From: pvr@rice.edu (PVR Narasimha Rao)
Subject: Belated Observations On The 1st ODI (Ind v Eng)
Originator: pvr@argo.rice.edu
Reply-To: pvr@rice.edu (PVR Narasimha Rao)
Organization: Rice University
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 1993 06:32:43 GMT


I'm back to RSC after a long time.

I'm just back from India. Got to see some cricket when I was there.
Let me share some observations/comments on the first ODI (at Jaipur)
with you. I haven't read RSC for a long time and hence I do not know
how this ODI was covered on RSC.

England bowlers were tough to handle in the initial overs though
there was hardly any swing. When Kambli was sent in at #3 after
Sidhu was duck, there was a lot of presuure on him. He found runs
tough to come in the begining (10 runs off 30 balls, 15 runs off 50
balls). Prabhakar dominated him and played a nice innings. He scored
runs quickly. The ball that got him (off Jarvis) was a beauty.
Prabhakar left it, it turned in and bowled him.

Unless you saw the match, you wouldn't realize the importance of
Kambli's innings. He was under a lot of pressure making his comeback
and coming in at the crucial #3 position with Sidhu duck. Despite a
life early in his knock (ironically it was Hick, famous for his
slip-catching, who dropped the lefthander in the slips!), full marks
go to him for playing a nearly flawless innings. He played like a
seasoned pro (I really mean it). He richly deserved the birthday gift
he got - the MoM award (it was Kambli's 21st b'day).

Kambli started getting going only after SRT was in. While SRT's
progress was unhurried (through intelligent pushes for singles and
twos), Kambli played delightful strokes. He had the strike most of
the time as SRT tried to rotate the strike whenevr he had it.
Runrate started increasing as the two had settled down. If you
realize that India would've been in dire straits if one of them got
out (Amre and Kaps were the only decent batsmen after them), you
will realize the importance of their knocks.

In the slog overs, the schoolmates did a near-perfect job, with SRT
doing most of the damage. Even when his half-century was in sight,
SRT didn't slow down a bit - he, in fact, started accelerating
then. After his half-century, he smashed Jarvis for 17 runs in an
over including a four and a six off consecutive balls. Compared to
Kambli's six, SRT's was quite effortless (SRT's trademark straight
six - BTW, someone in Bombay was telling me how an SRT's straight
sixer landed in nearby slums in a recent exhibition match).

India could've (and should've) easily scored another 10-20 runs if
only Kambli hadn't slowed down in the last 3 overs (he was in 90s
then). In the 47th over, for example, he took 4 balls to score a
single! It was the time for continuing the onsalught started in the
40th over (India had 7 wickets inm hand, after all)!

However, one can't fault him - it happens several times when
someone is in his 90s in the slog overs of an ODI. Immediately
after finishing his century, Kambli started limping badly. Though
the newspapers wrote that Kambli couldn't play freely in the last
few overs because of a pulled thigh muscle, it is possible that he
feigned it (to avoid criticism for slowing down in the last few
overs). Kambli took 149 balls for his 100* while SRT scored 81*
off 81. India had 223/3 off 48. A main reason for the slow rate was
a clever manipulaation of bowling by Gooch. Kambli's limping didn't
help either.

Coach Achrekar said about Kambli's knock,"This knock is a milestone
in his career. After the matcjh, Kambli came to my place with Sachin
Tendulkar and Praveen Amre. We discussed everything calmly. I told
him he shouldn't miss this oppurtunity. I never thought he would go
for a century. Now, he is clearly maturing."

Gatting played a very shrewd innings. His innings was more important
in the English victory than the stats may suggest. Stewart, with his
91 off 126, played a typical pro innings. He was a serious contender
for MoM. His progress was uniform and he kept rotating the strike
always.

However, England would've lost the match if not for Fairbrother's
knock (45 ? off 37 ?). It was a typical Fairbrother knock.
Fairbrother deserves a lot of recognition for being so consistent in
ODIs of late. He was very good in the world cup too. He is a hero
whose deeds often remain unprasied.

Indian bowling was decent, but they tended to be wayward at crucial
moments. Balance tilted from one side to the other so many times
during the last 10 overs!

BTW, Azza is using Raju early in the innings and Kumble late. Kumble
bowls even during the slog overs.

In the slog overs, Kaps and Kumble bowled 2 overs really well (gave 6
and 2 runs respectively - 2 wickets fell too) and put pressure on the
new batsmen. But, both of them gave away a lot of runs (10+ each), in
the next 2 overs to lose the advantage.

Kumble was pretty ordinary. In Gavaskar's words, "his accuracy was
nowhere near the accuracy he demonstrated in South Africa." However,
to be fair to the young leggie, he came in to bowl in a tough
situation. He never really had time to get things right.

Ankola (substituting for VK) was bad as a fielder. He let the ball go
through his legs (to the boundary) twice! However, he was good on an
occasion.

Raju has improved as a fielder considerably since I saw him last.
Talking about his batting in tests, he seems to have sorted out his
batting problems when facing the short ball. His bowling in the ODI
was ordinary, but he can be very effective if he is willing to take
risks. He is bowling too flat for someone who can turn the ball like
he can. He needs confidence.

Srinath, who bowled with fire in the 4th test, was OK. In the slog
overs, with the 2 batsmen being new to the crease, he bowled very
unimaginatively though. India couldv'e taken a firm control of the
match if Srinath bowled well then.

There were some fielding lapses in the last few overs that might've
played a crucial role in the Engloish victory. Ironically, India's
best fieledr Azza was the culprit once. If he had effected an easy
(?ably) run out, India would've been in a much better position.

There was suspense and tension throughout the last 10 overs. Kaps
brought the match to that state (by claiming a crucial wicket) after
the commentators said it was England's match and made the match hang
in balance again. Ironically, he threw it away by conceding a lot of
runs in the last few overs. With England needign 19 off 2, Kaps gave
away 13 in his last over. Prabhakar bowled the last over well with Eng
needing just 6 off 6. An overthrow on the penultimate ball might've
cost a lot.

There are several things where India messed up. They were not bad,
but they lacked confidence and the WILL to win. They tended to give up
and be wayward at crucial moments. Coming so close to a win must give
them the much-needed confidence.

Yadav, BTW, was OK as a keeper. He should be given chances at the test
level too.

Indian team's manager said after the third test in SA: "one good thing
to have happened on this tour is the discovery of Amre and Kumble.
They gained a lot of confidence in themselves and it is a good sign for
the future."

Srinath seemed to really enjoy what he was doing in the 4th test in SA.
It is a very very positive sign for the future. The vego from Karnataka
has a bright future. However, he still bowls inswingers most of the
time. If he develops a good outswinger, he will be a force to reckon
with. He will be a terrific new ball bowler to face.

Manjrekar, if selected to play tests for India in India, is IMHO likely
to do well. He should've been dropped for the tour of SA and taken back
for this series. That would've helped him to play some cricket at home
and prepare for the series with Eng, focus better and gain confidence.
Manjrekar's failure in Aus and SA doesn't mean he will fail oin India.
Selection of the team should depend on the kind of pitches on which the
game is being played.

The knock Kambli played in the 1st ODI gives a lot of hope to Indian
cricket fans. He demonstrated the ability and maturity to graft a big
innings. He changed a lot in the last 1-2 years. He is a possible
megastar in Indian cricket in future. SRT, VK and PA are likely
to be the Gavaskar, Vishy and Vengy of future (comparison is only to
a limited extent, of course).

It has already got too long, let me stop.

PVR
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PVR
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