cricket with balls

When you click on the cricinfo link to the scorecard for the Eden Gardens’ test the first name you see is Hashim Amla.

That is just how their live scorecard works.

It isn’t making a statement with his name; he was just not out, after facing a few more than a hundred overs to win a series for his country.

He couldn’t win the series, but India must have realised that in order to win this test they were essentially only a chance when he was at the non-strikers’ end.

490 runs for one out in three innings. That is batting.

Before the English series Amla was averaging a very bland 40 with the bat after 37 tests.

On a older test match sofa podcast I said he had talent but had been a massive underachiever.

Now he has conquered India.

His team hasn’t, but he has.

Sometimes you can play in six tests when you are in form and it changes the trajectory of your career, at other times you will remember them as the six tests when you didn’t suck.

And in these two tests Amla definitely did not suck.

His calm head today made his team mates look like they were panic buying before the Mayan prophecies came true.

This isn’t the strongest Indian attack of all time, but Bhajji was humming, Mishra was more than handy, and it wasn’t like the rest of the South Africans looked like staying in.  Prince offered 23 runs as second highest scorer if you don’t count Extras.

While two tests is still not a series, what two tests these were.

Steyn’s bowling, Amla’s batting, Sehwagology, and Tendulkar’s hundreds all set this up.

Nothing could beat the end of the day.

At one end you had Amla batting like he was made of granite.

At the other end was a collection of leg spin, off spin and Sachin spin trying to pry out South Africa’s former number 8 as the minutes ticked away.

Match winning hauls, stoic defense, amazing attack, all packed into a seriesette.

Plus the result was right.

It proved that no team really deserved to take the crown, but that both teams could kick some ass when they got their shit together.

India are number one, which seems odd when in 50% of this seriesette they were beaten up.

Ofcourse with South Africa now winning 3 of their last 9 tests, India’s record is looking more and more impressive.

In the end the artificial ranking system means nothing, look at the player and crowd reaction to that win, that means more than anything a statistician can table.

Now all I need to do is stop wishing this was a 5 test series…

The attractive royal

Porn star: Sachin Tendulkar

Proved in New Zealand that there is still a little flair in the old fella.

Pole Dancer: Harbhajan Singh

Will probably not slap any players this year, as that put a dent into IPL last year. A class bowler and should have a good tournament.

Boy next door: Zaheer Khan

You never know which Khan will turn up, Chaka or Genghis. In career best form, and if he can keep it up will get them off to some great starts.

Home made/Amateur: Graham Napier

He is so famous he has his own website. So he must be good. Huge slogger handy bowler, will get a few games to prove, or not, his worth.

Without Warne, MacGill, McGain & Hogg Australia has no spinners.

No one denies this.

Two part timers, and both very very part time.

Michael Clarke has a great record against India, and Cameron White has a great record against no one.

India had three spinners, one a champion, one with a great record at home and a part timer of real skill.

Of the 5 spinners used in the game, India had the top 3.

India’s spinners took 3/370.

Australia’s took 3/166.

You could say their were mitigating factors, like Bhaji bowling shit in the first innings, and Kumble’s shoulder.

But the fact is they bowled a lot more overs, and went for a lot more runs, than two part timers, one straight off a plane, and got as many wickets.

India’s quick bowlers on the other hand, for the amount of overs they bowled, did a great job.

If the spinners had matched their output India would have probably won the game by a fair distance.

Reputations are there for a reason and Kumble and Bhaji deserve theirs, and no one is saying that Michael Clarke and Cameron White are long term spinning options, or even really decent short term options, but you have to give them some credit in this match.

Imagine that.

“I am God’s favourite son, he has given me all.”

“I ask myself what would christ do in a situation like this?”

The top one was said by Harbhajan Singh.

The bottom one by Matthew Hayden.

How are these two men not friends.

Imagine that.

Just when you thought he was a professional dancer and talk show guest, the man pulls out wickets, away from home even.

And boy did he need them, because he has been flat away from home for a long time now.

He has been flat in general even.

You could argue that his ten wickets are still on the sub continent, and you would be correct.

But they are against a fairly well put together opposition, so they still count.

The problem for India is, how long to you pick Bhaji knowing that the next test he plays outside the subbie he will probably go wicket less again.

Looking at his series in Australia, and putting aside bastard monkey gate, he was marginally better than Brad Hogg.

And who wants that on their tombstone.

Bhaji has pulled out an Ian Bell here, but will the selectors look deeper.

In the future India need bowlers who will perform everywhere, not just at home.

That is if their aim is to be the number one test nation.

And I am not sure it is.