Brett Lee: The most lethal fast bowler in world cricket

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

What a fascinating sight it is to watch Brett Lee steaming in and deliver a thunderbolt that has the batsman ducking or swaying. And if the length is fuller and the line straighter the batsman is into a hurried shot to prevent his stumps from going to a walk.

There are very few genuine fast bowlers in the business today. Pakistan’s Shoaib Akhtar may have been the quickest of the lot but he has missed more matches than actually having played in the recent past for different reasons.

New Zealand’s Shane Bond was extremely lethal but he suffered injuries at regular intervals. Steve Harmison of England generated enormous pace but his inconsistency with line and length led to his ouster from the side. Fidel Edwards of the West Indies remained an awkward proposition with his fiery pace but he has also been laid low by fitness problems.

There are two young fast bowlers who appear capable and fit enough to continue for the next few years, Dale Steyn of South Africa and Ishant Sharma of India. We should be hearing a lot about them for the years to come.

The most complete fast bowler on the scene at the moment, however, is the Aussie speedster Brett Lee. It’s great to see him operating at more than 140 kilometers an hour even on most docile of tracks. His intensity is always high and it are the tough characters like him that keep the team motivated in the most demanding of situations.

Lee is a lion-hearted cricketer. He has taken the responsibility of spearheading the Australian attack after the retirement of Glenn McGrath who was a master of line and length.
Lee doesn’t possess the accuracy of McGrath but he has more pace to frighten the batsmen.

Obviously it’s not easy to intimidate the batters of the class of Virender Sehwag, Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid on any kind of surface but he has shown the skills to test them.
He had looked impressive in patches in the Test series in India, in the absence of real support from the other end, but he is back with his wicket-taking habits on the home turf.

The pitch at the Adelaide Oval, where the second Test against New Zealand was wrapped up inside four days, was as slow as any pitch in India but Lee and company dismissed the visitors cheaply two times.

Lee picked up four wickets in the first innings to limit the New Zealanders to a paltry 270 on a perfect batting strip where’s Australia average first innings score during the past 10 years was in the excess of 500.

It needed the heroics of wicketkeeper Brad Haddin, besides the grit of Michael Clarke, to earn a sizeable lead for Australia and the platform was set for having another crack at the New Zealanders.

Lee was taken for 17 runs in an extended first over during which he overstepped three times when New Zealand came out to negotiate nine overs on the third evening. The openers, Jamie How and Aaron Redmond, survived the fiery burst from Lee and company.

But it was a different story on the fourth morning when Lee ripped their top-order with a sensational spell. Although he was hit for a few runs by Brendon McCallum, fast running out of partners, he did pick up his fifth wickets of the innings.

Lee’s return to top form augurs well for Australia who prepare themselves for a tougher challenge against South Africa. They will need Lee to fire if they are to dominate their formidable opponents.

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Brad Haddin comes of age at the Adelaide Oval

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

The Sunday crowd at the Adelaide Oval could not have wished for a more entertaining holiday package. Australia’s new wicketkeeper-batsman Brad Haddin obliged them with a delightful maiden Test hundred that would go a long way in cementing his place in the star-studded side.

What a sight it was watching Adam Gilchrist stand and applaud what indeed was a very special hundred. It could be the first of the many centuries that are to flow from the blade of Haddin.

The expectations are far too high from the Haddin not only because he is representing Australia but the main reason is that he has taken over from a man called Gilchrist who is considered as the greatest-ever wicketkeeper-batsman in the history of the game.

Life could not be easy for anyone succeeding a genius like the legendary Gilchrist. Haddin has needed only nine Tests to register first Test hundred but it looks like ages if you compare it with the high standards set by Gilchrist.

Haddin had not fared all that badly with the bat in his earlier eight Tests either but a batting average of just over 26 was considered ordinary because of the exploits of his predecessor.

It was in the fitness of things that Gilchrist was right there at the Adelaide Oval to celebrate the moment of triumph for his successor. The great sportsman that Gilchrist is, he was observed applauding the hundred as passionately as any other cricket fan.

Haddin’s maiden Test century would do his confidence a world of good and this could translate into many more hundreds in the next years as Australia remain one of the busiest sides around.

Trust me if Australia ever needed Haddin to fire was when he landed at the crease on the third morning of the second Test with the inexperienced New Zealanders right on top and threatening to run away with it.

Mike Hussey and Andrew Symonds had been dismissed in one Chris Martin over with the second new ball and the Australians were still 23 behind New Zealand’s first innings score of 270.Michael Clarke was well set but there was a danger of him running out of partners if the New Zealand bowlers made the most of the shining new ball. Enter Haddin with the pendulum having swung towards Daniel Vettori’s young side.

It was Haddin who turned it around with his aggressive batting. He did it in the Gilchrist style, believing that attack was the best form of defence. He toyed with the New Zealand bowling that was beginning to look lethal. His positive approach instilled greater confidence in Clarke who also started playing his strokes more freely.

Haddin has a reputation of being a smart thinker having displaying his qualities while captaining New South Wales (NSW). His decision to go after the New Zealand bowling was a calculated move and it worked.

His 181-run sixth wicket partnership with Clarke, who reached his fourth Test century, changed the complexion of the game. Clarke perished after scoring 110 but Haddin stayed on to blast 169. With the tail-enders firmly in control, he was in sight of a double hundred when he was plucked just inside the rope.

His belligerent knock allowed Australia to lift their score to 535, giving them a handy first innings lead of 265. As it turned out, the New Zealanders could not bat well under pressure to be bowled out for 203 in their second innings.

Haddin was very rightly chosen as Man of the Match as Australia won the game by an innings and 62 runs to wrap up the two-Test series 2-0.

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Sehwag’s brilliance knocks England over at Cuttack

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

Although India’s skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, credited his bowlers for engineering the win over England in the fifth One-day International at Cuttack that allowed the hosts to move into 5-0 lead but in my opinion the exhilarating knock of opener Virender Sehwag settled the issue.

270 wasn’t a modest total by any stretch of imagination on a pitch where the bounce was variable. The dew factor did create problems for the bowlers in gripping the ball but there was plenty in the wicket to keep them interested.

It would have been a different ball game altogether, had India not got off to a flying start through their tried and trusted opening pair. Sehwag in particular was in his typically devastating mood.

Sehwag’s awesome batting display overshadowed even the genius of Sachin Tendulkar who kept the scoreboard ticking over from his end too. Together they built a platform from where India could have lost only due to self-destruction.

The 136-run opening partnership meant that more than half of the target was achieved and since the runs had come at a very brisk pace there were far too many overs available for the incoming batsmen to get their eyes in.

The start becomes so vital while chasing a big target. It could have been a different story to relate if the Indian openers had consumed overs in settling down and then one of them or both of them had perished without making a worthy contribution.

When Sehwag is on song every bowling attack looks ordinary. The trio of Stuart Broad, Andrew Flintoff and Steve Harmison were put to sword once more. They bowled well but they were unable to prevent the belligerent opener from playing in the manner he desired.

It was another Sehwag show basically that powered India to a six-wicket triumph with more than half a dozen overs to spare. His 73-ball 91 was a treat to watch. It was perfect entertainment for the crowd.

Another century for the master blaster was there for the taking. But a cruel umpiring decision denied him the milestone he so richly deserved. He was on top of the bowling from the word go. To have done so against a decent fast bowling attack and that too on a double-paced wicket was quite an accomplishment.

Sehwag is in the middle of a purple patch and his timing of strokes is something out of this world. His hand-eye coordination is second to none and the manner in which he blasts the fastest of bowlers is a treat to watch.

Tendulkar was castled just after completed another masterful half-century. He was undone by Harmison’s change of pace after having executed a series of delightful shots on either side of the wicket.

Tendulkar’s departure brought in Yuvraj Singh to the middle and there was anticipation for more fireworks. But Yuvraj came and went quickly and when Sehwag was also given out the very next ball there was a glimmer of hope for England.

But skipper Dhoni and left-handed Suresh Raina batted very sensibly and their solid half-centuries ensured another comfortable victory for the hosts. Dhoni was at the receiving end of yet another rough decision from the umpire as he was long way out of the crease when adjudged leg before.

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Pakistan’s controversial cueist Saleh Mohammad calls it a day

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

Saleh Mohammad has had a stormy career. This immensely gifted cueist has made Pakistan proud more than once but he has also been involved in uncalled for controversies.

His recent decision to call it a day rather abruptly doesn’t make sense. He has been the country’s most prolific cueist at the international level for the past many years. He was still doing well but he has decided to withdraw himself from the national snooker circuit due to personal reasons.

Alamgir Anwar Shaikh, President, Pakistan Billiards & Snooker Association (PBSA), disclosed that the veteran cueist had verbally informed about his plans to quit the game.

“Saleh, who represented the country in the recently concluded IBSF World Snooker Championship in Wels, Austria, informed us the other day that he was not in a position to continue playing the game due to family and financial reasons. We tried to convince him to play for a few more years but he felt that his business interests might get hurt by doing so,” the PBSA President revealed.

“We advised Saleh to submit a declaration in writing in this regard or publicly announce his retirement so that his name could be removed from the national ranking chart. We are yet to hear from him despite having called him on his cell a few times,” Alamgir Shaikh added.

The PBSA President admitted that Saleh’s absence would create a vacuum as he has had the reputation of being a world-beater.“There is no doubt about the class of Saleh. He established himself as one of the leading amateur cueists of the world, having toppled some of the big guns during his illustrious career,” he noted.

He agreed that there was no lack of performance or inconsistency in form on part of Saleh even of late.The PBSA, the governing body of the game in the country, had always backed Saleh having bailed him out on numerous occasions. He should have had the courtesy to consult the administrators of the game before making such an important decision.

Saleh has had outstanding record during the current year. He rewrote history by becoming the first player to score a maximum 147-point break at the Asian Championship in Dubai earlier this year.

He extended his brilliant form in the inaugural Sangsom 6-Red Snooker International held in Bangkok, Thailand, just a few months later. He went down fighting in the pre-quarter-finals but earned the distinction of recording the maximum break of 75 in the quickest time. He did it in just two minutes and 54 seconds.

Saleh, seeded second for the knockout stage of the competition following his sterling performance in the league matches, was ironically downed by Thailand’s Noppadon Noppachorn, the only amateur to have forced his way into the quarter-finals.

His greatest accomplishment, however, had come five years ago in China when he reach the final of the World Championship 2003 by winning 14 matches on a trot. His surprise defeat in the final denied him the title that he richly deserved. 1999 was another landmark year for Saleh when he completed a grand slam by winning all four national ranking tournaments.

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Will India make unnecessary changes to let England stage a comeback in ODI series ?

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

The Indians have sealed the seven-match ODI series against England by winning the fourth game in Bangalore. It’s not often that India have won four matches on a trot, let alone doing it during the course of a series.

The lads are making the most of the experience they have gained by playing the Indian Premier League (IPL) last season. The super-fit Indians are proving just too much for the England side lacking in class and character.

Manhendra Singh Dhoni is in the process of enhancing his reputation every day. He has turned out to be a great captain who passes the impression of having full faith in the ability of his teammates.

The boys, as well as the men in the squad, continue to deliver with smiles on their faces. The body language says it all. Their shoulders never drop even when they are being taken for runs or suffer a batting collapse. They have a settled team now that has the potential and eagerness to rule the world.

But it looks as if the Indian cricket administrators are getting ready to induct some players who have not played in the ongoing ODI series. It very clearly means that some of those players having performed exceptionally well in the earlier games will be made to sit out.

This policy could backfire because they would be taking the risk of disturbing the combination that has been clicking as a unit. One is not sure if the changes would be made to accommodate some players and please the office-bearers of their respective state associations.

Compromising on the interests of the team doesn’t sound a noble idea. The players who are delivering need not be rested unnecessarily. The inconsistency in the Indian selection can provide the window of opportunity to England who have been laid low by a highly motivated and proactive unit.

One fails to understand the wisdom behind derailing the winning combination. The changes should only be made when somebody is not fit to play or he is having a lean time in the middle. Dropping the high performers in order to accommodate some of the fringe players doesn’t make much sense.

The Indians should have learnt from history. In the past they have often been guilty of experimenting just a bit too much at home that has allowed the visiting teams to stage a comeback from nowhere.

Will England be the latest beneficiary of such a move we will have to wait and see. There is still a possibility that the Indian selectors may continue fielding more or less the same team in the remaining games to attempt a whitewash in the series.

But if the selectors are pressurized by the concerned quarters and some unnecessary mare changes are made the 4-0 scoreline could very well become 4-3 in a matter of the next few days.The momentum is with India. They have dominated the first four games decisively and the series has been pocketed. The big question however is: Will their selectors succumb to the pressures of some of their own people or better sense will prevail?

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Lloyd justified in seeking ICL-IPL co-existence

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

The statement of the legendary West Indian captain , who is currently heading ICC cricket committee, in which he has expressed his opinion that the ICL and IPL can co-exist, must have come as music to many ears.

It’s an open secret that some powerful ‘elements’ in the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI), have made the Indian Cricket League (ICL) a life and death issue.

Since the BCCI has been in a position to dictate terms with the International Cricket Council (ICC) for the past few years, even the apex governing body of the game has not been able to make decisions on its own.

The BCCI attempted to dilute the ICL by launching their own brand by the name of the Indian Premier League (IPL). It was a master stroke to create a bigger league with all the ‘official’ resources but it didn’t look fair on their part to try to isolate another league that was also serving the interests of the Indian cricket.

It’s rumoured that Malcolm Speed, a former chief of the ICC, was in favour of a settlement with the ICL and it cost him the high profile job.

In these circumstances the statement of Clive Lloyd has come as breathe of fresh air. But it remains to be seen how the big bosses of the Indian cricket react to it.
The former West Indian captain has gone a step further by suggesting that similar leagues be launched in the Caribbean to boost the game in the region.

Lloyd, whose inspiring captaincy was instrumental in transforming the West Indies into a world-beating unit, believed that the leagues like the IPL and ICL need to be set up in his country to revive the sport in the region.

"Leagues similar to the IPL and ICL will not only bring young talented players in the national team but will also make their basics .The standard of domestic cricket is poor in the Caribbean and hence there is a need to bring in leagues like these. They would not only improve the standard of the game but will also help players become experienced at a young age," Lloyd was quoted as saying.

Lloyd, who led the West Indies to title wins in the World Cup in 1975 and 1979, has expressed the optimism that the country would be soon in a position to bring back the trophy after the success of the Stanford Superstars.

"The team has not won any major trophy for a long time and lacks consistency. But I am sure they will be back in form and will bring the WorldCup home in the Caribbean soon. Apart from the money, players will gain experience with the right people to guide them from Standford Twenty20 Super Series," the West Indian reckoned.

"We need to get to make young players to understand that it's just not about money. Money is there to be earned, but they need to learn the rudimentary elements of the game," he warned.

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Javed Miandad urges BCCI to join hands with ICL

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

Javed Miandad had distinguished himself by battling it out against the deadliest of bowlers with courage, fortitude and solid technique. He was one batsman who was not afraid to take body blows. Neither was he laid low in the pressure-cooker situations.

He has arguably been the greatest-ever batsman to have played for Pakistan. He was a master tactician who outsmarted the opponents with his mind games.

The legend is back. He has recently taken over as the Director General of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB). Just as he had to tackle numerous challenges in his playing career he is confronted with one serious issue right away.

The Indian Cricket League (ICL) has the presence of quite of a few players from Pakistan, who are not eligible to play for the home country because of the ban imposed on them by the previous regime of the PCB.

Javed Miandad, known for calling a spade a spade, has reportedly admitted that the PCB was under immense pressure from the public and the media to include ICL players in the national team.

According to reports the batting great, who is also renowned for his hard-hitting comments, did not mince words in stating that he supported the move.
"The BCCI is a very powerful body, but because of its bullying tactics, a lot of people are suffering. All the BCCI needs to do is join hands with ICL," he said in a newspaper interview.

"The PCB is under a lot of pressure from the public and the media to include players like Imran Nazir, Rana Naved and Imran Farhat in the team. If there is such talent, why not utilise it? As a cricketer, I would like to see these boys in the Pakistan squad," the former Pakistan captain was quoted as saying.

Javed Miandad’s views carry enormous weight. Many well wishers of the game have suggested to the BCCI in the past as well to take the ICL on board because they were also serving the cause of the game and its players.

The BCCI could find itself in an awkward situation if some of the other affected cricket boards reverse their earlier decision of banning the players contracted by the ICL.

With the Chairman of the ICC Cricket Committee, Clive Lloyd, also coming out in the open just the other day suggesting the co-existence of the ICL and the IPL, the BCCI may be prompted to review its stance.

The BCCI should not lose sight of the fact that more than any other country it are their cricketers who are suffering because of the ban imposed of them.

The Indian cricketers competing in the ICL are not allowed to represent their respective states that automatically make them ineligible for selection in the national team.

There are many promising Indian youngsters who have made their mark in the ICL. Won’t it be inappropriate to ignore the outstanding performers of the ICL who have delivered in as competitive environment as the IPL.

The movers and shakers of the BCCI should review their policy and their aim should become an organ in the promotion of the game rather than doing the opposite.

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General Arif Hasan optimistic about future of Pakistan sports

By Syed Khalid Mahmood

General Syed Arif Hasan, President, Pakistan Olympic Association (POA) and Chairman, Pakistan Sports Trust (PST), did not mince words in stating that the country can produce better results in the field of sports provided the athletes were provided the desired training and coaching facilities.“We have already moved a summary to the Government of Pakistan in which the plans for the restructuring of sports have been outlined. We have mentioned that funds of Rs 400 million will be needed over the next couple of years if we are to achieve the desired results in the 2010 Asian Games,” the General remarked while addressing the media at the Karachi Club on November 18.

The General, flanked by the President of the Pakistan Table Tennis Federation (PTTF), S M Sibtain, and the President of the Pakistan Billiards & Snooker Association (PBSA), Alamgir Anwar Shaikh, shared the plan with the media corps of Karachi and looked positive throughout the briefing last over an hour. Colonel Mohammad Azhar Dean, Director Finance & Administration, PST, was also present on the occasion.“We desire to have more interactive sessions with the media based in Karachi who have done great service in promoting the soft image of country and they have been proactive throughout in playing their role in bringing glories for the country,” he acknowledged.

“I have come here just to share my thoughts with you. I have been in touch with the media professionals and sports administrators of Karachi on a regular basis and today I thought we should have a session to briefly discuss the ups and downs of Pakistan sports” the POA President added.

“As you know it very well the standard of sports in Pakistan has been on the decline. It has been very tough putting the pieces together and arresting the decline. We have tried our level best to do in the limited resources that have been at our disposal. We have been lending all out support to our affiliated federations to boost their confidence. The federations have the responsibility of raising their teams and keeping them motivated,” he pointed out.

“You are well aware of the fact that Pakistan stood no chance whatsoever of bringing home any medal in the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games. It would have been a miracle had we pocketed any medal in the given scenario. Let us put the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games behind us and look to the future now. We have some breathing time and we are working overtime to avail that,” General Arif noted.

“Our athletes have come up with heartening performance in the recent events like the Commonwealth Youth Games and Asian Beach Games that prove our point that we can accomplish our mission of bringing home medals if we continue to lay emphasis on training and grooming,” the General thought.

“The Pakistan Sports Trust (PST), which is the marketing arm of the Pakistan Olympic Association (POA), has spent millions of rupees on the training of the youngsters and the results are beginning to come. We need more resources, more funds and more time to deliver,” he continued.

“We know the future lies with the investment in youth. Besides facilitating the national sports federations in letting them work professionally, we are focusing on the junior programmes to provide the youngsters the platform to unfold their talents,” the General explained.

“Our target and mission at the moment is to claim medals in the Asian Games 2010 and other regional events. This would only be possible with the support of all our stake-holders, particularly the government,” General Arif believed.General Arif was bombarded with some unrelated and illogical questions but he didn’t lose his cool or composure. He listened to the observations patiently and gave convincing answers to the queries that indeed merited attention.

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