South African pace spearhead Dale Steyn is facing a hearing from an ICC match referee after allegedly spitting in the direction of West Indian spinner Sulieman Benn.
In a rare role reversal, bad-boy Benn was involved in a controversy that was not his fault! Instead the blame is on the shoulders of usually jovial Steyn.
As Steyn walked off after being dismissed, Benn appeared to merely smile at Steyn, before he glared at off-spinner and unloaded a mouthful of phlem in Benn's direction.
Tuesday, June 29, 2010
Monday, June 28, 2010
Exciting Khawaja gains Test call-up
Thrilling New South Wales batsman Usman Khawaja has gained a call-up to the Australian Test squad at just 23, a young age for an Australian batsman to be blooded into a Test squad.
If Khawaja was to be selected for the first Test against at Lords, it would be a match close to his heart, as he is of Pakistani origin and was born in the bustling city of Islamabad.
On statistics alone, he is certainly worthy of a place in the Test line-up- last season he scored 698 runs in Sheffield Shield with three hundreds at an average of 63.45. What's more, he averaged 41 in the Ford Ranger Cup (limited overs competition) this summer. He is also very prepared for the mental side of Test cricket and is a technically gifted strokemaker.
One thing's for sure: I will certainly be tuning in to see Khawaja and Mohammad Aamer battle it out. I would also like to see him try beat Umar Akmal as a high scorer for the two-Test series
If Khawaja was to be selected for the first Test against at Lords, it would be a match close to his heart, as he is of Pakistani origin and was born in the bustling city of Islamabad.
On statistics alone, he is certainly worthy of a place in the Test line-up- last season he scored 698 runs in Sheffield Shield with three hundreds at an average of 63.45. What's more, he averaged 41 in the Ford Ranger Cup (limited overs competition) this summer. He is also very prepared for the mental side of Test cricket and is a technically gifted strokemaker.
One thing's for sure: I will certainly be tuning in to see Khawaja and Mohammad Aamer battle it out. I would also like to see him try beat Umar Akmal as a high scorer for the two-Test series
Thursday, June 17, 2010
Malinga bowls Lankans to emphatic last gasp win as Pakistan crumble again
A stunning century from Shahid Afridi was not enough to stop Sri Lanka's triumph in the opening match of the 2010 Asia Cup.
Afridi's hundred could not have been more timely- it was his first one day ton in five years and came while Pakistan were floundering at an improbable 4-32, thanks to some fiery pace from Lasith Malinga, who returned his best figures in ODIs.
Sri Lankan skipper Kumar Sangakkara won the toss and elected to bat in fine Dambulla sunshine- until Shoaib Akhtar struck.
The Rawalpindi express, playing in his first game since May 2009 took 3-41 against the Sri Lankans in his Asia Cup comeback and had the Sri Lankans in serious trouble at 7-168 before exciting young allrounder Angelo Matthews hauled the Lions to a respectable 9-242 with his unbeaten 55.
Pakistan's gallant captain put his controversial ball-chewing behind him and scored a magnificent hundred off a mere 76 deliveries (a strike rate Afridi himself would deem rather slow.)
Yet Shahid's fireworks were not enough, as he began to struggle with muscle cramps and finally holed out after being caught behind off the bowling of Sri Lanka's talisman Muttiah Muralidaran. (who took an unlucky 1-76)
This triggered yet another dramatic collapse- needing just 38 from 9.2 overs with four wickets in hand, the Pakistanis capitulated to be all out for 226 when Malinga (5-34 ) returned to remove the tail.
Afridi's hundred could not have been more timely- it was his first one day ton in five years and came while Pakistan were floundering at an improbable 4-32, thanks to some fiery pace from Lasith Malinga, who returned his best figures in ODIs.
Sri Lankan skipper Kumar Sangakkara won the toss and elected to bat in fine Dambulla sunshine- until Shoaib Akhtar struck.
The Rawalpindi express, playing in his first game since May 2009 took 3-41 against the Sri Lankans in his Asia Cup comeback and had the Sri Lankans in serious trouble at 7-168 before exciting young allrounder Angelo Matthews hauled the Lions to a respectable 9-242 with his unbeaten 55.
Pakistan's gallant captain put his controversial ball-chewing behind him and scored a magnificent hundred off a mere 76 deliveries (a strike rate Afridi himself would deem rather slow.)
Yet Shahid's fireworks were not enough, as he began to struggle with muscle cramps and finally holed out after being caught behind off the bowling of Sri Lanka's talisman Muttiah Muralidaran. (who took an unlucky 1-76)
This triggered yet another dramatic collapse- needing just 38 from 9.2 overs with four wickets in hand, the Pakistanis capitulated to be all out for 226 when Malinga (5-34 ) returned to remove the tail.
Monday, June 14, 2010
Do South Africa have Spin Problems?
Do South Africa have Spin Problems?
Upon reflection, South Africa's recent Test win over the West Indies seems flawless. Fiery pace from Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel, and gallant batting from captain Graeme Smith makes the victory seem rather positive.
Yet there is one problem which simply cannot be ignored- Sulieman Benn took 8/194 across both innings, while debutant off-spinner Shane Shillingford provided apt support with 3/96. Not for a minute am I suggesting Sulieman Benn is a sub-par spinner- he fully deserves credit for some great bowling. Benn is a hard working toiler who is capable of upsetting giants on his day, as is proven by his 5/155 against the Australians during the 2nd Test at Adelaide earlier this year.
But when the South Africans hosted the English late last year, Graeme Swann snared 21 wickets. Graeme Swann is undoubtedly one of the up and coming spinners in world cricket, who is tipped to be high on the wicket taking list during the upcoming Ashes series down under.
However quickly these two are improving, the fact remains they are not Shane Warne or Muttiah Muralitharan and neither of them should have done so well against a strong South African batting line-up- at one stage, Benn and his fellow ofiie had the Proteas struggling to keep afloat at 107-5 before Mark Boucher came to the rescue once again.
Upon reflection, South Africa's recent Test win over the West Indies seems flawless. Fiery pace from Dale Steyn and Morne Morkel, and gallant batting from captain Graeme Smith makes the victory seem rather positive.
Yet there is one problem which simply cannot be ignored- Sulieman Benn took 8/194 across both innings, while debutant off-spinner Shane Shillingford provided apt support with 3/96. Not for a minute am I suggesting Sulieman Benn is a sub-par spinner- he fully deserves credit for some great bowling. Benn is a hard working toiler who is capable of upsetting giants on his day, as is proven by his 5/155 against the Australians during the 2nd Test at Adelaide earlier this year.
But when the South Africans hosted the English late last year, Graeme Swann snared 21 wickets. Graeme Swann is undoubtedly one of the up and coming spinners in world cricket, who is tipped to be high on the wicket taking list during the upcoming Ashes series down under.
However quickly these two are improving, the fact remains they are not Shane Warne or Muttiah Muralitharan and neither of them should have done so well against a strong South African batting line-up- at one stage, Benn and his fellow ofiie had the Proteas struggling to keep afloat at 107-5 before Mark Boucher came to the rescue once again.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)