Saturday, July 24, 2010

Tour De France 2010: The Decisive Moment is Here


The race that started at Rotterdam in Netherlands on 3rd July is about to conclude tomorrow along the historical avenue of Champs-Elysees in Paris.

The 52 km Stage 19 time trial today will be the ultimate deciding factor as Alberto Contador and Andy Schleck race to the finish line with only eight seconds of difference between them. Alberto Contador is in the lead with 88h 09 48.

It’s interesting to learn that the first ever Tour de France took place on July 1, 1903 on a 471 km route with 60 riders, 21 of which reached the finish line! This year, the tour covered 3642 kilometres with 22 teams comprising of over 200 contenders participating from around the globe.

Le Tour’s inception took place in an office meeting of French magazine L’Auto. To thwart the falling sales of the magazine, journalist Géo Lefèvre, suggested a six-day nation-wide cycle race, an unprecedented event at the time. The editor, Henri Desgrange, was bold enough to believe in the idea and to throw his backing behind the race. Today, over 500 towns and villages have hosted the Tour (about 2,000 stages and prologues). More than 10,000 riders have taken their chance on the Tour and over 6,000 have completed the race.

An entire century ago, in 1910, the tour included the treacherous and demanding range of mountains – The Pyrenees. Commemorating the 100 years since their inclusion, the Pyrenees held a special focus this time around. 4 of the 20 stages this year crossed through the Pyrenees with an uphill finish on stage 17. And true to form, the week was full of thrills and controversy. The stage passed through the Col du Tourmalet, considered to be the toughest part of the route, covered in dense fog with thousands of fans struggling to get a good vantage point and cheering on the racers.

The talk of the stage was Alberto Contador who took advantage of a mechanical fault in Andy Schleck’s bike to gain lead on him. Contador was heavily criticised for breaking a cardinal Tour rule – you don’t attack the yellow jersey when he has a crash or a ‘mechanical’. The stage ended with Schleck fuming as Contador gained 39 seconds and got ahead of Schleck by 8 seconds, a lead which could very well bring the title home for Contador.

For Lance Armstrong, 7 times Tour De France winner, this was his last run. Doping allegations, illnesses, age and a key accident at stage 8 have all been working against the cycling star. But there was no dearth of supporters wearing his yellow band supporting the Lance Armstrong foundation for cancer and cheering their star through his last feat.

Even though his last effort for a stage win on the Pyrenees at Stage 16 didn’t show result, his performance on one of the most challenging routes and his determination to get one last stage win did win a million hearts. Even at an unbecoming 23rd position, there is no denying that Armstrong still remains king of the roads with a remarkable career that scans almost 2 decades.

Another favourite at the tour has been Mark Cavendish. Even without his most important teammate and lead out man, Mark Renshaw, Cavendish showed yet again that few can touch him when it comes to sprinting. Stage 18 was his 4th stage win this year and his 14th in just 3 years in the Tour. He won the stage with a stunning sprint with time enough to turn back to look at the other riders and raise his fist into the air as he crossed the finish line.

Stage 19 of Tour de France 2010 started today in Bodreaux. It takes the racers through the streets of the beautiful city and the heart of France’s wine country. With the time trial today, all eyes are on Schleck and Contador. But Contador’s lead is only expected to increase as Schleck has lost to Contador in every time trial in which they have competed. The mountain stage was considered a decisive factor for the entire tour. With Contador gaining an eight second lead on the stage, can Schleck catch up?

Fans around the world would be waiting today for this very answer. The riders are to race in inverse order of their standings, which means Contador will be the day's final rider to take the road, just after Schleck. Alberto Contador’s win would hoist Spain into an unbeatable sport nation what with the FIFA 2010 win, Nadal’s Tennis World No.1 as well as Spanish wins in rugby and Formula One.

So who will the fans be cheering on along the Champs-Elysees this Sunday? As the decisive moment arrives, we wait with bated breath.

Friday, July 23, 2010

Magic of Muttiah Muralitharan


On Thursday, 22nd July, on a warm afternoon at Galle International stadium, Muttiah Muralitharan took his 800th test wicket and left behind what will forever be a defining moment for cricket.

At the beginning of the 2nd innings, Murali needed 3 more wickets to make it to the 800. Having removed Yuvraj on the 4th day and Harbhajan Singh on the 5th day, Murali had to wait for his moment on Day 5 as lbw and stumping appeals were turned down and paceman Malinga was liable to blast the Indian tail away at any moment.

At around 1:55 pm, the phenomenal off-spinner snared India’s last wicket, Pragyan Ojha, by tossing one just outside the off stump which brushed Ojha’s bat and carried to Mahela Jayawardene at first slip. Murali had taken his 800th wicket.

Before the test match against India, Muralitharan had announced that it would be his last in test cricket, 800 wickets or not. With 8 wickets short of the big number, very few were expecting Murli to write his name in history with such style and resilience. The 37-year-old virtuoso spent an agonising 228 minutes and 141 deliveries waiting for number 800.

During this last test match of his career, firecrackers went off at the start of every day's play to celebrate Muralitharan's stupendous career and he was given a guard of honour by both the Indian and Sri Lankan players during the match.

Muttiah Muralitharan made his debut in 1992 against Australia. He went on to take his first 100 test wickets in 27 Tests. The evolution of the genius is proven by the fact that the hundreds thereafter came in 15, 16, 14, 15, 14 and 12 Tests respectively. Murali has constantly reinvented himself. His 800 wickets came at an average of 22.72.

The off-spinner has been one of the most talked about players in contemporary cricket as he has had the world cricket debating about his unorthodox and weird bowling action. One of the most controversial spinners in the world, Murali’s debate-inducing moves were in fact responsible for cricket's first proper attempt to define the legal delivery. While studying Murali's action, it was noticed that some of the finest bowlers known for their smooth actions did send down illegal deliveries too.

The mechanics of his bowling action were investigated and cleared on more than one occasion by the International Cricket Council. And then in 2005 the ICC amended its rules to allow bowlers to straighten their arms by up to 15 degrees.

Before the start of the Galle Test, Anil Kumble spoke of Murali’s achievement, "When you see that Murali has played exactly the same number of Tests as me and taken 173 wickets more," he said, "you begin to understand the magnitude of his achievement."

The magnitude of his achievement lies significantly in the legacy he has left behind. The top 3 players who have ever come close to his tally, Shane Warne, Anil Kumble and Glenn McGrath have all retired from test cricket. More importantly, their tally came no where close to the stupendous 800. And so at the moment, there isn’t anyone in the horizon who seems to be able to touch the maestro’s record. With interest in test cricket waning, this page in history might be untouched forever.

Magical Murali Moments

Murali had an enthralling battle for supremacy with Australian leg-spinner Shane Warne as both kept re-writing the highest wicket record.
It was the summer of 2004. Muralitharan claimed the title for highest wicket taker in test cricket for a few months before Australia’s Shane Warne took over. What followed was one of the most eagerly followed and watched series in the history of cricket. Australia Vs Sri Lanka in 2004 had its most interesting moments in the two bowlers who tried to surpass each other. Every match was a tight call. Everyone was glued to their television screens as two maestros of bowling battled it out for the top spot. Murali got the upper hand in the second test as he reached 500 wickets on his home ground in Kandy.

In 2006, in a 2 test series against South Africa, Murali’s 22 wickets in 2 tests was a record for any bowler in a two test series. His worst figures in that entire series were 4/41 in the first innings of the first test.

In July 2007, Muttiah Muralitharan became the second bowler after Warne to capture 700 Test wickets. Still not able to overtake Warne, he reclaimed the record during the first Test against England at Kandy on 3 December 2007. Muralitharan reached the mark in his 116th Test – 29 fewer than Warne – and had conceded only 21.77 runs per wicket compared to the Australian's 25.41. This was also Muralitharan's 61st 5-wicket haul.

He also holds records for taking 10 wickets in a match, an astonishing 22 times and five wickets in an innings, 67 times, the most by any bowler.

In January 1998, Murali took his first ten-wicket haul against Zimbabwe in the first Test at Kandy. Sri Lanka won by eight wickets and Murali had figures of 12 for 117.
And in August that same year he produced his career-best Test match figures of 16 for 220, in the one-off Test against England. In England's second innings Murali bowled a marathon 54.2 overs to pick up 9 for 65 runs.

In 2000, at a time when India were considered the king of spins, he reduced India from 99/2 to 129/6 in a matter of 10 overs, including the wicket of Robin Singh who became his 200th ODI victim. When he snapped up Tendulkar, the end came swiftly. No one had seen India surrender so meekly to spin.

The list is endless. The achievements are many and great. But the magic of Murali has walked its final mile. And he will forever be remembered for his a genius, and as an inspiration for future cricketers.

Sunday, July 18, 2010

CRICKET IN USA



A ball, a bat and hearts full of enthusiasm. America’s favorite game, baseball, is not far in definition from the World’s second most favorite sport, Cricket. And believe it or not, the ties between this “gentleman’s game” and the United States of America go back 3 whole centuries!

Let me begin by telling you some interesting yet less known facts about the sport of cricket in USA:

· Cricket came to USA for the first time in the 1700s through the British.

· The first ever international cricket match was played between USA and Canada! It was held on 24 September 1844 by the St George's Cricket Club at the former Bloomingdale Park in Manhattan.

· The first intercollegiate tournament in America was a cricket tournament.

· There is anecdotal reference that the game of cricket (then called “wicket” at times) was popular amongst the troops of Valley Forge and that George Washington himself enjoyed a game of “wicket”.

· As late as 1855, the New York press was still devoting more space to coverage of cricket than to baseball.

But here’s the Big Irony.

Cricket used to be one of the most popular sport in America during the 1700s, 1800s and even early 1900s. After the United States Civil War the baseball team, Cincinnati Red Stockings brought a talented young bowler from the St. George's Cricket Club in New York to serve as a player and manager of the team. Harry Wright applied the "scientific" batting and specialized placement of fielders that he had learned in cricket to his new sport, a major reason for the Cincinnati team's undefeated 1869 season. Ironically, this was also instrumental in declining the popularity of cricket and securing the place of baseball as one of the most popular sports in the country.

But today the situation has changed drastically. Cricket, with all its similarities and disparities with Baseball, is gaining popularity in USA.

The reasons for this are varied.

USA has a population of 16 million immigrants from various Commonwealth countries like India, Pakistan and West Indies, where cricket has been extremely popular over the years and they have been a crucial factor in increasing cricket’s popularity in USA.

There is more interest and enthusiasm for the game today with the advent of 20-over matches and tournaments like the Hong Kong Super 6’s which suit the American style more.

Many believe that the game is a natural for American TV because of the ready-made breaks at the end of over for advertising. The limited over game also fits well into the four-five hour attention span of the public.

A significant point is that cricket is the second most popular sport in the World. The international governing body of the sport, International Cricket Council or ICC, has 104 member countries. With a huge fan-base and ever-increasing popularity, the sport has huge potential for a sport-crazy country like America.

The team that represents the United States of America in international cricket is called The United States National Cricket Team. The team became an associate member of the ICC in 1965.

The United States participated in the ICC Trophy when the tournament started in 1979. They have been successful and have continued to improve ever since.

A Short History of American Cricket

In the 1800s, cricket enjoyed its greatest popularity along the east coast corridor between Philadelphia and New York. A contemporary report notes that upwards of 5,000 people played the game in those cities.

In 1833, students at Haverford College established what is generally accepted as the first cricket club exclusively for Americans. This club was short-lived, but helped to keep interest in the sport alive in Philadelphia leading to the foundation of the Philadelphia Cricket Club in 1854 and the Germantown and Young America clubs in 1855. By this time, Philadelphia had become the unofficial "Cricket Capital of America."

The Philadelphian cricket team was a team that represented Philadelphia in first-class cricket between 1878 and 1913. In Philadelphia, the sport was always very popular and from the end of the 19th century until the outbreak of World War I, the city produced a first class team that rivaled many others in the world.

American Cricket Today

Some of the cricket clubs playing across the country are Edison Cricket Club, Commonwealth cricket club, British officer’s cricket club and York cricket club.

The Houston Cricket League is slowly gaining popularity as it provides young players with a platform to play organized cricket and endeavors to create an international team to compete with the best in the world.

Ever heard of the Bay Area Badshahs, San Francisco Blasters, DreamCricket Fooglies, Fresno Falcons, NCCA Vice Presidents XI, Santa Clara Cricket Club, Union City Cricket Club and WIN? These teams contested for the 20-20 USA Independence TANA Cup tournament which made its debut in Santa Clara, California on July 3 hosted by the North California Cricket Association (NCCA) and sponsored by the Telugu Association of North America (TANA).

The Compton Cricket Club or CCC is a cricket club based in, Compton, Los Angeles County, California. The CCC is an all American-born disadvantaged exhibition cricket team. The team includes Latino and African American ex-gang members. Founded in 1995 by US homeless activist Ted Hayes and Hollywood movie Producer Katy Haber to combat the negative effect of poverty, urban decay and crime in Compton, the club uses the ideals of sportsmanship, and the particular importance of etiquette and fair play in cricket, to help players develop respect for authority, a sense of self-esteem and self-discipline.

Recent Developments

Developments in recent years suggest that fortunes are changing.

In recent times, USA participated in the 2004 ICC Champions Trophy. Even though they were beaten in matches against Australia and New Zealand, this involvement in the 2004 cup as well as their decent performances in the qualifying matches for the World Cup does show a rapid increase in the popularity of the sport.

The team recently played in 2010 Division Five (World Cricket League) and won promotion to 2010 Division Four. If they are able to get placed in the top two in 2010 Division Four, they will be further promoted to 2011 Division Three. This will increase their chances of qualifying for 2015 Cricket World Cup.

A current development in the ties between Cricket and America is the exhibit called “Swinging Away: How Cricket and Baseball Connect”, hosted jointly by the Marylebone Cricket Club and the National Baseball Hall of fame. The exhibit celebrates the similarities and differences between the two sports. It is currently being displayed at the museum at the Lord's cricket ground in London and will be held next April by The Baseball Hall of Fame, based in Cooperstown, New York.

This wonderful article by John Burns of The New York Times, explores the historical connect between Cricket and Baseball. "Cricket and Baseball Find Common Ground in Show"

Today, there are 30,000 registered players and about 200,000 people who play cricket of some sort at weekends in USA, says Don Lockerbie, chief executive of the USA Cricket Association. Throw in an estimated 15 million fans, 950 clubs and 48 leagues, and the game probably hasn't been this healthy since that famous match in 1844.

The first international-standard stadium has been completed in Florida, at a cost of $15m (£9.3m). A pilot scheme in New York, in which 32 schools play cricket, is in its third year, for pupils aged 15 to 19. And in Atlanta, 35 schools have introduced the sport into their physical education class.

Cricket's supporters in the US have also been finding themselves in the media spotlight. Joseph O'Neill's highly-acclaimed novel Netherland, which has been championed by Oprah Winfrey and President Barack Obama, tells the story of cricket-playing immigrants in New York and is to be made into a Hollywood film.

With such emerging trends, there is no doubt that Cricket is fast becoming a major sport in America. 20-20 cricket is especially believed to capture the attention and passions of the American public. As different forms of the game gain momentum through the world and capture American attention, USA seems all set to scream “Howzzat!”

Thursday, July 15, 2010

Australia vs Pakistan (1st Test, Lords) Summary as of Now


Introduction

Pakistan vs Australia (Pak vs Aus) 1st test live cricket score and streaming Lords 2010 Ten Sports owns the telecasting rights for all the matches under PCB. So, Australia Vs Pakistan match in England is broadcasted by Tensports and other channels throughout the world.

Pakistan Cricket Board is hosting Australia for two Test matches in England. After the completion of 2 T20s, the test series starts July 13, Tuesday. Australia was defeated in both the T20s played earlier this month. Pakistan team seems to have gain some momentum from the victories but remember that T20 and test are adverse to each other. And the team is first time captained by Shahid Afridi in the Tests.

1st Day Highlights:

A SIX-wicket collapse that began on the last ball before tea has severely undermined Australia's solid start to its Test series against Pakistan in London.

The first day of the match, played at Lord's because of the volatile security situation in Pakistan, looked to be firmly in Australia's control when, after being sent in under overcast conditions, it was set to go to the second break at a formidable 2-171, with Simon Katich and Michael Clarke building on their century partnership.

The situation changed markedly when canny Pakistan paceman Mohammad Asif claimed three wickets in seven deliveries - Clarke (47), Katich (80) and Marcus North (zero) - to spark the lower-order collapse.

Australia could well have been bowled out within the shortened first day had bad light not stopped play after 70 overs. The suspension allowed it to go to stumps at 9-229, with Mike Hussey unbeaten on 39 and Doug Bollinger yet to score.

The extent of Pakistan's success on the day was reflected in six of the nine completed Australian partnerships failing to reach double figures.

Shane Watson's first Test appearance at the ground began poorly when he departed 20 minutes in when an Aamer delivery he shouldered arms to crept over his pads onto his stumps.

Any optimism Australian captain Ricky Ponting might have felt about overhauling Brian Lara to become the No.2 run-scorer in Test history, which he achieved in the 17th over, evaporated the very next ball when, on 26, he firmly turned Aamer off his pads and was superbly snared at short-leg by 20-year-old debutant Umar Amin.

Clarke, in his first innings as Australia's permanent No.4 batsman, was in sparkling form for most of his innings, not because of his stroke-play and smart footwork but also because of his judgement to leave dangerous deliveries that only just evaded his stumps.

The next time the vice-captain, who briskly moved to 34, looked fallible was when Aamer was brought back into the attack for his third spell. In the left-armer's first two overs back, Clarke three times played and missed attempting to drive outside off-stump.

As Clarke's fluency disappeared, Katich's arrived for the first time in his innings - in a big way. At one stage both batsmen were on 44, yet within about half an hour Katich had raced to 70 with Clarke scoring an additional run.

The opener was, admittedly, helped by some extremely loose bowling by Afridi, who deservedly leaked 25 runs from his three overs. Katich's surging strike rate allowed him and Clarke to bring up their 100-run partnership in just 95 minutes.

Australia looked set to go to tea firmly in the ascendancy but on the last ball before the break Clarke was harshly adjudged leg-before to Asif for 47. It was the start of the superb three-wicket stint by the relentless swing bowler that pulled Australia back from 2-171 to 5-174.

In his first over after the tea break Asif trumped Katich with a ball that moved away in line with the famous Lord's slope and caught his outside edge. The right-armer's next ball was a superb full inswinger that trapped left-hander Marcus North directly in front but was not appealed, while the next ball also looked to be a strong leg-before shout. It was inconsequential because Asif then immediately fired a full delivery through North's bat and pad to claim the left-hander for a duck.

Australia's debutants were the next two batsmen to go. Paine departed for seven from 46 balls when he was caught behind off Umar Gul, albeit probably from the best delivery of the day's play, and then an over later Smith was trapped in front by a top-spinner from fellow leggie Danish Kaneria. The heat-camera replay suggested an inside edge onto pad but it was so slight that Rudi Koertzen could be excused for the decision.

Having Mitchell Johnson batting at No.9 would ordinarily seem to be a sign of batting depth, although the manner of his departure yesterday for three - bowled by Kaneria attempting a reckless heave over mid-wicket - made a mockery of suggestions that began a year or so ago that he was on the path to becoming an all-rounder.

No.10 batsman Hilfenhaus too fell to a cracking delivery, this time from Aamer, but Bollinger managed to survive the 10 deliveries he faced late in the day.

Ben Hilfenaus: The Player of the Day (2nd Day)

Ben Hilfenhaus made two timely breakthroughs to keep Australia firmly in the contest on the second day at Lord's, as Pakistan moved along to 49 for 2 by lunch, having taken 6.5 overs to claim Australia's final first-innings wicket and bowl them out for 253. Mike Hussey, who resumed on 39 not out overnight, duly brought up a battling half-century before his partner, Doug Bollinger, was yorked for 4 by Mohammad Aamer to bring to an end a valuable 31-run stand.

It was a sedate session, certainly when compared to the fearsome new-ball spell that Pakistan's openers, Aamer and Mohammad Asif, had produced on the first day, but with plenty cloud cover overhead and a hint of assistance from the surface, Australia's bowlers proved to be a handful even while struggling to locate the correct line and length for the conditions.

Hilfenhaus was the pick of the bowlers by a distance, as he attacked the stumps of the left-handers with a full inswinging length, while keeping the right-handed debutant Azhar Ali under the cosh in a cautious maiden innings. Having started the morning from the Pavilion End, Hilfenhaus switched ends after two overs and made an instant impact as he nipped an off-stump delivery up the slope, for the wicketkeeper Tim Paine to collect the first catch of his Test career.

That brought Azhar to the crease, who was chosen in the squad after racking up 445 runs in ten innings in the recent Quaid-e-Azam trophy, and thrust into his Test debut in place of the veteran Shoaib Malik. He got off the mark with a second-ball single through the covers, and picked off two fours behind square on the off and leg side as he pursued a safety-first approach in his maiden innings. But with five minutes to go until lunch, Hilfenhaus beat him with some extra lift outside off, and Paine was on hand to claim his second victim.

Butt, meanwhile, moved along to a composed 26 not out by the break, as he guarded his off stump with diligent strides down the pitch while cashing in on regular width from the Australian bowlers by crashing five fours square of the wicket, one off the hips and four through the covers. With another debutant, Umar Amin, yet to face a ball by the interval, his continued presence could prove critical to Pakistan's post-lunch fortunes.

3rd Day: Pakistan Fight Hard in World Record Chase:

Teams facing the prospect of a world-record run-chase generally find themselves praying for rain at some stage of the proceedings, but Pakistan have never been the most conventional of outfits. When play resumes for Friday's fourth day, every batsman in the "home" dressing room will be praying for skies as cloudless as those that they might expect in Karachi at this time of year, as they set their sights on a marathon target of 440 to win the first Test against Australia.

It is an outlandish notion, especially given that the same 11 cricketers crumbled to 148 all out in Pakistan's first innings, but such is the effect that the weather has on Lord's. When the atmosphere is heavy, the ball does handstands, but when the sun breaks through, the pitch becomes as flat as Faisalabad - as Salman Butt and the debutant Azhar Ali demonstrated in taking Pakistan's score to a confident 114 for 1 in 37 overs at the close of the third day.

The only breakthrough came when Imran Farhat suffered a rush of blood against Steven Smith, and wiped a horrid cross-batted mow to Shane Watson at midwicket to give the young legspinner his maiden Test wicket. Butt on the other hand chose his shots far more responsibly, to push confidently along to an unbeaten 58 - his second half-century of the match. Alongside him, the 25-year-old Azhar displayed a calm assurance in a tense scenario, even though Ben Hilfenhaus might well have capped a personally memorable day by pinning him lbw for 28 from the very last ball of the day.

And so the match boiled down to a simple equation. Pakistan need a further 326 runs for victory, Australia need nine more wickets in six sessions. It was a scenario reminiscent, in fact, of Australia's last visit to Lord's in 2009, when England assumed the match was in the bag as the Aussies chased a massive 522 in the fourth innings, only for Michael Clarke and Brad Haddin to run them uncomfortably close as they finished on 406. It took a never-say-die intervention from Andrew Flintoff to overcome the conditions (and the opponents) that day. Australia won't want history to have to repeat itself.

This time around, the third morning dawned as both of the first two had done, with dank skies overhead and all sorts of opportunities for Pakistan's seamers to capitalise on their late burst of four wickets in 10.1 overs on the previous evening. The fact that they were thwarted was almost entirely thanks to the determination of Australia's opener, Simon Katich, who batted 174 balls for an invaluable 83 - a performance that, in addition to his first-innings 80, looked sure to have him nailed down for the Man of the Match award.

But then, midway through the afternoon session, with Australia's innings ebbing away on 208 for 8, the heavens cleared and the context of the contest was transformed. Each of Australia's three remaining batsmen - the debutant wicketkeeper Tim Paine, and Nos. 10 and 11, Hilfenhaus and Doug Bollinger - recorded their Test-best scores as Pakistan's seamers found that the ball was now refusing to budge an inch from the straight and narrow.

Hilfenhaus's previous best had been an insubstantial 20, but he bettered that in boundaries alone, as he took the long handle to a conveyor belt of dispirited bowlers, not least Mohammad Asif, who had been so deadly under the cloud cover, but now suffered the indignity of being cracked over the covers for a nose-rubbing six.

For Paine, the contrast between first innings and second could scarcely have been more stark. On Tuesday he had laboured to 7 from 46 balls as Asif and Mohammad Aamer kept him under the cosh. Now he found himself cruising to 47 from 85, in a ninth-wicket stand of 74. His one moment of discomfort came on 4, when Umar Gul bent his back to nip a lifter into his nether regions, but it was quite some surprise when he played around a full-length delivery from Afridi to be bowled on the brink of his maiden half-century.

After picking up the solitary wicket of the nightwatchman, Mitchell Johnson, in the morning session, Pakistan had resumed after lunch with one of their typically intermittent bursts of inspiration, when Gul and Asif struck within three balls of one another to remove both not-out batsmen, Katich and Marcus North (20) without addition to the score. When Smith fell lbw to the second ball of Danish Kaneria's new spell, three key wickets had fallen for 20, and Australia's advantage - 313, with two wickets standing - didn't look quite so insuperable.

But then the sun peeked through the clouds for the first time in eight sessions, and Australia's tail wagged to such violent effect that the end-of-innings scorecard looked like an administrative error, with nine men reaching double figures, but none other than Ricky Ponting and Michael Hussey making ducks. It was a fact that highlighted how much the game had changed. A contest that had started with a clatter of wickets looked set to be decided amid a deluge of runs. Australia remain overwhelming favourites, but if the clouds stay away, Pakistan could yet make them toil.

4th Day: Marcus North spins Australia to Massive Win, Still not the Player of the Match

Marcus North claimed the remarkable figures of 6 for 55 to join Shane Watson on the brand-new neutral honors board at Lord's, while Steven Smith chipped in with three key scalps in his first spell in Test cricket, as Pakistan hurtled to defeat by 150 runs on the fourth afternoon of the first Test against Australia.

Set an improbable 440 for victory, Pakistan began their chase boldly through the efforts of Salman Butt, who made a fluent 92 in a 102-run stand for the second wicket with the debutant Azhar Ali, and at 152 for 1 with more than five sessions of the match remaining, there was an outside chance of a miracle taking place. But North's introduction transformed the contest shortly before lunch.

With his eyes lighting up as North floated his first delivery gently towards his pads, Butt toppled out of his crease to be stumped down the leg-side by Tim Paine, before Umar Akmal jabbed a lifter to slip on the stroke of lunch. With wickets continuing to slip away thereafter, the last vestige of Pakistani hope vanished when the captain Shahid Afridi slapped his fourth delivery down the throat of deep midwicket for 2 - a shot which doubtless contributed to his post-match declaration that next week's Headingley Test would be his last.

Bowling unchanged from the Nursery End for 18 overs straight, North's seemingly innocuous offspinners proved too tempting for an impetuous Pakistan line-up, who found a succession of unworthy ways to fling their wickets away. Umar Amin was impressively snaffled by the Man of the Match, Simon Katich at short leg, but in the same over, Afridi's hoick towards the Grandstand boundary was brainless in the extreme, as Mike Hussey steadied himself well to pouch a skier just inside the rope.

At 229 for 6, there was little hope of Pakistan coming back into the contest, let alone dig in for the draw, although Kamran Akmal and Mohammad Aamer defied their fading expectations in a 54-run stand for the seventh wicket than spanned 19 overs. But when Ricky Ponting freed up the leg-side boundary to tempt Akmal into a mow, the effect was instantaneous. Smith slipped in a quicker ball to peg back his middle stump, as the last four wickets tumbled for six runs in 26 deliveries.

Ponting by now had the new ball at his disposal, but he saw no need to change the pattern of the session, especially with bright sunshine overhead and little prospect of swing. It took five more deliveries for Aamer to pick out Hussey at deep midwicket with a slog-sweep - only moments after the fielder had been waved into position - before Smith claimed a third courtesy of Umar Gul, who wafted a leading edge to Ponting at short cover. One over later, the deed was done, as Danish Kaneria patted a tame drive to Ponting once again, to leave North in possession of the best figures ever by an Australian spinner at Lord's.

The last rites came in a rush, but Pakistan had made Australia work hard for much of the day's play. After a confident start to a mountainous run-chase on Thursday evening, they had resumed on 114 for 1, still requiring an improbable 326 to make history and end a run of 12 consecutive defeats at the hands of the Aussies. But the overnight pair of Butt and Azhar showed no signs of anxiety as they racked up 48 runs in the first ten overs of the day under moderately overcast skies that always promised to clear up as the day progressed.

Butt, who resumed on 58 not out, was once again the main source of Pakistani optimism, as he cashed in on a wayward first spell from Mitchell Johnson to slash four fours over the covers in the space of 10 deliveries, before angling the first ball of Watson's spell through third man for another boundary. Following on from his first-innings 63, the innings briefly carried his Test average against Australia past the 50 mark.

But slowly as first, and then with increasing confidence, Australia made their weight of runs count on a brittle Pakistani line-up. Though Azhar continued the composed performance he had begun the previous evening, he was always on the defensive against Ben Hilfenhaus, against whom he squirted consecutive boundaries through the gully before, on 42, snicking a perfect outswinger to Paine behind the stumps.

Hilfenhaus's rhythm was disrupted one over later when he dived awkwardly at third man and jarred his left shoulder on the turf, but with the weather now brightening up immeasurably, his job for the day was as good as done. Into the attack came North, and out of his crease toppled Butt, whose quest to become the first centurion in a neutral Test at Lord's for 98 years ended in an agonising fashion.

It was the opening that Australia needed. Ponting's persistence with North suited the new man, Umar Akmal, just fine, as he climbed onto the offensive in his typically uninhibited manner, smacking a six and a four back over the bowler's head in consecutive overs to move to 22 from 30 deliveries. But the lure of easy runs came at a price, as Umar and his middle-order team-mates would soon discover to their cost.

Monday, July 12, 2010

Spain win FIFA World Cup 2010


The Images of the Spanish Victory showered in Golden Confetti, Sunday night from Soccer City, are still splashing all over news channels. Spain has won the FIFA World Cup for the first time; it’s a moment for the pages of history.

With both Netherlands and Spain being the only teams to have won all their qualification matches and Netherlands having been undefeated all throughout the tournament, the stage was set for an exciting match on Sunday night. Added to that was the anticipation running around 5 key players, each vying for the Golden Ball.

All eyes were on Sneijder and Villa to battle it out and put up the best game of the tournament. But neither could create magic for their teams. The last game of the FIFA 2010 turned out to be quiet a drag through the 90 minutes of play, until Andres Iniesta swooped in during extra time, hitting a pass from mid-fielder Fábregas past through the Dutch defence to score the winning goal for his team, with only 4 minutes time left.

The game had its moments, including a record 14 Yellow cards (9 of which were issued to Dutch players) and 1 red card for the Netherland’s defender, John Heitinga which left the Dutch with only 10 men to battle out the last 11 minutes. A loss that cost them heavily in the 116th minute when Iniesta scored. Eight players were booked in little over an hour in Soccer City and the constant interruptions proved to be quiet frustrating, for those on field as well as for the spectators.

This is Netherland’s 3rd final defeat in the World Cup and the first time that a European nation has won the World Cup outside of Europe. For Spain, coming after their Euro Cup win in 2008 against Germany and a long struggle, it’s a case of Beauty winning over the Beast. The team has been lauded for their artistic style which won over the brute force of Netherlands. The Spanish media is calling it “Poetic Justice” while others call it the victory of football as the Spanish side stuck to its attacking philosophy and won the game “the right way”, without ugly tactics or physical force. It was truly the beautiful game, classic style.

Thomas Meuller, of Germany, won the Golden Boot with his 5 goals and 3 assists, while Uruguay’s Diego Forlan won the Golden Ball as the World Cup’s best player. Mueller also won the title of Best Young Player.

The 2010 World Cup cannot be termed the most breath-taking ever, but drama and excitement did come in dozes. There were several disappointments with individual players such as Ronaldo, Rooney and Kaka but in the end, team effort has shown its strength. Spain very splendidly proved till their last game that the best performers are teams.

This World Cup will also be remembered for some unconventional reasons including several referee blunders which lead to debates regarding the use of better technology during matches. For Shakira’s “Waka Waka”. For Paul, the octopus who achieved celebrity status through his predictions. For South Africa's unbreakable enthusiasm as first-time hosts and for the vuvuzela which, despite all debates, will forever be synonymous with the South African World Cup.

And for the official song which captured a million hearts with its unique style. When I get older, I will be stronger, They’ll call me freedom, Just like the waving flag......And Spain’s flags are waving away to glory.

So Goodbye FIFA 2010.

Next installation: Brazil, 2014

Sunday, July 11, 2010

The Golden Question - Who get's the Golden Ball?

The World Cups finals are tonight and many eyes are on the Golden ball.

The Golden Ball trophy is awarded every World Cup to the best player of the tournament. Followed by a second place Silver ball and third place Bronze ball.

FIFA’s Technical Study Group announced the Golden ball nominees on 9th July. Here’s a quick review of the nominees and what the FIFA Technical Study Group have to say about them:

Diego Forlan (Uruguay) – Striker

Architect of the team’s attack, very influential, great impact for his team, provider of quality final passes, goal scorer, set pieces/shots from long range

Asamoah Gyan (Ghana) – Striker

Huge work rate, efficient, good dribbler, creates problems to each defence, good goal scorer

Andres Iniesta (Spain) – Mid-Fielder

Very fine ball-playing attacking midfielder, a star for the team, impressive dribbling ability

Lionel Messi (Argentina) – Forward

The best footballer around , Outstanding in his pace and creativity for his team, dribbling, shooting, passing – spectacular and efficien

Mesut Oezil (Germany) – Mid-Fielder

A real talent for the present and the future, quick feet and great vision, good final and decisive passes

Arjen Robben (Netherlands) – Forward

Very good pace and dribbling skills, wonderful ability to cut inside from the right, effective to his team

Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany) – Mid-Fielder

Impressive by his first pass (forward and accurate), very good passer, has moments of individual brilliance, ball-winner

Wesley Sneijder (Netherlands) – Mid-Fielder

A maestro in midfield, exceptional work rate, the engine of Netherland’s attacks, excellent passer and scorer

David Villa (Spain) – Forward

Top scorer; quick, two footed, very good on one-on-one situations, provides good final passes, excellent finisher

Xavi (Spain) – Mid-Fielder
The metronome and the engine of the Spanish team, very influential in the passing style of the game, one of the finest midfielders in the tournament

The winners would be voted on by accredited media representatives and announced tonight after the final game. This time around, however, FIFA has decided to wait until the final whistle at Soccer City before the votes are cast, an important decision coming after Zidane’s head-butting right after he had just won the Golden Ball at the 2006 FIFA World Cup.


The absence of top players such as Rooney, Kaka and Ronaldo, who were favourites at the beginning of the tournament is another in a long string of disappointments since the World Cup began in June. However, the player whose absence is angering most fans is Thomas Mueller of Germany who emerged as an overnight success with his four goals, including two against England and one against Argentina.


Ghana’s Asamoah Gyan, the player with the most shots in the tournament at 33, has made it to the list as he spearheaded Ghana's charge to the quarter-finals with three goals and looked set to be the star player for Africa until he missed the crucial penalty shot against Uruguay.


The presence of both Oezil and Schweinsteiger reinstates Germany’s mid-field dominance in this tournament. A relative unknown, Oezil proved to be a surprise as he scored a stunning long range strike against Ghana and ripped England to shreds in the 4-1 second round, while Schweinsteiger superbly headed the midfield for Germany's young team.


But the clear favourites are David Villa and Wesley Sneijder, with 5 goals each so far in the tournament, which also puts them in the lead for the Golden Boot. Since votes will be cast after the match, both players have a last chance to outshine the other. Iniesta and Xavi of Spain are also top competitors and will have the same edge of being part of the final game. With Dutch player Arjen Robben also in the top 10 list, we can be sure of an exciting game tonight as 5 players compete for the top spot.



Thursday, July 8, 2010

Tour De France - Cycling gets interesting


Tour De France is an annual bicycle race held for the first time in the year 1903. It covers approximately 3600 kilometers throughout France and bordering countries. The course is different every year but it always finishes in Paris. The race continues for three weeks and has cyclists participating from around the world. The race has different stages and individual times taken by each cyclist to finish each stage are added up in the end to determine the winner. The rider with lowest aggregate time each day gets a yellow jersey.

Tour De France 2010 started on 3rd July and will run till the 25th July. This is the 97th tour consisting of 1 prologue and 20 stages covering a total distance of 3642 kilometers. The 2010 Tour was launched from the south side of Rotterdam from where they were headed north. The different stages this year will include 1 prologue, 9 flat stages, 6 mountain stages and 3 summit finishes, 4 medium mountain ranges and 1 individual time trial stage (52km).

Lance Armstrong has won the maximum number of races. He won the race consecutively for 7 times from 1999-2005. He is an American cyclist. Lance was retired from racing in 2005 but returned to cycling in 2009 and finished third at the Tour De France 2009.

The winners of different stages are:

· Prologue - Cancellara Fabian from Team Saxo Bank

· Stage 1 – Petacchi Alessandro from Lampre - Farnese

· Stage 2 – Chavanel Sylvain from Quick Step

· Stage 3 – Hushovd Thor from Cervelo Test Team

· Stage 4 – Petacchi Alessandro from Lampre - Farnese

· Stage 5 – Cavendish Mark from Team HTC - Columbia

The overall leaders after Stage 5 based on time are:

1. Cancellara Fabian (Team Saxo Bank)

2. Thomas Geraint (Sky Pro Cycling)

3. Evans Cadel (BMC Racing Team)

Armstrong is competing for the last time this year. He rides for Team Radio Shack. After Stage 5, Armstrong’s overall standing on the basis of time is 18thwhile his team is at the 11th position.

Cancellara Fabian has been able to maintain his position winning the yellow jersey day after day. Looks like he is going to become the overall winner this year beating the other 21 teams.

We are cyclying ... are you??

World Cup Finalists are here.. Spain vs Netherlands



We have the two Finalist : Spain vs Netherlands


Spain : Who reach have reached the world cup Finals for the first time ever

Netherlands : Who have never won a World Cup before. Although the Dutch have twice been finalists (1974 and 1978) they are yet to win a trophy,

So we can be sure of one thing that the Trophy will bear a new name this time.

Netherlands defeated Uruguay 3-1 on their way to the semi-finals.

and Spain defended well to beat the Germans 1-0.


Both these teams have displayed tremendous patience and perseverance on their way to the final , with them having majority possession in most of the games.

The final slated to be played on 11th July at the soccer city stadium in Johannesburg is set to be the most awaited match.


So whom are you supporting..




Sunday, July 4, 2010

Nadal's on the Greener Grass : Wins Wimbledon






The Spaniard Rafael Nadal has won his second Wimbledon title after being in his fourth final , beating Tomas Berdych , who had won against Federer.

Nadal won the match : 6-3, 7-5, 6-4

This is his eighth Grand Slam title , he won his seventh just a few weeks before in France.

Nadal didn't have to break into a sweat and had a smooth match. Berdych was trying hard but Nadal was at his best.

Berdych who had earlier been the semi-finalist at the French open , will see his confidence level boost for the rest of the season.

What this does is Nadal stays at No.1 , but Federer moves down to No. 3 in Rankings.

Well we had a Great Wimbledon... see you next at the US open..

Thursday, July 1, 2010

World Cup : Quarter Finals

The Games lined-up for Quarter Final are:

Brazil vs Netherlands

Ghana vs Uruguay

Germany vs Argentina

Paraguay vs Spain


It's going to be an exciting weekend ahead....
Brazil are 5 times world champions who meet the eqully flamboyant Netherlands.
Both have played fantastic football and this match is sure gonna be exciting.

Ghana have the hopes of Africa on them , who are all praying for them to win.
Germany and Argentina have been at par excellence. Germany is a young side which has shown great maturity and discipline all the way and Argentina simply has Messi the unstoppable footballer who gives opponents sleepless nights.

Spain play against Paraguay on 3rd July. Spain has never won the World Cup and are gearing in to perform to correct the record books. Paraguay has played well as a team and will not make it easy for Spain.

So whom are you rooting for.. Let us now your Favorites and your predictions.