Chika Talk
Kris Srikkanth
Laxman in flow is game's grand sight
January 04, 2008
There are few better sights in world cricket than watching V.V.S. Laxman in full flow. The SCG is one grand stage where he has got everything right. Great batsmen have over the years taken a liking to a particular venue. In the case of Laxman it seems to be the Eden Gardens and the SCG. If only India had curtailed Australia to less than 250 on the opening day, the match could have well taken a conclusive turn in India's favour by now after Laxman's grand show.
As we all know, there is no point in judging with hindsight in cricket. The Indian team has just missed another tremendous opportunity to put the Australians under pressure. Whatever be the errors the two umpires Steve Bucknor and Mark Benson committed, they cannot be seen as the only reason for India's inability to run through the Aussie tail. Andrew Symonds was let off on two occasions, once even when there was support from technology. If the bowlers were unable to get the wickets, the least they could have done was keep things tight. Allowing the likes of Brett Lee and Brad Hogg to score runs freely was hard to explain.
The pace at which the runs came was almost surreal. A team that is at the wrong end of the barrel at 134 for six were able to score at more than four runs per over.
A good part of the blame has to go to dispirited fielding. Indian shoulders droop the moment the batsmen start taking charge. To me that has been the difference between the two sides. The number of runs the hosts saved on the field will add up to a considerable number while the Indian fielders just did not put enough pressure.
Coming back to Laxman's knock, it was sublime as usual and there was a statement embedded in it. To take on the best in the business one needs to have a positive approach. Batting with freedom, the Hyderabadi demonstrated the importance of playing the ball late.
That he is blessed with time to play the pacemen is an advantage. Unlike most players who get their runs square of the wicket in Australia, Laxman was adept at driving in front of the wicket too.
The Andrew Symonds innings was special. The Aussie aggression invariably bails them out of a tight spot. Any other side barring the Windies in the 80s would have resorted to a safety-first approach but not this Australian side. Such an approach may have also proved detrimental on occasion as in the 2004 Adelaide Test against India. But nine times out of 10 they manage to escape.
India was let down by some ordinary bowling from Harbhajan Singh. The off-spinner continues to be clueless when attacked. He looks good when the batsmen push and prod but a bowler at this level must have answers when batsmen go after him. R.P. Singh continues to impress.
The wrist position is good and his high-arm action enables him to get bounce. He is deceptively quicker off the track and that helps him when the surface allows the ball to skid.
The human element will and should continue to be a part of the game. But mediocrity on a consistent basis cannot be pardoned. The last few seasons have clearly showed that umpiring has become a younger man's job. The errors of Steve Bucknor have grown over the years and India seem to be bearing the brunt most of the time. The lesser said of Mark Benson the better.
The Jamaican, I feel, has had enough and it is time for him to go. It is difficult to fathom the ICC's fixation with him. The players put their heart and soul into a game and poor umpiring can disturb young careers. It is time the game's governing body looks into this matter seriously.
Republished with permission from The Asian Age
As we all know, there is no point in judging with hindsight in cricket. The Indian team has just missed another tremendous opportunity to put the Australians under pressure. Whatever be the errors the two umpires Steve Bucknor and Mark Benson committed, they cannot be seen as the only reason for India's inability to run through the Aussie tail. Andrew Symonds was let off on two occasions, once even when there was support from technology. If the bowlers were unable to get the wickets, the least they could have done was keep things tight. Allowing the likes of Brett Lee and Brad Hogg to score runs freely was hard to explain.
The pace at which the runs came was almost surreal. A team that is at the wrong end of the barrel at 134 for six were able to score at more than four runs per over.
A good part of the blame has to go to dispirited fielding. Indian shoulders droop the moment the batsmen start taking charge. To me that has been the difference between the two sides. The number of runs the hosts saved on the field will add up to a considerable number while the Indian fielders just did not put enough pressure.
Coming back to Laxman's knock, it was sublime as usual and there was a statement embedded in it. To take on the best in the business one needs to have a positive approach. Batting with freedom, the Hyderabadi demonstrated the importance of playing the ball late.
That he is blessed with time to play the pacemen is an advantage. Unlike most players who get their runs square of the wicket in Australia, Laxman was adept at driving in front of the wicket too.
The Andrew Symonds innings was special. The Aussie aggression invariably bails them out of a tight spot. Any other side barring the Windies in the 80s would have resorted to a safety-first approach but not this Australian side. Such an approach may have also proved detrimental on occasion as in the 2004 Adelaide Test against India. But nine times out of 10 they manage to escape.
India was let down by some ordinary bowling from Harbhajan Singh. The off-spinner continues to be clueless when attacked. He looks good when the batsmen push and prod but a bowler at this level must have answers when batsmen go after him. R.P. Singh continues to impress.
The wrist position is good and his high-arm action enables him to get bounce. He is deceptively quicker off the track and that helps him when the surface allows the ball to skid.
The human element will and should continue to be a part of the game. But mediocrity on a consistent basis cannot be pardoned. The last few seasons have clearly showed that umpiring has become a younger man's job. The errors of Steve Bucknor have grown over the years and India seem to be bearing the brunt most of the time. The lesser said of Mark Benson the better.
The Jamaican, I feel, has had enough and it is time for him to go. It is difficult to fathom the ICC's fixation with him. The players put their heart and soul into a game and poor umpiring can disturb young careers. It is time the game's governing body looks into this matter seriously.
Republished with permission from The Asian Age
