crics Posted July 19, 2011 Posted July 19, 2011 Zaheer taunts 'doubting' Strauss The series is still some days away but the banter has started with India pace spearhead Zaheer Khan taunting Andrew Strauss, saying the English skipper’s decision to play for Somerset in a practice match highlights the “element of doubt†in his mind. “The fact that Andrew Strauss is here playing in this practice game says it all. There is definitely that element of doubt in his mind and he has given me that edge now going into the series,†Zaheer was quoted as saying by the Daily Mirror. “A guy who wants to come and face a particular bowler who he knows is troubling him is in itself a sign. I feel that as a captain it is not a positive move for someone who is going to lead England. “He has shown the opponent exactly what it is he is thinking. It has been a good contest between us and as a bowler I’ve always felt that if I can provide that early breakthrough it definitely puts the team in the driving seat so that is my aim on this tour as well,†Zaheer added. Strauss made 78 on the opening day of the three-day match between the touring Indians and Somerset Friday. :two_thumbs_up: Link
ahilya Posted July 21, 2011 Posted July 21, 2011 Indians will rather do than talk Indians will rather do than talk ‘I drive a Porsche. What do you drive? A rickshaw or cycle'? was the question mockingly asked of India's batsmen by England's close fielders on the 2007 India tour of England. Of course Sachin Tendulkar was the one batsman that they dared not ask the question but the effort to make the other Indian players feel inferior and inadequate was a tactic that was tried in that ill tempered series. Today after the riches of the Indian Premier League, the Indians can turn around and ask ‘just one Porsche? My aide drives that to get my groceries'. There was also the jelly beans incident when the Indians would find jelly beans around the crease where they were batting. It was supposed to be funny, though nobody excepting the English players saw it that way. It was childish to say the least and I suppose the cricketing Gods would have been groaning too just like they were supposed to, when a few weeks back Sri Lanka's Angelo Mathews deliberately did not take singles so that his partner who was batting in the 90s could get to his century. Remember Mathews' tactics did not cost the Lankans a win but only delayed it and in a sport where individual achievements are glorified it was a selfless attitude that helped get a young Sri Lankan player a one-day century. Media support England have always believed that they can get away with anything because of the media support that they have and have thus had different standards for them and for the opposition. Take for example Andrew Strauss who plays for Middlesex turning out for Somerset just to get some batting practice against the Indian team. How can he play for Somerset unless it was a Somerset's President's Eleven or something like that? If an Indian player playing for one Ranji team had played for another and especially got runs like Strauss did, then there would be howls of protest about BCCI ruling the game and what not. It won't be any different this time around especially now that the English having beaten the Aussies away from home feel that they should be the number one team and not India which is currently holding the ICC ranking. That is why more than anything cricketing, the team would be well advised not to pay any attention to the Brit media including the broadsheets. India will soon be completing 64 years of independence from the Brits but there are still many in India for whom the Brit media, many of whom have not even held a bat, have to be given more importance than India's own and even if the Indians write better English. The encouraging part is that this Indian team is probably the most self-confident outfit that Indian cricket has seen, especially after the World Cup win and will do their own thing as they know it. They will know that this Test is not only the 2000th Test in the history of the game but also the 100th between India and England but that will only be till the toss is made. That it is being played at Lord's also will go under the radar for most of the players who have only a sprinkling knowledge of the game's history. That is a good thing because there will be no historical baggage to stifle them and they will go out and play in the way they know how to. If you have noticed, it is the English players who have done the talking before the series. The Indians are not interested in talking. They would rather do than talk and despite the hiccups in the warm-up game they will be ready to show that what matters is what happens on the field and not off it.
SachDan Posted July 21, 2011 Posted July 21, 2011 Test - Strauss v Zaheer: 106 runs, 324 balls, 6 dismissals. Average 17.67, run-rate 1.96
Karan114 Posted July 21, 2011 Posted July 21, 2011 The captain of England continues to be Zaheer Khan's *****
crics Posted July 21, 2011 Posted July 21, 2011 I feel Strauss is better than Smith. I was wrong Zak got Strauss 6 times in 11 innings! Graeme Smith is 6 times in 16 innings only
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