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My message to my favorite cricketer

The day I meet MS Dhoni, somehow - I'll say "Dhoni, try opening. you're an unconventional batsman which is a good integrand to negotiate conventional swing & seam of new ball.. we all know how well you can hit once get set."

But then, that's over-analyzing cricket blogger in me talking.

Who is your favorite cricketer? what would you like to tell him? Itsonlycricket.com, in following, presents a platform for all cricket crazy people around the world to write a letter, comment, message or anything expressive to an International cricketer.

Itsonlycricket is a popular blog free to all and we're sure our cricketing heros would read our messages someday.

Note : please ... .. Read complete article
Added on Thu, 14 February 2008

Differentiating : cricket vs other sports

Had Sachin Tendulkar been a Tennis player, or a golfer or a formula 1 driver ~ I'm sure he would have asked few questions to Roger Fedrer, Tiger Woods and Michael Schumacher given the talent & will that Indian possesses..
But life's not about 'would have' or 'had been'. Sachin Tendulkar is a cricketer - a batsman, and exceptional at it when its about making runs on cricket field.

Given that cricket is a team game, not individual sport - several champions like Brain Lara, Don Bradman & Wasim Akrams couldn't be numero uno aka number 1 cause their teams stayed behind.

I hope, by now, I've made my first point on how ... .. Read complete article
Added on Sat, 02 February 2008

New corp of coaches : a disappointment

Adolf Hitler said : I've seen spoken words work better than written words. so why not we start this article with some spoken words by Herb Brooks, a coach who took his moderate hockey team and turned them into world champions --

Great moments... are born from great opportunity. And that's what you have here, tonight, boys. That's what you've earned here tonight. One game. If we played 'em ten times, they might win nine. But not this game. Not tonight. Tonight, we skate with them. Tonight, we stay with them. And we shut them down because we can! Tonight, WE are the greatest hockey team in the world. You were born to be hockey players. Every ... .. Read complete article
Added on Wed, 30 January 2008

Aussies expose you, & make you a better team

We-watch-cricket, we play cricket but how many times do we think cricket?

John Buchanan was a special brain that coached Australia to 2 world cup victories & made them the best test match team capable of winning anywhere in the world. how did they do that? lets think some cricket today..

Every cricketer in every opposition Aussies play against, they scrutinize their minus points to a level that batsman (or bowlers) start doing things differently than they otherwise do. That creates an opportunity for Aussie players to gain an advantage & they don't let you comeback. Ever!

But guess what? there's a silver lining to who whoever plays against this great Australian team. ... .. Read complete article
Added on Wed, 07 November 2007

Aren't the same aussies if you've runs on board

"They weren't the same aussies once we put huge scores on the board" said Akash Chopra, the opening batsman with Virendra Sehwag on India's tour of Australia back in 2003. India drew the series 1-1 once they compiled scores of 409, 523, 366 and 705 in 4 test match series.

The Trick, for both India and Srilanka who play test series this season in Australia (or any team playing tests downunder) - is to sharpen up their batting and score some mammoth totals. preferably batting first.

Batsman from sub-continent needs to know that pitches there in Australia aren't bowler friendly but conversly, batsman with array of shots & heart to play'em can get unbeatable for ... .. Read complete article
Added on Thu, 01 November 2007

Batsmen capable of (miracle) one day double century

Highest score in one day International cricket is 194 by Saeed Anwar. made against India at Chennai. a 146 ball innings and Anwar was out good 6 overs before the 50th over..

Now, following is a careful list of batsman (playing today) with capability to go past Saeed Anwar and score that elusive first double century of One dayers!

Requirement : You have the wrist power to hit/time anything for a six.

The inspiration for the article also comes from so many T20 Internationals being played these days. If Chris Gayle can score a 100 in 20 over innings (against South Africa) - why can't Gayle smash a 200 in 50 over Innings? He's ... .. Read complete article
Added on Sat, 27 October 2007

Beating Aussies downunder : the biggest test award

Consider the following and then we'll start the article..

M - Year - Australia's dominance review, at home.
1 - 2007 - till date, won it.
5 - 2006 - won all of them.
7 - 2005 - only one draw against SA in December.
7 - 2004 - Only 2 draws (at Cairns vs SL in July & India at Sydney).
8 - 2003 - Last lost to someone (India) at home in December. Adelaide it was.

In fact, the last test series that Australia lose anywhere in the world, was against Srilanka in 1999 when Aussies lost the 1st test match at Kandy and remaining 2 tests were drawn. ... .. Read complete article
Added on Wed, 17 October 2007

Hang on, here's (Mahendra Singh) Dhoni's official website

I-was in 11th, he was in 11th. I was in the stands & he was at the batting crease. Match was KV Hinoo vs DAV Jawahar Vidya Mandir. Final of some local school championship. Venue was Mecon Ground. Ranchi..

Friend sitting next to me, recalled the double century 'that boy at the crease' had struck against our school team in an earlier group match. "He's a butcher with bat. Once he swings, there's no catching the ball. He doesn't like hitting fours!" continued my friend as our wicket-keeper - Sanjay Rajwar went up the stumps. Our bowler was medium pace, but Rajwar stumped Dhoni off the first ball I saw him face.

Since that day, I ... .. Read complete article
Added on Wed, 26 September 2007

cricket commentators we listen, few good

Most of us understand our own language of a cricket match.. some will mute the TV n just watch the live pictures (many times me), whereas some will walk all round the living room - only to jump for Tv replay when shout of wicket fall or a six goes load..

But those who need to learn cricket, or intend to enjoy it to max ~ must to listen to what the commentators are discussing. the cricket commentary we listen on television is done (mostly) by those who played the game in green days, now explain the game to viewers through various sports channels.

I've tried one n all top cricket commentators, allowing them an ear to ... .. Read complete article
Added on Tue, 03 July 2007

Twenty20 cricket trickier than you think

One of the myths about twenty20 cricket is, that it's killing the bowlers.. I'll try to prove it's not.

Another myth about twenty20 cricket is, that spinner won't have too many roles to play in this format of International cricket. I'll contradict that as well but before all this - lets revise how first twenty20 world cup fixtures in south africa has been scheduled.

At least 9 of that 27 match tournament will be played as night matches ~ means swinging african evening conditions. Durban & Cape town always have had a devil in the wind, favoring bowlers who are ready to bend their back. I wonder if ICC uses different cricket balls for Twenty20 format than ... .. Read complete article
Added on Mon, 25 June 2007

A story of speed, straight from Pakistani showrooms

I can go to Bob Woolmer, and start this article as a failed dream that Kanpur born saw..

I can go to Under 19 world Cup final at Colombo, 19 February 2006, when a Pakistani teenage trio blew Indian batting apart for 71, to defend 109.

Or we can start with why Geoff Lawson, Dave Whatmore & other contenders for Pakistan coaching job are hungry for the green signal from PCB.. answer is Pakistan's pace bowling factory. Even the Aussies n the Proteas can't match the supremacy/Unplay-able-ity Pakistani fast bowlers reach, when at peak.. and there's plenty in storage. If Wasim Akram was accurate, Waqar Younis reverswinging. Shoaib Akhtar quick & Mohammad Asif is mysterious... following names ... .. Read complete article
Added on Fri, 22 June 2007

Cricket, cricketers, girlfriends and the affairs

Sachin Tendulkar is not less famous. nor are Andrew Symonds' shoulders less broad. Michael Clarke is as chocolaty as it gets and my blog welcomes one female fan of Rahul Dravid every day..

Yet, not many high profiles ladies have been attached to International cricket players. Not too many affairs to mention and most of them are not juicy. Only Mahendra Singh Dhoni of India with Jacques Kallis of South Africa have held the fort high. Now if you understand cricket, have a favourite cricketer in mind, scroll down. I may have the information of his one time girlfriends or the girl he eventually is happily married with.

Tired of reading? try itsonlycricket.com exclusive section on Read complete article
Added on Wed, 09 May 2007

This should be the end of Aussie dominance on International cricket.

In 1985, Dennie Lillee, Rod Marsh and Greg Chappell retired the same day, same place and nearly same time as did Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Justin Langer today in 2006. The day we are talking about is 5th day of SCG test match - the last of the Ashes series Australia and England play every 18 months.

Australia was just-a-good-cricket-team from 1985 to 1995, till they beat West Indies in West Indies and took over all of us..!!

But the first question people might wonder, but no body has written about, is that the last name in today's threesome - Justin ... .. Read complete article
Added on Thu, 04 January 2007

The best fielders in International cricket today.

Cricket has such a long history that it's tough to talk about all of it, and I am sure it's not going to attract you as well. So lets just start our history from seventies and early eighties when a bowler used to dismiss a batsman, jump with joy for a second or two and then... went back to his bowling mark. All his team mates (the fielders) used to clap from their fielding positions...

What I am trying to figure here is, in those days, there were no team gatherings around the pitch whenever a wicket fell. Everyone played the game as if it was their job and went quietly about it.

It was changing slowly ... .. Read complete article
Added on Wed, 30 August 2006

Some Toronto memories, specially Injamam's batting in the spectators stands.


Sometimes, sports will bring the kind of drama that stay in your mind for a long time. And as I start this article to refresh our memories with the matches that has been played in Toronto, Canada so far, let me do it with something very similar.

Its been nearly 9 years since that day (14th September 1997) when Pakistan's Injamam-ul-haq crossed the boundary lines, went up the spectators stands to have a fight with some fans. Its still not known why Injamam did what he did, but one thing is for sure - it was not momentous.

TV replays showed that the Pakistani 12th man (16 ... .. Read complete article

Added on Sat, 15 July 2006




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