The of Comeback Cricket

The cricket season has barely taken off, but close matches with unexpected wins and losses have renewed interest in the sport and all its forms

BY RITAM MITRA

There is life in the old dog yet! The last month of one-day international cricket has been a breath of fresh air for the most maligned format of the game, with a number of close finishes and landmark victories providing the perfect jump-start ahead of the lead-up to the World Cup early next year. It’s worth taking a look back on what has already been a fantastic start to the 2010/11 season.

and Afghanistan is only an Associate nation, the latter’s form over the last two years in this format has been impeccable, and it is not without reason that they are ranked number 1 in the Associate rankings. However, Kenya prevailed in the final match with a spirited bowling performance, reeling in Afghanistan for a total of 188 which their batsmen reached match that will definitely go down as one of the greatest ODI comebacks of all time. Words do not do justice to the emotions that must have run through both the Australian and Sri Lankan camps during the course of this epic.

Lasith Malinga and Angelo Matthews put together a worldrecord 9th-wicket stand of 132 to send the predominantly Sri Lankan crowd into raptures, after Australia’s total of 239 was overhauled with 1 wicket in hand. This came on the back of a T20 win that should have sent a clear warning to the hosts. It didn’t. The most blatantly disrespectful hitting by Malinga, as well as Matthews’ ice-cold temperament and perhaps just a touch of complacency from the Aussies saw them lose control of the game. After a rain-affected victory in Sydney, Sri Lanka celebrated their first series win in Australia after 26 years of trying. That Australia won the dead rubber in Brisbane will settle only a few minds ahead of the Ashes – the winning habit for Australia has, as Mark Nicholas put it recently, become the losing habit.

India v Australia

Bangladesh v New Zealand

It all began with a scarcely believable 4-0 whitewash for Bangladesh, over New Zealand. The passionate Dhaka crowd turned up in huge numbers, and were deservedly treated to four thrilling matches of one-day cricket, with one match washed out without a ball bowled. Bangladesh opened their account with a 9 run victory in a rain-affected match – the world’s best ODI all-rounder took 4 wickets and a calculated 50, to set the tone for the entire series; Shakib was the leading wicket-taker run-scorer, a phenomenal feat.

The series was wrapped up after another 9 run victory in the third match, before the icing on the cake – the home side defended a meagre 177 in a tense 3 run win. The most encouraging aspect of this series was the fact that Bangladesh stepped up to the challenge as a team, and did not rely solely on Shakib. New Zealand was, just earlier this year, ranked second in ODIs, and yet even without their number one batsmen

Tamim Iqbal at the top of the order, the Bangladesh team were convincing victors.

Kenya v Afghanistan

The next series went under the radar, but was nevertheless a very encouraging one for the administrators of the game –Kenya defeated Afghanistan in the decider to clinch a 2-1 series win. Although Kenya is a full-member of the ICC ODI system

Then followed a “series” that left much to be desired. India was originally due to play 7 ODIs at home against Australia - however, the BCCI pushed to have 2 tests included in the tour, at the expense of 5 ODI matches. This was in itself a flexing of BCCI’s political muscle; India had recently reached the number 1 position in Test rankings, and the best way to keep that ranking secure was to play more tests. While this may seem fair enough, the fact that a high-profile test rivalry such as that which has emerged between Australia and India was kept to just two matches was a farce – it would have made much more sense to have one full series of either test or ODI cricket, rather than a bit of this and a bit of the other. It left the crowd wanting more after both series, especially since both Tests were so enthralling. After two washouts, the ODI series was a onematch affair, which India won with a fantastic run chase led by two of the shining youngsters of Indian cricket, Virat Kohli

The most blatantly disrespectful hitting by Malinga, as well as Matthews’ icecold temperament and perhaps just a touch of complacency from the Aussies saw them lose control of the game.

South Africa v Pakistan

South Africa and Pakistan were entwined in an extremely tense contest in Dubai, before another controversy-filled build up to the decider, even spectacular by Pakistan’s standards, led to a meek defeat. After a first-match pummelling at the hands of a strong South African outfit, Pakistan had come back in superb fashion to level the series at 2-2. The middle three matches in the series read: Pakistan won by 1 wicket (with 1 ball remaining), South Africa won by 2 runs, Pakistan won by 1 wicket (with 1 ball remaining). In an era where ODIs are becoming increasingly marginalised in favour of the shorter format of the game, these results must seem like a godsend to the game’s administrators. The first Pakistan win also featured an innings that will go down in ODI history as the best singlehanded demolishing of a bowling attack to snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. Abdul Razzaq smashed a 70-ball hundred, hitting ten 6s and scoring 63 of the last 65 runs, to somehow guide Pakistan to a win and this included 55 runs in the last 4 overs. Hashim Amla’s prolific run in ODIs continued and it cannot be long before he translates this form into the Test arena. At the end of a series like this, although South Africa came out on top, it is clichéd, yet true to say – the game of cricket was the true victor.

Sri Lanka pulled off a truly memorable performance, coming back from the dead in a

One day cricket is still very much an important form of the game. While T20 provides young cricketers with opportunities to explode into the international scene and success in Test match cricket is the ultimate pinnacle of a player’s ability and talent, it is only in ODIs that a game of cricket can have so many momentum swings in such a short amount of time, and still leave you guessing till the end. The only concern is if we start expecting such treats as the ones we have been given in the past month, every match – besides, there are only so many palpitations a cricket fan can go through!