Ananth

I see the India and Australia as evenly matched and we could be in for a series like the one when Sachin put Warne to the sword a few years back.Trev may need to get used to the Aussies just being good

As for the final test on Thursday I cannot wait ,unfortunately I will not be able to follow much of it due to work and other committments but will watch the highlights in the evening

Hello my cricketing buddy-
The test has started off with India getting the advantage of batting first and as I put this down India have lost the first three wickets. Kudos to Katrick - he has really matured during this series and I think India have finally found good opening pair. Jaffer must be kicking himself for the way he went. Rahul cannot complain - he got out to a gem of a ball.
At the moment two of the famous four are batting - Sachin and Saurav and seem to have settled down pretty well with the score reading 230/3. I have a feeling this match is really going to be won by the team who keep their nerves.
The replays showed that Kartick was not our but that number 91 seems to be the bane of Indian batsmen ( remember Sachin?). Today is just the first day and I think we will have a better picture of things by tomorrow evening as we will know more or less where India stand. If they mount up a huge total, I think England will play for a draw - but, however,if they manage to get India out with a resonable score they may just go for a win.
Lets have your comments,
Ananth

quote:

Originally posted by Robert E:
Well its finally arrived.England are missing two frontline bowlers in Hoggard and Harmison but their strongest bowler is likely to be Panesar.

I truly believe if India bat well(and they have the talent) then they will win the series.

As for the weather there may be at least a day lost to rain so whoever wins the toss will be in pole position.

Ananth

India have a famous series win in their grasp,this despite another terrible umpiring decision on the dismissal of Ganguly.

The Oval is a pitch were you can score runs very quickly so India just need to bat as long as they can and grind England out of the game.There are three things in India's favour that make a draw unlikely

1 Sachin looks hungry for runs and I think he will score a century

2 England tail is quite long and will buckle under the stress of the situation.They will have to chase the win

3 I think the Oval will take spin on day 4 and
5 and Kumble will come into it

Credit to the Indian openers also ,they have delivered and it looks like Singh will be waiting a but longer.

I agree their is only one "C" worth respecting on this board

India to win

your friend

Robert

Hi Robert,

The match is def. in Indias grasp. With 650+ runs to play with they do have the fire power to bowl out the English. However, I am at times very doubtful of the Indian becoming a bit to complacent and not go in for the kill. The umpiring all through has been very average and I think both sides even out on that score. Prior has to do something about keeping the wickets as nooone can say he is upto the standards ( he is in a league of his own ). The two catches he dropped really cost England about 100 odd run and maybe even more.

Kumble - what can you say about him? He was a star performer and is still one but yesterday he performed with the bat - his first maiden century!!!. I have a feeling he will surpass Glen Mgarths for number of wickets in this match.

But then at the end of the day - India is coming home the winner of one of its most historic overseas win. It was great how the Indians all played the role they were assigned for and none of them got a century - except Kumble!!. Kartick has truly come of age and Dhoni played a fantastic innings. We could say he is just another Afridi but one must remember the innings he played at the Lords.

Coming to day 4 and 5 - there is no doubt the ball is going to turn. One could see the rough on the pitch even before the match started. Kumble again could be very dangerous.

There is no doubt that Yuvraj has wait for some time to get into the test side but hope he does so in the one dayers.

Catch up on day four - warm regards and love to Lorraine.
Ananth

Robert,
So finally the historic series win is done and over with. You will agree that India did outplay England in all departments of the game and thus enjoed the fruits. I however, wish Rahul had declared a bit earlier by havin sent in Dhoni to go Bam Bam and get up to the 500 total he was so keen on. He gave his reasoning but that was hardly one as had they managed another wicket or two yesterday - the series may just have gone to become 2 - 0. These guys will be allowed into India as heros and not hiding under disguises when the got jammed at the world cup. There is no doubt - had the mob caught even one them, the poor guy would have been lynched.

Now for the one dayers - any takes on it?

Hello Lorraine, hope you keeping well.
With warm regards,
Ananth

Hi Ananth,

Robert has gone to bed early tonight as he needs to be up at 5.00am tomorrow as he's working in London and it's tiring him out trying to keep up with what's going on in the cricket when he's at work.

Our son Alex has told me that England are due to tour Sri Lanka soon which is one country Robert has always wanted to visit. However, I am still pining for India and I'm currently watching all of the Indian programmes being shown on the BBC at the moment. Tonight I was in Darjeeling!

By the way I love your picture!

With love

Lorraine

Ananth

How did the nation of india react to this historic win? For me the man of the series is Khan ,closely followed by the two openers.If India would have won the 3rd test they would now be second in the rankings.

India can now be proud again after the debacle of the World Cup.Onto the OD1's and more chat

btw I expect England to struggle big style in Sri Lanka.Sri Lanka traditionally have a great batting line up but they are now very strong on the bowling front also

Ananth

I believe India will win the ODI with a bit to spare.Too much experience and also England have do not really know their strongest line up.I hope J Singh can play.

Hi Robert,
It was one great feeling about Indias win and you can imagine what happens when India wins - streets are named after the cricketers, menues in hotels are renamed Tendulkar etc. Everyone gets around to thinking how great the team is. One thing which has upset quite a few people is what Rahul decided - on not enforcing the follow on. I was sure he would but guess he was a better judge. I feel if India had enforced it - it would have been 2 nil. However, its been a historic one which make Rahul Dravid one of the preveliged ones and those along with him.
I think the Indians have finally come of age, where they are not the subdued side they used to play - accepting sledging etc with a word. This is a new side who gives it back as they get it - Piterson, Vaughn,all got a dose of what the Indians were never capable of fighting back. I think Mike Prior's days are numbered. He was a total novice and we can argue that even Dhni was not a such a hot shot behind the stumps but his batting blasted the English right out.
I saw the first of the 20s, which India won comfortable and Singh did well. I think India is going to treat this as more of a side show then anything else as most Indians have not acepted the 20s and feel the real cricket is the ODI and the test matches. Lets see how it progresses.
Any bets on the one dayers?
Say hi to Lorraine.
With warm regards from a rejoicing country,
Ananth

Yes i must congratulate india on a most convincing win. I nearly had my prediction right. I said 1-1 but it was never to be. Thanks to the umpire in the first test before bad light helped India. I think Prior should be given time as Geraint Jones was given far too long. I dont think Flintoff should be back in the team until he has got games and form under his belt. Never mind. Well done India they outclassed us in the final two tests.

Dear Robert,
I am really glad that India won a series abroad or ather England after 21 years. I am sure that if the rains had not comedown in the fist test -India would have been one down unless Dhoni pulled India out of trouble as he was doing,going into the second. The second was a diaster for England as India truly played outstanding cricket with the famous four contributing heavily. I really felt for Sachin as I am convinced after watching so many replays that he was not out and neither was Saurav. Surprising no centuries at all from the Indians except KUMBLE!!!! I really dont know who were really happy beside Kumble but here it was unbelievable. Noone had ever expected that. Guess we can call him a allrounder now.
India got a real trashing at the 01st. ODI , but I have not understood why the ball was not swinging keeping the wether in view. India batting too was really sic. as though they were playing club cricket. The second starts in another hour and I will be glued to the TV.
Take care
Lol<
Ananth

Ananth

India kept themselves in the series yesterday with a fine batting display.I have been impressed with England so far but less impressed with Dravid's captiancy and also India's fielding.

Two games to go

Dear Robert,
What I really feel bad is the way Greg Chappel tried to change things around - all he managed to do was ruin the team spirit. Just think of getting Saurav to sit out for a year! This particular side is what I could term as an orphan - who have got together and decided to take on the world without the help of any person who can promise them the world cup. However, there are a things that need ironing out and its upto the three on top of the line to pull everyones socks up. Rahul is a great fielder and so is Sachin. They are the guys who should take on the mantle of training the young guns and then there is Ganguly whose passion for the game we all know. The team by itself is a complete unit and now more or less self dependent and they have proved this not once but twice after the not so grateful exit of Mr. Chappel (he was the one who asked his brother Ian to bowl an underam bowl so that the batsman could not have hit a four or six which would made his team loose!). Well we all learn but only hope every mistake is not repeated and if they pull off the next two games - it will really be party and a direct blow on certain peoples ego.
What say?

Wowzie - that was some run chase and some awesome batting by the English team after having lost two quick wickets. I am sure India will be treated to another such match at the Lords as this would probably be the last time some of the senior players will play another series in the UK. Both sides have discovered talent , which has always ben there but never tapped. The five sixes of the last over made it almost impossible to even think India would go in for the chase. I guess the team spirit is on its all time high and the way each one played - Sachin,Saurav,Gambir, Uttapa ensured a fantastic win. Lets see what happens next.
Ananth

Well semi final day Ananth in the 20/20 and a possbile final between your boys and Pakistan.

What about Yuvraj and his six sixes