing good spin or seam bowling, their batsmen don’t often seem to have the stomach for the fight. When cricketers burst onto the international scene, they often quickly fade away, and are forgotten.

I will explore Bangladesh’s struggles in a little further detail in a separate piece in the next day or two, but can they at least salvage some pride here? The evidence so far suggests not.

Key to an Afghanistan win

Before the series, all the talk was about Afghanistan’s spinners. Oh how they’ve delivered.

Mohammad Nabi, Rashid Khan and Mujeeb Ur Rahman have combined for 12/100 off 23 overs, completely dismantling the Bangladesh line up. Only on one occasion has a bowler not taken a wicket in the innings for Afghanistan this series (Mujeeb took 0/15 off 4 overs, going for just 3.75 an over in the 2nd T20I).

The key will be spinners choking Bangladesh once again, in addition to some strong power hitting from the top and middle order.

Afghanistan are on fire!

Key to a Bangladesh win

Bangladesh are a mess, and the blame game is being played. BCB President Nazmul Hassan has criticised Shakib Al Hasan and Bangladesh’s senior players for not displaying proper leadership in the absence of a coach. My question is – why the hell has it taken eight months to find a coach, and why is no accountability being taken?
Bangladesh look like a team of individuals at the moment, and the only way they can salvage a whitewash is if they display a collaborative effort. Shakib Al Hasan needs to go back to number three and own the innings, as do Bangladesh’s experienced players, including Tamim Iqbal who batted 48 balls for 43 on Tuesday. Partnerships with both bat and ball is key.
A tough ask awaits, but they simply need to restore some pride.

Predicted teams

Afghanistan are in a position to give other players a chance, if they wish.
Afghanistan possible XI: 1. Mohammad Shahzad (wk), 2. Usman Ghani, 3. Asghar Stanikzai (c), 4. Najibullah Zadran, 5. Mohammad Nabi, 6. Samiullah Shenwari, 7. Shafiqullah, 8. Rashid Khan, 9. Karim Janat, 10. Mujeeb Ur Rahman, 11. Shapoor Zadran
Your guess is as good as mine when it comes to the make up of the Bangladesh team. One thing is for sure, though – their lack of T20 know-how has been ruthlessly exposed.
Bangladesh possible XI: 1. Tamim Iqbal, 2. Liton Das, 3. Shakib Al Hasan (c), 4. Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 5. Mahmudullah, 6. Sabbir Rahman, 7. Soumya Sarkar, 8. Mehidy Hasan, 9 Abu Hider, 10. Rubel Hossain, 11. Nazmul Hossain

Stats and Facts:

  • If Afghanistan win this match, all their wins against Test opposition in T20Is would have been clean sweeps (3 v ZIM, 1 v BAN).
  • Rashid Khan’s economy rate and bowling average are identical this series (3.57).
  • Shakib Al Hasan still needs one wicket to reach the double of 10,000 runs and 500 wickets in international cricket. Shahid Afridi and Jacques Kallis are the others to achieve this feat.

Prediction:

Anything other than an Afghanistan win would be a surprise. Afghanistan to win and make it 3-0. They look the far better T20 side in these conditions.

West Indies v Sri Lanka 1st Test Preview

Charbel Coorey
-
0

When you saw the packed  cricket calendar for 2018, did you highlight this one with a big red pen and say “I can’t wait?”

Probably not, but these are two sides who have suffered a slide in Test cricket over recent years, and will be looking forward to an opportunity for success.

This series could set the record for most spectators dressed as stadium chairs, competing with the UAE, which is a shame. However, it should be a competitive one.

West Indies are desperately longing for Test success. They don’t quite know what it means anymore, with their biggest stars dominating T20 tournaments around the globe. With one Test series win in their last 11 attempts, and their best top order average being 38, I wouldn’t blame anyone for crying when thinking about where West Indies are in the white clothed format. They welcome Sri Lanka for a Test series for the first time since 2008, and they would back their chances, considering Sri Lanka are also not as strong as they once were.

But, Sri Lanka perhaps have a little more to be optimistic about. Since October 2017, they won a series against Pakistan in the UAE, drew two Tests in India and beat Bangladesh in Bangladesh, where the Tigers have beaten England and Australia in Test matches. The Lions have never won a Test series in the Caribbean, and will probably never get a better chance than now. Who knows how much longer Rangana Herath will go on for, and captain Dinesh Chandimal was in very good Test form last year, which Sri Lanka hope he can continue to build on.

Key to a West Indies win

West Indies have players who have had good moments in Test cricket. The likes of Kraigg Brathwaite, Shai Hope and Roston Chase have shown spurts of quality, but unfortunately for West Indies, it just hasn’t been often enough. Highlighted in their averages of 37.43, 33.20 and 38.03 respectively, they are yet to play enough match turning knocks for their country.
Against a Sri Lanka attack that leaves a lot to be desired, the onus is on the West Indies batting to get runs on the board, and give their bowling attack, which includes the talented Kemar Roach and Devendra Bishoo, breathing space.
Shai Hope was superb for WI in England & Zimbabwe last year

Key to a Sri Lanka win

Sri Lanka, like West Indies, possess an uncertain top order. The key is to make the West Indies line up toil, just as they made Pakistan, India and Bangladesh do at times in their most recent Test assignments. 
Dinesh Chandimal and Angelo Mathews have a combined 118 Tests between them, and are the glue of the Sri Lankan batting line up. They need to be like super glue here, either pushing on from the good work of the top order, or arresting a collapse, if it occurs.
Also, how well can Rangana Herath perform at age 40? Against West Indies, he has 23 wickets in seven Tests at 25, which is a good return. Can the other bowlers pull their weight in and contribute to a collaborative bowling performance?
What impact can Rangana Herath have?

Predicted teams

Devendra Bishoo is the only specialist spinner in West Indies’ squad, so he’ll surely play. The seamers will have to find ways to break down the Sri Lanka batting line up.

West Indies XI: 1. Kraigg Brathwaite, 2. Kieran Powell, 3. Shimron Hetmyer, 4. Shai Hope, 5. Roston Chase, 6. Shane Dowrich (wk), 7. Jason Holder (c), 8. Devendra Bishoo, 9. Miguel Cummins, 10. Kemar Roach, 11. Shannon Gabriel

It is unsure whether Dhananjaya de Silva will take his place in the Test team, after arriving back to the West Indies following the sad death of his father. If he doesn’t play, Kusal Perera could be placed there. Also, with Dimuth Karunaratne injured, 31 year old Mahela Udawatte could make his debut at the top of the order.

Sri Lanka XI: 1. Kusal Mendis, 2. Mahela Udawatte, 3. Kusal Perera, 4. Roshen Silva, 5. Dinesh Chandimal (c), 6. Angelo Mathews, 7. Niroshan Dickwella (wk), 8. Dilruwan Perera, 9. Rangana Herath, 10. Suranga Lakmal, 11. Lahiru Gamage

Stats and Facts:

  • Sri Lanka have lost just one of their last seven Tests. This includes two series wins, against Pakistan and Bangladesh.
  • West Indies have only won one Test series out of their last 11. This came against Zimbabwe last year.
  • Dinesh Chandimal averages 48.50 in his 10 Tests as captain. 
  • Sri Lanka have only played six Tests in the West Indies. The last was in 2008.
  • West Indies, in addition to their lack of series wins, have won just two of their last 12 Tests at home.

Prediction:

Two sides with so much improvement in them makes this one hard to predict, but I will go with Sri Lanka to win thanks to more experience in their line up.

Afghanistan v Bangladesh 2nd T20I Preview

Charbel Coorey
-
0

It was eighth vs tenth in the T20I rankings on Sunday, but it didn’t seem that way. The way Afghanistan dismantled Bangladesh, it felt like a battle between fourth and tenth instead. It was a systematic, clinical and ruthless display by the Afghans against a sorry Bangladesh side that continues to be plagued with inconsistency.

Ahead of their historic first Test against India, can Afghanistan seal the T20I series tonight and add another achievement to their international cricket resume? One possible cause for concern that they would like to rectify tonight is their middle overs batting, where they notched up just 41 runs in the middle eight overs in the first T20I. If a miracle occurs and Bangladesh bowl well at the death, Afghanistan could be found short. However, their spinners are the envy of many cricketing nations around the world, and will back themselves to conceded low totals, especially in times of need.

I can rant on about the problems in the Bangladesh cricket set up, but I don’t have two spare days right now… The Tigers lost the first T20I with such ease that it could result in some team changes, however, the biggest changes required are decent death bowling, and somehow finding the ability to tackle the quality Afghanistan spin attack. They have enough experience in their ranks to fight back, but if they display any of the clueless cricket we saw on Sunday, they can kiss this series goodbye.

Key to an Afghanistan win

All five Afghanistan bowlers took at least one wicket on Sunday, with Bangladesh scoring nearly a third of their runs against Shapoor Zadran. Afghanistan spun the Bangladeshis into a web bigger than you’ll see in central Australia, even with Australia known as “spider country”
Ahead of the 1st T20I, there was a lot of focus on the quality spin trio of Rashid Khan, Mujeeb Ur Rahman and Mohammad Nabi. The focus was very much justified, with these three combining for 6/54 off 12 overs, giving Bangladesh no chance of chasing 167. Even something slightly similar in the 2nd T20I will render it highly unlikely Bangladesh will even reach 130.
Also, can Afghanistan put a more polished batting performance? After 15 overs, they were crawling at 96/4 against an underperforming Bangladesh attack, before an onslaught of 71 runs in the last five got them to 167. It might be too risky to rely on late order hitting to get them to a big score again, so the onus is on the top and middle order to keep momentum going right throughout the innings.

Key to a Bangladesh win

Tactically on Sunday, Bangladesh fell short again, which was surprising under the leadership of their greatest ever cricketer. On a pitch suited to spin, Bangladesh played one seamer too many, and even worse, didn’t bowl Mahmudullah again after two in his first over.
In the 2nd T20I, Bangladesh need to restrict Afghanistan in the first 15 overs, just as they did on Sunday, with a focus on stump-to-stump spin bowling. However, their death bowling needs to be much better – if they can concede anywhere near 71 tonight, the series is as good as gone, as you just can’t trust their batsmen to have a big game.
Speaking of their batting, if they have the chance to bat first, they must take it. In a series played in conditions such as these, runs on the board are paramount, and Bangladesh may fancy their chances of having a better outing whilst setting a score, instead of chasing. However, whether they bat first or second, rotation of the strike is vital, something they have consistently struggled with for years.
It’s now or never for Bangladesh.

Predicted teams

Afghanistan, after a convincing win, will most likely stick with the same XI.
Afghanistan XI: 1. Mohammad Shahzad (wk), 2. Usman Ghani, 3. Asghar Stanikzai (c), 4. Najibullah Zadran, 5. Mohammad Nabi, 6. Samiullah Shenwari, 7. Shafiqullah, 8. Rashid Kham 9. Karim Janat, 10. Mujeeb Ur Rahman, 11. Shapoor Zadran
For Bangladesh, I believe one of the seamers could be replaced by Mehidy Hasan. It could be Abul Hasan, who was just so expensive on Sunday. Also, Soumya Sarkar could replace Mossadek Hossain, who struggled badly with the bat in the 1st T20I.
Bangladesh XI: 1. Tamim Iqbal, 2. Liton Das, 3. Shakib Al Hasan (c), 4. Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 5. Mahmudullah, 6. Sabbir Rahman, 7. Soumya Sarkar, 8. Mehidy Hasan, 9. Abu Jayed, 10. Rubel Hossain, 11. Nazmul Hossain

Stats and Facts

  • This will be the third T20I between the two sides. Both teams have one win each to date.
  • Out of seven international matches between the sides, Bangladesh only have a slight advantage of four wins to three. Five of these matches have been played in Bangladesh.
  • Shakib Al Hasan needs one wicket to reach the double of 500 wickets and 10,000 runs across formats. He will be the quickest by far in terms of matches played (301). The other two are Jacques Kallis and Shahid Afridi, who needed over 500 matches to reach this mark.
  • Rashid Khan became the equal second quickest to 50 T20I wickets (31 matches).
  • Afghanistan have previously won three bilateral T20I series against a Test nation. All three have come against Zimbabwe.

Prediction

I predict this game will be closer than the first T20I, but at the moment, Afghanistan look more assured. They have a superior spin attack, and I believe this will deliver them a series win.
It will take a special performance by Bangladesh to keep this series alive.

PLAYER RATINGS: England v Pakistan 2nd Test – “No no, we’re more inconsistent!”

Charbel Coorey
-
0

England: “We’re inconsistent.”

Pakistan: “Pfft. No, we are.”

England: “LOL, please. Have you seen us over the last eight months?”

Pakistan: “Cute. OK. Watch this.”

Pakistan won the “battle of the inconsistent” in the 2nd Test, falling meekly to England in an innings defeat, after a brilliant win at Lord’s.

In an amazing discovery (not really), England finally pitched the ball up, and what do you know? They found success straight away, and won their first Test in nine attempts. Pakistan showed the world that their batting still leaves plenty to be desired, mustering just 308 runs across two innings.

Joe Root and his men should be very pleased with their performance, led by Stuart Broad, James Anderson, Dominic Bess and Jos Buttler. They were a mess after the first Test, and while one win doesn’t solve everything, it was an encouraging performance.

In this cricket opinion piece, I will go through all player ratings, and try to get a laugh or two out of you as well. As always, you are encouraged to share your thoughts!

England 

Alastair Cook: Looked good again in the first innings, but got out to a bouncer slower than what my seven year old cousin bowls. Nonetheless, encouraging signs ahead of the big India series. 7

Keaton Jennings: Nearly spat out my coffee when I read Keaton would be back in the England team, but he looked pretty decent. However, with a 50+ partnership already in the bank, in pursuit of just 174, his return of 29 was a bit underwhelming. 6

Joe Root: Joe should start his own line of clothing called “Get In, Get Out” or something along those lines. Batted well, but didn’t convert yet again. Led his team well, though. Was on from the get go. 7

Dawid Malan: Combined for another 60+ run stand with skipper Joe Root but fell without making a big score. As they say, when you spend a lot of time with someone, you tend to become like them… 5

Jonny Bairstow: 21 and relatively solid behind the stumps. Not much to see here. 5

Jos Buttler: One of IPL 2018’s best players had another cracking Test. Brilliant 80* off just 101 balls to take the game further away from Pakistan. Should the ECB request IPL contracts for Alastair Cook, Keaton Jennings and Joe Root to find top form?! 9

Chris Woakes: Was probably most pleased that this wasn’t an overseas Test. Good in home conditions. Backed up Anderson and Broad pretty well. 7

Dominic Bess: So close to a second consecutive half century in just his second Test. This guy can bat, and proved to be a superb night watchman. And he showed he can bowl too. An awesome Test. 9

Sam Curran: Does Sam Curran have a long future as an England Test cricketer? Not sure if he’ll be successful away from England, but a steady Test debut with a 20 and two wickets. 7

Stuart Broad: This Broad has its good and bad Tests, but this one was very good. Finally pitched the ball up, and was rewarded. Six wickets in the Test. Superb. 9

James Anderson: 35 and still going strong. Another fine display of swing bowling. Was good to see Anderson also get the ball further up to the bat. 8

Pakistan


Azhar Ali: Lean run of form continues. But, the most disappointing moment was when a bloke in the crowd had “I love Azhar Ali” on his mini blackboard, and rubbed it off when Azhar was dismissed in the first innings. 2

Imam-ul-Haq: His uncle couldn’t master the art of running between the wickets, and Imam has yet to master the art of first innings batting. Out of his 137 Test runs to date, 126 have come in the second innings. Pakistan’s second innings top scorer, after a poor first innings shot. 4

Haris Sohail: Channeling his inner Joe Root. Another promising first innings start, but nothing of true substance. 3

Asad Shafiq: Got a good ball in the first innings, but pushed harder at the ball than a rugby union player in a scrum. Disappointing Test. 3

Usman Salahuddin: Hard to expect a debutant to carry the bulk of the load when his more experienced teammates were watching with their feet up from the dressing room. Promising second innings effort. 4

Sarfraz Ahmed: Disappointing series with the bat. Playing all around deliveries. 3

Shadab Khan: Pakistan’s only half centurion in the Test. Honest effort with the ball, too. Special talent, is Shadab. 7

Faheem Ashraf: Twice entered the batting crease amid carnage. Bowled beautifully though, picking up three wickets. 6

Mohammad Amir: Honest effort, but just didn’t have enough runs to play with. 6.5

Mohammad Abbas: Honest as well, but you just can’t rely on Abbas brilliance every Test. Batters, step up. 6.5

Hasan Ali: Quite expensive. Showed inconsistency, just like his batting teammates. 5

—

Well then, two sides who have shown the world they aren’t number one material, due to massive inconsistencies in performance.
The series ended 1-1, just like quite a few fans predicted on social media, so kudos to you. Next up for Pakistan is two T20Is in Scotland next week. For England – an ODI v Scotland and five ODIs against Australia. 
However, the limited overs stuff shouldn’t take away the focus off the need to perform better at Test level. It will be interesting to see what these two sides dish up in the coming months.
Thanks for reading!

Afghanistan v Bangladesh 1st T20I Preview

Charbel Coorey
-
0

How beautiful is cricket. We can go from the biggest T20 tournament in the world to a supposedly low key T20I series, but one that still means so much to millions of people.

India, having recently put on another huge IPL tournament, hosts Afghanistan and Bangladesh in what should be a very competitive three match T20I series. Dehradun will host its first ever international match, and with both sides looking to prove a point in the format, it’s anyone’s game.
Afghanistan, ahead of their first ever Test, start this series as favourites in my opinion, thanks to their magnificent spin attack. Rashid Khan, Mujeeb ur Rahman and Mohammad Nabi are very capable of delivering 12 excellent, threat-filled overs at the Bangladeshis, which can counter the concern they have relating to the lack of experience in their batting line-up. The Afghans are ranked two spots above Bangladesh in the T20I rankings, and given that their second string line up thrashed Bangladesh in a warm up just two days ago, they should be feeling confident.
Shakib Al Hasan claimed Afghanistan are favourites in this series, which is an interesting change of approach, given Bangladesh like to consider themselves as favourites in most series they play. They still have a lot to prove in this format – with their improvement in Test cricket over the last two or three years, the T20I format could be considered their weakest. They would have taken heart in reaching the final of the recent Nidahas Trophy, even though they lost it when they had it won. Their experienced players hold the key, but how well can their bowling attack go? 
It remains to be seen in what promises to be an exciting, competitive clash.

Key to an Afghanistan win

Bangladesh have spoken about the threat of Rashid Khan, following is brilliant T20 exploits around the world. Many in India will tune in just to see this superstar in action, as the nation continues to fall in love with him. 
In Afghanistan’s ODI tour of Bangladesh in 2016, Rashid Khan burst onto the scene and caused Bangladesh all kinds of trouble. He, along with Mujeeb ur Rahman, Sharafuddin Ashraf and Mohammad Nabi can force Bangladesh to work extremely hard for runs for 12-16 overs. Also, the contributions of Gulbadin Naib and Aftab Alam will be key – can they support their spinners well, especially in the death overs?
In addition, if the Afghanistan batsmen can tackle Shakib effectively, it places so much more pressure on the other Bangladeshi bowlers, who are yet to show consistency in the T20I format. The likes of Mohammad Shahzad and Mohammad Nabi are key to holding the batting together.

Key to a Bangladesh win

The contributions of Tamim Iqbal, Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah and Mushfiqur Rahim are so important to Bangladesh’s chances.
These four are best equipped to handle Afghanistan’s impressive spin attack, and if at least two can contribute well, it gives the others the opportunity to bat around them and form strong partnerships. If they don’t, them I’m sorry, I can’t see Bangladesh getting the runs they need from the likes of Soumya Sarkar and Sabbir Rahman, who are so talented but unreliable.
Also, the support Shakib Al Hasan gets with the ball will be key. With Mustafizur Rahman out injured, whichever players get the nod to make up the Bangladeshi bowling attack need to be on song, especially in the powerplay and death overs, where Bangladesh have struggled in the past.
Mustafizur Rahman will be a key loss for Bangladesh

Key head-to-head battle:

Rashid Khan v Shakib Al Hasan: Teammates at Sunrisers Hyderabad in IPL 2018, Rashid Khan and Shakib Al Hasan are the key players for their respective sides. Whoever has the better match out of these two could lead to their team winning.

Possible teams

Afghanistan could have six front line bowlers to choose from, which offers Asghar Stanikzai great flexibility. Allrounder Karim Janat and U-19 batsman Rasooli are also reportedly a chance of playing.
Afghanistan XI: 1. Mohammad Shahzad (wk), 2. Asghar Stanikzai (c), 3. Najeeb Tarakai, 4. Mohammad Nabi, 5. Najibullah Zadran, 6. Shafiqullah, 7. Sharafuddin Ashraf, 8. Gulbadin Naib, 9. Rashid Khan, 10. Aftab Alam, 11. Mujeeb Ur Rahman
Mustafizur Rahman ruled out is a big blow for Bangladesh, and I think has resulted in the team management being uncertain of the make up of their bowling line up. Any of Abu Hider, Abul Hasan and Abu Jayed could get the nod. Pressure is also on Soumya Sarkar and Sabbir Rahman to start showing more consistency.
Bangladesh XI: 1. Tamim Iqbal, 2. Liton Das, 3. Mushfiqur Rahim (wk), 4. Shakib Al Hasan (c), 5. Mahmudullah, 6. Sabbir Rahman, 7. Mosaddek Hossain, 8. Mehidy Hasan, 9. Abu Hider/Abul Hasan/Abu Jayed, 10. Rubel Hossain, 11. Nazmul Islam

Stats and Facts:

  • Ranjiv Gandhi International Stadium in Dehradun will become the 21st ground to host T20I cricket in India.
  • Bangladesh have won just four of their last 20 T20Is. Afghanistan have won two of their last three T20I series.
  • Shakib Al Hasan needs just two wickets to reach the double of 10,000 runs and 500 wickets in international cricket, in what will be his 300th game for Bangladesh across formats. Jacques Kallis and Shahid Afridi are the only others to achieve this feat.
  • Rashid Khan is just two wickets away from reaching 50 T20I wickets. In 109 T20s around the world in total, he has 158 wickets at an economy rate of 6.01.
  • Mohammad Nabi is 39 runs away from 1,000 T20I runs. Only four other all-rounders (Shakib, Afridi, Thisara Perera and Dwayne Bravo) have achieved double 1,000 runs and 50 wickets.

Prediction

Think this is a low key, boring series? Think again. This one promises to be so exciting, and it’s awesome to see these two sides get playing opportunity.
In the first T20I, I will pick Afghanistan to win on the back of their bowling attack successfully challenging the uncertain Bangladesh line up. However, as a big Bangladesh fan myself, I know they have the ability to surprise us when they consider themselves underdogs, so they are certainly a chance, which makes this series exciting.
Good luck to both teams.

England v Pakistan 2nd Test Preview

Charbel Coorey
-
0

Were Pakistan really good at Lord’s, or were England really crap? Will England show a little bit more fight for the cause, or will they crumble again? Can Pakistan play another near perfect game, and win their first series in England since 1996?

We will find out in the second Test.

England have serious problems. In my first article for Last Word on Cricket, I wrote about three burning issues in English cricket that has to be sorted. In this Test, the players in the side now simply have to execute better. When a return to Lord’s can’t even mask the issues we saw in the winter, it is clear that the pressure is well and truly on coach Trevor Bayliss, captain Joe Root and the players.

Pakistan and their fans have every reason to be feeling positive. Their bowling at Lord’s was an exhibition, landing the ball consistently where they wanted to, as if they were aiming for a five cent piece on the pitch. In beautiful craft by Mohammad Abbas and co, Pakistan completely outplayed England’s bowlers thanks to their focus on hitting the stumps, and I am excited to see this attack go at England again.

With England continuing to stink it up in Test cricket, can Pakistan hand them another lesson?

Key to an England win

The good news for England is that they have only three issues to sort out. 
Unfortunately, these issues are their batting, bowling and fielding.
Let me start with their bowling. England’s mentality of “bowling dry” is catching up with them, intent on putting people to sleep. Their focus on low economy rates coincides with their predominantly back-of-a-length bowling, which is perfect for Pakistan to deal with in these conditions. It has been tough going in the last two years with a lack of variety in their attack, so England must pitch the ball up at Leeds to test the Pakistan batsmen further.
With the bat, England simply aren’t converting enough fifties to hundreds. Since their tour of Bangladesh in 2016, England have had 80 fifty-plus scores, with just 16 (20%) converted to centuries. Joe Root, the skipper, has not converted his last ten fifties. England’s set batsmen simply have to go big to blunt the impressive Pakistan attack.
And… with fielding, catches win matches.
Photo from ancient history: Joe Root converting a fifty into a hundred!

Key to a Pakistan win

Pakistan were so impressive at Lord’s that England resorted to bringing Keaton Jennings back. Jennings may do well, but the onus is on Pakistan’s seam bowlers to continue challenging the front foot of England’s batsmen. 
The contrast between England and Pakistan’s bowlers at Lord’s was huge, and if the two Mohammad’s (Amir and Abbas) can repeat their onslaught on England’s stumps and edges, Pakistan are in with a shout for a 2-0 series sweep.
Also, Pakistan should take a lot of heart from their batting effort at Lord’s. The biggest doubt heading into this series was whether their batting would cope against England’s successful seam attack in home conditions. I like Pakistan’s chances if they can make England toil again.
Mohammad Abbas: Amazing bowler

Predicted teams

Keaton Jennings will replace Mark Stoneman in another attempt to replace Andrew Strauss… who retired about six years ago. Ben Stokes is said to have a hamstring niggle, so this may mean he won’t bowl much, if selected. Also, expect Dominic Bess to be given another chance to impress.
England possible XI: 1. Alastair Cook, 2. Keaton Jennings, 3. Joe Root (c), 4. Dawid Malan, 5. Jonny Bairstow (wk), 6. Ben Stokes, 7. Jos Buttler, 8. Dominic Bess, 9. Mark Wood, 10. Stuart Broad, 11. James Anderson
For Pakistan, they will be forced into change with Babar Azam unfortunately injured at Lord’s. Usman Salahuddin is likely to make his Test debut in the middle order. Their bowling attack looks like a well-oiled machine, and their batsmen have another chance to show their worth.
Pakistan possible XI: 1. Azhar Ali, 2. Imam-ul-Haq, 3. Haris Sohail, 4. Asad Shafiq, 5. Usman Salahuddin, 6. Sarfraz Ahmed (c & wk), 7. Faheem Ashraf, 8. Shadab Khan, 9. Mohammad Amir, 10. Hasan Ali, 11. Mohammad Abbas

Stats and Facts:

  • England have not won in their last eight Tests.
  • Pakistan won two of their previous 11 Tests before this tour of the UK. They are now on a run of two straight wins.
  • Since October 2016 (22 Tests), England have conceded an average first innings total of nearly 400, spending 120.2 overs on the field.
  • Pakistan haven’t won a Test series in England since 1996.
  • Mohammad Abbas has 40 wickets in seven Tests, with an average of just 16.62.

Prediction:

A win would be perfect with all the doom and gloom in England Test cricket right now. The senior players in the side, including Cook, Root, Broad and Anderson need to lead from the front with their performances.
Call me crazy, but I have a feeling England can bounce back and win this Test, thanks to fuller bowling that will trouble the Pakistan batsmen. Watch this space.
In the meantime, be sure to catch up on my player ratings for the first Test, as well as my “Sanjay Manjrekar flop IPL XI”. I promise you they are worth the read!

Sanjay Manjrekar “Flop” IPL 2018 XI

Charbel Coorey
-
0

Listening to Sanjay Manjrekar yell on commentary, which forces me to turn the volume down so as to not wake any of my family members up at 12:30am Sydney time, I thought I would dedicate the “flop” XI of IPL 2018 in his name.

Congratulations to the champions, CSK, who put on a clinic in the final. However, there is always an opportunity for a little fun, so here is my Sanjay Manjrekar “flop” IPL 2018 XI, with a few honourable mentions as well.

The coveted trophy, given to all members.

1. D’Arcy Short (Rajasthan Royals)

After a huge Big Bash League campaign, D’Arcy fell “Short” of expectations in the IPL.

2. Gautam Gambhir (Delhi Daredevils)

If the 30-yard circle was the boundary, poor Gautam still wouldn’t have hit one. Drake says “started at the bottom now we here”. For Gautam, it is “started here now we at the bottom”.

3. Manish Pandey (Sunrisers Hyderabad)

India selectors proved that IPL form doesn’t count to international call ups. Continues to underwhelm, does Pandey.

4. Glenn Maxwell (Delhi Daredevils)

The “Big Show” was a “No Show” in IPL 2018. When I think of Maxwell, I think of a Ferrari that doesn’t work, locked away in a garage.

5. Yuvraj Singh and Aaron Finch (Kings XI Punjab)

Couldn’t split these two. Maybe combined they could come close to the impact one player could provide?

6. Ben Stokes (Rajasthan Royals)

Most expensive player in the IPL 2018 Auction. Enough said. Offered more punch outside English bars.

Underperformed in IPL, joins the England Test team. Tough times.

7. Wriddhiman Saha (Sunrisers Hyderabad)

If IPL introduced a “leave the ball cap”, Saha would win it easily. Couldn’t catch a cold, either.

8. Axar Patel (Kings XI Punjab)

Did the chicken or the egg come first? This is one of life’s great mysteries. So too is the fact that Axar Patel is rated by Indian selectors.

9. Mitchell Johnson (Kolkata Knight Riders)

Wasn’t pretty. More expensive than dating a woman only in the relationship for your money.

10. Jaydev Unadkat (Rajasthan Royals)

RS 11.5 crore well spent, RR. Unadkat made an all-star XI for IPL 2018. 

11. Mohit Sharma (Kings XI Punjab)

Change of name from Mohit to Hit me ‘Mo? The way he bowled, he kept telling batsmen to certainly “Hit me ‘Mo”.

Honourable mentions go to…

Ajinkya Rahane (Rajasthan Royals)

Ajinkya Rahane saw IPL 2018 as an opportunity to show everyone what he can offer for India in their Test tour of England.

Rohit Sharma (Mumbai Indians)

Too inconsistent, in line with his team’s disappointing exit in the league stage.

Colin Munro (Delhi Daredevils)

Three T20I hundreds and a big reputation didn’t amount to much.

Corey Anderson (Royal Challengers Bangalore)

RCB thought he could be the answer to their problems. Didn’t quite turn out that way.

Harbhajan Singh (Chennai Super Kings) and Ravichandran Ashwin (Kings XI Punjab)

Not much impact, at all.

Mayank Agarwal (Kings XI Punjab)

More impact in a game of netball than what Mayank Agarwal provided, unfortunately…
—-
So, there it is. Hope you had a bit of a chuckle. If not, I’ll try harder next time!

A number of players deserving of the Sanjay Manjrekar Award for IPL 2018. It will be interesting to see what IPL 2019 has in store for us.

For now, it’s time to fully focus on international cricket!

PLAYER RATINGS: Brilliant Pakistan hammer hapless England!

Charbel Coorey
-
0

Not even a Test at Lord’s could mask the cracks in England‘s Test team. They took a punt and batted first in seamer-friendly conditions on the opening day, and it was all downhill from there. Their batting continues to underwhelm, and bowling bore, as they slip to their sixth loss in their last eight Tests. They are an absolute mess at the moment.

However, take nothing away from Pakistan. Their performance in Ireland left a little to be desired, but the big occasion of a Lord’s Test brought out the best in many of their players. They have the measure of Lord’s, winning their last two Tests there, two years apart. Pakistan, when they play like this, are one of the best teams to watch. It was a superb performance by them!

In this cricket opinion piece, I will go through each player and rate them out of ten.

England

Alastair Cook: The lone warrior for most of the first innings. Alastair Cook started the England summer well after a tough winter, but his 70 wasn’t enough to propel England to 200. His team needed a repeat in the second innings, which wasn’t forthcoming. Was shaky in the slips, also. 6

Alastair Cook dug deep in the first innings


Mark Stoneman: How much longer will Stoneman be in the team? Tough game for him, bowled twice, including being worked over by Mohammad Abbas in the first innings. Alastair Cook will probably retire before England finally find a suitable replacement for Andrew Strauss. 1

Joe Root: Shocking shot in the first innings to throw his wicket away, and then showed some resistance in the second. However, as is all too common with Joe, he was out failing to convert another half century. 6

Dawid Malan: Worked hard in a second innings 60-run stand with Joe Root, but his return of 18 runs is very disappointing following a promising winter. He will get another crack, for sure. 2

Jonny Bairstow: Got two beauties from the quality Pakistan attack. England desperately need Bairstow to be firing, and this wasn’t his Test. Snapped up three catches with the gloves. 4

Ben Stokes: Didn’t fire in the IPL, and only showed glimpses of his best form here. England’s sad story is summed up by the fact he was their second highest scorer with 38 in the first innings. Bowled with great aggression at times to finish with 3/73 in Pakistan’s first innings. 5

Ben Stokes showed glimpses of his best form


Jos Buttler: Plenty of eyebrows were raised when Jos Buttler was brought into the Test squad on the back of IPL form, but his second innings performance helped England avoid an innings loss. The most optimistic of England’s fans may have even believed they were a chance of getting a positive result… 6

Dominic Bess: Was brought into the side for his bowling, and failed to bowl a single maiden. At home, the minimum requirement that England need to be looking for in a spinner is control. Bess didn’t deliver in that area, but should be given another chance. Excellent half century though with the bat in the second innings to keep England afloat. 4.5

Mark Wood: Toiled pretty hard but couldn’t generate the kind of pace Ben Stokes was able to. Wood was brought in the side to add pace and aggression to the bowling line up, and needs to deliver more in the next Test. 4

Stuart Broad: Broady toiling hard is usually the case these days, finishing with the solitary wicket in 27 overs. What can he offer England in future Tests, in their time of need? 5

James Anderson: England are screwed when this guy retires. Simple. 7

James Anderson is carrying the England attack right now

Pakistan


Azhar Ali: Promising, typically hard working fifty for Azhar in the first innings. Got two good balls from Anderson in the game, but Pakistan will be happy he’s back in some sort of form after a disappointing time in Ireland. 6

Imam-ul-Haq: In his second Test, Imam-ul-Haq has been there twice at the end when Pakistan have won. Out early in the first innings, so need to see more of him in the second Test. 4

Haris Sohail: Dug deep in the first innings, struck the ball beautifully in the second to guide Pakistan home. He’s showing good form, but Pakistan will want him to go on with his starts. 7

Asad Shafiq: Classy first innings fifty, before getting a beauty from Ben Stokes. Remains a key part of Pakistan’s batting line up. 7

Babar Azam: Such a shame Babar is now out injured, as his Test career was looking like it was finally kick starting. After a match winning half century against Ireland recently, Babar was excellent here, retiring hurt on 68. 7.5

It was a shame to see Babar Azam get injured. He played well.


Sarfraz Ahmed: Led his team well and snapped up five catches for the match. Will want more with the bat, though. 4.5

Shadab Khan: Half century and two second innings wickets – another fine performance from a very promising cricketer. 7

Faheem Ashraf: Steady addition to the Pakistan team, holding an end up well with the ball, and contributing with the bat down the order. 6.5

Hasan Ali: One of the chief destroyers of England’s batting in the first innings. Had a fine Test, despite going wicketless in the second innings. 7.5

Mohammad Amir: Bowled some absolute beauties in this Test. Had England in all sorts of trouble, especially in the second innings. A quality bowler. 9

Mohammad Abbas: #Abbasif is a hashtag I saw during this Test, and rightly so. He was deservedly man of the match, following up his excellent performance in Ireland with 8/64 here. He is such a brilliant exponent of England conditions. Take care of him, Pakistan. 10

Mohammas Abbas – deserved man of the match

—-

So, it may have been a nervous third evening for Pakistan fans, but in typical England fashion, they surrendered as they gave their fans some hope of a miracle fight back.
Pakistan would be feeling really confident of winning the series 2-0. Can they do it in Leeds? They certainly are a great chance against this struggling England line up. 

IPL 2018 Final Preview: Sunrisers Hyderabad v Chennai Super Kings

Charbel Coorey
-
0

Here we are. 59 Matches. Seven weeks of action. It all comes down to this.

Will Sunrisers Hyderabad be fourth time lucky in IPL 2018 against tonight’s opponents? What will hold them in good stead is an excellent win under pressure at Eden Gardens, led by the magnificent Rashid Khan. “Make Rashid Khan an Indian citizen!” I see on Twitter, and his personality and the way he has burst onto the scene in the last couple of years sees the love for him grow among cricket fans.

He will have a key role to play tonight, but it will be interesting to see if SRH go with different combinations. Wriddhiman Saha struggled at the top against KKR – is it worth bringing Alex Hales back to partner Shikhar Dhawan at the top to relieve the pressure on him? Do SRH believe Hales can offer more than Brathwaite? It remains to be seen.

Chennai Super Kings have had a good four day break after beating SRH in Qualifier 1 on Tuesday. Throughout the season, they have found ways to win when they looked gone, and more of the same fighting spirit can lead them to what will be arguably their sweetest IPL triumph, coming back to the competition after two years in the wilderness.

It’s the orange of SRH vs yellow of CSK for the fourth time this season. Can CSK make it four from four against the team that finished first in the IPL 2018 Points Table? The beautiful IPL trophy is up for grabs, and it’s anyone’s game, despite CSK’s record over SRH this season.

Key to a Sunrisers Hyderabad win

In the three games against CSK this season, SRH have had periods of play where they have had the better of their opponents. In the first meeting, they were all over CSK in the first nine overs of the match. In the second, they batted well to reach 179. In the third, they looked all but certain of a berth in the final, but the magic of Faf du Plessis and Shardul Thakur at the end caught them short.
For SRH, it’s about maintaining their good run of play for longer periods tonight. On Tuesday, they ripped through the CSK middle order, and if they can produce something similar tonight, the likelihood of another miracle CSK escape is low, thanks to the lessons SRH would have taken from Qualifier 1.
For this to happen, the bowlers will need to produce another collaborative effort, led by the brilliant Rashid Khan, whose hopes of the purple cap are still alive. Also, can Shikhar Dhawan and Kane Williamson create a great launch pad, and if so, can the middle order capitalise? 
These are key questions that will go a long way to determining SRH’s fate.

Key to a Chennai Super Kings win

In Qualifier 1, CSK dismissed Shikhar Dhawan first ball, and Kane Williamson for just 24. This went a long way to restricting SRH to 139, albeit on a slow pitch, but there is no denying the importance of those two players.
Lungi Ngidi and Deepak Chahar have been excellent at the start for CSK in recent games, and if they can continue their good form, MS Dhoni will be smiling at the sight of SRH’s top order batsmen walking back to the pavilion. Or, if the top order can be restricted efficiently in the first six overs, the pressure will continue to build, so those early overs are certainly key.
Also, can CSK’s batsmen put on a better show? Faf du Plessis was the unlikely hero on Tuesday, and CSK will not want to be relying on certain players to get out of a hole. Their key to success this season has largely been based on collaborative batting efforts, so more of the same is needed here.

Possible teams

Will SRH stick with the same team against KKR? Had it not been for Rashid Khan’s amazing cameo at the end, they would have been under par, so I think more power is needed at the top. The Saha experiment wasn’t successful in my opinion, so there is a chance Alex Hales could return, or throw Brathwaite at the top with a license to swing.
Sunrisers Hyderabad XI: 1. Shikhar Dhawan, 2. Alex Hales/Carlos Brathwaite, 3. Kane Williamson (c), 4. Shakib Al Hasan, 5. Deepak Hooda, 6. Yusuf Pathan, 7. Wriddhiman Saha/Shreevats Goswami (wk), 8. Rashid Khan, 9. Bhuvneshwar Kumar, 10. Siddarth Kaul, 11. Sandeep Sharma/Khaleel Ahmed
Expect CSK to go in with the same team that won Qualifier 1.
Chennai Super Kings XI: 1. Faf du Plessis, 2. Shane Watson, 3. Suresh Raina, 4. Ambati Rayudu, 5. MS Dhoni (c & wk), 6. Dwayne Bravo, 7. Ravindra Jadeja, 8. Harbhajan Singh, 9. Deepak Chahar, 10. Shardul Thakur, 11. Lungi Ngidi

Stats and Facts

  • Head-to-Head: Matches 7, SRH 2, CSK 9
  • CSK have won all three games against SRH this season.
  • CSK will be playing in their seventh final tonight, whereas SRH will be playing their second.
  • The team batting first has won seven of the last ten IPL finals.
  • MS Dhoni will line up in this 8th IPL final tonight.

Prediction:

This promises to be an amazing final. So many little battles within the bigger battle, and anything can happen.
I believe SRH will have a great game, but CSK might have more in the tank, considering they have had a longer break, to win their third IPL title tonight.

My IPL 2018 team of the year

Charbel Coorey
-
0

The IPL 2018 Final is upon us, and with the inevitable talk on social media about how long the tournament is, one thing that can’t be denied is how exciting the tournament has been. From superb individual performances to a magnificent race to the playoffs that involved a number of teams, putting together the best XI of the tournament is no easy feat.

In this cricket opinion piece, I will list my top XI for the tournament. Feel free to share your thoughts!

1. KL Rahul (Kings XI Punjab)

KXIP’s second half of the season was a nightmare, but KL Rahul was the shining light. This awesome talent hit 659 runs at 54.91, with a SR of 158.41. For an opening slot in the team of the season, KL Rahul is a given.
KL Rahul was incredible in IPL 2018

2. Jos Buttler (Rajasthan Royals)

Jos Buttler had a slow start to the tournament, but when he was shifted to opener, he was incredible. He hit five half centuries in a row, which included three consecutive man of the match awards, and single-handedly kept RR’s hopes alive of a playoffs spot in the key matches.
Jos Buttler was the perfect opening option for RR

3. Kane Williamson (Sunrisers Hyderabad)

There is no doubt that Kane Williamson has one of the best batting techniques in the world. He plays the ball late, and is so elegant on the eye. However, his performance in IPL 2018 has been simply brilliant, and would need something amazing from Ambati Rayudu to take the orange cap away from Kane. Ahead of the final, he has 688 runs at 52.92, with a SR of 143.33. Superb stuff.
Kane Williamson was superb right throughout the tournament

4. Ambati Rayudu (Chennai Super Kings)

Excellent tournament for Rayudu, whom I simply can’t leave out of this side. He was especially superb against SRH this season, scoring an unbeaten 100 towards the end of the season, and has a chance to reach 600 runs for the season in the final. A key part of CSK’s strong batting line up.
Can’t keep Ambati Rayudu out of this team

5. Rishabh Pant (Delhi Daredevils)

India’s 20 year old superstar. Holder of the tournament’s highest score (128), Rishabh Pant was a shining light in DD’s disappointing season, and has now given their fans plenty of hope for the future. He has hit the most fours and sixes out of any player, and with 684 runs at 52.61 with a SR of 173.60, Pant was one of the first players who came to mind when thinking about IPL 2018’s best XI.
Rishabh Pant celebrates a century against SRH

6. MS Dhoni (c & wk – Chennai Super Kings)

CSK’s return to IPL after two years in the wilderness was a special time for their fans, and MS Dhoni has been key in ensuring it has been a successful return. He has led his team brilliantly, and his finishing has been MS Dhoni of old in this tournament. For players with over 400 runs, he easily had the highest average (75.83), with a SR of over 150.
MS Dhoni has led his team brilliantly

7. Andre Russell (Kolkata Knight Riders)

It was a disappointing end to a very good tournament for KKR, but that takes nothing away from Andre Russell’s superb tournament. His 316 runs were accompanied with a SR of 184.79, and picked up 13 wickets even with concerns over his hamstrings. He was a key reason KKR went as far as they did in IPL 2018.
Andre Russell: so much power

8. Sunil Narine (Kolkata Knight Riders)

Another player who was key to KKR’s good tournament. Sunil Narine was good at the top of the order, giving his team plenty of fast starts, finishing with 357 runs at a SR of 189. His tournament also included 17 wickets at an economy rate of 7.65, which is an excellent return. 
Sunil Narine: key player with both bat and ball

9. Rashid Khan (Sunrisers Hyderabad)

In one of the most incredible all-round performances in IPL history against KKR in Qualifier 2, the wonderful Rashid Khan hit 34* off 10 balls, and then took 3/19. In a way, this highlights how important Rashid Khan is to SRH, and he has had a good tournament. He has a chance to win the purple cap, with 21 wickets at a brilliant economy rate of 6.78. He is still 19!
Rashid Khan: superstar

10. Andrew Tye (Kings XI Punjab)

Holder of the purple cap, AJ Tye was another shining light in KXIP’s disappointing end to the season, and enhanced his T20 reputation further. 24 wickets at 18, with an economy rate of 8 an over is deserving of a place among IPL 2018’s elite.
AJ Tye: a good season for disappointing KXIP

11. Umesh Yadav (Royal Challengers Bangalore)

While his death bowling wasn’t always the best, there is no doubt Umesh Yadav had a great tournament. He bowled with great pace and control, and reached the 20-wicket mark in a disappointing campaign for RCB.
Yadav was superb with the ball in IPL 2018
—-
So, is there anyone you would take out from this this team? Who should be included? It’d be great to get your thoughts!

Thanks for reading.

1...474475476...497Page 475 of 497