*Official* Compaq Cup 2009 in Sri Lanka

[ret]

Ind 231/2 .... 8 overs still to go

Tendulkar on 118 .... Let's see if we can get 100 more runs from here

 

[Pratters]

With such a marvellous platform, it's time to hit out or get out.

Yeah....

 

[Arjun]

Now a Mendis wide misses everything...that's four bonus runs.

Yuvraj set in nicely, and tried to hit a six with a sweep off Mendis, but didn't go too high.

What should India's final five plan be? I'd say, push Yusuf and Harbhajan ahead of Kohli and Raina, with little left to play, and possibly even send in the tail early. A total over 300 is within their grasp.

 

[Pratters]

Why are they taking singles when they should aim to hit fours. Dire batting.

 

[Arjun]

Given the position they were in, India really failed to capitalise on that last powerplay IMO. If you're 1/185, you should be making more than 33 runs off your batting powerplay, even if you do lose a wicket. Hasn't been a boundary in over five overs as well. Should be getting a move on, surely?

I've seen this a few times; the Indians have a huge cushion behind them, and with ten or more overs left, they try to hit a barrage of sixes and fours, but instead give catching chances, resulting in a soft finish to the innings. There seems to be a conscious effort to score more runs in singles, because a massive chunk of their runs have come between the wickets than over the ropes. Several attempts to hit big ones have failed- Dhoni skied a catch while Yuvraj's sweep didn't fly high and bounced before a fielder.

 

[Arjun]

This is worse than singles- Yuvraj played a forward defensive stroke in the 45th over!

Once again, Yuvraj tries a sweep and finds a fielder. They're not hitting hard enough. And Sachin's six now.

 

[Pratters]

Surely you gotta aim for 8 an over and not 4-5 an over like they are doing right now Arjun.

 

[ret]

260 at the end of 45 .... 12 an over from now on should get them to 320. if they don't then they should kick themselves

 

[Stapel]

And Tendulkar is now collecting dot balls........

 

[Pratters]

Haha he was having cramps two balls ago unable to hit a shot and he advances down the pitch to hit a boundary. Tendulkar never ceases to amaze you.

 

[jondavluc]

6!!!

 

[Pratters]

Sachin!

 

[Arjun]

Surely you gotta aim for 8 an over and not 4-5 an over like they are doing right now Arjun.

They seem to be conserving their energy for the final overs. Fifteen off this Mendis over already. And Sachin's third reverse-sweep has him out leg-before.

 

[_Ed_]

That pitched outside leg, didn't it? Although he was reverse sweeping...

Quality knock regardless.

 

[Stapel]

And Tendulkar is now collecting dot balls........

To make up for it in the next over. Six, four, four, out! Good show!

 

[Arjun]

In comes Boomer. Six, Six, Six and out, surely?

 

[Pratters]

A quick fire 30 Mr. Pathan, please.

 

[Pratters]

Yuvraj 27 off 28 balls. They wasted a lot of overs, the Indians. Should have got 330-340.

 

[silentstriker]

Just checked the scorecard...Dravid batted too slow it looks like. India should be nearer 300 right now based on what Sachin did.

 

[Stapel]

That pitched outside leg, didn't it? Although he was reverse sweeping...

Not sure how that works when reverse sweeping. My opinion would be that a batsman gives up his right not to be given out LBW when a ball pitches outside leg, when reverses himself. Seems reasonable....
Anyway, not sure what the Laws say about it.

Quality knock regardless.

Yup, no argueig there!