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[kban1]

i am more curious about Balaji than Nehra... but atleast Nehra's fielding has been improved significantly..

Yeah second that thought about Balaji

[gouravk]

puhleez
he has done ok in two 20 over games where he has to bowl 4 overs each. i will hear none of it until he does well for an entire domestic season playing ranji trophy and duleep trophy. that will be the right forum to measure how much he has improved.

[broadbat]

Then there are guy's like Goni,Sangwan and Yo Mahesh. It's the spinners cupboard that seems bare!

[kban1]

puhleez
he has done ok in two 20 over games where he has to bowl 4 overs each. i will hear none of it until he does well for an entire domestic season playing ranji trophy and duleep trophy. that will be the right forum to measure how much he has improved.

True but I said what I said based on his bowling skills -the pace, the swing, the improved fitness.

We have to see if he has the stamina to last. And stay injury free --although to be honest, I remember last year he bowled 100's of overs for Delhi on flat tracks (and has not broken down yet).

IMO, its something to keep a watch on and be cautiously optimistic

[Cover Point]

at the end of the day..assuming ipl does not become the be all and end all of cricket...which is a possibility... the biggest contribution would be the fact that we can see the domestic players for ourselves and dont hae to rely on idiot selectors to actually go to ranji games  ....they never do...

i think faulty selections will be harder now.

also maharathi raj may be harder too as we would seen the potential of replacements.

[Zacked]

From MI to Mission Possible
16 May 2008, 0021 hrs IST,Bobilli Vijay Kumar,TNN

For weeks, Sachin Tendulkar sat on the sidelines clutching his painful groin; he even watched helplessly as his side jumped out of the frying pan into the Harbhajan Singh fire and back into the frying pan.

The Mumbai Indians, and their owners, however, did not lose their faith. Unlike the Royal Challengers, they could fall back on hope: after all, they had a few players who could make an impact, at least in the immediate now. It was merely a question of one victory; the turnaround could always be round the corner.

The onus was taken by Shaun Pollock. The reluctant captain, who hides a sharp wit behind that perpetual frown, realised at that right time that his swansong was turning out to be no more than a squeak. Digging deep into his repertoire, he pulled out slower deliveries, sharp incutters, late outswingers and... eventually the rabbit.

With unexpected support from the maverick Ashish Nehra, he transformed MI from a batting powerhouse into a bowling force. It took them a while, four straight defeats and a firm word from the franchise for the penny to drop. But at least it did.

A surprisingly facile win over Kolkata Knight Riders was the first lifeline. Since then, they have beaten the three strongest squads in the tournament: Delhi, Rajasthan and Chennai. The last victory, on Wednesday night at home, was particularly sweet.

On a seaming track, they restricted the smooth-sailing Dhoni outfit to 156 and raced to the target in barely 14 overs. If this doesn't shake down the IPL table or rile up Vijay Mallya even more, nothing else will. Mumbai Indians had a little more to celebrate than the crucial win though: Sanath Jayasuriya's return to roaring form. The Lankan marauder smashed 11 sixers and nine boundaries to remain unbeaten on 114 off just 48 deliveries. No opposition can hope to withstand such fury and destruction.

For most romantics, there was an even more cherishing moment than the win itself: the sight of Jayasuriya and Tendulkar walk out for the same team. The little master-blaster managed only 12 in his brief stay; but it must be disconcerting for any team to see them at the crease together.

The key question is: have the Mumbai Indians found momentum at the right time? Can they continue in the same vein? Or has the string of victories come a little too late? We will know soon enough, ironically, when they clash with another team that is suddenly on the resurgent.

Kolkata Knight Riders, for a few matches, looked insipid without their ever-smiling mascot: Shah Rukh Khan. His return, plus Shoaib Akhtar's blistering debut, has brought them right back into contention for the semifinals. In their crucial faceoff, it will all come down to the Sachin-Sanath versus Shoaib-Sharma (Ishant) battle.

On current form, Mumbai Indians cannot be discounted to take the last semifinal spot. Their balance will no doubt get affected when Dwayne Bravo goes home; but Tendulkar's presence should more than make up for that. With Dhawal Kulkarni and Abhishek Nayar chipping in nicely, they look well-rounded. Let us just hope Tendulkar's groin doesn't play spoilsport again.

http://ipl.timesofindia.indiatimes.com/From_MI_to_Mission_Possible/articleshow/3044414.cms

[broadbat]

For weeks, Sachin Tendulkar sat on the sidelines clutching his painful groin

Sorry I must have missed that!

[pipsqueak]

For weeks, Sachin Tendulkar sat on the sidelines clutching his painful groin

Sorry I must have missed that!

ROFL

[Zacked]

Seems like Mumbai are getting more strength in thier bowlin line up

County news

Nel leaves Essex early for IPL

Cricinfo staff

May 17, 2008
 
Essex have agreed to release Andre Nel one match early so that he can take up a deal with the Mumbai Indians in the IPL. Nel was due to end his stint after Sunday's match against Middlesex, but the defeat against Kent on Friday was now his final game for the club.

He is the second overseas player to leave county cricket at short notice to join the IPL following Brad Hodge's sudden departure from Lancashire after receiving an offer from the Kolkata Knight Riders. However, unlike the Hodge move, which hasn't gone down well at Old Trafford, Essex are fully behind Nel.

"The club has given its full backing to Andre with his request to leave after the Kent game on Friday," the chief executive David East said. "It is an honour for Essex to have players in their ranks who are attracting the attention of those teams competing in the Indian Premier League.

"We thank Andre for all his efforts during this latest stint with the county. Once again he has proved a very popular member of our dressing room and has played his part in the team's excellent start to the campaign."

Nel said on the Essex website: "I would like to thank Essex in granting my request to end my time with them early, in order to take up a contract with the Mumbai Indians. As always, I have enjoyed my stay with Essex enormously and the excellent way I continue to be treated by the club bodes well for our future relationship should I get another chance to return."

This was Nel's third spell with Essex, having also featured for the county in 2005 and 2007. He appeared in three County Championship and three Friends Provident Trophy matches in 2008, picking up 10 wickets at 34.10 in four-day cricket and three wickets at 37.33 in the FP Trophy to help Essex to second and top spot in the respective tables.

Nel will join the Mumbai Indians, under the captaincy of Sachin Tendulkar, on Sunday. He could be back in England later in the season if selected for the South Africa tour, although he was controversially dropped for the recent trip to India.

The Pakistan legspinner Danish Kaneria will take up his duties as overseas player from next Wednesday when Essex begin their Championship match against Leicestershire.

[gouravk]

it seems they will be getting pietersen also from next season 

[dextrous]

arent teams capped out? and i thought foreign players had to go through auctions?

if not...kkr should get some people who can hold a bat! lots of options among koplak players in the counties.

[gouravk]

this is about next season. not necessary that every time a foreign player wants to join, he has to be auctioned. bravo joined MI without being auctioned.

[keep-it-cool]

Wow ... I cant wait for Nel to join ... Pollock, Nel, Nehra would be a very effective attack.

As for Pietersan, I am not sure whether 4 mill makes sense for someone who can only bat .. his record in T20s has not been really much to talk about either ... I would have gone for someone like Collingwood - provided he is interested. Hope Pieterson does not end up being a white elephant ... because this deal would push up SRT's price tag also a few notches.

[gouravk]

dude you must be joking. he is not "a batsman" he is "the batsman"

[keep-it-cool]

dude you must be joking. he is not "a batsman" he is "the batsman"

who hasnt really been able to deliver much in this form of the game!

[Zacked]

IPL player signings

Dwayne Smith added to Mumbai squad

Cricinfo staff

May 19, 2008
 
Dwayne Smith, the West Indies allrounder, has been summoned by Mumbai Indians to spruce up their line-up after the departure of his West Indies team-mate, Dwayne Bravo. Each team is allowed nine overseas player and Smith will be Mumbai's ninth.

Bravo left after the game against the Deccan Chargers on Sunday to join the national squad preparing the home Test series against Australia that starts in Jamaica on Thursday.

Though Andre Nel, the South African fast bowler, had already joined the Mumbai squad on Sunday, the team management felt they needed someone who could be an equal replacement for Bravo, who scored 178 runs, picked up 11 wickets and took four catches in nine IPL matches.

Smith has shone more as a bowler in Twenty20 games- his 11 wickets in 9 games at 15.27 is more impressive than his 72 runs in at an average of 8.

[poondu]

Lankan lion roaring at the right time

V.V. Subrahmanyam

HYDERABAD: Sanath Jayasuriya, playing for Mumbai Indians, could not have timed his return to form better in the DFL-Indian Premier League, now in progress.

With the high-profile tournament entering the decisive phase of spotting the qualifiers for knockouts, the Sri Lankan has begun delivering his familiar knock-out punches, much to the chagrin of various opponents. His blazing century against Chennai Super Kings the other night was possibly an indication of things to come.

“I have not come here on a holiday. I am here to help my team’s cause. There are expectations you have to fulfil,” said the dazzling batsman in a chat with The Hindu.

Changing rhythm


“I was getting the starts in the first four matches too but was not able to carry on and it was disappointing. But now, I have started changing the rhythm and that has given me confidence.

“It is important to play a long innings,” said Jayasuriya, who has 12310 runs and 346 wickets from 411 ODIs.

“No doubt, it is an exciting and great experience to play along with Sachin Tendulkar and I am enjoying it. He is a great cricketer, a calm character and a nice person. There is no pressure and it is really easy to play together with him out there,” he said.

“But it would be different when we play for our countries. Now he is my captain and I have to adjust according to the situation, and play as a unit and help the team,” Jayasuriya said.

Asked whether the IPL was giving a fresh lease of life for many senior players he said: “Well, even if that is the case, one has to keep performing.”

Questioned on how many more years he would continue to play, he replied: “I have not given a serious thought to it. But it is certainly not going to be long. For the moment I am trying to do well whenever I am given the chance to represent my country.”

Asked whether he was feeling younger at 38, he said: “I work hard on physical fitness. I am keen to perform at this level. The guys who are 30-plus have to work really hard to play longer and most of them are really fit,” he said.

“I always love to play for my country. Initial reports said that I was not selected in the team. But now, I have been included in the squad for the Asia Cup. I’ll see how it goes. I think playing and performing is important.

‘Bad patches’


“Every cricketer goes through bad patches and it is hard no doubt. But one has to just try and perform well in the middle,” he said.

“When you go on a tour, you have to make sure you keep performing. If you don’t they will start all sorts of false talk again,” said the south paw with a smile.

He feels that there is very good domestic talent in Sri Lanka. He, however, refused to comment on the functioning of the Sri Lankan Board.

http://www.hindu.com/2008/05/20/stories/2008052060531900.htm

[poondu]

Whats with Uthappa ? Looks like he is gobbling 100 uthappams a day.

[gouravk]

dude you must be joking. he is not "a batsman" he is "the batsman"

who hasnt really been able to deliver much in this form of the game!

that doesnt matter. he is THE batsman

ganguly picked a guy with zero quality but who had been doing supposedly well in the pakistan domestic league - what did he come up with ? rubbish !

[keep-it-cool]

dude you must be joking. he is not "a batsman" he is "the batsman"

who hasnt really been able to deliver much in this form of the game!

that doesnt matter. he is THE batsman

ganguly picked a guy with zero quality but who had been doing supposedly well in the pakistan domestic league - what did he come up with ? rubbish !

there is also something called as value for money ... pieterson's form has definitely slipped over the last several months, but people are just not willing to call it ... and using up such a large portion of your budget on just one player does not make too much sense in my view.

[gouravk]

i agree .. no one deserves to be paid that much money .. but i dont agree with his form slipping. you just need to go back to the test series in nz to see what awe-inspiring form he was in in that last test !

[broadbat]

MUMBAI: Master blaster Sachin Tendulkar has bought an old bungalow in suburban Bandra for Rs.39 crore. Dorab Villa is located opposite the Joggers’ Park on Perry Cross Road. Built in 1920, it was originally owned by a Parsi family. The one-storey building measures between 9,000 and 10,000 square feet.

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