Who Was the Greatest Cricket Batsman?
In many sports you find that there is heated debate when comparing great players of differing generations. Cricket is no different, although I feel that there can be little argument over who was the sport's greatest batsman of all time.
Sir Donald Bradman will forever be known as a legend of the game. The Australian Test Match player, known affectionately as "The Don", began his international career in 1928.
Bradman was 20 years of age and his debut came against Australia's greatest cricketing rival, England. The match was played in Brisbane and gave few hints as to the brilliance of Bradman, as he was dismissed for just 18 in the first innings, batting at number seven.
The second innings was even worse for Don and his Australian team-mates. Bradman scored only 1 run, as the Australia team were dismissed for a feeble total of 66, leading to a massive defeat.
Bradman's poor performance saw him miss out on the Second Test but he returned for the Third Test in Melbourne. Australia were again defeated but Bradman was to shine, making 79 in the first innings and his first Test century in the second.
He was to again perform with credit in the Fourth Test but was not to be part of a winning team until the final Test Match, in Melbourne, where his century in the second innings helped Australia to a win.
The following year Bradman was part of the team that regained the Ashes on tour in England. It was during this series that many saw the wonderful talent for the first time.
His performances in England included a century, two double centuries and his greatest ever innings - 334 runs in the drawn Third Test at Headingley.
By the time that he retired from Test cricket in 1948, Bradman had scored no less than 29 centuries and just short of 7,000 runs from his 52 matches for Australia.
His final batting average of 99.94 is unlikely to ever be bettered.
Bradman is undoubtedly the finest batsman ever to play the game of cricket.
Top Tips for Cricket Bowlers
Bowling isn’t a natural activity for most people, and it’s important to get the basics right to avoid injury. There is lots of fine detail to think about, but keeping it simple is the best way to perform well and stay injury free. There is an ECB Directive that limits the number of overs that juniors can bowl, depending on age group. This is to make sure that fatigue injuries don’t develop. Check out the ECB web site for more details.
Many juniors want to be tearaway fast bowlers like Brett Lee or Shoaib Akhtar. The first steps toward this are not to have long, energy consuming run ups, but to perfect a correct “one step” action before trying to go faster.
The run up should be smooth, balanced, rhythmic and consistent. Many juniors do run too far, and many don’t mark the length of their run up properly. For speed or spin, the aim is to have an identical run up for every ball. It’s all about rhythm!
Actions can be side-on, front-on or midway, and are controlled by the landing position of the back foot. Side-on actions mean that the back foot lands parallel to the bowling crease, so the shoulders and hips point at the batsman before the delivery stride. Front-on actions mean that the back foot and chest point toward the batsman.
Brett Lee has a classic side-on action, while Andrew Flintoff is front-on.
Both styles are correct, but mixing them so that the body is twisted will lead to injuries. This is difficult to spot at full speed, but freeze-frame footage from a video camera is very helpful. You can help the coach by showing him suitable video stills.
The leading arm is the “rudder” for bowling straight. It should start as high and as vertical as possible, then be pulled down to form an arc in line with the wickets during the delivery stride. You can stand behind the bowler to check if he is doing this correctly.
The eyes should stay level and focussed on the target from the start of the run up, through delivery and to the end of the follow through. This isn’t an easy habit to develop, but is key to delivering a straight ball. Once the head begins to tilt, the bowlers accuracy suffers. Try watching from behind the batsman to check this.
Good bowlers work in “straight lines” – straight run up, straight follow through, high front arm, high delivery point and eyes level. Easier said than done sometimes, but keeping it as simple as this does work wonders!
Finding Out About Cricket
Cricket is one of the world's fastest growing sports and yet remains a mystery to many. If you want to find out more about the sport then read on.
The sport of cricket was originally exported from its home country of England. The Lord's cricket ground in London is still known as the "home of cricket".
As cricket became more popular at home, so the British started to bring the sport to other countries that were then part of the British Empire. A glance at the list of the top international cricket playing countries reveals how the sport first spread in this way.
International cricket is still dominated by the likes of Australia, India, New Zealand, Pakistan, South Africa, Sri Lanka and the West Indies.
In recent years attempts have been made to broaden the appeal of the game. These have ranged from encouraging an organised version of the sport in less traditional cricketing nations (such as the Netherlands and Denmark) to creating more accessible versions of the sport.
International matches have also been played in more varied locations, from the Middle East to North America, in an attempt to attract more spectators.
If you're interested in finding out more about cricket, then your access to the sport will vary depending on where you live.
For those of you living in the traditional cricket playing countries, you'll be lucky enough to be able to head to a sports ground and watch cricket live.
Many of us aren't quite so fortunate and need to rely on the television, radio and internet for our first introductions to the game.
Each of these media can provide a great introduction to the game. Viewing a real match on television is obviously a fine way to start getting into the game, while cricket is surprisingly well suited to radio coverage.
When it comes to the internet, the popular CricInfo website contains a plethora of information on all aspects of cricket, from the rules to detailed statistical analysis.
It's also possible to find cricket clips on YouTube. Again, these can provide a good introduction to the sport.
If you are interested in finding out more about the game then take your time to investigate. Don't worry if it all seems complicated at first - you'll soon grow to love this most traditional of sports.
An Introduction to One-Day Cricket
A cricket match that is completed in a single day, as different from Test match and domestic first-class cricket is known as one-day cricket match. One day cricket match unlike test cricket usually ends with a result in a single day’s game. Players in one day cricket usually appear in bright colored clothing to add up viewer interest and to further improve the appeal to the television networks that broadcast many one day international matches.
One-day cricket at first started between English County teams during 1960's. The first one-day international match was played in Melbourne, Australia, during 1971, with the quadrennial Cricket World Cup started during 1975. Many of the "covering" innovations like colored clothing were as a result of World Series Cricket, a "revolutionary" series system outside the cricketing organization by Australian media industrialist Kerry Packer.
One-day cricket match is well-liked with spectators, as it could give confidence insistent, risky and amusing batting that frequently results in cliffhanger endings. It as well makes sure a viewer could go and see a complete match without dedicating to five days of constant attendance that is regularly subject to unpleasant weather conditions. There is no doubt that one day cricket frequently requests to those who will usually find five days of test match cricket extremely boring. Since its beginning, one day cricket has fascinated a wide crowd. One day cricket is normally called limited-over or limited-over international cricket match.
In a one-day match, every team bats only once and their innings are restricted to a set number of overs, generally fifty; any how, this could as well vary as a result of poor weather etc. Other alteration to the game comprises extra restrictions on where fielders might be located and stricter regulation on wide balls and short deliveries. The white ball is usually limited to matches played in the afternoon and into the evening; such matches are as well recognized as day-night matches. Day-night matches need the team batting second to begin their innings under stadium lights as a consequence of the lack of obtainable natural sunlight.
Wasim and Waqar v England - A Collapse Every Time
This is how we remember it: England are batting; they reach 200-0; the ball starts to reverse swing; England are all out for 210.
In reality it was never quite this simple. For one thing Pakistan often had Mushtaq Ahmed or Saqlain Mushtaq taking their fair share of wickets, but there is no denying the quality of Wasim and Waqar’s bowling.
In many ways Wasim Akram was the perfect fast bowler. He could be taller, if you were actually going for perfection, but that’s about the only thing that could be improved upon. He hid the ball on his approach to the crease and constantly surprised the batsman with his no-jump delivery stride. He swung the ball both ways with the new ball, but particularly with the old one. This he did with unparalleled accuracy. He could bowl bouncers and yorkers at will and he was very, very fast. He actually managed to snap a stump in bowling Chaminda Vaas once. That delivery was the middle of a hat trick as well. Is there anyone whose fantasies even come close to that? Oh and he was a left-armer who could bowl as effectively from over or around the wicket.
Waqar Younis was an altogether simpler bowler. He wasn’t without guile by any means but didn’t perhaps have the same ability to swing the ball both ways that Wasim had. However, Waqar had a delivery that no-one can match: The dipping, inswinging yorker delivered slightly faster than light off a turbo-charged shovel going downhill with a following wind. Er, it was fast anyway. Faster than Wasim. Even today, to have your toes broken by an inswinging yorker is to be ‘Waqared’. If you’ve got a delivery like that, you don’t need any others. The trick was in Waqar’s slightly round-armed action which meant the ball swung at an angle. As well as veering sharply towards the stumps, it also led batsmen to believe they were facing a full toss, when in fact the ball would dip towards stumps or toes.
Know The Complete Story Of Cricket World Cup History
World cup tournament is one of the biggest events in the history of cricket. It gives an opportunity to the players to outshine the other teams to become world champions. World cup is one of the biggest tournaments in the history of cricket because it comes after every four years. The cricket fans very well know the importance of world cup and what it means to the players. Since cricket came into being, cricket world cup history shows the records of many legends and landmark achievement that has been made by the players.
Cricket world cup history has so many records and achievements which have been made by the tremendous effort of the players. Cricket lovers will surely like to know the history and its origin. Fans always want to know the facts and figures of the cricket world cup history. Well, the cricket world cup history says that this game was born in England. Cricket is such a game which is full of action and thrill and it becomes hard for a person to miss the action, whenever a match or tournament starts. It brings fierce competition between the countries for the title of world champion.
Cricket world cup history will give you information about all those earlier times when this game started only in Kent and Sussex. Afterwards, cricket started expanded to other countries like North America by the English colonies. It all happened in seventeenth century and in the couple of years cricket was introduced in all the commonwealth nations. Cricket world cup history is one of the ultimate sources of information about cricket world for all its fans because it not only increases their knowledge pool, but also gives them strong information about cricket.
The world cup tournament has its own importance and so its history as well. Through cricket world cup history, you will come to know about the number of world cup tournaments held till date. Till now, eight world cup tournaments have been held and this year it is the ninth one which is hosted by West Indies. We have seen some of the best performances in the cricket history. This Caribbean nation has has done all the arrangements for the teams in the ninth world cup.
In the cricket world cup history, it is for the first time ever that world cup is being hosted by West Indies, a Caribbean nation. The first world cup was held in 1975 in England. The final match of the tournament was played in Lord’s stadium between West Indies and Australia. Australia has won the world cup thrice till date. In the cricket world cup history West Indies won twice while India, Sri Lanka and Pakistan won once. Australia has always been one of the toughest contenders for the world cup tournament.
The world cup history portrays the true spirit of this game. The history tells the cricket lovers about the customs and background of this game. The history of cricket has always raised the curiosity of the cricket fanatic and there are lots more to know about. The first three world cup tournament was known as Prudential Cup. The world cup history tells you the thorough history of the tournament. In fact, it is advantage for the cricket fans to know the world cup history so that they can enjoy the complete game
World Cup Unforgettables - India v Australia 1992
The world cup of 1992 was one of the most memorable ever. It was the first world cup to be played under artificial lights, colored clothing and the white ball. However this was also a world cup marred by a stupid rain rule. In an effort to make the calculation of the target simpler, in case of the match being shortened due to rain interruptions, the organizers really botched it up with the most ridiculous rule ever. The absurdity of this rule was not realized until after the matches began and the rules actually implemented. We are featuring one such match now. It was also the first and only World Cup where the teams were not split into group and hence was conducted in a round robin fashion.
India came into the world cup on the back of an abysmal tour of Australia. They had lost the test series 4-0 and were comprehensively beaten in the final of a triangular tournament by the host, with West Indies being the other team. The world cup was being conducted at the fag end of that tour and the Indian team seemed to be devoid of motivation. Before meeting the Australians, India had already lost to England and their match against Sri Lanka was rained out.
Australia on the other hand came into the world cup as the firm favorites to lift the tournament in their own backyard. However they started poorly and came into the match against India having lost both their opening matches to New Zealand and South Africa.
Allan Border won the toss and elected to bat. They started really badly. They were at 2 for 38 at one stage when Dean Jones joined David Boon and began the recovery. The two took the score to 102 with some breath taking running between the wickets. After Boon fell for 43, Jones continued to take the Australian cause forward with partnerships first with Steve Waugh and then with Tom Moody. However the Australian innings fell apart after the dismissal of Jones, setting India a target of 238 runs.
To say that the Indian chase started off disastrously would be an understatement. Srikkanth got out for a duck when the team total was only six. The way Ravi Shastri batted then defied logic. When he got out he had taken up 75 balls for his 25 runs and the Indian total at that time was a paltry 58 with almost half the overs already gone. Tendulkar came next and was dismissed for 11 trying to up the tempo. Kapil Dev came in next and scored a rapid fire 21 off 26 balls thereby providing some much needed impetus to the innings. When he left India still was in a precarious position of 4 for128.
Then came the superb partnership between Azharuddin and Sanjay Manjrekar. The two took the score to 194 before Azharuddin departed for a well made 93. The partnership was broken in the only way it seemed possible, through a run out. Then the rain started playing its part in the match. 3 overs were reduced from the Indian innings while only 2 runs were reduced from the target. After the rain interval India kept losing wickets while inching towards the target.
Off the last ball India needed 4 runs to win with 1 wicket in hand. Javagal Srinath was facing the bowler with Venkatapathy Raju at the other end. To this day I remember vividly the commentary of that last ball by Bill Lawry while watching it on TV. Tom Moody bowls the last delivery. Srinath takes an almighty swing at the ball and hits it high towards long on. Bill Lawry screams "It"s a SIX!!!". I start jumping up and down like crazy (I was 14 at the time). But I froze suddenly as both myself and Lawry realize that it"s not going for six but infact going into the hands of Steve Waugh. Incredibly Waugh drops the catch. Elation again!!! Waugh recovers quickly and throws the ball to the wicket keeper"s end. Raju sets off for the 3rd run which would make the match a tie. Lawry momentarily forgets that he is an Australian and yells "RUN!!! RUN!!! RUN!!!" The throw is wide and everyone including myself is praying that Raju does a superman. But the keeper recovers quickly enough to run him out and I was left with the biggest heartbreak of my life. That was the first and only time I had tears in my eyes after watching a cricket match. Just couldn"t believe what I had just witnessed!!!
Popularity Of Cricket In Sub-Continent
The game of cricket has a known history spanning from the 16th century to the present day, with international matches played since 1844 and the Test cricket matches since 1877. During this time, the game developed from its origins in England into a game, which is now played all over the world and is more popular in the Sub-Continent Nations- India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh
In these four Nations, cricket has emerged as the most popular sport. The game has its origin in these Nations from18th centuries and since then it has rooted itself on various grounds of World. As per Bangladesh is concerned, the origin of cricket over here is found in 19th century. Since then the four Sub-Continent Nation has faced tremendous victory and defeat.
With the commencing of Cricket World Cup in 1975, the popularity of cricket reached on its peak. The game retained more zeal and passion. However, for Sub-Continent Nation World Cup it becomes like an obsession and even today the game is still holding the same passion and fervor.
When we move towards their previous history, we find that the top three Sub-Continent Nation i.e. India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka had a very brilliant past, holding World Cup once. India lifted the Cup in the year 1983, under the captaincy of Kapil Dev, Pakistan lifted the Cup in 1992, captained by Imran Khan. In 1996, Sri Lanka won the World Cup match, captained by Arjuna Ranatunga. As per Bangladesh is concerned, the popularity of cricket is found the same but its their bad luck which never pulled them to win the Cup.
“2007” is again a year for the ninth edition of the World Cup Cricket Tournament, and the four Nations are holding its breath. The passion is still the same but only the player and the captaincy has changed. In this World Cup India is being captained by Rahul Dravid, Sri Lanka is being captained by Mahela Jayawardene, Pakistan is being captained by Inzamam-ul-Haq and Bangladesh is being captained by Habibul Bashar.
The hopes for these four Nations are dilemmatic, as their previous performance, was not that much appealing. When we cast our view towards India and Srilanka, we found that Sri Lanka was defeated by India in the recently concluded home series. As per Pakistan is concerned, they are moving from a very bad phase, their players are injured and the team is surrounded by many controversies. And, there is no word to explain about Bangladesh. The prospect of World Cup is under dilemmatic situation but the passion and popularity is still the same among these four Sub-Continent Nations.
Hence, we will have to wait and watch the World Cup
Cricket Records are an Inspiration for New Players
Records are meant to be broken and this is the reason why we see so many cricket records are overtaken by players and teams playing international and national cricket. Records are one thing which always gives the boost to a player for giving his best on the field for his team and fans. Cricket is a hugely popular game and these days you can find almost everywhere people playing the game. Be it in the lanes, a park in the neighborhood or a stadium, fans only need a little free space and they can begin to play with bat and ball. Cricket records are one element which many people want to achieve in their playing career.
There are different cricket records which have been set by some great players and some wonderful teams as well. Since the inception of the game of cricket, it has been played by players who are ordinary, mediocre and extra ordinary. And it is those extra ordinary players who have set many cricket records, which have been a source of inspiration for many future players and new comers to the game of cricket. The Cricket World Cup which is scheduled to be held in West Indies in the month of March is sure to see many cricket records being set.
World Cup is the most awaited event in the world of cricket. After all, this event takes place after every four years and this is the reason why every payer wants to give their best performance there and win the world cup for his team. The fifth one day international match played between Australia and South Africa on March 12, 2006 is widely acclaimed in cricketing circles as the greatest match ever played in a cricket world. In fact, many cricket records were newly ad also broken during the course of the match. This is the only one day international cricket match in the history of cricketer records where 400 hundred or more then 400 runs were scored.
Australia won the toss and elected to bat first and scored a staggering 434 runs for the loss of 4 wickets in 50 overs. They broke the previous cricket record of the highest runs 398 which was scored by Sri Lanka against Kenya in the year 1996. South Africa in their run chase not only managed to score 400 runs, but in fact went on to win the match with one ball still to spare. It is such matches that keep fans engrossed and also make them compel to track all the cricket records so that they can come to know how capable their team and its players are on the field.
It was one game where fans were engrossed throughout the entire run chase. Many cricket records like the highest number of sixes scored, the highest number of runs scored, the largest successful run chance and the most number of fours where also scored in this match. A total of 26 sixes and 88 fours where hit throughout the entire match between Australia and South Africa. This match will be remember by cricket fans for a long time, simply because the match was wonderful and also because many cricket records where set.
Cricket Update Informs Fans About the Latest Happenings
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The game of cricket has its own group of loyal fans and followers and the number is increasing all the time. Cricket as a game has evolved a lot and many new things are being implemented in it from time to time. Cricket updates are updated information about all happenings related to the field of cricket found through several means. Serious followers of the game always want to know about the latest cricket updates to keep track of all that is going on in the world of cricket. Cricket updates can be found on websites, newspapers, television news channels, radios and magazines. Fans simply need to select a medium through which they would like to know cricket updates.
Cricket update can provide information on any aspect of the game. So next time any event happens be it about the status of a live match or news reading any controversy, cricket update always gives you the information that you are looking for. The World Wide Web is open place where fans can get all the cricket update that they want about anything related to cricket. The sites are designed for catering particularly to the interests of cricket fans. These sites have several features that are made keeping in mind the things a cricket fan would want to know.
Televisions news channels and sports channels are also great sources to know about the cricket update. These days all channels provide news coverage of 24 hours a day and 7 days a week, so there is absolutely no chance that fans will miss out on any cricket update if they follow these regularly. Sometimes, one can find an entire news item devoted to a particular event related to cricket and all cricket update will be available here. Visual media like television, newspaper and magazines are great sources to know about cricket update.
Controversies are part and parcel of every game, and cricket is no exception from the rest of the games. Often it may happen that fans may seriously want to say something about any controversy that may be brewing either on the field or outside. All these modes of communication provide cricket fans with a platform where they can tell what they want to say. For fans it is all about saying the right things at the right places, and nothing is better to them then being bale to express what they feel.
Cricket update is wonderful especially when a match is going on live. Now, we all know that it is not possible for many people to catch up with live action on television. Cricket update becomes the only source for them to know all about the status of a match where their favorite team or player must be playing. The latest score, match statistics and many other things can be known through cricket update that tells about the latest scores. Fans can also come to know about all the records that are made on the field, and milestone achieved by a player or the team. That is not all fans can also know about the latest ICC cricket rankings through these sources of communication. Cricket updates are a storehouse of information of all kinds.
Cricket Game Is An All-Time Favorite Sport Of The Entire World
It is all cricket, cricket and more cricket these days. There are a variety of reasons for this kind of prevailing atmosphere. Some or the other tournament keeps on taking place that enables the fans to completely enjoy cricket game. Moreover, world cup 2007 is approaching and this is making the cricket atmosphere all the more heated. Cricket game is such that it captivates the interest of the entire nation. It is not just about bat and ball, rather there is much more to it. Emotions accompanied with thrilling performances of players are the real action that you get to watch in the cricket game.
What is most important in the cricket game is cricket score. And without having knowledge of this, you won’t be able to get an access to the fresh information available. As far as the cricket game is concerned, scores will tell you about the number of runs scored by a particular player along with number of fours and sixes hit by him. Watching this game has always been an action-packed experience for fans. It is because a sort of momentum is being maintained on the field. The basic idea of knowing scores is to know the exact situation of a particular match.
The cricket game is not an easy task; rather it is a hard nut to crack. Just see the players who keep on running between the wickets for long hours, so that their team can win the match. Cricket game requires a high level of fitness and lots of practice. Generally, it is said that practice makes a man perfect and this is visible in this game also. The players keep on sweating at net practice to enhance their batting or bowling or fielding skills. Players know that if they do not practice hard, their form of playing suffer to a great extent. And fans get to see the results of this hard work in the tournaments.
You get to see every other tournament taking places at various places and huge number of people gathered in stadiums or stuck them before television to catch the action. This shows that cricket game is quite popular and has entered into the home of every individual. Some of them even go the extent of making adjustments in their daily working schedules, so that they may not miss the action. Cricket game has become important so much that cricket fanatics go to any extent to catch a glimpse of their favorite player of even team.
Since the game into existence, it has climbed the stairs of popularity to such an extent that one can see an ardent cricket fan in one home or the other. They even have so much knowledge of cricket game that you can ask anything to them. Having access to cricket game is not restricted to television or stadium. One who does not get time to catch the live action, they can check out various cricketing websites that informs them about all the related details. This makes it easier for working professionals to have hand-on latest cricket information, without having to interrupt their daily schedule.
Cricket Stats Is The Best Source Of Information
Cricket is a game of passion and thrill. You get to experience a craze at the time of tournament. A cricket enthusiast sometimes sticks himself to the television so much that, it seems as if nothing can come between the fans and his television. It is because of this reason that cricket stats holds prime importance in the life of a cricket fan. Cricket stats allow the fans to peep into the details of each and every player’s performance, along with the analysis of an entire match. If the cricket officials are willing to calculate the average of any one’s performance, then this analysis is done with the help of analysis.
Cricket stats are not only necessary for knowing the details of the performance of a player or a team, it is also necessary for enhancing your knowledge. After all, if you are an ardent fan of cricket then acquaintance of cricket stats is mandatory for you. Just think that if someone asks you about your favorite team, and then what would you say. The main aim of the cricket stats is to make you aware of the latest happenings in the field of cricket. Well, cricket stats can just be about anything. Be it batting or bowling or entire team’s performance, cricket stats tell you about the level of a team and player in the ICC rankings.
The game of cricket is not only limited to just batting and bowling, there is more to it. Cricket stats also tell cricket fans about the world records that are set by the players. With the help of these cricket stats, cricket fans are able to know that how their favorite player is performing and if at all he is making world records or not. In fact, if we look at cricket stats, it seems that they are a source of providing knowledge to all cricket enthusiasts. Cricket is one of the most interesting sports and a lot of people attach their emotions with the game. If their favorite team losses the match, they keep on making a war of rage.
A variety of issues in cricket stats may give a way to the wide range of discussion topics. Many times, the dropping performance of a batsman or bowler can be the hottest issue; while other times it can be on the overall performance of the team. Cricket stats have to be updated regularly for the betterment of cricket lovers, so that they don’t have to depend on the stale information. These stats are available on all aspects such as batting, bowling, fielding and number of runs scored. Cricket is the favorite game of entire world and you get to see a fanatic in every house.
Cricket became famous since it came into existence. Whenever there is a tournament, people either leave their work or take out some time from the busy schedule to catch up the live action. For the working professionals, it is the online cricket stats that are more important than any thing else. After all, it is the only source that keeps them abreast of the latest happenings in the turf of cricket. Cricket stats are prepared on the basis of huge data that is available with the experts.
Cricket World Cup Is The Mother Of All Tournaments!
Cricket world cup is one of the most keenly awaited tournaments in the field of cricket. The Ashes and India-Pakistan series are no doubt very much awaited by fans, but at the end of the day World Cup Cricket is about the participation of all the test playing nations of the world and this is a much bigger platform indeed for teams and players to prove their talent and potential. Cricket world cup take place once every four years and this is another reason that makes the event all the more interesting and fascinating among fans. The next edition of the world cup will be held in the year 2007, in the West Indies.
The Cricket World Cup 2007 promises to be interesting to fans for many reasons. First for many leading international players, this may well be their last world cup appearance. So veterans like Glen Mc Grath, Mathew Hayden of Australia, Anil Kumble and VVS Laxman of India (if they make it to the world cup team) will give it their best shot, so that they can leave the field on a high. Right now there are no single contenders to the title, but on merit and paper as well Australia appears to be the most solid team to win the tournament. Well many things can be talked about and predicted, but we will all have to wait for world cup 2007, to actually see how teams will fare on the field.
The last cricket world cup held in the year 2003, in South Africa was won by Australia after they beat India comprehensively in the finals. Overcoming a poor start in the 2003 cricket world cup, India went on a spree of remaining unbeaten for several matches before being eventually beaten in the finals by Australia. Australia on the other hand had a great beginning to the last cricket world cup and had an equally wonderful end to the tournament. As someone has rightly said, it does not get bigger then the cricket world cup for a player to showcase his talent and potential.
All major teams of the world have begun preparing for the cricket world cup and most of them are doing it in their own unique style. Most teams are taking part in one tournament or the other to keep their team members in touch with the game. Some players are fighting against time to become fit and take part in the cricket world cup. This is the biggest event in the life of any cricketer and excelling during this tournament is what they always aim for. Of course first of all they must find a place in the world cup squad. Getting a place in the squad of cricket world cup is not so easy. All players must prove that they are really worthy to be a part of the team and only then will they be selected.
It does not matter if a player has performed brilliantly in the past, but is right now woefully out of from. Past performance is not the thing that will take a team to victory, so selectors have to take special care of this. All selection of the team for the cricket world cup squad must be done strictly on the basis of merit.
7 Tips on Being a Good Fielder
Club cricket fielding can often be poor. But on many occasions this is less to do with skill and technique and more to do with concentration and awareness. Two factors that any fielder can improve. Here is how to do it.
Don't move.
Every side has a couple of players who like to wander from where the captain puts them. Make sure you are not one of them. When the captain puts you somewhere make a mark on the ground and stick to it until you are moved again.
Show confidence.
Looking confident in the field can save many runs. Not everyone is like Paul Collingwood at cover point, but it's easy to look like you are. My dad, by his own admission never the finest fielder, often based his entire game on looking dangerous by walking in aggressively and leaping on defensive pushes as if to stop a single that was never considered.
Shy at the stumps.
Club players seem terrified of the dreaded overthrows and often refrain from throwing at the stumps. In a good side, someone will always be backing up so the risk is low. Make the culture in your side one of throwing the stumps down whenever there is a chance.
Back up.
Leading on from that, always be aware of the need to back up a throw, even if you are backing up the backer up. If you are doing it for your team they you can be more confident they will do it for you.
Want to get every ball.
You can see the club players who don't want the ball to come to them. It always seems they are the ones doing the most chasing. If you want and expecting every ball the game is more interesting and you are more likely to take the catch or make the stop.
Be close enough.
If you are close catching make sure the ball will carry to you. If you are saving one then get as close as you can to stop the quick single. If you are on the boundary your job is to save fours so stay as deep as possible without giving away two runs if you can.
Know yourself.
If you have a setback in the field, be aware of how you will react to it. Some people steel themselves, others want to go and hide. You may want to move to another position or stay where you are. Whatever your reaction, let the captain know.
Cricket Batting Tips to Take You to The Top
Nothing can very be more beautiful to watch on the cricket field, than to see a batsman in full flow. Even world class bowlers have admitted to being overwhelmed when they see a batsman in full swing. So we mortal beings stand no chance but become overwhelmed by a good batting display. Batting is not an easy thing to do in a cricket field, be it any condition. There are several cricket batting tips that need to be implemented properly, if a player wants to bat really well in a cricket match. The batsman must have a proper knowledge and idea about all the batting tips that he can catch hold of. The ability of a batsman is ably displayed if he knows all the cricket batting tips. The real test of the character that a batsman goes through is in the test matches, where the batsman needs to stay at the crease as long as possible.
The first and foremost batting tip, which every cricketer needs to follow is proper footwork. Footwork is the most crucial aspect of batting and a batsman must have excellent footwork to play different kinds of shot. In this modern era of fast paced Cricket, still there are lot of players who are well- known for their footwork and sound temperament. Great players like Master Blaster Sachin Tendulkar, Brain Lara of West Indies and Ricky Ponting of Australia are renowned all over the world due to their excellent footwork and strokeplay. Apart from these players, the Indian Captain Rahul Dravid has gained the tag of “The Wall” because of his footwork combined with excellent timing. So if you are dreaming of one day becoming like any of these great players, you surely know from where to start now. Well this is just the beginning.
One of the major advantages of having a good footwork is that it allows you to time the ball very well and place the ball perfectly in the gaps. Proper footwork enables you to be in the best position to hit any ball perfectly with your cricket bat. Work really hard on your footwork if you want to perfect the art of batting and hit different types of shot. Timing of your shots also becomes perfect if you have a good and proper footwork and sound technique.
A batsman must have the ideal grip to be able to play all the strokes properly. The ideal grip on the bat must be both the hands together at the handle of the bat. Make sure that your grip is neither too loose nor too tight. The correct grip allows you to bat with flair and also does not restrict you in playing any of the shots. So take care of the grip you have and see if you need to make any correction in your existing grip. Maybe the grip is that thing which is not working out properly for your batting.
Batting is one of the most exciting components of a cricket match. One way of perfecting your batting is through playing each ball according to its merit. It is not possible every time for a bowler to ball six good balls in an over and also it is very rare that you will receive six bad balls in an over. Remember it takes only one good ball to get you out. So watch each and every ball very carefully and watch out for balls that may prove for your undoing. Watch out for that ball.
Keep watching the ball in the bowlers hand till the ball is delivered. If you follow this meticulously you can very easily find out what type of ball the bowler is going to deliver. If you do this then you can be prepared in advance to face the type of ball being bowled to you and then adjust your footwork and shots accordingly. Always remember to follow cricket batting tips if you want to be a successful batsman.
Cricket World Record is a Road to Success
Cricket, cricket and more cricket! This is what we all are hearing and seeing in the present scenario. Cricket has become an obsession for children and teenagers. It is the effect of cricket that we get to see a Sachin, a Brian Lara, a Harbhajan, a Steve Waugh or a Shoaib Akhtar in every house. Every cricket fan has complete knowledge of the cricketing records of their favorite players. Some collect this information as a hobby, while others collect them for enhancing their knowledge of cricket.
Cricket world records enable a player to establish his stand in the world of cricket. In fact, this is also a ticket for the players to enter the “hall of fame”. Cricket world records are the road to success for a player. For example, Shahid Afridi holds the cricket world record for scoring the fastest 100. On the other hand, Sanath Jayasuriya holds the cricket world record for scoring the fastest 50. Their cricket world record has made them a household name. The records have also helped the players to gain good rankings on the popularity chart.
Many a times, cricket world records put great pressure on the players. The pressure can affect their form of playing. After making a record, they have to live-up to the expectations of the viewers. If they fail, the entire empire established by them will collapse. It is because making a position is very easy, but maintaining it is a tough task. Every player has to be careful about his cricket world record, as they can be broken by another player. This can be a great setback in their popularity.
Cricket world record can be made in the field of batting, bowling, wicketkeeping, and so on. Apart from this, cricket world records can be classified into test records and ODI records. The test matches are played for 5 days and the average is judged on the basis of their overall performance. Sachin Tendulkar is famous for holding the cricket world record of scoring maximum number of centuries in ODIs and test matches.
As compared to the test matches, ODIs are viewed with much greater interest. It is because many viewers like quick decisions and hate to wait for 5 long days to see the final results. Such viewers like to see the “making and breaking” of the cricket world record in just one go. Cricket world records in these tournaments are remembered more. But this does not mean that test match records do not carry importance. The basic difference is that, it is the matter of choice and liking for a particular way of playing.
Cricket world records are a sheet of the achievements of various players. It is according to their record that they are valued. Be it bowling or batting, cricket world records are cherished forever. If we look at the bowling side, Wasim Akram holds the record for taking highest wickets in the test matches. On the other hand, Shane Warne holds the record for taking highest wickets in ODIs. Cricket world records are not just restricted to individuals, but are also made by teams. Such records are a collective effort of the team, which puts them on the world ranking chart.
Cricket; Not as Easy as You Think
Many Americans think cricket is an easy sport of course they know so little about it. Let me tell you something about the sport of Cricket; It is Not as Easy as You Think. Americans love baseball, but in the UK and many other nations like India they love cricket and cricket is about both skill and agility and teamwork. In fact there are 11-people on each team. The players must be swift, talented and work together.
Cricket balls have seams similar to baseballs, but the bat is flatter with more area. Cricket is played between teams of the same nation and internationally. Cricket fields are played in an elliptical field unlike that of a baseball diamond. Those who have played both sports say that cricket is more difficult and challenging than baseball, yet in the United States, well baseball is like apple pie and Chevrolets, so it is doubtful if that will ever change. Americans love their baseball indeed.
Cricket is played all around the world, as there are teams in most nations, but in the United States the game has not really caught on like other sports. Cricket matches last a lot longer than baseball games and the cricket teams to stay proficient often train year round. More Americans should learn to play cricket and discover this fun sport.
Cricket Rules
If you are new to cricket you will need to understand the basic cricket rules first. There are many rules to learn about this fantastic game.
Cricket is a game played by two teams of eleven players. One side bats first and the other side fields. The goal of the team batting first is to score as many runs as possible and the goal of the team fielding is to take ten wickets (a wicket is when a player is out). This will leave one player in the batting side not out, as you can not bat without one of your team at the other end.
After both teams have batted the team with the most runs wins!
The Start of a Cricket Match
The captain that wins the toss (flipping a coin) gets to choose either to bat or bowl first.
Two players from the batting team go out to bat. Their other nine players support their team off the field of play waiting for their turn at bat.
The game is played by the bowler, bowling the cricket ball to try and get the batsman out. There are four way to do this:
- Bowled - this is when the bowler bowls the ball and the batsman missed it and it hits the wickets. - Caught - This is when the batsman hit the ball in the air and one of the eleven players in the field catches the ball before it hits the ground. - L.B.W. (Leg Before Wicket) This is when the ball hits the batsman on the leg and in the opinion of the umpire the ball would have hit the wickets. - Run Out - This is when the batsman runs between the wickets at each end and the fielding team break the wickets before he makes the other end.
Scoring Runs
The way the batsmen score runs is by either hitting the ball to the boundary. (which is the circle that is placed around the pitch about sixty yards away from the pitch) The ball has to be hit over this boundary to score four runs. If it is hit over the boundary on the full the batting team scores six runs. The other way to score runs is when the two batsmen run between the wickets. (22 yards apart) this counts as one run.
At the end of the game each team will pick a player of the day from their team.
Are You Struggling to Play the Big Shots?
Are you struggling to make the big shots? Perhaps as you are developing physically, you may lack the power to play many aggressive shots in front of the wicket and rely greatly on deflections with singles.
There are two matters which you must consider:-
1. Don't make the mistake of trying to slog to overcome your problem. That will only be a short term answer, even if it does succeed.
It is essential for you to develop correct technique at this stage, so that later you will have this sound basis upon which to build your innings Slogging will tend to introduce too much bottom hand into your batting and lead you into hitting across the ball. There will be little long term future in that.
2. Nevertheless you must try to work at keeping the score ticking over. To occupy one end throughout an innings and play no shots is poor cricket. And your teammates will be infuriated!
It's bad for your team and you, and makes it far too easy for your opponents to control the game. The first thing is to try to pick up your singles by intelligent running between wickets. lf you can work away at singles, you put pressure on the bowler and fieldsmen.
You could the bowler to bowl bad balls. If youre batting partner is stronger give him/her the strike and support him. Secondly, practice your attacking shots. Develop a shot or two on both front foot and back foot, both off-side and on-side, which will penetrate the field. You don't need to perfect all the shots. Practice these shots in your net sessions, in the backyard. lf you are a slow, defensive player, spend at least half your time practicing shots; hitting the ball hard. On the other hand, a natural hitter should spend rather more time on his defence. That is, practice your weaknesses as much as your strengths.
But practice in the nets and other non-competitive situations will never be enough. At some stage, they must be introduced into actual matches if you are to master them. Therefore, at any stage of your innings, hit the bad ball hard. lf it is very short or over pitched, you must play a shot rather than defend. Of course, you build your innings, taking fewer risks as you start but even as you build, the bad ball must be hit hard.
As your innings develops and confidence grows, you must try to look for those shots you have practiced. There is no other way, if you wish to be a good player. For long-term success maintain, and consolidate, correct technique. Don't become a slogger. But at the same time practice your attacking shots and introduce them into your game.
How to Play Better Cricket
As much as anyone I love hitting the cricket ball, as hard and as often as possible, However it doesn't come quite as easily as many would think. .Cricket, is a lot of hard work.
The old axiom that boys and girls around the world from Mumbai to London to Sydney, should live and breathe is: "Practice makes perfect."
Natural skills make up only 50 per- cent of a batsman's game. The ability to swing the ball both ways is only good for a bowler if he can master . movement both ways consistently in a match, and not just at practice.
A player with ability who doesn't utilise it to the fullest extent is often not in the same bracket as the good old fashioned trier who uses his skills to the very fullest and makes up for the rest with sheer dedication and application.
The proven formula for successful cricket is 50 per cent skills, 40 per cent application and 10 per cent fitness.
Fitness and concentration are close aligned. lf you haven't got the stamina, it's easy to lose your concentration and in the blink of an eye is all it takes for a batsman to be walking back to the pavilion.
Other kids at 11 and 13 may have been better than me, but by working at it, and devoting myself to the game, l was able to outdo them by the time l was 16 or so. You don't go stale, you just increase your chances of improving. At practice whether its batting, bowling or fielding, throw yourself into it like it's an actual match.
Don't forget the fielding aspect either. Reflexes here aid both your batting and bowling.
Young kids shouldn't worry if they miss the team or can't make runs or take wickets. The results will come as long as you put in the effort. One big advantage for children is if you look like a cricketer, you often get a game in front of your mate. It doesn't require lots of money to be neat with clean white shoes and pressed pants and shirt. Look like a cricketer and you'll be part of your team, in no time. Even if you haven't got any cricket mad brothers and sisters, there are many at your club and • around your home. Practice every night and watch the rewardsl
Increasing Popularity & Success of Twenty20 Cricket
The game of cricket always had two official versions, the five day test match and the one day 50 overs match. Since last 2-3 years, the hottest form of cricket is T20 or Twenty twenty or 20-20 cricket. This is a 20-over game per side. It takes around 3-3.5 hours to complete a single game. This shortening of the time period has helped to increase the popularity of the game. Now, people don't have to watch the game for an entire day or more. It is more like a game of football/soccer where the game starts in the evening and ends in 3 hours.
T20 cricket has also brought in a new generation of cricketers, namely T20 experts. Cricketers proficient in power hitting from ball one have become extremely important. The inaugural world t20 cup held in South Africa in 2007 was a very successful sporting event. Since then, the popularity of this version has skyrocketed. The highly successful Indian premier league was started by the BCCI in 2008. This is an annual event. The 2008 version brought over a billion dollars in revenues to everyone involved.
The popularity of the other forms of the game are waning. People like to enjoy the shortened games because of the glamor and fun involved. There are cheerleaders for every team who cheer every wicket, four or six. Popular songs are blasted on the stadium speakers. The shorter boundaries help more aerial shots and hence the fun. Even girls are watching this version of cricket which wasn't the case earlier. Popular celebrities are called in to give their views on TV and this has helped increase the mass appeal of the game. It is not just technique, but more of slam-bang. More new younger players are getting the chance to play for big teams. Thus twenty 20 cricket has proved to be very successful both in terms of money and public support. It is here to stay.
Rahul Dravid - Ten Key Facts About Dravid
For all Rahul Dravid fans out there, here are ten key facts about Dravid and his cricketing career:
1. Rahul Dravid was born on January 11. 1973 and is considered one of the most experienced player of the Indian national cricket team.
2. In October of 2005 he was appointed captain of the Indian cricket team and resigned in Sept 2007.
3. Known to everyone as the Wall he holds multiple cricket records, In Feb 2007 he became the 6th player in history to score 10,000 runs in ODI cricket.
4. He is also the first and only batsman to score a century against all cricket playing nations.
5. He currently holds the world record in the highest number of catches in test cricket. He also holds the world record for being involved with more then 75 century partnerships with 18 different partners.
6. Dravid started his cricket career at the age of 12 and represented the state at the under-15, under-17, and the under-19 level.
7. Dravid made his debut in the second test against England after Sanjay Manjrekar got injured after the first test match, Dravid scored 95 and held on to then position.
8. Dravid batted at number 3 in the third test in Johannesburg, scoring his maiden century with 148 and 81 the top score in each inning, he was awarded his first man of the match award.
9. IN 1996 Dravid made his first half century against Pakistan in the Sahara cup scoring 90 in his 10th ODI.
10. In 2001 Dravid joined VVS Laxman and played one of the greatest comeback victories in the history of the game, together they accumulated 376 runs for the 5th wicket in the second inning of the match.
3 Batsmen in Cricket Who Really Did Well!
There are many very good players in cricket no matter what position they play, but here are 3 of the best.
Sachin Ramesh Tendulkar is probably considered the best in he league there is, He holds the record for the most cumulative runs in an ODI and the most number of centuries scored in both ODI and Test Cricket. He made his International debut at the age of 16 against Pakistan, which allowed him to become the youngest player. Probably one of the highest achievements he has accomplished was receiving the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna in 1997-1998, this is considered India's highest sporting honor.
Viv Richards is considered another one of the greatest batsman there is in cricket. In December of 2002 Richards was said to have played the best ODI, and was chosen as the greatest batsman of 2002, as well as the third greatest batsman of al time. In his test career Richards scored 8,540 runs in 121 test matches with an average of 50.23 including 24 centuries. In 1976 perhaps considered Richards greatest year , Richards scored 1710 runs making it an astounding 90.00 with seven centuries in 11 Tests In 1990 Richards returned to country cricket after spending one season in the Lancashire Cricket League to play fro Glamorgan and helped them win the AXA Sunday League in 1993.
Another one of the greatest batsman in the league is Ricky Ponting, he is the current captain of the Australian cricket team. Recently he has been ranked in the top 10in both the ODI and test matches.. He is ranked 5th in ODI and 8th in Test Cricket. He is also the 3rd fastest batsman to ever reach 10,000 runs in Test matches, scoring over 10,00 at an average near 57.
Records Set by the 5 Best Bowlers in a One Day Internationals in Cricket
Many records have been set in cricket over the years. Here are just a few.
1. A record was set by Vivian Richards for Five wickets and 100 runs in the same match in a One Day International. Richards was the only player to take 5 wickets in a one day innings and score a hundred. This was accomplished against New Zealand in Dunedin in 1886/87. He took 5/41.
2. Another record for Hat-Trick on two occasions in a One day International was set by Wasim Akram and Saqlain Mushtaq of Pakistan, the only two bowlers to have taken a hat trick on two occasions.
3. A record for the ODIs played is held by Mohd Azharuddin he has played in 334 matches, and holds the record for the most number of catches. He has pouched 156 catches in his career; he is considered a brilliant fielder.
4. Another record not to be overlooked is the record set for the most centuries in an ODI which is held by Sachin Tendulkar registering an awesome number of 34 centuries.
5. The record held for the Most Economical Bowling Figures in an ODI belongs to the West Indies opening bat Phil Simmons. He holds the record for the most economical bowling figures against Pakistan at Sydney where he brought in figures of 10-8-3-4.
6. The record for the Highest Wickets Spinner in an ODI belongs to Indias' Anil Kumble who holds the record of 274 wickets.
Life is Like T20
Ever since its inception T20 has captured the attention of all cricket lovers world over. Explosive batting, outstanding fielding, well crafted bowling. It's a format of the game which gives immense amount of entertainment to the spectators. The just concluded IPL 2 has proved to the world that this format of the game has tones of pleasure to be presented to the audience. No wonder cricket fans are eagerly waiting for the T20 World Cup. This game has many parallels to our life as given below:
Game is very short and interesting
Life is very short and interesting like this game. Few years go in infancy, few for studies. These years can be compared to the restricted fielding called the power play. By the time you are employed and learn to be responsible almost half of the life is gone. Restricted or not restricted if one can stick to the discipline of the game runs can be scored at random. Life can be successful if discipline is maintained. Life span of man has reduced considerably like the overs being restricted to twenty overs. What one desires to do should be done within the limited time given by God.
Wasting balls will be regretted
The batsman cannot afford to waste balls. If he still does so he will have to regret because the asking run rate will go high and the pressure of bowling attack and fielding will restrict the batsman to arrive at the required target. Wasting time in will cause similar affect in our life. We will regret for not doing things in due time. And when we finally start working for the completion of pending tasks along with other scheduled tasks the pressures of life choke us down. It becomes almost insurmountable. Doing things in their due time is the key to win the match of life.
Misfortune strikes
Misfortune could strike an individual no matter how good a player is. Rain in this regard is the unprecedented element. It can cause imbalance. The required do or die match may sometimes be washed away and the hope of reaching the finals is snapped (for that series). The one straw of hope that we are hanging on might snap due to misfortune. All the hopes then will be washed away. Certain things in life are beyond our control.
Success depends on environment
Good teams topple because they are not used to the climatic conditions of a place where the matches are conducted. For example Asian cricket teams don't fare well in countries like New Zealand because it is very cold there compared to the tropical climate in Asia. Few players fall sick and others don't fell very comfortable. But those who adapt themselves come up good. The environment of our working places may not always be conducive for us to work well. It requires a quick switch over of attitude. The faster we get adapted the more chances of survival.
Strategic Time out
There is a strategic break in the game. Though it is considered to be drinks break the time is very judiciously used by the team management to plan for further course of action. They discuss the pitfalls of first half of the game and lay out a good strategy for the second half. There is a strategic break of realization given to every individual in the game of life. Even if the first half of the life is a failure, listening to God during the realization period can change the life completely.
Is Test Cricket in Danger?
There has been a lot of talk recently that suggests that there are real problems ahead for Test Match cricket. These dangers appear to be caused by a combination of the increased popularity of Twenty-20 cricket and falling crowds at Test Matches in some parts of the world.
So let's take a look at some of these issues and see what's going on. One point to note is that more and more money is being pumped into the game in India, increasing the importance of this country massively in cricketing terms. It's also the country that has the greatest number of cricket fans in the world.
This is having a big impact on the game as a whole. The great success of the Indian Premier League (IPL) has brought vibrant matches to a large, worldwide audience. It's also clear that crowd levels at Test Matches in India appear to be much lower than those for IPL and other limited overs forms of the game. But does this necessarily indicate problems ahead?
The situation here in England is somewhat different. There's no doubt that Twenty-20 has made a big impact on the domestic game. Crowds have been much larger for these matches than they have in the 4-day County Championship matches. So this might indicate that the longer form of the game is certainly at risk.
Yet nothing is as simple as it may seem. Although county sides may indeed be struggling to attract large attendances to their County Championship contests, it seems that the national team are having no such problems. Attendances at Test cricket here in the UK tend to be impressive and tickets are in high demand.
So what is going? It seems clear that there are different approaches to the game in different parts of the world. Limited overs cricket is really capturing the attention in some parts of the world but Test Match cricket remains the primary form of the game for some viewers, especially in England and Australia.
Is this to be the end for Test Match cricket? It seems hard to believe that it possibly could be, although different countries may place more emphasis on particular forms of the game. There could be associated risks with this, but it may be best that we all simply accept that the newest form of the game provides new opportunities and helps to bring more people into the game.
Anything that makes cricket more popular has to be a good thing. One important set of people in all of this will be the players themselves. As long as they still see Test cricket as being important, it seems certain that this form of the game will continue.