Calculators Wanted

So three sessions down and one to go by my reckoning. Batting is going well (Most of the runs on the leg side mind you) and the bowling isn’t all bad and the fielding is coming along nicely. Was made captain a week ago and was applauded for my captaincy by both players and coaches! Back to the international scene and is that India against New Zealand series topsy turvy or what! First the Indians easily overturn the Kiwi’s as expected. But now in McLean Park the New Zealanders had a belter of a start against the Indians with an excellent and well paced first innings, Jessie Ryder the best of the lot, and then an aggressive positive second innings forced the Indians into following on. Only brave batting from Tendulkar and Sehwag rescued a draw for the much favoured Indian outfit. The third test in my opinion will be determined by the first day’s play, if New Zealand can get out of the blocks quickly then it is sure to be another excellent 5 days test cricket. On the other hand, if the Kiwi’s can’t mount a serious challenge then the series is decided there and then. I think the Indian’s will win, I don’t think New Zealand’s pace attack is enough to take 20 wickets in a high pressure game, and the Indian’s are in the habit of winning, I can’t see that changing.

Over in the Caribbean things are getting worse and worse for England. An embarrassing performance and result in the Twento20 game, coupled with a number of poor performances in the ODI’s. The only thing keeping England in the series is bad mathematics, surely the West Indies coach would have thought about checking at some point with others in the pavilion about his Duckworth Louis calculations. Such a basic error in regard to such an important decision shouldn’t be accepted and lessons must be learned by all sides as to the importance of getting your sums right. This series should be dead and buried yet England have 100 overs in which to save their series.

Fans can only hope now that that calculation mistake will be worth more then just the loss of a game. They’re buoyed with the news that both Andrew Flintoff and Kevin Pietersen will be available for the decider in St. Lucia. In the West Indies camp Sulomoun Benn is drafted into the squad to replace Miller who suffered a side strain while batting in the 4th ODI.

So big games and training sessions to come in the next week, bring it on!!