Random Musings

• England has saved the first test. Whew! And what a test it was; Australia was so close to winning it. Even though there was no result, it was a very good advertisement for test cricket. The stadium was full and every ball was being cheered by crowd.

• Hindsight is always 6/6. After Pakistan lost the last test match many analysts questioned team composition. Checkout Former players question team composition Pakistan's cricket is troubled by many factors and team composition could be one of them. In my opinion, rather than criticizing the team after they lost the game (which they could have easily won), former players should try to improve Pakistan cricket as a whole. I think, whatever the team composition was, they should have overcome a paltry target of 167.

• John Buchanan has written some abrasive statements in his new book titled 'The Future of Cricket: The Rise of Twenty20'. It seems, after following various media reports, Buchanan has created some new controversies. Read Buchanan takes swipes at Indian stars to checkout what Buchanan has written. Buchanan has got it bang on - these controversies (whether true or untrue) will make the book profitable. Read one of earlier posts Buchanan and the art of remaining profitable to know more about Buchanan style.

• There has been some rumor about Saurav Ganguly running for BCCI chief's post. Yes, it is just a rumor and Ganguly himself has not commented anything. But if he does become BCCI chief, it would be best thing that has ever happened to BCCI. It would be a rare occurrence when an esteemed cricketer, like him, holds such a vital administrative position in BCCI.

• It feels very sad when you read headlines like Advantage Bangladesh for preview of 1st test match between WI and Bangladesh. I do not have anything against Bangladesh; in fact, I want them to become a serious test playing nation. But the fact is that they are enjoying this advantage because of weakened WI side not because of their own strengths.

BBC - Buchanan Bashing Continues

As reported by Cricinfo

Martyn lashes out at Buchanan over 2005 Ashes

An excerpt

"All comments by Warne and MacGill are right and you'd find that 99% of the group from that era would agree," Martyn said in an interview with the Wisden Cricketer. "They're just the only guys who've got [the courage] to say it. The management team didn't plan right, we had a not-very-good, quick preparation in Brisbane and then we landed and away we went.

There are tests and then there is Ashes

Ashes is considered as most important tournament among Australian and English fans. Fans, critics, analysts, players alike consider it to be more important than many other prestigious tournaments.

One just has to follow the news coming out of Australian and English camps to notice the premium attached to Ashes.

1. Players and important stakeholders started talking about Ashes even before Australian team landed in England. Even while they preparing for T20 World Cup (considered to be more important than a test series in all other countries), all they talked about was Ashes.
June 4, 2009
Siddle ready for Ashes taunts
June 2, 2009
Pietersen thrilled by Ashes talent pool
May 29, 2009
Ponting warns England against half-fit Flintoff
May 26, 2009
Lee and Clark no certainties for first Test
May 24, 2009
England switched Ashes venues on purpose - Ponting
May 20, 2009
England can win Ashes - Flower

2. Former players, who were moot participants in T20 World Cup were/are talking fervently about Ashes.
Don't rely on Bopara for the Ashes - Warne
Gilchrist not convinced of Flintoff's fitness
Dropping Vaughan a mistake - Warne
Hayden warns Australians on reverse-swing
Use World Twenty20 to build Ashes momentum - Gough

3. Current players are no different - they were/are talking more about Ashes even while playing in T20 World Cup.
Pietersen ready for 'big allrounder' Johnson
Siddle wants new-ball responsibility
Reverse-swing could decide Ashes - Pietersen
Fit Flintoff desperate for the Ashes
Lee and Clark train sights on Strauss

4. England set off for secret bonding session

5. England hire Ashes most successful Australian coach in the hope of winning ashes.
Buchanan agrees ECB deal

Why a bilateral test series is considered so prestigious? I do not have the answer for it. Perhaps it has something to do with maintaining the old cricket order. One thing is for sure test cricket will survive the onslaught of T20, at least in England and Australia.

Buchanan and the art of remaining profitable

Mr Buchanan, the renowned Australian coach, must have very good communication and self selling abilities which allow him to get new jobs even after sever public criticisms from the people who have worked with him.

Mr. Buchanan was able to retain his job as director of coaching staff for KKR throughout IPL 2 while they lost game after game and finished at the bottom of the league. Many renowned analysts bunked his theories and warned against his way of working but somehow retained his assignment. Some of my earlier posts touch upon his coaching style

Controversies and Team Standings
Realize your mistake and move forward
Foreign players and IPL

After IPL 2 there were rumors that he along with many of his coaching staff members will be fired. And what does he do? He not only gets a new assignment even before he is fired and that too for the most prestigious series in International cricket.

June 17, 2009
Buchanan on his way out of Kolkata Knight Riders

June 10, 2009
Buchanan agrees ECB deal

Even now the criticisms are not dying down but Mr. Buchanan is carrying on. Excerpts from Australia unruffled by Buchanan deal

Shane Watson, who is in the Ashes squad, said Buchanan would have little impact on England's campaign while the retired Stuart MacGill said the move was more likely to hurt England than help them.

MacGill said in the Daily Telegraph. "What won England the Ashes in 2005 was their bowling, and if you look at it now, we got Troy Cooley and they got John Buchanan. Troy Cooley won England the Ashes and John Buchanan lost it for us. I don't begrudge Buck for trying to make a living, but his coaching record in England isn't crash hot. He lost the Ashes and had a stint with Middlesex that also didn't work out."

Shane Warne, one of the strongest critics of Buchanan's coaching methods, couldn't resist another dig at him. Warne reckoned that Buchanan's switch would only motivate Australia to go harder at England.

"I think that's a great move because that means we've got more of a chance," Warne said. "Hopefully, Buck (Buchanan) will be doing his stuff and he'll be working and doing all his things and hopefully overcomplicating things. I reckon it gives our chances a big boost and makes our blokes more hungry. Hopefully, he gets all of them in a boot camp and Freddie (Andrew) Flintoff and (Kevin) Pietersen hurt their knees, that would be great."

Bravo! He must add a coaching course on "How to lure people into giving profitable assignments?" in his portfolio of consulting services. It will be a huge hit in these times of recession.

Foreign players and IPL

I am writing this post while DD and KKR are enjoying their strategy break. The match is interestingly poised as Delhi needs 79 to win from 10 overs with 9 wickets in hand. What could be the better utilization of strategy break?
A news item caught my attention yesterday - Buchanan wants more foreign players. KKR coach wants more than 4 foreign players to be part of playing 11.
Some other coaches have also opined similar thoughts but Buchanan got more media attention as media is always on a lookout for juicy stories from KKR camp. I think this is a preposterous proposition and Buchanan wants to find excuses to justify the poor run of the team so far - KKR has won only 1 match so far out of 8.
Aren't all teams playing with this limitation; if at all this is a limitation? IPL is a domestic tournament and it definitely requires participation of more Indian players. The league is ment to professionalize and improve Indian cricket. In fact the foreign player participation should be reduced to 3 as it is in European soccer clubs. Every country has their own T20 tournament so why this noise for IPL? Is it because team owners has spent lot of money in buying 10-12 foreign players? Or does Buchanan want to pull some wool over the KKR fans?
Let us wait for 2 more years. After the 3rd year, IPL will introduce more teams and maybe then most good foreign players will be optimally utilized. For now, I hope KKR is soon able to win a match for Buchanan sake.