B-G Trophy 2008 : Build-up

[Kohum]

Jumbo you got our own home team to worry - based on the ROI vs Delhi match.

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Watson hopes IPL experience will help in Tests Shane Watson, the Australian allrounder, hopes his experience of Indian conditions during the IPL will help his case for selection to the XI for the Tests starting next month. Watson, who was the Man of the Series in the IPL, felt he could chip in with short spells of bowling, breaking partnerships and propping up the batting. More... Australia in India 2008-09 Watson hopes IPL experience will help in Tests Cricinfo staff September 25, 2008 Shane Watson believes his IPL experience will benefit him in the upcoming Test series against India © AFP Shane Watson, the Australian allrounder, hopes his experience of Indian conditions during the IPL will help his case for selection to the XI for the Tests starting next month. Watson, who was the Man of the Series in the IPL, felt he could chip in with short spells of bowling, breaking partnerships and propping up the batting. He was picked over Andrew Symonds in the Test squad and backed by Ricky Ponting, who felt he could make his comeback in the first Test in Bangalore. "I have played some cricket in different Test grounds in India during the IPL and that should give me confidence", said Watson, who scored 472 runs and took 17 wickets for the Rajasthan Royals. "What my bowling does give is a bit of impact, especially more so on the fourth and fifth day of a Test when I know I can come in, give it all I have got and have a bit of a crack." Watson has played only three Tests so far because of injuries, to his shoulder and hamstring. He missed the 2006-07 Ashes and was replaced by Symonds, a situation now reversed after Symonds was dropped on disciplinary grounds. "It is amazing how things do change," Watson said. "I hope Andrew gets back because I love the way he plays and I know what he can give, but I have got to make the most of the opportunity." He said the competition between India and Australia had intensified over the past series. "It has become the biggest challenge for Australian cricketers to play and win a series against India." He hoped the series would feature matches like last year's Sydney Test , that go down to the wire. "It was amazing for a Test match to be decided in the last 20 minutes of the fifth day." Ponting leads an inexperienced Australian squad, particularly its bowlers, none of whom have played a Test in India. But Watson was confident the team could live up to the challenge. "It is an inexperienced team but all the guys are taking it as a challenge and they want to prove that they can win a series against an experienced India team in India despite being rookies," he said.

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Haddin's spot is for keeps IT is seven years since Brad Haddin made his first trip to India in Australian colours. More... Haddin's spot is for keeps September 26, 2008 IT is seven years since Brad Haddin made his first trip to India in Australian colours. In 2001, he made a flying visit to cover for Adam Gilchrist before the unforgettable second Test in Kolkata, but flew home as soon as the incumbent indicated that, typically of most 'keepers, he would not be giving up his spot that easily. The lesson was duly learned by a young Haddin, and earlier this year when he finally made his Test debut in the West Indies, the pain of a broken finger, suffered inside his first session as Australia's Test gloveman, could not dissuade him from playing throughout. "I'm actually lucky I didn't play (in 2001), I don't think I was ready to play Test cricket seven years ago," Haddin, 30, said. "The experience was great, I was only here a short time, I was in and out in a couple of days because Adam was fine, but seven years down the track I feel pretty comfortable." Haddin chuckled when reminded of the broken digit, suffered when a ball sprayed wide early in the first session of that first Test in Jamaica. "That (the broken finger) I couldn't believe," he said. "It's just one of the things that comes with the trade. If I could turn back the clock I might've let it go for four wides but it happened. "Looking back it was good not having one Test and having to miss a couple, otherwise Gilly's record and Heals' record stands, they played most of their careers without missing games so looking back I'm glad I didn't have to." In India, Haddin's role as the team's barometer and sergeant-major in the field will take on added importance, since it is easy to become distracted by the noise, heat and sheer mania of subcontinental cricket. "I think it's important over here as a 'keeper that your tempo's consistent, because you do get long, hot days and it can get quite draining," Haddin said. "You don't want to be high at the start and have low patches and fluctuate too much during the game, you've got to make sure you have an even tempo so your game and the fielding is on even keel." Vital, too, will be his role at No.7, where he will need to make runs while also ensuring he does not become another statistic in the fevered batting collapses that often come about at some stage of an Indian series. To that end, Haddin is grateful for last year, when he proved a great success while playing as a middle order batsman. "I really enjoyed the atmosphere (batting) over here last time, it was different with the crowd and the heat but it was something you don't often experience, that sort of hostile crowd anywhere in the world," he said. "There's so many people here and you're out right in the middle of it and it is quite hostile but it's something you've got to deal with and another challenge you're looking forward to. "NSW versus WA at the SCG when there's 200 people there you don't have the luxury of playing in these pressure situations where you have to deal with the crowd."

[Holysmoke]

Ronchi > Haddin

[Sachinism]

Two Test series in a year is overkill - Gavaskar India and Australia will vie for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy during the upcoming four-Test series, but Sunil Gavaskar, who lends his name to the prize along with Allan Border, believes too many contests between the two teams in a short space of time might lead to overkill. The build-up to the series has seen players on both sides terming the contest as a challenge matching or even outdoing the traditional rivalries - India v Pakistan and Australia v England. However, Gavaskar felt there should have been a longer gap between the Tests in Australia earlier in the year and the upcoming series. "The fact that it was such an enthralling series last time around, it made little sense for the two teams to be confronting each other so soon and in the same year," Gavaskar wrote in his column for the Times of India. "Too much of a good thing will even have the public fed up. "If one team had been thrashed then the public would not have been too interested in the series, even if it was at a different venue." Pakistan's visit for Test and ODI series in India last year didn't evoke as much enthusiasm among fans compared to previous series, largely attributed to an overdose of matches between the neighbours. Gavaskar said the scheduling of the Ashes was perhaps the ideal that could be followed, as it gave sufficient time for teams to regroup. "The other example in favour of having a reasonable gap between series is the Ashes clash in 2006-07, when Australia smarting from the unexpected loss of the Ashes in 2005, came back with a vengeance and swamped England 5-0 in the series. Now with Kevin Pietersen leading a seemingly rejuvenated England side, the Ashes series next year in England could be well worth watching. "We have seen in the past how England have beaten West Indies in the Caribbean [in 2003-04], and within a couple of months the Calypso Crusaders [West Indies] were in England and got beaten again, simply because the interim period of a couple of months did not allow them to add anything new to their squad." Australia visited India in 2007 for a seven-ODI series, and another ODI contest is due next year. The two Test series prior to the last one between the two sides were also played within the span of a year, with eight Tests from December 2003 to November 2004. The Australia A team visited India this month, playing two three-day games against their Indian counterparts. They won the subsequent triangular one-day series, also involving New Zealand A. source: cricinfo

[riya]

This series is okay ,but India-pak series are definitely over killing .

[Chandan]

Gavaskar felt there should have been a longer gap between the Tests in Australia earlier in the year and the upcoming series. "The fact that it was such an enthralling series last time around, it made little sense for the two teams to be confronting each other so soon and in the same year," Gavaskar wrote in his column for the Times of India. "Too much of a good thing will even have the public fed up.

Gavaskar has been saying these things since ages but he was unable to do anything when he was the chairman of technical committee in ICC. I agree with Gavaskar. If you see, we have one home and one away series every four years. Why can't we space each tour in every two years like Ashes is arranged so beautifully? Now that we have played one home and away series in the same year like we did in 2004, the next series will come up in 2011-12 and 2012--ie a four years gap! If we had it like this: 2003-04 --- in Australia 2006 ----in India 2007-08 in Australia 2010 in India It'd have been better this way.

[amit467]

I agree with Gavaskar

[hindu-Stan]

No more indo pak but ind-aus is fine for me. Once in a two year is good.

[Kohum]

Officials have been announced http://content-www.cricinfo.com/ci/content/story/371979.html The ICC has announced its umpires and referees for the upcoming Test and ODI series in India and Bangladesh. Rudi Koertzen and Asad Rauf, both elite panel umpires, will stand in the first two India-Australia Tests in Bangalore and Mohali while Billy Bowden and Aleem Dar will be in charge in New Delhi and Nagpur. All four Tests will be overseen by Chris Broad, an elite panel match referee.

[amit467]

No Steve Bucknor ERABAD, India (AFP) - Cricket's governing body on Wednesday took pre-emptive steps to ensure the upcoming Test series between India and Australia is free from acrimony and bitterness. The International Cricket Council (ICC) kept umpires Steve Bucknor and Mark Benson off the roster for the eagerly awaited four-match series starting in Bangalore on October 9. The duo officiated in the ill-tempered Sydney Test between the two nations earlier this year that almost saw India pulling out of the series after a string of controversial decisions. An angry India agreed to continue the tour only after the ICC pacified them by standing down West Indian Bucknor from the subsequent Perth Test, which he was due to officiate. England's Benson had not been named for the rest of the series. Rudi Koertzen of South Africa and Asad Rauf of Pakistan will umpire the first two Tests in Bangalore and Mohali, while New Zealand's Billy Bowden will join Pakistani Aleem Dar for the other two in New Delhi and Nagpur. Former England batsman Chris Broad will be the match referee for the entire series, which ends on November 10. The Sydney Test ended a pre-series agreement that the fielder's word will be taken for disputed catches and Australian captain Ricky Ponting was unsure it will be in place for the current tour. "I will have a think about it over the next couple of days and see if I think it is the right idea to bring it up again," Ponting, in Hyderabad for the four-day tour opener from Thursday, said. He stressed that Indian captain Anil Kumble had ended the agreement after Sydney and could oppose it again. "Anil was the one who did not want that after the Sydney Test for one reason or the other," the Australian skipper said. "To me it's like flogging a dead horse, to tell the truth. I go to every referee meeting before a series wanting to play the game like that, but almost every other captain in the world is not interested." Ponting hoped a chat with Kumble at the referee's traditional pre-series meeting in Bangalore would ensure the Tests were played in the right spirit. "We will have a chat and it's important to us Australians to play the game in the right spirit and embrace the culture," he said. "Anyway, we did meet during the middle of the last series before the Perth Test and spoke a lot about the way we should play in the remaining Test matches there. "We know lots will be made in the media about the apparent tension between the two sides. But even last summer, the tension was not as high as it was made out to be." Australia, the world's number one side, are hoping to retain the Border-Gavaskar Trophy they won by identical 2-1 margins in the last two series in 2004 and earlier this year.

[amit467]

Australians will win series: Kasprowicz Former Australian fast bowler Michael Kasprowicz has said he thinks the Australian team currently in India for the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, can beat India to retain the trophy. Kasprowicz, currently in India playing in the Indian Cricket League (ICL), told The Times of India, though playing in India was a great challenge, he thought the Aussies would emerge victorious because of their capability to adapt to different conditions. He said, “It is a great challenge playing India in India. Now, it is even harder with the new confidence of the current Indian team. I still believe that the Aussies will win because of the adaptability of the bowlers. Being able to adjust your plans to the conditions is the key.†He also said the Australian batsmen held the key to the team’s success. He said, “It is vital that the Australian batsmen come to terms with the slow pace of the pitches quickly.†Kasprowicz also said he presence of Greg Chappell in the coaching staff would have helped the Australian players. He said, “He [Greg Chappell] will be of great help for the young batsmen. I know that Matthew Hayden rates him very highly from the limited exposure he had years ago as the Australian A coach. Some of the Aussie players might never have seen Chappell bat.â€

[amit467]

no Bucknor good at least sachin can play without thinking of getting a wrong decision.

[amit467]

Bedi, Prasanna helped Hayden overcome difficulties against spin One of the most effective batsmen against spin in modern day cricket, Matthew Hayden has credited his success against the spinners to a cricket camp in 1999. A 27-year old Hayden turned up in a camp in India, where Prasanna and Bedi noticed certain flaws in Hayden's technique against the spinners. Recollecting Hayden's stint at the camp, Prasanna told Cricinfo, "We told him, either you take the ball on the full or wait. And we also talked about his sweep shot. Some batsmen usually take the left leg out and expose the middle stump. We asked Hayden to get in line a bit more before he plays that shot forcefully. He was obviously a very keen student." Prior to that camp, Hayden had played seven Test matches and had scored 261 runs at an average of 21.75. Post that camp, when he was called up for the now-famous tour of India in 2000, Hayden amassed 549 runs in three Test matches at an average of 109.80. He was the one Australian batsman who completely dominated the Indian spinners by playing attacking strokes effectively. Hayden looked back at that camp and said, "It [the spin camp] was a very important camp. Based on that experience I was able to formulate a game plan and batting strategy. Importantly, I came to understand the mindset of a spinner. I practised a variety of shots, tried out lots of options and developed my game against spin." Hayden's record in India has been outstanding; he has so far scored 793 runs in seven Tests at an average of 61.00.

[Sooda]

Cheers for that lads. I wont be surprised if Bedi in particular deliberately did it to screw the Indian team over... Just like the MRF Fou is helping pacemen the world over pick up Indian wickets...How generous we are.

[beetle]

IPL has made all these previously cocky aussies so humble.:--D A few years back ,he wouldn't even have accepted ,leave aside acknowledge their help..... Bedi to zaroor help karega...aur har jagah bolega....usko maine help kiya!:D

[coffee_rules]

Greg Chappel had helped Ganguly in 2004 to overcome his weakness towards pace bowling. No big news.

[Sachinism]

Greg Chappel had helped Ganguly in 2004 to overcome his weakness towards pace bowling. No big news.

Its no big deal, true. Wasim Akram helps our seamers but the only problem is Bedi seems to anti-India

[zubinpepsi]

why Yuvi is not seeking the help of fellow punjabi wala Bedi?/

[Ram]

why Yuvi is not seeking the help of fellow punjabi wala Bedi?/

Teaching Yuvraj to play quality spin is like asking a spaniel to sing in French. Never gonna happen.