Skip to main content

Zaheer hogs the limelight

Zaheer Khan unleashed a devastating spell that was too much for the Bangladeshi batsmen, to come up with a haul of 7 for 87, which knocked the wind out of the opponents sail to enable a comfortable Indian test victory and with it an unassailable 2-0 test series victory. Bangladesh’s second innings total read 312 when Zaheer’s magic had the batsmen reeling and which triggered the inevitable collapse.

Shewag and Gambhir completed the formalities, as the two winning runs came in the form of byes and India has now inched closer to dethrone doubts of many who still aren’t able to fathom the fact pertaining to India holding on to the Number 1 ICC spot in test cricket. With the overnight score of 228 for 3, the first hour saw the Bangladeshi batsmen offer stiff resistance, as the first 13 overs yielded 50 runs. After Shahadat had made use of the long handle to a telling effect, he fell to the rush of blood as Harbajan emerged victorious by capturing his wicket. This was just the beginning as the other Bangladeshi batmen succumbed to some sensational seam bowling, before adding 22 runs to the total.

Zaheer with his reverse swing polished the tail to bag the man-of-the-match award as well as the Man-of-the-series award. Bangladesh has a long way to go before it can really make a mark to be recognized as a tough competitor.

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

Ash, Batters Despised Your ‘Mate’ Call

Check, mate was a bugle call from that Grand Master. The batters turned pawns, and he the captor. My Tribe. And when someone from your tribe shatters the illusion of off-spinners being not intelligent and sharp, you owe him, or certainly I owe him an ode to an off-spinner, our tribe. My tribe has done the cricket world proud, time and again. Ash, Ash Wednesday, it was. Remarkably, a reflection perhaps of how off spinners have defied the notion of them being orchestrators of damp squibs. Or of repentance of my tribe as not to have set the score straight with their brains deceiving the brawn with flight. Your clarion call may have come out of the blue, denied you the solemn farewell, and may have invited thunderous denunciations. So, what? You will find succor to know that your tribe celebrates you – one of the hallowed sons of the tribe. Your display of cognitive superiority, mind-game thrillers, and the stamp of off-spinning authority on the field puts you there among the pantheons. Th...

Playing a Straight Bat - Traditional Batting c Modern Batting b T-20 Live?

  There has always been a riveting talk of traditional batting being blighted by Modern batting. Some whisper the emphatic No, while many bellow the affirmative Yes, or perceptually, it could go the other way. The ongoing craftsmanship vs showmanship game seems to stutter into a draw. But that showmanship of T20 has ignited different avatars of modern batting. And there is also the obvious swap of modern batting for traditional batting in the longer formats of the game. As an anodyne, the mind connects Viv to T-20 cricket live. You can hold Viv Richards as the archetype of T-20 batting. But that’s the story of a craftsman come crowd-pleaser soaked in traditional batting delight. Viv Richards was ace high on traditional bating display. Talking of the infectious modern batting, the flip the script moment on the cricket field awaits. White flanneled colts on the cricket field are a pleasing sight. The roving eyes detect the Cardusian field setup - two slips, a gully, a point, a co...

A Little Bird Told Me

The sound of clickety-clack in no way overpowered the urge to take a peep into the gorgeous M.A. Chidambaram stadium. As the train whistled past the stadium, the glimpse of the sanctum-sanctorum with the lush green outfield and the 22 yard strip was just the sight the tired eyes were yearning for. My spirits soared at the mere sight, but did not peak as it should have for the moment of truth was far away. The wait at the stadium for this moment of truth is a nerve-racking ordeal. Minutes, perhaps seconds, would mean a whole day at the stadium waiting for the action to begin. The excitement begins only when two men walk into the field, signaling the start of play. The limelight they hog, for minutes, virtually falls on the men in white as they make the entry. Their tribe counts more sticks thrown at them than the carrots that come as a pittance. Judgmental errors, lack of control, misuse of authority, intoned bias have been the curse for some men of this tribe who have paid a ...