Aussies, here we come: NZ vs Pakistan

A belated post, this should have been written a week back when the kiwis hearteningly came good in the crunch game and beat Pakistan by 51 runs. The semi final game against the Aussies is close on the heels of this entry, and I'm strapped for time and energy at the moment, so this'll be a short post.

The win against Pakistan served to illustrate just how reliant New Zealand are on a group of core (and unfortunately, injury-prone) players, namely Bond, Styris, Oram and Vettori. Of course, Stephen Fleming marked his record breaking 194th game as skipper with a vital 80, but the side was totally transformed thanks to the contributions of Styris (86) , the allround efforts of Oram and Shane Bond's comeback spell. Bond was wayward to begin with, but the fact that he returned to snare Yousuf Youhana and Abdul razzaq showed he is indispensible. Genuine pace is a great commodity which is why he'll have to hit his straps against the Aussies once more, for NZ to come through.

Recent history indicates that Australia remain the dominant neighbour in Trans-Tasman clashes. But the main difference between the two sides is the bench strength: while Australia are spoiled for choice going into the game, NZ have to sweat on the fitness of the core group of players I mentioned. Indeed, it looks like Styris isn't going to make the cut after all which leaves the middle order vulnerable. Whether or not Ross Taylor is allowed to play, I doubt he'll be selected, leaving Marshall and Fulton the enviable task of finding form against the Aussies. On a good day, New Zealand's best XI will prove a match for the Aussies so I'll still hold my breath. NZ just don't have the replacements ready once the key players are unfit though, which seems to tilt the balance in favour of Australia.

Fleming & co have seen an awful lot of Australia in recent years, so he might just be able to work on their predictability. As always, the kiwis' best chance lies in attacking from the word go, as they did back in 2002. I'd say their defeats were more a mental thing than anything else. They seem to be playing good cricket at the moment, so it's a case of striking while the iron is hot. Here's hoping the Champions Trophy Aussie Jinx lives on.

Batting woes resurface: NZ vs Sri Lanka

The result of the clash may not have been that surprising in itself, given that Sri Lanka are an in form team and New Zealand are returning after a long layoff. But two sub par totals batting first, whatever the pitches may be, will give Fleming and Bracewell plenty to think about before the sink-or-swim game against Pakistan.

By giving more credit than was required to the pitch, and Murali, NZ almost ensured they started on the backfoot before the game began. Fleming's comment that 'occupying the crease and grinding' would be the way to go was certainly a curious one, and not the most positive approach. Murali, we know: he was in his element, but according to reports the batsmen appeared to play him on reputation and thus right into his hands. On reading the scorecard and reports, the NZ innings appeared to be a recurring theme. The top/middle order couldn't hold fort once Fleming was dismissed early, although Astle at least attempted to slug it out, in an effort to emulate Fleming's innings in the South Africa game. His dismissal for 42 probably illustrates why, despite being one of the premier ODI batsmen over the last decade, he will never be mentioned in the same breath as Inzamam or Ponting, let alone Lara and Tendulkar.

For a lineup with a reputation for resilience, the rest of the batting caved in too easily. Lou Vincent was again predictably dismissed heaving across the line (Mike has a lot to say on the subject), while Brendon McCullum's penchant for innovation seems to be getting the better of him too often as he fell this time to a reverse sweep. Having kept the faith in Hamish Marshall for so long during his run drought, Bracewell will probably give him a final chance to put things right next Wednesday. Marshall, though, continues to walk on thin ice and at the very least should be shunted down to number 6 where he's more likely to make a run at the moment. All things considered, Fleming would do well to drop himself to the middle order to add some stability to it, allowing Astle to return to the opening slot. With practically everyone looking out of sorts, the thought cannot have escaped him.

The batting woes overshadow the bowling worries for the moment, and New Zealand go into the Pakistan clash knowing they have to raise their game tremendously, though they will secretly be relieved at the absence of Shoaib and Asif. Sri lanka meanwhile, also have a do or die clash to look forward to and, on recent form, should start out overwhelming favourites against the South Africans.

Round three to Fleming as the Proteas roll over

Mike apparently got it right when he said (in mikeoncricket.blogspot.com) that the toss would be crucial - and the seamers would play a huge role under lights. Graeme Smith would have done well to have read Mike's preview of the game, but keeping in mind his team's run of success chasing totals (as well as the Sri Lanka-West Indies clash), it wasn't a difficult decision for him. Fleming (tounge firmly in cheek, I imagine) said it was a "good toss to lose". The kiwi top order doesn't look really inspiring at the moment, with some familiar dismissals (Vincent trying one shot too many - to Pollock, and Marshall playing on with an angled bat). However, thanks to the bowlers, they live to fight another day.

The Fleming-Smith rivalry seems to overshadow the contests between these sides at the moment, and today's outcome was a reporter's delight, though it was certainly great to see Smith put in his place. I have my own objections with Fleming and Vincent opening, and Astle at three but Bracewell & co are pretty inflexible and this looks to be the kiwis' preferred batting order right through till the World Cup. Kyle Mills for once stepped up to be counted and actually ran through a formidable South African top order. Crossing my fingers the kiwis perform with equal discipline in the field against the Lankans, who can do no wrong at the moment. Wit conditions like these, Friday's clash should see Sri lanka in their element and New Zealand's series win over them earlier in the year won't be of much consequence. Not much New Zealand can do differently against them, I guess, except stick to the basics. And get those feet moving early against Chaminda Vaas.

South Africa aren't out of the picture yet though the playing conditions appear to be distinctly against them. And I guess Herschelle Gibbs could have done without the revisiting the past here - his duck will not have gone unnoticed. Looks like the happenings off the field seem more engaging on it, what with Shoaib and Asif flunking a dope test a while back. Oh well, it's the Pakistanis anyway.

The Black Caps: Champions Trophy Preview

You could consider Shane Bond a good outside bet to be named man of the series in this edition of the Champion's trophy, for when he's on song he's destructive. Of course, two things are likely to stand in the way of that: his recurring fitness and health problems, and the tendency of the ever-reliable New Zealand top order to capitulate and undo any good work on his part. The 2003 World Cup clash with the Aussies, where he took 6-23 but still ended up on the losing side, is the best example.

There's little you can say that's incisive in a preview of the Champion's Trophy, especially for the Kiwis. First of all, thanks to the existence of the longhorn Cricket Club and its screenings, I hope I'll get to watch at least one game (even in the knowledge that it won't involve the kiwis) . The equation laid out for them is simple enough - win at least two of three games against South Africa, Pakistan, and the qualifier from the intitial stages (Sri Lanka or the West Indies, if things go according to script).

Except for Mark Gillespie, of whom i have no idea about, the Kiwi squad is predictable. While it's probably the best pool of players we've got (and I say 'we' as a pseudo-member of the Beige Brigade), I maintain there should have been room for Ross Taylor. He would have brought in the surprise element, but i guess the selectors feel they have all holes covered in the top order which includes an under-pressure Hamish Marshall. There's really only one currency in the subcontinent, and that's quick runs, which is why Taylor should have been there. Opposition bowlers have seen enough of Fleming, Astle, Vincent, Marshall and Styris though if at least two of them strike a sudden rich vein of form it really won't matter. Peter Fulton provides the promise element for the moment, and in an effort to sound optimistic he should be able to replicate his great form earlier in the year once more. The bowling looks less convinving, and needs to stay injury free. Daniel Vettori remains central to Fleming's plans, but I'd like to see Fleming use him differently. Perhaps as first change, and then a spell at the death? Gillespie was supposedly drafted in with a view to solve New Zealand's problems bowling at the death. However, my view on bowling at the death is that if your bowlers are good enough they'll manage. To put it another way, the best 'death' bowlers you have are most often simply your best bowlers - Glenn McGrath and Shane Warne, as used by Mark Taylor for example. I'd say Bond and Vettori are still the best men for the job, even if they've not been particularly good at it. Bringing in a rookie and expecting him to address this task straightaway is a tough ask. The rest of the bowlers have their own (injury) problems, apart from being none too penetrative. Even so, we might be going in with one medium pacer too many. To put my finger on it, the selection of James Franklin, in these conditions at least, is somewhat redundant but I could still be wrong. However, if I was in Fleming's shoes I'd still be tempted to play two spinners (Dan and Jeetan Patel) for all three games.

The fact that it's not a knockout scenario means that the Black Caps will get second chances unlike the previous two editions where they were creamed by the Aussies. I actually feel the South African game will present an easier challenge than the other two. Personally, I think this is the most boring South African side ever assembled since 1992 so it's a little hard to digest that we lost 4-0 to them last year. I suppose Fleming has his plans right this time for Graeme Smith, Justin Kemp & co. though i can safely imagine it won't include verbal barrage. Sri Lanka and West Indies were both overcome easily at home last summer, but this time the conditions are definitely on their side. As for the Pakistanis, they'd like to think playing in the subcontinent would make it that much easier for them in this group and I'd put them as favourites to top the pool, actually. The point of interest for me is whether the kiwis have finally figured out a way to stifle their big hitters, Razzaq in particular. Knowling the extensive use of previous knowledge that goes into kiwi preparations, Fleming will be wary, but he'll also be looking at exploiting their ability to self-destruct.

It's a tough ask on paper but if collective experience has any value New Zealand should progress to the semis at least. From then on anything can happen, but for once the format of the Champios trophy makes it a valuable build off to the World Cup. In the meantime it's quite exasparating not to have live coverage of the Kiwi's Games.

Searching for that "study" mood

I've noticed yet another interesting thing in the course of my first month of grad school in Austin: here, it's not uncool to study. More accurately, it's not uncool to be seen with your head buried in a textbook. I see it all around me, every day. The guy with the Nowitzki Jersey and the chiseled physique (who'd rather be on the basketball court at that moment) is wrestling with Real Analysis sums . The babe in the next table, whom on appearance you'd associate more with sixth street hopping than an engineering department, cuts her call because she has to complete her homework. This kind of observation seems pretty pointless (a bit like looking on in disbelief at your Tamil Brahmin friend who's helping himself to the meat) but anyone who's familiar with the engineering college scene in India knows the stereotypes and cliches. "Last Minute Study" and "Dress Code", to name a couple. So what am I getting at? The cynic would probably say I don't have a life, I've got nothing better to do than study all day, and now I can actually justify it! Wrong. (Well at least the first part's right - I don't have a life). It's just made me conscious that four years of engineering back home, with its 'beating the system' mentality, has just about finished off my capacity to study seriously. Hard work and organised studying are unfortunately a way of life in gradschool. However hard I try, I just can't recapture the study mood (which i probably last felt back in class XII). I've tried all the stuff that worked back home: coffee (the lousy black variety), ice cream breaks, acronym shortcuts (and other laughable strategies that helped me get through some scary subjects), and have given up. It'll work itself out somehow. It's a throwback to school days, 10th and 12th especially, when aspiring to get a shining report card, if not top the class, was almost fashionable (in a perverse sort of way). Of course, in grad school, your marks are way more significant: they pretty much decide your career. It's still amusing to look back at school when, underneath all the tax-free comments like "What a punter...ready to smash this test are you.." or "Shut up man...you've been belting...you'll tho bloody max this exam..", there was this undercurrent of serious, cut-throat competition. Driven by the enthusiasm you'd only find in highschoolers, it even went to the extent of who could solve sums quicker in class, thus clamouring for the math teacher's attention. The class was an academic battleground. (As an aside, it's pretty scary to think that all this was more than six years back) I had a pretty passive attitude to all this. This was mostly because of my prediliction for subjects like English, Geography and History which were deemed unfashionable by the 'science types'. After all, I was more fascinated by the origin of places with exotic names like Tierra Del Fuego or the Rift Valley than applying Pythogoras' theorem. My passive attitude changed just a little bit towards the end of high school when I realised I was totally at sea in dealing with some of the subjects. From an exam point of view, everything I touched turned to ashes. The irony of it all is that most of the "science types" have got themselves out of the academic rut and are in sales or consulting, while I've just begun my MS in Electrical and Computer Engineering. I won't even bother with further contemplation. The current problem is how to get back on track. I suspect I need the presence of some brazen pricks who'll set a high precedent on scoring high marks and so on, just to stir that old "I'll show 'em" feeling in me. However, this isn't highschool and there's no time for all that. For the moment, procrastination and wotla seem to be my only constant companions.

Unnatural Act

Why am I here, and for how long? It's been exactly a month since I parted ways with Bangalore, so it seemed an apt time to key in something here. I don't feel greatly out of place here in Austin: indeed, my routine of waking up groggy, spending long hours on work and the rest of the day on wotla-ing, isn't really different from my routine in CTS a short while back (when I was on the project). I haven't had to make any major adjustments to my lifestyle which, for me, is a good thing. I still feel a little funny about being away from Bangalore, though.

Being in the states for at least two years feels like a break in the chain. Not that I'm especially homesick. I was never a conscious believer in karma, but my (subconscious) feeling about Bangalore was that I was somehow destined to be there for a very, very long time. Maybe I was there for too long and it was time to go someplace else. The chain ran something like this: after class 12, I applied to a number of colleges outside Bangalore but somehow knew I was going to remain there, and I did. When I got placed in CTS, despite the knowledge that we would probably be sent to Chennai for the training, there was the looming suspicion that I would end up in Bangalore after all, and it proved to be true. I wasn't complaining at all, though and spent a mostly relaxed year in Cognizant Bangalore. You may live in a city for many years and desparately want a change of scene, but you could also look at it another way. Every city is like a person, and you need time to get to know it better. In the last few years, I can't put my finger on it but I discovered a lot more of Banaglore and enjoyed it as well. Although I knew I most probably would be off to the states in a while, I somehow didn't shake off the karma theory. The city grew on me like old wine. (Yes, Bangalore has changed for the worse in many ways. While the rest of the population grumbles about it, you can still savour it for what it has to offer.) So, leaving for the states seemed somewhat abortive. The abortion analogy seems (crudely) apt: By killing the unborn child, you're commiting an unnatural act, impeding the course of nature. By leaving Bangalore, I broke the natural course of growing up wholly in that city (yes, I may be 22 but I'm still growing up). It's a crazy (and perhaps, needless) thought, but it feels almost like a sacrilege defying the Bangalore karma theory. A bit like killing the unborn child!

While I can't quite get over my pet belief, things are pretty good here. Austin has a bangalore-like charm, filled with pleasant people and nice weather (apart from the last part of summer which was way too hot). Settling in wasn't a problem at all, I'm getting by with a little help from my friends (read: roomies). The major adjustment has to be the academics, which are very homework-intensive. The Texans are an interesting set of people, proud of themselves and their state. I find quite a few parallels between them and the people form Punjab back home. Both are hardy warrior races, who overcame hardships and hostile conditions to turn their respective lands into prosperous states. They're both aggressive, enterprising, and lively sets of people. Every texan is said to own a gun, and every Sikh regards the Kripan as a symbol of spirituality. Texans share a common border and an overlapping culture with Mexico. The Punjab shares a definite and vital history with it's namesake across the Wagah border. And so on.

On an entirely different note, Prof Pearce comes up with these weird digressions to break the monotony of his field theory lecture. he consideres partial differential equations to be as vital to engineering as Shakespeare is to Literature. He brings up the humanities vs sciences debate thus: "These guys discuss Shakespeare over a cup of coffee when the day is done. How does Green's theorem sound over coffee, huh? And those guys have the nerve to say our field is narrow. After all, the average engineering student knows more about arts than the average humanities student knows about science and engineering! You might want to keep that in mind if you get invited to one of those parties, where the humanities people say "we" don't belong. When that happens, you might wanna shoot back 'When was the last time you solved a partial differential equation?!!' " A real Revenge of the Nerds moment, indeed.

In the hope of a black summer

On the Saturday before my departure to the states, Red Devil and Twisted Jean dropped in for lunch and also dropped off one of the best gifts I've received in a long while. To my surprise, the two had paid more than a cursory visit to the BeigeBrigade website http://www.beigebrigade.co.nz/gallery/ which I had talked about in some memoirs long ago, actually written to Paul Ford and Mike Lane and ordered the goshawful brown and tan shirt which was the original uniform of the Kiwi oneday side in the early 80s. So finally, I'm the proud owner of one of those disgustingly brilliant figure hugging, nipple gripping shirts and a memeber of the Beige Brigade! With it, however, comes the knowledge that I won't be able to catch up with most New Zealand games over the next couple of seasons. That is, unless the ICAs here in Austindecide to screen a few token games. This post is basically to wish the Kiwis all the best for the coming season, for which I, their biggest fan, won't be around. I'm also trying to grab some perspective from the previous season. Some musings, more from a one-day point of view:

OVERALL:From a fans' prerspective, last season was disappointing because it seemed to suggest the same problems which have plagued Kiwi cricket repeatedly are here to stay. By this I also mean a refusal to learn from experience and past mistakes (especially on the part of the batsmen). As always, the main batsmen seem to freeze in a crisis, the attack depends too heavily on Shane Bond's fitness for penetration, and bowling at the death remains a nightmare or an issue. The bowling problems of course haven't been helped by the injuries to key players. In this regard, it's worth pondering Adam Parore's view that Bond is perhaps better off saving himself for one dayers alone, just as Geoff Allott did in the last year of his short career. It's all very well for a fan like me to say "If only we had Shane Bond", but Bond's absence has become the norm, rather than the exception, so the team and John Bracewell should have figured out a way to deal with it. I've never been a great admirer of Bracewell's center-stage methods, and would prefer Stephen Fleming to have a greater say in selection and strategy. How Bracwell shapes the team for the World Cup will surely be interesting, whatever he comes up with.

THE BATTING:One thing that emerged from the roller coaster ride last season is the realisation that the guard is changing. Most of the players who were regulars in the side at the turn of the century are finding that time is not on their side any more. Despite being a reasonably successful outfit, the selectors have come to understand that the senior pros are just not tough enough or reliable in a crisis as they should be and thus the makeup of the side is evolving. The side did reach some spectacular highs over the last five years (such as the VB series in 2002), but another period of transition is here. Chris Cairns was surprisingly dropped, then brought back, and he finally decided to retire after the Sri Lanka series (though I felt he was still good for the World Cup). Chris Harris has been deemed surplus and looks unlikely to return, while Craig McMillan was shown the door after repeated failures. The form of Nathan Astle and Scott Styris is closely monitored to the extent that neither is assured of being a certainty in the lineup. The sheer competition for places in the middle order means that Harris and McMillan probably won't figure in the World Cup, while Styris will keep his place by virtue of being one of the better one day bowlers in the country (fitness permitting). Astle was dropped for a couple of games and it seemed to bring out the best in him. But, despite his past record, he will know that time isn't on his side anymore and he must reaffirm himself against strong bowling attacks before the World Cup. The suspicion that he's been found out by opposition bowlers still lingers.

On the other hand, the selectors introduced a number of new faces in the top and middle order. Peter Fulton, Jamie How, Ross Taylor, a reborn Lou Vincent and the hitherto uncapped Jesse Ryder provide the stiff competition for middle order spots in the coming season, which previous regulars like Matthew Sinclair and Hamish Marshall will also be eyeing. These guys acheived varying degrees of success last season. While the first three are untried abroad, they offer hope that some explosive quality may yet be brought to the side given the eternal inconsistency of the side's batting. In this respect, the coming season promises to be an exciting one. What the middle order does need is a rock, a firm stable player which New Zealand haven't found since the exit of Roger Twose. Hamish Marshall was on the way to cementing that spot when the horrors of the last season caught up with him. Despite his poor form, I was happy that Bracewell decided to stick with him. Marshall is potentially of great value to the side and has a decent record behind him. He needs to repay the selector's faith sooner rather than later. Perseverance is the key, but the crowded middle order means he won't be an automatic starter any more.

THE BOWLING: On the whole, the bowling remains a bigger worry. Unless Fleming, Bracewell and co come up with a well planned strategy and place enough confidence in the bowlers to execute it, we'll see New Zealand continuing to lose tight games. And of course there's the worry of finding a strike bowler to partner (or replace) Bond as the case may be. For now, Kyle Mills, Chris Martin, James Franklin, Michael Mason and Jacob Oram (plus a certain DL Vettori) make up the list. Not the most penetrative lineup, but Fleming is good at working his resources around. No doubt, like Martin Crowe earlier, he has some plan in mind which will be unfolded at the World Cup. What about Daryl Tuffey, who was the premier strike bowler a while ago, before the Aussies and injuries laid him low? Not to forget Ian Butler, the one bowler who seemed to be nearly as quick as Bond but generally ignored by the selectors who seem to prefer a wholly medium pace attack. The inclusion of another spinner, Jeetan Patel may yet give Fleming more options to work with. The hope is for a largely injury-free season, come what may.

THE MEN IN CHARGE: His batting heroics in South Africa apart, Fleming was largely off the spotlight, a sea change from the Dennis Aberhart era where he was in complete control. Here, John Bracwell made it clear who the boss really is and he continues in his bizzare vein, infuriating us supporters at times. If Bracewell's man management skills shone in the case of Marshall, then they positively fizzled out in the case of McMillan. While Macca was largely responsible for his own downfall, he was shunted up and down the order, and labelled a "floating hitter" by the coach. That's a pretty damning indictment of a batsman with more than 170 games under his belt. If, after nine years of international cricket, Macca isn't sure of what his role in the side is, there is something seriously wrong. I personally believe he is best suited to number six, where class bowlers don't have an early go at his shaky technique. The smaller grounds of the Caribbean are ideal for a destructive boundary hitter like him. The reality is, however, he has fallen down the list and his experience counts for squat in the current setup. The latest story in this episode sees Macca left out of the champion's trophy probables squad, with Bracewell citing "poor fitness". Jesse Ryder also comes in for criticism but keeps his place in the list. Bracewell, like most eccentric coaches, probably has his own squad in mind well before the World Cup. He certainly doesn't give in to public pressure, and at times, logic. Perhaps it's time for Flem to re-assert himself as the real leader and put the team back on track as we know he can. Seeing Dan Vettori captain a few games was pretty interesting for the fans, and there's no doubt he's being groomed as the future captain.

I won't be able to catch most of the Kiwis' games unless there's some coverage of the Champions Trophy here in Austin. As always, my wishes are with the Black Caps and for a change of fortunes. Sad not to be where the action is, but I sure hope the caps will give me a black season to remember.