Story India's Journey To World Cup 2011 [Commonwealth Bank Series 2010]

[just_cricket]

Sachin thought to leave the ball because he thought ball will swing but it didn't and Sachin got out LBW

In the hawkeye it looks like it swung (or spun?) an absolute mile!

Poor hawkeye apart, I can see a massive improvement in writing and presentation. Sensational stuff, keep it up man!

 

[Highlander999]

TBF, it's better then any hawkeye I could do

 

[Prithvi]

Good work dude, but concentrate bit on ball movement.

 

[Aditya]

Now from the next update I'll be using cricket'05 as the game to post the updates. Thanks to Tom for helping me a lot with cricket'05.

 

[Aussie Team]

I'm confused with this simulator..
One time it will be Cricket 07 , one time Cricket 05!Why Like that?

 

[Aditya]

Firstly i was using cricket'07 because i was not having cricket'05. But now when i have cricket'05 I will be using it as the game to post the updates.

 

[Highlander999]

Now from the next update I'll be using cricket'05 as the game to post the updates. Thanks to Tom for helping me a lot with cricket'05.

Always happy to help That's ?20 please

 

[Gaurav_7]

That is expensive.

 

[Prithvi]

Always happy to help That's ?20 please

:laugh Aditya will have to give away all the money which he saved to spend with his girl friend:laugh.

 

[Aditya]

No,Tom was talking about virtual cash.

 

[Prithvi]

No,Tom was talking about virtual cash.

If it was vCash, why will he mention in pounds?:laugh

 

[Aditya]

Typical start for Sehwag!!!​

India needed to play just two overs before lunch. Gambhir played the first over and it was a maiden. But the very next over went for 8 runs all runs were smashed from Sehwag's bat. He went for the lunch in a happy mood. A tough task ahead for India to make a big score and set a target for England. Lets see how they go after lunch.

Indian openers make their way back to the pavilion!!!​

So after the lunch Indian openers,England team and on field Umpires came to the field.. Sehwag got off to a fine start before the lunch but soon after the lunch he lost his wicket. Gambhir played bowl on leg side and Sehwag started running. Gambhir moved back so he didn't knew that Sehwag Is running he suddenly moved toward Sehwag and saw Sehwag running and right then said no for the run but till then It was too late. Sehwag tried his best to get back but got out. The questions was that was his bat in the air or not,on field umpire decided to give the decision to third umpire,Billy Bowden. Billy Bowden then pressed the red button and Sehwag made his way back to the pavilion. Next batsman was no one other than the Wall,Rahul Dravid... After Sehwag wicket Gambhir was not playing his normal innings. He was looking uncomfortable at the pitch. When Dravid was calling for the singles he was often saying no. Dravid got irritated and then shouted to Gambhir,What's happening? Would you bother taking singles???? Gambhir's head went down because he knew that its his mistake In not taking singles. He somehow made few runs but when he was on 17 he got bowled. Anderson bowled a full length delivery,Gambhir got on front foot to play a big stroke but Gambhir completely mistimed the ball it could have been a boundary If he would have smashed the bowl on leg side but he tried to play It on off side and hence he got bowled. Tendulkar was the next batsmen he smashed his very first bowl for the boundary and crowd appreciated the little masters first boundary.

Dravid and Tendulkar take Indian Innings forward!!!​

So after India lost both of their openers the experienced men's of the Indian team,Dravid and Sachin took innings forward. Dravid was not playing his normal innings of being defensive and trying to take just singles. He was hitting boundaries,yes boundaries(don't be confused this is not t20 ;p) Dravid was hitting boundaries because he knew that pressure is building and India need to overcome the lead so that both the experience men Dravid himself and Sachin can play freely. England Captain,Strauss was looking absolute clueless. Dravid was playing at his very best,Sachin on other hand was taking the singles because he knew that Dravid is looking good so why should he take any kind of risk? After Dravid smashed couple of boundaries he decided to change his intentions and started taking singles. Now it was Sachin who was taking risk to hit boundaries. Not risk actually both of them were playing grounded strokes so it wont be fair enough if i would say they were taking risks because they were not taking risks they were finding gaps ideally...

Dravid and Sachin at their very best!!!​

So with just few minutes left before the tea break. Sachin decided to hit some boundaries and he was successful in it. Sachin was smashing the ball all around the park. He was not at all scared while playing those strokes. Tendulkar was unstoppable,Strauss was looking frustrated and angry on his bowlers. Sachin after smashing few boundaries reached to his fifty. :happy

Sachin raises his bat after reaching to his well made fifty!​

After few minutes umpires called for the Tea and Dravid and Sachin were looking happy after all Sachin reached fifty and Dravid was in 40s... Now the question is can both of them play a big innings and help India to reach to a big score? We will see!

Sachin misses the chance of a great century !!! ​

So after the tea play started again. After the Tea,Dravid wasted no time and reached his well made fifty. After the Tea both the experienced batsman avoided taking the risks and the runs were coming in singles or doubles. Both the batsman were looking good and Sachin went to 70s. In 70s too he was not taking risks and was playing sensibly. But when he was on 77 because of low bounce he got LBW in an over of Broad... Broad pitched it short,Sachin thought to leave the ball because he thought ball will swing but it didn't and Sachin got out LBW,it was an absolute plump. Let's have a Hawk Eye view of his dismissal :

Sachin Tendulkars dismissal Hawk Eye view​

Few quick runs for India!!!​

So after Sachin got out Dravid decided to be aggressive. But he didn't needed to because Laxman,Yes Laxman after his arrival at the crease was very aggressive the things were looking different then. Laxman was looking aggressive. He was showing his class and more importantly the pressure from Indian team went to England team because England knew that if they get a target of anything around 350 to chase then it will be very hard for them to chase the target... Dravid was playing well but his main intension's was to take singles and rotate the strike (typical experienced man job ).

Dravid reached his exceptionally well made century!!!​

So just few minutes were left before the end of day 3 play,Dravid decided to take risk and try to reach to his century and he succeeded in it. When he was in 90s India lost wicket of Laxman.. Again the low bounce did the trick,ball got some swing as well and hence Laxman got bowled! But that didn't changed Dravid intension's he played without any sort of pressure and then soon reached his well made century. :happy

After Dravid reached his century soon umpires decided to end day 3 play and Dravid had a smile on his face while walking to the pavilion and why wouldn't he? He played a sensational knock,now he need to be there and score more runs for India,So that India can set a difficult target for England to chase but will Dravid be able to play a big innings or will he get out soon on day 4? Only time will tell...

India-Didn't manage to do what they wanted to!​

So the crucial day 4 of the second test match was set to start. England captain,Took his time to set the field and both the Indian openers made their way to the pitch. Overhead conditions were not at all ideal. There were clouds in the sky and because of that play was stopped just after 5 minutes it was started. Half an Hour was wasted but the good thing was that then players and umpire came back to the field again. This time it was a completely different scenario there were no clouds in the sky and the sun was shining. Strauss gave the opening over to Anderson. Anderson first over was fine to be said at least because he went for a boundary as well from Dhoni's bat but in his second over he got wicket of the wall Dravid. Maybe because of rain the ball was swinging and Dravid was facing difficulties in playing... Dravid got frustrated and decided to go for a big stroke,Anderson pitched it full and got some swing as well,Dravid went on back foot and messed it up and got thick edge and the fielder at slips took the catch.

England crowd roared loudly after all it was Dravid's wicket! Dravid was disappointed with his dismissal and he knew that now its tail who will come to bat and pitch is not an ideal one for tail ender,ball is not coming onto the bat and the Indian innings can get rep up in a short time and that's what happened. As soon as Dravid got out Dhoni started playing big strokes but the tail collapsed. Dhoni took quick singles and smashed couple of important boundaries. Although we have to say that England were brilliant in the fielding on day 4,they took some brilliant catches to dismiss the batsmen. Strauss,Captain of England team who was looking disappointed at the start of the day was having smile on his face when his bowlers bowled exceptionally well. Dhoni lost his wicket very unluckily,Outstanding fielder Collingwood took catch to dismissal Dhoni. Dhoni went on front foot and played the bowl on leg side but Collingwood somehow managed to jump to perfection and took the catch. Dhoni was looking shocked to see that kind of catches being taken . So in the end Indians managed just 294 before they got all out.

Can England chase target of 214? It seems quite easy but the pitch is very poor for batting and anything can happen in cricket. It would be interesting to see how both the teams play now,England will start their batting before it is lunch. So they will play approximately for 20 minutes and if India manage to get 1 wicket in this short session,England will be certainly under the pressure.

India batting card

England Bowling card

To Be Continued...​

 

[AkshayS]

oh s**t man, India

Virat Kohli.

 

[Aussie Team]

Gambhir 225 balls for 17 runs.

 

[surendar]

Harbhajan to get any hattrick & make history? If they put pressure say, 20/4 then it would be a tight contest. Lets see.