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[dextrous]

Haven't written anything in a while...but since I watched the entire game...here are my thoughts...
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Some insipid batting, silly running, lackluster captaincy, and a brilliant Sarwan assured that India succumbed to another loss in the first ever one day international played at St. Kitts. Despite losing Rahul Dravid early, Sehwag and Raina, coming in at 3, took India to 62 before Raina lost his stumps to Bradshaw, off his pads. Two men whose place in the team has come under tremendous threat, Sehwag and Kaif, then consolidated the innings and added 112 runs. After Sehwag got out to a low full toss that struck him on the boot, the innings fell apart. Dhoni, who hasn’t at all looked comfortable in the West Indies, was jogging down the track when Gayle ran him out with a direct hit. Kaif got out soon thereafter, having forgotten that the blade of his bat needs to be grounded when a throw is coming straight to the keeper. While, they may have played themselves to form, one can only hope this is not their share of runs for the remainder of the series. In this new Indian team, complacency of place in the side is once again making a comeback. Players like Kaif cannot possibly have had a worse sequence of innings – yet, nothing they do will cause them to lose their place in the side.

The West Indian batting was dour to begin with, but with two wickets down, Gayle and Sarwan added some credibility. Lara failed to get going, though one of his fours underlined his class. Chanderpaul, batting with a runner for the umpteenth time, gave good company to Sarwan at the end and hit some excellently timed shots before losing his wicket in the 49th over. After Chanderpaul, Bravo, the hero of the last game, also departed in the first ball of the final over, but Sarwan kept his cool and led them to victory with a cover drive after Sreesanth attempted a yorker. Agarkar and Singh were once again the pick of the bowlers. Pathan remains ineffective outside the sub-continent and giving someone who bowls at the pace of Ganguly the new ball in West Indian conditions is downright embarrassing. Sreesanth, once again, was more theatrical than effective. Dravid failed to bring the field in toward the end of the inning when a few more wickets could have meant a different result. Instead, Sarwan and Chanderpaul kept taking singles at ease.

Both the teams are struggling with the opening position. Surely, Dravid cannot be a permanent solution. Without Yuvraj today, the underbelly of the side was exposed to what was no more than gentle off-spinning deliveries. The Indian side desperately is in need of some experience at the bottom order. Perhaps, bringing back an experienced campaigner or moving Dhoni up to the top might do the trick. Also, while Sehwag is unlikely to be dropped, perhaps at least a few others should be given a chance. Uthappa is there, however, how good can someone who averages in the low 30s on Indian pitches in domestic cricket be, remains to be seen.

The West Indians, too, are desperately trying to find someone to pair Gayle. Samuels, for the first time, opened the batting. Despite Samuels all-round talents, his place in the side must be coming under pressure from the equally talented Dwayne Smith, who can also open the batting. Their bowling too, leaves much to be desired. It is a mystery why Collymore, by far their best bowler, is left out for the pacy but erratic duo of Edwards and Taylor. But the West Indian fielding today was quite exciting and as long as their bowling continues to improve, they may yet become a force in the World Cup.

[prfsr]

 .... they may yet become a force in the World Cup.

Well the Indian team (abroad) is the best remedy for out-of-form players, a sagging team, ......
 
-P

[ramshorns]

After Sehwag got out in the 29th over the score was 174 then in 21 overs they managed 71 runs with 7 wkts in hand.  Kaif/Venu/Dhoni/Pathan did not get the job done.   Period.  That cost us the game right there.

[kban1]

dextrous:

Good report --Thanks & applause.

Helps people like me who were at work understand the flow of the game.

[justforkix]

dextrous :

nice report. Excellent analysis. Agree with most of what you said.

don't take this as nitpicking, but to be fair to Kaif, he dived to get in and was unlucky that his bat popped up as a result of dive, i.e., elbow hitting the ground. However, I would like to add that it was a suicidal run to take. So, bad run. But I don't think he got out because he forgot that the blade of the bat needs to be grounded. Just wanted to give my opinion on that run out.

Big mistake by RD was once Yuvi wasn't playing, he had to move down the middle order. Either include RU (most logical) or play Venu/Kaif as opener. RD had to move to Yuvi's batting spot. I would say we were lucky to get to 250 because Viru found some form.

[Cover Point]

Dex is back! And starts with an attack on RD logically! Lacklustre captaincy? Any examples maybe?
\
And attacking Kaif again by saying his string of scores? Two fifties in 3 innings (I personally think his first inning was crappy but the score is there). He today scored the second highest runs.

But who can fight against an agenda!

[dextrous]

Dex is back! And starts with an attack on RD logically! Lacklustre captaincy? Any examples maybe?
\
And attacking Kaif again by saying his string of scores? Two fifties in 3 innings (I personally think his first inning was crappy but the score is there). He today scored the second highest runs.

But who can fight against an agenda!

You should be the one talking about agendas. Just read your own last post.

By the way, what's my "agenda" regarding Kaif?

[Cover Point]

You should be the one talking about agendas. Just read your own last post.

Which one?

By the way, what's my "agenda" regarding Kaif?

The agenda is to make any player who is backed by the current regime look as bad as possible so as to make Ganguly look better!

[prfsr]

And attacking Kaif again by saying his string of scores? Two fifties in 3 innings (I personally think his first inning was crappy but the score is there). He today scored the second highest runs.

CP: Not to get into your flame-war with Dex, but I am interested in knowing your opinion about RD's captaincy. I have pointed out in other threads why I thought he had a bad day.

And as for Kaif, what do you think of his knock today in terms of the value to the team?

-P

[dextrous]

You should be the one talking about agendas. Just read your own last post.

Which one?

By the way, what's my "agenda" regarding Kaif?

The agenda is to make any player who is backed by the current regime look as bad as possible so as to make Ganguly look better!

CP, since I didn't want to waste any time, I will quote colonel's assesment of your own last post -- I'm positive you will figure out the one I'm talking about.

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I really don't know why you say "folded like the India of Ganguly days". Or do I? Whatever it may be, I sincerely doubt whether Kaif's fielding makes the difference you point at. If the Indian fielding has improved since the Ganguly days, we do not need the "extra" Kaif brings to the team as there are others capable of delivering the same. If Indian fielding has not improved since the Ganguly days, then going by your appraisal of India having achieved nothing much of note in the Ganguly days (please do not yet again deny it!), I fail to see what Kaif has contributed to a "losing team".

Both you and I know Kaif's value to the team is to tie up a valuable spot and keep Ganguly out. I will say it, you will bring up all sorts of conundrums by way of spurious justification.
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[Cover Point]

Responded in the proper thread