From: pvr@argo.rice.edu (PVR Narasimha Rao)
Subject: Re: English Umpiring, hello Rajeev
Organization: Rice University, Houston, Texas
Date: Fri, 31 Jul 1992 07:09:05 GMT

In article <1992Jul30.192454.515@cs.umn.edu>, karnik@cs.umn.edu (Neeran M. Karnik) writes:

|> In article <01GMZN31QJMQAKVSYT@ccmail.sunysb.edu>
|> ABEGLEY@ccmail.sunysb.edu (Anthony M. Begley) writes:


|> >Where have all the world class spinners gone to ?
|> 
|> 	They're gone. Thanks to one-day cricket. I just hope they're not
|> gone for good. I think India should have kept Sivaramakrishna, Hirwani,
|> Maninder, etc. out of ODIs. On the other hand, spinners like Shastri,
|> Kumble and Ayub might be better suited to ODIs, in a totally different
|> role.


I'm not sure about Maninder (who, I think, wasn't spoiled too much by ODIs),
but ODIs really did a lot of harm to Sivaramakrishnan and Hirwani. Hirwani
could've been a much better bowler if only he wasn't exposed to ODIs (he was
unfortunately over-exposed to ODIs soon after his discovery).

I agree that Ayub was essentially a oneday bowler. But, I don't quite agree
about Kumble.

Kumble hasn't yet played any test. But, just because he happened to be very
economical in the ODIs he played in (2/19 off 10 on debut in England in a high
scoring match), people tend to think he is a oneday bowler and his style doesn't
suit tests. It is unfortunate to conclude that he won't do very well in tests
without giving him a chance. IMHO, he deserves to be promoted for sometime. If
I was a selector, I would've ditched Hirwani long back and promoted Kumble in
his place (even if he failed initially). He is IMHO a Chandra in making, he is
a long term prospect (unlike Hirwani's and Siva's).

His style has a lot of similarities to Chandra's (he, in fact, modeled his style
on Chandra's). Wasn't Chandra successful in tests?

As Kumble bowls fastish leg-breaks (with a lot of top-spin), it is tough to
handle him and it makes his style tailor-made for ODIs, where the stress is
on economy. But, what is it that makes one think it can't be effective in
taking wickets? He has to be tried, after all ......


|> >By the way I couldnt believe my eyes when some Indian posters keep
|> >on discussing how many runs England will make this winter.


But then, they discussed the runs India will make too!


|> >I realise its better to be realistic but this pessimism is very disturbing.
|> >Its like everyone realises India are crap at the moment (SRT excepted)


To the best of my knowledge, no one said something like that ("crap"). They don't
have a good bowling, but they are in the process of building a good team ....


|> >and dont want to lift their hopes too high in case they are diappointed.
|> >Come on guys -- be abit more optimistic, please. England dont have the greatest
|> >team in the world, but at least we think (misguidedly maybe) we can win
|> >any game!


Ok, I will oblige your request. I'll be a bit more optimistic.

SRT will make his first triple century in tests at Bombay (!).
SRT will complete 2000 runs in that series :-).
India will win the series 1-0 (win in the third test at Bombay) after England
	just manages to draw the second test at Madras with luck.
Kapil will overtake Hadlee during the series.
Srinath will have two 5-wicket hauls and Kuruvilla one.

Optimistic enough? :-)


|> 	Oh no, we wouldn't say that the team is crap at the moment. Just
|> the bowling, especially on dead pitches. Our batting lineup is as good as


Talking about the Indian bowling, Kapil is IMHO one of the best bowlers in the
world right now, though people may have difficulties in accepting it because of
his wicket drought in the 2 years before the Aussie tour and the common feeling
that Kaps was finished. On the Aussie tour, he took 27 wkts at 23.89 while
McDermott (possibly at the peak of his career, more or less) took 31 at 21.32.


|> >God help us: SRT scored a ton at (that very vvery small ground) near
|>                                    ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
|> >Newcastle (cant remeber name or location).
|> 
|> 	Ohhh, so that explains it, eh ? :-) Well, we fans can take some
|> solace from the fact that he was the only one in that match to score a 100.


And that his team included Crowe, Richardson, Haynes, Greatbatch and Simmons.

Anyway, it hardly matters to SRT fans what he does in these matches.
SRT is, after all, the man (or `the boy' if you prefer) for the big occasions!


|> >Tony "rooting for the Minor Counties at marlow and arnt they doing well''

|> ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  Neeran  Karnik  ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


--------
PVR Narasimha [SRT is simply the best
               Whether it's an ODI or a test] Rao