Cricket - Time to "RISE"

22 December 2018, Mumbai

Cricket - Will the "Ball" dominate?

By the looks of it, appears that this will be a bowlers' season!! All eyes will be on three boxing day test matches (all on bouncy / pacy wickets!) - this year 6 cricketing nations will be pitted against each other - IndiaVAustralia, PakistanVSouth Africa, and SrilankaVNew Zealand.

Three Asian batting powerhouses will have to prove their worth in chilly weather on pacy, bouncy pitches ! They can put good show provided they adopt Simple yet effective  (read more) approach. 

"Boxing Day" test match it is!

The Boxing Day Test match is a cricket Test match held in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia involving the Australian cricket team and an opposing national team which is touring Australia during the southern summer. It begins annually on Boxing Day (26 December) and is played at the Melbourne Cricket Ground (MCG).

 

Because there were six Tests in the 1974–75 Ashes series, in order to fit them all in to the overall schedule, the Third Test at Melbourne was scheduled to start on Boxing Day. That was the origin of the modern tradition, although it was not until 1980 that the Melbourne Cricket Club and the Australian cricket team secured the rights to begin a test match annually on Boxing Day at the MCG.

Historically, the MCG (particularly boxing day test match) has been a happy hunting ground for the Aussies. The above info-graphics (2012) is a testament.

In the last 10 boxing day test matches Australia has won 6, lost 2. Last year's Ashes series test was washed out though. Hopefully this year the weather gods will give us a full game.

 

High TIME That the Indian top-batters "RISE " and Deliver..

• "We play the pitch" that is a famous quote by Indian coach Ravi Shastri.
• It appears that the touring Indian batsmen are caught up in the dilemma of playing on the rise. 
• Team selection has always been an issue - inclusion and omissions. 
• It is high time though, the top order batsmen start rolling arms regularly, max 5-8 overs a day in all. No extravagant experiments, sometimes a simple incoming delivery or an "arm ball" does the trick.

There was a time when it (batters rolling a few overs) used to happen quite often, and sometimes it would bring much needed breakthrough (after a wicket-less session or so). Any batsman usually rolls arms in the net, so what is the harm in trying when your mainline bowlers are going wicket-less for 30-40 overs on the trott?

As we know, the first 15 overs of Indian batting innings will be crucial. Should the opening pair manages to see-off the shining Kookaburra ball (without getting out), it would be much easier for them to score thereafter. 

 

Decisive Feet movement towards the off stump will help batters play the rising deliveries on the-up, and that seems to be missing. Standing tall and playing (remembering own's off-stump well) on the up with a straight bat could be the key to success.

Click to See the video of typical drive gone wrong (Courtesy Twitter).

Driving through the offside may not always be possible, as one might not get those type of deliveries very often. Moreover driving on Indian or subcontinental pitches is much different than Aussie pitches, where the wobbling ball travels relatively faster than it appears. That's where we see some dismissals early in the game. 

Additionally, what occurs to me is that video analysis is becoming more and more important these days. Technology is certainly augmentative. However, how to use that effectively to one's advantage is equally important.

If I were to analyse the Australian batsmen playing in Australia, then no point in looking at their performance against any international side. The reason is, the touring bowler has had to adjust to bowl according to the Australian conditions which is not significant. 

 

If at all I had to analyse, I would rather look at their domestic matches. So here both know the conditions equally so if a batsman makes mistake, then that is what is significant to note. An Aussie bowler beating an Aussie batsman or vice versa . Chances of this happening is far more in an all Australia match.

Best is to watch, how Justin Langer or David Warner batted (got out or scored shots) during the first 15 overs on day 1 in Sheffield Shield matches. 

It will surely be a cracker of a game, as Australia will be playing to consolidate their lead (if they manage to defeat India at Perth) or fight for pride to save the series. Maybe "Hardik" factor could play a role.

BlackCaps - Its the "Williamson" Era 

Blackcaps (New Zealand) are having their summertime routine - get "best" over the touring side!!

Kane Stuart Williamson appears to be  in the "form of life"  He has prolific scorer in 2018 (10 innings 601 runs) and continuing "hitting the ball unbelievably". Along with Latham and "evergreen" Ross Taylor, it is sure the Blackcaps will prove too "formidable"for the touring Sri Lankans. But here still, it will advantage bowlers - Southee, Boult and Wagner can use the conditions, like they always.

In South Africa "They Hunt in pairs"

Albeit, Vernon Philander will miss the boxing day test against Pakistan due to injury, however,Kagiso Rabada, Olivier, Dale Steyn and Ngidi (if comes as replacement for Philander) are quite a formidable attack and can rip through the opposition, especially, this young Pakistan side, which had been enjoying good a run in their backyard in the UAE.

Eventually sporting actions will end the year in Australia.

Test is "King" Still

No matter if we see full occupied stadias, or high decibel campaigns, "test cricket" will thrive still and continue to remain "key barometer" for measuring success in cricket. Of course, ICC could consider implementing some measure in order to address three-day finishes or dull game.

The thee "Dreaded "Ds" of cricket are -

"DRS" - Not full-proof still , as umpires still "manage to play spoilsport" in key decisions. The ball tracker is not a / AND I "dare say "will never be"" a sound system to track the ball - for there are too many variables (beyond human or machine comprehension) - lile wind, soil conditions, moisture, ball conditions (no two balls will ever be similar after 10 overs) angles etc.

DLS - The DLS (Duckworth-Lewis-Stern) method appearing to be "doctor gone wild" and has been used too vaguely by the ICC. Consider this,India manages to loose a T20 against Australia even though they had surpassed the total of Australia!

Credit goes to M/S Duckworth-Lewis-Stern.

The weather predictions in the UK, Australia or New Zealand are said to be quite accurate. If the administration knows that on a given day, the chances of rains are above 60% and they sure know a dry window within which they could operate a match then, Why wait till the rains arrive? If they know its going to be a 6 hour window, why to let the first team bat for full 20 overs (in a T20 game)? Why not have a 15 over game straightaway?

Draw Games - Test cricket became dull due to draw games - which happen due to benign pitches - often "ordered" by administration to muster up some records.

 

All these "D's" will eventually turn off broadcasters, viewers and also will adversely affect interests from upcoming geographies like the Europe.

Rise.Play.Succeed.Win.

- Dhananjay Deshmukh

 (The author is a market research and business strategy analyst. The write-up is not to demean or offend any individual or any organization. The views are his own. Images and some inputs taken (with thanks) from the internet for illustrative purposes only).