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[Libran]

Legspin and all that:

Nasser Hussain had some withering things to say on air about Sreesanth's preparation, which apparently involved legspin bowling in the nets. The older players have managed fine without a coach to guide them but Sreesanth, eccentric at the best of times, seems to be struggling without a knowing voice in the ear. Zaheer Khan and RP Singh have both outbowled him in this series, and he needs to get his act together quickly. Abandoning legspin would be a start.


I have ne'er seen such atrocious lack of commitment to a team cause like the first and last over that SS bowled... ... Even at the cost of being one bowler short, he needs to be benched...and WTF was RD doing...he did not even walk up to him to suggest that he should stop his bowling bufoonery

[pipsqueak]

i dunno - sreesanth looked completely out of it all when he bowled. he carelessly threw his marker, didn't measure his run-up etc.

weird. he better get his act together today!

[dextrous]

i dunno - sreesanth looked completely out of it all when he bowled. he carelessly threw his marker, didn't measure his run-up etc.

weird. he better get his act together today!

is he on something?!

[fineleg]

Legspin and all that:

Nasser Hussain had some withering things to say on air about Sreesanth's preparation, which apparently involved legspin bowling in the nets. The older players have managed fine without a coach to guide them but Sreesanth, eccentric at the best of times, seems to be struggling without a knowing voice in the ear. Zaheer Khan and RP Singh have both outbowled him in this series, and he needs to get his act together quickly. Abandoning legspin would be a start.


I have ne'er seen such atrocious lack of commitment to a team cause like the first and last over that SS bowled... ... Even at the cost of being one bowler short, he needs to be benched...and WTF was RD doing...he did not even walk up to him to suggest that he should stop his bowling bufoonery

Ravi,
What happened in the first and last over?

[keep-it-cool]

someone get one of the left handers out and he will be back to normal

[feverpitch]

Since motivating oneself for an international is solely the prerogative of the individual player chosen to play for his national side, going by RD's book on captaincy, does this mean the beginning of the end of SS's career? I hear he was bowling leg spin at the nets the day before, and looked on another planet yesterday while bowling.

[Libran]

Legspin and all that:

Nasser Hussain had some withering things to say on air about Sreesanth's preparation, which apparently involved legspin bowling in the nets. The older players have managed fine without a coach to guide them but Sreesanth, eccentric at the best of times, seems to be struggling without a knowing voice in the ear. Zaheer Khan and RP Singh have both outbowled him in this series, and he needs to get his act together quickly. Abandoning legspin would be a start.


I have ne'er seen such atrocious lack of commitment to a team cause like the first and last over that SS bowled... ... Even at the cost of being one bowler short, he needs to be benched...and WTF was RD doing...he did not even walk up to him to suggest that he should stop his bowling bufoonery

Ravi,
What happened in the first and last over?

Is this a serious Question...? I suppose you were glued to the TV ...If not , I'll summarize a bit later

[broadbat]

Dunno about what really happened to him. Hope ZK did not give him another dose left over from the WC. Even Strauss was taken aback with SS's run up slowing to a crawl pulling away from his stumps and then getting back when he saw SS about to deliver. Weird. I wonder if this came up in the post match conference.

[fineleg]

Legspin and all that:

Nasser Hussain had some withering things to say on air about Sreesanth's preparation, which apparently involved legspin bowling in the nets. The older players have managed fine without a coach to guide them but Sreesanth, eccentric at the best of times, seems to be struggling without a knowing voice in the ear. Zaheer Khan and RP Singh have both outbowled him in this series, and he needs to get his act together quickly. Abandoning legspin would be a start.


I have ne'er seen such atrocious lack of commitment to a team cause like the first and last over that SS bowled... ... Even at the cost of being one bowler short, he needs to be benched...and WTF was RD doing...he did not even walk up to him to suggest that he should stop his bowling bufoonery

Ravi,
What happened in the first and last over?

Is this a serious Question...? I suppose you were glued to the TV ...If not , I'll summarize a bit later

I did not watch these portions. So, yes it is a serious question - do post a summary when you get a chance.

[Libran]

Legspin and all that:

Nasser Hussain had some withering things to say on air about Sreesanth's preparation, which apparently involved legspin bowling in the nets. The older players have managed fine without a coach to guide them but Sreesanth, eccentric at the best of times, seems to be struggling without a knowing voice in the ear. Zaheer Khan and RP Singh have both outbowled him in this series, and he needs to get his act together quickly. Abandoning legspin would be a start.


I have ne'er seen such atrocious lack of commitment to a team cause like the first and last over that SS bowled... ... Even at the cost of being one bowler short, he needs to be benched...and WTF was RD doing...he did not even walk up to him to suggest that he should stop his bowling bufoonery

Ravi,
What happened in the first and last over?

Is this a serious Question...? I suppose you were glued to the TV ...If not , I'll summarize a bit later

I did not watch these portions. So, yes it is a serious question - do post a summary when you get a chance.

Read BB's post above

[gouravk]

Never you mind .. he will be back with a bang today !

[fineleg]

Never you mind .. he will be back with a bang today !

GK,
If SS is doing crap he needs to be kicked out of the team for displaying poor attitude.
Dont defend him if he is showing this crappy attitude.

[Libran]

Never you mind .. he will be back with a bang today !

GK,
If SS is doing crap he needs to be kicked out of the team for displaying poor attitude.
Dont defend him if he is showing this crappy attitude.

Gourav...starting off round the wicket, the next ball over the wicket and bowling a lolly fulltoss, spraying it on leg..kicking off the sawdust, throwing the marker, and starting two feet from where the marker rolled and settled, not accelerating and actually looking like slowing down and bad mouthing the batsman.....

Either he got an SMS from his Girlfriend that she has found someone else or he was smokin' something ....

This is international cricket ...not some Chicago league for God's sake

[gouravk]

It's just 3 bad overs mate ... nothing to fret about .. im telling you he will be back with a bang.

[Libran]

It's just 3 bad overs mate ... nothing to fret about .. im telling you he will be back with a bang.

3 out of 16 is 20% of the overs available to put the batsmen under pressure...and that is a lot if one is looking to wrap up the test..but more than winning the test...it was the attitude.... and that to me is not lookin' good

[gouravk]

Yes mate .. but he will have a lot of time to put it right today ... 90 overs so if he bowls 15 of them well ....

[dhruvdeepak]

Yes mate .. but he will have a lot of time to put it right today ... 90 overs so if he bowls 15 of them well ....

i agree with you for some reason. somehow i have this feeling that they will have sorted it out behind closed doors and SS will come out with some fire...
unpredictable, fickle character though. the display yesterday was ridiculous. i take my bowling more seriously when playing with 4 or 5 friends in the backyard...

[sgusa]

Never you mind .. he will be back with a bang today !

GK,
If SS is doing crap he needs to be kicked out of the team for displaying poor attitude.
Dont defend him if he is showing this crappy attitude.

Gourav...starting off round the wicket, the next ball over the wicket and bowling a lolly fulltoss, spraying it on leg..kicking off the sawdust, throwing the marker, and starting two feet from where the marker rolled and settled, not accelerating and actually looking like slowing down and bad mouthing the batsman.....

Either he got an SMS from his Girlfriend that she has found someone else or he was smokin' something ....

This is international cricket ...not some Chicago league for God's sake

very correct. chicago league is brutal.

[toney]

This guy seems to have gone bonkers. In addition to the pathetic bowling yesterday(and Nasser was spot on in saying that SS should pay for his lethargy), he does some really inexplicable things. Today, on his way back to the bowling mark, he made contact with Vaughan (shoulder) and I thought it was rather uncalled for. Now, he acts as if he wanted to trip PC. While there was no malice intended there, cricket should remain a game with no physical contact. Even sledgeing shouldn't be allowed but the Aussies and Kiwis somehow make it seem legal.
SS shuld get his act together. Unless of course, he thinks he is already promoted to the Maharathi status.

[ruchir]

I will criticize SS for his wayward bowling on occasions, and his changing sides mid over frequently, but I will never criticize him for sledging of any kind (verbal or physical). We desperately needed a bowler who could give back more than we received and SS is just that kind of bowler. If he improves his accuracy in handling swing bowling and learns to control his animationism, he will be a lot more effective in his sledging that he currently is.

[toney]

Ruchir,
Thats exactly what I am trying to say. Its up to him whether he wants to sledge or not. Hey, even the odd "unintentional" beamer is no big deal. But to follow up his sledging with pathetic bowling makes him the laughing stock. Today, his sledging seemed to affect just him.
In contrast, there was so much more spice to the ZK-Vaughan exchanges for eg.
One thing I liked today was Matt Prior being at the receiving end. He will think twice before going after our batsmen from now on.

[ruchir]

Agree, Toney.

[dhruvdeepak]

Ruchir,
Thats exactly what I am trying to say. Its up to him whether he wants to sledge or not. Hey, even the odd "unintentional" beamer is no big deal. But to follow up his sledging with pathetic bowling makes him the laughing stock. Today, his sledging seemed to affect just him.
In contrast, there was so much more spice to the ZK-Vaughan exchanges for eg.
One thing I liked today was Matt Prior being at the receiving end. He will think twice before going after our batsmen from now on.

watching us get one over a chap like matt prior gives me great pleasure. he was playing and missing, and zaheer had a few words. prior, cocky fellow that he is, gave zak a few kissys.
then his middle stump got annihilated 

[WicketView]

Well, I dont think he should be shouldering them either. Verbal sledging, unfortunately, exists  ... so they should give it back. But escalating it to the level of physical contact is uncalled for.

At this point though, there are more worrying things about this guy. From all reports that I got, he seems to be doing things rather carelessly, it has even been suggested that he bowled a no ball deliberately. I am at a loss to understand what may provoke such behaviour, but such action (if deliberate) should be severely dealt with, his talents notwithstanding.

[fineleg]

Well, I dont think he should be shouldering them either. Verbal sledging, unfortunately, exists  ... so they should give it back. But escalating it to the level of physical contact is uncalled for.

At this point though, there are more worrying things about this guy. From all reports that I got, he seems to be doing things rather carelessly, it has even been suggested that he bowled a no ball deliberately. I am at a loss to understand what may provoke such behaviour, but such action (if deliberate) should be severely dealt with, his talents notwithstanding.

Yes, apparently he bowled one of the WORST no-ball ever...(ofcourse deliberate no ball cannot be proved, but seems there is a strong suspicion of deliberate no ball)
What the heck is wrong with SS? Someone in our team needs to have a very serious talk to this idjet.

[ruchir]

Well, I dont think he should be shouldering them either. Verbal sledging, unfortunately, exists  ... so they should give it back. But escalating it to the level of physical contact is uncalled for.

At this point though, there are more worrying things about this guy. From all reports that I got, he seems to be doing things rather carelessly, it has even been suggested that he bowled a no ball deliberately. I am at a loss to understand what may provoke such behaviour, but such action (if deliberate) should be severely dealt with, his talents notwithstanding.

Strongly disagree.

Let ICC ban/fine him for physical sledging. After a lifetime have we got a bowler who is ready to anything to get under the skin of the opposition. He should be celebrated, not contained. Let his kick toward Colly, walk into MV. Aussie bowlers walk into opposition batsmen regularly, no one says anything about that!! AUS captains, board never asks them to stop!

About that huge no-ball, I personally would have no problem with that even if it was intentional. At that time, SS was trying everything in his book to intimidate Colly, MV, whoever was batting. That no-ball was actually a bouncer. With nothing at risk, I don't think there should be a problem in SS trying things to get under opposition skin. I can understand RD trying to talk to him, to calm down, because under new rules all such misdemeanors come back on the captain. But a more risk-taking captain would allow SS to so what he was doing.

[WicketView]

Well, I dont think he should be shouldering them either. Verbal sledging, unfortunately, exists  ... so they should give it back. But escalating it to the level of physical contact is uncalled for.

At this point though, there are more worrying things about this guy. From all reports that I got, he seems to be doing things rather carelessly, it has even been suggested that he bowled a no ball deliberately. I am at a loss to understand what may provoke such behaviour, but such action (if deliberate) should be severely dealt with, his talents notwithstanding.

Strongly disagree.

I guess we will have to leave it at that.

The one case where I would agree with you is if the particular opposition was doing it to us. Yes, there are elements in the Australian and SAF team who have done it, and I would be happy to see him give it back to them. Not otherwise.

Let ICC ban/fine him for physical sledging. After a lifetime have we got a bowler who is ready to anything to get under the skin of the opposition. He should be celebrated, not contained. Let his kick toward Colly, walk into MV. Aussie bowlers walk into opposition batsmen regularly, no one says anything about that!! AUS captains, board never asks them to stop!

About that huge no-ball, I personally would have no problem with that even if it was intentional. At that time, SS was trying everything in his book to intimidate Colly, MV, whoever was batting. That no-ball was actually a bouncer. With nothing at risk, I don't think there should be a problem in SS trying things to get under opposition skin. I can understand RD trying to talk to him, to calm down, because under new rules all such misdemeanors come back on the captain. But a more risk-taking captain would allow SS to so what he was doing.

I don't know what it was. But, such 'misdemeanors' not just come back to the captain; (I believe) they can and should result in the suspension of the players (The bowler and the captain) involved. In the long run, if he is worth anything, that is a bad idea. Not to say, that it is wrong. Further, there were statements of him throwing his marker carelessly, not measuring his run up, which did not seem to indicate any coherence in this line.

[ruchir]

Well, I dont think he should be shouldering them either. Verbal sledging, unfortunately, exists  ... so they should give it back. But escalating it to the level of physical contact is uncalled for.

At this point though, there are more worrying things about this guy. From all reports that I got, he seems to be doing things rather carelessly, it has even been suggested that he bowled a no ball deliberately. I am at a loss to understand what may provoke such behaviour, but such action (if deliberate) should be severely dealt with, his talents notwithstanding.

Strongly disagree.

I guess we will have to leave it at that.

The one case where I would agree with you is if the particular opposition was doing it to us. Yes, there are elements in the Australian and SAF team who have done it, and I would be happy to see him give it back to them. Not otherwise.

Well, whether it is AUS, SA or whoever. Until ICC decides to rule on such actions, in a fair and universal manner, we should not be left behind by being gentleman. Whether ENG does or not is immaterial. Incidentally, ENG were so bad in their sledging that KKD had to complain to umpire. It is another matter that SG had the presence of mind to stop KKD from doing that.

Let ICC ban/fine him for physical sledging. After a lifetime have we got a bowler who is ready to anything to get under the skin of the opposition. He should be celebrated, not contained. Let his kick toward Colly, walk into MV. Aussie bowlers walk into opposition batsmen regularly, no one says anything about that!! AUS captains, board never asks them to stop!

About that huge no-ball, I personally would have no problem with that even if it was intentional. At that time, SS was trying everything in his book to intimidate Colly, MV, whoever was batting. That no-ball was actually a bouncer. With nothing at risk, I don't think there should be a problem in SS trying things to get under opposition skin. I can understand RD trying to talk to him, to calm down, because under new rules all such misdemeanors come back on the captain. But a more risk-taking captain would allow SS to so what he was doing.

I don't know what it was. But, such 'misdemeanors' not just come back to the captain; (I believe) they can and should result in the suspension of the players (The bowler and the captain) involved. In the long run, if he is worth anything, that is a bad idea. Not to say, that it is wrong. Further, there were statements of him throwing his marker carelessly, not measuring his run up, which did not seem to indicate any coherence in this line.

Under new rules, apart from player being fined/banned, the captain will also face some penalty for not being able to control his team.

Throwing his marker - yes that looked odd. But that had nothing to do with how SS was interacting with ENG batsmen. He was mad at himself for not being able to control the swing and that resulted in him kicking the straw dust etc.

Big No-ball was a try to bowl unplayable fast bouncer. Whether it was deliberate or not is debatable. Probably it was deliberate because prior to that SS had bowled a delivery from way behind the stumps.

Sure, SS did not get his aggression act right. But look at the thought behind that act. The thought was to get under the ENG skin using whatever means possible. Even it it mean throwing beamers, kicking them, walking into them, bowling bouncers, chirping at them continuously. Probably, that beamer at KP by SS later induced KP to play injudiciously against RPS.

[ruchir]

Read this article to find out how gentlemanly ENG team were:

http://www.rediff.com/cricket/2007/jul/31zaheer.htm


Zaheer reveals England's 'insulting' tactics

Harish Kotian in Nottingham | July 31, 2007 01:48 IST
 
India's pace bowling sensation Zaheer Khan [Images] on Monday revealed why he got upset while batting and walked towards Kevin Pietersen [Images] and pointed his bat at him on Day 3 of the second Test at Trent Bridge.

Describing England's [Images] behaviour as "insulting", Zaheer said jelly beans, a type of confectionery, were thrown at him the moment he arrived at the crease on Sunday, as India sat comfortably in the driver's seat on their way to 483 all out in the first innings in reply to England's score of 198.

"There was some incident that happened on the field while I was batting. On the crease there were some jelly beans; while I was batting I just tucked one off the wicket. So when I played the next ball again some jelly beans were there on the wicket so, obviously, someone was throwing them from behind on the wicket, which I didn't liked.

"So I went up to and said to them, 'Guys what is this all about? I am here to play cricket', and so they came up to me. I was upset about it and I reacted accordingly," he said in Nottingham on Monday.

India are on the verge of victory in this match, having reached 10 for no loss, chasing a target of 73. And it is Zaheer who is responsible for the position the team is in. He took five wickets in the second innings for a match tally of 9 wickets for 134 runs.

During his knock in the first innings, Zaheer exchanged a few words with the England fielders before walking up to Pietersen with his bat.

"I didn't know exactly from where it [jelly beans] were coming. Maybe I picked the wrong one [player] but I was just not bothered at that time, because I felt it was insulting. I wasn't sure from where it was coming but, definitely, it came from a fielder, because if it was placed unknowingly then it shouldn't have come again when I removed it. It came there again which I didn't like," Zaheer added.

The 28-year-old dismissed theories that England could have done it just for fun.

"We are here to play cricket; that's what we are looking forward to do in the whole series. When I go there on the cricket field I am serious. I am there to play cricket, to play good cricket, nice, hard quality cricket. This is Test match cricket we are playing here and I don't see it any other way," he said.

Meanwhile, England batsman Paul Collingwood [Images] brushed off the entire incident and even made a joke of it, saying: "Zaheer obviously came in and wasn't too pleased. Maybe he prefers the blue ones than the pink ones, to be honest with you.

"You are always going to enjoy aggression when two teams want to win so much. You are always going to enjoy competition in the middle as long as it doesn't go overboard. This is certainly not anything new; it has been going for years," the England ODI captain added.

At the end of the day, England's unfair sporting tactics became clear but it didn't impact the result in anyway. India were the better team throughout the match and deserve to warp it up on the fifth day and take a 1-0 lead in the three-match series, which has one match to go.

Of course, England sure must be frustrated after missing out on winning the first Test at Lord's because of rain. But, then, in cricket not everything goes the way you want it to.

[LosingNow]

Read this article to find out how gentlemanly ENG team were:

http://www.rediff.com/cricket/2007/jul/31zaheer.htm

"maybe he prefers the blue ones than the pink ones"

LOL. That is a great line.

Whatever the context, PC is a funny guy!

[keep-it-cool]

ZK should just have flipped it on its head ... going up to Vaughn or the umpires saying .. "one of your bowlers seem to have dropped this ...keep it, the way we are going he needs it" or "probably, even using this did not work"