England need to conquer fear of spin

November 23, 2012

cook23112012

Mumbai, November 23: A lot of things have changed about English cricket in recent years. They don't always end up losing to Australia anymore; won an ICC trophy in 2009; became the World's No. 1 Test team for a brief period last year and their life doesn't revolve just around the Ashes like it used to.

In fact, captain Alastair Cook -- the choir boy turned prolific run-getter -- insists that the team's dressing room music isn't just Johnny Cash anymore either, but modern-day commercial. Their tastes seem to have really changed.

What hasn't changed about English cricket though is the uncanny way in which they manage to bury themselves under extreme pressure when you threaten them with spin. Decades of having toured the Indian subcontinent has made no difference whatsoever. You give them a turning track -- or even talk about one, like MS Dhoni has -- and they give it away.

It showed in Ahmedabad and it looks likely that it'll show again in Mumbai. Dhoni's much discussed 'demand' that the curator at Wankhede better serve his team a track that turns from the first over may not necessarily see R Ashwin or Pragyan Ojha taking the new ball.

But even if Zaheer Khan does, England's mind may be on the first change. Mentally, India have a great advantage here as the second of the four-Test series begins on Friday.

From the dryness of the surface to the exact length of each blade of grass on the pitch, how soon it starts getting rougher and how much of an exact deviation do Ashwin or Ojha get will occupy England's mind more than anything else. To Dhoni's credit, he's given them this headache already.

In fact, it's not just a turning wicket that the Indian skipper has demanded. The track also needs to have bounce and the ball has to move quicker off the pitch. That's quite a handful indeed. Asked about his opinion of the Wankhede wicket, where India have played only one Test post the stadium renovation, Dhoni promptly declared: "If this pitch also does not help our spinners, then I will again come and criticise it."

Umesh Yadav out of Test; Stuart Broad taken ill

Dhoni asserted that India will play only two spinners here. The only replacement in the squad, in fact, will be Ishant Sharma or Ashok Dinda replacing pacer Umesh Yadav, who is down with a back injury. Similarly for England, paceman Stuart Broad has taken ill and did not practise on Thursday. Left-arm spinner Monty Panesar can come in for either Samit Patel or Broad. That could be the only change other than Jonny Bairstow replacing Ian Bell.



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News Network
July 18,2020

Johannesburg, Jul 18: Cricket South Africa (CSA) on Saturday mourned the demise of former spinner Ismail 'Baboo' Ebrahim who died in Durban at the age of 73.

"Baboo was one of the outstanding South African spin bowlers of the 1960s and 1970s who would undoubtedly have played as many Test matches for his country as the 48 first-class games to which he was limited," CSA said in a statement.

In those matches, he took 179 wickets at an average of 21.33 with an economy rate of 2.12 including 8 five-wicket hauls and 2 ten-wicket hauls.

The left-arm spinner only had one opportunity on the international stage when he played for a SA Invitation XI against the International Wanderers at Kingsmead in 1976.

"At the age of 29, he was in his prime and took a match-winning 6/66 in the second innings, his victims including international captains, Greg Chappell of Australia and Mike Denness of England. It was a clear indication of what he could have achieved on grounds around the world at the highest level had he been given the opportunity. He was a master of flight and spin and had a good arm ball to back it up," the statement read.

His ability to perform at this level had become apparent much earlier when he went to watch the Australians at practice before their Test match against South Africa in 1970.

He persuaded the Australians to let him bowl to them and made an immediate impression, bowling experienced Test batsman Ian Redpath and impressing the likes of Ian Chappell and Ashley Mallett, the latter being Australia's leading spinner of the 1970s.

He had one season for Radcliffe in the Lancashire Central League when he took 62 wickets at 14.62 apiece.

Baboo finally got his chance to represent his country in Masters events in one of which he dismissed both Sir Vivian Richards and Gordon Greenidge.

"Baboo Ebrahim was one of the countless number of outstanding cricketers who was denied the opportunity to display his talents to the world and live his cricketing dreams," said CSA Acting Chief Executive, Dr Jacques Faul.

"On behalf of the CSA Family I extend our deepest sympathy to his family, friends and cricketing colleagues," he added. 

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News Network
January 29,2020

Hamilton, Jan 29: India defeated New Zealand in the third T20 International via Super Over to take an unassailable 3-0 lead in the five-match series here on Wednesday.

India posted a competitive 179 for five at Seddon Park after being sent into bat. Opener Rohit Sharma top scored for India with a 65-run knock while skipper Virat Kohli contributed 38 runs in team's total.

Later, skipper Kane Williamson smashed a 48-ball 95 but New Zealand faltered in the final over to take the match into the Super Over.

Needing nine runs of the last over, New Zealand lost Williamson and Ross Taylor to finish at 179 for six and tie the match.

In the Super Over, New Zealand scored 17, a target which India overwhelmed in the final ball with Rohit smashing Tim Southee for two consecutive sixes.

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News Network
March 12,2020

Miami, Mar 12: The NBA has suspended its season "until further notice" after a Utah Jazz player tested positive Wednesday for the coronavirus, a move that came only hours after the majority of the league's owners were leaning toward playing games without fans in arenas.

Now there will be no games at all, at least for the time being. A person with knowledge of the situation said the Jazz player who tested positive was center Rudy Gobert. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because neither the league nor the team confirmed the test.

"The NBA is suspending game play following the conclusion of tonight's schedule of games until further notice,'' the league said in a statement sent shortly after 9:30 p.m. EDT. "The NBA will use this hiatus to determine next steps for moving forward in regard to the coronavirus pandemic.''

The test result, the NBA said, was reported shortly before the scheduled tip-off time for the Utah at Oklahoma City game on Wednesday night was called off. Players were on the floor for warmups and tip-off was moments away when they were told to return to their locker rooms. About 30 minutes later, fans were told the game was postponed ``due to unforeseen circumstances."

Shutdown for two weeks?

Those circumstances were the league's worst-case scenario for now -- a player testing positive. A second person who spoke to AP on condition of anonymity said the league expects the shutdown to last a minimum of two weeks, but cautioned that time-frame is very fluid.

"It's a very serious time right now," Miami Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. "I think the league moved appropriately and prudently and we'll all just have to monitor the situation and see where it goes from here."

The Jazz released a statement saying a player -- they did not identify Gobert -- tested negative earlier Wednesday for flu, strep throat and an upper respiratory infection. That player's symptoms diminished as the day went along, but the decision was made to test for COVID-19 anyway. That test came back with a preliminary positive result.

"The individual is currently in the care of health officials in Oklahoma City," the Jazz said, adding that updates would come as appropriate.

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