Ending the year on a high!!

The Proteas ended the year on a very high note by defeating the Kangaroos in their home ground. It took 16 years of unbeaten run in the home series and that too at the end of the year, spoiling the Boxing Day test match ending up into a loss and to add to it, a series loss.
It has been an outstanding performance by the South Africans winning the first two matches at Perth and Sydney. All praises for the debutant Duminy .The way he played in the first match was commendable. Even in the first innings of the second match, he scored an amazing 166 runs. T he way he has displayed the talent; it’s an announcement of the great player in the making.
They have also a world class captain in Smith. He plays the captains knock when the team needs the most.

Perth has always been the ground where the Australians are known to win under any circumstance. It was India, and now South Africa who broke the shackles at Perth and defeated Australia in Perth.

No doubt the Australians have been the rulers over the decade at the number one positions, but they have been given quality competition by word class team like India and South Africa, and they run neck in neck for the number 2 position and with this kind of form the Aussies are into, the Kangaroos losing the top spot is most certain.

Punter seems to have regained the form but the entire team has to contribute in the event the team wants to keep winning.
With Brett Lee not up to his mark, Shane Watson out coz of the back stress fracture and no one as good as Warney in the Bowling department, the Australian bowling attack has already depleted. They are sorely missing the likes of the Gillispies and the McGraths.

The batting department looks very pedestrian as again Hayden not playing havoc at the top, trying to find his form in what one could call the concluding matches of his career, its only Hussey who is performing consistently. The Aussies have lost the charm. It’s about time that some of the other teams’ would take over the number one slot.

All credit to Smith & Co and here’s Shams & Wags wishing the very best to the Proteas for the third match and may the series end up in a White Wash.

Identify These Umpires

People always tend to forget the efforts of the umpires who are on the field for the entire day. They have to be on the toes for the entire day. Unlike bowlers and batsmen, theres no change of umpire. They really do a commendable job.

So here's a small quiz on the umpires. Hope you would like it.

Body Line Game

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Bodyline

Fizzing Strauss

With Strauss adding the fizz on the top in both the innings, playing a peach of an innings,only Paul Collingwood played a support role for England.
After the loss of three quick wickets in the second innings, Strauss and Collingwood steadied the England ship. At the loss of 9 wickets, England declared for decent total of 316.
In came the deadly opening pair of Sehwag and Gambhir. With the task of scoring 387 runs to win, they came heavily on the bowlers. Hitting over an average of 5 at the top of the innings is what one can expect from this opening pair and they obliged yet another time.
Sehwag was all guns blazing and smashed he ball all over the park. With him attacking and Gambhir playing a support role, India ended on the score of 131 for the loss of Sehwag wicket. The task ahead of Indians is to score 256 runs in a day and lets wait and watch how the Indian achieve the target.

Identify These Englishmen- Contest!!

Watchful Englishmen!!

It was a well cooked partnership at the top of the innings between Alistair cook and Andrew Strauss.
A good half century by cook indicated that he is going to go for the bigger one until he tried to over do and got out to Bhajji.
The England players were very watchful and were paying due respect to the Indian bowlers. Strauss looked in a good knick and he played a superb innings scoring a century, and his consecutive second one in India.
Zaheer Khan was bowling in top of his form so much so that he was moving the ball in both the direction and now he gives the feeling that he can give coaching on how to bowl a reverse swing as he has mastered on the reverse swing.
Even Strauss acknowledged the fact that in the middle of the innings he was signaling to some one in the dressing room that Zaheer is moving the ball in both the directions and that it was difficult for him to pick it up.

Yuvraj has become a thorn to the Englishmen as he is continuing to trouble them, but with the bowling this time. The Englishmen were being extra watchful. The main thing to watch would be his batting. He has to cash in given the fact that Dada has retired. Yuvi’s agenda should be to prove that his selection has to be by default and not by chance.
Kevin Pietersen got out to a reckless shot and balooned in the air which was gleefully taken by ZAK.

Freddie getting out to Amit Mishra and England 6 wickets down, its just the matter of time for England.
Enjoy day 2 as we sign off .
Cheers !!

Some Cricketing Action At Last.

Last few days had been a disaster for India due to the terrorist attack.
England had to abandon the tour, probably that was the only option left with them to save themselves from a shameful 7-0 loss, even though they had to still face the music for the 5-0 loss.
Mumbai has overcome the attack and life has got back to normal. One thing will still be at the back of the Mumbai crowd is that they are refrained from the Test Match which was scheduled to be played in the Brebourn Stadium. Nevertheless, England has agreed to continue with the test series and here we are at the MA Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai live as England is facing the beauty of deliveries from the Indians.
A grand welcome from Shams & Wags coming back once again after the Border Gavaskar series.Sit back and enjoy the reviews for the coming days.