2nd TEST ENDS IN A DRAW

Well notexpected not Dhoni's Brigade but, yes its true that Dhoni and Co. really played for the draw as highlights that Indian Cricket are not yet so hungry for a win. Day 1 and 2 were really wasted in just making few runs and thats where the match was lost. Dravid and Gamghir really played into the hands of English bowlers. On the other hand Kevin Pieterson had some other ideas and shoed some good batting display and got a good score. But the talking point of the match in media was some incidents between YUVI and KP that really helped media to remember this test for a long time.

YUVI was termed as PIE-CHUCKER by KP and Yuvi also seemed to enjoy this one so enjoy

CHEERS !

VEERU -SACHIN SCRIPTS ANOTHER INDIAN VICTORY

It was a tense dressing when England gave a target of 387 runs to India to chase to be a winner in the first test match in Chennai. But, unlike the 1st innings Veeru has some other plans. Started the 2nd Innings with a fair plan to end the run chase by the pre lunch session on the 5th day. He scored at a brisk treaing the ball litterally into four peices in the first ten over only. Not only Kevin Pieterson was worried but some of the members of English Media were also tense as they have already declared the visitors as the favourites to win. Veeru not only scored runs quickly but also made sure that the baller gets in pressure. He scored runs as if he is playing a 20 20 match. Completed his brilliant half century in a very short time, and laid down a great plan for unbelievable victory for the home team. As he got out the remainig plans were executed by The Maestro and YUVI. Who made that they have to complete this run chase without loosing any more wickets.


The icing on the cake was THE LEGEND enjyoing his 41st TON to make his team victorious.


Now thats call for celebration so , enjoy !


CHEERS !

SPINER'S JOY

IT was a low scoring first day and after the start of second it seemed that the 22 yards has many things to say as the spinners wrapped up the English Batting order for a mere 300+ runs. The pitch really showing signs of turns as BHAJJI and MISHRA took 3 each to fold the English scoresheet for the first. In reply India also got a big shock, VEERU played one back on stumps to cherish English seemers.

It woud be interesting to see how the strip behaves on day 3 and 4 which would decide the result of the match.

Enjoy live action on NEO SPORTS in INDIA.


Cheers !

FINALLY CRICKET

The 1st test has started and England have won the toss and elected to bat. It seems that they have a gameplan in place. All the Indian players have a black ribbon on the sleeves for the mumbai blasts. Players also observed two minutes silence for those who lost lives in mumbai.

TEST SERIES IS ALL SET TO ROLL ON

After the testing time in the ODI its now the time for the Test series between India and England. After the shocked but expected pull out of the Englishmen from the ODI series its good that that sense prevails and the players after paying tribute to the people who lost lives but won the battle in the Mumbai blasts the cricket is back again.

Lets see whats gonna happen to the Englishmen when DHONI's brigade will try to wrap things up quickly.

Cheers!!!!

YUVI BACK IN TEST TEAM

India have announced a 15-man squad for the two-Test series against England beginning in Chennai on 11 December.

Yuvraj Singh, 26, who scored successive centuries in the aborted one-day series with England, is back in the Test squad for the first time since April.

He could fill the middle order gap created by Sourav Ganguly's retirement.
Left-arm spinner Pragyan Ojha, who toured Sri Lanka but has yet to make his Test debut, is in the party but left-arm seamer RP Singh is omitted.

Yuvraj, who made his Test debut against New Zealand in October 2003, has had an inconsistent career in the longer format.

Yuvraj back in India Test squad

CRICKET AT LAST :

After the ODI series a good thing for all the cricket lovers around the globe and it is that the ECB has given green flag to the TEST SERIES with a request of changing.


This step is understandable as the security of Englisg Players are also of utmost importance for Global peace.

So lets wait and watch the teams in action.


LONG LIVE CRICKET!

Cheers !

BCCI PULLS OUT OF PAK TOUR :

After the Mumbai terror attacks and all the fingers raising to one neighboring nation BCCI came out stronlgy and released a press note on 30th Nov to pull out of Indian Team's Pak tour which was scheduled in January 2009 and consisred of 5 ODIs and 2 Tests.

Now we would have to really wait to see INDIAN TEAM live in action.

CHEERS!!!!

ECB CALLS IT A DAY AFTER TERROR ATTACKS

ECB calls off the present ODI series after the devastating terror attacks on MUMBAI. BCCI also understands the feeling and stand unite with the ECB on the issue and allowed the touring to return home. But in the coming Cricket will show that it is bigger than the terror.

Wininng hearts and love around the world everyday "CRICKET".

Tribute to all who lost thier lives in terror attack.

******Special salute to all the soldiers. ******

IT IS VERY HARD TO BEAT INDIA :

It seems that Indian Cricket Team is in awesome and it is becoming a part of an unforgettable tour of new English Captain. After the series when the ECB will meet the player and the captain it seems that the captain would told to take a bow and said thanks by the ECB.

Although Indians are happy continuing the platinum form for some of the experience players once again VEERU and SACHIN showing the young guns how to open the innings while chasing.

GREAT PROBLEMS FOR Mr. KEVIN PIETERSON

CLEAN SWEEP FOR INDIA :

After a really close fought match between the teams it was the young team India, who came all guns blazing after the win. Duckward Lewis method made by an Englishmen cud not favour them anymore.

Game, Match, Series India . 4-0 Series finished now England has to play for some pride and honour and Indian's will take this up as practice.



So, Enjoyyyyyyyyyyy....

Cheers!!!!!!!!!!!11

GOD FAVOURS THE BRAVE

3rd ODI in Kanpur was a spoiled by bad light and resulted in a win for INDIA by the Duckward Lewis Method.But the fans had their hearts in their moouths as highly spirited England Team gave a tough to not so successfull Indian batting order today. The match could have gone to any of the teams, but the weather played a spoilt sport and ruined the charm of witnessing a good and evenly fought match.
It began with England batting first and making a morderate total on a not so good looking pitch. Indians have alwaysstruglled chasing the runs whether it be a 300+ or 250+ but today the Englishmen were bowlinga good line and lengthto the Indian batters. Gambhir and Raina went cheaply VEERU made a well deserving half century.Yuvi and Dhoni made way through the English bowlers and took the team to that level where the win was not far.
So , now its 3-0 ADVANTAGE INDIA.
Lets check the matches to come shortly.....

Cheers!!!!!!!!!!!!!

3rd ODI IN KANPUR

The young Indian Squad is all set to take on the Englishmens and give them the run chase of their life.Kanpur is the venue for this third ODI and England would be hoping for some miracle to happen so that they can win and say that the series is still alive.
On the other hand the Indian's look that they are in a habbit of win now and they don't want to ruin it up with any sort of experiments in the team. In one of the interviews M S DHONI has already confirmed that it would be stupidity to drop great players in great form just for the sake of experimenting with the new boys.
So, its all set for the big day in Kanpur where the whether conditions are good and slight hint of swing wouldbe available for the seemers in the first half hour's play only and if MSD wins the toss and elects to bat then it would be curtains for the careers of some of the upcoming English Bowlers.
So CHEEEEERS !!!!!!

THE WORLD IS WATCHING US CLOSELY

After the recent falmbouyant performances by different Indian cricketing heroes in different styles, once again has prooved to the world that we still have many things in the armourey. Recently when 'Jumbo' and 'Dada' said goodbye to the cricketing whites it seemed that the Indian cricket was going nowhere, but there was a lot cheer for as the Aussies and now the Englishmen are really finding it hard to fight with the new young look side. The side is full of confidence and exuberence. The best part is the habit of winning and want to win in all matches.

Recent victories has resulted in better rankings in both the ODI'S and TEST's ranking.

MORE TO CHEER ABOUT !

NOW IT'S TIME FOR ENGLAND TO FACE SOME SERIOUS CRICKET

After the memorable victory over world leader in cricket Australia, it was not a wild guess that England would have to be in the best of form to face some serious cricket in the subcontinent. Although the Englishmen were very well placed in the mind games and game strategies after beating the South African's comprehensively. But, the real game starts in India when the Englishmen were looking as if they were underprepared for the ODI series.

The body language of the visitors never ever looked that they are really going to challanged the young Indian Squad. On the other hand the selectors take 10 out 10 for choosing the best out of the best and sticking with Veeru and Gambhir to open the innings rather than giving the young lad Virat Kohli another oppurtunity to let go down the drain. In fact the Delhi openers obliged the crowd and gave them the worth of their money by giving excellent opening in the 1st ODI.

However, the star of the first two matches was undoubtedly Mr. UNFIT Yuvraj Singh, he made batting look so easy in both the innings that it really very hard to miss a moment out of it.

Infact, England should think of signing Yuvi as their batting coach for the upcoming matches if he is unfit to serve Indian Cricket.

ICL T20 WORLD SERIES SCHEDULE

The venue is Ahmedabad as expected after the grand response ICL Season 2 T-20 received in the first final between Lahore Badshahs and Hyderabad Heroes. More 85,000 people witnessed the match in the stadium and around 15,000 were standing outside looking for a chance to get in. It is indeed going to be one of the most thrilling events of the present cricketing season. Cricket360 will bring the entire series with exclusive coverage of scores, match reviews and special reports. To start with here is the schedule of the upcoming ICL World Series T-20 schedule:

November 2008
Sun 23 (D/N)
09:30 local, 14:00 GMT
ICL India XI vs. ICL Pakistan XISardar Vallabhbhai Patel Stadium, Ahmedabad

Tue 24 (D/N)09:30 local, 14:00 GMT
ICL Pakistan XI vs. ICL World XISardar Vallabhbhai Patel Stadium, Ahmedabad

Fri 25 (D/N)09:30 local, 14:00 GMT
ICL Bangladesh XI vs. ICL World XISardar Vallabhbhai Patel Stadium, Ahmedabad

Mon 26 (D/N)09:30 local, 14:00 GMT
ICL India XI vs. ICL World XISardar Vallabhbhai Patel Stadium, Ahmedabad

Thu 27 (D/N)09:30 local, 14:00 GMT
ICL Bangladesh XI vs. ICL Pakistan XISardar Vallabhbhai Patel Stadium, Ahmedabad

Sun 28 (D/N)09:30 local, 14:00 GMT
ICL Bangladesh XI vs. ICL India XISardar Vallabhbhai Patel Stadium, Ahmedabad

Wed 29 (D/N)09:30 local, 14:00 GMT
Final – TBC vs. TBCSardar Vallabhbhai Patel Stadium, Ahmedabad


So gear up your self for the spalsh of runsssssssssss...




CHEERS !

India Crushes the Australian proud and flushes it down the drain.

It was an extremely humble indian side after a remarkable win over Aussies in the recent test series. Aussies came here with a mission to get the victory after they lost in their home grounds to upcoming young and talented Indian side, but all in vain they could understand the spinner and could not even face the steamy young fast bowlers like Ishant Sharma ( Pride of Dlehi).

But the major attrcation was Zaheer's reverse swing which led Aussies with big, big and bigger ?

At the end of the hard fought test series by Australia it was the Proud Kumble's and Darring Dhoni's hard to beat boys who managed to clinch a rememborable victory in the recent test series..


Hip Hip Hip Hurraaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyyyyyyyyy...............



Cheeers !

Cricket's Mecca

Hi

This site is all about one game that u and me love like a religion n thats cricket.

The game of cricket and its objectives

A typical cricket field.
A cricket match is played between two teams (or sides) of eleven players each on a field of variable size and shape. The ground is grassy and is prepared by groundsmen whose jobs include fertilising, mowing, rolling and leveling the surface. Field diameters of 140–160 yards (130–150 m) are usual. The perimeter of the field is known as the boundary and this is sometimes painted and sometimes marked by a rope that encircles the outer edge of the field. The field may be round, square or oval – one of cricket's most famous venues is called The Oval.
In simple terms, the object of each team is to score more "runs" than the other team and so win the game. However, in certain types of cricket, it is also necessary to completely "dismiss" the other team in order to win the match which would otherwise be drawn.
Before play commences, the two team captains toss a coin to decide which team shall bat or bowl first. The captain who wins the toss makes his decision on the basis of tactical considerations which may include the current and expected pitch and weather conditions.
The key action takes place in a specially prepared area of the field (generally in the centre) that is called the "pitch". At either end of the pitch, 22 yards (20 m) apart, are placed the "wickets". These serve as a target for the "bowling" aka "fielding" side and are defended by the "batting" side which seeks to accumulate runs. Basically, a run is scored when the "batsman" has literally run the length of the pitch after hitting the ball with his bat, although as explained below there are many ways of scoring runs [3]. If the batsmen are not attempting to score any more runs, the ball is "dead" and is returned to the bowler to be bowled again [4].
The bowling side seeks to dismiss the batsmen by various means [5] until the batting side is "all out", whereupon the side that was bowling takes its turn to bat and the side that was batting must "take the field" [6].
In normal circumstances, there are 15 people on the field while a match is in play. Two of these are the "umpires" who regulate all on-field activity. Two are the batsmen, one of whom is the "striker" as he is facing the bowling; the other is called the "non-striker". The roles of the batsmen are interchangeable as runs are scored and "overs" are completed. The fielding side has all 11 players on the field together. One of them is the "bowler", another is the "wicketkeeper" and the other nine are called "fielders". The wicketkeeper (or keeper) is nearly always a specialist but any of the fielders can be called upon to bowl.

Pitch, wickets and creases

The cricket pitch dimensions
The pitch is 22 yards (20 m) long [7] between the wickets and is 10 feet (3.0 m) wide. It is a flat surface and has very short grass that tends to be worn away as the game progresses. The "condition" of the pitch has a significant bearing on the match and team tactics are always determined with the state of the pitch, both current and anticipated, as a deciding factor.
Each wicket consists of three wooden stumps placed in a straight line and surmounted by two wooden crosspieces called bails; the total height of the wicket including bails is 28.5 inches (720 mm) and the combined width of the three stumps is 9 inches (230 mm).
Four lines (aka creases) are painted onto the pitch around the wicket areas to define the batsman's "safe territory" and to determine the limit of the bowler's approach. These are called the "popping" (or batting) crease, the bowling crease and two "return" creases.

A wicket consists of three stumps that are hammered into the ground, and topped with two bails.
The stumps are placed in line on the bowling creases and so these must be 22 yards (20 m) apart. A bowling crease is 8 feet 8 inches (2.6 m) long with the middle stump placed dead centre. The popping crease has the same length, is parallel to the bowling crease and is 4 feet (1.2 m) in front of the wicket. The return creases are perpendicular to the other two; they are adjoined to the ends of the popping crease and are drawn through the ends of the bowling crease to a length of at least 8 feet (2.4 m).
When bowling the ball, the bowler's back foot in his "delivery stride" must land within the two return creases while his front foot must land on or behind the popping crease. If he breaks this rule, the umpire calls "No ball".
The batsman uses the popping crease at his end to stand when facing the bowler but it is more important to him that because it marks the limit of his safe territory and he can be stumped or run out (see Dismissals below) if the wicket is broken while he is "out of his ground".
Pitches vary in consistency, and thus in the amount of bounce, spin, and seam movement available to the bowler. Hard pitches are usually good to bat on because of high but even bounce. Dry pitches tend to deteriorate for batting as cracks often appear, and when this happens spinners can play a major role. Damp pitches, or pitches covered in grass (termed "green" pitches), allow good fast bowlers to extract extra bounce and seam movement. Such pitches tend to offer help to fast bowlers throughout the match, but become better for batting as the game goes on.

Bat and ball

A cricket bat, front and back.
The essence of the sport is that a bowler delivers the ball from his end of the pitch towards the batsman who, armed with a bat is "on strike" at the other end.
The bat is made of wood and has the shape of a blade topped by a cylindrical handle. The blade must not be more than 4.25 inches (108 mm) wide and the total length of the bat not more than 38 inches (970 mm).
The bowler must employ an action in which the elbow does not straighten (within certain tolerance levels) to "bowl" the ball, which is a hard leather seamed spheroid projectile with a circumference limit of 9 inches (230 mm).
The hardness of the ball, which can be delivered at speeds of more than 90 miles per hour (140 km/h), is a matter for concern and batsmen wear protective clothing including "pads" (designed to protect the knees and shins), "batting gloves" for the hands, a helmet for the head and a "box" inside the trousers (for the more delicate part of the anatomy). Some batsmen wear additional padding inside their shirts and trousers such as thigh pads, arm pads, rib protectors and shoulder pads.

Umpires and scorers
The game on the field is regulated by two umpires, one of whom stands behind the wicket at the bowler's end, the other in a position called "square leg" which is several yards behind the batsman on strike. When the bowler delivers the ball, the umpire at the wicket is between the bowler and the non-striker. The umpires confer if there is doubt about playing conditions and can postpone the match by taking the players off the field if necessary: e.g., rain, deterioration of the light, crowd trouble.
Off the field and in televised matches, there is often a third umpire who can make decisions on certain incidents with the aid of video evidence. The third umpire is mandatory under the playing conditions for Test matches and limited overs internationals played between two ICC full members. These matches also have a match referee whose job is to ensure that play is within the Laws of cricket and the spirit of the game.
Off the field, the match details including runs and dismissals are recorded by two official scorers, one representing each team. The scorers are directed by the hand signals of an umpire. For example, the umpire raises a forefinger to signal that the batsman is out (has been dismissed); he raises both arms above his head if the batsman has hit the ball for six runs. The scorers are required by the Laws of cricket to record all runs scored, wickets taken and overs bowled. In practice they accumulate much additional data such as bowling analyses and run rates.
Unofficial scoring is carried on by spectators for their own benefit and by media scorers on behalf of broadcasters and newspapers.

Innings
The innings (always used in the plural form) is the term used for the collective performance of the batting side [8]. In theory, all eleven members of the batting side take a turn to bat but, for various reasons, an "innings" can end before they all do so (see below).
Depending on the type of match being played, each team has one or two innings apiece. The term "innings" is also sometimes used to describe an individual batsman's contribution ("he played a fine innings" etc).
The main aim of the bowler, supported by his fielders, is to dismiss the batsman. A batsman when dismissed is said to be "out" and that means he must leave the field of play and be replaced by the next batsman on his team. When ten batsmen have been dismissed (i.e., are out), then the whole team is dismissed and the innings is over. The last batsman, the one who has not been dismissed, is not allowed to continue alone as there must always be two batsmen "in". This batsman is termed "not out".
If an innings should end before ten batsmen have been dismissed, there are two "not out" batsmen. An innings can end early because the batting side's captain has chosen to "declare" the innings closed, which is a tactical decision; or because the batting side has achieved its target and won the game; or because the game has ended prematurely due to bad weather or running out of time. In limited overs cricket, there might be two batsmen still "in" when the last of the allotted overs has been bowled.

Overs
The bowler bowls the ball in sets of six deliveries (or "balls") and each set of six balls is called an over. This name came about because the umpire calls "Over!" when six balls have been bowled. At this point, another bowler is deployed at the other end and the fielding side changes ends. A bowler cannot bowl two successive overs, although a bowler can bowl unchanged at the same end for several overs. The batsmen do not change ends and so the one who was non-striker is now the striker and vice-versa. The umpires also change positions so that the one who was at square leg now stands behind the wicket at the non-striker's end and vice-versa.

Team structure
A team consists of eleven players. Depending on his or her primary skills, a player may be classified as a specialist batsman or bowler. A well-balanced team usually has five or six specialist batsmen and four or five specialist bowlers. Teams nearly always include a specialist wicket-keeper because of the importance of this fielding position. Each team is headed by a captain who is responsible for making tactical decisions such as determining the batting order, the placement of fielders and the rotation of bowlers.
A player who excels in both batting and bowling is known as an all-rounder. One who excels as a batsman and wicket-keeper is known as a "wicket-keeper/batsman", sometimes regarded as a type of all-rounder. True all-rounders are rare as most players focus on either batting or bowling skills.

Fielding

Fielding positions in cricket for a right-handed batsman
Main articles: Fielder and Fielding strategy (cricket)
All eleven players on the fielding side take the field together.
One of them is the wicket-keeper aka "keeper" who operates behind the wicket being defended by the batsman on strike. Wicket-keeping is normally a specialist occupation and his primary job is to gather deliveries that the batsman does not hit, so that the batsmen cannot run byes. He wears special gloves (he is the only fielder allowed to do so), and pads to cover his lower legs. Owing to his position directly behind the striker, the wicket-keeper has a good chance of getting a batsman out caught off a fine edge from the bat. He is the only player who can get a batsman out stumped.
Apart from the one currently bowling, the other nine fielders are tactically deployed by the team captain in chosen positions around the field. These positions are not fixed but they are known by specific and sometimes colourful names such as "slip", "third man", "silly mid on" and "long leg". There are always many unprotected areas.
The captain is the most important member of the fielding side as he determines all the tactics including who should bowl (and how); and he is responsible for "setting the field", though usually in consultation with the bowler.
In all forms of cricket, if a fielder gets injured or becomes ill during a match, a substitute is allowed to field instead of him. The substitute cannot bowl, act as a captain or keep wicket. The substitute leaves the field when the injured player is fit to return.