***Official*** Asia Cup

[Perm]

How about Kiwi pitches? Even pathetic Kiwi batting lineup chased down scores over 340

Nort so much the pithces as the size of the grounds.

 

[jeevan]

Bookies seem to have India at a slight edge (1.6-1.7 to 1) over SL (2.25-2.4 to 1) , which is opposite of what I'd myself expect. I see India's liability (bowling) as being nire significant than SL Achille's heel (middle order), as both have strong top orders. If #1-3 fire as they've been then #4-7 can be hidden a bit.

India OTOH really missing any one who really looks like taking wickets - Zaheer & Sreesanth top that list presently and they're both out of action. Have to hope for RP and Ishant to find that extra bit (RP better bet, even on this pitch) and surround them with 3 bowlers based on strike rates.

 

[ret]

the big final is tomorrow b/w the two teams that have won most of the titles .... the probable 11 as per cricinfo

India (probable) 1 Gautam Gambhir, 2 Virender Sehwag, 3 Suresh Raina, 4 Mahendra Singh Dhoni (capt & wk), 5 Yuvraj Singh, 6 Rohit Sharma, 7 Yusuf Pathan, 8 Praveen Kumar, 9 Pragyan Ojhan, 10 RP Singh, 11 Ishant Sharma.

Sri Lanka (probable) 1 Sanath Jayasuriya, 2 Kumar Sangakkara (wk), 3 Mahela Jayawardene (capt), 4 Chamara Kapugedera, 5 Chamara Silva, 6 Tillakaratne Dilshan, 7 Chaminda Vaas, 8 Nuwan Kulasekara, 9 Ajantha Mendis, 10 Muttiah Muralitharan, 11 Dilhara Fernando.

best of luck to both the teams .... hoping that Ind will be lifting the cup

 

[Jono]

I wouldn't call it a 'big' final. Particularly since the ground is empty. Disgrace.

Anyway its about to start. Dhoni won the toss and actually PUT SL in bat first. I guess chasing teams have been successful in this tournament.

Cannot believe Praveen Kumar was dropped with Pathan and RP Singh keeping their place. Odd move by the Indian camp.

 

[Jono]

Sanga sold for dead by Jayasuriya. Massive wicket.

 

[Arjun]

Looking at this selection, here are a few deductions, and some questions-

• With only four strike bowlers and assorted rubbish, we may see the Indians let slip any advantage in the middle overs if they don't have regular bowlers bowling too often.
• If that happens, the main bowlers would struggle in the final overs against set batsmen. Would you have Sehwag or Yuvraj in the final overs? It's better than seeing your main bowler smashed around.
• With eight batsmen in the team, will we see the same old eight-batsman complacency? "He threw his wicket away with a rash shot to pass on the buck to the next man".
• What role will the batsmen-called-on-to-bowl have in the team? Taking wickets or keeping down the economy under five?
• Containing seems impossible on such pitches. Why not 'contain' by going all out to take ten wickets with three slips consistently?
• The Lankans rested Mendis because they wanted to use him as a surprise against the Indians. Maybe the Indians can spring a counter-surprise by attacking him every ball? Or by sneaking five singles off every over?
• Vaas at seven- He's historically an under-rated, under-used batsman, but can they get a result out of this?
• Robin Uthappa at seven again- a return for India's version of Ricardo Powell, I guess. Will we see a typical Uthappa innings of a big hit off every ball?

 

[Arjun]

for some odd reason, I keep thinking of both the Kitply Cup and Asia Cup as the same series.

Let's just pretend they don't exist, shall we?

 

[Arjun]

Sanga sold for dead by Jayasuriya. Massive wicket.

Suresh Raina. Rohit Sharma. Indispensable for an Indian one-day side. Proof.

 

[Arjun]

I wouldn't call it a 'big' final. Particularly since the ground is empty. Disgrace.

Anyway its about to start. Dhoni won the toss and actually PUT SL in bat first. I guess chasing teams have been successful in this tournament.

Cannot believe Praveen Kumar was dropped with Pathan and RP Singh keeping their place. Odd move by the Indian camp.

I wouldn't rate Praveen, Irfan and the rest of the bowlers by their performances in this series. I wouldn't even rate any series which turns your best bowlers into utter sub-part-timer rubbish.

 

[Arjun]

Attack Mahela. Three slips and a fielder close-in at cover. Maybe even an extra backward-point. They have them at 18-1, so they should target 90-5.

 

[Jono]

Yes that's my point. I think Praveen is obviously the better suited ODI bowler, and I reckon he's better on flat tracks with no swing than Irfan as well. If Pathan's batting comes into the equation, than RP Singh should be dropped.

Anyway, we'll see.

 

[Jono]

Rohit has been on fire in the field so far.

 

[sanga1337]

S*** Jayawardene out. Not good for Sri Lanka. Two best batsman out before the 10 over mark

 

[Jono]

Jayasuriya > Jayawardene in ODIs.

 

[sanga1337]

Jayasuriya > Jayawardene in ODIs.

Whatever thats still 2 of their 3 key players back in the pavillion.

 

[Jono]

Hey Pathan.

You are ****in annoying when you do that ****.

Bye.

 

[duffer]

Irfan's IPL performance gave me hope that he would get out of the cannon fodder period he was having with the ball in ODI's but the recent stuff we've seen of him doesn't inspire much confidence in me.

3 down now though, well on top here.

 

[Jono]

4 down now.

Ishant rocks my socks.

 

[duffer]

Make it 4 now. Loving Ishant so much. Hopefully this puts the skids on Sanath too.

 

[Prince EWS]

WTF @ Praveen Kumar not being picked.