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It stood to reason that England would eventually win a game from a decent position, and that their batting would eventually produce enough runs to support their bowling. They did so here largely through the efforts of Pietersen, who played with an elan he'd not shown in some time. Jayawardene and Herath's good form continued, taking 7 wickets and producing 169 runs respectively for the match, but they were poorly supported, with no other batsman scoring over 60 and the expensive Dilshan the only bowler taking more than one wicket. For England, Swann took 10, and Anderson continued his brilliant support bowling. At the top of the order, Strauss scored some runs, but not a lot of runs, prelonging questions over his form and future in the side. The advantage of short series for batsmen is that they are never long enough to give a convincing case for being dropped. There has been much discussion of the short "series", but to be honest I can't say I mind a two-test event. Cricket has too many trophies, and the mutual bilateral series is a primitive way to schedule a sport. Put in a proper context a two test, three week series is probably preferable to a five week, three test one. This was an interesting enough series albeit one without any memorable games. Another game like the ones just had wouldn't do much to improve that state of affairs.
Another low scoring and tense I-Cup game, won at the death by Afghanistan's 18-year-old wicket-keeper on debut, Afsar Zazai, whose 84 not out was the highest score of the match (he also took 6 catches). The Netherlands didn't come away empty handed, somehow converting the 133 they made on day one into a 4 run first innings lead on the back of Bukhari's 6/43. Nawroz Mangal the last batsman to fall for 67, supported, for lack of a better word, by 9 single figure scores. From 6/111 chasing 233 Afghanistan really ought to have lost; their lack of form in I-up games ought to be worrying. They are a team that knows how to win though, and the retain second on the table, almost half-way through the competition. The Netherlands first innings points mean they are tied for fourth, with a home game against the UAE and games against Namibia and Canada, they are well placed to make a run at the final.
A thoroughly professional performance from Namibia, defeating a Canadian side still without a point after three games. Canada's biggest problem is a top-3 that, while talented, has an average age of 19, nd a propensity for daft strokes. They did well to make 274 in the first innings, but couldn't wear down Namibia's impossily deep batting lineup and were passed with 4 wickets in hand. Burger making 135 and van Schoor continuing his WT20Q form with 71. Viljoen dominated the second innings, taking 7/61, with only Siddiqi providing resistance (his 71 following his 87 in the first innings). The 119 run chase was dispensed with in short order with Steenkamp making 60 at a run a ball. Namibia join the glut of teams on 23 points. Canada, probably just need patience; provided they don't drop out of the top 8 associate sides their youth will flower, eventually.
A game that looked more exciting than it was, mostly because Sammy, and perhaps the West Indies generally, are so accustomed to losing they fail to see when an alternative is on offer. They fought well until the last day, led by Chanderpaul's 103 and 11 scores in double figures on the first two days, they entered the fourth day in a position to press the advantage. Australia, still one run short of the follow-on with Hussey, Wade on debut and a questionable tail to follow. By day's end they'd thrown it away, the questionable tail adding 121 undefeated runs for the last two wickets, then ripping out 4/17 - mostly to Hilfenhaus. The game now Australia's to win, they needless to say, kept the pressure on. A chase of 192 was never going to be straight-forward; the light threatened to reduce the chase to 40-50 overs, the pitch was turning, an in Bishoo and Deonarine, the West Indies had enough bowling to exploit it. Unfortunately they seemed more content to waste time, plug singles and let the score meander along. After a slow start, a cameo 57 (57) from Watson set up a straight-forward final hour. Australia did their best to fail, losing a bereft Cowan, Ponting and Clarke in short order. Hussey is a master of this type of chase though, and interspersed aggressive running with sixes launched onto the roof of the grand-stand to ensure the win. Hussey's wicketdid turn out to be significant in one way though. It tipped Australia from beating the margin to losing, preventing them from over-taking South Africa into second spot. They probably oughtn't be second, given how many points they gained beating up a poor India. Hopefully the West Indies have gained the confidence from their efforts to actually push for a victory in the remaining games.
Shaded teams have played fewer than 2 games per season. Non-test team ratings are not comparable to test ratings as they don't play each other. Idle Summers 16th April, 2012 00:52:45 [#] [0 comments]
Salary Cap
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2nd Test | New Zealand | v | South Africa |
---|---|---|---|
Pre-rating | 885.10 | 1183.70 | |
Form | -1.11 | +6.47 | |
Expected Margin | South Africa by 99 runs | ||
Actual Margin | Match drawn | ||
Post-rating | 887.90 | 1181.34 | |
Series rating | 965.99 | 1102.35 |
As in the previous game, a couple of good sessions were the difference between the sides, but rain had the final say. Over three rain-effected days A double century stand between Peterson (156) and Duminy (103) propelled South Africa to 474 from which only one side could win. Gillespie was the main wicket-taker ending the series with 22 wickets at 22.8. The remainder of the match consisted primarily of squandered opportunities for South Africa and a fighting rear-guard from New Zealand. The follow-on was avoided with Martin at the crease; Philander again taking 6 wickets to end with 21 wickets at 15.5. South Africa rightly scored quickly to give themselves a chance of victory, but might have declared sooner still, given Taylor was out with a broken arm.
In any case, they had their chances to take nine wickets, bowling superbly in partnerships, and catching quite poorly, such that only Morkel 6/23 (16.4) actually took wickets. The chase was never on, but Williamson showed his class and temperament, making 102 not out to see New Zealand to a draw - a 1-0 loss they'd probably be pleased with, given they were largely outplayed. South Africa's inability to close out games continues to haunt them, and is reflected in a middling ranking that could be much higher. They'll need to take those chances to succeed in England.
1st Test | Sri Lanka | v | England |
---|---|---|---|
Pre-rating | 1030.56 | 1304.23 | |
Form | -9.02 | -11.70 | |
Expected Margin | England by 87 runs | ||
Actual Margin | Sri Lanka 75 runs | ||
Post-rating | 1037.91 | 1294.93 |
England stormed to number last year, not through outstanding brilliance, but through outstanding consistency; their bowlers gave away no loose boundaries, no no-balls, no easy runs; their fieldsmen caught their chances; their batsmen played few loose shots and gave no easy wickets. It was excellent cricket, and they have stopped playing it. By rights, they ought to have won here; they gave away an astonishing 268 runs to the last four wickets. Quite a bit of that to Jayawardene, whose 180 was the decisive knock, but it was far from chanceless. The dropped catches, the no-ball dismissal of Prasanna Jayawardene and the needless and soft dismissals to pre-meditated sweeps and attempts to loft the ball more than made up the eventual deficit.
As against Pakistan, it is their playing of spin that is the problem. Herath 12/171 and Randiv 6/100 are neither very dangerous nor particularly accurate, but they extracted turn. The English batsmen, accustomed to smothering the spin with neither guile nor skill, have now become so paranoid about LBW dismissals that they've forgotten to simply defend when in danger. Bell, in the first innings, and Trott, in the second, demonstrated that both runs and survival were possible. The English have the superior pace attack and probably the superior spin attack; but they lost to a Sri Lankan side that in the fundamentals played better cricket; exactly the same cricket England were not long ago so good at.
Forthcoming Series
I-Cup Match | Afghanistan | v | Netherlands |
---|---|---|---|
Pre-rating | 514.53 | 202.55 | |
Form | +62.62 | -13.43 | |
Expected Margin | Afghanistan by 156 runs |
As usual with I-Cup games, treat the ratings with a certain scepticism. Netherlands have strangely underperformed in this competition; regularly missing players doesn't help, and this game is no different on that score. Afghanistan are not immune to that problem either though, suffering several injuries in the recent WT20 qualifiers, although except for Hamid Hassan the rest seem to have recovered. Nevertheless, they are probably more closely matched than in recent games. Afghanistan came out on top in their WT20Q meeting, but the Netherlands revenged that with a thrashing in the first ODI match, the second being a closer victory to the Asian side. Afghanistan ought to prevail; their bowling resources remain deep which tells in four day games, but by less than the rankings suggest.
I-Cup Match | Namibia | v | Canada |
---|---|---|---|
Pre-rating | 407.53 | 154.88 | |
Form | +15.66 | -26.72 | |
Expected Margin | Namibia by 176 runs |
A bottom of the table clash, both starting with two difficult fixtures. Canada were deeply uncompetitive in their first two games, struggled through the WT20 qualifiers, and are suffering as they try to rebuild their young squad. Namibia, who have a young squad, and a talented one, will be disappointed with their collapses when it mattered in Dubai, and looking to make amends at home. The ratings, in this case, seem fairly accurate, and it will be a surprise if Canada can match the Namibian totals, or bowl them out for a decent score. If they can force a draw, that would be something, but expect Namibia to win relatively comfortably.
3 Tests | West Indies | v | Australia |
---|---|---|---|
Pre-rating | 923.80 | 1177.62 | |
Form | -1.82 | +46.80 | |
Expected Margin | Australia by 77 runs |
Australia's tours to the West Indies are a good guide to the changes in international cricket; once a brutal four test examination, it was first shifted to accomodate the World Cup, shortened, and now secondary to the IPL for many potential participants. Australia had an up and down summer at home; the domination of India tempered by a split series with New Zealand. Their form in the T20 and ODIs are probably reflective of very little, given the changing squads; as for that matter is the West Indies respectable efforts.
Likewise, the West Indies test form over the past year is difficult to gauge. They have played only India and Bangladesh in that period, and only a split series against enigmatic Pakistan and Sri Lanka in a rain-damaged series in the year before that. They seem to be playing better than in the past, particularly at home. Certainly they shouldn't be written off; their batting is potentially brilliant, but prone to daft dismissals; their bowling seems unthreatening, but finds ways to get wickets - particularly Sammy. Australia's fast bowling - injuries notwithstanding - ought to be the decisive factor, but a West Indies victory is not as unlikely as the recent past.
Rankings at 1st April 2012 | ||
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1. | England | 1294.93 |
2. | South Africa | 1181.34 |
3. | Australia | 1177.62 |
4. | Pakistan | 1128.35 |
5. | Sri Lanka | 1037.91 |
6. | India | 1023.29 |
7. | West Indies | 923.80 |
8. | New Zealand | 887.90 |
9. | Bangladesh | 601.34 |
10. | Zimbabwe | 543.69 |
11. | Ireland | 555.48 |
12. | Afghanistan | 514.53 |
13. | Scotland | 444.87 |
14. | Namibia | 407.53 |
15. | Kenya | 317.93 |
16. | U.S.A. | 296.99 |
17. | Uganda | 268.44 |
18. | U.A.E. | 212.22 |
19. | Netherlands | 202.55 |
20. | Nepal | 196.51 |
21. | Canada | 154.58 |
22. | Hong Kong | 148.65 |
23. | Cayman Is | 134.24 |
24. | Malaysia | 123.90 |
25. | Bermuda | 105.40 |
Shaded teams have played fewer than 2 games per season. Non-test team ratings are not comparable to test ratings as they don't play each other.
Idle Summers 2nd April, 2012 09:00:18 [#] [2 comments]