Cricket World Cup 2015 bonanza

Cricket World Cup 2015 kicked off amidst great excitement and expectations of a billion fluttering hearts in Australia and New Zealand. Even the Google page reflected the various encounters of the World Cup. The exquisite stadiums at Melbourne and Sydney were breathtaking. The glitzy World Cup logo was perfect too. With the islanders hosting the World Cup after twenty three years, the home crowd had lapped it up. The experience of cascading events that dot a World Cup has been as usual set alight by the club of participating teams across the globe. This Cricket World Cup had proffered a splendid array of images that had made the gallery of the 2015 eleventh edition a pleasure to relish. The cricketing extravaganza started with New Zealand shrugging off Sri Lanka with ease. Some of the lingering ones includes fiery fast bowler Mitchell Starc, unorthodox Glenn Maxwell, classy Virat Kohli and elegant Ab de villers. West Indian Chris Gayle sparkled with the first ever Cricket World Cup double hundred against Zimbabwe. However, it was Kiwi batsman Martin Guptill, who is also the leading run scorer of the tournament, blazed his way to an unbeaten 237 against the West Indies that completely overshadowed Gayle’s efforts. This World Cup also witnessed the superb performances of left arm fast bowlers – Pakistani Wahab Riaz, Australian Mitchell Starc and New Zealand’s Trent Boult, who had really made the ball talk with their swing and pace. This four year mega event has been fantastic throughout. It was heartbreak for the Indian fans after the 2011 champions bowed out to hosts Australia in the semi-final. On the other hand, it was a total feast for New Zealand, who went unbeaten into the final. Senior players like Mahela Jaywardhane, Daniel Vettori, Kumar Sangakkara and Micheal Clarke will not be seen again in a Cricket World Cup event. Only Micheal Clarke got a fitting farewell with Australia becoming the World champions. It was a sparking Australian win after they faltered in the 2011 edition. Gleen Maxwell’s innovative stroke play will never be forgotten. Ab de villers, the captain of the South African cricket team, had a marvelous outing with the bat. Mitchell Starc’s unbelievable Yorkers had every batsman struggling. No doubt, he was the highest wicket taker of the tournament. All this brilliant performances will keep me waiting for the next episode in England in 2019. The entire event was so glamorous that even the famous Australian sledging could not spoil it. Cricket World Cups are the most fascinating...

In CLT20 Northern Knights whip Lahore Lions

A distinctive approach to the game brought victory to the Northern Districts against the Lahore Lions by 72 runs hence qualifying for the main round of the Champions League T20 in Raipur. They were asked to bat under an overcast sky. Half-centuries by skipper Daniel Flynn, 53 from 27 balls and wicket keeper-batsman BJ Watling scoring 53 off 33 aided them to reach 170 for six in their quota of 20 overs. Flynn had five fours and two sixes, Watling had seven boundaries and an over boundary. Flynn and Watling initially tackled the Lions attack by rotating their strike randomly at whim. Watling and Flynn’s running between the wickets was admirable. Flynn was finally stumped by Umar Akmal off Adnan Rasool’s bowling missing the line completely. Watling was out caught over long-on. On the other hand the Lions were bundled out for merely 98 in 18 overs. This is the second consecutive win for the Northern Knights in as many matches. Tim Southee had the brilliant figures of 3-22 from 4 overs to show while Trent Boult was 2-12 from their four overs. Their bowling cleared the top half of the opponent Lions within six overs of Powerplay with less than 20 runs on board. From the second over itself the Lions were aware of their tragic loss as their batsmen were completely at sea in front of the seam and swing. At 19 for five all the top-order batsmen of the Lions were back in the pavilion without a double digit score. Saad Nasim’s 58 went in vain though he held one end up but simply found the target beyond his reach. The Lions innings also saw a spectacular piece of fielding from Southee to get Asif Raza. Even the Northern District was at 60 for three at the end of the eighth over having lost Kane Williamson, Devcich and in quick succession. For the Lions, Cheema was the most successful bowler scalping three for 35...

Unbelievable Davis Cup victory for Leander Paes and Rohan Bopanna

Indian hopes were kept alive at the Davis Cup tennis tournament by none other than the ever reliant Leander Paes- Rohan Bopanna duo as they put on an incredible show against a Serbian pair in Bangalore. Leander Paes yet did the impossible along with Rohan Bopanna as they recorded a dramatic win by coming back from behind 1-6, 6-7(4), 6-3, 6-3, 8-6 over Serbian pair of Nenad Zimonjic and Ilija Bozoljac. The Indian team is jubilant after this win in Davis Cup World Group play-off tie. This Serbian pair has beaten the legendary Bryan brothers in Davis Cup only in the last season. Indians were down by two sets and a break in the third going totally in favor of the 2010 champions when things altered course for India from the sixth game of the third set. Bopanna blasted his boisterous serves and Paes was at his chip and charge best while being egged on by a home crowd of 5000. Bopanna had initially struggled to serve and keep the ball inside the court. The game from the Indian tennis players was that of no holds barred after they managed to break Zimonjic in the sixth game of the third set. The Serbians crumbled in front of the berserk crowd. The Indians found their rhythm back which reflected through their precise strokes and the Serbians for a change were on the receiving end. There was jubilation all around when Zimonjic’s forehand went long on India’s first match point while serving at 6-7 in the fifth set. Now India needs to win both the singles to enter the World Group for the next season. Somdev Devvarman will take on Dusan Lajovic while Yuki Bhambri will clash with Filip Ktajonovic in the fifth rubber. The Serbians ran away with a two set lead and were on the verge of closing the match when the Indians took it away from them. Paes won only two points on his serve in the opening set while Bopanna sent a lot of backhands out. It was only Bojoljac who fought on till the hosts claimed victory. Veteran Indian tennis star Leander Paes today said that this win will remain his best comeback win in Davis Cup. Paes and Bopanna overcame a two-set deficit to beat Nenad Zimonjic and Ilija Bojolzac in a thrilling five-set match. Paes also admitted that Zimonjic’s back problem in the third set did affect the Serbian’s game. Paes said he and Bopanna were looking forward to playing at Rio Olympics in...

India lash back upon England in 2nd ODI

After the washout of the opening ODI in the five-match series between India and England Raina etched a memorable innings to pave the path for victory for India in Cardiff in the second ODI match. The match was played at Sophia Gardens, Cardiff on a cold and overcast day which had only a single break due to shower after the end of the 1st innings. It was again established that England’s one-day approach had much to be desired from. Captain Alastair Cook should indeed question himself how he could allow a completely demoralized India to raise their heads and batting to score 304 in their innings on a seaming wicket. It seems Swann is dead right about Cook having players in the English team who are neither capable of winning a World Cup nor mentally aligned to play any one day match. Swann has reiterated that he feels England trails behind other international cricket playing teams because they play an old-fashioned brand of cricket. The toast of the English team is not atoned to play ODIs and T20s like Cook, Bell and Balance let alone lift the World Cup 2015. Alex Hales, James Vince, Jason Roy, Jos Buttler, Eoin Morgan are according to him players who can be a part of the English ODI team that can win laurels for them at the extremely competitive international level. Vaughan too has repeated his concerns and believes England lag behind when compared to other one-day teams in the world today. Both these former English cricket players have criticized the selection of one-day squads depending upon Test form. Even if the criticism is fair nothing is going to change for England cricket in the immediate future. If England persistently fails against India it will be a signal to their performance at the upcoming ODI World Cup due next year. For India this win might again provide a much needed salvage for them to shake off their miserable and undesirable performance that they have set as a benchmark of losing Test matches abroad. It will take the spotlight off their lost batting a serve as a preparation for the World Cup to be played Down Under. Even if the visitors perform well in the 5 match ODI series it will not ease the pain of the recently lost Test series in England. A score over 300 in Cardiff does not come just any day. The pressure now will mount for both teams in the rest of the three matches due to be played...

Stuart Broad is on cloud nine

Stuart Broad who is not fully fit yet dismissed the Indian cricket team with its famous batting line up by claiming 6 wickets in the fourth test match between India and England. At the Old Trafford in Manchester the Indians were crushed on the first day by the seam bowler Anderson and Broad as they could manage a meager 150 on board in their first innings. Broad has amply proved as to why his knee operation was postponed until at the end of the Test series against India. His six-wicket haul at the Old Trafford in Manchester assured his fitness. Broad’s figures of six for 25 were his third best in Test cricket but he conceded that he had wanted England to bat first in Manchester on the first day. He also chipped in that it turned out to be a great toss to lose in the end. Varun Aaron is India’s fastest bowler to make his Test appearance since November 2011 scalped two wickets including Alastair Cook and Sam Robson. With Ian Bell batting on 45 from 56 balls England will resume on 113 for three on the second day of the fourth test match with India. England are all set to take a 2-1 lead in the series before the fifth and final Test. Broad who looked extremely satisfied after having overtaken Graeme Swann’s tally of 255 Test wickets. Broad and Anderson took two wickets each without conceding a run in the space of 13 balls as India wilting to 8 for 4. Broad mainly challenged the front foot of the India batsmen by swinging the ball. The Indians seemed all lost and nicked everything that they could lay their hands on to. Anderson currently has 374 wickets only nine behind Ian...