Williamson concedes its a huge ask to tame India at home

Agencies
October 21, 2017

Mumbai, Oct 21: New Zealand skipper Kane Williamson today conceded that its a huge task to beat India in their own backyard.

India will start overwhelming favourites when they take on an inconsistent New Zealand in a three-match ODI series, starting here tomorrow.

"Indias record is very good at home. They are a very hard team to beat. We know that, at home in particular, they are the strongest team in the world. There are no illusions that we need to come out and play our best cricket," said Williamson ahead of the opening match at the Wankhede Stadium.

"We saw in the last series here that we were two all going into the decider which was a fairly good effort although we knew that perhaps we hadnt played our best and it was a shame in that last game (in Visakhapatnam which the Kiwis lost to lose the rubber 2-3). It will be nice to come out in this series and, do a little bit better," he hoped.

"Of late, we have been putting some good performances on the board and we know coming here, it is a very tough challenge and we have to be aware of this," he added.

Indias record in bilateral ODI series at home has been phenomenal, having lost just two out of 16 played since their defeat to Australia in 2009-10.

"People talk a lot about adjusting to the conditions in India, and thats is really important not just when you come to India but the specific grounds you play at, they are always a little bit different. We did that fairly well last time we were here and it would nice to do that better (this time).

"We still did not put out our best performance in that last series, which was a hard fought series but we still were striving for that performance that we knew we could put out and hopefully we can show that in this series."

The Kiwis would be playing their first-ever ODI against India at the Wankhede Stadium.

"Yes, we played a couple of games in the World Cup, against other opposition, but the guys have played IPL games here, it is a nice stadium and so it is nice to get the series underway here at the Wankhede," said the 27-year-old batsman.

Williamson said Martin Guptill and Colin Munro are his teams openers and described the duo as good strikers of the ball.

"The opening batters for tomorrow are Guptill and Munro, two good ball strikers. Munro and Guptill at the top are both exciting stroke makers and look to play their natural game which is I think is important.

"Tom Latham will bat in the middle order. He had some good time in the middle in the last couple of warm-up games and will obviously keep (wickets)."

The middle and lower order, barring himself and senior batsman Ross Taylor, is relatively new but have the advantage of touring India with their countrys A team, according to the Kiwi captain.

"Yes, we have got a relatively new middle order. They certainly deserve their position. These guys were here on the A tour and experienced these conditions for a while, coming into the series, which is always good," he said.

In the warm-up games, the team played at the Brabourne Stadium here, and Williamson said they had helped the side to get used to the conditions.

"Yes, they were a couple of good head outs for us after a bit of a break from international cricket, so it was nice to get back together and start acclimatising as best as we can. The guys got through some good work. We will put our foot forward coming into the first game and play our best cricket," he remarked.

He felt the track for the game was a good one.

"Looks like a fairly good surface. I certainly will have another look at it tomorrow. Generally, wickets here at Wankhede are good surfaces and will expect something similar," he said.

"Yeah, it is different. Sometimes, in our conditions where the ball moves off the seam, aggression is often seen as having slips and various catchers. Over here, at times, it may not be suited and it may be a bit more spin-friendly," he said about the challenge he faces while captaining in these conditions.

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News Network
March 29,2020

New Delhi, Mar 29: Former Indian batsman Wasim Jaffer on Sunday picked his all-time IPL team and appointed wicket-keeper batsman MS Dhoni as its captain.

Jaffer's team's feature opener Rohit Sharma, current Indian skipper Virat Kohli, all-rounder Hardik Pandya, spinner R Ashwin, and pacer Jasprit Bumrah as seven domestic players.
While the foreign players spot have been occupied by West Indies' swashbuckling batsman Chris Gayle, all-rounder Andre Russell, Afghanistan's spinner Rashid Khan, and Sri Lanka's veteran pacer Lasith Malinga.
Indian all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja has been picked as 12th man by Jaffer.

Earlier this month, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) decided to postpone the IPL to April 15, 2020, as a precautionary measure against COVID-19 outbreak.
The board also assured that it will work in unison with the Sports Ministry and will adhere to the guidelines issued.

The 13th edition of IPL was scheduled to commence from March 29. 

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News Network
July 2,2020

Jul 2: Cricket's biggest names, most of whom could hear only stories of Sir Everton Weekes' exploits from the bygone era, on Thursday remembered the "great" batsman and a "greater human being" in glowing tributes after he died aged 95.

Weekes, who formed the famous three 'Ws' of West Indies cricket alongside Clyde Walcott and Frank Worrell as part of a formidable batting lineup for more than a decade, died on Wednesday.

His death left the cricket world in a state of mourning.

"As one of the remarkable 'Three Ws', along with Sir Clyde Walcott and Sir Frank Worrell, who together struck 39 Test centuries, he played an important hand in a period that marked the rising dominance of West Indies cricket," the ICC said in its obit.

The 1925 Barbados-born Weekes made his Test debut against England in 1948.

"On behalf of CWI I want to publicly express our deepest sympathy to the family of this remarkable Iconic sportsman and gentleman, who passed away earlier today," Cricket West Indies president Ricky Skerritt said in a release.

"I never had the opportunity to see Sir Everton bat, but I had the opportunity to get to know him a little in his later years. I learned about his incredible career by reading about him and looking at old videos when I could.

"His performance stats were excellent as he set tremendously high standards for his time."

In his career, Weekes played 48 Test matches and made 4,455 runs at an average of 58.61 per innings. That included a world-record five consecutive centuries in 1948 — scores of 141 against England in Jamaica, followed by knocks of 128, 194, 162 and 101 in India. In his next innings in Madras, he made 90 when he was controversially run out.

Skerritt added, "... Sir Everton was, therefore, a most amazing pioneer in West Indies cricket; a gentleman and quite simply a wonderful human being."

The modern-day cricketers also mourned his death and paid moving tributes.

Former India captain Anil Kumble tweeted, "Saddened to hear about the passing of WI legend Sir. Everton Weekes. Had met him during the ICC conference in Barbados. He remembered a conversation we had during his time as a match referee. Condolences to his family and friends."

Kumble's former India teammate VVS Laxman wrote, "Heard about the passing away of West Indies legend, Sir Everton Weekes. He was one of the greats of the game. My condolences to his family and loved ones."

Mike Atherton, the opener who led England in the 1990s, was also disappointed to know of the legend's passing away.

"Very sad to learn of the passing of Sir Everton Weekes. A humble man who wore his greatness lightly."

Former West Indies pacer Ian Bishop said, "I had the great privilege of spending time in the company of Sir Everton on several occasions over the past 2 decades. Never once did I leave his presence without feeling a sense (of) warmth, cheerfulness & having learnt something rich & endearing each time. A truly great human being. The Marylebone Cricket Club said in a statement: "Everyone at MCC and Lord's are saddened at the news of Sir Everton Weekes' passing,"

"He will forever be remembered as one of the West Indies' finest cricketers."

Former India player and current coach Ravi Shastri said, "Saddened by passing away of Sir Everton Weekes who was the last of the famous 'Three Ws'. A true humble great of the game. My thoughts and prayers are with Sir Weekes' family and fans in this hour of grief. RIP Sir Folded hands."

All three -- Walcott and Worrell, Weekes -- were born within a couple of miles of one another - within 18 months in Barbados between August 1924 and January 1926, and all made their Test debuts within three weeks in early 1948.

Worrell died in 1967 and Walcott in 2006.

Weekes' average of 58.61 runs places him along with George Headley in the top 10 Test averages of all time.

Darren Sammy, who captained West Indies few years ago, took to Twitter and wrote, "We lost a legend today. Sir Everton Weekes is part of @windiescricket great history and legacy. He also was a great human being. Condolences goes out to his family. May he Rest In Peace."

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News Network
May 8,2020

New Delhi, May 8: India skipper Virat Kohli believes cricket in empty stadiums is a real possibility in post COVID-19 world and though it is unlikely to have a bearing on the intensity of players, he feels the magic would certainly go missing.

Cricket Boards across the globe are exploring the option of resuming the sport in empty stadiums. There is speculation that fans could be kept away from stadiums in a bid to salvage the T20 World Cup in Australia, which is currently under threat due to the global health crisis.

"It's quite a possible situation, it might happen, I honestly don't know how everyone is going to take that because we all are used to playing in front of so many passionate fans," Kohli said in Star Sports' show 'Cricket Connected'.

"I know it will be played at a very good intensity but that feeling of the crowd connecting with the players and the tension of the game where everyone goes through it in the stadium, those emotions are very difficult to recreate," he added.

Kohli said the many moments which are created because of the passion brought in by fans, would be missing.

"Things will still go on, but I doubt that one will feel that magic happening inside because of the atmosphere that was created.

"We will play sports how it is supposed to be played, but those magical moments will be difficult to come by," he said.

Cricketers such as Ben Stokes, Jason Roy, Jos Buttler and Pat Cummins have backed the idea of playing behind closed doors.

However, legendary Australian Allan Border has said it would defy belief to host a World Cup without spectators.

Another Australian all-rounder Glenn Maxwell and some other cricketers have also expressed similar sentiments.

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